Fallout: Equestria - Sunny Skies

by IMFoalishFace

Preface

Once upon a time in the magical land of Equestria...

I sat on the edge of the clouds looking out into the great valley, the heartland of Equestria stretching out beneath me. It was a perfect day, the sun in all its brilliance shone down from a beautiful blue sky. The clouds, both those around me and those making up Cloudsdale in the distance, were pure and fluffy. My eyes worked to absorb the majesty of the land below. The valley’s rolling hills stretched out for miles before meeting the surrounding mountains, brilliant green covering everything. A lake glistened in the sunlight on the far side of the valley, majestic waterfalls throwing off rainbows as they cascaded into the reservoir. At the top of the waterfalls a magnificent marble city clung to the side of the mountain, its multicolored domes inspiring awe.

I was basking in the afterglow of hard but rewarding work. A massive storm had been developing over the Everfree Forest and I, along with pegasi from Ponyville, Canterlot, and Cloudsdale, had been called to help break it up. Well, my uncle and cousins had been called to help and I came along, eager to see some real weather ponies at work. There wasn’t much that a little filly like me could do, but I had helped as much as I could and was now reaping the benefits: the most perfect view, on a most perfect day, of the greatest land in the world.

Sitting there on a stray tuft of cloud, I experienced the purest moment of my life. I’ve always cherished the memory, no matter how fleeting it was. As a young filly, I had always wondered why ponies talked about how we lived in the greatest and most loving place on the planet. In that moment though, I saw the majesty of my people and their ideas through the wonder of the land we had been born upon.

Over the years I thought back to that moment, drew strength and inspiration from it. The mere memory of such an awesome scene brought light to me, even in the greatest darkness, and inspired a sense of purpose.

It seems so far away now.

If you’re expecting me to start rambling about virtues and enduring pain or talking about how absolutely punishing the “Wasteland” is, you shouldn’t stop reading. I won’t do any such thing, but that shouldn’t deter you. Honestly, I don’t believe in virtues or angsting over moral choices, just doing what needs to be done as efficiently and effectively as possible. I’m not some toaster repairpony or a Stable princess that’s just running around trying to find myself or save the Wasteland, pondering the moral ambiguity of my decisions while also ignoring whatever wrongs I might set in motion. If I’m completely honest, I believe the most dangerous thing in the world is some jackass that’s been labeled a hero. Bit ironic coming from a war hero I guess, but it’s not like I’m some caring, timid creature.

My birth name was Sunny Skies, but I’ve never used it on account of my appearance; a black coat and indigo mane didn’t really match a pleasant day in any way. My father had taken to calling me Nyx after a storybook character I and my unique coloring reminded him of. However, nowadays I’m more commonly known by the name I gained on the battlefield.

I guess at my core, I should be called a warrior; I’ve been fighting for most of my life. I was issued a set of steel plate armor and wing blades to serve my nation when I started off. I would have never imagined that by the time I finished, soldiers would wear suits of mechanical armor fitted with weapons firing beams of magical energy while a whole library worth’s of information could fit in an oversized wristwatch. During that time, I rose to become one of Equestria’s greatest defenders. A huntress feared like Death itself. The scourge of the changelings. Terror of griffons and minotaurs. A black angel of Equestria’s armies. The zebras saw me as agent of the stars, preying on the souls of the good. It didn’t matter if it was foe or friend, most looked upon me as a cold-blooded creature of malice and death. The dark lieutenant of the Lunar Menace: Nightmare Shadow.

In an era long past, I walked the earth as a noble and cunning warrior. Now, I find myself wandering the desolate remains of a world I can no longer recognise. My home is gone, my nation warped almost beyond recognition. Only the bones of the once proud society I served remain.

I can’t even recognize myself. Sleek metal and plastic augments cover large parts of me. My coat is rich and silky, unscared by my life’s experiences. My face looks almost like a child’s if it weren’t for the eyes. My left is lifeless, a camera masquerading as a retina, as unnerving as it is unconvincing. The right is the one that really scares me, though. It’s the eye of an ancient creature, one that’s seen the end of eras and destruction beyond expression. It shows a being that’s cold, lost, beaten down, and worn out; one I never thought I would be.

It pains me to my core to look back on what has been lost, to the point that I wonder how I’m supposed to go on. Pain and suffering across the world. Death and destruction on a scale that’s almost beyond comprehension. The triumphs of armies and march of science... all lost to the ash. Nothing gained, nothing learned, nothing left.

I will never again know the feel of grass beneath my hooves. I’ll miss walking down the streets of a town teeming with life and growth. I’ve only the memories of those closest to me, my friends and family long gone. Even my enemies lie defeated, having gained nothing themselves.

It’s all enough to make a mare feel ancient and alone no matter her surroundings. Little more than a relic that can be spoken to. A teller of stories full of grandeur and wonder, gathered in a past life, that bear more semblance to a work of fiction than any fact the modern age knows.

I constantly face oblivion itself and often wonder why I don’t embrace it. To finally let go of the world and all that I associate with it.

I guess I’m just too stubborn to admit defeat and go quietly into the night. The thought of not facing down the void with a warcry on my tongue and fire in my eyes truly scares me. It’s bad enough that everything I fought for has been lost, but to finally lose my fight too? That’s a tragedy I won’t stand for. Besides, there are still things in this world left for me to do, just as there are things those in this world could learn from me.

After all, some things never change.

Comments

[EverfreePony]

Hmm... that's one way how one writes a contrast. This shall be an exciting read!

[Rain_Bow_Dashie]

Honestly an amazing intro, excited to start reading!