Fallout: Equestria, Darkness Falls

“Run!!”

I ran as fast as my burning legs and panting lungs could carry me. The next door was just ahead, the others already inside and poised to close. No matter how hard I tried, the mental image of what would happen if that door closed too soon seeped into my head (and my head being lopped off!), and urged me on further despite my body’s complaints. For once I wished I had taken a more active part in my home’s exercising activities.

“Hurry it up!”

“Do not look back!”

Goddesses above, I did not intent to. And yet I did anyway. Just behind us, far too close for comfort, was a menagerie of pony zombie creature things that galloped with unnatural haste. With maniacal fervor their spiked limbs waved and grotesquely spit mandibles twitched in anticipation of our flesh. There were enough that I could not make out how many, at least a dozen maybe, and they were all clamoring against each other as if in competition for who got to kill us first.

The portal arrived and I lept, the door slammed closed with a harsh clunk as I sprawled over the floor and yelped as a desk painfully stopped my momentum.

As I slowly stood, the others had just tightened the reinforced hatch, sealing the door. “Th-thank you…” I panted out a half prayer and rubbed the pendant against my chest, grateful beyond words that I was still alive… if only for the moment. The angry growls and groans of the creatures died to a quiet whisper through the metal.

“Sonovabitch!” Blaster cursed breathlessly and practically every other second now. “The hell are these things and how many of them are there!?”

“Dunno, but lots…” Ghost answered, the Reaper took the moment to rest just the same as the lot of us. “Need… to keep… going.”

Scarlett whined and shook her head from her spot on the floor. “Fuck that! I need to breath. We’ve been running nonstop for hours already!”

“As much as I’d like to get out of here.” I sighed a breath and tried to will my racing heart to slow, fighting tooth and nail against the adrenaline coursing through my veins. “We do need a rest. We cannot keep going at this rate.”

Ghost growled, then glared at me. “We need to keep going. The longer we stay down here, the more likely we will die.”

I glared right back. “And if we go without any breaks at all, our bodies will give out long before theirs will! Then we are equally as dead!” It had been clear ever since the first monster, as eerily similar to ponies as they were, that these things were highly resilient to any form of damage we threw at them. Gunshot wounds only made them mad, even Blaster’s devastating shotguns had had little effect on these things. The only weapon that seemed even mildly effective was Conviction, and that’s only when my weapon scored a hit devastating enough to reduce their entire body to ash. The random chance of this occurrence made that option an unreliable one.

Thus, that left us with dangerously low ammo after encountering just a few of the things. After that we had woken the entire hive and they surged through the stable in pursuit. My darkest thoughts seemed vindicated… this stable was long dead at the hooves of whatever caused this.

“I can’t believe it.” Blaster checked his ammo and grimaced. “I came in here with a couple hundred shells. Two hundred! Down to thirty already and only killed, what, four of these things?” He cursed under his breath and eyed the door anxiously. “We can’t keep goin’ like this.”

Whiteout nodded. “I only have a couple mags left.”

“Same,” Scarlett said. I checked my own ammo and found I only had a measly two magic spark packs. Hardly an arsenal. Thinking back, I wished I had scavenged a bit more ammo from Goldpeak rather than destroying it all.

“Five shots.” Ghost spun his revolver.

“At least this room seems quiet.” I got up and looked about. We were in a large room, the meager light from my pipbuck’s spell and Blaster’s helmet only showed us bits and pieces. My E.F.S said the room was clear of any red ticks, save for those clawing at the door we just closed.

It seemed to have three or four rooms down a narrow hallway while the rest was an open expanse that maybe went on for thirty or forty yards. Rows and rows of beds with wheels (medical gurneys, I realized) as well as rows of cabinets on wheels and lockers, all but one secured with a lock. The one that was open contained several bottles and boxes, which Scarlett was already looking over.

“I think this may be a clinic,” I said, looking over the cabinets of medical supplies. “Ghost? Think you can open these? I think we will need them in order to survive down here.”

