[FO:E] The Northern Wasteland of Equestria 1

[MCerberus]

Manehatten - Basement of Morale

Yes yes, hurry. Yes yes, nom Rad-X. There's something important that needs to be done. Whadda checks the fake vending machine to see if there's any REAL soda stocked in it. Priorities.

Anyway, back into the danger at hand. Scoops remembers back to a previous unfortunate death.[Power Barding Training] "Are your armor's systems working right?" she asks of the griffin. "I hate to say it but your comrade's wasn't properly energy-shielded so when it was hit, it failed spectacularly. The radiation may make it go bonkers."

[Rebonack]

[Manehatten - MoM Hub]

Sadly the vending machine was cleared out a long, long time ago.

Sven gives his head a shake. "Armor's fine. Let's just be quick about this. The longer we take the more robots we have to deal with."

Excellent point!

As the heroes head down the stairs they'll soon find themselves in a significantly more... sterile looking environment. This is more like the kind of lab you expect sciency things to be done in. Bare concrete. Colored lines painted onto the walls with some kind of shorthoof code to inform ponies where various labs are. The juxtoposition with the previous lab is almost surreal.

Oh.

And they can hear the sound of pitched combat coming from somewhere.

"I... uuh... I kind of let out one of the experiments to serve as a distraction," PV-4 admits over the radio. "And it's standing up to the protect-a-ponies a lot better than I thought it would. There's a console around the corner from you. Password is 'chimicherrychanga.' That'll open the way into my lab."

Sure enough the ponies will find a console against the wall nearby flanked by a pair of potted ferns.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Overpass Shelter]

Gleamy might find herself the subject of some gentle wing-poking once morning proper comes. Xithr's up by sunrise, but she relaxes in the back until about 10 o'clock.

"Hey, wake up! I know it's nice to sleep in, but we probably should move if we want to catch up with Fleetwing and the other one."


[Splendid Valley - Maripony]

He doesn't look at Anoma's flank. He's not in that kind of mood.

Ebon manages to muster the strength necessary to march forward, despite the image of the Smooze devouring everything around playing repeatedly through his mind. Oozing off of the memory is a strong sense of survivor's guilt, as well as a more justified guilt for failing to save anypony else with his desperate wish.
There's something else, though, on the more conscious part of him currently in control. There remains that deep sense of loyalty, simple understanding that while he might not be entirely in agreement with what's about to happen, that at least it will help to save those who did deserve their lives.

"Hello, Goddess."

[MCerberus]

Manehatten - Basement of Morale

Aww. They had almost had the jackpot, if not for those meddling survivors in the midst of a aponylypse. Good news about the armor though, assuming he didn't just assume it was fine. There's little pockets of warm though, and that brings the mare on edge. Radiation.

Assuming Sprinkles doesn't want to volunteer, she makes her way to the terminal. "What kind of experiments anyway?"

[Rebonack]

[Splendid Valley - Maripony]

Ebon is lead into the mostly collapsed building by the alicorns and he'll soon find himself standing before a huge chamber that looks like it has seen far better days. The floor far below is a swirling swap of chemicals and potions, the vile concoction having sat stagnant for the past two centuries.

Most of the vats in the chamber have been ruined as evidenced by the chemicals on the floor. But a few still stand. From one of these a small blob of rainbow fluid is levitated out and drifts towards him.

It smells faintly of roses.

{{Now drink. Drink and become one with Unity. And We will help you carry this guilt that weighs down your soul.}}

This is it.

The moment of truth.

[Manehatten - MoM Hub]

"Something to do with muffins, robotics, and come to life spells. It sounded kind of goofy to me, but apparently it packs a serious buck," PV-4 laughs somewhat nervously.

Beep boop buttons!

Another second of wall slides aside to reveal a lab decorated more or less just like the rest of the floor. Sterile and clinical. Banks upon banks of terminals line the chamber. A large set of machines is hooked up to a small pod that could fit a pony, though it would be a bit cramped.

"Okay, this is it. I can't open the pod myself. Just hit the emergency release there and pray to Celestia that this doesn't kill me."

In large block text 'Emergency Release' is flashing on a nearby console.

