Chapters It had been two months since the bombs went off. Two months since the radiation became a daily part of life. Two months since he had last seen a human being. Two months since he had seen Angel.
Out on the barren side of some godforsaken mountain in what used to be the Appalachians, Nathan Harrison limped along through the layer of ash covering the ground another few yards before pausing and leaning over in his heavy Nuclear-Biological-Chemical gear to cough violently inside the helmet. Noting the flecks of red staining the inside of the helmet's visor, he simply held himself up by his now-jammed assault rifle, which he had been using for several days now as a cane. Laughing bitterly, he began a conversation in his mind between his cold, rational side and his raw, emotional side; An all-too-common occurrence now that he had lacked any human contact for so long. Closing his eyes, he immersed himself in his thoughts, ignoring the swirling ash around him and the slight ticking of his geiger counter.
You shouldn't be standing out in the open. You shouldn't have left the area around Atlanta in the first place. What supplies are out here? Oh, wait, nothing. That's what I thought.
I couldn't stay! I couldn't stay there knowing she was laying there, alone!
You're the one who was so concerned with fulfilling her 'last wish'. What the hell kind of wish is 'Live' anyways? Live for what? To watch the fallout float in the air? How rich.
Well, we're already here so we might as well keep going!
We might as well end it all. Think that the rifle would work for one more shot if we cleaned it?
That's enough of that! We have to keep moving! The geiger counter is rising. There's probably an ash storm coming.
Might as well give up and wait here for the inevitable. It's as good of a place as any...
Nathan's emotional side won out once more however and he shook out his conflicted thoughts, giving way to the cold, calculating mind that had been in action since the moment Angel had left him, back in that old shelter in Atlanta. Opening his eyes and utilizing his muted sense, he gathered that a large ash storm was on the way, easily noticeable by the shortening of time between the clicks of the geiger counter on his belt next to his canteen and survival knife. Shifting his backpack that hung loosely from his thin frame, he straightened up and began moving forward once more, again using the useless rifle as a walking stick.
After hours of walking through the storm, Nathan was growing tired. His eyes stung from prolonged use, his legs creaked unnaturally for a 26-year old, and his geiger counter was still steadily ticking, signifying an even large amount of radiation surrounding him, and likely penetrating his suit through either the small holes from where his bullets had penetrated the previous owner's body, or from sections he had likely improperly sealed. Either way, his inner voices had long since quieted, and he was forced to come to the cold conclusion that unless a miracle occurred, he would soon be just another corpse in what was left of the former-United States of America.
As tried to push himself forward, his legs gave out and he fell to the ground, his world dark as his head fell into the foot-deep ash layer he was trekking through.
Well fuck. This is not how I expected to die. Old age? Maybe. Weaponized smallpox? Probably. Exhaustion after hiking through mountains for hours? Fuck that!
Figuring it didn't really matter at that point what he did, he clenched his eyes shut and tried to ignore the ash he could already feel piling up on him, if only mentally at the moment.
See. This is what happens when we let you go. You kill us!
I want what's best for us as well as you!
A new, monotone voice cut in, devoid of emotion.
What do we matter? Angel was all that mattered. Without her, we might as well drop.
How can you say that? It's so...
Suicidal?
You shut up! This is between me and- Wait, who are we anyways?
As the voices devolved into a shouting match, the calculating side of Nathan sighed internally, taking note of the numbness in his legs and the limpness of his arms. Deciding it wouldn't hurt to see some light before the end, it began rolling Nathan over, straining his muscles further before finally succeeding in turning him enough for his elbows to push him up. Looking around blearily, he noted the slope went down to the left, and to the right was a...
Light?
He winced as all the voices seemed to shout at once. It was rapidly becoming hard to maintain rational thought. As his eyes began to form black spots, he pushed himself up and shakily leaned heavily on the rifle he grabbed from his side, now a greyish-brownish blur in his vision. He wasn't sure if his vision was the result of his visor laying in the fallout or his own failing health, but as another cough wracked his body, spraying blood onto his visor again, he made a decision that went against every voice yelling in his head.
He took his helmet off.
Popping the seals and throwing the helmet to the side, he drew in first one shaky, ash-filled breath, and another long one, savoring the feeling of unfiltered air, even if it was direly polluted by god-knows-what. Taking a few hesitant steps toward the light, he soon found a source of untapped strength he would never had guessed existed and began making long strides towards the light. As he drew closer and closer, details emerged.
It was a torn entrance to a bunker. To the side lay the broken and charred body of what appeared to be a man holding a small bundle. Ignoring the entity as if it didn't exist, Nathan stepped forward and inhaled deeply. After choking briefly as his nostrils clogged, he frowned.
Cordite. The guy must have tried blowing the door.
Stepping inside the small concrete hallway behind the door, he found it lit sparsely by dim red emergency lights.
Must have had power fail a long time ago.
Walking further along for a few hundred yards, Nathan was startled by a sickening crunch of what could only be bone. Looking down, he confirmed that he had stepped on the half-decayed skeleton of what appeared to be an old man holding a revolver in one hand and a crumpled note in the other. Reaching down and pulling the fingers apart, Nathan plucked the note out of the dead man's grasp and brought it up so dim red light shone through, illuminating barely legible text.
...tried for two weeks... no contact... continued work... no chance at escape... too old... Caroline, forgive me...
Dropping the note and watching it flutter down to the dead man's chest, Nathan clenched his teeth and stepped past the body, walking forward as the lights gradually began to dim. As they finally seemed to shut off, he reached a door. Reached being code for walking right into. After muttering a string of curse, Nathan felt around and realized it was similar to a door on a navy ship. Twisting the handles he felt around, he felt a satisfying click as the door unsealed and allowed him to push it open and reveal the room beyond.
He was stunned. Sitting in the center of a room looking the same as the interior of an aircraft hangar, was a massive arch containing what seemed to be a wall of swirling, pure-black energy. Surrounding it were endless workstations with dead computers, monitors, and strange machines. Pushed against a corner, a duffel bag and a cot marked where the dead man had likely spent his last days, working on the strange device. Shaking slightly, Nathan took a small step forward and reached out feeling a strange combination of bitter cold and unbearable heat the closer he went to the strange portal. Stepping further, it was almost as if he lost control of his motor functions. He continued taking step after step while the voices in his head screamed for him to stop. But it was as hopeless as a star near a black hole. He could not resist the force attracting him.
