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Home Under Home (Sci-Twi x Anon) [12/18/2023]

By RealDash
Created: 2022-03-06 08:57:44
Updated: 2024-04-16 02:59:08
Expiry: Never
nsfwanonymousequestria girlssci-twipost-apocalypticnuclear war

  1. HOME UNDER HOME
  2.  
  3. PART 1: MARGOT
  4.  
  5. >You are Sparky.
  6. >At least, that's what everyone calls you; you like being called that.
  7. >In reality, your real name is Anonymous Augustus Aurora; Sparky was always just a nickname.
  8. >And now most of the people who ever called you that are probably dead.
  9. >How many joined them?
  10. >Shining told you it's good to think about things, but not to try and be hopeful about them.
  11. >Hope could drive you mad, he said.
  12. >Especially down here.
  13. >You still can't believe it's real.
  14. >It all happened so fast. You, Shining Armor, Twilight Sparkle, and Spike—their dog—just barely escaping the end of the world.
  15. >These past nine months all blurred together.
  16. >There were parts you remember well, and parts you would rather forget.
  17. >The Orderlies classifying you and Twilight as husband and wife, and putting a ring around her finger.
  18. >Watching Lieutenant Stripe burn to death in a firestorm.
  19. >It was obvious which was which.
  20. >And now, nine months later, you're still sitting in the Quill Air Force Military Shelter.
  21. *SPURRT!!*
  22. >And now you've just spilled oil all over your face.
  23. >You struggled to scooch yourself out of the way, but your face was now totally plastered in a thick coat of oil.
  24. >In the time you've been down here, you were assigned a role to pitch in with whatever was best with the qualifications before... well, the War.
  25. >You were handy at repairing utilities, something that ended up becoming an unintentional habit in school, so naturally they figured you would be best as a mechanic.
  26. >They probably should've put you in gardening or something, because you hardly focus for shit around here.
  27. >"Spark!" you hear a shout from nearby; you turn your head to see only a pair of army boots facing you. "Everything alright?"
  28. >Amidst your sputtering and coughing out whatever contents landed in your mouth, you were able to translate.
  29. >You're able to stretch out your hand far enough to give them a thumbs up.
  30. >You were sitting underneath one of the Orderlies' few remaining exploration vehicles, used solely for local surface exploration. In the latest expedition, one of the vehicles—this one—suffered damage that nearly stranded the soldiers inside.
  31. >It was now apparent the oil tank was impaled by a sharp rock, sharp enough to puncture the tank and also block off ventilation.
  32. >After patching up the holes with spare metal sheets, you slid out from underneath the vehicle and signed the very explanation to the nearby soldiers who'd been part of the expedition.
  33. >"He says the oil tanks are fine now, but he'll need to reinforce the sheeting a bit more to be safe," Lieutenant Moon translated your sign language for you.
  34. >You weren't deaf, just mute. You had most of your vocal cords removed when you were four years old following an accident involving a street kid's bicycle. You could do some very basic whispering, but any normal dialogue was impossible.
  35.  
  36. >Not that you minded. Sign language wasn't -that- hard, and you hardly had a reason to whisper.
  37. >Once they were up-to-date on the task at hand, you also informed Barry, another mechanic, of what needed to be done, before finally turning in for the night.
  38. >It was 5PM, the end of your eight hour shift, and it was time to finally go home.
  39. >Upon leaving the Mechanic Wing, you start navigating through a long array of corridors and hallways, filled with an assortment of other people who'd been fortunate enough to shelter here.
  40. >You eventually stumbled upon the Atrium, the central room connecting all the hallways and wings of the bunker, and immediately knew where to go after that.
  41. >Shelter Margot, the name officially given to the place by the Air Force, was one of several underground shelters scattered across the country in the event of a major incursion or foreign attack. They were primarily designed for military families who happened to live nearby.
  42. >Since you not only knew Shining Armor, but you were also dating his sister, that technically made you part of a military family.
  43. >You were also extremely lucky to be at her house that day.
  44. >After a few minutes of walking down the Sector B hallway, you eventually arrived at your front door.
  45. >You placed in the passcode, pressed enter, and you pushed open the metal door.
  46. >What greeted you was the same familiar setup: A small cozy living room fitted with an assortment of books, VHSs and DVDs, a functional flatscreen TV, and a heater.
  47. >Each family in this place had a living quarters that resembled any ordinary residential home, to keep them grounded.
  48. >It certainly did something for you, at the very least.
  49. >But it wasn't what you were looking for.
  50. >You walked down the hallway to the last door on the right, which led into your bedroom.
  51. >The door was slightly ajar, so you pushed it open delicately.
  52. >It was a small bedroom, fitted with a mahogany wooden desk, a master bed, a mirror, a heater, and a small radio, which currently was playing soothing piano music that would put anyone to sleep.
  53. >And judging from the form sitting and snoring at the desk, it already has.
  54. >You approached the desk carefully and softly, until you stood by the side of the sleeping girl.
  55. >Your girl. Twilight Sparkle. Your girlfriend of just a year.
  56. >Now your wife of nine months.
  57. >They were initially going to have you live in separate living quarters, and the only way you wouldn't have to live with total strangers was to marry Twilight.
  58. >Like you would've said no.
  59. >Her snores were soft, almost like she wasn't snoring at all.
  60. >She squeaked every now and again, and you couldn't help but acknowledge how cute it was.
  61. >Looking underneath her head, you saw a notebook filled with sketches of various designs and inventions.
  62. >They hired her to work in Margot's Scientific Wing, so you imagined the sketches were just her work notes.
  63. >Poor girl looked exhausted, if not a little uncomfortable sleeping here.
  64.  
  65. "C'mon, you," you whispered as you carefully scooped your wife up in your arms and brought her over to the bed, laying her down straight and folding the blanket over her.
  66. >You pressed your lips against her forehead for a few seconds and then pulled away.
  67. >Silently, you stepped out of the bedroom and into the private bathroom.
  68. >For being such a small bathroom, it still felt so spacious; you could have a party in here, if you wanted!
  69. >It didn't take long for you to strip yourself bare; you emptied your pockets of whatever they carried and threw the dirty clothes into the laundry chute.
  70. >With a stretch of your arms, you reached for the shower knobs and turned on the water.
  71. >A steady stream of cold water rained down into the tub, but you let it warm up just enough before stepping inside.
  72. >The puddles of water on the bed of the tub turned black and brown from all the oil that had accumulated on you.
  73. >Luckily, it wasn't enough to stain Twilight or her clothes or the bed.
  74. >But you really have to stop doing that.
  75. >A heavy, toneless sigh escaped your lips as the warm water drenched you; the sensation alone sent chills throughout your body.
  76. >Or maybe that was the sudden cold air filling the bathroom.
  77. >By the time you noticed it, the shower curtain was already opening.
  78. >You turned around to see Twilight stepping into the shower with you, her adorable little skirt and jacket now missing from her now nude body.
  79. >"You're really bad at staying quiet," she said to you, but with a cute giggle and an infectious smile.
  80. (Sorry,) you signed. (I thought the bed would be more comfortable.)
  81. >She smiled with a scrunch of her lips.
  82. >"It is. But not if you aren't in it with me."
  83. >Aww.
  84. (Then I guess we better be quick, huh?)
  85. >"It's up to you," she answered with a wink. "I'm in no rush."
  86. (Neither am I.)
  87. >You spent the first couple minutes actually dedicating yourselves to the process of cleaning.
  88. >She washed the parts you couldn't reach, and you washed the parts she -wanted- you to reach.
  89. >By the time you were nearly halfway there, it was impossible to keep your hands off her, and vice versa.
  90. >You pulled her wet body close to you, feeling her breasts press up against your chest. She kissed you first, and you could already feel your troubles literally melting away, down the drain.
  91. >One of your hands found its way to her cheek, cupping it delicately. She held onto the metal bar on the shower wall to keep herself from slipping.
  92. >You wanted her badly right now, and you knew she wanted you too—but hot water wasn't as much a luxury as it used to be.
  93. >You gave her luscious hair a good scrubbing with some scented shampoo, which threw her into a blissful fit. She scrubbed yours next and did little twirls with some of the longer bits of hair, tickling you and making her giggle.
  94. >After a few too short minutes, you finally rinsed each other off, before shutting off the tap and hopping out of the shower just before the water could get cold.
  95.  
