Fallout Equestria: The Ashlands Timeline

Wednesday, 11/2/2287
POV: Limestone Pie
The Ashlands

Limestone was sure the forces from the castle would search the cave quickly after the intrusion, but she was ready. They put most of their supplies within a secluded dead-end in one part of the cave, then brushed the hoofprints to it and waited beneath an invisibility shield created by Starlight.

They left a few supplies out, giving the impression that they had hurriedly packed and left. When the palace guards came, they searched through the caves and didn’t find them, so immediately left to search another location.

The guards were smart enough to leave traps in the tunnel this time, set to collapse it on the intruders if they returned. Finding them was easy with Starlight’s pipbuck though, and Solar managed to disarm them, somehow, with her picks and screwdriver. Limestone had started to wonder if that screwdriver was magic, but she didn’t suppose it mattered.

Starlight placed magical alarms to know if more soldiers arrived. Limestone wanted to do better, so climbed a tree and used Ashmaker’s scope to scan the forest and horizon for any other signs of danger.

Besides, she didn’t feel like being around the Empress. She feared if she did, they’d get into a dispute, and no one needed that. Limestone was angry at being overridden on her expertise, and more upset it might endanger her sisters. She trusted them to be okay, yet would never forgive Starlight if they weren’t.

It was a good thing Limestone looked both directions, because the next approach came from the south, not the forest. They were closer than she’d liked by the time she saw them, as they used the same trick Limestone’s group used, covering their wagon with camouflage.

‘Empress,’ Limestone said over the PCB. ‘We have incoming from the south. I doubt they’re Midnight’s since they’re being discreet on approach.’

‘Trinity’s forces?’ asked Starlight.

‘It’s likely whoever else uses the tunnel,’ said Limestone. ‘The tunnel looked well used, they might go into the forest to get food or supplies, or spy if they’re Trinity’s. I advise you and the others to hide deep in the cave like before while I spy from here with the scope. I’m well hidden by leaves up here and once I get a better look, I’ll know if we should chance talking to them.’

‘Almost,’ said Starlight. ‘Come to the side passage near the cave exit. We’ll all hide there so we can look out and see them up close.’

‘That’s a little close to the main cave path,’ said Limestone.’I think we should-’

‘You heard me,’ Starlight cut her off.

'What an insufferable bitch,’ Ashmaker said. ‘Even Daybreaker stopped cackling long enough to take your advice.’

Ashmaker was right. Throughout the entire war, royals listened to Limestone’s advice, and after her wins racked up most didn’t even question following it. Starlight should know Limestone’s record, but here she was deciding she knew better twice in one day. Limestone hoped she wasn’t disagreeing now as a power trip.

Starlight’s wish to keep control was overwhelming her common sense. Limestone had to try to pull her back on track somehow, but for now it didn’t seem too dangerous. She’d go along with it, but doubted these would be someone they’d want to chance talking to either way.

When Limestone arrived at the designated spot, the others were already there. Starlight had the others in an invisibility dome, but Limestone saw their locations on her networked pipbuck, so walked beneath it. She stood at the closest edge of the dome to the exit so she could look at the wagon as it approached.

Marble, who Limestone left out front because she felt like she wanted to feel the wind, was not with them. Limestone grumbled as she realized that Starlight only covered her with a blanket instead of taking her inside.

“Solar, keep your wings hidden in case we’re seen,” Limestone said, adjusting Solar’s saddlebags to hide them better in case they did go visible. There was no point in drawing attention to the pegasus with how ponies felt about them.

The occupants pulled the tarp off the top of the wagon as they neared, so at least Limestone got a better look at who they were facing. It looked like a female griffon, a bull, a unicorn stallion, and two earth mares. Limestone saw a second griffon take off before they got too close, and assumed they’d be circling in the air.

They wore make-shift armor, cobbled together from scrap metal, and had blue and red paint on their faces, looking almost like a primitive’s war paint. Their weapons weren’t much better, which were in hoof but not yet aimed and ready. The guns were made using pipes, duct tape, and spare components from other broken weapons. Their unicorn cast a dome shield over them as they drew close, but even that seemed shoddy. Limestone doubted it would withstand a single hit from Zapper, much less Ashmaker.

The number ‘30’ appeared on a lot of their things, including the wagon, armor, and weapons. It even appeared on the collar of the creature pulling the wagon, a two-headed manticore. It would be frightening if not so obviously whipped and docile, barely even looking ahead instead of at the ground. Perhaps not everything had changed to be more dangerous.

Limestone wondered if the 30 referred to a stable. Crimson would know. Damn it. They’d have so many other options if the others were with them.

From the types of containers she saw in the wagon, though, Limestone assumed they were here to collect herbs. Given their haggard faces and spaced-out expressions, Limestone further assumed they were part of a drug trade that snuck in regularly for ingredients.

‘Let’s go further back into the cave,’ Limestone decided. ‘These don’t look safe enough to interact with.’