As he drew nearer, the mental force turned physical, and the traction of his boots on the ground gave, and he experienced zero gravity as his body began to float, moving slowly in the air towards the wall. As his sensory nerves became overridden with feelings of heat, cold, and fear, his primal instincts took over, and he lashed out, attempting to escape. All this proved futile, however, as he only seemed to move closer. Finally, as his legs began entering the field, it was as if a poison or toxin had entered his veins, rendering him immobile. He could only watch as he was brought through the field, out of a dead world, and into a world he would never dream possible.
Nathan's journey through the portal was one of strange curiosities. As he blinked his eyes multiple times in an attempt to clear the stinging sensation he felt upon entering, he noted a strange metallic taste in his mouth but shrugged it off, instead focusing on the black void he felt himself flying through, having the sense of inertia strain against his body.
Despite the feeling of inertia, however, he seemed incapable of feeling much of his other senses. Numb almost. He could only assume the sights behind based of limited hearing and the flash of light behind his eyelids. As growls, squawks, and what sounded like language passed, he noticed an ever-present ticking noise. Despite the impossible to ignore feeling that he knew it from somewhere, he was unable to place it and finally gave up, choosing to instead focus on the myriad of noises assaulting his ears. As noise after noise passed, he noticed a trend between the flashing lights and the noises.
As he went further along, it seemed his speed was increasing, force constricting his chest and causing him to yearn for oxygen, despite the strange sensation of not breathing and suffering no ill effects from the lack of the familiar life-giving element. Accompanying the increase in speed was of course an increase in how the flashes sped by and the shortness of the audio from what he was passing. Strangely, however, instead of simply passing through snippets of the noises as he'd expected, it seemed they were increasing in speed, so the low growls of some sort of predator began to seem similar to the sound of a guinea pig or similar rodent.
As the acceleration continued for an indeterminable amount of time, the voices in his skull began commentating.
We're likely entering some state of insanity, you know.
Not everything has to be complicated! We're just trying to stay sane in this crazy mess!
Crazy? Hardly, fascinating is more like it. That reminds me, where did that one voice go?
The voices went silent for a moment, and Nathan noted that the voices and flashes were becoming impossible to comprehend as they increased to the point where light was constant and the sound was a muted high pitch. Finally, the emotional voice spoke once more.
I think he passed on. I think his time was done.
And with that, it all stopped. The acceleration, the noises, the lights, and everything else. Suddenly, Nathan regained control of his senses and felt himself laying on a familiar surface. A comfortable surface. As the sudden onset of amnesia played with his mind, he forced his eyes to open, despite the feeling of weight holding them closed. Blinking a few times to adjust, he found himself staring at a brilliant night sky. Sitting up, he discovered he was suited in a classy tuxedo, complete with a midnight blue tie. Looking around, he felt as if there was something notably different in this scene from what he was struggling to remember.
Looking at the ground, it finally registered. He was inside a large dancing hall that seemed to stretch on for an eternity to his front and back. To his left and right he could see the fanciful tapestries and stained glass windows decorating what would otherwise have been a marble wall. His mind seemed to recognize the similarities between the scene he must have seen earlier and where he was at the moment, but did not enlighten him as to the other details of the memory. Giving up exasperatedly, he noted that the room, or whatever it could be called, was solely lit by the full moon and stars above. Standing, the voices saw fit to throw in their opinions.
Must be far from a city. Light pollution would ruin the view.
Can't you just enjoy a beautiful sky like we used to? Remember those late nights studying in college?
This memory Nathan could remember. Long nights sitting in his dorm poring over scientific notes and algorithms, working to get his degree so he could get his life moving. Thinking of his fiance, but also feeling guilty as he looked out his window and at the night sky above, hoping beyond hope to reach those brilliant lights, but knowing it would be impossible. Regardless, he would spend indeterminable amounts of time watching the sky before finally giving in, resigned to his fate. And every time, he would pull through, and silently thank the stars for providing the help he needed.
Shaking the memories away and the pain they brought, he focused on his surroundings. Standing, he stood awkwardly in the utter silence, uncomfortable with this type of loneliness, without even the jabber of the voices to accompany him. It seemed they were as stricken as he was. After another eternity of silence, however, he heard it.
There. There it is again. Footsteps?
As they grew louder, he recognized the soft footsteps as those of a woman. Realizing it was coming from behind him, he turned, and was absolutely stunned.
Standing before him was a pale beauty. Almost glowing in the light of the night sky, she closed the distance between them and stood only several feet away, giving a wave and a smile as if she had no troubles. Smiling with an energy he hadn't felt for years, he returned her gesture in kind, mentally grimacing as the voice he had nicknamed 'The Prick' toned in.
Say hello, stupid!
For once however, Nathan was not in the mood, mustering all the force he could behind it, he gave a mental shout and drowned out the cries of the other voices as his own voice reverberated around his skull.
If you know what to do, then why don't you take control for once, asshole? If not, SHUT THE HELL UP!
The response was immediate. The fog in his mind and the restrictions in placed vanished as the voices quieted and appeared to leave him, rendering him capable of complete bodily control once more. But it was too late, as it seemed.
Even as he reached out and stepped forward to reach the woman, whom he know realized was dressed as if for a ball, she began backing away, frowning. As she finally began to turn around and walk away, he felt an unearthly cold seep into him, freezing him in place. As the pain receptors in his body screamed at him as he attempted movement, he once more began to lose control of himself, the voices clamoring in glee or displeasure at his misfortune. As they drowned out his thoughts, his primal instincts took over and he lost control, just as the dark void swallowed up first the sky, then the room, and finally him, crushing him in-between unimaginable forces as he sensed himself exiting the hell in which he was entrapped.
Nathan awoke to the mutterings of a crowd and the burning of almost every part of his body simultaneously. The excruciating pain served to only further the animal instincts of his body. As his senses returned and his thoughts dimmed, he began making observations.
Voices. English. Running. Four feet hitting ground. Must be two people. Suit still intact. Mostly. Must escape. Must evaluate surroundings. Must survive.
Cracking open an eye slightly as he continued to take in shallow breaths, he noted a deluge of colors surrounding him. Despite being unable to make out definite shapes, it was not what interested him. What interested him was the gray blur in what appeared to be the grass he was laying on next to him. Despite the jam, he knew he could possibly threaten whatever forces surrounded him at the present. Surreptitiously testing the joints of his arm under the guise of a slow shift in movement, he decided it was time to make a move.
