Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

by Veprem

Rating: mature
Tags: Suicide / Self Harm, Dragons, Profanity, Non-consensual, Adventure, Griffons, Violence, Crossover, Sex, Fallout, Narcotics, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Hippogriffs, Death, Alternate Universe, Other, Original Character
Length: 94335

Two centuries after balefire tore apart Equestria, the hippogriffs have thrived... under the rule of the Storm King. And he has his eyes set on new territory to conquer.

Rosegold, a hippogriff stallion and proud Commodore of the Storm King's forces, is sent to the Equestrian wasteland in search of a magical artifact thought lost to their people over 200 years ago. An artifact deemed vital to their King's efforts to conquer the Dragon Lands. In his journey, Rosegold makes unlikely allies, discovers hidden power, and finds that not all he was raised to believe is as it seems...

***

Set in the world of Fallout Equestria, created by KKat.

Published 2023-08-12 17:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2023-09-21 07:35:05 UTC

Chapter 1: The Commodore

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 1: The Commodore

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

Thunder cracked through the rainy night, the deafening sound only briefly muffling the screams, gunshots, and sizzling energy bolts ripping through the soggy streets of Klugetown. Hulking ghoulified beasts, adorned in black armor sporting an insignia of two teal lightning bolts, dragged the various denizens of the ramshackle buildings out into the mud. I scanned each of their terrified faces. None matched the description our caravans had given us. With a wave of my claws, my troops lowered their weapons from the captives’ heads and instead placed their wrists in shackles. Plenty of time to interrogate them later if our target has managed to slip away. Which was doubtful, considering we had airships watching the town borders. My attention was drawn to an approaching subordinate.

“Commodore!” she called out through the rain. Storms were common across our King’s territory, but tonight was particularly ghastly. While that was good for our lightning-powered ships, I wasn’t enjoying the downpour. Lieutenant Spinella’s dark pink mane was soaked down the side of her slate head, an amusing sight considering how neat and proper she preferred to keep it. I turned to face the hippogriff mare properly, absentmindedly marveling for a moment how difficult it was to distinguish her black beak, hooves, and claws from her armor.

“Commodore Rosegold,” she continued as she halted and gave a brief salute. “We have Shearstripe in custody at the town square.”

“Finally,” I uttered with mirthless relief. “Raiding bastard’s harassed our supply chains for long enough. Time to put this to rest and head home, eh?”

She gave me a tired smile. This operation was the last of several across the past three months to end bandit attacks on our northern caravans. We both looked forward to some well-earned shore leave. As we trotted to the town square, I gave the situation some thought. After leave, would I be sent to our campaign against the dragons? After all, securing our supply lines was done towards that end. Surely I’d earned a station sufficiently far from the bulk of the fighting.

*****

In the center of the square, a dozen of my troops had separated a single captive from the others. A large yet ragged, tiger-like biped sneered at me as I approached. Oh yes, he fit the description.

“Shearstripe.” I unfurled a warrant from one of my armor’s storage compartments. “Wanted for treason against his Majesty, disruption of war assets belonging to his Majesty’s Navy,” I folded and returned the long, boring document, having no intention to read out its entirety “and for making us work in the rain.” The troops around me gave a cruel chuckle. “I have been given authority by our King to render your sentence upon your capture.” I leaned close and grasped the cat’s chin between my claws. “The severity of which will depend entirely on whether you disclose the location of the supplies you’ve stolen.”

The bandit snarled. “Our people need those supplies! They’re starving!”

A small, cold smile creased my lips beyond the edges of my beak. “Are they, now?” I raised my hand and snapped my claws. My troops raised their weapons, Shearstripe struggled and let out a shriek, and after a cacophony of laser fire a half dozen captives fell dead.

“I doubt they’re starving any longer,” I glared down at the now incoherent Shearstripe. “Now, the location of the suppl-” My words were cut off by the sensation of fresh saliva striking me between the eyes. I paused and took a moment to wipe the spit from my face, all the while my troops thrashed my offender into submission. “I’ll consider that your final answer.”

Reaching under my wing, I unlatched and drew my laser repeater from its holster. It differed from the standard model of lever-charged crank-powered laser rifles carried by most troops, as it has had its stock removed and its barrel replaced with a beam splitter. With a practiced motion I operated the lever one-handed, energy-generating turbines spinning up and causing a crackling hum to emanate from the weapon. My beastly subordinates lifted the beaten striped cat back on to his knees as I took aim at his skull. “No matter if you won’t tell us. With you out of the picture, we’ll replenish quickly enough.”

Shearstripe growled, “Others will-!” and he went silent as his head recoiled, perforated by five cauterized holes. I holstered my weapon as his corpse dropped into the wet ground. With a signal, my forces made their way back to the airships with our remaining prisoners.

*****

The airship’s officer’s quarters weren’t quite as spacious as my office at Fort Aris, but were no less accommodating. Entering from one side of the main U-shaped room, a panoramic window enveloped a central finely crafted desk and chair. A comfortable nest-shaped bed was tucked into an alcove accessible through a door adjacent to the one I entered from. From there, I entered a personal bathroom, which was equipped with lockers, a mirror and sink, plenty of grooming equipment and cleansing lotions, a step-in shower, and a tub with massaging jets. It’d be several hours before we got home, so I’d best get comfortable and rest.

I removed my armor, starting with the somewhat bulky braces on my forearms that could act as shields or blunt weapons. With them off, I could tuck in my wings and squirm out of the cuirass. The impressively crafted assortment of ultracite alloy plates offered ample protection to my entire torso, while remaining surprisingly light and flexible. The material was mildly radioactive, but that was no concern for my people.

When balefire radiation swept across Equestria and its surrounding neighbors over two centuries ago, our King sacrificed his flesh to grant our people immunity. The warm glow was even slightly beneficial to us, helping us heal faster. We aren’t ghouls, however, we weren’t granted immortality. We are born, we grow old, and we die.

Slipping off the tight barding that acted as a base layer, I fully exposed my sweat-matted, battered hide. My coat and wings were a light champagne, accented by white undersides. My claws, hooves, and beak were dark gold. Running my talons through my feathery mane did little to fix it, the assortment of wine reds refusing to cooperate until cleaned. A sigh of contempt escaped my beak as I locked a snowy gaze with my own reflection. What looked like a skinny peasant stared back. Had I really lost this much weight during the past three months? My ribs haven’t been this visible since before I enlisted.

That was, what, fifteen years ago? The day after my sixteenth birthday. And already Commodore. Maybe even Rear Admiral with this operation successfully wrapped up. No, that was far too optimistic. Reaching that rank before the age of forty was nearly impossible. I’d need an entire resume of leading large operations like this to even be considered for the Admiralty Board.

There was a knock on my door just as I was about to get a hot shower started. “Rosegold?” I recognized Spinella’s soft voice.

“Come in,” I replied expectantly, and soon heard her enter and make her way to me. She’d gotten her armor off as well, only wearing the tight base layer, and she looked at me with a sly grin.

It was only natural we’d get a headstart on shore leave. We earned it. She and I helped each other wash, among other things, and eventually made our way to my bed. These kinds of relationships were incredibly common between superiors and subordinates. Just another way of gaining favor. I’d certainly spent my fair share of time in a superior officer’s bed, or in their shower, or under their desk. Relationships between equals were the odd ones, few and far between. After all, what was there to gain from that?

Tonight, however, was much more about relieving stress than about one of my Lieutenants looking for a promotion. Not that she didn’t deserve the rank of Captain. Spinella was certainly capable of handling it. I just wasn’t sure I wanted her that close to being a potential rival.

*****

The chirping of my nightstand intercom woke me, a stray beam of sunlight stretching across my bed. Spinella, who had her head on my chest, groaned awake as well. I stretched a talon to tap the intercom’s interface.

“Commodore Rosegold, we are nearing Fort Aris. ETA thirty minutes.”

“Acknowledged, helmsman.” I did my best to mask the tiredness in my voice and maintain some professionalism. My Lieutenant and I did not get as much actual rest as we should have.

After a very quick shower, I slipped into a smart uniform and neatened my mane. Spinella slunk off to her quarters to do the same. The lightweight fabric offered no protection, but there was hardly any cause for anyone other than a guard to wear armor at Fort Aris. The handsome garment, black with a purple hue and a teal trim, was adorned with our King’s insignia, as well as bars denoting my rank. The Fort came into view through my large window as I fiddled with the jacket’s tight collar.

Aris was an impressive sight, concrete, steel, and dark ultracite alloy taming the wilderness around it. The fort was built from an ancient Hippogriffia palace, though I had no idea what it looked like originally. Likely very run down from our savage ancestor’s neglect. The layers of fortified walls bristled with gun emplacements of various sizes. They hadn’t been used in decades aside from ceremonial displays, but were kept in peak condition in case of surprise attacks. Equestria hosted a few threats that could, potentially, reach us from across the ocean. Griffon mercs, the Pegasi Enclave, and the dragons we were currently campaigning against.

The latter was both the most and least likely. The scaled beasts certainly had a motive to assault us, but were far from having the capacity. Enclave pegasi had been exterminating them from the north, though their progress has been slow. Their resources had been limited ever since some sort of botched attempt to take over Equestria’s surface twelve years ago, which resulted in their weather control systems being compromised. By a stable dweller, of all things. A good lesson in never underestimating a rogue element.

Our purpose in the Dragon Lands was conquest. We’ve been taking most dragons captive, primarily the younger ones. Full grown dragons were put down, far too costly to keep prisoner. Our King intends to assimilate them, though I can’t possibly imagine how he intends to tame such beasts. Of course, I don’t doubt he has a plan. Upon success, it will certainly be worth the effort. Having dragons in our ranks would secure our position as Equestria’s strongest military power, rather than just a rival to the Enclave or New Canterlot Republic.

Not to mention the territory of the Dragon Lands itself. That was the real goal. All that volcanically fertile farmland, being wasted by a carnivorous species. That would practically eliminate our dependency on trade with Equestrian farms. It was only recently viable, thanks to some sort of rad-and-taint-cleansing Mega Spell. The effects of which did not reach our islands, which was disappointing, but not without silver lining. Equestria was apparently home to a number of sapient ghouls, who relied on irradiated water to get by. Our situation made us quite capable of exporting ‘Aqua Pura’ to these ghouls in exchange for food.

Spending most of my career keeping this trade secure has earned me a reputation among the Admiralty as a glorified caravan guard. Other officers who had been fighting dragons and the like bore some resentment towards me for having such an easy assignment. They could not, however, deny how vital it was. If I didn’t do my job, they couldn’t do theirs. Starving troops are bad at fighting dragons.

*****

Departing my ship, I was surprised to see a pair of Admirals waiting for me. I quickly snapped to attention and saluted.

“At ease, Commodore,” the first responded with his gruff voice. Wavestone was the eldest member of the Admiralty, and oversaw fleet organization as a whole. His once brilliant azure mane streaked with aged gray, complimenting his silver and stone coat. Pale blue eyes held the wisdom of his age as he evaluated me.

“Three months in Bone Dry Desert took its toll, it seems,” he continued. I guess I couldn’t quite hide my emaciated state. The younger Admiral beside him, Novabeam, remained quiet. Her coat, wings, and extremities were pure white, and she had a radiant gold and lavender mane. She could be mistaken for an angel if it weren’t for her blood-red eyes. Fitting, for the mare who oversaw weapons research, development, and production.

“I’m quite alright, sir. Just in need of some R&R.” I relaxed somewhat, but remained at parade rest. “Once I’m finished with debrief and have submitted my reports, of course.”

“Your Lieutenant will handle those. Something has come up that requires your immediate attention,” Novabeam finally spoke. “Your shore leave will have to be postponed. Our King has selected you specifically for… an unusual task.”

I blinked in shock. Normally I’d be upset to receive a new assignment so soon, but to be personally requested by the Storm King? What could possibly be going on? The way Novabeam’s tone shifted towards the end of her sentence didn’t inspire confidence. Whatever this was about, it had her just as confused as it had me.

“We’ll bring you up to speed in my office,” Wavestone elaborated. “I’ve no doubt this situation is perplexing to all of us. It will be better discussed in private.”

*****

Being the senior Admiral, Wavestone’s office radiated prestige. It was built at Aris’s peak, floor-to-very-high-ceiling windows wrapped completely around the large, circular room. The view was stunning, our entire domain could be seen from here. The southern tip of Equestria’s mainland, where I’d been throughout my last mission, was visible to the north. The dark, stormy, mountainous islands home to our King’s palace were far to the west. The Dragon Lands were barely visible to the east.

The center of the office had a large circular table, which was adorned with a holographic tactical display, with enough seats for all of the Admiralty along with their immediate subordinates. Closer to the windows were various terminal banks, bookshelves, and a smaller desk, where the old hippogriff stallion was headed. Wavestone waved a claw at me as he sat down. At the Admiral’s prompt, I took a seat across from him. Novabeam took the seat beside me.

“Our King is after an artifact,” Wavestone began, “or rather, the pieces of one. Some sort of magical ‘Pearl.’ Queen Novo, before her defeat, shattered it and had her daughter Skystar take the pieces into Equestria two hundred years ago. With balefire erupting across the territory, it was nigh impossible to pursue her.”

“What exactly is it?” I asked, glancing towards Novabeam, wondering how she was involved. “Some sort of weapon?”

“That is… unclear,” the mare responded. “Our King insisted it was quite vital for our conquest of the dragons. He is being abnormally enigmatic about the details. Considering Novo sent her heir to certain death to keep it away from him, it must be powerful.”

“To be honest,” Wavestone rubbed his wrinkled forehead, “we have little to go on. We don’t know how many pieces there are, or any clue where exactly they could be hidden. We do, however, have a place for you to start. One agent was sent after Skystar immediately after she fled. A unicorn named Tempest Shadow.” Our King once employed ponies? “We know her insertion point, and a handful of locations she searched before contact was lost. It is assumed she succumbed to radiation poisoning.”

“Why wait so long to resume the search?” I pondered out loud.

Novabeam answered me, “Until now, it wasn’t an immediate priority. Hippogriffia was secure, and the focus of our King’s efforts turned towards strengthening and civilizing us.”

Wavestone elaborated on how I’d find the pieces. “According to our King, once you find one piece, it should have a magical connection to the others, leading you to them. The more you find, the easier it will become to find the rest.”

I took this moment to segway to a question that had been eating me. “Why was I chosen for this? I know I have experience dealing with Equestria through our caravans, but numerous scouts have ventured far further inland than I have. Why not send them?” Both Admirals furrowed their brows. They didn’t know.

“It’s… extremely peculiar,” Wavestone admitted. “But it is not our place to question the Storm King.”

“Well,” I started, “having the Vetera with me should deter wasteland meddlers.”

The Admirals winced, and Wavestone cleared his throat. “About that. Our King has ordered that you go alone.”

*****

I felt numb as I was waiting in the armory. Some technicians were modifying my armor and lever-charged laser shotgun, repainting them in neutral colors and adding artificial wear-and-tear. Simple clothes were packed into rough-looking saddle bags, along with basic food, water, and healing items. I was to make no mention of my rank or affiliations to Equestria’s locals. I was ‘just a wanderer.’

The goal was to keep this operation clandestine, attracting as little attention as possible. Apparently, our King took notice of the Enclave’s efforts a decade ago and concluded that overt displays of power were ineffective at deterring interference. I suppose it made sense. Who’d notice one hippogriff going on a scavenger hunt? On the other claw, I’d be extremely vulnerable if I did catch unwanted attention. An indignant huff escaped my beak.

These kinds of risks were meant for lower ranks, not a Commodore. But what could I do? Defy the Storm King? He chose me for a reason, even if no one but him understood why.

The last piece of equipment I was given ran somewhat counter the whole ‘go unnoticed’ strategy. A PipBuck. An old one, scavenged by our scouts from Stable-Tec a few years back. It had been thoroughly refurbished to like-new condition, and tweaked extensively to be compatible with hippogriff physiology. I had to forego my left arm brace to equip it, but by all accounts these things were nearly as tough. And the utility was admittedly hard to pass up. Navigation, inventory management, radio, a universal terminal interface, status of vitals… I frowned as its EFS immediately notified me that I was suffering from minor exhaustion and hunger.

Three hours of sleep and a skipped breakfast will do that. No need to tell me, you pedantic little machine. I had plenty of time to eat and sleep on the airship ride to our border. It also read that my head wasn’t at full health? That had to be a glitch. I felt fine.

I also had time to practice another important function. SATS. Stable-Tec Arcane Targeting Spell. Honestly, this spell matrix was an astonishing feat of pony magic. It allowed its user to practically stop time and que up attacks, with a calculated readout of success probability. If we could reverse-engineer this and integrate into armor for all of our troops… If I knew Novabeam, this was probably in the works. With everything equipped and packed, I made my way to the landing platforms.

The airship waiting for me was much smaller than the warship I was used to. It was just a transport, capable of carrying only a few people. Spinella was waiting beside it, along with some of my other officers, to see me off. They gave me a salute. I returned it. My Lieutenant also gave a smirk, since she’d be the acting commanding officer of my battalion while I was away. She was promised the rank of Captain upon my success… or failure. I felt a moment of hesitation, then trotted into the ship.

*****

I was expected to travel by wing, or any inventive wasteland method I came across, once I was brought to the border. As such, my mission was given a significant window of six months. There was no telling how far and wide these Pearl fragments were spread, so I could end up crossing the entire husk of a nation more than once in my search. That meant it would be beneficial to get on good terms with as many settlements as possible. Having plenty of places I could rest or trade would be vital. Sure, I wanted the mission completed as quickly as possible, but this would undoubtedly take a long time.

Maybe this task wouldn’t be as harrowing as I imagined. Had it been a decade earlier, it would have been a suicide mission, but the remains of Equestria were healing. Reports say the wasteland has stabilized significantly since then, but things weren’t perfect. Bands of raiders and slavers still cropped up. There were still dangerous mutant creatures. Anything could happen in the open wastes. Still, it was much safer than before. This was doable.

With my doubts tucked away, I took some time to remedy my physical health. Arriving at the wasteland with sunken eyes and a growling belly would help sell the illusion of a wandering waster, but I’d rather begin my journey at full strength. My meal was uneventful, basic rations consumed alone as the transport’s small crew was busy at their stations. Curious, I checked my PipBuck, and it read that I was no longer hungry or thirsty. How it could tell was beyond me. I knew how to operate arcane devices, but I hadn’t the slightest clue how they worked. The device still demanded I get some rest, and I felt obliged to cooperate. Transports had meager bedding, but I managed. It was likely to be my last chance to get proper rest somewhere clean for the next few months. I’d best not waste it.

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

Footnote:
Welcome to Level 2!

Perk added: Lone Wanderer! Who needs troops, anyway? When adventuring without allies, you take 15% less damage and carry weight increases by 50.

Author's Note

This is my first foray into creative writing in years, so please be gentle with any constructive criticism.

Chapter 2: Mysterious South

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 2: Mysterious South

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

The transport neared our border, wicked jungle lying just beyond. My gaze fell back to a map of the region. The Forbidden Jungles of the Mysterious South region were split by a canyon path, one that eventually opened into barren Badlands littered with plateaus and other rock structures. Once the transport drops me off, my first stop will be Tempest Shadow’s insertion point, a series of ancient pyramids deep in the dark jungle.

Had I any intention of trekking by hoof and claw, I’d be concerned by the plethora of death and disease the sea of lush vegetation had in store. Fortunately, I have wings. The small ship’s crew gave me a last salute to send me on my way, and I was soon in the air. The feeling of wind through my mane and feathers was naturally euphoric, and it almost canceled out the dread I felt as I looked back at the departing airship. From here on, I was alone. After a few deep breaths I steeled myself and pressed on.

I flew about a hundred feet above the treeline, close enough to scan the terrain and far enough to react if I was attacked. The plants here were definitely mutated, varying widely in grotesque alterations. The landscape was no longer irradiated or tainted, but no mega spell could reverse genetic deformation on this scale. Perhaps this was another reason our King wants control of the dragons, their fire could rapidly tame this jungle and transform it into something useful.

Knowing I’d be flying for miles, I flapped my way to a north-eastern wind and relaxed. Letting the current carry me, I glided towards the coordinates on my PipBuck. With no immediate task to keep me occupied, I fell into my own thoughts.

Why me? There were plenty of griffs more suited to this task, but I was chosen by the Storm King by name. It was inescapably bizarre. I, admittedly, was nothing special. Sure, I climbed up the ranks faster than most, but that didn’t explain this. My late parents were ultracite miners, we wereliterally the lowest echelon of society. Was I somehow special in the Storm King’s eyes, or just a unique combination of capable and expendable? I mean, who’d miss me?

With a hard shake of my head, I did my best to rid myself of such doubtful thoughts. They weren’t helping anything. I didn’t need to know why, I just needed to do as I was told. Turning my focus to my PipBuck, I distracted myself by setting out a travel plan to each point of interest on my mission log. When I was done with the jungle temple, I’d make my way to a Badlands settlement called Novac for rest and trade. My supply of rations were best reserved for emergencies, so it was better I get used to hunting, scavenging, and trading to sustain myself. After that, I’d go to an SPP tower, one of many and the southernmost weather control structure the Ministry of Awesome had built. I understood at once why Tempest would go there. If she could tap into the surveillance network, tracking Skystar would have been a cakewalk. Tempest Shadow was a smart pony.

*****

I considered, for a moment, diverting straight for the tower, but reconsidered. Tempest could have left vital notes behind at the temple. There may even be a piece of the Pearl there. Better to leave no stone unturned and avoid back-tracking. Besides, I was already an hour into my flight and almost-

Crack! A shot ripped past me. Crack! Crack Crack! I banked hard towards some clouds as I drew my weapon. Bandits? Some hostile faction? In the middle of a jungle!? Who in their right mind would choose this place as their territory?

I peaked out of my white, puffy hiding place to the stone ruins below. Striped equines, dozens of them, armed with rifles were staring up at the skies in search of me. Zebras. I looked around at the rest of the temple area. Families rushed foals into huts at the sound of gunfire. Farmers stared up from their meager crops. This wasn’t some camp or hideout, this was a settlement. Considering how I flew in fast and unannounced, I understood why they opened fire. I considered my options. Force was out of the question. Besides the fact that I was vastly outnumbered, becoming hostile with the first town I came across was not a wise way to introduce myself to the wasteland. Not to mention I had no idea what ties this settlement could have. I holstered my weapon and took a deep breath.

Several rifles whipped in my direction as I slowly descended from the clouds with my claws raised. Thankfully, they didn’t fire. One of the zebras pointed a hoof to me, then to a clearing. With a nod of acknowledgement, I landed.

“Who are you, and why do you trespass here?” the older zebra mare demanded. Her pale, wise glare reminded me of Wavestone.

“My name is Rosegold. I came here to explore the temples, but I did not know this was a settlement.” It wasn’t the whole truth, but I had the feeling she’d detect any outright lie I could come up with.

“This is Tenochtitlan, outsider.” the mare spoke after several tense seconds. With a motion of her hoof, the other zebras lowered their weapons. “The temples belong to Ahuizotl. He decides who may enter them. Be wary. He is not fond of ‘explorer’ types.”

*****

The zebras disarmed me and searched my saddlebags for anything dangerous before guiding me to the central pyramid. Apologetically, they explained that they saw an armored, winged stranger and thought I was Enclave. The pegasi have been making quite a nuisance of themselves, haven’t they? Approaching the temple from the ground gave me a better appreciation of its size. The blocky pyramid stretched high and wide. I could only imagine how expansive it was on the inside. Looking around at the zebras flanking me, I was suddenly happy they were here. Searching this place without guides would be a nightmare. Unfortunately, I had to get permission first. The temple’s heavy stone doors opened, and an alien figure stepped out.

The name ‘Ahuizotl’ didn’t ring any bells to me. My assumption was that they were an elder zebra. The… thing… standing before me took that assumption and banished it to the moon. It was more than twice my size, had the hind legs of a hound, the arms of an ape, a prehensile tail with a third hand at the end of it, and an elongated head with eyes near its snout. It had a dark blue coat and a lighter blue belly, solid yellow eyes, and was adorned in gold jewelry. The creature was also flanked by a handful of wild jungle cats.

Ahuizotl bared his gnarly teeth as he gazed down on me. Before I could say anything, he turned to the zebras and spoke in a dialect I couldn’t comprehend. After a brief and utterly bizarre-sounding conversation, he turned towards me again.

“What exactly is it you hope to find here, ‘explorer’ Rosegold?” Ahuizotl’s exotic accent was dripping with contempt.

It took me a few moments to force my tongue to function. “I’m following the trail of another… ‘explorer’ who came here long ago. A unicorn named Tempest Shadow.”

“The huntress,” Ahuizotl interrupted. “She came here following footsteps as well. How interesting.”

“Did she, or the one she was tracking, leave anything behind?” My question lingered in the air as the creature contemplated.

“It’s so fascinating,” he pondered aloud. “The world was erupting into chaos around us, and here came along two creatures on such singular quests, undeterred by the death and mayhem that awaited them.” He grinned. “And two centuries later, comes along another. Yes, they both left something behind, but I see that they aren’t things I should give freely.”

“I… doubt they have any value to you.” I argued.

“But they have value to you,” he smugly countered. “So, in exchange for them, I demand a service. My territory has been harassed by black-armored pegasi taking what does not belong to them. I need them dealt with.”

Fuck. I was sincerely hoping I wouldn’t have to get involved with the Enclave on this mission. So much for avoiding attention.

“Is there anything else I could do or give you instead? The Enclave is an enemy I’d rather not make.”

Ahuizotl narrowed his gaze. “No. If you want what you came here for, you will need to kill or drive away the pegasi.” He then smiled. “It is a small camp. Out of reach for my people, high on the cliffs, but no trouble for the likes of you.”

*****

Crack! Fizz, crack! Boom!

On the bright side, it turned out these weren’t actually Enclave. Unless they’d fallen far harder off their ivory tower than I thought they had. Their coats were ragged, their eyes bloodshot, and their bodies skinny and diseased. These pegasi were raiders equipped with barely-maintained Enclave gear. A blast of dark purple erupted from my weapon and decapitated a mare as she peaked from cover, and I couldn’t help but agree with Ahuizotl. This was… too easy. My combat training was more than sufficient to deal with these scum, and SATS made the encounter a joke. If the zebras had a way onto these cliffs, they easily could have handled this themselves.

After clearing the dilapidated camp’s exterior, I went from shack-to-shack mopping up the rest. The stallion who I assumed to be the leader, due to his armor being in the best condition, didn’t fight much harder than the rest. He got a lucky shot on my hind leg with a beam rifle, but a jab of Med-X and a swig of a healing potion sorted it out. All that was left was to put the wounded out of their misery, and I was free to loot at my leisure.

Their energy weapons were in poor condition, but they were still energy weapons. I could make a decent amount of caps off of them at Novac, moreso if I could repair them a bit. I knew basic maintenance, but there was no chance I’d get these into pristine condition. My own energy gun is robust enough that all it ever needs is basic maintenance. If they were combustion firearms, I could get them looking like new. As paradoxical as it seemed, I was very good with machines, but not with arcane tech. Growing up in the mines, other fledglings and I were relied on to get into tight spaces and keep the equipment working. Just don’t ask me to get a terminal running, you’d be waiting all day. I decided their armor wasn’t worth looting. The weapons weighed me down enough as it was. After a final sweep, I made my way back to Tenochtitlan.

*****

My stash of fresh loot was all the evidence I needed to prove my task was complete, and my host glady guided me through his temple to a hidden side room. I wasn’t sure what to make of Ahuizotl, but at least he kept his word. The snaking paths were riddled with clever traps, still functional after countless centuries. Many rooms containing treasures were passed along the way, but my chaperone deterred my curiosity with a sharp hiss.

In the room he led me to were two items, a holotape, and… a Pearl fragment! I wasn’t sure how I knew that right away, but what else could the gleaming shard be? I took a few steps towards it, and my fur stood on end. My feathers itched. My mane twinged. I could feel the magic connecting to me, drawing me towards it. I reached out and carefully picked it up, but dropped it after a spark of energy startled me. Composing myself, I picked it up again, this time by the necklace it was set into. After studying the white, teardrop-shaped piece of jewelry, I put it on and tucked it under my breast plate. I turned my attention to the holotape, and loaded it into my PipBuck. It was mostly corrupted, but there was an audio file that was still functional. I selected it and pressed the play button.

“This is Tempest Shadow. I’m leaving this behind for any backup the Storm King decides to send. Princess Skystar was here, the locals confirmed it. I missed her by a few hours.”

A bout of coughing interrupted her.

“Damn it, the radiation just keeps getting worse, and it's not slowing her down at all. Novo must have used the Pearl to chaFIIZZzzzzcrackfiZZZzzz She’s just going to keep putting distance between us If I don’t even the odds. I need to get my hooves on more radiation meds soon, I’m already running low. I need to leave. ‘Ahuizotl’ insists that I’ve overstayed my welcome. Skystar must have come here for a reason, but the big blue bastard won’t answer any questions, and I’m in no condition to search the place by force.”

That was much less helpful than I was hoping. Hold on, what was that about Novo using the Pearl? Using it to do what? What does it do? I reached into my breast plate and fiddled with the shard. A spark of energy connected with me, but… didn’t do anything. Damn it, magic was not my forte. With resignation, I allowed Ahuizotl to escort me back outside.

“I believe that concludes your business here, Rosegold.” As he did with Tempest, Ahuizotl was now shooing me on my way. After learning the community had no currency to trade with, and weren’t willing to part with any supplies, I departed. All things considered, that went very well.

*****

After a few hours of gliding on a northern wind, the lushness of the Forbidden Jungle below had changed into the arid Badlands. Compared to the chaos of wild plant growth, the sea of red sand and clay dotted with towering plateaus was oddly serene. Coupled with the sunset to my left, the scenery was genuinely pleasant and relaxing.

As the sky faded to night, I could make out lights in the distance. Learning my lesson, I flew down to trot the rest of the way, turning on my EFS just in case. There was always the chance some mutant bug or animal could jump me between here and Novac’s gates. Giant ants, radscorpions, and bloat sprites skulked in the dark beyond the trail I trotted along. My weapon stayed in its holster. No need to get their attention.

The silhouette of Novac’s signature landmark came into focus as I neared. A cartoonish caricature of some ancient beast, its maw wide open, stood a few stories high. A guard armed with a sniper rifle sat within, leaning over the plaster teeth to get a good look at me.

“The hell are you?” the tough griffon hen asked through a cigarette. “One of my kind fuck a pony and make you?”

Equestrians knew little about hippogriffs even before the war. Ignorance of my species was something I’d have to get used to. “Hippogriff,” I answered.

“Eh, long as you don’t shoot the place up, I don’t care.” She gave a sharp whistle, and the gates were opened for me. “All the shops are closed till morning. Motel serves stew in the lobby. Feel free to get clean water from the pump.”

I nodded and made my way to the motel. Wastelanders were simple. Don’t give them trouble, and they usually won’t give you any. Especially in a town. “Novac,” I mumbled to myself with a chuckle, looking at the partially functional ‘No Vacancy’ sign on the side of the building. Only the first five letters glowed neon red, the rest were burnt out or shattered.

Novac was a small settlement, a glorified rest stop for travelers and caravans. The motel was by far the largest structure, surrounded by small houses with little gardens, and bungalows converted into trading stalls. A few two-headed brahmin were asleep under a crude metal shelter. I envied their ability to just lay down in the dirt and get a good night’s rest. I still needed a bed for that.

*****

An elderly unicorn stallion, dark green with a cream-colored mane was dozing at the motel’s reception desk. A small bell was hung beside him. I gave it a ring.

“Huh? O-Oh! Welcome to the Dosey Dee-Lite Motel!” The stallion rubbed his pale yellow eyes and floated a set of thick and dirty glasses onto his nose. He squinted at me a moment, then jumped with a start, almost falling off his chair. “Oh, heh heh, I guess we get all kinds of folks out here. Ain’t seen one of your kind in years. Pipporiff? Tippokiff?”

“Hippogriff,” I corrected. “My name is Rosegold.”

“Pleased to meet ya! Name’s Dosey Dough!” He held out a hoof, and I awkwardly shook it. After the guard’s curtness, this elderly chap’s enthusiastic friendliness was both refreshing and off-putting.

“I was hoping to rent a room for the night?” After a long day of flying, along with a sprinkle of getting shot at, I desperately wanted to sleep.

“Ah, yes, of course!” Dosey chuckled. “That’s what the motel’s for, ya know! Just ten caps, fifteen if ya want a room with a workin’ shower.”

I handed him fifteen, along with another five for a hefty bowl of stew. The chunks of various vegetables in brown broth didn’t look great, but it smelled appealing enough. The room was clean, better kept than I expected. The hay poking out of the mattress was only slightly moldy. At least the thick sheets appeared to be washed. Once my bowl of stew was empty, I stripped and confirmed that the shower did in-fact work. The only setting was ‘tap cold’ but I didn’t mind. I took the opportunity to wash my armor and barding as well, hanging them up to dry afterwards. Finally answering its beckons, I curled up onto the bed and closed my eyes.

*****

The peaceful blackness of sleep was ripped from me as the sound of machine gun fire jolted me awake. I dropped to the floor, grabbed my weapon, and crawled to the door. Peaking out, I saw a pair of rifle shots rip from the guard post into the dark.

“Fucking damn it!” the griffon cursed. “Teleporting Bitch got another one!”

A crowd of caravaneers gathered around the brahmin pen. One of the two-headed creatures had been shredded with lead. Teleporting Bitch? That was either a skilled unicorn or… I hoped it wasn’t an alicorn. It seemed prudent to get my not-quite-dry armor on before investigating further. There was no chance of getting back to sleep if there was a violent, teleporting unicorn or alicorn lurking about. And if I managed to deal with it, maybe Dosey Dough would comp my stay.

The griffon flew down from her post as I joined the crowd. She lit a cigarette and offered an apology to a hat-wearing earth pony.

“It’s not your fault, Ginger,” the butter-colored mare sighed as she tried to console the other brahmin. “Not much you can do against an ali. A teleporter, at that.” Shit. It is an alicorn.

“Bullshit, Sunny Side, it’s my job to keep this town safe. This is on me.” She spat out her cigarette and ground it into the dirt with a claw. “Fuck this. I’m hunting that thing down.”

Sunny Side looked at her with shock and worry on her face. “On your own? You’re good, but…”

I interrupted. “I’ll lend a claw.” The pair turned towards me, the odd stranger. I gave them a shrug. “Better than waiting for it to pop into my room.”

*****

To my surprise, Ginger already had an idea of where the alicorn’s hideout was. Process of elimination, she’d told me. There weren't many shelters around in the first place, let alone anywhere that still had the radiation alicorn’s enjoyed. The two of us were flying straight for a Ministry of Arcane Sciences magical waste dump site.

Most of the structure was subterranean, while a modest office building disguised the entrance. A faded pink and purple star adorned the doorframe. Our weapons at the ready, we entered as quietly as we could. The element of surprise was our best chance against this creature, so we did our best to hold onto it. Roaches and mantises that guarded the ground floor were smashed under my hooves or shredded by our talons. Ginger swapped her rifle for a riot shotgun, and kept it at the ready as we weaved around corners towards the industrial stairwell that led to the real facility.

Every step caused the steel to creak obnoxiously, and the ceiling was too low to hover down instead. A few floors down, and my PipBuck’s geiger counter started to click. Ginger readied herself on one side of the steel door at the bottom. I took the other side, and slowly pushed it open with my laser raised. The clicking grew faster as I stepped into the large storage chamber. Ginger followed me in after popping a Rad-X into her beak, then offered me one. She gave me a weird look when I declined.

*****

The room was about fifty yards deep and wide, and twenty feet high. Rows of shelves containing steel barrels filled its entirety. The barrels were marked with symbols warning of radiation. We creeped between the shelves, searching for any sign of the alicorn. Ginger had gotten a clean shot off on its throat before it teleported away earlier that night. She knew it needed rads to heal a wound like that. It had to be here.

Halfway into the maze of shelves and barrels, we heard the faint insane ramblings. Inching towards it, we also made out the sound of a holotape player rewinding then playing. Recorded sounds of gunfire, followed by the agonized screams of brahmin echoed past us. The alicorn giggled madly to herself before rewinding the tape and playing it again, over and over. Ginger’s face furrowed in rage as she started moving faster.

Towards the end of the room, we finally got a line of sight on our target. The purple alicorn was in an office, curled up beside a terminal, laughing to herself as repeatedly enjoyed her new snuff tape. My light orange feathered companion carefully swapped to her rifle and took aim. At the click of her safety disengaging, the large mutant pony snapped into attention and vanished, along with the machine gun at her side.

“Fuck!” Ginger and I uttered in unison, an instant before the magical purple beast appeared behind us with a hoof raised. The griffon had no time to react before being struck hard in the side of her head. If that hadn’t knocked her out, bouncing her skull on the concrete floor definitely did. Blood slowly pooled from under her black and white head feathers, her dark beak hung open, and her lime eyes stared blankly forward. The only sign she was still alive was her slowly moving chest.

The machine gun, enveloped in a purple glow, pressed against Ginger’s throat. I turned and bucked my hooves into the alicorn’s side before it could get its revenge. When I swung my laser repeater towards it, the Teleporting Bitch vanished just before I got the shot off. The alicorn took me more seriously than the griffon half her size. I was nearly as large as her, and I knew that kick broke a few ribs. I took the opportunity to carefully drag Ginger into the small office beside the terminal. After making sure her skull was free of obvious fractures, I found where she was bleeding from and bandaged her. Then I slipped a Rad-X into her beak and poured a healing potion after it. I hoped she’d be up fast enough to back me up, but with head injuries you never know.

*****

I heard the magical pop nearby, but I couldn’t see where the alicorn had ended up. I kept perfectly still, listening for hoofsteps. The office had thin walls. If I could pinpoint where she was… Teleporting Bitch unfortunately had the same idea. And a machine gun.

Crack Ack Ack Ack Ack Ack!

I hit the deck and covered my head with my arm brace and PipBuck. Caws of pain escaped my beak as bullets sliced through my exposed wings. A few sharp breaths indicated that Ginger took some shots to her torso. Her cheap armor could only slow the shots down rather than stop them.

“Like shooting birds in a birdhouse!” the monster callously teased.

Crack Ack Ack… Click. Click.

I launched myself from the doorway and took aim. The alicorn was nowhere in sight, but her weapon was.

Foosh!

The machine gun was blasted into slag. That’s one problem solved. Now where…

“No fair!” Teleporting Bitch slammed into me from above. My weapon was knocked from my grasp and slid under a shelf. All I could do was put my arms over my head to keep it from getting smashed. I was at her mercy as she laughed maniacally, landing blow after blow against my armor. A cold chill swept through me. I was going to die down here, underground, in the middle of nowhere, less than a week into my mission. It’d be months before anyone was sent to look for me. I was going to die. And for what? The safety of some backwater town I was staying one night in? Stupid! Stupid mistake!

The alicorn shoved my arms to the side with one hoof, exposing my face, as she raised the other. “Time to die, silly bir-”

An outward crater of blood and bone replaced her face as her head rocked forward. Her corpse went limp in an instant, falling onto me. I looked past her towards the office. Ginger was leaning on the doorframe, riot shotgun in one claw, with her other clutching her bleeding side. She gave me a triumphant grin before coughing up blood and collapsing.

*****

Carefully, I carried Ginger halfway up the stairwell, away from the rads, and administered most of the meds she had with her. That would keep her alive for now, but she needed surgery to get the bullets out of her chest. I went back downstairs and took a nap in the most irradiated spot I could find to get my wings healed. If I couldn’t fly, I doubt I could get both of us to Novac safely.

After about an hour, I stretched my wings and tested them out, hovering for a bit. Healthy and strong. My PipBuck’s status meter confirmed I was healed, though my head’s health was still annoyingly capped at ninety-five percent. Maybe I’d find a PipBuck technician to get that looked at.

I found Ginger where I left her, and she had regained consciousness. She sighed in relief at the sight of me.

“Was worried you left me here.” She groaned as she tried and failed to get up, the pain in her torso too much for her. I knelt down and helped her climb onto my back.

“That’s not a conversation I’d want to have with Dosey or Sunny.” I started to make my way back up to the ground floor. “They’d make me find a new town guard, or take the role until they found one.” The griffon chuckled, even though I wasn’t joking. In the long run, saving her was more convenient than not saving her. “Novac has a doctor, right? You need surgery.”

“Hazy Glaze,” she rasped, “Dosey Dough’s son. He’s got a clinic. The bungalow with the Ministry of Peace logo above it.” She coughed and chuckled, then whispered. “I’ll owe you once I’m better.” Her suggestive tone reminded me of Spinella. My mind told me I needed to carry on with my mission, but my body told me that a few more days in Novac couldn’t hurt.

*****

The clinic was easy enough to find, right across the motel’s courtyard. A general store neighbored it. I set Ginger down and had her take some RadAway, explaining that my armor was radioactive. She shot me a ‘You’re just now telling me?’ look before dosing herself. With a roll of my eyes, I helped her inside.

Hazy looked like a much younger version of his father. He had the same creamy mane and yellow eyes, but his coat was a lighter shade of green. The unicorn took one look at the griffon and levitated her to a gurney, while carefully removing her armor.

He looked over her poorly healed bullet wounds. “Woah, dude, what happened?” While he looked like Dosey, he didn’t sound like him. His speech was slow and disinterested.

“That alicorn thwacked me in the head and shot me while I was down,” Ginger grumbled.

Hazy blinked slowly. “Woah… That’s, like, fuckin’ mean.”

“She got it back, blew its brains out,” I claimed, still impressed with the little griffon’s tenacity.

“Groovy,” was all Hazy Glaze had to say before getting to work. I stepped out, sure he had this handled. Despite his demeanor, his precise telekinetic brandishing of syringes, tweezers, and scalpels inspired confidence.

Sunny Side was waiting outside. “You got it?” I gave her a nod, and she grinned broadly before wrapping my neck in a hug. She backed up and apologized when I tensed up.

“Save that for Ginger.” I relaxed and brushed my neck to get the sand from Sunny’s hooves out of my coat. “She’s the one who killed it.”

She looked past me at the clinic. “And she’d be dead if not for you,” she said with a grin. “From now on, you get a discount with my store and caravan.”

That reminded me, I had a bundle of laser rifles and pistols to repair and sell. I got the stash from my room, and Sunny let me use her workbench. A couple hours later, I was a couple hundred caps richer. It wasn’t the smoothest ‘stop at a settlement for rest and trade’ but I couldn’t complain about the results.

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

Footnote:
Welcome to Level 3!

Perk Added: Toughness! If nothing else, you can take a beating! Instantly gain 10% damage resistance!

Tenochtitlan Accepts you.

Novac Idolizes you.

Chapter 3: Smile, You're On Camera

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 3: Smile, You’re On Camera

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

During my last night in Novac, Ginger made good on her promise. I’d never been with another species before, and the difference in size was somewhat awkward, but it was still good fun. Hazy Glaze was apparently a miracle worker, since I couldn’t even tell the griffon had ever gotten hurt. Her light yet firm body was flawless. She slept beside me, purring as I ran my talons gently through her fur and feathers. The cat-bird’s foot paws opened and closed repeatedly, kneading the bed sheets. I was content petting her until she woke and gently pushed my claw away with a smirk on her face.

“Careful around my belly, I’ll bite,” she teased. Ginger got up with a stretch and hovered to the shower. I’d go with her, but there wasn’t room. She at least left the door open so I could watch.

“I guess your job will be a lot more boring, now.” With the alicorn dead, Novac had little to worry about. It was too isolated to be a target for raiders.

“Boring, I can handle,” she replied, raising her voice over the running water. “I’ll be perfectly happy with ‘boring’ for a good long while.”

Now I was jealous. A huge worry was off her shoulders, and she could relax for the first time in weeks. It’s exactly how I had hoped to feel when I got home from Bone Dry Desert, but instead I got tossed into the wasteland looking for something I didn’t understand. Glancing at the open dresser drawer, the Pearl fragment necklace hung from my armor, taunting me.

I reached over and snatched it, ignoring the spark of magic as I put it on, and looked back towards Ginger. She was washing herself purposely slowly, putting on a show, knowing I couldn’t fit in the shower and join her. I bet I could if I was a griffon like her- WOAH! The magic from the shard surged stronger than ever, and I felt the world around me get larger. My hooves warped into soft paws, my tail became long and narrow, my mane shortened to a crest, and I was suddenly a foot and a half shorter.

As my initial panic subsided, I noticed that Ginger was completely frozen, staring at me wide-eyed. “What… the… FUCK!?” Her tone shifted from shock to mild disgust. “Are you a fucking changeling!? Is THAT what last night was? You draining my ‘love’ like a fucking vampire!?”

All I could do for several seconds was stammer and point at the necklace. I finally focused, clutched the shard in my talons and demanded to be a hippogriff again. Blessings from the King, it obliged. The world returned to the correct size, and my body felt normal again. Ginger noticed me hyperventilating and calmed down, shook herself dry, and stepped towards me, staring at the necklace.

“Okay… Okay, you’re not a changeling. That necklace caused that, right?”

I nodded. “I didn’t know it would do that. I just thought if I was a griffon, I could fit in the shower with you. And, suddenly, I was a griffon.” I took a deep breath, anxiously fiddling with the shard.

Ginger snorted, then burst out laughing. What was so funny? She wiped her eyes and grinned broadly at me. “You accidentally activated a magic artifact because you wanted to fuck me in the shower!? By the Egg, bucks are pathetic!”

*****

I felt more motivated than ever to get out of Novac. Ginger kept slipping into fits of laughter as I cleaned up and got dressed. Now I could only hope she didn’t make me the town’s new favorite gossip topic. After stocking up at Sunny’s and Hazy’s while avoiding small talk, I was on my way.

My PipBuck’s navigation system was completely unnecessary this time. My target had been clearly visible ever since I left the jungle. A massive tower that stood in the center of the Badlands, one of dozens spread across Equestria. The Single Pegasus Project is known for being the only thing Rainbow Dash’s Ministry of Awesome ever did. Even though its primary function was weather control, the Ministry of Morale was heavily involved in incorporating a surveillance network into it.

Even if Tempest Shadow neglected to leave behind notes, I hoped I could peruse the memory banks and track Skystar’s path myself. There were three major problems, however. One, files that old were probably corrupted or overridden with newer files. Two, which I just discovered, was that the Pearl could transform creatures. If Skystar was smart, she wasn’t gallivanting around as a hippogriff. She’d blend in and become impossible to track. Lastly, the SPP had a master. A unicorn named Littlepip. If I broke into what was essentially an extension of her, she’d notice. The NCR and Elements of Harmony she was allies with, would notice. I’d need a damn good story for them to let me go about my business.

Looking down at my chest, where my Pearl shard was hidden, I wondered if I could use it to fool them somehow. Looking up at the tower on the horizon, I wondered if she was already watching me. There… might be a way to check. I flicked on my PipBuck’s radio, and tuned it until I found the station I was looking for.

“...Blue moon

Now I’m no longer alone

Without a dream in my heart

Without a love of my own

Blue moon…”

“This is DJ Pon3! The rich voice of Ol’ Blue Eyes will return after some, duh duh DUH! News! The slavers of Baltimare have scattered like rats after their head honchos overdosed on lead to the brain. Nice work, Trickshot! Fighting the Good Fight! Most of the stragglers were seen headed to Dodge City, so the good folks living there best be on the lookout. Remember, if they’re not armed, give em’ a chance. I have it on good authority that most of Whiplash’s soldiers were forced to wear bomb collars themselves. So offer a hoof, or claw, or whatever and help them turn their lives around. Be Kind! Now, back to some tunes!”

I flipped the radio off as the charismatic radio host was replaced with music. Good, no mention of me. My brow furrowed. Dodge City? That was my next stop after the tower. Good to know they’d be wary of strangers. Old Apple Loosa was technically closer, but I’d have to fly high over a mountain range and potentially provoke the Enclave. Even though I could probably turn into a pegasus, I’d rather not risk it.

I blinked in thought. Turn into a pegasus? Could I turn into… a specific pegasus? Just to be safe, I flew down and landed on a plateau. Focusing on the Pearl shard, I thought about the one pegasus who could get into an SPP tower without tripping security. I closed my eyes and felt my body shrink and change. When the tingling of magic subsided, I inspected myself. I was a pegasus, but I was still a stallion, and my color palette remained unchanged. An annoyed nicker escaped my… lips. That was certainly a sensation. So, the Pearl had limits. At least, one shard of it had limits. Changing back, I continued my journey.

*****

The trip took me most of the day. Darkness was welcomed, as I made my way between rocks and bushes towards the tower’s base. A sturdy terminal was mounted beside an insurmountable steel door. Above it was a pink sign emblazoned with the Ministry of Morale logo, and the words ‘Smile, You’re On Camera’. Glancing at my PipBuck, I wondered if I had any hope of hacking it open. I briefly practiced with it back at the magical waste dump site, on the terminal the alicorn had been using, while I healed. The terminal had nothing of value, just audio logs of screaming brahmin dating back several weeks.

This piece of arcane computing was in a different league. I had to pick open a very secure hatch just to get access to the PipBuck interface port. Once plugged in, I was met with a screen littered with random characters. Hidden amongst them were potential passwords. My practice before taught me how to eliminate duds by selecting closed sets of arrows, parentheses, or brackets. Still, this terminal was extremely challenging. The other terminal’s password was only four characters long, so solving its little logic puzzle was a breeze. This one had twelve characters, and there were a lot of duds. I lost track of how many times I had to back out and start again to avoid being locked out. Finally, I cracked it. The password was ‘chauvinistic’.

The door squealed open, but no alarms rang out. The whirring of a nearby camera, however, launched me through the entrance. I was out of sight by the time it faced the terminal. At that angle, it could see that the access panel was open. After a pause, it kept turning, towards the open door. My wings quickly carried me from its gaze. I flew up an elevator shaft as quickly as I could, racing past cameras and turrets before they came online. The elevator itself was stuck at the bottom, the cable that once carried it snapped centuries ago. I had caught a glimpse of pony skeletons beyond its ajar doors.

Reaching the top, I pried the doors open using all my strength, and collapsed inside. I made it to the surveillance floor. Another elevator in front of me led further up, but I had no reason to mess with the weather controls. Hearing the whirring of cameras, I ducked into a cubicle and under a desk. After a while, the cameras went quiet. With any luck, Littlepip assumed that her mystery intruder was heading further up or had fled.

I searched for anything out of place, or a way to access the data banks. On the north wall, I found both. A collection of monitors attached to a terminal, and a holotape bearing my King’s mark. It was loaded into my PipBuck.

“This is Tempest Shadow. I managed to access the Badlands SPP Tower. I found some poor workers in the elevator. One was still alive… I put her out of her misery. Anyway, I was right. I used the surveillance system to track Skystar’s next several stops. The info is on this tape. She changed into a pegasus, thinking she was being clever. But a bright yellow blank flank is just as easy to track as a hippogriff.”

I checked the list of locations. Baltimare, Fillydelphia, Manehattan, Everfree Forest (Fuck), Ponyville, Hollow Shades, Canterlot (also Fuck), and Mount Reinier. Hollow Shades and Reinier were a mystery to me, they didn’t ring a bell. Everfree and Canterlot rang too many bells. They were high on our scout battalion’s ‘never go there’ list.

*****

I tried looking through footage myself, but everything more than a century old was beyond corrupted. Satisfied, I crept back down the elevator shaft. The cameras and turrets remained still. I thought I was in the clear until I heard voices. Silently, I landed on the wrecked elevator. There were two speaking, a male and a female. I couldn’t see them, but they must be fliers to have responded so quickly. Sneaking past cameras was one thing, sneaking past the living was another. Needing an alternative, I sat and pondered. The voices referred to each other by rank, and mentioned being on patrol. So, soldiers. Soldiers aligned to Littlepip? NCR.

The plan I came up with wasn’t perfect, but it was all I had. Willing myself into the form of an earth pony was unpleasant. At least changing into a griffon or a pegasus let me keep the same number of limbs. But these soldiers needed to believe I didn’t make it beyond the ground floor. Reaching into my saddlebags with my teeth, I grabbed and threw on some rags to cover my armor. At last, I climbed out of the elevator.

“H-Hello?” I began as weakly as I could. “I s-surrender!”

The armored and masked griffons approached me with weapons drawn, but not raised. Red-tinted visors covered their eyes. The buck spoke.

“You a scavenger? SPP towers are off limits.”

“I’m sorry! I thought I could find RadAway here…”

“Are you sick?” He asked, before taking out a geiger counter and holding it up to me. My ultracite armor made it click, slow but steady.

“Yikes,” the hen remarked. “Where’d you even find radiation? You didn’t try to scavenge that dump site, did you?”

I nodded ashamedly. “Are you… going to arrest me?”

The buck sighed. “We’ll escort you to Dodge and have the Followers take care of you. Just try to stay out of trouble from then on, alright?”

*****

I stayed quiet the whole trip, silently praying that the shard’s magic didn’t have a time limit. Neither of my escorts had much to say, either. To my surprise, the pair didn’t search me. Then again, they both seemed too exhausted to care about protocol. My break-in must have alerted them right before their patrol shift ended.

Dodge was a quaint settlement. It had an old-west earth pony aesthetic and was built around a train station. Unsurprisingly, there was no sign of a functional train. The track was in disrepair, used for scrap. Train cars were converted into walls and homes. The town guard, along with ponies adorned in white medic coats, were busy sorting through the slave-soldiers DJ Pon3 had mentioned. Bomb collars were disabled and removed, food and medicine was distributed, et cetera. One of the griffons I was with waved over a medic pony, explaining that I needed RadAway. I drank the bitter orange fluid, making a show of feeling better, despite the fact it actually made me feel awful. The NCR troops and doctor, when satisfied, turned their attention to the crowd. I shuffled off to a building marked as a saloon.

*****

I don’t know what I expected, but a young dragoness engaged in a drinking contest with a one-eyed griffon was not a possibility I had considered. The fire-breather had midnight purple scales, spines of diamond blue, a golden tan belly and horns, and crimson eyes. Her golden armor, and the slim yet strong body beneath, had countless scars. Had I still been a hippogriff, she would be about the same size as me. As I am, she was easily the largest creature in the room. She slammed an empty mug on the table and raised her head, belching purple-blue flames into a candle chandelier above. The saloon whooped and hollered in cheer.

The griffon buck, who decided to be a good sport about his loss and shake the dragon’s claw, was completely unassuming. In fact, he was the smallest, scrawniest, least-intimidating griffon I had ever seen. Was he even an adult? Most of the ponies here were bigger than him. The most notable thing about him was that he was missing his right eye, the socket cauterized shut. It looked like it happened years ago, the scar as faded as it could be. His remaining eye was dark green, and he had a streak of red feathers in the center of his otherwise white head. His beak and talons were the shade of yellow most common among his kind. The rest of his body was jet black. He didn’t even wear armor, just a denim and leather ensemble that was reminiscent of old-world street gangsters. He did, however, have weapons. While the dragon was unarmed, the griffon had a bolt-action rifle slung between his wings and a single-action revolver holstered against his flank.

