The Untouchables [FINISHED]

Atriark wrote: "I don't give a buck about pre-war relics," the blue mare said. "All I care about are caps, booze, mares, and sex."

Tesla rolled his eyes at the comment, "Yeah...thats rather evident" Despite the fact that this journey had been for the most part rather enjoyable, Blue on the other hand had been the only real irritation he had. She and him saw eye to eye just as well as a raider seeing eye to eye with a radgator, and they had, had previous disagreements that could be compared as such. What was worse was the fact that for the short time he had been with the caravan, she had been his more prevalent customer when it came to gun repair.

Shaking his head, as the two continued their conversation, how anypony could stand being around the mare he would never know, however responding to the whistle, Tesla, like the others drew his primary weapon, a .357 magnum, if anything it was more for show than anything else. He had hardly any bullets left. Looking over to Blue, the unicorn glared, "Blue you break that gun of yours again and I am not repairing it without at least a little incentive, preferably caps." his hissed at the mare.

Looking out in the distance, Tesla saw what looked to be a pony, then beside the pony, a griffon appeared. {Ah hell, please don't let it be raiders again, I'm getting rather sick of those crazed bastards}

This did not look well, this did not look well at all. Kira did not like the look as the caravan started to draw their weapons it looked like they had not seen who they where yet and was prepared for the worse, this was something that she could understand as the ruins was not the safest place in the wasteland and it was easy to get ambushed.

The gryphoness moved careful forward towards the caravan if she took it slow maybe they would not get trigger happy and just shoot them all, but maybe if the zebra recognize her he could tell them not to shoot but that was a long shoot. In truth Kira was unsure what to feel about seeing him again after what happened at tavern she was still unsure if she could forgive him but she could at least try to talk to him after all this time.

She stopped close enough away from the caravan for all of then to see her clearly but still far enough to not seem threatening to them. "Don't shoot we are friendly."

Unlike most of the party, Bakewell didn’t recognize anypony in the caravan. She ducked behind the best bit of cover she could find and opted to wait and let the others work it out until it became obvious whether or not there was going to be peace or combat.

Things didn’t seem to instantly degenerate into the two groups shooting at each other, so that was good at least. Hopefully this wouldn't end in any unneeded death.

Atriark eyed the gryphon as she walked slowly twards them. Nothing about her seemed threatening, but they still had to be cautious. Still, something was familiar about her. Her walk reminded the zebra of some gryphon he still held close to his heart. The coloration kept nagging at him, trying to pull a memory from the drunken wall he put it behind. "Sweet Luna..." escaped Atriark's lips.

"Hey Sin," the green earth pony said, turning to the gryphon. "here comes a female."

"And a cute one as well." Blue chimed in. "Wouldn't mind letting her ride me. Or me riding her."

"Watch it." Atriark barked.

"Zebra." Sindicate spoke for the first time since their last stop. "Do you know that gryphoness."

"Well..." Atriark said, rubbing his neck. "Her and I had something. Before I screwed up. Why in the star's is she out here?"

"Sorry to hear that." Sindicate said, holstering one of his revolvers. "Is that why you've been drinking so much?" Atriark nodded.

"Wait." Blue said, turning to Atriark. "You and her were an item?"

"Get the sex sounds out of your ears Blue." Indigo said. "He just said that they were. Now Tesla, get out there and greet her and her friends."

Sunny perked up. "I'll go with."

"Me?" Tesla turned to Indigo a little shocked, "well...okay then if you say so. You're the boss. Come on Sunny, lets go greet our newest...guests." Swallowing down his nervousness, the unicorn holstered his magnum, and instructed Sunny to do likewise.

Once he prepared himself, the two unicorns walked out in front of the rest of the caravan walking toward the approaching griffon, "See...no guns, we're friendly as well, just a simple caravan making our way through the ruins." Tesla said, loud enough for the griffon and her friends to hear, stopping in front of the griffon, he toned down his voice, "Hi...my name is Tesla Spark, I'm kinda the gunsmith for the group. This is Sunny Smiles," he gestured to the yellow unicon, " our assistant medic...um and your name would be?"