  96. >You got dressed in some basic clothing, a plain t-shirt and some shorts, a change from what was designated as your work uniform, which was essentially a jumpsuit.
  97. >Twilight wore her pajamas, and it was clear she had no plans on leaving the living quarters tonight, which was pretty standard for her nowadays outside of work.
  98. >If it didn't involve work and it didn't involve you or Shining or Spike, she wasn't willing to explore.
  99. >Not anymore.
  100. *WOOF!*
  101. >Speaking of Spike...
  102. >"Hey, buddy!" Twilight exclaimed as she fitted her pajama shirt, an old Post-Crush T-shirt, over her torso before reaching to fit her glasses back on. She reached down and picked up the now ecstatic doggo, who'd been sleeping on the bed next to where you placed Twilight. "Are you being a good boy for mama?"
  103. >Spike let out a fit of quiet barks and heavy pants to further exaggerate his sheer joy at just being here in this moment.
  104. >You first met Spike after you and Twilight started going out. He warmed up to you after a while, and you can't bear to be apart from the little guy too long.
  105. >Twilight's got you beat, though.
  106. >"Who's a good boy?"
  107. *boof*
  108. >"You're a good boy?"
  109. *BOOF*
  110. >"That's right! -You're- a good boy!"
  111. >He could barely contain his joy.
  112. >There were occasional glimpses like this where it felt like the good old days.
  113. >You held onto those moments every chance you could get.
  114. >Once the two of you were decent, you went out into the dining room and pulled out some MRE packets from the cabinet.
  115. >Every living space was given a set of MREs every month that would last them until the end of the month. Many of them were prepared in the months and years before, but some of it was also prepared right here in Margot, using the best mix of the vegetable garden and the animal farm.
  116. >And tonight's dinner choice?
  117. >Pizza.
  118. >Despite being oxygen-deprived and probably stored in a cabinet for five years, they still tasted like pizza.
  119. >You savored the taste of the sauce and gooey microwaved cheese as it twirled in your mouth.
  120. >Spike sat on the chair next to Twilight and simply stared.
  121. >"No begging, mister," Twilight simply stated with a wag of her eyebrows.
  122. >Spike grumbled and laid down on the chair, but his tiny puppy tantrum was eased by Twilight's gentle scratches of his ears and chin.
  123. >You slipped him a piece of pepperoni when Twilight wasn't looking.
  124. >It's spoilage, but come on, how can you deny that face?
  125. >The sound of the front entrance startled you a bit, but you were relieved to see Shining Armor step through.
  126. >Spike quickly got up from the chair and ran to him, boofing happily.
  127. >You saw a glimpse of a frown on Shining's face when he walked in, but it quickly faded as soon as Spike greeted him.
  128. >Not like the smile was any more real.
  129. >"Hey, buddy," he said as he knelt down and started giving Spike a good petting. "You being a good boy?"
  130. *ARF*
  131. >"Good boy~"
  132. >Shining stood up and noticed you and Twilight at the table.
  133. >"Hey, you two. Work went okay today?"
  134.  
  135. >Twilight swallowed her food first.
  136. >"It's exhausting, but it's going well so far, I think. I've been trying to find a way to reconfigure the Gardens' fertilizer into a terraforming substance. If I can accurately combine the right amount of Oxygen, Carbon, and Water, I'm at least 98% sure we can use the resulting component to..."
  137. >She stopped as she noticed you and Shining smiling at her, to which she awkwardly laughed.
  138. >"... Basically, we could use it to regrow plants on the surface, as long as they're protected from the weather."
  139. >Shining just chuckled.
  140. >"Don't worry, sis. I know what you meant. Professor Lake's been updating me on your effort. I don't know if the surface is good for it yet, but... you've proven me wrong before."
  141. >Twilight smiled sheepishly and looked down to her plate of pizza.
  142. >"And you, Spark? I heard what happened to Sirius," he said turning to you, Sirius being the exploration vehicle you were working on before.
  143. >Shining was fluent in sign language, so it was easy to talk to him that way, as well.
  144. (The oil tank got impaled by a rock,) you replied. (I fixed it, but I had Barry make sure nothing internal got damaged, at least critically.)
  145. >"Ehh, those rovers can take a beating beyond the covers. Well... I -thought- they could. We'll have to double the armor plating when we've got the time. But don't worry, I'll make sure the Orderlies don't work you too hard on that."
  146. (As long as I'm helping, I don't mind.)
  147. >"I haven't had a reason to stop you yet."
  148. >Flattered at the compliment, you gave Shining a kind smile, which he replied with his own.
  149. >"What about you, Shiny?" Twilight spoke up. "How was work for you?"
  150. >His smile seemed to falter a bit, but he put up his chin and exhaled.
  151. >"I, um... I've been looking for mom and dad."
  152. >Any curious smile on Twilight's face faded too, and replaced with a somber frown.
  153. >"... Oh."
  154. >Shining sighed quietly and stepped over to the table.
  155. >"Hey. We know they made it to a bunker, okay? It's just the weather interfering with the satellites. And we're able to hear a lot further than we did a few months ago. They're safe, Twily. I know they are."
  156. >"And... And Cadance and Flurry?"
  157. >The very mention of their names stung Shining, but he kept his chin high.
  158. >"I know they're safe, too. Nothing stops the Sparkle Family... understand?"
  159. >Shining reached his hand out to Twilight, and Twilight reached back. She nodded, doing her best to hold back the tears.
  160. >She pulled Shining in for a hug, and you couldn't help but watch somberly.
  161. >Blood-wise, these two were probably the last of their entire family tree.
  162. >And yet there was the hope that it wasn't true.
  163. >Shining pulled away from his sister after a few silent moments and sighed.
  164. >"I'm gonna turn in for tonight, okay? Enjoy your meal, you two."
  165. >He got up from the table and began heading down the hallway.
  166. >A slice of pizza in one hand.
  167. >Twilight looked down to her plate.
  168. >"H-Hey!"
  169. >Shining laughed and took another bite.
  170.  
  171. --------------------
  172.  
  173. LATER THAT NIGHT...
  174.  
  175. >A few hours passed, and now you and Twilight were laying in bed. It must've been close to midnight now.
  176. >Spike was sleeping in his little dog bed in the corner, leaving the bed all to the two of you.
  177. >You initially watched a few movies with Twilight in the living room, but after a while she retreated to the bedroom, and you did the same.
  178. >She was out like a light now.
  179. >"... Sparky?"
  180. >At least, you thought she was.
  181. "Yeah?" you whisper; you clear your throat as it's the first time in months you've been able to actually use your whisper.
  182. >Twilight lifts her head up slightly from your chest and looks up at you through the very dim lighting, her chin pressed against you.
  183. >"... Do you think they're alive?"
  184. >She hadn't asked you that in a while. She wanted to be hopeful about it then, but it was starting to take a toll on her, and she knew it was better to shut it out and focus on her life here.
  185. >But knowing that Shining Armor was still looking for them... you didn't blame her for wanting to feel hopeful again.
  186. >'Hope can drive you mad.'
  187. "Yeah. Yeah, I think so."
  188. >"And the girls...?"
  189. >You couldn't help but look down to meet her gaze.
  190. >Those lavender eyes, you could never lie to.
  191. "Absolutely. They're smart. Strong. Nothing could keep you guys down. Trust me, I know."
  192. >Twilight smiled at the flattery, but the warmth of the moment was quick to fade as tears began to well in her eyes.
  193. >"I miss them so much..." she choked.
  194. >You shuffled yourself down to be face-to-face with Twilight, and gently wiped away her tears.
  195. "Hey... they're okay. They have to be. Maybe they all got to AJ's in time. Or maybe the Army picked them up, brought them somewhere safe. But somehow... they're okay."
  196. >Twilight shut her eyes tightly, trying to keep the tears at bay. You just continued to wipe them away with your hands.
  197. >She laughed somberly in silence.
  198. >"It's not fair. We get to live like this, and they can't."
  199. >Part of you wanted to agree with her, and you did. You were only taken in because you knew Shining Armor, because you dated Twilight. You weren't a military child or had a military family. Why were you the exception while others just like you suffered elsewhere?
  200. >Instead, all you could do was sigh and kiss her forehead.
  201. "One step at a time. We're okay. Then we'll know if they're okay. Okay?"
  202. >Twilight opened her eyes again and stared back at you. They were slightly red; you could see that even in this lighting.
  203. >They looked so devastated; they wanted to hold onto some kind of hope that met their gaze, and they were trying so dearly. But they were so scared.
