Fallout: Equestria-Ballad of a Crystal Pony

by ComicSansPony

Chapters

• Chapter One: Unlucky Genetics
• Chapter Two: Beyond the Door
• Chapter Three: Welcome to the Chariot Hotel
• Chapter Four: Forget-Me-Shot
• Chapter Five: Rads, Rads, and More Rads
• Chapter Six: The Statue's Curse
• Chapter Seven: Clockwork Infinity
• Chapter Eight: Fresh Applewood
• Chapter Nine: Gold and Orange Applewood

Chapter One: Unlucky Genetics

“Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.”

Genetics, I hate genetics.

It sure sucks that, that is all Stable 13 is about.  Breeding to genetic superiority.   Phase out any defective or unpleasant genes from the herd.

If you are a strong and handsome stallion you are pared with the prettiest and most elegant of mares.  It is all decided by the Overmare from birth who you will eventually breed with; all based on superficial physical traits that, honestly, are pointless for life in a stable.

Now you may be wondering what happens if you are deemed undesirable.  What happens to those who are born too short, too tall, and even too fat or with some other birth defect and thus don’t fit the Overmare’s golden standard?  Well, then you aren’t allowed to breed.

They have the audacity to deny sex to any mare or stallion that are deemed undesirable.  Sure the undesirables of Stable 13 still breed, some even bare fillies and colts.

Such unsanctioned breeding is forbidden; if an undesirable couple breeds a child and it is discovered by the Overmare then the couple is executed right in front of their child.

The child is then evaluated, like any other foal, to determine if they fit the twisted gold standard.  Some pass and are adopted into a desirable family that may not be able to bare a child for one reason or another, but most don’t and are forced to live as an orphan in the undesirable portion of Stable 13, the maintenance level.

I guess it is ironic that in a stable of such an unlucky number, your worth is based on the dumb luck of how your parent’s genetics combined to form you.

I was privileged enough to be born to a sanctioned, desirable family.  The Overmare and a buck named Luscious are officially my parents oddly enough, but I don’t get to live the privileged life in the stable.

Why?  Well, because I was deemed undesirable at birth.

My own mother disowned me no less than a minute after I came into this world all because my coat clashed with my mane.  In the twisted ideal of beauty set forth by my own mother a pale green coat clashes with a lavender mane.

Okay, maybe that is a bad combination, but that is no reason to disown a child.

Like I said, I hate genetics.

***  ***  ***

A drop of water from a leaky pipe hit my forehead.  I opened my eyes and stared at the network of pipes in the darkness above my head.  Not that I was really sleeping; the lumpy mattress felt like it was stuffed with rocks–no rocks would be more comfortable.  It also didn’t help that the mattress was on the floor.

I brushed the drip away with my hoof and noticed the brown murky color.  With a scowl I dared smell the water that was now on my hoof.

“Luna and Celestia gang rape my nostrils with your horns!”  I screamed trying not puke at the stench of manure.

“Clash, what’s wrong?” the raspy voice of a stallion said from across the room.

Did I fail to mention that undesirables are named based on the feature most undesirable?  Well, they are.

Most go by a different name when conversing with other undesirables, but Clash Coat isn’t a terrible name.  Although Clash sounds more fitting of a buck than a mare, I really felt no need to change it.

“Sorry to wake you Short Tail.”  I said apologetically, “There appears to be a leaky sewage pipe right above my mattress.  I’m going to go shower to remove the vile sent from my face and hoof.”

Short Tail mumbled “Ok.” and went back to sleep.

As I walked out of the water filtration room that served as Short Tail and my sleeping quarters, I felt kind of bad for accidentally waking him up; he never seemed to get a break.  Between fixing things for the stuck up desirables and caring for me like I was his own, he really could have used the sleep I had unintentionally robbed from him.

I trotted quietly down the hall to the dingy bathroom that was for the undesirables.

I looked into the dimly lit room.  The cracked tiles lining the floor and walls didn’t look welcoming at all.  Not to mention that there was a thin puddle of yellowish brown water coating the floor.

I grimaced at the thought of having to wash in such a dirty bathroom.  I never felt truly clean after a shower in there.

I glanced down at my tattered, old pipbuck with a UD etched into the metal below the display.  The time read 3:00am.  

None of the desirables would be up at this hour.  I thought to myself as I turned away from the undesirable’s bathroom.  I wouldn’t get caught showering in the their bathroom at this hour.

***  ***  ***

The desirable’s bathroom was much clearer, partially due to Patchy Fur and Half Blind cleaning it on a daily basis.  The tile floor and walls looked as if Stable-Tech had just installed them moments before I entered, though a few tiles here and there had a crack or 2.

All the lights worked.  So the entire room was illuminated with a bright white glow.

I walked over to the shower section and turned on the faucet.  The water pressure was much stronger than the showers I was used to.  The warm water felt good as it ran down my back.  I washed my forehead and hoof, and then just closed my eyes and let the water wash over me.

***  ***  ***

I must have dosed off because when I opened my eyes the whole bathroom was full of thick steam.

I heard hoofsteps walking into the shower and froze.

“Sweetie Pie, is that you?” a mare’s voice called out, “It is me, Golden Glow.”

“Mmhm.” I answered meekly; I really didn’t want to get caught.

“Oh you naughty mare, you.  Filling the bathroom with steam so no one can see the fun we are having in here.”  Golden Glow teased moving closer.

I was frozen with fear.  I knew some mares, and even some stallions, that secretly messed around with the same gender because they weren’t satisfied with their designated mate.  I never knew they would do stuff so out in the open

That wasn’t what terrified me.  Since I was an undesirable, I had never had intercourse of any kind–not counting masturbation, of course.  I wasn’t sure if I was into mares or bucks.  I strangely wanted Golden Glow to continue thinking I was Sweetie Pie to know what it was like to be with somepony besides my own hoof.

I was afraid because it was my first time.

I felt Golden Glow’s hot breath on my plot, even in the warmth of the steam.  I prayed to Celestia that there was enough steam to hide my clashing coat and mane.

“You ready?” she purred in a seductive whisper.

I nodded.  Then realized she probably couldn’t see me very well through the steam and managed to whisper a “yes” in return.

Without another word she began.

OH, FUCK YES!  This felt fantastic!  I couldn’t have gotten such pleasure from my own hoof.  Clearly this was not her first rodeo.

I put my right front hoof on the wall above the faucet to prevent from falling over as the sensations forced me to arch my back slightly.  I didn’t want her to stop.

“I didn’t know you were so sensitive.” came the muffled voice of Golden Glow, “Studson is a lucky buck.”

“What about Studson?” came a soft voice from the other side of the bathroom.

The sensations from my privates ceased at once and I felt flushed.  I looked around the room.  In the orgasmic moments before, I had accidentally turned off the water and the steam was beginning to dissipate.

My mouth and throat were suddenly dry, my cheeks bright red.  I nervously glanced back to the ginger coated unicorn with a blond mane, and a gold bar cutie mark, standing, tongue still out, by my flank.

My dark green and violet argyle pattern and knitting needles cutie mark inches from her face.

Her eyes were wide with shock, but they soon narrowed with anger.

“Y–you undesirable pervert! You–you tricked me!”  She sputtered angrily.

I was at a loss for words.  I had tricked her and I hated myself for it, but the sensations felt so good.  My face felt hot.  I just watched the slow stream of water trickle down the drain.

I tried to slowly move away, but I couldn’t because Golden had me in her telekinetic grasp.

“Oh, no you don’t, you filth.” Golden said through clenched teeth, “You’re not going anywhere until the Overmare hears of your crimes.”

Sometimes I really hated being an earth pony.

I panicked; I really wasn’t in the mood to confront my estranged mother this morning–or ever for that matter.   So I bucked my back legs towards her.  I was just close enough to her head and my hooves made contact with her smug face.  She fell backwards against the wall unconscious.

Her magic imploded, dropping me to the tile floor with a thud.

“Golden!” shrieked the white earth pony with a baby blue mane and a slice of pie as a cutie mark, most likely Sweetie Pie, who was standing on the other side of the bathroom.

She galloped past me to her mistress.

I slowly got up.  My pipbuck flashed a warning about a sprained hoof, but I ignored it.  I had to get out of there, now.  Not just the bathroom, but also this whole Celestia damned stable.

I didn’t care what the punishment for an undesirable sexually assaulting a desirable was–though it was technically consensual.  Whatever lied beyond the stable door had to be better than the life inside this stable.  It had to be!

As I hobbled out of the bathroom, my nether region still tingling slightly, I heard Sweetie Pie say, “It will be ok Golden.  I don’t think ugly is contagious.” through high pitched sobs.

***  ***  ***

The entire stable security force cornered me just down the hall from the stable door.  It consisted of 8 strong, handsome, unicorn stallions and 3 stunning, earth pony mares.  I couldn’t fight my way out through them.

Though the 11 of them were chosen to be security they didn’t wear the security barding and didn’t seem comfortable holding a gun to a pony.  I wasn’t in any position to see how good they actually were with their weapons.

Other ponies looked on through open doors.

The security ponies parted as the Overmare walked through the crowd to look directly at me.  Her lavender coat, her silver-white mane, and large diamond cutie mark looked as perfect as they always have been, as she stared down at me.  Her pale blue eyes looking into mine.

Her eyes were the only evidence that she was my mom because my eyes were the same pale blue, beyond that we looked nothing alike.

“Hi, mom.” I neighed, trying to sound confident.

There were some shocked and angry murmurs from the crowd.  My mom just scowled at me.  Her stare so intense it was as if she was trying to set me on fire with her mind.

“You have no right to call me your mother.”  She barked sternly, “You are undesirable, no daughter of mine would have such a mismatched color scheme.  You barely deserve to be in my presence.  You are the scum of this stable and a delinquent scum at that.”

I felt my eyes burn as I held back tears.  I thought I was over the betrayal of my mother abandoning me.  I guess some scars never heal.  I tried to think of something else to prevent the water works.

“Being out after curfew, trespassing in a desirable only area, Sexual assault and battery of a desirable mare…” She began listing my charges.

I wasn’t really listening.  I was trying to think of happier thoughts.  All the fun times growing up being cared for by Short Tail, the day I got my cutie mark after knitting a blanket in an argyle pattern, laughing and playing with the other abandoned foals, then finally the feelings of happiness I felt as Golden Glow had pleasured me.

I was so lost in happy thoughts that I hadn’t noticed the Overmare, the security ponies and the onlookers staring at me with surprised faces.

“What?  Is there something in my teeth?” I joked.

I glanced down at my pipbuck, it still said I had a sprained hoof, but that wasn’t what caught my attention.  My pale green coat was glowing.  Not glowing per say; it was more shining.  It was as if my body was made of crystal.  Even my mane was shining.

I took a step towards my mother and the guards.  They took a step back in awe of my majestic shine.

One of the security mares accidentally dropped her pistol from her mouth.  It bounced and landed by my hooves.  I was beginning to take notice of the shift in power in this scenario.

“Now,” I said, regaining my confidence, “I’m going to calmly walk out that stable door.  If anyone tries to stop me, they will get shot.”

I picked up the pistol in my mouth and walked through the crowd.  They parted as I walked.  Some of them were fearful of my strange shine; others were dumbstruck by its brilliance.  Once through the crowd I turned back to face them and spat out the gun.

“Look on the bright side,” I said solemnly, directing the statement at the Overmare, “One less undesirable to deal with.”

I swear I saw just a hint of sadness in her eyes as I said it.  I guessed she did care about me, just a little.  Too bad she chose a bad time to show it.

I put the gun back in my mouth and begun walking to the door.

***  ***  ***

Footnotes:

Clash Coat:

Strength - 6

Perception - 7

Endurance - 4

Charisma - 6

Intelligence - 4

Agility - 4

Luck - 9

Tagged Skills:

Lock picking

Science

Repair

Traits:

Stable Born - You were born in a stable and thus are ignorant to the ways of the wastes.  Your intelligence is decreased by -2 points permanently.  Though your Luck gets +1 and science skill gets +10.

Wild Wasteland - Wild Wasteland unleashes the most bizarre and silly elements of post-apocalyptic Equestria. Not for the faint of heart or the serious of temperament.

Level up

New Perk added: Silver Tongue - +6 speech when talking to sompony for the first time.

New Quest:

Ballad of a Crystal Pony - Look for any information in the wasteland on the mysterious glowing ability you have.

Faction Status:

Stable 13 – Vilified

Chapter Two: Beyond the Door

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

The sound of something round and lopsided moving along uneven ground stirred me from my slumer.  It was a foreign sound, not something one would hear inside a stable.  Then I remembered I wasn’t in a Stable anymore.

My tired mind began recalling the events of the previous night.  Showering in the Desirables bathroom, the incident with Golden Glow, the confrontation with the Overmare, that strange crystalline glow that emanated from my body, and finally leaving the stable; had it all really happened or was it all a strange dream?

If it was a dream, then where was I now?  It was certainly not the water filtration room.  So, it all must have happened.

Wait, I fell asleep on a patch of dead grass outside the stable and now I wasn’t.  My mind slowly beginning to get clearer.  I was moving.  I felt around for my pistol, but it wasn’t within hoofs reach.

Cautiously I opened my eyes.  I was face to face with a small filly with a red coat and a curly caramel mane.

“Mornin’-sleepy-head!” squeaked the filly.

I rubbed the remaining sleep from my eyes with my hoof and looked around the moving room I was in.  On either side of me there were boxes and crates plied up to the canvas ceiling.  It looked as if the precariously stacked containers would topple over at any moment, but with each passing bump they magically stayed in place.

I turned back to the filly.  At first glance she looked like one of the Desirable fillies, albeit much dirtier than any desirable would dare to be, but after getting a second look at her I could see her vertebrae stuck out slightly from her back making it slightly bumpy instead of smooth like a desirable filly’s back would be.  I almost called her Rough Back, or Skully Osis, but stopped myself.  That would be stable 13’s brain washing; I couldn’t believe I was judging a filly I just met based on my terrible mother’s standards.

“What is your name young filly?”  I asked tiredly, shrugging off my judgmental thoughts.

“Howdy-Miss-mah-name-is-Knick-Knack-but-most-folks-call-me-Nicky-What’s-yer-name?”  She chirped in response, barely separating her words with spaces.

I was barely able to balance my own rate of speech after the filly’s bombardment, “My name is Clash,”  I said slowly, “Nicky, how did I get here?”

I braced myself for the breathless response.

“Well-we-was-scav’gin-or-by-siren-cave-earlier-dis-mornin’-an-we-came-upon-y’all-sleepin’-an-glowing.” She took a large breath before continuing, “Ma’-thought-y’all-might-be-a-ghoul-who-was-exposed-ta-too-mach-radio-tation-but-Pa’-says-yer-pippy-buck-thing-wouldda-been-clicketty-clacking-if-y’all-were-radio-tacktive.”

She took another breath.

“So-Ma’n’Pa’-decided-we-ain’t-gonna-leave-y’all-on-accountta-raders-an-slavers-so-Pa’-lited-y’all-into-are-car-EE-van-cart.”

I sat up and began to stretch my back as she went on.

“Speakin’-of-yer-glowin’-why-were-ya-glowing?-Why-aren’t-y’all-glowin’-now?-Do-y’all-glow-often?-Can-y’all-glow-again?”

Before I could tell her that I didn’t know the answers to her questions something large struck the cart with a blinding flash.  It caused it to topple onto its side.  The boxes and crates around Nicky and I begun to fall.  On instinct I grabbed Nicky and held her close and braced for impact.

Impact never came.  After a few moments I opened my eyes and looked around, everything was held motionless in the air by the silver glow of a unicorn’s magic.  The cart was placed right side up and all the assortment of supplies and junk were placed back in the boxes and crates and they were all staked back up.  Nicky and I were then gently placed back on the floor of the cart.  A soft breeze blew out some small fires the explosion had caused.

“Y’all alright in there?” asked the silhouette of a unicorn Stallion.

“Don’t-worry-Pa’-we’re-alright.” Shouted the filly wiggling from my embrace.

“Sweetie, Stranger, Stay in the cart.”  Ordered an older Mare.

The filly halted at the fear in her mother’s voice and crept quietly back to my side.  She hid her face in my mane and wimpered quietly.  She clearly knew what was going on.  I’d have asked what was happening, but I was stunned to silence by the events of the past few moments.

Outside I heard the sound of galloping hooves approaching.

“Well, lookie what we got here.  Some hic ponies and their caravan of cargo.”  Whinnied a gruff sounding stallion.

“P-please…” Stammered Nicky’s father, “We just want to get to the next town.”

“P-p-p-p-please,” Mocked the gruff stallion followed by a cackle that sent a shiver down my spine, “Why wait until the next town? You could always trade with us, but..." he paused as if to contemplate what he was going to say next, "at a 100% discount.”

About 10 others cackled wildly as if he had made a joke.

“It is our l-livelihood.” Came the voice of Nicky’s father again.

I heard the sound of his horn beginning to glow.  A loud bang sounded, followed by a flash of light and then some wet chunks splattered across the outside of the cart wall one chunk fell into the cart through a whole in the roof.  It was a white unicorn horn covered is splotches of brain matter.

It took every fiber of my being not to puke.  I had just witnessed 2 ponies blown to pieces-though it was though the thin walls of canvas-I had been there and did nothing.  Part of me wished I had never left Stable 13.

“Pa’?” came the pained squeak of Nicky.

“So,” Hissed the Stallion outside, “There are other ponies to mutilate today.”

I was no longer frozen with fear.  I glanced over at the red filly silently sobbing while clutching her father’s severed horn.  I had done nothing while her parents were killed in cold blood; I wasn’t about to let her get killed too.  Not without a fight.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are.” Echoed a chorus of haunting voices as the ponies outside begun circling the cart.

I darted over to one of the crates and begun frantically looking for anything weapon like.  Finally, my hooves came upon a weapon.  It wasn’t like the pistol I had left Stable 13 with.  It was an odd metal box, but it had a mouth grip and trigger so I was sure it was some sort of firearm.  I put the mouth grip in my mouth and turned my head to the end of the cart.

Just then an emaciated, earth pony buck with no mane hobbled though the door holding a pistol in his mouth.  His grotesque cutie mark was that of a pony with his intestines hanging out.  Clearly he was one of the bad ponies, and an undesirable one at that.

BIZZT!  The pony disintegrated into a pile of glowing dust when the red beam of my gun hit him.

I burst out of the cart, laser in mouth.  As I did I told Nicky to stay in the Cart.  Though with the gun in my mouth is sound more like, “Bwaaay nn ga crerp!”

Outside the greyness surprised me.  I had read of the sun, back in Stable 13, in a book I had stolen.  It told how Celestia raised and lowered it for thousands of years before the war, but all that lay above me was an ocean of grey.

Focusing back on the murderers outside, I slipped into SATS and time slowed to a halt.  I had never really had a need for it before, but it was supposed to be a targeting spell, so it was worth a try.

I locked in 4 shots in the direction of the nearest pony.  Time begun to move again.  BIZZT BIZZT BIZZT BIZZT! Sang the laser as if fired its shots into a red unicorn.  The unicorn dropped to the ground dead.

I tired to slip back into SATS, but my pipbuck told me it needed to recharge.  Luna’s explosive asshole, I’m boned.

BLAM!  2 ponies melted into a green sludge, and a third is blown apart in the blast of green energy.

An apple shaped object with a green band on it wizzes by my head.  BLAM!  The hind leg of a maroon colt was blown off in another explosion of green, his large saddle mounted gun clanging loudly on the ground.

The remaining 4 ponies turn tail and ran off.

“Ya bettah run ya big dumb meanies!” Nicky chirped slower than usual, her voice horse from crying.

***  ***  ***

I watched Nicky go from dead pony to dead pony collecting any valuables they might have been carrying.  She was more accustomed to scavenging from the dead than I was and had offered to loot the bodies while I looked for essential supplies in the cart.  I figured it must have been because of her parent’s guts still splattered on the side of the cart; baking in odd heat of the stale grayness of the wasteland.

As I watched her I couldn’t help notice that her curly mane appeared more deflated than it was when I woke up.  I figured I was seeing things and went back to scavenging the cart.

Most of the boxes were filled with scrap metal, though Nicky had explained that scrap metal was worth a lot to ponies who run prewar tech and they will pay a lot for some, I believed it would just weigh us down.

I found a few boxes with food, chems and amo and put it into a saddlebag taken from one of the dead ponies.  I was surprised when the items appeared on my pipbuck with a listed price next to it.  I figured I’d ask Nicky if she knew how it did that later.

I was about to leave when something caught my eye.  It was a small tan figurine tossed in among some scrap metal.  It didn’t look like any creature I’d seen or read about.  It had the head of a pony and the body of an assortment of other creatures including an eagle claw, a lion paw, and a bat wing.  On the figures base there was the inscription “Sense, what fun is there in making sense?”  As I read it I felt sick to my stomach, but couldn’t bring myself to leave it so I put it in my bag.

I hopped down from the cart and looked at my pipbuck to see what I had just found.  It was listed it as “Draconequus Statue” and no price.  What was a Draconequus? I thought.  I guess it was just another question to add to my ever-growing list.

***  ***  ***

Footnotes:

Clash Coat: Level up

New Perk: Bug Zapper- +20% to accuracy when using magic energy weapons.  Using magic energy weapons is now 20% cooler.  +5% to overall accuracy.

New Companion: Knick-Knack aka Nicky - Level 3

Strength - 5

Perception - 6

Endurance - 7

Charisma - 5

Intelligence - 7

Agility - 6

Luck - 4

Tagged Skills:

Explosives

Sneak

Barter

Traits:

Filly - due to your age you are much smaller than the average pony.  You are able to keep quiet and move swiftly.  +2 to sneak and agility.  Enemies are also 10% less likely to hit you during combat, though you have 20 less DR than a full grown pony.

Pinkamena Complex - You have a unique disposition shared by very few ponies.  When terribly upset your appearance changes.  Your color dim, your mane deflates.  Not much else really happens, though you are a bit more volatile emotionally.

Quest Perk added: Orphaned - The wasteland is a cruel place to live and now you no longer have your parents to look after you.  +3 to speech, barter, and medicine.  Permanent -2 to endurance.

New Quest Added:

The Orphan Filly – Accompany Nicky to the Chariot Hotel

Faction Status:

Stable 13 – Vilified

Marker’s Gang – Disliked

Chapter Three: Welcome to the Chariot Hotel

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

It was getting dark as a crumbling city skyline began coming into view.  My hooves ached, since I had never walked this long in my life.  I also had a strained hoof to attend to.

We walked in silence.  It saddened me to think only a few short hours ago, the filly in front of me was bouncing off the walls with energy.

As we neared the city, I broke the silence, “So, what is the name of this town?”

“That there pippy buck thing on yer forehoof’s a map, use it.” Came the slow, cold response of Knick-Knack.

I turned my attention to my pipbuck.  A tap of my hoof and the display showed a map of the surrounding area.  There was a flashing green marker on the map closest to our location, another hoof tap.  “Detrot,” I read to myself.  How did it know where I was?  As far a I knew no one in stable 13 had been outside the stable since before the war.  I really wished Nicky was in the mood to talk more.

***  ***  ***

“The Chariot Hotel,” read a nearly burnt out neon sign above the door.  I followed Nicky into the lobby.  The carpet that lined the interior of the lobby was so old and dirty, it was solid black and the wallpaper was falling off on the far wall; the only wall that still had wallpaper on it.  The other walls were a dingy brown, with holes here and there revealing rusty pipes.  To the left side of the room were some steps that may have looked fancy in their heyday, but looked barely capable of supporting its own weight, let alone that of a pony.

As we walked in, an older unicorn mare perked up from reading a magazine in a chair near the front desk and galloped over to Nicky.

“Oh my stars in heaven! Little Knick-Knack, is that you!  It has been ages since y’all’s caravan came through here.  Oh you’ve grown so much.  How’s the folks? They around here too?” The mare said to Nicky as she neared.

“Mah’ fam-ly’s’ dead!” Nicky screamed, her voice cracking slightly, clearly trying not to cry.

The mare fell silent.  Honestly, how was she supposed to react to that kind of news?

“O-oh, honey…I’m so sorry.” the mare  finally spoke, “I-I didn’t know…”

The older mare reached down to hug the filly who was failing to hold back her stream of tears, but the filly squirmed free and ran up the stairs.

Huh, I thought, those stairs are sturdier than they look.

I turned my attention back to the unicorn in front of me.  She had a calming dark pink coat and a pale pink wavy mane.  I couldn’t get a good look at her cutie mark since she wore a pale blue dress that was turned slightly grey by time. Her eyes were a deep blue.  They memorized me to the point where I couldn’t look away.  A strange feeling came from my private area.  Wow, she is desirable in more ways than one, I mused.

“Miss?” the mare’s voice cut in snapping me back to my senses, “Did you hear me?  I asked what was your name?”

My face flushed a similar color to her coat, “Uh, Clash,” I ignored the feeling of something, that I knew was not sweat, trickling down my rear leg, “Clash Coat…is uh…my name.”

I took some deep breaths and tried to think of something besides the dirty thoughts penetrating my mind.  Clean thoughts, Clash!

“Umm…” I struggled with the words I wanted to say, “Ni…Nicky, she’ll be ok..hmm...ok wandering by herself?”

