I wasn’t going to make it...

...as I lunged for the fallen weapon, I saw the flashing yellow teeth in it’s overly large mouth and the dirt and gore that covered its sharp claws. As suddenly as it moved, it was gone in explosion of blood, bone, and green scales. My Pipbuck yelled a radiation alarm as the fluids struck my armored frame and the ground all around me. A split second later I heard the unmistakable report of a high powered rifle echoing within the walls of the outpost.

Time began to speed back up and with a grunt and cloud of dust, I landed beside my shotgun and wrapped my hooves around it. Biting down on the bit, I rolled over in the dirt and brought the weapon back up as a second gecko charged towards me. I squeezed the trigger and the solid slug ripped into the running green scaled body, knocking it over backwards several times.

I risked a glance over towards Stone, expecting to see the pony on his hooves with his rifle tracking a new target; only the gray earth pony still lay where he’d fallen, in a heap against the stone stairs leading up. Blinking in surprise, I turned back in time to see another of the geckos disappear in a mist of blood.

That had come from above. Following the angle of the shot, I craned my head towards the roof and the gaping hole I had spotted upon entering. Standing at the edge of the jagged tear was the outline of a pony, the winged form outlined against the gray overcast sky. It had to be her, a split second later she fired her rifles again, the muzzle flashes off the barrels lighting her face up in the darkness, and it was indeed the orange pegasus Wildfire. For the moment, I wasn’t going to question from where she’d come.

For the moment the area around me was clear of hostiles; my E.F.S. still showed red dots, but none close enough to attack me. I doubted it would stay that way for very long. Standing up hurriedly, I ran towards the fallen Stonehoof, who was finally beginning to groggily rise to his knees. His hat lay beside him in the dirt, alongside his rifle. I wasted little time with words and instead hooked my left hoof under his foreleg and began pulling him back to his hooves. As I got him standing, I heard the heavy crack of Wildfire’s rifles followed by the impact of bullet on flesh. The red dots were beginning to close in.

“What happened?” the stunned earth pony asked, shaking his head and blinking his eyes to try and clear his vision. He must have hit his head pretty hard... A rapidly closing red dot forced me to release Stone and spin around on my hooves and snap off two rapid shots one after the other. I barely caught the lunging gecko with the first round, clipping it on the side of its hind leg, the second shot struck it in the gut and knocked it from the air to land with a hissing snarl not far away. I brought the shotgun up, and snapped off another round into its skull, the red light going out on my E.F.S. I grunted and leaned over to grab Stones fallen hat with my teeth, slapping it back atop his head. I snagged his rifle just as quickly.

“You got hit by a bus,” I answered swiftly. The red lights were once more closing on us and I had no idea where the big bastard had gone, “Wildfire’s covering us, but we need to move.” I glanced behind us, the remaining geckos had stopped charging at us and were busy hissing and snarling up at the pegasus, a few lobbing wads of acid laced saliva up at her, though they fell very short. But I figured they’d soon lose interest in the mare and turn to the more reachable ponies on the ground. Luckily I spotted the large bastard, unluckily he was blocking the quickest exit out from this place. It seemed interested in the pegasus upon the roof and snarled towards her, luckily ignoring us for a few more seconds. I looked to the actual door, but I didn’t like our odds on reaching it and getting it unlocked and open before they overtook us.

“Th’ tower...” Stone said, nodding his head towards the entrance to the tower not a few feet away up the stairs he’d been tossed into, I followed his gaze and grunted deeply. We’d be trapped inside with only one way to go, up. But the narrow doorway of the tower would be easier to defend, as would the stairs.

Turning the still dazed Stonehoof towards the top of the stairs I nudged him upwards and began climbing beside him. We’d not gone two steps when I saw this was not going to work. Stone could barely keep his balance, let alone climb several dozen stairs that grew more narrow towards the top. Laying my ears back, I hooked my right front leg around his left and helped him along, but the pace was still painfully slow. Moving as quickly as we could, we’d made it over half a dozen steps when a loud screech erupted from behind us. Glancing over mine and his shoulder I saw four of the geckos breaking off from their firing line and rush towards the base of the stairs.

Shit...

We tried to hurry, but Stone only managed to stumble a few more feet before falling heavily to his knees. Looking back, I saw the geckos scrambling easily over the steps below us, and more were beginning to follow them. I had to buy us time.

“Keep climbing, I’ll cover you!” turning away from the gray pony, I brought my shotgun to bare on the rapidly approaching geckos, their clawed legs digging into the steps as they bounded up them. Narrowing my eyes I entered S.A.T.S. and locked onto the nearest of the first group, focusing on each of their torsos as I had the best chance of hitting. Bracing my hooves under me, I allowed time to once more speed back to normal and squeezed the trigger rapidly three times.

BOOM! The shotgun roared and the closest geckos chest disappeared in a spray of blood that painted the rock wall and steps a sickly shade of red, before the next shot, I saw smoke rising up from the rock, likely from the acid they spit out.

BOOM! The solid slug slammed with full force into the second geckos torso just below its head. Somehow, the creatures scales prevented the round from entering its body, however the force of the blow was more then enough to break ribs and pulp organs. Howling in pain, the beast dropped to the stairs and began rolling around lashing out madly in pain. The following two geckos easily leapt across it’s fallen friend...

BOOM! The last shot flew out and took my last target in the head, its sudden movements offset my original target. The shell blew the scaly orb in half sending bits of brain flying off in all directions. Its body stumbling to the ground and laying still, smoking rising from its headless corpse. Oddly, I noticed a orange orb (one of its eyes) rolling down the stairs.

As the shells rolled around my hooves, the last gecko of the group charged towards me, acid drool dripping between its sharp fangs; clawed hands reaching out to tear into my flesh. Calmly, I let go of the shotgun and allowed it to drop to my chest. Turning, I gripped the baton strapped to my side and with the speed born of practice I reared up on my hind legs and whipped the stiff metal rod out and up into the face of the gecko.

CRACK! The sound echoed around me as loudly as the roar of gunfire as cold hard metal met warm scale covered flesh. The gecko’s head snapped back at an odd angle and the lanky beast rolled to a halt between my front hooves, its neck broken. Surprisingly, the creature still attempted to rise, its body not believing its brain when it said it was dead. Well, we’ll just have to fix that. Raising my head, I brought the baton down hard on it’s skull, shattering it and ending the beast’s struggles.

A quick look back down the blood slicked stairs, showed me another six geckos starting up them, though these seemed content to sit back a ways and spit acid laced spit wads in my direction. Hell, they weren’t as dumb as they looked. Dodging, I began backpedaling and snapping off a round or two whenever I managed to get a clear enough shot. However, the ammo counter on my E.F.S was getting low, and I would need time to reload. Time those geckos would not likely give me. I still had my assault rifle.

Leaping back from a near hit, I glanced back to see Stone nearly to the doorway, the wounded gray pony stumbling up the stairs as he went. It was taking him too long, he’d never reach it before we were overrun or I ran out of ammo. Above, Wildfire had been forced to take cover as the larger gecko moved into the outpost and began spitting up towards her. He seemed to have far better aim and range then his smaller cousins and was striking the edge of the hole with green glowing spit. Metal was beginning to melt from the edges, and already more support beams were starting to sag under the sudden weakening of the structure around them. Thus far, the large beast had focused on the pegasus, likely due to the number of wounds she had inflicted over it’s scaly body. But even Wildfire’s rifles seemed to do little real harm to it.

Another splatter of glowing spit and the warning from my Pipbuck reminded me I had other problems to worry about at the moment. I looked back down to the geckos at the bottom of the stairs, and saw they’d started to carefully climb them towards us.

Turning away from the geckos I charged up the stone and metal steps until I reached the groggy Stonehoof. The pony was covered in sweat and dirt, and his eyes remained unfocused. Without a word, I shoved my head under his stomach and pushed him up over my neck and onto my back. With his added weight, I struggled as quickly as I could to my hooves and started up the stairs. Behind me, the hiss of the geckos urged me forwards.

Eyes fixed on the doorway before us, I moved up the steps, soon reaching a point where stone gave way completely to metal. The stairs groaned from the sudden weight and shook alarmingly. Ignoring the sounds, I fought my way up them, hooves slamming onto the stairs with ever step. Acid splashed to either side of me, striking the wall nearby or the stairs just below me, but I was moving more slowly now, and some began hitting me. A glob landed on my armor and began hissing as it started to eat through the thick plates, a few striking my unarmored flanks causing me to yell in pain. Feeling acid eating through my coat and flesh was not something I’d ever wanted to feel again. Behind me, a gecko yelped suddenly as a rifle cracked sharply over head. Wildfire was still covering us, just a few more steps.

