Fallout Equestria: Wasteland Jewel

by Ruin Queen of Oblivion

Five years after the adventures of Littlepip, Stable 26 is opened and a Medical Pony named Ruby Starlight leaves on a mission for her Stable. She is thrust into one of the worst wars Equestria has seen in centuries. Can she come out of this alive and with her morals intact? Or will the Wasteland swallow her?

2. The Truth

Okay fillies and gentlecolts, got some good momentum with chapter 1, lets keep it going into chapter 2.

You're all probably wondering exactly who the Crimson Empire is, or what's happened in the Wastelands in the last 5 years. Don't worry, all will be explained in time.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to this fanfic.

00000

0000000000

CHAPTER 2:

THE TRUTH

00000000000

00000

"So, do you have a name, Stable Dweller?" Midnight asked as she looked me over. "Or should I just keep calling you that?"

"Ruby, Ruby Starlight," I replied, the stare of the Ranger Colonel was unnerving. "I'm a medical Pony from Stable 26."

"A medical Pony, I see," Midnight said as she looked me over. "That may be the only advantage you have in your current situation."

"My, situation?" I asked, that wasn't what I expected at all. "What situation am I in exactly?"

Midnight frowned, but shook her head. "You killed a soldier of the Crimson Empire under a Ceasefire," she said. "Half the ponies here want to give you a medal, Necro Shot has killed a lot of our soldiers. You probably saved more Ponies by killing him."

I paused at that, I hated that I had to kill another Pony, but was it for the better? Could killing one Pony really save more lives in the long run? I shook my head and just looked at my hooves.

"What's going to happen to me?" I asked.

"The General of the Crimson Empire forces will be here once the Firerain Storm is over," Midnight said and shook her head. "Because you're not part of the NCR, the Rules of Engagement doesn't apply to you. On the other hoof though, this war has had a serious lack of medical ponies, that makes you valuable."

"I don't know if I want to get involved in this war, not if I have to kill again..." I replied, I couldn't look the Ranger colonel in the eye. "I'm not a soldier, I can't fight, I don't even know how I killed that pony."

"The Crimson Empire won't attack you while you're in this camp," Midnight said. "They'll ask for you to be turned over to them, but my standing orders from General Goldmane is we don't hand over prisoners to the Crimson Empire, regardless of the circumstances."

I breathed a sigh of relief at that, but then that relief was shattered. "However, once you leave the base we can't protect you anymore."

"I can't just stay here until the war is over," I replied, I was now starting to get worried again. I had a mission that I had to carry out, even if I hadn't exactly wanted to do it at first, I had an obligation to everyone back in Stable 26. "Is there anything I can do?"

"The NCR isn't a bunch of monsters," Midnight said. "The problem is that we're already stretched thin with the war. The only reason the Empire hasn't spread further north is because we've held them back."

She continued talking about the war situation, but I was only half listening. I kept replaying the moment in my mind where I killed that Pony, even if he was a bad Pony, I had still taken a life. Suddenly the emotions came rushing back to me all at once, anger, fear, sorrow, remorse... goddesses, what had I done?

I couldn't hold it back anymore, I started crying, right here in front of Midnight, I was crying. I couldn't help it.

That's when I felt a leg wrap around me, it took me a moment to realize that Midnight was hugging me.

"Does it ever, go away?" I asked.

Midnight let go of me and closed her eyes as she shook her head sadly. "No, it'll never go away," she said sadly. "Even the most hardened of soldiers are haunted by the ghosts of the Ponies they've killed."

I looked the NCR officer in the eye. What I had first seen her I had taken that look as cold, but now I recognized it as sorrow. She must've seen a lot of action, killed more ponies than I could imagine, and lost friends and ponies under her command.

"Is there anything I can do?" I asked.

"Give it time, the feelings will never completely leave you, but..." Midnight said with a sigh. "But time will help, and so will finding your virtue."

My, virtue? What did she mean by that?

"Now, rest Ruby Starlight, you've been through a lot," Midnight said. I nodded and laid back on the cot, Midnight walked over to a radio and turned it on to NCR Radio. "I'll be just down the hall, tell one of the Rangers outside to come get me if you need anything."

