Fallout Equestria: Desperado’s V4 (Molly Manticore Mega Mall.)

Fallout: Equestria

Desperado’s V4: Molly Manticore Mega Mall.

Ch 10, Lost and Forgotten.

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The cold wind practically cut through me as I stepped onto the fourth floor and let out a gasp as I found myself in the middle of a forest. Birch trees like the ones at the Coven of Clovers were all over the place, providing shade. They sprouted out of the concrete roof in defiance of how trees should grow, and with them were ferns and grasses. Unlike Barnyard Bargains, this place wasn't overgrown with vines and mold. It didn't smell of rot but was pleasant, almost relaxing.

“Well, there's no denying it now; this must be an extension of Mystic," Harp said solemnly. “If only we had time… or maybe… no, this isn't salvageable.”

“Agree. A true shame that we must destroy this." Rattlebones said in agreement over the radio. “But maybe we can take a cutting.”

"No, no. We need to focus on the mission at hoof. Anyways, we would need to find the tree of life, not these trees. These are just normal trees being supported by her magic. Sit tight, I'll scout ahead." Harp said as Order buzzed off.

Azure trotted over to one of the trees, knocking on it. “It does seem like a normal tree.”

"Nothing's normal about this," I said as I went to take a look around.

We were still in the beer garden, though it was now more garden than restaurant. Several tables were seemingly fused to the trees, and the few still standing had a thin layer of green moss, making it look like the table grew out of the cracked ground. I even went to look down at the mall's center from here, though nothing new could be seen. Over the glass was a net of roots, with a layer of dry leaves scattered about. Stepping out of the beer gardens, I noticed it was more of the same, with benches and lamp posts covered in moss or overtaken by the trees.

A sign indicated the places to be found here, including a rollerskating ring, a classical music theater, a dancing floor, and several viewing gardens. Clearly, the fourth floor was meant to be a more relaxing place, less about shopping and more about winding down. The fact that it was on the fourth floor didn't get past me, as just like Barnyard Bargains, the mall wanted ponies to trot by all the stores first.

A silver squirrel ran by my hooves and stopped to look at me inquisitively. It had what looked like a unicorn horn and very expressive eyes.

“Let me guess, that's not normal either?” Azure asked.

"Nope," I said as the uni-squirrel ran off. "Glittering, are you still in contact with Greased?"

The radio crackled a bit. “Ya, but it's spotty at best. And we have been reporting what you've been seeing. Well, what Harp has been seeing. She's also told us that Sheppard is on his way; once you get that lockdown lifted, the other Desperados will move in to set the bomb. Why, you ask?"

"Just wondering if there's a way to save any animals here. Mutants or not, they at least deserve a chance." I said, watching the uni-squirrel run into a hole in a tree.

“As much as I agree, I doubt the Desperados are good at animal conservation," Rattlebones said. "Best to just trust their instincts and hope they get lucky."

I couldn't argue with that. Just getting a raccoon out of my apartment took over a day, and it only happened because I managed to bribe the critter out. That little guy really loved snack cakes.

As I trotted further into the forest, I felt drawn to a meadow, the trees bending in a way that beckoned me, hanging over something protectively. There, under the trees, I found two moss-covered skeletons sitting on a bench. Both were embarrassing each other, likely having chosen to spend their last moment together. This tragedy was just like the others but felt so much more personal. Then a glint from the slightly smaller skeleton caught my eye, a necklace… dog tags?

Something in my gut told me not to read and leave it be. Whoever this pony was… let it stay a bittersweet memory.

"Poppy Fields." the dog tags read, and the world disappeared.

__________________________________________________________________

“Are you sure you're okay?” I asked Poppy.

She frowned at me. "Yes, so stop asking," Poppy said as she struggled to trot.

When we learned that she had been hurt in a Zebra ambush, and returned home, my sister and I rushed over to see her. Unfortunately, she had received severe head trauma, and even with the newly developed healing potion, she'd been in a coma for the last month. When Poppy finally woke up, her memory was spotty and she needed to relearn how to trot.