‘Hold just a bit,’ Starlight insisted as the wagon came to a stop about 50 hoofsteps from the entrance.

“Come on out!” called the griffon hen. “We spied you from a distance so know you’re in there! We can always collapse that cave on your heads if you don’t want to talk.”

‘They’re bluffing,’ Limestone said confidently. ‘They won’t risk destroying the best passage to their supply.’

‘Sorry’, Starlight replied. ‘But I’m not taking a chance. If we go out in force with better arms, I don’t think they’ll do anything, and we could use the allies. Besides, I’m good with getting ponies to do what I want and they look weak-minded.’

‘These are not allies we want Empress,’ Limestone said. ‘And with their drug-addled heads, I don’t know if there’s much mind to control.’

‘Follow,’ Starlight ignored the advice again and dropped the invisibility.

Starlight erected a magical shield in its place as she walked out of the cave. She strode out confidently, placing Kamikaze behind a rock where she could sit with Zapper at the ready, but Kamikaze didn’t seem any more confident about the situation, which was obvious given her silence. Solar kept her wings hidden, but stepped out as well. Only Dinky stayed behind near the cave entrance.

“For the hate of the Moon, I don’t envy you,” Dinky sighed at Limestone. “It’s like herding parasprites.”

“You’re not wrong,” sighed Limestone, readying Ashmaker and heading out as well.

Limestone feared Starlight would use her authority as a bargaining point, and that wouldn’t go over well with ponies living in the wild. It seemed she failed to understand the current world as much or more than Twilight.

“Solar,” Limestone whispered to the pegasus once outside. “Do you think you can fly now?”

“I don’t know?” Solar perked her ears, perhaps surprised that Limestone spoke to her instead of Starlight. “I can flap my wings to go faster, at least… it’d probably hurt though.”

“Apologies then,” said Limestone. “If things go wrong, immediately take Ashmaker and find the others. Tell them who took us and that Twilight is in charge in my and Starlight’s absence. If she’s dead, then Maud.”

“S-sure,” Solar stammered, looking more nervous by the second. One problem with often being right was that ponies got nervous when Limestone made ‘in case we lose’ contingencies.

Starlight peered back at them, perhaps catching Twilight’s name, but there was no time to discuss. Instead, she turned back towards the wagon, keeping the shield she held up at full power. She appeared to believe nothing could hurt them with her shield in force, but Limestone had out-smarted enough strong unicorns to know that wasn’t the case.

“Greetings, fellow travelers,” Starlight spoke in her diplomatic voice. “What brings you to this forest? May we be of assistance?”

“Collecting herbs for the market,” the griffon in the wagon said. “Like we always do. Never seen you here before though.”

“I see,” said Starlight. “Well you are free to continue, we are only passing through and have no interest in returning to the forest ourselves. My name is Star…”

“Why are you traveling with a featherbrain and zombies?” the griffon interrupted.

Her words stung with hatred, spitting in anger and probably too stupid to recognize that she used a slur that could just as easily be used on her own race. Limestone supposed it wasn’t surprising that they’d hate ghouls too since most were feral.

But they must have already been spying on the group from a distance and seen Solar. That wouldn’t help their chances at peace. Limestone motioned for Solar to stay put, lest she run and end up outside of Starlight’s shield. Solar held her ground even if she was quivering. It was amazing she was standing with her injuries.

‘Claim Solar is our prisoner and that your ghouls are mercenaries,’ Limestone suggested over the PCB to Starlight. She remembered Crimson mentioning that Midnight didn’t like ghouls but still might use ghoulish mercenaries, so it might be common.

“Is this a problem?” asked Starlight. “The company we keep is our own.”

Another suggestion ignored. Limestone had heard Starlight got this way when she felt her power threatened. It might not have been much of a problem in the lab that Starlight had worked in, but out here in a potential combat situation it was an issue.

“Wait, so this thing is your friend?” asked the unicorn. “Damn, I thought they were just keeping it to torture.”

“Pegasi are slime that don’t deserve their wings,” said the griffon. “So, if it isn’t your slave or plaything, that makes you slime too.”

Many griffons in particular must have a special hatred for pegasi, since Equestria’s griffon allies acted as their air force after the pegasi rebellion. They rarely fared well against pegasi in the air.

But even Limestone was rarely proven right so quickly after somepony didn’t take her advice. Limestone hoped Starlight learned a lesson from that one, or even had the chance to do so. Starlight's expression faltered at the griffon’s response, and for a moment she looked speechless.

‘Bluff,’ Limestone suggested again over the PCB. ‘We’re using well-kept, advanced weapons and armor. They won’t want to get into a war with a well-equipped faction.’

It was a long-shot, Limestone knew. Even if they were members of a large faction, the raiders might figure the faction would never know.

“Then I guess we should both go our separate ways,” said Starlight. “From the looks of your ‘equipment’, a war with a well-equipped stable is not in your best interests.”

