Chapters Chapter One
Deep within the state of Oregon lays a valley fairly untouched by the nuclear apocalypse of 2077. The valley may be untouched by the bombs but the horrors of the wastes have spread all across the valley. Slavers have taken over Portland turning into a smuggler’s wet dream. It is one of the largest market areas for slaves for markets in the East. The capital of the state however has fallen under the control of a group of Brotherhood of Steel trying to further their understanding of pre-war technology. Slowly actual settlements started to show up refugees from California and other areas. The state became what little of a haven as the state could become. The ground was fertile; people grew plants to keep themselves fed besides meat from bighorners. Towns from the old world have been sleeping only to be revived with the influx of settlers. The Valley seems like a paradise but death lies around every corner people die or are captured to be sold. Welcome to the Valley…
They always told him when you move into a new town its best to make friends…Well friends were something he wasn’t good at. The house he had bought from the town lied on the outskirts down a dirt path.
A few weeks after he moved in he scratched into his door a symbol long forgotten to all of the settlers in town. Many asked him what it was when they saw him at the bar in town. He would never answer just look at them and grunt. His hair was a salt and pepper share of colors. His face clean shaven, he told one of the townsfolk that beards got in the way of his drinks. The man had little of a life it seemed, but few actually knew what he did in his home. He was left alone to live as they do…in peace.
It was that time of year again…He thought to himself as he walked into the home of the town’s doctor. “Hey Gregory you home?” He shut the door behind him and heard Gregory get up from somewhere and walk into his entryway. “Oh. Hey Wilson you here for your check up?”
“Of course.”
“Come right in, just sit on the bed over there and we’ll get started.” Wilson walked into the room to his right and sat on the bed that was in the corner of the room near a desk and a vit-o-matic vigor tester. After about five minutes of the physical checkup he sits in his chair and reaches into his desk pulling out large white papers. “Come on Doc…I really have to have the psyche exam?”
“Yes its part of the check up.” He pulls the first one into my view. The ink blot makes little sense to Wilson’s mind but I come up with an answer, “An island.” He shows the next one.
“Fire.” The next and Wilson instantly blurt out.
“Unicorn.” He gives me an odd look and takes a look at the ink blot then sets it back down.
“Alright well I’ll have the results of all this tomorrow so come back then ok.” Wilson nods as he led Wilson out of his home. Wilson could feel an odd tension between him and Gregory but he put it aside till tomorrow. Once outside he started the walk to his house and passed through the town. It sat on two intersecting streets. He looked to the local bar and decided to stop in for a drink. When he opened the door the sound of music filled his ears. It was happy hour so Russell was playing a few old records he had. He stepped inside and let the door shut behind him as he entered the main room. A few of the patrons looked his way and quickly looked back to what they were doing or who they were talking to. He walked over to the bar and sat, “Hey Russell, get me a beer?” He turned and grabbed a bottle from the counter and placed it before Wilson opening his hand for the payment. Wilson fished into his pockets and pulled out eleven bottle caps and placed them in Russell’s hand. Wilson went to drinking his beer taking in the music. He watched as many of the patrons talked amongst each other while he sat alone. He heard a grunt and a door open he quickly looked over and saw Russell carrying a bag of feed down into his basement. He disregarded it and went back to nursing his drink, however when Russell came back in he looked back to see Russell holding the bag of feed it was open, he had pain on his face. It made Wilson wonder what the hell Russell was doing down there. He decided he would check it out after getting his results from Gregory.
He finished the beer leaving the bottle and walking out of the bar restarting the walk to his home on the edge of town. When he arrived at the door he quickly turned the knob and opened the door, the inside was mess scrap metal and random parts cover the floor. He slowly made his way across the room and sat at a small desk pulling out a few drawers from the lower part of the desk. In one was a device that looked like a pistol. He reached into the other pulling out a folded blueprint. He quickly unfolded it and laid it next to the pistol setting to work. He quickly grabbed some scrap metal and wire, soldering the pieces together into a small harness that had working iron sights. He attached the harness to the pistol and soldering the last few joints to the gun itself. He set the gun back into its drawer and replaced the blueprint. He grabbed a few extra bits of scrap and started to play around with it welding and tinkering, building sculptures and other random things for a few hours. He looked at the clock it was about nine thirty two, “Time for bed…” He muttered to himself as he stood from the chair and walked to the couch. He laid down got comfy and closed his eyes.
The next morning he woke up around nine twenty and made himself some breakfast. He quickly ate and headed to Gregory’s for his results. Like he actually gave a shit he thought to himself the whole way. When he finally arrived he opened the door knocking as he did so, “Hey Gregory!? I’m here for my results!” He called into the home. “Ah! I’ll be right there! Just find a seat in the front room would you.” Wilson walked into the room farther down the hall, two chairs sat off to the side of a table with a couch in the front facing a fireplace. He sat on the couch and waited for Gregory who came in holding a manila folder. He opened the folder to a bookmark, “Here are yesterday’s results.” He set the folder before Wilson who read the few pages quietly, suddenly a paragraph about his emotional health made him glare at Gregory, “You find me anti-social?”
“Of course…You don’t have any friends you sit around in your house all day except when you’re drinking at the bar and even then you keep to yourself. No one should ever be alone it’s not good for the state of mind.”
“Now you’ve intrigued me. How does it affect my state of mind?”
“You become too objective you don’t have sympathy nor empathy. You just think for yourself and yourself alone.” Wilson grunted and stood.
“Well I think that’s enough for the day I need to get back to my work.” Wilson left the home shutting the door quietly. Gregory sat down on the couch and retrieved a tape recorder from his pocket hitting the record button, “Continuing of the dictation of Wilson’s medical file…Wilson’s scores on the Vit-O-Matic vigor tester were nothing beyond average except in one field. His scores were: Strength a score of five. Average, Perception was a score of eight. Above average this is the abnormal score I referred to earlier, Endurance a score of six. Fairly average, Charisma a score of four. Why did that not surprise me? Either way may be a factor in his asocial tendencies. Intelligence had a score of seven. Above norm not a genius but he knows what the hell he’s doing. Agility was a score of five. Average all in all. Finally Luck was at a score of five. Toss of a coin anyone?”
