“This is where the entrance to Stable Eleven is?” I asked, looking dubiously at the crumbling remains of the Rock Farm’s ‘main office’ building that was visible in the distance.

Admittedly, the wooden rectangular structure seemed to be in a better state than the rows of barracks around us that used to house all the ponies working at the surrounding farms. More than a few had only a few bars and boards left of them, while others had missing roofs and such. Compared to them, the main office looked almost brand new.

It would appear that the stability of the workers’ housing wasn’t the top priority, I commented. Still, I added, looking around again and counting the barracks around us, Scope was right yesterday; there must have been enough ponies living around here to form a small community. And that’s besides all the families that lived on the surrounding farms.

“Probably somewhere around it, actually,” Scope replied to my question. “The entrance should have been easily accessible for ponies.”

“What was this, anyway?” Apple Core asked, glancing at the building with mild confusion. “Ah thought those Rock Farms were run by families and shit, this seems more… company thing or somethin’,” she finished, masking her awkwardness with a grimace.

“Equestria needed more gems during the war, farms needed more hooves to farm them,” Scope explained with disinterest, shrugging. “Some of the families banded together and organized, began hiring ponies, eventually built this place. Then they needed an office to keep track of who was working at what farm and how much they were getting paid.”

Apple Core was frowning in attention throughout Scope’s explanation. “Seems way over complicated,” she finally said when he was done.

“That was usually the case,” Jack spoke up, cutting off the unicorn mercenary before he could reply to Apple Core.

I looked up, slightly startled; our griffin companion had been flying above the barracks around us, making sure there were no immediate threats in the area. Even though I could track him with my E.F.S., I was still surprised by his appearance as he quietly landed on one of the more stable buildings. Blast and Burst, who had been looking around scanning for threats, also seemed startled, and they were actually on the lookout for moving things.

“At least as far as I can tell,” Jack added, shrugging. “Anyway, beside the building is a cellar door, probably leads to the Stable. So if you’re done with the history lesson, let’s get a move on.”

Suppressing a sigh, I forced my tired and sore legs to follow everypony as they sped up, spurred by Jack’s words. The brief rest my limbs got a little over an hour ago did little to help me.

At least we’ll finally be at the Stable, I thought, passing by a collapsed barrack. Looking up at the gray clouds covering the sky I added: I hope if there are still ponies living there they’ll let us stay for the night, it won’t be long before evening now. Oh, how I can’t wait for a hot bath and clean bed!

I was pulled out from the daydream involving the two commodities the Wasteland had denied me as I felt a hoof pressing lightly against my chest, stopping me in my tracks.

“Ah just realized somethin’,” Apple Core said in a hushed tone, frowning. “Back when we first met, ya said that yar Stable wasn’t far from there, right?”

“Why, yes,” I replied, confused. “Why are you bringing this up now, sweetie?”

“‘Cause there’s nothin’ in that area. No pre-war settlement like this place,” she said, waving her hoof around at the surrounding us ruins.

Huh, she has a point, I realized, surprised I hadn’t thought of it sooner. I mean, there were remains of a few buildings outside the mine, but not enough to house an entire population that came into Stable Eight. Besides…

“You’re sure there aren’t any ruins there?” I asked Apple Core. When she shook her head, I frowned and pondered: “Hm, that is strange. According to memoirs I’ve read, my ancestors had been-”

“You guys coming?” Blast called out, interrupting me.

I glanced behind Apple Core; our companions had already reached the main office’s building, having either not realized that we had stopped or not caring due to the lack of threats. “We’ll be right along, sweetie,” I called back before turning to Apple Core. “I believe we’ll have to continue this conversation some other time.”

My slaver friend nodded and we trotted after the others. “Just makin’ sure ya ain’t lyin’ t’ me,” she said, giving me a suspicious look.

“Oh, sweetie, that’s just hurtful,” I told her, giving her a hurt look in return. “I wouldn’t lie to you. Do you think I could have traveled a longer distance or something? Because you must have realized by now that I am not the most physically fit pony in the Wasteland. And besides what possible reason could I have for making such a lie, anyway?”

“Ah dunno, protectin’ yar Stable?” Apple Core guessed, shrugging. “Tryin’ to hide their real location?”

I blinked, then uttered a giggle. “So that you and the other slavers wouldn’t come for them? Sweetie,” I said, looking her in the eyes and lowering my voice, “believe me, if it did cross my mind and I would have lied, the lie wouldn’t be protecting my Stable, but all of you.”

Apple Core frowned in confusion. “Just what the hay is ‘at supposed t’ mean?”

I was about to reply, but I was again interrupted, this time by Burst. “Are you sure you don’t want us to check out the building first?” he asked Jack as we caught up with the mercenaries by the side of the mentioned building.

“What’s the point?” the griffin replied, shrugging. “At best there would be a terminal filled with data on the workers here, at worst, there would be radroaches or some shit. And I don’t even want to think about how she would react to the sight of more giant insects,” he added, pointing at me with his talon.

I frowned unhappily hearing his remark. Back when he picked me up (a bit unceremoniously, if you’d ask me) and carried me through the air, I had assumed that he had grown fonder of me. Even after he had dropped me (again, a bit unceremoniously) besides the others, I hadn’t reconsidered that opinion. However, whenever we’d talk in our little group on the way here after that, he would glare at me whenever I had as much as opened my mouth.

I can’t believe I’m actually thinking this, but maybe it would be better if we wouldn’t run into any new creatures, I thought. I don’t think it would be wise to annoy Jack further… then again, perhaps his annoyance stems from the comment Blast had made regarding him carrying me…

“Keep watch while I check if this leads to the Stable,” Jack added as he opened the cellar doors and swiftly went down the stairs.

“Oh for- keep watch for what exactly?” Blast called after him, frustrated. “The only way we could get hurt here is if this building crumbles on top of us, there is nopony here!”

“Nevermind,” Jack’s voice came from down the cellar, “get your asses in here.”

Guess this means we found Stable Eleven, I noted. As the others began to enter the cellar, I followed them slowly, taking a closer look at the entrance. It’s wide enough for three ponies to walk in at the same time. Was there enough time on the Last Day to let everypony in?

I’m sure they would have built it bigger if there could be a chance of some ponies not making it in time, Fluttershy’s apparition told me as it appeared.

Hm, I suppose it’s true, I replied, squinting my eyes as somepony suddenly turned the light on. When my eyes adjusted, I saw that the cellar was a short corridor, about two feet wider than the stairs we had just walked down, and leading to a massive steel door with the number eleven written on it. After all, the entrance to my own Stable wasn’t that much bigger and everypony had entered it before the door had shut two hundred years ago.

Um, since you brought up your Stable, Fluttershy began timidly, was what Apple Core had said true? About there not being any settlement around it?

Well, yes, I didn’t see any sign of it aside from the remains of that small mining town or outpost, I told Fluttershy; suddenly I found myself wishing there was a way to just show her my memories instead of thinking about them. Maybe I could look into that later… But I know my ancestors hadn’t come from there. In the memoirs of Stable Eight’s first chief of medicine, I’ve read that-

“Doctor, you’re up.”

If I were superstitious, I would say that the Goddesses seem determined to not let me finish telling anypony what I’ve read, I told Fluttershy in slight annoyance as I was interrupted again, this time by Jack.

Oh, it’s alright, I don’t mind finding out later, Fluttershy quickly assured me as I turned my attention to the griffin. He was standing under the Stable’s door, right besides a small control mechanism. This seems more important. Besides… I don’t think you should make Jack wait.

Agreeing wholeheartedly with that statement, I was already trotting to him. I decided to not point out that we could still continue our discussion, as it was taking place in my mind. After all, if Stables were as dangerous as everypony seemed to say, it would be better if I’d start focusing more on my surrounding rather than what was happening in my head.

“Alright guys, remember,” Jack began, turning to the others as I connected my PipBuck to the control mechanism and began to work on getting it to open the Stable Eleven’s door, “if somehow there are still ponies in there, we negotiate. I’m sure we’ll be able to work something out to get the music records or their copy or whatever.”

“Yeah, sure,” Blast said; I glanced at him just in time to see him roll his eyes. Turning to others, he asked: “Hey, anypony wanna take bets on what killed all of them?”

“Sure, Ah’m in,” Apple Core replied immediately.

Both myself and Jack sighed with exasperation as the two earth ponies began to take their bets. I missed most of the conversation that followed as (after receiving a glare from Jack) I resumed trying to input the override password (not that I cared much about it anyway), but I am pretty sure that Blast had bet on everypony killing each other, while Apple Core put her caps on the water talisman failing and ponies dying of dehydration.

Slightly appalled by the morbid bet, I decided to not point out that in the event that the water talisman had failed, any logical pony would decide to open the Stable and either search for a replacement on the Outside, or lead everypony away and find a new place to live. If it would be the latter, it would probably result in the door being already open.

Maybe this will teach my oh so cheerful friend to think further ahead, I commented to Fluttershy, who giggled awkwardly, as I finished working on the control mechanism. Ough, I forgot how loud this is! I thought, covering my ears, as the massive door began to open.

Judging by the cringing faces my companions had made, the terrible grinding noise had a similar effect on them as well. Regardless, we all bore through it as we waited for the way into the Stable to open.

As the door slowly turned around itself to the left, I peered curiously at the entrance of the first Stable other than Stable Eight that I’d get to see. Almost immediately my eyes grew wide as plates and my mouth dropped in shock at the sight that awaited us inside.

The door opened to reveal four skeletons, “wearing” ragged stable bardings with number eleven, right in front of where it been while closed, with the fifth one lying beside the control mechanism on that side.

“So much for negotiations then,” Jack commented; I was taken aback by the almost casual tone of his voice. The griffin entered the Stable and leaned over the remains, examining them. “Doctor, how good are you with post mortem on skeletons?”

Shaking off my shock, I hurried over to him, stepping around the skeletons carefully. I frowned as I got a better look at them. “I must say, sweetie, I’m surprised you’re actually asking for my opinion,” I said, turning to Jack and pointing at the bullet holes in their bardings.

“I want to know if you can tell whether there was something wrong with them other than getting shot. You’d be surprised-”

“Ha! Called it!” Blast exclaimed, laughing, and turned to Apple Core. “Pay up.”

“Ugh, fuck!” Apple Core in turn groaned, almost at the same time. “Let ‘er do ‘er thing first,” she told Blast, obviously hoping I could find out some other reason for their deaths. “‘Sides, they could’ave always started killin’ each other ‘cause there weren’t enough water t’ go ‘round,” she pointed out, shrugging with faked nonchalance.

Turning back to Jack as they began to argue what that would mean to their bet, I saw the griffin mercenary glaring angrily at the pair. Burst and Scope must have noticed it too, as they stayed silent and simply entered the Stable, trotting around the remains.

“You’d be surprised by all the shit that went down in Stables around Equestria,” he continued, choosing to ignore the pair. “Can you tell if they were infected by some disease or exposed to some toxin or something along those lines? I want to know if we’re about to walk into biohazardous environment.”

“Hm…” I hummed, glancing briefly at the skeleton beside the control mechanism before turning back to the remains in front of the door. The second from the left were the biggest, so I focused on it (Finally I get a chance to examine an earth pony’s skeleton.). “Well, depending on the disease, it can lead to skeletal deformities… but none I can think of that would be transferrable by air, especially at this point,” I said as I carefully removed the barding protecting the bones (which I held with my magic to prevent them from rearranging) and began to examine the skeleton. “As for toxins, those ponies would have to have been exposed to it over a long period of time for their bones to show any signs of that. There could be some changes in their chemical composition, but to tell you that I would need a laboratory.”

“Just tell me what you can then,” Jack replied, shrugging, and left to explore the rest of the entrance.

As I began examining the bones one by one, searching them for any signs of deformities (other than the bullet marks, of course), Apple Core and Blast finally entered the Stable as well. “How do we even know that they were shot by other stable dwellers?” Apple Core demanded from the mercenary.

“They were shot in the back while trying to open the door,” Jack called back before Blast could reply the slaver. “Or, well, that guy was,” he amended, pointing at the skeleton beside the control mechanism. “The others-”

“Sweetie, that’s a mare’s skeleton,” I corrected him, having already taken notice of its pelvis back when I looked at it.

Jack stopped talking as I interrupted him, staring at me as his eyelid twitched and Apple Core snorted with amusement. Just as I began to suspect that I had, again, annoyed him, he covered his face with his paw. “I swear, she’ll be the death of me…” he murmured as he rubbed his temples.

Confused, I frowned and turned to him, abandoning my examination for the moment. “Um, sweetie,” I began to ask, “are you referring to me or to-” I began to ask as I turned to look at the skeleton, only to find my muzzle being forcibly shut.

Wasn’t he standing about two yards from me half a second ago? I wondered as I looked at Jack, who now stood right beside me, his talons grasping my muzzle.

“The others must have instinctively run away after their friend got shot,” Jack resumed talking to Apple Core, who was trying to hide her snickering from the griffin mercenary. “Judging by their positioning and the locations of the bullet wounds, their killers must have stood over there,” he added, pointing behind him at the entrance’s door.

“And they were probably the ones who left the tripwire,” Burst called out.

I turned my head (as much as I could with Jack holding my muzzle) towards the door on the other side of the entrance, leading further into the Stable. Burst and Scope (joined by Blast a few seconds later) were standing there, examining the wall and something on the floor. As Jack released me and went to take a closer look himself, I raised my head higher to try and see what it was that got their attention. To my confusion, I noticed that there was some sort of wire set before the door, about less than a hoof length above the floor and connected to the wall.

“There it is,” Blast said, pointing with his head upwards at the ceiling.

Following his gaze along with everybody I saw some kind of cylindrical object that I couldn’t identify, hanging from the ceiling right above where the wire had been set. However, judging by how carefully Scope cut it off after having enveloped it in his magic, I figured that it couldn’t be anything good.

“What the-” Apple Core began to exclaim as she trotted closer to the mercenaries. “They ‘ad explosives ‘ere?!”

Explosives? I echoed, my eyes widening.

“Makeshift,” Scope replied as he lowered the explosive down to his eye level and began fiddling with it. “Made in the Stable, most likely.”

“They must have been called away from this post and decided to leave a trap for whoever came by next to try to get away from the Stable,” Jack commented as he leaned over the wire and cut it with his talons in one swift move. “Obviously, nobody came later anyway…”

They made a trap for ponies that tried to leave? I thought, turning my attention back to the remains I’ve begun examining. And killed the ones who tried before… Stable ponies killing stable ponies? Everything in my very being screamed “wrong” at that. I just can’t imagine something like this happening in Stable Eight-

I stopped, a sharp pain emanating from my chest as those thoughts triggered a memory. Grinding my teeth, I forced it back into the dark recesses of my mind.

