...and probably not wake up at all after getting knocked out cold the second time, and this time by an imaginary pony I never saw whilst informing others for an immediate evac from my failed search. And that moment where somepony or the Wastelands in general can strike you at anytime and you don’t even know it until it’s too late, means you’re done for. The next thing you know, you’re waking up to find your important items with you completely stolen from your hooves. Or worse, having your organs ripped out without feeling it and you’ll be waking up with nothing inside of you as death finishes you off before you’d even wonder what the hell happened.

Call me insane, but I guess this is how life goes. You’re given the task to retrieve objects that are deemed valuable which sounded simple enough. As it turned out, it was anything but. From my teammates missing to valuable items stolen. And to finish off, me being abducted. And you’re probably even wondering why you were sent on a so-called ‘easy’ mission when the harsh environments are just waiting for a moment to strike without warning.

As my inner mind boasts at me over a mistake I didn't commit (or that I did and pretty much ignored it like nothing happened of course), I guess it seems I’m better off relaxing on my bunk bed from a hard day’s experimental procedures back in Lab-00. Talk about a shitty way to go.

I was still unconscious, hearing nothing but the hums of what appeared to be a sadistic surgeon doing something and barely-lit lights on the ceilings. I deeply pray that he’s not planning to surgically remove my body parts for sickening purposes. I’d be a hoof-less stallion if that happened.

I let out a pained groan, “Where am I…?”

My blurry vision struggles to get a clear vision. One thing is for certain, that this isn’t the same medical facility I’ve visited for a desperate search for the antivenom earlier today. Instead, it looks complete run-down and dilapidated with dimly-lit lights flickering on ceilings. Walls were also heavily corroded and lots of used syringes littered on the table. I helplessly struggled against the metal restraints to no avail as my vision slowly restored.

I heard faint screams from a distance, but couldn't tell who. My head still hurts from being knocked silly before turning my head the left and… what the hell? Is that Solar’s hoof from an open door of another room?!

“Solar?! Solar, is that you?! Its me, Zero!”

I didn't heard her response, but I got a different one instead, “Quiet, subject! I’m busy concentrating!”

Turns out that it wasn't Solar, as I feared (or was it really her? I dunno). Whatever he’s doing to my teammate, he’s gonna bucking regret it! That is, if I wasn't strapped in restraints!

“Quiet, subject! I’m working!” Shouted by a hiss-like sound of a pony. I assume that he’s the bastard that kidnapped me. He exited the room and took a slow but dangerous approach towards me. I shot up an angry glare at him, but his expression’s unfazed at best. Its hard to distinguish on what he truly looks like; his goggles and surgical mask pretty much conceals his true identity, including his expression. Either way, I’m just defenseless with the metal restraints keeping myself from breaking free. Wonderful.

I dangerously asked, “What did you do to my teammates? If you so much as made cruel ‘experiments’ on them, you’ll be--”

Immediately, the surgeon pony cut me off, “Quiet, you lowly subject! Now then, out of all the experiments I tried to seek for a perfect voice, you happened to be the perfect candidate for my latest creation Equestria has ever witnessed!”

What?! Since when was I his perfect ‘candidate’ for his experiment?!

“Who are you and what do you mean by your ‘creation’, bastard?!” I yelled out at him. Again, his expression didn't even fazed by the slightest.

My response was a snarky cackle coming from him, “I’m Dr. Scalpel, Equestria’s renowned surgeon and creator! And you, are my latest donor for my latest creation!”

Hearing his cruel cackle was more than enough for me to kick sorry flank to the moon, if I wasn't strapped in metal restraints. At least he isn't going for my PipBuck by removing my entire hoof just to get it. Of course, I could be wrong. Also, Dr. Scalpel? Sounds a bit unfitting for a surgeon with no sanity level whatsoever. His cutie mark is hidden like his identity as well. If I can make up a thought, his cutie mark would be a bloodied scalpel, hence his name.

The mad surgeon floats out what appears to be a syringe. Probably a lethal injection that’ll kill me more than to slip me into unconsciousness!

I yelled out dangerously at him, “Don’t you even dare! You’re going to regret it if you so much as dissect me! You will release me and my teammates right now!”

Despite my harsh warnings, it fell into deaf ears. Dr. Scalpel nevertheless struck my shoulder inside, the sharp needle driven into me, “Gah!”

“Hush now, my latest donor… I can assure you that this won’t hurt a bit…”

It was apparent that he slipped a sedative in me, “You bastard! You’re going to wish you hadn't done that…”

And down I go for the third (and hopefully final) time, rendering myself useless as my defenseless body submitted to the effects of sedation. Now, unconsciousness. I just hope I don’t wake up with my insides removed.

