Foe Beatnik Chapter 1: Home.
Chapter: 1 Home.
"Celestia wants this stable dead Tram. And I Intend to defy her."
Home.
What is Home? What... do you, consider home? Is it where your family is? Is it where you feel safe? happy? comfortable? Or is it just where you keep your possessions? Well, if all these apply, then in every case, Vault 84 is my home.
“ach! Ew!”
I opened my eyes and shot up in my bed, I quickly looked around my room.
“Water. Water. Water.”
I saw a glass of the liquid life on my night stand and quickly grabbed it with my hooves, I then put the glass up to my muzzle and began to sip it into my mouth.
*Swish.* *Swish.* *Gulp.*
I tasted my mouth and to my delight, the gross taste of my own breath had been purged by the healing powers of water. I swear the only reason I even wake up in the morning is because I can't stand the taste of my own mouth for more than 8 hours.
Annah in Medical tells me it's a genetic thing, that my mouth just gets dry when I sleep. Unfortunate? Maybe. but Nothing an ice cold Carrot Cola can't fix… speaking of which.
I rolled sluggishly out of bed and walked over to my cooler, expertly stepping over loose Clothes and trash as I mosied on over to it.
I opened the cooler lid and sifted around…
“Bingo” I whispered to myself as I pulled out the glass bottle.
“Get into mouth you!” I commanded the bottle as i pressed it to my mouth
Jeez unicorns were lucky, It may sound lazy but using your hooves to open bottle caps, just isn't easy. I placed a hoof on the bottle and started to press on it, with enough pressure and a little twist, it came off with a satisfying Pop.
My mood lightened as the cold burn hit my mouth and crawled down my throat, the yummy carroty taste was nice. I pulled it down and exhaled.
“ahh.. good morning Stable 84.”
My room was nice. Sure I didn't keep the cleanest room, but I was no slob. I had a bed and nightstand.. ok everypony had those. But I bought my own cooler! And I even had some posters, I turned my head behind me to look at the poster above my bed, one of a beautiful mare holding a Carrot Blaster,
“Zap that thirst.” Was the tag line written on it, catchy to be honest. “Oh what i'd do to have a life sized version of that Sex pistol. And the gun looks cool too! Hehe!”
I chuckled to myself as I walked over to my dresser, a photo of my parents rested on top of it. They had white coats like mine, I didn't just get the color coat either, both my parents had thick haired coats, blessing and a curse for me really, I do tend to sweat a bit more than most ponies.. but it is nice to never need a blanket, but even though both my parents were pegasi, I didn't get the wings. *sigh* guess celestia just didn't need another pegasus.
After slipping on my suit, I was ready to start my day. It's stupid. In the morning I wake up, get dressed, walk to the shower bay, get undressed, shower, redress than walk all the way back here to wait until my shift was up. I need a new schedule, Life in Stable 84 isnt bad, but it gets tedious at times.
I wonder to myself a lot, “We've been in this stable for such a long time. Why are we still here? Wasn't our goal to repopulate equestria or something?” I'm always up for repopulating haha.. *sigh*
After brushing my mane and pulling some brown hair out of my brush, which is a lot harder than it sounds with hooves, trust me, I officially looked like.. well, Me. Good ol’ me.
I was happy with how I looked, I wasn't exactly a Mare killer or anything, but I like to think i'm pretty average. I'm tall, not freakishly or anything, just a bit above average.
I have a brown Mane that goes down to my lower neck, and my eyes are brown as well. Ah yes.. almost forgot. My cutie mark.. Such a weird one, no one in the stable’s seen anything like it.
A saw with a violin bow being dragged over it, No my talent isn't destroying instruments. Apparently.. i'm really good at *Playing* the saw, like an instrument.
I was never Too happy with it, but it could be worse, I could have something really dumb, like a pipbuck or something.
I walked over to the mirror and peered at myself “Looking good sexy” it's good to compliment yourself. Right? After making sure I looked presentable, I walked over to my door and press the Activate button.
*Woosh!*
The door slid up and disappeared into the ceiling, I always wondered why we didn't just use regular doors, did these just.. look cool?
Then again though, I suppose these are regular doors. I've never used any other kind, I just know from school that ponies had these push and pull doors, they weren't even automatic! They were *manwell* Doors, or whatever the pre war ponies called them.
As I stepped out of my room, I heard a familiar mare's voice, “Hey Tram!” my ears twitched in that direction and soon I was face to face with the one and only, Annah.
Gosh she was cute, not drop dead gorgeous, but just the way she carried herself, so nice, so sophisticated, so… And she was on fire. No not her, something under her.
“hey uh.. what the hell is that?” I asked looking at the burning paper on the ground, she responded in that same classy voice, “Isn't it beautiful? Isnt fire just so.. Vibrant!”
When I was.. of age for.. you know, Annah was actually number one on my list, she'd always liked me, we've always been.. not friends but, acquaintances. Close acquaintances.
I’d considered asking her out but, I never worked up the nerve, plus i'll never forget what my old man told me. Dont. Stick your dick. In crazy. And not to be mean, but… Annah was nuts.
