So this is Stable 53? It's darker than I hoped. Goddess, if the generator here is broken too."

Boom just smiled as we walked but didn’t stop floating her grenade rifle around every door before we moved passed it.

"I don't like all those noises. Sounds like something down here is big." Wait, was Boom scared? Well it is dark down here.

"Maybe we could try stealth?" Now Boom just looks confused and that's not a good look on her.

"Stealth? That thing where you put C4 down and wait?" I must look confused because she has the biggest 'I understand it's a joke' face on right now.

"Yeah it might be best to mine a door if we go in. I can disarm them with magic and we can scavenge freely."

So that's what we did and it saved us twice so far. There were these big things Boom called Radgators. They were all over the lower levels but we lucked out and found the Armory. We scavenged it for all its worth. Some more grenades for Boom, a small pile of 10mm pistols for me yay for future mouth related pain and some more 5.56 ammo for my battle saddle rifle which turns out does little against an armored Radgator.

We left most of the ammo that was neither grenade related or my gun related and that brings my internal monologue back up to speed.

"Do you keep hearing gun shots?" A stupid question but one I want answered all the same. Boom looked out the Overmare’s window.

"Yep, three ponies fighting a Radgator below us."

Well that explains…KABOOM, speaking of Radgators, some are coming. Getting behind the Overmare’s desk, I line up my battle saddle while Boom positions herself to be as far back as possible. It’s so her grenades ,even at her lowest powered, won't blow up both me and our way out.

Deciding that three lockers full of grenades is neither safe nor practical; Boom threw them down the stairs. As more Radgators came charging at us, the room below filled with grenades. KABOOM, well that did it.

We eventually found a map of the stable. It showed that the reactor was in the lower floors. Boom looked over at me.

"So, we’re going down now."

Looking back over at her, she started to back up. Why is she doing that? I looked forward and could see another Radgator. Kabang Kabang, that one was down. Now let’s head back... three ponies were standing there. This can’t be good.

"Stable, what's...?” Boom started to speak. “Make any sudden movement an’ I swear to Celestia I’ll shoot!”

Oh god Boom was quick to respond.

"Don't panic." She said to me, "Just focus on my voice. Look, try to bluff the pony."

“There are three ponies, Boom, THREE.” I spoke back.

I thought to myself, just calmly walk out and say something like ‘mines bigger’. That could get the pony to back down. Ok, walking out calmly.

"Mine’s bigger." I think I hear Boom hitting herself in the head.

The one with the gun spoke up, “Oh fuck me with a unicorn horn!”

Oh, I think it worked. The unicorn next to him with the big gun seems to be fiddling.

“Well ah was gonna use this baby on a Gator, but ah think we need it more right now.”

It’s one of those massive bullets.

"What is that?" I asked.

The smile on that face of his looks like he just figured out I my gun has smaller bullets.

“Explosive round, it’ll turn yer body to a bunch a’ bite sized pieces.”

Boom must have perked up at that, "Did somepony say explosives?"

She stepped up next to me and I felt a little better. Boom’s appearance seemed to have caused the pony to her right to completely break composure and the blue one to lose all focus on me.

Boom used the chance to lean over and talk to me, "My saddle is fully loaded. Let me talk and if I say ‘drop’ do it."

Before I could reply, the one with the gun in his mouth spoke up again, “I have two questions for you.”

Boom looked over with ears popped up. Better remember to do that.

"Oh and what would they be?"

Once again the blue pony talked, “One, why are you here, and two, who are you?”

Simple question. Boom was quick on the reply, "I'm Boom and this here's Stable Buck. As for why, well here I think Stable can tell you."

Well guess it's my turn, "I'm here to scavenge parts. My..." Should I say it? Guess so, "stable isn't exactly in the best condition." After getting told I wasn't going to be monitored and Boom was asked not to bring the stable down, we all parted and finally found the reactor.

So four and a half hours later, we can finally leave stable 53.

"Thanks Boom."

Boom just smiled as she levitated several large pieces of reactor out of stable 53. I carried all the smaller, much lighter bits in my saddle bag. We traveled the way back to 54 with all this weight floating behind us, eventually using my not-so-cheap guns to trade for a wagon.

It's strange staring at the entrance to Stable 54. Makes me happy after all, unlike I'm guessing here other stable ponies who probably don't have a stable to return to or want to go back to. I wonder if Boom will be allowed to come in. She has pulled me out of danger and it just seems wrong to not let her come in too.

"So Stable, this is your, well stable?" Looking at the massive door of my stable, she looks so sad. I moved over to the controls flip and say "Hello?"

The communicator burst into life, "This is stable security Chief Lightshell. Who is this? Stable 54 is sealed and will not be opened to any and all outsiders."

This could be bad but I'm sure he will remember my voice. "Its me, Slashwing. I found the parts. We can fix the reactors now."

The massive door starting move aside. Boom let off a gasp as we moved inside and saw standing right at the door leading to the elevator was none other than the Overmare and several stable guards. Boom was given a large drenching in Rad-away and Doctor Stitch patched me up because that doctor left half a bullet somehow in my hoof.

Author's Note

once again big thanks to my editor for making this readable in edition I'm still working on my stile of the chapters finally the blue pony is a pony known as the thunder bringer from another FoE story