*****

I was hoping to find an opportunity to change to my normal form, but the dragon made that a bad idea. There was no way to predict how she’d react to seeing a hippogriff, considering current events. Not to mention, the possibility the dragons somehow learned of my mission and sent her after me. It was a slim possibility, considering how independent and disorganized her kind were. For all I knew, she’s lived in Dodge her whole life. The lack of solid information about dragons and their culture was infuriating. We’d interrogated plenty of captives, and they all gave contradicting intel. They have a ‘Dragon Lord’, but whether they’re actually in charge is evidently a matter of debate.

“Alright, alright, you won fair and square,” the griffon stood and gave the dragon a bow. His city accent matched his outfit, further causing him to stand out in the rural setting. “Trickshot Gritt is at your service, at a discount.”

Trickshot? This runt took down a whole slaver operation? What was the dragon hiring him for?

“So, Slash, if you don’t mind me asking, where do you want to check first? There’s plenty of prominent MAS sites. And from what you told me, it could even be buried in Canterlot’s rubble.”

“Tenpony,” the dragon replied in a surprisingly smooth and sultry voice. Must be a good singer. “Even if it isn’t there, it’s a good place for information.”

“Well, that’ll be easy. I live there.” Gritt paid and tipped the bartender. “Might take some convincing to let a fire-breathing dragon through their doors though. Wouldn’t be surprised if they made you wear a muzzle. Either way, we should rest before we head out.”

Slash shrugged and followed Gritt upstairs. What was she after? Something to give her people an edge against mine? Unacceptable. If her goals had any chance of compromising the King’s, I had to stop her. Tenpony, huh? Manehattan was one of my stops, anyway. But first, rest. I paid for a room, got comfortable, and closed my eyes. The peaceful blackness of sleep quickly enveloped my exhausted mind.

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

Footnote:
Welcome to Level 4!

Perk Added: Mile In Their Hooves! You have come to understand the creatures you’ve mimicked, or at least their strengths and weaknesses. You gain 10% damage and accuracy in SATS against creatures you have shape-shifted into.

Chapter 4: Slash and Gritt

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 4: Slash and Gritt

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

“Trickshot!” The shrill voice coming from the street below dragged me out of bed and to the window. The wasteland had all sorts of creative alarm clocks, didn’t it?

“Trickshot, I’m calling you out! Get down here so I can end you!” The brown unicorn mare had a hay-colored mane, and her cutie mark, as ponies call the picture on their flanks, was a spine breaking in half. She wore a ratty duster that barely concealed a set of four large caliber pistols.

“Crack?” The little griffon buck yawned and stretched as he stepped out the saloon’s swinging doors. He gave the unicorn a smug chuckle. “I wondered where you were. You missed the party at Baltimare.” He stood up and walked on his hind legs, taking a place down the street from her. This was a duel.

Crack’s face twisted in rage as she spat into the dirt. “You killed my brother!”

Gritt’s cool, smug expression didn’t falter. “I’ve killed a lot of brothers.”

The slaver widened her stance, digging her hooves into the ground. The mercenary stayed completely relaxed. An orange glow flashed from her horn, magically grabbing all four of her guns and drawing them as fast as she could. It was a faster draw than I could have managed. Had I been her opponent, I’d have lost.

The tiny, skinny griffon was much faster. Impossibly faster. His claws moved like lightning as he drew his iron and blasted five shots from the hip in under a second. Each one hit their marks. Crack’s guns clattered to the street in pieces, and she let out a shriek of agony as her horn suffered the same fate. As his foe collapsed to the ground, writhing, Gritt holstered his revolver with a flourish. He lit a cigarette and turned around to go back into the saloon.

Crack looked up at him, and the pain on her face was replaced with renewed fury. She reached into her duster with her teeth and drew a combat knife, and charged. Gritt looked back at her, and let out a sigh of disappointment as he drew his pistol a second time. A moment later, the last round in his six shooter found its final resting place between the unicorn’s eyes. He muttered something to himself, and I could only make it out because the world around us was completely silent. “Three hundred, twenty seven.”

Slash had been watching calmly from the doorway. In fact, most of the town was watching. “You didn’t want to kill her?”

“She wasn’t part of the bounty,” Gritt admitted, looking at Crack’s crumpled corpse. “What a waste.”

*****

There was no way I’d keep up with the dragon without wings, and I figured a pegasus would draw too many questions. Not to mention, I didn’t know how I’d use my gun with just hooves. So I changed into a griffon. I also changed the rags covering my armor to a long coat. The bartender I rented my room from gawked at me as I passed him.

“Weren’t you a pony last night?” he said, rubbing his eyes with his hooves.

I raised an eyebrow at him and feigned confusion. “You really shouldn’t drink on the job.” He blinked, scratched his head, and shrugged.

Slash and Gritt were stocking up on supplies from the modest shops around town, the former mostly buying preserved meat, and the latter mostly buying ammo. I bought some things myself, If only to keep an eye on them. I was still pretty flush from Novac. It was time to decide how I’d handle this. If I tried to trail them all the way to Tenpony, there was a good chance they’d notice and assume I was hostile. That wasn’t a fight I could win.

The only choice was to convince them to let me travel with them. I flew ahead of the pair as they started towards the town gates and waved them down. Slash was curious, Gritt was suspicious.

“I, um, heard you were heading to Tenpony. I need to get to Manehattan, too, but I’d rather not travel alone.” The most effective way to lie was to tell the truth.

“Then I suggest you hire some-” Gritt began before Slash cut him off.

“Sure, the more the merrier!” the dragon blurted with a toothy grin. The griffon glared at her indignantly but didn’t argue with his employer. “You look like you’d be useful in a fight.”

Her smile faltered a little as she inspected me. She sniffed the air, then leaned close to me and sniffed again, her brow furrowing. I was thoroughly uncomfortable, and traded a glance with an increasingly confused Gritt.

“Uh…” I started.

The dragon looked genuinely concerned for this strange ‘griffon’ she just met. “You’re wearing ultracite? You know that stuff’s radioactive, right?”

How the fuck? Dragons can smell ultracite? Well, it is a kind of gemstone. Gritt’s eye went a little wide as he took a step away from me.

“I, well, it’s not that radioactive. I’ve gotten used to it, and the stopping power is worth it.” Changing forms didn’t remove my immunity to rads. My PipBuck would be blaring alarms at me if it did.

Gritt clearly thought I was a moron. “If you’re going to be willingly exposing yourself to radiation this whole trip, you’re drinking your own damn RadAway.” The thought of chugging more of the bitter orange fluid almost made me retch. It had the same poisonous effect on my kind as it would on a balefire phoenix or an alicorn. But I guess I had to keep up the illusion. “Let’s just hope you don’t ghoulify halfway there. Unless that’s what you’re after.”

*****

Ultracite was extremely rare outside the Storm Isles. I was immensely grateful that the dragon I was flying beside didn’t put two and two together. Unless she had, was good at hiding it, and was luring me into a trap. My impromptu companions would have plenty of opportunities, since Manehattan was far enough to require a couple of stops for rest.

Baltimare and Fillydelphia were along the way, and the odd couple discussed visiting MAS hubs in each of the cities. Gritt seemed fine with checking the Baltimare hub, but was extremely opposed to going anywhere near Fillydelphia, intending to fly around it.

I didn’t really understand why. Red Eye was long dead. The NCR and Applejack’s Rangers controlled most of the city now. There were pockets of warlords, but no real threats. I doubted that Gritt had bad blood with the aforementioned factions since DJ Pon3 sang his praises over the radio.

Then again, it didn’t really matter. According to Gritt, Hollow Shades was his usual detour to get past Fillydelphia. So either way, I’d be checking off a location on Tempest’s list.

“So, where did you get a PipBuck? Did your family come from Stable 14?” Gritt flew backwards to face me.

“Yeah. Family heirloom.” I knew from scout reports that Stable 14 was a griffon stable. We didn’t, however, know its location. The griffons that were asked either didn’t know or didn’t care to say. My PipBuck obviously couldn’t really be from there, but wastelanders wouldn’t know the difference.

“What’s your name, anyway?” Slash asked me.

“Red.” I gave a sheepish shrug. “My parents weren’t very creative.” I looked at Gritt. “Yours must have had some precognition to name you Trickshot.”

He huffed and spat. “That slaving cu-” He caught himself. “My mother just named me Gritt. ‘Trickshot’ is something DJ Pon3 started calling me, and it stuck.” That was all he had to say about that.

“And you?” I turned to the dragon.

She unbuckled and lifted her chest plate to reveal three large slashes angled down her torso. I was briefly tempted to use the opportunity to put some shots through her heart and eliminate the potential threat. The scarred flesh was a perfect weak point. But Gritt could have killed me the moment I went for my weapon. The sight of Slash’s exposed body incited other thoughts as well, treacherous in their own way. I hoped the dragon’s nose wasn’t as sensitive to pheromones as it was to rare materials.

“Dragons don’t always get their names at birth. Sometimes they earn them.” She began to explain. “I got this picking a fight with the Dragon Lord.” She pondered. “Well, ‘picking a fight’ isn’t really accurate. We got into an argument, and I pushed the wrong buttons. Opened some very old, very painful wounds.”

“Is that why you’re out here?” I asked, trying to learn her purpose as subtly as I could.

“Partially,” she responded. “I didn’t feel overly welcome in the Dragon Lands after that. It’s hard to feel safe at home after your grandmother nearly kills you.”

Gritt and I both looked at her in surprise. “You’re royalty?” the merc asked.

Slash shook her head. “It doesn’t work that way. Ponies are the ones obsessed with ‘royal bloodlines’. The title of Dragon Lord is earned through the Gauntlet of Fire, a free-for-all contest to determine the most capable of our kind. In the past, the Dragon Lord would step down and initiate the Gauntlet when they felt they were no longer fit.” She growled. “But Ember is so fucking stubborn, she’ll cling to the title until she dies, taking our whole race with her.”

The Dragon Lord finally had a name. Ember. Stubborn pride would explain why the dragons have so fiercely resisted our conquest. Considering their alternative was extinction at the hooves of the Enclave, one would think they’d accept the less severe fate.

“We couldn’t have a proper Gauntlet anyway. We don’t have the Dragon Staff.” She then smiled at Gritt. “But I’m fixing that.”

Dragon Staff… Why did that sound familiar? I tried to rack my mind back to meetings between the Admirals, some off handed comment about it… Nothing. Oh well.

Slash continued. “Her title was put into question when she lost it in the first place. If I retrieve it, I can invoke tradition and compel her to initiate the Gauntlet. A real leader can then finally step up and save our people.”

I felt my muscles relax, not realizing they had gotten tense. So, she’s just after some sort of symbolic badge of office? To cause a political shift among her people? That wasn’t a problem. Maybe this ‘real leader’ would be reasonable enough to accept my King’s terms. If not, we’ll simply maintain the status quo of conquering them the hard way.

*****

We made camp outside Baltimare as night fell. We’d been following the railway, and I lamented its lack of functionality. Things would be far easier if I could just take a train from place to place. The shelter we chose was a small concrete storehouse behind a dilapidated Super Duper Mart, long picked clean by scavengers. Radroaches were stomped or shooed off into the night.

“You haven’t had any RadAway in a while.” Slash spoke as she started to remove her armor. “And you might as well take that ultracite off for the night so you don’t have to drink more in the morning.”

Unable to explain why doing either was unnecessary, I obliged. This time, I couldn’t stop the rad-purging liquid from making me gag and cough. The dragon regarded me worriedly.

Gritt spoke up, “If RadAway is that nasty to you, you might already be ghoulifying.” He laid down against a pile of empty flour sacks, deliberately far from me. I tried to think nothing of it as I took my plate armor off and stuffed it into a saddlebag. My base layer stayed on, and I used the long coat as a blanket.

Slash, apparently having no sense of modesty, laid flat on her back by the fire she made, her arms folded behind her head, and her legs spread. I adjusted my sleeping position to face away from her, berating myself. Stop. Fantasizing. About the enemy.

*****

In the morning, Gritt got to explaining the local politics. What was left of the slavers were on the southeast side of town, along Horseshoe Bay. The north and east were inhabited by various scavengers and bandits. The two groups tended to prey on one another. Steel Rangers had a presence here a decade ago, basing themselves out of the Ministry District. The hubs now belonged to the largest local gang, the Hot Rods, who were using refurbished power armor to try and establish a safe zone.

“They’re good peeps.” Gritt said assuredly. “Sort of like Applejack’s Rangers, only without the pompous attitude and political baggage. I’ve done a few jobs for them, taking out the city’s loudest troublemakers. They want Baltimare to be somewhere honest people can make a life for themselves, free of squares. But there’s only so many of them, and a lot of assholes.”

“Alright,” Slash said, finally getting dressed, “we’ll fly straight to them.”

Gritt shook his head. “Flying over the open wastes where no one’s around is fine. Flying through a city full of wet rags itching to take pot shots is a great way to get killed. We take it low and slow, and stay out of the open.”

Slash groaned. “That will take all day.”

For whatever it was worth, I voted in Gritt’s favor. As impressive as Slash seemed, she had a severe lack of experience. It wouldn’t shock me if she actually thought she was bulletproof. Lots of dragons seemed to.

“I have a good idea of what paths are safe, who’s good, who’s bad, the whole shabang,” Gritt claimed. “This is the fastest, smoothest way to get to the MAS hub alive.”

*****

Crack! Crack, Crack! KaBOOM!

The abandoned sky wagon sent shrapnel throughout the street as it exploded, a stray bullet having found its way to something sensitive. Slash slumped behind a slab of bricks, clutching her shoulder. An armor piercing round had cut clean through her scales and muscle, but missed bone. Gritt tossed her a healing potion, which she quickly downed, then raised his rifle to blow the head off a scraggly griffon attempting to fly around and flank us. Her body tumbled and crashed through the roof of a rotting food cart. He pulled the bolt open, slipped in another .408 round, and closed it.

“See!?” he called out. “Flying in the city’s bad for your health!”

I did my best to close the distance to the remaining bandits. My scattershot laser repeater was a powerful weapon, but wasn’t great at range. I moved from cover to cover when Gritt had their attention, another one of their heads turning into red mist. After crawling under the rubble of a crashed tram, I was finally inside their foxhole. I slipped into SATS and queued attacks into the center mass of three surprised bandits.

Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!

A griffon buck, a unicorn mare, and an earth pony mare fell to the ground, five smoking holes burning fresh in each of their torsos. Pony-made magical beam weapons dispersed energy on contact with a chance to disintegrate their targets. Storm Army energy weapons penetrated, burning deep wounds.

The last two, earth pony stallions armed with makeshift melee weapons, fled from me out into the street. Right into Slash. They let out pathetic yelps before they were engulfed in flames. The two were dead before their charred bodies hit the ground.

Gritt and I looted ammo and provisions, and futilely attempted to convince Slash to take a weapon. “I don’t need that shit. I’m a dragon.” is all she’d say. Stubborn pride. “I thought you said this way was safe?”

“I said it was probably safe,” Gritt defended. “Gang territory shifts on a daily basis. Besides, it is safe now. At least until another group of jokers move in.”

“Then we should move out,” I suggested, having finished lining the bodies beside each other, and covering them with fabric from the food cart. It was the traditional way to handle hostile casualties, or as close as I could get without proper body bags. I’d done the same with the Bone Dry Desert bandits, the pegasus raiders outside Tenochtitlan, and even the alicorn in the MAS dump site. Even though there wasn’t any logical point to it, military training was hard to shake.

“The Ministry District isn’t far, now,” our experienced guide elaborated. “We’re almost at the wall.”

*****

“Hey, nosebleeds! Where do you think you are? This is Hot Rod territory!” A stallion in surprisingly well-kept magical power armor stood atop a guard post. The vibrant flame paint job on the armor was just as impressive as the anti-machine cannons mounted on its sides.

“Don’t give me that shit, Peepers. Open the damn gate.” Gritt’s good-spirited tone betrayed his words. Peepers laughed and pulled a switch, and the graffiti-laden doors slowly swung open.

A filtered whistle escaped Peepers as Slash passed through. “Nice colors, babe! Natural born Hot Rod material! Don’t even need plates!”

Slash took the compliment in stride, blowing the armored stallion a heart-shaped ring of fire as if it were a kiss. Peepers swooned.

Baltimare’s Ministry District was a walled-in community, consisting of a main street stretching a few blocks, hubs for each ministry being the most prominent buildings. Flame-painted armored Hot Rods patrolled up and down. Some without helmets, revealing that their paint matched the color palettes of their coats and manes. There were more ponies and creatures here than I expected, tending to crops, working on infrastructure, trying to create a better life. There was even a school house full of foals and fledglings, the flag of the Followers of the Apocalypse flying above it. Quite a foreboding name for an organization devoted to the peaceful reconstruction of Equestria. All things considered, this place was thriving.

“Why don’t the bandits and scavengers just stop and live here instead?” I asked.

“Because they’d have to work,” Gritt answered, “and not just take what they want.” He lit a cigarette and took a drag. “A lot of the people here were scavengers, bandits, and even slavers. The smart ones, who realized they couldn’t go on the way they were forever.” He gestured to the gates. “Unfortunately, there’s a lot of stupid ones left.”

“A few less now,” Slash remarked coldly. A smile brightened her face as a group from the schoolhouse approached her.

“A dragon!” “Dragon!” “A pretty dragon!” The kids giggled and danced around her as she sat down in the grass, wagging her tail. Slash didn’t seem to mind at all as they poked and prodded at her scales, spines, and armor. In fact, she seemed to enjoy their innocent silliness.

“Excuse me! Little ones! I’m so sorry!” A silky sweet voice called out to the children, a charcoal unicorn mare trotting after them. She had a flowing white mane with streaks of red and gold, and sky blue eyes. She wore a white coat, saddlebags made from Ministry of Peace medical boxes, and a golden PipBuck.

I was face to face with the Element of Kindness, Velvet Remedy.

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

Footnote:
Welcome to Level 5!

Perk Added: Center of Mass! You don't fool around with fancy shooting. Straight to the midsection and down they go. In SATS, you do an additional 15% damage with attacks targeting the torso.

Companion Perk Added: Duelist’s Draw! You’ve learned a thing or two watching Gritt’s gunslinging skills. With Trickshot in your party, activating SATS while your weapon is holstered increases your first target’s chance to hit by 20%.

Companion Perk Added: Bandit Brulee! Why just shoot a bad guy when you can also set them on fire? When Slash is in your party, low karma hostiles have a 10% chance to burst into flames from any attack.

Chapter 5: Be Kind

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 5: Be Kind

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

Velvet continued to apologize to Slash as she corralled the foals and fledglings back towards the schoolhouse. Slash assured her it was no trouble. My eyes stayed locked on the jeweled, gold-plated PipBuck on Velvet’s left hoof. One of the Elements of Harmony, among the most powerful magical artifacts in the world.

For the entirety of the Scout Battalion, and all officers at the rank of Captain and above, the Book of Littlepip became required reading material shortly after copies made their way to our territory. As a source of intel on major political developments within the Equestrian wasteland during that period of time, it was invaluable.

“Hey, Velv, you’re still here?” Gritt asked with surprising familiarity. “Thought you’d have wrapped up and headed back to Junction Town by now.”

“The Hub still needs a lot of help. It will take more than a schoolhouse to make this a sustainable community.” Velvet watched with a smile as the last of the fledglings made it inside. “But it’s a start.”

Gritt took another puff of his cigarette. “I assume Calamity’s gonna be your escort home?” He grinned mischievously. “How’s that sexy stallion been, anyway?”

The unicorn rolled her eyes. “My husband has been just fine, Gritt. And, yes, he’ll be here in a couple of days with Ditzy.”

Three of the Elements were going to be here!? We needed to wrap things up and move on. I couldn’t risk getting found out.

Looking around, I noticed that Slash had wandered off to talk to some Hot Rods, who seemed just as impressed with her as Peepers. This was as good a chance as any to slip away.

*****

“Who’re your friends?” Hearing Velvet’s voice in my direction stopped my attempt to slink off.

“The dragon, Slash, is my current client. I’m bodyguarding and guiding while she looks for something. Red here is just a tag-along making his way to Manehattan.” He leaned close to Velvet and loudly whispered, “I think he’s one of those rad worshiping weirdos. He’s been wearing radioactive armor this whole time.”

A medical pony to her core, Velvet gasped and looked me over, checking for signs of radiation sickness. To her pleasant surprise, she didn’t find any. She did, however, notice how nervous I was. “Are you alright? I didn’t mean to offend or make you uncomfortable.”

“I’m fine. Just… starstruck, I suppose.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. “I’m a big fan of your singing.” That wasn’t a lie at all. Velvet Remedy’s music was quite popular in Hippogriffia.

Velvet smiled and did her best to modestly hoof-wave her fame. Slash made her way back to us with a grin on her face.

“I got a couple Hot Rods to help us search through the MAS hub.” She seemed proud of her negotiation skills. “They need to get to some water valves in its basement, and I can burn through the security doors.” The dragon demonstrated by whistling a narrow, white-hot streak of fire like a welding torch. She then looked down and patted her cuirass. “They also want to ‘spiff up my plates’?” Slash sounded a bit apprehensive about modifying her armor.

“I welcome the extra firepower. Never know what kind of security robots or turrets might still be lurking in these hubs.” Gritt extinguished his stick of nicotine and tobacco. He was about to flick the remains into the grass before Velvet’s side-eye made him take it to a trash can instead.

Glancing around at the other hubs, I wondered if Skystar would have hidden a Pearl shard in them. Not likely, since she’d have to get through security lockdowns. It also didn’t fit the pattern. The first one was in an ancient temple, and although that was just one point of data I felt she’d stick to that theme.

I tapped my claws and looked towards Velvet and Gritt. “Odd question, but does Baltimare have any major, pre-war landmarks? Something from before the Ministries?”

“That’s definitely an odd question,” Gritt remarked with renewed suspicion.

“Well,” Velvet began, “there's the Horseshoe Lighthouse. It’s been standing for centuries. Why?”

“I just want to take a look around. See the sights. This is my first time in the northeast.” Not my best excuse to take a detour through hostile territory. “I can go alone.”

Gritt wasn’t falling for it. His eye narrowed with some hostility. “You tag along with a pair of strangers because you don't want to travel to Manehattan by yourself, but you’re willing to trek through slaver territory alone?”

My wings fluttered as I started to realize how that sounded, given the context. I showed up out of nowhere in Dodge just after the town had an influx of ex-slaves, and insisted on traveling with the griffon responsible for taking out their master. Gritt must think I’m trying to sneak off and report to my slaver superiors. Being disguised as a griffon exacerbated the problem, due to their general reputation for taking amoral contracts. Even Slash, who had been immediately trusting of me, raised a brow.

“There’s a lot about you that isn’t adding up,” the experienced mercenary pried.

Struggling to come up with a believable explanation, my train of thought was ruined by a nearby radio.

*****

“Good afternoon, Equestrian Wasteland! This is DJ Pon3, bringing you a bit of news! Have y’all ever heard of a little town deep in the southern Badlands called Novac? Well, for the past few weeks they’ve been preyed on by a crazed alicorn who delighted in attacking brahmin. Their lone sheriff, a gal named Ginger, was hard pressed to put an end to it.

Until, that is, she got help from a very unexpected source. A hippogriff! Now, I know what you’re thinking. ‘A hippo-what? You’re just making up words, you old DJ!’ I get it, you’ve never heard of them. Heck, I’ve met more stable-dweller-saviors-of-the-wasteland than I’ve met hippogriffs, and I’ve been around the block a few times.

Hippogriffs are just people like you and me. They look like half-ponies, half-griffons and are damn near the size of an alicorn when they’re full grown, but they’re just people.

This one, a fella named Rosegold, seems to be a particularly good one. Sheriff Ginger says he helped her track down the ‘Teleporting Bi-’ Oh, shouldn’t say that on the air, should I? Well, they took it down, and Ginger says she couldn’t have gotten through it alive if it weren’t for the backup. So, Rosegold, from Novac to you, thank you. They also say to look out for Sunny Side Caravan for some free grub!

This has been DJ Pon3, bringing you the news!”

*****

Slash stared at the radio, blinking as her face turned from surprise, to confusion, to worry. “Oh, shit, is he after me? How did they find out?”

Velvet looked at the dragon with concern. “What’s wrong? What’s going on?”

“Hippogriffia is at war with the Dragon Lands,” Slash began to explain, sighing. “I guess the Enclave trying to kill us wasn’t enough… I came here looking for the Dragon Staff, to rally our people and push out the invaders. I bet this ‘Rosegold’ was sent to stop me.”

This was bad. The truth was going to come out soon, and I needed it to be on my terms. As Velvet tried to calm Slash down and offer other possible explanations, I reached under my wing. Gritt snapped his revolver to my face, ending the conversation. After a moment spent frozen, I slowly drew my weapon, set it on the ground, and backed away. I closed my eyes, focused, and changed to my true form.

*****

The wind was knocked out of me as I was tackled into the grass. Slash was on me, one claw around my neck, and the other raised to strike. “That’s why you’re wearing ultracite! Fuck, how did I not figure that out!?” She was trembling, but her grip on my throat was still more than tight enough to make breathing difficult. “Damn it, I slept right next to an assassin!”

I struggled to speak as I choked. “I’m… not… assassin…” My vision was starting to fade, but magic enveloped Slash’s claws and gently pried them open. Coughing and wheezing, I sat up as much as the dragon would let me. Rubbing my neck, I started to explain. “I’m part of the Aqua Pura caravans, not the war on your people. I was… going to Tenpony to set up more business. When I saw you in Dodge, I was actually afraid you were there to kill me. So I disguised myself and went with you to keep an eye on you, to make sure you weren’t a threat.”

Slash took in my words carefully, and slowly got off of me. “How exactly did you ‘disguise yourself’ as a griffon? I didn’t think hippogriffs had magic like that.”

Gritt still had his pistol drawn on me as I reached into my armor and pulled out the Pearl shard. “This is an old, rare artifact of my people. A bunch were scattered across Equestria a long time ago. I figured I’d look for some while I was up here. That’s why I want to check out the lighthouse. There might be one there.”

After a few tense moments, Slash let out a sigh. “So, we’re both here for our own reasons. Okay, that’s… fine. For now.”

“Gritt.” Velvet put a hoof on the griffon’s shoulder, and he finally holstered his weapon, then kicked mine to me. I stowed it carefully. The townsfolk and Hot Rods watching murmured to each other a bit, then continued their business.

*****

Our spelunking of the Ministry of Arcane Science hub was going awkwardly quiet. The two Hot Rods with us tried to break the tension with humor a few times, but eventually gave up. As happy as I was to finally be in my own feathers again, I remained fearful for my life from the dragon and griffon who refused to let me out of their sight. Once we made it to Tenpony, we agreed we were going to go our separate ways.

The silence was only ever broken by the occasional robot or turret, which were easily dispatched by our squad of five. We eventually made it down to the security doors which led to utilities. Slash got to work melting the locks, and I sat down for a breather. Being transformed so long apparently drained a lot of energy, and I was starting to feel the magical withdrawal. A few preserved snack cakes and a sip of Sparkle Cola gave me a boost. It was much better than RadAway, and I was glad I didn’t have to drink that horrible poison anymore.

Molten metal splashing beside me made me jump up with a squawk. Slash had casually tossed what was once the door’s lock in my direction, snickering. Gritt and the others laughed along with her. Grumbling, I followed her, with Gritt behind me. The two earth pony Hot Rods, a mare named Snowmelt and a stallion named Muffler, were on point. The basement would be pitch black if not for their flashlights. Pipes and wires snaked in every direction, and the two discussed which to follow to get to the water mains.

The chosen path took us down another level, into a partially flooded area. Foul-smelling water was up to my knees, and the sound of water rushing from a burst pipe filled the complex. Gritt, Slash, and I kept sniffing at the air in concern. There was more than sewage to this scent. Something was rotting. Flesh was rotting.

*****

Sharp pain shot through me from my hind leg, a screech of terror and agony escaping my beak as a set of diseased teeth clamped into my flesh. My wings instinctively tried to carry me away from the danger as my companions turned towards the churning, bloody water around me, weapons raised. I only raised a couple feet, barely out of the water, before I was at the ceiling, and looked down in horror at the feral zombie gnawing on my left leg. What was left of its hide had no fur, its remaining eye was milky white, and rotted holes in its flesh exposed its innards and bones.

Gritt, having risen into the air beside me, took action. A .357 magnum round blew apart the monster’s head and loosened its grip, allowing me to shake it off. A sizeable wound in my ankle was bleeding profusely, but I had no time to bandage it or drink a potion. Dozens more of the ghouls burst from the water and attacked us all. Snowmelt and Muffler didn’t dare use their heavy weapons in the tight space, resorting to stomping the horrific creatures to death with their hydraulically amplified armored hooves. Slash, unable to breath fire without roasting us all, put her claws to work. The sharp appendages that she threatened me with an hour ago shredded the zombies to putrid ribbons. The griffon was the only one able to use his firearm, blasting apart skulls that were barely clinging together to begin with.

All the while, I was going into septic shock. A major artery had been severed, and I was bleeding out. My PipBuck’s Eyes-Forward-Sparkle told me that I needed immediate medical attention. Had the hostile detection system worked… The ghouls took the ponies in power armor by surprise as well, so perhaps EFS can’t detect a motionless, submerged threat. Not that it mattered now. I was dying. My vision darkened and I couldn’t keep myself in the air any longer. I fell into the soup of gore and cold sewage, and everything went black.

*****

My first instinct when I woke up was to vomit. Barely turning over to the side of the gurney I was laying on in time, I retched into a bucket that I apparently already used at least once. Rubbing my head as I laid back, I could tell I had a severe fever. Looking down, I inspected myself. My left ankle was thoroughly wrapped in magically enhanced bandages. As were many other wounds I didn’t remember getting. Had more ghouls gotten to me while I was unconscious? If any of them had gone for my neck… Considering the damage, I should be hurting more. I’m probably under the effects of many painkillers. My armor was nowhere to be seen, and my underlayer had been removed as well. Most concerning, my PipBuck and Pearl shard were gone. Being this exposed made me feel uncomfortable. Unable to get up, I waited. Whoever was tending to me was bound to check on me eventually.

Pleasant humming alerted me to Velvet Remedy entering through the clinic’s door. “Oh, good, you’re awake!” She began checking me over, reading my vitals, and replacing dirty bandages. “You still have a nasty fever, but I believe the worst of the infection is over.”

“How long was I out?” Without my wrist computer, there was no telling.

“Almost forty hours, with some occasional bouts of delirium and throwing up.” She telekinetically opened a locker and retrieved my PipBuck, and helped me clasp it onto my wrist. “With the number of ghoul bites you sustained, the infected water those wounds were exposed to, and your immune system’s lack of familiarity with local disease, you’re extremely lucky to be alive. You have Slash to thank for carrying you to me as fast as she could.”

The dragon saved me? I’d have expected Snowmelt or Muffler to rescue me out of principle, but Slash had plenty of reasons to simply let me die. Velvet went on to comment that Gritt tried to leave me behind, and she gave him a stern talking to about it when she found out. She also informed me that I’d need another day of rest before I was healthy enough to travel.

“Are Slash and Gritt still here?” They certainly had time to finish their business and move on without me.

“They are. Slash insisted on waiting for you. She’s been helping with odd jobs around town in the meantime. That, and getting into a scuffle with Washout.”

“Washout?” Was that some bandit or slaver?

“She’s the leader of the Hot Rods, and de facto mayor of the Hub. Considering how your dragon friend reacted to a hippogriff, I guess it wasn’t surprising she attacked a pegasus in Enclave armor on sight.”

“The Enclave have a presence here?” I started, a bit panicked, then sighed. “Sorry, that’s a stupid question. She’s ex-Enclave, I take it?”

Velvet nodded. “If you’re really interested I’m sure she’ll tell you her life’s story. She’s gotten used to explaining herself to newcomers and dealing with hostility.”

The unicorn welcomed me to get some fresh air once the painkillers wore off, but advised me to take it slow. She got no arguments from me. It still baffled me how unconditionally helpful she was being. I guess she was the Element of Kindness for a reason.

*****

After getting dressed, which was a bit of a painful struggle, I hobbled out into the sunlight. I also refastened my magical shard around my neck. Glancing back, I realized the clinic I was staying in was actually the hub building for the Ministry of Peace.

Ponies and griffons, settlers and local militia alike, went about their days. Not all the Hot Rods wore Steel Ranger power armor, as it was designed exclusively for earth ponies by the Ministry of Wartime Technology. Unicorns and griffons wore reinforced combat armor, which was just as elaborately painted, though the griffs used more earthy, neutral color schemes. Vibrant colors weren’t common among their kind.

My eyes were drawn towards the two most unique members of the crowd, Slash and Washout. The dragon was standing in a wide pose while the pegasus worked on painting her armor. Washout used the many scars in the ancient plates as starting points, illustrating purple and blue flames erupting from them. It accented quite well with the armor’s original gold and black finish.

Washout herself wore heavily modified Enclave hellfire armor. It was already more reinforced than the standard model, and had additional plating welded to it. The helmet, which was slung on her flank, was fully enclosed without the design flaw of having a raisable visor. Its jet black finish was heavily contrasted with neon green flames, which matched the white mare’s frazzled mane and wild eyes. Under her half-armored wings were a pair of rotary plasma cannons mounted on a battle saddle. With armor and weapons this heavy, she must have been a very strong flier.

*****

“For the last time, I’m not interested in mares. Let alone a pegasus.” Slash bellowed indignantly as Washout put finishing touches on her thigh armor while making flirtatious remarks. How she so expertly wielded paint brushes with her wings was a mystery to me.

“I’m just saying, I dig a strong babe who can hold me down like that.” Washout was relentless with her sexual teasing, much to the dragon’s chagrin. Gritt was sitting nearby, enjoying the show. His expression soured when he noticed me approaching.

“You look like shit,” the griffon muttered.

“Of course I do,” I groaned as I laid down in the soft grass. “You should have just gone on without me. I’d make it to Manehattan eventually.”

“No arguments here. But Slash just had to make sure she didn’t get you killed after sparing you.” The habitual smoker lit yet another cigarette, inhaled, and blew smoke in my direction out of spite. A smirk appeared on his beak as I coughed.

“There’s no way you’d make it by yourself,” Slash chimed in. “If one ghoul bite puts you out like that, you need someone looking out for you.”

I raised a brow at her. “Not to look a gift dragon in the teeth, but why do you care? Our people are enemies.”

She sighed. “Because if you and I can travel across Equestria together without killing each other, maybe there’s hope for peace.”

“If that’s how you feel, maybe you should talk your people into surrendering. The Storm King would then gladly help you send the Enclave on their way.” It was the most honest thing I’ve said to her so far. I truly didn’t understand why they didn’t take that option.

Slashed puffed her chest. “No dragon would choose between extermination or slavery. We’ll fight to stay alive and independent. Maybe your King should help us beat the Enclave and go home.”

And end up empty handed? That’s insane. “We need your fertile land to grow food. Hippogriffia is almost completely reliant on foreign trade to feed its people, and that’s not sustainable.”

Washout paused her artistry to give us both an annoyed look. “Can you stow the political talk? You’re throwing off my vibes here.” Slash and I agreed to disagree, and I skulked off to find something else to do.

*****

Meandering down the road, an industrial complex caught my attention. The factory was directly beside the hub for the MWT. What was odd was that, unlike every other building connected to the Hub, this one had all of its doors and windows boarded up.

Muffler trotted up to me as I approached the entrance. “Woah, Daddy-O, you don’t want to go in there.”

“Why not? More ghouls?” My bandages itched, and I took a step back.

“Worse. Assault-Mares.” Muffler spoke as if I knew what those were. My expression enlightened him of my ignorance. “Crazy advanced combat robots. Tough, fast, and deadly. They move like a zebra assassin on Stampede, can turn invisible, and have an overcharged laser cannon for a face.”

I looked back at the barricades. “And you think some boards and scrap metal will keep them from overrunning the Hub?”

“Well, they were all deactivated when we last checked. That’s mostly to keep peeps from wandering in and turning them on by accident.”

“How come I’ve never heard of them? Why didn’t Equestria use them in the war?”

“Production had barely gotten off the ground when the bombs fell. They’re super rare. Rich businesses bought hoof-fulls of them for security, so you might run into them in other ruins.” He tapped a faded Steel Rangers logo on the wall. “The Chapter that was here a decade ago tried to get them reprogrammed to bolster their numbers, but never succeeded. Washout made a brief attempt herself, and was seemingly successful, but… One of the damn things went haywire and killed a zebra foal and its mother before we could slag it. We got the others shut down and locked up, but no other stripes have tried to live here since. Said the Hub was cursed.”

I huffed. “Well, of course it attacked zebras. That’s what they were designed for. You should have known.”

Muffler gave me a shove. “Yeah, jerk, we should have. No need to rub it in.” He saw me struggling back onto my feet and apologized, helping me up. “Just… watch your beak, alright? It’s a touchy subject. Washout really liked those stripes.”

With a pained nod, I continued my trot around town. There was little else of interest. The hubs for the Ministry of Image, Ministry of Morale, and Ministry of Awesome were basic office buildings converted into housing. Each was plastered with propaganda for Equestria’s war effort, a lot of which was painted over courtesy of the Hot Rods.

The MOA building was the smallest, and a sign indicated that it was meant for travelers to stay in. To my surprise, the attendant told me a triple bedroom was already paid for. “Second floor, fourth room on the right.”

Following her directions, I made it inside, eager for rest. Two of the beds looked slept in, so I claimed the last one and fell into it. I didn’t bother removing any of my gear, since the ultracite should help me heal. It took some time, but my exhaustion eventually overcame my fever and allowed me to sleep.

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

Footnote:
All you did was almost die. No level up for you.

Chapter 6: Knight

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 6: Knight

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

My fever broke at some point in the night, and I awoke early in the morning feeling much better. Slash and Gritt were asleep in their beds, though the griffon stirred as I got up and headed for the bathroom. The mercenary made sure I wasn’t up to anything before returning to his rest.

To my joy, the shower here turned out to be fully functional. It even had hot water! Which very well might be a recent addition. I never bothered asking the Hot Rods what they needed access to those water mains for. After quickly stripping, and removing the bandages from my fully healed wounds, I stepped into the steamy cascade of cleansing goodness. Carefully rationing my soap, I eagerly scrubbed every inch of my hide and preened all of my feathers.

My armor had already been cleaned while I was unconscious, though I don’t know by whom. Slipping everything on was much more comfortable without the medical wrappings chafing underneath. Glancing at my rear hooves, I lamented not wearing full leg armor, having opted for less weight. That decision certainly bit me, didn’t it? If not opting for a helmet comes back to me, well, I guess I won’t suffer from it for long… I shouldn’t be so fatalistic, it won’t do me any good.

*****

It felt great to stretch my wings as I flew from one end of the Hub to the other. I’d had enough of cramped ruins for a while. The Assault-Mare factory kept catching my attention, a feeling in my gut drawing me towards it. Which made no sense. Why would I want to get into that death trap?

According to our King, once you find one piece, it should have a magical connection to the others, leading you to them.

Admiral, if it’s all the same to you, I’d rather fight through slavers and check the lighthouse first.

In the corner of my eye, I saw a group approaching from high in the sky, well above the tallest skyscrapers. Washout flew up to meet the caravan and guide them down. Taking a perch on the Ministry of Peace hub, I watched a sky wagon descend. It was emblazoned with the words ‘Absolutely Everything! Yes, We Do Deliveries!’ and was pulled by a pegasus ghoul who wore a PipBuck identical to Velvet’s. Ditzy Doo, the Element of Laughter. Beside her flew a dirt-colored cyber pegasus stallion with an orange mane, who also wore a matching wrist device along with a black western hat and an impressive custom battle saddle. Deadshot Calamity, the Element of Loyalty. With them was a griffon hen, who I didn’t recognize right away. The NCR armor she wore, and the twin 5.56 pistols she carried helped me piece together her identity. Regina Grimfeathers, daughter of President Gawdnya Grimfeathers.

*****

Maybe Calamity and Regina would be up for killing slavers. Flying down, I noticed Gritt and Slash join the crowd forming around Ditzy’s wagon. Velvet trotted out as well, and embraced her mate. As I landed, Regina pulled Gritt into a headlock and teasingly rubbed her knuckles into the top of his head.

“Hey, squirt, been a while!” The older griffon heckled the younger one with some good natured taunts until Gritt managed to squirm out of her grip, laughing. His connections continued to surprise me. If I was forced to remove him, there’d be… consequences. I nodded to Slash as I took a place in the crowd beside her.

Hot Rods got to unloading the wagon, making quick work. I looked at Velvet until she caught my gaze, then pulled out my Pearl shard and gave it a jiggle while glancing towards Calamity and Regina. She returned a look of acknowledgement and got their attention.

“Before I come home, if it's no trouble, could you help my new friend here get to Horseshoe Lighthouse?” The request would have sounded absurd coming from me. I was thankful for Velvet’s assistance.

“That there’s slaver turf.” Calamity furrowed his brow, giving me a glance.

“That’s why he needs help. Poor Rosegold here was nearly killed by one feral ghoul while helping us get the hot water running.” Velvet gave me a pitied smirk. “I hardly think he could handle a bunch of scary slavers.”

Okay, that was a little cruel, miss ‘Element of Kindness’.

“Hold on,” Calamity started with surprise. “Rosegold? Novac Rosegold?” I gave him a nod, and he returned a cocked head and raised a brow. “You could take on an alicorn, but not a zombie?”

“Actually, the alicorn kicked my ass,” I admitted.

The gruff pegasus let out a snort. “Heck, I guess you do need help. Why do you want to go there anyway?”

I help up the shard. “I’m looking for more of these. They belong to my people. I have good reason to believe one is at the lighthouse. I’m willing to pay.”

Calamity waved his hoof. “We don’t need your caps. I’ll put down some slaver scum on principle.”

Regina huffed. “Speak for yourself.” She turned her gaze to me. “How much you got?” Not enough to afford her. She laughed and waved her talons. “I’m just messing with you.”

“If you’re going, we’re going.” Slash stepped forward. “All these chores I’ve been doing around here won’t mean anything if the slavers get strong enough to attack.” Gritt just sighed and lit a smoke.

*****

Two pegasi, two griffons, a hippogriff, and a dragon, all armed literally to the teeth. Any bandits we passed didn’t dare come out of their hiding places as we swooped between buildings. What was left of the slavers after Gritt’s last job were using Horseshoe Lighthouse as a base. According to the others, they controlled the bay area so they could do business with pirates. Regina came up with a plan of attack.

Gritt and Calamity would take sniping positions, the latter having retrieved a custom anti-machine rifle from Ditzy’s wagon before we left. Regina and Slash would flank around and get behind their lines. The older griffon was now equipped with a tri-barreled heavy caliber machine gun. Washout and I, being the most heavily armored, would draw attention with a frontal assault. The Hot Rod lended me a makeshift helmet and leg armor.

Two slaver guards stood on posts beside their camp gates. When their heads popped, Washout and I swooped in and opened fire on the startled inhabitants, taking out several before I was forced into cover. Volleys of green magical death erupted from the ex-Enclave mare as she repeatedly rose and dove into slaver positions. Any lucky shots just bounced off her reinforced plates. Hostiles who were distracted by her were taken out by either me or our two snipers. Using my powerful wings, I propelled myself from foxhole to foxhole, faster than the enemy could track. With the distance closed, I had the advantage, and SATS-assisted blasts of dark purple took one life after another. When several slavers attempted to barricade themselves in shacks, Slash revealed her presence and punished them with dragon’s fire. Bunker after makeshift bunker went up in flames, while Regina provided cover.

Washout landed in front of Slash as she approached a large, cobbled-together barn that was locked from the outside. “Woah, babe, hold your fire!” She shot the locks at an angle and pulled the large doors open, revealing a couple dozen starving ponies shackled together. Not just ponies. There were zebras among them as well. They all wore terrified expressions. Calamity flew down to help, leaving Gritt to keep watch.

Calamity and Regina focused on calming the ponies and tending to any injuries, while Washout removed her helmet and started speaking zebra to the striped captives. After their initial surprise wore off, they approached her and let her remove their chains and collars. Once I was sure the area was secure, I ascended the lighthouse.

*****

While the outside was eroded from the elements and half-bleached from the direction a balefire bomb had hit, the inside was oddly pristine. There wasn’t room for the slavers to use it for anything, as the shaft of the tower contained a stone staircase and nothing else. The brickwork was intricately carved, and depicted pony history dating back over a thousand years. At the bottom was the story of Grogar being casted out by Gusty the Great. Next was the three pony races uniting to cast out the Windigos, founding Equestria. Further up were the tales of the Pillars, such as the defeat of the Sirens. It went on with the reign and defeat of Discord, and finally the rise and banishment of Nightmare Moon. The chamber at the peak of the tower depicted Princess Celestia’s reign of peace and harmony. Ironic that such a monument survived a war that made all of this history and struggle ultimately pointless.

This area had some signs of use. For instance, the massive lantern was kept lit. A bedroll laid in the corner, surrounded by empty bottles and cigarette cartons. If the slavers were working with sea-faring pirates, it made sense for them to keep the lighthouse functional. Frankly, I was more focused on what I wasn’t noticing. Any sign of a shard. Thoroughly searching the pedestal the lantern sat upon, I eventually found a hidden drawer. My excitement was quickly crushed by its emptiness. Then I saw it. In the drawer, there was an outline in the dust, shaped like a teardrop. A shard was here, but was taken.

Not entirely without hope just yet, I flew back down and began frantically searching the dead. Nothing. I angrily slammed the bloody corpse of a unicorn back into the ground. The others looked at me oddly, Slash asking me if I was alright.

“A shard was here, but someone took it. Probably before these slavers moved in.” I sat down and rubbed my head in frustration. It hadn’t been Tempest. Her logs from the SPP tower made it clear she went straight to Skystar’s last location to kill her, intending to grab the shards on her return trip. My only lead now was the Assault-Mare factory. Would the Hot Rods even let me search it?

Calamity looked towards the rescued captives and trotted over to me. “You’re making it sound like this was for nothing. If you didn’t get us to help you look, these poor folks would’ve been sold and shipped off to Celestia-knows-where for Luna-knows-what.”

I barely restrained myself from telling him how little I cared about that. Rescuing slaves was not my mission. “Let’s just… get back to the Hub.”

*****

That was easier said than done while accompanying about thirty starving non-fliers, but we eventually made it to the Hub’s gates. Velvet jumped into action upon our return, leading the worst off victims into the clinic. Calamity wanted to return to Junction Town with her as quickly as possible, and Washout agreed that leaving under the cover of night was safer than waiting until morning. It took some time to convince her that the Hot Rods could handle helping their new guests.

I wandered over to the factory as Ditzy’s wagon departed, with Regina, Calamity, and Velvet in tow. Slipping in while everyone was distracted had to be easier than getting permission. The robots inside were supposedly deactivated, right? As long as I didn’t touch anything, I should be safe. Removing the barricades would cause a racket… Maybe there was another way in through the MWT?

I crept as silent as I could through the offices, hugging the wall the building shared with the factory. Another entrance had to be somewhere. Any turrets this hub had were destroyed years ago, but I didn’t take any chances. There was nothing on the first two floors, but the third had a barricaded access point. Using the brace on my right arm for leverage, I pried off the boards and made my way into the factory.

*****

Not trusting the rusted catwalks, I flew down past assembly lines to the ground floor, where several pony-shaped machines laid scattered about. On closer inspection, they resembled cybernetic ghouls more than regular earth ponies. Brown-black unaesthetic armor covered wires and servos, as if it was a rotted hide barely covering bones and guts. There was nothing resembling a mane or tail, as such features were unnecessary. All four hooves looked like they could each split apart into three articulated appendages. Their heads were vaguely cylindrical, adorned with small cameras surrounding a large, central ‘eye’ that was actually the focusing lens of a terrifyingly powerful laser cannon. I was extremely pleased that these killer robots were non-functional, and thoroughly motivated to keep them that way.

Moving on, I made my way down from floor to floor, looking for anything out of place. There were even more Assaut-Mares, several dozen of them, locked in stasis pods. The ones scattered upstairs must be the ones Washout tried to reprogram. If all of these got loose, they could kill everything in Baltimare, and then some.

A thick, steel, sealed security door was between me and the bottom level. A terminal with a Steel Rangers logo painted on the side was set up beside it, cables jury-rigged into the security access panel. I opened the terminal, which surprisingly wasn’t locked, and began reading through the non-corrupted log entries.

*****

Scribe Hotwire, Entry 17: The Paladin hasn’t given up trying to get these blasted robots up and running, but every reprogramming attempt gets overridden in seconds, resulting in the Assault-Mare shutting down. We’re convinced that something in the sub-basement is responsible, but I’ve had no luck getting this damned door open.

Scribe Hotwire, Entry 31: Our Chapter is abandoning Baltimare. Everything happening with the Enclave and the Stable Dweller is too much to ignore, not to mention the traitors led by Steelhooves. We’re regrouping with other loyal Chapters to put an end to this nonsense.

Washout, Entry 1: Hot damn, this place is a goldmine! I was starting to think I was crazy leading my Hot Rods here, but I think we can really make a go of things. Especially if these robots can bolster security. The bandits and slavers wouldn’t even think of attacking us. I’ll make the Hub the safest settlement in Equestria for my Zendaya and little Zip.

Washout, Entry 5: ‘Scribe Hotwire’ wasn’t kidding. These Assault-Mares have some STUBBORN programming. It’s like something’s actively trying to keep me from getting them working. Zen says I should throw in the towel and focus on other ways to help. She doesn’t trust these things, keeps going on about ‘curses’ and whatnot. Silly stripe, there’s no such thing. But I have spent too much time down here, neglecting her and Zip. I’ll find some Sparkle Cola and make it up to them, maybe get some much-needed alone time with my beautiful mare.

Washout, Entry 16: Fuck. You. Whatever the fuck is down here, you fucking killed them! I hope you can fucking read these, whatever the fuck you are! I finally thought I got some of these fucking killing machines working. They were behaving just fine inside the factory, following orders, doing what I told them. A signal jammer kept whatever was down here from overriding them. I thought they were safe. Then I took one outside to show it off to everypony. It saw Zen and Zip. FUCK whatever pre-war zebra-hating BASTARD hard-wired its IFF. You murdered the love of my life and our child. Fuck. You.

*****

Two arcane tech experts failed to get this door opened. What chance did I have? Wait a minute. Why would I bother hacking this door open when I have several high-powered laser cannons upstairs?

It took a couple hours of work, but I severed the heads of each of the unsealed Assault-Mares and cobbled them together with as many sparkle packs as I could find into a makeshift death beam. Proud of my volatile contraption, I took it downstairs and took aim. I only had one shot, so this had better work.

Holding down the trigger, the machinery began to hum and whine, and the focusing lenses started to glow red, brighter and brighter. On top of this, my geiger counter started to click rapidly. No wonder these weapons had to be mounted on robots, they’d have killed any pony that tried to use them. I braced myself as much as I could, moments before the weapon erupted, unleashing a blinding torrent of red death. Within seconds, the security door warped, melted, and buckled. Upon the device’s exhaustion of magical energy, I dropped the smoking heap of slag to the floor.

Stepping into the concrete hallway beyond, I had to hover over a three meter deep hole the Assault-Mare multi-cannon created. It dawned on me how poorly this plan could have backfired. If my efforts tripped security and activated the other bots… I did not want to think about that. Instead, I counted my blessings and pressed forward. The feeling in my gut, the energy from my shard, told me to press forward into the darkness.

Activating my PipBuck’s flashlight, I saw… concrete. Stretching on a dozen meters, to another security door. Almost cursing aloud, I noticed this one had its locking mechanism on the outside. Weird. Tripping it, the door slowly swung forward. I took half a step inside, and froze.

*****

The room before me was an advanced lab. Terminals and computer banks were beeping and whirring. Data streamed across displays. Workbenches littered with robot parts surrounded a central stasis pod. Inside the pod was… Nightmare Moon!? My heart skipped a few beats until I took a closer look. No, this was a machine. Holding my flashlight up to the glass, I took in the intricacies. Unlike other Assault-Mares, there were no gaps in the plating to reveal the mechanical innards, aside from two dark eye sockets. The plating also had two layers, a bright white underlayer, and an admittedly gorgeous bluish-silver top layer that resembled Nightmare Moon’s full ceremonial armor, which caused my initial confusion. I’d read reports on ‘Star Metal’ but this couldn’t be… There’s no way they’d gotten their hooves on this much of it.

While the other bots were modeled vaguely after earth ponies, this thing was clearly an alicorn. It was somewhat taller than me with a slender frame, had a long, thin horn, and even wings. Could this thing fucking fly and do magic? Its hooves had the same indents as the other models that implied they could become claws. If the designers were going for something that would make even the fiercest of Caesar's Legates crumble in terror, they fucking succeeded.

*****

A sudden beeping on a nearby terminal made me jump. Approaching it carefully, I saw a question appear on its screen.

Why are you here? This place is dangerous. I’ve tried so hard to keep people away.

I blinked, looked back at the robot, then back at the screen. There was no way. Glancing at the computer banks, they didn’t look advanced enough to be a Maneframe. A whirring camera angled down at me, staring me down. Then it tilted a little further, at the Pearl shard dangling from my neck.

Oh. I wondered if there were more of those.

The fuck!?

Its magic wasn’t strong enough to help me, or I simply didn’t know how to use it correctly. Can you use it? Does it work for you?

Carefully clutching the shard, I took a breath and focused. This was a bad idea. What the hell was I doing? Nevertheless, I felt compelled to shift myself into a pegasus.

Fascinating. Perhaps I should have taken my piece back to the lighthouse, but I had no idea anyone else would come looking for it. No one had for over one hundred years. Please, take it, it belongs with someone who can make use of it. If you would, step away from the stasis pod while I begin the reactivation sequence.

“What!? No! No, no, no!” I backed up into the doorway, shifting back into a hippogriff, and drawing my gun. The stasis pod lit up and began hissing out steam.

The terminals and computers surrounding it began to power down, lights shutting off until only the pod was illuminated. The ballistic glass slowly opened, releasing a cloud of steam towards me. The mechanical alicorn began to move, a pale blue light enveloping its once hollow eyes. A similar glow formed a flowing mane and tail. It took a step towards me, and I charged my weapon. Before I could fire, a ghostly azure glow emanated from its horn and around my laser shotgun, pulling it from my grip and pinning it to the ceiling. Whelp! That answers that question!

“There’s no need for that. I will not harm you. Please calm down.” Its feminine, soft, processed voice was soothing and incredibly creepy at the same time. The robot’s magic lowered my weapon and slipped it into my holster.

It gave me a polite, regal bow. “My name is Knight. What should I call you?”

“R-Rosegold. My name is Rosegold.” I stammered, my brain reeling from this utterly surreal situation.

A compartment opened in Knight’s side and… she..? retrieved a pearl shard from it. “Here. This belongs with you.” The item I came here for was floated to me, and I took it into my grasp.

Magic surged from both pieces, pulling them together like magnets. I released my grip, and the new piece fused into the one I already had. That’s convenient.

*****

A blaring alarm snapped me out of it, and I heard the hissing of dozens of stasis pods opening down the hallway.

“NO!” A panicked shrill escaped Knight as she galloped past me, nearly knocking me over. “I severed the power! This is impossible! No, no, the Steel Rangers set up backup generators!”

