Fallout Equestria: Brotherhood

CHAPTER 14: THE TEAR OF A FOAL

The air was cool in the dark room Adam was in. He opened his eyes and rolled over in his bed as he slowly started to wake up. He felt a small hoof poke him gently on the leg as he lay there. Lu stood there with her big sapphire eyes with her teddy bear on her head poking him curiously.

She whispered to him while continuing to poke him awake. "Big brother... big brother, are you awake?"

He sat up stiffly and rubbed his eyes tiredly before stretching out his forelegs and returning to the small one next to him. "Lu, what time is it?"

Curious about his question she looked at her hooves and counted quietly to herself. "Um... it's, um... this time." She showed him her hooves indicating what time it was, though it didn't answer Adam's question at all.

Patting her on the head Adam smiled at her, "It's okay, I needed to get up anyway."

Adam roughly got out of bed letting some of the covers fall to the cold metal ground as he stumbled tiredly to the door. "Come on Lu, let's see if the others are up yet."

With small bounces she followed him, "They are awake big brother. They wanted me to get you up to eat, because you won't grow up if you don't eat!"

Adam was still a little groggy from the night before, and that night hadn't been the best of nights for him. Last night he had dreamed of his mother again, but every time he did it hurt him a bit inside. Like a pain that would come back every now and again leaving only a sad terrible feeling in your gut.

Though by now the feeling he had during his rough night had seemed to pass, and the tired weak feeling finally settled in. It made him happy to see Lu in such a lively manner, and today him and Neo would find the thing that was killing the caravans. Every time he thought about it warmth would build in his chest as he could hear everypony congratulating them on beating the monster. But deep down inside he felt a hint of fear mix in with the warmth of being a hero, because out here anything is possible. And he did well to remember that now more than ever.

The fresh smell of beans, cooking could be smelled inside the kitchen as he and Lu walked in. Lu bounded over to the table and sat down. Neo and Allie were looking over his combat shotgun, or what was a combat shotgun. Pieces, tubes, and small parts were everywhere on the table.

Neo stopped with his work and looked at Adam with a playful expression. "You finally woke up. For a while I didn't think you'd wake up."

He rubbed his eyes one more time before answering. "I had a rough night's sleep last night..."

Adam sat down at the table and looked at what his brother and Allie were doing. "What's with the torn apart gun?"

"I'm trying to learn how to clean the darn thing." Neo said with frustration as he tried to get the barrel back onto the stock.

Allie watched him for a second before stepping in to help him. "See," she said while showing him how to put it together.

He looked it over seeing if it really was attached to the stock. "How did you, what, how? Oh come on..."

He sighed handing his head slightly. "I might need to find a less complicated weapon..."

Everypony chuckled at Neo, even Lavender stopped cooking for a second to watch him. "You'll get the hang of it, you just need to keep trying is all." Allie added.

Adam smiled at him, "Just let me take care of the weapons. I'm sure I can fix them up if needed."

"Alright Adam, just don't blow yourself up with them, they're not Pipbucks or computers."

Lavender stepped in with a steaming pot levitating next to her. "I hope I'm not interrupting but breakfast is ready."

Neo perked up and sat up ready for his meal. "Yes please, I'm starving."

Lu giggled, "you're always hungry big brother."

Lavender came around the table giving each pony their own portion of the meal. Adam looked at the beans oddly, he eyed it unsure. "It could be worse I guess." He muttered to himself.

Neo started inhaling the food in front of him, "Mmmm food." He squeed to himself.

Lavender sat down and started to eat with the rest of the group, they all watch Neo consume the food viciously like a wild animal. "Big brother you shouldn't eat fast, or you might get a bad tummy ache." Lu added.

He paused for a moment and realized he was moving a bit fast. Neo swallowed what food was in his mouth before answer the filly. "Yeah, I get a little crazy when I'm hungry, heh." He said with a nervous smile.

"Just a little." Adam added.

Lavender looked back to Neo with a more serious look about her. "Are you two really going to try and find this thing today."

He nodded at her sternly, "Yes, and tonight we'll find it and end the torment this thing has been bringing to this place."

Lu's face lit up at the sound of their upcoming adventure. "Oh, oh! I want to come!" She announced bouncing in her chair with her hoof raised.

Adam patted her on the head with a worried look in his eyes. "Not this time Lu, we don't want you to get hurt."

She pouted at him, "Why? I want to go with you big brothers."

Neo got down from his chair and went to her, "Lu, you need to stay here."

"But why? I am a big pony too..."

Neo looked away for a moment before looking at her again. He was eye level with her as he rested his metal hoof on her shoulder. "Let me tell you a story Lu. Back where I come from there was a little colt, about your age. He loved to go on small adventures around the Stable, and even though he saw a lot and did brave things he didn't question the danger. One day he was careless and got trapped under some metal crates. His leg was stuck and it hurt him, his family was scared and they spend a whole day looking for him. Finally after hours of searching they found him, and he promised never to do something that would put him in any danger."

"Who was that pony?" Lu asked.

"That pony was me Lu, and even though we do dangerous and brave things now I still think about the danger. I don't want you to get hurt and have your father or sister get scared about you."

