Fallout Equestria: Last Days

by Trouble Clef

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Crossover, Dark, Sad
Length: 10815

A Pegasus named Ivory must push himself to the limit in order to protect his boss, Sweetie Belle. His one goal is to make sure she makes it to Stable 2 before the megaspell bombs go off. Will he suceed? find out in "Last Days."

In the final days of the great war, thousands of ponies flocked to the Stables that covered the Equestrian countryside. These massive bomb shelters were their only hope of enduring. Not only as individuals, but as a species all together.

Follow Sweetie Belle and her faithful companions as they race against time to reach the infamous Stable 2. Through the eyes of her friend, Ivory, you will bear witness to the trials they face. From zebra assassins to radical tribes, they will be pushed to their limits. Some will live, some will die, and others will be changed forever. By the time their journey ends the survivors will be asking themselves one question.

"Was it worth it?"

(Fo:E 500 member contest submission. )

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2013-04-06 13:20:01 UTC

Chapter 1

Slowly, I walked through the halls of the Ministry of Wartime Technology. It was nighttime outside, and the few weak fluorescent light bulbs that hung from the ceiling offered very little in the way of lighting. I turned my head from side to side, examining each office that I passed. All of them were empty, their terminals deactivated, and desktop lamps extinguished. During the day this building was as loud and obnoxious as a circus, but when the sun fell and the moon dominated the sky it seemed to turn into a completely different place. It was a floating island of solitude surrounded by the intolerable bright lights and violent commotion rising up from the city of Manehattan. Even then, the whole city could be considered tranquil compared to the rest of the world.

While the brave soldiers of Equestria fought the hordes of mystical zebra, I had spent my time stuffed in various cubicles across the country. Safe from the war and death that followed it, my biggest concern only being the temperature of my bosses morning coffee. There wasn’t a single thing I would change about my life, I loved it that much. If Celestia herself came to me in person and offered to alter something about it, I would tell her to fly back to Canterlot and focus her magic elsewhere. Though as I approached the large double doors at the end of the hall, I reconsidered what I had just thought. Before entering I made sure my tie was straight, and my dress vest was flat. I was going to see my employer after all.

Opening the doors revealed a massive office. The walls were lined with book shelves, terminals, and paintings detailing rustic images of life on a farm. In the center of the room was a large wooden desk with a single terminal, and dozens of empty coffee cups. Behind it were two mares, one sitting, the other standing. The one who was standing I immediately recognized as Miss Applejack. The founder of the Ministry of Wartime Technology herself. From the light radiating from the lit lamp at the desk I could see she was wearing her trademark Stetson, and a long brown duster that covered most of her body. I couldn’t make out the other mare’s features, but I knew who she was.

“Ivory, is that you?” came the soft voice of Sweetie Belle. Hearing her say my name always sent chills down my spine. Not only did I adore the individual attention she gave me, but the tone of her voice alone could cause a stallion to fall head-over-heals in love with her. She leaned her head into the light to get a better look at me, in return I got a better view of her. She was just as beautiful as the last time I saw her. She had the same gorgeous white coat, deep green eyes, and curly pink and purple mane that I saw a few hours earlier when I escorted her to Miss Applejack’s office. If Celestia truly would personally visit me and make such an offer as to change something about my life, I would request that I may spend the rest of it with Miss Belle, my boss, at my side.

“Yeah it’s ‘im.” Applejack replied for me. “I assume you’ve come t’ take us to our Chariots?”

“Yes, It’s past one o’clock in the morning.”  the two mares looked at each other and exchanged a few whispered words before they turned their attention back to me. Both nodded theirs heads and began to walk out of the office. The familiar scent of MoI perfume assaulted my senses as  I joined Sweetie Belle at her side.

“How long will the flight take?” she asked me in her beautifully regal, yet gentle, voice.

“Not too long,” I replied. “You and Miss Applejack will be flying in separate chariots. We had to find ponies we could trust so I took the liberty of recruiting some old acquaintances and family members. A stallion named Featherweight will co-pilot your chariot alongside me. Applejacks chariot will be pulled by a Rumble Lane, and a Pound Cake. We will also be accompanied by two security officers, Chief Pipsqueak and Lieutenant Brown Sugar. With enough effort we can reach the Everfree Forest by dawn. Is that satisfactory Miss Belle?”

“Yes, very good Ivory.” was her only reply. I found it strange that her response had come off so mundane. I didn’t expect her to praise me like I was royalty, but usually she had a much more chipper attitude. Perhaps it was her way of coping with the current events. Having to leave your home due to the threat of a megaspell bomb could be awfully stressing. Or maybe it had to do with the conversation she had had with Applejack. They had tucked themselves away in that large office for hours. Whatever they had discussed must have been important, possibly stressing.

“Excuse me Miss Belle. If you don’t mind me asking, are you alright? You seem a bit…..off.”

“it’s nothing, just been a long day.” she responded without even looking at me. I could tell she was lying, she had a bad habit of not making eye contact when she was being dishonest. I figured it would be best to not push the subject further. After all, it wasn’t really my place as her secretary to pry into her private life.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The crisp night air was enough to keep me from falling asleep as Featherweight and I flew Miss Belle out and away from the raucous city of Manehattan. I was glad to have the lanky journalist with me. He was one of the few ponies in all of Equestria that I trusted. Along with him being a friend of Sweetie Belle’s when they were younger, he was also an honest reporter. Without twisting the words and thoughts of those he interviewed, he delivered the news honestly and accurately. With the promise of a unique story (and a generous paycheck) recruiting him to work with me had been a breeze.

The other two pegasi flying Miss Applejack’s chariot were another story. Rumble Lane wasn’t somepony I knew personally, causing me to have little faith in his loyalty. Miss Scootaloo, another founder of Stable-Tec, trusted him though, and that was enough for me. I didn’t have a problem trusting the last Pegasus, Pound Cake. My concern for him lay in his ability to perform the task at hand without succumbing to anxiety strain. He was a very young stallion, barley out of colt hood. I had seen young ponies do extraordinary things before, but they had had pretty strong mettle. This son of a baker, however, didn’t seem to poses the same nerve. He was a family friend of Applejack, however, so he could at least be charged with keeping his allegiance to Equestria.