"Okay..." I said as Midnight left the room. I was left alone with my thoughts, and the soft voice of Velvet Remedy playing over the radio.

"We fall, we fall again

Stare through empty window panes

We fall, we fall again

I guess some things never change."

00000

I shot up in bed, for a moment I thought I was back in Stable 26 and the whole thing was just a dream when I realized I was still in the NCR base. I managed to get to my hooves as I trotted to the door and opened it.

"Hey, uh, is it okay if I go look around?" I asked one of the Rangers outside the door.

"Colonel Midnight has authorized you to do so, as long as you don't enter any restricted areas or go outside during the firerain," the Ranger answered. "And we're to accompany you at all times."

"What's so dangerous about Firerain?" I asked as we went down the hall.

"If you're lucky, you'll die in minutes," the Ranger said.

"That's if you're lucky?" I asked in shock. "Do I want to know what happens if you're unlucky?"

"You'll find out eventually," the second Ranger said. "They're called Burning Pony Ghouls, ponies who have been exposed to Firerain and haven't died yet. You'll recognize one when you see it, they're rotting monstrocities that are literally on fire."

"Despite what he says, most Ghouls are decent ponies," the second Ranger said. "As long as they're not zombies."

I remembered hearing about a group of Ponies on the Eastern ridge being referred to as that. My stomach growled, and I realized I hadn't eaten since breakfast.

"Hey, where can a Pony get something to eat?" I asked.

"There's a mess hall not far from here, we can go there," the first Ranger said. "But its usually empty this time of night."

"Well, that's fine, lets go," I said and we continued down the hall towards the mess hall.

00000

I picked up some food from the server ponies and levitated my tray as I looked around the mess hall. It did seem mostly empty except for...

"Well hey there Doc!" A familiar voice called out and I saw a familiar blue Pegasus seated at a table on the other side of the room. "How about you come join me?"

"Do you two mind?" I asked the Rangers who nodded.

"Go ahead, she can be trusted," the first Ranger said and I walked over and took a seat across from the Pegasus.

"So what brings my favorite Doctor here?" The Pegasus asked.

"Would you believe me if I said a floating robot suggested I come here?" I said, I assume the Pegasus gave me a strange look, but she was wearing her goggles again.

"Huh, I thought Watcher stopped doing that after Gardens of Equestria," she said and went back to eating.

"Watcher? The pony I talked to called himself the Doctor," I said, this time I did get a strange look from the Pegasus. "So, what's your name?"

"You can call me Bluesky," Bluesky answered. "There's a rumor going around that you killed the Empire's best sniper."

"Is there anyone who hasn't heard about that?" I groaned.

"I'm sure there are a couple of bucks on the night shift who haven't yet," Bluesky said with a chuckle before turning serious. "Everypony here knows how you feel, Ruby. The Wasteland, it kills you a little on the inside every day."

"Why don't you leave then? From what I've heard things are better up North," I pointed out.

"I have my own reasons for staying here," Bluesky answered as she shot me a look. "Besides, the NCR pays better down here."

That was when I realized that Bluesky wasn't wearing the uniforms I had seen the NCR Rangers wearing. She was wearing some sort of saddle though that was outfitted with two nasty looking weapons that she hadn't been wearing before. Now that her flank was cleaned up, I could even see her cutie mark, a thunder cloud with a lightning bolt. There was a subtle, elegance to this Pegasus mare, not the same as Midnight, but I could...

"Hey, its rude to check out a mare's backside without buying her dinner first," Bluesky said with a smirk.

"I didn't... I mean..." I manage to get out, but Bluesky just nickers. I blushed deeply, even if she was just teasing, maybe I had kept my gaze a little too long. "So, you're not with the NCR then?"

"Not in any official capacity, no," Bluesky answered. "I'm a freelance soldier, a nice way to describe a mercenary really. I do some work here and there for the NCR or the Starlight Caravan Company. The pay's good, especially this close to Imperial territory."

"You don't do work for the Crimson Empire then?" I asked, I admit I was curious.

"Nope, never have, never will," Bluesky answered as she finished her food. "It sounds like the Firerain is winding down. I'll see you later."