"Then let me get you something. Have you tried the new Sparkle-Cola? The staff is excellent." I offered.

Poppy let out a huff, clearly frustrated. “Fine, if you insist.”

"I'll be right back," I told her.

Trotting out, my sister, Backroads, was entering with her daughter. Seeing me, her concern was easy to read. "Everything's alright?"

I nodded. "Poppy's stubborn as ever, but that means she'll recover quickly."

Backroads smiled back at me. "I know, right, that mare never knows when to quit. And thanks for agreeing to come down here. With how things are, I can't be here every day for her. This Ministry of Image job is just taking up all my time, and what time I do have." She looked down at my niece. "You know."

"I know, and she's my friend, too. Anyway, it's not like I have much of a job anymore," I told her.

I was trained and certified to work for Colt Manufacturing as part of the company's transition from making guns to making toys and tools again. Unfortunately, with the war worse than ever, I was instead making ammunition for the battle rifle. It was still secure work until it wasn't. Ironshod Firearms had secured almost all the weapons contracts from our new government. So many ponies had to be let go when the factory was sold off to the Apple family.

"Hey now, Trot, there's more work out there. I'm sure your certification would be useful… eventually." Backroads tried to cheer me up, but we both knew that my training was, for now, a very crowded field, from which Nopony was going to step down. "Maybe the Ministry of Peace is worth a shot, I know a pony who knows a pony."

"It's fine, Backy, I'll be fine for a while. Let's just focus on Poppy right now." I told her. "I'm going to get her something to eat and drink."

Trotting off, the Majesty's Veterans Clinic was filled with injured ponies like Poppy. It was only recently constructed and was made to ease the burden of the injured veterans we already had. Now, it's being used for the recently injured and was already filled up. Its a miracle that Poppy even got a room here, and only thanks to Backroads talking to one of her friends in the ministry.

Finding the vending machines, half of the machine was of just Sparkle-Cola now, with most of the competition having gone back to providing support for the war. Fortunately for Sparkle-Cola, they had signed a production deal with Equestria in expectation for the end of the war, and all that soda ment for relief efforts now went back into Equestria at cheaper prices. The war flaring back up practically bankrupt all the other soda companies, so I wouldn't be surprised that the vending machines would sell only Sparkle-Cola in a year. However, Sunset Sarsaparilla did have its cult following around here, which has kept them afloat, if barely.

The other vending machine was a Barnyard Bargains Snack-o-Tron, filled with the latest junk foods Equestria had made over the years. Lots of bars and snack cakes, which, from what I remember, were originally part of the military rations. Actually, I think all the food here was just repackaged military rations. All but the good old nature bars.

As I got a Sparkle-Cola and a Nature bar, the music on a nearby radio died, and a reporter spoke up.

"Welcome back; this is Equestria News Radio, your first source on everything happening in this magical land. Later today, we have an interview with Twilight Sparkle, where she'll talk about what Princesses Celestia has been doing since the Littlehorn massacre, why she agreed to join Princesses Luna, and the goals of this Ministry of Arcane Science."

"In other news, the border city of Hoofington continues to face incursions from the Zebras as the locals attempt to rebuild their homes. With the installation of major anti-air fortifications, the city is now free from aerial bombardment. Ministry mare Applejack of the Ministry of Wartime Technology is personally focusing on fortifying the region's ports, as their strategic location is important for the continued naval battles to prevent the Zebras from making further landfall. Ministry mare Rainbow Dash of the Ministry of Awesome has been spotted in the area. Still, she has refused to comment on what she is even doing there, or anywhere for that matter."

"Negotiations with our allies north and south of Equestria are still ongoing, with Yak Yakistan threatening to close their borders once more and the Buffalo Nation calling for peace. Many assume that Zebra sympathizers have infiltrated both nations. Still, Ministry mare Pinky Pie of the Ministry of Morral insisted that both the Yaks and Buffalo continue Celestia's wish for the war to end and are not aiding the Zebras. Ministry mare, Rarity of the Ministry of Image also shares the same settlement. She has requested that such baseless rumors not be spread so easily, if at all."

