Containment Protocol: Equestria

Chapter 4 Drawing The Short Straw

“Everything in due time my dear, that is what makes progression” - Rarity

The sun wasn’t even up yet but Sugarkake had me sitting on the cold bay platform, reading numbers on the sides of the rusted train cars with my eyes barely open enough to see through them. All I wanted last night was a bath and some sleep, but I had to go get myself in trouble once again. And what’s worse was that the workers hadn’t even gotten there yet while I was here in a set of cuffs and my wings bandaged to my body. I only hurt my right wing, but she insisted she wrapped them to my body. I knew what she was doing, and I didn’t want to be up this early reading numbers on big metal cars.

“Okay next,” she said flatly as she read a clipboard in front of her.

“EX25570Y893 ‘dash’ PNYVLLE,” I read quietly through my dime-slotted eyes.” Why do you need to know these numbers again? I thought you were just unloading, not giving me a lesson on what any of this shit means.” I seriously thought I was gonna fall asleep out of boredom alone.

Sugarkake grabbed a pen from her security uniform pocket with her teeth, still staring at the clipboard “Becaush we have to be shure we have da right shipmen, this holdsh da supplysh for da folksh here,” she mumbled and slured with the pen in her mouth. “Plush dees carsh come from all ova Equeshtria. Gotta make shure none are misshing.” Sugarkake finisheed up writing and put her pen back in her pocket and smiled. “All Done. Come with me,” she says, turning and walking toward a small room at the end of the platform.

I tried my best to hobble behind her with the cuffs restricting my movements. I knew she didn’t want me trying to run off, but I thought this was a little excessive. She unlocks the door and pushes it open, pointing us into a small room with only a lamp, a desk, and a pile of papers. I knew where this was going.

“Each of these papers are already sorted according to cargo on the train. All you need to do is stamp them. There’s an inkpad in the drawer of that desk and please, for the love of Celestia, don’t try to leave, okay?” she instructed as she grabbed a key from her saddlebag and unlocked my cuffs with a click. “You’re really helping me out today. Just think, the sooner we get done here, the sooner we can just go around the city. Just you and me.” She ended with a quick nuzzle before walking back out on the platform.

My heart pounded and I couldn’t stop smiling even after I sat in the chair. A day out with Sugarkake sounded fantastic. I slid the drawer open and grabbed the small ink pad out of it. It was just big enough for a pony’s hoof and so I went to work stamping. It didn’t seem like long before the workers showed up and before I knew it, we were emptying the cargo in rapid succession. The cars would get unloaded, the train would pull up a little and the next cars were opened, ready to be unloaded. Sugarkake would bring me more forms, I would stamp and repeat this process which took a few hours but to me, thinking about my day with Sugarkake, only felt like a few minutes.

Finishing up the last stack of papers Sugarkake had put in front of me, I pressed my hoof into the ink and smacked it down onto the last paper. After laying it on top of the stack, my head leaned down onto the desk for just a moment. My eyes were fighting to stay open, yet my mind was too busy and awake thinking about Sugarkake. Maybe it really was for the best that I just stay here and not worry about what was outside these walls. I just smiled and closed my eyes for just a moment.

“You seem pretty happy about something. What’s got your spirits up?” I heard Sugarkake ask, making me sit straight up quickly and shake my head a bit in an attempt to wake up. She just laughed at me and fostered her head to the door. I didn’t even hear her come into the room, let alone open the door. How long was I out for? “Come on Sleepy, let's get some food. I’m starving and I just clocked out, so we are done here.”

I hopped up off the chair and followed her out of the door, watching her every movement. Her mane was a bit of a mess by this point, and I could tell she had a hard morning, but that didn’t make her any less good-looking in my book. The town was really bustling today with ponies of all races and sizes everywhere. The sun gleamed off the glass windows of the high-rise buildings, the smells of different foods filled the streets, and the foals and fillies ran through the streets playing various games. It really was like nothing had ever happened. Here in this place was a safe haven from the virus outside, but some of the stuff I find out there couldn’t be found within these walls.

Walking side by side with Sugarkake made me the happiest I’ve been in a very long time. She makes me so happy! I can’t take it but this is I do not know how to tell her. I’ve never been good with words but I’m pretty sure she feels the same about me. We’ve just never exchanged words about it before, but we’ve been pretty much inseparable ever since we met.

“So Wynter…” Sugarkake started as she looked at each of the food courts around.” ...What are you in the mood for? I could eat just about anything here.”

I didn’t really know exactly how to reply to her. I was hungry for sure but letting me choose what to grab was new to me. Anytime we ate together, she would just bring food to my room, and we’d eat there, only for me to battle the wasteland outside the next day. I pointed a hoof to a patio restaurant. “How about SlverHoof’s? That pony can make a simple dish taste great.”

