My mother once said: “Life is unpredictable.”

Well, Celestia fuck me with her horn, my mommy was psychic! Seriously, if my life had proved anything, it would be just that: You cannot predict shit. Things will happen as the fate wants and there’s nothing a pony can do about them. No point bitching about it. All you can do is grab a sponge and clean the shit when it comes.

Perhaps I should start from the beginning, so that you would understand what I am talking about, and make you appreciate your life a bit more once you’ll learn how shitty was mine. I assure you, all that I’ll tell you will be the truth… or at least, what I used to think was truth.

What is “the truth”, through? Back then, I had thought that everything I knew was true and... correct. That’s how ponies, how people, define reality. They live their lives bounded by what they accept as correct and true. But what does it mean; to be correct or true? Merely vague concepts… their reality may all be a mirage. Can we consider them to simply be living in their own world, shaped by their beliefs?

If that’s so, then maybe I shouldn’t say that I will tell you the truth. Instead, let me tell you… about my reality.

Then again, to speak about that, I should give you a brief history lesson, huh? You know, considering...

Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria, there were two regal sisters, the true Goddesses, Celestia and Luna. They ruled together, and created harmony for all the land. To do this, the eldest used her alicorn powers to raise the sun at dawn, as the younger brought out the moon to begin the night. Thus, the two sisters maintained balance for their kingdom and their subjects, for all the different types of ponies.

Their reign also brought peace between the ponies and their neighbours. Equestria was a friend to both griffons and zebra, to the Crystal Empire and Aquestria. Everypony, everybody was happy, back then. At peace… until Princess Luna, feeling neglected by her subjects and living in the shadow of the elder sister, was attracted the attention of the Nightmare. It corrupted her, transformed her into a wicked mare of darkness: Nightmare Moon.

The Nightmare War began, and even though it technically lasted one night - which made ponies later think that it was just a short argument between the two sisters - it was long and terrible. It ended once Princess Celestia, regrettably, resorted to using the powers of the Elements of Harmony, the most powerful artifacts known to ponykind. With them, she managed to banish her sister to the moon.

And for the next thousand years, there was peace.

By the end of said millennium, many significant events happened. A new alicorn came to be, Princess Cadance, the Goddess of Love. Nightmare Moon had returned, and this time she was defeated as well, by the six ponies who became the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony managed to free Princess Luna; she then returned to her sister side, ruling Equestria together. The personification of chaos was released from his stony prison, but soon became bounded again. And lastly, the Crystal Empire returned, free of its curse that was placed on it by the tyrant, and Princess Cadance came to rule it along with her husband.

All seemed well… but as my mom said, life is unpredictable. Shit happened, and it wasn’t just “a puppy's poop on the carpet” kinda shit, but a big dragon’ pile of shitload.

Celestia and Luna were murdered.

And as if the two of them being alive kept the peace between everybody in our world, the Great War erupted.

The autopsy, which was performed on the bodies of the alicorn princesses with the greatest respect, indicated a very powerful zebra poison as the cause of death. Given that prior to the murder there were some serious quarrels over trade, it seemed obvious to ponies that they found the guilty party. Burning with hatred and need for revenge, the ponies of Equestria and of the Crystal Empire attacked the Zebra Nation. The zebras, however, claimed to be innocent, and the griffins, the minotaurs and buffalos believed them, joining their side in this terrible war. And even thought the griffins' clans had quickly decided to offer their military help to both sides in return for a good pay, everybody else was passionate about winning.

The war lasted almost two decades. During that time, the six mares that saved Equestria from Nightmare Moon and the Spirit of Chaos contributed to the war effort as best they could. One of them joined the army, and the remaining five became members of the newly formed Ministries. Over the course of the war, each of them gained higher positions in their respective offices and eventually in few short years all became Ministers, while the one Bearer in the military was named the Supreme Commander of the Equestrian Army. Their inventions, their efforts… they earned Equestria many victories in the war and made it possible for their fellow citizens to still prosper in the everyday life. The Ministry of Arcane Science and the Ministry of Wartime Technology in particular pushed the country’s industry into a new “golden” age. They began creating newer weapons, newer means of protection, newer means of transportation, and newer means of healing…

How much blood must be spilled on the gold to turn it into a copper?