Meanwhile Wilson was sitting outside of Russell’s bar at the outside cellar door picking the lock. Nobody walked down the alley way so he didn’t have too much fear of getting caught and he could easily roll it off as he dropped something and it rolled over near the door. He was twisting a bobby pin when he heard a faint snap. Damn he pulled the broken bobby pin out and inserted a new one. He twisted the screwdriver when he believed he had the right spot. Click…He was in. He stepped inside and shut the door as quietly as possible. He was in a stairwell; he crept along the right wall making sure his steps didn’t cause the wood to creak. When he made it to the last step he set his foot onto the concrete but stopped, he brought his hand up and it hit a wire. It was strung at about thigh level if he was standing. He looked for what it was strung to and wondered why the hell he would need something like this? A few pans were hanging from the ceiling by the wire. He slipped underneath and stood once through. He looked around looking for anything suspicious the beams of light coming from the windows offered no help. He ran into a shelf causing a slight sound. He froze waiting for the door from the inside of the bar to open. It didn’t, thank god. He heard a small amount of shuffling behind and he spun on his heels. A few feet away was a cyan pony. “What the hell?” The pony quickly backed away Wilson stepped forward and clicked his tongue, “It’s ok I’m not going to hurt you…” The coloration of the pony didn’t really stir him any animal not having a mutation was more legend than fact.
It backed into a side room and Wilson entered his eyes went wide when he saw the rooms contents. Slaver cages and tools were all over the walls a desk sat in the back. “Oh fuck…” Suddenly he was hit from behind. He impacted with the ground his vision blurry and going dark. Russell entered what was left of his view, “I knew it was a matter of time till one of you townsfolk came in here…But you? I never expected that.” He turned to the pony smacking it with his palm. Wilson heard the pony whimper and his vision finally went black.
Wilson’s face twitched, he tasted blood. He felt his head and it was slick. He quickly started to cough as he inhaled smoke. His eyes burst open when he figured out the smoke. The basement was on fire, the pony was laying unconscious a few feet from him. He quickly stumbled over his vision blurry from the tears of his stinging eyes; he picks up the pony and turns towards the door slowly making his way over. He exits the back room and the floor above him collapses. He jumps back dodging the burning beams. He takes a few steps back and runs forward, jumping over the burning beams but his leg catches one. He falls forward the pony keeps going forward and falling to the floor, but Wilson crashes into the burning wood. He catches himself on a beam his hands burn, grunting through the pain he scoops up the pony and runs up the stairs. Pushing through the cellar doors he is greeted by the sun and a small crowd of people staring at the burning bar. He moves towards them but his body gives way and he hits the dirt falling unconscious once again.
Wilson’s face twitched and his eyes cracked open. He slowly sat up and looked around; he was in Gregory’s home. “Gregory?” His voice was rasp and he coughed as he called for Gregory. Gregory leaned his head into the room, “Ah your awake…You may want to get up and look at this.” Wilson tossed the blankets covering him to the foot end of the bed. “What is it that I need to see?”
“Just get up and come see this.” Wilson slid his legs off the bed and stood.
“Alright…I’m coming.” He felt his hands they were covered in bandages. He looked at them with slight confusion then remembered what happened. He followed Gregory into the front room where the pony was laying on the couch asleep.
“Come here and look at this.” Wilson stepped next to Gregory and saw what he was referring to. “Are those…wings?”
“Yes. This is a pegasus.”
“Bullshit…Pegasi are just fairytales!”
“Then how is one in front of you right now!?” The elevated volume must have woken the pony because Wilson heard a gasp from below him. He looked down, into a pair of magenta eyes. The pony shook its head as if it couldn’t believe what it was seeing. Soot and dust was kicked up from this motion revealing a very odd hair color. “Its hair color is a rainbow?”
“I find it kind of heartwarming.” Wilson shot a look to Gregory.
“Really? It’s a pony with wings and a rainbow colored mane. It’s just a mutant from the radiation nothing more nothing less.”
A small voice that seemed fearful but brave all in the same context shook Wilson. “I’m not a mutant…” He looked back to the pony, “Um…What?” The voice was feminine but was definitely a tom boyish voice.
“I said I’m not a mutant.” The pony repeated.
“Did that pony just talk or did I hit my head in that basement as well?” He looked to Gregory whose face was stuck between awe and curiosity and throw a bit of fear in there as well. Wilson looked back to the pony and sighed, “Fucking Wasteland first you give us mutant cross breeds now talking ponies! What’s next fucking dragons!?”
“Umm…What’s the Wasteland?” The pony’s question shocked Wilson.
“You don’t know what the Wasteland is even though you’ve lived here since you were born?”
“Well I don’t live here I woke up and I was pony napped by that man that knocked you out.”
“Wait so you’re saying…Wait did you just say ‘pony napped’?”
“Yes why?”
“It’s just…Uh nevermind so you’re saying you’re an alien?”
“I guess I really don’t know what—.”
“That’s fucking insane! What the hell is wrong with the Wasteland!?”
“Wilson calm down. The fact that this pony is an alien is nothing we need to worry about.”
“Yes it is! She’s an alien Gregory! Do you know what a lot of people would do not to mention the fucking Brotherhood!?”
“No I don’t nor do I want to know but maybe we should show some courtesy—”
“Why this pony is a fucking alien! Not a human just some sentient pony. I don’t need to care for it!” The pony cut in at this point.
“The two of you shut up!” The two humans stopped bickering and looked to the pony. “For one my name is Rainbow Dash and I would like to be called as such. For two you,” she pointed to Wilson, “you need to not be such an asshole! I may be a pony but I can kick your ass right—” She brought her wings out and immediately screamed. Gregory quickly kneeled down next to her and felt the wings. “They’re broken you won’t be flying anytime soon.” She was still whimpering from the pain,
“Hang on I’ll get some Med-X I’ll be right back.”
“Gregory I don’t think it’s best to give her Med-X either way she should just buck up.” She laughed sarcastically, “This hurts like hell. I don’t see a scratch on you.” Wilson held his hands up, “I did get burned trying to save you.”
“Oooh you got burned on your hooves!” She said in a mock voice.
“Err…Its hands not hooves.” He wiggled his fingers stifling a small bit of laughter.
“Shut up! You’re an egghead!”
