Fallout Equestria: Silver Skies

Chapter 3: Highs and Lows

Authors note: This was originally part of chapter 2 but due to the length I decided to break it into two. My editor gets upset when I write 9k and above chapters lol.

“I am Paladin Ironclad of the Steel Rangers. Now kid, can you tell me what the fuck has happened in that city?”

I had been attacked by his Rangers, I have a bullet hole through one of my legs and I’ve lost enough blood that I'm struggling to fly more than a few feet. And now this freaky eyed pony wants me to play twenty questions with him?

“Can you give me three reasons why I should?”

“Alright. You're alone, I'm angry and I'm armed.”

Those were very good reasons, if I drew my pistol I could maybe hit him with one shot before he beats my flank bloody. Oh forget it, I'm too tired to deal with this shit right now. I dropped onto my rump, trying to take the weight off my injured leg. I gripped the bandages in my mouth and tried to pull them tight.

“What’s wrong with your leg?”

Ironclad seemed concerned, Then again, So was I. My fight with the ponies-in-a-can back there had made my wound bleed heavily again. Blood was soaking through the bandages and I was already feeling light headed. I didn't expect any help from these guys and I couldn't focus enough to be a smartass right now. Guess I'm just going to have to answer honestly then.

“Gunshot, went right through my leg.”

Ironclad’s eyes narrowed, I could see his jaw clench. Rage etched across his face. “Those Slaver bastards are shooting at children now? Fuck my orders! They die tonight!”

“They’re already dead...” I dropped to the floor, suddenly feeling very dizzy that it was hard to see. I felt something being pressed against my lips.

“Drink this quickly, now!”

I have no idea what it was but I drank anyway. I mean if he wanted me dead all he had to do was watch me bleed. An odd warm feeling spread through me and I felt the flesh around my wound tug and move. It helped a lot but I still passed out.

<====0o0====>

I came too slowly, there was an oddly cold feeling running down my leg. As my sight cleared I made out a red tube attached to a needle stuck into my leg. My eyes followed the tube to a bag hanging from a metal stand. Blood? Why was there a bag of blood stuck to me? I was in a large tent, but not the one I had passed out in. A familiar yellow eyed face loomed over me.

“We almost lost you there, youngster. How you beat one of my knight’s with a wound like that I will never know.”

I grinned, “That guy was a self righteous asshole. It wasn't that difficult.”

Ironclad smiled, “To business then. Our directives tell us to confiscate any functional prewar tech we discover. Your PipBuck is one such item but as it doesn't seem to work it will remain with you. We discovered a battle saddle of unusual design in your saddlebags. Our techs cannot work out if it is enchanted or not and have deemed it a defective prototype of some kind, that will also be returned.”

If they only knew what Vengeance and my PipBuck actually did, I doubt they would have been so nice about returning my stuff.

“There is still the matter of the rifle you were carrying and the ion cells in your bags. I will need to know exactly how you came across them. You can fill me in as you tell me about what happened in that city.”

“Ironclad, what’s happening in Trottingham?”

“I suppose you have a right to know. The Steel Rangers are mopping the remains of the gangs and slavers up as we speak, The Applejack has landed another forty rangers on the dock side. It seems that somepony took down the alicorn in control of the city and decimated the largest slaver gang in one fell swoop. Without that leadership, the remaining gangs have splintered. From the damage and the way none of the slaves were harmed we estimate a team of at least five with specialist training. What I need is you to tell us who took them down.”

“Oh, that's all? It was me.”

“This is no time for jokes kid! If there is a hostile force with that kind of firepower in the city I need to know and I need to know now before I lose any of my rangers!”

“It’s true, ask the slaves. I took them all down... I... I killed so many ponies...”

Ironclad stared hard at me, seemingly trying to decide if it was true or I was just being a smartass. “You’re serious? A child took down an alicorn and an entire slaver operation? Alone?”

To be fair, I can see how it sounded. I was a young buck and compared to a Steel Ranger or even the Slavers my weapons were pathetic. If it wasn't for the work Happy had done, Restoring Vengeance from a rusted chunk of scrap to a battle saddle of amazing stopping power, I have no doubts that I’d be dead right now. Wow, I am thinking clearly again... too bad they never fixed my fucked up mind.

“I will need all the details, The medics believe you're well enough to move so I want you to come to my tent again. And this time no passing out to avoid my questions!” Ironclad gave me a grin, the cheerful smile was spoiled by those eyes. They still scared the hell out of me.

I followed back through the camp. The metal clad ponies gave me suspicious looks. I guess my adventures in Trottingham had gotten around. Or they were upset I beat that murdering asshole’s flank bloody. Ironclad’s tent was only six tents away from the hospital one, a short walk but it let me see how well my leg was fixed up. I had a puckered scar just above the knee. Still the leg worked like it should and I wasn't in any pain, just a slight dizziness. Nothing I couldn't deal with.

Back in the tent Ironclad motioned me to a seat next to the map table. The big rifle I had took from the museum lay across it along with the odds and ends from the case I had stolen it from. Ironclad lay a hoof across the weapon and slid it towards me.

“The techs have examined it and determined it to be a rare gauss prototype. It seems to create a magnetic inversion field within the barrel and uses as pulse-emitter internally to direct an ionised pulse with a force twelve scaled impact. It has an unknown talisman inside that seems to generate a charge capable of firing a shot every thirty three point seven seconds, the ion cells decrease the recharge time to seven point four two seconds when connected. The scope is multi ranged and responds to eye motions and feeds targeting information to the users EFS. What else can you tell me about it?”

... What? I'm sure my eyes had glazed over during that explanation.

“I can tell you two things, it's big and I have no idea what you just said means.”

Ironclad gave me a sharp look, then sighed loudly. I guess he just wasn't used to talking to ponies as dumb as me. “Ok then kid...”

“Name’s Orion!”