My heart sank as I realized what was happening. Knight reached the Assault-Mare storage room, and reared up in front of the first pod. Her front hooves each separated into three articulated claws, from which thin, foot-long blades deployed. The gleaming razors would make a hellhound blush. In an effortless flurry, she sliced the pod, and the Assault-Mare within, to pieces. But it was too late. Killer robots were stepping out from stasis, dozens of them, their lethal attention turned towards the intruder.

With a telekinetic shove, I was pushed back into the hallway, and the warped doors were pressed against the entrance as a barricade. “Get back into the lab! Seal yourself in!” Knight wasted no time cutting down her kin. I wasted no time obeying her.

*****

For the next several minutes, I could barely make out the sound of lasers and clattering steel. I could almost imagine that the factory had restarted, and this was simply the cacophony of industry. Eventually, it stopped. Did Knight win, or was I doomed? I heard the initial barricade open, followed by nearing hoof steps. Then, there was a musical tapping on the door before it opened. I kept my weapon raised, but lowered it when I saw the shimmering metal alicorn.

“Are you alright? It’s safe to come out now. They’ve all been dismantled.” She let out a robotic sigh. “I’d hoped for so long it wouldn’t come to that, but I guess it was inevitable. Poor things.”

“Poor things!?” How could she have sympathy for such soulless killing machines?

“It’s not their fault. They only did what they were designed to do.” Knight stepped carefully over the diced scraps of metal, with me following close behind.

“Wait, where are you going?” I couldn’t let this thing leave.

She glanced at what used to be the security door. “I clearly can’t stay here. A zebra might wander in and… Wait, are there any zebras outside?”

I remembered what the terminal said about hard-wired IFFs. “Yes, a few. Former slaves, recently rescued.”

Knight anxiously trotted in place. “No, not good. I can’t leave. I don’t want to kill.”

“Then… don’t?”

“But what if they wander in here?”

“I meant, just don’t kill them.”

She hung her head. “I don’t have a choice.” The machine waved a metal hoof over the dead Assault-Mares. “None of us did.” Knight sat down hard and glanced at the Steel Ranger terminal. “Poor Washout. The override signal I set up was to prevent loss of life. She couldn’t have known her signal jammer would doom those zebras.”

Speaking of the devil, the stairwell door ahead opened, and the leader of the Hot Rods stepped in.

“What the fuck is going-” Washout froze, eyes wide, looking between me and Knight. Then she pulled her helmet on, went into a fighting stance, and charged her weapons.

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

Footnote:
Welcome to Level 6!

Perk Added: Set Lasers For Fun! All energy weapons, including improvised ones, gain an additional 5% chance to score a critical hit.

Chapter 8: Limbo

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 8: Limbo

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

An otherworldly, mirror image of the realm we were pulled from is what Knight and I were faced with. The ground was a shadowy mist, and all around us was a forest of stone pillars as far as we could see, which rose up forever into an infinite void of white. Our focus was drawn, however, to seven individuals. Six ponies surrounded the Pony of Shadows, binding it in magical chains. They wore entranced expressions, solely focused on their captive.

“The Pillars of Equestria,” Knight spoke, her voice filled with awe. She pointed a hoof to each as she named them. “Rockhoof, Mistmane, Somnambula, Flash Magnus, Mage Meadowbrook, and Starswirl the Bearded.”

The latter, an aged unicorn stallion adorned with a hat and cape embroidered with constellations, and sporting an impressive beard for which he was named, appeared to be the crux of the binding ritual he and his companions had maintained for millenia.

“No one knew what exactly had become of them. Now we know.” Her voice trembled. “They chose to endure eternity in Limbo to protect Equestria from this wretched creature.”

The Pony of Shadows was massive, an alicorn composed of living darkness. Unlike his entranced captors, he was aware of us, staring us down with the pale nothingness that served as his eyes.

“My, my…” he began, his booming voice dripping with smug malice. “Aren’t you an educated one?” The black alicorn leaned as close to us as his restraints allowed. “And what are you? Something about you reminds me of little Luna… but falsely. You are a machine. A puppet.” He turned his haunting gaze to me. “And you. A hippogriff? A long way from Aris, aren’t you?” Lifting a hoof, he revealed the shard I came for. “You’ve come for this, haven’t you? Retrieving it after your ancestor hid it so long ago. Come. Take it.”

Darkness crept up throughout my body, penetrating my soul and mind, and I took a step towards him. Knight darted in front of me and pressed a hoof to my chest.

“What are you doing? You cannot risk releasing him!” Her voice was pleading.

“I’m not leaving without that shard. My mission cannot fail.” I tried to sidestep her, but she clasped her claws and kept me still. I needed the Pearl. I craved it more than ever.

“What mission? What are you talking about?” She lifted her claw towards my head, but I leaped back before she could enter my mind. “Rosegold, whatever it is, it isn’t worth it! The Pony of Shadows will unleash untold destruction! He will thrive in Equestria’s current state!”

Narrowing my eyes, and gritting my beak, I remained focused on my goal. “Then I will live with the consequences. The Elements can handle this creature.” And leaving Equestria in a weakened state can only benefit my King. All that matters is succeeding.

The android’s metallic face could not express horror, but her voice could. “What!? How could you… You don’t mean that!”

“Oh, I think he does.” The Pony of Shadows interjected, and held up the shard in his hoof. “And I think he knows how to make you step aside.” The abyss stared into me. “The key is in that trinket around your neck, the strings within that puppet’s head, and the fools binding me.” A manic laughter echoed throughout Limbo and from within my head. “Transform the Pillars! Change them into what this machine was made to destroy! Free me, and I will give you your reward!”

*****

Knight tried to tackle me, but I rolled under her and focused the Pearl’s magic. I couldn’t change all of them at once, so I focused on the nearest. The hulking earth pony stallion known as Rockhoof warped into a zebra before my eyes, and more importantly, before Knight could shut hers off.

Rockhoof barely had a chance to become aware of surroundings and brandish his weapon before Knight was upon him. The Element of Strength defended himself for an impressive few seconds from the metal alicorn’s enraged flurry of attacks. All until his enchanted shovel was telekinetically wrenched from his grasp. The stallion cursed in an ancient tongue as six Star Metal blades pieced his body.

The binding ritual was already weakening, the entranced expressions of the remaining five Pillars becoming panicked as they struggled to keep control. The pegasus mare, Somnambula, was the next to fall victim to the Pearl’s magic and Knight’s compulsion towards zebra genocide. In almost an instant, the Element of Hope was violently extinguished. The other pegasus, the stallion named Flash Magnus, proved very nimble even without his wings, but it didn’t matter. To his credit, the Element of Bravery was fearless in death.

Mistmane, the elderly unicorn mare and Element of Beauty, was nearly as useless against Knight’s savagery as the next victim. The Element of Healing, Mage Meadowbrook, barely caught a glimpse of the irreversible carnage around her before her corpse was added to it. Each reverted to their real forms once they died and I shifted the Pearl’s magic to the next.

Becoming a zebra broke the magical focus of Starswirl the Bearded, freeing his captive completely. The Element of Sorcery let out a desperate gasp as Knight’s blades plunged through his lungs. I finally relaxed my focus on the shard, the rapid transformations quickly taking a toll on my energy. Knight came to her senses as Starswirl slid out of her bloody embrace.

A heavy fog I hadn’t noticed was there until now lifted from my mind. It had been there since we reached the forest. What have I done? I didn’t have to kill them. It was unnecessary. Surely there was a way to take the shard from this creature without doing its bidding.

“No…” the android’s voice was barely a whisper. She collapsed beside the unicorn and wailed as she tried to heal him. The Darkness only gave her a few moments, before abandoning its current host and consuming her. Left behind was a meek excuse for a stallion. The unicorn had a gray coat and dull, bowl-shaped blue mane. I quickly snatched the third Pearl shard from him and fused it into my collection. Knight struggled against the force attempting to control her, screaming and pleading.

A dying Starswirl looked up at the smaller stallion in shock. “Sty-Stygian!? The Pony of Shadows… was you!?”

Tears were streaming down Stygian’s face as he took in the death around him. He rushed to Starswirl and enveloped him in his meager magic, trying to save him. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

“Oh, quiet.” The voice of the Pony of Shadows now had a feminine flair. She was on Stygian in a moment, caressing his throat with a shadowy blade of an appendage.

“I… what are you… but I…” The Darkness’s previous host stammered in terror.

“Expendable fool.” With a flick of her wrist, she separated Stygian’s head from his neck. She then turned towards me. “With this powerful new host, what use have I of you?”

I took a step back, and she closed the distance. Slipping into SATS barely gave me the reaction speed necessary to dodge her attempt to decapitate me. The possessed Knight positioned for another attack but faltered as her eyes went blank.

“What is this!?” The black alicorn of mist and metal fumbled around blindly. “This infernal machine!”

I found a collapsed pillar to hide behind. Why did I rush into this without an escape!? Did I believe this creature of darkness would release me once it had what it wanted? Hiding the Pearl in my armor, I looked for Starswirl, hoping he was alive and able to cast me out of this place. No, no, escape wasn’t enough. With Knight’s body, the Pony of Shadows could finish Starswirl with ease, and unleash itself on the world. It would not stop with destroying Equestria. Hippogriffia and beyond would fall victim.

Having crept to Starswirl and pulled him to my hiding place, I began pouring healing potions down his throat. “How do we leave without this thing, this Knightmare, from following?”

Starswirl coughed and pondered. “It has to be separated from its host. My magic can weaken the connection, but time is running short. The influence of the Darkness over its slave only grows with time. Had I known about Stygian…”

“Just tell me what I need to do.” As he said, time was running short.

“While I weaken the Darkness, you must help your friend pull herself from it. Not just physically, but mentally as well.” I had to connect my mind to hers.

Knightmare interrupted us with her manic cackling. “There, finally! No more blinding yourself, puppet!” She flew from one stone pillar to another, searching for us. “Now then… While I’d love to leave you both trapped here, I’d rather tie up loose ends.” Just get a little closer…

Starswirl and I dove from opposite ends of our cover, the former immediately casting his magic onto Knightmare. The creature shrieked as it and Knight began to split, the latter desperately trying to free herself. The unicorn’s magic almost immediately started to fade, and Knight’s struggles started to weaken. I had to act.

Grabbing hold of Knight’s only exposed hoof, I pulled back as hard as I could, but could only manage so much. After sharing a knowing look with the machine, I pressed her hoof to my head, pleading that Knightmare didn’t take over in that moment and skewer my brain. A calm washed over me as Knight and I were enveloped in a pale blue glow.

*****

Around me was a serene meadow running along a riverbank. Stars sparkled brightly in the night sky, lush grass and vibrant flowers flowed with the wind, and crystal water gently washed along a shore of stone and gravel. Not all of this was peaceful, however, as umbrakinetic tentacles encroached relentlessly from all directions, threatening to consume this sanctuary. At the center, laying weakly in the grass, was a radiant white alicorn mare. A gothic shield and cross emblazoned her flank. Her translucent cyan mane and tail billowed gracefully. Magic of the same color emanated from her horn to fight off the approaching shadows, but was steadily failing.

“Knight?” Was this how she perceived herself, or was this her true nature?

She looked up at me with tired, blue eyes. “How could you?” Tears began to fall down her cheeks. “You didn’t even hesitate before using me to MURDER the Pillars of Equestria!”

I took a step back. “That was… They were…”

“In your way?” Her eyes accused me. “An obstacle to your mission? I see you now, servant of the Storm King.”

Glancing down, I saw I was in my formal officer’s uniform. Blood dripped from my talons, betraying my otherwise proper appearance. I stood before Knight as my true self.

“Enough! This place, the Darkness, has its ways.” I had felt an irresistible pull from the moment we arrived in Hollow Shades, a pull that vanished the instant the Pony of Shadows was freed.

Knight huffed. “You could have fought it, but you didn’t even try. Because you don’t care.” She stood to her hooves, trembling. The darkness grew nearer.

“I’m fighting it now!” I argued.

“To save yourself and your master.” Knight retorted.

“So you’ll, what, allow it to kill Starswirl and I and torment Equestria out of spite against me?” My words made her hard gaze falter. “That spite is what this creature is feeding on to control you. You’ll have enough opportunity to give me whatever recompense you feel I deserve once we are free and it is trapped.” I extended a crimson claw to her.

She wanted me to die, but she wanted Equestria to live more. Knight placed her hoof in my grasp, and the mindscape was bathed in light.

*****

Returning to Limbo, we saw that Starswirl had the Darkness trapped in a magical snare. The unicorn laid on the ground, blood pooling heavily around him. The potions had failed to close his wounds. Knight approached him, but he snapped her a stern glare.

“No!” he shouted. “Do not heal me! I… I must die, and you must leave. The Darkness cannot be allowed to take another host.”

Knight trembled, and gave an understanding nod. “I am so sorry.”

Starswirl returned a weak smile. “Do not be. We had been trapped here for over one thousand years. This… will finally put this threat to rest. We can finally rest.” If the android’s metal eyes could manage tears, they’d be falling.

The Element of Sorcery put all he had left into a final spell, sending us back to Equestria.

*****

Knight landed gracefully on her hooves, while I was launched face-first into stone. Looking up, I saw Gritt and Slash standing before us. They wanted to laugh at me, but their beak and muzzle were bound. As were their wings and arms. Before I could react, something pinned me down and gave me the same treatment before yanking me onto my hooves. Bat ponies, dozens of them, surrounded us. Knight gave them pause.

They were like pegasi, only with leather wings rather than feathered ones. Their teeth sported fangs, their ears had pronounced tufts of fur, and their eyes were dragon-like. The ceremonially armored creatures looked upon Knight in awe, whispering to each other in an ancient language. What appeared to be the leader, an impressive mare in the most ornate obsidian armor, stepped forward. Her coat and mane were pitch black, aside from streaks of fiery orange that matched her eyes.

“YOU DARE TRESPASS IN THE WELL OF SHADE?” Her words boomed throughout the chamber, the volume causing Gritt, Slash, and I to wince in pain. I’d read about this. Royal Canterlot Voice, an enchantment bestowed upon much of the Royal Guard. “YOU RISK ANNIHILATION AT THE HOOVES OF THE DARKNESS.”

“The Darkness is trapped, forever and alone.” Knight stepped towards her, causing many bat-ponies to raise their ancient but well-polished ceremonial spears. “It no longer has a host.”

“IMPOSSIBLE.”

Knight extended a magically glowing hoof. “Search my mind if you desire confirmation.”

Our captors shared looks and whispers before the mare stepped forward and linked minds with the android. It did not take long for her to be convinced, her eyes going wide as the magic ceased. She looked at the rest of us, pausing on me to stare daggers into my soul, then raised a hoof to her soldiers.

“BRING THEM OUTSIDE AND SEAL THE WELL.” She gave additional orders in foreign whispers, likely updating their patrol schedules to prevent future intrusions.

*****

Once outside, we were unbound and our gear was returned to us. The bat-pony mare introduced herself as Lilith, Regent of Hollow Shades. As per her orders, the opening of the well was covered in heavy stones. Gritt, Slash, and I were out of our element, allowing Knight to handle diplomacy. The griffon and dragon had no idea how to interact with these creatures, and there was no chance of Lilith trusting me after seeing Knight’s memories.

Bat-ponies were almost completely unknown, their origins a mystery to even them. Awareness of their existence came about during the reign of Nightmare Moon, as she had used them as soldiers, but it is unclear whether she had created them or simply discovered them. Their confusion in regards to Knight was understandable. Some even tried to bow to her before both Knight and Lilith chastised them.

Upon Knight’s request, we were given shelter in caverns hidden in the woods. They led us into an interconnected underground town, where many bat-pony settlers looked upon us in surprise and curiosity. Farmers tended to subterranean crops consisting most of fungus, smiths forged and maintained armor and spears, a spiritual leader preached a sermon to the young, and soldiers patrolled. The architecture was intricate and gothic, carved into the cave walls, much of it similar to the Well. Peaking past the slightly open curtains of a home, I saw a family sleeping perched upside-down from ergonomically carved ceiling supports. It was very unlikely any of these buildings had actual beds for us to stay in.

The android kept her gaze to the ground, and I noticed that she had not disabled her vision as a precaution. The Darkness must have made that permanently impossible. That was a problem. Keeping Knight away from zebras was now extremely important. Quietly discussing it with her, I suggested a blindfold, but she explained that her optical sensors were too advanced for that to work. Unless we intended to encase her head in a meter of concrete, no covering was going to be sufficient.

*****

Lilith took the time to introduce us to her mates and children, the former being half-siblings and cousins. Living isolated and underground for two centuries, incest was an eventuality they had come to terms with. No, not centuries, a millenia. Our host explained that Nightmare Moon was fully aware of the Pony of Shadows and regarded him as a threat and rival. She assigned a full legion of troops to Hollow Shades to ensure he did not escape and challenge her rule. Lilith’s tribe were direct descendants of those soldiers.

Slash was the most openly revolted by it. “Us dragons have had our own issues with breeding, but it hasn’t come to… that.”

Lilith kept her voice to a whisper, not wanting to further damage our ears. “We have had no choice, and our healers have done what they can to mitigate related health issues. Family lines are closely tracked by our scholars to keep mates as genetically distant as possible.”

“Half-siblings are as ‘genetically distant as possible’ for you?” Slash sneered and Lilith gave a solemn nod.

“You haven’t gone looking for other bat-ponies?” Gritt chimed in. “I’m pretty sure there’s some near Hoofington.”

“I know of Hades and his tribe residing in Nightmare Castle, but we cannot stray from our vigil here.” Lilith’s voice was quiet but commanding. “Even with the Well of Shade more secure than it has ever been, we cannot leave it unguarded.” She gave us a contemptible look. “Our patrols had apparently grown lax enough as it is.”

With a sigh, I gave Lilith a look. “You know that Luna is dead, right? There’s no need to follow her commands.”

She stared daggers again. “Even though our Queen has left this world, the intent of her orders remain. The Darkness is a threat that must be watched over.”

“A noble goal,” Knight commended, “but your people will die out from genetic illness eventually. Perhaps we could persuade Hades to send breeding envoys?” Knight paused then looked at me. Rather, she looked through my breast plate at the Pearl underneath.

Oh no. Please don’t. I’m already exhausted.

*****

Under the telepathic threat of informing all of Equestria of my actions and purpose, Knight arranged for me to diversify Hollow Shades’ gene pool. For a week. As punishment for taking innocent souls out of the world, I was to help bring new ones into it. The fact I had been under an intense magical influence is the only reason she chose such a mild punishment, rather than simply having Slash cook me alive. Starswirl’s final words had also tempered her anger towards me, as she found some solace in them.

Not just me, however, as Gritt enthusiastically volunteered to assist. The twenty-four-year-old had far more energy than I did. Transforming into a bat-pony, or at all for that matter, took him a while to get used to, but he thoroughly enjoyed aiding Hollow Shades.

I, however, was practically at death’s door for most of my community service, kept going only by potions. Once this was over, I’d have to fly as much as possible to get around. The lower half of my body would not be functional for some time. I didn’t even get to enjoy the sex. Knight kept me trapped in her mindscape as bat-pony mares used my transformed body to breed.

The idea of becoming a father to many foals I would likely never meet stirred mixed feelings. Gritt shared a similar sentiment, revealing he already has a four-year-old daughter in Junction Town. He was unsure how to break the news to her that she’d gain a number of brothers and sisters who’d look nothing like her. Though he was oddly excited about someday introducing them. ‘Family’ generally wasn’t a big priority among his kind, but he wanted to be an exception.

During Gritt’s shifts, Knight learned and shared a great deal of medical knowledge with the local healers. The bat-pony apothecaries were extremely skilled at brewing potions from materials derived from flora and fauna. Knight took note of what to look out for, eager to brew fresh healing items rather than scavenge centuries-old ones.

Eventually, my punishment was over. Unless Knight comes up with something else. For now, my sore and drained body was yearning to leave this place and continue to Manehattan. After plenty of sleep and cold showers.

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

Footnote:
Welcome to Level 7!

Perk Added: Quick Recovery! AP now regenerates 30% faster.

Chapter 9: Where Shadows Grow

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 9: Where Shadows Grow

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

The interior of Lilith’s mansion was even more intricately gothic than the surrounding cavernous city beneath the outskirts of Hollow Shades. It had been the site of my week-long gauntlet of endurance. I had to inject a stimulant into myself just to roll out of my impromptu bed. My sore body begged me to stay, but I needed to stretch and walk around before I permanently fused into the fainting couch I chose as my resting place. Gritt was found in the other room, on a nest of pillows, buried under a pair of mares who didn’t care that he wasn’t a bat-pony anymore. I found Knight in the library, laying by a fireplace reading a collection of dusty texts, and asked where Slash had been this whole time. She informed me that she made a solo excursion to Fillydelphia.

“She thought that was wise?” There was no guarantee the residents wouldn’t shoot her on site.

“Slash made it to Dodge all on her own from the Dragon Lands.” Gritt emerged behind me, pulling his jacket on. He looked tired, but not at all unhappy. “She can handle Filly. NCR and AJ’s Rangers might bog her down with endless questions, but she’ll manage.”

“How do you know if you never go there?” My question received an annoyed one-eyed glance.

“Caravans like to talk about shit like that, alright? It’s easy to keep up to date on stuff if you just listen and pay attention.” Gritt patted his jacket pockets and let out an irritated groan. The bat-ponies had taken his cigarettes when we arrived in their city, making him go outside any time he wanted to smoke. Air pollution was a big no-no for them.

“You really should try to buck the habit before you develop lung cancer,” Knight suggested, looking up from her book. “I could provide treatments to help reduce the urge.”

The merc laughed. “If I live long enough for smoking to kill me, I’d be a lucky griffon.” His expression became thoughtful. “It has been a couple days. Slash could have made it to Filly, checked the MAS, and come back by now.”

I scoffed. “You’re assuming she didn’t get distracted by every little problem she thought she could help with.”

“Fair,” Gritt shrugged. “I’ll give her another day before I start to worry.”

*****

Stepping out into town, I saw that all eyes were turned towards a quiet but fierce argument between Lilith and a stallion I hadn’t met. The male bat-pony was an inverse of the Regent, having a fiery orange coat and mane streaked with black, and matching eyes. Comparing his apparent age to hers, they were likely twins. Both snarled at one another and stomped their hooves into the stone brick road beneath them. The stallion’s face twisted into disgust as he saw Gritt and I.

“These are the outsiders you’ve allowed to… to… violate our purity!?” His voice was a whisper but felt like a scream. “With such a revolting bastardization of foreign magic!”

“Bael, you forget your place!” Lilith stomped forward, causing her twin to backpedal. “Purity will kill us all, you twisted fool! Despite our healers efforts, far too many foals have been stillborn from defects. You would have us continue down that path?”

“I’m close to solving it, I swear! I’m telling you, our magic can do more than command shadows! It can will life into being!” Bael lowered his head to the stone and focused. Tendrils of darkness flowed from his body into the cracks. The crowd gawked and gasped as a plant took shape, then color, then life. Bael nearly collapsed from the effort, but grinned broadly at the result. A beautiful flower of orange petals and a healthy green stem had impossibly taken root in the lifeless stone.

Lilith blinked in confusion, and Bael trotted around her, elaborating to the crowd. “This is our future! Umbrakinesis, a talent whose potential we have wasted, is the key! Shadows can breathe life and healing into our young! We will never suffer the ill effects of our isolation again!” He sneered at us once again. “And we will not have to resort to such vulgar and short sighted solutions.” The others murmured a mix of agreement and reservation.

The Regent narrowed her gaze at the miracle flower, then trotted up to me. Without a word, she grabbed my left arm in her teeth and yanked me down. I yelped and struggled, but she was surprisingly strong. Lilith held my PipBuck over the radiant plant and turned on its flashlight. A pained shriek escaped the false flower as it immediately wilted and died, crumbling into dust.

Bael stammered as angry eyes turned on him. “That… That can be solved.”

Lilith was having none of it. “Light is already painful to us. Your ‘solution’ would make it lethal!”

“We have shunned the light for centuries! Nothing would change!” Bael growled in frustration.

“And if those who would do us harm wielded light against us? We’d be wiped out!” The crowd's opinion swung fully in Lilith’s favor.

Bael turned and left in a huff, trotting deeper into the caves.

*****

In private, Lilith confirmed to us that Bael is her twin brother, and a bothersome thorn. He had challenged her every time she even slightly went against tradition. It was no wonder Knight’s plan to help breed healthier foals enraged him. Worse still, he and those who support him control much of the caverns dedicated to growing their crops. Lilith feared that he would withhold food until we departed. After explaining we’d likely leave soon regardless, she shook her head. Bael was apparently very zealous, and would demand that any foals resulting from our ‘contamination’ be banished.

“Are you in need of an assassin?” I asked plainly.

Lilith’s eyes went wide. “No! He’s demented, but he is my brother!”

“He’s dooming your people,” I argued. “He and his most loyal followers should be put do-”

“I WILL NOT CONDONE MY BROTHER’S MURDER.” Her Royal Voice made me flinch and wince.

“Perhaps there is merit to his methods,” Knight interjected, catching Lilith’s attention. “I’ve been reading your tomes on shadow magic. There is a way his idea could work, but he is going about it wrong. He is trying to use brute force to create a false life. Children born from this would be incomplete, hollow, more shade than flesh.”

Knight stood and outstretched a hoof to Lilith’s side, caressing it. “Instead, we could take advantage of umbra’s unique symbiosis with your people’s physiology, and give your genes a gentle randomized nudge. Your and Bael’s child would, genetically speaking, barely be related to you, and be perfectly healthy.”

Lilith stepped back and stammered. “I never told anyone… How do you know…”

Knight looked around and saw all of our surprised stares. “Oh.” She turned bashfully towards Lilith. “Sorry for… revealing that.”

Gritt let out a long, low whistle as the awkward silence grew.

Shaking her head, Lilith regained her composure. “The odds that Bael would allow you to help are slim. He regards you as an abomination.”

“I can’t perform the spell myself. Umbrakinesis is beyond my capabilities. Your twin seems the most practiced at using it in this manner.” Knight took a resolute stance. “I will make him hear me out, at least.”

“He will have his soldiers attack you,” Lilith warned.

“No offense, but your people lack the power or weaponry to threaten me.” Knight trotted towards the door. Gritt and I followed.

*****

Thunk! Thunk! Swish!

Two spears barely missed me, grazing my armor. Crossed together, they pinned me to the cavern wall. An armored bat-pony teleported in a puff of smoke in front of me, wielding a sword in his teeth, and swinging it towards my neck. His eyes went wide mid-swing as I shifted into a bat-pony and teleported myself, directly behind him. The Pearl, now three shards strong, let me not only transform more easily, but more readily use the basic unique abilities of the species I mimicked. I’d have to become a unicorn when I get some free time and I see what spells I have.

“No, don’t kill him!” Knight shouted as I wrapped my hooves around my opponent’s neck, ready to snap it. She lowered the foe she had just incapacitated and quickly dashed to mine, putting her claw to his head and magically rendering him unconscious. “This task must be done as bloodlessly as possible. We don’t want to kill anypony if we can help it.”

“Tell that to them!” Gritt shouted as he blasted a spear out of the air with his rifle before it reached him. When a guard warped beside him to attack with a blade, the griffon ducked under her and fired a rubber .38 special round from his sidearm into the mare’s tender area. With a high pitched yelp, the dagger dropped from her muzzle as she collapsed. Gritt lifted her helmet and struck her temple with the walnut grip of his revolver, knocking her out.

Three guards lunged at Knight from all directions, trying to plunge spears between her armored plates. She stood on one hoof, catching their weapons with her others, then dicing the spears with her claw blades. The surprised mares and stallion were then enveloped in telekinesis and slammed into the cave ceiling. Knight was deliberately careful not to impale them on the hanging stalactites. After ensuring they weren’t permanently injured, she continued on deeper into Bael’s territory.

*****

The path quickly opened into a large cavern housing an estate, a large gothic home similar to Lilith’s was surrounded by subterranean crops. A new group of guards charged at us, but shrieked and fled as Knight engulfed the chamber in a blinding magical light. Some of the crops instantly died just as the flower had.

“What is the meaning of this!?” Bael rushed out of his home, flanked by particularly well-armored mares. “HOW DARE YOU TRESPASS HERE, VILE MACHINE!”

“I come on behalf of your sister, seeking to mend the rift between you before it expands into a civil war. I can help your cause, refine your magic so you can save your people your way.” Knight’s commanding pleas made him waver only slightly.

“LIES! YOU MAY TAKE OUR QUEEN’S FORM, BUT YOU CANNOT DECEIVE US!”

Knight took a step forward undeterred. As did I. “My friend can help you save your child, before they suffer the genetic illnesses that have befallen so many of your kind.” Bael sneered at me at first, but his expression softened at the mention of his and Lilith’s future foal. “Are you going to allow your own pride to endanger them? Set aside how you feel about us and focus on saving your people’s future. Focus on saving your unborn infant.”

My companions gawked at me, surprised at my uncharacteristic taking charge. I was always good at manipulating others, but up until now I had done so quietly and subtly while in Equestria. I could tell that Bael required a direct approach to be swayed.

Bael pondered a while, then sighed and waved a hoof. His guards lowered their weapons and relaxed. “You are certain that Lilith will allow me to do this my way? Use the shadows to help our foal?”

Knight nodded. “Yes, and I know how you can do so safely.” She glanced at the disintegrated crops. “Without the adverse effects.”

Bael trotted to her and bowed his head, tears welling up in his eyes. “Teach me. Please.”

*****

Lilith was extremely nervous throughout the procedure, laying on a sofa with Knight and Bael hovering over her. With the android’s telepathic aid, the orange stallion shifted the darkness as she described, applying the magical gene therapy his foal needed to be born strong and healthy. Gritt had gone out to smoke, but I stuck around to ensure nothing went awry.

It was logical to help resolve this. I needed to maintain my reputation of leaving settlements in a better state than I found them in. If DJ Pon3’s radio broadcasts were any indication, word spread fast and any goodwill I could garner will only benefit me in the future, making my mission easier. Though I couldn’t fathom how even the seemingly omniscient DJ could learn of what transpired in an underground city of recluses. Still, better safe than sorry.

Knight, Lilith, and Bael discussed teaching this procedure to the other healers, the latter confident that he could educate them. Within a generation, their tribe could be as healthy and diverse as it was a thousand years ago. The metal alicorn brought Bael the books that led to her revelations just in case he needed to brush up. Afterwards, we joined Gritt outside, and were pleasantly surprised to find Slash with him.

*****

The dragon’s armor was noticeably scuffed, and she had a couple new scars that Knight quickly tended to, while demanding to know what happened.

“Ah, just had a bit of a wrestling match with the local Paladin to get her help searching Filly’s MAS.” Slash puffed her chest proudly, then winced at her bruised ribs.

“You got a Ranger to help you by picking a fight with them?” I asked incredulously.

She nodded. “It’s the warrior’s way. Honor and respect.”

Gritt chuckled. “Now I’m glad all you challenged me to was a pint of beer.”

The dragon mocked, “Please, there’d be no honor fighting you. You’re like a feathery toothpick.”

“Gee, thanks,” he muttered sarcastically as he ignited a smoke. “So, we headed out now? Got plenty of daylight to reach Tenpony, especially with the wind blowing northeast.” We agreed.

*****

Halfway there, Knight renewed her concern about encountering zebras. Gritt ensured her that Tenpony had no zebra residents, and promised to go in ahead of everyone and thoroughly check the trading floor for any striped travelers or merchants.

He sighed. “Honestly, there’s a good chance you won’t be allowed inside anyway. They’re really twitchy about weapons, and you’re, well…”

“An extremely dangerous weapon. I understand.” Her tone revealed her resignation. “I can find a secure shelter near the tower and wait for you to conclude your business.”

“Maybe someone there knows a way to make you safer,” Slash offered. It would make traveling with Knight less risky. If she saw a zebra, I could at best shapeshift them into a pony and hope that fooled her IFF. Though that would only work if there was only one zebra. I wondered how many shards I’d need to be able to transform multiple creatures at once. Thinking about it, I really could utilize the Pearl in combat more creatively. In hindsight, my fight with the alicorn outside Novac would have gone far differently if I had thought to turn her into an earth pony. Assuming the single shard I possessed at the time had the capacity.

The sudden whizzing of gunshots broke my train of thought, a thirty caliber bullet bouncing off the collar of my armor and cutting my cheek. Way too close! Our group scattered into buildings, Gritt fluidly drawing, loading, and firing his rifle at the sniper who hit me, blowing the black-armored griffon’s weapon apart, and badly wounding his arm.

“Talon!” Gritt shouted.

Did we stumble into territory they were guarding? Pressing the back of my claw to my bleeding wound, I carefully looked around. The only structure of note was a fairly intact police station. On closer inspection, I could see more griffons in dark combat armor sporting a white logo of an avian claw. They rushed to defensive positions. One shouted for cover, a female with a medical armband rushed to the injured sniper. I considered taking the shot, but Gritt gestured to me not to.

“We’re just passing through to Tenpony, assholes!” our merc called out. “Maybe try telling us to go around before opening fire!”

A large, no, enormous dark red griffon buck emerged from the station, barely fitting through the door with his head and metal wings tucked in. He had plates of reinforced armor cybernetically infused into his body. A belt-fed heavy machine gun was slung to his side. “Hold your fire, dumbasses! It’s Trickshot! Do you all want to die!?” The other Talons immediately lowered or stowed their weapons. The cybergriff flew up to the injured sniper and smacked him hard. “Follow protocol next time, moron!”

Gritt stowed his rifle as the griffon who was easily quadruple his size and intimidatingly larger than me approached him. “Crim? What are you doing near Manehattan?”

Crim accepted a cigarette offered by Grit and lit it. “Eh. NCR took my old base between Filly and the Foal Mountains. They were at least polite about it, and gave us a job.” He glanced at the police station. “Want us for their dirty work.”

“Dirty work?” I asked. “NCR’s not as clean as they claim?” In the corner of my eye, Knight went to assist with my near-killer.

The cyber-griffon laughed. “New flags and armor won’t magically erase the last few decades. Most of the griffs in the NCR are ex-Talons who did a lot of shitty things. Especially the officers.” He gestured to the police station. “Got a bunch of raiders locked up, waiting for NCR correctional troops to take them to Arbu. They’d better hurry before the poor sods starve in custody. I’m not fucking wasting my caps feeding that trash.”

“You can’t just treat prisoners like that,” Slash interjected. Here we go with the ‘honor’ thing. “The NCR must have laws against that.”

Mechanical lungs whirred as Crim took a deep drag. “We’re not NCR, and that’s the point. And these raiders should count themselves lucky not to be bloody pulps or piles of ashes. They’re getting more of a chance than they deserve.” He chuckled cruelly. “Hell, half of them are so fucked up on chems they don’t even realize they’re locked up. Had to give the really crazy ones their own cells.”

“I assume you’ll only get paid for breathing prisoners?” I asked, and Crim nodded. “Our medic could help them last a little longer.”

“And I’ll donate some of my provisions, and some caps for you to buy more.” Slash’s naive generosity made me roll my eyes. These Talons might feed the prisoners instead of themselves, and they’ll definitely just pocket the caps. Crim obviously accepted both of our offers, seeing no downsides.

*****

Slash came back from the station not long after going in with Knight. She was furious at the state the raiders were being kept in. I reminded her what kinds of things raiders do to their victims, but she argued that didn’t make it right.

“Destroy an enemy, or treat them with dignity if they are captured. Anything else is… wrong.” She pondered, then gave me a hard stare. “Do your people treat mine this way?”

“They’re not starved or tortured, I assure you. The Storm King wants to assimilate your people, and atrocities are counter-productive to that end.” Once again, I was perfectly honest with her on this topic.

She spat into the dirt. “We will never be ruled.”

I turned to Gritt, wanting to change the subject. “How do you know Crim?”

The small griffon looked uncomfortable. “I know Crimson from after Fillydelphia. Bloodfeather Company was one of the post Red Eye Talon groups who didn’t join Gawd. Don’t really know why… Really a nice guy deep down, helped me get out of the city and get work.”

“A nice guy deep down, huh?” Crimson stepped up and put an arm around Gritt. A mix of emotions splashed across our companion’s face as his claw twitched slightly towards his pistol. “Ever get tired of being a solo act, my Company always has slots.” The larger griffon’s beak hovered very close to Gritt’s.

The smaller griffon pushed his head away and slipped out of his grip. “Don’t push your luck, Crim. It was nice to see you again, but… no. Fuck off. I don’t work for you anymore.” Crimson raised his claws innocently and backed off. Slash stared fiery daggers at him.

Knight came out to inform us that she wanted to stay with the prisoners until the NCR picked them up. We agreed to come back if it was okay for her to come to Tenpony. Gritt eagerly led us away from the station.

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

Footnote:
Welcome to Level 8!

Perk Added: Tunnel Runner! Your time underground has improved your maneuverability in ruins and caves! You gain +2 to Perception and Agility and move 10% faster when indoors.

Chapter 10: Honesty

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 10: Honesty

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

Aside from the occasional raider, we had no further interruptions on our final trek to Tenpony. The building was a jewel among the skeletal ruins of Manehattan, a nearly pristine skyscraper bearing a pink and purple star overlaid on the frontal silhouette of an alicorn, the logo of Twilight Sparkle’s Ministry of Arcane Science. Tenpony Tower was among the MAS’s most important sites, aside from the hub in Canterlot and the research facility of Maripony, which no longer exist. The Dragon Staff that Slash is looking for is either here, we’d find information on it, or the dragon will have hit a dead end. I hoped to learn where Skystar hid this location’s Pearl shard.

Our first obstacle was the front gate. Travelers without wings would normally have to walk along the Celestia Line, an old monorail track, but we could just fly straight to the door. Gritt, being a resident, could get in without issue. He also covered our credit checks. The next step was turning in all ammunition and explosives, aside from rubber rounds.

The guard pony looked confused as I turned in my laser shotgun. “I only need your ammo.”

“It’s a recharging weapon. Its ‘ammunition’ can’t be separated from it.” I waited patiently as the guard inspected it.

He eventually shrugged. “I’ll keep it in lockup then. You’ll get it back when you leave.” His expression soured when Slash stepped past. “Hey! You’ll have to wear this!” A muzzle was tossed to the dragon.

Slash cocked her head. “Are you serious?” The guard nodded.

“Did you think I was joking back in Dodge?” Gritt smirked at her. “They aren’t going to let a fire breather roam around without taking precautions.” He leaned close and whispered. “You can take it off when we’re upstairs, off the trading floor.”

The dragon grumbled and put it on. “This is humiliating.”

*****

The aesthetic of the tower was very ‘old world’ but well-maintained. The lobby, made from a train station connected to the tower, had brilliant chandeliers hanging above the front desk. Marble walls, pillars, and floors gave me flashbacks to the Well of Shade, though the atmosphere was far warmer due to the lighting and ornate gold and red rugs. Twin staircases led to the main tower, and an elevator door was nestled between them.

“We should just go straight to my room.” Gritt yawned. “I’m beat, and none of the shops will be open until morning anyway.” I had noticed how empty the tower seemed. Given how late it was, of course everypony was asleep. “Actually, scratch that, spa’s open twenty-four-seven. A hot bath and a massage sounds fantastic right now.”

Slash and I enthusiastically agreed and joined him. Gritt didn’t strike us as the spa-going type, but I guess even hardened mercenaries need to decompress. In fact, they probably need to more than most. The spa was just as ornate as everywhere else, adorned with paintings of sailboats on the ocean and sculptures of sea ponies. Two mares and a stallion, all unicorns, acted as the night shift, and clearly recognised Gritt as a regular.

The griffon and I each got a mare, as Slash immediately chose the very handsome stallion. We stripped down and laid on massage beds, though Slash still had to wear her muzzle, and were soon treated with professional care. They all had soothing, exotic accents, and sang softly as they loosened our tense muscles. It was heavenly, as if each press of her hoof into my back, shoulders, and sides released months worth of strain. The lovely mare even knew how to handle my wings and talons. I couldn’t imagine she had that much experience with either, unless Gritt came here every chance he had. If they let me, I must just sleep the rest of the night right here.

Alas, the massage came to an end, and we made our way to the bath house. I don’t think there was anything in the world I loved more than hot water. Cold water, I could do without. Chilly, smelly water full of zombies, I could absolutely do without for the rest of my life. Hot, steamy water, bubbling with cleansing shampoos beckoned to me, and I eagerly slipped in. Slash asked for her bath to be as hot as possible, boiling even. Made sense, since her kind generally bathed in pools of lava. Any temperature of water probably felt cold to her. The unicorns serving us adhered to her requests without question.

My mare telekinetically scrubbed me with a number of high-quality sponges while brushing my mane. All the while, I tended my feathers, which were in desperate need of preening. The spa attendant even brushed and polished my beak. Such fantastic treatment was well worth the two hundred caps.

*****

None of us got dressed again, since we headed straight to Gritt’s home. He had me put my radioactive armor in a locker by the door as we stepped in. Didn’t want it contaminating his stuff, which consisted of various wasteland junk. On close inspection, some of it seemed like trophies. There was a power armor helmet sitting on a shelf, painted and modified like a raider had gotten a hold of it, with a large bullet puncture just above the visor. Looking at the back of the helmet, the entire rear of it was blasted outwards. Mounted on the adjacent wall were the split-apart remains of an anti-machine rifle. Welded to the largest piece were two bullets, one .50 BMG and the other .408 GriffTac. There were matching dents on each, as if they had bounced off of each other. In a display case by the bedroom door was a fledgling-sized Talon chest piece, a melted rifle scope… and a worn bullwhip.

It occurred to me that Gritt’s rifle did not have an optic. He made all of his precision shots with basic iron sights. Remarkable.

Aside from his junk, Gritt’s residence was well furnished with tables, chairs, sofas… but no extra beds. He only had the one bedroom, so does he expect us all to sleep together or use the sofas? Looking at the bed, it was surprisingly large, oval in shape. It could comfortably hold the three of us. Slash, who had finally gotten her muzzle off, stepped beside me, likely making the same observation. Did Gritt plan this? Get us relaxed and naked before taking us to bed? I… wasn’t exactly opposed to the idea. I found both of my companions attractive. Knight might have had the right idea.

Gritt slipped between us, his body brushing against ours, then hopped into bed. “Gonna join me, or sleep on the floor? Pretty sure my other furniture is too small for you.”

Slash shrugged and joined him, as did I soon after. The dragon, always being the forward one, made the first move. She reached her arm across Gritt and took hold of my waist, pulling us both against her. The griffon’s eagerness was quickly on full display as he rubbed her scaly sides and nuzzled her chest, and she responded affectionately. I locked eyes with the dragon as my beak touched her muzzle. Soon after, her warm tongue was dominating mine, and we pulled each other closer. Gritt was perfectly happy being squeezed between us, frequently turning to give each of us his affections.

The three of us shared wet kisses and warm nuzzles for a time before escalating things. It wasn’t long after that when I started to hope the building had thick interior walls. Slash was, to the shock of no one, the loudest. After some accidental fire, she considered putting the muzzle back on, but Gritt assured her the building had enchanted protections, and we got back to things. So many things. There was quite a lot a dominant female and two bisexual males could do together. We were definitely sleeping in late tomorrow.

*****

Gritt and I woke up first late in the morning. Not in any particular hurry, we got some one-on-one time, both in bed and in the shower. The small griffon definitely had a preference for dominant but gentle partners, and I was happy to oblige. Slash had been quite rough, leaving me with a few scratches, but I still enjoyed it. She had hogged me for most of the night, understandably preferring the larger, stronger, more ‘equipped’ male. Gritt, however, proved more sexually experienced than her, now that he had me all to himself. He knew how to make a stallion sing.

“Listen to those notes!” He teased me. “I need to get you into Homage’s recording studio.”

After actually getting clean, we got dressed. I didn’t bother with my armor, instead opting for a professional-looking tailored suit. It was similar to my officer’s uniform, but without any insignia and had a sharp gray and blue palette. I had my ballistic base layer underneath, just in case.

“Dressing to impress?” Gritt asked as he threw on his usual jeans and jacket look.

“May as well try to fit in as best I can.” I fiddled with my Pearl. “Without using this, anyway.”

“Shame you didn’t use that while we fucked.” The griffon smirked naughtily. “Think of the possibilities.”

“It sort of wears me out.” I tucked it under the suit’s collar.

“Ah, yeah. It fucked you up pretty bad at Hollow Shades.” He led me out towards the trading mall.

*****

Now bustling with finely dressed ponies, the mall was an impressive sight of commerce. A number of well-kept stalls elegantly promised the finest goods, though at exorbitant prices. I was very happy to still have plenty of supplies from previous towns.

Gritt patted my shoulder. “I can get you in touch with the major caravans that trade here, so you can expand Hippogriffia’s Aqua Pura market.” Shit, I did lie that, didn’t I?

“Oh, right.” I shuffled. “With everything that happened, I guess I lost track of why I was here. Thanks for reminding me.” It wouldn’t be a lie anymore if I followed through.

I guess trade diplomacy wouldn’t be too hard. Our current caravan used zebras on the west coast as intermediaries to get the irradiated water into Equestria. Though, they were unreliable at times. Some sort of instability in the region. Maybe I could set up a new line through the Badlands and Novac? Link that with Klugetown? If I could find a Sunny Side Caravan contact, I could use my rep with them. Telling Gritt as much, he pointed out a couple of trader ponies whose saddlebags bore an image of eggs on toast, Sunny Side’s cutie mark.

My offer took them by surprise, but the eldest between them considered it with interest, especially after recognizing me from the radio. We worked out the details, and I told them how to get in touch with Spinella and finalize the deal. My Lieutenant would be the one assigned to that region, and she knew enough of my mission not to say anything that would compromise it. I hadn’t come to Equestria intending to expand our Aqua Pura trade, but it was a welcome turn of events.

*****

Slash eventually found us, and it was time to deal with her business here. That meant talking to the enigmatic ‘Twilight Society’ to see what they knew about the Dragon Staff.

“What’s the connection, anyway? What does the Ministry of Arcane Science have to do with it?” The question had been on my mind for a while.

“Twilight Sparkle is the one who stole it from us. Or, rather, had it stolen.” Slash furrowed her brow. “She got someone Ember trusted to snatch it from under her nose.” She snorted. “Ponies… They stole from us, then wondered why so many of us fought for the zebras.”

“Oh, so it got taken really early in the war, huh?” Gritt surprised me with his knowledge of old world history.

Slash nodded. “There were some dragons who already lived in Caesar’s lands, who joined his war effort pretty readily, but the theft of the Dragon Staff set off a powder keg. Most full-grown dragons joined the zebras after that.”

“What about Ember?” I asked.

“She tried to keep as many dragons out of it as she could, but not many listened to her.” She sighed. “Losing the Staff was a huge blow to her credibility. My mom and uncle said she took it all really hard. Every time we got word of a dragon getting killed, Ember took it as a personal failure. It’s the same now with the Enclave.”

“Ember didn’t try getting the Staff back?” Gritt questioned.

“Oh, she did,” Slash explained. “Mom said she flew straight to Canterlot as soon as she realized the Staff was taken, and demanded it back. Ponies told her our kind couldn’t be trusted. Said they needed the Staff to develop a ‘countermeasure’ against us. Ember couldn’t risk open war, so she sucked it up.”

The griffon huffed. “Makes me wonder if Rainbow Dash knew about any of this. Can’t imagine she would have been so gung-ho about slaying dragons if she knew why they were pissed. That it was Twilight's fault.”

“I imagine that little detail was well covered up.” They both agreed.

*****

Gritt has two contacts with the Twilight Society, who happened to be Elements. Life Bloom, a unicorn stallion and doctor, was the Element of Magic and the most likely to know something off the top of his head. The other was Homage, a unicorn mare, assistant to DJ Pon3, and Element of Honesty. Her residence in the tower was once a personal library for Twilight Sparkle, so she was worth visiting as well.

The way he was described, Life Bloom sounded like exactly the pony Knight would want to meet, and she’d also love to see that library. Gritt commented that the stallion would be very curious to meet her as well. I’d need to arrange that. Despite my better judgment, I wanted to talk to both about the Pearl. I’d already met three other Elements, so I might as well meet two more. The Element of Generosity, a unicorn mare named Charity, reportedly lived near the Hoof, so it was extremely unlikely that I’d meet her.

Our guide left for a while, then returned and told us both would meet us in the library. A quick ride in a private elevator brought us to the largest collection of books I had ever seen. Twilight Sparkle’s Athenaeum was wall-to-wall bookshelves, save for a couple of reading nooks and three large, vaulted windows which doubled as bedspaces. Each pillar in the room was ringed with even more books, and there was a large reading table in the center of the library with smaller bookshelves for legs. Chairs throughout the library had hidden compartments under the armrests for storing even more books. History class at Aris didn’t even scratch the surface when it described Twilight as a voracious reader.

*****

Life Bloom and Homage were standing under a large painting depicting Splendid Valley. The mature stallion had a white coat, blue eyes, a red and pink mane, and a medical cross on his flank. The mare beside him had a steel gray coat and blue mane, reminding me of a younger Wavestone. She had pale green eyes, and her cutie mark depicted a speaker blasting music. Both unicorns wore golden PipBucks.

“Hey you two,” Gritt greeted them with a wink. Or a blink? Could someone with only one eye make that distinction? “These are the travelers who wanted to talk to you.” He gestured to each of us. “Slash. Rosegold.”

Both smiled as they greeted us and introduced themselves. Homage waved towards Slash’s muzzle. “Oh, feel free to take that off. It can’t be comfortable.” The dragon happily did so. The five of us took seats around the center table. It further reminded me of the briefing that sent me to Equestria in the first place.

The mare turned to me. “Nice to meet Novac’s hero. Heard you also helped save a bunch of slaves outside the Hub.” She chuckled. “DJ Pon3’s still trying to come up with a creative title for you, but so far ‘Wanderer’ is the best he’s got.”

“Sounds fine to me.” It would be nice if my actual name wasn’t being used. “And these two deserve credit as well for that rescue.”

“Of course,” she smiled. “So, what did you need to discuss? Something about a Staff and a Pearl?”

I let Slash go first. “The Dragon Staff. It is a symbol of authority for the Dragon Lord, and was taken by Twilight’s ministry during the war. I need it to rally what’s left of my people against the Enclave so we aren’t exterminated.”

Life Bloom furrowed his brow. “I know of it. Twilight left a lot of research notes on it, but the Staff itself isn’t here. If I remember right…” His horn glowed and a few journals floated to him. He opened and skimmed them until he found what he was looking for. “Yes, Twilight was trying to unlock its mind control properties. Extrapolate the concept to affect all creatures, not just dragons.”

I did a double take. “Mind… control..?” Slash was just as shocked.

The stallion nodded. “She never cracked it, according to her most recent notes. Whatever magic it used was far more ancient than anything she understood. Eventually her work on creating alicorns took priority. She also concluded that its innate effects on dragons were very limited, mostly by range. She theorized that a significant amount of magical energy could extend that range, but it was ultimately impractical.” He turned to the last page of the journal. “As for its current location, she entrusted it to her assistant.”

“Spike.” My knowledge of Gardens of Equestria’s guardian drew surprised glances. Slash visibly tensed at the name. “I’ve… read the Book of Littlepip.”

An artifact that could control dragons. In the hands of the Storm King, conquering the Dragon Lands would be nearly effortless. If I acquired the Dragon Staff, would he even need the Pearl? Transformation magic seemed powerful, and I wasn’t sure how my King intended to use it, but it couldn’t be better than the power to directly command dragons. I’d acquire both, if possible. Slash certainly couldn’t be allowed to take it back to her people.

Slash stared at me, seeing the cogs turning in my mind. She trusted me not to intervene in her quest when we thought the Staff was just ceremonial. Now we know its true value and potential. How much of a threat it is. We were enemies again. We couldn’t fight here, but the tension between us was palpable.

I tried to change the subject. “About the Pearl…” I revealed the necklace that a solid chunk of the artifact hung from. “So far, I’ve been finding shards in old ruins. Older than the war. Tenochtitlan, Horseshoe Lighthouse, Hollow Shades… Is there anything in Manehattan that meets that description?”

Homage spoke up. “I’ve explored Manehattan pretty extensively. Only place I can think of is the Statue of Friendship. Or what’s left of it. Not as old as the other places you mentioned, but it is the area’s most notable pre-war landmark.”

I winced. This was my best lead, and it was severely damaged by the Enclave twelve years ago. I’d certainly have the same problem in Canterlot. Everfree, too, if the shard there is in what’s left of the old castle.

And that’s if Slash let me live that long. I needed insurance against her and Gritt. I needed Knight. With her around, I could just turn them into zebras and let the killer robot do what it was made for. They didn’t know what happened in Limbo. They didn’t know that was a possibility. It was a last resort, of course. I’d try to talk my way through this first.

“We have another companion waiting at a police station south of here.” I tapped my claws together. “We weren’t sure how Tenpony would… react to her.”

“Is she a ghoul?” Life Bloom asked. I remembered the tower's policies against them, and shook my head.

“A robot.” I started to explain. “An extremely advanced experimental Assault-Mare alicorn. Star Metal encompasses much of her construction, and she is fully self-aware and sentient.”

Both Element’s eyes went wide. “I understand why you thought she wouldn’t be allowed entry,” Life Bloom choked, rubbing the back of his neck.

Slash interjected. “She’s actually very sweet. A healer. The biggest issue is her hard-wired IFF. She can’t be around zebras. If she sees anypony with stripes, she’ll kill them. She doesn’t want to, but she doesn’t have a choice. We were hoping you’d have some way to fix that.”

Life Bloom swallowed and composed himself. “I will certainly look into that.” He sighed. “She can’t come in through the main entrance…”

Homage sat up. “I’ll let her in through the roof. Can she fly? You said she was an alicorn.”

I nodded. “Yeah, her wings work just fine. So does her horn.”

Life Bloom looked astonished. “A machine that can perform magic?” His reservations were quickly replaced by scholarly curiosity.

Gritt stood up. “I’ll fetch her then. Won’t take long.”

Slash looked at him worriedly. “You’re sure Crimson won’t try anything?”

The griffon shook his head. “He’s not dumb enough to. Trust me, that stunt yesterday was just him teasing me. I’ll be fine.” With that, he left. Life Bloom followed him out to prepare for Knight’s arrival.

*****

Slash and I started to leave, but Homage gently tugged us back into our seats with her magic. “What’s up between you two?” Of course nothing could get past her.

I took a deep breath. “The Enclave aren’t the only ones at war with the dragons. Hippogriffia is as well. Difference is, we’re trying to conquer and assimilate them, not destroy them. We intend to push the Enclave out once we have.”

Slash and Homage waited for me to continue, their stares judging me.

“Hippogriffia can’t grow its own food. The Gardens of Equestria didn’t reach us. Hippogriffs are immune to radiation, but our crops are not. We’ve been reliant on small farms stretched too far and too thin, as well as foreign trade, but it isn’t sustainable. Our people go hungry most days.” I leaned forward, clasping my talons. “The Dragon Lands have incredibly fertile soil that goes completely unused. Setting up large farms on territory under our control will solve our food crisis. And having dragons in our military’s ranks will ensure that territory isn’t threatened.”

“You could have negotiated use of our land,” Slash argued.

