P.O.N.E.

by BrightOnion

Rating: mature
Tags: Dark, Alternate Universe, Adventure, Crossover
Length: 10425

An adaptation of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R & Roadside Picnic series in the MLP world taking place in alternate future featuring the cast of the show, & some oc's after a widespread magical disaster.

Pursuer, Opportunist, Newcomer, Explorer - P.O.N.E.

That is the given name to any pony that dare enters Equestria after the explosion at the Canterlot Magical Power Plant (CMPP) which has left Equestria wiped in radiation & magic, and forcing the remainder of pony kind off onto its far islands.

But many of these P.O.N.E's only return to Equestria facing its horrendous environment, random surge of magical anomalies, and rivaling factions in search of strong highly priced magical treasures known as Artifacts, and the dark secrets that plague Equestria of the CMPP disaster.

Authors Note: I've been wanting to write this fic for awhile. I hope you enjoy it.

Credits:
GSC Studios for the S.T.A.L.K.E.R series.
Corwin Freiss - Collab. & Various
Art by: Swaetshirt

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2014-02-02 08:57:53 UTC

Day Zero: P.O.N.E

Day Zero: P.O.N.E

"A new life starts where the old one ends."

* * *

Black.

It was pitch black as I laid in the everlasting darkness of my mind with my head throbbing with extreme pain in the back that started dragging me out of the darkness. Inhaling and then exhaling a small breathe of air I slowly opened my eyes to find myself staring at what appeared to be a light blue glass container in front of me expanding from my head all the way to my hindlegs as my body was inside what seemed to be a metallic pod.

"Wait...where am I?"

I asked myself in my mind as I started to fidget left and right using my body to try and move around in the pod. Left & right I hit my body all across the pod and the glass, trying to break out, but every time it failed with the pain in the back of my head becoming even more cripplig by the second. For a second I halted in the pod finding it almost impossible to break free from its control now, till I felt a large hard tap on the glass from an extension on the top of my head that sent a small chill down the back of my coat in my small prison.

It was only a matter of seconds after the first initial tap that I realized that I had a horn extending from the top part of my head and that I was actually a unicorn, and I should have some kind of magic ability. Taking a breath I tried to focus and think of anything that may be a magical ability capable of getting me out of here, but as I started to focus, the throbbing pain in the back of my head jolted from the back all the way to the front causing me to yelp, and forcing my body to leap forward and smash my entire body up as hard as possible against the light blue glass and back down to my original position in the pod.

"Ah that hurts."

I yelled as the pain from my head and my body smashing up against the glass shook all over my body, and the tears dripped from my face.

"I'm not going to get out of here."

I said to myself as the continuous pain from my head slowly withdraw to its one spot in the back and the pain from my body subsided, with my tears streaming from my eyes looking at the light blue glass. Suddenly started to feel a weird sensation of something wet stream down from the back of my head, and down the back of my neck. It started to freak me and made me move my hind legs trying to get out, but I ended up keeping kicking the end of the pod.

"There is really no way for me to get out of here."

I said under my breathe as the tears kept rolling and I leaned my horn forward tapping on the glass with the throbbing pain, and the dripping of whatever it was coming down the back of my head kept going. Then the idea that this was just glass and that I may be able to break free by shattering it with repeated strikes hit me. Taking a deep breath and closing my eyes I leaned my horn and head away from the glass all the way back to the back of the metallic container and with rapid speed I sent my head toward smashing it against the glass. Pain circulated from the back spot of my head where the throbbing was and pain circulated from the front of my face where I hit the glad with a loud thud.

Again I took another deep breath and with the constant pain from the back of my head and tears streaming down my face I smashed my face even harder against the light blue glass with another thud, but this time I was able to make out a sound of a crack as the pain circulated from my face and the back of my head. Opening up my teary eyes I was able to see what looked like a small crack on the glass in front of me and knew that my plan for getting out was working.

"Okay, I got this."

I said to myself as the pain in the back of my head continued. Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath I repeated the process again, smashing my face against the glass with the glass giving me the result of it cracking even more. But I couldn't stop now, still inside this metallic pod being held prisoner. Catching my breathe I repeated the process ramming my face against the glass like a mad stallion till the final end result with the final smack sending me flying forward making me open my eyes as I was falling and plummeting down into the ground.

"Oh no."

I said to myself as I went falling down from my prison and onto the floor with the rest of the light blue glass pieces, meeting the cold dusty metallic floor. I hit the floor hard head first before the rest of my body followed landing down on the glass and having it penetrate my underbelly with a strong force making me scream in terror as the pain jolted in those points. Quickly trying to get away from the metallic floor where the glass penetrated my body, with tears streaming from my eyes I jumped over to the right, and landed on my right upper side on the cold floor.

"Okay, that hurts!"

I yelled out in frustration as my body was now immobilized with pain. The tears were balling out of my clenched eyes, the back of my head was jolting in pain, and the glass inside my underbelly on the right side was pushing further as I laid on the floor and my warm blood coming out in a slow pace.

"I have to get up."

I thought to myself multiple times as the pain continued to jolt from underbelly and the blood inside me started to seep out. Letting out multiple breaths of air and stopping the stream of tears I slowly opened my eyes to see myself staring at a darkened metallic circular room with a large rectangular vault like door. It was barren, and looked as if it avoided any cleaning for what appeared to be a few years maybe even decades worth of dust was covering the walls as well as multiple pods with the same light blue glass I was stuck in with cobwebs surrounding every part of them.

