100 years later...

Name : Tessia Starbow
Location : Stable 21

“Tess… Teeeessss… Wake-up Tess”
I open my eyes only to quickly shut them again as the lights turned on in my bedroom. I slowly open them again and see a mint green unicorn with a green and blue mane and a toffee apple cutie mark, sat down at the end of my bed looking at me… It is Sugarcube, my best friend… and… now that I think about it… my only friend within the stable.

“Give me 5 more minutes Sugarcube” I say, as I turn over and place my pillow over the back of my head.

“Suit yourself” Sugarcube starts to trot towards the door abruptly stopping before leaving my room. “But you’re going to miss the voting for the next Overmare if you stay in bed for tooooooo loonnnggg.” She states, then continues to trot out of my bedroom room.

“Oooohhhhh yeah…” I think to myself. Stable 21, which is the stable I live in, has a three year Overmare cycle and every three years the residents of stable 21 aged 19 and above get to vote for the next overmare . I turned 19 a few months ago so now I also get the opportunity to vote. Not that it really matters, every time it’s always the same pony that becomes overmare.

“SUGARCUBE WAIT” I quickly shout over to her before she closes the door to my room.

“What is it sleepy head?” She says, as she turned around to look back at me.

“How did you get into my room anyway?” I ask her with a look of confusion on my face. She puts on a smile, gives me a wink and touches the tip of her nose, then closes the door behind her.

“Just Sugarcube being Sugarcube” I think.

I… eventually find the motivation in me to get out of be, I walk over to my dresser. Pulling out a towel and levitating it over my shoulder, I start to walk to the bathroom at the other end of the room to take a quick shower. I throw the towel over the radiator and step into the shower.

“IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS CELESTIA!” I curse, jumping out of the shower. “WHY IS THE WATER LIKE IT HAD JUST COME OUT OF A FREEZER!” I scream at the top of my voice, shaking and chattering under my freezing cold mane and body. I quickly turn the shower off and walk over to the radiator and tap my hoof against it; the radiator… is also stone cold.

“How peculiar” I think, probably just doing some maintenance on the boiler. I levitate my towel back over and quickly dry myself off. I abruptly leave the bathroom and walk over to my wardrobe, opening the door with my fore hoof.

“Huuuummm… Stable 21 uniform, stable 21 uniform or stable 21 uniform…” I sigh and take another quick glance around the wardrobe.

“Same old same old” I think. However something caught the corner of my eye. Folded up in the corner of my wardrobe was another set of stable 21 uniform. I levitate it up to my chest.

“This is strange” I think to myself pulling a look of confusion. “The only ponies who have access to my room are my mom, dad, the Overmare and apparently Sugarcube” I say to myself, wondering why I had an extra set of stable 21 clothing. I slip on the new set of clothing, it felt… nice… comfortable… like it had never been worn before.

“Maybe today isn’t going to be so bad after all” I think, walking over to the door of my room. I raise my pip buck up to eye level, checking the time before I leave. The clock read 09:30.

“Right on time” I think, in a happy tone of thought. I open my bedroom door and walk into to the main corridor. Closing the door behind me, I trot down the hallway pasting all the other ponies living quarters. Before I could reach the stairwell that leads up to the canteen, I hear voices down the corridor to the right of the stairs.

“Looks like our mother is going to become overmare again for the fifth time running” The cocky voice echoes down the hallways.

“I recognise that voice and I hate it” I think, pulling a sad face "Another part of me dies inside every time I hear that voice"

“Well, well, well, look who it is” Diamond Sparkle says to her sister Silver Sparkle, as they gallop towards me, suddenly they stop about four hoofs length in front of me.

“Well if it isn’t the mutant of stable 21” Silver Sparkle says as she looks towards her twin sister. The two white unicorns with long pink manes stare at me with amused faces. I look down at the floor, not saying a word, I look back up at them and take a glance over their shoulders. I focus my magic and then with a flash of light find myself 10 hoofs length behind then.

"Minor teleportation, the one thing that makes me different from the other unicorns and their magic in the stable… even if it is limited to my line of sight…. Still isn’t enough to give me a cutie mark though…" I think as I slowly make my way to the stairwell in hope they wont spot me.