  204. >It was the one thing your eyes shared the best in her.
  205. >With scrunched, quivering lips, she got up close to you, just a mere inch from touching her lips. Her mouth opened, but at first nothing came out but choked sighs.
  206. >You only caressed her cheek and waited for her.
  207. >"I-I love you, Sparky," she nearly sobbed. "I love you so much."
  208.  
  209. >You smiled at her bittersweet affection.
  210. "And I love -you-, Twilight."
  211. >With heavy sighs, she pulled you in for a kiss.
  212. >Her lips mashed with yours, heavy with the taste of salty tears; something you learned to accept in time.
  213. >Twilight's arms wrapped over your shoulders and around your neck. One of them came back around just so it could grip you by the shirt, almost a desperate attempt to pull you even closer to your wife than you already could be.
  214. >Even you found your hands wandering across her body. One of them slipped beneath her shirt and groped at the soft flesh beneath, traveling further upward until they were playing with her back, then her chest, then her supple little breasts. She wasn't wearing a bra tonight, you remembered.
  215. >She shivered at the touch, and you felt goosebumps forming all over her, but she didn't stop you for even a second.
  216. >The hand on your shirt traveled down your body, from your chest to your stomach, then to your pelvis, where she rubbed the now apparent bump in your shorts.
  217. >An unsteady sigh escaped your throat as you pulled your lips away from hers.
  218. >"Anon..."
  219. >You shivered.
  220. >You haven't been called Anon by anyone else in years.
  221. >That luxury was for Twilight and Twilight alone.
  222. >Yet you couldn't stop shivering every time she said it.
  223. >It was your own dirty little word.
  224. >"Don't leave me too."
  225. >You slowed down, as if to process what she said.
  226. >But she didn't slow down herself.
  227. >Before you could say anything, she pulled herself away from you, your hands sliding out of her shirt, and she began moving down the bed until she came to rest over your waist, kneeling above you.
  228. >Twilight let a hand drift along your stomach underneath your shirt, while her other hand worked to free your member from the confines of your shorts.
  229. >You moved beneath Twilight, giving her ample wiggle room.
  230. >With nothing to hold it back, your cock sprung free.
  231. >It barely had time to breathe before Twilight grabbed it with her hand and began firmly pumping it up and down—just the way you liked it, and evidently, she too.
  232. >You let out a quiet shudder as Twilight did her work, and it gave you the time to watch her face.
  233. >Her mouth hung open just slightly, and a deep blush worked its way on her cheeks. Her cheeks were still stained with fresh and try tears, but she didn't try wiping them away now. Small shudders and uneasy breaths escaped her throat. Sometimes, she'd lick her lips if only to wet them, and yet you could see them quivering just a little. It might've been a trick of the lighting.
  234. >But her eyes. You could see them still so clearly.
  235. >Blind, desperate wanting. Always unchallenged, no matter.
  236. >Her body jerked slightly with her busy arm as her hand slid itself up and down your shaft, giving itself—and you—no time to relax.
  237. >Your legs stretched outward, and your body rose just slightly from the bed.
  238. >Had you had a proper voice, you would've been moaning heavily by now.
  239.  
  240. >Instead, all that came out were quiet sighs of longing euphoria.
  241. >Somehow, you were sure that turned Twilight on more than any moan ever could.
  242. >You started to flare in her grip, and it only made her go faster. By now, the bed was shaking, but only very slightly. It didn't even wake Spike, who snored like an elephant.
  243. >You reached down to the hand on your belly and held it tightly.
  244. >The two of you made eye contact, and it told her everything she needed to know.
  245. >"Cum for me," she silently shuddered.
  246. >She didn't need to tell you twice.
  247. >You could feel your seed surge through your shaft; no more than a drop was able to erupt from the tip before Twilight dove down and shoved half of your cock into her mouth, just as it exploded.
  248. >The resulting orgasm forced your head into the pillow beneath you; your vision went hazy, and your entire body twitched for a second.
  249. >Twilight let out a soft choked moan as your cum filled her mouth. She briefly gave your dick a few gentle bobs, which prompted another few spurts.
  250. >You instinctively reached for her cheek and caressed it with your thumb.
  251. >She sucked in a few breaths from her nose and swallowed, just as the last of your seed escaped your tip.
  252. >Her tongue started to slither around the head as she began to clean anything she might've missed.
  253. >And knowing Twilight, there was almost nothing for her to miss.
  254. >Once she was certain you were cleaned up, she pulled your cock out of her mouth and lovingly kissed the head for a few seconds, before she released her grip and began back up to meet you face-to-face.
  255. >The two of you kissed once more, and you could still taste remnants of your own seed on her tongue and lips. You didn't mind it one bit.
  256. >Twilight adjusted herself for a few seconds until she was sitting precariously above you, your softened member sandwiched between her thighs.
  257. >She reached out a hand to caress your cheek as she started to straddle you, slowly at first.
  258. >Her thumb drifted its way towards your wetted lips, and you opened your mouth to let it in. You started to suck on it gently.
  259. >Twilight began picking up speed, rocking her hips back and forth against you and your member.
  260. >You could feel yourself hardening just a little, but you weren't going to cum again this soon; and you really didn't mind it.
  261. >It was her turn now.
  262. >Twilight's hands rested against your belly, and her body rose and fell gracefully as she rode you; the bed beneath you started to shake now, more feverishly than it did before, but it was still nowhere near loud enough to actually make noticeable noise.
  263. >Spike still slept like a baby, so Twilight went faster.
  264. >"A-Anon..." Twilight whimpered, then bent down, not breaking her movements, and started to kiss you almost needfully.
  265. >You pulled away and opened your eyes for a moment, just to see her face.
  266. >She was wincing in pleasure, her lips quivering still even as they tried to bite down to stifle her cries.
  267.  
  268. >Her expressions were ever changing; from still relief to desperation and lust, trying to understand was part of the fun of it all.
  269. >"I'm close..."
  270. >And that was the best part.
  271. >She didn't change her pace or positioning. She continued to ride you, brushing her cute fuzzy little—and now slightly damp—pajamas up and down your half-mast. You took your hands and held her firmly by her ass, groping it for all they were worth.
  272. >One of your hands spanked her hard on one cheek, muffled by the fabric of her clothing. But the feeling was still all there.
  273. >"C-Cu—"
  274. >All you could hear after she stuck her face into your chest was a light scream.
  275. >Her entire body shook in your hands, and her breaths were reduced to whimpers and panting, which made your chest grow warm.
  276. >You kept her body firmly planted against you, and you grabbed her ass as firmly as you could without hurting her.
  277. >One of her legs twitched briefly, stiffening for a moment before relaxing against your side.
  278. >She continued to mewl into your chest for another few moments before she had the strength to finally pull away and fall against you, only to start kissing you blissfully once again.
  279. >Her kisses were numb and uncoordinated, as they always were in her afterglows. But it was so adorable how she still tried, that you could never help but smile.
  280. >You felt her feet intertwining with yours, your soles brushing delicately against the top of her feet.
  281. >Twilight gasped weakly as you pressed a finger carefully against the wetness of her pajama pants, and the grip on her butt softened. You placed your fingers into her mouth just to let her taste the hint of her juices.
  282. >She sucked on your fingers for a few seconds until they were completely clean, then started to kiss your hand longingly.
  283. >You went back to kissing her lips for another short while, until inevitably she started to drift off, her kisses growing weaker and weaker until her tiny moans had been replaced with soft snores.
  284. >"Ghhhdnnnnht..." you heard, barely.
  285. >Still holding her in your arms, you leaned up and kissed her again on the forehead, then gazed at her sleeping face.
  286. "Good night," you whispered back.
  287. >As you cuddled your sleeping wife, your mind started to drift, as well.
  288. >The scent of her lavender hair, with a hint of strawberry in the mix, made it that much easier.
  289. >And again, you were home.
  290.  
  291. ---------------
  292.  
  293. NINE MONTHS AGO...
  294.  
  295.  
  296. >"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-"
  297. >"Twilight! TWILIGHT, IT'S OKAY!"
  298. >"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-"
  299. >"INCOMING. INCOMING. INCOMING."
  300. >There were a whole bunch of sounds going off all around you, it was hard to figure out what was going on.
  301. >You're Anonymous. And the world just ended.