She looked down thinking about what he had said. "So, I'll be brave if I stay here?"

He smiled warmly at her. "Yes Lu, and knowing you're here will give us peace of mind."

She smiled back at him. "Will you play cosmic muffin with me when you get back?"

"Sure Lu." He said giving her a hug.

She hugged him back. "Promise?"

"I promise."

Adam was in his room at a desk, his goggles on his eyes as he worked on his levitation saddle. Lu was behind him in the middle of the room drawing on a piece of paper humming quietly to herself. Small sparks would fly from the saddle every now and again as he worked on it. The predator made a huge hole in the thing, and what made matters worse was that he just barely had the tools and supplies to fix it.

Sweat built up on his brow as he attached the last and final wire to its proper place. With a heavy sigh and a wipe of his brow he looked the machine over. The flat saddle like device was for the most part repaired. Though he was unsure of how well it would perform he had to wait till he had the ability to get the proper parts to make it work one hundred percent.

"Well, that's as good as I'm going to get it."

Lu heard what he had said and got up to investigate. "Big brother, is it done?"

Adam lay back in the chair he sat in and held the levitation saddle in his hooves. "Not completely, but it'll work when I get better parts then it'll be full working."

The door swooshed open letting Neo step through the doorway. Lu and Adam turned to see him at the leaning on the side of the doorway, "Knock knock." Neo said tapping his hoof on the metal wall.

"Hey brother, what is it?"

"Me and Allie have our stuff ready, we're just waiting for you to finish up your saddle."

"Well good news, I've got it mostly done."

"Mostly?" Neo asked.

"Yeah well, it's functioning but it won't stay together for very long. Seeing as I don't have the right stuff to finish it at the moment."

"Well, at least it works."

Adam chuckled a bit. "Yeah, let's just hope it doesn't break while we're out there."

Adam moved the goggles off his eyes and onto his forehead as he tried to put the saddle on his back. He struggled for a moment, as he tried putting it on his back the thought of how easy life must be for unicorns stirred around in his mind.

"Here," Neo added coming over to help him. "I can still help y'know."

"Thanks." He said standing still as he placed it on his back and turned it on. In an instance Adam felt the a short sharp pain fly through his back.

He rubbed his sides as the pain died down. "I forgot how much that hurt."

"It's not that bad, besides, having Lucy hit you is much worse." He added giving him a sheepish grin.

Lu gave him a puzzled stare. "Who's Lucy?"

"A real pain in the-" Adam nudged him before he could finish his sentence."What? I was going to say flank."

"Neo, Adam! Come on before the sun fully sets!" Lavender cried from down the hall.

Neo turned to the door, "Well, that's our cue." He said before stepping out of the room.

The went down the cold steel hallway till they came to the center room where the ladder up to the surface was. There Allie had theirs and her own stuff ready to go for the night ahead of them. Among the items were Neo and Adam's dusters, which were in better condition than they were when they left the factory. Lavender had mended most of the tears and holes on their dusters and with some dirty extra water she had managed to get most of the blood out of the coats.

Allie looked at them with her items on her back and read. "You guys good to go?"

"Yeah, Adam got his saddle fixed up and ready."

"Good." Allie added positively.

Both Neo and Adam got their dusters on, then they got their weapons and put them on their backs with their bags. Lavender, who was standing next to a small linen sack, stepped up to the group. "Here," she said opening the bag. "Take these." She pulled out three small little bottles with a glowing green liquid inside.

Neo hesitated before taking them. "What is it?"

"These are the strength potions my dad makes. He said it should help with your hunt for the monster."

Neo took all three of them and put them inside his bags along with the other items he had on him. "Tell him I said thanks, oh and speaking of which, you know where we need to go right?"

Lavender nodded and pulled a small chip out of her bag. She then took it and plugged it into his Pipbuck. "He said that there should be a caravan coming tonight up the road. He thinks you should follow them for a bit before they get to far and make sure they stay safe."

"Right, and if the monster shows up, we kill it, right?" He added.

She nodded again at him. "Yes, we can't have it harm anymore ponies ever again. Even if we capture it I'm afraid you are still going to have to kill it..."

Neo gave her a reassuring look. "Don't worry, we'll find it and I don't care if we capture, bag, or blow it to pieces as long as it's around, ponies will die and I won't let you suffer because of it."

"Thanks."

Lu came up to Neo and Adam with her teddy bear in her hooves. "Take Mr. Tim, he'll help for me."

Neo smiled and picked up the bear and put him in his bag. "Thanks Lu, and I'll be sure to tell that monster that Lu, The Monster Slayer, is around."

Lavender went over to the heavy door. "Remember," she pressed the button on the control pad to unlock the door, "Be careful."

The door made a large clanking sound as it unlocked itself and slowly swung open. A cool draft fill the room from the outside world. "Be safe big brothers." Lu said sadly waving her little hoof goodbye.

Allie stepped outside the door first Adam and Neo turned back to her and waved their hooves to her goodbye. "We'll be back soon Lu. Don't you worry." Neo said softly.

"And we'll get to play when you get back right?" In a quiet sad tone.