[PurityIcekiller]

Fleetwing turned to glare sullenly at her, but the joy of discovery wouldn't let him keep a frown for long. "Is it something good? This here is a nice pile of caps for us, and a nice new...weapon..." Wait, turns out there was something that could get him down; the imminent decision they had to make. "That's right, we can't quite put off deciding much longer, can we? I mean, we got the fancy sodas and everything," he nudged the bag full of precious, sugary cargo. "We gotta give this to one of them two, but...but..." He bit his lip indecisively. Putting off the decision hadn't made it any easier.

"I don't see any need to overcomplicate things." Violetta flicked her tail. "We should just give the sodas to Fizz, in my opinion. I'd rather we make her happy, and find out why she doesn't just take Bucky as he is."

She then remembered something. "The real question is how do we get out?"

[Luka]

[Overpass Shelter]

Gleamy might find herself the subject of some gentle wing-poking once morning proper comes. Xithr's up by sunrise, but she relaxes in the back until about 10 o'clock.

"Hey, wake up! I know it's nice to sleep in, but we probably should move if we want to catch up with Fleetwing and the other one."

The alicorn slightly twitches, then slowly starts to wake up; she stretches her legs a bit and yawns, it seemslike she did want to stay sleeping

"Uh?...Oh, good morning, I just....I think it was the tiredness?"

[TheAmishPirate]

"I don't see any need to overcomplicate things." Violetta flicked her tail. "We should just give the sodas to Fizz, in my opinion. I'd rather we make her happy, and find out why she doesn't just take Bucky as he is."

She did have a point there. Giving them to Fizz would make her very, very happy, and maybe they could make Bucky happy at the same time. Although, giving them to Bucky would still make Fizz happy, but then Bucky only had a chance of being happy, and...ugh, this was giving him a headache.

She then remembered something. "The real question is how do we get out?"

"Uhhhhhhh..."

Okay, so maybe there was a more important question here.

"I definitely can't fly us out," the pegasus winced as he extended his wings. Might be a strained muscle or two there. "So unless there's just a massive ladder or ramp or something waiting for us outside, I think all we can do is just hoof it until we find a safer way up." The pegasus poked his head out of the backside of the truck and scanned the area. "Bridge...rocks...this truck...more rocks...no such luck."

[PurityIcekiller]

"Uhhhhhhh..."

Okay, so maybe there was a more important question here.

"I definitely can't fly us out," the pegasus winced as he extended his wings. Might be a strained muscle or two there. "So unless there's just a massive ladder or ramp or something waiting for us outside, I think all we can do is just hoof it until we find a safer way up." The pegasus poked his head out of the backside of the truck and scanned the area. "Bridge...rocks...this truck...more rocks...no such luck."

Violetta considered for a bit. "Well, if I aimed right with a spell, maybe I could cause an avalanche, and if we're spectacularly lucky enough not to get crushed, the rubble could be easier to climb than the sheer walls... Of course, that's just outright ridiculous."

She considered even more. "Maybe if we had someone who could get us out of here, we could attempt to signal them with a firebolt sent straight upward, but I don't think we do."

After even more consideration, she sat down and sighed. "It looks like the only thing we can really do is look around until we find a place where it is possible to climb up and hope we don't get lost along the way."

[BladeofObliviom]

[Splendid Valley - Maripony]

The next few moments seem to pass in slow motion as a last quivering bastion of doubt is shattered within the unicorn's mind. Then, he tries to take it down in as large a swig as possible, seemingly trying to avoid actually tasting it.

Ebon never really liked the taste of roses.


[Overpass Shelter]

"Well, if we stick around too much longer, there's always that chance that Bucky decides to patrol. And trust me, that shotgun hurts."

...That's a pretty good argument, actually. Explains at least in part why the Ghoul seems to be in a bit of a hurry.

[Luka]

[Overpass Shelter]

"Well, if we stick around too much longer, there's always that chance that Bucky decides to patrol. And trust me, that shotgun hurts."

...That's a pretty good argument, actually. Explains at least in part why the Ghoul seems to be in a bit of a hurry.

The alicorn would just look confused, but then would try to stand up
"But...Where are you going?"

[Lycan 01]

Manehatten - MoM Hub

Sprinkles hovers over to the console. "Wakey wakey, Miss PV," he states cheerfully, before hitting the button.