“Fine! Orion it is!” Iron took a calming breath, not surprising when somepony is as annoying as me. “Tell me what happened in that city.”

I sat in that seat and told my tale, leaving out and glossing over any details about my PipBuck and Vengeance. I shook as I remembered the lives I had taken. Ironclad put a hoof on my shoulder, giving me the support I needed to finnish. His eyes locked with mine.

“You expect me to believe you have weather manipulation magic that refined? Something happened to you down there but I can't believe your story without some real proof!” He turned and began pacing back and forward, muttering under his breath about annoying children. At least until I hit him with a snowball.

“How the fuck?” His yellow eyes grew wide as I raised a hoof and created a swirling cloud of snow around it. With a grin I focused it into a second snowball and tossed it at him. Cocky bastard dodged it by tilting his head. Ok I'll admit the dodge looked badass.

“Hmm, if that's true then that battle saddle must have some serious stopping power... I think I'll get the techs to have another look.”

Shit! think Orion! You can't let them take Vengeance away from you.

“Oh I just lucked out and found a box of AP ammunition! The saddle barely works, that's why it's stored away.”

“So let me get all this straight. You got knocked out being stupid, thrown into a cage with a child alicorn who had just the right magic to get you out of that cage, ran into the only building with any cover, found a hole that skipped a lot of the museums hallways, found a box of armour piercing ammunition and your gun at the end of a long corridor with no cover, cut down half the gang and it's leader, found this rifle, and then took down an alicorn who has been killing Rangers for months and the rest of the Slavers?”

I gave a nod, “Not quite as clinical as that but that's basically what happened.”

“Orion, I have to ask this. Is your special talent pure dumb luck or something? How the fuck can I get my superiors to believe this? A fucking child broke the back of a defense that has stopped our advance for over a year! Fuck I am getting demoted after this for sure!”

“Why not pin this on the stable dweller? That mare is already cleaning up around canterlot.”

“I can't, she has been reported near New Appaloosa, But you may be onto something. If I report that some hero, following in the Stable Dweller’s hoofsteps snuck into the city and broke the back of Redeye’s operation they may forgive me.”

So he needs a new hero then, the Security Mare is way too far away to be used... Why is he smiling at me like that?

“Ironclad? Why are you looking at me like that? it's creeping me out.”

“Oh I think I found my hero to pin this on.”

Wait what? He just said he couldn't report that I had did it! “Ironclad! I'm not a hero! I can't be who you need for this!”

“Sir, an unknown pegasus teen was reported entering Trottingham at 1700 hours, shortly afterwards gunfire was reported, scouts reported the elimination of both the largest Slaver gang and the alicorn overlord. After freeing the enslaved ponies, the unknown disappeared. I suspect a Stealthbuck as EFS never picked him up. Witnesses describe dark coloring and a silver streaked mane. The only agreed fact about his identification was a star themed name.”

While technically true, that glossed over a lot of details and made it seem like I went there just to kick flank! And what the fuck is a Stealthbuck? What is it with the males in my family? Why do we always get thrust into the role of hero for the most stupid reasons? With a weary sigh I just gave in, no matter what I say, this was going to happen. It was the only way Ironclad could save his career. I just hope I don't end up with some stupid nickname, like the Winged Wonder or something.

Gunfire echoed from outside, making the both of us jump. A metal clad pony burst into the tent, “Paladin Ironclad! Sir, we are under attack by a force of alicorns! we estimate a group of five, They are striking from the western side of the camp, what are your orders?”

Iron didn't even pause to think before responding, “Take squads three through five and reinforce the guards, squads six through ten are to spread out to our flanks in case this is a feint. squads one and two are to fall back and defend our supplies in the camp interior. I will head out to assist in repelling the assault. Knight Sablefang is to take charge of the camp defenders. Orion, you are to stay out of this fight. You are unarmed and will just get in the way.”

Well I was more than happy to sit this one out, until I had Vengeance back there was no way I could take on another alicorn. let alone five.

Iron trotted to the table and looked down at the rifle, then with a few quick motions snapped each of the batteries, or was it cells? I should have paid more attention to his explanation... together with a few metallic clicks. The newcomer Ranger helped attach it to Irons armour. I noticed how nopony even bothered to ask if they could take it, it was mine after all. Iron snapped his helmet into place.

“Let me see, interfacing with armour’s EFS... interface complete. This gauss cannon seems to have a name, Severance. Right, stay here kid. Your still under my protection until the medics clear you to leave.” Without waiting for me to answer, the Rangers charged out of the tent, So... another great adventure in sitting then.

After a few minutes of random pacing, Yes, I'm that easily bored, I trotted over to the map table and took a look. Vista somehow updated my map with the locations. One of these days I'm going to have to learn how this thing works. It hadn’t even been five minutes and I was climbing the walls, gunfire echoed outside the tent but I was stuck here and bored to death. Finally after an agonisingly slow ten minutes I just gave up and decided to go outside.

“What's he going to do? ground me?”

I poked my head out of the tent, Smoke drifted across the camp. The sounds of gunfire and explosions echoed. I dashed across the spaces between the tents, looking for a sight of whatever was happening, I know I'm kind of stupid for looking for a battle but... Oh screw it I'm just bored. After a few random twists and turns I reached a space set into the centre of the camp. Armoured ponies lay around a large fire set into the space, still and unmoving. Blood soaked the ground, bringing back the memories of the museum that still haunted me.

Something about the scene seemed odd to me, there was at least eight dead ponies here, all wearing that clunky armour and fitted with battle saddles holding really big guns. Each had been brutally killed, armour rent and torn. What seemed odd was there were no dead attackers, something had taken these guys down and lost none of their own doing it. Sweet Celestia, now I really miss my guns! If I had a fully loaded Vengeance I could have a chance, all I have now is my brain... Yep, I'm doomed.

