Johnny Guitar. (Private)

[BassClef]

Crimson Guitar was a simple mechanic unicorn from Stable 21. His crimson red fur was always dirty from work, yet his Golden mane and tail always stayed clean... Sometimes, you would catch him playing his Guitar for his mother. She loved him more than anything in the world. She called him Johnny Guitar, because of his guitar cutie mark and because... Well, its the title of her favorite song on the radio. Most of the stable ponies called him this as well... Good ol' Johnny Guitar!

It was a peaceful day... In the Stable. Apparently, some new comers entered the Stable. This was strange... Usually you don't get many visitors in a Stable... They seemed nice! No bad thing about them. But after a few months of earning the Stable folk's trust, they pulled out guns, and threatened to kill them all. They were shot down by the Stable guards... But not before they shot Johnny's ma... Her last words to Johnny were: "My only wish is... That something is done about all the evil in the world..."

Crimson awoke with a start. His pip-colt alarm went off. But this wasn't a simple alarm... It was a reminder... To leave the Stable... And get rid of all the evil in the world. Just like ma wanted. He gathered his things: His guitar, A wrench and some tools, and quickly went to the Stable door...

[Smartbrony]

APP13 stared at the corpse of his former owner. He didn't know why he had stayed around as long as he had, especially since he knew his owner was deceased the moment he'd died, but he just couldn't go, now more than ever. Not because he was grieving, but because he'd been standing there staring for so long that his leg joints had rusted. If he could grab the can of oil that was with the dead, or get at the tools in his protected storage compartment on his back, he might have been able to do something about his current situation. A lack of flexibility and not being able to move seemed to be having serious drawbacks in this situation. Scanning the surrounding area, APP13 let out a tone he used for a sigh. As far as he could tell, there wasn't any sign of intelligent life nearby, just a few dilapidated buildings. Returning his head to it's forward facing position, APP13 powered down his screen, leaving only his microphone going to alert him when someone that could help him approached. He couldn't put his metallic hoof on it, but he had a feeling he'd be waiting there for a while.

[Dabom444]

Livewire trotted slowly through the halls. Looking around stable 21 as she went along. This was her home. A safe haven from all the pain that was the world outside. She was safe here, at least she once thought before the traders they had become friends with had decided to draw weapons on them.

She remembered it clearly, everything was well. Then commotion and yelling started up. Next thing she knew there were shots and it was over within a minute. However short it was they lost some good ponies. She could remember Crimson or Jonny as many said, had lost his mother. It was quite heartbreaking to be honest.

Livewire lost her mother and father. Her mother to birthing problems and her father in a fire within one of the reactor rooms. How she could remember the screams, she was only five then. Left without any family to call her own.

Sure the stable dwellers kept her company enough and soon enough she had gained close friends. Close enough to be her family at least. Sadly though she was mute so it was often hard for her to express her feelings when she was down. Leaning heavily on telepathy to speak to certain ponies. One of those was Crimson. He was her friend and she had chosen him to be one of her telepathic connections.

She exhaled as she moved along to her livings quarters. She wanted to see how Crimson was doing. She stopped by his room and peeked in. She didn't sense him anywhere inside and raised an eyebrow. Moving inside she found that most of his stuff was gone! Where was he?

She began to feel unrest as she shuffled in her stable Tec jump suit. Bringing her pipbuck up and looking for his signal. She found he was moving to the exit! Why!?

She took off down the hallway. Pushing some ponies out of the way much to their disgust. She got up the several stair flights till she reaches the door and caught sight of him moving to the stable door!

She focused on his mind. " Crimson where are you going?" Her voice echoed in his mind as she trotted after him.

[BassClef]

Johnny didn't say anything to her. He was set on his choice. He would go to the outside world, find all the evil doers and destroy them. He watched with wonder as the door sloooowly opened. It wasn't opened for years... Not sense... Ma. It had been 4 years sense that happened, but I was like yesterday for Johnny. Light poured into the Stable. It was the brightest light he had ever seen. "Im doing this... Fer ma. She didn't deserve that kinda death. And I ain't gonna be stopped."