Angel? Fluttershy’s quiet voice sounded within me, a tone of worry in it.

I can’t imagine other ponies in Stable Eight killing each other, I continued, ignoring her. Using guns and explosives… This isn’t just murder, it’s… fighting. It’s just… I paused, looking for the right word.

Horrifying, Fluttershy finished for me, slightly shaking.

Nodding in agreement, I picked up the skull with my forehooves and held it before me, staring into its empty eye sockets. What happened in this Stable?

Jack’s question pulled me out of my musing. “Found anything, Doctor?”

Pulling my gaze from the skull to the griffin, I replied: “As much as I can tell, sweetie, there are no disfigurements on the skeleton, aside from three bullet marks, on the right femur, left third rib and on the occipital bone.” To emphasize my point (and because I wasn’t sure if he knew where the occipital bone was) I turned to skull I still held around and showed him the hole bullet left in the occipital bone, then shook it a little so he could hear the clinking of the bullet still inside. Shrugging, I continued: “However, I didn’t have the time to check all the bones-”

“Really?” Apple Core interrupted me, a smirk on her face. “The brilliant doctor of medicine ain’t finished checking a few bones?”

“Sweetie, a pony has around two hundred and five bones in their body,”I replied, bemused. “Even I can’t look over so many within a minute.”

“Alright, keep yar coat on,” Apple Core snorted, rolling her eyes. “Ah was just messin’ with ya.”

A growl escaped from Jack’s beak. “Are you two done?” he asked, a threat in his voice and ice in his gaze.

Apple Core actually shook and immediately straightened. “S-sorry boss,” she said, smiling nervously.

I wondered if her newfound respect or fear of Jack was caused just by learning he used to be a part of those Bloodtalons, or by seeing him kill five raiders without any effort. In either case, her reply seemed to satisfy Jack, as he nodded and motioned for both of us to follow. As Apple Core hastily trotted after the mercenaries as they went deeper into the Stable, I stayed behind to put the skeleton back together with my magic, then slid it into the pony’s barding and placed it where it had been for the past century or two. As I turned around to follow everybody, my gaze lingered a moment longer on the remains, my eyes narrowing, before sighing and leaving.

When I passed the door, I was surprised by a notice appearing on my E.F.S. informing me about my PipBuck picking up two new broadcasts. Frowning, I was about to tell my companions about it, but then I realized that they were all staring at what was under the wall on the opposite side of the chamber.

Two more skeletons within Stable bardings.

“This is getting depressing,” Burst commented, sighing, then glanced at me.

Is he worried about how I will take the sights of so many dead? I wondered as I stared back at him for a moment, then turned again to the two skeletons. How sweet of him to worry…

Would it even, um, have an effect on you? Fluttershy asked, doing her best to not pay attention to the remains. I mean, you seem so… used to seeing remains.

The sight of ponies’ remains does not bother me. But… the thought of so many lives lost is deeply saddening, I confessed, my ears dropping. If this Stable is as big as my own, we might see hundreds more skeletons before we leave.

Oh… Fluttershy exclaimed, growing pale.

“It will probably become even more depressing as we go further,” Jack replied to Burst’s comment, probably having come to the same conclusion as me.

“So did those two get killed by the same guys as the five before?” Apple Core asked.

“Probably,” Scope replied, shrugging. “But unlike them, those two weren’t trying to run or hide.”

“Eh? What d’ya mean?”

“Standing right under the wall, a single bullet to the head each,” Scope explained, pointing at the holes in their skull. “They were executed. They were captured, and made to stay here before their killers passed their sentence.”

“They were captured, and yet killed?” I repeated, appalled. “What kind of stable ponies could have done that?”

As some of my companions rolled their eyes at me, Jack seemed to have an answer to my question. “Probably those that followed that mare,” he said, pointing with his talon at something over my shoulder.

Surprised, I glanced behind me. What Jack was pointing turned out to be a poster hanging on a wall. Parts of it were damaged by time and Goddesses know what, but the stoic, smiling unicorn mare in glasses it depicted was still clearly visible, as was the words above and below her.

I blinked several times as I read the poster, too shocked to comment on it immediately. “‘Vote’?” I finally exclaimed after several seconds. “They chose their Overmare by voting?! Merciful Goddesses, what sort of… intellectually challenged individual thought that it was a good idea?!” I demanded from nobody in particular as I struggled to not utter a curse in the same sentence in which I had called upon the Goddesses.

“And what is wrong with voting for your leader?” Jack asked, sounding strangely surprised. When I turned to him, however, I found him glaring at me with mild anger. “Shouldn’t people have a say as to who leads them?”

“What is wrong with voting for your leader, sweetie, is that it’s not the most qualified pony that becomes their leader, but the most popular one,” I said, feeling a slight grimace of dismay crossing my face briefly; I was unable to hide just how (deservedly) low an opinion regarding this system I held. “Ponies would chose the candidate who promised them the most, not even knowing whether those promises were possible to fulfill or not, or what kind of price they would have to pay.”

“Which is why you give them only a few years of tenure at the job,” Jack interrupted me, frowning. Why did this discussion upset him so much? “So that you can kick them out when they screw up. And how do you even decide what makes a person ‘qualified’? And more importantly, how does your Stable work?” I blinked, taken aback by the sudden question, as well as by the narrowed look he gave me. “Is Overmare a hereditary position there?”

“Sweetie, don’t be ridiculous,” I almost snorted in reply, actually annoyed by his tone. “As it is with every administrative position in Stable Eight, the Overmare chooses her own successor, training her for years before retiring. Although,” I amended, slightly reluctantly, “the Second Overmare chose her great-granddaughter as her successor, and the Third Overmare had been preparing her daughter to succeed her, but-”

“Nepotism, got it,” Jack snorted, rolling his eyes as he interrupted me again. Beginning to actually grow upset, I opened my mouth to retort, but the griffin silenced me with a wave of his paw. “Look, we can continue this over a drink back in New Appleloosa, ok? Hell, I will even pay for those drinks. But right now I want to get this job over with,” he said as he turned to walk further down into the Stable.

Although I wanted to continue our argument until he’d apologise for that last remark, I had to agree that he had a point. “Very well, sweetie,” I told Jack, nodding graciously, “but before we go further, there’s something I would like you to know,” I added, earning myself an angry glare from the griffin. “A moment ago my PipBuck picked up two broadcasts.”

That got Jack's interest. “Probably both are on loop since they all killed themselves,” he said thoughtfully, glancing at Scope who shrugged and nodded. “Recorded before shit hit the fan… Play them both for a moment.”

I probably shouldn’t mention that he could have said “please”, I thought as I looked at the broadcasts on my PipBuck. Hm, I would have expected one of them to be Stable Eleven’s PA System, I noted, surprised, as I selected the one with more intriguing name: the “Celestial Radio”.

“- and the Overmare assured everypony that tomorrow’s commemorations will not be interrupted, saying that security would immediately arrest anypony acting odd, on the suspicion of them belonging to the post zebra-sympathising group, the so called ‘Freedom Fighters’,” a pretentiously sounding buck was saying on the looped recording. “The group that, may I remind you, faithful listeners, had murdered the previous director of this station, Father Gemstone, as well as several other acts of terror in our fair Stable. The chief of security had reported recently that they are close to catching the ponies responsible... Though there is no doubt in my mind that upon their deaths the Goddesses will cast their souls into Tartarus, I am happy to hear that soon they will be caught, made to face justice, and the threat those heathens represent in the blessed Stable Eleven to be over.”

Heathens? I blinked as I listened to the broadcast, liking it less and less as the Goddesses know how long dead pony continued. Well, at least the name of the other broadcast, Radio Freedom, makes more sense to me now; it must have been related to that group called Freedom Fighters.

“And with the Stable Eleven Council election coming up next week, I’d like all you true believers to remember to place your votes on the candidates from the Adherents of the Royal Sisters party, the one true party, so that they may continue leading our Stable into the bright future together with the re-elected last year Overmare Strict Frame.”

“Huh, guess that explains that,” Blast commented; when I turned to look at him, he was pointing at the wall next to the door that we had just passed.

Following his hoof, I found myself staring at another election poster, this one apparently for this “Stable Eleven Council”. It didn’t have any pony on it, only words:

So they’d also choose ponies to represent blocks from the living quarters in this council? I thought, my curiosity momentarily getting the better of me, despite my growing distaste for this Stable. I wonder what were their responsibilities, exactly…

“To the few who plan to vote for members of Citizens of Equestria party,” the pony on the recorded transmission continued; my ears twitched from the venom in his voice when he said the name of this other political party, “I pray that the Goddess’ wisdom will shine upon them and they’ll remember the disastrous tenure of the CoE government, all the years of corruption, their attempts of controlling the Church and our station, and perhaps worse of all, their plans to open the Stable! Will you let them subjugate us to their zebra overlords?! Vote for the one true party, it is the only way we can stay free and cultivate Equestria’s traditions and values! That’s all for the evening news,” the voice said after a brief pause. “Now, let us return to our evening prayers, everypony. Psalm 17, the Lunar Penance.”

As I listened to the religious song, different from the ones I had heard at my Stable’s Church but at the same time similar enough to instinctively made me want to sit down and bring my forehooves together before my chest, Jack waves his paw again. “Alright, turn that crap off.”

That was a command that I was glad to obey; the fact that there was actual psalm playing on this station only added to my dismay. “What kind of blasphemous, propagandist radio station was that?!” I exclaimed in disgust as I turned it off.

I shuddered to think how my mom would have reacted if she’d ever heard that.

Jack rolled his eyes and opened his beak to reply, but Burst spoke before he could. “Yeah, I gotta say, that was just… wrong. And I’m not even that into the whole Goddesses thing,” he added.

“Well, that’s what you get when you get too into it,” Jack commented, shrugging. When I gasped and glared at him, opening my mouth to rebuke him, he quickly added: “I meant the listeners of that crap. No wonder they couldn’t make this little republic of theirs work if they got all worked up on this religious hatred.” He shook his head in annoyance. “What’s on the other station?”

Though I grew curious as to what he knew about this type of government and how he knew that, I hastily let the other broadcast, the “Radio Freedom”, play on my PipBuck. I hoped it would be a more… objective view on the Stable Eleven’s life, and that it would shed a little more light on what had happened here. I blinked in surprise as a song began to play.

Stay true, stay true to yourself,
Never let go of what matters to you most.
If somebody comes along and takes it,
Then fight with all your heart to get it back!

“That’s it,” Jack said, a gleam in his eyes. I turned off the broadcast as he continued: “That’s a chorus of one of the Countess Coloratura’s songs we are supposed to get.”

“Guess the trip here won’t be for nothing after all,” Blast commented, sounding relieved. After a second he frowned and asked: “Wait, how do you even know that’s it?”

“The music record order we found had also lyrics of some of those songs,” Jack replied, rolling his eyes.

“Do you want to listen to that station a little longer, sweetie?” I asked Jack, ready to resume the broadcast, but the griffin shook his head.

“No, I don’t really care about it. And you better not play it on our way down; in case there are more tripwires and other traps there, it would be useful to hear if somebody springs one of them.”

Why do I have this weird feeling that he meant me when saying “somebody”? I wondered.

“That being said, I would appreciate if everybody would watch where they put their hooves,” Jack continued; although he said ‘everybody’, the glance he cast at me left no doubt this time that he definitely meant me. “We’re going to the Overmare’s office first, she should have the list of all of the Stable’s residents in her terminal. We find the quarters of the pony who had the music record and then go there. If it’s not there for whatever reason, we look for wherever this other radio broadcast is coming from.”

“Would you mind if we looked for the source of the first broadcast and turned it off, sweetie?” I asked, earning an annoyed glare from him. “It really upset me to hear somepony use the Goddesses’ names in such blasphemous way.”

“I’m with her on that, actually,” Burst spoke up, causing the griffin to roll his eyes.

“Fine, let’s just go already,” Jack sighed as he turned around. “Somebody watch where the Doctor is putting her hooves.”

Well, at least now I know for certain that he meant me.

“Would it hurt life to be easy for once?” Jack asked nopony in particular as the door to the Overmare’s wing refused to open.

Walking down all the way there was… eerie for me, to say the least. I never really appreciated just how much effort the maintenance crew of Stable Eight put into caring for our Stable. Aside from the rusty metal walls and churring noises of various generators, the entire Stable Eleven was just depressing. The illusions the maintenance crew cast on the ceilings and the plants they’d make grow together with the gardeners on the walls and floors truly made Stable Eight feel like a paradise; if I had to live in Stable Eleven, or any other Stable, I fear I’d feel like I was in prison.

Adding to the depressing mood that overtook me as we went deeper were the skeletons and signs of fights. It seemed as if a war took place in Stable Eleven. Not far from the entrance we found three skeletons in Stable security barding, probably responsible for the deaths of the seven ponies from before. Jack commented that they must have been ambushed on their way to the Atrium, and that whoever killed them took their firearms. We continued onward, passing a few more skeletons, and entered the Atrium.

In Stable Eight, the Atrium was often used to host various kinds of social gatherings. Concerts, sporting events... During holidays, the Overmare would make her speech there. Whenever it wasn’t used for those purposes, it was open to everypony. Families would come during the day to enjoy a picnic beneath the illusion of a sunny sky, in the shadow of one of the four trees growing in the corners of the Atrium. Couples would come during the night to lay under the Moon and the starry sky.

In Stable Eleven, the Atrium had also been used for social gatherings. A torn banner hanging from the wall beneath the window of the Overmare’s office pointed to that, its message illegible due to the passage of time. However, on the day that this celebration - whatever it had been about - took place, it had been turned into the site of a battle.

It had been turned into a graveyard.

Dozens of ponies’ skeletons were scattered across the Atrium. Some had clearly been killed instantly, some had tried to run away back to the living quarters or the cafeteria. Some had barricaded themselves with some chairs and lockers in the corridor leading to the Admin, where the Overmare’s wing (with her office and private quarters) were as well as Stable security. Not that it had helped them much, considered the skeletons still clad in security barding scattered right behind those barricades, and more as we walked along the corridor. Before I had followed my companions, I took a glance around the Atrium, especially at some of the skeletons at the back, near the door leading to the living quarters.

They were visibly smaller than an adult pony’s skeleton.

So is this Atrium, come to think of it, I had noted, trying to distract both myself and Fluttershy’s apparition; upon seeing the foals’ remains, tears welled up in her eyes and she kept her gaze downcast. It’s smaller than it should be, I mean. Stable Eight’s Atrium is… at least about 5 times as big as this. Did Stable-Tech change their Stable’s design after they’d finished my Stable?

Fluttershy remained quiet as I trotted after the others.

I sighed. Sweetie, it must have been well over a century since they died.

They were just foals, she replied, tears falling from her eyes.

