Fallout Equestria: Hightide

by BrightIdea

Dog Meat

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Fallout Equestria: Hightide
Chapter Two: Dog Meat
by King of Malta

“Second, he doesn't like hats, or wearing them. Don't ask, I don't know. Maybe because it rhymes with rats.”

“HIIIIIIII MOM!!!”

“Oh, uh, I mean. This is Stable-Tech ‘Project: PipBuck Compatible Self-Sustaining Audio Message Transmissions’. Otherwise known as ‘Project: Ghost In the Machine’ or ‘Project: PipBuck Sense’. This is Trial Run B4. The trial run will engage in…3…2…1…”

“HI MOM! The train ride to Baltimare went just fine. I know you worry about how big and fast the trains have become over the last few years but, please don’t worry about me! I am doing just fine. It is just…a little busy here on the platform. So many ponies and that even looks like a…”

“BARK! Watch where you go you little pony! Wouldn’t want you to have an…accccident.”

“Hey! I’m sorry. I’ll move out of the way. By the Princesses you don’t need to be snippy!”

“Bah! Poniesss here and poniesss everywhere! Too many whiney poniesss!”

“Well, if you don’t like all the ponies, maybe you should go back to where you came from?”

“Go back where I came from? Grrr….GO BACK WHERE I CAME FROM? YOU PONIESSS KICK ME FROM MY HOME LIKE I SSSTRAY DOG! ”

“I-“

“FOR WHAT? FOR GEEEEMMMSSS? DIAMOND DOGSSS LOVE GEMS BUT, WE NEVER DESTROY PONIESSS HOMESSSESSS!!!”

“Please-“

“Is there a problem here ma’am?”

“Arf!”

“Is this little mongrel bothering you ma’am? If he is it would be grounds for termination by the guest worker bylaws two-

“Arf! Spot can’t lose clean job! Spot have litter of pups to feed!”

“No. No, he isn’t bothering me. I just was asking him some questions…and stuff. Everything is fine here.”

“Hmph. Wathc your step mongrel or I’ll send you to the pound to get neutered!”

“Umm. Really, I didn’t mean to start any trouble for you-“

“Bah! Ponies. Spot will not roll over on his belly just for this…”

“Ooookay. Well, I hope you get this message. If you don’t then I will just look weird walking around Baltimare and talking to myself while never finding out the longevity of the pipbuck message. Oh, well. I’m off to see Big Sis! Love, your-”

-

The water had probably been sitting underneath Baltimare for years, maybe even decades, now that I looked back on it. Every time it rained or a water pipe broke it would seep into the ground through the cracks and collected at least two hundred years’ worth of grime, muck, industrial waste, pony waste, animal waste, and who the buck knew what else! Before I had even made six steps into the wide, wide world of Equestria I had fallen into it. Yes, I had just minutes before been nearly drowned in the same mixture but, that had been inside of the Stable and had been without the massive, mutant monster. In moments my mind had outraced my will before I could tell myself to not think about the dark water I plunged into. My reaction was normal of course for a Stable Pony who had always lived to the highest standards of living and care for her image.

“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEWWWWWWW!!!”

I vomited again. It joined the slimy water around me and seemed to be one of the least disgusting elements of the water. The stench burned my nostrils and made my eyes water. Never had I, or any pony in Stable 81 been subjected to this much filth! They could not of had been! I was the Princess of Stable 81 and I was covered in more filth then even the lowliest of the Stable’s engineers working on the hygienic, purifier talismans. It was not just sickening but, also degrading for one such as myself who had stood so high in the social hierarchy of Stable 81! If I had had the time I would have very vocally bemoaned my fate to EVERYPONY in earshot, but I was also close enough to Stable 81’s entrance to see the monster’s bulk had begun to squeeze itself back out into the tunnel. I could see its beady eyes locked on me.

“No. Oh, no. No you don’t you-stop that! No! Nonononono!” I babbled in panic. The poise and grace I was known for was stomped under basic animal instincts of panic and fear. Panic and fear had forced me out of Stable 81 then by me they would get me away from this monster. The water was not very deep, while it had undoubtedly filled the entire space outside of the Stable prior to the Stable door’s opening. I could feel my hooves touch the uneven ground beneath the slimy waters that reached to my neck. If the water had been any higher I may have drowned. No pony in the Stable knew how to swim. Even a foal could stand and keep its head above the water in the bathtubs in the Stable. At least, I knew I could, having never seen the no doubt filthy and dreary quarters of the peasants that made up the Stable’s population.

Besides.

All I had to do was stay away from that thing’s mouth long enough for Mother to send out the Security ponies to distract the monster long enough to slip around and back to Stable 81. I thought Mother would have killed anypony that had dared to do harm to the fruit of her labors. The Princess of Stable 81. The Best-Pony. The Most-Beautiful-And-Fashionable-Pony. She-Who-Stood-Above-All-The-Pathetic-Commoners. Her Precious. Her daughter.

“The thing is through. Close it! Close it before it comes back!” my Mother’s voice echoed from within the Stable and out to the tunnel around me. I was shocked. I was amazed at how clearly I could hear her words over the sound of the monster’s throaty growls. Mother could not possibly abandon me like this.

“NO!” I screamed and began to wade through the water toward the Stable entrance but, the way was blocked by the monster which thrust its scaly head at me. The water splashed over me as its head slammed down just bare inches away from me. Something I did not want to know hit me in the face and slid down to make a plop in the water. My disgust had reached heights I had never known. The monster reared its head back for another strike and I realized that I could not get past this thing alive. The way back to my life was only a few feet away but, it was literally blocked off to me by roaring, monstrous death. This had to be the most unfair thing in the world! How dare the world take me away from my life of superiority and luxury! Why wasn’t any other pony suffering besides me? As these thoughts raged through my mind I realized something.

The Stable door was closing and the light from the electronic bulbs that were my only source of light had begun to fade. In a matter of moments I would be trapped in the dark with this thing in this place that revolted me and seemed would be the death of me.

“GRRRRRAUGH!” the monster roared.

“EEEEEEEEEEEH!” I screamed back and faster than I had ever been or wanted to, I waded through the muck and onto a small slope of solid dirt that I could still see lead away from the monster and from the Stable. My muscles protested at the effort as I pulled myself out of the water. I would have protested to if there had been anypony to complain to, to make it all better. The only being there was the monster as its leathery head once again slammed into the water where I had been moment ago.

I did not need anypony to tell me to keep hoofing it.

“Unf…” I grunted as I climbed up the tunnel as with a loud THUMP the door to Stable 81 closed for the first time in over two hundred years. The darkness popped me like a candy into its mouth. I paused in the complete and total darkness as I listened. I could only hear the fast paced beating of my heart inside of my chest for several moments before, it was joined by the steady THUMP-THUMP, THUMP-THUMP of the monster’s limbs as moved toward me in the dark.

