//------------------------------//
// I Remember The Last Day on Equss. 
// Story: Fallout: Equestria -- Baltimare Blues 
// by No one is home 
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“War never changes.”  He’s still forever the most handsome colt I’ve ever seen.  The scars give him distinction.

“You’re gonna knock ‘em dead, Sweety.”  I’m Last Minute, the luckiest mare in Baltimare.

I have a lovely home, a beautiful baby filly, and without a doubt the bestest, most supportive husband in all of Equestria.  If you could have seen my husband before they shipped him off to that terrible war, well I’d just have to beat you back with a stick.  I’m not saying he was Big Mackintosh-handsome, but yeah, that is exactly what I’m saying.  But that’s not what made my Blueberry just the best, and remember I do still have that beating stick.

He always held me up.  He never held me down.  And he always knew when to hold me back.  And tonight is going to be his big night.  The night when everypony else gets to see the pony I see every morning.  The pony who gave up his dreams of being a baker to fight for his country.  The pony who sent every bit home so I could finish law school and we could have a home to start our family.  Blueberry Pastel is the best pony, and tonight everyone is going to see that.

“I’m hogging the mirror again, ain’t I?”  My Blueberry blushes, it’s so cute how flustered he can get when he thinks he’s being vain.  “Do I look okay?”

“Brush your bangs back, dear.” I step up and grab the brush in my magic.  “Ponies need to see your eyes if they're really going to see your smile.”

He shuffles and whinnies at my attention, and I can’t help but giggle as I step up to the mirror myself.  Blue fur, cyan mane, exactly one classy, slender horn, and a flank that won’t stop for a traffic light, if I do say so myself.  I am so ready for tonight.

Tonight will be the Best. Night. Ever.

Of course right now is when the doorbell rings.  When my mane is in curlers and wearing my frumpiest, and most comfortable, bathrobe.  I have to be the one to answer the door.  Blueberry can’t… he survived the attack on Littlehorn.  The scars can throw ponies off.

And of course it’s a sales-colt.  “Hello ma’am!  I’m here with Stable Tech to inform you that due to your family’s patriotic civil service, your family has been selected for entrance to your local Stable Tech survival Stable!  Stable Tech!  Better living, Underground!”

“Honey!” I shout back to Blueberry nooked in the hallway. “Did you hear that? We got a spot in the Stable.”

“It ain’t gonna come to that.”  His gruff handsome voice replies,  “No one, not the ponies, not the stripes, not Luna, not Caesar, is gonna actually use the mega spells.”

“With just a brief survey, you can ensure your family’s survival… if the worst comes to pass.”  The sales colt is such a Nervous Nelly.  I hope one day he has his night.  But tonight is our night.  “The world is in a precarious place… and none of us know how much time we have left… probably less than we wish we had?”

It’s only a hoof full of questions, really.  Blueberry’s come out and is watching the TV from his favorite chair.  “...threat of Zebra Sympathizers.  The Striped Menace is everywhere!”

And I here a mewling cry.  “I’m sorry Mr. Stabletech, my daughter needs me.”

I hope I didn’t close the door in his face, but our little pink miracle needs me.

“Missuss?” I hear the prim and propper Mr. Nanny unit, Cogsworth, as he floats into to room on a cushion of air, focussing on me with what I think is it’s primary eye-stalk. “I am afraid Diane has awoken from what I suspect to be a bad dream.  While my cold steel grasping units may be fine and good for changing diapers, I fear she needs that maternal nurturing you are so renowned for.”

“You are never going to let that go, are you, Cogsworth?”  I laugh at our robot’s sarcasm.  It’s hard to imagine, much less remember that I used to be afraid of Cogsworth.  Now?  Now Cogsworth is family.

I remember leaning into Diane’s crib… Blueberry spun her mobile.  Then I remember Cogsworth called out.  “Mister Pastel, Missus Minutes… I think you should see this…”

“...has come to pass, Canterlot has fallen.”  The voce from the TV echoes hollow as the sirens begin to sound.  “Balefire missiles are incoming in the Baltimare area.  Report to you local Stable or Public Shelter Facility, as appropriate.  I repeat, the worst has…”

“We have to get to the Stable!” Blueberry shouted over the sirens.  “I’ve got Diane!  Just run!”

And so we ran.

Sanctuary Island, they called it.  As we ran I watched our sanctuary turn into Discord’s playland.  Ponies turning on ponies as I turn on them and push our way to shelter, Blueberry pushing behind me with our foal on his withers.

I don’t remember the fight to get to the gate.  But I know there was a fight.  I remember the screaming behind us.  I remember the sounds of automatic rifles.  I remember walking onto the platform.  I remember the platform descending into the earth… I remember seeing the bombs go off above us as we descended into… this…

But we were safe.  We were on our first steps to our new life.  Somehow, we’d made it.  It feels like for just one time the universe thinks you’re special.



Last Minute:

Unicorn, Mare

S(trengh)-4
P(erception)-3
E(ndurance)-8
C(harisma)-6
I(Intelegence)- 4
A(gility) - 5
L(uck)-5



I saw my perfect night fall apart with the whole wide world.  But there was still hope.  We made it to the Stable.  There was just one more step, the decontamination chambers.  Blueberry held Diane right across from me.  I remember wondering why it was suddenly so cold…  was it always this cold, this… distant?

And then for the longest and shortest time there is nothing at all.  And from nothing it all comes back with a whisper. “Do you think they can hear us?”

Blinding light becomes image and I can see Blueberry cradling our child as their chamber opens…  my chamber doesn’t open.  The sharp voice, the one that wondered if I could hear it shouts, “We’re here for the filly!”

Something is wrong!  These ponies are not stable tech personnel!  “Shit, they’re all waking up!”  I try to flail.  All the voices run together now and then that horrible explosion, that first terrible shot, and then the third?  I can’t turn my head.  I’m frozen inside my little pod… “We got what we came for! Get those cryo units locked down!”

–And then it’s cold and dark and I really like it better that way.