Their souls are with the Goddesses now. Free of the sufferings that life can bring about. Those skeletons out there are nothing.

I had wanted to continue reassuring Fluttershy that those foals were now in a better place, but at that point Jack had discovered the closed door and uttered his comment regarding life. With an apologetic glance at the apparition, I focused on the griffin.

Said griffin was glaring at the door that had stayed closed, as if trying to make them open with his look alone. As I approached, however, he turned to me. “If in your Stable the doors to the Overmare’s wing were closed, how would you open it if you tried to sneak in or whatever?”

“As Stable Eight’s chief of medicine, I was privy to knowing the spell that would open the Overmare’s wing’s door, so I wouldn’t have to worry about that, sweetie,” I replied, deciding not to mention than even besides that, there would be seldom a moment when I wouldn’t have been welcomed there for the past few years. Noting the glare Jack gave me, however, I quickly added “But there also used to be a keycard from the time of the First Overmare, before we began to use magic for… well, practically everything. Let me think a moment, sweetie...” I trailed off as I wondered where the keycard to this Stable’s Overmare’s office could be. “I think our best chances to find it would be in the Security… and maybe in Maintenance.”

“At least that’s some starting points,” Jack said, sighing. “Scope, you’ll stay with me, we’ll check both of those. The rest of you, divide into two teams and begin going through the living quarters, see if you can find those records.”

“It’s gonna take forever,” Blast pointed out, visibly disliking the idea.

“If you have an idea on how to find the room where this Pacific Glow had lived, I’m all-”

“Actually, sweetie,” I began, interrupting Jack, “I think I might have an idea. A doctor has to keep records of all her patients,” I continued hastily as he turned his annoyed glare at me, “so if I could get to the clinic here, I might be able to find the room you’re looking for. You said the pony’s name was Pacific Glow?”

“Yes,” Jack nodded, sounding interested. He actually smiled at me! “Alright, you and Burst will go to the clinic, see-”

“And why does he get to go with her?” Blast asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Because I trust he will be on the lookout for traps rather than trying to get under her tail,” Jack told him flatly. Pointing at Apple Core, he added: “And I expect that one to kick your muzzle in when you try.”

“Only if she doesn’t like it,” Blast pointed out, turning to Apple Core and winking.

It was safe to say that it didn’t amuse Jack. “Blast, take the slaver and start checking the living quarters. Now,” he added, growling.

“Fine,” Blast replied, sighing and rolling his eyes. “But we will be on a lookout for a nice bedroom, if you know what I mean,” he added as he turned around and went back the way we came.

Unsure, I leaned to Burst. “Does he mean that he’ll look for places to sleep, or that he want’s to have a coitus with Apple Core?” I asked in a hushed voice.

“Um, the latter,” the younger mercenary replied, slightly blushing.

In the meantime Jack had turned to Apple Core, who was about to follow after Blast. “Will you kick him in the balls or something?” he asked, exasperated.

“Hm…” Apple Core hummed, her eyes on Blast as she looked the mercenary up and down. “... Ah dunno yet,” she admitted, a smirk briefly crossing her muzzle, before she remembered whom she was talking to. “Um, Ah mean, sure, no problem boss. Stay close to him,” she told me, pointing at Burst, as she hastily trotted after his brother.

Jack watched them go for a few seconds before turning to me and Burst. “They’re gonna fuck as soon as they find some bed, won’t they?”

As I hesitated with my answer (wondering whether the promiscuous nature I had seen Apple Core exhibit would point out to her doing exactly what Jack had said), I caught Burst giving me an embarrassed glance before he told Jack “Honestly, I was surprised to hear him say he’d look for a bed first.”

The mercenary’s answer must have been enough for the griffin, as he grabbed his head with his paw, muttering: “For the love of… Do you know how to geld a pony?” he asked, turning to me. “Because I’m seriously considering paying you to do that to him.”

“Sweetie, while I sincerely doubt that this particular procedure would pose any problems for me, I’d never perform such barbaric surgery on anypony,” I replied, frowning.

Jack sighed and shook his head. “It was a joke. Nevermind, just go find the clinic. If there aren’t any records there or something else happens, just start going through the living quarters as well.”

Wondering what exactly “something else” could happen, I nodded and followed Burst as we began to trot back the same way Apple Core and Blast had gone. At the same time, Jack and Scope went to check the Security.

“So, um…” Burst began as soon as they were out of earshot, somewhat awkwardly, “do you know which way the clinic is?”

In order to get to the stairs leading to the lower lever, where the clinic should be, we needed to pass through the Atrium again. Mindful of how the Fluttershy’s apparition reacted to the sight of all the skeletons, especially of the foals, I focused once again on how small this space was compared to Stable Eight’s.

“I don’t understand why it’s so small,” I mused out loud as my eyes travelled across the wall, measuring it.

“Hm?” Burst, who was walking beside me, looked at me. “What is?”

“This Atrium,” I explained, spreading me my foreleg around the room. “It’s a few times smaller than my Stable’s Atrium.”

“Really?” Burst asked, blinking as he looked at the room that we were about to leave. “I could swear it was the size it was supposed to be.”

“What makes you say that, sweetie?” I asked in turn, surprised, as we began to walk down the staircase to the lower level.

“Well… I’ve been only to one other Stable before, and while the overall layout seems a bit different I am pretty sure the Atrium there was the same size as this one.”

“Really? Hm, it’s two Stables then…” I hummed thoughtfully. “Could it be that the Dimensional Transcendentalism Spells had been cast by ponies of my Stable themselves rather than Stable-Tec? I suppose it would be logical-”

“Um, Dimensional What’s-it Spells?” Burst interrupted me, confused.

“It’s a spell that manipulates the dimensions of the space that it was cast on in relation to its surroundings,” I explained. However, noticing the blank stare my companion was giving me, I realized that I had to find a more understandable explanation. “Um… it makes rooms bigger on the inside?” I tried.

“Bigger on the inside?” Burst repeated, frowning in concentration. “But on the outside they stay the same as they were?”

“Exactly,” I said, pleased.

“Wow, that’s… difficult to grasp,” he confessed, his brow furrowing in concentration as he tried to picture it. I couldn’t blame him; it used to puzzle me a lot back when I was a filly. “Do you think you could show me later?”

“I’m sorry, sweetie, but I don’t know how to cast that spell. I only know about it because they’ve told us about it in school. Actually, I don’t think there is currently anypony in Stable Eight that can cast it, except maybe for the head of maintenance… The spell’s formula is somewhere in Stable Eight Library, but only she would have an access to such a complex spell from, hm, the Maintenance’s area of expertise,” I explained, a bit wistfully; if I knew Dimensional Transcendentalism Spell, maybe I could increase the size of my laboratory in the Appleloosa’s clinic’s basement. “From what I was led to understand, it is extremely difficult to cast-” I continued, but I was forced to stop as Burst’s hoof suddenly shot before me and pushed me back.

Looking at the earth pony with confusion, I saw him nodding down. We were just about to exit the staircase and step on the floor from the lower level. There was a strange metal contraption right where I was going to put my hoof on. It was circular, with sharp fang-like blades on the edges, and a plate in the middle.

“Bear trap,” Burst explained, stepping around it carefully. “Can break a pony’s leg.”

“‘Bear’ trap?” I repeated, my confusion only deepening. “What would there be a trap for bears in a Stable, sweetie?”

My question had seemed to baffle Burst. “Um… It’s just a name. It works on ponies fine, trust me. And it’s fairly easy to make, you just need some steel, some gears and a spring.”

“Oh, I see.” I stepped down carefully as well, reminding myself that there could be a lot more traps like those around.

Looking around the corridor on this level, I saw several skeletons, indicating that the battle hadn’t been confined only to the Atrium and the entrance. On the walls there were tons of posters, it was almost impossible to make out the walls themselves. Unlike those we had seen by the entrance, those were trying to convince ponies to vote for blocks C, D and E’s representatives in the Stable Eleven Council. (Guess this means blocks A and B are in the level above us, behind the Atrium.) A lot of them, though (most of which seemed to promote the candidates from Citizens of Equestria party) had been painted over, with either ridiculous mustaches or beards added, or had profane words written on them.

With mild disgust at what this system had led to, I forced my gaze away and focused once more on the trap next to my hoof. “Why are they called that, though? Were they used on bears before the war?”

“I... don’t know. Anyway,” he quickly said, as if wanting to change the subject, “that Stable of yours sounds amazing! How else is it different from this one? You know, aside from still being populated and, um, not having skeletons all over?” Burst added, smiling awkwardly as he nodded at another skeletons further in the corridor.

“Oh, in many ways, sweetie!” I replied, happy to tell him more about my former home. As we began to trot through the corridor in the direction of the clinic, I pointed behind us at the staircase that we had just used. “There would be vines all around the walls here, as well as in most of the corridors. Above us,” I continued, pointing at the ceiling, “there could be an illusion of a sky, with the Stable’s light appearing as either Sun or the Moon, depending on the time of day. I say could because not all the corridors have them, the illusions need to be maintained, if they were on every ceiling the Maintenance wouldn’t be able to keep up with them. And the Atrium…”

Burst’s eyes widened as I described to him how Stable Eight’s Atrium appeared to ponies, with actual grass and trees growing in it and massive illusion on its ceiling. “Wow, that’s just… amazing! Your Stable seems like a paradise! Why would you ever leave a place so beautiful?”

“Ideological dispute,” I replied, giving him the same explanation as I gave Scope yesterday. Eager to change the subject back and feeling warmed by Burst’s enthusiasm regarding my Stable (I hadn’t even told him about the magic constructs yet!), I said: “But yes, sweetie, Stable Eight is an amazing place. And it’s in great deal thanks to being led by responsible and qualified ponies,” I added, remembering the brief discussion I had with Jack. I practically snorted as I repeated what he said. “‘Nepotism’! How dare he? I studied and worked hard to earn my position as the chief of medicine, the fact that my father had held it had nothing to do with it! And Emerald would have made an excellent Overmare if-”

“Wait, your father was the chief of medicine as well?” Burst interrupted me again; in hindsight, I was glad that he did. “Wow, that’s cool! So you wanted to follow in his hoofsteps?”

“Of course, sweetie,” I told him, smiling as a wave of nostalgia washed over me. My annoyance with Jack faded as I continued. “I wanted to be just like him since I was little.” To be the pony who makes others better, I thought fondly, remembering how I used to wait until late at night when Daddy would come home from work and I would bombard him with questions as he tucked me in to sleep. “What about you and your brother? Ditzy had told me that your parents were traders.”

Burst chuckled. “Yeah, I guess you could say that Blast and I don’t really have heads for business. Ever since our dad taught us how to shoot or make explosives we’ve been making our living this way. First we worked as guards for our folks, then after they retired to Tenpony Tower we guarded some other caravans, and finally we became mercenaries. We wanted to do something a little more exciting,” he explained as I gazed at him questioningly. “Being a caravan guard is a stable job and it’s well paid, but it’s really boring. We’ve traveled along all those trade routes for years now, and raider attacks aren’t that dangerous when you know how to fight. Besides, they don’t happen that often, anyway.”

I nodded, understanding that for somepony who had travelled across the Wasteland for years there probably weren’t many new places they could discover. Personally, though, I would have loved to see more of the Equestrian Wasteland - assuming, of course, that I could find a way to do that without needing to rely solely on my own four hooves.

We paused for a moment as we reached a crossroad of corridors, having encountered another tripwire. As I waited for Burst to disarm it, I glanced at the signs under the ceiling. Although the clinic was the same level in this Stable as it was in mine, its location was slightly different. I was a little confused by it, but fortunately it turned out that it was closer than I had expected. It only took us about a minute to reach from the crossroad.

The smile that appeared on my muzzle as I walked into the clinic quickly faded as we discovered a lot more skeletons in there. What was worse, they were all close to the beds in there, which pointed out to them all being patients.

“Ugh, that’s just wrong,” Burst, having probably come to the same conclusion as I had, commented. “C’mon, let’s find those records and leave.”

However, I shook my head. “Before that, sweetie, I would like to see if there’s any medical equipment here that’s still usable.”

“Jack would prefer if we start looting after we finish our work here,” Burst replied, frowning. Before I could say anything, though, he added: “But how about you start going through those records and I’ll check what I can find around here?”

“Sounds good to me, sweetie,” I said, smiling at him with appreciation, and turned to the door leading to the doctor’s office.

When I took a step towards it, however, Burst quickly stepped in front of me. “I’ll just check if there isn’t any trap there first,” he said over his shoulder.

“Sweetie, I doubt a doctor would put a trap in their office,” I remarked, rolling my eyes in.

Burst didn’t reply, as the hiss the door made as he opened them would obscure his words. When he looked into the office, I could see him cringe a little. “Yeah, um, maybe this one should have.”

Already imagining what I could expect inside, I sighed and trotted after him.

The skeleton, probably of one of the Stable’s doctors, lay in the middle of the office. The Stable barding and lab coat that covered it had been partially torn away. The metacarpal and metatarsal bones had been broken, and the similar fractures on the skull along with the dent mark on it indicated that it had been done by a hammer.

They first broke her legs, then killed her, I noted, gazing at the remains sadly. What a cruel thing to do, and to a doctor… I experimented on my fellow stable ponies and hadn’t been as much as kicked or punched, and her… I shook my head and sighed.

Of course, there were some… odd elements in my Stable, so to speak. Not straight out murderers with hammers, thank the Goddesses, but murder isn’t the only act a pony can commit on other pony. Everypony has some darkness in them, after all, and not everypony manages to deal with it. That’s why the Stable Security deals with them.

Except some of them are subtle, I remarked. And some technically don’t break any law. Wish I could have gotten my hooves on those that did this to this doctor, too… what interesting experiments I could have performed on them...

Taking my eyes off the skeleton and letting my train of thought trail off, I checked the office. Like the clinic behind us, it was much smaller than its Stable Eight counterpart, of course, but other than that it was rather similar. There was a desk with a terminal on it, which no doubt housed all the Stable Eleven’s medical records. A few lockers stood by the wall, and on the other side there was a small bed, next to which a toppled hospital screen laid.

Thinking back fondly to the times when I would be so consumed by work that I would sleep in a similar bed in my own office instead of going back to my quarters, I headed for the desk.

“Do you want me to, um, move them outside or something?” Burst asked me as I stepped around the skeleton, pointing at it.

“Why would I want to trouble you like that, sweetie?” I asked, confused, as I sat before the desk. “They’re just bones. And some fabric.”

