Fallout Equestria: The Walking Shadow

A book is calmly placed on a table, inside a shop in the calm little town near the coast of Baltimare known as Dusty Sands. It's a calm day, and at the table, a ghoul pony sits. He wears a captain's uniform that is completely overshadowed by the strange plant growing from the top of his head. He seems to be calm and relaxed He looks up and smiles as he hears somepony sit in the chair next to the table, showing his rotting yellow teeth, but speaks with a kind tone, including a soft gruff.

"Welcome to Captain Tree Bark's Library! A home for stories... Even in these goddess forsaken wastes. Many come to search for stories. Stories of many that have passed the sands of time to near forgotten, but in this book on the table... Is my adventure's with a pony... Who most called her... The Chosen Dweller... Though it's mostly her book, but I did write some of my story in there as well, and I'm pretty sure you're here to learn about The Chosen Dweller."

The stranger nods.

"Well, let me see if I can remember..."

Tree Bark rubs his hoof along the tree growing out of his head, some leaves falling out as result. His eyes close for a moment as he tries to regain his thoughts before smiling and speaking. "Ah, I know how to start." He opens the book and starts to explain the story.

“Ten years ago... Before it was all sunshine and rainbows, there was another threat that another hero had to deal with. The Leader and his minions of Super Earth Ponies... Fortunately, they only stayed in this area of the waste and so went unnoticed to the rest of the Equestrian wastelands. Most of these creatures seemed extremely smart as well as deadly. It wasn't going to be easy, the idea of how deadly everything that was going on. It's hard to care about the outside world, as it was for most of us ponies that lived in the waste, but there were those... a lucky few that didn't live in the waste like most of us... Our story starts there with the Chosen Dweller. The stable this dweller came from was interesting. It was known as Stable 15. In this stable, our Chosen Dweller was hard at work..."

Sweat was dripping slowly down my face as I held a pin and a screwdriver in my magic, trying to break into a safe. I wanted to see what was in there. Not to steal whatever is in the safe, but just to see what I could find; I was always a curious filly. I already broke a few bobby pins and was now on my fourth, and if I didn’t crack that safe open that sooner or later if I kept messing up, I would be caught... again. But I had to do it, another personality trait of being stubborn. Though I didn’t know if it was wise to try at that point it was around morning, and the store owner only left for his fifteen minute break.

As I almost got the safe cracked, I heard hoof steps and so I turned myself invisible. That was my special talent that I was quite proud of, seeing that it was the only spell I could do besides a weak telekinesis... even if it contributed nothing to Stable 15 but mischief. Then a pony entered the store. I was trying my best to hide in a place where they wouldn't bump into me and thus getting caught. The pony was the store owner Peanut Cracker. When I was younger I was allowed to roam freely through the same store I was in, but after being caught multiple times stealing, I was now only allowed to come in supervised by some pony watching over me. Peanut Cracker seemed to be checking the counters to make sure everything was in order before checking hidden alarm traps that he placed in case somepony, specifically me, broke in, they would alert him. Thankfully I still manage to avoid these traps and continue as I please. While I was able to stay hidden as long as my special talent allowed me to, my personal record was 15 minutes. If I tried to push it, I would have a complete magical burnout where not only my magic would be completely empty and thus wouldn't able to use magic. It would also give me a horrible headache, but fortunately I hadn’t pushed myself to that point in a long time.

Peanut Cracker was checking the bookshelf over me. I didn't know how I was going to get out, but then I got an idea. I lit up my horn a bit, not too much to give myself away, but enough for me to use my telekinesis to move the coffee mug on the counter to fall down and break. With that, he turned around to check the noise, giving me a chance to quickly but calmly snuck out of the store.

I followed through the area to try to get back home. Since I was trying not to get noticed I had to looked around before moving forward. I was trying very hard to get away, but a minor migraine began to form because of my spell. I got into my room quickly and quietly before I finally stopped the spell. Despite the headache I now had I still smiled haply, knowing that I wasn't caught. Sitting in my room for awhile, letting my magic recharge brought me back up to shape, especially the migraine. I sighed, knowing that someday I'm going to get in trouble again, and that my step family would come in sooner or later.

