Fallout Equestria: Wasteland Rhythm

~ ~ ~

Well children, I’ve gotten wind that maybe that tiny taste of what’s to come wasn’t enough. That some of y’all out there want more. Now I know that you want to get all the juicy details and trust me, you will.

But just hold up! Y’all don’t want to get too hasty and fill up on bread before we even bring on the appetizers, do you? I’m not tellin’ you everything right away; there’s no fun in that! And even then, some things just don’t need to be shared. Even I gotta respect some privacy out in the Wasteland…

I…okay…I know some of you are thinking, “Hey, Pon3, since you have this information, doesn’t that mean that this pony isn’t in the stable anymore?”

Well, y’see children…you’re gonna have to wait and find out.

But don’t worry. I, your ever-humble chef of all that is entertaining, now present the first course. Bon appétit…

~ ~ ~

Chapter 1: A Slice of Life

”To live such fruitless years behind a guarded door…”

Do you know why ponies resort to violence?

The saying “violence never solved anything” is an absolute fallacy. As much as I admit my disdain of it, violence is one of the few things that actually provide a permanent solution to anything. That’s why, in many cases, it’s never considered a last resort.

The resort depends on how irrational a set of ponies can be and there can be no more irrational set of ponies than the Edges. They originally formed as some kind of antisocial group of delinquents in the stable. Sadly, a couple of them used to be really good ponies. Others just happened to be too young to see the error in joining a group under the guise of peer pressure.

Though, the problem that arises now is simply that as their numbers increase, their misdeeds have followed suit. These ponies provide more trouble than is necessary for the stable’s security teams.

They haven’t presented far too many problems in the past… but with more time that goes by, they just seem to up their ante. And in a full house run by a king and queen, too many jokers causing trouble will eventually be royally flushed out.

But, with the Edges, they always seemed to have an ace in the hole.

Nopony in the stable knows this better than Barrier Reef. Though, everypony calls him Barricade, he’s the head of stable security. A pony who, all formalities aside, scares the hell out of me. He runs a tight shift nowadays complete with watches and curfews thanks to recent duress.

The Overstallion could only agree wholeheartedly with the notion. After what happened to me more recently, the two of them came to the conclusion to lockdown the stable until the Edges were, quote-unquote, “ground down to the hilt.”

I suppose I don’t blame the Overstallion for coming down on the stable… I just wish that I didn’t feel as if I were the one responsible for it.

Long story short, I got in a fight with one of them; an earth pony called Switchblade. He lost and decided to get even with me for it. He brought friends later and beat me almost to death. If the Overstallion hadn’t been keeping tabs on me on the monitors, I probably would have.

What the Overstallion saw over the camera feed must have registered as a bit of threat considering he sent Barricade to come help me. Now, Switchblade and his pals are in a holding cell in the lower reaches. Since then, the Edges seemed to have gone into hiding.

Switchblade may have been the one who attacked me, but he was just a marionette with a grudge. The one pulling the strings is Claymore; a unicorn. Switchblade may talk big, but Claymore is the real leader. I’ve met him once, when they tried to ‘recruit’ me: him, Switchblade and some shy unicorn mare.

Claymore has this smooth tone of voice and way with words coupled with a stare that just makes it difficult not to pay heed to every single sentence that leaves his mouth. But he hasn’t ever been directly involved in any of the incidents, so Barricade hasn’t been able to restrain him, or, as far as anypony is concerned, even get a bead on him.

Though the shifts are tighter, work is more hectic and the Overstallion couldn’t be more anxious, days continue as they normally would. In, and then out. Simple.

But of course, there always has to be a catch. Thanks to these curfews, ponies aren’t allowed to roam the corridors at night, which is the only time my coltfriend can make it back to my room unnoticed.

Like I said before, ‘straightened façade’ means that I can’t be seen in public with him… so we do the sensible thing and sneak around.

But, still, days continue as usual and mine’s about to begin.

* * *

Ever had a nail hammered into your skull by incredibly precise and powerful bucks to the head? Ever had a hangover with an alarm blaring in your ear? Same cloth.

Six in the morning isn’t a time that I’d prefer to wake up even when sober the night before. But, of course, when your job basically demands that you do the same for everypony else in the stable, it’s not the only headache I’ll be receiving in the mornings.

The Overstallion set off an alarm system in my Pipbuck and I don’t know how to deactivate it for the life of me. This, at the moment, could very well be the case.

Clasping my hooves over my ears and clutching the little sanity I was retaining, it took my mind a few moments to process that I just brought the source of the noise closer to my head. I brought my hoof over the side of my dresser and whacked the device as hard as I could in an attempt to end the high-pitched scream.

KNOCK!

Stop…

KNOCK!

Argh, damn you, stop!

With one final strike, the noise ended and the world returned to its normal, blurry self. Oh, such sweet relief! Blinking until my eyes were clear, I lied back down and let my hoof wander until I felt it hit a glass object coiled in my sheets with a small, muffled clink.

Reaching out with my magic, bringing a dim yellow light into my darkened confines, I unfolded the sheets and brought the object closer. Empty bottle of Cuisine’s Apple Whiskey… the emphasis was on ‘empty.’

With a groan, I strained my magic to lift the bottle and place it gently on the top of my dresser. As I rolled from my bed, I lightly traced a hoof upon the cold metal floor until I was certain I had the proper footing. Each hoof touched down shakily as I forced my weakened form to stand up straight.

The room spun for a moment as I managed to keep my stomach from tossing its contents. I had to shut my eyes; taking shallow breaths through gritted teeth and feeling my brow perspire.

“Oh,” I groaned, wrapping my hooves around my stomach, “here comes the best part…”

Risking the flare of pain, I threw my magic at the light switch and quickly surveyed my room until I found a wastebasket. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted it, my savior. I darted to it and pulled it before me as I prepared for the throes of sickness to begin.

I coughed and wheezed into the bucket, but nothing came out, leaving the pain in my stomach to become unbearable. Bringing my head closer to the lip, I hugged myself tightly, trying to force out what I could to no avail.

The dry heaves continued until my throat gave out. I fell back on the cold floor, panting heavily. “Oh, Goddesses, just kill me now!” I brought one of my hind legs up and bucked the empty wastebasket back into its corner.

“I see you’ve discovered faith again.” I lifted my head as my eyes met with the familiar teal pools of my lover, face stained with his seemingly ever present wry smile. “Seems to come whenever you’re kicking the bucket,” he said, staring at the wastebasket I just bucked.

How did I forget that he was even here? Well, his purple and blue streaked mane was only slightly disheveled and his light blue coat was no worse for wear. I guess he didn’t have the same night as me.

“You don’t know the half of it, Flash,” I muttered, sitting back up and bringing myself to my haunches.

“Oh, on the contrary,” he quipped as his horn emanated a teal aura, letting the same aura surround the empty bottle atop my dresser, floating it to eye level, “I know the whole of it.”

He levitated the bottle over the lip of the wastebasket and let it sit there, hovering. Oh, no, please for the love of all that is sacred and decent—

He let it drop.

I winced and let a whine escape my lips. The sound of the bottle hitting the bottom of the wastebasket was like a torrent of hellfire breaching my eardrums. And still, he had the nerve to saunter from the bed and place a blanket over me with his magic.

Why must you pity me?

“I told you not to overdo it, and you overdo it. I’d figure that you would’ve learned by now that when your father gives you a gift, he always has an ulterior motive.” His eyes never left the wastebasket as he said those words. “Now go do what you have to and get back to bed. You and I have unfinished business.”

“I think I liked you better when I thought you were a filly,” I mumbled.

“No you didn’t.”

One day, I should really ask him what the title to my life is since he can read me like a book…

Once again, I unsteadily raised myself to my hooves and managed to amble my way toward my terminal. Taking my seat and a deep breath, I pressed the button to the intercom.

“GOOOOD MORNING, STABLE 47!” Feigning energy was something I could do pretty well, especially when music was involved. “Got quite a selection for you all today including two brand new, sure-to-be hits from the little prodigy herself, Ocean Current! So shout now, yell now, it’s time to raise your sleepy heads!”

And time to get back to restingmine…

I took my hoof away from the intercom’s button and stepped away from the terminal. Just as I set a hoof back in my bed, Flashback curled his hooves around my neck and pulled me closer.

As our lips met, my head throbbed as I made an attempt to lean in further. Just as we finally began reaching a rhythm unattainable by even music, I heard the very distinct beep coming from the link I shared with the Overponies’ office, alerting me as painfully as possible. Sadly, I knew what came next.

“Wavelength,” boomed the powerful voice of the Overstallion through the intercom, perforating my eardrums with horn-splitting efficiency.

Oh, Sweet Celestia, make it stop!

“If you have any time to take off from your hectic sleeping schedule, please be sure to come by and see us.” Due to his slow, yet deliberately audible tone, I could only assume that he had the knowledge that I had kicked back a couple rounds. “There is a matter that needs to be discussed in private. And, just so we’re clear, that means now.”

Flashback and I let out a very downtrodden, very exasperated and very mutual sigh. I stripped the blanket away and rolled back out of my comfy bed and onto the floor.

The merry-go-round in my skull made it very evident that had been a bad idea. Shaking my head (not a painless choice, but effective nonetheless) and regaining my composure, I reached out a hoof to my dresser and slid out the drawer.

As my horn glowed, I pulled out a dark blue stable suit, complete with the yellow ‘47’ stitched on the back. I fell back to my bed and lifted my hooves, letting the uniform fall. Fitting my hooves through the sleeves, I pulled my head through the hole and rested my hooves upon my lap.

With another sigh, I got back up and walked in front of my mirror that sat next to my dresser. I might as well try and look presentable. Turns out I looked far better than I felt.

Well, hello, sexy!

“Hey,” Flashback pulled my attention away from myself, “shouldn’t you take a shower at least before you go?”

“Well, you heard the pony, now.”

“Ew. Okay, then I’ll go take one.” As he passed by with his Stable-Tec uniform and lab coat in tow, he threw a glance at me. “It’ll probably last longer anyway.”

My ear perked up. “With all due respect, Flash? Bite me.”

“Maybe later, but right now it would be kind of redundant seeing as the Overstallion seems prepared to chew you out as it is…and it’s only six in the morning. Bravo, I might add.”

Witty little…

He planted a soft kiss on my horn and left for the exit, pressing the latch as the door hissed upward. “Whoa!”

Flashback was bolted past by a silver blur. It touched off the ground and landed atop me with an ‘umph,’ which roughly translates to ‘this unit has stopped working, please stand by.’

Yup. Definitely down for the count on this one. I’ll just save you both the trouble and start at zero.

“Wavey!” chirped the voice of a filly. “Wavey? Wake up!”

“You’re going to have to give him a moment, hon.”

Zero! If you could, tell the Overstallion I died.

“Uh, scoot over, dear, let me try something.”

I dare you. There is absolutely nothing you can do to possibly get me to—

Flashback leaned over me and whispered softly into my ear.

Oh, you’ll have to do better than that.

“…and you can go first tonight.”

…damn it…

I sat up from my metal grave and stared down at the little filly to my right who almost broke me. Instead of shouting, I had to use a calm tone of voice for two reasons: one, to avoid risking further injury and two, something I’ve learned about my sister over the years is that if I take anything out on her, it only makes me feel worse.

“O, you really shouldn’t come barging in here like that,” I said, clutching my still-healing ribs.

Her ears drooped. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just came in here to ask you something. But do you really mean it, Wavey? You already finished my songs?” She reverted back to that of her normal, energetic self, beaming up at me expectantly.

Catching a case of her contagious energy, I smiled back. “Would I lie to you?”

Her indigo eyes rolled up in deep thought before she shook her head vigorously, sending strands of her golden mane in opposite directions.

I got up for hopefully the final time and walked to the door only to be halted by something latching onto my tail. I turned my head to see my sister clamping her jaws around it.

