Fallout Equestria: Silverside

Chapter Seven: Goldwood

“And tonight folks, I hope to share with you a taste of the future. Just remember all those ponies that couldn’t make it. All of this, we’ve done for them.”

They clip-clopped their way across a marble room, up a flight of old wooden stairs, and down a long, carpeted corridor that held a distinct, mouldy odour. The two guards ponies were practically dragging Sterling along to the end of the hall, where a huge, wooden door stood. To say that it was all a bit intimidating to the poor pegasus was an understatement.
As they reached the end of the hall, the two guards stopped. One of them rapped a hoof on the old panelled wood of the massive door. “You. Go in now.” One of them snorted, it was not a request. The other creaked the door open a bit, and after a moment’s hesitation, Sterling was shoved through, the door slamming shut behind her.

The room was quite well-furnished. Bookcases and filing cabinets lined the walls, above which the portraits of long-dead ponies were hung.
A heavy mahogany (or so Sterling assumed, she’d never seen mahogany wood before) desk with carved flowers and filigree lay in the centre of the room. A few loose papers, a reading lamp, and a terminal were scattered around its surface haphazardly. An old leather chair (its back was to the mare) and its metal frame reflected light from the window, the desk lamp, and a fireplace at the far end of the room. Why a pony would need a fireplace going right now was the least of Sterling’s concerns.
Slowly, she stepped off the wooden planks of the floor, and onto the carpet, closer to the desk. “Uhm..Mister…Mayor?” She squeaked out. If they had wanted to scare her, they had certainly succeeded.
There was no response.
Eyeing a nameplate on the desk, she spoke again, more confidently.
“Mayor…Goldwood?”

With a squeak of old bearings, the chair turned around, and Sterling met the mayor of Freesaddle for the first time.
“I…huh? Is this a joke?”
She almost burst out laughing on the spot, partly relieved, partly angry at herself for getting so worked up about all of this.
Sitting on the seat in front of her was a colt. He couldn’t have been much older than Shimmerbud was-in fact, Sterling wouldn’t have been surprised if he hadn’t finished his primary school education yet.
He flicked his ginger, bowl-cut mane out of his eyes with a tiny, cream hoof. “Gweetings, I am Mayow Gowldwood! Wewlcome to Fweesaddwle!”
This was, without a doubt, the last thing she had been expecting. With all the craziness the wasteland had thrown at her in the past few days (not to mention the way the guards had just carried her up here, and the whole bomb fiasco of about five minutes ago) she just couldn’t help herself.
Sterling erupted into uncontrollable laughter, her hoof coming to rest on the desk, just managing to hold herself upright as she wheezed.
“Do not waff at me, pegasus! I’m hewe to congwatuwlate you for saving my wife!”
He’s a bit young to have a-oh, his life.
She laughed even harder. Tears were beginning to form at the edges of her vision.
“I-I can’t, I’m sorry, I just-” She couldn’t even form a proper sentence. He sat there, glaring at her impatiently-clearly this wasn’t the first time somepony had reacted this way.
It took her another few minutes to regain her composure.
“Oh, oh that’s good, ah, ahem. Okay.” She giggled, but stopped herself, if she started laughing again, she wouldn’t be able to stop.
“Awe you quite done?” The colt intoned.
“Yeah, yeah no, i’m good. So, where’s the mayor.” She said through a smile.
“I alweady towld you, i’m the mayow!” He squealed, clearly he was getting quite annoyed.
“No, no I mean…” She saw his expression. “Wait, you’re serious?”
He fixed her with a bored expression, raising an eyebrow. Sweet Celestia, what the hell is Freesaddle?

“Yes, I am sewious. My fathew is out on the town, pwetending to be mayow. I’m the one who actuawly makes the decisions awound here!” He stated, matter-of-factly.
“So, what sort of decisions, a new water slide? Sparkle-cola in the fountains?” She snickered.
“Cuwwently, I’m deawling with the Pwincesses and a fwankly ludicwus incwease in expendituwes wegarding an expansion to ouw twade infwastructuwe with neighbowing towns.”
She was stunned. “How old are you? And, what do you mean, the Princesses? Like…Celestia and Luna?”
Now it was his turn to be sarcastic.
“Oh yeah, Cewestia and Woona themsewves awe cuwwently twying to kiwl me. Hence why they sent that bomb. What, were you bown yesterday?”
The irony of the question was not lost on her. This little…
“Listen here, you spoiled brat. I don’t care if you’re the ruler of Canterlot. Just because i’m a pegasus, doesn’t mean i’m going to stand for being talked to this way by somepony who can’t even get dressed by himself. So. You dragged me up here to congratulate me, thanks. Now, i’ve got some pals downstairs to get back to.” She turned, and began walking towards the door.