“Why, yes miss Coat!  Little Knick-Knack practically grew up in these halls.  She’ll likely be in her folk’s usual room, room 123.”  The dazzling, blue-eyed mare in front of me said as she drew me in for a hug, “Thank y’all for bringing Nicky here, the wasteland can be so cruel and unforgiving, ‘specially for someone as precious as Knick-Knack.”

Her perfume was intoxicating.  My olfactory sensors couldn’t place the magnificent sent because of my life in a stable.  Her sent only made my nethers tingle more.  I never wanted to leave her embrace, but at the same time I had to escape before things got more awkward.

“So sad to hear about Pearl and Junker.  But now She’s safe in the Chariot.  Thank y’all for watching out for her.  Not many folks woulda.” She continued, “I can’t thank you enough for your kindness.  If there is anything you need, let me know.”

“Anything?” I asked allowed unintentionally, swallowing a lungfull of her sweet aroma.

She let go.

“Yes, dear, anything,” she reached into a pocket on the dress, “Here take these caps for your troubles.”

I took the 15 bottle caps from her hoof.  I wasn’t sure how bottle caps were equal to some sort of payment, but my mind was so distracted by her lingering scent and the sensation in my haunches, that I took the caps and put them in my bag without question.

Finally, It was too much.  I needed to get to somewhere private.

“B-bath-r-room?” I inquired.

“Down the hall to the left, Dear.” The beautiful mare responded.

I quickly trotted in the direction she had pointed.

***  ***  ***

The bathroom reminded me of the undesirables bathroom back in stable 13. Instead of  just white tiles, they were white and grey, arranged in an alternating pattern.  However, most of the tiles were broken.  Most were so cracked they were just little squares of dust, packed into the floor by the influence of heavy hooves..  I was very thankful that the yellowish brown pool of water I’d seen in the undesirable’s bathroom the night I left the stable, was not in this bathroom.  

There was one noticeable difference in this bathroom to that of the undesirable bathroom of stable 13.  Near the door there was a yellow box emblazoned with 3 butterflies mounted on the wall at head height.  In the undesirable’s bathroom all there were 4 holes where the box had been removed long before I was born.

“Ok, calm down miss hot and bothered.” I said out loud to myself splashing water on my burning face.

I ignored the soft click from the geiger counter on my pipbuck.

Finally, feeling the sensation between my rear legs begin to dissipate, but not disappear entirely, I was able to think clearly.

“KNICK-KNACK!” I shrieked in a sudden bout of panic as I realized I let her run off on her own.

It was amazing how much of a motherly instinct I had when I wasn’t hot for the first four-legged creature I saw – It was amazing I had motherly instincts at all on account of how bad my mother was at being motherly.

I was distracted from my sudden care for Nicky by a faint beeping from my pipbuck.  It had never done anything like that before.  I looked down at the device; the screen read “new message.”  I tapped the read option and the message opened, it read:

“As the fruits of eden did incur, a curiosity that is most forbidden be indicted within, once plucked gave the sordid answers twas sought.”

Great, even my pipbuck wants me to have sex.

***  ***  ***

“Nicky, you wanna talk?” I asked knocking on the door to room 123.

No answer.

“Knick-Knack, you shouldn’t keep your feeling bottled up.  It will help to talk about the death of your parents.  Speaking of bottles, the se..silly mare we met when we arrived gave me some caps as a thanks for keeping you safe, caps isn’t that funny?”

No answer.

“I’m not going to go away.”

The door opened.

“Keep’m, the caps.  The’e the crency of the wastes.” Came the filly’s voice, horse from crying.

I looked up at her tear soaked face.  It may have just been the dim lighting in the room, but her once curly mane looked perfectly straight.

I walked inside and sat on the edge of the bed, it creaked under my weight.  The room was excessively dusty, though unlike the lobby, all the walls had wallpaper; a blue floral patturn that had faded slightly over time.  Though there was a place for a light on the ceiling, no bulbs were present.  The only light in the room came from the hall, the setting greyness outside, and a lantern on a desk by the door.

“Partta’ me wants to blame ya for ma’ an pa’s death,” Nicky spoke after a long scilence, “we’da been her earlier had pa not driven are car-EE-van cert slower as ta not wake y’all.  Hadda we jus left ya, or drove are normal speed weeda been here long bafore dem raders camin’.”

“I’m sorry.” I said instinctively.

“But it ain’t yer fault, Marker’s crew been terrorezen’ that rode for weeks.” She assured me.

I smiled sheepishly, “There is a silver lining: I was there.  I regret not saving your parents, but at least I was able to save you and now you’re not on your own.”

“I recon’ I was the one who saved you.”  She replied with a grin, some curliness returning to her mane, “Can we go to the market, the one in the lobby?”

“Tell you what, I have 15 caps, I’ll buy you something to cheer you up.”

“15 won’t buy nothin’,” she darted over to her saddle bags and returned with a wooden box and dumped it out on the bed next to me, “now-ya got 415.”

“Good, you pick an item, I have to see sompony about forbidden fruits.” I said without thinking.

“Silly, fruits ain’t forbiddin’.” Nicky teased and darted out the door and down the hall.

Oh, but this one is, I thought with a smile, focusing on keeping the dirty images at bay.

***  ***  ***

Footnotes:

Clash Coat: Level up

New Perk added: 100 Problems – You had 99 problems, but recent events gave you one more. +6 speech when talking to somepony of the opposite gender.  -6 speech when talking to somepony of the same gender.  Special dialogue options may occur with select individuals.

Nicky: 50% to next level

Companion Perk: Familial Bond – Companions in your party are so close nit you're practically family.  +1 Medicine, +2 agility, +3 Strength, +5 Charisma.

Quest Completed:

The Orphan Filly

New Quest:

The Mysterious Messenger – Figure out who is sending you messages on your pipbuck.

Marking Marker – Find and kill the raider Marker.

Quest Updated:

Ballad of a Crystal Pony – √ Look for any information in the wasteland on the mysterious glowing ability you have.

                               Find out what that pink mare knows about your mysterious glowing power.

Faction Status:

Stable 13 – Vilified

Marker’s Gang – Disliked

The Chariot Hotel – Neutral

Finders (West Branch) – Neutral

Chapter Four: Forget-Me-Shot

“There is nothing new except what has been forgotten.”

“Please turn to page 142 in your textbooks, The crystal empire.” instructed the teacher in the front of the stable 13 classroom.

I was sitting towards the back of the classroom and it was hard to clearly hear her as she begun reading the chapter of Equestrian history.  To either side of me was Golden Glow and Sweetie Pie.

“Psssst,” came the voice of Golden, but I ignored her.  “Pssst, pass the note.” she said levitating a scrap of paper.

I turned my head to tell her “no”, but when I did I came face to face with my mother, the Overmare.  Her pale blue eyes piercing my skull as if to hard boil my brain.  At first when I saw her lips move no sound came out, but then with a ghostly echo she began to scold me.

“You worthless, putrid, undesirable.  You shouldn’t be in this class, you are undesirable, you are trash.  You will never be more than that.” Came her harsh words, a mishmash of comments I heard during my life in the stable.

I tried to speak, but the words caught in my throat.  Then without warning my mom’s hoof smacked me and sent me sprawling over my desk and into the bloody corpse in the seat in front of me.  It was then that I realized that all the fillies and colts in the room were now rotting disfigured corpses.  Corpses splattered in a manner only one weapon I’ve seen could have done.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” came the voice Nicky had identified as Marker from the front of the classroom, “Did one of the ponies survive? What fun, I get to spend more time killing you.”

At the sound of his eerily ave voice I sprung to my feet and darted out the door as fast as my hooves would carry me.  I was barely around the corner from the classroom when a white flash erupted behind me sending me sprawling down the hall and singeing the hair on my hind legs.  Ignoring the pain and the warning flashes on my pipbuck I continued down the hall.  I normally know my way around the stable, but for some reason it was like a maze of hallways and Marker was hot on my tail.

“Come out come out wherever you are.  My little pony, no need to hide, I just want to kill you for the fun of it.” Echoed the voice of Marker as I ran through the halls.

Feeling I had ran far enough, I dived into the next door I saw. The light flickered as I entered, I was back in the classroom, but that was impossible.  Stable 13 only had one classroom.  It was then that I noticed the severed head of Nicky sitting on the desk.  Her eyes gouged out and her teeth smashed in.  Her dad’s horn still dangling around her neck, but the tip was stabbing into her chin.

Suddenly the head moved, it turned to look at me with the hollowed out eye sockets.  It then begun to speak in a multi-layered voice.  It combined my mom, Marker, Nicky’s Parents, and of course Nicky.

“You did this.” the head said, “this is is all your fault.  You are an undesirable, you will never be anything more.”

Then the door exploded in a white flash.  Half blinded I reached fro the first thing i could het my hooves on.  It was the dragonaquus statuette.  The statue distracted me from the murderous raider and the severed head.  Suddenly it too begun to move and tried to speak, like my mom at first I couldn’t hear what it was saying, then as if it were speaking inside my head I heard it.

“Wake up Clash.”

***  ***  ***

My eyes shot open.  The soft grey light filtering in from the boarded up window seemed to hurt my eyes and my head was throbbing.  I tried to look around the room, from what I could manage to focus on, it looked like room 123, but mirror imaged.  Suddenly something next to me moved in the bed and I half expected to see Nicky’s severed head, but banished the images from my dream away.  Instead the unicorn mare I had met when I arrived at the Chariot was next to me.

“Good morning darling.” she said, “you sleep well?”

“Wbvat?” I attempted to say, my tongue refusing to move correctly in my mouth.

At that question shew facehoofed, “Let me guess, you have no memory of the previous night.”

My head was killing me and my tongue still refused to cooperate so all I did was nod.

She sighed heavily, “Damn that Bottle O’Jack and his Celestia damned Forget-Me-Shots.”

At my confused expression she explained, “Bottle O’Jack is the hotel bartender, he has this concoction, the hotel specialty, called the Party Time Cocktail. One part apple whiskey, two parts wild pegasus, 3 containers of Party Time Mint-als, half a fixer, a dash of dash, some fantsy cakes for flavor, and a pinch of rad-scorpion venom.”

Her voice caused my headache to spike and I moaned in pain.

“Sorry, hun.” she said quieter, “Side effects included, headache, stomachache, muscle spasms, a numbness of the tongue, 10% chance of dash addiction, 70% chance of mint-al addiction, minor rad-scorpion poisoning, and 6 to 24 hours of memory loss, hence the nickname Forget-Me-shots, all amounting to one hell of a hangover.”

I could no longer listen as my stomach rebelled and I puked my stomach contents onto the floor.  I then lost my balance and fell head first into my pool of puke.

***  ***  ***

After a shower, an addiction detox, an antivenom, lots of radioactive water, and a few radaways the only thing that remained was the headache.  I layed in the Hotel’s makeshift clinic as the unicorn mare filled me in on the events of the night before.

“Ok, sweetie, since you don’t remember, lets start over.  I’m Ollie Factory.  I’m one of the 6 ponies who re-settled the Chariot, but one of 3 who is still living here.” Oillie said introduceing herself again.

I then remembered how I had woken up in her bed and I had to know what happened.

“Dwid we dew iwt?” I asked, my tongue still a bit numb as I spoke.

“No, we didn’t, though you were very forward about it last night.” She explained.

My cheeks went bright red thinking about how stupid I was during the time I couldn’t remember.

“Don’t get me wrong, hun, you are a very beautiful mare...” Ollie continued

At that my heart skipped a beat when she said that, nopony had ever called me beautiful.  Tears welled in my eyes as I continued to listen.

“...But you see, I can’t...um..do it.  You see this dress, sweetie?  It is fused to my coat and can't be removed.  It is the price I paid attempting to scavenge Canterlot.”  she said then muttered, “Damn pink cloud.”

I made a mental note to ask about it later, but Ollie had moved back to the things I asked the night before.

“You were under the misguided perception that you needed to have sex with me to get information.” She said with a giggle.

I facehoofed.

“Once the sex was off the table you asked about an odd crystalline glow, not radiation, that emanated from your body.  It sounded similar to the shine of a crystal pony.” She went on, ignoring my embarrassment.

“Criwstal ponehw?” I asked.

“They were a sub-race of ponies that lived in the Crystal empire somewhere in the frigid north, but it disappeared sometime before the mega-spells fell.”  She explained.

I tried to hid my disappointment by looking at my pipbuck, to my surprise the Crystal Empire was marked toward the top of the map.  I really had to ask how it did that, didn’t Ollie say it disappeared?

“Don’t look so glum, hun,” she reassured me, “ I do happen to have some black opal, it store memories, that has to do with crystal ponies. Only problem is since you're an earth pony and you can’t view it.”

Sometimes i really hated being an earth pony, I thought.

“So we either need to find a pony able to do memory spells or get our hooves on a recollector.  Both will require a lot of caps since they are equally rare.” she finished.

“Wella ah guess it be a good thing I grabb’d some jobs from the Detrot Gazette board.” Announced Nicky around the papers in her mouth as she entered the clinic,she spat them on the bed and continued, “Y’all and me can do some jobs to earn caps to help y’all find yer answers, Clashie.”

I just looked at her, her mane was almost completely poofy again, but still a bit deflated and her colors will still muted, but she seemed happier than when I last saw her.

“Absolutely not! Sweetheart, you just lost your parents, I won’t be able to live with myself if you were killed too.” Ollie affirmed.

“Me an’ mah folks been travelin’ the wastes fer since I was born.  Besides, Clash’s a stable pony.  Stable ponies don’t know nuthin’.  Without me she be dead in less than 10 minute.  Nearly died her first night out weren’t no fer mah dad findin’ her.” Nicky stated, tears in the corners of her eyes.

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.  Nicky actually wanted me around?  Even after I had not prevented her parents deaths as I should have.

Ollie just sighed, “You’re as stubborn as your mother.  If there is no convincing you otherwise, then I guess I’m gonna have to go with you two. Good a time as any to dust off my scavenging horseshoes.  Let me see those jobs.”

***  ***  ***

We spent most of our remaining caps on supplies and began heading towards the Ironshod Manufacturing Factory, another location that appeared on my pipbuck following reading the job we chose to do. The job’s description even showed up in my pipbuck’s notes section.  We had to go to the Ironshot Manufacturing Factory and find any weapons blueprints to receive 500 caps and an additional 50 caps for any bulk specialty ammo.

As we walked I tried to ignore my remaining headache and browsed the setting on my pipbuck. Back in stable 13 I mainly used it for navigation.  The Eyes Forward Sparkle was very helpful in avoiding Desirables, but now it was to be used for its real purpose, finding enemies before they found us.  

I switched on the radio, the stable radio station was terrible, but hopefully the wasteland had better programing.  The last note of a song sang out and a gruff stallions voice bellowed from my pipbuck.

“Hello wasteland, its that time again, time for some news.  I’ve brought you reports of the Stable Dweller and the Security Mare, but I’m here with some rather odd news.  There have been reports of a strange glowing pony out by siren cave.” The stallion said.

I wondered who those other ponies he had mentioned were. It also bothered me that the stallion on the radio was reporting on me.  I made a mental note to ask Ollie or Nicky later about who he was and how he knew about me.

We continued walking as he went on,  “It could just be a ghoul looking for some friends, but it could also be a creature related to the crashed spaceship rumored to have landed south of the cave.  I say proceed with caution, if it is a ghoul or even extra equestial don’t shoot unless you know it is hostal. In unrelated News, but in the same greater Detrot area, Marker and his gang of raiders are still terrorizing the roads in and out of the industrial city. Caravans are advised to have some armed guards travel with them if they intend on heading to the Chariot for trade. And this has been DJ Pon-3, bringing you the the truth no matter how bad it hurts.  Now here is Sweetie Belle singing about what we all wish were true, that the dark days are over.”

“Clash, you never told us you were an E.E.” Ollie teased.

“Ya want us to take ya to are leader?” Nicky chimed in with a slight chuckle.

“That was so funny I forgot to laugh.” I said, trying to listen to the song on the radio.

“Hun, don’t take it so personally, we’re just teasing.  Besides, you are our leader, so we’d take you to you.”  Ollie said trying to comfort me.

“It’s not that, it's that I was berated, insulted, and laughed my whole life in my stable, so even friendly teasing still bothers me.” I responded.

“I’m sorry, sweetie, I didn’t know.  Your stable sounds pretty horrid. DJ Pon-3 didn’t mean any offence, you were glowing in the report and now you’re not.  He didn’t know you were you.” Ollie continued.

We were interrupted by bullet slamming into my right foreleg.  Nicky and Ollie quickly darted for cover, but the pain froze me to my spot.  I seriously wished we had had enough caps for armor.  I then felt the warmth of Ollie’s magic pull me into some cover.  there she wrapped some healing bandages around my leg.

“If we survive this job, hun, we are getting you some armor with our caps.” Ollie scolded, “Now, get that beam pistol of yours out and kill those sons of bitches, before they get us first.”

I put the pistol in my mouth, tasting the metallic mouth grip.  I really hate being an earth pony at times like this.  I poked my head out above our cover and toggled into SATS.  I locked in 4 shots, 2 to each of the closest red bars on my EFS.  I released and time sped up again.

BIZZT BIZZT!  The first pony crumbled to ash.  BIZZT BIZZT! The second pony dodged the attack. BIZZT BIZZT BIZZT! I fired wildly, damn I was a horrible shot without SATS guidance.  Suddenly I heard a loud KABOOM and an explosion silenced the other pony.  I looked at my EFS and there were no more red bars near by.  Nicky came out from her cover and spat out the metal stem of one of those metal apples.

“We really gotta work on yer amin’ Clashie.” She sang as she happily skipped over to the dead ponies to collect their supplies.

I spat my pistol into the holster on my leg, “She is very good with those explosive apples.” I said to Ollie.

“Grenades.” she corrected, “She learned it from her father’s brother Frag.  She is an expert on most explosives found in the wasteland.  Ain’t no explosive she don’t know how to handle.” She said proudly looking over at Nicky.

“Perhaps I’ll not listen to the radio for a bit as to not alert any more raiders and bandits to our location.” I mused.

“Don’t those things have earpieces?” Ollie asked pointing to my pipbuck.

“Yeah, but mine’s broken.” I answered.

Nicky skipped back over with her loot and we continued towards the factory.

***  ***  ***

Footnotes:

Clash Coat: Level up

New perk added: Walk it Off – What idiot walks the wasteland without armor?  Apparently you do.  You receive 20% less damage from attacks from non-magical energy weapons making you 20% more bad ass.

Skill increase: Magical energy weapons is now 30.

Nicky: Level up

Skill increase: Explosives is now at 35.

New Companion: Ollie Factory - Level 5

Strength - 7

Perception - 4

Endurance - 5

Charisma - 7

Intelligence - 6

Agility - 7

Luck - 4

Tagged skills:

Barter

Medicine

Small guns

Traits:

Ghoulish – Due to an encounter with Pink cloud in your past, like a Canterlot ghoul you are really hard to kill. +15 DR and +20 overall HP.  However you have -2 endurance and -1 agility.

New Quest:

Gun Runner Run, I – Scavenge the Ironshod Manufacturing Factory for any weapon blueprints and unique ammo.

Quest Updated:

Ballad of a Crystal Pony – √ Look for any information in the wasteland on the mysterious glowing ability you have.

                               √ Find out what that pink mare knows about your mysterious glowing power.

                               View Ollie's Black Opal.

Faction Status:

Stable 13 – Vilified

Marker’s Gang – Disliked

The Chariot Hotel – Neutral

Finders (West Branch) – Neutral

Gun Runners – Neutral

Chapter Five: Rads, Rads, and More Rads

“It basically builds up in your system. You never feel it until it's too late.”

As we approached the Ironshod Manufacturing Factory my Pipbuck begun to click a lot more than usual and the geiger counter inched towards the yellow.

“Aw shoot,” Said Nicky who was suddenly right next to me.

“Hmm, best we not spend too much time here.” Ollie said taking my pipbuck and hoof into hers, “Let me know when and if it reaches red, sweetie, and we’ll need some RadAway when we get back to the Chariot.”

“Um,” I swallowed attempting to hide the my blush, “I–I will.”

Ollie then began walking into the factory, followed by Nicky.  It took me a moment to regain my composure before following them.

***  ***  ***

The lobby of the factory was covered in a layer of dust.  All it contained was a small metal desk and a burnt out computer.  Behind the desk was the skeleton of what was likely the receptionist or some other wastelander who had sought refuge in the factory long before us and some faded posters of weapons that were destroyed by a time and the thin stream of radioactive water leaking from the ceiling..  Off to the left of the room was a flickering vending machine labeled “Sparkle-Cola” and a door into what appeared to be a break room.

Ollie used her horn to magically open the Sparkle cola machine and loot the remainder of the bottles left in the machine.  Personally the mildly glowing liquid did not look that appetizing.

Noticing the disgusted look on my face Ollie opened a bottle, pocketed the cap and offered it to me.

“Trust me, the amount of Rads in this won’t kill you.” she said still levitating the bottle near me as she opened one for herself, “It tastes better than irradiated water, that's for sure.”

Reluctantly I took the bottle from her magical grasp and took a sip.  When the bubbly carrot flavored liquid hit my tongue I realized how thirsty i really was.  I don’t think I had a single drop of anything since the previous night’s Forget-Me-Shot - though if I did I probably wouldn’t remember and it was likely expelled when I had puked back in Ollie’s room.

A few moments later Nicky trotted up balancing her loot from the break room on her head.  It was exactly 3 fancy buck cakes.  And was it just me or had Nicky’s colors increased in saturation and her mane back to the poofy curls she had when I met her?

We were in the middle of our snack break when a vaguely pony shaped robot with a glass jar on it’s head came into the lobby from the door to the factory floor.

“Unauthorized ponies detected!” the robot shouted, “Lethal force will be used!”

It then shot what looked like a bolt of lightning and scorched the wall above our heads filling the air with the stench of smoke and burnt ozone. Ollie darted for the desk and flipped it to create some cover and Nicky darted to the safety of the break room.  I grabbed my half empty bottle of Sparkle-Cola in my mouth and threw it at the robot while ducking for cover behind the desk.  Another bolt hit the bottle midair vaporizing it and the remainder of the soda.

I groaned as the taste of carrot was now replaced by the metal flavor of my beam pistol’s mouth grip.  Would it have killed somepony to make guns flavored? I thought to myself, but I should have been paying attention as a bolt struck the metal desk and arched over the top of our cover and though my body.

Weakly I pushed away from the conductive cover and pulled out a healing potion and downed it.  As the warm healing magic restored my strength, I slipped into SATS and targetted 2 shots into the glass that held it’s brain.  

BIZZT, BIZZT the shots rang out as I released the spell. The first struck it in the glass case, but only left a small scorch mark.  The second missed because the robot moved closer to get a better shot at Ollie and I.

Since shooting the glass was ineffective with my beam weapon, I decided to aim for the metal part.  I slipped into SATS again since I’d only used 2 of 4 available SATS guided shots.  I targeted it’s torso just below the glass and released the spell.

BIZZT, BIZZT the shots rang out as they impacted the torso of the brainbot.  Though not as ineffective as aiming at the brain case, they didn’t cause as much damage as I’d hoped.  The robot was still able to fire back nearly missing my right ear with a lightning bolt.

Then a metal apple flew from the break room and landed at the wheeled hooves of the robot.  I noticed that it had a blue ring around it and that it didn't have a stem.  I braced for the impact of the explosion, but instead it sent out a pulse of blue electricity and the brainbot powered down.

Cautiously I walked out from being the desk.  Nicky skipped out of the break room, grenade stem still in her mouth, with the biggest smile on her face.  She spat the stem out and looked over at me.  Upon noticing my puzzled look she laughed.

“Stable ponies don’t know nothin’!” she begun before motioning a hoof towards the now useless grande, “There are a few different types of grandes.  Plesma, have green ringy-things. I used dem on Marker’s crew, Regular explosive one have a red ring, and this one was a mayrex distrubtion grenade, has a blue ring and works best on robotty things”

“I told you she was an expert, though not in pronunciation.  Plasma and matrix disruption is what she meant.” Ollie said as Nicky trotted off wrench in mouth to loot the now disabled brainbot.

While Nicky and Ollie went back to finish their snack, I took a peek out the door the robot had entered from to make sure there were no more on the way.  Just incase Nicky had given me her last matrix disruption grenade.

The factory consisted of a manufacturing floor that had been dug into the ground and a bunch of narrow metal catwalks hanging from the ceiling at my level on the second floor.  The Center catwalk lead to an office the reminded me of the Overmare’s office from back in the stable.  It even had a clouded window overlooking the factory.  There were large dormant generators on the far wall of the factory floor that were wired to numerous conveyor belts and other weapon building machines.  Patrolling the factory floor were a bunch more of those brainbots - at least 10 or 20, but luckily there were no more on our level.

That didn’t stop them from shooting thiere surprisingly long range lightning at attack at me.  A bolt struck my flank as dived back into the lobby area.

“Celstia’s fiery marehood!” I screeched and immediately downed a healing potion, “We may have a problem."

As the burn on my rump healed I told them of the situation out on the factory floor.

“So what are our options?” I asked Ollie as she moved the desk to the door to provide some cover.

“Well, we have a few options.  We rush down there, guns blazing and hope to destroy the robots before we die, which is not an option I’d prefer.  Then there is a better option, that I’m not too fond of either, where we have Knick-Knack sneak around a drop grenades down on those generators on the far wall.  The explosion shouldn’t reach us, but it will destroy the robots.  Downside, the factory floor will be bathed in a lethal dose of magical radiation, so no bulk ammo if it is down there.”  She responded.

