Fallout Equestria: Prophet

by Verge77

Rating: mature
Tags: Original Character, Trixie, Sex, Science Fiction, Tragedy, Adventure, Crossover, Main 6, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe
Length: 6559

A young Stable Dweller must venture out to save her home. What horrors await her in post-apocalyptic Equestria?

A spin off to the popular fic "Fallout Equestria" by Kkat. I've been working up to this since I read another spin off fic in early 2015 and will do my best to make it worth the readers time.

Published 2016-02-27 19:10:02 UTC
Last updated 2016-02-27 19:10:02 UTC

Prologue

A mare sat on her haunches staring down the hall. Her ice white mane hung loosely across her face in a horrid dirty mess. Her face lit from below by the emerald green light emanating from the end of not only her life but that of an even greater monster. Her eyes, haunted and distant. Re-living the unforgivable last few months over and over again as her eyes moved to stare into the miniature hell that was a balefire egg. Her red magic clutched it inches from her body. The green fire within the egg, maddening, yet beautiful was trapped within only the thinnest of prisons waiting to be released. The flames promised power and yet also whispered of destruction on an unprecedented scale. The mare stared at the tool, the tool of her destruction.

This mare was me.

My body shivered as I closed my eyes grabbing the egg and hugging it to my chest with my forelegs. The voice… her voice was asking… no… begging me to stop this. It tried to force me, tried to prevent the inevitable. My mind was straining, my body growing harder to move. I pushed back as hard as I could against her influence. Nearly dropping the egg at the effort it took to fight her off. Walk just… walk to the end of the catwalk ignore the mental screams, the pleading.

I want to save you!

I want to help you!

Don’t do this!

Lies, all lies.

All it wanted was a tool, someone to go do it’s dirty work so it didn’t have to risk the lives of its monsters.
One of the voices monsters came to stop me…
It would die… What was another body? Another ghost to follow my damned soul. The monster lied, tried to trick me, called me “Sister” it didn’t even start putting up a shield until I pulled a combat knife. It was too late though as the knife plunged into its skull. Through the screams of the voice at its monsters death I pressed on without my knife.

After what felt like a millennia of fighting its presence in my mind I made it to the end of that long stretch of metal. Still I held the egg to my chest. The cat walk long unused groaned under my weight. It would bring more monsters, they would kill me or… there were worse things here than death.

I stepped up to the edge and looked down at the swirling blue in the vat below. The voice cried out still trying to convince me to stop what I knew was right.

They had to die.

The voice and this… monster that I had let myself become. It wasn’t me anymore, not after what I had done. What I had let happen. It was time to die… and I’d take the one responsible for my damnation with me.
One balefire egg, two problems Equestria needed out of the way to thrive.
So why was it that my hooves refused to move? Why couldn’t I jump into the vat? Why couldn’t I kill this… thing that squirmed inside my skull, the thing that made me do such horrible things?

Because I didn’t want to.

I want to join with her and save our kind.

These monsters were not my kind!

I stood at the edge of that catwalk staring down into the blue monster lurking within that monstrous substance. I had to jump, I had too!

I clutched the egg to my chest…

…

...

This isn’t the start of my story -- To get to that we need to go back months.
I am a Stable pony... I was a Stable pony, from Stable 13. My name is Tinker and this, this is the story about how my life ended...

Author's Note

Hi guys, I’ve been working on this story for quite a while and have managed to do the prologue and chapter one by today (February 2016) however considering I started in early 2015 I wouldn’t expect regular updates. As much as I’d love to pump this stuff out as much as I can I simply don’t have the time to write as much as I’d like. Originally I’d planned to wait until I finished the first 5 chapters before I started posting but I really need feedback on how this is all going so I can adjust things. I’m not that great of a writer so don’t be too harsh ^^; thanks to anyone who's read this far.

Chapter 1: Where the Sun Doesn't Shine

“It is a critical part that allows us to purify the water. Without it, we'll run out of drinking water.”

I yawned, rolling out of bed in what passed for morning down here. My room was as much a disgusting mess as when I went to sleep. The floor was covered in bits of scrap metal and parts as well as appliances that ponies brought me; in the mess were some of my own experiments.