“Okay, if that’s what you’re wanting,” she laughed as we walked up to a single-story building with a red awning over the patio. We’ve eaten at SilverHoof’s before. The tables on the patio and the kitchen inside the building were simple yet effective.

Sugarkake walked to a table against the wall of the neighboring building in the back corner of the patio. She never chose a seat there before, but she likes to be in the sunlight. What was she planning? Maybe today will be the day we can tell each other about how we feel. Watching where she sat, I made sure to sit across the small table from her and before I could even get a word out, a stallion with a red mane was immediately at our table ready to take our order. Sugarkake took no time for him to even ask what she wanted.

“Cucumber and lettuce sandwich with hay fries and whatever salad you’ve got today,” she said with a chipper tone. The stallion just looked at me.

“I guess I’ll uhh…Have the same.” I said kind of nervously.

The stallion just nodded and walked by the kitchen. It was at this point that I realized this place was nearly empty, and at the hour. That wasn't very normal but whatever. What is normal these days? I looked back to Sugarkake and her mood had completely changed from chipper to serious. Fuck me running. What now?

“Do you remember me telling you that you’ll get yourself killed one day going outside the gates?” She mentioned while staring at me intensely.

“Now wait a minute. You stayed with me last night. You slept next to me, and I’ve been with you all day today. There is no way in Equestria you can accuse me of leaving again. I haven’t gone anywhere.” I was incredibly confused and honestly, a little hurt. She was accusing me of breaking the rules again. I did nothing wrong since I got back, and I even worked with her for a few hours.

“I don't want to argue Wynter, I really don’t” she says leaning closer over the table, her pink eyes burning straight into mine. “You are very lucky I was the one on the unloading shift this morning or else they would’ve had you in front of a firing squad.” She began hissing through her teeth, clenching them tightly and clearly looking a bit pissed off. “They found your canteen still sitting on the catwalk between railcars. You are going to get yourself fucking killed.”

Trying to think back on it, I remembered that I gave FlickerLight the canteen before we parted ways, but I didn’t remember if he had ever given the thing back. He must’ve sat it down and left it there. Now I'm in even more trouble with Sugarkake.

“I put it in lost and found,” she finished as she sat back. “Listen, I can’t get too mad at you since you did this yesterday but I’m telling you. If you keep it up, you will die.” She sighs, looking back out by the nearby street watching over other ponies going about their business. “If you want me to stick around, then you will stop this foolishness as well. Don't get me wrong, I’ve felt compelled to leave and see what's out there, but the laws are too strict for something like that. I'm not going to stick around to watch a pony that I L…Care very much about getting killed over something stupid. I’m sorry but it has to be said. Picking through the waste isn’t going to bring your parents back. Or mine.”

I felt bad about what happened all over again. I could feel my stomach turning into knots, especially after she brought up my parents. It’s true that it brought back fond memories of what was before, but I guess I was being selfish. I also didn’t want her to take off somewhere within the city where I couldn’t see her and…wait what did she just say?! It sounded like she almost said it but then decided not to. Does she really feel as deeply about me as I did for her?

“Listen, I’m gonna put all of that behind me. I just want to be here with you now. You know that.” I said with complete sincerity and a sense of remorse in my voice. I knew what I had to do and if it meant being locked into a box, then so be it. It has been five years since I started doing this so maybe it is time to stop. You really can only get so lucky and so far, but I’ve been very lucky.

“Good. Now after we eat, there's something I want to show you. We’ve spent most of our day on the train so now I want to show you something fantastic something I bet you’ve never seen before. After that, we’ll get that wind massaged, fixed, and rebandaged,” Sugarkake told me as plates of food were set in front of us. “This little city has things to be proud of and has its perks as well, so eat up and we’ll go looking.”

I nodded in agreement. “My wing doesn't hurt half as bad today though so maybe I could…”

“Not hurting and not injured are two different things Wynter. No flying for at least another day, and you can’t do it long or you’ll just fuck it up again.”

Looking down at my food, a thought came across my mind. We are alone getting food. Just us. And she wants to go do something right after. Everything lined up, I think I know what this is and if it is, then that means Sugarkake…

“Sugarkake, did you just fool me into a date?” I asked with a slight smile.

She smiled back, nodding with a smirk on her face that could even make the most disciplined pony not be able to resist her. “Mhm. And how did I do getting you alone?” She said as she brought her forelegs up and resting her chin on her hooves. “You are so easy sometimes. I could get you to do anything I want you to, probably. I’m sorry about the rant earlier, but you need to make sure you aren't leaving a trail behind you,” she said in a low voice.

