Title:           Anon Falls - The First Family p2
Author:          Anonymous
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/41eKwhFV
First Edit:      Tuesday 12th of May 2015 08:20:19 PM CDT
Last Edit:       Tuesday 12th of May 2015 08:20:19 PM CDT

The bitter looking smoker terrified the family by the second, keeping battle saddles aimed towards where he ordered them to huddle, teeth perpetually gripping the mouthpiece. Whether it was out of malevolence, or inexperience how to operate the contraption, the gunpony who had assigned himself as '#34' continuously chewed on the tongue sensitive mechanism, risking his twin barrels misfiring with every bite.
 
It had to be intentional, even raiders knew not to damage that piece of the saddle unless it was to play with the captive's lives.
 
"Sir?" Poise hoped to make his captor aware what his habit was risking, "S-sir? You c-."
 
"Didn't I say, not one word?" 34 threatened.
 
Shielded between mother and father, Lean Dart still trembled as the pony's glare pierced his nerves. Left to be guarded by the paranoid while the youngest colt sprinted off to retrieve the town's leader. Not even given the right to speak to assure his wife and son, Poise could only examine his surroundings to distance his fear away from the trigger-happy gunpony.
 
While definitely a ruin, the fabled mountain attraction only suffered the beatings of time and not the imaginations of raiders. Despite being faded of paint and cracked, the crops of buildings still stood strong to provide a roof and four walls.
 
A large gathering of other ponies meandered outdoors, setting up tents all around. Prewar made, Poise saw the way they were erected. All the ponies he noticed were youths, even the oldest he can identify not sporting a wrinkle yet. But still, Stalwart found odd, even for their age, not one of them bared old signs of wounds or blemish of the Wasteland despite most being armed someways. They looked as clean and untouched as fresh Stable Ponies, yet most weren't wearing the barding.
 
True to the rumors, these mysterious ponies had rooted out the mountain-dwelling predators. The amphibious finned Hoppers and Zippers being spit roasted over small bonfires. Numerous more had been stacked onto a wagon, soon to be fed on a plate.
 
Whatever activity they were organizing dimmed in a hurry upon the family's arrival. The staring of a hundred too disturbing for Poise's comfort. It was the tell-all expression of closed communities, of ponies unused to visitors.
 
Earning a place in the ruined resort seems impossible now. Stalwart very much assumed they be unwilling to part his family with any supplies if they choose to spare his family's life.
 
The youngest of the three guards who ran off to retrieve the community's leader returned swiftly with a unicorn in tow. Tall yet lanky, and a frantic posture as he cantered - he didn't strike the type of pony to be named mayor or position of authority. But from where Stalwart laid, such a pony would be preferable to speak to instead of their gritting guard.
 
"Thirty-Four?" The unicorn cocked a brow, as if still familiarizing himself with the name, "You don't--you're not supposed to keep your guns pointed at people! I thought you said you were a security guard."
 
"If you haven't noticed, number Two, a particular set of Equestria's populace don't follow the rule of law." The armed pony educated.
 
"Just--point that somewhere else for now." The #2 pony directed with a slight shove. The earth pony '34' conceded, if bitterly. The guarded elected to stay, but finally sat down so the saddles point to the sky rather than the family.
 
And letting the Poise finally relax his breathing now that his family was out of immediate danger thanks to this unicorn. It seemed more apparent the guards were merely being overly protective. Rightfully so, the trapper agreed further, given the pack of raiders he witnessed moving into the region.
 
Lean Dart poked his head briefly during the short dispute between the number ponies. Upon noticing the colt, the lanky unicorn shifted between every variation of facial discomfort. Was it that the town didn't favor children, Poise wondered? Or maybe he was just guilty the guard put his son in danger?
 
"Excuse...Boomer here." Two gestured at the guard Number Thirty-Four. The guard grimaced, aiding Poise's theory real names seemed to be a taboo of sorts in this new community, "Nowadays, ponies tend to lose their lives showing blind hospitality."
 
"It's a-alright." Poise postured, "I must've looking very suspicious sneaking to your entrance. But it was just to make sure the other side was safe."
 
"Yeah, that's understandable." The unicorn agreed.
 
Clear Fall disbanded from the family's protective hug, more relaxed in the unicorn's presence, "Are you bychance the mayor of this town?"
 
A good question his wife brought up, perhaps these ponies named themselves numbers based rank of importance. But no, this #34 ordered the one they called #13 to fetch #2.
 
"The mayor? Oh no, I'm just his go-to." The unicorn acted coyly on the prospect he could be associated with such a title, "Yeah...my name's Go-Two." he finally said after placing a lot of visible thought in the sentence.
 
Poise exchanged a quick glance with Clear Fall, his wife having the same this-makes-no-sense look too. They name themselves numbers, and seem uncomfortable with names, but now are comfortable with real names. Oi...this all befuddled Poise's brain.
 
"I'm Stalwart Poise, Clear Fall, and our son, Lean Dart." With the memory of 34 a swift distance, the colt brought the courage to give a genuine wave.
 
"We've heard rumors of a small army of ponies, seemingly appearing out of nowhere to clear out all the beasts that nest...well, nested here." Clear Fall corrected herself upon witnessing the aftermath of the extermination.
 
The mayor's assistant shrugged with an unsure cross of his lips. It wasn't a look of denial, more so something surrounding the event that made him uncomfortable upon the mention of it. Likely some of the ponies had died in the effort to clean out the town. The prospect of certain casualties, and the failed attempts centuries past had been one of the reasons the region was untouched.
 
Clear Fall panned across many of the tents the numbered ponies have already erected, "You all seem to be doing well for yourselves."
 
"That remains to be seen." The unicorn smirked, likely acknowledging the nature of the wastes.
 
Despite the misunderstanding being settled, a firm prod from Clear's hoof reminded Poise the reason they journeyed in the first place. Incredulous, Stalwart Poise gave her a silent look that summarized his impression of these people. He still hadn't forgotten one of the guards mentioning his past association to this horrid 'Somber' pony.
 
The stare Clear Fall gave back summarized her silent argument. Strange, and almost cult-like they may behave, they didn't seem to be bad folk.
 
"Could by chance...there's short-hooved work we can do for a meal?"
 
The mood in the air plunged rapidly. Go-Two caught on fast the family wished to stay, uncertainty crossing his eyes, even the bitter guard lapsed to awkward indecision.
 
What had he said wrong? That look in the two's eyes, something made them uneasy accepting anypony to join them.
 
"I'm sure you already have experienced hunters in your group." Poise sought fast to appeal, "But I've learned ways you can preserve their meat longer and how to spot their camouflage in the dark if ever you scavenge the surrounding cave systems."
 
Go-Two's ears peaked, finding value in Poise's skills. The look of uncertainty still remained. Was he perhaps compelled to follow a rule never to accept outsiders? Was it distrust? Was there some dark secret behind their eccentricities they were hiding from Poise's?
 
"I would vouch for you, for sure. The problem..." The unicorn fumbled around with his hooves, settling them back down as if realizing something was missing from his limbs to express properly, "Is how to explain who we really-."
 
"WOOOOOO! JACKPOT!" a buck's voice sounded far off, yet bellowing so loud as if he possessed the royal voice.
 
The mayor's aid dived his eyes into his hoof, as if ashamed of what to follow. The mother and father couldn't fathom until their son reversed all their opinion of this new town with one question.
 
"Mom? Why is that pony wearing colt parts around his neck?"
 
"I told you! I told you these ponies had to have made sex toys! How else were they supposed to masturbate properly in the show?"