Upon reaching the top of the stairs of the basement of the library, I got my first sight of what had happened to my home. Stepping back, my eyes opened in stark horror at what somepony did to it, how they vandalized every corner of it. Everywhere I looked, I saw cages of of ponies in various states of decay. I found myself holding back the bile that had built up in my throat as I saw the walls decorated with organs and various... other fluids. Wincining, I tried to turn my head away from all of the blood and carnage that I saw. Whoever was here, must have been sick.

Who could do this, who would vandalize my home?

A part of me wanted to throw up or cry, the rest told me to keep it together and get out of there. Taking a deep breath, I turned my head to look up the stairs, and silently walking, I wispered a silent prayer that they didn’t get to my room. Taking careful steps, I slowly made my way up the stairs, shaking in nervousness that they ruined my room. Once I got inside my old room, I used my magic to pull out a box with the label ‘my treasures’. Softly, I smiled at this, remembering all of the things I had packed within.

Opening the box slowly, I was glad to see that no one scavenged it. it was opened just a little, but everything seemed to be intact. Then again, it’s all worthless to anypony but me. Using my magic, I lifted up a small kazoo and giggled, remembering how I had won it; it was one of my favorite memories. Then I brought out a little plush doll of my mother, the letter that came from Dinky, a photo of my graduation with my mom and aunts all around me, my first day after bootcamp, a picture of me at Stable tech, and...the book where I got my name. To anypony else, these seemed like just small trinkets or useless junk, but to me... they were precious memories of a time now past. A treasure I couldn’t bear to lose.

Turning away from my box, I went to a small cupboard and opened a slot to pull out a small blue head band and a pair of glasses. Now, I know what you are thinking and no, I am no longer afraid of my dragon-like eyes. The reason for my glasses is... well...

Ok, so I feel like they make me look smart. Give me a little vanity once in a while.

Besides, Mom and Uncle Shining thouhgt I looked adorable in them.

Looking out the window of my old home, I quietly flew out and landed on the ground outside. As I walked away from the place I had called home for so long, I made a small promise to myself to never go back, that this was the last time I will ever go home again. I never wanted to see my home in such a... state. Taking a deep breath, I looked towards the boutique, or what was left of it. I could only shake my head in sorrow, trying my best to fight the memories of the building back when it was beautiful. Back when I first met Rarity, and I had gotten my glasses.

“No, don’t think about it, just keep walking. Just keep moving,” was what I began to think to myself as I opened the door to the house and peered inside. I muttered a small thank you to whoever was listening that this place was nowhere near as bad as what happened to the library.

Sadly, it still meant that this place looked like Tartarus washed over it with balefire and brimstone.

Making my way to the closet, I tried my best to ignore some of the skeletons that I could see lying next to the stage and used my magic to open it. Peering inside, I smiled softly to myself as I found the cape that Rarity had given my mother back when Spike went on his greed rampage. Torn, a little ratty from age, but it fit comfortably over my wings nicely and was very warm. Draping the cloth over my wings, I felt a little bad to be doing this again. I had already made peace with the fact that I was the reincarnations of Nightmare Moon and to cover my wings again felt like I was denying that part. It was like pretending I was just a unicorn once again and not who I was. A sigh left me as I also began to realize that I had no idea if Celestia and Luna were alive at this time, or if the zebras had survived and taken over.

I quickly shook my head at that last thought, “Of course they’re alive, it would take a lot to kill an alicorn. I know that for a fact, Celestia and Luna are,” I swallowed hard, not really believing my own words, “alive and in Canterlot. That’s where I’ll go when I’m done finding out about Fluttershy and the others. Yeah... I’ll see Celestia and Luna at Canterlot, they'll be ok along with mom and everypony else. This will all be a horrible nightmare that I could wake up from and none of this will ever have happened,” I then squinted my eyes hard, holding back the tears. Internally, I yelled at myself to not cry, that I had better not cry. There was more important things to do than cry, I had a mission from my mother to complete after all.

This cape was just to protect my alicorness. I didn’t know what the alicorn situation was here at the time and if there are any ponies alive here in the Wasteland, they might be shocked to see an alicorn in the world. Especially one that looks like the mare who twice tried to destroyed Equestria. I then let out a chuckle and walked out the door and back into the wastes.