“Where are the blueprints held?”

“They’d be in the boss’s office, across the kitty-catwalks.” Nicky answered.

“That far above the factory floor, should be fine for a quick jaunt to the office and back.” Ollie chimed in.

“Well, all things considered,” I pondered, “A few less caps vs. getting out of here with our lives.  The second option is better.  Nicky, you up for your part?” I said turning to where Nicky had been.

Moments later there was a very loud BOOM and myPipbuck’s geiger-counter spiked.  Then Nicky returned and downed a healing potion and a Rad Away.

We then filed slowly onto the catwalk that buckled slightly under our weight.  My pipbuck clicked ominously as we crossed.  The only other sound was our hooves on the metal and the low hum of the lights on the ceiling.  As we walked, out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw one of the brain-bots move, but when I turned to see it nothing was there.

The office was furnished with wood trimmed walls, but in the decades since the apocalypse, the wood had begun to rot, filling the air with a musty smell.  There were a bunch of of yellowed papers everywhere along with a thick coat of dust.  Along the left wall was some filing cabinets and on the back wall was a desk with a terminal and a wall safe.  The pony who had previously worked in the office was still there with a bullet hole in his head.

I pushed him aside and begun to hack the terminal.  It has been ages since I last had to hack a terminal and the one in Stable 13’s medbay was much easier.  It took me 4 times backing completely out before I got the password.  It was “WEAPONIZE.”

Once in I had access to the IMF security, but since we had destroyed all the bots that wasn’t a concern.  I was also able to unlock the safe.  There were a few more files, but we were already taking megadose of radiation and I had no time to look at them so I copied them to my pipbuck and turned my attention to the safe.  There were 3 blueprints, some pre-war bits, and some ammo I assumed were specialty ammo based on the colored rings on the casings..

The filing cabinets only held 5 caps and a bunch of useless earrings papers.  So we all took a Rad Away and a Rad-X and begun to cross the catwalk again.  We were halfway across when a bolt of lightning struck the ceiling above us.  The 2 century old catwalk supports gave and the catwalk begun to fall.

“Run!” I screamed at the ponies in front of me.

Ollie lifted Nicky on to her back and leaped for the door on the other end of the catwalk.  I was close behind when another bolt of lightning struck the catwalk and arched through my body.  I collapsed, then the catwalk did and I plummeted into the magical radiation below.

The last thing I heard before passing out was “Well now, Clash, that could have gone better.”  in the same voice that had ended my dream.

***  ***  ***

Darkness, all I saw was darkness. Then suddenly I’m back on the catwalk lightning repeatedly arching though my body.  All I can feel is the pain.  I try to call out but my voice dies in my throat.

“Today is my lucky day.” echoed the voice of Marker, “I found a new form of torture, such a lovely pass time.”

The green glow around me spiked, the clicking of my pipbuck increased. The heat beneath me scorched my under belly.  I felt myself dying.

“Wake up clash.” rang the voice in my head.

***  ***  ***

“Hey Thucky, you thinkth thshe goths anything good on ther?”

“Stop talking, bugbrain, I’m searching.  Hmm, about 50 caps, 3 weapons blueprints and--Ooh a beam pistol!”

“Tho–those are mine,” I rasped squinting to see in the brightness of the grey.

“Shit, Bugz, she’s alive!”

“B–bral–” I said before puking for the second time today, but this time I tasted blood in my mouth.

“Thshe theems thow hathe radiathon poisthoning. We can thill thake her thtuff.”

“I’m not robbing a half dead pony, I’m not that kind of griffon and neither are you.  We are helping her. Bugz, get the Rad Away.”

At that, I passed out again.

***  ***  ***

I awoke on a mattress feeling sore all over.  I could still taste the copper flavor of blood in my mouth.  My head felt like it had been blown to smithereens several times over, yet was completely intact.

I heard my captors–no my rescuers–the creatures who saved me, I think one said he was a griffon What in all of equestria is a griffon? I heard them talking just a few feet away..

“Do you think she’ll pull through?” one said.

“She still has radiation poisoning, so I don’t know.  We are out of Rad Away and we don’t have any healing potions. She might not make it if we don’t get more.” The other said.

I forced my aching body to get up and move closer to where they were sitting.

“The thing I’m still trying to figure out is how she got on the roof of the Ironshod Factory since she is an earth pony.” The second said.

“I was on the roof?” I asked weakly, my legs giving out beneath me causing me to fall the the floor with a thud..

“She’s awake!” the first said surprised by my presence.

“Yes, that is where we found you.” The second said, “Laying on the roof looking like you were dead.  What’s your name?”

“Clash Coat.” I answered meekly, “Who are you?”

“I’m Bucky,” the second creature, now known as Bucky, said then motioned to the unicorn in silhouette next to him, “And this is Bu - I mean - Archer.”

“Nice to meet you both, thank you for saving me.  I’ve been told that is a rarity in the wasteland.”  I told them.

“Well, I’d hate to give a bad name to the griffon race and I try to keep Archie on the up and up ever since I found him.” Bucky said.

“Now I’d hate to sound like a stable pony,” I rasped weakly waving my Pipbucked hoof, “But what is a griffon?”

“What are they teaching you down in those stables?  They don’t tell of the majestic griffon race?”  Bucky begun.

“Such modesty.”  Archer joked.

“I came from an uptight stable, if you didn’t fit their standard of beauty you don’t get an education.”  I said staring at my hooves.

“Cheer up Clash, you are a very beautiful mare.” Archer said blushing.

“Good old Archie, always the charmer.” Bucky said whimsically, “Back to your re-education, griffons were one of 3 flying races in equestria before it all went to hell.  It was them, pegasi, and the Princesses, you know the princesses, right?”

“Celestia and Luna?  The goddesses?” I asked.

“Correct, you are acing my class, Clash.” Bucky teased.

“What is a pegasi?” I asked.

“Well, basically they are ponies with feathers.” Bucky explained, “Now-a-days they are part of a group known as the enclave.  They live above the cloud layer.  They are bad news, if you encounter them you’ll likely not live to tell the tail.”

Great, more questions than answers, I thought to myself.

“Oh pegasus.” I said dumbly, “Never heard them called pegasi before.”

“It just means more than one of them.” Bucky squawked, “Now, we should get some rest, especially fillies with radiation poisoning.”

“Yes, Short Tail.”  I said without thinking, but immediately corrected myself and said, “Bucky.”

“Archie, help Clash back to the mattress, I’ll take first watch.” Bucky said turning to face the open window pane and grabbing his rifle in his talons.

I felt Archer’s magic wrap around me and lifted me towards the mattress. I then fell into a very restless, dreamless sleep.

***  ***  ***

In the grey of the morning I could get a better look at my 2 new companions.  Bucky, the griffon, had a long green beak with yellow, orange, red, and blue splotches on it.  It reminded me of a toucan picture I’d seen in a nature magazine Short Tail had back in the stable.  His plumage matched too with black feathers on top of his head and yellow on the underside of his head and down on to his mid section.  His front talons were baby blue and aside from his large black wings his lower half was that of a big cat.  He had white fur with a black stripes starting from the center of his back and going down his sides.  His body ended in a long white tail.

Archer was just a light blue unicorn buck with a silver mane and green eyes.  His Cutie mark is that of a crossbow.  His right ear looks like a hole has been cut through it in the shape of a perfect circle.

I was glad that my Stable 13 brainwashing was unable to classify Bucky as Desirable or Undesirable.  I was able to get to know him without judging him first.  Archer on the other hoof was very desirable looking, despite his ear scar - and I mentally slapped my brain for the judgmental thought.

“So where were you headed before you magically wound up on the Ironshod roof?”  Bucky asked shaking me from my thoughts.

“Oh,” I said tapping my hoof on my pipbuck so it displayed the map, “my companions and I were staying at the Chariot Hotel.  Actually one of them is one of the re-founders--I think. I should probably head back there.”

“The Chariot Hotel?” Archer asked looking at the map, “In your condition, it will take almost 3 days for us to get there.”

“Lucky for you, we found you and will gladly escort you back to your friends.” Bucky chirped.

***  ***  ***

We walked the desolate streets at a slow pace.  Archer’s magic holding me up as I walked while also levitating a crossbow.  Bucky, having wings, was flying from rooftop to rooftop using his rifle to shoot any raiders or bandits that may try to attack me in my weak state.  Though occasionally I’d hear a small whipping noise as Archer fired his arrows at well hidden raiders bucky had missed.

Every now and them Bucky would return to the street level with scavenged or looted supplies.  He mostly gave me healing potions and Rad Aways. to help my deteriorating condition.  Though he also found me some spark batteries for my beam pistol.

As the sky grew darker I became less able to walk as a brownish-red icor begun leaking from my rear as my insides liquefied.   So Archer put me over his back so his horn wouldn’t be as strained; careful to have my leakage not get on him.

Finally Bucky announced, “We’ll spend the night here!” while landing on a burned out skywagon.  Archer lifted me into the wagon and force fed me a radaway before wandering off to scavenge some food while Bucky took watch over me.

Though the headache, stomach-ache, and anal burning kept me from sleeping.  I almost prefer the after effects of a Forget-Me-Shot, at least I’d know I had fun before feeling like death.

***  ***  ***

I don’t know how long I was out for, but I must have slept at least a few hours because Archer had come back.  I could hear him and Bucky talking outside the skywagon, though I couldn’t see them from my position.  They were talking much quieter than they had the night before as if this was a conversation they didn’t want me waking up to.  I felt bad for eavesdropping on their private chat, but there wasn’t much else to do.

“No! I will not risk getting you killed.” Bucky angrily whispered.

“But, I hathen’t had tso usth a glimmer thith long bethore. Thshe isth thleeping tharther athay than lastht night.  I neethed tho restht my mathic.” Archer said in the lisping voice I’d heard on the Ironshot roof.

I silently inched closer to the wall and pressed my ear to the metal to hear the conversation better.

“What if she doesn’t take kindly to you like that?  She may be sick, but one well placed shot from her pistol and your dust. Please glimmer, she is on the other side of this wall.”   He said tapping a talon on the skywagon.

I yelped, not expecting the sudden noise.  I quickly inched myself away from the wall as Bucky came into view.  There was what appeared to be a blue-green flash behind the wall before Archer came into view carrying a saddle bag of scavenged goods.  

Was it just me or was his mane now more blond than silver? I thought to myself.  Must be the firelight or radiation poisoning playing tricks on my eyes.

“You feeling up for some real food?” Bucky asked from the open rear of the wagon.

I nodded and he reached into Archer’s bag a pulled out a box that said “Sugar Apple Bombs” and passed them to me.  I poured them into my hoof and cautiously licked one up with my tongue.  I slowly chewed the crunchy, sweet, slightly stale puff.  Even with the taste of blood still in my mouth, it was the best food I’d ever tasted.  Though I couldn’t help the feeling I’d tasked them before during my forgotten night.

I ate a few more before my radiation poisoning caused me to empty my stomach.  So I just drank another Rad Away and tried to fall back asleep.

***  ***  ***

The next day I was too weak to walk so I spent the entire day on Archer’s back; which I came to realize was oddly uncomfortable.  Though it looked like any other pony’s back, it was hard as a rock.  As if his skin was some kind of armour.  And if I looked at it in a certain way, it looked almost black and shiny instead of blue.

As we turned down another street Bucky returned to street level with a worried look on his face.

“Marker has set up camp a little ways up.  He might be moving on the Chariot.” Bucky explained.

At the mention of Marker’s name my eye shot open, and I felt a sudden surge of strength.

“Marker is moving on the chariot!  We have to warn them!” I said hopping to my hooves, but only managed to walk a few feet before collapsing.

“Cut your losses kid, the Chariot is doomed whether you warn them or not.  You can hang with us.  We’ll find someplace safer to purge your radiation.” Bucky said sternly.

“No!” I said into the dirt as I begun to grad myself along the street, “I have to warn them, there is still time to get them to safety.”

“In your state, you're more likely to end up dead and Marker still takes the Chariot.” Bucky pleaded.

“What. About. Being. An. Upstanding. Griffon?” I said continuing to drag myself down the street, “You could have left me on that roof.”

“She has got a point.  How could we live with ourselves if we don’t try to warn them.” Archer said, “You can fly off with your tail between your legs Buck, but I’m going to get Clash to that hotel.”

I felt Archer’s magic surround me and lift me on his back.  He then began to gallop at full speed down the road.

We didn’t get far before Bucky landed in front of us making Archer come to a hault.

“If we’re going to do this, then we need a different route then straight into their camp.” Buck said sternly, “It will be taxing on me, and likely not a pleasant ride for you, but I could fly you both there, completely avoiding Marker’s camp.”

***  ***  ***

Give me a ride on Archer’s uncomfortable back anyday.  I wrapped my front hooves tightly around Bucky’s neck as he flew swiftly over Detrot.  Archer had to be carried beneath him in his talons, though from my angle it looked as if Archer were hovering a few inches below Bucky.

Within minutes we were on the steps of the Chariot.  Archer ran inside to get some help for me while I puked blood and stomach acid all over the steps.

“Clash! oh thank heavens you're alright!” I heard the voice of Ollie say, but the radiation poisoning topped with the vertigo of flying had me in and out of consciousness.

I felt the warmth of Ollie’s magic surround me and carry me into the chariot.  I hadn't realized it before, but Archer’s magic had felt cold.

That was my final thought before I passed out.

***  ***  ***

Footnotes:

Clash Coat: Level up

New Perk Added: Lead Belly - With the Lead Belly perk, 50% less radiation is taken every time you drink from an irradiated water source or eat irradiated food and drink.

Quest Perk Added: Minor Mutation: Crystalline skin (rank 1) - your crystal pony DNA has reacted with the magical radiation in a very odd way.  While under the effects of minor radiation poisoning your skin is able to stop most low caliber ammunition, as if you are wearing light armour.  So go ahead, walk the wasteland naked.

Skill increase: Science is now 30

Nicky: Level up

New Perk added: TNT, You're Dynamite - you have an incredible knack for blowing things up.  +10% accuracy when using explosive weaponry.  You also take 15% less radiation at all times.

Ollie Factory: Level up

New Perk added: Egghead - You will add +2 skill points each time you gain a new experience level.

New companion: Bucky - Level 8

Strength - 7

Perception - 5

Endurance - 6

Charisma - 6

Intelligence - 6

Agility - 7

Luck - 3

Tagged Skills:

Sneak

Big Guns

Small Guns

Traits:

none

New Companion: Archer - Level 4

Strength - 5

Perception - 6

Endurance - 7

Charisma - 6

Intelligence - 6

Agility - 6

Luck - 4

Tagged Skills:

Sneak

Small Guns

Science

Traits:

none

Quest Updated:

Gun Runner Run, I - √ Scavenge the Ironshod Manufacturing Factory for any weapon blueprints and unique ammo.

                           Return to the Gun Runners and give them your findings.

Faction Status:

Stable 13 – Vilified

Marker’s Gang – Disliked

The Chariot Hotel – Neutral

Finders (West Branch) – Neutral

Gun Runners – Neutral

Chapter Six: The Statue's Curse

"Curses are artificial, fake magic. It's conjured with potions and incantations; all smoke and mirrors meant to scare. But curses have no real power, they're just an old pony tale."

“Greetings residents of the Chariot,” boomed the magically loudened, smooth voice of Marker, “for the longest time I have let you be, but I draw the line at harboring those who have wronged me and stolen what is rightfully mine.”

The booming voice stirred me from my dreamless sleep.  I’d been purged of much of my radiation after arriving back to The Chariot.  Though minor radiation poison persisted, it was better the the near death state I was in the day prior, and the clinic was low on Rad Away.  I had been well enough to be moved out of the hotel’s clinic and back to Nicky’s parent’s former room–now likely owned by Nicky.

The familiar voice that had haunted my dreams since our encounter the day after I left my stable made me question if I really was awake.  A slap to my face gave me the answer.  Yes, I was awake and yes, Marker was outside the hotel settlement.

Still sore from the past few days I forced myself to my hooves and peered out a gap in the boarded up window at the pony talking from down below.  He was a rather large and muscular looking unicorn buck.  His coat was jet black and he had a charol mane.  At my vantage point on the second floor I could not see his eye color.  For some reason my mind wanted them to be red since he was pure evil.  He was adorned in golden armour that covered most of his body and covered most of his body, most notably his cutie mark.  In its place on the armour was the engraved cutie mark of the goddess Celestia.  

By all accounts he would qualify as a desirable, which only made me hate him more.  It was unfair somepony so evil would be blessed with such good looks.  Unlike before I didn’t mentally hit myself for my judgements, anything to make me hate him more was a plus in my mind–no matter how petty the hate was.

“As you no doubt believe due to a slanderous radio DJ calling me a raider, I did not wanted to destroy a caravan heading towards your fine establishment  I just wanted to trade.” Marker went on, “I, however, was met with hostility.  They killed 6 of my kindly group of wastelanders.”

“That isn’t the story I was told.” The voice of another stallion, also magically loudened, said.

“Is it now?” Marker boomed, not a hint of anger in his voice, “Well did they tell you they stole something from me.  I was just visiting the caravan to get my rightful property.”

There was a moment of silence as neither voice spoke. A light drizzle began to fall from the blanket of clouds above, though Marker appeared to remain dry and if I’m not mistaken his body almost shimmered in the rain.

“Regardless of which story is true,” Marker spoke again, “I am giving you until tomorrow at sunrise to fork over the villainous caravaners–a red and caramel filly and a green and purple mare–and my stolen property.  Do that and I spare The Chariot, don’t–”

He trailed off for dramatic effect.

“Well, let us just hope it doesn't come to that.” he finished and turned back down the street before disappearing in a flash of magic.

***  ***  ***

“Manager, you aren’t honestly going to give into his demands?” Ollie asked as a group of ponies entered into a conference room off from the market hall with Nicky and I.

“Miss Factory,” a yellow coated, maneless, unicorn stallion with a braided black tail and a large cap cutie mark answered, “I understand your concern, and acknowledge you seniority on the hotel council, but we must think of the settlement as a whole.  The council must vote on the matter.”

“Umm...well...we...umm..could...think of...another solution.” a shy, purple coated, red maned earth pony mare with cleft lip whispered.

“Everypony take your seats, we have much to discuss.” Manager announced.

Six of the ponies sat down in raggedy chairs arranged around a horseshoe shaped table in the center of the room.

Manager cleared his throat, “I call this emergency meeting of the Chariot Settlers Council to order.  The subject of the meeting is whether or not to give Knick-Knack and Clash Coat over to the raider Marker to spare the Chariot.”

I looked around the room.  The six ponies that made up the council were Ollie, Manager, the shy earth pony, and 3 others.  The 3 others were a unicorn buck with a brown coat and light brown curly mane, a pegasus zombie-like thing, and a dog creature.  There were an assortment of vendors and residents standing in the back of the room.

“You know Ollie, the bald one is Manager, the purple one is Memorandum, brown coat is Bottle O’Jack, The ghoul is Setting Sun, and the hellhound is Beagle, but prefers to go by Bea.” Nicky whispered in my ear.

Well, I thought, Ollie already was considered desirable.  Manager could also be considered as such despite his age.  Memorandum...well she was in between, the majority of her was desirable, but as much as I hated to admit it, my stable would not like the deformity of her lip. The ghoul and the hellhound, much like Bucky were unclassifiable–I made a mental note to ask what a ghoul and Hellhound were later.  Lastly, Bottle O’Jack qualified as desirable, at least from what I could see from where I was standing.

“Miss Coat,” Manager called breaking me from my thoughts.

I subtly kicked myself for my judgmental thoughts as I trotted up to the center of the horseshoe table.

“Glad you are back with us.” He begun, “Now we know that Marker’s telling of the attack on the Junker caravan was not true, however we have no way to verify other facts a s true or false.”

He let out a heavy sigh, clearly hating the fact that he might need to side with the terrible raider.

“Did you steal from Marker?” he asked coldly.

“What?” I balked, “Four days ago I was in a stable!  I won’t perger myself by saying I have never stolen before.  It was something I had to do often in my stable to survive.”

I stamped the floor with a hoof angrily.

“She’s tellen’ the truth, Man’ger!  An’ before ya ask Ma’n’Pa never stole nuthin’ that wasn’t long abandon’ 2 centuries ago.” Nicky defended.

“Damned raiders are liers, big shock.” rasped Setting Sun.

“Ponies lie too.  Lie to protect loved ones. To little ones especially.” Bea said.

“Pearl and Junker were good ponies.  You dare speak ill of the dead!  In front of their daughter, no less.  You should be ashamed of yourself Bea!”  Shouted Ollie.

“Ponies lie.  Ponies always lie.  Ponies take.  Ponies kill.” Bea said angrily.

“Order! Order!” Shouted Manager, slamming a hoof on a dented part of the table.

I observed the body language of the 2 council members who hadn’t spoken yet.  Memorandum was glancing timidly at Ollie clearly siding with her, whatever Ollie’s opinion was, and Bottle O’Jack appeared to be on Bea’s side.

“All non-council members please leave.” Manager announced, “We must vote on the matter now that all known facts are on the table.”

***  ***  ***

Nicky and I met up with Bucky and Archer at the bar.  We took a seat next to them and Bucky taped a talon on the bar and the ghoul hellhound passed him 2  open sparkle colas that he intern passed then to Clash and I.  I picked up the bottle and took a swig of the carroty liquid.  I was surprised that that it was still carbonated and most of all cold.

“I’ve been meaning to apologize.” Bucky said not looking at me.

“For what?” I asked, “Saving me? Escorting me back here to the Chariot?”

“For nearly robbing you.” he said drinking what looked like a combination of sparkle cola and alcohol.

“To be fair, I was looked dead.” I said solemnly, “I would have been dead without your help.”

And should have been dead based on my last memory of my time in the Ironshod factory, I thought to myself.

“Still I should have checked you were dead before going through your stuff.” Bucky said sloshing his drink around in his glass, “When you spoke, I felt I’d tarnished my status as a noble griffon.  Bringing you back here safely was my way of regaining my nobility.”

“Well then, I guess I forgive you.  You have no need to stay here then.  Griffon Nobility restored.” I said knighting him with my pipbucked hoof.

“It isn’t that simple.” he said drinking the last bit of his drink, and placed a few caps on the counter before leaving.

The ghoul hellhound gathered the caps into an old apron and went over to serve another patron.

“It isn’t you, Bucky was part of a bad talon company, to him he will never be a noble griffon, but he can try.” Archer said.

I cleared my throat and tapped my pipbuck, silently asking for further explanation since I was a stable pony.

Archer shrugged, “You're going to have to ask him, he doesn't talk about it much.  The sad truth of the wasteland is we have all done things we regret.” Then he too walked off leaving Nicky and I at the bar.

***  ***  ***

30 minutes later we all met in Room 123.  Bucky didn’t seem to want to talk about his nobility at the moment, besides there were more pressing matters.

“The vote was a tie.” Ollie said full of sorrow, “3 for, 3 against.  Sometimes I wonder why there is an even number of council members.  Then again we don’t usually have a tied vote.”

“Indecision will not help anything.” Bucky said.

“Not like a decision would help anything.  Marker is a raider, they give you to him or not, he will destroy this place regardless.” Ollie said.

“Come on, think! there has to be some way out of this!” I shouted slamming my hoof into the side of my head repeatedly.

“I think I have an idea.”  Archer said.

“Yes, I’ll take anything at this point.” I said.

“Give yourself to Marker.” He said flatly.

“What?” we all said in unison.

“Ok hear me out.” Archer said, “But first, a small confession.”

***  ***  ***

I really didn’t like this plan.  Giving myself up to the murdering bastard that haunted my nightmare didn’t feel like a good idea–even if it was some sort of distraction.  Not to mention the untimely confession Archer had given.  Then I remembered Archer wasn’t his real name.

“My real name isn’t Archer.” Archer had said receiving a fearful glare from Bucky, “It is Bugz–well that isn’t my real name either, but it is the name Bucky gave me.”

He had paused and his horn began to glow.  A burst of magic exploded from his chest sending green fire up and down his body changing him into something else.  When the fire had cleared before us stood a skinny, black, pony-shaped creature that appeared as if his legs were all shot full of holes.  On his back were some light green wings, but unlike Bucky’s they were almost see through.  His head was mostly normal, except his eyes had no pupils.  They were just a kind looking yellow void.  He also had 2 large fangs that stuck out of his mouth which caused a lisp.  His mane, if you could call it that, was short and blue.  It also looked shot full of holes.  His horn protruded from his forehead like on a unicorn, but it had a huge chunk missing near the bottom and the top.  I had to admit, his name fit.  He looked like a pony-shaped insect.

“I’m a tsangthing,” Bugz had gone on, now adorning the lisp I’d heard Bucky’s mystery companion use, “I hath the abilthy tho tsange intho anypony.”

“So, You made the smart decision little ponies.” Marker said snapping me back to the present, “I honestly thought you’d go down with the ship, or well, Chariot.  How heroic for giving yourself up.

He then turned to the filly at my side, “Now, little filly, the property you stole from me?”

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Bucky taking a sniper’s position on the roof opposite the Chariot.

“Anythin’ that may’ve belonged to mah parents was left in the cart.” Nicky said bitterly.

