Chapter 45 Manehatten Streets

“Because monsters are real," she said. "And even the Wolf needs help sometimes.” ― Hannah F. Whitten, For the Wolf

Junction Town, NCR Capital: Ginger Snaps

We are sitting around awaiting our next set of orders in the barracks. Most of us are playing cards. Twinks seems to have picked up some wool and knitting needles and I find myself fascinated as she knits a what may be a cloth, blanket or scarf. She will not tell me which.

Tonight, on the radio, due to atmospherics being right, we are listening to the Manesville radio station. The show starts with a slow twanging of a banjo which is joined by a mandolin playing the same eerie tune, then a fiddle which screeches at first them blends into them as the tune speeds up and becomes more recognizable. This is followed by a stallions voice with the familiar twang of home speaking.

The Wastelands can be a scary and dangerous place out there. But some places are even scarier and more dangerous than the rest. They say that at one time the spirts and goddesses walked amongst us as well as their first creations, both good and evil. However, some say that they still do. And even the good ones now have an ax to grind with ponykind. So let us take a stroll through those barren fields and shattered forest of old as we explore the Cryptids of the Wastelands.

Good evening, Mares and Gentlecolts, Welcome back to another episode of Cryptids of the Wastelands. I am your host Broadcast Band and tonight I am being joined once again by my co-host Soundwaves. So Sound, what have you dug up out of the library tonight?

We hear the voice change, and I hear Sound Waves answer back Well, Band, last week we talked about the Hew-mans of the Everfree. Tonight, we leave the Everfree and travel to Trottingham, the home of tonight's subjects, the Banshees.

This gets my attention as when I was a foal, I remember hearing the tales of the Banshees and how they would signal the death of a family member to those who hear them. I find myself putting down the copy of Equestrian Army Today that I was reading. This one was interesting as it had an article about street fighting in large cities. However, I feel I need something a bit different and tonight’s broadcast from home, with its familiar lore, accents, and speech patterns fits that bill.

Once the show is over, I see Sunny giggling at the card table and Morning Mist asks him, “So, what has you laughing when you are losing so badly at Dodgecity Hold’em?

Sunny points towards the radio and replies, “I was just thinking how badly that would mess with someone who heard that and then ran into Morning Star on a dark night.”

It takes a minute but I see a grin come across several others at the table with them as they then begin to laugh. Finally, Moring Mist asks, “Ok, I guess, but me and the new hooves on the team have not met her yet. So why would that happen?”

Sunny grins and tells him, “Well, she is all white and a bit on the thin side, so she fits the physical description, especially since she tends to wear a cloak. Finally, when she uses her echolocation, it kind of seems like a scream or wail.”

“Ah, got it. Ok, but I thought all the batponies were dark gray or other such colors.”

Sunny shrugs and says, “I guess, but she is not. In fact, she is very beautiful just the way she is.”

When he says this, I find myself raising an eyebrow and when Epona and I look at each other she silently mouths, “Sunny? Wow.” To which I simply nod in return.

The next day we are told that the Enclave has agreed to the ceasefire terms. However, these do include no new NCR troops being allowed to enter Manehatten. Choo takes the message to the President as previously arranged. When she returns, she is grinning and tells us, “Mission Brief in an hour over at the headquarters. Grab your gear, we will not be back here for a while.” She turns to Flight Plan and his crew and tells them, “You are to join us for this one.”

Flight Plan nods his head and tells her, “Kinda figured that Choo, after all, we do keep working together.”

An hour later we are taken to a briefing room at the Rangers HQ. Once we are seated a Mare with a captain’s insignia on her collar and wearing an NCR Ranger badge tells us, “Ok, what is said here, stays here.” She pauses, then reveals a map of Manehatten and its surrounding areas. This does not surprise me. However, on to the west of the city, I see the marking for two regiments of NCR troops.

The staffer starts with, “You will be flying to these mountains outside of Manehatten for your insertion point. There we expect you to meet up with either the 2nd or 3rd Manesville Regiment.”

We all are a bit surprised at hearing there is now a third regiment out of Manesville. I raise a hoof and while she looks disgruntled, she asks, “Yes, what do you want?”

“Ma’am, who is the CO for this new regiment?”

She looks back at the papers in front of her and finally answers, “Not that you probably know her, but the CO’s name for the new regiment is Colonel Mollygirl.”

I am floored and I hear Epona says, “Damn, Ma got promoted again.”

I see a look of confusion come over the face of the staff officer as she says, “What? Excuse me?”

I smile as I tell her, “Colonel Mollygirl is one of our mothers, sorry about that, but we have not been home in a while, so last we knew she was still XO of the 1st Manesville regiment.”

By now she has regained her composure, “Ah okay, so that should make getting assistance from them much easier. Even better than.”

Choo then asks, “Assistance with what?”

“Good question and I was getting to that. As they may be in the area but can not go in again, both regiments have already had scouts enter the outer districts of Manehatten and they may be able to assist you in infiltrating the city.”

We all nod our heads and she continues with the briefing. Afterward, we are taken to the same airfield we landed at a few short days ago. Once loaded up and after Flight Plan and his crew finish their preflight checks we take off and head for the big city. Well, the ruins of a big city anyway. We make one daytime stay on the way to allow our aircrew to reset before we finish the trip.

It is dark when we get within visual range of Manehatten. From the distance, we can see the lights of Ten Pony Tower. As we circle in the distance, we can see the lights of fires from burning buildings as well as campfires and burn barrels throughout the distant ruins. From above and at a distance we can see a large circular spot in the city that is devoid of any lights. As I look out the window at it, I realize that it is the crater for the balefire bomb that killed this city.