I stripped out of my jumpsuit and entered my bathroom before going into the shower to relax and calm my nerves. The water went through my mint turquoise fur, along with my mint green mane and tail. I calmly enjoyed the moment to just ignore the world around me... To clean my nerves away. I leaned on the wall as the water went along my body, still enjoying the sensation, one of the reasons I love showers. After a while I got out of the shower, I brushed and braided my mane in one braid. After looking at myself in the mirror a bit I put my jumpsuit on before leaving the room. Nearing the store again, I cast my vanishing spell like I did last time, but before I rounded the corner, my step brother in his Stable-Security jumpsuit that covered his orange fur was in front of me. He came towards me, knowing that I was there despite my spell. To this day, I still don't know how he manages to know where I am when using my invisibility spell. He knew where my eye level would be and stared right at me with a stern look in his hazel eyes.

"Whisper... I know you're there... get back into our room now." I gulped and come out of the spell lowering my head and tail going back to our home with my brother behind. We got back to our home and saw my sister was there. I quickly rushed to her side, knowing what will happen next. She wrapped her foreleg around me... My brother came in, closing the sliding door behind him. He took off his helmet revealing his white mane, then put it down and stood towards me before stomping his hoof angrily.

"Damn it Whisper, this is why no one trusts you!" My sister wrapped tighter around me as my brother got more upset. "You can't just keep doing this!" He stomped hard on the metal floor which made me flinch. Then my sister Empty Horn spoke out.

"Stop it Bulb, you're scaring her!" He blinked, staring at my sister and then to me. Growling softly, he shook his head and took a deep breath before speaking again this time a more calm but serious tone.

"You're lucky I found you before the others did... They would have beaten you." I was leaning into my step sister now with my eyes close, still listening to his lecture. I tried to speak but, I always get extremely shy when he lectures me whenever I done something. Then I felt a hoof on my shoulder, and I looked up and saw Bulb now looking at my with sincerity in his eyes. "Whisper.. Sis, you have to understand that I'm trying to help you, I don't want anything bad to happen to you, but I can't do that if you keep getting in trouble."

"He's right Whisper... You can't do that, but I still understand." She then face Bulb. "And Bulb, you know that nopony don't treat her well, and she need to try to speak out... In her own way."

Bulb sighed. "I know Empty, and I'm sorry Whisper, but you need to stop doing this." The radio in his helmet made a static sound, he went over to it and put it back on to listen. "What is it? Hmm.. I see..." He turned to us. "I got to go, a few maintenance ponies are getting a bit riled up because of the extended working hours.. the Overmare wants me there just in case." He then went to the door and opened it, but before he left, with all my willpower I spoke.

"Stay safe..."

He looked back with a grin. "I'm the chief of security, I'm supposed to say that." With that he left.

As he left I looked down with so much sadness in my eyes. "I'm such a disappointment to him..." My calm purple eyes began to water. "I'm so.. useless!" I now had tears falling down my face, but my pure black sister just nuzzled and hugging to relax me.

"Shhh, it's okay Whisper, I promise you that me and Bulb will never shun you like the others." Calming down a bit, I hug Empty back. She took me to my room to rest a while after the ordeal with our brother and left me with only my thoughts. I know that they’re trying to help me.. but I just can't help it, whenever I see something locked or hidden, I just have a compulsion to find out what’s inside at any means... which included trying to break into that safe again, but I'm sure it wasn't wise to do it during the morning hours.. I would have to try during the night hours.

When I opened my eyes, I looked at my PipBuck and saw that it was the middle of the night; perfect. I got out of my bed and went to my drawer, grabbing a dozen hidden bobby pins and my lucky screwdriver. I walked quietly through the living room and exited through the door. After closing it, I began walking normally through the halls. As I turned around a corner, I saw a group of ponies that I was unfortunately familiar with... The Powder Snake Gang.

At first they were just bullies in elementary, but as years went on they went from insulting me to insulting and beating. The leader, Tunnel Snake, actually formed his gang just for the sole purpose of tormenting me that it even began to be like a routine. Whenever they saw me, they would always beat me, insult me, and eventually my brother would come, but despite him arresting them, the Overmare always pardoned them. In the back of my mind, I always suspected that the reason was just for they could keep tormenting me, my brother and sister think that's the case as well. Bulb even thinks the Overmare secretly congratulates them for what they do too me, but... In Stable 15... Nopony questions the Overmare.

To my despair, they looked towards me, and Tunnel Snake grinned while the rest started to laugh with their black leather jackets that had a picture of a Snake rising from a pile of powder. "Oh looky here boys, it's the useless one," Tunnel said while the rest followed him. I gulped. I backed up and was now running away, my hooves clomping on the metal floor. They chased after me as I did my best to get away, rushing through most parts of the stable. It wasn't until I ran through the Stable's bar that was still open around this night. I managed to slide on the tile floor far enough to get under a crowded table. I eventually got back up and looked back to make sure that the Powder Snakes got blocked by the other ponies. They were trying to push ponies out of the way while Tunnel Snake yelled. "Don't think you're gonna get away, we'll find you!" With that said, I started to run again.

