A Ranger’s Choices Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End
"I guess I can be a bit paranoid....WAIT, WHAT!?"
It all began with me talking to a butterscotch blond earth pony stallion with an apple green mane.
"Come on Bonfire," he said, "you are literally the only earth pony who hasn't even tried to become a paladin."
"Head paladin Hard, we've been over this before," I replied in the calmest voice possible, "first off I'm not built to fight. I'm built to uncover the past's secrets. Secondly I prefer to be in the safety of the stable not out in the field of fighting. Thirdly I love this robe too much with all its warmness and pockets. Fourthly I kind of need to wear my glasses and that helmet wouldn't allow that. Lastly," I said moving part of my robe to point at my flank, "I would have to give up my Bonfire and as you can see that's not a possibility."
"Yeh right," he said in his cockiest voice, "we all know the truth. You're sweet on somepony else in the scribes aren’t ya? Come on, you can tell me who it is."
"Head paladin Hard Candy, I regret to inform you that you're wrong."
"Keep saying that. We all know it's not true. Why won't you tell anyone who it is? Are you a colt cuddler or something?"
"No," I snapped back, "I love mares but even if I had a very special somepony it would be none of your business."
"Say what you will," he said with that cocky smile on his face and a slight chuckle in his voice. "Now if you'll excuse me I have a paladin meeting and I believe you have some piece of tech to examine," he said walking away.
"Jerk," I whispered in a hushed voice.
*****
I entered the computer room the scribes called home and saw her. O.K. I admit there was somepony in the scribes I had a crush on. Cotton Candy the head scribe. Curly pink mane with a small pink horn sticking out and a pair of golden glasses perched upon her nose. A pure pink coat wrapped in a red scribe robe with gold trim and gold Steel Ranger symbol on the back that signified her as head scribe. But she was out of my league. She was the head, and I only became a scribe a few years ago. Also there was her family her brother who you already know. Head paladin Hard Candy. Her father is the head elder for this chapter of the Rangers. The only two who know his name is Cotton and Hard we just call him Elder Candy.
She then started walking towards me. I was freaking out. I mean who wouldn't with their crush walking right up to them.
"Earthen," she said with a smile.
"Cotton," I replied.
"You're late."
"Sorry, I had a run-in with your brother. Won't happen again."
"It's alright," she said with a smile, "just don't let it happen again."
In case it isn't obvious yet Cotton is much nicer then her brother. That's one reason for my crush. She also reminds me of a pony from history Ms. Pinkamina Diane Pie (though everyone just called her Pinkie Pie), the mare of the ministry of morale. My favorite of the six mares. Her bubbly personality made everyone happy, and Cotton is like that. Just looking at her makes me happy.
"Yes, mam," I said saluting.
"Good. Now go decode some files on the main computer. There's a meeting I have to attend."
With that she left and headed down the hall towards the meeting room as I headed towards the main computer.
Aw yes, the main computer. My second passion (after my Bonfire). It held the stable’s whole library (which we could transfer into our Bonfires) with every book from Equestria and beyond from before the war. Also after the Rangers came in we began adding books from the wastes. Everything from every variation of The Wasteland Survival Guide by Ditzy Doo to raider journals (wouldn't suggest the latter mostly explicate details and crude drawings of their heinous acts).
The computer also had some encrypted files from Stable-Tec. Files even the Overmare couldn't access. Secrets that remain known only by the three ponies that put them there. Until I came around, that is. I already decoded a list of highly respected Equines with some connection to Stable-Tec or a ministry (including former employee of Stable-Tec and all ministries Dr. Anesthetic, Manehatten P.I. Richard Holms (said to have worked for Pinkie), and the corrupt Manehatten commissioner Ellios Noir (used the M.A.W. to help cover her tracks)).
Today I was working on a particularly difficult file. It should have been cracked weeks ago but we only recently found it. For some reason it was nameless I would soon find out why.
