Fallout Equestria: Desperados V3 (Bonds of Platinum)

Fallout: Equestria

Desperado’s V3: Bonds of Platinum

Ch 13, Culture, Part 3.

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We were taken to a side building that was still inside the barrier, but looked more old world then ancient. It was clearly the bunker for the Platinum Guard, which had to go deeper underground, as the top building was clearly too small to house every guard and squire I've seen here. Though it was likely that the Platinum Guard did live in the city proper, and this was just an office.

Actually, I could just ask.

“Say, Silver Leaf, do you all live here, or in the city?” I asked, bringing my curiosity to her.

“Some live here, but it's not big enough for everypony.” She told us. “Unlike the Rangers, we don't like to live in a bunker, and prefer to live among our friends and family here on Platinum Hill. This place is mainly used as our armory and central command, or as a temporary shelter for civilians if we fall under attack.”

Looking around, the place wasn't all that impressive, though it was clearly built to last. Plain concrete walls and floor with heavy metal doors. The only thing that gave this place any sense of life were all the old world propaganda posters. Most were of the Ministries make, with the majority of that about the Steel Rangers, but now and then there were early war posters.

With early war posters side by side late war posters, I could see how much the mentality had changed. Celestia featured heavily on the early war posters, focusing more on harmony and protecting other ponies, showing little of the Zebras. But when Zebras were shown, they were simply shown as just the enemy, or as individuals forced to fight by their leaders. On the other hoof, the late wat Ministries posters focused more on victory, and how we will achieve it by any means necessary. The Zebras here all had red glowing eyes, portaided more as monsters to be crushed with great enthusiasm, then as individuals like anypony else.

Seeing it, I understood why Arras's experience with the war sounded more civil, as it probably was. I could imagine Celestia doing what she could to keep things from escalating, and how it must have broken her when it eventually did.

I stopped at one poster, it being the same kind as Arras kept as a tapestry. On it was Princess Majesty leading three branches of the military, the same golden harp I currently had at her side. Her mane and tail looked a lot like how I kept it, something I started to do after seeing Arras's tapestries of my ancestor. Unfortunately I couldn't completely replicate the look, likely needing some cosmetics that no longer exist.

“She's beautiful.” Fizzy said as she looked at Princess Majesty.

“I concur, they don't make mares like that anymore.” Lair added.

Silver cleared her throat, getting our attention. “As much as I agree, but it's considered rude to gawk at a member of the royal family, even if it's just a photo from over two hundred years ago.”

“What about you?” Lair asked Silver with a wink.

The Knight Captain was taken aback by that a little, quickly turning away. “Please, I'm too busy for such nonsense?” Then trotted off.

Lair chuckled a little, whispering to me. “She didn't say no.”

Feeling a little embarrassed, I continued to follow Silver, the mare taking us to an office, where several ponies inside were having a heated conversation.

“The incident would never have happened if those damn barbarians were never allowed here in the first place.” An older mare spoke with feminine voice that had a tired authority to it.

“Let's not forget how their hair's breath away from being raiders. All that old tech they have, it will be turned on us one day.” Another mare spoke, her voice a bit more scratchy and low, like a heavy smoker.

“Enough! Every month with this, barbarians this, stone smashers that!” a much older mare shouted, the hint of a Canterlot accent in her voice. “The Desperados have the same right to be here as the Steel Ranger. Or must I remind you why the last war you had with them started, and why I had to step in and end it! Hair's breath away from going raider my gray flank, how many times could the same be said about the Rangers. Why the fuck do you think the Applejack Rangers formed in the first Celestia damn place for crying out loud!”

“You would dare!” The first mare spoke.

“I do, now get out! I have a fucking appointment, and your wasting my precious air with this brahminshit!” The older mare shouted.

“Fine, but this isn't over. When the Desperados fuck up again, I'll be here to remind you the truth.” The smoker sounding mare said as her voice got closer to the office entrance.