I risked a glance back at my two passengers. Sweetie Belle had wrapped herself in a long black shawl to keep the cold out. She held her leather handbag close to her chest, almost like it was a stuffed animal that would comfort her and keep the bad thoughts away. Also, her eyes were closed. Whether from weariness or fear of heights I wasn’t sure, but it added to the mystical aura that surrounded her. Chief Pipsqueak was positioned beside her. He stood stiff as a pole, and as vigilant as a hawk. Though there was no obvious threat present, I felt safer with him around. I turned my attention back to the flight ahead of me, reminding myself that I needed to stay focused to ensure the safety of my precious cargo. I had get her to Ponyville safely, or this journey would have been for naught.

Miss Belle was to be relocated to her hometown positioned on the edge of the Everfree forest. There she would have easy access to the massive bomb shelter, or ‘Stable‘, she had been assigned to. So on the off chance a megaspell did go off, she would be safe. This specific spot had been chosen due to its seclusion and relatively small population compared to bustling cities like Fillydelphia and Canterlot. It was possible that there was more to the story, something that the Ministry mares and Stable-Tec founders wanted kept secret. Whatever it could be, I wasn’t sure. Wasn’t like it was any of my business anyway, regardless of how close a friend I was to Miss Belle.

We had been flying for close to three hours. The excursion hadn’t put to much of a strain on me, but as I flew further and further away from Manehattan I could feel my muscles stiffen and my wings go numb. There was nothing more that I wanted then a few minutes rest. But, as I said before, getting Miss Belle to safety was mo-

“BANG!”

The sound of a gunshot rang through the night air like the fury of a god. Frantically, I searched for the source of the noise, but to no avail. Again, a gun fired. This time I heard the projected ballistic whiz over my head.

“Pick up the pace gentlecolts! We are under attack, repeat, under attack!!” shouted Pipsqueak as he brandished his 10mm pistol.

I beat my wings faster, pushing myself to get away from our hidden assailant. For a third time I heard a gun discharge a round. This time the bullet hit closer to its mark, just grazing my flank. Instantly, my side flared with pain. It felt like I had been cut with a rusty knife that had been heated in a scalding hot bonfire. The crude agony brought tears to my eyes, but I sucked it up and continued to fly.

As the attacker (assuming there was only one) fired off yet another shot, Pipsqueak responded with a volley of bullets from his pistol. It didn’t take a gun expert to tell that there was no way a small firearm could hit anything more than fifty meters away.  It was more of an attempt to create a suppressing fire, than to kill the deadly predator. Following his example, I pulled out my own sidearm and fired a few shots in the general direction from which the ballistics had been launched. Holding the .32 caliber pistol between my teeth, I pulled the trigger back four times with my tongue.

“BANG”

“BANG”

“BANG”

“BANG”

The gunshots rang like church bells in my ears. I wish I had spent a few more hours at a firing range, and a few less curled up in my bed listening to records. Then I would at least be used to the sound of a gun firing. I abandoned my attempt at supplying additional cover fire and returned my focus to evasively maneuvering the chariot away from harm. Again, I risked a glance behind me. Pipsqueak was perched against a railing, continuing to blindly fire his weapon. Miss Belle was nowhere in sight. I prayed that she had ducked down to avoid getting shot, and not fallen off the back of the cart. Returning my gaze ahead, I tried to spot Applejack’s escort. They were nowhere to be found; leaving me to believe that they had either escaped the firefight, or been shot down without us noticing.

Featherweight whistled to get my attention. He made a motion with his hoof pointing up, signaling me to fly higher. I nodded my head in confirmation, and began to raise our altitude. Suddenly my flesh wound began to flare up again. The reins of the chariot were pulling down on my back end, putting a lot of pressure on my injury. The pain was renewed in full, again bringing stinging tears to me already weary eyes.

Suddenly, time seemed to slow. I heard the assassin fire one more round. The bullet whistled over my back, missing my spine by a hair, and grazing over the leather straps that kept Featherweight attached to the chariot. It tore the fastenings just enough to cause them to snap from the weight they were pulling, thus freeing my co-pilot from the carts reins.

The instant I lost Featherweights support, the chariot became to much for me to carry on my own. Both my muscles, and my injury burned like balefire as I desperately fought to keep the cart from falling. The ground was like death, growing closer and closer every second. With the last of my strength I pulled up, preventing a head on collision with the ground. The carriage bounced as it made contact with the surface, sending the whole vehicle flipping over onto it’s top. My reins tore free of the wreckage, and I was sent sailing for several yards before landing in a shallow puddle. My head hit the ground first, and I was knocked unconscious.

Chapter 2

Lights!

Bright lights flared all around me. They lit up the night with the radiance of Celestia’s sun. I had heard about the brilliance of the Las Pegasus casino strip, but never before did I imagine it would be so brilliant. I had entered the infamous city of sin expecting to do nothing more than set up and watch Miss Belle’s performance. But, now that I saw the metropolis in all its splendor, I wanted nothing more than to drown myself in the wickedness that it offered.

It didn’t take long for the overpowering emotions to wear off. All it took was half a glass of wine, and the loss of a months pay at a blackjack table to sober me up. Now I sat at the bar in ‘The Clops’ Casino. Trying to flush what little alcohol I had consumed out of my system. I didn’t know if Sparkle-cola could do that, but it made me feel better knowing that I was trying.

The bar was full of others like me. Sorry sorts who were drowning their losses of fortune or love in bottles of whiskey and absinthe. It made me feel pathetic. I was no elitist, but I knew that this place alone at the bar was unbecoming of somepony like me. I made a move to get up. To go back to my hotel room and sleep this off  like a bad dream, but something stopped me. At the other end of the bar sat somepony who shouldn’t be there. It was Sweetie Belle, her eyes downcast as she idly sipped her drink.

I couldn’t help my eyes from continuously wandering in her direction. No matter how many times I told myself to move, my body ignored my commands an stayed rooted to the spot. my eyes remained transfixed on the beautiful mare. She still wore her performance attire, a sequined blue dress laced with gold. The high quality garment fit tight around her waist, and gave her body a very shapely form. Her hair had been straightened, and pulled back into a bun. It made it easier to see her entire face, which had also been spruced up with pink lipstick and baby blue eye-shadow.