“I’m not finished with you yet!” cried the colt, galloping out of his seat and standing in between her and the door. “Pwease, ma’am, i’m sowwy about speaking that way.” Clearly he didn’t mean it, he was just putting on a show. She sighed. “What is it? I didn’t save you out of the kindness of my heart, you know.” I didn’t mean to save anypony at all, really, I was just being curious, but he doesn't know that.
“It doesn’t mattew why you saved me fwom that bomb! What mattews is that you did it!.” He spewed out. “And I need somepony on the outside, somepony new to town, with the skiwls to hewlp me out hewe! Twust me, I could make it wowth youw whiwe!”
She didn’t want to hear him attempt to say ‘worth your while’ again, but nodded. “Caps?” She questioned, but already knew the answer.
“Caps.” He nodded.

“So…let me get this straight. There’s a gang called the Princesses, who all think they’re Celestia because of a single wartime pinup poster, and they’re at war with the ‘Servants of Luna’, which are a group that are based in a pre-war bar that competed with the bar the Princesses have their own base of operations in, and both think you’re siding with the other group, and so both have been trying to secretly kill you?”
“Yes, pwetty much.” He said, sitting back in his chair. A ‘blip’ from his terminal broke the silence, and as he read the new message, he grew quite pale.
“Oh no.” He squeaked.
“What is it now?”
“M-my…” He looked like he was on the verge of tears. Immediately, Sterling remembered that she was dealing with a colt, and rushed over to his side.
“There, there, sorry. What’s wrong?” She murmured in a hushed tone to him. “Oh dear.”
A single message had been opened on the monitor. It was from one of Goldwood’s employees;

‘Mayor Goldwood.
It seems as though the failed attempt on your life this morning has caused quite a stir amongst the Princesses, and upon hearing that the plan to leave a bomb in your office had failed, the Princesses have kidnapped whom they think is the Mayor. Your father is currently being held captive in the Celestial Bar. We fear it is only a matter of time before he reveals your secret.
Use of guard ponies to storm the bar, not recommended.’

The colt was shaking, and all of a sudden, he burst into tears, crying into Sterling’s stable-suit.
“I’m gonna woose my Daaaaadddyyyyyy” He wailed. Sterling began to wonder if anypony outside that window would be able to hear him.
“Are you sure that maybe the Princesses could be convinced to give him back? Maybe If you sent somepony to talk to-”
“No, No you don’t undewstand.” He blubbered, pulling away from her. Sterling noticed the wet mark in her stable barding but neglected to comment.
“H-he’s gonna tewwl them, and awl my pwans…Then they’wwl k-kiwwl him!” He gasped, beginning to type away at the terminal.
“Are you…responding to the message?” She asked gently, a hoof on his shoulder.
“No, i’m going to kiwwl him first.” He replied, but didn’t sound happy about it.
“You’re…” She frowned. “You’re what?”
“Wewwl, either he tewwls them who I weawwly am, then tewwls them awwl my plans, and then they kiwwl him, or I kiwwl him first. Assuming of couwse, that they haven’t alweady gotten that infowmation out of him.”
She shook her head. This kid is in more than just shock, he’s delusional.
“If you hadn’t noticed, he’s not here. How are you going to get somepony in there to kill him?” She asked, smiling again, still trying to be reassuring.
“That’s what i’m typing now.”
His hoof was hovered over a key. On the green screen was the word ‘EXECUTE’ in all caps.
“I’m going to bwow up the bomb in his neck” He responded.

The what?!
“You put a bomb in his neck?! Why in all of Equestria would you-”
“I didn’t put it thewe, if it's any consowation.”
“How could you-but-why would?!”
“I have to.” He muttered, turning the chair back around to face her.
“He towd me to do it himsewf.”
This was crazy. Sterling had always had an…interesting relationship with her father, but this was taking it to the extreme.
She grabbed his hoof, stopping him from pressing the key.
“I’ll get him.” She was already cursing herself for saying this, but the words just started to tumble out.
“I’ll go get your dad, alive, and bring him back to you.”
“No you wo-”
“Yes I will.” She said, sounding more sure of herself. “Can you at least let me try?”
“But why? What wouwld you have to gain fwom this?” He asked, uncertain as to whether or not she was lying.
“Because it’ll put me in good favour with the real mayor of Freesaddle, it’ll put me in good favour with the ponies of Freesaddle, and…because I stopped the bomb, which caused him to get captured in the first place.”

