Chapter 1: Invitation to the Hunt
Angel and Twi
The city of New Pegasus shined bright in the night sky, the darkness of the wasteland pushed back by the lights of the casinos and buildings within New Pegasus. Anypony could see the lights of New Pegasus from any section, be it from the Hoofer Dam, or the top of the Imerial Highway 15. New Pegasus was one of the biggest cities in the wasteland, and one of the most successful. This could be due to multiple reasons, perhaps the fact that only 9 of the megaspells managed to explode, maybe the union of the casinos working together bringing a peace within the city, or maybe the mysterious guardian at the Lucky Pony-8, Mr Horse calling the shots and giving the ponies below anew form of harmony within the wastelands.
Though the city had some sort of law and civilized society, the wastelands around it were a far cry of peace. Within a small town named Primm the citizens have run to the town's casino for safety as a group of raiders brought death and chaos upon the citizens. Killing the Sherrif and holding the deputy as a prisoner, the raiders try to force the citizens to work for them, as their personal slaves.
Any attack upon the casino was put to a quick stop as the citizens barricaded the doors with the couches and slot games. With the little time they had, a stallion managed to bring in a broken radio into the casino with him. Setting it up and repairing it, the stallion sent out a radio message. "If any pony can hear me please, Primm needs your help, a group of raiders have attacked our town. They killed our sheriff and took our deputy as prisoners. We managed to hide in the casino but we are trapped, the raiders are still trying to break in but we managed to barricade the doors. We are running low on supplies and the citizens don't know how to fight. If there is any pony there please send help! This is Tea Total Nash. This message will repeat."
Days passed since Nash sent that message, the ponies within the Casino started to lose hope that somepony would come to rescue them. The citizens finally willing to give themselves to the raiders were about to remove the barricades they had up. Right before they removed the first of the barricades before them a noise caught their attention.
Gunshots rang in the small town of Primm. The residents were confused at the sudden shots and yells of battle from outside as Nash trotted up to the door. Trying to peek his head past the doorway, the stallion managed to use a crack in the casino's window to see outside. Within the darkness of the night Nash could see two raiders shooting at something outside of the view.
As he watched, Nash could see a stallion appear into view, automatically Nash could tell that the stallion was a unicorn due to a small blue hue of light shining in the darkness above his head. The stallion carried what seemed to be a shield next to him as he bashed it into a pony face. The raider was forced back as the other aimed his shotgun at the stallion. Expecting to see the stallion fall to the two raiders, Nash heard a blast.
Looking with horror at the situation Nash was confused when he saw the mysterious stallion continue to tackle the first raider to the ground and slammed down his shield. Looking toward the shotgun raider, Nash could see the raider was yelling in pain on the ground an arrow sticking out of the stallion's left foreleg.
The mysterious stallion seemed to have finished dealing with the first raider as he turned around. Seemingly talking to someone that was too far for Nash to see, the stallion walked up to the raider who was on the ground. Trying to aim his shotgun at the stallion, the raider managed to lift his weapon up only for it to fall to the ground once more. The raider winced in pain due to the arrow in his foreleg. Before another shot could go off, the stallion before him raised his shield and smashed it down on the raiders head. The stallion turned back to the entrance of the city and spoke. "All clear! Both raiders are knocked out." The stallion said.
From the entrance of the city a mare walked out, her magic holding onto a bow with an arrow ready to fire. "Angel, these raiders shouldn't deserve mercy. They hurt others, killed innocents and even tortured the cities deputy for fun. We should kill them now so that they don't cause any more harm." The mare stated simply as she caught up to the stallion named Angel.
"Twi, an eye for an eye and the whole world will go blind. If we want to live a peaceful life and a better tomorrow we have to bring back some of the ideas of the past, let them have the judgment of the people put against their actions and bring a punishment to them to get others to stop." Angel said to his friend. The mare named Twi seemed to ignore his idea as she pulled the arrow out of the stallion's foreleg and wiped the blood off.
"He is just lucky you are here to keep him alive, if it was me, I would have shot an arrow through his eye." Twi stated as she proceeded to put the arrow into her arrow bag that hangs on her side. "So what's the plan now? We are doing it your way just like you asked so you gotta make the plan." Twi stated simply as she started to loot through the raiders, giving Angel a chance to think of the next step.
Nash looked in surprise as he didn't know what to do or say. "H-hey you two! Did you come here to help us?" Nash shouted into the darkness, catching the attention of the citizens within the casino and the two unicorns outside.
The citizens looked in worry as they expected to see Nash fall backwards, a hole where his face once was. Within the silence a voice from outside responded, "Tea Total Nash?" Angel asked, the stallion walked closer to the casino, walking into the light of the casino, the stallion revealed himself. Blue Unicorn with an unkept light blue mane stood strong. He wore an old drifter coat with a stable jumpsuit under it. The number missing from the suit. Next to him floating in the middle of the air a wooden shield floated in his blue magic as Angel turned to his companion.
A few seconds passed until the mare walked into the light with him. The mare next to him had curly violet mane and a red headband under her horn. Her coat was a light purple as she wore reinforced tribal armor. She levitated a bow and arrow with her magic as it was enveloped in a purple hue.
Nash quickly nodded, "Yes I am Tea Total Nash, I set up the distress call! Oh thank the heavens that somepony came to our rescue!" Nash exclaimed as he turned around to the ponies within the casino. "The Cavalry has arrived everypony! They are here!"
Within the casino the ponies can be heard cheering as some crowded the door. Seeing that the ponies within were safe and actually happy to see them, Angel let a small sigh of relief out. "Is everypony inside alright? Do you need any medical assistance or food?" Angel asked right away, much to the dismay of Twi.
"We are fine, all we need is these raiders out of the town! Once you and your team do that we will be able to get our supplies and items." Nash explained over the cheers and excitement of the ponies.
Twi took a step up to the door trying to see the ponies inside but couldn't see much. "Team?" Twi asked, confused at the stallion's remark. Twi looked around them and thought of what to say. "Sorry to inform you about this but, it's only Angel and I. There is no pony else." Twi explained to the stallion.
Nash's confidence turned to confusion and then worry, "What? It's just the two of you?" Nash asked, fear clearly taking over once more. The ponies within quickly stopped their cheers as some lost all hope.
"Yeah, me and Twi are the only ones here," Angel stated trying to raise their hopes, "Don't worry though. We faced worst odds in the wastelands. A few raiders shouldn't be that bad. We will just walk in there, ask for the deputy in return for two of their own and a way out." Angel explained, the idea made both Nash and Twi look at Angel with confusion.
Nash was first to speak before Twi could ask Angel a question, "Um, ya sure that will work? What if they refuse the deal?" Nash asked, in the back of his mind he thought of the worst things that could possibly happen.
Angel looked at Nash with a confused expression, thinking for a second Angel got his answer. "Well we will do what we have to do so that you ponies can live in peace. For now stay here, once we free the deputy and make sure that the area is clear we will inform you." Angel explained as Nash looked at the two unicorns before him. With a quiet nod Nash placed his trust into the two unicorns.
Angel took no time to wait as he turned around and headed to the nearest unconscious raider. Twi looked at the casino and then to Angel, turning to follow Angel, Twi waited till she was far enough from the casino to speak to Angel. "Angel, be honest with me, is that really the plan you have?" Twi asked, Angel looked at her as he finished tying up the raider before him.
Nodding with confidence, Angel grabbed the loot that the raider had on him and placed it into his saddle bags. A few caps, a few rounds of shotgun ammo and the shotgun he had. "Yep, we will both be holding one of the raiders here and enter the casino. We will demand for the deputy's life and then persuade them to leave. If they don't leave we will have to force them by hoof." Angel explained as he started to trot over to the other raider.
Twi looked at Angel with worry, "Look Angel, I know you are new to the wastelands, and you believe that everypony can change, that everypony can be a good pony if they try." Twi started, Angel had stopped his tying as he turned his head to face Twi. "But you must know the difference between those that wish to change and those that won't. Very few raiders will ever choose to be good, to make their lives better. Many ponies in Equestria are such beings and they will not have any mercy for you." Twi said
Angel looked to the ground, he thought of the words he should say as he got up. "Twi, just because I believe in the better side of others it doesn't mean i am blind nor ignorant to the things they did. But I believe in the idea that everypony deserves a second chance. To try to better their life." Angel stated simply as he looked around them. "I am not judge, jury, nor executioner. I am just another pony in this world that is trying to survive, but if there is a chance to bring light into the darkness. I will try my best to make that light shine brighter."
Twi looked at him seriously, she thought about Angel's ideal. For a second the two were quiet as Angel levitated the stallion onto his back. As the stallion landed on his back his duster moved around a bit as Angel seemed to be fixing something below the duster. "I will never be able to leave you alone would I?" Twi thought to herself as she smiled, her serious nature slowly calming down, "What did they do to you in that stable?"
Twi looked over to the stallion next to her as she levitated the body onto her back, "Alright then Angel, lets go get that deputy." Twi said, she looked at Angel with a genuine smile as the stallion turned to her.
Putting the caps and machete he found off the second raider into his saddle bag, Angel turned to Twi. Looking at his best friend Angel was a bit confused. "Are you going with my plan?" Angel asked with a bit of shock in his voice. Twi nodded as she took a step toward him.
"This is a horrible idea, but I know you want to prove that ponies can be talked down. So let's try it. Plus, I still have a promise to keep." Twi explained as the two walked toward the motel. Twi lifted her hoof to feel the red headband as she said the last part. The two friends walked toward the entrance as Twi sighed, "If we are lucky this will go well."
Looking at his companion Angel didn't know what to say. Confused for a second, Angel spoke, "You don't believe in luck though." Angel said simply as Twi rolled her eyes.
"Well seeing how we are about to enter a raider infested motel. We will need every single paranormal or godlike being to aid us. Even if we dont believe in them, " Twi said sarcastically. Upon reaching the door Angel and Twi waited for a second putting their ears to the door.
Both heard nothing as Angel looked at Twi with a nod. Levitating the stallion in front of him Angel pulled out a small combat knife, the knife placed at the stallion's throat as Angel waited for Twi to do something similar. Twi levitated her hostage in front of her. Twi grabbing her bow Twi loaded an arrow and aimed it at the back of the stallion's head.
Opening the doors, Angel and Twi entered the motel, upon entering the dark building Angel and Twi looked around. There was no pony around as they saw a receptionist desk in the side of the room. The hallway acoss of them had a makeshift barricade of desks and chairs around a table. A radio playing at the desk as Mr New Pegasus spoke about the events around New Pegasus.
The two walked deeper into the building, passing the receptionist desk and even walking into the next hallway. As Angel turned the corner the body of the raider before him bumped into something as it went to the ground. Angel's magic managed to hold the stallion up for a bit as he looked around the body. Seeing a raider laying on the ground, Angel's eyes widen. "Hey what the hell Hacksaw! Watch where your going." The raider shouted at the body until he noticed Angel. The two locked eyes as the raider's horn lit up with magic.
Angel's magic was already on his knife as he pushed the knife on the raider's neck, stopping the stallion in his tracks. The raider's magic stopped immediately as Angel looked at him with a serious look. "What's your name?" Angel asked much to the confusion of the stallion below him.
Twi had turned the corner quickly as she aimed her bow at the stallion on the ground and placed the unconscious raider she levitated between her and the target. The stallion shaking in place looked at Angel and Twi as he started to murmer. "Jet Mist." The raider said, his body not daring to move a inch.
Angel looked at the raider before him, his eyes staying serious as he continued with his plan, "Are you the leader of this group or is there another pony?" Angel asked the stallion. The stallion looked behind him.
"The boss is back there. She is busy taking a nap. She doesn't like to be bothered when she rests, if you want we can talk and-" the stallion tried to plea but before he could say more the knife was removed from the neck.
Angel looked at him with a hardened look, his eyes looking at the raider with pity, "Go get her, if she tries to harm you come back here." Angel simply said as the raider looked at Angel and Twi, the two didn't seem in the mood to discuss another plan as they sent the raider to wake his boss.
Angel and Twi watched the raider slowly get up as he turned around and in a quick pace trotted back to the back of the building. Letting a quiet sigh out Angel focused his magic to lift the unconscious raider back up. Placing his knife to his throat, Angel waited, "Do you think this will work?" Twi asked.
Twi had aimed the arrow down the hall as she kept the unconscious raider closer to her, making it into a pony shield. She had noticed the expression Angel gave to the raider when they were talking. "I don't know, but we have to at least try, be ready in case anything does happen." Angel explained to Twi.
Before another could say a word a sudden shout came from the other side of the building, "And you didn't shoot them? I should have everypony shoot you here!" A mare's voice shouted, Angel's eyes widened as he prepared to see the stallion come running back. For a few seconds no pony showed up, the ponies finally turned the corner. Three raiders walked out, a mare stood in the middle, her body and armor bloody and seemingly rabid. To her left was an earth pony stallion, wearing a battle saddle with pipe rifles on the sides. To the right of the mare was the stallion that Angel and Twi talked too only minutes ago.
The raiders stopped halfway to the two, the two groups were silent as Angel thought of what to say, "So, I take it you're the boss? May I have your name or will I just have to call you the boss?" Angel asked, wanting to identify the mare before them.
The mare looked at the two ponies before her, a small laugh leaving her, "Alright hero, my name is Darling, and you two are the heroes who are going to stop me from doing my evil ways. Honey, believe me I've been in the raider gig for a long while. I know how this will end." Darling stated confidently.
Twi gritted her teeth at the mention of the word Honey to Angel, Angel looked at the mare, "Here goes nothing." Angel thought as he cleared his voice. "My name is Angel, this is my friend Twi." Angel stated as he nodded to his companion Twi. Continuing Angel prepared for the worst"I am here to make a deal, we have two of your ponies. They are still alive and we do not want to wish them more harm." Angel stated.
"Eh you don't but I wouldn't mind." Twi quietly said under her breath only audible for Angel to hear, Angel ignored the comment as he gently set down the unconscious stallion in front of him. The knife was left on the throat of the unconscious stallion.
"I don't want any more bloodshed today, you have caused your own chaos and even harmed those that are bringing a calm life to the area. So I have an offer, you return the deputy for one of these stallions, for the second stallion, you will have to leave this town. You grab your stuff and leave Primm now. We will not shoot nor betray your trust-" Angel started but was stopped by the laughter of Darling and the stallion to the left.
The stallion that Angel and Twi had talked to before had chuckled nervously, Angel looked at Twi as she seemed to have gotten ready to attack. Angel almost instinctively spreaded his limbs out to make Twi lower her bow, Angel moving under his drifter, trying to make sure the coat won't fall. Angel managed to keep calm and focus on the raiders before them. Worried that the plan was going to go south fast, Angel prepared himself. "You want us to take that offer? You have a lot of confidence for a stable dweller." Darling said to Angel.
Angel slowly placed the unconscious raider to the ground, sitting him up. "Well, to be successful you have to have confidence, even if it's misplaced." Angel responded as he gently removed the knife from the unconscious raider's throat.
"Honey, I don't know if you know this but the wastelands are shit at living an easy life. These ponies are weak and we are trying to help them. They will work for us and we will give them protection and safety from other dangers in the wastelands." Darling stated, her views in the situation twisted and hid many truths.
"You're protecting them by enslaving them? Forcing them to make your crops, purify your water and even making the settlement liveable? What do they gain other than your half assed protection?" Twi remarked at Darling, the Raider leader looking at Twi with a glare.
"So the mare does talk, what the ponies will gain is food, shelter and a more prosperous life. They wish to bring a more peaceful time to the future, it's pathetic. You heard that Nash fellow, the ponies here didn't even know how to use guns. How pathetic is that! Weakness is only going to get ponies killed in the wastelands and a tribal should know that more than anything. It's the strongs responsibility to protect the weak, to make the rules and write the rights and wrongs." Darling explained.
"Might doesn't mean right, the protection of the citizens should be up to they deem fit not the other way around. Now I will ask you again, will you take the offer? You can live your lives still, change your ways." Angel stated, trying to keep the offer standing.
Darling seemed to think about it as she looked at the stallions Angel and Twi had. After a few seconds passed the mare seemed to have come to a conclusion "Well I would gladly take your offer… but it seems that I am giving a living deputy for one dead raider, seems unfair." Darling said. Angel's eyes went wide as he looked at the stallion he was holding.
The stallion softly breathed in and out, though unconscious the stallion was still alive. Looking back up at Darling and the raiders Angel opened his mouth to speak. Before he could say anything a gunshot was heard. Twi's eyes opened with shock as she looked at Angel expecting to see him fall to the ground. Angel jumped at the shot but felt no pain, it was until he looked at the hostage he had that he realized that the raider was shot by his own. The stallion's body let out a gasp of air as the body slumped to the ground. "As I said, a dead raider for a alive deputy is not really a good deal," Darling started, the stallion to her left smirking as the rifles hit their target. "I will make you two an offer, we will take your lives, take in the citizens and no pony will find your bodies." Darling said as she tapped her hoof onto the ground.
The raider with the battle saddle aimed his guns at Twi as he shot again. Being on guard Twi was able to lift the hostage she had up making the unconscious stallion into a pony shield. Taking the two bullets of the rifle the hostage had died within Twi's magic field.
Angel swung his knife around him with his magic and with the force of the knife being spinned around him, Angel threw the combat knife at great speeds at Darling. Darling had started to levitate a pistol out of her bag, but before the mare could react the knife impaled itself into her chest.
Falling to the ground Darling shouted in pain the pistol thrown to the side. The door from the right of the hallway was pushed open as five raiders as they prepared to shoot at Angel and Twi. To the left side of the room the stairways that lead to the second floor opened up revealing five more raiders.
Darling turned to the raider who was wielding the rifles shouting above the gunfire. "Buck Shot kill their asses and bring me that unicorn's horn!" Darling shouted, turning toward the stallion that Angel and Twi had talked to before Darling continued her shouts, "Jet Mist, get me the fuck up now-" Before Darling could finish her sentence a arrow went through the back of her head and out her right eye. The eyeball dangled on the tip of the arrow.
Darling fell over dead as Jet Mist jumped back at the sudden arrow. The raiders around them turned their attention to Twi as she loaded another arrow. Twi looked at the raiders before them, her eyes widened as the first few triggers were pulled. Lifting the body to stop the bullets, Twi expected to feel the fiery hot pain of bullets ripping through the body and into her.
The bullets flew through the air, as Twi suddenly felt the floor below her disappear. Looking around herself Twi could see she was covered in a blue magical aura. "Twi shoot them!" Angel shouted as he had managed to take cover around the corner of the entrance room. Without another word needing to be said Twi shot another arrow as she was levitated to safety. The raiders not expecting to see her start to levitate off the ground started to aim their guns again but before any could shoot another arrow went flying. Having the high ground, Twi managed to hit one of the raiders that took their chances with a melee weapon in the shoulder. Causing them to tumble and fall over themselves.
The shots continued but none managed to hit Twi as she was placed into the safety of the room Angel was in. Angel had already pulled out his shield as he waited for the first raider to turn the corner as Twi jumped over the desk and makeshift barricades. "Guess negotiations went better than I expected!." Angel joked with a small smile. Twi looked at him as the first raider turned the corner. He had a pistol in his mouth, before he could aim at Twi who was peeking her head out to get the attention of the first few raiders Angel slammed his shield down on top of the raiders head. The pistol went out of the raider's mouth as Angel grabbed him with magic and threw him onto the side of the wall.
The first raider went down as Twi levitated the pistol to her. "It went way longer than I expected." Twi remarked as she focused at the doorway again. Another raider came into the room but a bang went off as the raider fell dead onto the ground. Twi kept the pistol aimed as three raiders entered the room. Angel had quickly ran to Twi's position as he looked around trying to see what they could use to win while under cover. "It's best if you just give up now! I promise I will end you fast!" One raider shouted as three entered the room with two more behind them.
Angel pulled up his Pipbuck as he looked at his E.F.S. On his pipbuck Angel could see eight red markers in front of him and two yellow marks in the back of the group. The raiders turned the corner and before Twi could shoot either the bow or the pistol, the raiders opened fire. Bullets flew through the air hitting the desks, tables and countertops of the makeshift area. Ducking down in time Twi covered her head as Angel laid onto the ground.
Twi tried to levitate the pistol up to shoot but was quickly shot away as the raiders opened fire on the desks and broken parts. Twi and Angel layed prone onto the ground, the bullets flying right over their heads. Barely missing the two unicorns as the raiders cheered.
Angel thought about what he could do to help the situation as Twi looked around the place trying to find something to aid them. "Cease fire! Cease fire!" Buck Shots voice shouted above the gunfire.
Though it took a while, the raiders stopped and looked at the makeshift barricade. Twi looked at the desks and chairs stacked above one another in a mess, holes and broken pieces now filling the items that were protecting them. "Angel, I got an idea: don't move and play dead, then follow my lead." Twi said as Angel looked at her.
The raiders started to walk slowly toward the barricade, spreading out from one the raiders kept their guns aimed at the barricades. Not seeing any gun appear or hear any noise from the other side of the barricade the raiders laughed, some thought it was too easy, others wanting to have a bigger fight. Buck Shot had pushed through the raiders and looked around, "Alright that is it, Darling was wasting our time now its time for action, we are going to go to the casino and break our way in. Grab your shit and lets move the fuck in!" Buck Shot demanded.
The raiders seemed to talk to themselves as another raider spoke out, "And who in the hell made you leader?". The raiders stopped as they looked at who had just shouted. Twi looked at Angel, her eyes seemingly telling exactly what to do as they had already started with her plan. Picking up the desk and items with their magic and only picking specific parts so that the raiders could not notice them the two unicorns waited.
"I made myself the fucking leader. Do we have a problem with that Tag Bones?" Buck Shot asked the raider. The raiders around them seemed to have turned their heads to look at the situation.
The raider known as Tag Bones took steps up to Buck Shot, "No I just thought it would be funny to just say stupid shit. I say we vote on this matter," Tag Bones started as he turned his head to the raiders around them. "This man did shoot two of our own down. Just because Darling ordered it. Do we really want him to lead us now?" Tag Bones asked the group of raiders. Immediately the raiders spoke to one another about the problem at hoof.
Angel looked at his pipbuck once more, using the E.F.S. again Angel was able to identify the area where the raiders were at. Quietly looking at Twi, Angel pointed to the direction. With a nod, Twi started to move to face the direction. Angel had adjusted himself carefully as he prepared his magic. "Alright, lets not forget the mistakes of the last leader too. Not only that but this Pegasus had already betrayed the Vipers before, do you think we won't betray us as well?" Buck Shot asked the group as more ponies started to talk.
The raiders seemingly forgetting to check if Angel and Twi were truly dead continued with their arguments. Angel looked at Twi as they both got ready for the attack, "On three." Twi whispered to Angel who nodded.
"I left the Vipers! They were insane bastards and deserve any fucking death the wastelands will give them. You are more of a threat to us especially if you become the next leader. You know what, why don't I put a bullet through you right now and make sure your mistakes don't kill us in the future." Tag Bones shouted, a gun levitated at the Buck Shot.
The earth pony responded by raising his guns at Tag Bones. Twi started her count "One…" The raiders within the room seemed to have started to chant at the two ponies to pull the trigger.
"We all know you don't have the balls! Hell a prewar Diamond dog has more bite than you! Come on you coward I fucking dare you!" Buck Shot shouted at Tag Bones as some of the raiders decided to aim their weapons at one of the two raiders. Others sat back and watched the chaos about to happen.
"Two…" Twi said her magic started to grow brighter as Angel followed suit. The desk and items started to glow with light. Due to the infighting the raiders had their backs to the desks and items but one by one the raiders took notice. It didn't take long for the raiders to realize their mistake as the shouting stopped. "Three!" Twi shouted loudly, Twi and Angel both threw the desk and items to the raiders
The eight raiders scattered around the area trying to dodge or stop some of the items that were thrown at them. Some of the raiders managed to get out of the way but the majority were impaled and trapped under the weight of desk, wood and metal objects around the area. The three raiders that got out of the way looked at their fellow raiders. The majority of the raiders had items and metallic pieces rammed into their bodies, they laid unmoving. Buck Shot, Tag Bones and another earth pony managed to survive but were wounded in the attack.
Turning toward Angel and Twi, the raiders aimed their guns at the two unicorns. An arrow flew though the air, missing the first raider by an inch as he had stepped back from the attack. Gunshots sounded off in the motel once more as Twi got hit in the side. Now with no cover and a wound making it hard for her to move, Twi looked worried.
Charging at the nearest target, Angel swung his shield at the raiders weapon, slamming the rifle to the side Angel used this opening to his advantage as he slammed his body onto the mare forcing her to the ground. Turning to face the next target, Angel's eyes widened as he saw a pistol aimed at him with the raiders magic.
Throwing his shield in between himself and the raider Angel didn't think of what a bullet could do to a wooden shield as the bullet was fired. Flying with high speeds and breaking through the shield, Angel could feel a sudden hot pain in his chest. Hissing in pain, Angel stumbled back for a second. The raider took this chance to shoot more bullets into the shield. The shield ripped apart as Angel had dove to the side. Another bullet catching the back of his back leg.
Twi had forced herself up as she ran to the receptionist desk and jumped over it. Landing hard on the other side. The raider Twi attacked chased her wanting to finish off the mare. Turning the corner of the desk the raider quickly felt a slice at his forelegs. Twi who was still laying on the ground had pulled out a makeshift knife with her magic. The raider fell to the side as Twi jumped on him with her knife about to be slammed into the raiders neck.
With little to no time to think the raider put his hoof up and in the way of the knife stopping the attack to his neck but sacrificing the usage of his hoof. Twi groaned as she threw a hoof down at the raiders face, making contact with the raiders jaw Twi threw another. The raider had placed his foreleg up blocking the punch.
Before Twi could react with another hit, the raider threw his head forward landing a headbutt at Twi's nose. The mare was pushed back as she winced at the pain to her side and her nose as the raider got up and slowly pulled the knife out with his mouth. The muffled yells caught Twi's attention as she used her magic to grab the knife and twist it into the raiders arm.
Angel had landed next to the raider he slammed onto the ground, with quick insticets the mare had gotten to her side and placed her hoof on top of Angel's bullet wound. Angel shouted in pain as he tried to push the mare off of him. The mare only pushed her hoof harder against Angel, a sadistic smile appeared on her face. The stallion that shot at Angel had ran to the side of the mare and aimed his gun at Angel's head. "Any last words stable dweller?" The stallion asked, Angel looked at the barrel of the gun and thought what he should do.
Thinking of a crazy idea, Angel looked behind the stallion and smiled. "Now Twi!" Angel shouted, the stallion and mare quickly turned around to stop the sudden sneak attack. Aiming his pistol at thin air, the stallion was left confused until he realized what Angel's plan was. With the gun aimed away Angel used his magic and forced it on the trigger. Pulling it over and over again the gun went off three more times until a sudden click was heard. The mare who was still on Angel turned to face him but as she turned Angel threw a hoof up making contact with her jaw.
In pain and a rage quickly building up within the mare, the mare lifted her hooves up prepared to slam down onto Angel. Angel rolled to the side barely missing the mare as he quickly got up much to the dismay of his body. Angel sucked in air as he felt the bullet wounds shootout pain toward his brain, but before Angel could focus on the pain any longer the stallion turned the gun back to Angel. Angel looked at the gun but when he pulled the trigger the same click sounded off.
The stallion looked at his gun in horror as he looked up to Angel, "Looks like you're out of ammo." Angel said a small chuckling left Angel's voice as he knew he beat the stallion in a way. Before Angel could do something the sound of a shotgun being loaded caught every ponies ears.
"Duck!" The mare shouted at the stallion through a shotgun handle. The stallion ducked right away as Angel's eyes widened, the end of a barrel pointed at him. "See you in hell dumbass!" The mare shouted, a loud bang sounding off within the area. The blast of the shotgun had pushed the mare back a bit as she used her mouth to pull the trigger.
Twi and the stallion fought for control of the knife, Twi trying to pull it out struggled as the stallion tried to keep it in and force the mare off of him. Throwing himself to Twi, the stallion grabbed the mare by the neck, using his body to pull her the stallion slammed Twi into the wall of the area.
Twi placed her hoof on the wall as she stopped the slam, elbowing the raider off of her, Twi turned around and threw another punch at the raider. Slumping down to the ground, the stallion seemed to be out of the count. With a heavy sigh, Twi used her magic to grab her knife.
Twi had pulled the knife out as a pool of blood started to quickly form around the raider. Twi was about to leave to aid Angel in his situation but as she started to trot that way she heard a noise behind her. Turning her head Twi saw the stallion on all fours, blood leaking from his wounds and especially from his foreleg as he was breathing hard. The stallion, seeing that he was going to die of blood loss, looked at Twi, his eyes full of rage as he injected Buck and what seemed to be Dash at the same time. Twi's eyes widened with realization that she was still going to have to fight.
Surprised that the stallion was even standing after the beating she gave him, Twi didn't expect him to charge her. Tackling her to the wall, the stallion had repeatedly stepped back and slammed onto Twi, each slam Twi felt on her made it harder to breathe as she could feel her body being crushed.
Finally stopping with the slam the stallion threw a punch down at Twi, forcing the mare to the ground and in pain. Twi looked around for her weapons, the bow and arrow were too far away and would take time to aim and fire it, the knife was nowhere to be seen. The stallion got on top of Twi as he placed his hooves onto her throat, the pressure was slowly rising as the stallion wanted to choke the mare below him.
Twi started to struggle as hard as she could, hitting him in the sides, putting pressure in his wounds and even trying to pry his hooves off her throat. Twi started gasping for air, her vision slowly becoming blurry as she struggled to stay awake.
With no other choice around her, Twi got an idea, her horn lighting up with magic as she put all her focus onto the spell. The stallion seeing her horn starting to light up looked around himself frantically to see what object she was picking up to use against him. Seeing nothing around him get surrounded by magic teh raider chuckled. "Must be too weak to pick up something, let alone throw it at me with force. Just a little more force and you are as good as dead." The stallion thought to himself. The drugs keeping alive as he slowly used more force to push down on the mare's throat.
Twi looked at the stallion, her eyes serious as the stallion felt uncomfortable. The glare she was giving him made him worry she managed to find an item, putting more pressure down at her throat the stallion lowered his head to face her eye to eye. "Just die you bitch! Die!" The stallion shouted.
Twi looked at him as she managed to say one last sentence to the stallion. If he wasn't as close he wouldn't have heard the three words that left Twi's mouth. "Burn in hell." With that said, Twi closed her eyes as her horn summoned the magic to the tip of the horn. The stallion didn't even realize what was going to happen to him as the magical blast went through his skull and melted his brain along with the upper half of his face.
The stallion's decapitated body slowly swayed side to side as it soon collapsed over Twi. The blood and what was left of the brain slowly slid out as Twi gagged at the effects. "Really doubt this is what Angel was thinking would happen." Twi thought to herself.
The mare spit the shotgun to the ground, her mouth aching at the sudden force she felt, looking over at the stallion to see what state Angel was in. The stallion looked up expecting to see a dead stable dweller before them but as he looked the two saw no pony was standing there.
The stallion looked around quickly, his eyes scanning the room as he expected to see Angel trying to limp away or hide around a corner. "Where the hell did he go!" The stallion asked as he turned to look at the mare. The stallion's eyes widened as he pointed behind the mare, "Behind you!" The stallion shouted loudly as the mare quickly turned.
Angel had bucked down his feet hitting the mare in the face as the two tumbled down. Angel landed onto his hooves, the stallion stared at Angel in frozen fear as he saw what the stable dweller kept under his drifter coat. A pair of blue wings were opened wide, as if to make himself look bigger. Angel looked at the mare and then turned to the stallion ready to throw an attack at him. Stopping as he realized the fear the stallion was in, Angel looked at himself, a small groan left his voice "Guess the cats out of the bag." Angel said quietly as the stallion took one step back, his eyes staring at Angel with fear, while the mare looked at the stable dweller with confusion.
The mare stood up as she couldn't take her eyes off of the stable dweller. "Y-your a alicorn!" The mare shouted to Angel who turned to her in confusion. The stallion seemed to have broken out of his shock as he looked around himself to grab a weapon.
Angel looked at his wings and then back to the mare, "Why does that shock so many ponies? Is this not normal, there was a group of alicorns attacking some robots a bit that way," Angel said as he pointed to the west. "So what makes you all afraid of me if I am not the only alicorn here?"
Before the mare could respond or say a word the stallion behind Angel spoke out "It doesn't matter what the hell he is, we will kill him and take his horn and wings for a trophy." The stallion shouted to the mare trying to get her attention.
The mare looked at the stallion as Angel shivered at the thought of losing his wings and horn, "Dark don't you think?" Angel asked the stallion, the sharp machete gave Angel all the response he needed. "I will give you two one last chance. Leave now. The wasteland is bad but I promise you, you will have a better chance surviving out there than in here." Angel bluffed, knowing his leg was hurt and his wounds weren't helping with the situation Angel thought that perhaps the fear they have to alicorns would be enough to demoralize the raiders attack.
The stallion kept his serious look, though it faltered for a split second the stallion seemed to have made his mind already. Looking at the mare, Angel could see a different effect, the mare looked worried and hesitant. Opening his mouth to speak, Angel was cut off by the stallion behind him. "Hey! Hey Acid Drop do you actually believe this alicorn? Do you really think he will let you go and live your life?" The stallion asked the mare.