“Well, yeah, just… some ponies might be uncomfortable around corpses and such,” he explained, slightly blushing and rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. “I mean, usually they have some flesh on them and stink, but still…”

I smiled at him as he trailed off. “Thank you for such a concern regarding my comfort, sweetie,” I told him, grateful for his good intentions and that I was paired up with such a kind pony. “But in this case, it’s completely unnecessary. Those remains are nothing more than an intriguing composition of collagen and carbonated hydroxyapatite that contain that pony’s DNA to me, and my only interest in them would be scientific; I might be interested in examining them closely if I had the time and means to do so. The pony whose body had been supported by those bones is long gone, her soul having left her mortal vessel to join her loved ones and the Goddesses in the Afterlife.”

As I turned my attention to the terminal, I noticed in the corner of my eye Burst blinking at me. “So, um…” he began, sounding uncomfortable, “... you believe all that? The Afterlife, Goddesses and souls, I mean,” Burst added as I looked at him.

“Why shouldn’t I, sweetie?” I asked, surprised.

“No no, not saying you shouldn’t just… w-well, most of the smart, science-y ponies I’ve met tend to not believe in the Goddesses and everything.”

“Oh,” I exclaimed, now understanding what he meant. “Yes, I suppose that’s not surprising to hear, sweetie. My own mentor has a similar outlook on religion and beliefs. You should have seen the expression on his muzzle every time somepony would say ‘thank the Goddesses’ after he had told them good news regarding their health,” I added, giggling at the memory.

“And yet you do believe in them?” Burst asked.

I nodded. “That used to annoy my mentor, too,” I admitted, but I shook it off and continued “Don’t get me wrong, sweetie, I don’t believe that praying to the Goddess can cause miracles to happen, and to be honest, I am unsure whether They actually still move the Sun and Moon from the Heavens. I mean, it technically could be possible, seeing how much potential magic holds and how little is know about alicorns,” I said, more to myself. “But I do believe They exist. That they look down on us from the Afterlife, embracing our souls as we die. That They still wish and hope all the best for us in our mortal lives. After all,” I added, seeing how he was looking at me with some doubt in his eyes, “They give hope, strength, reassurance and comfort to countless ponies who believe in them. Doesn’t that make them real, even if they wouldn’t be?” I asked, smiling.

Burst blinked after hearing that, then slowly smiled. “I… guess that makes sense. Never really thought of it that way.” He stayed like that, smiling, for a few more seconds, before he blushed and cleared his throat. “A-anyway,” he stammered, “I’ll look over the clinic. You look over the records… oh wait, it might be password protected,” Burst added as he was about to leave, turning back to me. “Do you want me to try and hack it?”

“Thank you, sweetie, but I consider myself a capable hacker,” I told him. “Don’t worry, I know how to not get locked out of the system, so if I won’t be able to find the password I’ll let you try.”

“Ah, alright. Have fun then,” Burst said as he left the office.

Smiling after him, I slowly turned my attention back to the terminal. As Burst had guessed, it was password protected. Sighing, I began trying to hack it.

You really think all those ponies are now in a better place?

I do. I wouldn’t lie about something like this just to make you feel better, I replied, trying another word, only to see it wasn’t the correct one either. Gently, I asked How are you, sweetie?

A little better, I think, the tiny Fluttershy replied. The apparition’s eyes were a little red; was she crying? It’s just… hard to see so many ponies dead. And so many of them so young, too.

I understand, I told her, logging out after my third failed attempt, resetting the terminal. Just because I believe ponies go to a better place after their passing, it doesn’t mean their time on this plane should be short. Far from it, in fact. As long as a pony, or any sapient being, is alive, they can change. Grow. Evolve. Just thinking about all the possibilities that could have happened to so many ponies… I trailed off and shook my head, concentrating on hacking again.

So… would you also want to change? Fluttershy asked me.

Hm… change isn’t exactly the word I would use, sweetie, I said absentmindedly, slightly confused by her question.

But, um… wouldn’t you want to become better? If you believe in the Afterlife, aren’t you afraid that the Princesses would view what you do to ponies as evil and punish you after you die?

Oh, I exclaimed, now understanding where she was going with this. Don’t be ridiculous, sweetie, I won’t die.

Um, Fluttershy began, looking at me oddly, but as she was about to continue I interrupted her.

“Finally,” I exclaimed out loud as I found the correct password. “Alright, now the patients’ records…”

Just as I had expected, the doctor had kept all her records in the terminal, and like me, she had kept them in an alphabetical order. While it made my job of finding Pacific Glow’s quarters much easier, I felt slightly disappointed that I didn’t have an excuse to look at the records of all of the Stable Eleven’s citizens.

That disappointment quickly faded as I simply downloaded them to my PipBuck to read later.

Alright, Pacific Glow’s quarters were… Block D, room 19. Smiling, I glanced at the door. I could hear Burst moving around the clinic, searching for medical supplies and equipment. Well, since he’s still busy… I mused as I looked at what the doctor wrote in Pacific Glow’s record about her last visit. I was a little surprised to see how long the entry was.

Two broken ribs, several lacerations and bruises. I keep telling that stupid mare to stay away from “politics”. Especially in her age! What good do protests do anymore, anyway? The Adherents control everything, and will continue to do so until the next election. Which they will probably rig, just like the last Overmare’s election…

Pacific Glow didn’t recognize the ponies who assaulted her, but is certain that it was either the Stable security or those Stable Youths assholes. Honestly, I don’t know what’s the difference between the two these days, both are Adherent’s dogs, everypony knows that. Stable Youths… bunch of stupid kids that barely remember the Outside and believe everything the Council and “Father” Gemstone’s radio tells them. Limestone Pie should have had them all thrown out of the Stable when she was still the chief of security. Now they are everywhere causing trouble for ponies who say anything bad about the Council or the Overmare, and security doesn’t give a crap.

Hopefully Pacific Glow will stay low for a few days, at least until the “celebrations” are over. Maybe one of the “retired” security ponies could hang around her, just to make sure nopony assaults her again. Could probably use one or two here, actually. This was the fifth assault victim this week, sooner or later they will start coming for my patients to finish their job.

My eyes slowly drifted from the entry to the skeleton. “I guess they indeed finally came,” I noted sadly. Giving the terminal one more glance, I wondered how many more of those reports would contain such… rants from her. How badly things must have gone for a doctor to focus more on the politics than the patient’s injuries? (Although, granted, they weren’t that serious, even when taking the mare’s age into an account. I would have fixed her in less than ten seconds.) Sighing, I turned to the remains again. “They came and killed this mare, and for what?” I asked out loud, grabbing the skull gently with my magic and placing it in my forehooves. “So that they could all die?”

I… don’t understand this, either, Fluttershy replied. Some ponies just… want an easy answer to their problems, I guess.

I nodded absentmindedly, staring into the empty eye sockets. To where, almost two hundred years ago, the eyes of a mare had been. “It’s sad, isn’t it?” I asked after a few seconds of silence had passed. Sensing Fluttershy’s puzzlement, I explained “That this is what we all turn into. That our souls ascend and bodies become this.” My forehooves’ grip on the skull grew tighter. “The undeniable Truth of this world.”

I almost spat that word.

I almost jumped as the door hissed. “Well, a lot of things were either broken or stolen, apparently,” Burst said as he walked in. On his back there was a new saddlebag, a white one with butterflies on it. “Found this behind one of the beds, put some surgical tools I found for you in it… why are you holding a skull?” he asked, eyeing me with confusion and worry.

Realizing how unusual this may look, I smiled sheepishly. “I suppose you could say I was… ruminating? I read an entry she wrote for Pacific Glow’s last visit,” I continued to explain as Burst continued to stare at me. “This mare had a lot on her mind, and this was how she was rewarded for worrying about her Stable so much. If she were alive I would have hugged her, but… now I can only hold her remains and think how sad everything is,” I finished, sighing and shaking my head.

“I understand,” Burst said, sounding sympathetic. I wondered briefly if he truly did or if he was trying to be kind again. “Do you, um, need a moment, or…”

“No sweetie, I’m fine. Thank you for your concern,” I told him, smiling.

Burst smiled back, then cleared his throat and resumed. “As I was saying, I found some surgical tools and other medical equipment, like that, um, listening thingy-”

“Stethoscope, sweetie,” I gently corrected him.

“Yeah, that. There were also some some oxygen masks,” Burst quickly added, as if embarrassed that he didn’t know the name of the device, “I think their oxygen talismans are still working, but I’m not sure.”

My ears perked with interest hearing that. “I believe those are breathing oxygen talismans, sweetie,” I corrected Burst gently as I placed the skull of the doctor back at it’s place on her skeleton and I trotted around the desk to him. He took off the saddlebag and gave it to me. Glancing inside, I saw one of the masks he had mentioned; on its side there were holes for small tubes that a doctor could use to move breathing oxygen gas directly into patient’s lungs if they couldn’t breathe for themselves. “There are more gasses than just oxygen in the air. Those talismans allow to regulate the proportion of them in the air a pony would breathe in through the mask.”

“Huh, I see,” Burst replied, sounding a bit abashed, but quickly shrugged it off. “There wasn’t anything else back there worth taking,” the earth pony continued as I looked around the bag; he also found an otoscope, a few scalpels, tweezers, forceps, and surgical saw, and some other equipment. “Whoever did all of this must have taken stuff like healing potions or Med-Xs.”

“It was either the Stable security or Stable Youths,” I said absentmindedly, examining his finds.

“Stable Youths?”

“The doctor mentioned them in the entry I read. Apparently it was a group of… zealots, of sorts, comprised of ponies too young to remember the life on the Outside. They didn’t like anypony who disagreed with the Overmare and the Council.”

Burst sighed. “Fucking Stable.. sorry,” he quickly added, grimacing. “So you hacked it? Did you get that mare’s quarters?”

“She used to live in room nineteen in block D, sweetie,” I told him. “Shall we go and claim your objective before the others do?”

Burst chuckled and smirked. “Let’s just give this office a quick look too, no point in going back here.”

“Hey, after we find those music records, wanna check their cafeteria and kitchen?” Burst asked sometime after we had left the clinic. “Maybe there’s still something edible in there.”

“Well, it has been some time since my last meal,” I noted; the rush I felt upon entering Stable Eleven had gradually evaporated and the long hours without food or proper rest began to remind my body of themselves. “But we have time, don’t we sweetie? We’ll be staying here for the night,” I reminded him, then shook with glee at the thought. “Oh, I can’t wait until we all can rest! So far everything in the Stable seems to still function properly, so its water talisman and heating talismans should still be working. I’ll finally be able to take a long, warm bath!”

As I pranced a little, unable to contain the happiness surging in me, Burst chuckled. “Yeah, pretty much the only place in the Wasteland you can get one is the Tenpony Tower, so opportunities like that don’t happen often I’m afraid,” he said as he glanced at the numbers above the doors we’d passed, looking out for number nineteen.

I was about to ask if he could tell me more about Tenpony Tower - as most of what I knew came from Apple Core, who had never been there - but at that moment… I… I stopped, trying to clear my head and wondering just what I had felt.

Angel? I heard Fluttershy ask at the same instant. Can you go into that room? Please?

Confused by her request, as well as the quiet determination her voice held, I turned my head in the direction where the apparition was pointing. The direction I had felt a… tugging from. The doors on my right, beside which I had stopped, were closed, but as I pressed a button on its side they opened.

“Angel?” Burst asked. Glancing at him, I realized that he had gone ahead without realizing I had stopped, probably having been busy with both looking for the room we searched for as well as traps on the floor. However, hearing the door hiss caused him to turn back. “What are you doing?”

“I…” I paused; what was I doing? Checking out a room that didn’t have what we were looking for because an apparition of the long dead Ministry Mare that was tied to a tiny statuette had told me in my mind? Without asking any question why she wanted me to do that at that? “I’d like to take a look at this room, sweetie,” I told Burst, hoping he wouldn’t demand a more complex explanation. “It won’t take long.”

Burst’s eyes darted from me to the room, blinking in confusion. “Um, okay… I’ll go find Pacific Glow’s room,” he said, pointing at the rooms behind him. “Don’t go anywhere without me, okay?”

“Of course, sweetie,” I replied, thankful.

As Burst began to trot away - casting a last worried and intrigued gaze at me - I turned my attention to what laid past the door I had opened. Having already realized that there weren’t any rooms in Stable Eleven that had the Dimensional Transcendentalism Spells cast on them, I wasn’t surprise to see how small this one was. It was the same as Stable Eight’s normal class citizen’s quarters would be, spacious only enough to contain a bed, drawer and cupboard, a desk with a terminal on it and some free space in between.

My eyes were drawn to the skeleton lying on the bed.

I crept slowly closer until I stood right beside it. It was a skeleton of an earth pony mare, who, as far as I could tell, had been well into the fall of her life by the time of her death. In fact, if it hadn’t been for all the remains I had seen in this Stable, I would have thought this pony had died from natural causes; her bones showed no sign of any physical trauma. However, my interest in the skeleton quickly dispersed as I noticed what was under its right pastern bones and coffin bone.

It was a statuette of a pony. Unlike the one I had found in Appleloosa’s hospital’s basement, it was depicting a bright pink pony, who looked as if she was about to bounce up and down on her pedestal. As a matter of fact, just like Fluttershy’s statuette, it looked as if it was alive. Having seen her already on few billboards and in in a textbook in Stable Eight, I easily recognized the Mare of Ministry of Morale, Pinkie Pie.

Is it the same kind of statuette as yours, sweetie? I asked Fluttershy, tilting my head as I noticed that on this one’s base, too, there were some words written.

Awareness! It was under ‘E’!

I frowned, confused. I don’t get it. Awareness doesn’t begin with “E”... and why would it be “under” it? I wondered. As Fluttershy remained silent, I thought back to how she had wanted me to come into this room. Had she know this statuette was here? But how? Turning my head to the skeleton’s skull, I remembered a strange sensation that fell upon me as I passed the room, as if something was tugging me in this direction. Could it have been what Fluttershy had felt, and I somehow felt it through whatever spell had been put on her statuette?

She must have died while looking at it, I noted, observing the angle at which the skull laid. Or at that, I added, glancing at her left pastern bones and coffin bone. Leaning against it was a framed picture of a family of six, with two adult ponies and four foals. The filly in the center of the photograph, standing on a table in front of a large cake, was clearly the Ministry Mare Pinkie Pie, as I realized with surprise; there was no mistaking that bouncy pink mane. The other fillies and the adult mare had in contrast all gray coats, except for the buck, who was light brown. Is she on this photograph? I wondered, glancing back at the remains. If the Ministry Mare was a filly when they took it, then she must have been one of the other fillies… Was she her sister?

I turned my attention back to the statuette. If it was the same as Fluttershy’s - whose continued silence began to worry me - then would I now have the apparition of Pinkie Pie speaking to me in my mind as well? Well, not right away, it had taken over two weeks for Fluttershy to begin speaking to me directly, before that it felt more like I was “imagining” what she’d say, I thought as I was about to reach for the statuette with my magic. Maybe in a few days-

I cut off as a jolt went through me the moment my magic held the statuette, but that was nothing compared to the shock I felt as a tiny pink mare appeared right before my face.