Even the unpleasant Reaper could not argue against medical supplies, a relief to not have another argument to contend with. My nerves were fraying with each harrowing encounter and I doubted I could handle much more snark from anypony, especially from him.

“There’s a terminal back here too.” Whiteout pointed into the first room. Sure enough there was the eerie green glow. Slumped over the desk was the skeleton of a unicorn, and at least three or four open pill bottles scattered about the desk and the floor.

“What happened to this one?” I asked. This had been the first non-undead corpse we had seen. And morbidly, I was glad for that.

“Looks like they overdosed on buck.” Blaster shook his head. “Can’t say I blame ‘em. being stuck in this stable, all this crap goin’ down? Yeah. I definitely don’t blame ‘em.”

I frowned at the sight and muttered a prayer for her. I guessed it was better than getting ripped to shreds by those things. Or worse, becoming one.

“Anyone find another way out?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Scarlett said on the other side of the hall. “Down here. Looks like a lobby or somethin’.” I trotted down to take a look.

The main room narrowed into a sort of entry reception area with a few chairs and a large desk that spanned the wall, partly separating the reception and waiting area, which then gave way to a large steel door with only a few small slits of glass. I reared up and took a peek, seeing that the passageways beyond were completely clear. Finally a break.

“Havin’ fun up there?” Scarlett impatiently asked.

“In a manner of speaking.” I came back down to all fours. “The way ahead seems all clear.”

Blaster winced as he came up. “Do ya have to say that?”

I blinked. “Say what?”

“Say ‘all clear’. Ya know you’re jinxing us every time ya do that.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh come now. Just because I say it is ‘all clear’ does not mean that something horrible is going to jump out five seconds later.”

“Agreeing with her on this one,” Ghost piped up from across the room.

“All’s I’m sayin’ is let’s not push our luck. We’re in deeper than sand in a colt’s swimmin’ trunks.” He shook his head warily. “I’d rather us not make it worse.”

“Oh very well.” I rolled my eyes at this superstitious nonsense. Really now, there was nothing to fear than--

Clang! Clang-clank-clang.

“AHH!” I shouted and immediately dove behind the desk. The sound gradually petered out and I chanced a glance back up to see a sheepish Whiteout with an open cabinet door. A bedpan had fallen when she opened it.

“Um, sorry?” Her ears folded and she slinked away from the group glare.

Blaster grinned at me and I glared back. “Shut up!” My cheeks burned.

He chuckled in response and shook his head. “Well, let’s grab whatever medical stuff we can carry and git goin’. If we can, we should try’n find the security office; might have some ammo we can procure.”

It took Scarlett a moment to open the door, crossing some wires and making a quiet statement that the stable has at least some power remaining and that the reactor was probably still working in a diminished state.

I had my attention on the hallway, Conviction ready at my side as the door hissed open. Bless the Goddesses it was mostly silent, despite the likelihood that the door had not been used in some time. The passive rattling and hum of the stable’s engineering aspects gently wafted it, almost like a gentle whistling tune. Just as I shook, so too did my rifle.

“Okay, let’s go.” Ghost and Blaster took the lead, followed by Scarlett, then Whiteout and myself in the rear.

“Hey, Silver.” Blaster glanced back as we quietly made our way down the hall, whispering. “Keep that pipbuck’s EFS up will ya? That’s gonna be our lifeline here.”

I nodded and did as he asked. “All cle-- um, I don’t see anything right now.” He gave me a smirk and was met with my deadpan stare before he advanced farther down with Ghost, us in tow.

It did not stay that way for long. A red tick appeared just in front of us.

“Hey!” I hissed and stared at it. “Th-there’s one up ahead.”

Ghost muttered a curse. “How far?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, above or below?”

I blinked helplessly and shook my head, hissing back, “I don’t know! It doesn’t say!”

“Damn it, Silver.” He glanced back at me.

