Fallout Equestria: Baltimare Heights

The clock on my EFS read nine in the evening. I had briefly stopped by my boss's office to gather up the enchanted gemstones and a manifest telling me where they each were meant to be installed. After that, I made my way to the elevator.

Upon reaching the elevator, a pair of earth pony guards greeted me. The larger one, a red stallion with a black mane, spoke first with a friendly smile. "Hello ma'am, what floor are you needing?"

I preemptively withdrew my floor pass and special clearance keycard. "I'm going to work from the fifth floor up tonight. I've a lot to catch up on since it's my Monday."

The guard verified my credentials and gave his co-officer a nod. "Fifth floor it is."

The smaller mare, who was white with a teal mane, gave a quick nod and stepped aside revealing the control panel. She pressed the button to call the elevator and we waited a short bit as the lights above the doors lit and dimmed one after another.

Finally, when the doors opened the mare stepped in first. I followed her into the elevator, pausing briefly to look at the large stallion. "Thank you, Big Red. It's always good to see you."

After the door closed the guard hit a button and the elevator began descending. I watched the mare fidget for a bit. "Got spiders in your mane?" I asked her curiously.

"I uh-" she paused for a moment to collect her thoughts. "I'm new to security and…" Pausing again, she watched the light tick from three to four. "I've never seen a zebra, and this is the first chance I've had."

Go figure. "What's your name?" I asked with a smile.

"I'm Cerulean Snow." She admitted timidly.

We came to a stop and the doors opened. "Here's your chance, Cerulean." Just outside the door stood a very tall zebra mare in Stable 109 security barding. She simply nodded to me as I stepped out into the room. Looking back at the little white mare who just gawked at the zebra.

I almost wanted to laugh but chose not to, seeing the two of them staring at one another was kind of a funny moment. The Zebra stood two full heads over the white earth pony. I saw Cerulean's tail swoop under her as she slowly began to back away.

I quickly put a hoof in the way of the closing doors. She gave a nervous chuckle before giving me a pleading glare. I rolled my eyes and sat in the doors' way, pulling my credentials out again and showing them to the zebra. "I'm down here to replace some talismans."

She didn't move, but gave my ID badge a quick look over, it was the same routine as always. I had to say something to break the silent tension. "Ms. Zebra, what's your name?"

Her ears immediately swiveled to her front, but she seemed a bit disheartened by Snow's reaction. "I'm called Xeyal, you know this already." She answered in her usual accented way. I've become accustomed to hearing it as most zebras here have it but seeing Cerulean Snow's reaction was priceless. Her ears danced atop her head as she processed it.

Cerulean stepped forward and stood straight. "I'm Cerulean Snow and I've never met one of you before." the mare immediately panicked and walked back her thoughts, "I mean a Zebra, I mean… I've never even seen one until now and you're wearing the same barding as me. I'm just new. I'm sorry."

I smiled and shook my head a little chuckle before turning back up at Xeyal. She was smiling, an actual grin accompanied by the softest of chortles behind a risen hoof.

"It's all okay, my little pony friend. We are both protectors of our stable and I believe, unlike many zebras here, that we need more cooperation." Her accent seemed to stun Cerulean into a calmer state. She dropped onto her rump next to me in the elevator door.

With that I stood and stepped away. "I'll leave you two to it, keep in mind, Cerulean, don't keep Big Red waiting too long."

Xeyal had seated herself and was sharing a story, so Cerulean Xeyal looked my way with a smile and gave a quick nod. Taking my leave with a quickened pace, I made my way from there to the first stop I had to make, which was my favorite stop.

Opening the windowed doors to the apple orchard always gave me a glint of excitement and wonder. The ponies who designed our stable gave us this beautiful place. Despite being underground, the room was equipped with atmospheric controls providing everything needed to keep these plants as healthy as possible.

The warm humidity inside was a welcomed treat. The smell that hung in the thicker air had a certain sweetness to it that couldn't be found anywhere else. While here, I knew well enough not to eat anything, despite the deliciously plump apples that hung off every branch of every tree. Spotting a few zebra loading baskets of apples onto a flat cart, I trotted over and gave a friendly, "Hello!"

Both of them turned to see me. One of them just returned to his work while the other came to meet me. "Hello. You are here to repair the water, yes?"

I nodded, "Yep, which gemstone broke?"