Could it see me in the dark or could it smell me? Did it taste me on the tip of its tongue? Buck if I knew. All I knew was that it was coming for me and I had to keep moving otherwise my precious life would end with a sudden CRUNCH as the monster’s jaw snapped my body between its jaws. Images of the ponies it had already eaten flashed in my mind and gave me all the motivation I needed. So I stumbled forward in the dark, blindly I charged ahead and hoped that the tunnel would lead me somewhere safe and the monster was not getting any closer to me.

Then I fell.

I had been so busy scrambling in panic I did not realize the ground below me had stopped completely until I had pitched forward and plunged several feet into more grimy water! This time though I felt a sudden pain in my side as something solid but thin cut through my side as I sank in the water. I whined in pain in my throat but, I knew now not to open my mouth while under water. And my teacher had said I was a slow learner! The water was not very deep either and my legs jarred as I felt the ground under my hooves. On those unsteady hooves I pushed myself away from the wet ground and forward through the water. My limbs felt heavy but, I was not going to stop.

My side brushed into something metal and twisted again and then another something scrapped against body but, thankfully neither pierced my skin. It still hurt though. I stretched forward my hoof out as a guide to allow me to feel if there was any more metal in front of me. Despite this precaution I scrapped against several more pieces twisted metal that seemed to randomly litter this pool of water. After several meters and precious minutes of blind groping in the dark I stumbled forward and back onto dry, well, drier soil.

I paused a moment to catch my breath when the tunnel was filled with a sudden THUD and splashing water as something very large dropped into the water behind me. The monster roared again as I heard rather then saw metal scrape and twist. Of course a little fall would not hurt its armored body. It lived in this tunnel. Even if it could see there was no way it could move around without bumping into something that would have easily cut right through me. I heard it move forward in my direction again, it seemed to push aside the like it was walking through a paper bag!

Oh how I wanted this twisted nightmare to be over! If I could I would have switched places with some other mare from Stable 81 if it got me out of this but, no the universe just laughed at me as the pain from my earlier fall seemed to pulse worse with pain.

“Celestia horn buck this with her horn right through!” I mumbled, my cheeks grew red at such unlady like language but, it needed to be said to motivate me. If Pompadour or that new servant, Gets-My-Haytoast-Wrong, had been there I would have raised a hoof to them. Neither of them were though and I had to make due. I spat with disgust and hobbled forward into the tunnel. This tunnel had better had be leading me out and not to some dead end where the monster trailing me would corner me and-

No! No, no, no. Must not think about that. No. Just, no. This place would not get to me. Did it not know who the Tartarus I was? I am Precious! I am Precious! I AM PRECIOUS! The anger of my poor situation boiled so abruptly inside of me I turned around in the tunnel and screamed it, my voice echoed in the tunnel “I AM PRECIOUS! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? IT MEANS YOU ARE GOING TO BE SO VERY SOR-”

“GRRRRAAAAAUGHRH” the monster roared back, utterly crushing the sound of my voice underneath its bestial voice. The tunnel seemed to shake around me. I could not see but, I certainly heard as bits and pieces of the tunnel’s ceiling and sides fell to the ground at my hooves.

“Right then… Ta, ta!” I did not care that it felt like the skin of my wound was tearing wider. I did not care that my frantic paced flight had me running into or tripping over strewn rubble. I scrapped my knees and chipped my perfect hoof job. My once exquisite Stable barding had become torn in several places ruining the fabric. As much as a part of me wanted to faint on a small couch I would get out of here or I would get out of here! Death was not an option for someone as important as me!
Perhaps it had been my words or my raw conviction or maybe even it was the fact that the world revolved around me but, the darkness had actually started to get lighter after that. It was like the dim glow of the Stable that I could see underneath my door when I shut off the lights. Finally, I was making progress. There was some sort of illumination. Rather than fill me with delight it filled me with disgust as I could finally make out the details of the tunnel I had been in.

It was even worse than the levels the peasants lived on. Before today I had not thought that possible but, here the walls while clearly they had been crafted by ponies were in utter ruin. The straight walls of concrete were cracked or overgrown with some sort of green plant or ended in jagged rubble. I had been thus far been climbing over centuries worth of eroded concrete from the tunnel itself. As I cantered farther I began to notice that while the ground was becoming even for some reason two straight lines of metal bisected by rotten wooden planks stretched off toward what I hoped was the entrance to this tunnel. Even as I questioned why some idiotic pony would lay two metal rails parallel to each other I nearly screamed out.

Why was there what appeared to be a large metal box in the middle of my path? I had nearly cantered straight into it. Going around the metal box I saw that it had what looked like worn out wheels on the sides. Why would anypony have this down here? What was it for? I did not know but, I did care that somepony had dared put it in my way! If there had not been enough space to either side of it to continue down the tunnel then I probably would have it hit it or if she had been there had Brute Force hit it for me.

I slipped around the metal box and then I immediately forgot my thoughts about how I would have the pony who had put the metal box there thrown into the cells for a week. That pony was more than likely dead anyway. No, what did matter was that as I moved around the metal box I saw that the tunnel finally ended. There a quick dash in front of me was a way out! From where I was it looked like it opened up into a much larger chamber but, as I raced toward it I did not care if it had brought me out to the communal cafeteria with the peasants and their open mouthed chewing!

I felt like I had staggered from one end of the upper levels to the other a gazillion times. The pain from my earlier wound was a dull throb. That had to be a good sign, right? At every step I expected myself to just collapse or the monster to snap me in its jaws but, as I crossed out of the tunnel it never happened! I was out! The monster had not eaten me. I had come out on top like I always-

As my eyes adjusted to the new not-so-dark I looked up and for what seemed like the tenth time I vomited. Of course I had long since given up my dinner so all I had was stomach acid, spit, and the contents of the tunnel water I had swallowed before. I barely noticed as my eyes just kept looking up and up! Where was the ceiling? Was it covered in this dark mass of clouds? This I knew was the sky but, why did it have to be so…so high! Not only that. It was moving too.

This was nothing like my mural; it shifted like some living, ceiling carpet. Then I saw beyond it through small holes that appeared and disappeared into the mass above me. My brain tried to comprehend the sky but it panicked and dived for cover. I did the same and desperately clung to the ground as my senses screamed at me I would fall upward into the void beyond the clouds! As I tried to bury my head in the dirt with my hooves I peeked through and beyond I could see a blurry, grey structure and beyond that I could see the sky just went on and on in all directions.

This was impossible.

As my mind came to terms with the real meaning of ‘outside’, I heard a loud crunch behind me followed by a familiar growl. By all my nightmares how could it possible look even more terrifying in this half-dark, half-light then it had in the illumination of the Stable or the void of the tunnel? I did not know but, it did! Oh it certainly did as it fixed me with its beady eyes and roared again before it charged me. It was then that I realized that I was in more danger then IO had been in the tunnel where in the tunnel it had been mostly cramped and unable to move properly. Out here in this…openness…I realized that it could take full lumbering steps which allowed it to move toward me much easier and quicker.