"The rumors of a complete overhaul of the Equestria Medical Industry have been confirmed as Ministry mare Fluttershy of the Ministry of Peace has announced the plans to modernize and centralize all the hospitals and clinics. Many ponies criticize her over such a move, saying that Ministry mare Fluttershy is acting too rashly and isn't thinking about the long-term consequences of such a plan. She promised that once completed, more ponies would be able to receive treatment, both of higher quality and at a lower cost, but this still hasn't put ponies' worries at ease. But due to Princesse Luna's support, this overhaul is already being put in motion despite the protests."

I let out a sigh as I trotted away. So much was changing so fast that I didn't know what to think about it. Who was to blame, or what I should do about it, was just over my head. Most ponies my age have joined the military as their answer, and I did think about that, too. But seeing how Poppy returned, I wasn't thinking of doing that anymore.

Trotting back to Poppy's room, I stopped just outside the door as I heard Backroads and Poppy talking, and I didn't want to interrupt.

"I know, Poppy, but everypony is busy. I want to be here for you and will when I can. I'm sorry, but you just need to bear with it." Backroads said, sounding very apologetic, which was never good, as like with Dad, Backroads never like to apologize.

There was a long pause, and there was a lot of tension in it. "Are you sure? I know you like your pranks."

Backroads let out a frustrated huff. “I was never that bad, Poppy!”

“As foals, you made me think we eat spiders in our sleep.” Poppy pointed out.

"As foals, Poppy, I'm too old and too busy to pull something like this off, or even would want to." my sister said in an almost pleading tone. "Slowtrot is my brother, and you both were friends. You can trust him to help you out. I'm not using your memory loss to pull a prank on you. Fuck, why would you even think I'd do that to you!"

I held my tongue, the realization like a knife in my gut. We were never that close, but Poppy was st8ll my friend, and we've known each other for years. Yet if what I heard was true, her memories of me were gone.

"S… sorry Backroads, it's just… I trust you, but I can't help but feel weirded out about it. I don't want to have a stranger who is so friendly with me, knows me, and says my name when I don't know him. I mean… I know his name now, but…" Poppy trailed off, sounding scared.

"You're going to be fine, Poppy; the doctors say you… might get the rest of your memories back at some point. So please bear with him; he's the only pony I can trust that's free right now." Backroads told her.

There was another long pause before Poppy spoke up. "I… Okay. Maybe I'll remember in time. But I don't want him to know I don't; it makes me nervous to think someone knows something I don't."

Sitting down, I wanted to cry but I forced those feelings back down. Poppy had already gone through too much as it was, and I didn't want to stress her out more than she already was. She'll tell me when she's good and ready or when she finally remembers. Until then, I just needed to be there for her.

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“Slowtrot?” Azure said, breaking me out of my memory. “Are you okay?”

I let Poppy's dog tags go. It wasn't like this was the Poppy I knew. She had died long ago and died again years after. Whoever this was, she lived here, found some pony, and they died in each other's hooves.

“Ya, I'm fine. Just lost in thought.” I told him.

Our heads turned as Order buzzed to us. "I found the issue!” Harp said. There's a broadcasting tower with a dead Animatronic causing a feedback loop on it.”

"Another one?" I said, remembering the rat Animatronic that short-circuited the basement.

Order bobbed up and down as Harp spoke through it. “Ya, and I don't think it's a coincidence. Though if it's the animatronics that are responsible or something else, I don't know.”

"Well, let's take care of it and get this over with," Azure said.

"Agreed, but can you give me a moment? I'll meet you at the tower in a bit." I told them.

Azure looked at the two moss-covered skeletons and then at me. "Alright, just don't take too long. Who knows what's up here with us or what might soon join us?" Both Azure and Order then left, giving me some space.

Turning to Poppy, I wanted to shout at her, scream at her. Those years we were together, waiting for her to remember or tell me that she had forgotten. "But that never happened, did it, Poppy? You forgot me, then chose to forget me again.” I looked at the other pony holding her and saw that he had dog tags too, but I didn't have it in me to read the name on it. Not that it would matter.

