I was unconscious. I could feel all the ponies around me making sure I stayed alive.

My dreams were not filled with anything pleasant. My mind kept going back to the drawing I had seen. It was the most offensive thing that I had ever seen or hoped to see.

One of the ponies broke away from the rest. “You will never save your friend. He is dead, You are as good as dead. You will never be able to save anypony much less yourself. Everypony you know or meet will eventually meet their doom because of you Miss Midnight.”

The creature kept taunting me. The message looped on for a long time. I was starting to believe it.

“No. I will never become what you say I will. I will save my friend. I will live to see everypony I know survive and be happy.” I lashed out at the creature.

I struck it directly. The wall it covered was destroyed. It moved around the room as I let my hooves fly at it. I grew tired. I was being restricted from moving.

I awoke suddenly from my fever dream. I was soaked in sweat. I had been tied down to the bed.

I looked at the walls around me. A few blood splatters covered them along with many hoof sized holes. I realized that I had probably smashed the holes in the wall while I slept.

A stallion in armor marched towards me. “Miss Midnight. I am sorry that we had to tie you down but you would not stop destroying my infirmary. Before you ask. I know your name because you talk in your sleep. Must have been some dream to make you lash out.” The stallion managed a little smile.

He was missing a few teeth. Blood dripped from his muzzle. I had so many questions to ask that I didn’t know where to start.

“Did I… Did I hit you?” I was afraid of the answer he would give me.

“Yes you did. We had to restrain you because of that. We weren’t sure that anypony could manage anything of that caliber while they were unconscious. You proved us wrong. No hard feelings though. I’m actually more impressed than I am hurt. You have one strong buck. Stronger than some stallions. Stronger than me.” The stallion was being as polite as possible I could tell he was a little worried about his teeth.

“Are you going to be ok missing a few teeth?” I was hoping he would be.

“Oh. Don’t worry about that either. I’ll have somepony use magic to put them back in.” He was distracted.

“Wait you mean ponies can do that? That is amazing.” I tried to sit up.

He nodded.

A nurse walked up to him and whispered in his ear. His eyes widened and he galloped out the door.

The Nurse walked over to me. “Don’t worry about him. He is a strong stallion even if he won’t admit it. For now I need to change the sheets on your bed. They are filthy. We can’t have anypony live in such conditions.”

She whistled and another nurse came over with a wheelchair. I was moved over to it.

The second nurse wheeled me behind a curtain.

She spoke to me. “You need to stay here for a while. We will make you up a new bed. While you are here I would suggest cleaning yourself up. No offense but I have seen radroaches that are cleaner than you.”

I looked down to see my coat was caked in blood and sweat. I grimaced at the sight. I looked over the rest of my body for bandages. I was free from anything that might need to stay dry.

I looked up to see the nurse was leaving the room. I was glad that I had left the stable. I could now admire any mare who I pleased. I caught myself staring at her flanks as she was walking out.

She turned around. I snapped my gaze to hers. “You might want to try to control yourself. You are on camera. You wouldn’t want the stallions to see you eye humping me. Don’t worry though I don’t mind. If you weren’t in such bad shape right now I might consider it. But until you get yourself cleaned up that is a no go darling.”

I looked at her shocked at what she had said. “I..I” I couldn’t speak my mind.

“Now don’t tell me a mare like you has a special somepony. Seeing as how you were staring at me. I would say it is either that you do and you wish you didn’t or you are looking for a mare you can call yours.” She was not making my life easy.

“I.. I don’t have a special mare of my own.” The words fell out of my mouth like a dam had just burst.

I felt better than I ever had. My feelings were out there and I was happy. I was starting to realize she might not like me if I played right into her hoof. I opened my mouth to speak but no words came.

“I understand your surprise. It’s pretty hard to find a mare who likes mare out here. I have been out here for years and have not found one mare who would admit she liked mares. You are very brave to admit that. I’m Harmony. It is a pleasure to meet you.” She was making it really hard to concentrate.

“Nice to meet you Harmony. I am Midnight mane. Most people just call me Midnight.” The words did not come to me easily.

“Well Miss Midnight. I hope I can get to know you better later but for now you need to clean yourself up. Be thorough about it. I will know if you were thorough. Find me later. We have a few things to discuss.” She turned to leave. “Stop staring at my flanks and clean yourself. You will have plenty of time later to stare at them.” She winked at me and walked out of the room.

I was sitting there stunned. I was amazed that I had found a mare out here who might actually like me. I was stuck between sitting there and not believing here and jumping into the air with a shout of joy. I looked down again the only thing that was different...

Harmony walked in again. “Geez Midnight are you just going to sit their. Do you need me to clean you?” She asked me but I was still staring down. “I will take that as a yes. So get up and let me help you. Do it now before I have a good reason to leave.” She was walking over to me.

I quickly got out of the chair and faced her. “I.. I don’t.. I don’t need you to clean me. I just need some time. That’s all I swear.”

She forced me farther into the room. “Good. You can clean up here. Don’t use too much water. Our water talisman is not in the greatest condition. We have somepony working on it but it will take time to fix. For now don’t take longer than 15 minutes. Remember you are on camera so don’t get any ideas. The only rooms without cameras are where we sleep. You can get ideas there. I am leaving now. Until you are clean don’t come looking for me.” Her gaze shifted and she walked out.

The room had a timer telling me how long the water had been running. It didn’t take me long to clean myself up from all of the sweat and blood. I dried myself off and took a look at the timer. The water had been running for 12 minutes. I switched it off and started walking towards the exit.

Harmony waited for me at the door. “Hey. You actually were able to listen. I came down here after you finished up with the water.” She winked at me.

