We had been trotting for a few minutes to get away from the town. None of the diamond dogs had followed us which was a large load off of my shoulders.

We kept trotting for a few more minutes before slowing down. “Well Harmony looks like we’re getting married soon. You ready?” we kept moving forward.

I awaited her response. After a few minutes of her being quiet I stopped.

“Harmony? Helloooooo.” I waved a hoof in front of her face.

Harmony shook her head. “Sorry what? I was talking to Aurora. What’d you say?”

I sighed. “I asked if you were ready to get married. Seeing as we can go and get married now.”

Harmony removed her helmet and smiled. “Do you think I’m going to get cold hooves? Of course I’m ready. I love you.”

I hugged Harmony. “Anything in particular you were talking about?”

Harmony shook her head. “Nothing of importance for now.”

Aurora appeared on my hud. “We need to keep moving. It might seem like they aren’t following us but they could be below us and just waiting for the right moment to attack.”

“Right.” I looked down at the ground quickly. “Let’s go. We have a lot to do.”

I let Harmony take the lead as we started our trip home. I was not amazed by the view I got. I guess that’s what happens when you wear armor.

I was a bit bored as we trotted along and decided to turn on the radio. I had been listening on and off to the different radio stations but the only one that played decent music was the one DJ-PON3 ran. I tuned in just as a song finished.

“Hello Wasteland. DJ-PON3 here and it’s time for the news. Today’s public service announcement is about the dangers of wasteland creatures. Now look even before the radiation some of these bastards were dangerous, but now you better bet your plot they’ll kill you in a heartbeat. So keep your gun loaded and at the ready. This concludes today’s announcement. Thanks for listening and now for some music.”

I listened to the song for a few seconds before turning my radio off. “I hate that song.”

I glanced at Harmony and it seemed like she had a question she wanted to ask me. “Something on your mind?”

Harmony kicked a rock. “Yeah. I’ve had a few questions that I’ve wanted to ask you for a while now.”

“Well no better time than the present to get your questions answered.” I waited patiently for Harmony’s questions.

Harmony took a few minutes in deciding which question to ask first. “What was life like in stable 24?”

I knew she meant no harm in the simple question but every time I thought about home I was overcome with grief. I knew I hadn’t completely moved on from the death of my friends and family.

“Well. Where to begin?”

Midnight’s POV many years ago.

Life in the stable was a bit odd for me for the first couple of years of my life. Mom was always busy doing what was required of her as the Overmare. Most days I had a sitter come to check on me every hour or so.

The mare walked in a few minutes earlier than she usually did. “Hello Midnight. Your mommy wanted me to bring you to her.”

Being about two I didn’t really have a large vocabulary. “Mommy?” I cooed.

The mare smiled. “Yes dear we’re going to go see mommy. Now come here and let me change you.”

I was levitating in the air. This feeling was always disorienting but fun. I giggled happily as the mare set me down on the table.

“Well I guess you’ll be getting out of diapers soon. You seem to be doing well.” The mare tossed away the old diaper and grabbed me a new one. “But mommy still wants you to look your best.”

I waited for the mare to put me on her back. She looked to a small dresser in the room next to my crib. I saw one of my favorite dresses being levitated out.

I reached out with my own magic to get it. I didn’t have great control yet so I simply slowed down the progress of the mare trying to dress me.

“Midnight I know you want the dress sweety but I need you to let me do this for you.” The mare pushed me down onto the table.

I started crying. The action hadn’t even hurt that much, I was just not happy that I didn’t get to help.

My sitter hushed me. “Come on Midnight. You’re a big filly now. Dry those tears and let’s go see mom.”

I sniffled. “Mommy.?”

“Yes dear.” The mare slid me into my dress. “Now then.” She picked me up and put me on her back. “How about we go see mommy.”

I let her past aggression go and giggled happily as I took my spot on the mare’s back. I liked being up here I felt like I was the queen of the world.

We walked past a few of the other stable dwellers who all cooed at me. I giggled and smiled at them as we passed.

My mother’s office was a three or four minute walk from her quarters. Time went by quickly for me and we were soon standing in my mom’s office.

My mom was dealing with a few of the repair ponies. She didn’t turn to see us but waved my sitter over.

“Mommy.” I jumped off of the mare.

Mom caught me in mid air and set me down in her lap. “Hi sweetie.”

I put my hooves around her stomach as much as I could. “Mommy.”

“Yes dear. It’s nice to see you.” Mom lifted me to look into my eyes. “Mommy needs you on your best behaviour today. There are many important ponies to meet with and I want you to start learning about your future position here in the stable.”

I had no clue what that meant so I smiled and giggled. “Ok.”