As his eyes bolted open, Nathan performed a move he would likely normally break a bone attempting to do. Jumping to his feet, he snatched the rifle mid jump and pointed it at one of the equine figures he now realized he was surrounded by. Standing there for a moment, staring back at the crowd of what he described as ponies, the realization hit his mind.
Equines. Ponies. Talking ponies.
Suddenly, the equine he was pointing his gun at stepped forward. Noting her light purple coat and matching purple and pink mane, he stood stunned as she spoke directly to him.
"Well, it appears you are awake. Hello, my name is Twilight Sparkle, and welcome to Equestria."
To which his response was only the collapse of his legs as the burning pain of his nerves took the chance to override his fried nervous system and send him into a state of unconsciousness. Before it all faded, however, two voices cut through the abyss.
That could have gone better.
I agree.
When Nathan finally awoke, he was pleasantly surprised to find he was lacking any pain in his body. In fact, he lacked any feeling at all in his torso and down. Forcing down his panic, he surmised from what he could remember that he was likely being held captive.
Well, that was stupid.
Silence greeted him instead of the snarky comeback he expected.
...Uh, you there, me?
Nathan jolted slightly as a cold sensation worked blossomed in his brain stem and worked it's way down his spine. It was not unpleasant, just unfamiliar.. Abruptly, a strangely familiar voice joined him in his head.
Art thou talking to thine self?
Nathan was shocked into silence for a moment before he decided he ought to at least try to reply back if he was right on his theory of who it was. If it was her, he had a sinking feeling he knew where he was. Sending a thought out, he decided to cut past the obligatory testing of the waters and simply ask. He was sickened by agendas and secrecy from his time as Chief Virologist.
I was trying to. I only have two- make that three- questions for you.
Very well, proceed.
The voice sounded curious at the notion, as if it did not often get questioned. That would certainly match the modus operandi of who he thought it was.
Are you Princess Luna?
Wha- Yes but how did thou know?
I'll explain soon. Okay, question two. Are we in Equestria?
The princess sounded perturbed, likely irritated at not immediately receiving an answer as she was accustomed to.
Yes. The quaint town of Ponyville to be specific.
Alright, final question. Why can't I move?
Luna was quiet for a moment. Then replied back with a slight sting in her voice.
When thou arrived, thou was in a strange state and appeared to be close to assaulting one of our ponies. Twilight Sparkle, to be exact. Soon after, thou collapsed and was rushed to Ponyville's hospital, as it was nearest. You are bound because, well, we had no way of knowing if you were dangerous. From this conversation, are we to assume you are safe to unbound?
Nathan chose to not reply in his mind. He had to see his predicament for himself. Opening his eyes and blinking repeatedly at the sudden influx of bright white light, he took in his surroundings.
He was inside a large, stereotypically-white hospital room, tied down to a bed in his tattered clothes with a length of rope. Looking around the room blearily, he quickly ascertained that there was, in fact, a midnight-blue alicorn sitting on her plot next to him, appearing strange to him in the fact that she was a strange mix of cartoonish and realistic, to a degree that thinking about it caused a slight pain in his head. Shifting slightly in his bonds and looking her in her eyes, he calmly spoke in his usual low voice, raspy from weeks of lack of use.
"I think I won't be a threat to you, Princess of the Night."
Luna simply responded with a smirk as her horn glowed, causing the ropes to slowly fade out of existence. Instead of allowing him a moment to relax, he panicked as a familiar ticking filled his ears. Jolting and beginning to try to unclip the geiger counter from his belt to check the reading as Luna watched on, his mind raced at what the ticking signified.
Ticking means radiation. Harmful radiation. Coming only seconds after that 'magic' means only one thing. This place is potentially deadly. I have to be careful.
Nathan's notions of imminent danger were dashed however, as he saw the geiger counter reported there was only a miniscule amount of radiation being released. Not enough to hurt him in the short run, but it would stack up, as he was painfuly aware. Relieved, he set re-clipped the geiger counter and turned back to the princess, adjusting himself against the pillows so he was sitting upright.
"What is thy doing with such a strange contraption.", she asked as she tilted her head in slight curiosity.
Oh, this'll just be great to describe. Let's see...
"That is a geiger counter. Where I'm from, it detects harmful radiation and displays the amount in the surrounding area in an easy readout so I know if it's safe in the area. Here, I'm assuming your 'magic' is mildly radioactive, because it barely detected enough radiation to give me a toothache.", Nathan explained, pointing out the readout as he explained before replacing it on his belt.
Should probably get out of this suit. It's hot and useless like this anyway.
Shall I turn away?
Nathan jolted and stared angrily at Luna as she looked at him in confusion.
"Have we unintentionally insulted thee?", she asked.
"I would appreciate it if you told me you where in my head.", he griped, to which she smirked in a decidedly playful manner.
"I never said I was leaving. I will exit now, however."
Good. That's better. I think.
Nathan threw off the covers to reveal the rest of the painfully yellow suit and sat on the edge of the bed, holding up a hand as Luna went to cover her eyes with her hoof.
"Relax, I do wear clothes underneath it, princess."
As she lowered her hoof, her eyes widened in surprise as he removed the torso section to reveal what was clearly a lab coat used by a scientist. In a stitched name tag on the breast, she could make out the words 'Nathan Harrison, Chief Virologist, CDC Headquarters'. As he started pull of the pants to reveal his gray slacks underneath, she raised a question.
"Pray tell, what is a virologist? And a 'CDC' for that matter?", she said, directing a hoof to the patch.
Shit. Better go with the public version.
As he rolled up the now-useless suit and tossed it to the side, he briefly recovered the public speech regarding his position he would give to visiting officials from his long-term memories.
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, worked to, as the name suggests, prevent the spread of diseases and cure them in order to protect the general public. As Chief Virologist, I work to prevent the spread of viruses such as influenza and cure them or produce a vaccine, as possible.", Nathan explained, watching as she grew confused.
"Influenza? Is such a 'virus' related to the flu?", she asked, not realizing it was one of the most commonly asked, and therefore most irritating, questions he heard from the public.
"The very same.", he confirmed, controlling his temper as he reminded himself that Equestria never seemed to suffer from widespread disease in the show. Following that line, it would be unlikely this Equestria would contain it.
