Fallout Equestria: Tales of Transylvania.

by MeetSouder


Chapter Two: A Whole New World

Chapter two: A whole new world.

I woke up to soft tapping on my door,

“Middy honey, are you alright in there? It’s mummy, you’re ceremony is in 15 minutes, and you need to get on stage with the rest of your class.” I hear a female voice, with a slight Braytish accent muffle through my steel door.

I slowly opened my eyes, confused for a spell, as I tried where remember where I was. Then the memories of earlier today came back rushing into my head and I let out a depressed sigh.

Well I don’t exactly have a choice…

“Okay mom, I hear you, yeah I’m fine, just getting ready.” I said in monotone, rolling off my bed, not caring I hit my head against the blasted night stand for a second time today.

I didn’t even check myself in the mirror, I knew I probably looked like shit, but who cares, my world is now full of shit anyway. At least I didn’t have to put on my damn uniform, I wore it the entire day. I slapped the green button, surprising my mom as she jumped a little from the sudden movement of the door, and with me sitting on the opposite side, with sunken eyes and a vacant stare.

“Let’s get moving.” I deadpanned as I trotted past her and past my father who was standing by the doorway, out and to the right down the hallway, heading towards to massive atrium. My Parent’s probably gave each other a look of concern as they quickly trot after me, wondering what’s gotten into me. I couldn’t care less.

As I entered the atrium the first thing that struck me, was the sound. All six hundred or so ponies of the stable were present, filling up the auditorium style seats as they look towards the center stage. With every single pony talking, it sounded like the white noise we get when we tune into the radio station in the Stable. We haven’t ever had music play through that station, since the creation of the stable. But right now, thankfully, some calming jazz music was playing through the atrium speakers, almost matching on par with the sound level of the speaking. At least it kept the mood of the event going, instead of turning into an awkward silence as ponies waited.

The massive, four story tall room, that extended for hundreds of hooves in all directions, was Stable 17’s atrium. More of an amphitheatre than a general meeting ground, the atrium was where we hosted anything from plays, concerts and parties, all the way to this event. The graduation of class year Tidus Moon, 18th. I checked my Pipbuck for the time quickly, to make sure I wasn’t a complete failure and missed the opening as well.

12:55pm

Okay, five minutes early, perfect I can make it on stage and take my place before we begin.


I quickly trotted up the steps on the right side of the ovular stage and found the only open seat, my own, which was on the far left of the stage, the last chair in the row. I looked around at my 30 classmates, many of whom I’ve grown to know decently well over the years, many of them simply being acquaintances really.

Then I spotted her. A flash of red caught my eye and I focused on Scarlet, sitting awkwardly between two ponies I know she had never even spoken to in her entire time a the MSFC. I felt a twinge of pain in my heart as I see her, frowning at the crowd, fluttering her wings in the same nervous way she always does when a lot of ponies look at her.
 
Dammit I should be there for her, comforting her. But I bucked it all up, it’s basically over…

I quickly moved my head and focused on the crowd when I saw her eyes shift to me. I didn’t want to deal with this right now, let’s just get this damn Ceremony over with. So I can become a damn janitor or something and move on with my worthless life.

Since I was already looking at the crowd, I scanned it to spot my parents, quickly latching onto the stoic form of my father sitting up front to the right, and my mother, who was giving me a concerned look from her chair left of him. Celestia bless their hearts, I’ll have to remember to explain everything to them when this is over.

Just as I was about to take another peek back at Scarlet to judge her composure, the sound of a microphone being turned on and tested filled the atrium, the jazz music slowly fading out and the sounds of ponies voices, quickly turning to shushes and whispers as the introduction was made, and the graduation ceremony began.

Snapping my attention to the front, where a pedestal in the middle of the stage was set up, and standing at the pedestal was none other than Super Nova herself. Beginning her opening speech, welcoming everypony to the ceremony.

“Greetings everypony! Welcome to the Graduation of Class year Tidus Moon, 18th!” She announces in a smooth, Braytish accent. She paused to let the enthusiastic parents and friends stomp their hooves in applause.