I stood shocked, puzzled, and in pain as I continued to look at the room. I had no idea where I was, or what was going on. It was a good several minutes of staring at the darkened room with my blood continuing to drip from me before the back of my head snapped me back to reality and turned my attention to my situation.

Taking a small breath I then positioned my hindlegs and front legs so I could stand up and look at my body, but that only made my situation in my underbelly worse as I could feel the blood drip in faster as the glass continued to push forward even more. In absolute pain and using all the strength from my shaking hooves I pushed myself all the way up and cocked my head backwards to look at the blood stains as they started to spread all over my coat.

The glass inside me wasn't as bad as it felt and didn't look as if it penetrated anything important in my body. Exhaling a breate and taking a step forward with my shaking hooves on floor.

"That's it. Come on, I can do it."

I said to myself under my breath as I started moving a few feet away from the pod I escaped from. It was weird; when I was in the pod, I was able to kick my hind legs and move around with tremendous ease, especially when I landed on those large fragments of glass on the floor, but that was probably from the adrenaline coming from my desperate panic & frustration as I was trapped & was trying to get out. I had really no idea where I was going in the room at first trotting around. Thinking calmly I could check on those other pods to see if another pony would be in there trapped like I was, or I could have went to the vault like door that kept me enclosed in this room, and try to find a way to get out.

But for some reason I kept thinking the most important thing I needed to do was to remove these shards of glass from my underbelly, and get the back of my head checked as its constant throbbing of pain was absolutely horrible, yet there was no way I could do that without any kind of assistance of another pony.

Then without any hesitation I focused my mind on the sole purpose of getting out, and cleared my mind of the repetitive pain in my underbelly and my shaking hooves, and used my strength to clearly straighten up my stance in trotting so I could walk over to the door, passing by two pods on the dark room wall which I couldn't help but to look over at. It took me by surprise though when I looked inside the pods and could clearly see through its glass that the pod was empty, and so was the other one near it.

Then with a itching feeling in the back of my head that wasn't the constant pain I took a second to look at the other pods that were on the walls of the room, and tried to get a zoomed in look at them without having to deter from my path of getting to the door by stepping closer to my left side. And as I looked at them while trotting I could see that they were all empty as well. Every last one of them with no pony inside.

It was just like the pods had been swept clean, but if that was true then why was I left in the pod if there ever were ponies inside those pods in the first place? Or better yet, why was I even in the pod in first place? But as I started to think about this new situation, getting closer to the door, I started to feel light-headed, and a whole new emotion began to form in me. It was panic from me not being fully able to grasp what was going on as I was alone, crying, bleeding from my underbelly, and scared.

Trotting closer to the high vault door  I could start to make out a small rectangular box with a large lever pulled up with huge wordings I couldn't make out in the darkness of the room, but I couldn't really be bothered with it as my mind was only focused on the door. Only standing in front of it I came to the realization of how small I was compared to it. It was probably because of the fact that I was far away at first before I came close the door.

Raising my right hoof up to touch it, I could feel the semi-smooth steel & an incredible amount of rust on the surface. Then giving a little strength into that hoof I started pressing forward on it in hopes of opening it, but to my disappointment it didn’t even a budge. I was expecting it to fall outwards due its age & rust. Setting my right hoof back down, and looking at the vault door I was left with no way to get out of this room, and I was left trapped now like a rat in a small circular prison.

Then without warning the strength I had originally used to straighten up my posture in order to walk started to fade as I became more focused on my imprisonment in this room making my hind legs shake, and finally give up, making me land on my bum hard. Sitting quietly now in the darkness of this prison I could start to feel my upper body go numb as I heard the continuous dripping of blood hit on the ground, and my mind begin to distance itself from reality. It was hopeless; I wasn't going to leave this room.Then a thought hit me like a bolt of thunder. It concerned that lever on the far right wall that I forgot about.

"Maybe, just maybe that lever could open the door, and allow me to get out."

I thought to myself, and with a new self-determination to get out I forced my mind to come back to reality, and regain control of my numb upper body that was shivering with a feeling that was near the complete coldness. Taking a deep breath I started to force myself to stand up once more, quivering still and my blood still dropping onto the floor. Progressing slowly to the lever, raising my hooves up slowly & steadily, I was able to make out a small writing above it written in white paint saying:  "Emergency Power Initiator - EPI."

"Emergency Power...so this should open the door?"

I thought to myself as I stopped dead in front of it, and leant my head forward towards it to grab the lever’s handle with my mouth. It was light and graspable as I held it in my mouth and pulled it down. Upon doing so, however, I started to hear several large clanks of metal moving. It must have come from the door as it was slowly starting to swing open, and the lights of the facility lighting up the entirity of the room, blinding me and making me see nothing, but white.

"Come on, get it together."

I said to myself in my head as I couldn't let the brightness of the room hold me from getting out with the continuing clank of the moving metal from the door before it finally swung open, and the white light in my eyes faded away. The rectangular vault door, now fully opened, lead outside on what appeared to be a metallic staircase that had rusted with a strong brown coloring, surrounded by cobwebs. There was a blue bag near the very entrance where I stood.

Taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling, with my underbelly still ringing with pain from the glass inside, I took several small hoof steps forward out of the room and towards the blue bag, stopping in front of it. There was something extremely wrong here, and I knew it as I stood at the bottom of the staircase just staring at the blue bag in front of me, but taking a gulp and licking my lips I leaned forward, unzipping the bag, and picked it with my mouth dumping everything in it down on the floor with a large clap-like sound.

