Chapter 5
Stable Vices
"It's no use! Nopony can hear you and won't ever think to look for you here. Most ponies have forgotten that these caves even exist.”

Dr. Willow pulled the bloodstained rag away from my nose. "I don't think I've ever seen a pony face hoof so hard…"

"Vagabond, you can't be serious," I groaned, waving a hoof to shoo the old mare away.

"I'm quite serious," he said, flashing that obnoxious grin. "Not only do I get to help the ponies of this town, but you can get the healing you need free of charge."

"I don't think you understand what 'free' means."

He simply winked in reply and returned his attention to the doctor. "I'm going to need a few things before I can go. I'm assuming you have a Pipbuck that can open the door?"

"If this is what you really want to do then we can discuss the details tomorrow. It's late and I'm tired," she said, waving a dismissive hoof. "You can get a bite to eat and a bed to sleep in over at the inn. Just tell Clover that I sent you. She's my daughter, she'll take care of you."

"Thank you. I can't tell you how many moons it's been since I've slept in an actual bed. You get some rest too, Wild. I'll be back to check on you in the morning."

The pale unicorn nodded in my direction before leaving. The mention of food caused my own stomach to grumble. How long had it been since I'd eaten? A warm meal sounded too good to be true. Turns out it was. Upon hearing the ravenous growls, Dr. Willow ducked her head inside a cabinet and pulled out an old, dusty can of peaches. "Eat this," she said, popping the lid off and practically tossing it into my lap.

I glared at the aged food then back up at the doctor. "I was hoping for something a little fresher."

"You're about two hundred years late for that," she said then turned and trotted out of the room.

Sighing, I grimaced before slurping the preserved fruit down. I had to admit the sweet taste was still refreshing. For a brief moment I found myself wishing for some of Tato's infamous Mystery Soup. I heard Dr. Willow lock the door into the clinic before turning off the lights and leaving me in darkness. The only sounds came from the hum of the medical equipment surrounding me. It was strange how peaceful I felt. Even back at the dilapidated school building the nights were filled with the howls of wild animals or the constant chatter and laughter of drunk, hyper kids. We always had to stay on guard for the inevitable raids or random looters.

Strange how I had complained about it back then. There were nights I was so exhausted from work or coming off a rough Buck high that I just wanted to sleep for days. I would have given anything to have one night, alone, to just sleep. Now that I finally had that chance all I could do was sob quietly into the pillow. I missed them. I missed Ash Blossom and her kind heart. I missed Lug Nut and Razz and their annoying arguments. I… I even missed Rusty Blade. I bit the pillow to stop myself from screaming as silent tears soaked the fabric. Why? Why would I long for the ponies who had betrayed me? The night wore on as I continued to cry. All the hurt I'd felt over the last few days came out of my eyes until they ran dry. Then, they grew heavy and, at long last, I fell into a deep sleep.

When I awoke, I felt better than I had in a very long time. Stretching my forehooves above my head, I let out a satisfied sigh at the distinct lack of pain. Beside the bed was a bowl of cold oatmeal that I scarfed down without hesitation. The food seemed to give me the strength I needed to get out of bed. Though it was the best bed I'd ever slept in I felt restless. I started to make my way towards the front of the clinic when a familiar green mare barred my way.

"And where do you think you're going?" Dr. Willow demanded sternly.

"Come on, doc, I just wanted to stretch my legs a bit."

"If you think I'm going to let a patient leave my clinic looking like that, you have another thing coming. There is a bathroom over there with a shower. For the love of the Goddesses, use it!"

A shower? Without thinking, I turned and gave myself a sniff. Damn! In the dusty wasteland and surrounded by other filthy ponies I had never noticed how badly I smelled. Come to think of it I couldn't remember the last time I'd had a bath. There was that rainstorm a few weeks ago. Did that count? Apparently not from the look Dr. Willow gave me as I gagged at my own stench. Following her directions, I found a small room behind a curtain just on the other side of the clinic. Inside was what I would assume was a normal looking bathroom. There was a toilet, sink, shower, and even a mirror. Had they just dragged this room directly out of the stable? I didn't think too hard about it as I hopped in the shower and turned on the water. At once a stream of cold water crashed onto me and I yelped in surprise. Then, it warmed, and I could have purred with delight as it washed away months of grime from my body.

"Make sure to use the soap," Dr. Willow called from behind the curtain.

What the hell was soap? Looking around, I saw a small bottle filled with a clear liquid. Opening it I was greeted with a pleasant smell. Pouring it on my coat I watched as it bubbled up the more I rubbed it in. I could have stayed in there forever but eventually the water began to turn cold again, so I quickly rinsed the remaining soap and turned the faucet off.

"Here, use these to dry off," Dr. Willow said, pushing a pile of cleaned rags under the curtain.

After several minutes of rubbing myself I finally managed to get somewhat dry. It was then that I looked at myself in the mirror. What the hell did they put in soap to change a pony so drastically? My tan coat seemed to shine in the light and my mane was a much lighter shade of brown now that the dirt was gone. It was then that I noticed the sheer number of scars that littered my body. Many were old and faded, but several were still new and pink. One rested just above my left eye where Ash Blossom had kicked me to put me out of my misery. I touched it gingerly and let out a sigh. Then I saw the bullet hole just below my cutie mark. It was an ugly thing, a large purple scar that would always be a reminder of the betrayal at the hooves of my so-called family.

I suddenly didn't want to look at myself anymore. Dr. Willow was waiting for me as I left the bathroom. She gazed me up and down with a critical eye spending a bit more time on my healed wounds before nodded. "You clean up nicely despite your scars."