Just my luck. I could hear nature laughing at my unfortunate demise right now. As he floated up a (hopefully fresh) scalpel, he surgically cut open my throat as the jugular areas were dangerously avoided. One accidental cut means its over for me.

Yet despite his mad-like behavior, he was quite careful and precise by cutting open my throat as it slowly began to bleed. I felt no pain due to the effects of sedatives, but I could tell that this wasn't going to be a pretty sight anyway. As Dr. Scalpel finished cutting my bleeding throat, he floated up a metal and heated object to slow the bleeding before proceeding to resume his work that violates all of ponykind. My mind swam with uncertainty, wondering how such a simple mission turned out to be a deathwish. I couldn't move at all. I could only hear and feel, but react to nothing of any sort. All I’m seeing is nothing but the blackness I've been trying to escape, but of no avail.

After hours of surgical procedure, he slowly wheeled me elsewhere. With me, still unconscious and struggling to even wake up.

“You’ve done well, my latest donor. But now, you are no longer of any use to me and must be disposed of.”

I was dead. Or so I thought. My hoof gave a small twitch as I slowly came to. Where am I? And why is the ground so soft? Surely I wasn’t laying on a spiked pit, am I?

My vision slowly comes to and what I’m seeing right now is a horrible one; piles of dead, mutilated ponies everywhere! And I’m lying on top of the dead, gorified pony! I sat up and screamed from the horrific sight, but there was a catch. Where’s my voice?! I could hear everything but my own voice! Seeing a mass grave of ponies were bad enough, but now I can't speak! How am I to let my teammates know regarding the situation, much less call for an evacuation now that I’m a mute pony?!

I frantically looked around to see if there’s any exit for me. I spotted an open vent which isn't too small, but not too big neither. If this isn’t my exit, then its safe to assume that its intent was to pin me completely with no hopes of escaping this hellhole. And this claustrophobic feel’s getting to me, with my thought giving me a flashback depicting of scientist ponies pinning me inside a closet for ten straight hours back when I was a foal. It was always a dreadful feeling…

Even then, the foul stench of dead ponies isn't making things better. Its just getting worse and I need to get the buck out of here. Its either the vents or being forced to feel the decaying corpses of everything on and around me. Buck it, I’ll just go for the vents. I got up to my hooves, suffering from slight imbalance due to the effects of the sedatives still trying to fully wear off. I slowly trotted forward, amid feeling the squishy, disgusting bodies just withering away while making my way towards the air vent. What I found along the way however, was a sign of life coming from a barely-alive pony whose voice was muffled by a mass of pony corpses with struggled movements.

I carefully trotted over to the movements of a pony. Oh please pray tell this is either Solar or Carbon!, my frantic pony wondered.

Quickly, I wrapped a hoof on the hind leg (wish I could tell who if I wasn't so damn anxious) and pulled out. What my ears picked up were muffled, agonizing screams. I hesitantly stopped and recoiled back from the pained shouts, but approached to the screaming mare again before pulling her out again. To my shock and surprise, the same yellow-coated mare is Solar Eclipse. And without her forelegs; they were cut off entirely!

Solar let out an agonizing scream, “Aaaahhh!! I-It hurts! S-Somepony help me!!”

I watched her in deep horror, her forelegs completely amputated. It was a terrifying sight to see, far beyond than having my vocal chord cut off which left me unable to speak whatsoever. I quickly prodded a hoof to her as an attempt to snap her out of it. Solar Eclipse was startled before taking a good look at me while trying to hold her endless pain.

“Z-Zero..? I..Is that… you?!”

I quickly nodded with a sad smile. Thank Celestia she’s still alive!

What I got however, was unfortunate news from the fore-leg less Solar.

“Zero… Carbon’s dead. The surgeon cut up his wings, tail and ears. I saw it before he… he…”

As there was a pregnant pause by Solar, my ears fell flat from the devastating news. Say it ain't so… Carbon dead?! This can’t be true! Tell me this isn't true! Solar, where were you two?! Why had you not radio me sooner?!

I clenched my fore-legs around her and pulled her into a sad hug, amid hearing her cry out in pain. I quickly lessened the hug, my eyes now filled with a stream of tears. As crazy as Carbon is when it comes to making try-hard jokes, he didn't deserved to die like this. I would scream out his name, yet my voice would emit no sound. I could just cry at the demise of my friend, including the mortally wounded Solar.

