Fallout Equestria: The Entertainer

by HeroeDeLaVida

Rating: teen
Tags: Gore, Crossover, Dark, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Adventure
Length: 21625

Shinning Star is cast out from his luxurious life and must find his way in the Wasteland

Money. Mares. Talent. Fame. In Stable 124, Shinning Star had it all. He lives under his stage name, Royal Flush, because he finds stars to be distant, intangible, almost non-existent, and doesn't want himself to be seen as such.

When he is chased out of his Stable, denied his luxurious life, and forced to survive in the Wasteland, he learns that the world doesn't revolve around him. A guilty conscious drives him to strive to rebuild a town, a charismatic heart gains him friend and companions, and the revelation of a dark history makes him fear the monster that appears to be haunting him.

And throughout it all, he learns that the stars are anything but intangible.

Published 2012-07-09 13:44:02 UTC
Last updated 2012-07-09 13:44:02 UTC

Prologue: Setting up the Stage

Prologue: Setting Up the Stage

“Once upon a time in the magical land of Equestria…”

War never changes. My dad told me that. I looked him in the eye and told him that was fucking stupid. The next day, he died.

I stood over his grave, and I thought over his last words to me. Of course war changes. Every day Zebras are creating new talismans and fetishes. Each day the Ministries create new armor and weapons. Everyday war creates new and more creative ways for ponies to die.

I stared at the simple grave in front of me. All around me, similar graves where spread equally around the vast open plain. No, war never really changes. The combatants change. The means change. The reasons change. But war, it never changes.

War.

Industry started the war. Generators where built to power great cities. Trains constructed to bring supplies across the land. Engines which were powered on coal. Coal we didn’t have. But Zebras did.

In Zebra lands, weapons were made to tame back the Wilds. Weapons made to defend their homes and families. Weapons powered with magical gemstones. Gemstones they didn’t have. But we did.

So we traded, and it worked. We got coal to power our factories, run our trains. Industry took off. Bigger and better engines were made, demanding more coal to run. No one prepared for us not having any more.

Zebras got gemstones to power their weapons. They were able to defend their homes. They could keep their families safe with weapons powered by the magic embedded deep in the gemstones. Gemstones they weren’t prepared to lose.

It’s funny, really, how a country built around the ideals of Loyalty, Generosity, Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, and Magic, could give way to betrayal, greed, deceit, and hate. Laughter died and Magic was corrupted and forged into a weapon.

Equestria was new at war. Zebras, were not. They had been at constant war with the Wilds of their homeland for generations. War was something they all knew. We didn’t know war, but we learned. We learned real quick.

It started innocent enough. Small skirmishes, hardly worth being called that. Few to no casualties, and prisoners were given back almost immediately. It was a game, at first. But it escalated.

Things got more violent. Each battle, there were more casualties on each side. Hate brewed, tensions were at an all time high. We learned just what war was.

I was young, stupid, mislead. I had dreams of honor and glory. Leaving home as an ordinary young stallion, and returning as a hero, single hoofed-ly stopping the war and securing a steady supply of coal for Equestria. I would be the most famous and beloved pony in Equestria. The princesses themselves would thank me for my services.

Reality came to me in the form of a low-caliber zebra bullet to the brainpan.

I was saved by the Ministry of Peace and a lot of luck. I could have left then and there. Returned home an injured veteran. There would be honor in that. I would still be a hero.

But that bullet brought more with it than just reality. I realized, there were a lot of other ponies that were dieing each day. Most all of them could be as lucky as I was. So I stayed. I fought. I killed. I watched friend and foe reduced to ash, gore, goo, a fine red mist. I had seen ponies gutted, gored, dusted, incinerated. You name it, I’d probably seen it.

I still wanted the war to end. Not because I wanted to be a hero, but because I wanted to stop seeing my friends and loved ones die before my eyes. So I fought on. Day after day, year after year. And in the end, all my fighting didn’t change shit.

One final mistake. One more good intention gone bad. One pony’s decision changed the world.

The gates to Hell are opened by the incantation of good intentions.

No truer words have ever been said.

The world died in balefire and megaspells. Millions died. Some survived, The lucky ones found shelter in great underground bunkers called Stables. The rest, weren’t so lucky. If the balefire didn’t kill you, and you weren’t in a Stable, you probably wished it did.

I wasn’t in Equestria on the last day. I was in an independent state to the south, known as Caledonia. They weren’t hit as hard, but they were still hit. When the bombs fell, I was outside. Looking to the north, I could see the distant signs of my home country being burned. I saw the balefire missile coming. I watched as it impacted. I didn’t even blink as the blinding light burned my eyes. And as my world burned, my story came to a close.

But this story, isn’t about me. This story takes place two hundred years later, starting in the Stable labeled 124. This story, is about a simple Entertainer.

Chapter 1: A Rising Star

Chapter One: A Rising Star

“What about superultraextremawesomeazing?”

What is an entertainer? That’s an easy question. Somepony who entertains a crowd. Somepony who gets up in front of a crowd and sings, acts, tells joke, and all-in-all, entertains. They don’t need to be worried about anypony else. They don’t need to have morals, virtues, concerns. All they need to worry about is the next act, the next song. They don’t need to worry about anypony other than themselves.

Do they?

Can you have an entertainer without a crowd? Can you have an entertainer without a stage? I’d like to think you need both. An entertainer without a crowd is a television without power. An entertainer without a stage is a pegasus without wings. A unicorn without a horn. Whether your stage is a true stage, a radio or a holotape. Or, a wasteland. Your stage is important. So what if the stage is unclean? You call the backstage crew to clean it up, right? So what do you do if the backstage crew is doing a shit job at cleaning it. Should an entertainer just move on, find a new stage? An entertainer shouldn’t have to get their hooves dirty.

Should they?

I think they should. An entertainer should care as much about his stage and crowd as he does about the performance itself. He should care even more about the crowd then he does about the pay. Those who care more for money than their crowd, they aren’t entertainers. They’re just ponies who can stand up in front of a crowd and entertain.

But that’s all besides the point. Hello. My name is Shinning Star. This is my story.

My.

There’s that word again. My, Mine, Me, I, Myself. It’s all about me.

Let me amend myself. This is our story.

*** *** ***

My eyes where blinded by the flashing lights, my ears deafened by the roar of the crowd. All eyes were on me as the crowd stood and stomped their hooves. I bowed deeply and gave the crowd my best winning smile. I spotted a cute mare in the front row and winked at her, causing her to promptly faint, and her coltfriend to shoot me a quick death glare. I just snickered and winked at him too. “Thank you Stable 124” I yelled, my voice amplified by my glowing horn. The crowd screamed even louder.

The curtains began to close, and as a last act my magic floated a handkerchief out of my checkered coat’s pocket, wiped some beads of sweat of my brow and promptly tossed it into the crowd. As the curtain closed I saw the starstuck mare who caught it tackled by five other mares, and one stallion.

I love being me. I have it all. Chips, mares, professionally tailored suits. I even had a mural of me singing to a crowd in the hallway outside my suite in the residential part of Stable 124. I could have my way with almost any mare in the Stable. (and a creepy amount of stallions.) When I go places, ponies are tripping over each other to get me what I want. In fact, if I wanted I could probably have a group of mares in lingerie following and fanning me wherever I go. Yep, I have everything.

And tomorrow night, I’m going to get even more. Confused? Asking yourself ‘How could such an amazing, attractive, talented, stallion who has everything get even more?’ Well because tomorrow night, I am going to become part of the Inner Circle. So now I suppose you are asking yourselves ‘What could this Inner Circle be that it could even pose an advancement for somepony as awesome and talented as this stallion?’ Well my ignorant child, Stable 124 is based completely on a casino, and the Inner Circle is the governing authority. Not to mention if you are one of the five in the Inner Circle, you are part of an election for the next Overmare or Overstallion. In the next election, it’s going to be me who’s chosen.

My horn glowed, and a dark black aura surrounded my guitar and set it back in it‘s case, then levitated the case beside me. I turned and trotted to the back stage exit, taking time to check myself in the mirror. Same shinning dark blue coat. Same luxurious black mane and tail, the little white specks were as noticeable as ever. Same dreamy dark blue eyes. I blew a kiss to my reflection and trotted out.

I was greeted by my smiling face looking back at me. Royal Flush: Live in the Entertainment Lounge every night at 10pm. I took a moment to examine the poster, making sure that it the poster of me playing my guitar was showing of my good side. Who am I kidding. Every side’s my good side.

I continued down the hallway, looking at the names on the dressing room doors as I passed. The Rad Pack. Nice group of colts. They’ve got some talent, but they kiss too much ass to be respected by the other entertainers. Ebony & Ivory. They had talent. Brother sister pair. Ivory Chorus was a hell of a looker. She had this whole ’innocent temptress’ thing going for her. Great voice too. And the way she plays the violin has you begging for more. I’d really like to get me a piece of that mare, along with most of the bucks in the stable. To bad her twin brother Ebony Strings is probably the biggest stallion in the Stable, and if you even looked at Ivory wrong you’d be in the hospital wing in 10 seconds flat. Don’t let that fool you though, he is great with that contrabass of his, and when you put the two of them together, it’s beautiful. Just don’t get on Ebony’s bad side. Which is every side.

Royal Flush. Ah, here we are. I opened the gilded door and breathed deep. My dressing room was my home away from home. It was disaster. Crumpled papers were everywhere, overflowing from a wastebasket in the corner, poring out it’s contents onto the floor. Most had song lyrics that I decided didn’t work, some where jokes that where plain horrible, others where scripts for plays and musicals that I honestly didn’t care enough to read all the way through. Outfits where thrown all over the room, left from running in to change quickly before the next show.

I set my guitar next to the door, then trotted over to the walk-in closet. I slipped out of the checkered jacket I had been wearing and slid it onto a cloths hanger, then hung it on the doorframe. I shifted through the various articles of clothing, searching for something fitting. Reflective silver jacket. I haven’t worn that in years. I put it on, and a quick glance at the mirror told me why. “Way to flashy.” I muttered to myself, returning to my search.

Oh, here was something. It was a striped cloak I wore for Striped, an admittedly horrible play about a zebra in a POW camp who was trying to make friends with a pony during the war. Really it was just a compilation of bad stereotypes and even worse jokes. Needless to say, the masses didn’t enjoy it. At all. I turned it over and, yep, there was the tomato stains. Without a second thought my magic flicked the ruined cloak into a nearby trashcan.

I returned searching my wardrobe, and happened upon a simple black suit coat. A wave of nostalgia washed over me as I examined it. It wasn't fancy or intricate, or even hoof tailored. It was old, worn out, simple, and low profile, but it was the first suit I ever got. My mother had given it to me on the day of my first addition. It had been to big for me, and I had to role up the sleeves so I wasn’t tripping over them, but it got me through the beginning of my entertaining career.

After a moment of contemplation, I put on the old coat and, to complete the look, levitated my wide brimmed cowpony hat off it’s stand next to the door. (Another gift from my mother.) I smoothed some wrinkles off the coat and straightened my hat, then checked myself in the mirror on the wall. I could almost see a colt looking back at me, wearing a hat and coat a lot bigger than what fit him, eyes beaming after getting a role in his first musical. “Looking good, as always.” I said to my reflection, then gave my best winning smile. A quick nod of approval and I trotted back into the closet.

In the far back of the closet, concealed behind a wall of old costumes and outfits, was a small safe that I used to store a few hundred chips and my credit chit when I’m on stage. Since the entire Stable is based completely around the inner workings of a casino, chips are used to gamble, buy and sell items. You go to work, you get paid in chips, you use them to buy what you need, then you spend the rest on gambling, prostitutes and booze. You go broke and get in debt, the Stable door slides open and your bucked out onto your ass.

If your like me and have so many chips that you could sustain an entire night of gambling for the whole Stable, you get yourself a credit chit. Your pay goes into your account, and when you need it you go to a chip machine, swipe your card and enter a number. You get chips for all your gambling needs and the amount gets subtracted from your account.