I was rather shocked to see a donkey trot out in blue robes, symbols of a Steel Ranger scribe all over her. Seeing me, the jenny snorted. “Oh look, of course the Desperados they sent is a mutant. What next, a damn cyborg as well.” She then spat in my face before trotting off.

Wiping the insult off, I then saw another mare, also in blue robes, but looking more like a paladin as she practically towered over me. Though not as thick as Spritz Cookie was, she was clearly a muscular mare. “Don't think hiding behind the Platinum Guard will protect you barbarians forever.” She sneered before trotting off.

Once gone, Lair let out a chuckle. “Oh, now I feel like I'm back home.”

I glared at the bicorn for a moment, then entered the office.

“Sorry about them.” Silver said to me as she levitated a handkerchief to wipe off the rest of the spit. “Their, not the best example of the Rangers.”

“Yet they still became Elders.” A much older mare said behind a large desk. She was almost all white, with streaks of gray in her mane, and wearing a silver and purple military dress suit decorated with four prominent medals. “I'll never forgive uncle Applesauce for what he did. Then dying on us.” She grumbled.

Leaving the question of who she was talking about aside, I decided to go straight to the situation at hoof. “You requested to talk with me. Well with Arras, but he sent me in his stead.”

The fairly old earth pony mare placed a pair of glasses onto her muzzle and took a closer look at me. “Right, miss Harp Melody, I received a letter about you from Arras's, and he seems to have a lot of faith in you. Too much faith if you ask me. Makes me think that the ancient ghoul is finally going senile, which only spells bad times ahead.”

“A worry you share with Swift.” I commented.

The old mare scoffed at that. “The young stallion just wants to stampede without anypony telling him no. Not the first, and certainly not the last. Though I can understand his hate, as he has all the right to hate the Rangers” She then motioned for me to take a nearby seat, “come now, sit.”

Following her instructions, the three of us found a seat, resting our legs.

“Good, now let me introduce myself.” The old mare spoke as she straightened up. “I'm elder Fullmetal, of the Platinum Guard, former elder of the Platinum Hill Steel Rangers company.”

I became… confused. “Wait, you're a Ranger?”

Fullmetal laughed before she said with pride. “Born and raised! But nowadays I help lead the Platinum Guard. Which hasn't been easy with how the Rangers have changed.”

Fortunately, there wasn't any pony here to snark about that last comment, but I did wonder. “I was under the impression that the Rangers were always like that.”

Elder Fullmetal let out a long frustrated sigh. “Yes and no. The Steel Rangers had a duty, but in most cases it didn't blind them to the world around them. There were always individuals who kept the Rangers properly tempered, keeping the Rangers strong without relying on the more hard linears. Well.. . they use to have those individuals.”

She then eyed Silver Leaf. “Knight Captain, you can leave now.”

“But grandma-” she began to say, but was cut off by the elder.

“That's an order!” She said with authority.

“I’m not leaving you alone with three strangers.” Silver protested.

“I can still fold you like a chair, Silver, now git!” The old mare threatened.

Silver saluted and left, not looking anywhere near happy.

“Sorry about her, she takes after my late husband, and forgets herself at times.” Fullmetal said with a smile. “It can be a problem, but at least she'll never get into the mindset of, just following orders, like the rangers do.”

“I guess that's a common problem among the Rangers?” I asked.

“Has always been a major problem with the Rangers.” Her eyes then drifted, falling onto Order. “Would it be okay if I took a look at your robot, first I've ever seen something like it before.”

I nodded and told Order. “Let the Elder examine you.”

With a few beeps, my drone landed onto Fullmetal’s desk, the old mare smiling as she ran her hoof along it. “In my youth, I’d probably have shot you on sight and taken this robot and your pipbuck, as it was the order at the time.” She then let out a sigh. “It was all I knew, but ignorance is only an excuse for foals and the uneducated, never for a soldier. A hard headed bitch I was, I didn't even listen to Uncle Applesauce at the time. Ad Victoriam, was all I'd say, then gallop out guns blazing.”

