Fallout Equestria: Medicine & Mail

Chapter Two

“Actions have consequences, my little pony.

For everything you ever do, something else will always occur and

You won’t always be able to control it.”

Compared to my view from the caravan, the Marejave Desert was far wider than I could have ever dared to imagine.

As a courier I could play at explorer, could relive those stories I was told as a foal. Even if only in some small way, and it felt like enough. But as it turns out, we only know what we’ve been given until we’re forced outside of our comfort zones.

I do not regret the choices I’ve made. After all, that night in Old Fort Celestia is what ultimately put me on this path.

I looked down at the moonlit desert, lights flickering off misshapen, unnatural formations below the cloudless horizon.

It’s been a while since I’ve used my wings for anything besides basic upkeep. I’d almost forgotten how nice it was to fly at night.

The little tablet of Buck had long since worn off and my body was starting to flag. Even with a pegasi’s ability to fly loaded with extra baggage, including twitchy unconscious unicorns, I could only endure keeping things airborne for so long before my body gave out.

Getting shot wasn’t exactly doing me any favors either.Even if I lucked out and it only tore up my barding and harness with minor puncturing.

Glad I won’t have to revisit Hammer for repairs again. Damn ghoul won’t need chems at this rate—if I keep getting banged around like this he’s going to make a right fortune off me.

I felt Vitia stirring on my back. “Mornin’, sunshine. I’d offer you some in-flight food, but there’s none t’ be had.”

“In…flight food?” Vitia asked groggily.

Wait for it.

“What do you me—”

Vitia squealed, and I dipped in the air a few inches at the jarring noise, my ears pinned back trying to shut out the offending sound. She wobbled about and clamped down around my neck, breathing heavily. “Oh-fuck-me-I’m—You’re—” she stammered.

There it was. “Flying?” I asked flatly.

“Yes! That!”

“Pegasi do have wings, y’know. Though t’ be honest, it’s more like fallin’ with style at this point, so don’t get yerself too comfortable back there.” I chuckled and veered downward towards the road. Even gliding was beginning to be a struggle with Vitia now awake and fidgeting about.

“Ah, hey, Vitia? Listen. I hate to be th’ bearer of bad news and such, but this might not be the most comfortable of landings,” I said as we neared the road. My hooves touched down and I yelped as pain coursed through my side. I stumbled forward a few steps, instinctively lifting my injured leg to avoid putting weight on it.

Vitia bounced off my back from the uneven landing, tumbling across the cracked road. She took a deep breath to steady herself as she got to her hooves and dusted her dingy coat off. “That was a shock—I thought you were just some earth pony.”

I took a step and winced. “That was the idea,” I said, slipping my wings back under their sleeves.

“Are you going to be okay? It probably looks worse than it is, but you should still let me check those wounds.”

“With what magic? It’s not like you can pull out the few pellets that hit me.” I gingerly prodded the shredded barding, the trickling blood pooling on my hoof and smearing around. A nagging pain wormed its way down my flank and side. “Anyway, it’s fine. Uncomfortable, painful even, but fine.”

“But you should at least—”

“Stop yer fussin’. It’s fine, alright?” I snapped at her, “I’ll have Doc look at ’em. Though, from where they were shooting they’re lucky the pellets even broke skin.” I looked at my hoof and sighed. “I’m just glad they weren’t using slugs or we’d have been kissin’ the ground instead.”

“Sorry. So, ah…Thanks for—” Vitia coughed and looked at the road. “Thanks for helping me back there.”

“Yeah, well, I owed you. In any case, let’s get to the caravan. It should be an easy forty minute walk to the Crags from here.” I limped ahead on three legs, picking my way across the broken concrete. “It’s a nice cloudless night with plenty of moonlight out, and the ’taur patrols keep things pretty clean around these parts.”

“Crags?” Vitia looked about. “You sure you know where you’re going, Bit Flip? It may be dark out, but this area doesn’t look very rocky.”

Old train cars, busted sky wagons, trailers, bits of old siding, and salvaged construction materials. All of it piled high and lashed together to form a gloriously rusted, craggy mountain built over top a derelict Stable.

“Welcome to the Rusted Crags,” I said, motioning to the gates with an exaggerated hoofwave. “Or as everyone else that isn’t a minotaur calls it, ’that scrap heap run by pompous cows.’”

A pair of minotaurs carrying deadly looking repurposed construction tools peered through the gate at us before inquiring about our business.

