[FO:E] The Southern Wasteland of Equestria 2

[MCerberus]

Ponyville

Night Jewel will then be on the receiving end of one of those 'what do you think you're doing' eyebrow raises. As for the 'game' he's playing, Razoreye is mostly just trying to figure out how the mare operates right now. So, one could say he's winning at the moment.

"It's likely to be important to you. I have little reason to care."

Fillydelphia

Finder still just wants to leave, but unfortunately, it seems there's always another question. Luckily he doesn't know much so he's likely going to be able to leave soon.

"I hardly know him. Seemed to be really defensive about the filly he adopted."

[Luka]

Raider Railyard

The padlock is proving to be tricky to unlock. Seems it's a little rusty. Just a bit longer and the griffon may be able to get it. But the crunching of gravel and the clanging of horseshoes on metal is drawing nearer all around. The closest sounds like it's only one row away. Keep picking, or brute force it? Or time for a new plan altogether?

He would attempt for at least try for 1-2 seconds more, if it works, he would grab the padlock, but regardless of if it did or not, he would try to cross the boxcar from below before getting spotted (assuming the boxcar is in the opposite side where he came from, if it's not then he would hide below it).

[Rebonack]

[Hoofington]

Slip was busy tromping around in a small circle and stomping the concrete under her hooves into sand. One of her ears flick when the others speak up.

"A parameter?" Slip replies as she glances to either side of the overpass. "Eh, sure. This is probably going to eat up most of my magic, though. That means no killing me for my stuff while I'm helpless."

Aaww... She trusts her friends? How sweet!

Slip rears up and STOMPS down on the ground, causing the asphalt a good twenty or so feet in front of their position to crack and buckle and warp. The ground itself almost seems to shift, leaving a large mound of rubble piled behind a deep fissure. Getting over it would be quite the scramble.

She repeats the process on the other side, leaving them with a rather defensible position behind moat and wall.

By the time Slip is done she looks exhausted.

"Yeah... I think ima just lay down... right here..." and with that the mare flops over into her bed of grit.

[Macintosh Hills]

Dreams of home...

Dreams of playing with my brother and friends...

I woke up wondering why the air smelled so different and why my wall didn't look right. It took a few minutes for me to remember that my home was gone and I was alone in the wilderness. Alone.

In the wilderness.

Right...

I rise and stretch my limbs. The hastily made cloud cot was a little softer than what I prefer, but it worked well enough. Certainly better than sleeping on rocks or sand, that's for sure. I give my wings a few flaps and hop off the edge of my cot, grabbing it in my talons and hauling it up to the top of the rocky spire I had been sleeping near. I drained what water I had left in my canteen and then stomped my bed out for its rain, filling up the container again.

At about that time my stomach decided to remind me that I couldn't live on water alone.

"Right... food," I said to my grumbling stomach. "Wish I had some time to collect something to eat before I ran like a coward. None of the plants out here look terribly appetizing, though. I guess I could find some animals to hunt... That would hardly be a complete diet though..."

My culinary musings were cut short when I noticed a large plume of black smoke in the far distance. A fire. And probably not the natural sort, either. That meant someone might have been nearby! Maybe other hippogriffs had been released from their Stables and started recolonizing Equestria!

The hope of meeting someone other than a mutated zebra or a lizard urged me into action! I hunkered down for a moment and then launched myself toward the horizon, the wind whipping at my face for only the first few moments as I began to magically warp wind and pressure around myself to reduce drag, conserve strength, and increase speed.

It took only handful of seconds before a coppery ribbon specked with flashes of white stretched out behind me. My magical contrail. I wasn't sure exactly how fast I was going, but when the roar of my flight suddenly fell silent I knew that I had just broken the speed of sound.

The sonic boom could catch up with me later.

Slowpoke.

[Lycan 01]

Foothills Cave

Dawn looks over at Rhys, and smiles sadly. "Enclave. Your Peak Guardians are the Enclave. Which is what I am. Well. Was."

