Gale Storm. The one mare who had been on the run from her own faction since having occupied Itrotly and had turned on their backs from their sudden mistreatment to both innocent ponies and to their own member of the Grand Pegasus Enclave. To be honest, I felt really sorry for her, but what can I do about it? Until I’m fully recovered, I can do nothing about it except to listen. Tootsie frowned from having heard her story and the filly gave Gale a hug, “Aww… poor Enclave baddie isn’t a baddie after all! You just need friends like me and Zero!”

And since then, they’re on a widespread search to retrieve her for ‘disciplinary reasons’ (save for the Cazador-infested New Hampshore) and it’ll turn out to be a bad one. I struggled a little to get my hooves working with no avail. Nothing…

“Thanks, Tootsie Roll… It means a lot to me.” Gale happily hugged her back, a small tear of joy trickled down from her eye and to her cheek.

“At least they weren’t looking for me. If they did, the punishment I’ll be getting is far worse than getting a dishonorable discharge…”

As my body came to, I soon got up of my hooves as I felt my bones now fully repaired before Bob gave a curious look at me. I merely waved at the robo-scorpion before looking at my-- oh wait; I still don’t have the PipBuck with me. Goddess damnit!

Where are we anyway? I’m not sure if we’re still on Fhoal Island or so, and I’m seeing huge trails of engorged dirt mound that was the result of a rampaging Tatzlwurm. I didn’t felt my body spasm out of nowhere, so I’m assuming that Gale Storm had taken care of the Tatzlwurm. But I don’t see its massive corpse, so I’m assuming that she lured its way somewhere that made it stop giving us a wild chase.

I let out a soft, relieved sigh. Thank. Goddess. I can’t even gallop for another mile.

Turning my attention of the two who are sharing their intimate time with each other, I let out a soft smile. But the skies are getting really dark and to get out of here means we don’t know what’s up ahead. And even with my sharp senses, the low visibility will be a major challenge to hostiles that are bound to attack without being seen.

And to make it even more challenging, there aren’t any mechanical and working parts that’ll allow me to fix up Bob. He’s still damaged from our fall and he can’t skitter properly, other than to shoot lasers from his barely-functional tail.

I turned to face the two again and motioned my head for us to get out of here. Bob can barely walk, so I lowered my head and picked him up for him to rest onto my back. With Gale Storm rubbing her hoof to clean away her tears, she nodded to me, “Roger that.”

“Yay! Its the adventures of--”

I quickly tapped my hoof onto the floor to interrupt Tootsie and to give her a serious expression. No fun and games. Got it?

“Oopsies! Lead the way!”

I quietly groaned. Damn her foal-ish antics…

We ventured deep into unknown territories. At any moment, somepony or something will emerge from the skies and come crashing down on us with deadly results. Since I have no PipBuck, I can’t check on the map that’ll lead us back to Fhoal Island. The end result is that I’m taking my allies much further away from Equestria. We’d be lucky if we were to find a merchant that can help fix Bob up to normal.

But even then, I don’t have any caps left in me. Items were rudimentary at best and we’re in an unnamed residential area where the majority of destroyed houses were boarded up so nopony can get access to it. The environment is just filled with emptiness. No sign of life whatsoever, except…

We found the remnants of destroyed Securitrons as a result of a Tatzlwurm attack. I wonder if their parts are worth salvaging? I looked back at the two, wondering if I can take them without carrying the excess weight.

“Only take some. You have that mechanical scorpion on your back and the next thing you’ll be doing is carrying a dead Securitron onto your back.”

Gale’s right, I’m not that strong enough to carry it with me. Much less drag it across the Wastelands with me. I simply scooped up any available parts with a hoof and stored them inside my saddlebags. Not much, but it’ll have to do until we can find a repairpony to fix him up. I can only fix some of his parts by holding the screwdriver handle with my teeth. Even then, I’m no expert in fixing things. But creating things? Maybe.

“Don’t worry, Bob! We’ll find somepony to fix! If only Zero was a unicorn…” Tootsie assured to her robo-scorpion friend. I wish I was a unicorn. I wish I was…

But just because I’m merely an earth pony doesn’t mean I’m useless at most things, apart from lock picking of course. It wasn’t until a wind let out an ominous howl that seeped into my ears. Thunder gnarled its way into the clouds and threatening to cause massive floods that’s sure to wash up any remains inside.