As the years passed, the six mares, all who were friends to the princesses, began talking about peace though. They claimed that their hatred was spent, and now they just wanted to end all the bloodshed. They didn’t shriek from their duties though, even if it made the Supreme Commander look rather retarded when she was speaking about the need for peace while wiping zebra or griffon’s blood from her armor. But at that point, it was too late. Too much blood was spilled on both sides for anyone to crave anything but the total annihilation of the enemy. While Equestria gained new technologies and learned new spells, the zebra, griffons, buffaloes and minotaurs did so as well, either by themselves or through stealing the inventions from ponies. Only some of things remained secret.

The megaspells, sadly, weren’t one of them. That ironically lead to the end of the war, but I am getting ahead of myself. Before I go there, I need to point out that the first that used the megaspells against Equestria… were the very same ponies that created them.

The investigation of the Princesses murder had never stopped. There were still many questions that took years to be answered, like a simple one: who gave them the poison that killed them? It took them nineteen years, but in the end, the one behind the murder was revealed.

It was the former student of Princess Celestia, the Ministry Mare of the Ministry of Arcane Sciences and Bearer of the Element of Magic, Twilight Sparkle. Immediately, guards were dispatched to apprehend her.

In return, Twilight Sparkle blew up Canterlot.

She used a balefire bomb, a megaspell that was originally invented by zebras, but by the time Equestria got copies of their research was still not finished. Its purpose was to release a concentrated dragon flame spell in a form of massive explosions that bathe the area in radioactive fire. Once Equestria completed what the zebra had started, the ponies tried to end the war by threatening to unleash the balefire bombs upon their enemies.

Unfortunately, they underestimated the zebras one time too many. By not using the balefire bombs immediately, Equestria gave them just enough time to finish their spells as well. Both sides had means of massive destruction. Those spells… they were super weapons.

And Canterlot was the trigger.

Once the news about the explosion came out, ponies in the all corners of the country and in Crystal Empire at first believed it was caused by our enemies. They responded in kind, firing balefire missiles at them. It wasn’t until the Prince (Celestia and Luna only rightful heir) had broadcasted from his bunker a public statement about Twilight Sparkle’s treachery that everypony knew what happened. But it was too late. The missiles were fired, bombs dropped…

However, the Zebra Nation didn’t want the world to die without Equestria and Crystal Empire. They used their balefire bombs and missiles.

Our planet was covered by the fire and radiation. The once proud cities were destroyed, thousands had died, and the land became… tainted... corrupted.

But it wasn’t the end of ponykind. On the Last Day, many ponies found safety in Stables, shelters devised by Stable-Tec with the goal of preserving life if the unthinkable happened. Able to withstand a detonation of the megaspell and still function in a self-sustainable environment, they allowed not only ponies, but others as well to survive. There was a good number of civilian zebra, griffons and buffaloes still living in Equestria, and despite the prejudices, Stable-Tec haven’t forgotten about them.

My story begins in Stable Thirty-Nine, about two hundred years after the Great War. It was rather a unique Stable: it was reserved for the bat ponies. Descendants of Princess Luna’s night guards’ families, it was supposed to be a heaven for our sparse kind. Perhaps it was due to bat ponies’ military history we had all those records about the past. As I came to learn much later, most of the ponies that lived in Stables only know that there were the Goddesses and that there was a war that destroyed our world. End of the fucking history lesson.

I was also talking about this “history lesson”. Time to get to the main plot.

It was the night as usual for me. I’ve just woken up, took a shower, put on my jumpsuit, made sure what time it was on my PipBuck, and was about to head off to work.

While we’re at it, I had no idea back then why the fuck they gave bat ponies PipBucks. The only useful functions of it back at the Stable were showing time, what items you carried and what you were supposed to do, which lets you be better organized and stuff. The more complicated features, like Eyes Forward Sparkle (I wonder if they would have changed the name if they had more time before the bombs dropped), which shows nearby life forms either as hostile or friendly; or Stable-Tec Arcane Targeting Spell, that allows the users to perceive their surroundings as if the time was frozen, and gauge the situation in peace and plan the next attacks; are all useless. First off, there are no hostiles in Stable Thirty-Nine, so S.A.T.S. loses its purpose, and as for detecting other beings… we are bat ponies.