“I wish to apologize in advance as my mother, Moonlight Shade, has caught a cold and is unable to attend this year’s ceremony” Super Nova continued.
 
Though from back here I could see her shoulders tensed up as she spoke. That’s odd, why would she be so nervous when she’d done this for years?

The ceremony continued for about an hour, as Super Nova allows certain professors to come up and say a parting speech, with them usually cracking a joke or two about a certain student, or recalling a particularly interesting memory.

Quite frankly, I couldn’t care less. All I found myself doing the entire time was steal glances at Scarlet to my right, only to have her look away and then look at me, where I would then be forced to look at nothing in particular.

Celestia dammit, why is she playing these games? I need to speak with her, I can’t let this go. She clearly has something on her mind and this is exactly the opportunity I need to speak with her. I can’t let it slip under my hooves. I’ll track her down after we leave the stage.

Finally the moment arrived for the final announcement of test scores, and job professions of the students. I couldn’t help but feel a bit excited at what my test could lead me to become. And even more so in hope that Scarlet will fulfill her dream.

As the last professor departed the stage, Super Nova announced to the crowd, “And now, we will segway into the announcement of professions and careers. Please I ask you hold your applause until we make it to the very last pony.” She continues in her silky smooth voice.

Damn she can speak, but her body language is betraying her to no end. She’s almost visibly shaking… What could be going through her mind?

“First we have Ms. Apple Fry, would you please stand up? With a score of 80/100, the FACE mainframe has chosen her to be with one of the apple planting teams, congratulations.” Apple fry visibly brightened at this and took her seat.

“Next we have Mr. Woodwork, his score was a 26/100 and the mainframe has chosen him to join the maintenance teams in the incinerators on sublevel 12, congratulations” Woodwork noded and sat down, I don’t believe he was the brightest pony, but I’m sure even he know the working conditions down there were awful, poor sap.

“Next, we have Mrs. Scarlet Rose.”

Oh shit, now you have my attention.

I sat up straighter, and stared at my best friend, at least I hope she still was. I was nervous as hell, I’m going to lie. This moment probably meant the world to her.

Super Nova continued, “Her score was a staggering 100/100 correct, and the mainframe has allowed her to choose her profession, what will it be Ms. Nova?” Super seemed to glare at Scarlet as she said this. I guess a bit of sisterly rivalry here?

For the first time that night, I saw Scarlet genuinely smile. Not her awkward fake smile, but a true and wholesome smile. I couldn’t help by smile myself, as I was elated to hear the news that all of her hard work has finally paid off.

“Gunsmith!” Scarlet immediately blurted out before the microphone was even at her mouth. Super Nova nodded, knowing all too well already that her little sister wanted that job.

“Very well, you will join the gunsmithing crew on level 3 in the technology department. And will work for production of firearms for security.” Super Nova about faced quickly and proceeded down the row, not giving any more heed to her sibling.

A few of the ponies received some decent jobs, ranging from the medical field, to cloud construction and ventilation. Heh, similar to dad. One odd pony received the profession of sewage maintenance, which was basically a glorified name for “plumber”. He immediately cried out and glee and cheered, followed by a small section of the crowd, containing the Stable’s plumbers. Okaaay. None, however, received a score above 98%.

When the pony to my right finally sat down, being elected to serve in the school as a psychology teacher, finally the time for me to hear my future arrived. I cringed in nervousness as I slowly rose from my seat.

I cast a sideways glance to Scarlet, who was now adamantly staring at me, I tried to read her expression, but too many emotions were playing across her features for me adequately get a reading.

“Mr. Midnight winds.” My eyes snapped forward to Super Nova, who was now looking right into my eyes.

Wait what…?

As I gazed into her eyes, I felt the faintest twinge of… Insanity. Not just the funny pictures you see in the books. But the deeper I traveled into her expression, the more I was certain something was not right about this mare. Her silver mane partially obscuring her black eyes, the only contrast between her eyes and her coat being the whites of her eyes separating them.