She lets out a short laugh, and lets her head fall back onto the mat. "We're not allowed under the clouds. I mean, with enough armor and rank pins, sure, maybe for a little while," she says, though it seems like she isn't talking to Rhys directly. She's looking directly up at the ceiling, tears once more rimming her eyes. "But I... I'm not supposed to be down here. And now I'm tainted. I can't go home. I'm stuck down here, til the radiation kills me at least..." she quietly says, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly as she once more has to stave off an emotional meltdown.



---
Railyard

(I don't understand at all what you're doing. You want to try to take the padlock with you? And then cross the car, regardless of whether you unlocked it or not? Like, walk from one side around to the other? I really don't understand any of that...)

[PurityIcekiller]

Night Jewel will then be on the receiving end of one of those 'what do you think you're doing' eyebrow raises. As for the 'game' he's playing, Razoreye is mostly just trying to figure out how the mare operates right now. So, one could say he's winning at the moment.

"It's likely to be important to you. I have little reason to care."

"Then if it's not such a big deal, perhaps you could let me be to sort this out. I'm not fond of being watched."

Maybe he'll respond better if I'm more direct.

[MCerberus]

"Then if it's not such a big deal, perhaps you could let me be to sort this out. I'm not fond of being watched."

Maybe he'll respond better if I'm more direct.

Razoreye has one response to give. It's not much, but it suits his little corner of the political game being played.

"And if I told you I was down here specifically to watch you tonight?"

[Luka]

Railyard

(I don't understand at all what you're doing. You want to try to take the padlock with you? And then cross the car, regardless of whether you unlocked it or not? Like, walk from one side around to the other? I really don't understand any of that...)

(yes, if he sucessfully picks he takes the padlock since leaving an unlocked padlock there could possibly raise suspicion, if the raider is that close he could possibly hear the heavy boxcar door and catch Mjolnir before he could even enter it, so he would hide away until there was a bit more calm and he could enter it
....Wait.... Ugh, incomplete post, I meant "Cross the boxcar from below", sorry)

[Lycan 01]

Hoofington

Chain doesn't seem too bothered by the talk of cannibalism. Or at least, she doesn't show any reaction. "Huh. Well, place looks clear now. Thanks for putting up the defenses, Slip," she says, before looking around for a place she can sit down. She moseys over to the fire that the raiders had put together, and telekinetically shifts it around a bit to make sure it's burning properly. "Nice to be out of the cold rain," she grumbles.

Her horn flares again, and the straps of her helmet unbuckle. She removes the helmet and drops it in the dirt beside her, revealing a silver mane that's cropped short into almost a pixie cut. She run a hoof through it a few times, before letting out a small sigh and gazing down into the flames. "So what's next, campfire songs?" she asks with a crooked smirk.




----
Railyard

The lock doesn't give from just 2 more seconds of work. The padlock stays in place, and the griffon is forced to leave it behind as clambers under the car and pops out on the other side. Still no sign of any raiders in direct sight, though they can be heard clanking and crunching around nearby. In fact, some of them are even calling out insults and catcalls from all around the train yard.

"C'mon out birdy!"
"Polly want a crowbar?"
"Who's up for some fried chicken?!"
"Bwak bwak bwak!"

[PurityIcekiller]

Razoreye has one response to give. It's not much, but it suits his little corner of the political game being played.

"And if I told you I was down here specifically to watch you tonight?"

"Then I might ask you why, but I believe I can guess." Night Jewel looked the griffon in the eye. "I'd suggest that you serve Lamianos, and he sent you to make sure I was perfectly cooperative, one way or another."

She readied her magic in case the griffon did try anything. He probably wasn't going to attempt an assassination right then, but it never hurt to be prepared. "So, am I correct?"

[BladeofObliviom]

Hoofington

Slip's great show of power leaves a clearly impressed Heart in its wake, in addition to providing a secure perimeter

"Well, that's one way of doing it. You could probably make good caps helping towns set up defenses, you know that?"

At the mention of campfire songs, though, she just smirks and starts humming an old prewar tune.

[Rebonack]

[Hoofington]

Slip doesn't say much aside from a snerk as Heart begins singing a campfire song. Or rather, a song near a campfire. Which seems technically close enough, right?