Hi! she exclaimed loudly, grinning as her voice rang inside my head. I’m Pinkie Pie! Oh my gosh, finally! I was waiting here alone for so long and- OH MY GOSH, FLUTTERSHY!!! I didn’t know it would have been possible, but somehow the apparition became even louder as she said those last four words than before. I grabbed my head in pain as the tiny pony darted to my side, throwing herself at the apparition of Fluttershy and hugging her so tightly I’m sure she would have broke her ribs if she were corporeal. I’VE MISSED YOU SO MUCH!

Fluttershy, at first startled, had quickly smiled, although with some effort due to the tight embrace she was in. I missed you too, Pinkie Pie, she said quietly, pure happiness in her voice as she hugged her back.

As Pinkie Pie began to speak again, thankfully less loudly than before, I sat on the floor beside the bed and placed her statuette in my saddlebag together with Fluttershy’s.

Oh, it’s so great to see you! I’ve been all alone ever since… she cast a glance at the remains, her mood growing somber, before she turned back to Fluttershy, brightening up again. But it was worth waiting here if it meant I could be reunited with you! I wish the others were here too. Do you think this pony will find the others as well? That would be awesome! Oh, and speaking of which, who is she? she cast me a curious glance. Is she a nice pony? Is she fun? Limestone was so grumpy to hang around with, Pinkie Pie added, rolling her eyes. Despite her words, though, I noticed a faint smile on her face; I guessed she must had been fond of the time she had spent with-

Limestone Pie! I exclaimed, recognizing the name from the records in the clinic. So she was your sister, I realized as both apparitions turned to me. Gently, I continued: I’m sorry about her passing, sweetie. I’m sure her soul is now at rest in Heavens.

Although her ears had dropped, Pinkie Pie smiled at me. Thanks. Limestone never really put much faith in… wait, she said after a brief pause, her eyes wide. You can hear us?

Why, yes, sweetie, I- I began to reply, but the tiny pink pony cut me off.

OH MY GOSH, THIS IS AMAZING!!! She screeched inside my head so loudly that, despite knowing that it would have been impossible, a part of me wondered if Burst had heard her. I’ve talked and talked to Limestone, but she never heard me! Can you imagine how frustrating it was? But oh, never mind, this will be great! I can finally talk with somepony! Oh, of course, I am super duper happy that I get to be together with you, Fluttershy, obviously, she added, turning briefly to the tiny pegasus, but I love meeting new ponies! And, you know, talking is an important part of meeting. So… Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie! I know I already said that, but I didn’t know you were listening! So what’s your name? I opened my mouth to reply, but Pinkie Pie wasn’t waiting for an answer. She continued to spout questions, bouncing around my head: Why are you here? Where do you live? What do you do? Do you get along with Fluttershy? Nah, of course you do. What-

S-slow down, Ministry Mare Pinkie Pie, please, I managed to interrupt her, getting overwhelmed by the amount of questions and the volume of her voice.

It didn’t help that my head was swirling with questions of my own. How could Limestone Pie had not heard or seen her? I saw Pinkie Pie immediately as I picked up her statuette, and as for Fluttershy, it only took a few weeks. Limestone clearly had her sister’s statuette for years. Could it be that whatever spell was placed on them, they work only on unicorns? I did see Pinkie after I grabbed the statuette with my magic. I recalled feeling a weird sensation wash over me as I had done that, and similar one when I had picked up Fluttershy’s statuette. I couldn’t help but wonder if there was some way to test this theory...

Oh, sorry, Pinkie Pie replied, pulling me out of my musing as she stopped bouncing in circles around me and hovered before me, giggling. I just got super excited!

Sweetie, I noticed, I thought, smiling a bit awkwardly. I took a deep, calming breath to regain my composure, then replied: To answer your questions, sweetie, my name is Angel-

Angel? she interrupted me, then gasped and.. began to prance around my head again.

You’re an Angel, a white mare,
A strange, hearing-voices-in-her-head mare.
I never met you but you’re my new friend,
And I’m your best friend Pinkie Pie!

I looked, wide eyed, at the pink apparition as it she stood on her hind legs on the end of my muzzle after finishing this random, out of nowhere song. And… was that confetti that suddenly burst around her, or did I just imagine it? I cross eyed at Fluttershy, really confused by this bizarre behaviour, but unfortunately for me all the other tiny pony did (after she stopped giggling quietly and looking at Pinkie Pie’s performance fondly) was giving me an embarrassed smile and a shrug.

That was… lovely, sweetie, I told Pinkie Pie.

Aww, thanks!

Now, for your other questions, sweetie, I began cautiously, hoping that she wouldn’t interrupt me again; it was unnerving; I came here to help find music records of Countess Coloratura, I am currently living in the town of Appleloosa, where I currently work as the town’s doctor, and yes, I believe I get along well with Fluttershy… although I fear we tend to have different opinions regarding matters like morality and justice, I added, casting her a glance. I do like her and enjoy her company, though, despite our differences.

Awesome! Pinkie exclaimed happily… and loudly.

I shook as my brain hurt from that shriek. Sweetie, could you tone down your voice just a tiny bit? I pleaded the pink apparition.

Okay! Pinkie Pie replied enthusiastically, her tone not any lower than before. She must have realized it, as she gasped and covered her mouth. Oops, sorry!

I sighed, wishing there had been some painkillers back in the clinic. Fluttershy? I asked, turning to the tiny pegasus. Most of the time you, well, don’t appear in my head, I don’t see or hear you, I said awkwardly; I really needed to try and see what those statuettes are, I was uncomfortable not being able to speak in a more precise manner. Can you and Pinkie Pie, um, disappear for me and talk just between yourselves for the time being? You could catch up while I’d try to learn more about this Stable, I said, glancing at the terminal in the room.

The entry I read in the clinic had mentioned that Limestone had been the chief of security for some time. I was certain that such a pony had to keep up to date on the Stable’s affairs. Her terminal could explain to me just what had happened here.

The awfully set up system of government and abuse of religion aside.

Unless you could tell me yourself, sweetie, I added, turning my attention to Pinkie Pie.

Who was already gone.

Annoyed, I glanced at Fluttershy, who just giggled nervously before disappearing as well. Just when I could learn something useful from them instead of having morality discussions. Uttering a sigh, I got up to my hooves and trotted to the terminal. Strangely, there wasn’t a password required to gain access to its contents; apparently, it hadn’t been properly turned off. I looked over the list of entries, anxious to see what they information they could hold, then turned towards the door. I perked my ears, but couldn’t hear Burst coming back. He still showed up on my E.F.S., though, the only bar within its reach. Relaxing knowing that I still had some time, and that nothing bad has befallen my companion, I began to read the earliest entry.

Entry #1

Fuck.

FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCKSD KFJ RGMJIMKLS

I blinked, surprised. Well, that’s… enlightening, I remarked, moving on to the next one.

Entry #2

Have to write this stupid journal. Doctor’s orders. Supposedly will calm me down, help deal with stuff.

Fuck. Just FUCK! What the hell was I thinking? I should have gone looking for Marble when the alarm went off, not trust her to get to the Stable by herself. Fuck, why did she have to leave the house so early that day? Why didn’t she get in here before they closed the stupid door? Why did I leave her?

I wanted to go out and find her, then drag her flank to the Stable, but they wouldn’t let me. Stupid security ponies, beat up three of them as they began closing the door back then before they subdued me, now they have five guarding the entrance. The temporary Overmare’s orders, they stay closed. Fuck her.

The zebras probably didn’t hit anywhere near us. One of the security guys is, or was I suppose, a soldier, said they had to target big cities and military bases and such. So Marble might be alive. Of course, there’s the radiation, but she could find someplace where there wasn’t any, maybe met some other ponies who didn’t make it in time. I just hope it would be ponies like her, all annoyingly shy and super kind. It could happen.

Pinkie’s a Ministry Mare, she’s definitely safe somewhere. And Maud is the toughest of us; wherever she was when the zebras’ hit, she made it, I know it.

I wish they were here. With me. But if they are all alive and safe, that would be enough. Please be alright.

Entry #3

Got assigned to working as security pony. Well, I do like bossing others around. Might take my mind off things.

Also, the temporary Overmare announced about this whole “elections” idea. Seems stupid, but they won’t make you vote if you don’t want to, so what do I care?

Entry #4

The Princesses’ worshipers are gaining numbers. I mean, sure, there always were a couple ponies here and there who deified them, but now they are calling them “Goddesses” and saying how they continue to look after us, even here. Yeah right. Zebras must had bombed Canterlot and killed both Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, they’re dead. Yeah, they say some crap about their “spirits ascending” and what not, but that's just crazy.

But anyway, this one pony, Gemstone, started creating this cult, and is petitioning to the temporary Overmare to allow him use of one of the rooms for his “chapel”. She’ll probably put him off until those elections next year so that the next Overmare and that Stable Eleven Council have to deal with him. Can’t say I blame her, that buck creeps me out.

Entry #5

Somehow that Gemstone convinced the temporary Overmare to let him conduct few “masses” or whatever using the Stable Eleven’s PA System. Great, now I get to hear this sanctimonious shit near every broadcaster. Might go to Pacific Glow and borrow some of her holotapes, if I play some music on my PipBuck and wear headphones maybe I can go through a day without getting annoyed.

Entry #6

Well, it looks like we have a new Overmare and this Council. Dunno who actually represents my block, and don’t really care.

Entry #7

The Council allowed Gemstone, oh sorry, “Father” Gemstone, to open a chapel for his herd. “Father”. I had one Pa, and he was a hundred times the buck Gemstone is. Anypony makes me call him that gets a punch in the muzzle.

Entry #8

More and more ponies join this cult. I think it’s about an eighth of everypony in the Stable by now, actually.

Entry #9

Had to break up a fight today. Between the “believers” and “non believers”. One of the believers spat in my face. Doctor says he should wake up tomorrow.

It wasn’t the only such incident. Recently there had been some heated discussions floating around the Stable, although I didn’t hear anything about fights such as this.

Gemstone had condemned violence (and prayed to Luna and Celestia for forgiveness and peace, like that’s gonna do anything), although I heard from the chief that he’s done that only after he had been told by both the Overmare and the Council.

Entry #10

Well, this is a surprise. Got promoted today. To the chief of security. I knew Chief Constant had health problems, but not serious enough to cause him to retire so early, buck is almost half my age. Hope he gets better soon.

In the meantime, I guess it falls to me to keep everypony from killing each other. Could be fun I suppose.

I was about to start reading the next entry, but then I noticed the date next to it. It has been written a good year after the previous one. Looking over the further entries, I noticed that such long gasps had become a norm to Limestone for several next years. I guess with all her duties as chief of security, she didn’t have time to keep up with writing her journal, I mused. Still, I couldn’t help but frown with disappointment a little. I had been constantly busy in Stable Eight with my duties, and I had no problem keeping track of my journal.

Entry #11

We’re nowhere near the next elections, and ponies are already preparing for them. Some of the candidates that didn’t get selected began banding together. Those parties of theirs already make promises about what they would change and what not. Talk about boring. And pointless, too. No matter what they promise, I bet they will be just like the current crew, bunch of lazy ponies that spend their days scratching their asses.

Granted, one party is a bit different. They’re called the “Adherents of Royal Sisters”, or something like that, and they’re good buddies with the growing church here. Founded by that ass Moon Scrounger. Funny, I recall him to really despise Gemstone when he first started going on about the Goddesses. Guess he hopes to assure the votes of his followers. They will probably grant him another room to be another chapel or give him a bigger access to the PA System in exchange when they win.

Whatever, still not gonna go and vote. Got better things to do.

Entry #12

Well, elections are over. The Citizens of Equestria party got two seats on the Council, Adherents only one, despite the help they got. Seriously, I heard from other guys in Security that every sermon ended with Gemstone telling ponies that they should vote for Adherents candidates. Fortunately, most folks still remember what kind of an ass Moon Scrounger was back on the surface and how he cheated his way to be in charge of workers’ trade union, before everything went to shit. Dumbass. Can’t wait to see him lose the Overmare election. On that note, can a buck even run for that? Or do they change the title to Overstallion? Oh who cares. The remaining two seats were taken by partyless ponies.

In other news, some of the younger ponies in our Stable began meeting together, dunno why; maybe they plan to form their own party already? As long as they cause any trouble I don’t really care.

Entry #13

That Scrounger is craftier than I gave him credit for. Instead of candidating himself for the position of Over-whatever, that ass put somepony else from his party for the election. All hail new Overmare Strict Frame. Yeah right. If the rumors about Moon Scrounger from before the Last Day are true, he probably has some shit on her to blackmail her or something.

Entry #14

The Stable Youths, as some of the teenagers began to call themselves, are starting to become a nuisance. It was all good as long as all they did was attend all the public holiday and events, cheering or booing stuff, but there had been two incidents of them starting a fight. A few more and I’ll have to start some investigation, and I already have a lot of work as it is. Stupid brats. When I was their age I was working my tail off, didn’t have time to start anything.

Hopefully those two incidents were just caused by being cooped up in this Stable for kids who have too much energy for their own good, and not something else. The fact that the other sides of those fights are all comprised of ponies who don’t do the Goddesses’ religion is kinda worrisome.

The Youths are religious, they believe in all that crap Gemstone pours from himself. I wouldn’t mind so much if it wasn’t for those incidents. I hope those are unrelated.

Entry #15

Fuck. Yes.

One of the members of the Stable Eleven Council pitched in an idea about sending an expedition Outside. Out of the Stable. See what became of Equestria.

I could see what happened to my home, find Marble, and Pinkie and Maud.

They still have to vote on it, and then the Overmare just has to sign under it, and we’ll begin preparations. I don’t care if they say I’m too old for something so dangerous, I’m going.

Entry #16

FUCKING STRICT FRAME, MOON SCROUNGER AND GEMSTONE!

She vetoed the project. The expedition Outside won’t launch. No doubt on Moon Scrounger’s orders. Gemstone didn’t want it either, he kept saying how Equestria had fallen to zebras’ evil on his station and how opening the Stable would result in the zebra invaders killing and/or enslaving everypony here. Funny, one would think somebody so devout would want to find the Goddesses he worships. Probably doesn’t want everypony see what bullshit this really is, or to lose control over his little herd if they disperse on the Outside.

Seriously, fuck that bitch and those assholes. I had to wait an entire month for the Council to make the decision, and she fucking vetoes it.

That’s it, I am going to the elections from now on. I won’t let any more of those Adherents fucks decide a thing in my Stable.

