Chapter 15-2: Red Ice

“Snowflake, what have you done?”

“More than you know. You’ll need to be specific, Overmare.” My relaxed stance was in stark contrast to the Overmare’s agitated pacing. It was not a quick process. The Over Office was spacious, far more so than it looked when viewed from below in the main atrium. The horseshoe desk was bigger than my bedroom by itself, and there was ample floor area beyond that. Aside from the desk, the generally Spartan nature of the room only served to accentuate its size.

Nyah nyah, my room in Hoofshine Harlots is still bigger, and it has a bath!

The casual dismissal of her ire earned me a glare. “Do not test my patience, Snowflake. I exiled you from this Stable once for your attitude, and I can do it again.”

My own eyes narrowed. “I won’t go quietly this time. You won’t be able to sweep it under the rug. I’ll make sure that each and every resident knows that YOU threw me out. You’ve been hearing from Buff a lot since I’ve been gone, haven’t you? Well I’ve got two more brothers. Won’t that be fun?” The Overmare had this coming. I did not appreciate the fact that she’d covered up her part in my leaving the Stable. I was going to have satisfaction.

“I’m sure Roc would love to hear how you sent a resident of Stable 61 out into the ruins of Old Equestria. How would that hurt your chances of re-election?” As DJ Pon3 says: Bringing the truth, no matter how bad it hurts, Overmare.

Maintaining her glare, the Overmare returned to her chair, and lowered herself into it deliberately. She said nothing for several seconds, and I was content to wait her out.

Finally, she lay her elbows on the desk and put her hooves together. Raising her head slightly, her glare shifted into imperialistic stoicism. “Snowflake, what are the rules of Stable 61?”

“Not relevant anymore? You’ve seen the Wasteland by now, right?” The earlier fear I’d felt back when she first exiled me, and the guilt her after image brought on every time it showed up in the Wasteland, were nowhere to be found. I just couldn’t muster any sort of reason why I should pay her any attention at all anymore, after what I’d been through in these past weeks.

She wasn’t done trying to invoke some form of acquiescence from me, however. “Do you even recall why I had you leave the Stable in the first place? You do still have it, don’t you?”

Ugh. I can’t get out of this one, but I can make her work for it. “You mean the Memory Orb? That’s what it’s called by the way, and I bet you didn’t know that until just now, while I’ve known since the first day I left the Stable. I don’t have it.”

“What. Happened. To. It?” She forced this through gritted teeth.

“None of your business.”

Both eyebrows were raised now as she was rocked back in her seat. “What did you say?”

The dam was starting to break. “You heard me. What right do you have to demand any answers from me anymore? You threw me out.”

“That was for…”

“I don’t care! However you want to justify it, you still made it very clear that I wasn’t coming back. I was on my own, with no help from YOU at all!”

“You were given supplies!”

“A gun with no bullets? That’s your idea of survival gear? I don’t even know where that gun is! I was running for my life within hours of being kicked out. I got lucky that time, and had to get better to keep myself safe. Keep MYSELF safe!” I was breathing heavier by the end of my outburst, but it was barely scratching the surface.

“I won’t be talked to like that in my own office! I am still the Overmare!” She drew herself up as tall as she could, throwing out her rank like a shield.

“You’re Stable 61’s Overmare for however few days you have left! We’ve already established that I’m not Stable 61 anymore, at least not in your view. I won’t be talked to like that by YOU wherever I am, Overmare! Why the hell did you let me back in just to yell at me?” Something managed to work its way past the red haze in the corners of my eyes. “And while we’re at it, how the hell did I get back in here anyway? You must have ordered the door opened for me to get back in. What’s the deal?”

“Ask the door guards, I’m sure there’s a report somewhere.” she bit out while harshly flicking her hoof out. “I don’t have the time to focus on just one resident, I have the entire Stable to consider. You are not more important than that, Snowflake! Maybe if you’d made even the slightest effort in your time here, you wouldn’t have been exiled, and you wouldn’t have come back in disgrace!”

