It’s been a week since then. I still felt horrible, but I was recovering at least. As a leader I had boring stuff to do. Plan mission to the others, decide who was right in fights. Pretty much as if I was the only adult here and they were grown up children. Why the fuck did I became the leader. It’s no fun at all. Fucking shit.

The day started like any other. Wake up, eat, there was always something problem in the kitchen, and I had to decide who was right. Then I had to send out ponies on missions, usually just to scavenge and bring anything they find. Then I pretty much had to wait until anything exciting happens and plan out where will I send out anyone tomorrow. Sure it was an easy life, but at what cost? Living like a puppet leader, just to have the final word until someone comes and replace me.

Suddenly, a bell ringed meaning something happened. I ran outside as fast as I could, a bit excited for finally something happened.

“Boss! Someone’s coming… it’s a stable dweller,” said someone when they saw me. We all knew the story of a little bitch who came from stable 2. Since then we tried to make almost no contact with dwellers, but when we had to, we killed them without playing around much. Better safe than sorry after all.

“Alright everyone get on the walls and kill that bitch! Don’t play around, you never know what’s she’s up to,” I yelled and everyone done it in a blink of an eye.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Eight shots, eight dead raider. What the fuck? How did she kill eight of them this fast? Fuck, this is not good.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Three more down, fucking shit.

“Everyone kill that fucking bitch!” I ordered them, but all I saw was our ponies dying, while the others still trying to kill that dweller.

“Watch out!” someone cried out as a grenade landed on the top of the wall, and exploded killing a lot of those unlucky ones who couldn’t get away fast enough. We were losing this fight too fast. Before the attack, we were about 30 raiders, but now, we are only 7 now, and all was done by one fucking pony, what the hell? It’s as if Pink Wink was attacking us, but that’s impossible. She’s dead, I saw her dead body, and been there when we burned her. No, it couldn’t be her, but then who?

As I was lost in thoughts even more of us died, and only about five remained…

BANG!

I mean four…

BANG! BANG!

Two…

BANG! BANG!

They all died. From one fucking bitch. Everypony. What the fucking luna being raped by these worthless whores in a cave.

“Was that all? I expected more from this place,” - said the intruder outside the wall. - “Come out, whoever the leader is,I know you’re hiding in there like a chicken.”

She was right… But how did she know that I was there. I peeked outside the gate, opening it slightly, then walked out with a gun. She really was a stable dweller. She had the usual suit, but with armor and a glowing metal on her left forehoof. She was light blue colored unicorn mare with long dark blue mane, and she was just smiling.

“Ahaha, you? Don’t play jokes on me, even though you’re the only one who’s on my radar. Eh, fuck it,” she said and shot her gun.

BANG!

The bullet flew towards my face and hit me on the edge of my left eye.

“Fuuuck!” I screamed and fell on the ground in agony as blood flowed out from my burning eye. The pain was unbearable, and I wasn’t sure why, but I was still alive. I wanted to die just to end the pain, but I didn’t.

“There,” - said the dweller still smiling. - “Now you have nothing and have to live with it until you die, slowly. That’s plus one for me on the list.”

“The fuck are you talking about?” I asked in anger while struggled to survive.

“Oh, please darling. Do I really need a reason to kill raiders? I know that you are nothing more than some creature who worth nothing and should just extinc. You are not worthy to be ponies.”

“Oh, just don’t think you’re better than us. This is the wasteland bitch. I heard what’s it like to -“ I coughed. “- what’s it like to live in a stable and you’re a joke,” I said with the last power I had.

BANG!

“Shut up!” - she said as she shot nearby me. - “Just what do you think you know about me. You didn’t lived through the loss of your special somepony.” I noticed tears in her eyes.

“You were always heartless monsters to me, since the day you came. You… you raped me while holding my holding my husband, forcing him to watch. Then you killed him and just threw me away like a bag of trash. You had no idea what I’ve been through, but now you’ll understand, what was it like for me,” she said and cried then ran away. The fucking bitch left me there half blind, alone, on the ground, but still alive.

I felt really tired and weak, but I can’t give up… I just can’t… let… her… win… Then everything blacked out.

I’m not sure how long was I unconscious, but suddenly I opened my eyes… I mean my right eye. Fucking hell, I gotta do something with it.

