Author's Note

Yeah... basically decided to reboot this, may re-write the prologue but I haven't decided yet.

Day 0-1: The Choosing

“I will use treatment to help the sick

According to my ability and judgment,

But never with a view to injury and wrong-doing.

Neither will I administer a poison to anyone when asked to do so,

Nor will I suggest such a course.”

-The Hippocratic Oath.

I’ve never actually written anything like this before.

I was asked to keep this journal as I made my way through the Wasteland, for posterity or so ponies outside would actually know what happened to me and what’s going on. I honestly don’t really know what I’m supposed to do here.

I was told that I was leaving the Stable in order to learn more about the world and get us all ready. The fact of the matter is that we’re never really going to be ready for what’s out there, I may be able to get us ready, but we’re going to be taking steps out into that great unknown, into that undiscovered country that is known as the future.

So, what are we going to do now? I honestly don’t know sometimes. The future is always in motion, and my home is going to have to move with that future. We all are.

I just don’t know if I’m going to like the future that I have to bring them to.

I might as well introduce myself if I’m going to keep this journal. My name is Ruby Starlight, I’m a Doctor out of Stable 26. You’ll probably have heard of a lot of names and events associated with me, and I’m going back to add this note so you know that none of this was my choice. I just did what I had to do.

Now, this is my story.

00000

“Good morning Ponies of Stable 26, this is Neon Glow coming at you with your morning announcements,” a stallion’s voice said over the system on my PipBuck. I groaned a little as my eyes fluttered open, strands of white falling into my vision as I did. “Well fillies and gentlecolts, today is the day we’ve all known was coming for a while. The Council has closed the school for today so you foals don’t have to worry about that homework assignment from Mrs. Chalk you’re probably not done with yet.”

I chuckled a little bit at that as I pulled my hooves around and brushed the white hairs out of my eyes. Mrs. Chalk had been the Stable’s teacher since I was old enough to go to school, she was known for giving homework that tended to take a while to finish.

“Councilmare Willow has announced that the Choosing Ceremony will take place this afternoon at 1400 hours in the Atrium,” Neon continued. “All eligible ponies are required to report to the Atrium. Until then, your duties will continue as normal. So don’t worry, you’ll still have your old friend Neon Glow here to keep you entertained.”

I got up and headed over to the bathroom area of my quarters and looked in the mirror. I levitated a brush up and brushed my white mane back out of my face and into its normal bob over my horn.

I took a deep breath as the music started to play on my PipBuck’s radio as I slide on my Jumpsuit and lab coat before securing my Pipbuck on my leg. I was going to have to report to the Stable’s clinic where my co-worker and former mentor Nightingale was waiting for me.

I finished buttoning up my lab coat and opened the door to head to the clinic. I hummed along to the tune that was playing over the P.A. system. As I made my way down the hallway, another door opened and a pink pony with a white and pink streaked mane stepped out and smiled when she saw me.

“Hey Ruby, off to work?” She asked.

“Hey Candy,” I said with a smile as we started walking together. “Yeah, gotta get everything ready for the Choosing Ceremony this afternoon. It’s hard to believe that we’re actually at this point.”

Okay, you’re all probably wondering what the Choosing Ceremony actually is given you’re not from Stable 26 like I am, so I will explain. The Choosing Ceremony was something that we found out about when I was only a filly. The Stable had apparently been working towards this for years without knowing it. The Computer would choose one member of the Stable, and they would leave the Stable to survive in the world above for one year and return with a report and a recommendation as to whether or not we should leave.

It was an important role, and while I wasn’t sure why we were doing it, something told me it was what needed to be done. Hopefully whoever went out there would be ready.

“I wonder who’s going to be chosen,” Candy commented as we walked together. “I mean, the computer picks it based on all the different factors. I just hope it’s not me, I don’t think a cook would do very good out there.”

“I wouldn’t want to go out there either,” I told her. “My medical training would help, sure, but I’m no fighter or anything. We don’t know what’s out there and it’ll probably be dangerous for whoever goes out there.”

“Yeah…” Candy agreed. “I don’t even get why they’re sending somepony now. Last I heard the radiation levels outside had kept fairly consistent for a little while now.”

“Well, I’m sure there’s some sort of reason,” I sighed as I adjusted my coat a little. “Sometimes it also feels like this should’ve been done already. I mean, if the point is to start to rebuild civilization, why did they wait this long?”

“I don’t know,” Candy agreed. “Maybe you should talk to Nightingale about it, I mean her husband is Councilstallion Gala. Maybe she’s heard something about it from him?”

“Yeah, I’ll talk to her when I get the chance,” I said as we reached the atrium. A stage was being set up along with a few chairs by the maintenance ponies. They waved at us for a moment before we took a turn through another door as two fillies ran past us. I chuckled a little as I turned back to look at Candy.

“Are we still on for dinner later?” I asked as I checked the time on my PipBuck. “Sorry we can’t meet for lunch, no doubt she’ll want me on call until the ceremony.”

“It’s fine, and of course I’ll see you later,” Candy replied with a smile as she headed towards the saloon. I took a deep breath and made my way down the hall to the clinic.

00000

“Okay, just one more stitch right… there,” I said as I finished sewing up my latest patient. “And there we go all done!”

“Yay!” The filly said as I levitated the teddy bear that I had been sewing over to her. “Thank you Dr. Ruby!”

“Any time,” I said with a smile as she hugged the bear. I ruffled her mane a little as she smiled up at me. “Just don’t play so rough with her again, okay? I can’t always be here to patch her up you know.”

“I know, I’ll be more careful,” the filly replied. “Thank you again Dr. Starlight!”

The filly grabbed up her teddy bear and ran to the door past a white Unicorn mare with a blonde mane that had a cutie mark of a bird in flight. She smiled as she looked at me as I was putting the supplies away again.

