Fallout Equestria: Aurora
By CaptainSparx
Chapter Four: Happy Trails
“Hey there. Welcome to AAAAAAA-pple-LOO-sa!”

“Ouch, be more careful.”

“Well if you would stop getting shot at.” Rust retorted.

“Way I figure it. The more raiders we take down the less of a problem they... OUCH!” Pulling back sharply as Rust pulled the bandages a little too tight. Getting shot up may not be the best way to introduce yourself out here. Hi there, I’m a target. Shoot me. That’s pretty much how every encounter has gone more or less. I might have to revise my let them shoot first strategy. Sure it kept me from just blasting anypony we met, but it would save us a lot of ammo and most of our medical supplies if we were on the offensive. And know that I think about it I haven’t seen another pegasus at all down here. Just earth ponies and the occasional unicorn. “Hey, Rust. I’ve got a question for you, what’s a dashite?”

I might as well have asked brick wall. She stared back at me with a where have you been the last two hundred years kind of expression. Honestly I wondered myself. Two hundred years and it still seemed as if the wasteland was as dangerous and dead as the day it was created. Virtually no progress had been made to improve the state of the nation in all this time. At least not that I had seen.

Silver and Static were busy going through what provisions the last batch of raiders would no longer be needing, Nursing their own lesser wounds. I had made sure they had been patched up before I let Rust tend to my injuries. It felt like we were deep in enemy territory. A small band of survivors fighting to get back to base. Well at least it felt that way to me. And I was determined not to have a repeat of last time.

Shaking my head to send the thought out of my mind. No. This was different. These ponies aren’t soldiers. And this isn’t war. Then why did it feel like one?

“Well,” Rust interrupted me from my thoughts. Oh right I had asked her a question. “Technically they’re pegasi who well…” She stopped packing away the medical supplies, looking up to the clouds. “The pretty much live up in the clouds. Have been for two hundred years I guess. They don’t ever really come to the surface. At least, not by choice. From what I heard, the only pegasi that you find down here got thrown out or something. Then again, you were from a stable. Maybe there’s more like you out there?” Rust clicked the medical tin closed and tossed its strap across her back. “All the pegasi down here have the same cutie mark. The mark of a dashite.”

“Wait a second. How is that possible?”

“I have no idea. I’m just telling you what I heard. All I know is you see a pegasus you better be damn sure he’s friendly. Air superiority and whatnot.”

“Yeah, the age old adage, we are better than you because we can fly. You have no idea how much I hate that mindset.” Sure air power might have been a key to win the war. But put a pegasus on the ground and most of us were pretty useless. I say most because, the vast majority haven’t had to spend nearly as much time grounded as I have. Still, what I wouldn’t give to have an earth ponies strength or even a unicorn's magic. I wouldn’t care if I could only do simple telekinesis even. Each race has its special trait. And mine is busted.

“Most folk just don’t trust pegasi. Shoot first and ask questions later is what they said back home. Nothing good ever comes over the air there. I’d bet most ponies would be suspicious of you. Especially since you still have your cutie mark.”

“Well then, why not just clip my wings and I’ll start bucking apple trees.” The phrase seemed lost on my post-war companion.

“You know that isn’t a half bad idea.”

Yeah, no.

“You could just cover up your wings and nopony would be the wiser.” Rust trotted off to check on the rest of the crew. Leaving me dumbfounded. True my wings seemed to make me a priority target, and they technically had little to no useful purpose since I’m limited to short flights while under the influence of drugs we just don’t have right now. I wouldn’t be able to pass as a unicorn without magic, but an earth pony traveler? Sounds like covering up it is.

Procuring an old muddy tarp from the raider’s small hovel I proceeded to cut it down to size and make a hole for my head. The dirty brown stains of mud, dirt and recent speckling of blood added the perfect bit of camouflage for traversing the wasteland. I strapped my bags and weapons over the top so I could get to them easily and also to help keep the tarp in place. It was muddy, it reeked, and was exceedingly itchy. But even if you knew what to look for, the weathered texture drew the eyes away from the barely visible lumps that were my wings. Successfully turning me into a blue maned earth pony stallion. “There. How do I look?” I smirked, adding a little upturning of the nose in mockery of style and fashion.

Static gave me a once over. Having me turn in a circle before she could make up her mind. “I can’t decide if you look like a walking garbage bag or a blue tufted pile of dirt.” The others just laughed.

*** *** ***

“Well crap. Which way do we go now?” Silver asked as we came to yet another split in the trail we had been following. Neither path seemed like the best option. In fact at this point we might be better off just taking a bearing and striking out on our own. At least then we might actually get closer to our destination.

Static trotted a short way down one trail, then the other. Coming back with a puzzled expression. “Stop looking at me like that. I don’t remember which way we should go.”

“Oh come on, I thought you said you had been to New Appleloosa before. What a lousy guide you turned out to be.”

Honestly Silver. Just shut up for once.

“Well that was a long time ago and I might not have been paying attention.”

Lifting up my PipBuck I scrolled to the map tab and zoomed out from our location. A small scattering of location markers showed the path more or less we had come. It would be nice if I had a this is where you’re going marker. But since I didn’t I had to be content with the simple terrain overlay.

“Okay, Static do you remember New Appleloosa being around mountains or by a river?”

“Mountains maybe? There was a train junction there I think.”

Now THAT was information I could use. Roads and railroads showed up just like terrain. I just had to follow the tracks to a junction in the mountain region and… “Ok, that should be good. Let’s go.” I started down the left trail, paused to check the map, then switched and started down the other left trail.

“Wait? What makes you so sure it’s that way?” Silver grabbed me by the shoulder. I turned to face him, shoving my foreleg up into his face.

“I have a map.” waving my PipBuck in front of his nose.

“OH, why didn’t you say so?” Silver grabbed my hoof and held at a distance as he stared at the screen. “I have no idea how you get that from this but if you can understand all that gibberish. It don’t even look like a map to me.”

“That would be because you’re looking at it upside down. And I’ll have my leg back thank you very much.” I jerked my hoof and the attached PipBuck away. Then proceeded to wipe Silver’s spit off the faintly glowing screen.

