“All dose in favor?”

“Aye.”

“All dose opposed?” Silence. “De motion has passed. Initiate Plough will skip de rank of Knight Initiate to de rank of Journeyman Knight. Ees dere anything else you wish to address, Paladin?”

Her antennae could only feel the strong bursts of air from the vent, now. The little fly scrubbed herself down again. The rest of the world was so big and this room’s smell captivated her. One of the creatures reeked particularly deliciously. A closer fly-by was required.

“I have two more points of discussion, Elder Horchata.” She corkscrewed around Paladin Trueheart’s head. His hot breath tasted flammable.This was obviously not the one. Narrowly escaping a giant hoof, she buzzed to another part of the room. “One is Sleepy Shores. I, for one, am extremely happy she’s back with us, but she’s taking her brother’s death pretty hard. I suggest we post a guard in the barracks to keep an eye on her.”

“You think she’s a danger to herself or others?”

“You’d have to ask Redbook about that. All I know is she’s been far too quiet for her normal self. It’s just a precaution I suggest.”

“Agreed. A guard will be posted. Your last point?”

The fly landed on the wall behind one of the hooded figures. The wall felt slippery and cool under her feet. She slid and took off again. It wasn’t the right smell, anyway.

“I’d like it to be noted, in addition to what you will hear today about his usability, Raze is an exceptional team member and is well-suited for future missions.”

“It ees obvious to this council dat hees skills are unrivaled, but Paladin, need I remind you of hees lack of loyalty or respect for de chain? Dees ees a link too weak for us. After hees usefulness has run its course we will have to do what ees necessary to keep dees family together and safe from harm. You are excused, Paladin. Please send High Scribe Marrow in after you.”

“Of course, Elder.” The Paladin’s lips pulled slightly downward as he left the podium. The fly was sure she would have understood the significance of this, had she not been a fly. He left through the now open door, showing a slight sign of disapproval to the incoming limper. Air blasting through the door was full of the smell. It was heavy, like a pile of overly-ripe fruit. Some notes she didn’t have a reference for, almost as if they were being invented in her mind as she was smelling them. She could only contemplate this for a moment, however, before the creamy hooves of fate crushed her body between them.

His eyes asked complex questions, but begged for simple answers. The rise and fall of his chest told him he was still alive. Visions of his parents trampled others in his mind. How would they find out? Who would be the dope unlucky enough to tell them?

Clodhopper’s captor was working on some kind of large contraption. Try as he might, he couldn’t get a good look at either one.

“No, the drugs weren’t the right punishment for the crime,” his captor continued rambling to himself. “Besides, then the manticores couldn’t eat the bad parts. Found that out. If they didn’t eat the bad parts, the Firestones would stop my mission. That is why it had to be crushed and diced. Nothing toxic”

Clodhopper moaned through his gag. There had to be a way out of this situation. Why hadn’t he studied harder in school?

He looked down the roughly hewn bit of tree-turned-table. The bindings gripped tightly to his legs. This is just like overtime, he reminded himself. There’s nothing you can’t do when you put your mind to it. His little, self pep-talk blitzed through his vessels like a linebacker. The bond was tight, but not impervious to struggle.

“It’s not very fair, is it? I wish he was dead. He does whatever he wants to anypony, but we don’t raise a hoof. He can get away with it because he is too powerful. Gah! But, if he’s stopped it all falls down. Nopony cares about me except for him. Did it know what it was like to live that way? Every day, fearing what unkown he’d punish me for. Didn’t know until he told me.”

The bond was beginning to slip. It wouldn’t be long. Strangely, he wasn’t thinking too much about crushing his captor’s skull into the concrete. He was instead only watching himself peal through the dark, city streets. It was going to be warm at home. Mom and dad were going to be surprised. They were going to hug him and thank the Goddesses he was home. The Goddesses! Clodhopper was about as religious as a bale of hay, but that had never stopped anypony before from reaching out for their mercy.

