War. War never changes.

For over a thousand years, peace reigned under Princess Celestia. But nopony, not even a god, can keep peace forever. Ponies industrialized, and with their industry, came the requirement of power. In Equestria's case, power meant coal. The Zebras had coal, but had a dire need for the crystals and gemstones Equestria was overflowing with. Trade began. Then somepony demanded more and more. Who is irrelevant. A war began, and with it, an arms race.

Finally, the war ended. Not with a hoof shake, but with a bang. Millions died. Zebras, ponies, griffons. Others. Those who were not instantly vaporized in a cloud of cursed balefire, suffered other equally horrible fates.

The Last Day was not the end of ponykind, however. Many ponies survived in underground fallout shelters, called Stables. Stable 30 is one of those shelters, buried in the hills around the city of Baltimare.

On the Last Day, the city of Baltimare awoke as it always did. Nopony awoke, thinking "today will be the day everypony dies". Unfortunately, they were wrong.

One minute, the city was quietly waking up. The next minute, the city was full of attack warning sirens. The next, the city square was engulfed in balefire. Not from missiles, like Cloudsdale had been minutes before, but from bombs the zebras and their pony collaborators had smuggled into the city.

A pegasus named Amaranth Thunder, the Chief of Police, was far enough from the city to survive the initial wave. He went to the police station, grabbed supplies, including the prized IF-88 Ironpony Ironshod Firearms had kindly donated to Baltimare Police and hijacked a sky chariot to take his family and everypony he could fit to Stable 30.

Once he arrived, the Overmare demanded that they seal the Stable. He argued that there were still more ponies to be saved. The Overmare accused him of being a bleeding heart, more interested in saving a few ponies than the entire Stable and its vital contents of magical supplies and knowledge. He did not deny those accusations, but pointed out that he had a shotgun and the will to use it if required. The Overmare looked to the large, scary, black scattergun at his side and the armed mob backing him, and stormed off to her office.

A full day after the bombs fell, Stable 30 finally closed its doors. Safely contained within were over a thousand former residents of Baltimare. That day, Amaranth Thunder's actions to save ponies cemented Security's importance to the Stable's survival.

Two hundred years passed. Stable life continued as it was planned by Stable-Tec before the Last Day. Healing potions, Radaway, other magical potions were brewed. Arcane sciences research was performed, carefully. Cider was fermented. Ponies were born. Ponies died.

Finally, one day, the Stable, urged by the descendant of Amaranth Thunder, opened its door. Civilized ponies were sought out. Trade began.

But uncivilized ponies heard of the Stable. They had heard of how Stables were easy living. A mob of over a hundred raiders, addicts and other lowlifes attacked the Stable. They were repelled, at great cost. The Chief of Field Operations took most of Security off to finish the raiders. They were never seen again, but neither were the raiders. It was considered a victory, barely.

Stable life continued over the next several years, but trade flourished. Trade day went from once a month to once a week. More ponies came, trading commodities the Stable could produce for those it could not. It became known as a place of healing. The Chief of Field Operations' daughter matured and entered Security in her father's hoofsteps.

Two bold, intrepid mares ventured from their Stables - a Pipbuck maintenance mare from Stable 02 near Ponyville, and a Security mare from Stable 99 near Hoofington. Things happened. Those who could see the writing on the wall knew that this was the calm before a storm that would shake all of Equestria, from the surface to the clouds and beyond. Red Eye's empire in Fillydelphia massed slaves. The Goddess made alliances. The Steel Rangers hoarded weapons and technology.

The past few weeks has involved several meetings with the mysterious Leading Council. Captain Firefly of Stable Security has been seeking permission to lead an expedition outside of the Stable to the nearby trading town of Haven. The Leading Council has yet to give her a straight answer, yet Captain Firefly has a 'feeling' about today.

Life in the Stable is about to change.

Author's Notes:

Now that you've read that... go reread the opening paragraphs in Ron Pearlman's voice. ... assuming you did not do so already.

Welcome to Fallout Equestria: Stable Scout. Thank you for reading. It's gonna be a wild ride!

e: revised on 01.21.16
e: re-revised on 01.31.16