To where we go exactly, we don’t know. My ex-Enclave ally informed us, “We need to keep moving. To where we’re going is anypony’s guess.”

She’s right. And we can’t continue on in a possible torrential rainfall. Not with Bob with us and even a single droplet of rain will be enough to short him out and be blown to smithereens. But where? Celestia, show us the way!

We kept moving, looking around to find any intact buildings that can hold their own against the rain. Nearly all of them were boarded us with spray tags containing vulgar words to go for. Fortunately, we found an abandoned apartment complex up ahead and went inside. No name or anything, but it's more than enough for us to camp inside until it stops raining. The bigger problem is that nearly all of the rooms were collapsed and left to ruin. And what’s worse is the Raiders wandering around inside the building and out of rooms 34A and 34B! And they’re armed with (worn-out) shotguns and pistols floating around! Even one carrying a small bag of grenades inside!

Oh no… I quickly urged a waving hoof to Gale before pointing at them.

One of the filth-ridden Raiders commented, “Ugh, I’m bored… hey, Buzzsaw! Is my fucking Radroach steak ready?! I’m fucking famished!”

Gale whispered to me, “When he comes, I’ll give you the okay to fire. I’ll fire as well.”

I nodded her order.

“Tootsie, take Bob and get behind the corner of the wall.”

Tootsie whispered back, “Okey-dokey-wokey. Bob! Come with me.”

Bob let out a reluctant whirr and slowly skittered off of my back to join up with Tootsie. He was too badly damaged to engage in combat. And a good thing, too.

Inside 34B, Buzzsaw let out a nasty reply to his fellow Raider pony, “Oh shut your yap, Minesweeper! Its almost ready so calm the fuck down, will ya?! I’ll feed ya stooges once ya stop yer whining!”

There was only two, but I expect more of them inside either of the rooms. And something tells me that they’re gonna be bringing hell on us the moment their eyes are on us. Not taking chances. No way, no how. And-- oh wait… I still remember that I’m PipBuck-less, so I can’t slip into S.A.T.S. for a precise shot. Well, that’s going on about swimmingly. This is gonna be a roll on a dice, isn’t it?

I pulled my sniper rifle and laid my body completely flat on the stained rug and aimed down the sights. Gale Storm aimed her twin Plasma Rifles, readying herself to fire.

I could just feel my heart frantically pounding inside my chest. I’m trying to not shake as to not frantically miss my shots. I can hear one of them exiting the room after their brief argument…

Minesweeper, who goes by her name from the filth-ridden mare, had just exited room 34B and had soon spotted us, “What the fu--!”

“Fire!”

As per Gale’s order, we both fired at the Raider mare. Combined with my sniper shots and Gale’s plasma shots, the Raider pony stood no chance and didn’t just died from gunshots; she was dissolved into green goop.

It wasn’t long before the Raiders in both sides of the rooms inside heard gunfire.

“What the fuck was that?!”

Other Raiders had stormed out of their rooms and as they had discovered Minesweeper’s corpse, we gunned them down easily before they knew where we were. Some had turned into green goop, the others were just shot dead. It was our first, successful ambush. And I thank the goddesses that I didn’t have to worry about using S.A.T.S. or the E.F.S. to take care of them.

I got up to my hooves and smiled to Gale Storm, offering a hoofbump to her. She gave me the hoofbump, “Nice shot, kiddo.”

Gale glanced at the filly to inform her, who was covering her ears from the gunfire.

“All clear, Tootsie. The Raiders aren’t gonna bother us anymore. You can come with us now.”

Tootsie nodded as she moved her hooves from her ears, “Okey-dokey-wokey! Lead the way!”

Bob staggered to its legs and shakily skitters his way to us. He was still functional, but still badly damaged as he could barely keep himself balanced. He emitted his worried whirr to Tootsie Roll as she assured him, “Don’t worry… we’ll get you fixed up in no time! Its too bad the rain won’t let us go outside…”

She’s right. As we entered room 34A, thunder was booming outside of the complex. Rain was showering like Celestia’s endless solar flares with high levels of intensity to it. Looks like we’ll have to take shelter on here before we can keep moving. Gale looked at the open door to 34B and turned her attention to us, “I’ll go check if there’s any food left over.”