“Just returning to my caravan. They should have arrived a while ago. Open up, yeah?” I tapped on the rusted gate. “Or go have one o’ yer guards go find Copper Shard to vouch for his courier.”

Vitia asked in a hushed tone, “You’ve got wings, why don’t we just, y’know…fly over?”

I stared at her a moment, wondering if she were serious or not. “Because I’m just a borin’ ol’ dirt pony,” I intoned gruffly. Hopefully she takes the hint. “And I’m kinda hurtin’ here.”

Irritated, I looked back up at the guard and snapped, “Look, could ya hurry it up a bit? Bleedin’ all over myself here and I’d love t’ see Doc.”

After what seemed an eternity, a couple voices from behind the gate rang out above the construction noises, “Oi, Steel Arm, open up. She’s one of ours.” Great, it’s Altar Words and Felt. Of all the goddess damned ponies, Copper had to send that sadistic fuck and his idiot lout of a brother.

The rusted gate creaked as it was slowly raised, the lone guard hefting it from its slot. He stood there with the gate held above his head and motioned us in. Well, that explains the name. Looks like implants certainly do a body good after all.

Two stallions, a teal unicorn and chartreuse earth pony, greeted us in a sing-song manner with a cockeyed look, “Well, well, well. Look at who finally showed up!”

I scowled at the two as they stepped in to block our path. “Not in the mood for yer shit, Altar. You neither, Felt.”

“‘Not in the mood,’ she says!” Altar leered at us from under his filthy mop of a mane. “Look at what she brought in, Felt. A pretty mare for her bedroll perhaps?”

I shoved my way past them and they followed behind us.

“Ah, hell, Altar, y’know Bit only gets wet fer caps. She’s happier ’an a dash-head snortin’ shit if she’s sleepin’ with a sack o’ caps ’tween her legs. She prolly ain’t never had a proper lay neither, th’ frigid bitch.”

“Check out the pretty little filly in a conduit bondage ring though, I mean if that doesn’t scream kink I don’t know what does.”

“Are you still sore about that night?” I tried to pass off a grin. “We could talk forever ’bout how I won that rigged bet, but it’ll have to wait.”

A sneer crossed Altar’s face. “One of these days, Bit Flip. You’re going to fall and nopony will be around to help you back up. It’s going to cost you everything you have and more just to get back to your hooves.”

I stopped and snapped around to face Altar, nearly crying out as the pain caught up to me. “Empty threats from a sore loser. You think—”

“Excuse me, but you’re injured. You need to be quiet, and you two,” Vitia waved at the two dismissively as she nudged me back around, “You’ll have to come back later if you want to try to bully her around. But for now, go away.”

We continued walking towards Doc’s trailer, the noise of nightly bustle and near-constant grinding of metal mixing together with lewd comments from the two fading in the distance.

“Doc!” I yelled as we entered the converted sky coach, now medical trailer, hobbling over to the table in the center of the room. “Got a couple things I need you t’ look at.”

A bleary eyed russet earth pony stepped out from the back room. “Welcome back, Bit. It’s late, but do come in. Make yourself at home. Oh wait. You already have.” He sighed and looked over at Vitia. “Not seen you around the caravan before. Damn sure I’d remember a pretty face like that. The name’s Lance, though everypony just calls me ’Doc.’”

“Yeah, sorry about the late call but my ass hurts somethin’ fierce.” Pleasantries can wait.

“I thought you didn’t mix business with pleasure?” He grinned at me in the brightly lit room.

“What?” Oh, for the love of Luna. Does nopony besides me think of something other than sex in this blasted desert? I could hear Vitia trying to suppress a giggle off to the side. “Shoulda left you back in that building.”

“But you didn’t.” She smiled.

“Yeah, well…” I flushed, fumbling around with words before giving up. “A-anyway, Doc. As y’can see, I got hit in the rear—”

“Oh, I can plainly see, dear. So who’s the lucky stallion?” Lance said, barely unable to contain his laughter.

I could hear Vitia laughing behind me, Lance soon joining in. “Oh, come on! Injured patient here.” I waved a hoof at my flank. “This shit better not get around the caravan or I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Sorry. Sorry.” Lance said, wiping away tears with a hoof and looking at the wound. “Yes, I can see you’re injured. Looks like you were on the receiving end of a shotgun. From some distance away, too, given the lack of heavy penetration. You’ll be fine.”