Entry #17

Well, got most of the Stable Youth's leadership under arrest. There were too many cases of them harassing ponies or even beating them up to be lenient on them just because they are kids. They even tried to stop some ponies who are declared Citizens of Equestria’s supporters from attending Constant’s funeral a month ago. They claimed he was Stable Eleven’s hero, so he shouldn’t suffer those “scum” at his funeral, or some crap like that. Who do they think they are to decide who can say their final farewells and honor ponies memory?!

Will have to work out what to do with them with the Council and the Overmare. Hopefully we can get it done before the next elections. I don’t like what the polls showed; Adherents have a chance to get a majority. Ponies gave in to the fear propaganda Gemstone spread and they are afraid of opening the Stable. Idiots.

The next entry was, according to the date beside it, from next month. Already suspecting how those elections had turned out, I wasn’t surprised that Limestone had been so anxious that she wrote in her journal again.

Entry #18.

Fuck.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

The Adherents have four seats on the Council. And the Overmare. Moon Scrounger rules Stable Eleven now. Fucker didn’t even try to run for a seat this time, knew nopony would vote for him. He put all of his most popular ponies from each block as candidates instead, and those idiots thought they would be independant from him after becoming Councilors. Stupid fucking idiots.

So much for the expedition. By the time the next elections come up (and that is assuming ponies will grow the fuck smarter and vote at anypony beside Adherents), I will definitely be too old to go. Fortunately there are a few ponies in security I can trust to go in my place (and who are competent enough not to screw it up), but I wanted to go myself. But still, just having any news about my sisters would be enough. Just gotta hope they won’t blow us all up to Tartarus until then.

Thankfully that’s just my humor, they’re not evil or incompetent, just assholes.

The next entry was made less than two weeks after the previous.

Entry #19

Yeah, I gotta retract that previous statement.

So, the Council changed the law to allow the Overmare to not only pardon a convicted pony as she pleases, but also to order the security to release anypony who’s being held in their custody if there is a suspicion of unnecessity of it and of the criminal procedure overall! Because of it, that stupid bitch ordered the release of all the Stable Youths we had arrested, due to them being still underage. I would say those little brats got sent back to their homes with nothing but a slap on their hooves, but they didn’t even get the fucking slap!

Entry #20

And now they granted Gemstone the full control of the PA System. I am pretty sure that violates several of Stable-Tec directives. And, you know, common sense.

Now the speakers broadcasts his preachings all the time in between recording of the psalms. At least they are sung by the church’s choir and not Gemstone. Can’t imagine how much out of tune his singing must be. Still, makes me want to shoot myself.

Entry #21

So, I got fired today. That’s a first for me, actually.

Well, not “fired” I suppose, but “retired”. Except that I was forced to retire. The Overmare didn’t give me any other option, just said that I had to retire due to my age, and that I “surely deserve some peace and quiet after so many years of faithful service to Stable Eleven”. Yeah, right, and the fact that I so loudly criticized some of the new Council’s projects or refused to have several ponies (most of which belonged to the Citizens of Equestria party or were the partyless previous Councilors) be investigated for no reason (I mean real reason, with a proof of said reason, not some made up crap about possibility of treason or rumors) had nothing to do with this hastened retirement. I’m still years from reaching the retirement age for Celestia’s sake! And that’s besides the fact that I can still kick everypony on security’s flanks!

Wish I could tell the Overmare to shove her offer up her tailhole, but I can’t refuse her. The stupid bitch is still the Overmare. All I could do was argue a bit, then agree and go prepare a list of candidates I would recommend for my place. Doubt anypony I would trust to do this job will get selected by her.

Entry #22

Most of higher ranking security officers also got retired. Those who were younger actually got fired. Don’t like who they put in their place. Some of them are good guys, but they’re not assertive enough to oppose the Overmare’s orders. Not to mention my own replacement. I knew they would probably ignore my recommendation, but this is the epitomy of stupidity. They just put a pony from their party, who never worked a day in security, as its chief.

Am I really the only one here who sees how they are trying to get even more control over this Stable?!

Oh, and also, some of the older Stable Youths got accepted into security. I should have thrown those arrogant, violent brats out of the Stable’s door when I had the chance.

Entry #23

So, after a few years of them gradually changing the educational system, adding some new laws and placing several former Councilors under house arrest while they were being investigated, replacing most high ranking ponies in every part of the Stable’s organization including even maintenance, and outright ignoring every incident of the Stable Youths harassing or attacking pretty much everypony not supporting the Adherents or the church, that shit of a pony Strict Frame gets re-elected. I don’t know whether ponies here are really that stupid, or if there was an election fraud. Considering how much power the Adherents now hold, it wouldn’t be tough, I bet.

But that’s not the worst of it. Or most retarded, depending how you look at it.

Two days ago a new law was passed. Due to the “importance” of the Goddesses Celestia and Luna in everypony’s life, as some claim, it is now considered heretical for a pony to let their heads, hearts, ears and I guess asses to be occupied by music other than one praising the royal sisters, or whatever. Not even gonna bother picking up a damned flyer to copy perfectly their shitty reasoning, the point is, all music other than what’s on the “Celestial Radio” has been banned. Every recording or holotape containing music and songs from before we all got stuck here has been confiscated and destroyed.

I blinked. Oh, this cannot be good… I mused, imagining Jack’s reaction to this information. Although, there was this other station that is still broadcasting music… I guess some must have survived…

This also explained how come Burst was taking such a long time to return. The poor dear was probably throwing around everything in that room searching for recordings that were no longer there. Even as I realized that, the rest of the entry confirmed my assessment:

Pacific Glow is crushed, she owned so many of those. I wish there was something I could do for her. She sorta reminds me of Pinkie, she looks like her and also loves parties, although not so much throwing them.

It’s been awhile since the last time I thought about my sisters. I hope they’re well, or at least, better than I am, and that they don’t have to deal with crap such as this.

Pinkie wouldn’t stand by for how things are down here. She would have tried to do something about it all.

Entry #24

New broadcast appeared out of nowhere. The host calls it “Radio Freedom”. Appropriate, considering. Plays several songs that he somehow managed to hide from security ponies. Can’t really recognize the voice, but I’m pretty sure he’s a buck. I asked Pacific Glow about it after I recognized some of the songs from her collections, she mentioned (very quietly, in case anypony who’s the Council’s lapdog could overhear it) that she had copied some for her friends over the years. I have the feeling that she might suspect who’s responsible for the Radio Freedom, but considering what would happen to him she won’t tell even me.

Probably for the best, really. Even though I would never snitch him out, there wouldn’t be much I could do to help, either. I’m not good with all those technical thingies or even music. I couldn’t even protect him, there are too many security ponies and Stable Youths for me to handle. No, the best protection for him and Radio Freedom would be for him to continue his work in secret. To let everypony hear beautiful songs, reminding us that there are other things to life than stupid praying, especially this twisted praying Gemstone had created. It’s simply inspiring.

I wonder if it’s inspirational enough for something that I had been thinking about for a while now. Gonna visit a few old friends and see.

Entry #25

So, for some time now, some unsavory characters - I believe ponies began to call them Freedom Fighters - had been damaging all the Adherents’ posters they put all around the Stable in preparation for upcoming elections. Tearing them off, or drawing on them. They’ve also wrote several messages on walls here and there, saying that the Adherents were greedy liars, that Gemstone was full of hate and shit, that him and Moon Scrounger were controlling everything, all sorts of things like that. And the strangest thing is, Stable’s “Friendly Pie” observation system didn’t record who did it, not even in the Atrium. As if it was done by a group who understood how they worked, maybe even were members of security or maintenance. Can’t imagine who could have done that.

Of course, the Council, the Overmare, and Adherents overall are looking for the culprits, and already cleaned up most of the graffitis. And the Stable Youths began damaging all the other posters, mostly from the Citizens of Equestria party.

Maybe something more drastic should be done.

Entry #26

I don’t think my sisters would have approved of what I had done, but it had to be done.

Well, Maud maybe, and considering everything you’d hear about Ministry of Morale, maybe Pinkie too, but not Marble.

Entry #27

I would have thought that Moon Scrounger would be secretly glad to be rid of Gemstone, but either he isn’t or he is trying to keep up appearances, either way they are searching for anypony connected to this. They bring in ponies into Security’s wing for questioning under even the weakest excuses. Been taken there already, of course. Those newbies don’t really know how to interrogate anypony, aside from hitting them, they had enough common sense to not try that method with me. Not that I had anything to hide, of course.

Still, those repressions are unnerving. If they continue, something should be done about them. Once and for all, maybe.

Entry #28

Pacific Glow came to me today. At first I thought it was about her getting roughed up by some of those brats, but then she told me that security had just arrested Short Wave. According to her, he was the one responsible for Radio Freedom, having constructed an amateur broadcaster and using it to play the few songs he had on a holotape he managed to hide from security. So, either they had found him out finally, or he’s being held for something else, and might let it slip during questioning. Or they figured that his broadcast’s been on loop the entire time he had been there. Neither sounds good. Considering how much they wanted to shut off his radio station, I don’t even want to think what they’ll do to him.

This has to stop.

I hoped it wouldn’t come to this. I contacted the few guys I trust in the security, they were able to smuggle a few firearms for us. We’ll take them, along with whatever other weapons we can make, and go tomorrow morning to end this. They have “their” holiday tomorrow, they will all be there. We’ll take care of the security ponies first, at least those who take real pleasure in harassing ponies in the service of Adherents. Then we’ll gun them down. The Councilors and party members, the Overmare and Moon Scrounger. The Stable will finally be free of their filth.

After that we’ll free Short Wave and hold another election. Or figure something else, because clearly this didn’t work out as the Stable-Tec had hoped.

I glanced at the skeleton on the bed before opening the last entry.

Entry #29

Well, that escalated quickly.

I don’t even know why things went so wrong. The plan was simple, and it looked like everything went according to plan. Sure, Moon Scrounger and Strict Frame somehow managed to get away from the Atrium, but we got most of his lapdogs. A few ponies got killed in the crossfire (from security’s bullets, for the record, we knew how to shoot), and I thought that it would be all that made me feel like a piece of crap today.

We rescued Short Wave and everypony else being held in the Security, took care of the few remaining lapdogs, and we were about to work out how to open the Overmare’s wing where that bitch Strict Frame hid, when a pony came telling us the Stable Youths were killing everypony back in Living Quarters.

I don’t know if they started with just killing our friends and families or outright anypony who didn’t support the Adherents. Doesn’t matter either way. We tried to stop them and save ponies, but by then the fighting broke out everywhere in the Stable. Stable Youths, us, others. It was hard to tell what was happening at few times. Or most of the time. Everypony’s dead now.

I’m the last one, for now. Got few bullet wounds, lacerations and some other things. I could patch myself together well enough to survive, but what’s the point? I thought about leaving, but I don’t think I deserve that anymore. Even if I were to just die out there, under the open sky. And certainly I don’t deserve to meet Marble again. How could I look her in the eyes after what I did here? What I let happen?

Couldn’t even kill that son of a bitch. Would at least make me feel a little better, maybe. Fucking coward took some pills, by the time I fought my way to his room he was already dead. There was the Overmare’s wing keycard in his room. Dunno if that’s because he was keeping her under control or if they were banging. Thought about using it to go and at least make Strict Frame pay, but at this point I just don’t care. She can leave the Stable, stay, or go fuck herself.

Feeling a bit woozy. Don’t think I’ll have the time to go back to cafeteria and get something to drink and come back before I pass out for good. I want to die here, in my room. Staring at my family picture with my Pinkie. Fucking sappy.

I don’t know where things went wrong. Was I wrong when I decided to take all those drastic actions? Was I wrong to oppose Moon Scrounger so openly when I was still the chief of security? Was it not going to elections all those years? Standing back when Gemstone began to build this hypocritical religious empire? No, it’s neither of those. What I did wrong was coming into this Stable. Should have waited for Marble. Even if we stayed Outside, it would have been better. We would have been together. Fuck.

Hooves a bit heavier. Gotta lie down. Wake up and see my family again.

With a heavy sigh, I turned off the terminal. I’m sure you had, Limestone, I thought, turning back to the skeleton. I couldn’t help but wonder what I would have done differently in her place.

Well, I would have certainly faked this Gemstone character’s death and used him for my experiments for his heresy and abusing the Goddesses’ names, I mused, curious if it would have been that easy. Probably not. What had happened here was just awful.

The question that plagued Limestone in her final moments bothered me. Where did it all had gone wrong? Instead of thinking what I would have done, I tried to put myself in Limestone’s place. Imagine I was an earth pony who had been the chief of security. Would I have found a way to stop the Adherents and Gemstone? Would I even be able to predict just how much of a threat to the Stables citizens they would become? Would I have found a way to prevent all of that without breaking Stable Eleven’s laws?

Or, I thought grimly, was the fault not in Limestone or the ponies that had lived here, but in the system by which they had to abide?

The hoofsteps from outside of the room pulled me out of my musing. Apparently, Burst had given up on searching Pacific Glow’s room. We’ll have to find where Short Wave had hid his broadcast relay, I thought as I waited patiently for him. But how? Even the Stable security ponies couldn’t find it. They certainly had done the obvious thing and searched his room, along with everypony else’s most likely… although, I mused, remembering what I read in Limestone’s journal, there is a chance that Short Wave told them after he was arrested. In that case, there should be some records in the Security’s wing.

My ears perked as Burst finally entered Limestone’s room. As I’ve expected, his expression was full of disappointment and frustration.

“I couldn’t find anything,” he said, grimacing. “I turned the entire room upside down, and didn’t find a single holotape or anything.”

“That’s because they were all confiscated, sweetie.” As swiftly as I could, I told him what I had learned from Limestone’s journal. “It would appear that our only chance to procure those music records you seek is to find Short Wave’s broadcaster,” I finished.

“Do you think security ponies managed to convince him to tell them where he hid it?” Burst asked, sounding uncertain.

I shrugged. “Whether they did or not, it is the only clue we have at the moment, isn’t it sweetie?”

“I suppose. Fine, let’s go to Security’s wing,” Burst said, sighing. As he turned around and began to trot out of the room, I heard him mutter: “Damn, I hope we won’t run into Jack before we get there…”

I was about to call after him, having one more thing I wanted to say, but I hesitated as I began to follow him, and instead turned back to the bed. I looked at the skeleton, all that remained of the pony who had once lived here. Even though her soul had long since left to the Afterlife, I closed my eyes and whispered, hoping she would hear me:

“I do not know what I would have done in your place, sweetie, or how well I would have fared. But you’ve done the best you could with the best intentions in heart. I am sure the Goddesses judged you fairly. Rest in the Afterlife with your sisters, knowing one pony knows you, remembers and understands you.”

My eyes slowly turned from the skeleton to the framed photograph. I wondered which of the three fillies was Limestone.

“Angel”? I heard Burst call for me from the corridor.