He thought about this for a moment. “Okay, i’wwl give you an houw. Then i’m gonna push the button.”
“Merciful Celestia, alright, thank you for that…Can we make it two?” She asked hopefully.

The door to the Mayor’s hall slammed shut behind her as Sterling was thrust out into the bright light. Mayor Goldwood (quite coldly for a colt) had not, in fact, allowed her two hours to save his Dad. In fact, the argument had gotten so heated that she simply gave up, it was difficult to argue against somepony who spoke so poorly…and who was also a stubborn, young Colt. He had also mentioned that the time being spent now was time that could be spent saving his father, and she conceded that she had no time to waste. He had at least given her a parting gift.
“Oh goodness, you’re alive! And…you’ve got a revolver now? I take it the meeting must have gone well?”
The revolver was now in a holster that had been a part of Stitches’ saddlebag setup. It was a much nicer one than the cobbled-together mess of pipes that had belonged to the raider. Sterling hoped she wouldn’t have to use it. But the way Gordo had been talking the day before…She wasn’t so sure she’d have the choice.
Nightlight moved to wrap her up in a hug again, but she sidestepped. “I’ve got no time, sorry!” She began to trot away. I think I've had enough hugs for one week.

“How was the Mayor?” Gordo and Nightlight were trotting beside her. When did he get here?
“He was…not there.” She lied. “He’s actually being held captive right now by a gang called the Princesses, since they failed to plant a bomb in his office, but that doesn’t matter. Look,I’ve got an hour to save his life so I really do have to go. Sorry!”
She brushed past many market-going ponies, trying her best not to bump into any of them, but failing a few times.
She galloped away, towards the marker Goldwood had left on her pip-buck.
As she reached the outskirts of town, she skidded to a halt outside a pair of bars. One of them, the Celestial Bar, and the other, the Night’s Inn. She looked over her shoulder.
Gordo and Nightlight were still there. “I thought I said that this was something I had to do, why are you two still here?”
Nightlight looked quite appalled at the pegasus' mindset. “Hold on now, I took part in that bomb-disposal we attempted earlier, and besides. I will go where I please.” She sniffed, raising her nose. What a drama-queen. “I’ve got your back, Sterling.” She smiled, warmly. Alright, I guess she has her moments.
“And you?” Sterling pointed a hoof to Gordo.
“I’m bored, and I've got nothing better to do.” Snorted the Griffon.
“Great, that’s, that’s great, you two. Now three of us are gonna die for the Mayor.”
Sterling turned back towards the main entrance. “I take it the plan isn’t to talk our way in there, and then back out with the mayor?” Asked the Unicorn.
“Not exactly.”
“I was hoping you’d say that” Muttered Gordo.
That’s not the right attit-wait…
Craning her neck up, she could just see a door on the roof. That meant there was a way up there-or at least, there had been once upon a time. If only either of them could fly.

A ladder!
Around the back of the building, was a ladder. Sure, it hadn’t seen much use in…a few centuries, but Sterling was sure it would take her weight. Whether or not it would be capable of bearing the heavier Unicorn or the much heavier griffon remained to be seen. She would just have to make sure she climbed up first.
The ladder was rusty underhoof, and it squeaked.
Slowly, so as not to rattle it off the wall too hard, Sterling slowly pulled herself up, rung by rung.
“You’re doing great!” Called Nightlight from down below.
“Be quiet!-w-wooah!” Swayed the pegasus, clutching the steel bars in front of her. She’d never been up somewhere high before. A pegasus with a fear of heights. I hope that goes away once I can fly again…
“Right. Sorry!” Nightlight whisper-shouted back up, Gordo stifled a laugh.
Those two are gonna be the death of me…
Almost at the top, Sterling paused. Something didn’t feel right.
Slowly, the ladder began to tilt back.
“Shit!” She yowled, scrabbling her way up the last few rungs. It collapsed fully, right as she reached the top, and she leapt off the ladder. Her top half made it over the lip of the roof. Her back legs didn’t.
A “Watch out!” from Gordo and a huge ‘CRASH!’ of steel on cobbled stone reverberated down the side alley, three storeys below her.
Flapping her wings and scrambling, she kicked up loose gravel and concrete, until she managed to find a hoofhold.
She pulled herself the rest of the way, and lay on her back, panting.
Is it too late to assume that maybe somepony might not have heard that? She asked herself hopefully.
Today was shaping up to be an interesting one for the mare. She checked her pip-buck, and gasped.
Half an hour?! Where had the time gone!