Trying to get away, I went into the generator room and used my magic to hide. As I hid, I also heard a couple of ponies coming in and went towards the Water Talisman. I heard them talking to each other about it, so I kept myself quiet to listen and with my ears perked up. I leaned to see the group of ponies to hear what they were saying.

"It's been like this for a week now..." A mare whose name I remembered as Electric Sparks said, who was examining the Water Talisman which was squirting some water out of itself.

The other mare, Green Daisy spoke.

"But... if we can't fix it.. what will we do?"

"Do we inform the Overmare of our update?" Electric Spark asked as she looked at the head engineer stallion, Tap Water, who then spoke.

"No, I'll do it. You two keep trying to maintain the Talisman as best as you can."

Both Electric and Daisy nodded, seeing Tap Water pick up his notes and leaving.

I watched Tap leaving through the door, slowly walking to the exit seeing that hadn’t closed yet, but I stepped into a puddle of water which alerted Daisy. She looked where I was, and her facial expression turned to annoyance.

"Hey Electry, do you still have that bag of chalk dust from the lab?"

"Yes why?" Electric asked, bringing out the pouch with her magic. When she looked at Daisy's face and where she was looking at, Daisy's expression turned into annoyance. "I see..." Then she threw the pouch in my direction and hit me, turning my once clean jumpsuit into a white powdery mess that included the rest of my body.

"I'm... I'm sorry... I was just hiding from-"

Electric Spark turned to me and gave me a hateful look and used her horn to toss me out of the open door. Her eyes were full of hate as she shooed me with her hoof, while Daisy also with a hateful look just said,

"Go."

My ears went down to my head as the door slid shut.

I was walking down the second hallway to my room, but as I rounded the corner, the Powder Snakes were there. I tried to back away, but two of them blocked me from escaping. I then attempted to use my spell, but with the chalk dust still on me, I was still visible enough for the two stallions in front of me to grab me with their magic and pin me too the wall. I didn't have any time to call out for help as Tunnel Snake stuffed a lump of cloth in my mouth. I looked at him with fear in my eyes as his hoof clamped my jaw.

"You know, after all this time using you as a punching bag, I haven't actually gotten a look at you. Such a petite body..." His eyes were scanning me from horn to hooves. "Usually we would make you bleed the regular way, though..." His hoof let go of my chin and trailed my fur downwards. "There's one part of you that hasn't bled yet." His hoof kept going down, almost between my—

My eyes widened as I realized what he was implying. I immediately doubled my struggle while Tunnel now was pressing his entire body against me while. All I could do was whimper as tears formed. Just when I thought it was over, he punched me in the gut in the attempt to quiet me; it did take my breath away, but unintentionally also caused me to cough out the cloth. With my mouth cleared, I quickly and instinctively bit as hard as I could onto Tunnel's left ear as he was licking my neck. He instantly screamed out of the top of his lungs and backed away. I looked at his ear: while my bite wasn't enough to cause bleeding, it did leave a bite mark. He turned to me again, this time with rage in his eyes as he walked up.

"Well I guess you're just gonna bleed the regular way." He smashed his hoof into my left eye, causing my head to jerk right. I opened my right eye to see Empty Horn at the end of the hall; she must of heard Tunnel's scream, and after seeing me, she rushed off home to get Bulb. My head was then jerked to the left as he punched again, again, and again. He was beating me so bad that I wasn't even able to cry, I was just in so much pain. Just before they could hurt me anymore, my brother rushed in and launched a taser spell at them, shocking them unconscious. As I saw Bulb and Empty rushing to me, my eyes started to get fuzzy. I passed out from the pain.

My eyes fluttered opened, looking at the lighting above. I looked to my right to see I was in the clinic room. I also saw Empty Horn laying her head on the edge of the bed while holding my hoof with hers; she was asleep. Bulb was here as well. Although he was leaning in a chair, he too was sleeping, his snoring being a dead giveaway. That caused me to chuckle, in which was enough to awaken Empty. She beamed at me and gave me a big hug.

"Oh, thank goodness you're ok!" Empty practically screamed, which caused Bulb to be jolted out from his sleep. Seeing that I was awake he also came to the side of the bed.

"What happened?" I asked as Empty Horn stopped hugging me and stood next to Bulb.

