War… War never changes. A long time ago in the magical land of Equestria there was a great war between the ponies and the zebras that ravaged and destroyed the world, leaving nothing but death and ruins of a once magnificent land. A while before the megaspells were detonated, Stable-Tec was founded and built underground shelters known as Stables for ponies to take refuge from the destruction. When word of megaspell detonations in Equestria spread, ponies went to the Stables and sealed the doors. Life in the Stable is about to change.

“Damn it all and my stupid curiosity”

When I look back now, I'll always wonder what I could've done differently. Could I change what happened, would it have changed who I am now, would I want to change? I’m still not sure, some days I wish I’d never left my home. Wish I'd stayed the boring mare I was, and other days I look back at that old me and hate her. Would I go back? I doubt it, but having the choice would be nice, then I'd know. Sadly I can’t go back, I can’t change what I’ve done or who I've become. I can’t change where I ended up or the things I know now. In the beginning I was clueless, brash, and honestly pretty unsavory. Now, after everything I've done since leaving home, I don't know what I am. My name is Shadow Star, and this is my story.

The first things I remember aren’t memories of being a filly and playing with friends. Not a birthday with friends or family, or playing with siblings. My first memory that I can remember is two days after my mother and I came to Stable 28. Anything before that is blank, almost like I was born a young filly. I remember waking up in a clinic, two mares and a stallion looking at me. The stallion was a doctor and he was the first pony I ever remembered speaking to me.

“Well would you look at that, she’s finally waking up,” he said with a smile on his face.

“Thank the Goddesses,” the mare on my right said. I remember thinking she was so familiar, yet I couldn’t recall at the time who she was. I loved her beautiful icy blue coat, her short-cut grey mane, and her dark grey eyes. She was my mother Grimoire Spell I'd come to find out.

That was it, my first memory. The sight of a doctor, and two mares I didn’t know. I didn’t know anything about myself, who I was, where I’d come from, nothing. It was also a dream I’d have at least once a week if not more. For some reason that first memory was important. I’m not sure why, but it was, it had to be if I kept dreaming about it.

I rolled over and pulled my covers over my head saying, “Leave me alone, I wanna sleep,” I mumbled into my pillow.

“You can sleep later, plus you already slept through the morning. We have to be in the atrium in five minutes,” said one of the only real friends I had in this stuffy Stable. Her name is Strawberry Milkshake, she’s a cute mare with a cream colored coat and a pink mane, and yes, a strawberry milkshake for a cutie mark.

“Oh stop being so melodramatic and get up,” she said pulling the blankets off of me, exposing my warm body to the cold air of my bedroom.

“But the atrium is so boring, I don’t wanna get up. It’s not like I have anything to do today,” I retorted.

“We have to see Auntie about tomorrow’s ceremony, as you know we’re getting our Pip-Buck’s. Not to mention we’ll be assigned our full-time jobs in the stable," she said.

I looked up at her and said with a sigh, “Well that’s an easy one for you, everypony knows you’ll end up in the kitchen doing what you love.”

“And you’ll end up getting an awesome job too, I just know it,” she said poking my nose with a hoof.

“What use am I to this stable? No one understands my cutie mark, even I don’t really get it and it’s my special talent. Also what good am I in here as a unicorn, the stable is made to run off of the talents of earth ponies,” I said, trying to get my point across to her so I could return to my slumber.

She laughed a little saying, “I’m sure magic could always be helpful somehow.”

I couldn’t help but smile at that and say, “Fine, I’ll go with you, but I’m telling you they’re gonna say I’m only good for cleaning or something stupid like that.”

She turned around, giving me a wink, and said, “Hey somepony’s gotta keep this place looking nice,” and with that she walked out the door.

“You could at least shut the door!” I yelled as her tail vanished into the hall, “Well fuck, now I’ll HAVE to get up.”

I walked over to the old mirror and looked myself over. Now I’m not gonna lie, I’m not a tall mare…I’m just a little taller than your average filly. Most days it didn’t bother me though, it kept me from getting noticed most of the time. The rest of me however did. My coat is a greyish black, my mane is shiny silver, and my eyes are ruby red. Oh yeah, and I'm the only unicorn in the stable, so I stick out like a sore hoof amongst everypony else.

When the stable was first occupied, it was set up to be a stable for earth ponies only. After the war ended in a fiery death for the ponies on the surface, this stable started to develop new ways of living in a world that was destroyed by magical radiation. From what our history said, the stable would only be opened when the ponies of Stable 28 found a way to make this work. After 200 years nopony's been able to do that.

The stable however, came up with a lot of other amazing things. One of which was the ability to grow a large variety of plants in the lower levels of the stable. This meant we were able to have a nice kitchen and dining hall. The ponies in Stable 28 lived an easy life for the most part.

I yawned wide, looked myself over once more, used my magic to fix my mane, pulling it into a loose braid that went over my shoulder. I took a look at my cutie mark, it was an eight pointed purple and black star with two crossed gold skeleton keys inside it.

“Hurry up Shadow Star! I really don’t feel like getting in trouble because of your lazy butt,” Milkshake said from my door.

I almost jumped out of my skin, and exclaimed, “Dammit, are you trying to give me a heart attack!?”

“If it gives me a good reason for being late, then maybe. Come on already,” she said walking away.

So I followed. Hell, I couldn’t help myself. I was awake now, and I could never say no to her. I sighed and said, “Yeah, I’m coming.”

The atrium was the largest area in the stable, only a short walk away from the large gear-shaped stable door. We made our way up to the second level where a long table was set up. Two young stallions sat on one end and on the other was Auntie. She was a tall older mare with a yellow coat, a violet mane, dark purple eyes, and a cutie mark of some kind of purple flower I didn’t recognize.

“Late as ever I see Shadow Star,” Auntie said as we made our way to sit next to the two stallions, “And good afternoon to you too Strawberry Milkshake. I take it you’re the reason she was able to make it here at all.”

“You know Shadow, the stable could be on fire and she’d sleep through it,” Milkshake said with a giggle.

“That’s because unicorns are too lazy to do any real work. Isn’t that right Shadow?” said one of the stallions.

“That’s enough you two, we aren’t here for immature name calling,” Auntie said. She was the other mare who’d been in the room when I’d first woken up ten years ago. She was my mother’s best friend in the stable before she vanished eight years ago, or left…depends on what story you chose to believe. No one ever called her by anything but Auntie, either it was really her name, which I doubt, or what she chose to be called for one reason or another. Maybe she just didn't like her real name.

She shook her head saying, “Never mind that. Now, do you all understand why you're here today?”

“Duh, we get our Pip-Bucks and assigned our new job’s today,” said the other stallion.