We begin to circle the mountains to the west as Flight Plan tries to locate the Manesville brigade’s positions below in the dark.

Along the mountain, we spot occasional flashes of light from below. Soon we hear high-pitched sounds coming from different directions around us. I then see Choo say something over the aircrew headset she is wearing and the aircraft slows to an almost hover. Then she takes off her helmet and has Sunny go with her as the rear ramp is lowered and they jump out.

Shortly after this, we are moving slowly forward again and we land. As the aircraft shuts down its engines, we begin to get ready to disembark. Once everything is ready, we trundle down the ramp and I am surprised to see Morning Star and the other batponies all standing there speaking excitedly with Choo Choo and Sunny. I especially notice how Sunny must keep fighting to keep his wings down when he is near her. But I also notice how much she pays attention to him as well. But what really surprises me is when I realize that they are all in NCRA uniforms. Then I notice the Manesville Brigade tab on their shoulders.

As we get close to them Sunny excitedly tells us, “Hey Ginger, Pona. Look, they not only made it to Manesville, but they signed up too.”

We exchange pleasantries with them when Morning Star tells us, “The Colonel wants to see you. Follow me.”

We leave Double Back, Morning Mist, and Days End to stand guard over the vertibuck as it is covered with camo netting and the aircrew begins to do their post-flight maintenance. As we begin to move in the dark, I look over and notice a light vertibuck with a light-blue paint scheme under similar netting and I wonder where it came from.

We soon arrive just behind the crest of the mountain at a large tent with ponies coming and going from it. Outside we leave Sunny with the batponies. As we enter it takes a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the bright lights inside. When they do I see Mama Mollygirl standing over a table with maps on it. Epona quietly says to me, “That reminds me of her in Hackamore. She is planning something.”

I find myself smiling and I call out to her, “Hay Ma, it is good to see you again.”

She immediately looks up and comes over giving me and Epona a quick hug. She then greets the others in the tent with us and then asks with a worried expression on her face, “Where is Sunny? Is he ok?”

Before I can reply, my husband laughs slightly and tells her, “Colonel, he is outside talking to Morning Star. I do believe he is smitten by her.”

I see the surprise on my mother’s face as she realizes what he has said and that he is serious. “Well, hopefully so, that would be good for him to settle down. I know his parents have been hoping he would do so eventually.”

Sunny enters slightly later and I hide my smile when I notice he is trying to readjust his wings and is blushing. As he approaches us, Choo Choo asks, “Colonel, we were wondering if we could borrow your batpony scouts to guide us into Manehatten? We have a job to do.”

Ma seems kind of surprised at her request, “I have no problem with that Choo, but we have been told that no NCR troops are allowed to enter Manehatten.

Choo then has that mischievous grin she wears when she is up to something as she replies, “But Colonel, we are not NCR troops. We are civilians who have taken a contract with an independent agent to perform a certain task. That it may benefit others, such as yourself is immaterial.”

Mollygirl grins at us and tells us, “Ok, you can borrow them, but have them home before dawn.”

“Thank you, Colonel. We will try to. Now if you will excuse us, we need to get going soon.”

She nods her head to Choo then seems to remember something and tells Epona, “Dear, Purchase order is back home at the farm. Dear, she is really missing you. If you can, send her a letter, or better yet, stop by and visit her.”

Epona smiles and tells her, “Thanks Ma. I have been missing her too. I will see you soon,” Then we all say goodbye and we slide out of the tent flap and back into the darkness.

Once there Choo Choo tells them, “We have secured the Colonel’s permission to have you four lead us into the city. However, I did have to promise that you would all be back before daylight.”

Morning Star nods her head but then says, “Sorry Ma’am, I have to verify with my Lieutenant.”

She nods her head and moves her ears in understanding and we begin to get ready as she verifies what we have said. Soon she returns and tells the other batponies, “Grab your gear, LT verified and has asked us to have a little sneak and peak as we go.”

Once they return with all their gear we begin to make our way on hoof to the city below.

*****

3rd Manesville Regimental perimeter, Manesville Brigade Sector, Manehatten region: Xochitl

Once out of the Colonels HQ tent, Choo talks with the batponies about them leading us into the city. It takes a bit, but they finally get the authorization from their LT. It is while we wait for this permission that I remember how it was when Mollygirl was the LT, and Ginger, Choo, and I were some of her scouts. I have to say I do not miss having to work so tightly in the chain of command as that anymore. But then again, I do miss the backup that was usually available if and when we got in over our heads.

At first, the two groups are fairly talkative. I have to smile when I see Sunny’s tail bump against Morning Star’s a few times and while she does not take his tail in hers, she simply smiles and keeps walking. Asra and the others I notice are more attentive to our surroundings, but they too are willing to chat with the rest of us.

Once we are about a mile from the outskirts of the ruins all conversation ceases and I notice a shift in both the batponies as well as our own teams’ postures as we become more alert for dangers.

In the distance, I can hear animals moving now and again, but nothing nearby appears on my Eyes Forward Sparkle as hostile yet. However, for the ones that are hostile, we check with our SATS to make sure they are not in range.

By the time we reach the first buildings we are almost creeping as we move. The buildings in this area are mostly hollowed-out shells, but some still seem to be fairly solid. In the night sky off in the distance, I can see a skyship larger than a raptor floating next to Ten Pony Tower. I also notice however that there is a large bank of clouds over most of the city, but the moon does peak through in areas of the sky.

