Apocalypse Quest to Equestria Ch3

>The rest of the conversation was incredibly informative, if incredibly awkward. Even in a community of other shut-ins they seemed to have trouble talking to other humans.
>Helen, the de-facto leader, and ex-physicist, relaxed considerable once Daniel brought out his pendants.
>She moved from relaxed to cooperative once Anon brought out his newspaper and note bundle, these shut-ins saw it as a sign of dedication.
>They were right.
>Unfortunately the portal had been disassembled for transport right before the roads and schools closed, maybe a couple of weeks after Anon’s first encounter.
>They had a couple of scav crews collecting the necessary materials, but they were due back a month ago.
>So they started sending what little fighting capable people they had left, just for food and water, they didn’t come back either.
>However there was enough stored food and water to last themselves maybe another few days.
>They had solar panels, but they hadn’t seen maintenance in far too long, so that was another item on the to do list as they would be needed to charge the batteries for the portal
>So Daniel and Anon became the new scav team, seeing no other way for the portal to be made ready.
>There were still a couple hours of daylight, so both of them emptied their packs and set about the slow dull business of scrounging the psychology department.
>It was right next to the physics building, and according to Helen untouched by the scav teams who wanted to leave the closer buildings untouched to create an illusion of abandonment.

>So there they were, Anon had taken his key jigglers out and was trying to open the locked door.
>Daniel had his back to Anon, keeping watch for ferals or other threats.
>”Hey bro… Do you think this is a good idea?”
>Anon gave a quick glance over his shoulder at Daniel before going back to the jigglers.
“What do you mean?”
>”Like, this whole situation reeks bro. Too many skellies in the closets, like, how do you lose two entire scavvy crews? Hella sketchy if you ask me. Can we trust them?”
“Well, ‘bro’, I don’t really see any problem. I mean we’ve only known each other for a day, and we trust each other.”
>”Yeah, but, you’re my bro, bro.”
>Anon chuckled at Daniels speech patterns and thought to himself ‘Brohood is Jäger’.
“I still don’t see the difference the circumstances force us to trust one another. Hell, they’re probably having the same conversation right now.”
>With a soft click the door became unlocked and Anon and Daniel began their new career as the scav crew.

>After a few hours of smashing vending machines Anon and Daniel headed back to the underground society.
>The shut-ins were overjoyed to finally have food and drink, the circumstances of this world has forced both parties to trust each other, lest they never fulfill their mutual goal.
>They were given a room, some munitions that the scav crews left behind.
>Before they went to sleep Helen stopped by to both thank them, and hand over the soil and air reports from the first and only portal expedition.
>It was all your standard fair, fertile soil, clean air, fresh water. However the parts they needed were scattered over the city.
>Or at least the suspected locations were.
>Either way, everything is going to be aces.

>Anon knew as he put his head down on his pack, and pulled the tattered blanket over himself that, as always, another memory would creep its way into his slumber.
>It didn’t affect his sleeping anymore; it was just another fact of life.
>So without fear or hesitation he closed his eyes and quickly fell into the warm embrace of slumber.
>After that event Anon had moved in with a work buddy of his, that had been a few weeks ago.
>Since then martial law had been declared, power and plumbing went out just a few days ago.
>The town in which Anon lived was becoming fairly desperate, food and stored water was running out, the ferals were now a well-known fact of life.
>Every few nights a sporadic burst of gunfire could be heard. They could be directed at looters or ferals, the only way to tell was if that low warbling howl preceded it.
>National guard cordons and roadblocks began appearing, limiting movement, trying against the odds to bring things back under control.
>At some point, as if by collective thought, the remaining population took to the streets and simply tried to leave.
>The national guard post was all but empty, with only a few officers and squads left, the others dragged off in the night by some sub human horror.
>Families and singles alike, simply started trudging towards the blockade. It was odd really, very quiet, very resigned.
>As is by some mass epiphany everyone realized the situation was beyond redemption.
>With a good 20 or 30 percent of the population now genetic monstrosities guns were common sight, even in a relative antigun state.
>Anon had been one of the few who packed smart, a middle sized hikers bag filled only with necessities and some items of sentimental value.
>He stayed close to his work buddy, who was walking next to his girlfriend.

>Anon’s buddy had a couple more guns than him, still not an avid gun guy, but more so than Anon.
>Anon had been given a .22 magnum micro revolver. To go with his 10/22.
>The procession was orderly for the most part, no pushing or shoving, just people lining up to go through the small gate through the national guard post.
>At least it was until that low warbling howl rose up from the suburb behind the conglomeration.
>That’s when everything went to hell, the national guard panicked, the crowd went wild.
>The National guard took up firing positions on towers and behind sandbags, even from here Anon could see some of them pulling out crosses and other charms.
>People started pushing for the gate, several started to climb the fence, deciding to ignore the razor wire at the top.
>In the sudden burst of action Anon lost sight of his buddy, they were lost to the crowd.
>There were several screams and gunshots coming from the back of the crowd, Anon struggled to draw his weapon.
>He managed to get the gun about half way out of his pack before someone or something clotheslined him.
>He fell to the ground hard, a nice healthy crack accompanying his fall, instinctively he curled up and covered his head.
>He was stepped on several times, he felt a couple people stumble or trip on his fallen form.

>Anon could only dimly tell how close the ferals were, but they were close, the growls and shrieks closing in.
>He curled up tighter simply praying to live through it. That’s when salvation came.
>Salvation for Anon at least.
>There was a great tearing noise, compounded further by the low slow barks of mounted guns.
>Anons eyes were tightly shut, but through the thin membrane he could see the flashes of the expanding gases.
>Even from this far he could feel the wind pass over him, a distortion in the natural air patterns.
>He didn’t know how long it went on for, he just curled up tighter on the ground waiting for it to be over.
>A moment of silence.
>The National Guard chattered amongst themselves for a little, but Anon couldn’t tell, his hearing had dissipated and left him for the time being.
>Suddenly more gunfire, this time much more sporadic, it slowly waned, eventually petering out completely.
>Anon didn’t dare move, he didn’t dare stand, he stayed the whole night like that.
>Ignored by the world at large around him, locked by fear, indecision, and physical injury.
>Not a thought was had as he stayed there, wrapped up in a fetal position.

>Anon was suddenly wrenched out of his sleep by the noise of Daniels feet touching the floor.
>Like Daniel, Anon caught his hand moving for a weapon. Deep breathe, it’s just Daniel.
>Anon swung himself upright, looking blearily at the poster on the wall.
>It was a poster of Lyra, set up like those old Obama posters, believe was written across the bottom.
>The whole ordeal was done by hand, and from memory, quite poorly too.
>It was still enough to fill Anon’s being with enough energy and hope to see this project through.
>Anon’s reverie was broken by Daniel tossing him a bag of chips from yesterday’s vending machine raid.
>They would make it to Equestria, and things would be better.