"Heh..."

The mare clumsily begins fiddling with the clips on her armor, allowing it to drop away so she isn't trying to sleep on the thick metal plates. Last time she did that... well... we'll just say that she didn't sleep so well.

As Slip removes her gear her back, a mass of crisscrossing scars, is visible for several seconds before she lays down with her belly facing the fire. Normally she would sleep under her cloak, but the thing is soaking wet... A common fate in the Hoof.

"Yeah~" the mare yawns in reply to Heart. "Probably. That would matter if I cared about caps. Or protecting other ponies."

A hoof is reached into her cooler and a bag of frozen carrots pulled out. She rips them open and dumps them into her steel chest-plate and shoves it a bit closer to the fire. Before long the smell of cooking veggies will begin to overpower the scent of blood and sick.

[MCerberus]

"Then I might ask you why, but I believe I can guess." Night Jewel looked the griffon in the eye. "I'd suggest that you serve Lamianos, and he sent you to make sure I was perfectly cooperative, one way or another."

She readied her magic in case the griffon did try anything. He probably wasn't going to attempt an assassination right then, but it never hurt to be prepared. "So, am I correct?"

No, Razoreye isn't going to go berserk murder-rage at the drop of a hat. He's here mostly to retrieve some information to reflect upon later.

"Nothing was said about your cooperation. Why I'm here is a more personal concern." It will be interesting to see what Night Jewel makes of that. Whether she believes it's romantic interest or to keep throats from being slit.

[Lycan 01]

Hoofington

Chain Link snickers in mild amusement as Heart begins to him. Chain's horn begins to glow, and a grey aura wreathes her entire body. Or at least, her armor. There's a loud series of clicks and clinks as numerous buckles and straps unhook and loosen up. In a matter of seconds, her armor strips itself from her body, the plating and padding neatly folding together into a neat pile in the air beside her. She levitates the pile of disrobed armor over to the fire, and sets it down next to the flames so it can dry off.

In the flicking firelight, the absence of Chain's armor reveals deep blue body, a strong and athletic build, and a slightly hint of curves that some stallions may find attractive. What is not attractive, however, is the crisscrossing network of scars and wounds that adorn her back. From her shoulders to her hips, Chain's back is a mess of old slashes and slices, long-since healed and scarred over, creating a sharp contrast of bright pink on dark blue.

Spoiler

Show

Chain inches a bit closer to the fire, and lets out a small sigh of contentment. "Much better..."

[Earl of Purple]

Foothills Cave

"Then the metal is part of a suit of barding. You might be able to make it back up. You weren't out for too long; perhaps you could pretend that you landed on a cloud somewhere hard to spot." Understanding dawns in the first statement, but there's concern in the second.

[Lycan 01]

Foothills Cave

The pegasus turns her head to give Rhys a flat stare. "Yeeeeeah, I don't think that's going to work. I look like I've been run over by a tank, and my uniforn is scorched. There's no way they'll buy that I landed on a nice fluffy cloud, especially since the rest of my unit is currently smeared all over the place and cooked for good measure. They've probably already secured the crash site, and written me off as dead. Or AWOL. Or worse."

Dawn suddenly looks back up the ceiling, and lets out a sad, mirthless giggle. "I mean, they'll probably think I caused the crash, too..."

[Earl of Purple]

Foothills Cave

"Oh." Rhys was trying to make Dawn feel better. "If they realise you are alive, will they look for you?" Rhys isn't planning on leaving Dawn unless she wants him to, but he'd like to know if he has to expect fighting Peak Guardians as part of the immediate future.

[Luka]

Railyard

The lock doesn't give from just 2 more seconds of work. The padlock stays in place, and the griffon is forced to leave it behind as clambers under the car and pops out on the other side. Still no sign of any raiders in direct sight, though they can be heard clanking and crunching around nearby. In fact, some of them are even calling out insults and catcalls from all around the train yard.

"C'mon out birdy!"
"Polly want a crowbar?"
"Who's up for some fried chicken?!"
"Bwak bwak bwak!"