I could imagine that they were strangers when the bombs dropped, and they took comfort in the end together. Or that they were both veterans who chose to forget and found each other, both able to find understanding in not remembering.

And where was I, what was I even doing… "Right, I was waiting for you to return, to remember me. I was waiting for so long that I even forgot why I was waiting. I guess that's why I never left Applewood, never moved on. If you remembered and came looking for me, I wanted to be there for you to find me. I didn't want those years to go to waste. Yet… they did."

I looked down at their hooves and how they held each other. It didn't happen often, but Poppy and I would hold each other like that. Yet deep down, I think I knew she must have been forcing herself, that I was always that stranger who knew her name. In the end… I guess I couldn't let her go, and she had to run from me, forget me.

How would things have turned out if I had told her I knew, kept my distance, and let her go? "Once more, this world forces me to move on. I keep standing in place, but something keeps dragging me forward." My eyes watered up, as I couldn't hold it back anymore, and all my frustration finally came out—crying, laughing, gritting my teeth in pure anger.

Kicking the ground so hard that it hurt, I just wanted to feel something, anything but this feeling of uselessness. Yet the feeling remained.

"Poppy… I'm sorry I couldn't help you. I'm sorry that you had to hurt me just to get away. That… I couldn't see that I wasn't the pony you needed and was just a reminder of what you've forgotten." I took a deep breath, finally getting control of myself and… feeling a bit better. "I know I can't forget you like you forgot me, but I can finally let go. Not just you, but everything." I then laughed. "How absurd! Now that everything and everypony I knew is gone, I can finally let it all go. Backroads was right, I am a blithering idiot."

Taking a step back, I looked around and saw that we were in one of the viewing gardens. The flowers were long gone, but there was still a sign stating what had been planted here: "Memorial Garden, for those lost but not forgotten, the flowers Forget me Not planting in their honor."

The irony was not lost on me, as I had become lost and forgotten. But this garden wasn't for me but for ponies like Poppy and those who had never returned from the war. Then again, almost all of us didn't survive the war, and in the end, we all had become lost and forgotten.

Looking back at Poppy, I finally got to say the word I should have said so long ago. “Goodbye, Poppy.”

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The broadcasting tower was like a grim thorn that shot out of the quaint forest, its rusted and jagged metal resisting the greenery that tried to reclaim it. Above us, tangled in the wires, was an animatronic crow, which sparked now and then.

“How did it even get up there?” Azure asked. “I doubt it flew.”

"How do we even get it down? That is what you should ask," I told him.

"Maybe I can shoot it," he suggested.

The Order buzzed in front of us, looking entirely crossed. "No, no, no. Don't you dare use your guns. This place will be swarming with animatronics and securitrons!"

“Then what's the plan?” I asked.

The radio crackled as Glittering spoke up. “You're going to need to dismantle the robot.”

I really didn't like the sound of that. “And how do we do that?”

“The tools Azure has and your pipbuck Slowtrot," Glittering told us. "If you open up the robot and unscrew a few safety bolts, the exoskeleton should detach from the endoskeleton. I’ll trot you through it, and once the endoskeleton is removed, your job is done.”

“Before you ask, yes, the endoskeleton is the problem. It's sending a signal through the tower that's causing the feedback loop." Harp said. “My guess is that it's the same signal that's making the rest of the Animatronics so batshit insane.”

Looking up at the robot again and seeing the sparks, I didn't need to ask why I had to do it. Because of the power rushing through it, A pony would be mad to touch it. Fortunately, my pipbuck had that levitation spell. "Alright, I'll get to it."

“Good, and Azure, we need you to go inside. Once the signal is gone, you need to reboot the broadcasting tower, and fast. I have a feeling that the system will go nuts once that signal is down," Harp said.

Azure nodded at Order. “If it's not a coincidence, then it's safe to assume as such.”

“Then we all agree that this is messed up, right?” I asked.

“Without a doubt," Star said through the radio.

“Hey, when you two get back down here, we have some stuff to show you!” Live said.

"Looking forward to it," Azure replied.

“Same here.” I agreed.