As we get nearer the river, I notice that more of the buildings here look lived in. It is while we are still a few blocks from the river that we have our first run-in with an Enclave patrol. It is nothing serious as we see them before they see us. Sunny and Morning Star on point quickly motion with their ears and hooves for us to freeze, then they signal us that they are hostiles and how many. While we outnumber them, we do not want to be caught so we all dodge into a couple of different storefronts on both sides of the street.

Soon the patrol is walking into what would be a perfect kill zone for an ambush. I, as well as the others, are ready to fire, however, we hear one of them say, “Be careful and stay toward the center of the street. I am getting a lot of hostiles on my Suits IFF. I think it is just more of those giant rats like we ran into near the waterfront.”

We then hear another of them reply, “Yes Sir, Lieutenant.”

We all stay as quiet as we can and hold our breaths as they pass. Once they are out of EFS range we get up and continue, towards the waterfront so that we can cross the river into the main section of Manehatten.

During one of our stops just before Sunny and Morning Star begin to scout ahead to make sure the way is clear I hear Choo Choo ask Morning Star, “Lance, it has been a while since I was last in Manehatten, Where do you intend to take us to cross over?”

Morning Star turns to her and replies, “Ma’am, during our recon yesterday, we noticed that the only bridge that is still up is the Luna Line monorail. So, this does not seem like a good idea for a group as large as ours, however, we also ran into a couple of smugglers who had boats that they use to cross over, not far from there.”

I see Choo Choo nod her head in thought, then I hear, “Do you trust these smugglers?”

I hear the Lance Corporal laugh in her high-pitched sound and shake her head, as she says, “No, but I know that they consider the NCR corrupt and the Enclave scares them as they feel they would be killed.”

“So, you are saying that we can expect them to work with us, but to watch our backs?”

Morning Star nods her head, then tells her, “Exactly. Also, as long as the boats still float, we can always use the fliers to pull the others across.”

I find myself grinning at this and then I see Sunny is practically beaming at her. Good Goddesses, I swear he is like a young buck with his first crush. But I do feel a small bit of joy for him seeing him so happy. Then I smirk as I wonder what Trouble and Blondie would think of their son’s possible love interest.

As we near the riverside and the waterfront, we are taking a quick break to shift our gear when I hear what sounds like a high-pitched growl from the shadows. I use my SATS and target one of the sources, which turns out to be oversized rats. By oversized, I mean they are the size of a medium-large dog, just on shorter legs.

As I get ready to fire it leaps at me and I miss my shot, and use the butt of my rifle to hit it upside its head. As this is occurring at least a dozen more appear and begin to attack our group.

From the side, I hear a loud, high-pitched almost keening sound and I see several of the rats turn and run. I see it is coming from one of the borrowed scouts, just as I realize I had not paid enough attention to the rat I had butt stroked before. That is because at that moment he lurches forward and I feel his teeth sink deep into my leg. I promptly hit him again, and once he is clear of me, I fire two quick rounds into him. I continue to hear shouts and gunfire around me as I lean against the wall and quickly apply a magical bandage to the wound.

As I do so, I look briefly at the mouth of the rat and notice one of the teeth looks like it has broken off. Just then I hear another wave of the rats coming at us and I begin to fire again at them along with the others. I have killed three more of them before the gunfire stops and I notice there are no more of them. It is then that I see Arrats break out a knife and take some of the meat from one of the rats. She looks up at me and asks, “What? Why waste good eating.”

I tell her, “I wasn’t saying anything. Just never done it during an op before. Back home, Sunny, Ginger, and I ran a radhog hunting business as kids.”

To which she nods his head and continues butchering the rat.

Morning Star tells her, “Mission first Arrats, Maybe we can come back on our way back to the regiment in the morning. But put what you have already into your saddlebags, we can cook it before bed.

As soon as she is done, we continue. I then notice I was the only one to have been bitten. Go figure, just my luck.

As we make our way to the river, I notice the pain in my leg, but I figure it is just that the wound is still trying to heal. Twinks asks me at one point, “You okay Flower?”

“Yeah Danger, I am okay. Just got nipped is all.”

“Well, at our next stop, I want to check it out. No need to suffer if you do not have to.”

“I get you. Will do Danger.”

A short while after this my wife comes over to me and asks, “Are you ok? I can see you are limping pretty good.”

“Yeah, I am. Nothing too serious, so I just threw on a magical bandage.”

She seems somewhat skeptical, then tells me, “Okay, but keep an eye on it.”

I simply nod my head this time, and continue along with the others.

Soon we have reached some old rundown docks. Under them, I can see the hulls of two beat-up row boats. I have to laugh as I see the look on Cowlick’s face and he asks, “Are you sure that thing will hold me?”

Off to the side, I hear a grave voice say, “Yeah, even for someone your size it will hold, may take a couple of trips to get yous all across, but we can do it for the right price.”

Epona and Ginger both step up and they begin to dicker a deal. They end up settling on 100 caps and a pound of plastic explosives to take our non-flyers across.

While this is going on I watch as a fog bank begins to cover the water and the land near it. Soon, we can not even see the other side.

The buck we have been talking with grins at one of the others as he says, “Weather like this, we may just have to make two trips tonight. I love a beautiful night like this.”

Soon we are making our way across, all of us non-fliers, and the smugglers are on the two boats, Mine and Ginger’s team on one, Epona and the others on the other. We keep the two boats close together as we cross. In front of us in the thick fog, I can hear the batponies using their echolocation to help guide us.

One time Ankareeda flies up to us quickly and tells us, “Stop right here.”