I looked about, trying to find some trace of the attackers or at the least a weapon I could use. The Rangers’ weapons weighed more than I did, so they were out. No small arms around. Wait.. if there is no guns around it means these ponies were killed by magic. I saw no pony around while searching, so that means that the attackers must be above me...

There was a flash of purple light and the world went black.

<====0oxo0====>

I came to with a groan, Hadn't I been knocked out enough for one day? I expected to still be in the camp, or the next world. There were no tents I could make out through my blurry vision. Something white was a little ways away from me, I rubbed my hoof across my eyes to clear my vision. Before me stood the most majestic sight I had seen from the first time I had beheld Luna. A huge white alicorn, beautiful purple eyes looked down on me, delicate wings spread out from her back, a flowing blue mane was swept across one side of her face, streaked with lavender, a long horn rose from her head, tapering to a point. This was the most sexy pony I had seen since meeting Happy. I felt my heart beating hard in my chest. This pony was so beautiful that I...

“Get up you little grey fuck.”

Wait what?

“Get your ass up, I won't tell you again.”

A white hoof connected with my ribs, sending me bouncing across the rocky ground. It felt like I had been kicked by a pony as big as my dad! With a wince of pain, I forced myself to my hooves.

“Who are you? What do you want with me?”

The white alicorn narrowed her eyes and gave me a chilling smile, I backed up a few steps, more than a little intimidated.

“You can call me Azure Sky, The Goddess created me to hunt your scawny little ass down. the Goddess has big plans for you. Bringing the offspring of Equestria’s last male alicorn into Unity will give her all she needs to create male alicorns.”

Ok, this Azure Sky is a little unhinged, I have to do all I can not to upset her until I can get away. Why do I never listen to myself?

“Two things, one, Dad was not an alicorn and two, shove your Unity up your fat plot!”

Subtle Orion, really subtle.

“I couldn't give two fucks about your opinion on the matter, you cocky little shit. I bring you, I get my freedom from Unity and I get to keep this body.”

Ok, I now have an alicorn chasing my ass down just to force me into this Unity? And as hot as it is, whats so special about this alicorns body. What did she mean by keep it?

“So I take it I have no choice in the matter?” The glare I got in return clearly called me an idiot for asking, “So can I ask a few questions first? I just want to understand what's going on.”

Azure gave me a hateful glare before sighing, “Fine, ask your questions. No promises as to whether I'll answer though.”

Here’s my chance to find out more about this world, maybe even some infomation on my parents. First though I have to make her open up a little.

“Were you born an alicorn? I don't know how this alicorn thing works you see.”

The cold stare I got in return made me take a step back again. “No, I was born a unicorn. I don't remember my real name anymore. I was a slaver, at least until Redeye decided to make me a gift to the Goddess. I was absorbed, mind, body and soul.”

Azure stared down at her hooves, lost in thought. “Unity is... difficult to describe, it's like a choir, some voices sing louder than others, some like me are drowned out in the noise. The Goddess can make bodies for our souls, she chooses what powers we have and our role. Even out here I still hear her speak through Unity. This time she needed my skills, I could track an escaped slave with little or no trail. This body was created with powers greater than even Twilight Sparkle. When I bring you back, I get to keep this form and leave Unity.”

“This Goddess wants to absorb me because she thinks my dad was an alicorn? Does that mean you know what happened to my parents?”

“I suppose it won't hurt to tell you... Nopony is really sure where your father died, the one agreed upon fact is that he sacrificed himself to take out a Zebra super weapon of some kind. The Sky Archons died in an attempt to save Canterlot from the final missile attack. Your mother was a scientist, working under Twilight Sparkle. She was a project liaison to the other ministries and worked on a lot of projects ranging from the Steel Ranger armour to the advanced PipBuck designs. I believe she died in the attack on Manehatten.”

Manehatten. Well it gives me somewhere to search once I get back to Radar and heal up. Movement caught my eye, black dots appeared against the grey clouds and began to move towards us. I watched for a minute, lost in thought as my mind began to run through idea after idea of what they could be. At least until Azure Sky struck me across my muzzle with a hoof.

“Pay attention when I am speaking you little grey fucker!” one of her eyes was twitching, “I answer your questions out of the goodness of my heart and you ignore me? Why the fuck should I put up with this crap? I should just beat you bloody and drag your scrawny ass back to Maripony!”

I wiped blood away from my muzzle with the back of my hoof, “Can I ask you one more question?”

Azure screamed in frustration, “Fine! One more question and if it's something stupid, you will feel a lot of pain!” Even with her threats, my eyes were on those dots. They had come close enough for me to make out details, twelve of them flew in formation. each were winged like me but covered in some black shell or armour. Their tails ended in curved blades while strange looking box weapons were affixed to their sides. They looked like pegasi crossed with some kind of insect.

“What are those?” I pointed past her to the incoming creatures. With a scowl at me, Azure turned to where I was pointing just before beams of coloured light began to flash down. Instantly she created a bubble of purple magic around herself. I took the opportunity go get a little distance between me and the psychotic alicorn. The newcomers seemed intent of ending Azure as they ignored me completely. The coloured lights were soon joined by explosions as rockets rained down on the white alicorn. Her shield flickered with the constant impacts. The focussed barrage had forced Azure to her knees. Those purple eyes, so filled with hate locked onto mine. Her voice echoed in my head.

“I'll be back for you fucker, don't think this is over.” With a flash of purple light she was gone. The barrage ripped into the ground for a few seconds before each of the newcomers stopped shooting. one of them landed before me and reached up to its neck, there was a hiss and the head, well it turns out to be a helmet, was lifted free.

Feeling a little foalish, I gave a little wave. “Hi there.”

The pegasus before me stared at me with his deep green eyes. His red coat was slick with sweat, just like his short cut black mane. After a minute of giving me a very unnerving stare he finally spoke. “Orion, son of Starshot and Antiquity?”. Surprised that anypony would know me by name I gave a shocked nod. “You're coming with us.”

