Fallout Equestria: The Walking Shadow

As I walked towards the tunnel exit, I felt a feeling of self doubt again in my mind. I didn’t know what to do in this new world. Would I even survive? Only thing I did know was that I’m now alone… truly alone. Going through the tunnel, I was passing many old bones of ponies, the last ponies that seemed to try to get in before… the end. Then the smell hit my nose. While it wasn’t the smell of decaying flesh, it was still the smell of death. As I was moving an old lantern out of my way, the string of it broke off of the tunnel and crashed down, causing a big cloud of dust to engulf me. The dust affected my nose as I sneezed a few times, which caused me to taste the dust in the air and thus caused me to cough as well. I tried to spat any dust out of my mouth and looked around myself; dust was still lingering in the air, so much that the light from my PipBuck wasn’t able to light the way, so I had to use the magic from my horn to make some more light to find my way through the tunnel.

With the extra light, I now could see words on the walls, and from the fractured hooves on the skeletons, my best guess was the ponies that wrote these words did it by their own bloody hooves. I walked closer to one side of the wall and read.

“We are dying here!”... “Fuck you!”... “Take my foals please!!”

I tried to hold back the tears, but as I kept reading every word, I imagined ponies’ voices from the past saying these words. Their last words before death. I fell on my knees and cried. I never thought my heart would break so hard; these ponies never wanted this to happen, yet cruel fate chose their destiny. Looking back, this reminded of my situation: I never wanted this, I never wanted to leave, to be forced out as a chosen one… But I also remembered that unlike these ponies, I’m still alive, I still have a future. I picked myself up and continued on. After reaching the door out of the tunnel, I opened it up and revealed a strange building. I went in and began looking around, seeing old deflated blimps and some old chariots that once could fly into the air. I roamed through the building; in one room, I saw a group of skeletons. I saw that most of them had strange bags strapped to their backs. Most of them were closed, with the exception of a few that were opened up. I looked inside one of them and saw that it had a large sheet of cloth inside. I lifted it up with my hoof. It felt soft and smooth, but it also had so much dirt and grime on it that my hoof was covered with it. I looked at my hoof; I never thought it would get this dirty in my life.

In fact, I never thought I would be here in my life. “Why am I here?” I said out loud to myself, tears falling down my face. “Why was I chosen?”

As my mind was occupied, I wasn't watching where I was going and my hoof stepped into a hole into the floor which caused me to fall down. Screaming loudly, I landed on one of the open bags and so my fall was broken a bit by the soft fabric, but it also caused all the dust inside to explode out into a cloud. So much dust was lifted up into the air that it caused another coughing and sneezing fit. I’m really starting to hate dust. After I cleared my lungs, I got out of the fabric and looked forward to see a safe in front of me. I blinked, and for the first time since leaving, I smiled.

“Finally, something to calm my nerves.”

I eagerly opened my saddle bag and brought out my lucky screwdriver and a bobby pin. I placed the screwdriver into the keyhole and with a bobby pin, I started to pick it. It was a bit difficult, but I am sure I could do it, no, I can do—!

*Snap*

I blinked and looked at the broken bobby pin, taking a deep breath before getting out another one. I had the same thoughts in my head. I can do this… I can do this—!

*Snap*

I groaned in frustration. I wanted to just throw my screwdriver at the safe, but managed to restrain the thought and just put it back in my saddle bag. I wanted to cry out in anger; this was one of the only few things I was good at, but here I couldn’t pick the damn safe. I needed to prove to myself that I can do this, I can’t let this safe win! I went towards the nearby desk to sit on the chair, but in doing so, I hit the desk, then I heard a metal sound dropping on the floor. I looked down below the dusty desk and saw a key

“Really! Goddesses damn it!” I looked up the ceiling in anger. “Are you both trying to make me look like a joke?!”

I hate using keys. There’s no fun in unlocking when there's a key, it's like using a cheat code in ‘Striped Menace’. I sighed, lifting the key in my weak magic. I placed the key into the hole and with a click, the safe opened, and with that, I felt my pride bruised. I looked inside to see a few papers and documents, but at the far corner I saw a magazine inside a sealed plastic bag. Curious, I levitated the magazine in front of me and blew away the dust covering it.

“Seems to be in great condition…” With most of the dust out of the way I saw a picture of a zebra lying in bed sleeping, but above the zebra was a unicorn in light combat armor who had a combat knife in their magic, then I finally read the title.: "Sleepy Head to Sleepy Dead" I also read the slogan below the title. “The only thing better than a sleeping zebra is a zebra who doesn’t wake up!”

