(The Next Day)

        After some rest, relaxation, and stocking/upgrade their gear up. Our traveling hunters make their to the nearest town in the wasteland, with the company of Sunny Day as their guide of the wasteland.

“You sure it was a good idea to leave the earth pony with the cats?” Asked Samantha, who was keeping an eye out for any of the Cephadrome’s from yesterday.

“Well we couldn’t bring him along with us right? I mean after what he told us yesterday, I’m pretty sure keeping him there is much safer than bringing Pip with us.” Vanessa respond as she turn left past a broken up vehicle.

“True, but why didn’t Sunny stay behind as well?” Asked Samantha.

“Because I’m the only pony that knows the wasteland from the back of my hoof, plus I’m not the kind of pony that’s good with little foals.” Sunny said as she looks through Vanessa’s monster hunter book. “Besides he seem okay with staying with them. So who are we to deny the kids request.”

“I guess you’re right. So where are we going anyway?”

“We’re heading to New Appaloosa, I know a few scientist’s there that might take interest in the gear you have. Not to mention this book on all these new monsters in the wasteland we never heard of.”

“As long as they don’t try to do that alien probing thing, then I don’t have a problem with them asking us questions and stuff.” Said Vanessa as she made a right turn past a dead animal. “So from what you told us last night.This place was originally called Equestria, but due to a war that took place 200 years ago Equestria is now called the wastelands?”

“That’s the short version of it. Personally I don’t really care so much about it, what happens in the past stays in the past. Though it would be nice for everything to go back to normal, then to live in a hell hole like this.” Sunny said as she pointed a hoof at the environment around them.

        A few hours have past and so far no sight of any school’s of Cephadrome’s or any other monsters. Just then black smoke started to appear from under the hood of the vehicle they were driving in. “Oh come on! You can’t be serious!?” Yelled Vanessa as she pulled the car over to the side.

“What’s up?” Asked Samantha.

        Tom latched onto Vanessa’s arm as she hopped out of the car, and popped the hood of the car up to see the problem. As she did a puff of smoke burst out of the engine. Hitting her in the face causing her to cough upon impact. Vanessa backed away from the car, trying to clean her lungs of the smoke. “Bad news ladies, our car is out of commission.”

“Damn just our luck.” Said Sunny as she bucks the tire of the car. “Looks like we’re gonna have to hoof it then.”

“That or see if we can find another raiders car, and steal it.” Vanessa suggested.

“And where are we gonna find one in the middle of no where? In case you haven’t notice, not that many ponies come around here besides slavers.”

“Well it’s better than nothing, anyway let’s just head over to that town over their with that huge ass tree sticking out of it.”

“You mean Ponyville?” Said Sunny. The two humans then look at Sunny and rise an eyebrow.

“Pony what?” Asked Samantha.

“Ponyville. It used to be a place where ponies used to live along with the elements of harmony.”

“........This place is weird as hell.”

“It’s the wasteland Vanessa, you should’ve expected something like this after fighting those pony raiders.” Said Samantha as she began to walk towards the town. “Let’s see if we can find some parts to fix our car, or see if we can steal from any more raiders in town.”

“Might as well, but keep on your toes Samantha. After what happen yesterday, we shouldn’t be so careless about our surroundings.” Said Vanessa. She then pulled out a handgun from her backpack, and handed it to Sunny. “Here Sunny. You might need this more than I do.”

“W-Where did you get this from?” Sunny asked taken abrupt by the weapon.

“From the glove compartment in the car. I’m not that comfortable with guns, plus it will protect you and not be the damsel in distress.”

“Fair enough I guess.” Sunny grabbed the gun with her hoof and placed it into her saddle pack. “Thanks, it’s a good thing I’m good with a firearm then with a knife.” She said as she walks off to catch up with Samantha along with Vanessa.

(Ponyville)

        The trio made their way to what remains of the once beautiful town of Ponyville. Houses were either burned to the ground, badly damaged, or wrecked. What got to the humans the most were the somewhat remains of dead ponies. Some of them were either bones, or some were decaying and had flesh that were being eaten by maggots. Samantha’s face turned green as she turn away from the sight, and threw up next to a house. Vanessa on the other hand was not affected by the sight of it.