The evil sisters stood there for a second wondering what happened… then they turned around and see me sneaking my way to the stairwell.

“Hey we aren’t finished here!” Diamond sparkle shouts at me. Then grunting, she gallops towards me. My eyes widen in shock, then not a second later, I'm slammed against the wall of the stable with Diamond Sparkle’s foreleg pressing on my neck. She’s a lot stronger than me so no matter how hard I struggle to get out of her grasp, I'm not going anywhere, and I'm finding it difficult to catch my breath.

“LIKE I SAID I’M NOT DONE WITH YOU YET” she says to me in a calm yet angry voice, she starts to pull a smug grin. “YOU’RE GOING TO BE VOTING FOR MY MOTHER AGAIN FOR OVERMARE AREN’T YOU?” she says looking into my wide eyes with the most evil look I’ve ever seen a pony do.

I nod.

“Good” She smiles, letting her grip from my neck go, dropping me to the ground. I gasp as I try and get my breath back.

“Oh and one more thing” Silver Sparkle says, as she walks past me

*BWAK*

“That’s for trying to make us look stupid” She grunts, bucking me in the face with her fore hoof.

“Next time you’ll end up with more than a bloody nose if you try that teleportation act on us again” Diamond Sparkle swiftly follows suit. They then continue on their walk up the stairs.

I look down at the floor almost in tears, then a drip of blood falls from the tip of my nose and makes a red spot on the ground. I swiftly wipe my eyes and then rub my nose, creating a smear of blood on the tip of my fore hoof. "They have always had it out for me those two, and I’ve always hated them for it, I seem to be their only source of amusement within the stable, not even sure what it is they have against me, but then again everyone else probably thinks the same way about me, it’s just no one shows it as much as the gruesome twosome. I mean whose cutie mark is just a single diamond or just a mirror, come on seriously…"

“Well I thought today was going to be a good day” I sob, picking myself up of the ground, still in shock as I make my way up the stairs towards the canteen. When I enter everypony seems to be there, they were all eating, drinking and discussing who they thought would become the next Overmare. Everypony also seems to be wearing new stable 21 clothing.

“Well at least I wasn’t the only one who got surprise new clothing” I think, walking up to the counter to get some breakfast.

“Oh poor Tessieee, what did they do to you this time?” A familiar voice came from behind the counter… It was Mrs Sugarcube, the cook of stable 21 and the mom of my best friend, and she has always been caring towards me whenever my mom is busy with stable security.

“It’s nothing Mrs Sugarcube I’ll be okay” I reply, looking up at her, I then give her a quick smile.

“But this isn’t nothing” she says in a stern voice, as she levitates a wet towel and wipes my face with it to get the dry blood off, then immediately after chucks a packet off ice at me, it booped my nose as I catch it with my levitation field.

“You have to stop letting them push you around like this Tessie” she says, levitating a bowl of porridge in front of me.

“I wish she wouldn’t call me Tessie, makes me sound like a filly” I think to myself. I quickly try to change the subject.

“Porridge… again?” I ask, with a slightly disgusted look on my face.

“I’m sorry Tessie” Mrs Sugarcube replies to me with a sad expression on her face “But until we get the apple trees growing again this is all we’ve got for breakfast for the next couple of weeks”.

“Okay…” I sob, levitating the bowl beside me as I walk away from the counter. Then in the corner of my eye, a raspberry muffin levitates in front of my face. I stop and look back towards Mrs Sugarcube who was smiling and waving at me, her horn glowing.

“Thank you” I squee, as I back to her. She always makes the best muffins, after all, her cutie mark is a raspberry muffin.

“Just give me a call whenever you need me… or if Diamond Sparkle ever gives you anymore trouble” she shrugs, looking over at Diamond Sparkle and her sister sat at the other end of the canteen. I quickly glance around the room to try and locate Sugarcube, I spot her sat down eating her porridge. I trot over, carrying my muffin and porridge in a levitation field, and placing then down on the table next to her before taking a seat at the table myself.

“Hey Sugarcube” I smile, sitting down at the table next to her.