I shook my head. “It would only take one full size dragon refusing to respect that agreement to destroy any farms we set up. We both know your kind is too independent and prideful to collectively agree to leave foreign farmers unharassed. Conquering you is the only way to guarantee security.”

She snarled. “No, it isn’t. Let me initiate the Gauntlet and find a new leader for our people. Help us drive out the Enclave, and we will lend our farmable land to you.”

I pondered this. It made sense. A trustworthy Dragon Lord, with the Staff, could force peace. Unfortunately, it wasn’t up to me. I had orders to follow.

A resigned sigh escaped my beak. “I have to obey my King.”

“What exactly did your King command?” Homage interjected.

I blinked at her. “To retrieve the Pearl.”

“No mention of the Dragon Staff?” She crossed her hooves, tilting her head.

“No…” My brow furrowed. “But if he… If the Staff is used against us, and I could have prevented it…”
Slash took my claws in hers. “I won’t allow that. The Dragon Lands just want peace.”

My mind struggled to determine what was best, versus what the Storm King would expect of me. There must be a middle ground. Maybe this was it.

I locked eyes with Slash. “I’m… going to trust you.”

She smiled. “I’m going to hold you to that.”

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

Footnote:
Welcome to Level 9!

Perk Added: Pillow Talk! Intimacy breeds understanding. Individuals you have slept with are now easier to persuade, and vice versa.

Chapter 11: Let's State the Obvious

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 11: Let’s State the Obvious

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

Darkness had fallen by the time Gritt arrived with Knight. As expected, she was practically prancing when she saw the Athenaeum, and immediately began reading through book after book as fast as she could process them. Life Bloom found her enthusiasm towards learning all the library had to offer very endearing. If left to her own devices, she’d have every text downloaded by tomorrow night.

Slash informed the griffon and android of the conversation she and I had while they were away. Gritt wasn’t sure what to make of my allegiances but understood my motives. Knight didn’t say a word. She’d seen my mind, so this wasn’t news to her.

There were two items on tomorrow’s itinerary; the Statue of Friendship, and Spike. The first would be handled while Homage got in touch with the second. Knight would be staying here, since volunteers from Glyphmark were currently at Friendship City, helping them rebuild and recover. The town had been attacked by slavers shortly before my arrival in Equestria. Said slavers were linked to Whiplash, the warlord Gritt had assassinated while I was in Novac.

Gritt spoke to Homage quietly. “Will they be there?”

She gave him a pitied look. “Probably. I thought you said you didn’t hold anything against them.”

He scowled. “Doesn’t mean I want to be around them.”

Homage put a hoof on his shoulder. “You’ll have to let it go some day.”

“It’s not the kind of thing that can be let go.” He shrugged her off and went home.

*****

Slash and I slept on opposite sides of the bed. Gritt slept on his sofa. Neither of us questioned him about his exchange with Homage, other than whether he was coming with us. He said he was, if only to keep his eye on me. There was no intimacy between the three of us that night or the morning after.

We got up and ready at first light, finding Gritt fiddling with the old, bloodstained whip from the display. He put it back and closed the case when he noticed us. Without a word, we got our gear from the checkpoint at the front gate and headed out.

Our flight over Manehattan to the coast was uneventful. Slash eventually broke the silence by asking about Crimson’s prisoners.

“Two died, but the rest got transferred to the NCR without issue.” Gritt noticed Slash’s scowl. “It would have been worse without Knight.”

“If they had just treated them properly in the first place…” The dragon crossed her arms.

The jaded merc rolled his eye. “Tell you what, next group of raiders we find, I’ll let you offer them some snacks and a hug. Maybe they’ll change their ways.”

Slash did not find his sarcasm amusing. I thought she needed to stop being so sympathetic towards chem-addicted murderer rapists. Proper treatment of enemy combatants, I understood, but insane raiders were no different from feral animals.

*****

Gritt took the lead as we neared Friendship City. It had recovered substantially since the Enclave’s attack over a decade ago, but the wounds were still present. Scrapped husks of Raptor cloud-ships rested in the water, salvage teams having long since stripped them of their most useful contents. Grave markers lined the coast near the bridge that connected the island to Manehattan. The Statue of Friendship was reduced to its lower half.

We were allowed through the gates without issue. Gritt seemed to take a roundabout path through the town towards the Statue’s entrance, seeming to avoid something or someone. He froze as we stepped into a market area, where numerous pony settlers and zebra volunteers worked to rebuild. Two zebra mares, one older and one younger, turned towards the black griffon.

They both wore sad, thoughtful expressions. The older one, covered in scars, spoke in the exotic accent common to them. “Gritt.”

Our companion avoided their eyes. “Xenith. Xephyr.” He quickly moved to the side, out of the market. The zebras sighed and continued working. We followed the griffon into the statue.

*****

“What was that about?” If Slash hadn’t asked, I would have.

“None of your business.” Gritt gave the answer I expected from him.

The dragon huffed. “Will you ever stop being so cagey about your past? The schtick has gone from mysterious to annoying.”

The griffon groaned. “Everyone in the wasteland’s got a sob story, doll, and telling mine to everyone who asks is a cliche I try to avoid.”

“I’ll just ask those zebras then.” She smirked. “I bet they know it.”

Gritt gave her a cold glare that banished her smile. “One side of it.”

I did my best to ignore their conversation, trying to let the Pearl guide me through the stone catacombs beneath the statue’s foundation. My PipBuck’s light had poor range, and every little noise made me flinch. I kept my EFS ready, though it was flooded with yellow bars from the town above us. The air grew humid, and I heard the dripping of water. My ankle itched.

“Oh, fuck off.” Before me was a submerged stairwell, and the Pearl beckoned me forward. I hovered a claw over the water, and drew it back as a chill of fear washed over me. My ankle kept itching.

I felt Slash put her arms around me. “Rosegold? You alright?”

My body was shaking. What was this? Why couldn’t I just shift into a seapony and press forward?

Gritt rubbed my claw, looking concerned. “The MAS basement in the Hub. That fucked you up, didn’t it?”

Traumatic stress? Me!?

The small griffon patted my chest, then took off his rifle and pistol belt. “Turn me into a fish or whatever. I’ll get your thing for you. There can’t be that many places to look down there.”

“You’re sure?” The offer took me by surprise. He nodded and stepped in the water. I focused and turned him into a seapony.

“Grover’s balls, this feels fucking weird!” Gritt flopped around a bit before he got his bearings and submerged. All Slash and I could do was wait.

*****

“So, what does the Storm King want the Pearl for?” Slash broke the silence. “Its applications seem kind of niche. I don’t see how it could win him a whole war.”

“I… honestly don’t know.” Pondering it helped distract me from my stress. “Maybe it’s far stronger once it’s fully formed. As in, it could change a lot of creatures at once.” I played Tempest’s first recording, and heard her mention that Skystar wasn’t bothered by rads. How Novo must have used the Pearl to do… something. “That doesn’t add up. The Storm King is the one who made hippogriffs immune to radiation. It was his gift after liberating us. He sacrificed his power and flesh, allowed himself to ghoulify, for us to survive. Why would he extend that to a fugitive, and not the soldier chasing them?”

Slash looked at me like I was a naive infant. “Have you considered that maybe he lied? Sounds like Novo made you immune to rads and the Storm King took the credit once he was in control. Because that’s what conquerors do. Rewrite history to suit their agenda.”

I stood up and unfurled my wings in anger. “That’s absurd! Novo was a savage holding our species back. Our King brought us into the future and through the apocalypse.”

She waved her claws. “Alright, alright. Just, if the Pearl can make sweeping changes like that to an entire race… I know this is a lot to ask, but could you help against the Enclave before you finish your mission? I want to try our diplomatic solution before the Storm King has that kind of power.”

At that moment, my faith in my King was faltering. Could he have been lying? Could he be trusted to seek the peaceful route?

I had time to do as Slash asked. My mission had a six month window, and things were going faster than I thought they would. “Once I have the entire Pearl, I’ll help you. If it's that strong, beating the Enclave will be a breeze.” I chuckled. “I could just turn them all into earth ponies and watch them fall out of the sky.” The thought tickled me, such a ‘superior’ race stripped of what makes them strong before plummeting to their deaths.

Slash gave me an uncomfortable look. “You shouldn't be so callous about a… massacre.”

Again with the misplaced sympathy. “They’re trying to exterminate your race.”

“And I want to stop them, not return the gesture.” Slash and I became silent again.

*****

Red ticks started popping up on my EFS. Two, then five, then a dozen. I told Slash then drew my weapon and aimed it at the water.

Worry splashed over Slash’s face as she stepped in. “Gritt!?” She turned to me.

I looked at my shard, which was still glowing. “I think I’d know if he wasn’t okay.” Another worrying thought crossed my mind. “My EFS can’t tell the elevation of hostiles. They could be above us. In town.”

Slash started to go up, with me behind her, but the sound of splashing startled us. I whipped around, charging and aiming my gun.

“Hey! Woah! It’s me!” Sea-Gritt waved his fins at us. His speech was muffled by the shard in his mouth. I relaxed and turned him back to normal, then fused the new shard to my necklace. Four down, five to go.

“Trouble down there?” I asked. He shook his head. “Then there’s trouble up there.”

*****

Slash and I took the ground floor exit. Gritt kept going up to the scaffolding within the destroyed statue’s skeleton and took a shooting position.

“Pirates!” A frightened voice called out. “Seadog pirates!”

Cannonfire blasted walls and buildings. I heard Gritt’s rifle start popping off shots above us. Two ugly bipeds dragged struggling young ponies across an alley ahead of us. They were like diamond dogs, except their digits were webbed, and their necks sported gills. Slash tackled one and ripped out his throat in her teeth. I put two shots in the other. The foals they were kidnapping thanked us between sobs. A filly hugged my leg before running to shelter with the others.

There were over a dozen more in the market, armed with clunky firearms and swords, killing anypony they couldn’t grab. The two zebras from before were in the fray, both a blur of striped martial arts. Attacks were dodged, legs were swept, and necks were snapped. Any time a seadog got an opening to land a blow, their heads were blown off by our sniper. Whatever Gritt’s issue was with Xenith and Xephyr, he wasn’t going to let them get shot or stabbed in the back.

Slash quickly joined the fighting and proved whose claws were sharper. I broke off and made my way to the city wall. These pirates were coming from somewhere, and needed to be stopped at the source. A low fog left it barely visible, but the blasting of naval cannons gave away a large, armored sailboat. It had approached the city’s blindspot and took out the only defensive guns that could face it before they had a chance to respond.

Gritt saw it as well, and began shooting the gunners, but wasn’t fast enough. I heard a pained squawk as a cannonball blasted the scaffolding around him. I wasn’t fast enough to catch him before he crashed through the roof of a general store. Jumping into the hole after him, I found he was struggling to breathe. Two large chunks of wood had pierced his abdomen, and a smaller one was deep in his neck. Healing potions wouldn’t fix this unless I took the wood out, and then they won’t be fast enough to stop the bleeding in time.

Xephyr rushed inside through the front door. “Move! I will help! Leave what medicine you have and return to the fight!” I nodded and did so. I knew little about zebra medicine, but it had a better chance of saving Gritt than my limited skills did.

*****

After killing three more seadogs, I shifted into one and dove off the wall. Open water I could handle. It was underground water that freaked me out. Climbing up the hull of the ship, I slipped into a porthole. The shock on the pirates’ faces as one of their own started blasting them was priceless. In close quarters, with SATS, I was unstoppable. Pirates, raiders, bandits… This was a type of enemy I had an abundance of experience killing. Stupid, predictable, easy to exterminate. The sleeping, the drunk, the sick. None were spared.

The alert fighters on the top deck proved more of a challenge, but not overly so. I shoved my weapon’s beam splitter down the throat of a disarmed and pleading young male and fired without hesitation. For good measure I kicked the body into the water, and shifted back into a hippogriff.

An enraged growl caught my attention as a huge seadog stepped out of the captain’s cabin. He had cybernetic reinforcements underneath a vibrant naval coat. A large hat decorated with various feathers sat upon his grizzled head.

“Who be boarding the illustrious Captain Ironsides’ fine vessel!? What matter of bird be you!?”

“Captain!” A young female stepped beside him. Unlike most of her kind, her thin fur coat was smooth and clean, a vibrant sea green. The first mate wore a cropped white jacket, ruffled black blouse, and tight navy sailor’s shorts. Her lilac eyes darted fearfully at the carnage I created. “He’s killed the crew!”

Both pirates drew surprisingly fine swords from their hips. I fired a shot into the captain, but his armor absorbed it. “First Mate Purser! Start the engines! Take us to the skies!” Purser nodded and sprinted up to the helm. I tried to fly after her, but Ironsides grabbed my leg and slammed me into the deck hard, knocking my gun out of my grasp. My hooves kicked me out of his paws and I scrambled back on to them.

The first mate yanked a lever, and the whole ship lurched, making me fall on my haunches. My weapon slid to the stern of the ship, lodging into some cargo. The deafening sound of rockets filled the air as the ship lifted into it. Seadog pirates with a flying sailboat. Sure. Why not?

“Oi, I know who you are! The Wanderer who disrupted my business at Horseshoe!” He spat. “My client demanded stripes, and stripes they’ll get! Just happen to be plenty in that there city.”

I let out an annoyed groan. “I don’t care about slaves! I came here for my own reasons, and now you’re in my way. Leave or die.”

Ironsides let out a hearty bellow of a laugh, just before Purser fired a shot at me from a small pistol, causing me to scramble up a mast and use the sails for cover. She gave chase, holding her sword in her teeth as she climbed the ropes. I reached the masthead, and found footing on the horizontal wood holding up one of the patchwork white sails. Purser was on me faster than I expected, and started swinging. SATS allowed me to dodge her attacks, but it wouldn’t last forever. When she finally overextended, I ducked low and slashed the inside of her thigh with my talons. She let out a pained yip and stumbled, allowing me to spin about and follow up with a hard buck into her gut. All the air was knocked out of her and she was launched into a mess of ropes, getting tangled in them. I flew down and caught her falling sword and pistol.

A purple blast to my wing grounded me. I slammed into the deck with a pained chirp. Ironsides had my gun.

“What a wonderful grapeshot this is! It’s even the right color!” He mocked and fired several more shots, which I barely avoided. Returning fire, I knew this pistol couldn’t hurt him, but it could disarm him. Sorry, gun.

A bullet hit the lever mechanism, jamming it. The frustrated captain threw it down and drew his sword. I readied the one I took. Fort Aris had fencing lessons. I was decent, but never the best. In the face of this opponent, I focused and gave it my all. My life depended on it.

Step, parry, swish, clang, parry… I did my best, but my opponent had superior strength and reach. With experienced precision, Ironsides skewered my handguard and twisted the handle out of my grasp. He flicked it away through the air with enough force that it embedded itself in the mast. Then he stabbed his sword through my hindleg and into the deck. I shrieked in agony until he clasped my beak shut.

“Did you really think you could best me?” He laughed and stepped back, throwing his arms in the air. “I’m the Captain!”

He was in his own weight class. I needed something heavy. I needed…

Focusing, I changed into a unicorn. Shifting was especially painful with the blade in my calf. Ironsides wore an amused expression, which turned to worried realization when he saw the two cannons glow and float.

“What’s a Captain to a Commodore?” I put all I had into flinging the several tons of steel at the cyber-seadog, releasing the magic just before they hit so momentum would carry their full force.

Ironsides was slammed off the back corner of the deck, and into the fire of his rockets. One of the cannons fell onto the thruster, rending it heavily askew, and causing a dramatic change in course. The ship veered straight into the Statue of Friendship.

*****

I came to in a concussed daze. My leg was still skewered, and I was a hippogriff again. Debris was scattered about, and the masts had collapsed, but the ship was otherwise surprisingly intact. What concerned me was the approaching First Mate.

Judging by her wobble and limp, Purser was just as injured as me. She practically fell onto me, and I was helpless as she yanked the sword from my leg and lined the tip up with a gap between my chest plates. I let out a choked squawk as the sword was shoved upward through my torso. Bloody metal escaped out my collar, between my shoulder and neck. With better aim, it could have reached my brain. My world became a haze of pain.

Purser growled, her eyes narrow. “For… the… Captain…” Her gaze became unfocused as she collapsed onto me. I lost consciousness soon after.

*****

The blackness faded out into a familiar scene of a meadow beside a creek. Knight’s mindscape. I must have been brought back to Tenpony. The white alicorn smiled broadly as she noticed me.

“Oh, thank Celestia!” She trotted forward and pulled me into a shockingly soft and warm embrace, repeatedly kissing my head. “You made me so worried! After so long without any brain activity… I thought you wouldn’t make it.”

No brain activity… “I was dead!?”

“Technically, yes.” She sat and tapped her hooves together. “There was a lot of damage. Your heart and one of your lungs had to be replaced. With no available hippogriff organs for transplant, we had to improvise. Congratulations, you’re a cyber-griff.”

I sat down, reeling. How would that affect my transformations? Could the Pearl compensate?

“That’s… not all.” Her tone worried me. “While working on you, I confirmed something I suspected earlier. A preexisting neural condition.”

Blinking, I cocked my head.

Her face became serious. “You have repeatedly displayed antisocial, impulsive behavior. You have a callous, remorseless disregard for others beyond what they can offer you. You lie and manipulate as easily as you breathe. Let’s state the obvious. There’s something wrong with you.”

“I’ve… had to be that way…” Most of that has been a matter of survival and completing my mission.

She sighed. “It isn’t your fault. When I said you could have resisted the Darkness in Limbo, I was wrong. You couldn’t have. You lack the capacity. Rosegold, you’re a psychopath.”

“A… psychopath.” I’m not… I’m not insane!

“A high-functioning psychopath, specifically,” she elaborated. “Your amygdala is severely underdeveloped. A birth defect, caused by the toxic conditions your mother worked in while pregnant with you. Couple that with your stressed upbringing and career, it’s a wonder your condition isn’t worse than it is.” How deep into my memories did she search? Knight put a wing around me. “I can treat it, but I want your permission.”

“Treat… What kind of treatment?” This was overwhelming.

“There are two options, one permanent, the other conditional. The permanent fix is extensive brain surgery. This option poses substantial risk. Your memories, personality, all you are could get reset.” That didn’t sound good at all. “The conditional fix, which I would recommend, is an implant that wirelessly links your brain to my core processors. I could devote part of myself to acting as an artificial amygdala. As long as you’re in range, you could properly process empathic emotions you previously couldn’t.”

“That also sounds risky. Would I be susceptible to your IFF? Attack any zebra I see?” I didn’t want to become a time bomb.

“Actually,” her tone brightened. “The opposite will occur. As long as I’m with you, linked to the implant, I can use your mind to override the IFF. There’d be… mild discomfort in the presence of zebras, but I’d be safe around them.”

I couldn’t help but feel she was playing into my logical, tactical sensibilities to benefit herself. If it worked, though, it was the kind of solution we brought her here for.

“Plus, we could have these conversations whenever you like,” she said with a pleasant smile.

I considered it for a long while, weighing my options, then sighed. “Okay… Go ahead with the implant. If you think it will help.” She grinned wide and hugged me tight. “What happened in Friendship City?” I wanted to change the subject. I needed to distract myself from all of this.

“Firstly, Gritt is okay. Those zebras saved him. Secondly, Purser was the only seadog who survived the attack. She is being kept in her ship’s brig, and is being interrogated by Gritt and Slash for information on Ironsides’ clients.”

If I survived, it made sense she did as well. “Will she hang?”

“Oddly enough, Gritt wants her to serve time at Arbu. I thought he of all people would allow her to be executed. He hasn’t shown mercy to other raiders and slavers since we’ve been traveling together.” It was odd. Maybe Slash convinced him to?

“I… I think I’m ready. For the implant. Will the surgery take long?”

“A few hours. I’ll stay right here with you.”

*****

My head and body ached, but the pain wasn’t debilitating. I was in Tenpony’s small but well-equipped surgery center. Knight stood over me, metal and robotic. The sight of her made me feel odd. Warm. She looked happy, and that made me happy. She helped me get dressed in the suit I wore the other day, then led me to the elevators, explaining that Gritt and Slash had returned and were waiting in the Athenaeum.

Slash hugged me carefully when she saw me, and I felt her joy with her. Is this what I’d been missing? This was… nice. Overwhelmingly so. Tears welled up in my eyes. Gritt smiled at me, and the sight of the scar in his neck made me wince. In this instance, empathy wasn’t so pleasant.

“I think the implant is working, but I’d like to really test it.” Knight sat and opened her claws, magic glowing from them. “A stress test, using a strong, emotional memory. Would… either of you like to volunteer?”

Slash started to open her mouth, but Gritt approached and raised a talon. “I’ve got some.”

Knight put one claw on the griffon’s head, and the other on mine. “Any memory in particular?”

“Fillydelphia. Day of Sunshine and Rainbows.”

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

Footnote:
Welcome to Level 10!

Perk Added: Cy-bird! Your mechanical heart and lung increase your poison resistance by 50%.

Companion Perk Added: Synthetic Empathy! Due to your new implant, you gain +5 Charisma when traveling with Knight. Caution; the suffering of others now registers on an emotional level.

Chapter 12: Remembrance

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 12: Remembrance

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

oooOOOooo

The basic, scoped hunting rifle in my tiny black arms was comically large in comparison, as was the helmet drooping down the side of my head. An anti-machine rifle would be more effective, but anyone with a brain would be kidding themselves thinking a twelve-year-old runt like me could even hold one. At least I had some fancy bypass rounds sent in from the Cathedral.

I was panting, drenched in the heavy rain, clutching my weapon as if it was my stuffed toy back at home. Glancing in the direction of the false barn at the center of the old amusement park, I wondered if I should find mom. No… she was busy, and she’d told me to stay at my post no matter what. There were orders to engage the pegasi in the air once they arrived, but my partner, a griffoness named Jade, and I were personally exempted by the Captain.

Word of Red Eye’s death at the Cathedral spread like wildfire over the radio, which put Captain Stern in charge. Everyone knew what that kind of loss meant for our chances, but the arrival of a colossal cyber dragon allied to us gave us hope.

This was going to be the first combat I’d seen, but I’ve been an excellent shot at the practice range ever since I could hold a gun. Mom was always proud, and said I’d be Talon’s best sniper. I intended to live up to her expectations.

Rubbing my eyes, not realizing I’d been crying, I asked my partner for a smoke. She obliged and lit it for me. She lit one for herself and took a drag. “Can’t believe fledglings are being thrown into this… But I guess this is an all-claws-on-deck situation. You’re a damn good shot, though.” She rubbed my shoulder, and I felt calmer.

*****

Then we heard the music. The booming classical Enclave anthem began to echo through the city. I snuffed my cigarette and took a prone shooting stance. My right claw was on the trigger, the left stabilizing the rifle, and my right wing ready to operate the bolt and load rounds. My left did its best to keep rain out of my eyes. My heart beat hard in my chest.

“Thunderhead! Incoming Thunderhead, and at least a dozen Raptors!” The radio operator from the third platoon was just as terrified as I was. All at once, the hulking flying machines descended from the black clouds. One agonizingly calm moment passed, then all hell broke loose.

Our artillery barely deterred the Cloudships, and their powerful magical beam cannons began obliterating Filly’s skyline, raining debris on our forces. Only the dragon managed to destroy one of the ships. My bell tower foxhole was tucked away enough not to get hit, but had a good view of most of the fighting. Airborne griffons were quickly decimated and forced to retreat into buildings. As soon as pegasi started to descend in their black carapace armor, I opened fire.

My partner got to work calling out shots, as I did for her, focusing on wing leaders. “Eleven o’clock, seven hundred yards.”

Crack!

“Two o’clock, three-fifty.”

Crack!

Cheers sang across our lines as Red Eye’s Cyberdragon took out a second Raptor. Our forces rallied, but it was short lived.

Terror began to set in after the Cyberdragon was slain, only having destroyed the two Raptors. I caught a glimpse of a Talon squad barely escaping the building it crashed into, only for one of their gunners to get vaporized by a pegasus who noticed them. If I saw that Enclave soldier faster, I could have… Damn it, it was pushing fifteen hundred yards, but I could have made the shot. Whoever you were, I’m sorry.

With most of our artillery destroyed, nothing could oppose the remaining fleet. A wing of pegasi blasted our foxhole in a hail of lasers. I've never been shot at before. All I could think to do was curl into a ball. I felt Jade throw herself on top of me, and then she wasn't there.

When I looked up… Jade was dead, and her body seemed to disintegrate in slow motion above me. Specialist Jade Brightwing. I’d known her for six years, my personal marksmanship trainer alongside mom. She was my closest friend. Her twisted face evaporating into pink dust was seared into my brain. I threw up.

Then, I blew the brains out of the pegasi who killed her.

My radio was also hit, leaving me in the dark regarding intel. Lieutenant Blackfeathers was about to say something about Captain Stern… No, no… Mom is fine. She has to be. She’s the toughest there is. Just focus on shooting…

*****

B O O M

The entire battle collectively froze as all of Fillydelphia was engulfed in a glowing green shockwave.

Was this a balefire bomb!? Was I about to die!? Were we all about to die!?

I dared a glance to the sky. We all did. The endless blue sky above us, with the sun shining bright, was revealed through a hole in the clouds that spanned the entire city.

The deafening crashes of Enclave cloudships falling into the buildings and streets snapped us out of it. Nearly all of the Raptors, and the Thunderhead, were disabled. Filled with renewed hope, we started a counterattack against the pegasi.

My right eye stayed locked open, staring through my scope as one winged pony dropped after another. A large group managed to get close, having gone through a collapsed building, catching me by surprise. They were only thirty yards away, far too close for comfort. Staying low, I swung around and took aim.

“Sixty-two, sixty-three, sixty-four…”

Then, pain. Pain, and blinding light. The group of pegasi and griffons in front of me were replaced by an eruption of solar fire from the sky, having shot through one of the remaining Raptors above us. I was outside the immediate blast, but I was looking through a tube of magnifying glass…

I couldn’t even hear myself scream as I fell backwards, kicking and writhing, clutching the semi-cauterized flesh that used to be my eye. Blood streamed down one side of my head, tears down the other. Everything went black as I passed out.

*****

I wasn’t sure for how long. It could have been hours. Felt like it. It was dark and raining again when I came to. And quiet, aside from an occasional shot in the distance. Looking around with disorientating half-vision, I couldn’t see anyone else alive. I searched my bag and downed healing potions until my face stopped bleeding. When my eye didn’t get better, I screamed and cursed. It was gone. All the potions did was smooth over the scar tissue.

Dragging my rifle behind me, the scope now a melted slag, I walked towards the command center. Eventually, I saw other Talons, nearly all of them injured, looting and discussing what they should do.

“No point sticking around here. Might as well fold in with Grimfeathers or Blackwing” Others expressed similar sentiments. What were they talking about? They’re under Stern’s contract! They can’t just leave!

I picked up my pace, and noticed griffons I recognized giving me pained glances.

“Oh, great, her runt survived.”

“Should we tell him what Lieutenant Blackfeathers announced? After Gawdyna showed up?”

“He’ll figure it out.”

A sickening panic filled me, and I unfurled my wings and took flight. A group of griffons were bartering for a familiar rifle and set of armor. Those don’t belong to them! Unless… No, no, no….

Time stopped when I saw her. My wings quit working, and I fell into the mud. My numb limbs carried me forward to her broken body.

“M-mom…” My tiny voice was barely a choked chirp. “Mama…” I touched a claw to her face, an expression of shock and pain etched forever to it. The way her body was contorted, her spine had certainly been snapped. Hoofprints were indented in her back. No one had even bothered to close her eyes. She can’t be…

I pressed my claws to her chest and began to do compressions, but the sickening noise of shattered ribs nearly made me vomit. I tried to pour a healing potion into her beak, but another Talon snatched it from me and downed the rest of it.

“Save these for the living, you stupid fucking cyclops.”

*****

One by one, the bystanders shuffled off. With each passing minute, the weight in my chest sank deeper. I collapsed into her onyx coat, sobbing. Stern was dead. My mother was dead.

I couldn’t leave her like this, stripped and forgotten in the rain. There was no way I could get her to the incinerators across town, assuming they were even standing. Damn it, why would no one help me? Did they all hate her that much? Couldn’t even be bothered to lay her to rest? I had to do… something.

After closing her eyes, I got a pair of long coats from my bag and put them over her. Over the next hour, my small, weak body dragged stones and slabs of concrete to bury her in.

I placed a twisted piece of rebar as a marker, and struggled to shove my heart down my throat enough to speak.

“In all our contracts, there are three clauses for ending service in Talon Company. Serving your tour, dismissal by the… or losing your life in its service. By giving your life, you have fulfilled your contract and are now absolved of all duties.”

The sky was opening again as I finished. All of it this time. Tears welled up in my remaining eye, and I collapsed onto my mother’s grave, wailing and sobbing.

What a terrible day for sunshine.

oooOOOooo

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

Chapter 13: You Gotta Care

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 13: You Gotta Care

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

Coming back to the real world, I felt tears on my cheeks. I took a breath, and exhaled a fit of sobs. The weight in my chest followed me from Gritt’s memory. Knight stepped away from us, and I wrapped my arms and wings tightly around the griffon before he could speak. I squeezed him, ignoring the pain it caused my bruised body.

He wasn’t crying. He was completely calm. I felt his claws pat my sides.

“Rosegold. It was twelve years ago. I’m fine.” He spoke in a soothing tone. Gritt was consoling me, even though this was his pain. “Yeah, Knight, I’m pretty sure the implant works.”

I let him go and wiped my eyes. “How… How could you put yourself through that again?”

He raised his brow. “Put myself through that again? It’s a memory, Rosegold. I’ve carried that baggage this whole time.”

Slash looked very annoyed to be out of the loop, but one look at my tears told her she didn’t really want to know.

Knight spoke up. “If I may, perhaps a trip to the spa is in order? That memory may have been… overkill. You must be very stressed.”

I nodded and stepped towards the door, then stopped. “I’m still waterproof, right? My cybernetics won’t electrocute me or something?”

Gritt snickered, and Knight answered. “I’d recommend avoiding pulse grenades, but a bath is perfectly safe.”

*****

The hot bath and massage were very welcome. I had the stallion this time, and got his name. Reiki-Reiki. To his surprise, I asked a lot about him. It felt nice to learn about the stranger’s life and family. It felt good to care. The two mares were apparently twins named Tapo and Tement, and were his younger sisters. The three had lived at Tenpony their whole lives, the spa having been passed down their family for generations. Such a simple, pure life.

A kind of life that was out of reach for so many, throughout the wasteland, and even within Hippogriffia. Most of my kind toiled as laborers. A tiny minority were farmers, making use of rare strips of fertile land. Mariners had the most dangerous jobs, putting themselves at risk of being devoured by sea beasts, to supply our people with vital protein. They were as revered as our military. Mining was dangerous as well, but garnered little respect. The ultracite miners were constantly exposed to toxic fumes and potential cave ins. The causes of my parents’ deaths.

Reiki-Reiki paused and asked if I was alright, cleaning a tear from my eye. I assured him that I was fine. I hadn’t felt anything when I became an orphan. I’d chalked it up to being mature for my age. But now I know I hadn’t mourned because I didn’t have the ability to…

Apologizing, I cut my spa visit short, drying my cheeks before tipping the confused stallion.

*****

Gritt was alone in his room when I walked in, sitting beside the open display case. He had the whip, his mother’s whip, in his claws again. Only now, he was pulling it apart, strip by strip, and wrapping the leather around the wood of his rifle. He glanced at me, but paid me no mind and continued his work. His left cheek was stained. The memory had affected him after all, he just kept it to himself in front of us. I got a rag from his bathroom and cleaned it.

“What was she like? Stern?” I sat beside him. “As a mother, I mean. I’ve read what history has to say about her.”

He looked at me blankly. “You’re shitting me, right?” He sighed when he realized my question was genuine. “She was… difficult. Hard to please, and no stranger to corporal punishment. She constantly pushed me to be stronger than I could be, not to let my size be an excuse to be useless. Pretty sure she wanted me to replace her some day.”

He pulled out a smoke, then rubbed the scar on his neck and put it back. “She was also protective. Luna help anyone who laid a single hoof or claw on her baby boy besides her.” The griffon let out a fit of snickers, recollecting something. “Oh, man, she even punched Red Eye in the fucking face once. Most amazing thing I ever saw her do. Bastard was complaining about having a runt in his army. Didn’t want weak links. When he threatened to send me to Doc Slaughter for upgrades, mom turned his good eye black.”

“I doubt he took kindly to that.” From what I’d read, the infamous slaver didn’t seem the type to let that slide.

Gritt nodded. “He took us to the practice range. Mom had always hyped up how good of a shot I was. Red Eye told her if I didn’t surpass his standards, he’d have us both killed.” He chuckled again. “I set a course record that never got beat. That shut him the fuck up. Mom even hugged me in front of him. She never hugged me in front of others.”

My friend’s smile faded into a long sigh. “I hate her so much.” My expression beckoned him to elaborate. “Her death wasn’t Red Eye’s fault. Or Xenith’s, or Xephyr’s… It was hers. She had to know how the life she chose to lead was going to end. She knew I’d lose her. I guess she just thought I’d be ready to take the hit by the time it happened.” His scowl narrowed. “She left me with nothing. No one. Without her protecting me… It was rough. Crimson at least had the decency to help me get out and go legit.”

“I can’t believe the NCR deals with people like him, even off the books.” It didn’t seem like the Grimfeathers would approve. I also thought he’d like a change in subject.

“It’s mostly Sabre Whiteclaw.” I wasn’t familiar. Gritt explained. “He’s the elected Rep for the NCR’s territory in Filly. Migrant from the west coast, so peeps knew he had no connections to Red Eye. As posh and haughty as a griffon can be, fancies himself an aristocrat. Claims to descend from royalty, though most don’t take that seriously. He ran for President against Gawd twice, almost won the second time. I think enough creatures knew he was shady to keep him from winning. Even so, he’s got a lot of unofficial influence here in the Manehattan territory, especially at Arbu. He’s making a big push to get elected here and leave Filly.”

I gestured to the posh tower we were sitting in. “I can see why. Fillydelphia can’t possibly have luxury like this.”

“It really doesn’t.” Gritt returned to his work, and I went to bed.

*****

I had a dream that night. Rather, a nightmare. I’d never dreamed before, and Knight told me it was part of my condition. After this, I considered asking her to turn off the implant’s connection when I slept.

I was in Klugetown, on my knees and bound. As were Slash, Gritt, Ginger, Washout, Lilith… almost everyone I’d helped. Even Knight, in her flesh and blood form, was chained and helpless as Storm soldiers patrolled around us.

Spinella approached through the rain, with the Storm King beside her. The massive, ghoulified white biped, with an ultracite crown upon his head, took a weapon from Spinella and stepped close.

“I see you’ve captured the traitor and his wasteland compatriots.” His voice was raspy but no less booming and commanding. He clasped my beak in his grasp. “Where is the Pearl?”

I couldn’t answer. My beak was fused shut. It had no opening.

He snapped his finger. Ginger was executed. The sound of a bitter wail was muffled by my non-mouth.

He kept asking. I continued to be incapable of answering. Unable to save my friends as their lives were ended in front of me. Knight was the last to fall. She was tough. It took a few shots to kill her. I was inconsolable as I watched her suffer.

Out of patience, he turned the weapon on me. “No matter if you won’t tell me. With you out of the picture, I’ll find it quickly enough.”

The deafening flash of violet woke me.

*****

My jolting awake practically tossed Gritt off of my chest, sending him to the other end of the bed with a squawk. He landed on Slash’s tail, which woke her with a start. I apologized to both, trying to catch my breath, overjoyed to see them alive. They relaxed when I told them I had a bad dream, but I didn’t go into what I saw.

Changing the subject, “Did Homage ever get in touch with Spike?” It’s something I should have asked sooner.

Gritt stretched and yawned. “Yeah, he’ll be in Junction Town tomorrow. I was gonna suggest we start heading that way today.”

“Want to take the boat? I’m kind of sick of flying everywhere.” Slash’s suggestion left me confused.

“The… boat?” Is she suggesting what I think she is?

Slash nodded. “The one you crashed, Ironsides’ ship. Friendship City’s already got it fixed and back in the harbor. After our help saving the town, they offered to give it to us as payment.”

That sounded brilliant. Transport and housing, all in one. With substantial firepower to boot, aside from the two cannons I sent into the sea. It’d take some time to get the stink of seadog out of it, but it was worth it.

“What about Purser?” Gritt asked. “NCR hasn’t had time to pick her up yet.”

That was strange. I thought Arbu was close to Manehattan. What’s the holdup?

“Well…” I offered, “we could just take her with us. Maybe drop her off at Arbu ourselves. Or even keep her. She knows a lot more about that ship than we do, and we might end up needing her help with it.”

Gritt looked perplexed. “She tried to kill you, and you’re thinking of adding her to the team?”

“Technically, she did kill me. After I killed everyone she knew.” Sheesh, maybe Slash’s misplaced sympathy was rubbing off on me. Curse this implant. Or maybe it’s something less innocent. I did think she was cute. “Maybe she considers us even.”

Gritt looked unconvinced but willing to give it a shot. “That’s the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard, but dog logic can be weird like that… Whatever, but I will blow her head off if she tries something.”

Slash, as I expected, agreed with me. “She’s young. A second chance is better than a cell or a noose. Ironsides was the one making deals with slavers, not her.”

Gritt huffed. “If I had a cap for every time I’ve heard the ‘just following orders’ excuse…”

*****

An hour later, we had geared up and headed off. Knight followed us out in an invisibility field. I had forgotten Assault-Mares could do that. It didn’t take the four of us long to reach Friendship City, though we approached carefully for Knight’s sake. The zebra volunteers were still here. It was now or never if what she said about the implant was true.

The alicorn android adorned in a recreation of Nightmare Moon’s armor had the effect I expected on the striped population. They stumbled over each other, eyes wide, shouting about curses. She kept her head low in shame. As Knight predicted, I was getting a headache, but it was manageable. It was certainly worth it if it meant this stroll through town didn’t become a bloodbath.

When Xenith saw her, she nearly fainted, stammering zebra-speak gibberish. “W-What is that!?”

“This is our friend, Knight.” Slash took the lead on this. “She’s not bad. She’s actually very nice. Please give her a chance.”

The zebra glanced at Gritt, who simply gave her a nod. Knight carefully offered a wing, not trusting her weaponized hooves. Her face couldn’t express it, but I knew she was far more terrified than any zebra here. Xenith, with extreme apprehension, shook it. Other zebras witnessing the exchange murmured to each other, then calmed and went about their business.

Xenith then looked at me. “You. You survived. You were lifeless when you left.”

I nodded towards the alicorn. “Knight’s an incredible doctor.” I tapped my chest. “Had to give me a new heart and lung, but she saved me.” I glanced between her and Gritt. “We should be going. Thank you for the ship. And, please, give Xephyr my thanks for saving my friend.” Xenith smiled.

*****

Ironsides’ ship was resting in the harbor. The residents had done a stunningly impressive job repairing it in such a short time, and even restocked it for us. They didn’t have fuel for the rockets, but I was perfectly comfortable not going on that kind of ride again. Below deck, a handful of FC security ponies were keeping watch over the brig. Purser looked like she saw a ghost when I trotted up to her.

“I… I killed you! You were dead!” Her voice was full of shock, but surprisingly not anger.

“Yeah, for about three hours. I got better.” I was still having a hard time believing it myself. “I came to inform you that this ship belongs to me. I am the captain now. So, tell me, where do your loyalties lie?”

Purser took in my words, a variety of emotions playing across her pretty face as she thought it over. “With the captain.” She took off her tricorn and held it to her heart.

“Then get us ready to sail upriver. Our destination is Junction Town.” I had security unlock her cell and depart. Gritt kept a hand on his pistol, not letting the seadog out of his sight.

Purser definitely knew her way around, managing ropes, unfurling the sails, et cetera. Slash helped her raise the anchor. I took the helm, having plenty of experience commanding vessels, and Gritt flew up to the crow’s nest. Knight stood at my side as a navigator. Once we were on our way, Slash chatted up the seadog, wanting to learn how to sail. Not wanting a useless crewmate, she obliged.

*****

The Gilded Gull, as Purser informed us the ship was named, wasn’t massive. It’d be classified as a brigandine, only having two masts and one subdeck. My captains’ quarters were small, mostly taken up by a large bed and desk clearly meant for their previous owner. Bedding below deck was limited, mostly replaced with cargo storage. Friendship City had removed all of the slave shackles that had been bolted into the floor, walls, and ceiling, leaving only the small brig cell that Purser had been kept in. The Gull still had plenty of room for the five of us.

The seadog surprised me with another bit of information on the ship. It was originally built by hippogriffs, over three centuries ago. With the state the ship was in, I thought it was built within the last decade or so. For over three-hundred, it was in remarkable condition. The rockets, of course, were a recent addition, but mostly everything else was genuine hippogriff craftsmanship. I had some idea of my ancestors having a navy, but I’d imagined small, crude fishing vessels. The Gull was no Storm Cruiser, but it was impressive for its time nonetheless.

In a footlocker at the edge of the bed, I found Purser’s sword, the one that had been flung into the mast. I had Ironsides’ sword with me, wrapped in canvas. The blade that killed me. My companions didn’t dare remove it from my body until I was in Tenpony’s surgery center. Both weapons should probably stay locked up here for the time being. I trusted Purser not to wreck the Gull, but I didn’t trust her with a weapon. Then again, I needed something for melee, and my new companion’s cutlass was just the right size for me. Another gift from Friendship City was my scatter laser. Someone had found it and repaired it for me. It was like new. I gave it a pat and apologized again for breaking it.

*****

We covered a lot of distance by the time night fell, and would reach Junction Town by early morning. Knight stayed on the helm. Purser slept below deck. Gritt slept in the nest. Slash offered to help me break in the bed, and I obliged. Enjoying our afterglow, I held and nuzzled the dragon.

“You want to sleep with Purser, don’t you?” Slash’s question caught me off guard.

I shrugged. “She’s attractive. I’m not sure she wouldn’t snap my neck in my sleep, but… I had the same fear about you.”

“That’d be a dumb way to get killed. Again.” She laid back, looking thoughtful for a while. “Out of curiosity, what are we?” Another unexpected question. “I mean, are we some kind of polycule, or…”

I wasn’t sure how to answer. All my life, sex has just been sex, something to enjoy with people I found attractive, or something to exchange with a subordinate or superior. There was nothing deeper to it. Until I got the empathy implant. The past two nights, sharing affection with people I cared for was such a better experience. Even retroactively, thinking back on my night with Ginger. I’d helped her and saved her and slept with her for completely selfish reasons. I wished I could do it over again with better intentions.

That being said, I wasn’t sure I ‘loved’ Slash or Gritt. I cared about them. I enjoyed being affectionate with them. But love wasn’t something I understood.

“You, uh, got an answer? Because I’m starting to think you’re making a harem out of us.” The dragon broke me out of my thoughts.

I shook my head. “No, it’s nothing like… That makes it sound like I’m just… Honestly, I think I’m just a slut.”

Slash snorted. “Okay, I wasn’t expecting you to just admit it.” Oh, she already thought that of me? Then again, counting Hollow Shades (despite my lack of consciousness), I’d gotten laid by at least as many different people as I’ve spent days in Equestria. How could I call myself anything else?

“Maybe it’s the only way you know how to feel close to people. At least, before what Knight did to your brain. Psychopathy sounds… really lonely.” I didn’t think she was wrong.

I pressed myself to her, hugging her waist and nuzzling her chest. She held me tight in return. “I’ll probably have a bad dream again.”

She chuckled. “Then it’s a good thing you’re cuddled up to me and not the little guy. You’d launch him into the water.”

We shared a laugh, and drifted to sleep.

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

Footnote:
Welcome to Level 11!

Perk Added: Swashbuckler! If you’re going to set sail towards adventure, you should act the part! You gain a permanent +25 to your speech, small guns, and melee skills.

Chapter 14: Family Matters

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 14: Family Matters

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

Purser and Slash got to work furling the sails and dropping anchor as we reached a riverbank nearest to Junction Town. The seadog would stay on the Gull, while the rest of us flew the rest of the way. An NCR patrol met us halfway and spoke to Gritt.

“At your nearest convenience, President Grimfeathers wants to speak to you. She’s got a job for you.” The trooper glanced at all of us. “For your whole group, actually.”

“Sounds important.” Gritt pondered. “Is the big guy there yet?”

They shook their head. “You should have plenty of time to talk to Gawd before he arrives.”

*****

The capital of the New Canterlot Republic was a bustling, thriving community built from a railway junction, giving it its name. There were an even greater variety of creatures here, and more of them, than the Hub. I became a bit uncomfortable as I saw alicorns trotting and flying about, since my initial claim to fame on DJ’s radio was helping kill one. Hopefully they didn’t hold anything against me for hunting a crazed brahmin-murderer. Thankfully, they found Knight far more interesting than me, marveling at their metal doppelganger. My companion shared a regal bow with each she met.

JT’s town center consisted of a collection of railway cars converted into buildings. One in particular was decorated as a sort of memorial. Littlepip’s first home in the wasteland. I gave the nearest SPP tower a solemn, respectful glance, and quietly apologized for my intrusion earlier that month.

A thought crossed my mind. Fluttershy lives here, doesn’t she? She was actually in Canterlot when the bombs fell. Ditzy’s mate, Lionheart, was there too. If there was any chance either of them saw Skystar… That could wait. From what I read, both were difficult to speak to for different reasons. I didn’t want to risk upsetting the former with painful memories, and the latter would cause hearing damage.

“Daddy!” The excited, high pitched squeal, followed by the sight of a tiny green blur snapped me out of my thoughts. A wide smile appeared on Gritt’s face as he opened his arms wide, just before the blur slammed into him, knocking him over.

Both laughed and nuzzled each other. “Jade! I missed you too, sweety.” Gritt hugged his daughter tightly. Jade’s coat was mostly green, contrasted by a white belly and black accents. Her eyes were green-aqua.

“You got hurt.” The fledgling rubbed her father’s new scar, looking worried.

“I’m fine, sweetheart.” He gave her another tight hug, then got up and carried her on his back. “Besides, it’s my job to worry about you. Not the other way around. You keeping up with school?”

Jade pouted. “Yeah. Momma won’t let me skip class.”

Gritt chuckled. “She better not. Why are you trying to skip class?”

“Surprise picks on me…” The fledgling pouted harder.

“She does? Well, don’t let it get you. She’s the only alicorn in that school, so it must be hard for her to make friends.” Gritt tapped his chin. “Your momma still makes those cheddar biscuits you really like?” Jade nodded and chirped happily. “Bring some for Surprise next time you go to class. I’m sure she’ll get along with you better.”

Griffons did not have a reputation for fatherhood. Gritt didn’t know his dad. Most griffons don’t. Mating was generally a one-and-done exchange. But he did say he wanted to be an exception.

*****

Gawdyna’s office was quaint, functional and organized. The professional suit she wore looked somewhat odd on the mature former-mercenary. Like Gritt, she only had one eye, though it was her left eye that was damaged rather than her right. Judging by the long scar stretching down the left side of her face and across her beak, it had been sliced out rather than burned in my friend’s case.

She was all-business as she looked up at us from her paperwork. “Let’s get straight to it. I know you’ve got another pending appointment.” She cleared her throat and looked at Gritt. “I need you to spy on Whiteclaw. I’m convinced he’s up to more than just using old warlords to round up and transport prisoners for cheap.”

“Spying isn't really my forte, Gawd.” Gritt looked apprehensive. “My skill set doesn’t really fit.”

“You’ve got a shapeshifter and a robot that can turn invisible in your party.” Gawdyna was certainly well-informed. “I’m sure you’ll manage.”

“I might need a little more to go on. Unless you expect me to just follow him around… You know I won’t go near Filly.” Gritt’s expression hardened.

“I’m not asking you to. My suspicions have to do with him getting Red Eye’s factories up and running so fast.” Yeah, that would certainly raise eyebrows. “I thought it would have taken far longer. I’m not concerned with how he gets the labor, that appears to all be on the up-and-up. Safe conditions, reasonable hours, good pay… Even the prison labor from Arbu is legit. What worries me is materials. Whiteclaw says he imports everything he can’t get locally from mines his family owns out west.”

“And you think the mines are shady?” I asked.

“I’ve had scouts track some of the slavers we’ve been having issues with.” Gawd narrowed her eye. “Guess what direction they come and go from.”

“You want us to see if it's more than coincidence,” Slash perceived. Gawd nodded.

“I’d handle it, but I’m pretty sure the prissy bastard knows I’m on to him.” The President rubbed her brow. “I bet he knows the operation is close to getting found out, and he’s trying to move to Manehattan so whoever takes his place in Filly gets the blame.”

Gritt pondered. “I wonder if that has anything to do with him throwing out Crimson. Cutting ties, covering tracks.”

Gawd’s face flinched for a split-second at the name. “Wouldn’t shock me.”

My feathered companion looked at me. “Well, we need to go that way at some point. You said Reinier was on that list of yours, yeah?” I nodded, not realizing the spot was way out west. “Then we’ll see what we can find out around Seaddle.”

Gawdyna smiled. “Good. That settles-” She was interrupted by the sound of massive wings beating the sky, then the low rumble of a fully grown dragon landing nearby. “Ah. There’s your next appointment.”

*****

I’d met plenty of young dragons, captives brought to Aris, but I’d never seen a full sized one before. Spike was… enormous. At least the size of the Gilded Gull. I suddenly doubted our navy’s capacity to fight these. No wonder our conquest’s progress was slow. The purple dragon regarded me with a suspicious gaze, so he was likely up to date on current events. His expression towards Slash, however, was odd. It was as if he couldn’t tell if he recognized her or not.

Slash’s expression, conversely, was easy to identify. Contempt. “Nice to finally meet you, thief.”

Spike cringed with realization. “Oh…”

The small dragon had a fire in her eyes that seemed to legitimately intimidate the creature a hundred times her size. “Where. The fuck. Is it.”

Spike rubbed the back of his neck and laughed nervously. “You know, those were Ember’s exact words when she busted down Canterlot Castle’s front door…”

“Oh yeah, grandma told me all about it. Heartbreaker. Traitor.” Her gaze narrowed into dragon-slaying blades. “Grandfather.”

The larger dragon broke, his good eye quivering (So many eye injuries.) “Twilight ordered me to take the Dragon Staff. I couldn’t just say no to her.”

“But then you kept it even after the world blew up!” There was more than anger behind Slash’s words. “Why didn’t you bring it back?”

“I couldn’t fly all the way to the Dragon Lands, I had to keep watch over Gardens.” Everyone here knew how important that was.

“And after it was activated?” Slash crossed her arms. “What was stopping you then?”

“The Enclave took it!” Spike paused and composed himself. “At the Battle of Dragon Mountain.”

Slash’s eyes went wide, jaw dropping. That was the worst news she could have possibly heard.

Spike continued. “I don’t think they know what it is. They’d be using it if they did. Instead, they took it west.”

Gritt spoke up. “Oh, great, another reason to head that way.” He thought for a moment. “Well, no wonder you never took it back. Gustave Le Grand would have blown you away.”

“Who’s that?” I asked, putting a wing around Slash, trying to calm her.

Spike answered. “Not who, what. Well, it was named after a famous griffon chef… Anyway, it’s a massive artillery piece the Enclave built on top of Reinier, after they took Stable 14 and turned it into a base.”

Which means we can’t take the Gull all the way there. We’d be safe taking it to Seaddle, but approaching the nearby mountain wasn’t an option.

*****

Slash and Spike were left to try and reconcile with each other. She’d been taught to hate Spike, but deep down she desperately wanted to connect with the family she never met. As did he. He asked about his and Ember’s child, a son Ember named Glaive. A son he never met. Who he’d never get to meet.

When Slash told him that Glaive, and her uncle, Garble, were both killed by the Enclave shortly before she came to Equestria, Spike was inconsolably heartbroken. Seeing such a powerful creature so shaken with grief overwhelmed me. I started towards him, to try and help him, but an older yellow pegasus with a pink mane beat me to him. Fluttershy hugged Spike’s snout tight, wiping his eye with her wing. I couldn’t imagine how this loss must have hit Ember. With everything she’d likely been through the last two centuries, her mental state was probably deteriorating fast.

My empathic outburst was distracted by the Ministry Mare of Peace. The creator of Megaspells. I definitely won’t bring that up if I talk to her. That or Everfree, Killing Joke, the War in general, or… There were a lot of things that could trigger her. Maybe I just shouldn’t speak to her at all.

Instead, I hugged Slash as tight as I could. This was the first I’d heard about her father and uncle. She was sobbing just as much as Spike. I took her towards the market. A hot meal might cheer her up.

*****

The aromas of the market did a lot to calm us both. It wasn’t long before I caught the scent of the cheddar biscuits Gritt had mentioned to his daughter. The pair were sitting down at a food stall as a female griffon about Gritt’s age brought them plates of food. She looked like Jade, except her coat and feathers were dark blue rather than green.

“Thanks, Gwen.”

“Thanks, momma!”

Gwen wore a stained apron over a jumpsuit as she toiled around her ovens and stoves, giving her mate and daughter a smile before rushing to her next customers. “What’ll you two have? I’ve got greens and whatnot, but you look like ze rat and biscuits type.” Judging by her accent, I suspected that Ponish wasn’t her first language.

“That sounds… good.” I gave Slash a glance, and she simply shrugged.

The blue griffon took twenty caps from us and got cooking. The rodents of unusual size she roasted and seasoned for us were far tastier than I expected, and the biscuits were heavenly. She sold us a pair of ice cold beers to finish our meal, which Slash and I enjoyed.

Gritt gave Jade a fatherly glare when the fledgling asked for one as well. Gwen laughed and exchanged a brief conversation with her daughter in Old Griffish that ended in giggles. Our friend glanced between them with a raised brow.

“Did you teach her Griffish so you could have secret conversations right in front of me?” Gwen gave Gritt a devilish smile, and he looked down at Jade and gave a fake pout. “Your mother is so mean to me.”

*****

I thought about what Gritt said about Stern. How she left him with no one. He won’t do that to his daughter. He knows he lives a violent life that could end any day, so he surrounds Jade with a whole community who cares about her. In the meantime he cherishes every moment with her he can get, so if something happens she has plenty of good memories.

Finishing my pint, I set it down and turned to Slash. “Is your mother alright?”

The dragon nodded. “Smolder’s tough. She took it hard, but she won’t let grief destroy her. When I left, she was focused on keeping Ember from falling apart.” Her face dropped. “She lost her mate and her brother. And I…” Her eyes welled up again and I held her. “I blamed Ember. I told her it was her fault. She lost her son and I had the fucking audacity to tell her it was her fault.” She rubbed her chest. “I deserved to lose my name.”

Realization washed over me. “You didn’t leave the Dragon Lands on your own. You were banished.” My friend could only nod before she fell into my chest, sobbing. The Dragon Staff was her only way home.

*****

Slash and I returned to the Gull late that night. She didn’t want to stay in Junction Town. I understood.

To our amusement, Purser was found cowering below deck. Spike apparently flew directly over the ship, terrifying her. We forgot to tell her we were here to talk to a giant dragon. She was also oddly quiet when we told her we were heading to Seaddle.

After a few stops, anyway.