We have the best senses from all kinds of ponies, be it sight, hearing, or smell. We can see in the dark better than they can during day, and when the sun rose, our pupils simply shrink like cat’s, so they will be less sensitive to the light. Our ears, which end with fringes, can pick up sounds unhearable for ponies. On the list of the perk we have, I suppose I could also list the ability to emit both low and high sounds, as the means of orientation as well as a weapon.

Oh, and we can fly. We have wings like the pegasi, but without any feathers. I suppose the easiest way to describe them would be to say that they look like bat’s: they even have small appendages that looks like a tiny claw, which are useful if you want to grab something and use it, but your mouth is busy.

Strangely, most of the things I grab with them are guns.

Anyway, back that night, I finished all preparations and was about to leave my quarters. I glanced at the mirror doing so, and from within it, I saw a handsome hunk frowning his amber eyes, his grayish coat and dark blue mane fresh and clean after a hot shower. My job was boring. I was a shift supervisor… well, more like I was being trained to be one, but that’ mostly the same. All day long, I had to make sure ponies were doing their part in keeping our Stable working. And let me tell you, watching ponies work is even more boring than that working itself. I wanted to go hit the cafeteria, try talking to that hot-

A knock on my door interrupted my train of thoughts. I pressed a switch to open them and saw a security stallion standing on the other side.

“Hi, um…” I stuttered, puzzled. It was the first time anypony from security visited me, and while that could be a pleasant surprise it that would be a mare, with the stallion I immediately began thinking what in Tartarus was he doing here.

“The Overmare wants to see you, Nightkin,” he explained. “You’re to report in her office in ten minutes.”

Okay, the fuck? I don’t recall doing anything that would attract the Overmare’s attention, so unless she wants… No, this is not the time for a stupid suggestion, stop picturing her bending over her desk, brain!

“I don’t- I mean, I have the work to go to...” I somehow managed to say.

“You will be excused. Ten minutes,” he said, and hovered off.

I waited few moments to make sure I was no longer within his earshot (and again, bat ponies - super hearing, so I had to wait quite a bit), closed the door, and said: “Well, fuck.”

I talked with the Overmare a few times before, of course. After all, since I was training to be a shift supervisor, there was a chance that I might become an Overstallion someday. She was rather pleasant to look upon, despite being about twenty years older than me, but I hadn’t tried flirting with her out of respect.

…

Honestly.

…

Okay, fine! I never tried flirting with her, because back then I wasn’t exactly… the flirty type. I was a smart-mouth, granted, but when it came to the topic of sex…

…

Moving on…

I figured I might as well make a good impression and be early, so I left my quarters. I flew through the many corridors of the Stable confidently, as I knew practically every turn by heart. I passed a few other bat ponies on my way, but I didn’t pause to chat with them. I hoped that if I will be earlier, the Overmare would sooner finish whatever it was that she wanted from me and I would be able to return to my normal routine of the night.

However, before the entrance to the Overmare’s Office stood about twenty-something other ponies. To say I was confused would be an understatement. I landed next to the group (which, as I had realized, consisted only ponies around my age) with the intention of asking what the fuck was going on, but just then, the door to the office opened.

“Good, you’re all here already,” the Overmare, standing in the doorframe, said. Taking a step back, she added: “Come in, we might as well get over with it.”

Over with what? I kept pondering that question over and over again as I stood in attention before Overmare’s desk. The mare, now sitting in her chair had a strange expression on her muzzle.

“You probably wonder why I gathered you all here,” she began, but didn’t wait for the incoming nods. “The reason for that is… that I want one of you to make a contact with the outside.”

Okay, what. The fuck. Wasn’t the outside unlivable?

“I realize that you might be concerned, and confused,” the Overmare raised her voice, while few ponies began murmuring between themselves, voicing my thoughts. “But Stable’s computers show that it is safe to leave the Stable now, as the air is still there, and the radiation is long gone. However,” she paused, probably wondering if she should tell us this, “we have no idea if there is anything alive out there, if there is anything of Equestria left, or if ponies still remember us. We are, after all, different from the rest of them; and even before the Great War we were about as few in numbers as we are now. They might think of us as monsters.”