Using my magic, I scooped up the credit chit and a couple hundred chips and put them into the pockets on my coat. Then I turned back to the safe and swiped aside the piles of chips to reveal… nothing? That’s strange. I usually kept an old combat knife in my safe as well, that I carried with me just in case one of my scarier fans got a little to friendly. It also was a gift from my mother after and incident with a group of stallions that just didn’t understand that I don’t role that way. I really don’t know where she got it, seems most weapons are illegal except for use by security and the casino floor managers. She did fall under the second category, but it wasn’t the usual thing the floor managers used.

I tried to think back to before the show, trying to remember if I had put it in there before the show or not, but honestly, I had been so worked up trying to make sure my last performance before my dinner with the Inner Circle my best performance of the year that I couldn’t even remember what I ate for lunch. Did I even eat lunch?

“Huh, must’a left it in my suite.” I said, shrugged, shut the safe, then walked out of the closet. I checked the mirror again, making sure my I still looked good. Who am I kidding? I always look good! With a smile on my face I grabbed my guitar case in my magic and trotted out of the dressing room.

Back in the hall, I turned right and kept walking until I met the door that led out of the back stage area. I hit the button next to it and it slid open with a faint metal hiss. As I stepped out into the metal hallway beyond, I was struck by how oppressing the grey walls felt. Everything was grey in the hallways and corridors. If it weren’t for the entertainment lounge, casino floor, and the Shinning Lights restaurant, the whole world would be grey. And a grey world is horrible for inspiration. Well, maybe it could inspire a song about a pony who is depressed and can only see the world in shades of grey. Oh, and maybe it could…. I shook my head, trying to dispel any more song idea brought up by the grey corridors surrounding me.

I got to an intersection and turned right, heading for the elevators to take me down to Maintenance. One quick trot through another grey hallway and I was at the elevators. I hit the call button with a hoof and patiently waited for the elevator. A small ding announced it’s arrival, and I walked in and hit the button to bring me down. I stood in the elevator listening to the rich sound of a contrabass coming in through the speakers, soon joined by the higher sound of a violin. Ebony and Ivory played in perfect harmony, and I was almost tempted to take out my guitar and synthesize the sound of a cello to join in on their beautiful sound. But I was already running late and the last seven times I did that I ended up creating a traffic jam so bad half the Stable was late to their work shifts.

Another ding signaled my arrival, and snapping me out of the music induced trance. I trotted out before any more temptations could sprout in my mind. If the halls above Maintenance were oppressing, the halls in Maintenance were simply depressing. The much closer sound of generators along with the everpresent hum of the lights made for a truly saddening environment. I’m sure if you were to dig up the whole Stable, the entire thing would look like an tree turned upside-down, and Maintenance was at the very bottom. At least higher up the power generators weren’t so loud.

I followed the signs hanging in the hallways to direct me through the unfamiliar area. I spent most of my time between the casino floor, the entertainment lounge, and my suite, so I didn’t know the maintenance area so well, and the last thing I needed was to get lost when I’m already running late. After almost getting lost, (Keyword is almost, I did find my way back.) I finally made it to my destination, the PipBuck maintenance stall.

When I trotted in I saw a grey unicorn colt with a brown mane and tail in stable utility barding staring at a wall. Honestly, the kid looked so sad that he was stuck staring at grey walls. “Is it really that bad?” I asked, the sound of my voice causing the colt to jump.

“W-wha-huh?” What an eloquent child. Somepony ought to give him a medal.

I smiled at his awkwardness and continued. “You looked so heartbroken when I came in. Is there anything I can do?”

“Oh… no it was n-nothing. Ho-”

“Great!” I interrupted, not really caring what else he had to say. I pretended to care, I did my good deed for the day. “So, I left my PipBuck down here before the show, and I need it back now. Did ya get done polishing and buffing it yet?”

The unicorn in front of me looked around, then his horn glowed and my PipBuck floated onto the workbench. It looked like a metal brace that goes around your leg close to the hoof, with a small screen and a few buttons. I had a fancier PipBuck than normal, with a four pointed star engraved on the reinforced casing under the screen. It cost a small fortune to get my cutie mark engraved into it, since the casing is a step above bulletproof. When Stable-Tec built things, they built them to last! He set it down, and I looked it over with a frown. “You haven’t done anything with it yet.”

“Well, I know but-” he said, shying back a little.

“I really don’t care.” I interrupted again, trying not to let my annoyance show to much. It’s unbecoming. “I need that PipBuck in pristine condition.” I sighed, deciding that scolding him wouldn’t get it done faster. I took a deep breath, then continued. “Ok slick, tell ya what. I’ll be back in the morning. When I get here, it better be done.”

The colts face went from fear to shock. “By morning? I still need to get High Roller’s PipBuck reprogrammed and put back together by morning.” He said, gesturing to a PipBuck splayed out on the workbench next to him. Sure enough, there was an engraving of a stack of chips under the screen, or where the screen would be if it hadn’t been popped off. “I was already late last time he came to pick it up, and he wasn’t very happy. Can’t you come by sometime in the afternoon?” He said, smiling sheepishly.

I shook my head, causing his smile to shatter. “No can do. The only time I have is tomorrow morning, so….” I held that last word out long enough for his ears to perk just a bit. “I’ll give you this now,” I said, levitating a stack of one hundred chips onto the workbench, “And I’ll give you double when I pick it up in the morning.” I said, and his ears shot up and his eyes growing wide.

“S-seriously?” I nodded and I’m pretty sure I saw him pinch himself under the workbench. I suppose this is more than he makes in a week. Really it’s just pocket change to me. “Ok, I’ll have it done then.”

“Great!” I said, smiling wide. “See ya in the morning.” I winked, then turned to trot away, but turned back as I remembered something. “Oh, and by the way, what time is it?”

The colt behind the counter checked his PipBuck, then responded, “About 12:45am.”

“Shit. I’m late.” I grumbled and ran to the elevators, my guitar in tow. Luckily, I didn’t get lost.
…

See that last sentence? That was a joke. I actually took a wrong turn about 5 or 6 times and had to turn around or ask for directions. I was really missing the auto map feature on my PipBuck. I eventually did get to the elevators though.

“Hey, hold that door!” I yelled as I saw the elevator door begin to shut. Just before it shut a yellow hoof poked through and held the door open. I slowed down enough to catch my breath, then trotted in and tipped my hat to the earth pony mare inside who was wearing the white apron of a Stable cook. “Thank you, darlin’”

“Oh, it was no problem at all.” she said, blushing slightly. I noticed that the button for residential was glowing, and saw this as a perfect opportunity.

“Excuse me darlin’, but I can’t help but notice your headin’ to Residential.” I started casually. “If you don’t mind me sayin’, I’m really running late, so if you could drop my old guitar off at my suite, A-21, I would be most appreciative.” I finished by gesturing to my guitar and smiling.

The mare looked at me, then the guitar. “Oh, I would, but I’m running late for work and I live all the way in D-6...” She trailed off, trying to hide her blush behind her long blue hair.

“Well, as I said, I’m also running late, so if you could do this for me, I would be most appreciative.” I said again, emphasizing my point by pulling out a stack of one hundred chips. Her eyes caught the stack and then looked at me, here eyes begging the question. Are you serious? “And yes, darlin’, I am serious.”

“Oh, um…. Well if you insist…” she meekly replied. The elevator dinged our arrival and I slid the chips into her apron pocket. I looked her up and down, then smiled once more.

“And maybe sometime later I can give you something else for your troubles.” I said, flashing my winning smile and nudging her flank with my hip.

She immediately began to blush profusely and stutter, “O-oh m-m-my. Uh m-maybe, err, I-I mean… y-yes… err, eep!” With that last squeak she grabbed the handle of my guitar case in her mouth and ran down the hallway. I watched her flank as she left, taking note of her cutie mark, a bowl of salad. Maybe I could…

Nope! Already running late. Another day. I punched the button for the Food Court and waited impatiently. Not even the sound of my beautiful voice on the speakers was able to make me relax. As soon as the elevator dinged, I was out the door, trotting as fast as I could without standing out.

The Food Court was arranged in a square, with multiple vendors and small cafés selling various foodstuff. A large number of ponies were milling about, even though it was late. On the other side of the Food Court was the Shinning Lights restaurant. There was a long line to get into the classy looking restaurant, and I began to make my way to the door. I had to reject one or two ponies who stopped me to ask for my autograph. I stopped long enough for me to inform them I was in a hurry and to catch me at a better time. Normally I would have signed whatever it was they wanted, since I firmly believe that you have to be good to your fans, or you won’t have them for long.

I trotted to the front of the line, and to my delight nopony rejected. I walked up to the bouncer, a large orange earth pony named Orion, who simply smiled and said, “Miss Chorus is at your usual table.”

I smiled and gave a polite tip of my hat before trotting in. There were tables with fancy cutlery and candles everywhere in the room, and most tables were full. The Shinning Lights was filled with the sound of ponies quietly talking, mixed with the scraping of silverware on plates and the soft clopping of waiters weaving in and out of the mass of tables. There in the center of the room, sitting alone, was a slender white earth pony mare with a long black mane and tail and a black treble clef cutie mark swirling a glass of water. We made contact and she smiled then waved me over.

I walked over to Ivory and sat across the table from her. “Sorry I’m late darlin’, but it was quite a show. Three encores! Can you believe it?” I said, hang my hat on my chair.

“Oh, with you, Royal, I’m surprised it wasn’t more.” She giggled before talking a sip of water. Even her laugh was damn musical.

I saw a waiter walk by and I stuck out a hoof to get his attention. “Excuse me sir, but me and the lady will be having some of Stalliongrad’s finest this evening.” I gestured to the mare in front of me, who was just looking behind me and giggling.

“But of course sir.” The waiter replied in a dignified voice. “Will that be-”

Whump!

I felt a sudden burst of pain on the back of my head and my face hit the table. Due to the greeting I just got, I instantly knew who was here, punctuated by the deep voice behind me saying, “Scratch that. Me and the ass will be having scotch. My sister will be having a glass of wine.”

“As is the usual sir. I will be back shortly.” With that the waiter turned and trotted to the kitchen.

Sitting up and rubbing the back of my head, I turned to the heavily muscled earth pony in front of me. His jet black coat and short white mane a stark contrast to Ivory’s features. I caught a small glimpse of his white bass clef cutie mark as he sat down next to his sister. “Geez, Ebony, you really don’t need to hit me every week.” I said accusingly.

He snorted, then replied. “Yea, well you really don’t need to try to get my sister drunk.”

“Hey, how should I have known she can’t hold her alcohol?” I said, pushing a few strands of hair that fell in my face back into position.

“Maybe because I tell you that every week when you try to get her drunk.” He retorted, while the mare in question just giggled at our argument.

“Hey partner, that’s not fair. I didn’t try to get her drunk last Hearth Warmings Eve!”

He rolled his eyes and replied “That’s because you tried to convince her to sleep with you as a Hearth’s Warming Eve present. Honestly, do you ever give it a rest?” Ivory went into another peel of giggles as Ebony began to scowl. Of course, that’s not saying much since the only time I see him not scowling is when he’s talking to Ivory or when he’s on stage playing. “And would you cut the accent bullshit. Everypony knows you just use it to try to seem more charismatic to get under mares tails.”

You would be shocked to know I’m actually the only stallion that Ebony is slightly nice to. Most he just stares down until the go away. He’s more respectful with mares, but still he’s always scowling. The waiter came back with our drinks and deposited them in front of us and leaving three menus. None of us looked at them since we already knew what we wanted.. I levitated the scotch up to my lips and took a small sip, not really enjoying the taste. I suppose that’s why Ebony ordered it for us.

Ivory took a sip of her wine then shook her head with a smile. “It’s the same thing every week with you two.”

I did my best to look undignified, but it wasn’t happening. “Hey, I tried to mix it up tonight.”