Solar had nuzzled into my teary cheek, “D-Don’t cry, Zero… we’ll get out of here ASAP…”

How? With the loss of Carbon, we could end up denouncing ourselves as scientist researchers. And with her fore-legs gone, I’m deeply unsure how she’ll last without losing too much of her blood. I guess its the painkillers that are keeping her alive. Even then, I can’t leave her behind. I have to try and get us out of here while there’s still a chance. Just hang in there, Solar!

I carefully wrapped my fore-legs around her neck and pulled her to the open air vent. Upon arriving there, I gently placed her head into the entrance for her to at least worm her way in. With a bit of strength left, she does so by inching her way in aside from the gory feeling.

As she did, I could hear pained gasps as she inched inside the vent. I extended my fore-legs and entered inside, followed by my head. As uncomfortable as it seemed, I managed to dug my way inside as I placed both of my hooves to her hind-legs as to pick up a slight pace. I felt a pool of blood seeping into my outfit, but its nothing compared to the death of our friend. All I can think of is getting the hell out of here.

It was a lengthy one. And I can only turn my head away as to not look at her flanks. Solar shouted out, “Were almost there!”

Yes! Thank you Solar with the good news!

As Solar arrived to the exit, she told me, “Wait! Stop!”

I abruptly stopped pushing her. What is it? Is it another trap?

“There’s a drop, and bunch of garbage bags below. Let’s hope its our safe landing… Ah! Fuck, it hurts..!”

I quietly sighed at the bad news she gave out. Let’s hope this is our way out of this, or we won’t make it out alive. I pushed her hind-legs forward as she was the first to fall down and land onto the pile of waste. It softened the landing, but her amputated hooves had only intensified the pain and emitting more of her agonizing screams. The landing was anything but soft and I closed my eyes as I quickly crawled out of the air vent and plummeted to the garbage bags.

I was dazed before looking around and I was thankful not to accidentally land on top of her, but now she’s bleeding profusely! Fuck! I trotted over and gave her another hug, in an effort to alleviate the pain. As I looked at Solar, she was getting pale; Solar is dying...

As she took one final look at me, she asked, “You’ve been quiet for a while, Zero… care to tell me why..?”

My eyes watered down to my cheeks again, seeing her now dying at my hooves. There aren’t any healing potions around here (or there are, just empty), much less a syringe to keep her alive. And even then, I’d come back only to find her dead already. Or that I will never be able to find any healing items just to save her. I wiped off the tears of despair from my eyes with a hoof, but it continued to trickle down before looking back to Solar. If I still had my voice, I’d have explained everything to her.

Instead, I lift my head back to show her my throat. I heard a soft, but shocked gasp. It was her reaction:

“Oh no, Zero… your voice… its gone… I.. I’m sorry…”

But she wasn’t finished, to say the least. She spoke to me in a dying tone, “I won’t make it… even if you found the Hydra somewhere, it’ll be too late. I need you to do me a favor…”

My ears picked up her soft words.

“End me…”

No! She can’t be serious! I’m a scientist, not a murderer! Yet, seeing her suffer like this was too much to bear. Goddesses, this can’t be happening! And there isn’t anything that’s deemed to be worth putting her out of misery. With no other choice left, I positioned my fore-legs onto the front and back of her head to torque my hooves with enough force to snap her neck.

I tearfully mouthed my words to my dying friend, ‘Forgive me’

CRRCK!

It was done. Solar is no more, I held my hooves around her now-dead body with sheer sadness and despair flooding my heart. Good-bye, Solar. May Celestia guide you forever…

I resumed exploring New Hampshore, my hopes gone and my status as a scientist completely devoted into a pony who claims lives from another like a common Raider. I had nothing with me now, and returning to Lab-00 is now a thing of a past. I can’t muster any more courage with both of my teammates gone and the inability of speaking normally. As I took a glance at a window display, my outfit was a complete mess. Riddled with blood and filth, it also became a grim reminder of how a simple mission can turn disastrous in a matter of seconds. Minutes even, days as well. My mind was right, I’m a devoted scientist. Outcast, maybe. With great inventions comes with horrible prices. And my throat was sewn with crudely-made stitches. As harmful as it looked, its nothing compared to the loss of my two important friends.

I lost both of my teammates, one which I did the unthinkable. As merciful as it was, I still can’t believe that I killed my own friend. I regretted every little of it, even if her suffering was too much to bear. Evacuation to Lab-00 is out the window, and now I’m going solo for this one. Dr. Scalpel is gonna pay for this when I see him again, taking both the important artifacts me and my former teammates have collected and claiming the lives from them and nearly my own.