Somehow, she must have taken notice of my mesmerized gaze. Before I knew it, she was staring back at me with her breathtakingly deep green eyes. A friendly smile spread across her face, and she waved a hoof for me to come over and sit next to her. Out of shyness, I was hesitant to accept the invitation. Ultimately, I took it and moved to be next to her at the bar.

“Enjoying yourself, Ivory?” she asked me with sincere interest and enthusiasm.

“Yeah, this place sure is something. I’m glad I was able to come.” I replied. Unfortunately, my tone betrayed my words.

“I’m not convinced,” she responded, sticking out her bottom lip. “you insult my intelligence. I’ve known you since before I even started Stable-Tec. Believe me, I know when your lying.” I sighed lightly, mentally kicking myself for not being persuasive enough.

“No, really Miss Belle. I’m having a wonderful time. Cant you tell by how ecstatic I am?”

“Ha!” She laughed. “you, ecstatic, that’s rich. I’d be lucky if I ever saw you get even a little excited about something. I can’t even remember the last time I saw you honestly smile.”

“Perhaps you’re not looking close enough.” I replied.

“Horse apples.” she responded. The utterance of profanity from her caused me to inhale my sparkle-cola, sending me into a minor coughing fit. “We are together twenty-four seven. I spend more time with you around then with my own family. I bet I know you better than the back of my own hooves.”

“In that case you would know me too well, saying as how you spend so much time working with them”

“What was that? Did I just hear a flux of emotion in those words? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think you just sassed me.” she teased. I was quick to respond.

“I wouldn’t dare, Miss Belle. I-” she cut me off with a wave of her hoof before I could continue.

“First, there’s no need to get so defensive, I was just foaling around. Second, how many times have I told you to not call me ‘Miss Belle?’ We’re friends, there is no need to be so formal. Third, what will it take to get you to enjoy yourself? You look like a colt who just got his lunch money stolen.” I sighed in defeat. Sweetie Belle wasn’t the type of pony to let things lie. If I didn’t tell her what was bothering me, she would worry me about it all night.

“What you just said isn’t too far from the truth.” I responded. “I’m down a few hundred bits from blackjack. It’s nothing really important Miss Belle. Now that I’ve told you can we please drop it?” she rolled her eyes at me, probably because I called her ‘Miss Belle’ again.

“Finally, I get an answer!” she exclaimed throwing her arms in the air. “Thank you for telling me, I was afraid that the war was going to end before you would! In addition to that, no. I’m not going to ‘drop it.’ we’re going back to that blackjack table, and getting you your bits back.”

“Wait, Miss Belle! You do-” again, I never got to finish my sentence. She jumped down from her stool and headed for the casino tables, ignoring my pleas for her to stop. I decided I should go after her in case she made a scene. I caught up with her as she was exchanging several bits for casino chips. “What in Equestria are you planning on doing?” I asked. She looked me in the eye with a devious expression on her face.

“It’s not what I’M going to do, it’s what YOU’RE going to do.”

“What in blazes does that mean?” I almost shouted. Again, she gave me that look. It was the playful look of somepony scheming.

“Ivory, I’m going to give you a little tip about gambling. There is only one rule when you play, and that rule is that the house always wins.” I looked at her, bewildered.

“I suppose that’s true, seems like a tough rule to play by.”

“That’s just it!” she responded. “you can’t play by the rules. If you do, then you’ll end up living in a cardboard box.”

“Then what do I do?” I asked

“Cheat.” was her only response.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The sight of Sweetie Belle’s mischievous look melted away as I was pulled back into consciousness. The world around me was fuzzy at first, but after rubbing my eyes I managed to clear up my vision. It was still night time, probably not much later than it had been when I had crashed. A fog had settled upon the ground, obscuring us from the assassin with the sniper rifle. The chariot still lay where it had fallen, flipped over and in shambles. There was no way it could be repaired. Standing above my prone form was the silhouette of a large stallion, Pipsqueak I assumed. Behind him sat a smaller pony, Sweetie Belle. Her horn glowed with a faint blue light. Featherweight was nowhere to be seen. I reached for my glasses, only to find them smashed beyond recovery.

“You alright, Ivory?” asked Pipsqueak as he handed me a small flask containing a healing potion. “You hit your head pretty hard, might’ve received a concussion.” I felt around my head with my muddy white hoof. A few small bumps were present beneath my black and white mane, but it didn’t feel like I had cracked anything. I brought my hoof down to eye level to test my depth perception. My vision checked out alright, and my head didn’t have any internal aches. I figured everything was alright. Just to be safe I took a swig of the health potion, and instantly I felt better. the lumps on my head disappeared, as well as the other cuts and bruises that dotted my body.

“Thanks for that.” I said to Pipsqueak. “I should be alright. You don‘t look too worse for wear, how is Miss Belle?”

“I’m fine.” she responded. “I think you received the worst of it.” She was probably right. Unless she had taken her own dose of the magic potion, she didn’t seem be hurt in anyway. Satisfied, I turned my attention back to Pipsqueak to discuss the current situation.

“Pip’, what the hay happened?”

“You were still awake when we were attacked by the sniper, right?” he asked sarcastically. I rolled my eyes and nodded ‘yes.’ “Ok, so after we crashed you were flung from the chariot and knocked yourself unconscious. After that I pulled Belle from the wreckage and made sure she was alright. I looked for Featherweight for a minute or two, but then remember he got detached from the vehicle. So he is either still flying around up above this fog, or he got shot and is lying dead in a pool of his own blood somewhere. I heard somepony shooting a gun  off in the distance so I took a quick walk around the surrounding area to make sure our attacker wasn’t near. I just returned as Belle was waking you up.”

“So, we’re safe?” I asked.

“Far as I can tell were out of harms way for now. With the fog as thick as it is, I cant imagine our exact crash site would be easy to find. No doubt the assassin is looking for us, but they’d have to hoof it a long way to even get close to us.”

“Ok, that’s reassuring.” I interjected. “But what are we going to do about the mission? Should we go back to Manehattan for help, or do we keep going?” Though the choices seemed simple, the decision was quite hard. If we turned back to Manehattan we ran the risk of crossing paths with our assassin on the way there. Also, we would be returning to the very place we had left due to the threat of bombs and increased violence in the streets. If we continued on to Ponyville we would have to travel through the Everfree Forest by hoof with what little supplies we had. Neither option was very appealing.

