Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 20: A Cancer Called Hate

***** ***** *****

“What do you mean?” I glanced between Slash and the half-eaten meat. “How would you know?”

The dragon looked down in shame. “I’ve eaten pony before.”

“You’ve…” I gagged, realizing I have now as well.

She was trying to hold herself together. “Before I got to Dodge, I got jumped by raiders. I killed them. I hadn’t eaten anything since I left the Dragon Lands. I never had a chance to get supplies. I was starving…”

I reached out and held her claw, looking around to ensure no one was eavesdropping. “It’s… It’s fine. That’s the past.” She calmed. “Now, you’re sure?”

Slash nodded. “It’s not something you forget. This is definitely equine meat.” She narrowed her eyes. “All things considered…”

I finished her thought. “...It’s probably zebra.” I met her gaze. “We need to pay Falchion Whiteclaw a visit.”

*****

“The FUCK do you mean the shipments are going to stop!?” Not thirty seconds into the kitchens, and I could hear the accented shrieking of a western griffon.

“I-I’m sorry, madame Falchion! They just told me they lost their source! They can’t harvest any more!” A meek-sounding male whimpered to her.

The Whiteclaw chef groaned in frustration, and I heard the sound of a knife stabbing into a carving board. The unconcerned expressions of other chefs we passed told me this was typical behavior for her. “Well go on then! Change the price on the Gourmand Mignon! We’ll have to sell what we have left at a premium. FUCK.” What I paid wasn’t at a premium?

An earth pony stallion in a waiter’s tuxedo rushed past us, hastily putting on a mask.

*****

“What rare meat am I supposed to fucking serve now? I can’t just cook something common and pass it on as a fucking Gourmand Mignon! It has to be fucking rare! It has to be DELICACY!” Falchion slammed her claws into a counter as we stepped into her private kitchen.

“You could start cutting off your limbs and serve those.” Slash snarled, then ducked as a frying pan was hurled at her.

“Who the fuck are you!?” The master chef shrieked. She looked just like her father and brother, except younger and female. Definitely doesn’t have their refined way with words. Or their style, being in a wrinkled, stained mess of a tux that matched her feathers.

I held up the writ from Sabre. She groaned as she saw his seal. “My fucking twat older brother, of fucking course! The hell do you want?”

“Do you know you’re serving zebra meat?” I cut right to the chase.

“Fucking DUH, I know what I’m serving!” Slash stepped towards her at her admission, murder in her eyes. I held her back. “What kind of chef cooks something without knowing what the fuck it is?”

“You know you’re serving people to people as food!? And you don’t care!?” Slash did what she did out of desperation. This bitch is treating cannibalism like it’s high-class dining.

“People!? They’re fucking zebras!” This time, Slash had to hold me back. Pierre wasn’t kidding if this was a common sentiment here. Were attacks by the Remnants bad enough to warrant this?

I composed myself. “Who else knows? Does your father?”

“Everybody fucking knows.” She threw her claws in exasperation. “Who the fuck spends a hundred bits on mystery meat?”

Me, apparently. “So, the waiter’s talk of it being a chef’s secret?”

“Fucking pagentry, dumbass.” She turned around and got back to work. “What’s the point of this conversation?”

Slash looked ready to burn down this entire city. “You… this has to stop!”

Falchion huffed. “It has fucking stopped. Didn’t you hear? No more fucking shipments”

“You need to pay. You need to be punished.” I could strangle the life out of her, stuff her in a freezer, and change the locks. We’d be long gone before anyone found her.

“Not any fucking laws against it, fucking tourist.” She nearly broke a freshly cleaned pan slamming it into a cabinet. “In fact, laws say zebras are killed or captured on sight here. After that, they’re just meat. They don’t like it? They should stop fucking with us then.”

We weren’t getting anything else from her. As badly as we wanted to kill her, it’d bring far too much trouble down on us.

*****

Thinking about it, as we headed for our suite to explain our revelation to the others, Zimonja did not have a morgue, crematorium, or graveyard. The freezers in the kitchens were very large. Dead zebras were shipped to the Gourmand to be cooked, sold, and eaten by wealthy racists who knew exactly what they were sinking their maws into. Fuck me, the excess meat is probably what the slaves were served. I’d eaten zebra long before stepping hoof in the Gourmand.

Was this retaliation against something the Remnants did, or the other way around? Does it really stretch all the way back to the Great War? How do two entire civilizations hold on to hate like that, for generation after generation?

Then I thought about the families I saw, the children surrounded by propaganda and anti-zebra rhetoric. It’s a never-ending cycle. No. I’m going to break it.

Our suite had a common area with a den, dining area, and kitchen. Connected to it were three bedrooms, each with their own full bath. Gritt was passed out on the sofa, reeking of alcohol. Approaching the only closed bedroom door, I heard Purser and Washout on the other side. I decided to leave them to it. Crimson was probably spending the night at the brothel. Guess we’re not telling them until morning. I started towards an open bedroom, then stopped when Slash followed me.