Not in the, “oh i'm so random” way. No. In the, “i will fucking cut you!” way. Did I mention Annah was a surgical pony in medical? I think she enjoyed her job a little too much.
Even when she’d lose a patient, it never seemed to have much affect on her. I always just assumed she was so professional that she didn't let emotions affect her at work. But when a mare operates on her own father, and than comes out smiling on a failed surgery? It tells you a bit about them.
“Uh.. yah I guess? Are you sure that's safe?” I asked her with a bit of nervousness, starting fires isn't exactly liked by security ponies, and I don't want to end up with a broken leg.
“Psh It's TOTALLY safe. And if you get burned, i'll promise to patch you up myself!”
she put a hoof to her fluffy chest and smiled as she said this, her wings stretching out a bit, she also stood up all the way, exercising her good posture and subsequently looking over me. She was a bit taller than me, and super tall for a normal mare. Annah’s eyes widened a bit as she stomped her hoof onto the small fire she started.
Well great. I now knew what sizzling pony smelled like. I winced as I saw her do this, “What the fu-” I was cut off by Annah yelling, “Hello Cherry Top! So good to see you!”
I looked behind me,and sure enough there stood Cherry Top, the Security guard of section C, Cherry was cute, she had dark pink hair and light pink fur, hence the name. Like a cherry with another cherry on top.
She was a good security pony too, never gotten any probation, or a misconduct charges, but she also was a good.. normal pony, you'd think most civilian ponies would be reluctant to hang out with a pony who could put them in jail right? But, no!
Well. not with cherry at least, but even though she was nice and friendly, I doubt she’d take Annahs ‘Art display’ lightly.
Cherry sighed as she said, “ hello Annah. Why is your hoof smoking?” she asked like she already knew the answer. Annah had been caught starting fires about 2 times already, another time and it was 2 days in the jail cell.
Annah laughed as she said, “What could you possibly mean? Oh this? Psh.. this is.. nothing.” I couldn't tell if she was laughing out of humor, or crying from the pain in her hoof.
Cherry face hoofed and said in an annoyed voice, “uhg.. not today.. not today.” she walked off grumbling to herself, Must of been a long night, Evidenced by the bags under her eyes, she's a night guard, meaning she sleeps during the day and patrols at night, I think she needed a day or, well, night off.
Second she was out of sight, Annah let out a loud “OWIE!” and lifted her hoof to see the damage, her once Blue coated bottom hoof was no longer coated, Nor Blue.
Her skin was showing, and not even the regular pinkish color of pony skin, it looked bad. Blood red and bubbling. “Ew! Yuck!” I said as I jumped a bit and backed into the wall, seeing the pained look in her eyes, I realized what I said was less than sympathetic, I quickly did damage control.
“uh I mean, are you ok?” smooth tram.. real smooth. She gave me a, ‘no i'm not ok’ look. I had the feeling “yuck” and “ew” aren't the best things to say to a mare who just hurt herself.
Annah rolled her eyes and said in a daunting tone “Uhg. Great. I'm gonna have to heal up my hoof now. Well.. I guess on the bright side, it shouldn't take more than 2 hours.”
She examined the bottom of her right hoof, “wait. I'm right hooved! Crap. 4 hours.” she looked down at me and said “oh yah did you hear about the meeting coming up tomorrow?”
what? What meeting. I don't recall hearing about a meeting. “uh what?” I said with a slight worry, I mean her hoof was smoldering, and she wanted to talk about a meeting?
“yep whole stables gotta go, it's in the Stable’s central hub, apparently Lave-.. I mean, the new overseer is going to address everyone there”
her expression saddened bit, “first time she's addressed the general population since her father passed. I was the one who operated on him. I.. I did my best.”
I felt bad. Not guilty.. but, Annah was trying to confide in me, and I had no idea what to say.
“uhm, Hey look, we all make mistakes. Now go.. Go fix your hoof silly.”she grimaced, I could tell that's not what she wanted to hear.
After a moment, she nodded and slowly walked down the hall, she left the pile of ash in front of my door. With a quick tailwhip, it was dissipated into the air.
“hehe. Fuck you dust.”
I walked up the hallway and took a right, I was going towards the central hub, as I approached the central hub door, I could hear the chattering voices inside grow louder and louder, as the door shot up, I got the full extent of noise that only 400 ponies talking could make.
I never liked the hub, was always so crowded. Looking around the room I saw the good old stage. The same stage Mr. Tandi would give his overseer speeches on, the same stage I graduated on, hell. The same stage my parents had their funerals on. It was the only part of the room I liked, Had sentimental value to me, but I imagine that was the same for a lot of other ponies.
I looked around for the door marked, ‘Water purifier/bathing’ I looked over to my right and trotted off. As I left the hub behind me, the voices were replaced with the sounds of running water, “ahh.. shower time, The best part of my day.”
As I opened the door to the bathing area, I saw the mare door, and the stallion door, pretty obvious which one I belonged in. As I walked through the door, I saw other stallions bathing themselves under the shower heads, there were exactly 20 shower heads, and luckily, only about 4 other bucks in here.
As I began walking to a vacant part of the shower room, I heard a familiar voice call over to me. “Hey! Tram!” I looked to my right, and what I saw was the naked Deer body of my best friend, Doe. Yes doe. Apparently his family were very fond of deer, specifically female ones.