First off, I wanted to go to Fillydelphia. For the shard there, of course, but also to see what I can find about Whiteclaw. Secondly, I wanted to hit Ponyville and Everfree on the way to Reinier. If we had to tangle with the Enclave, I wanted this Pearl as strong as possible. Canterlot was unfortunately too far out of the way, on a different river system, but I planned to hit it on the way back.

Some part of me was afraid of what I’d find in the old, shattered ruins of Equestria’s capital. More than likely, Skystar and Tempest were both killed by the Pink Cloud. I’d find their skeletons fused into stone catacombs by the necromantic magic. But if either of them ghoulified… I really should speak to Lionheart. After I find proper hearing protection. Maybe I’d also meet…

“Slash?” She looked up at me from the bed. I was hovering over the desk, making notes in my PipBuck. “I just thought you should know, your great-grandmother is still alive.”

She rubbed her eyes. “You mean, Spike’s mother?”

I smiled. “Just another tidbit from the Book of Littlepip. The dragon who lived in Canterlot ghoulified from the Pink Cloud, then got turned into a mouse twelve years ago.”

“...I feel like you’re making that up.”

*****

The little white mouse stared up at Slash with tiny pink eyes. The dragon stared back, still in utter disbelief of what I had told her. A magically air-tight hamster ball separated them, keeping Slash, and the rest of town, safe from Mouse’s deadly necromantic breath.

“I CANNOT KNOW FOR CERTAIN, BUT THE CATACOMBS WITHIN CANTERLOT’S MOUNTAIN MAY STILL BE INTACT.” Lionheart’s booming response to my question made Slash leap her full height into the air. I had preemptively put cotton in my ears and covered them with my claws for good measure.

“Thank you! I appreciate you telling me what you know!” I couldn’t tell if I was yelling or not. The former Luna’s Guard pony, whose ceremonial armor was fused into his gaunt, furless hide, gave a regal bow and returned home. The hamster ball rolled after him.

It took me a few moments to calm my racing heart. I knew the difference between sapient ghouls and feral zombies, but my trauma didn’t. Looking at Lionheart’s and Ditzy’s kind, smiling faces, all I could see was the rotting creature trying to bite my leg off. Could I ever face my King again without having a panic attack?

*****

Gritt invited me to talk to Gwen about Seaddle. She was apparently a migrant from there, same as Whiteclaw.

“Ze Enclave there are not like ze ones who attacked here. Different ponies. Ze live on ze surface, within Seaddle, amongst my kind.” Gwen explained that, before the war, Seaddle had the largest population of griffons outside Griffonstone. It’s why Stable 14, a stable dedicated exclusively to griffons, was built there.

“There’s generally a lot of hostility between eastern and western griffons.” Gritt spoke between sips of Cola. “East coast griffs descend mostly from Griffonstone mercenary families. Some even claim direct heritage to Gilda herself. West coast griffs are the families who wanted to stay out of the war. Cultural types, not fighters.”

“Griffons from ze east like to call us pompous, pony-loving sissies.”

“And griffons from the west call us uncultured, illiterate barbarians.”

Gwen furrowed her brow in worried thought. “They also hate zebras. As far as Seaddle is concerned, ze war never ended. Frequent attacks from Caesar's Remnants only reinforce this.”

“How does the Whiteclaw family tie into it? I understand they own mines in the area.” There must be a connection between this and the slavers’ interest in striped captives.

“Ze Whiteclaw family is… strange. Pierre Whiteclaw is their patriarch, and they run ze mines and much of Seaddle from Star Pin Tower, a high-class casino resort and restaurant.” Gwen looked upset. “There are disturbing rumors about them, but I should not gossip.”

That’s fine. I’m sure I’ll learn more from Sabre.

*****

Gritt was pleased he was not part of my plan to spy on Fillydelphia’s elected representative. Slash was less pleased that I wasn’t bringing her. Knight and I would handle it, using her invisibility and my shapeshifting to get into Sabre’s office. I might even try to charm him for information directly.

Besides, the area around Filly wasn’t the safest. Purser alone might not be enough to keep the Gilded Gull secure. A sniper and a fire-breather would help deter ne'er do wells.

Once we were all in agreement, we set sail.

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

Footnote:
No Level Up.

Chapter 15: Greed and Fear

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 15: Greed and Fear

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

Sailing back down river to the sea, then south to Fillydelphia’s coast took more than a day. Knight had found a chess set amongst Ironsides’ former belongings, and she and I passed the time challenging each other. I had a knack for strategy games, and the advanced android was surprised at how many times I managed to defeat her. Not easily, though. She was incredibly intelligent, and I’d bet at least one of the books at the Athenaeum was about this topic.

I also had the chance to properly speak to Purser. To make sure there wasn’t ill will between us, apologizing for killing so many of her kind. She assured me that’s just how things go in a pirate’s life. Ironsides wasn’t her first captain. Those seadogs weren’t her first crew. Now she had new ones. That’s just how it went.

She was slowly warming up to us, especially Slash, brazenly remarking how she wanted the dragon’s muzzle between her legs. Her ears folded when I told her she was barking up the wrong tree. I asked her if she was only interested in females, to which she replied she did have a preference, just not an exclusive one. She teased that I was girly enough to be her type. Thanks, I guess.

Changing the subject, I asked what she knew about the slave trade, especially the trading of zebras. She knew very little. Ironsides’ shift towards living cargo was a very recent one, and he was just an intermediary, dropping ponies and stripes off upriver just past Ponyville to unnamed clients. It didn’t sit well with her, admitting she briefly spent time as a slave as a pup, but she valued loyalty too much to go against her captain. To my surprise, she expressed gratitude for what I did. In a way, I freed her.

“If that’s how you feel, why did you kill me?”

“I had a concussion at the time. And I was angry. Forgive me for not thinking clearly.”

“I’ll forgive you over a bottle of rum.”

She recognized the intent of my smile, and followed me to bed. Slash smirked and mouthed the word ‘slut’ as we passed her on the deck. I grinned back, rolling my eyes.

*****

As we neared the city, I began to smell the smoke of industry. Gritt distracted himself by reading billboards he saw along the coast, and I got a glimpse into his odd sense of humor when we passed a vandalized one.

It was a Ministry of Peace ad, likely for a local hospital. Whatever had been written under Fluttershy’s smiling face had been completely altered.

The message now read, “Injured? Good! Fuck you, you injured piece of shit!” above directions to said hospital. Gritt was laughing hysterically in the crow’s nest, pounding a fist into the wood.

“Sheesh, raider stuff is usually too crass or lazy to be funny. But then you come across something like this…” He fell into another fit of laughter. I had to admit, it was a little funny. Still in poor taste, though.

“I doubt she’d find it amusing,” Slash scolded, pointing at the Ministry Mare’s face. “Seriously, we just saw her.”

“Hey, comedy’s just tragedy plus time. Don’t tell me two hundred years is too soon.” Gritt tried to compose himself, still snickering.

The dragon folded her arms. “To someone who lived that long, it might be.”

Gritt took her point and hushed. Knight guided the ship to a reasonable place to dock.

*****

Fillydelphia wasn’t nearly as dreary as I imagined it to be. Smog from the factories was unpleasant, but industry had done much to restore roads and buildings in the residential and business districts.

I decided to take the form of a unicorn, and dressed in a simple pressed suit that hid my blank flank. Knight followed me off the ship and activated her stealth field. My story was that I was a prospective new investor from Tenpony, looking to aid Sabre’s political campaign in Manehattan.

Guards paid the unarmed stallion no mind, simply asking for my name and why I was here for their records. My name for the time being was Poppyholt.

The NCR embassy wasn’t hard to find, a restored office building adorned with the faction flag, an image of a two-headed ursa. After convincing the red-visored troopers at the front door of my purpose, I was allowed inside to set up an appointment with Sabre. While Knight was undetectable by other EFS, our neural link allowed mine to track her going towards a stairwell. A nearby radio regaled my exploits at Friendship City in between songs by Sapphire Shores and Sweetie Belle. Never before now, it felt genuinely good that my actions could be inspiring others, despite my selfish intentions at the time.

*****

I didn’t have to wait too long before an attendant took me to Whiteclaw’s office on the top floor. The building was well kept, but it was no Tenpony. My goal was simply to size up Sabre and his intentions. If he was involved in something nasty, I’d like to know just how deep he was in. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, he may not be aware of anything and is just a puppet. Knight was the one looking for hard evidence, hacking every terminal she found.

Stepping into Sabre’s office, I got a good look at him. Oh no, he’s hot.

He was moderately sized for a griffon, with a slender yet healthy build. The coat of his body was a clean silver with streaks of white. His head was yellow, as were the tips of his wings. The representative’s cheeks had red spots, giving him a cute permanent blush. As per his name, his claws were white, while his beak was gray. His eyes were strikingly dark gray, almost black.

His fine ensemble made me feel underdressed. A three-piece perfectly-tailored silk tuxedo, deep burgundy with a ruffled white shirt, and a puffed gold and black silk necktie. He’d turn heads at the Grand Galloping Gala, let alone Tenpony Tower.

Sabre greeted me with a charming, disarming smile that made me forget what I was here for. With a noble trot from his large marble desk, he took my hoof and shook it.

“Poppyholt, is it?” His accent was similar to Gwen’s though nowhere near as strong. His Ponish was immaculate. The aristocratic griffon took a bow. “Senator Sabre Whiteclaw of the New Canterlot Republic, pleased to make your acquaintance.”

I returned the bow. “The pleasure is mine, Representative.” I took a seat with him at a table beside the window. His attendant fetched us some fine brandy, pouring glasses for us.

The handsome politician took a sip. “I understand that you are here to make a contribution to my election campaign. What sort of contribution do you have in mind?”

I straightened my suit. “I recently earned a fair amount of sway with members of the Twilight Society. A good word with them would do wonders for your efforts, wouldn’t you agree?”

His smile told me he did. “And in exchange?”

I waved a hoof. “The improvements you’d surely bring to that city is compensation enough for something as simple as my word.”

“That is quite generous.” It seemed that overt flattery would get me anywhere with this west coast griffon.

Knight’s tag on my EFS moved outside the building. She certainly works fast. I shouldn’t wrap this up too hastily, might as well finish my drink.

“I was actually about to go on an expedition to Seaddle, to experience the luxury of the Star Pin Tower. I hear it puts Tenpony to shame.”

Sabre’s smile faltered for just the slightest of moments. “It certainly does, not to insult the fine ponies of Tenpony. Just don’t let yourself get mixed up in the politics.” The flamboyant male rolled his eyes dramatically. “They make the NCR’s bureaucratic drama look tame. I just had to get away.” He smiled and had his attendant fetch a parchment, pen, ink, and wax. With gorgeous calligraphy, he wrote a notice of endorsement and gave it his seal. “Here, as a token of appreciation for your visit and offer. This should open any door at Star Pin.”

With a gentle touch of telekinesis, I floated the parchment into my coat. “I appreciate this immensely. You are too kind.” The politics of Fort Aris had done wonders to prepare me for this encounter.

Sabre took my hoof again as my appointment ended and gave each of my cheeks a peck, a gesture I respectfully returned. It took almost all my focus not to let my endorphins distract me. If my blank flank wouldn’t give me away, I’d let him pin me to his desk and show me what that stunning body could do.

Oh, I truly hope Knight didn’t find anything damning. Someone that beautiful would get ruined by prison.

*****

Knight waited until we were back on the Gull to decloak. I followed up by changing back into a hippogriff and swapping my suit for my armor. Fantasies about Sabre still kept me smiling ear to ear, though my grin faltered as I noticed Knight’s nervous hoof tapping.

“You found something on him, didn’t you?” Please let it be something worthy of nothing more than a slap on the wrist.

Knight nodded and uploaded the files to my PipBuck. I began reading through the assortment of notes and correspondences. A lot of it was shipping manifests, bulk orders of industrial parts for export. A letter caught my attention.

*****

“To my dear father Pierre,

I urgently request that you move our family east. Seaddle is growing increasingly unsafe, and I fear I have contributed a great deal to the growing threat. Unknowingly, of course! The parts CG has been having me produce… I’ve learned their purpose, and have ceased production. It will take time for the shipments to stop coming in, but I fear reprisal against you and the others once they do. So, please, move our family to Manehattan where it is safe. That winged little sociopath isn’t going to stop at zebras.

Your dutiful son, Sabre”

*****

“That sounds… concerning.” I closed my PipBuck.

Knight nodded. “Extremely. I went over schematics for the parts Sabre was producing and shipping west. They’re Assault-Mare parts. It seems like he, and every worker in Fillydelphia, were fooled into thinking the pieces they were machining were harmless. The schematics were even labeled wrong, citing them as parts for wind turbines or water pumps. It is worth noting that the letter failed to be delivered. The transmission was intercepted and blocked.”

At least the only crime Sabre seemingly committed was ignorance. “Anything about the slaves?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. He appears to have no connection to it.” There was still something else making Knight very nervous.

“Who is CG?” My question made her tap her hooves anxiously again.

“I have a suspicion, but I sincerely hope I’m wrong.” She then muttered quietly to herself. “She couldn’t have survived…”

I could tell she wouldn’t say more if I pried. Instead, I changed the subject. “Any ideas where Filly’s Pearl shard is?”

Knight welcomed the distraction. “Yes! The Harmony Bell. The tower it rests in is barely holding together, especially after the Enclave’s attack, but the NCR has been working to restore it the last few years, with the help of the Followers. It should be a simple flight.”

A magical draw from my necklace told me she was correct. We headed out, letting Slash tag along since she was growing restless.

*****

Going deeper into the city, near the factory district, the smog was bad enough for me to put on a respirator. Slash, being a dragon, was unbothered by the smoke. Looking down at the mills, I saw numerous workers toiling away. As Gawd had mentioned, the conditions were reasonable. The ponies, zebras, and griffons wore protective equipment, appeared healthy, and there were no signs of anything being amiss. Laborers from Arbu were identified by orange jumpsuits, and were accompanied by guards, but worked under the same nominal conditions as the paid workers. Their efforts apparently went towards reducing their sentences.

Banking towards the historical district, the bell tower came into view. Knight wasn’t lying about it being in rough shape, but the Harmony Bell itself looked fine. With any luck, this would just be a matter of reaching up into it and pulling out a shard.

To my amazement, that was the case. Finally, a shard I didn’t have to jump through hoops or almost die to get!

It also wasn't the only thing I found. There were also brass casings, .308 and .50, and lots of laser scorch marks. Looking around, I realized where I was. I'd seen this exact view in Gritt's memory. On the street below, just thirty feet away laterally, was the scorched crater of a Celestia One impact.

Flying overhead, towards the Fun Farm, I saw husks of over a dozen Raptors and a Thunderhead resting in the collapsed buildings they had crashed into. No wonder Gritt refused to enter this city. All of this was still here to remind him of that battle. Even…

I saw the pile of concrete slabs, a piece of rebar still poking from the top. My companions were confused when I flew down to it. Knight less so when she realized. I rested a claw on the pile of stone and paid my respects. Not for Stern’s sake. She didn’t deserve it. For my friend’s. “Don’t worry, he’s doing fine. He’s a better griffon than you wanted him to be.”

The shared memory resurfacing, I held back tears and flew back to the Gull.

*****

Gritt welcomed us back, and started to ask why my eyes were wet. After giving the confused little black griffon a tight hug, I took my place at the helm. Not long after, we started towards a river that would lead us to Ponyville.

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

Footnote:
Welcome to Level 12!

Perk Added: Silver-Tongued Sleuth! You now gain additional information or rewards when passing speech checks.

Chapter 16: Strange Bedfellows

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 16: Strange Bedfellows

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

We didn’t get far before inclement weather forced us to drop anchor and furl the sails. Purser was extremely insistent that attempting to sail through a storm was a bad idea. Storm Cruisers and our other airships were built for it, designed to actually draw increased power from lightning strikes, but this sailboat would simply burst into flames, or get sent into rocks by the adverse wind.

Knight and I enjoyed more chess in my cabin. Everyone else was below deck.

“Checkmate.” The android announced triumphantly. “Knight takes King.”

I scoffed then shook her hoof. “I should have seen that gambit coming. Good move.”

A nearby flash of light and thunder made me flinch. It was a little too close for comfort. Knight assured me we could handle any fires if we did get hit.

Gritt had an epiphany shortly after we left Filly, and explained that Washout would be enormously helpful in Seaddle. She’d definitely be up for freeing slaves, especially zebras, and she understands how the Enclave operates. The griffon then left for Baltimare to recruit her. Hopefully they can find us in this weather. All they have to do is follow the river.

After hearing a heavy thunk on the deck, I assumed it must have been the ex-Enclave mare in her armor. Rushing outside, I found myself beak-to-beak with Crimson.

*****

He raised his augmented claws when I reached for Grapeshot (I finally decided to name my gun. Might as well go with what Ironsides called it.)

“No need for that,” he rasped. “I’m here to help.”

That took me by surprise. “Why?”

“Sabre hired me to round up his family out west, bring ‘em to Tenpony. You’re already headed that way, so I might as well tag along.” He sat down as I relaxed.

“How do you know that? And where’re your goons?” I began circling him, looking out into the rain for a potential ambush.

The cyber-griffon let out a strained chuckle. “You’re not as slick as you think. Sabre had you tailed to your ship after your little meeting. He also knows his files got hacked. As for my goons, Whiteclaw took them as personal protection.”

Slash came up to check on the commotion, and snarled at Crimson. I waved for her to stand down.

“Where’s Trickshot?” Crimson asked, glancing around and up at the empty crow’s nest.

“Getting more help from Baltimare.” He didn’t need to know more than that.

“Ah, Washout then.” Nevermind. “Makes sense.” He smiled at me. “You gonna make sure your pals don’t pick a fight?”

I narrowed my eyes at the abuser. “If you touch Gritt, I’ll let my friends do whatever they want to you.” Slash nodded and growled in agreement.

Crimson's expression became deadly serious. “I’ve never hurt that kid and I never will. Even a depraved fuck like me has lines he won’t cross.”

“Bullshit,” I countered.

“Ask him yourself,” He retorted, then moved to the bow of the ship and laid down, resting his reinforced body. I was perfectly fine leaving him in the rain. Now I hoped for lightning.

*****

“What the FUCK are you doing here!?” I rushed out as I heard Gritt’s voice, finding him with his rifle raised. Washout was beside him, weapons charged. The rain had just stopped, making Crimson’s cybernetics easier to see.

Thick, armored, black metal replaced much of his upper torso and limbs. His wings were half-mechanical, and fitted with turbines large enough to blend ponies into mulch. Most of his head and his lower torso were still flesh and red feathers, the latter thankfully covered by barding. Going off his filtered voice and mechanical breathing, he likely had far more cybernetics on the inside. His belt-fed .50 caliber machine gun, modified from being a mounted weapon to something that could be wielded like an assault rifle, stayed slung on his back. Not that he’d need it. He could tear this entire ship apart with his claws and bladed wings.

I took Gritt into my cabin to explain Crimson’s presence. He didn’t like it, but he’d put up with it so long as his former boss behaved.

“I have to ask, did he ever…” I didn’t have to finish the question.

“Shockingly, no.” My friend sat down hard, a scowl on his face. “Creep would fuck anything with a pulse, consensually or otherwise. But with me, he… He’d be kind of off around me, but he never actually did anything. I guess he drew the line at minors.”

“Think he’ll try something now that you’re older?” My tone barely hid how badly I wanted an excuse to kill the wretch.

“No, he knows everyone on this boat would kill him.” Damn straight we would. “It’s weird… the other Talons in Bloodfeather Company were oddly loyal to him, despite how he sometimes treated them. They told me he didn’t get like that until after Red Eye’s shit fell apart. Something about supply lines running dry.”

I made sure my friend was going to be alright, then got Washout acquainted with the crew before we set sail. We were all tempted to simply keep Crimson in the brig, but we knew he could easily break out of that cage if he wanted to.

*****

Towards the end of the night, the giant griffon opened my cabin door with a sack full of caps in his claw. If he was about to proposition me, I swear…

“Got any Med-X? Painkillers? I’ll buy anything you’ve got.” Not what I expected.

“We’ve got a spare crate below deck. Are you wounded?” Knight was a doctor first and foremost. Judging the morality of her patients came second.

Crimson just gave another pained laugh. “No. Doc Slaughter just didn’t take my nervous system into consideration when he ‘upgraded’ me.”

“You’re in constant pain.” Knight approached Crim and began looking him over, using various spells at her disposal for a thorough evaluation of his health, even taking a blood sample. “In your state, painkillers won’t do much. You’ve already developed a substantial tolerance for them, significantly reducing their effects. You’d burn through our entire supply in a matter of days.”

“Tell me something I don’t know,” he joked. “Fuck, I wish I could go back and kill Red Eye, Slaughter, and all those fuckers myself. Contract be damned.”

“How’d you end up with him?” If I’m going to travel with this monster, I might as well understand him.

“Stern owned my contract. Then Red Eye owned hers. Simple as that.” Eastern griffons and they’re immovable loyalty to their contracts was just as baffling as seadogs and their loyalty to their captains.

“You didn’t ask her to terminate?” I knew that was an option. Griffons weren’t completely trapped if they didn’t like their boss.

He shook his head. “Nah, I’d rolled with her too long to just bail on her like Gawd did.”

I did a double take. “Come again?”

“Right, that’s not common knowledge.” He chuckled, reminiscing. “Gawd’s Talons. The original Gawd’s Talons. Gawdyna, Stern, and me. Way back when we were barely adults. That was… over thirty years ago now. We were under Stern’s contract, but Grimfeathers was more of a people person, so we used her name and let her negotiate with clients. Most of the time.”

“So, what happened?” Stupid question. “Red Eye?”

Crim nodded. “Stern thought we hit the big leagues with him, signed straight up. Gawd didn’t want to turn slaver. Their disagreement got… heated.” He pointed to his left eye, and I understood what he was implying. “Long story short, Stern terminated her contract, and she went off to do her own thing outside Shattered Hoof. It was hard to watch her go.” Sadness crept into his eyes. “She and I… nevermind, not important. Everything else is history, and I guess Gawd ended up making the right call.”

“If I may interject,” Knight spoke up, wanting to shift back to her patient’s condition. “I can keep you in my mindscape while you rest. It will save on chems. I’m afraid there’s nothing more I can do for you.” Crim agreed and let Knight lead him outside, before she pulled him into her mental realm. If I wanted to hear more about this, I’d have to hear it from President Grimfeathers, though I doubt she’d share so readily.

*****

The next day, I went below deck to find that Purser and Washout had already gotten cozy with each other. I have been replaced. As the pegasus got dressed, I chatted with her, wanting to know how much she knew about the west coast Enclave.

“Fuck all, honestly.” She was sorry she didn’t know more. “They’re Enclave in name only. Completely disavowed by the east over a century ago for being too chummy with the surface.”

I shrugged. “Just thought a Wonderbolt would know more.”

She blinked. “Who said I was a Wonderbolt?”

“You… performed a Sonic Rainboom. When you attacked Knight.” That means she has to be a Wonderbolt, right?

“I was a candidate for the Wonderbolts. When all that shit went down twelve years ago, I was still in training.” She finally slipped her chest piece on. “I did a Rainboom by accident when I was a filly, and the Enclave scooped me up and shoved me into military school. Never forgave them for taking me away from my parents, just to try and indoctrinate me into one of those celebrity assassins.” Her frown turned into a grin. “Praise the Lightbringer, all that chaos gave me a window to snag some armor and move to the surface. Never looked back.”

I gave her a worried smile. “What about your parents?”

She huffed. “If they wanted to find me, they could have.”

"You know, you could have helped against the Enclave. Friendship City, Fillydelphia..." I stopped as she gave me a cross stare.

"If I knew about the things Operation Cauterize was doing, I would have grounded every Raptor and Thunderhead myself." Her cold tone surprised me.

I blinked. "You'd kill that many of your own people?"

Washout spat. "They killed kids. Fuck 'em."

With that, she focused on gearing up, along with everyone else. We were passing into Ponyville.

*****

The plan was to figure out where Ponyville’s shard was and snag it, then fly high over most of Everfree to the ruins of Red Eye’s Cathedral for that shard. We were not going to risk messing around with Killing Joke or any other horrors waiting for us in that forest.

Ponyville was home to the hellhounds, an NCR-protected sanctuary for the endangered creatures. After talking to Purser, she agreed to act as an intermediary, her kind being a cousin species to the diamond dogs hellhounds mutated from. Another problem was, I wasn’t sure where a shard would be. With Everfree, it was obvious. The old castle of the Two Sisters, which Red Eye built his cathedral on, was the only ruin of note. Ponyville doesn’t really have anything like that. Maybe Twilight’s old treehouse library… That was probably our best bet.

I had Gritt stay behind on the Gull, and had Crimson come with us. That way, my friend didn’t have to be around him, and I didn’t have to leave Crim alone with my ship. Also, the cyber-griffon and Knight were the ones that could physically contend with the mutants if something went sideways. Maybe Slash as well, but I wouldn’t bet on her. We approached on foot, weapons stowed, as unthreatening as possible, with our seadog in the lead.

*****

It wasn’t long before the ground rumbled around us, and we were quickly surrounded by the giant beasts. Purser immediately talked them down before they attacked, speaking in an old dog language. The rest of us stayed quiet while I assumed she was explaining our purpose.

Eventually, we were allowed in town, but under watch. Knight spoke to them in their language as well, but that did not deter them from regarding the machine with suspicion. Washout received the most angry glares. Not surprising, considering what the Enclave did to them.

Ponyville was in a poor state, the same it had been for over two centuries. While the hounds did enough to make a home for themselves, they didn’t bother renovating any of the old buildings. Much of the ‘decorations’ set up by the raiders who once called this place home were still present. I put on my respirator to avoid the stench.

Rarity’s Carousel Boutique, Sugarcube Corner, where Pinkie Pie once worked, and Applejack’s Sweet Apple Acres were in dismal shape. Though the latter was being used as a farm by the current residents. Eventually, we reached Twilight’s library.

Very quaint, compared to the Athenaeum. I was amazed that the tree it was made from was as intact as it was. Must be some magic involved in its construction. The scene on the inside nearly made me vomit. Purser did vomit. Decade-old caracasses were strewn about or crumpled in cages. Organs, black and hardened by age, were draped around like banners. Pony skins were sewn onto furniture. I imagined it was like this in every building. Fucking raiders.

I had us scatter and search, turning the place inside out. My disgust was distracting me far too much for the Pearl to help me look. Would it have killed the Hellhounds to clean all this up? Washout put her helmet on, and even Slash was starting to gag. Knight’s lack of a visceral reaction was understandable for obvious reasons, but Crimson’s complete lack of a response made me even more disgusted by him. He’s probably caused scenes like this.

We eventually found the shard in a chest upstairs. Knight ripped off the lock easily enough. We eagerly made our way back outside and relished the fresh air.

*****

“Alright, now Everfree.” My words incited growls from the Hellhounds.

Purser spoke up. “Not quite yet. I had to make a deal with them.” Awesome. Great. “A pack of timberwolves attacked them recently. They could not destroy the mutant forest spirits, but they did manage to trap them in Stable 2. Unfortunately they used the stable for supply storage. A lot of their food is in there. They want us to remedy the situation.”

“How in Equestria are we going to kill Timberwolves?” It seemed impossible to me. “Can’t they regenerate faster than a hydra? We don’t-” I looked at Slash, who had her arms spread wide. “Oh. Right. Fire.”

*****

Opening the stable door was a simple procedure. My PipBuck had an appropriate override command. As soon as the four feet of steel started squealing, I quickly trotted behind our dragon, who was puffing her chest as she prepared to roast our magical wooden foes.

The ones that lunged at us were engulfed and destroyed immediately, but several scurried deeper into the stable. I opened a floorplan on my PipBuck, and had the Hellhounds point out where their supplies were being kept. That way, we could avoid incinerating them.

Slash and Washout took point, the latter’s plasma weaponry also being effective against the creatures. We soon passed the mauled corpse of the hound who sacrificed himself to lure these creatures in here. I briefly paid my respects.

Purser stayed at the entrance. Crimson and I watched our flanks. Our weapons would only slow the wolves down, but it was better than nothing. Crim lamented ‘wasting ammo’ on creatures his expensive bullets couldn’t actually kill.

We swept through every room that wasn’t locked, burning out several timberwolves at a time. There were dozens down here. A particularly large group in the atrium proved tricky, and we all had to take flight to keep the creatures from closing the distance. My heart went racing after one got close to biting off a hoof. I pinned myself to the upper corner of the large room, hyperventilating. I couldn’t think or move or see or hear. All that flashed through my brain was that flooded basement. It took a few minutes after the fight was over for Slash and Knight to calm me down enough to continue.

The last and most challenging battle took place in the artificial orchards, which were still in tatters from an old fight against Steel Rangers. Slash, worried about me, made me stay at the door while they handled it. Grapeshot pushed back any wolves that got too close, giving Washout and Slash time to deal with them. Crimson and the pegasus took dings to their armor from tooth and claw, and Slash got bit a few times, but it was nothing potions couldn’t handle. The cyber-griffon squirmed a bit in pain as his repair talismans kicked in. Knight did her best to ease it.

*****

After confirming that there weren’t any others hidden away, we made it back outside. The hounds barely gave us a grunt as thanks. Now we could go to Everfree. I told Purser to go back to the Gull, since she couldn’t fly. Letting a party member trek through on foot was not an option.

We flew high, practically inside the clouds, to avoid poison thorn spitters. Washout was uncomfortable being so close to her old home, but she preferred not to test her armor against the long range anti-air plants. A thorn hitting her wing would ground her. Or any of us except Knight.

Really, all we had to worry about were the remnants of Red Eye’s old cult, true believers who still cling to the idea of a ‘God’ or ‘Goddess’ to unite all. Harmless crazies. Glancing at Knight, I wondered…

*****

My idea took no effort whatsoever. The assortment of robed ponies began bowing to the android and chanting her praises as soon as they saw her. I flew in front of her and stared her down when she tried to make them stop.

“Knight! When somepony asks you if you’re a Goddess, you say YES!” My voice was a commanding whisper. “This is our easiest way in.”

“But it’s… wrong.” She whimpered, then stomped her hoof. “Fine. I’ll play along.” She yanked my Pearl off of my neck with her magic and held it up. “ATTENTION, DISCIPLES.” Ow, Knight, you could have waited until I wasn’t right next to you. “THIS IS THE PEARL OF TRANSFORMATION. A PIECE OF IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE CASTLE OF THE TWO SISTERS DURING EQUESTRIA'S FINAL DAYS. BRING IT TO US, OR LEAD US TO IT, AND YOU SHALL BE BLESSED.”

“Yes, your Grace!” An elderly unicorn stallion stood up. “Please, follow me!” The pony in a scarlet and purple robe trotted into the ruins. We followed him through countless stone staircases and corridors. The castle on the ground floor had been obliterated by the Enclave, and the lowest sublevels that once contained vats of Taint had been destroyed by Littlepip, but much of what was between remained.

*****

“What a pointless shitshow,” remarked Crimson as we passed the bones of griffons and ponies alike. He wasn’t wrong. They all died for nothing. For a flawed future that was never to be. He grimaced in utter disdain as we passed a sign that read ‘Cybersurgery’ above a collapsed stairwell that would have led to the third sublevel.

The sublevel we were on was dedicated to artifact storage, though most of it had been plundered. All that was mostly left were memory orbs too damaged to use. Our guide muttered to himself as he dug through crates. I ignored him and let the Pearl guide me to a filing cabinet. I hovered a claw over each drawer until… It was under E.

“Ah, yes, of course!” The unicorn stammered. “I was about to check there!” The piece magically snapped to the others.

“Let’s get out of here. Reinier awaits.” I started towards the way we came.

“One moment.” Knight stepped towards our guide, placed a hoof on his head, and enveloped him in her magic. I don’t know what memory or insight she shared, but it brought him to tears.

We left soon after, and made our way back to the Gull.

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

Footnote:
Welcome to Level 13!

Perk Added: And Stay Back! You’ve discovered a scattershot technique that has a 50% chance to knock down an opponent!

Chapter 17: No Good Deed

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 17: No Good Deed

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

From this point on, we were venturing into territory none of us except Purser had experience with, and limited knowledge of. The seadog guided us between the Smoky Mountains, towards the greater Vanhoover area. I was surprised that Crimson had never been out west, considering who he worked for. It makes a lot more sense now that he wanted to travel with a group.

I found the cyber-griffon injecting his third dose of Med-X before noon. He was going through painkillers like Gritt went through smokes. Knight suggested that if she had a proper cybernetics lab, she could give him a complete overhaul. Crimson shut down her offer in an instant, saying he’ll never let anyone modify him again, and that he deserves to suffer anyway. I didn’t disagree, but I couldn’t help but worry at least a little for his mental health.

“Why did you agree to the cybernetics in the first place?” I spoke to him at the bow of the ship, looking over the water we were cutting through.

“I didn’t.” He looked conflicted. “I mean, I did, but, it was me or…” I almost missed him glancing up at the crow’s nest. “Red Eye sent Stern and I on a job. It went bad. Stern fucked up big time and Red Eye wanted to punish her for it. Wanted to correct her deficiencies. Stern was scared shitless of being modified. I’d never seen her that terrified before. I just… wanted to save my friend.”

I remembered Gritt’s story of when Red Eye threatened him with the same thing, and how it set Stern off enough to assault the cyberpony. “You took the punishment in her stead.”

Crim nodded. “No good deed, right? I’m a fucking monster now.” He sighed. “Red Eye also had my contract under Stern terminated, and made me sign a new contract directly under him. Didn’t want future conflicts of loyalty.” He chuckled, straining his metal insides. “I never gave a fuck about his grand plans, so when he died, I took my Talons and fucked off into Filly’s tunnels. Any Enclave dumb enough to follow us were caught in a death funnel.” His smile faded. “If Stern was smart, she would have done the same. A lot fewer griffons would have died if she had. Stupid bitch.” That explained how he survived that battle. “Your robot was wrong, by the way. About my resistance to meds being gradual. Nah, it was instant. But after my supply went dry, it didn’t take long for me to discover an… alternative way to ease the pain.”

The cogs turned in my mind, and I gave him a disgusted glare when I realized.

“Good. That’s how you should see me. That’s how everyone should see me.” He stared into the water. “Sex became my new painkiller. At first, I was just a whore, sleeping with other Talons who apparently had a cyber fetish. Then I stopped seducing and started ordering. I started forcing myself onto subordinates, as a punishment, for the slightest infraction. Eventually, I stopped looking for reasons and just took what I wanted. From Talons, hostile captives, whoever couldn’t do anything about it.” He glared at me. “So don’t any of you dare feel sorry for me, or try to help me. I may not have deserved to get turned into this, but I sure as shit deserve to be this now.”

*****

Helping Knight clear some boulders from the river ahead of us helped distract me from Crimson’s admission of guilt. Is a monster that knows it's a monster any less deserving of death? Does its self-hatred and self-inflicted punishment absolve any of its crimes?

I stared at myself in the water. What about a monster that… didn’t know it was a monster.

“Rosegold, are you alright?” Knight put a hoof on my shoulder after moving the last rock.

I changed back from a unicorn into a hippogriff. “I’m fine.” After the implant… How much of who I am now is me? How much of it is Knight? If I lose her, will I be a monster again?

“You don’t seem fine.” She started to hover. “Gritt saw a settlement ahead. Maybe you can get a hot meal there and feel better.” I followed her back onto the ship.

*****

Purser was quick to dash those hopes. It wasn’t a settlement up ahead. Ironsides’ former first mate told us this is where they dropped off slaves. Washout, not up to date on Purser’s background until now, stared daggers at the seadog. She folded her ears and cowered.

“So, how do we handle this?” Gritt decided to be the pragmatic voice. “Is it all slavers, or are there innocent settlers here too?” Slash and I questioned how the two could coexist.

“The town houses and feeds the slaves until whoever purchased them picks them up.” Purser explained. “I don’t know any other details.”

“We won’t know anything until we take a look around.” I looked at Purser. “Guards?”

She shook her head. “They shouldn’t give us trouble. Unless…”

“Unless?” Washout urged.

“They could still be expecting a delivery. From this ship.” The dog tapped her paws. “And given how late we are, the client might be waiting, whoever they are.”

A few thoughts clicked into place, and I had an idea.

*****

Everyone hated my idea. I hated my idea. But if Ironsides’ ‘client’ was the Enclave or the Whiteclaws, we couldn’t afford to incite hostility yet. And maybe I could help the slaves from the inside of whatever operation they were being dragged into.

I removed my armor, my barding, and even my PipBuck. Then I shifted into a striped equine. I’d be a zebra for the foreseeable future. The Pearl was given to Knight, who stored it in her chassis and maintained the magical charge so it didn’t drain me. She’d have to stay on the Gilded Gull for the duration of my infiltration mission. Without our connection, she was too much of a threat. Her stealth field was apparently too limited for her to simply accompany me. After a healthy layer of grime, and a few bruises that Crimson was happy to apply, the illusion was set.

Zinnia, the slave zebra, was ready for delivery.

*****

“Just… one?” A pegasus stallion in non-descript combat armor, flanked by a few more of his own kind, as well as some griffons, looked wholly annoyed at Purser and I.

“We were… disrupted by wasteland do-gooders.” Purser did her best to sound like an indifferent pirate who treated zebras like sacks of carrots. Poorly. It was abundantly clear that Ironsides handled all negotiations. “This is the only one that didn’t manage to escape.”

“The order was for twenty of these things.” Things? “So you’re only getting a twentieth of the agreed pay.” A bag of caps was tossed to the seadog. The chain attached to my collar was picked up and yanked. “I think this will be our last business with each other. We don’t broker incompetence.”

Purser gritted her teeth, gave me a wary look, and walked back to the river. I was on my own.

*****

The plain, rusted metal train car I was tossed into smelled of blood and other fluids. Once the door was shut, I was trapped in darkness save for some small holes near the roof. I take back what I said on the trip to Baltimare. Flying was much better than riding a train. We must have been heading north, because it kept getting colder with every passing hour. By the end of the day, I was curled fully into myself.

I was suddenly slammed into the front of the car when the train came to a screeching halt. Gunfire and explosions erupted outside. Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me! My friends have this little faith in me? But… explosions. My companions didn’t have any explosives. The guards who took me didn’t have any either. Who was rescuing me?

The gunfire ceased, and I heard voices.

“This car? Unlock it! Now!” Zebra accents were distinct.

I was met with a wounded, whimpering griffon opening the door. I barely had a chance to share a glance with her before an old grizzled zebra stallion yanked her hard into the snowy mud and finished her with a burst from an odd carbine rifle.

He turned to me with a confused glare. “Just… one?” He was dirty, dressed in rags. His mane fell messily in every direction but up. A short, scruffy beard adorned his chin.

“Zev!” A younger zebra buck called out. “We need to move! Reinforcements are already coming!

Zev grabbed my chain and yanked me out of the car. “On your hooves, fool! We don’t have much time!”

We had no time whatsoever. Pegasi and griffons in black carapace armor descended on us in an instant. My rescuers didn’t stand a chance as they were stunned into submission and put in chains.

They ended up with twenty new slaves after all.

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

Footnote:
No Level Up.

Chapter 18: Zimonja

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 18: Zimonja

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

Two weeks. I’ve been in this hellhole for two weeks, toiling in the deepest mines, alongside countless other zebra bucks. Mares were kept in an adjacent facility. The two only met when our captors wanted to breed more workers. Guards, pegasi and griffons alike, delighted in beating us or raping us if we so much as coughed in the wrong direction. I’d never been forced upon before. I hated it, and I wanted it to stop, but there was nothing I could do. I let myself be taken here for a reason. I couldn’t risk getting beaten to death now.

The pegasus having his way with me bit my ear hard as he finished, then laughed and spat in my face as he stood up and shoved me into the hard ground. “Good little striped whore.” A stun baton was slammed into my side for good measure, and he left.

Between the work and the pain, I was able to learn a lot. For starters, the Whiteclaws only owned these mines on paper. The Enclave had full control of them, and kept Seaddle in the dark about the worst of what went on here. This place was well outside Seaddle, on the far side of Reinier. As for the zebras here, the vast majority who weren’t born in this facility were Remnants. Prisoners of war.

I got up and made my way to my work station. No time to rest, or cry, or try to clean myself. Today was a big day. Picking up a shovel in my teeth, I got to tossing chunks of iron ore into a minecart. Every effort made my joints ache. They kept us fed just enough to be able to work and be completely miserable the entire time. All of us were one missed meal away from death. I thought my childhood in the ultracite mines was bad, but we starved then due to a genuine lack of food, not the malicious withholding of it.

*****

My thoughts were cut off by the feeling of being thrown through the air by my tail, into the center of the work pit. Here we go.

“You will break, heretic!” Zev pounced me and slammed a hoof across my face, dazing me. Other workers stopped and cheered on my torment. The pegasus from earlier watched in amusement, but kept a wing on his baton.

My friend threw his hoof in the air, inciting more cheers. I took the chance to pull in my rear hooves, then drive them into his chest, launching him back several feet.

Zev coughed and laughed as he sat up, spitting in my direction. “You buck like a foal!”

The guard stepped up, baton in teeth, towards me. “Misbehaving again, huh?” He reared up to deliver a blow to my head.

“Hey! Featherbrain!” Zev’s foalish insult caught the guard’s attention, and his rebellious grin caught his ire. The pegasus descended on him and started beating him relentlessly. I picked my shovel back up in my teeth.

My rapist barely had a chance to notice the shadow looming over him before the metal edge cracked his skull open. I stomped it a few more times for good measure, then shared a grin with Zev.

All the other slaves gave him their undivided attention as he stood up over the dead pegasus. “Every journey begins with a single step.” He yanked a keyring from the guard’s armor and held it up. “This is Step One!”

“SECURE THE KEYS!” The mines roared in unison, and began galloping up the tunnels.

Zev galloped after them, with me in tow. “Next! We take! ZIMONJA!

*****

Throughout the tunnels I witnessed my new brethren give their captors what they deserved. Terror and death. Griffons and pegasi were beaten, had their skulls smashed, their necks or spines shattered, or were simply torn apart. When one griffon tried to swing at me, I ducked low, swept his legs, and brought a hoof down hard on his throat. I didn’t bother finishing him off, letting him slowly suffocate on his crushed windpipe.

Catching up to Zev, we came across three guards desperately trying to subdue the largest zebra down here. The behemoth of stripes and muscle wrapped his hooves around two and crushed their rib cages around their organs, then trampled the third into pulp, slurring zebra-speak growls the entire time

“Zinnia, allow me to introduce you to Zergei.” Zev’s grin was a mile wide. “The Monster of the West!

I nodded to the impressive beast. “Glad you’re on our side, Zergei.” He returned a bloody grin.

It wasn’t long before we reached the industrial lifts. Zev quickly got to work unlocking them.

“What is Step Two!?”

“ASCEND FROM DARKNESS!”

*****

A younger griffon had his back to the elevator, terror in his eyes as he gunned down the zebras cornering him. His tunnel vision kept him from noticing the approaching Zergei, with a pickaxe in his teeth, until it was too late.

The bird dropped his pistol as he was skewered, killed almost instantly, and tossed aside like trash. I grabbed the gun in my teeth awkwardly, and kept my tongue over the trigger. I’d also snagged a pair of spare magazines off of the corpse.

My new weapon was quickly put to work, gunning down the remaining guards between us and a heavy set of doors that marked the mine’s exit. Our group stacked up on each side, sweat and fear starting to creep in. We all knew the guards had raised machine gun emplacements on the other side.

I whispered to my friend. “They must know this is suicide.”

Zev placed a hoof on my shoulder. “There can be no victory without sacrifice, Zinnia. We zebras know this better than most.”

The doors were swung open, and bullets hailed into the opening. Zebras charged through, dozens of the oldest and weakest of us, to get mowed down by the guns. Using up their ammo. While they had to reload, the rest of us rushed for minecarts to use as cover, and began pushing them towards the tower.

I gunned down any guards trying to flank us as Zev called them out, taking a few grazing shots in the process. Once we were close enough, I got the gunner’s attention with a few shots. With them distracted, the zebras behind the other cart unwrapped a bundle of dynamite. Two held each end of a stripped rubber belt from a piece of mining machinery, and the other held the dynamite in the center. The fuse was lit as they dragged it back, stretching the makeshift slingshot taught. The gunners noticed and swung around, but it was too late for them. The payload struck its mark, and the tower exploded. Time to get upstairs and handle the others.

Zev laughed. “The might of the Enclave is no match for simple ingenuity!” We galloped up to the roof of a guard outpost. “Step three!”

“RAIN FIRE!”

More of these explosive slingshots were set up, with me taking a firing position on one of them. One by one, we demolished every guard tower in range. Security in our sector was crumbling.

*****

After Zergei busted open an arms locker, I was gifted with a riot shotgun battle saddle. Zev took one mounted with assault carbines. After I blasted open a gate, we galloped for the prison’s broadcast station.

The guards were well-armed now, and many had put on proper combat armor. Each took a few shells to put down. We had them vastly outnumbered, but each guard managed to kill several of us before falling. We would lose at his rate. We had to turn the tide.

Griffons and pegasi defended the broadcast station with their lives. They knew what would happen if we took it. Unfortunately for them, we wanted it more than they wanted to keep it from us. Zev didn’t bother wiping the blood and brains from the microphone as he activated the public address system, allowing his voice to be heard through the entire compound.

“Brothers! Sisters! The time has come! Arm yourselves! Destroy your captors! Show no mercy! STEP FOUR!”

The cry could be heard from everywhere. I even heard mare voices join in from a distance. “UNLEASH THE HORDE!”

In a moment, all of Zimonja broke into chaos. Every sector was flooded with enraged slaves, thirsty for the blood of their oppressors. Guards on the ground were trampled. Guards in the air were struck with makeshift spears.

But Zimonja’s security had an ace up their sleeve.

*****

Zebras began falling left and right as the Griffonchaser flying machine opened up with its quad miniguns and rockets.

Zev laughed maniacally as he dodged and weaved towards the main guard barracks it hovered near. “Good, they’ve sent it!” He, I, and several others were given harpoon guns cobbled together from spare parts as we surrounded the war machine. “Step Five!”

“SKEWER THE FLYING BEAST!”

Barbed rods of metal pierced the Griffonchaser’s sides and stuck. We yanked desperately on the ropes, trying to pull it down out of the sky. Even Zergei struggled to wrestle against its powerful engines. Thankfully, one lucky harpoon jammed its tail rotor, and it lost control. All together, we yanked the ten tons of steel into the side of the barracks as it fell, killing its crew and creating an opening into the building.

The fighting inside was brutal. The most elite guards had organized, and pressed back against us with ballistic shield formations down narrow hallways. Thankfully, we still had dynamite to break them up. What a shame for the guards that none of them were unicorns.

*****

We drove them into a retreat, but one slammed a button as they got into the atrium.

“They are closing the security doors! Do not let them!” At Zev’s command, Zergei and I rushed the closing gap. I dove through as the heap of muscle laid under it, using all his strength to keep the door from crushing him. I blasted my weapons relentlessly as I leaped into the security station and slammed the door release. But it was too late.

“Zergei! No!” Zev cried out in grief as his hulking friend was riddled with lead, far more than necessary to kill him. We all returned the favor.

Zev made his way upstairs and got to work on the main armory. I was sent to head off any and all reinforcements with extreme prejudice. Waves of guards breached from the roof, and were met by gunfire. Another group entered through a garage, only to find dynamite waiting for them. All attempts to stop us failed.

“Zinnia! Come!” I answered Zev’s beckons, and my jaw dropped at the sight beyond the armory doors. Zev grinned devilishly. “What is Step Six!?”

“WIELD THE DRAGON’S FIST!”

*****

In the final courtyard at the edge of the compound, the guards gawked in horror at what I had mounted on my back, moments before they were vaporized in a miniature balefire explosion. Others covered us while Zev loaded another weaponized egg into the launcher.

One after another, the prison’s final security emplacements were turned into smoldering debris. We were on the home stretch. Snowy forests could be seen in the distance. But the Enclave had one last trick.

My heart sank when they decloaked in front of us, their cycloptic metal faces glowing scarlet death. Assault-Mares. A full hundred of them.

The zebras at the lead had no time to react before they were carved into pieces by beams of radioactive red energy. I took out as many as I could with the Balefire Egg Launcher before Zev tackled me into a building for cover.

Tears had started down my face. Not just because I was afraid, but for the death so many had just endured for nothing. Those machines were going to kill us all. We lost. So many sacrificed themselves for nothing! I… I’m feeling for others again. My implant…

*****

Hope brightened Zev’s face once again as he looked out the doorway. “Are these the friends you told me of? Ha ha HA! We are not yet forsaken! STEP SEVEN!”

“RAISE HELL!”

I trotted out to see Knight, Washout, Slash, and Crimson ripping the androids apart. In the distance, amongst the trees, I could barely spot Gritt picking off remaining guards.

The metal alicorn was doing most of the heavy lifting, flying through rows of robots, dicing them with her bladed wings. Washout and Slash focused on getting as many zebras as they could out of the prison and into the woods. Crimson gave them covering fire, his heavy weapon butchering guard and Assault-Mare alike.

*****

Zev and I galloped side by side, weaving and leaping as fast as we could through the carnage. Step Eight. We were nearly there. We were almost-

A cloaked bot slammed both of us into the back of a large sky wagon. I kicked it in the chin just before it fired its death beam, sending the laser up through the wagon’s roof. It would take time for it to charge another shot, but that wasn’t its only weapon. The bot’s hooves sprung into claws as it engaged us in melee. I ducked under its first attack, but it grabbed my battle saddle and threw it at Zev as he tried to tackle it. My friend was a skilled fighter, and he’d been teaching me some tricks, but this killing machine was still too much of a match for us.

When its laser started charging again, Zev leaped onto the Assault-Mare and pinned it, forcing it to aim towards the sky wagon’s spark core. “Go!” he shouted.

My hooves weren’t strong enough to break the robot’s armor while it was pinned. “No! Step Eight, Zev!”

My friend pulled in his rear hooves, and sent them into my gut, launching me out of the wagon. “For you! Not for me!”

Before I could rush back in, Knight wrapped her hooves around me and took me into the sky. I broke into sobs as the skywagon erupted below, taking my friend and many Assault-Mares with it.

“Step Eight.” Two weeks of pain I couldn’t process until now poured from my eyes. “Freedom.”

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

Footnote:
Welcome to Level 14!

Perk Added: Fallen Caesar Style! Your time surviving among zebras has taught you to fight like them! You gain new unique takedowns in SATS, and melee criticals now do double damage.

Author's Note

Yes, this chapter is just "Vorkuta" from Call of Duty: Black Ops. No, I will not apologize.

Chapter 19: Ill Gotten Gains

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 19: Ill Gotten Gains

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

The escaped zebras gawked at me as I took my Pearl back from Knight and returned to my hippogriff form. Soon after, we split up deep in the woods. My striped friends would take a long way around Vanhoover and go back west to their homelands. My group headed north to the river where the Gilded Gull waited. It had taken them this long to sail this far, and now we needed to head back south and into Seaddle. Crimson was anxious to secure Sabre’s family, annoyed by the long diversion. I wasn’t sure I wanted them saved.

My friends had covered their tracks, ensuring we would not be connected to the mass escape at Zimonja. The fewer complications the better. The losses the Enclave sustained there must have left them reeling.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Knight interjected. “Given the number of parts Fillydelphia produced and shipped, that was just a fraction of the Assault-Mares at their disposal.”

“Still, they can’t produce more now,” I countered, trying to look at the bright side. I needed positivity right now. “Sabre stopped manufacturing, and now he won’t have the materials necessary if the Enclave pressures him into starting again.”

The callousness on display at that prison towards zebras was surely indicative of Seaddle’s culture. Gwen had stated as much. They and the zebra Remnants were at war. They had a deep hatred for each other. I’d been on the receiving end enough to know.

*****

Over the next few days of sailing, I spent much of my time in Knight’s mindscape. My trauma and doubt was brought to the forefront of my mind for her to see and help me through. The soft, warm, white alicorn held me tight as I sobbed into her. Throwing myself into that prison was foalish. I hadn’t been ready for it. I doubted I’d ever fully recover.

And I’d only been there for two weeks! There were zebras who were born there! What right did I have to lay here and feel sorry for myself?

“Don’t think like that.” Knight stroked my mane. “Pain is pain. It’s not a competition. You have the right to your emotions.”

I sniffed. “Zev… He died for me, and never even knew my real name.”

She hugged me tighter. “He did what he set out to do. Save others.”

I’d honor him. I won’t waste this. I’d find a way to put a stop to everything happening in Vanhoover.

Knight kissed my forehead. “You’re not a monster.” I looked up at her. “And you don’t need me to be a good person. Without me, you endured hell and helped pull countless souls out of it. Monsters don’t do that.” She watched the nearby stream. “You feel the drive to help others. You always have. You just can’t process it correctly all the time. If you’re worried about losing me, don’t be.”

“But without you…”

“You’ll go back to your old way of making decisions. A series of logical filters, determining long term consequences and how they’ll affect you. Except, now you have a new one. It’s not empathy, per se, but you can imagine how your choices would make you feel if you were on the receiving end. You’ll always remember how empathy feels. That’s a very important filter.”

“That makes sense. I can do that. But it’s so easy to slip, like in Limbo.”

“That was a unique situation,” Knight sighed. “Anyone could have folded to the Darkness’s influence. I nearly did.”

“That’s not an excuse. I used you to kill five innocent ponies and mortally wound a sixth. For that fucking Pearl.” Tears welled up. “And I thought about doing it again. At Tenpony, when we learned what the Dragon Staff could do. I thought of turning Slash and Gritt into zebras and making you kill them.”

She looked at me sadly. “Then you thought about it more, talked to them, and found a better way. Don’t beat yourself up over intrusive thoughts.”

*****

We diverged at a fork in the river that led directly into Seaddle. The city was a gleaming beacon between mountain ranges. Not untouched by the War, but impressively recovered from it. Any ruins too damaged to restore had been demolished and rebuilt completely. The impressive technology the Enclave was capable of was on full display, but used for civilian infrastructure rather than military prowess. It was also fused seamlessly with western griffon culture, beautiful architecture blending old and new. The two species have clearly thrived together for the past century-and-a-half.

It was decided that we’d move our cannons below deck as we got closer, and that Knight would stay aboard. She was the only one who couldn’t ‘fit in’ with a simple change of clothes, and the mostly-formed Pearl still had no effect on her. Even Crimson’s cybernetics were mostly hidden by a tuxedo that Sabre had made for him. Star Pin evidently had a formal wear requirement. If Gritt, Slash, Purser, and Washout wanted to join us there, we’d need to stop at a boutique.

Even outside Star Pin, we’d look very out of place wearing armor and brandishing weapons. Washout certainly couldn’t wear her stolen east-coast Enclave gear. The only ones who wore armor around here were peace officers, and they had little more than a light ballistic vest over a bright uniform, and just carried batons and small caliber pistols.

Gritt was the only one among us who was completely useless without a gun, so he kept a small, sleek semi-auto in his jacket. Slash was utterly confused by the concept, stating that her armor was formal wear. Regardless, we had something tailored for her. She insisted on a suit, saying a dress was too frilly. Washout was content with a skirt and blouse. Purser’s outfit required no alteration, other than some magically seamless stitchwork courtesy of Knight.

