//------------------------------//
// Day Off 
// Story: Fallout Equestria: Power Ponies 
// by Comrade Bagel Muffin 
//------------------------------//

“And why do you think that so many of the quote unquote safe Stables actually turned out being psychotically inspired death traps. They weren’t meant to save anybody not a soul. Least of all the ones that actually got into them. And who funded these blatant bad ideas, it wasn’t the government, at least not directly, it was the Ministries! With direct approval from the highest echelons of pre war government. I have the papers right here folks!” Rusty picked up and dropped a stack of papers. “and why did they do this, because they made a pact with Tarturous them and the zebras, that’s why only major population centers were hit, but both countries elites turned on each other at the last second stabbing each other in the back in hopes that they would be ones calling all the shots in the new world order. With tried and tested methods to control everybody else! But they can’t control me I drink Tomato Juice!” Rusty raved into his microphone. “But that’s all I’ve got over the next couple hours I’m actually going to read these papers in front of me and tell you all about what I’ve discovered. Until then listen to these beats from Glow Stick that I can personally guarantee don’t have evil subliminal messages.” He tapped a few buttons and the red sign that said ‘LIVE’ cut off.
Rusty headed down the stairs past the upper floors of the mansion to the first floor. “Hello Master Rusty, can I get anything for you?” 41fr3d asked as he approached the dining room.
“Yeah, I’ll take some tomato juice. Hey have you seen the others it’s really quiet here. Normally somebody’s up to something around this time of day.”
“Master Disk Jocky is going for a walking with his sister, the young masters Jet Lag is at the races and the young Masters Ash, Fluid, and Light are with him, and the master Dream is looking for a job, from what I understand.” The protectopony began lumbering its way to the kitchen to get Rusty his glass of tomato juice.
Rusty headed to the dining room table with a packet of papers to read while he let the radio play a preselected play list of music for a couple of hours. He sat down and looked out at the sandy coast of property a small glint caught his eye. “Actually 41, I need to get some stuff just leave it next to the papers.” He sighed before getting up and going back upstairs, leaving the stack of papers behind at the table. He pressed a couple of buttons on his pipbuck and a couple of screens popped up, after a little bit of sliding found the prompt he wanted, and with the next press of a button the mansions internal security cameras went down. He smiled slipping into Dub Step’s room and moving quickly to the terminal that was set up. He knew better than to put his pipbuck into it. This required an old fashion hacking.






"Wooo! Go Jet Go!" Light and Ash cheered as the little pegasus colt bolted around a sharp turn in the track. Fluid watched from the railing as his friend used his hooves to half gallop half push himself off of the track wall. "The little dude is fast as lightning!" Light shouted to be  heard over the crowd.
"Jet Lag is fast enough to qualify as a Wonderbolt to bad the Enclave kicked his folks out! Their loss."
"Who cares about the Fucking Enclave! I got my Jet Lag and they can go shove a stick up their butts." On the final turn he passed the pitch black pegasus that had been just a hairs width ahead of him taking the lead. "He's in the lead! Go Jet Go! Come on!" Ash jumped out of her seat and grabbed the railing of the old racing track stadium. Jet soared past the three of them crossing the finish line in first place. "Woo! Fluid go grab our winnings! She cheered jumping over the railing and running up to the pegasus. "Hug!"
"Hug." Jet Lag repeated letting her know he was fine with the contact. She wrapped her arms around him as he waved the track security away, before returning the gesture panting slightly out of breath. "That race was a tough one. Didn't think... I was going to make it there for a bit."
"I'll admit that Dashite was a close one, but you one in the end."
"Yeah no joke not bad kid." The Dashite said walking up to him. "I haven't seen flying like that since before I got my brand." He looked around before leaning in a bit. "Just between you and me, I was on Dash, I'm surprised you beat me, think you could loan me a couple hundred caps of your winnings?" 
"Sure. Have them all if you want. That was a rough race."
"Nice thanks kid I owe you big you have no idea." He held out his hoof and after an awkward pause. "Hoof bump?"