“Yea, instead of being late by five minuets you were late by forty-five.” Ebony scoffed. I shot him a glare, but he glared back, unfazed.

“I’ll have you know that I planned on burying the hatchet with you tonight.” I said accusingly.

He just laughed and said, “Why, where you planning on stopping eye-raping my sister?” Hey, it isn’t rape when she enjoys it.

I smiled and said, “No, but I can’t have my marefriend’s brother mad at me all the time.” That got me a swift hoof to the jaw and drew the attention of a few of the non-regulars around us. Those who came here often knew our routine and chose to ignore us. I rubbed my jaw lightly. Hey, he didn’t hit as hard as usual. Maybe he’s warming up to me. Progress!

‘Or he’s just more tired then usual since you were late’ a small, pessimistic part of me muttered. I promptly beat the shit out of that part of my brain and threw him in a closet, nothing is getting my mood down tonight. “Ebony, I was expecting that to hurt more.” I taunted, then promptly through my hooves in front of my face and said, “But that’s not an invitation to hit me!”

Either I was warming up to him, or he saw the waiter walking up behind me, but for whatever reason, he put his hoof down and looked away.

Moments later the waiter trotted up and pulled out a notebook. “Are you ready to order, or do you need more time?”

“Yea, we’re ready.” I said, Ebony and Ivory nodding as well. “I’ll have the steak.”

“I’ll take a steak as well.” Ebony added.

Ivory just gave a ‘bleh’, then said, “I’ll be having a salad.”

The waiter finished writing on his notepad then said, “Will that be all for you three?” We all nodded and he put his notebook away. “Your meals will be ready shortly.” And with that he trotted to the next table.

Ivory watched him go, then turned around and stuck her tongue out and pretended to gag. “Gross. I really don’t know how you two eat that steak. Or any meat at all. It tastes bad and makes me feel sick to the stomach after eating it.”

I just shrugged and look around the restaurant, “I don’t know about you, but I think it tastes great.”

Ivory just shook her head. “What about you, Eby? Why do you eat it.”

Ebony, who had been staring down a buck on the other side of the restaurant who had probably looked at Ivory funny just shrugged “I just order it because it’s the most expensive thing on the menu and he’s paying.” He said, nodding his head towards me.

I stuck my tongue out at him, and he raised an eyebrow. “Hey, I thought we were all adults here. No need for you to act like a foal.” I looked him in the eye, then burst out laughing as I saw Ivory in the corner of my vision blowing a raspberry at him. He quickly looked at Ivory, who had just moments before looked away and was humming a tune to herself, but she couldn’t keep a straight face and soon burst out laughing herself. Ebony looked at the two of us, gave and indignant huff and looked away, but I think he might of smiled just a little.

After Ivory and I composed ourselves, we made small talk, talking about music, our performances, and just catching up since our last meet. Soon enough my steak and Ebony’s steak was served to us, but the waiter told Ivory her salad would be another five minuets or so, due to the salad chef being late, and the head chef being pretty mad about it. I just turned my head and whistled. Yep, I definitely had nothing to do with that.

Me and Ebony waited for Ivory’s food to get to the table before we ate. When it arrived, we all began to eat, making small talk between bites of food. Then when our plates were devoid of food, Ivory brought up the topic I had been waiting for all night. “So, Royal. Rumor has it your being drawn into the Inner Circle. Any truth to that?” she said, batting her eyes.

I looked at her, then looked away. I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone about me being scouted for the Inner Circle, but looking into those eyes and saying no was damn near impossible. “Come on, Ivory, you know that isn’t fair. How could I lie to those eyes?” She just batted her eyes again, and I think Ebony almost smiled. Almost. I huffed then looked around. Most of the occupants had already gone home, and I had already planed to tell Ebony and Ivory about it.

“Yes, it is. I’m having supper with them tomorrow. That’s why you two get to play at prime time.” I said, referencing to the time I usually performed at, which usually had the most ponies attend. “But don’t get too comfortable, I plan on taking that spot back after I’m in the Inner Circle.” I said, giving them a mock stern look.

Ebony just looked away, his everpresent scowl growing deeper. “Inner Circle.” He huffed, “A bunch of bitches and jackasses who have there heads so far up their own asses they can see what they ate for breakfast.” Well that was a disturbing mental picture.

“Eby! How could you say that?” Ivory said, shocked at her twins sudden outburst of hate. I wasn’t. I expected such a thing from him, but it was still surprising that he was openly insulting the Inner Circle. Sure there weren’t many ponies around right now, but the Inner Circle were the kind of ponies that could have you arrested by security just for looking at them funny.

The black earth pony’s face contorted with rage as he looked at between Ivory and me. “How could I not! Look around Ive! Have you been down to Maintenance. They get low pay, long hours, end up getting hurt a lot, and to add to it, every now and then one of them just goes missing. It’s assumed that they end up getting lost or falling into some of the machinery. But it’s happening more often now.” He yelled, then looked at the staring ponies around us and lowered his voice. “Because I’ve been down there, I’ve talked to them. They’re scared, oppressed, and want a better life, and do you know what the Inner Circle does about it. Nothing! They don’t do shit to help the ponies under them!” Now I was a bit taken aback. I had known he was a very angry pony. I knew that he hated pretty much everything and anything that wasn’t Ivory Chorus or music. But I had never once heard about him yelling at Ivory. Obviously, Ivory hadn’t either. She looked shocked beyond words, and I could see the beginning of tears to brim in her eyes, but Ebony wasn’t done.”

“And look at us! We’re orphans, our parents being just two more ponies from Maintenance who went missing. Sure we’re getting along fine, but that’s just because we have some talent and the kindness of some jackass who just wants to get under your tail! What about the others, who are alone and abandoned, trying to learn what they can from the other Maintenance ponies so they can make a decent living. Does the Inner Circle help them? NO!” Now Ivory was crying, her sobs finally cutting through Ebony’s rant. As for me, I was shocked. And truth be told, a little hurt.

Sure Ebony had always been insulting me, degrading me, beating on me, but most of it was just because he was overprotective of his sister. Now… Now he was saying it out of rage, and it cut deep. What was worse, was I didn’t know why it hurt.

Ivory reached out a hoof to calm him down, but he just struck it away. It didn’t look like a particularly hard hit, but in all my years of knowing him, he had never hit Ivory.

Ebony looked at me, then her, realization of what he just did dawning on his face. He saw her crying, heard her sobs, and the rage drained from his face. “Ive… I-I’m sorry. I didn’t…” He reached out a hoof to place on her shoulder, but she jerked away from his touch. The anger slowly began to fill his features again. “I’m just… It’s just… I-I-I…. AGH….. FUCK!” He screamed, slamming his hoof on the table, causing it to shatter into splinters under his immense strength. He stood, then bucked his chair. It flew across the room and broke against the metal wall. “DAMNIT!” he yelled stomping his foot. Then he turned and stormed out of the restaurant.

I looked at the shattered table, then at the dent in the wall caused by the chair hitting it. Damn. I knew Ebony was strong, but this was ridiculous. I looked at Ivory, who was crying, then drew her close and hugged her, shushing her and doing my best to calm her. Now I know there are those who would think this is the perfect opportunity. Her overprotective brother is gone, she’s feeling weak and helpless. I could smooth talk her a bit, then bring her back to my suite and deal with the consequences the next morning.

But at that moment, nothing was farther from my mind. At that moment, I was more worried about soothing my emotionally hurt friend than getting her in my bed. As I held her close and her sobs died down, I looked around the room at the few waiters and waitresses who were staring wide eyed at us, and even one chef had come out of the kitchen to see what the fuss was about. I shot them a glare that promised a slow, painful demise to anyone who decided to bring this up at the next gossip meet. They immediately all found something very interesting on the floor or ceiling.

I brought my mouth to her ear an whispered, “It’s ok, I’m sure Ebony was just stressed out from the last performance.” she slowly began to calm as I sat there, holding her a petting her mane with my hoof. It was probably a bad time, but at that moment I was swept up in simply how natural she left it. She didn’t curl or dye her mane, nor did she use tons of make-up like so many other mares in the Stable. She has a natural beauty then many strive for. Even her scent was a fragrance that couldn’t be replicated by expensive perfume. And for a moment, just a moment, I felt horrible for ever simply lusting over a mare this beautiful.

“We should get you back to your room.” I said, rising from my chair and stepping over the shattered table. I levitated my hat back onto my head, then helped Ivory up. As we walked to the door, I shot glares at anypony who decided to look to closely at Ivory (Wow, I suddenly feel a lot closer to Ebony.), while she just walked with her head down, long dark hair covering her eyes, silent except for the occasional sniff.

As we walked out the door, I caught Orion’s attention, who had a quickly blackening eye. I guess he tried to stop Ebony. I gave him a sympathetic smile, which he returned. Orion really wasn’t the bouncer type. He may have been big, but he tried his best to solve conflict with words. I motioned for Ivory to wait, and she simply stopped without a word or questioning glance

I trotted over to Orion and sighed. “Sorry about the mess in there.” I said, motioning back through the door. “If you could tell them to just bill it to my account, I would be most appreciative.”

He just gave another sympathetic smile and said, “It’s not a problem. We were just about to close for the night anyway.” He then nodded his head towards Ivory, “I would be most appreciative if you were to make sure the little lady gets home safely. I know it’s none of my business, but I emphasize with their plight, and would really hate if anything were to happen to either of them. I just wish Ebony could be a little more reasonable.” He glanced down at his PipBuck, then back into the restaurant. “Well, I best go in there and help clean up. Have a good night.

“Eeyup you too” I said, nodding then walking back over to Ivory. “Come on darlin’, lets get you home.” I said, my fake accent returning now that I was once again in public. She just nodded and we trotted to the elevators. We waited in silence for one to come, and when it arrived we walked and hit the button for residential.

When the elevator doors closed, the white mare beside me began to sob anew, and she leaned against my shoulder for support. I put my hoof around her and gently stroked her mane. “Shh, shh, It’s okay darlin’” I cooed, doing my best to calm her down. “I’m sure Ebony didn’t mean to hurt you.”

She looked at my, tear streaks running down her face. “I-it’s n-not that.” She said, her sobbing making her stutter. “I-it’s just… Eby always seems s-so mad, a-and I don’t know why. I-I try to ask him, but when I do he j-just dodges the subject. A-and if somepony else asks, h-he puts them in the hospital wing.” She wiped her eyes with a hoof, her sobbing beginning to fade again. “I suppose you think I’m horribly weak and helpless now, huh?”

I gave her a sad smile that didn’t meet my eyes. “No darlin’, I think your just under a lot of pressure. You and Ebony both. I guess I understand where some of his frustration comes from though. When I’m in the Inner Circle, I’ll push for helping the ponies down there.” The elevator dinged again, and the doors opened to a large grey room. In it were six doorways, all labeled A-G. Each letter represented a wing. In each wing there were on average fifty rooms. The quality of the rooms goes down as the letter goes down, with rooms in the A-wing being suites, the B-wing being slightly fancy apartments, and G-wing being nothing more than a huge room filled with one person beds.

We went straight to the B-wing, and when we arrived at B-12, Ivory hoofed the button on the control panel next to they metal door, and it slid open. “Thank you, Royal, for everything. I really don’t now how me and Eby would get along without your help.” She said, looking wistfully down the hall.

I just gave her smile. “No problem darlin’. I’m sure you to would manage.” I was about to turn away when she jumped on me, catching in a hug. I was surprised by it, and all I could do was stand there and blush. Which getting me to blush is a huge accomplishment,

“Thank you.” she said, then abruptly turned and walked away, and call me crazy, but I’m sure she put just a little bit more sway in her hips than usual, then with a giggle, shut the door in my face and leaving me begging for more.

After a minute of staring at the door stupidly, I shook my head and turned to walk back to my suite. As I turned I ran into a large black earth pony. Looking up I saw that it was Ebony, looking at me with a mix of rage and… something else…

“Oh, hey Ebony, I was just walking Ivory back to your apartment.” I said, giving a weak smile, then added, “And don’t worry about that thing at the restaurant, I’ll cover the cost.”