“Close. Today I’ll be telling you where you’ll be reporting to for your job in Stable 28, your trainer will be the one to issue you a Pip-Buck. That'll be tomorrow in front of the rest of the population at the ceremony. Today I’ll be going over who you’ll be meeting with and your future job,” she said putting a hoof down on a small stack of folders that were laid out in front of her.

“Tumble Weed, yours will be easy. You’ll be reporting to your father in sanitation,” she said, pushing a folder toward him, “Give this to him when you get there.”

“What? Why sanitation? Can’t the unicorn do that? I wanted to help out in the kitchen,” he said with a moan.

“I’ve tasted your cooking before and I'd hate to have to do so again, so no, you get assigned to where The Overmare and your test results say you belong. Now be on your way,” she said with a wave of her hoof.

He got up and went to do what he was told, then Auntie sent the other stallion to his job helping in the clinic with the stable physician. She looked at Milkshake and said, “Now Strawberry Milkshake I’m sure you know where you’re going. Cream Puff said she can’t wait to work with you in the kitchen.”

“This is so great, I was hoping I’d get that job. My mom said she figured it’d be that or helping in the clinic,” she said excitedly.

“Your tests were promising in both fields, but The Overmare wanted you to be where you’d be happier, and Cream Puff is getting close to retirement,” Auntie said.

“Tell her I said ‘thank you very much when you see her next please,” Milkshake said with a smile taking her folder. Then she looked at me and smiled, “I’ll see you tonight Shadow, good luck!”

I watched her leave and noticed that she had more pep in her step than she ever had before. When she was gone I looked back at Auntie and let my body slump, my head resting on the table as I said, “Let me guess, I get to be part of sanitation too right?”

“Why do you always look at the world like a glass half empty Shadow?” she asked, the expression on her face softening some.

“Not like there’s much I can do around here, plus it’s not like my life’s been full of good things so far,” I replied.

“I think you’re going a little overboard there. From what I’ve seen, you’ve had a nice life so far, and starting tomorrow you’ll be all grown up,” she said, trying to make me feel better.

“Oh yeah, the tiny mare missing the first few years of her life, her mother gone Goddesses know where, and the only unicorn who gets called names on a daily basis. I have so much to look forward to in my life,” I said with a sigh and a roll of my eyes.

She knocked my horn with her hoof, saying, “I didn’t raise you to think like that little miss gloom. What I see is a beautiful young mare who's going to find her way soon, meet a stallion one day and have a family, and not to mention a gifted unicorn who could show up anypony in the stable if she put her mind to it.”

“Gifted Unicorn? How would you know anything about magic or what a gifted unicorn looks like?” I asked disrespectfully.

“Your mother was my best friend and a gifted unicorn in her own way. I may not know magic the same way as you or her, but she taught me a thing or two about it,” she retorted.

“And you taught yourself the other two just from reading a book you found in the library. From what I know thanks to your mother, that’s not an easy thing to do. One day you’ll see that you’re special and you’ll thank me for having so much faith in you,” she said with a smile.

“I do too sweetheart. Your mother was a special pony and had a kind heart, I still remember when she first forced her way in here with you on her back. I thought the stable was being taken over by some crazed ponies from the outside,” Auntie said.

“I thought Mom talked her way into the stable begging for help,” I said lifting my head off the table, a look of confusion on my face.

“Well when I say forced, I’m referring to the way she talked The Overmare into letting her in. She had a way with words, she could talk her way into or out of anything, kind of like yourself,” she said quickly, though her eyes wandered away, almost as if she was hiding something.

I just let it go, if Auntie didn’t want to say something, she wouldn’t. I decided to just get it over with, and asked, “Well apart from all that, what job did The Overmare give me then? I’d like to try and be on time meeting with my trainer, I don’t want to be the only mare here who doesn’t get her Pip-Buck tomorrow.”

“Well…Shadow, the problem is The Overmare can’t seem to find a good job for you yet,” she said with a hint of sorrow to her voice

“No, it’s the other way around, there are a few jobs you could be put on. The thing is that The Overmare doesn’t want to put you on any of them. She still has trouble with letting an outsider run anything in the stable, even if she only knows life as a stable pony,” she said, sounding a bit angry.

“That’s bullshit, not that I mind getting to laze around all day or anything. I’d still like to have something to do; it’d get boring otherwise,” I said, losing my temper a bit.

“I’m trying to talk with her to find something that you can do, but so far she hasn’t made up her mind,” Auntie said.

“I’m not sure yet, but if I don’t get an answer by tomorrow morning then you won’t be getting your Pip-Buck tomorrow,” she replied.

For a full minute all I could do is sit there, a stunned look on my face, my mouth slightly open in a state of shock. When I was finally able to get my brain to take control of my body again, I said, “That’s bullshit too, everypony gets a Pip-Buck when they’re of age. For me that was over a week ago. She can’t say I can’t have one when it’s the right of every grown pony in this dump.”

“The bylaws say ‘Pip-Bucks are only for ponies born in the stable. She's saying, that as an outsider, she can deny you one until you're assigned a job, and maybe even after that if she chose. She's The Overmare and her word is law here, you know this,” she said firmly.

“Oh I see, so because I was brought here as a filly, and even though I have no memory of who I was before coming to this stable, I can’t be trusted with anything. I’d say I’m surprised, but I’m not. The Overmare has always had it out for me, ever since Mom vanished,” I said as I got to my hooves and stomped once out of anger.

Her hoof came up and struck me on the horn, then she replied, “Because I said so. Now listen to me for once. I'm going to talk to her and she'll give you a job and a Pip-Buck, I’ll make sure of it. For now, can you stay calm and go on like it’s just another normal day. Maybe go see Balefire and see if he can show you something cool in security. It was one of the jobs you showed promise in.”

I was so stunned for a moment I just stood there and took it. Auntie only ever hit me like that when I was acting like a bitch. When she was done talking I just nodded my head and said, “Fine…but don’t expect me back until late tonight.”

“Why not? Did I make you that angry that you have to stay out all night?” she asked in a stern tone.

“Yes and no,” I said slowly, “It’s not really about you. I just need to be away for a while. Also Milkshake wanted to take me out to celebrate and we might be out for awhile. I might not have much to celebrate yet, but she's my friend and I’ll be there for her.”

“Okay then, I understand. Just try not to wake me up when you get back. I’d like to be able to have a full nights rest for once,” Auntie said turning around, “Oh and remember tomorrow to be here at eleven in the morning, DO NOT sleep in.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll have everything fixed by then,” she said, before she walked away, leaving me standing next to the table in the atrium.

At this time of day it was rare to see many ponies around. Most were busy working on one of the ten levels the stable had. The top two levels of the stable were mostly the atrium and some of the private domiciles, like the one I lived in with Auntie. When I was officially an adult mare I’d be moved to the third floor where they shared rooms for mares or stallions who haven’t had a foal yet. I’d more than likely be with Milkshake, she was my only female friend and close to the same age as I am.