“Vait, Vavey,” she urged around a mouthful of hair. I turned to her as she let her grip on me fall loose. “I have to ask you something really important.”

“Can’t it wait? I have to go talk to the Overponies and you know that they don’t like to be kept waiting.”

I really don’t like even being the slightest bit cross with my sister, but I’d rather not leave the kettle to boil on this one.

“Y-yeah…okay…”

Great, now my heart’s broken. What a great morning this is turning out to be!

“J-just play with uncle Flashback till I get back, okay?”

She perked up a bit at that. She turned her attentions to my coltfriend and he let that wry smile of his take a hike for a much more nervous one. Well, I get to celebrate one little victory today.

“Be right back,” I called as I scampered through the doorway and heard the hatch slide back into place.

I noticed a small flickering coming from above me that caused me to wince. Faulty light bulb, no doubt. Maintenance probably already has somepony on their way here to fix it.

The distance between my quarters and the Overponies’ office wasn’t very far. I turned the corner and glanced between posters taped across the walls; some displaying Alpha coupled with a biohazard warning and Omega proudly positioned above it. Other flyers contained the familiar scrap metal forged hoof-blades used by the Edges crossed through within a red circle. Another depicted Barricade and some of his team in full barding complete with shields that read “SECURITY.”

Numbered rooms lined the entire corridor, each one running parallel to the one across from them. The lights above provided a well lit path, though their spacing gave them the appearance of individual spotlights.

Once I reached the end of the corridor, the intersection, the wall coveted arrows pointing in opposite directions; left leading to the medical bay and past that, the cafeteria and auditorium. I took to the right, toward Stable-Tec Security workstations and the Overponies’ personal office.

I passed by the various security offices adorned with plaques displaying names such as Nightwatch, Failsafe, Flashbang, and Barricade. The only one actually occupying their workplace was Nightwatch, nocturnal as ever and asleep at his desk.

I finally made the turn to the Overponies’ office. However, I landed on my haunches as I hit a steel wall, or, once I looked up, rubbing my head as my hangover made its presence all the more known, a Barricade.

His dark grey coat almost entirely concealed behind heavy black 47 security barding gave him the appearance of a knight straight out of a ponytale. His twin riot shield cutie marks were what guaranteed your safety around him. His stature; like that of a sentry even as he knelt down to my eye-level. His left eye was swollen and blackened and a bandage stretched across his nose, having been recently broken. He opened his mouth to speak.

“Sup.”

Always such a way with words.

The two of us (mostly me) sat in silence for a few moments before I got to my hooves. “So, you’re in…pretty rough shape?” I couldn’t tell to be honest. He almost always had some form of injury… almost always in the face.

“Check the holding cell if you wanna see rough shape. This is just a scratch.”

“So you’re cracking down on the Edges pretty good, huh?”

“Feels like their numbers thinned out. That or they’re just going into hiding. Hehe, my bet’s on the latter. And just when I was starting to have fun around here.” He placed a hoof under his jaw and jerked it to the left, making me cringe as a loud pop rang out.

“But, I still can’t help but wonder where they disappeared to. Bro hasn’t been able to find ‘em anywhere on the monitors and patrols’ve been sent all over the place but haven’t found a thing. It’s almost like they just up and vanished.”

Great, more to worry about.

“Tried interrogating the orange one for a while, maybe find out if he knew anything…but he wouldn’t talk. All he said was that his leader already thought things out…said he could be a real party-pooper. His words, not mine.”

“Well…okay then…try not to overdo it there, okay, big guy?”

“Ha!” he bellowed. “I know you’re one to make a bad joke every once in a while, but don’t bother worrying about me.” He followed with a look of concern. “That reminds me…how ‘bout you? Doing any better?”

“Y-yeah.”

“Ribs healing up nicely? What about your ear?”

Putting a hoof to the right side of my head, I sighed. “I’m…fine. May I please get by?” I asked as dryly as possible. “Don’t exactly need the Overponies on my case, y’know?”

“Sure, though you really don’t have to refer to them that way.” He turned and raised a hoof to the door, but for whatever reason, I just couldn’t help myself.

“Wait!” He paused and looked back toward me. “Lemme do it!” He shrugged and stepped aside. A sly smile lined my face; I have a plan for revenge! I raised my hoof to the door, only to lower it as my horn began to glow.

“Tide!” I shouted in the low monotone of Barricade. Judging from his raised eyebrow, I could only assume I was spot-on. I knew every instinct he had as a guardian was kicking in, but he didn’t stop me.

“There’s a fire in the maintenance tunnels! The Edges must have set something off down there! All attempts to extinguish it have failed! We have to evacuate the stable!”

Moments later, the Overstallion emerged from his office. His dark brown coat and mane were soaked and he had a towel wrapped around his flanks. Eyes wide with fear and… no, wait, he was glaring and one of those daggers just nicked me. And just to add insult to injury, Barricade was roaring with laughter at my failed attempt at vengeance.

Uh oh…

“Sooo, you were taking a shower?” I asked, desperately trying to change the subject. I may not have left the kettle to boil, but something told me that the tea was done anyway.

“Yes,” came the voice of the Overmare from behind him, “he was.”

I peered around the Overstallion. Her grey eyes, originally a light purple before the use of Alpha, were fixed on me. Her silver coat and blond mane were glistening similar to his which led me to draw a single conclusion.

And, wait for it, there’s the shame setting in. Wait… no, we’re even.

“Three things,” the Overstallion began. “One, you’ve already played a similar trick on me, so I already know you can alter your voice. Two, fire can’t spread in the stable without the alarms picking it up. And three, this is the big one, Barricade isn’t familiar with the term ‘evacuate.’”

Barricade, who was still laughing, abruptly stopped. “You really know how to kill a mood there, bro.” He resumed his position as a sentinel and set his gaze ahead, returning to his original duty of guarding the door.

Remembering something rather important and feeling like a foal because of it, I looked up. “You used the camera, didn’t you?” I asked, pointing a hoof toward the device accusingly.

“That’s beside the point.”

That’s cheating…

The Overstallion beckoned me inside with a composed wave of a hoof and I moved without hesitation, the door ramming shut behind me.

Their office was nice and warm compared to the rest of the stable. Don’t get me wrong, other areas in the stable were warm enough; every room has a ventilation shaft. It just felt more prevalent in here.

The Overmare’s eyes were locked on me with a familiar disappointed look as I solemnly trudged forward. And here I was with all I could offer being a nervous chuckle.

The Overponies’ office was cleaned of nearly everything except the bare essentials, yet it was still comparatively larger than other rooms. Settled near the end of the room was his desk, lined with assorted documents and neatly arranged pencils with his terminal marked as the centerpiece.

Behind his desk sat a pair of massive bookshelves aligned with nonfiction on the left and fiction on the right, both in alphabetical order. And installed between the bookshelves were the intercom and the infamous panel of monitors used to survey the entire stable from the auditorium, to the maintenance tunnels, all the way to the holding cells in the lower reaches.

Oh, hi there Switchblade. Looks like you’re enjoying your accommodations.

In the upper left-hand corner was the grate-covered ventilation shaft, which, at the moment, appeared to be my only ally. To the right of the room were the private facilities of the Overponies; complete with a bathroom and their very own exclusive showers.

What I wouldn’t give for a private shower… the things I would do to Flashback in—

“Wavelength?” the Overstallion spoke, drawing my attention away from my important thoughts. He placed his hoof on my shoulder as he walked by. Rounding his desk, he draped his towel over the back of his chair.

As he took his seat, he used his magic, quickly donning his suit and his black mantle, which to me looked more like a glorified robe. He rested a hoof atop the wooden finish as he fixed me with a look of concern and the Overmare took to his side.

“Hmm?” I perked up.

“Do you have even the faintest idea as to why I called you here?”

With my head still pulsating violently, I could think of a few reasons. “To pester me?” I saw the Overmare shoot me a dirty look and my eyes immediately diverted to the ceil—

Ow, my eyes! Why, light?! Why must you hurt me so?

Rubbing my eyes, I heard the Overstallion cough to get my attention. Cracking open my right eye, I gave an innocent smile.

“Cute,” he stated flatly. He let his hoof tap the desk as he kept his onyx gaze secured on me. “Do you even remember the conversation we had last night?”

“Of course I do.” Yeah, no I don’t.

“So you’ve thought it over then?”

“Yeah, I’ll do...whatever it is that needs to be done.” I’m not going to lie, that disbelieving look I was getting from the Overmare was almost insulting at this point.

My eyes aren’t darting, I don’t know what you’re talking about; I just like what you’ve done with the place. What do you mean I’m smiling too wide? I’m happy to see you, that’s all.

“Good, I’ll let Barricade know that you’ve agreed to help keep watch around the stable.”

“Yeah, no prob—wait, what?!”

By the Goddesses, what in the world did I just agree to?! I don’t want to have to keep an eye out for the Edges; they’ll just cut it out of me! Maybe I can get Barricade to realize this is all a great big misunderstanding and the Overstallion’s grinning and I just got played like a recording…

“Gotcha,” he smirked. “Do you want to know the real reason I called you down here?”

Oh, give me a break…

Hugging myself and ignoring that annoying clicking sound coming from somewhere, I only looked him in the eye and nodded my head.

“Y-yeah, s-s-sure.”

What the heck is that? It’s really getting on my nerves and… oh, my teeth are chattering… I didn’t even notice.

“You see, the real reason is far more important.”

“Yes?” I can see where this is going…

“And I believe it would be just as important to you.”

“Yes?!” Please just get on with it…

“As you know, Ocean Current’s cuteceañera is coming up.”

“Yes?!” Fantastic. Now the suspense and the hangover are killing me!

“And because of this she has a…” He looked me over and let a sadistic grin line his muzzle. “Oh, by the way, how was the whiskey?”

Almost on cue, I felt my stomach tie itself in a knot and a noose form around my neck. Something told me what followed wasn’t going to be the same false alarm from earlier.

The Overmare, thank the Goddesses, grasped a wastebasket in her magic and swept it over to me. With a grateful glance, I felt the bile burning its way up my throat and wretched a nights worth of poor decisions into the receptacle.

“Oh, for Luna’s sake,” blurted the Overmare, “can’t you see the poor thing isn’t feeling well?” She turned her attention back to me. “Ocean wants to perform a duet with you for her cuteceañera. Will you do it, yes or no?”

Pulling my head from the wastebasket with a sigh of relief, I blinked. “That’s what you called me down here for? You couldn’t have just asked over the intercom?”

“Well, I—“the Overstallion began before the Overmare deadpanned and placed a hoof atop his head. “Crescent…thought that she might have already been in the room with you and we wanted it to be a surprise.” At that, she smiled and ruffled his mane.

“Fair enough. Well, I’m done here,” I sighed, lowering the wastebasket. I softly shook my head and turned to walk to the door.

“Where are you going?” asked the Overstallion. “Aren’t you even going to give us an answer?”

“This is my sister we’re talking about. How can I possibly say no?”

Outside of Flashback, I love my sister more than anything in the world. As her big brother, it’s my responsibility to make sure that she enjoys her life to the fullest extent, even if it means that I have to suffer for it. But seeing as my suffering was only just beginning for the day anyway, I might as well go all out.

“Glad to hear it.” The Overstallion tapped the desk’s door control, allowing the large hatch to slide open. “We’ll let her know the next time we see her.”

“Uh-huh,” I mumbled as I slowly treaded out the exit.

When I heard the hatch close, I rounded Barricade and stared up at him impatiently. His gaze shifted upward as he began to whistle nonchalantly. Flattering as it may be that it was one of my songs, I cocked a loaded eyebrow. His whistling slowed to a halt as he realized I had him at point-blank range.

“Ocean, you can come out now, the jig is up,” he surrendered.

Sure enough, behind Barricade’s black mane protruded a pair of large indigo eyes that blinked twice before the filly they were attached to emerged headfirst.

