Prologue

Fallout Equestria: Forgotten Days
Written By: SFMediaWriter and Aeluna

"Once Upon A Time in the Magical Land of Equestria..."

The great peace that reigned for one thousand years slowly came to a close. With the rise of The Ministries, the end times could be seen drawing nearer and nearer. Though life ticked on by, slowly, semi-peacefully in the dreams of ponies alike, united with the hope that the war would end soon. Even as far as The Crystal Empire and it's outlying villages held onto that hope. Even during the times where even though the call to arms was called, only a mere fraction actually stepped forward to fight. Though some, did in fact fight, and one such pony, Shimmer Jubilee, knew all too well what the cost of war could be.

The breeze on the wind flowed through Shimmer's long pink mane. A warm breeze that immediately made her smile. Late summer after a fresh rain. The wet grass beneath her hooves made her feel reassured that nothing could go wrong in the world. She slowly turned observing the small town before her. Unlike most villages, being this close to the Crystal Empire, the roads were paved. Several fillies and colts ran down the road chasing a small red ball. A muffin cart slowly being pulled by after them. And the smell of freshly started cooking fires filled the air. Here the war was long forgotten. She had only just begun stepping back inside her small house when all of a sudden-

"Good Morning! Stable-Tec calling!" A rather squeaky and annoying cheerful voice broke the silence. Breaking Shimmers illusion of a peaceful summer day and the war forgotten.

Shimmer inhaled deeply as she turned to confront the man who had been banging at her door for nearly a week prior. Pretending she wasn't home, check. Pretending she didn't hear the door, check. Leaving as soon as he arrived, check. Just what was with this pony? Couldn't he take a hint? Even the stupid yellow rain hat on his head annoyed her to the deepest part of her body. Just go away...PLEASE.

"I ummmm don't have much time..." he said to her once again. She put on her best fake smile and turned to face him. Though something about his nervous tone just didn't sit well with her. Maybe he caught onto her displeasure of him being around?

Shimmer nodded once as she met his gaze, "Good morning." She tried her best to sound interested but believed that she failed miserably. "Remind me again, what's Stable-Tec?" She instantly regretted opening her mouth to ask the question.

The look of pure enthusiasm lit up on the cyan colored ponies face simply annoyed her even more. "Great. Long speech coming. Lovely. Just had to say something Shimmer." She thought to herself as he began his overly excited speech.

"Why we're about you Ma'am! Stable-Tec is the single most important business in the business." he said proudly, "In fact, Stable-Tec is the BEST at what it does! And that's building Underground Fallout Shelters, known as Stables. We've actually built quite a few of them!"

Shimmer nodded repeatedly. Pretending to actually give a concern about what Stable-Tec did or didn't do was her primary concern. The faster he was gone, the sooner her day could continue. The sooner she could enjoy the summer day after a soft rain.

The Stable-Tec pony continued enthusiastically, "They're actually quite luxurious! And are built to last a lifetime, though we hope it won't be that long! In fact, there's a Stable not too far from here!" He raised a hoof, pointing to the hill behind me, "Just back there actually! And it's one of our newest facilities too! Fresh paint and all!"

Shimmer looked over her shoulder and raised one of her eyebrows. "Really? This close? How come I didn't hear any construction work?"

The Stable-Tec pony smiled proudly, "We had some help from Diamond Dogs who have been promised spots in the Stable! Speaking of which!"

Shimmer groaned quietly as the pony looked behind himself, a horn glowing brightly cyan as a clipboard floated in front of him. Shimmer shook her head briefly thinking, "Great. A List. What's he gonna go on about now?" The Stable-Tec pony began reading the clipboard. And continued to read. And continued to read even more. Shimmer swore she could've heard the clock behind her ticking away.

With a quick clearing of her throat the Stable-Tec pony looked up, "Oh! I'm sorry just making sure I have everything in order!"

"What do you mean? In order?" Shimmer asked, actually curious now at the contents of the clipboard.

"Oh! You see, thanks to the efforts of Stable-Tec and all the support your family has given to the defense of Equestria and the Crystal Empire, you have been pre-approved for entry into the Stable! Stable 45 to be exact!" he replied cheerfully and turning the clipboard around, "See! Your name is right here!" he said pointing a hoof right at the paper. And sure enough, right there, just as he said were the words, "Shimmer Jubilee!