  302. >Before you had the time to even process such a thought, you were pulled to your feet and forced forward, down a long stretch of concrete hallway, all while an alarm blared above you, and the sounds of explosions rumbled outside and beneath your feet.
  303.  
  304. >The hall had been significantly damaged, with bits of the structure having fallen and collapsed around you.
  305. >A few people were left laying on the ground, blood pooling around them.
  306. >It wouldn't occur to you until later that they were dead.
  307. >Amid the terror and confusion that stood around you, there was nothing that attracted your attention more than your girlfriend, Twilight Sparkle.
  308. >And right now, she was terrified.
  309. >"AAAAAAAAAAAAA! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-"
  310. >You held her hand and tried to keep her running with you, but she was still shrieking frantically. Tears were falling down her face, and her hair was a mess.
  311. >Shining Armor tried pushing both of you further down the hall, but you had to stop and hold Twilight's face in your hands.
  312. >You tried getting her to look at you; at first, she wouldn't look at you or anything. She just kept screaming.
  313. >It was only when you whispered in her ear that she even thought to stop.
  314. "Twilight. We're alive."
  315. >Her screaming had ceased, but it was replaced with heavy gasps and stutters and shaky breaths; she was hyperventilating, and all you could do was ease her as best as you could in that moment.
  316. >"SsssSpAARky..." she sobbed loudly, and even that was drowned out by the panic around you.
  317. "Hey, look at me. We're okay. We're okay. We're alive, okay? Okay?"
  318. >You were whispering, it was all you could do. You know she wouldn't be able to hear you, but she could still read your lips.
  319. >She brought her shaky hands up to your face and held them there for a moment.
  320. >She was so scared; she was more terrified than you've ever seen her, or anyone for that matter.
  321. >It hurt you more than anything else.
  322. >"Twily, hey. Look at me," Shining said, just barely getting Twilight's attention. "We need to keep moving; we need to keep going down, alright? Hey, we'll be okay."
  323. >Her eyes shuffled between you and her brother, just mindlessly nodding her head; at the very least, she was trying in some way to keep herself level, but she was struggling.
  324. >You've never seen her so lost.
  325. >Another loud boom from the outside shook the hall, but this one was much shorter. It was only enough for dust to rain down.
  326. >The three of you kept moving with the rest of the crowd, lest you risked the whole ceiling coming down on top of you.
  327. >After passing through another large metal door, though half the size of the main entrance, you stood inside a narrow hallway, surrounded by an endless tsunami of scared, confused, and panicked people, all of them shouting and begging for any kind of answer.
  328. >Twilight gripped you tightly and pressed herself close to you, still clearly shell-shocked. You saw Shining keeping his hands firmly placed on her shoulders.
  329. >You heard the sound of soldiers at the end of the hallway instructing people to move ahead.
  330. >By the time the three of you got up to the front after several minutes, they took only one look at Shining.
  331. >"Captain Armor."
  332. >A quick salute, and you moved forward.
  333.  
  334. >You then entered a much larger hallway, one that seemed to act as the shelter's military barracks. One of the rooms you glanced in looked a lot like that war room the President has.
  335. >Several minutes of walking and avoiding bumping into other people later, you finally entered a massive room. It looked like an auditorium. It turned out to be the "atrium" of the shelter, one that connected to every section of this place.
  336. >How did you figure that? Well, the giant bold "ATRIUM" on the wall might've given it away.
  337. >The entire room could easily support everybody who made it in here, and definitely then some.
  338. >The chatter grew in volume with every person who entered. It was nothing but a flurry of confused and terrified screams and questions.
  339. >"WHERE IS MY SON?"
  340. >"Is this real?"
  341. >"I left my bag outside!"
  342. >Some questions were more important to ask than others, you thought.
  343. >Spike's barking fit had ceased by now; you almost completely forgot about him in the confusion, but there he was, sitting in Shining Armor's arms and probably just as confused as everyone else.
  344. >Twilight's grip on you had lessened significantly in the last few minutes, but she was still keeping a firm hold on your hand.
  345. >"Shining, what are we doing?" she asked Shining Armor, but her voice was so strained, you almost couldn't hear her.
  346. >Shining leaned in close to both of you.
  347. >"Think of it as an... I don't know, orientation. We want to be sure everyone knows what's happening. Okay?"
  348. >You sure hope this "orientation" includes what to do if you aren't exactly a military family member, because... well, you're not part of a military family, per say.
  349. >A few minutes passed, and a middle-aged man sporting a military general's uniform came out and walked onto the main stage. He stood in front of a microphone which was adjusted to his height.
  350. >The crowd started to go silent just as he began to speak.
  351. >"Hello, everyone. I am Captain Mountain Sky. I wish I could speak here today, in good faith. But unfortunately, we're not here under such a luxury. Your government initially gave us strict orders to inform you the most basic of things, in order to keep you calm and collected for the time being. That was before we lost contact."
  352. >"Is the President dead?" someone in the crowd started to ask.
  353. >"Who started it?" another asked.
  354. >Eventually, questions started overlapping, and it became hard to make out anything.
  355. >Captain Sky just held up his hands and motioned them down, trying to keep everyone calm and quiet.
  356. >"We don't know anything about the President's current position or condition. Our radios were cut off from the outside following the detonation in Canterlot. Until communications are restored with the Equestrian Government... that is assuming there is still one to answer to... all active military Captains residing here, that includes me, will act as standing leadership. Orderlies, if you will."
  357. >Captain Sky sighed, biting his lip somberly.
  358.  
  359. >"And as an Orderly, I find it in my best interests to be transparent with all of you regarding our current situation. If there is anyone who does not wish to hear this, please speak now, or raise your hand."
  360. >Nobody spoke. Nobody raised their hand.
  361. >"Very well."
  362. >Captain Sky cleared his throat.
  363. >"Approximately an hour ago, our satellites detected nuclear launches from all armed world powers. As of now, 5:02 PM Eastern Time, we have confirmed strikes on 27 major cities within the Federation, including Canterlot. Before we lost outside contact, we also confirmed strikes in London, Moscow, Tokyo, New Delhi, Beijing, and Pyongyang, as well as cities in 112 other countries. As we feared... this is a global event."
  364. >The sound of deafening silence lasted for only a moment before it was replaced with quiet sobbing from various people; some of them were numbly speaking to themselves.
  365. >Perhaps an effort to keep themselves together, you weren't sure.
  366. >"Canterlot was spared the majority of incoming fire, but unfortunately, the city has suffered up to four consecutive strikes. I'm sorry to say... if anyone here has had family members still in the city at the time, it is unlikely they survived, even if they took shelter. The weapons detonated are unlike anything we've monitored over the last several years. But from what we've seen via splintered satellite data, they were enough to destroy most of the downtown region. It would be a miracle for anyone to survive."
  367. >The Captain was right in at least one regard: He was definitely transparent.
  368. >The news hit everyone almost the same. Many of them were crying, some of them breaking down entirely. Others were far more restrained in their emotion, just barely able to contain themselves.
  369. >Twilight was stunned, you noticed. She hardly moved or reacted to the news, but you could see it in her eyes.
  370. >Shining was doing a better job at hiding it. You assumed he had to more than most.
  371. >The Captain didn't say anything for a few moments, only allowing the crowd reasonable enough time to digest the information that'd just been given to them.
  372. >But you?
  373. >You were only just now realizing how shaky you've been. Your entire body had been trembling in place, just enough for Twilight to notice and look at you.
  374. >You felt like you were going to puke, right in the middle of the Atrium.
  375. >God, you wanted to fucking—
  376. >"Hey," Twilight whispered to you. "Shhh... Breathe..."
  377. >You could hear the fear in her voice, how each word felt unbalanced and glued together. She was still so scared.
  378. >And yet she was trying to calm -you- down.
  379. >All you could do was rest your head against hers and try to breathe.
  380. >You hardly even listened to much of what Captain Sky had said, most of which had been condolences for the assumed dead and the safety of what he called Shelter Margot, which was... for all intense and purposes as of now... your new home.
  381.  
  382. >"I understand that all of you are frightened in this difficult time. I can't and won't ever blame you for it. I'm frightened too. My wife was in Las Pegasus, and I have no idea if she's even alive. It's okay to be scared."
  383. >Some in the crowd reacted sorrowfully to the news of Sky's wife.
  384. >"But let me assure you with the utmost confidence I can give you: You are safe down here. Margot is more than sixty feet below the surface, protected from the outside world by a five-foot thick, twenty ton steel door. The three launches on this base were destroyed within minutes of impact. As of this moment, you are standing in the safest place on Earth."
