Fallout: Canterlot

Date: May 21, 2076

Stable 88: Infarmary

I looked up, keeping my maw wide open, letting the Stable-Medic levitate a light to look through. My dad looked at me with a look of displeasure. The nurse turned off the light and looked at him.

"Your kid's just fine" she says. "Probably a little freaked about The Test today."

"I thought so" dad said. "Thank you" and like that, the mare left us alone. Dad looked at me so sternly that it scared me inside. More than Peppercorn in a way. His glare and gaze was just...so cold. He's been with Kaiser too much.

"Faking the whole sick thing, are we Lux?" Dad said, still coldly. Weird thing was, I wasn't scared about the test. I knew I had to do it like the others, and it would soon get me in a better job situation to support the Stable. I really DID feel sick to my stomach, and I even felt nauseous. I guess I'm paranoid about the Test, but would that really make me sick?

"I don't feel a hundred percent, really" I said to him, straight and innocently.

"No, you are, really" he said. "First thing I learned from taking care of your mother is how to spot a pony playing sick. And everything is mental" he said. He helped me down, kinda struggling since my recent growth spurt. I think I grew a good foot and a half each year, I might be as big as mom now. Maybe bigger, I'm not sure.

"I haven't lied to you in 6 years...why would I start now?" I sniffled. Dad just glared. I just kept my mouth shut the whole time after that stupid little comment. Dad pressed a button near the door, which in turn opened it up. He then motioned his head outwards.

"Go" he said. "I raised a son who'd give a damn about education. Now get going, you don't want to keep your teacher waiting, do you?" He said it to me in a way that it would strike every fiber of my being. I nodded and went outside the ward, closer to the halls that led to the Education Board. On my way, I noticed a certain tomboy Gryphon getting picked on by three little ponies wearing leather jackets. Obviously Peppercorn, Songbird, and Lucky. Draconequus was what they called themselves. Formed 6 years ago, right after my birthday as a matter of fact.

"Lookit her." Pepper said to Angel. "The overgrown chicken fool with fillies lately?" Songbird egged on and Lucky gave a suspicious look of insanity deep in his eye. "Yeah, Miss Orange Quills probably does it cause she's such a tomboy" the Gryphon was cornered, and I could see that she was fighting the urge to knock their teeth in. 6 years changes a pony, or in this case Gryphon, pretty dramatically. Angel was studying less, and she was more focused on getting stronger, tougher, more like the stereotype that defined her species as being battle-driven.

"Just cause I dye my feather tips a certain color doesn't mean I like fillies, dipshit." Angel glared. "And it certainly doesn't mean that I have to take anything from little wannabe gangs like you three." I also noticed that my Gryphon friend had grown quite a mean streak too. She now gave more bloody noses to Stable Denizens than all 3 of the Draconequus Gang. However, she always would go back being the same, spunky Angel I knew and loved. At least around me anyway.

I decided to trot up and speak against Pepper's gang. "Uhhh...Hey!" I yelled. "Pick on someone your own size!" I thought I could take these three now that it was bigger and stronger than when I was 10. Angel looked at me and the three leather backed ponies gave their own looks too. And from those looks, I knew something was gonna escalate.

"And seems your little boyfriend is back, probably to get his ass beaten again." Peppercorn flared her nostrils, raising a hoof with the same metal horseshoe as before. Lucky growled at me, feral-like. The only one that didn't try to threaten or intimidate me and my friend was Songbird. She just kept her distance.

"Maybe you'll get your ass whooped, you wanna find out?" I then gave a light press to Peppercorn's nose. "Punk"

And then I saw the violet fires in her eyes burn. "What the hell did you call me?"

"Punk" I said again, this time giving a pretty strong strike to her nose. I didn't know my own strength, but my days of being bullied are over. It was time to stand up for myself, and if that meant hurting my little crush in the same way she did to me 6 years ago, then I'd do it a million times over. The hit pushed her back into the wall, and she slammed into it pretty hard. I actually saw blood come out, but only a light trickle.

"Oww..." I heard her. "Nosebleed...Nosebleed's got a strong hoof..."

I grinned evilly, smug and satisfied with my action. Angel gave the speckled pony a good slug in the side, grinning just as malevolently. "I'm tired of your punk ass attitude, you little bitch. I can't believe I actually fell in love with a wimp acting all high and mighty." I heard her sniffling, like she was about to cry. However, she didn't whine or sob. She actually sounded like she was tickled. It took me a little while to process this, but she had Raider in her like the rest of us.