“Pfft…That’s totally insulting…I’m done with you I have to get back to my house.” At this point Gregory walked in.
“Yeah you aren’t going back to your house.”
“Why?”
“Russell burnt it to the ground…” Wilson’s hand twitched slightly and he punched the wall. “God dammit!” Wilson stormed out of the house. He headed to the burnt shell of his home, black beams of wood were still standing but everything was gone. He looked around for a few moments and found what he was looking for. A rock with a small in graving on the side was sitting in the exact spot he left it when he first moved into the home some months ago. He moved it to the side and started to dig into the dirt with his hands. When his hands came in contact with a wooden box he grabbed hold pulling it out and opening it. Inside was a small bag of caps that jingled as he retrieved the bag. The next item was a gun, a forty-five caliber semi-auto pistol; it sat in a holster which he wrapped around his waist. At the bottom of the box was a bound clothing piece a large trench coat to be exact. He undid the twine and slipped his arms quickly into the sleeves. The coat still smelt of burnt air…I thought the past would have been buried once I moved here…He turned and walked back into town to but supplies with the stash of caps, a crimson valkyrie emblazoned on his back. After buying a pack, some food, and some water he headed back to Gregory’s to say goodbye. He opened the door knocking on it as he did so. “Hey Gregory?” Wilson walked into the front room where he stormed out. Rainbow Dash was still on the couch. She turned to look at him as he entered, “Oh…It’s you.”
“Yeah it’s me where’s Gregory?”
“He’s busy…”
“That’s not a good answer I just need to say goodbye.”
“Why? You leaving?” Rainbow Dash grunted.
“Yes I’m going after Russell…” She froze.
“You’re going after him?”
“Yes. He burnt my house down and he imprisoned you in his basement. Also that sick fuck might be the reason why people have been going missing lately.”
“What?” Wilson sighed. He never liked explaining things especially things like this.
“Russell is a slaver. Slavers take people and turn them to slaves hence the name. People have been disappearing for the past month. I took notice but I never thought it would be him.” Gregory walked into the room, “Oh. Hello Wilson.”
“Hey Gregory. I’m just here real quick to say goodbye.”
“What for?”
“I’m heading to Portland to capture Russell and take him to Salem.” Gregory nodded.
“Can I go with you?” Wilson turned to Rainbow Dash who was standing directly behind him.
“You want to go?”
“Yes…I don’t want to sit around all day!” Wilson nodded and she smiled. Wilson looked to Gregory and frowned, “This is going to be hard I’ll just drop her off at Salem. I can’t take her to Portland.” Gregory nodded.
Wilson walked out of the room and into the entryway. Gregory smiled and looked to Rainbow Dash, “I know he doesn’t seem much but just give him time. You’ve already talked to him more than most people.”
“What do you mean?” She cocked her head quizzically.
“Wilson,” he jerks his head in the direction of the man, “He’s not a person for friends.”
She grunts and starts to laugh as she leaves the room. She left Gregory wondering what the hell she was laughing at. She looked to Wilson who was waiting at the door. “You ready to go?” She asked him. He smiled and opened the door.
Chapter Two
Light shined into Rainbow Dash’s eyes as Wilson opened the door. Wilson stepped out, followed by Rainbow Dash. “You think you can run? We only have a few hours till nightfall and I want to get as far as possible.” Rainbow Dash stretched one of her legs. “I can run…” There was a hint of challenge in her voice, and Wilson smirked. “Alright…Follow me!” He took off; Rainbow Dash quickly caught up with him and passed him. She looked back and stuck her tongue out at him. Wilson called on a reserve of energy and shot forward coming alongside Rainbow Dash. They ran neck and neck for a few moments till Rainbow Dash slowed she was getting tired and Wilson took this as his chance. He continued to run over a small hill out of Rainbow Dash’s eye sight. She stopped completely out of breath; she sat for a moment breathing quickly. She slowly walked over the hill and saw Wilson sitting on the ground a few feet ahead. When she walked up a look of defeat on her face, he smiled. “I hope you know that I’m not taking you all the way to Portland with me.”
“What? Then why are you—“
“I’m taking you with me so I can get you to Salem…If anywhere is safe it would be Salem. The people there can take care of you. Well at least I hope.”
“You hope?”
“I’ll have to explain some things…” He stood up and they continued down the road.
After a few hours of walking they came alongside a rocky outcropping, “Alright we’ll make camp here for the night.” He started to climb onto the rocks searching for a covered area or a small cave. She stood watching the sun set. The sun looked so bleak just like the world before here. None of this made sense to either of them for different reasons of course but that didn’t matter. Once Wilson got camp set up well what he called a camp, a fire and a sleeping bag. “You think you could tell me how you got here?”
“Yeah I guess I should…My friend Twilight found a spell in one of her books saying it could open a portal or something eggheady like that. She tried it at first nothing happened but then there was a really bright flash of light and then a portal came up out of the ground. It started to glow and then started sucking everything in…Twilight tried to stop it and I tried to get away but I was too late. I got sucked in and woke up in that basement.”
“Well that’s little short of a fairytale itself, I mean magic? Hah! That’s all just old lies and stories that mothers tell to their kids.”
“Then how else do you explain how I got here?” He opened his mouth but quickly shut it in thought. He proceeded to do this a few times then finally came up with an answer, “Ok you got me on that one. I really don’t have an idea and yours seems to the best of any. It’s just I don’t have too many beliefs anymore.”
“Why not?”
“Nothing is sacred in the Wasteland Rainbow Dash nothing is. What I used to do is nothing short of a dark hero. I’ve killed people to save the innocent or at least what I thought were the innocent.” She gasped slightly at the word kill but was genuinely interested in his story and stayed quiet, “I moved to that town to get away from it all. I made one too many mistakes, I ended up killing people who were the innocent. I executed them for the love of god…I slit their throats with a knife…” His face never changed the entire time but Rainbow Dash was taken aback. Wilson just seemed like a man that wanted to be alone, but now what does she think of him? He tried to help people but he killed people to do it. Her mind was racing as she tried to come up with something to say to break the silence that had erupted from his last words. They just sat in silence for a few minutes, till Wilson opened his mouth again.
