Broken Arrow sat in his seat in front of the massive terminal that loomed over him. From ceiling to floor the huge block of electronics would seem to some ponies something from a cheesy sci-fi movie, but to him it was a death machine. He stared blankly at it, as beads of sweat trickled down his crimson coated face. Four years. He had been here for four years and never expected this. He turned to his partner seated next to him inside the nuclear silo, who had been busy using his unicorn magic to levitate both a pencil and a Ponies Today magazine open to the monthly crossword puzzle. Broken Arrow's brow shifted at this sight. How could Empty Quiver be invoked in a crossword after what they just did? Just hours prior, the two of them were having a good time. They discussed sports, mares, and the weather. Then the call came in. The order that changed everything forever. He didn't know how or why, but a nuclear missile was detected flying toward Ponyville from the direction of Manehattan. They were ordered to fire back, they had no other choice. However, thousands if not millions of innocent ponies were incinerated from the two techs simply turning keys that were locked in to their terminals and typing in a few lines of coordinates. Broken Arrow, and Empty Quiver helped destroy the world. They'll never have to talk about the weather again, it'll never change now.
“What's an eleven letter word for tenacity?” Empty Quiver pipped up not raising his eyes from the empty blocks in front of him. This caught Broken Arrow by surprise, and broke his train of thought.
“Pardon?..Oh.. err.. Determination?”
Empty Quiver shook his silver head slowly. “No. No. Too many letters.”
Broken Arrow returned his gaze to his monitor, before looking around at the objects scattered acrossed the ground. Clipboards, computer monitors, sheets of paper, and photos of loved ones painted the floor from the shaking of the explosion. Luckily enough, the silo was protected by enough magic to keep a nuclear bomb from destroying it. There were no windows inside, well.. there was. On the entrance door was a small window that would let Broken Arrow look out in to the world, but he didn't want to do that. He knew what he would see. He just rather not put his thoughts to image. The entrance door was barred up nicely, it weighed a ton and was kept secure by individual keypad digits only the two of them knew. Opening that door would be certain suicide. This was there home now, they have cots and MREs..but just how long would they last? Also, where are the two princesses in all of this? Broken Arrow's mind raced a mile a minute, but was suddenly stopped when a transmission cut their silence like a knife.
It was a clear signal, no static or echo. It was a mare, who was just as scared as Broken Arrow.
“Hello? Hello is there anypony out there?!” she cried desperately “This is Silo 6520 in Los Pegasus, does anypony read me?!”
Both Broken Arrow and Empty Quiver shot sideways glances of surprise to each other before Empty Quiver put his hoof on the radio button.
“This is Empty Quiver and Broken Arrow of Silo 2481 in Ponyville, we read you.”
The mare on the other end of the radio seemed to panic less now that she knew she wasn't alone.
“Oh thank Celestia! Why did this happen? Who shot at who? Why were we in the dark?”
Empty Quiver, being the stern follower he was ignored her questions, glanced another look at Broken Arrow and pressed the transmission button on the radio again.
“Are you alone? Is there anyone in your silo with you?”
Empty Quiver's question was answered but not by the mare, but by her partner. He spoke just as to the point as Empty Quiver.
“My name is Adam, and who you just spoke to is called Dahlia. She seems to have..wandered off. She's pretty shaken.”
Empty Quiver looked at the radio quizzically and then to his own partner who too looked like he was about to have a panic attack. Before Empty Quiver could ask another question a loud bang is heard, as if the radio microphone in the Los Pegasus silo had just crashed to the floor. This was followed by the voices of Adam and Dahlia in a softer tone, like they were now in the distance away from the radio.
It was hard for Empty Quiver and Broken Arrow to make out but it sounded like “My sister is out there!” and “Dahlia stop! I can't let you back in”. Then, silence swept over them once again just like before. After a few moments, the sounds of the mic moving around could be heard again.
“Sorry gentlecolts. It seems it's just me here now.”
The tone of Adam's voice sent shivers down Broken Arrow's spine. He and Empty Quiver didn't pry, judging by Adam's voice he wasn't going to discuss it further.
Six days have past. Or was it seven? It was hard for Empty Quiver to tell, with nuclear winter it was now constantly nightfall. He rolled out of his cot and forced his sleepy hooves to carry him back to his post. Once there he let out a loud yawn which caught the attention of Broken Arrow. Broken Arrow smiled to his partner while he clutched the microphone in his hoof.
“Morning Quiver, while you slept Adam and I worked on your puzzle for you”
Empty Quiver raised a brow in interest and plopped his haunches in to his seat at the terminal.
