Fallout Equestria: The Kingdom

[Ironmonger]

"Vorst zing ve got back home vere zeh Fawnish people and Warthogs."

[Guest]

"The what now?"She says as she starts to lazily nibble Shadow's ear.

[Ironmonger]

"Fawnish. Zey look like ponies, except zey aren't. Zey look deformed, all of zem are very tall and slender, vith small heads and skinny muzzles, and strange horns on zeir heads. Rare to see since zey move like phantoms."

[Orm]

"I know what just happened might make you think she doesn't care about you but you're wrong." Searchlight looks down and sighs. "Char, you mean a lot to her. Don't hurt her more than she already is."

[Guest]

"Are they hostile?"

[Ironmonger]

"Most are, and to make zings vorse zey have a knack for being incredible sharpshooters. I vunce read zat an entire squad of fourteen vas killed vile on deployment. Zey only found one Fawnish corpse."

[Guest]

Cherry shivers"....That's kinda scary." She bites her lower lip and involuntarily hugs Shadow tighter,

[Ironmonger]

"Varthogs are just as bad. Imagine somezing as big as I am, has a shovel-like face vith tusks, travels in hordes, and resists machine gun fire. Not as smart as Fawnish, but incredibly strong."

[XT Vengeance]

"If I had really meant anything to her, she wouldn't have done that. I...I mean...I told her about what happened to Change...and...and she would just...make me go through that again?" Charcoal said despondently. "I...I shouldn't have gotten involved in the first place."

[Guest]

"Well, at least ya know they're comin'. Those other ones just sound like... Well, ghosts ah guess."

[Orm]

"Bullshit. Char, are you saying you would have been okay with Clock killing herself if you weren't in a relationship with her? That you wouldn't have had a problem with her getting shot it the head in front of you?"

[XT Vengeance]

"I...no. I meant that she wouldn't...she wouldn't have as many problems if she just hadn't met me. All I do is cause problems. Just let me solve this one," Charcoal says quietly.

[Ironmonger]

"Zey can usually be smelled or heard before zey are seen, but it doesn't help much. One of my biggest vorries is zat somezing so horrible as zey finding zeir vay into zeh vasteland."

[Guest]

"Ah can see why ya would be worried. There's enough stuff down here that'll kill ya. Don't need ta add ta it."

[Orm]

"Char, if you do this you're just going to cause her more problems. Viktor is her only family, other than him she's got no one else to help her right now. She needs you, Charcoal."

[XT Vengeance]

"Fine," Charcoal says quietly. He the stood up and slowly made his way to New Appleoosa.

Why can't they just forget me? Why won't they just let me go. It's obvious she doesn't want me around anymore, Charcoal thought.

[Orm]

"Trust me, you're making the right choice." He said to as he followed him to New Appleloosa.

[Tytan]

At some point along the path Clock slid herself off Crushers back and started walking on her own. She was still closed off and wore a blank, if slightly sad, expression.

[XT Vengeance]

Charcoal caught back up with the group and slowly trailed behind them. He saw Clock walking with her head down and gradually caught up to her. He nudged her slightly with his hoof.

[Tytan]

Clock looked up to see who'd touched her. When she saw who it was her head dropped back down, "Yes?"

[Tytan]

"I...I understand if you don't want to speak to me...I...I just want you to know that I did what I had to."

Clock didn't look at him and kept looking down. She kept her voice low, "What exactly did you have to do?"

"Put her out of her misery. I...I couldn't stand the thought of you...of you," Charcoal struggled to finish that sentence.

Clock sighed, "I understand..."

"I... I don't hate my father anymore."

"I'm sorry Clock...I"ll...I won't bother you anymore," Charcoal said quietly to the mare.

"Charcoal... please don't leave me. I still... I still need you. I still love you. I just... I just... I need a drink."

Charcoal smiled until he heard the mare mention alcohol. "Clock...alcohol isn't the answer. I...I know it hurts but...there was nothing you could do."

Clock didn't speak for a long time while she searched for the correct words.

"I don't hate my father because I now understand why he started drinking. He reached his breaking point. Every doctor has one, he told me so himself. Every doctor has a point where they realize they're helpless. A point where they've seen to much, or failed to many people. I didn't want to believe him. I thought he was just being pessimistic."

"I realize the truth now. He was right. He reached his breaking point when mom died. And I think... I think I reached mine."

"Clock...I...I just want to help. I try to help...but it seems like everyone I touch...they all get hurt for it."

"It's not your fault Char... It's mine."

"How? How is it your fault?" Charcoal asked the mare.

A few tears run down her nose and drip onto the ground, "I care."

Whisper to Clock:

"And it's killing me."

"Have I ever told you what I dream about? I don't think I have. I dream about my patients. I see every single one that I've failed when I shut my eyes. They hold me down and punish me."

"I already know Clot is waiting for me. I just don't know what she'll do to me."

"Clock...I know it isn't much but...I'm here. I...I promise. I swear I will never leave you ever again."

Clock looked up at him. She lightly nuzzled his neck, "Thank you Char..."

"Just promise me one thing, alright? Promise me that you will never do that again. I...I can't lose...not again."

"I...I promise... If you promise me something too. Let me get drunk. Just tonight, just this once and I'll never do it again."

"Okay. But if you drink too much I reserve the right to cut you off, okay?"

"Thanks Char. I'm sorry in advance if I'm a hooful."

"I'm sure I can handle it. You can't possibly be worse than Scorch was."

Clock gives him a look, "Seriously?"

[Ironmonger]

"On zeh upside, zeh Fawnish vould make great couriers." he says jokingly. "Just have to hang a sign on zem saying 'Please don't shoot the mail carrier. Seriously, he'll find you.'" he says with a chuckle.

[Guest]

"Heh, Ah guess ya could."

[XT Vengeance]

"Yeah, seriously," Charcoal said with a grin. "You're no flaming radioactive bird."

[Tytan]

Clock gave him a grim smirk, "You let him drink?"

[XT Vengeance]

"Let him? You think you can stop a Balefire Phoenix from doing what he wants?"

[Tytan]

"I didn't realize he could open a bottle."

[XT Vengeance]

"He used his talons the one time I saw him do it. He's a pretty smart bird."

[Tytan]

"I can tell. Smarter than a lot of ponies I've met."

[CamoBadger]

((TS to...uh...dawn. Group arrives back in New Appleloosa))

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