“My horn is a strap-on…” I muttered words I had heard Bulletproof mumble to Brute Force before I screamed and kicked my body from the ground. I glued my eyes to the ground and just ran with all the energy I had in me but, for every several steps I took the monster could match me in two. I knew I had been running in the direction of the grey structure I had seen earlier but, running with my head down I only saw the broken pieces of concrete that littered the ground and only moments before I hit them. The first one bruised my ribs and knocked the air out of my chest.

I groaned in such an un-lady like fashion and stumbled to the side and continued to run, a bit slower and less straight then I had been before. If I lived I would find a magic, time box and throttle the ponies that left these things in front of. I tilted my head up just enough so I could see in front of me without looking up at the sky. My eyes begged to look up into the sickening sky, why did they want to betray me? It was like eating something I knew would be bad for my figure.

“THIS PLACE IS MAKING ME CRAZY!” I shouted and spared a glance behind me. That saved my life as I saw the open jaws of the monster slam down toward me. Without looking I jumped to the left and slammed into a small, stone wall or fence that sent me toppling over it. The monster’s head crashed into the ground past me, kicking up mounds of dirt before it too smashed into a different section of the stone wall. Whereas I had fallen over the wall to the other side, its head just kept going through the wall to the other side.

“Gak…rrrgh…mugelfwips…” my mouth spewed when I tried to climb to my hooves. I had no clue Equestria could spin so fast. The buildings around me bowed to me and I bowed back as I accepted their invitation to dance. I climbed on all hooves and cantered two steps before I collapsed again on the ground in a heap of pain. Even talking hurt as I soon found out “This…is beneath…me…”

As the world slowly came back into focus I wondered why in the minutes spent splayed out across the ground so scandalously, why had the monster not lumbered over and had itself what probably would have been the best meal of its life. I looked over and found out. The monster had kept on plowing forward until it hit the gray structure. Now that I had not been running for my life I could take stock of the world around me. I could make out that the structure was several dozen feet tall and was actually a sort of platform. To either side of it raised columns that burdened a bridge of concrete and metal that stretched out to be lost from my view by even more obstructing structures! The farther I looked the darker it was and it obscured any details. Was the sea from my mural on the other side of the buildings or dozens more of this monster? Not knowing everything was infuriating. I cursed the half-light of this place and jumped back a few feet when the monster roared! I looked over to the monster and what I saw made me laugh and smile for the first time in what seemed like ages.

“What is the matter? Stuck?” I teased after I realized that the monster’s head had become stuck within the platform. Concrete and metal had fallen onto its neck as part of the wall where it had rammed through collapsed on top of it. The heavy plated armor of its back protected it from being decapitated but, It could not lift its head up. It could only move backward and its slow movement made it hard for it to properly pull itself out from the rubble. For now the more it moved the more the rubble buried its head.

“Muwahahahaeheheheee…” I could not help but, laugh at its predicament. Finally some measure of dominance had been made over this beast. Though, I doubted its puny brain could comprehend that being a princess I was blessed. Still, even if it understood that it would not matter. It would get itself unstuck and soon. Of course by then I had to be long gone but, as I looked around I realized that it or some other horror would be able to run me down or find me if I tried to wander off in this alien ground.

No, I had to not just be away from this monster but, out of reach. I looked up toward the platform. It certainly looked inaccessible to the monster’s bulk, I trotted to side to side around it to look for some way up but, it looked like it was equally inaccessible to me. To one side there was the crumbled, ruined shape of a stairway that at one point would have allowed dozens of ponies or even the monster to climb to the platform. One side of the platform had collapsed on top of it making it impossible to climb the boulders of rubble. There had to be some way to get up! The monster roared for what seemed like the hundredth time and immediately I felt my temper rise, “Oh, would you just be quiet you horrible-“

That was when I noticed right above the monster’s humped backside a metal ladder climbed straight up to the top of the platform. My jaw dropped. Damn, this half -light. Would the ponies that worked on the lighting of this place just turn the lights on already? My eyes dropped back to the struggling form of the monster and I did not like how its clawed feet and large tail struck out at the ground and air violently as it worked to pull its body out. I realized what I would have to do and in response my body disobediently began to rebel, the pains accumulated since leaving Stable 81 seemed to all protest this new insanity all at once.

No, stop it. Stop it! I cantered back a few steps, my legs trembled but, I had no choice. I agreed with them all but, I would surely be dead if I tried anything else. If I ran back to Stable 81 I would just get lost in the darkness. I told myself to just imagine that I was climbing the stairs back to my level…back to my room with all my nice, pretty dresses yes, I was leaving this commoner to rot below in its own mire…

I sucked in the putrid air, only then I realized that this was a bad idea as my bruised ribs shot pain through my body, but my legs had already begun to charge. I ignored the pain and screamed the whole way.

“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEI!”

I galloped forward and bent down on my knees as the monster’s tail whipped overhead, just brushing against my mane, and jumped to just above the base of its tail. My forehooves scrambled for some sort of steady purchase as my hind hooves planted themselves on the monsters thick, gnarled scales just above its tail. My forehooves found some purchase on the monster’s scarred, battered shell and I used that to lift my body up. I did not have the time to think or allow my body to freeze up so I continued to charge up the monster’s back. My heart hammered in my chest and all witty and intelligent thought ceased as I scrambled up the monster’s back for the ladder. The monster’s body bucked below me and made my ascent harder, but I was Precious and would not be defeated so easily. I nearly slipped off when one of my hooves failed to find purchase but, I managed to kick my body onto a section I could use.

“EEEEEEE!”

I would have congratulated myself when I reached the top of the monster’s shell but, I had noticed the metal ladder start to move away. I realized the monster had finally been able to remove itself from the wall. I looked down to see its beady eyes swing in my direction. Without thinking or complaining or worrying or arguing I jumped from the monster’s back and flew through the air at the ladder. My body hit the metal ladder like I had hit a metal ladder. The rungs added new bruises to my already battered body but, I managed to wrap my hooves around them and hold on for dear life.

I had made it!

The adrenaline drained from me as I felt the rusted, cool metal and my heart beat slowed. I would worry about the possible tetanus and rust stains on my clothes later which shocked me. I did not care about how my clothes looked? Oh, how the outside had changed me! I was pulled out of my shock by the monster as its jaw clamped on the end of my tail. “AH!”
“Not the tail! Not my beautiful tail!” I shrieked as I felt myself being tugged back down. I struggled to hold onto the ladder as I screeched in pain as I felt every single fiber of the hair from the tip of my tail become pulled out all at once. The monster could choke on my hair as I whipped my freed tail up and found a second rush of adrenaline to climb the ladder. I cried and screamed the entire way.