Ebony looked at me, his scowl deepening, but then it softened. Just a bit. “Thank you.” He said. “For looking after my sister. And not trying anything on her.”

This was just unnatural. Ebony apologizing? Celestia have mercy we’re all gonna die! Repent! Repent, for the end is nigh! Ok maybe not that dramatic, but still, it is out of place. Might as well ruin the moment.

“Well hey, there’s no glory in sleeping with your sister if she’s only doing because she feels vulnerable.” I said, with a sly grin. “And with you gone it would be almost to easy.” He punched me in the shoulder, but I could tell he had other things on his mind, because it only hurt a little bit.

He looked back at the door to his and Ivory’s apartment, then scowled at me again. “But if I even see you stare at my sister’s ass like that again, I’ll beat the shit out of you.” Well he didn’t say he would kill me. See? Progress!

*** *** ***

I got back to my suite and slid the door open to find my guitar laying in the middle of the doorway. I clicked my tongue at the lack of care, but decided it was justified due to the young mare's hurry. A black field of magic surrounded it and I floated it up against the wall. I looked around to make sure everything else was in order, then trotted into my bedroom.

I hung up my coat and hat in the closet, (Not as big as the one in my dressing room.) and sat on my bed. I thought about what Ebony had said, about how things in Maintenance were bad. I had never really spent time down there, and when I was, I was always on business. Well, it’s not really my problem right now. Maybe when I’m in the Inner Circle I’ll give Ebony the power to change something.

I looked at the clock on the grey metal wall, and it proclaimed that it was far to late to remain awake, so I slid under the covers and clapped my hooves firmly, twice. The lights clicked off around me and a I laid back onto my pillow. The fatigue of the day was beginning to show, and before I knew it, I was asleep.

*** *** ***

In my dream, I saw a colt. He looked sick and malnourished, even bleeding in a few places. There were spots where his pale coat had been rubbed off, showing sickly looking skin. His black mane was falling out, and his breath came in ragged, shallow gasps.

Around him was a swirling mass of darkness, reeking of death and decay. The screams of hundreds are only drowned out by the snarling and howling of thousands of unknown horrors. The darkness began to close in around the colt, who could do nothing but curl up and cry. I wanted to run to the colt, stand over him and protect him, but I couldn’t move.

Then, just as the darkness was about to envelope the colt, a bright light fell from above, speeding straight at the weakened pony. It stopped right above where the colt lay. It was a star. I’m not sure how I knew, since it looked nothing like the grainy pictures in text books, but I did. The darkness flinched back, held at bay by the star’s light. But the single star could not stand alone forever, and the darkness began to push forward, slowly, but at a steady pace.

The star did not run though. It stood strong, even as the darkness began to push at the edge of the light. Then when I was sure both the star and the colt would be enveloped, another star came out of the darkness. Followed by another, then another. They came one-by one, until a total of eight stars hovered over the colt, driving back the darkness and flooding the area with light. Before my eyes, the wounds on the colt began to heal, his coat beginning to regrow. His breath became more regular, and he stood up on his hooves. He then began to age, slowly, but fast enough that I could see he was ageing.

Then, the colt began to glow with his own light. It was weak at first, but it grew stronger. As he aged from colt to stallion, the light grew greater, casting out the darkness and shedding the area in light. Then in the distance and the heart of the black, more lights began to shine. Some where brighter than the colt-now-stallion, others were dimmer, but together the light drove off the darkness. The bloodthirsty snarl turned into a pained whimper as it was assaulted on all sides by light.

Unable to withstand the barrage, the darkness slipped into the ground, as the light grew brighter and brighter until all I could see was white.

*** *** ***

I threw my hooves in front of my face, only to find the blinding light gone and I was in my dark room, wrapped up in a mess of limbs and blankets. I managed to awkwardly clap my hooves together to turn on the lights, and saw it was only 6:00am. I unwrapped myself and sprawled out onto the floor. It was relatively early, but I wasn’t getting anymore sleep any time soon.

The dream unnerved me more than it scared me, and that was because I had had the exact dream before. When I was just a blank-flank foal, I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. Then one night, I had the very same dream I just had tonight, and I could remember it as clear as if it had just happened. I didn’t know what it meant at the time, but when I woke up, I had my cutie mark, a four pointed star.

I really didn’t know what it meant, but I was so happy I didn’t care. It was years before anyone else in my age group got their cutie marks. When I got older I reflected upon the dream, and I settled on the explanation that I was that colt, and that I had stars watching out for me. I still do, because I’m seated at the top of the top, and about to get higher.

That reminded me, I needed to go pick up my PipBuck. I stood up, shaking myself to try and drive out the nagging feeling in my head. I trotted into the bathroom. After taking care of my morning hygiene needs, I trotted out, hanging my towel on a hook inside the bathroom.

I walked through the main room and into the small kitchen that also doubled as a dining room. I opened the refrigerator and levitated out two apples. I sat down at the table and began to munch on one, while I thought over what I needed to do today. I needed to get my PipBuck, that was for sure. I really needed it’s helpful features. Especially the auto-map. Definitely the auto-map.

I also needed to stop by my dressing room and find something to wear for tonight. Also, maybe I’ll stop by the casino floor to blow off some steam. Then, my mom had asked if I would stop by her apartment today after her work shift. I wasn’t sure why, but I learned to never question my mother, and I really didn’t mind spending time with her. As long as no cute mares were around.

I finished off my two apples and went back into the main room and pulled out my guitar. I began to strum a few chords, pulling them loosely into a tune. Then my horn began to glow, and I synthesized the sound of a cello, now dragging my hoof across the strings instead of strumming. Now some critics (hard to believe I have any) might say that all my playing is a magical projection of a sound, and all I did with my guitar was pretend, but they are wrong. When I synthesize an instrument, all I’m doing is tweaking the sound waves. It actually does matter what I play. I need a basic understanding of how to play that instrument, plus a way to make a sound that is almost like it. For example, I can’t use a guitar to synthesize a trumpet. I could use a trombone to synthesize a trumpet, or vise-versa, but that is because they make a similar sound.

After a few minuets, I decided I would try synthesizing a piano again, but every time I tried in the past ended in a horrible sound. I laid the guitar on the ground in front of me. My horn began to glow again, and I tapped a string with my hoof. I was quite delighted to hear the sound of a piano, maybe not as rich, but still a piano sound. I started tapping away, finding much amusement in what I was doing.

After doing a basic scale, I decided to play something. Nothing complex, (I could hardly manage a simple sound.) but something. As I searched my head, the perfect thing came to mind. It had always been my favorite song as a foal, and my mother would sing it to me every night before I went to sleep. My horn glowed and a began tapping.

“Twinkle, Twinkle, little star.
Only Luna knows what you are.
Up above the moon so high.
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, Twinkle, little star.
Only Luna knows what you are.”

“Good night, my little star.”

As my mothers voice floated back through my memories, I was washed over with a wave of nostalgia. For some reason, that song had always been my favorite, and even now I was wishing to hear my mother sing it to me as I lay down to sleep. But I’m a grown stallion know, and I pushed such urges out of my head.

I packed up my guitar and floated it back over to the wall. I then levitated my jacket over to me and donned my hat and headed to the door. I hoofed the button, and the door slid open to reveal a brown mare with long black mane. “Oh hi Royal! How’ve you been? I haven’t se-”

My magic hit the door button and it slid shut. I really didn’t want to deal with this, today of all days. You see, every once in a while when I have one of my one night stands, the mares just don’t understand that it was a one night thing. Example A is currently standing outside my door, smiling like an idiot.

I took a deep breath and opened the door. She was still there, smiling even though I just shut the door in her face. “Hi Candy… Look, whatever you need, can you make it quick, I’m kinda in a hurry.”

“Oh, I was walking by and I happened to hear you practicing, so I was sitting here listening to your skillful playing.” So in other words, she had been sitting with her ear up against my door again, trying to hear if I had any company. “Anyway, I was just wondering when you wanted me to come by. You know, we could split a bottle of Wild Pegasus and relive some old memories.” Her smile grew even wider when she said that, she even gave her hips a little wiggle.

I sighed. I really didn’t want this. “Look, Darlin’. That was only a one night thing. I told you that then. I told you that the last fifty time you’ve come around, and I’ll tell you again, I’m just not looking for anything long term.”

You see, this is where a non-obsessed pony would be disheartened, cry, slap me, or run away. What does she do? She just smiled wider! “Oh, well we could spend some time together, and you will see we’re perfect for each other! Then we co-” I stopped her by putting my hoof over her mouth.

“Look, we’re not perfect for each other, okay? We are far from it.” She began to say something, but I cut her off. “And before you say we have the same mane and coat, everyone knows you dye your mane to match mine, and even if it was a natural color, it doesn’t mean anything.”

“Why don’t you like me?” she whined Her idiotic smile turning into a frown. “Was it because I wasn’t very good?” Nope, she was actually great. There’s a reason she’s the number one most desired mare in the Stable, and I’ll tell you now it isn’t for her intellect. “Or is it because of my job?” Actually, a little. You see, she happens to be one of the more *ahem* successful mares that work down at the bars on the casino floor. And at the bars, everything is for sale, even the sexy mare wiping down the counter. Now I’m going to delve into my personal history a little here. Once upon a time in the magical land of alcohol, I smooth talked my seductive waitress into giving me a free night. I thought it was fun, she thought it was love. And now I have to deal with the consequences.

I sighed again. (I do that a lot when Candy is around.) “Look, darlin’, I’m in a hurry here, so how about we pick this conversation up tomorrow, ok?”

She narrowed her eyes at me, then said slowly “Okay… but you better not ditch me like you did last time.”

“Ok, ok, I won’t, but I gotta go so, I’ll talk to you later.” I said as I pushed her out of the way. Her eyes immediately popped open and she smiled again.

“Bye Royal! Have fun doing whatever your doing!” she called after me. I didn’t look, but I knew she’d be wearing that same idiotic smile.

Now, I could talk about the grey walls as I walk down to Maintenance, depressing as ever, or I could explain myself with Candy. You see, she’s a great looking mare. Hell, she’s even better looking than Ivory. So why, one might ask, would I, the great entertainer prodigy of Stable 124, super attractive and able to have any (almost) any mare he wants, want the second best looking mare in the Stable. Simple. I don’t want some idiot trophy wife, just what Candy would be. I want a mare like Ivory, smart, cunning, over protected. She may act innocent, incompetent, but I (being a very talented actor myself) can see it’s all an act. (For the most part.) Add in an overprotective brother that could plaster my brain to a wall with one hoof, and you have yourself the perfect challenge. And Luna knows I love a challenge.

*** *** ***

I sat in the elevator, fiddling with my PipBuck. I had reclaimed it from the PipBuck technician stall. The young colt had been sleeping, so I chose to take my PipBuck and leave instead of waking him. Good deed of the day, done. True to my word, I did leave the payment I promised, plus a little extra as a tip. Good deed for tomorrow, done.

I had used the special tools in the technician’s stall to reattach it to my left foreleg, and now I sat flipping through the memory banks. These PipBucks are a stroke of genius, condensed into a little leg computer. It actively monitors the health status of the user, manages your inventory, has an auto-map. There was a function called an Eyes-Forward Sparkle, or E.F.S. for short, which could actually detect any life around you, displaying it as tics on the compass it magically projects into your vision. Don’t ask me how, but it can also determine if the life forms are hostile towards you. If it is, it’s displayed as a red tic, if it’s not, it’s displayed as a orange tic. Quite helpful.

Then there was the function that I found surprisingly useful, but continued to confuse me. Stable-Tec Arcane Targeting Spell, or S.A.T.S. It can aid you in fights (So I hear, I’ve never really gotten into any.) by slowing down the world around, and helping you aim weapons. I just use it for if I’m on stage and forget a line (Doesn’t happen often) or if I need to collect my thoughts when on stage before a song (Doesn’t happen much either) I can just slip into the cool comfort of S.A.T.S. and I have all the time in the world.