I levitated it out of the plastic bag and began to read it. After a moment of reading, it seems the magazine can teach how to sneak better and kill enemies in their sleep without alerting anyone nearby. I shuttered; hopefully I would never have to use this skill. I put the magazine back into the plastic bag and into my saddle bag to read more of it later. I went to the nearby desk again and started searching through it, looking for anything else that could help. Then I found a small pouch used for marbles. I opened it with my magic and looked inside, but instead of marbles, I instead found... bottle caps? I looked through them and blinked, wondering why the hell someone would collect these. I tossed them around with my magic before deciding to place them in my saddle bag.

“Probably something I can try to have fun with.”

I went to a doorway and I saw above it a sign saying ‘Waiting Room’, I went through the doorway, hoping this could lead me out, but when I got into the waiting room, I saw something on my E.F.S. A red dot was coming from behind a couch from the corner of the room, I walked up cautiously to the couch, and when I looked behind it, my eyes widened with shock. Behind the couch was large cockroach, and by large I mean large; it was practically the size of a small dog! It seemed to be eating some kind of meat, and my shock increased when I manage to figure out that it was also a giant rat.

“What the hell is going on?” I asked myself in disbelief.

Then it looked at me and crawled under the couch,reemerging in front me. I gasped, backing up as fast as possible before lifting up my gun. I shot three rounds, but missed every shot, and because of my shooting, the giant cockroach charged at me. Backing up more, I tried to remembered my training I was taught in soccer when I was a filly. Just as the giant cockroach jumped at me for its attack, I finally managed to remember how to cast S.A.T.S from my Pipbuck. When I casted the spell, I saw that the giant cockroach thing was floating in the air, only 3 feet away from me, and below it, a bar showing its full health. Is was as if time just stopped. As I looked at it, I saw that wherever I looked at it, a certain body part of it highlighted. Seeing this as my chance I picked its whole body since I wasn’t a good shot. Thankfully, true to the Overmare’s speech, I had more magical reserves for S.A.T.S. so manage to score three more shots readied. Then I deactivated the first stage of S.A.T.S. and I fired my gun six times in slow motion. The first three bullets missed, the fourth grazed one of its legs. It was getting closer to me in the slow motion state. Then the fifth bullet finally struck its torso. The giant cockroach was now half a foot away from me before my final bullet in S.A.T.S. hit it again in the torso, and the spell was now fully deactivated. I quickly ducked out of the way and the now dead cockroach flings over me and into the wall on the other side of the waiting room.

I stood up huffing from the experience. I looked towards the giant cockroach, and I saw that the last bullet went right through it and saw its blood and innards dripping from the bigger exit hole behind it. While it was by definition just a bug, I still killed something, so I dropped the gun and started to sob softly.

“I want to go home… I just want to go home…” Tears kept streaming down my face, messing up the fur under my eyes. I looked at the giant cockroach again, and I started to reason with myself. “Damn it Whisper.. It's just a stupid bug.” I sighed, finally reasoning with my thoughts. I removed any tears from my face headed towards the exit and went outside.

As I took my first steps into the outside world, I was momentarily blind from a very bright light which caused me to instantly cover my eyes with my hoof. As I slowly let my eyes recover a bit, I removed my hoof from my face and walked into the parking lot, I turned my head to the sign above the building which said ‘Snow Fall’s Sky Diving’. I looked towards the street and saw that it was next to a cliff. Cautiously, I walked to the cliff and looked down at the ruined city and from what I learned in history, this city was once known as Baltimare.

I saw that a good portion of the city was underwater, with only a few remains of buildings poking out of the water. As for the city that was not submerged, it was as expected: many buildings and skyscrapers were either destroyed or half collapsed and only a few skyscrapers were left barely standing. There were also many large ships either beached or sunk in the harbor. Seeing most of the city looking like I thought it would, I noticed something about the direction of the ocean. There was a big ball of light that was so bright that I couldn’t fully look at it, that is when I realized that… it was the sun. I had never seen the sun. It was slowly coming up from the ocean, like it was rising from the water itself. Then I looked over to my right to see a strange tower at the very edge of the city which towered over everything, even the mountains in the region. Looking up, I also expected to see the lovely sky that was only described in books as wonderful, but to my disappointment, I only saw clouds. While not enough to block all light, it blocked enough that the sky wouldn’t be visible. So I instead looked towards the beautiful… horizon. I must have stayed on the cliffside for almost a half hour just enjoying the view, but just as quickly as it rose, the sun slowly rose into the clouds before disappearing altogether. I sighed; with the sun gone, I went back to just stare at the city below.

As I was looking at the city, I saw a large building with lights still coming from it. Seeing that there might actually be civilization, my mind became hopeful again.

“Maybe they can tell me where I could get a Water Talisman!” I said cheerfully. “Heck, maybe by some luck, they might even have a extra one!”