Angel thought quickly what to say as he lowered his wings, "You don't have to do this, take this as a second chance." Angel said trying to persuade the mare to leave, knowing it might not work, was still worth a shot.
The mare looked at Angel and then to the exit, looking back at Angel the mare prepared herself to attack the stable dweller. Angel looked at the mare and sighed, "Welp can't say I didn't try, you made your choice." Angel stated as he spread his wings.
Hearing the stallion take a step closer to prepare an attack behind him, Angel looked around the room for his knife, seeing it on the other side of the room in Darling's body Angel focused back on the area near him. Angel saw no weapon near him that could help him in the fight other than his knife which was in Darling's chest on the other side of the room. Looking at the two around him Angel flapped his wings a bit "Come on!" Angel shouted.
The mare lunged for the shotgun near her as Angel shot off the ground at incredible speeds. Before the mare could get the shotgun Angel slammed his body onto her forcing her away from the shotgun. With Angels back facing him the stallion charged with the machete in his magic aura.
Angel heard the quick hoofsteps behind him, turning around barely in time Angel saw the machete being swung at him. Thinking fast, Angel charged at the stallion, placing himself in between the gap of the weapon and the stallion. The stallion was headbutted in the face forcing Angel's horn and forehead down onto the stallion's horn and forehead.
Disconnecting the magic from the weapon, the machete fell to the ground as the stallion winced in pain. Angel stepped back his head in a similar pain, before he could recover the mare jumped on Angel's back. The sudden weight along with the injuries of his body forced Angel to the ground.
The two struggled as the mare was trying to hold Angel still, "Chop his head off! Chop it off!" The mare shouted to the stallion who nodded. Focusing on his magic again, the stallion started to grab the machete.
A blue aura grabbed the end of the machete much to the stallion's surprise. Looking at Angel the stallion could see the alicorn using his horn as he struggled with the mare. "This bastard-" the stallion started but was interrupted. The machete was pulled away from the two fighting as the stallion tried to bring it to the fight.
The mare punched Angel in the face a few times, trying to break his magical hold. Angel threw his elbow back behind him landing a hit on the mare's side but doing little.
Squirming and turning his body around to face the mare, Angel revived another punch to the face and soon felt the pressure of the mare's hooves on his throat. Losing the grab of the machete Angel started to push against the mare. The mare pushed down hard, not wishing to give Angel the chance to fight back.
The stallion suddenly felt the machete become light in an instant, barely ducking under the machete that he pulled back to himself, the stallion looked over at Angel and Acid Drop. Angel looked to the side, seeing the stallion trotting up to the two fighters, the machete floating behind him.
Looking at the mare, Angel thought of the only thing that he could do, using his magic to levitate the mare up and a bit off of him, Angel saw the earth ponies forelegs a bit higher than his head, with one quick motion, Angel bit down onto the mares foreleg biting through her leather and into her skin, Angel made sure he had a good bite until pulling back.
The mare had started to yell with the bite but as Angel ripped off the chunk of flesh Acid Drop's pressure on Angel's throat was lifted while she held her foreleg in pain. Spitting the flesh out of his mouth and onto the ground Angel threw a punch at Acid Drop. Rolling onto his side and onto his hooves with one motion Angel barely dodged the machete.
Having to back away from the slashes and attacks the stallion was throwing at Angel with the machete, Angel lifted his hoof to block an attack, the machete hitting his pipbuck and bouncing off the computer. The stallion looked surprised as the machete almost slipped out of his magic.
Turning to run, Angel's eyes landed on the body of Darling laying only a few feet away from him. Running to the body and pulling out his knife Angel turned around in time to see the machete coming right at him. Using his magic to catch the machete, Angel had caught it just as it tapped his nose. Letting a soft sigh of relief out, Angel's calm would soon be filled with pain as a burning hot blast cut through his drifter coat and into his body.
The stallion's magical beam hit Angel, forcing the alicorn to take a step back. Angel stumbled for a few seconds only to fall onto the ground. The stallion was quiet, his stunned silence at the fallen alicorn before him starting to come to him. Slowly a small laughter left the stallion's mouth as he turned to Acid Drop, the mare still holding onto her foreleg. "We did it! I did it! I killed an Alicorn." The stallion shouted in excitement, he turned back to the body laughing.
Acid Drop only let a small sigh out, her hoof stinging but she would live. Looking at the battle before her, Acid Drop watched the stallion take a step closer, his cheering continuing. Looking at Angel's unmoving body the stallion saw the machete laying behind him. Using his magic to grab the machete the stallion thought of the trophy he would make. "His horn and wings will be a great decoration. Just need to cut them off and…" The stallion stopped, as he pulled the machete with his magic. The machete suddenly got heavier, as if somepony had grabbed it and was pulling back.
A blue aura was revealed at the end of the machete, slowly the aura surrounded the whole machete as it was held in place. The stallion's eyes widened as he slowly saw the alicorn before him slowly push himself up. Acid Drop watched in fear, her eyes only staying on the blue alicorn they had thought they had defeated. "W-what! How are you alive?" The stallion shouted to Angel.
Angel kept his head low as he used his wings to level himself out only to be leaning on one side because of the pain. The stallion took an instinctively step back, he could hear the breathing of the alicorn as it took him so much to stand up. "Good thing you aim… as bad as you fight." Angel said through pained breaths.
The stallion's magical grip on the machete quickly faded away leaving only Angel's blue aura. "Y- you are supposed to be dead!" Was all the stallion said Angel looked up at the stallion, his face serious.
"You missed my vital organs… and you celebrated too soon. Sorry to disappoint you, but I need to find out my past!" Angel started, before the stallion could say a word Angel swung the machete down at the raiders forelegs, chopping them right off.
The stallion's yells filled the motel for a second as Angel used his knife and stabbed the stallion within the chest. Breaking through the ribs and through the lungs only stopping at the heart. Looking at Angel in fear the stallion's vision became blurred for a second and soon darkness took over.
Angel looked at the stallion, his eyes kept the cold glare until the stallion passed. Sitting down in the middle of the room, Angel turned his head to look at Acid Drop. The mare looked at her teammate in fear. Looking at Angel she locked eyes with him. "I am willing to still let you go…" Angel said calmly to the mare.
Acid Drop was silent, she looked at the stallion and then to Angel, "You're just going to kill me as I turn my back. Just do it here and finish it." The mare said, her eyes staring at the alicorn. Angel sighed as he forced himself up, limping over to the mare Angel looked down at her. He turned to the shotgun that was on the ground nearby and levitated it toward the mare. Setting it down at her hooves.
"You can shoot me here if you like, but I feel that you know better… take your life. Do something better with it, Las- New Pegasus has a starting caravan group in need of guards, head there and I am sure you will find a new life."Angel explained to the mare as he turned back toward the entrance. Limping away, Angel didn't turn to look if the mare would reach for the gun and aim it at him.
Acid Drop grabbed the Shotgun with her mouth as she had aimed it at the alicorn, watching him limp away as the mare readied herself to pull the trigger. The alicorn didnt turn, nor did he attack her. Everything within her told her to pull the trigger, take the shot, but before she could a hoof lowered the shotgun. Looking at the sudden pony that lowered the shotgun, Acid Drop saw Jet Mist. "Acid, we can leave. An alicorn and unicorn killed the whole group within minutes. Do you really think you can beat them?" Jet Mist asked as Acid Drop looked at him and then at the direction the alicorn and unicorn were at.
Looking at the last raider from her group, Acid Drop nodded as she put her hoof out for Jet Mist to grab and aid her. Lifting her onto her hooves and placing the wounded foreleg around his shoulder. The two raiders quickly retreated out of the motel.
Angel had limped into the entrance, his body now in more pain than before as the adrenaline was slowly decreasing. Looking around the room it didn't take along till he spotted the unicorn he has been traveling with for so long. "Twi!" Angel shouted as he stumbled to her.
The unicorn turned quickly, her eyes wide as she had gathered her arrows. "Angel!" Twi shouted in fear as she ran over to the alicorn. Looking him over and seeing the damage, Twi reached into her saddlebags looking for some medical items. Seeing a healing potion and some needle and string to make stitches, Twi looked at him, "I heard a gunshot and struggling, I thought I was going to be too late!" Twi explained to Angel as she looked at him. "That is the last time I ever let you make the plan this crazy!" Twi shouted, her eyes filling with fear as she looked at Angel over. Angel smiled softly, hearing his friend worry for him gave him a happy feeling.
Looking at his companion and wincing at the pain of his body Angel felt his body slowly giving out. Twi ran to his side and aided him back onto his hooves. "I'm fine Twi, just in pain. Like a lot of pain." Angel managed to say, Twi looked at her medical items as she sighed.
"Here let me help, we will need to find a first aid box. I was running low on medical supplies and I want to make sure you're fine." Twi started as she pulled Angel's foreleg around her neck, taking some of the weight off of the wounded legs. As the two turned around to continue deeper into the motel, Angel could see Tag Bones and Buck Shot's corpses from the carnage of desks and equipment. A small wound in their heads seemingly made by an arrow "I made sure their deaths were fast. Don't worry." Twi stated, knowing exactly what Angel was thinking.
Angel nodded slowly as he faced forward, the two continued to trot into the building, passing the dead bodies and even passing what was left of Angel's shield. "Heh, well guess it could have been a better material. Didn't stop a bullet for crap." Angel chuckled at Twi.
"Told you. I can make you an actual weapon if you like. One that will be more offensive than defensive." Twi started to say only to catch Angels stare at the shield, thinking for the next thing to say Twi cleared her voice. "But I do have to say, you are pretty good with a shield. Maybe we will find one that is stronger and one you can throw just like that character from the book you read." Twi said to Angel.
Angel looked at her with a soft smile as he had to use his wings to keep himself from falling to the side. "Its called a comic. If I find the costume, I will take the role." Angel joked as the two continued to trot toward the back of the first floor.
Upon reaching the back of the motel, Twi and Angel could see the area, where the old world would sit and eat their meals was filled with the belongings of the raiders they had just faced. "We will have to loot this place after we heal." Angel said calmly.
"Hello? Is somepony there? If you're not a raider can you please come to help… if you are a raider just ignore me." The stallions voice came from the kitchen area of the room, Angel and Twi looked at each other as Angel lifted his Pip Buck,
Seeing a green icon on his E.F.S. Angel turned to Twi, "I think we found our deputy." Angel stated. The two continued into the next room, once in the next room Twi and Angel looked around for the deputy of the town. Finding him nowhere. "Hello? Deputy? We are here with the town… We are here to rescue you." Angel asked into the empty room.
Suddenly from another room pots and pans crashed as the voice spoke once more. "Oh finally! I'm saved! I'm over here." The Deputy shouted. The two unicorns looked at one another and then continued toward the next room.
As Twi set Angel down near the counter of the kitchen, Twi walked up to the door. It didn't take long for Twi to spot the Deputy who seemed to be excited and jumping in place or what could be called a jump as he was tied down. Turning to look at Angel, Twi nodded. "Yep we found the town's Deputy." Twi said, Angel started to struggle to get on his hooves.
Angel looked at Twi and then through the window as he quickly trotted to Twi. "This whole thing could have gone better. Come on, lets untie him and get the heck out of this place." Angel said as he managed to limp on his own to get to the door.
Before he reached the door, Twi put her hoof up stopping Angel in his own tracks. "Aren't you forgetting something?" Twi asked the blue alicorn. Looking at himself and then behind him Angel looked back to Twi and looked confused.
"I got my knife, and my shield was blasted to oblivion, am I missing something?" Angel asked as he even looked at his foreleg to make sure his Pip Buck was still there. Twi trotted up to him and lifted his wing. "Oh. Yeah, Um… yeah, give me one second." Angel said, carefully opening his duster coat and settling his wings in a comfortable position Angel looked at Twi. "Um how does it look?"
Twi walked up to him as she aided a bit on the sides making sure the saddlebags Angel wore were also aiding in the covering of his wings. Finally finished, Twi nodded. "Alright, you look fine now." Her serious expression revealing a small smile, she quickly returned into the serious look she had before. "Ready?"
With a nod Angel spoke, "Ready." The two ponies slowly walked to the door, upon entering the room Angel and Twi both saw the deputy on his back as he bit at the ropes that kept him tied. Realizing there were two new ponies the deputy tried to get on his flank again but couldn't manage it. "Ah my heroes, I must say it took a while but oh it was worth it to hear the cries of those damn raiders. God's work you did, I tells ya." The Deputy stated as he finally got onto his flank.
Angel and Twi walked into the room as Angel levitated his knife. "The town's ponies were really worried. They didn't know what to do and are still in the casino." Angel explained the Deputy nodding his head. "We cleared the raiders out but the place is in ruins. This motel might not be as hospitable as it once was."
"Ah that's fine. With you two here we are sure to be protected by any new threat that comes our way." The deputy said his hooves were finally free. Twi walked up to the deputy and shook her head.
"Sadly we can not stay. We have our own problems and have to move on soon. This was a pit stop to aid those that needed help. Perhaps if you train the ponies to defend themselves your town will strive?" Twi said, trying to hint to the deputy what the first action should be.
"Train them? You think I know how to use a gun let alone train others on how to use them?" The deputy asked only to see the worried expressions of Angel and the serious expression of Twi. "Because I do! Yes, yes I know how to train ponies in the way of the firearm." The deputy said finally getting up from the last restraints.
Angel looked at Twi and then at the Earth Pony Deputy. Before he could speak the Deputy spoke first, "Thank you kind wanderers. Your aid to this town will be remembered for many years, now let's get the hell out of here before more raiders return." The Deputy said, Angel and Twi looked confused at the statement but before either could inform the deputy that he was safe, the deputy ran between them and toward the exit.
"The raiders are all taken care…" Angel said his mind was still wondering if the Deputy will even be enough to train the ponies of the town. Looking at Twi the mare only shrugged to him.
"Um, guess he knows the way out of here." Twi said simply. Turning to Angel, seeing his injured stance, Twi looked around, "Let's get you patched up and then we will go talk to Nash, it seems like he is the head of this town anyway." Twi said as she turned toward the kitchen. A medical aid box next to the fridge catching her eye as she went to investigate the contents
Angel sadly sighed as he nodded, "I hate this part of conflicts. Why couldn't the healing potions just take the bullet out and heal the ripped parts-" Angel stopped as he looked at his Pipbuck in confusion.
Twi stopped and looked at him. "Um, is everything okay?" Twi asked, a bit worried for Angel. Angel quickly put the earbloom into his ear as if to hear a message. Listening to the message, Angel's eyes opened wide with an expression of excitement.
"Twi, I know where we are going next. Not even the enclave will think of chasing us there." Angel said to Twi. His excitement and happy expression gave Twi both a happy but worried feeling.
Konis
The towers of Hoofington loomed over the city. The buildings are old and rusted, the water around hoofington polluted . Some would say it was so toxic to the average pony it would melt the skin right off them. At the edge of hoofington a small business's called "A Eazy time." Within the dinner various types of ponies and other species sat at the tables around the room. Music played from a radio nearby, reapers, enclave, and various other ponies glared at one another or tried to ignore one another.
The ponies outside talked and conversed as some were knocked out on the ground or just stumbling around the outside. None noticed the hooded figure walk past them and entered the bar. The bells above the door dinged as the hooded figure walked in. The patrons looked for only a second and then back to their meals. Removing his hood Konis shook his head and body. His fluffy black stripes and white coat fluffing up for a second then slowly relaxing. A sledgehammer on his back as he walked.
Walking to the bar section Konis didn't notice the stares he just gained from the enclave soldiers or the ponies within the room. Some reapers looked at Konis as they stifled a snicker.
Walking up to the counter Konis took the only seat available, placed his sledgehammer that was hitched to his side lean right on the seat, and waited patiently for the bartender to see him. The mare was currently cleaning a used glass as she stared at the cup with a dead expression. The bags under her eyes showed how little she cared for her job.
Konis waited for a second and then tapped his hoof. The mare hearing the knock was taken out of her zoning out. Looking at the direction of the noise the mare saw the fluffy zebra as he waved at her. With a small grumble and a sigh, the mare placed the cup to the side. Getting up and walking to the zebra the mare looked at him.
Not even forcing a better tone the mare asked. "What do ya want?" Konis looked at the menu on the top as he studied it for a few seconds. The mare quietly waited as she thought to herself, "you called me over and were not ready?"
The mare held her pencil in her mouth as she waited. Before she could ask Konis for some more time Konis spoke, "Sorry about that, usually I am more prepared. I would like to have one of your yeti steaks and if you have any mead." Konis said in a thick Norwegian accent.
Writing the words down into the notebook she looked up. "Um mead?" The bartender asked the zebra. Konis nodded simply as the Mare looked confused. "I don't believe we have mead."
"Ah well if you do not have any mead, then I shall take a nice sparkle cola." Konis said. The mare nodded, scratching one thing of the notebook and scribbling another thing.
"Hey Cork! Get me another fucking beer." A griffin shouted at the mare whose name must be Cork as she turned to the griffin.
The mare walked toward the kitchen window and yelled Konis' order as she glared at the griffin. The griffin is barely able to sit on the chair without slumping or leaning over. "Wipe that shit eating glare off your face bitch and get me my damn beer." The griffin shouted as he slammed his talon on the table. The force of his slam making him stumble due to his intoxicated body being more unbalanced.
Cork rolled her eyes and turned to the griffin. "Gutter, you're too drunk. Either take a break or leave." Cork ordered the griffin. Looking around Konis saw no one react, no one even batting an eye at the griffin. Konis turned his head back to look at the argument commencing between both the griffin and the mare.
Cork walked to the fridge that held the beverages, grabbing a sparkle cola. Cork walked past the griffin and placed the cola in front of Konis. Before Konis could thank the bartender, Gutter slurred out, "Ah I'm fine. Just get me a beer and put it on my tab!" A bit more hostile now after being ignored.
"You don't even have any damn money for the tab either way." Cork said simply as she brushed her mane out of way. Though she whispered it, Gutter managed to hear it.
"Hey I didn't ask you to speak," Gutter said to Cork. The patrons of the bar didn't even acknowledge the griffins rudeness as he continued, "I ordered another beer so shut your mouth and get me a beer."
Konis stared at Gutter with a disgusted look as he waited to see if the griffin would calm down or keep yelling. Ignoring the griffin, Cork placed the glass she had cleaned to the table and grabbed another one. "Hey Corkscrew, I am waiting for the damn beer!" Gutter slurred his words.
Cork just focused on the glass as Gutter was about to shout at the mare again. "Excuse me!" Konis found himself shouting at the griffin. Gutter looked at Konis with a side glance, Konis seeing this as a sign to continued, "you are being very disrespectful to the mare. You heard the mare, sit down and relax or leave." Konis said with a serious tone.
The bar went silent as the radio continued to play its song. Gutter slowly turned to Konis revealing his whole face. Gutter's right eye had a scar over it, his eye still useful but clenched. His beak is broken and cracked now repaired by cybernetics. His left side of the face seemingly melted together as if a hot iron was pressed to it. "Hey, stripes, what if you mind your own damn business before I turn your stripes from black and white to red and black." Gutter threatened, a grumble exiting his voice at the end.
Cork looked at Konis with a confused expression. Never seeing a patron stand up for her, especially a new patron. Turning back toward Gutter, the bartender saw how close he was to getting up. "Gutter sit down before you fall on your face again. I'll get you your beer." Cork said with an irritated tone as she gave in.
Getting Gutter's attention, Cork quickly ran to the fridge, grabbed a beer bottle and trotted to the cap opener. While Cork is doing this, Konis slowly turned back to face the front of the counter again. Gutter on the other hand kept an eye on Konis. Hearing a bottle being placed in front of him, Gutter grabbed the bottle without looking.
Konis could feel the glare Gutter was giving him as he waited for his food. The place went back to its usual noise as patrons conversed again. All but three griffins sitting around the area and Gutter.
Konis took a quick drink of his Sparkle cola. The cold and sweet taste entering his mouth as he sighed. Cork walked past Konis with a rag, seemingly ready to clean up a spill on the counter. "Hello, Ms Cork, I have to thank you for this sparkle cola. And for taking my meal." Konis said to Cork.
Looking at Konis she furrowed her brows, "Don't call me "Ms Cork" Was all Cork said as she walked on. Konis was taken aback at the reply and nodded.
"Then what may I call you…" Konis asked the mare as she poured a patron some apple cider. Almost dropping the pouring glass, Cork looked at Konis confused. "You say not to call yourself Ms Cork, so what would you like to be called?" Konis asked the mare as she finished pouring the glass and placed it behind the counter.
"My name is Cork, or bartender it doesn't matter which you use, just don't call me Ms Cork. I'm not anyones Ms and won't be any time soon." Cork started flatly as Konis nodded.
"I understand Cork, sorry for the inconvenience." Konis said as he took a sip from his sparkle cola. Looking at the counter top Konis felt the rough texture.
Cork stared at the zebra for a few seconds and then continued to walk away. A few minutes would pass until Konis saw a plate slide in front of him, a yeti steak in front of him. "Enjoy." Cork said simply as she walked back toward the corner.
Konis nodded and started to eat his meal. The zebra enjoys each and every bite as Cork notices another patron on the other side of the room putting their hoof into the sky trying to get her attention. Grabbing the pouring glass of apple cider, Cork starts to walk to the table.
Leaving the back of the counter and entering the public area Cork moved past and from tables and stumbling ponies. As Cork was about to get to the table a stallion put his hooves up and cheered as he won the game of blackjack. The hoof hitting the tray forced the uncapped drinks to fall all over Gutter.
Gutter turned to Cork in silence. His breathing getting heavier as his eyes showed anger. Before Cork could say anything, Gutter slammed the bottle over the mare's head. Landing to the ground the patrons around the area went quiet as Gutter got up to strike the mare again. "You dumb bitch!" Gutter started to yell as he threw a punch at the mare's face.
The patrons looked at the poor mare with little care or some with cheers as Gutter grabbed her neck with his talons and lifted her up. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't bust your skull in and let the maggots eat you?" Gutter spoke slowly.
The mare started to cough as her cheek was bruised, her right eye turning purple and her lungs struggling to breath. Gutter looked at Cork with a demented smile, before the mare passed out due to lack of oxygen the griffin felt some one tap his shoulder.
Turning to the pony that tapped his shoulder, Gutter saw Konis taking a deep drink out of his sparkle cola. Once the bottle was half way done Konis stopped. "CHEERS!" Konis shouted as he slammed the bottle over Gutters head. The sparkle cola bottle breaking right above his head. The liquid enters the cuts of the bottle.
Due to the sudden pain and the stinging of the sparkle cola Gutter let go of Cork. The mare landed on the ground with a few hard coughs and gasps for air. Looking up Cork saw Konis put his hoof out to help her out.
"Are you alright Ms.-" Catching himself mid sentence, "Sorry about that, are you alright Cork?" Konis asked. His hoof waiting to be responded to as the mare coughed. Looking up Cork saw one of the griffins in the corner grab their knife and put it over their head as if to strike the zebra down.
"Behind you!" Cork shouted as Konis turned around the griffin swung down their knife as Konis charged the Griffin, the knife barely missed as Konis took the griffin to the ground.
Looking at the griffin he just tackled, Konis threw a punch at the griffin's cheek. The first punch hit as the second punch Konis threw was grabbed by the griffin. Thinking he outsmarted Konis he didnt expect to receive a head butt from Konis. The pain to the front of his head was too much as the griffin let go just to put his talons on his head.
Konis went for another strike at the second griffin, though the strike was thrown Konis missed as he was pulled back. Turning his head to see who grabbed him Konis saw Gutter was the one who grab him and held him back. Turning toward another griffin who was rushing her way to the fight "Grace beat the shit out of him!" Gutter shouted to the third Griffin.
Konis felt a punch to his stomach and chest. The griffin known as Grace held nothing back as her talons had brass knuckles on them as she threw another punch. "Hey gutter!" Corks voice rang out. Turning to his left, Gutter saw Cork with a bottle of beer. "Drink this you piece of shit!" The mare shouted as she slammed a beer bottle on his cybernetic beak. The glass entered his face.
Letting Konis go, Gutter yelled in pain. His vision was blurry while Grace threw another punch. Seeing the punch coming Konis ducked from the punch. The punch missed Konis but landed on Gutters side. The griffin shouted in pain as Grace qickly shouted "Sorry!" As she turned to Konis. Trying to force the zebra to a corner Grace threw another punch. Konis ducked, blocked and stepped back from the hits as Grace went to another punch. Konis managed to dodge the punch again but as he dodged Konis grabbed her arm. With a pop Konis dislocated her arm.
Grace yelled in pain as she instinctively grabbed her arm. Konis went for another punch but feeling someone grab his shoulder Konis turned around. Only seeing the front of a power hoof in his face. The impact of the power Talon sent Konis flying toward Grace.
Grace dodged the Zebra in the last second as she turned at her savior. Konis landed on a table that was being used as the ponies were eating. They looked at Konis with anger as one cheered to see the fight. "Genny! I mean boss." Grace started but the leader of the griffins put a talon up. Lowering the hat she had on, Genny turned her face to Grace. "Fix that arm and grab your gun. We are burying a zebra." Genny spoke as her scarf covered her beak.
Grace looked at Genny for a second, the griffin slowly walked passed Grace. She then saluted and limped to the side of the room. Genny walked to the Zebra that was still on the table. A clank making Gennys presence known to all.
Gutter swung his talons around trying to hit Cork, while the second griffin loaded a shotgun slug. Finally having the shotgun loaded the second Griffin turned to the two and aimed. The griffin yelled at Gutter. "I'm blasting the bitch move!"
With the yell both Cork and Gutter turned to the griffin. Within seconds the griffin pulled the trigger, a bang escaped the shotgun as the pellets splitted around. With a heads up and a fast instices Cork managed to jump out of the way hiding behind a table.
Due to Gutter's drunken state he couldn't jump out of the way nor could he block himself. The pellets scattered all over the griffin's body as Gutter dropped dead. The other half of pellets hitting a reaper in the back. The pellets fell to the ground as the reaper slowly turned to the griffin.
Griffin's eyes went wide at the sight of his friend dying. Turning back to Cork he aimed the shotgun at her. Getting up Cork knew the shotgun would hit her. She closed her eyes expecting to be shot, before the trigger could be pulled a metal hoof punched the griffin away. The reaper shouted a battle cry as she jumped into the fight.
Konis looked at the group of ponies around him as they cheered and some yelled profanities along with some racist remarks. A metal thump caught the attention of the zebra as it got closer. Looking at the noise Konis saw the very well covered griffin looking down at him at a red light under the wrappings and hat looking at him. Grabbing his back leg, Genny pulled him.
Feeling the griffin pulling him off the table, Konis looked around for a weapon. A worried expression grew on his face, as the only items he was seeing were plates and silverware on the table around him. The drinks and mugs were all saved by the stallions around him as they held it close to them.
Quickly grabbing a plate with slop, Konis looked at the griffin. "A zebra was giving Grace a hard time? I will chalk it up to intoxication…" Genny said simply while pulling her arm back. The talon holding to a modified power hoof.
Before Genny threw her talon at Konis, Konis swung himself closer to Genny. Pushing her hat up with his free hoof Konis could see a cybernetic left eye looking at him along with a scared up right eye. Hesitating to throw the slop on the griffins face, Konis barely had time to move his head to the side, the power hoof barely missing his temple.
Throwing the slop onto the griffin's face, Konis threw another hoof onto the plate. The plate broke under the weight of the zebra's hoof shattering all over the face. Genny grunted as she stepped back, being forced to bring her power hoof talon back to the ground Genny's red eye shined through the slop.
Grace grabbed an abandoned chair and placed her dislocated talon upon it. Slowly pushing down on it Grace gritted her teeth, the pain shooting up the talon. The bone within the skin slowly moved back into place. "Kick his ass." A stallion shouted out loud. Grace quickly turned to the shout seeing that Genny had proceeded to slam Konis into a chair and proceed to throw him back onto the floor.
"Wait for me Genny! Ah she never waits!" Grace said, trying to hurry the talon. Just as the bone was going to pop into place the chair was bucked away from within the arm. The arm stretching and falling limp to the ground, Grace yelled in pain. "Who's the dead bastard?" Grace shouted through gritted teeth, looking around only to see Cork, the only one nearby.
The bar had erupted into chaos as ponies, reapers, griffins, and even the cook himself had gone into an all out brawl. Grace looked over to Gutters and the second griffin only to see the two griffins dead. Turning back to Cork, Grace tried to grab her knife but yelped in pain. Forcing the arm to grab the knife the griffin looked at Cork. The two stared at one another as Grace grabbed the knife with her knife with her good talon. Grace held onto a steak knife in her mouth an angry expression on her face glaring at Grace.
Grace charged at Cork as she flapped her wings. The second before making contact the wings flapped once more boosting Grace into the air. Cork barely had enough time to dodge the combat knife Grace used.
Cork swung her head to the side to try to hit Grace, the knife plunged into the griffins dislocated arm as Cork let go of the knife. With the knife entering the griffin's arm Grace yelled out in pain as she stepped back. Cork lifted to her rear legs to give a forward buck. Cork was about to land a buck until a unicorn was thrown upon her.
Grace looked at the knife within her dislocated arm and tried to grab it but hissed as pain stuck up her arm. The knife can be felt scraping at the top of the bone as Grace barely moved it. Not seeing an easy way to heal her arm Grace looked over to Cork who just started to get up.
Grace gripped her combat knife tightly with her good talon and charged into the battle. Getting back onto her hooves Cork looked toward the direction that Grace was only to see she was no longer limping. Hearing a griffin battle cry Cork looked above her to see Grace falling to the ground right above Cork. The knife ready to penetrate Cork.
Konis was slammed onto the counter of the booth where he was once eating. Trying to get up Konis would soon be stopped as he felt a talon grip his throat and push him back to the counter. Genny pushed down slowly as her red eye glared at him from beneath the hat and stained outfit. "Stop squirming damn zebra!" Genny shouted as the pressure of the talon increased.
Konis felt the airflow stop as the pressure on his throat made him gag and cough, his lungs begging for air as the blood from his wounds dripped to the ground. Looking around for anything to grab, Konis saw his sledgehammer still laying on the chair. Looking at the Griffin Konis reached out for the sledge hammer.
Genny watched her prey under her squirm as she closed the distance of Konis face and her own. Konis coughed as he stared at the Griffins one good eye while he held a brave face as he reached out. Genny pushed more pressure down upon the zebra's throat, Konis with no idea on what to do lifted his back legs and wrapped his legs around the Griffins arm.
Genny tried to push deeper into Konis' throat wanting to break his windpipe, Konis used his right back leg to push her back. The weight of the griffin's pressure on his throat slowly left. Konis regained his breath little by little as he reached out to the sledgehammer. If by a gift from his gods a stallion slammed on the stool next to the sledgehammer. The force of the impact shook the sledgehammer onto Konis' hoof.
Putting his hoof through the grip, Konis let go of Griffin's arm and face. Genny's weight falling right back down onto Konis' throat. Before the weight broke his neck Konis had swung his sledgehammer. With a metal scrape the sledgehammer forced Genny back. The sledgehammer returning to Konis, getting off the counter Konis heard Genny speak. "Damn Zebra…" Gennys voice raspy and staticky cut through the yells and chaos around. The hat she wore is now laying on the floor.
The side of Gennys face was sparks and a blue substance as she turned to Konis. "You are one big thorn in my ass." Genny said as her voice slowly returned to normal. The griffin put her hat back on correctly as she stared at the Zebra.
Quickly spinning the sledgehammer around himself and preparing his hooves again, Konis showed his experiences in his weapon. Genny charged up her power hoof. Getting the power ready Genny charged at Konis and swung. Dodging out of the way, the stool behind him exploded into pieces as Gennys attack struck. Turning to Konis, Genny charged again.
Swinging his sledgehammer to Genny, Konis missed as Genny opened her wings and flew above the hit. Konis quickly spun his sledgehammer around as he swung behind him. Genny landed behind Konis, the sledge hammer seeming to come down to strike on Gennys head. Before it could strike Genny caught the sledgehammer with a talon as it barely stopped before the griffin's skull.
"What the?" Konis started as Genny pushed back the sledgehammer as the weight almost threw Konis back. Looking at the sledge hammer and then toward the griffin Konis felt a shiver crawl up his back as he prepared for a fight. Genny slowly put her talon back to the ground. The two stared at one another with silence, but as if the two fighters stared at one another a shot to the roof from a nearby pony pushed them both into action.
Genny charged at Konis as a screech was heard. Konis charged at Genny with a battle cry as the Griffin swung down at Konis with the iron hoof, Konis swung up as the sledgehammer hit the griffins punch back. the force of the impact psuhed Genny back as Konis spined with the force, spinning the sledgehammer around Konis went for a strike.
Seeing the sledgehammer coming to her, Genny ducked under it and punched Konis in the gut. Being wide open and receiving a punch to the gut winded Konis while he stumbled onto all four.
Genny flew into the air and slammed her power hoof down at Konis's position. Dodging the power hoof in the last second Konis let go of his sledgehammer and grappled Genny by the waist. Genny was confused at the action for only a second until Konis suplexed her.
Konis let go of Genny as he rushed for his sledgehammer. The griffin isn't out yet as she reached and grabbed his back leg. She dragged Konis away from his sledgehammer. Konis barely missed reach in his sledgehammer as the sudden force to his side forced him to cough. Konis then felt the griffin lift him over her head, within seconds Konis hit the ground as Genny grabbed his throat.