“Another successful surgery by Dr. Ruby Starlight I see,” Nightingale said with a chuckle as she moved over next to me. “Nothing else to do today?”

“Oh, you know, dealt with the usual, a few burns, a broken leg, nothing I can’t handle,” I said with a smile. “I figured I could take a break to take care of something small. Nopony else was in the clinic at the time and I got it done quickly enough.”

“Yes, well we’ve got a potential apprentice coming in before the ceremony,” Nightingale continued. “Assuming you aren’t chosen in the ceremony, do you think you can train him if he gets his cutie mark?”

“Of course,” I said with a smile as I straightened out some of the supplies. I had always wanted a chance to train an apprentice, but none of the foals who had gone through it had been chosen recently enough. “Do you think I’m ready for that though?”

“Of course, you’re the best student I’ve ever had,” Nightingale replied as she levitated some items over to me. “I think you’re going to do fine as a mentor. Even if this one doesn’t work out, you can always wait until next time. Are you sure you’re ready though?”

“Yeah, I think I’m ready,” I agreed and took a deep breath. “I wanted to talk to you about the Choosing Ceremony coming up.”

“Of course, is there anything I can tell you?” Nightingale asked curiously.

“Well, I honestly am a bit unsure about everything that’s going on with it,” I told her as I levitated some newly crafted healing potions into place. “I mean, Councilmare Willow said that you have to be at least 15 years old to be chosen by the ceremony. What if the computer makes a mistake?”

“The computer takes everything about everypony in the Stable into consideration when making the choice,” Nightingale replied. “A security pony has just as much chance to get picked as a cook. Honestly, I think it’ll probably pick a security pony. Given we don’t know a lot about what’s out in the world a Security pony would be better equipped to survive.”

“Yeah,” I agreed as I finished what I was working on. “I’m afraid that I’m going to be picked though. I’m not equipped to survive out in the Wasteland.”

“Maybe you are, maybe you aren’t,” Nightingale told me and smiled reassuringly. “Ruby, you’re a skilled doctor and surgeon. If you actually needed to survive out in the Wasteland, that’ll give you a good place to start. But like I said I think it’ll probably be a security pony, so you don’t have anything to worry about.”

“Yeah, I hope so,” I said softly. I honestly didn’t know what I would do if I was chosen, but I would cross that bridge if I came to it. “So, do you want to maybe meet up with me and Candy for dinner tonight? I mean it’s okay if you can’t, I know your husband will be busy with everything…”

“Sure, if you two don’t mind,” Nightingale replied with a soft smile. “I mean, I don’t want to impose on you and your friend. I know that you two like having your evenings together.”

“It’s fine, we’ve discussed it before, I’ll check with Candy after the ceremony just to be sure though,” I suggested and smiled a little as the door to the clinic opened and a pregnant young mare walked in. “Hey Starling, any problems with the kiddo?”

“No Ruby, I’m just here for my weekly check-up,” Starling replied with a smile as she sat down on one of the beds as I levitated up the equipment for checking on the unborn foal. I glanced back towards Nightingale for a moment, but she just gave me a nod and went back to working on her notes.

“That’s good,” I said as I ran the scanner along her belly slightly, using my magic to gently touch the growing pony. I could feel the magical aura of the foal as I carefully checked it over, looking up at Starling. “Your foal is healthy, are you ready to know what gender it is? They should be developed enough to tell now.”

“Sure,” Starling replied as I ran the device gently along her belly again and looked at the readings. An image of a Unicorn foal formed on the screen as I held it up so Starling could see it too before looking at her and pointing at a spot on the screen.

“It looks like you’re going to have a filly,” I said with a smile as I looked up at her. “All my readings say that she is perfectly healthy.”

“Thanks Doctor Starlight,” Starling said.

“You’re welcome,” I told her as I put the equipment away. I took out some medicine and gave it to her. “Here, this should help with the morning sickness. Don’t be afraid to come in if you need anything, and tell Carbon that I said hello.”

“I will,” Starling said as she got up and headed out of the clinic. She waved to me as I waved back and went back to work on things in the clinic.

“You’re going to be just fine,” Nightingale said with a soft smile. “I know that things won’t always be easy for you. In this job we have to make a lot of hard choices, we’re doctors after all, it’s our job to take care of the sick and injured. But sometimes it’s not going to be quite that easy, I know you’re still new to this job Ruby, but I can tell you this. You have the potential to be a great Doctor, but you can’t help them all with just sunshine and rainbows. I hope you know that.”

“Yeah, I guess I never really thought about it before, but I’m still learning,” I replied. I knew she was right, my own parents had been killed in an accident when I was just a filly. The doctors had done everything they could, but it had been too late. “Sometimes I wonder if I’m cut out for this kind of work. I mean I do fine with the patients, but...”

“Ruby, you have nothing to worry about,” Nightingale said as she placed her hoof on mine. I glanced down at her hoof gently and shook my head a little. I didn’t want to think about this, not right now. “Just calm down and do your best. You’re a Doctor, you’re not a god or something. Just do everything you can to help who you can and that’s the best you can do sometimes.”

“Yeah…” I said as I closed my eyes a little. I had been a doctor ever since I got my Cutie Mark. Nightingale had become like a second mother to me, and one of my best friends along with Candy. “Is there anything else we need to get ready?”

“I’ll take care of packing the medical supplies,” Nightingale said as she checked her PipBuck. “It’s almost time for the ceremony, are you sure you’re ready for all of this?”

“Yeah, I’m sure,” I replied as I took a deep breath. “I’m just potentially taking in my first student that I will hopefully not screw up with. Yeah, no pressure.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll do fine, now come on, let’s get ready for the ceremony,” Nightingale told me with a chuckle. “Everything is going to be just fine, after today, everything will be back to normal.”