He would try to keep going, but now, he would change strategy, instead of outright going out of the boxcars he would remain below and inspect around, still, he would look around for doors that lead inside the boxcars, if there are none, he would try to hide below the boxcar he has in front, he would need to find a place where he can fix his crashed-and-armor-shot self, otherwise most of the shooting he would do would go stray.

[Perception] He would also try to hear where the raiders are to know how far away they are.

[Lycan 01]

Foothills Cave

Dawn brings her hooves up to her face, covering her eyes, and sighs. "I don't know. Probably not. I don't... I don't know..." she whimpers, trying not to break down into tears. "I'm not supposed to be here. We're not supposed to go under the clouds. Once you go down, you can't come back up. Why would they look for me when I'm already as good as dead? I... I don't..." She lowers her hooves, revealing bloodshot eyes and tear-stained cheeks. "I just don't know..."

Poor mare. Today just isn't a good day for her, it seems.

[Earl of Purple]

Foothills Cave

Rhys will trot over and sit down next to her. He stops himself short of giving her a hug, though. "You are not as good as dead. There are lots of ponies down here. Life survived, and continues to. I'm sure you have skills that any settlement would greatly appreciate. I'll teach you the important things about survival in the Wastes- how to find fresh water, what's good to eat, what isn't, how to avoid things that think you are good to eat, how to treat wounds, everything." Admittedly, he won't know anything about repairing 200-year-old technology, maintaining guns, effectively looting pre-war ruins or breaking into computers.

[Lycan 01]

Foothills Cave

Dawn sniffs a few times, before looking over at the donkey and showing a small, sad smile. "Thanks.... Thank you..." she quietly tells him, before looking back up at the ceiling. "I'm sorry... I don't mean to sound ungrateful... I'm just... you know..." She waves a hoof around in halfhearted gesture. "Trying not to have a nervous breakdown, y'know?" she asks, before letting out another small, hollow giggle. "Oh I can't believe this is happening. I'm on the ground, talking to a donkey, and everypony thinks I'm dead. Everypony-"

Dawn suddenly sits up, looking very confused. "Wait, there are ponies down here?" she asks in disbelief.

[Rebonack]

[Macintosh Hills]

Fast.

I was going fast. Faster than I had ever flown before. It was... freeing. I had always felt confined inside the atrium. Like I had to hold back to avoid hurting someone, most of all myself.

But out here?

Out here in a place where the sky goes on forever?

"Wooooooo hohoho HOOOOOOO!"

It felt like nothing could stop me!

Except of course that persistent gargling in my stomach.

As much as I hated it I had to slow down and find something to eat. I began working my wings and magic to bleed off my speed, coming to a halt fast enough that it should have pulped my organs if not for the magical cushion to absorb the brunt of the gees I just pulled.

I came into a hover and began to survey the ground far below in search of anything that looked like it might be edible. Hmmm... There were some funny looking cactus down there with red knobby things on them. Fruit, maybe? And some weird looking large lizards. Maybe I could-

The rumble of my sonic boom finally caught up with me and set my bones rattling. Thankfully the noise didn't scare the lizards away.

"Alright... Lizards first and then funny cactus fruits. Hopefully it isn't poisonous..." I muttered as I dropped into a dive toward one of the big lizards.

At about fifty feet away my shadow passed over the ugly thing. It glanced up at me and then scurried under the boulder it was sitting on far faster than its stumpy legs would suggest it should be able to move.

I gave an irritated curse and landed in the grit, leaning over to peer under the rock at my prey. It just sat there inside the crevice, looking back at me impassively. Tauntingly.

Next I tried reaching in an arm to grab it. I was rewarded with a bite on my thumb.

"Stupid ugly egg sucking son of a whorse!"

The lizard stood resolutely against my colorful insults.

Not to be outsmarted by a dumb reptile I backed away from the boulder, cupped my talons, and began to fan a Thunderball into existence with my wings. If I got the pressure wave just right I would be able to blast the lizard out of its hole and stun it. Once I was confident with its size I lobbed my magical weapon into the lizard's hidey hole.

kaTHOOM!