“With a score of 101/100… Hold on a second, that can’t be right?”

Wait what!? I thought to myself for the second time in less than five seconds. As I blinked in disbelief.

Super Nova trailed off as she quickly blinked her eyes and tried to focus on her clipboard again. She cleared her throat, audibly shaking in fear, or was it nervousness?

I quickly looked at Scarlet, who was now staring in disbelief with her mouth hanging open, I nearly mimicked her reaction before looking back to Super Nova as she began to unsteadily speak again.

“Wi- with a score of 101/100 the F.A.C.E Mainframe model-1264 has come to a conclusion” she trailed off again, using what I guessed was the full name of the program that selected the professions.

And now I can see it, as she glared into my eyes.

Rage.

Super Nova was shaking clearly now, muscles tensed up around her neck as she gritted her teeth. With the rage of a murderer, about to strike her first victim, she continued through clenched teeth.

“With final jurisdiction, as instituted by my grandmother Night Shade in the creation of the F.A.C.E, above my power, and that of the overmare.” Super Nova continued to read line for line probably making sure she wasn’t saying the wrong things on her clipboard, all the while sounding just as much in disbelief as she did pure anger.

“That Midnight Wind has hereby been selected, immediately eradicating the current chair holder of Super Nova, to be the next OverStallion of Stable 17.”

* * *

 
Lolwut I stared at her for a few seconds, her words echoing in my head, as I try to remember what she just said.

That’s not a plumber…

I quickly looked to the chocolate colored pony who was selected to be a plumber, he was sharing the same expression as everyone else in the entire Stable, shock, awe, and a little bit of confusion.

Yeah, he’s the plumber, not me... THEN WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO I DO NOW?! I screamed into my head trying to figure out what position that just put me in. My derailed and smoldering heap of a train of thought was quickly cut even shorter as Super Nova cleared her throat into the microphone.

“And that, fillies and gentlecolts will conclude our ceremony, thank you for attending this years graduation.” She spoke quickly, with a fake cheery smile, then she quickly and quietly turned to the right, and vacated the stage, meeting up with security personnel to escort her back to her family’s living quarters.

“What’s tha plan ma’am?” I heard the sound of a voice being electronically modulated through the mask one of the security officers as they trotted away.

Everypony slowly and silently rose to their hooves and began to exit the atrium, a neat double file line formed as every family member, friend, student, and random attendee left with little more than a few quiet murmurs.

I rapidly searched around me for Scarlet Nova, regardless of whatever drama we were going through, she and I needed to talk. Things just got a lot more complicated in our peaceful little Stable. And these matters far surpassed our petty spout we had earlier today.

“*pssst* Midnight, over here, behind and below you” I heard a tiny voice come from behind me and I whipped around looking for the source.

I quickly spotted the two slightly glowing golden orbs, their source obscured by the shadows of  the backstage, but I knew immediately who those eyes belonged to. Scarlet.

Looking over my shoulder to make sure everypony was either too preoccupied digesting the news, or facing the opposite direction, I quickly dove off the stage behind me, flaring my wings to extend my fall, and silencing my landing. Upon touching the ground with my hooves, I felt the passive magic of my mother’s side begin to take effect as the “rods” in my irus’ suddenly sprang to life on their own, allowing my eyes to adjust to the near-total darkness.

I gazed at Scarlet, who bore a solemn expression matching my own. She and I immediately took off galloping without a word spoken, heading towards the maintenance port located to our left against the wall. Scarlet and I have been back here many a time during our foalhood, either exploring or hiding from late night security officers who were charged with protecting curfew.

Lifting up the steel cover for Scarlet, she quickly dove into the smaller sized door, really only big enough to fit one pegasus stallion at a time, let alone any other of our cousin races. Quickly following her, I ducked my head as I let the steel cover slide down on its silent pneumatic hinges, and bolted down into darkness after my beloved Transylvanian friend.