*****
The most important ponies of the stable were in the meeting room. Head paladin Hard, head scribe Cotton, the Overmare, head medic Garlic, head strategist Firecracker Carrot (a recent transfer from Bucklyn Cross), and Elder Candy who called the meeting to order.
"We all know why we're here," he said, his presence all the more intimidating due to his custom armor, " We've located a group that may be a threat to our organization. They are a team of rejected applicants. Because of this we've taken to calling them 'The Renegades'."
"Excuse me, sir," Firecracker responded, "exactly what threat do these Renegades pose?"
"They're taking tech that is rightfully the Rangers’!"
"With all due respect, sir, is this really something to make a big deal out of?"
"Let me better explain. THEY ARE SULLYING OUR GOOD NAME!!! If you need further proof look at this." He pulled out a picture of a pony in a full suit of power armor with scratches on its grey metal and the rangers’ emblem scratched out. "Do you not see this abomination?!" Elder Candy yelled.
"Well then what do we do?" Garlic asked.
"I say a full-on assault." Elder replied, "a preemptive strike to stomp out their rebellion before it's an issue."
"Agreed," Hard said, "me and my paladins can finish them off. Hell give me a battle saddle with a rocket and a grenade machine gun I'll do it myself."
"Hold on now," the overmare spoke, "I'm not one to normally talk at these, but isn't that extreme?"
"Why do you say that?" Hard asked.
"I'm a supporter of the rangers but my duties as overmare come first, and that means protecting stable seven’s citizens. Don't you think that would endanger us? If just one survives we're doomed."
“We don’t have nearly enough supplies to keep everypony alive if we did something that suicidal,” Garlic chimed in
"I agree," Firecracker said with a stern look on his face, "from a strategic standpoint your plan is insane."
"Then what do you propose, Mr. Expert?" Elder asked.
"Inception."
“Gesundheit," Hard responded.
Firecracker looked at Hard in a way that showed he was not amused. "No. Inception, espionage, spying."
"Explain," Elder replied.
"We'll send one of our members in undercover with the Renegades, find their weaknesses, have them report back, then launch an attack."
"Alright but who will we send?"
"I'll go." Cotton replied, getting the collective gasps of the entire room, "Think of it-I'm pretty darn convincing."
"At least take one of my squad with you!" Hard said, "in case it hits the fan."
"I'd rather not. The paladins rely too much on their armor no offence but if I'm taking another member of our organization I'd rather it be a member of my group, and I know just who to bring," she said with a glint in her eye.
*****
I was finishing up decoding the file, and, I'll tell you, it proved to be a challenge even for my considerable skill. But it wasn't impossible, and eventually its secrets yielded themselves to me. I freaked out when I saw what it was.
"Oh no," I thought, "I've got to transfer this." So I started an uplink between my Bonfire and the main computer and started the transfer.
Just then my friend and fellow scribe Vinegar walked up, "Hey Earthen whatcha doin?"
"Oh, Vinegar, I'm just updating my Bonfire's books. The conversion department just finished the newest edition of 'The Wasteland Survival Guide' and I'd like to see the changes."
"Earthen, you're insane. You never even plan to leave the stable, yet you've read that guide at least twenty times."
"Well if someone else would go with me I'd leave, but we scribes are meant to be here so I'll stay here. Oh, and look at that-upload's finished," I said picking up my Bonfire.
"Earthen, you're crazy."
"Hello, pot, my name’s kettle. You're black," I replied with a smile.
"How are we friends?"
"Remember, you and Wine made me your friend?"
"Right," he said as we both began laughing.
Just then the speakers came to life with a staticky pop, "Attention, Scribe Earthen Bonfire," it said, "report to the meeting room asap."
"Well," I said, "that's for me. I'll meet you and Wine later for our 'Wasteland Survival Training'."
"You mean our PnP campaign?"
"Yes," I said walking off towards the meeting room."
