Fallout Equestria: EQUIS Rising

June 12th, 2377 - 10:10 Hours

Serenade looked at the hole in Dusty's chest with wonder and what looked to me like confusing.

"When I met Glacier for the first time" Dusty began "I was in the middle of updating my outer core, I had no covering and so I looked mostly like a walking mechanized skeleton"

That was true. I recalled that the sight of him in that way was too much.

"So you're not a real pony?" Serenade asked. It was a viable question, one that from Dusty's expression was expected.

"In many ways no, I'm not" Dusty said "I will say, I have thoughts and feelings just as you do"

Serenade looked over at me and then to Dusty "If Glacier trusts you, then I do" she said offering her hoof to him.

Dusty bent down and kissed it, inciting a blush from Serenade's cheeks. Dusty returned the piece of his chest that he had removed and looked at both of us.

"I know this goes without saying" he began "please do not tell anypony about robotic ponies, okay?"

Of course I already knew not to but I agreed and so did Serenade. I turned my attention to the terminal on my desk. I loaded up, just as the hundreds of times before, the soil and air monitors. The same message popped up and asked for a passcode. I turned the monitor of the terminal to Dusty and Serenade.

"This is our current problem" I stated flatly.

Serenade looked at the screen and then to me. "So you want to open the Stable?"

Before I could answer Dusty spoke up "It's the only way to assure EQUIS cannot hurt anymore ponies, both real and Pseudos."

I thought over what Dusty said and looked at him "What does EQUIS want to do with Pseudos like you?" I asked wanting to seriously know.

"We are rogue elements" Dusty started "once they catch us if they ever find us. They will dismantle us and then use the spare parts to make new Loyal Pseudos."

His face remained expressionless, however, it still helped somehow convey the severity of the situation. Not only were the lives of all the stable ponies at risk but also the lives of all the Pseudos.

"Dusty" I said looking at him with concern "won't EQUIS know that you're a Pseudo?"

His gaze never shifted or faltered "I doubt it" he said "when my group left the control of EQUIS we all had reconstructive surgery on our faces along with having our tags removed. Hell some of us had memory wipes and took on new personalities. All in order to be safe."

So inside this stable were refugees that were hiding from EQUIS, and in order to hide they changed their appearances and sometimes their minds. How bad was EQUIS to the Pseudos? I brushed this question off in pursuit of figuring out a way to access the soil and air monitors.

“Well” I said as I changed the subject back to opening the stable door “The first thing we have to do to open the door is to confirm that the soil and the air is within a reasonable range” I turned the terminal for them to look at it. “Here is the first problem with that” I tapped on the monitors and brought up the passcode screen “EQUIS is the only ones who have the passcode.”

Serenade looked at me then to Dusty.

Dusty let out a sigh “No problem” he said with an assurance that I felt was not appropriate for this situation.

“What do you mean Dusty” I asked trying to find the glimmer of hope that he had found.

“Well, I have a friend that I can get up here tomorrow to unlock it for you” he started for the door “It's a long shot but I am almost certain that we are willing to take it.”

I turned the terminal around and turned it off. Serenade stood up and looked at me and then to Dusty

“If that is the route we have to take and opening the door is important then we should take it, I agree.”

I nodded and walked over to the door and let Dusty out. I turned around and walked back to Serenade

“Well that went well” I said.

Before I could say anything else a hoof connected with my right cheek.

“What the hell Serenade?” I said recovering

“How could you Glacier?” tears were welling up in her eyes. “No warning no nothing just throwing me into the thick of whatever the hell this is.” she stormed for the door and turned around “I was sure that this whole opening the door was just a fucking drug induced thought but apparently it's an obsession now.” I was hurt but I could see why she would feel that way.

“Serenade, I have to do something besides lead these ponies down a path of destruction”

She turned and opened the door and turned back to me.“I'm in this only because I have to be” and with that she slammed the door.

Fuck. I had no idea what to do now. Serenade was the only real pony I knew and here I was alone once again. This feeling of being alone was not new but was a feeling I knew all to well. Growing up I never had a friend really just ponies I knew and went to classes with and that was it. I stayed to myself and now that I was in charge I was relying on others to be there with me. Sure, Dusty was there for me but only to gain safety and security that was supposedly outside the door of the stable. Serenade, on the other hand I had no idea how to classify that. Was she just with me for my cock, or was there something more there? Was it love? I slammed my head on the desk and floated the bottle of whiskey to my field of vision and placed the capped end in my muzzle and opened it. I spit the cap to the floor and began to drink.

“This always solves problems.” I said as the first burn of the bottle flowed down my throat.