Luna was quiet for a moment, but came back with another question that he knew would lead to much explaining.
"What is a 'virus', exactly?"
Nathan sighed and stood, beginning to pace, as was usual for when he was beginning a lecture. Luna's eyes watched him like a child would a teacher as he began.
"Firstly, a virus is only one type of many pathogens all lethal in their own way..."
After a long lecture in which Nathan broke down the basics of Virology and the study of pathogens to middle-school level for Luna, they both sat rather haphazardly around the room and enjoying the moonlight streaming in through the windows. As the night began to fade. On the bed, Luna sat and studied the human, who was simply leaning back in a chair with his feet on the nightstand, twirling a capped hypodermic needle on a finger, a talent he'd picked up when waiting for test results.
As they sat in comfortable silence, both enjoyed the simple presence of another sentient being, both used to being alone for long periods. Albeit to a lesser extent for Nathan.
Huh. This is kind of nice.
We agree.
Nathan didn't show any signs of surprise other than the sudden tipping of the hypodermic to the side before he righted it again. Luna giggled from her place on the bed, sounding somewhat childish.
Not even a warning, huh?
T'would not be fun then.
Nathan smiled slightly and set the hypodermic on the nightstand before turning to Luna and mentally replying.
Just be careful running around in here, okay? You don't want to dig deep, trust me. There are some things that need to stay buried.
The comfortable mood was replaced with an awkward silence for several moments before Nathan finally let out a slight sigh and turned back to leaning back as far as he could go in the stiff hospital chair, propping his legs up on the bed a small distance away from Luna in case he had misjudged his odor. Walking the wastelands of Earth didn't leave a lot of room for any cleaning beyond baby wipes and bottled water.
"I'm a fucking idiot.", he muttered, eliciting a slight gasp from Luna at his coarse language.
"Why would thy say such a thing?", she asked, puzzled.
"Well, here we are having a nice bout of silence, with me completely used to being around a talking pony, and suddenly it's back to awkward because I'm a pessimistic ass!", Nathan ranted, leaning forward to set all four legs of the chair down and standing to look over Luna and out the window. There was a short silence as Luna constructed her response before speaking.
"We didn't find it out of what would be deemed normal in a situation such as this. As it is, I assumed we would be fine waiting until 'Tia awakes to continue telling your story." Luna spoke carefully, watching for Nathan's reaction, which was confusion in this case.
"Wait, we're staying up 'till Celestia is? I've had my share of study sessions, but I'm close to dropping. Unconsciousness is a far cry from sleep.", Nathan half-asked, half-griped.
Luna sat silently for a moment before jumping off the bed and walking to the door, simply holding up a hoof for him to stay before leaving him alone in the room.
Well. I'm assuming this is a sign she trusts me. Or I'm still charming as hell.
Nathan occupied himself with watching the sun begin to rise for a few minutes before he heard the door open. Turning, he found Luna levitating a tray with the most glorious sight he had seen in weeks.
"Coffee!", he practically squealed, rushing over and ignoring the slight crackle of the geiger counter as he rushed to take the tray and set it on the bed. As they both took a seat, he grabbed the coffee and tentatively took a sip, ignoring Luna's perplexed look.
Oh my... I've never felt so satisfied...
Sipping the coffee again, he finally noticed there was also several muffins on the plate of varying types and sizes. Grabbing a small chocolate chip flavored muffin, he took a small bite and practically melted as Luna began giggling at the faces he was making.
Oh... So... Good...
Finally, he looked up at her and put on a face of mock indignation, throwing caution and social awkwardness to the wind.
"You try going weeks without the stuff!"
Before Luna could comment, however, the door to the room opened to reveal the Princess of the Sun herself, Celestia. Nathan and Celestia were engaged in a staring match for a moment, both looking for weaknesses, before Celestia stepped aside to reveal a unicorn in golden armor charging a spell.
"Restrain him."
The next few seconds played out like a movie scene. As the unicorn released the shot, a shield of shimmering, interlocking, blue hexagons appeared in front of Nathan and protected him from the shot, inadvertently causing chaos as the shot began to ricochet about the room. As the shield dropped, Nathan fell to the ground out of instinct, coincidentally falling so he could see the rifle leaning between the bed and nightstand against the wall. Quickly crawling over as the two sisters attempted to restore order as more guards entered, Nathan grabbed the rifle, making a spit-second decision. What happened next stopped all movement.
Nathan sprang up and grabbed Luna's hoof, pointing the gun directly at her head in a threatening manner, causing everyone to freeze as the danger of the situation sunk in.
"Sorry about this. It was the only way!", Nathan whispered to Luna, noting her perturbed look. Turning back to the guards and Celestia, who seemed to be close to flinging fire, he tried to defuse the situation.
"How about we just talk, okay?"
Celestia grit her teeth in a rather un-royal manner before responding in a strained version of her usual calm voice.
"Lower your weapon and we may speak."
Nathan acquiesced and stepped away from Luna before speaking again.
"Alright, so can we talk."
It was at that point Nathan learned the error of moving away from Luna.
"No.", Celestia said, firing off a shot of energy, which quickly sunk into Nathan's chest, leaving a numb feeling as it spread from his torso, to his neck, and finally enveloping his head in a strange, muted world where his senses stopped working properly. He only had time to hear the indignant yell of Luna before he crumpled to the ground, unconscious once more.
When Nathan regained consciousness, he had two immediate thoughts spring up.
Fuck, that hurt! And what the fuck is with me being knocked out so much?!
Finding himself unrestricted, he didn't bother opening his eyes, simply raising a hand to rub his head, where a sharp pain was emanating.
Oh shit, that stings.
A sudden flux of pain in his chest caused a bout of coughing. Blearily opening his eyes, he coughed into his hand and clenched his eyes, trying to shut out the pain. After several moments of intense discomfort, the feeling passed and was replaced with a strange numbness in his torso. Opening his clenched eyes, he couldn't help but give a gasp as he stared at his hand.
Mixed in with the ordinary flicks of slight spittle, a large mix of red was pooled on his hand. As he watched it slowly move about his hand as he began to shake, one thought sprung to mind, encompassing the whole situation.
Well, fuck this shit.
After he had looked around and discovered he was in a large bedroom, he had found an accompanying bathroom and washed the blood away, swishing some water in his mouth to rid himself of the copper taste for good measure. As he finally finished rinsing and shut off the tap, he looked around the bathroom in curiosity, suppressing his fear in favor of learning his location.
