Fallout: Equestria - Project HIVE

by Cascadejackal

Nerves

---

PROJECT HIVE

Nerves

Ironside was only half-paying attention to the paperwork covering his desk, much more interested in what his partner, his herdmate, was talking about. And coffee, a fresh, steaming mug of which was set on top of some particuarly dull forms by Damsel as she finished speaking. "For what it's worth, I think it's a great idea," The unicorn stated as he lifted the battered, stained old mug to take a sip that left his mouth only slightly scalded, before signing the form-turned-coaster and hoping nobody would notice the marks left by the mug.

Damsel sighed and sipped her own steaming brew with a small grimace. "I shouldn't have even mentioned it." Shaking her head, the changeling stared into the depths of her mug, as time-worn as its partner, and added more sugar.

"Then why did you?" Ironside asked, watching as the sip-and-sugar cycle repeated again. Then again.

With a grumble, Damsel frowned and continued adding sugar to her drink. "I don't know." Staring at the now half-empty sugar bowl, she pushed it across the desk to her herdmate, who accepted it and took a much more reasonable single scoop as the changeling started rummaging through her desk for something. "It's not something we should really be talking about. It's just that... ah!" Distracted from her explanation, Damsel pulled a tin from the depths of a drawer and popped it open. A cookie was produced, then quickly crumbled and stirred into her steaming coffee, filling the Security office with a scent of ginger that had the rest of the security team's noses twitching.

Ironside just watched and waited, one eyebrow slowly climbing as a second and third cookie met the same fate as the first.

With a sip of her ginger-and-sugar sludge, Damsel let out a pleased sigh and finally relaxed into her chair, cradling the mug between her front hooves for warmth. The fact only one hoof was actually able to feel the mug barely registered in her mind at this point. After a few moments, and a few more sips that had Ironside's eyebrow vanishing into his mane, Damsel continued, despite staring distractedly into her mug of muck. "He's proven himself," she said quietly, as Ironside listened on but said nothing. "I talked it over with the Regent... with the Captain," the changeling corrected herself, "and, well... we felt it was time, even if it's not the way it should be done..."

"Damsel," Ironside interrupted as he left his seat, to take the distracted changeling into a hug, "I get it." He tightened his grip, stroking his herdmate's head as she leaned into him, still looking pensively into her mug. "You're going against tradition, shush," with an affectionate squeeze, he stilled Damsel's protest of putting such a huge issue into such small terms, "but you said it yourself, he's proved himself." He felt Damsel relax against him, at least enough to sip the stomach-churning concoction in her mug. "Do what you think is best for now, and maybe you can do it properly soon." He squeezed the changeling one last time before letting go with a smile.

Damsel smiled back as they parted."Yeah... you're right." Now relaxed and ready to face the morning's paperwork, she set to it, crushing another cookie into her coffee in hopes the ginger would settle her stomach as much as her partner had settled her nerves.

The rest of the Security team studiously pretended to ignore their affectionate bosses and went about their own work, noses occasionally twitching at the scent radiating from that poor mug.

---

Holly bumped her shoulder against Lorikeet's as they approached the Stable entrance, only to be bumped right back. The pair smiled at each other, much more at ease without open sky or horizon pressing down on them, looming over them. Every step down that long staircase from the surface had been a relief, and if they'd kept closer together than they really needed to... well, nobody would think to mention it.

Both flutterpony and pegasus relaxed when they crossed the threshold, passing through the doorway that was now open far more than it was closed and greeting the Maintenance crew who was working there. It soothed their minds, the familiar sounds and smells, voices and hoofsteps echoing down passageways and halls, signs of life living the way that, in some deep part of them, they felt that it should.

As they made their way through the welcome closeness and crowds, their wings fluttered against one another, bodies still holding the last warmth of the late afternoon sun they'd left above.

---

Ginger Snap and Tagalong were hardly nervous mares, something well-known across Hive and Stable. Driven, certainly. Stubborn, without a doubt. Bull-headed, as some would put it, when it came to their duties as part of Morale.

So, it was no surprise to either Overmare or Regent when the pair faced their scolding with heads held high and a distinct air of sorry-not-sorry, both calling their actions necessary when told to explain themselves. Morale meant Smiles, after all, and a well-rested pony was a smiling pony. They even had a copy of the Stable Regulations (Morale Edition, of course), with the relevant passages about overwork, adequate rest, and the effects of stressed leadership on happiness in the general population all conveniently outlined.

Both Overmare and Regent managed to keep their faces stern at this, despite the warring expressions of amusement, exasperation and frustration that fought to be seen. That several hoof-written sheets had fallen from the book, offering glimpses of notes on birthdays, anniversaries and recipes before being hastily reinserted into the overstuffed, and much repaired, book just made it harder.

Finally, shaking their heads, Regent and Overmare dismissed the sneaky, treacherous, irrepressibly cheerful and well-meaning Morale Mares, unable to bring themselves to punish the young pair with more than a telling-off.

Returning to their desks, neither Regent nor Overmare were surprised to find a small plate of fresh cookies had appeared beside each of their terminals. With a sigh and a shared glance that seemed to say 'we should have guessed', the pair settled in for a few hours work. Only a few hours, mind. They didn't particuarly want to draw the attention of Morale again.

The cookies were tasty, though. As expected.

Author's Note:

Different versions of the Stable Regulations exist, depending on department. Typically, the differences are minor, with small adendums and maybe an extra section or two.

The Morale Edition is half again as long, said to have been heavily edited (if not outright authored) by Pinkie Pie herself, and includes sections such as Mr & Mrs Cake's Cakes, Pies for Parties, Cheese Sandwich: A Delicacy, a short essay of when it's appropriate to use tinsel vs streamers vs garlands, and what is essentially a small textbook covering the calculations to determine ratios of food, decorations, dancing and private spaces to number and type of guests based on event type and theme.

It also includes an entire blank section just for important dates, another for notes on Stable dwellers (for the more personal Morale touch) and a third just for recipes.

It's basically the Pocket Ref for Party Ponies.

Tagalong and Gingersnap's personal copy is roughly twice as big as the standard Morale Edition, and may or may not be a localised time/space distortion from the sheer amount of added pages and notes.

Comments

[Razzy]

Been so long, I need to reread the story to recall where I am.

I wonder if the various versions of the books contradict each other.

[Martydi]

Glad I found this one. Having just finished my first FO:E fic, I felt like I needed something to clear my mind off the omnipresent grimdark that seemed to permeate that. And this little slice of life does nicely.

[Reese]

"settled in for a few hours work"
"settled in for a few hours' work"?

Nice to see this still living. :)
Thanks for writing! And I hope you're doing well in general.

[Frostgear]

Party ponies messing with physics and causing smiles as they should.

[Cascadejackal]

10707577

I wonder if the various versions of the books contradict each other.

Nope. No Fallout-style conspiracies or "experiments" here. Sticking with FoE canon, Stables really were built to help, unlike Fallout's Vaults.

That said... the Morale department is heavily influenced by Pinkie Pie, so they may have a few secrets of their own.
Would've put a clip of when Pinkie Pie's secret room is found in the show here, but couldn't find one that was short enough.

[Buzzard]

Great fic so far