And to top of all that, they also have crazy amounts of storage space and the ability to pick up radio signals, along with track other PipBucks by using there PipBuck tag. And to put the icing on the cake, you can even make it glow like a lamp. The damn things pretty much have everything.

I was currently sifting through some of the songs I had recorded onto my PipBuck when the elevator door dinged. Looking up, I saw the neon lights and heard the sound of hundreds of ponies all talking, laughing, yelling, and every once in a while the tell-tale sound of someone winning big. But not too big. After all, even in Stable 124, the house always wins.

The lights and sounds used to leave me enthralled in the elevator until the doors automatically shut when I was a foal. Now, it was normal as can be. But every now and then, I liked to stop and take in the sights. This was by far the largest room in the entire stable. It was the size of a hoofball field, with multiple tiers, each containing their own attraction. On the top most tier, which is also the tier the elevators are on, you have the bars. They are all set back against the wall, and were occupied by ponies trying to get drunk, laid, or lucky.

The next tier contained the slots machines. A lot of ponies were there, either gambling or with a friend while they gamble. I personally didn’t like the slots machines. It was too easy to just spend your whole night there, staring at that machine until you get lucky, then spend the rest of your chips trying to get lucky again.

The next tier contained the blackjack tables. That was more my speed. There was something about not knowing what that next card is going to be that really made me love the game. It’s not like slots where you pull the dial and everything starts to spin, or roulette, where you just bet on where the ball might land. Instead, you make the choice to either play it safe, and you might lose, or to take the chance, and you might still lose. But even if you do, at least you tried.

The next tier contained roulette. I was never much for that either. Never really got good at it.

Then in the last tier there were the poker tables. Poker was another of my favorite ways to gamble, because I have the best poker face this Stable has ever seen. It comes with being a good actor.

I scanned the room, looking to see if Ebony or Ivory were here. As usual, they weren’t, but I could hope. I did, however, see my mom walking down by the poker tables, probably keeping watch for anypony who starts to win too big. Counting cards is a serious crime in the 124, so if you figure out how, it’s best to forget immediately.

I’m almost positive that my mom has some sixth sense for when I’m around, because as soon as I cleared the elevator, the dark blue unicorn looked up at me and smiled. She shook a strand of flowing light blue hair from in front of her face then turned back to the poker tables. It was a well known fact that Star Sight was the most lenient of the floor managers, but she couldn’t slack off completely or she would lose her job.

I scanned the room again, but nothing had really changed. I did, however, notice High Roller looking through the circular window high on the right wall, which looked out from the Overmare/stallion’s office. He seemed to be overlooking the casino floor, so I thought nothing of it.

I trotted over to a chip dispenser, which was really nothing more than a grey box with a computer screen and keyboard and a metal bin that it dispenses your chips into. I stuck my credit chit into the machine, I immediately the prompt popped up.

Insert amount>

I looked at my PipBuck. I still had a few hours before I had to be anywhere. I looked at the screen again, then typed 10,000. I hit enter and the machine automatically started spitting chips into the bin. I don’t know what Stable-Tec did when they built these things, but they were completely silent. Even when you tap on the keys there’s no sound at all.

I gathered all the chips and put them in a small bag from a dispenser next to the machine. I slung the bag around my neck and turned to survey the scene. I had 10,000 chips, an almost unlimited amount of alcohol, and a lot of places to gamble. Today was going to be a pretty good day.

*** *** ***

I stared down at my cards as I swirled my glass of scotch. (I still hate the stuff.) I was sitting at a blackjack table and had a queen of hearts and a seven of spades. The dealer had a king of clubs along with the hidden card. My head was just a bit fuzzy from the alcohol, but I wasn’t stupid. Getting completely drunk was not something I wanted to do, today of all days.

I was contemplating my move when I felt a hoof tap my shoulder. Probably just another pony wanting an autograph. I waved a hoof and said, “I’m a little busy here. Just give me a second.” The dealer was smiling at me, so I guess he thinks his hand was pretty good.

“Well then dear, I’ll be up in my apartment. Don’t forget I wanted to talk to you.” a familiar voice cooed in my ear. I turned and saw me mother standing behind me with a loving smile on her face. I looked at my PipBuck and back at her.

“Sorry mom, I kinda lost track of time.” I said, smiling sheepishly. I then looked back at my cards. “Do you mind if I finish here?”

“Go ahead, I’ll be down in my room.” With that she kissed my forehead and turned to walk to the elevators. Now, most ponies would probably be embarrassed if there mother was smooching them on the head in public when they were a full-grown stallion, but I honestly didn’t care. Sure it was a little embarrassing, but she was my mother, and she’s showing me she loves me. Of course, none of my rational thinking kept my cheeks from heating up just a bit.

I turned back to my cards and laid a hoof on the table. “Hit me.” I said, now prepared to finish this game. The dealer flipped a card over to me. A four of diamonds. I gave a content smile as I looked at it. 21.

The dealer gave a small grimace, then flipped over his card. A queen of spades. I smiled even more as the earth pony in front of me slid my winnings to me, then swept up the cards. He started shuffling them (I have no idea how earth ponies shuffle cards so easily, but they do.) and said, “You want to play another hand?”

I looked at the elevator, then back at the cards. “One more.” I said.

Ok, so I ended up playing five more, but that doesn’t matter. I collected my winnings and trotted up to the elevator. I hit the button for residential, idle whistling along with one of Ebony and Ivory’s songs. When the door opened I went strait for the A-wing. I stopped at door 21 and threw my bag of chips into my room and trotted back out to the main junction. From there I headed to C-wing. The apartments of C-wing weren’t the most luxurious, but they were livable. I stopped at room 7 and knocked on the door.

I heard a metallic click, then the sound of hooves making their way to the door. It slid open to reveal the smiling face of my mother. “Hello dear. It’s good to see your alright. With how long you were taking to finish your game, I was beginning to worry you fell down the elevator shaft again.” she said, giving a knowing smile as she stepped out of the way, motioning for me to come in.

I huffed as I stepped through the door. “I did not fall down the elevator shaft… I was simply testing to see if I could fly.” I said, sticking my nose in the air as I sat down on a cushion in the main room of the apartment. That was only partially true. I had seen something shiny a little higher up in the elevator shaft when Ebony, Ivory, and I were all exploring the ventilation system. I had been just a young colt at the time, and figured if I wrapped myself in my telekinesis, I could fly up there. Now I knew that such a feat was impossible.

My mother just laughed as she levitated a cup of steaming tea over to me. Tea was expensive in the Stale, since the greenhouse only has a small patch for tea leaves. Not that my mother minded at all. She had quite a bit of chips saved up, and could afford to live in a suite if she really wanted, but when I asked her why she didn’t, she just said this apartment had special, sentimental value.

“Well my little star, you still don’t have wings, so I hope you don’t go testing your flying skill again anytime soon. You were lucky there was an elevator coming up, otherwise you might have broken more than just your leg.” she chided. I just did my best to look at everything in the room except her. It was sparsely decorated, with only some cushions and a small coffee table. And the grey walls. They were still there.

But the ceiling, that’s where the magic was. Literally. My mother had laid an enchantment on the ceiling that, instead of showing the usual grey, was a mix of blacks and blues and purples, complete with small motes of light doting the dark expanse, forming clusters and pictures. Stars, my mother had explained them as, and the pictures they formed were constellations. She had this enchantment on every ceiling in every room in the house. When I was a colt, I would gaze up at the endless expanse for hours, until I finally drifted off to sleep.

“Dear, your doing it again.” Mother said, snapping me from my revelry.

“Huh? Doing what again?” I said, blinking and causing my mother to start laughing.

“The same thing you always do when you come here.” she finally after she stopped laughing and my cheeks were returning to a normal shade. “You are always so mesmerized by those stars,” she added quietly.

“Well, they’re mesmerizing.” I said lamely, doing my best to not look up again. My mother, who had been standing in the doorway to the kitchen, came and sat down next to me, her magic floating up her own cup of tea.

“So, how are things going for you, Ebony, and Ivory?” she asked, the usual way our conversations began.

“Just fine. Ebony was rather angry last night at dinner, but other than that, things have been dandy.”

Mother gave a sympathetic wince. “Oh, I hope nothing went to wrong. Ebony is such a nice young buck, he just needs to control his temper better.”

I just rolled my eyes. “Yea, things were great. He said a few choice words, smashed a table, then bucked a chair across the room. Other than that, he was fine.”

The mare next to me clicked her tongue. “You really shouldn’t be so hard on him. After all, he is just trying to forge a better life for Ivory.” the, her mind jumping elsewhere and her tone lightening, she continued. “Speaking of Ivory, she sure is a sweet mare.”

At the mention of her name, little white earth ponies started to dance in my mind. “Yea…” I sighed. It was strange how when someone brought her up, she was just Ivory, but when my mother brought her up, she was amazing, beautiful, cute, funny. The list goes on. Maybe I just want my mother to be proud of me. She does seem to like Ivory. Maybe if I-

“So when are you two going to bring me grandfoals?” My mother asked, smiling smugly. My jaw dropped, and I’m pretty sure it hit the floor.

“What? It’s not like- We’re not even- She isn’t even- Wha….?” I was tripping over myself, trying to keep myself from blushing. After about five minutes of me scrambling for what to say, I finally shut my mouth and pressed my face against the cool metal floor to hide my burning face. In doing this, I just caused my mother to laugh harder.

“Why do you hate me?” I asked, adding a tone so that my mother knew I was joking. Even still, she stopped laughing and when I looked up, there was the slightest hint of sadness in her eyes.

“Oh my little Shinning Star, I don’t hate you.” she said as she wrapped her arms around me in a motherly fashion, and making me feel very young, as only a mother’s embrace an do. “And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” She finished by planting a kiss on my forehead at the base of my horn. And just when my face was going back to a normal color, the blush came back with a fiery vengeance.

I shrugged out of my mothers embrace, trying to get my face to its normal color. “Mom, I’m not a little colt anymore, you don’t have to treat me like one.” I said.

“Oh, but you’ll always be my little star.” she cooed.

I rolled my eyes and nodded. “Yes, yes.” then a thought struck me. “What exactly was it you wanted to see me for?” Now, knowing my mother, I’m sure she’ll beat around the bush until she gets me to a point where she has the upper hoof, but I’m catching on-

“I don’t want you joining the Inner Circle.” she said, matter-of-factly. Those words caught in my brain for a second, jamming the gears in my brain and causing a meltdown.

“What?” I said dumbly.

“I don’t want you joining the Inner Circle.” she repeated. This un-jammed my brain enough to get out one coherent thought.

“Why?” My mind was split, with to parts screaming for dominance. One said to do as my mother told me. That’s what your supposed to do, right? Always do as your mother tells you. But the other side was just as strong, saying that if a want to go further in my career, I have to join the Inner Circle. Why wouldn’t I join? If I join, I could do anything. So why didn’t my mother want me to join.

She didn’t seem to have an answer. Her eyes shifted around the room, landing on one thing then the next, but never meeting my eyes, until all at once they snapped back. “I… don’t want you to be around those kinds of ponies.” she said, looking me in the eyes, with a fire glowing in her own. "They’re a bad group and I don’t want you to have anything to do with them.”

Well, that was…. Unexpected, but that’s fine. I will handle this like the mature stallion I am. “Why not?” I whined. In a very stallion like fashion. Yes, there is a way to whine like a stallion. No, I did not look like a colt throwing a tantrum because his mother wouldn’t get him a new toy. That would be absurd and very un-stallion like.

“Dear, stop whining, it’s very unbecoming.” my mom said, as if a was a young foal. “I don’t want you around those ponies in the Inner Circle. They’re a bad influence. I especially don’t want you around High Roller.” That was it? She just didn’t want me to fall under a bad influence?