I saw a smile cross mom’s face. I rarely ever saw her smile. “You’re adorable sweety. Now how about I read you your favorite book?”

I clapped my hooves excitedly because I knew which book she meant. She always had one copy of it nearby for when she had some time to spend with me.

Present day

I pulled out the .32 and shot a few shots into an approaching radroach. “I hate those things. They’re freaky.”

“Yes they are. Continue please.” Harmony slid the shotgun back into her saddlebags.

Past

Time went on like that for a long while. I started to attend school when I was around six.

“Welcome class. Today we have a very special student joining us. The Overmare has enrolled her daughter to learn with us. So how about we give a warm welcome to our newest friend Midnight.” The teacher nudged me towards a desk.

“Hello Midnight.” The class was mostly in sync minus a few foals in the back row.

I didn’t want to be the center of attention so I quickly took a seat over by the wall. As I sat down a few of the colts scooched towards me.

The one closest to me sneered at me and let out a little growl. “You better not screw up the good thing we got going here. I swear if you do you will go home with some bruises.”

I shrank away from the colt. I wasn’t used to being confronted with threats of violence. The teacher took no notice but one of my fellow classmates did.

A hoof pushed the colt away from me. “Knock it off boulder. She’s new here. Give her some time to learn all of your rules.” The colt looked me in the eyes. “Come on I have a better place for you to sit.”

I got up and followed this colt to an empty seat. He sat down next to me and whispered to me. “Those are the class bullies. I’d avoid them if I was you.”

“Thank you. What’s your name?” I kept my voice to a hoarse whisper.

The colt smiled at me. “Mine name’s Onyx.”

“Midnight. Nice to meet you Onyx.” I smiled back.

“Alright that’s enough. Now did anypony do their homework?” The teacher went to work writing on the board.

Most of the class groaned and put their heads down. Onyx however pulled out a small sheet of paper and a pencil.

I looked over at the sheet to see it was mostly blank except for a few doodles. Apparently the class was supposed to go home and draw something.

The mare walked over to Onyx’s desk. “Onyx what is this?” She lifted the paper off the desk.

“Oh… I wasn’t really sure how to do the homework so I doodled on it a little bit.” Onyx kept his eyes on his desk. “I really did try this time.”

I felt bad for Onyx. I really didn’t know much about drawing but what I had seen on his paper I had liked.

“Well I can’t say I’m all that surprised. Sometimes I wonder if you even pay attention in class.” The mare dropped the sheet on his desk and continued on by.

Onyx sniffled a little bit. I put a hoof on his shoulder. “I really did try. I did everything she asked but I still couldn’t do it.” Onyx pushed my hoof away with his left wing.

I withdrew my hoof for a few seconds before looking at the paper. “Maybe I can help.”

Onyx responded by nodding his head.

I put my hoof back on his shoulder. “Ok then. After school you can come home with me if you’d like.”

Onyx smiled once again. “I’d like that.”

Present

We had reached the little shack that Silver grew up in. I pushed a couch in front of the door and trotted back to Harmony.

What little food we had left for the trip was laid out on a blanket. “I’m not hungry. I ate an hour ago. Go ahead and eat.”

Harmony nodded. “Ok. I’ll eat and you can finish telling me about stable life.”

I smiled. “Ok.”

Past

Onyx and I became best friends. We talked everyday after school. Today was an off day for both of us. I had been teased more than usual and Onyx had gotten in a fight defending me.

I shut the door behind us and went to grab a few bandages.

Onyx took a seat on the couch. “When will those morons learn? I’m not going to stand for what they do.”

I came back out into the living room and applied the bandages. “You really should stop fighting them. Celestia knows they won’t stop no matter what you do.” I tore the bandage end off and levitated the remaining bandaging back to the bathroom. “I don’t need you to defend me.”

Onyx sighed. “I know but I can’t stand to see my friends getting picked on.”

“We both know damn well that I don’t mind it. After all these years of it.. It no longer fazes me.” I sat down on the couch.

“Midnight I need your opinion on something?” Onyx was reluctant to continue.

“Well what do you need?” I turned to look him in the eyes.

“I think…” Onyx took a deep breath. His face was a very bright shade of red. “I think I might be gay.”

I giggled a little bit. “Yes? And?”

Onyx cocked his head to the left. “What do you mean and? Up until today I’ve never even let on about this.”

I looked around to make sure nopony was around. “I’m glad you came out of the closet. Now I have something to tell you.”

Onyx nodded. “Go on.”

I snickered. “I’m lesbian. I’ve know for a long time that I don’t like stallions that way. Might have been since those bullies when you first defended me.”

Onyx looked aghast. “But you’re the Overmare’s daughter. The Overmare passes her title on to her offspring. And Overmare’s are supposed to be married to a stallion.”

