Fallout Equestria: Earthbound

Dirty light flows into the room. I open my eyes to see Melody Lane sitting on her bed, whispering softly to her unborn foal. "How's my little sweetie today?" She’s wearing the sweater I put out for her last night. I smile at her as our eyes met.

"Thought of any names yet?"

She beams. "I've always like the name Evergreen." Her gaze lowers back to her stomach. "That was my grandmother's name."

"I like that name too."

"Ah. Uh. Duhha." Melody's husband rolls around in his bed, back to his old, silly self. He wiggles, eyes still closed. "Baaabe. I just had the most hot dream ever... It was you and that white pony making out and totally fucking." He giggles at his words. My whole face is red as I crawl back under my covers. Luna please make him stop- "I mean, you two were going at it like it was nothing. But let me tell you, it was something. Something huge." He snuggles up in his blankets a bit more. "I'd like to see that in real life," he groans softly, praying for the occurrence. Melody couldn't hold it any longer. She starts laughing like crazy, falling to the floor. The laughter gets the stallion to open his eyes. My face is exposed from the blanket that only covers my mane and body. Our eyes make contact. This time his face is red. "Oh jeez." His hoof nervously scratches the back of his head. "I- Uh- Sorry about that. I've gotten use to only having Mel with me when I wake up."

It gets eerily awkward. Really awkward. Clearing my throat, I offer breakfast. "You guys up for breakfast?" They both nod. Let's think, deliveries taken place lately... A shipment of carrots should be here... And cider with be should be here sometime today or tomorrow. "You up for carrots or oats?" We always have oats in the house incase of some emergency. They take a long while to expire. I get my sweater on and crawl out of bed. Needing no real answer, I exit the room anyway. When you live in the Equestrian Wasteland, you'd jump at any chance to get your hooves on some fresh fruit (or in this case, vegetable).

When I leave the room, I trot into Ditzy Doo. The board that was in her mouth falls to the floor. I trot over and read it. Shit. No carrots then. "Caravan is missing." Got it.

"Well then, I guess we're having oats for breakfast!" I call out as I get the cylinder of oats from atop the fridge.

Once I reach the room and trot inside, I give the oats to the pregnant mare. It’s more important that she eats. "What happened to the carrrrrots?" He said (well, whined) in a tone that makes him sound like a little colt who getting denied a lollipop.

"The carrots didn't arrive, which means those Stable folk must be in trouble." I nod politely. "If you want, you can stay here, but I need to go and see what's up."

Drum had been eating as well, which I found only slightly rude (if we had a limited about of oats, his nose would be broken by now), and spoke up with food still in his mouth. "Wha? No no no no. You shooldn't-" He was cut off by Melody shoving her hoof in his mouth. "ah! Ahhhhh! AHHH!" He starts screaming through the hoof. What a weird stallion.

Melody Lane removes her hoof from his mouth and he stops screaming. "It would be the right thing to do, yes; but I don't want you to get hurt out there on your own. Drum will go with you."

I shake my head, politely of course. "It's fine, really. I've got luck on my side." I thought for a second. "And I look at me. Who could shoot somepony with such a nice~ flank~~" I coo silkily, waving my flank in her face. I feel like teasing her... and bucking with Drum. Her nervousness comes out in a hesitant giggle, a slight smile on her lips and red on her cheeks. I compose my body again and clear my throat. "Feel free to stay as long as you like. And if you need anything, Ditzy Doo is here." I smile and jump out of the square I call a window. Galloping off into a seemingly aimless direction, I head toward Stable 28 along the trading route they use.

After five hours of following the same trail, I come across the wreckage. My PipBuck makes a little sound as it label the space Stable 28 Caravan Wreckage. How original- A broken and burnt wagon. The wagon has a thing sticking out in the front for a pony to pull it and was in fairly good shape before it was blown up. Probably a raider with a rocket launcher, or if luck is not on the Stable's side, this might be the work of the infamous Steel Rangers. I look around for evidence. The carrots weren't taken. So this must have happened recently enough that nopony took it. And also, the attackers didn't take it, which means that they were after something else. Raiders would have killed everypony just to kill them, but still would have taken the food. Three dead bodies, all three of them Stable ponies. None of the attackers died. When I approach the bodies, to give them a proper goodbye, I notice something. Their PipBucks are missing. No no no no. Two of the dead ponies' legs were broken. The leg in which the PipBuck would be on. Okay, okay. Dear Princess Luna... PLEASE tell me the Steel Rangers aren't doing this. I hate the Steel Rangers. Ugh. There damn fire power's so bucking annoying. And they’re so damn quick to violence too.

Grabbing the dead Stable ponies by the collars of their stable barding, I line them up. "I'll safeguard your home and protect your family with my life." I sit down in front of the ponies and gave them a moment of silence.

The Stable is another day away. So I get to trotting as a rainstorm starts. So much for luck being on my side.

Lightning strikes, tearing apart the sky between me and Stable 28. That must be a sign. Thank you universe for the warning. . . But we all know I’m not gonna just trot away. To my left and right were tents. Steel Ranger tents. Thank Luna for the thunderstorm. Lightning keeps the Rangers indoors because if they aren't they'll get struck. I trot straight up to the Stable door. I knock. "OPEN THE DOOR! I'M HERE TO HELP YOU! THE RANGERS CAN COME OUT IN THE STORM!" My hoof collides with the door. From the inside, there's no way you could hear someone banging on the steel, especially with a thunderstorm in the background, but the Stable has sensors. The Overmare or Overstallion, should be able to see me.