“Wow this place is like a graveyard.” Said Vanessa walking over the remains of dead ponies. “And here I thought humans were destructive, but you ponies pretty much take the cake.”

“I take your world is a lot like ours?” Asked Sunny walking up to Vanessa.

“Somewhat.Though give the humans a few more years and we might end up like this.”

“You seem to be taking this really too well Vanessa. Most ponies would be freaking out by this, just like most stable ponies.”

“Stable ponies? What the hell are those?”

“Stable ponies are those who survive mega spell bombs by going underground. Inside the stable it is an underground facility that can hold up to 2 or 3,000 ponies. It’s kinda like a place where they can preserve those that are suited for the future when the war was over.”

“Yeah a lot a good that did them huh? Also to answer your question Sunny. I was born in military type family, and my dad would teach me and my brothers how to fight and cope with stuff like this. Unlike my two brothers I was more adaptable to the training and more acceptable to gore and stuff.”

“Oh the boys back in New Appaloosa are so gonna piss themselves when they found out I’m friends with you two.”

“Can we just go and search for parts needed for our car please?” Asked Samantha. “I prefer not to stay here any longer.”

“Alright. You and Sunny Day search the houses on the left side, I’ll go search on the right side.” Vanessa said as she started to walk off. “If you see a raider or somepony in trouble, give me a call on my cellphone Samantha.”

“Roger that boss lady.” Samantha said giving her friend a small salute before walking off.

“Idiot.”  Vanessa thought as she walked off.

(Right side of town)

        A few hours of searching every house that wasn't about to fall on Vanessa, and so far she found a tool kit, five medical kits, a full box of both handgun & shotgun shells, and a few packs of dry food. "Well it's not much, but hey it's better than nothing like dad always says." Vanessa said as she pulled out her cellphone to call Samantha, but stopped due to seeing a light grey color unicorn with a light brown color mane wearing a navy blue shirt; sneaking up on her with what looks like to be a handgun with a scope on top of it.

“Well, that’s interesting.” Said Vanessa at this as she carefully put her phone away. Then looked down at Tom who looked right back at her as if knowing what she was about to do. Tom unlatched himself from off of Vanessa’s arm and crawled onto the roof of the house they came out of.

“Judging by the way she looks, I take it she’s one of those stable ponies Sunny was talking about. Better not kill her unless she’s a raider in disguise.”  Vanessa thought as she slowly turned around to see her attacker. “So care to explain why you’re pointing a gun at someone like me?”

The pony blinked at Vanessa in shock it almost looked like her brain stopped or something. The pony then shook her head and puts the gun at Vanessa. “Don’t move!” She said as she looked around the room. “Is there anypony else here?”

“They’re not with me at the moment, they’re on the left side of town looking for some parts for our vehicle. Why you ask?” The pony gave Vanessa a strange look as if trying to work out if she was lying or not.

“You have a car, but you're looking for parts?” She asked keeping her gun pointed at the human.

“Yeah stealing a raiders car is not best choice, they suck when it come to keeping their vehicles up to date.” Said Vanessa with a smile how ever the pony did not look happy.

“Just my luck, the only way for me to leave this horrible place and it turns out to be a broken down car.” The pony sighed but kept her eyes on Vanessa. “You said you stole that car from raiders, how did you get it?”

“Long story short don’t ever piss me off…..ever. That and always keep an eye out for monsters popping out of nowhere.” Vanessa said as she notice Tom was in position. “So care to low that weapon of yours?”

“Why should I?” Said the pony still pointing the gun at the human.

“Because in about a few second I’m gonna disarm you of your weapon if you don’t low your gun.” The pony just smiled and cocks the hammer of her gun. “Try me!” Said the pony. Just as she said that Vanessa snapped her finger and Tom jumped off the roof, and latched itself onto the ponies face.

As soon as Tom jumped on the pony mare’s face she started to screaming and runs around yelling. “It's a bug! Get it off of me! it’ll eat my brain!” In the mare panic she dropped her gun. 