Shimmer sighed, "All that my family has done huh?" she asked quietly, looking over her shoulder at a nearby photograph. "So what exactly do you need from me?" she asked again looking back at the Stable-Tec pony. Her eyes for the briefest of moments, becoming watery but quickly blinked away.

The Stable-Tec pony turned the clipboard around and cleared his throat, "Just a little paperwork finalizing! Won't take but a moment of your time!" he replied cheerily, not even noticing Shimmers momentary lapse into sadness. Shimmer sighed and nodded finally, only just to get him to go away quickly!

"Okay! First time! "What is your cutie mark?" Such a silly question, but necessary none the less!" The Stable-Tec pony read off of the paper, clearly having done this probably a million times by now.

Shimmer looked back at her cutie mark, "It's a Heart with a Ribbon wrapped around it. I work for the Ministry of Peace, I help sick and injured ponies." she said presenting her flank just in case the pony needed to see it for himself.

He nodded a few times, "Okay! Fantastic! Next question, "If you needed to, would you be willing to participate in a program to help rebuild Pony-kind if a disaster would occur?"

Shimmer just blinked.

"I'm not quite sure what you mean?" She asked with confusion written across all of her features.

He looked up from the clipboard, "Well simply put, Stable 45 will have one of the finest breeding programs! That is if somehow we're all wiped out and forced to retreat to the Stable! So, if you could?" he asked motioning the clipboard towards her.

The question now made sense and oddly seemed rehearsed. She then just nodded. "Sooner he's gone." She thought to herself as she waited for the next question to come.

"Okay! And final question! "Do you or any of your family have a science or magical background?"

"Well I work for the Ministry of Peace but other than that, I'm the only one of my family left so, I can't honestly say." she said softly as once again her eyes watered.

"Oh I am sorry to hear that. But thank you anyway!" The overly cheerful voice replied. Then a small humming. "Well that takes care of everything! Just going to walk this over to the Stable! Congratulations on being prepared for the future!" SLAM! With a quick slap of her hoof the door closed right in his face.

Shimmer slumped to the floor with a loud groan. "UGGGGGGGGGH! Thank Celestia he's gone!" she said rubbing both hooves against her temples. "I get doing your job and all, but for a whole week? Doesn't he just quit? Move on!" she said slowly pushing to her hooves and moving towards the little radio on the counter. She flicked it on and smiled at the familiar tune. Shimmer began singing along with the music and began to gently dance about her room.

"Trot outside and see the sunshine, something's in the air today! Sky is clear and you're feelin' so fine, everything's gonna be a-okay!" Shimmer sang loudly, dancing throughout her home. Moving to the small kitchen area still singing.

"If you listen carefully, on every corner there's a rhythm playing! Then it happens suddenly, the music takes you over and you'll," she paused only for the briefest of moments as she lifted up a plate with her mouth. Then continued once again.

"Find you've got the music, got the music in you!" Opening up the small fridge she pulled out a few apples and oranges, still singing. "Find you've got the music, got the music in you!"

Shimmer only stopped singing when a loud scratching noise filled the air. Abruptly cutting off the Ponytones and their musical melodies. Instead the panicked voice of a pony now filled the airwaves.

"We apologize for this unscheduled interruption of your regularly scheduled music. But we have some...troubling news to report." A loud sigh could be heard as the pony read, "We've just received a disturbing report that...a Mega-Spell has gone off and destroyed Clousdale. The number of dead is unknown at this point." Another pause but muffled shouts and yelling could also be heard, "This just in! Manehatten and Phillidelphia have also been struck! These have been confirmed by affiliate stations across Equestria! My God!"

Shimmer hadn't even noticed that she had dropped the plate she had grabbed only moments before on the ground until she stepped forward, a shard of the glass crunching under her hoof. Her eyes wide as she approached the radio and looking at it. "This can't be happening! It simply can't be! How could the Zebra's have Mega-spells?" She cried outward towards the Radio, as if it could reply to her.

The radio-pony continued, "It is advised that all Ponies that have been preapproved for Stable entry make their way to their Stables! There's no telling how many more Mega-Spells will be dropped! And for the rest of us, I wish you the best of luck!" And with that, the radio fell silent.