[Rebonack]

[Splendid Valley - Maripony]

Thankfully it doesn't taste like roses. Instead it tastes like something really bucking terrible that smells kind of like roses.

As soon as Ebon manages to gag down the rainbow colored slop he'll feel the rather distinct feeling of his insides beginning to crawl. Along with his outsides as well. The apotheosis is progressing at a truly astounding pace. And then the Impelled Metamorphosis Potion hits her brain, mutating that as well.

Unity comes pouring in from all sides.

The new alicorn's old memories aren't removed, no. Instead she remembers being every single pony who has ever been joined with Unity. The singular memory of their shared past. The great Dream of Unity.

All the guilt and self-loathing she had felt before is suddenly swallowed up in a vast sea of hopes and fears and pain and joy and laughter and tears. Of dreams realized. Of nightmares manifest. Of love found and lost. Her troubles and triumphs are Unity's now. And Unity's are her own.

Her past is now the Dream of Unity. Her future and her identity are now hers to forge as she carries out the wise and glorious will of the great and powerful Goddess. All at once she feels both ancient and newly born.

She drifts within the Dream of Unity, her sisters pressing about her. The souls of ponies, every heart burning with the light of their own magic. Every heart eager to meet this newest sister. Eager to share in these new dreams. To weep with her and laugh with her. Family... somewhere she can truly belong. Somewhere she can be at home... at rest. At peace.

So many voices. Voices everywhere. The voice of the Goddess greatest among them, but her focus isn't on the new alicorn. No, but focused on another voice. Quieter, but still great beyond measure. A voice babbling excitedly about some new kind of magic.

Was that... her magic? It's hard to tell. But should she turn her mind's eye upon herself she'll find her own soul black like the empty space between the stars. Yes... that has to be it. Her magic. The Goddess and Twilight are excited about her magic. She should be proud, right? The Goddess seems very pleased with her magic.

Another voice.

A voice not louder than the others, but speaking to her such that it comes with much greater clarity.

So we meet soul to soul, sister.

One of her sisters with a soul like a silver star with its prismatic tail radiating around her draws near within the Dream. Obviously pleased with this newest alicorn.

So many of us feared Unity before we tasted it. Now you can see why we desire this so greatly for all of ponykind. Remember all those fears. And hold fast to the peace of Unity. The Goddess has yet to call upon me to step beyond the Dream again. Come, walk the Dream with me and speak for a time.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Maripony - Dream of Unity]

Thus it was that the unicorn once known as Ebon Flame faded into the fabric of Unity, his her pain and tragedy drowned to obscurity in the torrent of memories.

A new, nameless Alicorn arose, her very existence shining despite appearing an endless void, and walked along with her newest and oldest friend, speaking of new life and the days to come...

"Peace...

We...I...both...could get used to this..."

[Benson]

Manehatten Ruins-Horseshoe Tower-Ministry of Morale- 3rd Basement Floor- 12:46 PM

Fox Trot

I scrambled over to the pod with a slight pant, I wasn't normally one used to battle saddles so it was a bit weighty. Anyways, I set to watch the opening of the pod.

[TheAmishPirate]

Violetta considered for a bit. "Well, if I aimed right with a spell, maybe I could cause an avalanche, and if we're spectacularly lucky enough not to get crushed, the rubble could be easier to climb than the sheer walls... Of course, that's just outright ridiculous."

"Y-yeah, let's not do that."

She considered even more. "Maybe if we had someone who could get us out of here, we could attempt to signal them with a firebolt sent straight upward, but I don't think we do."

"There's that ghoul down at the settlement, but I think that'd be more likely to attract trouble than her."

After even more consideration, she sat down and sighed. "It looks like the only thing we can really do is look around until we find a place where it is possible to climb up and hope we don't get lost along the way."

Fleetwing picked up their bulging bags with a sigh of his own. "Well, only one thing for it then; best get to walking."

And so, they set out down the canyon, say, away from the bridge. If there was a bridge nearby, then it was probably because there weren't any easy places to climb in or out of the place nearby.

