Fallout Equestria: A Lonely Road

Silence.

It is such a simple word, with such a simple meaning.

The absence of sound, stillness.

It is strange to think that out of all the things that could have frightened me when I first awoke that it was such a simple thing that scared me the most.

Silence.

All around me, in my mind, the void where once there had been a constant buzz pressed down on me. Crushing me under all of its weight and implications, of the horrid truth which silence represented. I was alone. For the first time in my life, I was alone. My breathing picked up as I curled into a as tiny a ball as I could, hugging myself as I squeezed my eyes shut and tried desperately with all my might to try and reach someling, anyling!

Silence.

Okay, okay no need to panic. Everyling else is probably still sleeping, I was just the first one awake is all. Forcing my eyes open I had my first look at my surroundings. I was still in my pod from when Queen Chrysalis rushed us to THE QUEEN! My head whipped up as I looked around, my eyes searching wildly for any sign of my Queen. The darkness was pervasive, but to one who had spent their life in darkness it was nothing. My eyes could easily pick out the rows of pods around me, each one containing a changeling. All of this I took in at a glance. However at the moment it wasn’t important and could wait, I needed to get out of my pod and find Queen Chrysalis, make sure she was alright. There had to be some reasonable explanation why I couldn’t hear her or anyling anymore.

First things first, twisting onto my back I raised my hoofs and smashed them against the clear, crystalline covering of my pod. Tiny, spider web cracks spread out from where I struck and continued to grow and expand as I smashed the covering again and again until with a great CRACK! the covering shattered and allowed me to clamber out. Hopping down onto the floor, I was surprised to find that instead of the soft, spongy floor I was expecting my hooves broke through the floor and only a quick application of my wings saved me from a plummet. Hovering above the new hole I looked down, seeing another hallway lined with pods just like the one I was in. Looking around at my own hall I was shocked to see that the walls were dried and broken, crumbling away in some places. What happened here? I asked myself, feeling my fear growing ever more potent as this new fear settled in.

Deciding that it would be safer to remain airborne, I flew down along the hallway, refusing to look into any of the pods for fear of what I might find. The many twists and turns of the winding corridors of the Hive served to settle my nerves a bit, the familiar motions allowing me to focus on flying and navigation rather than anything else. All too soon, I arrived. There before me, were the grand doors that lead to the royal chambers. Queen Chrysalis’s pod. She would know what to do. Slowly descending to the ground I tucked my wings back against my sides as I stared at the door. All I had to do was walk forward, push open the doors and wake her up. Yep, that’s all I had to do. Five minutes passed as I simply stood and stared at her door, willing myself to move forward. But I couldn’t. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t force myself to move those last couple feet and push open that door. I anxiously shifted my weight around on my hooves, chewing on my lip as I tried to convince myself that there was nothing to worry about, that everything was fine. Yet, I couldn’t help but remember those last few frantic minutes from before I went into my pod.

~HURRY MY CHILDREN! INTO YOUR PODS!~ the voice of Queen Chrysalis screamed in my mind, and though she tried to hide it we could all taste the fear in her voice. Something had happened, something bad. The Hive was in a frenzy as Changelings rushed through the halls, trying to get to their pods or getting the young into theirs. ~QUCIKLY! THERE IS NOT MUCH TIME!~ The Queen’s voice cracked through our minds once more, driving us on to even greater speeds. Dodging around a changeling flying in the opposite direction I spotted my pod, diving down I landed in the middle of it. Feeling the soft interior reminded me briefly of my own youth and of time spent in the napping pods and pleasant memories of playing with the other changelings.

~Lay down my child. Sleep and I will wake you once it is safe once more~ Startled out of my memories by the voice, I snapped my head back around and there she was. Queen Chrysalis. Looking as regal as ever, her majestic horn towering above her head and her wings tucked safely against her sides as she looked right at me. AT ME! I was almost shaking with the pure joy of being the center of attention of Queen Chrysalis, even if it was just briefly. She smiled, licking her lips a bit as she stepped up to my pod, gently directing me to lie down which I swiftly complied with. ~What is going on my Queen? ~ I regretted my question instantly as a look of profound sadness appeared on her face and the taste of dandelions flooded my mouth.

~The ponies and zebras have been extremely foolish. We must bid our time and wait until the time is right to once more show ourselves in the world. Now, enough questions. It is time to sleep~ She said as she sealed up my pod. Leaning down and gently kissing the cover she gave me one last smile and then she was gone. Smelling the gases that would help me sleep begin pumping into the pod my last thoughts were of how we would emerge and assert ourselves as the rightful rulers of the planet once the ponies and zebras were finished with each other.

Blinking and shaking my head, I found myself once more in the present and still staring at the door. Letting out a growl I glared at the door, suddenly furious at it. This door would not stand in my way! It would not hinder me in my search for my Queen! Letting out a yell I shot towards the door, at the last possible moment I twisted around and kicked both my back legs at the door, intending to smash it open in a brazen display of bravery.

SMASH!

I suddenly found myself unable to move. Jerking around a bit I twisted my head to see what had happened. Both my hind legs were imbedded in the door. A dark flush heated my cheeks as I was glad there was noling around to witness my embarrassment. Opening my wings I began flapping them as I strained against my wooden captor. I could hear the creaks and groans of the door as it struggled to hold on to its prisoner. However, I proved the stronger in the end as with a final SNAP the wood gave way and released me. Shooting forward a bit I quickly stopped my forward momentum and turned back around to face the door which now had two changeling hoof sized holes in it. Flying back I decided to check if it was locked or not. To my great chagrin, it was not. Note to self, always check doors first.

The door opened slowly with much creaking and squeaking as the little used hinges voiced their protests at the sudden movement. The room was in shambles. Part of the ceiling had collapsed and blocked off the entire right side of the room in rubble. Turning my gaze away from there I could see that the other side of the room held a simple chest and a desk with a mirror on it. I paused as I caught sight of my reflection. I had never seen my own reflection before though in truth I had no real need of it. I looked just like any other changeling in the Hive. I had two gossamer wings, blue pupil-less eyes and a pair of rather impressive upper fangs if I did say so myself. Shaking my head at getting distracted I looked away from the mirror and my reflection to continue my search of the room.

Not seeing her pod I was starting to think that I might have entered the wrong room when I noticed a doorway, cleverly hidden to look just like it was part of the wall. Well, I imagine that it was once cleverly hidden as there was some rubble lying in front of a hole in the wall through which I could see another room beyond.

And in that room I could see it. A single pod, pressed up against the far wall. A pod that was double the size of mine and could only contain one being. My Queen. Taking a deep breath to steady my resurging nerves I slowly walked into the room. Each hoofstep seemed to echo in the small chamber. My eyes remained fixed on the pod, never leaving it as I slowly, oh so slowly advanced on it.

Step.

I was almost there.

Step.

Soon I could wake her up and everything would be fixed.

Step.

I was at the edge of the pod; all I had to do was open it.

My wings slowly opened, extending before ever so slowly flapping. Picking up speed bit by bit they were soon a blur as they began buzzing and lifted me off the floor. Hovering just a few inches off the floor I took a steadying breath before flying up to the obscured crystalline covering. Looking at the blackened crystal I extended my foreleg and began clearing away the soot or whatever it was that was blocking my view of my Queen. ~My Queen? It is time to wake up. Your children need you~ I said, rubbing harder against the cover. Whatever this stuff was it was a pain to get off. Finally, after what seemed an eternity it began to rub off and then without warning a large chunk of it just sloughed off and revealed the clear crystalline behind it.

With a wide, triumphant grin I pressed my face up against the crystal.

Then I started to scream.