Walking through the deserted streets, all I could hear in my head for the entire time was the small shadows of the past. Every path I walked down, every corner I turned would just bring out the faint voices of the past. Looking down the path of the old school house, all I could think of was the days that me and the CMC would play, trying to get our cutie marks or some other type of shenanigans. A small giggle escaped my lips as I began to hear the old voices coming to life before me

“Come on, Nyx!” Sweetie Belle laughed as she ran to a tree.

“I’m coming Sweetie Belle, what are you trying to,” I stopped in my tracks as I saw what appeared to be the world’s biggest water balloon before me. “What is that?!”

“Well, we tried Cutie Mark Bomb Makers, and that failed,” the orange pegasus said to me, walking up.

“And we tried Cutie Mark Water Carriers,” a yellow filly said, standing next to me, “But...”

“We haven’t tried Cutie Mark Water Bomb Makers!” Squealed Sweetie Belle, her purple and pink mane bobbing up and down in excitement.

“But, what does this have to do with me?” I asked, looking up at the thing, towering over me and eclipsing me in its shadow.

“Well, we need a way to set it off...” Sweetie Belle said, smiling with her horn aglow in a green aura.

“But Sweetie, Mom said not to use our magic for pranks!” I said.

“This isn’t a prank, it's to find out our destiny!” Scootaloo said, and then looked to the tree, “And if we happen to get Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon wet...”

I giggled and charged up my horn, a smirk on my face as me and Sweetie fired.

I laughed at the memory, rubbing my hoof on the small dent in the ground from where the bomb went off. I almost felt like just stopping here and laying down to enjoy the happy memory, but then I looked in the direction of Sugar Cube Corner and my my heart sank at seeing the once building destroyed, but I began to smile as nostalgia started to take over me. Happily I ran to the ruined gingerbread building, the voices of the past continued to play in my head.

“Guys! Look, Look!” Cheered Applebloom as she ran to us, turning to show off a flank with a hammer and a nail in an apple.

Nearing the building and touching the door, I saw four little fillies next to me, dancing up a storm, trying to help a pair of twins dance. A chuckle escaped my lips as I opened the door, remembering the glee on Scootaloo’s face as a faint glow appeared on her flank.

As the door slowly opened and I stepped into the building, the memories continued to flood my mind. Walking into the foyer, I saw me and my friends, much older, talking Sweetie Belle into kissing her long time crush, a brown colt with a little beanie. In one of the corners, I saw Applebloom fixing up a new stove for the Cakes.

“NYXIE! NYXIE!” Squealed two little foals as they ran around my teenaged legs, “We need a ride.!”

“Sure,” I giggled, using my magic to lift the two onto my back.

As I neared the counter, I slapped my hoof against the counter, “One muffin, extra blueberries.”

“Will that be two or four?” Asked the Cup Cake that stood in my head.

“Four, Mom is letting Dinky eat during the magic lesson,” I said, letting the smell of the fake muffins enter my nose.

“Sure thing,” the fake Cup Cake said as she went behind the counter and gave them to me.

“Thanks,” I said, before sighing, “I just wished that you were really there.” I then looked up, as the illusion of the building vanished, and now the ruined truth stood before me. All the memory did was remind me that I hadn’t had anything to eat since I woke up and I needed something. Looking behind the counter, I saw something that caught my eye. Shaking my head in disbelief, I walked behind the stand and pulled out a box of ‘Fancy Pants Candied Apples’. Grinning, I opened the box and popped most of the contents into my mouth. I didn’t even try to think how long these have survived or how many rads they had. I just needed the food. As I began to munch on one, the taste felt stale and dusty, with a little bit of burning, but it was just what I needed for the moment.

Hunger gone, I turned and walked away, but not before looking over my shoulder, “Thanks, Mr. and Mrs. Cake.”

Once I was outside, I could hear the distinct sounds of ponies talking. I held back the urge to squeal at the thought of pony companionship. Running as fast as I could to the group, I slowed my approach as I caught sight of them.

There was something... wrong with these ponies.

“Well, look it here,” said one of them as he looked at me. There were six of them, two mares and four stallions, each wearing what I would hesitate to call armor. It was more like they all went to a junkyard and threw whatever they wanted on. Their manes were all spiked and cut short, with a deranged look in their eyes.

“Looks like a cute unicorn has walked into town. Bet she screams real good,” said one of the mares, bringing out a small switchblade while the others did the same. Two of them drew some guns from their sides.

