Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria…

There came an era when the ideals of friendship gave way to greed, selfishness, paranoia and a jealous reaping of dwindling space and natural resources. Lands took up arms against their neighbors. The end of the world occurred much as we had predicted .The world was plunged into an abyss of balefire and dark magic. The details are trivial and pointless. The reasons, as always, purely our own. The world was nearly wiped clean of life. A great cleansing; a magical spark struck by pony hooves quickly raged out of control. Megaspells rained from the skies. Entire lands were swallowed in flames and fell beneath the boiling oceans. Ponykind was almost extinguished, their spirits becoming part of the ambient radiation that blanketed the lands. A quiet darkness fell across the world…

But it was not, as some had predicted, the end of the world. Instead, the apocalypse was simply the prologue for another bloody chapter in pony history. In the early days, thousands were spared the horrors of the holocaust by taking refuge in enormous underground shelters known as Stables. But when they emerged, they had only the hell of the Wastes to greet them.

For the inhabitants of Stable-151, they found that the once great trading city of Maresyside had been ravaged by the war, with the main centre of the city crumbling in the radiation. To try and save the city, the ponies of Stable-151 took to maintaining the three buildings iconic to the city, the Three Graces. Forming a new faction, the ponies came to call themselves the Three Aces and began to offer shelter and trade.

Now, 180 years after the Great War, The Three Aces control most of the central area of Maresyside, holding off from the raiders and slavers that walk the old neighbourhoods surrounding the fallen city.

But now we begin, where many stories do, in an unopened Stable. Stable-157, where a curious young buck with a talent for tea making is about to get a mouthful of the wasteland…

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‘Hey Cheerilee Hey Cheerilee, I'm afraid to see you after school, I can't come to your office, and tell you that you're cool…’

I hummed merrily as the Stable radio played from my PipBuck, smiling as I cleaned another glass and put it to the side. Today was a quiet one; with little to no ponies paying my small little café a visit. Ever since Morning Glory fixed her coffee maker, business had been rather slow. The only saving grace for me was the music filling my establishment, it gave me peace.

But where are my manners, you probably have no idea what is going on. Allow me to elaborate.

Stable-157 has a system where by all manual labour is done by machines, and the only thing that the residents are able to do is sell wares. At the age of 15, everypony in the Stable is required to take the Generalized Occupational Aptitude Test, or GOAT for short. The test decides what field a pony would be best to sell their wares in. I was given the job of distributing tea to the stable, an occupation I found myself very good at.

Now, 7 years on from gaining the store, I’d taken to making it into a popular venue. Good tea at a reasonable price; that was my motto.

Looking to the ceiling, I stared at the flickering lights that hung above, giving off artificial sunlight to keep us all healthy. I dreaded to think of what the world outside was like, but the thought of feeling the true sun was something I dreamt of. The wind on my fur, the ground beneath my feet. It sounded wonderful from the old books.

I was brought out of my stupor as the door to the shop opened, the metal groaning filling the room, signifying that the door needed more oil. That was the problem with having a shop in the lower levels, the water tended to seep down from the residential floors. Sighing slightly, I put on the best face I could. The customer should always feel welcome when the-

My thoughts stopped as I noticed the new occupant of the store. A dull pink coat, flowing purple mane and striking red eyes, I had to do my best to not blush. Misty Star, often considered the most beautiful mare in the stable, had just walked into my store.

I felt parasprites bubble in my stomach, my breath constricting a little as I tried to focus on something else. Clamping my teeth down, I turned to look at her, only for my eyes to land on her flank… Then on her smirking face.

“You know, I should start charging for bucks to look at me like that…” She noted absently, still
holding her wicked smirk. My cheeks flushed quicker than I could control, making me shrink back behind the counter a little.

“H-Hey Misty…. How can I h-help you?” I stuttered out. Great way to address a pony like her, idiot.

The mare simply giggled, most likely at me and walking slowly over to the counter. Gracefully unfolding her wings, she fluttered onto one of the stools that lined the counter. “I would like some tea, if you would be so kind.” She requested, making me gulp slightly.

Don’t cock up here. “R-Right away, madam.” I replied, trying to sound sophisticated, but coming off as a little snooty. Working as quick as I could, I set everything up to make the tea, using the grace I had to pick up due to not being a unicorn. For most Earth Ponies such tasks would be rather difficult to complete, but I had crafted it into an art form.

Smiling as the smell of the brew hit my nostrils, I added the ever important milk. Stirring the tea, I turned and placed it carefully on the counter, pushing the sugar to the mare.

Misty smiled pleasantly as she put two teaspoons of the sugar into the cup and took a small sip of the liquid. I felt my heart pound in my chest, my muscles tensing as I waited for her review of the tea. Maybe I was being silly, but you have to understand. This mare is near Goddess-like in beauty.

“What?” She asked, noticing my stairing with a small smile on her face. I turned slightly, suddenly finding a rather specific nut in the floor very interesting. “Its good. Don’t worry yourself.” She reassured me, taking another sip of the tea.

Was she some sort of mind reader?

“Yes, yes I am.” She said with a smirk, almost playfully looking at me. Part of me wants to give her a dirty look, which I indulged in. Quite happily in fact.

“So, what brings you down here?” I ask after a few moments, going back to my previous task of cleaning the cups.

“What? A mare can’t enjoy a good cup of tea?” Misty replied with a half offended tone.

“Wah! No! I mean…” I sigh, letting my breath and wits come back to me. “Most ponies are going to Glories recently, not here.”

“Well… I’m not most ponies.” She challenged.