He swung a hoof for me to follow him as he turned off and started toward the wall where I could see the maintenance door. He pushed down on the large handle and pulled it open. Inside was a small platform with a stairway leading up to the control station.

I listened to the hiss of steam and the grinding of gears that echoed from all around. The low growls of the machinery and clanking of metal actually gave me a feeling of comfort. I couldn't help but smile a little.

The zebra that guided me shouted over the noise, "We are almost there. It will be on the right."

After too many steps, we came to the familiar deck that housed the majority of atmospheric controls for this greenhouse chamber. There were four more zebras here, one of which scowled when he saw me but kept working his station.

The one I followed spoke quietly with a mare who gave a small nod. I watched patiently as she tapped a few buttons which popped open a nearby wall panel to reveal a space with several moving parts and pipes. In its center was a box with a small latch. "Do what you must," he told me before departing back the way we came.

I set to work, I opened the latch and released the clasps that held the two dull sapphires and removed them. Using my magic and drawing out my bag of talismans, I withdrew two of the eight water talismans and inserted them before locking them in place. I waved a hoof to the zebra mare who nodded and reengaged the system. Both gems began to shine as the magic within them began generating fresh clean water.

With a confirmation from the zebra who didn't want me there, I closed the little box and took my leave. The panel slid shut and I sighed, feeling a daunting sadness fall over me as I looked around. One zebra just glared at me, the mare wouldn't look at me, and the other two were snickering amongst themselves with a sideways glance my way.

I wasn't sure, but I could bet that they chuckled at some joke given at my expense. Without another word I went back down the stairs and continued on to my next stop, the trash incinerator was having issues.

I watched a few maintenance and security zebras out and about. Per usual, most were in bed at this time of night. Whatever a pony here could consider night to be anyway. So, few ponies ventured around down here that even after thirteen years in my position, I still receive weird gazes and snide remarks. Many of the zebras here never even see a pony. The separation between us makes it uncanny and uncomfortable for most everyone it seemed.

However, my frequency down here has given me a few unlikely friends and plenty of ways to break a few rules. I passed through the atrium that centered floors four and five. Only a few zebras were present, mostly just cleaning up after the days festivities. I could see the remains of popped balloons, stray streamers and homemade confetti. A few of them looked my way as I passed through.

I swiftly made my way through the empty halls until I got to the trash incinerators. This place had several trash chutes that all ended here, several large metal bins on small metal wheels were still filled with garbage and even one large black bag on a wheeled table.

There was a zebra sleeping with his hooves over his chest and his rear hooves up on his desk. The door opening and closing behind me hadn't disturbed him. I ignored the sleeping zebra as I walked past the garbage pile. I couldn't describe the stench that lingered in here and it was bewildering that this stallion could sleep in such a place.

I made my way to the terminal on the wall next to the closed incinerator. Tapping a few keys brought me to a key card authorization. Using my maintenance key granted me access. Tapping away at the keyboard with my magic, I opened the door to incinerator. I double checked that all functions were turned off and opened the floor panel that housed a fire talisman.

Before entering I double checked my list and found that I was carrying one ruby enchanted for fire production and two that were enchanted with restoration magic. I levitated all three out and quickly identified the marking for the fire ruby.

Putting the others away, I entered the incinerator and quickly swapped out the gemstone. Being in there is always a little unnerving, even when it's off. The walls were equipped with small nozzles that would spew fire when turned on, the ceiling had water sprinklers to clean away the ash. The floor grates that lined the floor would drain away any and all remains.

I quickly left the chamber and closed the door, feeling relieved. I logged off the terminal and made my way over to the sleeping zebra. He just snorted and mumbled but kept snoozing.

"Hey! It's time for work." I kicked his desk hard, and he jerked upright in his seat as it landed back on all four legs. "Good, you're awake. I wanted to let you know that the incinerator's fire gem has been replaced. You can now burn trash again."

He slapped his desk with both forehooves as he stood, "You do not tell me what to do, unicorn."

I rolled my eyes and promptly left him in his stink hole. I was following my usual route reading my list of to-dos to see where my next stop was when I bumped into something that didn't move. I took an unsteady step back and looking up, a very tall Xeyal stood in my way, looking down at me. "Uh… my bad."

The resolve I saw in her eyes made me weary, "the Elders want to speak with you."

I felt a little panic, "the Elders?"

"Yes. I was asked to retrieve you. Now follow me." She turned and began a brisk trot down the hall. I almost had to gallop to keep up. Why is she so damn tall!