The griffon paused, her smile faltering as if she took the claim seriously.

“How about this,” the griffon said. “You sell the featherbrain to us for cheap, and we’ll go on our way.”

“Why would you want a pegasus if you hate us so much?” Kamikaze asked.

She just had to use the word ‘us’. Limestone resisted the urge to facehoof.

“Their feathers are a useful potion component,” the griffon smirked. “We accidentally killed our last one by torturing him at a party, so we need another source. You’re lucky we don’t ask for you too to use at our next party.”

“What,” Solar blinked, stunned. “What kind of components?”

“Stirrers for roofie potions, among other things,” the griffon shrugged.

“Huh.” Solar eyed her own covered wings.

“How much are you offering for her?” Starlight asked, ready to barter without complaint it seemed.

“What?!” Solar shrieked.

“She isn’t for sale,” Limestone said. Selling an ally out was something she would never allow regardless of their situation. She would die with honor before living with that shame.

‘General, our lives are on the line,’ Starlight said over the PCB. ‘It is her or all of us.’

‘You want to sell somepony you owe your life to?’ Limestone asked. ‘For a situation that you got us into? No. Another word about this and you can no longer count on my support.’

Starlight’s face turned red with anger and glared back, but could do nothing. She knew nopony in the group would continue to follow her if Limestone made a claim to the throne, so pushing wasn’t an option.

Though what Starlight had already said was enough to lose Limestone’s support. Maybe she wasn’t used to being on the front lines, or maybe she was just a poor copy. Whatever the reason, Starlight had become erratic. Such a pony could neither act as a proper figurehead or lead under stress.

“It doesn’t matter,” said Starlight. “You can’t afford to cross us. Do you think you can just attack us with no recourse?”

Most of those in the griffon’s wagon looked frightened of the threat. But the griffon herself seemed to have stronger will, resisting the effects of Starlight’s psionic charisma. The obvious strife between Starlight and Limestone likely emboldened her.

This would turn ugly. Limestone picked up Ashmaker and moved to an angle where she could down three of the slavers in a single shot. She could see Kamikaze grip Zapper and Dinky charging her own horn.

“Drop it!” the griffon shouted.

Limestone immediately thought of the griffon above them and glanced upwards. Sure enough, the griffon had dropped a blinking device onto the group. The raiders in the wagon, meanwhile, were diving for cover.

As she analyzed the situation, Limestone instantly realized that the way the slavers dove for cover said a great deal. The raiders took cover from gunfire from Limestone and Kamikaze, but not from the blast of the bomb on its way. On top of that, the unicorn dropped their shield and charged down his horn. Those actions told Limestone that this was an anti-magic device meant to stun unicorns, not a bomb. Did those even exist? They didn’t during the war, but it’d been 200 years.

“Retreat to the cave now!” shouted Limestone. She hoped they’d understand. While she could analyze the situation in an instant, she couldn’t explain in the seconds before it hit.

Starlight backed towards the cave, intending to obey this time. However, she also intensified her shield. Dinky squeaked and charged up her own shield just on the inside of Starlight’s. They both assumed it was a conventional bomb and maximized the blocking potential, intending to retreat after deflecting it.

Starlight couldn’t keep such a powerful shield and still allow the one-way exit of their own attacks, which meant they couldn’t even fire upon their enemies yet. Puncturing the shield with Ashmaker would jar Starlight’s magical senses and cause more damage than the device by itself.

Instead, Limestone took cover behind a rock next to the cave, hoping to fire when the shield collapsed. But since Ashmaker was magically enhanced itself, there was no guarantee it would work.

There was a burst of light above them when the device activated, followed by a rain of color as if fireworks exploded all around them. Ashmaker’s scope went blank, the gun clicking as it deactivated. Limestone felt herself suddenly grow weak, and it didn’t take her long to realize why.

Necrotic magic kept Limestone animate, so the effects of such a device would be harder to shrug off than a petty bullet wound. As she was fading from consciousness, she felt Ashmaker grabbed away.

“I’ll get the others!” Solar said, and Limestone heard the flap of wings as Solar attempted to take off, though what she actually did was skid across the ground. It was faster than running at least, but must have been excruciating for Solar in her condition.

Limestone watched as she felt herself fading. The griffon that had dropped the device came for Solar, who couldn’t hope to outfly him as close as he already was.

Solar showed surprising battle cunning though. Probably knowing the griffon wanted her alive, she let him get closer. Once he was at point-blank range, she turned and fired Ashmaker. Lucky for Solar, the gun worked again when removed from the area of effect, and the griffon took a shot to the face.

The griffon didn’t have time to scream as his face collapsed into gore pudding, the shot going through him longways. Organs exited the griffon’s opposite end and his body convulsed as he plummeted, a rain of his guts slopping onto the surrounding ground.

Solar shrieked at what she’d done. Seeing the effects of Ashmaker close-up couldn’t be easy for someone like her. She turned, looking sick as she flapped off as fast as she could. As shots from the other slavers’ non-magical guns rang out, Limestone didn’t know if Solar was hit, but she kept going.