Just a few...more...steps...with a snarl I at last reached the landing at the top and through the doorway. I half ran half stumbled into the lower room of the tower. Dropping Stone on the ground, I turned to the door...only to find there was no door.

“OH COME ON!!”

The first gecko that appeared in the doorway had it’s face blown off. Its body fell back atop the stairs, causing the whole set to shake and rattle. The ammo counter from my E.F.S. flashed, I was down to only two shots left for the shotgun. Desperate times...

Stepping forwards, I saw another five geckos racing up the stairs; their glowing orange eyes fixed on me, drool falling from their gaping maws. Planting my hooves on the edge of the door frame, I entered S.A.T.S. and targeted the support beams holding the stairs up. It was amazing the thing was still standing: the bolts somepony had driven into the stone walls were rusted and lose, one had broken free completely.

Eyes locked on my targets, I fired off the final rounds in my weapon. Both rounds flew through the air towards the metal supports, and both struck hard and right on target (to be fair it was easy to hit something stationary). As I watched, the metal ripped free from the crumbling stone walls: bolts snapping and poles twisting as the entire stairway rocked. Either they were too dumb to notice or did not care, the geckos bound their way up towards me, causing the metal stairs to groan and sag even more. Finally, it had enough, and with a screech of metal the entire thing plunged towards the ground below. It was hardly far, but the fact they landed within the twisted scrap that had once been the stairs made up for it.

I hardly had time to enjoy my handy work, as the large gecko turned it’s attention towards me and hissed loud enough to rattle the walls of the tower. Ducking back inside, I narrowly avoided a spray of acid, which began to chew through the wall I had been standing beside. I lay on the ground a few feet away and watched as the metal bubbled and hissed as it turned into a liquid and slowly ran down the wall to pool on the floor and drip out the open doorway.

“I think I pissed off the downstairs neighbors, we better move.” I said to no one really and turning away from the doorway, I moved over beside Stone and began reloading my shotgun quickly, all those years of training were paying off.

Stone lay in the corner of the tower beside stairs leading up higher into the structure. The earth pony appeared unconscious. Damn, he must have a concussion from the force of the blow he took. And I was sure I’d did him no favors by tossing him about like a sack of potatoes. Looking back to the doorway, I saw no signs of danger, at least not yet. We should have a few minutes before our lives were once more in immediate mortal peril. Reaching into my saddle bag, I pulled out one of my health potions and yanked out the cork. Turning back to Stone, I tilted his head up with a hoof and opened his mouth before pouring in the red liquid. He was still awake enough to swallow by reflex, and I got most of the potion down his throat before laying his head back down.

I stood back up and turned towards the doorway. I was about to go check outside when a sound from the floor above caused me to whirl around and bring my weapon up towards the stairs. I was meet with the orange face of Wildfire as she peered from the floor above us. With a frown, she dropped down beside me with a flutter of wings and looked over to Stone.

“He dead?” I shook my head, and edged closer to the door, careful to avoid the goo that made my Pipbuck click, outside I couldn’t see much. The debris from the stairs lay just below me, green bodies twisted between the metal. I’d killed a few at least, a quick scan showed no signs of the large gecko anywhere. Fuck where was he?

“Any ideas where they got off to?” I asked, turning back to Wildfire as I stepped away from the doorway. The pegasus stood beside Stone, looking down to the fallen pony before turning to look at me.

“No clue, before I flew up to the top of the tower, I spotted at least four of the smaller bastards running up to the big one,” she pawed the floor and narrowed her eyes, “Fucker’s tough, took several direct hits from my guns and didn’t seem to phase it. I’ve killed griffins before in full combat armor and had better results with these rifles then that thing.”

Griffins didn’t spit radioactive acid that melted metal either...wait, they didn’t did they??

“Well, we can’t stay here, sooner or later they’re going to come in after us, and while I think we can take the smaller ones no problem, that big one...” I trailed off and looked from where she’d came from if we couldn’t go back down, “...there’s a way out on top?”

“Yes, though I don’t think you two would like it, the sudden stop at the bottom would be hazardous for your health,” she answered with a half smirk; a smirk that soon disappeared as we both heard a roar below us. I looked back towards the door wondering if perhaps but I never got to finish that though as the tower suddenly shook as if it’d been struck by a cannon and the entire rusting hulk shifted to the left alarmingly.

“I think we found them...,” I grunted, as the tower shook again. Shit, they must be tearing out the supports under the tower! Looking from the prone Stone to Wildfire my mind raced, “Can you carry Stone and fly?” I asked, moving over to pick the gray earth pony back up off the cold metal floor. He simply groaned as I did so, still out.

“Yeah, for a short time, but I wouldn’t be able to carry you both...” she braced her hooves and flared out her wings as the tower shook again. Something below us groaned and snapped. As the shaking stopped she flapped her wings quickly and took to the air, somehow she managed to flip herself around and rise towards the opening above us.

Nodding, I began to climb the stairs to the second floor, managing to keep my balance somehow as the tower rocked once more. Whatever those geckos were doing, it was getting worse. Wildfire darted between me and the ceiling as she flew into the second floor. Over the next several minutes, I climbed higher, the tower hadn’t looked to tall from outside, but I was beginning to wonder when I’d reach the top. I’d done a lot of running today, and it was starting to show. Looking up, I spotted the open sky above me, and climbed the last few steps up onto the roof.

The cool night air felt wonderful over my sweat covered body. Stone was hardly a light pony, not to mention his gear and weapons. With a grunt I scanned the night sky, seeing little beyond the clouds and distant lights of Crossroads to the south.

Allowing Stone to slide to the roof, I stumbled to the edge and looked down immediately wished I hadn’t. Bucking Hell. Stepping away from the lip of the roof I turned and looked back as Wildfire soared into the open sky above me, the orange pegasus circled the tower quickly before landing back beside me.

“I can’t see any geckos around the outpost’s walls...I could take Stone down and come back-” whatever else she was about to say was cut off as we both gasped in alarm. The tower groaned and began to sag further and further to the left. Only it didn’t seem likely to stop anytime soon. Somewhere below us, I heard metal snap and tear followed by loud bangs as something gave way, the metal plates under my hooves beginning shaking violently and several buckled as the tower tipped over. My hooves skidded across the roof top, sending out sparks over the dented rusted metal but not stopping my slide towards the edge. I yelled out, scrambling to find someway to keep myself from falling off the side of the tower, fighting against gravity, I spotted Stone’s limp body sliding freely towards the edge.

“Wildfire!! Get Stone!!” I shouted, jabbing a forehoof towards the still unconscious pony, his hind legs dangled over the edge, as his rifle strap snagged on a sharp piece of metal that protruded from the roof. It had halted his long drop to a broken neck.

At my shout, the pegasus lunged towards the gray pony, wrapping her orange hooves around his upper body and biting down on the strap of his weapon, fighting to get it untangled as the tower continued to lean over. Was this a bad time to mention I didn’t like heights?

Everything was shaking at this point, as gravity fought to bring the tower crashing down around us. Looking over the edge, I saw the roof of the outpost below me; the tower leaning over it at an almost 90 degree angle. The tower had been bent in the middle like a piece of warm taffy, and rocked from the slightest movement.

“Almost...” Wildfire muttered around the strap that seemed to refuse to come loose no matter which way she turned her head. Flapping her wings rapidly, she began to pull against the strap, eyes narrowing in anger. With her front hooves under Stone’s, she lifted him up off the tower’s roof as she began to pull harder, I felt the tower begin to shake...Oh Hell...

“Wild-” was all I managed to say before with a snap the weapon’s strap came free from the corner and earth and pegasus pony were tossed back into the air, Wildfire flapping madly to try and right themselves before they slammed into the ground. With a groan, the tower’s fight with gravity ended, at least for the upper half anyway. Tearing, twisting metal echoed all around me as both it and myself began the drop to the roof of the outpost below.

With a cry, I lunged back, grabbing wildly for any hoofholds on the tower’s roof as it dropped. I just managed to grab a hold of the hatch leading back inside the tower as it struck the outpost’s roof. It sounded as if someone had thrown a pile of scrap metal down a cliff and the force of the impact rattled me violently, causing me to slam my face into the rusting steel roof several times. I heard and felt the outposts roof give way below me, and felt the tower drop once again, although this time it was a short distance before coming to a halt at last and once again causing me to bash in my face.