Then everything at  Marker’s camp down the street went BOOM! Followed by the sound of gunshots.

“What the...” Marker begun, but was interrupted by a sniper shot though his body.

And by through his body–I meant right through it, as if it weren’t there–and right into my chest.  It hurt, but not as much as any of the previous gunshots.  I looked down at my chest.  I was glowing like it had when I left the stable and though the bullet had gone through, the skin around it looked almost cracked.

The green burst of magic next to me signified that Bugz had dropped his Nicky disguise.  The THUNK, THUNK sound that followed signified that Bugz had taken out Marker’s guards with his crossbow.

“Very clever, using a changeling in place of that filly. While others attack my camp.” Marker finally spoke up.

“Nots tho menthon the athathinathon athempth.” Bugz snared.

“Yes, that was your mistake. As you can see I can’t die.” Marker said.

His eyes began to glow red and a white ball of energy flew in from somewhere else in the city and struck the Chariot behind me.  The hotel erupted in in a giant explosion raining debris down all around us.  The Chariot had fallen.

Marker laughed menacingly, “I will be back for my property litle ponies, I’ll dimember you then–slowly.” he stated and he disappeared in a flash of teleportation.

***  ***  ***

We met back up in the sewer beneath the remains of the Chariot along with the other 345 residents of the Chariot all safely evacuated.  We gathered in front of a stable door.  Emblazoned on in the center of the of the door was the number 16.  

Some of the Chariot residents, mainly ones that were merchants, were loading large saddlebags and small carts with the contents of the stable, which had been turned into the Chariot storage.  Something about that bothered me.  Sure I had a terrible life in the stable, but it felt rude to just dismiss it as storage.

Among the crowd I saw a Ollie and an ash covered Nicky.  Leaning against the armoured bug-like hide of Bugz.  Upon seeing me and the hole in my chest Ollie rushed over and pulled out a healing potion.  I downed it and watched the bullet hole heal.  Was it just me or did it heal like a crystal growing?  I thought to myself.

“Clashie!” Nicky squealed almost as hyper as she was the first day I met her, “Yer glowing again, any reason why?”

“Not sure,” I shrugged, “it is one of the things I’d like to find out.  When I was found it was happy thoughts, after recent events I’m not sure.”

“Perhaps a mutation of some kind, you did fall into a highly irradiated area.” Ollie offered.

I heard a cough behind me and turned to see Bucky.

“I-I didn’t mean to shoot you.” he said apologetically.

“Its fine,” I said sheepishly, “how were you supposed to know he was an apparition.”

“True,” he sighed.

“Tho whath now?” Bugz asked.

I thought for a second, what were we going to do next?  We still needed caps for a recollector–well that is if we can find one.  Wait! Our caps!

“Ollie?” I asked turning to the pink unicorn, “Did we ever get our caps for the Ironshod job?”

Ollie’s eyes lit up, “No, no we haven’t.  When you fell into the radiation and we had to come back empty hoofed.  Then your return and the whole thing with Marker--”

“Manager!” I called trotting away from my friends, “Before you move on–where are you going anyways?”

The bald yellow unicorn was shocked to see my shimmering appearance, but once he realized who I was he answered, “Oh, we will use the sewers to get out of the city avoiding that monster, then Tenpony Tower.  Only safe place that could house so many.  Non-living ponies and creatures will have to find their own place to go. Though some have opted to stay in Stable 16.  What do you need?”

“I’d like to cash in a job, it was the one at Ironshod.” I stated.

Manager pointed to a group of ponies in maroon armour and so I headed over to them.  When I showed them the blueprints and ammo one of them got so excited she hugged me before letting me go and blushing.  Another went to their cart and handed me a bag of caps with 500 printed on it and a few with 50 printed on it.  As a bonus for my bravery they gave me a beam rifle.

“Oh, um you're too kind, but I can accept this without paying for it.” I said pushing the weapon away.

“Yes take it,” an old grey buck and the leader of the group rasped, “The gun runners deal in regular arms, magical energy weapons are of no use to us.  If you ever encounter any gun runner merchants tell them Sniper sent you and you’ll get a discount.”

I put the strap over my shoulder and trotted back to where my my companions were waiting.

“We are now about 650 caps richer.” I announced.

“Why are you collecting caps?” Bucky inquired.

“Ollie has a black opal that might explain this,” I motioned to to my shimmering body, “but since I’m an earth pony I can’t see it without a recollector–unless you know a memory spell Bugz–and to get a recollector it will cost caps.”

“No memory spells, but I may know a pony with a possible recollector.” Bucky said, “A collector of rare and unusual items from all over the wasteland. A recluse, who lives in Applewood, in the mountain behind the Applewood sign.”

“He lives in the hill?” Ollie asked.

“It was a MOA storage facility.” Bucky answered and when he noticed my confused look, he explained, “Ministry of Awesome, a wartime government branch–one of 6.  The MOA was run by the element of Loyalty, Rainbow Dash.”

“They really don’t teach you anything in those stables do they?” Ollie chuckled.

“My stable was an interesting one,” I said, “I’ll have you explain more later.  We have a destination.”

I noticed a notification on my pipbuck, I tapped it with my hoof and read that “MOA Applewood Hub” was now marked on the map feature.  How the hey did it do that? I wondered.

***  ***  ***

A few hours later we were out of the sewers.  We walked cautiously along the road out of the city.  Bucky flew a few feet ahead of us and Bugz buzzed a few feet behind.  Both of them were keeping a look out for ambushes from both Marker’s raiders and other malevolent ponies.  We walked in silence, the only sound was our hooves on crumbling concrete.

To break the slightly uncomfortable silence I switched on my pipbuck’s radio.  A sweet melody of music flowed from the speaker.  There were no words, just melodic sound.  A few minutes later the song came to a close and DJ Pon3 begun to speak.

“Dear Celestia that mare sure can play.” he said, “That terrific arrangement was brought to by none other than Security herself.  She sure is a mare of many talents.  Now for some sad news out of Detrot.  The Finder trading post and settlement of Chariot has fallen.  Destroyed in a terrifying blast of arcane power cause by none other the the fiend known as Marker.”

He paused as if to think of how to phrase what he wanted to say next.

“But don’t worry kiddies, there is a silver lining or should I say a Crystalline one.” He said triumphantly.

My heart skipped a beat when I heard a mentions of what was likely me.

“You heard me right, the mysterious glowing mare, I’ve taken to calling Crystalline, was reported in the area.  She dealt a massive blow to Markers forces and even managed to evacuate the all 345 residents and merchants from The Chariot before it fell.”

I begun to blush furiously at the mention of what could only be me.

“Thank you Crystalline.  Keep fighting the good fight.  If you're ever in the Manehatten area I’d love to sit down for an interview.  Now here is the sultry sounds of Velvet Remedy.”  The DJ finished and music begun to play.

“Wow,” Ollie said, “You're becoming quite famous.”

“He–he didn’t even mention all of you!” I scream motioning to the group around me.

"Well, I don't mind." Ollie said trying and failing to comfort me.

"It just bothers me how he is somehow able to see what happens, but purposely excludes facts!" I screamed.

"Ponies need their heroes, Clash," Ollie said, "pay it no mind."

I shut off the radio.  Right now I think I prefer the silence, I thought to myself angrily.

Unfortunately, the silence didn’t last long as the sound of Bucky’s rifle filled the air dropping a green coated raider mare with a purple mohawk. I reacted quickly ducking behind a large rock since I still had no armour, though based on what happened when I was accidentally shot by Bucky, maybe I didn’t need it.

I looked to my left and noticed Ollie.  She sported a new looking shotgun, at least not the same one she had used before.  Clearly she had purchased a new one before The Chariot fell or had more than one.  I wondered what was so special about this one.  It had a bright red barrel and the rest was jet black.

A bullet ricocheting off the top of our cover brought me back into the moment.  I leveled my new weapon and cued up SATS.  Looking down the scope I cues up 2 shots to our attackers.  I was upset to realize that 2 shots were all I could use in SATS.

I released the spell and Time resumed.  BZZT, one of our attackers head was ripped off by a the first beam.  BZZT, the second one went wide striking the the wall next to the other attacker I had aimed at.

Ollie fired, her shotgun giving a high pitched whine before the buckshot left the barrel.  It did not look like regular buckshot.  It looked purple.  The buckshot struck the wall the raider used as cover.  Purple lightning arched between each piece of buckshot and the wall crumbled to dust, much to the surprise of the raider ducking behind the structure.

When he didn’t fire back I assumed his weapon must have dusted along with his cover.  Now I may not be the best shot when outside SATS, but the raider was staring in wide eyed shock, so I took the shot.  The laserbeam struck the raider in the chest and he slumped over dead.

The distant thunk of Bugz’s crossbow, a shot from Bucky’s rifle, and a BOOM of one of Nicky’s grenades called an end to the skirmish.

We all regrouped in the middle of our former battlefield, except for Nicky who went to loot the bodies.

“What weapon is that?” I asked Ollie in surprise.

“It is called Silici Scintillam Excudit,” She explained, “Found it in the Ministry of Arcane Science Hub in Detrot back in my old scavenging days.”

I was about to ask when she interrupted me, “The wartime ministry run by Twilight.  Fucused on the study of magic.  Basically Silici Scintillam Excudit, enchants ordinary buckshot with a disintegration spell.”

“Wish I had a weapon like that, my lack of aim wouldn’t be such a bad thing if I disintegrated whatever I hit.” I said nonchalantly.

“Well, the good news is those weren’t part of Marker’s gang.  They also weren’t raiders.” Bucky begun.

“Who were they–” I trailed off as I saw Nicky walked up with 4 ponies in tow, all wearing some strange collar.

“They were slavers.” Bucky finished.

“Thank Celestia these slavers didn’t set off the bomb collars.” Ollie said with a sigh of relief.

“B–Bomb collars!” I shouted, “Slavers!”

“The pithfallths oth the wasthtes.” Bugz said resting a hoof on my shoulder.

I shrugged it off and spoke “Why are the collars still on them?”

“Imma exploseve expert, but thes bombie thingies are very tricky.” Nicky said, “Not even Frag relly knew much ‘bout ‘em.”

Then I noticed the locks on the collars.  Locks I could deal with.

“Anypony have a bobby pin and a screwdriver?” I asked.

I was met by surprised stares from my companions and the the terrified slaves.

“I’m pretty good at lockpicking.” I said nervously.

Ollie opened her saddlebag and floated out the items I requested.  I immediately go to work picking the lock on the first collar. It was around the neck of a yellow coated, blue maned earth pony filly with a rake as a cutie mark.

The lock was rather small and very difficult to unlock.  A few minutes of fiddling later I found the sweet spot and the collar unlocked with a resounding click.

“Oh yeah!” I screamed pumping my hooves in the air, letting the collar fall limply around the filly’s neck.

I was so caught up in my mini celebration that I didn’t hear the beeping sound coming from the 4 callers until it was too late.  I felt both the warmth of Ollie’s magic and the coolness of Bugz’s magic as I was pulled back.  The collars exploded splattering me with gore.

***  ***  ***

I was in shock and unable to think.  I stared wide eyed at the gore and brain matter on my face and body.  Though directly in front of me beyond my hooves were the headless corpses of the for slaves that I had failed to save.  Just as I had failed to save Nicky’s parents, though this time I had failed due to action instead of inaction.

“Clath!” Bugz called to me, but he sounded far away.

I felt the odd feeling his leg’s exoskeleton on my shoulders as he begun to shake me.

“Clath! Thnap outs thove thit!” He yelled, still sounding distant.

I saw a healing potion in force its way into my mouth wrapped in Ollie’s magic.  The healing magic healing the injuries that had occurred to my ears being so close to the explosion and my full hearing returned.

“CLATH!” Bugz shouted again.

“I–I failed.” I said solemnly, “A–again.”

“There was no way of knowing that the collars would go off if one was unlocked.  The was probably some kind of deadpony switch that goes off if the collar can’t sense life in the pony.” Ollie attempted to comfort me.

Tears streamed down my cheak.

“Ya didn’t fail before.” Nicky spoke, “Ya sed it yerself, ya saved me. An’ ya didn’t fail he’e either. Ya tried.  Now ya can do betta next time.” And then the filly gripped me in a hug.

I took a deep breath as Nicky released her embrace and wiped my have with a hoof smearing tears, gore and dirt onto my face adding to what was already there.  Goddesses I needed a shower.

“Ok, lets keep moving.” I said.

We all begun walking again.  Bucky and Bugz took their place in front and behind us.

“Clashie,” Nicky said trotting up next to me, “Next time I’ll know how to deal wiff the bomb collars.  If anypony’s to blame fer the slaves, it’d be me.  I’m an exploseve expert. I shouldda known.”

“Thank you.” I said tussling the curly mane of the filly who whimed in protest.

***  ***  ***

As the sun begun to set behind the cloud layer Bugz and Bucky regrouped with us.

“An old friend of mine is hold up in a old lakehouse a mile or 2 up the road.  He is a traveling trader, so we’ll be able to to replenish our supplies and safely spend the night.” Bucky said.

“We don’t have much to trade.” I said.

“Well we have caps,” Ollie said, “though I did clean my room out at the the Chariot during the evacuation.  I have a few unique trinkets from my past I can bare to part with.”

I nodded, the SSE shotgun coming to mind as an example of such trinkets, though I doubt the arcane weapon was going to be for sale.

As we approached the lake house, my pipbuck begun to click slightly, but it wasn’t much more than the usual ambient radiation we’d been getting since the sewers.  I figured that it was due to the large body of water we were walking by.

Suddenly a gunshot flew over my head.

“Not another step, Miss Glowey, or the next shot won’t miss.” Came a voice.

“Don’t get your feathers in a bunch Gambados!” Bucky called back, “We all know you couldn’t hit an apple at spitting distance, featherbrain.”

“Oh, Bucky, sorry.” Gambados’s voice said, The front side of a griffon poked out the door frame, “Thought your friend was a ghoul or one of those Extra Equestrials DJ Pon3 talks about.  Didn’t want to take my chances.”

“Everypony, this is Gambados.  When you get to know him you’ll find he is a horse’s ass.”  Bucky said.

“Very funny Buckster,” Gambados said exiting the door frame completely revealing that his lower half was that of a dark green colored stallion with lighter green tail and an overflowing saddlebag cutie mark, “As Bucky so eloquently pointed out, I’m Gambados the wasteland’s only Hippogryph–at least the only one I’ve met.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Clash Coat,” I said,then motioned to my companions “You already know Bucky–clearly–this is Ollie Factory, the young one is Knick-Knack, and the cha–

“He knowth me alreathy tsoo, Clath.” Bugz interrupted.

“Ah, I see you're still hanging around with that love sucker, how ya been Buggie?” Gambados asked.

Love sucker, I wondered.  What in tartarus does that mean?  I made a mental note to ask Bucky or Bugz more about changelings when I got the time.

“Good.” Bugz answered, “Still no progress on my memories.”

“Well, that sucks. Now, no need to stand out there in the cold, come in.” Gambados invited us in.

Once inside we begun to look through our bags for anything worth trading.  Without thinking I took out the Drgonaquus Statuette.  When I did Nicky went wide eyed.

“Shit!” She shouted, “Fuck ya have that with ya! No no no no no, fuck!”

Tears appeared in her eyes and she darted out the door.  Ollie looked up from her things and begun to move to the door.  I held up a hoof to stop her.

“This looks like it has to do with the attack on her parent’s caravan, I’ll get her.” I said.

“Clash I know you to have gotten close, but I’m her guardian in her parents absence!” Ollie said firmly.

“I know, but do you know how this statue is involved?” I asked.

“No,” she admitted.

“Well, I do.” I lied, putting my bag on and putting the statue into it, then headed out the door.

***  ***  ***

I found Nicky on the decrepit dock that stretched out over the radioactive lake.  She was curled up in a ball sobbing.  I approached her and set my hoof on her shoulder.  I noticed her mane was completely straight and her colors were much more desaturated, almost grey in color.

“Nicky,” I said softly.

“It is all mah fault.” she whimpered.

“What is your fault?” I asked.

“Everythin’.” she said darkly.

“Now that isn’t true.” I said tenderly.

“But it is.” Nicky said finally turning to face me, her face wet with tears, “The attack on are car-EE-van, Chariot.”

She began sobbing again.

“I stole that statue from one of Markers camps.  I got mah parents killed, I got Tha Chariot destroyed.” she said through her tears, “For what? A goddesses damned statue!  It feels like it’s cursed or somethin’.”

I was about to respond when I noticed a dark figure getting closer to the surface of the water beneath the dock.  In a split second I grabbed Nicky in my hooves and rolled off the dock into the radioactive water just as a massive mutated monster tore through the rotting dock.

Beneath the water Nicky thrashed free from my grasp and swam for the shore.  Unfortunately, swimming was not a skill that was taught in the any stable and I began flailing to reemerge.  Not to mention that the creature was coming back for more.  Its large mouth clamped down on my rear legs and bit down.  The pain causing me to release the breath in my lungs.  Forcing myself to focus thought the pain.  I pulled out the dragonaquus statue and threw it at the the monster.  All it did was float slowly to its face, bounce off and fall into the water beyond.

I felt my vision go dark and the watery world faded away.

***  ***  ***

The next thing I felt was a set of lips set pressing against mine and a rush of air being blown into my lungs.  This was followed by several hard compressions on my chest.

“Come thon Clath, LITHE!” I heard Bugz shout.

His lips were placed once more on mine.  I was now acutely aware of his fangs pressing against my chin as more air was blown into my lungs.  I opened my eyes and coughed wildly forcing the water from my lungs.

“Thank the goddethesths, you’re alithe!” Bugz shouted passing me a healing potion.

I downed it and felt my rear legs heal. I was then passed a Rad Away which I also drank. I then became aware of the fight going on outside and remembered the the lake monster.  Against Bugz’s protest I grabbed my beam rifle and weakly headed out the door to assist in the battle.  Bugz Followed suit.

Once outside I could see that the creature was halfway out of the lake and so I could get a better look at it.  It looked almost prehistoric with it’s long neck and scaly skin.  It had a massive mouth full of sharp teeth–teeth I was all too familiar with.  It had large red eyes.  Its body had a set of large flippers above its hooves? I found it hard to believe that this creature was a pony.

Ollie was ducking behind a rock firing enchanted buckshot at the creature.  Bucky and Gambados were flying around the near the creature’s head exchanging shots with it while dodging its bites.  They were soon joined Bugz.

I could see a bunch of missing holes in the creature's side where Ollie had hit the creature.  There were a few broken arrows sticking out of the creature flesh likely from Bugz.  Though from the looks of it regular gunfire didn’t affect it.

Where was Nicky? I thought, then I noticed her hiding on the porch next to me.  I looked over to her she was rocking back and forth with a single hoof in her mouth.  Her eyes were wide and she was muttering “A’m cursed, A’m cursed.”

“No you’re not, Nicky.” I rasped firmly, breaking her from her shock.

“C–Clash?” She squeaked, “Yer alive?”

“Ye–” I sputtered as she knocked me over with a hug.

“Oh thank Celestia!” She wailed, crying into my chest.

“Nic-ky!” I said barely able to breath, “Can’t breath.”

She let go of me and blushed.

“Sorry, I’m just glad that you're alive.” She said wiping her tears.

“Me too,” I said, “Now I think I know how to kill this lake monster. Gather any grenades or mines you can find.”

The filly bounded into the lake house and gathered the explosives.  A few minutes later she returned.

“Bugz, Bucky, Gambados!” I shouted.

The 3 winged creatures flew away from the monster and landed on the porch.

“What?” Bucky asked.

“The creature appears to have an armoured skin, only Ollie’s weapon is one of the only to injure it.” I explained quickly and motioned to the grandes, “If you can manage to get these down its throat we may be able to kill it from the inside–We’ll pay you back for the  one we took from you, Gambados, once it is dead.”

“Allow me first cut of its corpse and we’ll call it even.” The hippogryph said.

I nodded grimacing at the thought of eating that creature.  My winged companions gathered the explosives and took to the skies.

“Hey ugly!” Bucky shouted at the monster.

He got attacked as a response, he threw in his grenades and flew away.  Bugz and Gambados followed suit.  Bucky motioned to Ollie as he turned to land on the porch.  She shot the creature one last time before retreating to the porch.  Once she got there the grenades exploded.  Spouts of gore shot from the gashes caused by Ollie’s gun.  With one final cry the monster died and begun to fall over.  Right on top of the lake house.

***  ***  ***

Footnotes:

Clash Coat: Level up

New Perk added: Counter Canter – Your fancy hoofwork (or agile flying if you are a pegasus pony) keeps you out of harm’s way. Opponents suffer a -5 to combat skills when attacking you.

Nicky: Level up

New Perk added: Past Sins – You admitted to your sins of the past and are better for it. +3 to barter and medicine.

Ollie Factory: Level up

Skill increase: small guns is now 25

Bucky: 25% to next level

Companion reveal: Archer is actually Bugz. All of Archer’s stats are now transferred to Bugz.

Bugz: Level up

New Perk added: Silver Tongue – +6 speech when talking to somepony for the first time.

New Spell added: Glimmer (rank 3) – You can disguise yourself as anypony for an extended period of time.  Now you can use this spell to look younger or older than your actual age.

Trait Reveal: Changeling Born – As a changeling you feed off the emotions of others.  +10 to DR and HP regenerates by 2 every 20 seconds when in the presence of close friends. DR is 0 and HP drops by 2 every minute when alone.

Companion Perk added: Cursed – Either you are are cursed or have just been experiencing a lot of bad luck lately.  Best find a good luck charm.  -2 to luck, but +3 to perception.

Temporary companion: Gambados – Level 10

Quest completed:

Gun Runner Run, I

Quest updated:

Ballad of a Crystal Pony – √ Look for any information in the wasteland on the mysterious glowing ability you have.

                               √ Find out what that pink mare knows about your mysterious glowing power.

                               View Ollie's Black Opal.

                   seek out the Collector in Applewood.

Marking Marker – Find out more about the raider Marker, how he becomes intangible and how his arcane attack works.

                      Find and kill the raider Marker.

Faction Status:

Stable 13 – Vilified

Marker’s Gang – hated

The Chariot Hotel – N/A disbanded

Finders (West Branch) – liked

Gun Runners – liked

Chapter Seven: Clockwork Infinity

"Of all the worst things that could happen, this is the! Worst! Possible! Thing!"

Since leaving the safe–albeit cruel and discriminatory–stable I have experience some disturbing things.  Two ponies pulped by raiders orphaning their daughter, my nightmares, the smell and look of myself while under radiation poisoning, and more recently the slaves heads exploding all over me.  Despite all that I have been able to choke down at least a few bites of the surprisingly tasty 200 year old food.  That being said, I nearly puked on Bugz when he offered me some cooked meat from the lake monster that had nearly killed me and demolished our lake house shelter.

“No really, I’m not hungry. Nearly dieing took a of out of me.” I lied.

“Ok, thuite yourthelthe.” He said walking back over to his bags and taking his slice into his mouth in one bite.

“Ponies ain’t meant ta eat meat, pa used ta say.” Nicky solemly between bites, “Ma still made us eat it some nights, nothin’ else out the’e ta eat an we didn’t wanna starve.”

Ollie rummaged through her bag and took out a box of apple bombs and handed them to me, “I’m not keen on meat either dearie, but that is no reason not to eat, it’ll keep your strength up.”

“Take a look here at this! What a lucky find.” came the muffled voice of Bucky from inside the monster’s stomach.

“Hey, Buckster, that be mine.” The equally muffled voice of Gambados responded.

“No, you get first cut of the meat to sell, we were going to share any valuables in the stomach. Also, seeing as it is locked only Clash is likely to open it.  Not to mention it was her quick thinking that slayed the beast.” Bucky retorted.

“Miss Glowey, get over here!” Gambados said, no longer muffled as he now hovered above the creature greenish brown icorr glazing his wings and body.

I set the box of apple bombs down and trotted to the other side of the monster to where the stomach has been cut open with the help of Ollie’s SSE.  The smell made me lose my appetite for real.  The same greenish brown icorr that was all over Gambados, was all over Bucky and the ground.  Behind both winged companions were a pile of ammo crates, medical boxes, weapons, and suites of armor–some still on the skeletons of ponies and other creatures that had once worn them.  Between the 2 was a small black box decorated with yellow lines.  In the center of the box lid was the picture of a black, green, and purple lightning bolt extending from a cloud with a set of wings.  Also it was locked–my specialty.

“What is it?” I asked, plugging my nose with a hoof to block the rancid smell.

“We don’t know, could be a weapon or specialty drugs, or something useless.” Gambados replied.

“It has the MOA logo on it and it is locked, why would it be useless?” Bucky asked incredulously, “And you're in luck, MOA usually locks their stuff with cloud locks, but this monster’s fluids appear to solidify clouds.”

“Hmm, might bottle some of it.  Would help looting MOA hubs and enclave outposts for non pegasi, griffon, and hippogryph folks. Could fetch a few bottle caps” Gambados pondered.