A loud selection of metallic clicks echoed as each pony leveled their guns at me.

<====0oxo0====>

Well this was turning out to be a very interesting day, I leave Trottingham, fight a Steel Ranger, get kidnapped, saved by Enclave ponies then kidnapped by them instead. Why can't my life be simple?

These Enclave ponies practically forced glowing healing potions down my throat when I explained why I couldn't fly right then. I felt great after the effect of all those potions kicked in, a little bloated but great. I was still very nervous around these guys as none of them seemed to want to point those guns of theirs away from me. Heck, nopony would even give me their name!

We lifted off and ascended, I was kept in the centre of the group, attached to a pony on either side of me by a length of rope coiled around my neck. they obviously were taking no chances that I would run. I was led closer skywards, odd things began to emerge from the silver cloudbanks. metal poles tipped with glowing gemstones dangled down through the clouds. We punched through the clouds and my brain shut down in shock, before me was a massive metal structure. A vast grey metal ring sat upon the clouds, long bar like structures sprouted from its sides, covered in antennas and connecting to an even larger ring. I could see it was a real marvel. And yet I couldn't get the mental image of a marshmallow inside a donut ring out of my head.

“What is this place?”

My captors burst into laughter. Jackasses...

“You're a pegasus and you have never heard of the Enclave base Altostratus? Have you been living under a rock?”

Great, another name I can't pronounce... well I'll continue to think of this place as donut city. I was half led, half dragged to a platform on the side of the base. Still at gunpoint I was forced along a bewildering twisting series of corridors and stairways. Finally I was pushed through a door into a metal room before the door slammed shut. And another great adventure in sitting...

The room was pretty small and squared, thirty hoofsteps long and wide. I was so bored I actually checked. Walls were bare metal while the third had a large window looking out over the clouds. The fourth wall had the door which had no handles and could not be opened from inside. The only furnishings were a metal table welded to the floor in the middle of the room and a pair of chairs, covered in red padding. Kind of garish with the only colour in here being the dull silver of the metal walls.

After what seemed an hour the door opened and an armoured pegasus walked in. This guy is creepy, he wore a black coverall that left his head and hooves bared. Metal plates covered each vital point and wrapped the limbs. His face, though, was so very creepy. His mane and coat both had the same shade of white. Piercing green eyes stared out at me. His lack of expression was really weirding me out. After silently gesturing to a seat, he took the other himself and set a paper folder onto the table in front of him.

“My name is Fallen Snow, You do not need to know my rank. All you need to be aware of is that I have been given jurisdiction over you.”

“Given what? Why the fuck do you think I’ll go along with anything you guys decide? You kidnapped me for fucks sake!”

Fallen snow stared at me for a moment, his face still showing no emotions. “You are the child of a military pegasus. As such with your parents gone, your care and wellbeing fall under the Enclave’s jurisdiction... why do you keep looking around?”

All the time he talked, I had been looking at random places in the room. Even under the table. After dealing with Azure Sky, this creepy pony was about to face the full might of a smartass kid with nothing to lose.

“Oh! sorry about that, I was just looking for a fuck to give, doesnt seem to be one around here though...”

“Charming...just to make you aware, you can't make me angry.”

Well the day is still young. Lets see if he is right. I remembered something I used to do that drove my folks crazy, interrupt everything said with a random question.

“Our reports have you staying at the town of Radar, is this cor...”

“Hey! Doesn’t that window freeze up here?”

“....No, those windows will not freeze until they drop well below freezing. Now focus. Were you or were you not staying at the town...”

“Do you bleach your hair? I can't help but picture you as a blonde.”

“No this is my natural color. Now please answer the question. Were you living in the town of Radar?”

“Oh no, I’ve never lived in a Gaybar,sure you’re handsom and all but I just don't swing that way.”

Fallen gave a loud sigh and rolled up his sleeve on his left fore hoof, Revealing a PipBuck. After tapping a few buttons he spoke into it. “The subject is being difficult, send in Persuader please.”

The door opened and a large pegasus trotted in. All he wore was a PipBuck. Every muscle under his pale blue coat bulged. He had a nose ring, gold like his eyes. His red mane was shaved and styled into a mohawk. Without so much as a glance at me, he stood behind my seat.

“I hesitate to resort to these methods but needs must. Now do you currently live in the town of Radar?”

“I told you already; I'm not into stallions.”

A blue hoof pressed to the back of my head and drove it into the table hard enough that I was left seeing stars.

“Not so hard, we wish him to be able to answer our questions”

Ow... I see that if I continue to be an annoying little fucker then this steroid freak behind me will beat my ass.

“One last time without the wit. Are you currently residing in the town of Radar?”

“No... I stayed there for a few days then began walking for Trottingham.”

“Was that so hard?” If I couldn't wing my way out of this mess then I was not going to call trouble down on a town that accepted me as one of their own. Wait..wing my way out...

“There is no reason to frown young Orion. Now next question, where are the Archon weapon caches located?”

“How would I know that? I was never an Archon!”

“Yes, we are aware but as the son of one of the most decorated in their history you must have been told some of the locations of their caches and organisation?”

“No... Dad never wanted me to join them. He made it clear that I wasn’t to be involved with them at all...”

Fallen Snow gave a soft sigh. With a delicate flick of a hoof the albino pegasus flipped open the folder before him. “Your father was a sergeant in the Sky Archons, quite a high rank for one not even into his second century. Your mother was an accomplished scientist who designed the spell matrices for both the leg mounted PipBucks and the modern power armours. According to our sources she was a researcher on both SATS and the original EFS systems.”

“How do you know all that?”

“Our intelligence has compiled files on every single pony of note and their families in the last 200 years.”

Sweat was running down my face as I asked my next question. “Does that folder contain information about where my folks died?”