Lance poured a single shot glass from a dingy bottle and set it near me. “Take off your barding, drink this, and lay down on the table,” he said with a devious smirk.

I shifted uncomfortably and stared at the ochre liquid. “The hell’s in this, Doc? This looks more like liquefied clay than it does Med-X.”

"No, no Med-X. That all went to an actual paying client earlier. Turns out minotaurs are pretty resistant to the stuff,” Lance explained as he pulled out a pair of precision scare-the-crap-out-of-Bit hoof-tools. They looked more like something used for torture than for medical treatment. “The rest goes for emergencies, and extracting buckshot from your flank doesn't count as such. You’ll have to settle for the Lance Special instead.”

Lance Special? I tugged on one of the straps of my barding, but a spike of pain ran up from my flank and I drew back. I sighed. “Hey Vitia,” I called out to the unicorn, “Can you stop ogling Doc's tools, and lend a hoof?”

“Hm? Oh, yes. Sorry.”

As Vitia began working, loosening ties and pulling free the straps, I looked back over at Lance. “So, what’s in the Lance Special?”

He snorted. “Good stuff. You start with some high quality Moonshine, then add some other stuff. Bit of a healin’ potion for good measure. Now stop bein’ a scaredypony and drink it. You’re going to want it.”

I sniffed at the drink and was nearly knocked to my haunches. The smell of it was overpowering and the vapors made my eyes water. “Oh for the love of—” I took a deep breath and gulped it down as quickly as I could without breathing, or tasting. Or trying to taste, at least.

The glass clattered to the floor, spilling out a few droplets, and I let out a wet, hacking cough. My chest and insides were on fire, it felt like I had swallowed the sun. “You could degrease a—”

“Oh, there are also a few other extracts from various desert unmentionables in there,” Lance laughed. He opened a clear bottle and began pouring it into a basin.

The last of my barding fell to the floor as Vitia pulled the remaining strap loose revealing the thinly padded cloth beneath. “It’ll be fascinating to watch an earth pony perform surgery. I’ve only ever assisted Brightmane—um, another unicorn—when we had to do it.”

The cool air of the clinic was a pleasant contrast to the intense heat pervading my body. The Moonshine dreg worked fast—already I could feel my mind calming, slowing down, and the pain dulling slightly. I couldn’t put weight on my leg yet but it was tolerable.

Lance snorted, running his tools through the sterilizing wash. “Heh, don’t need any fancy magic to cut up ponies, dear. Surgery is surgery, be it interrogation or medicine.” He looked Vitia over. “Assumin’ you didn’t take that coat off a pony’s corpse, I’d wager you were a medic of some kind?”

“Yes, that’s correct. I assisted in Brightmane’s clinic. Um, that’s over in Desert’s Edge.” She shifted a little.

“Well, I’d ask you to assist then, but I don’t want you fumbling around with my tools and puttin’ more holes in Bit here. And you’ve got that magic suppressor on.”

“Do you know a lot about these things?” She tapped the emerald-embedded steel ring anchored to her horn.

“Well, dear, I do know some. However, the only way I know how to get them off isn’t exactly pleasant. Usually involves extreme pain and permanent damage: breakin’ off the horn. We never bothered looking into how to get them off correctly.”

Vitia blanched at the thought. “That’s anything but pleasant!”

Vitia helped pull the thin layer over my head and set it to the side. My head was getting foggy as I walked to the table, and their words were becoming increasingly difficult to hear. They sounded like they were at the far end of the trailer, even though I knew better.

“Um, but Hydra would regrow the horn at least, yes?”

“Oh it would, sure. Can’t guarantee the magic conduit, but the bone itself would grow right back. Not that I would ever recommend taking it. That chem’s full of Taint. One shot’s likely to warp you before long. Surer death than a bullet to the brai—” Lance stopped and looked at the ceiling in thought. “Well no, that’s not true. It would probably even regrow your brain, but you’re not likely to ever be the same.”

Lance turned from the basin, his freakish tools equipped, and walked up to me on the table. “Now everypony needs to quit gabbin’ so I can get to work.” He looked straight into my eyes. “This is going to hurt. A lot.”

It sounded like he was talking from outside. I gingerly rolled on to my side and a strap of leather was placed into my mouth. I heard a distance voice asking me to bite down.