“That’s why it had to be punished, isn’t it? He couldn’t be punished. For all the wrong he did, he was too important to be punished. It had to take the wrongs upon itself. What if it turned into another one of him? Two of them? No, no. The world couldn’t handle another one. With all that wrongness it had to be stopped before it started.”

The tree squeaked. Clodhopper let out another moan to cover it up. It didn’t matter what the crazy pony said, his right, back leg dangled free and the left wasn’t far behind.

“I know, I know. The whole thing just hurts.”

Almost there.

“IIt would be great if things went the right way, but they never seem to.”

It gained slack!

“Some are made to rule and succeed and some were brought here to suffer.”

He moaned louder, pushing with both rear legs. The front legs were less tight. Clodhopper’s heart fluttered. It wouldn’t take any time. He was going home tonight!

Click.

The smell was so sweet and rotten. Never before had she smelled something so dense and glorious. Of course, she had only been able to fly for several minutes. She cleaned her tiny face, her tiny eyes and her tiny feet in preparation for the meal.

“How soon d’you think he’ll be done with it?”

Marrow scratched his unkempt chin. The hood fell from his head, revealing an almost pathetic creature. The bags below his eyes stacked like sandbags and had the color of a little filly’s diary. His cheekbones protruded making him look either chiseled or near death. The fly couldn’t tell. Then again, her brain was smaller than a grain of sand.

“Well,” Marrow gravelled. “We just today were successful in stabilizing the sky-tank’s magical matrix. It shouldn’t be long before it’s completely operational, but converting a sky-tank to make it pilotable by earth ponies is not the easiest task. It would have been much easier to have unicorns pilot it, but who really wants those bookworms operating large machinery, anyway?”

The council chuckled, nodding. She took off from the vent, buzzing around the ceiling a few times for good measure. Shooting right for his lips, Marrow swatted her away from his face. The smell was wonderful. “He should be finished within a month or two after our trip,” he said at last.

“Yes, of course. Th’ trip. Now, you are positive about this location?”

She landed on the podium to catch her breath. “Indeed I am, Elder Manzinita. Excuse me, would somepony do something about these damn flies!”

Crunch.

“I’m telling you Raze, they were better auff knowin’ the truth,” Riverdance laughed.

“Luna’s sweet ass, gra’ma! Even I would’a shown a little more decorum dan dat!”

She shrugged up to her ears, holding her hooves out. “What can I say? You have to start early with children. They’ah smartah than you think.”

“Yeah, but telling her children dat she was a traitorous bitch at the fuckin’ funeral? Couldn’t yuh, I dunno, wait a week?”Raze stopped soldering and slid out from under the cockpit’s main control panel. Staring at Riverdance, he proceeded to wipe his hooves with a rag. “Dere. Finished da soldering. Wanna test it?”

They both looked to Senior Scribe Ohms for approval. He gave a terse nod. “Of course, sweetie. Let’s see if the Enclave still knows how to train our boys.” Their guard looked on as Riverdance struggled to her hooves and shuffled to the control panel. Easing into the harness, Raze watched her front hooves tapdance on the glowing controls. There was a buzz that quickly faded into silence, followed a revving hum that tickled his nerves. This day had been a long time coming.

Work on the sky-tank was grueling. Senior Scribe Ohms often worked with them, regaling them with stories about the order and getting into arguments with Riverdance when she corrected his historical inaccuracies. Ohms thought himself skilled at concealing emotions. It was cute.

“Firin’ up the cloud generator,” Riverdance shouted. She looked over her shoulder like a too-nice professor finally getting fed up with her students. “That means strap in, boys.”

Ohms rolled his eyes, but proceeded to ensure Raze was secure before the guards buckled up, settling himself into the co-pilot’s seat. When Riverdance was satisfied she lifted the switch cover and flipped the ruby switch which began to pulsate with light.

A massive whooshing sound hissed through the hangar as streams of mist poured out of exhaust ports in the sky-tank’s side. Through his vantage point in the rear of the cockpit Raze watched the clouds get magically sucked underneath the vehicle. There was the familiar shudder as the clouds forced the sky-tank into the air. It was a little slice of nostalgia. Were any of his old friends near Fillydelphia also flying around on a cloudship? Middle of da day in Filly? he thought. Probably training or running an op.