“He’s not gonna eat your brain.” Said Vanessa ordering Tom to move out of the way. “Now then.” Vanessa rushed towards the pony and grab her by the waist.

“Let go of me you monster! I won’t let you eat me!” The pony yelled and was kicking it hooves out trying to get away.

“Please I don’t eat sentient beings like you, but I’m not afraid to knock some sense into one like you.” Vanessa lifted the pony up and suplex her onto the ground causing the mare to have the wind knocked out of her. “Told you I would disarm you in about a few seconds.”

The pony just groans as she lay on the floor. Vanessa just rolls her eyes and looks at Tom who was now one her shoulder looking at her. “Oh come on I know a suplex like that wouldn’t keep you down, then again I never done it on a pony before so that might be different.”

Samantha jumps in through the window followed by Sunny Day as a hail of gunfire was hot on their heels. “Van the phones don’t work out here!” Screamed Samantha as she loads her bowgun and fire out the window.  

“Did you remember to turn it on, or did you forget to add minutes to it again?” Asked Vanessa as she grabbed to somewhat knocked out stable pony and ducked for cover.

Samantha put her back to the wall before sliding her phone on the floor to Vanessa. Once Vanessa picks it up it just kept flashing ‘no signal’.  

“Great so our phones are useless here then huh?” Said Vanessa. As a bullet buzzed past her head.

“If we can get out of here I’m sure I can find somepony who can make them work for you.” Said Sunny as she shoots at a raider who was to close to the window.

“Gonna be hard seeing how you brought the party here.” Vanessa then focus her attention at the stable pony she had in her arms. “Hey pony girl you up yet?”

“I have a name you know.” She growls and used her magic to pull the gun over and rubs her head. “It’s Littlepip.”

Vanessa just blinks at her. “Really no kidding? We just met a little colt who was named Pip a day ago.”

“Girls there a gunfight going on, help us!” Samantha yelled pulling up some Pellet shots and fire out the window. The sound of Raider’s in pain was her reward.

“Right, right.” Vanessa said as she jumped out the window, and charge at the raiders. Only to hear a loud crunch from behind her and looks up at the roof of the house they were all hiding in. A large set of jaws was slowly chewing up the roof of the house before it stopped and two small red eyes on top of it head looked down at her and the raiders. “Oh you have got to be fucking kidding me!?”

It was a Deviljho. The Deviljho then spat out the roof it was eating and roared at all of them. Vanessa saw her friends and Littlepip run out of the door of the house. Leaving her and the raiders alone with the large monster with nothing but big teeth to make up it lower jaw.

“WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING!?” Yelled one of the raiders.

“Just RUN!” Shouted out Vanessa as she ran past the raiders. And to her luck or bad luck they followed her, so did the Deviljho. “Don’t follow me you assholes! Go somewhere else!”

“Fuck you I can fly!” Yelled a pony with wings who flew up into the air and was chopped out of the sky with one bite. The other raiders panicked, some try to fight the monster only for the Deviljho to snatch them up once they stopped running.

“Man raiders are dumb as hell.” Said Vanessa as she hid behind inside a house watched the raiders run past and getting killed. It looked like the Deviljho has done this before by the way it was just following the large group of ponies.

“Okay I just need to stay under the radar, and not run around like a jackass saying-.”

“It coming! it so big we can’t take it!.” Screamed a raider as he ran around the corner into the alley Vanessa was hiding in.

“I was gonna say come and get me Deviljho, but that works to.” Said Vanessa as she start running down the alley. She then heard one raiders start laughing. “Ha there no way it can fit down this alley we’re saved!” Only for the Deviljho run through the houses as if they wasn’t there holding it mouth open in the alley way going after them.

“WELL LOOK WHO’S WRONG!?” Yelled Vanessa jumping on top of a house that wasn’t wrecked by Deviljho. Vanessa heard the screams of fear from the raiders as the Deviljho slowed to a stop with it tail sticking up in the air. Before she heard a sickening crunch, the Deviljho then lifted its head up chewing up the bodies in it mouth as blood run down it jaws.

“Crap it spotted me.” Said Vanessa as she jumps from rooftop to rooftop to avoid to avoid the oncoming Deviljho. But the roof on one house gives way and she falls in. “Ow, damn you home depot flooring!”