“Hey buddy! When did you get moved to bathe time 2?” I asked happily, it was good to see him, even if it was in the hot foggy shower room, ever since we both turned 20 and got our jobs, we didn't see each other as much.
He got stuck in Maintenance, while I got biology Teacher. Hey at least I didn't have to work with toilet water.
Doe looked at me and grinned, “Ever since I got PROMOTED TO HEAD OF MAINTENANCE! BOO YA MUTHA FUCKA!” he yelled with glee, earning a “quiet down!” from another stallion a few shower heads away.
He rubbed his neck and gave a quick “Sorry! Just excited!” he looked at me happily,“You still stuck teaching kids what Grass looks like?” he said snarkily.
“Hey! How are we supposed to grow food if we don't know herbology?” I said trying to muster some pride.
Ill admit it. Herbology may not be so important when we have a slight lack of.. well dirt, And plants… herbology sucks.
He gave me a “hehe whatever man” and went back to washing his blue mane, I decided to actually start taking my shower, I placed my hoof on the button and applied pressure, as the warm water came out I looked over at doe.
“Hey, have you heard about some meeting tomorrow?”
the warm water felt good on my coat, I always loved the feeling of warm water on my thick coat, felt almost orgasmic haha.
“Meeting? Yah I heard about it. But probably not what you heard.”
Doe looked around, before continuing in a quieter voice.
“Being head of maintenance doesn't just come with a new title and paycheck, I also get classified info. Me, Cherry top, Tasmo, and Ms.Tandi all met last night in her office, she said the stable could be in big trouble. She didn't go any farther than that though, we mostly just discussed that we all need to set good examples and keep the peace through tough times. I won't lie, i'm worried. She seems like a nice mare, but can she really replace her father? No if you ask me.”
he said continuously looking around, making sure no one else heard, he than went back to washing his orange chest.
Well shit, What does that even mean? ‘the Stables in trouble?’ do we have another STD outbreak? Or maybe a food shortage? Celestia forbid the generators were no longer working.. My interests were officially peaked now, but I guess i'll find out tomorrow.
“Hey guess what bud? After the meeting yesterday, me and cherry totally boned.”
Doe said confidently, giving me a pervish laugh afterwards, my jaw dropped.
“What? No way. Your joking.”
I didn't believe him, cherry wasn't gonna put out that easy.. right?
“no joke dude. Totally did. Got a scratch to prove it, she accidently nicked me with her horn, you know how sharp those things can be? Jeez.”
He turned to me and pointed to his chest, sure enough there was a little cut right next to his right front leg. I didn't want to believe it, Doe. Doe! Doe seriously got laid before I did? Come on Celestia! Throw me a bone here! Literally!
I was honestly impressed though, cherry was a nice catch, even if I was jealous, I congratulated him.
“Nice job dude.” and I offered him a hoof bump
That's something I liked about Doe, if he had one rule, it was to never leave a hoof hanging. He punched my hoof and a loud *Clop* sound echoed in the shower room, the same stallion beforehand said in a harsher tone.
“Jeez will both of you shut up?!”
Me and Doe exchanges looks and gave him a quick, “Sorry” in unison. After a few minutes of silent washing, Doe turned off his water and said,
“Well about time I go report to work, see you around Tram”
He grabbed a towel and began to walk out of the shower room, as he pushed the door button I said,
“Yah later buddy”
and just like that he left, I stayed quiet for the duration of my shower, when I was done, I turned off my water, and went to grab a towel.
“Crap. They're out.”
I was pretty bummed, I loved the warm towels, so fuzzy yet smooth. Whatever, guess i'll be air drying today. I walked over to the door and pushed the button twice, a moment later the vent above the door began spewing out warm air at a huge rate, think of it as a giant full body hoof dryer.
Once i'd been fully blown, hehe. Blown. I re-dressed, and began walking back down the hall to the hub. After walking through the room of noisy ponies I went through the door marked. ‘Schooling and personnel’ I still had 20 mins till my day started, as I walked down the hall, the noisiness behind me got replaced with the noisiness in front of me.
Kids, kids everywhere were yelling and laughing with each other, I looked around and saw the door to my classroom. That's how it worked, the extent of the school was a long hallway with many doors, 3 of each subject, all with 1 teacher, we had about 12 subjects. But I don't remember them all, lets see.. there's history, herbology, Kinesiology, math, equestrian, and.. science? Eh there's more but I only need to remember one subject anyway.
Each subject had 3 teachers, one for younger kids, one for older kids, and one for troubled or *special* kids, I luckily got older kids. Well not really kids, teens, there 14 by the time they get to me. I used to teach the young ones, but it wasn't for me so I requested to move up.
As I walked into my class I saw the same old desk, chair, and terminal I work at. Sitting in the chair, I open my drawer and pulled out a magazine labeled. “fashion and more fashion”
I wasn't big on fashion, but it was something to read, and that's how I spent the next 20 mins of my free time before my first set of students piled in, ready to learn about.. plants. Yay botanist, aren't you the greatest job ever..