In the pilot’s chair Riverdance seemed like a different pony. More solid, yet a little vacant. Almost like the old PipBuck 1000 trying to keep up with more delicate, yet newer models.“All figyahs nominal. Amplifi-uh unit is functioning perfectly. Cloud generator matrices are solid. I think this bird is in the green for take-auff, sir.”

Ohms’ belly jiggled with laughter as he clapped his hooves. “Excellent! Wonderful! Reliable after all these years. Oh, they don’t make them like this anymore, do they?”

Riverdance raised an eyebrow, but went back to checking guages.

“Okay,” Ohms giggled. “Set us down. I have a report to bring to the council.”

She did as she was told, gently bringing the old sky-tank to the ground and powering down the matrices. Raze got up from his seat and walked over to squeeze Riverdance with a hug.

“Woah there, tiger!” she said, leaning away.

“I just can’t believe we fixed it up. Way to go, team pegasi.”

She bumped Raze’s outstretched hoof. “You know that’s right. I can’t believe we’re finally going to do it. Hit ‘em right where it hurts.”

“Hmm?”

“The zebras, of course. Even though I still say I would do better closer to home. I’m actually thinking of putting in a request to transfer. Traitors to Equestria have to be taught a lesson.”

Raze arched his neck to peer into her lidless eyes. “Gra’ma? You okay?”

Riverdance shook her head, gaining some semblance of composure. “Yes, of course Raze. We’re, uh. I’m fine.”

“You sure you’re fine?”

“I’m fine Sweetie. Just a little worn down is all. It’s all this work. A young lady needs her beauty sleep, right?”

“Of course, gra’ma. Here, let’s get you out of here.” After helping her from the cockpit the two pegasi were shackled, tied and split up just like every other day.

Raze stared at the floor as he was led to his cell. Grandma Riverdance had been an anchor for him since he came to Celestia’s Acre all those years ago. Whether it was the advice of her experience or if he just needed the company, there wasn’t a day that had gone by he wasn’t dependant on her for one thing or another. His brows furrowed at the thought of her looming fate.

Fate.

He enjoyed the freedom fighter’s optimistic view on taking one’s own destiny by the horns, but there was always the specter of inevitability hanging around the corner, ready to make fun of whomever was foolish enough to think that any of it mattered in the first place.

Today wasn’t at all like every other day.

Plough looked just like Raze’s brother when he listened to the radio. Raze was third in a brood of four. His older brother, Solar Breeze was the eldest, and unusually thick set for their family. Whenever there was a broadcast, especially of a political variety, he would lie down and stare at the speaker with his most severe expression. Perhaps he thought he was readying himself for a rousing oration or preparing to vanquish a foe in a savage debate.

Whatever his reasons, they dried up and were scattered by the windfall of his acceptance into the meteorological field.

Plough had no such plan to fall back on. His expression had the sunken, alert eyes of desperation. Maybe he would be able to use that expression and be a cause for change in the Acre. Whatever befell them, it was certain Plough would do everything in his power to achieve his goals. That is, if he could set them.

“...was identified by a dental mold taken several years ago. His teeth… oh my, fillies and gentlecolts. If you are at all squeamish please tune in to some silence for a bit. His teeth were set up in a diorama several feet away and his legs had been removed prior to display. Authorities are baffled and are asking for any clues that could lead to the apprehension of this sick individual.

“Please, all you big fellows out there, be safe. Don’t travel alone or at night. Just… well, I don’t want to keep repeating myself.

“Miss Bossy-Pants herself, Flare will be making an announcement later today letting you know how you can help fortify our garrisons against raiders and other unsavory types. Until then, we might as well listen to a little something special to get our minds off of today’s events.”

Raze leaned back against the concrete wall of his cell. “You hear dat, big, beefy and ugly? No more long nights on da town for you!”