The floodgates were open now. “I never made a fucking effort?! What have you ever done for this Stable? I’ve never seen you pick up anymore heavier than a microphone, when I’ve seen you at all! You just sit and preen in this office all day and night. I won’t be surprised in the slightest to see you unseated in the elections, you… OVERBITCH!”

Gasping, her voice wavered with emotion. “How dare you! I’ll have you thrown in the detention cells for this! You’re coming dangerously close to insubordination, Snowflake!”

My horn was itching, begging for release. “No I’m not, Overmare. I’m not your subordinate. What I’m coming dangerously close to is violence.”

There was a whoosh behind us, with the Overmare’s secretary poking her head around the doorframe in concern, but was waved away without a word.

After the door had whooshed shut again, the Overmare took a deep breath. “It is obvious that your time away from the Stable, in Old Equestria or this ‘Wasteland’ as you call it, has corrupted you. You have lost the Memory Orb, and it would appear your Pipbuck as well.”

“What of it?” I grumped.

“Clearly you cannot be exposed to it again, lest you grow worse. You shall remain here, in the Stable, until I deem fit.”

Barking out a laugh, my measured gaze met hers. “If you think you can stop me, then I’ll show you what my time in the Wasteland has done.”

She didn’t blink. “That self-same attitude is the reason for the other side of my ruling. You cannot be allowed to leave the Stable, for your own safety, but you also cannot be allowed to associate with the other residents, for their safety.”

Rolling my eyes, I slouched back in my chair. “Oh you’ve gotta be fu-”

“You will be issued with a new Pipbuck, and a permanent security escort. Your duties will also intensify, as penance for your many mistakes.” She laid down my proposed new existence as if reading aloud the daily news feed.

Scoffing, I craned my neck forwards. “The only mistake I made was the one that got me thrown out of the Stable in the first place: Asking for my Overmare’s help when I was in trouble.”

Her haughty stare returned. “Clearly that’s not the case. You have been a chronic disappointment during your Stable life. Unlike overachievers like Roc, or even your brothers, you never had a chance to improve your station. The best you can ever claim to be is what you began as: Stable resident Snowflake. A limited use title for a limited use pony.”

“Okay, I’ve heard enough.” My fiery anger had completely faded, leaving me cold.

“Now you will submit yourself to the Security sta-sit back down right n-I ORDER YOU TO STOP THIS INSTANT, SNOWFLAKE!”