My face burned again. “Don’t chastise me! It’s a simple red tick, nothing else!” I felt my voice rising.

“Is it movin’, girlie?” Blaster asked in a hushed tone, just ahead of Ghost and his shotgun battle saddle poised down the hall. “Which way?”

I looked at the tick. “It… I-It’s just wobbling a little… that’s all, I swear!” My heartbeat raced and again I bemoaned my inability to properly use my pipbuck. What else could it do that I was ignorantly unaware of? For all I knew, there was a hidden button that could teleport us out of here. Okay, that was extremely unlikely, but I desperately wanted it so! If the monsters did not kill us, then the collapsing stable might. The rattling got louder with every second.

Unfortunately Ghost was not quite done with me. “Why did you have to pick this one?” he growled, clearly unhappy at the state of things.

I blinked, confused. “Picke what?”

He muttered as he checked the next hallway. “This contract, stable dweller. Scavenge contracts are never good, especially for damned Stables.”

I huffed defensively and hissed back, “You know why! I’m not allowing us to take a contract that would end some other pony’s life! The Goddesses--”

“Your Goddesses are gone. They abandoned Equestria centuries ago. Wake up!” he snapped back.

I fumed and glared daggers at the back of his skull, no longer heeding my own tone. How dare he! “You’re wrong! The Goddesses watch over us even now, despite your blasphemy, you accursed stallion! I don’t know what happened to Their world, but it is obviously the fault of ponies like you!” I ranted now, Conviction pointed squarely at the subject of my ire, the target of my frustration, my building hate, and the pain I had suffered thus far. Before long I was yelling and ignored the pleading whispers of the others around me as Ghost simply gave me a flat stare. “Whoever brought you up is to blame! And the ponies before them, and the ones before them too! You have no right to place any blame on anypony but yourself and your forebears! No one from my home would allow this…” I threw my hoof high and up, gesturing towards the surface miles above us, “... to happen! And neither would They!”

I snorted once, still glaring at the contemptible mercenary that cast this shadow over me. “And yes you stand there throwing accusation to who you know nothing about! What does a heartless pony like you know about compassion? About benevolence? About family? About anything other than murder and evil for such a pointless reward as damned money!?” And concern for the red tick died. It was only moving erratically in front of me, but down the hall there was still nothing. It was easy to dismiss it in my rage.

Ghost was about to retort back to me and I took some morbid satisfaction that there was red in his face, clearly something I had said upset him. But before I could take any real satisfaction, all hell broke loose around us. Suddenly on my EFS, two more ticks appeared on the left and right edges. A split second later, well before I could report on the subject to the others, no less than three of the things broke through the vents, showering us in shattered metal.

Scarlett screamed as Buckshot yelled out the obvious ambush. The one that broke through the vent above our heads landed on Ghost before he could bring his revolver to bear against the one that now stood in front of me.

Its hellish red eyes glared at me and one of its spiked limbs lashed out like a whip, striking me in the chest and knocking the wind out of me. I flew back, painfully bounced off the metal wall, and crumbled with a yelp. The thing was on me in seconds as I threw up my hooves and rifle like a shield. Through some manner of dumb luck, the thing’s spear-like appendages got caught in the weapon’s stock and handle, my hooves kept the thing from sinking them into my flesh. It snarled and jolted forward, its jaws snapped at my face. Its mandibles twitched in mad fervor and showered me with spittle as it pincered me between it and the unyielding metal wall.

The sight was too much, staring into the dead lights of this horrid creature and I screamed, struggling to keep any manner of protection between it and me. I flared my horn as hard as I could, instantly received a headache for my trouble, and tried to force it away. My telekinesis had no effect since even holding Conviction was a light strain, much less push away a thrashing creature.

Over its snarls and yells, I heard the battle raging and somepony else yell out. It sounded like either Blaster or Ghost, but I could not worry about that now! It got closer and closer, its demonic strength and vigor overpowering me as I used all four hooves to keep it from killing me.