“Aw, how’d you know?” she asked with a whine.

“First off, just because you have a black stripe in your tail doesn’t mean I wouldn’t notice Barricade’s new blond ponytail.” She looked back and wagged her tail before giving me a sheepish smile. “Now how much of that did you hear?”

“…all of it,” she said guiltily as she drew tiny circles in Barricade’s mane with her hoof as his tail began wagging.

All I could do was sigh. “And just like that you’ve spoiled the surprise.”

Her face morphed into one of the most crestfallen scowls I’ve ever seen in my entire life.

Wow, beat me in two moves, why don’t you…

“Wait, it’s okay,” I consoled, “just…be sure that you at least act surprised when they tell you. Can you do that for me, O?”

She leapt from Barricade’s head and landed square in front of me. Her eyes wide, she reared to her hind hooves and gasped loudly before falling on her back as if she had fainted. Her left foreleg even twitched for dramatic effect.

Despite myself, I couldn’t help but laugh. I even saw Barricade crack a smirk. “Whoa, hang on there. You’re telling me you can sing and act? No fair.”

Her left eye popped open and she rolled to her hooves with the same ever-animated expression she always seemed to carry. “I can dance, too!”

“I bet you can,” I chuckled. I’d almost figure I’d remember something right about…“Hey sis, what happened to Flashback?”…there.Well that’s good.

“He had to let me go so he could go to work,” she replied innocently.

“Uh-huh.” I don’t believe that one bit. “C’mon, let’s go,” I said as I cocked my head to the opposite end of the corridor, turned and walked. She quickly cantered in front of me and began walking backwards.

“Wavey? Fire can’t spread in the stable without the alarms going off. Even I know that.”

Outside of being condescended upon by a tiny filly, I drew exhibit A. There was no way she could have heard that unless she made it there before me, or very shortly after.

“Yup.”

We made a turn and she bounded ahead of me straight to my door as she hopped up and down giddily.

I don’t know where she gets all this energy, but I would almost swear she was siphoning it straight from that light bulb. Why is it still flickering? Maintenance should have already taken care of that by now.

Pressing the latch to the door, it shot open revealing exhibit B. Hot doctor trembling in place at the foot of my bed as if he just did something unforgivable. It couldn’t possibly have anything to do with the case of the lying little filly, could it?

Flashback turned to look at me, dashing to my hooves, locking his fetlocks together and looking up to me apologetically. “Wavelength! I’m so sorry!” he said with a panic.

“What’s wrong?”

As if I didn’t already know…

“I was watching Ocean Current and then she hopped up on the bed and tore the grate off the shaft and went inside and then she was gone!” He had his hoof pointed in the direction of the open hole in the wall.

“Please don’t be mad at me, I’m sorry and…” I heard her trying to sneak away as tiny clinks of hoof on metal reached my ears. I reeled her back in between Flashback and I with my magic. “…and…and…”

She let a timid smile stretch across her face as she waved her hoof in an attempt to soften the blow. Flashback’s face sank as if he just saw a ghost before wiping a hoof across his forehead with a loud ‘phew.’

“Well, Ocean Current. You’ve spoiled a surprise, kept the cutest doctor in the stable from going to work and disobeyed me once again.” I indicated the shaft with a hoof. “How many times have I told you not to go in the air ducts? It’s dangerous in there, you know that. What do you have to say for yourself?”

“…wanna see me dance?”

“Yeah, I want to see you waltz back to your room. We’ll talk about this later.”

She solemnly walked from my room and to the door next to mine, sliding through the opening after pressing the latch with her magic. After it closed, I exhaled my sternness. Walking through my own door, I practically galloped to my bed and lifted the grate back into place.

Now I feel twice as bad as I had before. Great. Dumb grate…

“One of these days,” Flashback began, “you’re going to have to be a lot less lenient with her.”

“You’re kidding, right? Did you see the look on her face?”

“I’m not saying that you have to be cruel, just tell your parents about some of the stuff she does and let them handle it.”

“You know damn well I can’t do that!” I snapped.

“Why? Simply because you feel that if they find out she isn’t a precious little angel, you believe they’ll cease to love her? Wavelength, I’m not telling you to clip her wings, but she can’t live a life feeling like no matter what she does, she won’t suffer any serious repercussions.”

“What, so you want me to get my parents to hit her? Like your father did to…“ I couldn’t understand the words leaving my mouth. It was like I just took my frustration out on him for no reason. “I…I’m sorry…I’m just under a lot of—“

“Stress? I’m aware and I understand…but right now, I think I’m going to need to be left alone for a while.” He stepped out of the door and looked back. “Try and get some sleep, Wavelength.” With that, the door seemed to slam rather than simply slide back into place.

Flashback was good at hiding his real emotions, but I know when I’ve screwed up. The metal shell he wears around his coat rusts easily from the countless tears I’ve watched him shed. I know him better than anypony in the stable and I know he’s put up with just as much of my baggage as I have with his… and neither of us are very easy to carry.

As I laid my head down and felt it sink into my pillow, I tried to drift, but was only left to dwell…

* * *

“Lately, safety, seems like a passing trend,

It maybe, hasty, but it just has to end…”

I slept off the hangover. Mostly. Yeah, I know I’m bringing that up a little much, but if I didn’t get any rest, the Overstallion was going to be beating a dead horse, too.

Before I left my room, I let a small playlist I set up on the terminal commence. Playing softly over the intercom, the entire stable was filled with Ocean Current’s beautiful voice.

I was currently working out what little remained of my dread with a cold shower. The Overponies had their own private bath, but the rest of the stable has to use public facilities. So, as fate would have it, I wasn’t the only one bathing at the moment.

As the cold water traveled down my spine, I could feel my steady rejuvenation coming to fruition. However, I noticed a few ponies looking at me strangely, almost as if I had no right in being here.

Looks that told me I was somehow contaminating the water supply with my very presence. If I even so much as craned my neck, even with the slightest movement, I could see them look away.

“Imprisoned; we hold our bars like a lifeline,

Imprisoned; trapped for what feels like a lifetime,

Imprisoned; on the inside, looking forever,

Imprisoned; yet we all still stand together…”

Following this routine for only moments longer, I dried off and left without a word. As soon as they thought I was out of earshot, I could hear their voices picking up.

“What the hell was he doing in here?” asked the voice of a stallion.

“Shouldn’t the spoiled fuck have a shower of his own?” asked another.

“Daddy, daddy,” imitated a mare, “if I make more garbage to be played over the intercom, do you think I can be the Overstallion? I’d be the best one ever since I can spew just as much crap!”

That elated some laughter for whatever reason. Honestly, if ignorance is bliss, I’d be in paradise right about now. I’m the DJ of the stable because I was the only one that actually tried to do it.

But I can understand that after a few years or so of most of the same recycled rhythms, ponies don’t enjoy your work as much as they used to. But, again, I live in a stable. That already makes it pretty difficult to be original.

I donned my usual apparel and slowly trotted down the corridor, past my room and headed straight for the cafeteria. This was break time for a majority of the ponies in the stable and though I haven’t done much during the day, I could use a bite to eat.

As I slipped through the large double-doors, I watched as many ponies cantered around one another in order to get from the line and back to their seats and vice versa. Ten lengthy tables expanded over immaculate metal-tiled floors.

Unlike nearly every other nook and cranny of the stable, the walls were completely uncovered of posters. Outside of the makeshift sign dangling over the bar that read “The Apple of my Eye” that sat in the center of a pony’s actual eye. I always guessed it was likely the eye of an Overstallion.

Thankfully, a less-dreadfully-ironic set of lyrics began to enter the cafeteria with the new song that began playing.

“No matter what, we forgive and forget,

Or all that remains is hate and regret…”

I was met with several glances as I trekked toward the end of the line at the bar. I saw Podium, my old teacher, who simply gave a curt nod as I passed by.

Flashback gave me an indecipherable look from the side of his father at their table in the back. I winked at him, but regarding how quickly he turned his head, I could assume he still didn’t want anything to do with me.

Not like I blame him…

The line separated quickly as I shifted my way through the small crowd. When it was my turn to be served, I noticed the only thing spread across the bar were apples. I tapped on the glass to get our ‘honorary chef’s’ attention from behind the counter.

“Hey, Cuisine, what gives? Normally you have more…variety than this.”

“Oh, now you like my cooking,” he said patronizingly. “Perfect, you can tell me what you think of it when you try it at your sister’s cuteceañera tomorrow. Till then, it’s just plain apples.” I raised an eyebrow and he just shrugged. “Overstallion’s orders.”

No matter how hungry I am I can’t eat… ugh, more than one or two.

I snagged a couple in my magic and traversed through the sea of occupied tables. I spotted Ocean Current sitting beside the Overstallion with Barricade practically towering over the two of them from the other side. They were talking and I could easily infer that the little filly already knew about her ‘surprise.’

“One day, we’ll hang our weapons to retire,

Making peace is how we’ll escape the fire…”

Maybe if I just walk away now, he won’t notice—

“Wavelength!” he signaled while waving his hoof in the air.

You know what, Celestia? I don’t appreciate your sense of humor.

I turned with a plastic smile, showing off a set of metal teeth and gleaming glass eyes, or, in other words, with a very artificial enthusiasm. I trotted back over to their table and took a seat next to Barricade. He bit into a fresh apple and chomped audibly as the ever-growing heap of ten cores became eleven.

“I’ve told your sister about your answer,” he told me with a thin smile.

“And was she surprised?” I asked, eying the filly incredulously. She kept her attention focused on the apple she had balanced between her hooves as she nibbled intently.

Ignorance most certainly is bliss. She’s definitely my sister.

“You bet she was. You should have seen her, hopping up and down like an ecstatic little…well…filly.” He put his hoof on top of her head and ruffled her mane. “She really wants to get into it.”

“Yeah,” I replied half-heartedly. I couldn’t keep my eyes off Flashback’s table.

Flashbang was far larger than his son. Not as big as Barricade, but he was at least the second largest pony in the stable, and for a unicorn, that’s impressive. Also, unlike Barricade, I’ve never seen Flashbang without his security barding. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he slept in it.

Looking between the two, the only actual resemblance he had to his son was the purple in their manes. Though, his was entirely purple. His slate-grey eyes were filled with little emotion and his orange coat spread across him like fire.

“…but, the cuteceañera is tomorrow…”

“Uh-huh.”

Sitting across from Flashback and his father was Failsafe, Flashback’s older brother. He worked his way up the ranks in security very quickly, the epitome of following in a father’s hoofsteps.

His mane was a darker shade of purple and his coat a much starker variant of orange in contrast. It was almost as if he was constantly wrapped in his father’s shadow. The biggest and only discernable difference between them was that he was an earth pony.

“…best get started as soon as possible.”

I bit into my own apple as I continued to listen mostly to the sound of him talking rather than what he was actually saying. After a few moments of chewing, I began to notice the silence. I swallowed my mouthful of food and let my ear perk up. Maybe I accidentally completely tuned him out?

“Ouch!”

Barricade just hoofed me in the ribs! He…he…! Well… since I’m not on the floor writhing in pain, it must have been to get my attention.

His eyes were watering as his lower lip was stuck out with a pout. He held the apple core up to me and I just stared at him dumbfounded.

“They only let me take a dozen,” he whined.

With a roll of my eyes, I passed one of my apples to him as he greedily snatched it away without even so much as a thank you.

Humph, well I didn’t want it anyway…

I paced my gaze back in the direction of the Overstallion who had me fixed with a disconcerted look.

“Did…did you say something?” I asked.

He deadpanned. “Get to work on Ocean’s song,” he said without even the slightest hint of emotion.

I took a bite of my apple and continued to stare at him.

“That means now.”

“Oh, you mean right now.”

“Yes.”

I got up from my seat and looked to the little filly across from me. “You ready, O? Wanna get started?”

She nodded and levitated what was left of her apple to Barricade.