“Some information yes, we have an idea of where your mother passed but your father is still a mystery. All we know for sure is he died almost a year before the mega spells fell. Now then, you will be placed into the training program, with a solid training regime I believe you can be an asset to the Enclave, maybe one day even good enough to join the Wonderbolts.”

“I guess I get no say in this?” I knew the answer already but I felt the urge to voice it anyway.

Fallen gave a shiver, “Why is it so cold in here?”

With wide eyes he looked to me, then to the window. My weather magic had been coating the window with ice as we talked, now it had reached the point where the windows reinforced glass began to crack. Fallen snow gave me a disappointed look. “Persuader, restrain the boy please.”

I danced back towards the frosted window, Fallen Snow giving me a sad smile as the big pony advanced on me. It was clear he was used to having his brawn win all arguments. The ‘Persuader’ raised a hoof and swung it, intent on smashing it across my face. He shouted in surprise when I stepped into the swing and wrapped my front hooves around the limb. With a twist of my body, I used his own weight and strength to flip him over and send him crashing through the cracked window.

Fallen stared at me in shock as the room was filled with the roaring wind. I snatched up the folder on my folks in my mouth and with a lazy salute, leapt backwards out into space. I brought my hooves up close to my body and tucked my head in, dropping through the clouds like a stone. My silver and black mane whipped around in the strong winds, My wings beat as I powered down through the clouds. This is what I always loved about flying, the roaring winds, feeling gravity fight me as I flew.

Red light flashed past me, I glanced back to see five armoured Enclave pegasai chasing. The light gunfire stopped. I guess they got the order to bring me back alive. My PipBuck crackled for a moment before a gruff voice came from it.

“This is Lieutenant Thunderchaser of the Enclave, you are being pursued by veteran squad Ajax. These pegasai have over fifteen years experience in combat flight. You have no chance to escape. Surrender now.”

Combat flight? This was not combat flying, this was stunt flying! fifteen years? I had spent two centuries stunt flying in that simulation. Welcome to my world boys.

I glanced back, They had closed in while that pony had demanded that I surrender, Fat chance of that. I angled my wings, turning into a corkscrew dive, then when I had enough momentum going, turned into a fast turn. I shot back skywards like a bullet, shooting between my shadows before they could register what was going on.

>Frequency Decrypted.

>Enclave Squad Communication Confirmed.

>Patching Into Channel.

Yes! I love you Vista! A wide grin spread across my face as the voices of the pegasi chasing me came through my PipBuck.

“How did this kid do that? That's a Wonderbolt trick!”

“Settle down Nightfire, it was just blind luck. No chance in hell that he will be able to pull it off again.”

I wish I could have seen their faces when I did exactly that, still this stunt flying is tiring and although I'm getting closer to the ground, where the fuck do I go? I dove groundwards, the vista below me was plain wastelands, no wood lands, no canyons I could escape into, just flat dead earth as far as I could see. The only feature of note was a ruined tower to the north. With little other choice I headed that way, my shadows close behind.

“Crimson Dawn to command, Target is slowing. Location is approximately five klicks south of Storm Wing tower.”

“Roger that, apprehend escapee at own discretion. Deadly force is not aurthorised, repeat, not authorised.”

“Confirmed command, escapee is to be acquired alive”

I was so very tired, my coat was slick with sweat and my mane hung in ragged clumps. I would have to land soon but if I did I would be caught. Now I had a lead to follow there was no way I was going to be a captive of the Ranger, Enclave or some psychotic alicorn. I needed help, I needed it now.

Celestia and Luna must have been watching over me, a blue blur shot past me to my left with a hollow thump, The pegasus hit simply exploded into chunks, blood misting in the air.

“Command! We are under attack! I repeat, we are under attack!”

Bullets traced through the air, tracking the pegasus behind me. The stream of bullets tore into two Enclave ponies, all but tearing them into pieces before a second hollow thump echoed. The blurr flashed by, tearing the wing from one of my remaining pursuers. The scream as the armoured mare fell to her death was horrific.

“Command! We need support now! Respond dammit!”

The tower was close, I shot by, turning as close to the walls as I could hoping to throw the last Enclave off my tail. A large armoured figure leapt from the tower, four armoured hooves crashed down onto the Enclave pegasai’s back. The weight was too much and both ponies fell the remaining thirty hoof steps or so to the ground with a loud crash. The figure had turned out to be a Steel Ranger in familiar gold edged armour. The Ranger rode the Enclave soldier all the way down, his additional weight all but driving the pegasus into the dry earth. The Ranger pressed one hoof down on the Enclave soldiers chest, an oddly familiar rifle pivoted on his armoured flank as it aimed at the prone pegasus.

“There... there are more of us coming Ranger, give us the boy and you can walk away with your life.”

“No, there are no more coming. I have had your coms jammed from the moment you acknowledged your non lethal force order.”

“Why? Is this boy affiliated with the Steel Rangers?”

“No, the kid is not part of the order.”

“Then why? Why attack and kill us like this?”

“He was taken from under my protection, and nopony fucks with me and mine!”

There was another hollow sounding thump as the odd rifle discharged, the concussive blast reducing the Enclave soldiers head to paste. The armoured pony turned to me then reached up to his neck. There was a hiss as the helmet was lifted free. Yellow eyes, slitted like a snake glared at me from a blue face.

Ironclad bellowed at me, “I told you to stay in the fucking tent!”

<====0oxo0====>

We had been walking for hours, following my PipBuck’s direction tag. Heading towards Radar. Ironclad seemed to have taken it as a personal insult when I was kidnapped. Even when I described Azure Skies’ power he wouldn't calm down. It wasn’t until I told of how I smartassed that albino pegasus that he lightened up. I could hear him laughing inside his helmet. Iron seemed a little upset my PipBuck wasn't actually broken. I know little about his order besides they collect rare tech and ‘protect’ it. The idea of storing devices that could help somepony was a pretty stupid idea to me but love and tolerate as Mom taught me.