My current crazy attempt to get kicked out of the Stable was a mini generator that ran on spark batteries which I'd mounted inside an old industrial flashlight without the front. I replaced the switch on the mouthgrip with a button trigger and inserted a timer so that it would only take input for a split second with each pull. On the head of the torch sat a sapphire at the back of a glass casing made from a large beaker. A constant arc of electricity could be seen going to the other end of the glass when powered. In front of that was a series of electronics and a disintegration crystal sitting right in the centre which was being powered by the blue arc. Just in front of that was a focusing talisman that the mass of energy is funneled into which creates an inch wide beam.

In theory anyway, the whole thing was just spare scrap I had laying around. Even the disintegration talisman came from an old cooking talisman. I had to get some help for that one. This was my pet project for well over a year but still wasn’t quite done. It was however, coming along better than expected.

I didn’t have time to work on it today however, today was a very important and particularly dangerous day at work. Today the engineering crew was going to replacing the water talismans because the old ones had become corrupted.

This has been happening since the stable had started, no one knows why or how but the effects are clear. The water becomes toxic even lethal, in some cases. An engineering crew needs to do this every ten years or so. This is my first time doing this procedure.

The last crew nearly doomed the stable with a cracked talisman. I was determined to do this right this time and every time after for the sake of the Stable and my family's reputation.

I smiled, walking to my bathroom. I looked into the mirror, brushing my white mane out of my scarlet eyes, and grabbed my toothbrush in my magic, running it under some water. It was starting to turn a little yellow but would be completely safe for another month at least. At least that's what the Overmare says.

I brush my teeth thoroughly before combing my mane, making sure I looked nice and healthy. One thing I hated was bad hygiene. I mean it’s gross! I don’t understand how ponies can deal with, yellow teeth, a dirty coat and an unwashed mane. It’s just… bluh. Anyway…
I smiled brightly, carefully stepping around all the junk to my dresser where I pulled out the Stable-Tech standard yellow and blue utility jumpsuit and slid it carefully over my darker blue coat, using my magic to help me get the belt in place.

I started packing my tools into my H&H toolbox ready for work when the door to my room slid open. I looked over to see my best friend, Lemon Rose, standing in the doorway grinning at me. She was dressed in her stable security barding. That was odd; it was her day off.

"Hey Tinker! Guess what?" the yellow mare beamed, practically bouncing into my living quarters, her dark green mane flowing behind her from under her helmet. Any other security mare would be busting me for the home made laser rifle on the floor but Lemon knew I was a bit of a mad scientist.

I was honestly a little surprised at the intrusion. as I was about to leave myself. "Lemon? Umm, I don’t know? You’re finally going to arrest me for owning a magical energy weapon?" I chuckled slightly, looking at her bouncing excitedly around my room. I always like it when Lemon got this way. Watching her bounce like a filly is always so cute.

Lemon stopped right in front of me, leaning forward, pressing her snout to mine. "Nope, nope, nope! You, me and a couple others are going outside! The first ponies from our Stable to see Equestria in who knows how long!" she said with a massive grin. Clearly she was excited, I however laughed.

"Ha! Outside that's a good one Lemon" I grinned, bumping her shoulder with my hoof lightly. Lemon was always a bit of a prankster.
But the yellow mare shook her head with a grin "nope this is really real!" she beamed.

I was stunned. "But... what? The Overmare knows we can’t go outside. The door is sealed shut and there’s still 100 years on the timer!" I said in disbelief, taking a few steps back. I tripped on a toaster I’d been repairing for Mrs Butterscotch and fell right onto my rump, wide eyed.
I looked up at Lemon. "Why me? Why am I going outside? I didn’t ask for that, I like it in here where it's safe," I would have said but instead I just screamed in frustration and curled up into the fetal, starting to hyperventilate.

What the fuck was this? The Overmare couldn’t really want us to go outside! Even if she did, what would be the point in sending me?! It’s probably dangerous out there! Not to mention dirty!

Lemon grabbed me and shook me a little. "Hey! Hey Tinker! Snap out of it," she protested right in my face. "Come on! It’ll be great! Come on, you’ll see. The Overmare picked the team specifically, she even mentioned you by name. You with your engineering expertise, two ponies from security, a pony from medical and somepony who knows how to pick a lock," she said with a warm smile. Yet still my heart sank.
What?! I didn’t think the Overmare even knew my name, let alone trusted me on the outside of the stable. Especially on something this important.