Genny looked around as she slammed him on the bar. Konis gasped for air as Genny proceeded to slide Konis across the bar and then throw him over the other edge. With a chuckle Genny started to climb over the bar to continue the fight,
Genny looked over the edge of the bar only to receive a bottle to smash into her face. The glass shattered as the liquid drenched her face. The griffin hissed in pain as Konis tackled her off the bar and into the crowd of fighters. Landing on Genny, Konis rolled to the left and grabbed the power hoof.
Genny swung it once, as Konis dodged the hit, seeing the whole talon extended Konis wrapped his legs around Gennys talon. Realizing what the zebra was about to do Genny lifted her arm and slammed it into the ground trying to get him off. Konis felt the impact of the ground but continued as he got a good footing on Gennys waist. Using her other talon to pry the zebra off of her Genny found that it was to no avail as she can feel Konis pushing against her whole body and pulling her arm.
Konis received a punch to the face from the power hoof, a final effort to get him off and though it disoriated him Konis pushed through and with one strong pull a pop was heard as the arm went limp, Genny shouted in pain as Konis fell off the griffins arm. His face bleeding and a throbbing pain in his head holding him on the ground as he struggled to get on all fours. Genny looked at the zebra and in her pain she grabbed her now limp arm. "Damn zebra, i should have known you would have done that to me if i got to close." Genny stated as she grabbed her limp arm.
Konis's vision slowly focused back as he looked at Genny, his eyes grew wide as she was pushing her arm back into place, her red eye focusing on the arm as her face was still covered by the coat and scarf she had. Pushing himself to all fours Konis crawled to his sledgehammer as the griffin started to yell.
Genny put her talon on a table and with one quick push the arm popped back into place. She grunted as she looked at her arm again. The talon seemed to be more or less fine as the pain struck her arm. "You're going to wish you never came here." was all Genny said as she looked at where Konis was last time. Seeing him no longer there she turned around to see Konis leaning on his sledgehammer for support. "Still got some fight in you. I won't lie, if you and your friend didn't kill my two associates I would have invited you to join us in the hunt. But this is good training before the hunt. Hell if I bring your head to the contest and "Find your body in the forest" I might actually get more points"Genny stated.
Konis wiped off the blood from his nose and chuckled. "I wouldn't join you either way, such dishonor would taint my soul. Such taint couldn't be cleansed even if my god helped. The way you treat mares and ponies. As if they are mere playthings and targets…you are doomed by your own fate to die here, be it by me or another. You won't get out of this alive." Konis responded as he prepared his sledgehammer again.
Genny looked at the zebra in silence as the only words that came from her mouth were. "Well then someones got some faith. Let's see if your god hears you scream." as she charged at Konis again. The Zebra had stepped back from the swing as Genny threw a scratch with her talons. Konis pushed the attack back as he rammed into the Griffin. Stumbling back Genny turned to Konis, the zebra had thrown a stool at her.
Sidestepping the stool Genny turned back to face Konis only to see the end of the sledgehammer. Konis had thrown his sledgehammer at her at impressive speeds. Getting the full hit of the sledgehammer Genny yelled in pain as she was pushed back by the strength of the hammer. "What the hell? Where is he?" Genny thought in pain as the sledge though hurting didn't kill the Griffin. Her red eye now cracked as it tried to scan for Konis.
Konis had grabbed the griffin by the tail with his mouth. Grabbing it with all the force he dragged the griffin, Genny felt the bite from Konis on her tail as she yelled in pain, looking at the zebra she swung her talon and opened her wings only for Konis to pull back his head, the sudden force of being pulled forced the griffin to fall as she was then slammed onto the counter.
Genny shook her head as she looked up only to receive a punch to the face with a hoof, Konis had grabbed the griffin's head and slammed into the counter. Though the wooden counter thunk from the hit. Genny just shook her head, throwing a power hoof punch at Konis the punch landed and threw the Zebra to the ground.
Konis coughed as Genny got up quickly, charging at the zebra, Konis rolled to the side as the talons barely missed Konis. Looking around the area Konis saw his sledgehammer on the ground. Running to the sledgehammer, Konis jumped for it as Genny chased close by.
As Konis got to his sledgehammer Genny had gotten to him, jumping on top of Konis Genny open her beak and yelled. Konis swung his sledge hammer as hard as he could slamming it into the neck and head of the Griffin. A loud scrape and crash of metal sounded off in the tavern.Looking around the area Konis saw his sledgehammer on the ground. Running to the sledgehammer, Konis jumped for it as Genny chased close by.
As Konis got to his sledgehammer Genny had gotten to him, jumping on top of Konis Genny open her beak and yelled. Konis swung his sledge hammer as hard as he could slamming it into the neck and head of the Griffin. A loud scrape and crash of metal sounded off in the tavern.
Genny flew back at the impact hitting the counter as she groaned. Konis breathed heavily as he settled his sledgehammer next to him. "How can you be that fast!" Gennys voice asked in a very static tone. Konis eyes widen as he looked up and saw Genny getting up. She removed the scarf that she wore as a strange blue liquid leaked out of her neck where the sledgehammer struck. It slowly turned into a dark purple. Genny coughed out in pain as crimson blood left her mouth.
Genny flew back at the impact hitting the counter as she groaned. Konis breathed heavily as he settled his sledgehammer next to him. "How can you be that fast!" Gennys voice asked in a very static tone. Konis eyes widen as he looked up and saw Genny getting up. She removed the scarf that she wore as a strange blue liquid leaked out of her neck where the sledgehammer struck. It slowly turned into
Gennys full face was revealed, her whole head seemed to have been covered by metal plates, the circuits in the side of her head and neck. The Sledge hammer landed its strike hard and true. Gennys face was burned, the parts that were still skin had scratches and blood. The new cuts bled from the metal being pushed into the skin by the sledgehammer. Konis turned to Genny in time to see her lift her head, the red eye she had cracked. The metal around it shows circuits under the metal. "That does it, you're going to the fryers now." Genny hissed. Konis put his other hoof through the sledgehammer's grip.
Genny jumped at Konis, the zebra slid under the griffin's jump as he turned around. Genny turned to him, her red eye now shutting off as she charged again. With the counter behind Konis, Konis jumped out of the way barely in time to dodge the griffin. As she slammed onto the wall she turned to face Konis again, the zebra was on his hindlegs, spinning with his sledge hammer. Before Genny could see what was coming due to her broken eye, Konis had swung his sledge hammer. Genny felt the metal on her side's wall break and dig into her body, only to feel the force of a sledgehammer hit her left side. The force pushed her off her feet and over the counter.
Konis was about to jump into the battle to finish Genny off until he heard a mare's yell. Turning around, Konis saw what worried him. A quick look around the room and Konis could see Cork pinned onto the ground pushing against the griffins attack as the knife was barely kept away from her neck. Thinking fast, Konis grabbed both handles of his sledgehammer. Got on both his hind legs and started to swing it.
The movementume of the hammer made it hard for him to stand on his hind legs but as he did so many times before Konis used the unbalanced force to make the sledgehammer speed up. Once ready Konis let go of the sledgehammer and fell onto all fours.
The sledgehammer flew through the air at incredible speed. Passing other fighters in the area and landing true to its target. Grace wasn't paying attention to anything other than the fight in her hand. When the sledgehammer landed on her torso, a few bones can be heard breaking as the sledgehammer pushed Grace off of Cork.
Konis was about to run and retrieve his weapon until Gennys talon grabbed Konis by the shoulder and pulled him over the counter and through the small window that the chef used to deliver food. Cork looked at Grace with a surprise look then turned to where the sledgehammer came from. Seeing Konis being grabbed and pulled over the counter Cork knew that her savior had just been taken to the kitchen
Grace held her side in pain, bone poking out of her body as blood leaked onto the ground. Grace coughed out in pain as her breath was becoming short and raspy. Cork walked over to Grace, a serious expression on her face.
Grace looked up at Cork but with each breath her head got heavier. Chuckling to herself Grace spoke, "You stubborn bitch." Grace spat. Cork just grabbed the sledge hammer that was on the ground. "What are," Grace stopped mid sentence to cough out more blood then continued."you going to finish me off?"
Cork just looked at Grace. Seeing the bones and broken mess she was Cork just turned around and dragged the sledgehammer toward the kitchen to aid Konis. "Hey, where the hell are you going?" Grace asked out loud, her voice shaking a bit at the thought of bleeding out slowly. Cork just walked away leaving Griffin to her fate.
The door of the kitchen was kicked in as Genny looked around the kitchen, the other chef hiding in the corner of the room, a knife in his mouth as his eyes showed fear. Genny scanned the room quickly but couldn't see the Zebra. Walking deeper into the kitchen Genny heard a thumping from a door to the right. turning to the scared stallion Genny asked "Did he go in there?" The stallion only nodded in fear as he looked at the chaos outside the kitchen.
Genny looked at the door and prepared her power talon. Walking to the door she used the other talon to open the door. Right as she pulled the door open Konis shoved the rest of the door open. The door slamming into Gennys face as metal against metal was heard. Her beak broke and cracked as Konis' surprise attack pushed her back a few steps.
Genny aimed her gun at Konis only to see three icicles thrown at her. Quickly ducking, Genny saw them fly behind her, "What was that? A last ditch attempt?" Genny asked as she saw Konis run back to the Freezer, confused at the action Genny was about to step into until the cook ran out of the kitchen with a yell. Genny then heard it, a bubbling sound. Turning around to the noise Genny saw why the cook and Konis ran away. The three icicles that Konis had landed right into the greasers. Seeing how close she was to the greaser, Genny had no time to run. The greaser exploded as it shot out skin burning grease all on her. Genny could only yell out in pain.
Hearing the griffins' pained yells Konis kicked the door open and pushed against the griffin, Genny suddenly feeling Konis pushing her tried to push back but with the burning sensation on her face and neck Genny couldn't keep Konis away. Being pushed onto the greaser behind her. Genny had to do something. Extending her wing Konis headbutted the griffin, the sudden impact to Gennys face pushed the back of her head to the fryer.
Konis shook his head as the throbbing pain in his forehead was dizzying. Genny had moved her talon with the power hoof into the greaser, seeming to try to get herself out. Konis didn't think that she would do that on purpose as she pulled out her talon, the power hoof having burning grease on it. Genny swung it once at Konis, making contact with his face. Konis shouted in pain as he let go and fell to his four hooves again. The weight off of the griffins body Genny got back up, the back of her head sizzled and burned from the grease.
Before Konis could hold Genny back Genny had kicked him away. Landing onto the wall opposite to the greaser, Konis turned to see Genny already in front of him. Pinning him down to the ground with her talon, Genny threw her power hoof at Konis face. Blocking the second hit Konis had then received a punch to the gut. After punching Konis for a while Genny got tired of it. Wishing to end the fight, Genny dragged Konis to the now calmed fryers. Konis struggled but his lack of energy wasn't enough to break the grip.
Finally at the greasers, Genny started to push Konis to the greasers. Konis had only seconds to stop himself from falling in. Konis had extended his hooves to the edge of the greasers. Genny struggled to push Konis in due to his earth pony strength. Punching Konis in the side, the zebra struggled. each punch making the stance harder for him to stay out of the grease. Genny pulled back her talon ready to send a strong hit to Konis side.
Preparing to hit Konis with the power hoof as hard as she could, Genny laughed and swung. "CRUNK". Genny felt the back of her head break in as the metal that protected most of her head had just dug into her skull. The power hoof was only an inch away from Konis. Gennys strength had fallen as Konis fell to the ground. Looking at what happened Konis saw Cork with his sledge hammer. the hammer stuck within the metal of Gennys head. Genny didn't move, or speak; she just looked forward. "Hey, little help here?" Cork asked as she tried to pull the hammer out.
Konis nodded as he got up, walking to Cork he helped her remove the hammer. The hammer made a wet noise as it left the skull of the griffin, Gennys body slumped forward into the greaser as the burning grease bubbled around her. "Konis looked at the dead body of the griffin and stared. He walked up to the griffin and sat down. Putting his hooves together he bowed his head. Cork only watched in confusion until Konis got up. "I think we should get out of here. I don't think the fighting will end anytime soon." Konis chuckled as he faced the window to the outside, seeing a pony flying in the wind. It was a unicorn.
Cork turned her head and chuckled. "I'm sorry… we?" Cork asked, more confused than rude. Konis looked at her and nodded, "Wait, you want me to follow you or are you looking for some type of "reward" for helping me." Cork asked as she looked at Konis with distrust.
Konis had started to clean his sledgehammer with a rag as he turned to Cork, "Huh? Well, I'm hungry and I dont think your boss wants me here. I was going to ask if you know where I can go for some good food." Konis stated simply as he settled his sledgehammer back onto his back. Feeling the burn and the wounds on his body Konis also smiled sheepishly, "And I might need some medical help. Heh."
Cork looked at Konis and nodded slowly. "Um alright then, just don't get any funny ideas alright!" Cork said as she looked around. "Let me see if there is anything useful on her." Cork said as she walked to Gennys body. Konis watched this with an unsure expression.
Before Konis could speak, Cork pulled out a small bag from her pocket. "There we are." Cork said simply as she checked what was inside the pocket. Seeing a group of caps within the bag Cork smiled. Checking another pocket, Cork found a piece of paper along with some bullets in a case. Taking the bullets Cork pocketed the paper and returned to Konis. "I think that's all the usefulness she had. Let's go."
Konis nodded as he followed Cork to the back door, as the two ponies left the kitchen and exited the backdoor, Konis spoke up. "So where do you think we could get some food?" Konis asked as Cork turned to him.
Cork looked at him, seeing no evil or manipulative intent. "Um, I know a place nearby. It's only a block away…" Cork said cautiously as Konis nodded. Cork had started to walk to the end of the alley as Konis followed behind her. Cork made sure to keep one eye on Konis as they walked but soon she realized that Konis wouldn't bring harm to her.
The two walked in silence as Konis quietly followed. Smiling at his new friend, Konis couldn't wait to get a meal and enjoy it in peace as well. "So Cork, what will you do now?" Konis asked as the two continued to walk in the night.
Cork turned to him as she spoke, "What do you mean?" Cork stopped to look at Konis without wanting to run into anyone else nearby.
Konis didn't expect for Cork to stop all of a sudden as he was barely able to stop himself from crashing into Cork. The two booped noses as Konis quickly took a step back. "Sorry about that, I mean, what will you do with your job? I dont think your boss wants you back if he finds out that a fight started because of me to aid you." Konis explained as he tried to ignore the sudden red that blushed upon Cork's cheeks.
Cork looked at Konis and shrugged, "I- I don't know, it was a shit job either way so maybe this was for the best…" Cork said as she saw Konis slowly turning red, "I will be fine if that's what you are asking." Cork said simply as she turned around again and continued, "Come on we are almost there." Cork said as she continued. As Cork continued the paper she pocketed had fallen out and onto the floor.
Konis noticed and picked up the paper. "Cork you dropped this." Konis started as he looked at the paper, the words "Come join our Hunt" on the top got his attention as he quickly chased behind Cork. They would then make it to the next tavern as Cork opened the door for Konis. The two would enter as the sounds of the night party filled the air.
Fowl and Fuel
The city of Baltimare was once a tiny but bustling port, noted for its fishing and trading prior to the war. As Equestria grew more industrialized Baltimare grew, the city had a sudden growth with both factories and ponies as they wished to find a job to work. Becoming significant to Equestrias navy, being one of the few places that had great trading ideas and a strong work area Baltimare became a naval shipyard, home to the navy's main fleet and a major manufacturing hub. Now after the war it is a mere shadow of its past. The Baltimare ocean walls had collapsed sending a flood into the city, the ground had slowly begun to sink into the sea level, single storey buildings, and houses were overtaken by the water level leaving nothing to be recovered. Any towers that managed to stay up, lost their only way out as ponies became trapped in the buildings. Those that were at the city's borders or near ran to the high ground wishing to escape the flood. The ponies fled the city trying to survive both the mega spells and the irradiated sea.
Over 100 years would pass until ponies started to take back the city that was once theirs. Those that stayed in Baltimare had settlements around the buildings that survived the floods. The stables that were under the water level stayed closed but not forgotten as rumors spread about monsters in the sea that look like sea ponies with a stable uniform on, the number 168 on their back. Buildings that have survived the sea level are now occupied by survivors of the ruins, raiders take up most of the shore and most of the main land toward the west of Baltimare, alicorns ravage the north east of the city's ruins as they fight for control all while the ponies set up towns around the rooftops across the ruins.
The ruins of Baltimare hold many settlements built by the ponies of the past, the Hospital of Baltimare has been repaired and made into the Cross, the settlement lies on the third floor of the hospital, as the sea has already taken the first and second level. Deeper into the city lies another settlement, between a fallen building and a standing one. This makeshift settlement holds the ponies on the 30th floor. Wood, refenorced walls and steel pillars hold the settlement up. With the height of this settlement the ponies can see all across Baltimare.
In the Far East where the coast once floats a giant ship, the ship stays in place as the title waves push against it. On the sides of the ship the words "The Gleaning Dawn" can be seen, though most don't know the meaning of the name, some say its a memorial to a prewar lieutenant. Though the ship is far away from most settlements, ponies still take the time to travel to it and trade with the Gleaning Dawns passengers.
Upon trying to enter the Gleaning Dawn, the travelers must cross the ruins seas of the fallen city, survive the threats within the water and then provide proof that they mean no harm to the soldiers at the Gleaming Dawns Gangway. At the gangway of the ship stands a small platform with three ponies. They wear old and faded equestrian active duty uniforms along with combat armor above it, the armor holding the letters "G" and "D" on them. The guards talk to one another as they keep watch on both the sea and the city ahead. Their weapons, standard issue pre war rifles and pistols.Their guns being held up by the battle saddles. Cannons on the sides of the ship kept looking out in case of any major threat. Though the Gleaming Dawn was one of Equestrias largest ships, the other settlements chose to not do much trade with them. The threats in the sea were too many and the travel by boat was too risky for traders. Since the ship hasn't seen many travelers for months the guards found themselves surprised two days ago when two ponies appeared on a makeshift ship asking for access to enter the ship.
Within the ship there was multiple areas. The rich were on the top as they enjoyed the life of peace they were able to acquire, though the rich worked most of them used the robots to do their jobs for them. The middle class worked in the middle areas of the ship, though some had robots aiding them in their jobs the most of them had to focus on other jobs they took. Finally there was the poor class, these ponies thought of working when they could have the worst jobs, cleaning the restroom, fixing the pipes of another pony's restroom and even the dangerous jobs. This society all rested within the Gleaming Dawn, as the ponies went on with their everyday lives.
In the high class section there sat two ponies in a restaurant, both differently dressed from the other patrons of the ship, the unicorn stallion wore a royal blue coat over a stable suit with a pipbuck on his left forearm. The mare that sat across him had two sets of saddlebags on, she had a stable suit with the number "54" on it along with a similar pipbuck. Tapping on it with tools she looked at her pipbuck in curious excitement. The unicorn stallion had a dark orange coat and a light green mane. The earth pony mare had a light grey colored coat along with a lighter grey mane color.
As a group of ponies passed the table that the two were sitting at the stallion spoke "Look at them Fuel… they have all this chaos and are happy with it. Their marks do not match their jobs, most of them don't believe in a god and those that do pray to a fake god expecting to be saved from this world. If the mayor wasnt so incompatant maybe this place would be better but even that's asking too much… not like she is even the right pony for the job." The stallion said, the last part held a bit of venom within it.
The mare looked up at him as she sat her screwdriver down with her mouth. Presumably to be Fuel, she looked at the ponies around in the other tables, "But Fowl, I don't think that is what we are supposed to be doing out here. The Overstallion told us that we are out here to help our town keep relations up with other ponies. Plus…" Fuel stopped as she smiled at the family eating at a table nearby "They seem to be enjoying their lives, god or no god. They might not want to listen, you can bring a dog to the food bowl but you can't force them to eat." Fuel explained to her older brother.
"And that my sister is why I told the overstallion to let you come with me, your naivety will get you killed one of these days. These ponies need salvation, these ponies need guidance, these ponies need us. The question is how will we accomplish this?" Fowl asked as he saw the order they had ordered was given to them by a waitress.
"Caesar salad, with cooked salmon. And the salmon with crispy clams. Is there anything else I can get you?" The waitress asked while setting the two plates onto the table. Fowl looked at his food and saw the salmon with the salad. Pushing the fish away from his salad he looked at his younger sister. Fuel had started to eat her meal, not taking much attention to the two ponies next to her.
Taking her silence for a response Fowl turned to the mare "No. Thank you." Fowl stated as he put both of his hooves together and started to say words quietly, Looking up from her food Fuel quickly wiped her hooves to her sides and followed her brothers steps. Though her words were more random than her brothers Fowl didn't pay much attention to her. The mare looked at the two in confusion but took the no as she walked away.
As the two finished their prayers, Fowl opened his eyes and used his magic to levitate the fork to grab some salad. Fuel went back to eating the clams and salmon, "You haven't been practicing your prayers have you…" Fowl asked Fuel, his voice serious and quiet.
Fuel looked at her brother with part of the fish meat in her mouth, looking back and forth she shook her head and swallowed the meat. "Y-yes i have its just you caught me off guard." Fuel responded as she reached out for a clam and started to open it with her hooves as she struggled.
"Odd since we always pray before eating… How could that have caught you off guard?" Fowl asked his sister. Fuel looked at him as the clam slipped her hooves and landed back onto the plate. She opened her mouth but Fowl raised his hoof, with the hoof raised Fuel went silent again and Fowl spoke. "It doesn't matter, continue to eat. We need to do something, and I might have an idea on how to help the ponies."
The two finished their meals not speaking to one another and any attempt of speaking was silenced by Fowl saying, "Eat first talk later." Fuel looked at her clams as she finally got them opened. Once the two siblings finished their meals Fowl got up and left the caps behind for the meal, Fuel placed the plates in a nice stack as she quickly followed Fowl out.
As the two walked out of the restaurant, they ended up at a hallway, the other smells of the other restaurants filled the air. Fowl walked toward the left heading straight for the hallway, while Fuel followed him. Slowly walking so that Fuel could catch up, Fowl cleared his voice to make sure his sister's attention was grabbed. "Tell me. What do you see around here?" Fowl asked.
Fuel looked confused at first wondering what her brother was trying to test her on, lookin around Fuel saw ponies enjoying their meals as the two walked past the doors that lead to other restaurants. Walking out of the restaurant district the two entered a small hallway, the signs on the walls the signs all said different areas on the ship for the ponies to walk around and explore. Seeing ponies walking to and from other areas of the ship, Fuel waited for the hallway to become empty to speak her mind. "Looks like ponies that have found a way to find peace in the ship, ponies with jobs and some with even hobbies. It looks like a well grown society. Why?"
Fuel looked at Fowl who turned to face her, "And that's what they want you to see Fuel, they are lost. Their cutie marks don't match with their jobs and even those that do match, have to do another job to help their payment. Then their religion, being lied to in front of their own faces, they either don't want to accept it or they don't know any better. There is no such thing as "heaven for all" or even the idea that ponies don't get sent to hell, if that were true all the rapists, killers, and monsters in the wastelands would be in heaven tainteing the area with their own actions." Fowl stated as he looked past Fuel and looked around. Making sure that no one was around to hear them speak he looked at his sister again, "You understand?"
Fuel looked down and then up to her brother, "Kinda… I know its not the best life many of them could have but surely in the past ponies were in similar situations no?" Fuel asked her brother. Fowl opened his mouth and was about to speak but Fuel continued. "I mean Equestria brought ponies more problems in their lives such as poverty, the war, the bombs falling even the-" Fuel stopped as Fowls hoof rose up. He looked seriously at Fuel as he lifted his hoof.
Fuels ears drooped behind her as she looked at her brother. "Yes the Prewar Equestria was once a place that had ponies think for themselves, there was no harmony, no peace and the Princess are to blame for that. But you're thinking of the wrong society, think of the stable. The ponies in there helped one another out. No matter what the situation was, the stable stayed united as one. If ponies choose the old world ways there will be no improvement, no friendship, no harmony. We must do our duty as ponies to bring that peace out, either by force or by peace. We must do whatever it takes."
Fuel looked at her brother and thought of the words he said. "Alright, but what do we do? They might not listen to us and even if they do I doubt that will be enough to make the ship ponies to help one another." Fuel said as she and Fowl had started to walk toward the stair ways to go up or down.
Fowl had already been chuckling as he turned to Fuel, "I'm way ahead of you in that, you see I think ahead. That's why this will work out, no matter what." Fowl walked down the stairs as he continued. "These ponies have not felt the hardship of the world outside. They haven't had to work together. Without the stress of a hard situation they will never grow. So we will be in that hardship."
Fuel stopped and looked at her brother in confusion, "Wait you want us to be the hardship of these ponies?" Fuel asked as she watched her brother walk down the stairs and stop. Turning to her, Fowl nodded, "Shouldn't this be natural? Maybe a mirelurk attacks. Or there is a civil war? Not us getting in their way and making a mess for them."
"Fuel, you seem to only think of the short term yet that blinds you to the true outcome. What we will do will be natural, the ponies will just have to find their own way to work through it." Fowl started, Fuel opened her mouth to speak but Fowl continued "If we try to show them the way to a better life they will learn who caused the chaos and it will no longer be natural, it will only become us trying to use them for out benefits and our good says." To use someone for your own gain is to sin" do you want to sin?" Fowl asked Fuel who shook her head rapidly. "Good, now listen to me and we will be able to finish by the end of the day."
Fuel hesitantly nodded as she looked around her and her brother. "Fine. So what is the first thing we need to do?" Fuel asked, her voice cracking. Fowl smiled as he pulled his sister in closer.
"Alright, the first part of the plan is to get the ponies to see the disharmony and use it to make them fight the rich snobs and bring them down to their level. They can't see the truth, so we have to show it to them." Fowl stated as Fuel stepped back.
"What? How will that get them to work together? If anything that will only hurt them." Fuel said about to continue but with Fowls hoof rising again Fuel became silent again. Her ears flattened as she closed her eyes.
Fuel opened her eyes slowly as she looked at her brother, his hoof was gotten down as he would continue "Fuel some of these ponies think this is paradise, that they deserve to be in the areas they were born in just because they were born into them. Can't you see? This action will get the ponies to start negotiations and force them to work together. It's a miracle that this place hasn't already fallen." Fowl stated simply as he continued down the stairs. The two arrived at the middle class section as he pointed to the doorway. "You will go talk to these ponies, I will go to the lower class and speak to them. Get them to see the truth, Fuel, you can do that right?" Fowl asked his sister who looked at the doorway as if it was the plague.
Fowl moved her face to look at him, "Can you do this? I need you to say yes, I know you can, it's inside you." Fowl said his voice, holding care and support. Fuel looked to the ground and then to her brother and nodded."Perfect, once you're done with that you will meet me at the services room in the lower levels. That's where we will get to start the second part of the plan." Fowl explained as he let go of his little sister and continued to walk down. She looked at him with a fearful expression but didn't speak as she only nodded and then faced the doorway.
Fuel walked inside the hallway that lead to the middle class as she looked around, there was a few signs with words on them in front of her, "Recreation", "Market", "Guards", "Residential", "Education", "Services and Repair" and finally "Health Facilities". Thinking on where to go to get the attention of the ponies and still persuade them. "I can go to the market. Maybe the ponies there will listen if they see what the rich have?" Fuel thought to herself as she started to walk the way the sign pointed.
After a few minutes of walking down the hallway, Fuel found the market place. Turning the corner and entering the area, Fuel could see ponies selling, and buying items. Some debated on the price as others took what they could get. Looking around the area, Fuel thought on who should be the first pony she should ask.
Walking around the market she kept an eye out trying to see any pony that would most likely listen to her. After trotting around the place Fuel finally caught her eyes on two unicorn fillies, the oldest barely reaching teen hood as she had a lime green color coat, and dark green mane. She wore a news cap and a saddlebag filled with papers. The other barely seemed to be a young filly, she had an orange colored coat with a light red mane color. She wore a small jacket with a button up shirt. "Come get the newest issue of Bait and Catch's news! Talking all about the Gleaming Dawn and the ponies that reside in it!" The older filly shouted as she waved a paper around. The younger mare sat on top of a box as she looked for any pony to lock eyes with. Ponies that walked by them looked anywhere but the faces of the fillies almost as if it would push them to converse. As the filly locked eyes with Fuel she tapped her oldest sister and whispered into her ear. Within seconds the two fillies looked at Fuel "Hey you! Stable pony!" The oldest yelled out at Fuel. "Wanna read something that holds the truth and isn't bribeable!"
Fuel looked confused and trotted to the filly. "What do you mean isn't bribeable?" Fuel asked the young filly, though her question was asked it seemed to have not reached the fillys ears, as the filly continued she turned around to levitate a paper out from a cardboard box behind her. Levitating the paper to Fuel the filly continued.
"We got a brand new issue printed out today. There are multiple things on this week's paper, such as the Mayor's secret relationship with the Chief Guard! The food in the Sea Crabs Diner and even news about the mysterious sightings of the kraken! Ponies say it's real but the truth is in the paper!" The filly exclaimed as she waved the paper in front of the Fuel's face.
Instinctively stepping back, Fuel looked at the fillies and thought of a few questions, "Is this your parents' shop?" Fuel asked as she grabbed the paper with ehr hooves and skimmed the first paragraph. Looking up at the fillys she saw the oldest filly with her hoof out.
"Nope ma and pa are… well they are not here but hey that's the formality's! I am Bait and this little adorable monster right next to me is my little sister Catch. This is our shop, also that costs ten caps. No refunds!" Bait said as the Catch pulled out a sign that read, "NEWS PAPER COST TEN CAPS! NO REFUNDS" The words are all colored in red paint. Fuel looked at the fillies and opened her mouth to speak against it.
Before Fuel could say a word Catch opened her eyes wide and saddened her face. Catch's puppy's eyes started to water as she let out a quiet whimper. Upon seeing the younger sister's expression Fuel thought better of it and handed over the ten caps. "Thank you very much, stable pony. Is there anything else we can help you with?" Bait asked as she pocketed the caps.
"You two are the only owners of this paper? Where do you get this information?" Fuel asked as she read a bit of the Mayor Washbuck and Chief Case's relationship. The information in the text explained the two being friends ever since they were children and how they grew up together.
"Oh that's really easy. But sadly not available to the public eyes, you know. Anonymous speakers, Whistleblowers, and the such. Hey if you got any juicy stories we will gladly put it in the paper! This week has been a bit slow on the paperwork and the ponies would rather take Harbor Times than ours but everypony should know those ponies get bribed with anything just to keep a good image." Bait said as she placed the box back behind her, Catch reaching in to wave to other customers
"Come get the Bait and Catch's newest issue! The trust sits in the lines of these texts!" Catch said as she continued to promote the paper. Bait smiled at her younger sister and turned to Fuel.
"She is such a great helper. Anyway since you are the only pony that took the time to even speak to us and not think we are insane, tell me, would you like to be in the paper? This could be interesting, Gleaming Dawn's stable dweller story. The ponies would love to know how life in a stable was. Hell, some of us could only imagine the peacefulness in the stables. So what do you say?" Bait asked.
Fuel hesitantly thought of the options as she opened her mouth to decline the invitation, before she spoke the words of Fowl echoed around her head. "They can't see the truth, so we have to show it to them." With those words echoing around her head Fuel looked back at the filly.
"What exactly would we talk about? Because there is some more stuff i would like to talk about as well." Fuel asked curiously. Bait put her hoof out, levitating her hat up to see Fuel directly with her eyes, Bait spoke.
"Well first I need you to agree to this. Once you agree we can both speak on what you want to talk about. It will be fun, trust me." Bait explained to Fuel, the mare looked at the hoof and then at Bait and with a nod the two shook hooves. "Welcome aboard. Hey Catch you keep doing that, me and…I'm sorry I didn't catch your name stable dweller."
Turnign to the young mare Fuel nodded. "I should have said it when we first spoke, my name is Fuel." Fuel started as Bait waited expectantly at the mare. Fuel looked around and then realized what Bait wanted. "Oh, sorry Fuel Track. My last name is Track."
Bait nodded and turned to her sister, "Just make sure you sell as much as you can, these ponies will see the truth one day you will see." Bait said as she then turned to the mare and guided her into the room behind. The newspaper store was still open but decorated with two couches and a typewriter. Bait levitated a pencil and a notebook out as she sat on one chair and guided Fuel to the other.
Fuel did as she was told as she sat down in the seat across from Bait. "So how do we do this exactly? Do i say what happened in the stable or do you ask questions and I have to answer them?" Fuel asked Bait. The young filly seeming calmed and very professional when getting ready to write.
"Well, how i do things is I ask a few questions and you answer them. If anything catches my attention I will focus on that and get more information. How does that sound?" Bait asked Fuel. Stopping in silence, Fuel looked at Bait in silence. Being asked how it would go seemed to have confused the mare.
"I think that will work." Fuel said simply with a smile. "So what do you have for your first question?" Scratching the back of her mane Fuel prepared mentally for what would be the questions that Bait would ask.
"Alright first things first, do you want to stay anonymous in their interview? Or will you be fine if I use your name? If not, it's fine, we can name you under anonymous or even a title that you wish." Bait explained as she prepared her pencil. Fuel though tog the options she had infront of her.