The fourth level was security and medical, my other friend Balefire, who is a year older than me worked in security on that level. Level five, six and seven, were dedicated to the research and development department. Level eight was the main dining hall and kitchen. Level nine was a much larger space where we grew vegetables and fruits thanks to talismans and a lot of hard work from the ponies who work down there. Most of the plants didn’t look like they did in books, they had a sickly look to them, but they did taste good, and that’s all that matters.

Level Ten, that's the scary one. It housed all of the things that keep the stable running, there are a few talismans for water and power down there and loads of other things that I knew nothing about. The place is dark, musty, and full of strange noises. I’ve been a little scared of it since my mother vanished. Some ponies said she’d killed herself down there by throwing herself into the incinerator or was thrown into it by somepony else. I was one of the few who thought she left the stable. Goddesses know why she would just up and leave like that, but that’s what I chose to believe. I knew my mother though. She was kind and cared about the ponies who loved her, and I knew that she was most likely dead, but I couldn’t ever tell myself that. Maybe it was just a filly’s dream, but that’s all I had.

“Well what should I do now?” I asked aloud. There wasn’t much to do in the stable when you had no work and your friends were off learning their own jobs. Then I sighed and said to myself again, “Guess I’ll go see if Balefire can teach me a few things in security.”

I walked toward the stairs and went up to the second level of the atrium. I didn’t get far however, a large stallion walked right in front of me, saying, “Halt Unicorn,” making sure to keep my path blocked.

“Overmare wants you in her office,” he said keeping his voice calm, but also making sure his eyes looked over me and not right down at me.

“Why? I didn’t do anything wrong today. I only woke up a half hour ago. I’m sure even I can’t get into trouble that quickly,” I responded defensively.

Tender Whip was one of our security ponies, he took his job very seriously. We were supposed to respect security and take anything they said as if The Overmare herself ordered it. However, I always thought that was a load of horse apples. Plus he was total dick.

He shook his head. “I wasn’t told why, just to make sure you came up as soon as you were done with Auntie.”

“Little late then, Auntie left a few minutes ago. If you were sent to fetch me so quickly then I think you’re getting lazy,” I said smiling up at him arrogantly.

I saw a vein pulse in his neck making my smile widen. His voice got a hint of anger to it when he spoke next, “I don’t have time to be playing silly games with fillies like yourself, let alone filthy unicorns. Now come with me to see The Overmare or I’ll drag you by your tail.”

“Awww no first date? Right to the rough stuff I see, I didn’t think you'd be so forward,” I said sarcastically, trying to poke fun and piss him off a little more at the same time.

And there it goes once again, I opened my mouth, stupid sarcasm came out, and I get to pay the price for it, though it’s usually worth it. Tender Whip lost all control of his professional demeanor and got right in my face and said, “Fine you want to play it that way I see. The Overmare never said how I had to get you there.”

'Oh shit,' I thought to myself as his nightstick cracked me in the face knocking me down hard. Yep I finally pushed him over the edge. Oh well, at least I’ll have a good story for later when I’m talking with Milkshake.

My head was swimming and the left side of it felt like I’d just been hit with a rock…or a long metal stick. I felt my tail getting pulled up and the rest of my body lifted into the air. I would've yelped at the pain, but my head hurt too much to do anything. I should be used to this by now, it isn’t like it’s the first time security’s wacked me because of my attitude, just not this hard.

After only a few moments I was dropped on the floor and I heard Tender Whip say, “Overmare, I've found the unicorn as you asked.”

“She refused to come with me and was talking back, so I reminded her why you don’t cross security,” he said proudly.

“She’s half your size you idiot, you didn’t need to hit her in the head. Is she even conscious?” she said coming over toward me.

“She’s fine, she’ll just have a wicked headache later,” he replied smugly.

She pounded a hoof on her desk. “Dammit Tender Whip! I didn’t want her injured, she’s still a child. You’re lucky I don’t have your badge taken for hitting a filly.”

“I…I’m not a filly, I’m an adult as of last week,” I said looking up as if in a drunken stupor.

“See she’s fine Madame Overmare. Now can I get back to work?” he said acting like he’d done nothing wrong.

“No, I want you to report to the head of security, Captain Sticks. Tell him I’ve taken you off duty until I can have a word with him and decide a good punishment for your actions,” she said in a harsh tone.

“She's also a citizen of Stable 28 and we don’t hurt our citizens unless they commit a crime, now go before I decide to have you retired,” she said angrily.

His face went green. “No Overmare, I understand, I’ll go report to the boss,” he said before walking out without another word. I could understand his fear, retirement in Stable 28 was a kinder way of saying death. Most ponies when they got too old to perform their jobs, were transferred to a private area in the family quarters and prepared for retirement. They would stay there for a few years before being taken to medical or until they died of natural causes. If you couldn’t work in the stable then you were of no use. They inject you with something that stops your heart and then your body is put into the incinerator.

I was a little confused, The Overmare hated me, or at least disliked me a great deal. She wasn’t the type to do something like that over a little hit to the head from one of her officers. She must have some reason for being so nice so I took the bait. I got to my hooves and replied, “I think so, my head hurts a lot though.”

“Nah I’m cool. I’m a unicorn, using too much magic can make my head hurt worse than this, so I can manage,” I replied.

“Good, sorry about all this, I needed to speak with you before the ceremony tomorrow. I didn’t know he'd take my words so seriously that he thought he had to grab you like he did. Anyway, I have things to take care of tonight and only have a little time to talk,” she said walking back behind her desk.

“Well it’s not like I can just run off or anything, so what’s up?” I asked as nicely as I could muster with my head throbbing like it was.

She looked into my eyes then sighed, looking away before asking, “Do you remember the day your mother vanished?”

“Do you remember what she was doing or how she was acting the last couple hours before?” The Overmare asked.

I did, she was doing something with her Pip-Buck, and she kept running back and forth between the terminal in our room and to her sleeping area to work on something with her Pip-Buck again. The last ten minutes or so that I ever saw her I’ll never forget. I could’ve sworn she was talking to somepony in her room, but nopony ever came into our quarters. The only thing I heard though, never made sense to me. She said, “I understand, but I have other responsibilities…no she still doesn’t. Yes…right away,” after that I couldn’t make out the rest of what she was saying. She walked out a little later, gave me a kiss, and said goodnight. The next morning I was woken up by Auntie. I could tell she’d been crying, and she told me that my mother was gone.

I looked back at The Overmare, those details I always left out. That wouldn’t change today, so I looked up and said, “I remember her saying goodnight, then she left to go do some late night work. It was normal for her since she helped during the night shift in the development department.”