Plough looked up, chastising him with slight amusement. “No. I’ll be fine. As long as I have your scrawny ass protecting me. You have that whole ‘stab somepony in the back’ thing down pretty well, I think.”

Raze affected his most posh accent. “Oh, Plough my dear fellow. How you wound me so! Prithee see me as I am and not for my chosen profession.” He snickered at Plough’s rolling eyes. He held onto the smile as the mirth washed away. “So, you gonna head out wit’ us in da bird when we get her goin’?”

Plough regarded him quizzically. The lumbering brute of a friend had been spending quite a bit of time with High Scribe Marrow, studying strategy and historical battles. The relationship was hardly conventional. Even Raze knew it should have been a lower-rank Knight and not a scribe teaching Plough, but who was he to argue? Anyway, rank was the least alarming. Every bit of training and instinct told Raze to Distrust Marrow. How could Plough, the living lie detector, hang out with a creep like that for so long?

Second-guessing came second-nature to Raze, however. Maybe Plough knew what he was getting into. Perhaps the pit in Raze’s stomach was just from how hungry he was. There was never any true deceit going on in Marrow’s eyes, but there sure was something going on behind them.

“Yeah,” answered Plough. “I hope so. That’s the plan, anyway: to test me in the field... as if I haven’t been tested my whole life.”

“Listen, you cut frough bullshit like nobody else. You can see past any disguise, disingenuity, or excuse, but hey: you’re still kind of a kid. You haven’t travelled much. You might be able to know somepony at first glance, but dere’s some weird-ass, freaky shit out dere. Fings you aren’t ready for. None of us are ready for.”

Plough’s head gently hit the bars of the cell. “I know, Raze.” His head lifted, eyes earnest. “But there are some things you have to see through.”

“Have you not been paying attention, or do you just not care?”

Rewire slammed his hooves on the table before leaning back in his chair and rubbing his face with them equally violently. Not every tutoring session was the same. Weeks before he couldn’t care less, busying himself with far off stares and longing sighs. The past few days had been a return to form, full of focused tantrums only the truly passionate could muster. Promotions had a tendency to do that to a pony.

“No, Journeyman Rewire,” Chaff sighed. “I really want to learn this! I think historical context is fascinating! It’s just that...”

“Could have fooled me.” He pinched his brow. “Look, just read the materials. I know it seems weird to read about, considering how religious a lot of the Elders are, but what do you expect from a bunch of Knucklehead ex-Paladins? Point is, Celestia and Luna were real, historical figures. They weren’t infallible. Some would go so far as to say they caused the nightmare we’ve been living out for the past hundred-plus years. Just get past your hang-ups, suck it up and please read the material.”

“Yes, Scribe Rewire. Thank you, sir.”

He nodded and left her to her screens and books. She scratched her side. The Scribe robe was an ill-fitting hand-me-down made of what she swore had to be mosquitoes and steel wool. Her face brightened at the pride of wearing it, though. No matter how scratchy.

Since Senior Scribe Ohms had started work on that infernal, flying machine, she had been stuck taking lessons with the sour, Journeyman Scribe. Ohms’ lecherous eyes weren’t much preferable, but at least it was obvious what kind of unease she felt around him.

A little clock stared at her from the screen. She watched a few minutes pass her by, until at last, she’d had enough. After cleaning her work area and packing up, she set out to the barracks.

The halls were desolate this time of night, save other Apprentice scribes returning from their own lamplight rituals. Whispers skirted around the floor. Sounds of the crimson robe. Chaff thought to herself for comfort from the near-silence.

I wonder what Trueheart thinks about this, she thought. Of course Celestia and Luna were real, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t and aren’t still Goddesses. What? Now Goddesses can’t take the form of an alicorn? I wonder what Galena thinks. What do griffins believe, anyway?

“Does she know?”

“What?!” Chaff spun, searching for the owner of the voice. “Hello?”

Silence. Not even the sound of robes.

Chaff raced through the halls, determined to tell Redbook about this incident during her next therapy session. Little delusions of others calling out her name weren’t unheard of, but this was a distinct voice.