"Don't take this the wrong way but no touching please, but yeah come on you can have it, not like I really need the caps myself." Jet smiled heading off to join Fluid and Light who were waving to him and Ash to come on over.
"Nice job Jet. But now what do we do that the races are over?" Light asked as they walked out of the stadium.
"I mean I was just going to go and do some shopping, until night fall." Jet answered.
"And fluid and I have to go do some training with Obsidian." Ash spit on the ground. "I was hoping to put it off, but we have a break in our scheduled and he want's us both come in for more training."
"Hmmm shopping with Jet Lag or super cool training with Ash and Fluid I'm sur-"
"No. No offence Light, but Obsidian's not the kind of changeling that you want to be around. Dub only had one date with him then dropped him like a hot potato, that should tell you all you need to know about him. Anyway's we'll see you around." Fluid waved good bye, as he and Ash head off leaving Jet with Light. After a couple hours they were moving through the crowded streets of the changeling district. Ash dropped her disguise as she and Fluid moved throw the cramped dark streets of the Changeling enclave. The two of them came to a stop in front of the Apartment complex that housed Mr. Obsidian, they hesitated for a second.
"One day Obsidian will cross a line that not even he can get away, and then I'll finally be happy to go into this damn building." Ash muttered under her breath.
"Ditto, but he did help us out, and this is a lesson for you, so we might as well go in, and get this over with." Fluid and Ash headed into the building. It was just as poorly lit as before. This time instead of Chitin, two changelings nodded to them and motioned for them to follow, instead of going  up they lead Fluid and Ash to the stairs going  down  to the basement.
"High born elite Obsidian will be training you in the basement it's good that you brought a filth pony with you."
"He's a-"
"Let it go Ash. We've." Fluid interrupted his adopted sister. "Honestly, we both know I've been called worse. Let's just get this taken care of and try and met back up with Jet Lag in the market."
"Fine whatever." Ashe blew some of her mane out of her face. The pair of them headed down the stairs. When they got to the basement Ash's eyes quickly adjusted to the absolute darkness around her. Fluid slowly groped for the wall. "Fluid over here." She grabbed his hoof. "They expanded the basement here the walls are much further back than they would be."
"Yes we did. We are known for our subterranean architecture after all." Both of their ears perked up. "Come now Ash how are you doing today?"
"I was doing  fine, What exactly did you want to teach me that we have to do it in the absolute darkness?" she asked watching as the black changeling stepped into her field of view. "If it's anything bad. I'm just going to head back up the stairs."
"Bad, Ash, we are changelings." Obsidian answered. "We are above the weak morality of the lower life forms, like those that you insist on associating with. Example," His horn lit up and Fluid went rigid. "On your knees and bark like a dog."
"STOP IT!" Ash screamed as Fluid got on his knees and started barking.
"Of course." His horn stopped glowing and Fluid went limp before putting a hoof to his head and groaning. "I merely wanted to show you what it is like, to prove that morality is to us as rules are to a god. We have no need for it. We have power, and anything that limits our use of said power must exist only to benefit the weak."
"Your wrong Obsidian." Fluid struggled back to his hooves. "If you're powerful than you need more morals than the weak because you're in a position to do more harm."
"And look what your morality as brought us, a wasteland ravished, poisoned, dying."
"And what did it get Chrystalis?"
"Don't say the queen's name Mud Pony." Obsidian took a deep breath. "We were going to betray the zebras and we were at war with your kind. It was only natural that they both hit the hive with everything they had on the last day." He sighed. "Now Ash to your training. Order your mud pony to do what I just ordered him to do. You're good in combat but the more subtle things those you still have to learn."
"Fine whatever let's just get this over with." She said flatly. Her horn started glowing Fluid went rigid. "Bark." Fluid remained rigid and completely silent. "Bark I said!"
"You don't want him to bark do you?"
"Of fucking course not he's my brother not a fucking dog."