Shimmer shook her head, "No...no..." she looked out the window, Pegasi flying rapidly across the skies. And shortly after an alarm began to sound. Loud and long in it's single note blare. "No!" she screamed as she ran for the door, pushing it open hard with both front hooves. Ponies from all about her village scrambling down the paved road. Several carts were upturned as chaos descended upon her corner of heaven. She then noticed a military sign further down the road, "Stable 45" with a red arrow beneath it.

"The Stable!" she cried out as she began to gallop towards the sign. A guard pony waving his hoof in the direction indicated by the sign.

His voice booming over the chaos, "If you've been pre-selected! Go through this path and up the hill! You'll be asked for your ID by Cutie Mark and granted entry!" He repeated this with each new face he saw. And Shimmer galloped even harder, trying to get up the hill.

She thought to herself, "I can't believe it! And to think I just gave a pony so much hell over some silly paperwork! If I see him, I must thank him!" She passed a tree only briefly stopping to read an aged inscription upon it, "S.J. & D. G. 4Ever!" She shook her head as she continued galloping upwards. She noticed a chain link fence with Army Ponies standing guard. Some of them even wore power armor!

She then heard the squeaky voice of the Stable-Tec pony, "I'm reporting this!" She full on slammed into him as he turned around and galloped into her. "Watch out! I need to get out of here!" he cried out as he pushed past her.

"Wait! Come back!" She cried out towards him but he was long gone by then. She shook her head and proceeded up to the gate. A guard reading a checklist with each pony arriving.

"Male, Pistol Cutie Mark, Female, Scroll and Pen Cutie Mark, Foal. Okay, you can go in." he said stepping out of the way and letting the family past and into Stable 45's waiting area.

Shimmer pushed her way through the crowd, "I'm approved! Let me through!" she cried as she continued to push until she made her way to the front of the crowd.

The guard pony floated the clipboard in front of himself, "Name?" he asked quickly,

"Shimmer Jubilee!" she replied with relief, only a few feet more!

The Guard pony nodded, "Present your Cutie Mark for Identification."

She turned rapidly, showing her flank and her cutie mark. The guard looked at the list, "Heart with a Ribbon around it. You can go in." he said stepping to the side.

Shimmer never felt more thankful in her life as she trotted past. Pausing to look back at him, "Thank you!" she called out. He turned with a smile and nodded. She returned his nod and then began climbing the hill. The loud roar of a Vertibuck filled her ears as it passed above her and slowly made its way to the clearing to her right. As she reached the top of the hill, about a half dozen ponies stood still, huddled in a single spot. She made her way to the same spot as a guard waved her up, "Stable entrance is right here! Please step on the platform!"

Shimmer didn't even hesitate as she quickly ran up to the large pink platform seated in the ground. She raised an eyebrow at it, though at the same time, she finally understood. Underground Fallout Shelter. Someone up high knew something like this might happen! That had to be it!

Shimmer looked to the small family she saw before. The foal carefully tucked into a magical hold near the mothers chest. She smiled at them and gave a wave of her hoof. They returned the smile but it was quickly replaced by panic as an earth-shattering explosion ripped through the air. Shimmer wheeled around quick enough to witness a Mega-Spell explosion behind her. Giant Purple Flames leaped outward and upward towards the sky. The display was both beautiful and terrifying. Mega-Spells were originally used to heal ponies and zebra's alike, but now, they were perverted into a weapon of war and destruction the likes of Equestria had never seen before.

The wind suddenly rushed past them all, knocking Shimmer back a hoof step or two backward. The shockwave was both warm and stung slightly. Then a second one approached them, this one, more violent than the first was literally tearing houses from the ground and spitting them up into the air in wooden chunks and splinters. Her eyes filled with panic as it drew closer and closer. That is until the platform began to move downward. And just as the second wave hit, a large hatch slammed shut above their heads. They were safe, for now.

Author's Note

((*READERS NOTE* This Intro will be heavily influenced by the start of Bethesda's latest game Fallout 4! So potential spoilers to those that have yet to start Fallout 4 or finish the Introduction to the Game!))

Thank you all for reading! I know this is basically a retelling of Fallout 4's Introduction, however it is the start of a totally different story! Please follow along with the adventure as it unveils itself!