Silver shifted his pack, “Touchy much…” he muttered half audibly. Like myself he also now wore an old makeshift tarp cloak over his bloodstained armour. The less we looked like marauding raiders and more a band of poor travelers the better off we’d be. Silver pulled his makeshift hood up over his head, casting a dark shadow over his eyes, then proceeded to readjust the strap that held his rifle. He held his head high as he stared off down the path. I was grateful he was on our side. His younger age, and bold fearless attitude seemed to see him through the fights with raiders so far. In a way he reminded me of Raspberry Crème, who had a whole career ahead of him but lost it all when he passed away to the failures of Stable 33. I hope he and Rust would be able to make a better life for themselves once we get to New Appleloosa. They both deserve it.

The girls had forgone the capes. Static had strapped a leather shoulder guard with small spikes to take some of the recoil when shooting. Rust on the other hoof had opted against armour all together. Instead she carried a medical tin and a satchel filled with what medical items we could scavenge. It wasn’t much but she had been able to keep us going, if not entirely in one piece.

“Hey feathers. You coming or what?”

“Oh yeah, I’m coming.” I hollered as I hurried to catch up with the rest of the group. My guns bouncing at my side, clanging against each other and the Ministry of Peace first aid box. Not exactly as stealthy as I had wanted but then again, without a battle saddle I was going to have to carry my arms the old fashioned way. The way I figured it, if we were lucky enough to come across a pony with a battle saddle I’d make sure they’d part with it one way or another. That might be a while though. The only other ponies we had come across since Ponyville had been raiders and the occasional group of bandits. Oh and not to mention the wildlife. How could I forget about that? Radroaches and Radigators. Who knew the wasteland had such ugly and equally dangerous abominations lurking where you least expected. On the plus side Radigator meat was more valuable than the roach fillets I had and tasted a whole lot better too. Oh and there was a lot more meat on those things. I had split a good amount of the stock with Silver, wrapping it in the leathery skin of the creatures before placing it in our bags. Silver had informed me that it would fetch a fair amount of caps with traders. So long as we didn’t eat it all first. We weren’t exactly well stocked in the food department. Still my PipBuck seemed to attach a value to everything. Though I seriously doubt the value of items that have their value measured in small pieces of metal garbage.

Still lost in thought I hadn’t noticed that everyone had stopped, and I promptly walked right into Rust. “Ow. Hey, why’d we stop?” I backed up and rubbed my muzzle.

“Ssh… do you hear that?” Static hissed in a low whisper. Looking back between us and somewhere further down the trail.

“No, not really. Should I?” Keeping my voice low as I moved up next to her to try and see what she was looking for.

“That’s just it. I swore I heard a spritebot and then nothing. No gunshot or crunching of metal, not even a blip of static.” Oh sweet Celestia don’t tell me those annoying MoM pieces of junk had survived this long too. They were so annoying with all their patriotic propaganda going off twenty-four seven. It didn’t help either that I always felt like I was being watched when they were around either. “It’s still out there, I can sense its radio signal.”

Rust slipped up between me and Static, “you can do what? How?”

“Well how do you think I got my cutie mark? Not many radio towers out here if you haven’t noticed. I can sense radio waves and even transmit words or commands like a short range broadcast tower. Hence the mark on my ass. Now be quiet. I need to concentrate.” She gave a glaring look then focused back on trying to locate the signal. I noticed that she closed her eyes as she tried to focus. Her lip and ears quivering with an almost mechanical rhythm that seemed to speed up the stronger the signal got. Static’s horn glowed a soft green hue as she focused it back and forth. Every so often she would open her eyes, take a few stops, and then start over again. “Ugh, it’s so much easier when the signal isn’t moving all over the place.” She walked up the trail a bit further, started focusing, but then stopped abruptly, turning to her left. “Oh, hi there.” She took a step back as the rest of us joined her, face-to-um… faceplate with the battered spritebot.

“What’s it doing?” Rust asked out the side of her mouth. The spritebot moved to focus on the mare for a brief moment then backed off and appeared to glance over the rest of the group.

“I don’t like it. It’s like it’s just watching us our something.” Silver took the words right out of my mouth. “What do you think Sparx? They were around two hundred years ago. Did they ever do this back then?”

The sprite bot rotated to face me. Before it had just briefly acknowledged my presence. Now it focused in on me like some predator would its prey. It hovered closer. A bit too close for comfort. Rearing up, I drew my shotgun and blasted the nosy piece of arcane technology in the grill plate. A metallic scream resonated in the shell as it fell in a smoking heap to the ground, rolling a short way before catching on a rock.

“Why’d you do that?!” Static shouted. “And the shotgun? Now every raider in a hundred damn miles is going to know we’re here.”

“Sorry,” I slung the shotgun back in place. Looking away as I rubbed the back of my neck. “I guess I didn’t really think that one through. It wasn’t acting normal.”

“Pft. I don’t blame ya. I would’ve done the same thing. More or less.” Silver said as he kicked at the smoking heap. Little pops of static and sparks still emanating from the shell. “The things are a nuisance when they act normal anyway. Just plain creepy when they pull that silent shit.” Silver unscrewed an antenna and proceeded to whip it back and forth in the air. Seeming amused at the sound he could make with the thin arial.

“Still think you shouldn’t have shot it. It’s not like they ever harmed anypony.” Static said tersely. Ducking as the antenna slipped out of Silvers grip and went whizzing through the air.

“Hate to burst your bubble but the Ministry of Morale may have built them for more than just blaring music to the masses. Multiple cameras, encrypted radio relays, some even have built in magical plasma turrets.” I paused as Silver pulled off a second antenna and somehow managed to coil it up enough to fit in his bag. “The ministry mares might not be around anymore but you never know who might be watching.”

A grave silence fell on everypony at the thought of the sprite bots possibly being the eyes and ears of someone or something else. The moment was short lived however as with a loud SPROING Silver’s stored antenna unbound and stood straight up into the air from his bag. Scattering the entire contents of his bag across the immediate landscape.

“Ah, crap. Just my luck.”

I could feel a smile warm up my face as I let out a slight chuckle.

“Humph, oh well. Some music would have at least been nice.” Silver sighed. Helping pick up the various pieces of scrap Silver had acquired.

“Actually I think I can help you there.” I pulled up my PipBuck, flipping through the tabs to get to the radio screen. Ok. No stations. Never mind then.