“Coming, sweetie!” I called back, then, grabbing the photograph with my magic and putting it in my saddlebags, I followed after him. “I hope you don’t mind, sweetie,” I began as I caught up with him, browsing quickly on my PipBuck through the medical records I downloaded from the doctor’s terminal, “but I hoped we could make one more stop along the way…”

“So wait, who was this pony again?” Burst asked as we stopped, the room in which Moon Scrounger had lived and died several steps before us.

“Apparently, he was the one really in charge of Stable Eleven, controlling both the Overmare and their Council,” I replied, frowning at the sight that caused us to stop.

“Not just them, by the looks of it,” the earth pony commented, grimacing.

The door leading to the room was surrounded by several skeletons. Two of them were covered in remains of the Stable Security uniforms, but others were not, which coupled with their smaller size indicating that they were members of the Stable Youths.

They died protecting a pony who had committed suicide, I mused, utterly dismayed.

Paying the fools’ remains no mind, I stepped around them and entered the room. I was slightly surprised to see that the skeleton that I assumed was Moon Scrounger’s was still on his bed, without any signs of fractures at that. Given their history, I would have thought that Limestone would have taken out her anger on his body, however pointless it would have been.

Unless one counts stress relieve as pointless, I suppose, I added in an afterthought.

On the floor beside the bed was a small, empty plastic bottle. I lifted it up and checked the label.

“Sleeping pills?” Burst asked over my shoulder.

“Correct, sweetie,” I told him, putting the empty bottle on a nearby desk, right beside the metal card that we came here for. “And here is the keycard to the Overmare’s wing.”

“Wouldn’t checking Security be enough to find if they had learned where the broadcast was coming from?” he asked, then, pointing at my PipBuck, he added: “Which considering that it’s been on the loop for two hundred years seems unlikely, anyway.”

I was not surprised that he was pessimistic. On our way here I turned the broadcaster in my PipBuck on again, curious to see how many songs there were being played. Much to our chagrin, most of the songs we have heard so far on this station we both had already heard on DJ Pon3’s broadcast. Which meant that, even if we would find holotapes containing them, they wouldn’t be worth much. We did hear two songs that neither of us had heard before, however, one of them being the one which chorus was being played when we entered the Stable.

We had no way of knowing if those other songs were Countess Coloratura’s, of course, so not even Burst knew how well Jack was going to take the news, especially if it turned out that it’s all the songs we were going to find that hadn’t already been discovered and broadcasted across the Equestrian Wasteland.

“They would have surely turned it off before everything went to hell,” Burst finished, frowning.

“That is probably true, sweetie,” I replied, nodding graciously in agreement as I followed him out of the room, neither of us paying the remains of Moon Scrounger a second glance. “But you’re forgetting that they had been preparing for some celebration at the time; they might have simply not had enough time to search for it at the location Short Wave had told them about. Regardless, sweetie, this is the only clue we have regarding those records you seek.”

We began trotting through the corridor again, this time in the Atrium’s direction. For a moment I feared that we were going the wrong way, though, as I could see two green bars - Apple Core and Blast - before us. Shouldn’t they’ve had searched through more rooms by now? However, the sign under the ceiling proved it to be the correct direction. I guess they must be very thorough… or they’re having a coitus, I realized, remembering what each of them had said as we parted.

“Ugh, don’t remind me,” I heard Burst exclaim, pulling me back to our conversation. “I don’t wanna know how Jack would react if we’d find anything.”

“And as for the keycard to Overmare’s wing,” I continued, “I desire to visit it for my own purposes, not related to Short Wave.”

And what purposes those would be? I heard a voice that I only began to grow familiar with ask me.

I glanced sideways at the tiny Pinkie Pie as she walked on the thin air beside me, as if trotting along. I was confused as to why she was doing that; Fluttershy was simply hovering right beside her, without beating her wings, just as usual.

“I’m hoping to find some explanation behind this Stable’s governing system,” I began to explain, out loud as I suspected that Burst would be curious as well. “There have to be some orders and directives from Stable-Tech for that temporary Overmare Limestone’s journal had mentioned.”

Why would you want to find them? Pinkie Pie asked, confused.

“I’m curious as to where exactly had Stable-Tech, hm, drawn their inspiration for this idea, as well as just why they had thought it would be a good idea.”

Geesh, the tiny pink pony exclaimed, rolling her eyes. Anypony ever tell you you should be more open to new ideas?

My ears flickered, but otherwise I didn’t let it show how offended I felt by that remark. “You know,” I said instead, casting Burst a meaningful glance, “since it obviously haven’t gone well. Wouldn’t you agree, sweetie?”

Wait, is she ignoring me? Pinkie Pie asked Fluttershy, frowning.

How can one ignore a voice resonating within their mind? I replied to her instead. As Burst nodded in agreement to my question, I continued: I would very much appreciate, sweetie, if you wouldn’t start talking to me out of nowhere when I’m in the middle of a conversation with somepony.

Huh? Why?

Because it’s a tad distracting, sweetie.

The pink apparition snorted. Then let's make this a three-way, silly, she giggled. Well, four-way if Fluttershy decides to join. Tell Bursty “Hi!” from me, would you Angel?

I’m afraid that if I told Bursty- I mean, Burst, that a magical apparition that only I can see and hear told him “hi”, it would lead to some uncomfortable questions.

Oh, you’re no fun, Pinkie Pie snorted again.

I was about to retort, but at that moment Burst, who had been walking in silence and listening to the music my PipBuck broadcasted, spoke up. “So, um,” he began; I quickly shifted my attention back to him, “if you don’t mind me asking, what exactly is between you and Derpy?”

Is he blushing? I wondered; it was difficult to tell in this light.

“Why would you want to know that, sweetie?” I asked, despite already suspecting his reason, and ignoring Pinkie Pie.

Ooooh, so that’s what’s going on, huh? she asked, wiggling her eyebrows and nudging me with her elbow.

In the meantime, Burst did his best to appear casual. “Well, she is a sorta family friend, my parents had traded some stuff with her whenever we’d stopped at New Appleloosa and she was always nice to me and Blast back then. I’m a bit concerned about her. And besides,” he added, slightly uncomfortable, “it is a bit weird. I don’t mean as in wrong,” Burst quickly elaborated, as if afraid that he offended me, “but, you know-”

“No, actually, I don’t know,” I interrupted him gently. “I honestly have no idea why kissing her would seems weird to others, just that it does.”

Wait, Pinkie cut in, tilting her head in confusion, why would ponies think it that it is weird?

Before I could reply her, Fluttershy leaned closer to her and began whispering in her ear.

Grateful to be relieved of answering the pink apparition, I continued my conversation with Burst. “And to answer your question, sweetie,” I said, ignoring the loud ‘Oooh’ that Pinkie had exclaimed as Fluttershy backed away, “I believe we have agreed to be ‘friends that are affectionate from time to time’.”

“Oh, really?”

“Ditzy’s argument that living in two separate towns would make a relationship difficult was very sensible,” I continued, choosing not to comment on the relief I heard in Burst’s voice. It was a bit flattering, though. “Not that we argued about this, mind you. I simply prefer when the nature of a relationship is clearly explained. I’m… not really good on picking that up by myself,” I admitted, slightly embarrassed.

“I see. So, um, you’re not technically together, right?” Burst asked, his cheeks turning a little red.

I hesitated briefly; despite our talk this morning, I wasn’t quite sure if that was what Ditzy had meant. “I’m afraid I would have to check that with Ditzy. Like I said, I’m really not good with relationships.” I paused briefly to glance at Burst. “Were you thinking about asking me out on a date, sweetie?”

The earth pony’s eyes bulged, and now he was definitely blushing. “Um, I, er, I mean…” he stammered, then chuckled uncomfortably. “I mean, I don’t even know if you are into bucks as well,” he said, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

I rolled my eyes, and was about to tell him the same thing I had told Ditzy, but just then we both heard a loud scream, not far from us. His discomfort forgotten, Burst reached for his shotgun and began to run forward, towards the source of the scream, only to stop after just a few moments. Considering that I just heard the moans that followed the earlier noise as well, I was not surprised.

Sighing loudly, Burst placed his gun back in the holster on his back. “Wanna go back and take a different corridor leading to the Atrium?” he asked, clearly uncomfortable at the thought of going together with me by the room where his brother and Apple Core were having sex.

I shook my head. “I don’t want to walk around just because they are having coitus. It is something natural, after all,” I added with a smile, then began trotting forward. “I would mostly be concerned about intruding on their privacy.”

Burst snorted as he waited for me before he resumed walking. “Yeah, well, hopefully they remembered to close the door.”

They didn’t, as we found out about a minute later.

“Dude, seriously?” Burst asked as he glared disapprovingly through the open door.

I leaned behind him to look myself. As we had figured out, Blast and Apple Core were on the bed together. Although my slaver companion had been seemingly startled by Burst’s sudden comment, as she tilted her head upwards to look at us upside down, the buck seemed undisturbed to have an audience.

“Hey,” he said, his voice casual despite continuing his thrusts. “You guys wanna join in?”

Burst, taken aback by his brother’s question, made a sound that was a mixture of both snort and groan. I briefly hesitated myself before replying, my mind trying to imagine just how would that work - because while I had read the Zebra Sutra once, the bed in that room was barely big enough for just two ponies - before shaking those thoughts off.

(A part of me blamed the Pinkie Pie apparition for causing them to appear in the first place, as after Blast’s question she giggled and exclaimed: Sounds like a party to me!)

“Forgive me, sweetie,” I replied, smiling, “I don’t make love to ponies I’ve so recently met.”

“Aw, bummer,” Blast replied. Below him, Apple Core seemed a little relieved; I wondered briefly if, despite knowing that her carnal desires were confined to only one gender, I should be offended or not. “What about you little brother? Apple here already told me she would be up for it.”

Now even more stunned by his brother’s question, Burst struggled to speak through his embarrassment. “No, thanks,” he managed to say. “Just hurry up, will you? We have problems with the job, so Jack will already be pissed.”

I left him as he began to quickly explain what we had found out regarding musical records and continued heading to the Atrium, lost in my musing. Having witnesses Jack’s battle proficiency, I could understand Burst’s reluctance to annoy the griffin mercenary, but would he really turn those skills against them?

He doesn’t appear to be the violent type, I thought, remembering how, despite having lost his patience with me a few times already, he never have caused me much harm. Surely, he wouldn’t harm his subordinates in any way due to something they had no control over? Or because they gave in to carnal pleasures? Recalling Jack’s annoyance at Blast earlier, I added in an after thought: Not really, I mean?

Thinking back to that, though, caused my mind to recall Blast’s offer. Although I didn’t have second thoughts about rejecting it, I couldn’t help but feel intrigued at the concept of four ponies sharing such an experience. After all, I did enjoy conducting various experiments. The irony that, around the time I became Stable Eight’s chief of medicine some of my former, less accomplished classmates had held a few orgies, was not lost on me.

Even though I hadn’t felt close to anypony from that group, so I wouldn’t have joined, I added, rolling my eyes. But it would be nice, wouldn’t it? To be together with so many lovers, ponies you could trust with everything…

Oooh, somepony is having naughty thoughts, Pinkie Pie commented, wiggling her eyebrows.

Is it really naughty to share such a wonderful experience with ponies you care about? I countered, shrugging. I wonder…

Um, Angel? Pinkie suddenly said, her eyes wide in alarm. You may wanna stop.

What? I asked, confused, continuing to walk.

I said stop, NOW! Pinkie shouted.

Frowning at the unpleasant racket, I began: Sweetie what are you-

Everything else I was going to think at the pink apparition was lost in the onslaught of pain that erupted in my leg after I had placed it before me and a loud clang sounded throughout the corridor. Letting a painful cry, I looked down at my foreleg to see a pair of metal jaws clamped around it just below my knee. My blood was beginning to stain the sleeve of the lab coat below the wound, and I didn’t need to see the flashing warning on my E.F.S. to know that my metacarpal bones had been fractured.

I tried to warn you, Pinkie said, her ears low as she looked at me with concern.

Oh my goodness, will you be alright? Fluttershy asked, worried.

Of course, I manage to think coherently, despite the great pain I was in. Just…

Clenching my teeth and taking deep breaths, I concentrated as I cast the Anesthetic Spell, limiting the area affected to just my leg. Breathing with relief as the pain had ceased, I looked back as Burst had caught up to me.

“Oh fuck!” he rasped, leaning beside my leg. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you out in a moment! Hang on…” Burst said, moving slightly so that he had more space, then grabbed the two jaws of the trap with his hooves, trying to pry them open.

“Let me help,” I heard behind me.

Surprised, I turned to look as Blast approached. Judging by the state of his penis (which I could clearly see hanging between his legs), he had been still having an intercourse with Apple Core until a few seconds ago. Did he stop because of me? Hm, Apple Core might be angry at me, I mused as I averted my eyes, not wanting him to think that I was staring.

Together, the two brothers managed to open the trap, letting me heave my paralyzed limb out and move away from it. I grimaced in dismay as I examined the damage the bear trap had done, before I waved my horn over the wound, mending the fractured bone, the pierced flesh and the skin.

I could hear the two brothers arguing beside me. “Couldn’t you disarm the traps on your way here?” Burst asked, anger creeping into his voice.

“Oh, how the fuck would I had known you two would be coming back this way?!” Blast countered.

“Then you could have said something after we came here, instead of continuing to screw that-”

“Gentlecolts?” I interrupted them as I finished healing the wound. “There is no need to argue. What’s done is done, and there no permanent harm on my person. Well, aside from my barding,” I amended, looking at dismay at the holes and blood stains.

“Um…” Burst mumbled; when I looked up, I saw him exchanging a glance with his brother. “Okay, well… are you okay?”

I blinked, confused. I wasn’t okay; my breathing and heart rate were irregular due to the adrenaline surge, the sleeve of my barding was ruined, and my leg was still paralyzed. The memory of the pain was also still fresh in my mind, too.

Um, I think he means if your leg is okay, Fluttershy offered shyly.

Oh, right, I realized.

“Yes, sweetie, I’m okay,” I replied Burst, smiling. “I’ve already healed my leg. Just need to reverse the Anesthetic Spell and I’ll be able to continue,” I added as I leaned over my foreleg, my horn already glowing with magic.

“Huh, you weren’t kidding when you’ve said how good you are,” Blast commented.

I was about to thank him for his praise, but just then I heard a disgruntled grunt further away, accompanied by the sound of hoofsteps. As feeling returned to my foreleg, I looked up to see Apple Core approaching.

“Ya better had yar leg cut off for making all ‘at racket,” she growled as she joined us.

Definitely interrupted them, then, I noted in dismay.

“Well, sweetie, I dare say that was almost the case,” I replied, showing her my bloodied leg. “Sadly, it was just fractured.”