He looked at her with a warmly. "Right, I promised, remember?" Neo turned around and stepped through the door to the outside.

"Bye Lavender, bye Lu." Adam said before going outside himself.

"Lavender watched as the door closed slowly before clamping shut and hissing briefly. "Goodbye."

The professor came up from behind the two fillies who now stared at the closed metal door. He came up and sat down between the two of them placing his hooves around their shoulders to comfort them. Lavender Looked up at him sorrow deep in her eyes.

"I hope they make it back alright..."

He looked down back at her giving her a somber glare. "I'm sure they will be fine dear... I'm sure of it."

The cool wind brushed the brown dead bushes along the low hills that covered the land. The sky was a pale blue and the clouds dark and gloomy as they always were. The three trudged the hills following the directions Lavender had given Neo. They hoped that the caravan was there, and with some luck they would have enough ponies there to help protect them. Or better yet they hoped the ponies would help find and kill this monster if it showed up tonight.

They traveled for about an hour north west from the bunker just like it said on the map. In front of them was small gorge which span no more than fifty feet across. Neo halted in front of a large burnt oak tree at the edge of the cliff. The others stood next to him and marveled at the gorge, and even though the world around seemed bleak and dull the small gorge itself held a certain beauty to it.

Even the low dead grass that they stood on added to the odd but yet wonderful view. "Is this the place, brother?"

Neo stood there for a moment looking solemnly at the scene in front of them. "What? Oh, one sec." He said snapping back to reality.

He pulled up his EFS which showed that they were in the right spot. "It says we're here."

Allie leaned herself against the dead tree and looked up towards the sky. "I guess all we have to do is wait then, and hope the caravan comes around."

Adam found a rock and sat down on it and sighed heavily. "Let's hope it doesn't take too long."

"Agreed." Neo and Allie said in unison.

Neo sat down on the grass and looked up to the sky and watched as the clouds rolled and moved endlessly through the sky. And for hours they sat there watching the clouds move and the wind blow small tumbleweeds across the barren land. They would all look out into the distance and count the hundreds of dead tree stumps in the distance which had been blown away with the dropping of the bombs.

Soon the color of the sky changed. First it was the same pale blue, then a sickly green, and finally turning a dark orange before the light slowly faded away. It would be dark soon, and there was still no sign of the caravan.

Neo got up and looked down the gorge to see if maybe they were coming, but like before there was no one coming. He turned and looked at the other two. "Adam, Allie, looks like they're not-"

They all turned their heads to the side as they heard two loud gunshots go off down the gorge. "Did you hear that?" Neo asked.

"Yeah, it doesn't sound far off." Allie added.

"Maybe it's the caravan."

"Maybe Adam." Neo said pulling out his combat shotgun.

Adam got out his laser pistol and Allie got out a 44. magnum that Lavender gave her while Neo was getting Adam. They each quickly made sure each weapon was loaded and turned and made their way towards the gunshots. As they made their way there more and more gunshots could be heard along with the sounds of ponies screaming and yelling at something.

It was almost dark and they did their best to sprint to the caravans location. After galloping over a hill they saw a small pile of stuff gathered up in a circle around the group of ten ponies. The way they had formed their gear and supplies acted as a small wall so they could defend themselves from all sides.

From the ledge Neo All and Adam watched as a mysterious dark figure teleported in small flashes of orange energy while dodging the many bullets being shot at it.

From on top of the ledge they all waved their hooves at the group in the gorge, but they didn't notice. Then Allie had an idea, a stupid one but she figured it was the only way to get their attention.

With a deep breath she yelled, "We're up here! We're coming down, don't shoot!"

Neo looked at her with surprise. "What are you doing? Now that thing knows we're up here too!"

"It's the only way they'll know we're up here."

A voice called to them from down in the gorge. "Come on down, hurry we can't hold out much longer!"

"See Neo." She added mockingly.

He pouted. "Point taken."

The strange pony shaped shadow stopped for a moment and turned it's red eyes to the three on the ledge. "Brother, Allie, hurry before it get's up here!"

Neo looked around the ledge for a way down, "There's no way to get-"

Without letting him finish, Adam stepped back, held his breath rolled up and jumped down the inclined ledge. He bounced and tumbled as he went down the side, and just before hitting the bottom he stumbled back up to his hooves and dashed off for the traders in the center of the gorge.

"Adam, what the hell!" Neo called down to him.

He watched as Adam jumped over the small wall and into the defensive area with the other traders. "Come one down, trust me!"

Neo eyes widened at the thought of jumping. Terror and anxiety filled his mind as he watched the mysterious creature close in on him and Allie.

"But why do I need to jump?!" He yelled back.

"Grab Allie and just do it!"

He gulped and grabbed onto Allie. "You ready?"

She nodded at him, and with another gulp he and Allie bolted off towards the ledge. As they fell they held on to each other as they tumbled and rolled down the cliffside. To his surprise minus the few rocks they rolled on the ground was extremely soft. And once they had reached the bottom they both let go of each other and stumbled for a moment as the dizziness died down.

Once they had a second to straighten out the world after their fall they sprinted off towards the small defensive area. "Quick! It's right behind you guys!" Called a mare behind Adam.