“Let me see that.” Static grabbed the device in her magic and pulled it towards her. Not surprisingly the rest of my body soon followed. Being jerked off my hooves and skidding across the ground. Static suddenly noticed her mistake and dropped her magic. My PipBuck clanging to the ground as I mumbled something with my face in the dirt. “Sorry, what was that?”

“It’s attached to me.” I looked up and spit out a mouthful of dirt and rocks. Really? Was it that hard to remember that I was attached to this piece of technology probably for the rest of my miserable life in this hell hole. It wasn’t like there’d be any PipBuck technicians or the tools even to get it off short of amputation.

“Sorry ‘bout that. Forgot.”

“Well try to remember next time. I’m not sure how much more rubble I can stomach.” Sticking out my tongue in distaste.

Static nodded. “Can I see it please?”

I held my leg parallel to the ground as she trotted close enough to read the screen.

“Okay if I just tune the frequency a little more…” A brief burst of static came over the speaker. Then a stallion's voice that was barely audible. Turning up the volume a bit so we could hear, Static let go of the PipBuck and stepped back.

“This has been DJ Pon3 reminding you to keep your heads down out there. And now for a Sweetie Belle classic.” The voice was replaced by the voice of a young middle aged mare along with musical accompaniment. I had heard the song many times before. Though I hadn’t ever really listened to it. Now that I did. The words really seemed to hit home. We finished repacking Silvers bags and trotted off in silence. The sound of our hoof steps sounding a sad march as the song weighed heavy on us all.

I’ll freely admit listening to a radio while trekking through unexplored territory was a stupid idea. For one, it kept us from paying attention to our surroundings. On the other hoof though, the raiders might have mistook us as a wandering spritebot. That is, until we practically walked right into their camp. By the time the first bullet whizzed through the air we had all scrambled for cover. Taking cover with Rust behind a large rock on one side of the trail and Static and Silver taking up shop behind some makeshift barricade on the other.

Well that’s the first and definitely last time we listen to music as we travel. Won’t make that mistake again, so long as we survive this. The raiders here were much better holed up than any we had encountered so far. A small scattering of dilapidated buildings surrounded a larger complex that looked more like a refuse pile than a defendable position. Several poles with pony heads were scattered about like tiki torches. Bodies and body parts decorated walls, roofs and doorways. It was like a miniature Ponyville all over again. Graffiti covered anything that wasn’t already covered in filth.

We were already tired from a whole morning of walking. And guessing by what shadows could be found, it was already pushing into mid-afternoon. We need to even our odds real quick or we might as well have just shot our own hooves off. My own ankle had been acting up a little on top of everything. Rust had wanted to take a look at it under the bandages but after some negotiating I was able to get her to drop it. They already thought it was strange enough I had slept for two hundred years. They didn’t need to know I glowed as well.

“Here,” Pulling the large vial of Med-X out of my saddle bag, along with a syringe and passed them to Rust. “Hit me up with a dose.”

Rust uncapped the needle and drew up a hearty dose of the painkiller as I briefly stuck my head around the corner of our cover. “Holy… SHIT!” I jerked back just as a bullet chipped away at the rock right where my head had been. My quick movement also managed to bend the needle that Rust had in my thigh. I hadn’t even felt her put it in. No bother. Just wait a few seconds for the X to kick in and we’d be back in business.

“Next time warn me before you do that. You almost broke off the needle.” Rust frowned as she tossed the now useless syringe.

The raiders were keeping us pinned. No doubt they’d have a pony or two working on flanking us by now. There was no way we could run… or was there. Maybe we didn’t have to run per se. We just needed a distraction. “Okay listen. When I say three we run across to Silver and Static.” I didn’t wait for an answer. Fishing out a few hunks of radigator meat from my bags and clenching them in my teeth. “Un… ta… tee!”

The bag swung through the air. Landing in some nearby bushes. It wasn’t much but it drew the raiders’ attention long enough for us to get some good distance before they realized they had been tricked. I slammed into the side of the barricade. Catching the corner with my hooves and spinning around as a spattering of lead peppered the other side. “Hey guys.”

“This seems familiar.” Static hissed as she popped up over the cover and fired off a round. KRZZZACK The resounding scream was enough to confirm a hit. “What’s the plan this time?”

Yeah, plan. “First off, don’t die.”

“Thanks. Wasn’t planning on it.”

“Second… you three stay here and keep them focused. I’ll slip around and flank them.” Shouldn't be too hard. I tossed my bags and weapons on the ground. Grabbing the Armistice and several clips along with the grenades I had. I needed to be fast, so I had to go as light as possible. If I ran out of bullets I had my knife. Though I really hope I don’t need it. “On my mark, keep their heads down till I get away.”

Silver nodded and clenched his rifle to his chest.

“Cover fire!” I yelled as I bolted away, down an embankment. Silver and Static risked exposing themselves as they poured steel downrange as fast as they could pull the trigger.

Pausing roughly halfway down the hill I began my flank. Galloping in a semicircle around to the back of the raider camp. As I approached the rear defenses I slowed down and got on my belly. Crawling as fast and as quietly as I could. I needed to be fast to save my crew. Quiet if I wanted to save my own hide. A raider dashed out from the main complex to join the fight. He hesitated for a moment as he must have caught me in the corner of his eye. He was dead before he could cry out. The air filled with silent death as I unloaded an entire magazine on him. With a deft motion, perfected by countless hours of drill, I removed the spent magazine and clicked a new one in its place. Striking the bolt release as I finished the motion by retrieving the spent mag. Tossing the rifle back over my shoulder I rolled onto my hooves and bolted for the near side of the complex.

The raiders hadn’t expected a flank, and my silenced weapon had yet to alert them to my presence. Two more raiders ran out of the complex. There were now seven targets between me and my friends. And five more somewhere in the complex. A pony screamed out and I snapped my head to watch as one of the raiders collapsed to the ground. Half of the mare's head had been blown out and the acidic goop was eating away at what was left of her face. Yeah, definitely a messy weapon. One of the raiders yelled something but I wasn’t paying attention anymore. I was trying to figure out the quickest way into the complex.

There wasn’t much of a roof so if I could get over the wall... Absently I tried to extend my wings. They didn’t get far with the cloak still draped over them. Going off instinct I drew my knife and dug it into a board roughly halfway up the wall as hard as I could. I jumped up, using the knife as a step and scrambled to get up and over the wall. I got one, then two hooves on the top and pulled myself up. Looking down I saw a stallion and two mares, dressed in the usual raider garb, grabbing weapons from a table in the middle of what could be a common room.