“It’s ok…I know you’re trying to find something to say but don’t. You’re the only other living pers…being I’ve told about this. How bout’ we try to get some sleep I want to get moving tomorrow we should be able to make it to Silverton in at least three days.” He took off the coat and tossed it to Rainbow Dash. “Use that to keep warm. Doesn’t seem cold now but trust me it gets cold at night around here.” He crawled into his sleeping bag and slowly dozed off. Rainbow Dash tossed the coat over her body and huddled near the fire, she used the two sleeves to make a sort of pillow for her head. She sat and watched the fire…slowly her eyes fell and she went into the embrace of slumber. Wilson rolled over after five minutes of trying to sleep. Why couldn’t he sleep he never had this problem before. He propped himself on his arm and looked around Rainbow Dash was lying next to the fire asleep. Good at least she can sleep…Nothing was out of place, nothing was bothering him about the surroundings…Then why the hell couldn’t he fall asleep?
The next morning came and Wilson was sitting up on the rocks above their camp. Watching as the world woke, the mole rats waking their younglings, the coyotes going out to teach their younglings to hunt. What the hell? Why are there so many children!? He shook his head quickly and slapped himself. Keep it together Wilson once you finish this you can end it all. He heard footsteps well hoofsteps behind him and he turned, “”Morning Rainbow Dash how’d you sleep?”
“I slept fine…” She stretched her forelegs out and tilted her head cracking her neck. “So we gonna get going?”
“Yeah we will Rainbow Dash just let me get my coat…” She tossed it to him along with his pack. “Thanks.” She nodded and Wilson quickly put on the coat and grabbed his pack. He was starting to like this…Friends he had those once…Once…Maybe he could have one that didn’t end like the others?
Walking for hours the two talked, Rainbow Dash tried to pry a little more information out of Wilson about his old days but he always just changed the subject or stayed silent. But Wilson on the other hand got a lot of info about where Rainbow Dash came from and other info. “You do sound like a very loyal pony.”
“I am.” She had her chest puffed when she ran into the back of Wilson. “Hey why did you stop?” A howl pierced her ears and caused her blood to freeze. Wilson’s hand went to the pistol at his hip. “Rainbow Dash stay close…” He slowly started to move forward bringing the gun out of its holster. He looked back and forth with his eyes waiting for any movement. He heard rustling from his left and he quickly turned when he was tackled from behind. As he fell the gun was knocked from his hand and he hit the dirt. Rainbow Dash was shocked but made herself move bucking the coyote off of Wilson’s back before it could take a chunk out of his neck. He scrambled for the gun as he recovered from the tackle getting a grip of it he brought it up and fired the shell of the forty-five round hitting the ground with a small pomf…The coyote’s head had a rather large hole in it gray matter and flesh was spread around the ground near its body. He quickly turned around at the sound of more rustlings as coyotes came out of the bushes surrounding him and Rainbow Dash. He quickly fired at them taking multiple down with well placed shots either to the head or to the heart or other vital organ. Soon the gun went click and he hit the mag-release. He reached into his pocket gripping a fresh magazine when he heard a scream from behind him. A coyote was on top of Rainbow Dash snarling trying to get a bite of her flesh. Another coyote came out of the bushes next to him, not enough time have to make a choice. He brought the mag into the gun and pulled the slide. He brought the gun up and fired at the coyote pinning Rainbow Dash and he brought his arm up to defend against the coyote that leapt for him. He brought the gun around but it was too late. The coyote’s teeth dug into his flesh, he screamed as the pain began to fill his mind but he quickly fired the gun bringing the coyote’s meal to an abrupt end. The body fell to the ground his arm was oozing blood. He looked to Rainbow Dash who was still lying on the ground her face splattered with blood and gray matter. She looked at him and saw his arm. Her eyes went wide; she got up and ran over to Wilson who was already bandaging the wound. “I’ll be fine Rainbow Dash.” He reached into a chest pocket and pulled out a small syringe. He rolled up his sleeve and stuck the needle into the vein pushing down on the plunger.
“What is that?”
“It’s a stimpak pretty much a healing concoction or something. Hell if I know how they work I’m not a doctor!” They both shared a quick laugh when they realized they should keep moving. Wilson looked to Rainbow Dash as they walked, his face had little expression but inside his mind he was quite curious she hasn’t reacted to the deaths of the animals and from what she told him they usually don’t see death in Equestria. He shook the thought away, the thought that she was unaffected by the violence was absurd. He shook his head again just focus on walking, they continued down the road through the vast emptiness of the Valley. After a few hours of bleak scenery they finally came upon a small farm. “Alright we’ll stay there for the night.” The sky was already tinted orange from the setting sun. They ran through the field, dodging a few mole rats along the way. Once at the farm house Wilson walks up to the door and tells Rainbow Dash to stay outside while he checks to see if it’s clear. He tested the knob waiting for any kind of trap to go off…Nothing? Good he pushed the door and walked inside.
The home was void of anything but old furniture. He checked the rest of the rooms for anything of danger they were all empty but the furniture. “Surprised nobody’s used this place for anything.” He opened the door and motioned for Rainbow Dash to come in. He grabbed a chair that was knocked onto the ground. He put it upright and sat. “Alright…Rainbow Dash I have a question?” She raised an eyebrow, Wilson cleared his throat. “So…How come you aren’t crying?”
“Crying? Why would I be crying!?” She laughed slightly.
“Umm…I did kill about five coyotes blowing their brains out which you still are splattered with by the way.” She tried to smile but remembered that she was repressing the fact she was covered in coyote blood and gray matter. He stared at her as she stared at the floor. Silence ensued… “Rainbow Dash? It’s ok you shouldn’t be like this trying to take it like to was nothing…” Tears started to fall from Rainbow Dash’s eyes wiping away some of the blood that was in the tears path. He sat letting her cry, he didn’t move for about a minute then he decided it was best to leave her alone. He walked down the hall and finished unpacking his gear. He unrolled the sleeping bag on one side of the bed and unzipped it. He was about to climb in and go to sleep early but his stomach’s rumbling stopped him. He walked back over to his pack and grabbed some of the food he packed along. A bit of dried Bighorner meat and a bottle of water, what a great meal he thought to himself as he finished; he quickly walked back to the doorway and leaned out checking on Rainbow Dash she wasn’t in the chair anymore she was wait where is she? He walks out slightly worried, he finds her asleep on the floor in front of the chair. He scratched the back of his head, “Well I guess were all tired eh?” He picks the pony up and carries her into the room. Laying her inside of the sleeping bag he walks around the bed and lays down using his coat as a blanket he slowly drifts off to sleep.