“Hey, thanks,” he said.

Hey, wait a minute…

She leapt onto the table, bounced to the top of Barricade’s head and jumped once more, landing right on my back. Ow.

“Be sure to make it a masterpiece,” said the Overstallion, “if not for me, then for her.” That look of admiration I only knew from secondhoof experience broke the surface tension in his eyes as he spoke those words.

“Yes, sir,” I replied as I began to trot from the table with my sister in tow.

“Sir?” I heard him echo as I moved forward. “What ever happened to the mischievous little colt that used to call me dad?”

“Time is the remedy for all wounds healed,

But in due time, truths will be seen revealed…”

#

I have to make something clear.

Yes, I’m the Overponies’ son… but I never exactly called them my ‘parents.’

Parents help their children. As I was ‘struggling’ in my classes, they didn’t make any effort to assist me in improving my grades. They simply told me to do better and continued to allow me to fail.

Parents believe in their children. When I discovered my talent in creating music, they didn’t care. They told me that my grades were far more important than what my cutie mark told me I was good at.

Parents accept their children. I like stallions! How do they react? They make me keep it hidden away from the stable because they fear that their lineage may very well end with me.

So no, my parents weren’t around much when I was in school. No, my parents didn’t recognize my position as a performer in the stable. And no, my parents didn’t support me about my… preferences.

To them, I was just another inhabitant of Stable 47. Not a DJ, not a prodigy, not their son, just another citizen. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I hate them or anything, but the Overponies aren’t my parents.

They’re the politicians, the leaders and the figureheads, but not mom and dad. I can’t even remember the last time we’ve even spoken on terms that weren’t formal. They weren’t parents to me; they were parents to Ocean Current. Because if we don’t remind ourselves every day, history is doomed to repeat itself until we do.

But I feared that too would’ve ended if they ever found out she had a crush on another filly. I told her that when she was ready to let everypony know, she should. She shouldn’t be forced to hide it like I am…

I don’t care what anypony says… my sister deserved to take flight.

* * *

We were back in my room. We were supposed to get started on the song, but when I sat at my terminal to get us on a roll, I only ended up sitting still. My hooves were at my side as my horn glowed. Not having selected something to envelop, I was only wasting my magic. I was just too busy dwelling on things to really focus.

“Wavey?”

Maybe Flashback would forgive me if I just apologized…

“Wa-vey.”

Or maybe I should just keep my distance…

“Wavey!”

My ear perked. “Sorry, O…I’m just a bit distracted. We’ll get started in just a second, but it takes some time before you come up with the first line. You know it has to really capture your audience.”

“It’s not about that, big brother. I just wanted to—“

“O, this isn’t about me starting a diary again, is it?”

Her ears drooped. “But Wavey, you promised!”

“Yeah…I know, I know…and I will. But you know what I’ve been dealing with lately. I can’t just drop everything to help make up for all the time I’ve lost on writing one.”

“O…okay…”

“Please don’t do this with me now, O,” I coaxed. “I promise when everything with the Edge’s blows over, I’ll get started on it right away. I’ll even let you read some of it if you want.”

She gasped. “You can’t read somepony else’s diary! That’s just wrong…”

Okay, d’aww!

“Wait, I know! You can make it my cuteceañera present!”

I blinked. “But…I thought we were working on your—“

“Oh, you’re doing this because you want to! Don’t lie to me, Wavey.” She beamed at me with an indefatigable belief in her own words. “You can do the diary for me!” she squealed, rearing and raising up her forehooves, falling to her back and giggling madly.

I smirked. “We’ll see, O. We’ll see…”

She stood back up, still giggling. “I might even like this one as much as Uncle Flashback’s present!” She wagged her tail back and forth as she said that, showing off the black stripe along the right side.

I swished the gold stripe along the left side of mine into her face, making her spit profusely as I must have accidently grazed her mouth.

“I don’t know…that’s gonna be a pretty tough one to beat.”

“That doesn’t matter, Wavey. Remember what Flashy said!”

“I know…thanks to this, we’ll be right behind each other every step of the way.”

“That’s right!” She leapt up onto my lap and placed her forehooves to my chest. “And don’t you ever forget it!” She closed her eyes and smiled in the most adorable way she could… then her horn glowed. She gripped my uniform, pulling me eye-to-eye as she altered her voice menacingly. “Because if you do, I will devour your soul.”

…what?

She wrapped her tiny forelimbs around my neck and pulled me in for a hug. “I’m just kidding, Wavey.” As she fell away from me, she obviously noticed the startled look on my face. “Wavey?”

“Why did I teach you how to do that?”

* * *

Today is the day!

Ocean Current will be receiving his/her Pipbuck today!

The cuteceañera will be taking place this evening at 7:00 P.M.

The Overstallion will have the stable auditorium prepared for the party and EVERYPONY IS INVITED!

Note: Attendance by everypony is considered mandatory. Those who do not attend the party will be met with severe consequences. If you have a substantial reason pertaining to your absence, please report it to me before 8:00 A.M. tomorrow.

Have a nice day.

- Overstallion Black Tide

This message was sent to every terminal in the stable at approximately six in the morning. Thanks to a certain device on my left forehoof, I received the message fairly soon after it had been sent. Luckily, this time I wasn’t dying a slow, painful death.

It was currently six fifty-five in the evening and a vast majority of the ponies from every wing in the stable had shown up. There were a hoofful of doctors not present, along with a few key workers from maintenance and nearly every member of security bar Flashbang and Failsafe standing guard at the entrance. Even Barricade was sent patrolling in the lower reaches.

The auditorium was easily the largest room in the stable, barring the orchard, as it was built to accommodate the entire populous and then some. This was a good thing, considering there were over three hundred ponies in here at the moment.

It was also the brightest area in the entire stable. The overhead lamps were in closer proximity of one another, so the lighting was far more consistent and less spaced apart.

Balloons dangled limply from strings on the ceiling. Some were positioned so that the light would pass through the vibrant decorations, letting a flash flood of color penetrate the otherwise dismal atmosphere.

Banners brandished the upper nooks of the walls and a large red one hung over the stage with ‘Cuteceañera’ scrawled across it in large, yellow print.

The stage was not anything to truly be admired. It was basically just a large, flat surface at a slightly higher elevation from the rest of the floor. It almost had the appearance of an oversized pedestal with the Overponies standing resolute like a pair of statues near the center.

Cuisine, true to his word, had set up a plethora of different goodies for guests to enjoy. Looking at the spread, I could understand why some of the ponies were already indulging in the festivities.

You never quite realize how much variety acts as the spice of life until it becomes bland I suppose. Tables adorned with fritters, pies, dumplings, juice and even samples of whiskey…

Oh Goddesses, kill it with fire!

I spotted Flashback by the refreshments but decided against making my presence known to him. Though, even if I kept myself scarce, he probably already knew I was here. Regardless, I wasn’t that hungry anyway.

Timidly walking across the stage, I saw my sister trudging along with her head hung low. Her eyes quickly swept over the crowd as she spotted me. I did my best to give her a reassuring smile and she returned the gesture, raising her head proudly and walking a little bit faster.

She took her place center stage between the Overponies; her mother on her right and her father on her left. Both of them appeared overjoyed to have another member of their family becoming an able-bodied inhabitant.

“If I could have your attention, please,” the Overstallion spoke, ushering everypony’s heed to his words. “It is our great pleasure to bestow Ocean Current with the honor of becoming another upstanding citizen of Stable 47.”

He proceeded to reach into his suit pocket, revealing a Pipbuck and a small key. The Overmare immediately swept the items in her magic, manipulated the key into the lock and twisted it.

As the device sprung open, she leaned to her daughter’s ear and whispered something. The filly lifted her right forehoof as the device was subsequently latched on and clicked closed.

The screen flickered to life as my sister regarded the device with little avidity. She gave a sad smile, recognizing her very own Pipbuck, ball and chain not included. Cheers elated from the crowd, some projecting more than others, but they all cheered nonetheless.

Ocean Current took a few steps back, but her father scooted her back into the center with his magic. Scouting through faces in the crowd, he caught me with his gaze and impatiently urged me forward.

I didn’t hesitate… to grab a drink (apple juice, I swear).

As I put the cup to my lips, I felt a force tugging on me as I saw the Overstallion’s horn glowing onyx. I tried to ignore it as I downed the juice, but the Overmare followed along.

Before long, I began skidding across the floor.

Damn these immaculate tiles! I have no grip!

As if that weren’t enough, I witnessed a third, indigo aura surrounding me.

O, you traitor!

I was inches from the stage as I felt myself lift from the floor entirely, rotate to face the crowd and land with a thud in front of the Overponies.

Fourth aura. Teal. I wonder who that could’ve been…

Flashback shot me a wry smile from around his cup.

Very soon after my eye stopped twitching, I cleared my throat as I stood up and my horn began to glow. “First,” I amplified, “I’d like to thank all of you for taking time off your busy schedules to attend my little sister’s cuteceañera.

“Sadly, she talked me into performing a duet with her for this occasion. That means good news and bad news. The bad news is that she’s forcing me sing.”

I already didn’t like the looks I was getting from the audience.

They know this is going to be a mistake just as much as I do… great.

“The good news? She’s still singing, so hopefully that’ll cushion the blow.”

Yeah, I don’t like singing. There’s a reason I record noises. When we were writing the song, I must have forgotten the meaning of the word ‘duet.’ She pressured me into writing my own lyrics, making it rather blatant she wanted me to use my voice. I told her ‘no’ but one look from those pleading eyes made me say ‘I mean yes.’

“I hope you all enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it.”

In other words, if I get booed and she gets a stamping ovation, mission accomplished.

“So without further ado…”

I turned the volume up on my Pipbuck as my horn continued to glow in order to strengthen its resonance and pressed the ‘play recording’ button. The room was filled with a constant rapping of hooves across a desk and the occasional loud clang of a hoof against metal; set for me to kick off the ‘song.’

“Under circumstances that are undefined,

Following a guise that’s sadly undermined,

Determined by what you wish was underlined,

Leaves you wanting more as your hunger pines…”

Singing… yeah, no. I can find loopholes in anything. She just wanted me to use my voice. Talking along to a beat just happened to be right up my alley. The crowd didn’t seem to mind though.

Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.

As my verse continued, I felt a little more at-home than I had in a long time. Ponies weren’t booing me, they weren’t shouting at me to get off the stage; they were just listening.

“…For the longest time we’ve remained silent,

All left wondering exactly where the time went,

But forty-seven, this one is strictly for us,

Now I want y’all to listen up for the angel’s chorus.”

I used my magic to slow down the tempo in order to ease my sister’s way into the song. The crowd, me included, eagerly awaited her to effortlessly bring joy to our ears.

She stammered a note, but she’s never performed in front of an audience before… I could relate to that. I halted the beat entirely and leaned in to whisper the first few lines to her.

Once I pulled away, her lapse in nerves subsided as she projected her voice in the exact way the last line of my verse stated. The rhythm picked back up, lacking the rapping of hooves meaning the clang against metal became more prominent in her verse.

“Why must we hide away?

Be taken to another place,

To never see the light of day,

Please come back and give us grace…”

This was better than I could have hoped! They may have liked how my verse sounded, but I loved that they felt what she was singing. The Overmare was tearing up and the Overstallion held a seldom look of admiration in his eyes. I scoped the crowd and saw Flashback toting an adoring smirk.

Is that forgiveness I see?

“The envy of the grass,

The sadness of the sky,

We’ll see it again,

You and I.”

I… I’m not crying, it’s liquid pride, I promise!

I lifted a hoof to dry my eyes of how proud I was and attempted to get back into the spotlight. My voice was cracking, but to my surprise, my sister hopped on my back and whispered the first few lines in my ear.