"I beg to differ." Obsidian's horn lit up. " On your knees. Bark, and Pant. Mutt." Fluid immediately obeyed, barking and panting like a dog. "See if he sounds like a dog, looks like a dog."
"Stop it." Ash glared at him.
"Order him to." Obsidian smirked. "Or else your mud pony's going home with you like a mutt. I'm sure the City Council would get a laugh at that."
"Fuck you, Obsidian, I can't  believe Dub was able to put up with you for even  a single night." Ash sighed before looking at Fluid. "Stand up." She commanded. Fluid got back up.
"Back on your knees and bark!"
"Stay standing and remain quiet." Ash ordered, and her brother obeyed. "I might not want him on his knees and barking but you know what Obsidian, I sure as hell don't want a second rate asshole like yourself putting him on his knees and making him bark. Now if my lesson  for the day is over will be going."
"You're attachment to a lesser race is only hurting your capacity to grow."
"I'm not to sure about that, given this is only my second time try mind controlling and I'm able to countermand you I think it's really helping my development." Ash smirked.
"Fine well then, One last thing, and you can go if you don't want me teaching you anymore today on how to be a changeling. Let's see how much your ability to drain a pony has improved. Kiss him. And try not to kill him this time when you do." Ash glared at him for a few seconds before sighing. She leaned in and kissed him. Fluid's eyes went from their vibrant red to a more muted grayish red. She pulled back. "He didn't die this time good, though your still taking to much. One would think your flying pony was starving you. Keeping  up your disguise for as long and often as you do is doing  you more harm than it is good and the pegasus colt can't sustain you alone. I suggest podding a few ponies."
"And if I ever find out that you've been podding pony's I'm going to turn you're head into a smear on the wall."
"I don't think the mud pony would like that."
"What Fluid doesn't know won't hurt him."
"By that logic the idiot must be invincible."
"Just hope I never find proof."
"Is that a threat?" he asked. Ash just glared at him for a moment before her body was engulfed in green flame, and she recast her disguise spell back into an orange pegasus. Fluid stumbled in a bit of a daze as he slowly came to Ash caught him before he hit the floor.
"Let's getting  going Fluid. You need to get home."







Lapis leaned back in on the sofa while the two earth pony sibling that lived on the stairs gleefully downed the carrot and potato stew that she had cooked for her dinner. Though, she didn't mind that they were chowing down on it at her table, the two of them were looking a lot better now, she couldn't even see their ribs were sticking out anymore. After the two of them finished eating they looked up at her. Just gave them a soft smile and wave.
"Did you two save me anything?" She asked with a smile.
"Yes ma'am thank you for letting us have some." The colt nodded. "We can't give you a lot in return, though."
"That's alright you two just stay safe and if you're hungry come up and knock on my door okay, and if I'm not home feel free to have a go around the kitchen just, leave something for me to cook myself."
"Yes ma'am thank you so much miss Lapis." They waved heading out the door.
"You know you can sleep here too right?"
"W-we know b-but w-w-we need to-to go."  The colt and his little sister headed out of the studio apartment closing the door behind them doubtlessly going  back to the small landing that they called home.
She walked over to the kitchenette and poured herself a bowl of stew. She smiled as she had just enough for her lunch tomorrow, given the fridge worked only half the time there was no point in making to many left overs. She sat down at her table when there was a soft knock on her door. "Who is it?" she asked putting her utensils down.
"Just your friendly neighborhood repair pony's managers," came the answer from the other side of the door.
"Dub, Disc, is that you come on in?" Without needing any further request the door opened up and the pink twins walked  in. "What brings the two of you to my humble home?"
"We were just doing our rounds and thought that we would visit."
"Bro-Bro wanted to see if his mare friend was interested in a date."
"Dub wanted to visit her four ex colt friends that also live in this apartment block."
"Don't say it like that, you'll make it sound like I'm easy?" Lapis couldn't fought back a laugh as Dub pushed her brother softly on the shoulder.
"Well ignoring all of that, I'm glad to see that you're walking around again, are you still burned out?" Lapis asked as the twins sat down on her couch.