“Oh shit!” I let go and dropped back to my side of the wall, kicking off as bursts of flames torched the metal and wood where I had just been. Have to move now. I tried to grab my knife. “OW HOT!” I spat out as the blade remained snuggly wedged where I had placed it. I’ll be back for you later. I tore off around the side of the complex the raiders had been coming from. I really would like to beat them there before they got into the open with a flamer.

I beat the raiders by mere seconds. It wasn’t much but is enough time to pull a grenade pin and chuck it as hard as I could in their surprised faces. I backpedaled away as the explosion tore the door off its hinges and sent it sailing. Bits and pieces of three ponies splattered my cloak as their lights went dark on my EFS. Two more to go then the rest is just mop up. The doorway was aflame from the wrecked flamethrower one of the mares had been levitating beside her. The volatile fuel covering the ground and igniting sections of the complex.

With a running dive I passed through the flames. Landing with a thud, I scurried to get my flaming cloak off. So much for that. Looking up just in time to see a young colt trot into view. I watched the red blip on my Eyes Forward Sparkle as the colt flicked back his mane and his horn began to glow. Wait. Why was there a colt…?

ratatatat bratat bratatar

I felt the wind get knocked out of me as the bullets from the submachine pistol impacted against my armored chest plate. I was inherently grateful for the seemingly worthless shovel plate as several bullets ricocheted off. The rest of me wasn’t as lucky as a bullet grazed my neck and another two punched through my foreleg just above my PipBuck. I bit my lip as I staggered back, reaching out and flipping the raiders table over for cover. Scattering the various weapons on the floor.

A colt? But why?? I tried to reason with the startling revelation. Was there more… Ripped from my thoughts as the machine pistol levitated around the side of the upturned table. CRAP. Stupid unicorns and their damned levitation. I spun over onto my back and kicked the table out where I figured the colt might be. I missed. But the sudden action startled him and gave me time to strike the pistol from his levitation field. I hesitated a split second as I drew my SMG around, rearing up to take aim.

Pftatatatat-tatatat FWOOMP

Staggering back as a tank somewhere exploded, showering me with what remained of the corpse and half the building. I raised my leg to shield my eyes as I was knocked off my hooves.

“Wow you really took a beating.” My eyes fluttered open slightly to see Rust standing over me. “Welcome back to the world of the living.”

“Wha… what happened? Is everyone alright?” I tried to get up but Rust put a hoof to my chest and held me down. She didn’t have to try hard. My whole body ached and… I reached up and felt the noticeable absence of my utility barding. “What did you do with my jacket?”

“Oh shush. It’s with the rest of your gear. You’re lucky we got to you when we did. The whole place was ready to come down on top of you.” She looked down on me with what I could only describe as a tad of frustration. “Really, you need to stop getting blown up. I had to use our last healing potion just to get your head to stop bleeding, among other things.”

“Well I really appreciate it but now that I’m up I think it’s time to get a move on.” She raised a hoof to protest but I cut her off. “We’ve exhausted our medical supplies and that bonfire will draw the attention of everything in ten miles of here. The safest place for us is anywhere but here.”

“Well if you put it that way.” She picked up my jacket and another piece of clothing and tossed them to me. “Get dressed. Silver found this hooded thing on one of the raiders. Since yours is just a pile of ashes by now.” She continued as I wiggled my sore body into the jacket, wondering how she managed to even get it off with the PipBuck still on my foreleg. “Oh and um… I’m not sure how to say this but uh…” She glanced down at my hooves.

Following her gaze I stared at my own hooves. One, two, three, four. Yep, all present and accounted for. Clean as a whistle I might… Wait a sec. My bandages? They’re gone!?

“You said you’re ankle had been bothering you so while you were out I took a look. I’m sorry but I haven’t seen anything like that. It looks like radiation but it’s under the skin.” She looked away, kicking a piece of rubble absently with her hoof. “I don’t know how to treat that kind of infection.”

“Yeah, well don’t tell anypony then. I’m sure it’ll resolve itself somehow.” I hope. Tossing the hooded cloak on. It was thicker and heavier than the piece of junk I had been wearing. And a good deal warmer too. Though that could just be from proximity to the burning structures. I stood up and oh my. I haven’t felt this sore in a while. Shuffling over to my gear I began to repack, after wrapping my glowing ankle back up. Some of the fur had burned off and charred the skin. The healing potion had repaired most of the damage but a few flakes of charred flesh still clung to the fur.

Upon seeing me up and about Silver and Static stopped and walked over from looting. Silver spoke first, “Well good to see you’re finally up and at ‘em. That was one hell of a light show you done made.” I stared blankly back. Light show? “Oh that’s right. You got knocked out. Well let just say we were all just sitting about where you left us. Picking off raiders as best we could. Then we heard what sounded like one of them grenades go off. After that the raiders panicked and started back towards ya. Then there was a big boom and half that building blew out the side and went up in flames. It was awesome!”

“O-kay?” Not exactly sure what he said but he sounded pleased at least. “How are you doing Static? I seem to recall you got at least two raiders with the reaper.”

“Three.”

“Oh?”

“I got three raiders. I would’ve got more to if that filthy flyboy hadn’t showed up. I swear he took two of my kills.” Wait what?

“Back up a second. Flyboy?”

“Oh yeah I guess Rust forgot to mention him. He showed up right after you blew the joint. Helped us mop up what was left and he was the one that flew in and dragged your fat ass out of there.”

“So where is he then? Did his good deed and just take off?” And my ass isn’t that fat.

“Ah hell no. He’s out looting still I bet. Let me go get him.” Silver turned and trotted off as the last light of day faded and was replaced by the light of many flickering fires scattered about.

As soon as he was out of earshot I turned to Static. “What have you told him about me?”

“Just your whole life story…” she said flatly. “Relax, I was kidding.” She retorted as I drew a blank. “All he knows is we’re traveling to New Appleloosa, you’re a pegasus from a stable somewhere and our guide. Oh and that you evidently get blown up. A lot.” She stopped, looking past me into the distance. “Speaking of the devil there he is now.”

