Chapter 14: Love and The Undead

Night had settled over the wasteland bringing an uneasy but welcome silence. Unfortunately there was a rather strong wind blowing across the desert and within an hour they were headed for a nasty sandstorm. But as luck would have it they stumbled across a decrepit fueling station. It was long picked clean by prospecting scavengers but it would be a suitable shelter... Presuming the roof wouldn't collapse on them in their sleep. But beggars can' be choosers right?

Bang, bang, bang! “Damn I hate those.” Hans complained. He had shot one of those damn radroaches, goddesses he hated those.

“You know you could have just stepped on it like the vermin it is?” Verity snidely questioned. The pink stallion looked aghast at such an idea.

“Hell no sweetcheeks. I wish I didn't have to use With Love on them, cause' I got NO love for them.” Hans complained.

In another room Artemis and Aroma searched for hostiles in the back rooms. Other than the odd roach the station was green. The building had seen it's days. Dry rot had damaged the structure and was visible in the ceiling. Small to medium sized holes gaped letting in particles of sand. The painting on the wall was severely chipped and posters were decaying to near non existent. All but one.

“I know her.” Aroma said. Artemis perked slightly at her words. Aroma stuttered and reconfigured her sentence. “Well I know of her. That's Twilight Sparkle.”

Artemis shined the pipbuck's light over the poster to get a better view. It was a decaying Ministry of Arcane Sciences poster. It had a mundane message about science which was weird being that this was a fueling station. The MAS was a branch of government based for developing spells and magical breakthroughs. Why did Aroma know anything about her? Didn't Stable Tech build the Stables go figure.

“How, do you know Ms. Sparkle?” She asked. Aroma turned happily.

“Everyone knows about her back home. Oh, back home....” Her jubilant tune lowered.

“Artemis do you think I'll ever go home?” Aroma asked with a tinge of sadness.

“Well, what was the rule about your hunters?” Artemis countered politely. There were still two hunters after Aroma, it felt like a thousand years since that even crossed her mind.

“I know if a hunter kills me he or she get's to go home. But I don't know about me, no one's ever survived this kind of thing.” Aroma said grimly.

“... Well weren't you briefed on what to do? In case you won?” Artemis asked, it was a little sickening to think of this like a game.

The orange mare sat down and rubbed her chin. “Uhh actually I, I was. Before I was forced to leave, yeah I am supposed to come back with the group of friends I made.” Aroma said with a rising hope.

“Why again do you need a group of, friends?” Artemis inquired rubbing her head.

“That, I was not told. I was just told that I needed a group of friends. After that I can go home. Hey Artemis if I do get to go home would you and the others want to join my Stable?” Aroma asked like a hopeful child.

Artemis was surprised by her proposition. Most Stable's are fanatical isolationists. Maybe winning this would get Aroma some kind of special privileges. There was that game mentality again. Artemis banished that mindset. While being safe in a Stable had a nice ring to it Artemis's knew she couldn't function in a Stable. One, they're meant for ponies not griffons. If there are griffon Stable's then she does not know of any. Two, Artemis knew her place was outside. A Stable seemed like nothing short of a living coffin and Artemis would rather die free than live in that purgatory. Three, she had to much a duty to give up everything and flee to a Stable. The Number Station was her destiny, as much as she disliked the idea.

“Well-” Artemis began.

“It would be awesome! Hans would love Frankfurt and the guys in maintenance with me. I could introduce you guys to Stellar, she's like my bestest friend and you and Verity could get married and have little baby griffons!” Aroma squeed.

Artemis blushed intensely and, wait a minute. How did Aroma find out about Verity and her?

“Wait, how did you find out about me and Verity?” Artemis questioned.

“Oh Hans told me he could smell you two a mile away.” Aroma answered happily.

Now it made sense. Hans had a gift for sniffing out that kind of thing. You could point to anyone, pony, griffon, male or female and he could tell you everything. Sexual orientation, who they're sleeping with, if they're virgins, you name it. It was like his special gift, it explained his heart cutie after all.

Artemis couldn't do it. Aroma was so happy and Artemis couldn't tell her yes. She wouldn't say no but she wouldn't say yes. “Well, we'll have to win first won't we huh.”