I cut down a small part of my clothes and used it as an eyepatch for my left eye, but I was hungry and injured.

I walked to the tower feeling really dizzy, and finally got to my kitchen which surprisingly had still some food. She didn’t take them? Or maybe she just take as many? If so, then the armory is probably half empty now. Anyways, I grabbed a slice of meat, put it on the stove, then went to get some medicine for my head and drank a healing potion for my left eye. It wouldn’t make me see again, but at least it’ll heal the wound the shot caused.

When I was done, I went back to the kitchen, feeling slightly better, and ate the radroach meat, which tasted horrible this time. While doing so it got me thinking. If there are still values here, that must mean someone will come to get all of this. There’s no way nopony would care and just leave a whole camp of weapons, food, armor and material in the wasteland, but that means I gotta leave this place behind, if I want to survive. When I finished with the ‘meal’ I grabbed my bag, which was near my bed, put some food in it and any potion and bandage I found, then trotted to the armory, but when I got there - just as I expected - a lot of things were gone, but I should be fine. All that left was pistols and a few shotgun. I took one of each and grabbed some ammo. I looked through everything, just to be sure I found everything, and thank celestia I did, because I found a sniper rifle. Pretty much the best thing you can get for journeys alone, so I took it aswell and headed outside.

Alone, again. It’s just me against the whole wasteland, just like it used to be. I didn’t get to enjoy being a leader, though it probably would’ve just stayed boring, playing leader while just being the only one with sane mind.

I noticed some ponies in the distant walking to the camp, but other than that, everything was static and quiet. I don’t even know where can I find a new home, a place to stay. Maybe I could find an abandoned shelter or something to stay and make a living out of scavenging and trading them to earn caps and survive somehow. One thing I was sure about is that I’ll make that bitch pay for all she’s done. But for now, I need to survive.

I was walking west from the camp to manehatten. It might be just the safest place for me right now. Possible shelter and scavenging material that I could just sell until I get equipped to fight again. Currently it’d be wiser to stay out of combat. Heck I might even become a trader, nobody knows me anyways, except that fucking stable dweller bitch.

In the meantime I reached Manehatten. My mind was still filled with thoughts of what just happened and how did everyone and everything just gone in a blink of an eye. I decided to go nearby Tenpony tower and find a place there. It’s guarded by ponies and turrets, so it would scare monsters away. Sure, the whole thing was cleared out, but it’s safe for the night. I followed the huge building that stuck out from the ruins manehatten. While walking Pink Wink came to my mind and the last thing she told me. Maybe she knew all of what happened and it was a sign for me to get ready and I just didn’t understand it? She could’ve told me that then… no... it meant more. It had to. Maybe she knew and saw my whole life and what will come in my way, and wants me to get friends? It sounds stupid but it was from Pink, everything she said sounded stupid and weird. I guess I’ll leave it as an idea in the back of my brain then, even though I have no idea how could I even make friends out here. It’s the fucking wasteland. You either kill or be killed. Who would make friends out here with a raider. Although, what makes me a raider?

As I was thinking I got closer and closer to Tenpony Tower and the atmosphere got more living. I heard and saw ponies talking to the guards. Behind them were carts of all kind of items, weapons, food and armor. It looked like they were arguing about something.

I went to the gate where I got some angry look from the guards.

“Stop! Who are you and what are you doing here?” they asked. There were two of them, equipped with full body armor.

“Oh, don’t worry… I mean no harm at all,” I replied. Oh, fuck I forgot to come up with a backstory and I don’t think they wouldn’t let a raider in or around the tower at all.

“That’s not what we asked!” - growled the other one on me. - “Who are you?”

“I’m… Sour Peach, I am a… trader, yes. This is my first trip here.”

“A trader you say? What do you sell then? I can’t see any wares,” they asked.

“Yes… That’s right. It’s because… I came forward and left the others , so that we’ll know if we can bring things here. It is much safer this way, because we wouldn’t have to bring everything through the wasteland filled with raiders. Especially the ones to east. I heard their leader is really strong and powerful.”

“Who? Dead Shot? I don’t think he’s that much of a threat,” - said the guard pony on the right. They haven’t even heard of me?! Though that’s maybe better for me. - “I heard Blueberry killed all of the raiders there alone. But back to the business. You can go inside for the night, but tomorrow don’t come back without the wares. Your story sounds a bit fishy...”