“Well, what if we contacted Applejacks escort with a walkie-talkie or something like that. Couldn’t we just tell them our position and have them pick us up?” asked Sweetie Belle. It was good to see her getting invested in the situation. That’s what made it hard to shoot down her idea.

“It wouldn’t work. Even if we did manage to make contact with them, they couldn’t turn around. No matter how much Applejack orders Rumble and Pound to do it, they wont listen. Once an order is given it is followed to the letter. Under oath of the royal sisters I ordered them to fly to Ponyville without stopping for anything, and by Celestia that’s what they’ll do.” I ended my small speech with a dramatic stomp of my hoof. I prayed that the two pegasae would listen to what I said and not turn back for us, for Applejacks sake.

“So what’ll we do?” asked Pipsqueak. “Should we let Sweetie Belle decide? It does concern her life after all.” I wanted to say no. I knew Sweetie Belle very well, but I wasn’t sure if she would make the right choice. Not only was she scared, but she was confused. All of us were. We were all lost in tangible fog of bewilderment and discomfort. Before I could interject, Sweetie Belle gave us an answer.

“We keep going.” she said. Fear dripping from her voice like poison. “I’ve been in the Everfree Forest enough times to know about some of the nasty tricks it has to offer. Besides, we’re closer to Ponyville than we are to Manehattan. It would be silly to turn back now.” I was thankful for her response. I would’ve chosen to do the same thing.

“Fair enough, lets gather what supplies we have and move out.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________

By the time we reached the Everfree forest, the sun had already climbed to the top of the sky. My pocket watch was broken, so I had no way of telling what the exact time was. If I had to take a guess, I would say it was just about to turn eleven o’clock. We had made better time than I had hoped, and in addition to that, we hadn’t had anymore run ins with our homicidal pursuer. The odds were definitely in our favor. When we entered the forest, however, all delusions of luck vanished like dust in the wind. There was no path for us to follow. We were forced to rely on our instinct and Miss Belle’s faint memory of the place to guide us. It wasn’t much to go off of.

“Are you certain that this is the right way?” asked Pipsqueak. “I swear we passed that same weeping willow three times. If you ask me, we’re walking in circles.” Sweetie Belled let out an exasperated sigh at the security officers insistent remarks.

“To be honest, chief, I’m not sure where we are going. I Haven’t been in this forest since I was a little filly. Decades of absence tend to addle memories.” They had been going back and forth like this ever since we entered the forest. As a loyal companion to Miss Belle, I trusted that she would be able to guide us through the wilderness. But I wasn’t a stallion who would follow something through blind faith, and I started to agree with Pipsqueak’s incessant arguments. If anything, he was right about us repeating our hoof steps. Suddenly, I got an idea that could possibly solve our predicament.

“Does anypony have a needle?” I asked. “preferably one that’s magnetic.”

“What do you plan on doing? You gonna stitch us a map?” joked Pipsqueak as he opened up our supply bag and began to rummage through it.

“Here!” exclaimed Sweetie Belle as she pulled a tiny needle from her handbag. She levitated it over to me, and I gingerly plucked it from her telekinetic grasp with my teeth.

“Erkay, ‘ow we ‘eed  some wa’r a’ somefing ‘o ‘old it in.” I mumbled through clenched teeth. Though my sentence was first met with the confused looks of my companions, they soon understood what I had said and placed a water canteen at my hooves.

“We don’t have any cups or bowls if that’s what you’re looking for, but maybe there’s something around here that we could use.” offered Pipsqueak. I searched around for a place where I could empty the water into so that it would remain calm. Finally, my eyes settled on a decaying tree stump. It was blackened from age and elemental abuse. The bark had all fallen off long ago, and the wood was weak enough to chip away at with my bare hooves. It was perfect.

“ ‘us a knif ‘u ‘ollow ‘is out.” I commanded, pointing to the decomposing remains of the tree. Immediately, Pipsqueak set to work carving out a tiny bit of the rotting wood from the base of the stump. Once it was about four inches deep and six inches wide I motioned for him to stop cutting, and to pour the water from the canteen into the makeshift bowl.

“You sure that’s a good idea? We only have two other canteens, and a long way to go to get to Ponyville. There’s no guarantee that we’ll be able to refill it.” I rolled my eyes and motioned for him to pour it anyways. I would have told him that we could empty the water back into the drinking flask when we were done, but I was tired of trying to communicate without skewering my tongue on the pointy metal needle.

After the water had been poured into the hollowed stump I carefully placed the needle onto the surface of the liquid. Thankfully, it floated. The needle spun around for a moment before straightening itself out.

“There we go!” I exclaimed joyfully. “We’ve found north and south!” the confused looks of Sweetie Belle and Pipsqueak weren’t reassuring. “There’s a magnetic force located at the north and south poles.” I explained. “Since this needle is magnetic, it has an attraction to those two points. This causes the tips of the needle to point north and south. It’s something like that, I’m not entirely sure.”

“But how do we tell the difference between north and south, I don’t suppose the tiny end points north and the eye points south?” Sweetie Belle had asked an fair question. One which I had no answer to. I wasn’t sure how to tell which end pointed where, but I knew how to figure that out a different way.

“Ok, we know that north and south face these directions.” I said pointing to the straight needle. “Now we just have to figure out which direction is which.” I looked up at the trees that stretched far above me, but my vision was to weak to see very far up the trunk. “Miss Belle, I cant see very well without my glasses. Would you be so kind as to examine both sides of this tree and tell me which side has more branches on it?” again, I was met with a befuddled gaze, but she did as I said and examined both sides of the trees.

“This side looks a little less full compared to the other.” she said, pointing to the further side of the timber.

“Alright, trees tend to have more branches on the side facing south. So that means north goes to the right of this tree, and south goes to the left of it! And if we were traveling west from Manehattan to Ponyville, that means we have to travel in.” I paused for dramatic effect. “That direction!” I exclaimed, pointing straight ahead of us.

“How in Equestria do you know all this? I thought you were just Belle’s secretary.” asked Pipsqueak, his facial expression clearly portraying his bewilderment.

“I used to be a colt scout. They teach you stuff like this.” Never before did I think the things I learned during my scouting days would come in handy. Now that they had, I was thankful that my father had forced me to sign up. I took a moment to scoop the water from the stump back into my canteen. I wasn’t much, but it was still something to keep me going. Soon enough, we had packed up all our equipment and continued towards our destination.