"If we try to show them the way to a better life they will learn who caused the chaos and it will no longer be natural, it will only become us trying to use them for our benefits and our good says." Fuel could hear Fowls voice say in the back of her mind. Looking at Bait she smiled knowing her answer.
"I would like to stay anonymous. To prevent anypony from looking at me." Fuel said carefully. Bait nodded and started to write something down on the paper. The filly finished the writing a few seconds after as she cleared her voice.
"Alright, so now comes the interview, remember to be honest, me and Catch want to keep our truth connected to our business. If others start to see that we are losing our trust ability we will lose the small group of ponies that actually do read our paper." Bait explained, waiting for Fuel to agree Bait could see Fuel nod in understanding. Taking the nod as an agreement, Bait smiled and started. "So you are from a stable. What was it like there?"
Fuel thought on the answer for a second and then spoke. "The stable was a peaceful place, the walls and the stable door kept any danger outside as our parents raised us, we worked together in harmony and followed the rules that the overstallion had us do." Fuel explained as Bait wrote down the information.
Stopping her writing Bait looked up at Fuel, "The overstallion?" She asked in confusion as Fuel nodded. Writing it down, Bait continued. "Odd, most stables have Overmares guiding the stable. Guess your stable was one of those few that had an exception."
"Overmares?" Fuel whispered to herself as she looked down at the pipbuck on her foreleg. "Our stable told us that other stables have Overstallions too. My brother even said it too," Fuel said as she looked back to the filly.
"Nope, most stables have an Overmare, some even have a voting system to see who else should be the next leader." Bait said as she wrote the final part of the first question down. Looking up Bait was expecting to see Fuel ready for the next question but upon looking up Bait saw Fuel wear a confused expression. "Are you okay?" Bait asked Fuel.
"Y-yeah. Just surpised of that… so what is the next question." Fuel said as she shook her head and looked at Bait. Bait placed the finished writing in the notebook as she looked at Fuel with a smile
"Alright so next question, you mention that you all had harmony within the stable. How was that archived? There surely had to be more events that would have brought different ideas to light and brought fighting. Right?" Bait asked Fuel.
Fuel smiled as she got Bait right where she wanted her, shaking her head Fuel spoke, "Not really actually, the ponies in the stable were all friendly, any idea that was brought up was given to the Overstallion and his council, if they thought it to be worthy they would accept it and we would all agree with it, If they didn't we would also agree to move on." Fuel started as she thought back into her childhood. "The stable was a safe place for ponies that were underage to work together and teach one another our past. We found harmony and what I would call the perfect way of life."
Bait wrote the words down as she looked at Fuel. Nodding her head Bait smiled, "So let me ask this. Compared to your society and ours, are they similar or even close?" Bait asked this was more of her own curiosity than for the interview.
Fuel looked at the ponies around the store, "No… My stable's society was perfect, yours is horrible." Fuel started as Bait stopped writing and listened closely. Seeing Fuel as a older mare, Bait would listen to her words hoping to grab any piece of knowledge "In my stable, ponies worked for the things they loved, those that had cutie marks in cooking well they cooked. Those that had cutie marks in entertainment, they entertained. No pony did jobs that were not related to their cutie mark and no pony went jobless. We worked together and we accepted one another." Fuel started as she pointed to the ceiling. "In my stable, there was no such thing as rich or poor, there were only the stable dwellers. Your ponies think just because they have a bottle cap, that makes them better than everypony else." Moving her hoof down to the ground Fuel continued, "The poor get left behind, jobless, homeless and what do the rich do? Nothing, they just ignore them."
Bait continued writing down on the paper, letting Fuel continue with her thoughts. "Ponies in this place are forced to do jobs that they don't like, jobs that don't match with their cutie marks, they do these jobs not out of their own intuition but because your society says they have to. In my stable we help and aid those that need it, out here they ignore ponies that need help and then take what they want. Tell me, is it fair that you lost your childhood doing this job? Is it fair to your sister?"
Bait looked up from her paper and shook her head in silence. Fuel's eyes held determination as she agreed. "Then why should the rich sit up there with no care, while you suffer here? If you truly wish to help the ponies of this ship then you will print out that paper and show those ponies out there the truth." Fuel said, trying to persuade the young filly to do so.
Bait thought of the words and looked at her younger sister. Catch waved papers in front of ponies trying to get their attention, all just ignored her as she tried to get another ponies attention. "But how will we get the others to listen to us? How will we get the rich to even hear our cries? You said it yourself, the ponies from up there only focus on themselves." Bait asked as Fuel tapped on her chin.
Bait waited for a response to see what Fuel would say. Fuel looked up and smiled at Bait. "Well that's for you and the ponies here to think of, spark that revolution you need and get the rich ponies attention, I am sure they will listen to your roars if you try hard enough." Fuel explained as Bait wrote it down. Looking up at Fuel, Bait's eyes held interest.
"I think I got enough information." Bait said with confidence as she got off her couch and shook Fuels hoof fast. "Thank you, me and catch will print out a new batch today and show the ponies around here that we should have a better system!" Bait exclaimed
and we always supported one another. The way the stable was made was to have enough supplies and jobs for everypony to work together, there was no rich, no poor, there was only the stable. What you ponies have out here it's… it's saddening, there is so much disharmony, so much chaos and even the jobs some of you have are not meant for you but you have to take them because there is no other choice."Fuel explained as she looked at the ponies outside and then turned to Bait.
Bait had started to write the words down and looked at Fuel. "So you're saying that there can be a better way to live? How would we even achieve that? The ponies were told that the wastelands do not give and help, they only take and think for themselves, so what could we do to get a more harmonic lifestyle?" Bait asked Fuel.
Fuel looked at Bait as she thought of the answer. "That is for your ponies to figure out, I can't help because I am not from here. If you ponies truly want discrimination to stop and equality to come. Then you must spread the word and fight for those that wish for a better tomorrow.." Fuel explained to Bait, the young filly looking at the paper as she turned to her sister.
"Catch, what else do we have on the back burner for the paper!" Bait asked, the younger sister almost tripped as she turned around with the paper in her magic. Thinking about the other news items they had, Catch walked to Bait.
Scratching her chin, Catch smiled. "I think we got the article on the ship's library, then the history of the ship, and the usual jokes we found in the book…" Catch looked at her sister and tilted her head. "Why? Did we miss something?"
Bait shook her head and showed her sister the notes. "We need to make a newspaper asap! Grab all the paper you can get, get the typewriter ready and let's go make some new paper!" Bait said as she hopped off the couch. Turning to Fuel Bait grabbed her hoof with her magic and shook it. "Thank you so much for the interview! This is surely going to get the ponies attention, I just know it!" Bait shouted all while Catch was grabbing the supplies around them.
A bit surprised at the sudden energy the filly had, Fuel smiled and rubbed her hoof once it was free. "N-no problem, I am just happy that the citizens of the ship will get a chance to see a change in their own society." Fuel said, her words honest but soft. Getting off the couch, Fuel looked at the two fillies grabbing the items around them, both distracted as they frantically started to type words on the typewriter. "I will show myself out. Thank you for your time." Fuel said as she quickly bowed her head and then proceeded to trot out of the area.
With her job done Fuel headed for the exit, leaving the fillies to do their job, feeling that she accomplished something very great. Fuel trotted down to the lower level, excitement coming over her as she thought on what her brother would say.
Within the lower levels Fowl had been walking around looking for somepony that he could try to "save". Within the lower level trash scattered the floor, the lights barely illuminating the area around the lower level. As the living conditions were worse. From wandering the hallways Fowl could see the dining area, a single room. A counter for ponies to sit, wooden tables and multiple wooden chairs around the area. One radio playing songs of the past and dirty bottles and cups around the counter. A door that led to what fowl could only assume to be to the kitchen and two doors for the restroom, his mind not daring to imagine what could be within the restrooms.
Walking past the dining area Fowl noticed that the ponies that walked in the dim area would use their magic to light as they walked on. The next area Fowl would walk upon would be the medical section of the lower levels. Poking his head into the room Fowl could see multiple beds with ponies of different ages lying within a dim room. The nurse of the area tired and emotionless as she trotted to the edge of each bed to make sure the ponies were still alive. "These ponies…they… they need my help." Fowl thought to himself as he walked on
Arriving at the Residential area of the lower level Fowl saw multiple houses made out of rotten wood, junk and even scraps. The ponies within walked around slowly, most of the houses were empty but within the open walls of the houses Fowl could see broken down cardboard boxes on the ground, some ponies laying on top of some as they used multiple layers of clothes to warm themselves up. Some even used others' body heat as Fowl ignored them and continued forward, in the middle there was a small lantern that some ponies huddled around to keep warm."These ponies will never be able to work together with one another. Me and Fuel… no, I will have a lot of work ahead of me." Fowl thought to himself as he arrived at the market area.
Four stores lay in a cramped room, within the first store there was an earth pony stallion he worked away at a chair, the chair almost completed as it was only missing the sitting area. Being busy at work the stallion didnt notice Fowl as he walked away. Fowl walked to the next store seeing a female griffin tapping on her table. The items behind her seemed to be junk at first but with a closer look Fowl realized they were weapons. Pipe guns and hoof made or talon made weapons, there was armor but it seemed to have been pieced together by other metals. Though it would look effective for the ponies of the lower levels of the ship it looked very uncomfortable. "Want some protection? I got it here. Guns armor, whatever you like if you got the caps…" The griffin said to Fowl as she looked him up and down.
Fowl didn't dare look at Griffin's eyes as he continued to the next store, seeing fish and other types of animals on display for the ponies to buy, there stood a mare with a knife levitating right next to her as she cut through a weird looking fish. Turning to Fowl she smiled. "Welcome to Hooks and Rods, what can I get you?" The mare asked as Fowl looked at her.
"You said Hooks and Rods. Are you both or is there another?" Fowl asked more out of clarity and to see if the mare was insane or not. The mare gently laid the fish out for display as she cleaned the knife with a rag.
"I'm Rod, my husband is Hooks…"The Rod said as her voice cracked a bit. Turning back to Fowl she cleared her voice. "So you here to buy?" Rod asked respectfully as Fowl just turned around and trotted to the last store. Rod only shrugged as she went to the next fish.
In the last store there was only one stallion, the stallion had a shop filled with what seemed to be junk as he sat alone waiting for any pony to give any attention to him or his shop. Walking up to the stallion, Fuel looked at the items around the shop, old lamps, rusted tables, bookshelves with books being held on them, some small statues, and even boxes full with items, used up chairs, and even some tools hanging on the walls around the shop. "Ah, a customer! Welcome to Heap's shop! Where we have anything you are looking for. I got lamps, trash cans, chairs, pre war books and so much more! Please take your time and if you need anything I am here to help!" Heap said with excitement in his voice.
Fowl looked confused at the stallions shop, "… You sell trash to others? And they buy it?" Fowl asked as he stepped away from the stallion and his store. The stallion only nodded and grabbed a lamp with his hooves and showed it to Fowl.
"Yes and for you I can give you a discount of five caps, believe me that is a deal!" Heap said to Fowl. Thinking of the information he had on hoof Fowl looked at Heap. "So what will it be stranger?" Heap asked.
Fowl looked at Heap and then at Rod, turning back to Heap, Fowl spoke, "Here why don't we do this?" Fowl started as he dug into his saddle bag. Pulling out five caps he placed it onto the counter, "I ask a question and for each question I ask you get five caps…" Fowl said.
Heap looked at the caps for a second and then looked at Fowl. "Ten caps…" Heap responded to Fowl. The two looked at one another as Fowl started to chuckle.
"Maybe i was wrong… they aren't all uneducated." Fowl thought to himself as he slowly reached for his caps. "Well if you don't want these five caps then I can always go over to that carpenter stallion and ask him. I am sure he knows more anyway." Fowl said simply.
Heap quickly put his hooves out to stop Fowl, his action almost made Fowl reach for his pistol, "Now now now let's not be hasty! Five caps will do. Five caps will do…" Heap said as Fowl stopped his magic. "So…what do you want to know?" Heap asked suspiciously as Fowl thought for a second.
"That mare, Rod. What of her husband?" Fowl asked quietly as Heap looked at the mare in question, seeing Rod cutting another fish and wasnt paying attention to either of them. Heap scooted closer to Fowl and spoke quietly.
"Her husband is Hook, he owns the store but recently, like two or three days ago, he got some type of sickness. It's been spreading around here like crazy…" Heap said simply. Heap waited for Fowl to put five more caps down as he yours said only a bit of information.
Fowl thought on the information he just received and placed down five more caps. "Why are your ponies living in such poor conditions?" Fowl asked the stallion, Heap reached for the caps first as Fowl stopped him. "Answer the question first and then you may take the riches."
Heap looked at Fowl and reluctantly nodded. "Alright, we are in poor conditions because we dont have caps to get better supplies or items to help build our houses and workplaces." Heap said as he then reached for the caps.
Fowl placed some more caps down as he looked at the stallion. "Aren't you tired of living like this? Isn't it hard to see your fellow ponies suffer in sickness and death." Fowl asked the stallion. Heap looked at Fowl in silence.
Fowl waited for the response as Heap hesitated for a moment, that hesitation disappeared for a few seconds as he cleared his voice. "No, because it's life. We are all suffering one way or the other. I shouldn't stress for others' lives if I can't even help my own." Heap said as he took the caps. Before he could take them all Fowl put his hoof on Heaps hoof.
"Is that what you truly believe or is that the lie you tell yourself each morning so you can sleep better at night?" Fowl asked Heap who looked him in the eyes. Heap could see that Fowl already knew the answer to that question.
Pulling his hoof away from Fowl, Heap put the caps into his saddlebag. "That requires five more caps for me to answer that question…" Heap waited for Fowl to add more. Fowl reached into his bag and pulled out five more caps.
Before placing them down Fowl looked at Heap. "You mention a sickness, please tell me more." Fowl said as he placed the caps down. Heap looked at them and then back to the stallion, a untrusting look in his face
"This sickness seems to only spread down here, we were expecting it to go all around the ship but we haven't seen anypony else get sick. The weird thing is that it hits random people no matter if you have contact with the sick ponies or not. One can stay isolated all they like but they will still get sick by the end of the day." Heap explained as he grabbed the caps.
Fowl nodded with appreciation as he turned around, preparing to walk away. "Thank you Heap. Your contribution to my aid will not be forgotten in the eyes of Suenos, for God is pure and he remembers all." Fowl stated, trotting away from the market. Heap only stared confused at the stranger all while he put the caps into a bag.
Thinking of different ideas to get the ponies attention, Fowl found himself walking to the medical area of the ship. Walking inside the medical area of the ship Fowl looked around for the tired nurse. Spotting her in the far back area of the room Fowl walked up to her. The mare was currently holding one of her patients' mane back as the patient threw up into a bucket. Watching for only a second Fowl cleared his voice to get the mare's attention.
The nurse didnt turn to him as she spoke, "GIve me a second and i will be with you soon, I am busy at the moment." The nurse then slowly rested the mare back to the bed as she then trotted to the other side of the room helping a stallion back into bed.
Fowl followed and cleared his voice, this time he spoke, "I heard there is a sickness spreading. What can i do to help?" Fowl asked the nurse. The mare only turned to Fowl and saw what he was in.
Looking back up to Fowls expression she shook her head. "You aren't part of the ship nor do you look like you know anything medical wise, I would prefer that you are not in this room, unless you want to get sick." The nurse said to Fowl as she turned to him. The earth pony nurse walked past him as she went to help another student.
"No, no, no, you see I was sent here to help the ponies of this ship. That does mean the patients too. So what can i do to help, you seem tired and these ponies need to be saved before anymore die." Fowl said simply as he walked to a nearby mare and looked her over. The mare's skin seemed to have blisters or sores. Her mane was missing patches of mane as she turned to him. Her movements seemed fragile and weakend.
The nurse got between her patient and Fowl, making sure the mare was fine the nurse turned to Fowl, "Who exactly sent you then?" The nurse asked as Fowl rolled his eyes.
"The Mayor sent me, who else would. She noticed how the ponies aren't doing as well down here than other places and sent me to investigate." Fowl lied, the nurse looked at him in confusion as she turned her attention to another pony that was currently throwing up.
"The mayor sent you? Why didn't she send the medical items i been asking for?" The nurse asked Fowl, Fowl only walked to another patient, the patient had similar symptoms such as throwing up, or barely moving, but the major thing that they had that was different were that his veins were showing under his skin.
"They could be busy with their own things, maybe their areas have the same sickness or perhaps, they just don't wish to share the items with you and the rest down here." Fowl stated as he watched the pony before him, not knowing much of medical problems Fowl noticed that as he got closer to the ponies on the bed his pipbuck would start to click.
"Why is my pipbuck clicking…" Fowl thought to himself as he looked around him trying to see if there was any irradiated water or items around him. Seeing nothing he then turned back to the pony. Putting his pipbuck closer to the patient, Fowl heard the clicking increase more as he moved his foreleg to the patient. "They have radiation poisoning. And a lot of it if they are able to trigger my pipbucks radiation meter."
The nurse trotted back to him as she seemed to have a new liquid on her clothing, "Of what I saw the ponies above do not have the same illness that we do, they actually seem to be fine and healthy, unlike the ponies down here." The nurse explained as she walked toward Fowl trying to see what he was looking at.
Fowl looked through these items in his pipbuck as he was looking at the aid, before the nurse could see what he was looking Fowl stepped aside, "Hm, let me ask you…what did you use to treat these ponies here?" Fowl asked as the mare looked at him for a second.
Rolling her eyes she walked to her desk and pulled out a paper. "I used healing potions, herbs from the traders, medical supplies such as painkillers, or even Rad-X. And though that works for a few days the ponies just return sicker than later. We used almost everything we have here." The nurse explained as she turned to Fowl.
Fowl listened to the nurse as he thought of the answer that was right before the nurse's eyes. "The mare doesnt even know what the hell is wrong with her own patients, who the hell gave her this position?" Fowl thought to himself as he shook his head. "I just don't know. This is a mysterious sickness, one I have never seen before."
The nurse looked around at the ponies she was caring for. Tired as she was she tried to keep a strong face. "This is just great, if we dont find a cure by the end of the month, we will start to drop like flies." The nurse said as she looked down at the floor.
Fowl decided to pull his action, "So tell me… what if the rich are ignoring your request because they know the poor are only holding them down?" Fowl asked, faking worry and sincerity in his voice. The nurse was mid trot as she stopped and turned to him.
"What?" Was all she asked as Fowl sat on a nearby chair as he checked his pipbuck. "What do you mean? They would have to care for us, the mayor said that there will be a chance for us to get better supplies and that harmony will fill the ship." The nurse said as Fowl didn't look away from his pipbuck.
As he tapped on the screen a few more times Fowl saw what he was looking for, "Rad Away…" Fowl thought to himself as he finally looked up, "I am saying what if the rich went back on their words, caps speak louder than words you know." Fowl stated as he waited to see the nurses reaction.
Opening her mouth she hesitated as she thought of the question. She knew that it couldnt be true. The ponies above wouldnt just throw them all to the dust would they? The nurse looked to Fowl to see if he was lying but his expression stayed the same.
As she thought more and more about it Fowl took this chance to add a new thought into her head. "I mean as you said before they are all healthy and none seem to care or look at the poor infection, perhaps they are done with you ponies and wish for this to take their lives. Slow and painfully." Fowl explained as he trotted around the bed. The nurse looked at the ground and then toward the Stallion.
"They wouldn't… they can't." The nurse looked at her patients around her and she turned to Fowl. "Right? The mayor said she would help us all. She said that everypony will be given a chance to rise in their own way."
Fowl stopped and turned his head. "Is that what she said? Well has she fulfilled her promise? Or are there still ponies suffering here?" Fowl asked as he turned around to face her, he extended his hoof and guided it around the air so that he could empathize with his question.
The nurse looked at the ground and then back to the ponies around her. "I- I don't know what to think. She has said she would do so much for the ponies of the ship. We voted for her expecting the change to happen but…" The nurse said her tone sounded less and less hopeful by the second.
Fowl knew he was making his point across as he continued to dig his lies into the nurse's mind. "Honestly, if you ask me, the ponies here will never make an impact if they are left for dead, they lied to you all and now the ponies here are left for dead." Fowl said as he trotted toward the doorway.
The nurse looked at her patients, fear and sorrow in her eyes as she turned to Fowl. Seeing him walking toward the exit she spoke. "Where are you going? Aren't you going to help us?" Fowl stops to turn his head. With a caring expression and a fake smile Fowl turned to her.
Thinking of his next step. Fowl spoke, "Well I might know of one way that can aid us. Please excuse me, I will return. I promise." Fowl explained, continuing out of the doorway Fowl left the nurse alone. The sick ponies were still groaning and coughing, the sound echoed out into the halls.
Within the halls Fowl walked toward the shopping area. Thinking of his plan, Fowl rendered the market, looking around for the pony shop even though it took no effort. Heaps shop layed still as he smiled. Walking toward Heap, Fowl saw the item that he needed. Heap was busy organizing the shelves of the fallen bookshelf as Fowl waited at the counter for a few seconds until he got tired of waiting.
Clearing his throat, Heap quickly turned around and smiled. "Oh it's only you! Need more information. Well I would like to say my time is very busy but a good 20 caps this time could make it worth my while." Heap said with a smile appearing on his face as he expected Fowl to place the caps down again.
"I want that bowl right there." Fowl simply said to Heap. The stallion looked a bit saddened for a second and then turned to the bowl. Grabbing with his hoof Heap brought it to the counter. Before placing it down Heap looked at the bowl. The metal holder with rust on it showed nothing special for it. Curious about it, Heap looked at Fowl.
"What do you want a bowl for? You seem like you have enough caps to get around and pay for anyone to pay for your meals… So why do you want it?" Heap asked. Fowl's expression changed from one of calm to one of disdain.
"And why would I tell you?" Fowl asked as Heap gently placed the pot onto the counter and looked at him.
"Well because it's just a pot, as i said you look like you can buy almost anything in the ship so why come down here and ask for this?" Heap asked as he looked at the stallion in front of him, Fowl opened his mouth but hesitated a idea slowly grew in his head as he thought of a way to aid his mission.
"Actually… Do you want a way to make money easier?" Fowl asked Heap, the stallion was quiet for a moment and then looked around his area. "Yes or no?" Fowl asked, his voice quite but soothing. Time felt as if it stopped for Heap as he looked at the stallion before him. His expression holds determination and confidence unlike no other that heap has seen before.
"Alright… I am listening." Heap spoke, his eyes widened as he realized he agreeded to the plan before he even understood anything. With that Fowl nodded, levitating the bowl he started to walk toward the exit. "H-hey wait for me!" Heap said as he quickly left his shop, not realizing he had just left his stuff unsecured.
Fowl was trotting in the hallway as Heap caught up to him. Looking around at the area Fowl turned his head to Heap, "Where might I acquire purified water?" Fowl asked the earth pony behind him.
"Cooks usually give water to any patron that asks her. It's the dining hall. Why? Don't uou have any water?" Heap asked as Fowl only faced forward and trotted toward the dinner of the lower level. Upon reaching it Fowl looked around inside, the business was slow as it once was before as a female griffin was cleaning the cup on the counter.
Fowl only walked up to her as he looked at the menu, seeing the item he wished for being only 2 caps per bottle fowl looked at the bowl. After a while Fowl proceeded to put 12 caps onto the counter, "6 bottles of water please." Fowl said as Cook looked up for a second and nodded.
Going to the nearby counter the griffin grabbed six bottles of water. Taking the caps the griffin went back to what she was doing before. Fowl grabbed the bottles with his magic and placed them into his bag, Walking out of the dinner without saying a word Fowl looked around and then toward a dark room. Walking within it Fowl could hear the ticks in his pipbuck warning of radiation. "Um, why are we here exactly?" Heap asked Fowl who placed the pot onto the ground.
Opening the first bottle Fowl started to pour it into the pot, "You wish to know how to be the richest in the ship? I have a way, but you must follow it by the letter…" Fowl would explain as he put the empty water aside and then poured another bottle.
Heap looked confused at the unicorn but nodded, "Alright then what must i do? If i may ask?" Heap took a step closer looking into the pot expecting to see something within it. Fowl opened one of his bags and pulled out a book. Levitating it to Heap, Fowl poured the third bottle.
"That is a bible of my religion. I wish for you to read it, learn it, and spread it. Help these ponies enlighten themselves with the one rightful god of this tainted lands and I promise you, they will listen." Fowl explained as the next bottle was poured.
Heap only looked at the book for a second, after that one second he started to laugh,"You're joking right? This is what your idea for a way to richness is? A… a fucking superstitious idea?" Heap asked as he didn't even touch the book.
Fowl looked up from the pot and toward Heap. "That "superstitious idea" is real. The religion your ponies follow, the "Centar Collective" all wasteland trash, this book here is true i know it i saw it with my own eyes. It's what brought us here, it's what kept me and my sister alive it's what is true!" Fowl said the last statement empathized with a slam of his hoof to the ground. The pouring stopped as Fowl seemed to glare at Heap.
Heap jumped at the sudden noise, the bang of the hoof on metal making the room go silent as Fowl slowly turned his attention back to the bottles and the pot as he continued onto the last one. After a few seconds Heap grabbed the book and opened it. Looking through the pages of the Bible Heap looked up at Fowl. "So if i read this and spread the word of your God "Sueno" ponies will give me their caps just like that? How?" Heap asked
Fowl put the last empty bottle along with the rest as he reached into his saddlebags. Only looking for a second, Fowl levitated the item of interest. The Rad-Away laid in a potion bottle as the liquid inside swirled a bit. Looking at Heap, Fowl continued "With this…Tell me do you know what sickness is spreading around the ship?"
Heap looked at Fowl for a second, while lowering the book. "No. I don't think anypony does… why? Did you figure it out?" Heap asked, his voice unsure if he would be ignored or given a straight answer.
Fowl slowly nodded as he unplugged the bottle, slowly tipping the bottle over Fowl spoke. "Yes i did, you see its not a new sickness, in fact i am surpised your ponies could be this stupid…" Fowl spoke as he continued to pour the rest of the rad-away. Heap opened his mouth to speak but stayed quiet, "Your ponies are suffering through radiation poisoning. And a bad case of it too." Fowl explained as he looked at the water, the rad-away mixed into the water.
"Radiation poisoning? Are you serious, that stuff shouldn't be spreading around the area like the cold. Especially to us young and healthy ones." Heap stated as Fowl only focused on the water swirl in place with his magic.
"Tell me, do you get random spurts of headaches?" Fowl asked Heap, before the unicorn could respond Fowl asked another question, "How about dizziness or distortion? Weakness or Fever? Or the feeling of throwing up?"
Heap looked at his hooves then at Fowl, "I- you… that means nothing sure i get it now and then but its nothing compared to what those poor saps in the hospital wing are dealing with." Heap stated as Fowl shook his head.
Pushing the pot toward Heap, Fowl got up and looked at Heap. "To you now it means nothing but in a few days, believe me when i say it will feel worse than anything you can possibly imagine. The ponies in the hospital wing are suffering because of too much exposure and seeing how you didn't deny any of the symptoms I just asked. I am sure it's safe to assume that you are heading that same path too." Fowl explained. Grabbing the empty brew bottle with his levitation, Fowl put it into the pot and put it toward Heap. "Don't believe me? Then drink this and tell me how you feel."
Heap looked at the bottle and then at Fowl, the unicorn waited for Heap, putting out his hoof and lifting it up to his mouth. Heap stopped. "Okay what if i say i believe you? How does this tie in with money?" Heap asked. Fowl rolled his eyes and slowly pushed the bottle closer to Heap.
"We will speak on that later, for now we must help you before you can help others." Fowl explained using the rest of his magic to push the bottle to Heaps mouth, the rancid taste of the radaway tainted Heaps mouth as he coughed the water spilling out of his mouth as Fowl rolled his eyes.
Forcing the brew bottle in Fowl forced Heaps head up as the radaway entered his body. Once it was all done Fowl let go of the magical hold on the bottle as Heap spitted it out of his mouth. "What in the world is wrong with you! I don't know what was in that!" Heap shouted as the bottle broke on the ground.
"How do you feel?" Fowl asked Heap, opening his mouth, Heap was about to say something but stopped. Looking at himself Heap seemed to study something that Fowl couldn't see.
"I… I don't feel tired anymore… my headache is gone… Wait, you were serious?" Heap asked Fowl who only nodded in response. Heap, surprised at the sudden energy he just gained, looked at Fowl. "Still doesn't give you the right to feed me whatever concoction that was! I got a horrible aftertaste."
Fowl rolled his eyes, "I did that to save you! You should be grateful you bastard! Without you I might as well just leave this plan in the dust and leave your ponies for dead. Now if your done complaining for no reason will you shut up for five minutes and listen to my orders so that you can gain your money and I can achieve my goals easier!" Fowl asked in a more demanding tone.
Heap closed his mouth as the idea of gaining money grabbed his attention. As Fowl tuned toward the pot he levitated it toward them. "Listen closely because I will not repeat myself," Fowl started as he placed the pot between the two ponies. "I prosmised you riches and you will receive but before that you need followers, ponies would not just hand a simple pony caps to anyone who ask, they must be guided. I want you to spread the word of my god to the common ponies in this ship." Fowl explained to Heap.
The earth pony stared confused at Fowl and then to the Bible. "Wait wait wait. You want me to be the priest of your church or religion? First off, how would that even give me caps,just because I am part of a religion doesn't mean i get money, and secondly how would anyone even believe in religion!" Heap asked as he looked at the Bible and then at the unicorn.
Fowl nodded, "You can ask the ponies to help the church by giving caps and you can do whatever you wish, secondly that is where the radaway comes in." Fowl explained as he pointed to the pot filled with orange water. "We will go to the hospital and I will explain that I blessed the water, this should "heal" the ponies and with seeing that the blessed water healed the whole hospital, then they will believe."
Heap looked at the pot and then to Fowl, "I… this, this won't work i can already tell." Heap said unsurely at the idea of pulling this act. "Can't i just get some rad-away and then sell it to the hospital or something like that?" Heap asked
Fowl shook his head. "The second you show them the cure there would be no need for you especially if you sell it more than what the ponies above do. Listen to me and you will become the richest in the ship. Just know how to balance the caps out with the church and your personal life." Fowl explained, hearing hoofsteps coming from the hallway Fowl shoved his hoof into Heaps mouth forcefully shutting him up. "Somepony is coming. If they ask what is going on we say its a ritual! Got it?" Fowl whispered into Heaps ear, the earth pony only nodded.
Hearing the steps getting closer and closer, Fowl moved the pot behind them as his magic started to grab his pistol. Not revealing it Fowl just waited. Looking at the door Heap slowly turned to see what Fowl was waiting for, within a few seconds. Fuel poked her head in the doorway. "Fowl! There you are! I was looking for you. I did my part, the ponies above have been informed!" Fuel said with a smile on her face.
Fowl looked at his sister and smiled, "You see dear sister I knew you had it in you…" Fowl grew cautiously as he turned to the stallion next to him. "Play along or you will not get any of your damn caps." Fowl stated simply as he faced his sister again.
Fuel entered the room looking confused at the new stallion that was with her brother. "Made a new friend?" Fuel asked the door behind her the little light that entered the room, Fowl only nodded as he looked toward Heap.
"Yes, you see I found Heap in the library of the ship and we started to talk about things we like and what we could do to better the ship. I trusted Heap here to help me heal the bottom deck and save them." Fowl explained to his sister who looked confused.
"Heal the bottom deck? What happened?" Fuel asked as she walked over to heap. Seeing the earth pony she bowed her head. "Nice to meet you. I am Fuel, but i am sure my brother has already explained that." Fuel chuckled to herself.
Heap looked at her and nodded as he waited for her to get up. Turning to Fowl who was already stirring the bucket of water around Heap nodded. Fuel seemed to rise with that action as Heap cleared his throat. "Y-yes, of course Fuel. He has said so many great things about you!" Heap said as he kept the Bible in his hooves.
Fuel tilted her head in curiosity, "Oh he has? Like what! He usually doesn't tell me what he talks about with others so I wouldn't know." Fuel explained as her eyes grew with excitement. Before she could continue to ask questions to Heap, Fowl cleared his voice getting both the ponies' attention.
"As much as I love this… We have ponies to save, so if you can. Kindly control your insolence, we must make a final prayer so that Sueno purifies the water with the ability to heal those that are infected." Fowl stated as he put his hooves above the water. Fuel looked at Heap and then toward Fowl.
"Do you want me to help you or Heap?" Fuel asked, looking at Heap who was holding the book. Fowl only lowered his arms, Fowl couldnt help but sigh. Pointing at Fuel, Fowl waved for her to come to him.
"You and I will do the prayer, so that Heap may learn the words to it. From there, he will have to be the one who aids them to grow from the edge of destruction. Now come… lets commence." Fowl explained to his little sister.
Fuel nodded as she trotted over to Fowl, sitting infront of the stallion, Fuel closed her eyes. Preparing to make a prayer, Fuel remembered the words, "Alright, now… together." Fowl said as he closed his eyes.