[Rebonack]

[Manehatten - MoM Hub]

There comes a sharp hiss from the suspension pod as the top slides open, thick mist pouring from the machine and spilling over the floor. Whoever or whatever is inside is all but obscured by the rolling vapor.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the mist fades away revealing-!

Nothing.

There's nopony there.

...uuuh...

The awkward silence lasts for a perfectly measure span of time before being broken.

"SURPRISE!" Surprise yells from behind the Scribe, her voice sounding a fair bit different now that she isn't speaking through the Pink Voice project.

There she is. Upon seeing Surprise it becomes immediately obvious that she's a cyber pony. The pony's yellow/blond mane and tail spill out of the suit, still surprisingly well kept for spending two centuries in a stasis pod. Her neck and face are covered in synthetic skin and her eyes have been replaced with lavender ocular implants. The rest of her body is shod in smooth white plasto-cermaic plates over black reinforced synth-skin. The 'flight feathers' in her cyborg wings are a series of micro-repulsion jets for improved speed and maneuverability. Finally four manipulator cables are built into her spine to allow for fine dexterity and to interface with machinery.

The only visible part of her that's clearly not robotic the cutie mark on her left flank. The one on the right is simply painted onto her white armor.

She's standing on her hind hooves with her front pair flailing around in the air. Surprise only manages to stand like that until she attempts to take a step. The sudden jerk from the cybernetic limb catches her off-guard and she tries to overcompensate. Which in turn causes her to overcompensate for the overcompensation. Long story short she face-plants on the floor.

"Hehehehehehee! Wow! This is going to take some getting use to! What I could really use is an instruction book," the cyber-pegasus laughs at no one in particular. Then blinks absently, her eyes flicking back and forth as if she were reading something invisible in mid-air. "Ooooh! I DO come with an instruction book!"

[Maripony - the Dream of Unity]

The Dream drifts around them. Drifts around she and all her sisters. Memories of the joys and gladness of countless ponies dancing like phantoms among the mists. Feelings, sensations, for in Unity one is that pony living a happy moment in time.

Darkness and pain and sorrow are pushed away, a thick blackness swirling far below. Out of mind and out of time. The lessons of the past remain to be learned from, but one needn't experience them within the Dream unless one seeks to.

The pony who calls herself No-Name and the pony who has yet to call herself anything trot away into the gossamer memories of the Dream, out of time and the world alike.

Peace at last, yes.

Peace at last.

[MCerberus]

Manehatten - Basement of Morale

Shocking, simply shocking. Whadda really doesn't know what to say. If she were a scribe, she'd know more about this, but the mare's just a simple knight out on recon in the most insane place ever. Also, cyber or fleshy, this mare happens to be pretty well the Minister of Morale, even if the position is honorary.

She'll have to introduce Surprise to a whole host of her superiors. "You wouldn't need a manual for a gun would you? Likely we're going to have to field test your mobility."

[Lycan 01]

Manehatten - MoM Basement

Sprinkles hovers at attention, his limbs locking in place while he raises one into a crisp salute. "A pleasure to meet you directly, Miss PV!" he cheerfully remarks. "How may I be of assistance?"

[Rebonack]

[Manehatten - MoM Hub]

To say that Surprise is a wonder of the Ministry of Wartime Technology would be a gross understatement. The cyber-pony's body represents the height of both earth pony engineering and practical application of unicorn magic. If a suit of power armor is a sacred relic then what's Surprise?

"Nice to meet you in person too, Mister Sprinkles!" the cyber pegasus responds brightly after peering blankly at nothing for a little while longer. "Maybe you could help me set up a surprise 'Oh Boy We Met Some New Ponies!' party later? Buuuut..."

Her cyborg ears fold down as she peers at the ponies (and griffon) gathered about. "I guess it wouldn't be much of a surprise since I just said that out loud. OH WELL!"

She then straightens out her wings and gives them a solid flap, firing all the repulsion jets at once and launching her straight into the ceiling. Surprise collides with the roof head-first, her body flattening out for a moment almost as if it were made of rubber, before she goes tumbling back toward the floor.

At the last moment she stops with an audible shuddering sound, rights herself, and lands neatly on her hooves.

A protect-a-pony that just tromped into the room spies the physically impossible display and begins sparking violently as its logic processors fry.