[Dabom444]

Livewire's eyes widened and she took a few steps forward. She drew her laser pistol from her side and held it up. "Crimson stop!!! You are gonna die out there!!" Her mind wailed in his head.

[BassClef]

"I might die... But I would die fer a good cause." The door was finally open. And the outside world was revealed to the Stable dwellers. Johnny stepped forward, still ignoring Livewire. He was about to step outside when he looked back at her. "Goodbye, Livewire... I'll be back, when the jobs done..." He said with his famous smile. He looked at the ground. It was strange... Why wasn't there any tile on the outside floor? Why isn't there a roof? These were some of the many questions that ran through his mind. He finally took a deep breath and stepped forward. This new ground thing felt warm inter his hoof.

[Dabom444]

She felt a few tears well up in her eyes before she lowered her gun and looked at the stable guards. Why didn't anypony try to stop him!? She curses and looks forward. The door began to close. He was her best friend and she couldn't let him just leave alone.

She galloped forward and kept through the door at last moment before tumbling on her face and squeaking. Her hind legs squirming as she came to a stop.

[BassClef]

Crimson was shocked to see his friend tumble and fall as she tryed following him. He quickly helped her up and made sure she wasn't badly hurt. "Livewire! W-what in the heck!? Why'd ya follow me?! Y-you said it yourself, if I go out here im gonna die! Come on, lets try and get ya back into the stable... This is no place fer you..." Crimson looked back to the stable door. Well... Maybe she wouldn't get back in...

[Dabom444]

Livewire got up with his help and dusted her stable Tec suit off. She scrunched her nose and suddenly hugged him. " Because you are the bestest friend I have had in the stable! And I can't just let you go out here and get hurt!" She whined in his head before letting him go and looking at the stable door. Her neon blue eyes showing dismay.

" I don't want to go back In. Not with you out here." Her voice echoed in his mind.

[BassClef]

Crimson trotted to the giant door. It was closed by then. No more strolling in whenever they please... 'Dang... Why'd she have to do this? This makes things more complicated...' He thought. "A-alright... Uhh... Were gonna have to look for supplies. I didn't have any medical equipment on me. We need food... And a forgot water..." He looked off into the distance. There were a few demolished buildings. "How 'bout we look over by them buildings?"

[Dabom444]

Livewire was happy that he didn't get mad at her and started looking around for supplies. She mewled sadly before looking around too. " Yea we should go check those buildings out." She echoed in his mind nodding.

She held up her Pipbuck and turned on the maps before whimpering softly. " We need to look around before the map plots out." She pointed out before standing.

[BassClef]

Crimson checked his pipbuck map. Nope. Nothing... Its blank. "Well... Lets just get over there real quick, then try lookin fer a place ta rest. Gosh! Its hot out here... Is this the water heating level er somethin?" Crimson looked around. He was born in that stable... Most everypony was... So its only natural to think the wasteland is a giant stable.

[Dabom444]

Livewire began to move to the buildings. Listening to him as they crossed the scorched ground. She whimpered and picked her hooves up just as fast as they touched the ground. She winced in pain, " This ground is hot and the air is drier than toast!" Her voice echoed inside of Crimson's head.

"This place is miserable already!" Her voice squeaked in his concuousness.

[BassClef]

Crimson followed. Almost doing the same with his hooves as she did. The ground was hotter than they were used to. The air wasn't as good as in the stable. And the most shocking of all... Crimson's pipbuck began picking up radiation in the area. That didn't seem good. "Yeah... No doubt... There's radiation here... We should hurry to those buildings..." Crimson trotted a bit faster to the buildings. Soon enough, the pair of stable dwellers found the rubble of the old houses. No radiation In this area.

[Dabom444]

Livewire moved fast as they moved to get out of the radiation. Her eyes kept peering around quickly, having the feeling of being watched constantly put her into duress. When they got to the rubble the mare slowed and wiped her sweat from her brow.