Both Allie and Neo's hearts pounded as they raced for the makeshift fort the traders had made. They both leaped over the small wall and watched as two unicorns shot at the creature which popped away to dodge the incoming fire.

Neo and Allie panted heavily resting themselves against the gear that surrounded them. Ponies fired out randomly trying to keep the monster away.

The mare who had called out to them motioned them to come to the center of the group. She sat there with a hunting rifle and leather barding baring several different badges on it. "Who are you!?" She shouted among the loud gunfire.

She turned her gaze to Allie, and Neo motioned his hoof to his brother. "I'm Neo, and this is my younger brother Adam! We're guardians and we're here to help you!"

"Well, you're doing a lousy ass job of it!" She replied. She glared at Allie angrily again. "And who's she!"

"She's with us, don't worry!" Neo added getting his shotgun ready. "Now, what do we know about this thing!"

"It needs to die or we die! That's all I know!" She yelled.

"Do you have anything big we can use to stun it?" Allied added while looking around. "What about those!" Allie said pointing to a bunch of green looking apples.

She turned her head to the thing Allie mentioned. "What those? They're just incendiary grenades, they won't-" Her eyes got big at the thought of them.

"What did you have in mind?"

Allie moved over to the grenades and drew out her plan in the dirt. The mare and Adam leaned close to her to listen more carefully on Allies plan. "We'll launch these off on the sides of the defensive barrier. Since this thing can't get close without being shot it's waiting for us to stop shooting. If we can use these to make it move into one spot we can shoot it and kill it before we run out of ammo."

The mare looked at her astonished. "Wow, well damn girl that might just work. Seeing as we don't have any other ideas at this point I'll say it's out best shot."

She got up and called the other trader ponies to prepare to set off the grenades, and as he did that Adam prepared the ponies with the large weapons in the position where the monster would come. "When I say three everypony with the grenades pull the pin and throw them! You four at the front wait till you see it before you mow it down!" A pony in the center
gathered all the grenades and gave each pony on the side their own grenade. They all nodded at her including Neo who sat on the side with a grenade in his hoof.

"Ready?!" She yelled watching as the ponies fired at the monster who zipped and flashed left and right dodging the hundreds of bullets flying at it.

"One!" Sweat ran down each of the trader ponies as anticipation built up amongst the group as they waited for her order. "Two!" Neo and Adam looked at the hellish monster with grenades ready. "Three!" All the ponies on the side pulled the pins with their mouths and tossed them into the air. Once they landed a several loud pops could be heard along with a bright flash before a large burst of flames consumed the area around them.

The monster could be heard shrieking as the bombs went off. It flashed into the only spot that wasn't covered in flames. Once in the open, the mare shouted them to fire.

Four loud shotguns fired at the shadowy figure. It stumbled left and right as the rain of pellets hit it all over its body. Then finally it fell to the ground, lifeless.

The flames from the ground still burned brightly around the area. Causing each of the ponies to give of long shadows. They all stopped firing, each one of them lowered their weapons as they looked at the now dead monster. "Is... Is it dead?" Asked one of the trader stallions.

The mare stared at the body suspiciously. "There's only one way to find out..." She muttered.

She took her hunting rifle and four other ponies with her to investigate the body. Neo watched as they stepped over their small wall and made their way cautiously to the dead monster.

Neo pulled out a bottle of the strength potion Lavender had given him. Before he could drink it Adam looked at him oddly. "Why are you drinking that?"

Neo looked at him before drinking it. "I don't know why not? We beat it."

"Whatever, just don't drink all of them okay." Adam stated before returning to watch them handle the dead monster.

The investigation group poked the pony monster with their rifles. There were no burn marks, no bullet holes. It was just laying there.

The group mumbled to each other as Adam watched carefully at them from the defensive position. At first he saw a shadow move, but in his mind it just looked like one of the ponies shadows from the flames. But then he looked more carefully and saw a white glowing knife behind on of the ponies.

"Look out! Adam warned the ponies looking over the dead body.

The stallion who was in front of the shadow only got a quick glimpse before the white blade sliced quickly through his neck. The other ponies watched in terror as the group was slaughtered in an almost instant. The monster had managed to kill all five ponies in the blink of an eye.

"B-but... how?!" Allie said in awe, because there was the dead monster body right next to it.

In a flash of orange and a loud pop the monster appeared in the middle of the defensive ring. With quick reflexes and moves it sliced and hacked at two other ponies before they could pull their guns up to fire. The monster for a moment stood there, licking the blood of of its knife. It purred as it tasted the warm blood on the knife.

"You fucking bastard!" Neo yelled pulling up his shotgun and firing at the beast. It teleported out of the way, but not before getting clipped on the leg by Neo's gun.

It's red blood glittered and glowed faintly as it landed on one of the dead ponies. Soon it reappeared next two the other three ponies. In terror they screamed and shot wildly at it, and with each shot it would duck and dodge with lightning fast reflexes.

It killed the first pony slitting his throat then tearing a large hole at his belly. It jumped up in the air and went for the second one. He shoved Adam in front of him to the monster. "Take him!" He yelled before running away.