In a moment I darted back to my bags to get my screwdriver and bobby pins and got to work–attempting to ignore the smell.  The lock was almost as hard as the slave collars, but at least it wouldn’t cause the deaths of 4 innocents–at least I hoped it wouldn’t.  I broke 2 bobby pins, but I eventually got the box open.  Inside was one beam pistol–not unlike the one I picked up back at Nicky’s parents caravan cart–except it was jet black, with yellow trim like the box it came in and it had an engraved MOA symbol on each side of it. There was also some ammo and a note tucked in the box.  I took out the note and read it to myself:

Dear Spitfire,

I understand that you don’t wish to be under my command.  You have been a wonderbolt for as long as I can remember.  Even as your superior officer I still look up to you and respect you, that is why I want you to be my second in command for the Shadowbolts.  Trust me it will be so awesome to have you on the team.  Please accept this beam pistol whether or not you chose to accept.  I had Twilight make it specially for you. It has a yellow diamond focusing crystal.  First of its kind to be used that way according to Twi.  It has some interesting abilities that will be effective in combat.  See you first thing in the morning at Neighvaro if your interested.

Your friend,

Rainbow Dash

Ministry Mare of the Ministry of Awesome

I returned the note to the box and balanced the box on my back as I trotted back to my saddle bags.  Then we all settled in for the night.

***  ***  ***

I rolled over and ran my hoof down my face.  I hadn’t had insomnia like this in a while, not since the night I left the stable–then I remembered that was only a few days ago.  Funny it felt much longer.   I sat up and looked around the room.  I noted Ollie, Bugz, and Gambados sleeping in various places in the room.  

It must be Bucky’s turn to keep watch, I thought, but where was Nicky?

The faint sound of sobbing coming from the house’s stairwell answered my question.  Not wanting to be unarmed, I put Spitfire’s beam pistol in my leg holster and got up to go talk with Nicky again.  I noted that my pipbuck called the beam pistol “Blazing Sunset.”

As neared the stairs I could hear her sobs more clearly.

“Pa, ma, it is all mah fault.” she sobbed, “Ya always told me ta only take what we need an’ never ta give inta tempation. I failed ya an now yer dead.”

“Nicky?” I asked making myself known.

“Oh, Clash.” she said surprised and wiped her face with a hoof, “I though everypony was asleep.”

“I guess nearly drowning was rest enough for me.” I joked, but at the tears welling up in Nicky’s eyes I facehoofed, “Oh, no, I didn’t mean it like that.  I meant I can’t sleep.”

“Thank ya fer tryin’, but ah know it was mah stupid curse that made that monster attack an’ I almost lost another pony I hold dear.” Nicky said sniffling.

“If it makes you feel better, the cured statue is at the bottom of the lake.” I said comfortingly, “I tried to use it as a weapon.”

“Won’t remove the curse.” She wailed, “An’ losin’ it is mo’e evdence of the curse, Marker’ll be even mo’e angry knowin’ we lost his property.”

Without a word I embraced Nicky in a hug.

***  ***  ***

We got up early and begun heading to a settlement known as Clockwork that is based out of an old clock factory.  It was Gambados’s next stop on his trade route.  It was about a day's trot from the–now destroyed–lake house.  Before leaving I learned the meaning of Gambados’s cutie mark when he loaded 4 overstuffed saddlebags on his back and was still able to fly a few feet off the ground as we walked.

As we neared the settlement Bugz had to disguise himself as Archer.  Though he looked the same as when I’d first met him his coat was a lighter shade of blue.

I guess as long as it looks mostly the same it doesn’t matter, I thought admiring Bugz’s disguise.

Clockwork being a simple factory was an understatment.  The large factory building stood at the center looming over a large courtyard.  The building was made of grey stone with a equally large sign mounted on top.  Over time some of the letters in the sign had fallen so all it said was “T run Clockwork F ry.” The “o” in “Clock” was a giant clock that somehow still worked.  I looked at my pipbuck and noted that it was 5:00pm.  I looked back at the Clockwork clock and saw that it said 5:22pm–22 minutes fast.  In the factory courtyard there was a marketplace, not unlike the one that used to occupy the Chariot ballroom, though I wasn’t sure if this one was run by the finders.  Along the south wall of the courtyard was a smaller building that had been turned into an inn.  The gates to courtyard were made of rusty scrap metal attached to an iron fence.  When we got closer we were stopped by one of the guards in heavy metal power armor.

“Excuse me, no radioactive ghouls in the settlement please.” One guard said gruffly.

I groaned, “I’m not a ghoul, whatever that is.  Please just let us in.”

The guard held up a device and waved it over my head.  A slight clicking noise indicated it was a giger counter.  The second guard removed his helmet to reveal a charcoal black coat and grey mane.  His amber eyes were wide with shock.

“Tin, She can go in, radioactive or not.” he said.

The geiger counter guard turned to the other, “Scap, I’m just looking out for the safety of the settlement, as you should be doing.” He said annoyed.

“Tin, it is Crystalline, from the radio.  The glowing pony who dared to take on Marker.”  The second guard–Scrap–said.

I blushed at the mention of the name given to me by the radio DJ.  At that the first guard–Tin–opened his helmet revealing his grey coat and brown mane.  His blue eyes scanned me up and down–which made me rather uncomfortable.

“My mistake Crystaline, you may enter.” Tin said apologetically, “You’re rads were not at a harmful level anyways, may have just been the ambient radiation.”

Tin then flipped a switch and the 200 year old mechanism begun opening the gate with many cringe worthy screeches of metal rubbing against metal. Once the gate was opened we all walked in.

“Welcome to Clockwork, Crystalline. I hope you enjoy your stay.” Scrap called after me before the gate begun to close.

“My name is Clash!” I shouted back, but the closing gate drowned out my voice.

Once through the gate Gambados bid us a farewell as he went off to set up shop in the market.  The rest of us walked over to the inn to reserve a room for the night.  Having not eaten since before leaving Detrot–due to monster stomach smell ridding me of my appetite–I sat on the ground outside the Timer inn with Nicky and Bugz and began shoveling hoof fulls of apple bombs into my mouth while Bucky and Ollie got us a room.  The letters that named it were the same large lettering from the factory’s sign and I was willing to bet they were scavenged from the ground when the settlement was founded.

We hadn’t been sitting long when a pink maned, brown coated, earth pony stallion wearing a labcoat and glasses darted up to me from the passing crowd.

“Oh, uh, miss,” he stammered adjusting his glasses, “you wouldn’t happen, um, to be Crystaline, would you? Tin, uh, the guard notified me of your arrival.”

“Say she was?” Bugz disguised as Archer said getting up which caused the stallion to shrink back slightly..

“Well, um, you see,” The pony stammered before taking a shaky breath, “I’m Second, um, I’m a scientist.  I, uh, am tasked with reactivating, um, the factory’s machines and trying to see if they can be repurposed in the, uh, community.”

“Well, I could help repairing the machines.” I said thinking outloud to myself, “Though I’d rather not do it for free.”

“Oh no, that, uh, isn’t what I have come asking for,” he paused thinking, “Though, uh, talk to my brother Minute to, um, see if repairs are needed, but I, uh, need you to enter somewhere.”

“Enter where?” I asked slipping the mostly empty apple cereal box into my saddle bag.

“Well, um, records we recovered in, um, uh, the factory’s computer indicates a stable beneath it.” Second stated nervously, “We located the, uh, entrance, but it could be dangerous.  I’ve heard of the things that, um, happen in stables.  Many not safe.”

Second’s eyes darted around nervously and he took another shaky breath before pulling out an inhaler labeled “Dash” and taking a puff of it.  After he appeared to relax a bit.

“Well, uh, I, um, we–my brothers Hour, Minute, and I–were wondering if, uh, you’d go in and see if the, uh, technology could be, um, repurposed?  See if it is safe?” Second asked meekly.

I looked to Bugz, he nodded.  I looked at Nicky, she nodded.

“Ok, we’ll do it, though we do have other friends who are inside.” I explained motioning to the inn, “They’ll need to know of our whereabouts.” I answered.

“I’ll, um, have a message sent to them.  The lab is this way, um, and this could prove to be beneficial to Clockwork. We, uh, must begin at once.” Second replied and began trotting towards the factory followed by Nicky, Bugz, and I.

***  ***  ***

“The factory was, uh, a clock making factory before the war.” Second explained as he used a key card to enter a restricted part of the factory, “Not sure why so many clocks were, um, needed in old equestria.”

He used his keycard again to open another door.

“Maybe they needed to tell time.” Bugz mused.

“Yes, um, that would be logical.” Second said blushing, “After the war began, part of the factory was, um, taken over by MAS scientists. Though, um, one of the owners, uh, Dr. Clockwork was also an, um, MAS scientist as well as a, uh, business pony.”

We entered a hallway full of decrepit lab stations.

“Any Idea why the MAS needed this place?” I asked as we passed through another door requiring Second’s key card that lead to a stairwell down to the basement.

“Well, Hour and Minute have been trying to decrypt, um, the files.  The most we know is, um, something called Project: Infinity was, uh, researched here.”

“What was Project: Finity?” Nicky chimed in.

“That is, um, unfortunately still encrypted.” Second said opening a double door into a large room.

Two other scientist both with brown coats like Second’s, but one had a red mane and the other had a purple mane.  The one with the red mane was the only unicorn in the duo.  They were both also wearing labcoats. There was a large terminal station powered by 2 crude power generators along one wall.  Around the room were bits and pieces of various types of tech.  In the distance I could hear the screeching sound of rusty machinery working on unknown tasks.  Upon entering the red maned scientist unicorn perked up and trotted over to us.

“Hello, Crystalline.” He said stretching a hoof out in greeting, “I am Hour, the head researcher here, and the oldest time brother.”

“My name is Clash Coat, not Crystalline.” I said forcefully, “I’m not a fan of that DJ’s nickname.”

“Ah, my apologies Clash.  Nice to meet you.” Hour said then motioned to the pony with the purple mane, “That is Minute, the middle brother, and you’ve met the youngest, Second.”

“Nice to meet you all. This is Archer and Nicky.” I said shaking Hour’s hoof.

“So, Second here says you need us to access a stable and see if it is safe?” Bugz asked.

“Ah, well, straight to the point. This way.” Hour said trotting to a space on the far wall.

We followed him there.  Hour then used his keycard to reveal a hidden terminal.  He then entered a code.  When he was done the wall slid open revealing an elevator door.

“This elevator will lead to the stable.” Hour explained.

“Is there any info on the stable? The number? The social experiment?” Bugz asked.

So other stables are as messed up as mine, if not more? I thought, Good to know.

“We have been unable to discern those facts.” Minute interjected, “Though what we do know is it was related to Project: Infinity–somehow.”

“Which the Project is still encrypted.” I said facehoofing.

“Well, um, what we do know is, um, the layout of the stable.” Second said, “We know the, um, locations of possible technology we could, uh, use or repurpose.”

“Before we go, Second said you could send a message to our other friends.” I said.

“Yes, I’ll deliver the message myself.” Hour said, “Second, accompany Clash and her friends into the stable so you can get a first hoof look at the tech.”

“If there is any danger, Clash, Archer, Nicky, bring Second back alive.” Minute said worried.

“I uh, I, um.” I said sounding like the time brother in question.

“She will, so will I.” Bugz answered for me, “And it doesn’t look it, but Little Nicky here is a master of explosives, Second is in good hooves.”

“I, uh, I feel safer knowing you, um , have my back.” Second interjected.

“Thank you Crysta–I mean–Thank you Clash, keep him safe.” Minute said before returning to his work.

At that Bugz, Nicky, Second and I entered the the elevator.   Hour punched in another code and the door closed.  The elevator began to lower further into the ground.  A blues static filled the room shorting out my pipbuck’s spell matrix and knocking us out cold.

***  ***  ***

I came to in an unknown location.  Not that I’m unfamiliar with locations in a stable, but because I was blindfolded.  I tried to lift my hooves to remove the blindfold only to discover 2 very terrifying facts: My hooves were cuffed to the side of the bed I was lying on and my pipbuck was no longer on my hoof.

“Nicky, you there?” I rasped, surprisingly parched.

“Clash!” She squeaked, “Mah hooves are bound an’ ah can’t see!”

“Me too.” Second’s voice answered as well.

“Just another effect of are curse.” Nicky whined, beginning to sob.

“Nicky, this is just a string of bad luck, there is no such thing as curses. Bugz, you there?” I asked.

“Uh, who is Bugz?” Second answered.

“Your changeling infiltrator isn’t with you.” Came a voice somewhere in the room, “that insectoid freak is in our holding cell.  It will be squashed when we are done interrogating you 3.”

“Archer was, um, a changeling?” Second asked shocked by the news, “And you knew?”

“It is a long story Sec, we survive this I’ll have Bugz explain to you personally.” I said trying to sound positive for the skittish scientist.

“Enough talking!” the voice bellowed, “7 days since we were called here and the bombs fell, then you show up? Who sent you? The Zebras? Or, based on your insect friend, was it Queen Crysalis who sent you?”

“We were sent by Second and his brothers.” I said flatly, “Our changeling is not related to a Queen Chrysalis.”

“I, uh, had no, um, idea they were traveling with a changeling.” Second interrupted on the verge of tears.

“And the bombs didn’t fall 7 days ago,” I went on, “they fell 200 years ago.”

“Lies!” spat the voice angrily and I felt the butt of a gun hit me across the face, “Tell me who sent you or the pink maned cry baby dies!”

“P-please don’t kill me!” Second pleaded.

“That is enough Captain Lock,” came a female voice, “Remove their blindfolds and cuffs.”

“But Overmare, these are enemy infiltrators.” Captain Lock protested.

“And be a dear and fetch their changeling from the holding cell, one changeling isn’t an invasion and they trust it, so shall we.”

“But Overmare.” Captain Lock protested again.

“That is a direct order Captain.” The Overmare said threateningly.

“Yes Overmare.” Captain Lock said defeated.

In a moment the blindfold and cuff were removed revealing that we were laying in beds in the infirmary. Everything was bright, white, and clean.  It was as if it has recently been installed.  It reminded me the Desirable amenities of Stable 13, but if possible cleaner.

Once my vision focused I could see the other ponies in the room.  To my left were Second and Nicky.   The overmare was the only other stable pony in the room.  She was a ginger coated unicorn mare with a dark red, wavy mane and green eyes.  She registered as desirable in my mind and I had to mentally slap myself since any actual face slapping would paint me as insane to the Overmare.  I guessed Captain Lock had already left to get Bugz, though the silhouette of a stable security pony was standing outside the door.

“Sorry about Lock, I’m the Overmare of Stable Infinity.” The Overmare said.

“I’m Clash Coat.” I said, then motioned to the other 2 ponies in the room, “This is Second and Nicky.  The changeling is known as Bugz.”

“I see,” The Overmare said, “Clash Coat–What an interesting name for a Crystal Pony.”

“I actually don’t know if I’m a Crystal Pony, it is one of the many things I’m trying to find out out in the Wasteland.” I said solemnly.

“Well, from your appearance, I’d say you are at least part Crystal Pony.” She said, “I’ve studied pony genetics, I was a scientist before I was Overmare.  Anyways, once Lock brings you Bugz, meet me in my office.”

“Can we, um, have our, uh, stuff back, perhaps.” Second asked, putting on this glasses.

“Or at least can I have my pipbuck back? My Leg feels naked.” I added.

“In time, yes, we will give you back your stuff.  As for your pipbuck, I’ll have our technicians bring it to you, it was in poor shape, they could also fix it if you want.” The Overmare answered.

“I just want it back now” I said as she left.

***  ***  ***

Captain Lock brought Bugz up to the infirmary and the pipbuck technician reattached my pipbuck.  Then we all headed to the Overmare’s office.  The whole way there we got strange looks from the stable dwellers as we passed.  I saw a few stable ponies in regular stable barding.  It looked like normal barding, but where there is normally a yellow number the barding had a golden sideways 8.

I knocked on the door to the office and a moment later it opened and The Overmare waved us in so we all entered and the door closed behind us.  

“By now you probably curious why I let you go and gave you free reign–for the most part–around the stable.  I even freed a Changeling, which is unheard of after their invasion of Canterlot.” She said to us tapping a hoof on her chin.

“Um, y-yes, actually miss Overmare.  I, uh, personally thought we were gonna d-die.” Second said nervously.”

“Well, I was listening in on your interrogation.  You mentioned a discrepancy in time.  We have only been here for a week, yet you claim it has been 200 or more years.  A fact confirmed by you pipbuck’s internal calendar.” The Overmare said.

I raised a hoof to say something, but she went on.

“You can’t trick a Stable-Tech device–at least not easily.” She went on.

“Why’s a time decreepansy gotta do with anythin’” Nicky asked.

She then opened the safe and took out an audio recording tape.

“Curious little filly you got there, Clash.” she said smiling at Nicky and passing the tape to me, “It has to do with this.”

I scanned the recording into my pipbuck and hit play.

“Hello,” a gruff sounding mare began, “My name is Scoota–”

The recording cut off to a few moments of static.

“This is Dr. Clockwork of the Ministry of Arcane Science.” A stallion’s voice continued where the mare’s had stopped, “I am also the co-owner of Time Turner Clockwork Company, maker of the finest watches and clocks in all of Equestria.  I have commandeered this stable from Stable-Tech in the name of my own experiment since the MAS rejected my proposal.  Neither Stable-Tech, nor Ministry Mare Twilight Stick-up-her-flank know about it.  I intend to create a time capsule of those I see fit inside my stable.  I will do so through the use of a time dilation talisman I’ve developed as part of Project: Infinity.  It will slow the the time inside the stable so a day in the stable should be equivalent of 28 or so years in the world outside.”

Dr. Clockwork paused momentarily and the recording went back to static.

“Infinity.” Dr. Clockwork went on, “Seems a fitting new designation for my stable.  Though I won’t mess with whomever Stable-Tech assigns as Overmare, I will expect to have the reins given over to me upon arrival.  That is the true meaning of this message.  Only I will be able to end the dilation bubble when I believe it is time, it is only right for me to be Overstallion of Infinity. Resist and you will be dealt with.  Here's to a brighter future.”

It was a while after the recording had finished before anypony spoke, but finally The Overmare broke the ice.

“Dr. Clockwork never made it to the stable.” She said solemnly before returning the tape to the safe, “Damned old fool! He was power hungry and cocky.  Now we are all stuck down here for the rest of our time all because Dr. Clockwork selfishly wanted his experiment to be implemented over Stable-Tech’s.”

Tears streamed down the Overmare’s face, “When the elevator opened I hoped it was Clockwork so he could free us from our infinite days, but then it was you 4 and you confirmed that time really moved slower down here.”

It was then that I became aware of the fact that all my companion's eyes were on me.

“What? Something in my teeth?” I attempted to joke.

“Well, you, uh, are your friend’s leader.” Second whispered in my ear.

“Since when am I the leader?” I exclaimed.

“Since ya rescued me from Marker’s ambrush.” Nicky said.

“I thollow Thucky, and he theemth tho thollow your thead thinth the Tsariot.” Bugz chimed in.

“I, uh, just kind of assumed, um due to the, uh, radio broadcasts.” Second interjected meekly.

“Um,” I mused at a loss for words, “well, the elevator still works, can we leave that way?”

“There is no elevator controls down here, and no line to the surface for your friends.” The Overmare explained, “Though after you came down we made it so it couldn’t come go back up.  No more ponies will get trapped down here. We can climb elevator shaft when we stop the time dilation.”

“Good, at least the rest of the party won’t get stranded down here with us.” I said and then remembered what the recording said, “Overmare, how long have we been down here?”

“About a day, according to our clocks.” she said wiping away her tears.

I fell to my haunches.

That means roughly 28 years had passed in the wasteland, I thought horrified.

“Well, uh, I could, um, take a look at the tech, uh, Dr. Clockwork outfitted this stable with to see, um, about ending the dilation bubble.  Are there other, um, scientists in this stable in the field of Arcane, uh, sciences?” Second asked.

“Yes, many of the MAS scientist working under Clockwork are in the stable.” The Overmare said forcing a smile, “But time dilation was Clockwork’s specialty.  Nopony else could match his expertise–at least nopony still alive.”

The overmare hit a switch and the door opened.  She and Second left to gather the scientists.

“Maybe mah knowledge of explosives could help’em.” She said forcing a smile before following after the Overmare and Second.

“Maybe.” I whispered to nopony, barely audible.

“We can geth through thith Clath.” Bugz said before leaving me alone in the Overmare’s office.

***  ***  ***

A month.  We had been here for a month.  Still trapped in Stable Infinity and still no way out.  Decades of time has passed in the wasteland.  Each day I became more and more depressed.  Each day the group of scientists Second had assembled got no closer to a solution.  And slowly the crystalline glow of my coat faded.

We had been given the quarters originally intended for the arrogant Dr. Clockwork since it was the only living arrangements left.  By the 3rd week of our stay, I barely wanted to leave my bed.

“Clash?” The Overmare’s voice came from the door, “It isn’t healthy to sit around in bed all day.  Second is working hard to get all of us back to the relative present.  And Nicky is proving to be very helpful.  She is a quick learner, had she been born before the war she’d be a prodigy.”

“Go away.” I groaned.

“Ok, I see you want to be left alone, but remember when you first came to us, you weren’t sure if you were a crystal pony?”  She asked politely, “Well, I could run a genetics test if you want, but you have to leave Clockwork’s quarters.”

I wanted to continue to ignore her, shut out the world and wallow in whatever ponies were supposed to wallow in.

“Oh come now, Clash, isn’t that the mystery you’ve been wanting to solve since day one?” a small dragonaquus said inside my head, “Why the undesirable outcast from the unlucky stable was graced with such an off ability?”

I hated to admit it, but the voice was right, I still wanted to know the true cause of my shimmering coat even if I was trapped Stable infinity for the rest of my life.  

Wait, a second,  I though slightly alarmed, where did that voice come from?  I got rid of the statuette!

I shook my head and refocused, “Fine.” I finally said and rolled out of bed.

***  ***  ***

The Genetics lab was the smallest lab in the stable.  We passed a few bigger ones on the way.  I figured genetics wasn’t a popular science in this stable.  The lab had a bunch of sophisticated instruments–none of which I knew the purpose of nor did I think I would understand if I got an explanation.  Other than that the lab was quite empty aside from a few lab tables and some scattered chairs.  In the back there was a small store room and by the door was a large window into the hall.  It was a pretty standard lab if I ever saw one–which I hadn’t really, but it at least looked rather sciencey.

“Ok, I’ll just need a DNA sample.”  The Overmare said as I felt a slight pinch in my shoulder signifying the removal of coat hairs, “and now we wait for the sequencing.”

“How long will it take?” I asked glancing around the nearly pristine, white genetics lab.

“Not long.” She said awkwardly then whistling a tune I recognized as a pre-war song about cleaning up winter.

Suddenly the room began shaking violently.  The Overmare ducked under a lab table and forcibly dragged me under too.  The glass window by the door shattered into millions of tiny shards that lightly peppered the floor.  some of the equipment fell off their tables and crashed to the floor.  The lights became blindingly bright and then one by one the bulbs popped.  Then as quickly as the shaking began it stopped.  Then the lab’s fire suppression system kicked on and the room began to be doused in water as sprinklers on the cieling released their load.

“Sweet Celestia’s marehood, what was that?” I asked over the quiet roar of the sprinkler system.

“I’m not sure.” The overmare answered me with a look of shock on her face.

“Ok, well that ride sure was bumpier than ah thought.” a somewhat familiar sounding mare’s voice said from the storage closet, “Oh and it is dark, mustta blown a fuse.  Half Past, Que Hora, did it work? Wait, if it worked then they wouldn’t be able ta answer.  Is anypony out there?  Ah can’t find the door.”

The Overmare’s horn lit up and opened the door to the closet and out stepped a slightly charred mare.  She had a red coat and a caramel mane.  Her eyes were a bright yellow color.  she wore a scorched Stable Infinity barding that looked older than the ones worn by everypony else.  It was a more washed out blue and the golden sideways 8 was more yellow than gold–closer to that of a normal stable’s barding.  Her cutie mark was a clock with a wrench and a screw driver as hands.  She registered as desirable in my mind–in more ways than one.  Though she looked vaguely familiar for some reason.

“Oh good, Clashie, yer here.  That mean’s it worked and ah didn’t overshoot the date.” she said catching me off guard by knowing my name, “Suck it Buzzy, ah knew my calculations were correct!”

The Overmare and I just stared blankly at her until the sprinkler system switched off.

“Oh, right, ah probably should explain.” she said with a giggle, “Ah’m Nicky, from 20 years in the future.  Well 20 years Infinty time.”

The next thing I knew I was taking a facefull of glass shards and water as I fainted from shock.

***  ***  ***

Footnotes:

Clash Coat: Level up

New Perk added: Leader by Default–Your friends and companions all look to you as a leader even if you lack the qualifications.  It is time to step up and take charge.  +2 to strength and endurance and unique dialogue options are available with the leaders of the factions you have neutral or positive standing with.

Nicky: Level up

New Perk added: Prodigy–You have a knack for science and it is now an additional tagged skill.  You also gain +2 to intelligence because you are such a genius.

Ollie Factory: Error Unknown

Bucky: Error Unknown

Bugz: 50% to next level

Temporary companion: Second – Level 5

New Quest:

Some Infinities are Bigger than Other Infinities – Find a way to escape Stable Infinity and get back to your relative present.

Quest Updated:

Ballad of a Crystal Pony – √ Look for any information in the wasteland on the mysterious glowing ability you have.

                               √ Find out what that pink mare knows about your mysterious glowing power.

                               View Ollie's Black Opal.

                   seek out the Collector in Applewood.