“That’s…. all?” I said, wondering if there was another reason.

“No, they’re also….” she stopped mid-sentence, her eyes glazing over. This happens to her at times. She would just stop and stare for a minute or so, then would be perfectly normal and pretend nothing happened. I’m not sure what it is, but I think it has something to do with her cutie mark, a magic starburst with a glyph that looked like an open eye. Whenever I asked her about it, she would dodge the topic and act like it never happened.

Instead of coming out of it after a minute or so, this time she just kept staring at the wall behind me. Another minute passed, and still nothing. Then another. Then another. I was starting to get worried. She was never out this long, or as long as I can remember. I was about to leave the room to get help when I heard a sharp inhalation, followed by a sob. Turning around I saw my mother had snapped out of it, whatever it was, and now had tears in her eyes.

“Mom? Are you Ok?” she looked at me, then let out one more controlled sob before wiping her eyes with a hoof.

“Yes dear, I’m fine.” she said as she wiped the last of her spontaneous tears away. “Are you sure you want to join the Inner Circle?” I nodded, and she gave me a sad smile “Then I need you to promise me you’ll do what’s right, ok?” I nodded. “No, I need to hear the words.”

“I promise.” That seemed to reassure her.

“Then come in here, there’s something I need to give you.” she said, then walked into the apartment’s small kitchen.

It was nothing like the kitchen in my suite. It only had a simple sink and refrigerator, with a few cupboards in-between, and a small table. Sitting on the table were my mothers twin automatic pistols. I took in the sleek black metal of the near identical weapons. The only difference was one had a red streak going from the end of the barrel to the hammer, while the other had the same stripe in blue. I didn’t know a lot about weapons, but even with my limited knowledge of weaponry, I knew they were high powered as far as pistols go. My mother had taken me down to maintenance once and taught me how to shoot them. I wasn’t bad, but I couldn’t coordinate both pistols simultaneously like my mother could.

My mother turned to face my, her horn glowing. A small key levitated up in front of her. “ I want you to have this.” she said as my own black glow enveloped the key. I took this moment to study the key. It was smaller than a key for a door, so I guessed it went to a locker or a safe.

“What’s it for?” I asked, not understanding what was going on.

“When it’s important, you’ll know.” I really hate cryptic answers. Would it really have been so hard to say ‘Oh, it’s the key to a safe in B-27.’ No. Instead, I got that. Before I could protest her answer, her horn glowed again. “I also want you to take these.” she said, as the sleek forms of her two pistols floated into view.

Once again, my jaw dropped. “What! I can’t take those! It’s against security for me to even have that knife you gave me!” I yelled, halfway between protest and disbelief. I tried to push the weapons back towards her, but she simply shook her head, and her magic held firm.

“I’ll show you a place to put them where security doesn’t often search.” my mother replied as she levitated the weapons toward me. Now, when she said that, I had thought it would be under or in the tail, of in the crotch area. Instead, I stood there with the weapons masterfully concealed high on each leg, just beneath the shoulder.

“And your sure they wont be noticed?” I said as I stared at the spots on my coat that housed the concealed weapons. The only proof anything was there was the tell-tale bumps in the black fabric.

“Absolutely.” She said with a nod.

“Okaaayy… but why are you giving them to me?” I asked, still unsure about a lot of things.

My mother just gave me a sad smile. (She’s been doing that a lot lately.) “They’re family heirlooms, and I believe it’s time they were passed on.” She said, also staring at where the weapons were. I thought about that, then chose to accept it. Something about all this didn’t sit right with me, but there really wasn’t much I could do. She then muttered something that sounded like ‘take care of him’ but I’m not sure.

“What was that?” I asked.

My mother immediately perked up. “I said take care of them. They’re very old. They take .45 rounds, so you won’t find any ammunition in the Stable other than what’s in the armory, and you don’t have clearance to go in there.” she said. There was a short awkward silence, until I looked at my PipBuck for the time.

“Shoot, I’m late.” I said, doing my best not to let any language that is too colorful flow from my mouth in front of my mother. “Thank you, mom.” I said, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

She wrapped me in a hug. “Goodbye, Shinning Star. Goodluck.” It’s funny, I’m pretty sure, out of all my hundreds of fans, the only one in the Stable that knows and uses my real name is my mother.

The mare in question pulled away, and was looking me in the eyes as sadness filled her own. “You have such beautiful eyes.” she muttered, sounding like she was talking to herself. I shifted awkwardly, then pulled away.

“Bye mom, I’ll come visit tomorrow.” I said as I walked to the door. I paused for a moment, waiting for a reply from the kitchen, but when none came I continued out the door. Turning into the hallway, I began to gallop to the elevators. When I arrived, I hit the call button rapidly. I could not be late today.

After clicking it for the seventeenth time, I heard the elevator ding, and I ran through the door, only to run headlong into somepony, knocking me in the floor. Looking up I saw a large grey earth pony mare with a red mane wearing security armor standing over me. She was huge and heavily muscled, almost as much as Ebony, and looked like she eats ponies for the fun of it. I knew her. She was the head of security, Iron Bonds. It was ironic she had such a kinky name but was such a stuck up bitch who had problems with everypony.

“You better watch it,” she said as she walked around me. “I eat pieces of shit like you for breakfast. I stood up and hit the elevator button, and couldn’t help myself.

“You eat pieces of shit for breakfast?” I said, not even trying to hide my mocking grin, as she turned around and growled. Yes, she growled. But when she set that up perfectly, it was to hard to resist.

Before she could tear me limb for limb with her teeth, the elevator door shut. As the elevator lowered to the Resources level, which was right below Residential, I took a moment to straighten my mane. I needed to look my best.

When the door opened, I stepped out into another large room, not unlike the main room in Residential. There was a door on the wall to my right labeled Hospital and one on my left labeled Security. In front of me was a large metal desk in the shape of a semi-circle, with a door on either side. The one to the left of the desk was labeled Armory, the right labeled Conference Room.

Behind the desk sat a secretary mare, as grey as the walls around her. She didn’t even look up from the terminal on her desk as she tapped an intercom and said in monotone, “Royal Flush to see you mister Roller.”

There was a brief static crackle before a male voice replied, “Send him in.” the secretary mare hit a button on her terminal and the door labeled Conference Room slid open. The secretary didn’t say anything else and went back to typing on her terminal, so I assumed I was supposed to enter.

Inside was another grey room, with a long table in the center. Around the table sat the four remaining Inner Circle members. Stacked Deck, a elderly unicorn mare, and Loaded Dice, a slightly younger earth pony stallion, sat on the right side of the table. On the left side sat Tequila, a young unicorn mare, who appeared to be just a few years older than me. And at the head of the table sat the leader of the Inner Circle and the current Overstallion of Stable 124, High Roller. His golden mane was tucked back perfectly, and his white coat flawless. He was as old as my mother, but could probably pass as a few years older than me.

“Please, sit.” He said, motioning at a chair at the opposite side of the table. I sat down and waited awkwardly as the older ponies looked me over. But I didn’t shy away from their gaze, or squirm in discomfort. I just looked High Roller straight in the eye as he peered at me over crossed hooves. His gaze was unwavering, and I felt it was picking me apart piece by piece, and making me feel very self-conscious. But none of that showed, and after what felt like eternity under that gaze, he spoke.

“I’m sure you know why you have been called here. After Joker’s passing, tradition requires us to find a new member. After much searching, we have decided that that member be you.” I was about to say something, but he raised a hoof to silence me. “Before you say anything, yes, all you have to do now is take the oaths and then eat. But, first, do any members have anything to say?” There was silence. “Good. Are you ready to take your oaths?” I nodded. “Good, let us begin.”

Stacked Deck started, by facing me and saying, “Do you swear to hold secret everything you see and hear behind these doors, and to confide only with the other members of the Inner Circle?”

I took that as my cue to speak up. “Yes, I do.” I said firmly.

Next was Loaded Dice. “Do you swear to uphold the other members of the Inner Circle, holding them above all others, even your family?”

I had problems with this part, but I answered just as firmly. “Yes, I do.”

Then was Tequila. “Do you swear to unquestionably follow the orders of your superiors, without hesitation?”

Again, my answer was firm as stone. “Yes, I do.”

Now High Roller spoke up. “Then all there is now is for you to eat, and you will be excepted.” With a clap of his hooves, a door in the back corner opened and four unicorn chefs came out. One levitated plates and cups into position in front of each member. The next placed cutlery next to the plates, and the final two levitated a large covered silver tray, that was almost the size of me which I assumed contained the main course. What it was that they needed such a massive tray for, I didn’t know.

The first thing I noticed was a pungent smell, one that I’m sure I had smelled before, but never so concentrated, to the point where it smelled bad. I worked hard not to wrinkle my nose as the smell assaulted my nostrils, and the memory of where it came from danced away from my consciousness. The chefs took their leave, retreating back into what I assume was an elevator that came directly up from the kitchen. High Roller was staring at me from across the table, before his horn glowed and a white aura surrounded the serving tray cover. He levitated it away and a stream of steam rolled into the air, revealing that the main course was…

Pony.

There, laying on the tray in front of me was a pony. Skinned, cooked, and complete with an apple stuffed in it’s mouth. The stench assaulted my nostrils with a new force that almost made my eyes water. There, laying in front of me was a dead pony. I could see it was an earth pony from it’s lack of horn, but beyond that, there were no defining features left.

I looked up at the eyes staring at me, then at High Roller, trying to see any sign that this was a joke. A sick, twisted, cruel joke. But he had the perfect poker face, and his eyes gave nothing away. Calmly, he levitated up a large, two-pronged fork and a knife, then began to cut some of the meat away from the back leg. “As the newest member, you get the first piece tonight.” he said, as simply as if he were serving salad. His magic deposited the piece of meat on my plate, and I just looked at it. As I was staring at the hunk of pony in front of me, I could feel four sets of eyes watching me intently, and in that moment, my brain un-jammed enough for me to do one thing. Calmly I leaned forward a little, opened my mouth…

…and puked my guts out all over the table. I was expecting to be scoffed at, but instead I heard a few chuckle. “Yes, that is the reaction of most members.” I looked up at High Roller to see him cutting away pieces for the other members. “Since I can see your about to ask why, let me explain the symbolism of this. Upon entering the Inner Circle, you are better than the other ponies in the Stable. You are higher than them. What better way to show that then by eating them? When you enter, others become simple food sources. So, show that you are fit to be in the Inner Circle by showing that you are above the other ponies in this Stable.”

My head was spinning. This was the price to become the best of the best? Eating other ponies? Did that make sense? Show that you are above them by eating them? No. eating ponies is something you just don’t do… isn’t it? It would be simple. All I would need to do is chew and swallow. Don’t even think about it. Then I would have it all.

“I can see the conflict in your eyes. Let me tell you what happens to what we don’t eat. The select few cooks who are able to know what it is cut it up until it is unrecognizable, then it is sold.” High Roller continued, a glint in his eye. “In fact, if memory serves, you and Ebony Strings have been eating this product once a week for the past three years when you get together at the Shining Lights. So, is it wrong now, now that you know what it is?”

So that’s where I knew the smell from. Every week I got the steak. That made it even easier. It would be just like dinner with Ebony and Ivory. Just bite, chew, swallow. I opened my mouth, but this time words cam out. “W-who?” I said, no strength behind the words.

“Hmm?” High Roller questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“Who?” I asked, a little more firmly.

“Oh. Most of the time it’s criminals, if we’re having a shortage of them, there are times when a Maintenance pony goes missing. This one in particular I believe was a salad chef we just picked out last night. It was her seventh time being late for work in the last month, and our head of security caught her breaking into a suite last night when she should have been at work. Supposedly, she’s been expelled from the Stable and she has already been replaced.”