I followed her tail as she quietly breezed through the halls back to the atrium. How is a mare that big that quiet?

We went up the main stairs and into the double doors at their top. I couldn't help myself but watching her ass sway per step was somewhat entrancing. She led me up a short set of stairs and along another shorter hallway. At the end of it was another set of double doors.

She pressed a button on the wall and spoke quietly into the speaker beside the door. "I have arrived with the unicorn maintenance mare you've requested."

A moment of silence filled the hall then the speaker crackled, and a stallion spoke in a much thicker accent. "Good," a small click came from the door. "You may enter now."

The doors receded into the walls on either side. We entered together and inside was a large lounge with several very old looking zebras seated around a table. A few other elderly zebras sat off to the sides of the room. It was lined with bookshelves and tables, display cases and statues. Probably one of the most lavish rooms in the whole stable.

I followed the large mare sheepishly. Xeyal didn't speak, opting to bow before sitting on the floor in front of those who sat at the table.

the old mare that sat nearest us seemed to be looking me over. "Do you know why you are here?"

I shook my head no.

She didn't react at all. "Do you know who we are?"

"No." I answered, shaking my head again.

She gave a small, annoyed huff then turned and nodded to the rest of the table. A stallion stood slowly; his voice was unexpectedly more boisterous than he looked. "Do you know what you are?"

The question lingered in the air, it made my stomach churn a little and my voice caught in my throat. "Yes." I examined my hooves for a moment before looking back up at the old buck.

He walked around the table to stand in front of me. "Does the name Glyph Stone mean anything to you, Glimmer Stone?"

This time I couldn't hide the shock I felt, it made my heart quicken enough for me to hear it. I stood and took a few measured steps backward. He had an ugly scar across his cheek and eye, and one of his ears was missing most of its tip. "How?" I asked hesitantly, "What is it? How do you know me?"

He seated himself and cocked his head to one side, his ears swiveled toward me. "Don't overreact, it serves no purpose."

I scrambled to right myself, flushing with embarrassment as Xeyal just shook her head with a hoof pressed against her brow.

"Little pony… You're of the same blood as I. Glyph is my son and your mothers like a daughter." He touched his chest gently with a forehoof. "You see; you are safe here."

"Then you all know I'm a hybrid?" I asked and saw Xeyal's eyes widen in surprise. However, all the elderly ponies just gave reassuring nods and quips in agreement.

"Your mother, Silver Torrent, has always been one unicorn unlike any other. She helped us, healed us and fought for us." He paused and held a hoof out to the elderly mare who originally spoke.

She spoke with her heart in her throat. "My Glyph Stone died for our safety. She warned us of our impending demise when the Overmare of that time determined us dangerous and unneeded. All of us were to be incinerated. Our rebellion showed them we are capable of protecting our own."

A third zebra at the table spoke up. "Despite our better efforts, we failed to find equality and now we are destined to be hated and forgotten." Several of the zebras in the room grumbled in agreement. "Our brothers and sisters are sickened and struggling. We aren't wanted. We are needed."

The stallion spoke up again. "Silver Torrent has requested of us to help you to help us and to help us we must have freedom."

The room fell silent. Then I realized they were waiting on me to speak. "I… I want to help but I don't even know where to begin."

"It isn't a one-day task. It will take time for change to come. You are the only one who can bring about that change. The ways will show themselves, so take pace and remember this." He smiled at me. "If you are even half the zebra your father was, you will succeed." With that he stood and stepped toward me, scooping me up into a big hug.

His sheer strength surprised me. I can't breathe! A moment later he dropped me with his hooves on my shoulders. "You must follow your mothers' instructions and meet her up in the tower."

"I may have someone capable of joining me. Hopefully between him and I we'll be able to get out of here." I smiled but it wasn't with happiness. Meeting my dad's parents… it was easier than expected.

The elderly mare stood and slowly moved to Xeyal. "You understand that this secret must remain a secret. If by any chance she's discovered as a zony, she'll be hunted down and killed on sight."

I shivered at the cold honesty. A Zony? I thought briefly. Seeing Xeyal’s solemn nod gave me a little reassurance that despite what I am, I could still be seen as acceptable. Knowing my life up until now had been a pile of lies still left a bitter taste in my mouth though.

Despite that I still had a lot of unanswered questions. “What actually happened back then. During the uprising, I mean.”

