"Ponies of Stable 26, I know all of you were expecting some sort of leadership put in charge by Stable-tec," Scootaloo said into the recording equipment as she recorded the latest of the audio instructions for a Stable. "Stable 26 is different from the other Stables constructed by the company. While you have all the standard amenities that you were promised, we have left you entirely alone to your own devices. Your job as inhabitants of Stable 26 is to build a new society from the ashes of the old world, all of you have been chosen special for this job. Some of you are political theorists and were chosen in order to help ensure that the Stable has the best chance. Others of you had disagreed with the policies of the government, but were screened to make sure that you wouldn't be too radical. I chose all of you and your families because I believe that you will be able to create the best society possible. You are the best and brightest Equestria has to offer, and your descendants will shape the future of our world."
She turned off the equipment and leaned back in her chair, she had already finished most of the Stable instructions by now, but Stable 26 had been special. Ever since the war had started she had begun to question the way Equestria had been run during the war, and she didn't entirely trust the idea of Equestria's future being left in the hooves of any ideas from the old world. Stable 26 was her answer to that, give the dwellers a chance to build their own society.
Whether or not that would work was another question entirely.
"Hey Scootaloo, are yah workin' late again tonight?" A familiar voice asked and she looked up with a smile to see Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle come into her office.
"Yeah, I'm just putting the finishing touches on Stable 26," Scootaloo said. "I got the last of the ponies that were being monitored by the Ministry of Morale approved and I just finished the recording."
"Well that's good," Sweetie Belle said, they knew how important the project was to the Pegasus, but she frowned. "You missed dinner tonight with Gabby and Babs."
"Oh, was that tonight?" Scootaloo asked, how could it have slipped her mind? Today was the anniversary of when the three of them got their cutie marks and she had been too busy to make it to the dinner. "I'm sorry, I've just been so busy..."
"We understand," Apple Bloom said.
"Which is why we brought dinner to you," Sweetie Belle added and levitated a basket and set it on Scootaloo's desk. "We knew you'd be too busy, don't worry Babs and Gabby understood and send their regards."
"I should've been there, I'm sorry," Scootaloo said as they set out the food. "I'll make it up to them somehow."
"Its hard ta believe that its been so long," Apple Bloom said sadly. "And with tha war, everythin' is just goin' ta Tartarus."
"Yeah..." Sweetie Belle said with a shake of her head. "But that's what we're doing this for, right? Even with the experiments and everything, its all about making sure ponies... beings survive."
Scootaloo nodded, that was why they made Stable-Tec, even if there were some concerns about the idea of the Stables and how they would work. She took another bite of her dinner as she thought back to their foalhood.
"I visited Eureka's lab in Stable 112 the other day," Sweetie Belle said, breaking Scootaloo out of her thoughts.
"Oh, how's his Project going?" Scootaloo asked, she had to admit she was reluctant about the idea of Project Legacy, it had been made to create ponies using the DNA of the ministry mares, but Eureka had made it work.
"The last of them was conceived and the genetic manipulation was completed a few months ago," Sweetie Belle said. "It looks like everything is in order."
"I still can't believe Luna signed off on that one," Scootaloo said. "She's not exactly confident in the necessity of the Stables."
"Ah'm sure she's just makin' sure she accounts fer all possibilities," Apple Bloom said. "Its better ta be prepared than ta have no plan at all if tha megaspells go off."
"I know," Scootaloo said with a nod. "I honestly miss the days when all we had to worry about was figuring out what our talents are."
"Yeah, it seems like everythin' was easier back then," Apple Bloom said with a sigh. "And then helpin' Ponies try ta figure out their talents."
"The war can't last forever, maybe once its over we can do that again," Sweetie Belle suggested. "It would be good to get back on that."
"Yeah, I'll bet a year from now it'll all be over," Scootaloo said, trying to sound more optimistic than she really felt as she raised her bottle. "We've still got a long way to go, but we'll make sure that things turn out as best they can."
"So, exactly what did yah have ta give up fer all those Ponies ta make it into Stable 26?" Apple Bloom asked Scootaloo who groaned and facehooved.