Kira had watched as the caravan seemed to be discussing between each other about what to do, that was at least a good sign that they were not going to just shoot her at least yet. When the two unicorn broke of from the caravan she let out a small sigh in relief that they would at least want to talk to her, even if Atriark was with them she had been a bit worried that this could have ended badly but now it look like it would be no shooting.

"Kira." The grypohness said as the two unicorns asked about her name. She tired to keep as neutral expression as possible as she looked over each of them slowly and them over to the caravan. "Mind if I you show us the rest of you caravan?"

"Um...yeah I have no problem with that at all." Tesla answered the griffon. Turning back to the caravan, he started pointing out the ponies and griffon in the group, "Lets see we have Indigo," the unicorn starts out, singling out the group, "Sindicate," next pointing to the large griffon, "Blue, I recommend you stay away from her, but thats just me, Sunny, myself, and our local heavy drinker, and supposed lookout, Atriark...anyways that covers the first name basis, I'm sure if you follow me, you will be greeted fondly."

The unicorn turned back to the griffoness smiling, "We're all rather nice, I mean Sin's quiet, but other than that everyone's rather nice. But enough about my group...what about yours?" Tesla said pointing toward the hill Kira had come from.

"Really Indigo?" Blue said, pouting. "I wanted to go see the cute gryphon."

"You'd probably get all wet when you came within ten feet of her." the green earth pony jeered. "No way boss was gonna let you go."

"Oh shut the hell up Minty Dash." Blue said and a hoof went to her temple. "Can we all just be a little quiet."

"Mint is probably right." Sindicate said. "You have been known to jump at any female that will look at you."

Atriark chuckled. Everything that was being said was true. He remembering when Blue paid a hooker to let her jump on the hooker and dominate her in a back alley. Atriark had acidently stumbled upon them and received a horse shoe thrown at his head. Blue was lewd and very strait forward, but she never once lied about it. She was proud to be a lesbian, and she flaunted it occasionally.

"You boys are just mad cause this ride doesn't accept rods." Blue said, shaking her flank.

"Not gonna lie," Minty admitted. "I kinda am."

Blue looked a bit surprised. "Well, lob off your pair and maybe we can go a few round."

"Can we not talk about sex?" Atriark asked, trying to ignore Blue. "All of us here know you like mares. So we don't need a recap every time we meet one or Sunny walks behind you."

That got everyone including Indigo and Blue to chuckle. Despite that they could be lewd and annoying, he enjoyed this caravan. They had helped get his mind off loosing Kira in a way that scotch never would.

---

"I agree with Tesla." Sunny chimmed in. "Blue doesn't understand subtle. Oh and you forgot Minty Dash. He's a nice guy. Just don't expect him to help you a lot. He and Blue banter a lot. I think he's secretly mad that Blue is a lesbian cause he wants her."

Kira can up to the caravan after following Tesla and Sunny. She could hearing their speaking and argument between them she could guess for the way they acted to of each other that they most have travelled together for sometime.

"Oh don't worry I think I can handle my self." Kira said about their comments about Blue. It was not Blue the gryphoness worried to meet or any other of the caravan, it was Atriark that she was not sure how the two would act when she meet him again. She gave a short not the each of the others in the caravan as she looked over each and every one of them and finally ending her look and the zebra on top of the cart.

Everypony and gryhphon in the caravan grew silent as Kira walked amongst them. Blue sat on her haunches, crossed her legs, and looked away. This caused Minty to chuckle. When Kira nodded to Sindicate, he nodded back. As Kira drew closer, Atriark swallowed hard. He hadn't seen her since she angrily kicked him out of the room they'd shared. It was the second worse day in his life. But this had to be the most awkward. The Stable 113 zebra's eyes were on his mother's necklace the whole time.

"Uh...." Was all Atriark managed to saw.

"Nice." He heard Minty say. Atriark shot him a look and Minty trotted over to Blue, trying to avoid his gaze.

"Come on Atriark," Indigo said. "We don't have all day for you to find that you're hoof's in your mouth."

Atriark blushed and stammered. "I-I-I'm glad...that you didn't throw away the necklace."