“I have reason to believe that you know more about her disappearance,” The Overmare said sternly.

“I was only a little filly at the time and don’t remember much about it like I said. She only said goodnight and I went to sleep. Plus everypony tells me she was killed. Yes I’ve always had my hopes that she left the stable somehow. Sadly I have to grow up and realize that she’s dead and gone. Why can’t you or anypony else leave me alone about it?” I said as I felt tears starting to well up in my eyes.

The Overmare put a hoof to her head, closing her eyes as if the entire conversation was giving her a headache. “Shadow Star, I can tell this is upsetting for you. For now we can drop the subject, but I want you to try and think back on that night and see if anything comes to you. This is very important.”

“Can you tell me why you want to know all this? It’s been eight years since she disappeared, it doesn’t make sense after all this time for anypony to care,” I asked.

“I’m just trying to get some information is all, I’d just like to find out what happened and put it all behind us, that’s all Shadow Star,” as she said this however, her eyes didn’t meet mine.

I found it all a little odd, I remember the day after her disappearance. The Overmare was still new to her position, still taking over the role after her mother’s untimely death. She was so angry that she threatened to throw me out of the stable if I didn’t tell her where my mother went. Auntie was the one who stepped in then and calmed her down. I decided not to bring all this up as I replied, “Fine whatever, can I go now?”

“No not yet. I didn’t bring you in only to talk about your mother. Earlier when you spoke to Auntie about your job she told you that I held off in giving you a position,” she said before I could turn to walk out.

“Yeah, I wasn’t too happy about it either, I’ll be the only pony with nothing to do. The only ponies who don’t work are the children and retired ponies. It’s not a comforting thought either way,” I explained.

She smiled a little, and said, “Well you don’t have to worry about that. I wouldn’t send a young mare like yourself to retirement. The reason I held back on giving you a job wasn’t really because of you, more about how you’ll interact with the rest of the ponies in the stable who you’ll be working with. As you know most of the stable doesn’t like magic users. My job is to keep the stable safe, which goes for you, and the rest of the ponies in my care. When I got your results back you fit into five areas. Security, maintenance, development, coordination, and foal care. Two of them I can’t have you in because of problems you’ll have with others in those areas.”

“Which ones where they?” I asked taken aback by her still being so nice to me.

“Foal care and maintenance, don’t worry about the reasons why. I thought to maybe stick you in security, but I'd rather not place you there. That leaves us with coordination and development,” she answered.

Of course she didn’t want me in security, she knew her son Balefire had a major crush on me. Even though I didn’t want anything to do with him, at least romantically. Ever since we first became friends she tried to keep us apart. I also knew why the other two wouldn’t work, the supervisors for both of those were parents of ponies I’d gotten into fights with a few times and generally didn't like anyway.

She looked down at her desk saying, “I was thinking about it, but I have to check with both departments and make sure they can take you. Coordination is normally a one or two pony job and Auntie is the only one who does that now. I know she’ll take you under her hoof, but I still need to check with her first. Personally I’d like you to take the one in development. It was where your mother was placed when she became a citizen of the stable and I think having another unicorn to help would be a good idea.”

“So you want me to take over where my mother left off?” I asked a little shocked, “I’m not even close to being as good at magic as her. I only know a few spells and I’m not very good at them. My mother was a master of different kinds of magic, she was just starting to teach me before she went poof and disappeared without a trace. I don’t think I’d be a good pony to take her place.”

“Well we won’t know until we try. Who knows? You might surprise yourself,” she said with a smile, “However, it might take a few days to get everything worked out, I’ll be sure to let you know when I have everything set up.”

“Unfortunately for you, no. I can’t let you have that until you’ve been placed in a job. Tomorrow you'll be sitting with the rest of the fillies and colts. When I find out where you’ll be placed, I’ll give one to you, but until then I can’t let you go through the ceremony,” she said, her smile gone now.

I felt a surge of anger and I couldn’t hold back anymore. I stomped my hoof. “You bitch! All this just to tell me that I have to be treated like a filly!? Come on, you’re The Overmare, you can let me have my Pip-Buck anytime you want! Why hold me back!? Are you really that scared of me growing up!? You act like I’m some kind of outsider, but I’m not. I grew up here just like everypony else!”

She sat there and took it, then spoke slowly at first, “I AM The Overmare, I HAVE decided to hold back. YES! I do look at you like an outsider at times, it’s just who I am. This stable was never opened before you showed up here with your mother. I want you to understand though, that I am trying to get over that. I am holding back because it’s the rules of the stable, the same thing happened to another pony when I was young, but she let it happen and later the right job was given to her and she did a great job. I have to follow the rules laid down by former Overmare’s of our stable, I can’t ignore them for you or anypony else. Now check that anger, and accept what’s happening. Go out and spend time with your friend, talk to Auntie, and wait to hear from me. Put a little trust in me for once.”

I wanted to yell at her again, but I took it. I was an adult and I needed to act like one. I was about to ask her if I could leave when I heard another pony say from the entrance to the office, “Madame Overmare, you’re needed for a moment.”

“I’m in the middle of something. Can it wait?” she replied looking over me.

“No Madame Overmare, it can’t wait. It’s the matter we spoke about before. It’ll only take a few minutes,” he insisted.

The Overmare sighed, “Okay fine,” she looked at me, “Wait here for a bit Shadow Star, this shouldn't take very long, I need to speak to you about another thing before you go.”

She followed the other pony out leaving me in the office alone. I was still angry at her, but I was working to keep it in check. I also wondered why she wanted to know so much about my mother. It’s been years since they closed the investigation, ruling it as an accidental death. Nothing made sense at all. I looked over at her desk and noticed the green glow from her terminal. One thing I have a hard time controlling about myself, apart from my anger, is my curiosity. It’s one reason I got my cutie mark after all. Not knowing why it would matter I got up and walked around the desk. Her terminal was left on, good thing too because hacking terminals wasn't my strong suit. There were three files listed on the screen…

I wondered what she could have in those files and the last one really caught my interest, so I clicked on it…

Madam Overmare, as you requested we’ve looked deeper into the original file of the death or disappearance of Grimoire, A.K.A Grim, unicorn, mare.

The original report said she was killed either by suicide or murder, by being tossed into the incinerator. As you know this was not true, but we have found that Grim was in that area the night she disappeared, we believe that she might’ve hidden something down there. So far we haven’t found anything. We’ll continue to search after the ceremony.

More reports that you asked for will be sent to you later. Thank you for waiting and I hope to hear back from you soon.

What the hell? This file alone had my mother’s name in it. It also said something about the report on her death not being true. What did this all mean, and what could she have hidden down in there? I wanted to read more of the files, but I heard The Overmare’s voice coming down the hall. I rushed to shut the file I was reading and trotted back to the chair.