As far as paying for all of this went, we actually had to go to a bank and exchange caps for golden bits. The rate was one-to-one, so I didn’t really see the point, other than a sense of status over the rest of the wasteland.

*****

The residents weren’t all pegasi and griffons. There was a minority of unicorns and earth ponies. No other creatures, however, so half our party still stuck out and drew glances. Those who watched us at least seemed to appreciate that we were well-dressed and not openly armed.

On the surface, Seaddle seemed to be a stable, friendly, civilized community. Families, even mixed-species families, walked about chatting and laughing. Businesses ran, entertainers performed, educators taught, workers maintained. But there were cracks. Anti-zebra propaganda dotted walls between advertisements. I’d seen plenty in the east, but those were old and faded by the centuries. The ones here were freshly painted and printed.

“Better Wiped Than Striped!” “Zebras Lie! Zebras Hate! Zebras Destroy!” Et cetera.

It made Washout visibly ill. What was missing was anything glorifying pony superiority. I suppose that would have led to tensions with the griffons. Zebras, it seemed, were the sole scapegoat. A common demon for this community to rally around.

*****

At the center of town stood a needle-like spire dedicated to decadence. Star Pin Tower, home of the influential Whiteclaw family. The top of the gleaming, narrow structure was a saucer-like level, having the appearance of an alien ship looming over the city, and was likely where the birds in charge stayed. The base was surrounded by a large hotel resort. Dressed our best, and with my writ of endorsement at the ready, we trotted in. A finely dressed griffon in a gala mask opened the door for us, eloquently inviting us to enjoy ourselves to our fullest. After what I had just endured, I was extremely tempted to.

A unicorn mare at the front desk took our names and magically frisked us for weapons. Gritt’s pistol was politely confiscated. White, with a butter-colored, curly mane, Margarin spoke from behind an ornate mask. I noticed that all the employees wore them.

“Please feel welcome to enjoy all our resort has to offer. Games of chance, a relaxing pool and spa, an adult club, and the Gourmand, the finest restaurant in Equestria.” The corners of her smile were visible. “Our master chef, Falchion Whiteclaw, would be delighted to serve her signature Gourmand Mignon to new travelers. When you need rest, feel free to rent a luxury suite in our glamorous hotel. As always, the Whiteclaw Society is here to serve your every want and need.”

I couldn’t help but notice that the words ‘adult club’ caught Crimson’s attention. I suppose I know where I’ll find him later. As long as he pays and doesn’t hurt anyone…

That was the last place I had any interest in going. It was going to be a long time before I wanted to be touched that way again. I wasn’t surprised by how I was treated in Zimonja, and I’d braced for it as best I could, but it was still traumatizing. I couldn’t be sure how I’d react to a massage, let alone sex.

*****

I couldn’t help but notice that no one was talking about the prison break. In all likelihood, the Enclave was doctoring reports before any information was released to avoid a panic. That was a lot of zebras with combat experience, and a motive to attack this city, that I unleashed.

Instead, patrons gambled, drank, ate, and prattled on about frivolous topics. Everyone here was fit and beautiful, eloquent and cultured. The juxtaposition of seeing pegasi and griffons, wing to wing, smiling and laughing, hugging and nuzzling, versus the gruesome battle I had seen in Gritt’s memories was both jarring and heartwarming. If there was a way to mend the rift with zebras and have real peace here, Seaddle would be a paradise.

Spirits… How many sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers… We killed dozens of griffs and ponies. We had to, to escape, but I was going to be responsible for so much heartache when word got out. I needed a drink, and the bartender was happy to satisfy me.

*****

Oh, what the hell am I doing? I need to speak to Pierre before Crimson takes him and the other Whiteclaws to Manehattan. I assume they’d have their own means of transport.

Getting off the bar stool, I found I was already somewhat tipsy. I’d only had two shots, and they weren’t that strong. Then again, I just lost a lot of weight. With a sigh, I made my way to the executive elevator and presented my writ that Sabre had given me. With a bow, the masked griffon hen called the elevator and operated it for me.

When I reached the executive level, I found Crimson already waiting outside Pierre’s office door.

“He’s in a meeting. We’ll have to wait.” He sat patiently.

I leaned on the door, subtly putting my ear to it. “Thought you’d be in the club.”

“Later.” He smirked.

I shook my head and focused on the door. It was hard to make out, but there was a refined voice of an older male, likely Pierre, and a shrill and haughty voice I did not recognize. It could have been through a radio, but the voice was distinctly filtered like Crimson’s.

“General Glow, I assure you I did not order my son to shut down production. I can’t imagine why he’d do such a thing. It’s just simple machinery parts. There must be an explanation.”

“Hmph. Perhaps young Sabre isn’t as trustworthy as you claimed him to be. Perhaps he found somepony else to do business with. I really should have sent a pegasus.”

“Now see here, we both know how the east coast perceives your kind. The ‘Enclave’ there made quite a mess of your people’s reputation.”

“As the Talons did for yours. If it wasn’t for the ‘New Canterlot Republic’ making up for it, I’d have sooner sent an earth pony or unicorn. Nevertheless, it’s clear you don’t know anything. As usual. Ta, ta.”

*****

Pierre let out an offended huff as the transmission ended. I stepped away from the door as it opened. “Oh, ah, who might you be?”

“Rosegold.”

“Crimson.”

I offered a claw and Sabre’s commendation. “We’re both here on behalf of your son.”

Pierre was an older copy of Sabre, equally handsome and far more mature. Elders weren’t my type, but I could still appreciate him. He read the writ carefully, then trotted to his desk.

“If I know Sabre…” Pierre took out a bottle of some sort of chemical and a cotton swab from his immaculate desk, and began dabbing the parchment. Crim and I blinked at each other as we saw a hidden message appear between the lines.

“Father, I can’t know for certain if my new acquaintance will reach you. I will make arrangements with a local mercenary as well. Cozy Glow is not producing windmills and water pumps. She is producing advanced combat robots. Thousands of them. We both know her ideology. She’ll exterminate everything on the west coast that isn’t a pony. Allow my companions to take you and the rest of our family to Tenpony in Manehattan. It will be safe there. I love you.”

The distress in the room was palpable. Pierre trembled as he sat back in his cushioned vinyl chair. Even Crimson audibly gulped. He may have lost his appetite for prostitutes, or wants the distraction more than ever.

“If this…” Pierre took a moment to steady his quivering beak. “If this is true, I need to make arrangements for a city-wide lockdown.”

“Not an evacuation?” I asked.

He shook his head. “They’d never understand the threat in time. There are two stables in the city besides 14, which obviously isn’t an option. We have lockdown plans in case of zebra invasion to use them for shelter. One is directly below this resort. The other is in the residential district.”

I sighed, shaking my head. “Sir, I’ve seen the weaponry these things have. A stable door will not stop them.”

“That's all we have.” He rubbed his claws. “We’re not fighters, and we can’t all trek across the wastes. We trusted the Enclave to protect us, and so far they have, but if Cozy Glow has been cooking this up behind our flanks…”

Crim stepped up. “Look, I was hired to-”

Pierre snapped a claw at him. “I will triple my son’s offer. Remove Cozy Glow and stop what she’s planning. I’m not going anywhere. This is my home.”

“Establish peace talks with the Remnants.” Pierre did a double take towards me.

“Pardon?” he asked, bewildered.

I narrowed my gaze. “Establish peace talks with the Remnants. End hostilities with the zebras. And for Spirits’ sake, take down all of that damned propaganda. Agree to that, and we’ll handle Cozy Glow and her Assault-Mares.” I was banking on him being scared enough to look past centuries-old bigotry.

“It… won’t be that easy, but… I promise to try. I don’t share the hate, personally, but believe me, it runs deep.” He took my claw and shook it.

*****

In the meantime, we all deserved to relax for at least one night before throwing ourselves into another fire. Crimson went straight for the brothel, dosing up on Med-X beforehand. Washout and Purser went dancing. Slash and I dined at the Gourmand.

The meal was to die for. Steamed fresh produce, baked breads and pastries, an assortment of fine drinks, and prime cuts of various meats. After the barely nutritious slop served at that prison camp, I savored every morsel. Two courses in, I decided to order the mignon that Margarin had mentioned. It was prohibitively more expensive than everything else, so I expected it to be worth it.

A single bite in, something seemed off. I’ve eaten various meats in my life, and the texture and consistency of the filet didn’t match anything I’d ever bitten into. It wasn’t bad. In fact, it was delicious. My compliments to chef Falchion. Stopping a waiter, I asked what animal the meat was from.

“Chef’s secret, I’m afraid.” The waiter smiled behind their mask, apologized for the inconvenience, and went about their duties.

My curiosity undeterred, I offered a bite to Slash to get her opinion. Dragons, being carnivores, have a better tongue for identifying meats. Her expression as she chewed and swallowed did not inspire confidence. When she started to tremble, I got worried.

“What?” I whispered. “Do you recognize the animal?”

She looked up with fear and shame in her eyes. Her voice was barely audible. “It’s not from an animal.”

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

Footnote:
Welcome to Level 15!

Perk Added: Deplorable Delicacy! Gourmand Mignon is people! Now having the taste for it, you have the option to devour corpses. Dining on the dead will result in a temporary +3 increase to your Strength, Endurance, and Agility, but also a -2 to Intelligence, Charisma, and Luck, as well as a negative hit to your Karma.

Chapter 20: A Cancer Called Hate

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.

Chapter 21: Stable 14

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 21: Stable 14

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

I stayed the night in the zebra camp, though I struggled to sleep, plagued by night terrors. Zaire startled me by pulling me to her bare body. To my surprise, I didn’t flinch away from her. I wanted comfort and affection. I needed it. The Legate held me gently. In Zimonja, other zebras and I had to sleep bundled together to stay warm, and let each other know none of us were alone. We gave each other the comfort we needed to press on, and not give in to despair.

Zaire woke me in the early morning, before sunrise, with soft kisses. “Up, Zinnia. You must go now, put your plan in motion.” She helped me get my armor on, and led me to the edge of camp.

“I’ll put all of this right.” I brushed her striped mane with my wing. “I promise.”

*****

As planned, Knight and Washout were waiting at the Gull with two full suits of western Enclave armor. The Wonderbolt candidate put on one, and I shifted into a pegasus and wore the other. Knight cloaked and followed us to Stable 14’s entrance.

Purser, Gritt, and Crimson made their way to the far end to scale the mountain’s exterior. They’d need to stay out of sight, so their progress is going to be slow.

Our goal was to shut down the Assault-Mares, and kill Cozy Glow. A Pearl shard and the Dragon Staff were here as well, but they came second.

Knight was convinced that she could modify the jamming signal she’d used in Baltimare and apply it to Cozy’s army, with access to a sufficiently powerful signal booster. Unfortunately, Cozy herself could likely override it. She had to be taken out first.

*****

Washout and Knight, being the wizards with tech they are, added our biometrics to the stable’s security system and the armor they retrieved. I was Corporal Scarlet Wind, and Washout was Master Sergeant Jet Fuel. Of course she’d give herself the cooler name.

Enclave soldiers were bustling about as Assault-Mares marched into formation on a tarmac. Hundreds of the metal pegasi stood at parade rest between wings of griffonchasers. Cozy Glow was already mobilizing. We needed to work quickly.

Stable 14 was massive, about ten times larger than most of the other shelters Stable-Tec built. It was the only one purely dedicated to griffons, so they made it count. 14 was structured like a bundle of regular stables stacked on top of each other in a pyramid, and encompassed most of the upper half of the mountain.

The Enclave had done little to modify the layout, but they had given it a paint job and better lighting. Color-coded lines acted as navigation markers, leading to barracks, showers, utilities, armories, et cetera.

*****

“Final preparations underway. All wings to your stations. Final preparations underway. All wings to your stations.”

Segregated groups of pegasi and griffons trotted and flew through the heightened corridors, some wearing confused expressions as they passed each other.

“Why do they have our units separated?” A griffon asked a pegasus, who just shrugged. “They got all my kind heading to A-M storage.”

“Maybe the General wants griffons acting as support for them?” The pegasus offered, before both were ordered to fall in line.

All the griffon soldiers were being lured into enclosed spaces full of Assault-Mares. I wanted to break cover and warn them, but I couldn’t. These people had been intertwined for over a century, living and working together, loyal friends and loving partners, and Cozy Glow was about to wipe out half of them just because they weren’t ponies.

*****

I slipped into a security station to glance at the monitors, looking for Cozy Glow. As distinct as she was, I quickly spotted her, leading all the highest ranking griffon officers into a meeting room on the top floor, which was once the Overgriff’s office. There was no screen showing the interior. She was going to kill them all herself.

We opted for the mostly unused elevators to avoid the crowds, heading straight for the top. Following the signs, we upped our pace through the empty upper levels. It wasn’t long before we busted into the office, Knight taking charge and decloaking with her claws bared. We were too late. Ashes, cauterized limbs, and diced, bloody griffon flesh littered the room. Cozy had already left.

An elderly female had been sliced in half at the waist and thrown into a wall, and left a trail of blood from sliding down it. After throwing up, I noticed the wall was a glass shield covering an assortment of photos, a pair of medals, and a newspaper clipping. I started with the article, reading its striking headline, which was beside a picture of Luna adorning an injured blue griffon with an award.

*****

Major Gallus of the Equestrian Air Defense Forces receives the Medal of Valor from Princess Luna!

In a harrowing surprise dragon attack on a medical encampment treating wounded soldiers, Major Gallus ignored his own injuries and flew into action. Among the few griffons serving Equestria with rank, Gallus became an example to his kind by risking feather and claw distracting the dragon Spade until reinforcements arrived. In the ensuing battle, a fellow hero and dear friend, Lieutenant Sandbar, gave his life defeating the beast. Sandbar’s mother and father received his posthumous Medal of Valor in his stead.

Another picture in the article depicted Gallus embracing a pair of grieving older earth ponies. Other photos posted on the board were from various points in the griffon’s life. The earliest was of him as a fledgling in Griffonstone, beside an extremely elderly griffon wearing an odd hat. Next was him, somewhat older, in front of an Equestrian boarding school, with his wing wrapped tightly around an earth pony stallion his age, who had a pale yellow-green coat and cyan mane, with three sea turtles on his flank. Following that were a few more photos of the pair in uniform on bases, or in casual clothes on shore leave, with one sometimes kissing the other on the cheek.

In the next series of images, he looked slightly older than he did in the newspaper, and was now clearly retired from military service. Most depicted him in Seaddle with a wing around a gray griffon hen who often wore a postal service uniform and seemed to have a very bubbly personality. The last picture showed him shaking claw and hoof with Sweetie Belle in front of Stable 14’s door as a telekinetically held pair of large scissors cut a ribbon.

*****

I turned my attention to the Overgriff’s terminal once Knight had it hacked, looking for anything useful. The Enclave seemed to have left it untouched out of respect. I read some of Gallus’ entries.

Entry 1, Overgriff Gallus: Gabby finally talked me into meeting her old friends, who turned out to be the President, Vice President, and PR Head of Stable-Tec. I never figured she’d have connections like that. Anyway, they were looking for ‘Overgriff’ candidates for Stable 14, which was apparently exclusive to griffons. They’d already researched my history before we met and considered me a strong option, they just wanted to get a personal evaluation. Long story short, I was hired. I’m writing this as I go over what’s going to be expected of me in detail. Hopefully this will all be unnecessary. The zebras won’t actually resort to megaspells, right? That’d be insane.

Entry 4, Overgriff Gallus: It’s actually happening. Cloudsdale was vaporized. The pegasi are closing the sky. The sirens in Seaddle started going off, and I was lucky enough to already be here and activate roll-call. Registered griffons have been pouring in along with a few pegasi. Security tried to wave away stowaways but I ordered them to stand down. With a stable this size, we can afford to take in strays. I doubt everyone on the official roster will make it anyway. Celestia, Luna, my Gabby is still out there. She was on a delivery run to Cloudsdale. I can’t lose hope. I’m keeping the door open as long as possible.

Entry 5, Overgriff Gallus: She made it. It was close, and I got into a claw fight with a guard to keep the door open, but Gabby made it in. She’s being treated for minor radiation sickness, but the doctors assure me she’ll be fine. Celestia, Luna, thank you. I couldn’t have endured that kind of loss again.

Entry 12, Overgriff Gallus: We’re a few months into our stay, and I’ve already gotten a bit stir crazy. I’ve been getting therapy and medication for my claustrophobia, but it’s been rough. I couldn’t have made it through this without her. Oh, big news, Gabby’s pregnant! Ours will be the first fledgling born in the stable. Wow. Fatherhood. I thought fighting a dragon was scary.

Entry 247, Overgriff Gallus: Tomorrow’s Reclamation Day. Our thirty years down here is nearly over. Doctors have gone over how our kids will probably react poorly to seeing wide open spaces for the first time. They say they’ll have megalophobia, the opposite of what I have. We won’t abandon the stable, since it's still pretty well stocked. It’ll be a foothold as we resettle.

Entry 272, Overgriff Gallus: Some pegasi soldiers calling themselves ‘Enclave’ have made contact. They want to settle the Stable, turn it into a base of sorts. In exchange, they’ve got a lot of tech and knowhow to help protect our settlements from zebras. After everything, I can’t believe those stripes are still attacking us! Anyway, their General and I recognized each other. It was my old XO, Top Bolt! After catching up, I agreed to their terms. His second in command, a sickly little mare named Cozy Glow, I wasn’t so sure about. Something about her seems off. But I trust Bolt with my life. With their help, we’ll be just fine.

I looked up at the griffon viscera splattered around the office. Some of them may have been Gallus’ descendants. He couldn’t have predicted this. I had to stop it from getting worse.

*****

“Any info on where Cozy went?” I asked, as I noticed Knight interfacing with the dead officers’ wrist terminals.

“The control station for the Assault-Mares is in the research sector, one level below us. That’s our best bet.” She cloaked as we headed out.

We quickly started encountering patrols of Assault-Mares that stopped us and demanded identification. All the organic guards were elsewhere. On the fourth instance of this, Washout lost her patience and opened fire with her mounted novasurge rifles. I quickly joined her, and Knight decloaked and joined the fray as well. Most of these things were outside at this point, right? I really hoped we hadn’t kicked a bloatsprite nest.

Knight navigated us to a security door marked as ‘Classified R&D; Authorized Personnel Only’ and I put my ear to it. A faint cheerful humming gave General Glow away. Washout and Knight got to work on a dual terminal lock. I stood in front of the door, weapons charged and ready.

*****

The pink and yellow android was sitting in front of a series of displays, humming and laughing to herself. She was watching as helpless griffon troops were being slaughtered by her robots. The pegasi outside were none-the-wiser, ignorant of the betrayal.

“Golly, that’s unexpected.” She turned her head to an exterior monitor, watching as Zaire and her Remnants flooded onto the tarmac outside from the surrounding wilderness. I made the Legate promise to focus on the Assault-Mares, and try to incapacitate living soldiers as non-lethally as possible. She appeared to be upholding it. “They were supposed to attack the city!” Cozy Glow stomped in frustration.

The room was a lab containing many different projects. Star Metal was stored and studied, corpses infused with cybernetics were suspended in tanks, an Assault-Mare head laser laid disassembled across a workbench, and two artifacts caught my eye. The Dragon Staff was mounted on a vice, with various cables attached to it connected to diagnostics equipment. The area was littered with research notes. I saw a Pearl shard being used as a paperweight, on a note labeled ‘Soul to Program’.

I slowly crept over to them. Washout noticed and held off on attacking. My EFS told me that Knight was slowly moving towards Cozy. Once the shard snapped into place, I tried yanking the Staff from its vice. My eyes were drawn to nearby notes detailing mind control research. Panic filled me until I saw that every note ended with a frustrated rant. Good, Cozy couldn’t finish what Twilight started.

“Hey! Naughty, Nau-” Cozy’s taunt became a yelp as Knight skewed her between her armor. “Ah! Wha-? You!?”

Knight slammed her creator into the floor, and Washout started blasting her. I immediately joined in. We kept firing until we ran out of ammo, but it wasn’t enough.

“GET. OFF.” Cozy’s mouth split open like the mandibles of an insect, revealing that she had a weapon of her own. A hot golden beam drilled into Knight, launching her into the monitors and vaporizing anything that wasn’t Star Metal. Cozy wobbled onto her hooves as her repair talismans got to work, absorbing nearby scrap to rapidly repair her body.

We officially had her full attention. Time for phase two.

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

Footnote:
No Level Up.

Chapter 22: Rook Gambit

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 22: Rook Gambit

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

Phase two involved luring Cozy Glow out of Stable 14. Washout and I wasted no time flying for our lives with the sociopathic android in hot pursuit. Knight stayed back long enough to repair herself and upload an override signal for the Assault-Mares. As long as the General was alive, however, the signal wouldn’t do any good.

Purser, Gritt, Slash, and Crimson were preparing the one gun in Equestria that might do the job. The eight-hundred-millimeter artillery piece that sat atop Mount Reinier, Gustave Le Grand.

While I didn’t doubt the small griffon’s ability to hit any target in his line of sight, since he was a wizard with all things ballistic, I wanted to take zero chances. We’d shove Cozy straight down the barrel if we had to.

*****

The former Wonderbolt-in-training was more than capable of evading Cozy’s attacks, but I was far less nimble. Instead, I took advantage of the shadows and shifted into a bat-pony, umbra-kinetically teleporting out of Glow’s lethal reach.

“You cheater!” The General squealed in rage. “It took me decades to figure out even the most basic transformation magic, and you can just shift on the fly!?”

My temptation to stick my tongue out at her was squashed by a hot beam of golden death that came too close for comfort, urging me to warp further down the hall. As we got closer to the exit, the sounds of the battle outside became clearer. A few more near misses, and we launched ourselves out onto the tarmac.

The sun was immediately uncomfortable on my leathery wings, and my attempts to warp in daylight failed. I went back to being a pegasus, losing the General in the chaos. She focused on Washout, who flew straight up and around, between Reinier and Zimonja. In the open skies, I had no chance of keeping up. Instead, I focused on helping Zaire, after diverting to a hidden stash with my gear.

*****

After perhaps the fastest change in apparel in recorded history, I joined the fight, blasting Assault-Mares into slag. The robots’ IFFs thankfully weren’t sure what to make of a hippogriff, giving me a necessary half-second advantage. When Knight joined, she got to work mindscaping pegasi officers and showing them what Cozy did to the griffons. It wasn’t long before the ponies got orders to stop fighting the zebras and turn on the robots.

Cozy Glow must have been banking on ruling through fear, or somehow unlocking the Dragon Staff's brainwashing magic, with how quickly her troops turned on her machines. Her dream of a pony-only nation was not a shared one. Despite being rallied against, the Assault-Mares still had the organics outnumbered, and the fight was getting bloody, fast. Still, seeing pegasi and zebras fighting side by side gave me hope. It was only soured by the absence of griffons. I should have warned them...

“Zinnia!” Zaire leapt over me and cleaved three androids into halves with a single swing of a massive sword. Her armor was scorched by laser and plasma, and a chunk of her helmet was missing, revealing blood running down her face. We fought flank to flank as a swarm of bots tried to overwhelm us. The machines were corralling the organics into the center of the tarmac.

“We can’t let them pin us down! Take the fight up the mountain, use the rocks and trees for cover!” I commanded between waves, and Zaire quickly spread the word. The pegasi caught on and followed, giving cover from the air. I kept my eyes out for Washout, who I saw still playing cat and mouse with Cozy. “Knight, help her!” The friendly alicorn obeyed.

*****

Washout could keep the General’s attention, but Knight was the only one who could really hurt her. When she saw the android flying into assist, the gifted pegasus stopped and turned on Cozy, contorting her wings and rearing up her hind legs. Just before the General reached her, Washout snapped her wings in a vibrant crack of sound and light, swinging her hooves at the speed of sound into Cozy’s metal face.

The Sonic Rain-Buck slammed Cozy Glow straight towards Knight, who delivered a perfectly timed swipe of her magically sharp claws. With her wings severed, the General plummeted towards the platform near Gustave, creating a small crater in the concrete.

Zaire and I reached the summit soon after, and I saw the enormous gun start swinging.

“Who’s playing with my toy!?” Cozy ignored us and started galloping for the control booth, where Gritt and Purser were operating Gustave from.

She was slowed down by a hail of armor piercing heavy rounds from Crimson’s machine gun, and an inferno from Slash’s muzzle. Cozy opened her insectoid maw to return fire, but got slammed again and again by Washout’s aerobatics.

“I’ve had enough of you!” Her horn glowed, and a chunk of concrete was slammed into the pegasus as she made a pass, knocking her out and trapping her. “Ha! Swatted!” Her glee became a pained “Eep!” as her horn was blasted off. As always, Gritt’s aim was on point. Unfortunately, he now had the death bot's ire.

*****

Knight, Zaire, Crimson, Slash, and I did all we could to keep her from reaching the control booth, but Cozy’s hate-fueled tenacity was unrivaled. “Vermin! Vermin! VERMIN!” I received a buck to my side, which definitely broke some ribs, and Knight was blasted into a generator. Slash and Zaire received metal hooves to their heads, knocking them out. Without pause, the overcharged laser was swept across at the booth. Gritt and Purser barely got out in time.

“You first, you annoying pipsqueak!” Cozy Glow unleashed another death ray at Gritt. To our shock, Crimson wrapped himself around the smaller griffon, letting his cybernetic body take the brunt of the attack. A long, agonized, filtered squawk escaped him as he fell into the slagged remains of the booth. Gritt rolled out of his grasp as Crim became still. The damage was extensive, the griffon’s metal wings reduced to almost nothing, with deep holes bored into his back. My friend wore an expression of amazement at the former slaver’s uncharacteristic sacrifice.

A sudden bout of screaming told us Crimson was still alive, his own repair talismans unleashing hell on his nervous system as scrap was absorbed. Despite being a monster in his own right, I couldn’t stand watching him writhe in agony, and apparently neither could Gritt. The brave little griffon picked up his rifle and sent round after round into Cozy Glow, every shot hitting between her armor into something soft. She stumbled and fell as joints and servos were crippled.

I ignored my injuries and closed the gap, blasting her repeatedly with Grapeshot. Giving Knight a glance, I saw that she had crawled her way to Washout and had begun healing her. Remembering how I wished I'd used the Pearl on the Novac alicorn, I focused its magic on Cozy, trying to turn her into something harmless. It did nothing. She was immune.

Cozy noticed my distraction, and threw herself at me. Her claws were wrapped around my neck, and it took all my strength to keep her from crushing it outright. Cozy’s mechanical eyes stared into mine, and her maw started to open.

*****

“Captain!” Purser jumped onto Cozy’s back and yanked her head, throwing off her laser's aim enough to only singe my mane.

I appreciate it, but you're not a match for her!

“Gah! Stupid mutt!” The android bucked Purser into the air, spun around, and skewered her with a claw. The manner the seadog was stabbed, vertically through her chest cavity, was not dissimilar from how she had stabbed me. A mortal wound. “Bad dog!” Purser went limp as she was tossed aside, blood quickly pooling around her.

“PURSER!” Washout shrieked before sonic-slamming Cozy into the sky. Knight and I rushed to the dying seadog, the former quickly enveloping her in healing magic and administering potions.

Knight shook her head in worry. “This isn’t enough. Purser’s fading too quickly. She isn’t going to make it!”

There had to be something I could do! Come on, think outside the box!

If she was a hippogriff, enough radiation could save her. But my armor was the only radioactive thing around, and it was far from potent enough. Surely there’s a creature I could shift her into with strong, innate regeneration. I could think of one, but I wasn’t sure the Pearl could pull that off. No, it was only missing one shard now. It had to be strong enough.

Pouring all my focus into the Pearl’s magic and the dying friend before me, I pleaded with the ancient nature spirits my people once openly worshiped. A faith carried in secret by lower class families, like mine, to endure our hardships. I put my claws on her chest, waiting for the change.

Joy and relief surged through me as her body began to grow, followed quickly by exhaustion. I successfully turned Purser into a hydra, albeit a small one, long enough for her to heal. Purser awoke and gave me an intensely confused gaze from four sets of lilac eyes before the magic was broken. Thankfully, she was a seadog again by the time she fell onto my exhausted body. I hugged her tightly all the same. Knight let out a giddy laugh at the lifesaving display.

*****

The cracks of more Sonic Rainbooms and Rain-Bucks snapped us out of it. Knight rushed to Slash and Zaire, who were still out cold. Gritt flew to Gustave, intending to fire it manually. No longer able to move the gun, it became absolutely necessary to shove Cozy down the barrel.

Still without wings or a horn, never getting an opportunity to absorb scrap and repair, Cozy Glow was at an enraged Washout’s mercy. Wearing significantly lighter armor than she was accustomed to, the pegasus was a virtually untraceable blur. Speaking into an Enclave radio, I told her what she needed to do.

Her attacks instantly gained direction, knocking Cozy in front of Gustave, which just happened to be aimed at Zimonja. The General realized what we were doing, and tried to disable our weapon with hers, but Washout was too fast to let her.

With the rest of us down or too slow to be of assistance, it was all up to Washout and Gritt, and they delivered. At a cost. Two more slams later, and Cozy was thrust down Gustave’s bore. Gritt, however, struggled with the heavy firing mechanism, giving Cozy time to climb out. Washout didn’t let her, blocking the gun’s muzzle with her own body, using her powerful wings to push back against the genocidal android, ignoring the metal claws thrust into her.

Gritt didn’t know, and the gun finally fired. In an instant, the leader of the Hot Rods was gone. The shockwave rattled throughout the mountain and all our bones. The center of Zimonja was obliterated by the weapon designed to one-shot dragons and Thunderheads.

The young griffon’s shout of triumph was quickly squashed by sorrowful realization brought on by Purser’s grieving wail. Her lover reduced to nothing in a flash, the seadog dropped to her knees, sobbing.

Knight and I didn’t have time to mourn. We had to confirm the kill.

*****

My metal friend was less optimistic than I’d like, stating she once tried to destroy herself a century ago with a weapon even stronger than Gustave, something called Trottenheimer’s Folly.

Our hearts sank as her doubts were quickly justified. Cozy Glow, currently reduced to just her Star Metal parts, was reforming using the ruins of Zimonja for materials. After all that, and Washout’s sacrifice, this demon was still alive.

Knight let out a battle cry and dug her hooves and wings into the ground. Her faceplate separated and peeled back, revealing a hidden weapon. I recognized the tech. A star blaster was integrated into a juiced up version of the head lasers Assault-Mares sported. The geiger counter on my PipBuck began to scream as Knight's face was quickly hidden by a charging blue light.

By the time it erupted, Cozy had reformed enough to respond with her own laser, and the beams of azure and gold clashed between them. The force of the energy produced pushed me back, but the surge of radiation gave me the energy to fight against it and make my way towards Cozy. I had one last insane idea.

In the mindscape, Knight’s essence and mine could interact, even touch. She used it to give me comfort, but I wondered if harm could be done as well. Cozy’s eyes went wide as I reached her, and latched a claw onto her horn. After calling out to Knight through my implant, the three of us were engulfed in ghostly cyan.

*****

Before Knight and I stood a terrified, short pegasus mare. Cozy Glow, in a pixilated version of her original pony body, stammered as she struggled to grasp what happened. Her true self was before us. A corrupted, hollow shell. The note in her lab... She turned her soul into a program.

“What is this!? Where am I!?” The terror in her squeaky, digital voice betrayed her attempt at a commanding tone. Knight and I remained silent. I approached her, my dripping red talons leaving a trail.

Cozy opened her muzzle at me, and was confused when no lasers came out of it. Then she was significantly more so when she properly examined herself. She patted her head and felt no horn, and began to hyperventilate as I was nearly upon her. The little pink mare attempted to fly from me, but I was faster, and I slashed my claws deep into her wings. Cozy shrieked and coughed and spat as she fell into the stream, turning the water red.

I didn’t give her a chance to recover, pinning her down in the water, wrapping her neck in my talons and submerging her head. Cozy flailed her limbs in a futile effort to get me off of her, but she just hastened the rate at which her energy faded. Knight turned her head away, folding her ears and clamping her eyes shut. As much as she hated her creator, she couldn’t watch this.

As much as I had learned about empathy and seeking peace in the last weeks, this creature was beyond that. There was a time and place to be my true self. Not a monster, but a killer, ruthless and cold towards those who needed to die. Cozy Glow was a damaged mare, broken completely by tragedy, but her pain would roll over all of Equestria if I didn't stop her. She needed to die. I felt the slightest hint of pity as I saw the light disappear from her eyes, her hooves finally falling slack. Moments later, her essence vanished into dust.

*****

Coming back to the real world, I found that the android I was holding had gone completely limp. Lifeless, if one could say it was ever alive. After releasing my grasp, it fell to the ground in an unceremonious cacophony of clattering metal.

Knight, still badly damaged, limped to it. Magic radiated around Cozy’s corpse, and it was absorbed. Not just for my friend to repair herself, but to modify herself. Most of her body was protected by Star Metal, she now had an animated face, and the shield-and-cross cutie mark she had in the mindscape now adorned her flank. She looked as close as possible to the real pony she perceived herself as.

She turned to me, and her face was filled with relief. “It’s over. The override is broadcasting properly now. The Assault-Mares are deactivating.” Her newly articulate eyes and muzzle frowned. It was odd but not unpleasant to see her mouth move as she spoke. “Some had managed to get into the city. Not everyone had made it to the shelters.” The griffons in Seaddle weren’t fighters. I couldn’t imagine how many the robots could have killed even in that short timespan.

*****

Traveling towards Star Pin, the damage wasn’t as bad as it could have been. But it was still bad. Seeing dead civilians disturbed me more than I thought it would have. There were dozens killed. In addition to the couple hundred griffon soldiers killed by Cozy's trap, she had largely succeeded in her genocide attempt.

Gritt recoiled from the sight of a dead fledgling, and I put a wing around him. A pegasus mare was sobbing over the body of a griffon hen, and I suddenly remembered seeing the couple when we first came here. Just two days ago they were having a date at the casino, not a worry in the world. The sight broke Purser into a fit of sobs, and Slash held her tight.

Zaire had taken her people back into the forest, giving Seaddle and Reinier time to recover before peace talks began. Some pegasi soldiers, who had avenged their griffon friends with their help, were already tearing down propaganda. Not wanting to cause a panic with her appearance, Knight had taken Crimson to the Gull to help him heal.

Pierre Whiteclaw was outside Star Pin’s doors, a wing around his trembling daughter. Her hide and feathers had a layer of frost. A brief conversation told us that a wave of Assault-Mares were sent to Star Pin straight away. Security held off as long as they could for lockdowns to engage. Falchion and several other Gourmand staff had to hide in the freezers. Serves them right.

*****

Making our way to our room, we found that Pierre had already set up the resort’s ground floor to receive injured survivors. Doctors and medics rushed around treating wounded griffons and the pegasi who tried to protect them. The Whiteclaw patriarch was certainly good at crisis response.

I saw Purser break off from us, towards the pool area. The area was closed, but the seadog slipped in regardless. I soon found her in the large, quiet, poorly lit space. Ornate marble tiles surrounded a wide oval of water, which was ankle shallow on one end, and a few meters deep on the other. She slipped into the water, submerging completely and sinking to the bottom. I could barely make her out, curled up in the cold dark.

After getting out of my armor, I shifted into a seadog and followed, defiantly ignoring my phobia. Due to our aquatic physiology, I could hear Purser’s sobs clear as day. My arms wrapping around her gave her enough comfort to reduce them to sniffles.

“When we first arrived,” she choked, “I wanted to come here, to the pool. Washout didn’t know how to swim, so we went dancing instead.” She smiled. “I really liked dancing with her.”

“I’ll be honest,” I chuckled, “I’m surprised you two made up so quickly, after she found out about Friendship City.”

“We talked a lot those two weeks. I told her about seadog culture, how the word of our Captain is law. How mutiny is the worst crime we could commit.” She sighed. “No matter how much I didn’t agree with Ironsides’ decision to turn slaver, there was nothing I could do. I had to obey my Captain. She understood. She told me how scary it was for her to leave the sky…” She smiled at me. “I’m glad you’re my Captain now. You do things that make me proud to serve you.”

“You shouldn’t put me on a pedestal,” I admitted, turning away from her. “Washout was the pure one. A good pony and leader.” I buried my face in my webbed paws. “What will I say to the Hot Rods? Peepers, Snowmelt, Muffler… They relied on her.”

“They must be a strong crew to have had such a good Captain. They will endure. They will honor her.” Her voice trembled.

“So will you.” My assurance broke her again, and I held her tighter.

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

Footnote:
Welcome to Level 17!

Perk Added: Mr. Sandman! If you die in the mindscape, you die in real life! Within Knight’s mental realm, you can combat an enemy’s soul directly.

Chapter 24: A Stormy Road to Canterlot, Part 2

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 24: A Stormy Road to Canterlot, Part 2

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

The radio in my cabin played the soothing tones of Old Blue Eyes. That was just the griffon’s stage name, of course. The western buck’s real name was Ginatra. Apparently, when Sabre traveled east, he brought a lot of pre-war records to Tenpony as a gift. DJ Pon3 was more than happy to add the tunes to his broadcasts.

After a love song about flying to the moon, I wondered if Ginatra had some kind of hopeless crush on Princess Luna. The track afterwards was much more somber, bittersweet with a profound confidence. It was a swan song, regaling the old buck’s life, his legacy, his regrets, and his proud acceptance of the inevitable. Knight sated my curiosity by telling me it was the last song he produced before succumbing to cancer. That oddly didn’t make me sad. If anything, I was happy the gifted griff died of natural causes rather than the war that killed so many others in a much less gentle way.

*****

“Good evening, Equestrian Wasteland! This is DJ Pon3, bringing you the truth, no matter how bad it hurts.

Though this first segment might not be painful at all depending on who you voted for. That’s right, NCR representative election results are in! Sabre Whiteclaw, once the rep for Filly, has successfully won his election bid in Manehattan! Believe me, he’ll fit right in. Taking his old office is his former opponent, Dusk Dazzle. Once an unwilling resident of Filly, like so many others, she’s promised to continue Sabre’s legacy of cleaning that city up.

Other districts stayed under the same hooves, so expect more of the same for two more years. Now, if you’re about to snooze off from all this political talk, I’ve got other news that’ll jog you right awake.

I don’t know all of the details, but apparently one HELL of a bullet got dodged out west, and it’s thanks to the Wanderer. In his travels to Vanhoover, he stumbled onto, and stopped, a pre-war megalomaniac’s plot to exterminate all non-pony creatures with a robot army! I’d have hated to wake up and see that marching on the horizon! So if you see our hippogriff hero, buy him a drink. He’s earned it!

This has been DJ Pon3! As always, look out for each other, and fight the Good Fight!”

*****

I know he uses the SPP to stay up to date, but it still amazed me how well-informed the DJ was. It’s a shame that I was getting all the praise. I didn’t deserve it. If it wasn’t for Knight and Washout…

My heart leapt as I felt a metal hoof stroke me, and calmed as I looked up at the android’s metal face. “Are you alright? You look down.”

My smile and nod did little to ease her worry. “I was thinking about Washout…” I winced. “My plan got her killed, and it didn’t even work. If I had thought about using the mindscape sooner…”

This time, Knight winced and stepped away from me. I knew why. She’d been distant with me ever since Cozy Glow’s death. Not letting me into her mental realm. I understood. It was supposed to be a place of healing and understanding, and I used it as a weapon. I tainted it.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized, lowering my head in shame.

“Don’t be… I should have thought of it too. Jet’s death is on my hooves as well.” She noticed my raised brow. “Jet Fuel wasn’t just some fake name she chose. It was her old name, before she escaped the Enclave. ‘Washout’ was something she called herself to honor a prewar group of flunked Wonderbolt rebels she admired.”

I smiled. “I can see how she related to them.” My smile faded. “It was wrong to use you. To use that place that way.”

“It was necessary.” She stated firmly. “Cozy Glow couldn’t have been stopped conventionally.” Her worried expression returned, realization playing on her face as she looked at me. “I haven’t meant to keep you out. I’ve just been focused on Crimson. Do you need it?”

I shook my head. “Maybe later, if it’s alright. How is Crimson doing? After his injuries, and the overdose attempt…”

Knight seemed surprised that I cared. “He… No matter what I say to him, he’s convinced that pain and death is what he deserves. I know what he’s done. I’ve seen it. He doesn’t hide his mind. But creatures have moved on from worse, become better. There’s a good griffon buried under all the mistakes and self-loathing. If he would just let me do something as simple as alter the neuro connectors, I could significantly reduce the pain. Maybe even eliminate it.”

“But he won’t let you. He’s lost hope in himself. He wants to suffer.” Knight nodded sadly at my assessment.

*****

Our depressing conversation was interrupted by Slash and Zarrow, who wanted to use my cabin for the night for obvious reasons. Knight and I excused ourselves to the deck. The door was locked behind us.

“It’s kind of weird, with how young that stallion is.” What was he, seventeen?

“Slash is much closer to his age than you are to hers.” Knight explained. “She’s only nineteen.”

The robot giggled as I widened my eyes. I was twelve years older than her!? That was way too much of an age gap than I was comfortable with! I felt dirty!

“With dragons, it's very hard to tell.” Knight patted my back. “But now that you know…”

“Yeah, I don’t want to… No, that’s way too weird.” I stammered uncomfortably. “We’ll just be friends from now on. Yuck.”

I heard laughter above us. Gritt had been eavesdropping. “Hey, you’ve still got me!” Not that I was ready to roll in the hay with anyone anyway. I still had what happened at Zimonja to work through.

Noticing Purser fold her ears as she worked across the deck, I slapped myself, and glared up at the griffon in the crow’s nest, who winced and fell silent. Here we were, talking about sex after she just lost her lover. We apologized to her, but she just grunted and shooed us away. Gritt felt especially awful, and hasn’t been able to face the seadog yet. He was the one who pulled the trigger. I told him again and again not to blame himself, but he didn’t accept my absolving words.

Another storm rolled in as we hunkered down for the night.

*****

Gritt and I slept wrapped around each other in some basic bedding below deck. Snuggling, I could handle. It was nice to feel his warmth again. Not that we could be more intimate anyway, with Knight, Purser, and Crimson down here with us. There were separate rooms, but they had thin walls. The former stayed at the latter’s side, keeping him in her mindscape as he slept. Our seadog slept alone, holding Washout’s hellfire helmet to her chest.

Maybe… I’d need permission from the Hot Rods, and probably their help, but I’d like the pegasus’s old armor to be modified to fit Purser. It would need to be lightened to keep her mobile, but she needed something more protective than fancy sailing clothes. And she’d be able to keep a part of Washout close to her.

I did my best to keep my mind off of Slash and Zarrow as I fell asleep. They were probably destroying my bed, and I was very glad that the thunderstorm made it impossible to hear them.

*****

Glyphmark was between us and Canterlot, and Gritt wasn’t too thrilled about it. He still had hangups about Xenith and Xephyr. To my surprise, Zarrow was eager to visit his parents. His chosen life as a raider apparently hasn’t soured their relationship. Knight wanted to stay below deck, for obvious reasons. As did Crimson, who explained that some of Glyphmark’s zebras spent time in Filly as slaves, and would likely recognize him. The rest of us set out to visit the striped settlement built around the Angel Bunny Pharmaceuticals veterinary building.

I turned my gaze up to the mountain overlooking us, with what was once Canterlot toppled down the side. Reading reports was one thing. Seeing the Enclave’s devastation in person was another. It was completely unrecognizable from old photos of a spired white castle overlooking all of Equestria. Now it was just rubble. Princess Luna’s final resting place, obliterated out of paranoia.

Somewhere underneath all of that was Princess Skystar’s grave, Tempest Shadow’s prison, and the final shard of the Pearl of Transformation. I hadn’t fully registered that last one. My mission was almost finished, or at least almost at the final stretch. I still needed to help Slash. Not to mention, I’d be in possession of one of the most powerful magical artifacts in the world. I have ideas on what to test its limits on, but they can wait.

*****

Zarrow smiled and waved to those he knew as he trotted along to a pair of gravemarkers. The zebracorn laid down in front of them and seemed to chat to them, in zebra speak, with a sad smile on his face. Oh. That’s what he meant. Slash sat beside him and put a wing around him, which he seemed to appreciate.

Some other members of the local tribe, the Angel Bunnies, joined them. I didn’t expect him to still be so close to his old home. Xephyr spoke to the raider quietly.

“Are you back for good this time?” she asked.

Zarrow chuckled. “Of course not. I still need to keep a leash on those hooligans.” He frowned. “I got sloppy. Another gang tried to take a farm, and a filly got hurt. If I leave, Galloping Gorge will fall apart again. You know that.”

“I still think you are on a fool’s errand, trying to change them.” She sighed. “A kind fool.”

*****

Grubber, Gritt, Purser, Zarrow, and I were the only ones who scaled the mountain. The seadog would be needed to dig us out if there was a collapse. Her kind weren’t as adept at it as their diamond dog cousins, otherwise we’d have her dig a stable tunnel straight to the shard. The first two were the only ones naturally small enough to fit through the rubble blocking the catacombs. I’d need to transform into something. It was a steep and wet climb for the hedgehog ghoul and hybrid, the former vocally envious of our wings. The weather was worsening again, and I started to wonder if Littlepip was intentionally inconveniencing me. Rain and lightning, however, were hardly my biggest worry.

“The Pink Cloud’s gone, right?” I asked fairly nervously. As much as I liked my armor, I didn’t want to get fused to it.

“Long gone,” Zarrow confirmed. “My parents never would have let me explore up here if it wasn’t.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened to them?” I assumed it was Atlas or Achilles who killed them.

Our guide paused. “Not what you’d expect. They just… got sick. Just a couple years ago, a flu spread through the area, a bad one. Lots of my people died to it. I had every caravan that passed through stopped and searched for medicine, with little luck. We bought all Glyphmark could spare, which wasn’t much. They could only make so many healing brews… I found out my parents volunteered theirs when it got worse. They’d already passed when the news reached me.”

“Shit, I remember that.” Gritt scowled at the memory. “That crap spread all the way to Junction Town. I nearly lost my daughter to it, but she pulled through. I’m sorry your parents weren’t as lucky.”

I gave him a moment of silence before continuing. “I still don’t understand you. You’re… trying to fix the raiders?”

He nodded. “It’s a slow process. If I can get them playing by a set of rules and code of ethics long enough, they’ll start acting right on their own.”

“They might be rubbing off on you just as much as you them.” He definitely did ‘raider’ things.

Zarrow shrugged and smirked. “I do enjoy the perks of being in charge of a lawless band of misfits.”

“Like free produce?” Gritt chimed in.

The Overboss glared at him. “I don’t demand more than the farms can give. No one starves on my watch. And trust me, I’m better than their alternative. You saw that yourself.”

*****

Our guide trotted ahead to a pile of stone rubble that looked just like all the others, but the magic from the Pearl told me it was the right way. Zarrow tapped his hoof on a dark, narrow opening.

“The Tempest-Skystar residence is right through here.” The raider smirked. “Should be about fifty meters of tunnel.”

Gritt looked at me. “Got an idea what you’ll turn into to fit?”

I nodded and focused on the Pearl. “Yeah, just… don’t laugh.”

My world grew massive around me, far more than from any other change. The rain and thunder became deafening to my much more sensitive ears. I became so small, I fell into my armor, and my PipBuck came off. Looking at the arcane device, it was nearly as big as me. After bracing myself for my companions’ inevitable reaction, my cotton-tailed butt hopped out into a puddle.

They all burst into tearful, hysterical laughter. All four of them. While it was heartwarming to finally see a genuine smile on Purser’s face, I was still annoyed at the others. Unfortunately my attempts to scold them came out as incomprehensible squeaks. Another round of boisterous howling followed. I went for my Pearl in a huff, but Gritt snatched it.

“Nuh, uh!” The griffon tucked it into a pouch, grinning madly. “You’re staying like this! I’ll get you a carrot when we’re done!”

My new body betrayed me, salivating at the promised treat. Dumb animal instincts! Doing my best with non-verbal instructions, I told Purser to stay with Zarrow and watch my belongings.

“Aye-Aye, Captain Rosebunny!” She barely contained her snickers as she gave an exaggerated salute.

*****

Zarrow’s magic arrowhead acted as my guide as I crawled through the mess of rubble. Gritt followed me, with Grubber behind him. I’d been going slower than I could, not just so they didn’t lose me, but because the rain was creating submerged pockets of the tunnel. Fuck you, Littlepip. My fear didn’t even make any sense! There’s no ghouls in here! Well, there’s one, but she’s immobile. And, hopefully, still not feral. It still took all my willpower to force myself to swim. Ugh, irrational phobias are so annoying!

A startled squeak escaped me when Gritt held me to his chest and took it upon himself to carry me through the flooded areas. He was the first to recognize my fear under the Statue of Friendship, and like there he didn’t hesitate to help me. Fuck my trauma, I’m rocking his world when we get back to the Gull.

*****

The magic arrowhead flew ahead of us on the final stretch, and I heard a raspy, excited gasp of joy.

“Zarrow!” Despite the distortion in her voice caused by ghoulification, I recognized Tempest Shadow from her recordings. “You… I know you can’t fit down here anymore… Grubber?”

The hedgehog called out from behind us. “I’m here, Commander! With guests!”

Gritt dropped into the dark stone chamber with me tucked into his jacket. The only light was from Zarrow’s weapon, and it only illuminated itself. Grubber dropped down behind us, and turned on a spark-powered lantern he brought with him.

*****

On one side were the bones of Princess Skystar, her spine and limbs fused into the wall and floor. I didn’t know how I’d feel when I saw her. I certainly didn’t expect tears to well up in my eyes, but they did, and I couldn’t explain why.

On the other was a dark purple unicorn, trapped in almost the same way as Skystar, though she did have one free hoof. The veins under her gaunt skin had a pinkish hue to them, the mark of a Canterlot ghoul. Most notably, her horn was cracked in half. I had finally met Tempest Shadow… and I was a bunny.

After Gritt gave her an awkward wave, I gave him a commanding squeak and pointed to the pouch my Pearl was in. He set me and it on the floor, and I quickly restored myself to a hippogriff. Great, now I felt naked. Because I was. But Tempest almost completely ignored me, staring with almost bulging teal eyes at the Pearl. What was left of her pinkish red mane stood on end.

“Y-You… You found them. You found them and brought them here.” She composed herself and narrowed her gaze at me. “You want the last shard. I get it. You finally overthrew the Storm King, and have come to restore your people’s crown jewel.”

I blinked. “Overthrew… Commander, I serve the Storm King. I’m here on his behalf.” I gave her the traditional salute. “Commodore Rosegold of his Majesty’s Navy.”

She hesitantly returned the gesture, and glanced at her hedgehog lackey. Grubber explained to her what I had told him. Tempest was slow to accept it, and I was confused as to why.

“Our conquest of Hippogriffia was… brutal. Countless griffs were slaughtered. The royal family was hanged, as were any brave enough to still be loyal to them afterwards. Your villages were burned, and temples to your nature spirits were toppled. We… The atrocities we committed were not something a people could just forget.” Her admission of all this left me bewildered.

“That’s not… Novo was a heathen savage, keeping our race in the dark ages. The Storm King saved us.” I could barely recognize my own voice. It was not as confident as it was last time I argued about this with Slash.

Tempest’s expression became impossibly sad. “Hippogriffia was beautiful under Novo’s rule. Your people were peacefully intertwined with nature, and the Spirits.” She scowled at herself. “And I helped that vain piece of shit tear all of that down and conquer it.” Tempest slammed her free hoof into the floor. “Because I wanted to fix my stupid horn.” She glared at me. “Do you even know what he wants that for?” Her hoof was raised to the Pearl.

I shook my head. “He’s kept his reasons to himself, but assures it is vital to conquer the Dragon Lands.”

The Commander spat. “The Storm King knew the radiation would threaten him, so he wanted the immunity Novo gave you. If he’s still around despite my failure, then he’s a ghoul, and that has weakened him.” I confirmed her assertion, while realizing that Slash had been correct. “I’d bet my last free hoof that he wants to restore himself and his power.”

“And?” I gave her an annoyed glare. “That makes perfect sense. Our ships are enhanced by lightning strikes, so his magic being restored would benefit us immensely.”

“You… Open up your eyes! He’s evil, you fool!” The contempt for me in her gaze caught me off guard. “If you’re intent on helping him lay waste to another culture, I am NOT giving you the last shard!”

*****

I had to catch myself. I was going back to my old ways of thinking. Gritt looked concerned for me. These tunnels… I must have lost connection to Knight. Or did turning into a bunny mess it up? Checking, I couldn’t reach her. Thank the Spirits she was staying below deck on the Gull. Without me, she posed a massive threat to Glyphmark.

I turned to Zarrow’s arrowhead, hoping he could understand me through it. “Make sure Knight doesn’t leave the Gull, and make sure no one enters!” The enchanted sharpened stone nodded and whizzed out of the tunnel. I had to assume he’d go to the Gull and make sure Knight didn’t see any… zebras. Oh, fuck. Fuck, fuck, FUCK!

“Wait!” “Hold up!” Gritt and I screamed out to the arrowhead, but it was long gone. Zarrow had no idea about Knight’s IFF. The moment she sees him…

I snapped to the smaller companions. “Go after him. Grubber, you can navigate the tunnels for Gritt, right?” The hedgehog nodded. “Go. Now.” The two scurried out. I turned to Tempest.

She looked worried and confused. “What’s going-”

I cut her off. “Zarrow and Glyphmark might be in real danger soon, and I might need the whole Pearl to save them. Maybe you’re right about the Storm King, but that can be discussed later. What I will say is that I will not let the Dragon Lands be conquered. I’ve already promised that to a dear friend.”

Tempest Shadow regarded me carefully. She could sense the shift in my priorities, and knew I wasn’t lying. “Okay… You won’t like where I put it.” The ghoul lifted her dark steel armor, revealing her rotted torso. The armor had been fused to her, but the connection was torn by an old attempt to free herself. I retched at the sight of her organs, but noticed the magical glimmer within. Steeling myself, I shut my eyes and carefully slipped a claw under her ribcage and between her rotting viscera. She groaned in discomfort at my intrusion until I had the shard in my clutches and carefully removed it.

I pulled her armor back down before she could, trotted to an empty corner, and lost my breakfast. Once the sick feeling subsided, I studied my prize. There was something distinctly off about this shard, an odd hue of… pink.

Oh, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me.

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

Footnote:
No Level Up.

Chapter 25: Catching Up

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 25: Catching Up

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

I held the final Pearl shard in my shaking claws. This entire mission was pointless. Why did I not realize this would happen the INSTANT I saw that Canterlot was Skystar’s final stop!? Of COURSE the Pink Cloud corrupted it!

Tempest sounded confused. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s…” I snapped to her, enraged. “How do you not know!? The Pink Cloud! It seeped into the shard, and now it's corrupted by necromantic zebra voodoo! I… I can’t even begin to imagine how this will affect its magic, assuming it works at all!”

“Maybe you should just try and check?” She pointed to her broken horn. “I thought my magic was useless after this happened, but I made it work.” She’s… She’s right. I let myself panic.

Setting the mostly formed Pearl aside, I focused on the pink shard, and tried something simple. My first transformation, a griffon.