I looked up at her as she shook me gently. "I can’t understand why she’d pick me! What use would I be? I just know how to fix things…" I said sitting up. Looking at my door, I saw another mare peeking her head around the corner.

When the short white mare saw me looking, she let out an "eep" and hid around the corner.

I tilted my head a little. "Band-Aid? Is that you?" I asked to the empty doorway as I got to my hooves. I walked out into the cold, dimly lit hallway and found the mare cowering just to the right of my door.

She let out another "eep" and hid behind her hooves. "M-m-maybe?" she said, peeking up at me quickly before hiding again, shivering slightly.
Band-Aid always was a shy one, never really venturing too far from medical. Some say she's a descendant of the Ministry Mare of the MoP because she was allegedly a doormat back then, and the fact she wore her pink mane the same as the yellow pegasi in the M.o.P posters. The only time Band-Aid ever opened up was if she was seeing a patient, like her work was more important to her than her fear.

I could only assume she knew I was asked to leave and came to see me off. I was the closest thing she had to a friend. I had to go to medical a lot when I was starting to find my talent. As a result got to know her pretty well.

I petted her mane gently as I looked back at Lemon. "I’m not going out there. I utterly refuse!" I stomped. That made Band-Aid jump a little.
Band-Aid looked up at me, sobbing slightly, which made me look. "I-I wanted you to come with me…" she said with wide teary eyes. That threw me off quite a bit. I sat down again looking straight at her with my jaw hanging open "I told the Overmare I wouldn’t leave the stable unless you came… Sorry," she whispered hiding under her hooves once more.

Now I was conflicted. , I could either stay here, safe and clean, or I could go with the only people that I could call friends and try to protect them so I wouldn’t end up alone… even if I died, at least I would be with them. I sighed, hanging my head. "Okay. I’ll come," I hissed through my teeth. Oh, I didn’t like this. Not at all, but I couldn’t sit back while someone like Band-Aid got herself killed.

Band-Aid hugged me tightly, nuzzling into my side. I couldn’t help it. I put my foreleg around the small mare, hugging her close.
Lemon slapped the back of my head with a hoof. "That’s the spirit!" she said, with a wide, encouraging grin.

I, on the other hand, clutched the back of my head and winced "Ow! What the buck Lemon!" I growled up at her.

She just laughed to herself as she bolted towards the atrium. I sighed, pulling away from Band-Aid. "I’ll see you later Band-Aid," I said with a little, honest smile before I bolted after Lemon.

When I caught up, the atrium was deserted, it was noon. This place should be filled with ponies. The only ones here, apart from me, were Lemon and the Overmare… who was regarding me with a cold, slightly annoyed expression.

"Tinker, I presume?" the Overmare asked in a slick, pompous voice that really pissed me off for some reason. In fact everything about her pissed me off. Her uptight posture perfectly complimented the tone she used with me. It was like I was some kind of petty child to her. I even hated her stable suit! That bucking fancy Overmare jumpsuit with the double trim line and the three air filtration talismans on the collar. A normal jumpsuit only had one!

Despite all that. I gave the best ‘I don’t hate you’ smile I could. "Yup! That’s me, though Tinker is only a nickna-" I started before being cut off by that bitch!

"Yes, yes, how nice. Now are you ready to go? We need those water talismans," she said in a slightly annoyed, yet still demeaning, pompous tone.

I looked at her oddly and asked in a mildly irritated tone, "Talismans? Lemon didn't explain anything about what’s going on or what you want. Only that we’re going outside." My gaze moved to Lemon, who flushed and looked away humming to herself.

The Overmare put a hoof over her face. "Why does no one in this Stable listen… Lemon was supposed to inform you that some twit cracked a replacement talisman during their last decontamination and didn’t report it.

"We’re looking for the unicorn responsible but we have a more pressing issue." She sighed looking at me with a hard, almost angry gaze. "The team you have been put on is going to go south. There is a storage facility there that was used by the M.A.S. They should have working water talismans," she said, tapping her pipbuck.

"If you don’t get them, the water will become toxic in a month, lethal in three," she said, taking a step forward, looking me dead in the eyes. She thumped a hoof against my chest. "You will bring back clean water or you will not be let back inside," she finally threatened in a very aggressive tone, before pushing past me and walking out of the atrium. Goddess, even her walk was stuck up and irritating!