“Each and every one of us, the ones who listened,

Treading down these halls with tunnel vision,

How many trials we’ve endured, met with all-errors,

Burdening mantles of the dead like pallbearers…”

I flowed through my next set of lyrics without another hitch. All thanks to that little filly gearing up for her second verse. Still atop my back, her stage presence multiplied indefinitely as I finished my final lines of the… I guess it really is a song.

She bled her heart and poured all of herself into singing her last verse. The beat came to its halt and the song came to a close with a final, lengthened clang against metal; the closest thing I could find for a gong-sound during the final notes.

Or so I thought as my sister wanted me to sing the last two lines with her. Already used to the routine of telling her no, I gave in and acquiesced. The beat gone, I kept my eyes on Flashback as I uttered the last lines once more with my sister.

“We’ll see it again,

You and I…”

The audience broke into nearly unanimous applause. I turned to see my sister still standing atop my back. I apparently wasn’t the only pony who had someone in mind when they sang. I followed her line of sight and saw another filly with a midnight-blue mane and mauve coat who was, to my amusement, staring back with wide turquoise eyes.

She hopped off my back and trotted toward the other filly as her mother followed in hot pursuit. I stepped off the stage and trotted toward the refreshments where Flashback sat with a smile. Whether out of happiness because of the song or out of mirth due to my singing, I didn’t know.

I stood near him, but I pretended not to have any meaning for being over there other than to get a drink. I lifted a cup and ladle and poured myself a serving of fresh apple juice.

“Hooves down,” he started, “that was the nicest thing you have ever done for this stable.” His eyes faced forward, away from me, but I hoped I knew who that was directed at. “You know, you should use that voice of yours more often.”

“Hehe, you really think so?”

“Indeed.” He set me with his gaze. “Sadly, not anytime soon.”

“Why’s that?” I asked as I tilted the cup to my muzzle.

“Because later, your mouth is going to be a bit preoccupied. You just look so adorable when you’re nervous.”

Take the ripest red delicious apple you can find, cross breed that with a cherry tomato and then paint that red. You’d be at least a fraction closer to how harshly my cheeks flushed… I nearly spat out my apple juice.

“I’ll see you in a while.” He turned and began to leave. “Oh, and Wavelength?” I watched him from the corner of my eye. “I happen to remember a certain promise I made to you yesterday that I intend to keep.”

With that, he walked away and I was left to ponder exactly what… he… meant… WHOOPEE! Happy in ways that nopony would believe, I practically skipped toward the exit.

“Wavelength,” came the voice of the Overstallion from behind me.

Oh, come on, what did I do now?

“May I speak with you for a moment?” I turned to him as I was met with a much kinder pair of eyes than what I’ve become accustomed to; the eyes of my father. “Thank you for doing that for Ocean. It…it really meant the stable to her.”

I half-scoffed. “Oh, that? That was…it was no problem. I’d do anything for her.”

“Yes, well, your mother talked me into this. I’m going to let you be on your way…but, I know you probably already have plans with Flashback. I need to borrow him for a bit, but rest assured I’ll send him directly to your room afterwards.”

Nope. I’m not buying it.

“I didn’t expect that from you…what’s the catch?”

“No catch, just trying to be…nice.”

I raised my eyebrow, but he didn’t flinch. “…thank you.” I don’t think I’ve ever meant those two words more in my life, especially to him.

My father let a kind smile etch across his face. “If you want, I can even procure some of Cuisine’s whis—“

“No!” I blurted. “No, no that…that’s okay. Thanks though.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted my sister and mother with that dark-maned filly. Judging by the look of embarrassment on my sister’s face and the other filly covering her mouth with a hoof to stifle giggles, mom was using pet names.

“Um, can’t Flashback and I just leave together? Just this once?”

The look on his face said it all. “I’m sorry, Wavelength, but you know I can’t allow that.” I had a feeling I may have been overstepping my boundaries, but, sadly, I watched my father revert back to the Overstallion with just a simple sentence.

“Okay…thanks anyway.” I walked from the auditorium, toward Flashbang and Failsafe’s little post-up.

Failsafe reached out a hoof and patted me on the back just as I was about to leave. I turned back to look at him with narrowed eyes as he just shrugged.

“What? Just wanted to say nice job, dude.”

I relaxed slightly. “Th-thanks.”

“You got it.”

I looked to Flashbang, who gave me a simple nod which I returned. I extended a hoof and pushed my way through the double-doors into the canteen. From outside, I heard the Overstallion speak.

“It’s time for us to turn in, but to those of you who wish to mingle, please feel free. We’ve had a rough few weeks and you all deserve a little time for yourselves. Please enjoy your time off, because it’s right back to work tomorrow.”

Ooof course it is…

Suddenly, I felt a gust of wind sail across my back as I heard the double-doors flap open. I turned my head in a state of perpetual horror, watching Ocean Current launch herself from the floor and clasp her entire body around my neck.

“Wavey!” she squeaked out with increased effort through her vice-grip glomp. “Now that I gots my PipBuck, can you do something for me?”

* * *

“Eeee! Oh my Goddesses! Wa-vey!” My sister’s face was lighting up in a way that flickering bulb in the hallway never could. A cord connected my sister’s foreleg to a small port in my terminal. “This is the coolest thing ever!”

“Hey, I didn’t think it was very fair when I got my PipBuck and had to start from…hehe, Vinyl Scratch.”

Oh wow, I crack myself up…!

Her head slowly turned toward me. “That was a dumb joke, Wavey.”

“Heehehe, then why am I laughing?”

“’Cause ya got poor taste.”

“Hehe, wow…you know that runs in the family, right?”

“I know. I’m working with you, aren’t I?”

“Well that was snippy. Spending a little too much time with Flashback, are we?”

She raised a hoof, waving me off. “Aw, chill, bro.”

Uh… “Barricade?”

“Failsafe.”

“Oh, okay, O…since when have you been spending time with Failsafe?”

“Why do you sound so worried?”

“Because…Failsafe is scum, why else?”

“Failsafe isn’t scum, Wavey. He’s like a whole ‘nother uncle!”

“Oh-ho-ho-hokay, that’s not how that works, O.”

“Yes it is. Flashy’s my uncle, right? Failsafe and Flashy are brothers so that means Failsafe is also my uncle.”

“Well, Flash’s a special case.”

“Why?”

“I…uh…I don’t…know what else to call him.”

“Why not your coltfriend?”

“You…you’re just full of loaded questions, aren’t you?”

“Headshot!” Her tiny hoof rocketed up to my cheek, holding it there while rolling it in tiny circles. “Bang!” She giggled out.

She has been talking to Failsafe.

Using my own hoof to lower hers from my face, I looked her right in the eye and said what needed to be said. “I want you to know that even two seconds of eye-contact is more time than I want you spending around that pony. Do you understand me, Ocean Current?”

Yeah, I used your whole name; you better know I’m serious.

“Yes, Wave-length, I understand…”

“Good,” I exhaled. “Now that we’re clear on that, we still have to talk about this air-duct thi—“

My terminal beeped several times in lieu of a progress update.

“Download’s done!” she squeaked out, tugging the end of the cord that was inserted into her PipBuck. Letting it flop to the floor as she hastily scrambled away, she used her magic to quickly open the door. “Thanks for the songs, Wavey!”

“Hey, get back here!”

“Yeah, you should get started on that diary! G’night!”

And she was gone.

My ten-year-old sister picked up my system a little too easily…

Just then, that flickering light bulb popped right out into blackness.

“Not yet?! Really Maintenance?” I shouted in harsh whispers. “You had somewhere around one hundred and seventy-three jobs to do and you couldn’t find the time to change a single, stupid light bulb?!

“Complaints will be filed, I hereby say—AH-Ha-holy steaming piles of—“

“So, you don’t want your light bulb changed, then? ‘Cuz that’s what I just heard.”

The maintenance pony pursed her lips into a smile that irked me in many of the wrong ways there is to irk me. She was, after all, the only mare in the showers at the time.

“Gee, and I came all the way here to fix that little problem, and now you just up and change your mind on me? Well, no light bulbs for you then, bucko.” She tapped a forehoof along the box of bulbs on her back as she turned and began walking away.

“Whoa, hey, you’re just gonna leave me hanging here? I thought you were supposed to be doing your job! Y’know what? Here,” I let my magic do the light bulb’s job and illuminated the hallway, “I’m a unicorn, just give me the damn thing and I’ll change it.”

“Actually, as long as you got that attitude, I’m pretty sure it’s your fault for not filing a request to have that thing changed. So, in other words, not my problem. Have a good night, Wavelength.”

She turned down the other end of the corridor and left my line of sight entirely. Giving one last look to the dead bulb with a shallow annoyance, I waltzed back into my room and pressed the latch for the door.

So… diary…

* * *

Still in my room. The lights were off and I was sitting in front of my terminal; the blank screen’s glow giving me enough of an idea on how tedious writing this thing could be. But, I’m keeping my word and trying to get the first few sentences of a diary on the screen… at least until Flashback gets here. Though, focusing was becoming a little difficult. The party was beginning to get far more rowdy than it had been when I was back in there.

There were shouts coming from the auditorium that carried through the halls and reached my room, leaving me wondering exactly what they were doing to cause such a ruckus… or maybe a fracas.

The beep of the intercom sounded. Not just in my room either as I heard it rebound against the walls from outside. “Security teams, get to the auditorium now. There’s a situation that requires force to deal with.”

I guess a fight broke out… I had a feeling the whiskey may have been a bad idea.

Soon after, I heard a knock upon my door. Knowing it was Flashback, I raised myself from my chair and approached the panel. As it slid open, I saw the silhouette of him standing before me. I suddenly gained a new appreciation in how inconvenient a lack of light could be as the darkness enveloped him.

“Hey, sexy,” I said, turning on the lights. “You ready to…” I stared at him with disbelief. His right eye was completely swollen closed and a small, dried stream of blood trailed down his mouth. “Flash, what…did your dad—“

“Please,” he interrupted, “come with me.”

“Flashback, what happened?”

“The Overstallion can fill you in on the details, but you have to come with me.” His eyes were filled with tears as he reached a hoof out to get me to follow. “Please.” I wasn’t one to argue, though I feel as if I should.

“O-okay.”

Flashback turned and began walking in the direction of the Overponies’ office. I followed as the sound of the party began to escalate while we neared the intersection.

“Flash? What’s going on in there?”

“The Overponies can explain, please just come on.”

As I neared the Overponies’ office, I couldn’t help but notice there was no security detail on duty. Normally, at this time, Nightwatch would be guarding their door, but he was nowhere in sight. His office was dark; no light escaped the window as it was unoccupied.

I had a bad feeling as the two of us stood before the large hatch to the office. I stared upward toward the camera as if it would tell me what was going on itself. Flashback knocked on the door… moments later, it slid open.

Who stood before us was not the Overstallion, not the Overmare, not even Nightwatch. His spiked tan mane and light orange coat layered his form like a bad omen as he focused on me with brown, bloodshot eyes that echoed his malice.

“Hey there, sweetheart,” said Switchblade.

I took a hesitant step back.

What the hell is Switchblade doing in here? He’s supposed to be locked up in the holding cell! How did he—

“Wavelength,” sounded another voice from behind him. One I haven’t heard in a long time, but still his first impression haunts me. “Come in and have a seat.” Switchblade stepped to the side, revealing the elusive ghost of the Edges. “I insist.”

He held a metal object in a warped pink aura, pointed directly at me. I felt myself tremble as I recognized it from occasional visits to the forge, armory and textbook analyses on the implements of war.

It was a gun.

His long, white mane reached down and embraced his light pink coat like a hollowed cowl. A stoic green glare accented his ability to despise even the most insignificant of inconveniences as he regarded me. Claymore aimed the weapon and jerked it ever so slightly, beckoning me inside. Flashback fixed me with a sorrowful look as I eased my steps through the doorway.

The Overponies sat in the far corner, hostage to the situation just as much as I was certain I now was. Switchblade forced me down to my haunches as I was seated next to them along with Flashback.