She got to her hooves and walked out of the mess hall, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the two Rangers.

It was weird, ever since I had left the Stable I found myself thinking more about finding that special pony. Maybe it was because before I felt like I had my whole life in the Stable to find him or her, but now that I was out here, putting my life on the line, I kept thinking about it more and more. Maybe it was just my imagination, I shrugged and went back to eating.

00000

"Greetings everypony out there in Pony Post-apocalyptia, this is Melody coming at you with the news," the voice of Melody said over the radio. "The Ponies of the NCR can sleep well today because the Scourge of the North,the Master Sniper Necro Shot was killed earlier this day by a mare who seems to have come from one of the Stables on the outskirts of Neigh Orleans. Not bad kid, come by the NCR Broadcast Center sometime, first drink's on me."

I turned off the radio at that as I walked outside. It was nighttime, but it was barely noticable because the cloud cover always kept things dark. I saw Bluesky waving to me and I trotted over to her.

"The Colonel just received word on the radio, it seems that an Imperial General is on his way to camp," Bluesky said. "

"What's the problem then? I thought we already knew that," I pointed out.

"Its not the General in charge of the forces in the Northern Fields," Bluesky answered, she looked worried even though her eyes where covered by the large goggles.

There was a sudden sound of a horn being blown somewhere in the distance and the gates opened. Ponies marched into the NCR camp in perfect unison, each dressed in blood red armor and helmets that covered their heads that had black, almost empty looking eyes.

"The Scarlet Guard..." Bluesky whispered to me. "The elite troops of the Crimson Empire and the guards assigned to the Empress of the Scarlet Throne and her most trusted advisors only."

A shiver ran down my back, whoever this Pony was, he was important enough to warrant the use of such theatrics. I realized what the Empire's game was here, they where showing off, telling the NCR, "We're better than you and there's nothing you can do about it."

I was really starting to hate these guys.

Finally the line of red armored soldiers separated and another Pony walked between them. He was a grey Unicorn dressed in black armor with a short black mane, his red eyes scanned the group of NCR soldiers before falling on me.

"General Black Sun, this is highly irregular," Midnight said as she stepped forward, she had swapped her Ranger uniform for a fancier version of it with golden trim. I suppose that even when faced with her mortal enemy, she wanted to have some sense of decorum. "The rules of engagement are quite clear in cases of reclaiming the dead, only the direct superior of the deceased can claim the body."

"Which is why I'm here," Black Sun said, his voice was gruff and cold as he levitated a piece of paper out of his armor's saddlebag and sent it over to Midnight. "The deceased, Lieutenant Necro Shot, was on loan to me for a special assignment that he failed to carry out before his, untimely demise."

He glanced at me as he said the last two words, but Midnight was too busy reading the paper to notice. I shuddered, I didn't like this, it felt like any minute now he was going to call attention to me.

"What's he going to do?" I whispered to Bluesky.

"I don't know," Bluesky admitted. "Black Sun is part of the Empress' inner circle, he's one of the most dangerous ponies in the Crimson Empire."

I gulped, I wasn't even a day out of the Stable and I might already have made a dangerous enemy. This just wasn't my day was it?

"Great, I can't catch a break can I?" I asked with a groan.

"Don't worry Doc, I'm sure it'll be okay," Bluesky said.

"Everything seems to be in order," Midnight said with a shake of her head. "Very well then, the corpse will be handed over to your men."

"Good, I'm glad even with the war going on, we can reach a fair agreement," Black Sun said. "There is however still the matter of the killer."

"Oh Celestia... I was really hoping this wouldn't come up..." I said and tried to back away but Black Sun trotted up to me. "What do you want with me?"

"You're hardly what I expected, Stable Dweller," the general pony said as he stared me down. "In lieu of punishment, you will have to finish his final mission."

I gulped, I didn't like the way he said that.

00000

An hour later I was back inside the base, this time in an old office that Midnight had apparently taken as her own. The Crimson Empire forces had left without any further issues, and I was there with Bluesky.

"Ruby, I know this isn't going to be easy for you," Midnight said with a sigh. "I don't like the idea of sending an untrained pony into a combat situation."