Iron had returned my saddlebags to me, slightly worse for wear but intact, a quick check had shown he kept his word. Both Vengeance and my pistol were safely stowed within. The slightly slobbered on folder was soon stashed away inside too. Now my 9mm was holstered to my leg with its clips in Happy’s rig. I had used it a few times as we walked, My inexpert fire had taken down a few bloat sprites and something my PipBuck had named a ‘Radhog’. Ironclad seemed content to let me practice my aim, as bad as it was even with Vista’s help I had trouble hitting one in ten shots.

Night had begun to fall, Iron kept glancing up at the fading light. With a weary sigh, he turned to me. “Look’s like we will have to camp out tonight. We’ll have to head to the memorial and make camp there. It's only a few miles away.”

“Memorial? Who is it for?” I had to know, They didn't build something like that for anypony.

“It was actually built after the war as a mark of respect to a group of ponies who gave everything to save lives.”

“That tells me squat Ironclad, Can you give me some names?”

“Sorry, there are no names known for them, the statue was built to copy a photograph from a pre war record.”

More mysteries, Yay!

Rain had begun to fall, soon worsening into a storm. We both galloped hard, Ironclad taking the lead, We seemed to be heading to some woodland to the west. Lightning began to split the sky. The rain had become so hard it couldn't see more than a couple meters in front of me, Iron had become a vague shape in the downpour, visible only by the lights on his helmet. I was shivering from the cold, I can't express how glad I was when a roughly built hut reared out of the rains. We both tumbled through the plank door. I sat shivering in a slowly spreading pool or water while Iron, water dripping from his power armour, got a fire lit by striking sparks from the stone fireplace with his metal shod hooves.

The flickering fire warmed the room slowly, I sat so close my coat steamed as I dried out. Iron announced he would take the first watch, and I was only happy to agree. I just curled up into a ball and fell into an exhausted sleep.

Dawn lit the sky through the cabin window when Iron woke me for my watch.

“I thought you was going to wake me at midnight Iron?”

“Kid, after what you’ve been through in the last few days I thought you could use the sleep.”

“Well... okay I’ll admit I was worn out. But we’re not going anywhere until you get some sleep too.”

I got the impression I was being glared at behind that visor. Still he agreed to a few hours of sleep. I stood tapping a hoof until Ironclad finally lay down went to sleep. Time to explore!

I decided to take a look around the cabin, in the dawn light I could finally see it was built from logs. Glass panes in the windows were dirty but unbroken. A small kitchen area in one corner drew my attention. A quick session of rummaging in the two cupboards and fridge rewarded me with a surprisingly sharp blade that Vista labeled a combat knife, a few canned goods and a healing potion. All soon found their way into my saddlebags.

With nothing left to explore in the one room cabin, I headed outside. The rains the night before had left mists flowing around. The cabin was merely a grey blur in the thick fog. I could make out a darker blurred shape a little farther away so I headed that way. It was so quiet, other than the sounds of the wind and wood shifting with the damp, everything was silent and still. In fact if it wasn't for the chill in the air and soft whimpering, I would call it pleasant. Wait... whimpering?

Hmm if whatever was making that noise was hostile I should wake Ironclad. Still something about that soft crying noise pulled at my heart. Oh Sweet Celestia, did I just think something that cheesy and lame? The fog was creating strange echoes so it was hard to follow. It seemed to be coming from near the shape I spotted from by the cabin. With little visibility in front of me I looked to the ground to find my way forwards and by Luna’s hot flanks I was glad I did! Littered across the ground was some kind of traps, a simple pressure pad in the center was ringed by rusted metal teeth. Feeling a little nervous I took a glance around the ground, after a quick search I found a length of metal pipe. Careful to keep my distance, I tapped each pad as I went, springing each trap. It took almost a half hour to reach what turned out to be a statue of six ponies sitting on a raised base. The thick fog had begun to burn away in the morning light.

The whimpering sounded close now, I peeked around one side of the statues base and felt cold anger settle inside me. There was a small puppy caught in one trap by its left front paw. What kind of sick fucker sets traps for puppies? If I ever find out who set these then they will be introduced to the business end of Vengeance! Did I just think that? what the fuck is wrong with me? slowly I approached the pup, trying not to scare it, poor thing took one look at the metal bar in my mouth and with a yelp of fear, tried to flee. Blood dripped from the pup’s leg. Panicking myself now I spat the bar out.

“Easy boy, I'm not going to hurt you, easy now”

The pup locked it's eyes with my own, those small black, tear filled eyes stared deep into my soul. Finally he calmed down and lay down softly crying. I couldn't take much more of the poor thing like this. I grabbed my bar in my teeth again and jammed one end in between the traps heavy jaws. With a grunt I pulled hard, the rusted metal began to move. I pushed on one side with my back hooves, putting all my strength into opening this stupid thing. The jagged metal cut my hoof but I didn’t care. I had to help this pup! With a sudden pop, the springs holding the jaws together snapped, dumping me on my flank.

The fog had cleared up enough for me to see the little thing clearly. He was tiny, couldn't be more than a year old, his coat was a dusty grey with snow white paws and tips on his ears. Little wings fluttered as he gave me a hopeful look. Wait... wings? What the fuck? Yep, I wasn’t seeing things due to a concussion from my ‘questioning’ by the enclave yesterday. A flying dog? Or maybe wolf? I took a look at his paw and winced, it was cut deep and looked infected. The pup didn't seem to be scared of me as much now and didn't try to run as I rummaged in my saddlebags for a healing potion. He panicked a little when I upended one vial over his wound. The healing magic closed the wound up but it still looked sore. A little rummaging later turned up a few rolls of healing bandages. A gift from Ironclad I assumed. After cutting one down with my combat knife, I bound the little guys leg.