We nodded and I looked at the unused radio. It was turned off so I tried to turn it on.

Static. Figures as such.

I turned it off. Seems the radio signal was blocked off by the torrential rainfall, so it seems that there won’t any music for the time being. Either that or the signal’s out of range. Or both.

I went back to the two as Gale returned with Radroach meat! Of course, I can’t just stay vegan in order to survive, would I? Tootsie looked on with a disgusted expression, “Ewwww! Is that pony steak?!”

Gale lets out a soft and heartwarming giggle, “No, Tootsie. Its a well-cooked remains of the Radroach. And before you object, we need to eat to ensure our survival. It doesn’t matter how awful they taste or how gross they look. Survival is key here, especially when we need to keep our strengths up. Of course, your robo-scorpion friend won’t have to eat anything.”

I nodded to Tootsie. Gale’s right; as much as I don’t like to eat disgusting-looking meals, the last thing we need is to become hungry and weak.

Tootsie groaned a little as Gale had cut up a piece and offered it that is held on by a hoof, “Fiiiine…”

Reluctantly, the filly floated up a piece of Radroach meat and took a bite. It was crunchy and already she was scrunching her face with disgust before gulping it down, “Guh… so yucky…”

I gave it a taste as well as the ex-Enclave gave me another piece. I suppose the cooking has had very minimal radiation levels which makes it safe enough to eat. We had our dinner inside the room while outside was still madly pouring with droplets of rain hitting the windows repeatedly. Tootsie was still disgusted from the taste but it was all she could do to ease her hunger.

The filly was still disgusted, but we were all full. Bob cringed at the sight of heavy rainfall outside. Well, at least we’re not forcing him to go outside though I figured that I need to find something in room 34B and see if there’s anything useful that can help fix him up besides the screwdriver alone. I got up onto my hooves and looked at Gale Storm. I gestured my hoof to her, as to let her know that I’m going to room 34B to find something.

“I see. Alright, I’ll stay here with the two.”

I nodded to Gale and gave her a thankful smile as I trotted off of the room and entered 34B. Inside was a crudely-made campfire that is still lit and the windows closed. Only two of them were sealed with wonderglue so I opened up one of the unsealed windows to allow smoke to escape to avoid suffocation. I was slightly blasted a bit by the merciless wind that was raging along the stormy weather.

Turning right from the corner, I saw both the terminal and the safe. And on the right is a workbench. Heh, sweet! First off, the terminal. I took an approach and booted it up. ‘liability’ was the correct password. Easy peasy! No terminal can outsmart me! And with that, I disengaged the lock of the safe from the floor and a blissful sound of a safe door opening for me.

Inside were five bags of Rad-Away, a couple of ammo rounds and two recordings. I grabbed ahold of the Rad-Away bag and looked at it… it's orange. I wonder if it tastes like an orange juice?

I placed the straw connected to the bag into my mouth and began to drink.

Glug. Glug.

My face let out a disgusted scrunch with each gulp. I did my best to not spit it out, but goddess-damnit its disgusting! Eugh!

It tastes like cat piss merged with expired milk, and then blending the two together to make it LOOK like an orange juice that tastes NOTHING like any orange juice would! Blech! My mind was overwhelmed with how appalling the taste the Rad-Away is. Ugh… it’s gonna leave me a horrid aftertaste for a hoof-ful of days or so. On the plus side, at least it lowers radiation levels when consumed, but that doesn’t excuse of how morbid it tastes! Orange juice, my flanks!

I took everything inside the safe and gazed my attention to the workbench. I remembered that I still had the recipe with me in my saddlebags back in the other day. Of course, I can barely remember where I did acquired the said recipe because of our harsh landing while escaping the Tatzlwurm. Nevertheless, I pulled the recipe blueprint off of my saddlebags with my teeth and rolled it open onto the workbench table. My eyes glittered with such amazement…!

The Tesla Cannon! Oh my goddess… this could be my first discovery from Neighkola Tesla himself! From the looks of the picture of the Tesla Cannon, it is purely of high grade and state-of-the-art! Thank you, Neighkola Tesla!