Throwing the bag over to the side from my mouth I found a very small book which title held in a gold color read "The Book Of Reason." . Blinking at it and lifting up my head looking back into the room I exited and the near staircase and back at the book I wondered what was in it. Leaning in and placing my hoof on the soft paper of the book I flipped to a random page and began reading it.

"Praise Leviathan for it is all that holds everything together after the end. Praise Leviathan for it binds all of our fates. Praise Leviathan for it is the light in our darkness."

"Given the secrets of the world I can foresee its future.

Ponies forever imprisoned in the absurdity of others, shocked & disgusted by their actions.

Marching on the ashes of the old world losing their will to carry on within a barren land never to blossom again.

Unable to watch it any longer I decide to help those in the barren land giving them a reason to live, my reason.

And my reason becomes their whole life never to faultier.

Rising up from the dust of the land is my army of the dominant rulers, Leviathans. Built from their commitment to me.

I am the beginning of the end, I am Leviathan, and what I say is absolute.

Leviathan is Obedience.

Leviathan is Salvation.

Leviathan is Hope.

Leviathan is Reason."

Then just blinking at everything I just read I came to a very fast conclusion that everything written in the book was absolute nonsense, and I pondered on what kind of sane pony would read this type of literature. And the only answer I got from it was none. I mean, just analyzing it, any pony could see it was nothing more than a bunch of ramblings. Then reaching out my right hoof to finally close the book I noticed what seemed like a ripped page sticking out on the side. Blinking, I was thinking to just ignore it, but there was a certain force that was telling me to go to that page, and I did.

But upon turning to the page within the book instead of coming face to face with what I thought was a torn page I found a white separate piece of paper that looked as if it was torn out of another book. Looking at the paper I could see something written on it that was almost like chicken scratch making it almost unreadable...almost, but I could still read it with it saying

"Kill The Assurance.".

"The Assurance. Who is that?" I asked myself. Inhaling slowly, I could feel a weird sensation at the tip of my tongue about that name that was almost re-memorable. And reaching into my brain and trying to find something like that I got nothing except everything that transpired a few minutes ago and me standing in front of the damn book I just read.

Taking my eyes off the piece of paper and over to the blue bag I threw over to the side I contemplated whether or not to grab the book & paper to take with me as it may be of some importance. If I did, I would be carrying around useless junk that would eventually slow me down, but If I was to abandon it I might be throwing away something that may have had a connection to my past as it was pretty clear that the blue bag with the book with the letter was placed there specifically for me, and I could have the chance to meet somepony who could make sense of everything for me. With pain in me I got up off my ass and decided to take the book and letter, and I grabbed the bag and put the book in it with my mouth.

From the corner of my eye I looked at the stairs I so blatantly ignored, and started trotting towards it with the bag. Coming up to the stairs and placing my hoof on it. The staircase was cold, and sent shocks up my hooves and to the rest of my body which I threw off fast before going up it. Hoof by hoof I ascended the staircase, letting a flux of bright light hit my eyes which burned for a second before I looked back up to see what appeared to be a closed cellar door with torn off wood letting in the light block my path at the top of the metallic staircase.

Approaching it and just putting my right hoof on it I could feel that the cellar was unlocked, and whatever had held it locked in place was degraded and old. Taking a breath of air before exhaling it I used my strength to swing it open with an eerie creepy sound coming from it, and stepped outside into very bright sunlight that made me close my eyes on the way out.

Coming outside I was greeted with the sound of several birds chirping and very strong sunlight that felt warm on my coat and face which gave me the assumption that I was maybe placed somewhere near a grassy green field during the summer. However, upon raising my hoof up to my face to block out the sunlight and opening up my eyes I found myself to be in an immediate state of shock that let my jaw drop.

Instead of being where I assumed I was, I found myself to be out on the ledge of a rocky terrain that held a dark gray color in the middle of nowhere with a descending path in front of me. The sky was of a near dark blue color. The land from my perspective and looking over the rocky terrain looked dead, deserted, and burned. In horror I stood breathless from what I was seeing.

"What the hell could have happened to the land to make it like this?"

I thought before turning around to see the cellar which I exited out of right next to the wall of a tall black, nearly destroyed building with a high tower sticking up from the top. Taking one last look around me, and having nowhere else to go I started to trot forward down the rocky path, dragging my backpack losing and my footing from the glass stuck in my underbelly.

* * *

Moving forward I had no idea where I was going, but it had to be somewhere as I managed to get away from the weird building & underground facility I had awoken in, and found myself in a deep dust grey canyon area that looked unnatural in its creation. Then looking back up at the sky from within the canyon I started to see a weird colored streak in the sky in the distance. At first I thought I was just seeing things from the blood loss, but as it continued to shoot up I knew I wasn't hallucinating, and in one burst that I could hear away where I was at in the canyon a loud boom went off.

And in less than ten seconds flat after the loud boom, a mushroom cloud of rainbows exploded in the distance where the streak was. It was beautiful as it lit up the sky with unimaginable colors I myself couldn't ever think of right before it released a small circular wave that was spreading outwards, disappearing into the sky.

Letting out a few "Uh's..." I stood almost breathless for what seemed like hours, staring at the sky. What just happened over there in the far distance out of the valley I didn’t know. But what I did know was that whether it was good or bad it just created one of the strangest, and most beautiful things that I have seen.

Then, biting my bottom lip I started to hear an echo from within the valley of what sounded like a yawn of a middle age stallion waking up that sent the hairs on my coat up, but I didn't understand why as I was looking for somepony the entire time. Taking in a deep breath I started forward, making a curvy turn around one of the valley's rocky wall before seeing what appeared to be a pegasus stallion sitting down having his body propped against the rocky wall. His coat was of a very sickly dark brown coat with light green eyes, and grey mane.