At the top my trembling hooves pulled my body onto the platform. I rolled over as far away as possible from the platform’s edge. So help me, Mother, Celestia, and Luna I swore I would never do that again. Even as I did the darkness of the tunnel began to return as my vision blurred. Before I slipped into unconsciousness I heard my PipBuck beep and some pony’s voice begin to speak.

“HIIIIIIII MOM!!!”

-

The eyes. They never stopped looking. I did not want to look at them. I never did. I looked away but, they were there too. Nevermore. They surrounded me. Nevermore. Weeping tears of blood. I screamed at them to stop but, they never listened. Nevermore. The eyes exploded in blood and I drowned in that blood. Nevermore. The blood had become black and something new. A voice. A new voice. Nevermore. I could not hear it. It was-

Nevermore.

-

When I managed to regain consciousness the first thing I felt was a momentary numbness followed by a wave of pain that crashed over me. Every fiber of my body ached and ached. Why would it not stop?

“Hnnnngh…make it stop Maitre’D…Brute Force…Bulletproof…” I groaned. The recent events flooded my mind first with the sight of seeing a crushed Bulletproof then soon followed by the rest. Had that all happened to me? Was this a dream? I rolled onto my side but, a sharp searing pain from my side prompted me to roll onto my other side and look to it. My eyes were met by a gash that was every color I despised, red, black, and a Pompadour green. I remembered my fall from last night and now looking at my side I could see that not only could I see the vein and muscle underneath my skin but, also from laying down grit now covered the repugnant wound. Not my perfect coat, it was ruined! I pushed my hoof against the wound hoping to wipe it off and was immediately disappointed that it did not wipe away, disgusted by the raw feel of my flesh, and shocked with an intense bolt of pain.

I gritted my teeth together and flopped onto my backside, kicking my hooves at the torment I was going through. This had never happened to me before. The closest I had come to it was when I was a foal and had tripped on my dress. I had screamed for Mother but, she never came. Bulletproof had picked me off and told me everything was going to be alright. His words seemed hollow now. Was he even alive? What good were his words now if he was dead? I looked up and stared into the sky and the endless blanket of grey fluff that stretched out in all directions. I felt my stomach tighten.

“It is so…so…high.”

I cringed and rolled on my side. I could see eternity stretching in all directions. Wait. I sat up on my hooves. I could see. There was light everywhere. The light…the light…it was so…so…so bucking bright! I screamed and covered my eyes with my hooves “AURGH”.

It was too true. I just knew I could feel my perfect pupils sizzle. I hated the outside. First, it was too dark, then it was not light enough, and now there was too much light! I stamped my hoof to the ground. I hated the outside. Not only was it dangerous and did not seem to know what light setting was perfect for me it looked nothing like the mural in my bedroom! With this bright light I could make out every gritty, grimy, and disgusting detail of the landscape from my position.

To either side of the platform there was empty space surrounded by decayed ruins of buildings of various sizes and shapes. On one side the space between the platform and the buildings was dominated by a concrete or stone square which was covered with dozens of metal carriages and carts. On the other side I had come from that direction and could make out in great detail the stone barrier I had tripped over, the dirt field I had been chased across and the tunnel which I had emerged from. The tunnel itself looked like a rectangular, concrete box that had been pushed into the ground. The entrance was surrounded by ancient machines that looked like they were made to dig in the ground. I noticed the same metal lines that I had seen toward the tunnel’s entrance were also here on the platform. They were lined up in the center of the platform bridge that stretched in opposite directions.

There also seemed to be a large number of puddles surrounding the entrance to the tunnel. I did not know or care why that was as much as I did not care about why there was a tunnel outside the entrance of Stable 81. I did not care for anything that had to do with this place outside of Stable 81. The more I spent outside of Stable 81 the more frustrating this place become; I suspected it was making me see flashing lights.

No, on closer inspection the flashing lights had nothing to do with the outside but, my PipBuck. Naturally I did not have much use for my PipBuck at all and so while Stable 81’s teacher, Dull Lecture, had taught basic PipBuck functions the lessons had not stuck for me. Why would I ever have use for the programs Dull Lecture went on and on about? I don’t believe many of the commoners in Stable 81 had much use for the PipBuck either. They really only used it to tell the time or listen to Stable 81’s radio broadcast which featured announcements from Mother and the Stable’s limited music selections. The songs made my ears metaphorically bleed.

I had at first been so eager to receive my PipBuck but, I protested to Mother against wearing it as the cold, dull reality of my…condition… settled in for me and I realized that wearing it would make me have something in common with the other ponies. She would hear none of my righteous pleas. She said rules were rules and that no pony was beyond them. I had felt betrayed by her hypocrisy. She was the Overmare. She was supposed to make the rules. The authority of Stable-Tec was long gone even in this…this wasteland.

I shook my head in frustration. I would deal with this place, as inconvenient as it was, later. The source of this flashing had to be dealt with first. I looked at the flashing light and realized that it was a neat square in the upper corner of my vision. Ah, did not Dull Lecture mention something about something appearing in my vision as the result of a spell or something when something updated in my PipBuck or something like that? I read the text:

Stable-Tec Transmission Found…<
P.S. Transmission Auto-Broadcast Set…<
P.S Transmission B4 001: Downloaded…<
P.S. Transmission B4 001: Activated…<

Stable-Tec? P.S. Transmission? Before what? Why wasn’t any of this making any sense? Perhaps this place had fun in not making sense. While a few of my questions were answered when I finally managed to find the ‘Notes’ section amongst my PipBuck’s functions and listen to the downloaded message I still was left wondering. The garbled whine of electronic static left me with no clue who that the mare in the message had been. Perhaps she would have been proud and surprised to discover that her experiment had lasted through the destruction of Equestria and the following centuries. The Diamond Dog despite his name sounded absolutely atrocious.

As I listened I could not help myself but replay the message to listen to the bustling background noises. This place was dead and ruined now but, back then it seemed so alive and vibrant as hundreds of ponies went about their lives. I did not know why I spent several minutes replaying the message for this part. Maybe I wished I could be back then and there when it was beautiful rather than now and here where it was absolutely dreadful.

I also wondered why it had been my PipBuck that had found the message. The only possible answer to that would have to be because I was the only pony wearing a PipBuck. I wondered if the mare had ever discovered that this form of message leaving could be awfully inconvenient since anypony with a PipBuck could download these messages. Speaking of inconvenient, as I looked at my PipBuck screen I saw something that stopped my heart beat.

My reflection.

I.

Looked.

Absolutely.

TERRIBLE!!!!

My bloodshot eyes stared back at me from a haggard looking face that was scratched and bruised. My blonde mane was disheveled and had bits of derbies and dirt. Dirt! Icky, nasty, dirt! I had just discovered it but, I hated it. Oh how I needed that shower. My mane had even practically been stained completely green by whatever the contents of the tunnel water had been. Which while of course I did not want to dwell on that it did make me remember the words of the panicking mare. Radiation would cause me to lose my hair! My eye twitched uncontrollably as I cantered back to the edge of the platform and looked down at the tunnel to Stable 81.