I nodded and walked forward. I finally knew that motherfucker’s name. And it sounds like she got some reputation. Tracking her should be easy then.

“Hey, hey, hey. What do you think you’re doing? You can’t just go inside!” yelled the other pony.

“But you just said…”

“I know, but there are rules here. For example, no ammo is allowed inside. Drop everything you’ve got, you’ll get them back when you leave.”

“Argh, alright,” I growled, giving them all the little I’ve got. I could’ve argued with them, but I was in need of a place to stay, even if for just one night, which in fact was about to start.

Finally the gates opened and I got a sight of the inside of the tower. A huge atrium welcomed me with an old fountain in the middle. On both side of it was a corridor. Between them was two staircase leading to the upper floors and an elevator. To the right and left was one and one door.

I decided to go right, because that place sounded lively. Even now that I’m inside I still don’t have a bed, so I should ask around for some help. The place was used as a bar. As I stepped in I felt the smell of alcohol and cigarette in the air. The room wasn’t big. On the left was a counter where sat several ponies, drinking and talking. In the middle and right were tables with chairs. On them sat ponies in all kind of armor and suit. Some had a stable jumpsuit, others wore steel ranger armor without the helmet, but I could see traders with light armor or almost none at all. They drank beer too or played some card game while others seemed to make business here and discussing about celestia knows what.

I walked to the counter, sat down and asked for a beer.

“That’ll be 70 caps,” said the bartender behind the counter. He was chubby white earth pony stallion with short brown mane. He held beer in one of his hooves, while holding the other one waiting for his caps.

“Oh, right, let me…” - I froze as I said that, realizing that I haven’t got any caps, fuck. - “You know… why don’t we trade instead? I have these… healing potions and bandages.”

“I’ll give you one bottle per potion, deal?” asked the pony after a bit of thinking behind the counter.

“Fine.” I could’ve argued with him, but not now. I was tired and still angry of the whole day. I really needed something to chill me out just a bit.

We made the trade, I opened my bottle of beer and drank from it, which felt really good. The beer was cold and bitter, just as it’s supposed to be.

“So, are you new around here?” - he asked. - “I’ve never seen you before.”

“Yes, first time in Tenpony Tower,” I replied, with a bit of fear. What does he wants from me, and what if he finds out somehow that I’m a raider.

“I see,” said the bartender, leaving the conversation in an awkward silence.

“Oh,” - a question came to my mind. - “Do you know any place I could sleep for the night?“ I asked then drank a bit.

“Eehm, there’s none,” - answered the bartender. - “The best you could do is to just sleep on an empty bench or something. Every room is filled at the moment.”

“Oh, fucking celestia, are you sure about that?”

“Pretty sure.”

“Well fuck, thanks anyway or something,” I said.

“No problem.”

We didn’t talk after this, I just finished my beer and headed to the hall in a bit sad mood. It was already dark. I can’t find a bed to sleep in, but maybe I should try and look the brighter side of my situation. I got inside… for one night… Then I have to go away and either not come back again or become a trader somehow.

I just had to say I’m a trader, aren’t I. Me and my terrible lies will get me killed if I’m not cautious enough. While thinking I walked to a bench and lied down. It was really uncomfortable and cold, but it was better than nothing. Plus it was a bit more safe sleeping inside a settlement than in the wasteland, which lurks with monsters.

I couldn’t sleep much and I was really tired when I woke up. The guards came to me a bit later and told me to get out. So I did. I got my ammo back and went outside.

“And remember, don’t come back without the goods,” said the guard as I was about to go away. I nodded and left them.

Alright Cold Blood. You’re on your own now again, let’s come up with an idea this time. Traders are known to have a chariot filled with all kinds of things. Weapons, potions, armor etc. The problem is, the more item they have, the more likely they’ll have guards around them. I should find a smaller group then. Maybe join them? Though, what life would that be for me? Just going from point A to point B every day, for the rest of my life. Sounds boring, I need action, defending a caravan occasionally from raiders and monsters. That’s not me. Then plan B, find a weak caravan and kill them all, or maybe even enslave them. Though that would mean they won’t keep me identity a secret. And the fact that I can’t keep them, because they could overcome and kill me anytime as well.