Somehow, throughout the entire ordeal I had managed to hang onto the open hatch, my front hooves digging into the lip of the opening enough to cause me some pain, but better that then breaking my back or legs on the fall below. I hung against the now vertical roof. My face felt as if I’d been punched, which it sorta had. I could taste blood in my mouth from where I’d bit down on my tongue and more was running down my muzzle from my busted nose.

Looking down at the floor of the outpost I saw I had a very large problem. I wasn’t very high up from the ground, the tower having caved in the roof of the outpost around it and falling further inside. I was sure I’d be alright if I just dropped down, at worst I might sprain an ankle and best I’d gain a few more bruises and scratches. No, the problem I saw was the waiting geckos below me. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear the bastards were smiling up at me and licking their fangs. My eyes widened as I spotted the larger creature stomping it’s way towards me, clawed fingers flexing. It was tall enough to reach me if it got under me, which it seemed to be doing.

Kicking my hind legs out below me, I struggled to pull myself back up into the hatch and out of reach of the large gecko, a hiss from below was soon followed by splashes of acid as they began to spit their toxic goo at me. My Pipbuck’s radiation alarm ringing madly from the glowing ooze. A glob struck near my left hind leg and the splash back from the strike landed on my flesh and began to burn. I winced from the sudden pain, but it only served to drive me harder to climb inside. With a final growl, I pulled myself up and into the hatch, falling at once to the floor...or rather wall of the tower’s top most level.

Painting for breath, I heard the gecko’s outside hissing angrily and their toxic spit striking the metal roof of the tower. A few small holes began to open up in places, but it seemed I had managed to buy myself some time. Wiping away the blood from my lip and nose I looked back towards the stairs in front of me and noticed light coming from back down the tower, likely where it had snapped in half.

I snapped my head back towards the hatch as I heard something loud slam into the roof. My ears dropped and my jaw hung open as I saw the clawed hands of the large gecko clinging to the edges of the opening. With a hiss, the creature pulled itself up into view and locked it’s hate filled orange eyes onto me.

“Oh for fucks sake...”

Reaching for my shotgun, I scrambled to my hooves and began firing towards the open hatch, not bothering to aim, at this point I was battered and worn out. My rounds struck the thing in the face and neck, but did little damage. Its dark green scales seemed to be thicker than the smaller ones, and I suddenly remembered Wildfire’s high powered rifles had done little more than scratch the thing. I also noticed it seemed to have no signs of those scratches and was I watched, the few holes I had managed to poke into it’s hide began to seal slowly. Now, that’s just not fair...

With a groan, the tower began to sag again, and I lost my hoofing, sliding towards the hatch and the waiting claws of the gecko. Ducking, I narrowly avoided losing my head to its clawed fingers as it swiped at me, gritting my teeth I swung the shotgun back up towards the thing’s face and fired. This close, the round seemed to actually do damage and the gecko roared in pain. Lashing out wildly, it’s claws caught me a glancing blow and knocked me back onto my side, the force of the blow causing me to drop my weapon. Three cuts ran across my armor where it had struck, they had also cut the strap holding my combat shotgun around my neck, and the weapon lay in the corner of the room.

Before I could even begin to climb back upright, the gecko’s powerful muscles began widening the opening in the roof allowing it to climb into the room, with a speed I found shocking the beast lunged towards me, its mouth opening wide enough to close around half of my body. With a cry, I planted my hind legs against the gaping hole and held the jaws open.

“Damn...your breath alone could kill me...,” I muttered, front hooves scrambling for my pistol. As I yanked the weapon free, the gecko jerked it’s head back, its jaws snapping shut around my tail and pulling me back down. I could do nothing to halt my fall, my face impacting with the rim of the hatch before I slammed heavily into the ground in a cloud of dust. Lights danced in my vision as I lay in a heap and injury warnings flashed everywhere.

Lifting my head (and tasting more blood in my mouth) I found myself face to face with one of the smaller geckos, the creature snarling as it snapped its fang filled jaws towards my muzzle. With a yelp, I jerked backwards, feeling sharp pains running through my body as I did. Ignoring it, I scrambled for my last weapon, the assault rifle I’d picked up off the slavers. My pistol lay just behind the gecko, where it had fallen when I hit the ground. I heard more movement around me and checked to see five red dots were closing in on me from two sides.

Activating S.A.T.S., I brought the rifle up. The assault rifle had two settings, three round burst and full auto. I had it set to the first, as I only had maybe two magazines for it. I aimed a single shot at my closest target, then turned and saw the remaining gecko’s off to my right. I locked the remaining two shots into each of them, and with a prayer to Celestia I felt time speeding back up.

As I squeezed the trigger, I saw the gecko before he leapt off the ground towards me. The muzzle flash from the rifle lighting up the green scales of its body making them almost shine, the three rounds ripped through those same scales and out the other side with ease. Jerking backwards, the gecko landed in a heap at my hooves, leaking fluids out the new holes I had opened. Turning to the right, I was already pulling the trigger on my second target. The rounds buried themselves in the lizard’s chest, knocking it over from the force of the impact. Another flash, and another three rounds left the barrel of the gun, slamming into the third gecko as it turned to dodge its fallen friend. A single round tore through it’s hind quarters, sending it to the ground. The second round struck it’s chest, jerking it backwards as the third slammed into its head from the side. The gecko went down, twitching before going still.

Two red dots left.

The last remaining gecko began backing away, perhaps deciding I was more trouble then I was worth, however, the larger one pushed the smaller gecko aside and started towards me. Seems he and I had some unfinished business. I began stepping back towards my fallen pistol, it was likely the only thing I had that could put a dent in this thing’s natural armor.

Again, the large gecko’s speed surprised me, and the beast lunged towards me with an outstretched, clawed hand. With a grunt, I managed to avoid the worst of the sharp claws, but it still struck me a glancing blow across my neck and sent me rolling across the ground in a heap once again. I felt new pains shoot up my body as I rolled to a stop. I’m running out of healing potions. Reaching a hoof back to my saddle back I pawed around for something round and found it, but what I pulled out was something else and blinked.

A single round grenade sat in my hoof. No...it was crazy...it’d never work...would it? A roar brought my head up, and I saw the beast once more getting ready to charge at me. My entire body ached, I could barely stand and my Pipbuck was flashing warnings in several different colors. I had to finish this fight or it was going to finish me.

Sinking my teeth into the metal ring atop the grenade, I pulled the pin, and waited. I’d have to do this without S.A.T.S as it was still recharging. I had to finish this now, or I’d never get another chance. Rising to my hooves, I faced the hissing mass of scales and muscles...before with a roar it began to leap. Roaring myself, I flung the grenade as hard as I could toward the beast’s head. Luckily, my aim was true, and the metal orb struck the beasts open mouth and got caught in its throat. The large gecko’s eyes widened as it began to choke, and it stumbled from the sudden feeling. It jerked it’s head back and forth trying to dislodge the grenade. Grinning, I had just enough time to drop back to the ground and cover my head with my fore hooves before the grenade went off.

It sounded like the over ripe watermelons my father had us use for target practice back in the Stable when the grenade went off. Something wet and sticky struck my body a second later and I lowered my front hooves to look and see what had happened. I half expected the thing to shrug it off and rip my head off, but it seems it had finally bit off more then it can chew (I groaned inwardly, but I say I earned it).

The body of the large gecko lay in the dirt not far away from me, it’s head completely obliterated. Its neck and upper body looked as if it had been shoved into a blender that was set to explosion. Steam rose slowly from the corpse and I could smell the sick scent of cooked meat, as I stood, I felt bits and pieces of the gecko slide wetly off my body to land with a thunk on the ground around me. There are not enough showers in the world...

Of the remaining gecko I saw no trace, and my E.F.S. was clear of red dots for once. Tiredly, I picked up my fallen assault rifle and slipped the strap back over my head and at once winced, oh Celestia everything hurt, even my tail hurt. Turning painfully, I spotted my pistol still laying nearby, and on wobbly legs I walked over and picked it up in my mouth before holstering it. The sound of flapping wings beside me announced Wildfire’s return, the pegasus carrying a now awake Stonehoof. Dropping the earth pony from her hooves, the pegasus landed beside him, and the pair looked at me oddly.

“What? I have some more of that thing on my face?” I asked, sitting down tiredly and reaching up a sore hoof to rub at my even sorer face. I looked myself over and saw a number of bits that did not belong to me sticking to my armor and coat. I had a number of wounds and scars and a nasty burn mark on my flank from the acid. Wildfire was the first to speak up.

“That was either the bravest or the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen; and trust me, I’ve done some dumbass things in my time,” the pegasus grinned at me and shook her wild red mane.