“You're right! We gotta stay on task, first we have to beat the hunters.” Aroma said with bravado. “Oh and Artemis, do you think you could take me out shooting soon. Cause' I'd really want to improve my aim that way I could help more in combat.” She asked Artemis sheepishly.

That Artemis could answer. She rustled Aroma's mane playfully. “Sure thing lil' dude.” Aroma chuckled happily.

With the area secure they met back down on the main floor. Hayseed and Lady had taken the liberty of rearranging the refuse in the area to better accommodate their needs. Verity and Hans sat around a fire in the middle of the room. Lady instructed the foals who were coming back to health to stay on the first floor and the first floor only. Hayseed was working on fixing the cooking spit. But something seemed off. Artemis couldn't put her talon on it though.

Artemis and Aroma sat down. The others didn't look worried but Artemis couldn't help but feel … misplaced. Like there was something here, not like a cut you in two Hellhound but something more, otherworldly like a ghostly phenomena.

“No. There are no such things as ghosts.” Artemis told herself. But then the twins came to her mind, then what hell were they? Some kind of phantasm?

Artemis tried to banish those thoughts from her mind. She forced a smile and sat down by the fire. Aroma looked how she always looked really. Verity looked steely and a tad dour. But she still found him cute. Hans looked risqué as usual. You could occasionally catch him sneaking glances at Hayseed. Lady and her husband had been through a lot, and it showed. Between the traveling and stress of White Tail Park they were haggard. Sometimes Artemis felt like they were abusing the couple by bringing them along. She wanted to do something nice for them.

“Sweetie, yoohoo it's story time.” Hans snapped Artemis to reality as he lit a cigarette. Again, what number was this?

“I have a tale for you guys.” Verity began in his iron tone. “It is called The Foal and the Frumen.” He began but was interrupted.

Hans took a drag of his cigarette, rolled on his stomach and crossed his hind legs. “Sorry pretty boy but I got a better story. A story about Littlepip the Lightbringer!”

“Oh! I wanna hear about the Lightbringer!” Aroma yelled. Verity rolled his eyes, disgruntled. “Who's the Lightbringer?” Aroma added.

Hans waved a hoof to her. “Don't worry darling I'll tell you everything you need to know.”

Hans put his cigarette out and began his tale.

“The Lightbringer. There are many a story about the her. So many in fact that we're not even sure if the Lightbringer was really a mare. But I digress.” Hans began.

Artemis had heard of the Lightbringer before. He or she was a savior of sorts from about thirty to forty-five years back. Some real bad stuff was happening back then, the Enclave Wars were at their bloody peak, a self-deifying slave lord was trying to usurp god or something. The most common tale ends with him becoming the clouds or something outlandish like that. The line between what was true or what was a tall tale for children blurred and disappeared. Whatever records or anything that existed had been destroyed or sealed away.

There are stories of all varieties. Noble and saintly to heinous and evil. Wasteland heroine or wasteland hell raiser. There was even a story about how she, or he ate an adult dragon in one whole bite! Crazy shit, you had ponies claiming to have known her or him, some even claimed to be his descendants and over the years all the fake stories and tall tales eventually eclipsed the truth and now it wasn't known if she was really a mare or a stallion. Kind of sad really.

But what was for sure was that this pony, one special pony gave life back to the land. It was decades before Artemis's time but the wasteland used to be barren and lifeless. The Lightbringer tore down the sky at the end of the Enclave Wars and brought back the sun hence why he is known as the Lightbringer. After that he vanished. Know one knows where he walks, and those who do know are either gone or will never say.

“Up at Friendship City she reached out with her telekinesis and grabbed the Raptor. Without breaking a sweat she ripped it in two!” Hans recited. Aroma was awestruck and Verity looked indifferent.

“...She tore the evil trees of the Everfree Forest out of the ground by their very roots! Using her heat vision she burned every foul tree and then went for Red Eye the Devil! His end was nigh!”

Artemis saw this as good a time as ever to talk to Verity about her unprofessional actions. She scooted her way around the fire so she wouldn't interrupt Hans's story. Verity tensed and clenched his talons. He thought someone was sneaking up on him and that was a good way to get killed.

“Hey, Verity could I talk to you?” Artemis whispered. Verity turned his eye and scanned her before nodding calmly. They got up and walked to the back rooms where her and Aroma searched earlier.