I just made it back to where I was when she walked around the corner. She trotted in, her face looked angry as if she’d just been arguing with somepony. After reading what I did, I wondered if she was talking to the pony who sent the message to her.

She sat back down at her desk and looked at me, saying, “You can go for now Shadow Star, I have something else I need to deal with and I’ve kept you for too long as is.”

“Shadow Star I said leave! We can talk later, but for now just go,” she said harshly, sounding more like the Overmare I was used to.

My mind was still racing as I walked down the hall and back toward the Atrium. For the first time in eight years I’d seen something that showed that my mother might still be alive. I always had my suspicions, but now I knew. I'd have to talk with Auntie about this later.

I looked up at the pony speaking to me and saw my only other friend Balefire. He’s a tall earth pony, with a light grey coat with a golden mane and tail. He had green flames for a cutie mark. I smiled at him, saying teasingly, “Hello Officer Balefire.”

He blushed a little and said, “You know I hate it when you call me that. Just call me Balefire please, plus I’m not on duty at the moment. Also you didn’t answer me, where are you going?”

I laughed feeling some of the tension fading away, then replied, “I just came from your mom’s office, she was going over some of my job opportunities.”

He could hear the tiny bit of anger in my voice. He moved closer and rubbed his hoof on my head ruffling my mane. “Let me guess, she isn’t letting you join in on the ceremony tomorrow.”

“That’s right, and she’s making me sit with the fillies and colts, like I’m a foal or something. It just isn’t fair Bale,” I complained.

“Hey now, don’t let it getcha down, sooner or later you’ll get assigned a job,” he said ruffling my mane more, laughing as he did, “My mom might be The Overmare, but she can’t hold off letting you work for too long, have faith.”

“Could you not do that please? I don’t feel like fixing my mane,” I said trying not to laugh myself. He had a way of getting me to cheer up.

“No, I won’t go on a date with you. Don’t ask me again,” I said giving him a look.

He blushed harder, saying, “No…it wasn’t that. I wanted you to come with me. I have a surprise for you.”

“This isn’t a surprise like last year on your birthday is it?” I asked taking a step away.

“No…no way, I told you I wouldn’t ever try that again. You also gave me a good memento so I wouldn’t forget,” he said laughing, “Just come with me. Trust me, you’ll like your surprise.”

“I don’t think I can right now Bale, Milkshake and I are going to be doing something tonight to celebrate us…I mean her getting her job. She should be done soon,” I responded.

I followed and watched as he hit the button to bring us down to level ten. I wasn’t fond of going down there, but I felt safe with Balefire by my side. He might be shy, but he was strong. He didn’t speak at all as the elevator slowly made its way down to the lowest level of the stable.

When the door squeaked open we walked down one of the long narrow hallways that was just outside the door. Finally he stopped next to one of the storage rooms, he reached up and pressed the button to open the door. The next thing I knew I almost jumped out of my skin as another pony on the inside yelled, “SURPRISE!”

After a few minutes of trying to breathe right, and waiting for my heart rate to go down, I was able to see Milkshake standing there laughing along with Balefire.

Milkshake helped me up, saying, “No, but it was way worth it. You should’ve seen the look on your face.”

“Yeah, I won’t forget that one for a while,” Balefire said trying to catch his breath.

Balefire pushed me into the room shutting the door behind us, saying, “This is your surprise. Milkshake told me about what happened earlier and we knew you’d be down in the dumps. So we thought, how about all of us just sit down here and have some sort of private party where no one will bug us.”

Milkshake smiled, and said, “Best we can do in this rust bucket, there are too many ponies up in the dining hall, and our room isn’t ready yet, so Balefire figured this would work. We can stay down here most of the night and just talk, eat, and be happy.” Her smile was huge, and I could tell she really wanted to do this. Although, my mind was still on what I read earlier, but I couldn’t let her down, either of them for that matter.

“I think this is a great surprise…thank you,” I said, trying not to think about what I saw in The Overmare's office earlier.

For the next few hours, we ate, drank, and told stories of when we were little. As always, whenever I was around Milkshake for a long period of time, I would find myself staring at her. I’ve had a crush on my best friend for a long time now. I'd never tell her about it though, in stable 28 same-sex relationships are forbidden. Also I knew that she had a crush on Balefire, it was a weird twisted kind of love triangle. Even though I knew it wasn’t right, I couldn’t help myself at times, especially when my emotions were all twisted up like they were today. So I did as I always did and smiled, talked, and laughed with my two friends. My life might be hard, but thank the Goddesses that I have my friends. We did this long into the night and eventually one by one, we all fell asleep…

Like I said before, dreams are strange, sometimes they even feel real. Almost like your reliving a memory, only this dream didn’t seem to be my own, it was more like someone else was leading. I saw myself walking down a long hall deep in the depths of level ten, the area also called the catacombs. It was a part of the stable that only had a few doors for holding backup spark batteries for emergencies and a few other things. I found myself walking toward one door almost hidden in the darkness behind one of the large old generators. It’s been broken down for a long time, and nopony ever went near it, or this area for that matter. The door was drawing me closer, it was like something was there that I had to get my hooves on.

I had to go in, but as I started to move toward it, a loud snore tore me out of my dream and back into reality. I jumped up ready to scream, but I saw Balefire just rolled on his back snoring. I tried to lay back down and sleep, but the dream of that door was still fresh in my mind.

I know how stupid this is, but I have to know. So I snuck out of the room where my two friends were sleeping, and started to head down toward the catacombs. It wasn’t a long way off, the lower level wasn’t very large, but it still took me about fifteen minutes to get to where I was going. When I reached the entrance to the Catacombs, the opening between the main area of level ten and the generators, I saw the sign.

It was strange because the couple times I’ve been down in this area, I’d never seen a sign here before. I wanted to use this as a reason to turn back, but I couldn’t help myself. I walked right past the sign and deeper into the bowels of Stable 28. I slowly walked past the first few generators, and past some of the fallen rocks that came down from the roof of the old cave the stable was built into.

Now I was in the area from my dream, it creeped me out a little. I’ve never been down this far, so how would I know what it looked like down here. Pushing that to the back of my mind I kept on. Soon I found myself next to the generator I saw before. It looked old and worn out, and behind it in the dark corner I saw the door. Unlike my dream where I could see the door, it was covered with roots and it was very dirty. If I hadn’t known where to look I’d never have seen it.

I walked up to it and took a good look at it. It wasn't and automated door like the rest of the Stable, it was just a regular door. I turned the knob with my magic, but it was locked. "That's a little odd. I thought nothing down here was locked up,” I said to myself. Good thing I hadn’t met a locked door I couldn’t pick.