Fowl and Fuel had both put their hooves together as Fowl started, Fuel slowly followed behind, "Oh dear father, from heavens above hell, hear our prayers. Grace us with your powers of healing and protection, watch us so we may not sin. Protect us from the hells of the world and aid us when we call for you," Fowl and Fuel spoke, Heap watched the two in confusion wondering why Fowl is now making a prayer over the water they just deradiated
Taking a second to take a breath the siblings continued. "Please heal the waste with your presence. Show us the path to righteousness, and give us power to help those that are lost. Heal this water so that the ponies here may breath to see another day. And show them the light." Fowl said, Fuel quietly followed behind her brother as the two opened their eyes.
Looking at the water Fowl nodded. "It is done… quickly we must go to the medical room and heal those sick ponies." Fowl said as he slowly levitated the pot. Heap looked at Fuel and Fowl, with a nod Heap agreed and followed the stallion out of the room. Fuel quickly grabbed any of the supplies that she saw were valuable and followed her brother.
Heap looked at the pot, his eyes looking for anything different within it. Not seeing a change Heap opened his mouth to ask his question, "Did the prayer do anything? Or was it to trick yourself that it did?" Heap asked as Fowl continued to trot.
Turning around to see if Fuel was close enough to hear him, seeing her a few pony lengths away. Fowl turned back to Heap, "The prayer was for my sister to believe in the religion, she needs to believe it so that if anypony asks they can see her honesty shine. Not only that but it aids me in her to follow the religion more. Now come, we are almost there." Fowl explained as he turned the corner.
The hallway was long as the three ponies walked toward the medical section of the lower part of the ship. Heap looked at the Bible, having read a bit of the Bible within his hoof, Heap only stared at the book for a second until he heard a voice. "You know you got to open the cover of the book to learn on what is inside, right?" Fuel asked.
Heap jumped out of his thoughts as he looked at Fuel, "What? I mean, yes i know how a book works. But… its just." Heap started and struggled to find the right words to explain to the mare about his thoughts on the Bible.
Fuel looked at the book and then at her brother. "Y-you don't believe it do you?" Fuel whispered to heap. Her voice holding fear and hesitance when asking the question. Heap looked at Fuel and slowly shook his head. "That's fine… to be honest, I don't believe it either. To me this religion my brother follows… it seems to take away so much freedom. Even in the stable, they taught us the rights and wrongs of this religion. Don't drink unless its a fancy occasion, don't sleep with a pony until your married, mares shouldn't show so much skin. Don't do this, don't do that. If you sin you will burn in tartarus. I don't think that's what Sueno would want…just like the princesses of the past, they would want us to live our lives to the fullest… but in the end, it just isnt that way."
Heap listened to her speak of her thoughts, looking at Fowl who was ahead and getting ready to enter the room, Heap thought of something to say to the mare beside him. All he could think of was silence as he walked past her and toward Fowl.
Fuel quickly followed behind the stallion, a bit of worry building up within her as she knew she just spoke badly of the religion that her brother loved. Fearful that she could be reprimanded for her words she waited for Heap to tell Fowl. "You two are done talking? We are here to save lives, not let them pass though our hooves!" Fowl started to Heap and Fuel.
Heap looked at Fowl and then at Fuel, seeing no reason to tell Fowl what Fuel said Heap asked a question instead. "So what will we do? Trot in there and say we found the cure to the sickness or give the nurse the cure and be on our way?" Heap asked.
Fowl looked at Heap and smiled. "We explain what we did, our God heard our prayers and it will heal those that are sick along with any more wounds." Fowl explained, "If she doesn't wish to take it we will feed it to a pony. That should be more than enough proof for her eyes to see we are curing them. Then she will ask for the cure." Fowl explained to the stallion.
Heap stared at the two as he slowly nodded. Fowl opened the door and entered before the other two could. The ponies lay on the beds seemingly in the same health as before. "Nurse the cure!" Fowl shouted to the nurse, who was looking at a terminal.
Turning around quickly the nurse saw Fowl and trotted to him. "Did the ponies above give you the cure?" The nurse asked quickly.
Fowl put on a sad expression and shook his head. "No, we had to figure out a different way, it took some time, but we found a cure. Ways that no mortal could find. Through faith and the power of Suenos gave us the cure We grabbed some of the essential supplies and-." Fowl explained, before he could finish the nurse interrupted him. Her face held irritation and worry.
"What? What do you mean they didn't help us! We needed help and they just left us to be ignored?" The nurse asked in fear. Little by little her fear raised as she looked at Fowl. Fuel took a step up and looked around the room.
Heap looks at the bowl and then up at the nurse. "Nurse, believe me, we got the blessing of Sueno to make the water into a cure. It will work, watch." Fowl stated as he started to trot toward the nearest sick pony.
The nurse opened her mouth to stop the stallion but before she could form the words in her mouth, Heap placed his hoof between the nurse and Fowl. "Nurse Gallop. Please, it was able to cure me, it opened my eyes to the true power of faith, if it could do that for me. It can surely do that for others." Heap lied, the nurse looked at him and then toward the stable dweller.
Fowl brought the pot closer to the stallion that was lying on the bed, the dry heaves and gags of the stallion disgusted Fowl but lowering the bowl closer to the stallion Fowl spoke. "Drink my child, it is time for your body to be free of the poisonous grasp the ponies cursed upon you." Fowl slowly let the stallion drink the water, at first the stallion struggled against it but soon the stallion took the radaway.
Once Fowl deemed the stallion had enough, he pulled the pot away and looked at him, "And how do you feel?" Fowl asked, the stallion slowly rising up as he shook his head. Nurse Gallop watched in awe as the stallion slowly sat up.
Looking around and taking a deep breath, the stallion let it out as he turned to Fowl, "I feel good. No, I feel great! I- I don't know how to thank you!" The stallion stated. He turned to Nurse Gallop, his body slowly seeming to return to its normal color as he turned to his fellow ponies. His excitement slowly disappeared as he turned to Fowl. There is more for all of us, right?"
Nurse Gallop ran to the stallion's side as she got in between Fowl and the stallion. Pulling out a Stethoscope and placing it on the stallion's chest the mare looked at Fowl and then at the stallion. "Breath." The mare said.
Doing so the stallion took a deep breath, the air filling his lungs as he coughed a few times at first. The mare listened closely as the stallion's lungs filled with air and soon released it. "No, at the moment we do not have enough to cure the whole ship. But I have brought my teachings to Heap." Fowl explained. The nurse turned to Fowl, then toward Heap. Looking down and then toward the stallion the mare pulled out a flashlight.
Holding it in her mouth the Nurse spoke through the light, "Follow my Hoof." The stallion did so as Nurse Gallop started to test the eyes of the stallion. While this was going, other patients watched in awe and amazement at the stallion. Seeing a pony at the brink of death, too weak to eat or drink, being able to sit up and have a conversation all the while not fainting or throwing up gave the ponies a new sense of hope.
Heap looked at Fowl as he mentioned his name. The unicorn looked at Fowl with confusion, not fully understanding the idea or situation this stable dweller had gotten them into. Playing along with the situation Heap nodded, "Yes, though my time with Mr. Fowl has been short. I can assure you his teaching will be forever learned here." Heap simply said as the ponies watched silently.
Nurse Gallop placed her hoof on the stallion's neck, feeling his carotid arteries. Feeling for a few seconds the nurse slowly looked at the pot, then at the ponies around her. Taking a step closer to the pot, the mare took a small bit of water for herself. Instantly the mare could feel as if a heavy weight was removed from her shoulders. Looking at Fowl, Nurse Gallop stammered for words, "H-how? How is this possible?" The mare asked Fowl.
Giving a small smile, Fowl waved his hoof to the two ponies next to him, "As I said before, this is not the mere accomplishments of a mortal pony. We prayed to our god and he heard our cries and the cries of the ponies below. Cleaning this water along with adding abilities to heal the sickness from within our gods, Suenos had aided not just the ponies of the ship but the wastelands as well." Fowl started at first.
Nurse Gallop looked at the pot below her and then at the ponies around her. Not sure what to believe, the mare turned to Fowl. "Will it have any ill effects or long term damages?" Nurse Gallop asked.
Fowls face turned from one of happiness to one of shock, "You dare believe God has any malice intent? He brings the sun and the moon to give us a chance at life, he gives us dreams and goals, as he gives us life around us. And you believe that he would wish to cause harm to his children!" Fowl shouted, Fuel looked at the mare in confusion as Heap kept a neutral face.
"No- that isn't what I meant! I- I just wanted to make sure that they will be fine." Nurse Gallop stammered out, Fowl looked away and then turned to his sister and Heap. Thinking of his next steps, Fowl nodded to Heap.
"I see now my god's aid was only thrown away here. Non Believers like you nurse. It makes me saddened that God would still try to save you and your ponies." Turning only his head to the mare, Fowl continued, "I believe it's time for us to leave. Fuel, Heap. Our assistance will no longer be needed here."
Nurse Gallop looked at Fowl and his group; her eyes went wide as she looked around at the ponies. "W-wait! Please forgive me. I am only wanting what is best for my patients. I believe it will aid us, I know it will just give them the cure please!" The mare begged Fowl.
Fuel looked at her brother in shock, she watched over the ponies below as she shook her head. "Fowl we can't just leave them-"Fuel started only to be stopped by Fowls glare. The mare went silent as Fowl pointed to the door.
"Fuel, we are leaving. And i do not wish to hear any more nonsense from you." Fowl coldly stated to his sister. Fuel looked at the ponies behind Fowl and then toward Fowl, opening her mouth to argue with her brother, Fuel soon stopped as Fowl glared at her.
Going silent and lowering her head, nodding at the order. Fuel turned toward the hallway and left. "Okay you can take the religion and your aid but at least show us how to make the cure. This can save the lives of many! Please!" Nurse Gallop begged Fowl.
"It does not simply work that way! Suenos answers only those that believe in him, you just merely want to use him! Only the most disgusting of beings would take advantage of those who wish to help!" Fowl shouted to the mare, turning around to look at Heap and see his sister leave the hallway, Fowl winked an eye at the stallion.
Heap, confused at the gesture, slowly seemed to understand as Fowl cleared his voice, "Come now Heap, we were to aid this ship but now, I believe our ability can be used elsewhere." Fowl stated loudly. Walking closer to Heap as if to guide him out of the medical room, Fowl whispered, "Now is your time to refuse and demand to stay here. Follow the plan we said and I promise you, you will find riches."
Heap finally understood the plan, facing the sick ponies and the fearful nurse, Heap shook his head. "Fowl, I can't just leave the ponies here to suffer. They are lost and fearful of the unknown." Heap stated his voice holding a tone of unsureness.
Fowl turned to him and looked at Heap, "They might be lost but they are too far gone to be saved." Fowl explained to Heap, his words holding confidence while holding a serious tone. Heap looked back to the ponies, the patients seemingly scared for the two to leave.
"Did you not think the same of me when you found me in my store, coughing and dying before your eyes? You cured me and I am willing to open my eyes to Suenos, but it was because you trusted me, you gave me a chance, because you wanted to see me grow." Heap explained to Fowl, his voice becoming more confident as the time went on.
Fowl looked at Heap and then toward the door, seeing Fuel peeking her head within the room. "And how will I know you will not stray off the path and into sin once more?" Fowl asked Heap. Heap only smiled at Fowl and placed a hoof on the stallion's shoulder.
"You can always visit or write. But not only that but with the aid of Suenos and my own actions to save those that can not save themselves, I am sure I won't sin for a long time." Heap explained to Fowl.
With that Fowl thought it was enough, nodding slowly Fowl looked at the ponies behind him and then at Heap, "I will let you stay here, learn the ways of our religion and give these ponies a chance to repent for their sins. I will let you make your own chapter here and if you ever need any guidance, it is all within the book and the training I gave upon you." Fowl said to Heap, as if an old friend was leaving for the last time. Turning to the nurse behind them Fowl spoke, "Heap will stay and aid your ponies, be happy that such a pony will willingly give up his time to aid you, for some of us are much busier."
Nurse Gallop nodded her eyes watering as she faced Heap, "Thank you, thank you so much! Please, show us more of this religion. Please continue to aid us." The nurse begged as she lowered her head. The fear of losing more ponies weighed on her mind, blinding her to the lie that Fowl and Heap had constructed.
Heap turned to Fowl one last time, with a small nod. Heap levitated the pot of radaway. Trotting into the medical room and giving the ponies the water, Heap turned to the ponies before him as he raised the pot over his head with his magic as he started to say the prayer he heard Fowl and Fuel say.
Fowl had left for the hallway once he saw that Heap had started the prayer, meeting his younger sister at the hallway, Fowl looked at her. Fuels eyes were happy and filled with joy. "Thank you for helping them. Even if it meant saying goodbye to your new friend." Fuel started.
Fowl only rolled his eyes as he continued down the hallway, "Fuel, I knew he was going to stay." Fowl started, his knowledge of before almost slipping out of his mouth as he cleared his voice. "He was born here and raised here. If he was to leave with us he would have doomed what he knows as family. I was willing to let him go so that he could aid those he cared for." Fowl finished, as the two walked down the hallway, Fuel only smiled at Fowl.
"And you helped the ponies of this ship, you made a new chapter, just like the overstallion wanted! We finally get to go home and see our family again!" Fuel explained as she seemed to grow more excitement. Fowl looked at Fuel and shook his head.
"No my dear sister, there are still many more to save out there, we can not rest any time-" Fowl stopped as he heard a ding. Looking at his pipbuck Fowl's eyes landed on a new message. Tapping onto it and reading it, Fowl looked up at Fuel, his eyes seemingly to have a goal in mind as he smiled.
Bitter Brew and Cutting Edge
Marexico, once a land of national and cultural beauty, now a radiated wasteland where one's culture can decide who lives or dies. Mutated Jungles and irradiated rivers spreaded throughout the nation,covering many of the prewar cities, leaving many to be lost and forgotten. The nation brought down small groups of ponies fighting to survive the wastelands, never knowing what the next day might hold. Though the nation had suffered Equestrias faults in the past, Marexico had managed to grow from the ruins of the old world.
Many of the survivors had managed to form the foundation of many factions we see now, gangs took the opportunity to free territory, some turned to life of raiding and pillaging smaller communities, others became slavers. Some even speak of the old government surviving within the shadows of Marexico city. In the end many factions were made, and just like the days during the war, more blood was spilled.
At the edge of Marexico, only a few miles away from the border of Equestria stands a small town. The ruin buildings made of bricks and wood standing strong against the wastelands nature. A sign on the road near the town saying "Welcome to Salti" the other side of the signed scorched and unreadable while the language was in the nations old language "Caballo". Within the town the ponies lived in harmony with one another. Earth Ponies, Unicorns, and Batponies work together to keep the town safe and to aid in the growth of the town.
During the day, the ponies would go to work, some worked on the farms as others went to scavenge the nearby dead towns. Such as Talxcolt, and Nuevo León. Some ponies worked at the bar as others had joined the guard of the town. A radio station plays within the town, using old world music and even some new music from the wastelands.
Caravans enter and leave the small town of Salti in order to gain more items to sell or buy. The bar of the town has many customers within, some talk about their jobs as others talk of the weird radio frequency that was heard across the wastelands of Marexico at the time of 12 am to 3 am.
Theories spread around the town as to what it could be. Some say it is a nearby town trying to call for help, others say its a emergency signal the old world government had set up long ago only to be ruined by the harsh environments of this new world or even tampered by raiders, many think its the legend the "Weeping Mare". The Ponies seemed to agree on one thing for sure, whenever a pony turns on the radio and finds this mysterious station many can say it sounds like the alarm of a emergency siren along with the sound of burning fire, as it gets louder the cries of millions ponies can be heard but above them all a mares cries can be heard. Her shouts of agony and pain bring many fear and discomfort as it continues for hours until 3am. From there the station goes silent, leaving many to wonder what it means or where these sounds from hell come from.
Whatever the answer may be, the ponies of Salti had gone on with their lives, the small town growing into a well known settlement around the area. With the protection of the sheriffs and the ponies all armed to the teeth, the settlement faced any problem that threatened the town and its inhabitants.
The town of Salti had grown from the ruins of the old world particularly fast as the crops they harvested and planted grew fast due to the constant aid from the day farmers and the night farmers. The farmers produced enough food to give to the town's ponies while also having enough to trade for items.
With the day coming to a close and the work of the ponies is done, many of the ponies find themselves walking to their houses, preparing to rest for the next day to come. Those that stayed up went to bars to celebrate, get a drink or drown their sorrows. Some played hoofbol at the town's park while others stood next to the fire in the middle of the town, trying to stay warm for the night.
Not all was perfect within the settlement, with the threats of the wastelands there came groups of raiders, monsters from the north and even the giant mutated animals and insects of the wastelands. Though the settlement dealt with these problems none of those threats were as dangerous to the settlement unlike its own crime within, corrupt leaders taking more than they could give, corrupt guards abusing their power or taking bribes from other ponies, small groups of ponies believing themselves to be a gang, along with the rising tension of the settlement kept many ponies on edge. The settlement of Salti still had much to improve on, but just like the old world, Salti is now facing the same crime that had ruined so many ponies lives before, drug dealing.
At the edge of the settlement, stands an old grocery store. Carriages littered the parking area of the grocery store, some tumbled over others ripped apart for metal and scraps. At the front of the grocery store hovers a Mr Handy, patrolling around left and right the Mr Handy robot looked toward the parking lot. Letting out a sigh he quickly patrolled over to one of the carriages, "I swear some ponies have no sense of parking, I already told Sénior Cacto that he can not park here without a handicap permit. I will just have to leave another warning." The Mr Handy said in Caballo.
Reaching the carriage in question, the Mr Handy grabbed the notebook that was clipped to his side. Grabbing the pen that was on the notebook, the Mr Handy wrote into it. Once he finished, Mr Handy placed the paper into the tilted carriage, a pile of papers filled with similar warnings on it had already filled the side of the carriage as the Mr Handy turned around and wandered back to the entrance. "Come one! Come all to the Re- Re-Reopening of Avocade's Greocery Store! The third Reopening of its time! Prices are cut three times lower! Open from 6 am till 11 o'clock pm!" The Mr Handy shouted in Caballo.
Within the store stood empty shelves and baskets, some skeletons laid on various parts of the shop, forgotten by time. In the far back area of the store stood five figures. The group spoke in Caballo, three of the figures were batponies, their eyes able to see through the darkness of the store and night, their wings to the sides of their leather jackets. One of the Batponies held a machete, another wore a battle saddle with a rifle strapped to the side as the one in the middle held a pistol made out of spare parts and items. Two of the batponies stood at the sides of the shelves, they kept their heads behind the shelves but out enough to see. The leader of the trio was in the middle of the walkway, occasionally taking a look at one of his friends before turning to talk to the stallion before him. "We got you the parts, now where is our side of the deal?" The Batpony with the pistol on his side demanded in Caballo. His tone kept to a quiet hush.
A zony looked at the leader before him, the zony had a brown coat with black stripes on the back of his coat, his main light green with black stripes. All being hidden by a sombrero. He wore a maintenance jumpsuit along with a tool belt. A pair of goggles glowed on his face, giving him the ability to see in the darkness. A box laying under his hoof. "I got your… desirables here, but first I must see the parts first. I can't be giving my items away without making sure the Night Stalkers won't keep up their part of the deal." The zony stated in Caballo, slowly sliding the box toward his companion behind him, the zony placed his hoof onto his necklace. "Until i see the items in question, I believe that my part of the deal will be better placed in the hooves of my friend here."
Behind the zony a metalic step was heard, a metal hoof landed onto the case as the metallic mare unicorn looked down. Being bigger than the average stallion, the mare stared quietly at the batponies before her. Her eyes seemed to look right through them and into their souls.
The leader of the trio felt a chill rise up his back as he locked eyes with the golem behind the zony. Facing the zony, the Batpony cleared his voice "Bitter come on, do you believe that Raiden would not follow up the deal? How long have we been working together?" The batpony asked as he slowly removed his saddlebag.
Bitter watched carefully, his hoof still on his necklace as he stared at the batponies. The Golem seemed to ready herself to jump between Bitter and the batpony, her eyes turning from a neutral stare to that of a glare. Placing the bags onto the ground gently a few clinks could be heard.
Bitter's heart skipped a beat, his eyes going wide as he smiled. With his hoof still on the necklace, Bitter waited as the Golem levitated the saddle bags toward him. Slowly levitating the items out, Bitters eyes studied the items as they levitated into the air. Not getting them close to him so that the batponies didn't think he would rob the items and run, Bitter watched carefully as they slowly rotated.
The first object was a small red stone, the stone had nothing of visual interest but once the levitation spell had picked it up a small glow emitted from within the stone. Placing it back into the bag the next item of interest caught Bitters eye, a rectangle shaped item floated out, a crack reached from the right side of the screen to the center. When lifted closer to his face the item in question hummed to life, a wall of text appearing for a second. Placing the item back into the saddle bag, Bitter waited for the last item to float out.
With the last item revealed, Bitter could only smile with shock. The crystallized heart of a pony hovered in place. Bitter examined every part of the heart carefully, the golem using her magic carefully as to not squish the heart within her magic. Bitter made sure the heart was in perfect condition as the heart was gently placed back into the saddle, "Yes, good, this is good." Bitter stated in Caballo. His eyes watched the bag as he slowly guided the bag to him.
The Batpony opened his mouth to speak against the action, before he could even utter a word the golem levitated the container in front of the batpony, the items clanged within the box but with a thump the container was given to the batponies. The Batpony looked at the box, using his hooves to open the box. The other two bat ponies walked nearby to see the items within, once they managed to open the box the three looked at the items within.
Weapon pieces and ammo filled the box, below the rifle and pistol pieces layed a few grenades. The leader of the three looked up and smil. ed, "You my friend have a deal. The boss will love these, heck he might just make you a Night Stalker." The batpony said with a smirk.
Bitter placed the bag onto his belt, he looked at the leader speaking to him with a small chuckle and a shake of his head, Bitter spoke "That would be an interesting thought but it seems my schedule will be a bit too busy these coming months, but i will keep it in mind." Bitter explained as he held his necklace in his hoof. The golem behind him gathered around them and placed the saddlebags upon their back.
The Batpony to the left had grabbed the peices of a pistol, placing them together with ease, a click was heard as he looked down the sights. "Oh yes, this Obregón Pistol is very nice." Aiming it at the wall and pulling the trigger with his wing he smirked. "Yep, these are very well done. Hey Memori, do you think the boss will notice if i snatch one for myself?" The batpony asked the leader of the group.
Grabbing the pistol from the stallion with his wing, the leader raised his hoof, "Yes Match, I am sure the boss will have your head, so how about we wait to get back to HQ and then we will figure that out." Memori said in a serious tone. Lowering his hoof and turning toward Bitter. "Sorry this one is new to this whole thing, thinks he can do whatever he wants. Anyways, we appreciate what you have done for us. This is surely going to aid the Night Stalkers take over much easier." Memori stated as he grabbed some of the ammo within the box and loaded the proper ammo into the pistol.
Bitter only waved his hoof, "Oh don't mention it. It was a pleasure to do business, now if you excuse me and Cutting Edge-" Bitter stopped himself as he cleared his voice, "My guardian, must be leaving. The wastelands are not to be traveled lightly and we do have some other business to attend to." BItter said as he looked at the golem behind him, his hoof released the necklace as it fell back into his jumpsuit.
"Actually the boss wouldn't mind at all, since he was the one who wanted you to join us." Memori stated, looking at his two companions he gave a small nod as he stepped closer to the two. Match went to the right as the batpony with the rifle went to the left of Bitter, "You know the boss wants you to join the Night Stalkers. He believes you will be a great asset to the future of the gang."
Bitter looked at the three batponies around him, their wings to the side but with the aid of the night goggles, Bitter could see that these ponies were on edge. "And if I refuse to join this little possy of yours?" BItter asked, a slight hint of confidence within his tone.
The three gangsters looked at one another and then to Bitter. "Well, you don't have much of a choice here compadre, just say you will join us, you'll be making our jobs a lot easier." Memori stated as he pulled out the pistol that he just loaded. Aiming it at Bitter the Batpony looked on with a smug look. "Because the only other way out of here is through death. So what do you say? Are you in-" Memori stopped suddenly as another voice spoke.
"Excuse me, but the store is closed. I must request that you leave through the front exit right away." The Mr Handy robot said cheerfully as he turned the corner into the aisle. Scanning the ponies before him the Mr Handy's eyes caught the two guns and machete the batponies held. The box of gun peices and ammo laid behind them as the Mr Handy could clearly see within the box. "Oh my, I'm terribly sorry but Avocado's Grocery store does not permit the usage of firearms. I must contact the officials."
Hovering in place for a second, the Mr Handy seemed to be focusing on something it could see but no one else could. "What are we waiting for! Shoot the bucket of bolts!" Memori demanded, aiming his pistol at the Mr Handy. Bitters eyes went wide, knowing what was to come as he opened his mouth to speak. Looking down the sights and pulling the trigger, a bang went off.
"Hm, it seems the official's phone has not been repaired yet. I will go to them personally and inform them of this situation. Please stand by as I go fetch the sheriff." The Mr Handy said as he quickly turned around and left to the front doors. The two gangsters were confused at the Mr Handy, no bullet wound or its surprise implication of being shot.
Turning their heads to look at Memori to see if he missed the shot, their eyes went wide as they saw what had happened. On the right side of Memori's face, where he had been looking down sights with his pistol, was a hole. Still standing and holding onto the pistol, Memori turned to Bitter. The pistol that was held by his wing seemed to have blown up ruining part of his wing though it didn't seem that Memori noticed. "Now, where were we?" Memori slurred his words. His blood leaked out of the side of his head. With a heavy but wet thud, Memori fell over, his body losing all life as his good eye went dead.
Bitter had already started to reach for his necklace, his thoughts thinking on what to do. Before a plan could form in his head the two remaining batponies aimed their weapons at him. "What the fuck was that!" The batpony with the rifle asked, his eyes looking at the Zony with anger "You did that didn't you!"
Bitter froze his hoof only inches from his necklace as the attention was brought back to him. The two batponies had aimed their weapons at Bitter and his Golem, all the while Bitter was looking around thinking what would be the best thing to say. "How is this my fault! That could have been a faulty gun or maybe an old gun! Hell for all we know it could be Match's fault here he probably didn't arm it right!" Bitter stated as he pointed to the batpony behind him.
The Match's eyes went wide as he tried to speak. Speaking through a machete only for muffles to come out, the batpony spit the machete to the side. "That's impossible! Guns don't shoot the user, even if it was mismade! The pistol should have blown up before it ever shot backwards!" The Match stated as Bitter turned to him, a worried expression filled his face.
Still trying to reach for his necklace, Bitter pointed at Match's with his foreleg to not bring attention to his goal. "You dare question my abilities! Why don't we look at how your arming of a pistol went?" Bitter demanded as he pointed to the pistol that was now laying in the puddle of blood.
The two batponies looked at the pistol, as if to think if it was the arming of the pistol that was the cause of their friend's death. Bitter took this chance of them being distracted to grab his necklace. Quickly pulling the necklace out, the stone in the middle of the necklace seemed to awake, as the Golem next to Bitter straightened up.
The Batpony with the rifle had walked toward the dead body to inspect the weapon, picking up the pistol with his mouth the batpony dropped it onto his hoof. Looking at the weapon before him, the batpony could see the blast hole in the back of the pistol. The hole seems to be made from within the gun releasing the bullet toward the user.
As the rifle batpony was inspecting the weapon, the Match watched Bitter and his Golem. Seeing the two were staying still, the batpony slowly turned his head to his friend. "Hey Misto, did you find anything?" The batpony asked his friend.
The battle saddle wearing Batpony named Misto looked around the pistol, seeing the bullet was nowhere to be seen. Turning the pistol around, Misto saw a small casing on the ground. Bitter had thought of the ways this confrontation could end, with one end goal in mind, Bitter thought into the stone, "Kill the Batpony with the rifles." The Golem stood up straight as she looked at the batpony over the body.
Lowering his head to see it clearer, Misto saw that the back of the casing was blown open. Looking at the casing and then at the pistol Misto didn't know all the information, but he did piece one thing together. The bullet had been shot backwards.
Misto had turned around aiming his rifle at Bitter only to see the robotic chest piece of the golem right before him. Before he could clamp his teeth down onto the trigger of the battle saddle, the Golem slammed their body onto Misto. The force of the impact sent the batpony flying backwards. "Misto!" Match shouted after his friend, before he could charge the Golem, Match was punched to the side of a shelf by Bitter.
Feeling at his jaw, Match looked up to see Bitter above him, his forelegs up and coming down to strike Match. Thinking fast, Match bucked out his legs to Bitters stomach, forcing the zony away from him.
Bitter grunted as he landed onto the ground, looking at Match who had rolled onto their hooves, Bitter smirked. "Well it seems that you are not all that new." Bitter stated as he grabbed the bag that was on his side. Setting it down onto the shelf behind him, Bitter turned to see Match had grabbed his machete.
Bitter spread his legs to shoulder length, with one quick breath Bitter charged at Match. Match swung the machete at Bitter, turning around while charging, Bitter was able to use the movementem to send a kick toward Match's face.
Making impact on Match's cheek, Match had lost the machete as he looked at Bitter, the zony had charged him. Match opened his wings to flap out of the area, trust to get away only to be by the side. Bitter used his strength to bring the batpony back to the ground, what little air time Match had was taken away as the shelf he was standing next too had broken. The metal and plastic parts of the shelves crumbled below the two of them. Metal cans and rusted parts layed below them.
Bitter being above the batpony shook his head, only to receive a buck to the face by Match. Shoving the zony off of him, Match rushed to get up onto his hooves. Bitter stumbled backwards from the impact Bitter looked up to see Match grab his machete. Thinking that he will get another chance to attack Bitter prepared to charge at Match.
Charging at the batpony, Bitter was going to slam Match to the shelf. Before Bitter made contact, Match had jumped into the air, using his wings to fly out of the attack, making Bitter slam into the shelf himself. Match looked down at Bitter the machete held in his mouth as he got an idea.
Flying toward the front of the store, Match left Bitter behind in the back. "Is he trying to escape? Shit!" Bitter thought to himself as he took off after Match, leaving his bag on the shelf. Using his goggles to find the batpony in the air, Bitter couldn't see Match anywhere. Thinking that Match already had made it out of the store Bitter turned around only to receive a hoof across the face.
Match flapped his wings fast to push himself above the shelves, leaving Bitter on the ground. Feeling pain within his mouth, Bitter spat onto the ground, blood leaked out as a single tooth laid in the middle of the blood. "Where the hell did that come from!" Bitter asked himself while he scanned the air.
Seeing Match disappear again, Bitter cursed quietly as he got up onto his hooves. Using his ears to listen, Bitter could hear the soft flaps of wings around him, his eyes scanning where his ears heard but nothing was there. Before he could think of a plan, Bitter heard the quicken flaps of wings behind him. A sudden pain to the side of his body made Bitter hiss in pain. Match cursed as he flapped his wings again, making his body go above the shelves and into the darkness, this time Bitter watched Match's movements.
Seeing the Batpony go above the shelves and out of sight, Bitter started to put it together. Looking at his wound, Bitter could see his mechanic suit having a giant slash on it, below the suit blood spilled out as he quickly checked out his wound. The cut was below his side, barely missing the saddlebag he had on. His right foreleg and back leg was cut though he was able to handle the pain. Though deep the wound seemed that it would be fine with a healing powder.
Quickly reaching into his saddle bag, Bitter pulled the bag of powder out. Unwrapping the bag, Bitter put his hoof into the bag, the sounds of the flapping returned. Looking around the aisle, Bitter could see Match flying above, seemingly searching for him. Working faster to heal the wound he had, Bitter gently rubbed the powder into his wound.
The healing powder caused pain to spike within his side, grunting at the pain, Bitter gritted his teeth. The powder started to fix the wound up, making the flesh repair and heal itself. Mending itself back into one. With the cuts healed up, Bitter thought of an idea. The flapping of wings had gotten faster, Bitter looked down the aisle.
Seeing nothing infront of him, Bitter turned around as he placed the healing powder bag back into his saddle bag. In the distance, Bitter could see Match flying close to the ground, the machete in his mouth.
Bitter ran to the middle of the aisle as he got into the fighting stance he had started in. Match looked ahead in confusion, seeing that Bitter ran to the middle of the aisle making himself an easier target. Bitter watched Match carefully as he prepared himself.
Match seeing that Bitter had made himself an easier target, swooped down faster to attack. His machete read to take the hooves of Bitter, Match thought to himself why the zony would stand in the middle of the aisle if it would make him a bigger target. As he got closer, Match soon got the answer.
Only a few feet away from Bitter, Match flapped his wings to get a boost in speed. Bitter jumped at Match, his hooves together as he aimed his landing down to Match's wing. Before the batpony could do anything, Bitter slammed his whole body weight onto the Batponies wing, an audible crack heard within the aisle as Bitter fell over to the ground into a roll. Match yelled as he slammed into the ground and rolled into a pile of carts.
Bitter got up slowly as he shook his head. Looking over at the pile of carts, Bitter could see Match within the middle of the karts. Struggling to get out of the pile while his wing laid limp to his side, the bone broken in half and outside of the wing. "And he lives… good, I don't want this one to go to waste." Bitter said to himself as he started to trot toward Match, the batpony finally freeing himself from the cart.
Grabbing his necklace the necklace came back to life once more as Bitter sent a thought through it. "Hurry up and kill that batpony, I need some assistance. Bring a container." Bitter ordered the necklace.