I just grunted not really feeling like arguing. "Can I go now? It's stuffy in here." My expression told her it wasn't the smell of chemicals I was referring to.

She glared daggers at me before turning her nose up and pointing towards the door. "Don't forget your bags on your way out. I don't want to see you back in here unless you're dying and maybe not even then."

A memory flashed in my mind of me pointing a gun at an old buck many years ago. He had been traveling with a caravan with several other families. Rusty had almost let him go, if we hadn't watched that geezer proceed to shout and hit a young colt. I remembered how satisfying it had been to drag him away from the safety of the caravan (nopony had even tried to stop us) and blown his brains out. I wondered if I would get the same satisfaction from seeing the look of fear in Dr. Willow's eyes too. Turning, I left the old hag and picked up my saddlebags before slamming the door as hard as I could behind me.

It felt good to be outside again even if it was miserably dull and dusty. The clouds above hid much of the sunlight but I could tell it was about noon. Ponies were walking in and out of several buildings throughout the small village. From what I could tell the majority of the town was a single dirt road lined on either side with shops and houses. The road seemed to end abruptly at the mouth of a cave set in the base of the large hill. That must be where the stable was. Had Vagabond already gone inside? I stared at the cavemouth for a moment longer before turning away from it. Several ponies watched me, whispering quietly as I passed. Word was sure to have spread fast in a small settlement and I was sure that everypony had heard about the child raider that their beloved doctor had nursed back to health.

Ignoring them, I made my way slowly down the street as I began to think about my next move. I could leave here. Just keep walking and never look back. Now that I was healed, I could make my own way in the wasteland. There was a whole world out there just waiting for me to explore it. A world full of dangerous monsters, murderous adults, and deadly radiation. It wouldn't have felt so daunting if I wasn't totally on my own. Having a pony to watch your back made traveling so much easier. Perhaps I could find another group that would take me in. Even as I thought it, I knew that was absurd. The ponies of this Stableton were already giving me a wide berth and that was without any weapons. If I approached somepony in the wastes they'd probably shoot me on sight.

At the thought of weapons, I rummaged through my saddlebags and found the gun Vagabond had given me was gone. The only thing left were a few cans of food and an empty canteen. I didn't even have a cap to my name. There was no way I could make it in the wasteland without supplies. I fell to my haunches with a thump and let my ears droop as the feeling of hopelessness overcame me. I was well and truly stuck here at the mercy of a strange unicorn who seemed happy to commit suicide to pay off a small debt.

The sound of laughter caught me off guard as a pair of foals ran past me. One was a bright yellow earth pony while the other, a unicorn, was a familiar shade of green. They were bucking a small ball between them trying to keep it from hitting the ground. I watched them play and found myself smiling. It was nice to see foals able to just have fun with each other without a care in the world.

"Watch out!"

Lost in thought I hadn't seen that one of them had kicked the ball too hard. The warning had come too late as it slammed into my head. Bright, white light flooded my vision for a moment accompanied by a dull throb. Well, I had gone at least twenty minutes without being in pain. After the last few days that had to be some kind of record.

"Golly, I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" the little, green filly said anxiously as she trotted up to me.

"Wisteria, ya gotta watch where your kickin'," said the yellow foal as she stood beside her friend.

"I'm okay." I said, rubbing my head and waiting for my vision to clear. I gazed at the pair and found myself surprised to find them both clean and healthy. They were just regular kids enjoying life instead of surviving it.

"Wow, are ya sure yer okay? Ya got a lotta ouchies," the yellow foal said.

"Let's just say this isn't the first time I've had a ball hit my noggin," I said with a wink as I rolled the ball back to them.

"Are you new in town? I haven't seen you before?" the green one asked.

"Kinda. I just arrived yesterday."

"Well it's nice ta meet ya! I'm Sunny Smiles and this is Wisteria. Do you wanna play with us?"

Play? How long had it been since I played a game like a normal kid? There was a memory of a colt tagging me before running away with a gleeful giggle. I couldn't remember his face, but I knew we used to be close before… nope, gonna shake that memory away before it takes me. Returning my attention to the foals I stood up and nodded. "Sure, that sounds like… fun."

Wisteria cheered before bucking the ball into the road. Galloping as fast as I could, I tried to reach it before Sunny, but she was just a bit faster. Sliding on the dirt, she kicked the ball high into the air. Backing up, I quickly caught it with my rump and sent it flying to Wisteria who caught it with a levitation spell. Her tongue stuck out in concentration as she prepared to toss it again, but a shrill cry caused the spell to break as the ball bounced away.

"Wisteria, Sunny, get over here right now!"

A tall, green unicorn stood in the doorway of a nearby building watching us with wide, fearful eyes. It was like looking at a younger version of Dr. Willow and I realized this must be her daughter, Clover.

"Coming, Mama." the green filly said before trotting up to the mare. Now I knew why her coat seemed so familiar.

Once they were "safely" away from me, Clover turned to glare at me before stamping a hoof. "Stay away from my daughter, you hear me raider!"

It was like being bucked in the gut. Adults would never change. They couldn't see me for anything but a blood thirsty monster. The moment she uttered the word 'raider', Wisteria and Sunny looked at me like I was going to eat them. We were just having fun! I wasn't going to hurt them! Pawing at the ground I felt my face grow hot as I felt angry tears filling my eyes. A second before I leapt for her a white hoof rested on my shoulder and I snapped my head back to see Vagabond gazing down at me. There were no words, no scolding glare. Just an expression that told me to back down or else there would be more trouble.