I took a glance up at the dark and gloomy skies of New Hampshore. It seems the evil skies are watching me, nastily grinning at me from my misfortune. I don’t give a damn anymore.

The last thing I’ll be doing is befriending a pebble and name him Boulder. I spoke in my mind as a substitute of speaking normally. Turning my head to the side, I saw a saddlebag dangling from a pony mannequin inside an abandoned store.

Grabbing it and wrapping my body around with it seems convenient enough. Beats being a pack mule to carry lost items onto my back. As the skies grew darker, my PipBuck was barely even visible. I couldn’t tell where I was, other than to try and find a safe area to rest up inside. I opened up a saddlebag to check and there are at least two fresh carrots. Good enough, I suppose.

My PipBuck gave me a notification, but I can’t tell due to the screen’s low visibility. As I can’t predict whether its a friendly or a hostile, I quickly galloped inside a run-down pharmacy building. No way in hell am I getting abducted again! Being kidnapped and having to kill my own friend was traumatizing enough!

The smell was quite arid after arriving inside, but its nothing compared to a pile of dead ponies I was lying onto. Lights were softly buzzing inside before making my way through the aisle, between the shelves with a sparse amount of medication still in stock. I sighed at the sight, looking back at my hind-leg still patched with a bandage that was used by Solar. I moved my hind-leg forward and clenched my teeth to it to tear it off, revealing my hoof fully healed. Can’t say the same for my ill-received heart as I made my way behind the counter.

Setting down my saddlebag to grab a carrot with a hoof and chowing it down hungrily and swallowed it, or at least I tried to. I winced from the sharp pain hitting my throat inside as I tried to swallow again, followed by more pains inside.

Its become apparent that without my vocal chord, it makes ingesting a simple meal a tedious challenge. Fucking Dr. Scalpel! He took my ability to both speak and swallow food?! Oh, it is on!

He can take my voice away, but he’s not going to take my meal away! Not now, not ever! I gulped down the chewed carrot with enough force to down it inside my gullet and then inside my hungry stomach. As excruciating as it felt, it was also worthwhile. I placed my hoof onto the cabinet and slid open to the side, revealing to be a couple of healing potions. Much better than the previous one, but also small and cramped.

I pulled the cork open and chugged it down to ease the pain from my throat (but not my mind). It didn’t sealed my throat, but it’ll have to do for now. I laid my body down onto a makeshift bed made out of strewn cardboard boxes, allowing my mind to wander and escape from the horrible experiences earlier today. My body fidgeted a little from both the small space and… Solar.

I was in a body of a foal, or that I was clearly a foal version of myself inside a closet. I could hear laughter from other young ponies and making jokes to each other. What am I doing in a closet? Its small and cramped. I was told that they’ll pick me up later, but I knew this wasn’t true. Looking left and right, I saw both my lab coats and my retrofitted Stable outfits (none which bear any numbers to it and are most likely to be replicas).

Those were my days as a foal and how I hated small spaces. Its the equivalence of being stuffed in a box like a common house cat to be placed for ‘adoption’. I banged on the closet door, “Hey, let me outta this closet!”

The only response I got was being plunged into darkness. I screamed and helplessly flailed my hooves as I fell down, pretty much falling into an endless abyss. Or worse!

I landed onto an invisible floor. I grunted in pain, but I was still intact. Of course, I began hearing various voices as I frantically galloped my way out of here. Looking at an unfamiliar figure, I began to shout, “Solar?! Carbon?!”

The response I got was a dark one.

“Zero, why didn’t you saved me? What kind of failure of a scientist are you? What inventions did you made? A new way to kill ponies? You’re not a scientist, you’re a killer and a savage in Equestria! Consider yourself banned from any future research and inventions!”

“No! Starshooter, don’t do this to me! Anything but my status!” I pleaded.

Unfortunately, my words fell on deaf ears as the invisible floor I’m standing began to consume me alive. Fuck! This isn’t happening!

As I turned my head back, I could see a wide-open mouth with serrated teeth and is about to devour me whole! Goddesses, save me while you still can!

My body jolted awake as I let out a muted scream from the sudden nightmare. I was sweating profusely, but at least nopony barged in and killed me or stole things I had with me. I looked around at my enclosed surroundings before looking at my blood, sweat and filth-ridden outfit again. I clutched my forelegs around my head again, trying to rid the horrifying events and the claustrophobic feeling combined.