“So you finally decided to join every pony” She acknowledges, with her mouth full of porridge. After finally swallowing, she continues with the conversation.

“Diamond Sparkle give you any trouble this morning?” she asks.

“More than usual today” I mutter, letting my ears flop and pulling a sigh. Sugarcube looks down at my still bloodstained hoof, then, looking back up at me, she gives me a big hug. A small sqwee came from my body when I pull a small smile. Sugarcube always finds a way to make me feel a lot better.

“Would you like a piece?” I ask, looking back at sugarcube, levitating the muffin up to her… that is once she had finally stopped hugging me.

“No thanks” She answers quickly. “I’m stuffed after finishing this amazing porridge” She pulls a big smile, closing her eyes as she does so.

“Yeah…Amazing…” I chuckle, rolling my eyes, I levitating a spoon full of the stuff into my mouth.

“ATTENTION EVERY PONY ATTENTION EVERY PONY” The Overmare’s voice calls over the stable speakers “CAN ALL MARES AND STALLIONS WHO ARE GOING TO BE PLACING THEIR VOTES START HEADING TO THE MAIN HALL NOW”

Without a moment’s notice, everypony starts to leave the canteen in a very swift manner then, in what felt like seconds, Sugarcube and I were the only two left in the canteen. I take a quick glance around the room.

“You coming Tess?” Sugarcube asks, looking at me as she stood back up and starts to walk towards the exit.

“I’ll catch up with you” I reply, smiling and waving a hoof. Sugarcube then starts to trot down the corridor towards the main hall. I look down, back at the porridge left in the bowl, I pull yet another sigh and, levitating the bowl up to my mouth, I gulp down the rest. After levitating the bowl and spoon back to the counter, I then trot out of the canteen and back down the stairwell to my room, still levitating the muffin and bag of ice next to my face. When I open the door to my room I notice a slip of paper on my bed.

“How peculiar” I say to myself, taking a quick glance around the room. After placing the muffin on the desk next to my bed, I levitate the note up to my face to read it.

“Hope you like the new outfit… signed the Overmare”

“Well at least the mystery of the unknown extra pair of stable wear has been brought to light” I think to myself. After opening the bag of ice and slipping out an ice cube to suck on, I walk back out of my room, closing the door behind and then starting trot back towards the canteen. After taking a second ice cube I place the bag back on the counter and start to head off toward the main hall.

As I enter the hall, I can see the multiple lines of ponies all in front of the stalls which contain the voting boxes. I take a slip of paper with my magic and levitate it over to myself then grasp it in my mouth. "I knew standing in line would be the worst part, I’ve always hated waiting…it’s just so… boring" I sit down on my flank, waiting for the line to progress further before standing up again to catch up to the back of the line.
After what seemed like an eternity waiting in line, it is finally my turn to enter the booth. I drop the slip of paper onto the table and levitate the pen placing a tick in the box next to my mom’s name. "My mom is head of security here at stable 21. The three ponies that get their names on the list are the three heads of the stable. The head of imagery, the head of security and the head of technology. Diamond Sparkle’s mom was head of imagery which involves making the stable feel as much like home as possible, basically keeping everypony happy, which is why everypony continues to vote for her. The head of technology here in the stable is in charge of keeping the stable running, making sure everything works. I can’t imagine the lack of hot water going in her favour today, also why am I thinking stuff I already know". After dropping the slip of paper into the box, I pull a small smile and trot happily out of the booth. Once again I head back to my room. I felt like finishing copy 15 of the Power Ponies. Reading is the thing I do the most in the stable, it’s not like there is anything better to do, sport happens in the sports hall and weapons training happens on the range, along with ponies going about their daily lives.

When I open the door, I see Sugarcube sat down in the middle of my room.
“How did you…but I… whaaaat…” The rest of the stuff to leave my mouth is just a lot of babbling. My face is a look of shock.

“Oh you…” Sugarcube chuckles, looking at me “You left the door unlocked silly” she says with a smile on her face.

“Oh… my bad” I reply, with a look of embarrassment.

“Want to play some cards?” Sugarcube asks me whilst lifting a packet of cards from behind her with her magic.

“Sure… why not… but shouldn’t you be working with your mom today?” I ask, as I try to comprehend what had actually just happened.