On the other side of the store, Misto had been flying in the air, waving and dodging the magical beams that had been being shot at him. The golem below him trotting casually toward him, trying to bring him back down to ground level by either shooting the stallion with magic or by yanking him down with levitation.
Misto had shot multiple times at the Golem, none of the bullets seemed to affect her as she continued with heart mission. Being forced to run to the skies for protection, Misto thought of his plan. Using the environment around them, the batpony had tried to hold the mare back or even injure her. Nothing seemed to do the trick.
Currently flying away from the mare, Misto arrived at the restaurant area. Thinking of a plan to lose this thing, Misto ran into the kitchen of the resturant. Hoping to find knives or to trap the monster into the freezer, Misto landed on his hooves as he ran deeper into the room. From within the kitchen area, Misto could hear the golems metallic hooves echoing into the restaurant area.
Looking around the kitchen, old rusted pots and pans were all Misto saw, the knives too old to do any damage. "She doesn't know i am in here. She can't know right! She didn't see me." Misto thought to himself, trying to calm himself down. His body ached at the first few hits the golem gave him.
Definitely having a harder time to break, Misto coughed quietly into his hoof. The metalic steps stopping for a second, only to continue, "Is- is that blood?" Misto thought to himself as he looked down onto his hoof. His blood splattered in a small area as he tried to breath. His adrenaline slowly calmed down, as he could feel pain in sudden places he didn't feel before. The metallic hooves seemed to trot away, as Misto let out a small sigh.
Checking into his bags, Misto pulled out a small bottle of pills, reading the label Misto smiled greatfully the pills shaking within, the labels on the bottle read "Regen", slowly opening it and putting the bottle at his lips, Misto pulled his head back.
The pills entered his mouth and went into his body, slowly but surly, the effects of the pills kicked in. Taking slow deep breaths, Misto could feel it become easier to breath, the pain he was feeling was slowly going away as he felt the world become a bit brighter.
Looking into the bottle itself, Misto could see it was now empty, throwing it behind him with little care, Misto could only cringe when the pill bottle hit a pan that was barely hanging off the edge of a table. Crashing into the ground, Misto's ears folded back as he clenched his eyes.
The metallic hooves that were starting to walk away stopped, the metalic steps started to return toward the restaurant area Misto was in. His eyes going wide as he looked around for a place to hide. Getting up in a hurry, Misto's wings accidentally pushed some of the tools and pans onto the ground, multiple crashes hitting the ground. "No no no!" Misto whispered at the items, almost praying that they would listen and silence themselves, but it was already too late.
The hoofsteps had already reached the restaurant area, and with the final pans and tools hitting the ground Misto could tell the steps were coming straight toward the kitchen. Looking around the area, Misto went back to his plan. To trap the mare.
Running toward the back of the kitchen while the golem opened the door with a bang, Misto knew his time was running out. Turning the corner and finally reaching the back of the restaurant, Misto saw the freezer. Running into hit, Misto smelled the rotten meat and melted ice cream within the freezer. Gagging at the smell Misto knew he would have to bear with it.
Thinking of what he could do to get the mare into the freezer Misto got a idea. Though it was one of his worst ideas, Misto didnt have time to think of any other. Clearing his voice Misto prepared himself as he exited the freezer. "O-oh no! The freezer is a dead end! I will hide here, I pray she won't find me!" Misto shouted out toward the kitchen.
Opening his wings and looking for a place to hold onto the roof, seeing nothing to hold onto Misto flew to the corner of the room, his eyes aiding him to see in the pitch darkness the restaurant was in. The metalic steps were booming to Misto, his heart racing as the small high the pills gave him quickly died down. His eyes watched as the entrance of the room revealed the mare.
She walked at a slow pace, but she seemed to scan the room. Looking right at the freezer door, the mare started to walk toward the door. Misto held his breath as she marched at the door. Stopping at the doorway she poked her head into the freezer. "Go in! Go in!" Misto thought to himself as he begged whatever god would listen to him to make the golem enter the room.
Almost from the sign of a god, the mare took her first few steps into the freezer, presumable to check the full room. Once Misto could no longer see the mare, he took his chance. Pushing off the wall, Misto charged at the door.
Reaching the door in time, Misto started to shove at the door with his whole strength. With a great slam the door closed, though the metalic steps were muffled, Misto could tell that they were coming right for the door. Grabbing the handle to the doors bar with his teeth, Misto pushed the bar, the metal lock starting to move as some of the rust came off.
The first hit was more than enough to keep Misto pushing the lock, the second seemed to be a bit more aggressive. Misto's eyes started to widen as he struggled to push the last part, using all the strength he could muster Misto didn't know if it would fully lock. It was until the third bang hit the door that the lock was pushed into place. Locking the door from the outside.
Misto took a step back as he watched the door with fear, the bangs continued for a few minutes and finally they stopped. Misto looked at the door, expecting to see the mare break it down its hinges, after nothing happened, Misto chuckled. "Yes!" Misto cheered to no one. "I did it! I did it! It's locked inside! I Managed to contain it!"
MIsto sat on the ground, his breathing slowly calming down as he stared at the door. The metallic steps from the other side seemed to have gone quiet, "Suck on that you bucket of bolts! That zony might have made you invulnerable but not smart!" Misto shouted at the door. "This will be your room for the rest of time, so I hope you enjoy it because I know I will." Misto stated confidently.
Getting up and trotting over to the door Misto just chuckled to himself. "Now time to go find that damn zony, when I find him, I am putting a slave collar right onto his neck-" Misto was infuriated by a sudden slam on the door, a dent being made from within the door. Misto went silent as he stared at the dent, "It can't break through that can it?" Misto asked himself, starting to doubt the strength of the door.
The metallic steps from the other side went quiet, as they suddenly came in at once, as if the golem was galloping. Another slam hit the door, the dent becoming bigger, "Shit!" MIsto shouted as he started to run. It didn't take long for the third impact to sound within the kitchen. Misto had made it to the cashier section of the restaurant when he heard a metallic yell coming from behind him. The sudden charge of the metallic hoof steps made Misto's heart skip a beat as he took off to the air.
Before he could get far, something grabbed his tail, yanking him back to the ground. Misto turned around to see the mare's eyes red, it was as if Misto was staring at the eyes of a mother Yao Guai with the sole purpose to save her kin.
Misto soon felt a magical aura grab onto his wings, before he could say anything the wing was twisted with sudden force. The bone cracking and ripping apart as the muscle from within was being ripped. Misto's yells echoed around the restaurant area, but it seemed no one was there to hear them, no one but the golem.
With one wing finally ripped off, the golem threw it to the side using her magic to grab the other one, Misto's cries for mercy fell on deaf ears as the same painful process was done to the limb. Once the final muscle was torn off, the wing was discarded to the side. Misto had tried to crawl away but with the magical pull of levitation, Misto was brought back toward the golem.
Misto could feel his leg being enveloped with the golems magic, knowing what was to come next, Misto started to beg and shout for help. "Sweet Victoria help me please! Some pony! Ama! Papa! I'm sorry!" Misto shouted into the air. His cries for anyone to save him seemed to have been unheard as golem was about to break the leg but suddenly she stopped. Lifting up her head and looking toward the checkout area of the store, the golem seemed to have been listening to some voice.
With her eyes coming back to the stallion below her, her magical hold was gone. Misto looked at the golem, seeing her head being lowered to his face, Misto struggled for only a second until a magical beam shot through his head. The golem raised her head as if nothing happened as she started to look around the area.
Her eyes stopped on one single item that she saw within the kitchen floor. Using her magic to levitate the item toward her, she studied it for a second, as if to see if it would work. With a nod, the golem placed the Regen pill bottle into the saddlebag she wore.
Bitter felt the glass bottle hit his head and break above him. Stumbling backwards, Bitter soon felt the sudden stab to his side as Match plunged the broken bottle of beer into Bitter. Using his quick thinking Bitter headbutted Match back a good crack being heard.
Match stepped backwards the wing holding onto the beer bottle pulling the piece out of Bitter. Match's nose was bleeding profusely as he and Bitter both seemed to be at the end of their ropes. "For someone that is new to the gang business, you sure know how to fight." Bitter stated as he held his side. Feeling the blood leaking out, Bitter tried to shrug it off only too feel the pain rise up slowly.
Match shouted at Bitter a battle cry, charging him with the broken bottle. Bitter sidestepped the attacker and stood on his hind legs, Match being right under him could tell what was next to come. Both of Bitters' hooves slammed down onto Match's head. Forcing the stallion to the ground.
With a boost of energy, Match pushed off the ground head butting Bitters jaw. The zony shouted in muffled pains as he stepped back. Blood leaking out of his mouth, "You talk too much!" Match shouted at Bitter.
With a quick lunge at Bitter, Match swung up to hit him. The bottle nicked part of Bitters neck along with the necklace, as the stone fell to the ground. Bitter grabbed the batponies wing that held the broken bottle in it. Using Match's movementum, Bitter spinned and threw him to the side of the check out machine. The cashs register dinged as the metal compartment opened, hitting Match in the face forcing him to the ground.
Match, already in a daze and seeing the world black in and out, felt Bitter somepony grab him by the wing, dragging him out of the cashiers box, BItter threw him on top of a table. Walking toward him, Bitter stood up and threw a punch down onto Match's face. Throwing another one and another one, Bitter could feel the blood start to soak his hooves, as for the final punch, Bitter grabbed Match's shoulders and slammed him into the table, breaking it below them as wooden peices entered Match.
His face was bruised up, parts already turning purple against his dark green coat. His breathing had started to become ragged and harsh, as he laid limp on the ground. The wooden pieces stabbing through him like scissors through paper. "I might talk a lot, but I seem to always be the one that walks away with more in the end." Bitter stated as he got up to all fours.
Looking at the area around him, Bitter looked at Match, the stallion's breathing becoming slower. "I might have done too much damage. Where is Cutting Edge when I need her?" BItter asked himself as he started to check the body of the stallion. Bitter reached into his saddle bag in a hurry.
Looking for a specific item, Bitter felt the cold metallic touch, "There we go, now don't you worry Match, I will make sure you don't go to waste." Bitter said to the dying batpony. Not sure if Match could hear Bitter, Bitter continued with his goal.
Pulling out a metal horn, Bitter smiled as he placed it on the ground. Reaching into his other side, Bitter pulled out an old journal. The journal seemed to have cuts and age horribly, with caution and care Bitter placed the book onto the ground. Opening the book, Bitter could see the language of the Zebras within, reading it carefully but quickly, Bitter prepared himself. "Where is she!" Bitter asked as he looked around the area.
About to reach for his necklace, Bitter could see his golem turn the corner of the final aisle. "Cut! Come on hurry up!" Bitter demanded as he grabbed the metal horn within his hooves. Looking over the book and then back to Match, "Alright, ready for a life of immortality?" Bitter asked as he grabbed the horn within his hoof.
Tapping the horn onto the chest of Match, Bitter started the process as the horn started to light up within Bitters hoof. Match's eyes went wide, a sudden pain within him started to grow. His yells went around the store as Bitter focused on the act. His eyes closed as he lifted the horn off the chest of the stallion.
At the end of the horn was a string that entered the body of Match, Bitter slowly pulled back with the horn. Trying his best to ignore the yells of pain, Bitter finally yanked the last of the string out, within the end of the string was a bright ball of light that had come out of Match.
Match's yells came to an end, his head falling to the side as his soul started to dim bit by bit. "Cut! Hurry up and give me that container!" Bitter shouted to his golem. The mare looked at the dead body with an expression of sadness as she had reached Bitter. Within her magic was the Regen pill bottle. "Seriously? That's what you found? Fine, it's fine, just keep it still. We already had some things go wrong today. I just want to get out of here. Should we take the guns? What use will I have?" Bitter asked himself as he moved the horn over to the pill bottle.
Placing the horn above the bottle and slowly lowering the soul of Match into the bottle. Bitter kept focusing on the magical symbols as he lowered the soul into the bottle bit by bit. Seemingly finishing the process, Bitter sighed with relief. Before he could say a word a question was asked. "Why do you do this?" The golem asked, Bitter froze as he looked up. The golem looked shocked as she looked at Bitters neck. The necklace had not been there.
Bitter didn't have to look down to realize the necklace was missing. Silence filled the room as Bitter tried to remember where he had lost the necklace. Though not sure, Bitter remembered giving Cut orders merely a few minutes ago, "It has to be around here, I just need to keep my distance." Bitter thought to himself, the pain from the fight finally making Bitter realize the state his body was in as he couldn't help but to lean on the checkout aisle. "That's a lot easier said than done… I should have killed Match faster." Bitter thought to himself as he looked up.
Cut had walked right toward him, towering the zony Cut thought of what to do. It didn't take long for an answer to come out, her eyes slowly turned into that of rage. Without a second thought Cut raised her metallic hoof,"Wait don't!" Bitter shouted, but it was too late. Cut smacked Bitter across the face with her hoof. Though it was meant to be a slap, the sheer strength that Cut now holds accidentally turned a simple slap into a powerful backhand.
Bitter was thrown off his hooves as he landed on the floor with a loud thud. Bitter coughed out more blood as he felt the world spin before him, Cut looked at her hoof and then at Bitter. "Oh, oh no, Bitter! Bitter, are you alright?" Cut asked, her anger quickly dying down as her motherly instincts kicked in. Running toward Bitters side, Cut looked at Bitters state. Bleeding from the wound to his side and his body, Bitter layed on the ground as he coughed out some blood. "Oh sweet Victoria, still, I know you got some healing powder somewhere." Cut said as she levitated the saddlebag Bitter held toward her. Looking into the bag, Cut quickly found the bag with the powder and slowly brought it out. Laying it onto the ground,
Cut opened the bag as she looked inside, the powder within laid still. Reaching in with her metalic hoof, Cut tried to take out the powder. Having a metalic hoof the powder didnt stick much as it would to a regular pony would, but she managed to get it in her hoof. Looking at Bitter, Cut started to add the healing powder in the open wounds. Placing the most on the cuts to his side, Cut sighed as she saw the wounds heal.
Bitter slowly opened his eyes, the pain from his side was now gone but he could still feel the pain within him. Looking around, Bitter could see Cut over him tending to his wounds. Not saying anything, Bitter focused on the ground that was leveled to him. His eyes looked around the ground, his brain still trying to process what had happend. Watching the ground below him, Bitter saw it. The necklace he wore along with the stone laid on the ground, under an old war soda machine.
Though healed externally, Bitters internal injuries needed some healing to be delt with. Cut looked over to Match's husk of a body and grimly trotted over to it. Seeing his chance, Bitter started to slowly crawl his way toward the soda machine.
Reaching to Match, Cut looked over the dead body. His expression showing the last few minutes of his life in pain made the mare feel unpleasant. "Forgive me." Cut quietly said to the body as she started to look for some Regen Pills.
Peeking into the bag and moving her hoof around, she couldn't find the Regen pills within the mess. Grabbing some items and throwing them to the side, Cut continued to look within. Bitter didn't dare to turn around, the fear of seeing the golem right above him was too much as he pulled himself toward the machine.
Cut looked at Match's jacket and started to rummage through each pockets the stallion had. "Where is his damn Regen pills. Did they only give one pony the Regen pills?" Cut asked herself quietly. Bitter finally made it halfway to the soda machine, his time was running out and he knew it. The inside of his body was hurting all over as he pulled himself closer and closer to the machine.
Cut had finished searching the pockets of the stallion with her magic as she trotted around to the other side. Seeing Bitter on the ground moving toward the soda machine Cut squinted her eyes. "Bitter Brew, do not move. I don't care if you're thirsty, we will give you some proper aid first. After that you are in a world of pain." Cut stated as she lowed her gaze toward the saddle bag below her. Checking the other saddle bag, Cut didn't notice Bitters push toward the machine.
"Come on, I just need more time! Just a bit more." Bitter thought to himself as he pulled himself toward the soda machine again, this time Bitter coughed out some blood as he felt his lung was damaged. Laying on the ground for a second out of pain Bitter reached his hoof out trying to see if he could reach the necklace. Extending the hoof all it could go, Bitter mentally cursed at the necklace.
"There it is." Cut said behind Bitter, the zony knew his time was now shorter than he expected. Hearing the metallic steps behind him getting closer, Bitter could feel a magical aura surrounding him as it lifted him up and slowly but carefully, turned him around onto his back. Setting him back down, Cut looked at him with an upset expression, "Before I give you the Regen pills we need to have a talk. So I will hold onto these pills and when you give me the things I want, I will give you one of the three that you need." Cut demanded to Bitter.
Bitter reluctantly nodded as he coughed once more, "Hurry up and state those demands." BItter stated as he laid on the ground. Cut rolled her eyes and looked down at Bitter.
Cut set the bottle of Regen to the ground as she looked at Bitter. Seemingly thinking of the demands she would want, Cut seemed to have got it in order. "I have had a long time to think about this, my first demand is to be free of this body and put back into my old one." Cut started to discuss Bitter.
Bitter had tried to lean up but struggled to even do that, managing to sit up Bitter started to push himself toward the soda machine. "Heh that's impossible, to begin with souls should never leave the pony body. Once it does well you become like that." Bitter started as he nodded his head to Match, the husk of a body laid still, seemingly as if all life was ripped out.
Cut stared quietly at the stallion as Bitter took this chance to explain the other effect, "Once you infuse the soul with an item, it can no longer leave said item. In fact it's almost impossible to break the items so death isn't even a way out." Bitter explained, Cut looked down at her hooves as she thought on the words that were said.
"So... I am stuck like this? Forever?" Cut asked, her voice held fear within it as she looked up at Bitter, the stallion struggled to move but managed to get closer to the Soda machine.
Bitter had chuckled to himself as he heard the fear within Cut's voice. "You are very lucky, look at it this way, you will never fear the outcome of death, your invincible and hell you got magic, if you wanted to you could try to even make yourself as strong or even stronger than Equestrias Princesses." Bitter stated confidently, as he stumbled to the ground once more.
Cut stared at him for a long while, her thoughts running through her head left and right. "How could you say that?" Cut asked Bitter, her voice was calm at first still holding that fear that she held before, but slowly it rose to anger as she asked the question again. "How could you say that! I had a life, friends, I took you in like my own child and you made me into- into this monster!" Cut shouted at Bitter.
"Monster? You are no monster, you are a beauty of soul magic and technology. Your existence proves that we can become more than we are suppose to be. Our bodies are merely temporary but when you infuse a soul into a robotic body, half of the things we would worry for disappear. We would need no more food, our bodies would use as much energy or more without feeling the effect of fatigue and even infections would be nothing to us. We as a race would evolve to become the strongest race in the world." Bitter stated.
Finally reaching the soda machine, Bitter let a small sigh out as he prepared himself for the next step. "You didn't give me that choice! You just did it, you killed me and then took my soul into this! Your own mother!" Cut shouted at him as she got onto all fours again. "Then to make things worst, you used that damn stone to control my actions and moves. I don't even get a say in anything and you expect me to thank you? I am a slave! You made me a slave!"
Bitter gritted his teeth as he pointed his hoof at her, "I chose you to be my first experiment because you were dying! I saved your life, with the little time i had and the accident, I had no choice." Bitter started to explain, stopping to cough a few times. Bitter soon continued his mind now leaving the thought of the necklace. "You are not a slave! You are just helping me and my work until I can manage to find a suitable way to perfect my experiment." Bitter explained to his mother, Cut scoffed as she turned her back to him.
The two went quiet once more, Bitter soon realized the goal he was after. Reaching his hoof to go under the soda machine, Bitter struggled to get his hoof under the machine. His eyes widened as he soon realized that his hooves were too big to fit in the small gap below the soda machine. "No, I am right here! Just let me grab you!" Bitter thought to himself as he tried to get his hoof under the gap.
Cut sighed as she turned around to face Bitter, not noticing his trys to reach below the machine. "Alright, so if I can not have my body back then you must do this, tell me where the necklace is." Cut said as she looked at Bitter.
"Oh yes and let me tell you all the secrets I have too while i am at it. Thatnecklace is the only thing keeping you under control. If it breaks or if it gets in the wrong hooves, Marexico, no the world would be under threat." Bitter stated as he thought of something.
Using his tail, Bitter tried to get it under the soda machine. Managing to fit it under the machine Bitter felt the necklace rub against his tail. Slowly trying to get it to loop around his tail, Bitter listened to what Cut had to say. "Oh so now your greatest achievement is also a world ending threat? How is that even possible!" Cut asked as she stomped her hoof to the ground, the floor before her cracking.
Bitter cleared his voice, "Well that depends on what happens, if the necklace get to the hooves of an evil pony, then you will be used to harm others or aid in the ponies agenda. But if you break it, then there is no safe plan." Bitter started only to stop with a few coughs. Blood at the edge of his mouth started to trickle down as he wiped it off. "You can go on a rampage in a city, become a raider, go insane, the possibilities are endless. That's why I must perfect my design first!" Bitter stated as he pointed to the floor below Cut, "Even now, you can not control your strength."
Cut walked up to him and put her hoof on his leg, "Well then I guess its my turn for a experiment, tell me where the necklace is and we will start on the first test." Cut demanded as she put her hoof onto the glass of the soda machine, the glass instantly cracking under her strength.
Bitter looked at the crack on the glass and then went back to his mother. "To be honest, I don't know where the necklace is, I think i lost it over there but as you can see." Bitter started to say as he pointed to his foreleg, "I am in no position to start searching for the items around here. I can help you search for it but I would need those pills." Bitter said as he pointed to the pill bottle that floated next to Cut.
Cut turned around to look to where he was pointing at, "And let you grab the necklace and enslave me again? Yeah, no, sit here and wait for me to return." Cut stated as she levitated the Regen pills with her as she trotted toward the area Bitter had pointed to.
As she had started to search for the necklace in a hurry, Cut thought on what she would do next once she got out of Bitters hold. Lifting carts, empty boxes and crates, Cut couldn't seem to find the necklace anywhere. "Hey, mom." Bitter called to Cut, turning her head to look at him, Cat's eyes widened as her mouth opened in fear.
Bitter had leaned on the soda machine for support as he had gotten to all fours. Having his right hoof hovering above the necklace, Bitter smiled at his mother, "I promise you will be free one day." Bitter said.
Before Cut could use her magic to pull the stone away or even push Bitter off the stone, Bitter had already placed his hoof onto the stone. "You will levitate and tie the necklace on my neck. Then you will give me the pills so I can heal myself." Bitter ordered in his mind.
Cut stood still as she activated her magic once more. The necklace hovered to Bitters neck as it tied around it. The necklace laid back where it once was as Bitter soon saw the Regen Pills hover to him. Sighing, Bitter opened the bottle and took out three pills.
Taking the three pills at once, Bitter forced them down as he looked around him. Placing the hoof onto his necklace once more Bitter thought of the orders he would give next. "Grab the bottle we placed Match's soul into. From there follow me." Bitter ordered.
Cut didn't say anything nor did she refuse. Trotting over to the body of Match, Cut started to search for the pill bottle as Bitter started to trot over to the back of the store where the deal was started.
Once reaching the back of the store, Bitter saw his bag with the items he was given was still there. Grabbing them, Bitter waited for Cut. It didn't take long for her to arrive at the back of the store. "Alright then. Let's get out of here. Leave the case. We got some projects to finish." Bitter said. The two prepared to leave the store that caused a mess until the tablet that Bitter was given by the gang turned on with life.
Bitter used his necklace to make Cut reach in with her magic and pull out the old world tablet. Showing it to Bitter, the two looked at the sudden message the tablet had received. Bitter's interest was caught immediately.
Quick Trigger and Ophidian Roots
An isolated town located to the north west of Manehatten stands, in the middle of Rocky Mountains and within the badlands of Pre War Equestria. A wooden sign saying "Welcome to Our Town" laid before the town, but there was no pony to welcome. Before the last day, Our Town was used as a mining facility, taking the resources Equestrias needed and aiding the town's growth. Making new jobs, giving the ponies new entertainment and some new friends. Although the mainstream of what is to go through the town was all accepted or denied by the town Mayor as she held control for the safety of her and her ponies.
Although the Equestrian Government did use the town as a mining facility, unbenounced to any of the ponies within Our Town the government started work on a missile silo below the town itself. Though the mayor of the town was unaware of this action it didn't stop her from keeping her poneis and the new ones that have taken residency within Our Town to join them in their Equality.
Though many were hesitant at first, the majority chose to join the town's traditions as they joined the town's ponies in Harmony. With the war taking most of the Ministry Mares attention along with the Princess, the town was left to do as they pleased.
When the megaspells rained from the skies, the ponies of Our Town fled toward their stable, in attempts to hide from the Mega spells. Though the town's ponies made it to the stable, secure and protected from the horrible monstrosities outside in the waste, the town lay abandoned along with the miso silo being left unused.
Now the town lives once more, Slavers have taken residency as they armed themselves with the Mining Facilities tools and equipment. The town uses slaves to sustain the towns food and water, along with making special equipment to use against the wastelands. All the slaves wear bomb collars made from scraps and old junk, all thanks to a reprogrammed Protectron that resides in the mining facility.
Some of the slaves are held at the market place, trading with the ponies that have enslaved them or wastelanders looking for items or weaponry, but many are stuck within the mining facility. Bringing out rocks and bags full of rare ores. Bringing them to the top, while only being able to use their hooves to mine.
The town has constructed fences and brick walls, watch towers watch over the area of the town. Some guards take pot shots at the ponies in the fields. Others watch the slaves, enjoying the easy life they made for themselves. Guards patrol the area around outside, they watch the area outside the wastelands or make sure there are no breaches in the wastelands. Some slaves go out into the wastelands returning with more.
The slavers feast on the good vegetables that were grown within the fields or meats that were brought in from the wastelands. As for the slaves, they only receive the scraps of the slavers. Life within Our Town has fallen so far from where it once was.
Rain falls from the sky, the heavy downpour falling over the slaves and the town. Many of the slaves, silently thanked the rain to rain upon them. While the slavers mumbled and some even cursed as they continued on their patrols. The lights of Our Town shone around the town. Going past the walls, the fields and even the outside of the town, the slavers go on their usual shifts.
Within the rain on the top of the hill a figure looks down at Our Town, the rain though harsh and cold, covered the mare from sight of the lights. Looking with her sniper rifle scope around the area the unicorn mare shook her head as she brushed a piece of her blue mane aside."Where is he?" The mare thought to herself as she used her rifle to scan the perimeter of the prison. Using her battlesaddle to aim down at the area below, the mare carefully watched the wastelands.
Before long the mare heard something below the rain, at first it was hard to hear it but as the second passed by, the noise of rocks crumbling was recognized by her ears. Looking around herself, the mare tried to see through the rain. The downpour makes it difficult to catch any movement. Quickly lowering her rifle to the side while using her hoof to slowly pull out a knife, the mare bit down onto the handle as she prepared herself for a fight.
Looking behind her, the mare soon realized the noises were coming from the edge of the cliff. Using her tongue to flip the knife making the sharp end point at whoever she was facing. The mare turned her head and aimed it at the edge, only inches away from a stallion.
The stallion had a long brown mane, going down his head and even connecting with his beard and mustache. He wore an eye patch on his right eye, while his left seemed to be fine even if it was mere inches from the knife the mare pointed at him.
"Woah, easy there Quick Trigger. It's me." The unicorn said, his horn slowly was surrounded by his magical aura, enveloping the knife before him the stallion slowly moved it aside. "How about ya help a pony in need of assistance?"
Spitting the knife to the side, Quick Trigger's eyes widened as she cleared her voice, "Celestia, Roots scared the crap out of me!" Quick responded as she put her hoof out to grab. Grabbing onto the hoof, Roots was slowly pulled up onto the edge. "Did you find anything?"
"Kept you waiting, huh?" Roots asked with a chuckle as he got onto the edge with Quick. Turning his head to the slave camp Roots turned back to Quick, "And yes, i did find a way in." Roots stretched his forelegs as he breathed in. Roots wore a painted jumpsuit. The number 87 marked his back within a light grey color, Roots jumpsuit was a black color instead of its usual bright yellow and blue colors.
"Well. Gonna keep a girl waiting?" Quick asked, as she looked at the slave camp ahead. Quick wore a pair of Equestrian army khakis, though dirtied by the years of the wastelands they stood strong against the natures weather. A tucked in brown button up shirt covered her chest. A belt with two holsters layed around her waist as she covered it all up with a dark brown trench coat.
Pulling up his pipbuck, Roots tapped on it a few times with his hoof. Getting the map setting up, Roots nodded his head for Quick to come close. "For the last few weeks we have been watching over this place like a hawk. The wall is protected on all sides, guard towers being monitored by ponies and griffin slavers. I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few alicorns within the camp so keep an eye out for that." Roots explained as he then revealed the map that was on his pipbuck.
Quick watched quietly as she waited to hear the plan. "Here is my idea, The slavers work the slaves twenty four seven, within that facility, which means there are still slaves within the coal mines. Though they been working there for a while we soon realized that each four hours the slaves are switched with another group from the town." Roots explained as he then zoomed in within part of a map. "They walk the next set of slaves from the eastside of the town as they use the side entreance. We are going to go within the facility, take out who ever is making these slave collars and start a revolution. We will be facing off with some power armor wearing slavers so bring some armor piercing ammo. The slaves set off within twenty minutes, and we are walking off with them too." Roots stated as he pointed to the mining facility with his hoof.
"You want us to walk with the slaves? Sorry to tell you this boss, but it sounds like this could end up bad for us if they even find us. How are we going to walk with the slaves anyway?" Quick asked as she checked into her saddle bags, a few boxes of diffrent ammo laid within but using her magic, Quick could see the armor piercing ammo within its box.
Roots chuckled as he started to check his saddle bags, "We are always facing dangerous threats. This is no different from any other mission, we are the Forsaken Hounds after all danger will always be a problem in our line of work. Plus I got the best disguise yet. They will never suspect it." Roots stated as he looked back to his companion. "You ready? We have to move fast, we need to follow them into the facility."
Quick looked at Roots with a unsure expression but nodded. "Well, no pony else will free these slaves. Let's do it Boss." Quick said as she pulled out one of her revolvers with her magic and quickly flipped it. Stopping the flip with the barrel facing away from them, Quick checked the ammo within the revolver. Shutting the revolver back and reholstering the revolver the two started on their way down.
As the two climbed down from the edge of the mountain, once the two made it to the ground level the two continued on a gallop toward the east side of the settlement. The two made their way through rocks and dead plants, using the terrain to their advantage to hide from the spotlights of the town. The two soon made it to the other side of the town as the rain aided them in their cover.
As the two watched from the edge of the rocks and trees, Roots and Quick could see the doors slowly open. From within, the slavers exited, a unicorn in combat armor exited first a griffin walking out behind him. The two looked around with little care as the stallion turned toward the settlement. "Alright move it you worthless sacks. We don't got all night! Let's go!" The stallion shouted.
From the entrance, the doors opened wide, the headlights slowly guided around the floor as Quick and Roots took cover behind a rock, a headlight gliding over them but not noticing the two as it quickly returned to the group of slaves.
Unicorns, and Earth Ponies were all chained together by the neck, the ponies slave collars all blinking at diffrent times. Quick shivered as she watched the blinking red dots on the collars of the ponies, Roots kept a serious face as he watched the ponies starting to trot toward the facility. In the back of the group, there was two more slavers as they trotted beside the slaves. The two unicorn slavers seemingly bored as they trotted beside the poneis.
"Alright, get close. This spell is hard to do and we only got one shot." Roots stated as he spreaded himself out. Quick did as she was told as she stood to his side, looking on at the slaves Quick quietly watched.
Roots' horn started to activate as Roots focused on the spell, a small ring of magic surrounded the two unicorns as Roots continued on with the spell. Quick kept an eye out for the guards or the headlights to come their way. Roots' spell continued to start up, the circle finally connecting back to the start as Roots lowered his head to the ground. Slowly lifting his head up to the sky, stopping at the highest his head could go, Roots sighed. "It's active. If you stay within the circle I made , no pony will see us. This invisibility spell takes a lot out of me so let's hurry." Roots stated
"Wait, your plan to get us closer to the facility was a invisibly spell?" Quick asked Roots. The stallion didn't respond as he started to run after the group of slaves, Quick being close behind. The two invisible ponies quickly made it to the group as they followed the slavers.
For minutes the two would walk silently behind the slaves and slavers, Roots had already started to struggle with the spell as they finally made it to the facility. The facility towered the town of Our Town as smoke left the pipes of the facility. At the front of the group the griffin pushed on a button. "Hey Gill, we got the slaves. Let us in its fucking freezing out here!" The griffin shouted into the intercom. His voice barely louder than the rain.
"Stand back, I don't want to be cleaning up any ponies from the gate." The intercom spoke back to the griffin. With a roll of his eyes, the griffin stepped back and watched the gate before them. A red light turned on as it started to spin while an alarm rang to warn whoever is entering to step back. Quick gritted her teeth as she looked over to Roots. Seeing him visibly starting to strain from the magical pressure Quick got closer as she pointed at her revolvers. Proceeding to point at the two slavers on their sides, Quick looked at Roots to see what he thought.
With a small nod, Roots pointed to the one farther away and tapped the ground twice. Quick nodded as she used her magic to levitate the revolvers out of her holsters. Aiming one at the slaver on the right while aiming the other at the slaver on the left, Quick waited for the sign. With the gate opening slowly Roots forced himself to keep the spell up.