The bathroom was clearly that of somewhere classy. There was a large tub near a window, a small toilet in another corner, and the sink built into a black marble countertop near the door. The walls were a strange but not unpleasant mix of midnight blue and black that seemed to fit perfectly. Looking up, he realized the ceiling was much taller than normal and instead of having a simple coat of paint as usual, was seemingly made of a magical starry sky, complete with twinkling stars.
Exiting the bathroom through a door made of a strange dark wood, he re-entered the bedroom he had so quickly scrambled from and surveyed it again.
The room had a similar theme to the bathroom regarding walls and the ceiling, the difference being that the ceiling was vaulted and the floor was a midnight blue-black carpet instead of the dark marble of the bathroom. Looking around, he found that the four-poster bed matched the theme of the two rooms, facing a pair of close-curtained windows flanking, surprisingly, a large television with what looked suspiciously like a gaming console sitting on a shelf on it's glass stand. Also to his left was a dark wooden dresser right next to the bathroom door.
Well. That would explain the gaming meme if I'm where I think I am. Oh well. Only one way to prove it.
Concentrating on the princess herself, he focused on a single sentence reaching her.
Luna, can you hear me?
The response was almost immediate.
Nathan was treated to the somewhat amusing sight of the bedroom door being shoved open and Luna quickly trotting over while firing off questions in a concerned manner.
"Are thou alright? Dost though hurt? Can we be of assistance? Will-"
Nathan held up a hand and smiled slightly, amused at Luna's jabbering.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I don't know why you're concerned about me, though. I kinda got here yesterday."
Luna looked confused and somewhat hurt.
"Are we not friends? We had assumed since we had spoken yesterday that 'twas true."
Shit. Cover! Cover, you fool!
"Oh, well, in my world we just don't make friends that fast, that's all."
"Oh.", Luna said, seemingly put off.
Goddammit. Why do I keep fucking this kind of stuff up?!
"Don't take it that way! I mean, we can be friends. I just don't have a lot of... experience... with that.", Nathan finished awkwardly.
"You haven't had many friends?", Luna asked, sounding as if she pitied him.
Better end that now.
"It was a self-made isolation.", Nathan explained. Luna only appeared more curious.
"You prefer loneliness?"
"Not all the time, no. Just more often than normal. I used to sociable. Even had a wife. Divorced quite a while ago. Still, we had a daughter. She-", Nathan stopped, his cheerful voice stopping as he stared off in the distance, thinking. Finally, he spoke again, sullen.
"She's gone now. Doesn't matter at this point. I've moved on from it."
Luna looked at him with sympathy in her eyes, understanding his need to not discuss it. Deciding to move the conversation on, Nathan decided to address one of the sharper points of his arrival.
"So... Any decisions made while I was... Out..?", Nathan asked, using air quotes at the word 'out'.
Luna smiled slightly but turned slightly grim.
"Tia believes thou art a danger to our ponies. We argued against it, and convinced her to give thou a 'probationary' period where you would be allowed to learn of Equestria and it's culture. Also, she apologizes for... Jumping to conclusions.", Luna stated, smiling slightly towards the end.
"Well, that's good. But I suppose I should play devil's advocate... What if I can't fit in..?"
Luna thought on this for a moment before responding.
"We suppose Tia would have to find some way to send thou back or to another dimension."
Nathan nodded and gestured around the room.
"Right, then. So am I to assume I'm using this room?"
"Correct, although thou will be allowed to enter most areas of the castle while thou are here."
Nathan nodded and turned to the bed, beginning to empty his pockets and unclip items from his belt as he waited for Luna to speak again.
Geiger counter. Spare clips. Various medicines. Canteen. Lighter.
Are thou always carrying all of these.
Nathan gave no inclination of surprise but shot back a response as he continued.
Yes. It's necessary for survival on Earth now. ID. Security badge...
As Nathan withdrew a small, worn plushie from within a coat pocket, he made no mention of it in his mental list and simply deposited it next to the rest of his items with no further word. He stood still for a moment, shaking almost imperceptibly. Inside, as he was scolding himself while he tried to suppress his roiling emotions from becoming visible.
Dammit, I should have done better! I should have went to headquarters, where it was safe! What the hell was I thinking?!
Luna interjected, sounding concerned.
Who are thee speaking of?
Nathan was silent for several moments, and finally felt Luna's hoof on his back in a comforting move. Finally, he spoke.
"If we're going to tell this story, it should be with all who need to hear it present."
Turning his head enough to see her, he saw Luna nod in agreement and turn, walking towards the bedroom door.
We shall send out a message to the Elements and Tia. In the meantime, make thyself at home and we shall return to guide you around the castle.
Alright.
With that, Luna simply left, leaving Nathan to his thoughts as he began moving his items to their proper places. His spare ammo and other practical supplies went to the nightstand drawers. On the dresser, he placed the plushie, facing towards the windows. Opening the drawers in curiosity, he was surprised to find clones of his clothing sitting in neat piles, except for the underwear. Going back to the nightstand for his geiger counter, he waved it around the clothes and surprisingly found no above-average radiation. Surprising, given the fact they were likely made with magic.
I suppose magical radiation dissipates quickly.
It would appear so, if thee did not find any 'radiation', given those articles of clothing were made only one hour ago.
Nathan jumped slightly this time and turned, finding Luna standing next to the open door, watching him.
Ever heard of knocking?
Luna looked incredibly amused.
'Tis our castle.
Nathan glared and walked over.
Right, well I'm ready for the tour if you are.
Luna simply nodded and turned, walking out into the hallway beyond.
Very well, Nathan. Follow us.
You know, you don't have to call me that. Nate is fine.
Nathan looked around the long hallway, noting the guards in dark purple armor with fangs and bat wings standing at each end in pairs of two, stonily looking ahead. At one end of the hallway made of blackish marble, double doors stood. To his right, the doors were each emblazoned with the crescent moon of Luna's cutie mark, while the doors to the right held both the symbols of Luna and Celestia intertwined. Lining the hallway in-between were a dozen doors on each side, each likely leading to a room with a different purpose.
As Nathan took note of this, Luna began explaining as she led him to the pair of double doors with the sisters' cutie marks.
We only moved into this section of the castle recently, so we had more control over how it was built and to what specifications. For example, this mareble was taken from deep within our moon, while the rooms themselves are each enchanted to take up an incredibly small amount of space while theoretically being capable of being infinite inside. Of course, we sill only use the space we need.