                               (Optional) Learn if you are a crystal pony by taking a DNA test.

Faction Status:

Stable 13 – Vilified

Marker’s Gang – Hated

The Chariot Hotel – N/A disbanded

Finders (West Branch) – Liked

Gun Runners – Liked

Clockwork – Liked

Stable Infinity – Neutral

Chapter Eight: Fresh Applewood

"Didn’t know anyone would willingly walk into this place, not unless they were looking for trouble.

“Thank ya Gear Grinder, ah didn’t wannit ta get more damaged during mah trip.”  The voice of the supposed Future Nicky said to one of the pipbuck technicians.

I opened my eyes and realized I was once again in Stable Infinity’s infirmary–thankfully sans the blindfold and hoof cuffs.

“If I had a cap for every time I was knocked unconscious since leaving my own stable, I’d be the richest mare in the wasteland.” I said sitting up.

“Actually, Clashie, ya’d only have 4 caps fer that.” The young Nicky I was used to corrected.

“Thithe, the pathed oust when we goth tso the Tsariot.” Bugz interjected correcting her correction.

“Well, if she is making jokes then she is fine.  She just passed out from shock.” The Overmare said, “Now Nicky–Future Nicky–with Clash awake can you fill us in on how you traveled back in time and why?”

“Well, it took us ‘bout 20 years ta figure out how ta break the dilation bubble, or more accurately disable the talisman.  As ta how ah traveled back, ah swore not ta tell.  Time Travel is very dangerous, even just within this localized timeline.  Ah’m creating a paradox simply being here.”

“Well, then let's end this. as quickly as possible.” The overmare exclaimed.

“Well, it ain’t that simple.  We can’t just end the dilation.  We could if we had Doc Clockwork’s override key, but that would just end with us stuck roughly 840 years beyond the time we–Clash, Second, Bugz, and I–past me–entered.” Future Nicky went on, “No sense going back to when the mega spells fell, right?”

The Overmare hesitantly nodded her head.

“We are going to cause a fluctuation in the power grid, thus allowing an explosive device into the chamber to disrupt the temporal spell matrix of the talisman to disengage it permanently. To kill 2 birds with 1 stone we need ta realign are separate temporal pathway with that of the Clockwork’s factory from a month ago Infinity time–that should tax the system ta a point where power fluctuates.”  Future Nicky finished explaining.

“In equestrian?” I asked confused.

“We need to make it the same time as Clockwork, then make the talisman explode.” The overmare said attempting to dumb down the plan.

“Wait, um, there isn’t, uh, um, a way to preserve the talisman for, um, study?” Second said nervously.

“Ya spent the last 2 years of research trying ta preserve the talisman, there is no way around it Sec.  Meet me in the generator room, I need ta transfer Overmare control from Genome’s–Shit ah mean The Overmare’s office–to the computer down there.”  Future Nicky responded sympathetically before turning to leave with the Overmare.

“But, but, that talisman is a priceless, um, wealth of information.” Second said to himself beginning to panic, but he took out a jet inhaler and took a puff calming his nerves.

After that he left muttering “I trust my own judgment.” to himself trying to cope with his future self’s plan.

***  ***  ***

“Well, ah suppose time ain’t really of the essence at the moment, but ah thought y’all wanted ta get out of here ASAP?” Future Nicky asked annoyed as I entered the generator room.

“Well, considering this works The Overmare needs to oversee preparations for the stable dwellers new life in the wastes.  Bugz is helping them pack and Nicky–the present one–is teaching a crash course in wasteland survival.”

“Huh, if only ah had a wasteland survival guide with me.  Ditzy asked ma’ an’ pa’ carry a few in the caravan.  Said we should give them out for free ta any travelers we came across.”  Future Nicky said solemnly.

“I guess I’ll need to pick one up at some point.” I told her, “Why not end the bubble 20 years in the future? Why did they send you?  I mean I couldn’t explain or do this plan, but why not Sec? Or The Overmare–Genome was it?”

“We decided it was best ta end it at this point because–” Future Nicky said, but trailed off; tears forming in her eyes and her poofy mane deflating a bit.

“Because of what?”  I pressed.

“Because I didn’t want ta return ta Ollie and Bucky 20 years older without ya.” She said as a tear fell from her eye, “The last time we spoke–in the future that is–ah said some things ah wish ah hadn’t–Then ah couldn’t take it back when y’all committed suicide.”

“Oh,” I choked out, beginning to tear up myself, “I’m so sorry.  Not that it would really help, but I forgive you for what you said to me in the future.”

“Just promise me y’all will never commit suicide this time around–no matter how hard it gets or how bad things seem–if ya get ta that point, ever, promise me y’all talk ta somepony ‘bout it.  Your friends will be there when ya need them.”

“I promise, I will never commit suicide.  Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”  I said as we both wiped away our tears.

Then Second and Bugz entered the room.  The sound of the door interrupting our moment.  Future Nicky and a quickly wiped our tears and recomposed ourselves.

“Nicky–um, the other one–is, uh, still teaching survival tips and, um, The Overmare was needed elsewhere.”  Second announced as he entered.

Future Nicky entered a code into the terminal and the screen changed to what I assumed was what the overmare usually saw in her office.  she then hooked my pipbuck to the terminal and her pipbuck to mine.

“Be careful,” She said, “Same pipbuck, different moments in time, you get too close and they’ll cancel each other out–and possibly cause an explosion that will end time itself.”

“Oh, but files are ok?”  I asked incredulously as she transferred a file marked partial infinity key to my pipbuck.

“As long as the file didn’t exist in the past.  This won’t work if it is just my pipbuck.  Using yours makes it less paradoxical. Now activate that program so ah can access the minimal system control ah managed ta access in the future.” She said and I followed her instruction.

The terminal’s screen glitched out as numbers scrolled across my pipbuck’s screen.  When it finished there were some new options on the screen.  She hit the option labeled open containment and a panel on the wall opened to reveal a small black oval talisman with pulsating purple and white markings on it in a shielded alcove.  It didn’t look like any talisman I’d ever seen or replaced in Stable 13.  It looked almost alien in origin.  From it streams of purple electricity arched into the walls.  

Future Nicky then hit the option Synchronize Local Clocks.  Then the text changed on the screen to say “Sync clocks to local date and time for today.”  She then hit a few keys and entered a code I have never seen used to hack a terminal with and the word “today” changed to the date we entered the stable–30 days ago.  She then hit enter.  The entire stable shook for a few seconds and the lights flickered.  When they did, the alcove’s shield dropped allowing arching purple electricity to expand to the generator room.  Without a word Future Nicky pulled out a grenade from her saddlebag–that looked like a regular grenade and a matrix disruption grenade tethered together–and threw it into the alcove.  The shield reformed just as it exploded sending a shockwave of purple static from the talisman that was thankfully disbursed by the shielding before the shielding fell away again. When it did the talisman was charred, twisted and dark.

***  ***  ***

It worked.  

We then raced up to the stable door and were lifted up the elevator shaft by either Ollie and Hour’s magic or flown by Bucky and Bugz.  Eventually all the scientists and their families were standing in the time brother’s lab.

“Oh darlings you had me so worried!” Ollie exclaimed hugging both Nicky and I.

“Well bug brain, I see you have revealed yourself to the Infinityites, based on the fact that they don’t have pitchforks and torches, I’ll assume you didn’t spook the villagers too much.” Bucky said playfully punching Bugz’s shoulder.

“You can thay that.” Bugz replied sheepishly, “wathn’t like this when we enthered.”

“Well, this was indeed an unexpected, but fortuitous turn of events.”  Hour said as Ollie released her hug, “I did not expect there to be any ponies down there, let alone a group of scientists.”

“Well, actually they are the original inhabitants of the stable from Project: Infinity and other parts of the MAS.  Long story short Dr. Clockwork installed a time dilation talisman in stable.  Unfortunately we had to destroy it to get out of there.” I told him, “Sorry.”

“It is fine as long as you are all OK.  We can at least study the wrecked talisman.” Hour reassured.

“How long were we down there?” I asked.

“About 22 minutes, give or take.” He said reminding me of the 22 minute difference between my pip buck's clock and that of Clockwork's, “you went down there, then 10 minutes later I returned with your friends and the elevator wasn’t working.  10 more minutes of trying to figure out why, then the ground began to shake and 2 minutes  after that we heard Genome calling up to us from the bottom of the shaft.”

“Well, at least it wasn’t years later.” I whispered to myself, “Now I have somepony I need to talk to.”

“First take this,” Hour said handing me 500 caps, “For a job well done.”

I put the caps in my saddlebag and trotted over to the corner of the lab where Future Nicky was sitting with a pained expression on her face.

Was it just me or did she look almost see through. I thought as I approached with an unsure smile.

“Thanks for all your help–for time traveling back to save us.”  I told her.

“It was nothing.” she said barely above a whisper, she then clenched her eyes in pain.

“Whoa, Nicky, what's the matter?”  I asked in concern.

“Nothing,” she rasped, “Ah only existed in a timeline where ya got stuck in the stable.  Since you're out, Time is erasing me.”

“There must be a way to stop it!” I panicked.

“No, need.” she said with an eerie calm in her voice, “It was the price ah was willing ta pay ta save mah friends.”

She began to become more see through and her back half began to dissipate into purple and white sparkles.

“Ah wonder if ponies’ll still get together the same way they did in mah timeline?” she asked herself wistfully, “Genome and Second were a cute couple.”

“Wait really, Second and the Overmare?  Wow–”  I said in shock, trying to hide my sadness for the future version of my friend as she faded from existence..

“Huh, well, he’s got game.” She joked as her front half began to dissipate as well, “Oh, and Clashie, when the time comes, remember looks can be deceiving, a creatures past or physiology shouldn’t be taken at face value.”

The last word echoing slightly as she faded completely from existence.  The only thing left of her was her pipbuck–which was apparently mine 20 years older.  Remembering Future Nicky’s warning about time ending explosions I cautiously picked up the pipbuck in my non-pipbucked hoof.  Suddenly it began to glow purple and white.  It turned into a cloud of sparkles just like Future Nicky had, but the dust was blown by some unseen wind to settled on my pipbucked hoof.  The device began to glow and feel slightly warm against my leg.  Then the dust faded and the normally green lit screen turned purple.

What the hell just happened? I asked myself in a slight panic, Well, at least time didn't explode.

***  ***  ***

After a month in Stable infinity–though only 22 minutes in the wasteland–it was odd to go back to eating 200 year old food instead of the fresh versions found in the stable.  Now that I had been spoiled by tasting the food fresh, the apple bombs tasted staler than I remembered, but 200 years of rads added a unique flavor fresh ones just didn’t have.  I really couldn’t explain it.  As I munched on the sugary treat, we all discusses our experiences from the stable.  

Ollie, Bucky, Hour, Minute, Second, Genome, Bugz–disguised as Archer–Nicky, and I sat around a table in Clockwork’s tavern The Tickwater.  It was built in the far side of the open air market.  The bar was built from rusty scrap metal and rotten wood and the metal tables were apparently scavenged from the factory’s break room and were somehow devoid of rust.

All of us sitting there like we were and just talking like normal ponies should made me happy.  Happier than I had been the whole time I was in Stable Infinity.  Like magic the depressing feelings I had been feeling washed away and I noticed the luminescent, crystalline shine began to once again emanate from my coat and mane.  It took me a second to realize Genome was staring at me.

“Whoa, this is amazing.” she said in an awestruck tone, “So it just activates like that when you are happy?”

I blushed, “I, uh, don’t really know.  I was just happy to be back with my all friends and started glowing again.”

“Well, even without a DNA test I believe without a reasonable doubt that you are a crystal pony.”  she replied with a smile.

I was going to ask more about the crystal ponies when a loud hum emanated from the Clockwork gate.  I turned just as a large hole was melted in the center of the gate.

As the metal sagged it revealed the bloody remains of Tin and Scrap–right in the center of the melted hole–was their murderer.  A tall and slender, green and black, unicorn robot.  It's green Cyclopes eye coldly scanning the crowd.

“I am sorry for the gate and the death of the 2 guards.” It said in an upbeat, cheery tone of voice, “but if they’d just let me in when I’d asked, unnecessary deaths could have been avoided.  Now, give me Crystaline and the filly known as Nicky."

Bucky took to the sky in an instant and landed in front of the robot.

“Who are you and what do you want with my friends?” he asked harshly though a gritted beak.

Nicky just hid her face in her hooves and muttered, “Stupid curse.”

“Well, I’m Flim-bot 6000 and it is nothing personal, it is just business.  Marker has tasked me to bring him the body of Crystalline and Nicky.  He also wants to retrieve his stolen property.”

“You aren’t getting them without a fight.” Bugz–still disguised as Archer–said trotting up next to Bucky.

“Too bad.” Flim-bot said, he then began to charge the magical energy beam that was his horn and somewhere music began to play, “Well, lookie what we got here, circuits of mine, it's the same on every job.  Ponies with good morals, no scars, and not a drop of blood to be found. Maybe they're not aware that there's really no need for this teary despair.  That the key, that they need to solve this bloodshed shortage I will share!”

There were a bunch of panicked muttering from the crowd that appeared to go in time with the music.  Then Flim-bot open fired as he continued singing his twisted tune, “Well I've got opportunity, In this very community. You’ll bleed, You’ll die. At the hooves of the famous Flim-bot hunter. A bounty hunter beyond compare”

Bucky and Bugz flew away moments before being vaporized by the beam.  It struck the factory.  The nicely timed “R-U-N” letters of  the sign came loose and fell to the ground with a crash. Scattering the ponies in the market as they ran for cover.

“Beyond compare, that's exactly the reason why, you see. No pony else in this whole place will give you such a chance to be where you need to be. And that's a new world, with tons of bleeding.  Fresh squeezed and ready for drinking. More blood than you could drink in all your days of thinking.” the bot kept singing.

Bucky Landed on the factory roof and put his sniper rifle’s scope to his eye.  Ollie and I grabbed our weapons and got up from the table.  Before leaving I turned to Genome.

“Make sure nicky stays out of this.” I said, then I turned to Nicky, “You are a capable fighter, but I couldn’t live with myself if you got killed.”

Nicky protested, but Genome blocked her attempts to follow us.

Ollie and I ran off to join the fight as the robot sang its twisted chorus again, skillfully dodging sniper shots from Bucky and arrows from Bugz, “Well I've got opportunity, In this very community. You’ll bleed, You’ll die. At the hooves of the famous Flim-bot hunter. A bounty hunter beyond compare”

“Hun, we need to get it away from town.” Ollie shouted as we ran then fired a shot at the bot.

The enchanted buckshot struck the ground a few feet in front of the bot and disintegrated a small indent.

“I suppose by now you're wondering 'bout my peculiar mode of killing, I say, its really thrilling. And I suppose by now you're wondering, where is this promised bloodshed? Any horse can make a claim and any bot can do the same.  But my circuits and I have something most unique and superb.  Unseen at any time in this big new world. And that's opportunity.” Flim-bot sang firing the beam again at Bucky’s position.

Bucky took to the sky, but was thrown by an explosion set off by the beam and plummeted into the market.

“Bucky!” I shouted around Blazing Sunset’s mouth grip so it sounded more like “Bwunkoo!”

I flicked my tongue on the trigger firing wildly at the bounty hunter robot.  The energy beams were yellow and the gun made a crackling sound followed by a pop before firing.  One shot grazed the bot’s side and it began to ignite in a yellow blaze.  Though that did not appear to hinder it as the fire waned and went out shortly after it lit.

I followed Ollie as she ran passed the bot and out the melted gate. I spat my gun back into its holster.

“Yo, bucket of bolts, you want me come and catch me!” I taunted as I ran at full gallop.

It turned and not missing a beat it ran after us continuing its song, “Folks, it's the one and only, the biggest and the best. The unbelievable, unimpeachable, Indispensable, Totally indestructible.  Flim Flam Brothers' Super killer Flim-bot 6000.”

Bugz and Bucky flew over the bot and down to our level as we ran.  It was odd to see Bugz fly while his wings were disguised.

“So, what is the plan?” Bucky asked.

“Draw it away from the town.” Ollie said loading more shotgun shells and firing a shot behind us.

“What? That’s it?” Bucky said shocked.

“I’m improvising!” she barked back.

The sound of a beam charging just a few feet behind us reminded us of our metal aggressor.  

Then as if on cue the sadistic singing continued, “Well I've got opportunity, In this very community. You’ll bleed, You’ll die.  From the Flim Flam Brothers' Super killer Flim-bot 6000.”

Ahead of us I saw a cave and began to formulate a plan.

“Bucky, Ollie, Bugz!  We need to lure him into that cave.  You got any matrix disruption or frag grenades?”

“I see what you’re getting at.” Bucky said, “but Nicky has all the explosives since she is the best with them.”

I facehoofed–which was an amazing feat while running for my life, “Well, we need to cause a cave in, if we don’t destroy him he’ll at least be trapped.”

“Clash, hun, I do have a matrix disruption mine, but those need to be set up and then stepped on, they don’t work like a grande.”  Ollie called between shots–shots that almost all missed or did nothing, but slightly scorch Flim-bot’s body.

“Young filly,” Flim-bot said in rhythm with the music, “I would be ever so honored if you might see fit to let my circuits and I kill you and bring your smashed, and might I add disgustingly fleshy corpse back to Marker?"

“In your electronic dreams!” Bucky called back.

We arrived at the cave–Flim-bot still in hot pursuit.  At the entrance Ollie activated and set the matrix disruption mine.  In the darkness of the cave we finally had cover to hide behind.  The music began to echo in the cave as Flim-bot neared slowing his mechanical running.

“Well I've got opportunity, In this very community. You’ll bleed, You’ll die.  There’s no need to cry. I’ll show you ponies a world of delectable bloodshed.” Flim-bot said as ponies chanting “bloodshed” was added to the musical accompaniment.

Then Flim-bot stepped on the mine.  There was the crackle of electricity and the music fizzled out, the final note echoing in the dark cave.  We poked our heads out of our hiding spots.  Flim-bot laid in a heap of metal limbs–his green eye now black.  Hesitantly we began to move out of the cave.

“Now what?” Bugz–oddly still in his Archer disguise–asked.

“Well, in lieu of any other explosives, we are screwed.  Clash could fire her gun at it.  I saw that burning enchantment.  So not just the heat from the beam itself, but the ensuing fire will heat the bot until it overheats and explodes.” Bucky respond.

“N-n-n-not so fa-a-a-a-st” Came the voice of Flim-bot, “The Flim-bot 6000 is equipped with a quick restart in case of matrix disruption.  And now I’m Angry.”

The robot pushed itself to its hooves and its green eye turned red.  Then it charged and launched a beam of energy at us.  We were too close to safely dodge and we wouldn’t be out of range quick enough if we ran.

Well, Luna rape me on the moon! I thought.

Then I thought of a crazy idea.  I looked at my coat–it was still shinning like a crystal.  

Back in the standoff with Marker, it acted like light armor  I thought as the beam got closer to us. Maybe–  

Not thinking about it a second longer I spun around and blocked the beam from my friends with my body.  And that is the last thing I remembered of the encounter.

***  ***  ***

“Class, please turn to page 108 in your textbook, The Chaotic Reign of Discord.”  The teacher drowned from the front of the classroom.

The slide projector changed to a picture of a strange creature.  It had an assortment of various creature parts for its body.

“This is a dragonaquus,” The teacher went on, “it has the head of a pony and the body of a bunch of other creatures.  It is known as Discord, the spirit of chaos and disharmony.  Many moons ago he ruled equestria in an eternal state of chaos.  He was stopped twice, once by the goddesses and again by the–”

“Excuse me Mrs. Script, but one of the undesirables is here.” a colt named Silver Sonnet called from the back of the classroom interrupting the lesson.

All eyes in the classroom turned to face me staring wide-eyed in the back of the room.

“You unwelcomed, filthy, undesirable, what are you doing in my classroom?” Mrs. Script said in a disgusted tone as she trotted angrily towards me.

“I was, um, here to organize and clean the bookshelves, ma'am, but I was so interested in the lesson I got distracted.” I said sheepishly avoiding eye contact.

“Did you ever stop to consider organizing the bookshelves after class is over?  I don’t need your filth tainting the brighter minds of this stable.”  Mrs. Script asked.

“Well, I um–” I stammered.

“Class, change of plans,” Mrs. Script said coldly, “Today we learn how you deal with unruly undesirables.”

At this point she was towering over me and I visibly trembled with fear.  She raised her hoof and smacked me hard sending me sprawling to the floor.

“Filthy,”

SMACK

“Undesirable,”

SMACK

“Dumb,”

SMACK

“Piece of trash.”

SMACK SMACK

I felt the bones in my face break and tasted blood in my mouth.

“Please stop,” I blubbered, spitting up blood, “I didn’t mean too, it won’t happen again!”

“Would anypony else like a go?” Mrs. Script asked, a sedistic pleasure present in her voice.

The whole class raised a hoof and the voice whispered excitedly at the prospect of beating the living daylights out of me.

“You she said.” Mrs. Script said as the lights flickered.

Suddenly the room was full of my friends.  Nicky, Ollie, Bucky, Bugz, Archer–as a separate entity from Bugz–Nicky’s parents, Hour, Minute, Second, Future Nicky, Genome, the list goes on.  Alive or dead, far or near, they were somehow gathered in the classroom of Stable 13.  The door opened and in trotted Marker–the wrecked form of The Chariot just outside the door.  The wall opposite the door melted away and Flim-bot entered–an image of Clockwork ablaze behind him.

“Well, well, well.” Marker said in his charismatic voice, “Looks like the gangs all here.”

I–suddenly back to my correct age–backed up against the back wall of the classroom only to bump into the bookcase.  Marker smirked and a white flash filled the room.  When it died down the rows of desks were demolished and and the pulped remains of all my friends soaked the floor.

“Or not.” Flim-bot cackled.

I tried to run, but the bloody pulp held me to the floor like wonderglue.  Sudenly the projector turned back on, the same image of the creature known as Discord appeared on the bloodsoaked projector screen.  All the color drained from the image until it was just soild tan like the dragonaquus statuette that was at the bottom of lake marechigen.  Then the image moved and looked right at me just as Flim-bot charged his horn.

“Sorry, i’m late to the party.” it said, “Oh, looks like things got a bit out of hand–what is a hand?  I suppose I could say hoof, but I only have one”

He then split into 2 images and began to argue with himself.  Flim-bot released his beam, but it seemed to travel in slow motion as it traveled across the room.  The dragonaquus–Discord?–regained his focus, bacame one image again and turned his attention back to me.

“Time to wake up Clash.” he said and the dream fell away.

***  ***  ***

I awoke in Clockwork’s clinic.  It was based out of the factory’s old infirmary and break room.  It was as old and decrepit as the time brothers’ lab had been and did not look the least bit sanitary, but in the wasteland it was the best they could offer.  I was wrapped from head to hoof in healing bandages which was odd since I was pretty sure I just took a direct hit from a disintegration beam.  I looked around and noticed that the clinic was rather full of patients.

I guess our hope to keep the settlement safe hadn’t worked out since Flim-bot did fire on the town before we lored him away. I thought with a sigh.

“Oh good you're awake.” the familiar voice of the former Stable Infinity Overmare  said, “I’d love to research your mutation sometime.  The radiation seems to have taken you supposed ‘crystal pony-ness’ and made it literal.  Your coat is some kind of natural armour.  You took a direct hit from a disintegration beam and barely got that beat up. You should be, well disintegrated.”

“Overm–Genome? what are you doing here?” I asked in surprise sitting up, but feeling a sharp pain in my stomach I decided to lie back down.

“Well, the clinic was short staffed even before that crazy robot attacked and with my background in genetics I decided to help Dr. Twitchy Hooves out.” She said, “We are old friends.”

“Yes, yes, Miss Genome and I go way back.” a ghoul unicorn–who I assumed was Dr. Twitchy Hooves–rasped as he entered the room, “Back when I was Dr. Stitch Hooves, but in my ghoulness I developed a bit of a twitch and so the nickname stuck.  So how is our Crystalline savior this evening?”

I wondered what kind of twitch he had developed upon his goulification, but it didn't seam like the right thing to ask–and might have come off as rude.

So all I said was, “Good, just got a bit banged up.  And my name is Clash.”

“Well, I advise you keep those healing bandages on until morning.  If you still hurt then and we have any left over healing positions–we are in short supply after that robot attacked–you can take one then, but your injuries don’t necessarily warrant one right now.  You are free to go.”  He said.

“How many caps do I owe you?” I asked getting to my hooves, ignoring the pain in my stomach.

“This one’s free of charge.  Saving the Stable Infinity dwellers and then the settlement is payment enough.”  He said before leaving to tend to other patients.

“Ok thank you.” I called after him.

“Once we salvage the genetics lab from the stable, be sure to stop by and redo that test, even if the results are certain.  Your friends are in room 15 at the inn.” Genome said before following after Dr. Twitchy Hooves.

***  ***  ***

“Tho, we thure Thlim-bot ith dead?” Bugz–back in his changeling form–asked Bucky as I hobbled into the room.

“Well, he seemed to be a military grade assaultron, but programed with a really odd personality.  They don’t go down easy.” Bucky replied.

“And ah hear they explode when defeated.” Nicky chimed in.

“Well there wasn’t any explosion, darling, so it is likely just trapped from the cave in.” Ollie said, the worry present in her voice.