Shoving his hoof off I cast one last scowl at Clover before trotting back up the street. Several ponies had been watching the exchange and I noticed one stallion had a rifle halfway pulled from its scabbard. I ignored them and walked by with my head held high, forcing the tears to stay hidden. They weren't about to see how much it hurt.

"I know it's hard, but-"

"I don't need you to keep babysitting me," I whirled on Vagabond and unloaded all my frustrations on him. "Just because you saved my life doesn't mean that you can act like you care! I know what I am and so does everypony else. They don't want me here and yet I'm trapped because you want to be an idiot. Why don't you go inside that deathtrap and just leave me alone!"

He just stood there quietly with that stupid smile he always seemed to wear. I wanted to smack it off his face. How could an adult understand? Groaning loudly, I just rolled my eyes and trotted away before bumping into a Pipbuck floating right in my face.

"Want to go kill some feral ghouls with me?"

It felt good to have a fully loaded weapon holstered at my side and well stocked saddlebags on my back. While I had been wandering Stableton, Vagabond had cleared the local stores of their wares and ammo in preparation for his suicide mission. Admittedly I had been taken aback by his random invitation to join him in the depths of the stable. Just last night it seemed he was willing to just leave me behind to wait for him to die alone down there. Now he seemed all too happy to have me along. Part of me wanted to turn tail and run away from the stable, the town, and the unicorn who had a maddening need to watch over me. Yet my hooves carried me up the road and into the cave. Perhaps it was because I knew I wouldn't get far before Vagabond found me again or that the guard ponies wouldn't allow me to leave before I paid what was owed. Or maybe…. maybe I wanted to show them I wasn't the bad pony they thought I was.

Our hooves echoed as we delved deeper into the tunnel. The further we went the more skeletons I saw had been scattered to the side of the cave haphazardly. I guess it had been the work of the good ponies of Stableton. Even the best ponies of the wasteland were careless with the ghosts of the past. On we went until we finally reached a huge, metal door that blocked our way. Beside it was a panel with a cracked computer screen.

"There it is. Sinister looking, isn't it?" Vagabond said.

Looking at the buck I could see his incessant smile had vanished. Instead, his lips were set in a hard line as he stared at the door in what I could only describe as disgust. Maybe he was just as nervous as I was about going into an underground death trap. I didn't press as we made our way to the console.

"Ever been inside one of these before?" he asked as he wiped away the dust on the computer.

"No, but my gran used to tell me stories about the stable she came from."

"Trust me, it's nothing like those stories." Levitating the Pipbuck from his saddlebag, Vagabond pulled a cord from the side of the device and plugged it into the computer. He hovered a hoof over a large, red button. "Here we go."

I nodded and unholstered my gun. An ear splitting wailed filled the tunnel and a harsh yellow light flashed above the door as he slammed his hoof on the button. The door seemed to take forever to move as the gears strained under 200 years of rust. The sound was grating, and I bit down hard on my gun waiting for it to stop. Finally, the door opened by a few feet just enough to let several ghouls pour out. Vagabond was quicker than me as he pulled the plug from the console (thankfully ending the barrage of noise) and shot several of the rotten creatures with a bolt of magic.

Not to be outdone, I took careful aim before tagging two more. I was surprised how quickly they could move on limbs that were ready to fall off. Before we knew it, twenty had spilled from the opening with over a dozen more shoving their way through. The sound of the alarm must have been like a lunch bell ringing in their ears. They had been waiting for a long time to taste more pony flesh and nothing was going to stop them. Well, except for the bullets I had put in their brains. One had gotten a little too close for comfort, but Vagabond made short work of it as his spell blasted its head clean off its shoulders. I was beginning to wonder if he actually needed me here. The number of bodies littering the entrance to the stable was becoming ridiculous. Maybe this would be easier than I thought. It was then I saw that a small horde of ghouls had packed so tight into the gap they had clogged it. I would have laughed if it weren't so terrifying.

"I guess the doc wasn't exaggerating when she said 'hundreds'," I said as I quickly reloaded. "I'm going to run out of ammo before we even get inside.

"Get behind me," Vagabond said.

Trotting towards the door, I saw his horn was glowing much brighter than before. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as he pointed it towards the poor beasts. I wish I could have seen what had happened but the blast that exploded from his horn was so bright I was instantly blinded. Covering my eyes, I stumbled back and tripped over a corpse as the cave seemed to vibrate with magical energy. It took a few moments before my vision cleared and I was finally allowed to see the aftermath.

"Fuck!" What had once been a mass of writhing, rotten ghouls were nothing more than just a large pile of ash. Wide eyed I stood and slowly moved to stand beside the stallion. "Remind me never to piss you off."

He managed to chuckle before stumbling and quickly catching himself as he stood there panting and sweating like he had just run several miles. I just watched him wordlessly unsure what to do. "Been… a long time since I had… had to use that spell," he gasped between deep breaths.

"What was that? I've never seen anything like it."

"Just something I… picked up in my travels. It's a very dangerous spell that can put a unicorn in a coma if not done correctly."

"Well thanks for doing it correctly and not leaving me to deal with a horde of zombie ponies. Think you can do it again so we can get the hell out of here?"

"I doubt it. We're going to have to clean the rest of this place out the old fashion way I'm afraid."

"Figured it wasn't going to be that easy," I groaned, rolling my eyes.

"Give me a moment to catch my breath. Why don't you head inside and make sure there aren't anymore?"