“Ah’ve seen some mighty amazin’ things in my time, but never have Ah seen somethin’ like that,” Stone said. The earth pony still looked badly beaten up, but at least he was awake and talking.

“Well...it seemed like a good idea at the time...and really, my only other option was to end up as dinner,” I said, then looked up to the tower several dozen feet off the ground and frowned. How was I supposed to get my shotgun back? “Either of you two see the last gecko?” I asked. Stone snorted softly, and Wildfire grinned.

“I wouldn’t worry about him, while I was trying to find someplace safe to drop off this lump of a pony, I spotted it running off towards the north as quickly as it’s clawed feet could carry it.” Following my gaze, the pegasus’ wings flared out and she launched herself into the air. As easily as you please, the mare slipped inside the fallen tower and back out within a few seconds. As she landed once more, I saw the torn strap for my shotgun in her mouth, the weapon looked none the worse for it’s treatment.

“Thanks.” I picked the weapon from her mouth and looked it over, I’d hate to lose it, after all it was a piece of home. A piece of home that was helping to keep me alive. It was a bit banged up, but still seemed to be in good shape. I’d need to do some repairs on it when we got back to Crossroads.

“No problem, but we’d better get you two back to town.” As if reading my mind, she bent over to help Stone stand again, the earth pony swaying slightly on his own.

“Good idea...” I don’t think I’m going to be able to stay on my hooves, I added silently, before limping towards the hole in the side of the wall. Oh, it was going to be a long walk back to town...

Stepping out of Stone’s room, I quietly shut the door behind me, letting my friend get some well deserved rest. Doctor McCoy had left just moments ago after checking up on the large gray earth pony. Luckily for the both of us, the earth pony doctor had been checking up on Lilly and her new foal when we’d made our way into town with Wildfire’s help. He’d been getting ready to leave the saloon and had been near the doors speaking with Rose when we stumbled our way through them and dropped to the floor. None of us had looked very good by that point.

I looked over my body now, I had managed time to clean up and most of the dirt and blood from my trip had been left behind in the bathtub. My hind quarters were wrapped in white cloth to help heal the burn marks from the gecko’s acid (luckily it had stopped before it burned down to the muscle. Though my body was still sore, Doc told me after some rest I’d be alright, just to try and not strain myself for a few days. I knew I’d be unable to do that though, as tomorrow I planned to head out.

Stepping away from the closed door, I turned and began moving back towards the stairs at the end of the hallway. My hoof steps lightly clattered along the wooden floor as I walked. Ahead of me a door opened near the stairs and I spotted Rose stepping out. She’d been checking in on her sister and look up as I moved closer. The mare’s dark green eyes looked past me to Stone’s door, before settling back upon my face.

“This is twice I find myself thanking you for saving my family from harm, Shadow. You seem to be making a habit of it. Not to mention saving the town of thirst.” I blinked and tilted my head slightly, she smiled and explained, “He’s taken good care of my sister after her husband died. He’s looked after Appleseed and taught him how to handle a gun and survive the wasteland, and even helped me a time or two. He’s a good pony, and those are very rare in this world.” The red unicorn’s horn began to glow softly and a bag floated up before my face from the folds of her dress. By the sounds coming from inside, I imaged it was the caps she said she’d pay me.

“Here, you’ve more than earned these.” She floated the bag up before me and waited. I held up my right hoof and allowed the bag to drop onto it. It was a lot of caps, more then most ponies would earn in a week. Ponies like Raincatcher and the others who had died trying to defend their town’s well. Ponies with families. I stared at the bag for a time, thinking about the dead ponies I’d seen in the well. Thinking about the family huddled together back in Lonesome Hoof.

“Give this to the families of the ponies who lost their lives at the well. They earned it more then me.” Lightly I tossing the bag back to her. Her horn lit up with magic as she caught it easily, her green eyes settling upon me with a questioning look. I simply nodded my head and smiled softly, “Besides, doesn't seem right to be paid to do the right thing, I’m a security pony, protecting others is my job.” With that I trotted past her and started down the steps.

“It seems...there’s more good ponies in this world then I thought...” I heard her say to no one after I was halfway down the stairs and into the saloon. It was as crowded tonight as it had been the night before. This time, as I made my way through the tables and towards the doors, several of the ponies sitting around looked up and nodded my way. Several gave out cheers and more than a few of the mares offered me a wink or two. I simply smiled to all and nodded back, but I was intent on finding where Wildfire had hidden herself. I’d not seen her since we’d arrived in town, and she’d helped us to Rose’s saloon.

Stepping out through the swaying door, I looked around the streets and sidewalks of the dark town. The street lights no longer seemed to be working, well, not all of them I noticed. Only a few shown dim light across the streets. There were few ponies out on the street at this hour of the night, most were asleep inside their homes with family and friends or behind me in the saloon. Moving away from the door, I noticed most of those ponies passing by wore the mismatched armor of the town’s guards. A few nodded my way, or tilted their hats back in respect. Hmm, seems I earned some respect from them for what I did...

Walking off the saloons porch, I began to make my way through town, looking for the pegasus. It didn’t seem likely to be that hard to find the only mare with a set of wings in a town of earth ponies and unicorns, especially as Stone said she wasn’t the most liked of ponies, but after half an hour of searching, I was no closer to finding her and my already tired hooves began reminding me I owed them some rest.

My path had taken me to Marcus’ weapon shop, and I stopped surprised to see the door open and lights inside still on. Stepping up to the doorway, I looked inside and spotted the overweight earth pony sorting through several boxes around his counter and muttering to himself in whatever language that was.

“Marcus is busy at moment, friend. Please, coming back later when...,” the brown earth pony turned and stopped, at once that wide grin appeared on his mustached face and he stepped towards me. I flinched and awaited the assault I knew was sure to come. At this point, I’m pretty sure I would have snapped in half.

“Is Stable pony! Marcus hearing Stable pony big hero now! Ha! Knowing Stable pony do good things!” With a laugh the pony wrapped me up in his fore hooves and proceeded to ruin all of Doc’s fine work on patching me up. Falling out of the tower had barely hurt worse.

“Than-thanks Marcus...please...put me down?” I asked between breaths as my hooves left the ground. Finally with a grunt, the shop owner dropped me and released me from his crushing hug.

“Stable pony should be resting, dah? Looks ready to fall over!” Arching a bushy eyebrow the earth pony poked a hoof at my battered armor, “Stable pony’s shiny armor is looking in poor shape.” Frowning, he shoved me back onto my backside and proceeded to unbuckle my security armor with his teeth and hooves.

“Uh...Marcus what are you doing?” I asked, as he tossed the pieces of my armor into a corner.

“Can’t let big time town hero walk around wasteland in dented armor. What kind of message that send? Eh?” With a grin, he tossed the last few pieces of my armor atop the rest,“Come back tomorrow, Marcus have Stable pony’s armor all fixed and ready.”

“I’m afraid I don’t have a lot of caps on me...,” I began, but a look from Marcus silenced me.

“Nyet, Stable pony not owe Marcus any caps. Is on house, dah. For saving town’s well.” With a nod, he turned and began shoving my armor loudly towards the back of the shop, if it wasn’t already damaged, the treatment it was getting now definitely had it banged up. Before he disappeared behind the curtain, I rose up and stepped towards the counter.

“Do you normally keep your shop open so late?” I asked as he finished half shoving half kicking my armor into the back room.

“Marcus is getting ready for new guard ponies being sent out to well. Rose asking me to equip twice number of ponies we normally have there. Think run in with geckos make mayor mare worry more,” he answered, stepping back out to stand across the counter from me. As the curtain closed, I noticed the back room seemed as cluttered up as the front.

“So I take it no pony has ever seen such a large gecko before?”

“Nyet, never. Never see geckos that spit acid before either! Is good guards seal well before killed, or water ruined.” He narrowed his eyes and shook his head slowly, “Is bad. Wasteland getting worse all time.”

“Really? I figured it’d be getting better if the radiation was fading.” I said, tilting my head to the weapons pony. I mean, that’d been the point of Stables. Send some ponies underground to wait for the radiation levels to drop down, and then start over again. Granted the environment was fucked up, and there was a lot of crazy ponies...but surely it wasn’t like this everywhere...was it?

“Is not all radiation's fault, nyet. Is no more radiation’s fault then is bullets fault when hitting pony in head. Is ponies fault who pull trigger. Guns are not killing ponies. Ponies are killing ponies. Ponies are causing problems we having. Ponies like raiders. Ponies like slavers. Bad ponies.” He let out a sigh and leaned more heavily against the counter, “Radiation as say, can fade. Bad ponies, they just make more bad ponies. And those bad ponies make more...is never ending cycle.”