This is kinda how I got my cutie mark. Using my magic I pulled a bobby pin and screwdriver out of my barding and got to work. Bending back the bobby pin, I placed it in the lock and twisted a little, holding that and the screwdriver with my magic I started to twist. The lock twisted a little, but stopped half way and started to bend the bobby pin. I twisted the pin more and worked with the lock for a few minutes. It was harder than I thought it would be, but finally I heard the beautiful sound of the tumblers clicking home.

I turned the knob again and pushed hard, the roots held it in place, but after a few good hits, the door finally opened. When I walked in I saw a mostly empty room, and it was a little small, but in the back I saw a box. Walking over I slowly pulled it open. What I found shocked me.

In the small wooden box was a Pip-Buck, but it wasn’t like the other ones I’ve seen in the stable before, it looked a little different. In the corner it said, 'Pip-Buck 3000 Mk II'. I lifted it slowly out of the box looking closer at it. It looked as if it’s been sitting here for years. Under all the dust I could see a soft glow from something on the screen. It must’ve come up when I lifted it with my magic.

I wiped away the dust on the screen and read the message on the screen, "Morning Star?"

As those words came out of my lips, flashes of images started to come forth from somewhere in the back of my mind. A mare jumping in the way of some kind of magical blast, awakening and looking up at that same mare kissing my forehead and saying, “Good morning,” then somepony calling out for her mother. Pain started to erupt throughout my body as the images flashed before my eyes.

Then when I thought I couldn’t take anymore, I heard somepony say, “I can make it go away…all you have to do is nod your head.”

“Nopony, nopony at all, just tell me you want the pain to stop, and I’ll make sure it does. Do you want my help?” the voice asked.

The pain was too much, the visions too confusing. I nodded my head and started to scream. I heard an odd sound filling my ears. Then as quickly as it started, I felt nothing at all. I opened my eyes and looked around the room. Nopony was there, and my body felt as if nothing happened at all.

“I guess I passed out,” I said quietly then I remembered the Pip-Buck. I moved over and picked it up and looked at the screen again. I was expecting the same message I saw before, but it was blank.

This was weird, maybe I did just pass out and started to have a nightmare of some kind. After a moment I sat up and leaned against the wall lifting the Pip-Buck in front of my face. I wonder why somepony would’ve hidden it down here. Apart from some buttons and switches being in different places it looked like any other Pip-Buck.

“I wonder what it feels like to have one on. I have no idea how long it'll be before I get my own from The Overmare,” I said with a small smile to myself, “It can’t hurt to at least try it on, can it?”

So I slipped it over my left foreleg and clasped it on. For a moment nothing happened, I was a little disappointed hoping that just putting it on would at least do something. Maybe it’s been down here too long and was out of power. As that thought crossed my mind, the screen started to glow a soft green.

Welcome to your new Pip-Buck, Shadow Star. Your vital signs are stable, all systems are ready to go, please enjoy your new Pip-Buck 3000 MK II. If you have any problems with your new Pip-Buck please make sure to speak with a Stable-Tec representative for removal.

I looked at the screen again and watched as the words went away and were replaced with a green picture of a pony. It was smiling and walking on the screen. I’ve seen the other ponies in the stable use theirs, so using my magic, I flipped the switch to one side and the screen changed. Now it was showing me an inventory screen.

“Damn, this thing knows everything,” I said as it listed the contents of my saddle bags.

I remembered then, what the last part of the message said on it, something about needing a Stable-Tec representative to get it removed. It couldn’t be that hard to take off, it only had a latch holding it on. I turned it over to look and froze. The latch was gone, leaving only a small line where it’d been only a few seconds ago. “Oh shit,” I said quietly.

I was about to see if I could find out what happened, when I heard voices coming from down the hall…

“We already checked this area, I think The Overmare misread the transmission. If those griffons really think there’s something worth finding down here, why would we care? It’s not like they can get in,” a familiar voice said from down the hall. It sounded like Tender Whip.

“I don’t know why The Overmare cares about a transmission from the outside, but if she says that there’s something down here, then we have to try and find it,” came a mare’s voice in response.

“Why would anypony leave something down here anyway? It’s creepy as hell down here," the other voice said.

“Let’s just do another sweep and if we don’t find anything then we’ll tell The Overmare, and maybe she’ll tell those griffons it’s not here and they’ll leave us alone,” the first pony said.

"Shit," I whispered quietly to myself. Peeking out the door, I could see two security ponies. I went back into the room so I could close the door when my horn caught on one of the roots. I pulled back and my horn pulled the roots down making dirt fall from the ceiling.

They both came running and stopped when they saw me stuck in the doorway, the roots tangled in my mane and on my horn. The mare walked forward, her name was Glimmer Shot. She looked at me and said, “Shadow Star is that you? What in the Goddess' names are you doing down here? This area is restricted.”

I smiled weakly, asking, “Would you believe me if I said I was sleep walking?”

“Nice try Shadow, you’ll have to come with us. The Overmare made this area off limits. She won’t be happy when she finds out you were snooping around,” Glimmer Shot said. She’s always been nice, even to me.

“Glimmer, look at her foreleg. Where did she get that?” Tender Whip said, I knew it was his voice that I heard. I thought he was supposed to be off duty. He gave me an accusing look, continuing, “I know you didn’t have a Pip-Buck earlier, where did you steal that from?”

He smacked me with his baton, not hard, but it still hurt. “I asked you a question.”

“Tender Whip, there’s no need to hit her,” Glimmer said stepping in his way.

He pushed her aside, saying, “Don’t talk back to me Glimmer, I outrank you and this unicorn is nothing but trouble. Did you see the Pip-Buck? It matches the description we got from The Overmare. We’ve been looking all over for that damn thing, how did she get her hooves on it?”

“We can figure that all out later, you don’t have any right to strike her,” Glimmer said.

“One more word Glimmer and I’ll sight you for insubordination,” he said angrily. She looked away and backed off. I couldn’t do anything as he walked closer to me with an evil grin on his face, saying, “I’ve been waiting a long time to catch you doing something stupid like this. So tell me how you got your hooves on that Pip-Buck.”

“Fine, you don’t wanna talk? Then I guess I’ll just have to beat it out of you,” he said evilly.

Glimmer gasped in horror as he took his baton and cracked it over my face. I screamed feeling as if my skull was split like a melon. Blood leaked down my face, some going into my eye. I looked up and over to Glimmer, she had tears in her eyes. I knew she wanted to stop this, but was too scared. Another blow landed, hitting my horn. Stars erupted and my vision grew a little dark. My horn felt as if it was about to explode.