I smiled a little and nodded. I just had to hope that she was right, but I had a bad feeling about all of this all of a sudden.

00000

We went out into the Atrium where the ponies of the Stable had already been gathered. There were a few quiet conversations going on as I entered and noticed Candy not too far away. The Earth Pony smiled as she waved me over to her as I trotted over to where she was standing.

“How’d it go in the clinic?” Candy asked as I came in. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything is fine, I’m just a bit nervous about a few things,” I admitted to her. “I’m a bit excited, but a bit nervous at the same time. Nightingale wants me to take on an apprentice if he gets his cutie mark.”

“Well, that’s exciting,” Candy said with a smile. Her pink mane bounced a little as she moved, looking around. “I think you would make a great mentor. You just need to believe in yourself, I thought you were excited about the idea of taking on an apprentice.”

“I was, and I still am, it’s just not something I’m sure I’m ready for sometimes,” I said and took a deep breath. “But then again, I guess that’s small potatoes to what the pony who gets chosen is going to have to go through.”

“Yeah,” Candy agreed and chuckled a little. “Do you remember all the stories we used to make up about the world outside the Stable?”

“Yeah, how we were always afraid that we’d wind up in Tartarus or get sucked into a void or something,” I chuckled as I thought back to the ghost stories. Me and Candy had basically grown up together and we often shared ghost stories about the Stable and the outside world. “I hope whoever is picked is going to be okay.”

“I’m sure they’ll be fine,” Candy said as we looked up at the stage for a moment. “What if one of us gets chosen? What do we do then?”

“Then we’ll figure it out, and manage as best we can, but I doubt it’ll happen,” I replied.

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Candy said as the music started to play from the speakers in the atrium. “Sounds like it’s starting.”

Three ponies, two Unicorns and an Earth Pony stepped up onto the stage. A green colored Unicorn stepped up to a microphone as she tapped at it lightly and cleared her throat. “Welcome everypony, I’m glad you could all make it to the Choosing Ceremony. I know you all have a lot of questions and concerns and we will try to address it.”

She levitated the microphone in closer and looked at the other two ponies with her. Councilmare Willow was the leader of the Council that made up the leadership of Stable 26. She smiled a little as she looked out at the gathered ponies.

“The Choosing Ceremony was announced 20 years ago today. This was our mission set down by Stable-Tec,” Willow continued. “205 years ago, when our ancestors entered the Stable we were given the mandate to create a new society. Our ancestors created the Council and the system that has helped us survive this long as a Stable. But now, the time has come for us to finish our mandate as a Stable.”

She took a deep breath as she looked back at the other councilmembers for a moment.

“The Choosing Ceremony is, as you are aware, the goal of us as a Stable,” Willow said. “One of you will leave this Stable for one year in order to give us a place to live and prove that we can survive. I’m afraid that there won’t necessarily be a guarantee that whoever goes out there will survive. Whoever goes out there will likely have to fight to survive. I know you won’t like it, but this is how things must be.”

I blinked a little at that. Willow seemed to kind of regret the fact that they had to send one of us out into the Wasteland. I looked at the rest of the ponies that had been gathered, they looked about as nervous and uneasy about this as I felt.

“I’m sorry… I really am,” Willow said softly as she turned to one of the other councilmembers. The Earth Pony stallion stepped forward and gave her an envelope that she opened up. “The pony who will be leaving Stable 26 in order to fulfill our mission will be Ruby Starlight.”

The room went silent as everypony looked at me. I gulped as my eyes went wide, why had I been the one chosen? This didn’t make any sense! Maybe they had read the wrong paper, right? Maybe? I mean I heard about that happening once… no wait that would be stupid.

“Ruby, are you okay?” Candy asked, finally snapping me out of my stunned silence.

“Why… why me?” I asked as the ponies around me stared. I quickly turned around and ran off, not caring about what might be happening behind me.

00000

I slammed my hoof on the button to open the door to my quarters and galloped inside. I fell down onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling as I breathed heavily. I couldn’t believe it, why had they actually chosen me like this?

I levitated up a picture of me and my parents. It had been taken a few weeks before they had died in the accident. I sometimes wondered what they would think about me now. I was a doctor sure, but what would they think about my current situation?

What did I even think about this current situation? I wasn’t trained to do anything other than to be a Doctor. How was I supposed to survive out in the Wasteland like this? I didn’t know what to do, and here I was lying on my bed trying to figure out what I was going to do. I knew that there was no way that I could get out of this.

So, what was I going to do?

There was a knock on the door and I groaned as I levitated up my pillow and covered my face with it. I wasn’t in the mood to talk to anypony right now. I didn’t reply, but the knocking just continued.

I groaned a little before finally calling out, “Oh come in already!” I shouted as the door open.

“Ruby, are you okay?” Candy’s voice said, though I was still covered by the pillow. “You can’t stay here forever you know.”

“I don’t care,” I groaned through the pillow. “I don’t want to face the ponies out there right now… I’m scared…”

“Shhh, it’ll be okay,” Candy said as she pulled the pillow off of my face. I looked up at her, she had a reassuring smile on her face as she pulled me into a hug. “Ruby, it’s going to be okay…”

“I…” I started to say before I hugged the pink Earth Pony back and closed my eyes. “Thanks Candy…”

“It’ll be okay, Ruby,” Candy said softly as she held me close. “You’re going to do just fine out there, I have faith in you.”

“And what if I don’t want to go out there?” I pointed out. “I mean, what are they going to do, force me to leave? I don’t really know if I even can survive out there… I’m just a Doctor, I don’t know how to fight or anything.”

“Shhh… calm down,” Candy told me. “Ruby, I’m not going to lie and tell you that this is going to be easy. We both know that this is going to be hard, not just on you but on all of us. I’m sure if we talk to the Council they’ll figure something out and maybe they can re-do the ceremony.”