A mechanical whine roars against the thunder as it pulls back into the stable. The Steel Rangers hear it and the ponies stick their heads out of the tents they take shelter in. Under their masks are fear, pure fear, and I could feel it. In particular, a scribe's face is visible. It’s a mare. Earth pony, very light green coat. Her mane is made up of a light and dark brown and in two low ponytails. Eyes of light blue orbs highlight her face. Bewildered is her expression. Priceless. She steps out of the tent. Shit. Shit! SHIT! Scribes! Scribes don't have that metal armor! She takes another step outside of the shelter. Oh no. Another! No no no no. And another... I turn back around and see a yellow unicorn stallion with red warpaint on his face. "Welcome Outsi-" I cut him off by galloping straight into the Stable to reach the controls. The scribe is slowly going faster and faster towards the door. I pull down the lever. Please close! Pleeeeease close. She’s  at a full gallop now and her Steel Ranger buddies are yelling for her to "come back" for her life’s sake. The stallion backs up from the door. He keep backpedaling, and turns to race to my side. My pleading is in vain; she reaches to the door in time to gracefully hop in. Once she gets inside, she stands where she is while the closing Stable door screeches. "SECURITY!" yells the stallion who had come to greet me.

I smile. "It's nice to know you're on our side," I say, trotting up to the scribe, letting out a breath of anxiety I had been unconsciously holding.

The stallion with the warpaint is confused and so is the mare I’m talking to. She responds, not completely behind her words (but I'm sure I'm the only pony who noticed it). "I am not on your side!"

My hoof is out in front of me. "The name's Oxygen, but you can call me Oxy. I enjoy pegasi and hanging out with non-assholes," I grin kindly to her.

She nods, and smiles back. "My name is Zeal. Though most ponies just go with Z." She shakes my hoof. "I enjoy reading and tinkering with various pre-war tech."

"It'll be a pleasure getting to know you." She stares, appalled at my calm reaction and that it’s not a joke, but quickly wipes the expression off her face and replaces it with a gentle smile.

A bang comes from five security ponies busting into the entrance room. A mare in better armor than the other four ponies has a baton in her magic floating in front of the yellow stallion. "Back away from the Overstallion!" Her voice echoes through the metallic room. The Overstallion, huh?

"I appreciate that the Overstallion came to greet me," I say aloud. "My name is Oxygen, but Oxy is what you may call me if you like." I didn't mind repeating myself as much as some other ponies do. "And I enjoy pegasi and hanging out with non-assholes." I smile.

The Head of Security stifles a giggle, then gets serious again. "Overstallion Ledger, please back away from the potential threats."

The stallion now known as Ledger, groans. "Seriously? I didn't get to do my introduction thing, but they did!" He isn't really a whiny stallion, I can tell by the way he carried himself; he’s just teasing the Head of Security. The yellow Overstallion spun away from the security ponies and back towards me and Zeal. "My name is Ledger. I am the Overstallion by birth right, though currently trying to set up elections for the leaders of the Stable. I can’t wait for you to get to know me, and for me to get to know you two." Back in the direction of the security, he starts trotting. "How about I give you all a tour of the Stable before we get down to important business." We nod and follow him, the rumble of a storm raging outside dying as we get farther away.

I admit, Stables are pretty difficult to memorize. Having a PipBuck helps, but I refuse to use it for such a situation. My PipBuck or rather, Mom's PipBuck, means too much to me. Zeal trots behind me as we follow Ledger. She seems to already know the placement of the rooms. A slight smile would appear on her face after every next room is announced. There was a new part though, a part of the Stable that was unlike the others. An extra floor. This floor is made up entirely out of rooms, some bigger than others. The Overstallion explains. "As you know, each pony has a special talent. This place is here for each pony to utilize their expertise." I nod. Woah. I gesture to a door; the fifth one on the right. Overstallion Ledger nodded. "Go ahead."

The door slides up to open. Inside is a light blue mare with goggles and a dark red bandana around her neck. She has a mechanical bunny in front of her. "Doombunny. Jump." The bunny springs into the air, barely missing the ceiling before landing back on the floor. "Doombunny." It's robotic eyes met hers. "Doombunny, do you miss Fluttershy?"

The bunny stares with it's red glowing eyes. "Doombunny misses Fluttershy."

The pony's face is sad, "I miss her too Doombunny."

I clear my throat. The noise shocks the mare. Her eyes go wide and she takes the bunny and hides it behind her back as she sits perfectly still where she is. "What is that?" I ask as I take a step forward into the room. "How do you know who Doombunny is?" Her body tilts to the left and so she could get a view of the Overstallion. She goes back to her former position, so that her face is blocked by my body.

Only visible by the former Steel Ranger and I, she mouths, "Come back later, I have some questions for you." I nod and give her a smirk.

"See ya later, Stable saviour." Her eyes go wide for a second and she slowly cocks her head to the side, as if trying to get a different perspective on me. I walk out, following Zeal out the door. It closes behind me.

"That filly's a strange one," comments the Overstallion as he leads us out. "She's an orphan, has been her entire life." He turns to me. "Her mom died. Radiation. Which doesn't make sense, because there's no radiation in the Stable."

"She must have gotten it from leaving then."

"That's the thing though. The Stable door only let three ponies out. And they-" He looks around. "We'll continue in my office." Another corridor later, I find myself in the Overstallion's office. He gets behind his desk and took a seat. Zeal and I just sit down in front of the desk. "Listen. We're having problems in the Stable. Problems I believe you'd be able to fix."

I nod. "We're here to help." No resistance came from Zeal. "Oh, and about those ponies..." My head hangs low. "The Steel Rangers got them." My eyes start to tear up. "I- I- I-" I pressed my hooves together. "I hate them. Those selfish, selfish ponies..."

Darkness takes over my vision.