Lair then chuckled. “Sounds like my kind of fun. So what happened, did ya get the stick pulled out of your ass and get fuck by it.”

“Crude description, but not entirely inaccurate.” Fullmetal said with a laugh. “I got into a relationship with a Platinum Guard Knight Captain, and fell in love. Really rounded my edges and got me to think. Since then I have been trying to soften the Rangers, helping promote more open minded paladins to elder, and broadening the rangers horizon.”

“But it failed, didn't it?” I said.

She nodded. “Elder Cottage Cheese and I never saw things eye to eye. Where I stepped down from my role as Elder to let the younger generation step up, he continued to hold onto power jealously His selfish actions would led to the schism, and many of my own students splitting off from the Rangers. Then those same Rangers that followed Cottage Cheese dared to come back here and start a war with the Desperados.”

“Umberfoal.” Fizzy said nervously.

“Right, reports say you're several years out of time, Fizzy. Must be still fresh for you.” Fullmetal said, regret in her voice. Her eyes then fell onto me. “And that's where you come in.”

“I figured it had to do with the conflict between the Desperados and Steel Rangers.” I said with a sigh. “Please don't tell me another war is brewing, we already got one out west.”

“Fortunately, no. As much as Shortcake and Red Velvet want a fight, I'm not letting that happen.” her eyes then glared at Lair. “Swift, on the other hoof, has been pushing my patience. And I really want to know why?”

“I have a few Ideas, but maybe the pirate can fill us in?” I suggested as I eyed Lair as well.

The bicorn rolled her eyes and huffed. “Hay now, just because my sister loves an aggressive stallion, doesn't mean we're responsible for the Warband becoming more obnoxious.”

“Yet, they had more self control before your kin showed up.” Fullmetal pointed out. “I just want to know what exactly is going on before another pony does something stupid, like with what happened yesterday.”

Lair face hoofed. “By god, fine, if you really want to know, I'll tell ya. But you all better keep your lips stitched. Things will get difficult if ponies start saying things they shouldn't know about.”

Fullmetal looked on suspiciously, but nodded. As did Fizzy and I.

“Right, long story short, my mother wants to take over the Desperados, and is using my sister and I to do it. It's a long term plan, not something short and bullshitty like using mind control or some super weapon.” She explained.

“The hoof that rocks the cradle.” I said.

Lair clapped her hooves together once. “Bingo! We have a smart one.” She then leaned back, relaxing more as she continued. “It's a god's awful plan, but like a daughter like a mother, sadly enough. I told them the Desperados are too spread out and it would be like trying to take over all the great families by taking over one. Hasn't worked for the last thousand years, ain't going to work now.”

“So then why the increase of aggression?” Fullmetal asked.

“Simple really.” Lair said with a shrug. “If my sister or, if the worst comes, I have a baby with Swift, and he dies in combat, our foals would have a direct line to leadership. Not that I'm planning to get pregnant anytime soon, but my sister is full onboard with the plan. It helps that Swift is very much her type.”

So Azure was completely right about the situation. “You said it hasn't worked for over a thousand years, is there any truth to that?” I asked.

She smiles wide, showing off her larger than normal fang. “Not only is it true, but it's common practice. The Darkhearts, my family, were created through such a plan. Completely decimated a great family over a hundred years back. But where one family falls, another rises to fill in the power vacuum. So ya, that's what's going on. The Darkhearts hope to push things along enough that the Desperados get into a fight, and Swift possibly dies, then they swoop in and fill in the void of power. Or at least that's what they hope will happen.”

“And you don't?” I further asked.

“Fuck no I don't.” Lair said with a dismissive laugh. “Not with ponies like Arras still around. Historically, plans like that only work if they don't have strong elders to lead them. That's how it always has worked, so you don't fuck with a group that has strong leaders, and instead you devour those lead by the weak.” She then eyed Fullmetal. “Since arriving in this city, I had completely abandoned supporting this plan. Something my dear, dear, sister refuses to understand.”