The stallion was wearing some kind of body armor that looked hard and a little bit degraded with a weird dark green & orange coloring, and a light green vest on his chest. His patch held a weird wooden-like wolf being comforted by two yellow pegasus wings expanding from behind it. In white underneath the picture there were several words that were etched on it, but I couldn't truly read out what it read, but could guess it said "K & L". Next to the pegasus on the ground was a weird I wouldn't say large, but medium sized weapon with a long barrel at the front and mouth hold piece.

Glancing at him without him detecting me I could eavesdrop on him having a conversation with himself out loud saying.

"Stationed all the way out here in the New Moon Valley with those damn things running more rampant. Those fucking mares in charge. I thought we didn't even have a command structure when I joined."

Just listening to him say the word "Stationed" my mind just immediately forgot everything else he said in the belief that he was a part of some kind of organization of guards that could help me. Dropping my blue bag I yelled out to him the words "Excuse me." revealing my location around the rocky valley wall which put an expression of shock on his face after he spotted me.

Speaking quickly I could barely understand a word he said as he tried to get up from where he was sitting, but I guessed within his gibberish speaking & trying to get up he was referring to me by me hearing him say the word "Mare." Responding with simple saying of "Hi." he then gave me a long pause along with a weird piercing gaze as if he was trying to see through me which wasn't working in any way.

Letting out several coughs and then looking at the weird metallic object next to him as he stood, the armor wearing pegasus then asked me in a crystal clear voice that echoed in the valley to identify myself. Which left me at a standstill letting out a few "Uh's.." as I stared at him, and slowly let my mind drip back with the thought of "Who was I?" before the throbbing pain in the back of my head shot me back to reality letting me say a few "ow's" underneath my breath.

Looking back at the stallion and not to let my mind wonder as I knew I would get that weird pain again I tried to open my mouth to say something to him before he interrupted me saying "Hello mare, you there?" leaving me to say "Huh?" to him out loud. I know he could see perfectly fine, and I knew he could see the condition I was in. Then again I was pretty sure the condition I was in was nothing to him.

But then again I could have been completely wrong as he pointed out my condition by saying: "Hey you look to be in bad condition mare," like an idiot.

Nodding my head hastily in agreement I said "Yeah. I know."

Then listening to him say "You're so small..." I started to feel very uncomfortable now as he was starting to approach me.

Then, not saying a word to him, I watched as he got closer to me, and continuing where he left off from in his sentence "And you never identified yourself," which started to freak me out before he snapped out a nasty sentence towards my face that sealed the deal in me wanting to get away.

The pegasus said "Why not come on down to our Temperance base not far from here, & we'll patch ya right up nice & tight."

Now backing up out of fear building up inside me I opened my mouth to say to him in a very kind voice "That's very generous, but not necessary. I'm sure I'll do fine. Thanks for the offer, nice stallion."

Then keeping retreating from the pegasus, I continued my conversation with him saying: "I'll just go. Since I didn't identify myself, and I don't think you'll be able to help with this throbbing-" before I felt my rump hit against something soft that made the hair on my coat stand up, and made me make a loud squeak like a small animal.

Turning around as fast as possible I found another pegasus with a puce red coat, old burgundy mane, and pale brown eyes wearing a forest green colored jump suit with a light brown vest, and an insignia similar to the pony behind me. On the left side along his vest was a very decorative black holster with small blue butterflies & shiny steel made weapon in it.

Staring at him for a few seconds he put on a smile towards me that was kinda friendly till he started leaning towards me, and near my left ear & started smell me and said:  "You know you smell good right?" It was flattering really, but I didn't like how it was going now with the stallions, and I knew from an awful feeling in my gut that I needed to evade this situation.

Saying "Eh...thank you." I soon started to trot away before I felt something poke me from behind on my thigh area where the previous pegasus I was talking to behind me was rubbing his right hoof on me saying to me in a very calm voice: "Such a weird cutie mark. P.O.N.E." and asking me how did I get that cutie mark which made me question what he was talking about.

Looking back he was right about my cutie mark as it was letters. What it meant? How did it get there? Though it wasn't my concern at the moment as I could care less about it for I wanted to leave right now away from these two pegasi.

Saying "Okay I need to go now," quite loudly I started to go past the brown colored pegasus I went slowly trotting away from them & leaving my bag behind with them taunting me by saying:

"Where's the fire? You in a rush going into the dusts? Why not stay with us?" & "Hey, come back here." before I could hear them starting to follow me which made bolt in the valley.

Running in the valley with those pegasi behind me was painful, especially within my underbelly area as it started to leave a trail as I turned rocky corner of the valley. My heart beating faster and faster as I continued to move I could hear the mocking voices of the pegasi right behind me as I approached the exit of it. Putting on a smile I was almost out before I felt something swoop forwards tackling me from behind & shoving my face way onto the dead ground outside of the valley.

Putting up a fight I quickly turned around knocking the dark brown pegasus off of me, and I started kicking him in the face with my hindlegs before he pinned my hindlegs with his wings, and pinned my front hooves with hooves. Looking him in his eyes I was absolutely terrified of what was about to happen to me till I heard the sound of thunder roar above my head, and felt something warm & liquid-like fell on my face.

Blinking I could hear young mare’s voice above me say "Fucking Temperance, they just don't believe in staying off Diligence territory." as the blood from the dead carcass of the pony on me fell over to my side.