I turned around as a rusty brown pegasus landed about a yard from me. Twin rifles mounted on a battle saddle. A black desperado hat atop his off-orange mane. Taking a step forward he offered his hoof. “Howdy, name’s Calamity. Nice ta see ya ‘wake an all.”

Reaching out I shook hooves with the stallion. Or rather he shook mine, rather vigorously. “Nice to meet you mister Calamity. I’m Sparx, thanks for the rescue.”

“Just Calamity; it weren't noth’in. Y'all did most ah ma work anyway.”

“Your work?” I rubbed my leg to get the blood flowing again. He had a pretty strong grip.

“If’n I see a raider attacking ponies I have ta perforate ‘em. It’s muh policy.” Squaring his shoulders and holding his head high.

Even if those raiders had colts or fillies with them? I was grateful I can’t remember exactly what happened to that colt. “So are you off in the morning then or something?” I wasn’t too sure I needed another pony to worry about. Especially one that seemed so quick to pass judgement. I'm pretty sure we were the ones attacking the raiders, not the other way around.

“Well Silver thar said yer all headin ta New Appleloosa. I was heading thar myself. Mind if’n I tag along?” Yay another mouth to feed.

“I don’t see why not.” Static interjected as she walked up next to me. Levitating my guns so I could slip the straps over my head.

“Aw wow ya have a genuine Range Equalizer!” Calamity’s eyes seemed to bug out of his head as he ogled the rifle. “How’d ya git yer hooves on that. And with so lit’l wear.”

“I found it. In Ponyville.” Well that was at least partially true.

“Nah. Couldn’t ‘ave. Really?”

“Was in a locked safe in an apple cellar.” Really who would go looking in a cellar anyway?

“Seems legit ‘nough.”

I shifted the rifle to my side. It would fit nicely in his battle saddle. Maybe I could buy it off him later. Anyway, we were wasting precious time. Time we needed to spend traveling. At least several hours worth so we’d be far enough from the blazing beacon I had inadvertently created. “Alright everypony, pack it up. We leave in five.”

Spending the better part of the night walking meant we were all naturally more tired when we finally did get some rest. Seeing as I had unintentionally taken a trauma induced nap back at the compound I drew first watch. First and foremost I was wary of the new traveler. The first and only other pegasus I had seen in well… two hundred years. He even slept in his battle saddle. Yet at this point he was also one of only four ponies in the wasteland who hadn’t taken a shot at me. Well other than that one time in the mine field. That was an accident, and didn’t count. I scrolled across the map on my PipBuck. The locations tracing an erratic path from Stable 33 to where we were now. Sitting back down I began to rub my sore ankle.

“Still bothering you?” A soft clicking voice broke the silence.

“You should be resting,” staring off into the darkness. Somewhere up there were stars. The jewels that shone their icy light on the world. A cold, yet refreshing light. One this land hadn’t seen in two centuries.

“Can’t sleep. Besides you look like you could use the company.”

“When’d you get that idea?” Glancing over as Static sat down beside me, looking up herself at the rolling darkness that spanned as far as you could see.

“When we first met.” She smirked then looked over at me. “You’re interesting you know. Most times I can sense what others are feeling. But with you. It’s all muddled. Like a giant bowl of soup, and you never know what you might find in it.” I grimaced. “Sorry, bad metaphor. What I’m trying to say is well, you’re not predictable. And well. It’s nice for a change.”

“Words aren’t really your thing are they.”

“Nope.”

There was an awkward silence. I tried to think of something to say but the words got lost on the way out and I ended up just clearing my throat. New subject maybe? “Static, can I ask you a question?”

“Technically that was a question so yes.” She let out a slight laugh, “and you can ask one more.”

“Oh yeah I guess it was. I was hoping you could tell me what you think of this Calamity character. I.. I don’t…”

“You don’t trust him.” She sighed, finishing my thought. I nodded my head. “Well ah don’t rightly know what to tell you. Other than we just met, he didn’t kill us and he’s traveling with us.” Looking over my shoulder where the rest of the group was fast asleep. “I could say he’s cute, for a bird pony anyway.”

“What?” Scrunching up my face as I stared questionably back at her.

“Ha, Gotcha.” Making a faux pass at my shoulder with her hoof. “You really need to loosen up a bit. You’re so serious all the time.”

“Sorry but that part of me died a long time ago.” Over two hundred years ago in fact now that I thought about it. Before the bombs fell. Before it all started falling apart. Before we started losing the war. Before I was grounded. Before I lost, her.

“Whoa, hello? Ground control to feather brain. You in there?” Static waved a hoof in front of my face.

“Huh, oh. Yes?”

“You just kinda fazed out a bit there. And your emotions got really… off.”

“I told you to stay out of my head.”

“I was, I swear.” Tossing up her hooves in self-affirmation. “It’s more like it was radiating from you.”

Letting out a sigh, I stared at my hooves. The soft glow of my PipBuck lighting up the earth as I traced in it with my hooves. Furrowing my eyebrows I stomped out the name I had just written. “Static you have to understand. This place. This world you all live in. I don’t remember it like this. Two hundred years may have passed but for me it still feels like the megaspells hit yesterday. Everything I fought for, everything I once cared about is gone. I just don’t know how to handle it all anymore. Before, I coped the only way I knew how. Throwing myself at my career. Getting every promotion that came my way. It still wasn’t really enough. But now I don’t even have that anymore. I try not to think about it but sometimes it just creeps up you know. It hurts so much, I… I just…” Oh please no, I can’t cry.

“It’s okay.” Static gently put her hoof on my shoulder to reassure me. There was a tear in her eye as well. “I know how much it hurts, just let it go. It’s okay. Cry it all out.” She could feel it. She didn’t even have to try. Not that I could’ve stopped her at this point. I was an emotional wreck.

“Why’d they all have to die? It wasn’t their fault. We weren’t even supposed to be there. And… and… oh goddesses, they all died for nothing. She died for nothing.” The realization hit me like a hurricane. Anger, denial, regret, reluctant acceptance. Static sat by my side through it all, not saying a thing. Just being a shoulder to cry on. It had taken two hundred years and then some for my emotions to finally catch up and break me. I mourned everypony I had lost. Every name and face I could recall. I mourned for Equestria, the land that was no more. I mourned for her. In the end I eventually just cried myself to sleep.