“There’s much to be said on that topic. For now, just know that your father was a hero and a martyr.” The stallion said without missing a beat. "What is your plan?"

Mulling over his question for a moment, I had given it plenty of thought, but I was no closer to figuring it out. "I'll be honest. I don't know yet. Coffee Bean and I will probably make a break for the teleporter tomorrow night. He knows the guards' patrols and is devising the best timing."

He gave a nod and returned to his seat on the far side of the table. "Niara, my love. Please give our granddaughter the gift we prepared."

The old mare nodded and brought a box out from under the table to sit in front of her. She gave the package a small push and it came to stop in front of Xeyal and I. Niara gave a smile. "Healing potions and special rejuvenation brews. Six of each. Burdel and I made them to take with you."

I took the box and removed the lid. Inside were twelve glowing bottles. Half were a deep red and the other half were a vivid light purple. moving them into my pack with my magic, I looked around the room, everyone here, I could consider to be family now. "Thank you."

"We hope to see you again. Go now, find your mother and she can explain more of what you don't yet know. Take care, Glimmer Stone." Niara spoke with a kindness I had only ever heard come from my mom when she would try to comfort me as a filly.

I smiled the best I could then turned to retrace my steps. Xeyal moved ahead of me to guide the way. Her tail swishing elegantly.

As we neared the atrium, I could almost smell her from here, it made me lightheaded with a daydream of her and I. When she came to an abrupt stop, I caught myself almost in her tail horn first.

She looked at me in bewilderment and I could feel a blush heat my cheeks. She smirked and lashed her tail as she sat down beside the door. "You will see me again when you least expect it."

I wanted to ask what she meant by that, but there were zebras around. "Have a good night, Xeyal. See you later.

This room… I spent all day cleaning and organizing it. I wanted to take all of my most cherished things, but none of it could come with me. Where is he? I looked at the time and continued to pace in my small space.

I wore my stable 109 jumpsuit under my utility barding and saddlebags along with an extra set of four small saddle packs attached to my belts. I had organized my inventory four times and had made sure that I hadn't forgotten anything. Twice.

A knock came at my door and I quickly opened the door to let Coffee Bean in. He moved inside quickly, the door closing behind him. "Are we ready?" I asked.

Without speaking he reached into one of his saddlebags and pulled out a map that he unrolled on my desk. "The teleporter is here," he pointed a hoof at a room that branched off the hallway that ran from the atrium to the Overmare's office. "Security is always posted here and here." His hoof tapped on the atrium and on the Overmare's office.

"So how do we get around them unnoticed?" I questioned with an inkling of a thought.

"I figure we can provide a distraction. I could claim that the zebras are coming up the utility stairs," he offered.

Shaking my head "mm-no," I started slowly. "If anything, they would stay posted where they are for the Overmare's protection. Maybe some lesser disturbance." I tapped my chin with a hoof. "Perhaps a fire in one of the atrium's restaurants?"

He nodded in agreement. "Sounds good. Here, I found a stash of this stuff once and never bothered with it." He pulled an unopened bottle of Applebuck Whiskey. Contraband. Illegal to make, have or consume within the stable.

"Never have I ever drank or wanted to drink." I said with a smirk, levitating the bottle to me. Popping the cap off of it, he gave a smirk and no protest. I had a big drink. Feeling the alcohol burning my tongue and throat I gulped and held the bottle out for him. I coughed feeling the immediate effects of it spread throughout my body.

He took the bottle and proceeded to take an even larger pair of gulps, ending with a refreshed "Ah!" He found the cap where I'd dropped it accidently and closed the bottle before hiding it back in his pack. "Been a very long while." He said with a smile.

I nodded primly, "first time for everything."

"Tonight's a night for a lot of firsts," He answered somberly. "Right, let's go, we can work out more of a plan once we've gotten out."

I paused and went back to my desk, scooped up the hoof-made map and put it in his bag for him. "Are you sure you're up for this? Chances are you won't be able to come back."

Great, he took it the wrong way. He balked at my assertion."If you think I'm abandoning my home, I don't see it that way. This stable will always be my home and helping you now will be helping save my home from itself." He paused and chose his next wording, "I know your secret and I know what is at stake here… I agree that the zebra shouldn't be subjugated the way they are."

"I just… I didn't expect you to so willingly help me. I know I haven't been the friendliest customer in the past."