The biggest catch there is to construct it is a tesla coil. And unfortunately, the tesla coil is non-existent anywhere in the area. Damnit! And to construct it alone adds up to the challenge, especially when it looks to be a very heavy energy weapon! But wait, there’s more! There’s a warning label at the bottom left of the recipe print that reads:

WARNING!

The Tesla Cannon has a massive knockback if not properly handled. Can result in severe physical injury from the recoil upon firing the Tesla Cannon. It is also HIGHLY electrical, so don’t even think of touching it when it's currently in use. Use it at your VERY own risk!

So this is indeed the most powerful weapon in all of ponykind, and the most lethal as well if used on the wrong hooves…

Another thought had suddenly hit me; our encounter with Cloud Storm inside a medical facility back in Stable Town after our escape from Mount Gallopmore and from a sudden unrest when they first encountered Gale Storm in an Enclave power suit. Could it be that Gale Storm is related to her? Maybe an older sister? I wonder why shy never told me this… then again, she was in disguise and didn’t want to reveal her true identity as to keep herself concealed. I’m not sure why but if this is true, I’ll have to ask Gale about this. (In written words, that is.)

Of course, without my PipBuck, I’ll have to keep carrying the recipe I’ve uncovered inside my saddlebags up until five weeks have passed and my PipBuck fixed for it to record it. I can’t risk losing it.

Underneath a workbench table lies a recorder, though I can’t tell if this is a second recipe or just a typical recording, but I stuffed it inside my saddlebags for safekeeping. No PipBuck means no way to store its data inside.

I went back to the room where the three are, seeing Tootsie already asleep along with Bob onto the mattress. Gale turned her attention to me, “Oh, hey Zero. The two are asleep and little Tootsie’s tired. Have you found anything from the other room?”

I gave her a nod and set my saddlebags down for her to check it out. She opened up the saddlebags to reveal packs of Rad-Away, three recordings (or recipe, whichever one of them is) and a couple of ammo rounds that doesn’t fit within the sniper or plasma categories. She discarded the unwanted ammo rounds from my saddlebags, “These won’t be needed…”

I’m not gonna object to her tossing away the ammo cases; I just felt like collecting things, heh.

“Rad-Aways? Now these could be useful… and recipes and recordings! Good find!”

Hooray for the compliments! I smiled excitedly in thanks (or at least I was trying to) before I let out a quiet and tired yawn. Damn I’m getting sleepy all of a sudden…

It wasn’t long before Gale took notice on my tiredness, “Sleepy, hmm? Looks like this scientist will need his rest.”

She let out a soft giggle and I had just quietly chuckled at her playful remarks. I suppose a rest will suffice until the weather calms the buck down a little. The ex-Enclave informed me that, “I’ll keep a close eye out for the weather from the window. Go and rest up for now, Zero.”

I didn’t object. My mind and body were tired from our lengthy trek and having to take care of the Raiders in order for us to take shelter in room 34A and wait until the storm’s settled in. Of course, it wasn’t until Gale caught a whiff of a scent of an aftertaste coming from my mouth.

“Eugh what is that smell? It smells like rotten oranges…”

I opened my eye and pointed a hoof at the Rad-Away bags. Clearly, it was the reason for me to have a horrid breath.

“Oh… figures. Somepony should’ve at least added flavor to it…”

Heh. Tell me about it, Gale. My mind spoke out. Soon, I dozed off to rest up.

The storm had ended. All I could hear were winds howling eerily.

I jolted myself up, but not from a nightmare (or at least I thought I was). I forgot to ask Gale Storm something! I looked around to see if there’s anything useful to write down… nothing. No pencil, no paper either. Goddess-damnit!

But wait… oh fuck! They’re gone! It can’t be! I frantically looked around to see if Gale, Tootsie Roll and Bob are around; they all left without me! H-How could they?!

And to make matters worse, is that my saddlebags and my SDM-9 sniper rifle are gone! Stolen, even! Gah! G-Get it together, Zero… this is all a nightmare, and it’ll be all over soon…

My heart was jackhammering like crazy, threatening to burst itself from my chest! Nonononono, this can’t be happening to me! Tootsie, Bob, Gale! Where the buck are you guys?! As if that wasn’t enough, the entire area around me was pitch black. No buildings, objects… nothing! Of course, it wasn’t until I was falling down, helplessly screaming without my voice ever making a single sound. Soon, I was in the Everfree Forest. Oh goddess, this can’t get any worse can it?