So that’s what happens to the missing Maintenance ponies. Criminals. Criminals are fine though. They were dead outside the Stable doors anyway. But… no. Salad chef? Late for work? Breaking into a suite? No! That’s a misunderstanding! She wasn’t breaking in! she was doing something for me! She was late because of me too. “No, she wasn’t breaking in. I had her drop my guitar off.” I said quietly, but the room was silent and my words carried.

High Roller raised his eyebrow once more, then said “Yes, it was your suite, wasn’t it.” He then shrugged. “One way or another, she was still slacking in her work. If you really feel like apologizing, she's right in front of you. You might as well benefit from her mistakes.”

Apologizing isn’t going to save her. She’s dead. But her death will put me farther ahead. Once again, I leaned forward, opening my mouth. The other members had already start to it the ghoulish meal. Just bite, chew, swallow. My horn glowed, and before my eyes my the knife and fork at my spot at the table had cut a bit-size piece of meat. I held it at the end of my fork, and slowly brought it up to my mouth. The pungent smell of the meat seamed even stronger, mixed with the smell from the vomit.

I opened my mouth a little more as the morsel of food got closer. Just bite, chew, and swallow. After this I would have anything I wanted. I would be the best of the best. I readied myself to take a bite.

“Promise me you’ll do what’s right.”

My mom’s words floated through my head. “I promise.” I whispered to myself. With those final words, my magic cut out, the fork dropping in front of me. “No.”

The other members stopped eating, as High Roller scowled a little. “What was that?”

“I said, no.” I repeated, with a small scowl of my own.

“What do you mean ‘No.’” High Roller said, his cocky tone building a small anger in me.

“I mean, No, I will not eat this. This isn’t right. Eating ponies? This is wrong. Any filly or colt could tell you that. If this is what I need to do to be part of your group, I don’t want in. No one else will either when they hear about this.” I said as I stood up, knocking my chair over in the process. To my annoyance, High Roller just chuckled.

“I didn’t think you would take this course, but it seems you’ve made your choice.” he said gravely, then he hit the button on the intercom next to his chair. “Security.” he called out, calm as ever.

That cant be good. Any second, security is going to poor through that door behind me. It looks like I'll be improvising. Before I had time to think, I heard the door behind me slide open and I knew it was time to act.

With a magical burst, my horn flipped the large serving tray in front of me, causing it to spill the cooked pony, who’s name I never learned, onto High Roller. In the confusion, I jumped up onto the table, using my magic to swing the large tray behind my, blindly throwing it. I ran to the small elevator in the corner and hit the button. To my surprise, it opened immediately, and I jumped in, the door closing behind me.

There was only one button, so I hit it and felt the elevator shift upwards. Going to the Food Court, just like I thought. While I was in the elevator, I let what I’d seen soak in. The Inner Circle was made up of cannibals. They, in turn, make other ponies cannibals by feeding them pony. They also will take ponies and kill and butcher them. Now, they were after me. What they plan on doing with me, I don’t know. They can’t just make me disappear, everypony in the Stable knows me. They can’t get me for a crime, I have an almost clean record. So what next?

The doors slid open and found me face to face with the kitchens. I’d never been in here before, but I knew the basic layout. There were cooks in white aprons everywhere, preparing food and putting it in ovens. I didn’t have time to take in the scenery as I bolted through the mass of cooks. Some stopped to look at me, but most just kept working.

I ran through the swinging doors at one end of the kitchens and found myself inside the luxurious Shinning Lights. No time to act casual. I ran through the restaurant, gaining many disapproving and questioning glances. I burst through the open doors and ran straight to the elevator. A couple had just walked out of one and I jumped in before the doors could close. As I looked back, I saw three confused looking security ponies trotting out of the fancy restaurant.

I hit the button for Residential. I did my best to calm my racing mind, but not a lot was helping. Taking deep breaths, I planned a course of action. I’ll just go to Residential and talk to Mom. She will know what to do. After all, when you’re scared and confused, who else are you to turn to. I just need to stay collected, and calmly walk to her apartment.

The doors opened and I bolted out, heading straight for C-wing. I reached my mother's room and began to pound on the door.

No answer.

I pushed on the door, and found it was unlocked. Good, she still had to be here. The lights were off. Strange, she usually doesn't go to bed this early. I wound my may across the wall, searching for the light switch. Just as I reached it, I slipped on a patch of sticky liquid. Ok, enough is enough. I switched on the light on my PipBuck and the room was bathed in an amber glow.

If I had anything left in my stomach, I would have puked.

In the amber light cast from my PipBuck, I could see my mother, lying in a spreading pool of her own blood. And her blood was all over my side. I looked at her, tears in my eyes. There was a long cut from between her back legs that stopped at her chest, and to my horror and disgust, I could see grey organs falling half out of her body. There was my mother, dead. No, not just dead. Butchered. Murdered. In the faint light, I could make out the hilt of an old combat knife buried in her chin. My telekinetic field wrapped around the hilt, and I slowly pulled the knife from her skull.

With a sick wet sound, it was free, and I brought it closer to examine it. Sure enough, it was my knife. Someone had taken it and used it to butcher my mother, but who? And why?

*click*

My thought was interrupted by a click and a flash that I knew too well, and for the first time, I noticed the shadow in the doorway. Turning, I saw the hulking shape of the Head of Security. “I always knew I would get you for something, I just never thought it would be the murder of your own mum.”

*** *** ***

How did everything go so wrong? I was at the top! I was the best of the best! I had fans flocking to me. I had mares swooning over me. I was performing at prime time every night, eating at fine restaurants. Now?

Now, I was sitting in a prison cell in Security, abandoned and alone and framed for the murder of my mother.

I couldn’t argue. Iron Bonds had a picture of me, covered in my mother’s blood sitting over her body with a bloody knife wrapped in my magic. I had tried to explain, but it was my word against photographic evidence.

So now I sat, my head leaning against the cool metal walls of my grey prison. Any tears I had had left me long ago. Now I just ached. I ached for my mother, knowing that I would never be able to sit and talk to her, never hear her tease me about how Ivory and I would have such beautiful foals.

But it didn’t matter, because I was going to die anyway. I would be killed, cooked and eaten. No one would care. The entire Stable thinks I’m a murderer. High Roller made a personal announcement to everypony on the casino floor. So now I was alone.

I heard the door to the containment area open, and I didn’t even need to look to know it was Iron Bonds. “So, what’s it like, being a murderer?” she taunted.

“I didn’t murder her!” I growled back.

“That’s not what the evidence says.”

“I don’t give a shit about the evidence! Why would I murder my mom?” I said, standing up to face her.

“That isn’t my problem.” she said, giving me a blank look.

I sighed, arguing with her wasn’t getting me anywhere. After a moment of silence, and idea came to my head. “Iron, I need you to listen to me. I know you won’t believe me, but you need to know this.”

The mare turned to face me, raising an eyebrow. “I’m listening.”

“The Inner Circle. They’re cannibals. All of them. They kidnap ponies and kill them and eat them. Then they give the remains for other ponies to eat.” I said, in the most serious tone I could to show here this wasn’t a joke. She looked at me hard, before she burst out laughing. “I’m serious!” She just laughed harder.

After she got done laughing, she wiped her tears and gave me a vicious smile. “You think I don’t know that, kid? I wasn’t joking when I said I eat little shits like you for breakfast.” So that was it then. She knew. Who else knew? How deep did the corruption run. Who could I trust knew and didn’t know? I was about to say something when the large earth pony continued. “Oh, and before you get any funny ideas about telling anypony, I want you to think about it, because they’ll be the next one on the dinner plate.”

So that’s it. I sat down, lowering my head in defeat. What did it matter anyway. I’m going to die tomorrow anyway. Or as the Inner Circle put it, ‘be released’, so it really didn’t matter at all.

I don’t know how long I sat there moping, but I was brought back to reality by the sound of the door sliding open. I looked up from my hooves to see Ivory and Ebony standing on the other side of the metal bars. By the way Ivory had her hair up in a fancy bun, and Ebony was wearing a suit. I guessed they just got out of a concert. “What are you to doing here?” I asked, my voice little more than a broken whisper.

Ebony didn’t even blink as he responded, “Ivory wanted to come see you.” Ivory, on her part, just looked at me, sadness practically dripping from her eyes. I suppose I wasn’t much of a sight. My entire left side was covered in the dry blood of my mother, and it would probably never wash out of the suit.

I saw tears brimming on Ivory’s eyes, and I had to speak up. “Ive, I didn’t do it.” I said, using Ebony’s pet name for her. “I didn’t kill my mother,”

She just began to cry more. “I know. I don’t know who did, but I know it wasn’t you. Its just… She was always the mother Ebony and I never had, and now she’s gone too.” she said, tears flowing freely. “And I don’t want to see you go.” Now she was crying so hard, she could barely talk. I stood and walked over to her, and did my best to hug her through the iron bars of my cell.

“It’s ok.” I cooed, not unlike the way my mother used to sooth me. “I’m just being expelled from the Stable. I’m sure whatever’s out there, I’ll be perfectly fine.” Ebony, who had been silently looking away, snorted in disgust.

“They’re no going to release you.” he grumbled. “Your going to be publicly executed.” Well… I knew I was going to die, but I had thought I was going to die in secret. Instead I was going to die with the whole Stable watching and scorning me. Fan-fucking-tastic.

“Then I guess I’ll die.” I said grimly.

“But I don’t want you to!” Ivory burst out, her tears running own my shoulder. “Even if you were expelled, I would know there was hope that you would be alive. But this way, you’ll just be dead.” Ivory wanted me alive. Even though I was accused of murder and covered in blood. When I thought about it, my mother would want me to live too. A small voice whispered in my mind that she wouldn’t want me to die. She would want me to live on, even if it meant leaving the Stable behind.

As I sat there, I felt a weight against my chest. The guns! I still had them. My mother had been right when she said security never checks there. As I held Ivory, a plan began to form in my head. I looked around, then began to whisper urgently into Ivory’s ear. When I was done, she nodded, then gave my a souvenir. Then she and Ebony made their way to the door and left.

This plan of mine was crazy, but with the right amount of luck, it could work.

*** *** ***

Picking locks isn’t a skill most ponies know. That is, unless those ponies have a lot of time on their hooves and really wonder why those perfectly good looking drinks are locked up. So, it was a small coincidence that I knew the age old skill of lock picking. With the bobby pin I had gotten from Ivory, I only had one chance.

With a click, the door swung open on well oiled hinges. I stowed the bobby pin for future use, then snuck to the door. I hit the button, and it slid open. Through the door was the main room for security, which was more of an area they went to sleep and eat in private. There was a coach, a radio, and some chairs, all gathered in a circle. I saw one security pony sitting in a chair, but when I stopped and froze, I realized he was asleep.

I slunk to the door, which would lead out into the main annex for Resources. I hit the button and the door opened with a hiss. I peered around the room, which was abandoned at this time of night. I snuck over to the secretaries desk, and stared at the terminal. Hacking, on the other hoof, is something I don’t know how to do. Luckily, the secretary had stayed logged in.

I hit a button on the terminal, and the armory door slid open. Before anypony came down the elevator, I ran into the room and shut the door behind me. I had never been in the armory, I didn’t have the clearance, so I was taken off guard by the rows and rows of weapons on one wall, along with the boxes and boxes of ammunition crates on the other. I looked around and spotted what I needed.

In the corner there was a cabinet full of security barding and helmets. Not wanting to leave behind my mother’s gift, ruined as it was, I put the barding on over my black suit. It was a bit heavier than I would have liked, but I would live. Next I took off my cowpony hat, and replaced it with a security helmet. Not sure what else to do with my hat, I opted to stuff it in my barding. It might be a little wrinkled, but at least I would have it.

The next order of business was set against the far wall. I scanned the boxes of ammunition, until I found one labeled .45. I promptly opened it and stuffed every pocket I had full of the ammunition clips stored inside. After I deemed each pocket was suitably full, I shut the box.