"I mean, I still can't use my horn at least not yet, but Jet Lag and  41fr3d both agree that I should be able to use my magic again by the end of the month. But for the actual reason, we're here is for the Summer Sun Celebration, we were wondering if you'd be interested in joining us and setting up the party."
"Right, this will be my first Summer Sun Celebration where I can actually see the sun." She smiled and nodded, "but isn't that in a couple of months?"
"Well yeah, but it's a big thing here at End of the Line, and Fluid has a lot of responsibilities given his family's old world position in all of it, so we have to start planning and stuff month in advance," Disc answered.
"He was old world aristocracy right. Well I don't mind joining in, not like there's been much to do lately anyways. Unless you two have been holding out on me."
"Not quite but we have found a couple of interesting things. That could actually help us, with our fight against the snatchers. But we'll need a couple of extra days of going through it all."
"Anyways, we were a bit curious, what you were up to, no need to make all our meetings about work." Dub said leaning back on the couch. "though I am sorry that we kind of ran in on your dinner. We thought that you would have finished it before now."
"We can go if you'd like." Disc offered.
"I'm fine with you being here but I hope you don't mind if I keep eating, do either of you want any?"
"No, we both had something on the way here." Disc shook his head.
"So, how's working for Fortiis going?"
"He's amazing, his shop is everything he said it was and more!" She took another bit of her soup, her eye brow raised slightly as Dub's face slightly sours. "What's wrong?"
"We're not on the best terms with Fortiis."
"I had to teach Fluid sex ed. Do you know who taught Fluid sex ed before me!" Dub began. "Fortiis!" Her brother stiffed his laughter as Lapis looked at the pink mare a little confused. "And do you know what that Stalliongrad jackass taught him! Baby ponies come from EGGS! Eggs that the stallions lay." Lapis burst out laughing. "Oh sure you think it's funny, but imagine how I felt having his first question be how does the female pony put the egg in the stallion?! It's not so funny then."
"She's right, it was hilarious!" Disc laughs beside his sister earning him a punch to the side.
"He didn't."
"He did and if Fortiis is a such a good boss I'm going to feel a little bit guilty about shoving my hoof up his ass." Dub mumbled. "Whatever look changing subject, are you up for a walk with us after you finish your supper, we're going to go visit Old Timer, and see if he's got any news for us."
"Yeah sure." Lapis wiped a stray tear from her eye. "Just let me finish these last couple of bites. Oh, wait speaking of Fluid, he likes to tinker right?"
"Yeah he likes to fiddle around with things."
"He fixed your window, he fixes lots of stuff."
"Great do you think that he could fix my fridge?"
"Yeah we'll send him over in the morning to get your fridge fixed."
"Thanks, so what are the other new comers up too?" Lapis started drinking the thin watery broth of the stew.
"Dream's applied for a job as a math teacher in the only school this side of Fillydelphia if Red Eye's is to be believed."
"It's probably the only school, not that it's really a school. Just a politician trying to get votes with the I can rebuild the world line of talking points." Disc sighed leaning back. "He's really good at the math part of his job. The teaching part not so much. His sister, she's alright, she's extremely..."
"Spirited." Dub finished for her brother. "She's getting along well with the others. You want to go for a walk?"
"After the stew yeah, that'd be nice." Lapis nodded. "Once around the neighborhood would be nice." The three of them headed out locking the door behind them. "Hey Dub, what the heck is that?" Lapis pointed a few black cords with glass interwoven into them. hanging out of the pink mares saddle bag.
"That that's for tomorrow, Don't worry about it." Dub's smile falter for  a second  before  becoming all bubbly again. "Do you want to hear about the time my brother and I 'accidentally' dyed his coat the same neon pink as his mane?"
"You didn't that's terrible! Tell me everything."