I took one last deep breath, staring at the city a bit more before looking at the cliff. I saw that the road followed down the cliffside and lead into the outer city. Before leaving, I looked again towards the sea. Despite the sun no longer there, I still felt my heartbeat from the memory of the beautiful sight. Then my Pipbuck made a sound, and I looked at it. It brought up my current quest for me: it said that I needed to find a location called Stable-Tech Warehouse. I checked my map, I first saw my location was near Stable 15 and the Stable-Tech Warehouse wasn’t actually that far from here. Knowing where to go, I began walking down the road.

After following the road for awhile, I finally getting near ground level, so I decided to rest on a nearby boulder and sat on top of it. As I was bringing out an apple, I heard hoof steps behind me. I turned to see a large pony stallion in front of me. I blinked: it wasn’t just pony, it was a real life earth pony, and not one from a old photograph. Not only was he a earth pony, he was a earth pony I could talk too, but when I opened my mouth to speak, he spoke first.

“Give me everything you have and I will let you live.”

“Wha.. What?” I shakily asked as I quickly got up, my instincts telling me that this stallion is trouble.

“You Stable Dwellers always have good shit on you,” he said as he walked closer, with me immediately walking a few steps back. “Now give me all you have, or you’ll regret ever leaving your safe Stable.”

I backed up a bit more as he kept coming closer. I gulped, now knowing that this stallion had no interest in having a friendly conversation. I picked up some dust in my magic and threw it into his eyes. He grunted and backed up a bit, but not before smacking me with his hoof. I fell onto the ground, my facing burning from the strike. I looked at the stallion as he was trying to clear his eyes, and the bar underneath him now colored as red, showing him as a hostile. I pulled out my gun and aimed it at him. I tried to pull the trigger, but I hesitated; if I did, I would take away a pony’s life. Unfortunately, because of my hesitation, the large stallion manage to clear his eyes enough and charged at me, knocking my gun out of my telekinesis and painfully smashing me into the ground.

After he pinned me to the ground, he used his large hooves to stomp my head over and over. Then he brought out a knife from its sheath from the side of his body, then put it into his mouth and tried to cut me. Even though my magic was weak, I did manage to pull the knife from his mouth. I then tried to get out from under him, but all he had to do was to force more of his weight on me. I saw his blood red eyes, probably from the dust I threw at him. Then I felt him wrapping his hooves around my neck and start to strangle me. Quickly losing air, I frantically flailed my hind hooves, trying to push him off with my fore hooves with no avail. As he kept tightening his grip, my will to fight back was quickly fading as I could feel the very life being strangled out of me. I had imagined myself dying out here when I left, but I never thought I would die such a cruel death like this. As I started struggling less and less, I felt my horn tap on the ground. I looked up at the stallion and saw that he towered over me such that his neck was right above… That’s when I had an idea. I used that last of my strength and magic to push him slightly higher, and with my eyes closed, I lifted my head upwards and despite his hold on my neck, I thrusted as much as I can up towards him. Then I felt it: I felt my horn stab into his neck. He finally let go of my neck, causing me to take a deep raspy breath as I took as much oxygen as I could back into my lungs, but then I tasted a iron taste in my mouth as large amounts of blood started pouring on my face and horn. I heard him gasping for air as blood was now draining from his wound and onto my head, and because he let go of my neck, he had no support for his body and so I felt all his weight on me. I fell fully flat on my back with the now dead stallion ontop of me. I tried lifting him off me with any strength I could muster, but with my weak magic and physique I couldn’t lift a inch of him.

With still lack of oxygen and energy from fighting the stallion, I slowly started to pass out as I heard hooves rushing to me, and I saw blurry face of a mare. I couldn't make out what she was saying, but as my vision fully went dark. I felt her lifting the dead stallion off my body, but after such an ordeal, I felt my brain shutting down to fully allow me to pass out.

“Miss Silent Whisper.”

I snapped out of my daze and I saw that I was in a classroom with other fillies and colts inside. As I looked around, my eyes finally stopped at my teacher, Banana Cream.

“Have you been paying attention?” she asked in a stern voice.

“Sorry, Miss Cream,” I said in a high pitched voice. “I didn’t meant to doze off.”

Miss Banana Cream looked at me for a moment before she spoke. “Well, then make sure not to do it again.” She turned back to the chalkboard and pulled down a screen, showing a unicorn mare casting a spell of a small orb lighting a room. “Alright class, today you will be learning the basic lighting spell.” Just like the unicorn on the screen, she cast the same spell, which resulted in creating a small bright orb. “While this spell isn’t necessarily useful because of your Pipbuck’s light, it is essential for all of you to pass for your basic magical requirements for fourth grade.” After showing us the example, she ceases the spell and the orb disappeared. “Though I will have to remind you that spells from this point on don't get any easier, so I promise you class this will help you learn. Now, form a line and you will all cast the spell one at a time”