“Nope” She replies, shaking her head “She said I could have the day off”

I sit down in front of Sugarcube who takes the cards out of the packet and starts to shuffle them. After placing them on the ground she deals two cards to each of us, I raise the two cards up to eye level with my magic.

“Huuummm the nine of clubs and the ace of hearts… so I either have ten or twenty in total” I think, slightly scrunching my nose.

“You got any sevens?” Sugarcube asks in a very enthusiastic voice.

“But isn’t that go fish…” I question Sugarcubes logic with a confuse look “I thought we were playing Blackjack” I say.

“Oh yeah, right” Sugarcube laughs and then looks back at her cards again. “Guess I win then” she says showing her ace of diamonds and king of diamonds.

My face turns to a look of shock as my magic implodes, dropping both my cards.

“But…what…how?” I question, I think Sugarcube has finally managed to break me.

“Well you see the king is equal to 10 and the ace is equal to 11... and that is equal to 21” she says smiling.

I face hoof, causing my nose to bleed again in the process.

“Now wasn’t that a silly thing to do” Sugarcube addresses, levitating the box of tissues next to my bed up to my face.
I took one of the tissues wiping the blood once again off my nose and face.

“Thanks Sugarcube” I smile.

“Don’t mention it” She replies, smiling back, “Again?” She asks, as she back at the pile of cards.

“Sure… why not” I reply, placing my two cards back in the pile. But before Sugarcube could shuffle the pile of cards again the room start to flash red and sirens start to go off, the Overmare’s voice starts to call over the stable speakers.

“CAN EVERYPONY MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE MAIN HALL AS SOON AS PONILY POSSIBLE… I REPEAT CAN EVERYPONY MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE MAIN HALL ASAP”

“Looks like our game of go fish was cut short” Sugarcube says, looking towards me with a worried look.
“But we weren’t playing…” I start to say to Sugarcube, still with a confused look, I shake my head. “Never mind… wonder what’s going on” I worry, looking back at Sugarcube.

“Only one way to find out… let’s go” She replies.

Together we both gallop out of my room. The hallways were full of ponies also galloping towards the stairwell that led up to the main hall. Sugarcube and I both look at each other and then followed suit. When we enter the main hall everypony is sat in rows facing toward the stage where three ponies are stood whispering to each other. Everypony seems just as confused as Sugarcube and I; we took our seats at the back of the hall and face towards the ponies on the stage.

“QUIET EVERYPONY, QUIET!!!” The Overmare screams at the top of her voice. But no pony seems to listen. The unicorn stood next to her in stable security barding shoots a bullet into the ceiling.

*BANG*

That finally gets every ponies attention.

“That’s my mom” I think, pulling a small grin. Everypony is now looking towards the Overmare who has a very worried look on her face.

“Now that we finally have order we can get down to business” She addresses, looking around the room to check everypony was present. “We have a minor situation on our hooves” she says, squinting her eye. “The water talisman that provides the stable with purified water has broken and needs a replacement” The room erupts into mass panic as everypony seems to talk to everypony else at the same time.

“Doesn’t that mean we are running out of clean water?” One stallion shouts

“We are all gonna die” Another mare cries.

“The horror, the horror” Some other pony screams.

*BANG*

My mom shoots another bullet into the ceiling. Once again… everypony was quiet.

“We are not all going to die” The Overmare says, trying to sound comforting. “We have tried to get into contact with Stable Tec to get them to send us a replacement, but to no success. Our sister stable, stable 12 can help to provide us with fresh water, but we have to be very conservative with the water they provide us” The Overmare says, still looking over everypony in the crowd, then turning to face the white unicorn with the mulberry coloured mane.

“Now the three of us called you all here as we need a volunteer to leave the stable and head to Stable Tec headquarters in fillydephia” My mom informs everypony with a stern voice. “Once you get there you can acquire a new water talisman and bring it back here so we can replace the old one”

Everypony begins to whisper to the pony next to them; myself and Sugarcube just sit there looking at each other.

“Maybe Teeeessss should go… I mean she could just flyyyyy there and back” Diamond Sparkle says, grinning at me.