“Remind me again why you’re traveling with us?” I asked Calamity as he hovered a few feet off the ground. It was slow going by ground and we had had to backtrack a couple times when the route became inaccessible to those of us unlucky enough to either not be born with wings or be grounded. I hadn’t gotten a straight answer out of him yet. And I might be trying to keep my mind off last night.

“Simple. Yer go’in ta the same place I’m head’n. ‘sides, you could use some air s’port. All that time in ya stable and ya can’t fly, shame.” “He frowned slightly as he looked at the lumps under my gear that hid my wings.

“You should tell him.” Rust urged, after Calamity had turned back around. After following us for a full day and getting no closer Calamity had agreed to guide us to New Appleloosa. For a small fee of course.

“Tell me what?” Calamity rotated in the air.

Rust looked at me, nodding toward Calamity. Gesturing with her hoof. “Ugh, fine.” Unstrapping my bags and dropping them to the ground. “Look.” Spreading my wings as wide as I could. Grimacing as I glanced over my plumage, in dire need of a good preening. I looked like an old feather duster.

“So?”

Was that all he had to say. Really? “It’s broken cloud head! I can’t fly because it’s broke and it didn’t heal right.”

“Oh… OH.” He took a second look at my damaged left wing. “So ya can’t fly, at all?”

Give the pegasus two points. “Yes and no. With the right combination of medication (combat enhancing drugs if I’m honest) I can fly short distances.” Taking a step to pick up my bags and return them to their spot on my back I felt a hoof catch on a rock. “Oh crap.” *THUD*

“Sparx are you okay?” Rust was on me in a heartbeat. “Can you hear me? Say something.”

“mmfssllllrrrd.”

“Huh?”

Lifting my head and spitting out some earth and more than a few pebbles. “I said, tastes like dirt.” Achingly I rose to my hooves. I was still sore from nearly getting blown up a few days ago. And very much short on sleep.

“Well if’n yer done play’in in ta dirt ya might want ta have a look.” Calamity said as he alighted on a large rock.

“Why?” Silver asked as he trotted over and looked in the direction Calamity had indicated. “Ha, Rust come take a look at this. Is that…”

Calamity fluttered down off his perch. “Yup.” Hovering around to face the group he took off his hat and made a grand sweeping gesture. “Welcome ta New Appleloosa.”

“I still can’t believe we had to pay him two hundred caps.” Stomping my hooves in frustration as I paced back and forth in the alleyway.

“Hey, don’t worry about it. We were able to get more than enough.” Static sat, leaning against the rusty wall of the local tavern. Having arrived a few hours before sundown, we had just enough time to sell what junk we had scavenged to come up with the caps for our seemingly extortionate guide. “Besides I seem to recall you gave a healthy portion of your share to Rust and Silver. Which is why you’re sleeping in the alley.”

“Well they need them more than I do at the moment. You don’t have to sleep out here though.”

“Somepony’s gotta keep an eye on you Feathers. We can’t have you wandering around by your lonesome. You might trip on a mine or stumble across a grenade.”

“It was an accident!”

“Yeah well don’t try your luck on a third. Besides I gotta make sure you don’t leave without me.”

Picking up my saddle bag and medic tin in my teeth, removing them from my back and placing them on the ground. Forming a makeshift pillow. “I thought you’d want to stay here.”

“Are you kidding? I wouldn’t be caught dead here.” Static gawked, then started to remove her leg braces. They could probably use some new padding.

“And why’s that?”

“Well first off, me and Silver don’t exactly see eye to eye. And I figured since you’ll be traveling a bit I might as well tag along. See what I can, while I can.” Static pulled out a small tin of salve from one of her recently acquired saddle bags. She had stopped in the clinic with Rust and had managed to, with a hearty pile of caps, get Candi (the local medical mare) to part with the precious ointment. Candi also had agreed to allow Rust to join the staff as an intern of sorts. So at least the lovebirds would have some income to pay their rent.

Static massaged the ointment into where the padding (or lack thereof) had rubbed her raw. While she tended to that I tried my best to get as comfortable as I could on the cold hard ground. “What makes you think I’d let you come?” I honestly knew the answer, but I wanted to hear what she thought.

“You mean other than the fact you could use the company?” Damn the mind reading. “I guess, well. For fun? I’ve honestly got nothing better to do. No real friends, no family, no mission. You at least have part of a plan of what to do.” She stuck her tongue out at me.

“It’s not my fault I’m making it up as I go.”

Static rolled her eyes, “sure it is.”

“Hmph, and here I thought you were just tagging along for my good looks.” Flipping my electric blue mane back with a snap of the head.

“Ha, don’t tempt me flyboy. You may be cute, but you’re way too old for me.” She chortled as she finished up with the salve and settle down across the alley from me. Or did she click? I wasn’t quite sure. What I was sure about though was the sudden warmth in my cheeks.

“Were you… did you just…” Come on brain think!

She blew a kiss from her hoof with a smirk. “What do you think?” Oh she so totally just did. *SPROING* Well crap. Blushing now out of embarrassment I looked studiously at the ground at my hooves. This is going to make it hard to get to sleep. Static couldn’t help but belt out a hearty laugh. “Hehe, that never gets old!”

*** *** ***

I woke with a start the next morning. “Huh?! What??” Looking around at what might have woken me so. Another loud banging sound echoed down the alley. I could see a middle aged mare trotting away from a dumpster and back into a shop. And here I thought they used all the garbage. Letting out a yawn I stretched my forelegs out in front of me. Then shook each rear leg in turn. Well this is an interesting sensation. I must have actually slept through the entire night for once. I actually felt rather refreshed as I settled back down. And just like that I was jerked back to reality as a leg brace struck me upside the shoulder.

“Hey, wake up will ya.” Surprised, I turned to face the disgruntled unicorn. “You sleep like I rock. I’ve been trying to get you up for at least ten minutes.”

“Well I’m *YAWN* up now.” Sitting back down on my haunches and scratching my mane.

“Well, about time. I need you to run out there and try to get me some padding or something for these braces so I can replace ‘em.” She levitated the one she had tossed at me back to herself. The padding had all but worn off. Some of the metal underneath even showing through in places.