Jeez I though the day would never end, Today, like most days was pretty uneventful, I taught kids how plants eat from the sun, pretty hard since none of us had ever actually seen the sun, just pictures in books. It's also pretty hard too keep students interested in something they'll never use.. well, hopefully not never.
When we finally migrate from the stable and go out into equestria, there's a small chance it could be a few days until we find some naturally growing plants, and more importantly, edible ones. They'll thank me then.
Once I got home, I prepared myself some food, ate said food and then began to lay down. My head pounded, and my eyes hurt, I was having trouble sleeping to be quite honest, I think it was effecting my mood. Maybe.. maybe I should see medical about that, but I don't wanna bother them, they have bigger shit to deal with. I closed my eyes and stared at the back of my eyelids for a long while.. the last thought to cross my mind was, “I wonder what that meeting is about.”
I awoke in the middle of the night to a slight pounding on my door, uhg.. no. Why.. i contemplated pretending not be home. But that wouldn't of worked. Where else would i be?
I looked to the door and rolled out of my comfy bed, i walked over to the door and pushed the button.
“i swear if thi-” *Whoosh* My eyes went wide “uh. Uhm. Oh uh.. Hello Ms.Tandi”
There she was, the new overseer of the whole vault standing right before my eyes, Before she was Ms. Tandi, she was just.. Levete, shy,cute, levete. I remember seeing her in class with me while i was growing up. Ponies think having a security pony for a parent is bad for your social status, but the OVERSEER as your dad? That's not good for your image..
I awaited a response and didn't get one, “Long time no see levete?” she didn't respond again, She didn't look right either, her mane.. usually prim and properly brushed looked knotted and shambled, her vault suit looked faded and stained, as if she'd been wearing it non stop for a while, she looked around, making sure no one else was in the hall. She looked at me and said in a riled voice.
“It's ms. Tandi to you. Mr. Tailfeather. Let's be adults. May i come in?”
I was stunned, the overseer wanted to talk to me in private? I hope it's good.. maybe I won the best teacher ever reward?
“Uh yeah sure, um i mean. Yes you may”
I stepped back and gestured inside my room, as she stepped in, i could see there were rips in the butt of her vault suit, i did my best not to look. She looked around and recoiled a bit, she saw my chair and decided it'll do and she took a seat.
“you have the room comparable to a child, Tailfeather..” she said it as if the words tasted gross as she said them. Her face turned red… her usual white cheeks were now as red as apples, her face saddened.
She spoke while sounding remorseful, “I'm.. i'm sorry tram, you may call be levete if you like. I'm a guest in your room and i'm being very rude, forgive me, i'm just.. very worried. Please, sit… on your bed. We need to talk about the Stables future”
I must've looked so confused, because.. I was. I was happy to see that the shy, nice, polite, Levete i used to know was still there and thriving, but it was overwhelmed by worry, i quickly plopped myself down on my bed spread and said,
“hehe, i knew that wasn't you, you couldn't of changed that much”
she joined me in a small laugh, than her worried expression returned as she spoke “Look.. you're a former biology teacher yes? Before we dropped it from the curriculum?”
what an odd question.. i gave her a weird look and said, “Uh yeah, yes i was.” She brightened a bit, “Then you are quite knowledgeable in.. well… sex. Correct?”
Now it was my turn to be red, was she coming onto me? Gosh i hoped she was coming onto me. Celestia please let her be coming onto me. “Yeah you bet, i'm very knowledgeable when it comes to pony reproduction.” i said this with false confidence,
“than let me ask you this. We've been down here for 4 generations. We started with 200 ponies, now we have 400. Do you get what i'm hinting at?”
I didn't. Lets see.. uh.. we doubled? Is that what she wants me to say? Or maybe.. oh maybe we do have another STD outbreak! And most of the stable infected! Or uh.. she noticed the confused look on my face and deduced my answer was no.
“Look. Ill put it blunt. This generation, our generation, will be the last pure blood generation. 90% of us share blood. And that means?”
It took me about 3 solid seconds to catch on, i shuddered and my heart rate rose as I said “Oh.. Were out of diverse bloodlines? The stable.. is.. Gonna be inbred?!” she shushed me with a hoof and whispered to me, looking angry.
“Celestia wants this stable dead Tram. And I, intend to Defy her.”
Hoof-note, Level up. Perk granted: N/A
Author's Note
I hope anyone who read this enjoyed doing so, Next chapter should be out within the next week or so, Depending on how this is recieved, you can expect much more from me :P
Foe Beatnik Chapter 2: Audience.
Chapter 2: Audience.
“you're not an idiot tram.”
I looked at Levete, no, not Levete, this pony wasn't the pony i’d known in school, this pony was strong, assertive, and a leader. Nonetheless, I was confused, “Defy celestia? Didn't celestia die about hundreds of years ago?” after I said that, Lavete looked at me like I was an idiot, she rolled her eyes and drooped her ears, she said in a condescending tone and letting out a heavy sigh, “It's an expression Tram..”