Suddenly, the door activated and shut early catching her yellow tail. She yelped and tried pressing the button to open the door. I started to giggle watching her franticly try to open the door. When the door didn’t budge the black mare screamed pulling at her tail, still trapped under the door.

At this point, I was on the floor in tears. Even I heard the resounding rip as her tail came free, a few inches shorter. Then and only then did the door open to reveal a huge tuft of yellow fur. What was pulled up with the door fell like snow.

The Overmare stamped off, grumbling something about hating her job.

I stood up slowly, still recovering from my fit of laughter. Wiping tears from my eyes with a foreleg, I turned to Lemon. "That was great," I said in a strained voice, slightly out and still giggling.

Lemon smiled. "It was. We should do something. Since you know... we're going outside tonight. Who knows what might happen." She flushed, avoiding eye contact with me as she hoofed at the ground.

I nudged her with a hoof. "What? If you want to say something say it." I smiled at her warmly and she looked at me with a nervous stare.
She sat down at one of the tables and I was quick to follow. Curious now, I leant close to listen.

Lemon fidgeted with a spoon between her hooves, working herself up to something. "Corkscrew..." I could already tell this was important. She never used my real name. No one but my… my parents, ever used my real name. "I was thinking, we've known each other for a long time. You are always so nice to me. I um... I think I... maybe..." She flushed covering her face. This wasn't like her. She was always so confident and outgoing but now she was shy and withheld.

I placed a hoof on Lemon's shoulder. She let out a tiny yelp under her breath before quickly looking up at me. I smiled warmly, like only a friend could, "Just say it Lemon. I'm not going to be upset no matter what, promise." She returned my smile and sat up straighter.
She smiled wide. "Tinker I love you," she proclaimed loudly, so all the world could hear.

My face went blank, ears pinned back and eyes widened in shock. She... but... well then... "Well, I think I know what needs to happen now," I stated simply as I stood up and walked to the drinks vendor.

That's the last thing I remembered before I woke up next to Lemon, my bed smelling of sweat, scotch and sex. 8 hours had passed and I had a splitting headache. 12 hours later my body had filtered the alcohol and I was hungover but I didn’t care.

At first I didn't get up, just laid there with Lemon in my nice, warm bed. I heard somepony kick an empty bottle.

I raised my head, looking over, and noticed a dark figure lurking at the edge of my vision. Immediately my horn started to crackle to life, glowing to create enough light for me to see. This really aggravated my migraine but while the spell lasted I saw my little sister standing near my door. Then the spell died.

I groaned laying my head back down. "Merlot, what are you doing here?" I asked the filly in an irritated tone.

The filly cleared her throat. "I came to get you two to come to the atrium. I'm supposed to be giving a speech to make sure ponies around here are comfortable with the door opening and that they don't panic about the talismans. Now hurry up and take a shower!" the filly ordered, too loudly for me right now.

To avoid another lecture on hygiene, with a long suffering groan, I got out of my comfortable bed.

As I did, I could feel the empty scotch bottles on the ground. I kicked them out of the way. How drunk did we get?! We only started at 12 in the evening! I rubbed my head. Not thinking time. Aspirin and cold shower time.

I sighed. "I'm going, I'm going. Just, keep the volume down," I whined, walking slowly and carefully to the door to my room.

As soon as I was out, I felt blinding pain like somepony driving an ice pick into my brain. Goddess I hate migraines! Ow! Thinking too loud... I could hear Merlot waking Lemon up far more loudly. I loved that filly to death but sometimes I wondered how I loved her at all.

I walked the hallway of exceedingly bright lights. Passing several ponies who I noticed were greeting me with varying emotions, ranging from worry and fear, to happiness and encouragement.

I didn't have the mental capacity at the time to process this but they were either reacting because they knew about me leaving or they were just worried about how absolutely crap I looked shuffling through the hall looking half dead. Probably both.

After a short but agonizing walk, I made it to the public bathrooms. I took one look at the showers before I turned and ran into a stall.

I dipped my head into the silvery bowl placing a hoof either side of the cold metal seat. In that instant my body started to violently release the contents of my stomach into the shitter. Most of it was just generic green bile due to me not eating today.

I panted, kicking the door closed before losing more of my stomach’s contents into the growing pool of green. This is what happens when a lightweight drinks scotch on an empty stomach in the morning. I put this firmly on the ‘never again’ list as my stomach lurched.