After giving me the tools, Azure went inside the broadcasting booth as I climbed the tower, the rusted metal creaking under my hooves, threatening to break away. But it was good old Equestria steel, so I trusted that it would hold up a bit longer.

One of the safety railings then fell away right when I put pressure onto it, adding to my anxiety.

“It's okay, Slowtrot. Looks like that was already damaged; the rest of the tower is in good shape." Harp said, helping to put my nerves at ease. “For an over two-hundred-year-old building that hasn't seen maintenance for just as long.”

"Thanks… now please don't mention that again while I'm up here," I told her.

Fortunately, it wasn't that high of a climb. That said, I did start from the rooftop of a mega mall, so when I looked around from where I was, it didn't fill me with much joy. The view was similar to that of the Desperados fort. Still, the ruined city was now all around me, the rust-red fog making it look as though I was above the clouds, and the Mega Mall an island. Other than Route 50 in the distance, there wasn't much here left that stood out, just the skeletal remains of a few skyscrapers and rubble poking out here and there.

The Mega Mall was all that remained of my world, and even then, it was just a nightmarish parody of it.

Reaching the robotic crow, I informed Glittering. "At the animatronic, are you sure you know what I must do?"

“Blackcharry left a few notes here, one of which was removing the exoskeleton. Most have a similar build plan since they all use the older endoskeleton." She informed me.

That made sense to me, likely saving bits by keeping the older robot for the random mascots. "Let me guess, Molly's different."

“Molly, Muller, Oliver, and Oscar are updated models. Probably why they're bigger and faster. Supposedly, they were developed by Blackcharry's brother, Blackcurrant, but she suspected that their stolen Zebra bots the Ministries hoofed over. Unlike Blackcharry, Blackcurrant had no talent for robotics, or so she wrote down.” Glittering said. “On the other hoof, Blackcharry developed Terra, which uses a completely different base spell matrix program developed for Assaultrons, and reworked by Blackcharry herself.”

"From my experience with Terra, I think Blackcharry was on the right track." I trotted as close as possible to the animatronic and hoped this robot was actually dead. "Right, so where do I start?"

“There's a panel on the back, and it should have a hole. Just jam a screwdriver in it," Glittering instructed. “Have you ever met Terra?”

Using my pipbucks levitation spell, I jammed the screwdriver in, and several sparks came out as the back panel flew off. I was sure it wasn't supposed to come off like that, but I also didn't care if it didn't hit me. "Done. And ya, once, when I worked for Molly Manticore for a night. The power went out, and I had to turn it back on. Terra's charging pod also went out, and she came out to see what was wrong."

“Next, there should be tension springs holding the exo and endo together. Use a wrench on the part holding onto the endo. It should be a nut painted red," she further instructed. “So, was she friendly?"

Ilevitated the wrench to the red nut holding the spring. "Actually, ya, helped me out too. Even stopped Molly from hurting me." The nut turned, and the spring violently came flying at me. I stumbled back as it slashed my cheek, and I narrowly avoided falling off by catching the rusted railing. "Fuck! Shit! Dammit!" I yelled as I pulled myself back,causing the railing buckling under me, and threatening to fall.

“What's wrong?” Glittering asked.

“The spring exploded on me!” I growled.

I heard paper being turned over the radio before Glittering spoke up. "Oh, sorry! There are so many warnings in this book that I must have missed them."

“How many warnings?” I asked.

There was a pause. “Well… let's say that these things look like they were made to be as dangerous as pony possible. Everything about them in the notebook has a danger warning.”

Patching up my cheek, I returned to the robot, looking at all the bits and bobs, the exposed wires and gears that looked ready to eat a hoof. "Ya, whoever made this is either stupid or evil. Probably both. Thankfully, I wasn't turning the wrench myself, or it could have sliced my throat." A spark bolted out from the wrench, still attached to the loose nut. "Anyways, I'm moving on to the second spring."

“Okay, be careful. And you said Terra protected you?” Glittering then asked.