Maybe, I could sneak past the monster. It had to sleep sometime did it not? I could sneak past it and…and…bang on the Stable door and beg Mother to let me back in. Then I would run right back to my room and shower. I would buck Pompadour in the face and shower again and again until every last molecule of the outside was scrubbed from me. Mother would hug me and we would never speak of any of this ever again. Hehehe. Oh yes, this plan was perfect. Hehe. It would work without fail. Heheheha. I was the Princess of Stable 81 after all. Hehehehahahaha!

I had to smack myself to stop mad laughter from continuing to escape my lips. Think Precious. Think. Think. Think. There is no way that thing would let you past it. No, the only solution has to come from Mother and Stable 81. There had to be weapons in the Stable capable of destroying that monster. Stable-Tec would of course have equipped the Stable with weapons capable of dealing with a monster tortoise…turtle…torturle, whatever it was! They were in the apocalyptic survival business; they must have planned for this. Mother had to have had something up her sleeves. I just knew underneath all that Overmare protocol she cared for me.

She had to, right?

That would mean that a rescue had to be underway and that the best thing I could do was wait right here. So that is exactly what I did. Of course I was never one to sit still for long, I always had new dresses to try on or orders to give out. Of course my body was still bruised and it ached unbearably which made my movements stiff and painful. As time passed I busied myself while I waited for Mother’s imminent arrival. I did my best to pick out the dirt from my mane and coat. While it pained me I ripped off a portion of my Vault barding to cover my side wound which looked nastier as time moved by. To banish the mental image of my bones still waiting for Mother two hundred more years from now I counted the number of windows, I grew bored with this after 5,356, and overcame my previous vertigo and planned Pompadour’s punishment.
As time stretched on and on so did my weariness. The sky had amazingly darkened on its own and the more I waited the more I found myself being able to move around or think. Waiting was exhausting work for me. I looked over to the tunnel entrance for the thousandth time and for the thousandth time my hope for rescue were crushed. I yawned and blinked, my eyes would not open all the way anymore. I just needed some beauty sleep, yea that was it. I needed to be refreshed to greet Mother. I climbed up onto the remains of a broken bench and laid my head down.
Before I realized it I had fallen asleep again.

-

I was awoken from my empty dreams by a sound I had never heard before. For a moment I seized up in fear thinking that it was the thudding movement of the monster but, then I realized the sound was completely different. This new sound was not the movement of leathery legs the size of ponies but, a sort of…ompha-ompha-ompha noise that moved in an ordered beat. It was music. I peered out into the now half-dark ‘night’, I surprisingly had remembered Dull Lecture’s term for when it was dark like this in Equestria. I was glad I was not staying around long enough to get used to that term.

I peered out into the night but, I could not see where the music was coming from. The sound echoed off all of these buildings. Argh how I hated buildings. Anyway, the sound echoed off the buildings so much I could not tell if the sound had been coming from somewhere away or right next-

“Don’t scream…”

“EEEEEK!”

Just as the music suddenly stopped a tiny, metallic voice spoke right behind where I had laid down. I screamed and jumped away from the sound of the voice onto the platform. I looked and saw a round, metal ball-thing which hovered in the air on what looked like tiny wings. In instinct I concentrated my horn magic on a chunk of rubble the size of the ball-thing and heaved it at the creature. I imagined I was hurling a plate at Maitre’D’s or What-Was-His-Name’s head. The ball-thing just managed to dip aside as my impromptu missile continued to sail over the side of the platform to the ground below. I wrapped my magic around another piece of rubble and continued to scream as I hurled this one. The ball-thing continued to speak.

“Ah! Hold on I-“ it ducked aside again and continued to float toward me. I scrambled away from it down toward the bridge section of the platform. My head was already splitting into a pounding head ache from overuse of my magic. “Wait, stop!
Don’t go that-“

I wrapped my telekinesis spell over one last chunk of concrete and hurled it with my last ounce of energy. The concrete sailed forward straight and true, the ball-thing did not even try to duck. Instead a bright beam of red energy zapped from it and split my projectile in two. Unfortunately for it while the red beam did split the concrete in two the trajectory of one of the pieces smashed into the ball-thing’s side. It hovered for a moment longer before it sparked and fell to the ground.

I…I could not believe I had just done that. I had actually saved myself from what seemed like certain death. I always let Brute Force or Bulletproof or some other Security pony deal with protecting me against harm. It felt somewhat good actually. This adrenaline was triumphant, not anything like the fear-fueled adrenaline I had used the previous night to run for my life. My body throbbed painfully from the overuse of magic and my other injuries but, I dismissed this as acceptable given my overwhelming victory.

“Danger…you…help…” the ball-thing sparked as the metallic voice spoke, “Behind…bad…are…out…”
I cantered to the ball-thing, which now I could see was some sort of robot bug-thing. The bug-thing-robot said one more thing before it seemed shut down completely.

“…run.”

Run? Run to somewhere? No, maybe it had meant run to something or run to someone. Perhaps it had meant to say run from-

“Well, well, well. Aren’t you a fine piece of flank.” A voice rumbled from behind me.

“Celestia blow me hard. I gotta agree with you for once, Uncle.” A second voice agreed.

“Who-?” I turned around to face the voices. I had for those scant moments harbored a speck of hope that this was the rescue that Mother had sent for me. Of course that bit of hope was crushed just like I had crushed the bug-robot.

“Front matches the back. Don’t it, Uncle Shackle?” a blue stallion knickered as his eyes moved over me.

“Hah! For once in you’re right, Blue Balls” the beige Unicorn replied to the Earth pony as he licked his teeth.

“My name’s Nut Cracker!” the first stallion growled at the other stallion and shot him an annoyed look.

“I’ll call you like my sister named you. What’s the matter? Getting a little…choked up are we?” the Unicorn laughed before he cleared his throat and spit a wad of phlegm on the ground.

I had thought I was filthy. These two…two…could I even call them Ponies? They both looked as filthy as I was and doubled each. Even in the dark I could see not only were they covered in dirt but, even the common ponies in Stable 81 had the sense to never wear the crudely sewn rags these two ponies wore as clothes. The stench of their unwashed bodies slammed into my nose just as I had the wall on the ground, I supposed it was too much to ask that one of them may have carried soap in their saddlebags. To complete their horrific looks both ponies wore identical brown, wide-brimmed hats that were patched and looked moldy.

Their language though sparked the first fire of anger I had felt in hours. Such profanity and it was being directed at me! I would never have stood for being ogled by any pony that was not at least a prince, and here these two flea-bitten strangers were. I pointed my nose up and glared at the two with a look that nopony could have missed that said ‘Listen you worthless piece if trash!’