What? Why? He’s just removing some pell—

And then it hit me, the searing pain of a scalpel piercing into exposed flesh and nerves cutting through the fog of inebriation. My mind was blank but for that sensation. Waves of pain arced through my body as damaged flesh was cut away and pellets were extracted.

I screamed into the bit until my voice died and I blacked out.

I felt the damp coolness of a wet cloth on my head and the cold steel of a table on my cheek. A muddled voice called out at me from the darkness.

“Bit.”

Urgh. Deliveries again?

“Bit Flip. You need to get up.”

Maybe if I ignore them I can get today off.

I yelped and shot up as spark of pain flared through my side as a hoof pressed into my flank. I swung a leg wildly in front of me.

Lance stepped back and the pain subsided. “Whoa, whoa…Easy there, Bit. You’re fine—easy does it. Everything’s fine.” He said in a soothing voice before placing two healing potions near me. “We finished stitching everything up and bandaging the area.”

“We?” I slurred a bit, my mouth feeling like it was full of cotton.

“Mhm.” He nodded over to Vitia slumped over in a chair sleeping. “For a dash-head, your girl there is a pretty quick study. You sure you two aren’t together? ’Cause a pretty thing like her would make for a wonderful new assistant.”

I looked over at the sleeping unicorn. “Dash-head? She seemed fine to me, well, not that I’ve known her long.”

“Yep,” Lance said, fishing around in his pockets and pulling out a cigarette. “Can smell it on her. Well, that and she’s pretty twitchy. Got that constant fidget. Probably nothing more than the early stages of addiction, but she’ll want to kick the habit pretty quick.”

“Huh, figured only unicorns could tell addiction like that usin’ their freaky magic.” I picked up one of the potions and swigged it down, sticking my tongue out at the taste. Desert pear. I hate pear. I could feel the magic working its way into my damaged tissue, accelerating the healing process, but my flank itched something terrible under the stitches still.

“Just ’cause you don’t have a horn doesn’t mean you can’t use your senses, dear.” He lit the cigarette and took a long drag. “Take you for instance; you’ve been on mint-als recently. Can see it in your eyes. You’ve got a sort of look about you. Almost like you’ve lost something but don’t quite know what or where it is.”

“Yeah, had to use ’em t’ get out of a pretty rough spot. Some Buck too. Yesterday wasn’t th’ most pleasant of days.”

Lance nodded leaning back on a counter and taking another drag. “Mhm, sure looks like it. Speaking of eyes though, I’m guessing that second thing you wanted me to look at was your eye, yes?”

“Yep. Took a really stupid risk after I left from 144.” I felt my cheeks burn. “Tried to rush through that storm down near MiSAE and ended up catching something heavy in the face. That’s actually how I ended up meeting Vitia there. She didn’t have the ring on then and fixed up my face while I was unconscious.”

“Alright, then. C’mere and let me have a look at it here, real quick.” He fished around a drawer for a spark-light and walked me through various tests.

“Well, how bad is it?”

He let out a short whistle. “Wow, a quick study and talented. She’s a keeper. Either you lucked out again or she did bang up job with it, or hell, probably both knowing you. No lasting damage, pupil dilates well enough, and I’m guessing there are no vision problems or you’d have said something. Aside from the slight color change from the trauma, it looks to be fine.”

I sighed in relief. “Good t’ know. I was afraid she might have done something while I was out.”

“Bit, one of these days you’re going to have to learn to trust in something other than caps,” Lance grinned as he put out his cigarette. “Just think of it as a reminder for the future. Oh, speaking of futures, drink that other potion in about twelve hours. You’ll be right as rain by then with one, but two can’t hurt.”

Vitia stirred in the chair, rubbed at her eyes and yawned. “Sorry, Doc. I just sat down for a moment.”

Lance smiled warmly at her. “Not a problem, dear. You looked exhausted anyway, and besides, Bit and I were just talking.” He yawned and walked towards a back room. “That aside, I don’t know about you two but I’m dead tired. You two go on and scram so I can sleep. Go do, I don’t know, whatever it is two pretty little fillies do in the middle of the night.”

“Drink!” Vitia and I almost shouted in unison.

I looked at her and chuckled. “I know a pretty great place around these parts. Just the thing to wash away the stupid of yesterday. No better place in the desert to meet the coming day; with a drink in hoof and a fire in yer belly.”

“Sounds like a plan then. Anything to get past these last few days,” Vitia nodded.