The second griffon took off, but she couldn’t keep up with even an injured pegasi once she got that far ahead. Griffons didn’t have as much magic to aid their flight as pegasi did. The bigger wings that normally made up for this worked against her as Solar headed into the Ashland’s winds. The griffon snarled as she turned back, forced to recognize the air superiority of the creature she hated so much.

Finally, Limestone lost consciousness for the first time in 200 years, but at least somepony in the group had followed her orders.

POV: Maud Pie

Keep the calm face. Keep them from knowing.

Outside, Maud remained stoic as she led the group down the wasteland road. Inside, Maud was a whirlwind of rage and despair. She lost one sister and might soon lose another.

Maud felt a pat on her shoulder and glanced back to see Pinkie flash her a smile. As nutty as she was, Pinkie still kept Maud on the level. Without her… if Maud was ever left alone with none of them… she did not know what she would do. Probably kill-buck Crimson and then throw herself off a cliff.

Solar rested on Pinkie’s back. Maud would carry her, except she was leaning down a lot to examine the wagon tracks as they headed south, both old and recent, and did not want to jar the injured pegasus. Once they left the Ponyville Ashlands, walking about a hundred steps from the edge of Ghastly Gorge, the winds died down and allowed better tracking.

Crimson kept up with her hurt leg. Mercury had made a makeshift brace for her one leg from sticks and tape from the wagon, and it was enough for her to keep up. Maud was certain Crimson enjoyed the pain, anyway. She was asking for it more and more, giving Maud bedroom eyes when she looked at her, but even Maud was not sure what 'it' was anymore.

Twilight was behind Maud. She looked deep in thought, so Maud assumed she was thinking of a plan. Maud felt like Limestone would have a detailed plan and several alternatives by now, but she was sure Twilight would come up with something. The alicorn seemed brilliant, but also like the type to second-guess herself to the point of absurdity, so it didn’t surprise Maud that she took longer.

Twilight was heavy laden too, since they had to carry all they could without their wagon. Even with all they had to carry, Twilight insisted on bringing the body of her little dragon friend with them. It was a weakness, but at least one that Maud understood. Maud could not demand that Twilight cease missing him, and perhaps it was an honor that the alicorn saw Holder as the best place to bury someone important to her. Besides that, if they still had Marble’s body, Maud would be carrying her too.

Mercury checked on Solar’s condition as they continued to walk. For a sheltered alchemist, she had adapted into a field doctor role well. She had a soft heart and was scared easily, but was not a coward during combat. In Maud’s experience, the best medics had that outlook.

“Are you sure I can’t help you walk?” Mercury asked Crimson after finishing with Solar. “You look like you’re in pain.”

“Let her be,” said Maud. “She likes it.” She then asked Crimson. “So I take it that none of the horn restraints from your stable work on you? We’ll need to get more elsewhere.”

“Actually, funny story!” chuckled Crimson. “But any Equestrian-produced restraints from back then probably won’t work on me. Nor on Starlight, though she didn’t give it away when she had one on. See, Starlight had an exception list added during manufacture of those that could never be bound by them. She and a few others were in the list, and I slipped my own name in without them noticing. I probably couldn’t have altered these myself if they weren’t already that way from the start.”

“That sounds like poor quality control,” Maud mused, but then paused and motioned for the others to stop. They had come to a fork in the road, and she wanted to make sure they did not take the wrong path.

“There aren’t tracks that way,” Twilight peered down the right path. “So, I guess we go left.”

The simple response from the alicorn disappointed Maud. Maud put a hoof to Twilight’s muzzle to shush her and looked back at the road. Twilight shushed and it made Maud smile inwardly; she had always wanted to do that to a royal, even if Twilight was only kind of a royal.

Twilight was right that there were no tracks leading to the right, but it felt wrong. There were twice as many tracks on the path they were on compared to the left path, as if wagons vanished or appeared here. The freshest tracks, the one she had been following, did not continue. So where did they go? This seemed like an obvious trap.

“The pawprints of the manticore that pulled the wagon end before the wagon tracks do,” Maud explained. “The manticore was taken into the wagon and a griffon took its place. The griffon took off, carrying the wagon away through the air.”

“Must be an enchanted wagon for a griffon to pull it aerially,” said Twilight. “Maybe a subpar enchantment, because if they could pull it far that way, it seems like they would have already been doing that. Either way, the manticore couldn’t pull it through the air at all.”

“Yes,” Maud agreed. “They would need a good reason to do this. We take the right path.”

“Because taking off here means they wanted us to take the left one,” Twilight nodded, apparently not completely dense. “That makes sense.”

“If I had to guess,” said Maud. “The actual base is to the right while traps or ambush are set up on the left.”

“Pinkie agrees,” Pinkie said, not seeming to grasp it as Twilight did. “The Sister Superior’s plans always befuddle Pinkie, so doing what makes least sense makes the most sense.”