"I'm not going to kill for the Crimson Empire," I said. "I already had to kill once, I don't want to do it again, even if it puts me in trouble with the Empire."

"The mission isn't anything like that," Midnight reassured me, though I noticed that she seemed a little surprised at the fact. "There's a neutral caravan that moves along the border between the NCR and the Crimson Empire, and its a day overdue on its scheduled check-in."

I exchanged glances with Bluesky, I could tell that she was worried too. I wondered if this was the same Caravan that she mentioned working with before, but that didn't really matter at the moment. There where ponies in trouble, and I was a medical pony so it was my job to help them.

"I'll do it," I said with finality.

"And I'm coming with her!" Bluesky said, which caught us both off guard. She put a foreleg around me, and looked at Midnight with a look of determination. "I should've been guarding that caravan instead of chasing that Pegasus the other day, besides, the Doc here patched me up, so I owe her."

"Well Ruby, its your job so its your decision," Midnight said as she looked at me. "Their last reported location was in the Badlands, and I don't like sending anypony there alone anyway."

I looked between the two ponies, this was my decision and mine alone. My task was laid out in front of me, but I had the feeling that it was one I shouldn't do alone. I wasn't a soldier, but Bluesky on the other hand was likely better than I could ever hope to be. Plus, if she knew the caravan, then that would certainly be useful when going into such a situation.

"It would be an honor to have Bluesky join me," I said with a nod. "When can we leave?"

"First light tomorrow," Midnight said. "If there's anything you'll need, give a list to the Quarterpony at the armory, he'll give you what you need."

"Thank you Midnight," I said with a nod. "Uh, do you have any idea exactly what we might find in the Badlands?"

"If you're lucky, Radscorpions, and that's only if you're lucky," Midnight said. "I've heard there's a Hellhound pack that made their home out there too, but no one's confirmed that."

Oh Goddesses, what had I gotten myself into?

00000

It was late that night, the sounds of music kept playing on my Pipbuck's radio as I stared up at the ceiling. Bluesky had gone off to meet with the Quarterpony in order to get the supplies, which left me alone with my thoughts.

The Wasteland, in Stable 26 we had never really known what lay beyond the great stable door, just that whatever it was would be like nothing we had ever experienced before. I remembered one time when I was just a filly, before I got my cutie mark I was at a sleepover with Candy and some other fillies and they told ghost stories like a door at the bottom of the Stable that lead to Tartaron, or of the Ghost Pony of the Stable who would drag you to the afterlife with her if you couldn't appease her somehow.

But the scariest had to be of a maintinence Pony named Dawn. The story always went that she was running maintinence on the Stable Door when it opened up. When she looked outside, she was dragged out of the Stable by monsters, the sound of her screams echoing through the Stable.

Most ponies just ignored that last one as a Foal's tale meant to scare other foals, but I had to wonder. There was an old medical record about a mare named Dawn, when I asked Nightingale about it, she became uncomfortable and quickly changed the subject.

"I'm back!" Bluesky said and I nearly jumped out of my fur. I hadn't even heard her come in, was she that stealthy or was I just that lost in thought. "Geez Doc, I didn't mean to scare you like that. What where you thinking about anyway, your old girlfriend back in the Stable?"

"I didn't have a... oh never mind," I said, I felt my face becoming warm again. "Did you get all the supplies we need?"

"Most of them at least, the Quarterpony said that some of them wouldn't be here until the supply train arrived tomorrow afternoon," Bluesky said and started to take the supplies out of her saddlebags.

Most of it was pretty standard stuff as far as I knew, extra ammunition, food, and medical supplies. Bluesky had pointed out that we where going into a potentially dangerous situation so she also arranged for some grenades and an assault rifle for me to use.

"And I know you don't like killing, so I got you these," Bluesky said and took one last object out of her saddlebag. It was several boxes of ammo, but they weren't the same bronze bullets I had used before. Instead they seemed to be made of a strange material and where tipped with a blue crystal.

"What are these?" I asked.

"Well, they have a long fancy military designation, but most soldiers just call them non-lethals," Bluesky said as she removed her goggles, which showed her blue eyes underneath. "Now ponies like me, we call them Crystal Shots, I managed to procure enough for you if you want."