After a solid few minutes had gone by without me dumping more bile into the stainless steel toilet, I reached up with a forehoof pulling the lever to flush. Immediately after, I slumped to the semi clean floor.

Then I heard it. The worst sound imaginable.

The toilet started to gurgle and I could hear some definite clunking going on in the pipes.

I lifted my head to look in the bowl to see, no water. It was completely empty. Then the gurgling stopped. I peered cautiously closer and... horse apples.

I was struck in the face by a literal geyser of shit, piss and the damned goddesses know what! It hit me so hard the it flung me back into the door leaving me coughing.

Oh goddess my mouth was open!

I stumbled out of the stall as mares ran out of the bathroom, sewage starting to pool around the stalls. A fresh wave of nausea hit me and I lost all my energy. I coughed and gagged trying to clear the sewage from my mouth and nose as well as fresh vomit coming up from my stomach.

Sewage started pooling around me as it spread out from the source which now looked more like a steady waterfall than a geyser as the brown sludge kept washing over the metal bowl. I knew what the issue was and I wouldn't be using the showers on this level. Water would be shut off any minute. I groaned crawling my way out into the hall through the pooling brown sludge.

After what felt like forever, I made it into the hall where I must have blacked out from the smell or the hangover.

* * *

I woke up smelling like roses in a soft bed. Looked up at the all too familiar dimmed lighting of medical.

I sat up, rubbing my temple gently with a hoof, as the last stains of my migraine faded. "Urgh... what happened?" I asked aloud. Looking around, I saw... no one. Odd. Usually there would be nurse ponies or at least Band-Aid in medical. Even the patients were missing.

I got to my hooves quickly. No sign of that hangover from earlier. I felt great actually.

I slipped into a fresh Stable 13 utility jumpsuit that had been placed on the end of my bed. I looked at my pipbuck. A new note had appeared.
"We let you rest. By the time you wake up, we will likely be geared up, ready to head out... if you hurry you might catch us. -Lemon"

Ohcrapohcrapohcrap. I repeated to myself over and over, racing down the hall to my room. Further down I could see the yellow ‘do not cross’ rope where the toilet had assaulted me.

I practically skidded to a stop outside my door. Leaping inside, I started grabbing supplies. First was food. I piled everything I had laying around into my saddle bag; Sugar Apple Bombs, Salisbury Steak, some tinned beans and of course the all important water with it’s slight brown tinge.

I also threw in some of my ration of carrots from the farm below maintenance. No one was ever allowed down there. Something about contamination. The garden keepers are real freaks about it. These carrots weren’t quite like the ones you saw in book. They weren’t long and orange but instead they were grey, short and thick with wrinkled skin.

Next I grabbed my homemade laser rifle.

In its unfinished state, I was at least 60% confident it would actually fire and only around 40% it would hurt something that wasn’t me when it did. I grabbed some spare spark cells and loaded one fully charged cell into the back. The weapon hummed and the blue electric bolt started constantly hitting the disintegration gem causing the end of the weapon to glow red.

It worked! Up to the firing stage anyway.

In theory, when I pulled the trigger a pulse from the spark cell's internal crystals would shoot through the circuit and become supercharged by the spark batteries, feed the sapphire and cause the disintegration talisman to activate, firing a beam of deadly magical energy from the focusing crystal.

I'd never actually seen a weapon like this working before but the science made sense for the most part. I really hoped I wouldn't need to test it.

I magically lifted my saddle bags onto my back before slinging the magical energy weapon over my back, clipping it to my saddlebags. I did one quick check through my pipbuck’s inventory sorting spell to make sure I had everything before hurrying off down the hall towards the stairs, where I could enter the control room.

As I got closer, I could hear my little sister talking. She was the Stable’s radio broadcaster, taking over from our mother. She sang and reported on news, etc. She was really the only one in the Stable who could do it and everyone loved her. I waited for her to finish before I walked through the door. The sound of it sliding open alerted the room to my presence and most looked at me.

I swallowed hard, looking over the mix of expressions ranging from disappointment and worry to relief from those closest to me, like Lemon and my sister.

I tried to smile, as I started making my way to the group who were understandably waiting near the door. "S-s-sorry I'm late everypony," I managed to stutter out nervously, as I took my place next to them.