Safely to the robot side, my pipbuck managed to loosen the second nut, and a loud clunk came as the endoskeleton slipped inside the shell. "Ya, I was working at the original Pizzeria, the one that uad the bite scandal. It even had the same damn Molly too! Anyways, what do I do next?"

"Right, the ghoul mentioned something happened. But how do you know it was the same Molly?" she asked. "Oh, you need to turn a screw at the pelvic area, it's holding another spring in place, it's painted red too. After that, you just need to remove two pins at the legs; just look for the holes."

I let out a sigh as I found the red screw and pulled out the screwdriver. "Because I was there as a foal when the scandal happened. A bunch of teenagers started screwing with us younger kids, just being jerks and the like. I had to jump into the ballpit to get away, but Weatgreass got nabbed." Turning the screw, the long spring began making a twangy sound as sparks jumped around inside it. "I think his crying just antagonized them, and I guess they thought shoving his head into Molly's mouth would shut him up." With one more twanging, the robot folded up, its legs jolting to its chest. "Then Molly's jaw snapped shut. Crushing his head."

The top half of the endoskeleton slid out, along with many small bones that fell, snapping and rattling on the ground far below.

“That's… horrible. And you saw it all?” Glittering then asked.

"No, but I did see Molly moving about with him in her mouth… the… my friend was still alive and crying the whole time." With the legs closer to me, the pins were easy to find. With one jab, a pin came out, falling to the ground. "By the time emergency services arrived, I had been in that ball pit for a while, unable to look away." moving the screwdriver to the second leg, I ready myself for the shitshow that was about to start. "I wanted to help him, but I was… too afraid of Molly to even move, and I… I hated myself for that."

“But you were just a foal; what could you have done?” Live then spoke through the radio. “I mean, that's the job for adults, right.”

I let out a sigh. "Right. And I spent several years of therapy being told that. That there's nothing I could do and that it's the adults who are responsible for acting. I couldn't stop those older kids, I couldn't stop Molly, just as I couldn't stop the war. I couldn't save Wheatgrass just as I couldn't save his sister Poppy. All I could do was sit around and wait for others to act; that's who I am."

With one last jam of the screwdriver, the pin came free, and the endoskeleton fell from the exoskeleton and smashed onto the ground down below.

Strangely, the air felt… less oppressive. It was like the white noise that had been playing since we got here had been silenced, and things were truly quiet again.

My pipbuck then crackled as Harp's voice, if a bit statically, came through. "Can you hear me? Slowtrot, can you hear me?”

I tapped on the pipbuck. “Ya, but why are you talking through this?”

The Order buzzed over to me. "I was tracking the signal coming from the tower, and when it finally cut out, I could track other signals like it," Harp said through Order, her voice now much clearer. “And the radios are also producing that same signal! It's possible, but Molly might be tracking you through it!"

"Speaking of which, shouldn't we be" I began to ask, only for a loud creaking sound to come from below. "Ahh, there it is," I said, suppressing my horror.

Below me was Molly and six, no seven other animatronics. As each climbed on, the tower strained. Order fired its bolt launchers at them, sending twelve slender steel bolts into the animatronic at the front, but it barely slowed it down.

“Shit! Shit, shit, shit!” Harp cursed. “You need to get out of here, Slowtrot!”

I looked around, but the only direction was up. “How soon can you send help?” I asked.

The mall radio crackled, sounding like angry wailing and painful screaming before a glittering voice came through. "We're rebooting right now, but… I don't know how long it will take, and I can't do anything until it's done.”

“And we're trapped in this room too," Harp added. "I'm… I'm sorry. I should never have sent you up here by yourself."

I looked up, seeing that the stairs lead to a ladder. "Hey now, I also agreed to do this. And I doubt they can climb ladders." Pointing up, I tried to hide my doubts and fear with a smile. "I'll just sit tight and wait. If the worst comes, just send Thunder Crack to come and help me down. I mean, I should be able to survive a few days up there."

“Damnit! Okay, get up there, and I'll figure something out." Harp said, clearly not liking this plan.