Adam blocked himself and braced himself as the monster came up to him, but instead it went around him and threw it's knife at the pony running. The unicorn who ran felt the knife hit him straight in the knee which made him flip over. As if out of nowhere the dark shadow monster appeared on top of him.

"No please!" But before be could say another word the creature took the knife from his leg and rammed the knife into his eye.

It removed it slowly from the once living pony and made his way back to the group. The last trader pony dropped her gun and ran for the the only place without flames surrounding them. Tears ran down her eyes as she ran right into the monster. It had appeared right in front of her, and with a quick swipe from its arm the mare fell to the ground lifeless.

It cocked its head to Neo, and Neo knew deep inside it was after him. His eyes widened with terror as the thing dashed at him. "Quick shoot at it!" Adam called readying his pistol.

Allie followed in and together they shot rapidly at the thing hoping it would slow down. Red hot beams of magical energy and bullets from Allies 44. magnum hit it as it's blood shot out from its legs. But no matter how much they shot it didn't slow it down.

Neo was petrified, he could look around but he couldn't move. "Brother, the potion!" He heard Adam cry. "The potion, use it!"

Neo turned his frighten gaze to the potion he didn't get to drink on the ground. Instantly one thought came to mind. "Throw it."

He didn't know why he wanted to throw it, but whatever it was in his mind it was the only option. As he went over to the potion he levitated it and charged at the pony yelling madly at it. "I'm out of my mind!" He thought as he raced to the monster.

Once he was five feet from it everything froze for a moment. The monster had its knife ready, and he had the potion ready. There he was, floating with everything standing still. Then within an instant time flew naturally. The knife missed Neo by barely just barely cutting him as the bottle impacted on its face.

The creature screamed in pain putting its dark hooves to its face as if acid had been thrown at it. It stumbled around blinded with its hooves to its face. And as mysteriously as it was a flash of orange light bursted where it was and then... it was gone.

Neo looked around from the ground at the battlefield his eyes wide and confused. Everywhere he looked he wondered where it could have gone, but it had vanished completely.

Adam trotted up to Neo with Allie behind him. “Brother, it’s gone...”

Neo didn’t answer instead he looked around in terror at the scene before him. The bodies of the dead traders now lay scattered and lifeless. Now they were either burning, or laying there waiting for the flames to consume them.

Neo felt horrible inside, as if a piece of himself died as he watched. “It happened so quickly... no one was prepared for this, but we tried anyway.” Adam muttered while he felt his tear build up inside.

Adam put his hoof around his shocked brother. “We were stupid for leaving... now we’re in a world filled with this...” Neo muttered quietly to himself.

“May Celestia guide these souls.” Allie added while bowing her head.

Adam said the same and offered a hoof to his brother. Neo looked up at him mournful looking eyes and pushed it gently to the side. He struggled to get up, feeling the pain in his arm sting as he tried to stand up. But once he was up he lifted his head up, took a deep breath and turned away from the scene.

“I’m tired...” And with that he slowly made his way away from the burning battlefield around them with his head hanging low in a mournful sorrow.

Adam looked at Allie with the same sad, mournful eyes as Neo. “I agreed, I’m tired...” He cooed.

Allie sighed, and hung her head low, “What about the bodies? We can’t just leave them here.”

Neo and Adam paused and looked at the many bodies of the fallen ponies. Neo thought about it for a moment, had he really decided to walk away from these ponies? They were just trying to get by and here he and his brother were walking off like it had never happened.

“She’s right.”

Adam blinked at him and thought hard about it. “Wouldn’t you want someone to bury you when you passed? Don’t they deserve a proper sending off?” Allie asked him.

Adam nodded shamefully. “I would want someone to bury me if I die-” He didn’t want to finish, the thought of him dying was unbearable.

“Allies right, I might not like it but these ponies deserve more than this.” Neo said sternly before making his way to Allie.

“But how are we going to bury them?”

Neo looked at the larger fires that the grenades had made that burned on the dead shrubs and grass. Allie stepped in looking at the fire with him, “we’ll give them a regal burial then they can be at peace.”

Adam nodded at them and went over to help prepare for their burial so the finally rest peacefully.

It was dark in the world, the dark clouds in the sky blended in with the darkness making them almost invisible in the sky. Crickets and small insects could be heard as the three ponies marched back to the bunker. Cool night air blew gently across the ground causing Neo and Adams dusters to flap gently in the breeze.

In view was the round metal half dome in the distance, though this time coming back it didn't hold its same welcoming feeling as it did before.

Neo sighed as he tried to shake of the battle they were in. Adam tried to do the same only the image festered in his mind like a bad dream after you wake up. It was hard to not think of, and even after everything they saw that was the most memorable so far.

“I’ve never seen that much before.” Neo thought.

The feeling of seeing what had happened there hurt his heart, and having to bury the ponies you were sent to save weighed down heavy on his chest. Adam felt no different, no other time in his life had he seen so much death, even when they fought the raiders it was like killing angry beasts. But to watch normal ponies, and that many die in one place... it scared him.