I could feel a buildup of magic as rage filled me, all I wanted was for this to stop, so I could go back to my friends and forget this ever happened. Another blow landed hitting me in the side and dislodging me from the roots. I flew back hitting the side of the door. I looked up at Tender Whip and saw the pleasure in his eyes. He loved being able to hurt somepony, loved having power over another. Like a high school bully with nothing better to do than beat on others.

I felt my magic building again, and I knew I had to do something to stop him. One spell I knew would be able to knock him back, maybe enough that Glimmer could help me. I drew on the magic and stared to unleash the spell, the magic however was too strong.

“Shut the fuck up, unless you’re gonna tell me what I wanna hear!” he shouted.

“Please before I--” before I could finish, the spell cast. A powerful blast of red light flew outward from my body. So much magic came out with the spell that it didn’t only throw Tender Whip back, it also hit Glimmer. Tender flew up and smacked his head on a low part of the ceiling. Glimmer slid across the ground, and I screamed, until finally I passed out…

“Wake up,” a voice said through the fog and pain filling my mind, "Wake up Shadow Star, right now!”

I opened my eyes, it felt like somepony was jabbing them with glass. I closed them again and moaned. I waited for a moment, then tried to open them again, but only a little. I saw The Overmare looking down at me through a set of bars. “Mmmm, what happened?” I asked.

“I’d like to know that too. Do you know what you did last night?” she said sternly, she sounded royally pissed.

I opened my eyes more trying to ignore the pain in my head. My right eye was almost swollen shut, my jaw and side felt like shit. When my good eye finally focused on her I said, “Yeah, is Glimmer okay?”

“She has a few scrapes and bruises from your spell, Tender Whip however is lucky to still be alive. He’ll be in the clinic for a couple months at least,” she replied.

“I’m glad Glimmer's okay,” I said, sort of hoping the worst for Tender Whip.

“You should be glad they’re not both dead. What in the Goddess' names made you think you could use a spell like that down there? You almost killed both of them and yourself,” The Overmare said furiously.

“Didn’t mean to. I was scared when Tender Whip started hitting me, he had no right. I wasn’t doing anything wrong,” I said standing on my hooves and looking around some.

I was in the security area on level four. This was the small room where they kept ponies who broke some kind of law. I was a little confused at why I was in here.

“From what I understand, you were in possession of stolen property. You refused to go with the two security ponies and he had to fight back,” she explained, “Now tell me how you got that Pip-Buck.”

I looked down and saw it was still on my foreleg, saying, “I found it, honest.”

“Even if you did, it’s still property of Stable 28. I’ve also been looking for that particular Pip-Buck for a couple of weeks,” she said walking over to the door.

“I just found it while I was down there, it's not my fault somepony left it there,” I said in defense.

She shook her head a little and said, “I’m sorry Shadow Star, but I can’t take your word on that. That Pip-Buck was something that a few friends of mine have been looking for, I’m going to need to get it back from you. I don’t care if you found it or stole it, you have it and I need it.”

“But I can’t get it off, I don’t know how,” I responded, remembering how the latch disappeared.

“Likely story. However, since you won’t take it off willingly, I guess I’ll have to call the technician to get it off,” she said threateningly.

“What're you deaf AND stupid!? I just told you I didn’t know how to take it off!” I exclaimed.

“How dare you speak to me that way! I am this stable’s Overmare and should be treated with respect!” she shouted.

“Well if you’d get your head out of your ass and listen for once, then maybe I wouldn’t be so bitchy. Plus your security officer Tender Whip gave me this awesome headache when he struck me over the face for no apparent reason. So I’m sorry if I’m not in the respecting mood right now,” I said, getting more pissed.

“Well aren’t you rambunctious today. I still don’t appreciate your tone, however there’s something we need to discuss about your alleged findings,” she said, sounding annoyed.

“Alleged? I did find it! One, two, three, open ass, insert head,” I remarked.

“AAAHHH! I shall return later after you’ve learned your place and the technician’s gotten that Pip-Buck off of your foreleg!" she said angrily as she stormed out.

Later came and the technician Tinker was trying to remove the Pip-Buck I found. I think he was having some trouble because I kept hearing muffled fucks and damns. Finally I asked, “What’s the problem?”

Tinker rubbed his head, saying, “You’ve really done it this time kid, I'll tell ya. I don’t think I have the tools to take this off for some reason. I should be able to unlock it with my master key, but I can’t even find a key slot. Do you happen to know what model it is by any chance?”

“Alright let me take a look at my registration list and see if I can’t figure this thing out,” he said a little puzzled, bringing up his own Pip-Buck and looking over his list.

As he was checking the registration I thought to myself that I didn’t really want it off, but if it got me out of trouble I'd have to get it removed.

“Well there doesn’t seem to be any Pip-Buck 3000 mark II in the registry, so I don’t think there’s anything I can do. It’s stuck on your foreleg like mold on a sandwich,” he said a bit confused.

He laughed, and said, “Sorry about the analogy, it just slipped passed the filter.”

“Yeah, I know, but she needs to realize she isn’t a princess and can’t get everything she wants. Anyway I’ve gotta get going, I’ll have a chat with The Overmare and see if I can make things easier on you,” he said in a melancholy tone.

“Thanks for being so nice Tinker. I don’t usually get treated very well by everypony else,” I said, knowing that it probably wouldn't help.

“It’s just the way I am. Can’t have angry clients, otherwise I could get a new cutie mark on my face if you catch my drift. Alright then, good luck with The Overmare. I’m going to be late for another appointment, but I’ll make sure to speak to her before I go,” he said as he started to walk out the door.

A few minutes passed and The Overmare came into the room looking a little steamed. Following close behind was Balefire in his security barding. She looked at me angrily and said, “I heard Tinker failed in his task of removing the Pip-Buck from your foreleg, so it looks like we’re going to have to amputate it...”

I interrupted, “What the FUCK!? Amputate!? You’ve really lost it haven’t you!? Fuckin crazy hag!”

Ignoring my outburst she quickly said, “Balefire transport the prisoner to the clinic.”

“I can’t bring her to be mutilated!” Balefire said alarmed at what he’d just heard.

“My son or not, I will have you punished for insubordination if you don’t obey the orders of your Overmare,” she barked.

“Sorry Shadow Star, but we have to go,” Balefire said sadly as he walked over to me.

“What are you doing? Are you really going to listen to her?” I asked, dumbfounded that he didn't put up more of a fight.

He whispered to me under his breath, “Calm down, I’ll get you out of this. Just play along.”

He opened the door and placed hoofcuffs on my forelegs. He then led me out of the holding cells and toward the clinic.

We arrived at the clinic and I was taken from Balefire’s custody and strapped to an operating table in one of the few operating rooms in the clinic. Balefire was standing guard outside the door. Dr. Cotton Swab, the stable physician was getting a few things ready on a table next to me when I heard voices outside just before the door opened and Auntie walked in. She looked at the doctor and said in a creepily pleasant tone, “Could I have a minute before she’s put under?”