We are sitting dead in the water, drifting slightly with the current when out of the dark we see a large river boat come sailing past us at full speed. In the dark, we can hardly see it except for its shadow and a few lights shining between some of the boards along its sides. Well, that and the sparks coming out of both of its tall chimneys.

While not too close, its wake rocks both boats heavily. Once it has passed into the night, we begin to make our way across again. Eventually, we begin to see the silhouettes of buildings near the shore ahead of us, some of which have fires burning outside of them. The entire trip seems to take half the night, but by my PipBuck it has only taken an hour to cross the river. Once to the other side we disembark as quickly as we can and set up a quick defensive perimeter while Choo Choo and Morning Star talk again about where we are and where we need to head.

Once a decision has been made, we begin to head north along the coast toward both Ten Pony Tower and our first objective, the Four Stars Grand Terminal, which was also that corporation’s headquarters. Choo and the others who didn’t go on the junket to Hoofington have told us about having been in the basement there on the final day in another universe by having used a Doorway. Our first mission is to see if they had one there in ours. If so, we are to make sure that the Enclave cannot use it.

It is as we are making our way in that direction that I start to feel light-headed, and I notice how sweaty I have become. It is when I trip that things start to become unclear to me. From out of the gutter, I hear a voice ask, “What are you doing up there? Get underground before a patrol comes through here.”

I look in that direction from the ground and I swear the owner has the skin missing from part of his face as well as he is missing an ear. My eyes unfocus and he is blurry as I try to stand. I feel several hooves carry me towards the old subway entrance and soon the world goes black.

*****

Bayside Subway Station, Manehatten: Choo Choo

I hear the voice from the side call us just as Xochitl begins to collapse. I can tell he is trying to say something but I cannot make it out. Ginger and Twinks grab him and drag him to the subway station entrance with us.

As we enter, I see that the owner of the voice is a ghoul who has definitely seen better days. As we run in his direction, I hear him say, “Get in here smooth coats, quick.”

As the last of us get to the bottom of the steps, I can hear the sounds and feel the rumble of several sets of power armor going by.

I turn to the ghoul and I tell him, “Thanks, mister.”

I see him try to grin as he tells me, “Been a long time since anyone has called me mister,” He chuckles lightly and then adds, “First time for one of your kind.”

I nod my head and shift my ears in understanding. Then I tell him, “Excuse me while I check out my team member. He just passed out.”

The ghoul tells me, “Yeah, I noticed. What’s up with that?”

As I am looking over Xochitl’s wound, I answer, “I am not sure. I know he mentioned he got bit earlier by a large rat on the other side of the river.”

I see his eyes go wide and his one ear straight forward. Then he asks in a worried tone, “Did you say bit by a rat over there?”

I nod my head, to which he replies, “That is not good. The local smoothcoats say that the rats over there are the descendants of some that escaped from a bioweapons lab over there. We need to get him help quickly.”

Ginger who is near me asks, “We are not locals, so we do not know the lay of the land fully. Where would you recommend, we take him?”

He thinks briefly and then tells us, “Normally I would say the hospital at Ten Pony if you have the caps, but seeing you are sneaking around at night, I would hazard a guess that it is out of the question.” He pauses and then asks, “I know you seem comfortable around me, but how does your team overall feel about my kind?”

I smile as I tell him, “We are used to ghouls overall. A few of the newer team members are still learning but they have not had much time back at our shop in Manesville. There we have a mother and her filly who just woke up from the long sleep about a year ago, who run things there.”

He looks surprised, and asks, “Did you just say you have a ghoul running your shop?”

I nod my head and he adds, “Not something you hear every day. Things sound a bit different over where you come from.”

“Perhaps, but while not perfect, relationships between us Breathers and the Ghouls have changed drastically since the day of Sunshine and Rainbows. They helped us rebuild and their settlement of Dead Quite is a major part of the Manesville region.”

Again, he shakes his head. Then he pauses as from a nearby radio we hear, This is Radio Free Equestria at Ten Pony Tower and you have been listening to the Third Raptor Squadron band as they have played the Luna Regina March.

As a friendly reminder to all civilians in the Manehatten region, the city is under curfew from dusk till one hour after dawn. Anyone caught out during these hours will be dealt with as guerillas or criminals. So please remain indoors during these times.

For those in the NCR forces outside of Manehatten this message is for you, do not let your leaders throw away your lives over a matter that doesn’t even concern you. You cannot win this fight, much less war against us, return to your homes, or if you cannot do that, throw aside your weapons and approach one of our many patrols where you can be taken to safety and let to live your life.

In other news President Winter Breeze has once again called for President Grimfeathers to step down from office as part of the offered terms for a permanent cease-fire. Among these terms is that the NCR and the group that title themselves as the Twilight Society turn over the weapon known as Celestia One. This group has had custody of this megaspell since the Great War and has recently threatened its use against the Grand Pegasus Enclave, leading our beloved President to feel that she had to lead the way in its capture.

The old Ghoul starts to laugh at the radio and shakes his head, “The old Psy-op bucks never did realize that messages like that never really worked, even back during the war with the zebras.” He then turns his attention back to me and tells me, “If Ten Pony is out, the next best medical facility I know of is in the old Ministry of Peace hub hospital. It is now a settlement for ghouls. They call it Duskhoof.”

From the side, I hear Asra ask, “Did you say Duskhoof?”

The ghoul nods his head and tells him, “Yes, the mayor there is a ghoul batpony named, Silmetra. He should be able to help your friend.”

“How do we get there?” I ask.

The old ghoul shrugs and tells me, “I will lead you, but I cannot enter. I, I have been exiled for my past there.” He pauses and looks off into the distance wistfully and then continues, “Most of the trip will be through the old subway system. However, we will have to go above ground in a few areas.”