Vanessa then heard the Deviljho steps as it sounded like it was slowly walking through the houses. Vanessa could run out of the house but that sounded like a bad idea with the Deviljho being so close by. So she quickly turned a table over and lined it up so it would hide her in case the Deviljho tried to look inside.

“Man Winnie the Pooh doesn’t have to deal with this kind of bullshit. So why do I have to deal with this?”

The sound of the foot steps was getting louder as it was getting closer. Vanessa could see dust falling from the roof and nicknacks shack from just the monster steps. It was getting so bad she couldn’t tell which way the Deviljho was coming from.  

“Just keep it together Vanessa everything will be just fine. You're not going to be Deviljho's lunch after everything that happened today.” 

Then it stopped, it was deadly quiet. Vanessa didn’t dare move even if she thought the monster was gone. She then felt warm air blowing in to the house, at first she didn’t understand what was going on until the Deviljho slowly pushed its head through the roof and was sniffing.

“Oh god I am so dead, don’t look this way. Please don’t look this way.”

Vanessa could see the power muscles that were moving it head from over her. The smell of blood was in the air as the Deviljho moving it head from side to side sniffing the floor of the house. The Deviljho gave out a growl as drool was starting to hit the dusty floor as if it was still hungry.

“Please go away, please go away, please go away!” She thought as she was now dreng in her own sweat.

The Deviljho had one last sniff before pulling it head out of the room and start to slowly walk off. Vanessa could hear it foot steps getting quieter and quieter and sigh in relief.

“Oh thank god that bastard left.” Vanessa slowly collapse to the ground. “Taking on a Deviljho alone with low gear solo, is like giving a monkey a shotgun. I wouldn’t turn out so well.”

That’s when Vanessa phone started to ring. She sighed seeing it was working, then panicked seeing that her phone was ringing! The sound of the Deviljho feet steps stopped.  

“Oh no.”

The Deviljho foot steps were getting louder again and coming more faster this time, it was coming back.

“Dammit! Of all the time for this stupid phone to work, now it picks the time to work!?” Vanessa yelled as she ran out of the house and bolted towards the open street of Ponyville.

The Deviljho came flying through some houses and roared once it see her. It was going at a slow pace as if seeing no need to run Vanessa down. The Deviljho knew something, her size could not outrun it. That was only made more clear by the way it was growling.  

“SAMANTHA! SUNNY! LITTLEPIP! HELP!”

That when a car drives down the street and right next to Vanessa with Samantha holding her and out to her friend. “Get in!.” The Deviljho behind them roared seeing the car and started to pick up it pace.

“Can’t losing steam.” Vanessa responded only for Little pip to use her horn to levitate her into the car. “Um thanks.” The Deviljho that was chasing them roared again as it was ruining to keep up with the car.

“What do we do now?” Asked Sunny Day who made a hard right turn past sugarcube corner.

“Flash bomb. Sunny don’t look back!” Said Samantha. The Deviljho smashed it way through a house again and opened it jaws as it was getting closer. Little Pip saw Vanessa phone and throws it into the Deviljho mouth, it jaws snap shut before swallowing it and opens it jaws again feeling nothing go down it throat.

“What the hell man!? I had two more payments left on that!” Yelled Vanessa.

“Why didn’t it do anything? That was some kind of grenade right!?” Asked Little Pip.

“That wasn’t a grenade you dumbass, that was a phone! You know a way to communicate with someone!?”

Samantha picked this time to throw the flash bomb into the air. The powerful flash of light stop the Deviljho as it roars in pain.

“Hold on everypony, hard left!” Said Sunny Day as she made a hard left turn past the Golden Oak Library, and head straight towards the exit of Ponyville.

“What about our stuff that we left in the car that broke down?” Asked Vanessa.

“Before we came and get you, we made a little pit stop and got our stuff so we wouldn’t forget it later on.” Samantha answered as she saw the Deviljho charging at them again. “Oh come on! Why won’t you just stay down!?”

The Deviljho then trips over a broken car and falls on it belly.