While I had no idea why would anypony think of a bat pony as monsters, I had to admit that we were rather different than other kinds of ponies. Or rather, they were much weirder than us. I mean, a horn sticking out your head? Feathers on wings? That’s just… odd.

“I will be sending only one of you, because more could attract… unwanted attention to our Stable,” she said as she took from one of desk’s drawers a small bucket, filled with small, metal stakes. “Further information will be given only to the one that will draw a stake painted white on the end. If you pick a clean one, you can leave.”

Guess what? I draw the one painted white. Wouldn’t be much of a story if I didn’t, would it?

So, are you curious as to what were the first words of the one chosen from the entire Stable Thirty-Nine to explore the outside after two hundred years of it being closed?

“Oh, shit.”

“I guess the rest of you can leave,” the Overmare informed the rest, most of which sighed with relief.

Few of them that were my close friends patted me on a shoulder as they passed, wishing good luck, and promising to buy me a drink once I was back. I did my best to show how nervous - borderline scared, actually - I was, and joked about bringing them back some souvenirs.

Soon, the only ones left in the office were I and the Overmare. She waited for the doors to close before she addressed me.

“I lied,” she said.

Wait, what?!

“I’m not sending you to make a contact,” the mare continued. She sighed and rubbed her eyes. It then hit me that she looked as if she hadn’t slept all day; her mane was messy, and there were circles under her eyes. “We’ve got a problem, a big one,” the Overmare confessed, her hooves still covering her eyes. “Our water talisman is beginning to fail.” I froze upon hearing that.

The water talisman was the reason why ponies were able to live inside the Stable. It provided flesh, clean water that was necessary for every life. If it was malfunctioning…

“You have probably realized what this means; no water talisman; no Stable,” the Overmare continued. “Nightkin, I really wish there would be another solution, but… I need to ask you to go outside and find a new water talisman.”

Great, now not only I will have to worry about staying alive outside of the Stable, but also the survival of everypony I know. Why the fuck had I considered my job boring about twenty minutes ago?!

“We estimate we have about four to five months before the talisman will cease to work completely,” she added, glancing at some document on her desk. Turning to me, she continued: “I hope this will be enough time for you to find us a new one. Perhaps you should start by looking for another Stable. Try finding a settlement and ask around it. But don’t mention where our Stable is, I doubt this would be smart,” the Overmare said, rising from behind her desk and landing next to me. “Look… just stay safe, okay?”

“Because if I don’t, everypony here is doomed?” I somehow managed to joke, for which I was rewarded with a gentle poke.

“No, because if you don’t, I will have to send another pony,” she replied in with a grin, although I could see in her eyes that she was concerned for my life as well.

I soo hope I will never be an Overstallion. I don’t want to be responsible for everypony like her… wait, I am now. Shit.

“Are you ready?” the Overmare asked.

We stood in front of the Stable’s doors. They stayed closed all my life. There wasn’t anypony alive who saw them open. But now, in but a few seconds, I was about to witness the security guard press the command on the console that would unlock the gate.

“I kinda hoped to have the last meal or something,” I joked nervously.

The Overmare rolled her eyes and nodded to the guard near the console. As he began pressing the buttons, I shifted under the weight of my saddleback. I was provided with supplies that should last me for about a week if I rationed them, some healing potion and bandages (although, considering my poor first aid skills, I really hoped I wouldn’t end up having to use them), few bobby pins if I would need to get into a locked place (now with that, I could work with. Ah, all the times I- What? Can’t a colt do mischievous things?), a knife (I was kinda annoyed that there wasn’t any bigger melee weapon, I mean, we were descendants of the night guard, why wasn’t there a royal sword or something in here?), and 10mm gun (and basic training on how to use it) with two small boxes of ammo for it. I was also given security armor instead of the jumpsuit I wore. It was a bit odd flying around in it, but I was slowly getting used to it.

Suddenly, an alarm began ringing, but as I looked around in confusion, I realized that it was signaling that the doors were opening. Which happened next, as the awful cringing sound confirmed. I looked at the big, round hatch slowly moving to the side, revealing… outside.

It was a cave.