He smirked and waved a hoof before him. "It's fine. I've always treated it like a game, you're easy to get a reaction from. I always found it cute to be fair, but it was a highlight of the mornings for me."

That made me steam a little, "Rude, I knew it!"

He only offered a grin in response, "You and I are a lot alike. Neither of us followed our parents' profession and we both are a bit standoffish to the rest of them, aren't we?"

He had a fair point there, even if it was an assumption on his part. "Whatever… I honestly don't think I could do this alone." With that I moved in and gave him a hug, "Thank you."

He hugged me back, squeezing me just enough to comfort and it made all the chaos in my head tone down for a moment. This week has been unexpectedly crazy. I could stay here for a while longer…

He let go, and so I reluctantly did too. "We should get going," he told me, glancing off at his own EFS clock.

We both left the room and made our way to the atrium in silence. Making it there unnoticed was easy, after entering the atrium we stuck close to the walls under the upper floor balconies. Luckily no security was present here. I used my maintenance key to unlock the restaurant and we slipped inside.

Coffee Bean turned to me with a puzzling look. "Do we need to actually set a fire to get past them?"

"I'd think it would make it more convincing and allow us a more genuine go at them. Beats lying and hoping they believe it." I told him as I started toward the kitchen at the back of the restaurant.

He gave a soft sigh and nodded. "Mom's going to hate me for this one."

"Does your mom work here?" I asked him, as we entered the kitchen.

"No, she's in security too, but vandalism is rare. She'll be mad when she finds out it was me."

I began to turn on the burners and toss tablecloths and cleaning rags onto them. "If they ask, just blame me."

With smoke building up I grabbed a chair in my magic and we quickly left. I placed the chair in the door to prevent it from closing.

We ran up the stairs to the two guards posted outside the twin doors leading to the Overmare's quarters and office. The guards stiffened at our sudden approach, "Halt, what's the commotion about?"

I spoke first, trying to make myself sound frantic. "I was replacing a gemstone in the kitchen of his restaurant and, and…" I began to huff and puff as if hyperventilating. "We need your help down there!"

Coffee just nodded frantically and stamped his hooves in a hurry. Both the guards just looked at one another. "Yeah right, good try. Go back to work."

"She's not joking! My kitchen is actually on fire! Help me you dolts!" Coffee Bean had given his voice an almost shrill pitch.

I turned to see black smoke coming up from below. "See!" I shouted pointing a hoof at it.

That got them to move. They took off around us and down the stairs. I took the opportunity to open the doors. We ran inside and galloped around the corner.

Two more guards were at the end of the hall. One started speaking into an earpiece as the other started trotting toward us, a metal baton floating beside him. "This area is off limits! Leave now."

Fear. It made my hooves heavier than stone. I wasn't prepared to fight; I've never fought before. Coffee Bean charged forward. I gave myself a little shake and broke into a gallop. "We just need to get inside! I shouted."

He shot a sideward glance to me and nodded. He was smiling. Coffee Bean jumped to the side of the leading unicorn to dodge a strike with the baton. With a swift twist and a solid buck to the unicorns' side.

Thrown off balance, the unicorn hit the wall and swung the baton to find that it was no longer in his magic. I brought it down on his head as hard as I could. The crack of metal on bone. He dropped to the floor like a sack of flour.

I was breathing heavily, my mind going a mile a minute. Please don't be dead. Please don't be dead. I hope you recover okay, just please don't be dead!

"I'm sorry!" I shouted, running past the downed unicorn. The earth pony stallion took a battle stance and hopped aside to avoid a kick from Coffee Bean, then danced backward to avoid my first downward swing.

He held a baton in his mouth and swung it knocking mine away as I tried to bring it back up under his chin. He kicked forward toward me but bucked backward catching Coffee Bean in the chest, knocking him away. I twisted and tried to buck at him but he hopped back onto his rear hooves, bringing his forehooves down at me.

I quickly dodged it, his hoof stomps echoing down the hall. Coffee Bean shouted something, but I was too focused. I brought the baton around and swung it at the back of his hooves, tripping him just as he started toward me. I jumped forward and his face landed against my hooves. He dropped to the ground but quickly stood back up.

Spitting the baton out, he put his hoof through its chain. "You bitch!" With that, Coffee Bean saved the day. He gave the earth pony a solid squared kick to the ribs. the side of his shocked face hit the wall first.