“Now then, what do I call you little guy?”

The pup just tilted his head and gave me a sorrowful look with those black eyes, The morning sun reflected through the remains of the mists. His eyes looked like the night sky. Hmm..

“How about... Nighteyes?”

The little guy gave me a happy sounding bark. Nighteyes it was then. I sat down and wrapped my cut hoof in the remaining bandages. A weight settled on my head, Reaching up my hoof encountered soft fur. I have a small flying wolf pup on my head... I was going to push him off until I heard the small contented sigh. How could I move him after that?

With the fog finally lifted I decided it was time to take a look at this memorial, who would've deserved a memorial centuries after... they...died...

Familiar faces looked down at me, a massive armoured pegasus with a stern look.

“Winter Sky...”

A pegasus mare with a bright smile.

“Night Feather...”

A pegasus stallion with a cocky grin.

“Hotshot...”

A unicorn with crazy hair and a cigarette in his mouth.

“Uncle Firewall...”

A small pegasus Stallion with blank eyes.

“Storm Wing...”

And a huge armoured pegasus with a twisted horn and sad eyes.

“Dad...”

The Sky Archons, these were members of the Sky Archons. Well not Firewall but he hung around with them so much he may aswell have been one. They were unnamed? No... I could change that right here and now. It took a little scrounging but I found some wooden planks near the cabin and amazingly enough a few tubes of wonderglue. I loved this stuff! you could glue a chair to the ceiling with it! I found six lengths of plank around the same size and took them back to the memorial. With a little patience and a few hours of scratching away with my combat knife, I had my name plates ready. I was fixing my Dads plate in place when Ironclad called from the cabin.

“I knew you wouldn't wake me, and stop that now! Defacing a memorial is disrespectful! What would your parents say?”

“Well my Dad would say thank you.”

Iron trotted over and took a look at what I had done, “Hotshot, Winter Sky, Firewall... I know these names. How would you know these ponies are them?”

“Simple, I knew them. The alicorn look alike is my Dad, Starshot.”

Ironclad’s visor stared at me for what seemed like five minutes. I heard Nighteyes wings give a little flutter as a tired puppy yawn came from on top my head. Iron’s reaction was not what I expected, Severance and the machine gun on his other flank snapped up and pointed at me.

“Orion, knock that thing off your head and back away from it slowly.”

“Why? This little guy is no threat!“

“Orion, That is a Liger. They were a bioweapon created during the war. The are supposed to be extinct. My order has orders to exterminate any that are discovered as they turned on their creators and ravaged whole settlements.”

This cute little guy was a monster? N-no! No fucking way was anypony going to hurt Nighteyes for something that happened hundreds of years ago!

“You're not going to touch Nighteyes Ironclad. Steel Ranger or not if you want this pup you will have to go through me first.”

“You... you don't honestly think you can stop me do you? You're a kid with no real firepower and a pipbuck that barely works at all!”

I drew my pistol and snapped off a single shot, the small calibre round bounced from Ironclads visor. He never even flinched. Nighteyes slid down my neck and curled up shivering on my back, scared by the gunshot. Iron’s blank visor seemed to stare at me.

“Orion, you would actually fight me over a mutant monster like that?”

“You're the last pony who should talk about mutant monsters, yellow eyes!”

Irons visor dipped for a moment, I’d hit a nerve there for sure. “Iron, I'm sorry. That was a low blow but would you like anypony deciding you had to die because of something that happened before you were born?”

Irons visor looked down to the ground, then in a sad voice he spoke up.

“Actually I can relate more than you know. You see my mother was a slave in Fillydelphia, she worked in the radiation pit. I don't know who my Father was but she was pregnant when they dragged her to that hellhole. She lasted almost a month in that place before the radiation poisoning finally dropped her. Redeye’s men threw her over the walls and left her to die...”

Iron took a moment before continuing, “My mother dragged her dying body almost five miles from the walls. The radiation poisoning and the trauma of the fall had caused an early birth. She had me there and then on the dirt covered wasteland ground. We both would have died without a doubt if a Ranger patrol had not found us. My mother begged them to take me but the radiation had mutated me. My yellow eyes are abhorred by the order, Mutation is to be shunned. They would have left me there if not for a single pony...”

Iron reached up and removed his helmet. Taking it as a sign of faith I holstered my pistol. “If you don't want to tell me Iron, you don't have too...”

“No, it's alright. A Star Paladin by the name of Steelhooves had joined the patrol, he insisted that I was to be taken back to the Fillydelphia base. I was inducted into the order as soon as I was old enough to walk. Steelhooves became my mentor, almost my father. He taught me how to shoot, how to use power armour. Everything I would need to excel in the order. Still I was shunned by the Elders. My mutation was still seen as a mark of shame. Steelhooves had put a lot of trust in me, he gave me the support I needed. It was his advice that led me to my decision, if the order refused to acknowledge my skills I would become so good in my fields they would not be able to deny me. I trained day and night, marksmanship, maintenance, technology, science, survival. I placed top of my field in every class. I worked hard day after day. In the end there was no way anypony could deny my skills and I rose to the rank of Paladin. Even with all I had accomplished I still think they gave me command of the Trottingham division only because of how the order had not been able to even make a foothold in the city.”

Ironclad’s Yellow eyes looked into mine. “Then you turned up Orion. You did by pure luck what a force of Rangers couldn't. With Trottingham now under Steel Ranger control I have a shot at being an elder one day. I know you never wanted it but I feel I owe you something, that is why I'm taking you back to Radar. But the Liger... it's asking a lot.”

“Iron... I'm not asking. This pup shouldnt be killed for something that its ancestors did.”

Iron gave a loud sigh, “Kid, your the most annoying little fucker I have ever met... Alright, if you swear to take responsibility for the pup he's yours.”

“Cross my heart, hope to fly, Stick a cupcake in my eye!”