“Too many strong leaders, and with Arras now here, it's even more impossible and foolish.” Fullmetal said coldly. “And why tell us any of this, wouldn't this put your family in a bad position?”

“Wouldn't pissing off all the factions here be just as bad?” Lair answered the question with a question.

“You have more to lose starting a fight here than you do with a fight within your own family.” I said, getting a nod from Lair.

“Actually, it's not that big of a loss for me, as I was already separated from much of my family's drama. I do love my dear sister, but I just can't stand all the dresses and pretending to play the part of a low ranking noble lady.” As she said that, I noticed that her mannerisms were far more masculine now, even how she was sitting was more like a stallion. “But when the Blackhearts tell ya to move out, only the dead dare question them. Even then, death might not be an escape. So I read the cards, and played my role, now all that matters is making sure the Darkhearts survive this mess.”

Both Fullmetal and I looked at Lair suspiciously. “Cards?” We asked.

Lair pulled out a stack of tall cards from a hidden pocket

“Tarot cards!” Fizzy answered, “It's an old fortune telling art, often practiced alongside knucklebone reading, and other ritualistic magic.”

Even Lair looked surprised At the answer Fizzy gave. “That's very correct. Howed a pony like you know of that.”

Fizzy let out a nervous chuckle. “My father often read the knuckle bones and tarot cards to communicate with the goddesses Venus.”

The jovial and carefree look on Lairs face dropped, taking on a more serious look. “A cultist of Venus are you?”

Fizzy lifted her hooves up defensively. “N… no, not at all. I mean, I was to take over for my father, sortove, but they're all dead now. Happened when I was still a filly.”

Lair sighed. “It's fine, I was just surprised. Cults of Venus are just bad luck among my kin. Starts out all love and joy, then comes brutal and bloody war because somepony fucked a pony they shouldn't have fucked.”

“Ahem.” Fullmetal spoke up. “So to get this straight. All this brahminshit is happening because ypur family wants to take over the Desperados by marrying in, having a foal, and sending Swift off to die. And you want out because you know the plan is stupid, and you read in some cards?”

“That's the jist of it.” Lair said with a cocky smile as she drew two cards, and frowned. “Again, the hermit and ten of wands.” She then put the cards away, plastering her smile back onto her face.

A long groan came from the elder as she pushed order away from herself. “I'd be lying if I said that was the dumbest thing I ever heard before. Unfortunately, I've survived several lifetimes worth of stupidity to just dismiss this.”

“Should I even ask?” I asked.

“No.” Fullmetal answered. “Now taking this as the truth, how do we resolve this issue? Because no matter how much influence I have over the Rangers, nothing stops them from retaliation if Swift finally does something stupid.”

That, I didn't know. And from the looks of it, neither did Lair.

“Oh!” Fizzy spoke up, leg in the air like we were in a classroom. “How about we talk to your mother Lair?”

The bicorn shook her head. “Not going to happen. Hollow is her favorite daughter, where I'm… not.”

As dumb as it sounded, it was a plan. “We should try.” I said as I thought about why they were here, and why we needed the Desperados to not get into a fight… yet. “What if we can convince the Darkhearts that the war brewing in the west is a real danger. Anyways, if Swift is killed over there, there isn't a risk of retaliation between the Rangers and Desperados.”

“It's a bit grim to talk about your own kin like that.” Fullmetal commented.

“Still less stupid than the current plan.” Lair pointed out. “But what guarantee do we have that the Steel Rangers won't still cause a fight? Ever heard of a false flag?”

Fullmetal nodded in agreement. “I know of false flags, I'm sure your kin uses them as much as mine do. That aside we are having a council meeting tomorrow, every elder and representative will be at the main hall to discuss the city's budget and other bureaucratic nonsense. Desperados are included due to their control over the outer-city, though Swift has been a no-show for a while now. There we can at least get the rangers to heel for a time. As much as the Rangers want a war, they'll still follow the rules as written, not to mention not wanting to make enemies of the Platinum Guard or Coven of Clovers. But, this is only if the Desperados are made to settle down.”