Down he went. I dropped the baton next to him before jumping over him and hurrying to the door.

Using my maintenance keycard on the doors card reader thankfully opened it with a green light and a soft click. Coffee Bean and I rushed inside.

"We have very little time to work with," Coffee Bean reminded me. "More guards will be here any minute." He was looking around the room, it wasn't a large room, there was a round glass chamber in the center of it and a control panel between us and it.

I raced over to those controls. Everything seemed to be set to the previous use, which is exactly what we needed.

Holding my pipbuck up, I tugged a cable from it and plugged it into the terminal. The lock on the terminal could be overridden but I lacked any knowledge to do such a thing. "I can't access it. No idea what I'm looking at here." Several blocks of numbers and letters scrolled by with some words seemingly randomly placed in the jargon.

"Maybe I can be of help." a female voice with that distinct accent came from somewhere behind us. Suddenly a very tall and familiar zebra appeared. "You have three chances." Xeyal was saying as she looked over my shoulder at my pipbuck screen. "That one." she said with a nod.

"Which one?" I queried. I pointed at one of the words that read "Ascension".

She nodded. "Yes. I believe that will grant you access." I selected it and the terminal screen flashed "Access Granted"

I disconnected my pipbuck and turned to the zebra, "How are you here?"

"Nevermind that, we must move now." She insisted, pushing in close beside me. "Turn on the teleporter and begin the synchronization protocols. It should only take a little time to prime before we teleport."

Coffee Bean just sat in shocked silence. His gaze hadn't left Xeyal since she had appeared from nowhere. I focused and followed her direction. The chamber began to glow as magic flowed into it.

As soon as I had finished, Xeyal spoke loud over the humming of the teleporter. "Good, all in now."

Just then the door behind us opened as several guards poured in, followed by the Overmare in a pink nightgown.

All three of us quickly moved into the center chamber and the Overmare was shouting something, but it was lost as the magic whirled up and engulfed us.

In that same moment everything flashed white and we found ourselves standing in the center of a dilapidated and dingy room. The chamber was the identical albeit, much darker and lit by a single red rotating light centered above the only door.

"Are we actually out?" Coffee Bean asked.

"Yes. We're now in the Ministry of Arcane Science above Stable 109." I answered, stepping out of the dust-covered glass chamber.

"To answer your earlier question. I used a gift from your grandparents. They asked me to keep you safe." She dug into a saddlebag and tugged out the corner of what I could guess was a blanket. She tucked it away again. "Zebra Stealth Cloak, provides invisibility and dampens the sounds of the wearer."

Coffee Bean followed along a little behind, "Thanks for helping, Miss uh…"

The zebra gazed back at him before turning to face him. "My apologies, my name is Xeyal, and you are?"

He stammered, looking up at her, "I'm Coffee Bean. I was a cafe server and chef."

She simply nodded. "I'm a senior security officer for the zebra floors and was tasked with protecting you both."

Coffee Bean took to sitting and so did I. He looked at me and asked, "Where do we start then? We're here to find the mission team, my dad had a bad feeling about it. He acted like they were being sent to their deaths."

"Mom said the same. She got the feeling that they wouldn't be allowed back into the stable." I responded evenly. Despite the rising anxiety I felt. Feeling out of place and without direction. I looked up at the small red light. "Looks like this place is running on backup generators."

"Or perhaps it's in a security lockdown." Xeyal chimed in wistfully. "In security, we have access to the pipbuck tags of all zebras and we can use that to track down anyone out of place. Didn't your mother give you her tag before leaving?"

I gave a quick nod and went about looking at my pipbuck. I dug through menus until I turned her tag on. A solid blue upside-down triangle appeared on my compass across the bottom of my vision. Above it in tiny numbers, "100m and probably above us."

Xeyal and Coffee Bean followed me out into what looked like the main lobby of the ground floor. Again, the room had to be dimly lit by a couple of red emergency lights that rotated and bathed the room in a red glow. I'm already getting sick of it.

Now, I never was great at magic, but I know a few tricks and spells. It didn't take much focus to magic a wisp of light into being above me. It didn't consume too much magic to make, but it did require some focus to keep it formed and following.

Coffee Bean gasped, causing me and Xeyal to rush over to him. He was looking out past the large receptionist desk. "Do you see them all?" he whispered as we got over to him.