“I understand. Thank you.”

Soon we are on our way. As we go, I notice by my EFS that we are still heading northward towards Ten Pony Tower. I ask him about it and he tells me, “We will be going above ground at the next station. However, that will get us in walking distance of a cross-connect station that will lead us toward Duskhoof.”

“OK, how far from there to Duskhoof?”

“Several miles, but we will get you there as quickly as possible.”

I find myself sighing as I tell him, “Okay. How close are we going to be to the Four Stars Grand Terminal?”

He looks at me cautiously and asks, “Why do you want to go there?”

I then tell him, “We were hired to make sure that a piece of equipment that is believed to be there is there. If so, we are to notify our employers.”

“I guess that makes sense. But the lower level there is filled with ghouls who have lost themselves.”

I hear Days End ask quietly, “Do you mean ferals?”

The ghoul looks angry as he turns to him and says, “Do not call them that. They are not animals. They, they just have seen and experienced too much for their minds to handle it anymore.”

I gently tell him, “We are sorry if his use of the term feral offended you, but that is the word we are used to using to differentiate between ghouls who are still cognizant and those who are not.”

He nods his head, “OK, well we are at our first spot we have to go topside at.”

As I look up ahead, I can see that this portion of the tunnels still seems in good shape, but I can hear the growling sounds of ferals in the distance further up the tunnels. I turn to the others and tell them, “OK, let’s get going.”

We have just gotten to the street again when around the corner from a block away we can barely see a squad of Enclave soldiers in a mix of power armor and normal barding on patrol.

Our guide, I have since found out his name is Dust Bunny, tells me, “There is a settlement just over two blocks, if we can reach it, we can blend in with the population.”

Just as he says this, I hear Xochitl start to groan aloud. I see two of the Enclavers point in our general direction and they begin to head our way. I tell my team, “Get down, and be quiet.”

The lance corporal tells me, “We have to be back by morning anyway. You guys go and my set will distract them.”

I nod my head and I hear Sunny ask, “Are you sure?”

She nods her head and tells him, “Yes, we can do this, and better if you are not with us so we can shadow chase.”

I am not sure what shadow chasing is, but am curious. Then I tell her, “Agreed, go and be careful.”

She smiles and tells me, “Too late for being careful, now we get to have fun.”

It is then that I see Sunny, who was already next to her, wrap a wing around her and give her a kiss, which she awkwardly returns. After they break the kiss, he tells her, “Be safe. I can’t wait to introduce you to my parents.”

I am almost amused as I see her blush and shift her wings like he does. Then she tells him, “I really hope you mean that.”

Then I watch as the four of them step into the shadows and disappear, reappearing on the other side of the Enclave patrol. I hear her laugh and then call out, “Are you looking for someone?”

As the patrol shifts and begins to chase them, Dust Bunny leads us off into the shadows of the night and toward the next settlement. On our way I hear from behind me Tater asks Sunny, “You really are sweet on that mare, aren’t you?”

While I don’t hear Sunny’s reply, I do hear Tater say, “Yeah, that is what I thought.”

Once there I put a hoof alongside of Xochitl’s forehead and I can feel the heat radiating from him. We really need to get him help or he will not make it. I make a decision I rarely would do; the mission can wait. I turn to Dust Bunny, “Lead us as quickly as you can to Duskhoof. He is in trouble.”

The old ghoul nods his head in acknowledgment and we are off again this time at a trot, with Xochitl on Cowlick’s back.

Sunny is on point with Morning Mist as we go. In the rear of our column are Days End and Double Back. I can not help but see the worry on Ginger’s face as she walks just behind Cowlick who has Twinks next to him.

Two blocks later we are back underground following the tunnels towards our destination as Dust Bunny leads us there. According to Dust Bunny, this will help us avoid the manticores. Dear Luna, what kind of place is this city? I ask myself.

Often, we can hear the growl and shuffling of feral ghouls in the distance. All of us keep our weapons at the ready, just in case. Finally, Dust Bunny tells us, “Last time to pop up topside again. After that only a block to go before we reach Duskhoof.”

In the distance, just off the main park that used to be a town square, we can see the old, rundown hospital that still bears the faded three butterflies of the Ministry of Peace on its walls. Well, at least the lower walls. From here it looks like the upper stories have already collapsed leaving a few bits of steel and concrete sticking up to remind people of its former glory.

Soon we can see the ad hoc wall of overturned skywagons, sheets of tin, and other junk that could be found to create a barrier around the entrance and grounds of the hospital. Along the wall, we can see several armed ghouls patrolling.

Once near the gate one of the ghouls calls down to us, “Who are you, what do you want?”

Then he calls down to Dust Bunny and tells him, “You! You know you are not allowed here anymore.”

Dust Bunny looks down towards the ground in shame, then he raises his head, “I understand that. I have not forgotten, nor have I forgotten the why. I am not asking to come in, but they have a buck here who was bitten by a rat on the other side of the river. He is burning up and needs help.”

The ghoul stallion looks downwards at us and asks, “Why didn’t they go to Ten Pony then?”

I step forward, adjust my wings, and answer, “Unfortunately due to new management there, it is not an option for us.”

I see the ghoul shake his head and then he calls over his shoulder, “Go get the mayor, he needs to decide on this.”

We wait for what seems like an hour, but is only a few minutes before I see another ghoul come to the platform behind the wall. As he does so, I notice his wings are not those of a normal pegsus, ghoul. At about this time, Sunny also sees it and steps forward and calls out, “We seek Sanctuary from the night and the creatures that hide there. We have wounded as well.”