“Not if they stop...,” he rose a hoof up to silence me and pointed out to me.

“Is point, Stable pony. Nopony is wanting to stop.”

I lowered my head and thought about it. Was madness and killing all any pony really knew anymore? Had we fallen so far from where we’d been that the Stables had been built for nothing? I frowned and glanced around the store; looking over all the ways you could kill a pony. A heavy rifle sat upon a counter, with a long range scope added atop it, you could kill a pony from almost a mile away with that weapon, and he’d never see it coming. Below it was a collection of pistols, forcing you to get up close and look your opponent in the eye when you pulled the trigger and took his life. Hanging beside the shelf was a few assault rifles, spitting out vast amounts of lead in a short amount of time. So many ways to kill a pony.

I sighed and looked back up to the weapons dealer, his happy mood gone for the moment .

“Marcus, have you seen Wildfire at all?” I asked.

“Hmmm....nyet, not seen crazy pegasus since earlier. Come in looking for ammo for her big guns. Buy what have and took off.”

Nodding my head, I thanked him and turned and left the earth pony with his thoughts. Stepping outside and back onto the street, I pushed away the dark thoughts for the time being, I had to find Wildfire. I began to wonder if she’d left for her home. After all, she had no real reason to stay, but then she hadn’t any reason to save Stone and I either.

Looking up, I spotted two mares in the same armor as the town’s guards. Hmm, perhaps some of the guards had seen Wildfire. Walking up to them, I nodded my head in greeting.

The first was a light blue gray earth pony, with blue eyes and a dark green mane and tail striped through with white and cut short. She was slightly larger then most ponies, though nowhere near as big as Brightblade or Stonehoof. She was also very well built, likely from a lifetime of hard work. She carried a shotgun similar to mine by her side, the strap over her head and resting against her armored torso. Her cutie mark was covered by her saddle bags.

Her partner was a cream colored unicorn, whose armor seemed far to large for her small frame. Her dull red mane had been fixed into a Mohawk and her tail braided up tightly. Her cutie mark was visible and appeared to be of a windmill. I noticed her right rear leg looked metallic from the knee down, a leather strap tying it to the stump of her limb. She had a very startling set of orange eyes, that nearly seemed to glow in the dark, but a very friendly smile which she graced me with when they noticed me.

“Excuse me, ladies, but have either of you seen Wildfire? She’s a pegasus, and came into town with me early tonight.” The pair halted and looked me over, before the earth pony grinned.

“Your th’ Stable pony, th’ one who drove off them varmints at Well Two?” I nodded and she continued, “Mighty nice work ya be doin’ there, friend! Now...about your friend, I think I seen’er up on th’ walls over yonder.” She tilted her head towards the north wall and I looked off towards it. I was too far away to be sure if any of them were Wildfire, but there were several ponies atop the wall. Turning back to the pair I smiled and shook my head.

“Well, I didn’t do it alone, in fact if it wasn’t for Wildfire I doubt either Stone or myself would have made it out in one piece.” The cream colored mare smiled and shifted her body a bit, her metallic limb creaking a bit as she did.

“Modest too, my, are all you Stable boys so well mannered and polite?” she asked with a wink.

“Um, I wouldn’t know, miss. If you’ll both excuse me, I need to speak to Wildfire.” With a nod and smile I made my way past the two and trotted towards the northern gate. What was with all these mares? In the Stable I had been largely ignored by most of them, now it seemed I was the only stallion on the face of the planet.

Approaching the north gate, I scanned along the wall for any signs of a orange pegasus. I spotted several of the town’s guards walking on patrols across the top, but a single sitting form drew my attention. I spotted the pegasus outlined against the gray cloud covered sky. She seemed to be looking off towards the east, her wings half open. The guards on duty around the gate house paid me little attention beyond a smile and wave as I stepped up near them. Now, how was I supposed to get up there?

As I lowered my gaze, spotting a rusting ladder to the side of the gate, it had been sitting there for sometime, likely the past one hundred or so years. Frowning, I looked questioningly at the thing, after all, I’d had my fill of falling off things today. Placing a hoof atop a rung I gave it a light tug: the ladder rattled and shook, but remained in place. Carefully, I placed the weight of my body upon it, and after a few seconds of it not falling over, I began climbed to the top of the wall. Once I had all four legs under me again, I moved towards the sitting form of Wildfire.

Not once did the mare look up as I approached her, nor did she acknowledge me when I settled down beside her. I followed her gaze out across the wasteland, at this time of night, there was little to see. Everything was dark, only the shapes of hills and tall rocks stood out against the gray sky. I could make out the rocky towers we’d climbed to find her the day before. Turning my gaze to the east, I could just make out the far distant mountains. After a few minutes I finally broke the silence.

“Thanks for saving us.” As I spoke, Wildfire glanced over at me slightly, before turning her blue eyes away and back out across the wasteland.

“What else was I going to do? Leave you two dumbasses to die?” she asked finally, and I turned to look at her, offering a friendly smile to the oddly quiet pegasus. She’d been so outspoken earlier that evening when we’d first met, and even while we fought for our life, she’d been brash.

“Well, if you had, I would have been mighty upset with you.” I noticed as I spoke a slight smile form on her lips before fading away quickly. I turned back to look out across the horizon.

“Not many ponies would risk their lives for strangers,” she began. When I did not stop her, she pressed on, “Why’d you do it? I heard from a few of the guards the mayor offered to pay you, but you turned it down.” She turned her head to look at me.

“It just didn’t feel right to take money away from them, not for doing the right thing.” At that, the mare snorted softly and I arched a brow to her.

“No pony ever does the right thing...at least not for free,” she said, eyes remaining fixed upon my face. She tilted her head slightly, “I use to hear ponies back home who said we were doing the right thing by sealing up the sky. By protecting our own.”

“Ever since I was a little foal, I was taught the difference between right and wrong. My mother told my sister and I stories of what life was like before the war. About ponies helping ponies. About friendship and loyalty. I was raised in a Stable my whole life, so I never had to deal with what everypony else has,” I said, turning away from her bright blue eyes to narrow my own eyes at the darkness before me. The wasteland seemed to be little more then a sea of darkness, surrounding a few sparks of light. Like Crossroads. “Maybe if I had been raised up here, I’d be different, but I wasn’t and I’m not.”

“You’re different than any other pony I’ve met,” Wildfire spoke up. As I turned to look back at her she continued, “I think you actually mean it when you say you did it because it was right.”

I smiled to that, taking it as a compliment. A slight pain worked its way up my back and I winced. I shifted my weight on my hind quarters, the acid burns still bothering me despite the salve and bandages I was wearing and looked back to the pegasus. Perhaps it was time to change the subject and learn a bit more about her.

“By the sounds of it, I guess the pegasus don’t care about the ponies on the surface to much?” I asked, having caught her mention of her home. She snorted and glanced towards the sky above us, blue eyes narrowing.

“Not one shit, no. The Enclave rules the skies, and controls everything. From the news to the entertainment. Even what foals are taught in school. It’s their version of history, which is close enough to the truth to be easy to believe.” She grunted and looked away, “Hell, I believed it for most of my life, until I started coming to the surface more.”

“So most haven’t been to the surface?”

“Not many, no, only those authorized for special assignments are allowed below the clouds, and then only for so long. More than half the population have no clue what its like down here, most don’t give two shits. No, only time we’re sent to the surface is if they want something or there’s a threat to one of our cities. Believe it or not, there’s not exactly a lot of raw materials for making weapons and armor in the clouds,” she answered with a ghost of a smile.

“You use to come down here a lot then?”

“I use to be in the Enclave myself, so yeah I was ordered down here a time or two.” Used to, was that why she was down here? Was she kicked out or something? I pressed on, wanting to find out more about this Enclave, the more she mentioned it, the more I found myself disliking it. It sounded like a military.

“What is the Enclave exactly? The government?”

“Yes, and it’s our military as well. It was formed shortly after the bombs started falling across Equestria. Everypony was scared what was happening below might happen to them. The zebras had already destroyed Cloudsdale, and the threat was very real at the time. Nopony really questioned them taking over, most were too afraid, those that did, well...they either shut up or they were deemed a threat. Most figured it was temporary, and once the danger had passed things might return to normal.”

“I guess that didn’t happen?”