Xeyah gave a sharp inhale as she peered out across the open room. I followed their gazes and moved my orb out into the center of the room. As it moved, I could clearly see that the majority of the floor was hidden by skeletons. The floor stained red by long dried blood could barely be seen in between the piled bones.

"Oh Celestia," I whispered. intensifying the light from my orb to properly illuminate the room. The windowed walls of the room were stained glass and above the main entrance depicted a purple unicorn rearing up in front of and surrounded by stars. Beyond the glass was just dense dark green. It looked sickly and obscured everything outside the wall.

"How many may be here?" Xeyal asked quietly.

"I can't imagine." Bean replied grimly. "I wonder how it happened."

I looked away, returning the light orb to me and tuning it back down, I could feel myself starting to get tired from the spell. Looking along the receptionist's desk closest to me, beside the terminal were a few nic-nacs and some photos. I gently blew dust off the photos.

They depicted a light pink mare with a flower cutie mark standing with a colt and a filly and a stallion for a family picture. The filly was reared up with her hooves against her father's knee. The little colt sat with a huge smile and a small glow around his horn, maybe being the one to take the photo.

I couldn't imagine what that day must have meant to them or how long ago it was even taken but seeing this happy family from a bygone era standing on green grass and surrounded by shady trees under a blue sky. It made me sad, and I didn't know why. Maybe it was the carefree looks they all shared or the setting that surrounded them. Either way I felt like crying a little, in this dark room surrounded by the bones of so many ponies.

I sighed with a heavy heart and skimmed the paperwork on the desk. Most of it seemed to be calendars and appointments, schedules and names. Opening the drawers offered a few gold bits, which I promptly took, alongside a variety of office supplies. Checking the other drawers offered folders of paperwork and two unopened bottles of Sparkle Cola and a box of carrot cakes.

I took the snack cakes and sodas because why not. Food was something we should have packed. Searching the other three desk spaces yielded two bags of chips, five bottles of water and another Sparkle Cola.

Looking around, I saw Coffee and Xeyal standing by a couple elevators. Joining them, I heard Coffee Bean speaking. "So, do you think they'll work?"

Xeyal shook her head. "I think it would be safer for us to use the stairs. We don't know what did... that... to all these ponies, but the bones are thicker at the doors. Whatever it was, may still be here."

I watched as he blinked. Then he blinked again. "Do you actually think whatever killed all these ponies-" he swept a hoof across the room "-would still be around after over a hundred and fifty years later?"

"Well, the teleporter worked on the backup power, maybe the elevators do too. It beats using the stairs." I thought out loud.

"Too bad we don't know what's where." Coffee Bean grumbled under his breath, then his ear twitched a little. "Wait, how far above are they?" He asked, looking at me.

Huh? Checking, I responded tentatively. "About one hundred."

He scratched his chin for a moment. "I'll bet you they are on floor fourteen or fifteen."

"I'll take that bet." I said with a smile. "Let's go back to the teleporter and see if there are others on higher floors."

"Good thinking," came the zebra's voice as she walked back the way we had come.

"She's excited to be here." I told Coffee.

He looked confused, "really? I can't tell."

"Well, I can only guess but I'd imagine that she's more than happy to be the first zebra out of our stable. C'mon, let's catch up." I took a quick trot and he scrambled to catch up.

Catching up, Xeyal had already accessed the teleporter's control console. She was navigating the menus faster than I cared to keep track of. She finally stopped and asked, "Where do we go? We have twelve possible locations but four are offline and two are restricted access."

Coffee Bean looked over the list of locations and after a moment pointed a hoof at the screen. "We should start there, Option five; Engineering."

Coffee Bean then pointed his hoof at one of the red inaccessible floors. "Floor fifty-five - Executive Office. That must be the top floor. Shouldn't we explore some of the floors for information on the tower? Maybe the security office is here on the ground floor." He looked to our zebra companion and continued, "Wouldn't they have interior maps or something we can use?"

Xeyal gave a moment of silent thought then nodded. "Certainly, I would expect an armory as well. Although, it may not be here on the ground floor." She refocused on the terminal, and I watched as she ran the processes to synchronize the teleporter with floor twenty-three.

The machinery around us started up and we moved onto the teleporter pad. I wonder what all this place worked on back in the war…

I looked at Coffee just as the pad below us swirled with blue and purple magic. He just gave me a smile.

Footnotes:
Level Up! Lv. 1
Perk Unlocked: Folly's Foil
Carefully make haste!
+1 Luck