  385. >You weren't sure if you could believe that.
  386. >But then again, what reason would they have to lie now?
  387. >"For now, our goal is to get you acquainted within the confines of Margot, suit you to your proper living quarters, and ensure you're of perfect health. Captain Shining Armor and Lieutenants Pin Stripe and Pepper Sap will help you get everything sorted out. If anyone is injured or needs medical assistance, come to me and you'll be taken to the infirmary."
  388. >The next several minutes blurred for you. Shining, despite being in charge of housing folks, took priority of you, Twilight, and Spike first, and led you down deeper into the corridors of the shelter.
  389. >It was all so confusing, the way the hallways bent and twisted, almost as if to confuse you. Maybe that was meant to be the point if their enemies ever got inside.
  390. >That didn't seem like it would be a problem for a long, long time now.
  391. >Despite the numerous turns you had to make, your living quarters were actually not all that far from the atrium, maybe a minute's walk at best.
  392. >Shining Armor pressed in a 5-digit passcode (9-8-4-8-9) on a keypad, pushed the enter key at the bottom, and you could hear the sound of a latch unhooking.
  393. >Shining took the knob in his hand and pushed open the door.
  394. >Inside, you were greeted by a cozy-looking living room and kitchen that looked no different from an average home on the surface.
  395. >Before you could venture any further, Shining pulled the two of you aside.
  396. >"Alright," he sighed, "you two stay here. I'll be back... soon. Okay?"
  397. >He didn't say much beyond that before caressing Twilight's face gently with his hand. His face still had this stoic expression, but the faint breathing he was giving off showed he wasn't all there.
  398. >Twilight gave him a slow, nervous nod before he got up and walked out the door, shutting it behind him.
  399. >Of course he'd be back soon. Where else could he go?
  400. >Spike sat in Twilight's arms, whimpering to himself.
  401. >"Sorry, buddy," Twilight apologized softly before putting him down.
  402. >He immediately began walking around, but he looked more confused than anything, unsure if he should even be here.
  403. >Twilight began walking over to the living room couch, each step she took growing shakier than the last.
  404. >You watched her bow her head, and could hear her begin to shudder.
  405.  
  406. >It was only when she sat down on the couch that she started to sob.
  407. >Silent, at first.
  408. >You came to her side on the couch and made her look at you, holding her head carefully in your palms.
  409. >Her lips quivered, no matter how hard she bit them.
  410. >It didn't stay silent for long, and eventually she burst into a fit of wails that could easily shake the walls.
  411. >Without a second thought, you held her tightly in your arms and didn't dare to let her go.
  412. >She didn't hold back any crying, and you didn't try to stop her.
  413. >She cried for her friends.
  414. >She cried for Cadance, for Flurry.
  415. >She cried for her mom and dad.
  416. >You didn't say anything. You just cried with her.
  417. >You were both orphans today.
  418.  
  419. __________
  420.  
  421. PART 2: PROGRESS
  422.  
  423. THE NEXT MORNING...
  424.  
  425. >The next morning, you woke up with a yawn and a stretch of your limbs.
  426. >You reached out in front of you, only to be greeted with nothing but air; Twilight was gone.
  427. >Briefly worried you'd overslept and missed your morning duties, you were relieved to find the spot where Twilight slept was still warm, and a turn over to the clock showed you still had an hour before you had to work.
  428. >You'd woken up just in time to hear the sound of the shower shutting off.
  429. >After some muffled movements behind it, the door to the bathroom swung open slowly, revealing a towel-clothed Twilight with her hair draped over her shoulders, a familiar change from her typical bunned-up look.
  430. >She seemed startled to see you were awake, but her body immediately calmed and she gave you a warm smile.
  431. >"Morning," she said softly as she started rummaging through the dresser drawers for a quick pair of morning clothes.
  432. "Morning," you whisper back.
  433. >The towel wrapped around Twilight came off and was placed on top of the dresser, leaving her bare bottom facing you.
  434. >You couldn't help but look at it sometimes. She had such a cute butt.
  435. >"Don't get too excited, mister," she said, noticing your stare and meeting it with a playful smirk. "You've got work in an hour."
  436. "So do you," you playfully retort in a loud enough whisper for her to hear.
  437. >"Not exactly," she replied with her tongue sticking out at you. "I have to go in a little bit early today to test out the Terraforming Agent on some individual samples, especially if I want to present this idea to the Orderlies."
  438. "I thought that was still months away?" you mentioned out of curiosity.
  439. >"It is, but I want to get a simple concept out of the way. That way, we can get it green-lit and have support of the other scientific wings. And that'll really get things going!"
  440. >She was pretty confident about this whole terraforming idea, you noticed.
  441. >Which, after having learned enough about it from her ramblings on environmental protection methods in school, honestly would be pretty cool to watch play out.
  442. >Twilight finally began dressing herself proper after finding everything, starting with a pair of basic frilly blue panties and white socks, then dressing herself in a black work shirt and slacks, all covered in a white overcoat.
  443. >Twilight looked in the mirror above the dresser drawer and used it to reapply and adjust her glasses, as well as the hems of her lab coat.
  444. >"There we go," she says cheerfully before turning to you. "How do I look?"
  445. >You stuck out your tongue and gave her a thumbs up—which, between both of you, was just the same as calling her beautiful.
  446. >She rolled her eyes and chuckled.
  447. >"Good," she said with a faint laugh. "Now -you- should be getting ready yourself."
  448. >As much as you wanted to nap for a little longer, getting back to sleep at this point was never a possibility.
  449. >You gave Twilight a nod and pulled yourself out of bed.
  450.  
  451. >Your jaw cracked slightly as you let out another yawn.
  452. >Twilight giggled as she watched you rise to your feet.
  453. (Hot water still good?) you signed to her.
  454. >"Yep," she answered. "I was only in there a couple minutes, just enough to get clean."
  455. >You gave a subtle fist-bump; hopefully a hot shower would wake you up proper!
  456. >Twilight made a couple more last minute checks on her person, and filled her satchel with the paperwork and documentation she'd been drooling on last night.
  457. >She never made mention of it, and neither did you... but you noticed it: When she was getting her papers, you noticed her usual cheery expression had regressed to an almost robotic stare, like it was routine at this point.
  458. >Which, of course, it was; but every passing day, it was like watching a switch flip on and off in her head.
  459. >Sure, she was passionate about it—to no end!—but you could only hope she was taking care of herself when she was at work.
  460. >Hope she wasn't slowly driving herself mad.
  461. >With her satchel filled, she strapped it over her shoulder and cleared her throat.
  462. >"Alright, I'm off."
  463. "Hey, wait," you whispered.
  464. >It caught her attention, and she looked towards you with this almost whimsical curiosity.
  465. >Like a switch.
  466. >"Hmm?"
  467. >Stepping away from the bathroom door, you took two steps forward and gently pressed your hands against her hips.
  468. >You leaned in and kissed Twilight; it seemed to catch her by surprise at first, but she was quick to accept it.
  469. >It wasn't the typical kiss you'd give her before work.
  470. >This was a true kiss.
  471. >Maybe it was out of worry, or desperation, or compassion, knowing or hoping.
  472. >But the way she kissed you back... it seemed she needed it.
  473. >Neither of you pulled away for maybe a good minute; your lips stayed pressed together, and soon Twilight's gloved hands found their way up to your face, caressing your cheeks.
  474. >A small, comforting moan escaped her throat, and you think it was the moan that made her pull away, if only briefly.
  475. >She shuddered quietly, trying to catch her breath, as did you.
  476. >You and Twilight stood for another moment, held in each other's arms, eyes closed and foreheads pressed together.
  477. "You okay...?" you uttered under your breath, enough for her to hear.
  478. >She nodded briefly, and you could see her smile just a bit.
  479. >It was a genuine one; a proper genuine smile.
  480. >It lasted for only a moment.
  481. >"... Your breath stinks," she whispered.
  482. >The suddenness brought laughter to the both of you.
  483. >"... And I better go before I decide to stay."
  484. >You gave her a tender kiss on her forehead; your lips stayed there just a little longer, before you finally pulled away.
  485. >The warmth of her body was quickly replaced with the cold air, except only for your hands.
  486. >She was very reluctant to leave at first.
  487. >But duty calls... not really by choice down here.
  488. >"I love you," she said softly to you.