“Hey, Doc!” I secured my cloth underbarding in place and yelled at the back room. “You don’t mind if I leave my gear here for the night, do you? I’ll come and get it in the mornin’ for repairs.”

Lance poked his head out from behind the curtain and yelled, “Take your shit with you; I’m not your damn maid!”

“Thanks, Doc!” I slipped my wings beneath the sleeves and walked out of the trailer with a wave.

“Um. Bit Flip?” Vitia looked up at the rainbow painted mosaic of a minotaur on his knee with a chalice held to the sky on the building front. “I don’t mean to sound unappreciative or to second guess you, but this place looks like a church.”

“It is. See, ponies have a couple dead goddesses. Used t’ be living deities and that whole thing, I guess.” I looked at the moon hanging in the sky. “Fat lot o’ good that did ’em. The ’taurs though, they’re a weird bunch. They’ve got a religion with, hell, I don’t know how many gods and goddesses. It’s all taken very seriously. I think they make ’em up as they go, honestly.”

“Okay, but that doesn’t explain why we’re walking into a church. I thought we were getting drinks.”

I looked at the wall and laughed. “I see Willow has been busy.” My ears perked up as I caught the sounds of rhythmic bass so deep it shook the dust off nearby rafters and a higher pitched inorganic sound that carried the melody. “Oh! I think we’re just in time for the midnight service.”

“What do you mean, ‘service?’” Vitia shouted over the sudden blast of sound, her large ears pinned back.

I walked towards the door and looked over my shoulder at her, grinning. “Well? Are you ready for some disorganized fun?”

“Bit Flip, you made it!” A coral pink unicorn with a willowy green mane shouted excitedly at me from behind a bar.

“Willo—”

I yelped as a pair of arms wrapped around my midsection from behind and hoisted me into the air while booming to the few minotaurs below. “Ha ha, Bit Flip is here! Everyone hide your caps if you want to keep ’em!”

“Oh-holy-aspect-of-all-that-is-alcohol, let me go!” I squirmed in the air, nearly crying.

“Ghost Ant! You let her go this instant, she’s injured,” Willow yelled over a bass line permeating the building.

I flailed about as a dark turquoise field of magic wrapped around my body and set me upright near the bar.

Willow frowned slightly, covering with a cough before leaning over the counter, nearly shouting to compete with the din. “Hey there, cutie, I see you brought a friend tonight. Heard you were comin’ into town but I didn’t see yo—ooh, sweetie, what happened to your eye?”

I smiled at the barmare and yelled back. “Hey yerself, Willow. I was out runnin’ courier jobs and got caught up in something.” I covered my eye with a hoof. “Had a pretty horrible couple days. Service hasn’t started yet, has it?”

She shook her head. “I see. And not yet, no. We’ve got a bit over an hour before it starts and we open the halls. This,” she waved a hoof around, “Is just to let patrons know service will be starting soon.”

Vitia hoof-tapped my shoulder. “How can you stand this noise?”

“Noise? It’s better than what your DJ plays on the radio at all hours.” The mottled gray minotaur sounded offended as he reached behind the bar and rolled a knob quieting the music to a dull roar. “It’s as much music as the construction sounds around town are. This, little one, is the music of life and energy.”

“Oh lay off her, Ghost Ant. She didn’t mean anythin’ by it; she’s new.” I leaned into his side and looked up at him, smiling, “Nice t’ see you too, by the way.”

Ghost Ant nodded. “You honor me, Maiden,” he added sarcastically.

“Hey now, don’t give me none of that Maiden shit, y’hear me? It’s ‘Honorary Priestess’ and don’t you forget it!” I laughed. “I might’ve had some of Doc’s Special, but that doesn’t mean I can’t drink you under the table again.”

Ghost Ant poked at my side and laughed. “Uh huh. I’d like t’ see you try again, ya scrawny thing.”

“Winning’s winning, Ghost.” I smiled, shrugging.

Vitia looked at me, dumbfounded. “Wait, wait. Maiden? I get it that we’re in a church of some kind, but what’s that about drinking pon—people under the table?”

I nodded. “Yeah, kind of a thing around here apparently. If you can out-drink a Priest of the church you earn the title of Maiden of the Cup.”

Vitia stared at me and sighed. “Huh. Okay, so why Honorary Priestess?”