“How dare you! Do you know who I am?” at that exact moment a small section of the cloud layer above me parted to let shine a patch of moon and starlight below. I could not have asked for more perfect timing. Though I was disheveled greatly even if these two shared a single brain they would recognize my importance and show me the respect I deserved.

Instead, they stared for several moments then pulled out what appeared to be weapons. The Unicorn floated what looked like a rusted, silver pistol with a revolving chamber while the Earth pony clutched from his back a sports bat in his teeth.

“Thh Schable Dwewellwah.”

“Hah. I can’t believe we cornered THE Stable Dweller.” Uncle Shackle laughed then paused. He moved closer and shined his horn light over me and looked closer. “Aren’t you supposed to be over by FIllydelphia or Manehatten?”

“Daths whabt Deejuahhpawnthwee sawid”

“Yea, and that’s what Bruisehilde said Stern said too. She has Stable barding but…”

“Whawth she dueinth ind Bawtihmawe?”

“Tartarus if I know. Hey, tell us girly. Are you THE Stable Dweller? You’d better answer quick or I’ll blow your brains out!”
The Stable Dweller? I was not sure what these two morons were talking about. Yes, I supposed I was A Stable Dweller. I was certainly the most important pony dwelling in my Stable but, I did not think I was the specific pony these two had been going on about. The thought did cross my mind to tell them I was this pony they had been talking about but, I dismissed that idea. I was Precious. I would not stoop low to call myself some commoner pony.

“No, I do not know who this ‘Stable Dweller’ is or half the words that seemed to plop out of your mouths. I am Precious, the Princess of Stable 81 and as such-“

Uncle Shackled interrupted me by whipping his pistol across my face. I crumbled to the ground in a heap. Another pony had stuck me! A common, dirt pony had hurt me! I was paralyzed with shock despite the blinding pain across my face.
“Well, I suppose if you’re not the Stable Dweller then we don’t have to blow your mouthy, bitchy face off. “ Uncle Shackle holstered his pistol and instead floated a pair of his namesake around my forehooves. My PipBuck made it so he had to shackle my left leg above the knee.

“Dawhn…” Blue Ball paused to spit out his bat, “Don’t Red Eye pay big for finding Stables? We can get a huuuuge finder’s fee on top of all the other crap Bruisehilde wants us to map out for him.”

“Right you are my boy. Just as soon as the little ‘Princess’, hah, here tells us where her Stable is. I figure she will tell us after a little-”

“Down there! It is down there in the tunnel” I shouted and pointed over the platform toward the tunnel. I did not want to imagine what he had been going to say. An insignificant part of me felt slightly guilty about what possibly could have been interpreted as betraying my home and Mother but, I reasoned that these two idiots would have the same big problem I had. If they were competent just enough maybe they could have killed the monster for me!

“Wait a moment.” Blue Ball’s words worried me as he turned around and pulled out a piece of folded paper from his saddlebags which he proceeded to unfold. “It says here that right here is…that nasty, ass boglurk’s home territory!”

“What? Let me see that map.” Uncle Shackle floated the map over to him and peered at it. He let out a long whistle then laughed. “Well, damn. No wonder nopony else ever found that Stable. The Mother-of-All-Boglurks is squatting right over it!”

“Shit, that would explain why this little fucker is all messed up looking. When were you going to tell us about that Goddess-damned thing? Huh?” Blue Ball emphasized his words with a sharp kick to my ribs. I cried and curled myself into a trembling ball. I sobbed thick tears of pain and silently vowed I would make these two pay for treating me so low born.
Blue Ball kicked me several more times before Uncle Shackle intervened and told him to ‘not damage the merchandise’.

Before I could see the map Uncle Shackle put it in his own saddlebags and had Blue Ball nail my shackles to the ground with a large spike. The two stallions ordered me to go to sleep and then went to sleep themselves. I tried to disobey but after the

last day’s events and injuries I was exhausted. The next morning I was kicked rudely awake and made to stand.
It was then that after so long Uncle Shackle forced down my throat a healing potion. While it did mend my open wounds and relieved my bruised body it left a jagged scar along my midsection where my wound from my fall in the tunnel had been. Equestria had thus far greatly tested my limits to curse it and I vowed I would not let a single insult or injury slip by without protest. I imagined a list in my mind where at the top there had been Pompadour but, now his spot was occupied by dirt, sunlight, and the two slavers.

“Uuuuhh…these shackles are too tight and their filthy. When was the last time you washed them? When was the last time you washed yourselves?” I whined as I was made to trot on top the bridge that I now knew was called ‘The Metro’, w hich was short for the ‘Metro Railway System. The Metro crossed the city of Baltimare, where I was, and once allowed ponies to travel on ‘train cars’ throughout the city and to other places in Equestria. Despite the destruction and ruin of Baltimare apparently most sections of the Metro still stood and it allowed safe if not conspicuous traffic throughout the city. As Uncle Shackle and Blue Ball forced me to walk since day break I had probed the two with questions, I allowed them the small satisfaction of grinning at me like I was an idiot but, I promised I would make them pay for that later.

I had also discovered that Uncle Shackle and Blue Ball were not from Baltimare but, from a city called Fillydelphia which was ruled by somepony named Red Eye. They did not exactly outright say it but, I managed to piece together at least that they and a small army had come to Baltimare and taken over some place called ‘Oasis’ which was up the Metro. The way they derided the ponies of Oasis for not ‘joining up with Red Eye when they could have’ told me that this Oasis had and was still full of more uncouth slavers. Apparently they had been sent into Baltimare to spy for this Red Eye and verify the goods and dangers of Baltimare on the map they had taken from the Oasis ponies.

“Oh, and I am terribly thirsty. I need some water or maybe even some cider.” I continued to whine as we passed into the shadow of a skyscraper that overlooked the Metro.

“Celestia and Luna’s horns fuck my ear tubes! Would you fucking shut up already?” Blue Balls cried with a hoof over his ears. He raised a leg and I instinctively steadied myself as he kicked me again. I had soon discovered that of the two Blue Balls was most prone to lashing out at me when I annoyed him. Uncle Shackle though only muttered under his breath and told Blue Ball to not ‘damage the merchandise’. They were going to sell me off or something but, would not hurt me too much which meant I was free with minor charge to take my little revenges against them until I could escape or something.

“Well, it is true…” I coughed as I shuffled back onto my hooves and smiled wickedly, “You do smell quite awful.”

“Cunt! I swear-“

“Shut up the both of you! We’re at the Midtown platform. We’re going to ground from here. I don’t want to attract any raiders or boglurks that may be wandering around, do you?” Uncle Shackle growled as he put away the map into his saddle bags again. That made Blue Balls and I quiet down.