“If my mother can be convinced to switch targets, then my sister will as well. She's always been desperate for her approval, and Swift is absolutely smitten with her. So that should help move Swift's focus away from the Steel Rangers.” Lair said, though not sounding so sure herself. “Unfortunately, this isn't something that can be anytime soon. Not today at least, and possibly not tomorrow. Mother is very much a mare of manners and schedules, even when meeting her own children you see, so rushing things is a bad idea. But I'll contact my other family members and see if they can be… made to adjust their schedule.”

This was just getting more convoluted. But I was already here, and we weren't going anywhere just yet. “As for now, I can talk to Arras, and let him know the situation. Anyway, we do plan on taking Swifts herd with us to the west for the war, so nopony in Arras's herd has any interest in needles conflict right now.”

Fullmetal rolled her eyes, confusing me a bit. “Sorry, did I say something off?” I asked.

She waved her hoof dismissively. “No, no, it's fine. You're just using some new terminology that came about because of the last war with the rangers.” I cocked an eyebrow and she explained. “You said herd, not chapter. The different Desperados groups are called, or were called, chapters before the last war. Ponies like Swift changed the terminology to separate themselves from the Rangers, even calling himself a Warchief when he hasn't ever been in a war.” Fullmetal then sighed. “Sorry, I got into a rant again. The older I get the more I yearn for the old days.”

The old mare then stretched, popping several joints. “That said, it's as solid of a plan as one made on short notice can be. Now get going, I’m becoming tired, and tell Arras that I’m looking forward to having a tea party with him in Mag’s garden.”

“I'll do just that.” I told her.

“Wait!” Fullmetal said right as I was about to leave. “That pin on your hat, it can't be a Royal Guard medallion?”

I froze for a moment, then took a deep breath. “Yes, it is.” I said as I removed Vibraphone's hat and passed it to Fullmetal to look at it. “A friend of mine's ancestor was in the Royal Guard. When she and I got separated, I had the medallion on me. I hope to give it back to her oneday.” I said with a quiet, but futile hope.

Fullmetal gently inspected the medallion before giving the hat back to me. “This is clearly an authentic Royal Guard medallion, I have one on display in my house to honor my late husband's ancestors. They are only given to those who went above and beyond the line of duty, often resulting in them retiring from the guard due to injury.” She smiled as she pointed to the image of Celestia on the medallion, where I saw a tear on the alicorn's face. “Here, this means they were protecting Celestia when they earned this medallion, possibly preventing an assassination or foalnapping attempt.”

She then leaned back in her chair. “I hope you get that medallion back to its proper owner.”

“I do as well.” I said, adjusting the cap on my head and then left.

The door closed shut without a squeek, its well oiled hinges were like the Platinum Guard itself. Old, but in good hooves.

Silver Leaf trotted over to greet us. “I'll escort you out.” She said before asking, “and what did you talk to my grandmother about.”

She was clearly protective of the aged elder, which I didn't mind. “Nothing much, just about keeping the peace.”

Silver nodded. “Good. I do worry about her some days. She should be retired, not still leading the Guard when she can barely move about.”

“Why is that?” I asked.

She huffed in annoyance “long story short, my fathers a coward, and Grandmother worries too much. But let's not talk more about it here, or now.”

Lair then trotted beside Silver, bumping her hip to the Guard's. “Then let's go somewhere else, and talk about other things. Maybe in private?”

“Oh, let's visit the boutique!” Fizzy then suggested excitedly.

A slight blush was of Silvers face, making the older mare look… which was cute. Unfortunately she had a similar name to my eldest sister, which killed any attraction I might have had for her.

“I have some time off.” Silver said, “and it's been awhile since I went shopping,

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