“HA! That’s what you get for trying to eat me fuckhead!” Yelled Vanessa flipping the bird at the monster. The got back up again and roared but looked a bit wobbly as it walked. “It must still be blind from the flash bomb.”

“That or it kept on hitting its head onto the walls it kept charging through.” Said Sunny as they make their way out of Ponyville and onto the road of the wasteland. “So, who the new mare?.”

“Her name is Littlepip.” Vanessa answered. “Met her when she was trying to mug me.”

“How well did that work out for her?” Asked Sam.

“I had Tom jump on her face, and then I suplex her onto the ground.” Samantha laughed as Sunny Day just smiled as she drives the car.

“Who are you creatures, and why are you with that pony?” Asked Littlepip. “Are you slavers or something?”

“Ha yeah right and I’m the mare on the moon.” Said Sunny Day.

“To answer your question Littlepip. My name is Vanessa Roberts and these our my friends Samantha Mayfield and Sunny Day.”

“Hi.” Sam said as she was working on her bowgun.

“Hello.” Said Sunny waving a hoof.

“And to who we are……well I don’t know, but we’ll figure it out later on.” Said Vanessa as she relaxed in the back seat.

“Van we’re monster hunters remember?”

“Fine we’re monster hunters, but I still don’t like that title. So care to tell me why you had me at gunpoint back in Ponyville?” Littlepip didn’t look comfortable talking about that. “Oh come on it’s the least you could do seeing how I didn’t kill you and all.”

“Oh fine…but it’ll take a while for me to explain.”

“We’re driving on the road to New Appaloosa, we have all the time in the world.”

(One long explanation later.)

“And that’s how I got here, and why I tried to mug you.” Said Littlepip.

“So you decided to leave the stable to find your friend Velvet Remedy, and to ask why she left?” Asked Vanessa.

“That was such a sad story.” Samantha said as tears run down her face. “Littlepip!” Samantha then hugs the pony and cries.

“Samantha stop hugging her like that, I mean really you always get like this whenever someone tells you a sad story like that.” Vanessa pulled her friend off of Littlepip. “Ok Littlepip after we make it to New Appaloosa we’ll help you find your friend Velvet Remedy.”

“Really just like that? no pay or anything?!” Asked Littlepip.

“Why not plus if I was in your…..hooves I would pretty much do the same thing you’re doing.”

“Not to mention that Samantha would nag us to death if we didn’t help.” Said Sunny. “So new plan, stop by New Appaloosa and help Littlepip find her friend.”

“Okay then, so how long before we reach the place?” Asked Samantha.

“A week if we make good time maybe two.”

“As long as we don’t run into any monsters or raiders that is.” Said Vanessa.

“Yeah, I was adding running into them on the way to that time frame.”

“Whatever let’s just hope nothing else happens to us on the way there.” Just as she said that a bullet ricochet off her hat. “........Please tell me it’s not the raiders from Ponyville?”

“Good news it not them it someone else.” Said Samantha.

“Then who is it?” Asked Vanessa as she pulls herself up. “Seriously what the hell, does this wasteland have against us?” Vanessa then see an armored car drive up next to them with a pony in armor on the top of it waving at them to pull over.

“I think he’s asking us to pull over?” Said Samantha.

“Oh yeah and why should we.” Asked Vanessa.

“He has a rocket launcher.” Replies Sunny day.

“......Fuck…..fine pull the car over Sunny Day, lord knows we don’t want to die too soon.” With that Sunny pulled the car over towards an open clearing that the armor car told them to go. “So care to inform us just who are these jerks are Sunny?”

“There the Steel Rangers. There one of the few groups who have the firepower to come all the way out here without dying.” Said Sunny Day as she keep an eye on the armored car.

“So what the hell are they doing out here in the middle of fucking nowhere?”

“Some say they’re trying to clean up the ‘monster problem’, if you ask me they just make the monsters work for there food is all.”

“Great so we got a bunch of ponies that profit off of the monsters they were suppose to get rid of.”

“If they make it back...” Said Sunny with a frown.

“I take it they’re gonna kill us if they see us as a threat then?”

“Depends on what their orders are and what they're hunting. They may just let us go if we don’t know anything or if we do.”