* * *

We came upon a “Y” shaped intersection with a higher ceiling than the rest of the tunnels. Approaching the junction from the left branch facing the tail. These tunnels were really only designed for transport of electricity through the massive conduits and cables that lined them. With each cable being at least three hooves in diameter, theres a reason these tunnels were big enough to fit a pony. With the width of the tunnel barely grazing my shoulders, and the ceiling being only a few inches above my head, claustrophobia was easily set in.

Thankfully, long ago, Scarlet and I have explored every square inch of these tunnels, and we knew where the more voluminous sections were located. This particular one, being a meeting point between three different tunnels, each leading to and from the Arcane Spark Reactor far below in the Stable’s lowest level.

Upon stopping to catch our breaths in the more spacious room, I was immediately tackle hugged by Scarlet, who proceeded to bury her face in my chest and stifle back sobs.

“Oh Middy, what have you gotten yourself into this time?” She sniffled, looking up with tear filled eyes, which faintly reflected no particular light within the darkness.

“Heh, oh it’s not that bad… I mean, I get to be a pretty powerful stallion in charge now right?” I grinned looking down into her eyes, trying desperately to alleviate the mood, knowing all too well I was eternally bucked from the moment that computer recalled Super Nova and placed me in her position.

“No, it is bad, so bad I do- I don’t even know what to do!” She cried out as she nuzzled deeper into my chest. Normally I would have been at a loss for words by this action, but given the circumstances, we needed to figure out what to do.

I rested my head atop hers looking down the dark expanses of the hallway to my right, making up the tail of the “Y”. And gently draped my wings over her slightly shaking body to help try and calm her down.

“What do you think is going to happen now?” I asked, hearing my voice as it reverberated off the tunnel walls and bounce back to us, creating a lonesome echo.

Scarlet started to shake more as my question fell upon her ears, and she quickly began to wail deeper into me, holding me tighter.

“She’s g-g-going to try t-to k-kill you!” Scarlet barely managed to squeak out, before another wave of sobs wracked her body.

Well shit. What was unexpected.

I held her tighter as I waited for the fresh waves of emotion to leave her body as she continued to soak my chest in her tears. We sat in the dark corridors in silence, with nothing but the echoes of her sobbing to greet us. When she finally calmed down, I began my investigation.

“What makes you think your sister would do that?” I asked, pulling away to meet her eyes.

“She’s not my sister!” Scarlet quickly jabbed. Glaring off to the side. “She may be related to me, but that monster is far from family.”

She continued, this time meeting my gaze with sorrowful reminiscence.  “W-when we were in our 11th year at the MSFC, Super Nova took our mum to visit the doctor on floor 3, they formally declared her lifespan to last no longer than four years. I was devastated by the news, but Super Nova… She was less than sad, in fact she almost seemed impatient for mum to pass. I knew Super Nova wanted to become Overmare, who wouldn’t want to in that position? But to not care about our mum like that? And even worse, to wait impatiently for her to die? It was terrible…” Scarlet trailed off recollecting her thoughts and peered into the darkness as I had before.

Then she faced me with a steely expression that took me off guard, I was not expecting the mournful mare in my hooves to gather such anger. “But it got worse. That bloody wraith poisoned my mum with an overdosage of the pills she was prescribed to take, to help with her cough. When mum fell into a coma, Super Nova covered up the incident by claiming she was just busy with Stable matters, or developed a small illness. Nopony questioned Super Nova, because why would she lie about her mum’s condition? So no investigation was taken underway to find out about the Overmare’s disappearance.” Scarlet took a few breaths to calm down from her growing anger.

With a quieted voice she continued, “What’s even more horrifying, Super Nova intended the overdose to outright kill mum, but something must have clicked in that tosser’s brain, as she started to sadistically enjoy the fact mum was now in a coma. Her sanity slipped outright, and she now claims only a natural death will be the appropriate passing for her to become the new Overmare. So until today, Super Nova has been patiently waiting for mum to pass away, and as her condition continues to deteriorate, she’s expected t-to d-die at any time now…” Scarlet finished as she started to shake and sniffle again. She learned her head down sideways against my now damp chest, following my gaze down the maintenance tunnels, seemingly going on to oblivion.