I felt my heart drop to the floor after hearing that. I always felt like a failure whenever I had to try to do a spell. The last three years of grade school just taught me and the other students basic math, history, and even some cooking lessons, but it was fourth grade where we officially started magic lessons, and so far, I had been horrible at it. Every time Miss Banana Cream had us do a spell, I always was the only one to fail at it. The only spell I barely passed was basic levitation, but other than that, I hadn’t able to accomplish one spell. The only reason why I didn’t get kicked out was Miss Banana Cream felt sorry for me and secretly passed me anyways. I looked towards Banana Cream as she started each name from the top of the line; I was at the very end. I didn’t want to do this, but unlike other times, my family was here. They both managed to have a early lunch and got permission to observe from the class window. For this reason, I wanted to pass: I wanted to show my brother and sister that I could be useful in the Stable. Despite my self doubts, my 10 year old mind didn't always felt that I wasn’t useful. As I watched Banana Cream calling each name one by one, my fellow classmates began doing the spell. I watched as all of them were able to accomplish the spell with no issue. Closing my eyes, getting myself ready, I felt each muscle in my body tense, I moved my hooves back and forth. Wanting to do this right, remembering what I was taught by Empty and Bulb, gathering much of my thoughts to make sure I could do it correctly. Opening my eyes, I saw more students passing the spell. I felt my heart beating harder, the feeling that I was going to fail creeping into my mind again. I knew if I failed, I wouldn’t just be a laughing stock in class again, I would look bad with my family watching. I didn't wish this to happen at all. I never liked school. I was always treated like trash by other students.

Then she called my name.

“Silent Whisper. Your turn.”

I gulped as I walked to the front of the classroom. As I was walking, I could hear the other students around me started to laugh and heard one filly speaking. “Oh, I could see her failing again…” the filly known as Pressure Cooker giggled to another student who was also her step sister, Pencil Pusher.

“Ah yes, and we can keep calling her useless some more.” I sniffled, keeping tears back as the two fillies were giggling.

“Pressure Cooker, Pencil Pusher, quiet now or both of you will get detention,” Miss Banana Cream said sternly. “That includes the rest of you.”

With most of the classroom quiet, I continued my way to the front room and stood in the middle. I calmly breathed, but before I could continue, the teacher leaned down to me and whispered, “Silent Whisper, you don't have to do this, I will pass you. If you wish to back out you won't be treated any differently.”

I looked at my teacher, my heart dropping. I could back out, save myself from further humiliation, but I had to prove myself. I shook my head to her, and with that she sighed and backed away for I could have some room. I spread my legs, closed my eyes, and took a deep calm breath as my horn glowed softly. I tried hard to gather as much magic in my body to my horn. I never had strong magic, but if I could at least focus all of it I could for the very least create a weak orb. I kept forcing the magic through me and into my horn until I felt as rush of magic inside my body. I tried to get the magic out of my very core to prove I can do this. Then, I felt a small surge of magic in my horn and a sensation that I did something. I also heard gasps from the other students, and even from the teacher. I smiled; maybe I finally did cast a spell. Maybe I did… no, I did cast it. I opened my eyes in excitement, but to my shock it wasn’t a glowing bright orb, instead a complete black orb which was sparking some kind of dark lightning.

“Wait... That’s not right!”

I backed away in fear with the orb following me, and I got so scared that I was no longer focused and I stopped the spell. While for other ponies, when they stopped the spell the orb just dissipated, the black orb instead was now sparking even more, and the dark lightning was leaving long streaks of burn marks on the ground and ceiling. I gasped, standing there in fear as it started to get more unstable, and the rest of the students screamed while rushing out of the room. I was now whimpering, so scared that I couldn't even move even when a few bolts of dark lightning struck near me, but I felt myself being levitated. I saw that I was in Banana’s magic aura, and with me, she ran out of the room just as we heard a large explosion. As I was still being levitated in the air, I could see through the window that the entire interior of the classroom was basically destroyed. Desks blown into pieces, the room was all burnt with smoke still lingering in the air. I was brought down by my teacher and when my hooves met ground, both my brother and sister rushed up to me and gave me a hug. As they were hugging me, I saw the other students behind them. Usually after a failed spell, they would taunt and insult me, but instead they were just looking at me with fear. I turned my direction to Miss Banana Cream, and even she was looking at me with the same look. Seeing this and what I caused, I began sobbing into my siblings’ hug.

This is why never learned any other spells. After the incident which even involved the Overmare, I was no longer alloyed to learn any other spell throughout my school years other than what I had already learned, which was just telekinesis. This resulted with me having more free time in school, which is when I began to get interested in lockpicking, and eventually learning my invisibility spell and earning my cutie mark a year later after the incident.

As I felt my heart breaking from crying into the hug, my vision started to get blurry before blacking out.