I glanced around the armory once more, and I was tempted to take one of the shotguns off the wall. I shook my head, dismissing the thought. If everything goes as planned, I wouldn’t need it. Besides, it would draw to much attention. However, I did notice that there was a small holster for a pistol on the chest plate of the armor, so I took out one of my mothers pistols, the one with the blue stripe, and slid it into the holster.

Looking over myself, I decided I was ready as I would ever be. The security barding was a little restraining, but surprisingly enough I found I could still go through a full range of motion. That will come in handy if this plan goes bad.

I trotted to the door, and peeked out. The main lobby was still empty, so I went strait to the elevators, walking with my best security strut.

Inside the elevator, I let the charade drop. The only way I had hope of living was to get out of the Stable. Anywhere in the Stable, security could find me through the tracking feature on my PipBuck. So I had to leave. The only way out, is through the Stable door. To get there, I would have to get through the Casino Floor, the most populated and most guarded place in the Stable.

The doors slid open, and I immediately stiffened, standing with the same heir of superiority that most security guards walked with. As usual, the Casino floor was packed with ponies, even at the late hour. This is around the time many of the night shift ponies are just getting off work, and coming to try getting lucky, or to acquire a bit of a buzz before going to sleep.

My eyes shifted to the door that led to the Stable exit, and I was surprised to see two guards stationed on either side. That was a problem. This whole plan would grind to a halt if I couldn’t get past them. Think Royal, think! I looked around the room, trying to find some way past the guards. My eyes kept returning to the window to the Overstallion’s office, the room light was off, High Roller likely already retiring to his own suite. Something was nagging at the back of my mind. My eyes returned to the security ponies standing next to the door. If only there was a secret way past….

Of course! Everpony in the Stable has heard the rumors of a secret passage from the Overstallion’s office to the Stable door. All I needed to do, was get into the unguarded Overstallion’s office, find if there really is one, then I could take that to the Stable door.

I glanced at the other security ponies patrolling the room, and slowly started walking to the Overstallion’s office, keeping the same stride that says ‘I’m superior and I know it.’ The combination of the security barding and the act let me get to the door leading up to the Overstallion’s office without anyone questioning me, or even giving a second glance.

I calmly hit the open button, and started walking up the staircase inside. As soon as the door closed behind me, I made a break for the top of the staircase. I needed to hurry, any second a security pony could just glance into the detainment area and see that I was not there. At the top of the staircase, there was a hallway that lead to a single door. There was no one around, so I headed straight for the door.

I hit the button next to it, and to my annoyance, it just clicked. I suppose I should have realized it would be locked, but my mind lapsed on the topic. I sighed and pulled the bobby pin from my mane and slipped it into the lock. I slowly started to turn the tumblers. They slowly started to turn…

*snap*

Damnit! I slammed my hoof against the door as the bobby pin broke. I looked over my shoulder at the hall behind me. There wasn’t anypony behind me, but I still was on a timetable. With no other options, I wrapped my magic around the tumbler. In theory, I should be able to force the lock, but as momma always said, there’s theory and then there’s reality. I focused my magic on turning the tumblers, and to my relief, I heard the lock click, followed by the door opening.

I darted inside, and shut the door behind me. I was about to turn on the light, but I thought better of it. I turned on my PipBuck light, and began searching around the room. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for. A button, a switch, lever. A random part of the wall that looked different. I’d take anything right now.

After searching the walls of the room, I moved on to the half circle desk in the center of the room, the desk chair right in front of the window. I searched the drawers, but only found clipboards detailing the gains and losses of the Casino Floor. After thoroughly searching every part of the desk for any sign of an escape, and finding nothing, I decided any hope of escape lied in the one place I hadn’t checked yet. The terminal on the desk, glowing in a soft green light. Which was probably locked. And I can’t hack terminals.

I hit the power button, and sure enough a lock screen popped up. I stared at it for a moment, trying my best to remember anything I’d ever heard about hacking computers. I remember, one night when we where having dinner, Ivory had been talking about knowing how to hack terminals. Why she knew, I have no idea. I’d asked her about it, and she just gave a flirty smile and said ‘I have my reasons.’

Anyway, I digress. She had said first you need to hook your PipBuck up to the computer. I started looking for a way to hook up my PipBuck. There was something that looked like a-

*click*

I stared up, shock plane on my face as my eyes adjusted to the new source of light. Standing in the doorway, one hoof on the light switch, was a huge mare in security armor.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here.” Iron Bonds taunted, enunciating clearly around the small SMG held in her mouth. I’m no weapons genius, but even I knew that SMGs spray a lot of rounds, really fast. Luckily, I happened to be standing behind the only cover in the room.

“According to Stable laws, I’m supposed to bring you back to jail.” She continued, a devilish smile on her face. “Of course, if you were to resist arrest, there would be a completely different option.” I really didn’t like where this was going.

I was about to say something in reply, but by some chance of luck, I noticed a slight twitch of her jaw and something inside me told my to hit the ground. I didn’t stop to question it as I ducked behind the grey metal desk. Sure enough, the space I had just occupied not half a second ago was filled with lead, the SMG ratatatating with each round, pinging of the reinforced glass behind me.

With no other options, I hesitantly levitated my moth- no, I needed to stop thinking of them as that- my pistol out of its holster, pulling back the slide and chambering a round. SMGs shot bullets fast, so that means it would need to be reloaded any second now. I heard the gun click empty, so I steeled myself and sprang to my feet, slipping into the cool haven of S.A.T.S. Time slowed to a crawl, as numbers popped up pointing at various parts of Iron Bonds’ body. I marked four shots aimed at her head, and was about let the targeting spell go, but I hesitated.

I couldn’t kill her. Well, I could. It would be easy. All I had to do was release the spell, and I would pump four .45 rounds into her skull. I wouldn’t ever have to worry about her again. Never have to think that she would be right behind me, watching my every step. I could do it. It would be easy.

Mercy

The word bounced around my head as I stared at the mare in front of me, moving in slow-motion, still in the process of reloading. No. I couldn’t kill her. Sure she is a total bitch, and yea, she’s trying to kill me, but I couldn’t just kill her. I canceled the four shots, and instead targeted them at the SMG and released the spell.

The results were immediate. The pistol shots where quiet, almost sounding muffled. But sound or not, the bullets stayed true, and they slammed into the SMG one after another, the third knocking it into the jaws of its owner, and the fourth punching a whole strait through it. Shock ran across her face, followed by a grim smile.

“So that’s how you want to play.” She growled, before charging at me. I didn’t have time to think, didn’t have time to act. I tried slipping into S.A.T.S. but the damn spell had to recharge. The only thing I could do was back up against the window, as the huge security mare jumped over the desk, landing in front of me and pivoting on two hooves, before bucking me square in the chest.

Once again, immediate results. You see, earth ponies have this damn habit of being very strong, and when you get one the size of Ebony or, in this case, Iron Bonds, they can buck really hard. I ended up slamming into the window, which had been weakened by the SMG bullets hitting it, and obviously that combined with the stress of a pony hitting it is too much. The window shattered, and I fell into the room beyond.

Instead of hitting the hard metal ground, I hit a hard metal table. The impact knocked the wind out of me, and I’m pretty sure I might have cracked a rib, so I just lay there, gasping for air like a sea-pony out of water while dozens of ponies stared at me, or up at Iron standing in the remains of the shattered window. There was a moment of complete silence. That is, until Iron Bonds started yelling to the other guards. “Security! Kill the murdering scum!”

With the silence broken, absolute chaos spread across the room. Ponies started to panic, many running for the elevators, trying to all cram into them. Through the crowd I could see security ponies approaching, many with metal batons, and a few wielding small arms, such as pistols. I took that as my cue to run.

I flailed around on the table until I slipped off it. I rolled to my hooves and searched franticly for my pistol. I spotted it under the table I landed on, and scooped it up in my magic and placed it in it’s holster. I decided it would be wise to attempt to blend into the crowd. That is, until I realized I was wearing full security barding, and I wouldn’t blend well at all.

Option two: run straight to the door. That sounded like a good plan. I ran (which was more of a limp, since my side felt like it had been hit with a sky wagon [or at least, I assume that’s what getting hit by a sky wagon would feel like. I had never seen one outside of the grainy pictures in books, much less been hit by one.]), to the door, opposite of the direction the crowd was running. I kept my head low, and, to my surprise, most of the guards were struggling to find me in the crowd.

As I pushed my way through the last ponies in the panicked crowd, I realized two things. One, I still had half of the Casino Floor to run through before I was out, and two, the guards were still at the door. And they had guns. Great.

I kept running though, a plan slowly forming in my mind. I could hear Iron Bonds screaming for my blood above the screams of the panicked casino goers. There were the rare moments when a bullet would ricochet off something near me, and as I drew close the guards turned their guns on me. It’s now or never.

My horn Began to glow, and I closed my eyes. I surged magical power through my horn, and there was a bright flash that I could see through my eyelids, followed by yelps of pain from the guards. My eyes popped open, and I could see the security ponies lying on the floor, clutching their eyes. That last spell was a party favor I had learned the hard way from teaching myself to do my own light shows. Surge too much magic power into a light spell, and it has a tendency to overreact, and leave anypony with their eyes open stunned, and possibly blinded for a few seconds, which is just enough time for me to race past the guards, hit the button on the door and run through.

The door slammed shut behind me, and I kept racing down the hallway. At the end was another door, and once I opened it. I shot the door control on this side, reducing it to slag. That should stall them. Jumping through, I shut the door, and for good measure, slid a tool cabinet into the doorway.

I turned around, and there before me was the massive metal door of Stable 124. It was in the shape of a huge gear, with a giant mechanism to slide the door out of the way. I ran to the control panel, panting for breath and wishing my side didn’t ache so much. I checked behind it, and was delighted to see Ivory and Ebony didn’t let me down. There was a simple pair of saddlebags, full of medical supplies and food. I was even quite amused, and very happy, to see that they had managed to strap my guitar case under the right saddlebag.

I slipped on the saddlebags, and saw something else underneath. A recording tape. I levitated it to my PipBuck, plugging it in and downloading the message. After it was done, I put the tape into my new saddlebags. A pounding on the door made me realize I still needed to hurry, so I hit the button on the door controls, and the mechanism began to buzz to life. The air was soon filled with the shriek of metal on metal, followed by a thud as the door was rolled away.

The tunnel beyond the door was a dark rock tunnel, lit only by what light poured through the open doorway. I stood in the doorway, and glanced back behind me, just once. I was now leaving everything I knew behind. Everyone I knew. About to head off into an unknown world, rumored to be filled with horrors a plenty, or even just a black void. I swallowed once, the pounding and the yelling coming from the other side of the broken door pushing me forward.

I stepped out, onto the rocky floor of the tunnel. There was another control panel on this side of the door, and I hit the same button I hit on the last one. The mechanism whirled to life once more, and the grinding of metal drowned out the sound of a torch cutting through the broken door. With one last final thud, I was left in darkness.

My PipBuck glowed to life, and I started walking. I didn’t look back. Not once. I kept walking. And walking. And walking. I walked for what felt like hours, but was probably only half of one, before the tunnel finally ended. I could see a wooden door, rotting on rusted hinges. I steeled myself for whatever was out there, and pushed the door open.

My flank hit the dirt ground and I let out a low whistle.

“This is one helluva stage.”

Footnote: Level up

New Perk: No Clover Required - You were truly born under a lucky star. You gain a permanent +2 in Luck

(Thank you to Kkat for creating the amazing world of Fallout: Equestria so that I, and many other authors, could mess with it. Thank you to No One, for letting me use Caledonia, which will show up in the next chapter. If you haven’t read Fallout Equestria: Heroes, I’d suggest you go read it, mainly because it’s a good story, but also so you understand the setting. And last but not least, the man you’ve all been waiting for, thank you to Donutsforthewin, for Pre-reading, editing, and revising the mass of words I send him and organizing them into a readable story. Since I don’t believe you have enough to read, I’ll also tell you to read his story Fallout Equestria: Paragon.)