"Heh...I guess I had you all wrong, you crazy son of a bitch!" She laughed and whipped some blood off her face and onto her horseshoe. "Here that, Lux is a fighter!" Pepper exclaimed, immediately getting up. I saw Lucky follow, and Angel smiled back at me, this time like she was her normal, almost child-like happiness.

"Thanks Lux" she said. "Finally over that crush?"

"Pretty over it now" I smiled. "Good luck on your test"

She nodded and gave a flick of her tail as if to say "You too." I then noticed Songbird not really moving, as she was simply staring at me. She got a little closer to me, and turned her head lightly, showing me her branding.
"Uhh...hey there" she said.

"You ok?" I asked. She nodded. "Yeah...you don't think I'm a bully, right?" She said innocently. Well, she did kind of pick on me, but she was more of a Point-and-Laugh rather than a Beat-the-living-snot-out-of-you Bully. I mean, that was more like Lucky and Peppercorn. Heck, I think Angel was more of a bully than Songbird was. In fact, I think she was remorseful bout all that too.

"No, never struck a real chord. I mean...I was pretty hurt by you and your friends. But that was all 6 years ago. I'm starting to get over it." I said, still unmoving by the whole past thing. "Why do you ask?"

She turns her head again, hiding under her wing. "I uhh...just wanted to say...ummm...." She got close to me, giving me a little hug. "I'm sorry, man" I heard her voice crack. "I...I was wondering...would you like to...I dunno...just hang out at the Diner? After the test?"

This caught me off guard. I mean...she never asked me to eat with her before. Hell, I didn't even think we were FRIENDS. So, I'll just let my left brain respond to this. Let her down gently.

"Ok" apparently left brain was out to lunch. However, after seeing that mare smile, I really couldn't care less. She looked, REALLY happy. And then she got close and hugged me. It was weird to say the least, but I'll let her. This was...getting awkward...like real fast.

"Songbird?" I asked. "We're gonna be late" I tried pushing off. Her grip was pretty strong, for a mare and who's smaller than me. She let go and smiled, turning and flicking her tail, before hopping along to the room where we usually went to learn.

was she hitting on me?

I guess, but no mare just goes and acts nice for a pony just to go and be all warm and fuzzy. I mean...maybe she just felt bad after all those years of bullying, or maybe it was cause I'm now a larger pony(horse I guess, IMV is weird as shit) or maybe she's DESPERATELY in heat. All the reasons show no real feeling except pity and sexual buildup. It made me feel even worse, or maybe that was just my stomach, I dunno.

We all made our way into the classroom, and I made it to the desk in the front(like always, projection was always blurry). Our teacher, a Zebra stallion named Mr. Crutch, was greeting each of us inside in his usual way, trying to mix his culture with our own. It was sickeningly irritating most of the time. Zebras were said to be the disgusting brooding barbarians, responsible for our war. Not just the war we fought 10 years ago, but also the war we fight now. However, he seemed stupid enough to pass for a vaguely obedient steed, making him the perfect teacher for us.

"Ok every pony" the zebra said, typing on his Pipbuck. "This test is administered to accurately choose what job is perfect for you. Every pony is assigned only what's perfect to your ability. " he rambled on, and I soon heard Peppercorn laugh loudly. As thick as she was, she knew the Zebra was full of shit.

"Your full of shit, Crust"

Dammit I JUST said that literally a FEW MINUTES AGO.

"Miss Grinder, your going to take this test whether you think it's hunks of manure or not."

"I said its a load of shit, who the fuck says manure anyway?"

Solid point.

"Just take your test Miss Grinder, this'll be the last day here afterwards. You'll be free to do whatever you want afterwards. Just tough it out one more day."

Peppercorn basically sighed and grumbled. "Fine"

The test was obviously rigged! All these answers either made no sense in a realistic sense, but some were just fucking irrational. Why oh WHY in Faust's name would I ever get a Minigun from sweet old "Grandma" to kill a Stable resident. Do these idiots KNOW what a Minigun is!?!? MINI is false advertising Faust dammit! Last question was another one of those brainwash answers. Where each of the answers are either "Stablehand" "Stablehand" "Stablehand" and...I'll let you fucking guess...

Communist fucking bullshit.

Soon, each of us got in line to turn in our "Tests". Angel was first in line.

"Test's done, I hope I did well" Angel said to Crutch. "I just hope it's nothing bad." I heard the ruffling exchange of papers and the conversation go on, starting with Crutch. "Let's see bout that, Miss Softpaws" I heard him look it over, he sounded surprised with each answer she put. "Well, you ain't going outside with your kind, but you will be getting ALOT of fresh air. Your going to be a good little Messenger!"

Messenger? Like a courier? And she's going OUTSIDE!? Like, outside the Stable!? Holy fucking shit!

