Prologue: Safety and Lies
Fallout Equestria: Interloper
Prologue: Safety and Lies
How do I start this out? I guess my name first. Hi there, I’m Scion and I’m about to tell all of you the fun I have had out in the wasteland getting captured, shot at, hunted, being hated and a lot more. I guess with any tale I should start from the very beginning.
I was born up in the sky. That’s right, a pegasus pony that had all of the safety, comfort, food, and a clean life away from the ground. I guess you could say I was lucky being born up in the sky and away from the world below. Well, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact; I wish I was born on the ground instead of the sky that way I would have had more choice in my childhood.
Well, let's start with my childhood.
My mother died when she was giving birth to me. My father took care of me for a few years but eventually he was killed by a mugger one night. I was orphaned off after that. I always expected orphans to have an easier time with receiving more love and care. I was wrong big time. Instead of getting love and care, the orphanage worked us until our very skin was torn. I had to go through this process every single day until I was finally able to join the mighty Enclave.
What else? Well, there was school. Up in the clouds, school was really boring. All they would talk about is how Equestria was plunged into darkness thanks to the neighboring Caesar zebra nation. After that it was all about how the might of the pegasi were the star fighters in the war and how proud Equestria was during the war. And lastly they would teach us all about their weapons and technology the Enclave still held. By the Goddesses it was a terrible education system, nothing but pride and strength within it.
I did all of my work during school always trying to be a good student to make up for the fact I was an orphan. Apparently that wasn't enough from the student’s point of view. Instead of receiving compliments about my smarts, they insulted me with them. They did the usual, name calling, teasing, spreading rumors about me, all of those I had to get use to though and eventually didn't care anymore. I never got use to one however.
My lack of friends.
Growing up in a patriotic nation where both of your parents die apparently tells every-pony else that you are not a "true" pony. I guess that's why they worked so many orphans to the bone. Due to this, no-pony at my school wanted to be around me, saying they were afraid I might spread my "handicap." It tore me up since hardly any pony talked to me. One of the only few ponies that did talk to me happened to be an orphan just like me. Forte was her name. Figures my only friend would have an ironic name just like me. Forte was not loud despite her name. She was very timid and scared…. Really scared. Those eyes were nothing but fear every time I saw them.
When I finally graduated that terrible school filled with nothing but patriotic ponies (who am I kidding, the whole nation was patriotic), I signed up for the military branch of the Grand Pegasus Enclave. Naturally due to my history, the Enclave had second thoughts about me joining but they decided I was fit enough for duty.
The Enclave did not joke around when it came to training. Constant energy draining flying test that made my wings hurt for weeks, putting weights on the sides of our bodies until we broke down into a crying fit, only one hour of sleep after two days of training, and so much more. After all of the brutal physical labor, they finally drilled us in the use of small weapons.
Since we were not unicorns, all of the training was done by the assistance of a mouth grip, a small metallic mechanism designed to fire the weapon once we pull our tongues back into the device. It… did not taste good at all, in fact; a couple of the recruits got sick the first time they put the accursed thing into their mouth (including me). The first time I did it, I vomited all over my training pistol. My training officer was not too nice after that. When we finally started to shoot the pistols, my officer was amazed at my aiming skills. Soon after that, I was ahead of my class again.
After many weeks of sticking with mouth grips, we finally went to training on battle saddles. After so much physical labor, I expected to have an easy time supporting the saddle. I was wrong. The weight of even just an assault rifle was a killer on my back. The Enclave considered kicking me out of the program after they saw that but I trained. And I trained hard. For weeks on end, I would do nothing but work my body to ensure the Enclave I could hold a mini-gun or a flamethrower on my back. They were impressed by the amount of training I was doing so they insisted I move up to sniper rifles.
You may think I may have had a hard time with the extra weight from the bigger rifle but that’s far from the actual truth. I actually did a pretty good job with the weapon when it came to aiming. My officers were blown away by the skills I possessed, even I was amazed when I could hit the target from the furthest distance with only a few hiccups. I was praised with the rifle. The Enclave could not wait for me to try out the magically powered mini-guns…
However they would not get that chance to find out if I was an excellent aimer with the weapon. Once I advanced to the next grade of weapons (heavy machine guns) I started to fall in my weapons reputation. Apparently I didn’t train hard enough to carry the heavy weapons on my back; in fact, I collapsed onto the ground when they strapped the piece of metallic death onto my back. The Enclave was pissed… really pissed. My classmates started to call me a "disgrace to the Enclave." It wasn’t my fault I was born small! Every-pony was saying I should be kicked out… The council was actually considering it too. They were on the grounds that I was too weak for the main force of the military.
I lucked out whenever the Enclave council decided to put me into their scouting unit, stating I would make an excellent support asset for future recon missions due to my aiming skills. From there I kept constantly hearing news about how my unit would deploy onto the ground to scout out for any activities that would threaten the Enclave along with the future of the ponies on the ground. The level of excitement I was having for finally walking the ground was momentous, nothing would bring me down…
Except the waiting.
My squad waited for weeks to head to the ground, most of out pride was still there. However the weeks turned into months and my pride was running out and so was my patience. Five months past and I could not wait or rely on my pride anymore so I went to the council… unannounced. I declared how impatient I was and stated we needed to head down to ensure the safety of the ponies on the ground and the Enclave nation. I was surprised they gave me a choice. Never demand from the council again or become a Dashite, being forever shunned away from the grand nation and never being allowed into the clouds again.
I have to say, even though they said it was a choice I didn't feel like it was. If I stayed silent and never demanded to head down to the ground, I would more then likely die up in the clouds never getting to see the world below. If I chose to become branded as the infamous Dashite, everything I already had would be lost forever. My few friends, my safety, comfort, my life, it would all be gone just to fill my curiosity about the destroyed world below my hooves.
The decision was clear in my head. I told the council angrily what that decision was and I felt my body moved out of the room quickly by the help of two other pegasi. My rage grew against my very own nation. How could they just ignore the ponies below for over 200 years? Have all of this technology and not share it with the ponies below that desperately needed it? For all I knew, the ground below could be a paradise full of plant life with artificial suns making them grow and the ponies were all nice and happy. Yeah, the Enclave would hate that.
They threw me into a room filled with angry pegasi, some of them I knew. Among the crowd I saw Forte, one of my only friends, looked to have the most fury and hate towards me. I really was losing everything just for my blank curiosity. The next few minutes were nothing but one of the council members delivering a speech on why I was such a bad pony and being branded as a Dashite. The crowd booed at me with each point that was made. I closed my eyes to block them all out and think about the things I accomplished since I was in the sky. I teared up at the realization I did nothing that made me special, not even my cutie mark was there… There was a sharp, sudden burning sensation on both sides of my rump. I screamed out in a painful cry at the unexpected feeling, knowing all to well I was getting my brand. The sensation quickly left my sides and the while atrium went silent, every last pony looking at me.
It was done. I became a Dashite then and there and could never go back to living the life I use to have. I got infuriated and dove straight down into the clouds until I saw nothing but gray…
