Fallout: Equestria - The Last Wanderer

Chapter Twenty-Three: Deadline

Fallout Equestria: The Last Wanderer

Chapter Twenty-Three: Deadline

War.

War never changes. As a wanderer of the Wasteland, I had experienced and seen war at point blank range. I had been involved; I had taken arms with both sides of the war. Dishonor. But what is war? Just ponies killing each other over control, or over a small disagreement, maybe a misunderstanding. Ponies killed other ponies for the thrill of using the weapons that they had -- knowing that they'll never get another chance to do so considering war used to be so rare.

But war is part of history. War is what makes this world whole; it's what makes the Wasteland as brutal as it is. They may not know it, but Raiders, Ghouls, Alicorns, Hellhounds... Every single pony and living creature in the Wasteland is fighting a war, even me and my companions. A war that cannot be won. A war which will carry out for decades, maybe even centuries. Maybe until the end of Ponykind. Whether the end means the rebirth of Equestria, or the very end of civilization, war will no doubt be the cause.

And what was I? A broken and completely torn apart pony. Mentally. Physically I was somewhat still in one piece other than the eye, but something told me I was getting closer and closer to the end; the end of my journey. Stable 30 was where I was hoping to return... to stop the Enclave from killing all of the innocent ponies inside of the Stable, to prove I have a chance at redemption.

War changes ponies. War can bring monsters out of their cages, and make enemies. Friends become enemies, and enemies can become friends. Mist saw me as his friend even though I hated him. Lockhart hated my guts, and I was starting to hate him. All of the ponies I killed, all of the ponies I had murdered just to get where I was now were all fighting their own wars. Whether it was for their own survival, or for the sake of a better tomorrow, I had killed them. No mercy. And now thinking back on what they were doing to get by, what they were doing to try and change this hellish Wasteland into a place worth living in... to end the violence. I had regretted every choice.

And I still have a chance at redemption, even if ponies believe I do not.

I was crying.

Crying from the visions that I had seen. How mentally broken Dodge was, how he pleaded for his life to end. And he was right. I wouldn't kill him, I wouldn't even think of it even if I wanted to. He was a friend... my friend. My closest friend. Crystal held me in a soft grip, allowing me to cry into her. She held me close, kissing my head and holding me there until it was all over.

"Whatever you saw wasn't your fault," Crystal said with a reassuring tone to her voice. "I know it wasn't. You're a good pony. You're a pony who is capable of doing right, and you have done right. You've done what you thought was right, you chose your path, the path you wanted to take. You're a strong pony, I know it, you just have to see it."

"I'm not a good pony..." I moaned, nuzzling her chest and silently sobbing to myself. "I-I've killed ponies who didn't deserve it...why did you stick by me? Ever since day one, you had stuck by me. And you had told me I was wrong all those weeks ago, you had yelled at me and told me I was wrong to do what I did."

"I stuck by you because I saw a pony with potential," Crystal gently pushed my head away from her to look into my eyes with a gentle smile. "We all make mistakes... You recovered well, Tornado. You're the buck I fell in love with -- the buck who I promised my aid. And I am not looking to break that promise."

She kissed me gently on the lips, and I kissed back, wrapping my hooves around her before breaking off from her and pressing my muzzle against hers gently, closing my eyes. I embraced her warmth, her softness, kissing her nose with a soft peck before reeling away. Crystal looked into my eyes with a loving smile, and I looked back into hers, holding her close to me.