The ghoul who I have just realized is a batpony or was one seems stunned and tells the others, “Let all of them in, I mean all of them.”

We quickly move through the gate. Once inside the Batpony ghoul floats down and lands in front of us and introduces himself, “I am Silmetra, welcome to Duskhoof, and you will be granted sanctuary.”

He then turns to Sunny and asks, “Where did you learn those words?”

Sunny blushes as he replies, “Morning Star and three of her friends taught them to me while we were in Hoofington.”

He looks at him through one eye, and asks, “And just who are they?”

This time I answer, “They are batponies who we met down there and befriended. They created a diversion for us so we could get here.”

As this discussion is going on some of the other ghouls have begun to take Xochitl from Cowlick’s back and carry him inside, Ginger right next to them. As they go, I hear at least one ghoul comment, “By the Goddesses, a real live old school bull. I thought all the cattle were gone.”

Silmetra ignores them but instead seems stunned, as he quietly says, “So my people still live.” As he says this, I see an expression of relief come across his face. Then again as if only to himself he says, “So their calls earlier tonight were real, I am not losing my mind?”

I smile gently and tell him, “No, you are not sir. There seems to be a colony of Thestrals there that is starting to reveal itself.”

“Hmm, interesting, and are you portraying yourself as Luna to convince these Duskhooves to work for you?”

I shake my head, “No, I would not do that. Morning Star and the others, well they traveled to Manesville and have joined the NCRA there. They are scouts for the 3rd Manesville Regiment.”

“Interesting, and you say they are volunteers?”

I nod my head. “Yes, “I think briefly, and then I tell him about Site Paddock and the Embryos.

I see him rock back on his heels as he stops moving, “Are you serious?” When I nod my head, he then asks, “And what does it cost for them?”

“To tell the truth, I do not know for sure, but last I heard they were talking about working with the Followers of the Apocalypse to use them.”

He nods his head, then asks, “These ghouls at this Site Paddock, you say they are accepted by all?”

I sigh as I tell him, “I have not been back there since the others on my team helped them, but I will say from what Ginger and the others have told me, they were welcomed by the local government, and those ghouls over in Dead Quiet.”

“Interesting. Not what I had expected from the NCR.”

“Well, Manesville is not like a lot of other places. But it is home to us.”

He nods his head, looks at my flank, and asks, “So why the fake cutie mark if you are not trying to convince others that you are Luna come again.”

This time I chuckle lightly at his subtlety, then I answer, “It is not fake, I recently got my original cutie mark back, as well as that of Her Majesty.”

He nods and I see him think as he asks, “And how did you get it back?”

I stop and look at him and I tell him, “While I cannot tell you that, know that it is part of why we are in Manehatten. The other is to recruit and train resistance fighters to go against the Enclave with us.”

He nods and then asks, “So what do you think Her Royal Majesty would say about you wearing her Cutie Mark as part of your own?”

When he asks, I slip, and without thinking I say, “Both she and Celestia saw it and Luna was pleased for me and helped me to understand that perhaps it represents me helping to lead others through the night.”

Again, he stops and turns to me with an angry expression on his face and tells me, “Blasphemy. I may not have been in Canterlot on that final day but I know she perished there. How dare you lie and say that.”

This time Epona who is still with me angrily answers, “She is not lying. Just because Luna of this Universe is dead, does not mean she does not live in another one. After all the me from this universe has been moldering in the ground for eleven years already, and I still visit her and my mother from this universe's grave.”

After she says this, I answer as I hold up a hoof, “Pax, there are more forces at play here than you can imagine sir. But do not say anymore about what you have heard as it is not for general consumption.”

He looks around briefly and says, “Agreed, we need to talk in my office.”

I tell the others, “Relax here in the main entrance lobby, I will be back soon.”

Once we are in the office, he has me close the door and asks, “What are you really here for?”

“We are in Duskhoof to get treatment for my team member.”

“Perhaps I should rephrase my question. Why is your team here in Manehatten?”

“Ah, That, sorry, but that is classified. I hope you do understand.”

“I understand classified, I was once a contract engineer for the Equestrian Military. But this concerns my people and our home.”

I do not say anything, finally, he asks, “Are there other teams here in Manehatten other than yours?”

“I cannot say.”

He grins this time, “Thank you for your non-answer. I do understand, Now what can we do to assist you?”

*****

Ten Pony Tower, Manehatten: Ball Lightning

While I find that my team’s quarters in Ten Pony are nicer than we are used to, and I have learned a lot about what is going on in the war by being around the President’s headquarters, I must admit, I am bored, and I miss my family.

It has only been a couple of days since the NCR accepted the ceasefire. But for some reason, I just do not trust them at all. I just have this feeling they are going to try something. I would. Especially since I found out about the megaspell Celestia One being housed in this building.

The problem is, that I am too junior in rank, and I have no authority here. I tried to talk to some of the senior staff members and was told to just sit tight with my team and that they would let us know if they needed us.

So, being a good Enclave officer, I did what I should. I went looking to try and find problems. As I walked the building with my team, casually talking but also listening to conversations around us, I began to get a lay of the land and what they needed here to win their hearts and minds as they used to say.

I wrote up a report with suggestions of what to do. As I was handing it to the chief of staff for the president, one of the other officers grabbed it and threw it away saying, “Captain, I know you are trying to be helpful, but the best you can do is stay out of the way.”

“Yes, Sir,” I simply say but as turn to go I hear the President’s voice from the doorway to her suite call out.

“Captain Ball Lightning, is it?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Captain, did you have something for me?”