Pain ripped through me as different parts of my body shifted at random, forcing me to stop. After inspecting myself, I found that the only thing that stayed changed was my tail. Discouraged by the painful experience, I wrapped the bad shard in some cloth and fixed myself with the good shard. I couldn’t risk combining them. Partial changes… If I could control that, it could be useful.

However, that was hardly a priority. I needed to get out of here and catch up to Zarrow. I considered changing into a diamond dog to dig straight out, but I didn’t want to risk a cave-in that could trap or kill Tempest. As a bunny, I’d struggle to drag the shards. Also, I didn’t know the path. Best case scenario, I’d get lost and drown in the flooded sections… Maybe as a unicorn I could teleport out? There’s no guarantee I’d know the spell. Hold on, it’s dark in here and stormy outside.

*****

Purser yelped and fell in a puddle when I shade-warped inches from her. After a quick apology, I shifted from bat-pony to hippogriff, and got my armor and PipBuck back on.

“Come on, the zebras might be fighting for their lives right now.” I took to the air and descended the mountain, with the confused seadog doing her best to keep up on the ground.

It wasn’t long before I was nearly grounded by a splitting migraine from my implant. Purser noticed the waver in my wings, asking if I was alright. Shaking my head, I told her Knight’s IFF must have been tripped. With panic in her eyes, she sprinted on all fours.

*****

By the time we reached the shore near the Gull, I could barely think through the throbbing in my head. The deafening roar of Crimson’s anti-machine chaingun certainly didn’t help to relieve it. He, Gritt, Slash, and Zarrow were throwing everything they had at Knight to slow her down. After repeatedly failing to force myself into her mindscape, I drew Grapeshot and focused fire on her wings and legs to keep her immobile. When I stepped in a trail of blood, I finally noticed that Zarrow was missing a hoof.

The zebracorn kept his stump pressed to his chest to slow the bleeding. “Call off your fucking robot, Rosegold!”

“I can’t!” I put a few more shots through her wings when she tried to take off. “Once her IFF is tripped, I don’t know how to stop her!”

“You can’t get into her head?” Gritt called out.

I shook my head. “Not remotely!” Focusing, I turned into a unicorn. Horn-to-horn contact was my best shot. “Purser, get Zarrow to Xephyr! The rest of you, keep Knight down!”

We closed on the tattered android, damaging her faster than she could regenerate. On my first attempt to lock horns, Knight lunged at me with her blades, nearly decapitating me. Crimson, being the only one who could match her physical strength, pounced her and held her down. Finally having an opening, I touched my horn to hers and let the magic do the rest.

*****

The peaceful meadows of Knight’s mindscape were replaced by a flaming battlefield, and the elegant alicorn I knew was in a desperate struggle against a horde of misty striped figures. Wide-eyed, in a pure state of fight-or-flight, she kicked and bucked all around her as the mob of false zebras overwhelmed her. I forced my way to her, passing through the smokey illusions Cozy Glow programmed.

“Knight!” I ducked under a swinging hoof. “Knight, snap out of it! This isn’t real! It’s your IFF!” Her next attack struck home, dazing me, but I recovered and gave her a hard buck, knocking her down. Pinning her, I slapped her a few times until her eyes calmed, the fires died down, and the illusions vanished.

“R-Rosegold?” Tears welled up as a new panic overtook her. “Oh no! No, no, no, did I hurt any-”

I hugged her tightly, nuzzling her. “It’s fine. Zarrow is wounded, but he’s alive. I’ll fix his hoof with the Pearl.” My eyes watered. “I’m so sorry. It was a stupid mistake to split up so close to zebras…”

She sat up, wrapping me in her hooves. “I thought I’d be fine in the Gull. I forgot that Zarrow didn’t know. It was an accident, don’t blame yourself.”

A hiss escaped me. “If Glyphmark was destroyed, that would have been my fault. I’m fixing this. I have the whole Pearl now, I can figure out how to make you a real pony. There’s… a wrinkle, but I’ll figure it out.”

“But, your implant… If I become flesh and blood, you’ll lose those emotions.” Knight cared more about that!?

Huffing, I gave her another slap. “Knight, put yourself first for once! You deserve to be your best self far more than I do. You said it yourself that I don’t need it to be a better person. But you do need a permanent fix to your IFF.”

Knight looked repulsed at the idea of depriving me of my treatment, but she said we could discuss it later. Zarrow needed attention.

*****

Crimson carried Knight as she repaired herself, doing his best to ignore hateful stares from some of the older zebras as we made our way to Xephyr’s hut. I went in and used the hydra trick I used on Purser to fix Zarrow’s hoof. It took both by surprise, but they were pleased by the results. Before we could enjoy our relief, I heard a scuffle outside.

Stepping out, we found Xenith attacking the cybergriff, beating at his metal wings as he raised them to shield himself. Crimson’s expression was unreadable, but the zebra’s was full of hate.

“Red Eye’s butcher!” She hissed. “You should have died in Fillydelphia!”

“Maybe,” Crimson grunted, “but I didn’t. So, what, you want to finish your mission? Assassinate Red Eye’s leadership? My contract in Filly ended when he died.” He glanced at Gritt when the smaller griffon entered the crowd. “Are you going to kill the kid’s father like you did his mother?”

The expression on Gritt’s face told me he did not enjoy being used as an emotional bargaining chip. I, too, thought it was a scummy thing to say. But it worked, and Xenith stood down, trading glances with the rest of us to confirm Crim’s claim.

Crimson wasn’t so much saving himself as he was simply avoiding a fight he’d, unfortunately, probably win. As capable a fighter Xenith was, Crim was thrice her size, half-cybernetic, and carried a her-sized gun. Xenith settled on banishing him from town, with no arguments from the former slaver.

*****

Zarrow didn’t come back to the Gull with us, instead trotting home to Galloping Gorge. He’d have been a powerful ally, but having him and Knight on the same ship was a bad idea. The Overboss also had his own obligations to attend.

Crimson landed on the deck beside me, watching the zebracorn leave. “That kid’s wasting his time on those raiders. Creatures like that don’t change for the better. They just drag you down to their level.” The pretext of his words didn’t escape me. He was talking about Stern.

Gritt landed and kicked Crimson as he passed him. “That was shitty back there. You’ve got no fucking right to guilt-trip her.”

Crim rolled his eyes. I found myself speaking up in his defense. “It was the best play. Could have gotten bloody otherwise.” The smaller griffon couldn’t argue that.

“You could have ended up in the crossfire. Forced to pick a side.” Crim looked sadly at his son. “I didn’t want that. You and Regina are the only family I have left, and I’ve already caused you too much hurt.”

“I thought you had a brother,” Gritt lit himself a smoke, leaning on the Gull’s mast.

“Had is the key word.” Crimson laid down against the port railing. “Vermilion got killed by Security a few years ago.” He raised a claw, stopping us from offering condolences. “Bastard had it coming. Slaughtered whole towns for Red Eye. It finally caught up to him.”

Security… Blackjack. I only had vague knowledge of her exploits in the Hoof, other than the fact she’s died at least once. If I ever meet her, maybe I can share that we have that in common. Maybe start a club, with jackets.

After the others got settled, I excused myself, bringing Knight with me as I returned to Canterlot’s ruins.

*****

Shade-warping with a passenger was tricky, but I wanted Knight with me for this. Her claws were needed to cut Tempest and Skystar out of their stone prisons. The Princess deserved a proper service. If what Tempest said about the Storm King’s conquest was true, leaving her bones down here would just be salt on the wound. As for the unicorn ghoul, I wanted to take her to Glyphmark. Maybe they could safely un-fuse her from the rock, and if I get a handle on the Pearl, maybe I can reverse her ghoulification.

Tempest was in tears when I told her she’d finally be free, crying and thanking us as Knight carved out the chunk of stone she was stuck in. Even if she can’t be removed from the stone, simply having the zebra settlement for company would do wonders for her psyche. I warped her out first, then Skystar, then Knight. Not realizing just how strong the android was, it startled me when she carried both with ease.

The zebras graciously held a funeral for Princess Skystar after I told them about our rites, with Tempest filling in some forgotten cultural gaps. It took a couple days of work, but Knight and I carved a small ceremonial boat for her remains to be sent down the river on and burned. May she be at peace with the Spirits.

*****

As for Tempest, Xenith wanted to get in touch with the Followers to figure something out. Even if the Pearl could turn her back into a normal pony, doing so while she was fused to rock would almost certainly kill her. Until then, the zebras put her in a common hut where she’d get to see and chat with plenty of people. In the meantime, I needed practice with the pink shard before I even considered adding it to the set. There’d be plenty of time for that as we made our way to Junction Town to report to Gawdyna, then to Manehattan to drop off Crimson.

The latter very much wanted to stay on the Gull for our visit to JT, but Gritt insisted that he finally face Gawd after not seeing her for thirty years. They got into an argument over whether or not the President would have him killed on sight, and I told them we could figure that out when we got there. Personally, I felt the chance to meet his daughter and granddaughter would sway the old merc into taking the risk.

*****

Our two day journey was spent with Knight helping me with partial transformations, practicing at it for hours at a time. While I quickly got better at getting the changes I wanted, it never stopped being painful. In my practice I also discovered I could simply will myself to be clean and groomed. No need for showers or preening, though I’d be missing out on the soothing nature of those activities. Gritt happily helped me fill the void each night, and I was happy to finally feel comfortable being intimate again. I did everything I could to show the little griffon how much I appreciated him.

When we reached the welcoming shores nearest to Junction Town, I decided it was now or never to do what I hoped to do. With a moment of apprehension, the last shard was fused, and the Pearl became whole.

The surge of magic was strong, and it carried the sharp twinge of the Pink Cloud’s corruption. Moment of truth, I tried something simple. Pony ears. And it worked! It was far easier to do than with the lone shard, and much less painful. I then made sure I could still do full transformations by becoming a pegasus. Again, success! Also, I felt no magical drain from the changes. They could be permanent if I allowed them to be. Final test… transforming someone else.

*****

Crimson gave me a wary glare as I approached him. Another moment, and he might have figured out what I was about to do. Knight certainly wouldn’t have done this without his permission, but I knew he’d never give it. Doesn’t matter what he wants. If he’s going to see Gawdyna again, he should be as she remembers him.

In a flash of magic, the merc’s wires, servos, and metal were replaced with flesh, bone, and hide. His dark red coat and feathers were fully restored. Crimson was stunned, and the look on his face told me he really wanted to be furious with me, but he couldn’t.

Emotion began flooding from his eyes as he took his first breaths without agonizing pain in over twenty years. The colossal griffon collapsed, overwhelmed. He was free. “You… Why?”

“Because I don’t give a shit how much you think you deserve to suffer.” I smirked. “And if it backfired, you are the most expendable one here.”

Crimson cackled. “Fuck, I can’t even tell if you’re joking. Guess… I’ll have to be more careful about getting shot. Hopefully someone in Junction Town sells armor my size. Or can make some.” He was certainly quick to accept the change and be practical about it. With the life he's lived, he's learned to roll with the punches.

“So, you’re going?” I asked.

“Figure I have to, now.” He looked around at the others gawking at him in shock. Gritt was stunned to see his real father for the first time. Knight looked at me with a mix of annoyance and approval.

When I approached her, she stopped me. “No, you’re not-”

I ignored her. With a focused surge... Nothing. What!?

Knight sighed sadly. "It didn't work on Cozy. Why would it work on me?"

Not yet giving up, I made several more attempts, only getting painful magical feedback. What could... Star Metal.

I fell back on my haunches. Knight wanted to be a real pony. She wanted to be the mare I see in her mindscape. It was an impossible dream, now crushed.

She wrapped her hooves around me. "It's okay. I already knew."

That didn't make me feel any better.

*****

Crimson got a lot of stares from NCR troopers as we made our way to Gawdyna’s office, and he gave his own menacing glares straight back. Although he wasn’t a cyber griffon anymore, he was still intimidatingly massive. Even alicorns were somewhat scrawny in comparison, giving him a wide berth. None dared raise a weapon on him as long he kept his stowed.

He assured me he had no criminal status with the New Canterlot Republic, since they gave out a lot of pardons for former Red Eye Talons who cooperated with them. ‘It was just a contract’ was the prevailing opinion among NCR griffons, though ponies held harsher ones. Crimson’s real concern was Gawd’s personal feelings towards him. They had split up three decades ago on very bad terms, mostly because he chose Stern over her.

Gawdyna was carrying some papers and a coffee when we were escorted into her office, and she dropped both when her eye locked onto Crimson. Her beak fell open as her face struggled to settle on a single emotion.

Crim started to turn around. “This was a mistake…”

“Stop.” Gawd’s order halted him in his tracks. “What are you doing here?” If there were strong feelings behind her commanding tone, she was masking them well.

“The kid insisted.” He faced her again. “He knows.”

The President scoffed. “Forced you into an impromptu family reunion, huh? Well, you’re over twelve years too late.”

Crimson’s shoulders dropped. “I’m sorry about-”

The hen’s claws snapped in front of her. “You don’t get to be sorry about Kage. You were never a part of his life.” Crimson looked as though a dagger had plunged into his soul. She took a deep breath. “...Regina’s at the bar. If you really want to see her, I want to be there. I need a drink now, anyway.” She glanced towards me. “We have business to discuss, first.”

Vanhoover took a while to unpack. I started by exonerating Sabre of the worst of it, explaining that he had been fooled into manufacturing Assault-Mare parts, and ceased production the instant he learned the truth. It was further explained that the slave labor was solely orchestrated by Cozy Glow. Crimson corroborated that the Whiteclaw family was being used, and were just as much a victim of Cozy’s schemes. After going over whatever details she wanted to hear, she was satisfied, and paid me. We headed out for drinks.

*****

Gritt had already found Regina, Gwen, and Jade at a bar in the market. The first three were sitting on stools having a beer, while the fledgling sat in her father’s lap and sipped on apple juice. Gawdyna joined them, but Crimson stood back, frozen. Was he afraid? He could face down an army of killer androids, but he couldn’t face his estranged family? Risking his ire, I punched his side. He hissed and approached the group.

I sat just close enough to eavesdrop. Crim was too large for the stools, and simply leaned over the bar. Gawdyna ripped the bandages off faster than I expected, causing Reggie to spit up her drink as Crimson was introduced as both her and Gritt’s father. Jade’s face lit up, and she let out a happy squeal at learning she had a grandfather and aunt. I couldn’t help but notice that Gawd was very vague about her relationship with Crim, simply stating that they worked together as mercs a long time ago. There was no mention of Red Eye, Fillydelphia, or Stern. No need to sour the moment, as Crimson shook claws with his tiny granddaughter. Their shared smiles proved he still had a heart to warm.

Regina, understandably, demanded to know where Crimson had been her entire life. All he’d say is that he was tied down by his contract. If she needed to know more than that, he trusted Gawdyna to tell her. When Reggie told him she wished he could have met Kage, I could tell the merc was holding back tears. The younger hen’s smile returned when she looked at Gritt, him being her half-brother finally sinking in. From how I’ve seen them interact, I doubted anything would change between them. They had already treated each other like siblings.

Gawd finally gave in to her curiosity. “Crim, I thought you were a cyber griffon. Were reports just getting confused by fancy armor?”

Crim gestured towards me. “No, I was half-machine. That asshole fixed me with his magic pearl thing, right before we got here.”

“So you really let Slaughter do that to you?” Gawdyna kept her voice low.

“It was supposed to be for you-know-who, for fucking up a job.” Crim sighed. “Timing couldn’t have been worse. If I didn’t take the punishment instead, Gritt wouldn’t exist.”

She nodded, then scoffed. “I still can’t believe you two… The fuck did you even see in her?”

Crim chuckled. “Not her personality, that’s for sure.” His face dropped. “I miss us. The three of us, all those years ago… I should have gone with you, or talked her out of signing up with that piece of shit.”

“Well…” She sighed. “There’s no changing the past.”

They finished their drinks.

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

Footnote.
Welcome to Level 19!

Perk Added: Master Transfiguration! The Pearl of Transformation has been fully restored! Transformations, full or partial, require significantly less AP, and being in a transformed state no longer drains AP.

Chapter 26: Change of Plans

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 26: Change of Plans

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

Crimson spent the next day spending a solid chunk of his caps getting armor made. It ended up being a custom set of heavy combat armor, similar to what NCR officers wear, but without the colors or insignia. He also bought plated full wing armor, sacrificing his flight speed for added protection. The merc was too used to using his wings as shields to stop now. I was impressed he could still get off the ground, hauling that much weight without cybernetic enhancements.

“Enhancements?” He smirked. “They actually made me weaker and slower. The only upgrade was the repair talismans.”

“So, you’re happy being flesh and blood?” I’m pretty sure I can’t change him back.

Crim stretched and flexed his limbs, testing the armor’s flexibility. “Can’t complain. The lack of constant agony is a nice perk.” He smiled and winked at a pair of alicorns watching, who blushed and trotted away. “Certainly not the only perk. Sabre will be pleased.”

“Wait, you and Sabre?” I didn’t expect the aristocrat to be into larger, older bucks. “Then why did he kick you out of Filly?”

“He was avoiding a scandal. Reporters were getting nosey, so he sent me and my crew away to save face.” Crim shrugged. “Sabre was very confident he’d win in Manehattan, and intends to have me as his personal bodyguard there.”

I raised my brow. “You’re in a relationship with the griff who owns your contract? Is that… part of the contract?”

Crimson laughed. “No, he’s just sexy. Can’t blame you for asking, though. That’s not an uncommon occurrence.”

Shaking my head, I got everyone else ready to go to Tenpony. The morning was otherwise uneventful. After the rest of us stocked up on supplies, we went back to our ship and set sail.

*****

Purser convinced me to get the Gull’s rockets fueled. The river that led to the ocean had a diverging path that led straight to Manehattan. A dam made it nonviable for regular ships, but a flying ship could bypass the obstacle without trouble. A few hundred caps was worth saving days of travel time. Despite being the only non-flier on the crew, the seadog was the only organic creature not getting motion sickness as the three hundred year old ship lurched into the air.

After successfully landing in the water instead of into a national monument, Purser checked the fuel, finding we barely used any of it. I wasn’t super comfortable having mostly-full bombs strapped to my ship, but they’d be useful if we encountered anything else blocking our path. Though I think the rest of the trip will be smooth sail-

Slash knocked me to the ground just before a pair of massive claws took my head off. “Bloodwings!” She took to the skies and ignited the swarm of black leather above us.

Dozens of mutant bats surrounded the Gilded Gull. There must be a cave nearby, and the rockets woke them. Crimson flew up to cover Gritt, who was the most vulnerable in the crow’s nest. Knight joined Slash in the sky. Purser and I fought back-to-back, blasting or cutting down any creature that reached us.

My heart sank when I saw Gritt get snatched, but Crimson roared as he grabbed the bloodwing and ripped it in half. The smaller griffon bolted under his father’s wings as he wrapped them around the crow’s nest, turning it into a pillbox.

Our dragon did the most by far to thin their numbers and drive them away. Fire was a huge weakness for them. As it was for the Gull. The sails caught fire as flaming corpses fell into them, followed by the wooden deck. The inferno could not be allowed to reach the fuel-laden rockets. Purser yelped at me to help her as she dove into the river and started splashing water up at the ship with her finned tail.

At first, I turned into a seadog, then got a better idea. I changed into a bunny to exit my armor and PipBuck as quickly as possible, knowing my next change would break them had I kept them on. It was exhausting to transform into such a large creature, but it was worth it to see everyone’s stunned faces as I became a sea serpent nearly the size of our ship. Not lingering on the moment, I got to work thoroughly dousing the flames.

*****

With the six of us, it didn’t take long to patch up the sails and get moving again. I did take the opportunity to tell Purser we’d go to Baltimare after Manehattan. There were a few things I wanted to do there, and having a service for Washout was the most important. The seadog hugged and thanked me.

After that, I intended to use Horseshoe Lighthouse as a staging point to decide how to help Slash. I wasn’t sure the original plan of crowning a new Dragon Lord and brokering an alliance with the Storm King to drive out the Enclave would work. Tempest had made it clear that he wouldn’t settle on anything less than total domination. There were other allies who could and would help us instead. The NCR, the Hot Rods, Spike, the Elements of Harmony… Maybe even the western Enclave, Zaire, and Zarrow.

*****

Thankfully, there were no further incidents on the trip to Tenpony. Thanks to the Buckson River, we were able to dock very close to the tower, at an actual port with security, merchants, everything. Which meant we could all go, no need to leave anyone on the Gull as lookout. Knight carried Purser so she didn’t have to climb to the building’s elevated entrance, then the android cloaked so she didn’t have to come in through the roof.

Sabre was on the trade floor chatting with merchants when we came in, and he excitedly excused himself to speak to us when he saw us.

Manhattan’s new Senator raised his claw when Crimson started to speak. “No need for a debrief, love. My father sent quite a series of letters. I knew well enough he’d never abandon his home, but you more than resolved the situation. And… you… Where’re your cybernetics?”

Crimson smiled. “Gone. Transformation magic, courtesy of the Wanderer. That a problem?”

Sabre looked his lover over with renewed interest, grinning. “Not in the slightest.” He turned towards me. “I warned you not to get mixed up in Seaddle’s politics, but you certainly steered them in a better direction. Hopefully the luxuries of Star Pin made up for any hardships.”

I crossed my arms. “I enjoyed everything but the Gourmand.” He winced. “Your sister’s a piece of work.”

“Yes, father said he put her in therapy…” Sabre tapped his claws. “You have to understand, Falchion was very close to our mother. After what happened to her… But now we know that pink metal sociopath was responsible. Words can’t express how grateful I am that you put Cozy Glow out of everyone’s misery.”

*****

I could think of a way for him to repay me. After Slash and I told him the situation in the Dragon Lands, we asked him for the NCR’s support. The young Whiteclaw promised to devote every soldier to the cause he could, and to urge President Grimfeathers and every other representative to do the same.

We had a similar conversation with Homage and Lifebloom, asking if the Elements could be ready just in case. I didn’t expect them to fly across the ocean and throw themselves into another war if they weren’t needed, but they might be. Gritt asked what Celestia One’s range was, but Life Bloom lamented it wasn’t far enough to help. I also asked Homage to get in touch with Spike again, to see if he was willing to fight. It was, after all, his people that the eastern Enclave were murdering. It was his son they recently killed.

*****

A stop at Tenpony wasn’t complete without a trip to the spa. Sabre paid for all of us, and we split into two groups. One consisted of Gritt, Slash, and Purser. The other was Crimson, Sabre, and me. I couldn’t help but get flustered around the undressed and very attractive griffons. While I had no intention whatsoever of sleeping with them, I still enjoyed the eye candy. Crim was very muscular and handsome for someone in his late forties or early fifties, and Sabre was exactly as slender and feminine as I imagined him to be. My face got redder each time they gave naughty glances to each other. After we were done, the politician eagerly brought the merc to his penthouse. I met up with the others in Gritt’s room.

*****

My friends, aside from Knight who was in the Athenaeum, were drinking and laughing when I entered. Purser was noticeably drunker than the other two, and was being very lovey dovey with Slash, who was quick to shut her down. I sat down close to Gritt and got intoxicated with them, stroking the griffon’s leg the whole time. Eventually, a game of rock-paper-claws decided which couple would get the bed that night. Gritt and I won. It could accommodate all of us, but I told Slash I wasn’t comfortable with our age gap.

“Huh?” She cocked her head. “Dude, my parents had over twenty years between them, and you’re worried about twelve?”

“They were also both over two hundred when they had you. It’s not the same. You’re basically still a kid compared to me.” I explained, and Gritt and Purser agreed.

Slash rolled her eyes and tugged the seadog closer to her, told her she had permission to cuddle, and that she shouldn’t expect this again. I picked up Gritt and carried him to the bedroom.

*****

As I drifted asleep much later that night, with the griffon snuggled against me, I checked on Knight. Entering her mindscape remotely wasn’t something I’ve done much, and was a trippy experience, but I wanted to see her.

She was laying by the stream, idly grazing the water with a hoof. The alicorn smiled when I laid down against her, and we put a wing over each other.

“What’s the occasion?” She blushed and asked as I kissed her cheek.

I shrugged. “Everyone has someone tonight but you. I didn’t want you to be lonely, so I thought I’d spend the rest of the night here.”

Knight nuzzled me. “You’re more than welcome.”

As my body rested in Gritt’s embrace, my soul rested in Knight’s, the calm of the water and meadow soothing us.

*****

Crimson saw us off as we left. He’d stay at Tenpony for as long as Sabre did. We soon had the Gull sailing towards the sea.

Sailing past Friendship City, it looked like it had recovered from the attack weeks ago. Purser kept her head low in shame until the island town was out of sight, and I tried to cheer her up by keeping her company.

We watched the ocean for a while. “When all of this is over, I thought maybe you’d like to stay in Baltimare. Maybe help the Hot Rods turn Horseshoe Lighthouse into a trading post. I have no intention of taking the Gull home, so I’d end up leaving it in your paws. You’d be the Captain.”

Purser blinked in amazement. “Really? This ship was built by your people. It belongs in Hippogriffia.”

A snort and chuckle escaped me. “It’s a bit outclassed these days. If anything, I’d take the rockets off and put it in a museum. Besides, I could never sail it without you, and the radiation in our waters would kill you. You know the Gilded Gull better than anyone. It belongs to you.”

She gave me a tight hug, and I returned it.

*****

The happy feeling didn’t last. A storm was seen looming over Baltimare as we neared the next day. It did not look like naturally occurring weather. It looked more artificial than what the SPP produced. I recognized my people’s sloppy weather control skills. Like pegasi and griffons, we could manipulate clouds. We just weren’t as good at it. There was only one reason they’d form a thunderstorm. There’s a Storm Cruiser hidden in those black clouds.

I flew up to the crow’s nest and dialed my PipBuck’s radio to each military channel I knew until a signal came through.

“-peat. This is Lieutenant Spinella of the Storm Cruiser Vetera, attempting contact with Commodore Rosegold. This is a notice of mission postponement. Report for debrief immediately. Message will repeat. This is Lieu-”

The Vetera was here. Spinella brought my ship here. This… could be perfect. I wasn’t sure how to get an army across the ocean to deal with the Enclave, but now I have a way, and reinforcements to boot. But, mission postponement? What happened? What could be so urgent?

We docked at Horseshoe as quickly as possible and made our way to the Hub.

*****

“Hey there, Commodore,” Peepers snarked at me as he opened the gates. They must have discovered the signal as well. Who knows how long the Vetera’s been here. “Mind explaining what the hell is going on? And… Where’s Washout?”

The question froze me. “She…”

Peepers read my pained expression and took a step back. “What happened in Vanhoover? What did DJ Pon3 leave out?”

“The one who designed and commanded the Assault-Mares, Cozy Glow…” I took a deep breath. “Washout sacrificed herself to deal the killing blow.” It was a lie, but it’s how she deserved to be remembered. No one corrected me. Purser reached into a pack containing the pegasus’ hellfire armor, and gave Peepers the helmet.

His armor hid his face, but his broken voice revealed his grief. “I… I need to tell the others.”

*****

Washout’s funeral was a somber affair. The entirety of the Hub’s residents attended, but no one spoke a word, aside from a few who knew her best. A procession of every single Hot Rod, Slash included, marched down from one end of town to the other, all fully adorned in the armor their leader personally turned into works of art. Peepers, Snowmelt, and Muffler led at the front, the former carrying her black and green flamed helmet to their cemetery.

Tears poured silently down Purser’s face as the helm was lowered into a grave, beside two others belonging to Zendaya and Zip. Washout was with her family again. I put an arm and wing around Purser and held her close.

I quietly wondered which of the three senior Hot Rods would become the leader, or if they’d simply share the responsibility, but this was hardly the time to discuss that. As night grew, my group shuffled to the MoA hub-turned-hotel and got some rest.

*****

First thing the next morning, I borrowed a broadcaster and responded to Spinella’s hail, telling them to expect me within the hour. Soon after, the thunderstorm cleared enough to reveal the ultracite-armored dirigible.

The airship was two hundred meters long, held aloft by protected helium ballasts, with an underside bristling with lightning-powered heavy laser cannons. The engines that propelled it were powered the same way. Storm Cruisers were not battleships, they lacked the firepower Raptors possessed. What they were was nigh indestructible troop deployment and support craft. A meter of ultracite alloy protected almost every inch, rendering ballistic and energy weapons, missiles, and even dragon claws completely useless. They win fights through attrition.

*****

Spinella was waiting on the deck in her officer uniform, and met me with a salute as I landed.

I returned it. “Lieutenant, I am prepared to hear you explain yourself. My office?”

She nodded. “Of course, Commodore.”

I led the way. This was my ship, after all. Soon, I was sitting at my desk as Spinella poured drinks. I took a sip. “Why is my mission being postponed?”

She sipped hers. “The Dragon Lands have collapsed.” I froze. “The Enclave broke their lines, killed those who did not flee, and destroyed their nesting grounds. Now our fleet needs to contest the territory.”

I felt woozy. Not just at this shocking news, but…

Spinella sighed as the world spun around me. I didn’t even feel my head thump against the floor. My drink was poisoned.

My Lieutenant stood above me, and gave me false pity. “That’s only part of the reason. We know you’ve recovered the Pearl, and we know you planned to help the dragons.” She leaned down and tapped my PipBuck. It was bugged. I’ve been spied on this entire time. “Thank you for bringing it.” She reached under my armor and took the powerful jewel. “Oh, and finding the Dragon Staff was an unexpected boon. Our King will make good use of it.” The Gull was undefended. My… Her troops could just search it and take the staff. They probably already have.

“As for what to do with you…” Her beak quivered as bloody foam began to escape mine. My body was shutting down. “Well, we’re all aware what the penalty for treason is.” She stepped away and walked out of the office, unable to watch me die.

As the world faded to black, I could barely make out the sound of shattering glass and alarms.

*****

I woke up to a familiar ceiling, laying on a familiar gurney. I was in the Hub’s MoP building. This time, thankfully, I had no physical injuries. I just felt weak.

Knight trotted over to me and urged me not to sit up. “You’ve been out a few hours while the poison was purged. You’ll be too weak to move for a few more.”

A pained and defeated groan escaped me. The Vetera would be long gone by now. “The Pearl? The Staff?”

She lowered her metal ears. “I had to focus on saving you. You were minutes from death. If it weren’t for your cybernetic heart, you would have been dead before I got there. Both artifacts were taken. Slash had to be restrained from chasing that ship down on her own.”

“She has bigger problems,” I lamented.

Knight sighed. “We know. I read your memories and told the others.”

“We… We have to hope what’s left of the dragons can keep themselves safe.” I narrowed my eyes. “We’re getting those artifacts back. The Storm King can’t have them. I had my doubts before, but he’s made this personal.”

“More than you realize.” She met my stare. “I downloaded the contents of your office computer before I got you off the Vetera. Spinella’s orders were to kill you, but not for trumped up treason charges. The Storm King wanted to end the Hippogriffia royal bloodline, once its last heir did what only that family could do. Restore the Pearl.”

My response was little more than stammers. Last heir of the royal bloodline? What was she talking about?

“Before Skystar’s bones were burned, I took a DNA sample. You’re her descendant.” She stroked my mane. “It’s why you could use the Pearl so easily. Others could with time and training, I read as much in Cozy Glow’s research, but you had an innate connection to its magic.”

Knight smiled at me. “Rosegold, you’re a Prince.”

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

Footnote:
Welcome to Level 20! Max Level Reached!

Perk Added: Royal Blood! “That line was broken!” “It has been remade.” Persuading others to become followers now nearly always succeeds.

Chapter 27: Checkmate

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 27: Checkmate

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

“That’s impossible!” How could I possibly be a Prince? “Tempest said the entire royal family was executed.”

Knight tilted her head. “I think the Storm King intentionally missed a spot. Kept at least one hippogriff with royal blood around all this time in case he needed the Pearl restored.”

In a strange way, it made sense. Novabeam and Wavestone had been completely baffled as to why I was sent on this mission. We had no idea why our King chose me by name, and now I do.

“I… have a claim to the throne, don’t I?” The thought terrified me. Being responsible for my entire race? I was hardly qualified. “Never thought I’d become an usurper. Will the rest of Hippogriffia stand for that?”

Knight pondered. “That depends. Are they happy under his rule?”

“That’s… hard to say.” I never gave it much thought before. “Many struggle to get by, but that’s just the way the world is, isn’t it? Life for military officers is much better, but even we go hungry sometimes.” I shook my head. “All that will be rectified by the farmland we’re about to claim.”

“At the expense of the dragons. For all you know, Slash could have lost the rest of her family.” Knight’s words stung. “Do you really think the Storm King will stop there?”

“No…” I sighed. “With his power restored, he won’t stop until everything is under his rule. Not to mention, he’ll have all the time in the world to crack the Dragon Staff and brainwash the entire planet.” I was talking to myself in circles, not admitting the real reason I wanted the Storm King dead. He tried to murder me. “We have to stop him as soon as possible, before he mobilizes the fleet.”

Knight nodded in agreement. We just stopped one megalomaniac from rolling their will across the planet. We weren’t going to sit back and allow another. “I’ll inform the others. The Gull will be ready to sail by the time you’ve recovered.”

I stopped her. “It has to be just you and me. The radiation in the Storm Isles will kill everyone else.”

She gave me a concerned glare. “The others won’t just stand by and let us take all the risk.”

“I need them here, mobilizing our allies if we fail.” I… wasn’t sure we’d succeed. I couldn’t even think of a real plan. “Tell them to get in touch with everyone and be ready for an invasion”

“At least talk to the others,” Knight demanded. I obliged.

*****

Needless to say, the rest of my crew was less happy about this than they were about me getting myself tossed into Zimonja. At least in this instance I knew the lay of the land. Well, sort of. The only time I’d ever been to the King’s palace was when I received the rank of Commodore. I had been too distracted by the occasion to pay much attention to my surroundings.

No matter how things turned out in the Isles, I needed to know that my friends could keep Equestria from falling. If the Storm King invaded, he’d undoubtedly target Neighvarro first and snuff out the only rival to his own weather magic. I sent Gritt, Slash, and Purser on the Gull to go to Tenpony. Everyone needed to be warned, and Homage knew the one stallion who could get that done. If what was left of the dragons could be contacted, we’d give them safe harbor somewhere. Here’s hoping everyone we recruit gets in touch with those they know.

Once DJ Pon3 catches wind of the situation, all of Equestria will be ready to weather the storm.

*****

With the fallback plan in place, I revealed my very simple plan to handle the Storm King.

“You want me to just carry you there, and then we kill him?” Knight blinked, dumbfounded.

I shrugged. “It doesn’t need to be more complicated than that. You can carry me close to the waves, below their radar. It’ll be a long flight, but you won't get tired.”

“Well… It’s certainly direct.” Her brow furrowed. “The Storm King is a powerful being, more so with the Pearl and Dragon Staff. How exactly do you intend to kill him?”

“Frankly, I was hoping you’d vaporize him.” My candidness wasn’t met by the expression I was expecting.

“About that,” Knight started. “Remember when I used Cozy’s body to modify myself?” I nodded. “I don’t have a face laser anymore.”

That threw a wrench in things. “What about the mindscape? If we pull him into it somehow, he can’t use the artifacts.”

Knight winced. “Not a good idea. Cozy Glow was easy to overpower because she had a weak soul. The Storm King’s is powerful. If we go into the mindscape with him, he’d be the one killing us.”

The two easy ways were out. “We kill him the hard way, then.”

The android’s face came thoughtful, then resolved. “Agreed.”

*****

I packed the food and water I’d need for a round trip, and climbed onto Knight’s back. We took one last look at Baltimare as we took flight. Our view was miles upon miles of ocean for a couple days after Equestria disappeared on the horizon.

My geiger counter informed me when we passed into hippogriff waters. Knight had thoroughly gutted the device on my wrist and removed all surveillance devices after she rescued me. I still felt some childish resentment towards my PipBuck for its betrayal.

I honestly hadn't felt a lot of resentment towards Spinella. Had our roles been reversed, and I never went out on this journey, met my friends, got my implant, I would have followed the same order without question. I didn’t want to kill her. Lock her up for a while, certainly, but not kill her.

Taking the throne would be a tricky affair, if we do manage to kill our target. I doubt proclamations of ‘The King is Dead! Long live the King!’ will be made. If there was one griff I needed to convince of my royal heritage, it was Wavestone. Getting the senior Admiral behind me would get the entire fleet behind me. He was always an honorable and dutiful buck, one of the few who never compromised to get ahead. Thinking on it, I asked Knight to diverge to Fort Aris.

*****

An approaching group of ships forced us to take cover in some fog. Fifteen cruisers, nearly the entire fleet, were leaving Aris. Five broke off towards the Dragon Lands, undoubtedly to finish off the eastern Enclave. The other ten headed directly for Equestria, and were gaining altitude. I was right, they planned to hit Littlepip.

Enormous storm clouds accompanied both groups of ships, far more potent weather than what their crews were capable of. The Storm King had restored his full power. Was he up there with them? No. Checking the ID of each vessel on my PipBuck, none of these ships were the Novo. The bastard had named his personal cruiser after the late Queen as a sick joke. I also noticed the Vetera wasn’t among them either, and I couldn’t see either vessel docked at the fort. They must be at the King’s palace.

Wavestone, like the other admirals, would be coordinating from his command center at the top of Aris. With so many of our forces deployed, slipping in shouldn’t be much of a hassle.

*****

Knight remained cloaked near me, and I made use of my EFS to stay clear of any guards. Wanting to give myself an edge when we confronted the Storm King, I made a detour to Novabeam’s department, armor and weapon research and development. The poor young hen standing guard was put to sleep and dragged out of sight as Knight hacked the door. The facility within was thankfully devoid of life, allowing me to loot as I pleased.

It wasn’t long before a brilliant set of armor caught my attention. My android companion got the security gate open, and I got a better look. The suit was a full set, hoof to beak protection. Only my wings, mane, and tail would be exposed. Its plates were pure white with golden trim, like an admiral’s uniform. There was even a matching pair of scatter pistols.

Knight tapped the armor with her hoof, and it resonated. “This isn’t just ultracite. There’s Star Metal bonded to it! I had no idea such an alloy was even possible. If my scans are right, this armor is self-powering. Pistols, too.”

The science was above my head, but I took it as a good sign that Knight was impressed. I stripped down and put it on. Aside from the armor being too tight in an uncomfortable place, confirming that Novabeam made this set for herself, it was a perfect fit. The android noticed familiar electronics in the helmet, and linked my PipBuck to it, transferring its data and settings. The admiral cracked the Stable-Tec tech like I thought she would.

My implant made controlling the armor’s EFS even more seamless than it already would have been. A brief test of SATS and my new weapons proved successful, and I confirmed that the pistols had a limitless charge. The small things packed a punch too, they were as strong as Grapeshot with greater range and tighter spread. I also discovered that the helmet folded back if I simply willed it to.

“Having dreams of ultracite and Star Metal reactors to power Equestria?” I asked as the android kept studying me.

She chuckled. “There isn’t enough of the latter on the entire planet to power a single city block. There must be millions of caps worth of the metal between the two of us right now, how rare it is.”

“Well, when I retire…” I joked. We then gave each other a serious glare and made our way out. We had a job to do.

*****

The bustling commotion within Aris’ command center came to an abrupt halt as we entered. The dead Commodore and metal alicorn turned every head and widened every eye. Wavestone was the first to stand up from his station.

“Commodore Rosegold? Spinella reported you killed in action.” Wavestone struggled to comprehend my presence.

Novabeam gawked angrily at my attire. “Why are you wearing my armor!?”

“Because I’m going to need it.” I coldly explained, then turned to her superior. “Spinella attempted to murder me, on orders from the Storm King. He intended to have me killed once he got the Pearl all along.”

The Admiral stammered. “That’s… Why would he order such a thing?”

Knight stepped forward. “Because Rosegold is the last living descendant of Queen Novo. I have a DNA comparison with Princess Skystar’s remains as proof.” The data was uploaded into the large display the admiralty board was sitting around. They were astonished. Judging by Wavestone’s expression, things were clicking into place in his mind as they had for me.

“That means…” The old griff started.

“I’m here to claim my birthright.” I finished. “I intend to challenge the Storm King for Hippogriffia’s throne.” I narrowed my eyes at each of them. “And I expect you all to give your loyalty to the victor.”

There were murmurs, but not of disagreement. It seemed they weren’t very content with their King’s orders to attack Equestria, and may just welcome a change in leadership. From their perspective, we'd finally gained the means to become self-sufficient, and were risking it all for no reason other than the Storm King's imperial urges.

I continued. “In the meantime, I urge you to halt the fleet.”

Wavestone’s face became pained. “That is, unfortunately, impossible. Our communication signals had just been jammed before you arrived.”

“Enclave tech, no doubt.” Novabeam chimed in.

“Then I need to act quickly.” I pondered. “Once I’ve taken the throne, the Novo and the Vetera will be sent to make direct contact with the fleets and order them to cease fire.”

We were in agreement. With the easy part out of the way, Knight and I set off.

*****

The ocean became increasingly rough as Knight and I neared the Storm Isles, a contingent of admirals and their immediate subordinates following. They broke off towards the two Storm Cruisers.

As my friend and I approached the dark, jagged palace, we were soon fired upon. Our attackers were a mix of storm creatures, and… dragons. Dragons we had captured. Their pupils were dilated, and their movement jittery. They were being controlled. Cruelly, they were also suffering severely from the radiation.

Knight did her best to be non-lethal, but I was forced to put several out of their misery. Forgive me, Slash, if you knew any of these poor creatures.

*****

The fighting quickly took us inside, and to the throne room. The massive, satyr-like white biped was lounging across his majestic seat, Dragon Staff in claw, enjoying massages from his new scaly slaves.

I didn’t even give him the luxury of pleasantries before I opened fire, but at a twitch of his new staff, two dragons threw themselves into the shots. By the time I fired again, he had used his own power to create a protective shell of lighting around himself.

“Just skipping straight to the main course? No sense of showmanship at all. Tsk, tsk.” My former King mocked before spraying electric plasma in my direction, forcing me behind a pillar. Knight charged him, but a bolt sent her into a wall.

I glanced out of cover to get another look at him. He wasn’t wearing the Pearl. It was set into a jeweled necklace, one Queen Novo once wore, displayed above his throne. He had what he wanted from it, so why would he wear it?

“I nearly had your former Lieutenant killed for failing to finish you off, little Prince. Needless to say, she won’t be getting that promotion to Commodore she’d been promised.” The Storm King continued to keep us pinned with lightning. “Nevertheless, here you are! I’m more than happy to put your line to an end myself!”

“Took the words right out of my beak!” I swooped from pillar to pillar, firing as I moved. The static in the air put my mane on end, as arcs of my opponent’s magic got dangerously close. Knight moved when I did, and we gradually closed the gap.

Unfortunately, he didn’t just sit there, and he wasn’t alone. More creatures and dragons swarmed the throne room and attacked us both. Knight, unwilling to kill them, was pinned down. I shot down anything that got close, getting distracted enough for Stormy to get close and swat me with the staff. Learning from past fights, I kept my grip on my weapons, and countered with a volley of shots he couldn’t block.

Three to his chest, and two to his head. He staggered… but didn’t fall. To my horror, he regenerated. The radiation in this room was intense, and he gave himself the same gift Novo gave us hippogriffs. The ‘hard way’ of killing him just became impossible.

The beast more than twice my size clamped his claws around me, pinning my arms and wings. I kicked out my hooves, but they couldn’t reach him. Agonized squawks escaped me as he squeezed me like canned meat.

"Once I've taken care of you, the Single Pegasus Project, and anything else that could defy me..." He snarled, "I think I'll round up the pathetic friends you've made. That whore in Novac, the inbred thestrals in Hollow Shade, your new crew... I'll have all their heads!"

His sadistic grin instantly twisted into pained shock as Knight skewered him from behind, forcing him to release me. He reached behind himself, pulling at the android or swatting at her with his magic stick, but she refused to let go.

“The Pearl!” Knight snapped at me. I swooped through the display, catching the jewel around my neck. Then I heard the distinct, violent humming of Knight’s weapon charging.

Huh? She said she got rid of her laser. “What are you doing?”

The gaps in her face plates were noticeably glowing. “Turn into a bat pony and warp to the Vetera! Now!”

My breath became rapid as I realized what she was doing. I wanted to beg her to stop, but I obeyed.

*****

The instant I popped into my office, I locked the door and focused, entering the mindscape.

Knight stood in the meadow, tears down her face. She looked terrified. I wrapped myself around her, trembling.

“Don’t do this!” I sobbed into her.

She forced a smile. “There’s no other way.” A soft, feathery wing lifted my chin. “Promise me you’ll be okay.” She wasn’t scared for herself. She was scared for me. “Promise me you’ll keep being a better person.”

I pulled her into a desperate kiss. “I promise. I love you, and I promise to keep being better.”

Her lips quivered as she held me. “I know, and I love you too.”

She closed her eyes, and the meadow was consumed in light.

*****

The blinding flash followed me to the real world, and a deafening shockwave shattered what was left of my office window, glass bouncing off of my armor. The Storm King’s palace had been replaced by an enormous blast of bright blue energy, and a deep crater soon after.

I was flying towards it before I even realized I had started moving. I searched for any sign of her, my eyes eventually spotting scattered glints of metal. Pieces of her armor were melted and smoldering. Close to the center of the crater, I saw the obliterated remains of the Dragon Staff, and beside it, a cracked open Star Metal ball. Knight’s core.

My body collapsed when I saw that the repair talisman inside was in an irreparable state. There was no signal through my implant. Most of the advanced computer components within were slag, though some survived. I held on to that small hope, tucking the core into a storage compartment in my armor.

*****

Novabeam snapped to attention when I barked at her to get the Vetera moving towards the Dragon Lands. After confirming the death of the Storm King, she obeyed. Wavestone got the Novo heading for Equestria soon after.

I couldn’t think about losing Knight right now. I had to focus on seeing off the Enclave, and have that portion of our fleet return to Aris. Then I’d make sure the fleet in Neighvarro retreated as well.

“Com- Your Majesty.” Novabeam got my attention. I might never get used to being called that. In fact, I hope I don’t. “We’re getting reports from the Dragon Lands. The signal blocker there must have been destroyed. From what I’m getting, the Enclave is already retreating.”

“Good, that should save us a trip. Tell them to return to Aris- Actually, tell them to aid any wounded dragons first, then return to Aris.” Knight would want me to try and save lives.

“Aye-aye. There were also sightings of Dragon Lord Ember fleeing to Equestria. Two Raptors were pursuing her.”

My eyes went wide. “We’re hunting those Raptors. Have two cruisers accompany us.” I wasn’t going to let Slash lose her grandmother. Spirits, I hope she wasn’t already an orphan.

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

Footnote:
Max Level Reached.

Chapter 28: Old Wounds

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 28: Old Wounds

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

Raptors were much faster than Storm Cruisers, so chasing them down was easier said than done. I did everything I could to help the Vetera close the gap, even transforming myself partially into a satyr so I could strengthen the storm clouds powering our engines.

We lost communications the closer we got to Equestria. Novabeam surmised that the Enclave were broadcasting their jamming signal far and wide to disrupt us. I could only hope that Wavestone had reached Neighvarro and successfully ordered a ceasefire. Thankfully, long range radar was still operational, allowing us to track our targets. They had just crossed the coastline, passing Fillydelphia as the sun set, and were dropping in altitude. We started intercepting snippets of Enclave comm chatter.

“Target iszzSH wounded. ZzzzSShhh losing speed… going down over Hollow Shades. Move in to fissZZHHhh her off.”

We weren’t going to make it. The Enclave had Ember pinned, and were about to kill her. The Vetera was passing Filly when we got another burst of chatter, free of distortion.

“That got her! She crashed right into that abandoned village. Made a hell of a crater, must have busted into a cavern of some kind. Wait… New contacts! Bat ponies!? All forces, engage! Have a squad confirm our kill!”

Lilith… They’re not a match for Enclave soldiers.

“What do you mean there’s no sign of a body? Soldier, several-ton dragons don’t just vanish!”

“There’s no dragon down here, sir. Just some kind of weird mural thing. Wait… Something’s coming out of it!”

The chatter became screaming, then static. The Raptors’ radar blips winked out on our scanners. All eyes fell on me as the Vetera’s command center went silent. Novabeam's expression turned from confusion to worry as she saw my eyes go wide and my breath become rapid. They couldn’t understand how a dying dragon could disappear, then reappear and immediately destroy two cloud ships. I, however, knew exactly what happened. The Darkness had a new host.

*****

I ordered the Vetera to set down near Hollow Shades and administer aid to any creature who needed it. The two Raptors were obliterated, umbrakinetic dragon fire burning through what was left of their grounded husks. Bat ponies used their own shadow magic to help put out pegasi who could still be saved, and hippogriffs brought them to our med bay. There were barely any survivors, and the officers had all been annihilated by the black inferno.

When I asked where Ember went, a badly burned pegasus lifted what was left of her wing to the sky. Thankfully, not in Neighvarro’s direction. I could still regroup with Wavestone and warn them. To the few pegasi who were mostly uninjured, I told them to get in contact with their people and have them shut down their communication jammers and bunker down. Into stables, if possible. Lilith and I made it clear that this Shadow Dragon the Darkness turned Ember into cannot be fought, especially at night. It’s invincible.

After identifying the fastest flier among us, I tasked them with going to Tenpony and updating DJ Pon3. All of Equestria needed to be aware of this threat as quickly as possible. Hopefully the pegasi could hear his station. They were clearly Ember’s primary target right now.

*****

The crew got the Vetera airborne as quickly as possible. The instant the Enclave’s jammers went down, emergency signals were sent out on all available channels. All hippogriff vessels were ordered to return to Aris, aside from the Novo, who were ordered to join us in Manehattan, and one ship left in the Dragon Lands to continue giving aid. There were only two things that I could think of that could handle the Shadow Dragon, and they were both at Tenpony.

During the journey, we heard countless distress calls. The remains of the Enclave’s fleet were being completely destroyed. I could take solace in the fact that, for now, Ember was only hitting military targets. Neither Ember nor the Darkness would know about Littlepip, so I was confident she was safe. The pegasi, however, were being massacred.

*****

Lilith told me more about what kind of enemy we were facing. Despite my experience, I still didn’t know much. The Darkness was being fueled by Ember’s grief and rage, and she won’t be satisfied until the pegasi were brought to the brink of extinction as her kind were. An entity that powerful could take an immense amount of lives in a single night, but there was nothing that could be done until the sun came up. Once day arrived, the Shadow Dragon would be weakened by the celestial light, and would try to go into hiding until sunset. We needed to act before then, draw her out, and combine the might of the Elements of Harmony with the Celestia One solar mega spell. Like how Starswirl and I saved Knight in Limbo, the Darkness needed to be sufficiently weakened. Once it was, it would be up to Ember to let go.

Spike and Slash needed to be there, and I personally sent out the message to ‘Watcher’ about what was happening. I also demanded frequent updates about any surviving dragons matching Smolder’s description. Prayers to the Spirits, she needed to be there too.

*****

As we descended over Manehattan alongside the Novo, those prayers were answered. I received word that while Slash’s mother was severely wounded, in a near-death state, medical teams managed to save her. Unfortunately, she would not be in any condition to fly anytime soon. It took some doing, but she was laid in a massive net so the Storm Cruiser Silverstream could haul her to us.

The Gilded Gull waited along the Buckson River, and I made my way to Tenpony to regroup with my friends. I had a lot of bad news to deliver.

*****

It wasn’t too surprising that Sabre and Crimson joined our meeting in the Athenaeum. This was now the Whiteclaw’s district, after all. He’d already sent several messages to Vanhoover, warning them of the potential threat. All six Elements were there as well, and I finally met Charity. The yellow-coated, blue-maned, unicorn merchant mare had originally been annoyed to travel so far from Hoofington, but quickly understood the direness of the situation. Spike was on the roof, talking to everyone through a sprite-bot.

When my friends arrived, I broke the news to them about Knight, showing them her broken core. They were all heartbroken, but Crimson was the most affected. He’d spent nearly as much time in her mindscape as me, and she had been unconditionally kind to him. The giant griffon probably grew just as close to her as I had. I asked Life Bloom and Homage if they would keep the core secure, and they agreed, the latter locking it in a safe behind a large painting.

*****

I brightened Slash’s mood when I told her that Smolder was still alive, and was being brought here. She hugged me almost as tightly as the Storm King had crushed me. When I told her how I needed her help to free Ember from the darkness, she was conflicted, and scared.

“Last time I saw her, she nearly killed me, stripped my name, and cast me out.” She trembled. “And her feelings towards Spike aren’t any better. What makes you think either of us being there will help the situation?”

I held her. “You’re her family. You, Spike, and Smolder have to remind her that she hasn’t lost everything.”

“I hurt her…” Slash wiped her eyes.

“And I betrayed her.” Spike spoke up. “Smolder, she might listen to. But us?”

Crimson stepped up to them, his eyes still wet from learning about Knight. “I was just as scared about seeing Gawdyna again. I betrayed and hurt her, and I thought she’d never forgive me. Honestly, I thought she’d kill me.” He smiled. “Instead, she let me meet my daughter. Family is a powerful bond. Don’t underestimate its power to heal a broken person.”

*****

With nothing but time until morning came, I went back to the Vetera and visited the brig. I found Spinella, bruised and battered, beaten to near death by the Storm King for her failure to kill me. A nurse tended to her as she laid across a gurney, and my former lieutenant winced and turned away from me when she saw me.

“Commodore,” she groaned.

“It’s King, now.” My claim caught her attention. Being in a cell this whole time, she wasn’t up to date. “If you hadn’t poisoned me, I might have never known about my birthright.” I smiled cruelly at her.

Spinella grumbled. “I had my orders. Either you drank that poison or I hanged.” Fear entered her eyes. “Are you…”

My claw rested on her shoulder. “The Storm King began his rule by putting dissidents on a noose. I have no intention of doing the same.”

To our surprise, the nurse spoke up. “I’d object otherwise. Spinella here is a little over two months pregnant.”

The injured mare turned away from me again as I did a double take. We both knew I was the father. The night we shared before I got sent to Equestria…

A nervous laugh escaped me. “You’re very lucky I killed the Storm King. He wanted the royal line to end. The instant he learned…”

“I know.” Spinella rubbed her claws.

I sat on my haunches as it started to really sink in. She was carrying my child, and she was being kept in a warship’s brig. “I’ll have you moved into Tenpony’s clinic. Under guard.”

The idea of being a father didn’t completely blind side me, because… Hollow Shades. Still, hers would be my first hippogriff child. Thinking on the topic further, I should check on Ginger in Novac. It’s not likely, but it is possible for hippogriffs and griffons to have offspring.

*****

Returning to the Athenaeum, Gritt surprised me by telling me I had a ‘I just found out I got someone pregnant’ look on my face. When I asked how he could tell, he said he wore the same expression when he learned his fling with Gwen became more serious than he intended.

“Jade wasn’t planned?” I asked.

“No, and I’ll fucking kill you if you tell her.” He was smiling, but that could still be a serious threat. I had no plans to find out. His brow furrowed. “Oh, don’t tell me it’s the bitch who poisoned you.”

“Yeah…” I looked around, and noticed Crimson giving me a knowing look. He knew what it was like to have a child with someone who may not be 'mother of the year' material.