As the gate rose from the ground and finally stopped at the top with a metallic thud, the slaves started to enter. Roots waited for the right moment as he saw the two slavers starting to take their first steps into the facility. "Now!" Roots shouted as his horn stopped surrounding itself in a magical aura. The invisible spell fell as the slavers turned to the sudden yell they heard. Before either could raise their weapons to shoot Quick's revolvers shot their bullets.
The closest slaver was hit in the neck as his assault carbine started to shoot rapidly down. His magic not being able to hold the assault carbine up as it fell to the ground spraying the bullets out until his life left him. The other slaver took a shot to the chest as he stumbled back, before he could recover and shoot back at the attackers Quick shot another two bullets from her revolvers at the stallion. Both bullets penetrated the armor the unicorn wore.
Coughing out blood immediately, the unicorn only looked up at Quick as he fell to the side. The two bullet holes leaking out blood from the stallion. The slaves had jumped at the sudden fire fight, many hitting the ground as a few froze in place. The slavers in the front of the group turned around only for the griffin to receive a bullet to the face.
Roots loaded another bullet with his magic as he looked down the scope with his good eye. At the front of the building stood three more slavers, the unicorn that lead the group there had managed to turn around, seeing Roots and Quick the slaver pulled his pistol, before he could aim it at the two attackers, a earth pony mare at the front of the group tackled the slaver. Bringing him down and pulling him into the group of slaves the stallion was attacked by all sides as the slaves took this chance to take one.
The two slavers within the facility saw the sudden attack as the one closest to the slaves aimed his shotgun at the group. The earth pony aimed the shotgun at the group mumbling some commands through a mouthful of shotgun, pulling the trigger the shotgun blasted its pellets out. Spreading and hitting the first line of the group, many of the slaves had fallen but with the sudden choice of life or death the slaves turned their attention to the earthpony and griffin within.
Gill had his assault rifle aimed at the slaves already as he opened fire. The bullets flew through the air hitting many of the slaves, but the act seemed to only angered the slaves as the earth pony was out numbered. Pulling the shot gun out of the earth ponies mouth and beating him to the ground the two ponies yells could be heard from the crowed.
Gill had aimed his rifle at the group as he placed his talon on the trigger but before he could shoot, a bullet flew through the air blasting the Griffin's talon into pieces. Yelling in pain the griffin turned at who had just shot, only seeing Roots in the distance as he loaded another bullet into the sniper rifle.
Gill's attention was pulled back to the slaves who had set their eyes onto him, opening his wings to intimidate the ponies he swing his talons around striking at a few of the slaves that managed to get close. Starting to take to the sky, Gill reached for his walkie-talkie. Pulling it off his belt and raising it up to his beak, "Detonate the slavers of Delta-4 now! Send backup to the entrance! Now!" Gill shouted to the radio within his claw. The slaves shouted and tried to grab him, Gill only smiled waiting to see the heads of the slaves explode.
His smile turned to confusion and then into fear as he looked at his walkie-talkie. Gill had used the talon that was shot, the claw that he would use to push on the speaker button had been shot off. A sudden pain shot through Gill's wing, sending him into a spiral to the ground. Roots took a small breath in as he watched Gill hit the ground, the ponies taking this advantage to take the griffin down. "Nice shot Boss." Quick said quickly as she holstered her revolvers while spinning one in her magic and then placing it into the holster.
Roots nodded with a serious look, "Let's keep moving, we still got a lot of work ahead of us." Roots said as he set the sniper rifle onto his side, the holster holding onto the rifle as the two ran into the facility.
The slaves had already killed the slavers before them as they turned to face Roots and Quick. Roots had stopped at the entrance of the facility as he watched the slaves looking with caution at the two unicorns. Quick waited carefully as she kept her eyes on the ponies before them. Afraid one would grab a gun and attack them out of fear.
Roots looked around him as he started to walk to the unicorns dead body, the slavers lifeless corpse laid still, his beaten body in ruins. Searching through the body, Roots find what he was looking for, looking into the room Roots started to walk in. The room seemed to be a storage room, boxes covered a corner of the room stacking up as they collected dust. Carriages hugged the back wall of the storage room as Root saw the slaves before him.
Finding the griffins dead body, the griffins face was missing the bullet seemingly blowing it into pieces scattered around the area. Roots had started to searched it, the slaves watched him confused on what he was looking for. Those that were in better shape than others got inbetween the weak and Roots. Not finding what he was looking for, Roots got up and shook his hoof, the blood being shaken off his hoof.
Looking up at the slaves, Roots started to trot to them. Mentally counting them, Roots counted up to twenty four slaves. Six slaves laid dead on the ground. The slaves stepped away from Roots, some watched in suspicion as others watched in fear.
Trotting toward the body to the middle, Gill's beaten body laid still in the middle of the ground. Searching the dead griffins dead body, Roots finally found what he was looking for. Pulling it up with his magic, Roots looked around him, the key ring filled with rings of all shapes and sizes floated in his magic as Roots looked around, seeing who he wanted to find Roots started to trot toward them. The ponies moved out of the way as Roots passed them, Quick opened her mouth to speak agaisnt walking into the slaves group but kept silent.
Roots stopped in front of the mare, the earth pony mare looked up to him as her expression changed from one of anger into one of hope, the key catching her eyes. "What's your name?" Roots asked, the question catching the mare off guard.
Her expression was all that Roots needed to see what she was going to ask, "I asked what your name is. I want to personally thank you." Roots said as he lowered the key to the chains.
Placing key after key into the lock, Roots started to free the mare, "Sunrise." The mare said, the click of the chain alerting the mare as Roots smiled. She looked down at the chain and then back up, Roots had taken the key off the ring and slowly handed it to Sunrise.
"Well, Sunrise I thank you. Your sudden attack and spark to lead the ponies into battle distracted the slavers, giving me and my friend enough time to attack. Your bravery saved your lives and the lives of your fellow enslaved ponies." Roots said as he started to go through the keys once more.
Sunrise looked at Roots confused, then with the key hovering past her head and behind her neck, the key entered the slave collar. With a click, the light turned off as the collar opened, slipping off of Sunrise neck and onto the ground. "There we go… congratulations Sunrise. You got your freedom back." Roots said
Sunrise looked down at the collar on the ground, looking up at Roots Sunrise saw the key hovering in front of her. "Now, its time you free your fellow ponies." Roots said, his eye looking at her. Taking the key within her hoof, Sunrise looked to her right as she started to unlock a unicorns chains and slave collar.
Roots looked at the unicorn slave, using his magic Roots focused on the ring that lied around the unicorns horn. With just a few seconds, the ring levitated as the magic nullifying ring was removed. Sunrise and the unicorn quickly started to aid one another in removing the chains and collars. The unicorn removed the magic nullifiers from other unicorns.
Trotting back to Quick, Roots turned around to see the ponies they had just freed, "Will we ask them for help? It is their fight if not more than ours." Quick asked as she started to see the ponies around them working with one another to get out of the restraints.
Roots thought on the question as he tried to see the outcomes, unsure on what will be the end reward, Roots looked around. Seeing the carriages, Roots started to trot over to the carriage, Quick followed behind him as she watched the ponies before them.
Roots got next to the carriage in the middle. Looking up at the carriage, Roots jumped up, catching the opened window Roots pulled himself up. Struggling to get onto the roof, Roots managed to get one hoof onto the edge of the roof. It was until Quick used her levitation to make Roots a bit lighter that Roots could get on top of the carriage's roof.
Roots looked down below to the ponies that had just freed themselves, thinking on his next words and what to say, Roots cleared his voice. "Everypony please listen to me!" Roots shouted to the ponies below. His voice was carried across the room as the ponies they had saved turned to Roots. With their attention grabbed, Roots continued, "My name is Roots, my companion's name is Quick, we are part of a small militia, we are the Forsaken Hounds. Our mission across the wastelands is to stop this cruelty the world has tried to place upon us! We have no ideology, we have no philosophy, we have no leader. We go where we are needed, fighting not for money, not for power, but for ourselves. We are the deterrent for those with no control, those that abuse the weak, those that take life for granted." Roots stated, the ponies listened in silence.
"We may all be heading straight to Tartarus, but we are taking some evil bastards with us. Our Town has been under the control of the slavers for far too long, and if you ask me, its time we take these slavers down a peg. Time to take back the town! I ask you, not as a soldier, but as a fellow wastelander, will you help us take back this town? For those that do not wish to fight, the door is right there, but for those that wish to continue the fight, stand and fight against these oppressors! Stand and fight against these monsters!" Roots said the once slaves of the town.
The ponies cheered together in unison as Quick smiled, "Good speech Boss." Quick thought to herself, Roots had climbed down as he landed in front of Quick. "Alright Boss, what's the plan now?" Quick asked.
Roots looked at the ponies willing to stay and fight as he smiled to himself, "Lets wait till we get more ponies around us so that we can figure out a better plan." Roots explained as he started to walk toward the entrance gate. Ponies had already started to leave, some wishing not to fight and risk their lives in the wastelands, others fearful the ponies would fail. Root didn't judge them nor did Quick, but once the last of the ponies that chose to leave had gone Root turned to the ponies that stayed. Seventeen ponies looked at Root and Quick as Roots prepared to speak. "Are you sure you all wish to fight, you don't have to but once the last pony leaves. I will be shutting the door behind us. To make sure none of the slavers outside can flank us." Roots explained, but no pony spoke or moved.
Roots pushed the button on the gate, the door slowly lowered down the alarm alerting anypony that was beneath the door to move out of the way. Once it was shut Roots turned to look at the ponies behind him. Staring at Roots, the ponies looked at him, some had taken the armor of the unicorns and earth pony they had killed, many had taken the weaponry. "Alright ponies listen up, we have a few goals to reach before we can even have a chance at winning this war. First thing is first, does anypony here know the layout of the facility?" Roots asked
It didn't take long for many of the ponies to raise their hooves, one of them being Sunrise. "Being slaves and working here for years, some of us managed to explore the facility before, the majority knows what the layout looks like." Sunrise stated, catching the attention of Roots.
"Do you know where the armory is?" Roots asked, the ponies looked at one another as they looked worried. Roots waited for a response as he looked at the worried expressions of the ponies. "It will be crucial to get weapons for all the ponies here, not only that but armor as well." Roots explained.
"It's easier said than done Mr Roots, it's that we have three guesses where the armory could be. And that's if we were even close to it." A stallion explained as Quick thought on the situation.
Roots nodded as he pulled up his pipbuck. "My pipbuck should be able to find a map of the interior building. If you can mark it on my pipbuck we can try to go for the nearest one." Roots explained as he put his hoof out.
Sunrise looked at the other ponies, seeing no one step up she took the first steps herself. Trotting over to Roots, Sunrise pulled his hoof closer to her as she looked at his pipbuck. Her eyes followed the halls the pipbuck showed as she tapped on different parts. "The first one is here." Sunrise explained as she marked a hallway with a point.
Quick looked at the ponies as Sunrise continued to search on the pipbuck as she had just marked the second location they believed to be in, "Where does the leader of this operation stay at?" Quick asked the ponies that were waiting.
The ponies looked at one another as they spoke, seemingly trying to make sure the place was correct as they all agreed on one place. "He stays in the head office on the top of the building. He doesn't leave it much and from what we can see, he has a lot of poneis between us and him." An earth pony explained he looked at Quick and then toward Roots. "I am not sure if going for him will be the best option as well."
"That should be the last one. If they are not there, we have no idea where they can be and at that point we might as well fight and take the downed poneis weaponry." Sunrise explained as she looked at the poneis that stayed to fight.
"Alright, I assume you all know where the mines are right?" Roots asked the ponies, the ponies nodded as Roots smiled. "Then we have three goals, Take down the leader, grab the weaponary and free the slaves!" Roots stated as the ponies looked unsure at the plan "before we start up the plan i have one final question, does anyone know how the facility and the town gets powered up?" Roots asked, this question seemed to be easier for the ponies to answer as a mare walked up.
"This facility is powered by generators that run off of solar rays. The panels are on the roof, they work twenty four seven then there are the moon rays, if you want to take the power out you will have to destroy both type panels. And you will have to go through the upper levels, we don't know what's up there other than slavers." The mare explained to Roots.
With the goals in his mind, Roots thought of any other goal they will need to set up. Seeing no other mission on their list and preparing for the worst, Roots looked at the ponies. "There will be three groups! One will be led by me, one will be led by Quick, and the last one will be led by Sunrise. My group will be heading toward the leader, without a leader, the orders will stop coming along with the slave bomb collars being stopped before they could ever explode, if we are lucky there would be release latch there for the collars. This will cause chaos and while disorienting the slavers this will give the ponies a chance to fight back. The group with Quick will be going toward the mines, freeing the slaves from the bomb collars and getting more pony power to fight against the slavers. Finally Sunrise's group, your mission will be to find the armory and take as much weapons and armor to the slaves, this will even the battle field more than enough for us. I will need five ponies with me, Quick will need six ponies with her, and Sunrise will take the rest of you to the armory. You may order yourselfs in whatever team you wish to be in." Roots explained as he looked over to Quick.
Quick grabbed her revolver and had been checking the ammo. Seeing the round full, Quick let one quiet breath out as she loaded her gun. Sunrise didn't seem worried or hesitant to lead a group of ponies into battle, her eyes held anger and determination within. At first the ponies took a second to choose what group to be in, very few went toward Roots but eventually the groups settled themselves into the group.
Roots looked at his group counting five ponies, "I got my five, what about you Quick?" Roots asked as he turned his head to look at his friend. Quick had been counting her ponies and counted up to six.
"I got six, which means Sunrise should have six too. We are all good to go." Quick said, her revolver floating next to her. Before Roots could open his mouth to give out a new order, the door that led deeper into the facility opened. A slaver walked within the room seemingly not noticing the ponies. Behind the slaver was another group of slaves as they were being transferred back to the town.
"Come on! Come on! If I see any of you fall now I will personally rip your head off and-" the mare stopped as she had turned to see the three groups of ponies before him. Before she could bite down onto the trigger handle, a gunshot rang within the room as the mare fell to the ground. Quick prepared to shoot as Roots grabbed his rifle. Aiming it at the doorway it didn't take long for another slaver to enter the room.
The slaver fell backwards, the force of the bullet pushing him onto the ground. An alarm started to sound around the area as Roots turned to his group, "The element of surpise is gone! Let's move now! Stick to the plans get the armor and weapons, free the slaves! My team on me!" Roots shouted over the alarm as he charged toward the door, the ponies that had group themselves with Roots followed as Quick's group ran behind. Sunrise's group had started to chase after the two before them.
Some of the ponies had grabbed the weapons and armor from the two slavers that were just dealt with. Entering the next room, Roots saw a group of slaves before them. Two slavers stood behind the slaves, a earth pony had his hoof on a button near the wall. While a unicorn aimed a hunting rifle at the doorway.
Quickly shutting the door behind him and dropping down, the bullet flew over Roots head and hit the door with a loud ping. The mare that was behind Roots, though suffering a metallic door slamming into her face, was relieved when the bullet hit the door.
The door opened behind Roots as he had gotten up, the slaves between Roots and the slavers had ducked down from the fear of being shot. Roots group hugged the wall as they ran toward the slavers due to the big group of slaves in the middle of the room. The slaver had reloaded his rifle as he aimed it at Roots, but before he could shoot a magical blast was shot at the slaver.
Before the unicorn could recover, Roots had reached him. Spinning around and throwing a buck at the unicorns neck a loud crack was heard as the stallion started to choke on his blood. The stallion that had alerted the facility turned to shoot at Roots and the ponies before him. By the time he turned around, a barrage of bullets sprayed him ripping both him and his armor into shreds. "Quick, free these slaves and go help the others, Sunrise get to those weapons now!" Roots ordered at the two mares.
Quick and her team had already started to aid the slaves into freedom, "If you wish to fight follow us! If you can't fight or do not want to go to this room and arm yourselves. There might be more coming." Quick explained to the poneis before her as she used her levitation to remove a magical nullfier.
Sunrise looked at the poneis within the chains and collars. Thinking where the first room the weapons could be Sunrise looked ahead and saw the turn in the hallway, "Come on everypony! Now's our chance to find those weapons!" Sunrise shouted as she and her team ran down the hallway taking a right.
Roots team had gone to the left where the stairs were. Climbing them Roots and his group dissapeared up the stairs, Quick looked at the slaves that were too weak or tired to fight. "Take them to the carriages. From there if things go south we will take them and escape from this hell hole. Who here knows where the mines are?" Quick asked after she ordered a pair of ponies that were just freed.
"The mines are straight ahead, to the right and down." One stallion said as he gave Quick the directions. With a small nod, Quick turned toward her ponies grabbing her revolver with her magic as she aimed it down the hallway.
"Let's move! These ponies won't free themselves!" Quick shouted as the ponies before her cheered and followed behind.
Roots team had made it to the second floor of the building as they ran into heavy resistance, the slavers within the facility aimed at stopping the group within the hallways and trying to push them back down the stairs. Roots managed to get ponies into a room, the five ponies he started off with had become four due to the fighting. One of the stallions' dead bodies lay on the ground. A few more were injured but with freeing the slaves in the front Roots team had grown to fourteen ponies.
The room the ponies were in seemed to be a break room, a old nuka cola machine stood next to the wall with a old tv on the wall. Couches and soft chairs were around the room with a water dispenser. Roots had started to mend the poneis that were injured in the fight as he left the fighting to the slaves and slavers.
The door was barricaded but whenever one slaver took their chances at rushing the ponies within the room a bullet or two were waiting for them. Roots had finished tying down the mares leg as he had removed the bullet. "There, try not to use it as much, this healing brew should help the healing quicken but its not a healing potion. I didn't have the right ingredients." Roots said as he gave her a nuka cola bottle with a light green liquid within it.
Getting up and looking at teh situation of the door, Roots could see that more of the ponies within his team had started to take the armor and weapons the slavers that tried their luck had. "What's the status outside?" Roots asked the nearest pony.
"They are being patient now, I think they realized that rushing in isn't going to work out as well as they thought it would." The stallion replied, Roots thought on the situation as the stallion continued. "The bad news is, we are getting close with losing a ponies life. They are taking shots at where the last pony stood and almost killed one of ours. Luckily it was only his ear that they managed to hit."
Roots nodded as he looked around the room itself, "If we barricade the doorway it would stop them from getting in faster, but it will leave us trapped in this room." Roots thought out loud as he looked at the four ponies that stood near the door, their guns aimed at the door waiting for it to open.
"If we go out there we are shot and might not even make it to another room in time." The stallion said as he pointed toward the door. Roots nodded, keeping that thought in.
"Does any pony have an idea? If we don't think of one soon, this rebellion will die as fast as it started." Roots exclamed as he looked around the area, the ponies within the room seemed to think as he pointed to the four at the door. "Make sure that door stays shut, if any pony tries to get in, blast them."
The ponies at the door nodded as Roots looked back to his group. The ponies had started to look around the area, unsure if the place had any hope of aiding their escape from this room. Roots walked around the room, his eyes scanning for any weak points in the walls or floor. After searching for a while, Roots thought of another plan. It was until he felt a tap on his shoulder that he turned around to see a mare.
The mare had a dirty yellow coat with a light green mane, "I do have an idea. But how do you feel about small spaces?" The mare asked, her hoof pointing to something on the roof. Roots looked up only to smile. A vent hung right over their head.
Down on the lower levels a gun fight had started, Quick using her two revolvers shot at the slavers while the ponies she led through the lower levels stood by. The sixteen ponies in her team had started to look for weapons they could find, most finding nothing had to resort to waiting for the gunfight ahead of them to stop so they could arm themselves. The unicorns that had tried to levitate some of the slavers weapons towards them had started to struggle as some of the slavers that were unicorns had started to pull the weapons back. Quick was the only one shooting back at the slavers as she stood to the side of the four way hallway. "Damn it! Is there any other way toward the mines that doesn't have to be through these ponies?" Quick asked the group she was with.
"No, the elevators are down and these ponies are standing in the exit and entrance of the mines." The stallion next to her shouted over the gunshots as Quick had loaded another set of ammo into her revolver.
"I just used four of my armor pericing ammo for no reason! Great, I got 13 armor piercing ammo, I am switching for incendiary." Quick said as she levitated her ammo, setting one bullet in at a time. The ponies watched her in confused fear as Quick looked up and noticed them. "What! Reloading a revolver one bullet at a time in the middle of a battle is accelerating!" Quick shouted back as she seemed to slowly start panicking. With the revolvers now fully loaded Quick turned her head to look over the cover. A pony had taken his chances to charge them as Quick fired one round into the stallion.
Lighting up in flames instantly the stallion shouted in pain as he tried to tap out the fire. Removing his battle saddle and throwing it to the side the stallion had started to roll on the ground. Quick took this advantage as she turned the corner, aiming at the ones behind the burning stallion Quick released two more bullets. The first one seemed to hit a target as two ponies were heard yelling in pain as the second one hit the wall and hit the ceiling. With Quicks' act to shoot at the poneis, it gave two of the unicorns enough time to pull the battle saddle toward them. An earth pony mare quickly put on the saddle as she looked at her weapons. A pair of sawn off shotguns laid on each side of the mare.
The burning stallion had fallen as Quick took steady shots at the slavers before her, though they now were in cover Quick had kept a number on how many more rounds she would have in her weapon as she kept shooting. "Quick, I got a battle saddle, keep them pinned and I will sneak up to them. Quick turned to the mare and nodded as she counted three more rounds in her left revolver, and only one more in her right revolver.
Waiting to see one of the slavers to peek their head, Quick was able to react and aim her revolver toward the left side of the hallway. A mare had peeked a bit of her head to see if Quick was reloading, only for an incendiary bullet to end her life faster than a blink. Opening the revolver Quick started to reload the revolver with her magic as she kept her left gun aimed to shoot.
The mare took this chance to sneak forward readying her sawed off shotguns to fire, hugging the right side of the wall and seeing three burned ponies on the ground and one injured pony. The mare stopped, reaching the next cross in the hallway. Shooting at the left side again, Quick was keeping the slavers fearful to peek. The mare took the last shot as a go ahead, jumping around the corner and biting down on the trigger. Both shotguns fired a strong blast at the poneis, the pellets flew out and through the slavers that had been waiting to jump out of cover.
Three of the four slavers were ripped apart as the last one managed to duck into a room. Before he could recover the mare had chased after him as she charged into the room another two bangs were heard. The injured slaver on the left side had started to crawl away trying to get away, by this time Quick and the other poneis would have gotten to the other hallway. Seeing the slaver crawling Quick rolled her eyes, "Kill him and take whatever weapon and ammo we can get. We still got a ways to go.
The mare came back out of the room with a sigh, "Coast is clear. Up ahead is where we descend toward the mines. Are you sure we shouldn't wait for the ammo and weapons that Sunrise will bring us?" The mare asked Quick who reloaded her revolvers once more.
"Yes they will come find us. We have to go on with the mission and trust they will find us once they find the weapons." Quick stated simply as she looked ahead, "The ponies that have weapons will be in the front aiding me in the gunfight, if there is power armor wearing slavers or even heavy armor tell me and let me deal with them. Let's move ponies!" Quick ordered as she lead the group deeper into the facility
On the first floor, Sunrise and her ponies had made it to the first room, dragging a stallion into the room. Sunrise could feel the wind of the bullets pass her head as she was mere inches from seeing death itself. Closing the door behind her Sunrise looked at the ponies she still had. Three were injured as two had died, thanks to the aid of the new group of slaves Sunrise had more ponies than they started off with but it was still not enough to deal with the well armed slavers outside the door. "Alright, search this room quickly, I want a unicorn and an earth pony on the door now. If you can find a firearm, give it to them." Sunrise ordered her group as she had started to search with the ponies. The room didn't take long for the ponies within to find nothing but meals ready to eat old books and only empty lockers. "This isn't it? Shit!" Sunrise shouted
The door to the room opened but before the slaver could shoot, the earth pony mare slammed her hoof on the door, sending it crashing down onto the slaver's head. Though knocking out the slaver, the door was now open barely due to the body of the slaver being in the way. The earth pony mare looked at the unicorn as she kept her hoof on the door. "Take his guns, take his guns!" The mare shouted.
The unicorn had started to levitate the guns off of the unconscious earth pony, until a small apple rolled into the room. The unicorn watched it roll as his eyes went wide. "Gerna-" Was all the unicorn could shout as the small apple exploded sending shrapnel everywhere. The four ponies that were in the open took some of the shrapnel as one of the unicorn mares managed to put up a shield in time. Saving the lives of a few poneis, sadly the lives of the earth pony mare and the unicorn stallion at the door were taken as their bodies were mangled from the shrapnel.
Sunrise had been behind a metal shelf as she heard the yell and explosion. Running around the corner, Sunrise's eyes went wide as she saw the carnage before her. The door was blown off its hinges as the ponies could see the slavers enter and open fire. The unicorn mare that held her shield up had started to struggle as she even felt some of the armor piercing bullets fly past the shield. "Come over here! Come over here!" Sunrise shouted to the ponies, the earth ponies had placed the injured on their back as others tried to aid defending themselves with the shelves and boxes around them. The slavers kept on the push as the seven of them started to pin the ponies in the corner.
Forced to use the shelves, magical shields and even some of the boxes around them the ponies were now cornered. The unicorns tried to keep the shield up but it was now starting to fail as the bullets had started to go through the shields and into them. Sunrise had tried to think of things they could do to better the chances. Suddenly the shooting had stopped, the ponies looked at one another confused, some worried, others scared. "Little ponies. Little ponies let us in!" The slaver started in a sing-song tone. "Lets talk about this, you can return to us as our slaves and we can end this meaningless bloodshed, or you can continue to act rebellious and have your lives cut short. In the end it matters little to us. We will still have more slaves to replace you in the future. So why not just settle down and go back in line. The wastelands will have nothing for you out there."
The ponies looked at one another as Sunrise shook her head, "The other alternative is death, and believe us. It will not be a fast death. It will be excruciating." The slaver said. The ponies within he corner started to shake in fear, some regretting to fight, others finally realizing the hopelessness of the fight. All but for Sunrise, looking around herself and round the room Sunrise soon got an idea.
Tapping on the unicorn mare who first activated the force field she pointed to the items around them and then tapped her horn. Using her magic, Sunrise had started to lift a old book and then thrown it toward the wall. The ponies around Sunrise watched in confusion as Sunrise did it again but then pointed at the direction of the slaves. The unicorn mare looked unsure, "Alright then. Lets talk, no guns, no grenades, no tricks. I mean its not like we got anything better?" Sunrise said, the last part of her sentence was more directed to the ponies around her. The three unicorns that were still alive started to activate their horns. The unicorn mare dropped her shield as Sunrise grabbed a random item she could feel. Turning toward the earth ponies of the group, Sunrise whispered, "When we launch the items, it is your job to grab any weapon they dropped and to use it against them." Not waiting for a response, Sunrise turned back around.
The slavers held their weapons up to fire as they waited to see the items move out of the way, with sudden speed and force the items flew at the slavers. Metal shelves flying at quick speeds, bookshelves and wooden parts throwing themselves at the slavers while boxes of heavy items took out some of the slavers down to the ground. Though shooting through the items it didnt seem to be enough. The earth ponies with battle saddles were thrown to the wall as the items crushed them. The few unicorns of the group had to drop their weapons to get out of the way of the incoming attack. The leader of the slavers managed to duck from the first attack but as stood back up a box of heavy ores fell from the sky, crushing his skull into the ground. "Charge!" Sunrise shouted as the earth ponies did as they were told. The unicorns held onto the items to make sure the slavers wouldn't break free.
The earth ponies grabbed any weapon they could with their mouths as they readied themselves to fight, when the unicorns saw the earth ponies ready, the released the items they held onto. The slaves had pushed through the items as the unicorns that had been pin turned to pick their weapons up from the ground, their eyes widen when they saw the earth ponies had their weapons aimed right at them. The earth ponies that held battle saddles on them had gotten stuck between the items, making it hard for them to move and get out of the area they were stuck in.
Gunshots rang within the room for only a few seconds, soon three ponies had started to exit the room. One unicorn and two earth ponies, they wore more armor than before and held onto stronger weapons. Sunrise led the ponies out as she looked within the room, "Barricade the door, and treat the wounded, we will be back." Sunrise ordered the six ponies within the room, two unicorns and two earth ponies were injured badly as the last one that was able to stand and walk was an earth pony stallion, placing the armor the slavers once had on himself the stallion nodded, quickly grabbing items to move in between the doors.
Roots lead the way through the vents, as they quietly but quickly moved through the vents, the mare that pointed the vents out to him crawled behind him as she looked below into the other rooms. A stallion followed the two of them into the room as they crawled along the tight vent. Roots used his pipbuck to look where in the map he was, his eyes forward sparkle singalong that there were twenty threats right under them. Finally making it over an empty room behind the slavers, Roots started to use his magic to open the vent. Carefully setting it down to the side, Roots poked his head through, seeing no one inside Roots looked around to land on something, bringing the table nearby Roots dropped down into the room, landing on the table. Looking up, Roots whispered, "It's clear, drop down I will catch you."
The mare slowly dropped herself down, before she could land on the table, Roots grabbed her with his magic Roots gently set her down. The stallion followed behind as Roots grabbed him with his magic. Once the three were down Roots walked over to the door. Using his eyes forward sparkle, Roots saw no pony nearby as he tapped on the doors controls. Opening before him, Roots and the mare looked outside, down the hall the two could see the group of slavers. Though many of the slavers wore combat armor and heavy armor, the one that caught the attention of the group was the power armor wearing pony. The power armor didn't look like any normal type power armor. Being bulkier than its usual counterpart this power armor held three flash lights on it, one on the head and two where the shoulders are. Its yellow and red colors make it stand out within the crowd. "What weapons do you have?" Roots asked the mare before him. With a small shrug Roots knew there was not much as he looked at his rifle, thinking on what they could do Roots levitated his sniper rifle toward the mare. "Use this, on my signal send a bullet straight to flood lights over there." Roots said as he pointed his hoof toward the power armor.
"What's the signal?" The mare asked, Roots only put his hoof up as he started to trot toward the group of slavers. The mare only aimed the rifle as the stallion peeked his head out to see what was going to happen. "What is this guy doing!" The mare asked as Roots simply walked behind the ponies though none seemed to notice him. Taking a quiet breath, Roots started to use his magic once more. Below him the circle started to form around him, this time much smaller as he started the spell. Soon the circle connected once more as Roots raised his head. Before any of the slavers could turn to look at him, Roots vanished. The mare and stallion watched in confusion as the mare only aimed the sniper rifle with her hoof.
Walking up to the group before him, Roots looked around while keeping his distance. The slavers walked left and right as they seemed to be preparing an attack on the ponies within the room. Ducking under a floating shotgun that a mare held with her magic Roots looked around for a specific item. Stepping back in time before crashing into a slaver, Roots held his breath as to not alert the ponies of his presence. Root's eyes finally landed on the item of interest that he was looking for, on the waist of a slaver latched onto a belt was a grenade. Using his magic, Roots held onto only a piece of the pin so as to not bring attention to it, searching around for another grenade Roots had to go around the power armored pony. Seeing no grenade on the armor, Roots started to sweat,"I can hold it for a bit longer, I just need two more!" Roots thought to himself as he followed the hoofsteps that a pony in front of him was making. Stopping only inches away from the stallion before him, Roots found another grenade latched onto a mare's side. Using her levitation to grab ahold of it Roots knew that was the last one in the area.
Turning around Roots was face to face to a stallion, quickly stepping backwards Roots looked around him as he saw the pony he had been following was standing still. Thinking on his hooves, Roots saw the mouth trigger the stallion had before him, with little ideas left, Roots bit down onto the trigger that activated the assault rifle. The bullets sprayed ahead barely missing Roots and hitting the stallion ahead. The slavers turned to the earth pony, their guns aimed at him as he looked confused down at his equipment. "What the Tartures was that Deadshot!" One slaver shouted at the stallion. Looking at the slaver that was shot it was clear he was quickly dying, "Someone get a medic! We don't have time for this, Deadshot check your fucking fire before i fire at you!" The stallion shouted over the slavers speaking.
Roots managed to get out of the tight crowd as he started to retreat back to the mare and stallion in the other room. Midway there he turned around to see how far he would have to be. "That was the medic! We need to go get a new one!" A mare shouted at the slaver as Roots looked at the spacing. Before he could confirm that he was at a safe distance a gunshot went off behind him. The sniper bullet flew through the air hitting the power armored pony. The slavers all turned to look at the incoming fire as Roots turned around in shock. The mare and the stallion looked with wide eyes as the slavers aimed their guns toward them. Pulling the pins out of the grenades and jumping down so as to not get hit, Roots shouted for the others to take cover.
The grenades went off within the crowd of slavers, the majority caught in the explosion thanks to trying to aid the medic to be stabilized. Being thrown to the side, Roots landed onto the wall with a grunt as the invisible spell disappeared. Pushing himself back onto all fours Roots could hear a ringing noise in his ears, looking around the hallways Roots could see some of the slavers that were farther away running toward the middle to aid their fellow slavers. Roots could see through smoke that the power armored stallion started to get up, turning to face the office Roots could see the mare and stallion looking at him with worry, though he couldn't hear what they were yelling out to him Roots did know what he was saying. "Shoot that metallic bastard!"