“No ma’am, just a list of things I heard were problems with the local populace. The Lieutenant Colonel here has told me that my report was not needed.”

She smiles at us both and says, “Please humor me then and come inside and tell me what you think you found out.”

I take the report from the trash and straighten it the best I can. Then I walk back into her office. Once there she sits down and has me hoof her the report. “So, Captain, how did you find out this information?”

I smile, “Ma’am, my team and I walked around talking with each other and listening to others around us do so as well. We felt that if we did not appear to be paying attention to them they would talk more freely.”

“Captain, if I remember correctly your record has you serving with the Recon battalions as well as working with some of our agents in the Volunteer Corps dirtside. Am I correct?” she asks as if making sure someone can hear her.

Suddenly I feel uncomfortable. The president not only knows my name but by record. She has also been using us as a backdoor to communicate with the NCR because of the contacts from those missions. This feels like dangerous ground for me. I keep my face emotionless as I tell her, “Yes ma’am, that is correct. In fact, two of the members of my team were civilian agents we worked with before.”

She nods her head then I notice her glancing over the list of concerns for the locals, as well as suggested long-term solutions. Among these items is a lack of food which we could pass along more advanced knowledge of farming and assist them in starting them. Next was a lack of medical care and supplies. Again, something we can correct with aid stations, particularly VC-run ones, as well as improving the current treatment facilities in this region. Finally, there is a lack of education, with many of the locals being illiterate. Schools can be set up, as well as special classes for older ponies that would teach them to read as well.

As she looks over the page, I see her smile and nod her head several times. Finally, she sets the report down and tells me, “While I had anticipated the problems listed, I had not fully expected a soldier, to have come up with these solutions. I have to say, that I agree with what you have reported here, as well as your suggested solutions. In fact, I addressed these very issues as well as the same solutions in my daily radio address this morning. That is why the Lieutenant Colonel did not want to pass your suggestions up the chain to me. Please continue to work with him and my staff. I do appreciate your work on this as well your desire to help.” She pauses and then asks, “On a different note, have you heard anything through our back channels?”

I shake my head no as I move my ears in a negative gesture to emphasize my answer. I then tell her, “No ma’am. Nothing from any of them. Though after the NCR's last broadcast of their Cryptids of the Wastelands concerning Banshee, we have had a couple of rumors of Banshee sightings here in Manehatten. The closest is from an incident that has been reported as a suspicious contact. It is being said that one of our mixed patrols saw one only a couple of nights ago. The survivors supposedly said they saw what looked like one and when they chased it, it called out and brought all the local bloodwings down on them. The troopers in power armor survived the encounter, however, only two of those in barding made it out alive. One died at the main entrance to the tower here as those on the door were afraid to open up because of all of the bloodwings.”

“So those guarding the doors just let him die?”

“Madam President, with the number of those giant bats that were reported, I probably would have done the same. If they had gotten in, we would have lost some civilians as well as more of our people.”

I see her look out at the sky through a window off to the side and hear her sigh, “I suppose you are right. I am just getting tired of hearing of all these deaths. I wish we could make it all stop. That is part of why we came here. To take Celestia One and keep it from being used on our people.”

“I understand Ma’am. But aren’t you afraid of the response of the NCR to our having done so?”

She smiles coldly, “No, not really. But if we fail to bring the NCR to its knees with just this threat, I am afraid of how far we will need to go to satisfy the hardliners among the General Staff.”

I am taken by surprise as she says the last part. But I answer the only way I know how, “Yes ma’am, I do understand.”

She sighs again and quietly asks, “Do you?” She shakes her head and then tells me, “That will be enough for now Captain. Thank you.”

After leaving her suite, her Chief of Staff approaches me and tells me, “Sorry about earlier, but she has a lot going on, and as I am sure she told you, she has already brought up these topics on her morning broadcast.”

“Yes, she did sir.”

“Good, for now, when not performing your special duties, I would like your team to wander around like you did for your report. Get to know the locals, even those who are not here in Ten Pony, but are nearby. Let us know what you hear and give us the pulse of how our efforts are working.”

With that, I decide to take the team on a bit of a walk. As I get back to our room, I tell them, “The chief of staff has asked us to go for a bit of a walk, meet the locals, hearts and minds stuff for now.”

Air Burst looks a little surprised, “I didn’t think they would want us out on the streets right now.”

I shrug, “The Chief of Staff suggested it to me but I was surprised as well. Well, let’s grab some gear and go for a walk.”

Soon we have taken the elevator down to the main lobby and we make our way out the entry doors there, where at one time passengers from the elevated railroad here, would come and go. As we pass through the lobby, I cannot help but look at the painted walls beyond the barricade. My eyes go quickly over most of the others to the one of the Ministry Mare Twilight Sparkle. While some of it is still chipped, I notice that someone has cleaned most of the soot from it, as well as having started to try and restore it. This makes me wonder about the ponies who live here. They take the time to restore a painting, but not to help those in need nearby. I shake my head and continue past and out onto the old arrival and departure platform. Once there we turn and begin to follow the tracks south for a distance where we can see a stairwell going down.

I smile as I see Air Burst frown and I bet he is remembering that these were the same stairs Purple Haze used to go back into the tower after we first met her. I have this question inadvertently answered by him as once we are at the bottom, he looks back up at them and sighs. Soon we are on our way to one of the nearest communities that we have been told exist in this area.

As we walk along the boulevard I am saddened as I look at the condition of so many once great buildings. It makes me shake my head at the waste of it all.

“OK Ball, I can see something is on your mind, What is it?” Air Burst asks.