Nathan smirked as they reached the end and turned back towards the other end.
So, video games?
Luna smirked and provided a hint as she began to point out the rooms and their purposes.
To the left and right our the bedrooms for the next six rooms on each side. Currently, you inhabit the only one as I seldom entertain dignitaries. Up ahead is the library, kitchen, private dining hall, entertainment room, meeting room, and guard's barracks. To the right, we have had several personal rooms added for our hobbies.
Nathan could take a hint.
Rooms relating to... Games of a certain nature, perhaps?
Luna giggled and turned, gesturing to the meeting room as they reached the end.
Tia has sent us a message regarding herself and the Elements. They will arrive soon.
Nathan nodded and followed her into the meeting room, which was similar to the hallway in design, being exceptional in it's circular shape, with a matching round table in the center, with a platter containing foods in the center. Sitting there was a bottle of wine, several glasses, and a plate of cheeses and crackers, along with several fruits.
Taking a place at one end while Luna took one at another, Nathan quickly made note of the obvious.
So, how soon is 'soon'?
Tia did not specify.
Nathan made a thinking face and pretended to have some large realization, to the amusement of Luna.
After around an hour, a giggly Luna and a buzzed Nathan were exchanging stories from their respective worlds while snacking on the pile of fruits, having exhausted the crackers.
"'Tis good to lighten up! We cannot tell thee how booooooring it becomes in the castle!", Luna spoke, giggling uncontrollably at the end for no apparent reason.
"Tell me about it! We used to spend hours staring at these samples of virus, just waiting for them to do something! It was unbelievable!", Nathan said, taking a bite out of what he assumed was an apple and enjoying the rich taste of something not full of chemicals for once in his life.
As they both dissolved into the giggling fits achieved by only the lightest of drinkers, the door to the meeting room opened to reveal a perplexed Celestia and the Elements of Harmony. Almost immediately, a cacophony of voices sounded.
"Tia!"
"Luna?"
"Princess!"
"Awesome, can we have some?!"
"Party!"
There was a slight moment of confusion as a pink blur sped past the rest and ran in front of Nathan, confusing him greatly until he realized who it was.
"Pinke! How are 'ya?", Nathan asked, abandoning the pretense of a lack of knowledge on Equestria in the face of a slightly-inebriated mind. Pinkie, for her part, responded in kind.
"Hi, Nate! Did you really get to work with virulent pathogens in a biosafety level-4 lab?! Was it fun?! Did you get smallpox?! Can I try to-", Pinkie Pie began ranting, being stopped by Applejack's hoof on her mouth, which only muffled it to the point where it was ignorable.
"Right, then. Howdy. I'm-", Applejack started, being cut off by Nathan.
"I know who you are! You're Applejack, you're Rarity, she's Twilight Sparkle, that's Rarity, and Fluttershy is over there, hiding behind Rainbow Dash!", Nathan said, to the amazement of the Mane Six and the consternation of Celestia.
"Well, then. With no need for introductions, perhaps we should hear the story Luna told me about.", Celestia suggested as they took their places at the table, Luna having taken a new spot next to Nathan, with no apparent reaction from Celestia beyond a questioning look, to which Luna replied with a shrug.
Nathan sobered up quickly at the suggestion and sighed, rubbing his temples. The room sat quietly for a moment as he prepared. After a moment, he leaned forward into the table and began with an explanation of all things human.
"The first thing you should know is that humans as a whole are greedy, loathsome creatures that inherently strive to be dominant..."
After around two hours of explanation, during which more snacks were brought in by servants, Nathan finally concluded with a brief summary of the events leading to the beginning of the nuclear war, including the collapse of the Middle East and the beginning of a second Cold War.
"...so you can see how things were tense.", Nathan finished, drawing in a deep breath and helping himself to a glass of wine, which he was pleasantly surprised to find to be a nice tart flavor.
There was silence for several minutes as they all digested the information, with varying degrees of either disgust, curiosity, or just plain anxiousness. As Nathan finished another sip, Celestia spoke.
"I suppose I must ask it then. What came next?"
Nathan scowled instantly and took another sip to calm his nerves.
"I don't suppose I could just say we blasted each other to pieces, could I?"
Celestia gave him a look clearly stating she needed the story. Nathan sighed and leaned forward, staring at a particular etch in the worn table. It had clearly seen many a tense negotiation. Closing his eyes, he began with the end.
"We had warnings. We knew they were coming, and that's what brought out the worst of us I suppose. Though to be fair, we were only different from animals in the fact that we could have our 'civilization', built on the backs of others."
This is the way the world ends,
Not with a bang, but a whimper.
- T.S. Eliot
The Day
It's happening. It's finally fucking happening. This is it.
Nathan simply stood and stared at the television in front of him, eyes wide in fear and unconsciously shivering as the alert played out, muting the news broadcast behind it as an automated voice began to speak in it's broken electronic voice.
"Attention. This is the Emergency Alert System, broadcasting on the express orders of the United States government. At this moment, approximately thirty-two hundred nuclear missiles are en-route to the continental United States. Citizens are advised to remain calm and not attempt evacuation, instead seeking shelter in underground fallout shelters or basements when unavailable. The national highway system must be kept open for military personnel to mobilize. Repeat. Nuclear strike imminent. Seek shelter immediately. Details to follow."
As another warning tone played out, Nathan searched ran out of his living room, calling for his daughter.
"Angel? Angel!", he shouted, hearing movement on the second floor as he entered the kitchen and went straight towards an out-of-the-way cabinet, which he ripped open to reveal two sets of duffel bags, each of which he had prepared long ago in case of such an event. As he heard the sirens begin to wail, he turned to find a sleepy little girl clutching a plush toy rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. It was a weekend, after all. As he noted the scared look in her eyes, Nathan bent down and gripped her shoulders, briefly moving as strand of black hair out of her eye before speaking.
"Angel, listen to me. I need you to get dressed in some pants and a shirt as fast as you can and meet me by the garage door, okay?", he said shakily, letting her go after she nodded in agreement. Standing up again as she ran back up the stairs of their two-story house outside Atlanta, he rushed to his room, ignoring the electronics situated at his desk, and instead opening the closet and shoving clothes aside in order to reveal a large gun safe in the corner.
September 3, 2005.