The Overmare, who was standing to my left on the raised platform at the door controls, cleared her throat "Indeed, well... it is with great regret that I send you five out into the world above but we need water talismans to survive. There simply won't be enough for the Stable’s population. You must venture out and find your home more life giving water so that we may sustain ourselves," she said boldly. The stable stomped in applause. I did too, but I also mentally rolled my eyes at her great speech.

By the princesses, she was a pompous prick.

She kept talking about ‘how vital we were’ and that ‘we'd be known as heroes’ but I'd stopped listening by that point.
Instead I looked to my right at the line of ponies I was about to entrust my life to.

On the opposite end of the line to me was Band-Aid, who was making herself as small as possible in front of the crowd. She wore her white stable 13 lab coat with the blue and yellow jumpsuit underneath. It was complete with the standard light blue air filtration talisman on the collar. She was also toting a yellow M.o.P medical box on her back, no doubt full of supplies to try and keep us going. The unicorn also had a bone saw at her side, likely her best attempt at a weapon.

Next in line was the other security mare that Lemon had mentioned, an Earthpony. Her name was Cuffs I believe, and she was a damn big mare! She stood at least a head above me and was looking very attentively towards the Overmare with her deep blue eyes. Her green coat was decently clean and her orange mane looked a little overdue for a wash. She was dressed in the blue and yellow stable 13 security barding with black armor strapped over the top. A light blue gem nestled on one side of the collar like all the other stable 13 jumpsuits.

In the middle was Lemon. With a bored face under the visor of her helmet, she was pretending to listen . She wore the same barding as the larger mare next to her. Apart from the ironed on name tags that all stable security had, the two sets looked identical, excusing size.
The yellow mare noticed me with a grin and she winked. When I realised she'd caught me staring, I quickly turned red, my eyes darting to the side. I blushed brighter when I realised anypony not watching the Overmare would likely see me. I heard faint chuckles from a pair of mares and my ears burned.

Finally my eyes rested on the stallion next to me. I didn't recognise him at all. I didn’t know everypony in the stable, but I'd never even seen him.

He was a charcoal grey stallion with a black patch over his left eye. He was a rather handsome stallion, for what it was worth. His black mane was long and ragged like it hadn't been cleaned or cut in a very long time. Even his jumpsuit was dirty, dusty, and torn in places. His grey eyes were just staring off into space. He had a pissed off, impatient expression plastered on his face.

Looking further down his body, I noticed that the jumpsuit had been patched up a lot. Most notably, the the one in the thirteen had been replaced on his left side and all the other mentions of the stable number were faded beyond recognition. That's right about when I noticed two things that made me take a step back.

There was no air purification talisman on his collar...

And the piece of junk around his left foreleg didn't even look like its matrix talisman were active anymore, let alone the magical fusion battery that provided the everlasting power a pipbuck normally had.

To be damaged like that, from the little I know about pipbucks, the wearer would more or less have to be dead. Mangled beyond recognition.
Who was this guy?

My attention was snapped back to the Overmare as she pulled the lever on the door controls with a loud click.
An alarm started blare and the door mechanism slid down and into the rotor on the gear shaped door. A moment passed and nothing happened. Right when ponies started to murmur, an almighty shriek of metal on metal filled the air as the door slid towards us a few feet before stopping abruptly and rolling to the side.

The entire stable watched it stop then slowly, one by one, all eyes turned to the darkness that awaited us five. Nobody moved. We all just stared into the black as our eyes adjusted to the dark...

Then somepony screamed.

Then gasps of shock and horror. I think I heard liquid sloshing against the metal floor with force.
Bones. So many bones.

There must have been at least a dozen ponies worth maybe more. The ones closest to the door had chipped hooves...
What... What was this?

From behind me I heard the Overmare shouting for us to leave and security to get the other Stable citizens back inside.
After another moment of confused and shocked staring, Cuffs took the first step into the dark, drawing her 10mm pistol, holding it in her mouth and walking cautiously into the outside.

Lemon followed close behind, her own pistol floating to her right. She seemed pretty relaxed about all this.
Her yellow magic cast light over the bones. They were everywhere. Lemon couldn't walk two feet without stepping on what was once somepony.

I took a step forward to follow my friend, but the charcoal stallion barged me out of the way, giving an annoyed snort as he passed.
I sighed. "Doormat as usual Tinker," I said to myself, as I started my own walk into the dark.