Fluid and Ash had found Light and Jet Lag waiting for them as they exited the Changeling enclave. Light was standing bipedally jumping from one hoof to the other earning her strange looks from each passer by.  After a brief conversation the two groups joined back together and began wondering around town. They had walked around stopping at any shop that caught their attention, until the sun had finally began to set below the horizon leaving the four of them alone on empty and abandoned streets. Everybody hurried into their homes as the day began to come to a close.
"I would think ponies would start being bolder, about going out." Light said as they headed down abandoned streets.
"You can never be too safe," Jet said staying close to Ash's side though never touching her. "Though, I doubt that we'll run in to any snatchers tonight."
"I hope we do that'd be the best way to end this day off, punching a bunch of jackasses until they go down."
"We need to get home soon. After all tomorrow is the second friday of the month," Ash said a small shiver goes down Fluid's back.
"What? What's that got to do about anything?" Light looked confused for a second before her eyes light up. "Ah that the day that we all get waffles!"
"What no, that's when, well." Ash trailed off.
"There are three rule, don't touch me." Jet Lag started. "Don't tell pony's about who we are. and never under any circumstances go on the forth floor on the second Friday of the month. Those are the three most important house rules, you can't forget those things." 
"I mean that last one is a very arbitrary rule. Surely you guys forget about it all the time too right?"
"Not really no." Ash shakes her head side to side.
"I don't like going up there anyways so I just avoid it all together," Jet answered.
"What about you Fluid you're being awfully quiet." Light smirked. "I bet you walked up there a few times and saw Dub doing  things that you wish you could forget."
"I really don't want to talk about it," Fluid answered not looking up from the ground. The four of them walked along the roads Light, Jet, and Ash talking about what ever came to their minds. Fluid remained quiet not speaking unless spoken to, and when they finally got back to the mansion Fluid went straight to his room.
"See ya tomorrow," Light waved as he headed up the stairs. "Guess he's not feeling all that great."
"Light, again tomorrow's going to be a bit of a rough day for him." Ash led the way to the kitchen. "He's normally like this and then he's over it after sunset, don't worry and don't push him about it."
Heading up the stairs Fluid paused at the sound of a bang. He peeked into the ball room and saw Dream groaning head on the table, as he rubbed his temples. "Why can't they just understand. That's not how you do it?" He looked up from his table and spotted Fluid. "Hey colt, you look like my students before a pop-quiz."
"I-it's nothing. Is there anything wrong with you? You seem a bit upset."
"With me not at all, with my students, well that's a completely different matter entirely. No matter how many times I do the equations on the board none of them seem to understand how to do it themselves."
"Have you explained it to them?"
"I've told them a million times this is how you do it,  but they just don't understand that."
"Try talking to Dub and Disc they're both good at home schooling. I'm heading to bed." Fluid walked away leaving Dream to fret over his student's papers.
"Yeah you get some rest you look awful." Fluid continued up the stairs to the third floor where he quickly made his way to his room for a rough night of sleep.







Ash, Jet, and Light made their way into the dinning room. Dub and Disc were eating quietly across from each other as the three or them made it in. "Hey Dub hey Disc, what's up you two? And if you say tomorrow I'm going to flip." Light Chaser walked up to the table and took a seat.
"The yesterday of the day after tomorrow." Disc smirked.
"Hahaha." She exaggerated her laugh at 41fr3d came up to her.
"Your usual."
"Yes please." Jet and Ash nodded to the robot from their chairs, as Rusty walked in.
"Just finished a walk on the beach, it's getting warmer out there. Finally."
"Well we hope you enjoy you're dinner, we're going to bed. There's a lot to do over the next couple of days." Dub nodded as her brother got out of his seat. She soon joined him, as the two left the table.
"Any theories on what goes on on the fourth floor tomorrow Rusty?" Light asks as the earth pony colt sits down.
"Theories I don't need theories I have the facts. Dub and Disc engage in ancient rituals and rites to try and contact the ministry mares using Fluid as a medium." Jet groaned and Ash face hoofed, as Light listened intently to Rusty as he went into a rant that would have lasted hours past midnight, had 41fr3d not sent them to bed, at half an hour past 2 AM.