“Flash…what…?”

“They said if I didn’t bring you here, they’d hunt you down…” Tears streamed down his muzzle as he hung his head in defeat and his mane shielded his eyes. “Please…don’t hate me for this.”

I could only remain silent. I wasn’t mad at him, but I… I…

Oh Goddesses…

Even the scant amount of the composure I was retaining dwindled further as I caught the image of the crumpled and still form of Nightwatch on the other side of the room. His eyes were glazed over and staring outward as a stream of blood seeped from an open wound split across his neck. I didn’t know him very well, but he…

“My work,” Switchblade cooed mockingly as he gripped my head with his hooves, forcing me to stare. “Do ya like it?” he laughed. That laugh… that sickening laugh that only he could manage.

I felt the memories of him sitting atop me with his two friends pinning me down shattering the levees in my head, leaving the pain in my ribs to flood over me.

“Had to get in here somehow. A knife against your throat’s pretty convincin’ y’know.”

I turned my head and shut my eyes, just trying to force myself to think of something else. “Switchblade,” Claymore spoke. “Leave him be for now.” I heard a distinct metallic click, but I refused to open my eyes.

“I wish to make one thing clear, if I see any of your horns glow, I will not hesitate to shoot you. Now, we’ll try this once more before I resort to…different measures. Tell me, Overstallion, what is the password to access your terminal and open the stable door?”

“Please,” I heard a different female voice intone with sincerity, “we want as few ponies to be hurt as possible, just tell us and we can go.” I opened my eyes and looked for the source of the new voice.

Sitting in the Overstallion’s chair was a unicorn mare with a carmine coat and blood-red mane that clasped over and covered her left eye. Her one visible cyan eye expressed genuine disdain of the situation. Obviously, she didn’t want to be here.

Then, looking between the three of them, I noticed none of them were wearing Pipbucks. It hadn’t really crossed my mind that it mattered at the moment, but, I guess to me it seemed somewhat noteworthy.

“If that were true, this senseless violence I’m seeing in the auditorium wouldn’t be occurring, would it?” retorted the Overstallion.

My eyes traveled to the monitors. What I saw could only be described as… a massacre. The Edges, more than twenty of the bastards, were cornering and beating innocent ponies, each carrying one of their forged knives, either in their teeth or in a field of magic.

A small family was huddled together. An older stallion, most likely the father, stood between a mare and a filly, his teeth bared as a knife-wielding unicorn slowly strafed around them. The unicorn shot forward. The earth pony reared in preparation, only to have the knife glide directly into his neck. When he went down, the unicorn went straight for his family…

Why…?

My eyes averted… different monitor…

“Simply a precaution so none of your security teams come to interrupt us,” Claymore stated. “If I’m correct, they should be arriving to break up that party, or at least attempt to, as soon as they realize the severity of our distraction… Oh, would you look at that one? Vim and vigor all around…”

He was referring to Flashback’s father, who was being assaulted by two, an earth pony and a unicorn, both stallions. The earth pony charged him, knife in his jaw’s grip. A quick thrust of a baton into his throat caused him to crumple and slide past the prepared officer, a hoof clasped around the point of impact.

The unicorn shot his knife forward in his field, though, the larger unicorn knocked it away with a quick baton swipe. Before long, the earth pony rose from behind him, immediately taking the opportunity to pounce him. As the old security unicorn quickly sidestepped his original attacker, the Edge unicorn took initiative, sending the knife straight for his eye…and it connected…

“But it only lasts so long…”

“Clay,” the unicorn mare uttered his name forcefully, “enough with the sadism. I have as much reason to hate as you, but let the goal come before the grudge.”

A group of five was blocking the exit as anypony that made an attempt to escape was struck down. It was clear whether the blow was to subdue or be lethal was up to the assailant.

He stared at the monitors patiently as one of his members was thrown back. Barricade was leading a charge into the auditorium with several security ponies stampeding in accordance.

“I ask again, what is the password?” The gun was aimed at the Overstallion. He didn’t falter even as he stared death in the face.

I was scared. It hurt to think about it in the way I did, but I took solace knowing that none of my family was in that auditorium. It was a selfish thought…but one that kept me from letting my flimsy resolve disintegrate.

Not like we're much safer in here...

My eyes trained back over the monitors as my attention was garnered by something else. I looked up to the ventilation shaft above me and to Ocean Current, silently watching the events unfold before her.

My sister met my gaze and gave me a fearful grimace. Claymore wasn’t paying me any mind. The red mare had her eyes glued to the terminal in front of her. Switchblade was behind me and couldn’t see where my attentions were focused.

Seizing the opportunity, I made sure my sister was paying attention with a subtle curling of my fetlock toward myself. As she gave a small nod, I passed my eyes between her and the monitors twice.

She looked to the monitors and then back to me. I lightly tapped my right hoof on the floor and gingerly rubbed my horn with my left one, hoping that Switchblade wouldn’t take it suspiciously.

Please, O… please understand…

Her horn began to glow as her aura enveloped the small button to the intercom system. Thank the Goddesses! The red light displaying the intercom being active lit up. Barricade and other members of security perked up at the beep of the intercom that must have sounded.

“It’s ‘obituary,’” answered the Overmare.

I watched as the red mare used her magic to key in the word, only to receive a set of harsh beeps informing her of the mistake.

“Is it? Do you think me foolish?” Claymore asked brusquely.

“Of course not, but I’d sooner have that written than give you the password.”

Claymore swerved his gun in my direction. “What about his obituary?” The barrel began drifting toward me. “Wavelength, twenty-four, death by archaic contraption designed to do its job…successors…none. Something along those lines?”

This is what true fear is like. Feeling absolutely helpless to a situation while you can see your life on the line and the open scissors inching ever closer. I instinctively reeled back from the weapon, but I felt Switchblade’s hooves holding me from my shoulders as he stood at my side. I tried to keep the fear from consuming me as I moved my eyes to the monitors.

Barricade obviously heard what was going on as he was plowing through various Edges, barreling toward the auditorium’s exit. One Edge hopped on his back and began to ruthlessly stab at his barding. He tried to ignore it, but another one bounded for him, then another and another…

…then he collapsed…

“You point that thing away from my son this instant!” shouted the voice of my father.

“Strange, where's your conviction?” Claymore mocked. “Are your lives truly of lesser importance?” The gun moved closer to me as he spoke. “Perhaps your son is of a higher degree of concern to you?”

My mom grit her teeth as my dad looked between me and the weapon before he hung his head. “The password to the terminal is ‘alpha brought one miracle.’”

…what?

Claymore slowly eased the gun away from me, garnering a disgusted look as my father seethed at him. “And the password to open the stable door is ‘omega brought another.’ Just take it and leave!”

Claymore smirked. “Katana, type it in.” He ordered and she obeyed. Her magic tapped away at the keys as two beeps signaled her success. “And while you’re at it, change the password to the door to ensure no interruptions.”

On the monitors, I witnessed Barricade starting to rise. One Edge’s head was pulled back, a trail of blood streamed from a small hole blown into his forehead. Then he toppled over. Failsafe reached the auditorium, his mouth toting a gun as he took another shot. Another Edge fell.

The last two finally acknowledged their new threat, but had no time to react as Flashbang sprinted for both of them, taking them off Barricade’s back. When the three of them touched the floor, the security unicorn pummeled them with no remorse.

Shouting something back to the both of them, Barricade tore out of the auditorium and into the cafeteria. He started passing by various camera angles, making his way to us.

Damn it! With the password changed… maybe I can get my sister to open the door…

Katana continued to manipulate the keys as she smiled and stepped away from the desk. Her horn still aglow, she pressed one final key.

The chair began to slide back along with the floor beneath it, revealing a long set of stairs. The desk began to ascend on four long metal poles. As it lifted, it gave a clear passage downward. Claymore looked into the darkness of the stairwell and smiled eagerly.

They… they’re going to get away with this… I can’t let that happen, they have to pay for this somehow… I have to bide time for Barricade to get here!

“Claymore, why are you doing this?” was all I could think of.

He turned to me. “Alpha,” he stated flatly.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

He seemed taken aback by the question. “Alpha has everything to do with this!” he shouted. “This stable…this Goddess-forsaken stable took away everyone’s free will! I wasn’t supposed to be here!

“The Overponies blind obedience to Stable-Tec’s arbitrary laws nearly wiped it out…forced a life of misery on my sister and I…” He scoffed. “Hell, even you and your coltfriend are probably male because of it…it stole our lives from us!”

Flashback left his state of inertia and regarded Claymore through his mane, staring dumbfounded. “How did you—“

“It’s obvious! You two love each other. I can feel it. There is nothing in here for me like that!” He began to break down. Every machination of his mind was crumbling before my very eyes.

“After my mom passed on, no one cared for us…we were alienated simply due to appearances. The one that was supposed to? He doesn’t give a damn about us! If it weren’t for one another, we’d have died years ago! We have no more reason to be here than the wind!

He’s serious. This is what all of this is about? Forming the Edges, planning a massive attack in the stable, holding us hostage… It was all so he could escape?

“We hav—”

His eyes trailed to the monitors. The one displaying the camera view from just outside showed Barricade keying in the password to open it. Claymore’s eyes widened as he turned to the door, breathing rapidly as he aimed for the hatch.

“Katana, is the password changed?”

“Uh, yeah? What do you think I was doing before?” she answered smartly.

He turned his head toward the monitors, noticing Barricade’s obvious frustration as his attempt to key in the phrase must have failed. My uncle turned, sending a hard buck into the hatch that made each of us quail from the devastating impact. He followed with more; pressing an increasing effort into each thrust of his hind legs… it was beginning to dent…

“You!” Claymore harshly shouted, turning the gun toward my father. “You led him here! I don’t know how, I don’t know when, but this was not by chance!”

Katana put a hoof on her brother’s shoulder. “Clay, we can leave, let’s just go,” she tried to reason. The gun in Claymore’s telekinetic grip began to slowly rise.

My father stood his ground, not denying it at all. Why?

“Wait!” I pleaded. “It was me! I did it!”

Everypony stared at me, Claymore included. The weapon trembled.

BANG!

I shut my eyes and cringed. The sound of the gun going off ripped through my ears with unbridled force.

“Tide!” I heard my mom scream. I opened my eyes and looked to where my father sat. He stared vacantly outward as an open hole in his chest began to pool red, expanding over the front of his dark blue attire. He looked down and only seemed to note his wound before toppling to the floor.

No…

“Dad!” I scurried to his side as his breathing became unsteady. I panicked as I frantically tried to stop the bleeding, pressing my hooves over his chest.

I looked to Flashback for help, but he only glanced at the point of impact before his head sank behind his mane again. He knew as well as I do that there’s nothing that can be done…

I looked to the ventilation shaft, praying that my sister didn’t just see that…only to know that would be a foolish hope. For the time being, however, she only held her forehooves to her ears, her eyes shut tightly as she cringed and trembled. The gunshot must have scared her…

I saw as Claymore trembled feebly, clenching his eyes as the nose of his pistol exuded a thin trail of smoke. Opening his eyes, he faced the camera angle still displaying Barricade’s egregious, yet weakening efforts to break in, putting another round through the monitor. His magic fell as the gun clattered to the floor and he wrapped a hoof around his stomach, retching uncontrollably.

I heard Switchblade scoff behind me. “Goddesses, you are such a pansy.”

Katana put a hoof over her brother’s back. “I’m not cut out for the dirty work…” he said coldly, wiping a hoof along his mouth before spitting and shakily raising himself.

I grit my teeth, trying my best to ignore him.

My mother took my father’s hoof in her own as she openly shed her tears… my own came without warning, feeling utterly consumed by defeat. He only looked up to me with a stupid smile plastered across his face...