The bunker was about fifty feet from them now. I didn’t help them either when they had to tell Lavender and Lu that they had failed. The look on Lu’s face when they would say that... it just didn’t settle right with them.

Adam was at the intercom at the door, and for a moment he looked worried.

Neo walked up to him and watched him try to call for Lavender or Lu to open the door. "Hello? Anypony there? This is Adam, we're back. Lu? Come on this isn't funny, we walked a long way so could you please open up?"

He shook his head. "No pony's home."

Neo turned his gaze to the intercom itself before looking to his younger brother. "Adam you think you can bypass it?"

Adam eyed the small device carefully before answering. "I don't know, maybe. This is a different model than other intercoms I've seen. But maybe I can get into the locking system from it..."

He nodded confidently at his older brother. "Yeah, give me a sec, but the locks will come off and only the locks. You'll have to open it manually once it's unlocked."

"Right." Neo agreed.

Adam dug through his things and found a screw driver. Then he pulled up his PipBuck and pulled out a small fuse. Within moments the intercom was separated into several pieces with wires and circuits hung out loosely from it. He moved the screwdriver around until a small spark flew from the center of the machine. A loud clank followed by a hiss came from the metal door of the bunker.

"There." Adam said putting his things away, "that wasn't as easy as you'd think, but once the main circuits are passed it was pretty easy."

"Alright, brother, Allie, all you need to do now is open it."

They both nodded at him and stepped up to the door. Neo took out the blade that was in his mechanical hoof and Allie focused her magic on the door itself. Neo wedged his blade in the door and pulled back hard as a magical aura encased the door. Both of them struggled and grunted as they pulled hard on it, and with a bit more effort the door hissed open.

They all looked inside the entrance area of the bunker, and what they saw took them back by surprise. The room which was normally lit was dark and cold. Blood stains that had been stretched on the ground trailed off down the ladder to the lower level of the bunker.

The site instantly sent a panic down their spines. "Lu! Lavender!" Neo cried racing into the bunker.

He slid down the ladder calling their names as he looked around the now dark bunker. The blood trailed off to the professors office down the right hallway. The very thought of what could have happened scared Neo. Adam came down with Allie calling out for the young ones names as well. Neo raced for the first room trying to look for the fillies and the professor before checking his office. Room after room he found the same thing, nothing. Just cold empty rooms filled with nothing. Finally he came to the kitchen and out of the corner of his eye he saw a small Lavender leg sticking out from behind the counter.

He dashed over to the counter to see Lavender laying there covered in blood, at first Neo shook and reeled back thinking she was dead. But then he realised that she had no wounds, no scars or scratches. In fact she was still breathing faintly. He went down to her and check her heart rate and her breathing.

"Adam! Allie! I found Lavender!" He cried out to the others while holding her head in his hooves.

Allie and Adam raced inside the kitchen as saw him holding the blood covered filly in his hooves. "I found her." He muttered sadly.

"What happened here Neo?" Allie asked picking her up from out of his hooves and putting her on her back.

His hooves were shaking. "I-I don't know..."

"Here," she insisted, "I'll look after her you and Adam go find Lu, see if you can find her."

Neo stared for a moment at his hooves, he felt a fear he hadn't felt before. A fear not like survival, but a more of a deeper feeling. He got up trying to recover himself, "Right." He said with a heavy heart.

"Come on Adam, let's go."

With a serious nod, Adam agreed and followed Neo out of the kitchen and to the professors office. The blood trail went straight under the door, a small light above the door flicked on and off as he looked over the control pad on the side of the door. Neo pressed a button on the door and like opening a refrigerator a small cold blast hit them as the door opened into a dark room.

Neo gulped and tried turning his PipBuck lamp on, but his shaking hooves made it hard to achieve. With a deep breath they went into the dark room and followed it, the room after a few steps slowly moved inward creating a hallway. Their hoof steps echoed faintly down the hall as they moved to the end. At the end of the hallway was a dim green light that came from around the corner at the end of the hallway. The sound of scuffling and bubbles could be heard as the continued onward.

They both peaked around the corner before entering the room ahead. Inside was five large green tubes with dark looking things inside each one. Connected to these things were large cables that were hooked up to machines and pumps. The room itself was circular and at the end was a large terminal screen and the professor handling some sort of machine.

The machine itself was small with a half down like container connecting to the main machine. The machine sparked and buzzed as the professor laughed quietly to himself.

Neo stepped in and looked at him seriously in the center of the room. He paused and cocked his head back a bit, he had bruises and cut on his legs which were roughly bandaged up. "Welcome boys... you're just in time..."

Adam and Neo glared at him angrily. "Cut the crap! Tell us where Lu is!"

He chuckled a bit with his back still turned to them the green glow of the terminal screen giving him a dark shadowy look. "Aw well aren't we no fun... skipping to the asking questions bit." He said in a mad chortle.

He stumbled around to face them, his eyes wide and his mouth in an unnatural smile. "You boys did a number on me back in the gorge... and you even managed to clip my leg."

Both brothers took a step back from him as they came to the realization. "You're... t-the-"

"Monster?" He grinned cocking his head to one side. "Right you are Adam, right you are..."