Wow… I knew I sensed a bit of unease in Super Nova’s body language during that speech, but I never would have expected that the ulterior motive was because of her blatant lying about the Overmare.

“Okay, but how do you know for certain that she wants to kill me?” I gulped, just the very thought alone was terrifying, this mare Super Nova had enough power under her hooves to frame me somehow, and have me executed.

Scarlet scoffed and looked up to me finally letting her hooves slide off of me so she could support her own weight and sit up. I took this moment to take a few breaths now that Scarlet wasn’t squeezing me half to death.

“Super Nova would do anything to take position as Overmare, and now with you being the most direct obstacle, she’s not going to simply step down. I’ve seen the things she’s done, she has the security of the Stable wound around her hooves like a string. Whenever somepony has a doubt in her leadership, she has them bucking executed, and covers it up with some kind of maintenance related accident.” Scarlet explained.

She sighed, “The only reason she hasn't had me killed for knowing all of this, is the fact she knows I wouldn’t tell anypony, who could I talk to? Nopony would believe me, and if they did, they would simply disappear in another “accident”. And -and... I’m so sorry I haven’t told you any of this before Middy, I just didn’t want to risk putting you in danger from that twat. But now I’m certain you need to know as much as possible before she acts to save her position.” She finished looking down at the floor.

“Jeez this is complicated. Okay, I don’t have many options before a stallionhunt begins for my head. She’s probably spinning up a story as we speak to try and put me under the light. And I don’t think there's anywhere I could run to in the Stable… She’ll find me eventually.” I said as my brain kicked into overdrive to keep my cool, and not freak out.

“Shite you’re right, I didn’t think about that. What are we going to do?!” Scarlet’s voice grew in pitch as she started to get worried.

“I think our best bet would be to simply confront Super Nova and try and figure things out.” I said, not knowing what else I could do.

“WHAT?! Are you bucking daft? She’ll probably just kill you on the spot!” Scarlet shrieked, hitting my chest with both hooves.

Ow, my chest is really taking a lot of abuse today.

“Well what other options do we have?” I asked rhetorically.

Scarlet sat still as she tried to think of what to do. Staring into my eyes with a mixture of concern and worry. Figuring since we can finally speak to each other again, I decided to quickly change topic for a little bit.

“Hey Scar, back at the orchard. Look, I’m really sorry I didn-” I was cut off as I felt my ears flick down, facing the hallway behind me.

“Readings show two heat signatures at junction A-24, they’re down this way!” I faintly heard the familiar sound of an electronically modulated voice, echo towards us.

I quickly snapped my eyes up to the junction label that was painted onto the dirty concrete wall above our heads,

A-24

“Shit! Scarlet we need to get out of here! Head that way!” I whispered, pointing my hoof down the tail of the “Y” and helping push her to all fours.

We both galloped down the tight corridor passing junction after junction, the sounds of our hoof clops echoing all around us. Every branch off in the corridors we found lead to a dead end and a vertical fall to the floors beneath us, probably heading down to the Reactor. I began to notice the corridor we were in had a slight incline and I was certain we were climbing up to the top floor.

Stable 17 had 4 main floors, and 12 sublevel floors. The main floors were for science and research, and contained all of the necessary equipment, while the sublevels were for residential, recreational and maintenance. The massive orchard spanned all 12 sublevel floors, and you could look into it from any floor via the windows built into the hallways that wound around it.

As we galloped on down, my wings lightly scraping the thick cables on either side of us, I noticed we just passed junction “A-0”, that meant that we were quickly approaching the source of the tunnel.

Shit, Scar and I have never been down here before what if it brings us straight to the incinerators or something?

Deciding to push our luck as I saw the tunnel door, I yelled out “Go through it, we’ll have to figure out what to do when we get out of these tunnels”.

Scarlet nodded in agreement, and barreled through the hinged steel cover, the pneumatic hinges assisting in the lifting of the several hundred pound door, making it feel as though it were only one or two pounds.