I wanted to scream & vomit both at the same time as the body lay next to me, but I couldn't as I was choking on very air out of fear. Lifting my head up I then could see other stallion who was chasing me in the distance at the entrance of the valley, staring at me & the mysterious mare behind me. Shaking off the fear instantly, I ran behind the pony behind me, catching a glimpse of her while I did so.

She was wearing a very heavy looking brown trench coat with a weird insignia on her side that resembled a war flag that held maroon, black, & white colors. In the center of the flag was what appeared to be a light blue phoenix with a jewel in its mouth. Inside the insignia I could read the words "Semper Liberi".

The Mare was also levitating a very long, but not heavy looking weapon with a narrow barrel & a huge scope next to her right shoulder, using her magic so she could aim down its sight with a shifting green-purple aura surrounding it. The mare was tall compared to me, & she had a very lovely vanilla coat that looked as if she kept clean despite the environment. Her mane was of a charcoal color with a single rosewood colored streak running down the center of it. One of her eyes were purple as a near dark night, and the other a light green.

Looking from behind the mare and at the stallion in the distance I could see anger and hate in his eyes, before he turned and took off running back inside the valley. Letting out a sigh, I knew that the threat of that pegasus was out of the way, but my mind went to an immediate thought about the mare that just saved me being my threat which made me cower in fear at her as she turned around with her weapon still in the air. Putting up my hooves at her I simply yelled out

"Please, don't hurt me!"

Silence passed by before I started to hear her laugh at me. Looking up I could see a smile on her face as her laughter at me got even harder. Still laughing the mare was barely able to get her sentence out saying "Hurt you? Why would I hurt you after rescuing you? That-That's just down right stupid."

Slowly calming down from her laughing fit, she looked me in the eye with a smile on her face now saying: "There's no way a mare like you who could get past the Equestrian Royal Army to get inside of Equestria would be that dumb." Which was a major insult to me as I never snuck past any army to inside of Equestria, and I wasn't dumb.

Opening my mouth I asked her who she was, and with a chuckle behind her voice she said "My name is Captain Hearth of Diligence."

* * *

End Of Day 0

Day One: The Doc

Day One: The Doc

"Don't call me that."

Lying in front of the mare on the rocky ground I was dumbfounded. She had just saved my life, laughed about me begging her not to hurt me, & told me her name. Just from that I could tell right away that she was a strange pony, but obliviously a good one.

Glancing away from her I didn't know what to say. A thank you would be appropriate, but for some reason I didn't want to rush to anything with her like the pegasus. Putting my focus back on the mare I saw her looking in at me in confusion with her head cocked to the side.

"Something wrong pone?" She asked cockily which was a weird question as I knew she could most likely see my wounds, and to say "pone" like my cutie mark than "pony." and  I think she knew something was wrong, she had just killed another pony in cold blood in front of me without any sign of remorse.

"Yeah I have a problem, you killed a pony!" I blurted out loud to her with my voice echoing in the distance. Raising her right eyebrow she looked at me with confusion on her face.

"And that's a problem because...." she started her sentence before pausing, & glancing at the sky as if she came to an epiphany. Looking back at me she continued her sentence "...you wanted to get raped, or something along that line?"

Shaking my head "No" to everything she said I came to the realization that there was no way for me to get through to her about her killing another pony.

Taking a breath the mare started off in the same direction she originally came from saying "We should get going before it get's dark, and they come out.".

Looking back at the Valley entrance there was no way in hell I was going back there especially with that pegasus still there. Then looking back at the mare who was already several hoof steps in front of me I decided to follow the her to wherever she was going.

* * *

Several minutes passed as I followed the mare in the trench coat without a break. It was funny really as we never really talked during the entire trip like two slugs. We just kept going not even throwing each other a glimpse, or word.

When we approached a small patch of green grass that looked more alive than anything I've seen so far I was quite glad for some reason.

Maybe it was because it was a sign of life in the desolated looking world, or I just wanted to lay down and take a nap there.

In the distance of the path we continued trotting on there was a large wooden sign that was broken & beat up.

Several words were written on it with paint, but some were marked out saying:

"Welcome to Ponyville, Stabletown." , and underneath it " Where magic & dreams come true. Beware of other ponies, traders, artifacts, anomalies, and them!"

Tilting my head to side as we got closer to the sign I didn't understand why in the world would any pony rename the town after it already had a perfectly selected name beforehand. Glancing pass the sign however I could see an open area of land with ruined two floor cottage houses around it along with small camp fires, and just dozens of ponies - unicorns, pegasi, earth ponies standing around them, some dressed in brown & white jackets, others in similar vests like the pegasus in the valley. All of them carrying similar weapons too.

Around them were also ruined buildings mostly two floor wooden built houses that looked like they've been set on fire & barely saved.

"Finally, we are here,"

Hearth said to herself out loud in almost exhausted voice. Turning to me and seeing a smile on her face she said to me in a kind voice

"Welcome to Stabletown..".

Staring at her for a long while I just went "Uh-huh." before she told me to come on and follow her into the town.

Opening my mouth to say "Woah." as we walked past several ponies down the street to enter the town. I was impressed at the vast number of ponies here, and how many of them acted sophisticated despite the landscape drinking out of small brown cups some of them brought near the camp fires.

Laughing a bit I found it kind of funny how I should show some kind of discomfort being around ponies armed to the teeth like in the valley, but I wasn't as if it was kind of natural for me to be around them.