“Nice work Buffalo Bill.” commended Sweetie Belle. She shot me a wink and a smile before pushing slightly ahead of me. It was good to see her mood improving, even if it was just a little. I felt the muscles around my mouth spasm as they tried to form a smile.

“Not yet,” I thought to myself. “Perhaps when we’re safe, I’ll have time to be glad.”

It may have been my imagination, but as soon as we found our way the forest seemed to thin out a bit. We were all tired from the hours of walking, climbing, and crawling that we had to undergo to reach our destination. Thankfully, the discovery of an old ,worn path lightened our moods.

It felt like the outside world around us had simply stopped. There were no megaspell bombs, no zebra assassins, no war. Everything outside the Everfree forest ceased to be, and all that remained was the three of us strolling down a dusty road humming tunes in perfect harmony. I remembered the world being like this before all the violence started, it made me happy. At the same time I felt sad, knowing that Equestria would never be like that again. Ponykind had gone too far this time, and the limits of our tolerance and humanity had been stretched far beyond the breaking point. Realizing I wouldn’t have many more moments like this one, I decided to get the most of it while I could.

“So, what’s Ponyville like? I’ve heard its pretty peaceful compared to cities like Fillydelphia and Cloudsdale.” I asked the other two members of my group.

“Well, you heard wrong.” laughed Sweetie Belle. “Ponyville is anything, but quiet. Remember all those stories I told you about the dragon attacks and monster invasions ?” I nodded my head. “They’re all true.” I did a double take before responding.

“Bollocks! There is no way in Tartarus that the things in those stories really happened. Am I supposed to believe that Ponyville was attacked by an Ursa Minor, infested by an army of Parasprites, and demolished by the librarians pet dragon? Pip, please tell me this isn’t true.” the security officer simply smiled and continued to look forward.

“That’s just perfect. Taking you to Ponyville was meant to keep you safe, and now your telling me that it was assaulted and destroyed several times during your childhood alone?” I felt like I was going to die of amusement. “Now I’m starting to believe that staying in Manehattan was a better idea.” Sweetie Belle just rolled her eyes.

“Don’t tempt me, Ivory. I want to be at my home in the city just as much as you did.” I wasn’t sure if I agreed with her. Though I loved my quaint apartment, I was quite eager to experience life closer to the countryside. Or at least as close to the country as you could get in this forced industrial revolution. Most every inch of land had been swallowed up by the increase in technology and production. It was another prime example of Ponykind’s  lacking thought process. We had swept through this once beautiful land and twisted it into a hideous scar made of manufacturing and engineering. We had created everything from vehicles to robots, weapons to textile mills, computers to….traps?

Suddenly, a course rope squeezed tight around my leg. My hooves were pulled out from under me and I was carried upwards till I hung upside-down, my head at least two meters above the ground. I couldn’t think of anything to say or do, my mind was still trying to comprehend what had just happened. By the time I realized what was going on, it was too late. Several masked ponies had moved out of the foliage and were pointing zebra assault rifles at my group from every angle.

“I had hoped to capture the Stable-Tec Mare” chimed the rhythmic voice of a female zebra. “Instead, I find a stallion in my snare.” The speaker came forward amongst the back of the crowd of anonymous foes. She was a tall Zebra, wearing some kind of leather armor that had seen many years of abuse. Her mane had been styled to resemble black and white spikes, her tail bore the same style. She approached me and looked me in the face. Unlike the propaganda posters that depicted all zebras as red eyed monsters , her irises shone an icy blue. They would’ve been pleasant to look at if the rest of the face wasn’t mocking me. After silently jeering at me for a moment longer, she turned her attention to the two ponies who stood behind me. Damn it! why didn’t they run? “Regardless, it would seem that we still found our prize. I never forget a face, mane, or eyes.”

“Stay back!” shouted Pipsqueak as he drew his weapon. The sound of a dozen assault rifles chambering rounds froze him in place.

“Not another move pal! I wont hesitate to turn your head inside out.” growled the gunpony closest to him. Pipsqueak looked at me with an expression that begged for help. I didn’t know why he was asking me for advice. He was the security officer after all, not me.

“Quit looking at ‘im.” commanded another one of the goons. His order was followed up with a violent blow to Pipsqueak’s head with the butt of his rifle. The pistol fell from the security pony’s mouth as he collapsed to the ground.

“Don’t touch him you bender!” I shouted in anger.

“My, my, don’t we have an angry one.,” teased the zebra. “be a dear and shut up, we’ve already won!” her final rhyme ended with a violent buck to my face, and I was knocked unconscious again.

Chapter 3

Lights!

Again, the brilliance of Las Pegasus filled me with a rush of pure excitement. By using Sweetie Belle’s method of ‘counting cards’ I had managed to win all my money back. I had gotten a little cocky. Going on to win several more rounds of blackjack, doubling my earnings. I would’ve kept on playing, but Miss Belle pulled me away. She had mentioned something about ponies in suits giving us suspicious glares, and that was a sign for us to stop.

Now, we sat inside a large nightclub. Music blared from massive speakers that dotted the walls and floor panels. In addition to that, there were enough flashing lights and neon lamps to give a blind pony a seizure. It was THAT bad. I hadn’t been to keen on coming to this place, but Miss Belle had insisted. She had told me it would be fun. Since she had been right about the blackjack tables, I trusted that she would also be right about the club. To put it lightly, I was wrong.

There was a reason I had never been to a club in my life before tonight. It wasn’t because of the music I hated, the alcoholic drinks I despised, or the obnoxious lights I loathed. No, I hated the ponies. Though the institution as a whole was something I disliked, it was the ponies that were part of it that sent me over the edge. With a blatant disregard for decency and dignity, the ponies who went to nightclubs were the most obnoxious individuals I had ever met. They’d spend half the night killing precious brain cells with booze or drugs. Then they’d screw each other for the other half. It didn’t even matter where! I had once passed a club in Manehattan on my way home from work one night and saw two ponies doing it in the street! The Street! They had no shame, no decorum, and no respect for those around them.

“Having a good time?” asked Sweetie Belle

“Of course I am! Why wouldn’t I be?” I fibbed. Miss Belle let out a dejected sigh.