“Isn’t it sad that she thinks I still care?” I cheerfully asked the secretary as I passed her by. Her only response was to shrink away from me slightly, holding her portable terminal between us with quaking hooves.

~~~~~~

Sauntering through the corridors on automatic, I felt the need for some more quiet. Since I couldn’t find it down in the depths, I went to the other end of the Stable instead. I might have to put up with a guard at the Stable door, but he wouldn’t make too much noise so long as I didn’t look like I was gonna try anything.

I rounded the corner into the door chamber. Oh, what the hell?

“I wonder who would be my first port of call?” Back to me, Roc was standing on the railing with his hind paws, ticking off options on some unseen list. “The Steel Rangers don’t have the greatest reputation, but I’m sure they would be very interested in getting their hooves on some of the systems we have here in the Stable. Many of the residents would embrace the new world rather than staying cooped up in here, so our surplus would increase.”

I triggered my ice-glide spell, removing the noise from my steps. Without drawing his attention, I took up station on the other side of the room, leaning against the wall.

Oblivious, Roc continued his musings. “Plottawa would be a last resort. There is too great a risk of putting myself in danger. I suppose I could simply approach Lethbridle proper. The regional activity centre will need to be tackled soon enough as it is. Hmm, Sprinkles Supplies would almost certainly welcome a barter agreement for transporting our radiation-free goods to market. That will be good. I suppose I could delegate some of our buffalo to approach Grindstone, their recent troubles notwithstanding. It would not do to alienate a potential ally.”

Clacking his beak a few times, he then snapped his talons decisively. “That reminds me, I will need to make sure that I treat the Red Ice opportunity with utmost tact.”

He had to unfurl his wings to avoid being unbalanced by my chuckling. “How long you have been there?!”

I watched a dislodged, sand-coloured feather drift to the floor before responding. “Long enough. So, what do you know about Red Ice, that you think she might agree to work with you?”

Being caught off-guard had soured his mood considerably, but he still wanted to show off. “Only what I have heard, but I think I can convince her to see things from my point of view.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh? You think you’re that smooth, do you? I gotta tell you, Roc, it’s not gonna be as easy as you think.”

Snorting, he half-turned away. “Forgive me, Snowflake, but valuable as your time out there no doubt was, I hardly think you and I will achieve the same level of success.”

“Oh, that’s probably true.”

With a ‘there you are’ gesture, he gave a sly smile. “I happen to be greatly looking forward to meeting Red Ice, face to face. I think we will both come away from that meeting impressed, and eager to enter into a partnership.”

Nothing needed to be said on that matter.

Naturally at home with an audience, Roc pushed on. “The key to success will be to present a good accounting of our merits and possibilities, while also giving a strong push to dissuade dissidents.”

“Those ‘dissidents’ will push back.”

“It will not be enough. We are three hundred strong and possess the best of ponies, griffons, zebra, and others.”

You small world idiot, you’re worse than I was. You think you know how powerful you are without even needing to compare against anyone else. “Three hundred strong, huh? Say, how many people are in Lethbridle?”

He waved a claw dismissively. “How should I know?”

“No? How about Plottawa?” More than three hundred in one hall. “How about Grindstone?” Plenty of big bruisers there. “Or Whinniepeg?”

“Where?”

Ooh. My smile turned feral. “With thinking like that, Red Ice won’t even give you a second thought, Roc.”

His scorn was on open display now. “Advice? From you? That’s rich. How would you know what Red Ice would do?”

Shrugging to hide my over-spilling amusement, I managed to keep control for a few seconds more. “Because I’ve looked in a mirror or two.”

"Oh, my dear, don’t try to speak in riddles. They need to be well formed and you’re not practiced in the art.”

The Wasteland will chew you up and spit you out. “Okay, I’ll make it simple for you. Red Ice just told you what I would do.”

His screeching laughter was loud and immediate. “KEKEKEKE! You? Red Ice? Perhaps I was wrong after all, Snowflake, perhaps you do have a way with words after all. ‘Snowflake is Red Ice’, that’s a hell of a punch line! The comedy’s in the absurdity of it all. Who’d believe that?!” Throwing his head back, he continued to laugh raucously.

I pressed a hoof firmly into the floor to stop it from shaking. “And that’s exactly why I’m starting to hate this place, and everyone in it! EVERY. SINGLE. ONE OF YOU! Except my brothers, that is. You all think I’m just some joke, you even said that to my face, yet I’ve still done more in weeks than you all have done in your entire LIVES!”

The air temperature plummeted as the glacier-blue glow shone from my horn. “I am Red Ice, and I don’t need to take this crap from you pathetic Stable dwellers! Snowflake was born here, but she didn’t grow up until she got outside. You all missed it, and now you want to act like it never happened. WELL IT DID! I’m free out there, I’ve got friends, and a home, and enemies, and a life! In here there’s nothing!”

He wasn’t laughing now, if anything he just looked confused, and unhappy in the cold.

I didn’t care. “Have fun as Overseer, Roc. You’re welcome to the job, doesn’t matter to me. I’ve outgrown this place.”

Roc couldn’t help but get the last word in. His mocking smile returned. “Did you break out there, Snowflake?”

Eyes wide, I was about to show him what I did ‘out there’, when the PA system kicked in.

“Ice Cube, you hearin’ me? Get over to the Monitor room quick now. Sumthin’ you gotta see.”

Horn-glow fading, I threw one final glare at Roc before turning on my heel and stalking away.

~~~~~~

“What now, Whiskey Sour?” My earlier visit hadn’t been forgotten, and talking with Roc only made the memory less pleasant.

Whiskey Sour gave half a frown, while keeping the other half of her attention on the screen. “Come on now, girl, there’s no need to act like that. I’m trying to help here.” She indicated the screens paused behind her. “Now that you’ve had yourself a breather, I wanna show you something. Since I saw that you were missin’ your Pipbuck when you came back, I tried to see what I could do to find it, and… well, here’s what I found.”