  489. "And I love -you-," you said back to her.
  490. >She held one of your hands against her cheek for just a moment.
  491.  
  492. >The cold made you shiver to her touch.
  493. >When it was over, the two of you said your goodbyes, and before you knew it, Twilight was gone.
  494. >The place felt so empty already.
  495. *Boof!*
  496. >Well, almost...
  497. >After giving Spike a well-deserved belly rub, you excused yourself into the bathroom and quickly hopped into the shower.
  498. >Luckily, there was still plenty of hot water to spare, so the few minutes you spent soaping and washing yourself up was time well spent.
  499. >Once you were cleaned off and clothed, you fed Spike a quick little breakfast and stayed by his side for another ten minutes afterward.
  500. >Before long, your watch beeped, signaling your imminent shift.
  501. "Be a good boy, Spike," you whispered to the little dog and kissed him on his head. "Got it?"
  502. >*Arf.*
  503. "Good boy."
  504. >With one more pet on his head, you left Spike to sleep on the living room couch, then left your quarters.
  505. >The mornings were always the busiest, rampant with people flocking to their designated stations, or children heading for the Education Wing.
  506. >Unlike the structure of the old world, the Orderlies saw it in Margot's best interests to assign anyone over the age of fifteen to some kind of working position.
  507. >You and Twilight were only just recently over that line at the time.
  508. >In spite of everything going on at the start, Twilight was briefly ecstatic over the prospect of working in one of the four Science Wings in Margot, all of which included various fields that she would geek out about in school.
  509. >And now she had the opportunity to actually realize those thoughts and ideas with some of the most advanced equipment she ever laid her eyes on, and all along the sides of some of the brightest minds the Equestrian Military had to offer.
  510. >You'd never understand much of it... but seeing her happy always made you happy.
  511. >After wandering through the corridors for the next few minutes, you eventually made your way back to the Mechanic Wing, clocking in two minutes short of 9AM.
  512. >Barry updated you on what was fixed regarding the rovers from yesterday.
  513. >The one you were working on, Sirius, had its oil tank ruptured, far more severe than you initially hoped, and had to be completely replaced.
  514. >To make matters worse, it seem the gash had led to oil making its way into the engine; when you turned on the rover yesterday, you noticed this ghastly sputter and immediately turned it off.
  515. >The last thing you needed was the thing blowing up in your face!
  516. >Your task today was to fix the engine: Clear out the excess oil, re-weld the piping, switch out the wiring, and reinforce the steel plating that protected the engine from the elements outside.
  517. >It was a lot of work to entrust someone your age and scope with, but you've had nine months of experience to show for it.
  518. >Besides, it wasn't all entirely on -your- plate.
  519. >You tasked Barry to clean out the oil, and another mechanic named Silver Dove to re-weld the piping, while you would switch out the wiring.
  520.  
  521. >The wiring of these rovers was surprisingly simplistic for such advanced military equipment. Whether that was to ensure a -quick and easy- fix in combat territory, or to ensure someone like you didn't accidentally blow it sky high, you weren't entirely certain.
  522. >Nevertheless, you were able to get it done in thirty minutes. But you spent the next hour and a half making sure it actually connected and didn't run the risk of blowing their fuses outside.
  523. >You had to be extremely delicate with the copper ones, as they were the rarest ones in the whole Shelter, and finding one out there that hadn't already been worn down would be undoubtedly a miracle in itself.
  524. >By the time you and the others made your final checks, it was already twelve o'clock noon.
  525. >Time to test this big guy.
  526. >You opened the driver-side door, grabbed the keys from the small dashboard compartment, and inserted them into the ignition.
  527. >With a cautionary breath, you twisted the keys to the right.
  528. >After just a single rev, the Rover sprung to life without so much as a stutter in its gears.
  529. >It purred with such vigor you hadn't felt in a long time.
  530. >Barry and the others let out a satisfactory cheer and short laughs, while you just gave them a great grin.
  531. >These victories weren't always common, but when they were, it was oh so -satisfying-.
  532.  
  533. __________
  534.  
  535. >A short time later, you went to the back office and reported to Orderly Custer, the man in charge of ensuring the smooth operation of the Mechanic Wing, and the safety of its workers.
  536. >Custer wasn't all too savvy regarding sign language, but that didn't bother you much; you wrote down everything regarding the damage to the Rover, and how many resources were needed to fix what had been damaged.
  537. >It was a lengthy page, and your hand cramped a bit by the end, but Custer was able to find himself on the same page as you and the others.
  538. >"I heard you starting her up from here," Custer said with a brief smile, and chuckled. "I haven't heard her sound like that in years."
  539. >Custer set the page of writing down on his desk and let out a small sigh as he sat down.
  540. >"But I've noticed you had to use double the copper this time compared to the last repairs, correct?"
  541. >You gave him a simple nod.
  542. >Custer just bit his inner cheek and looked at the report again.
  543. >"Hell, just double of everything."
  544. >He sighed again.
  545. >"Seems like we're going through more and more stuff each month. Hell, each -day- it seems like."
  546. >Custer sounded more like he was rambling to himself, and upon noticing your staring at him, he cleared his throat.
  547. >"In any case, it isn't your fault. It seems like the terrain keeps changing with every trip to the surface. Sirius has traveled on that road dozens of times, and those rocks were NOT there last trip."
  548. >You grabbed another sheet of paper and began writing your response.
  549. [I added some additional steel plating to both the oil tank and the engine to be safe.]
  550.  
  551. >"Alright, good. It should keep the same thing from happening again, at least so soon. Oh, also, Lieutenant Moon reported that there was a small crack in the rear windshield. Were you able to take a look at it?"
  552. [Yes. Barry sealed it after I left last night.]
  553. >"Good, I'll have to talk with Barry about that. On the note of..."
  554. >You and Orderly Custer continued discussing the report for the next several minutes.
  555. >But you noticed that any time you made mention of damage to the Rover's body itself, Custer couldn't help but find himself occasionally troubled.
  556. >His remark about the terrain 'changing' had you a little piqued with curiosity, but you didn't pry him about it.
  557. >You'd only ever made two trips to the surface -after- the War in the Cibo Rover about six months ago. It was dark and rainy the first time, and you couldn't make out anywhere the Rover was going.
  558. >You tried to make out the route Shining Armor had taken you and Twilight on that fateful day, but you just...
  559. >You just couldn't.
  560. >The second time was foggy and cold.
  561. >Then it suddenly got hot, and you watched Lieutenant Stripe die just feet from the rover.
  562. >You never went back outside after that.
  563. >After an uneventful ten minutes, you finished your report with Custer and went back to work.
  564. >You worked on Cibo after she returned from a trip of her own. But after your meeting with Custer, you found yourself more aware of damages you didn't think to fixate on before.
  565. >A cracked window here, a clogged air vent there, maybe a couple dents to one of the sides of the Rover. Hell, one of the rear-view mirrors looked like it was melted slightly.
  566. >You had to wonder what exactly they were doing, or what was going on out there, to warrant such repairs.
  567. >But you couldn't help but overhear a conversation between Lieutenants Pepper Sap and High Note, the former of which just came back from the Cibo expedition.
  568. >"The storms are getting worse," Pepper Sap said to High Note. "We nearly ran into the same issue as Sirius."
  569. >"How did that happen?"
  570. >"It looks like some of the back roads leading downtown got flooded. It was just mud and rocks everywhere; we almost couldn't tell where we were going apart from the GPS."
  571. >"The back roads? I thought those were clear last time."
  572. >"They were, but now they aren't. You should see the storm out there right now. Went from maybe -half- to almost -zero- visibility, just like that. Thank God we got back when we did, otherwise we would've been almost completely blind."
  573. >"I don't get it. Shouldn't the weather have cleared up by now?"
  574. >"That's what I've been saying too. I think the Orderlies are looking into it, but I don't know if it'd mean much at this point."
  575. >A small shiver ran down your spine, and you returned to your work before they could notice you eavesdropping.
  576. >On your only rainy trip to the surface, you did point out that the rain looked more visious than you'd remember, but nothing too alarming.
  577. >But what did they mean... "by now"...?
  578.  
  579. __________
  580.  
  581. THREE HOURS EARLIER, IN THE AGRICULTURAL WING, NINE O'CLOCK AM...
  582.  
  583. >On the far side of Margot, Twilight Sparkle was busy fine-tuning the concept for her proposed terraforming agent.