“Of course, I need to grab a few extra tools anyway,” he said walking out as if he wasn’t about to saw somepony’s foreleg off, but as if he was going to a jolly fucking tea party.

After the door shut Auntie spoke, “We don’t have much time so listen closely. You need to figure a way out of here.”

“How? I’m strapped to a steel death slab, and I’m sure everypony would notice me walking out of here,” I asked.

“I don’t know, I wish there was some way I could help, but it’s too risky. The Overmare’s been watching me for some time now because of my friendship with your mother and has started losing trust in me,” Auntie whispered as if the room was bugged or something.

“Because your mother rubbed her the wrong way. I think she thought we were plotting something and she thinks that I’m starting again with you,” she whispered, “Listen, when you get out of here, go northeast from the stable. You’ll find a town called Cartwheel. There you’ll find a pony named Box Tape, tell him I sent you and what happened, he’ll be able to help you.”

“Wait, what do you mean?” I asked again, trying to understand how she knew all this.

"Listen Shadow, eight years ago, your mother didn’t die, she left the stable. I wish I could tell you all the reasons why she had to leave, but I don’t have enough time to tell you everything. Just know this, Grim loved you very much and leaving you behind was one of the hardest things she ever had to do. When you find Box Tape, he should be able to help you find her. Your mother can explain more when you eventually meet up with her,” Auntie whispered, her eyes still darting around the room.

Even though I read the report from The Overmare about my mother leaving the stable, hearing it from Auntie hit me like a ton of bricks. She knew the whole time and never told me the truth. I looked angrily into her eyes as I spoke, “You mean this whole time you knew and you never told me the truth, how dare you!”

“I wanted to, but I promised your mother that I wouldn’t say anything unless I had to. I wanted to tell you so many times. When I saw you having nightmares and calling out for her in the middle of the night, when ponies teased you, and more. I’m sorry things happened this way. I just hope that one day you can forgive me,” she said, kissing my cheek. Then she connected a wire from her Pip-Buck to mine, and did something quickly. My Pip-Buck Beeped, then she disconnected them.

“Please be safe, when you find her, tell her I did my best,” she whispered again.

Before I could say anything else the door opened and the doctor returned, saying, “I’m sorry, but I have to ask you to leave. I must start the procedure.”

The door closed and I could hear the conversation outside continue again as Doctor Take-Your-Hoof started to put his tools in order and get ready for the operation. “Oh it’s been too long since I’ve gotten to do some real surgery. Who knows how long it’ll be before my next. You know what? I think I’m going to treat myself and forget about putting you out, oh it’ll be ever so much fun,” he said sounding more insane than usual. Funny I remember him having a lot better bedside manner than this.

“Ooh you’re a bit fussy, no matter. Shall we get started?” he said menacingly. He turned on his power bone saw and ignored my protests as he got closer, “Stop fidgeting, you’re only going to make the pain worse on yourself and I don’t want to have to explain to The Overmare about how I shredded your foreleg,”

He dropped the saw on the cart next to the table. “Dammit, always when I’m having fun. You stay there, I’ll be right back,” he said as he rushed out.

About thirty seconds passed and the door opened again. I thought my chance to try and escape was gone as soon as it came, but then I realized it wasn’t the doctor coming in the room.

“Shadow, I grabbed some supplies for you. I’m getting you out of here,” Balefire said urgently. He unstrapped me from the table and handed me armored stable barding and my saddle bags.

“What are you doing? What if The Overmare finds out you broke me out?” I asked frantically.

“It’s alright, I’ve already cooked up a cover story. Do you know about The Overmare’s emergency escape tunnel? he asked.

“Yeah everypony knows about that in case the stable needs to be evacuated,” I replied as I slipped on the barding and saddle bags.

“Get to the tunnel and take it to the stable door. If you stay here after they found out you escaped, The Overmare WILL kill you. All of this will give her a good reason to,” he said.

“Try guessing the password or something, but we’re wasting time, you have to go, now!” Balefire urged.

I was able to make it to the entrance of the office without running into security ponies, somehow I think Balefire had something to do with that. I froze outside the door when I heard the voice of The Overmare getting closer to the door. I hid under a desk next to the door as she walked out of her office. “I want her found by any means necessary,” she barked into her radio as she stormed off not noticing the frightened little pony under the desk.

I practically scrambled into the office and over to the terminal. It was locked. A shroud of doom fell over me as the fear of being discovered creeped up my spine. I tried hacking the terminal and came up empty hoofed. I tried four of the probable passwords and got locked out. Now there was no way to unlock the terminal without a password and time was running out. I scrambled through all the desk drawers hoping to find the password. Once again empty hoofed, I fell to my haunches and started to sob. I hit the inner side of the desk in anger.

When my hoof struck the desk I didn’t feel the cheap wood paneling I should’ve, it felt like paper. I looked up and noticed a tiny envelope under the desk. The top of the envelope was ripped off as if to make a pocket. I saw written on the top of the paper that was slipped inside 'Passwords, in case I forget'. I grabbed the paper almost tearing it and scrambled to my hooves. I entered the password into the terminal [FAMILY]. The terminal unlocked and as fast as my hooves could type I activated the stable’s emergency evacuation sequence.

The desk and the floor shifted and opened up the passageway. I ran as fast as my hooves could take me ignoring the alarm sounding throughout the tunnel. When I got to the end I opened the door to two security ponies.

For a split second I panicked, then I remembered I was a unicorn. "Really? I don't feel under arrest," I said arrogantly. Then, with my magic I pulled their batons from their utility barding without them noticing and quickly struck them both over the head on opposite sides. As they were struck, their heads collided comically and they fell to the ground.

I rushed to the stable door control pad and terminal, then entered another one of the passwords written on the paper into the terminal. [Balefire] The switch cover flipped open and I immediately pulled it and the stable door started to hiss and screech.

I’ve done it. The door was open. I was almost too excited to remember to run out. I broke the lever off the control pad to make sure they couldn’t follow me and I ran toward the door, but when I got to the threshold, fear surged once again up my spine. What if the outside was still deadly? What if I died as soon as I walked out? I couldn’t think about those things now, if I stayed I'd most likely die anyway, I needed to get out. Putting fear aside I ran across the threshold and hit the switch on the other side to close the stable door.

(HISSSS) (SCREEEEEECCCHHH)

[FOOTNOTE: LEVEL UP!]

NEW PERK ADDED!

Toughness: If nothing else, you can take a beating! Instantly gain +2 damage resistance.

Fallout Equestria: Falling Shadows

by Drako Moon

Chapter 1: Locked Up