Navigating our way through crowds of ponies who were chatting among themselves about something called "artifacts", and how they should have grabbed it.

Hearth & I then made two turns down two alleyways popped us onto a busy street full of more ponies, and wrecked cottage buildings. The huge difference however on the street we were on to the last one was a large hollowed-out tree that looked refurbished, and well overall, the only good looking thing in the entire town with a few ponies sitting around it outside in small worn- out pitched tents.

Hearth then looked at me and told me to stay where I was and that she would be right back. Nodding my head I watched her trot from my location past several of the camped out ponies, and up to the front door of the tree home. She then knocked on the door before saying something I couldn't hear.

Waiting I then watched her enter the building leaving me outside with all the other ponies staring at the open door. Stomping my right hoof into the ground awhile waiting a large book then came flying out the door hitting the ground before Hearth came back out ducking her head.

Glancing at me she then nudged her head at the door to tell me to come on with all the other ponies outside staring at her.

Wanting to get out of the public eye I dashed to her, and through the door with her closing it behind me. Inside the tree home I was greeted by two raggedy sleeping mattresses on the floor near the door both with their own set of pillows, and blankets covered in what appeared to be blood & probably vomit which was discouraging for me to be next to.

Inside the living room was also a stool, a small table filled with small metallic tools that could be used for examining, and picking along with a clean operating table a pony could lay down on surrounded by tall lamps that were turned to face certain angles.

In the back of the room was a small stairway that led up to a second floor, and right across from it another that led downstairs to what might be the basement of the house.

Turning to face Hearth standing to the side of me with a frown on my face I asked her in wavery voice "Where are we?" which made her laugh for some reason despite me being serious.

Putting on a smile she replied "Isn't it obvious? We're at the Docs," as if I knew where we were at.

Thinking about the word "The Docs," I tried to make sense of it, but came out empty as Hearth continued to stare at me. Shaking my head I thought maybe it would be better if I didn't ask her what in the world was a "Doc." Taking in a breath and exhaling it I asked Hearth what she wanted me to do now that we were inside the "Docs" home, as there was just me & her and that somepony that threw the book at her.

Rolling her eyes Hearth then told me in a relaxed voice to go sit down on the operating table while she takes a nap on one of the mattresses.

Looking down at the mattress I kind of thought she was joking with me especially with her luxurious vanilla coat, but she wasn't. After she finished her sentence she gently set her long levitating weapon against the wall, and just fell face first into the mattress with a grunt, her trench coat covering her back.

Raising my hoof to try and say something to her before she could fall asleep I found myself at a loss of words as there was nothing I could say or ask her. Facing the direction of the operation table I started towards it with my hoof touching the warm carpet beneath me

Reaching the operating table I became uneasy and distrustful of it for some reason as it had a certain feeling around it that was extremely dark, & full of despair.

Maybe it was because it was an operating table, or it was just my paranoia of it being an operating table. Taking a gulp I then placed both my hooves on top of its smooth cold surface before pushing myself up on it, first with my right hindleg going up & touching it before my left one got up with my underbelly pressing against it.

When I was finally on top I rolled over onto my back, and waited for something to happen.Minutes soon passed with Hearth on the mattress rolling around on it making large grunt sounds in her sleep. Propping myself up with both my hooves I thought maybe it was about time for me to wake her up, and ask her what I was waiting on before the sound of a pony whistling a jolly tune filled the air.

Turning my head left & right I started to freak a bit with my breaths increasing as I couldn't find out where the whistling was coming from before I heard heavy hoof steps come from wooden steps making me glance between both the upstairs, and downstairs doors. Slowly coming down from the upstairs steps was a very skinny, dark grey coated, blue eyed male pegasus wearing a long white jacket that had several dark brown stains on it. He had only a single wing on his right side with the other one missing, and replaced with white bandages wrapped around the area, and a black mane.

Underneath his right wing he was carrying what appeared to be a worn out raggedy book.

Entering the room he slowly stopped his whistling before glaring at me raising his eyebrow, and looking left & right inside the room. Raising up my right hoof, and waving it the stallion simply let out several confused "Uh's...". Finally putting his eyes on Hearth across from the room his raised eyebrow went down, and he let out a large puff of air in anger for some reason.

Letting out a few coughs he then yelled in a rough, angry, elderly tone of voice "Hearth, get up!" which took me by surprise despite his appearance of being young, and made Hearth raise her head up immediately without any hesitation.

Yawning & rubbing her eyes Hearth simply glared at me before looking at the unknown pegasus. Rolling her eyes at the him she simply asked him in a nonchalant voice "What is it, Doc?". Replying in anger the pegasus she called doc first raised his hoof at me before pointing at her, speaking angrily.

"Hearth I told you I'm running low on supplies ever since we lost connections with Hoofmen, and said that I am not letting in any pony because of that, nor was I going to patch them up. I even threw one of my medical books at you to the get the point across, yet you still brought in a pony."

Sighing Hearth held a face of apathy not completely caring about anything the pegasus just said to her.

Keeping quiet & not wanting to get into their conversation I watched Hearth talk in a calm collected voice to him.

"I do understand that, Doc. But just look at this young innocent mare who is in need of your medical help. Plus judging by the way she was able to follow me all the way back to Stabletown, & survive getting attacked by Temperance. I'm 100% sure her wounds wouldn't even use up like 5% of your remaining supplies as all she needs is to be bandaged."

Taking a loud gulp the pegasus referred to as Doc by Hearth looked at me again with a frown coming across his face and glanced a away from me just for a second.