At least there aren’t any creatures on a hunt for me. Random lightning had struck and jolted me forward. Looking forward at the horizon, I saw two shadowy pony figures approaching me. Could it be Gale Storm? Or even Tootsie Roll? Or… oh goddesses no…

Carbon Monoxide and Solar Eclipse?! And their faces were… were… hideously deformed!!

“Why didn’t you save us, Zero? What kind of a scientist are you?”

They both spoke simultaneously, with their voices warped in a sinisterly manner. My ears fell flat, fear just hitting me hard and not even from claustrophobia just getting to me. But the fear of my two former and dead teammates! I quickly turned around, but then I saw something even more frightful. The same, crazed pony surgeon who had abducted me a few weeks ago whilst I was searching for the two; Dr. Scalpel!

“Ready for your experiment, my latest subject?”

His voice was both raspy and ominous. I’m greatly unarmed and my only choice was to run! Fucking damnit all!!!

Oh goddess, why must it come down like this?! Why?!

I turned back and Dr. Scalpel wasn’t after me, but those blue leaves were! Damnit, damnit, damnit!

And just my horrifying luck, deadly blue leaves made slight contact to me. Soon I was not only blind, but deaf as well! I can't hear or see anything! Too many ringing noises inside my ear, goddess-damnit!

I was completely vulnerable… now wide open for anypony or anything to finish me off. Please, somepony wake me up…

Reality came crashing down to me as my face was drenched with water bottle from Tootsie Roll, with Gale Storm looking on with worry, “Come on, Zero! Wake up! Wake up!”

I jolted up from the bed a second time, this time into reality instead of a crazy-ass nightmare that nearly claimed my life. I was panting harshly, my lab coat and Stable-replica suit coated with sweat of pure fear and anxiety. W-Where am I?! Am I in the Everfree Forest again?!

“Yay! Zero’s awake!” Tootsie gave out a cheer to me. Was there anything to cheer about?

Gale gave me a hug out of worry, her forelegs wrapped around my back tightly, “Oh Zero… we were worried about you! You were twitching and sweating and we figured that you had a terrible dream. We tried to wake you up, but you weren’t able to. I told Tootsie to get the water bottle and pour it onto you just so you could wake up… I understand that you’re unable to speak, but at least nod to us if you’re okay.”

I was shaken. So shaken that my mind can’t really tell if I’m still in a horrendous nightmare or in an already-nightmarish reality. Either outcome, I fell flat onto my ears and I couldn’t nod. Instead, all I could do is return a hug to the ex-Enclave of a soldier and just cry really hard and silent. I just couldn’t bear with this… I just… couldn’t bear with it…

Tootsie lets out a sad gasp upon seeing me break down into tears, “Uh oh! Zeroooo! Don’t go all saddy-waddy on us! Pleaaase!”

S-Stop… not helping, damnit…

“Little Tootsie, stay with Bob. Me and Zero need some alone time in the other side of the room… come on, Zero… just come with me…”

I was led into 34B as she closed the door to allow Tootsie to have her fun with Bob. Me? Clearly the opposite of fun, just pain hitting me where it truly doesn’t belong. Not by a motherbucking landslide…

I simply sniffled and wept, just holding onto Gale (and hoping that she is really her…) and unwilling to let go. It wasn’t just the first bad dream I had; it was by far an emotional sight to see a disheartening vision that led from an insult to injury (in the hellish dream realm, of course).

“Its alright… we’re all okay, just please don’t cry… you have to hang in there Zero. We need you by our side. If anything, you can at least tell me something, even without your voice…”

I wiped away the tear from my working and reddish eye before I held my hoof around hers to guide it onto my chest. Maybe with the help of a magical effect from the statuette of Pinkie Pie, I could tell her… something…

I had a vision. A vision that I never once wanted to desire. I saw… both of my former teammates known as Carbon Monoxide and Solar Eclipse. They were both abducted by a crazed surgeon going by the name of Dr. Scalpel. He took my voice. I couldn’t speak at all. It was like two of the important things that were taken away from me, the ones I held them near and dear. Gone… and to add insult to injury, I was in the Everfree Forest and I made a mad escape until those blue leaves got me. I was left blind and deaf, apart from being already mute. It was like a double whammy of the sort…