My eyes stung, my throat hurt and my legs were weak, in a word, I was tired. Tired of talking, and just all around sleep deprived, I wanted to stop sitting on my warm bed and get into it, maybe have her snuggle up with me, but, I doubted she’d go for it. I finally caught myself staring and asked, “why are you telling me this? It doesn't take a former bio teacher to realize were on borrowed time.” Lavete raised an eyebrow and looked confused, “wait so you know that expression but you didn't get mine? Uhg. Nevermind.”
The room around us, my room, wasn’t it's usual self, warm and comfy was replaced by cold, dark, and quiet. The only noise coming from our conversation, and it was barely a whisper, and it was a conversation I soon wanted to end. “Tram. Tomorrow there is going to be a meeting, well, not a meeting like everyone's been led to believe. This meeting will be a lottery. This lottery is going to save stable 84.” She grimaced after saying these words, and took a long breath, than she continued, each word sounding more and more forced,“The lottery is going to randomly select one Pony, out of everyone in the whole stable, to venture out into the outside world and find help.”
I was confused, worried, and even more curious. I looked at her, beckoning for more details, I received none. I finally asked her, “I think I understand but I must ask again, why are you telling me?” Lavete took a long time to answer, she almost did twice, opening her mouth, but then closing it a moment later, not sure what to say, it felt like we’d been standing there for hours, and I was about to interject until finally she spoke. “Because the lottery isn't going to be random. You are going to be selected along with one pony from medical and one pony from security. You three will venture out of the Stable and find assistance.”
All the fur on my body stood up and a chill went down my spine as she said the words, I was stunned, I didn't know what to say, what could I say, No? Please no? “i'm sure this will come as a shock to you Tram but please try to remain calm.” Calm was the last thing on my mind, I wasn't an aggressive pony, but I wanted to punch her. Right in her stupid little face. My hooves started shaking out of anger and fear, but mostly the fear.. I practically yelled at her, my voice radiating pure hate. “STAY CALM? HOW WOULD I STAY CALM! YOU'RE TAKING ME AWAY FROM MY HOME!” I only had one question, and I intended to get an answer one way or another. “WHY?!” Lavete looked taken back by my outburst, her face looked sad and she looked away.. a tear ran down her face and dropped onto the floor, followed by another, and another, her voice quivered as she spoke, “Do-don’t make me say it, you're not an idiot..”
I knew I wasn't dumb, you don't become a teacher if you are. I looked at her becoming more angry as every second loomed forward, “What. Do you mean.” As usual, Lavete took a long time to respond, a habit of hers I was starting to hate. “Look Tram, our, ‘Random’ lottery, isn't random at all, but you already know this. Allow me to explain.. First we took every pony and put their names on a terminal. Then we took anypony who was in the medical bay, security, maintenance, food prep, and any teachers from the core curriculum. That left us with about 60 ponies, 20 of which being teachers, in the.. less important classes, like yourself.”
She took a pause, sniffling loudly and wiping away some more tears with her hoof then began speaking again. “Then we took the one with the lowest average scores of students and selected them as our ‘Random candidate’ and, now i'm here explaining it to you.” I won't lie. Lavete's words hurt, they cut through my make believe ego like a knife, basically explaining why my entire contribution to the stable meant next to nothing. I was being exiled from the stable.. to go out into the Big Outside and surely die, looking for help I won't find, just because my life was deemed the least important? I couldn't believe it, the quivering in my hooves wasn't from anger, it was from fright, I love 84.. but was I willing to risk my life for it? It felt, surreal. The wool was being violently ripped from my eyes, and the vision of myself living happily to a nice old age, with a family and lots of friends in the safe walls of the stable i’d grown up in, slowly slipped away. No, I can't accept this, there must be a way out of this. I just had to think..
Resisting the urge to cry, and mustering as much confidence I could, I stood up over her and said in my sternest voice. “No. You can't do this. Ill expose you! I'll tell everypony about this injustice! This is just.. dark!” Lavete looked at me for a moment then stood up to her full height, despite me being a few inches taller, she stared me down unwavered. “You may Tram, and I am sure some may listen, but I assure you, it gets darker. I inherited a pretty golden reputation from my father, and if you tell anyone what i've done, I will deny it, and they'll believe me. I'm the fucking overseer, and you're just a wannabe botanist. Think Tram. Why am I telling you this? Why didn't I just let you find out tomorrow minutes before your saddled up and sent out?” I opened my mouth to answer but no words came out. “Because I like you, and I wanted to at least give you forewarning to your new life.” her sad face looked even sadder but it didn't drop even as she said those hurtful words.
I was stunned once again, my flanks hit the floor as I collapsed to a sitting position, I winced as my butt hit the cold floor. Any confidence or pride I had, was shattered yet again, I wasn't even angry anymore, I didn't feel much of anything, I felt. I don't know how I felt. I guess.. bad. That sums it up well. Lavete looked down at me and the sadness in her eyes turned to pity, “It's nothing personal Tram, I like you, I really do. I wish I hadn't of said it so rudely..” I believed her, she looked remorseful enough, “But i'm not sorry for my actions. You are figuratively the weakest cog in the giant machine that is this stable. And I must do what's best for the stable, though I hate to have to send anypony out, it makes sense to send the person whose absence would cause the least damage yes?” I.. how. How could she ask me that? She expected me to sympathise with her!?