Kira just watch Atriark trying to keep a neutral expression trying to hide the tidal wave of feelings that she had as she watched the blushing and surprised zebra. She was glad to see that he was okay but she still felt an anger boiling with in her but also a longing for the zebra, there was so many feelings that she where not sure how to sort them. She moved her claw up to the necklace around her neck and taped it slightly with her talon.

"Yes... I kept it." She had kept all of his things from that day and had always carried them with her where ever she did got not sure why she had really done so but it had at least finally paid to keep them so she could return them to him now.

Then she remembered the rest of the group and gave a sharp whistle before waving to the them to get over to the caravan and to show that they where friendly. After she did this she turned back and looked over each of the others again but unsure what to say.

"So..." She finally said not looking at Atriark as she spoke. "What are you doing out in Manehattan? It is not the safest place to scavenge."

Sky just looked as Kira met with the caravan, While her and the rest were behind. Sky looked back to the group she had brought and decided to bring them all along to back Kira up, she turned her head to rest. "I think we should go and meet with them, just gonna go and see what they are doing out here." Sky said as began to trot on over to the caravan, as she heard Kira whistle back to the Group,"Well Kira thinks they are ok."

Sky walked towards the group, the closer she got the more she could see of the group. Big group, a good group with this much protection can be a good thing. Sky walked up next to Kira, "They seem friendly enough." Sky noticed Kira had talked with Ark and she also noticed Tesla also. "Yeah they are friendly and hey Tesla and hey Ark." Sky exclaimed to herself.

Arc was watching Kira's advance from cover provided by few pieces of fallen rubble and a telephone box. When he heard Kira's whistle, he was glad that it actually was Atriark, and that the wasteland has not imposed the curse of fluffines to another poor bastard.

When Arc climber over the rubble to meet the other caravan, his suspicion turned true, the green pony in the zebra caravan actually was Tesla. Arc approached him.

"Hello there, haven't seen you for some time Tesla, not since our soireé with ants, i think. What brings you guys here, business?"

Scrap waited as some of the others advanced and started to talk to the other group before moving. When it became very apparent that they weren't about to start killing each other he started to head towards the caravan. When he passed where Bakewell has taken cover he said.

"You can come out of cover now. Doesn't look like they're gonna start shooting us."

Nova began to walk towards the other group once she heard Sky say that it was all clear. She noticed Ark, and felt she should talk to him, but he seemed busy. She then heard Sky talk to another of them, 'Tesla', but he also seemed busy.

Now to use this time not getting shot at wisely. Nova decided. Were it so easy.

With that, Nova decidedly sat on the ground, devoid of things to do other than stare up at the sky.

Upon hearing Scrap's words and noticing that Sky had started heading towards the caravan, Bakewell left her cover and made her way towards the other group of ponies as well, wearing a bright cheery and overall friendly smile on her face. See the friendly pony? Don’t shoot the friendly pony! Friendly.

The situation felt a little awkward, what with how she was out of the loop. Everyone else seemed to know each other already. She remained quiet and let the two parties catch up with each other.

"Well.... I was offered a job... Sunny approached me and said Indigo had an oppening for me if I wanted it. So I took it..." Atriark answered. "That's why I left Stableton."

Atriark was having a hard time keeping his eyes on Kira. He still felt extreme guilt for having made her angry, sad, and dissapointed. But he more than hoped Kira would forgive him, some day. Everytime he thought of the gryphoness, he felt a pang of guilt followed by longing.

Behind Kira, Minty was poking fun of Blue. "Here's your chance Blue. Woo her."

"Shut up Mint, I'm not gonna try for her. She and Arky had a thing once." Blue explained. "Ooooh hoh, but I never said anything about looking. I have a nice view."

"Well, here comes more." Minty Dash said, nudging Blue.

Blue sighed and turned to face the coming group. "Heh, I'm glad I'm not a pegasus or my damned wings would be giving me away." Blue said to Mint. "I think I have a things for wings, cause the blue mare looks fine with hers. As does the black one, but the green stripes don't do it for me. That earth pony looks pretty cute herslef. She has a nice coloration and a pretty good figure. Hell, I wouldn't mind letting any of those mares catch a ride."

"Ten caps none would do you on the first date."