Then pushing his hoof to his face, and letting out sigh he said in a tired voice "I'll do it," before turning all the way around to go back upstairs.

During his time of turning around I was able to get a look at his cutie mark which was a red medic sign being carried away by a dove. Just seeing it I put on a smile as it was an interesting cutie mark that I felt like I've seen somewhere before, but couldn't put my hoof on.

Then trying to think harder about his cutie mark and where I've seen it before the same jolt of throbbing pain that came to my head  back when I was underground hit me like a thunderbolt.

Saying "Ow." out loud Hearth looked at me & said "Hey don't worry he will be right back to pull out the glass out.".

Going "Uh-huh," I figured out that maybe it was the best for me not to try and think about things.

Clapping my hooves together I waited with Hearth for the Doc to come back downstairs which only took him a few seconds. Under his right wing he had replaced the book that was there with a white roll of paper which was bandages, and inside his mouth he was carrying a short metal bar which I couldn't understand.

Arriving in front of me, the Doc set down all his things on the small table near the operating table before hopping onto the stool. He then told me in a calm voice to lay all the way back on the operating table with my underbelly exposed.

Cringing I didn't know if I could really do that despite what happened hours ago, but looking at Hearth who just gave me a nod I did what he said.

Lying on my back with the Doc above me taking a look at my underbelly was nerve wrecking for me as I didn't know what the real damage to myself was, and his constant "Hmm's..." didn't help.

Biting the bottom portion of my lip I knew what I had to do, and speaking in a very nervous voice I asked the Doc if he had any experience in pulling glass out of a pony.

Laughing a bit he said "No, I don't," which put an expression of dread across my face and made me widen my eyes as I put a pony who had no training in pulling out glass in charge of pulling glass out of me.

Just imaging the things that would happen to me. I imagined him picking one out, and him dropping it & the glass going into a different place in my underbelly.Or him trying picking up a piece of glass and- And before I could finish the thought the pain in the back of my head shot me again.

"Again I think too much,"

I said under my breath to remind myself not to think again.

Exhaling a huff of air the pegasus called the Doc then opened his mouth to telling me to open my mouth which I did.

Slowly he then leaned out of my sight, and came back with the metal bar he had earlier & dropped it into my mouth & told me to bite down on.

When I bit down as hard as possible he started to countdown out loud with Hearth joining in "3...2...1," then in one whole go I felt him reach down pressing his face into my underbelly then with the pain of the glass going through my coat in the first place he yanked a large triangle piece of glass with my blood still on it out of my stomach which made me scream loudly with the steel bar in my mouth.

Feeling a tear drop from my eye I could hear the pegasus called Doc say in a voice of mercy

"That's one out. Now just a few more." Raising my both my hooves to my face I knew I had a long way to go, and then out of nowhere the Doc unexpectedly yanked another one out forcefully making me bite down on the metal bar in pain.

* * *

When we were done pulling out the glass on the operating table, my face was covered in snot & tears because of the grueling long process that felt like an eternity, but was actually a single hour.

Somewhere between the thirty minute mark & my 200th scream of pain Hearth had left, leaving me & The Doc alone stating she would be back by nightfall.

Propping myself up on the table, my coat was ruined with my blood, & I had one last process to go with the Doc and that was bandaging up my underbelly.

Talking to me kindly he simple said "Would you kindly lift up your hooves," which I did without any delay.

Slowly the Doc took the bandages he brought earlier & had placed on the small table, and started going in a circular motion around my underbelly with the white bandages until my whole underbelly was wrapped in them.

Breaking off the remaining bandages he didn't need he soon placed them back on the table. Smiling & having both his eyes closed he then said to me in a mocking voice "There, you're all patched up kid."

Frowning at the thought of him thinking me as a kid I had no right to say anything after him taking out the glass out of me.

Puffing out a small amount of air I said in a clear crystal voice "Thank you, Doc," which made him reply to me in an instant.

"Don't call me that.".

Perking my ears up, and raising my own eyebrow I was confused on why I couldn't call him Doc as Hearth called him it multiple times, and that being what I kept referring him as.

Taking a gulp I asked him "Why?" which probably wasn't the best thing to do.

Sighing Doc simply replied to my comment by saying

"Hearth started that, and everypony else joined in. My real name is Blacklight."

Going "Oh." I should have asked for his name earlier instead of calling him by a nick name that Hearth called him.

Taking back my previous thank you to him I came up with a new one saying "Thank you for pulling out the glass, Blacklight."

in a kind voice which in response he did a simple nod to acknowledge it.

Then sitting in absolute silence with Blacklight I felt weird as I had nothing to talk to him about before he hopped off the stool saying he was going to go fetch the book he brought with him earlier down stairs.

Seconds then passed before he returned, and me being quiet in his house, and him returning to the stool and opening up the book in the middle & started reading it to himself.

Glancing down at the book Blacklight was reading I could tell that it had been reread multiple times as it looked crumbly & old with stains on the very tip of the pages.

Reading the title the book it was called "Descend Alfresco Equestria" which was really weird named book, and something I most likely wouldn't care to read just because of the title, but to each their own.

Taking in a breath of air I then looked at the entrance staring at it as if Hearth was going to bust in at any moment. Waiting, and waiting, and waiting, Hearth still didn't come in.

In my mind for some reason I had the weirdest thought that Hearth was never coming back, and she had ditched me with Blacklight after saving me today, but that was probably just because of me being paranoid a bit.

Looking back over to Blacklight who was deeply involved in the book I interrupted his reading by asking "So do you know where Hearth wandered off to?"