“There you go, lying to me again. How stupid do you honestly think I am?”

Celestia Efing darn it!

“How can you tell? Your not reading my mind with magic are you?” she giggled, hiding her grin with her hoof.

“You have a give away, something in the way you move that lets me know you’re not being truthful. Oh, and before you ask, I’m not going to tell you what it is. If I do, then you’ll stop doing it.” I was annoyed at the fact that Miss Belle had found a way to see through me, but at the same time I felt rather glad. Just seeing her as she was, giddy as a school filly, made my stomach do a summersault. It had been a long time since I had seen her this happy. Come to think of it, I’d never seen her this happy. Must’ve been that New Pegasus charm everypony talked about.

“Are you sure you wont tell me what my give away is?” I asked in my politest voice. She thought for a moment before answering.

“I’ll tell you….”

Thank Celestia

“…If you tell me how to make you happy.”

You gotta be kidding me!

I didn’t want to hinder Sweetie Belle’s good time. I wanted nothing more than to leave the club, but if I did she would follow. For some reason she was dead set on making me enjoy myself. Perhaps she thought of this as a way of thanking me for being a good employee? Must’ve been something like that. Regardless, my idea of a ‘good time’ would probably bore her to death. I was the type of guy who liked reading, writing, listening to old music, stuff like tha-…..

…

…music…

I had just figured out a way for everypony to get what they wanted.

“Well,” I started. “it’s not that I’m not having a good time. I mean look at this place, its like candy to my eye.” I suppressed a gag. “you got ponies to talk to, booze to drink, space to dance….” I trailed off a bit at the end. Sweetie Belle was giving me a look like she didn’t completely believe me. “The only problem is the music.” I finished quickly.

“The music?” she echoed.

“Yeah, It…. It sounds decent. I just think it lacks…uh.... Energy! Yeah, that’s the word, energy!” Sweetie Belle glanced over the crowd of ponies who occupied the dance floor. Again, she turned to me and fixed me with a gaze that screamed ‘really?’

“Seems like every other pony in here thinks it’s ‘energizing.’ Just look at them out there, they’re practically going wild.” I had to admit, the ponies did look like they were thrilled. They swayed violently, and threw themselves around to the rhythm of the music. To put it poetically, the music was ‘flowing’ through them. If, of course, the music was flowing with the fury of a raging typhoon.

“Yeah….well…what do they know? They wouldn’t know good music if it bit them in the arse.” I didn’t have to worry about  giving myself away that time, I was being completely honest. “I’m sure somepony like you could introduce them to some real musical talent.”

“You want me to sing for them?” she asked. Almost like it was the stupidest thing she had ever heard. Luckily, I could tell she was starting to give in. Her facial features were softening as was her tone. She was actually believing every word I said! I felt a pang of guilt for being so manipulative. I quickly shut that feeling up. If Miss Belle wanted me to have a good time, I felt this was the only way I could have one.

“Sure. I’m certain the crowd would love a live performance, and what band wouldn’t want to perform with the infamous Sweetie Belle? Not to mention, it would help me enjoy myself a bit.”

“Eh, what the heck.” sighed Sweetie Belle. “If that’s what it takes, then I’ll do it.” Success! She would be able to stay at the club, I would get to listen to a song specially performed for me, and the crowd was treated to a surprise show. Things looked like they were going to turn out alright for everypony.

I exited my seat at the back of the establishment and waded my way through the crowd of raving ponies to the edge of the stage. Miss Belle had already stepped onto the scaffold, and was talking to the leader of the performing band. He nodded in response to whatever she had said, and told his fellow musicians to stop playing. The raving ponies quit dancing as soon as the music cut. There were a few discontent mumbles, but they were all silenced as the band started up again. This time their tune was much softer and more tame. Then Sweetie Belle took center stage, holding a microphone close to her lips in her telekinetic grasp. The guitarist, violinist, and several trumpeters began with a soothing melody that sent chills down my spine. I knew this song from a long time ago, and I was eager to hear it. The crowd turned silent as the night as Sweetie Belle began to sing.

“Nobody can tell you..

There’s only one song worth singing..

They may try and sell you..

‘Cause it hangs them up to see someone like you!”

I was in Heaven! Without a doubt, I had died and gone to Heaven. The lyrics were suave as silk, yet stronger than a hurricane.

“But you’ve gotta make your own kind of music!

Sing your own special song!

Make your own kind of music!

Even if nobody else sings along!”

My hoof tapped to the pace of the music. Keeping perfect tempo with the rest of the instruments. I almost felt like I was part of the song, doing my part to move it along.

“Your gonna be knowing…

The loneliest kind of lonely..

It may be rough going…

Just to do your thing’s the hardest things you do!”

My body began to sway back and fourth. The tune had completely taken me over, and now it bent me to its will.

“But you’ve gotta make your own kind of music!

Sing your own special song!

Make your own kind of music!

Even if nobody else sings along!”

“So if you cannot take my hand…

And if you must be going..

I will understand!!!”’

“But you’ve gotta make your own kind of music!

Sing your own special song!

Make your own kind of music!

Even if nobody else sings along!”

Everypony in the club sang the last four lines of the song in perfect unison, and I was proud to say that I sang with them.

“But you’ve gotta make your own kind of music!

Sing your own special song!

Make your own kind of music!

Even if nobody else sings along!

The crowd erupted into thunderous applause as the lovely melody came to an end. Hooves furiously clapped together  as Miss Belle took a bow. I Whistled to her and waved to show my appreciation for her performance.

“Encore! Encore!” the crowd shouted with glee. Apparently, they hadn’t liked the performance. They had loved it, and they wanted more. For once, I agreed with them. I definitely wanted to hear another song.

“Thank you very much everypony!” Cooed Sweetie Belle in her sweetest voice. “Unfortunately! I wont be performing another song for you fine folk.” several audible groans and boos were heard amongst the audience. I had to admit, I was disappointed too. “Instead, a personal acquaintance of mine will be singing for you. Ladies and gentle colts put you hooves together for my good  friend, Ivory!”

“Yea-. Wait, what? WHAT?” I looked at her, praying that this was some kind of joke. From the devious look in her eyes, I could tell it wasn’t. what on earth was she trying to do to me? Did she want me to relax, or have a heart attack? Was this supposed to be a reward, or punishment? I just didn’t get it.