“Is that the best you got?! The Lightbringer yelled gallantly as Autumn Leaf's star blaster didn't even scratch her coat. Now it was her turn. She made a full roundhouse kick and kicked the colonel's head clean off, power armor and all!” Artemis and Verity snuck away.

Back in the storeroom the lighting was much darker. Even darker now that the sun had gone down. Artemis's gut hurt with immediate regret. Was it to late to go back to Hans's story?

“What is wrong Artemis?” He said in his steely tone but he sounded honest in his expression.

Artemis sighed. “Look, Verity. I know back at White Tail I, may have said some things..” Verity said nothing, he almost looked like he was smirking. Was he enjoying this?

“I was, weak. Wait well I mean that..” Artemis tripped all over her sentence. She sighed heavily, she turned away from Verity with her head down.

“Look, I just want to apologize for the way I acted. It was unprofessional, I shouldn't have thrown myself at you. I hope there won't be an awkwardness now.” Artemis finally confessed.

Artemis couldn't or wouldn't see Verity's face. Was he smiling, frowning, was he even still here? She guessed it didn't matter in the end. Artemis had made her apology and that's what mattered. She felt Verity put a hand on her back. Artemis turned and tried not to look embarrassed.

“Artemis.” He started. Verity held one of her talons in his. “You're a great woman but I know you were under a lot of stress. I'm not saying I wouldn't mind a relationship with you but if you just want to stay like this then I'm okay to.” Verity was using that hidden charisma of his. He spoke soft and gently, Artemis felt light.

“Well, why don't we take it slow, start off small and see where we get?” Artemis suggested nicely. Verity gave a nice smile.

“Sure thing.” He gave her kiss on her head and walked back to the main room. “But one thing.” He injected. “You do know I've had two wives and two kids and I'm twenty-six right?” He asked sheepishly.

“Err yeah, I remember. Maybe you could tell me about them sometime.” Artemis replied. She remembered Verity said his children died when they were little and his wives, were still a mystery. If Verity was still married to two women then this relationship was going to go nowhere. Artemis wanted a singular relationship with any mate she had.

“I guess I have some stuff to as well.” Artemis admitted. Verity looked curious and walked back to her.

“If we're going to have a romantic relationship I need to set up some terms.” Artemis said trying not to come across like a bitch.

“If we're going to be a couple, I am not or never will be your property to own. I am a free woman and we are choosing to be with you. Two, there won't be any other women that you have romantic interest with. If your two wives are still alive then you are now divorced. Three, we are serious. This is not some friends with benefits, or f-buddies deal.” Artemis accidentally sounded a tad bitchy.

Verity smiled and held her hand again. “I would never dream of infidelity and my previous marriages were ended when I left Gryphondale. We will have a meaningful and honorable relationship, but if you expect this out of me then I would expect no less from you.”

Artemis nodded in consent. “Agreed. I didn't mean to sound bitchy but I just wanted to make sure you didn't think a girlfriend was just a sandwich maker 5000.” Artemis joked.

“But you are right?” Verity smirked. Wait did Verity just make a joke? Wow what could happen next?

Artemis chuckled. Her and Verity looked at each other, nothing was said but Artemis felt good. Her boyfriend, her first boyfriend ever. She felt tingly inside. Butterflies and all that good stuff and the best was-!

Scratch-scratch-scratch.. A scraping noise cut the silence. Artemis traced the noise as did Verity to a door that said “boiler room”. That did not bode well.

“Verity, did you hear what I thought I heard?” Artemis asked nervously. By the steely look on his face he knew something in the boiler room was amiss.

Artemis wished she had a weapon, but she left her holster in the main room. The scratching noise reverberated again this time sounding more agitated. Ever so slowly Artemis reached out to open the door. Verity hid up against the wall to grab whatever came out. Her heart raced and Artemis's kinemortophobia came to her mind. The fear of the living dead. The idea that somewhere the dead stirred with a craving for living flesh, that fear haunted her even from childhood. Artemis grabbed the knob and turned, the scratching intensified.

“Mwwwaaaaaaa!!!” A vile gurgled moaned from the other side of the door.

Artemis pulled the door open in a haste. The dilapidated torso fell to the floor. It was a pony torso with only it's front legs and a mutilated head. Artemis froze, her fear had come to life.. or unlife! It looked at her with black eye sockets and gurgled again. It reminded her of those abominations at Old Olneigh.