As we tumbled out of the door, two things came to my mind. First: we were several hooves up near the ceiling, and we were now dropping to the floor near below us. Second: when we righted ourselves, there were security personnel here. A. Lot. Of security personnel.

DAMMIT, we’re fucking surrounded now. I mentally kicked myself in the head for not redirecting our course back in the tunnels. I knew I there was no where else to go back there, but anything would have been better than this.

All of the ten or so security armoured ponies quickly turned around and faced us, genuinely surprised we just stumbled into all of them. The echos of armoured hooves came from behind us, and stopped at the hatch near the ceiling. I could hear the ponies panting under their helmets as the sound of their breath came out assisted by the built in microphone. That security barding must have been so heavy stuff.

As I looked around me at the security ponies, I began to take in the room we were in. It was a rectangular room, with a high ceiling, and only one door to the front left of where Scarlet and I were standing by the wall, to my right, the floor kind of dipped off and there was a small railing to prevent anypony from tripping over the small dip. Random assortments of electronic equipment was scattered along the edges of the wall, all giving off whines or beeps proving they were still active. The overall color of the room was slightly darker, proving we were in an old part of the Stable, probably built many years before the rest of the stable was constructed.

But the most defining thing about the architecture of the room was the enormous cog shaped, steel piece, seemingly embedded on the wall. It looked as though it were a hatch of some kind.

My thoughts were interrupted as the security ponies all simultaneously began chambering a round into the various firearms they carried. With bolts and slides racking and shotgun pumps sledding across their well greased channels. I nervously took a step closer to Scarlet, who was on my right, and shaking violently with fear.

The door to the left of us opened, and in walked in my parents, Evergreen and Muffin Top.

Why the hell were they here?

Then as if to answer my question, Super Nova slowly stalked in, holding them at gunpoint with a 10mm Ironshod Firearms civilian pistol in her mouth. She directed them to line up next to us, with me and Scarlet being separated by Evergreen filling in on my right, and with my parents being furthest away from me. I looked at them with fear, and saw my expression reflected back at me from their faces.

Returning her pistol to a leg holster on her right foreleg, Super Nova cleared her throat and began to pace in front of the line of my friends and family.

“You six, have conspired against Stable 17, and have attempted to bring an uprising to overthrow the Overmare. By Stable-Tec section C-064 you are hereby sentenced to death. For treason against the administration of the Stable.” Super Nova stopped grinning with unrestrained joy.

“You’re fucking insane! We didn’t do anything! Heck, we didn’t even plan to do anything!” I spat as I glared at Super Nova with rage.

“Oh you’re right, you didn’t, but after I’m done here, as the official Overmare of this stable, all I have to do is tell the rest of the populace what I believe happened.” Super Nova explained proudly. Scarlet visibly straightened as she probably figured something odd about Super Nova’s little speech.

“Wait, you’re not the Overmare! Mum is! And until she passes away…” Scarlet trailed off as she saw Super Novas grin grew wider with her words.

“No… Mum’s not dead. She can’t be… sh-” Scarlet’s words grew silent as she proceeded to sob to herself, unable to look Super Nova in the eyes.

“I figured ponies naturally will die when a bullet is introduced to their head. A natural death is the honorable way for the passing of the Overmare after all” Super Nova giggled with maniacal glee.

“YOU BITCH, YOU FUCKING MURDERED MUM!” Scarlet shrieked from where she stood, tears streaming down her face.

“Oh don’t use such harsh words, I simply assisted her slow passing with my own hooves. But I digress, I have many important matters to attend to as the new Overmare and I’d really like to get this over with. Hold still now please, and save your last words until after I’m done with the execution?” She sighed with annoyance and pulled out her pistol.

Fuck, is this the end? There has to be something we can do. But we’re surrounded by armed ponies that would light our sorry asses the moment we flinched.

Looking to my right, I could see Evergreen thinking, until his eyes widened and he looked at me with nothing less than a brilliant idea. He quickly flicked his ears to our right, indicating a control console of sorts that had cables leading to the hinges of the massive gear shaped hatch, and I realized exactly what he meant. If I could hit that console, the hatch would open granting us escape.