"B-but, b-but-" Neo stuttered in terror.

"Why?" He finished for him.

He chuckled once and started pacing to the side. "What a very cliche question Neo, so let me tell you boys a story. Long ago there was a raider couple called the Night hunters. They tortured, murdered and killed for the pleasure of seeing others in dying pain..." He said as if it were good. "Ah the good days... soon they had a kid, and... he's me!" He squeaked.

"Growing up I didn't like to just murder, I loooved it. But I was much smarter than my parents. I learned science, bio-engineering, and math, and all on my own too. So I decided to make my own living in the world, but not before I took the hearts of my parents with me.. because home is where the heart is after all."

The very thought made the two sick to their stomachs. "T-that doesn't explain why-"

He narrowed his gaze at him. "Why I had kids? Why I am doing this? I'm very glad you asked."

His grin returned and he continued to explain his story in a boastful manner. "One day, while on my travels I discovered a Stable... not any ordinary Stable. It was a stable to find the answers to this world's problems."

Neo felt the hate bubbled in his chest as he explained. "That‘s when I realized that I won't live forever. After all, I am a mere mortal on this earth, the same as you two," He paused and faced them, "So, I found a nice pegasus mare in the town of Arkcannon and we married... and then I had six ugly looking children. Disgusting things really, so noisy and loud. You know the younger the victim the more fun to kill."

Neo couldn't take it anymore he felt the rage explode in him. "Get to the point you sick bastard!"

The professor pouted and rolled his eyes. "Here I thought I could get rid of you in the factory. Though how you got away from the predators is beyond me. Oh, and that trader mare you helped fix up... she was, a tasty one she was. I didn’t dare share a mare that tender and juicy."

Neo Growled at him, not wanting him to go on. "But I digress," He moved to the half dome at the end of the room, "This is my true pride and joy."

He went over to a lever on the side of the machine and pulled it. In a haze of steam the dome rose in the air. Once the haze had cleared on a small round table was a horrible malformed creature. It was a sickly green color with large bulges sticking out of his legs and sides. A crooked green horn was buried under its thin purple stringy hair. On its back was a little pair of deformed wings that were bent and stretched unnaturally.

He leaned closer to the thing, "Say hello Lu, your big brothers are here."

Neo yelled and and charged at him tackling him and pinning him to the ground. "What did you do to her!?"

Adam cautiously approached the creature, "Lu?"

"Big brother..." It said in a raspy dying voice.

Both of their eyes widened at its voice. Neo pounced at him and pulled on his collar, "What did you do to her!? Tell me!"

He started chuckling a bit. "I created an Alicorn. Not a fake one like the ones in the wastes, a real one. One that has the real powers, the real thoughts, and being of the goddesses themselves."

Rage flew through him as he picked up his metal hoof and punched him. "Why! She was just a little girl! And you killed her!" Tears ran down his eyes as he yelled at his stupid bruised grinning face.

"I did it for the future, so I could be a god and my fun would never end. Not only that but it took me five tries to get this far." Neo punched him again causing his face to make a faint crunching sound as he hit him.

"You murder innocent ponies, and your own family just for yourself!"

He shrugged with a guilty grin on his face. "Guilty as charged."

He pulled him close again with his rage festering inside him. "Change her back! Change her back right now!"

He chortled wiping some of the blood off his face with his hoof. "I would tell you, but you wouldn't like it..."

He punched him again and again taking huge swipes at his head as he sat there taking each massive blow, and it bothered Neo that he laughed as his hoof punched him. "Change! Her! Back! Now!"

Tears ran down his face as his hits got harder and harder. "Do it! Kill me Neo!" The professor screamed at him.

Neo held his hoof high in the air with his blade unsheathed. "You don't deserve to live!"

"Yes, do it! Embrace the inner murderer you really are, and kill me!"

"I’m going to kill you!"

"Do it!"

"Die!"

“Do it!”

Neo screamed and prepared to strike at him, "Brother no!" Adam cried as the blade came down on Neo's helpless victim.

"No big brother," Lu said calmly.

Just as the blade came close to the professors eye he paused. His hoof with the blade shook, as he looked at the morphed creature beside him. "Lu... I-I-I...." He sheathed his blade and stepped back from the professor.

He reeled back realizing what he was doing. "I-I am a monster."

The professor struggled to get up as he spit out the few blood covered teeth he had lost. "I knew you didn't have it in you... you weakling."

He tried to get his grip on the terminal so he could hold himself up and face the two brothers. "Shame... you would have made an excellent killer."

"No." Adam interrupted, "He wouldn't. He's my big brother and I know he's no murderer. He's nice, and kind and caring, but most of all... he's all I have left."

The insane unicorn just stood there chuckling to himself. "A nice speech, but that's all premature. It's a shame, you two could have been just like me... you're just like my wife, weak, emotional, and stupid." From under his desk he pulled out the bright white knife and charged at the two with it. “Now, it's your turn to die!"

Neo reeled back as he charged at the two. Adam felt horrified as the mad pony came at them, he had to do something because if he didn’t nopony else would. Reaching over to his brothers back he pulled out his combat shotgun. Out of pure terror and fear he fired blindly at the professor.