"I heard screaming outside, so I went out and saw Tunnel Snake beating you again..." Empty explained, but she almost started to cry, so Bulb continued for her.

"She ran back to get me, and I tased them before they did anything serious. I locked them up while Empty brought you to the clinic."

I remember, how the Powder Snake gang caught me and that Tunnel Snake almost... I shook my head, trying to get rid of that awful memory. I instead tried to focus on something else. "How bad was it?" I asked, which was answered by Empty, who was now more optimistic.

"Thankfully, it was just a bruised-up face and some cuts." She levitated out a mirror to show my face. "So Doctor Herb Seed just had you drink a healing potion to heal all that up."

"Oh, that's good.." I sat up on the bed. "Where is Herb anyways?"

"He just went out to get more supplies, he said to just leave the bits for the healing potion on the counter." Bulb answered.

I got out of bed, but when I did, Empty Horn hugged me tightly, with Bulb joining as well. I smiled and hugged back, enjoying the warm embrace. I wished it would last forever, but unfortunately, the Overmare's voice spoke from the Stable's speaker system.

"Everypony, I need all of you to gather in the atrium for an emergency meeting. All will be explained when everypony is here."

We stopped our hug and looked at each other. "An emergency meeting?" my sister asked, looking to Bulb. "Has this ever happened before?"

"Not since the mega spells were detonated." Bulb looked back to her; she was going to speak, but he stopped her. "And before you ask, no, I wasn't informed of this. So I have no idea what's going on."

Then I remembered last night... in the generator room. "I... think I know what's happening.." Both of my siblings looked at me, making me nervous, but I still continued. "When I was being chased last night, I hid in the generator room for a while, and overheard some maintenance ponies saying that the Water Talisman was failing. I saw it myself, the talisman was practically leaking everywhere."

"But that can't be," Empty said in disbelief. "The Water Talisman has been working for the past 200 years."

"Actually... when you think about, it does make sense." Bulb looked at both of us. "The increased hours for maintenance ponies, the occasional water rationing... and I guess the reason for the emergency meeting is because that the Water Talisman no longer works."

"But... if that's true... than the entire Stable will die" I said as the realization dawned on me that the home we grew up in was going to be gone. Bulb saw my worry and put his hoof on my shoulder.

"Don't worry Whisper, if the Overmare called for an emergency meeting, than she might have already figured out a solution," Bulb reassured me, but then turned and was walking towards the door. "But there's only one way to find out, I'm going to put my gear on first. Empty, Whisper, go to the atrium to join the others."

"Alright," Empty said as Bulb left. After putting on a jumpsuit that Empty brought me, I followed her lead out.

I blinked and followed my sister into the atrium, and I could see almost all of the ponies in the Stable standing in the middle, looking forward at the Overmare who was on a podium surround by security, which included my brother. She stood over us, looking to the security who was there to make sure everything stayed peaceful. The Overmare, pushing a piece of her pure white mane back into place, straightened her light red body and studied all the ponies before softly speaking.

"Everypony, I unfortunately have dreadful news... our Water Talisman is broken." Ponies gasped all around. Both Empty and I looked at each other in worry, but quickly back to the Overmare as she continued. "In a few more months... it will fully shatter, and we won't be able to live in this stable if the Water Talisman fully breaks." She paced back and forth behind the podium. "We need to choose a pony to head out of the Stable and into the world above." The Overmare began trotting through the crowd with two security ponies beside her. "This pony would have an attribute to them: Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility and Luck. These are what makes ponies... SPECIAL, and after some consideration, I believe a pony with Agility would be the most suited." She kept walking through the crowd, until I noticed that she was actually heading towards me... no... "A pony with this attribute would be able to hide and sneak away from hostiles, able to steal what is necessary, and if they are in a confrontation, that pony would be able to use S.A.T.S more often, have a greater chance to escape by dodging or out-running the hostile as they'll be more mobile and visceral." She stopped right in front of me, her cold eyes looking upon me while my sister put her right fore hoof over me, she realized it as well. "Silent Whisper, you have the most experience because of your.. history.. and so I am giving you the option to help save Stable 15."

"Overmare!" my brother yelled as he ran from the podium and stood at my right side. "You can't actually think that my sister would be the one to do this!" Bulb looked at stared at the Overmare, rage in his eyes. "In fact, I'll volunteer to take her place."