"Thanks," I said and placed them in my saddle bag. "Can I ask you something?"

"You just did," Bluesky said with a smirk. I facehooved at that, did this pony ever take anything seriously? "Go ahead."

"Why do you always wear those goggles?" I asked.

The Blue Pegasus looked at me for a moment and shook her head. "I have my reasons, but I'm not ready to tell you just yet, okay?"

"Okay..." I said as Bluesky laid down in her cot and soon the sound of snoring filled the room. I couldn't help but smile a little as I pulled the covers over me and soon I was asleep too.

00000

About halfway through the night my dreams got, weird again. This time I was back in Stable 26 walking through the halls to my quarters. When I opened the door, I was met with the smell of something cooking. I turned to look at who it was, only to see a shadowy pony who's features I couldn't recognize standing there.

"Well hey there Ruby," the mare's voice said. "Ready for dinner?"

"How did... what's going... who are you?" I managed to stammer.

"Time to wake up, Ruby," Bluesky's voice said, followed by a series of beeping sounds, and I wake up with a start. I looked at Bluesky who was saying "Beep" over and over again into my ear.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Messing with your head," Bluesky said with a giggle and then slipped into her saddle. "Come on, its about time to go."

"Why did you let me sleep in?" I asked as I slipped into my saddlebags, I noticed that someone had added a holster for my pistol, followed by my pipbuck. "We needed to go as soon as possible."

"We had another Firerain storm this morning," Bluesky answered. "Don't worry about time, the good Colonel arranged for some transport for us."

"What kind of transport?" I asked as I downed a purified water that Bluesky gave to me. "Something fast I hope."

"Don't worry about it, Doc, we're gonna get there with time to spare," Bluesky said as I ran a brush through my mane.

"So, uh, where does a pony go to get a shower?" I asked, Bluesky just laughed at that.

00000

"What is that thing?" I asked as I looked at the strange contraption that was in front of me. It looked like pictures I had seen of carriages, but it was made of metal and looked like it was big enough to carry a lot of ponies.

"What, you've never seen a sky carriage before?" Bluesky asked. "Wow Doc, you have a lot to learn about the Wasteland."

That was becoming very obvious to me the longer I stayed here. Celestia, I was starting to miss living in the Stable.

"How does it work?" I asked.

"Its outfitted with a magical lift system," Midnight said as she trotted up next to me. "But the real power comes from the Pegasus hauling it, the lift system is just to keep it from being too heavy."

"The Pegasus... you mean Bluesky will be pulling it?" I asked.

"Yep, that's right," Bluesky said and saluted with one of her forehooves.

"What about your injured wing?" I pointed out.

"You're kidding right? I've flown on worse, I'll be fine," Bluesky said reassuringly as she slipped into the harness. "Are you ready?"

Midnight turned to look at me. "This is your last chance to back out, Ruby, no one will think any less of you if you do."

I shook my head, I had already made my decision. "There are ponies out there in danger, I would be a terrible Medical Pony if I didn't go and help them."

"Then may Celestia guide your quest, Ruby Starlight," Midnight said with a nod. "And one more thing, take this."

She took out a device and placed it in my saddlebag.

"What is that?" I asked.

"An NCR Emergency Radio," Midnight said. "If you need help, just use that and the NCR will come to your aid."

"Thanks," I said and climbed into the sky carriage. "Okay Bluesky, I'm ready to go."

"Got it!" The Pegasus said and started flapping her wings as she took off, carrying me and the sky carriage behind her.

00000

"This is your captain speaking, we will be cruising at a height of... well, actually I don't know how high this is," Bluesky called back to me as she flew. "If you look out your right window, you can see in the distance the ruins of Neigh Orleans..."

I did so, I could see the once great city that had fallen into such disrepair. The city had once been beautiful, that much was clear, but the megaspell that had hit it and the ensuing years had left it in a state of disrepair.

"Our ETA to the Badlands is 30 minutes, so please keep your seatbelts buckled and your seats in the upright position," Bluesky continued. "Sadly we will not be having beverage service in this flight."