I fought hard to hold back the tears as I scarfed my muzzle down to the saddlebag to grab a piece of carrot and take a good chunk of bite from it. I bit off more than I could chew, but did what I could to swallow hard amid the painful sting burning inside my throat.

I silently panted before sitting up, allowing my vision to adjust itself for me to see clearly. So much for having a normal sleep, but at least its morning according to my PipBuck. Time to go, I suppose. My pony mind spoke out. I wrapped the saddlebag around me and stumbled onto my hooves before grabbing a couple of healing potions with me and leaving. What a nightmare. And where was Luna anyway?! I thought her duty was to visit ponies’ dreams even if she’s clearly not physically there!

As I left the abandoned pharmacy, I was greeted with four red blips from the radar. Well, this isn’t going to end well. Probably Dr. Scalpel’s murderous creation, a small pack of killer Raiders or even ravenous creatures out to get me. I’m armed with potions and a half-eaten carrot, and the chances of getting rid of them are slim at best. Might as well sneak my way out of this if I have to stay alive.

I then heard commotion, “Dammit, where are the fucking Cobras?! These motherfuckers have crossed us for the last time!”

Explicit aside, its no doubt that these are the Raiders. It seems to me that they have a really heated feud with the Cobras I saw a few days ago. I carefully snuck behind various objects as to not be seen by them; one was carrying a tomahawk with her mouth, the other carrying a worn-out revolver. The other two have battle saddles, armed and ready to raise hell. And they all looked filthy.

As they look around the area blocking into an alleyway, it seems that they’re not leaving! Think, Zero! Think! I can’t just charge at them without the risk of becoming a shooting gallery.

Looking right, I saw a chunk of rock and grabbed it with a hoof to lift it up. Despite the slight heaviness, I held onto it and waited for an opportunity. Once one of the Raider ponies faced elsewhere, I hurled the rock onto the distracted Raider. It landed onto her head, but not killing her. I left her dazed instead.

“Gah! What the--?! Who chucked a damn rock at me?!”

The Raiders were clueless at first, though one with the tomahawk began to look around as her scent was caught up, “Hmm…”

I quickly rolled onto the next object, but the mare quickly chucked the tomahawk and it barely missed me. Unfortunately, I recoiled in pain, clutching my hoof against my right eye. Sonofabitch landed a lucky shot! Gotta move, now!

The unnamed, charcoal Raider spoke out, “Ah got sumthin’!”

Their leader spoke out, “If its a wannabe Cobra or a regular pony, I want ya to skin ‘em alive!”

I stumbled into the street as I dazedly galloped off to escape. One of the Raiders found trickling blood on the ground (presumably my own) as he let out a wicked grin before they began to follow the blood trail. I barely escaped. Barely.

I was panting in pain before chugging down the heal potion to stop the bleeding. My body slid onto the dirt ground, lying against a demolished building. As if being mute wasn’t enough… I can’t see with my right eye now. Great! Just, fucking peachy! I look like a Raider already! I brushed my hoof against my mane to cover up my now permanently-damaged right eye. This day just can’t get any better. Not to mention that their hunt is still on. As long as I’m hiding and not make any sudden noises (ironic, of course), I’ll be fine…

In Lab-00, the situation had become worrying for one of the scientist teams, “Mr. Starshooter, half of the teams, including the Scavenger team, hasn’t returned in days! We last received a distress signal coming from Zero, but it was immediately cut off before the message was even finished.”

Starshooter sternly replied, “This situation is growing with deep uncertainty. Not only are we running short on supplies, but the members are becoming deeply concerned and are questioning on whether or not a relocation is our primary order. I’ve given them the simplest tasks to find and retrieve artifacts, as well as food supplies to maintain this facility.”

He paused for a brief moment before resuming, “Something is wrong with New Hampshore. Things are… changing. We need to evacuate this facility and relocate elsewhere. We shall notify everypony to gather all of our items and prepare for an immediate relocation.”

The elder scientist pony shook his head, “But sir, where will we go? New Hampshore is too dangerous for us to go out there in an effort to relocate! We’ve lost contact of our teams, we can’t afford to lose more of our members!”

Starshooter’s expression is unfazed, but showed a hint of worry in him.

“Then we shall stick in groups, no separation. That is an order, and nothing else.”

The scientist stallion gave him a nod, “Right away, sir. I will begin the news immediately.”

After his leave, Starshooter looked up at the ceiling, his mind wondering what was going on in New Hampshore.

Footnote: No Level Up.
Penalties: PER reduced by -1; Normal Speech now limited with written words.