I noticed that we had come upon another platform like the one I had first sought refuge on. I had seen several similar ones after the hours of walking and while at first I had been skeptical of the Metro’s integrity it did not collapse once. What was the Midtown Platform had been most likely nearly identical to the platform I had hid on but, time had been merciful enough to the Midtown Platform to not knock over the flight of stone stairs that lead down to the ground. The buildings here crowded around the Metro here and until went down to the ground and around one of the buildings I had been unable to make much detail of where we were. Once we rounded the building though we cantered into an area of the city that was much more open and had small buildings. What kind of pony had designed this city? Why crowd the Metro with skyscrapers that blocked all view and hide these smaller buildings behind it?

“Looks like map has been pretty right so far.” Uncle Shackle whinnied as we came up to a strange place. It was a field of some kind that had four little white squares set in a diamond like pattern. At the end of the field a cage like fence stood between what looked like two wooden shacks and behind each there were two sets of metal bleachers. Behind all of that stood a rusted and slightly leaning water tower that had the faded words ‘Midtown’ written across it. Blue Ball seemed to become excited as he drew out his sports bat in his mouth and trotted up to one of the little squares and proceeded to swing his bat at the air. Was he crazy hitting the air like that? A sharp taunt had begun to form on my lips but, I choked it back when I realized that there were bodies of ponies strapped to the metal fence.

“Woohoo! A field!” Blue Ball said, or at least that was what I interpreted his tongue behind the shaft of his bat as having had said. On closer look I saw that the pony bodies were actually pony body parts and they were skeletons. They were bleached white and picked completely clean of living flesh so much so that the rags that had been their clothing had simply fallen off. I tried not to imagine any of the randomly placed remains as they had been with meat on their bones.

“Short Round Field.” Uncle Shackle said as he cantered past me, as he did my PipBuck chirped. I looked to him to see if he had noticed but, he continued walking and talking. I brought my PipBuck up to see that the screen had switched itself to what looked like a map and on the map flashed a square icon that said the same words that Uncle Shackle had ‘Short Round Field’. What had happened to my PipBuck? Had it updated itself when Uncle Shackle had spoken or when I had moved closer to the location? I supposed the spell matrix within the PipBuck already had this location but, a quick glance at my map showed the rest of it was blank other than some odd outlines. Furthermore, why had I not noticed the map feature before when I could have used in in the tunnel or on the platform? I shook my head and listened to Uncle Shackle again “…pissants at Oasis said was true about the folks at Midtown giving the horseshoe to a bunch of raiders that had camped here.”

“True that. Of course once we get to Midtown, YOU will have to be a nice and quiet little cunt.” Blue Balls pointed a hoof at me as he placed his bat on his back. “If you aren’t and go blabbing to the ponies there then you won’t even make it before we get to the Steel Rangers outposts.”

Steel Rangers. I had heard them talk about the Steel Rangers with hate filled tones before looking at me and whispering to each other so I could not hear them. Maybe, now was the time to find out more about the Steel Rangers now that Blue Ball was in a ‘good mood’.

“Steel Rangers? They sound absolutely dreadful.” I said in the most disinterested tone I could summon.

“Hah. Right you are for once. Those high and mighty grave diggers are a pain in the flank in Fillydelphia but, it would seem that their leader in Baltimare is much more…practical. Once we get there we’re gonna sell your PipBuck for a nice little side profit before selling your flank to the highest bidding or meanest flank pounding-“ Blue Ball was interrupted by Uncle Shackle who trotted up to and smacked him over the face.

“Shut up, you darn big mouth. If you don’t learn to shut your trap it is going to cost you some day.” Uncle Shackle smacked Blue Ball again before he trotted toward the two shacks at the end of the field.

“Not like she is gonna be able to talk to anypony…” Blue Ball muttered and grinned evilly at me. He stomped a hoof and pointed at my mouth. I felt a chill run down my spine. As we moved closer to the shacks I noticed something…odd.
For one the shacks were not really shacks. They had metal roofs but, they looked only half built as the side facing the field just opened up to long pits with benches that just looked like they had been dug out. Second, the ground in front of the dugout on the left did not match the greyish-brownish dirt. It was coated red with what smelled like fresh blood.

“Shit, don’t tell me those pukes at Midtown missed a raider.” Uncle Shackle growled as he lifted his pistol into the air and
advanced on the dugout.

“If one’s hiding around here we should be able to find it just fine.” Blue Ball turned to me and growled “Bitch! Use that E.F.S. that PipBucks have and see if there are any raiders nearby.”

I stared at Blue Ball like he had grown a second head.

“What?” I scrunched my face. Something about what he said sounded familiar but, I could not quite place it.

“Damn it you little fucker. Don’t play games with me. Use your PipBuck or I’ll come over there and shove this bat right up your-“

"GRRRRRRR."

Blue Ball’s words died in his mouth. His head turned slowly toward the dugout and so did mine as once more from the depths of this wasteland another horror arrived.

To be more precise. All three of us looked to see as from within a shady corner of the dugout two long fur covered arms topped with two large claws caked in dried blood emerged. The claws gripped the end of the dugout and pulled out a twisted, beastial shape. From atop its large and powerful fur body a misshapen canine head stared out and it looked absolutely demonic! From its slavering jaws lined with rows of cracked, yellow teeth to the mass of badly healed scar tissue that made up the rest of its head. Looking closer I saw that a pair of red and blue wires only just poked out of one mass of black burned tissue. For a moment I thought it was completely naked but, I spied the thin band of a collar that looped around its neck. It stood on two crooked, pawed legs that after they bent slightly propelled the beast forward to disembowel Uncle Shackle in one swipe of its oversized claws.

Oh, come on!

I mentally screamed inside my head as Uncle Shackle’s blood from his missing head sprayed the ground in front of me. The beast at the moment did not pay any attention to Blue Ball and I as it plunged its claws into Uncle Shackle’s body and tore out still warm organs and meat that it greedily began to feast on. I watched as its tail thumped repeatedly into the ground so very happily.

“W-we a-are so f-f-fucking bucked.” Blue Ball shuddered and slowly backed away from the gruesome scene. A thin line of urine trailed down his leg and faded into the dirt.

I was inclined to agree with him except I knew that I still had so many things to do. I needed to get away from here alive. I needed to destroy the Mother-of-All-Boglurks that lurked outside of my Stable. I needed to get back into Stable 81. I needed to kick Pompadour in the face. I needed to take a long, hot shower. I needed to do my mane. I needed to sleep in my bed and wake up to my mural that showed to me a perfect Equestria. Then I needed to light a bomb and destroy this twisted place.

To do that I needed to not be fucking bucked. I needed to be like I was in Stable 81. I needed to be on top. I needed to be…on top of a water tower.

The shackled prevented me from completely running away but, they allowed me to slowly sneak away from the dog-beast’s meal as it began to finish on the bones of Uncle Shackle. Step by step I cantered away and for the first time honestly prayed to Celestia and Luna that they would help this good little pony! I expected at any moment to be turned into a feast but, the dog-beast seemed to like savoring its meals as I soon found myself in front of the water tower and it even had a ladder. A ladder I did not have to jump on the back of a monster creature to do!

