Fallout Equestria: ShadowFall

Chapter Four: Harkan’s Talons

“A friend in the wastes is like an ally in a war”

You would think,me being a pegasus and all,it would be a smooth ride traveling through the ruins of Manehatten. Well thats not the case when you have four Talon mercenaries chasing you through the sky! The odds are totally against me, and thats usually what happens when you’re alone in the wasteland. I swerved in and out of buildings, trying to shake the bastards away from me, but that was completely useless. I suddenly dived down, going as fast as my metal wings could take me. I was hoping they would stop chasing, because usually diving strait down doesn’t end so well. My plan worked! Well, partially, because I pulled up almost too late causing me to crash into a building through glass, old cabinets, and a lot of other stuff that hurt like hell.

“Ahh! Shit!! Why does glass have to be so damn sharp!”, I said, realizing I now had a large gash through my lips.

Suddenly I heard four griffons land softly, and I hid behind some old desk covered with pre-war papers.

“Fuck! This one is going to be an ass to kill, I can already tell. Vance, you take the top floor, Reyes you take bottom. Aoroles and I will be scouting the outside to make sure the bastard doesn’t escape. Let’s move out!”

Well now I know Ramrod got his mercenaries, I was expecting more time but I guess he couldn’t afford to let me escape. Alright,so it looks like I’m going to have to fight out of this one since they pretty much have me trapped. But I am definitely not going to die in some pre-war building. There was a sudden movement around me, and then I was face to face with the one called Reyes.

“He’s he-!”

Just before he could finish I stood up on my hind legs and punched him in the throat, causing him to stammer. I then jabbed him multiple times in his stomach, flipped over his back while pulling his wings back. Then I placed my left hind leg on his lower back, pushing it hard on his back while at the same time pulling his wings towards me. Then there was a loud snap, the griffon tried screaming but lost his voice in the pain. I released him, and he fell down unconscious and paralysed from the waist down.

If a person dies in a group, the group can carry on. But an injured member is a burden to the group. Something my father taught me.

I then took Reyes’ unconscious body up to the fourth floor, which was about mid way up the building where the two other griffons were surveying around outside. I placed him down near a window, and took out my specialized combat shotgun, blasting the window to pieces. Hopefully that will get their attention.

“Harkan look! Reyes is down!”

Yes, it worked! Now they were headed towards....oh crap I gotta hide! I looked around frantically, then at the ceiling. Perfect! I flew up, and spread my hooves to keep myself balanced on the ceiling. Three griffons flew in and landed by their paralysed member. The one I assumed the leader was Harkan, he had jet black feathers with some white around his beak and green eyes, and was by far the toughest looking one with his albino hellhound gauntlets on both of his claws.
Then he spoke up.

“Damn it Reyes. Vance check if he’s still alive.”

Then the one called Vance knelt down by his comrade lifting his claw, and checked his pulse. This one had a certain resemblance to Reyes, both of them having snow white feathers and red eyes. The only difference being that Vance had some dark red accents around his eyes.

“He’s still alive. Aoroles, hand me some Dash and Buck, quickly!”

Aoroles then dug through her luggage and damn she’s beautiful! I never thought I’d be attracted to a griffon, but her body and those pink and white feathers! Alright, calm down Sky, she’s one of the ones that’s trying to kill you, not looking for a date.

Vance then proceeded to inject the Dash into his friend, who quickly woke up, screaming in pain.

“AHHHH!! Shit!! I can’t feel my back! Do something Vance!!”

“Hold still!! I’m going to give you some Buck, now swallow these pills.”

Reyes swallowed, and after a minute or so relaxed. Then Harkan stepped over to Reyes, looking more pissed than concerned at him.

“What the hell happened Reyes?! Did the bastard sneak up on you or something?!”

Reyes stammered for a second, then leaned against the wall, unable to stand.

“I-I found him hiding behind one of those old desks, and I was about to yell for you guys.Then all of a sudden this guy goes all zebra style standing on his hind legs, and punches me in the throat and beats me at my stomach and I couldn’t breath!! And like a second later, he’s flipping over me pulling my wings back....next thing I know I’m here and I can’t feel my wings or anything below my waist...”