“I doubt it,” I replied and shook my head. “They made it pretty clear that they wouldn’t be able to re-do the ceremony. And so, I’m kind of stuck in this situation and I don’t even know if I’ll ever make it back to the Stable. A lot can happen in one year.”

“Yeah, true, but maybe you’ll make it,” Candy replied. “Ruby, you’ve always been one of the bravest ponies I’ve ever known. I know that things won’t be easy while you’re out there. But, there’s really not much we can do about it right now…”

“Yeah… I know,” I sighed as I took a deep breath. “Do you think everything is going to be okay without me here? I mean, I know that Nightingale is going to still be here and there’s always the night shift Doctor and…”

“Ruby, calm down, you have nothing to worry about,” Candy reassured me. “The Stable survived for 185 years without you, it’ll survive just fine without you for a year. We’re going to be just fine too you know. Besides, I’m sure by the time you get back you’ll have some handsome stallion fawning over you already.”

I felt my face turn hot, it was amazing how much redder my face could get whenever somepony embarrassed me. The truth was that I had always been too busy to find anypony of either gender to become involved with. I had sometimes felt feelings for ponies, but nothing I had ever actually acted on. Though I had sometimes thought things about...

I shook my head, trying to get the thought of that out of my head. I had bigger things to worry about than that. I was about to have to step out into the horrors of the Wasteland. I just wished that there was some way out of this.

“I don’t have a choice, do I?” I asked with a sigh.

“No, not really,” Candy said with a sigh. “I think just about anypony would take your place at this point, at least anypony from the security department. This isn’t going to be easy, I know, but I don’t think they’re going to make you go in without being at least somewhat ready.”

“Yeah… thanks for not worrying me at all about this,” I groaned. “So, what do I do now? Should I go meet with the council and see where it goes from here? I’m not even ready to go out there…”

“I doubt they’re going to just send you out there until you’re ready,” Candy told me as she placed her hoof on me gently. “Come on, let’s go talk to the Council. I’m going to be with you until it’s time for you to leave, I promise.”

“Thanks Candy,” I said with a weak smile as I hugged her again. “You don’t know how much this means to me.”

“I think I have an idea,” Candy replied. “Come on, let’s get going. You’re going to be just fine, I promise.”

I nodded as we got up and headed out of my quarters together.

00000

I took a deep breath as we stopped in front of the room to the Council’s chambers. I was still a bit nervous about this to be honest. I looked at Candy for a moment, she gave me a reassuring smile even though she had pain in her eyes. I smiled gently as I placed my hoof on her shoulder for a moment.

“It’ll be okay, Candy,” I told her softly. “I’m going to do this… even if I don’t like it, I know that I have to do this. I promise that I’ll be back, I’ll be careful out there. I’m scared too, but I need you to stay strong for me, and I’ll be strong for you.”

Candy nodded before I knocked on the door. We were let in with Councilmare Willow sitting behind a desk with Gala and another Unicorn with a light gold coat and an electric blue mane. They looked up and sighed a little.

“Ruby, I just want you to know that this was not our choice,” Willow said as she leaned back in her chair. “I’m sorry that you got dragged into this, we had been sure that the pony chosen would be a Security Pony not a Doctor.”

“Yeah… I’m guessing the computer won’t just pick another pony?” I asked in a last ditch effort to hope that I could get out of this.

“Unfortunately no, the computer locked out the program after the name was chosen,” the golden pony replied with a shake of his head. Councilstallion Lightning was the head of the Engineering department, so he probably knew what he was talking about. “We’re still waiting on Blueberry to arrive so we can figure this out.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m here,” a familiar voice said from behind us and I turned around to see her. Blueberry Sable was a stocky blue Earth Pony with a darker blue mane, and she had also taken me in after my parents died when I was a filly. “Sorry, I had to take care of a few things, oh good you’re here Ruby.”

“Yeah… I almost wasn’t,” I admitted as I rubbed the back of my head a little. “I’m not really sure about all of this still to be honest. Going out into the Wasteland is not something that I’m really ready for.”

“Yeah, I told you we should’ve tried to work around the program lock-out,” Blueberry said as she shot Lightning a look. “She’s not the right pony for the job, and you all know it. The computer must’ve made a mistake of some sort.”

“The computer didn’t make a mistake, the program worked exactly as it was supposed to,” Lightning sighed. “Trust me, I looked over the program parameters myself.”

“So, what’s going to happen now?” I asked.

“You’re supposed to leave within a week, so we have that long to get you ready for this,” Blueberry answered. “It’s not a lot of time, and you’re going to need training in how to use weapons. I know you don’t want to fight or kill, but given you’re going out into Equestria, you need to do this.”

I paused a little and sighed a little. She was right, of course, I was a Doctor, I didn’t want to actually kill anypony. So, here I was being given only one choice, I took a deep breath and nodded a little.

“Yeah, I know,” I finally agreed and looked over at Candy. “So, what am I going to have to learn?”

“Combat and basic survival skills, how to cook mostly,” Willow answered. “We don’t have a lot of time to do it admittedly, but we can at least get a start on it, and you should already know how to cook at least.”

“I still don’t know if I want to fight…” I muttered.

“You still need to be ready in the event that you don’t have a choice in the matter,” Blueberry reminded me with a sigh. “We just want you to be ready in the event that you have to defend yourself. I know this isn’t going to be easy, but we’re going to help you as best we can, okay?”

“Okay…” I said with a sigh. “So, when do we begin?”

“Tomorrow,” Willow answered. “We don’t have as much time as we’d like to get you ready for this, but we’re still going to do our best. Blueberry and Candy will help you get ready, and you’ll be fine… I hope.”

“Yeah, I hope so too…” I muttered as I closed my eyes. This was going to be a long week.