She tapped a button on the console, and one screen began to display AUDIO ONLY in big green letters. After a few moments, voices began to emerge.

“Breeze, would you put that thing down for now?” Cassie’s voice, though measured as always, was tighter than usual.

“’M on break.” The response was mumbled around something.

“We don’t have time for a break! We have to be on our guard in case the Raiders find us.”

“Raiders?” Alarmed, I looked over to Whiskey Sour, who paused the tape. “Is this happening now?”

She shook her head. “No, yesterday. There’s more.”

As she pressed the button again, I allowed myself a brief moment of both annoyance and worry for my Pipbuck, and the ponies who had it. How did the Raiders find Cassie and Breeze? They wouldn’t go near them in a million years!

Breeze’s tired response hit hard. “They’ll find us anyway. The bitch has ‘em running ragged trying to find this thing.” The sound quality shook back and forth here for some reason.

Who? Who has them running ragged?

“Stop that, you might damage it.”

“Who cares?” Sullen grumpiness laced the gadgeteer’s voice.

“Wings does! She, Schwarzwald and Naiara are trying to get in touch with their respective groups to get us some help. We need to keep calm until they have news.” Cassie couldn’t hide her own unease though, but seemed determined to put on a brave front for her sister’s sake.

“Cass, they won’t help! None of them are going to move against the fucking ARMY of nutcases Red Ice is leading now, we’re on our own against the Raiders! We’re fucked.”

Oh no. No no no no no! “I.. I didn’t… I’m not…” I was in Stable 61, leading the Raiders was impossible from there.

What the hell happened since yesterday?!

The soft shuffling of feathers sounded from the recording. “Don’t lose hope, sister. Our friends will come through for us, I promise. We’ll all get through this; You and I, Naiara, Bosco, Wings and Schwarzwald. We’ll succeed, if for nothing else than to spite her.”

The name that hadn’t been said drew my attention. I grabbed the screen in both hooves. “Wait, what about Undertow? Breeze, Cassie, where is she?!”

Sniffling, Breeze gave a small chuckle. “Yeah. We can’t let her win. Not like this.”

The recording cut out abruptly. Panicking, I hit ‘play’ again and again. “Unpause it, dammit!”

“Sorry, Ice Cube, but… there’s no more.”

I continued to try to work the machine. “You’re wrong, there has to be! What happened to Undertow?”

A gentle hoof settled on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off. “Snowflake, who’s Undertow?”

“She’s from outside. She travelled with us, me and the rest. She should be there! What happened to her after the meeting?”

“Snow, what meeting? What happened?”

Betrayed by the useless technology, I jerked backwards, shoving Whiskey Sour back into her chair. “Watch it, kid. Just calm down, you’ll make yourself sick!”

“MOVE!” I continued on my path. I knew what I had to do now.

Have to find Undertow. Said I would. Have to help her, and the others. The Stable was in the midst of its day now, with residents of all shapes and sizes filling the corridors. “GET THE FUCK OUT OF THE WAY!!!”

“Snowflake!” Whiskey Sour flew above the throng, pacing me. “Where are you going?”

“I’m leaving. I can’t stay here any longer.”

“What? Ice Cube, that’s crazy!” She swooped down and tried to place herself in my path, but I ducked under a wing and kept going.

This kept up all the way along the corridors, her trying to stop my wild dash without success, until finally I reached the Stable door.

I skidded to a halt, with Whiskey Sour landing behind me, as I found the Overmare blocking my path. The Overmare… and my brothers.

“W-what are you doing here?” The question was direction at all of them, though for different reasons.

Lo’s soulful eyes bored into me. “Where are you going, Sis?”

Al looked just as lost. “Why are you trying to leave?”

Buff’s composure was faltering too. “Snowflake, what’s happening? What aren’t you telling us?”

My decision became infinitely harder. “Boys, I…”

“She is trying to leave the Stable again. We have been watching her since she returned, to check for signs of dangerous activity.” The Overmare still looked furious about our altercation, but there was a smugness about her that couldn’t bode well for me.

As Al and Lo teared up, Buff looked between the Overmare, Whiskey Sour, and myself. “Snowflake, is she right? Are you leaving again?”