Nodding, I carefully made my way to the giant, steel door. Wading through the pile of ash I peeked inside and gazed around for any remaining ghouls. Thankfully nothing was moving so I moved further in. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, but eventually I could see that the entrance area was large and open with several rooms branching off to the right and left. The whole thing reminded me of a skeleton. The metal walls had been stripped down to the support beams, doors had been removed, and even the floor had been taken. Every now and then the dirt from the roof of the cave would spill in and I was suddenly aware of how much earth was just above my head. How could ponies live down here knowing that at any time they could be buried alive?!

Gulping nervously, I suddenly felt as if I were wearing iron shoes. Pushing myself to continue I eventually found a single door that had not been stripped down. It stood open and ready to swallow me whole. Behind the threshold was a metal ramp that lead deeper into darkness, a place where ponies did not belong. I stared at door as all the strength seemed to leave me. I didn't want to go down there!

Suddenly, a bright, green light shone from behind me and pushed away the shadows. Turning I saw Vagabond standing with the Pipbuck held aloft like a flashlight. "It's okay to be afraid. It feels like you're walking into a grave, huh? You can go back, if you want. You've already proved that you're willing to help the ponies of Stableton."

"No. No, I'm going with you. Let's just get this over with."

"Here, take this. You're going to need it more than me." Floating the Pipbuck down he attached it to my left foreleg with a loud click. "It's a shame the EFS matrix is broken but at least you will be able to see where you're going."

"EFS?"

"Eyes Forward Sparkle. It's a useful targeting spell that all Pipbucks have. However, this one was badly damaged at some point. But the light still works and right now that's most important."

"How do you know so much about this thing?" I asked, trying to take my mind off the tight feeling in my guts.

"When you've been wandering around in the wasteland as long as I have, you learn a thing or two. Now hush and stay close to me."

I nodded and felt the anxiety lift a little now that the light would stay with me. Vagabond's horn glowed as he stepped through the doorway with me following behind. The narrow hallways were vastly different from the open entrance and more than once I had to close my eyes and just breathe. It didn't help that the sounds in the stable were so much louder than they were outside. I could hear the groans and howls of the ghouls tucked away in the shadows. I tried to take my mind off the weight of the literal mountain over me by admiring the strange architecture of an ancient world.

Everything was made of a dull, gray metal that had rusted in places over the years. Every now and then I would see a poster with a silly looking pony and the words 'Stable-Tec' plastered all over it. I also noticed that every hallway had a set of guns hanging from the hallway ceiling. Seeing them had me ducking underneath a nearby table, much to Vagabond's surprise.

"It's okay, they aren't active," he said, gazing up at the turrets with a suspicious look.

"What is it?" I asked, feeling uneasy.

"If nopony was able to get down here why are the defense systems down?"

The question wasn't meant for me, so I kept quiet as we continued down the hall. As we passed by an open door, I heard a guttural hiss only seconds before a ghoul slammed against me and knocked me to the ground. The stench of rotten flesh filled my nose as I struggled to avoid gnashing teeth. What had once been a fully-grown stallion centuries ago was now a mess of decaying muscles and bones. After managing to get my back hooves under it I kicked up with all my strength. The monster was sent sprawling to the ground giving me enough time to draw my gun and shoot it between the eyes. Just then I saw Vagabond stabbing his horn through a particularly large ghoul. It howled in pain before falling limp. Keeping my gun in my mouth, I simply nodded to my companion as he turned to make sure I was okay. If these things were going to hide in the shadows, I wasn't about to be caught off guard again.

The going became much slower as we checked each open room. Doing this allowed us to catch the damn things before they could jump us again. With a gun in my mouth and the advantage on our side, I began to feel more confident. The confined space was still nerve wracking but manageable. With a quick flick of the tongue, I watched with satisfaction as another ghoul's head lurched back before falling to the ground. Pausing a moment to reload I also took stock of how much ammo was left in my saddle bag.

"Shit."

Vagabond fired a bolt into a small ghoul, turning it into a glowing pile of ash, before gazing down at me. "What?"

"I'm down to only eighteen rounds. How many of these things are there?"

"I don't know. We haven't even made it to the atrium, and I can only imagine how many would be there."

"What's that?"

"Think of it like the main hub in a stable. Ponies usually gather there if something goes wrong and something sure as hell went wrong here."

"We can't keep picking them off one by one. I'm going to run out of bullets and your horn is going to fall off your head." He chuckled and rubbed a hoof on the base of his horn. Try as he might he couldn't hide the fact that each spell was starting to take its toll after that big one before. "We need more fire power."

Suddenly his horn lit up as he eyes grew wide. "That's it! Wild Chains, you're a genius."

"Not when I'm sober," I said, suddenly craving a Mint-al. "but I'll pretend to know why I'm suddenly so smart."

"If we can get down to the maintenance room, we can turn on the turrets and reprogram them to shoot the remaining ghouls."

"You know how to do that?"

"I doubt it would be too hard as long as I can use the Pipbuck. The hard part is going to be getting down to maintenance. It's usually tucked away towards the back of the stable."

My eyebrows furrowed. How did he know that? I was sure that if I were to ask him his answer would be the same. 'I've learned a lot wandering around,' or some such nonsense. There was something he wasn't telling me, and I was about to open my mouth to demand he tell me when a terrifying scream echoed from the bowels of the stable. My blood turned cold and all thoughts of arguing with the mysterious unicorn faded. As if acting on their own, my hooves scooted me closer to Vagabond as the shriek faded.

"What the hell was that," I whispered.