“Oh…” she exclaimed, shocked and a little embarrassed. “Um… are ya alright?”

“Of course, I already mended it,” I told her, gently biting my forehoof to see if feeling had completely returned to the leg; reversing the Anesthetic Spell was a bit tricky, even with myself being the one to do so I always preferred to make sure. Feeling the bite, I put my hoof down and put pressure on the leg, then nodded with satisfaction as everything was back to normal. Well, the sleeve aside. Making a mental note to look for some Stable barding and use the PipBuck’s Repair Assist to fix it, I turned back to Apple Core. “Forgive me for interrupting you two, sweetie, but if you are done, perhaps you could come with us?” I asked her and Blast.

“Meh, sure, we can always pick up where we left off later,” Blast replied, shrugging.

With Apple Core nodding as well - despite the grimace on her face and muttering something quietly to herself - we headed to back where we had split off.

“I really am sorry for interrupting you, sweetie,” I told Apple Core quietly several moments later as I flashed the keycard before the door to Overmare’s wing.

Apple Core glanced at me with confusion as the door opened. “Hm? Oh, that,” she snorted, glancing behind at the two mercenary brothers as they went to check the Security Wing. “Don’t’chya worry ‘bout ‘at. Besides, it was more ‘at ya startled rather than interrupted…”

“What do you mean sweetie?” I asked, confused, but Apple Core was already shaking her head.

“Nevermind. What do ya want t’ find ‘ere again?”

“I want to find the Stable-Tec’s directives for this Stable’s first Overmare. Well, the temporary Overmare,” I amended. “It shouldn’t take long. Why don’t you check the Overmare’s quarters in the meantime? I’m sure there’s something of worth there.”

“Yeah, been plannin’ t’ do just ‘at, wanna see if she had a mini-bar,” Apple Core replied with a smirk and turned to the door leading to a big room.

I, on the other hoof, turned to the door standing opposite of those. As they opened for me, I trotted into the Overmare’s office. As in my Stable, there was a big, crescent desk in the middle of it, with a terminal on it and several monitors on the wall behind. What was not in my Stable, though, was a bunch of bones scattered on the floor and a rope ending in a noose made out of torn sheets by the looks of it tied to the metal beams under the ceiling, .

She must have hung herself, then after she had decomposed enough her skeleton fell off, I realized, slightly confused. Surely, she had some less painful methods of taking her own life?

The two apparitions stayed quiet, just looked on sadly at the remains of Strict Frame, the last Overmare of Stable Eleven. Leaving them to contemplate this at their own pace, I looked at the noose again, then searched for where the skull had fallen.

Based on the direction where it fell and the way the noose is tied… I would say she died looking through the window at the Atrium, I thought, trotting closer to the giant window that took most of the space on the wall of the office. Was she so distraught over what she had helped bring about? Ridiculous, I decided, shaking my head. What good would killing herself have done to the ponies of this Stable?

I looked through the window myself for a few more moments, watching whether Jack and Scope would be coming back. Since they were nowhere to be seen or heard by the corridor leading to the Security Wing, I figured that they must have gone to Maintenance as I had suggested. Briefly, I wondered whether I could turn on the broadcasters from here and use the Stable PA System to let them know that we found the keycard to the Overmare’s Wing (and while I would do that, turn off the loop of the “Celestial Radio”). However, after a few moments I decided that if I’d do that, I would also have to tell him what I had found out about the music records, and that seemed like something that should be said face to face.

Even if everypony seems afraid of doing that, I commented as I rose and hurried towards the terminal. I wanted to get what I came for before I would have to deal with Jack.

Similarly to Limestone’s, this terminal also hadn’t been turned off properly, sparing me from having to hack it. There were a lot of files and entries within it, but at the present moment I was more curious about the directives from Stable-Tec rather than the history of this Stable. (I did, however, begin copying the entire contents of the terminal to my PipBuck.) Ignoring all the various reports and what appeared to be the Overmare’s personal journal, I scrolled down through the files, searching for what I had rightly suspected to be at the bottom: the message from Stable-Tec.

Managing to find it, I hit play and listened:

“Hello!

“I’m Scootaloo, the vice-president of Stable-Tec and founder of Red Racer. If you are hearing this, this means that the Omega-Level Threat Protocols have been enacted and you and all the other ponies accepted into Stable Eleven had been safely sealed inside. It also means that I and billions of others are dead and Equestria has been reduced down to ashes and rubble, but…

“Sorry, didn’t mean for it to come off like that, I’m just sad that it might came to this… and pissed that our current leaders could lead it to this...

“Which brings me up to the point of your Stable. You see, while we here in Stable-Tec build those Stables with the thought of saving the lives of ponies foremost in our minds, that’s not all. We also hope to save ponykind as a whole. If you are hearing this, then you can surely agree that we had let this happen to us. We had caused this. This cannot be repeated. Because of this, your Stable had been selected to participate in a very important social project, which will hopefully prevent ponies for annihilating each other again after Equestria becomes hospitable again, when all the Stables open and you will repopulate and rebuild our destroyed country.

“As you might have realized from my earlier mumble, I am not the biggest fan of Equestria’s leaders. Which is why I have high hopes for your Stable’s social project. You see, unlike how in Equestria we were ruled by the Princesses, here in Stable Eleven ponies will be able to choose who leads them. That’s right. There will be an election held every few years to determine who will be the Overmare (or the Overstallion), similar to how we chose mayors of cities. But that’s not all. The Overmare won’t have the full control over the Stable. Rather, it will mostly be an executive position. Stable Council will be the legislature, and they will be deciding about stuff like laws, the direction in which the Stable’s future will go, stuff like that. The details to all that are in the safe in your office, I won’t bore you with them now, everything is written there more clearly than I could explain. I’d just like to mention that we had based this governing system on the griffins of Griffonstone; ever since the fall of their last king, King Guto, that was how they ruled over themselves, with the Griffin Clan Council and the Arbiter. So, you know, respect different cultures and what not. Celestia knows most of us hadn’t been doing enough of that for some time…

“The first election should, in our opinion, take place about a year after Stable Eleven was sealed. By then ponies should come to terms with what had happened, and gotten to know ponies who would be candidates for positions of Councilors and Overmare. Until then, they need somepony to lead them. Stable-Tec chose you to be that pony. You had been chosen for the position of the temporary Overmare due to your sense of loyalty, duty, and, above all, fairness and honesty. We realize that many ponies wouldn’t kindly step down from such position, or voluntarily give away so much of their power to the Stable Council. We’re sure you will, though, and we are thankful for your integrity. You are, of course, welcome to candidate for either of those positions.

“As with all social projects assigned to our Stables, if at any point you (or your successor) will begin to believe that it’s threatening the lives and safety of ponies entrusted in your care, you are to put a stop to it, and take necessary steps to fix the situation. In all honesty, I just don’t see what could go wrong here, but I just had to make a mention of this.

“So, good luck. Thank you, from all of Equestria.

“...”

“Damn, I wish somepony had thought of this long ago, maybe we wouldn’t be in this shi-”

The recording ended just as I heard several raised voices from down the corridor outside. I perked my ears, recognizing Jack’s voice. Apparently, he and Scope had came back as I listened to the Stable-Tec’s message, and were coming this way. Which was good, because I wanted to speak with him.

Burst had already told him about all musical records being destroyed, by the sound of it, I commented as I rose and walked over to the window again, wanting to look at the tragedy that took place there. I could hear Jack cursing angrily, but nothing that would suggest that he was about to take his anger on anybody, which allowed to me relax a little. I wonder how will he react when I ask him about Griffonstone?

Umm, are you sure that’s wise? Fluttershy asked.

Yeah, it’s not like he is the one who invented this system, Pinkie pointed out. Not to mention that it’s hardly the system’s fault for what happened here.

Of course, sweetie you are right in both statements, I agreed. To Fluttershy, I said: I do not intend to argue with him, I just want to ask him. If he begins to argue, that’s his problem.

Um, I still don’t think that’s wise, Fluttershy offered timidly.

Poor Scootaloo, I thought instead, ignoring the tiny pegasus’ remark. I looked at the skeletons scattered around the Atrium, feeling saddened again. She had such hopes for this Stable. Why couldn’t ponies here make it work?

An angry growl announced Jack’s arrival. “Fucking dammit… I don’t suppose you found a hidden stash of all confiscated musical records and holotapes?” he greeted me as he walked through the door, followed by the other mercenaries.

“I’m sorry, sweetie, but no. Did Burst-” I began, but the griffin cut me off.

“Yes, he told us about this Short Wave pony. Already found his broadcaster back in the Maintenance when we were there,” he said, causing me to glance at him in surprise. The griffin continued as he walked over to me and sat beside me, his companions going over to the Overmare’s desk and looking around it. “Guy converted a janitor closet to a broadcast station by the looks of it. Found some holotapes, but if what Burst told me about the radio broadcast is true, I don’t have high hopes that there will be too many unique songs on them.”

I tried to not show my surprise at how defeated he sounded. “I’m sorry to hear that, sweetie.”

He shrugged. “Oh well,” he sighed, “maybe we’ll continue searching for more stupid songs nobody has heard since the world ended on our way back to Tenpony Tower.”

I sensed it wasn’t the best time to remind him that we had agreed that they would first travel to Appleloosa with us.

“I found the message from Stable-Tec to the first Overmare of this Stable,” I said instead. “Apparently, they based the governing system here on your people’s system.”

Despite sitting a good two steps away from me, I could feel him bristling. “So?”

“It made clear to me why you had defended it back at the Stable’s entrance,” I replied. “Despite how it obviously had failed.”

Jack growled. “Oh, and your principality had done such a better job,” he hissed. “Oh wait, no, you started a war that destroyed the world.”

Knowing his words held some truth, I nodded, remaining calm. “Before that, for the last thousand years under Princess Celestia’s rule, we prospered.” I turned to look at him. “How were things in Griffonstone under Griffon Clan Council’s rule?” I asked, genuinely curious.

If the borderline murderous glare he gave me in reply was of any indication, not as good.

“Um, Jack-” I heard Burst say from behind me.

“Check the safe,” Jack interrupted him without taking his eyes off mine.

“How are things in Griffonstone now?” I asked, taking caution to make sure that there wasn’t anything in my voice that could be interpreted as malice; after all, I was only curious. And wanted to prove a point. “I’ve heard that most griffins now are part of mercenary groups called Talons. Does any griffin still live in Griffonstone?”

I was certain that one of his eyelids twitched a little when I mentioned Talons. However, he didn’t show any other reaction otherwise for a few heartbeats, then finally leaned a bit closer to me.

“And how are ponies, exactly? You’ve seen little of the Wasteland, Doctor. Trust me when I say that both Appleloosas, even your slaver one, are examples of a current few of ponies’ better towns.”

“We were at war,” I pointed out. “You were not, weren’t you? If so, neither side had unleashed any megaspells at you. Why then are so many griffins working as mercenaries in Equestria?” I pressed. “Why have you left the Bloodtalons?”

For an instant, he opened his eyes wide in shock, then leaned even closer, so close that my muzzle and his beak were almost touching. “Tread carefully, Doctor,” he growled quietly. “You’re talking about things you have no idea about. One more question like that and I will slit your throat.”

Despite being quite certain that he meant this threat, I wasn’t scared. Well, too scared. I did see him kill five ponies in a matter of seconds just a few hours ago. But I knew that he wouldn’t harm me unless I bring up the Bloodtalons again, or Talons in general.

… Well, felt that he wouldn’t, more like it.

“How will I have any idea about what I’m talking about if I don’t ask questions?”

I think that for a moment he considered whether or not this question qualified as “question like that”. Fortunately, before he could decide himself, we were interrupted.

“Um, are ya two ‘bout t’ kiss?”

Both of us glanced at the doorway, where Apple Core stood, a bottle of whiskey on the floor below her.

“‘Cause it looks like ya’re ‘bout t’ kiss,” she added, leaning down to grab the bottle in her teeth and taking another swing of it.

“No sweetie, I believe Jack is considering whether or not to slit my throat,” I told her, causing her to choke and drop the bottle.

“W-what?” she asked, somehow managing to catch the bottle with her forehooves, despite still coughing.

“Nevermind,” Jack told her, straightening up. “Help the others look for anything of worth around here.” Apple Core glanced from me and back, afraid and unsure, but I blinked at her reassuringly and turned back to the window. “Me leaving Bloodtalons had nothing to do with democracy,” Jack said in a lowered voice when Apple Core trotted over the a cabinet on the other side of the office. “I don’t even know why you brought it up; or who the hell told you about it, for that matter.”

“Never said I thought it did,” I said as he glared at Blast and Burst. “I brought it up because I am curious… and because you did offend my Goddesses,” I pointed out.

Jack snorted and shook his head. “I’ll admit that democracy has it flaws,” he said, changing the subject. “But never amongst the griffins had anything remotely like this happened,” he added as he pointed at the Atrium behind the window before raising and walking away.

I let Jack leave without bothering him with any more questions, despite having tons of them. I wanted to know more about Jack, about the Talons, the Bloodtalons, about griffins and Griffonstone. But it was clear that I’d have to ask those questions at some other time. And it would be good to find some less irritable person to ask. Or less proficient in the “art” of killing. Preferably both, actually.

“Doctor Angel?” I heard somebody call me. I turned my head to look at Scope. His head was leaning through the doorway; when did he leave the office? I must have lost myself in the conversation with Jack more than I had thought. “There are some medicines in the Overmare’s quarters, can you check them?”

“Of course, sweetie,” I said, raising and trotting towards him.

This short rest I took caused my body to recall just how much I’ve walked today. I was tired. I hoped that I could soon get some real rest.

Maybe I could sleep in Overmare’s quarters? I wondered, feeling sleepy, as I passed Scope and headed towards the quarters-

Um, Angel?

Mindful of what happened last time Pinkie suddenly began to speak, I stopped immediately. What is it sweetie?

Why did that bar suddenly turn red? she asked with dread, pointing at-

My eyes bulging and sleepiness forgot, I stared at the bar on the edge of my E.F.S. One of the bars, one that I was certain a moment ago was green, had turned red.

I turned around and stared at Scope. He was looking at me, his expression unreadable, as he threw something back into the office I just left. For an entire heartbeat, all I could do was stare, overtook by confusion and dread. When I finally snapped, I raced past him, back into the office where the others were, about to shout a warning-

Whatever warning I would have shouted would have been lost in explosion that threw me backwards and caused everything to become black.

Footnote: 50% to next level!

Author's Notes:

So, you guys remember how I said that this chapter would be shorter than the previous two? Yeah, I can't tell the lenghts of chapters to save my life, apparently.

Special thanks to Zaleros, guardianxela and Sage Probo for their editing/proofreading, and to TimePrincess for the last check-ups (thanks sweetie ).