How dare the overseer ask me for a response after saying something so.. evil. She basically said ‘I'm sending you out because no one will miss you. Don't you agree?’ I hated her, and I hated that she was right even more, she was right, I was going to do nothing about it but hope tomorrow never comes. But of course, as all days do, eventually it will. It always does.a
Lavete saw the Cocktail of expressions on my face. Horror, sorrow, betrayal.. She must have figured I wasn't planning on saying anything more, and she was right once again. I was content on staring at her hooves, I noticed a tear drop hit the floor. Not one of my own either, mine rested on my cheeks, I looked up to see her blubbering like a baby once again, She muttered “I'm so.. so.. sorry..”
I looked up at her, I had a blank expression on my face, the mix of my emotions must of transformed into something my body wasn't prepared to handle, so indifference was the only thing I could muster. “Apparently not sorry enough to not do it. Ask yourself, what is sending me, and 2 other poor souls into the outside gonna do?” Lavete took the question like a slap to the face, apparently she's changed, just not all the way. she can bring out her tough, stern, leader side, but on the inside, she was just as big of a cry baby as the day I met her back in grade school.
She spoke with a quiver, “I d-dont think.. you understand. I want your trio to go out and find communities, towns, tribes, anything really, and bring them back here to breed with our Stable and hopefully help us integrate into the outside world..” She said the words with a mix of pride and sorrow, she thought her plan was above par. But she hated that she was being forced to actually use it.. She sniffled and rubbed some more tears off her face and in a calmer voice, “Well i've been here long enough, and i've caused you enough grief for tonight.. I think it's about time I left, if I don't ponies may start to talk, and I don't need rumors spread, goodnight Tram, try to get some sleep, big day tomorrow.” Lavete walked on over to my door, a shudder in each step, pushed the button, exhaled deeply, and walked out and down the hall, closing the door behind her. Goodnight? She actually expected me to sleep after that bombshell? What kind of sadistic maniac is she? I threw my hooves against the floor in anger. I was pissed, sad, confused, and scared all at the same time.
“What am I gonna do? Why would she do this to me?” I asked myself this at least a hundred times while I laid silent in my bed, took me hours to become tired once again, and only after I cried myself to sleep and woke up sniffling, did I realize.. I do the same thing every day, I have for the past 2 years, and I could be replaced by a robot and it wouldn't effect anything, not even replaced, just removed, and the whole stable would be just fine. It makes sense to be quite honest, removing someone like cherry top, a key player in the stable, could have disastrous consequences.. I wasn't mad anymore, just dwelling in my own pity, wishing that I was more important.
I woke up instinctively at 6am, my eyes burned as I opened them, I saw the same room, the same greyish blue walls, but I didn't reach for water, I didn't even get up, I finally knew what I was gonna do about today. I was going to sleep for the rest of my life. So I simply rolled back over and went to sleep, hoping in the back of my mind this was a cruel dream, no, a nightmare. If they wanted me, those fuckers could come get me.. Just as I closed my eyes and began to drift off to sleep.. *knock knock* and then I heard the same beautiful voice I did the day before, “Tram!!! Wake up!!” oh annah.. I groaned and contemplated just yelling ‘go away’ or something, but then I thought to myself, “there's no reason to be mad at her.. Or anyone, not even the overseer. If it wasn't me, it would be someone else, someone important..” I got up while I mumbled that to myself, my hooves touched the cold floor and I winced, I walked shakily to the door, my hooves threatening to collapse under me with every step, I didn't really care if they did or not. What should I tell her? Should I tell her I always wanted her? Should I tell her to join me in my room and give me a good send off to die? Each step I took towards the door was heavy and felt like I was walking through applesauce, as each step dragged on, I thought to myself, “why not? I'm leaving anyway, might as well tell her how I feel” I lifted my hoof and weakly pushed the button, as the door slid up, Annah stood there smiling at me.
I grimaced back at her. She looked ecstatic, her red name had been freshly brushed, her coat looked a little damp, probably just finished a shower, her wings flexed every so often, is that a real thing? I've always wondered.. but.. one day i’d heard a rumor that after pegasi wake up, they have to spend about an hour flexing their wings to pump pooled blood into them so they work properly, than again i’d heard that from a deer. A familiar deer. So grain of salt probably.
I said dismissively, “hey there.” she noticed the look I was giving her and stopped for a moment, her once smiling face turned dull, and she said sheepishly, “Tram? Are you ok?” I glared at her, I shouldn't have, but I was just mad, Not even at her, just bitter in general. Annah looked blankly at me and asked, “oh no.. did she change her mind?” what. My face contorted quickly to a look of utter confusion, how did she.. Why did she.. what?! She got tired of the silence and added hesitantly, “did the overseer change her mind about letting you out? If she did, don't worry, I promise to bring you back a souvenir!” she said to me reassuringly. I just stared blankly.. What? I was so confused.. So she told everyone? Is everyone leaving? Or maybe she came clean and told everyone her ploy.. Or, no.. no, no, no. she wouldn't. The medical pony she decided to send was Annah? Why her.. She was a good doctor, the whole stable benefits from her, sure she lost a few patients every.. once.. oh. That's when I understood. It was some sick revenge.. Annah couldn't save her father when he died.. so Lavete’s killing Annah by sending her out.. she can't survive out there.. Shes so innocent, so pure so, So smoking hot, So smoking..