My tongue felt like sandpaper, and I had to swallow a few times before any sound would come out. “I… yeah, I am.”

His mask fell away as his eyes drooped. “But why?”

“Out there…”

“WHAT’S SO DAMN SPECIAL ABOUT OUTSIDE, ‘FLAKE?” Lo was openly weeping now, and it broke my heart.

Don’t stop. If I stop now, I’ll never leave again. But I have to. “Lo, I’ve done things outside, things I have to take care of. I’ve put people in danger because of what I’ve done. I can’t just leave them out there like this, I’m the only one who can help!”

“LIAR!” Al bellowed. “You’ve only ever been ‘the only one’ to us! Nobody else needs you for that, not here in the Stable, and not out there!”

“AL!” Buff and Lo yelled together.

“Don’t admonish him for seeing what you two can’t.” Roc, still here but roosting in the rafters, dropped down to join the discussion. “He’s right. Snowflake has never been needed for the Stable to function, and that’s still true even now.”

“Take. That. Back.” Lo had lowered his horns, and was kicking at the ground. Roc brandished his claws, until Buff stepped between the two of them.

Turning to me, Roc continued. “Now, Snowflake spun me a thoroughly ridiculous tale barely an hour ago, but I’m starting to think that there may be some truth to it. It is still hard to conceive, as there is a fierce dichotomy at play, but I am willing to grant that it may be possible.” His altogether-too-amused smirk made me sick. “Tell me, Red Ice, what is your next move?”

Silence fell instantly. Even the Stable’s background hum seemed to fade. The sound finally returned when the roaring in my ears reminded me to breathe.

“Snowflake… you’re Red Ice?” Buff seemed to plant himself more firmly between his brothers and I.

I hung my head, and gave a small nod.

Before he could respond, the Overmare jumped in. “She is NOT Red Ice! She is Snowflake of Stable 61, and she will remain that way until I determine otherwise. This is not up for discussion!”

My tail lashed as I raised my head again, trying to stare a whole straight through her heart. “You don’t tell me what to do anymore. I AM Red Ice, and I am leaving this Stable!”

“Snowflake!” Chorused the Doublehorns, aghast.

“Sorry. I’m so sorry, but I have to. This needs to be done.” I looked to the eldest, pleading with him. “Keep them safe, Buff. I promise I’ll be back.”

Jaw firm, and still standing between me and the others, he gave a short, gruff nod.

Relieved, I let my gaze sweep over the other occupants. Whiskey Sour had backed as far from me as she could, and had no intention of coming down from the perch she’d flown to when my revelation came to light. Roc said nothing, simply maintaining the smile that never reached his eyes. With a final bow, he stepped aside.

That left the Overmare as the only remaining obstacle. Spreading her wings wide, she loomed as large as she could. “You will not leave without my permission. I am your Overmare, Snowflake!”

I took a step forward. She began to tremble. “Stop!”

Another step. “S-Stop I say!”

A third. “You will stop this now!

Another step, and the room was bathed in glacier-blue. “SNOWFLAAAA-”

I drew level with her, as the last of the ice swarmed over her immobile form. “No.” I corrected. “Red Ice.”

With a thunderous rumble, the Stable door began rolling open. As the metal barrier rolled past, I caught my reflection in its surface.

Purple smoke billowed from the corners of my green eyes.

Without another word, I walked out into the world of white.

~~~~~~

Level Up!

Perks gained: Cold-Blooded – Embracing ‘Red Ice’ has brought on an increase in your Frost magic.

~~~~~~

Author's Notes:

As always, a big thank you to KKat, Y1, Auramane, Cascadejackal (he did the original cover art, which is still on the Fallout Equestria wiki), Void Heart (he did the new cover art), Shunketsunoponi and you, the readers. Please read and comment, and pass the word along if you like the story. Finally, because I find it a really funny coincidence to have another fic with a Stable 61 that’s set in Equestrian Canada, go read Fallout Equestria: Pure Hearts.

That’s all for now, folks. Please keep reading, commenting, and spreading the word on Old Souls. I really appreciate your feedback.