As Maud trotted down the right path, Twilight followed without further question. For somepony that looked like one of the evilest ponies who ever lived, Twilight was very reasonable. If only Starlight was so willing to listen.

Thinking of Starlight made Maud angrier; Maud would never forgive her for this. Even if Solar was not privy to the telepathic conversation that Limestone and Starlight probably had, Maud knew this was Starlight’s fault. If Starlight’s foalishness cost them Limestone’s unlife, there was no amount of authority that would keep Maud from making Starlight suffer.

“Maud?” Twilight whispered, moving close to Maud. “You mentioned before about a secret order from Starlight?”

“Yes,” whispered Maud in return. “If there was an opportunity to let you die, we were to take it.” She felt much less hesitation in informing Twilight now.

“Of course,” sighed Twilight. “Others would suspect if you killed me outright, but failing to save me wouldn’t be questioned. Thank you for telling me, but I wouldn’t advise you to let Starlight know you did.”

Maud would not, unless it was right before killing Starlight. She didn’t say that aloud though, else she’d have to deal with Twilight trying to talk her down from the idea.

Just over the hill from where the path split, Maud’s wagon hypothesis turned out to be true. The wagon clearly landed again as soon as the track would be out of sight, switching to the manticore pulling it again. This was definitely the right way.

“Good work, Maud,” Twilight smiled.

“Have you done good work as well by making a suitable plan?” Maud asked.

“Well,” Twilight sighed. “I didn’t want to use this trick until we had to, but it might not matter now that Stable 27 has told Midnight that I’m with the group anyway; maybe we should hurry and use it before word gets out. I think our best bet is for me to pretend to be Midnight. If what I’ve heard is true, we might not have to fight if they think they can make a deal with me.”

“And?” Maud asked. In this case, Maud was not comfortable with such a simple plan.

“Of course,” said Twilight. “We can’t just walk up to them. We should scout the camp from afar and get into optimal positions. Pinkie can fire warning shots with Ashmaker, then I’ll swoop in and make an impressive entrance. I’ll charge my horn to shoot sparks everywhere, which should look pretty intimidating.”

“What if they see your broken horn?” Solar asked.

“True,” nodded Twilight. “But Crimson or Mercury could use telekinesis to make a small dust storm around me. The chance of them noticing through the cloud and sparks should be low, especially if panicked. Anyway, Maud can charge in and protect the hostages, lest they decide that using their lives as a bargaining chip is a good idea. If I can scare them, maybe we won’t have to kill any.”

Maud wasn’t entirely satisfied, but they had learned through Solar that Limestone wanted Twilight in charge in her absence. In respect to that, she tried to word her complaints well.

“You have done acceptable work,” Maud said. “But the more that survive knowing of the ruse, the more it will get around and the faster others will become wise to it.”

“I see what you mean, but If Midnight has been to Stable 27, she’s already going to be wise to it,” pointed out Twilight. “Which means we should assume a high probability of the major settlements in her territory having been forewarned. It may only work here because she wouldn’t warn raiders.”

“Still,” said Maud. “I do not think we should allow them to live, even if we question them for the whereabouts of the others first. I am inclined to remind you that allowing one of our attackers to flee in Canterlot may have brought Midnight upon Stable 27 faster.”

“She would have come when they didn’t report in either way,” Twilight sighed. She glanced away from Maud as if second-guessing herself, but seemed determined to stick to her way. “I’ll order them to surrender and bluff that if they try to fight, we’ll have no choice but to respond. However, we should only use lethal force if it’s necessary to save our friends from immediate danger.”

“That is acceptable, then,” Maud nodded. It wasn’t entirely, but she didn’t want to face Limestone next time she met without having obeyed her order to follow Twilight’s command. “I will forego the option of killing you and taking command for now.”

“Pardon?” Twilight blinked.

“That was a joke,” Maud advised. Ponies never got her jokes.

The wagon tracks led to a small compound not too far ahead, so Maud ducked into a nearby rock cleft to get a closer look. The others huddled behind her, taking off their saddlebags and stacking them beneath the rock.

The raiders had parked the wagon next to the main shack but it now sat empty. Next to it stood the manticore that had pulled it, eating a donkey’s corpse out of a trough. It wasn’t the only wagon here, and there were several spots next to it that looked like there had been wagons parked there, but weren’t currently.

Maud’s preliminary observation found three buildings, fairly new but poorly constructed out of ruin lumber and plywood. They did not even have windows. The raiders had a fondness for the number ‘30’ as it was painted on much of their gear. There were no raiders visible on the outside, but the buildings could be full for all she knew.

The raiders knew more about intimidation than sanitation, as their decorator had a clear fondness for gore. They had piked corpses of various races in a circle around the compound. Gore in various states of decay decorated the buildings, ranging from fresh kills to skeletons. Maud couldn’t imagine living here long term without gas masks, but supposed they were used to their own filth.