Fuck. I recoiled my hoof from the small fire annah just made, and yelled, “God dammit annah! That was really close to my hoof!” I scowled at her again, she shrugged saying, “you were just staring at me for some reason and I got bored, sorry.” she didn't even sound like she was sorry, she just liked the fire. “wait. The overseer is sending me and you out?” I have always been open to some alone time with annah, but I never pictured this. Annah shook her head No at me and said sticking her tongue out, “apparently this twosome is gonna be a threesome! The overseers sending us out with a security pony to keep us safe! shooouuld be fun!” She closed her eyes and her tongue stuck out as she smiled at me, I went red after hearing that, i'm not to sure she understood what kind of threesome I was thinking of.
She snapped me out of my fantasy by reminding me, “in fact we're gonna find out right now! They’re canceling all work from 6:30 to 7:30 so we can all attend the meeting!” she lifted her pip leg and her eyes narrowed a moment, “which is gonna be in 10 mins! Let's start heading there now, we can walk together, apparently we get to be on stage as the..” Deepening her voice, she sat back on her flank and made a large, sweeping gesture with her hooves that seems to signify a greater purpose and said “THE SAVIOURS OF THE STABLE!”
The saviour huh, yah. I can dig that. Maybe Ive been thinking about this all wrong.. I spoke much happier, I was still kinda bitter, but I can't lie, her enthusiasm to see the outside was infectious. I couldn't tell if I felt happier or sadder now. I was happy to be talking to Annah, happy to know that she at least had a better attitude than I did about our situation, but on the other hoof,she was also being forced out there, well maybe not forced, but outside isn't good, even if you want out there “Yeah uh, sure.. wait we have to be on stage?” there were only a few occasions where ponies besides the overseer were on stage, Usually when there receiving an award, or there in a coffin about to be recycled. Which one were we?
Annah looked at me with a big mischievous smirk, she punched my arm lightly with her hoof and said tauntingly, “What? Got stage fright? Do I need to walk you under my wing?” and she extended her right wing, snickering as it spread out fully. I rolled my eyes at her and said, “oh screw you! Haha, i'm just a little tired alright?” if I could count on annah for 2 things, it's starting fires, freaking me out with medical waste, and cheering me up. I counted those first two as one funnily enough. I considered taking the offer, an excuse to get real close to Annah sounds nice, but considering we’d now be spending a lot of time together, I should pass on anything that would ruin our established friendship.. than again she did offer.. Bad Tram. Bad. Thinking with the wrong head again.
“Is this your thing now?” Annah asked me curiously, snapping out of my thoughts, “w-what?” she raised an eyebrow and said “Well.. you're just staring at me?” I realized my stupidity and looked away from her, “Uh yeah i'm good. Your right just nervous.” quickly trying to change the subject, “Let's get going shall we?” I Straightened a bit, annah put her wing down and smiled gleefully, “You bet!” and we both proceeded to trot down the hall.
*thump* *thump* *thump*
Is all we could hear as we walked down the hall, after turning a corner, we were face to face with a sight neither of us have ever seen before. “whoa.” is all I could manage to say as I saw the entire vault gathered in one room. All of them pounding the floor with their hooves, all slamming in unison in a 3 beat manner, and I thought it was loud yesterday.. We couldn't even get inside the hub, the door was practically blocked by a huge crowd of ponies pushing to get inside. At this rate we wouldn't even see the stage till it's time to go.
*thump* *thump* *thump*
Annah glanced at me before spreading her wings and hopping about a foot in the air. with small flaps of her wings she not only knocked some hats off about 4 ponies, she was able to get a pretty good view of what the stage looked like. Her ears grazed the ceiling of the stable roof as she flew into the hub. The hubs ceiling was much higher than the hallways, second she had the room she ascended up and just like that my comrade was gone.
“great. How am I gonna get through here?”
It took about 10 minutes before the pool of ponies migrated into The Hub enough to let me inside, and what did I see? The same thing I saw a minute ago, back of necks and tails. I rolled my eyes, “the least they could do in exchange for exiling me is give me easier access.” I looked around and I saw rivets on the stage, she was talking with some Yellow earth pony buck in security-barding, i’d never seen him before. He looked just as ecstatic as annah did, and he carried a gun on his belt, was that really necessary? I mean our biggest problem will just be lack of food out there, anything dangerous died when the bombs dropped.
Realizing that the swarm of ponies wasn't getting any thinner, I decided to start shoving. I shoved and shoved my way through a bunch of ponies, but I don't think anyone noticed. We were practically nose to neck, jammed closer together than a pack of cigarettes, not that i've ever smoked any though, just an expression I picked up. I eventually got to the stairs where the overseer stood, she was shaking ponies hooves and smiling big and wide, until she saw me.