As one of the animatronics reached the level below me, I did think about jumping and running, but I was more than likely to break a leg. Molly was also waiting for me down there, likely just in case I did jump. Climbing up, the broadcasting tower only felt more unstable the higher I went. It was shaking in the wind, creaking with each step of the robots, and it really felt like the only thing keeping this tower steady was the vines far below.

Reaching the ladder, it looked far safer from below; the damn thing rusted completely and was ready to fall apart. But looking down and seeing a messed up-looking robotic raccoon approaching me, I gritted my teeth and climbed up. The ladder shook even more than the tower, but I didn't stop; I couldn't stop. I might die up there, but I will die if I stay down there. I now had friends who I know will not just forget me and leave.

I just had to hold onto hope.

“But why? You only suffer because of hope." A distant yet very close voice spoke to me. I ignored it as I climbed, not wanting to find out what would happen if I slowed down. "Your suffering will end; that's what will happen." My shadows spoke to me, tempting me to give up.

“Why do you care if I live or not? I'm just some nopony.” I said as I heard popping sounds from below.

The animatronic raccoon attempted to climb up after me, resulting in the ladder snapping off under me. Now, there was no direction to go but up.

“You may be a nopony, but why suffer because of it.” The shadows spoke with malicious glee.

"Oh, shut up!" I shouted as I reached the top.

The cold wind bit into me as it attempted to push me off, leaving me feeling like I was truly unwanted by this uncaring world.

“Just let go, embrace the end. Only then will your suffering end!” My own shadow snarled.

Annoyed, I shouted at it. “Who are you! What are you?”

A familiar chuckle caused my fur to stand up. “Talking to yourself now, Slowtrot?”

Floating in my vision was the digital form Quicktrot Fragment, still in that straitjacket-like lab coat and with her abnormally long main and tail that drifted off into shattered fragments. Her eyes were still filled with that madness only a monster could have, looking at me like the burden I was to the wraith.

“So it was you this whole time!” I accused her, half hoping I wasn't just seeing things.

She laughed with the voices of her many victims, sounding like a choir of madness. “Oh, how precious. Don't blame me for every little insanity you suffer. I mean, who knows what that pipbuck did to you. It did take little pieces of your memory and soul, didn't.” She then spat in annoyance. “If your damn useless soul wasn't one of my key pieces, I'd give it back to you just to get rid of you!” Her unfriendly smile then returned, showing off her jagged teeth. “But no, I only happened to find you here. This place, this mall, has always pushed me away, but now, likely thanks to you, I am free to explore its secrets. Oh, the treasure I can now plunder!”

The tower shook, forcing me to grab onto the rusted railings. Down below, the animatronics attacked the supports, trying to knock me off.

Again, Quicktrot laughed. "Oh, how beautiful! To think you're going to be killed by those soul-eating freaks! Just like they killed Wheatgrass." Her image flickered, and then she grasped her head as though suffering from a migraine. “Shit, why…" To my horror, Quicktrot started to cry. "What is this memory!”

Wheatgrass… Why did Quicktrot know his name? But I knew when Quicktrot looked at me with eyes filled with shock, anger, and horror. Why did I never think about what memories she inherited from me, what part of me was now part of her?

A shadow figure appeared across from us; Quicktrot looked at it in shock. "May Hope die, for I Strife needs it not!”

“Of fucking course, it's you!" Quicktrot grumbled as she floated behind me and blew a raspberry at her. “Go suck a dick Strife!”

The tower then buckled and began to teeter over. I didn't know why, but that shadow, Strife, wanted me dead, and soon I was going to be.

Order buzzed over to me, nearly slamming into my face. “Slowtrot! hang onto him! %aybe we c@n glid3 you d-$^$#@$%&&$$##%^&^###$$$#*" The drone let out a loud screeching sound before dropping. I managed to catch it, for whatever that was worth.

My stomach then lurched up. The last time I felt that was when I first came to the wasteland and entered the free clinic through the roof. The wind rushed past me as the ground quickly rose to meet me. I was falling right to the center of the mall, which only meant that if I survived this fall, there was only a second one waiting for me.

The Order then turned on. "Well, this is going to hurt!" Quicktrot spoke through the drone just as we hit the glass.

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