“That’ll be a fun conversation when your kid grows up.” Gritt continued, his voice imitating a fledgling. “Hey, dad, why is mom in jail forever?”

I shook my head. “I’m not keeping Spinella in prison, even if that’s what she deserves.”

He laughed. “Your call, dude. At least keep her under house arrest or something.” That was a good idea.

*****

News of an entire pegasus city being destroyed darkened the atmosphere, everyone going quiet. The Shadow Dragon ran out of Enclave soldiers to kill, and was now slaughtering civilians. There were still two hours before sunrise. Our collective inability to do anything until then gnawed at our souls.

An unlucky NCR trooper’s comment about ‘putting Ember down’ sent Slash into a rage. She had the earth pony buck against the wall by his neck in an instant.

“IT’S NOT HER FAULT!” She screamed through tears. Homage and Velvet pulled the two apart.

I glared at the coughing soldier. “You have no idea what the Darkness can make a creature do. Worst part of it is, it tricks you into thinking you’re still in control.” I leaned closer. “So when we SAVE her, she’s going to have a guilt on her conscience you couldn’t fathom.”

Homage questioned how I knew that. My answer got caught in my throat. Knight and Lilith were the only people who knew what exactly happened in Limbo. We never told another soul. It was time to come clean.

*****

When I finished, everyone was horrified by me, and by the Darkness. When I wasn’t even fully possessed by it, the entity got me to use a friend to ruthlessly butcher some of the purest souls to ever grace Equestria’s soil.

“If Knight forgave me, I expect you all to forgive Ember.” My eyes pleaded with them. “It’s not her fault.”

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

Footnote:
Max Level Reached.

Chapter 29: Inner Demons

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 29: Inner Demons

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

There was only one way to get the Darkness’s attention. I had to be bait. There was no doubt in my mind it would want revenge on me. So I waited, in Manehattan’s largest balefire crater, for the sun to rise. All the while, I practiced a specific transformation, one that would give me the edge necessary to survive.

The Vetera, Novo, and Silverstream were parked between buildings several blocks south of me. Spike, Slash, and Smolder stood by to play their part, as did the Elements. I kept my helmet radio tuned to DJ Pon3, waiting for the pre-recorded signal. One the pegasi agreed to broadcast on every loudspeaker they had. My invitation.

Once the Shadow Dragon arrived, our plan had three parts. First, weaken it with all the firepower we had. Celestia One would do the heavy lifting, with the storm cruisers making sure the Darkness didn’t squirm out of the magic light. Second, we had to break Ember out of its hold. This was ultimately up to her. If she couldn’t let go, we’d have no choice but to kill her, depriving the Darkness of its host. I couldn’t forgive myself if it came to that. Lastly, the Elements had to banish the Darkness back to Limbo before it could claim another. The one most at risk of being possessed was me, but I had a reason to resist this time. I had a promise to keep.

*****

“Good morning, Equestrian Wasteland. In case it isn’t obvious, this isn’t DJ Pon3. My name is Rosegold, and this announcement goes to the dark creature terrorizing the sky. You know who I am. We have a score to settle. I’m in the Manehattan crater. Come get me.”

At the edge of the crater, I watched the silhouette of a tattered flag against the rising sun. It had been billowing gently with the northern wind. Moments after my broadcast, the flag stopped, then abruptly blew south with force, nearly being torn from its pole. I definitely had her attention.

An unnatural cloud rapidly approached, a black flame darkening the sky. The current it carried was powerful, forcing me to tuck my wings tight against myself to keep from being blown away. I hadn’t yet seen what Ember became, but I did remember how much larger the Pony of Shadows was than Stygian. Even Knightmare was at least twice the size of the friend it possessed. I had to assume that the Shadow Dragon would be enormous. I wasn’t disappointed.

*****

The unholy behemoth that erupted from the clouds and slammed into the crater in front of me was nearly four times Spike’s size. The tremors of its impact nearly knocked me down, causing me to dig in my hooves and talons to stay upright.

Her eyes, white voids, drilled into mine. “If it isn’t the weak-willed fool who cost me my last hosts. I will savor reducing your body to ashes.”

I hid my frightened trembles, steeling myself. “Ember, you have to fight this creature. I know you’re in pain. I know you think you’ve lost everything, but you haven't. There’s still-”

“ENOUGH.” She reared up, puffing her chest. “The Dragon Lord belongs to me, worm! DISAPPEAR!”

Magic from the Pearl surged through me, and I closed my eyes as the umbra flames poured over my experimental form. The Darkness was thorough, engulfing the entire crater in its destructive rage.

*****

The ground around me was blackened glass, yet I remained. The Shadow Dragon gawked in disbelief at the hybrid standing firm before it. “H-How!?”

I smiled smugly. “Dragons are immune to fire. Bat-ponies are immune to umbra magic.” I fluttered my leathery wings, flicked my tufted ears, and opened my scaled muzzle in a toothy grin. “It only makes sense a hybrid of the two is immune to both. Your flames can’t touch me.”

The demon roared, baring its fangs and claws. “Then I will rend your flesh!”

My gamble had paid off, but now I had to dodge razors the size of skywagons. Thankfully, the clouds she brought with her made it dark enough to warp. I never could have dodged her slashing claws or snapping jaws otherwise.

*****

I just had to stall her. Regina led Gritt and Crimson, alongside several NCR griffons and Enclave pegasi, clearing the clouds to make way for Celestia One, a task she was familiar with. Under normal circumstances, Littlepip would be able to clear it in seconds. Unfortunately, the hippogriff fleet managed to damage her connection to the SPP grid. It’d be hours before it was fixed. The Shadow Dragon would be exposed, but so would I. I’d need to warp to safety at the last possible moment and pray the monster didn’t catch on. When a beam of sunlight sent a surge of discomfort through my dark physiology, I was barely able to dodge an attack with just my wings.

My opponent hissed at the intrusive golden light, turning her gaze up. “What are you playing at? The Sun alone cannot defeat me!”

“Eyes on me!” I swooped between her curled horns, bucking the back of her head as I passed. She roared and lunged to swallow me, her teeth closing mere inches behind me. I just needed a couple more minutes, but I was already getting tired. I should have rested before this, but I couldn’t.

I couldn’t afford to slow down. Thankfully, I had a risky solution. A thought went to my armor’s inventory sorter, and a compartment produced a dose of Dash. With a sharp inhale, the concentrated energy was coursing through me. Time slowed almost as if I’d entered SATS, and not a moment too soon. I slipped effortlessly between Ember’s fangs, swooped around her head and down her back. Her attempt to swat me with her tail was thwarted just as easily.

The combat chem was made for ponies, not hippogriffs, and certainly not for impossible hybrids like what I had turned myself into. I had to hope the sky would open enough for Celestia One before I suffered the inevitable crash.

*****

The debilitating after effects of the chem came faster than I hoped. Pain surged through me as my mechanical heart and lung desperately tried to regulate my body. I had to keep pressing on. The signal for me to take cover could come at any moment, and I had to be able to reach a shady spot so I could warp. But there was no cover, and the Shadow Dragon was right on my tail. If I left the sunlight, she’d follow, and the mega spell would miss.

Instead, I kept her in the center of the crater. There was one place dark enough for me to warp, and I sure didn’t like it.

“Now!”

Regina signaled through my radio, and I banked directly towards Ember’s maw, launching myself down the surprised monster’s throat. As soon as I no longer felt the unbearable sunshine, I sent myself to the Vetera’s bridge.

*****

I returned to being a hippogriff as I flew to the window, ignoring the pain and exhaustion of my Dash crash. “All cruisers, to the crater!” The cruisers were a last resort, if Ember couldn’t be reasoned with.

We lifted off just as the blinding beam of Celestia One fired down onto the confused and stunned Shadow Dragon. The demonic shriek could be heard for miles. Its body split and contorted, the Darkness’s connection to its host weakening immensely. I caught glimpses of the cyan dragoness trapped within. Even at this distance, the pain and sorrow in her soft red eyes was clear. Slash, Spike, Smolder… you’re up.

*****

The two full sized dragons and the comparatively tiny third flew to the edge of the beam, Spike helping the still-weak Smolder. Ember stared in amazement and shocked joy that her daughter-in-law was still alive. Her expression towards Spike was severe, and her gaze simply became sad as it fell on Slash.

“How…” Ember struggled to find the words. “What are you doing here? What is he doing here!?”

Spike winced, then resolved himself and stepped forward. “I didn’t have your back. I betrayed you, and I’m sorry. You’ve suffered because of me, and I’m here to try and make things right. I’m here for you now, like I always should have been.”

Smolder joined him. “What was done to us was wrong, but what you’re allowing the Darkness to do is beyond vengeance. More destruction won’t solve anything. It won’t bring Glaive and Garble back. It won’t bring anyone back. Please, stop. For your sake as much as ours.”

The conflict on the Dragon Lord’s face became sadness again as Slash stepped forward. “This isn’t your fault.” Tears streamed down my friend’s face. “None of it was ever your fault. You were dealt a stacked deck and have been doing the best you could for two hundred years. We’re the ones who let you down. No longer.”

Ember broke into sobs as the Darkness’s grip on her loosened with every speech. “Smolder. Spike… Barb. I’m so sorry. I thought I could save us.”

“You still can.” Smolder reached out her claw, followed by Spike and… Barb. Ember took their grasp, and let them pull her free.

*****

The six Elements took their cue, surrounding the hostless Darkness. Multicolored magic surrounded the entity, a banishment spell taking form. It wasn’t going down without a fight, lashing out with all the dark magic it still had. I felt it gnaw at my mind.

My power could be yours, Rosegold.

I don’t want it.

An immortal King, unrivaled.

No one has the right.

I see the emptiness in your soul. Without her, you are incomplete. Without her, you will live out your days cold and alone. I can fill the void. I can make you feel.

You could never be what she was to me. Her soul was radiant light. Yours is hollow. Be gone. Disappear.

*****

The shrieks became silent as the spell was complete. The sky opened, pouring sunlight across us all. The Darkness was sent back to Limbo. Ember was saved. We won.

The Dragon Lord weeped in her family’s embrace. They were given all the time they needed. The rest of us had jobs to do.

I took my cruisers above the clouds, with a pegasi escort, to assess the damage and give whatever aid I could. The devastation was immense and widespread. The eastern Enclave’s entire military was gone, and several settlements were obliterated. Thankfully, the majority of their civilians were able to take shelter.

Sabre had made arrangements the night before to create a safe harbor for displaced pegasi in Vanhoover. The Silverstream and Novo would spend the next several days ferrying survivors there, while my Vetera would help rebuild.

*****

What was left of the pegasi leadership agreed to a peace treaty with the dragons. Both sides were in shambles, incapable of continuing the bloodshed even if they wanted to. With their nesting grounds destroyed, Ember’s people were at serious risk of going extinct. I made it clear to her that Hippogriffia would protect her home while they healed.

Taking inspiration from Hollow Shades, I offered to transform volunteers into dragons to help them repopulate. Pragmatism overrode her initial revulsion at the idea, and she agreed. In exchange, she offered the farmlands. I refused to annex them outright, instead insisting that the volunteers would settle them under her rule. I will not become a conqueror, even a peaceful one.

*****

Back in the Athenaeum, Sla- Barb hugged me for what felt like hours. I had to shove her off when she started kissing me. A victory kiss from Gritt, however, was welcomed, and he responded to a mocking whistle of endorsement from his half-sister with a raised middle claw.

Purser, now officially Captain of the Gilded Gull, was convinced to chat with Charity before she left, and set up trade routes with her along the coast. The seadog couldn’t help but also flirt with the mare. Barb surprised her family by expressing that she wanted to stay in Baltimare, with the Hot Rods. She’d visit them often, of course. They gave her their blessing.

Then Life Bloom approached me, holding Knight’s core in his magic. He had a proposal I couldn’t refuse.

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

Footnote:
Max Level Reached.

Chapter 30: The King

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 30: The King

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

Five years had passed since I was properly crowned. Hippogriffia was in the middle of winter, a time that was once a brutal season of famine. Now, however, we had plenty of food in reserve. The air was still cold, though the company I had in my palace chambers helped me stay warm.

A one-eyed hippogriff stallion yawned awake, and pushed my Pearl aside so he could nuzzle my neck. Gritt often visited me, and always had to be transformed to endure the rads.

Hopefully, that would only be the case for a few more years. With Spike’s permission, I had Novabeam on a research assignment trying to reverse-engineer Gardens of Equestria, so we could finally purge radiation from our territory.

Gritt was pleased to be larger than usual, but he was still a runt by our standards. I, of course, didn’t mind his size, nuzzling him back.

“You should get ready to go home. I’m sure Jade misses you.” I offered, rubbing his wing.

“Not without saying bye to little Lava.” He yawned again. “And drinking something with caffeine.”

*****

My daughter, Lavandula, was in the dining hall with her golden beak buried in a book Gritt had bought for her. We both gave her a nuzzle as we sat down with her, briefly turning her soft pink coat red to match her long mane.

“Dads, stop!” She squeaked as her white eyes tried to focus on her story.

I gave it some thought as our staff brought us some breakfast and coffee. “I haven’t properly visited Equestria in a while. It’d be nice to see everyone, take a vacation from the cold.” I smiled at Lava. “And it’s been a while since you’ve seen Jade and Gavin.”

She smiled at the idea, nodding enthusiastically. I always liked visiting my griffon son in Novac.

You could all meet up at Hollow Shades. Get the whole family together.

Not a bad idea.

I rubbed the metal seam under my mane, where my implant had been expanded to house Knight’s surviving circuitry. I relayed her suggestion to my buckfriend and daughter, and they agreed.

*****

After getting fed, cleaned, and dressed, I magically grew a unicorn horn and focused. Learning proper teleportation was well worth the effort, and I’d gotten very good at it. In a flash, we were in Novac.

Ginger almost had a heart attack from the Teleporting Bitch flashbacks I just gave her, and I sincerely apologized. After punching my shoulder, she gave me a hug and a peck on my cheek. We were then interrupted by squealing as Lavandula and Gavin threw themselves into a hug. The two fledglings wrestled as I invited Ginger to the get-together. We both smiled as our kids fell over each other, laughing.

Gavin got up and brushed the sand out of his white coat, then shook his red and orange wings and head that matched his eyes. “We’re gonna visit everybody? Cool!”

*****

After changing Gritt back into a griffon, our next stop was Junction Town. Crim and Sabre happened to be there on business, discussing the annexation of Galloping Gorge.

Once Tempest Shadow had been removed from stone and unghoulified, she joined Zarrow and helped whip the raiders into becoming civilized. The powerful pair didn’t tolerate opposition to their efforts, and their followers agreed to become part of the NCR out of a mix of fear and respect. I had to wonder which of them would end up as the region's senator. Zarrow had the enthusiasm, but Tempest had the wisdom. Then again, the latter might want to join the NCR's military as an officer. She more than had the necessary experience.

The older griffons couldn’t accept my invitation to Hollow Shades, but suggested that Regina could probably attend. Gwen and Jade, obviously, agreed to come along. After packing some food, we were off.

*****

I gave the Well of Shade a momentary glance as we passed. It had long since been filled with cement. Lilith was surprised but pleased to host us in her underground mansion. All of Gritt and my bat-pony foals were happy to see us and their siblings. I felt bad that Knight had to help me keep track of each of their names.

There’s fourteen of them, and you don’t get to see them very often. Don’t beat yourself up for needing help.

I appreciate it.

“Did you know you go slightly cross-eyed when you talk to her?” Gritt smirked at me. “Crazy old King, with voices in his head.”

“Thirty-six isn’t old.” I countered.

I can’t help but notice you aren’t denying the ‘crazy’ part.

Well, I do hear a voice in my head.

“See! Cross-eyed!” The griffon pointed, and a few foals laughed. “You know, Barb might want in on this. Maybe pop over to the Hub and ask?”

I smiled. “I’ll try to find Purser, too. She might be at Horseshoe if I’m lucky.”

She is, unless she uninstalled the Gull’s tracker again. She hates it when you pop in out of nowhere.

*****

With the dragon and seadog there, it was a proper reunion. I rubbed a bruise on my head I got from startling the latter.

Catching up with Purser, she apparently had some news from her recent trip to Vanhoover. Legate Zaire just had a son, a hybrid named Icarus. General Wind Striker, Cozy Glow's successor, was the father. They had named their colt after a close friend of Striker, a griffon killed in the Reinier Massacre. I was glad for it, happy so many in that region were putting the past behind them. Even Falchion Whiteclaw, who was finally back at the Gourmand. Pierre kept me updated on her therapy. Despite that dish, which has long since been taken off the menu, I actually still enjoyed eating there from time to time.

The foals and fledglings avenged my sore head by ‘dog piling’ Purser, burying her in fluff and feathers. She played along, begging for mercy with a grin. Barb entertained the others by testing how many she could pick up at once, collapsing after an impressive ten.

Barb smiled up at me. “You caught me at a good time. I was about to fly home, visit mom.” She grinned. “Now I can get wasted here, and you teleport me in the morning.”

I pouted. “Hold on, what if I want to drink?” She just shook her head.

You knew you’d have to be the designated teleporter. And, really, do you want to get drunk and potentially double the number of names I have to keep track of for you?

Not funny.

It's a little funny.

“Hi, Knight!” Purser and Barb spoke in unison, grinning at my expression.

Hi! It’s good to see you! Tease Rosegold as much as you like!

“Knight says hi. She’s happy to see you.” I’m not saying the rest. "Say, Captain Purser, any updates on those Kelpie pirates you've been having issues with?"

The seadog smirked. "Oh, Captain Whirlpool and I... worked things out." I knew that look, and definitely would not pry further with children around.

*****

Lilith and I mostly watched the others enjoy themselves. Unlike me, she simply didn’t want to drink. Barb flirted with stallions, Purser flirted with mares, and Gritt flirted with both. As per Knight’s advice, I flirted with a book.

The dragon did most of the entertaining, finding a pair of small drums and performing what she claimed to be poetry. It was something her uncle had taught her, and she had been teaching it to the Hot Rods. Gritt backed her up by playing a little bit of guitar. He'd been learning recently, and was picking it up well. Turns out, all that perfect hand-eye coordination is good for more than just shooting.

As the party died down, Lavandula tugged at my wing. “Hm? Yes, sweetheart?”

“Can I borrow some stories? For momma to read to me?” Lava gave me the sweetest smile she could.

I smiled back. “Of course. You want to stay with her tonight?” She nodded.

All things considered, I had made Spinella’s sentence very lenient. Stripped of rank and put under house arrest. Once Lavandula was old enough to ask questions, I stopped making her mother wear an ankle monitor. No need to make things difficult for her growing up.

Glancing over at Gritt... Maybe Spinella deserved worse, but Lava didn't deserve to lose her mom.

*****

Lavandula, Ginger, and Gavin were dropped off late that night. I took Gritt, Gwen, Regina, Jade, and Purser home in the morning. Finally, I brought Barb to the Dragon Lands.

Dragon Lord Smolder happily greeted us, and Barb hugged her mother’s snout. I enjoyed the chance to catch up, one ruler to another.

Ember had stepped down shortly after everything happened those years ago, and has been living with Spike in his cave. He and most of the Elements had been helping her deal with everything. Helping her heal.

Under Smolder’s rule, the dragons were recovering. Hatchlings were flown about, in the arms of their parents. Many were hippogriffs who agreed to transform. Quite a few of the volunteers had decided to stay as dragons permanently, enjoying the simple lifestyle.

Barb confided in me that she and Peepers were going to get serious and try for kids, and asked if I could facilitate that. I told her it would be no trouble.

"Thank you," she smiled. "Whenever it happens, we plan to name the first hatchling Jet."

I smiled back. "That's a good name."

*****

I didn’t teleport straight back to my palace. Instead, I sent myself just outside of Klugetown. Flying overhead, I checked on the progress made to the town’s infrastructure. No more barely-stable shacks. The people here had properly built homes now, and trade routes made sure they didn’t go hungry.

Satisfied, I found a south-bound wind and let it carry me towards Aris. It was a long flight, but I enjoyed the view.

It is a good view. Especially when we’re not flying towards a fight.

Feeling nostalgic?

Of when I died? Not particularly. But the calm before, I enjoyed that.

Me too. Also, you didn’t really die.

Oh, don’t you dare say I was turned off then on again. I died just as much as you did.

I’ll let the philosophers figure that out.

*****

The snowy peaks of Mt Aris welcomed us home, lit by the sunset. Warm lights dotted the sloping land leading up to the fort-turned-palace. Our culture was reshaping itself now that we no longer went hungry, art and music flourishing throughout the many villages.

After all that has happened, I think Equestria and beyond is finally leaving the wasteland behind.

We should still stay vigilant. We can’t take any of this for granted.

True, but we can’t waste the present worrying about the future.

Or the past.

*****

I decided to turn on the radio on my wrist, pleased to hear Ginatra’s smooth voice fill the air around me.

“...I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet

A pawn and a king

I've been up and down and over and out

And I know one thing

Each time I find myself

Flat on my face

I pick myself up and get

Back in the race

That's life…”

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

Author's Note

Memoriam is an additional epilouge for anyone interested.

Chapter 7: The Doctor Is In

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 7: The Doctor Is In

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

I dove into a pile of scrap as Washout opened fire, bolts of bright green illuminating our surroundings. Knight simply stood there as she was bathed in plasma, stoic and unyielding until the pegasus ran out of ammo. Despite the Star Metal being a bit hot, her armor was completely fine. Anywhere not armored, however, was riddled with burning holes.

“Wash-” The robotic alicorn began to speak before the Hot Rod slammed into her and launched upward, both of them breaching the concrete into the factory main floor. I flew up after them.

“You’re it, aren’t you!? You’re what killed them!” The enraged pegasus slammed herself into Knight again before she could respond, crashing through assembly lines. This would end up getting taken outside soon. Knight wasn’t fighting back now, but if she saw the Hub’s new striped residents…

Making my way out as fast as I could, I quickly started telling the Hot Rods I saw to start getting all the zebras indoors, preferably underground. Muffler was about to ask why, but an explosion from inside the factory snapped him and the others into action. Those who could speak zebra helped hurry them along. The last stripe made it indoors not a moment too soon.

Knight was launched out of a barricaded window into the air, though she quickly caught herself, hovering. Those wings weren’t for show, she could fly. Slowly, but gracefully. Washout’s flying, however, was fast and erratic. The Enclave-trained mare slammed into the advanced machine over and over, from all directions. Knight continued to let her, possibly until she tired herself out.

Washout let out a primal scream, then launched herself straight up, nearly to the clouds, and dived. A wide vapor cone formed around her as she accelerated, narrowing tighter and tighter as she neared her foe. At the point of impact, a boom of light and sound cracked throughout the Hub and beyond. Waves of green and white reverberated through the city.

*****

A crowd began to form around the Hub’s new crater, sans zebras. I took a place with Slash and Gritt as they arrived. Peepers, Snowmelt, and Muffler began to step towards the dust, then raised their weapons as a dilapidated winged figure rose from it. Knight, held together only by her Star Metal parts and telekinesis, and carrying an unconscious Washout, glided to the edge and gently set her down. The others kept their weapons trained on her as she removed the pegasus’ helmet, clasped a claw on her head, and enveloped them both in faint blue magic.

Not knowing what to do, everyone waited in silence, ready to act at any sign of trouble. Minutes passed, and tears began to slowly stream from Washout’s closed eyes. The magic faded and Knight released her, stepping away.

“I’m sorry,” was all Knight had to say, before heading back into the factory.

“Me too.” Washout buried herself in her hooves and continued to cry.

*****

It took some time for Washout to explain, but the magic Knight used apparently allowed them to view each other’s minds and understand one another. She understood that Zendaya’s and Zip’s deaths weren’t Knight’s fault. She admitted it was hers. A tragic mistake. The other Hot Rods embraced their leader, comforting her. I went into the factory, Slash and Gritt following.

Knight was busy repairing herself, magically shredding the destroyed Assault-Mares and absorbing the scrap. She must have done the same thing before releasing me from the lab. Before long, she looked as good as new.

“The zebras can’t stay hidden away from you forever,” I began. “We need a solution.”

Knight pondered for a while. “My IFF is triggered by visual recognition. I can disable my sight while zebras are in the vicinity, but I will need a guide.”

“Allow me,” Slash stepped forward and took Knight’s shoulder. The robot turned off its eyes and allowed the dragon to lead her.

Gritt spoke up. “You might not flip out at zebras now, but they will flip out at you. We need to wrap you in a cloak or something.

Knight agreed, and we quickly got something from the market.

*****

Now that the only thing identifying her as a machine was her voice, we took Knight out into the Hub. The residents who saw the earlier display steered clear. She reached a hoof out and felt around until she found me. “Rosegold? You mentioned rescued slaves before. Do any of them require medical attention?”

“I… believe so. Why?”

“I’d like to help them. I know some healing magic, and have installed modules akin to an Auto-Doc.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? What if you identified a zebra by touch?”

“I assure you, my IFF is specifically linked to my visual receptors. Tactile or auditory identification is not sufficient.”

“If you’re certain.” We led Knight into the Ministry of Peace building and to the most critical patients.

She wasted no time, enveloping the immediate area in a magical aura that allowed her to accurately feel her surroundings, and floated an assortment of medical chemicals into compartments in her chassis. The zebra stallion before her was unconscious and in poor condition. He was extremely skinny and covered in infected cuts and bruises. Medical displays indicated he had a fever and dangerously low blood pressure.

Knight began by medicating the most severe wounds with a series of syringes deployed from her forehoof, then stitched them with a sewing-machine-like apparatus. As this went on, she requested that someone retrieve compatible blood for a transfusion, and a nearby nurse obliged. She lowered her horn to her patient and applied a slow, but helpful bone-mending spell.

As more medical tools and spells at her disposal were put on display, I became more sure I needed Knight as a traveling companion. Her benefits outweighed her liabilities. Satisfied that her current patient would make a full recovery, she moved on with the next, and so on for the rest of the day. Slash chuckled at the skip in her trot.

*****

“Enjoying yourself?” the dragon asked.

“Very much so!” Knight’s voice had a sing-song cheer to it. “Helping others heal brings me joy. There’s nothing I love more, and I haven’t had the opportunity in so long.”

I raised a brow. “That seems like a bit of a design flaw, considering what you are.”

My words caused her to halt. “My… personality was not an intentional addition. I was supposed to be as much of a mindless drone as the others. I theorize that the unique materials in my construction have something to do with it. Star Metal has reportedly had odd and unpredictable psychological effects when involved with other projects.”

“Do you have a soul?” The robot turned at Slash’s bizarre question.

“I like to think that I do, but who could say?” Knight’s voice was hopeful, but unsure. Then she let out a chuckle. “I noticed earlier that I could see the sun. And the blue sky. They were hidden last time I was outside.”

Gritt started to explain recent history, but Knight stopped him. “I learned everything from Washout’s memories.”

“You can read memories? Like a recollector?” the griffon asked. “Is that something you installed yourself?”

The alicorn android lowered her head. “No, it is part of my original design. For the purpose of extracting memories from captives by force, and depositing them into memory orbs. I’ve learned to be… gentle, so I can use it for psychiatric care.”

“Well, if I ever need another shrink…” Gritt joked and started to head out. “We really should be on our way. Getting around Fillydelphia and into Manehattan will take a while.”

I tapped Knight on the shoulder. “I want you to come with us. We could use a medic.” Slash agreed immediately. Gritt and Knight seemed unsure. “You could find more opportunities to heal others, and we’ll make sure there aren't any incidents with zebras.” Knight reluctantly nodded.

*****

Not trusting that we wouldn’t stumble across zebras at random, Knight kept her eyes turned off. She flew as close to Slash as she could, using a magic field to keep track of her guide. The android became much more willing to travel with us when we mentioned Tenpony, and explained she received most of her healing magic knowledge when she was there a century ago. Eager to see if there were new spells she could learn, she was more than happy to come along.

“Does Tenpony have any striped residents?” Knight asked precautiously.

Gritt answered. “As of my last time there, no. Zebras tend to settle in or near Glyphmark, which is close to the Canterlot ruins. The slaves we found were a surprise, they must have been shipped to the area from another region. Only other place I’ve seen zebras live in or visit is Junction Town, and we have no immediate reason to stop there.” He lit a smoke as he flew.

Satisfied, Knight briefly turned her eyes back on to take a look around. “Equestria is improving substantially. It was… horrific last time I wandered.”

“Trust me, there’s still pockets of horror.” I muttered. Speaking of which, a thunderstorm began to roll in ahead of us. Time to find shelter.

*****

The upper floor of an apartment building protected us from the rain, but the poorly insulated walls did little against the cold winds blowing in from the north. Slash was the worst off, shivering around a hastily made fire. I was faring better, but laid down on the other side of flames all the same. We had both removed our armor, as the metallic plates worsened the chill. Gritt and Knight were unphased.

“H-How can you s-stand this c-cold!?” the dragon moaned pathetically.

“Aren’t your lungs full of fire?” Gritt chuckled. “It was colder back when there wasn’t any sunshine, and even then it wasn’t that bad. Personally, I can’t stand the heat. Kind of sucks when you’ve got black feathers. Summers these days are sweltering. Would it kill Pip to add a few more clouds and breezes during the hot moons?”

I started to close my eyes, but was startled when Slash grabbed me and yanked me over to her. “What are you-!?”

She wrapped herself around me, spooning me. “I’m cold and you’re warm. Don’t make this weirder than it needs to be.” There go my pheromones again. Slash either didn’t notice or ignored it.

I grumbled. “Just try not to roll into the fire while you’re holding me. I’d rather not be ignited this week on top of being shot, beaten, choked, mauled, and drowned.”

Gritt snorted and laughed. “Hey, some peeps pay good caps for half of those.”

Knight let out a processed laugh. “When the weather subsides, I was hoping I could give each of you a physical? If I’m going to be your caregiver for the foreseeable future, I’d like to get a sense of your overall health.” The three of us thought about it and agreed. It couldn’t hurt.

I did my best to get comfortable in Slash’s scaly grip and get some rest.

*****

The hot breath of the dragon on my face, and the nuzzling of her muzzle against the side of my head gently woke me. She was still asleep, her affections entirely unconscious. Rubbing the powerful arms wrapped around me, I decided to enjoy it. She’d wake eventually, and OH-woah-oh, okay, the licking is a bit much! Slash woke and snapped out of it as I squirmed out of her grip. She rolled off of me, stretching and yawning.

“Wow, you’re comfy,” she teased. “Next time you molt, can I have the feathers? I want to make a pillow.”

“Very funny.” I stood up and shook myself. “I could go for a dragonhide jacket next time you shed.”

“Don’t hold your breath. I’m not due for a growth spurt for a long while.” She got up and joined Gritt in the next room, who was getting his check-up from Knight.

It was the first time I’d seen the small mercenary unclothed, and maybe it was his onyx fur having a slimming effect, but he truly was skinny. While I have a preference for females, males do occasionally catch my attention, and he was quite cute, despite his eye and many faded scars.

Gritt caught my stare and smirked. “See something you like?” He leaned back, taking the pose of a model, and looked between me and Slash. “Figured you were spoken for, the two of you snuggling and nuzzling all night.”

Slash audibly gagged and stepped up for Knight to examine her. Gritt slipped off the old coffee table acting as a gurney and got dressed. The dragon and I were deemed the picture of physical health, and our doctor admitted that she relished the opportunity to improve her medical knowledge of our species. There was an awkward pause as she examined my head, but she said nothing.

To everyone but Gritt’s chagrin, Knight shifted the conversation back to sex. “Shared physical affection and release of endorphins could improve bonding and group cohesion.”

“Would you be joining in?” Gritt asked the android teasingly. “Shall I assume the position?”

“No.” she responded flatly.

*****

We flew over the dark woods surrounding Hollow Shades. Gritt told us the only thing of note were the ruins of an ancient village, but there were rumors of bat-ponies living underground in the area. He’d never seen any, but if they are around, they’ve never attacked anyone.

The skyline of Fillydelphia was visible to the east. The griffon didn’t even give it a glance.

“If we went through Filly, we could check the MAS hub there, scavenge, rest, trade…” Slash would be annoyed if her goal was there and she had to backtrack.

“Look, if your ceremonial glow stick ends up being there, I’ll refund half my fee and let you check on your own. Your new boyfriend and his emotional support deathbot can help you.” Gritt wasn’t hiding his contempt for the idea.

“Is Fillydelphia particularly dangerous for some reason? Washout’s memories indicated it was quite stable now.” Knight added to the group’s confusion.

“That city doesn’t mean anything good to me, alright?” The merc extinguished his cigarette and spat it into the woods. “It’s none of your business why, so just drop the subject.”

Knight made a concerned noise, but didn’t press him. I changed the subject by asking to check the village of Hollow Shades proper.

“Looking for another piece of that thing?” Slash asked, pointing at my chest. I nodded.

“How do you know where to look?” Knight questioned.

I tapped my PipBuck. “A predecessor of mine left clues. And the magic from the pieces I have gives me a kind of gut feeling when I’m on the right trail. That’s what led me to you, and the shard you had.” I pondered. “What led you to it?”

Knight tapped her hooves together. “Back when I wandered on my own, I encountered scholars who knew about old magical artifacts. I told them of my problem, how I wanted an escape from my core programming. They theorized that the magic of the Pearl of Transformation could be powerful enough to make me a flesh and blood pony. I’d be free. Unfortunately, the shard at Horseshoe Lighthouse was the only one they could help me find. After… incidents… with zebra settlements, I gave up and locked myself where you found me.”

Slash rubbed her metal shoulder. “I’m sorry you went through that.” She looked at me. “If we piece together the whole thing, we should see if those scholars were right.”

I nodded. This was good. If my companions had their own benevolent reason for helping me find the pieces, I wouldn’t have to make anything up.

*****

Hollow Shades was… unimpressive. What was once a medieval village of wood and straw was reduced to stone foundations. Knight, having a pre-war database, informed us that the village was abandoned long before the war. Gritt was on guard, admitting that he wasn’t sure what dangers lurked around. He’s always just flown over the area, never landing in it.

Letting the Pearl guide me, I was drawn towards a boarded up well in the center of town. Nagging impatience overpowered my caution, and I began yanking at the boards. Slash and Knight assisted, while Gritt kept watch. Once the opening was clear, Knight jumped down first to make sure it was safe for the rest of us. After a signal, we followed.

A feeling of overwhelming eeriness washed over me as I reached the caverns below. Natural rock quickly changed to carved granite and marble. Lighting my PipBuck, I found a torch for Slash. She lit it and went around igniting sconces mounted on pillars.

“Fuck!” Slash lept back as she reached the far wall, dropping the torch. We rushed to her and cursed as we saw what freaked her out. The shadowy mural in the center of the wall was MOVING. A depiction of a black alicorn stallion was shifting and pulsing, darkness licking the air in front of it like a flame. Six other ponies, their features impossible to identify, floated behind it.

“The Pony of Shadows,” whispered Knight. “We need to leave. We dare not release this foul being. Its evil predates Nightmare Moon.”

Pulling my shard from my armor, it moved forward on its own, pointing towards the mural. Did Skystar… throw it in? Was she in there herself? No, her final stop was Canterlot. Taking a step forward, the pull became stronger. I heard… whispering. There was more than the Pearl beckoning me closer.

Knight clasped a claw on my shoulder, stopping me. “We need to leave. My dreams are not worth this risk. Your reasons can’t be worth it either.”

I turned to face her, irritated. “You have no idea what you-” I hadn’t paid attention to my footing. My tail slipped into the wall of black, and something yanked me hard, forcing a squawk of terror from my beak. Knight clasped onto my arms, and we both flapped our wings as hard as we could. Gritt and Slash grabbed Knight and tried to help, but to no avail.

The marble flooring Knight had dug her hooves into gave, and she and I lurched forward. Our other two companions lost their grip, unable to save us.

Knight and I were pulled into the abyss.

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

Footnote:
No Level Up.

Chapter 23: A Stormy Road to Canterlot

Fallout: Equestria - The Storm

Chapter 23: A Stormy Road to Canterlot

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

Peace talks brought a lot of things to light. For instance, the reason the Remnants had been contesting the region for so long. Due to Vanhoover not being a military target, it had great swaths of land untouched by radiation and taint, making it a prize for surviving zebras after the bombs. The western Enclave had noticed this as well, and seized the opportunity to claim the area from the settling zebras alongside the griffons emerging from Stable 14. Still viewing each other as enemies, the territory dispute became very bloody very fast.

Gardens of Equestria broke the status quo, and both sides started to wonder why they were still fighting. Then atrocities sprung up overnight, reigniting the hatred. After the events of last week, it’s fairly obvious the crimes were orchestrated by Cozy Glow. ‘Gourmand Mignon’ even turned out to be one of her machinations. She took advantage of Falchion’s apparent mental illness to take Seaddle’s xenophobia to new lows, shortly after arranging her mother, Flyssa Whiteclaw, to be killed and the body to appear to be cannibalized by zebras. Pierre would be keeping her in therapy and out of the restaurant for the foreseeable future, and paying reparations.

It would take a long time for the bad blood to subside, and some zebras simply couldn’t stomach the idea of peace after everything. Zaire told them if they could not respect her decision and follow her, they had no place in her tribe. Not wanting angry zebras running amok aimlessly, I told those who left about Glyphmark and Tenochtitlan.

*****

Slash and I made a trip back to 14 to secure the Dragon Staff. The remaining western Enclave gave it up freely, admitting no headway was ever made with its research. Considering Cozy’s plans, that was very good news. Curious, I asked how they got it in the first place. It was the eastern Enclave that attacked Dragon Mountain twelve years ago. Evidently, Cozy Glow had been keeping tabs on Spike for some time, knowing he had it, and had a spy network in the east skies. When she caught wind of a pending assault on his home, she sent her own troops to infiltrate the attacking force and take the Staff during the chaos.

My dragon companion held the artifact reverently… then started trying to break it. Slamming it across her knee did nothing but injure her. The floors and walls did equally no damage. Breathing fire on it had no effect. When she expressed a desire to let Knight try to vaporize it, or get the Enclave to shoot it with Gustave, I demanded an explanation.

“It’s too dangerous,” she started. “Something like this just shouldn’t exist. I can’t entertain the possibility of someone using it against my people, or anyone else’s.”

“Don’t you need it?” I asked. “To start the Gauntlet of Fire? Slash, this Staff is the whole reason you came out here. It’s your only way home, and the only thing that will rally your people.”

“Yeah, but…” Her eyes started to water. “Rosegold, I’m not sure I’ll have a home or a people to go back to. My father and uncle were among our strongest warriors, and the pegasi still killed them. By the time I get back…”

I pulled her close, wrapping myself around her. “Don’t think like that. If the situation really is that dire, the Storm King might step in on his own fruition.” I frowned. “He’d help. For selfish reasons, but he’d help. He doesn’t want your kind going extinct.”

She narrowed her eyes and huffed. “Because we’d make good slaves.”

I took a step away from her. “We don’t… Slash, I spent two weeks getting the slavery experience. Nothing like that would ever be allowed in Hippogriffia. Besides, I promised we’d find a way to keep the Dragon Lands independent.”

My friend pondered a while before she was at ease, and we flew back to the Gull.

*****

We found ourselves amidst a medical emergency when we arrived. Crimson was convulsing below deck, with Knight administering antitoxins.

“He overdosed on Med-X,” she quickly explained. “I don’t know if it was an accident, or a deliberate attempt to… I can’t be sure if he’ll make it.” She turned her gaze towards Gritt as he came down to check on them, then back to me. “Rosegold, Slash, can I speak to Gritt in private? There’s something he needs to know.”

My little friend crossed his arms. “Whatever it is, you can tell all of us.”

Knight frowned and sighed. “Gritt, Crimson is your father. He didn’t want you to know, but now I may need you for a blood transfusion. You’re the best match.”

Gritt’s demeanor changed in an instant. Shock, disbelief, and realization played through all of our minds. I recalled how Crim told me how he ended up this way. Crimson didn’t take on Red Eye’s cybernetic punishment just to save Stern. He was saving his unborn child. His sacrificial stunt on Reinier didn’t come out of nowhere, and neither did his efforts to get Gritt out of Fillydelphia. All of it was a father protecting his son.

The young griffon didn’t say a word. He simply took off his jacket and sat beside the medical android, letting her set up the transfusion. Gritt just found out he still had a parent, and he wasn’t going to lose them. The rest of us gave them privacy.

*****

Sitting at the bow of the ship, I recalled how much pain Cozy’s attack put the old merc through. It was likely the first time in years he’d been that hurt and had to endure his repair talismans that severely. I sympathized with his suicide attempt. If I was in that much agony, I’d want to die too.

Eventually, Knight told us he pulled through and regained consciousness. I felt relief, more on Gritt’s behalf than Crimson’s. Making my way down the wooden stairs, I made out a conversation between the two.

“Why didn’t you tell me, you asshole?” Gritt’s voice was shaky.

“Tell you what?” Crim’s voice was weak. “That both of your parents were monsters? It was better you thought your dad was just some rando. So you could pretend you didn’t have the most fucked heritage in Equestria.” He let out a pained laugh. “I did tell Gawd, though, when I vouched for you.”

“She… I’m surprised you got in touch with her at all.” I heard Gritt light a cigarette. “And why would me being your kid make me look better in her eye?”

“Because it meant that Regina had a brother again.” At Crim’s second bombshell, I heard Gritt coughing on his smoke. “I’ve never met her, and I never got to meet Kage, but I hear Gawdyna raised them right.”

Gritt eventually regained his composure. “Yeah…”

*****

Slash and I helped Purser get the Gull sailing east. We were taking a northern river that led straight to Canterlot. The seadog, Crimson, and Gritt were quick to inform us that the region we’d be traveling through was Zarrow’s territory. Raiders, more civilized and organized than most, but raiders nonetheless. We’d need to pay tolls or be ready for a bloodbath. I was somewhat surprised when they voted for the tolls.

“They’re raiders. They could just take the caps and attack us anyway.” I argued against trusting their word.

Crim shook his head. “Zarrow’s not a moron. They survive off of these tolls. If caravans thought they’d get butchered either way, they’d stop coming through here at all and go for a longer, safer route.”

“And disrupting trade that much would hurt Glyphmark, which is where they buy most of their chems from.” Gritt explained.

“Glyphmark openly trades with raiders?” Slash seemed repulsed.

Gritt shook his head. “They openly trade with Zarrow, because he’s from there and keeps all the raiders in the area from misbehaving. Before him, the raiders were disorganized and violent, aside from Atlas’s group. He was organized and violent.”

“Atlas?” I asked.

“Rogue Steel Ranger turned raider boss, and a brutal one at that. Had a crew of over a hundred, and was pillaging his way across the wastes. Calamity and I got sent to Glyphmark when the NCR heard he was heading that way. One of my earliest jobs.” He snickered. “Remember that helmet in my room at Tenpony?” I nodded. “Cocky bastard never stood a chance.”

“So, Zarrow filled the power vacuum?” I surmised.

Gritt furled his brow. “It’s more complicated than that. After the botched raid, Atlas’ second in command, Achilles, snuck into Glyphmark to take some sort of revenge. She kidnapped the most unique thing she could find, a half-zebra-half-unicorn colt. Barely eleven years old. Search parties went looking for the missing foal, but never turned anything up.”

Crim took the lead. “Until a couple weeks later, when little Zarrow came back with Achilles’ severed head and an announcement.” He laughed cruelly. “I can’t imagine his parents’ faces when their colt declared that he’d be the Overboss of Galloping Gorge.”

*****

As I was told to expect, it wasn’t long before a pair of rough-looking but surprisingly healthy and well-equipped raider ponies flagged us down and took their tribute of caps and food. Soon after that, we started seeing ramshackle villages along the riverbanks. The residents were very diverse. Besides all three flavors of pony, there were also griffons, zebras, diamond dogs, seadogs, and even an occasional alicorn. Purser gave her kin a howl, and they returned it.

What I didn’t notice were any elders. All of the raiders were in their prime or younger. One doesn’t grow old in that life. We were mostly ignored, though I caught plenty of gawks and jeers from creatures trying to figure out what I was. Even an occasional catcall, which made my hide stand on end. A few weeks ago, It wouldn’t have bothered me.

An accented young voice called out through the crowds, and they started moving out of the way. “Hey, where you newcomers going in such a rush!?”

A whistling magic buzzed through the air, creating an atmosphere of sudden dread. A tiny streak of violet whipped through the air, weaving between raiders and towards our ship faster than I could track it. In a moment, a narrow triangular blade covered in zebra runes was inches from my face, backing me towards the ship’s railing as I called out for the anchor to be dropped. By the time the Gull lurched to a stop, the enchanted arrowhead was pressed uncomfortably between my eyes.

I glanced towards the shore as a striped hybrid stallion leaped onto a boulder overlooking my ship, his horn glowing with runes matching his weapon.

Zarrow gave me a crooked grin. “First time passing through Galloping Gorge, you gotta pay respects, not just the toll.” The arrowhead whistled back to a holster strapped to his otherwise bare thigh, and I relaxed. The Overboss wore no armor or barding whatsoever, aside from a bit of jewelry, showing off his teenage physique. He was skinny, his ribs clearly visible, both otherwise very fit. The coloration of his stripes were inverted, making him more black than white, with the latter vaguely resembling bones. His mane was spiked and styled, and his eyes were a bright purple. The ‘glyph’ on his flank could be described as an abstract bow and arrow.

*****

The entire crew was taken to Zarrow’s large hut in the center of the main village. The young buck displayed no fear towards any of us, even Knight and Crimson. His confidence put me on edge. He had us take seats around a table carved from a massive tree stump, while he took his place on a makeshift throne of scrap. A gray griffoness his age, with orange-tipped feathers and matching eyes, leaned on his side as he put his hoof around her shoulder. Others began bringing out food and drink to everyone but Knight.

It wasn’t the Gourmand, or even Gwen’s humble food stall. The meal was all preserved snacks and sodas, and blandly cooked meat. It dawned on me that the village had no farms. Of course it didn’t. Farming is hard work, and raiders hate hard work. If there was any produce, they were getting it from farms under their ‘protection’.

“So, what brings you this way, Wanderer?” Oh, cool, he listens to DJ Pon3. “Your ship’s not stocked for trade.”

“We’re stopping at Canterlot on our way back east.” I did my best to sound mundane.

He chuckled. “For what? Going on a pilgrimage to-”

We were interrupted by the doors busting open. I could hear a thunderstorm forming outside, so maybe it was best that Zarrow stopped us.

“Sir, newcomers! There’s a boat… and…” A short, ghoulified hedgehog stared at us. What was a Abyssinian creature doing here?

Zarrow face-hoofed. “Grubber, you are, as usual, slow on the uptake. I swear, what do I even keep you around for?” He laughed at the cowering creature. “I’m kidding, you know I love you!”

Grubber chuckled nervously, more so when he saw me, his eyes going a little wider at the sight of a hippogriff. “S-Sir, is he here for…”

“I was about to ask him, before you barged in.” Zarrow cleared his throat. “You looking for Skystar and Tempest?” The raider smirked at my shocked expression. “I used to crawl around Canterlot’s rubble all the time as a foal. Found my way into the catacombs. Found them.” He took a long swig of a Sparkle Cola. “Skystar’s just bones, but Tempest is an angsty chatterbox of a ghoul. She was my best friend growing up, I’d visit her as often as I could. She couldn’t leave, being fused into stone and all.” He suddenly looked sad. “I’m too big to fit through the holes now, though. So this little twerp runs messages between us.” He gestured to Grubber.

“Did she ever give you anything shiny?” My question made Zarrow cock his head. Grubber eyed me with suspicion.

“Shiny? No, we always just talked. If she’s had some kind of treasure this whole time, she’s kept it to herself.” He chuckled. “It would be like her to hold out on me.”

“She won’t give it to the likes of you!” Grubber snapped at me, before catching a scowl from Zarrow and cowering.

“Don’t be so sure.” I glared down at the small ghoul. “She and I serve the same master.”

Zarrow evaluated me again, rubbing his chin as he looked at me, narrowing his eyes as he inspected my armor. “You do have similar taste in fashion.” He smiled. “You’ll have a hard time finding them without a guide, and I need help with something. I’ll come along.”

*****

Grubber was flabbergasted when I told him that hippogriffs work for the Storm King. He apparently was Tempest Shadow’s right hoof, and came with her when she tracked Skystar. The last news he ever got from down south was of Novo’s execution. I filled him in on how my people were civilized and modernized by the Storm King’s rule, and now serve as the backbone of his empire through labor and military service. Slash informed him of his current campaign against the dragons. The martial strength we now possessed seemed to shock him.

“We had a handful of airships back then, but they weren’t the kind of thing that could fight dragons.” Grubber went on as we trotted through the cliffs. “Storm King could probably fight some himself with his lightning, but the rest of his army? They’d go up in flames.”

Slash smirked at the comment, then blushed when Zarrow met her gaze and winked. He’d been eyeing her up since we arrived. I was a little surprised that the interest was mutual, but the hybrid is attractive. If she ends up getting in bed with the Overboss, that’s her business. Personally, I’d make him get checked for infections first. He looked healthy, but he’s a raider.

We were making our way to a farm that stopped paying its dues. Zarrow learned that another gang had started encroaching on his turf, and wanted to nip the problem at the bud. Everyone but Crimson found the whole situation dubious at best. We were driving out a group of ‘bad’ raiders so a group of ‘good’ raiders stayed in control. I imagined the farmers would prefer ‘no’ raiders. But while Zarrow and his gang stayed civilized, I couldn’t justify murdering them.

*****

The inclement weather made our trek through the cliffs a bit treacherous. A strike of lightning only a dozen meters away made everyone but Crim, Knight, and Zarrow jump. The young raider trotted through the steep and wet terrain as easily as if it were a calm meadow. Slash was shivering in the cold, and on all fours to keep her balance, often using her claws to keep a grip on the ground beneath her.

Zarrow smirked at her pitiful state. “Don’t worry. When we’re done here I’ll happily warm you up.” Slash blushed again.

Over the next crest, we spotted a greenhouse and an adjacent shack built into what was once a powerline tower. Bodies wearing Zarrow’s gang colors impaled on poles were put on display around the farm’s border. The hybrid frowned and readied his arrowhead, the enchanted weapon floating beside him.

Crack! Ping!

A shot rang out from the top of the shack, but Zarrow swatted the speeding bullet out of the sky a few feet from him. By the Spirits, he can block bullets with that thing.

“O-Oh! Overboss Zarrow! I’m so sorry!” An earth pony stallion awkwardly holding a poorly maintained varmint rifle in his hooves descended. A mare followed him. Both wore ratty farming clothes, and were as skinny as the raiders. The stallion set the rifle down on his porch and trotted to Zarrow before bowing his head.

“It’s fine, it’s fine…” Zarrow approached him, his voice oddly casual as he holstered his arrowhead. As the farmer stallion started to relax, Zarrow’s demeanor shifted in an instant. After taking a hoof hard across his face, the earth pony fell into the mud, whimpering.

Zarrow pointed his hoof at the bodies. “Next time another gang kills my people and takes my property, YOU. TELL. ME.” A flash of lightning showed the rage on the Overboss’s face. “I had to hear about it from a patrol days after the fact!” He regained his composure and put his hoof on the farmer’s shoulder. “This relationship doesn’t work without communication. Now, tell me where this other gang is, then get up and bury those bodies.”

“T-They took Tulip!” The mare on the porch spoke up. “They told us they’d kill her if we stepped a single hoof off the farm! They even broke our radio.”

“They took her northeast, towards the caves.” The stallion coughed, rubbing his bruised face.

Zarrow’s demeanor shifted towards concern. “I’ll get your filly back.”

*****

The zony continued to surprise and confuse me. He’s willing to butcher caravans who don’t pay their tolls, and subjugate farms with violent intimidation, but he’ll drop everything to rescue a foal. As far as raiders go, he seems to have high standards. It may explain why the NCR has let him be all this time. While they’d never officially recognize Galloping Gorge as a sovereign territory under Zarrow’s rule, they couldn’t deny that this was a semi-stable community with its own law of the land.

When the caves came into view, I saw a few dozen of what I normally perceive as raiders. Filthy, diseased, and ready to shoot us on sight. There were probably a lot more inside. I put Gritt on overwatch, and had Purser watch his back. I’d given her back her sword and pistol, more than trusting her ever since Reinier.

The rest of us crept into attack positions, and waited for Zarrow’s signal. Which turned out to be him trotting into the open as he sang an upbeat Velvet Remedy song. The cave raiders stared blankly at him for a few moments before opening fire, their volley of bullets getting intercepted by his arrowhead as easily as the farmer’s rifle. Skill couldn’t account for it, there must be powerful magic at play with that thing.

Our sniper started picking off the shooters, and Crimson opened up with his machine gun when they tried to return fire. All the exterior guards were dead in less than a minute.

*****

Slash took point moving in, burning raiders out of cover for me to blast them. Fire was a painful way to die, so Grapeshot quickly put an end to their suffering. I told the dragon to be careful as we went deeper, not wanting the stolen filly burned.

Some of the raiders were in no state to fight back, incapacitated by chems. At my suggestion, we tied them up. Zarrow broke the horns of any unicorns, while holding their muzzles closed to muffle their screams. One couple was wrapped up in the makeshift hammock they were embraced in.

*****

The last of the raiders were waiting for us, their hostage at gunpoint. Tulip, the poor blank flank… She was in a bad way. Not much of her bright pink coat was visible past bruises, blood, and the most vile of stains. Much of her yellow mane had been ripped out, and what was left was filthy. Tears ran down her cheeks as a rusty sawn off shotgun was pressed to her skull. A tall, old, skinny griffon was behind the trigger, his bloodshot eyes swapping between us as he squawked orders at his remaining goons. They surrounded us, taking places behind cover.

“I’ll give you one chance to clear out before I paint the rocks with her brains! Then all of yours!” The griffon made it clear he wasn’t up for negotiating.

Zarrow ignored him, instead giving Tulip a comforting smile and mouthing the words “Close your eyes.” She obeyed.

The putrid raider pulled the trigger, but it was too late. Zarrow’s arrowhead had already sliced through the shotgun and banked into his brain. The other raiders could barely let out screams before their lives were ended just as efficiently. Our guide didn’t need our help at all. He could’ve handled all of this by himself, effortlessly.

The Overboss trotted to the filly before the last corpse fell over, wrapping her in his hooves. “It’s okay. Keep your eyes closed. I’ll get you home.”

*****

Zarrow asked Tulip if any of our captives had hurt her, then promptly executed each one she pointed a shaking hoof at after she closed her eyes again

Zarrow carried Tulip on his back. Her parents squealed in joy as they embraced their daughter, ignoring the thunder and pouring rain. Grubber watched from the porch, having been waiting here for us. Needing to keep up appearances, the Overboss of Galloping Gorge smacked the farmers around a bit, ordering them to get their radio fixed ASAP and be ready to use it next time trouble shows up. He also told them to inform his people of the captured raiders in the caves, intending to bring them into the fold.

He shared one last comforting smile with Tulip, then set off with us to the Gull. Canterlot awaits.

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

Footnote:
Welcome to Level 18!

Perk Added: Lawgiver! Sometimes, justice is best served at muzzle velocity. Damage against raiders, slavers, and other filth is doubled.