“Not tonight. I’m still not…” I couldn’t handle being intimate yet.

She nodded. “Of course. I’m here if you need me.” The dragon headed to the other room.

We all got some sleep.

*****

“THEY FUCKING WHAT!?” Washout was seething with rage. Had she been a part of yesterday’s conversation, Falchion would have been stuffed in the oven, not the freezer.

Everyone else was just as disgusted. Except Crimson, who was indifferent. Nothing phases him, huh?

I raised a claw at the pegasus. “Unless you think you can take on the entire city, save that violent rage for Cozy Glow.”

That name snapped her out of it. “Say again? Did you say Cozy Glow?” I nodded. “That’s… impossible. She was the lead researcher on Assault-Mares two hundred years ago. According to the records I found in that factory. Luna found out about her secret project in the basement and had everything shut down and Cozy incarcerated.”

That explains why Knight was so nervous. “If it really is her, does that information help us? Got any other insight on her, or should we go to the Gull and talk to Knight?” Washout shook her head. “Then that’s the plan.”

*****

Our trip was distracted by a military parade. We all gawked as rows of Assault-Mares with WINGS marched down main street, between floats carrying military pegasi and griffons of various rank and station. The largest float was equipped with a podium and public address system. An anthem played, a bright and cheerful remix of the battle tune I heard in Gritt’s memory. I gave him a glance to make sure it wasn’t bothering him. When the parade came to a stop in the town center, the figure that stepped up to the podium was… another Knight.

This alicorn android had a number of differences, such as the fact it was half Knight’s size. The Star Metal armor it wore was reminiscent of modern Enclave armor in shape, black and faint yellow in color, rather than the silver-blue ancient ceremonial plates my friend wore. Its body was soft pink, and the irises of its cybernetic eyes were a mix of pink and clay. I think I saw white freckles under them. It had a bouncy, curly pale blue mane and tail, made from a synthetic fiber, and even wore ribbons in them that matched its armor. Adorned on its flank was a clay-colored rook chess piece. Overall, it resembled a haunted porcelain doll.

When it spoke, its mouth, which was a slit shaped in a small smile, did not move. “Attention, dear ponies and griffons of Seaddle, I have come with grave news.” I recognized the creepily upbeat voice from Pierre’s office. This thing was Cozy Glow. She survived the last two centuries by turning herself into this.

“There has been a mass breakout at our zebra detention facility. The wretched stripes are regrouping with the Remnants, and organizing an attack against us.” Panic quickly spread across the crowd. General Cozy Glow raised a commanding hoof, silencing them. “Worry not! I am prepared to defend you, with a legion of new mechanized soldiers!”

The Assault-Mares took a proud stance and spread their wings in unison. “My creations will annihilate the zebra menace, ensuring peace and prosperity for our proud community!”

She was met with thunderous applause. Disgust crept into my face as I saw foals and fledglings cheer for the destruction of the enemy. Washout was visibly trembling. I kept a claw on her shoulder, both to calm her and to stop her from attacking. If she couldn’t destroy Knight, she couldn’t destroy Cozy.

Vanhoover’s soul was sick with a malignant illness, and this cybernetic abomination was the tumor responsible. We needed a way to carve it out and kill it.

*****

Knight paced back and forth in my cabin. “That… That explains how she’s lived this long, but it doesn’t explain how she survived the bombs.”

I pondered. “Washout mentioned that Luna incarcerated her?”

The android nodded. “I managed to leak my existence to Canterlot. I trusted the Princess to do the right thing and stop Cozy’s plans for zebra genocide.”

“That’s why your IFF…” She nodded. I got the conversation back on track. “Maybe she ghoulified, broke out, and met up with the Enclave?” It was as likely as anything.

“Maybe. She was already somewhat cybernetic, organs mostly, so that may have aided in her survival.” She tapped her hooves. “Before she went all in on Assault-Mares, she was also part of Project Steelpony. Eventually, she decided that the ‘pony’ was the weakness that needed removal. I guess that applied to her, too.”

“What made her this way?” Ponies don’t just wake up and decide they want to exterminate an entire species.

“Littlehorn,” Knight spoke solemnly. I recognized the massacre of Luna’s school by a zebra agent, an event that permanently turned the Great War towards zealous escalation. “She lost her two foals there, as well as her husband who was a teacher. Knowing this was the only reason Luna had Cozy locked up instead of executed.”

“Execution was on the table?” That seemed extreme.

“The research that led to my creation involved a number of atrocities against prisoners of war.” Right, such projects weren’t shy about that.

My expression turned serious. “How do we kill her?”