Willow chimed in, giggling, “Because she drank ol’ Ghost Ant under the table twice in the same night!”

“She cheated.” Ghost Ant crossed his arms and snorted. “The only reason she won last time is ’cause I was already an evening’s worth of whiskey ahead of her.”

“Honestly, I don’t rightly get all of the finer points of it. You’d have t’ ask Willow here for the details, as she’s officially inducted into their church.” I grinned at Vitia. “What I do know is that it gets me free alcohol whenever I want here.”

Vitia laughed and looked at Willow. “So let me see if I have this right. You all worship some minotaur booze god and because Bit out-drank one of your Priests she now gets free booze for life?”

“Technically, Laitis is the minotaur spirit of fermentation, fortune, and fertility. But, yup, that’s the gist of it.” Willow beamed. “We should get you two washed up before service starts. One of the mechanics finally got the spark battery generators working with the water system.”

Clean water and hot showers.

You’d think that a hot shower would be something to avoid in the evening heat, but it’s just so damn relaxing at times, and nopony will ever convince me that minotaurs are stupid brutes—not when they’ve got these little miracles in the desert wasteland.

Even after the bombs dropped, here they are thriving in the desert. All we ponies have managed to do is enslave, murder, and make a further mess of the world. I sighed, rubbing my nose with a wingtip and letting the water run over me, taking my worries with it into the drain.

“Bit?” Willow snapped me with her tail from the stall opening.

“Hey!” I flinched away at the sudden sting, pressing into the side of the shower. I flicked water at her from my wings and grinned. “Sorry, was kinda lost in my thoughts there, what was that?”

“We’ve still a while yet before the halls open so I’ve made us something to eat.” She shook the water from her mane. “Come on out when you’re ready.”

I heard her walk out of the showers as I stepped on the ‘off’ pedal for the water. I shook most of the water off my mane and coat and walked over to the nearby table.

Damn it, Willow. I’m not putting on the church outfit. I frowned and moved the lacy cloth aside, looking for my underbarding, unable to find it. She must have taken it with her.

I stepped into the common room and looked at the two mares. Willow was sitting with her back to the door and Vitia looked at me from off to the side.

A playful grin stretched across my face as I snuck as quietly as possible behind Willow. I stretched my wings out to run a tip along her spine.

“Bit!” Willow jumped from her cushion and spun around. “Oo—h-damn it.” She pouted and sighed as she slid a few caps over to Vitia. “Lace would have looked so good on her too.”

“Payback for earlier.” I stretched my wings and smiled. “Speaking of not-wearing-lace, where’d you put my underbarding?”

Willow pointed to a nearby chair then looked between Vitia and myself. “So, the two of you, are you a thing?”

I sat down and exhaled sharply at the question. “Why does everyone keep assumin’ that? You know my rules; I don’t mix business with pleasure.”

“Oh. Well, I mean, I knew your barn door swung both ways, so I just kinda figured.” She smiled sweetly at Vitia and asked me, “You sure?”

I blushed, throwing my hooves in the air, nearly shouting, “We’re not!”

“Oh! That reminds me,” Vitia chimed in, and I was glad for the sudden topic change. “What was up with those two that greeted us at the gate? One of them really gave off the impression that you snubbed him badly.”

Or not. I felt a frown creep along my face at the reminder as I picked at the cooked cactus pads on my plate. “Ugh. Those two.”

Willow scowled. “Altar Words and Felt, I’m guessing? I’m not sure which one creeps me out the most.”

“Yup, those two.” I shivered. “Altar’s got it out for me pretty bad. He’s a nasty bastard; I’d say I don’t know why Copper hired him on but he has a knack for sniffing deals out of people. The earth pony, Felt, is his brother. Dumb as a rock but does the most amazing repair work.”

I chewed thoughtfully. “Unfortunately he thinks it’s his goddess given right to fuck anything with a hole and tries to do so. Often. But they came as a pair and Altar usually keeps him in check.”

Vitia nodded, chewing on a pad. “So I take it he didn’t exactly react kindly to you rebuffing him.”

“Actually it was Ghost Ant who came to my rescue. He may be the shortest minotaur in the church but damn if he can’t throw a pony out of a building!” I laughed. “That’s actually the night I earned my priesthood.”

“Bit of advice, don’t offer t’ buy a member of the church a drink.” I groaned, remembering that night. “They consider it a challenge. Worst. Hangover. Ever.”

