Fallout Equestria: The Manehatten Project

Prologue

“Life, he realized, was much like a song.

In the beginning there is mystery, in the end

there is confirmation, but it's in the middle

where all the emotion resides to make the whole thing

worthwhile.”

I sat there in front of the small camp fire looking up at the stars. I drew lines connecting the points of light like a foal's game of connect the dots. I looked up at the newly formed constellations. I found Ponarus, the pegasus hunter that chased his prey into the stars, but got lost and couldn't find his way back; or so his legend goes. So, I sat there looking at figures painted in the stars, and telling the legends behind them to nopony but the wind. I made it through four more legends before my storytelling was interrupted by a sound. That's all it was, but after living through the Wasteland a sound was enough to bring you to attention.

I was the faint sound of hoof steps coming up the dirt path towards me. I looked down the trail to see a group of silhouettes slowly making their way towards me. My friends. They walked single file minus one who needed help due to a currently lame leg.

They all sat in a circle around my small fire. They all looked at me with fatigued eyes and offered tired smiles and quiet "Heys" and "Hallos". Their freshly cleaned manes and groomed coats simmered slightly in the glow of the fire. The mare to my left leaned over and gave me a soft nuzzle, witch I returned with a smile. After a moment two more ponies came trotting up the trail walking side by side. One mare and a stallion, they had the same mane colour, coat colour, and only their eyes and mane styles were different. Hers were a deep blue and butch-like; his were a light green and tucked away in a tight ponytail. They took their seats and looked at me with tired smiles. I offered them a weak one in return. I let out a sigh before speaking. "You all made it," I began with a small smile gracing my features, "are the broadcaster and recorders ready?" I asked the pseudo twins.

They gave a small shake of their heads as they began to press keys on their Pipbucks. I looked across all of my friends. "Before I begin, thanks, for everything, guys." That gave me a few odd looks. They were always there for me, even after I'd lead them through Hell. I gave them all a warm smile. "I mean it. Thank you." I said before looking back at the stars.

The small motes of life seemed to dance against their black backdrop. A comet flew through their dance floor leaving clouds of glittering ice in its wake. The stars continued their dance, unfazed by the sparking rain. I heard a small chime from the other side of the fire. "We're all set, so whenever you want to begin." said a small feminine voice.

I took a deep breath and softly exhaled as I slowly closed my eyes; I recalled the introduction I had drafted earlier in the day. "My name is Concerto," I began pausing for a moment, "and this is my story. The story of how I got here today, how I met the friends I am with now, and how I managed to survive the Wasteland and all the horrors it contained. However, if you are to fully understand this story you will need to know about Stable-Tec and a place they constructed named Stable Sixty-Six..."