“Fine, I’ll go see what I can find.” I tossed on my cloak, I don’t even remember taking it off last night, and grabbed my small stash of caps. Leaving the rest of my gear and weapons with Static.

“Oh and get some breakfast while you’re at it.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Trotting still half asleep I found my way to the main square. Ponies were milling about, beginning their day. Several shops were already open so I might as well see about getting some material. Starting for a small shop that looked like a clothing store of sorts I paused when a familiar voice carried through the air.

“Naw come on. Jist last week ya gave me thirty caps fer one ah these.” I couldn’t make out who he was talking to or what they said, but the pegasus was definitely making his disappointment known. “Fine, take it. But ya ain’t gettin any more bus’ness from me.” Calamity stormed out of the doorway and just about plowed me over. “Oh hey! Long time no see.”

“Hey yourself.” Backpedaling away before he could knock me over. “What was that all about?”

“Oh that?” Calamity looked over his shoulder towards the shop. “Just gittin swindled fer not be’in a resident an all.”

“Wait, what’s that got to with anything?”

“The hell if I care.” He shrugged, then taking to the air he hovered off the porch. “I got some more stuff ta sell, elsewhere. Meet me at the Tavern later. I’d love ta talk.”

“Um, okay?” I waved a hoof as he flew off down the street to another vendor. Well might as well start here. Walking in the door to the small shop I quickly noticed one thing.

“Really? The only thing you sell is guns?”

“Sure is. We buy ‘em to. Pay real good fer any in good condition. Ya new in town?”

“Just um, passing through.”

“Hmm, well you sure ya don’t wanna buy something? It’s pretty dangerous out there. You look like ya could use a good weapon.”

“Yeah no thanks. I’ve already got a gun.” Or three. And in much better shape than anything the store seemed to offer. I excused myself and walked out as the shop owner went back to his merchandise. While he only sold one type of product he did mention where I might be able to find the padding I was after.

Absolutely Everything. Somehow I didn’t doubt it, with all the random junk piled here and there. The owner was a ghoul and had been out of town for a few days. She had only gotten back the morning we had arrived in town. Still I wasn’t so sure about meeting another ghoul. It just felt wrong for them to be actually alive under all that. I girded my stomach and marched down the street towards the store as a gray zombie-like thing walked out the door, I froze in my tracks. A ghoul.

Okay, maybe not just any ghoul. I could see from the skeletal structures at her side that she was, or had been, a pegasus. She looked decidedly bored and was watching the ponies in the street. Smiling and waving to a few that took notice. Almost without warning she stared in my direction. I suddenly felt really, really small as her two eyes seemed to bore through me. Then one eye just rolled right up. Oh sick… I used to know a mare whose eyes did… The pegasus ghoul smiled at me and waved, rather more exuberantly than she had before to the other ponies. She looked around and picked up a small chalkboard to scribble on. By the time she had written something and held the board back up I was nowhere to be found.

“So how was breakfast?” Static asked, finishing up a Fancy Filly brand snack cake. Still as sugary as I remembered.

“Eh, I’ve had better.” Brushing the crumbs from my muzzle as I finished packing up my stuff.

“I take it you didn’t find anything for the braces then?”

“Um, yeah. About that.” Just how do I say this. “There is one store I didn’t try.”

“And why not?”

“Because it’s run by a ghoul.”

“Come on Sparx. We’ve been over this. Ghouls are just normal ponies who live a long time and look like they went through a hurricane. They aren’t zombies. So why don’t you just suck it up and get it over with.”

“I can’t.” Fidgeting with my weapon straps, as I avoided eye contact.

“Really Sparx. I thought you were tougher than this. Being a soldier an all.”

“I am, it’s just.”

“Just what?” Static crossed her hooves and stared down at me.

“I… I think I know her.”

That put a sudden stop in the conversation. So much so that Static packed her bags and put her leg braces back on before she finally said something. “If you think you know them then why didn’t you say something to her?”

“That’s just it. I think she might have recognized me. And if she did then she might say something.”

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

“Well duh. The fact that I’m old. I don’t need ponies knowing I’m two hundred plus years old.”

“Hmm, yeah. I see your point.” Did she? I mean I kind of want to keep as low of a profile as I can out here. With everything going on I don’t need a big target over my head because I’m different. “We’re still going there first.” Wait what?

“Wha..? No. Wait, what?”

“You heard me. I need padding so we’re going.” Static stood up, tightening her saddlebags.

“Fine, but on one condition. I do the talking.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Within a half hour I found myself standing on the front porch of Absolutely Everything. Walking through the door, our entrance was made known by the tin cans hanging in the doorway. The pegasus ghoul looked up from where she was dusting off some of her wares. A smile spread across her broken face and she dropped her duster, picking up a chalk board hanging around her neck. Watching awkwardly as she scribbled with a piece of chalk on the board then held it up. “You brought a friend.” She held it for us to read then quickly erased it and scribbled something else. Holding it back up, “I like meeting new friends. Nice to meet you.”

“Well it’s nice to meet you too Ditzy. This is Static and I’m Feathers.” Static rolled her eyes, and the ghoul stopped mid-stroke. Erasing her board she quickly wrote out, “How do you know my name?” Oh snap. And here I was worried she’d remember me. Quick, think faster brain. “I uh...um… Calamity told me?” He’s been here before right?

“You know Calamity? He’s a good friend.” Ditzy scribbled out with a smile.

“Yeah, he’s quite the character. Anyway we were hoping you might be able to help us. We need some new padding for Static’s leg braces. I was told to try here.”

“Absolutely Everything has absolutely everything. Let me check.” Ditzy turned around and by some strange and bizarre feat of magic actually flew to the back room.

“I think your worry was misplaced.” Static trotted up to the sales counter and sat on crate that looked newer than the rest. “So long as you keep your yapper shut.”

“Yeah, almost blew that.”

“Besides she’s got two hundred plus years of memories. I doubt they’d be that good.”

Ditzy trotted triumphantly back to the front counter. Not only did she have padding but she also had a much nicer set of leg braces with almost new padding. She set them on the counter and pushed them towards Static. “How much?” I asked. Fully expecting a price something like what Calamity had charged us.

“No charge.”

“No, no no. I can’t do that. How much?”

Ditzy frowned and walked around the counter. Motioning for Static to move she then quickly pried the lid off the crate. HOLY HORSEFEATHERS!