June 12th, 2377 - 14:27 Hours

“Sir!” the voice called out to me I was shaken awake from a drunken slumber that I had not intended to take. “Sir this is important” my eyes fought to adjust. “Celestia! If I knew that he was this bad of a drunk I wouldn't of voted for him”I shook my mane and focused my eyes. The bottle was emptied and laid on the desk on it side. I looked up and saw the face of a security pony. “Sir, this is of the utmost importance” she said as I straightened myself in my chair

“Go on then please” I said still slurring a bit.

I was drunk but I could function. The mare rolled her eyes and cleared her throat

“Sir, as of 12:00 hours we have received 25 missing pony reports in the stable.”

I began to sober up quickly. “25, are you sure”

she reached into a saddlebag and pulled out a folder that was at least 3 inches thick. She dropped them on my desk.

“This is every report we have received. Normally Missing pony reports only reach you if they last for more than 12 hours, however, the Captain thought it would be a good idea to let you in on this.”

I rifled through the file looking at each one noting that they were all young. Mostly earth pony.

“Have the missing ponies got anything in common? anything that links them together?” I asked

She hooved though the file to last page. The page was a catalog of pip-buck tags

“All were old enough to have pip-bucks” This was good, I had the tags and all I had to do was pull up the tags on the terminals Stable map. “The Captain said he would like for you to search the tags”

I nodded and turned to terminal the effects of the alcohol almost gone.

“Great Idea.” I pulled up the map and began to feed the tags into it.

Within only a second or two all 25 tags were located. In one area. Confusing but convenient. I looked at the security mare

“It appears that the missing ponies are in one place.”

I pointed it out on the main map and then sent the location to her pip-buck. I also sent the location to the whole security force. She nodded and turned to walk out the door. Already not even a full week into my office as Overstallion and I was already dealing with missing ponies.

The guard left and once again I was alone. I raised the bottle once more and poured the last drops down my throat. I needed a better coping mechanism. Maybe I did have a problem, hell I know I did. I turned the monitor off and got up levitating the bottle with me to the trash can in the personal suite that came with the office. The bed was a mess but I expected it. I could smell Serenade’s perfume in the room. I dropped the bottle into the trash and laid on the bed. I looked up at the ceiling. It was the same as everywhere else in the stable. Grey. The lights were the same. Buzzing. What made me so different than every pony else? I was in a cycle of self depression and had no way out until it ran its course. For fucks sake what was wrong with me? I closed my eyes and rolled onto my side.

“Glacier” the voice startled me and I rolled over to see who I knew it would be. She always had a way of showing up. “Glacier, It's me Star Charmer.” I looked up and lifted myself off the bed.

“I know it's you Star Charmer” I said as she smiled and walked up to me and sat down on the bed.

“You’re asleep right now and so I decided that I should spend some quality time with you” she laid back on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. “You know I haven't really looked at the ceiling in this place.” she said with a sigh “It's kinda depressing.” she looked over at me and placed a hoof on my hind leg.

“Star” I said “Am I really good enough for this job?”

I made sure that the depression seeped into my words. I wanted her to see it, I loved watching others see that I was depressed, just so that they could try to help me and fall useless in their attempts. She moved up on the bed to where her face was with mine.

“Glacier, you may not be the best but you're the best we have” she took a hoof and held my face. “Of course if we had a better choice I believe I would of told you to become friends with them and be the sidekick, but this is your story” her words actually felt like they were helping and I needed that.

“If we do succeed with opening the doors, then I will have to lead all of these ponies outside, Star, how can I lead them when I don't know what is out there?”

Star Charmer face hoofed and looked back at me with almost contempt in her eyes.

“For fucks sake Glacier, stop feeling so damn sorry for yourself!” she was still laying on my bed but instead of laying in a restful position she was propped up on her front legs. “You are fucking stable royalty and here you are all depressed and shit” she slapped me with a hoof right where Serenade had. “You are worried about the future when you need to be worried about the present!” I was stunned how could she just slap me?

I looked down and started thinking over everything, she was right.

“You’re right” I said

I looked up and saw she was nowhere to be found. I moved my hoof to my face and felt the sting of a hoof slap. If this was a dream why did it hurt so bad? I jolted awake and sat up in the bed. I looked at my pip-buck and read the time 15:47 hours. I got up from the bed and walked into the personal bathroom and locked the door. I looked into the mirror and saw I looked like shit. My mane was tangled and drool was present on my muzzle. I turned to the shower and began to get the settings just right. While the shower heated up I turned to the toilet and relieved myself. I did not feel depressed anymore, nor did I feel like a strong leader, actually I felt far from it. I flushed and stepped into the shower. The lukewarm water rained over me and cleansed my mane. I closed my eyes and began to think thought over everything that needed to be done. Dusty was going to get some pony that could possibly unlock the terminal, once that is done then we can open the door. It was relaxing and was totally what I needed. But what about those missing ponies? I shunned the thought with the justification that the security ponies could handled it.