Knight sighed. “If I knew that, I would have killed myself a long time ago.” I was taken aback by her suicidal remark. “Rosegold, my life isn’t worth the danger I pose to innocent zebras. I tried to destroy myself countless times, but my repair talismans are too advanced. Hers are likely moreso.”

“Well, we can’t just sit here and wait for her to make a move. That speech and parade is going to make it impossible to convince Seaddle that Cozy and her robots are the real threat.” I anxiously fiddled with the chess set. “We need to run reconnaissance on Reinier. Can you and Washout handle that?”

She nodded. “What will you do?”

“Warn the zebras.”

*****

I went alone, flying low through the snow-covered trees. The zebras I rescued will probably recognize me, but Gritt and Crimson would likely get shot at for being griffons, and Purser was too slow to come along. After a few hours, I made it to the other side of the mountain range and into territory that once belonged to Caesar. It made me wonder why this region wasn’t host to any major battles in the War, but back then neither side had any military targets along this border. Vanhoover wasn’t exactly a beacon of industry, and this swath of land was just cold forest for endless miles. Any advancement by Caesar’s forces would have been seen coming and nipped at the bud. Something must have happened after the bombs.

Now, I could see fires and red tents. My approach was careful, I wore my armor, and Grapeshot was stowed at my side. I couldn’t guarantee I wasn’t going to be attacked on sight. Keeping an eye out for patrols, I eventually saw two striped mares and called out to them. They raised their rifles.

“I’m not an enemy,” I stated calmly, raising my claws. “I was part of the breakout at Zimonja.”

One lowered her weapon and cocked her head. “Step Four?”

“Unleash the horde.” At my words, she had her partner lower her rifle as well, then wrapped her hooves around me and whispered something in her language.

“It means brother.” She explained, a tear in her eye.

I gave her a smile. “Can you take me to who is in charge, sister? I need to speak to them about Seaddle.”

She nodded and led me to their main camp.

*****

Legate Zaire was a tall, strong, beautiful example of a zebra mare. The power of her muscles were clearly defined, and I couldn’t help but wonder if she was a relative of Zergei. Her red and gold armor was finely forged and crafted, with ornate detail, tailored to thoroughly protect her body, while signifying her rank. A full helmet that bore the contours of her stoic face with precision sat on a table beside her.

At first, she regarded me with suspicion, but the words of my guide changed her expression to gratitude. I was quickly pulled into a tight embrace.

“I was told of an outsider who fought fiercely alongside my brothers.” She gave a warm smile that betrayed her appearance as a hardened warrior. “It is good to finally meet you, Zinnia.”

The false name yanked at my soul. It was something I made up to fool the Enclave, and now it belonged to a revered hero.

“My… name is actually Rosegold.” I felt ashamed to have deceived them, that Zev sacrificed himself for a false zebra.

Zaire held up a hoof. “That is not the name you bore when you saved my people. Zinnia is the name you wear here, shapeshifter. You understand?”

I nodded. If that’s their belief, I will honor it. “I need to speak to you about Cozy Glow’s plans.”

The Legate gave me her full attention. “What do you know? Are they preparing for our attack?”

Cozy wasn’t lying? “Attack? You really intend to assault Seaddle?”

“Of course,” she stated firmly. “Zimonja cannot go unpunished. Blood must be repaid.”

“Blood has been repaid,” I retorted. “Every single guard in that prison died.” She sneered, unsatisfied. “And regardless, you won’t succeed. You’ll be massacred.” Her sneer was replaced with worry.

“Her machines?” She looked confused. “Most of them were destroyed.”

I shook my head. “That was just a tiny fraction of them, and outdated models at that. She has thousands more that are capable of flight. Cozy Glow intends to roll them across the planet and kill anything that isn’t a pony. Even the griffons aren’t safe, Pierre Whiteclaw admitted as much.” I neglected mentioning the Gourmand. The last thing she needed was another reason to try to massacre that city.

The fearsome Legate took a step back. “She is completely lost to the stars, then.” I nodded, assuming that’s a zebra phrase for having gone insane.

I sighed. “By all means, keep preparing an assault. Just change your target. Go around Seaddle and hit Reinier directly. My allies and I will handle Cozy Glow.”

She contemplated my offer. I added to it. “Pierre has agreed to open peace talks once Cozy is dealt with. Please agree to attend them. The bloodshed can finally end if you allow it.”

Zaire stepped out of her tent and looked out at her people, who had suffered so much. She could seek vengeance, continue the cycle, or she could end it. The tension in her muscles told me that every fiber of her being wanted blood. Then she sighed and relaxed, choosing to let it go.

“I will seek peace.” She narrowed her eyes. “Once the monster is dead.”

***** ***** *****

Footnote:
Welcome to Level 16!

Perk Added: Inspirational! Your good deeds have garnered you a lot of leverage and respect with potential allies! Charisma checks with faction leaders you are at least neutral with now almost always succeed.