I had to cover my face with a wing to prevent myself from being pelted with rocks and grit.

...and tiny chunks of lizard.

"Well..." I groused. "That didn't work."

Half an hour later I had an inventory full of 'Prickly Pear Fruit', having given up on the lizards. Fruit doesn't run away.

Apparently prickly pears are worth five caps apiece. I absently wondered how my PipBuck knew how much the fruit cost and what in Celestia's name 'caps' were, but I was more concerned with shaving the skins off the fruit without getting pointy hairs stuck in me. It took some work to get them ready to eat, but they were actually quite good! Sweet and a little tangy.

After scarfing down several I took to the skies and started off toward the smoke once again.

[Earl of Purple]

Foothills Cave

"More ponies than donkeys. Of the eight tribes I know of, only the Stonetails are donkeys. The rest are all pony tribes. Then there's the merchants, they're mostly ponies with pack brahmin and occasionally griffon guards. This is the pony homeland. Where else would the ponies go?" Rhys sounds a bit sad, but mostly curious with the last two sentences.

[Lycan 01]

Foothills Cave

Dawn tilts her head to the side, looking utterly confused. "Um... dead? Or mostly dead, aside from the Grand Pegasus Enclave. The world below us is a radiated dead zone, where nothing is able to survive, other than mutants and monsters. And... donkeys, apparently. But... eight tribes? Seven of them ponies?"

The pegasus doesn't seem to be on the verge of tears anymore. Now she just looks completely dumbfounded. "What kind of ponies? Are they mutants? Cannibals?" she asks obliviously, before suddenly narrowing her eyes. "Wait. They're not... Dash-ites... are they?" she inquires, her tone suddenly turning venomous.

[Earl of Purple]

Foothills Cave

"Not entirely sure what 'radiation' is. They're earth ponies, unicorns, and some pegasi. They look like you, only different colours, no wings, and sometimes horns. And different cutie marks. Maybe some Da****es. Don't know what they are." Rhys is familiar with radiation, but knows it by a different name. Much like the Enclave troopers.

[Lycan 01]

Foothills Cave

At the mention of other pegasi, Dawn scowls. "Dash-ites are pegasi who abandoned the Enclave. Traitors to their own kind. If there are pegasi down here, then they're probably Dash-ites or their descendants," she growls. Jeez, she sounds angry. Almost like it's a personal loathing, and not just political.

She then looks back up at the ceiling and sighs. "Radiation. You know...? Poison? The stuff that cooks you or mutates you? Bad juju? I don't know how the explain it..." she sighs.

Speaking of cutie marks, Dawn's isn't visible, thanks to her uniform.

[Dark Elf Bard]

Foothills Cave

A small brown filly walks in, with a small match in ehr teeth so she can see. Her eyes widen as she sees the donkey and mare, and the match falls out her of her mouth and snuffs out. Her face has soot on the end if it, like she's been around fire.

Who-who are you?

[Earl of Purple]

Foothills Cave

"Oh, there's ways to detect megaspell residue. The plants are a good way. Sometimes a megaspell residue detector turns up, often on a hoof-mounted magic box. Not much in this area, though. Nopony or donkey lived here, before." There is a reason why Rhys and the Stonetails in general know so much about pre-war Equestria and the megaspells.

[Lycan 01]

Foothills Cave

Dawn turns her head sharply to see who's talking. Upon seeing it's just a filly, the soldier relaxes slightly. Slightly.

"What's that?" she flatly asks, almost in a deadpan. "No, really, what is that? Is that a foal? There are foals just randomly wandering around down here?"

[Dark Elf Bard]

Foothills Cave

Cinder steps back cautiously. I live here a few days a week. Why are you here?

[Earl of Purple]

Foothills Cave

"I found the pegasus jenny unconscious out side. I dragged her to shelter, and this was the first place I found. Are you alone?" They should probably swap names at some point. Also, Dawn Break might want to correct Rhys for using the incorrect term for a female pony.