“Damn it,” I wiped a hoof along my eyes, half-expecting his smile to disappear by the time I looked back down at him. “What the hell are you smiling for? What’s the joke, dad? Tell me the fu—“

“Y-you…called me…dad…”

…

His hoof fell from my mom’s limply as he exhaled his final breath. His eyes became dull and listless as he slipped from my grasp. That smile was still sitting there… unmoving…

My dad is…

“Daddy!” I heard my sister yell from the air duct. Everypony faced her…Claymore included.

With his magic, he pulled the grate away and let it clatter to the floor. My sister squeaked and tried to squirm back into the duct, but he pulled her from her place of safety as she screamed. He held her in his aura, between him and us, letting the gun rest against her temple.

“Good, more leverage,” he stated with an inhibited lack of emotion.

I… I can’t breathe…

“Clay, no!” Katana shouted at him. “We’ve done enough!”

“No,” he gave her a glance from the corner of his eye. “Added assurance never hurt anyone’s chances.” He eyed us once again. “Open that door,” he said as he cocked his head in the direction of the hatch, “she dies.”

“No!” my mom’s horn began to glow, her aura dominating Claymore’s as fury embedded itself in her eyes. “You put her down now!” There was a flash of motion. Suddenly my mother was grasping her throat as blood started to pour down her chest.

“Oh, just shut up!” rasped Switchblade, his hoof-blade dripping red. “See Clay? Not that hard.”

“Mommy!” screamed my sister.

I watched as my mom fell limp. Nopony’s even laid a hoof on me… but I was beginning to feel my own emotions attempting to suffocate me. I blurrily regarded her… lying there, with shock utterly consuming her eyes.

Flashback’s horn glowed. “Crescent,” he said softly as his horn began to shine, surrounding his aura over her wound, “stay very still. I’m going to stop the bleeding, but you have to stay still.”

Claymore swung the gun around again and aimed at my coltfriend, but a dark red aura completely overtook his. He was taken by surprise as Katana forced his means of dominance away from him.

“Let. Him,” she quietly demanded.

Switchblade started laughing. “You just don’t get it…we’re in control! You spoiled foals have been living the good life, but now the Edges can do whatever we want! For instance…”

He gestured for Claymore to hand over my sister, who hesitated for a moment before nodding, slowly passing her to him. My sister cringed as the wretched stallion held her in his foreleg, knife at her throat.

“This little brat gets her cutie mark and everypony has to go to her stupid party. All because the Overponies got so excited about this blue squiggly line on her flanks.”

He brought one of his hoof-blades toward her cutie mark and scraped downward, making her scream horribly. At that moment, any fear or sadness I had was immediately wiped out, being replaced with the most gripping anger I’ve ever felt in my life.

“What a useless talent…the only thing she’s good for is bein’ our ticket outta here. And check it! Your folks are bleedin’ out and you ain’t allowed to make a move to help neither of ‘em.”

“I didn’t want any of this…I just want to leave.” Katana scowled as she started down the stairway, gun in tow. She let out an agitated grunt, turning to Switchblade. “If I find out you killed her or any more of these ponies, and I will, you’ll die the moment you find us. You get to think about that.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I ain’t got any plans to kill ‘em.” He shot me a wicked look. “But they’re sure as hell gonna remember me.”

Her eyes narrowed. With that, she walked on, leaving us. Claymore slowly followed as I heard a door creak open that Katana must have passed through.

He looked back at us. “Switchblade…?”

“You go on ahead,” he said, “it’s just more…hehe, catching up I’ll have to do.”

Claymore shook his head, continuing down the stairwell. Shortly after, I heard a door shut as he followed his sister.

Switchblade turned back to me. “Now Way-length, I think it’s time we finished our business. You’d prolly have a good bunch’a jollies chasin’ us down. But, care ‘bout your sister at all, and, wild guess, I think you do…you’re gonna stay right where you are and keep that door locked. Do that, and we’ll let her go.”

He looked toward the stairs, but paused for a moment before smiling at me.

“Y’know, on second thought, maybe I’ll just keep her.” Pushing his muzzle into her mane, he took a deep whiff. “Yeah,” he exhaled sickeningly. “She might make a good little broodmare for the crew. After all, there’s lots of lonely colts out there.”

“Switchblade,” I uttered his name dangerously. “Let her go. Leave. And I’ll pretend I didn’t just hear you say that.”

“Oh, really?” he taunted as he dragged his tongue along her cheek.

“DON’T TOUCH HER!”

I’m going to kill him. If he keeps pushing these buttons, he’s going to die.

Giving a timid look up to Switchblade, my sister spoke. “You d-don’t need to listen to my big brother. I don’t.” She looked to me and winked… It seemed so out of place for the look of fear in her eyes. “I-I really like that idea, m-m-mister stallion.”

His eyes trailed down to her, appearing more than just a little confused. I know her well enough to understand where she’s trying to go with this, but he didn’t. She was trying to talk her way out of it, but I saw an opportunity I greatly wanted to take advantage of.

Holding the knife against her with less pressure, he lowered his guard. With a sharp laugh, he turned his gaze back to me. He started his sentence with a smirk.

“See? Your little sister knows her pl—”

He gagged on his words. The smirk slowly morphed into a placid, distant look upon seeing my horn’s glow. He didn’t have enough time to react by the moment he noticed I’d slipped off his hoofblade. I had already shoved it far into the left side of his neck. Upon realizing what I’d done, he shut his eyes and let out a gurgling laughter.

“Ya know what’cha jus’ did, right?” he choked out with exertion.

I didn’t right then…it was so sudden…

My sister’s yelp only lasted a moment as Switchblade slammed her to the floor, audibly knocking the wind out of her. Instinct took over my entire body when his hoof came over her head. I rocketed forward. It hadn’t even registered that he’d already brought his hoof down…

I… I’m not sure what happened next…

I lowered my head and charged…

…

Blood pouring down my face…

…

Switchblade was on the floor…

…

Shouts for me to stop…

…

Pushing him, stomping his face…

…

I lost count of how many times I hit him…

…

The door opened…

* * *

“Let me go! Let me go! That bastard’s still breathing, let me go!”

Flashback had opened the door for Barricade and several members of security. Flashbang pulled me away from Switchblade. I thrashed in their hold, catching glimpses of teams of doctors striding through, retrieving my mom and sister. A few hovered around my dad… but…

I caught a glimpse of Barricade, limping and favoring the placement of weight on his forehooves, moving toward my father. He was taking it especially hard. He loomed over his brother’s form and only stared at him. That immobile smile forever carved into his still being.

“Ground down to the hilt,” Barricade muttered, “just like we said, eh, bro?”

I was dragged from the room by Flashbang, Flashback and another doctor. I struggled to get away from them, but was only met with a more firm restraint. I tried. The procrastinator in me has never tried so hard in its life.

“Let me end him! I never want to see him again, let me—“

“Wavelength!” I was cut off by the ordered tone of Flashbang. “I can tell from looking at him that he won’t make it. You’ve done enough.” I looked to him, his right eye still streaming several narrow trails of blood. “Now stop struggling and let us help you.”

At that, I gave in. Acquiescing to a notion I had no desire to.

As I was laid on the mattress of one of the beds in the medical bay, a nurse was trying to clean me off, probably checking for injuries. I looked on either side of me. Mom was on my left, a doctor carefully bandaging her neck as several IVs pumped fluid into her.

From the scant words I overheard from the doctors that retrieved my sister, she was being taken into surgery. Switchblade had cracked her skull and the doctors were having a hard time stopping the swelling…

Flashbang and the other doctor who had retrieved me immediately left, but Flashback simply stared at me for a good amount of time. I had no idea what was running through his mind as he looked me over. An outer layer of fear coated his metal shell, quickly becoming the only emotion I could feel coming from him.

Before long, he exited my room silently, leaving the nurse to continue working on me. As she dabbed and wiped the rag around my head, I noticed the crimson that coated it with each pass. After she discarded the first rag and went retrieving a new one, I zoned out, my mind wandering without a destination.

I stared at the same spot on the floor for what felt like hours. There wasn’t anything special about that particular metal tile, but I focused on it as if it held the secrets to life’s mysteries.

The nurse returned to me, raising the new rag to my head only for me to hold a hoof up, blocking it in protest. “You can stop now…none of it’s mine.” At the statement, she seemed to shrink back from me. She said nothing, only offering several small nods as she left me be, going to work on somepony else.

On my right, I noticed Podium propped up with a doctor thoroughly examining a wound on his shoulder that he must have incurred in the auditorium. I’m not sure what possessed me to even acknowledge him, but I guess I was just reaching out of instinct.

“Hey, teach,” I said rather quietly.

“Wavelength,” he replied curtly.

I wasn’t planning on saying anything else… but it just came out…

“What happened to your shoulder?”

“Defending a helpless filly,” explained the doctor. “Brave pony, your teacher is.”

“Sounds just like you, considering you taught me. What, was I too much of a challenge? Had to step down to petty fights?”

“Ha, don’t go around tellin’ ponies I taught you. My reputation’d be at stake.” As the bandage was coiled around his shoulder, he winced. “You look like a spitting image of Tartarus. What’re you in for?”

He peered around to the other side of me, seeing my mother. Then the electrocardiogram beeped to life. I turned at the sound, watching my cutie mark flash across its screen. Each beep that followed felt like the visage of an artist attempting to keep a legacy alive. The gauze was elegantly wrapped around her open wound, highlighting the injury in crimson.

“Dear Goddesses, what happened?”

…

* * *

Barely eight hours had passed since the incident, and already the day continued as it normally would. In. Now we were all waiting for the out…

After my treatment, I had been sent back to my room to go to sleep. Just to be safe, I kept the lights in my room on overnight. I’d have figured sleep to be impossible, all things considered, but, in the end, I just hit my mattress and plummeted into slumber. Of course, I only received roughly an hour’s rest before the alarm in my Pipbuck, now as a reminder of what I lost, blared in my ears.

I didn’t want to move, but a hoof lifted mine and tapped my Pipbuck, shutting it off. As I creaked open an eye, I saw the large form of Barricade looming over me, even as he sat beside me.

“Barricade?” I stirred. “What’s going on?” I sat up in my bed and met him at eye-level. I noted his new facial injury; a small cut barely concealed behind a strand of his mane, just above his eyebrow. He was absent of his barding, brandishing the regular stable attire. He seemed so much smaller without it, but still he dwarfed me.

“Sorry,” he spoke solemnly.

“For waking me? Don’t worry…the alarm already took care of that.”

“For not getting there sooner.”

Oh…

“It’s not your fault, Uncle Barricade. I saw the chaos in the auditorium. There wasn’t anything you could’ve done.” I tried to sound as sincere as possible. “I’m sure dad would’ve been happy knowing that you were protecting everypony.”

“That’s not the point,” his usually monotone voice cracked. “I didn’t get there soon enough and now you have to take up his mantle. Knowing him, he would want you to take good care of the stable.”

“I…” The stable… I’m the next oldest male unicorn in the family… “I’m the Overstallion?” He nodded. I allowed my head to slump into my hooves as I felt a massive weight crash onto my shoulders. “But…”

“I know you probably aren’t prepared, but don’t worry. Bro always said that the spell to keep the orchard alive was pretty simple. Everything else should come naturally more or less…” He paused in thought for a moment, cracking his jaw with a hoof. “Though, thinking back, you’ve never really been the responsible type.”

I lifted my head from my hooves and stared at him with disbelief. “You come in here to remind me of that, then you feel the need to chastise me?”

He blinked before turning slightly, rummaging for something behind him. “Here,” he said, holding a carefully folded object out to me. “Bro would’ve wanted you to have this.”

I levitated it, enveloping it in a yellow glow as it unraveled before me. “Why don’cha try it on?” It had the distinct appearance of a black…robe…

My father’s mantle, in a much more literal sense, is basically a robe passed down from Overstallion to Overstallion. The term ‘hoof-me-down’ can’t exactly apply to it.

“I can’t wear this.”