*****
"Aw, Mr. Bonfire," Elder Candy said, "Please take a seat."
"Thank you, sir," I said, "I will."
"Look," Firecracker said, "let's cut the crap and get to the point. We're sending Cotton undercover to uncover secrets about The Renegades. To help defend her, she wants you."
"ME?!" I screamed in surprise, "YOU'RE JOKING!... right?"
"Nope," Cotton said looking at me, "I wanted someone from my department and you seemed like the ideal candidate."
"Why's that?"
"You're smart, have good enough aim, and are the best hacker we have. So what do you say?"
"Well for you, Ms. Candy, anything."
"Wait. What?"
"I said, for the Rangers anything."
"Alright then," Firecracker said, "you two need to report to Quartermaster Ration."
"Why?" I asked, "We’re already equipped."
"Sheesh, how'd Cotton think you were smart? You're going undercover. You can't wear your Ranger garb! That’s the whole reason she didn’t want a paladin."
"I have to give up my robe?" I asked with a tear (as I stated before I love this robe almost as much as Cotton).
"Don't worry you, just can't wear it. Feel free to keep it in your saddlebag just say you took it off a dead scribe or something."
"Saddlebag?"
*****
Saddlebag. See also cumbersome, unconformable, ugly, and basically not as awesome as my kick-flank robe. I used to wear one until I joined the scribes and got my robe. But I understand my robe needs to be hidden. At least I can still keep my Bonfire out (they can't immediately identify that with the Rangers).
Cotton also needed to be robe less letting me see her cutie mark for the first time. It was a gemstone (makes sense her specialty involved magical energy weapons).
"Alright," Ration started talking, "In your saddle bags you'll find a laser pistol, fifty spark batteries, some regular cloths, some rations, a few doses of rad-x, some rad-away, healing potions, about five hundred caps, and other necessities. Though feel free to include your own stuff," the brown stallion with his namesake on his flank said.
‘Long as I can keep my robe,’ I thought to myself putting it into my bags. As I did, I saw Cotton slip what looked like a small pistol into her bag. "Hey cotton what's that?"
"Oh nothing," she replied, "just a sentimental item."
*****
The overmare, Elder Candy, and Firecracker saw us to the stable door.
"Alright you two," Firecracker said, "The Renegades have been seen near Tenpony Tower. Make your way there and meet them. Enter their group and find their weaknesses. We expect regular updates from your Bonfire. Any questions?"
"Yeh," I said, "can you tell Vinegar and Wine 'sorry I'll miss our game'?"
"Will do. Good luck, you two."
With that we left our stable's safety into the cold of the wastes with nothing but each other, our Bonfires, and our bags of supplies.
Footnote: level up (Earthen)
New Perk: Gears of Harmony: Little snippets and general Earth Pony knowledge about mechatronics allows you to more easily identify commonly overlooked significant parts in a wrecked robot, resulting in more yield in salvage to be sold. In addition, you can make a good guess at the purpose and controls of esoteric Pre-War technology. Have you thought about joining the Steel Rangers?
Companion Perk: My Little Crush (Rank 1): Let’s face it you’re alone on a dangerous mission with the pony you love. You’re going to blurt something stupid out at some point but you will also do anything to protect her. As long as Cotton is your companion you get new dialogue options and an additional 5 DT
Footnote: level up (Cotton)
New Perk: First in Class: +5 Science per rank.
Companion Perk: Scribes Knowledge: You may be the head of the scribes but he’s the best. As long as Earthen is your companion you gain +1 in intelligence, and +5 in science, magical energy weapons, and mechanics.
S.P.E.C.I.A.L. (Earthen)
S: 5
P: 6
E: 4
C: 4
I: 9
A: 4
L: 8
S.P.E.C.I.A.L. (Cotton)
S: 5
P: 8
E: 4
C: 6
I: 8
A: 4
L: 5