But wait a minute, why would I want to go back to Tenpony Tower? I can’t get a room anyway. The bar was good, but that’s all. I have no reason to go there, but then where? Although if I want to get a revenge on that fucking stable dweller bitch I should get a team first. I have no chance against her on my own, and what would be a better place finding somepony other than the bar. FUCK! I completely forgot about that. Guess I do have a reason to go back then. Fucking shit.

So, a small caravan. There should be plenty of them, I just have to hide and wait somewhere and strike when they least expect it.

With that thought finished I decided to go to the border of manehatten. It should be far enough to the guards to notice anything, but not too far to have much danger in my way. I began trotting to the north east. The should be a railroad somewhere around it. I think there’s pretty good chance finding traders.

I found a nice tall building near the rails, which seemed to be the perfect hiding and camping spot. A whole corner from the third floor was missing from the building, which could be used as a hiding spot. Great for snipers.

As I walked inside, it seemed to be a cheap hotel for the less rich ponies. There was a small stairway leading to the upper floors, but no reception or anything. On each floor, there was three appartment. The doors were left open. Probably because the ponies who lived here tried to run away as fast as possible leaving everything behind. Some weren’t lucky enough as their skeletons just laid around the corridor or in the door. The whole place was quiet, but seemed a perfect place to settle down. I might even build a home here. Sure I’ll still need to get inside Tenpony Tower, but for the night, it is a great place. I can even set up traps here and everything.

“But let’s focus on my mission first,” I remembered myself as I heard a group of ponies talking nearby. I ran up to the third floor, where the staircase for the upper floors collapsed. I got behind a small part of the wall that was still left there and peeked outside silently.

I saw three ponies walking by. Behind one of them was a car with all kinds of goods, while in front of her walked two ponies with armor and weapons. Their guard.

“Bingo,” I murmured. I have to kill the guards first, then the other one should be no problem at all. They can’t run away, and none of them were unicorn, so getting a weapon out of their car would take time.

I got out my sniper rifle and took aim on the first one, which in fact was hard and strange with only my right eye. - Not that I ever used a sniper rifle before. - I pulled the trigger.

BANG!

The shot went through the first guard’s neck who fell on the ground dead already, while I was aiming on the next guard already, when I realised that the rifle flew out of my magic from the push.

“Oh, fuck,” I whispered, hoping they haven’t realised I was there. I quickly got the sniper back and took aim, but they were hiding already on the other side of the rail.

I didn’t move or breath, trying to keep my aim. When I couldn’t hold it in anymore the other guard peeked outside from his cover. I smiled and pulled the trigger.

BANG!

A hole appeared between his eyes and his backhead. Now I was cautious enough to not drop my weapon.

Only one left. I waited for that one, but nothing. Maybe she ran away?

Suddenly I heard a small crack behind me. I looked there and saw somepony standing in the door with a knife in her mouth. She was scared and angry. But didn’t move, probably because she wanted to ambush me. I just smiled and quickly got out my pistol from my bag when she finally engaged me.

She was about two hoof away from me when I finally got my pistol and pulled the trigger a several times.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

The bullet hit her front hooves and belly which made her fall on the ground while screaming in agony. I walked to her as she watched me in fear. I put my left hoof on her head and started pushing it down. The trader started to scream in pain as I started put more of my weight on her skull to a point where her bone couldn’t take it any longer and I just pushed through her brain. Her eyeballs rolled out from the dead body while a splash of blood and what’s left of her brain stained my forehooves.

“That.. was… amazing! I never realised how much I loved killing hopeless ponies. It just feels so good dominating over the weak and showing them who’s the boss. Even if it was just for a brief moment,” I praised myself while jumping around and celebrating my victory.

As I finished and calmed down I thought to myself that I could do this for the rest of my life when suddenly a bright light appeared on both of my flanks revealing a… cutie mark.

“What the fuck?” I said in my surprise. My cutie mark became three blood drops, which seemed reference my name, Fuck! Now I have to watch out for that too. It’ll be hard explaining a bloody mark on your butt as a ‘trader’.

Footnote: Level Up! Lonely Traveler.

You managed stay alive alone against the world. You deal additional damage if you have no companion and you can hold more items in your inventory.

Faction change: “Traider”

You convinced others that you’re a trader. They become neutral towards you, but you have to act like a trader.