It was made all the more surreal that apparently the raiders had come across some Hearth’s Warming Eve decorations, as many of the pikes looked like large plaster candy canes that one might have seen decorating the streets during the holiday, just thin enough to impale a pony on with some effort. It made Maud want to beat a few of them to death with the decorations to teach them a lesson.

Their friends were not here, either way. While they could not track their exact locations with their current pipbucks, they could tell their direction in relation to them. Maud was north of the compound, yet those signals were too far west to be within or near the compound. Still, there might be evidence here, and Dinky might still be here since she did not have a pipbuck.

Mercury helped pull Solar off of Pinkie’s back, not looking towards the compound. She must have gotten a glance though because she sounded ready to hurl. Solar hugged her and looked just as ill. They’d get used to it, or at least learn to pretend to not be bothered, as Maud did.

As Maud returned to her spot near the others, Pinkie slid next to her. Maud tried to ignore how good Pinkie looked while in a battle mood and hooved over Ashmaker instead. Maud was horse apples with anything ranged, even more so than Pinkie. Pinkie eyed Maud in return before scanning the buildings with Ashmaker’s scope.

“These slavers like the number thirty.” Maud commented as she let Pinkie work.

“They probably originate from Stable 30,” said Crimson. “Figures they’d turn out like this.”

“What transpired there?” Maud asked.

“Well, first understand that my Stable 27 was a control stable, meant for the ruling class,” said Crimson. “Most other stables were experiments meant to test various survival conditions, so that control stables could reap the benefits, sacrificing less important citizens to increase the chance of the important ones surviving.”

“That’s terrible,” said Twilight. “What even were these experiments?”

“Stable 30 tested addiction,” Crimson smirked. “Not sure of the details, but it was populated by drug addicts. For the first five years, they rehabilitated them, but then a hidden stockpile of drugs was unlocked via a timer. Within days, most residents had been killed or fallen back into old habits. I think it was supposed to see how such situations could be resolved, but I guess the experiment failed because it wasn’t. It devolved into gang mentality as they fought over the remaining drugs, and that was the last report we received from their Overmare. I assume they eventually set out into the wasteland and formed a raider band.”

“How could the Equestrian government do that?” Twilight stammered. “I can’t believe that even in this timeline, Celestia would okay an experiment like that.”

“Don’t forget, the Stables aren’t government built,” Crimson said. “Stable-Tec made them, owned by the Flim Flam brothers. Not many in the government knew, or they’d have asked me to cover it up. I didn’t even know until I read the Overmare initiation packet.”

“I can’t imagine even them doing that,” Twilight shook her head.

“Different experiences can change a pony,” said Maud. “Strange still, it was my impression that it was a scheme to get government contracts and they never expected the stables to be used.”

“That’s probably why it turned out that way,” Crimson said. “Because of that, they had lower hiring standards. They hired rejects from the Ministries, and it should say something that the Ministries rejected them. Give a psycyho an order to make an experiment with zero oversight, and this is what you get. Even Stable 27 had some pretty crazy science going on there prior to being used as a shelter.”

“Pinkie has completed her scan,” Pinkie said, still looking through the scope. “The left building is storage for weapons and probably chems. There are two raiders in the right building. The middle building has three captives, but as Pinkie feared they are not Sister Superior or friends. Their bone structure favors that of stallions, one with bat wings.”

“There are captives?” asked Maud. She would not allow even strangers to stay in the hooves of these ponies, and they could always use the help of thankful settlements.

“The central structure has two rooms,” said Pinkie. “In the left room with two enemies and three captives, with three enemies in the right room. The structure appears to only have a single front entrance on the right.” She adjusted the scope and added. “They are in danger! Two raiders are going to kill the slaves!”

“We have to stop them fast,” Twilight said. She took a deep breath, clearly not wanting to give the order, her voice squeaking a little as she did. “Disable the ones harming the captives quickly, the others we’ll try to round up.”

Twilight turned to the others, “Mercury, stir up dust in front of the compound, then when able, head in to treat the injured slave. Maud, head to the central structure quickly to make sure none of the others hurt the captives. Solar… don’t die or get impregnated. Crimson… don’t murder anyone.”

“It’s okay,” said Solar. “Mercury casts regular foal control spells on me.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and pulled off her stable armor so she could look more like Midnight, trying to pat her disheveled mane into a better state. Maud doubted she needed to bother; looking like she had a bad mane day would only make Midnight more frightening.

“Pinkie believes she can disable the villains harming the captives in a single shot,” Pinkie said. “Pinkie will wait before attacking others. Yes.”

As Pinkie lined up her aim, Mercury stirred up dust in front of the compound. Pinkie wasn’t good at precision shooting, but Maud trusted her to get the job done even if the first shot missed. She trusted everyone on this team to do their part.

Except Crimson, but Twilight had given her a simple enough task.