She made it to the barracks, hearing only her hooves clattering on the ground. Scratching her legs, she composed herself before stepping in.

The barracks were dead. A couple of ponies passed their time watching silent films go by on the wall. She joined them, hoping the silly pre-war antics would keep her from noticing Plough’s empty bunk.

He stepped in, several rolls later. Like anypony in a long-term relationship, she huffed and hawed getting up to hug him. Plough always had an acidic odor to him, but once again she could smell the rust of the brig’s barred doors through it.

“Hi, baby,” he whispered.

“Hey,” Chaff said, looking at the floor.

“What’s wrong.”

“Nothing. It’s nothing. It’s just… You just keep going to see him when you could be spending time with me.”

“Can we not talk about this right now? I don’t want to disturb ever-”

“Oh, yeah. Let’s not disturb anypony. We’ve only been together, what? Our whole lives? Goodness knows we don’t want to disturb anypony to work on our relationship.” She felt her voice go raspy. One of the ponies watching the movies stole a glance at them. Good.

“Sh. Sh. I’m sorry, okay? He’s been all around Equestria and up in the clouds. I’ve barely just gotten out of Balk. Is it really so bad that I’m curious about the outside world?”

“You’re curious?”

“Hey!” yelled a burly voice from the corner of the barracks. “Can you keep it down? Some of us have to get up in a few hours.”

“Yeah,” agreed several other, smaller voices.

“Sorry,” Chaff whisper-yelled. “So sorry, guys.” They moved further to the corner of the room. “But really? You’re curious? I stay underground all day and all night, every day and night. It’s all so samey I’m finding it hard to even remember what a sunrise looks like. At least you get to go on patrols and this mis-” She sighed, attempting to soothe herself. “But it’s not just that. You can’t trust him. His job is to lie. That’s what he does.”

“I can deal with that,” Said Plough. “You know I’m a living lie-detector. Hell, I even saw through anything old Filibuckster would say.”

She shook her head. “No Plough. Filibuckster was just a small-time criminal in a two-bit town. Raze is a bone fide bullshit artist. He studied for it. Lying is what the Enclave does. It’s in his blood.”

“Chaff, please believe me when I tell you that I understand your concerns. I really do, but in this case they are completely unfounded. But, that’s not even really the point, is it? Let’s go back to what you were saying before about how I need to spend more time with you. I agree completely.”

Her face slackened. “You do?”

“I do, completely. With guard duty, patrols, training and everything I’ve basically been using my talks with Raze to burn off steam. I don’t want to be a terrible pony with the few minutes we sometimes have together. As a matter of fact, what are you doing for the next ten hours?”

Chaff tried to hang on to the last few shreds of anger she had, but they disappeared in her hooves. “Well, I have another day in class with Ohms. I should probably also start on my-”

“You said you wanted to see the sunrise.” He arched an eyebrow.

“Okay.” How could she say “no” to such a face? “Besides, it smells like your dad’s basement in here.”

“Hey. Next ten hours, I don’t bring up your dad, you don’t bring up mine.”

“Heh, yeah. I can agree to that.”

Several cries of “Thank Luna” chased them out the door.

Itchy. So itchy, and so cold. No one told her being an adult would be this way. Of course, no one told her how to fly, either. Some things you were just born knowing and some things you just had to figure out on your own. She would have sighed, had she known what that was. Instead, she resigned to clean her itchy wings as she took in what was going on beneath her.

“De reasons for Marrow are numerous,” said Elder Horchata. “First: he was trained as a Knight and knows how de field works. Second: he ees tenacious and will not quit. Third: he ees an excelente planner. I believe he ees de way to go in order to eh-secure our future.”

“I’m sorry, Elder Horchata, but I just don’t see it that way,” retorted Elder Manzanita. “Miss Breakdown may not’ah been a Knight or Paladin, but my brother and I certainly trust her judgement more than that psycho.”

