Second chapter here, and the changes here are instantly visible. I personally think that his conversation is one of the best I have ever written. I hope you enjoy it.

I begin to stir, feeling slightly lightheaded. Wait, I’m awake? I’m supposed to be dead! What the hell was that rainbow? I struggle for a few minutes to open my eyes, and I am immediately greeted by the sight of a cyan mare with a multicolored mane. Almost like a…rainbow! I attempt to jump to my hooves in realization, but instead, I end up falling on my back again, engulfed in a sudden surge of pain pulsating from the hole in my chest.

“Aarrgghh!” I writhe in pain, though internally I'm thank my lucky stars that I’m alive. The mare turns around to face me, signs of worry visible on her face. I look around and realize that I am lying in a field, apparently out of that forest.

“Woah, you’re awake! Oh my gosh I almost thought you died there.” She quickly turns around and grabs a first-aid kit, then walks towards me. She looks…worried. Wait, I’ve heard about stuff like this! One pony got dissected by some crazy doctor out there! I immediately begin to fear my own safety, trying to scoot away from the mare. She notices this and stares at me with confusion.

“Dude, what’s wrong? I’m trying to help you here.” I can detect a small amount of annoyance in her voice, “Stop moving, it’ll make this take longer.”

"Get the buck away from me!” I yell in fright, startling the mare, “Y-Your gonna dissect or use me in some sick experiment! I’ve seen what wasteland doctors do to ponies!”

“What the hay are you talking about? I’m trying to give you some medicine for that wound!” She is. Starting to get angry now, “I don’t know where you’re from, but here in Ponyville, we help ponies in need, not hurt them! Now calm down so I can give you this stuff for your wound!”

“Y-you mean, you really wanna give me free meds?” I calm down a little, “You’re not gonna cut me up for some experiment?”

“Why the hay would I do that?” She asks me, her voice now a tad more composed, “Now sit still, this might hurt a bit.”

I feel pain as the mare pours some clear liquid over my stomach area, burning my nerves. She then gestures for me to stay as she reaches to grab a roll of linen wrap out of the box. Before long, My midsection is wrapped in bandages. I have to admit, it does null the pain a bit. Before I sit up, she grabs something else, a syringe by the looks of it, but unlike any I’ve seen. This one has purple-tinted glass containing an unknown liquid. Maybe I should trust her, she hasn’t hurt me yet. I decide to listen to my conscience as she plunges the needle into my midsection, releasing the meds into my system. I sit confused until she notions for me to get up.

“What was that?” I ask her as I get back on my hooves, “Never seen anything like it.”

“It’s just some stuff that makes you heal faster.” She explains with a sideways glance, “By the way, what’s your name? I’m Rainbow Dash, most awesome pony in all of Equestria!”

“Whatever, I’m Iron Storm; another wanderer from the wastes.” I explain quickly.

“What’s a wanderer?” She asks me, “And what was that body that was next to you in the forest.”

“Some asswipe mutated pony thing. Tried to get me, but I had my sword and my wits.” I grin a little, “He won’t be waking up any time soon.”

“Wait, mutant? What are you talking about?” She looks at me with a confused glare, “Mutants are in comic books, right? You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

“Well then, if I’m kidding you, how did I get this wound? What is that creature? Care to tell me?” I say in an annoyed voice. I glance at the mare in front of me, seeing that she now has a very flustered look on her face.

“Okay, I guess it’s time for a history lesson.” I say, seeing that she has no idea what I’m talking about.

“Around three years ago, Equestria awoke to a grim sight.” I begin my story, “Up in the skies, there was a meteor hurtling towards the land, ready to crush everypony below it. Predictably, this made everypony panic and flood the royal family with questions. Those who didn’t do that spent their time boarding up and hunkering down in makeshift bunkers. For most, the effort was in vain; the meteor collided with Equestria and destroyed a lot of towns, such as Manehatten and Fillydelphia. Most towns now are flaming, destroyed shells of what they once were.  Hell, the impact alone killed and destroyed nearly everything in a one hundred mile radius.”

The mare stares at me in disbelief as I tell my story, her eyes connected with mine. Wonder what she thinks of this? How does she not now about this already?

“That impact alone caused the government to collapse and sent Equestria into a lawless, brutal existence. Thing is, that’s not even the worst part; theres the radiation.”

“R-radiation…?” She stares at me again, a pained look in her eyes.