“That’s not what I mean-”

‘Beep, Beep, Beep’

The sound of beeping coming from my PipBuck stopped me in my tracks. The same beeping was coming from Misty’s PipBuck too, filling the room with the rather obnoxious noise. Looking towards the device, I saw bright blue text flashing on the screen.

‘EMERGENCY MEETING IN STABLE AUDITORIUM - ATTENDANCE MANDATORY’

Part of me wanted to sigh, hoping that this was just the Overmare wanting to show something off. Probably how her young foal was getting such great scores. Spoiled little brat.

Taking in a deep breath, I take off my apron and hang it behind the counter, watching as Misty flutters out the doors and towards the auditorium. Shaking my head, I notice the half finished tea on the counter. It was going to go cold before she’d get back.

A metallic groaning hit my ears as I began to walk towards the meeting, similar to the ones you’d hear down in the maintenance corridors. Only, we were on the higher levels. Maybe the reactor was playing up, or the water talisman needed to be fixed. Either way, it was going to be a pain in the arse.

Metal roof, light, doorway. Metal roof, light, doorway. Metal roof, light, doorway. Metal roof, light, doorway. The same pattern over and over again, all over the Stable. So boring. So mundane.

Rubbing my eyes as I look at the other ponies walking, I see others in similar spirits as me. Apparently I wasn’t the only one sick of hearing about the Overmare’s special little princess. The little mule needed a good spanking if you ask me.

“You know what this is about?” A stallion asks, slowly walking beside me as we continue along. Knife Edge… Cutting Floor… I can’t really place his name.

“Nope. But I can make a fine guess as to what.” I reply in tone, making the other stallion sigh and take his hat off in irritation.

With the conversation dead from there, I just keep walking. My ears are still picking up on that groaning though. It’s more frequent as we go to the higher floors. Now I may not be the smartest pony, but even I know it should get quieter, not louder. Maybe its nothing. Maybe I’m just imagining it all. Its very much like me. I’m stupid like that…

Shut up brain.

In the auditorium I find a large amount of ponies already there, the Overmare standing tall on her elevated platform at the center of the room. At her legs stood her daughter… And that’s where I started to notice that something was wrong.

The foal looked scared.

Not cocky. No sense of superiority. Lack of discipline. No

She was scared.

Her mother, now that I looked, didn’t seem at ease either. Her eyes darting around the room as if to take stock. Was something happening? Something bad?

“Fillies and Gentlecolts.” The Overmare tried to sound cool and reserved, but her breath was shaky, her voice just a little higher than normal. “It has come to my attention that there is… There is something knocking at the door. From what we can guess, it will…” She pauses, obviously not wanting to finish her sentence. “It will breach in 20 minutes.”

And thus, the tigers broke free. A few mares fainted, foals began to cry, and stallions began to shout angrily. I just stood there, frozen on my spot as panic erupted around me. She had killed us.

She had killed us all.

I bit my tongue for as long as I could, anger building up inside of me. We may have been able to stop whatever was coming if we were organized. Now there was panic. The stallions could have used weapons usually used by the security forces. Now there was panic. We could have fought this. And now… Now there was chaos.

“She let this happen!” A stallion shouted, pointing at the Overmare. I looked to see a stallion just a few feet away from me. His cutie mark a broken shard.

“Yeah!” “She’s to blame!” “She should be protecting us!” The crowd began to shout in agreement, all turning on the Overmare and her foal.

“M-Mommy!” The foal screamed in fear, and I felt my hooves move before my head had time to process my movements. Galloping over the advancing stallions, I slide in front of the Overmare.

“Overmare, we need to get back to your office. Now!” I tell her, keeping myself between the approaching crowd and the two mares. I notice the Overmare nod and begin to gallop towards her office.

“Just move out the way Herb. We’re not after you.” Broken Shard said, glaring at me as he and the group advanced on my form.

“What? You think killing them will change anything!?” I shout back, although it doesn’t seem to faze them at all. Slightly backing up, a gulp passes through me. Closing my eyes for a fraction of a second, I turn and begin to run after the Overmare.

Thunderous hooves clap on the metallic floors of the Stable as I run away from the group of maddened ponies, any other noise being drowned out by the slamming. I can just make out the Overmare and her foal a little ahead of me, nearing the security wing.

Skidding into the security office, I slam my hoof onto the door latch, closing it before my pursuers could make it into the room.

Letting out a sigh of relief, I slam my hoof onto the door control once again, this time making sure the door was locked from the inside. They could probably still get in, but it at least gave me some time to think.

Taking a few deep breaths, I walk around into the Overmare’s office, minding as the security bots rolled around casually. The Overmare had obviously waited before turning them into active mode. They could be a problem on a normal day, so it would definitely cause problems now with the chaos. Bad situation or not, she needed to protect the residents.

Walking into the room, I’m surprised to find the forelegs of a foal wrapping around my neck. “Thank You!” She squeals, tears staining my coat as she cries into my shoulder. Letting out a sigh, I stroke gently her mane, glancing over to her mother who gives me a relieved look.

Then her face drops as she gets a good look at my face. “Oh my, you’re bleeding!” She says pointing to my forehead, her eyes filled with worry. Her daughter jumps away to look at me, gasping slightly. Looking at them strangely, I pull my hoof up to touch the spot, red liquid staining my coat.

“Oh!” I say, slightly surprised as I had not noticed the hit at any point. Maybe it was the adrenaline in my system, but I could barely feel it…

Why is the room spinning?

Oh… Hello floor.

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Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk: Not-so-smooth Talker.
While you might not be a hit with the ladies, you certainly can make them laugh. You gain a chance of making ponies of the opposite gender laugh out loud and a 15% increase of damage to those of the opposite gender.