Voices…Wait…Wilson’s eyes shot open as he figured out that the voices were not in his head but actually outside the room.
He placed his hand on the forty-five making sure it was in its proper place. He pulled it out of the holster and started to move but stopped when he felt something brush his side. He quickly checked and it was Rainbow Dash’s foreleg. He slowly moved the leg making sure not to wake her. He stood keeping to the shadows. He put his back to the wall checking to the right of the doorway. He flipped into the hall bringing the gun up aiming to the left of the doorway. Empty he slowly walked forward they were in the front room, “Thank god we found this farmhouse…”
“Those damn raiders I thought Marston struck a deal with the raiders around here?”
“Seems they went back on their agreement…” Wilson was on the wall waiting to come around the corner into the front room.
“Hang on I gotta take a piss.” He heard one start to move and head towards him. He let out a silent breath. When the body passed the archway Wilson grabbed him from the side and muffling his mouth so he couldn’t scream. Once he got him into the shadows he used his hand around the guy’s mouth and jerked. A faint crack told him the guy was done. He dropped the body and walked out into the front room the gun in one hand he aimed to the guys head and fired. The loud bang resonated throughout the house, the sound of the casing hitting the floor and the body smacking into the wood was almost as loud as the gunshot in the silence of the night. He put the gun back in its holster and walked back into the room. Rainbow Dash was shivering in the bed fully awake. When she saw him enter she stopped moving not knowing if it was him or not. “Shh…It’s ok Rainbow Dash just go back to sleep…Nothing will get you.” He climbed back into the bed wrapping himself up in his coat and drifting back to sleep.
“What in the name of Celestia did he just do?” She was staring at Wilson who was sitting there breathing, she started to lie back, “Rainbow Dash tomorrow if you wake up before I do wake me up I have to clean up out there. You don’t need to see more than you should.” She looked back at him but shook her head. She laid back and nuzzled the soft warmth of the sleeping bag.
The next morning Wilson felt a soft touch on the back of his head and he opened his eyes. “Yeah?”
“You asked me to wake you if I woke up before you did.”
“Oh…Oh right!” He climbed out of the bed and started to walk towards the hall, “Stay here till I say so maybe try and find something for you to eat in my pack?”
He disappeared into the hall and Rainbow Dash hopped out of the bed and walked over to the pack. She dug through the contents finding dried meats and water, no veggies but at the bottom she found some carrots wrapped in cloth. She grabbed one starting to munch at the vegetable. After a few minutes and a lot of shuffling like sounds, Wilson came back into the room a shiny new weapon in hand, a large twelve gauge pump action shotgun. “Where’d you get that?”
“Got it off one of the slavers didn’t see it when—”
“So you did kill somepony.”
“Not ponies…They are humans.”
“Right…you still killed them though.”
“They would have either killed us or captured us for slaves…”
“How do you know that!?”
“You don’t know anything about the Wasteland! You’ve barely been here and for the most part you were stuck in a basement of a slaver for that matter! I don’t see why you’re not glad I killed them!”
“Because you killed them! That’s why I thought we would just turn them in to the police!”
“Rainbow Dash there aren’t any police what little government there is anymore is for the people in the group that the government possesses. This is all in the name of vengeance for both our sakes.”
“For both our sake’s!? What did they ever do to you!? One burned down your house! I was tortured!”
“They killed my family alright!” He tossed the shotgun onto the bed and sat. His head hung low not as low as Rainbow Dash’s after what he said. “I was out in the fields trying to find lost bighorners when they showed up usually they were fairly friendly they told us they were traders but we knew better. I came back after finding the bighorners to my home burned to the ground my family on their knees before a slaver and he just shot them. Didn’t bat an eye when he shot my kid brother. I cried that entire night, the next day I snuck into their camp.”
“What did you do?”
“I killed the fucker that shot my family…I cut his throat open and well I won’t go into detail on the last part but it involved his blood and the picture that’s on my coat.” She gasped and stepped back but Wilson chuckled slightly, “No…No not that I used his blood to make that picture…well I did but not on the coat. I did it on the floor…I left a message that a Valkyrie was watching them.”
“What’s a Valkyrie?”
“Hell if I know I was a still quite young at the time…I just kept the name cause it sounds cool…Now I guess this sheds more light makes me look like a psychopath…I’m not that’s why I stay alone…Every time I get into a relationship with people they tend to err…well it never ends well…” This scared Rainbow Dash even more than before… “But I won’t let anything touch you ok? You’re the first one I’ve told about any of this…” Tears welled in Wilson’s eyes and he let them fall for a moment till he wiped them away. “This is not a time to cry for my sake anyway…I can cry once this is done.” He grabs the shotgun and clips it to his pack. He quickly looks to the pistol in its holster. He unclipped the belt that had the holster attached and brought it over to Rainbow Dash. “Do you think you can use this?”
“What?”
“If you’re gonna survive you’re gonna need a gun.” He puts the belt over her body bringing the two ends of the clip together on her belly. The holster being on her right side, “So you think you can hold the weapon and fire it?”
“I should be able to if the pegasi guards can fire crossbows without magic I should be able to fire this…” She brought the weapon out and held it with a trembling hoof.
“Ok I don’t think we’ll be moving today…If were gonna do this we might as well get you prepared to fight against the Wasteland.”
Wilson knew the next few hours would be frustrating but after figuring out that the mare could hold the pistol with her hooves and actually fire it correctly without much trouble, it was easy sailing. He ran her through basic weapon usage, showed her how to reload, fire from two stances, and un-jam the gun. After that he moved on to First Aid. Teaching her how to dress wounds, splint broken bones that can be splinted, and how to administer stimpaks correctly so that they are as effective as possible.
After all that he still felt like something was missing…He knew what it was but did he have the heart to make her do it? He looked into the distance seeing a group of three Radscorpions. “Rainbow Dash…Do you think you could…kill those Radscorpions out in the field there?” He pointed in the direction of the large blue scorpions and Rainbow Dash’s eyes went wide slightly when she saw the size of them. “What happened to them?”