Moments later the familiar sound of Blaster’s cannon-like shotguns went off. The creature’s side exploded into fleshy bits and congealed blood just like the others before. But just like the others, it did not die. It barely noticed the assault with its murderous focus solely on me.

“Sonuvabitch!” Blaster shouted and I heard galloping hooves. “Hang on darlin’!”

Moments later the creature was torn away from me, and my weapon with it, by a few hundred pounds of stampeding Blaster. He bucked the thing away and it thrashed on the floor as he started unloading into it.

“Die you son of a bitch!” Blaster yelled with the bellows of his weapons, yet the thing was slowly getting up and trying to charge him. “Fuckin’ die already!!”

I watched as one of its limbs severed and that allowed Conviction to fly free. It clattered to the floor. It did not rest long as I hurriedly floated it up and activated SATS. Time slowed dramatically and I sized up the shots just like I did on the giant radscorpion, and fired.

Purple lances of deadly energy seared the air. One flew right next to the thing’s head while the second followed suit, singing the metal above us. The third struck true and, my luck holding, the creature glowed brightly before turning to a pile of ash.

I looked over to Blaster, panting hard as adrenaline shook me. “Th-thank you… Goddesses, thank you…”

He nodded silently, equally shaken by the sudden ambush as we recovered.

“Hey! Hey guys!” Whiteout harshly whispered.

Blaster and I turned to look and saw Ghost lying in a pool of blood. The blood drained from my face just as his own gushed from a wound in his shoulder, one of the dead creature’s spear-like limbs embedded in his torso.

The world fell away and I just stood there, the other moved in to try and help. But i could not move. He cannot be dead. He cannot. Ghost was just here. We were just arguing, he… he....

The horrid conversation replayed. The horrible things I said. My volume. I brought this ambush upon us. It is because of me that Ghost was dead and the rest of us would likely follow soon. I watched his still form, the others trying to do something I could not comprehend at that moment. Wet and warm tears dripped down my cheeks, the knowledge of his death on my head closed walls in to suffocate me. I could not breathe, the air gone from lungs that refused to work. Ash poured over me like a suddenly upturned bucket.

I killed him. I killed him just as I killed Deathrain and Bracket’s ponies. I’m a murderer.

No!!

Then just as I had Conviction halfway turned around, there was a miraculous sound that dragged the real world back to me.

A wet, ragged, hacking cough attached to a pair of blood-covered steel-blue limps.

“He’s alive!” someone shouted.

“We gotta go! We can’t take him!” someone else said and I immediately wanted to shoot them.True enough to the pony’s words, I saw more red ticks blipping in my EFS.

“NO!” I shouted immediately and watched them all stare at me. “We help him! Nothing less! I won’t accept anything less!”

“Silver,” Scarlett started.

I didn’t give her time to finish. In the moment she took to say my name, I was in her face with Conviction levitated close. “We. Help. Him.” I growled, my face filling her vision and vice versa. I meant business and had gone into full High Priestess mode. I would brook no argument this time.

Scarlett’s face reddened, but at that moment I was intimidating enough to scare even an ex-raider psychopath. She nodded and relented. “Fine. But we gott move quick! There are more coming.”

Blaster, who was watching the whole seen, nodded in kind. “Whiteout, Silver, use yer telekinesis and get’em on my back.”

Moments later we had our injured mercenary and galloped back to the door. At that moment more of the horrid creatures pounced, some came from the far hall while more turned the corner. Everypony but Blaster poured what ammo we had into delaying their approach to give him time. We crossed the threshold and I shot the control panel, it lit up in sparks and charred metal, and the door slammed shut.

Level Up!

New Perk: Twitch-a-twitch shooter: While using S.A.T.S in close range, you gain 25% accuracy (All ranged weapons) and 10% critical chance (Magic weapons only). This perk can be taken multiple times.