The Overmare looked at Bulb, unfazed by his outburst. "I'm not forcing her Chief Bulb, it's still her choice... But..." She walked between me and Empty, and with her magic forces her away and begins circling me. "Like I said before, she is the most qualified to go on such a journey, and if she does come back with a Water Talisman, she would be welcomed as a hero... though I do understand her not wanting to go through with it because of the risks." I perked up my ears; maybe I won't be roped into this mess. "So that leaves Chief Bulb as our second best option."

"Wha.. What!?" I asked in disbelief. "But.. yo... you can't!"

"Your brother has the most combat experience in the Stable, and so would have a higher chance to fight any hostiles, and he did volunteer to take your place." She then stopped in front of me again. "Unless you do choose to go on the journey."

I wanted to argue.. but I couldn't. I realized that the Overmare had cornered me with the circumstances of my alternative. I looked around and saw that almost everypony was staring at me; if I decline, I would be an even bigger outcast then before, the pony who refuse to save the Stable, but the thing I feared for the most was my brother... I couldn't let him take one for me.

No... Fair...

I gulped, then spoke. "Over... Overmare." My voice was timid and shaky. I tried to be brave, but was obviously failing. "I.. I.. sh... shall... Overmare."

For the first time in the meeting, the Overmare grinned at my answer. "Excellent, Silent Whisper." She turned around and was walking back to the podium. “You will be given an hour to gather any valuables. You will also have time to spend with your family as well, and after that you will come to the Stable entrance where you'll be supplied with necessities for survival." She went behind the podium. "With a final goodbye to your loved ones, the Stable door will open and from that point on, you will be on your own." She then looked at everypony else.

"This meeting has been concluded..."

"THIS IS BULLSHIT!" my brother yelled, tossing our dining table over which in turn made me flinch while Empty was trying calm Bulb.

"Bulb, please... Calm down, wrecking our home won't solve anything."

Bulb turned towards Empty and snarled. "Calm down? Our sister has just been chosen to go die out there! How the hell am I going to be calm about that?!"

"Maybe we can convince the Overmare to—"

"Oh no Empty, I bet that bitch had this planned all along to send Whisper out first as soon as the Water Talisman broke!" Bulb ground his teeth. "Well I'm not going to have that happen, I'm going to the Stable door and going out myself. The Overmare can kiss my ass!"

"SHUT UP!" Both Bulb and Empty looked at me as I yelled out, tears pouring down my face. "I chose this... so I'm going to follow through with it!"

"Whisper.. you can't." Bulb walked up to me. "Don't you understand? It's too dangerous."

"You don't think I know that?" I yelled again, now fully crying. "I didn't have any other chose... also..." I tried to wipe away my tears but there was too much. "I've been useless all my life, and this... this could be the first time for me to finally be useful."

"Whisper..." Empty said as she walk closer too me.

"Please... brother... sister... just let me do this..." I was then being hugged by both of them, their warmth calming me down that I finally stopped crying. We stopped after a while, and Bulb started looking around the room.

"I really made a mess... I'll clean it up." He used his magic to pick up the items he threw to the ground, but soon enough both Empty and I joined in.

"I think things will go faster if we work together," Empty said. My brother grinned, and we all continued cleaning the living room.

After we cleaned the living room, I went to my room and gathered anything I needed, which included my lucky screwdriver. Bulb even gave me his 10mm pistol, and I pack them both in my saddle bag. I soon found myself at the large Stable door entrance being supplied with food, water, and anything else that would help. I looked at my PipBuck and saw that I got everything I needed. Both of my siblings were here.. along with the Overmare. Empty Horn rushed in and hugged me tightly, along with my brother one last time. In the moment, the only thing I could say to them was...

"I'm sorry..."

They both nodded and released me from the hug before walking back to the top of the staircase. The Overmare began putting her authorization code into the control board, and with that, warning lights and sirens were going off as the Stable 15 door was opening. I felt my heartbeat in my chest over and over as a huge hinge-arm swung down from the ceiling and attached itself to the solid steel door, shaped like a huge gear, and with a teeth-hurting squeal, it pulled the massive door out and had it rotating to the side of the entrance. Very quickly, I breathed in and in out, trying to calm myself. Looking back to my family, I smiled at them and then took each step out of the Stable. I was in a cave, and slowly the Stable door was now closing shut behind me. I turned on the light of the PipBuck and looked around, first sitting on my haunches to think to myself for a moment, thinking if this was a good idea... scratch that, I knew this wasn't a good idea. But I had to be strong, the Stable needed a new Water Talisman and I was going to find one... somehow...

I stood back up and walked my way to the cave exit, and soon into a new world that nopony in Stable 15 had never done before. What I would find in this new world? The only way to find out was to discover it myself.