  584. >She wanted to do a couple of final checks before showing it off to the Orderlies.
  585. >Surely they trusted her more than plenty after all this time... but if she was going to do this, she needed to do it -right-.
  586. >After writing down two... no... three more basic equations, she grabbed her papers and proceeded to the Overseers' Office at the far end of the Agricultural Wing, where the six Orderlies overlooking the entire Scientific Department had waited patiently for her arrival.
  587. >She stepped into the office, papers in hand, and made herself look presentable.
  588. >Inside, there was Orderlies Chip Decker, Silver Meadow, Red Sky, Lily Mist, Sunny Pastures, and Augustus.
  589. >Twilight was as excited to present her idea as she was intimidated by such powerful figures watching over her.
  590. >But she knew that her expertise was valued by each and every one of them.
  591. >So when she stood before them and spent the next thirty minutes showing off the bare-bones schematics, alongside photographs of test samples, for a hypothetical terraforming agent that could revert the surface to a livable state under ideal conditions...
  592. >It went without saying the Orderlies had given her their full attention.
  593. >Now, it didn't mean it was a slam dunk approval. Of course, there were going to be necessary revisions and checks upon checks at the resources or chemicals involving such an arduous task—and to of course be sure that the result won't leave the surface even worse off...
  594. >But it was a step in the right direction, she'd reckon!
  595. >Reckon...
  596. >As Twilight packed up her papers, she couldn't help but think of Applejack.
  597. >Did she make it?
  598. >Did the others?
  599. >Pinkie? Rainbow? Rarity? Fluttershy?
  600. >Sunset?
  601. >She held the folder tightly to her chest.
  602. >They were only a few miles away.
  603. >But for now, that was an eternity.
  604. >"Twilight?"
  605. >Shaking herself out of her daze, Twilight looked up to see Orderly Mist looking down at her with a worrisome glance.
  606. >"Are you alright, dear?"
  607. >Putting on a brave face, Twilight nodded.
  608. >"Yes, miss Mist. Oh, sorry, I just realized it sounded like I said Mist twice, I meant—"
  609. >But Orderly Mist just let out a hearty giggle.
  610. >"It's fine, Twilight. I used to get that a lot back in the day."
  611. >"S-Sorry."
  612. >"It's alright, you don't need to apologize."
  613. >"Sorry!"
  614. >Mist just laughed, if only to ease Twilight. She wasn't sure if it worked.
  615. >"Anyway, if it's alright with you, I'd like to talk with you about your progress, if you have time?"
  616. >Twilight stood up straight.
  617. >"Y-Yes, of course!"
  618. >"Excellent. Mind following me to my office?"
  619. >"Of course! I-I mean, no, not at all! I mean-"
  620. >Twilight cleared her throat and stepped aside.
  621. >"A-After you."
  622. >She felt Mist's arm wrap slowly yet protectively around her shoulder, and the two walked slowly to the Orderly's office.
  623.  
  624. __________
  625.  
  626. LATER THAT EVENING...
  627.  
  628. >You are Anon again, and your shift is over.
  629. >As soon as 5PM arrived, you logged your reports and work, clocked out, and made the trip back to your quarters.
  630. >Another shiver ran down your body; it felt a little chilly in the halls.
  631. >But then again, you'd spent the last eight hours repairing two exploratory rovers and mentally fussing over every bit of damage you saw.
  632. >After hearing what Pepper Sap said and what Orderly Custer indirectly told you, it was hard not to, now.
  633. >Was it really still so bad out there?
  634. >Worse than last time?
  635. >You'd have to talk to Shining Armor about it. He's technically an Orderly, so maybe he knows more.
  636. >For now, you tried to shake off any growing worries in your mind and numbly strolled from corner to corner until you eventually made it back to your living space.
  637. >You put in the passcode and opened the door.
  638. >Before you were even all the way in, you heard the familiar joyful yipping of Spike as he scuttled his way over to your feet.
  639. >Luckily for the good boy, you made sure to thoroughly wash your hands and face before leaving. He got exactly what he was looking for.
  640. >As you shut the door behind you with a free hand, you turned to see Twilight getting up from the dining room table and making her way over to you with as great a grin as you'd ever seen.
  641. >And seeing her face again was always like seeing her for the first time in a long time.
  642. >Always a reward.
  643. >You stood up and returned a smile of your own, but before you could say anything, Twilight wrapped her arms around you and pulled you into a tight hug.
  644. >Even as you chuckled, you tried to warn her of your dirty outfit.
  645. >She just hugged you tighter.
  646. >You just laughed to yourself and embraced her, taking in the scent of her hair.
  647. >Sometimes, it was enough to wash away all your troubles of the day.
  648. >As you held her close, your eyes drifted over towards the kitchen, and sure enough, Shining Armor was standing by the counters, wearing what looked like an apron and...
  649. >Was he cooking?
  650. >"There he is," Shining said with a smile as he looked away from the cutting board in front of him. "Got here just in time. I'm putting the carrots in right now!"
  651. >You tried to sign a question to him, but it was hard to do that with your arms currently confined by your wife.
  652. "What's the occasion?" you decided to simply ask to Twilight, knowing she was close enough to hear you.
  653. >She pulled away with a sheepish grin, but maintained her closeness to you.
  654. >"Well," she began happily, "you remember my terraforming agent, correct?"
  655. >You nodded inquisitively.
  656. >"Well... I showed it off to the Orderlies in the Ag-Wing, and Orderly Mist wants to help oversee development. She's going to help me present it at the next Delegation Meeting, and... if all goes well and they give me the greenlight..."
  657. >She looked to Shining Armor, then back to you, her grin ever contagious.
  658. >"... We can get started as soon as next week!"
  659. >You couldn't believe it.
  660.  
  661. >With a small huff and a grin, you pulled Twilight in for another hug, and the two of you broke into joyful laughter.
  662. >The sight gave the small canine at your feet unadulterated zoomies.
  663. >Shining just watched with a smile before going back to cutting the carrots.
  664. "I'm proud of you," you whispered to Twilight, running a hand through her hair. "I'm so proud of you."
  665. >You heard a sniffle and a small giggle, and your wife held you tighter.
  666.  
  667. __________
  668.  
  669. >"... and so after Professor Lake helped update Orderly Mist on some of my other progress, she wanted to take a look at my research!"
  670. >Fork in hand, Twilight stabbed at the carrots and chicken on her plate and took a bite.
  671. >"Needless to say, I think she was -pretty- interested."
  672. >You grinned warmly as you took a bite of your own meal, sighing with content as you had a nice home-cooked meal for the first time in weeks.
  673. >This probably was also the first time in a while that the three of you had a proper dinner, and the atmosphere truly couldn't be any better.
  674. >It felt like old times—when you visited Twilight's home, had dinner with her family, and gave that girl all the love in the world.
  675. >It was hard not to glance at the empty seats nearby, but you didn't ponder on it for long.
  676. >Twilight, on the other hand, was having trouble staying still in her seat, and how could you blame her?
  677. >Shining couldn't blame her either, as he placed a hand on her shoulder and patted her gently.
  678. >"I'm proud of you, sis," Shining said with a smile. "And soon as I can reach Mom and Dad, I'm telling them all about it."
  679. >The mention of her parents still gave her the occasional pang, but she tried to keep her grin steady.
  680. >"I don't think they'll let me hear the end of it," she joked.
  681. >Shining just chuckled and ruffled her hair lightly.
  682. >"Nah, I don't think so."
  683. >With a hopeful gleam in her eye, Twilight looked up to her brother.
  684. >"And maybe I can tell Cadance and Flurry all about it too."
  685. >You could see the pang in Shining too.
  686. >But he simply let out a small snort and grinned.
  687. >"Oh, Cadance is -absolutely- gonna spoil you."
  688. >The two siblings laughed together, but it was clear the talk of family left it all feeling bittersweetly.
  689. >You held Twilight's hand in yours, caressing it with a thumb.
  690. >She squeezed it back.
  691. >"So," Shining uttered as he sat back in his seat, gesturing towards Twilight's food, "what do you think? Best I've made so far?"
  692. >Twilight giggled and took another bite of her food.
  693. >"I haven't had fried rice in a long time. I didn't even know we still had -rice-!"
  694. >"Heh, well... we didn't for a while. Luckily, some of the geniuses over at the Hydroponics managed to secure a fresh batch of rice seeds just before everything happened. But they didn't wanna plant them until the secondary farm was set up. I couldn't pass up a chance to make this after your little announcement."