"Oh...well...that's better than I thought" I heard her sigh a breath of relief. "Guess I graduated." She then turned leaving the room, thus moving the line. Peppercorn was up next, she mostly argued on how she got a bad job, and maybe her calling him a "Queer Zigger" or whatever. He actually had to threaten to call Gear Grinder to take her out. She finally left, leaving Songbird infront. Here...I admit...she had a weird job.

"Hmmm...yup, just as I thought." Crutch said to her. "Radio Entertainment. Congrats Miss Skylark, you passed the Test." Like that, I saw her ears perk up.

"Entertainment..." She said. "Like...singing?"

"No, like Braytish Literature. Yes you sing" he even tried getting too close. "Heh, I also heard a voice like yours can enthrall the masses." Ok. Now HE was hitting on her!?

"Ummm.. Ok...I'll try my hardest to sound good." I heard her say as she left, awkwardly. I was next in line. Hopefully I won't get the sex teacher now.

"Well well, Mr. Hoosier" I was dead wrong. "What did your pretty little face get on this quiz" I think he was hitting on ME now! "Hmmm...oh...interesting. Your on your way on being the Stable's Radio repair."

I'm a repair pony, least I wasn't fixing toasters. That'd be stupid.

"Ummm...thanks...I'll do a good job." I'm still wondering what mini guns and blind loyalty hasta do with my career path, but Aight. I awkwardly left the room, before ending up bumping into Songbird again. She smiled and raised her hoof. I flinched, hoping she wouldn't strike me...until...

Boop

What. The serious fuck. Was THAT about.

"Hi Luxicon" she said, as I slowly opened my eyes. She then did it again.

Boop Boop

"Why are you doing that?" I asked her, seriously confused .

She smiled. "Cause you're adorable"

I blushed at that comment. I was NOT adorable! I'm a dude for Faust's sake! Dudes are "Cool" "Handsome" or even "Fabulous"(only Mr. Crutch said that). We weren't "adorable". Dudes aren't puppies, kittens or...ponies...I guess we are ponies...so...ok fine I'm fucking adorable.

Boop Boop Boop

"QUIT!!!!" I snapped. And she stopped, recoiling away from me. She looked scared after that, slowly getting up and trembling. Did I...scare her THAT badly? I sighed. "Look...I'm sorry Song, but...I'm just not a cute pony...I'm a colt...a horse. Guys hate that whole ' cute' thing. Sorry."

She stopped shaking. "No...no it's ok " she backed up. "I'll just wait at the Diner...alone..."

Well have fun with that. I soon met back up with Angel, who's already looking...tensed. She finally saw me and quickly embraced me. If you think I have grown...boy you won't believe how Angel changed. She was as large as a Gryphon could ever get, a good 6 ft tall, and strong as a steroid abiding Minotaur. I know this cause she's been crushing my back since we were kids.

"Oh Hot Shot..." She sounded kinda sad. "I'm...I'm scared" she held me tightly. I coughed, gasping for air. "They're gonna send me out there...the wasteland...alone"

Angel

"I'll never see you...never see my family...every pony won't even miss me"

Angel

"I can't be a courier, I'm a target, have you SEEN how big I am!?"

ANGEL!!!!

"Oh Faust!" I felt her let go , and drop me down. I felt my stomach churn as air entered my belly. It mixed hard , and the bile began to rise up my throat. I groaned a little. "I forgot, ponies aren't as strong as Gryphons"

I felt myself getting sicker by the moment, and Angel took notice. "Lux, your turning green , you feeling ok?" I felt the bile exceed. "Lux?" I blew chunks on the floor, everything that was in there since yesterday. It burned my throat.

"You might need to see a nurse"

I growled. "Yeah, no fucking shit, Hot Wings! Owww..." I groaned more. "I was worried about this"

She kept her look of concern. "I hate it when you act like this, buddy." She still looked down upon me(she was so much taller now). I immediately whipped my face with a hoof.

"Look...I'm sorry...I've been stressed like hell." I tried giving off a smile, despite feeling so sick to my stomach. She and I were too close of friends to just break down like that. "You're a courier, right?" I asked her. She nodded.

"I'm stressed about it" she sighed. "And...I really wanna bash a pony's head in a fucking wall for giving me this job" I'd understand if I too were a giant bird-cat thing.

"Do you need to spend some time alone?" I asked. She shook her head. "No, I need closure...I need company, I need you Hot Shot" she sounded genuinely in need. I sighed and put my hoof on her feathery chest.

"Ok, I'll go with you." I smiled, letting her lead me away to her room.

"Thanks Hot Shot"