“BY THE GODESSES NOT THIS AGAIN” I beg, whilst face hoofing.

“OH WAIT” Diamond Sparkle says, looking at her twin sister “SHE CAN’T FLY” Silver sparkle quickly follows up with.

The whole room explodes into laughter. I slightly unfold my wings, I look at then with a sad expression allowing my ears to droop and then covering my face with my forelegs, almost in tears.

"According to the doctor I was born with a minor gene defect, which has been caused by radiation passed down through generations attacking my family’s DNA. My mom has eyes which glow in the dark; it helps her to see objects clearly even in total darkness. According to my mom, my great great grandmother was a Pegasus and my grandmother was a Pegasus but the DNA change caused by radiation made my mom a unicorn. But… what Diamond Sparkle was saying is true, I have the inability, or lack of knowledge, to be able to fly, not that I’ve had the chance to practice in a stable... AGAIN WHAT IS WITH ME TODAY, POINTING OUT THE OBVIOUS" I think.

“ORDER ORDER” Shouts the Overmare whilst the two ponies beside her bang their hooves on the stage floor.

“We have to be serious about this everypony” The Overmare pleads, looking back around the hall.

“it’s going to be a long trek to Fillydelphia, we shall provide you with all the supplies needed for the journey.” My mom says still looking over everypony in the hall.

“I’ll do it”… the room gasps and everypony turned to look at me, Sugarcube's face is now a look of shock. Then my mom picks me up in a levitation field floating me across the room to then drop me on my flank with a thud in front of her.

“You’re not going” My mom orders, as she looks down upon me.

“But I…” I plead.

“NO” My mom shouts at me interrupting my sentence.

“If she wants to go just let her!” Diamond Sparkle shouts to my mom.

“Somepony needs to go” A random stallion says.

The hall then erupts once again into shouting, I think I hear someone say, let the little mutant go.

“SILENCE” The 3 mares shout once more.

The hall quickly fell once again into silence, and the Overmare walked towards me and then halted in front of me smiling as she looks down at me.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” The Overmare asks me in a calm voice.

“Yes Overmare” I reply confidently.

“Everypony return to your rooms and stay there until further notice!” The Overmare shouts, “Miss Star will you get the security mares to make sure everypony stays within their living quarters until I say they can leave.” The Overmare requests to my mom.

“Yes Overmare I’ll get right on it” My mom answers, she starts trotting out of the hall.

The Overmare and I were the only two ponies left in the room.

“You’re not letting my two daughters get to you now, are you?” The Overmare questions looking back at me after watching my mom leave the hall.

“No miss Overmare” I reply, shaking my head.

“Stable 12 can continue to provide us with fresh water for a long time; it’s just… for the betterment of both the stables that we get a new water talisman” She reasons, looking very sympathetic. “Don’t let us make you think that this is something you have to do”

“I’m not allowed to do anything within the stable until I get a cutie mark” I reply looking up at the Overmare. “So allow me to do something outside of the stable” I smile, trying to get her to see my side of the story.

“If that is your wish” She says smiling back at me “Go back to your room and I shall make sure that you get all the supplies you will need for the journey”

“Thanks Overmare” I reply, sounding more cheerful. After standing up, I trot towards the entrance to the corridors. I turn to look back at the Overmare.

“I won’t let you down, or the stable down for that matter” I say to the Overmare.

“I’m certain you won’t” the Overmare replies, once again smiling at me.

When I got back to my room, I begin to select a few items I think I would need on the trip.
“Spare clothing…check, Towel…check, toothbrush…check, portable medi kit…check” I say to myself, I also grab my copy of episode 15 of the power ponies which I was already hell bent on reading at some point in the future. I then notice the muffin that Sugarcube’s mom had given me. I rap the muffin up in some tinfoil and set it back down on the desk. Then there was a banging on the door to my room.

*Bang bang bang* “You in there Tess?” A voice comes from the other side of the door.

“Yes mom” I reply.

My mom then enters the room levitating her old saddlebag behind her.