"I had to give Pinkie Pie Stable 93," she said, she really hated having to do that since she had made it an experiment that she honestly didn't think was worth their time and was just asking for trouble. "That's going to come back to bite us in the flank."
"Do we want ta know what she wants ta do with it?" Apple Bloom asked.
"She made it about everypony in it having to smile all the time," Scootaloo groans, getting a look from her friends. "Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, honestly I don't know what she was on when she came up with that one."
"Well, I guess we don't have a choice then in order to make this work," Sweetie Belle said with a nod. "And we already lost Stable 13 to the M.A.S. too."
"Well yeah, but Twilight didn't want ta do somethin' that crazy," Apple Bloom reminded her. "Ah mean, its not exactly normal with tha whole, magical reproduction thing, but compared ta that."
"Well, there's not much we can do now," Scootaloo said with a sigh. "What's the latest on Stable 13 anyway?"
"Twilight has been, less than forthcomin' about what she's doin' with it," Apple Bloom said. "She's been movin' staff into it fer awhile, and fer that matter she's gotten us ta move Eclipse from the Stable 1 list onto Stable 13 and she's tryin' ta push fer her parents too."
Scootaloo blinked at that, Stable 1 was supposed to be for the families of the Ministry Mares, why would she want to move them to 13? While it was the Ministry of Arcane Science's Stable, there was really no reason to want to move them, unless she had gotten wind of what Scootaloo had planned, but that was impossible right?
"We'll keep Eclipse on the list for Stable 13," she finally said, she didn't want to punish an innocent filly for the crimes of her elders anyway. "Her parents... we'll have to consider our options there."
"Well, you never know, maybe the war will be over before that's even a problem," Sweetie Belle said with a smile. "Come on, tonight's a night to celebrate, we'll worry about the war tomorrow."
"Hear, hear," Scootaloo said with a smile as she raised her drink. "To the end of the war, and a new future for the Cutie Mark Crusaders."
They clinked their drinks together and took a long drink in hopes that in a year they'd be back to where they were before the war.
If they only knew what was waiting for them.
00000
Scootaloo's eyes opened as she looked up at the ceiling of her cloud house in the Pegasus City of Coltlumbia. She hadn't thought about that night in five years, she supposed that it was because today was the anniversary of when they got their cutie marks... but now she was the only one left to celebrate it.
Apple Bloom, she didn't even know what had happened to her, she had been in Fillydelphia when the Megaspell went off there. She hoped that she had somehow made it to one of the Stables in the area, but if she had been in Stable 0, then she might be in a tough spot.
Sweetie Belle on the other hoof, she figured that she had probably made it to Stable 2 outside of Ponyville, she had been close enough to it. Sweetie was supposed to be the Overmare for Stable 2, so hopefully she had made it there. She just hoped that at least one of her friends were alive.
"Mommy!" A filly's voice called out and she looked over to see a blue filly with a short purple mane fly over to her and hugged her tight.
"Hey Cloudy," Scootaloo said with a smile as she hugged her daughter tight. "Did you sleep well?"
Scootaloo had fallen in love with a police officer named Sky Walker not long after the skies had been closed. She hadn't expected to find love, let alone to have a daughter, but they were both great.
She just wished that things had gone better, and to make matters worse the Pegasi had completely cut things off from the surface. Maybe Rainbow Dash was right, she just wished that she could tell her that.
"Yep!" Cloudy said with a smile as Scootaloo nuzzled her.
"Where's your dad?" Scootaloo asked as she gently released her daughter.
"He said he had to leave early," Cloudy said with a shrug. "He said he should be back this evening."
"Alright Cloudy, what do you say we have a day just the two of us?" Scootaloo said with a smile and Cloudy smiled as Scootaloo got out of bed and headed downstairs.
She smiled a little as she watched her daughter get ready as her eyes fell on a picture of her and her friends. A tear rolled down her face as she thought about them again, she felt a pair of forelegs wrapped around her again and smiled down at her daughter.
"Come on, lets get going," she says and the two Pegasi trot out of the house.
"Is everything okay mommy?" Cloudy asked.
"Its fine... today is just, special to me..." she replied through the pain. "I miss some friends of mine is all..."
"We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders..."