“Besides,” Elder Pinky Cripps butted in. “You elevate that shit-head over Breakdown, yer pissin’ on the chain. With everythang as it is, if our Rangers start breaking ranks it’d be all over.”

Elder Green Hoof spoke up. “What about your new Head Paladin, Trueheart? He seems like a level-headed sort. He’s also a Paladin, and not a Scribe. No offense to Miss Breakdown.”

Horchata sighed. “He ees a decent pony, but lets hees past torment heem too much. Very sad.”

“Well, it appears, my dear, that we only have the one option.”

“Si. Okay. All dose in favor of elevating Head Scribe Breakdown to the position of Elder?”

“Aye.”

“Aye.”

“Aye.”

“Aye. De ‘ayes’ have it. De motion has passed unanimously. On to our last topic: Banda Palomina Dieciséis. Elder Green Hoof, you have to deal with them, always. What do you tink? Ees peaceful discourse no longer an option?”

“Well, you know me. So, you know when I tell you that we need to find another recourse. It’s gotten to be very serious, indeed.”

“We know they have the ol’ Mascarpony family balefire bomb, which I still can’t believe we never found.” Manzanita eyed Horchata dangerously. “We need t’do somthin’ about that. Whether it’s stealin’ it or-”

The fly was about to take off, finding conversations of ponies frightfully dull, when a pony rushed in, bringing with him a blast of air which reeked beautifully. She made up her tiny mind that she had to make it through that door!

“I am terribly sorry to disturb your Elders,” the soldier said, bowing deeply. “Please forgive me. I have news about the flies.”

The fly crooked her tiny head, finally interested in what they had to say.

“Well d’n speak up!”

“Of course, Elder. We found pony remains stashed in the ventilation system, topside.”

“Ahi, mis diosas!”

The fly was bored of them talking about her old home. Adventure awaited! She hopped along the ceiling, inching toward the door.

“We also killed a manticore which had broken into the system, cracked and disenchanted several filter systems. We’re pretty sure it was using the topside vent as a stash for food. The Scribes should have the system back up and running soon. We’ll be rad and fly-free in no time.”

“Tank you for de message, Knight. Please return to your post.”

Her heart raced as he bowed, turned and opened the door. She rushed into the hallway as the door slammed shut behind her. Resting for a moment on the wall, she inhaled as deeply as she could. After getting her bearings, she took off like a drunk photon.

Down the hallway, and to the left. Oh, the stench was glorious! It was behind a thick door, guarded by two tough-looking ponies. She waited for what could have been hours, until a giant limped out of what could only be described as scent nirvana.

Once through the door there was the issue of glass. The little fly could not, or did not want to, understand the solid air keeping her from her destiny. Her instincts screamed as she pushed her wings to the limit.

Finally catching on, or at least getting bored of hitting an invisible wall again and again, she climbed over it.

It was so pungent! She could almost see the scent.

She flew down to the frigid floor, heading without fail to the warmest part of the room. The beautiful smell came from a pony. So warm and sleek, almost slippery. Walking across her flank proved difficult, not that she noticed anything but the scent.

The pony’s sweet breath pushed and pulled her little body. In an instant she was caught. Her hearts beat more quickly than her wings as she crashed over and over against her tiny, dark cage.

It was warm, though. And peaceful.

“Hello, little one,” boomed a voice in her brain. Somehow, she comprehended its meaning and stood still.

The cage opened. She stood in the middle of the pony’s hoof and took in her great eye. The pupil was larger than she was, and squirmed like thousands of little black versions of her younger siblings back home.

“Are you here to bust me out?”

Author's Notes:

This story is based on Kkat’s strange and wonderful, Fallout: Equestria. If you haven’t already, please do so.

If you’d like to read more Fallout Equestria Side Stories, take a look at: Fallout Equestria Side Stories post on Equestria Daily and the Fallout Equestria Side Stories thread on Ponychan

Also, check out the FO:E groups on FiMFiction and the subreddits.

Thank you also to Arcane Scroll for the excellent site: Fallout: Equestria Resource. There is a chat function on that site, come say “hello.”