Or rather, this was going to be a long year. I had no idea how I was going to handle this, my life was about to become something terrifying. I just had to hope that, somehow I was going to make it out of this whole thing alive.

I just had to hope.

00000

I groaned a little as I fell face forward on the bed that night. I groaned as I buried my face into my pillow for a moment, not wanting to think about what was going to happen tomorrow. It had been a week since the Choosing Ceremony happened. I had been trained with one of the 10mm pistols provided by Security, and I wasn’t that good with it, usually getting the target off center if I was even that lucky.

I sighed a little as I closed my eyes, trying not to think about this. I still had a long way to go before I was actually ready to leave. But tomorrow I was going to have to leave the Stable and take my first steps out into the Wasteland.

I hated that I was going to have to do this, and that I had no choice. I sighed a little as I just stayed there for the longest moment before I heard a knock on the door. The knocking lasted a few minutes before I finally spoke up, “Ugh… come in already…”

“Ruby, are you okay?” Candy’s voice said as I tried not to talk to her. “I know this past week hasn’t been easy on you…”

“Yah think?” I snapped at her for a moment, causing her to flinch. I cringed a little at that and peeked out to see Candy and Nightingale looking at me worriedly. “I’m sorry Candy, I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that.”

“It’s okay, I probably would’ve done the same,” Candy said softly as she sat down next to me. “With everything that’s going on, I think you deserve a little bit of leeway. So, how do you think you’re going to do tomorrow?”

“I honestly don’t even know,” I admitted as I looked down at the metal floor for a moment. “I’m not much of a fighter just yet. But still… I don’t have much of a choice now. They’re sending me out there and I’m not even sure that I’ll ever be ready.”

“Maybe, but sometimes the best you can do is get ready for what you can, and try to be ready for what’s to come down the line, you can’t be ready for everything,” Nightingale said and levitated a book out of her barding and over to me. “Here, I was thinking that this might be of some use to you.”

“What is it?” I asked as I opened the book only to find the pages all blank. “Is it a journal?”

“Yeah, I was thinking that you could use it to keep a journal of what happened in the Wasteland,” Nightingale suggested. “It will help us learn more about the outside world.”

“Or, you know, how to learn from whatever mistakes you make,” Candy said.

“Not helping Candy!” I said with a groan as I buried myself back under the pillow. “I already have enough problems to worry about you know!”

“Sorry, you’re right, my bad,” Candy said as she pulled the pillow off my head again. “Calm down, you’re going to be just fine, I promise.”

“Yeah… I hope so,” I said softly as I levitated up the journal again for a moment. Maybe she had a point, this would be a good way to keep my thoughts clear on what I was going on. I nodded a little as I put it off to the side, I’d start writing in it later. “Thank you, Nightingale.”

“Of course, anything for you,” Nightingale replied with a smile. “Just be careful out there, okay?”

“I will,” I said as I took a deep breath and finally sat up fully. “This isn’t going to be easy, but thank you both. It means so much to me that I have ponies here willing to help me out. Still, things aren’t going to be easy, I just have to survive out there and make it back. I’m going to do my best out there, and I’ll make it back.”

I just had to hope that I sounded more confident than I actually felt about this. I was a medical Doctor, not a fighter, but I knew this was the best option I had.

“So, what are we going to do now?” Candy asked. She checked the time on her PipBuck for a moment. “It’s getting late, and you’re going to have to leave early. What do you want to do, Ruby?”

“Let’s just enjoy my last evening here,” I replied as I got up a little and stretched out before I pulled the two mares into a hug. “But now you two are going to have to face life without me here. Knowing my luck, things are going to fall apart and lots of ponies are going to get hurt the day after I leave.”

“Maybe, but I think we’re going to manage somehow,” Nightingale replied with a laugh. “Don’t worry, I know we’re going to be just fine. You should be worried about your replacement, we might just forget about you.”

“Oh yes, definitely,” Candy added. “Maybe they’ll be less perky too.”

“Oh come on, I’m not that bad,” I pouted. Okay maybe I was a little perky, but that was just how I was, and it helped keep up the good spirits with the patients. “What’s wrong with being perky?”

My friends just laughed a little and I groaned as Nightingale just ruffled my mane a little. I smiled a little before I finally joined in the laughter as I enjoyed the moment. This was going to be one of the last moments I had with probably the two best friends I ever had. I took a deep breath and held them close.

I knew that I was going to have to leave them behind now. But still, they were my best friends, and I wanted to spend as much time with them as I could.

“Why don’t we all stay here tonight?” Candy suggested. “It would be a good way to give her one last night in the Stable.”

“Yeah, that sounds good to me,” Nightingale replied. “I mean, if it’s okay with you Ruby. I’d understand if you would rather be alone tonight.”

“No, I’m fine with that, I’d rather have company tonight honestly,” I answered with a weak smile. “I mean, this is the last time I’ll see the two of you for a year. It really would mean a lot to me if you would stay, please?”

“Of course, anything for you,” Candy replied with a smile. “Come on, let’s just enjoy our last night together. If you need anything, just let me know, okay?”

“Other than somepony else going in my place?” I asked and they both just laughed.

It was worth a shot at least. I took out my journal, and started to write in it.

00000

The next day the three of us were outside of the large gear shaped Stable Door. A few ponies had already gathered to see me off, Blueberry looked at me with a reassuring smile as she stood with Gala and Willow.

I stared at the door for the longest moment. The metal door was imposing enough as I stared at it, but today it felt even worse . The immovable door seemed more intimidating today, as if it knew that I was going to have to go through it. I gulped as I felt a hoof on my shoulder and looked up at Candy.

“It’ll be okay,” she reminded me.

“I know, last minute jitters,” I told her. “I can’t believe I’m actually leaving. This whole thing feels just so surreal.”