I shrug as we keep walking and tell him, “Nothing important, just how much of a waste it all was back then. I mean, those who live down here have been driven down so far. It makes me wonder how different things would have been if it had never occurred.”

That is when I hear Alto laugh lightly and say, “Come on Ball, we already know. Remember Queen Haven?”

“Yeah, I guess you are right in some respects, but maybe it could have gone differently.”

He moves his ears in a noncommittal gesture and tells me, “Maybe we should write a book that tells what it would be like if the war never happened.”

Beside me, Air Burst laughs lightly and tells him, “Nah, who would want to read could have been.”

In the distance I see four equine shapes moving along the shadows. Chain Lightning is already looking in that direction and tells me, “Sir, that is not our mission, leave it be.”

“Thanks for the reminder,” I tell him, as I see that the group is made up of a pony in a trench coat and fedora leading a group that includes an earthpony mare in a stable suit, a cute-looking unicorn, and a zebra mare.

Soon we reach the first settlement that I want to visit. As we reach the gate to it, we are challenged by a guard at the top of the fence next to it, “Ok, Enclavers what do you want this time? We already gave yous everything we could afford earlier.”

“We are not here to take anything. We have come to see your leaders and to see if they have any suggestions of how we can help you.”

“Sorry, but they are not interested in help from your kind.” He yells down to us, then adds, “Go over a couple more blocks and talk to the Landsharks. Maybe they will be interested in what you are peddling.”

I look at the others with me and we all simply nod our heads and we turn and head in the direction the guard had pointed earlier.

We have only gone a few more blocks when I see a pony that I recognize moving along the side of the street from cover to cover. I raise my wing and I call out, “Hey Sunny, it is good to see you again.”

He says nothing but only nods and waves us forward. Once we are close enough, he asks, me, “Do I know you, Captain?”

I am taken aback, he looks and sounds like Sunset Water, so I say, “Sunset Water, it’s me, Ball Lightning, you know, the stallion you snuck into Thunderhead to visit in the hospital. Is Choo and the rest of the Repair Ponies with you?”

Just after I say this, I hear Xochil’s voice from the side say, “Lay down your weapons feathers and nopony has to die.”

I am surprised at this, and as I turn to look at him, I see he has an MEW aimed at me. Beside him is a griffon who tells us, “You heard the buck, drop ‘em.”

As we are laying down our weapons, the griffin tells them, “Brandywine, grab their weapons, Eni, Meanie, good work. The rest of you, keep ‘em covered. Now let’s go find somewhere we can interrogate them.”

I am still looking at Sunny when I ask, “Sunny, did Choo send you to give us a message for the President from yours? Is that what you are doing here?”

He looks at me and I am stunned as he shifts into what I have seen called a changeling in history books. I feel my blood run cold as I realize what I have done.

Then I hear the griffin ask, “Captain, did you say you know the Repair Ponies and that they have been passing messages from Regina Grimfeathers to Winter Breeze?”

I nod my head and I hear her mumble to herself, “Buck, that changes things.” She then tells the others, “Get them out of sight, I need to go high and radio in to our employers to find out what to do with them.”

We are soon led into a first-story room in a decrepit townhome. The others begin to chat amongst themselves as they wait for their boss to return.

When she does, she is very irritated. She then tells them, “Bosses say, catch and release. We let them go.” She turns to me and tells me, “Also, a message from my bosses to you, keep your big yap shut about the backdoor from now on. Also, tell your president that the only reason you are being released is to keep that channel open. As for this little incident, it never happened.”

She turns to a unicorn stallion with a Contractor Medic tab on his shoulder and tells him, “Use an anesthetic spell on them, just long enough to allow us to get out of here.”

She turns to us and tells us, “Good luck to you, but understand, you are only going free because we were ordered to.”

With that I see the unicorn’s horn light up as one by one my team goes unconscious. The last thing I see as the world goes black is the Griffon saying, “What a muck up this is. Almost as bad as Baltimare.”

*****

Good evening to all you Wasteland listeners out there. I am Broadcast Nights with all the news and tunes from Junction Town to the NCR.

In tonight’s news, you can use, the ceasefire between NCR and Enclave forces is still in effect. However, there have been reports that in good old Manehatten fashion some skirmishes have broken out among the locals with the GPE forces.

In more local matters, the latest Senate assembly meeting has seen several members calling for the resignation, or replacement of President Grimfeathers on the grounds of loss of confidence. There have been no new comments from the president currently concerning these going ons.

We also have reports that the current talks between the NCR and Lunar Commonwealth governments have ended in disagreement and that the Commonwealth representatives have left the NCR in disgust.

Now back to the music, starting with what I consider a very appt song for this day and age. Here is Land of Confusion.

Author's Note

This chapter seemed to flow on its own for me as I was writing it. I would like to thank the two friends whom I read every section before I hard save a chapter. They made a few suggestions of how to make the words flow better as well as the dedication song at the end of it, which I felt was very fitting for it.

For the settlement of Duskhoof, and its mayor Silmetra, I have to thank volrathxp for letting me use them, as they are his creation, though we are seeing them several years after they appear in Fallout Equestria: Starlight.

I would also like to thank RuinQueenof Oblivion for having given me permission previously to use the events relating to the Enclave War including the capture of Manehatten from her story Fallout Equestria: Survivor's Guilt. For those who have read that one, if you guessed the four mares the Ball saw traveling in the shadow, with one wearing a trench coat and hat was the Wanderer, you are correct.

Both of these stories I have enjoyed and would recommend them to others.

For those who would like to listen to this chapter's dedication song, the YouTube link is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPaRQznZD0w