  695. >Twilight looked down at her plate and blushed.
  696. >"... Think you can make it again tomorrow?"
  697. >"Deal."
  698.  
  699. >The mood quickly lit back up, between the occasional scrapes of fork on plate and Shining asking the two of you about your day.
  700. >Apart from Twilight's big break, her day was just as eventful as any other in Margot.
  701. >"What about you, Spark? Get your hands any dirtier today?" he asked you with a smirk.
  702. >You just gave him a silent mocking laugh, then began signing to him with a small chuckle.
  703. (We ended up getting Sirius back up and running,) you told him. (Should be ready to go by tomorrow.)
  704. >"Hey, that's great! I haven't had time to read any reports today, that's why I asked; I've been in meetings all day."
  705. >Shining let out an exasperated sigh and trilled his lips.
  706. >"Still... of all the things to cripple that girl, a rock? I wonder how they fumbled that one."
  707. >He let out a slight chuckle as he took a bite... but the way he zoned out as he ate, it reminded you of Orderly Custer.
  708. >But Twilight seemed to be oblivious to this; she took the last few bites of her food and stood up, empty plate in hand, and a cheerful grin on her face.
  709. >"Well, I'm gonna put this in the sink and hop in the shower. I still need to work on a few revisions to the formula before tomorrow, then followed by a few tests on some samples from the Ag-Wing in the morning, followed by another meeting with Miss Mist about the ramifications on the surface, -THEN- I need... to..."
  710. >Twilight slowly paused as she realized both you and Shining were staring at her with a smile.
  711. >She just looked away sheepishly.
  712. >"I-I've got a lot to do, that's all!"
  713. >Shining chuckled and reached for her plate.
  714. >"Don't worry, sis. I'll take it from here. You go and clean up, alright? And save some hot water for Sparky, eh?"
  715. >In spite of her light embarrassment, Twilight still giggled.
  716. >"I promise."
  717. >She then leaned down to you and planted a small kiss on your lips.
  718. >"Movie night later?"
  719. >You give her a nod and another smile, caressing her cheek momentarily.
  720. >After a personal moment between the two of you, she's off to your bedroom, already removing her lab coat before closing the door behind her.
  721. >It was just you and Shining Armor, save for Spike who was making himself comfortable underneath the table.
  722. >Shining snorted and smiled before looking up at you from his plate.
  723. >"I haven't seen her that excited in months," he notes quietly, leaning back in his seat. "Or more like since she found out she'd be working in the Science Wing, but either way... hmm..."
  724. >You look towards the short hall where Twilight walked through, your mind drifting off for a second before Shining spoke up once again.
  725. >"You know, I haven't had the chance to ask recently, but... are you both doing okay?"
  726. >It took you a moment to figure out what exactly he asked you, but you gave him a simple nod.
  727. >"No "rocky roads" or anything like that?"
  728. >You tilted your head towards him.
  729.  
  730. >"I know it's out of the blue to ask that, but... I know the two of you didn't exactly have the time to really talk it over. I just want to be sure you're both still on the same page, you know?"
  731. >Knowing the context proper, you signed to him.
  732. (I think she's handling things better -because- I'm here), you tell Shining. (Sometimes, though, she just feels so...)
  733. >You try to put it as delicately as you could.
  734. >"Distant...?" Shining finishes for you.
  735. >You just nod sorrowfully to him.
  736. >"Yeah... I figured."
  737. >Twilight was always a difficult case for either of you.
  738. >Sometimes she was as even-headed and rational as she'd ever been.
  739. >Then other times, she would tune everything and everyone around her out, focused on her work, focused on anything but this new world.
  740. >Then she was back.
  741. >Like a switch.
  742. >"I think once I can find my parents... then Cadance and Flurry Heart... I think that'll help more than anything... I just wish I could say the same for those girls."
  743. >You felt yourself tense up lightly as Shining mentioned the girls.
  744. >It'd been nine months since you've heard from them. You had no idea if any of them were even alive.
  745. >Of all of them, apart from Twilight... Applejack had the best possible chance.
  746. >You wanted to go back out there, to find them, if only for closure's sake.
  747. >But all the same, you were scared of what you would find.
  748. >Speaking of the outside...
  749. >You raised your hand to get his attention.
  750. (I talked to Orderly Custer earlier,) you signed, (about the repairs on Sirius.)
  751. >"Yeah?"
  752. (He said something about the terrain "changing" a lot. Then I heard Lieutenant Pepper Sap talk about the weather outside, and... how it should've "cleared up by now.")
  753. >As you both suspected and feared, Shining Armor didn't seem surprised one bit.
  754. >He knew that much, at least.
  755. (What's going on out there?)
  756. >Shining simply sighed, and his face soured.
  757. >"... We're still trying to figure that out."
  758. >You believed him, as much as you didn't want to.
  759. (Are we safe?)
  760. >With a dead stare, Shining leaned forward and rested his hand on your shoulder.
  761. >"Of course we are. And the Orderlies and I'll keep making damn sure of that, I promise."
  762. >A little smile found its way onto his lips.
  763. >"And I know you'll help me do the same for -her-. Right?"
  764. >You smiled back at him and firmly nod.
  765. >His smile grew.
  766. >But it didn't make you feel better.
  767.  
  768. __________
  769.  
  770. LATER THAT NIGHT, 3:19 AM...
  771.  
  772. >It was quiet in your bedroom.
  773. >You lay on your side in bed, drifting in and out of sleep, practically watching the minutes fly by like seconds.
  774. >Spike was fast asleep in his little doggy bed in the corner.
  775. >Twilight was out like a light.
  776. >But not you.
  777. >The hum of Margot's generators hummed all throughout the shelter, letting off this small rhythmic chug with each turn of their turbines.
  778. >It should've put you right to bed, just as it always had.
  779. >And yet, here you were, staring at the back of your wife's head.
  780.  
  781. >The Orderlies always stayed true to their word; they never lied, for they never had a reason to lie.
  782. >But they never told you, or anyone for that matter, about the weather firsthand.
  783. >And if Shining doesn't know...
  784. >"NO!"
  785. >A shrill scream from Twilight shook you out of your thoughts.
  786. >Twilight, who'd been fussing and turning softly in her sleep, was now suddenly flinging her limbs around, reaching out in front of her, screaming bloody murder; her voice cracked with such volume that it could shake the walls.
  787. >Spike flung out of his bed and looked to the scene, but cowered away, unsure of what to do.
  788. >You immediately darted forward and grabbed Twilight, wrapping your arms around her waist and pulling her close to you, trying to confine her arms and legs as to not hurt herself -or- you in the process.
  789. "Twilight!" you exclaimed. "Twilight, it's okay! Twilight!"
  790. >Without proper vocal cords, your "shouting" was nothing more than elevated whispers.
  791. >It was immediately drowned out by her screams.
  792. >"NO! NOOO!"
  793. >So with little choice, you held her close to you and pulled both of you up into a sitting position on the bed, then carefully turned her around, before moving your hands up to her cheeks and trying to wake her up.
  794. >Her face was stained with tears, and she began to hyperventilate.
  795. >"NO! I DON'T WANT TO GO! NO! NO!"
  796. >You continued shaking her, fighting back your own tears as you tried desperately to wake her from her nightmare.
  797. >After speaking to her and pressing your palms against her cheeks, Twilight's teary eyes suddenly sprung open, and she jolted in your grasp.
  798. >Her ragged panting didn't stop, but she was no longer flailing her arms outward.
  799. >She found herself sitting up and darting her eyes all over the room around her, before they fell to meet yours.
  800. "It's alright," you say repeatedly while caressing her face. "It's alright. It's alright... It's alright, baby..."
  801. >But she wasn't alright.
  802. >"S-Sparkyy..."
  803. >As soon as the realization hit, she broke into a fresh set of tears and pulled you close, bawling loudly into your shoulder.
  804. >Her entire body shook with every cry and hike of breath.
  805. >But you did your best to soothe her anguish; you hugged her tightly to your body and ran your fingers through her long, messy hair.
  806. "It's okay... It's okay..."
  807. >That's when you noticed the figure standing silently by the doorway.
  808. >Shining Armor watched as you comforted his sobbing sister.
  809. >The two of you shared a knowing, yet sorrowful, glance.
  810. >This wasn't the first time.
  811. "It's alright, baby."
  812. >You weren't sleeping tonight.

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