As the dust stirred up, Maud crept through it, remaining close to the ground and shifting behind one rock and then another. Ashmaker’s boom echoed across the compound. Pinkie missed at least one because two more shots followed. Good enough.

Twilight landed in the courtyard soon after, doing an impressive barrel roll before landing, though likely on accident from dizziness rather than skill. All the same, she slammed against the ground, energy arching from her horn in random directions. Maud imagined doing that with a broken horn was pure torment, but Twilight played the part, her voice shouting over the compound.

“Foalish mortals,” Twilight’s screech showed her agony, but that only made it more terrifying. “You think you can abduct my loyal minions? Come now and pray for my divine mercy and you will be spared! Flee and you will beg for death before I am done with you!”

No one seemed willing to fight back. Maud saw the two mares in the right building immediately come out, unarmed, sitting up on their haunches with their front legs raised and terrified looks on their faces. This was too easy, but if Midnight intimidated raiders that much, it did not bode well for later conflicts with the real thing.

“I will not ask again!” Twilight’s voice boomed again when the raiders in the central structure did not exit. “Exit your compound and beg for your goddess’s forgiveness!”

As Maud passed one of the piked bodies, she saw movement, instinctively assuming a defensive stance in case it was an ambush. It was not, though. It was the foal, impaled on the giant decorative candy cane, and who appeared to still be alive. She stared at Maud with wide eyes, tears streaming down her face. She couldn’t have been more than five years old, yet she’d clearly been brutalized and tortured before she was even put up there.

Maud felt a surge of rage at the sight. She fought many enemies during her time in the war, and many were brutal and cruel, but she had never before seen something like this. No one they battled, not even Sombra, would treat a pony in this fashion, much less a foal. These raiders were not even ponies; they were monsters.

There was no possibility of saving the filly, so Maud stood on her hind legs and took hold of the little one’s head. She could not leave her suffering like this, but looking into her glassy eyes and snapping her neck still wasn’t easy.

The filly mouthed the words ‘thank you’, though, understanding her situation more than any her age should be able to. Maud looked away and twisted, cracking her neck and ending her torment.

Maud tried to put it out of her mind as she turned to look at the door, her own eyes tearing up. She couldn’t just ignore this. For a moment, she felt as if her mind was creaking, and then suddenly… snap.

At that point, Maud forgot she even had orders. All she could feel was the burning hatred for the ones that would do this. She charged the door to the middle structure, adjusting Mite on her back for easy grabbing after she charged in. The door gave like straw to the impact, splinters and dust flying into the room.

Eyes scanning the room, Maud spotted three raiders within, a mare and two stallions. The mare and one stallion had low caliber pistols, but they would barely penetrate her rock soldier armor. They may have intended to drop them for Midnight, but when Maud’s form burst through the door, they shot on instinct.

Maud reared up, swinging her forehooves in front of her. One bullet deflected from her right hoof, chipping her armor but barely stinging her hoof. The second impacted her chest and penetrated, but the armor was enough stopping power that Maud’s thick hide resisted serious damage.

Maud twisted her head about, cracking her neck and playing off the bullets like nothing. The raiders stared, pure terror on their faces as Maud had barely even wobbled.

‘There’s one,’ Mite interjected out of nowhere. ‘And she’s cute too.’

Her scan of the room spotted the object of his affection near the door. It was another decorative candy cane, similar to the one the foal had been impaled on, this one about Mite’s size. Mite seemed to be suggesting that it’d be an adequate punishment, and Maud tended to agree.

Before they could react, Maud leaped into the air, coming down on the first stallion’s head with the cane. The cane shattered, causing no small number of complaints from Mite, but the raider’s head also gave like a big tomato. It created an impressive blood splatter as he toppled to the floor.

“Please don’t,” the mare squeaked as Maud approached.

“Is that what the filly said before you all impaled her?” Maud growled.

Maud turned, pulling Mite from her back and cheering him up by smashing him into the mare’s chest. She felt the vibrations of ribs cracking before the mare flew back and hit the wall, leaving a sizable indent as she stuck there. The mare tried to scream only to vomit a fountain of blood; Maud had intentionally hit her softly enough that she’d take a while to die.

“No please!” the remaining stallion fell to his knees, lowering his head and kissing Maud’s hoof. His frantic words slurred together. “Please I’ll be a loyal subject I swear if you just spare my life I’ll be whatever you want I’ll be your slave or sex toy anything!”

“You would not survive sex with me,” Maud said. “I might not either, given your stench.”

She raised Mite over her head to bring it down on him.

“Maud!” Mercury’s voice called out from behind her. “She said no killing unless you had to!”

Maud’s mind snapped back enough to remember she was on a mission and not a killing spree. Her muscles tightened just in time to lay the hammerhead against his head instead of smashing it.

“I had to,” Maud said to Mercury between clenched teeth as she tried to reign in her emotions, then turned to see Mercury, Crimson, and Solar having entered after her.