Grabbing the sniper once more the mare aimed it down toward the power armored pony. Pulling the trigger but nothing happening the mare looked confused at the sniper rifle. "It's-it's not working!" The mare shouted as Roots had started to limp his way toward the office. On the other side of the hallway, the doors opened as the ponies had started to attack. The slavers, caught by surprise by this sudden attack of ponies charging at the remaining slavers, started to shoot back, but with many being injured along with the power armored slaver being damaged by the blast the ponies managed to take the battle.
Roots sighed as he slowly got back up, the mare ran to his side aiding him back onto his hooves. "Holy shit that was crazy! What did you do? How did you do that?" The mare asked as the gun fire had stopped, the ponies outnumbering the slavers as they ran toward Roots.
"A bit of grenades can cause some big damage. Just wish it was bigger so that no one had to risk their lives." Roots said as he managed to get on all four. Standing by himself Roots thought of the others below them, looking at the ponies with more armor and weapons they now carry on them. Even seeing that one of the ponies had taken the power armor suit, though the armor seemed damaged the talisman must have survived. "Alright everypony, we have to think of a more efficient plan. If we keep going through waves of soldiers we will never make it to the boss in time or in one piece. I have a idea but it will be risky, seeing how we dont have enough ponies for it too I will be willing to do this by myself." Roots started as the ponies looked at him with confidence. "I want to separate the group, make two teams, one team will go through the vents, avoiding the fighting below and squeezing through tight spots, the other team will be a fire team. Taking the attention of the enemies while taking them for a wild goose chase. As I said before, this is a risky idea. So please think of it before we try anything. If you have a better idea, speak it now. If not, then I can only say that this might be our only shot." Roots finished his plan as the ponies looked at one another with worry.
Quick and her ponies had already started a fire fight within the mines. The slavers, though aware of the situation, were still caught off guard, thanks to not only their overconfidence in themselves but in the sudden attack from the hallways. The power armored ponies had been keeping guard at the entrance of the hallways that lead to the mines while also keeping guard around the area of the mines. The two power armored ponies at the entrance had taken one round of armor piercing bullets from Quick's sudden attack.
The bullet flying through the armor and into the unicorns and earth ponies' brains. "Take that armor and move! Stick to the plan to the tunnels we go, any power armored slavers leave them to me!" Quick ordered as she ran into the mines. From the metal door and into the mines the interior expanded enormously, flood lights filled the area as some of the power armored ponies held onto flood lights themselves. The slavers turned to attack the ponies as bullets filled the air.
Quick had little difficulty trying to find the power armored ponies since their floodlights showed where they were. Seven power armored ponies scattered the area, two were in the level above them, two were down at the mine levels with whips and the last three were on the same level that Quick was in. Checking the rounds in her revolvers Quick smiled. "I got enough." The slaves at the bottom of the mines had ran into the pony made tunnels, some afraid to be shot, others afraid to be used as pony sheilds. The ponies at the entrance had stayed close to one another as they started to open fire at any slavers they could, two earth ponies putting on the power armor that Quick had just shot at. Though they couldnt use the magic abilites that a unicorn they used the horns for other reasons. Lowering their heads and charging toward a target the earth ponies impaled the slavers before them.
The group of ponies had started to push through the slavers step by step as Quick lead the charge in the front, one unicorn slaver made a magical sheild with her magic trying to stop the bullets from hitting her and two of her friends but with one quick shot from Quick's revolver, the bullet flew through the shield and into the mares body. The sudden heat from the bullet forced the mare to cringe and fall to her knee, the other two slavers near her had only pistols to defend themselves as they had managed to pull them out but no time to use them. A pony had tackled the earth pony slaver to the ground as one of the power armored earth pony impaled the other slaver with his horn. The magic fading from the slavers horn as the pistol fell to the ground.
Quick ran toward the stairs that lead down to the ground level as five slavers stood ready to fight. Holding onto pistols and whips, the slavers had already switched to grab their pistols, a flurry of bullets flew at Quick and her group, before it made contact a shield appeared before them. A stallion and a mare had both made a magical shield, trying to hold the bullets back. Quick ordered to charge at the slavers "Keep the others back! If you're out of ammo get behind the shield, if another pony knows this spell it will be a great time to use it! Get closer! When we are closer then you can attack!" Quick gave the orders as she aimed her revolvers toward the two Power armored ponies before her. Using her magic to shoot the revolvers, Quick sends two armor-piercing bullets out to her targets. Flying through the air, the bullets had hit one of their targets, the first bullet hitting the power armored pony as a grunt was heard while the other missed the other power armored pony but due to his movement the bullet hit another slaver that stood behind them. The bullet went through her armor and into her stomach, as she fell to the ground in pain. The sixteen ponies that Quick had led down had started to revolve within a system, though there were only 6 unicorns in the group the unicorns would switch three in three. Keeping the shield up while also giving the other three unicorns a time to recover some energy.
The group had managed to fully arm themselves but ammo was starting to get low since most of the earth ponies using the weapon had a hard time aiming. The mare that had managed to get a battle saddle had to use her ammo sparingly as those that ran out started to resort to hoof to hoof combat. The gunfighting continued as the group started to get closer. The slavers had to run around trying to shoot at any target they could but everytime they ran to the sides, the unicorns moved their shields. The length of the rectangle shield keeping the slavers from hitting any of them. Upon getting closer Quick had aimed her revolvers at the power armored pony she missed. The pony within the armor had been shooting his pistols at the shield trying to break it with every shot. Shooting one of her revolvers at the power armor, Quick threw her revolver to the air. The first bullet flew at the pony as they jumped out of the way but as the other revolver was falling, Quick had pulled the trigger with her magic. The bullet flew down at the slaver, his dodge getting him right in the way for the attack as it penetrated their armor and hit their spine. Catching the revolver with her magic Quick took a deep breath, "I love the smell of Cordite in the morning." Quick said as the stallion looked at her with worry, using her magic to pull the hammers back Quick fired once more.
Now close enough to be near melee attack at the other slavers, the unicorns kept the shields up as the earth pointes attacked the slavers. The two slaves were outnumberd as they were taken down quickly, the bullets did manage to shoot one or two ponies but it wasn't enough to take down the ten earth ponies. The other unicorns either kept firing the remaining ammo back at the other slaver or kept the shields up to stop the shots from above.
The last power armored pony that was on the lower level had managed to move out of the way from Quick's shot but as he had tried to run at Quick but had tripped onto the ground from the injury that Quick gave him. Quick pulled the hammer back once more and fired once more at the pony killing him within the suit. "Take to the tunnels! Move, move!" Quick ordered
The ponies that had followed Quick ran into the tunnels, the slavers keeping their shots up but as they fired down, all six unicorns kept the shields up. Keeping the sheilds up gave more than enough time for the ponies to run into the tunnels. Quick looked around as she saw that one of her earth ponies had been killed and two more were injured. Once all the ponies were in Quick looked ahead into the tunnels. Electircal flood lights gave light into the tunnels as it seemed that the slaves had gone deeper into the tunnels. "Treat the wounded and start freeing the slaves. Keep those shields up at the door. I will aid in the freedom of the slaves but we must move now!" Quick order as she holsters her revolvers.
The ponies around her started to agree as they ran down the tunnels with Quick. "If there is any slavers in here use the weapons we just got and take them out fast." Quick ordered as she followed one of the mares ahead of her. The seven earth ponies and two unicorns that followed quick silently nodded as they continued into the depths. The group quickly ran into other slaves as they started to free them. Any unicorn that was freed was told to go aid the other unicorns in the front of the tunnels with the sheild. The slavers that were found within the tunnel were either found dead by the slaves themselves or quickly taken care of by Quick and her group. The tunnels soon became filled with cheers and roars.
Sunrise and her group had been sneaking around the area, their eyes wide keeping their guards up so as to not be caught. "We are almost to the second room, come on!" Sunrise whispered as they had turned the corner, the two earth ponies with her had kept silent as they listened to Sunrise. Turning the corner, the three ponies saw the door to the room open. Walking closer the group could hear voices speaking to one another. Looking at her two companions, Sunrise saw that they were wearing the armor of the fallen slavers. Looking down at herself Sunrise was also under disguise as the slaver. "Lets act like we are part of the slavers, we will get close to the weapons and once we are ready we take them out and get what else we need." Sunrise explained. The mare looked hesitant as she rubbed the back of her neck, the stallion nodded as he stood straight.
Sunrise entered the room first, before them stood five ponies, there were guns hanging on the walls and on gun racks. Hugging the farthest wall from the entrance walls were lockers, one stallion was looking within the locker frantically as a mare had been levitating a shotgun down to her. On the right side of the room was a box, a stallion having his head inside the box as he pulled out small apples, the grenades being placed carefully onto his side. Within the middle were two ponies, "Hurry up we don't have all morning folks, the boss is already gearing up and I don't want to be the unlucky unicorn to deal with his tantrum." The mare said as she was watching the ponies before her work her worry was hidden under a false expression. Sunrise had entered the room as she trotted toward the guns. The stallion and mare both walked to different parts of the room. "Hey, who sent you down here?" The mare asked the three as they entered.
Sunrise turned around and cleared her voice. "The upper levels are getting swarmed by the slaves, they ordered us to grab as many weapons as we can and flank the slaves from behind." Sunrise explained to the mare, the other ponies had stopped as they turned to the conversation all but the stallion and mare that Sunrise had entered with as they started to place a battle saddle on themselves.
"What? We were told that the slaves were still in the mines! What happened?" The mare asked, her worry finally showing as Sunrise knew she had the mare. Turning back to the weapons behind her, Sunrise started to load the automatic rifle with ammo as she continued to speak.
"There was a stallion and mare that entered here. They managed to get the Excavator Power Armor and snuck their way to the mines, they mowed down the others and now the slaves are out." Sunrise stated as the mare stared at Sunrise.
The slavers within the room had started to look to one another, their fear of the situation had now revealed themselves. "Oh Celestia, Why are we still here? We should leave!" A stallion asked the group as Sunrise looked over to her friends, they seemed to nod their heads as they loaded the weapons with some ammo.
"Shut up, shut up! We got the guns here. We are in the gun room, we will hold the line here and take down any of them before they can get to the weapons." The mare explained as she didnt notice Sunrise and her friends turn the safeties off.
"I do have some more bad news." Sunrise started as the slaves turned to face her. Her companions aimed at some slaves with their automatic rifles as Sunrise looked at the leader. "They already got into the weapons room." The second she finished her sentences, the two earth ponies opened fired as Sunrise used her levitation to grab her assault rifle.
Gun fire filled the room until the three had ran out of ammo. Sunrise looked around her and nodded, the mare that had been talking to Sunrise groaned in pain. Sunrise trotted over to her. Standing above the injured slaver Sunrise could hear her. "Please, I- I don't want to die." The mare said weakly.
Sunrise responded by placing the end of the barrel onto the mares head, the heat from the gunfire marking her head as she coughed and weeped in pain. "I'm sorry but you must have confused me with the princess. I dont give mercy." Sunrise said, pulling the trigger the mare went limp. Looking at her companions Sunrise sighed, "Grab the weapons the slavers had, take as much as you can carry and load it with ammo, we will go get the rest of our group and then head to the mines. I just hope we are not too late."
Up above the gunfighting had gotten worse, the slavers had started to push the ponies back down the hallways. Their power armor and skills with weapons proved to be too much for Roots' group as they started to fall back to the stairs. Though they were losing, the ponies didn't seem to be afraid, some even smiling as they fired back.
"Keep firing, we will hold them here, if there is a risk do not take it! Just wait for a better opportunity! We can still win this, we just need more time!" The mare that had aided Roots shouted to the group around her. The slavers turned the corner only for the first bullet to take one of the slavers' forelegs. Falling to the ground the ponies all opened fire on the slaver.
The ponies had started to retreat, seeing the sheer force of the boss's highest guard chasing them. With the slavers distracted with the chase they managed to force the ponies down stairs as the gunfight continued on toward the lower levels of the facility.
Though the gunfighting had stopped above, it wasn't the end of the mission, because within the hallways the vents hung above. Within the vents a small thump could be heard, Roots continued to crawl through the air vents, the heat from within the vents though starting to get annoying, made Roots only move faster.
Roots noticed the gunfighting lowering down to the bottom level, "I need you all to distract the slavers long enough for me to get to the boss and kill him." Roots remembered speaking to the ponies he was working with, "On our way toward the boss I will sneak away from the fighting, once I am within the vents you will have to retreat back to a hallway, make a stand there for a few minutes. If it gets too dangerous just fall back to another hallway turn. Take any shots you can as you retreat, make them think they are winning. All the time you're going to fall back, send at least two ponies to scout the area before fully retreating, you don't need to be running into a trap, if they don't return send another two. Two poneis will be able to get a message out even if one dies."
"And if we make it to the stairs before you make it to the boss?" The mare asked, "We can fall back all we want but we will run out of space sooner or later. What then?" Roots remembered the conversation as he started to crawl upward. The sound of a fan ahead was the only thing Roots could think as he thought back to the mission plan.
"If you make it back to the stairs before I can make it to the boss, then i am either dead or I haven't made it to them yet. Either way do not worry for me and go down to the mines. If the others were able to keep to the plan they will be able to have the weapons and ammo along with the pony power to take this facility. But stick to the plan and be more aware. I do not know what is down there and if this operation went south, then we may be the last ones alive." Roots explained much to the discomfort of the other ponies. "I didn't say we were, if we were we probably would be flanked by now or the alarm would have stopped. Regardless, we do our side of the mission and trust they did theirs."
Roots crawled over an opening of the vents, the slavers below him not noticing him crawl as they spoke to one another about the situation, Roots didn't pay attention to them as he continued to crawl. "Work with one another and when you get to Quick and Sunrise tell them of the plan, if the situation is good down there Quick will start to aid in the fight." Roots explained to the ponies around him.
Roots had made it over a vent, looking inside it Roots looked at his E.F.S. And saw one red maker. Looking into the room Roots could hear a pony speaking within. Roots used his magic to quietly unscrew the vent before him as he slowly let it fall to the ground. Crawling out of the vent and landing onto the ground, Roots lifted his head.
Before Roots stood a griffin, he wore a set of power armor seemingly modified to be more griffin-like, though it was painted in red and golden stripes. The stallion looked at Roots, "Kept you waiting, huh?" Roots asked, his tone taught as the stallion gritted his teeth.
Within the mines Quick and her ponies had started to think of a plan, the unicorns keeping a stronger shield up as the slaves had grabbed the tools they had. Quick had walked to the edge of the forcefield, on the other side stood more slavers than before. From thirty to forty slavers looked down, "We got sixty ponies here but the majority are earth ponies and even so they got guns, we got picks and whips along with seven pistols…" Quick thought to herself as she looked back at the ponies before her. Though they were ready to fight for their freedom, the ponies looked exhausted.
"Alright, listen up everypony I have a plan, I need two rows of unicorns that can make shields, the two rows will be stationed in the front. Then I need earth ponies behind the unicorns, then I need five more unicorns that can make a shield spell in between the earth ponies. We will be switching the unicorns everytime they can't keep the shields up. We will move to the slavers as close as we can and once we get there everypony will scatter! They have the range but they can't focus on all of us if we move fast. Take that range away and get close and personal." Quick started to order as the ponies started to follow. Though some ponies didn't like the idea or others spoke against it in the end they joined their fellow ponies in the lines.
"This cave is our base, if any get shot and you can retrieve them, bring them back here. Any spell that can aid us will be helpful for those ponies that have pistols, shoot to the top. Make sure those slavers don't shoot us." Quick ordered, her plan already a mess but she was confident that the others were doing their parts.
The ponies had prepared themselves, some had placed the armor of the slavers they killed onto them. A few had grabbed the power armor of the two slavers Quick killed earlier. Turning toward the entrance of the caves Quick loaded her revolvers with incendiary bullets. "On three we will push out there. Gunfire will rain down just stay under the sheilds." Quick stated as she looked forward, taking a deep breath Quick shouted. "One!" The ponies had straightened up. "Two!" Some ponies had started to have second thoughts, others shook from fear as Quick shouted the last word."Three!"
With the last number shouted, the unicorns in the front had started to push out. Their magic shields were up as they charged out. The two rows of unicorns had. Been protected from the lower gunfire as the three in the middle had started their sheilds up. Gunfire rang across the mines as bullets hit the shields, some instantly cracked others were more durable but Quick knew that the shields were not going to hold.
The earth ponies had started to spread out due to fear, others stuck to the plan as the unicorns had to switch. Quick had started to shoot, but the slavers kept the firing up, opening her mouth to shout a retreat Quick saw something at the edge of her eye. At the entrance of the mine, a group of ponies entered the area. Sunrise was in the front as they fired the guns they had gotten at the slavers. Since the slavers were all facing the poneis down at the caves, their backs were wide open to an attack. Some of the ponies had already fallen as others managed to get close to the slavers.
The fight had started as Quick saw Sunrise and her group shooting at any target they could, "Unicorns I need you to make a circular group, make a dome of shields around the middle of the ground level Earth ponies retreat into the sheild. If there isn't space go to the caves. Unicorns continue the switching routing we have. Sunrise bring your group to us! We will make a plan here." Quick ordered the ponies around her. Her voice caught the attention of the ponies as they started to do so. Some of the earth ponies had managed to take down some of the slavers that were in the ground level taking their armor and weapons.
The shield in the middle of the room was able to last a bit longer due to some of the slavers focusing their fire at the new poneis within the room. Sunrise and her group had started to make their way toward Quicks' group, the four injured ponies limping in the middle as they took any shot they could toward the slavers. Upon making it to the middle Sunrise ordered the unicorns that were injured to aid with the shield. "Okay we got the guns here we got rifles, assault carbines, rockets, grenades, pistols, and snipers, what's the plan now?" Sunrise asked Quick who was ordering some of the earth ponies to bring the injured back.
"Most of the ponies are inside the caves, we can bring some of the guns there and distribute them there. Let some of the ponies here grab weapons and use them against the slavers to force them to take cover while we move the weapons to the caves." Quick shouted over the gunshots around the area.
The earth ponies and unicorns that were fighting had grabbed the weapons they could use and went back into the fight. Once the last pony had grabbed a weapon Quick had turned to levitate the pile of arms and ammunition toward the caves. Quickly running by them as they floated, Quick placed them deep enough into the caves as she turned back to the battle.
Sunrise had started to aid the other unicorns with the shield spell, giving cover to those that needed to reload or those that had gotten injured. Within minutes, earth ponies and some unicorns exited the caves. Firearms within their magic or mouths, the slaves starting to group together at the top of the room in a attempt to keep the slaves from entering one single way. Though some slavers shot down at the group, the sudden barrage of bullets flying at them was more than enough to force them back into cover.
The poneis within power armor had started to fight in the front lines, trying to take down any pony they could. It was until the four ponies that had placed the power armor on before were attacking them, that the slavers realized their plan was quickly falling apart.
The slavers soon realized they were outnumbered and outgunned as the ponies raced toward the upper levels of the rooms in an attempt to take down any and all slavers in the facility. Quick had shot a bullet at one slaver, his armor catching into flames as he yelled. Trying to take the fire out the slaver fell off the edge of the third level, his yells stopping once he hit the floor. Sunrise and the unicorns in the middle had started to aid the ponies around them.
Inside the boss's office, Roots rolled on the ground and faced the griffin, seeing the griffins helmet turned to him a growl was heard. "Slippery little bastard. I dont have time for this!" The griffin shouted at Roots as he charged the stallion.
Roots was caught off guard as the impact of the griffin charging into him slammed Roots into the wall. Bones broke and cracked under the sheer power of the griffin as Roots grunted in pain. Being close to the griffin Roots looked for any openings in the armor, quickly realizing there was none, Roots cursed out. The talons of the griffin grabbed Roots by the face. Before Roots could react the griffin headbutted the stallion.
There was a sudden pain as he felt his horn crack from the headbutt. His head was spinning as Roots was thrown across the room. Landing on a bookshelf, Roots groaned as his vision became more blurred. Feeling a warm liquid on his face, Roots wiped it only to see red on his hooves."Maybe this will be harder than I thought." Roots thought to himself as he looked up only to see the Griffin above him.
Grabbing him by his armor, the griffin threw Roots up onto the ceiling, his body slammed onto the ceiling with a thud as Roots started to fall back down. Right before he hit the ground the griffin threw a punch at Roots, sending him outside a window.
Landing on the roof of the facility, Roots could feel the rain hitting his body as the warm rays of sunlight started to rise over the east. "What the hell." Roots said to himself as he stumbled onto his hooves.
The griffin landed on the roof with Roots as he turned his head. "Still alive? Good, then maybe i can make you a example to the others." The griffin said as he started to walk to Roots. Feeling the cracks in his horn, Roots wiped away the blood from his mouth as he got into a Fallen Caesar style fighting stance.
The battle in the mines was quickly finished, the slavers within the power armor had been killed by Quick and her armor percing bullets or ripped apart by the other ponies in Power Armor. The slavers that were in the top had cornered themselves in a feeble attempt to make a stand only fell quickly, either by enemy fire, or friendly fire.
The freed ponies had cheered for their victory in the mines, many relieved the fight to have gone their way as others kicked and threw the slavers' dead bodies off the sides. Sunrise had smiled as the ponies around her had now liberated themselves, looking at Quick, Sunrise could see a smile as they met in the middle of the room. "If you didn't come with those weapons we would have been toast." Quick explained as she twirled her revolver into her holster.
"If it wasn't for you and your friend we would have never gotten here. You two freed us and gave us the power to fight back." Sunrise explained as she lowered her head in a bow. Quick looked around and slowly bowed, the act feeling alien to her but the two both raised their heads once more. "We should aid those that are hurt, those slavers in the town have definitely noticed our actions here, they are probably sending their griffins and ponies here as we speak and we will need everypony to be in a healthy shape before we can go fight them."
Quick nodded as she looked around, seeing the multiple bodies laying across the ground. "So much bloodshed, it never gets easier seeing it." Quick said as she turned toward the ponies that were cheering. "Alright, we will take the injured toward the medical area, heal them and then meet back up with Roots and his group." Quick explained to Sunrise.
Before Sunrise could respond, gunfire rang off the halls at the entrance of the mines. The poneis aimed their weapons at the doorway, expecting to see more slavers. As the poneis waited, a stallion and a mare entered the room. Their horns holding up shields as some ponies had fired at them. The shield managed to stop the bullets as the stallion shouted, "Wait, friendly! Friendly!" The ponies that were closest to the door seemed to recognize the two.
"Hold your fire! Hold your fire! Its Docks and Heart Strings!" A stallion shouted as the ponies stopped. The mare and stallion seemed out of breath as the mare turned around and started to run back toward the hallways. "Sweet Crystals, what happened to you son?" The stallion asked Docks.
"We have more enemies on our tail, Roots had stupid crazy plan to face the boss himself and told us to distract the slavers that chased us. We have been running this whole time and ran out of ammo on the way here. There are only six of us now and the slavers are still chasing us!" Docks explained as Quick had gotten closer.
"Wait, Roots went after the boss himself?" Quick asked, Sunrise standing right next to her as Dock nodded. "Of course he did, alright poneis listen up, this battle ain't over yet. Get ready because we got a few poneis coming our way. Any that are injured or cant fight, take the back." Quick explained as she looked at a mare that held a rocket launcher. "Can I borrow that?" Quick asked. The mare looked at the rocket and then at Quick.
Heart Strings and the four other ponies had turned the corner, one in power armor, and others in combat armor as they were being led by heart strings. The last one was a mare that had thrown her pistol at an enemy they could not see. Running past the doorway, Quick had been counting the ponies and when the final one entered Quick peeked her head.
Setting herself in the middle of the door, Quick waited as she saw the slavers turn the corner, a griffin in combat armor stopped in his tracks as the others crashed into him. Once the poneis and griffins looked up to see what caused the first to stop, the ponies had tried to run away. Quick pulled the trigger, a rocket flying out of the launcher and exploding into the group ahead of her.
Standing all the way back up, Quick levitated her revolvers out and aimed it down the hallway while levitating the rocket launcher to the mare before. "They are not all dead, there is bound to be more around the facility. Let's find them before they find us! Take battle buddies, that means a pair of two." Quick ordered as the poneis all looked to one another and started to run through the entrance of the room. The gun fight started as the first pony turned the corner but was cut just as fast. Turning toward the six that had made it Quick walked to them. "Do any of you know where the boss is?"
Roots had dodged a tail attack, as he used his levitation spell to grab the Griffin's claw before it could punch him. His horn though in pain had managed to put out enough magic to hold the Griffin back. Before the griffin could react, Roots moved under the griffin bucking it right in the stomach while releasing the claw.
Though the power armor was strong, the concentrated buck was enough to leave a dent as the griffin coughed. Rolling from under the griffin, Roots activated his horn as he became invisible once more. The griffin looked around in confusion at first but due to the power armors sensors, Root's position was shown as the Griffin swung his tail at fast speeds. The metallic appendage going at Roots head for the kill.
Roots was barely able to dodge the sudden attack but his spell was cut off as he became visible. Swiping his claws at Roots again the Griffin found it difficult to land a strike on the unicorn, while Roots started to worry about his injuries each move making it harder to do the next. Before Roots could think of a plan, the pain in his sides stopped him from moving as the griffin's tail whacked him to the side, sending him across the roof. Coughing out blood and in pain, Roots looked up to the cloudy sky.
The griffin started to walk toward Roots, becoming confident in the battle's outcome. Roots had gotten halfway up as he looked in front of him, the griffin towering over him. "So what is your plan now, hero? You take me down and go on happily ever after the slaves mounting your name on their city?" The griffin taunted.
Roots had grabbed something within his saddle bag. Roots noticed the winds blowing as he sat up the griffin letting him do so. With an idea in his brain, Roots thought of his next step. "No, this is!" Roots shouted as he threw a pouch at the griffin. Before the pouch could hit the griffins power armor, the bag opened as the wind helped spread its contents right back at Roots body and face. "Ah fuck! My eyes!" Roots shouted in pain.
The griffin tilted his head confused at what the powder was, "Was… that wasn't your plan was it?" The griffin asked as Roots jumped at him punching him in the beak part of the mask. Root's eyes opened as he felt his hoof rip open and break at the punch. Yelling in pain the Griffin looked down at the unicorn and sighed. "This is just sad." The griffin said as he whacked Roots away with his tail.
Roots smiled as he landed, the wound started to heal. With his horn fully restored, Roots got up faster than before. Shaking off the healing powder that was still on his hair, Roots looked at the Griffin. Still feeling the pain within himself, Roots levitated a small syringe out of his saddle bag. Stabbing it into himself, Roots eyes went wide as the adrenaline flowed through his body.
Now ready for a second round the pain within him going away Roots was going to reach for another item but quickly got back into a fighting stance as the griffin started to approach him. The griffin had watched with interest as he smiled under the mask, "Smart, little pony, very smart. But it won't matter. I will rip you apart in any shape you are in." With that the griffin charged at Roots.
"I needed one more!" Roots thought to himself as he used his magic making a small shield. Blocking the punch Roots started to reach for his last drug he was going to consume. Rolling out of the way of the full body slam that the griffin was preparing, Roots turned his head to see the griffin Roots saw the griffin chasing right after him in flight.
Thinking of what to do Roots simple made a sheild spell as he placed it right infront of the griffin. The shield slamming into the griffins face but with the sheer power of power armor the shield broke into pieces. A sudden headache strikes at Roots as he turned to his left as to not fall off the roof
Roots could feel the wind of the griffins strike right behind him as it missed his head. Throwing himself forward and using the speed to roll onto his hooves, Roots quickly turned around while recovering as he had an idea. His horn turned on once more as the griffin had to loop in the air to come right after him.
Coming in at a straight charge, the power armored griffin made a shriek as his claws were in front of him. Getting closer and closer the griffin was inches away from Roots. The unicorn activated his magic, a strike hit the unicorn's neck as the pony stepped backwards. With a clear hit the griffin continued to slash at the pony and rip him apart.
Roots watched in surprise behind the griffin, his magic still being used. "Well now is better than ever" Roots stated as he used his levitation to pull out something from his saddle bag.
His magic had levitated a small tablet box within his magic. Roots levitated out a box with the label "Buck" on it. Throwing a tablet into his mouth, the taste of the drug was sour as he swallowed the drug. Feeling the effects Roots thought about what else he could take as his mind was forgetting the spell. The dummy of Roots had started to melt as Roots placed the tablets back and looked into his bag. Taking a pair of painkillers Roots turned to the griffin who was standing over the melting dummy.
The griffin looked at the dummy confused as he looked at his claws. There was no blood on him as he looked back down to the body. Before he could think more on the subject, Roots had gotten behind his right wing. Looking at his pipbuck and using S.A.T.S. Roots aimed for the griffin's wing and back leg.
With his targets set, Roots charged three attacks. The first didn't do much to the wing but the second one broke through the armor and twisted the wing. "Didn't think I would have to use Lunas Regret." Roots thought to himself as he then turned to look at the back leg. With one concentrated punch Roots swing with all his force he could muster. The power armor while not folding in broke as he cut through it with his hoof and magic. The leg below broke as Roots went back to normal time.
The griffin threw another claw attack at Roots only for Roots to grab it with his magic. Going under the griffin Roots used the sudden strength of Buck to heave the griffin over his shoulder and into the ground right in front of him. The griffin had tried to open its wing to fly up only for pain to be what brought him down into his injured leg as he fell to the ground. Roots didn't give the griffin the chance to recover as he lifted both of his forelegs and slammed them down into the ground barely missing the griffin's head.
The griffin rolled out of the way just in time only to feel the body of the unicorn run right into him. The griffin was forced back as he looked up, Roots roots stood in the Lunas Regret style he stood in a more traditional fighting stance that ponies in Equestria would have but his horn was active as it surrounded his body. Roots charged the griffin, jumping up. Roots punched the griffin's face down. Letting gravity take him back down, Roots landed on his hooves. Using his magic Roots made another shield as he forced into the griffins side, as he kept the griffin unbalanced. Roots used his magic to bring the dazed griffin down as he spinned with the land and punched the griffin once more. The drug bulking his body along with the fighting style the attacks Roots made felt like it was as strong as a power armored punch.
The two started to fight once more but with the mobility of Roots along with his powerful punches it made the fight one sided. The griffin threw punches and swipes at Roots, the unicorn had started to block the attacks as he implemented some of Equestria's combative tactics to it. Grabbing the claw of the griffin and throwing it back giving him a chance for a strike, or even dodge an attack and push the attacker to make them stumble.
Being punched to the ground, Roots used his magic to grab at the griffin's wing and pull it. Though it was a bit heavier with the power armor, the unicorn's magic managed to yank it causing the Griffin to falter. Leaving himself open due to the pain, Roots let go of the wing and threw a punch. Feeling the weakness in the punch Roots eyes opened "Shit, I can't keep this up for long!" Roots thought as the magic flickered around his body. Roots and the griffin stood to the side of the roof, thinking of his next attack. Roots focused his magic to surround the griffin.
The pained and injured Griffin was confused by the unicorn's action as he could feel the magical grab of levitation on him. Pushing him back as much as he could, Roots aimed to throw the griffin off the edge. Struggling to even lift him Roots summoned a shield and quickly went for his saddle bag. Pulling out the Buck, he took another two tablets. The griffin broke through the shield as he lunge at Roots before he could land onto the ground, Roots had pushed against him. Unable to get a strong footing, Roots took a chance and ran at the griffin in full force.
The rain aided Roots 'full body push as the griffin couldn't stop the push against him. Throwing the griffin back far enough for him to lose his footing the griffin fell off the edge. Out of instinct, the griffin opened his wings to fly only to feel the pain. The broken wing unable to do much as gravity took the griffin down even faster.
The power armor speeding the Griffin's descent only sealed the Griffin's fate. Roots looked over the edge of the building as he could barely see the griffin's body at the bottom. The marker that Roots had seen for the griffin, slowly disappeared.
Root's body started to feel the effects of all the drugs and injures he had within his body. Turning around to face the window, Roots toppled over, The sunrise reaching the cloud cover as he started to hear a ringing noise. Before he passed out, his pipbuck had received a message.
Come Join our Hunt!
Welcome one and all to the annual Wastelands Hunt, we are delighted to say that we have returned yet again for another good year of hunt, and are looking forward to seeing this year's great grabs! For those that do not know, the hunt was started about fifteen years ago, when our fathers made it their goal to see the wastelands not as a threat but as a grand hunt. They would go out hunting wild and new monsters everyday. Soon their little game became a competition, to see who has the biggest fish in the sea. When they started to get more ponies into the game our fathers soon realized that if not taken care of the wastelands may truly become that. Just a mere wasteland, so to compensate for the natural life around Equestria, our fathers pick the most dangerous lands now and even before the war. The Everfree forest! We have held a hunt every year, giving hunters and fighters the chance to enter our little game and win some grand rewards for what you bring back! So why not come on down and compete! You can hunt, learn more of the wastelands and even make a few new friends! The dates that the event will start on will be June 11th at 0500! It will go on for three days and will end on June 13th 0500 if you wish to enter you must sign in before the 11th! You will be able to sign in when you come to the meeting point. Our meeting point is west of the Everfree near the old train tracks. There will be a small shack at the edge of the Everfree forest, it is not near Ponyville! I must repeat this, it is not near ponyville, that place is swarming with crazy ponies and we don't need any of our guests to be hurt. So remember we are at a shack near the railroads. If you just follow the railroads up from New Applelosa you are sure to find us. Happy hunting and to those that come to join our hunt may the Princess guide you safely here.