"Very funny Bluesky," I called up to her. "I wasn't aware I had a comedian for a pilot."

"Come on Doc, you gotta lighten up," Bluesky replied. "You have to find joy where you can in the wasteland, or it'll swallow you up."

I thought back to what Midnight told me yesterday, that I needed to find a virtue. Was joy or laughter a virtue? I tried to remember back to the stories I had read about the Ministry Mares and I remembered that one of them was associated with laughter... what was her name again... the one who reminded me of Candy so much.

"Pinkie Pie," I said out loud, remembering her name all of a sudden.

"What was that?" Bluesky asked.

"Nothing, was just thinking about something," I replied. I had to smile a little, Bluesky might have a point.

"Well Ruby, just sit back and relax, maybe check out one of those books that Midnight left back there," Bluesky said and continued flying.

I was curious so I picked up one of the books with my telekinesis and started reading it. It seemed to be an adventure narrative of some sort.

"If I'm going to tell you about the adventure of my life - explain how I got to this place with these people, and why I did what I'm going to do next - I should probably start by explaining a little bit about PipBucks."

00000

I had been surprised to learn that the book was about a Stable Dweller like myself, and that it was about Littlepip, who I had heard about the day before. She seemed so, ordinary from the book, had she really saved all of Equestria like the others had claimed?

"Hey Doc, we're coming up on the Badlands, I think I can see the caravan coming up, I'm going to land and we can approach from the south, just in case.

"Okay, sounds good," I replied and made sure I was secure as we started to land. I stepped out of the carriage and I was soon joined by Bluesky. The Badlands where a desert, a vast, featureless desert like nothing I had ever seen before. I could see something in the distance, and my PipBuck confirmed that it was our destination.

"Come on Doc, lets get going," Bluesky said as we trotted in the direction of the caravan.

Our trip went by in silence, we had to remain quiet so we didn't attract the attention of any of the Badlands' creatures. It didn't help, about halfway to our destination we got jumped by a radscorpion the size of two ponies.

"Aim for the face!" Bluesky shouted as I fired wildly into the armored exoskeleton of the radscorpion, dodging a tail swipe from the creature as my Pegasus friend flew overhead, the two guns in her saddle firing, but it was much more precise than mine.

"I'm trying, I'm trying!" I shouted back, my shots where less than precise though. That's when something started flashing on my EFS and I remembered SATS.

The Stable-Tec Arcane Targetting Spell or SATS was a spell that came standard with all PipBucks. I had never really tried to use it before, except when I tried to play Soccer for the Stable teams, but it was worth a try.

I activated SATS and time around me seemed to slow down, I focused it on the facial area of the Radscorpion and selected it as many times as I could.

I pulled the trigger four times in quick succession and the Radscorpion let out an anguished scream as it fell over dead.

"We need to get out of here, fast," Bluesky said. "That's going to attract more Radscorpions, and we can't kill them all."

"Lets get out of here then!" I said as we galloped towards our destination.

00000

Thankfully we didn't encounter any more Radscorpions, or anything else for the rest of our trip. As we approached the caravan though, Bluesky held up a hoof to stop me.

"What is it?" I whispered to the Pegasus, I could see shapes moving along the Caravan from here, that probably meant there where ponies there that needed help.

However Bluesky looked, scared, it wasn't a good feeling. Bluesky was braver than I could ever hope to be, a professional mercenary living in the wastelands, and she saught out ways to have fun, even in the bleakest of times.

"Alicorns," she said, and that one word, even though I had no idea what it meant, sent shivers down my spine.

Days Left: 364

LEVEL UP!

New Perk: Fast Learner Rank 1

You're a fast learner who has adapted well to the Wasteland. You get an extra 5% XP with every enemy killed.

00000

Well, there's chapter 2 for you, and anyone who's familiar with the original Fallout: Equestria fanfic knows that Alicorns can be trouble.

Next chapter, how will Ruby and Bluesky handle the threat of Alicorns? Can they survive or will something worse happen to them? What happened to the Caravan? All these questions and more will be answered in chapter 3, "Rescue Mission."

Also, if anyone can guess what song aappeared briefly in this chapter, you get brownie points.