"Oh yeah! I can use a gun alright. And... umm... I see you found my old one," Surprise responds to Scoops, pointing a hoof at the sniper rifle and suddenly sounding quite uncomfortable. "Kinda surprised to see her again... I was sort of hoping that I wouldn't."

Then her expression brightens considerably.

"You should keep her! Going Away Party is a great rifle and she's a perfect surprise gift from me to you!" the cyber pony exclaims, standing on her hind hooves and throwing out her forelegs triumphantly! And in doing so randomly looses a knife that goes singing through the air and imbeds itself in the visual processor of another killer robot that was just coming in through the door.

The machine fires off a few rays blindly before tripping over its sparking, twitching comrade and face-plants on the floor.

Sadly that isn't the last of the robots. No fewer than six the things are trying to get in through the Sparkle Cola machine entrance, but the heap of robot right at the threshold seems to be giving them some trouble.

[Lycan 01]

Manehatten - MoM Basement

A few sparks kick off of one of Sprinkles' optical units. He then quickly reprograms his data files and processing units to qualify Surprise as having the same reality-warping properties as Pinkie Pie, and to except her from all logical analysis programs. "Well," he muses, "You could always throw the party anyway. If they expect you to do it, they'll expect you to know they expect it, so they'll expect you to not actually going through with it. So if you do actually throw the party, they won't expect it."

He then turns towards the robot doorway of death. "Oh look, now it really is a party!" he proclaims excitedly. He promptly raises his magical energy weapon, and cracks off several shots at the next robot to roll through the portal.


--

Ravine

After about twenty minutes of trudging along through the rocky ravine, Fleetwing and Violetta eventually spot a rainwater gulley down the side of the craggy cliff-face, which looks somewhat climbable.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Overpass Shelter]

Swift smiles in response.

"I spotted them leaving Girdershade at dawn. That either means that they decided to leave us behind after all, or Fizz sent them lookin' fer that truck."

Well, that explains that.

[MCerberus]

Manehatten - Basement of Morale

"Well, ah, thanks," Whadda replies. She'd have given the rifle back if it weren't full of painful memories. But she does have something for it.

"Well thank you, and I might get in trouble for this, but if you would like my rifle it's just a standard recon composite semi-auto but it'll be better than nothing. Unless you want to go around accidentally knifing ponies. That might work."

[TheAmishPirate]

Ravine

After about twenty minutes of trudging along through the rocky ravine, Fleetwing and Violetta eventually spot a rainwater gulley down the side of the craggy cliff-face, which looks somewhat climbable.

Fleetwing kept his cowardly mouth shut the whole way, instead focusing on keeping an eye out for any threats. In his mind, he turned over Violetta's words, thinking long and hard about what had to be done. A better gun, better security, and keep the threatening stallion off his back, or fulfill the spirit of his promise, bring a mare no small amount of happiness, and risk the fires of explosives and Buck's wrath?

Thankfully, the gulley gave him something else to think about.

"This looks like a good as spot as any," he said, studying the cliff face. "Any further and we might lose sight of Girdershade."

[Perception] The pegasus examined the cliff face for the Three T's: Trouble, Traps, and Tricky....Terrain. The Terrain was his first concern; how long ago had it rained? If the rocks were still slick, it'd be all too easy to slip and break something. Second of all, were there any holes or burrows that suggested critters might be lurking, waiting for some bumbling travelers to come along? And finally, he scanned for that dim red light distinctive of land mines. He'd already been nearly blown up once today, and that was more than enough for him.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Manehatten - Stable 29]

The foalbot is hurled into a wall! It manages to flip around in mid-air, braces its limbs against the wall, and promptly launches itself at Down again!

And snarls.

Lots of snarling.

By this time the attention of TRSG! has been attracted, but given the nature of melee there isn't much they can do at the moment!

"Nooooo! Shortcake, stop it!" Vinyl pleads to the other robot rather fruitlessly. The thing doesn't seem too keen on listening to her. Or doing anything other than try to murder Down.

A friend of Vinylbot's?

Down doesn't really seem to care at all.
She finally has something to vent her disgust at, without potentially (immediately, anyway) ticking off her companions.