“Yeah, but we’re all behind you,” Nightingale sadi as she placed her hoof on my other shoulder. “Ruby, you’re going to be just fine and we’ll see you in a year.”

I nodded a little as I adjusted my lab coat for a moment as Willow stepped forward to speak to the Stable Dwellers that had gathered to see me off. The PA system would broadcast it through the rest of the Stable. I took a deep breath and listened to the Councilmare start to speak.

“Fillies and gentlecolts, it’s been a crazy week since the Choosing Ceremony,” Willow said as she looked out at the gathered ponies. I smiled softly as I saw some familiar faces, patients that I had treated, friends I had made, all here to see me off. “I know that a lot of you are close to Doctor Starlight and don’t want to see her leave. I feel the same, but this is our duty to the past. Doctor Starlight… Ruby… she’s going to lead us all into the future. Into that Undiscovered Country where no traveler can return. I’m not going to lie and say that it’ll be easy on her, but I have faith in her. Ruby, I know this isn’t going to be an easy journey for you, but know that we’re all rooting for you.”

She nodded to Blueberry who walked over to me with Saddlebags and a holster with a pistol in it. She gave me a gentle smile as I levitated the bags onto my back and secured them.

“You’re going to be fine, just remember what we taught you,” Blueberry told me. “Are you ready for this?”

“Yeah, I’m ready,” I said as I looked at Willow and gave her a nod.

“Ruby, let Celestia’s light guide you as you make your way through the world above,” Willow said as she gave me a gentle smile. “Do you have anything you want to say?”

I gulped a little and shook my head. I just waved to the ponies and smiled, trying to look more confident than I felt as Willow stepped up to the control console. She connected her PipBuck to it and input commands. There was the sound of metal screeching against metal as the large Stable 26 door swung open.

I walked up the small set of stairs to the door for a moment, and took one last look back at the Stable. It had been my home for my whole life, and I was going to have to leave it. I adjusted my bags a moment and took my first step out of Stable 26.

I just had to hope that I would see it again someday.

The door shut behind me unceremoniously, plunging the world around me into darkness. I gulped, starting to panic a moment before I remembered that there was a flashlight option on my PipBuck when I turned on.

I was in another room that looked like it was some sort of basement or whatever. I started walking forward, eyeing the room around me for a moment when I noticed a poster on the wall. I turned my head and nearly screamed at the sight of a large pink pony staring back at me with the words “PINKIE PIE IS WATCHING YOU FOREVER” on it.

I fell against the wall, breathing heavily. It was just a stupid poster, but the way the mare in it looked at me just gave me the creeps. It was like she was staring into my very soul. I took a deep breath and started walking again, I needed to get moving if I wanted to get this done, even if I didn’t really want to.

I started walking again towards the other side of the room and pushed the door leading outside open.

It was time to see what was really out there.

00000

I covered my eyes with my foreleg as a light hit my eyes. It was a dim light, but it still felt a bit too bright for me. I groaned a little as my eyes slowly adjusted to the light. I glanced behind me at the door behind me, it was attached to a ruined building that looked like it had been much larger once, a long time ago.

And that’s when I looked up and my legs went all wobbly. Far above me was the sky, that was the word right? Far above there was swirling grey clouds with occasional flashes of reddish-orange. The sky felt so, unnatural to me now as if I was staring up at a portal to Tartarus itself. There was nothing around me other than dirt and some odd bits of water in the distance.

I groaned a little as I fell back onto my flanks, I was stuck in the middle of a Wasteland that seemed to stretch forever. It was pretty much what we expected when I stepped out into Equestria, but there was still a lot that I had to figure out still. I checked my gear and the pistol in my holster before I started walking again towards some lights that I could see in the distance.

As I moved through the Wasteland, I found signs of ponies having been injured or killed. There was blood here and there, spent shell casings, and even the signs of ponies being dragged. Wherever I was though it seemed to be mostly clear despite there being a few sounds out in the distance that sounded like gunfire.

“What in Celestia’s name is going on…” I muttered as I started walking again. There was the sudden sound of yelling over another hill. I quickly made my way over the hill and saw a fight in progress.

Several ponies dressed in some sort of odd leather armor were firing weapons at a defensive position. I got a few looks at the pony they were shooting at, the looked blue as they fired back through holes in the wall, tearing through one of the armored soldiers.

I took a deep breath and raised my pistol as I checked the bullets in the magazine. I didn’t want to get into a fight this soon, but this pony was outnumbered. I’d aim to incapacitate and maybe whoever this was could give me a clue as to what I should do next. Mind you, I had never actually shot at a live target before.

I adjusted my pistol for a moment and fired a shot into the foreleg of the nearest pony. He let out a scream as I dove out of the way of another stream of gunfire. Okay, maybe this was a mistake. I laid down on the ground and levitated up my pistol again and shot at another one of the attacking ponies only to miss my shot completely.

And then a bullet hit my gun, knocking it out of my telekinetic grip. I ducked down out of the way just as several more shots were heard before things went quiet. I closed my eyes, half afraid that whoever had been fighting the soldiers was dead and they were coming after me now.

“Hey Red!” A voice called down at me, catching me off guard. “Are you still alive up there or should I call the corpse collectors.”

“N-n-no I’m fine,” I managed to stammer out as I looked down at the pony who had called out to me. She was a mare with a blue coat with a blue-green mane with a pair of goggles covering her eyes.

And on top of everything else, she also had wings. One of them was bleeding from a wound, but she was definitely a Pegasus. I made my way down the hill, still a little uneasy, but I didn’t have a gun anymore.

“You really helped me back there,” the Pegasus told me with a soft smile as she groaned a little and noticed my lab coat. “Are you a doctor?”

“Yeah, let me take a look at that wing,” I said nervously as I took out a healing potion and several items. “I’ve never actually healed a Pegasus before though. I’ve read about it in my books, but… yeah.”