“Uh, sorry... I think there’s been some sort of mistake,” I said, backing up a little as two of them came closer. “I was just walking around the town to see if I couldn’t find somepony. Well, now I found somepony and I think I better go,” I finished, every fiber in my body telling me that these guys were not the talking type.

“Why? We’re gonna have a party and we need a guest. You’ll do,” said one of the stallions. It was then I began to notice their cutie marks, and it disgusted me. Each one was of things like a pipe in a pony skull or a knife sticking through a leg. How did they get those, I didn’t know and quite frankly, dear reader, I did not want to know.

What I didn't know, at the time, was that there was a seventh raider right behind me who leapt onto my back and stabbed his knife deep into me, just above my shoulder. I let out a loud scream of pain as the blade sunk deep into my flesh. It was only after he took a second slash into my body that I was finally able to buck him off. While he was in mid-air, I turned and punched him with my left forehoof, sending him flying into a nearby wall.

Two of the other ponies ran behind me and slashed into my hind legs, causing me to collaspe to my knees. Growling in pain, I reared a hind leg and kicked one of the ponies in the face. I then spun around, bringing my right forehoof against the side of the head of the ponies' partner. I then slamed an elbow against the skull, sending the pony down to the ground unconsious.

I was to distracted to hear the ponies armed with guns cock their firearms and fire at me, scoring two hits on my shoulder. I let out a scream as one of the bullets cut through my shoulder, making a trail of blood travel down it. Letting loose a small growl, I concentrated my magic through my horn and made it crackle with lighting. Keeping my eye on the one on the left, I sent out a bolt of electricity from my horn to knock him out. Sadly, this left room for his partner to send out two shots at me. I barely managed to dodge one bullet, but the other hit me dead in the hind leg as I rolled to the side. This left for his two friends to slice at my back and side, barely missing my wings. Squinting hard, I tried to concentrate for another another bolt, but the stallion in front of me cut in front of my chest before I could get another shot off.

“Plan B!” I thought to myself as I grabbed one of the dropped guns in my magic and threw it at the one who was shooting at me. As the thrown gun knocked him and made him drop his weapon, I turned and bucked the stallion at my back into a wall and then shot a small bolt at the pony cutting into my chest. Tired and bleeding, I moved to the wall in the hope that my healing magic would act fast enough to heal my injuries before moving on.

That would not be the case, sadly, as I watched the last member of the group walk over and pick up one of the knives, “Really mean, uni. Guess I am to have to make it slow and painful as I carve my initials into your cute little belly while I thrust my-”

I barely let him finish as I moaned, “No, no. NO!” Looking around, I used my telekinesis to pick up the nearby gun and aimed the barrel. Now, as much as I hate using guns, that did not mean I didn't know how to use one. With a terrified scream I pulled the trigger and closed my eyes. As the rapport went out, I heard the death rattle of the stallion as he went down. Looking up, I watched in utter horror as the stallion fell down, a pool of blood surrounding him as the fluid leaked out of the hole in his skull, “Oh, Celestia. No, please, I’m sorry,” I whimpered, “I didn’t mean to, I had no choice. You were going to rape and kill me, I-I-” It’s true that I was used to the idea of death on the battlefield by now, but this was the first time that I had ever taken a life, or even thought about it. I was taught by my mother to always respect life. Just to see a body, one that I killed, laying there began to make me tremble.

“Looks like she was a monster after all,” a pink earth pony mare taunted.

“No, I’m not!” I said, shaking my head.

“A ruthless monster that kills other ponies,” taunted another silver coated pony.

“Monster, monster, monster, monster MONSTER!”

“NO!” I screamed as I took off from my spot, my wings unfurling and destroying the cape I had brought with me. Flying as fast as I could, I reached a nearby hill with a decayed tree on it. This was me and my mother’s favorite reading spot. Where we could get away from our troubles and just read a book calmly. Landing at the tree, I looked back over what was once my hometown, my place of peace and saw all of the destruction within. I looked down at my hooves, all of the trials of the day just flooding through me, all of the horror that had just happened, and the thought that I had just killed a pony and I was alone in this world just finally overtook me and I broke down. I laid my head in my forehooves and cried myself to sleep.

Footnote: Level Up. New Perk: Gunphobia: Guns are not your favorite friends. In actuality, you outright despise them! Which is why you want to focus your own body instead of those horrible boomsticks! Add +5 to Melee Weapons and Unarmed.