As the Shortcakebot begins its rebound, the pegasus leaps up onto her hind-legs, a very distinctly pegasus maneuver, and whips out an armor-boosted hoof to greet whatever counts for the robot's face.

Maybe if she hits it hard enough, she can take it off.
That would be cathartic.

[Rebonack]

[GRIMDARK Adventures in Stable 29]

There comes sickening snap as the neck of the foalbot is jerked backwards. The machine staggers from the blow, its head now lolling listlessly off to one side.

For a moment is just stands there...

Before lashing out with its cables and trying to seize Down again. But, thankfully, help is finally on the way! Corn has managed to (somehow) slip past the others! The huge earth pony rears up on his hind legs and brings his hooves down on the foalbot with devastating force!

The machine makes an awkward squawking sound as metal bends and plastic fractures. A few twitches of a leg. Some unidentifiable fluid oozing from its shattered frame. And then it falls still, the lights adorning it going dark.

Vinyl looks like she's in shock.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Still GRIMDARK Adventures in Stable 29]

Down would be lying if she said she wasn't a little surprised that the foalbot kept going after she ruined its head.
Which is why it may have actually been a good thing that Corn muscled over; her faint hesitation may have caused an issue otherwise.

"Thank you."
She's appreciative, even! Rightfully so.

"Alright then..."
Not seeming to notice Vinybot's distress, the pegasus shakes herself off and leans down to inspect the robot's remains.

Time to inspect the kill, see what can be learned.
More specifically, see why kicking its disgusting little head off didn't shut the thing down. As far as she knew, most brainbots (that's what this was, right? She thought that's what they said), stored that in their head area...
"Let's see what we can find here that makes them tick, since we have the chance. That seems prudent, right?"

Understand thy enemy!

[Benson]

Manehatten Ruins-Horseshoe Tower-Ministry of Morale- 3rd Basement Floor- 12:50 PM

Fox Trot

I couldn't no more than squeak out a greeting to the cyber pony let alone take up talking as a free action when the robo enemies decided to pop up again. So it was less happy reunion and more gack! Shoot shoot shoot!

[Luka]

[Overpass Shelter]

Swift smiles in response.

"I spotted them leaving Girdershade at dawn. That either means that they decided to leave us behind after all, or Fizz sent them lookin' fer that truck."

Well, that explains that.

Gleamy tilts her head
"...What truck?.... And what's a truck too?...Just to be sure"

[Rebonack]

[GRIMDARK Adventures in Stable 29]

Rye scoots up along side Vinyl and diverts the foalbot's attention elsewhere. She... really doesn't need to watch these things. After a bit of comforting Vinyl begins inquiring about why her friend suddenly went crazy. Rye admits that she doesn't know, but maybe her friends can figure it out.

If Down manages to get the machine's head open she'll find that there aren't any brains in there at all! Just your usual computer components. However if the body of the machine is opened up...

Yep.

There's the brain. Leaking vile smelling goop all over the insides of the robot. Seems the brain is housed in their chest to make it a less obvious target. Also allows for a little more armor. Not that it helped much when the full brunt of Corn's weight came crashing down on it.

[Ministry of Morale Sublevel 2]

So?

Downside to choke points like that doorway?

When somepony is packing explosive weapons or weapons that otherwise cause plenty of hurt over a large area a tight space like that can turn into a deathtrap in a hurry.

Case in point? Sprinkles, Fox, and Sven open fire and the protect-a-ponies suffer pretty harshly for it. It only takes a few moments before the machines are reduced into scorched scrap and pink ash. "What a world, what a world!" the last of the killer robots drones as it falls still.

Surprise trots over to the twisted heap of ruined robots, humming a jaunty tune as she inspects them curiously. "I guess I could use a gun... Mews really aren't my style but beggars can't be choosers!"

And with that the manipulator cables extend from her back and suddenly she and the robots are obscured in a swirling cloud of dust and motion! It lasts only the span of a few seconds, but when the haze settles an incinerator is mounted on the end of each cable.

"Ha HA! I'm packin' heat now! Come on everypony! Let's blow this cupcake stand!" the cyberpony laughs as she bounces over the ruined robots. "Since we're all new friends how about if we go around and say something about ourselves! I bet we can learn something surprising about each other!"