“Here you go” My mom says placing the saddlebag on my bed. “In there is everything you will need for your travels ahead of you” She sobs her ears flop as she looks down at the floor. She then gallops at me and embraces me in a big hug. “I’m so proud of you” She cries, bursting into tears. “And if you definitely want to do this, then don’t let me hold you back… You will always be my little filly, no matter what happens” She cries, giving me multiple kisses on the forehead.

“Mom I am 19 now” I reply as she finally lets me go “I can take care of myself” I say, smiling with a tear going down my cheek.

“Yes, I’m sure you can” My mom sobs, sniffling and wiping her eyes with her forehoof. “Make sure you get back okay, and if things get to dangerous gallop back to the stable as fast as you can”

“Will do mom” I reply, smiling at her

“Remember what I always told you as a filly my little Tessia” She says to me.

“Wheeennn life gives you lemons make lemonade?” I ask with a confused look.

“No silly” She replies smiling with a tear still rolling down her cheek. “When you believe in yourself, you can achieve anything”

My mom gives me one last hug “Now get your stuff packed” She says to me as she walks towards the exit of my room “They’re ready to open the stable door” My mom leaves the room closing the door behind her.

I walk over to the saddlebag and open the two flaps to see what my mom had packed for me. I levitate a set of my mom’s spare stable security barding. I immediately slip it over my regular stable clothing and walk over to the mirror. I look exactly like my mom, with the stable barding covering my neck chest and back. I walk back over to the saddlebag. Then, I levitate two bags of coins with labels on, 500 bits for the talisman one read and 100 bits for food the other read. Also in the bag was two days’ worth of food and two water bottles. My attention then turns to the other half of the saddle bag, “Its… empty?” I think to myself. Then, I spot two pieces of paper at the bottom of the bag I levitate them up to eye level. One was a picture of my mom and the other, a picture of Sugarcube. I smile, placing them close to my heart. I place them back in the saddlebag. I fill the second half of the saddlebag with all the other necessary essentials I’d placed aside including the raspberry muffin. Finally closing the saddlebag I place it over my back and tie the straps round my waist. After taking one last look in the mirror, I open the door to my room. Closing the door for what could be the last time I start to head to the Overmare’s office on the third floor. As I walk past the rooms of the other ponies, they were looking through their windows at me.

“One last stop before I go” I say to myself. I stop outside the door to Sugarcube’s room.
“Sugarcube, Sugarcube, you in there?” I ask, knocking on the door to her room. But there was no answer. I try to peek through the gap between the curtain and the window. It doesn't seem like anyone was in there. I sigh, feeling sorry that I wouldn’t be able to say bye to Sugarcube. When I walk into the Overmare’s office, she was stood there with two security mares who were wearing gas masks

“You ready?” She asks, smiling at me.

“As ready as I’ll ever be” I shrug, nodding my head.
The Overmare walks over to the main terminal and opens up a stairwell down to the stable atrium.

“Good luck Tess!” The Overmare shouts to me as the two security mare escort me down the stairs. The fact they were wearing gas masks isn't helping my worries though. When we got to the bottom of the stairs, we were in a room full of electronic equipment and terminals, at one end, the exit to stable 21, and at the other, the entrance to the cave that connects this stable to our sister stable. One of the mares walks over to a terminal, and flips a switch. Red lights start flashing and the alarm starts to sound over the stable speakers. The gigantic arm swings into place, pulling the stable door back and rolling it to the side, revealing what looked like another dark cave. As I walk towards the exit a voice shouts behind me.

“Tess before you go, you have two more visitors” The Overmare shouts at me from the bottom of the stairs.
From behind her, Sugarcube gallops up to me then falls to my hooves in tears

“Don’t go Tess” She cries enveloped in tears “I’ll miss you sooooo muuuuuch”.

I can't stand to see Sugarcube cry.

“I’ll miss you too” I sob, giving Sugarcube a big hug, I also start to cry. “But I’ve already made my decision” I follow up, trying to hold back the waterworks.

“But what if you don’t make it back” Sugarcube sobs “Or what if you become a mutant pony, or a mindless zombie pony… or a mutant, zombie, pony!” She shouts at me tears rolling down her cheek.

“Wait… what?” I think, still questioning the logic of Sugarcube. “And technically aren’t I already a mutant pony” I ponder.