"Damn you Minty, you're probably right." Blue sighed. "But you know what. I am kinda digging them stripes. Let's go say hi. You can take the blue one."

"You know what mare I want." Minty said getting up. "But saying hi would't hurt."

Minty Dash and Blue trotted up to Sky and Nova Surge respectivly. "Hey there." Minty said smoothly. "Hiya darling." Blue said, flashing a smile.

Looking at the sky filled Nova with a sense of calm. She always felt at peace when she was looking at it. She loved to fly, even if she might not be the best. The sky was her realm, she always felt at home in it.

Nova heard somepony talking to her. Looking back at her surroundings, she noticed a blue mare smiling at her. One from the group Ark was with.

"Hey." Nova said, due to a lack of better responses. "You got a name?" She asked, smiling back.

Looks like I get to talk to somepony after all.

Kira could not help it any more she move over to where Atriark was sitting on the cart, she had been angry with him and really hated what he had done but she could not stay angry at him forever. She pulled of the necklace from around her neck slowly and held it up to the zebra.

"Atriark I hated you for what you did, but I forgive you for it." She let out a long sight it felt so good to say that to him, it was like a weight had been lifted of her chest. "But if you ever do something like that again I will geld you with my own talons." She whispered that last part to him so that nopony unless standing just next to them would hear her say that. She had been angry and she even if she meant what she said she did not want to loss him again.

Sky just smiled to the two ponies that trotted off to them, "Hey, Im Sky and this is Nova Surge." Sky replied to the two ponies, a smile on her face and relived they were friendly.

Sky could see Kira and Ark together, they might get another thing going again, but who knows, its their call.

Atriark threw his hooves around Kira's neck. "I am so sorry for making you hate me...." Atriark said, on the verge of weeping joyfully. "I promise I won't do anything to make you feel like that again. I hated myself more for letting you down."

He was so relieved to know that Kira forgave him. Maybe he could forgive himself now.

-----

Minty flashed a warm smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you Sky. I am Minty Dash."

"And I am Blue Flame." Blue said. "I like your mane Nova. It compliments you nicely and really brings out your eyes."

"What brings the two of you out here?"

"I would like to know why a good looking mare such as yourself out here as well?" Blues asked Nova.

Sky could only face hoof as Blue actually thought that would work on Nova, but first times always to try. "We are on a mission to get information, something very valuable to me. And everypony with me is here to help me or find some loot." Sky explained to them both.

Did she just.. huh? Nova thought, slightly blushing.

"Well, I'm here to help out my friend." Nova quickly replied. "Sky here wanted some help, so here I am."

Nova looked around at the buildings again, slightly wincing at their menacing appearance.

"So, what are you out here for?" Nova asked.

Kira had felt so lonely during this time in the wasteland were she had only on occasion gotten some company but it was not the same that she had felt from Atriark, so when he threw his hooves around her neck she could not help but to put her own arms around him. She where also on the edge of beginning to weep from this but she did her best to keep it under control.

"I have you other things as well and not only the necklace if you want them back, it is getting a bit heavy to carry all of them with my own things." She actually made bad joke she her self could not believe that she did it well things were turning for the better after all.

"Oh wow," Mint said. "You have some nice friends. You know, we can sell you ammo, guns, or other supplies if you need any? We traded a few things in a settlement we passed not too long ago. It's possible we may have some of what you need."

Blue noticed Nova blushing and smiled a little brighter. "You're a good pony Nova, coming to a friend's aid. I wish I had a pony like that." Blue said wishfully. "As for what I am doing here, we are just heading to a next town and picking up whatever is of value we come across." Blue paused and thought. "I think we have something that may suit and compliment you nicely."

-----

"Really?" Atriark asked, a bit shocked. "I honestly thought you would have thrown them out... Yeah yeah, I would like them back. You didn't have to carry them. But..." Atriark looked at his mother's necklace. He knew every inch and detail of it. The simple silver chain, the rectangluar locket with an inscription on the inside. 'I love you mom.' Atriark had it made for her on her fourtith birthday. It took him some scrap metal he found and a silver nugget that one of his ancestors had brought with them. "you can continue wearing the necklace. You look good with it."