A set of small hooves wrapped around my back leg nearly tripping me up. "Uh, hey!" I said in an annoyed tone, looking down at my wouldbe hitchhiker. "What's the big... Band-Aid?" I asked, looking down to the quivering mare.

"I changed my m-mind. I don't wanna go... It's dark out there!" She said, gripping me tighter.

I looked back up into the tunnel and saw the glow of Lemon's magic not ten meters away, waiting for us.

"We've got to Band-Aid. What if somepony got hurt? You're the only one who was willing to help," I said looking down at her again with the best ‘it's going to be okay’ look that I could muster. She shook her head and continued to shiver, sobbing slightly.

I didn't want to force her but we did need her. I lifted her with my magic, having to pry her off of my leg, and slid her onto my back. "Come on. I won't let anything happen to you," I smiled at her, over my shoulder.

She gripped my back tightly, if I wasn't wearing a utility jumpsuit, probably painfully. She was still shaking, but she gave an uncertain nod.
Finally, I took my first steps into the darkness. My horn flared to life with one of the only spells I knew, bathing the cave in red light. This gave the bones a hellish appearance as I walked over them, some snapping and breaking under hoof, because of their age, most likely.
The closer I got to the others, the more skeletons I started to notice. It was strange though. I started to see that not all of the bones were pony. I passed at least one griffon skull.

My thoughts were interrupted, however, as the alarm in the control room sounded once more. I turned just in time watch that great steel door slide back into place.

It finally hit home when I heard that deafening screech of metal on metal. I was outside and I couldn't turn back.

I looked back up to my friend, who was now moving on with the others, and I hurried catch up, Band-Aid still clinging tight to my back.

Every step echoed with the sound of hoof on bone. I couldn't turn back but I didn't want to go forward. I was torn between fear and curiosity.
My mind racing with thoughts about what the outside might look like, or even worse, what might out there. Monsters and mutants as far as the eye can see is all I could think of.

Thoughts about what would happen to us started drifting through my mind. Eaten alive by some animal twisted and mutated by the radiation. Killed and maimed by mutants.

I thought so long that when I shook my head in an attempt to stop thinking about such horrid things, that when I stopped, I was on the edge of a small cliff ledge followed by a steep rocky hill ending in a churning green river. I had spaced out while thinking of the deaths of my friends and ironically nearly caused my own.

Before I could even react, Lemon grabbed me tight and pulled me away from the edge rather firmly and hugged me to the ground. "Ah! Lemon I’m fine I’m fine!" I said sitting up and coaxing her off of me. I stood and walked to the cliff. Not as close to the edge this time.
This was the first look that I got at the outside world proper.

The land was dull and grey brown, poisoned by the balefire, even so many years later. The trees I'd seen in books were nothing but shrivelled husks of what they once were.

To the right, there was an old highway that seemed to lead off to an empty horizon.

Wait, was that? Couldn't be. What looked like ponies and some sort of animal carrying gear was walking down the road.

"Not quite what I pictured…" I said as I took in the view.

Band-Aid was staring out in awe. The little mare had never seen anything like this before, nor had any of us.

Then something caught my eye. I turned my head and saw him. That scruffy looking stallion in the beat up Stable suit. He wasn't phased by being outside like the rest of us, in fact he looked at us impatiently as if waiting for us to get over it.

I took a step back from the edge of the cliff and waited to move on, the stranger’s impatient demeanour ruining the moment for me.

I took a seat to check my pipbuck, bringing the screen up, I saw the ‘Stable 13 Discovered’ alert. Weird, I thought it would already know that one. I lived there.

I scrolled over to the ‘Quests’ tab. Instantly I cleared all of the complete ones, binning them all.

Looking over the list of five current objectives. I deleted the four that were my chores and highlighted what I came out here for. ‘Find water talismans’ the instructions told me that I should start at the Ministry of Arcane Sciences Storage Depot.

As soon as I highlighted it I saw the marker on my compass.

Moving on, I checked my inventory sorting spell. It seemed to be working. My Tinker’s Homemade Laser Rifle and all its ammo were listed. My food and water were also listed and my Stable 13 Utility Barding was listed.

I looked up from my pipbuck. It seemed that everyone was preparing to head out. Our adventure into the Equestrian wasteland began.

Footnote: Level Up!
New Perk: ArcanoTech Knack - +5 [Magical Energy Weapons, Science] per rank.