"Trouble probably. Come on, let's finish this up and get out of here."

Sneaking through the halls made it feel like it had taken hours to get to the center of Stable 42. Luckily, there didn't seem to be any other ghouls hiding out in the abandoned rooms as we got closer to the atrium. I had seen several signs on the walls indicating which way to go but I had ignored them until now. Following behind Vagabond, I saw his ears droop as he looked at one of the signs before making his way in the opposite direction. Pausing I took a moment to read the sign (I wasn't the fastest reader, okay) and deduced it was a school that lay down the hallway. Raising a hoof, I let the green light fill the area and saw a very small hoof bone sticking out of an open doorway. Nope. I rushed after the buck as my brain mercifully purged the horrifying sight from my memory.

The hall suddenly opened to a large room full of tables, chairs, and other kinds of furniture. Off in the distance was what looked like a kitchen full of all sorts of bizarre appliances. I could also see, what I assumed had once been, an orchard attached to the massive room. The dead trees and rotten fruit seemed so alien in this underground world. Perhaps I chose to notice these useless things first, so I didn't have to acknowledge the elephant in the room… or rather, the six dozen ghouls scattered across the atrium.

Vagabond's hoof slammed against my mouth before I unconsciously screamed bloody murder. It was like gazing out at a sea of zombie ponies and even I couldn't pretend to be a hardass at the sight. Most of them were lying motionless on the ground but there were several wandering about aimlessly. I felt Vagabond gently push me backwards in a silent signal to back up. I didn't argue. He was looking around frantically for something, but I didn't dare try to ask. Even the sound of my hooves on the floor seemed agonizingly loud. At any moment those sleeping ghouls were going to wake up and we were zombie food!

Suddenly, an icy blue glow wrapped around the Pipbuck on my foreleg and it was lifted without my consent. I hated that feeling but I allowed it this one time as I watched Vagabond extend the cord from the device and attach it to a small terminal in the wall. I hadn't even noticed it. Okay, he had for sure been in a stable before! A series of numbers ran across the dusted screen and Vagabond cursed under his breath. I winced at the sound, terrified it was going to announce our presence to the monsters only a few feet away. The buck quickly typed something on the keyboard and the computer beeped a warning. Pulling out my gun, I turned to face the onslaught of ghouls that were surely stirring from the harsh sound. A few of the wanderers had stopped to look in our direction but made no attempt to charge at us… yet.

Vagabond entered another code into the terminal but this time the beep sounded more welcoming. As if to confirm this, he sighed in relief and wiped his brow. With a final tap on the keyboard several doors around the atrium suddenly closed with a loud, unified hiss. It was this that finally woke the ghouls and they all groaned and shrieked in protest as they wiggled and twitched. It was disgusting to watch the whole floor of the atrium writhe and I felt my stomach lurch. Just as the first group of ghouls charged at us the door slammed shut, cutting us off from certain death.

At the same moment, that horrifying scream filled the halls once again. The fear that gripped my heart almost caused me to drop my gun as my legs began to quiver. That had sounded so much closer this time. We glanced at each other as I holstered my gun then turned to gallop in the opposite direction of the scream.

"We need to get those turrets turned on. The maintenance room should be just on the other side of the atrium, but we'll have to take the long way around," Vagabond said.

"How are we going to get them turned on?"

"It should be just like any other terminal here. Once you attach the Pipbuck to it, it should allow access to the mainframe. Then you just override the previous command and turn them on."

"What's a mainframe?" I was never good with technology. Before he could answer, that monstrous scream filled the hallway again. Turning, I saw a bright, green glow chasing us and this time I couldn't stop myself from crying out in fear. Whatever was after us was gaining on us! As if to make matters worse, the Pipbuck began emitting an eerie clicking sound. That couldn't be good.

"Oh no," the stallion moaned.

"What? What does that mean?"

He didn't reply. Instead, he skidded to a halt just outside of an open door and telekinetically tossed me inside. Slamming hard against a desk, I gasped as the wind was knocked from my lungs. Dazed, I scrambled to get up but found my legs unwilling to listen to my brain. The sound of hooves clattering away told me that Vagabond had left me behind. Confused and angry I growled breathlessly as I reached for my gun. I was going to kill him! Another set of hooves charging down the hall caused me to pause. The green glow seemed brighter now and the Pipbuck clicked faster and faster.

In the blink of an eye, a huge, pony like figured dashed past the doorway towards the direction my companion had gone. I had only managed to catch a glimpse of it, but I had seen enough to know that was something I never wanted to see again. Its skin was eternally melting from so much radiation that it was actually glowing! I felt sick to my stomach and before I could stop myself I vomited the remains of the oatmeal I'd had for breakfast. Shaking, I wanted nothing more than to escape from this nightmare, but I knew I couldn't leave. That idiot had left me alone and I was hopelessly lost in this metal tomb! Maybe I was also a little worried about him being chased by a walking megaspell, but I would never admit that out loud. I knew he was powerful, but he was weakened after that spell from before. Even he would struggle to fight off something that was still alive after so much radiation poisoning. Once again, he had shielded me from danger only to put himself in harm's way. Damnit, was I always going to be indebted to him!?

After a moment I was finally able to stand. Ignoring my trembling hooves, I slowly made my way to the doorway and listened. Other than the distant groans of the ghouls trapped in the atrium, the stable was quiet. Vagabond had given me a chance to get to maintenance and I wasn't about to pass that up. Gulping, I pulled my gun out and galloped down the hall following the signs labeled 'maintenance' and hoping that stupid bastard was okay.