After allowing my pony mind to do all the talking, Gale let out a soft gasp with a concerned look on her face. It seems that it worked and what I got in return was a second hug, “Ohhh… I’m sorry to hear what happened in your dream, Zero. Sadly we can’t do anything about that. If your two teammates are gone, then there’s no hope of saving them. As for your voice? We’ll find a voice modulator for us to return to Stable Town and make sure you’ll be able to speak again, even if it's risky. But for right now, we need you to stay strong and head somewhere else before we can return to Fhoal Island to get your PipBuck back. Okay?”

I quickly nodded and cleared up the last few remains of my tear, doing what I could to give her a salute.

Of course, she lets out a giggle from my gesture. Yes I know that I’m not a soldier like her… but anything that’ll at least cheer her up, just to show that I can deal with authority figures like Gale herself.

“Hehe.. at ease, scientist. Now, set those waterworks of yours aside and let’s regroup with the two.”

Yeah. Good idea.

We entered back inside room 34A as I went to get my (totally real and not non-existent) saddlebags and my real SDM-9 sniper rifle. I originally wanted to ask Gale Storm, but until my mind is fully calm and restored, now’s not a good time. Same goes for the recordings I’ve recently found in the safe yesterday. And thank the goddesses that we weren’t hungry or we’ll be spending half the time removing boards from the doors, just to scrounge on food.

Bob was still quite damaged but was able to get onto his legs and regroup with us, along with Tootsie.

“So, we ready to go?” Gale asked. I really hate sleeping next to dead Raiders, they’re already starting to rot!

Tootsie saluted to Gale (with Bob doing the same gesture with his metal claw), “Yes, ma’am!”

This filly must’ve learned that from me! Of course, we went downstairs and left the apartment complex. Neither rain nor storm. It was cleared of the raging waters and we went on.

But of course, we had to stop mid-way as a couple of Enclave troops had left the abandoned cafeteria. Uh oh.

“Oh fuck… hide!” Gale ordered us and we quickly hid inside an ally (and goddess the narrow walls are killing me already!).

“Ooohhhh… are we playing hide and seek?!”

Gale and I shushed at the filly. It sure as hell isn’t hide and seek! She meekly replied as she covered up her mouth, “Oopsies! Sorry…!”

“No sign of Gale Storm. Do you think we should spread out and search?” One of the Enclave soldier asked the other.

“Negative. We were told to not get ourselves lost and to make sure that we don’t go too far away from each other. We need to keep looking and apprehend Gale and take her back to Itrotly ASAP.”

Seems like there’s a search party going on about. They’re looking for their former kind and whatever it’ll turn out, it's not going to look good.

Gale wouldn’t even fly up in the skies to find an alternative route. With the Enclave soldiers being solely pegasi, their chances of catching us are very high.

Behind us, a door on the left and a small open vent in between the two buildings that connect as one. In this case, a dead end. I can bet Bob can crawl inside and open the door for us, but we don’t know where the open vent will lead him to. I wrapped my hoof around the door knob to turn, nothing. Locked.

Wait! I have an idea! I poked to Tootsie and pointed the direction of the locked door, implying the filly to have it unlocked for us. Tootsie gazed at the lock before letting out a happy glee, “Yay! More locks to pick! Leave it to me!”

Of course, her excitement is sure enough to echo a little outside as I facehoofed so hard. Damnit, Tootsie! You’re gonna give us away!

As she floated up a bobby pin and screwdriver from my saddlebags, one of the Enclave guards had noticed the noise.

“Huh? What was that?”

“Its coming from over there.” The unnamed Enclave pointed out.

Goddess damnit! Make it quick before we’re discovered, Tootsie! Gale had nervously gulped before letting out a hushed voice to Tootsie, “Damnit, little Tootsie… better make it quick…!”

At least with Tootsie’s expertise in lockpicking, the door let out a soft clicking noise as to signify that the door’s now unlocked.

“Ta-da! One locked door unlocked!”

She floated them back into my saddlebags and we quickly darted into the building before closing the door before the Enclave troops had any chance of catching us! Whew! Too damn close for comfort!