Willow giggled and chimed in, “Altar actually has it out for Bit because of me. He was pretty new to the caravan at the time and didn’t know about Bit’s freaky luck.”

“It’s not freaky! It gets me in trouble more often than not,” I coughed.

She continued, “I guess he wanted to impress me with something, and there was patron in here with some strange music he picked up wandering.” She floated up a nearby glass and took a sip. “Bit had come in looking for a drink shortly after and by the time I had finished telling Altar about it, she had already bartered for the records.”

“Anyway, I was usin’ some silly half-busted laser rifles at the time and I guess he saw something I couldn’t ’cause he wanted ’em real fierce. The only interesting thing he had were those records.”

“Then she traded them for drinks. Can you believe it? Drinks.” Willow laughed, floating the plates to a nearby bin. “Turns out the music was popular enough to eventually start attracting more patrons, at least.”

Vitia tilted her head to the side. “Wait, so this place, is it a church or a bar?”

“Yes. It’s also a brothel and gambling hall this time of night. We try to serve the three ‘Fs’ of the wasteland here. It’s about all there is to relax out there,” she continued, adopting a sultry tone, “So maybe I’ll show you some time.”

Willow got up from the table and looked at a nearby terminal. “Alright, I should probably go get ready for prayer. You two don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

I finished my drink and looked at Vitia, catching her staring at Willow as the coral unicorn sashayed out of the room, her hips swaying with each step, showing generous flank along the lace of the church's outfit. Willow glanced back briefly as she rounded the corner and swished her tail to the side, then disappeared from the room with a devious grin.

Vitia saw me watching her stare and squeaked, turning a deep crimson. “Sorry! She’s-your-friend-I-shouldn’t!” she sputtered out all at once.

“No, it’s fine. We aren’t together.” I laughed lightly. “We tried once, but between the caravan an’ me constantly getting myself into, ah, well you already know. Anyway, we’re just good friends.”

Vitia quickly tossed back the rest of her drink, trying to regain composure. “So that ‘freaky luck’ of yours,” she looked down at my flank, “I’m guessing it has something to do with your cutie mark?”

“Mhm.” I ran a hoof down my tarnished silver and gold cutie mark. “I don’t have half the skill the other traders in the caravan possess. Things just have a way of working out for me.” A sad smile edged out the corner of my mouth. “For better or worse.”

“I’m not quite sure I understand.” she looked at her own cutie mark. “I mean, mine is a blue droplet. My talent is filtering impurities from small amounts of water. Blood, parasites, dirt, even most radiation if given time. What does your cutie mark have to do with skill or luck?”

“Most traders are able to trade around junk for caps.” I downed my drink before continuing. “They’ll find a pile of worth in any wanderer’s pack and just as often sell them something they don’t need.”

“Sure, that’s the basics of trading. Even I’ve dealt with caravanners before.”

“I don’t have a head for value that the others have so I see worth in the things that nopony else will. I once traded for a malfunctioning Protectapony with a silly drawl from a passing traveler we met.” I nibbled on a feather tip and smiled sadly. “Heard a few days later on the radio that one of the gangs local to the area trashed a nearby town after accusin’ them of stealin’ their bot.”

Vitia stared at me. “You can’t possibly hold yourself responsible for that. You couldn’t have known.”

“Well, no. Not so much, but it still weighs on me that I played a small part in it, even indirectly,” I sighed. “The thing with Altar, though. He was pretty upset after that night and set up a game with loaded dice in his favor.”

A rhythmic bass line from the halls interrupted my explanation, the melody drifting through the room as the air vibrated.

“Well,” I said, walking over to my underbarding, frowning at the dirty cloth. “It’s easiest t’ just take my cutie mark an’ think of it literally. Heads, I win. Tails, I lose. Often both, ’cause there is no middle ground.” I laughed, securing the cloth in place. “Even I don’t fully understand it, and I’m the one that has it. But hey, depressing topics aside, it sounds like service is starting.”

“I…see. Well, if you say so, I guess. Sounds pretty complicated,” Vitia said as she walked back toward the showers.

“Hey, where you goin’? The alcohol is this way.” I slid my wings back under their sleeves. Well, the wing-stretch was nice while it lasted.

“Oh. Yeah, be right there,” she called from the back.

I stood at the hallway door as Vitia trotted happily from the showers. “Yer seriously not going to go out like that?”