I laughed and playfully hit Onyx. “Save it. I won’t have to worry about that for a very long time. And who knows maybe the outside world will be safe soon. It has been a couple hundred years since the war.”

Onyx hit me back. “Yeah I guess you’re right. Maybe we will be able to see what the outside’s like soon.”

I nodded. “Yeah wouldn’t that be something.”

My mom walked into the livingroom. “Midnight what are you doing alone with a stallion in the house? I thought we talked about this?”

“Moooooom. I’m old enough to make my own decisions now. You need to stop coddling me.” I flipped my mane to the side.

“No more young filly. Now say goodbye to your friend and go to your room.” Mom tapped her hoof impatiently.

I sighed. “Well bye I guess Onyx. See you tomorrow at school.”

I trotted off to my room wishing that I could slam these stupid automatic opening doors.

Present

The sun was just rising as we stepped outside. I was really dreading telling Harmony about this next part of my story.

“Now we get to the day that I had to leave the stable chasing Onyx.” I shuddered.

Past

I had read the note over another ten times before I started moving. My head was racing and I could barely think straight as I trotted towards the armory.

When I arrived the entire place was destroyed except for a single gun laying on the center of the floor. I had no idea how to use it but I grabbed it and stuffed it into my saddlebags along with a box of ammo.

A note fell off of the box. I disregarded it and trotted out of the armory and sat there staring waiting for the guards to show up.

One of the smaller stallions trotted towards me. I couldn’t really recall his name. “Midnight what happened here?”

I shook my head to create the illusion of just seeing this. “I have no idea. I think Onyx might have left the stable.”

“Run along. I’ll have a few of my best do a little bit of investigating.” The stallion trotted into the room.

I trotted off quickly still pretending to be the innocent little filly the stable viewed me as. I returned to my home and started going through the kitchen. I took all of the food that I possibly could stuff into my saddlebags.

I cursed under my breath. “Bucking dammit Onyx. Why’d you have to up and leave? Now I’ve got to go find you. Buck.”

I slung my saddlebags over my back and walked out the door. Evidently somepony had been listening to me. A mare a few years older than me galloped down the hallway towards my mom’s office.

I had no time to think about anything else. I galloped in the opposite direction so I could reach the stable door.

I had traveled the stable many times over and had most of it memorized but that didn’t mean I remembered where the door was. I would always ask my mom why I wasn’t allowed near the door. She used to say it was dangerous for a filly my age to be wandering around alone.

I shook the thought from my head as I rounded a corner. Before me sat two doors. One the door blocking me from the stable door, and too the Stable 24 door. The one thing that kept the outside out and the inside in.

I opened the first door easily and slammed it behind me. An alarm sounded as I shut the door. “Damnit.” I tossed anything and everything I could down in front of the door so I could have a bit more time.

I looked at the slip of paper and punched in the code as fast as I could. I was astounded as the door to the stable let off a puff of steam. The door slowly rolled out of the way to reveal the outside.

I quickly trotted down the stairs and out the open door. I looked back to see my mom banging on the door.

I couldn’t hear her but I did my best to read her lips. “Please don’t leave honey. I’m sorry for not being as good a mother as I could have been. I promise if you come back I’ll dedicate all of my time to you.”

Tears welled in my eyes. I picked up a small rock and levitated it over the button. “I’m sorry mom. I have to go find Onyx. I love you.” and with that I let the rock fall closing the stable door behind me.

Present

The gated opened wide welcoming us back to our home. “And now you know what life in the stable was like. Do you have any other questions?”

Harmony held back a tear. “Not for now.”

“Alright. Let’s go see Rose.” I waved at a few guards as they closed the gates.

As we trotted down the street I felt that something was different about New Appleloosa today. I stopped when one of the ponies ran into me.

I wasn’t sure what it was he had taken but it was obvious that he was on some sort of drugs. “Do you have mintels? Just one? Please I need ‘em. I need ‘em bad.”

I pushed him away. “No. Those things’ll mess you the buck up. Go see a doctor and get yourself some help.”

Harmony and I continued trotting along. The more we looked around the more evident it became that something was very wrong with the town. Half of the ponies we saw were staring into thin air and the other half had their faces buried into the ground.

“What the buck is going on here?” I pushed open the door to the town hall.

Rose was standing inside looking out a window upon the town. “Well aren’t we just a sight for sore eyes? What took you two so long?”

“We had a run in with some diamond dogs. That and we did have a lot of scrap to haul back.” I emptied my saddlebags of scrap so Rose could examine it.

“Well you’re trip wasn’t an entire waste of time I guess. Go rest for a day and we’ll discuss your next job.” Rose trotted upstairs.