But how the hay am I supposed to do that with so many ponies pointing guns at me?

My thoughts were derailed as I heard the sound of a hammer cocking back. I quickly shifted my gaze to Super Nova, who sat ginning around her pistol as it was shoved with up against my mothers head.

I watched in silent horror as my mother, who raised me all these nineteen years, unceremoniously crumpled to a heap on the ground. I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye. I stood there numb, too shocked to say or do anything as Super Nova quickly trotted down the line, shoving the gun up against my father’s head, and released the hammer that was already pre-cocked from the semiautomatic function of the pistol. My father, Celestia guide his soul, was standing stoic as ever. With nothing, but a single tear for her wife, rolling down his features as the hammer struck the pin.

The smoking brass casing ejected as the slide kicked back and before it even hit the ground, Super Nova was already upon Muffin Top. Who for his part, was smiling, as if he knew that simple act was enough to piss Super Nova off, not giving her the benefit of watching him cower.

As my friends and family were executed before my eyes, without even two seconds fully coming to a close, and now Super Nova was upon Scarlet, who for her part sat there shaking, looking at the ground. Tears dripping down her muzzle and splashing on the floor. Super Nova paused for a brief second as the cool off from the targeting spell finally kicked in, which allowed me to finally collect my thoughts as I watched in indescribable horror, as the mare I grew up with, my best friend in the world and the one I grew to love, sat with a gun barrel resting atop of her head.

Super Nova’s grin widened even further as she pulled the trigger and the hammer began to fall. As I as watched my beloved Scarlet, was executed before my eyes.

I Love you Scarlet Rose.

* * *

The hammer flew down on its course to the firing pin. When it struck, the pin lurched forward and rammed into the primer of the centerfire 10mm pistol round. The primer for it’s part, decided to have a bad day, and refused to ignite.

*Click*

Thats. It.


Seizing this divine miracle from the goddesses themselves, Evergreen and I sprang into action. Flaring his horn with magic, Evergreen reached out with skilled multi tasking telekinesis and hit the release button for the magazine of the pistol in Super Nova’s mouth, simultaneously dropping every magazine from the security ponies guns.

There was a brief pause as the security ponies wondered why their guns lost so much weight, before they all began to snap their aim at the threat and open fire. Evergreen smiled knowingly as he has accomplished his mission to spare Scarlet and I.

I dove at Scarlet, tackling her to the ground, and just barely crossing Evergreen as seven 5.56cal bullets and three 12Ga slugs slammed into evergreen behind me. Every damn security officer already had one in the chamber. And I was certain Evergreen knew this.

Why the hell did you do that Evergreen! You were supposed to escape with us!

Not having time to mourn for Evergreen’s sacrifice, I threw Scarlet over my back as I made a wild dash to the control console. Time seemed to slow down as I leaped over the crumpled corpses of my parents, their eyes staring vacantly at nothing. I swore I would return one day to avenge them, and give them a proper sending to the goddesses.

I now knew exactly what that gear shaped cog was, and I certainly knew what Evergreen realized moments before this ordeal. I skidded to a stop before the console, which had one simple hoof print shaped scanner on it’s rusted face.

As the security ponies and Super Nova rushed to pick up their discarded magazines and rechamber rounds into their fire arms, I slapped my hoof down onto the console. A moment of absolutely nothing soon followed, as I quickly became worried it wasn’t going to work. Then the hoofprint scanner beeped, followed by a heads up display popping up into my vision, as a similar tone resounded from my PipBuck as well as Scarlet’s, displaying a whole slurry of information, ranging from my vital signs to the time and temperature. And for Scarlet’s part, she was very peacefully screaming into my back to get moving.

I noticed a prompt pop into my vision and I let out a sigh of relief. Turning around I faced all of the security personnel and Super Nova, they had just begun to pull back the bolts and slides of their firearms.

Stable-Tec, Stable Issue: 17. Door override.