“Radiation…I still haven’t explained to you what exactly happened to this world did I?”
“No you didn’t…”
“Well I will later so…Think you can do it?” She brought the pistol up slightly, her hooves started to shake slightly.
“I…think so…”
“I’ll be right behind you the whole time…Don’t worry.” He gave her a reassuring smile.
They approached the edge of the inner fence that surrounded the home from the fields. Rainbow Dash stood on her hind legs and brought the pistol up. She took a deep breath in and aimed. The bullet firing made the scorpions look in their direction till the smallest out of them all took a forty-five caliber round to the face. It fell to the ground angering the other two which started to crawl quickly towards them. Rainbow Dash moved her aim to the one leading firing two rounds each one hitting their mark but this scorpion just shook the pain off like it was hit by a rock. She quickly readjusted knowing she at least slowed that one down, firing another three rounds into the third one causing it to fall over dead. The last one was still approaching; Rainbow Dash fired her last two shots both of them missing. She quickly grabbed the small magazine that Wilson was holding in his left hand. She reloaded and when she looked up the Radscorpion was in her face. She closed her eyes expecting a sudden burst of pain.
A thunderous boom and a sickening splatter sounded the next few seconds. She cracked her eyes open…The Radscorpion lay before her it’s head caved in by the amount of pellets that were just fired into its face by Wilson. She heard him pump the shotgun with a satisfying chick chick. He looked to Rainbow Dash whose head was hung low, “It’s ok…You just got scared that’s all it happens to the best of us.”
“The best of us?”
“It’s a figure of speech… Even I get scared sometimes and I’m some kind of psychopath.” She chuckled slightly but was still
sad that she couldn’t kill the last one it would have killed her if Wilson wasn’t there.
If he wasn’t there…
“Hey Rainbow Dash you gonna be ok? I know it’s hard to just kill something for the first time but…”
“No…It’s not that well sorta I mean…I just killed something and even then I still would have died if you weren’t there…That last one would have killed me…”
“That’s why I was there Rainbow Dash your still new to this I don’t expect you to be like more nor do I want you to be like me for that matter.”
“Yeah I doubt I’ll become a psychopath like you…” She said with a playful smile.
“I’m not gonna live this down am I?”
“Nnnope.” She burst into laughter and he scratched the back of his head snickering. “Yeah…yeah just laugh it up!” He told her jokingly, “Come on let’s go inside I think I need a nap.”
“A nap? Now you’re talking my language.” He looked at her with a raised brow, “What? I love naps!” It was his turn to laugh as they walked back to the house. They both walked into the bedroom and lay on the bed, Rainbow Dash into the sleeping bag nuzzling the soft fuzz of the inside. Wilson wrapped himself up in his coat, he sat motionless for a few moments. “Hey Rainbow Dash?”
“Yeah?”
“What’s it like to fly?”
“Can I tell you later?”
“Only if I can tell you about what happened after you tell me how it is to fly.”
“Fine…” She sighed. She moved her body slightly trying to get comfortable and after finding the right spot stops moving. Wilson sat his eyes getting heavy as he thought about what he was going to tell her… I really don’t think I have the heart to just say that my species literally almost killed ourselves with nuclear weapons causing the world to be like this…Oh well she’d learn the fact at some point…But that would be later he just felt like sleeping.
When Wilson woke up again he looked around the room listening…No voices? Good I’d hate to have to kill some more slavers…He chuckled in his head. He felt something dig into his back slightly and he craned his head around seeing Rainbow Dash next to him her head buried into his back.
That is just so damn cute…
He thought to himself as he brought his head back. Do I really want to get up? Ah fuck it I could use some more sleep. He looked out the window it was still daytime as the room was filled with light but the sky was tinted orange.
The early morning came along and Wilson woke up again the room was black there weren’t any voices so he stayed calm not moving. He felt a presence around him and he felt his arm to where Rainbow Dash was before. Now she had her forelegs wrapped around him.
Dammit that is just so fucking cute…
He felt the warm pony on his back nuzzling his spine and he felt his body tense and relax. He rolled onto his back and Rainbow Dash started to bury her face into his chest. Wilson just watched her and placed a hand on her head hoping to not wake her. He wished the world wasn’t the way it was. He wouldn’t be the psycho he is on the inside and for all he knew she wouldn’t be here. But he was actually enjoying having her around…Maybe bringing her with him wasn’t so bad of a choice after all. He brought his hand down her mane and repeated the motion the softness of her mane calming his mind.
I just wish I didn’t have to leave her…
Chapter 3
Wilson shut his eyes once again. His hand stopped moving and fell knocking onto Rainbow Dash’s head waking her up. Her eyes fluttered open and when she saw only black and smelt the familiar smell of the coat she pulled herself to the edge of the bed. Her face was a bright red, “Shh…It’s ok Claire…Daddy’s here…” Rainbow Dash shook Wilson wondering who he was talking about. “Huh? What is it Rainbow Dash?” He rolled over and looked at her.
“Who’s Claire?” His face went white. His eyes dilated and became glazed. He swallowed a knot that quickly formed in his throat, “She…was…my daughter.” The word was made Rainbow Dash’s heart sink. “Raiders killed her mother and took her away while I was gone…I came back to find my wife’s mutilated body and my daughter nowhere to be seen.”
“How long ago was it?”
“Eight months ago…” Tears were already starting streaming down his cheeks; he made no sound just tears falling from his eyes… Rainbow Dash couldn’t take it…She wrapped her forelegs around him and hugged him tightly. He sat stunned… She whispered into his ear, “It’s ok to cry…”
Fuck crying I stopped crying years ago…
Wilson returned the hug a smile cut across his face even though he still made no sound. He released her from the hug and stood grabbing his shotgun and starting to pack his gear. “Come on we need to get moving…”
“Why the rush?”
“I never stay in one place for too long when I’m traveling…” He finished packing and hefted the backpack over his shoulder. He walked out of the room and Rainbow Dash followed.