“Look around, kid...what part of this festering hell hole looks normal to you?” Her ears flicked back and she shook her head, “No, there was always some other threat to us that seemed to appear. Raiders with anti-flier weapons. The griffins looking for supplies for themselves. Random dragon attacks. After a while, most just began to accept the Enclave, and allowed them to completely take over.”

“Dragon attacks?” I glanced to the sky, I’d heard stories and seen photos of dragons before. Big strong nasty looking creatures with a love of fire and hoarding. Had they survived the bombs?

“There’s not many left, most died from the radiation a couple years after. Those that survived did so deep underground or in places like here that didn’t suffer as many hits as they did back east. Lucky us, eh?” this said with a smirk and flick of her wings.

Oh, yes. Lucky us indeed. Nodding my head, I looked from her face to her flank, noting the branding she wore in place of a cutie mark. Looking more closely, I could see scarring around the mark, I couldn’t imagine what it must have been like. A pony’s cutie mark was special, to have it burned away like that. I doubted it had been done willingly, what pony would allow it?

“So, how’d you end up stuck down here?” I looked back up to her face as I asked the question, the mark was likely personal, and I did not want to anger her if I could help it. She had saved Stone and myself’s life.

“Its...a long story, and not one I really want to get into. The short version of it, is I disobeyed orders and got myself and two others banished.”

“There’s two other pegasi with you?” The house (or pile of junk) she’d been staying in had been a bit small, I doubted there was room inside for anypony else.

“Not anymore there isn’t.” And like that, she closed back up. It seemed I’d asked the wrong question after all. I sat for awhile, waiting to see if she might start talking again, I even tried asking her a few questions about other subjects like where she got her rifles, or how she met Stone, but she only answered with a yes or no. Sometimes not even that. After an hour, I was ready to fall asleep right there and so decided it was time to head back to the saloon.

“Well, I should really get myself some rest, I’ve a long day tomorrow.” I stood slowly, hearing a few joints popping and groaning, oh I don’t think it’s suppose to sound like that. Turning away, I trotted towards the ladder, placing a hoof on the top rung I was about to swing down when Wildfire spoke up.

“I should return home as well...I’ll...think about ways you can get inside Kanter City and write them down for you,” she said, I smiled and turned to thank her. The pegasus was gone, however, having dived off the edge of the wall, soaring away to the north, it was so dark, I had no chance in spotting her as she flew away.

Climbing back down the ladder, I started back towards the saloon and a nice warm bed.

I awoke the next morning, feeling far better then I had when I’d went to sleep. Yawning, I lifted my head up from the pillows and looked around the room sleepily. The light from outside filled the room, and it was clear I’d slept through most of the morning. Even now, I had to fight my way to roll over and climb out of bed. As my hooves touched the floor and I finished stretching out I noticed something sitting on a chair near the door. Stepping closer, I saw it was my armor laying on the seat, a note taped to it. Sitting down beside the chair, I pulled the note away and looked to see what it said.

‘Thanks for the help. Stop by my shop anytime your in town.’

I lowered the note and smiled, Marcus was a pony of his word, and my armor had never looked so clean or ready for action. Every dent and hole had been patched, even the straps that held it all together looked new, as did the buckles themselves. I reached over and picked up the neck guards where the large gecko had clawed me, not a trace of the claw marks remained. Not just a good sales pony, it seems the plump earth pony knew how to repair armor, and I imagine he’d handle a weapon just as well.

Turning away from my armor, I moved over to a full length mirror in the corner of the room and began removing most of the bandages from round my hind quarters, I needed to get ready to leave...

Stepping out of my room, I readjusted my saddle bags and tightened my armor. Today was the day I’d be leaving Crossroads to continue on eastward. I wasn’t sure how I’d get past the patrols around and inside Kanter City, but I was very sure I wasn’t ready to give up just yet. And Wildfire had promised to come back and give me some idea of how I just might do that. I suppose the mare could just blow me off again, but I had a feeling she wouldn’t. I had a feeling it was going to be a good day.

Yawning once more, I made my way towards the stairs, intending to at least get something to eat from the kitchen and save the food I was packing for later. I needed to make everything last as long as I could, the trip to Kanter City would not be an easy one, despite just needing to follow the tracks east. As my hooves touched down on the saloon’s floor, I noticed the large main room was once more nearly empty at this time of morning. Well, almost empty. Stopping, I watched the gathered group sitting at a table near the bar eating breakfast and smiled to myself.

Sitting side by side, Rose and Lilly busied themselves playing with the new born foal, the young pony’s coat was a soft green in color and he lacked the horn of his mother, taking after his father no doubt. The baby coo’ed softly and smiled brightly up at his mother as she nuzzled him gently. At this time of day, it seemed Rose and taken after her younger sister and left the fancy dresses back in her room. The mare wore only a plain looking soft purple vest and I could see her cutie mark. Like her sisters, it matched her name, a half dozen pink roses graced her flank.

Beside the two mares sat the child’s uncle, Stonehoof, who looked far better than he had the night before, he still had a few bandages around his body, but most had been removed. He wore his mismatched armor and vest below it, his cowpony hat sitting on the table before him, besides a bottle and half empty glass. He was sitting with a smile on his muzzle as he looked to his nephew. The gray earth pony’s eyes lit up as the young colt turned to wave a hoof about towards him making baby gibberish and smiling about it.

Sitting beside his older sisters, Appleseed chuckled at Stone’s reaction and floated a bottle up to the newest member to his family. The green unicorn’s horn glowing softly as he placed the bottle within the grip of the young colt. Like Stone, the now second youngest member of the family looked far better than he had, the bandages on his hind quarters had been removed and barely a trace of the shotgun blast remained. The unicorns cutie mark was a spade and hammer, taking after his older brother it seemed.

As I watched the family, I was reminded of the day Sugar Pie had been born, when friends of Ebony and myself had gathered in the Stables medical bay to greet the newest member of our little community. Brightblade, Spearmint, Bluebelle, Wendy, and so many others had been there. Sugar Pie, for her part, had simply laid in her mothers arms with wide gold eyes and stared at everypony around her. As we watched, she slowly began to smile and it was at that moment I knew I’d never seen a more happy sight. I closed my eyes and smiled, remembering them all. With any luck, they were halfway to San Ponsico by now, and safe.

Rose looked up and noticed me standing there, smiling she waved me to join them at their table, after a moment I shook off the feeling of loneliness and made my way towards them, nodding to each.

“Well, I see somepony’s none the worse for his hurried trip across the old highway,” I said with a nod to the young colt, who was busy sucking on his bottle, bright brown eyes staring at me intently as he went about his breakfast perhaps wondering who this stranger was.

“So it seems, but then the stallions of his family have always been a rough and tumble lot,” Lilly said with a proud smile, nuzzling her son’s tiny cheek gently once more. Stone’s turned away from his nephew to look to me and tilting his head to the side.

“So, Ah reckon yer plannin’ on leavin’ this mornin’?”

“Yes, I should really be on my way, if what I seen of the maps is any indication, I have at least another week’s worth of travel ahead of me, best to get started right away,” I answered, sitting down beside them. Stone pushed a glass over towards me with a hoof and I took a drink, beside me Rose sighed softly.

“Are you sure we can’t convince you to stay, Shadow? We could really use a pony like you around here, you could do a lot of good.” I shook my head and locked my eyes with the red mare’s.

“Maybe, and I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about staying, this is a nice town you all have for yourselves here...but it’s not my home.” It was true enough, I had thought about staying, it was clear enough Rose wanted me to stay for her own reasons, and I was not so clueless as to not know what those reasons were.

“Perhaps not...but you could make it your home, Shadow. Over the years we’ve taken in any number of wandering ponies, and they’ve all found a place for themselves here. Gone on to raise a family, make a life for themselves.” Rose said, eyes locking on mine. Looking away from her eyes I glanced to the windows of the saloon and smiled slowly. Start a family here? Ever since Sugar Pie had been born, I’d thought about having my own kids. Shaking my head slowly, I knew though that I’d never allow myself to do it, not while Ebony was lost out there. Not while Sugar Pie had a chance to get her mother back.

“When Ebony and I were kids, we often spoke about making a home for ourselves on the surface, I always wanted to start a farm and raise a family. Grow some vegetables, maybe some tomatoes and have a few fruit trees. Years later, I promised myself if we ever did leave our Stable, I’d find myself a nice plot of land somewhere and do just that. Ebony always use to tease me about it when we were kids, she wanted to go out and see the world.” I smiled at the happy memory, and the silly dream, at the time it hadn’t seemed so silly but now with the harsh realities of the wasteland, “But could you really sit here happy not knowing what happened to Lilly or Appleseed?” The unicorn lowered her head, and I pressed on, “I have to try and find my sister.”