“What?”

I gave a sheepish grin, “I promise.”

“Ok... what were you doing to the memorial anyway? How can you know who these ponies are? They died centuries ago.”

“Well I'm a freezer pony, I woke up just over a month back in a tube.”

“Freezer pony? Wait... you’re one of the ponies from cryogenic stasis? From How far back?”

“217 years, I was frozen just before the war escalated.”

Iron Trotted up to the wooden name plates. “So this guy is your Dad eh? Starshot... wait... the Starshot? The Starlight Archon? The pony who saved half of the heartlands when he sacrificed himself to take out a Zebra superweapon?”

“It happened while I slept but yeah, he's my Dad.”

“It's hard to believe. Who was your mother?”

“Her real name was Antiquity but everypony called her Page. It was a nickname my Dad used as he couldn't pronounce her name.”

“You're the kid of a Sky Archon and a member of the OIA? That's some pedigree.”

“I don't know about pedigrees but they were my folks. I just wish I knew if they were laid to rest. The idea that they lay out in the wastelands for hundreds of years... I can't take not knowing.”

“So you came to Trottingham to find out about them?”

“Well my godmother is buried there so I thought it was better than no lead at all.”

Ironclad facehooved epicly, “Thank the goddesses that nopony knows why you did what you did back there or I would be the laughing stock of my order.”

With conversation drying up after that we ate some breakfast, Iron had some canned corn, me a box of sugar apple bombs and Nighteyes wolfed down, no pun intended, a can of Cram. I fiddled with my PipBuck’s map. We were only around 40 miles from Radar. With a little luck we should be there before nightfall. Heck I could fly there in an hour but I owed Iron so I wasn't about to ditch him so save myself some walking. I expected Nighteyes to head back into the wasteland when we left but as soon as we left the memorial he let out a loud whine.

“Come on then, boy!”

“You're not adopting that thing are you?”

Nighteyes landed on my head again and draped himself across my mane with a contented sigh. I had to grin, the little fuzzball was growing on me!

“Looks like he's adopted me Iron!”

I could hear the groan through his armour.

<====0oxo0====>

Late afternoon found us close to the Radar. Without a doubt right now we were in the crosshairs of at least three rifles. I was sure nopony would fire at me but I didn't want Iron to get shot, or more likely get pissed and blow a chunk out the wall with Severance. Nighteyes was asleep on my back, He had tried to walk with us for a while but his leg wasn't totally healed yet. That little wolf fluttering along next to me was adorable, Cool Orion, not adorable, COOL! But after a few hours the little guy was tired out and curled up on my back for a little nap.

A little more walking brought us to the western gate. The wall guns all tracked and made my skin crawl, after the last few days the thought of having a gun pointed at me was not a pleasant one. The massive gate stayed closed. There was nopony even making a sound. I guess it's up to me to speak then.

“Hey can somepony get Dozer to open the gate already? It's been a long day and I need to grab some shuteye!”

Dozer himself called down, “Orion, if your that Ranger’s prisoner just say the word and he's full of holes! Those two who escorted those ponies here were none too friendly.”

“Don't worry, big guy! Iron is cool, no sense of humour but he's still pretty cool.”

The gates finally opened and before I had a chance to do anything, Happy dashed out and hugged me.

“Orion! I thought you were dead! The freed slaves told me what you did in Trottingham, I thought the Slavers had followed you.”

Nighteyes chose this moment to give a loud puppy yawn and leap off my back. I have never seen Happy Trails eyes go so big without a rare gun being close. With a squee, she rubbed his side with a hoof. The smarmy little guy rolled onto his back and enjoyed a tummy rub. One leg and his little wings twitching happily.

“So Happy, did an alicorn girl make it here? I told her to ask for you...”

“Oh! Little Silver! She made it here alright. Every colt in town is in love with that girl. She's so sweet, it hurts.”

I let out a sigh of relief. She was finally safe from all the shit out in the wasteland.

“Erm...Orion? I'm glad you're back...”

I spun around, “Silver! It's great to... see.... you ... again...”

My brain shut down completely for a moment. I could have kissed Happy in that moment, Silver had been cleaned of all the dirt and blood, her ragged mane was brushed and trimmed. the black shone like silk. She wore a black dress with white lace at the throat and cuffs. A purple ribbon wound around her waist and was tied over her back, a matching ribbon was tied in a bow behind her right ear. She blushed shyly at me.

Happy reached over with a hoof and nudged my mouth shut.

“Silver... you look amazing...”

Silver’s face turned completely red with her blush, then without warning she ran back through the gates. Happy put a hoof across my shoulders.

“Orion, I need to talk seriously with you for a moment. That girl is in love with you.”

“What? Naw, she can't be! I just gave her a name and got her out that cage. How can she be in love with me? I'm nothing special!”

“Orion... you gave her the thing she wished for most, an identity. You spat in the face of one of the most powerful monsters in Equestria to give her that name. When those slavers came for her, you stood tall and told them you would kill anypony who touched her. When given the chance to escape, you instead took on the entire gang all to help her. You did more in one hour for that girl than anypony did in years. Is there any wonder she’s in love with you?”

Well when it's put like that...

“But I'm not worthy of a girl like her...”

Iron spoke up finally, “Kiddo, that's not your choice to make. If a girl loves you then you have to deal with it.”

“So, Orion...” Happy gave me one of her trademark grins, “Who’s the flying fuzzball?”

Nighteyes landed once again on my head, “This is Nighteyes, I found him in a trap at the memorial.”

Happy led us through the gates. “Well you have to tell me all about it but first... AP enchantments?”

LEVEL UP

New Quest Perk Added: Wing and a Prayer - While airborn you gain a 20% increase to all evasive rolls.

New Perk Added: Scavenger - You find 20% more caps and bullets in containers for each level of this perk.

Guns 35

Unarmed 20