“Wait how did you know that I had finished…” I didn’t need to finish my sentence before realizing she had been watching me. “You were watching me weren’t you.” The statement was true I knew that much but I said it with a hint of anger.

“Well I had to make sure none of the stallions were watching you. I made sure nopony watched you as you showered. I thought it was the least I could do. Trust me you do not want their attention. I have had to deal with them for years. It is not fun.” She was trying to protect me.

“Thank you. I’m sorry for how I acted.” I was on the verge of crying.

I had just told off the one pony who I had actually liked since leaving the Stable. I thought she might not want to be with me anymore.

She sensed what I was feeling. “Hey now. I forgive you. No need to apologize for your behaviour. I would have reacted the same way if I knew somepony was spying on me while I was showering. It is only natural.” She put a hoof on one of my shoulders smiling at me.

“Now come with me. I have managed to get the doctors to allow you to stay with me. They were reluctant but seeing as you are able to do things on your own they will allow it. Besides if not I am a nurse and can always come to the rescue. Now let’s get some food I bet you are just starving. You have been asleep for over a day after all.” Harmony trotted towards the door.

I was getting over the sadness but was thrown right into shock. “I’ve been asleep for over a day!?”

“Yes you have. You are just adorable when you aren’t trying to kill the doctor.” She laughed a little and we left for the mess hall.

It was a short walk to the mess hall. Ponies in different styles of armor were seated at different tables eating apples and something else. I couldn’t tell what it was but it looked different than apples.

“The different armor styles are based around the type of pony who is supposed to wear it.” Harmony was answering a question she knew I had. “Pegasi, Unicorns, and earth ponies all have different armor. The armor for Unicorns usually doesn’t include a helmet. For those of us who have horns we are the ones who stay back and make sure all goes to plan.”

I realized I hadn’t even asked Harmony what type of pony she was. “You don’t have to ask. I am a unicorn. I am a little offended that you didn’t catch that but I will forgive you. Be a little more on top of things.”

She brought me over to a table. I sat down glad to be off my hooves. I hadn’t realized before but I was not at my strongest. I had barely been able to sit down before my legs gave out. Harmony hurried along to go grab me some food. I looked around a bit more looking at all of the ponies gathered here.

Most wore armor. It was magically powered armor. The spell matrix that surrounded it was similar to that of my Pipbuck. I knew only because Harmony had explained the armor on the way over. She returned quickly carrying two trays of food with her magic.

“Have you tried meat before? I bet you probably haven’t seeing as most ponies are vegetarian. We are able to eat it when other food is in short supply. That is how we have survived out here. This meat is crab I think. For ponies who did eat meat this was a delicacy back before the war.” She sat down and started eating.

I looked over the delicious meal. I tore into the food forgetting that I was in the company of other ponies. I had about finished the food before Harmony Spoke up.

“Slow down Midnight. Nopony is going to steal your food. They might think about it but they won’t. Trust me. After the incident with the doctor the stallions are wary of you.” Harmony smiled anc continued eating.

A big stallion walked up to the table and sat down. I looked up momentarily before continuing to eat slower because of Harmony.

“Hello. So you are the mare that everypony has been talking about. The one strong enough to make the doctor order to have you strapped down. Good job kid. You have proved worthy enough to be kept alive. Now screw the formalities we need you to do something for us. You have a Pipbuck 3000. I believe that is what I was told. You are the only pony out in the wasteland that can help us. So what do you say.” He was clad entirely in armor.

I looked up from my plate having finished my meal. I nodded my head before asking “What is it you need me to do?”

“Inside this Stable there is a room. The door is locked and can’t be opened by any method other than completing a simulation. This simulation requires a Pipbuck like yours to work. Our armor is different just enough that the machine will not accept us. You however it would accept.” The stallion’s voice shuddered as did he.

“Ok what is in it for me if I risk my life in this simulation of yours?” I was curios to see what they would offer me.

I was hoping they might offer Harmony and I a place to stay away from the horrors of the wasteland. No such offer was made.

“We want to know what is behind the door. You can have anything that is in the room. If what is back their is what we think it is then it will be a terrible loss for us but an acceptable one. So do we have a deal.” He put out a hoof.

I looked at Harmony. She smiled and nodded her head.

“Ok. You’ve got a deal.” I outstretched one of my one hooves to meet his. The deal was set.

“You may have the night to yourself but first thing tomorrow you are helping us with this. Do as you wish. Just keep it down. Don’t want anypony to see something they shouldn’t.” He stood up and walked away. I had a feeling he had winked at me underneath his helmet.

I checked the time seeing it was about 9:00. Harmony grabbed me by the hoof and led me away from the mess hall. She lead me down a hallway that lead to the living quarters of the Stable.

I had been looking the stable over. It seemed that all stables had been designed the same way. I didn’t know how many Stables there could possibly be but I knew it had to be at least 24.

Harmony opened a door which I assumed was her living quarters.

The room only had one bed in it. I was wondering if they were going to bring in a second bed or if I was going to have to sleep on the floor. So many thoughts raced through my mind I almost didn’t realize what was happening.

Harmony had shed her nurse outfit. I still wasn’t putting two and two together. She hopped onto the bed which I realized I was laying on.

“Do you remember what the doctors told you.” Harmony laid down next to me. “They said to take it easy. Nothing that might cause your injuries to become worse. Usually I would listen to them but I have a few things that I want to try. So what do you say.”

I looked a bit confused. I could see Harmony realize a few things.

“Oh, so you are new to this. Well then let me show you how it’s done.” She started to move.

I was still super confused as to what was happening. Harmony had disappeared from my sight I started to look around the room.

My gaze was suddenly shifted to my nether regions. Harmony was about to do what I had always dreamed somepony would do.

I shudder. “This is going to be fun.”

Author's Notes:

If you want to write clop of this, go for it.