“I saw you in Ponyville.” Ditzy held up her sign. “You two came out of a ponyhole with two others.”

“Yeah, they’re somewhere around town. You might be seeing more of them.” Static mumbled as she looked from the crate to me, then to Ditzy.

Ditzy continued writing. “I found these under the shop, thank you.”

I was speechless. My vision tinted purple from the soft glow coming from the large supply of enchanted ammunition. There was some other provisional items as well but they hardly drew my attention.

“Ditzy do you know anything about those bullets?” Static asked hesitantly. The ghoul shook her head. “Just, don’t drop them.”

Ditzy put the lid back on as Static slipped off her old braces and tried the new ones on. Then she picked up a book from a pile and offered it to me. I notice the sign said first one free, so I took it and looked at the title; The Wasteland Survival Guide by Ditzy Doo. Cool, something to keep me occupied with. As I slipped the book in my saddle bag I couldn’t help but notice the ghoul eying me. And by eye I quite literally mean only one. The other had rolled off to the side so far you couldn’t even see the color from where I was. Ditzy quickly turned away when she saw that I had noticed and picked up her chalk board. “Sorry, you just remind me of somepony.”

“I get that a lot.” Oh please, don’t remember.

“The shop belonged to a family. They were a nice family.” She erased the board and filled it with more scribbling. “You remind me of the pegasus. Can’t remember his name.”

I just kept my mouth shut. Static did all she could to stifle a laugh behind the mares back. It felt really awkward to hear another pony talk about my family, or me for that matter, when I was standing right there. Being two hundred years old seemed to hardly have affected the mare’s memory.

“I’m sure they were.” Static said, breaking the tension and diverting Ditzys gaze off of me. “These braces are great. Maybe you can sell the old ones. I won’t need them.” Static levitated the old pair to the sales counter, then made to leave.

Saying our goodbyes, we left the pegasus ghoul on her porch, waving as we made our way to the Turnpike Tavern. I could really use a drink right about now, and I need time to plan what exactly to do next.

“And just how do you plan on getting there?” Silver asked. He was already at a table when we walked in so me and Static joined him. Silver was on his second hard cider as I poured through The Wasteland Survival Guide. So far it had been pretty straight forward. The one major fallback I did notice though was the lack of any type of map. I knew where I needed to go but had really no idea how to get there, semi-safely. Somehow just walking in a straight line to where I figured Fillydelphia was didn’t sound like the best idea in the history of ever. The tavern door swung open and I looked up as Calamity came in. Noticing us he made a pause at the counter then trotted over to our table.

“Well now, whatcha upta now?” Calamity took a seat as the barmare set his drink on the table. “Thank ya kindly.”

“Well we’re trying to figure that out actually.” Silver sighed, eyeing the bottom of his now empty mug. “I’m gonna settle down here with Rust but these two crazies… They need to get all the way to Fillydelphia.” A trio of stallions who had been playing a rather loud game of cards suddenly hushed at the mention of the city.

“Why in tarnation would ya want to go thar?!” Calamity almost fell off his seat. Scooting closer he lowered his voice, “that’s slaver territory.”

“Well that might be a problem.” I reflected on how the last group of slavers I had crossed had fared. “Still going to have to chance it. I need to get to the Stable-Tec headquarters. I have to find some information on a stable.”

“I hope ya know what ya gittin inta.” Calamity shrugged, taking a sip of something that was definitely NOT cider. “It’s real dangerous out that way.”

“Let’s just say, me and slavers don’t exactly see eye to eye.” Patting the collection of firearms hanging at my side. One of the card playing stallions suddenly got up and quietly and quickly left. I barely took notice of the door as it swung closed. “All I really need is a map and I should be set.”

“Well ya ain’t gonna find one a those ‘round these parts.” He eyed the book I had set out on the table. “Absolutely Everything has almost everything. No maps. Though ya might be able to get one from the DJ. He seems ta know a lot about everything.”

“Great. Where do I find this DJ?” Folding the book and putting it in my bag.

“DJ Pon3 isn’t from these parts.” The barmare walked up, picking up our empty mugs in her magic. “He’s all the way in Tenpony Tower.”

“It’s still standing?!”

“I beg yer pardon?” The mare gave me a confused look.

“Oh uh, I mean, I heard about it from stories.”

“Yeah whatever kid.” Really? I was at least as old as her maybe older. Strike that. I was old enough at this point to be her great great grand-stallion. Thank Celestia that could never happen. That would be really weird to run into ponies I was related to. Though not entirely out of the question. Wasn’t my sister dating somepony back in Buckland? I wonder if she survived. Heck, maybe one of my cousins? Maybe I’m the last Chromawing. That would be a change. From disgraced outcast to family patriarch. Ha, that would never happen. Oh whoops, she’s still talking. “...I’ll tell Capper you want to travel with him. His caravan’s leaving tomorrow morning.” The barmare left, taking our empty mugs with her.

“Um, what just happened?” Turning to Static.

“Well if you had been paying attention.” Static sighed, rolling her eyes. “There’s a pony named Bottle Capper who has a caravan. They’re going to Tenpony to trade but they need some protection. We offer protection. He gets us into the tower. Fair enough.”

“Why do I feel like I’m getting the short end of that deal.”

“Still, it’s safer to travel in numbers. I’m gonna go talk to this Capper. You go buy us some more supplies.” Static walked over to where the barmare had stopped to talk with a rather weary looking stallion, making the occasional gesture in our direction.

“Well I guess that settles it. Silver, Calamity, It was nice traveling with you. Take care of yourselves.”

“Ah don’t worry ‘bout it.” Calamity finished of his drink. Hopping off his stool he put his hoof to his hat in a mock salute. Why do I have the sinking feeling he knows something I don’t. Doesn’t matter, and I don’t care. After saying my goodbyes I paid my tab and headed for the door. Before I could open it, the door flung inward and two rather large looking earth pony stallions burst into the doorway. I recognized the smaller one as one of the card playing stallions. When had he slipped out?

The card pony looked right at me. Pointing a hoof, he turned to his bigger, meaner looking friend. “That’s him. That’s the one I told ya about.”

“Ah, bollocks.”

____________________________
Footnote: Level Up.
New Perk: Toughness [2]- +15% DR from explosives (This perk stacks with previous ranks)