“I understand. I don’t think I could be happy not knowing either, and I’d likely be doing the same thing if I was in your shoes. It’s just, Kanter City is such a horrible place. Ever since the bombs fell, that place has been home to so much death and misery for everypony this side of the mountains. And its only gotten worse in the past few years.” Rose glanced from her sister and brother to me as she spoke.

“I know.” It had been the raiders from that city that had attacked my home, so I knew there was likely little good that could come from such a place. With a soft snort I shook my head and smiled to the ponies sitting with me.

“My mother and sister would knock me upside the head for ending such a fine party with so much doom and gloom...please, let’s just have something to eat and not ruin Jasper’s morning,” I said, looking to the young colt; with his bottle empty he was busy chewing on the and tip looking at the adults around him.

“Well, be a right shame ta leave on a empty stomach, and Ah do travel better after Ah’ve had my coffee,” Stone said, taking a sip from a dented coffee cup sitting at the table. I arched a brow and looked over to the gray pony.

“Excuse me?”

“Ya don’t think Ah’m lettin’ ya wander off across th’ wasteland on your own, do ya?” the earth pony said with a smile, “Ah owe ya twice for savin’ my hide. For what ya did for Appleseed and th’ whole town. Don’t seem right ta just let ya wander around on yer own.”

“Stone...I’m grateful your willing to help me...but, I can’t let you do this. You have a home here, and a responsibility to Lilly and Rose.”

“With that there well back up and runnin’ and patrols incressin’ for any more of them geckos, the ladies are safe enough in town. Not once has anypony we never wanted gotten into th’ Crossroads. Ah don’t see that changin’ anytime soon.” He glanced to Lilly and Rose before pressing on, “We don’t feel right ‘bout ya riskin’ yer hide to help us, and just pattin’ ya on th’ back and sendin’ ya on yer way.”

“You’ve done so much for us, and truth be told, Stone’s been getting restless from having to baby sit me so much,” Lilly continued with a smile, her son cooing happily as his mother floated a stuffed toy over to him with her magic. “With Appleseed and myself safely behind the town’s walls, he’d likely just wander off and get himself into trouble. At least with you, we know he’d have somepony to watch his back.”

“Hey, now...Ah never get myself inta trouble. Ah dunno what ya two mares are talkin’ about.” Stonehoof rolled his eyes and waved a hoof at the two, causing them both to giggle softly and shake their heads. Appleseed chuckled and got a hoof in the shoulder from the older earth pony.

For a moment, I was speechless, this pony I’d only known for a few days was planning on going with me? Into a raider infested city with Celestia knew what else? Shaking my head, I opened my mouth to speak but was cut off as a voice called out from behind me.

“Well, shit, if he’s going with you, I might as well go...goddesses above knows he’ll get your sorry plot lost.”

Turning around in my seat, I saw Wildfire standing in the doorway to the saloon, a smirk on her lips and her wings spread open. The pegasus mare was dressed far differently than she had been the night before. Her upper body was now covered in a type of glossy black armor plates, much like my riot armor but far thicker. Both her front legs were covered in it from hoof to shoulder. Her hind quarters were only covered from just below her knee to her hoof. Across her chest, she wore a belt and holster for a sidearm, much as I did, though hers appeared to be a smaller pistol. Over her back she still wore the battle saddle she’d appeared in the night atop her home. The barrels had retracted somehow back down out of her way. Just behind her wings, she wore a set of worn saddle bags. Slipping past the swaying doors, the pegasus trotted over to our table her smirk turning to a grin as she nodded to the others before looking to me.

“Besides, without me you’ll never find your way inside the city without attracting the attention of every raider and griffin patrol in the area.”

“Ah though ya didn’t want anythin’ ta do with th’ city, Wild,” Stone said, sitting his empty cup back down upon the table. The mare looked over to him and folded her wings down across her back neatly, she flicked her ears once before answering.

“I don’t...but I need to settle some things in the city myself and I don’t think I could do so on my own.” Her normally brash voice lowered slightly. Stone grunted, but did not question her further, it seemed enough for him.

Looking between the two of them, a feeling of warmth spread through my chest and I smiled. It was a feeling I had whenever Brightblade or one of my old friends from the Stable stopped by after the death of my parents. Knowing there was somepony else there who wanted to help you in your time of need. Nodding my head slowly I cleared my throat to speak.

“Thank you, both of you for this. I don’t know how I can ever possibly repay you.”

“Shoot, an’t nothin’ ta worry ‘bout, Shadow.”

After thanking them both again, Rose excused herself and went to wake the cooks to get us a breakfast started. As I sat there looking between my new friends, I couldn’t help but feel more optimistic about the task ahead. With Wildfire’s knowledge I stood a very real chance of getting past the walls, and finding my way through the ruins of the city. Stone was both a deadly shot with his rifle, and strong. If it came down to a fight, I’m sure the odds would be doubled in our favor with just him.

Once breakfast was served, we spoke very little, and instead focused on our meal. Despite the fact there was little of it and it looked a bit odd from what I was use to, the food was surprisingly good. Pale green beans mixed with some equally pale carrots. There was a few small berries and something that tasted like apple cider, though it seemed mixed with alcohol to take away some of the bitter taste. After our meal, Lilly excused herself, and took her son back up to their room. Both mother and foal looked tired, and I remembered well the many sleepless night’s Ebony had after Sugar had been born.

As one of the serving mare’s cleaned away the dishes and refilled our mugs and cups, Wildfire spread a map out across the table where our meal had been. It was a pre-war map, much like the ones we had in the Stable, however this one had been updated. Glancing over the details, I saw where somepony had written in new towns and names for older ones. New landmarks appeared as well. I spotted where we were presently, Crossroads. My eyes were drawn to a few places marked out on the map. Las Pegas had been scribbled out, and replaced by New Pegas. Kanter City was listed simply as Hell (charming name), San Ponsico remained the same, as did Los Haygas, New Reno, Lonesome Hoof and a few other cities. I also noticed new places listed; Steeldome, Tunnel Town, Girder Shade, and Graymane among others. Looking further east, I saw the range of mountains that separated east from west and notices few places where you could cross. Tunnel Town was one, it was far south of us, across from Kanter City was a tunnel with no real name assigned to it. Far further north was another pass, but it also stood with no name. Across the row of mountains stood such cities as Manehatten, Fillidelphia, Hoofington and Canterlot. I wondered how things were there, worse?

An orange hoof pressing itself into Crossroads drew my attention back to Wildfire as the mare began to trace a line across the map following the railroad that lead straight to Kanter City. Looking closer, I noticed several other sets of tracks leading away from the city, going towards many of the other town’s and cities listed on the map. From what little I could remember, Kanter City had been a hub for the railroad, and where many of the trains were built and sent for repairs.

“If we follow the rail, it’ll take us straight to the city, but it will take us over a week to get there. Time your sister does not likely have,” the pegasus said, eyes fixing on mine, and I nodded, “I could make the trip in a day or two flying.”

“Sure enough, Wild, but in case ya haven’t noticed, neither Shadow or Ah have them pretty wings of yer’s,” Stone spoke up, pointing a hoof to the feathered limbs tucked against the mare’s sides. Wildfire arched a brow and smirked to the earth pony, a twinkle in her blue eyes.

“I haven’t noticed, I can see why we’re bring you along,” she said before pointing a hoof at Steeldome, “Luckily, you two won’t need to fly. I know some ponies up here that owe me a favor, and I left something with them they should have gotten fixed by now.” As she spoke, she tapped her hoof against the town called Steeldome. It was north of Crossroads, off to itself. It was one of the new additions to the map, and I wondered when it had been built.

“And that bein’?”

“A sky chariot, military grade.”

I blinked, and Stone whistled. Back in school, I’d read about sky chariots: the pegasus used them much like an earth pony used a wagon on the ground. Special magical components worked into them allowed a single pegasus to pull one through the sky as if it weighed nothing. Larger versions were built as a means of transport for ponies living in large cities and even for delivering goods. During the war, specially made sky chariots allowed pegasus to deploy earth pony and unicorns rapidly across the battlefield, and even behind enemy lines. They could air lift out the wounded or save stranded soldiers. Earth ponies began mounting weapons to the chariots as the war went on, and soon ground forces had heavy, close air support. If Wildfire had one of these variants...

“How’d ya get yer hooves on one of’em?” Stone asked, lowering his empty cup back down to the table, the pony was looking over at the pegasus with interest, his pale green eyes fixed on her with interest.