Not taking his eyes off the book he replied to me in a laid back voice

"I really don't know. I don't usually keep up with her, so I can't tell you. She's either outside chatting among the pone's, or waiting for messengers in Diligence to call her back to Manehattan."

Saying "Okay." a thought then hit my mind as he used the words "Diligence", and "pone" like Hearth. Staring down at my cutie mark I really had no idea what it meant, and thinking back to that dick pegasus earlier who pinned me had no idea what it meant either, but Hearth & Blackight knew.

Inhaling some air I spoke to Blacklight in a nervous voice saying "Um...can I ask you two questions?" which made him look away from his book and up at me.

"Sure. What is it?" He asked putting on a smile with me not expecting him to answer me like.

Speaking clearly to him I said "Um... the question is you & Hearth keep calling ponies outside including me, "pones" like you’re purposely trying to mis-say the word. What's up with that?".

Listening to the question a smirk came across his face with a little chuckle, and him talking in a stern voice

"It's an acronym. It stands for Pursuer, Opportunist, Newcomer, and Explorer. I mean you have it implanted on you over whatever was your original cutie mark so you should have known what it meant.

To put it simply it's a label for every pony in Equestria including ones in factions. Not many ponies however accept being called that, and some don't even know about it because they don't care."

Hearing him say "Not many ponies however accept being called that, and some don't even know about it," my mind drifted to that pegasus who questioned me about it wondering what it meant.

Biting the bottom of my lip & thinking more about that pegasus I could feel a little bit of anger gather inside my chest as I thought it was my fault for approaching in the first place.

Then breaking my chain of thought Blacklight said

"So what's your second question?"

Responding quickly I asked him

"What is Diligence & Temperance? as I heard Hearth mentioning she was a Captain in Diligence, and before I arrived in Stabletown this other Pegasus I ran into being Temperance."

Letting out a long sigh Blacklight spoke in a very weary voice saying

"That's a long question. I'll just give you a short answer to both. Diligence & Temperance are two factions made of a large groups of pone's after the blast years ago at the CMPP. They've been around for a very long time, and fought in the faction wars a few years back."

Pausing then raising up his right hoof underneath his chin to think about his next words he soon lowered it before saying

"Both factions have the common goal of gaining control over Equestria, and rebuilding it for the greater good. The only difference is how they want to do it."

Nodding my head I was so far keeping up with everything he was saying, but wasn't most likely going to remember every little detail. Going on with his explanation Blacklight said.

"Diligence is made up of ex-Royal Equestrian Army members, and pone's born here in Equestria.  They are under the control of one Commander for the entire faction, one General for the Diligence forces on the west side of Equestria, and one Colonel for the Diligences on the east side of Equestria where we are at. The one in charge of the Diligence forces on the east side of Equestria goes by the name of Colonel Blue Crow who is currently in Manehattan fighting Temperance for the control of Trottingham Station. Diligence’s main goal in Equestria is to eradicate everything in Equestria infected with radiated magic from the CMPP Disaster, and then rebuild it to its former glory."

Breathing in and out Blacklight tried to catch his breath before going on even further saying

"Now on to Temperance. Temperance is made up of well... anypony that just wants to join them. Thrill seekers, smugglers, innocent pone's born in Equestria. They are under the control of their Visionary, & Cardinal who only truly takes charge in emergencies as they don't like to lead that much making many of their own members lead themselves in the field. Temperance unlike Diligence doesn't want to eradicate the radiated magic from the CMPP Disaster in Equestria, and simply live peacefully with the damage done."

Nodding my head & saying "Oh..okay." I knew I wasn't going to keep up with all that information he gave me.

Pausing & looking a little bit discouraged Blacklight opened his mouth to me saying  "Sorry. That probably wasn't a good short version," before he went back to reading his book.

Focusing my attention back on the door I started to wait again for Hearth to return with hours passing & the darkness outside setting in which Hearth said she would be back before it returned.

Trying not to worry I started to yawn, and started to drift in & out of sleep as my body started to feel heavy.

Staring at the door just for second I then found myself laying completely down on Blacklight’s table with him not moving one inch in his stool deeply involved in his book, and within a matter of seconds I fell asleep drifting back into the darkness I awoke from today.

End of Day One

Introduction

Introduction

"We were fools with ambitions to see how far we could go with our own designs. Our freedom, our love, our harmony paved way for many new things we know now in technology. A long time ago in Equestria, magic was said to flow everywhere, being in every aspect of our life, and control everything we did.

And we, a small group friends working together found a way to harness it to its full power for our own endeavors in the Canterlot Magical Power Plant. But little did we know that we would all pay a heavy price for playing with forces we thought we could control. For one day when the CMPP started to fail, and nopony was able to stop it, it released an immense blast of radiated magic that devoured Equestria in absolute darkness & lit it in one big bonfire.

When the smoke & rubble were finally cleared, survivors of the blast found their new home radiated, dead, and extremely unstable, making them flee far from it to the far off islands where they set up blockades to stop any travelers from ship from getting into Equestria, alienating it from the rest of the world. But those who stayed in the ashes of their old world they found something. Something of great importance that wiped away the ashes, and gave them renewal of hope & despair.

It was a gift for all ponykind to enjoy, it was the enemy for the survivors of the blast, it was an opportunity for those looking to start again in profits, and it was a holy fixation to those who worshiped it.

It was an Artifact. A collection of strong radiated magic combined into a single physical force that could change the world, and it was the eye of all ponies going back to Equestria facing the deep dark past of our tremendous disaster chasing after it."