I had never been afraid of the dark. For as long as I could remember I had always loved to gaze at the night sky in the hope that I would catch a glimpse of the moon goddess herself. It was only now that I realized I had never known what true darkness is. It completely absorbed me and robbed me of my senses. If not for the meager light of the Pipbuck, I would have been left as nothing more than a whimpering foal lost and forgotten. When Vagabond had been with me my steps were sure and steady. Now they were small and timid as I jumped at every sound. It was embarrassing how scared I was, but I couldn't help it! How had ponies managed to live in these cramped, suffocating, and deadly hell holes? Well, in the case of Stable 42, they hadn't.

As I came across a junction, I heard the familiar screech of that glowing ghoul. It was farther away than before telling me that it was still pursuing Vagabond, at least, I hoped that's what it meant. Trying not to think about it too much I checked the wall for another sign that would tell me where I was going.

"Atrium to the right. Overmare's office to the left. Maintenance straight ahead," I whispered aloud. A memory flickered in my mind suddenly of that poster with the purple pony on it. 'Reading is magic', it had said, and I would laugh at it before throwing a dart into the eye for fifty points. A lot of the kids who had joined the Youngbloods couldn't read and even I thought it had been a silly thing to learn. Now, I was grateful for the skill. Trotting a bit faster I started heading down the hallway until the Pipbuck started that weird clicking again. Seconds later a faint glow radiated from the end of the hallway. Holding back a scream I quickly darted back to the junction. There was only one way to go so I quickly turned in the direction of the overmare's office.

My heart dropped to my hooves when I saw the bones of numerous ponies piled outside a large door. It wasn't the bones that had me freaking out but the fact that I was now trapped! The light was getting brighter and the Pipbuck was clicking faster and faster. Running in place frantically I began looking around for anywhere I could hide. It was then I noticed a terminal tucked away beside the door. Scrambling through the bones I pulled the cord out of the Pipbuck just like Vagabond had done and thrust it into the port.

A groan echoed from behind me, but I dared not turn around. My eyes were glued to the screen as a jumbled mess of letters, numbers, and strange characters appeared. It didn't make any sense! There was a flashing box as if it were asking me for a command. I pushed a button that highlighted a random word was rewarded with a loud buzz that told me I had entered in the wrong password. Password? Is that what it wanted? How the hell was I supposed to know that?!

Heavy steps behind me told me I was running out of time. Where was Vagabond? Had the monster finally caught up to him? If it was here, then he had to be dead and now I was trapped down here! I began to cry. Fear, anger, and frustration all balled up into one and I couldn't hold them back. Then came the scream of unbridled fury and I finally turned to see that glowing abomination standing at the end of the hallway. Our eyes met and that's when it started running.

"No!" I shrieked. Not knowing what else to do, I slammed my hoof on the keyboard out of sheer desperation. I can't explain how it happened other than pure luck, but the terminal beeped happily, and the door hissed open just wide enough for a little pony to squeeze through. Tripping over the bones I fell through the crack and landed in a spacious office. I barked out a triumphant laugh that ended in a squeal as a massive hoof shot through the gap. Backpedaling, I tried to get as far away from the door as possible as the glowing ghoul tried to force its way through. It howled and kicked but the metal held firm. I managed to catch my breath as the adrenaline left, leaving me panting and sniffling on the floor.

The ghoul seemed to forget why it was thrashing at the door after several minutes and retreated only to stand like some kind of freakish guard. For now, I was stuck in the office and took a moment to get my bearings. There wasn't much other than a large desk with a terminal, some moldy chairs, and a faded flag. The door must have remained closed for the last two centuries since this room was practically untouched. I made my way around the desk, the movement catching the eye of the ghoul and sending it back into a fruitless rampage on the door and sat in the posh chair. A single skeleton was tucked under the desk but I kicked it away to make room as I scooted closer to the terminal. I was going to be here for a while so I might as well try and practice with the whole technology thing. Plugging the Pipbuck in, I waited for the flash of numbers and code, but it didn't happen. Instead, it greeted me pleasantly and showed me a single option to select from.

Welcome, Overmare.

> Audio File 1

Why not? Clicking the file, I sat back and listened. At first there was static but soon a mare's voice spoke.

"This is Overmare Amethyst Star of Stable 42. This will be my first and last recording. I was hoof picked by Applebloom herself to manage this stable and I couldn't have been prouder. And why shouldn't I have been? After all I am the most organized pony right after Twilight Sparkle, and I was the leader of the animal team for Winter Wrap up seven years in a row! I know how to manage ponies, so I thought being an overmare would be a breeze. Too bad I'll never get the chance to know that for sure."

I could hear far off voices wailing in the background along with hooves pounding on a door. I guess that explained the bones. The glowing ghoul rammed its head against the door at the sound of the recording and I heard a sickening crunch. I gulped nervously but the creature let out a moan and fell to the ground stunned. Shaking my head, I returned my attention back to the recording.

"…warning we had to get to the stable. It was a mad house. Ponies were scrambling to get inside, but we could only allow those who had made the list. It was hard to send so many ponies away, but I had a job to do and I wasn't going to let Applebloom and the ponies of Stable-Tec down. Once the ponies were safely inside, I ordered the door to be sealed shut, but it malfunctioned."

Her voice cracked and she began sobbing. It took her a long time to compose herself all the while the screams and bangs continued relentlessly.