“Mwaaaa!” It rasped and opened it's decayed jaw to take a bit out of Artemis. Artemis cried out as it jumped to her!

Whomph! Crack! Squish..

Artemis opened her eyes. Verity had grabbed the door and closed it violently on the zombie pony. It's soft skull squished like a rotten apple and piece's of it's brain splatter on the wall.

“Sheesh Artemis I didn't know you were gonna freeze up on me like that.” Verity was understandably irritated.

“It's a phobia of mine alright.” Artemis retorted.

Artemis barely opened the door and peaked down the hallway inside. Light's flickered and sparked and to her alarm she could make out more figures rising from the ground. They heard the noises and now they were woken up.

“Aw shit!” Artemis cursed. She looked around for anything to barricade the door.

“How bad is it?” Verity asked.

“Helluva bad Verity. We need to barricade this door and get to the others!” Artemis said as she slid a desk in front of the door. Verity stacked a filing cabinet on top of it.

They stacked whatever they could find. Artemis's heart raced. Zombies, fucking zombies! Why, why did it have to be zombies?! She rather fight, legionnaires, Hellhounds, those hentai things from Old Olneigh, but not zombies.

Quickly they returned to the main room. Hans was wrapping up the story and Aroma was still enraptured.

“And the Lightbringer blew Maripony sky high and carried the goddess back to the gates of hell and not a hair out place. She flipped off some Hellhounds on her way out of the wreckage and the Enclave showed up then shit hit the fan and now-”

“Hey guys, we uh got a situation.” Artemis said deceptively calm.

“What's the sit' honey?” Hans said striking an alluring pose.

“Well Aroma, you know how you wanted me to taking you shooting?” Artemis inquired. Aroma nodded slowly looking nervous.

“Well go grab Hayseed's BFR, there's no time like the present.” Aroma walked into the garage that housed their wagon from the sandstorm.

“Seriously baby what's the problem?” Hans asked seriously this time. Verity answered for Artemis.

“We have-!”

“AHH!” A cry split the air, Hayseed and Lady scrambled up from their slumber.

“That sounded like Aroma!” Verity called out.

Without further delay they ran to the garage door. Artemis grabbed her gun bag and loaded her famas. Verity kicked the door in and Artemis and Hans ran inside. Inside they found Aroma prancing in fear.

“Aroma, what's wrong?” Artemis grabbed her to calm Aroma down.

“I heard a noise and.” Aroma huffed and huffed. She pointed to a vent on the ground floor. “I went to check it out and there was a monster!” Aroma whimpered.

“That's a ghoul, this place has ghouls! Artemis don't flip your shit.” Hans requested.

“To late.” Verity told him sarcastically.

Artemis grabbed Hayseed's BFR from the back and tossed it to Aroma who promptly caught it in her mouth. Hayseed and Lady walked in along with their foals.

“What's the matter?” Hayseed inquired.

“Me and Verity discovered ghouls in the boiler room and by the looks of things there's a lot of them. From what I see we can either pack up and evacuate and try our luck in the sandstorm or we can bunker down in the main room and hold them back until the storm subsides.” Artemis announced. Their chances of survival in the storm were bad at best.

“Going in the storm right now is suicide. I say we hunker down lay some traps and fight until dawn.” Hans suggested drawing With Love.

“My vote stands with Hans.” Verity proclaimed.

“Wait lemme see what traps I have in my bags.” Hayseed hopped in his wagon and rummaged around. He came out with a medium sized duffel bag and spill out several bear traps and tripwires.

“Perfect. Let's get setup-. The building seemed to rattle as the ghouls were closing in on them.

“We don't have much time.” Verity commented. At once they hurried into the main room and began to barricade themselves behind the counter where the registers were.

While the others laid the bear traps out Artemis sat behind the counter. Unused pack of cigarettes and broken glass were all that remained in the splintered and beaten shelf. A window on the wall gave a view outside. The violent sandstorm was at gale force and had no inclination of stopping in the immediate future. The plan was simple, the minute she could see daylight they would make a break for the wagon and take their chances outside.

Hayseed and the others returned to Artemis. Lady placed the trap bag in the corner of their holdout position with her magic.

Crash!

“Look alive everyone!” Verity shouted.

Next Chapter: Chapter 15 - Dead By Dawn Estimated time remaining: 6 Hours, 11 Minutes