After a few hours of silent walking, Rainbow Dash broke the silence. “So you wanted to know what it’s like to fly?” She looked over to Wilson who gave her a smile and a nod. “Well it’s exhilarating to say the least. Imagine being high above everyone else just watching the ground move below being. It’s so much freedom…” Pomf! The both of them froze as Rainbow Dash’s wings extended. She looked at her wings and instantly screamed in pain… She fell to the dirt writhing in pain. Wilson rushed over already reaching into his pack for his med kit. He pulled out the small box and opened it grabbing a small syringe. He grabbed Rainbow Dash’s leg and held it; he found a vein and injected the Med-X. It took a few moments but she stopped writhing and sighed in relief. “What the hell was that!?” His expression showed only concern she didn’t answer her face was red, she didn’t want to tell him. “Come on I would like to know…” When she told him what it was he stared at her blankly then looked away his face turning a dull red. Once she was back up on her feet and the ordeal with her wings out of the way they pushed on.
“So I guess now I have to tell you what happened…”
“Yes please!” She said excitedly.
“Ok but I must warn you if you want to stop at anytime just say so.” She nodded and he proceeded to tell the tale of the Great War. “In the year 2077 two of the world’s biggest powers China and the US went to war…It escalated into a full blown nuclear war. Now nuclear weapons are big bombs that can easily destroy entire cities and the land beyond that. They were only used once before to end the Second World War decades before and they destroyed two entire cities and those were the first one’s…The new ones could do more than destroy two cities. So the entire world went into a nuclear war and become the Wasteland. The state were in now is called Oregon and it didn’t get hit by too many nukes I think there are only three confirmed sites…” His voice droned on and Rainbow Dash listened carefully. She had a question that would make any one slap themselves out of its stupidity, “So what do these nuclear weapons do?” He face palmed and then proceeded to explain what they did, “Ok so say you had a city full of hundreds of thousands of people. Now imagine a nuke went off once that’s done everyone’s gone.”
“What?”
“That’s it the cities gone…That’s what a nuke does…destroys entire cities and kills millions.” They kept walking but they both fell silent. The day ended with them making camp behind an old billboard on the side of the road. It was the only thing for miles…Wilson found it odd but what the hell was he supposed to know about the Old World besides the nukes. As night fell Rainbow Dash went to sleep and Wilson sat with his back to the billboard watching out into the darkness. He hated having to do this...No sleep for him well for tonight… He looked down to Rainbow Dash and smiled, she looked so peaceful.
You know you can’t keep her right?
I know…
Then why are you taking care of her? Just let her die and go on with your life. No need for this stupid adventure.
No fuck you…
Oh look at that you growing some balls?
Shut the fuck up!
Wilson shook his head and the voice cleared. He refocused his view on the darkness when he heard the howl of coyotes his right hand went to the shotgun. His other hand smacking Rainbow Dash’s head as he brought to the shotgun’s pump; she stirred and looked at him half asleep and confused. “It’s ok just go back to sleep…” She laid her head on his thigh and quickly fell back asleep. He smiled once again…
You still have to leave her…
Things change…You should know that…
Things never change for us…Everywhere we go everyone we come into close contact with…They always die…Just end it here…All you have to do is pull the trigger…
Wilson shook his head more vigorously. He didn’t need to sit and argue with himself. He placed his hand on Rainbow Dash’s head and started to scratch behind her ear. He didn’t know why he felt as if he should but he did anyway. She stretched at the feeling of his scratching…So damn cute…She really doesn’t belong here…What am I going to do with you?
Wilson’s eyes cracked open and it was daylight…Wait when did it…FUCK…He quickly stood up and looked to where he last saw Rainbow Dash sleeping. Empty; “God dammit!” He started to franticly search around the billboard his mind racing. What could have happened? She could be dead…She could be in the hands of salvers…Even worse the hands of raiders… Horrific images flashed into his mind with each thought. “No…Nononono…NO!” He couldn’t find her. He punched the billboard in its age it just crumpled under his punch leaving a hole. He punched the billboard again and again leaving multiple holes. “WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS FUCKING HAPPEN? HMM!? WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU HAVE AGAINST ME!?”
He yelled to the sky above him. “I FINALLY FOUND SOMEONE TO CARE FOR AND YOU TAKE HER AWAY! FUCK YOU!” He shook violently as he yelled his vision going into a blind rage. He saw the shotgun and his eyes narrowed. End it all with a bang...
Shut up voice…
End it all with a bang…
SHUT UP!
Bang…Bang…BANG!
“SHUT UP YOU MOTHERFUCKER!” He spun and saw a blotch of cyan. His vision cleared…Rainbow Dash was standing a few feet away her eyes wide with fear. He ran up to her, his face a mix between anger and fear. “Where the hell were you!?”
“I was…Doing something…”
“Like what!? What is so important that you had to leave me!?”
“I was thinking…” His face twitched.
“You left me alone without any way of knowing you left…I thought I fell asleep and the raiders or something else got you Rainbow Dash! You can’t just do that!”
“But…”
“NO! No buts’” He knelt down to her height and looked her right in her eyes. He wrapped his arms around her. “Please don’t do that again…You scared me…” At first Rainbow Dash was stunned then she returned the hug. “I’m sorry…I just needed to think and be alone for awhile.” He let go of her and stood.
“Home?”
“Yeah among other things…” He walked back over to the dead fire and started to pack his gear. Rainbow Dash walked over to the belt and holster that lay where she left it. “You didn’t even take your gun…?”
“No…”Her ears dropped again but he just shook his head. “It’s ok…Your ok and that’s all that matters right now.” Her face turned red and she looked away trying to hide it from Wilson. He didn’t seem to notice.
They walked down the road further into raider territory. "We need to get off this road..."
"Why?" Rainbow Dash looked around, nothing... "There's nothing out ther--" A gunshot wrang out and smacked into the ground infront of her. Wilson looked up and saw the raider who fired the shot and soon they were coming out of the rocks above. "Shit!" He rolled to his left behind the cover of some rocks. Rainbow Dash's body was frozen in fear but her mind willed it to move behind the rocks to her right. Rapid gunfire wrang out through as bullets pounded into the rocks spraying shrapnel and pieces of rock everywhere. She blindly fired the pistol. Even her mind was scared at this point. "RAINBOW!"
BOOM!
"I COULD USE SOME HELP!"