"Alright let's see what we have here." Her voice came as she slowly began picking up rubble here and there with her magic.

[BassClef]

(Imma let Smartbrony get a turn here now, sense were near his character now.)

[Smartbrony]

(Thanks. We must be in different time zones, 'cause those last four posts came after midnight for me.)

 

APP13 monitored his microphone's input vigilantly. So far, all he'd really heard was the occasional breeze. But now it was picking up something else. Analyzing the sound, he determined it must be coming from the town. Hopeful, he flickered on his screen and turned his head to see if he could locate the abnormality. Oddly enough, all of the building were still standing, so none of them likely made the noise on their own. APP13 calculated his odds of survival if he decided to stay quiet and see what happened next, and they weren't good. He thought it would be best to call out, so, in his robotic voice, he said "Hello? Is someone there?". He recieved the echo of his voice travelling to the town, so now all there was to do was wait.

 

(Unfortunately, it may be a while until I can post again. No more than 9 hours though, I promise.)

[BassClef]

Crimson's heart almost stopped. There were others here? "Live... Get yer gun ready..." He told her. And took his wrench. Now he yells back to this robotic voice. "Don't you try anything! We gots ourselves a laser pistol! And we ain't afraid ta shoot!" Crimson looked at his pipbuck. He had made a sort of modification for it to make ping noises if there were any sort of machinery around. Back in the stable, you could lose some electronics... And it was helpful to have something like this on the pipbuck. He was picking up small pings, straight ahead, approximately 20 feet from them.

[Dabom444]

Livewire froze up and dropped her rubble she was moving as the robotic voice came before she could really do anything she was told to get her laser pistol ready. She pulled it out with her magic and looked around. Her eyes scanning around as Johnny guitar scanned for the source of the voice.

When the ping came on she peeked at his Pipbuck and aimed her weapon that direction.

[Smartbrony]

APP13 heard the call back, and to be honest he wasn't sure what he'd expected. He began running calculations on who that could be. He decided it wasn't a bandit, else they wouldn't have answered. A caravan? Not very likely, since they'd probably be armed better than a laser pistol, and probably wouldn't let anyone know as much anyway. Deciding whomever it was was probably not hostile, he replied, as matter-of-factly as he could, "Even if I could try something, it is highly unlikely that I would. I am only programmed to fight on my own in self defense." 

[BassClef]

"Programmed?" He questioned. Was this one of those things he read about in a magazine in the Stable? "Just... Stay where you are. Were comin over ta check ya out." He answered. "Come on Livewire... Lets see what this thing is... Keep that pistol ready." He picked up a piece of rubble for some sort of make shift cover and slowly began a trot over to this thing.

[Dabom444]

Livewire glanced to her friend and then back forward when she heard the robotic tone. She hadn't seen anything too robotic besides the ponibot in the cafeteria. She moved forward with her pistol held tightly in her magic. " Be careful Crimson." She echoed In his mind.

[Smartbrony]

When APP13 heard what the voice said next, he couldn't help but make a snarky retort. "Trust me, you don't have to worry about me going anywhere any time soon." As his camera picked up movement, he focused in on it. It seemed whomever was coming this way, they were using cover. All he could think to do now was flash to a confused face and watch as they approached. 

[BassClef]

"Alright... What are ya talkin 'bout 'Programmed' ta do somethin? Only other bots that work are in the stable... And ya... Don't sound like a stable-tech bot." Crimson didn't see this... Robot yet. He was hiding behind his cover. He also made sure Livewire was behind it too. But now, it was confirmed that these two weren't from a band of raiders, a caravan or just some random looters. They were stable dwellers, whom never saw the light of the sun in there lives.

[Dabom444]

Livewire continued to listen but peeked a bit over the cover. She could swear that she saw a confused face on the screen. She couldn't help but give a giggle in her mind, she pushed that down though and ducked again as she held her pistol at the ready.