“It’s not important, just know with that, we’ll be able to cross the Povoni Desert in less time then it’d take by hoof. It will also allow us to take Shadow’s sister and anypony else from his Stable we find out of there quickly...and trust me, we will need to move quickly.”

Stone nodded his head, but still seemed to want to question where she’d come by this chariot. I imagine such things were rare in the wasteland, since the ability to make them had been lost when the balefire bombs struck the major cities. The factories and all but been destroyed and the skilled workers who had made them turned to little more then ash. But she had mentioned she’d been in the military, and I figured it was very likely the Enclave still had a number of these things in use. Had she stolen it when she’d left? Still, she was right about one thing, it wasn’t important at the moment, not if it meant getting us to the city quickly and my sister out safely.

“So, we make our way to Steeldome, make contact with these ponies you know and fly out to Kanter City...how are we getting in?” I asked her, looking up from the map. Wildfire lowered her hoof again to the city, or rather just to the south of Kanter City along a highway, Route 70 and a place marked Sticks (odd name).

“Before everything went to shit, they were building a small town here, it was going to house workers for the cities train yards, but they never finished it. It’s mostly a collection of single story homes and rotting wood frames. They did however finish a subway station and the tunnel that would have taken the ponies from their homes straight to work.” As she spoke, she drew her hoof along the map back to Kanter City. “They used it to ship workers back and forth to build the homes.”

“So that’s how you escaped?” Rose asked, stepping back up to the table after helping the saloons bartenders finish setting up for the evening rush. I’d been so intent on the map that I hadn’t noticed her leave the table. The red unicorn stood beside me, looking from the pegasus to the map.

“Yes, but I should warn you, there’s ghouls in the tunnels, along with the other usual pests you find underground.” At the name, Rose wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

“Ghouls?” I asked, looking from Wildfire to Rose, but it was Stone who answered.

“They were ponies once, same as ya or Ah, but somethin’ happened to’em. The balefire that killed so many changed’em. They are stuck between livin’ and dead. Their bodies rottin’ and decayin’...right nasty sight.” The earth pony grunted and shook his head, “Some’em are still ponies in mind, if not in bodies, but most have gone feral. Kill and eat ya sooner then look at ya.”

“I think when everything started going to hell in a hoofbasket, a lot of ponies fled to the subway tunnels thinking they’d protect them from the bombs, they did...but not from the radiation. It must have seeped into every dark hole in the city and killed the lucky ones,” Wildfire said, eyes narrowed on the black dot on the map.

Zombie ponies are wandering the streets. That’s what the father of the dead family I found back in Lonesome Hoof had said. Had they been survivors from Kanter City? Hell...there were worse things than death it seemed. Shaking my head I looked back to Wildfire and asked.

“And this way is better?”

“Ghouls are hardly organized, the feral ones are little better then animals. I managed to make it out by avoiding them for the most part, and the raiders rarely go down into the tunnels for fear of the ghouls, over the years the subway tunnels and sewer tunnels have collapsed into one another. It’s a maze down there, but I can get you inside the city,” she answered, leaning back from the table to look at me, “You wanted a way inside the city, this is it.”

A quick look to Stone made it clear he had no better ideas, and Rose, well Rose would just tell me not to go again. The red unicorn looked to me with concern, but she didn’t say anything. It seemed to be my call, but then again it was my sister we were trying to save.

“Alright, then that’s the plan. Once we get inside, can you guide us to the most likely places they’d have my sister?” I asked as Wildfire began rolling up the map with her hooves. She stopped for a moment, before finishing and tossing the map into her saddle bag.

“It’s a big city, kid. Fuck, it could take us a few days to just check half of it...and once we’re on the surface again, all bets are off. We’ll have to be damned careful not to get caught by the patrols.”

“We just need to get close,” I said, holding up my right fore hoof with my Pipbuck attached to it, “So long as she still has her Pipbuck on her, or any of the other ponies from the Stable do, I can track them. We just have to be close enough for it to work.”

“Well, we can try the places I remember first and go from there and that’s assuming they don’t have a way of getting those things off...or they just didn’t cut their hooves off,” she said, shrugging her wings. “Who knows, maybe we’ll get lucky.”

“Maybe,” I replied and picked up my cup, emptying the remaining apple cider from within it. A lot rested on things working out, I’d been lucky thus far, could I really trust my luck to hold out long enough? We first had to get the sky chariot, then sneak inside the city, then hope to Celestia and Luna that they hadn’t removed the only means I had to track them with...I looked down to my empty cup and suddenly wished I had more cider.

“At any rate, we should be leavin’ soon. It’s a good day and a half walk ta Steeldome from here,” Stone said as he stood up and began buckling on his saddle bags, which had been laying beside him on the floor unnoticed by me when I first came downstairs.

“Agreed, though I could make that trip in half the time if I wasn’t waiting for you dirt ponies,” the pegasus said with a grin and wink to both us ‘dirt ponies’ as she rose up from her seat. Checking the buckles of her armor, she trotted towards the saloon’s doors.

“Ah’ll show’er dirt ponies...,” Stone muttered as he followed after the mare, flicking his tail in annoyance. I smirked and started to follow when a hoof stopped me. Rose stood beside me, her horn glowing a soft pink, looking further back, I saw her drop a package into my saddle bags.

“When the town found out what you did with your reward money, they took up a collection and got you a few things.” When I opened my mouth to protest she held up her hoof to my lips to silence me, “It’s not a payment, but a thank you for what you did.”

“They really didn’t have to do that...but, thank them for me.” They had already given me shelter and food for two days, fixed my armor, refilled my canteens with water and patched up my wounds. Still, if I was going to get through this trip in one piece, I was going to need all the help I could get.

As I turned to leave, Rose leaned up and placed her lips on mine and kissed me, I wasn’t for sure but I think my E.F.S was beeping a warning to me about a sudden risk of a heart attack. After a moment, she pulled away and smiled, and I began breathing again.

“Good luck, hero.”

Outside the saloon, Stone and Wildfire stood waiting for me talking between themselves about something or another, I was still a bit stunned from the kiss. They both stopped and looked over to me as I trotted down the steps of the porch to join them. Almost at once, Wildfire began grinning as if she knew something. Stone caught on as well and arched a brow, reaching up to tilt his hat back and get a better look at me. Ignoring any comments from my friends, I started towards the northern gate and they fell in behind me silently for the moment.

Well...maybe I could escape this time without...

“Ya know, with a coat that dark, it’s amazing we can see you blushing,” Wildfire called out from behind me. I sighed and flicked my ears in annoyance.

It was going to be a long walk...

As the gates closed behind us, we made our way along the dust covered pavement, our hooves clopping loudly upon the cracked concrete. Casting my gaze northwards, I looked to the far distant mountain range hidden behind the thick haze of the morning heat. Somewhere between us and those distant mountain peaks sat the ruins of Kanter City, and the end of my journey.

Beside me, my two friends trotted side by side, their attention focused on an argument that had started before we’d reached the town’s gate. It seemed to be about which rifle was more accurate at a distance: hers or his. I smiled, and shook my head looking over to the bright orange pegasus mare and the gray earth pony stallion as they spoke.

“Size hardly matters, Ah’ve shot bloatsprites out between their wings before as pretty as ya please,” Stone was saying, to which Wildfire began cackling and snorting causing the earth pony to poke her in the side with a hoof, “And what's so funny?”

“Nothing...just keep telling yourself that,” the mare managed between chuckles.

As the breeze began to pick up, loose dirt and dust swirled around us as we walked, I turned my head to avoid getting anymore sand in my eyes then I already had. As I glanced back over my shoulder towards Crossroads, I made out three ponies standing atop the wall watching as we left. I could still easily make out Rose and her younger sister Lilly standing side by side. The younger mare holding her son against her chest in a foal harness. Beside them stood their little brother, Appleseed. Lifting a hoof up, Rose waved towards us, the others following suit.

With a smile, I waved to the family and turned away to look at the path ahead of us. Wildfire and Stone stood waiting on me. Looking between the two, I stepped up beside them and grinned as I realised, I was no longer alone.

“Alright, let’s move out.”

Welcome to Level 5!

Perk Added: Hunter: Everything in the wasteland is out for your blood. Trial and error has taught you where to aim to take down your wild foes more quickly.
In combat, you do +75% Critical Damage against animals and mutated animals.

Author's Notes:

Editor and Chief: TheGamefilmGuruman

Editor: Avi

Pre- Reader: MagicLlama

Pre- Reader: Bronyken

Original Cover Art: TimeForSP

Current Cover Art: MisterMech Go. Worship his work.