“Stable Doctor then, well better training than some of the Doctors out here,” the Pegasus said as I started to work on her wing. “What’s your name? Or should I just keep calling you Red?”

“Ruby, Ruby Starlight,” I answered as I worked on healing her wing. “I’m a Doctor from a local Stable. What about you?”

“Call me Bluesky,” the Pegasus said with a shrug. “Thanks for your help back there at least, Doc. You really saved my flank from those Imperials.”

“Imperials?” I asked.

“Right, you’re new out here,” Bluesky realized. “For the past year there’s been a war waged over this part of Equestria, those soldiers work for one of the two factions, the Crimson Empire. Basically they’re an Imperialist faction from out East and both sides are here trying to get the resources of what’s left of Neigh Orleans.”

“And who’s the other?” I asked.

“That would be the New Canterlot Republic, you’re going to want to talk to them honestly,” Bluesky said. “Look, I’m heading towards Camp Macolt and the front lines of the war with the Empire by what’s left of Lake Ponychartrain.”

“What’s left of it?”

“Oh, you’ll see, come on, let’s get going,” Bluesky said as I finished working on the wing. We got up and started walking towards our destination apparently. A marker appeared on my Eyes Forward Sparkle and my map directed me towards something called Camp Macolt. “So, you’re really from a Stable huh?”

“My jumpsuit doesn’t give it away?” I asked with a nervous chuckle.

“Yeah, good point,” Bluesky shrugged. “Look, I know the Colonel at the Camp, and while I’d rather bring you farther East… the route that way isn’t safe because of the Empire.”

I looked at the map, we were near something that the map labeled as the Bayou Wildlife Preserve. It didn’t look like much of one to me at least, though there were a few signs of wildlife and buildings scattered here and there.

“Where are…” I started to say when suddenly Bluesky looked up. “What is it?”

“Firerain,” she said as she pointed at a nearby shelter she suddenly sounded very scared. “Come on, we need to get to shelter, now!”
I tried to stutter out a question without any real luck as she pushed me into the small shelter. I felt more confused than anything else, what did she mean by Firerain? I was about to ask what it was, but there was a sound that was like a gunshot above us, and then it began. It began to rain.

I had never seen rain before, but I had at least an idea of what it was. This was not rain like I had read about it, it was reddish-orange and shone like fire. When I looked down at my PipBuck I realized that it was clicking to indicate radiation. I glanced back at Bluesky for a moment, I had a lot of questions.

“What is Firerain?” I finally asked.

“Well, nopony’s quite sure where it comes from,” Bluesky answered. “But it’s always been around according to the few ponies that actually managed to survive around here. Its radioactive rain that falls every so often. Unfortunately it’s a bit unpredictable, but there are signs you can catch if you pay attention. It’ll kill you, if you’re lucky.”

“I see,” I said as I watched the rain as it fell for a moment. I sighed a little as I looked back into the shelter. There wasn’t much to see, a few cabinets and furniture with a bed against the wall. “What is this place?”

“It’s one of several shelters set up around the Wasteland by both sides,” Bluesky answered. “Firerain can last quite a while so they keep these places well stocked. The Rules of Engagement make these places neutral territory. With how dangerous the Firerain is we need to be as safe as possible.”

“Yeah, I guess,” I said as I sat down in one of the chairs and closed my eyes. I had a lot to think about right now, a lot to process about the world that I suddenly found myself in. “I’m scared… I mean I knew that there was a lot of stuff I wasn’t ready for out here, but this… this is a bit too much…”

“What’s a Doctor from a Stable doing out here anyway?” Bluesky asked as she took a seat on the bed and adjusted her goggles a little. “You chasing after some cute mare’s flank you’ve got a crush on? Or are you going to be chased after shortly? I mean, you’re a doctor from a Stable, sounds a bit like…”

“Uh, no, I was just sent out because my Stable was supposed to send somepony out to see if they can survive,” I said as I shot Bluesky a strange look. “Uh does, this happen regularly or something?”

“A few times, don’t worry about it,” Bluesky replied as she pulled her goggles down over her eyes and yawned before giving me a slight smile. “We could be here a while, I’d get comfortable if I were you. If that chair is uncomfortable, then you can always come join me…”

I blushed deeply at that which just made the Pegasus laugh. I took out my journal and started writing in it again, taking down everything that had happened recently while it was still fresh in my mind. I took a deep breath and put it back away as I leaned back in the chair to relax. I checked my PipBuck and found that there was a station marked Zephyr Radio and hit it out of curiosity.

“I watch the sun rise,
In skies so clear.
We learn the outside,
There’s hope out here.
Hope unconfined.”

“And that’s Open Air, the latest song by Velvet Remedy,” a soft accented voice of a mare said over the radio. “Let’s all hope that someday we’ll get to see the sun rise over these lands too in the coming days. In other news, the stand-off between the NCR and Empire on the front lines continues with an aide to the Republic commander reports that she believes that there will be a change in the fortunes of the NCR very soon. I hope you’re right Colonel, hopefully this war can come to an end soon. Now, here’s a little Blue Bird to keep you entertained while the rain falls on us all.”

The smooth sound of jazz was heard from my radio as I closed my eyes and enjoyed the music. I enjoyed the moment as long as I could before suddenly there was the sound of something moving and I looked up to see something odd rising out of some discarded pieces of metal in the corner.

The machine looked like an odd insect with a spherical body. It had a pair of wings and a grate that was over a pair of glowing eyes. It sparked a little as music started playing, changing every few seconds.

“What in Celestia’s name is going on?” I asked as Bluesky raised her goggles again and looked at the strange machine confused. “Bluesky, do you know what’s going on?”