“Then they’ll kill?” That when a group of armor ponies walk out of the armored car. They aim their guns at the the car, however one pony walks out without armor and walks up to there car.

“Um, greetings random pony dude. What seems to be the problem here?” Said Vanessa trying to act innocent.

The pony looks at Vanessa then at Samantha, the pony slowly walks around the car looking it up and down. Before getting to the drivers side where Sunny is. “Like to tell me why you have two… Mutant Apes in a raiders car that you are driving?”

“HEY! We’re humans not apes pal!”

The armored ponies cock their guns and aim at the car. Sunny Day look at Vanessa and glare at her. “Shut up.” The pony at the window didn’t even look like he heard what Vanessa said. “We… stole it.”

The pony looks at Sunny for a long time before he said this. “So you stole this car from raiders, like to tell me how you did that all the way out here… just the four of you?”

“We took it while they were getting eaten by a Deviljho.” Said Samantha. The pony looked confused at her not understanding the name. “She means a big monster, it had all these teeth on the bottom of it jaw.” Said Sunny.

The pony slowly smiled at them. “Do you know how long it took us to try and track down those raiders? Five weeks and now you’re tell me they’re all dead?” He asked looking at Littlepip.

“Pretty much yeah, if you wanna go and check it out yourself, but you might want to be careful though. That monster might still be there if you do go back to Ponyville.”

His eyes widen when he heard the name of the town. “That thing still alive? After all the magic bombing we sent last week? Nothing should be left alive for it to eat.” He asked looking at all of them.

“Well it’s still alive and right now I think it’s blind after hitting it with a few flash bombs.”

The pony looks at them and just shake it head. “Yeah right like flash bombs can hurt it.” The pony walks away from them and orders for everypony to get back inside the armored car. Once inside it start to turn around and drive back the way it came.

“Well…...That could of gone better don’t you think?” Said Littlepip.

“That, was the best we could of hoped for. We’re just lucky that they didn’t ask you two more about those flash bombs, or things could have turned bad.” Said Sunny Day as she start the car.

“Let’s just go before they turn around and come after us.” Samantha suggested. “Because I doubt we could do any damage to them with only rank two weapons.”

“Agreed. Move over Sunny I’m driving this time.” Said Vanessa. Sunny move to the back as Samantha gets out then back into the car.

“So we just keep going until we see a sign that says New Appaloosa?” Sunny laughs at that before laying in the back set. “Something like that.”

“Ugh its Las Vegas all over again.”

“You mean Las Pegasus?”

“.......I get the feeling that your world’s state names are similar to ours, only with a lot of pony puns in them.”

“That’s kind of funny seeing as I’m from the UK.” Said Samantha with a smile.

“And I’m from U.S.A, but you don’t see me making puns like this. What’s next they have Manhattan here as well?”

“You mean Manehattan right?” Asked Sunny with a smile getting a kick out of this.

“Oh I got one. Do you have Buckem Palace?” Asked Samantha and Sunny Day just nods at her.

“Ugh this place is gonna be the death of me. I just know it.” Vanessa said as she started to drive off at top speed. “Anyway the only time when we’ll stop is for either a pee break, or to see if the next town have any supplies we could take and use for ourselves okay?”

“Okay, but can we try and tame a monster? I’ve always wanted to try that.” Said Samantha with a smile.

“And have those Steel Rangers blast us? I think not.”

“Oh come on it’ll be fun we can call it Pinkie!”

“Okay if we are gonna tame one we’re not gonna call it after one of the former leader of the ministries.” Said Sunny Day.

“Yeah if anything we don’t want ponies to think we’re in league with any of them.” Said Vanessa. “I think Atlas is a better name for a tamed monster don’t you think?”

“Oh Batman.” Said Samantha with a smile.

“No, no that Bat stallion.” After hearing Littlepip say that Samantha just lost it and started laughing. “What?”

“Butt Stallion!” Said Samantha as she laughs in the back.

“We are not naming him that…ever.” Said Vanessa, but stop once she realized she was joining in. “Dammit now you got me doing it!” Next Chapter: Chapter 3: Kill the slavers then rescue the slaves Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 33 Minutes