I had begun to climb several rungs when I felt a cold nose press against my flank. I nearly jumped off the ladder before I heard Blue Ball speak.

“Come on, come on, come on. It’s going to get us. Move that flank!” Blue Ball’s voice was a mix of freight and command as he shoved at me with his hooves.

I wanted to say he smelled like piss but, the air filled with a hungry howl that sent me flying up the ladder. Near the top I looked down across the field and saw the black, white, and blood red blur that was the dog-beast as it ran toward the water tower on all fours kicking up clods of dirt. I cleared the ladder and fell onto the platform, underneath me I had fallen on some kind of round ball. I leaned over the side just as Blue Ball climbed over and watched as the beast stopped at the base of the water tower.

I really hoped this thing could not-FUCKING TARTARUS it was climbing the ladder after us. Eeeeee! Fuckfucfuckfuckfuck! Why did I think this was a good idea? What had I been thinking? Now I was trapped on top of a water tower with an idiot and a dog-beast was hungry for…me?

I stared at Blue Ball as he coughed and panted on the water tower’s platform.

“Blue Ball. Quick. Look.” Time seemed to slow for me as I said those words. As he looked up at me with annoyance and fear then slowly picked himself up from the floor and moved to the edge. As he peered down I saw quite clearly the look of impending horror on his face. He did not notice my horn as it glowed and I used my magic to pull his bat from his back and hold it above his head.

I paused.

Was I really going to do this? Could I even do it?

I had seen so much death in the last…how long had it been…two days? Right then and there I felt like it could have been an eternity and I still would have not been sure if I could kill another pony. It was so primitive and brutal but, even in Stable 81 until Mother had ordered the attack on the Tunnel Stallions I had never been close to the death of another pony. I had acted to save my own life so far only by running or technically destroying the bug-bot. Not taking the life of another pony!

I could not do it.

And yet, a voice inside my head seemed to say.

This pony had insulted me and showed the highest levels of disrespect.

I could do it. I could not do it. I could do it. I could not do it.

This pony had wrapped me in shackles and threatened to sell me as a slave.

I could do it. I could not do it. I could do it.

This pony had beaten me.

I could do it. I could not do it.

This pony had threatened to kill me.

I could do it.

All my anger at the Equestrian Wasteland just seemed to boil up inside of me and lash out.

I heard a crack as the bat slammed into the back of Blue Ball’s head. I saw as his eyes widened in surprise and pain. I watched as he tumbled over the side of the platform and plumet to the ground below.

He did not get that far.

The dog-beast did not let him reach the ground, instead it jumped in mid climb into the air and pounced onto Blue Ball. Blue Ball screamed as he hit the ground with a crunch and the dog-beast tore into his body and ripped him to shreds in moments. I had become good at puking by this point so I did over the platform edge. My eyes became glued to the lip-smacking scene below as the dog-beast took its time enjoying every last scrap of Blue Ball. The image seared into my brain. I only moved when I noticed that the dog-beast’s brown and blue eyes had turned from its meal to me and the bloody bat I held afloat.

It…smiled and licked its lips.

Why-hy-hy-hy-hy? Why me? I was Precious!

I rolled back from the platform’s edge as the beast and looked around for something or anything that could help me. Anything else besides the bat I could throw at it. I looked at the white ball I had landed on before. It was not the kitchen sink but, why not? I wrapped my magic around the ball and looked back down at the best.

“Hey! Hey ugly!”

“Aroo?” the dog-beast looked up at me from its climb on the ladder. It locked its eyes on the ball. I moved the ball around with my magic and its eyes continued to follow the ball in a figure eight in the air.

“Take this!” I cried and threw the ball down at it. My aim had been terrible and the ball whizzed past the dog-beast but, it actually dropped from the ladder and chased after the ball.

What?

It wagged its club like tail happily as it picked the ball up in its mouth and jerked it between its teeth. It was drooling saliva all over it. I tried not to gag or scream as the dog-beast turned back to climbing up the ladder. I scrambled back to the opposite edge of the platform and desperately looked for someway off of this thing that did not involve me crippling my legs.

Of course there was none.

I curled into a ball as the dog-beast pulled its large body onto the platform which seemed to creak in protest. Its claws clacked along the metal surface as it reared up above me, both claws raised to rend me limb from limb. I closed my eyes and waited for my life to flash before my eyes. At least that way I could remember all the good times of getting a pony pedicure or wearing my dresses…or even the times when Mother had loved me.

It never came.

Not to say I was disappointed I did not feel the blood soaked claws of this dog-beast tear into my flesh as its jaws ripped open my throat. I was just surprised.

I felt a saliva and blood soaked round object fall into my hoof and I opened my eyes to stare into the panting face of the dog-beast. It actually whined when I did not move but, then it growled and I sent it flying over the railing. The dog-beast turned and chased after the ball, scrambling back down the ladder. I slowly picked myself up and walked to the platform ledge again, not believing that any of this was happening. It rolled around in the dirt as it leapt on the ball and then picked it up and loped back to me. I repeated my throw again and it chased the ball again, and again, and again.

Was it just toying with me before it ate me or was it actually going to let me live? I did not even know if it actually could work out complex thought but, as I climbed down the ladder I came to the conclusion that I did not care. When I reached the bottom it once more placed the ragged, lump of leather that had been the ball at my hooves. I ignored it and stiffly began to walk away back toward the field. I dragged the bat in the crook of my foreleg and tried not to look at the bloody, red stain. It did not like that. It moved in front of me again and growled as it pushed the ball to me with its paw.

So I hit it with the bat.

Well, I tapped it on the noise. I had done some things and now I needed to either just die right there or it could move out of my way. I had weakly surrendered to Uncle Shackle and Blue Ball but, now my patience had run out. I was Precious of Stable 81. I was the Pretty, Pony Princess. I sure did not feel like it but, I was definitely one.

“Bad. Bad, dog-beast.” I angrily chastised it. Letting some of the built up emotion I had acquired bleed out in my words.
To my complete and utter surprise the dog-beast actually whimpered and back away from me several steps. It rubbed its nose and hung its head low in the dirt.

I was Princess! Hear me roar!

I advanced on the dog-beast and it continued to step away. Well, well, well. Finally something had recognized my importance. Even if it probably had the brain the size of an apple seed. I felt so good I decided to figuratively toss the dog a bone, I did not use the ones lashed to the fence. I picked up the remains of the ball and tossed it toward the field. It barked happily and chased after it.

As I trotted back to the field a thought suddenly came to mind. I could not continue to call this or any other creature I met ‘the dog-beast’ or ‘the bug-thing’. Even if these things already had names for themselves I either needed to learn them or find something new. Considering the dog-beast I thought it over and I think the perfect name came to mind. It did after all combine the beast’s apparent nature and its favorite thing, besides the ball.

“Come here now. Come here now, Dog Meat.”

Next Chapter