It surprised and caused him to stagger to the side to dodge. But he wasn’t fast enough and the shot Adam had fired hit him in the side taking a large chunk out of his body due to the close range of the shot.

A cloud of red mist hung from a moment in the air where the professor had gotten shot. They both watched as his body landed on the ground with a dull thud. His body twitched and jolted for a moment before it stopped moving entirely and there on the ground lay the professors body, it was wide-eyed and still.

Adam dropped the gun and stumbled back onto his haunches. “What have I done...” He whimpered while watching a pool of fresh blood from around the professors once living body.

They both heard a sharp gasp come from behind them, and when they turned around to see who it was they saw Lavender and Allie standing there in total shock at what they were seeing.

“Dad...” Lavender coughed choking on the confusion and sadness the befell her. “W-what happened? W-what did you do to him!” She yelled at the two brothers before dashing off to his still body.

Tears ran down her eyes as she cradled her father's head in her hooves. “I-I just reacted... he came at us and... I...”

Lu interrupted with a deathly moan. Lavender looked up to her on the pedestal and gasped fell back. “W-what is that!” She yelled.

“Big sis... is daddy okay?” It moaned to her.

Her eyes got wide as she heard it speak those words. “Lu... i-is that you?”

Adam looked at her mournfully. “I-I’m afraid that is Lu...” He stuttered looking at her with his tearing eyes.

“What happened to you...” She said looking closer at her.

Neo came up from behind her and placed his shaking hoof on her shoulder. “You father was the monster this whole time, h-he came at us and, we had no choice.”

“B-but... why would he do something like this... I thought, he loved us...”

Lavender shrugged his hoof off and went to Lu again. “But why Lu... why not me...”

“I-I don’t know what to do... I woke up today thinking it would be fine but now...” She burst out into a heavy sob. “I can’t believe he would do this to his own family!”

Lu moaned again grunting a bit while her dark yellow eyes looked up at them. “I hurt...”

Neo looked at Lu with wide sad eyes. She had gone through so much, and to think it was all for his own personal gain. She didn’t deserve this, and Neo knew it. No filly should have to live like that. What made matters worse was she was in pain, terrible pain and he could see it in her eyes.

“Brother, what are we going to do? Lu’s in pain...”

Lu started to moan a bit on her pedestal she sat on. Neo looked over to her, "Big brothers... when will we play? You... promised..."

Neo looked to her the words she had said ate at his heart and made him feel terrible. Adam was softly crying now wondering how this would all turn out in the end. He noticed Neo as he got up, and he thought about what he was going to do.“She can’t live like this... Nopony should... why professor why would you do this...” Neo thought, as he wondered about Lu and the pain she was in. “What if I... no I couldn’t, I wouldn’t hurt her... but she can’t live in pain like this... I’m sorry Lu.”

"What are you doing, brother?"

Neo ignored him and went to Lu with a warm smile. He went down to her and pushed back her ragged stringy mane. "Lu..."

Adam started to worry, he wasn't sure what he was doing. "Brother what are you doing."

Lu looked at Neo in the eyes. "Big brother... I... hurt, can... you help me?"

He nodded at her trying to hold back the tears and terrible feelings inside him. "Yes Lu, I'm going to help."

Adam realized what he was doing and stretched his hoof out to him. "No brother please don't, we can find a way! We can-"

Lavender interjected sternly, "Adam, can't you see she's in pain? He's doing the right thing I don’t want her to suffer... why dad...”

"No, b-but..." Adam whimpered.

Neo turned his head to his brother. "I have to do this, this has to end and I won't have her suffer anymore for what he did to her."

He looked at Lu calmly and hugged her swollen deformed body. Neo felt some of the tears he tried so hard to keep back slip as he hugged her. "Big brother... will we play later?"

He choked on the sadness doing his best to hold back the tears. "Yes Lu... later, and one day we'll be together again."

She hummed softly to herself. "Big brother?"

Neo picked up his metal hoof and unsheathed it. He took the blade and placed it against her chest pressing the very tip of the blade gently on where her heart was. "Yes..." He choked.

"I love you." She cooed to him.

"I love you too Lu." He said pushing the blade into her chest.

Before he let go he could feel a tear roll down her cheek. A tear of a foal, it was that small tear that allowed him to pull away allowing the blade leaving her chest and sheath itself. Allie cried as she watched Neo break down crying. "Sleep well Lu... my little sister..."

Foot Note: Level Up

New Perk: Family ties: If you're surrounded by your friends and family you gain +50 HP.

Foot Note: Level Up

Would you like to level up Adam as well?

Yes-

No

New Perk: Heart of gold: While wearing a guardian duster you gain +10 in DR especially in your torso region.

Proofread by:

Noakwolf

wayofthepen

GaryGibbon

AracistZebra

LyonAzaruka

(AN: I have to say this chapter was pretty emotional for me to say the least. I did have an extremely fun and difficult amout of time writing this though, minus the crying and all. This chapter is believe it or not very important, so keep in mind it’s important you remember what happened here because it’ll come back later. Anyway, did you like this chapter? Leave a comment and tell me what you thought! )