The soldier looked at the narrow alleyway that we were originally in before letting out a small shrug, “Huh… must be hearing things.”

“Yeah, don’t let the Wastelands get to you. They make you hear things and all kinds of shit. Let’s move on and keep on looking for her.” The unnamed Enclave soldier assured to his fellow soldier. The search continues, and we’re still alive and not captured (or worse).

We were inside an abandoned supermarket, with the majority of foods in thirteen aisles looted clean. Seems that it was either the Enclave or the Raiders that scavenged them off like hungry vultures. The windows were boarded up as well so at least we don’t have to worry about them watching us inside. This place was ransacked and had left nothing behind. And by goddess are we getting hungry…

At least the storage room inside doesn’t require a terminal or a lockpick so we just went inside; only two unopened cardboard boxes were left inside. I hope that we don’t find any meat as I glanced at Gale, who was gently rubbing her hoof against her stomach. I looked at her with a bit of worry but was reassured with, “Its alright, Zero. I’ll be fine. Just open up the boxes and see if there’s any food inside. Even if it's… meat…”

Yeah… sacrificing your eating habits as a vegan is the only way to keep on moving or we won’t be able to live the next day. I don’t care… we have to eat something, even if it's meat…

I opened up the first box… only a bunch of Sparkle-Cola cans. Some which are full, the others are just empty. Typical.

I opened up a second box that reveals to be canned foods of different kinds inside. Well this is something I don’t see everyday… but, food is food and I collected them to store them into my saddlebags. Can’t expect myself or my allies to eat them uncooked and risk poisoning themselves.

We left the storage room and are about to make our exit outside. I stopped halfway as my senses started to kick in; there’s a tripwire outside! I quickly darted forward to block the path and eagerly shaking my head as to indicate a trap in front of us.

“You’re… playing hoof games?” Gale asked me.

What…? What kind of a dunce-headed question is that?! I pointed a hoof onto the tripwire, although Tootsie cluelessly walked to it (even as Bob let out an alarmed whirr to his friend). “Oooohhh… a wire! Can I cut it? Can I, can I, can I?!”

Like hell you will!

“Tootsie! Stay away from the wire. If what Zero pointed to us is true, then its connected between the two open doors. Look up above; grenade clutches as well.”

Thank you for the obvious statement, Gale Storm. I looked up and there were indeed clutches of grenades hung above. And unless I can safely cut the wire without the risk of having grenades dropping on us and blowing us to kingdom come, I don’t have a proper cutting tool to do so. We’ll have to come out the same way we came in.

Tootsie looked up and lets out a cute squeak upon seeing a clutch of grenades hanging above before quickly scurried back behind Gale, “S-Scary grenades!”

I motioned my head and led them back to the door we had gotten in before. I shook my head a little bit, trying to forget the goddess-awful nightmare I had last night (or day, because I lost track of time thanks to my lack of a PipBuck).

I opened the door but my eye quickly caught attention of an Enclave troop from the outside! Fuck! I quickly closed it before the heavily-armored soldier noticed us. (And thankfully, it’ll just say that its simply hearing things.)

“What’s wrong?” Gale asked me. I shook my head in response, as to let them know that it was a no-go. Their search was still ongoing, and its gonna make our escape difficult.

The filly whispered to her, “I think there was a baddie outside…”

“Oh. I guess we’ll have to go over the tripwire, right?”

I gave her an affirmed nod. I’m afraid its our only escape and unless the other Enclave soldiers can call off their search, they’re likely to stick around in this ghost town for a really long while.

We’re back to the same exit, with the same tripwire and the same grenade clutches. I turned my attention to them and I pressed my hoof against my breast, as to indicate that I should go first. They nodded to me and I gazed my attention back to the tripwire. And fuck me I’m sweating like I was in a not-so relaxing day at the spa…

I slowly moved my left hoof around it, then my right. My pony mind was running in places, knowing that even the smallest graze against the tripwire would result into instantly snapping itself in half and a rainfall of explosive death could mean the end of us. So far, so good… now gently, moving my rear hoof over and the other one…

Taking a closer look at my still-intact hooves, I see that I was outside! And with my limbs still with me! Gale could fly over there (and maybe retrieve the grenade bouquets for me, but what experience do I have with explosives, other than to inadvertently blow myself up to bloodied smithereens?) with relative ease and did so with no issues. As for Tootsie? I can only hazard a guess if she would even attempt to play hopscotch with it and end up snapping the wire clean, with grenades raining down along the way…

For the love of Celestia, Tootsie. Don’t fuck this up! Just… don’t. At least jump over it, please…!