Inputting the code into the electronic lock, he was rewarded with the muted sound of the safe unsealing under the wail of the sirens and now, the distant sound of gunshots. Grabbing the rifle inside and slinging it around his back by the sling, he next grabbed the packs of ammunition and shoved them into his pockets before running back to the kitchen, not bothering with closing the safe. There was no point anymore.
As he entered the kitchen and began slinging bags over his shoulders, he turned and found Angel standing next to the garage door, now dressed adequately in jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers. In what would likely be amusing if they weren't facing imminent death, she still clutched the plush figure as if it was a lifeline. Giving her a reassuring smile, Nathan opened the garage door and led her to his Mercury Milan,where he loaded the supplies into the passenger seat as she sat in the back.
Seating himself and performing the cursory checks as required, he quickly hit the door remote and reversed, pulling out into the street and speeding towards the city. As he began plotting out his next move, he turned the radio on in order to listen for more instructions.
"-a one megaton explosion. We now interrupt this broadcast with an address from the president. Please wait."
There was a slight pause, which Nathan took as an opportunity to quietly curse as he weaved through traffic, ignoring the rules of the road in favor of reaching the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's headquarters. As he pulled around a corner, passing by a group of vandals, the strong voice of the nation's leader spoke.
"My fellow Americans, today is a day that, while we prepared in earnest for, we had hoped would never occur. I am here to inform you that despite our best efforts, we have failed. The United States will soon suffer the unthinkable as the effect of our actions becomes apparent. Already, contact has been lost with the majestic state of Hawaii, and this message may not reach those on the east coast in time. We can only hope our fellow citizens can weather the storm."
As the president paused, Nathan reached a dead stop in the traffic, tantalizingly close to the headquarters. He could see the rooftop from where he sat as a military helicopter appeared to take off from the top. Gesturing to Angel to stay put, he opened the door and stood, trying to peer over the traffic. Grunting in annoyance, he stands on his seat and hangs out the car, elevating himself just enough to see over the throngs.
Dammit. Dammit!
Nathan filled with rage as he scanned the military cordon surrounding the headquarters, battle tanks and troop transports with young, scared soldiers guarding the building against their own countrymen. As he watched, a woman thrust a bundle towards one of the young men. Even from his position, he could see the regret in the soldier as he pushed the bundle and woman away, back into the writhing mass of fear crashing against them.
Wincing and turning away, Nathan sat back inside the car and began gathering items as he reassured Angel.
“It’s alright, Angel, it’s alright. We can go somewhere else. There’s just too many people here, that’s all. Come on, we’re going to go for a quick walk and we’ll find somewhere else, ok?”, he said, ending in a strained tone as they stepped outside and looked around at the people rushing out around the cares in a wave of humanity towards potential shelter.
Choosing the direction of the most sturdy structure he could think of, he began to run, holding Angel’s hand in an iron grip, the other hanging onto the supplies he knew would be essential to their continued survival in whatever remained of the world when it was over.
=
Almost a half hour later, they had managed to secure shelter in the decrepit fallout shelter in an old gym nearby. Having went to the building several times and become knowledgeable of the layout, Nathan knew of how the building had been refurbished and renovated, yet left the fallout shelter beneath unchanged. At the moment, they were huddled around a mostly-static radio as a voice filtered through, among the quiet cries of the dozen or so people sheltered with them. As they sat listening on crates of supplies, Nathan gave his daughter a reassuring smile as she cried.
“Where’s mommy?”, she asked, sniffling.
Nathan sat silent for a moment, thinking through his reply.
“Mommy left to go somewhere better. She’ll see us when we get there, okay?”
Angel nodded and leaned against Nathan as they sat and listened to the now-faint voice on the radio.
“... and though it may seem impossible, and though it may seem hopeless… keep faith America… and stay safe…”
As the last vestiges of the president’s speech fell into static and someone shut off the radio, they began to wait. The darkness of the dimly lit room seemed to creep in, ready to consume them as the faint sounds of sirens and shouting carried over from above. Abruptly, a wail rose up, the sound of millions screaming in fear as Death came to take them away in a rain of fire. Just as suddenly, it all stopped.
And the sky roared in fury as man was erased from the Earth that he had so vainly squandered.
=
8 Days Later
That was it. There was no more denying it.
They were fucked.
Following the blasts, the power grid had broken down, as well as any semblance of order. For the past eight days, they had been traveling from store to store, commandeering a truck and loading it with supplies before taking shelter at the abandoned gym, sitting in the derelict shelter and watching the children half-heartedly play with toys from the Preschool classrooms, the toys and bright colors doing little to brighten their lives as blood-red clouds boiled in the sky above. Regardless, they should have been safe. Food, water, and guns. They had what they would need to survive didn't they?
There was one problem. There was an enemy they couldn't see, but it was always there, poisoning them the whole time.
Radiation.
The symptoms had begun to show. There was no doubt. Even as the others became sick and died, he couldn’t accept it. After she had fell ill and began to become dehydrated as fluids came up, he had used a scavenged dosimeter to check her and found a whopping 5 sieverts of radiation present. He knew what it meant. He'd attended the meetings on the protocol in the event of a dirty bomb detonation or nuclear accident. She had two weeks. Less. The radiation was climbing, and there wasn't a damn thing to do about it. There was nothing he could do to save her. He had failed his basic duty as a father. He failed to protect his child.
12 Days Later
She loved the plushie.
Even though her hair was falling out, she was coughing blood, and frequently passed out of consciousness, she would always reach for two things. Him, and the little stuffed toy they had gotten her. She would hold it close and talk of how she saw clouds and great rolling meadows before falling asleep once more, as he sung soft lullabies to her.
Every time she breathed out, he paused and listened, waiting and praying for the next breath, knowing it couldn't continue. He couldn't let it continue. She was suffering, and it was inevitable.
13 Days Later
She died in his arms. Like a doll, but so much more. Fragile. Broken. A fallen angel. He made the body as comfortable as she had been in life and left. That day, another fire sprung up in the remains of the city, unremarkable among the endless plains of fire already engulfing the dead metropolis.
14 Days Later
He began walking and never stopped. Never stayed anywhere longer than to sleep. Survival was his only option now, despite all his wishes. Basic demand for survival had overridden all his desire for it to end, his primal aspects of his mind forcing him on, marching among the deserted remains of the continent, alone on a dead planet. Alone, where angels fear to tread.