“C’mon Ivory. Show these ponies what ‘real’ musical talent is.” Before I could protest I felt myself being lifted off the ground. My dignity melted away as I noticed that it was Miss Belle who was levitating me onto the stage. As soon as I was set down I made a move to exit the spotlight, only to find my path blocked by a bright blue magical force field. “I’m not letting you off this stage until you perform something for us.” jeered Sweetie Belle. “I suggest you start singing soon. Your viewers are growing restless.”

I stared wide eyed at the massive crowd of ponies that stood in front of the stage. There looks were a mix of annoyance and anticipation. To them it didn’t matter who sang, they just wanted a show. I was afraid of what they would do to me if I didn’t meet their expectations. They were filled with mind numbing alcohol and rage inducing drugs. My imagination ran wild with all the horrible things an angry mob of drunk equines could do to a lanky fellow like myself.

“Better get this done and over with…” I mumbled to nopony in particular. “What am I singing, exactly?”

“It’s a song you probably know, probably.” Chimed Miss Belle. “Just relax, you’ll do fine…. Should I call an ambulance just in case you mess up?” Relax, she wants me to relax? wasn’t that how I got into this predicament in the first place? Because she wanted me to relax?!

No…..no that wasn’t why. She had wanted us to have fun together and I’d been a complete spoil sport. I guess this is what I got for being such a Debbie-Downer. When the music started it felt like a hundred pounds had just been lifted off my shoulders. I was familiar with the catchy guitar chords, tambourine beat, and piano keys. My familiarity with the song would surely help me cope with this little slice of Tartarus.

“Once Upon a time you dressed so fine.

Threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn’t you?”

That’s two lines down, Celestia knows how many are left.

“people’d call, say ‘beware doll your bound to fall,’

You thought they were all kiddin’ you.

The looks I received from the audience told me I was doing good so far.

“You used to laugh about

Everybody that was hangin’ out

Now you don’t talk so loud

Now you don’t seem so proud

About having to be scrounging for your next meal!”

Suddenly, a strange feeling started down in my gut. It was warm and tingly, but not at all unpleasant. I wasn’t sure what it was at first, but as it spread throughout the rest of my body I started to get an idea of what it was.

“How does it feel?

How does it feel?

To be without a home?

Like a complete unknown?

Like a rolling Stone!?

The feeling was excitement! For the first time in a long time I was getting excited! All my worries vanished as i stood on that stage, singing my heart out. The song eventually ended, but the liveliness that had been released from within me remained. The applause from the audience only served to feed into the feeling. The sentiment was then amplified twice as much when I received a rib-crushing hug from Sweetie Belle.

“That was great!” she cheered as she squeezed me tighter. “I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“Really? I didn’t think my singing was THAT good…” I managed to wheeze from Miss Belle’s death grip. Her reply came in the form of a gentle whisper.

“It’s not that! Its just you, your really having fun!”

She spoke the truth. I really was having a great time. And, even if it was just for a brief moment, I smiled.

"By the way, your give away is your glasses. They fog up when you lie."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

I was rudely awoken by a splash of cold water to my face. My eyes shot open as reality came flooding back to me. It took me a moment to realize that I had been dreaming about the time I had spent in Las Pegasus. I wished that I was back on the strip. I had enjoyed myself so much when I visited there, despite the fact that it was hot, noisy, and full of thugs. Those things were bearable compared to my current situation. I would much rather deal with the blistering sun of the Neighvada Desert then be held hostage by a band of assassins.

I tried to get up and move, only to find my fore hooves tied behind my back. My attempt to lift myself off the ground with my wings was met with a similar result, as I found that they had also been bound together. I lifted my head from the dirt to get a better view of my surroundings, maybe I could find something to cut myself free.

I was still in the Everfree forest, I could tell by the dense amount of trees and lack of sunlight. Besides me being in a clearing, my specific location was unknown. There were three small tents set up around the edge of the defoliated area with a slightly larger tent set up in the center of them. I assumed the smaller canvases were for the regular soldiers while the bigger one was for the leader. Several heavily armed goons were positioned around the perimeter, two were watching me, and there were probably a few more skulking about. Their leader was nowhere to be seen, and neither was Sweetie Belle or Pipsqueak.

There wasn’t much clutter laying around the camp, so me options of escape were limited. The only sharp objects I could see were the knives strapped to the hips of my captors. There was no way I could get my hooves on one of those. My thought process was interrupted by the sound of a muffled scream coming from the central tent. It sounded like a stallion, perhaps it was Pipsqueak. If it was, then I prayed for his safety. Who knew what they were doing to him in there.

BANG!

I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of a gun going off. The loud noise was followed by a horrified scream, Sweetie Belle probably.

“Bring me the other captive!” shouted the familiar voice of the zebra. “Perhaps his pain will be more suasive.” Oh sweet Celestia, what was going on? Two ponies dressed in zebra military uniforms emerged from the tent and approached me. Without a word, they violently pulled my up and dragged me towards the large tent. I tried to break free of their grasp, but they were too strong. Upon entering the tent I was violently thrown to the floor. Before I could make a move to get up a strong hoof stepped onto my back, pinning me to the ground. Another hoof planted itself on the side of my face, smashing half my head into the dirt.

I observed the area the best I could with my one usable eye. The tent was illuminated by a large brazier that sat beneath the center of the canvas roof. Inside of it were several hot irons, I shuddered when I realized that they were probably going to be used on me. To the right of the steel fire place sat Sweetie Belle. Like me, her forelegs were bound behind her back. Her eyes were sore from the stinging tears that continued to run down her face. I was relieved to not see any physical abuse inflicted upon her, but that led me to ask myself what she was so broken up about. A glance to my left answered my question. The beaten corpse of Pipsqueak lay a meter away from me. Blood and gore oozed from dozens of grizzly cuts that covered his body. What was left of his head was a grizzly mess of skull fragments and grey matter. I realized that the gunshot I had heard a moment ago had probably caused this. I felt like I was going to vomit as my eyes stayed focused on the brutal mess that used to be a pony.

“listen well, Miss Belle.” spat the enraged zebra. “I am going to kill both you and your friend. If you tell me what I wish to know, you’ll both meet a painless end. If you  continue to be so persistent…” she slowly raised her hoof and then violently brought it down on my head. “Then I’ll murder your assistant!”