Mercury ran to the still living mare half-embedded in the wall, examining her. The mare tried to mouth the words ‘help me’, but was beyond speech, lungs likely crushed by her own rib cage.

“A stallion is the one you let live?” Crimson rolled her eyes, strolling through the room and opening the door to the adjacent one where the slaves were. She closed the door behind her.

“I’m so sorry,” Mercury shook her head to the mare. “I don’t think I can save you.”

“Finish her and tend the slaves,” Maud told her.

“I… what?” Mercury stared at Maud.

“Part of being a field medic is showing mercy to patients who are past aid,” Maud said. “Show her mercy.”

The raider deserved to die slower, but Mercury also needed to learn this. If she couldn’t put down a helpless enemy, she’d never be able to show mercy to a cherished friend if the time came.

Mercury looked for a moment like she didn’t know what to do. Tears ran down her face as she finally picked up a nearby pistol in her magic. She pushed it into the terrified mare’s muzzle, aiming for the brain stem and whispering an apology before firing. After splattering the mare’s brains and ending her, Mercury dropped the gun and looked disgusted with herself.

“Where’s Crimson?” asked Mercury when she recovered.

“You did well,” Maud said. “And she is assisting the slaves.”

Mercury forgot about the raider, eyes widening as she hurried to the next room.

“Crimson, no!” Mercury shouted after entering the other room.

Maud sighed as Solar staggered into the room after Mercury. Maud realized she should have known something was up when Crimson closed the door, but was still coming back to her right mind. She tuned it out for now, knowing that if she walked in on something horrible in there, she might kill Crimson too before she could stop herself.

Instead, she continued looking down at the sobbing raider that was here. It was a little awkward being alone with him, and she assumed Twilight was dealing with the other two raiders outside. Maud opted to try to make trivial conversation in hopes it would calm her nerves.

“Mite is broken-hearted that Sandy Cane died in combat,” Maud told him. “Do you have others of her size?”

“Probably?” the raider stammered in confusion. “You can have anything you find!”

“Thank you,” Maud pondered. “But do you have any that I can attach a rocket to and would not shatter when used?”

“Maybe?” the stallion looked even more confused.

“Maud!” Twilight’s voice growled as she entered.

“I have no good excuse,” Maud said flatly without turning around to face her. “I saw a dead filly and lost control of myself, and for that I am ashamed. I would very much appreciate it if you did not tell Limestone about this.”

“Maud…” sighed Twilight, calming her anger and probably understanding a little.

“Where is Pinkie?” Maud realized she wasn’t with the others, a swell of worry building up inside her. If something happened to her, she knew she’d snap again.

“She’s checking out the warehouse building,” Twilight assured her, then spoke more firmly to the remaining raider instead. “You. Talk.”

The raider’s eyes turned to Twilight, frozen in terror like he had just seen a bag of kittens impaled with a nail gun. Though maybe that was a bad example given that a raider might enjoy seeing that.

“I said talk!” Twilight repeated.

“W-what about?” the raider squealed. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, just tell me what you want to know! I’ll tell you anything y-your divine…uh…”

“Shadow,” Maud finished for him when he blanked. Honestly, Maud thought it was a pretty silly title.

“Yes, your Divine Shadow!” the raider squealed. “Anything I swear! Please don’t eat my soul!”

“Where are my loyal subjects?” asked Twilight. “The ones you dared snatch from my forest.”

“At Tenwhinney!” the stallion cried. “They wanted to sell the zombies to Tenwhinney for their arena match and took the unicorn in case anyone wanted to buy her. I’m sure they’ll give them back if you ask! We didn’t know they were yours, honest!”

“Sell them?” Maud growled. “As we feared.”

“Yes, as the others said,” Twilight sighed. “But they didn’t know if Kamikaze was with the others? The amputee pegasus.” She placed a hoof against Maud’s side, probably as a polite reminder not to go on another murder spree.

“She went with them,” the raider stammered. “Fingers wanted a… foot stool.”

“How long ago did they leave?” asked Twilight.

“Um, um,” the raider’s mind had blanked again.

“Tell us or Pinkie will put her hoof in unmentionable places and find the prize inside!” Pinkie blurted out from behind Twilight. Maud doubted she even knew what the question was. “Yes.”

“Hours ago,” the raider stammered. “They should be back soon. They’re a little late, actually.” He paused. “Did you kill our ambush?”

“We ignored them,” Twilight scoffed. “When they return to see this place destroyed, they will remind everypony to not buck with Midnight Sparkle.”

“Um,” the raider squinted at Twilight through his tears. “Y-your horn broke?”

“Well I guess it was about time one of you noticed,” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“The shadowy divine one is trying a new look,” claimed Pinkie. “It is fashionable. Yes.”

Maud opened her mouth to speak but stopped, sniffing the air. What was that? Was that… kerosene?

Damn it. She still hadn’t settled her nerves, so hoped she didn’t go off again, but had to check. She turned and headed into the adjacent room, leaving Twilight and Pinkie to get what other information they could.