I hope she can read pony minds. Gale told her, “Go on. Jump over it.”

“Okey-dokey-wokey! A hop, skip and a jump!” Tootsie indeed jumped over the tripwire, her hindlegs were dangerously inches close to it. Oh fuck! Whatever you do, do not think of touching it, much less grazing it. Not one bit…!

Now all that’s left is Bob. And how will he jump over the wire is seriously luck-determined. Its a serious limbo for both him and us.

Oh man, oh man, oh maaaaan! I seriously hope Bob has enough room to squeeze himself under it! The moment that tripwire snaps from the gentlest of touches…

Damnit! Keep it together, Zero! Have faith in your robo-scorpion friend! He can get through this! But… why am I getting severely anxious?

“Go on, Bob! You can do it! Its like a game of limbo! You can do it!”

At least we weren’t noticed by Enclave soldiers, but anymore will result of them to eventually notice. Bob carefully skitters his way under the wire, keeping his metal claws retracted and his tail lowered. I bit my lower lip with my worry level dangerously skyrocketing as he slowly squeezed through. Eventually, he was finally outside! (Or so I thought.)

“Hooray! Bob made it!” Tootsie cheered on, save for Gale looking on suspiciously as she saw his tail making contact against the tripwire.

“Oh fuck! Zero, get Tootsie!”

I hurriedly galloped over to Tootsie and carried her onto my back as Bob inadvertently lifted his tail up; the tripwire was snapped off.

Gale quickly retrieved him as a cluster of grenades (five of them) rained down onto the ground. We made a mad dash away from the abandoned supermarket before…

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!

We were miraculously alive, though the explosions are enough to rattle the building and soon Enclave ponies swarmed in upon hearing an explosion.

“I heard an explosion! Could it be somepony setting off the trap?!”

“I don’t see any limbs flying around, though… only debris everywhere.”

The Enclave soldiers were left confused, but enough to search around for any non-existent pony that had set off their trap. At least they didn’t found us, but we kept running before we would become discovered. And a narrow escape, too.

Into a forest that isn’t too similar to the Everfree Forest (as I was never fond of nature to begin with) with an abandoned camp and a lit campfire to go for. All of our escape has made us hungrier, but at least we can safely eat canned beans (again) to curb our hunger. Even though Bob was still damaged, he can still hold his own well. And again, he’s a robot; robots can’t eat organic food.

As far as the skies go, its daytime and still dark and gloomy as always. At least no downpour are gonna interfere with us again.

“Say Gale? Where’s your mommy? Is she there?”

Of course, our mid-lunch was interrupted when Gale heard that. It would’ve hurt her feelings, but instead told her, “No. My mother was gone after her foalbirth.”

Tootsie frowned to her, as Bob looked on from the conversation.

“Aww… sorry to hear that… I bet mommy was really nice of you!”

“Heh. Tell me about it, little Tootsie.” Gale replied to the filly. I would told the same thing, but nevertheless we continued on to eat, sitting by the campfire.

Afterwards, my mind has yet to be fully settled even after our lunch. The dream I had wasn’t just any ordinary nightmare would… but to see not only my former teammates show up in a terrifying manner also came with Dr. Scalpel’s grotesque ‘creation’. I couldn’t get a better description but fear kicked in an instant. To makes things even worse, I was chased by deadly blue leaves (Poison Joke, I think?) and touched me afterwards. I was left blind and deaf which fills up the spot for my already-muted voice. I couldn’t scream for help, and even so I wouldn’t even hear myself or the others.

At least my new ally stood up for me and was determined to stick with me alongside Tootsie Roll and Bob. I gazed up at the lifeless skies, leaning myself against the boulder. Celestia, please show me the light. Just this once…

Footnote: Level Up.
New Perk: Bookworm's Revenge -- Grants +8 DT and Strength increased to 10 whenever health is below 20%.
Penalty: Without adequate lighting, you are likely to experience night terrors and temporarily lose -1 INT for resting in a dark and unlit environment.