“The cave should have an exit somewhere on the other side,” the Overmare said, and I managed to catch her rolling her eyes. I blushed out of embarrassment, and then looked through the entrance, gulping nervously. “Hey, if it helps, think about how you will be the first bat pony to see the moon of our beloved princess.”

That… did help. A bit... I wondered how the moon would look like, or the sun for that matter. I knew from the history lessons that the sun and the moon hadn’t stopped moving after the death of the Princesses (which everypony took as a sign of their spirits ascending to the celestial bodies they moved), although they continued to do so… oddly.

“Okay…” I murmured, taking a deep breath. “Here I go.”

…

“You’re not moving,” one of the guards noticed.

I shot him a look, and then took another breath, reminding myself that if I won’t go, the Stable Thirty-Nine would cease to exist. And there will be the moon to greet me there.

I flapped my wings and slowly flew out of the Stable and into the cave.

“Good luck!” I heard the Overmare shout after me, despite the sound of the alarm as the gate began closing behind me. “We will pray to the Goddesses to keep you safe!”

Despite being terrified, I couldn’t help myself from looking back and waving goodbye. The Overmare sounded so honest, even if only because the fate of the Stable rested on my shoulders, which I wanted her to see me being confident.

I watched as the doors to Stable Thirty-Nine, to my home, closed.

“Okay,” I managed to say after few heartbeats; or was it minutes? “No point staying here.”

I looked around the cave as I began flying through here. It was quite spacious, easily like the size of the Stable’s Atrium. And there was a small pond in the middle of it. I lowered myself near the surface, then immediately pulled back as my PipBuck began ticking.

I glanced at it and checked one of the “useless functions”, the radiation meter. It showed me, much to my shock, that my radiation level had increased. Luckily, before I began panicking, I had realized that it was almost non-existent.

“Great, I haven’t even left, and already I’m-” I stopped talking to myself when it crossed my mind that maybe they the ponies back in the Stable can hear me. There could be some listening devices in the cave after all.

I pulled myself together and fly towards what looked to be an exit. I didn’t bother looking around anymore, there was nothing there.

Thinking back, I realized that should have ticked me off.

The exit was blocked by a metal door. I landed next to it and found out that it was opened. I half expected that I will have to use my lockpicking skills for the first time in something other than mischief, but I guessed I'd get to that later.

I went through the door… and the world started to spin around me.

I was starting at the vast, open space. Open! I realized of course that the word “outside” meant that it was outside, but I haven’t expected the big emptiness, where the devastated land stretches on for miles and miles on end. My wings then folded itself tightly around my body on their own. I was sure that if I have lifted from the ground, I would fall up. There was no way I was going to fly out here.

What? I lived my whole life inside a Stable; agoraphobia is perfectly understandable in such case…

You know what? Fuck you.Footnote: Started Adventure
S.P.E.C.I.A.L.

Strength: 4

Perception: 8

Endurance: 4

Charisma: 6

Intelligence: 6

Agility: 8

Luck: 4
Tag Skills: Melee Weapons, Lockpick, Sneak
Traits:

Agoraphobia – Life inside of the Stable made you fear open spaces. You gain +1 to SPECIAL attributes when indoors, but suffer -1 when outside.

Sex appeal – You're about the only exotic thing in the Wasteland that's pleasant to eye. You've got the "right" stuff. Members of the opposite sex are attracted to you, and there are a few of your own sex that might be interested... though some not interested in your "buck meat" will tend to dislike you.
Racial Traits:

Echolocation (Rank 1) - You don't just resemble bats. When in closed spaces, you can use it to learn your way through it, and you can utilize your voice as a weapon. You have an option to fill your local map while indoors, and you can strike enemies with a sonic scream.

Chosen by Luna – The blood of your night guard’s ancestors makes you stronger during nighttime. You gain + 1 to Strength and Endurance. No drawbacks. This is a blessing from the Goddess of the Night herself!
Free Perk Added: Flight (Rank 1) - You can lift yourself off the ground and drift by at a slow pace.

Author's Notes:

Anybody knows into which Fallout group on this page should I add this story to?

PS: This story will be later (much later) tied up with the original universe. It will all make sense, trust me! So, you know, don't cross out this story just because everything seems off with what you know about Fallout: Equestria, this is still a side-story of it.