"The door wouldn't close! I heard the megaspells falling, felt the ground shake as they exploded just outside the very door that was supposed to protect us from them. I didn't know what else to do so I ran to my office just as the wave of magical radiation came through the crack. I can still feel the heat on the back of my legs. That's when the screaming began. I watched on this very terminal as ponies went mad and started attacking one another! Their flesh looked as if it were melting and I can only imagine how much pain they must have been in! I don't know who did it, but somepony finally managed to get the door sealed before they were overrun. It was too late. There is no way for me to escape this nightmare. All the ponies I was supposed to take care of are dead or worse.

"I'm not going to let that happen to me. Maybe I'm a coward. I should be out there suffering with them, but I just can't bring myself to do it. So, I guess I'll have an excuse to use that gift Dinky got for me when she found out I was chosen as overmare. I didn't understand why she got it for me, but I guess everypony was buying guns after the war started. Well, this is it. Overmare Amethyst Star signing off."

I heard her start to hum a catchy tune and the words 'winter wrap up' were muttered a few times between sobs. Then came the familiar click of a guns hammer and the inevitable bang followed shortly after. The recording didn't stop. It looked like there were hours of just groaning, weeping, and endless suffering until the recording ended. I turned it off after only a few seconds. I had never really had much remorse for the lost souls of the past. Their bones were scattered all across the wasteland, but I'd never given them a second thought. This was the first time I had known who they actually belonged to.

Leaning down, I peered under the desk at the remains of Amethyst Star. The remains I had thoughtlessly kicked aside. I carefully arranged them back together as best I could whispering my apologies. It wasn't much but given the circumstances it was better than leaving them tossed aside. Picking up the skull I was surprised when a small bullet casing fell out causing me to gaze sadly at the single hole on the side. Placing it next to the pile, I caught a glimpse of something I hadn't seen before. It was a snub-nosed pistol with a scope attached. On the side of the barrel was an emblem of three, small gemstones. It was in remarkably good condition and from the weight I could tell it was still loaded.

The moment my hoof touched the weapon the Pipbuck beeped and something flashed across my vision causing me to utter a startled cry. An image of the gun appeared, and I saw there was a name too.

"Amethyst's Peace." It seemed a fitting name. The strange phenomenon passed, and my vision returned to normal. Part of me thought about leaving the gun behind but I knew it would be no use here. It had done its job for its previous owner. It was time for it to serve another and I was always in need of more protection. Nodding my thanks to Amethyst Star I holstered my new gun and said a rare, silent prayer to the Goddesses asking them to watch over her spirit.

Without warning a piercing howl rang throughout the stable. It hadn't come from the glowing one outside the door which meant there was more than one of those damn things down here! Then that meant Vagabond was okay! I was astonished to find myself relieved at this revelation but didn't dwell on it for too long. Peeking around the side of the desk, I could see the ghoul guarding my escape had turned to stare blankly into the darkness. Seconds later I heard another set of hooves clopping down the hallway then a flash of pale, blue light. I didn't catch sight of the unicorn, but the ghoul must have because it suddenly stampeded away with an angry growl. Once again, my companion had given me a chance to end things even if he didn't know it. Trotting to the door I caught the last glow of irradiated light fade away in the direction of the atrium. Pulling Amethyst's Peace from the holster I galloped away from the overmare's office and turned to make a beeline for maintenance.

Time was of the essence. No more hiding from every little noise. It was time to finish the damn job and get the hell out of here. I never wanted to see another stable again! The clattering of my hooves drew a few lesser ghouls from their hiding spots, but my new weapon made short work of them. Small as it was it sure did packed a punch! At long last, a large sign told me I had finally made it to maintenance, and I wasted no time sliding into the room. Thankfully it was free of any roaming zombie ponies, but I did notice it was chock-full of a wide assortment of tools and gadgets. There were also dozens of Pipbucks stacked and I was tempted to take one, but I knew next to nothing about them. Instead I holstered Amethyst's Peace and darted to the terminal and jammed the Pipbuck into the port.

"Please don't let there be a password. Please don't let there be a password. Please don't let there be a password," I chanted desperately. It would seem my luck had run out as the screen filled with gibberish. Alright, come on, Wild, think! What would ponies back then have used for a password. It was then I remembered what Amethyst Star had said. Nopony had even made it this far into the stable before turning into those monsters. Nopony had put a password on this it must still be using a default one! Looking at the screen, I scanned the scrambled mess until I found something that stood out. 'Stable-Tec'.

Pressing the button, I sighed heavily when the screen changed to show me several options.

> Orientation

> Technicians To-Do List

> Turret Control

> Power Supply Information

Selecting the correct one the computer then asked which option to choose from.

> Free fire

> Hostile targets

> Turn off

"Why is there even an option for free fire? Nope, screw it, I don't care!" Picking the hostile option, I hit the keyboard hard. Above my head, I saw one of the guns sudden spin around and target me. My ears drooped as I thought I had messed up somehow but then a little light on the base turned green and it twisted away to point at the door. That's when the stable erupted with gunfire and yowls of pain. I could only imagine the kind of slaughter that was happening in the atrium. I cheered loudly as I bucked the air but hesitated a little when I realized those had all been innocent ponies at one time. It wasn't their fault they had been turned into mindless horrors.

While I waited for the turrets to finish cleaning up, I aimlessly tapped through the options on the terminal until I found an option, I wish had been available before. With a click I selected it and blinked as the lights in the stable powered up. At once I felt better about being trapped miles underground, but I still wanted out. Now that I could see, I noticed a yellow box on the wall and smiled. Opening it, I discovered some healing potions, a bag of Radaway, and a bottle of painkillers. Well… Dr. Willow hadn't said we couldn't have some of the stuff found down here. After putting the supplies in my saddlebag, the sound of gunfire began to die down telling me it was finally safe to leave and find Vagabond. I left the pipbuck plugged into the terminal, grabbed Amethyst's Peace, and checked to see how many bullets were left. One. Of course, it was just one. I'd have Vagabond buy me more when we were done. It was the least he could do after dragging me down into this hellhole.