“Damn Glacier this water is cold” I jumped a little and turned to see Star Charmer, again “I couldn't leave you after slapping you” she bowed her head “It was uncalled for I apologize” she raised her head back up the water pinning her mane to her face and neck “But i meant every word” I smiled and rubbed my cheek

“I needed it Star I really did, but I need you more than ever” she moved closed to me and pecked me on the cheek.

The burning in my cheeks turned them red. She took notice and turned my head with her hooves and kissed me on the mouth. This time letting the moment last longer. What was going on? She was a figment of my imagination, well a vision that was produced by my brain because part of her was in my brain. That is when I felt it, he tongue dancing in my mouth. She pushed me up against the wall of the shower standing us on our hind legs. I turned my head away from her as she wrapped her front legs around my neck in a hug. She rested her head on my chest. The moment aroused me, however, reasoning stopped the moment.

“Star what is going on with us?” I said looking down at her.

She looked up and I saw joy in her eyes.

“I don't know Glacier but it makes me happy”

She disappeared in a vapor. I dropped to all fours again. The moment of arousal had left me wanting more so I quickly turned the shower to cold and let it erase the feeling that was left.

I walked out of the bathroom and sat down at my desk this time only for a moment when the door burst open this time with Captain Iron Guard standing in the doorway. The massive pony filled the doorway with muscles, obviously a product of having nothing better to do that work out. He trotted up to me and bowed for a second or two.

“Mr. Overstallion we have a situation” he said as he turned for the door.

I got up and followed him. His barding was similar to my own with the only difference being that he had armor plating strategically placed under the fabric.

“We didn't think it was end like this sir” he said as we entered the elevator.

“What do you mean Captain?” I said as the door closed and we began down deeper into the stable.

The look on the Iron Guard’s face told me he was distressed and probably had never seen anything like what he was about to show me. The elevator stopped and the doors opened. He remained silent as he stepped out. I followed him to a set of stairs.

“We have to go down one more floor” he said as he began to walk down them. “Sir nothing I say will prepare you for this.”

I swallowed and started down after him. The scene of horror started at the bottom of the stairs. Blood painted the walls with the words of “EQUIS KNOWS BEST” and “DOWN WITH THE OVERSTALLION” among other things. The writings on the walls became more and more vial the close to the end of the hallway we got. I looked down at my pip-buck to see the map and noticed this was a dead end. Blood covered nearly every inch of the hall now the sticky residue causing our hooves to smack on the floor. The lights went out by the end of the hall and we had to use our pip-bucks to illuminate the rest. The lights of our pip-bucks shone on a scene that was unfathomable. The end of the hall help a blood painted EQUIS logo that was as wide as the hall itself. It was below the logo that we saw what had become of the young ponies. There laid the carcasses of the 25 missing ponies. All stripped of the stable barding and all missing the top of there heads. I walked up closer and Iron Guard accompanied me.

“It seems that their brains were removed in a violent manner in this hallway sir” he said as he motioned for all the security guards to stand back. “Sir I know this may be difficult but we need to figure out the best course of action to take.”

I nodded and turned away and began back out of the hall with Iron Guard on my hooves.

“Iron Guard, I need you to send out a bulletin letting every pony know what has happened” I said as we began up the stairs. “Please for the love of Celestia, don't tell every pony the gory details” we made it to the elevator and I pressed the floor we needed. “I will confine every pony to quarters until we fix this.” I said the doors closed. Iron Guard nodded. I stepped out of the elevator and Iron Guard followed me. I stopped at my door and he spoke

“Sir, I am sorry that something like this happened not even a week into your term.” he bowed and walked to the Security station.

I walked into my office and over to my desk. I pulled up the mass publication terminal and began typing.

***ATTENTION ALL STABLE PONIES, THE OVERSTALLION HAS ISSUED A CONFINEMENT ORDERS TO INSURE TOTAL SAFTEY FOR ALL RESIDENTS. SECURITY CAPTAIN IRON GUARD WILL ISSUE A STATEMENT IN THE FOLLOWING HOURS. ANY PONY CAUGHT OUTSIDE QUARTERS WILL BE ARRESTED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION***

I sighed and grabbed the microphone for the broadcast system in the stable. and spoke

“Attention all Stable Ponies, I need Ministry Stallion Steelstrider and Ministry Mare Serenade to report to the office of the Overstallion.”

I cut the transmission and set back.How was I going to tell Dusty and Serenade that it seemed that EQUIS had pushed their plans forward and we needed to do the same? I could not let Serenade see the scene that had more than likely etched and burned into my nightmares. I sighed and waited for my staffers to join me. It was now or never.

"You are correct, Glacier" I heard Star Charmer's voice echo.