*WARNING* Protocol lockdown initiated by user: “Night Shade.”
-User Recognized: “Midnight Wind”
-Administrative powers > “Night Shade”

Release lockdown protocol? Y/N

I hastily select the “Y” with my… well my mind really. And then the prompt changed.

Lockdown alleviated. Opening Stable 17 main hatch.
-Depressurization commencing.
-Done.
-Hatch release lowering…

As I stood facing the security officers and Super Nova, their guns now raised at me as I cracked a small smile, knowing behind me, the hydraulic control arm was lowering on silent hinges, obscured by my body.

“You little cunt, you think that stupid unicorn was able to stop us simply by dropping our magazines?! Think again!” Super Nova screamed bringing her pistol up and pointing right at my face. I could see down the sights from this end where they lined up with Super Nova’s right eye. I felt Scarlet tense up behind me and whimper in fear.

“Because you murdered the past Overmare, you instantaneously placed me in her position. I’m the Overstallion now. And I. Now have complete control over my Stable”. I finished as the whole room began to shudder violently, right as Super Nova pulled the trigger.

Her shot went wide, grazing my right shoulder, my adrenaline keeping me from feeling pain as I quickly dove to the left behind the railing of the upper platform, as the enormous steel cog behind me started the grind against its housing. Shaving off small slivers of steel which quickly ignited from the immense friction, causing sparks to fly out between the teeth of the gear. The hatch completed its migration outwards, taking the position I was just at, and then it rapidly began to roll along the floor on a track, moving deceptively quick for its immense size and weight.

The security ponies stopped their motions as they stared with fear as the great door that once sealed the Stable was not wide open.

“SHOOT THEM YOU TWATS!” Super Nova shrieked blindly firing the remainder of her magazine at us as I flared my wings as took off down the milled-out tunnel that the Stable door now presented us.

The moment I cleared the door with Scarlet holding on for dear life around my neck the prompt in my vision changed one final time before fading away.

-Done.
_User: “Midnight Wind” has exited the channel_
-Emergency Lock down procedure initiated

The security ponies quickly recovered from their momentary lapse,

“Squad, fire free, light em up!” A gruff modulated voice sounded out, followed by a chorus of semi automatic rifle fire from IF-15 rifles, sending 5.56 military surplus ammo down range, pinging off the rock walls and sending bits of shrapnel everywhere, stinging as it pelted my hide.

I continued to dodge and weave as I heard the Stable door behind me begin to very rapidly roll and back to it’s locking position. I pumped more power into my wing thrusts as I saw a, what I assumed to be wooden, door ahead of me.

“NO! WHY THE FUCK IS THIS DOOR CLOSING ?! WE CAN’T LET THOSE CUN-” I heard Super Nova hollar behind me followed by,

*BOOM*

A resounding bang resonated behind me, in what I can only assume was the giant steel cog slamming back into place, locking those within the Stable yet again, for celestia knows how long.
I continued to fly faster and faster in the relatively large cave tunnel, with the door quickly growing in  my vision. I shifted my weight so my left shoulder would take the brunt of the impact, and not Scarlet, whom was screaming muffled by the wind, for me to slow down as she clinged on tighter.

It’s about time I got the buck out of here

But what about your friends, and your life in the stable? my mind retorted.

They’re all dead. The ones that mattered anyways, and with only Scarlet being with me, I need to keep her safe. The world beyond this door, anything, is safer than that Stable right now.


With one final correction to my course, I shut my eyes and felt the ancient wood absorb, then give into my impact, shattering into a thousand of pieces, as Scarlet and I barreled out into the chilly night air. Into a whole new world, in which she nor I would have ever imagined existed.

XXX

Midnight Wind: Level up!
New perks gained:
"Overstallion": With your reign of power lasting less than twenty four hours, you now have the ability to do absolutely bucking nothing! This perk has expired when you left the stable.

"The Dead Will Be Avenged": After watching the rapid SATS induced execution of your friends and family, you now gain +5 DMG to all targets who have executed another pony in cold blood. Good luck discerning who those ponies may be!