No matter how long this piece of fabric has been in existence, it hasn’t received even the slightest bit of damage: no rips or tears, all of the stitching remained intact… not even a single stain. The bottom-line, however, is that I just can’t wear it.

“’Cause you feel like you aren’t worthy?”

“No, I just always thought it looked kind of dumb.” I carefully laid the robe next to me atop my bedspread.

“Glad I’m not the only one.” We both shared an awkward moment of solace as I feigned a weary chuckle. “Oh, by the way, you and that doctor you’re with…which one of you’s the Overstallion in the relationship?”

Normally in this situation, I might have shut off the lights in my room. Perhaps disappeared under my bed like the crafty ninja I was. But he was just grinning at me. “I’m honestly hurt at how dumb you think I am.”

“When did you find out?”

His hoof reached around, scratching the back of his mane. “Uh, y’know, it’s in your body language…I see you talking to him kinda often…I mean, you two just seem…”

“Dad told you?”

“Yup.” His expression darkened. “Now don’t get me wrong, your dad was a good pony, but he was wrong to want to hide your relationship. The stable can’t have secrets like that anymore. You’re the Overstallion now. It’s your turn to decide how things work.”

I wasn’t sure I believed what I was hearing. “I guess you’re right. I…I have a lot of thinking to do. Thanks for the advice…I may have to call on you for it a lot in the future.”

“Yeah, well…don’t get too used to it. I, uh, have some…other things to take care of.” He stood, rounded my bed and meandered out the door.

I quickly sat back up and watched him. “Wait, what do you mean?”

He turned his head, the expression on his face morphing into a much more serious demeanor. “I have to make things right…” He lowered his gaze before setting his eyes forward.

My mind reeled at the statement. “I’m not following you,” I nearly whispered.

“Strangely enough, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear.” As the door closed, I sat nearly inebriated from drowsiness and confusion. Suffice to say, I couldn’t get back to sleep…

* * *

Light cascaded across the entirety of my surroundings. Barricade had been correct in that the spell for maintaining an artificial sunlight was relatively simple. A surge of magic sent outward creating simulated rays of sunshine.

Trees surrounded me, each ornamented with apples of different shades and textures. The dirt below me was soft beneath my hooves, a desired break from the cold metal of the stable.

The apple orchard; the life-sustaining food source of every inhabitant. Ironically, my presence among the massive acres felt like it was draining life from me. When the dead are buried, they continue to help the stable thrive by dedicating their vessels to the orchard; a place that housed the dead and ushered new life.

Many new inhabitants were put to rest as of last night. Whether a member of the Edges or just another inhabitant; they worked side-by-side in their final acts of service for the stable.

In terms of dedication, my father was no different. I stood before a gargantuan tree along with the fresh mound slightly elevated before it. The tree of the Overstallions, as some called it, caressed the ceiling as if every Overstallion of the past utilized the branches to help keep the stable aloft.

It was the only tree in the orchard to never be harvested for reasons other than the apples, forever mounted as homage to the leaders of my ancestry.

Biographical signatures were carved into the bark, illustrating the namesakes of those who sat in the office, provided decisions, and, most importantly, watched over the stable. As progeny, it was my duty to scrawl a new name into the natural tapestry. ‘Black Tide’ decorated the forefront as the newest addition to the list of lives lost.

“Sorry, dad,” I uttered as I gingerly traced my hoof along the mound of dirt. “I hope that I can somehow maintain a ‘harmonious state.’ But…y’know…mouth shouldn’t make promises.” Normally, if I ever quoted him, it would have been mockingly, but his memory deserved better respect from me. I wasn’t really crying, but I was pretty close to it.

“I…damn…Dad? Not sure if I’m just forcing this or…whatever but…I’m really gonna miss you… You’re never gonna be a father of the year, but at least…I know you loved me. Hope that counts… I think it does.” I smiled as I began walking from the orchard, leaving my father to his rest.

However, another mound caught my involuntarily narrowing eyes. The diggers brought him in earlier as I watched him get buried. I know I should feel remorse for what I did, but…somehow, I easily rationalized that he deserved it. As I walked past it, an uncontrollable urge overcame me. Turning, I hocked up and spat on the mound…

I hope you’re suffering in Tartarus…

As the hatch closed behind me, I was greeted by Flashback as he made his way around the corner. The swelling in his eye had gone down considerably. I’m happy to see at least somepony I care about is feeling better…

“You decided to don his mantle anyway, huh?” His eyes trailed across the black fabric that now adorned me. “Overstallion Wavelength?”

“Three things,” I began. “One, just because I’m wearing this doesn’t mean that I like it. Two, I don’t want you or anypony in here calling me that, it’s Wavelength. And three, this is the big one, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it’s a robe.”

“But it still looks good on you.” He let that wry smile of his slip across his muzzle. “Not as good as I would, mind you.”

Despite it all, I chuckled… but…

“How…how are my mom and O doing?”

His smile completely disappeared. “Your mom is going to require a lot of rest since we can’t give her much in the way of healing potions due to the Alpha in her system, but she should make a full recovery.

“Ocean Current is…it could go either way. The swelling is putting a lot of pressure on her brain. She’s still in surgery and…but...I’m sorry…I-I wish I had better news.”

He must have noticed my lack of enthusiasm from his statement as he inched closer. I gave him a gentle smile, trying to show him that it wasn’t eating me up like it really was.

“You did everything you could, Flash. Neither of them would’ve had a chance without you there.” There was still something clawing at my mind. “Hey, did anypony ever get the password changed back in the Overstallion’s office?”

“You mean your office?”

“Do me a favor and don’t remind me, please…”

“Sorry…” he said, scratching the back of his mane. “Yes, they fixed it. The red one changed it to a seven-letter word…‘goodbye.’ You would think it’d be a little more cryptic.”

“What’s the password now?”

“Your choice. The door’s stuck open until you think of a new one.”

Ooh, decisions, decisions… “I already know exactly what I’m changing it to.”

“Overstallion Wavelength,” a calm and ordered tone reached my ears (though I’d prefer a different greeting).

I shifted my gaze beyond Flashback as he turned.

Flashbang rounded the corner, exhibiting a deadly serious presence. “We have a problem.” The bandage coiled around his right eye was fresh judging from its pure white color. His left eye still managed to convey some severity.

“Dad,” Flashback regarded him, a small amount of worry quaking in his voice, “I already told you that you have to rest, your eye hasn’t fully he—“

“There’s never time to rest. But, Overstallion Wavelength? I must request tha—“

“Flashbang, formalities are stupid. Now what’s the problem?”

* * *

“What do you mean Barricade’s gone?!”

We were back in the Overstallion’s… my… office, running over old security footage from the cameras around the stable. The stable door had been opened by Claymore and Katana, but, rapidly fast forwarding through twelve more hours of the recording revealed my uncle following the same path.

Flashbang paused the recording before turning to me, his slate grey eyes conveying a message of slight apprehension. “What do you believe to be the best course of action?”

“We have to send a party to get him back!” I practically shouted at him.

“Sir—“

“Wavelength!”

“Wavelength…the stable is in a state of disarray,” he patiently reasoned. “We can’t simply sacrifice precious resources to retrieve a single member of security.” He turned back to the monitor, surveying the still frame of my uncle stepping his first hoof outside. “Asset though he may be.”

I’ve lost too much too soon. I can’t just let another member of my family go…

“Then I’ll go.” Needless to say, that earned some strange looks.

“Wavelength,” Flashback interjected, “don’t you find that a little drastic?”

“You expect me to sit idly while my uncle, for Goddesses only know what reason, goes out there alone?”

“But what about your sister and your mom?” he inquired. “You’re just going to leave them behind?” He reached out to me, placing his hoof on my shoulder. “What about us?”

“How would you feel if you lost your dad and then Failsafe left the stable?” Due to the look on his face, I can assume he was beginning to grasp my adamancy. Flashbang regarded me with an intricately disguised look of understanding.

“I’m sorry, but I simply won’t allow the Overstallion to leave—“

“Unguarded?” came the voice of Failsafe as he entered the room, obviously having monitored our conversation. “Man, we can go out there and get him back, no problem. I mean, if he’s got me, that is.”

“Son,” the large unicorn stood, rounded the desk and approached the equally large earth pony, “is there something you’re trying to prove here?”

“Oh, c’mon, pops. Barricade’s done shitloads for us around here.” He stepped past his father, and stood before Flashback and I with his head held high. “It’d be a pretty dick-move if we didn’t bring him back.”

“Failsafe…” I began thinking over my options. Crap… “You…you and I still aren’t on the best terms, I hope you know.”

“You ain’t over that yet?”

“Should I be?”

“Whatever…” he muttered with a roll of his eyes. “Not doin’ this for you anyway.”

“Then we can agree to disagree. But, since you stepped up, I can’t really be mad at you for now, can I?”

“B-but…” Flashback stammered.

I turned and placed my hooves on his shoulders. “Hey, it’s not like we’re gonna be gone forever.” I gave him a reassuring smile. “We’ll come back and it’ll be as if it never happened.”

“But your mom…your sister…”

“Are being left in your very capable hooves. Who knows, maybe when we get back…so will they.”

Flashback returned my words with a look that I couldn’t properly name an emotion for.

Flashbang let out a sigh. “I can’t believe I’m going to let this happen…” He kept his gaze locked on the three of us with a look of admonishment. “You aren’t leaving today. You two will need time to prepare. Dangerous is a word I could use, but that would be an understatement. I’ve been out there before…it’s…hellish.”

“Whoa, hellish? Sounds like a walk in the orchard, man. You forgettin’ I got top ranks in the shooting range and hoof-to-hoof, pops? I can handle anything ‘out there’ throws at us. I mean, shit, we could head out tomorrow morning if we wanted.”

“So it’s settled then,” I finalized. “We go out, bring Barricade back and everything’ll be back to normal.” I wandered back to my chair and took a seat. “Things might finally go right for a change.” I set my sights on Flashbang. “You’ll be in charge until we get back, is that understood?”

“Sir, err, Wavelength,” he saluted me.

Hey, admittedly that feels pretty cool.

For the hell of it, I started swiveling in circles in my chair, thinking about bringing Barricade back without a hitch.

“Overstallion Wavelength?”

The misused title was delivered in a quiet outburst by the nurse who had cleaned me up when I was in the med-bay. She stood at the open entrance to the office, clasping a hoof around the edge of the frame.

Her head was hung low as she slowly stepped toward my desk, each of us wondering what brought her here. She spoke softly, her voice barely more than a whisper.

“Wavelength, I’m so sorry, but…I’m afraid we lost Ocean Current.”

~ ~ ~

Well, I…think that’s more than enough for now. Sorry to end on such a note, but not every song is a happy one…

Till next time…stay safe out there, children…

________________________________________________________________________

Footnote: Level Up!

Perk Attained: Colt-Cuddler – So you think you can dance? You got smooth moves with the colts, kid. Unique dialogue options when dealing with members of the same sex and you know all the right spots to make them scream… 10% damage boost against stallions.

[Quote: “Fotheringay” by Fairport Convention]

Roachy notes: Yeah… I came up with the perk before the ending, so… sorry…

Author's Note

I don't know how FimFic writers do it. I don't. It took me three days to figure out how to get this thing on here. And even then I've had the most difficult and tedious job EVER trying to re-indent and re-double-space paragraphs. I never, EVER want to see the word center again, but, if this is the norm for how people are supposed to upload these from Gdocs, then I don't know if I have the energy in me to keep this story going here. It's bad enough having to write it, but then having to sift through every little detail until the paragraphs look the way they're SUPPOSED to... If I'm doing something wrong, for the love of GOD someone tell me I'm just being stupid.

Teraphim's notes: I swear Roachy didn’t realize he had created a character with the initials ‘O.C.’ until I pointed it out. It still makes me laugh everytime I think about it. And while Roachy did plan out everything that happens in the chapter, that ending was all me. Sorry about that.