Startled, Vance spoke up.

“He used Fallen Caesar Style...”

I smirked. Learned from the best! Well my father was the best I knew.

Harkan, angered and confused, spoke.

“What the hell is this guy?! I thought only zebras knew how to do that kind of shit!”

“Well obviously he either read a handbook on how to do it his whole life, or he was raised by a zebra. I’m guessing the latter, it’s possible he’s a halfer, or Zony. A rare sight in the wastes from what I've heard .”

Harkan looked pissed.

“That bastard Ramrod didn’t tell us we were up against some fucking assassin! This guy is worth way more than 1,000 caps.”

Wow, thanks Ramrod.Now I know how much I’m worth to you.

“Maybe we should search tomorrow, with Reyes in this condition I’ll need at least one of you to help me carry him, leaving just one to go out searching, and I think you know Harkan that you won’t find him on your own.” said Vance to Harkan, who obviously didn’t like the idea.

“No, I ain’t waiting around just because this idiot screwed up! Because of you Reyes, this guy got away! Hell, he’s probably gone by now while we’re here treating your ass!”

My face grew red with embarrassment. Why am I just waiting here! Agh! Its too late now...

Suddenly Harkan grabbed Reyes and held him over the edge of the broken window.

“AAHH! What are you doing Harkan!!”

“What I do to anyone who screws up.”

Harkan let go of Reyes, who then plummeted to his death. Vance tried to fly after him, but was pushed back by Harkan and slammed into the desk behind him.

“What the hell Harkan?! We could have helped hi-”

“Shut up Vance, or you’ll end up like your brother.” said Harkan in a disturbingly calm voice.

Vance looked at Harkan with hatred burning in his eyes, then he looked at...me! Oh shit!! What am I...but nothing happened. He didn’t say anything at all! But Harkan caught his glance, saw me, and pulled out two .44 Magnums!

“Gotcha you little fuck!”

Quickly, I jumped to the ground, barely dodging Harkan’s shots, and flew out the window as fast as possible.

“After him!!”

Before I knew it, the chase through the city was beginning again, only this time I think I had an ally.

We zoomed at high speeds, dodging buildings left and right, spinning through the small spaces left between buildings leaning on another. I then headed strait up, and glanced at who was behind me. Harkan, Aoroles, and Vance all were after me. Then I stopped completely. All of a sudden the four of us were floating mid air....they had me surrounded. Or so I thought. Vance then unsheathed a katana sword, lashing out at Harkan. Both Harkan and Aoroles were caught off guard, so I took my chance and pulled out my specialized combat shotgun, blasting Aoroles, who was about to kill Vance.

Vance disarmed Harkan of his .44 Magnums, leaving him to use his albino hellhound gauntlets. Vance sliced for Harkan’s wing, but was countered with a slash from Harkan. The two cut, sliced, and lashed out at each other, neither one of them letting up. I would have shot Harkan by now, but Vance was to close in for me to take a safe shot. Vance went in for a stab in Harkan’s stomach, but Harkan grabbed the katana, crushing it under the massive pressure of his gauntlets. Vance was defenceless, so I had no choice but to shoot. I aimed more towards Harkan, but the spray of the shotgun still hit Vance. They both started plummeting towards the ground, and I flew after Vance.

I barely reached him in time, catching him and slamming into the ground, making us both tumble across the destroyed roads. I stammered and got up, looking around to see where Harkan was, but he was nowhere in sight. Damn! I have a feeling he’ll be back, mercenaries don’t tend to give up so easily, especially a leader of Talons.

I trotted over to Vance who had slammed into an old pre-war wagon. He was unconscious and had a minor wound near his ribs.Night was coming, so I put him on my back and flew up towards higher ground to rest for the night.

Footnote: Level up
New Perk: Ferocious Fighter - You now have a 20% chance of paralysing your opponent with Unarmed attacks