“The meteor must’ve had some kind of radioactive shit in it, because now these mutants are popping up everywhere. They look like ponies, but they are much dumber and their only goal is to kill and eat everypony they see. I’ve killed around…let’s see…a thousand of them? Yeah, that sounds right. Give or take a few hundred.”

She just stares blankly at me, her face showing disbelief and horror.

“Ponies took on several different ways of life to survive in this hostile environment. Most just established small colonies around the wastes. They use numbers and fortified structures to combat the freaks. Another thing that most ponies have to worry about is bandits; ponies who take what they want and kill whoever gets in the way. Hell, sometimes they just kill ponies for the hell of it. Foals, Fillies, Mares, doesn’t matter to them. They enjoy torture, and I have a personal vendetta against any and all bandits for what they’ve done to me.”

“W-What did the-“ Dash begins to speak, but I cut her off.

“I’ll tell you later.” I reply in a cold-as-steel voice.

“I myself am a wanderer. I wander the wastes of Equestria, never sleeping in the same place for more than one night. All my possessions are on my back, and I am a master at the art of survival. I’m also a pretty good fighter, and I have to be to survive all of the freaks who attack me on a regular basis. It’s not fun, but it’s life, and that’s enough for me.”

Dash stares at me in disbelief, most likely shocked at what she just heard. Her world was torn from her and she didn’t even know it. I’ll admit, I feel a little bit bad for her.

“Yeah right! This is all just some dream!” She suddenly exclaims, laughing nervously, “Just…Just a nightmare. I’m gonna wake up any second now.”

“Are…Are you kidding me?” I begin calmly enough, then I start to unleash my rage, “Are you bucking kidding me!?! You stupid bucking bitch!” My sudden outburst shocks her, causing her to back up in fright. I just put everything down and go into rage mode, “I went through hell and back so many bucking times! This is not a damn dream, it’s a living hell! I’ve been living this life for three years. Three bucking years!!! I’ve had my chest sliced open, my ribs broken, and my wings cut off! Look at this shit!” I display the bumps where my wings used to be, “You see that!?! I used to be able to fly! And I was awake when they did that, do you have any idea how much that hurt? Do you have any…bucking…idea how much that hurt!?!” My head is exploding with anger at her stupid ignorance, dismissing all of my suffering as a dream. A dream!

I look at the face of the mare I had been yelling at, and suddenly, I realize what I have done. The seemingly strong, tough mare that had saved my life is now reduced to tears. I caused those tears. I begin to feel something in the pit of my stomach, but I can’t quite put a hoof on it. Remorse? I’ve heard about it, but… It’s true; I feel bad about what I’ve said to the mare. She didn’t deserve that.

“What *Sniff* what did you expect me to do?” Her voice is weak and feeble, “Just instantly accept that m-my life has been torn from me? Yesterday, when I went to sleep, *Sniff* all of my friends were alive. We were supposed to have a…a p-picnic today!” Suddenly, the mare just bursts into tears. Something about her just tells me that this isn’t like her.

“Hey, I…I’m sorry that I yelled at you like that.” I hang my head in shame as I approach her, “I just haven’t met a pony that didn’t know anything about the wastes, and having a pony tell me that my entire life was a dream just kinda pissed me off. Still, I shouldn’t have exploded on you like that.”

“W-What am I gonna do now?” She looks up from her depressed position on the ground, showing her bloodshot eyes, “I may be good at just about everything, but I can’t survive somewhere like this...” She buries her head back into her hooves and whimpers something inaudible.

“Well, I feel awful about making some innocent mare feel this way, and I’d just feel like a monster if I left you here to die.” I look around, examining the sun. Looks like it’s around 7:30, mutants will be coming out soon. “How about you come with me?”

“Y-You’d do that?” She looks up, a trace of smile appearing on her face, “Really?”

“Yeah, I mean it.” I smile for the first time in months, “Now come on, while it’s still light out. We should find a place to sleep.”

“Okay then, let’s go.” She wipes her tears on her right hoof before returning the smile to me, albeit a tad weaker. I look around for a road and spot one nearby. Gesturing for Rainbow Dash to follow, I begin to trot towards the road and for the first time in what seems like forever, I have happy thoughts in my mind.

I hope you enjoyed it! I strongly encourage reviews, so please review! A pat on the back to my pre-reader for not having major butthurt about his sweaty hair and getting this edit in on time.

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