“Oh? I see you two have been bonding more?” Empty Quiver said with a slight smirk.
Broken Arrow nodded before continuing
“No luck on tenacity though..Adam was.. talking about some strange occurrences at his silo too. Adam? You want to tell him what you told me?”
There was a brief pause, as if Adam had to struggle to speak.
“All night long, something was.. banging against the silo. Like it wanted in. Talking to Broken Arrow here kept me calm.”
Broken Arrow read the look on Empty Quiver's face like a book. He knew what he was thinking, hell.. he though it too. Nothing could have possibly survived, but there was evidence. He then proceeded to help close Empty Quiver's open jaw.
“I know it sounds impossible.. but I could hear them from the transmission myself. Somehow, some other ponies survived.”
This was both a relief and a puzzle to Empty Quiver, he was utterly speechless. Silence fell across the three ponies but was quickly interrupted by some banging in the background of Adam's signal. He ignored it, like he had been doing all night, then something happened that he couldn't ignore.
“A..Adam.” Dahlia's delicate faint voice sounded
“Come out here, I found survivors!”
Her tone had changed immediately. Empty Quiver quickly spoke with concern in to the radio.
“Adam, do not open that silo door!”
Empty Quiver was all business, and did everything by the book. He did have a heart, but knowing the dangers of opening the door for Adam made him care less about Dahlia's well being as well as any others she found. In his mind, he knew they were a lost cause. His words must have fallen on deaf ears, because he could now hear Adam also in the background talking to Dahlia. Broken Arrow was concerned as well and started screaming in to the microphone for Adam to respond. They didn't get the response they desperately wanted. Instead they heard the sound of the heavy door swinging open, and the blood curdling scream of Adam...then silence.
Broken Arrow felt sick to his stomach, he learned a lot about Adam in this short time and considered him to be a best friend he could never meet. He jumped from his seat and began a strong pace to his own silo door. He put one hoof on the interior keypad before he was tackled to the ground by Empty Quiver.
“I can't let you out there, Arrow. You know that”
Broken Arrow shoved his partner off of him and went back to work on the keypad. Empty Quiver again approached his friend but was met with a strong back hoof to the snout staggering him back in to the wall behind him. Before he could regain his composer, Broken Arrow swung open the door and slammed it shut behind him as he ventured in to the wasteland that was now Ponyville.
Eight hours have passed. Empty Quiver was distraught, but like always kept trying his brain at his crossword puzzle. It was his sanctuary from the events that had transpired. Not only had his family and everyone in Ponyville been wiped out by the blast, but his friend was now probably dying of radiation poisoning and there was nothing he could do. He stared down at the same word puzzle that had him stumped all this time. When his brain stopped in it's tracks. He heard the same banging from before on Adam's transmission. Against his better judgment, he wanted to see out the window what was going on. As he stepped lightly to the door, the banging got heavier and heavier. Finally he stood in front of the entrance and slide open the metal covering of the window to see his friend Broken Arrow standing outside smiling at him. However, it wasn't Broken Arrow. His eyes glew a fluorescent green as if someone shined a flashlight in his face in the darkness. His open mouth grin exposed two sharp teeth and he was drenched in blood.
“..A..Arrow?”
Empty Quiver stuttered through his surprise
“Let me in Quiver.”
Broken Arrow said with a hiss before pressing his hoof to the exterior keypad. He looked surprised as the keypad responded to his entry with a loud “BZZT!”
Empty Quiver backed away from the window so he could no longer see the shadow of his former friend.
“I overrode the system and changed your number, Arrow. You knew I couldn't let you back in.”
Broken Arrow's voice echoed through the metal door with maniacal laughter.
“Oh Quiver. I should have known. Say.. did you know these bombs did a good thing? The ponies Dahlia spoke of, they're here with me. For the longest time they..I mean we.. had to hunt secretly for blood. Now that night is eternal, we can roam from silo to silo, bunker to bunker, and feast.”
Empty Quiver couldn't comprehend what he was hearing, the raspy voice of his friend was painful to him.
“Oh.. and Quiver.. we figured out your word puzzle. The answer is persistence.”
The moment Broken Arrow finished his sentence, he started pressing on the keypad.
1-1-1-1. BZZT!
1-1-1-2. BZZT!
1-1-1-3. BZZT!
1-1-1-4. BZZT!
Empty Quiver felt as if his heart stopped for a moment, as dread swept over him. With never ending night, Broken Arrow had all the time in the world.
1-1-1-7. BZZT!
1-1-1-8. BZZT!
1-1-1-9. BZZT!
...
...
5-7-9-1. DING!