Now that the lights were on it was like being in a whole different world. Posters and murals I hadn't noticed before greeted me as I trotted down the hallway. It did seem to make things look a bit more…hopeful. Too bad many of them were tainted with dried blood. Turning down the hall towards the atrium I just about died when I saw one of those stupid glowing bastards limping a short distance away. How was it still alive?! I could see it was littered with bullet holes and a luminous liquid pooling around its hooves.

That's when I saw him. Just past the glowing ghoul a white unicorn stood over the bodies of two others, their innate glow steadily getting dimmer. He was panting and bleeding from a nasty cut on his neck but otherwise okay. He hadn't noticed the remaining threat dragging itself towards him. It was like déjà vu only this time with something much more deadly than a group of kids. Looking down the scope of my gun I pointed it at the back of the ghoul's head. One shot, Wild, better make it count. Pulling my tongue back, I fired.

The blast rang out and time seemed to slow. Vagabond turned his head the moment the bullet entered the monster's skull, sending glowing blood splattering all over. Those icy blue eyes gazed past the zombie pony at me and I smiled back.

"We've got to stop meeting like this," I called.

When we emerged from Stable 42 it was dark. Not that suffocating darkness but rather a gentle and welcoming darkness. The streets of Stableton were bare but the houses were all alight giving us a nice view after such an ordeal. We started making our way back to the clinic where that ungrateful hag was waiting.

"I never want to go inside another stable for as long as I live," I said, sighing contentedly.

"Let's hope you never have to," Vagabond replied with a smile.

"So, are you going to tell me why you know so much about them or are we just going to ignore that?"

"Ignore what?"

I shook my head and playfully shoved him. I wasn't one to pry into another pony's secret, but I had to admit I was curious. Of course, I had asked him why he had played tag with those glowing ghouls when it was clear he could have easily taken them out. All he would say was he was waiting for the right moment. Pressing further only resulted in him flashing that obnoxious grin. So, I guess I had no choice but to leave it at that… for now.

When we reached Dr. Willow's clinic, I almost bucked the door down to let her know we were back but Vagabond caught me in his magic and pleasantly knocked instead. Killjoy. I did get a bit of a kick when she answered and just gawked at us for a moment.

"Well, well, well, you're alive. Color me impressed."

"We took care of your pest problem. There may be one or two stragglers but nothing a group of well-armed ponies can't handle," Vagabond said.

"I'll have Steelheart round up some bucks to clean up tomorrow. You did well, Mr. Vagabond. I'll see that you are rewarded."

"It wasn't just me. Wild Chain's here was the one who activated the turrets and even saved me from a surprisingly tough ghoul."

So that's why he'd let me be the one to turn on the guns. Sneaky bastard. Releasing me from his telekinesis I just stood there glaring at Dr. Willow. She returned the gesture but seemed to ease up a little.

"Perhaps I judged you too harshly, Wild Chains. Thank you for saving the ponies of Stableton. Now, if you two would like to retire to the inn, Clover will take care of you and we can talk more in the morning."

With that she shut the door in our snickering faces. Yeah, there was more to Vagabond then he was letting on. Maybe he wasn't all bad. Course, I wasn't going to let him know that. Clover's reaction to our arrival was almost identical to her mother's but she gave up an extra room for me without too much fuss. For a second night in a row I slept comfortably on an actual bed. When morning came, I was reluctant to leave but Vagabond dragged me downstairs and we ate a hearty breakfast of 200-year-old oat cakes. Afterwards, we met up with Dr. Willow again. Thankfully, it was a brief visit as she declared that my medical expenses were paid in full with interest. Tossing a bag of caps to Vagabond she waved a dismissive hoof and we left.

After resupplying our packs and purchasing more ammunition for Amethyst's Peace we left Stableton just as the sun reached the highest point in the sky. We traveled a short way without saying much but then Vagabond stopped, and I turned to look at him curiously.

"Well, you're healed and fully prepared to face the wasteland on your own. I've paid my debt, so I'll let you go your own way." His eyes seemed distant and sad, but he didn't say anything else.

I stood there a moment thinking long and hard about what came next. A new life was waiting for me and I still had no clue what I was meant to do with it. I'd never been alone before and from what I could tell, Vagabond had been alone for too long. After our adventure in the stable I knew he was a valuable companion, for an adult anyways. More than once he'd risked his own life to ensure I was safe. Rusty Blade told me over and over again that all adults were untrustworthy monsters and more often than not, he was proved right. But he had been wrong about Vagabond.

"Actually, I was thinking you might need somepony to watch your back. I mean, this makes it two times now that I've saved your life. Clearly you can't be left alone."

At once he flashed that stupid grin of his. I groaned and rolled my eyes before turning to hide my own smile. Together, we made our way back into the Equestrian Wasteland ready for what other adventures were out there.

Footnote: Level up!
New Perk: Intense Training (level one) – You are a quick study when danger looms nearby. You gain +1 to your intelligence
Quest Perk added: Rotten Butcher - The smell of putrid flesh triggers you. You do 5% more damage to feral ghouls.

Author's Note

Thank you once again, SonnyStar, for your help with editing. And thank you too, dear reader, for your continued support!