//------------------------------// // There's Always a DJ PON3 // Story: Fallout Equestria: Final Message // by errant //------------------------------// Vinyl slumped at her terminal, staring at the flickering green screen. Behind her, screams filtered through the heavy steel of the walls and doors. If she tried, she could almost imagine it was a foal shrieking in happiness. She hurt all over. The deep lacerations in her body nearly hurt as much as the horror strangling her heart. The blood pooled on the gleaming, spotless metal floor. The crimson matched her eyes. It was the brightest color she'd seen since the door of Stable 29 had closed. With a shuddering sigh, she leaned forward and placed her hooves on the terminal. Tavi, I . . . Oh, Celestia Above, what do I even say? Its all bucked up. Its all wrong. What the hay happened to us? I don’t understand anymore. It doesn’t make any sense. Everypony up there is dead. You’re a hundred miles away from me and I miss you so damn much it hurts. But I don’t wish you were here with me. Not now. Not anymore. Those motherbuckers at Stable-Tec are killing us. Their stupid robots and automated systems are killing us off one by one. I locked myself in my room, but I can hear the screaming from here. Oh, Celestia, what happened to all those kids . . . Tavi, I love you. I want you to know that. Because I’m not going to get another chance to tell you. I’m dying too, Octavia. The damn robot chef went nuts with its stupid knife and came after me. It cut me up. Like, a lot. Speaking of a lot, that’s a lot of blood. Oh, jeez. That’s really a lot of blood. I’ve gotta hurry this up. Octavia, I love you. However many times I’ve said it, its still not enough. I just hope that you’re still safe over there in Stable 101. I love you so much. Please, be okay. Somehow, please, be okay. For me. And please, don’t forget about me. Don’t let my music die with me. It and you are the cornerstones of my life, my everything. Make it last. Hay, maybe there will always be a DJ Pon-3 if people still have the music. I love you, Octavia. Goodbye. Vinyl didn't bother to read the message again. She just hit the button to send it. She just had to hope it could get through, like some of her messages to Octavia had been able to ever since that awful day. She specifically did not think about the messages that had refused to send at all. The terminal's screen flickered, showing her its efforts as it tried to obey her command. It was taking a long time. Vinyl closed her eyes. "I love you, Octavia," she whispered. Her eyes did not open again. Sending transmission . . . . . . . . . Transmission failed. Communication network primary transmission route unresponsive. Trying secondary transmission route . . . . . . . . . Transmission failed. Looking for available routes . . . . . . . . . Transmission failed. Message not sent. Retry? Y/N