“I’ll be okay” I reply sniffling and wipe my own as well as Sugarcubes tears from my face. “Plus you have my pipbuck I.D” I say to her pointing at her pipbuck. “You can keep track of me and send messages to me whenever you wish” I smile at her.
Sugarcube finally picks herself up off of the ground, wiping both her eyes.

“Promise…” she sobs, as she looks into my eyes still sniffling.

“I promise” I reply, placing my hoof on my heart. I look over her shoulder to see a light blue stallion earth pony with a red and black striped mane. It is Hotshot, "oh my celeatia, Hotshot, the best shooter in stable 21 has come to say bye to me, just keep you cool tess" I think. Sugarcube takes a few steps back and allows Hotshot to step in front of me.

“I… err?” He mutters to me, “I thought you might want this” He says unstrapping his gun holster with the pistol still attached along with a note. “I’ve kept that pistol in pristine condition, it’s one of the reasons why I’m such a good shot” He says smiling at me. “No one knows what you’ll face out there, and if the zebras have taken over then…there is even more of a reason for you to have it” he smiles, looking straight into my eyes.

“Thanks very much Hotshot, I… don’t know what to say” I thank, slightly blushing.

“Think nothing of it” He replies, booping my nose, making me blush even more. my face is probably bright red. I levitate the holster, strapping it to my left forehoof and placing the note in my saddlebag. Finally I give them both one more big hug and start walking towards the cave. When I make it to the other side of the stable door, the sirens start once again, I can't look back at Sugarcube as I knew it would just bring me to tears again. When the stable door slid back into position the cave is brought into total darkness.

“May the light of Celestia’s sun guide me on this mission” I say, placing my hoof over my heart. Turning on my pipbuck light brought the cave into a green light, I scream, as I see the skeletons of ponies who had tried to get into the stable during the war.

“It’s okay Tess keep it together” I think, as I step over the bones towards what looked like the cave entrance.
When I step out of the cave I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. From these mountains I could see practically all of Equestria or at least what was left of it. The land that was Equestria seems dead. Trees are stripped of all there leaves and the ground seems to be in ashes. There was no sun shining in the sky as it is completely overcast with dark clouds. It had lost all that so called magic that everypony talks about in the stable. Then it hits me, I think I finally understand how impossible this mission is going to be. Then my pipbuck vibrats. I lifted it up so see what it was; it was a message from Sugarcube.

“Miss you already” It read. “Once again just Sugarcube being Sugarcube” I say to myself.

My pipbuck had labelled the area as Unicorn Mountains, I try to zoom out on the pipbuck map to see what other locations it has revealed to me, but unfortunately this was the only destination it seems to know. I can make out the different major cities on the map but I have no idea which one is Fillydelphia. Taking a deep breath I calm myself; I don't want stress to take over. Looking to the east I can see what looks like Canterlot, the big castle perched on the side of the mountain makes it an easily recognisable feature in story books. "It seems to be reasonably intact from here" I think.

“Well if I’m going to start anywhere, it’s the capital, It’s at times like this I wish I could fly” I begin to think as I kick some stones of the side of the cliff face. “I wonder what the note Hotshot gave me says” I think, levitating the note out of my saddlebag.

“It’s too dangerous to go alone, take this…”

“Oh no he didn’t” I chuckle, smiling at the pun.

The note also had a pipbuck I.D written on it.

“N035P54 Keep me posted x …”

I type the I.D into my pipbuck, after I send him a message with my pipbuck I.D. After I take one more look in the direction of Canterlot, I start the trek down the mountain.

Author's Note

Thought I would give some credit to my proof reader, he is also my co-worker on this Fallout Equestria sub-story.

Here is a link to his page.
http://www.fimfiction.net/user/Silent%20Silver

Anyway chapters 2,3 and 7 are under construction and chapter 6 is under proof reading stage. Seems a strange order for a story but when you are doing things from different characters perspectives then things start to get confusing. Also never really had to write in the present tense before so that was a challenge, almost killed me in the process. Anyway how do you like it so far?

Be critical I can't improve unless people comment...

Also thank-you to Hnetu for helping me.

http://www.fimfiction.net/user/Hnetu