My mane was a wreck, if I wake up and don't brush it right away, it shows. The look on my face was a new emotion I invented, a mix between, “i hate you, and please save me” I wasn't even wearing my vault suit. Who cared anymore. I approached her and she waved a pony away from her, as I approached she cleared her throat and said, “Oh my.. well tram you're looking.. nude.” she looked away and said “wouldn't you like a suit?” I glared at her with my new emotion face, and said “no i'll be fine.” and I walked past her onto the stage, I got some murmurs as ponies saw me walk up, but it didn't matter anymore, I wouldn't see them ever again anyway. I looked off the stage at the sea of ponies, I got a little disoriented, wobbling a bit I looked over to my new companions, well I guess one wasn’t new. “Hey there Tram! Finally made it eh?” Annah smiled at me as she said that, I put a hoof to my chest as I said “wouldn't be here if I didn't hehe” I looked over at the yellow buck who wore the barding and helmet extended a hoof, “Hey there i'm Tram Tailfeather, nice to meet you” he quickly grabbed my hoof and shook it unintentionally hard, “Great to see you Mr. T!” Mr. T? Wait.. I knew that voice.. I cocked an eye at him and said worryingly, “You wouldn't happen to be a former student of mine would you?” he took off his helmet to reveal a short orange mane, “yes sir. Last year I graduated from your class, thanks for remembering me! It's Swarley btw, real names swirly, but that's a mare's name so, my friends just call me swarley” I rolled my eyes, no one should say “BTW” out loud. Than my eyes widened. Why. Out of all the security ponies why him? He's so young.. still had some acne on his face for celestia's sake! “So you're, coming out with us..?” he smiled wide and said, “Sure am! Volunteered last night!”
That helps. That helped me alot to resist the urge to pounce on the overseer on the stairs below. At least she wasn't settling some revenge scheme, he wanted to go out and die.
“I uh.. uhm.” I glanced at Annah who took the hint and decided to bail me out, “Well hey! Looks like we're gonna be co-workers for a while! Let's get friendly, me and Tram have known each other for while, what about you Swarley?” Annah gave him a reassuring smile, “well.. if I remember we did meet Ms. R, you gave me my physical to become a security guard remember?” he reddened as he said this, Annah laughed, “Oh yah! You were the buck with the Testica- nevermind!” she snickered as Swarley went even redder, I realised my mistake of letting Annah take hold of a conversation.
“So what do you-” I was cut off by the overseer approaching from behind saying, “Well gentlecolts and mare, it's about time to send you off, but first! A speech. From yours truly..” she turned and walked towards the edge of the stage where a microphone sat, she picked it up and blew into it, testing to see if it worked. “*bwoo* is this on? Ok good.” she continued..
“Hello ponies of stable 84. I am Ms. Tandi, your Overseer, I know the passing of my father is fresh in all of our hearts” she glanced behind her at Annah as she said this, “But that is in the past, and even in the comfort and safety of our vault, time does not stand still, for the Big Outside. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past, or the present, are certain to miss the future.” she stomped her hoof loudly on the stage, earning a big *Thump* as if to add to the dramaticness of her speech “I said, are certain to miss the future!” her voice grew faster, and more powerful, inspirational. “My father's death was the last straw. We've been in this vault so long, We will are not gonna be in here much longer though!” many ponies in the crowed gasped and looked confused, the overseer saw this and quickly added, “ Don't worry ponies, I invited all you here to tell you my solution on how to safely conduct this” she was interrupted by a mare from the crowd yelling loudly up at the stage, a yellow mare with the same orange mane worn by Swarley, she shoved her way to the front, even knocking down a pony, “Then why is he there! He's just a buck!” I could hear the pure hatred in her voice, she sounded like she was a
step away from breathing fire.
Swarley reddened and let out a small “oh no..” the overseer looked taken back by the mare, than she returned to speaking “As I always say, let those who wish to serve do it Mrs. Convoy..” The mare replied, “That's bull shit! You get down from there right now young Colt!”” Swarley didn't budge.. he simply looked away, an orange buck with a red name walked behind the mare and mumbled something in her ear before he pulled her away with a glow of his horn, she went kicking and screaming. After the screams of “Ill kill you!” and “Rot in Tartarus!”went quiet, the overseer continued her, even though I hate to admit it.. great speech.
The lights in The Hub flicked off for about 2 seconds before they came back on, Nothing too uncommon, the speakers took a lot of power and the lights were connected to the same mainframe. I heard my good friend Doe yell from the crowed, “It must be the generators! No one's there to manage them! I could he-” The Overseer waved a hoof, “Stay. I'm sure they can wait a few more moments.” She returned to her speech voice, “Now ponies, you may be scared for future generations. But let me tell you, these three brave ponies, are going to venture out into the wastes and save 84!” her words were met with many hoof stomps in approval, a few moments after the hoof stomping had concluded, one unknown buck screamed out, “Any last words of inspiration to our venturers, Great Overseer?!” she pondered for a moment than looked at us standing behind her and spoke.
“Don't pray to Celestia, for an easier life. Pray to be, Stronger ponies…”
And as she said that, instead of hoof stomps, something else happened.
*click*
Every light in the stable, including the ones from our pip bucks this time, turned off.
Hoof note: Level up Perk added: Mutual moderator, you become more observant while inside.
Author's Note
Next chapter out soon!
Perhaps next week!