She looked to Wilson who was bleeding, she could see it from across the road. The large red spot easy to see amongst the brown of his coat. She could feel a fire building up in her stomach. He coughed and blood splattered the rock infront of him. He just sat back waiting for his fate. She stood gripping the pistol in her forehooves. She could barely see over the rocks so she leaned to the left. She spotted two of the raiders moving forward and she fired hitting the two of them, one in the chest and the other in the throat. She readjusted herself and saw two more coming but they were looking backwards. What the hell? Oh well. She dropped them and ran over to Wilson. She placed her hooves on the wound, trying to hold the blood back. She heard footsteps and quickly turned her hooves still on the wound, she waited for a raider to come around the corner but was greeted by a different man. He was in an armor she hadn't seen before well from what Wilson has told her about. "Allen! I got a live one here!"
"Really!?"
A hulking indivdual entered her view. His armor was a dull cast of gray. His helmet looked menacing, as it did practical. "What the hell? Greens? This is a pony..."
"Allen there is a human just laying there..."
"Huh? Oh shit! I didn't see him... Fuck get a bandage on that wound and let's get him back to Salem..." Salem? These guys are from Salem? The armored one knelt down and took his helmet off putting his hand out. "It's ok were not going to hurt you..." She took the hand knowing who they were. They were the Brotherhood of Steel.
A scribe walked down the halls lined with office doors towards a set of double doors guarded by two paladins in full power armor. The guards nodded as he entered the room. "Elder Forrester?" The Elder looked up from his desk.
"Yes?"
"He's awake."
"And?"
"He's in a blind rage calling for Rainbow Dash." The Elder grabbed his brow with his middle finger and thumb. "And you didn't let her see him why?"
"Well he just woke up sir!" Forrester couldn't stand this scribes imcompentance.
"Go get her and take her to the room! I'll try and calm him down." The scribe ran off to get Rainbow Dash while Elder Forrester came the way the scribe did entering the medical hall a few moments later. He heard shouts and something hitting the floor. A paladin was standing at the door and the Elder nodded as he stepped to the side. Forrester entered the room Wilson was in the middle of the room breathing hard, the room in utter chaos. "It's alright Wilson...Your fine don't go making an ass out of yourself already..."
"Forrester?"
"Yeah?"
"Your Elder now what happended to...um..."
"Pilskin?"
"Yeah what happended to him?"
"He's dead...Why else would I be Elder?" The mood in the room was calmer than before but he could tell Wilson was on edge, Forrester was about to open his mouth and say something more but Rainbow Dash interrupted him. "Wilson?"
He knelt down as she ran into his arms. She buried her face in his shoulder. "Thank Celestia your alive! They told me you were in a coma...and that you might not wake up." Wilson looked to Forrester with a raised brow. He just shrugged, "Well I'm awake now aren't I?" She leaned back and smiled. "Yep!" Wilson broke into a coughing fit and she stepped back confused. "Wilson? You ok?" He smacked his chest with his fist and cleared his throat. "I'm fine..." His voice was hoarse barely audible. Rainbow Dash was reminded of her friend Fluttershy and tried to stifle her laughter. The Elder looked at the pony with a confused face then to Wilson who just smiled and laughed meekly. "It's ok Forrester...It has something to do with someone from her home..." He noticed how his voice was similar to the quietness of Fluttershy, but more male of course. "Alright well...Wilson you still need rest not everyday you wake up from a gunshot to the lung." He started to walk out of the room and Wilson followed, Rainbow Dash lagged behind. "So...How did you find her?"
"In a basement she was being held by a slaver..."
"A slaver? How'd you pass through--"
"I wasn't near Portland...The slaver was south of here in Millersburg. He owned the town's bar and I guess he was running as a scout."
"Dammit...How do they keep getting past us?"
"Money...Not all your men are that loyal...No offense."
"None taken...I'm working on that...Anyway I wish we could help her more...I saw that her err...wings were broken."
"Yeah I know it's kinda hard to fix only time can heal that one even with all our tech."
"Alright so why are you and her headed north?"
"I'm headed to Portland I have somethings to take care of."
"Wilson...You have to stop this. You already got your revenege for your wife and daughter. You just go back to Millersburg and live the rest of your life..."
"No...I won't be going back I'm going to get that fucker out of Portland bring him here and then...well...I don't know." The two of them stopped at a door.
"Alright here's your room now get some rest Wilson..." He walked off and Wilson sat on the bed inside. He noticed his coat laying over the pillow on the bed. He removed it from the pillow setting it next to him and he laid his head down. Rainbow Dash climbed onto the bed and laid next to him using the coat as a blanket and instead of a pillow used his chest. "Dammit that is so cute..." He whispered to himself, and she looked up at him. "What?"
"Nothing..." He let his eyes shut once again and enter the realm of sleep.
Wilson's eyes opened to the stark grayness of a room. He sat up and looked around. The room was empty void of everything just him and the room. He stood and looked around he examined the walls. Etched into them were small writings each one made Wilson's heart sink. Then he came to one that didn't fit with all the others, it made his heart rise he started to feel less sad. He felt as if he had someone who would just listen to his troubles and pass little judgement.
He walked across the room still reading every single etched word. He came to another anoamly, he felt knowledgeable but he knew that he still had much to learn.
He touched the word and it started to glow, a faint lavender. He quickly walked back and pressed the first one which glowed a very faint yellow. His mind started to make the connection, Kindness and Magic. Rainbow Dash had told him about the Elements and what they stood for, but why are they showing up in his dreams? Was this some kind of sign? He continued to read finding Honesty, Laughter, and Generosity, but he couldm't find one word, Loyalty.
He searched the walls. It had to be on the walls somewhere...Soon he gave up on the walls and looked to the ceiling. Nothing there...He looked to the floor, nothing there either. Where is it? He ran his hands through his hair. He saw an odd color on his chest and quickly took off the shirt. Etched into his bare chest was the word Loyalty. He heard scratching sounds and looked to the wall. A new message had been written.
Choose another...
The five elements were inscribed under those words. He stood shocked that he had to drag one of them away from there home and bring them into this mess. He thought long and hard about his choice...After a few minutes he discarded three choices...Fluttershy was out due to the obvious. Rarity due to the fact that he did not want anything snooty near him. Pinkie was out because he really did not need comic relief. The only two left, Twilight or Applejack. He couldn't decide he just stared at the wall trying to figure out which was the better choice. He finally decided and touched one of the words.