“What was with that song it sang?” I asked making myself known.

“Clashie! Yer ok!” Nicky chirped and ran over to me for a hug, but stopped upon noticing my bandages.

“Yeah, it was like he was trying to sell you death in a catchy song.” Bucky said, “I’m glad to see you survived that shot.”

“Since it would appear Marker has put a bounty on me and Nicky’s head–with yours soon to follow after recent events–We should probably avoid spending time too much time in major settlements incase Flim-bot returns or some other badder bounty hunter.”  I said sitting on the mattress laid out for me.

“Well, I do know of some well fortified settlements in Applewood and The Collector’s place should be pretty secure being an old MOA hub, but I see your point.” Bucky replied.

“Well, let's get some sleep, we have a long walk ahead of us to Applewood tomorrow.” Ollie said shutting off the lights in the room with her magic.

***  ***  ***

“Good morning wasteland, here is some news coming from the west.  Another sighting of Crystalline.  This time in the settlement of Clockwork.  Turns out there was a stable under that old clock factory and Crystalline rescued the inhabitants who–get this–were the original inhabitants of the stable.  They were trapped in some kind of time dilation field until Crystalline came in and bucked it to the moon.  Then when a robot bounty hunter began to attack the settlement, Crystalline was there to stop it as well.  Which brings me to something I need to bring up.  Marker has set a bounty on Crystalline–I’m not even going to encourage you by saying the amount.  Now like with Deus’s bounty on Security, don’t give into it.  Security, Crystalline, they are just fighting the good fight and trying to make the wasteland a better place for everypony.  And again if you take the bounty it is counted as raider activities by Tenpony Tower and your caps will not be accepted.” The DJ’s voice boomed.

I angrily hit my pipbuck against the ground, “Why doesn’t he ever mention you guys?”

“Hun, your not the only supermare he talks about. So he doesn’t mention us. His job is to inspire hope, he means no offense to us by leaving us out.” Ollie said resting a hoof on my back trying to comfort me.

“And lastly,” the DJ went on, “Crystalline was last seen continuing farther west towards Applewood. I wish good luck on her journey and say hi to my counterpart in the area, the lovely Miss Variety. Now here is some more Sweetie belle.”

I listened as we walked along the road until the music began to fade to intermittent notes among static. So I opened the radio feature and selected Variety News from the list of stations.

“Hello my honeycrisps,” crooned a sexy sounding mare’s voice, “it would appear that apples and oranges are at odds once more with mounting hostility between the Golden Globe Apples and the Orange Oscars leading to small gang scuffles along the walk of fame. Travelers are advised to avoid the area. Though the Slummy Scums of the Applewood river settlement of River Bed have offered protection details to travelers willing to risk it for the price of 250 caps a day–if you don’t mind a smelly guide that it–no offence to any Scums listening in.  In other news my astute Observers have told me that the Mareily Hillers haven’t been out to play in the last few days leading many to worry that the old Applewood ghoul population have been wiped out. If anypony has a clue about what happened to the old ghoulies please let me or an Observer know since no Observers that have gone to investigate further have returned. Now back to more movie orchestrals with the theme from the popular Harry Trotter series.”

The music track to a movie I’ve never heard of began to play casting a whimsical atmosphere around my friends and I as we walked over the crest of a hill and first laid eyes on the City of Applewood.

The city was a mishmash of vastly different architectures. Which was evidence of the truly diverse melting pot the city once was. There was clearly earth pony brick-by-brick structures next to extravagant buildings that only a unicorn could craft next to perches set in trees for griffons and buildngs made of cloud for pegasi. Zig zagging through the center of the town was a concrete riverbed full of brown, green, and oddly rainbow sludge slowly flowing west to the sea.  There were 2 mega spell craters. One along the shore line to the west that was mostly filled in by a bubbling, radioactive ocean and surrounded by the remains of a pier side amusement park. The other was to the north rather close to a hill dotted with fancy mansions for every race imaginable. Directly to the west of the northern crater a larger mountain rose above the city. On the once green face of the mountain a set of large white letters–greyed overtime by dust–said spelled out Applewood.  Though the “A” was leaning back against the mountainside, the second “p” was crooked and the top of the “d” was just rusted metal scaffolding.

“Well, you heard the lady on the radio,” Bucky announced snapping my attention away from the view, “We go to see the Slummy Scums in River Bed.  We may not need the protection, but they might know the safest route to the sign. I’ve got a friend that owes me a favor or 2, so we might not have to pay the 250 caps a day. We may at least get some kind of discount.”

Everypony nodded at the suggestion and we began to head for the Slummy Scum's camp.

***  ***  ***

“Eezefray owingglay oulghay!” Shouted a rag wearing Slummy Scum guard with a riot shotgun, “Ogay ackbay otay Areilymay  Illshay.”

“She isn’t a glowing ghoul, Smear.” Bucky said to the guard.

“Wait you understood that?” I asked Bucky, but he ignored me.

“Omecay againay?” Smear asked.

Bucky sighed, “Eshay isay otnay aay owingglay oulghay.  Eshay asay aay inormay utationmay. Eshay isay onypay.”

“Ouryay umscay eechspay isay ustyray, Uckybay ymay iendfray.” Another older unicorn with a brown coat and black mane said as the gate was opened, “Single letter words don’t get an extra ‘ay’ added to them.”

“Excrement! Finally a pony that doesn't speak in just that annoying Scum Speech.” Bucky said with a sigh of relief.

“Scum Speech?” Ollie asked.

“Take the consonants from the beginning of the word, add it to the end, then add ‘ay’. Words starting with a vowel just get an ‘ay’ added at the end and single letter words like ‘a’ and ‘I’ are left alone.” Excrement explained, “It is the language of the Slummy Scums.”

“Good, now I don’t have to do all the chatting with you guys. I wish all of you would just speak equestrian. Anyways, Exy, I need to cash in that favor you owe me. This not-a-glowing-ghoul is Clash Coat, the other mare is Ollie Factory, the filly is Nicky, and lastly the buck is Archer” Bucky told the elder buck.

“Nice to meet you all, I am Excrement, the leader of the Slummy Scums. Follow me to my tent to discuss this favor I owe you.” He said turning around showing his cutie mark which was a pile of shit.

We all followed and Excrement shouted to his tribe, “Isthay isay Ashclay Oatcay, Ollieay Actoryfay, Ickynay, Archeray, anday Uckybay. Eythay areay ymay uestgay anday ouldshay ebay eatedtray accordinglyay. Omprendecay?”

There was a muttering of “Esyay iefchay” as we entered the camp and the door was closed behind us.

The camp was a series of tents and ramshackle dwellings made from debris on either side of the Applewood river bank. Slats of wood and broken concrete created bridges over the foul looking and smelling water of the river. As we neared Excrement’s tent I learned partially why it stunk so much as a young colt did his business into the river of sludge. The sight and general smell of the place made me gag and almost lose my lunch.

Once inside his tent Excrement handed out air fresheners to everypony. Everypony, but Bucky, practically shoved them up their nose to escape the smell.

“So, what favor are you cashing in on?” Excrement asked getting right down to business.

“That time I saved your smelly ass from those blood wings.” Bucky answered.

“Huh, fair enough, what do you want?” Excrement asked.

“Safe passage through the Apple Orange war zone to the sign, except without the 250 caps a day charge.” Bucky responded.

“Fine, but this counts as 2 favors cashed in.” Excrement said begrudgingly, “Imeballslay! Omecay erehay eetiesway!”

A muddled brown, unicorn mare with an off white mane walked into the tent. She had one green eye and one brown eye and her cutie mark was a ball of some kind of green liquid. It it weren't for the pungent aroma practically penetrating the peppermint air freshener shoved against my nose she could pass as a desirable in stable 13.

“Esyay atherfay?” She said in a beautiful voice that seemed out of place with her appearance and stench.

“Ouyay areay oinggay otay escortay Uckybay anday iendsfray otay ethay Applewooday ignsay. Ouyay areay ermitedpay otay ashway inay ethay athhousebay irstfay.” Excrement told his daughter in Slum Speech, “Itay alsoay ightmay ebay oodgay otay earway atthay airay eshenerfray essdray.”

“Essay atherfay!” She said excitedly, “I ancay ebay eadyray inay a alfhay ourhay!”

She then left the tent.

“You can wait for her street side. The bath house is Lotus & Aloe’s Bathhouse and spa. Trust me it smells better up there than down here–unless you don’t mind the stench–most visitors do mind so it is no offense if you do.” Excrement said to us.

Faster than you can say “super duper party pony” Ollie, Nicky, Bugz and I were out of the tent, out of the camp and back street side.

***  ***  ***

A half an hour to the second Imeballslay–translated to equestrian her name would be Slimeball–met up with us on the street outside the bath house. At first I barely recognized her since her coat went from muddled brown to light tan and her mane became pure white. It really made me wonder how much filth was on her back in the camp. The thing that cued me into that it was the same mare was her cutie mark that was visible–and noticeably lighter green–through her dress made of air fresheners, her 2 colored eyes and her sent–less smelly than before her bath, but still noticeable under the myriad mint air fresheners .

“I am honored otay be your guide.” She said mostly in equestrian as she came up to us, “Owhay do you wastelanders deal with being so clean? I feel naked–anday I’m wearing a dress.”

“Well, we aren’t usually just-out-of-the-bath clean, sweetie, but we manage.” Ollie told her.

“Are you sure you don’t want more armor?” Bucky asked, “That dress won’t protect much if we get in a firefight.”

“Ifay all goes according otay plan, there will be no fighting. Ifay there isay, I have a way otay avoid it. My father gave you ankystay–I mean Stanky?”

“Yes, and a surprisingly clean saddlebag.” Bucky said handing her the items.

“What does Stanky do?” I asked.

“Itay releases a stink bomb that should knock out any aggressor–even ghouls.” Slime said beginning to walk down the street, “Ownay, follow me.”

***  ***  ***

We took the long way zigzagging through back streets.  Anytime we heard a gun fight we backtracked since we didn’t want to get drawn into a gang fight. Eventually we found ourselves near the hill with all the fancy houses. My pipbuck informed me I had discovered Mareily Hills and began to click slightly due to the nearby mega spell creator, but it was still in the green.

“Wait, guys, hold up.” I said stopping and changing direction to walk towards the gate.

“Oh that is just ethay ghoul community. They have been silent orfay a few days.” Slimeball informed us.

“Yeah that mare on the radio mentioned that.” Ollie said.

I stopped and turned back to my friends, “Well we are already here, couldn’t hurt to take a look around, right?”

“There is access otay the sign on the top of the hill. Normally we go a different way since The Slummy Scums are on bad terms with the hillers, utbay yes we can go that way.” Slimeball interjected.

“Ok then it is decided.” I said returning to trot to the gate now followed by my friends and our guide.

***  ***  ***

Mareily Hills was an utter ghost town. According to Slimeball there was a little over

100 ghouls living there, most ghoulified Applewood actors, actresses, and business ponies from before the war.

We split into groups of 2 to search more efficiently. Ollie and Nicky started on the top of the hill on the left side of the street, Bugz and I started on the top of the hill on the right side, and Bucky and Slimeball started on the bottom of the hill working back and forth across the street.

The first house Bugz and I came to was a mansion built into the burnt husk of a tree. From what remained of the paint it was once tan with red shutters and a red roof. It had 5 separate sections on different branches of the tree, but either from time or the mega spell blast 200 years ago, only the biggest structure in the center of the tree was still intact.  The others either littered the ground around the tree or looked too unstable to safely search. The biggest structure had at one time had a ramp to allow non-flyers into the house, but that too was too unsafe to use so Bugz flew me into the treehouse.

Inside was very typical of a home of the rich and famous–at least as far as I knew from a few old magazines I’d found in my stable–it had a large kitchen in the back and a nice dinning room next to a half wall. Near the door I entered through there was some chairs and a sofa facing a cracked TV.  Any other room must have been in the fallen or unsafe sections.

I turned my attention to the dining room table. It was still set for a family of 4 including fresh–if 200 years old really counted as fresh–cram still on the plates and some sparkle cola in dirty cups.

“Hey, Bugz, take a look at this,” I said pointing at the table, “It is still set as if somepony was not expecting to leave.”

“Then what happened?” Bugz asked.

“Aaaaah! Get away from me you shit stain!” A decidedly ghoul voice shouted from the street below.

Without thinking I ran out the door and began to fall out of the treehouse when the rotten ram broke.  Luckily Bugz ran out after me and caught me.  He then lowered me slowly to the ground and we were then able to meet up with the others in the middle of the street as they closed in on the terrified ghoul.

“Get that stinky Slummy Scum away from me.” He shouted, “She tried to shoot one of their stink bombs at me.”

Slimeball just staired blankly at the ghoul–Stanky laying unceremoniously on the ground at her hooves.

“Calm down you near-feral ghoul! She is our guide, we are just investigating the ghoul disappearance. That stink gun is the only weapon she has and she didn’t plan on using it on you.” Bucky shouted at terrified ghoul.

“Whoa what happened? Who are you?” I asked as I trotted up to everypony.

“Slime found him hiding in a closet, he got spooked. Didn’t help that the ghouls here dislike the Slummy Scums.” Bucky replied.

“We are here to help, what is your name? What happened to the ghouls who used to live here?” I pressed, sounding oddly urgent.

“I’m Cube Brick,” the ghoul said, “The slavers came through and rounded us all up. I hid in a closet when they came, I guess they missed me. Please, if you are here to help, they have my family. Even the shit stain can help. Please get my family back.”

“Do you know where they are camped?” Ollie asked.

“And stop calling her a shit stain, meat bag, her name is Slimeball.” Bucky cut in uncharacteristically angry.

“Sorry, Slimeball–is that really much better? It still sounds insulting if you ask me.” Cube said.

Bucky just growled.

“Anyways I think I heard them say to send the merchandise to the other side of the hil. That must be where their camp is.” Cube explained, “I–I can help guide you there and help get my wife and son back. I need to make up for my cowardice.”

***  ***  ***

10 minutes later we were all marching down the steep muddy other side of the hill.  The dead trees didn’t help with visibility, but it was clear that a slaver camp was at the bottom of the hill based on the fire and plume of smoke.

We crept quietly–or as quietly as we could–towards the camp. Cube Brick lead our group followed by Bucky, Ollie, Nicky, and I. Slimeball took up the rear hoping her stench wouldn’t give away our position.

When we got a few kilometers from the camp Cube Brick took off down the hill at full gallop.

“Guys, I got six more!” He screamed.

Before we knew it we were surrounded by heavily armed and armored ponies.

“Nice job Cube Brick.” The pony I assumed was the leader said, “What an interesting haul. A griffon, a young filly, a smelly earth pony, a unicorn buck, a unicorn mare, and–what are you?”

I said nothing.

“Yo miss glowey, speak when spoken to.” Another pony slaver shouted.

“I can handle the slave myself Deadweight!” The leader shouted firing his rifle at Deadweight, who died instantly, falling over into a pool of his own blood.

“I don’t know. I just glow.” I said bitterly.

“Well you're not a glowing ghoul that's for sure.” The leader said, “bet you’ll fetch a hoof full of caps up in fillydelphia no matter what you are.”

***  ***  ***

Footnotes:

Clash Coat: Level up

New perk added: Reflection – magical energy weapons have a 20% chance to reflect back at the pony who fired it.

Pipbuck Upgrade: Paradox Upgrade – new features unknown, but the display is now purple.

Nicky: level up

New perk added: Extra Explosive – you always seem to have all the explosives. You are more likely to find explosives when scavenging.

Quest perk added: Glimpse of the Future – you have seen a glimpse of what your future could be. +3 to perception. you also gain an extra 15% more experience points anytime they would be awarded.

Ollie Factory: level up

New perk added: the Art of Improv – you are a very quick thinker and fast on your hooves.  +1 to agility, enemies are 20% less likely to land a critical blow on you and you are given an extra 5 seconds before you set off explosives set by enemies.

Bugz: level up

New perk added: Don’t spook the villagers – + 2 to charisma and 3 to luck if your disguise is forcibly removed. You will also require 4 less for skill checks if that happens.

Bucky: level up

New perk added: Sniper Griffon – Your chance to hit an enemy’s head while using a scope is increased by 25%.

New companion: Slimeball (AKA Imeballslay) -level 3

Strength - 4

Perception - 7

Endurance - 4

Charisma - 5

Intelligence - 7

Agility - 7

Luck - 6

Tagged skills:

sneak

Traits:

Little Stinker – you reek.  No pony likes to be around you long. This unlocks unique dialogue trees that get to the point faster, but might skip important background information. Skill checks are also decreased by 5.  This trait doesn’t effect ponies in power armor.

Quest Completed:

Some Infinities are Bigger than Other Infinities

Quest Updated:

Marking Marker – Find out more about the raider Marker, how he becomes intangible and how his arcane attack works.

                      Find and kill the raider Marker.

                      (Optional) Face and kill/defeat the bounty hunters sent by Marker

New Quest Added:

Pacifist – Get through the Apple Orange War Zone without being drawn into the gang war.

          √ (Optional) Meet with the Slummy Scums to hire a guide to safely get through the Apple Orange War Zone

Stinky and the Ghouls – Resolve the quarrel between the Slummy Scums and the Mareily Hiller ghouls

Mareily Hills Ghoulies – √ Investigate the Disappearance of the Applewood ghoul community of Mareily Hills.

                             √ Follow Cube Brick to the Slaver’s camp

                                Rescue the enslaved ponies

Faction Status:

Stable 13 – Vilified

Marker’s Gang – Vilified

The Chariot Hotel – N/A disbanded

Finders (West Branch) – Liked

Gun Runners – Liked

Clockwork – Accepted

Stable Infinity – N/A merged with Clockwork

Slummy Scums – Liked

Golden Apple Globes – Neutral

Orange Oscars – Neutral

The Observers – Neutral

Mareily Hillers – Neutral

Chapter Nine: Gold and Orange Applewood

“The best-laid plans of mice and ponies often go awry.”

“Locks, Chains, get our new merchandise situated,” The slaver leader barked at his minions, “confiscate their weapons and put them with the other loot, including that of Mr. Cube Brick.”

The slavers mentioned left to fetch their namesakes.

“What?” Cube Brick shouted in alarm, “You said if I brought you anypony who investigated Mareily Hills, my family could go free.”

“Yes, I did say that.” The slaver said with a devilish smirk, “Bring me Mr. Cube Brick’s family.”

Another slaver marched out a ghoul mare and colt from the crowd.  The leader then raised his gun.  BANG, BANG.  2 shots rang out and the mare and colt dropped to the ground dead.

“There,” The slaver leader said to the stunned Cube Brick, “They are freed from life.”

Then the slavers Locks and Chains arrived to lock us up and take our freedom.  I looked back at my companions for any hope of an escape plan.  Bucky subtly shook his head no.  Bugz–as Archer–looked at his hooves with a resigned frown.  Nicky was crying–likely blaming the curse she believed she has on our enslavement–and Ollie was trying to console her.  Slimeball was nowhere to be seen.

How had somepony so smelly managed to slip away? I asked myself.

Then I heard a soft THUNK and a brownish ball landed in the center of the crowd.  This was followed by a soft hissing sound and a greenish haze settled over the group.  Then I smelled the smell.  It was like a rotten apple had been eaten by a pony, then that pony barfed it up, but was forced to eat the puke, then they shat it out and ate that too, it was then shat out again and left to fester in an underground cave.  That is how rancid the stink bomb was.

Everything erupted in a panic.  Slaver shot slave, Slaver shot slaver–some lucky slaves picked up fallen guns and shot slavers too.  Most weak stomached slaves and many of the slavers simply passed out from the stench.

Holding my breath I grabbed Blazing Sunset from its holster and tried to cue in a few shots with SATS to the lead slaver who was managing to stand strong despite the smell.  To my surprise I had a 0% chance to hit him when I was only a few feet away.  Slimeball had failed to mention the lack of targeting ability while in the stench cloud made by her weapon.

I exited out of the targeting spell and fired a shot with my tongue, ignoring the burning sensation in my eyes and by lungs need for fresh breath.  Blazing Sunset made its crackle and pop sound before hitting the lead slaver directly in the head.  Not only did he burst into flames he almost instantly crumbled into a pile of yellow, burning ash.

Who knew I was such a crack shot outside SATS? I thought to myself as the green haze slowly faded along with the offending stench.

***  ***  ***

Overall 65 of the original 120 ghouls survived the battle with the slavers.  None of the slavers made it out alive–yes even the ones who had simply passed out from the stench were killed either by a stray bullet or a vengeful former slave.

Among the survivors was Cube Brick.  He was hunched over the corpses of his family sobbing–or the sounds made by ghouls that counted as sobbing since no actual tears fell.

“He will be punished for his crimes in this life and the next.” a ghoul earth pony mare–scratch that she had stripes barely visible on her decaying hide so she was a zebra–who caught me looking at Cube Brick.

“Oh,” I said startled, “You’re a–”

“Ghoul? Zebra?”  The mare said sounding mildly offended.

“Zebra.” I finished, “Didn’t think any were still alive–or whatever a ghoul life is considered.”

“Held on this mortal coil by dark, necromantic magic as a side effect of the mega spells can hardly be called living.  But yes crystal pony not many zebras exist as ghouls outside of Zebra Town.  Most living zebras are part of the Remnant up in hoofington. I am Xinkra.  Much thanks for mounting my village’s rescue.” Xinkra replied.

“This was your village as in you are the–um–mayor?” I asked.

“Chieftain, but the position is the same.” Xinkra said, “And tell the daughter of the leader of the Slummy Scums to tell her father we forgive them for the debt his tribe owes.”

“Wait debt?” I asked.

“Ement-Excray will know what I mean.  It isn’t my place to tell.” Xinkra said turning away, “Thank you again–”

“Clash Coat.” I interjected.

“The Mareily Hillers are in your debt.” she said nodding at me, “And you could have a worse coat and mane combination.  You could be white with black stripes–or is it black with white stripes.”

I raised an eyebrow at her in confusion.

“It was a joke, you must learn to lighten up.” she said and turned to trot back up the hill to Mareily Hills.

“Clash,” Bucky called from across the swamp, “There is a group of non-ghoul stallions that would like to speak with you.

I trotted over to where Bucky was standing.  He was with a group of 4 stallions all with light grey coats and grey eyes.  None of them had a mane or tail and they were all wearing a brown hat–I think they were called fedoras–and a brown pre-war suit jacket.  Stranger still they all sported the same cutie mark–a pair of binoculars.  Aside from slight differences in height or weight, they looked almost identical.  Part of my mind wanted me to think of them as desirable, but I ignored that part.

“You must be Crystalline.” one of the stallions said in a monotone as I approached, “My fellow Observers and I are grateful for you assistance in our rescue.  We will be sure to mention it in our report.”

This is the first pony to refer to me by that moniker since leaving Clockwork, who is this stallion? I thought feeling awkward at the mere mention of the title given by DJ Pon-3.

“Uh, you can just call me Clash Coat.” I corrected.

“I am September,” The stallion said then motioned to the others, “ This is January, March, and June.  We have been watching you since you entered Applewood.  We heard of what you have done in Detrot and Clockwork.  You should stop by the Variety News Publishing building in the heart of Applewood.  Miss Variety would like to have a word with you.”

“You’ve been watching me?” I balked.

“Not me specifically, but the Observers.  Variety will explain when you visit.” September said as the Observers turned and walked off seemingly fading into fog that was forming in the swamp as the sun set behind its blanket of clouds.

***  ***  ***

“Be wary Clash Coat,  The Collector is a tricky sort and is not easy to do business with.” Xinkra said as she unlocked the gate that lead to the path to the sign.

“Meeting with him or her is very important to Clash,” Ollie said as we started on the path, “So there is no stopping her.”

Xinkra locked the gate behind us and went back to decide Cube Brick’s fate.  The rest of us continued in silence to the sign.

10 or 20 minutes later–my pipbuck has been acting strange ever since Future Nicky’s pipbuck did it's strange fusing thing–we arrive at the sign.  Up close the gigantic letters towered over us and the flaking white paint was more noticeable.  It also appeared that somepony had tried to repaint the letters at some point, but had gotten the wrong color white and so the bottom section of the 2 “o’s” were more eggshell than pure white.  Tucked in a small cave was a door subtly marked with the MOA logo of a cloud and a lightning bolt, but the door has been painted to match the brown rock face–though like the sign the paint was flaking off revealing a rusty steel door beneath.  Next to the door on either side there was an equally rusty, no longer hidden place where turrets could pop up.  There was also a camera and speaker hidden above the door, but I didn’t notice them until The collector started speaking to us.

“Go away. Nothing to scavenge here, this is my home.  Leave peacefully or I will open fire.” the distinctly ghoul sounding voice of the collector bellowed through the speaker–though I could not tell if it was a he or she.

The aforementioned turret spots popped open and the turrets within aimed at us.

“Hello, Collector, my name is Clash Coat.” I said shakily taking a small step forward, “I was wondering if you had a recollector and if I could borrow to view a black opal?”

“And what would you give me in return for the use of this wasteland rarity?” The collector asked the turrets remaining trained on me.

“Well, what do you want in exchange for its use?” I asked.

“Yeah, Clashie he’e can get it lickitysplit fer ya.” Nicky said stepping up next to me, the left turret turning to track her while the right remained trained on me.