My vision swam as the force of the zebra’s hoof struck my face again. This time I heard a loud “CRUNCH” and felt two of my molars pop out of their places. My mouth instantly filled with blood and I struggled to not choke on it.

“Now tell me where the other Vault-Tec mares are!” she screamed. “don’t test my patience, it doesn’t go that far!” Sweetie Belle stared at me, mortified. Her gaze turned to the zebra, the expression she wore changed from horror to rage.

“Bite me!” she screeched. “I’d rather die than betray my friends. There’s nothing you can do to make me talk!” I was proud of Miss Belle for not giving in. Even with both of our lives on the line she remained loyal to her allies. That didn’t change the fact that I didn’t want to die. I was horrified to think that my life was about to end here, inside this dirty little tent pitched in the middle of nowhere. Luna above, don’t let this be the end. It couldn’t end here, it couldn’t! We were so close to getting to safety! The Zebra glared down at me, a homicidal fire burned in her eyes.

“So that’s how it will be. Listen to my words, Pegasus. The pain you feel is because of her, not me!” with that, she delivered another sharp blow to my face. I felt another tooth loosen, and the skin around my mouth tear open and bleed. My senses went wild. I could smell and taste every drop of blood I lost. I heard Sweetie Belle scream in protest for them to stop, to just kill us already and be done with it. My eyes shot from one thing in the room to the next, still looking for a something to use to escape. Worst of all, I felt pain from every blow inflicted upon my body.

I don’t know how long the torment lasted. Time held know meaning to me, I just kept my mind focused on keeping myself together. I stayed strong for Sweetie Belle’s sake. If I let them break me, Miss Belle may follow. I took advantage of what little respite it got. Every so often they would stop torturing me to question Sweetie Belle about the whereabouts of her fellow Stable-Tec founders. It would only last a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity to me. The relief from the pain was wonderful, and I fought hard to get back whatever strength I could.

“Do you know how long I’ve been hunting you, Sweetie Belle?” asked the Zebra. “I was dispatched decades ago to rid the world of you, and ever minute away from home has been hell! I want nothing more than to return to my home, but I can’t do that while you and your friends continue to roam. Tell me where they hide so I can leave Equestria and no longer bide.” Miss Belle said nothing, she just glared at the striped mare through tear soaked eyes. A moment of tense silence passed until one of the guards whispered something to the zebra.

“Kira, I don’t think she’s going to speak. Maybe we should just finish them off.” The zebra, who I now knew was named Kira, considered what her henchman had just said before responding.

“Your right, we’re wasting our time with her while we should be out searching for the other two mares. You can take the Pegasus outside and do what you like with him, just make sure its away from the campsite. I already made enough of a mess with the other stallion. Leave the unicorn to me, there’s still something I want to try on her.” The guard pony  nodded to Kira and then turned his attention to me. I could see him grin crookedly as he moved to drag me outside. I didn’t even care what he did to me anymore, I was just hoped my torment would end soon.

Before I was pulled out of the tent I glanced to Sweetie Belle. She was looking back at me with an expression that said ‘I’m so sorry, this is my fault.’ I wish I could’ve done something to tell her that it was ok, and that she shouldn’t blame herself. Unfortunately, I was just fighting to hold on for a moment longer. Simply breathing had become an arduous task. I just looked back into her eyes as I was heaved out into the open.

I was pulled away from the camp by two of Kira’s thugs. The one to my left chuckled to himself as he thought of all the things he could do to me. The other pony to my right was silent, he simply stared at me through the eye holes cut into his red ski mask. When we were about a hundred meters away from the campsite my captors propped me up against a dying tree.

“Oh, I’m going to have some fun with you.” mocked the first stallion. His companion still said nothing. All he did was move his eyes back and forth between me and his partner. “Lets start by ‘clipping’ those wings of yours.” I saw the evil buck pull his knife from it’s sheath. A single ray of sunlight penetrated the thick foliage of the forest and reflected off the blade. I knew this was going to hurt worse than anything Kira had already done to me. I clenched my jaw in anticipation of the pain, and waited for it happen.

But it never did.

I waited a moment before opening my eyes, and what I saw sent a wave of relief washing over my body. The corpse of the evil guard pony lay facedown on the ground, a short knife sticking out of the back of his neck. Standing over him was his partner, who looked a lot more familiar with his ski mask off.

“Featherweight!” I sighed. “How did you get here?” he smiled sheepishly before responding.

“After you crashed the chariot I was going to fly back to Manehattan for help, but I was spotted by the sniper and she tried to shoot me. I flew around, doing my best to avoid her shots, until I pinpointed her location. I got up really close to her and managed to take her out. After I had tied her up I used the scope on her rifle to search for your crash site. I eventually found it, but you had already left. I spent the next few hours trying to catch up with you, however, I lost your trail in the forest. I had almost found you, but then I saw you being carried off by the zebra and her ponies. I’ve been trying to break you and the others out since then.” I stared at him, my jaw hung open in amazement.

“How on earth did you manage to do that?” I asked. My mind tried to come up with some logical reason as to how Featherweight could have pulled all of that off. He was just a journalist after all.

“I’m a lot tougher then I look.” he admitted. “I’ve covered wars, you know.” I would’ve smiled, if it didn’t hurt to do so. Thankfully Featherweight had a healing potion with him. I greedily drank the mystical brew, sighing with content as I felt it work its magic. The swelling around my face subsided and the burns on my body cooled. Once I had finished half of the vial most everything was healed. Some of the cuts I had received were still open and bleeding slightly, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I had felt a second ago. Once I felt strong enough to stand, I handed the rest of the potion back to Featherweight.

“So what’s the plan? We need to get Sweetie Belle out of there, that zebra is planning on killing her!”

“It’s alright. I have a plan.” Reassured Featherweight. “It’s really simple. All I need is for you to cause a distraction while I sneak back into the camp and free Sweetie. I should be able to slip in and out easily since I have a uniform.” It wasn’t much of a plan, but it sounded like it would work. I would just have to cause enough of a commotion to draw everypony’s attention to me, and then find a way to escape and meet up with Miss Belle and Featherweight. It was very likely that I could die, but if it meant completing my mission I would do it.

“Ok, I’m down. Now tell me what you have in mind for a distraction.”