“Yeah, that’s a Sprite-Bot, weird,” Bluesky said as she rubbed her eyes. “That doesn’t make any sense though, they haven’t been active around here in 5 years…”

“Hello, hello, oh finally this thing works!” A stallion’s voice said over the Sprite-Bot’s speakers. I blinked a little, he had a weird accent that I couldn’t place. “Ah, finally, I thought that thing would never open at this rate.”

“Uh, who are you?” I asked a bit confused by that.

“Call me the Doctor, that’s about all you really need to know at this point,” the voice answered from the other end. “You’re the chosen one from Stable 26, right?”

“Yeah, how’d you know?” I asked. This was just getting weirder and weirder and I honestly had no idea exactly what I thought about this. “Are you spying on me?”

“Look, it’s a long story and I don’t have a lot of time to explain,” the Doctor replied. “What you need to know is that you need to be very careful. You have stepped out into a particularly dangerous time in Equestria’s history.”

“Geez… understatement much?” Bluesky said with a roll of her eyes. “Why don’t you tell her what you want already, Doc?”

“There are more things going on than either of you are aware,” the Doctor replied. “You’re here because they need your help. And I need your help too. You’re already on the right track heading towards the NCR. You’re going...”

“We’re losing you,” Bluesky said as she sat up.

“You’re going to be okay,” the Doctor said. “You’re already off to a good start. But you need to find something else, something personal to you, that makes you who you are. You’re going to need it and more, you’re going to need friends. Be careful out there.”

“What am I supposed to do?” I asked.

The radio started to crackle with static again as he kept speaking. “Go… tech… mountain… rain… losing… signal…” he said before the signal went out again and the robot fell onto the ground again.

“Well, that was… bizarre,” Bluesky said as she tilted her head a little. “I’ve never heard of this, Doctor before. The last one who used those things was a guy that called himself the Watcher, weird.”

“So, what are we going to do now?” I asked and Bluesky just shrugged. “Sounds like we should head towards the NCR.”

“Yeah, probably,” Bluesky agreed. She looked at the empty holster at my side and shook her head. “You’re not going to do much good without a weapon.”

“Yeah, I lost mine back in the fight,” I replied as I glanced down at the empty holster. “I guess I can see if the NCR will help me out or something…”

“Eh, I think you should be ready just in case you need to fight,” Bluesky said as she opened up her bags. She took out a revolver and checked it over, spinning the barrel as she tossed it to me along with some ammo. “Here, a little thank you for saving my flank back there, Doc. This’ll get you out of a bind if you find yourself in one, it was customized by Ditzy Doo herself back in Junction Town.”

I levitated it up and checked it over. I admittedly wasn’t an expert on weapons, but it was at least relatively clean. I checked the bullets over and slid six of them into the barrel before sliding it into my holster. I didn’t like the idea of using it or any other weapon, but it was at least going to be there in case I needed to defend myself.

I smiled and gave Bluesky a nod as I leaned back in my chair. Bluesky slid her goggles back down over her eyes and after a moment I heard her snoring.

Once the rain faded, we’d be off to Camp Macolt. And to the NCR.

00000

The trip to Camp Macolt after the Firerain ended went quietly. It was starting to get dark by the time we finally reached the edge of the territory, Bluesky had told me she was going ahead to talk to the sentry and that I should stay where she had left me. The NCR apparently didn’t immediately trust anypony who just showed up, and I guess I didn’t blame them for that.

So I found myself sitting there, I was very bored to be honest. I sighed a little as I looked over the items in my bags, with Bluesky talking with the NCR I didn’t have a lot more I could do right now.

I was about to look back towards the camp when I felt a metal object pressed against my head. I gulped and glanced behind me to see a stallion dressed in the same armor I had seen before holding a gun to my head.

“Well, looks like we’ve got a Stable Dweller,” the stallion said with a rather unpleasant grin he levitated up a metal looking collar and glanced at me for a moment. “You’re going to be a good little filly and come back with me. Say one word and you’re dead.”

I gulped and glanced down at my pistol in its holster. It would only take a split second to draw my weapon and shoot this guy if he was distracted. I just needed a moment of distraction, though I really didn’t like the idea of shooting this guy.

That distraction came when a gunshot was heard above our heads. The stallion ducked out of the way, lowering his pistol for a moment and I kicked at him hard, drawing my revolver on instinct more than anything and aiming it at his head, firing a shot into his chest without even thinking about it.

The stallion stood there in stunned silence for a moment before he crumpled to the ground. I just stared there in stunned silence for a moment as I realized what I had just done. The revolver fell out of my telekinetic grip as it fell onto the ground. I stared at the body of the pony for a moment for a long moment.

“Hey Stable Dweller!” A voice said from behind me and I glanced up for a moment. A Unicorn was standing there, likely where the shot had come from. She had dark blue fur with a short black mane and a curled tail. She was dressed in a brown uniform with a tie on and had a rifle levitated up. “Are you okay?”

“Uh… yeah… I answered, though honestly I wasn’t really sure how I was going to answer that question. I struggled to get up, but only managed to stumble and nearly fell onto the ground. “Sorry…”

The Unicorn stared down at me for a moment and then looked at the dead body. She glanced behind her for a moment and sighed. “You two, help her into the camp. We can’t leave her out here for the Empire to get.”

“Yes ma’am,” a voice said from behind her and two soldiers came up to me and carefully helped me up as they lead me towards the dark blue colored Unicorn.

“Who are you?” I asked as I looked at her for a moment.

“Colonel Midnight of the New Canterlot Republic’s First Ranger Division,” the Unicorn answered as we started walking together. “Welcome to Camp Macolt. Your Pegasus friend is waiting for you inside.”

This was going to be a long journey.

LEVEL UP!
Perk Received: Stable Doctor.
Details: You’ve been trained as a Doctor since you were young in your home Stable. You get an extra 10 points in medicine as well as a boost to healing items.