The silence was deafening. Nobody dared speak as the repercussions of what Nathan detailed set in. The element of kindness silently cried as loyalty comforted her, herself holding back tears. For minutes, it continued as Nathan stared at the weathered table before the quiet was broken.
A deep, shuddering cough wracked Nathan's body as he raised both hands to his mouth and his body shook violently. The ponies stared wide-eyed and alarmed as he lowered them, revealing the crimson stains. Perhaps more alarming was his hauntingly empty expression.
"You know, we had a name for it too; MAD."
He stood quietly for a moment, staring at the blood, before continuing.
"Mutually assured destruction. In other words, we lived on the basis of fear. Fear, that the other would launch first. Fear that the other would take the plunge, decide the world and it's people was an acceptable price for even a miniscule chance of a pyrrhic victory."
Celestia regained her composure and spoke first, aghast at the very notion, used to centuries of relative peace.
"That is insane!"
"No."
Nathan wiped the blood onto his lab coat, leaving a stark red stain on it, and stared piercingly into Celestia's eyes.
"It's mad. We're all mad in one way or another."
Another bout of silence. Finally, Luna spoke, concerned, and addressing the blood-stained elephant in the room.
"Thou is clearly injured in someway. What afflicts thou?"
Nathan looked down at the red drops on his coat and gestured to his body.
"Radiation poisoning. There is no way that flush your people performed reversed the damage to my cells. In a matter of days, I assume, the last human alive will cease to be so."
The gather ponies all stood confused, shocked at the speed of events. Here was the new creature, who brings news of an entire people's history, and just as suddenly he was being taken away by a threat they had not heard of?
"There must be some way to fix this!", Twilight put forward. Nathan simply shook his head in response.
"It's much too late to reverse the damage. As we speak, my organs are probably reducing in efficiency. Soon, the symptoms will set in, and I'll die shortly thereafter. If my daughter is an indicator, I may live a week or two, maybe even three."
Nathan closed his eyes and sighed, leaning heavily against the table once more.
"At least I'll be with her soon..."
Nobody spoke at this, and instead watched as Nathan seemed to become lost in thought, respecting his right to look back at his memories. They were all he really had.
Daddy! Daddy! I'm going to school!
Why do you and mommy fight so much?
Push me on the swings!
Mommy, why are we leaving? Why can't daddy come?
I just want us to all be together forever!
As they watched, tears slipped down Nathan's face and onto the table, soaking into the old timber and leaving small circles of moisture as the only reminder of his pain having left a mark. Opening his eyes, Nathan quieted himself and spoke carefully after a moment, defeated by the familiar voices that had haunted his sleep for so long.
"I won't be a burden much longer, I promise you."
A moment later, a resounding smack carried around the room as they all stared in shock at Princess Luna, who held a look of rage as she stared furiously into the human's eyes.
"Thou makes promises thou cannot keep. Thy has experienced loss, but there is so much more! Thou is in mourning, thy heart is heavy, but thou cannot lose hope. Thou speaks of meeting again with thine family. The truth of the matter if thine family tis gone!"
Nathan stared in shock for a minute, but quickly turned to a burning fury as he reached for where his gun would have been slung behind him. Realizing it's absence, he instead clenches his fist, and uses all his self control to stop himself from grasping the equines neck, instead gritting out a chance.
"Make your point before I mark my last days with more violence."
Luna shook her head and sighed, softening her tone and putting a hoof on his shoulder in a sympathetic manner which was lost on Nathan.
"Very well. Humor us for a moment. Here in Equestria, our belief is this: What we have done in our life is far-reaching. Relationships and family are above all, but only so far. Thou hast lost thy child, thy wife, but all is not lost. Although the hast lost one path, the path where thy lives a long, gentle life, thy hast opened another. A whole world is now open to thou. Opportunities and years of life are available if only thou were to reach for them."
Nathan stood silently, saying nothing as he looked at Luna in a new light, thoughtful of his state of mind. Finally he shook his head.
"I can't. I can't continue with these thoughts, these fears haunting me. It's better this way. Nobody get's hurt because of me."
Luna stared hard into his eyes.
"Except thine self."
Thinking for a moment, Luna gave a smile of encouragement to the troubled human before turning to the elements assembled at the table, watching events with rapt attention.
"What we say must never leave this room. Each must carry the secret among themselves and never share it."
Nods of agreement came from each and Celestia appeared to nod in approval of Luna's actions, seemingly more concerned for Nathan's well-being.
Turning back to him, Luna spoke in absolute seriousness.
"We have already revealed our powers over thoughts and dreams, however, there is much more."
Taking a deep breath, Luna pressed on.
"We hold considerable powers over the mind. While not capable of erasing ambition, ideas, or memories, we can seal them away. Hide them. It would be as if thou had never had a past before your arrival here."
Nathan stared in surprise, not amazed by the concept, but the unimaginable choice it entailed.
I forget all my memories, my family, and my daughter, but I live out for however much I can make it, with no recollection of Angel and our happy memories. It would wipe the slate clean, open up new opportunities in life and remove the guilt, the anger, the sadness. I don't deserve it.
Yes thy does. Nopony deserves the burden thy carries. Let us help you. Let us remove thy burden and free you.
Nathan stared hard at Luna and back at the others, absorbing their looks of concern and sympathy. He couldn't believe it. Couldn't believe that such a world truly existed. It was... Breathtaking.
"This world doesn't need a person like me. I serve no purpose, have no goal.", he argued.
"Untrue. Thy has a need to help others. Your career, your goal, has always been in support of the safety of others. Study here, learn the ways of Equestria, and take up the cause again.", Luna returned, urging him.
Nathan closed his eyes eyes and felt the sting of tears once more as he tried to reach out to wherever Angel and his wife were. He tried to send all the love, compassion, and feelings he could with a single message.
I love you. I'm sorry.
Opening his eyes as tears slowly trickled down his cheeks, he stared into Luna's eyes, his anguish rolling to the surface.
"Do it. I can't go on like this. I have work to do."
Luna steps back and breathes in sharply, giving a reassuring nod to Nathan before closing her eyes and channeling her magic into her horn. The power grew to incredible proportions as the alicorn drew on her deep reserves as she mentally chanted the necessary phrases. Finally, the preparation was complete. She opened her eyes and shouted once before falling into the abyss that is the mind.
"Be free of thy burden and live!"