“Hmm,” The collector thought out loud, “There are a few things missing from my collection.  If you were to get these items for me I might be willing to let you use my recollector on the condition that I too get to view the opal and keep it when you are done.”

“Deal.” I agreed without a moment's hesitation, “What items do we need to get?”

“They are several old Applewood memorabilia.  First, get me the star for Fleur Dis Lee from the walk of fame, the original hoverboard prop used in ‘Buck to the Future’ 2 and 3, as many original cells of animation from the Ponimaniacs as you can find, and the ruby slippers used the ‘Unicorn of Oz’.” The collector requested, “Do not return until you have found all of the requested items.”

With that the voice turned off, but the turrets remained trained on us.

“So what now?” Bucky asked from his perch on the center of one of the o’s.

“I guess we find those items, it is a good thing we have an Applewood guide.” I said turning to Slimeball.

“The Walk of Fame star should be easy otay find, it isay on the Walk of Fame.  Itay will be the heaviest item anday there isay mounting hostilities between the GGAs anday the Double O’s.  I was hired otay help you stay clear of that anday the Walk isay where the 2 gang’s territories eetmay.  The hoverboard prop will be in a warehouse on the Stable-Tech Studios Lot anday the slippers on the Winnyland Lot.  Those are the gang’s headquarters.  The animation cells would be in the Saddle Sister’s animation studio.  Of all of them, that isay the easiest.  No gang affiliation, ubayt it isay the farthest from us.” Slimeball explained.

“What is the closest?” I quirried.

“The Star, then the hoverboard, then the Slippers.” Slimeball replied, “though we should save the heaviest for astlay.” Slimeball replied.

“Then lead us to the hoverboard, Slimey!” Bucky said leaping off his perch eliciting a slight blush from Slimeball for some reason.

***  ***  ***

As we walked I decided to turn on the radio.  The music that was playing sounded like some kind of battle march.  After the song ended Variety’s voice came on the air.

“Well my honeycrisps, if you haven’t heard it would appear that one of DJ Pon-3’s heroines has arrived in Applewood.  Crystalline heard my news broadcast about the Mareily Hillers disappearance and swooped in to rescue the ghouls from a group of slavers.  There were some tragedies.  55 ghouls perished in her daring rescue.  Though among the survivors were 4 of my missing Observers.  For that Crystalline, I am eternally grateful.  The Chieftain of the Mareily Hillers had this to say.” Variety said followed by a soft click.

Xinkra’s voice then rang out of my pipbuck a moment later, “The mare is a shining beacon of what everypony should be.  Risking her hide for the normally ridiculed and outcast is something all ponies of the wastes should do.”

“Now that is just a lovely sentiment.  In honor of this real life supermare, here is the theme from Supermare.” Variety closed out as some heroic sounding music began to play.

“Clearly September didn’t give an accurate report!” I said through gritted teeth as I switched off the radio, “And here I was starting to like Variety over DJ Pon-3.”

Ollie stifled a chuckle as we continued down the rocky path that headed away from Mareily Hills and down towards the city below.

***  ***  ***

My plan of approaching the front gate of Stable-Tech Studios without any guns and completely alone was not the brightest idea I’ve ever had.  It was punctuated by a bullet to the knee.  Though much like the sniper shot from Bucky outside the Chariot it didn’t cause as much damage as it would have without my mutation.  Don’t get me wrong it hurt as much as a bullet should hurt, but it stuck into my hide just below the surface and the area around it appeared to crack rather than show the natural damage caused by an injury.

The studio was a bunch of large warehouse like structures with a few smaller buildings arranged around the bottom of a hill.  Around the lower part was a large metal fence reinforced by scrap metal and pieces of collapsed buildings.  Atop the hill was the remains of what looked like a theme park.  Slimeball had lead us to a gate on the lower half that had a single guard tower built into it.  Apparently the theme park part was infested with feral ghouls, so this gate was the only safe way into the main hub of the Golden Globe Apples.

“Celestia horn rape me! I’m unarmed!” I said through the pain.

“Yeah but your friends poor attempt to hide in the shadows aren’t.” The gruff GGA stallion in head to hoof combat barding that was painted yellow–likely in an attempt at gold–and a sniper rifle battle saddle on his back shouted down from the guard tower.

“Fair enough,” I said ignoring the pain and shifting my weight to my uninjured side only to lose my balance and fall to my haunches, “But we aren’t affiliated with any gang.  We just want to do some business with the Golden Globe Apples.”

“Do you think I’m stupid or something Glowing One? I recognize the freshener rag your friend is wearing.  You’re with the Slummy Scums.”  The guard shouted back.

“Oh, Slimeball?” I said in recognition, “She is just our guide to the city.  She means you no harm.”

The guard thought for a second putting a hoof on his chin, “How do I know you aren’t Orange Oscar Spies?”

“We aren’t.” Bucky shouted up to the guard as he landed next to me, “I’m close friends with the leader of the Slummy Scums, they aren’t working with the Oranges and neither is anyone else in our party.”

“I’ll need to talk with the leader Miss Appledale.” The guard replied apathetically.

He then spoke into his radio.  While we waited for a response Ollie pulled the bullet out with some tweezers and I drank a healing potion.  A few seconds later he got a reply, but it was too far away for me to hear.

“Your whole party is permitted in the base.” He said begrudgingly, “Miss Appledale would like to negotiate an alliance with the Slummy Scums heir to leadership and talk with the one known as Crystalline.”

I cringed at the mention of my moniker.

***  ***  ***

We were herded quickly down the street and into an office building.  We then went up a flight of stairs and directed to enter a large office.

In the center was an oak desk relatively untouched by the centuries.  The walls were covered in a blue wallpaper that was peeling slightly towards the roof, but was held on by extensive use of wonder glue since there were blotches of darker color that was messed up by the glue.  A red carpet covered the floor and it was surprisingly clear of dust, but smelt faintly of mildew.  The 4 large windows along the wall were mostly intact, but painted black recently–I guess to prevent sniper shots.  So with the lack of natural light several candles were lit around the room giving it a warm orange glow.  Behind the desk was a young earth pony mare with a yellow coat, green mane, red eyes and the cutie mark of a golden apple.  The mare had an overbite and  and a hole thorugh her ear.  I wasn’t sure if both were battle wounds, and thankfully my stable 13 programing couldn’t designate her desirable or undesirable.

She regarded us as we entered and then spoke, “Welcome to Stable-Tech Studios, home of the Golden Globe Apples.  I am their leader Appledale, though you shall refer to me as Miss Appledale is that clear?”

We all muttered a yes and she continued, “So, Miss–Imebellslew? Is that correct?”

Slimeball stepped forward, “It isay Imeballslay, but Slimeball is my name in Equestrian.  I’m sorry Miss Appledale, utbay I am in no way able otay negotiate an alliance.  Eaderlays aren’t passed on by famliy.  My dad Ement-Excray would eednay otay be here.”

“All well and good dearie.  I’ll have Rotten Apple send him a message.  He used to be a Slummy, he knows the language.” Miss Appledale said.

She then turned to the guard who had accompanied us from the gate, “Sun Kissed, you are dismissed.”

The guard in question removed his helmet, revealing a bronze coated stallion with a bright red mane and green eyes.

“You honestly wish to be left alone with these outsiders?  A glowing abomination, a tackless griffon, a filthy mother and daughter, a hapless unicorn, and a shit stain?” Sun Kissed asked indignantly.

“Sun Kissed, that is an order.  Leave me and my guests alone.  They can keep thier weapons, had they wanted to kill me they would have already.  If they still wish to they won’t escape the lot alive.” Miss Appledale barked back.

“It is your funeral Miss Appledale.” Sun Kissed said replacing his helmet and turning to leave, but stopping next to me, “Variety and DJ Pon-3 might think you are the bees knees Crystalline, but remember I shot you in the knee.  Next time it will be your skull if anything happens to Miss Appledale.”

“My apologies, Crystalline.  Sun Kissed is my top lieutenant.  He wishes I took a more direct approach and attacked the Double O’s head on.”  Miss Appledale said sighing, “so what brings you to the Golden Globe Apples?”

“Well, we need something that is likely in your possession.” I began, “The hoverboard prop from ‘Buck to the Future’?”

Miss Appledale crossed her front hooves over the desk, set her head between them and let out another sigh.

“I don’t know of anything like that on the property.” she said, “Though I could permit you to look if you do something for me.”

“What?” I said quickly.

“I put on that little bit about the alliance to appease my ponies.  This war–the mounting hostilities aren’t something I want at all.  My mother–Miss Fruitiedale–was the leader of all of Applewood.  The gang was called the Fruit Salad Stars.  When she began to die of cancer she needed to appoint a new leader–Me or my sister Orangedale.  Unfortunately she passed before a decision was made.  This caused a schism in the gang.  Supporters of either my sister or I began to fight on our behalf forcing us to rein them in and form 2 new gangs.  The Golden Apple Globes and the Orange Oscars.  Since then we have been on the brink of all out war.  I like to think my sister is like me and wants the gang to unite once more, but the ponies under us are loyal to a fault and wrongly believe only one can live for the other to succeed.” She said before sighing heavily once more and standing back on all fours.

“Crystalline, I need you to meet with my sister and arrange a secret meeting between her and I.  Hopefully we can find a way to become one family again.  Maybe if we sign some kind of truce to this unnecessary conflict our ponies’ loyalty to us will stop the fighting.” Miss Appledale finished.

“We we need ta go ta Winnyland for somethin’ else anyways.” Nicky chirped–essentially accepting the task for me.

“Thank you.  Good luck.” She said focusing back on some old papers on the desk.

And with that we turned to leave.

***  ***  ***

“As I live and breath.” a voice called at us as we left Stable-Tech Studios office building, “Grimwald Gregorian Beak.  Never thought I’d see your hide in these parts.”

Since we weren’t rushed out like we had been entering the building I was able to look around the lot.  From the gate we entered from there as a row of dilapidated buildings–sound stages I think they were called.  The intact ones were used for the housing, gun storage, and food storage of the GGA.  The ones that weren’t intact were used to reinforce the fence or in the construction of additional fences blocking off all side streets.  So even though it appeared they used the whole lower section of the lot as a base, only 1 street of the network of old production buildings were used.  The street ended with an office building–which we had met Miss Appledale in–and was the most intact building on the street.  It had the facade of a movie theater on the front of it and it was slightly blocked by a fire long ago.

I took a moment to look for the owner of the voice, but couldn’t discern its origin.  Then it landed in front of us.  A rather petite griffon with brown and red feathers on its front half and the features some solid black cat on its back half stood before us blocking our path.  Her 1 green eye–the other blocked by an eye patch–looked not at me, but at Bucky.  

Bucky visibly tensed up and took a step towards the griffon.

“Gwyneth,” he spat uncharacteristically cold, “Kill any foals recently?”

“Sorry to disappoint Grimmy, no foal killing contracts this week–unless the Orange Oscars use foals as foot soldiers.” She said not missing a beat.

“Wait,” Slimeball cut in suddenly, “You mean otay say you’d illkay a foal?”

“If it is in a contract and for the right amount of caps, yes.” Gwyneth said not taking her eyes–sorry eye–off Bucky, “Griffons are loyal to 2 things: The contract and the caps.  That is something Grim here didn’t understand.  That is why he left the Talons.  He broke a contract and when I tried to stop him he shot out my eye.”

“Cut the crap Gwyn, that foal was innocent.  I had to save it.” Bucky said.

“Sure as shit it was, not where you found it and you know it.” She squeaked, “You should know Gawd has a standing cap bonus to any Talon who brings you to her.  You know her feelings about breaking contracts.”

The tension in the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife.  Bugz raised his weapon, clearly not caring that we were in the middle of a gang stronghold.

“So you gonna stand there or bring me in?” Bucky asked unphased by the news.

Gwyn continued her one eyed glare for a few moments, “Not worth my time.  I have another contract that pays more.”

With that she flew into the darkening sky.

***  ***  ***

We walked in silence to the gates of Winny Land.  Unlike Stable-Tech Studios, the theme park was the part used as a base.  The park itself existed long before the great war that created the wasteland, but according to Slimeball it was taken over by the Ministry of Moral and turned into one of the many Fun Farms that now litter the wasteland.  Though unlike the other Fun Farms it maintained its original name since it was well known at the time.  Though a large pink pony head building had been built in the middle of the park to function as the city’s MOM Hub.  It also had a more recent addition of ruble enforced wall and guard tower posts like there were at Stable-Tech Studios.

I decided to have us all approach the gate instead of going alone like last time.  When we neared a guard flew down from the guard post, but it wasn’t a griffon, hippogriff, or a changeling.  It was a pony with wings–a pegasus.  He had a tangerine coat, but his mane and cutie mark were obscured by the pegasi version of power armor that was painted orange.

“State your business here.” The pegasi guard said.

“We need to meet with your leader Miss Orangedale.” I said.

“And who might you be that is so important to demand a meeting with our leader?” the guard asked.

I sighed in defeat and muttered, “I’m Crystalline.”

At that the guard lifted his visor–revealing his blond and red striped mane and purple eyes–to get a better look at my friends and I.

“Miss Orangedale,” he said into his radio, “Crystalline is here to see you.”

“Well then Updraft, let her in.” The tinny voice of Miss Orangedale said over the radio.

Updraft flew back up to his guard post and signaled to have the door opened.  We all trotted inside.  Many of the rides were in a major state of disrepair, but the debris were reused to for makeshift dwellings and other structures to store food and guns.  The only mostly intact building was the giant glass pink pony head in the center.

“Head to the Pinkie head building, a guard will take you in to see Orangedale.” Updraft called after us.

We did as told and when we got to the Pinkie head we were greeted by another guard.  She was clearly a unicorn, but the orange combat armor prevented us from seeing much more of her–it reminded me of the armor worn by the GGA’s gate guard.

She lead us into an elevator and we rode up to the top floor.  There was a short hallway and a single door.  The guard stood outside the door and motioned for us to enter.

The room that had once been an office was devoid of furniture.  Well, actually all the furniture–a desk, some chairs and a filing cabinet–were stacked against the far wall.  There was a matress on the floor in the middle of the room and a mare–Miss Orangedale–sat upon it looking out the huge pink tinted window at the park below.  She had an orange coat and a red mane.  Her cutie mark was an orange behind a podium.  She registered as desirable to my stable 13 mind, but I was becoming accustomed to ignoring that part of my mind.

“My scouts say you were seen at my sister’s camp.” Miss Orangedale said not turning to face us.

“She’s doing well.” I said awkwardly, “That is actually why we are are here–well partly at least.  Your sister wants to arrange a secret meeting with just you to formulate some kind of truce.  she doesn’t want war.  She wants the gang to be reunited as they were under your mother Miss Fruitiedale.”

“Oh thank heavens!” a voice said from the pile of furniture.

The stack moved in a blue glow of magic to reveal a closet door.  It opened and out walked the real Miss Orangedale.  She looked the same as her decoy, except she was a unicorn.  She also had some patches of yellow fur on the left side of her face.  My Stable 13 mind changed her designation to undesirable.

“Sorry for the theatricks.” Miss Orangedale said putting the decoy into the closet with her magic and covering the door with the furniture again, “I wasn’t sure if you were sent to kill me by one of my sisters overzealous underlings or if she had actually sent you.”

“So you’ll go to the secret meeting?” I asked.

“I haven’t seen big sis since mom died.  Of course I’ll go.  Any idea where to meet?”  She asked.

“I, uh–I haven’t chosen a place.  I’m not familiar with this city.” I said sheepishly.

“The control tower of AWX International Airport.” Bucky interjected.

Miss Orangedale thought about that location for a moment before speaking, “That is nuetral territory and I don’t think the Avant Garde settlement will mind.”

She paused a moment trying to remember something before continuing, “Wait, wasn’t it overrun with ferals?”

“I’ll go early and clear them out.” Bucky said and then turned to me, “The Avant Garde has a reward for anypony who clears it for them.”

“Fair enough, I’ll meet you and my sister there 5:00am, tomorrow.” Miss Orangedale concluded.

She paused and put a hoof on her chin.

“What was the other reason you came here?” She asked.

“Oh,” I said remembering The Collector’s fetch quest and how I’d mentioned Miss Appledale’s message wasn’t the only reason we were there, “I need the ruby slippers from ‘The Unicorn of Oz’.  I believe they are on the lot somewhere.”

“Sorry, Crystalline, I sold them for a bunch of caps to an Observer a few months back.  They are likely owned by the DJ Variety, she is the leader of their creepy clique.”

***  ***  ***

The trot back to the GGA base in the Stable-Tech Studios lot was a quiet one.  I turned on the radio, but the movie soundtrack sounded like a bunch of string instruments and put us a bit on edge so I shut it off.

“Welcome back Crystalline and co.” Sun Kissed greeted us disinterested from atop his watch tower as we entered the gate.

We walked down the street and went up to Miss Appledale’s office.  Upon seeing us she made a motion with her hooves.  The 2 stealth bucked guards appeared once more and walked out as we entered.

“So did you get in to see my sister?” She asked once she was sure her guards were gone.

“Yes, the meeting is tomorrow at the AWX control tower.  5:00am.” I told her.

“Ok, that is doable.  Thank you Crystalline, once the meeting is over I’ll let you look for the prop in our warehouse.”  Miss Orangedale said dismissing us, “I’ll have Cinnamon Apple Spice prepare a bed for you. Feel free to do some shopping at our food, medicine and gun stores.  I’ll give Honey Glock permission to trade with you for caps.”

***  ***  ***

Fully stocked on ammo, food, and medicine we assembled in the crisp morning greyness in front of the movie theater facade of Miss Appledale’s office.

“We’ll meet Bucky there remember, he is taking care of the ghouls.” Bugz whispered sleepily as he approached–since he had to be conscious to maintain his glimmer disguise, he hadn’t slept.

“Ok, then let’s get Miss Appledale.” I whispered back and we entered the building.

We went up to her office as quietly as possible, though there was an odd lack of guards.

“Miss Appledale?” I asked in a loud whisper to a supposedly empty office as we entered.

Suddenly a shimmer in the air pulled back and Miss Appledale appeared wearing a brownish cloak that had a gemstone clip around her neck that helped it form into a hood.

“Zebra stealth cloak.” She whispered when she saw my stunned expression, “Traded it from a zebra ghoul in Mareily Hills when I was a filly. So let's go”

She went to the desk and clicked a hidden button.  The desk moved aside revealing a metal grate.  Without a word we all stood on the grate and it began to lower.  Above us the desk slid back into place.

“This is a secret tunnel that connects to the sewers that was supposed to help the Stable-Tech studios executives get to stable 54 by Mareily Hills.  It was supposed to house the biggest of the Old Applewood Celebrities in an effort to preserve Equestrian entertainment incase of a megaspell strike.” Miss Appledale explained as we descended.

“But few made it.” Slimeball cut in, “Many died or ghoulified enwhay a spell missed its target and struck the stable while the door was still open.  Many of the Mareily Hiller ghouls are from that stable–the area isay now known as the Mareily Creator.”

“Well, it is true what they say about you Slummy Scums.  You do make great tour guides for ponies in this city.” Miss Appledale complimented.

Slimeball blushed slightly at the compliment as the elevator came to a stop.  We exited the elevator shaft and into the sewer proper.  Behind us the wall slid back into place concealing the elevator.  Slimeball then took a piece of chalk from her bag and marked a small “x” where the elevator had once been.

“So we can find ouray way back.” she said returning the chalk to her bag.

I nodded and we began to walk down the sewer tunnel trying to ignore the smell of 200 century old waste.  The only one not affected by the smell was Slimeball who took up the rear and gleefully splashed along in the foul muk.

Finally we came to a metal grate the lead out to the Applewood river.  A door had been carved in the grade and it was held closed by a lock.  One bobby pin later we were out in the slightly fresher air of the river bed.  From there Slimeball took the lead and we headed in the direction if the airport.

***  ***  ***

AWX was a hub of travel before the war according to Slimeball.  Unlike many other airports across Equestria it was not taken over–at least completely–by the military.  Despite that fact the tarmac was littered with many wreckages of various crafts.  The main terminal was struck by a large flying ship–which Slimball called a Raptor–that had the name Avant Garde written on the side.  It seemed to spew clouds from some parts shrouding it in a light fog.  There was a small non-gang statement aboard the Avant Garde.

Separated from the terminal was the control tower.  A giant T-shaped on the skyline of Applewood.  It was virtually untouched by the destruction that hit the rest of the airport, except for a few scorch marks around the base and the windows on the top of the T were completely blown out.  For a second I could have sworn I saw a griffon perched on the roof, but I blinked and it they were gone, so I figured it was Bucky.

We ascended the steps of the tower and entered the room on the top of the tower.  The blown out windows cased a slight whistling sound as the wind blew by it.  The perimeter of the room had large terminals used for monitoring air traffic, but now most were destroyed or missing entirely.  In the center of the room was Bucky and Miss Oragedale seated around a table.

“Appley!” Miss Orangedale said noticing her sister, “Gosh, it's been so long.  What happened to your ear?”

“Missed sniper shot,” Miss Appledale said dismissively, “How are things at the Winnyland Fun Farm?”

“Good–well actually difficult.  Running a gang is no fun.”  Miss Orangedale replied solemnly, “I miss you, Appley.”

“I miss you too Citrus.” Miss appledale said wiping a tear from her eye, “So let's end this war and be a family again.”

Miss Orangedale was about to say something when the world exploded.  The tower shook violently and then began to fall.  As it fell the world kept exploding.  In a splatter of gore Miss Appledale exploded in one of the explosions.

“Appley!” Miss Orangedale shrieked, but it was barely audible among the cacophony of explosions.

A large chunk of the tower then struck Miss Orangedale shattering her skull.  I thought I saw Bugz–no longer in his Archer form–and Bucky trying to save Nicky, Ollie, Slimeball, and I from the crumbling building.  Another explosion erupted near me and everything when dark.

***  ***  ***

I opened my eyes.  The world around me was a burning, rubble filled haze.  I couldn’t move and my body hurt all over.  Then I noticed a the shadow of a griffon standing over me, carefully moving rubble off of my body.

Bucky must have made it out.  My concussed mind thought.

Then I noticed the griffon was smaller than Bucky and looked more feminine.

“Well, 3 birds, one very explosive stone.” The voice of Gwyneth said, but her voice sounded distant, “Those wishy washy gang leaders are out of the way so my boss can wage the war he wants and I get to cash in your bounty Crystalline.”

As she lifted me on to her back everything faded to black again.

***  ***  ***

Footnotes:

Clash Coat: Level up

New Perk Added: Lucky Shot – You are 20% more likely to get a critical shot outside of STATS while in an environment that limits visibility.

Quest Perk added: Rotten Fruit – You have managed to piss off both the Golden Globe Apples and the Orange Oscars.  Standing with both gangs are now set to Villified and they will attack you on sight. -7 to speech when talking to a member of either gang.  +2 to speech when talking with any other faction not allied with one of the gangs.  This perk is incompatible with A Hint of Citrus, Golden Apple Tart, and Famous Fruit Salad.

Nicky: 50% to next level

Ollie Factory: 90% to next level

Bucky: Level up

New Perk Added: Debt Collector – +2 to speech when talking to somepony you’ve already met.  Also unique dialogue options are available for some characters.

Bugz: Level Up

New Perk Added: Counter Canter – Your fancy hoofwork (or agile flying if you are a pegasus pony) keeps you out of harm’s way. Opponents suffer a -5 to combat skills when attacking you.

Slimeball: Level Up

New Perk Added: Lingering Stench – your smell lingers awhile after you move.  +3 to sneak and enemies are more likely to attack where you just were rather than where you are.

Quest Failed:

Pacifist

Apples to Oranges

Quest completed:

Mareily Hills Ghoulies

Quest Updated:

Ballad of a Crystal Pony – √ Look for any information in the wasteland on the mysterious glowing ability you have.

                               √ Find out what that pink mare knows about your mysterious glowing power.

                               View Ollie's Black Opal.

                               √ seek out the Collector in Applewood.

                               (Optional) Learn if you are a crystal pony by taking a DNA test.

Stinky and the Ghouls –  √ Resolve the quarrel between the Slummy Scums and the Mareily Hiller ghouls

                              Inform Excrement that everything is resolved between the Slummy Scums and the Mareily Hillers

New Quest:

Variety Speak – Meet with Variety in the Variety News Publishing Building

Tour De Applewood - Collect the Fleur Dis Lee Star from The Walk of Fame

                               Collect the ‘Buck to the Future’ Hoverboard Prop

                               √ (Optional) Talk to Miss Appledale about getting the ‘Buck to the Future’ Hoverboard Prop

                               Collect the ‘Unicorn of Oz’ Ruby slippers

                               √ (Optional) Talk to Miss Orangedale about getting the ‘Unicorn of Oz’ Ruby slippers

                               (Optional) Talk to Variety about getting the ‘Unicorn of OZ’ Ruby slippers

                               Collect at least 3 Ponamaniacs animation cels

Faction Status:

Stable 13 – Vilified

Marker’s Gang – Vilified

The Chariot Hotel – N/A disbanded

Finders (West Branch) – Liked

Gun Runners – Liked

Clockwork – Accepted

Stable Infinity – N/A merged with Clockwork

Slummy Scums – Liked

Golden Apple Globes – Vilified

Orange Oscars –Vilified

The Observers – Liked

Mareily Hillers – accepted

Talons – disliked

Avant Garde – neutral