All I could do was sit back, laugh at myself quietly, and take a bite of my sandwich. “This whole thing was a ploy to get me out here. Who would’ve known?” My heart beat a bit harder, and my body felt like it was shaking inside. I wonder if this is what they call ‘the butterflies'. The light wind shifted directly and ended up making some of Sugarkake’s black mane flow in the wind.

“I just thought I’d take everything to the next level with action since it’s hard for either of us to say anything. I can tell you can't say it so I just…did it,” she responded quietly as she looked up at the sky. It’s getting a bit darker now and I wish we didn't spend all day on the train platform. “Say, we should have another train coming in tomorrow. Want to come and help me? And this time you’ll do it willingly?”

I felt my ears perk up and my heart raced. Did she want to make things official? We’re now a couple? How could I say no to helping her? “Of course I’ll come to help you tomorrow. Do I need to do some kind of Important job? Ooh, can I help unload the train?” I asked, getting way too overexcited about actually working.

“Uh no, I need you to stamp the paperwork,” she chuckled.

“Why do I always draw the short straw?” I sat back, disappointed in the job she had already chosen for me. Sugarkake really was the master of manipulation when it came to me.

A few minutes later, we finished eating and were walking side by side through the city. Ponies like us weren't allowed in the city center. Too many uppity bastards were there but I didn’t care, never did. This was home and I liked where we were. It was getting really close to sundown now and Sugarkake was taking us to an abandoned building all the way on the other side of the city. Upon approaching it, my heart sank a little. It looked like one of the buildings in the wastes. Tall, empty, and run-down with plenty of broken windows. Sugarkake walked right inside like nothing while I'm standing here, not being able to push the thought of there being infected ponies on the inside.

“You comin?” She called back with her head moving through the front door entrance. Looking up at it, I could read the rusted plaque right above the door. ‘Baltimare Regency Hotel.’ More like the Baltimare Death Area. I just pushed my fears to the back of my mind and followed her inside. I’ve never been inside a building of this size out in the wastes. It smelled of mold and mildew with the sounds of trickling water and creaking metal coming from everywhere. It was dark and uninviting. The entire feel of this place was unnerving to say the least. Following Sugarkakes, she led us through the lobby and to a small hallway, ending with a staircase with only one way to go. Up.

“You are sure this entire building isn't gonna just come straight down on top of us?” I asked her before stepping onto the busted concrete steps of the stairs. Sugarkake shrugged and started moving up the stairs in front of me. ‘Yeah, you love me but you’re gonna get me killed in a building collapse,’ I thought to myself as I followed her close behind. A few floors up, I wiped my hoof over a metal sign on the wall, ‘Floor eight.’ I admit, this was much easier without any gear on.

“This is it,” Sugarkake said. I could hardly see her in the dark building, but just knowing she was there gave me the confidence I needed to finish climbing those stairs. “Now, how could you leave this behind?” She asked while pushing the door open. I walked past her through the door and couldn't believe my eyes. Nine floors up, and we weren’t even in the tallest building in New Buckingham. She had led me to the roof of this decaying old building to show me the lights and sounds of the city below. I quickly walked to the edge to look over it. It was amazing up here. Everything could be seen from the top of the ‘Regency ’ Including the wastes which compared to the dimly lit and functioning city below, was cold, dark, and depressing.

I felt Sugarkake nuzzle up to me and lay her head against mine. “How could you pass this up? This view is something to die for,” she said comfortingly as the winds picked up again. I had this feeling deep in my gut that I couldn’t explain. Something didn’t feel right. The atmosphere was a bit tense, and I couldn’t figure out why. A cold chill ran down my back and I could feel my hair stand on end.

“Uh, Sugar. You think we could head back now? It’s getting late and we really should get rested for tomorrow’s train,” I said softly knowing how much she enjoyed this view. “I know you gotta be getting tired.”

Sugarkake nodded and leaned her head to my side, biting the bandage and holding my wings to my body. “You think you can glide a couple of blocks?” She asked, giving me a cute wink before spreading her wings and kicking off the rooftop and into the air.

I just smiled, spreading my own wings, they didn’t hurt at all. Maybe all I needed was rest but the gut-wrenching feeling I was having was only getting stronger. Sugarkake turned and began flying toward our building and I took a running start, jumping off the side and letting myself glide right behind her. Looking down, I could see everypony going about their business and none of them were hurt, so why do I feel such remorse for all of them? It took just a minute to get back to our building and land on my balcony. Sugarkake, without checking, just slid the balcony door open and shrugged. “You never lock your doors,” chuckling as she walked in.

That night, we were laying together. Normally I would be ecstatic about it but the growing tension in me was keeping me awake. Sugarkake was fast asleep, curled up tight against me. I envied how comfortable she looked but now, I was feeling remorse for her. Maybe it’s just a feeling of PTSD going back inside a building that had been destroyed during the fall, but I couldn’t prove it. I just closed my eyes and tried to sleep.