“It’s…cute. Don’t you think? And you saw the way she looked in it.” She fidgeted in the lace outfit. “Um, sorry. I mean, it’s better than wearing the same dirty clothes I have been for a while.”

“You’re not even a member of the church!”

“I don’t think anypony’ll mind.”

We stepped out into the now crowded upper floor. Ponies, minotaurs, and a handful of griffins hovered around the bar ordering drinks, some straying downstairs to the gambling den. The loud music used by the church to signal opening to the masses was replaced by the chaotic sounds of shouts and various chatter from the patrons.

I tried to squeeze between a couple earth ponies with wrench shaped cutie marks at the bar. “Hey, mind scootin’ over so I can ord—”

“Scram, we were here first. Ye shouldn’t have been late!” He pushed me back out from between them and I landed on my rump.

Ghost Ant leaned over me from behind and frowned. “It would seem your friend has taken a liking to the uniform, Bit Flip. You should try one.”

I looked up at the minotaur. “You know I don’t like wearing those sorts of things, Ghost. It, um—” I paused, searching for the right words. “Brings the wrong kind of attention?”

“Depends on your definition of wrong, little one.” He glared down at me and pointed off to the side of the bar. “Is that not the idea?”

I looked over to where Ghost pointed as two minotaurs shuffled off to the side to let Vitia in between them. Willow leaned on the counter talking to her.

“Oh, now that’s just not fair.”

“You know the rules: if you’re not in uniform nobody has to listen to you.” Ghost Ant smiled and let out a slow chuckle. “But, Willow seems happier than usual tonight, so I’ll make an exception just this once.”

Ghost Ant stalked over to the bar and forcibly shuffled a half row of ponies to the left. Everyone at the bar stared at the tiny minotaur as he freed a seat for me next to the offending earth pony.

“Priestess.” Ghost Ant motioned to the stool with a smirk.

I sat down and winked at the barstallion, a grin spreading across my face. “O’, Laitis,” I held up my hooves in mock-prayer, “If only a kind patron of yer fine church would buy a poor Priestess a drink. It’s hard work getting thrown around and I’m mighty thirsty.”

The azure coated engineer pony paled as he realized his previous faux pas. “I-Oh, I didn’t—I’m so sorry.” He sputtered into his shot glass, half spilling it and panicked at committing another blunder.

The imposing creamy-tan barstallion in black church garb leaned across the counter and shouted over the rhythmic bass, “I believe this fine young stallion just issued a drinking challenge!” He clinked sets of shot glasses in a row on the bar counter.

The bar patrons erupted in various cheers.

“What?” The engineer screeched, almost tumbling out of his seat, “I did no su—”

The barstallion banged another set of shot glasses on the table while glaring at the pony menacingly. “Yes, you did.”

“Now, now. No need to be that way, Bush Whacker.” I smiled and looked at the terrified pony. “So, what’s yer name?”

“T-Torque Spanner.” He eyed the crowd nervously. “I work with the mechanics, Priestess.”

“Oh, do lighten up! These titles can be so stiff sometimes, the name’s Bit Flip. Besides, I’m more of an honorary priestess than anythin’.” I looked at the pile of gambling chips near him. “I do apologize for the way the church is actin’ about this.” I leaned closer to him, lightly brushing the tip of my tail along the inside of his flank and cooed, “Say, what d’ya think we make this a little more interesting?”

Torque let out a shrill yelp, blushing at the touch and fidgeted in his seat. “I’m—I’m not sure I follow.”

“Well,” I began, moving five shot glasses in front of me, “I’ll give you a five shot handicap in exchange for that pile of chips yer hoardin’ there. I’ll even pay for the drinks and let you choose the alcohol!” I grinned at him. “Not a bad deal, right?”

He looked at the pile and closed his eyes in thought. The music played in the background punctuated by the cheers of a drunken crowd. “Alright then,” he said after a moment, sounding calmer, “It’s a deal. Judging by your size you probably can’t hold many more than that.”

“We’ll see,” I giggled. “Well, pick yer poison.”

Torque looked at the glasses, “Black Pony Whiskey sounds appropriate.”

“My favorite drink! How did you know?” I swooned in my seat as the Bush Whacker began pouring.

A rosy-faced pony at the end of the bar jeered, “Ev’ry drink ish yer favorite drink!” The bar crowd erupted in rowdy laughter once more.

“Well, that is certainly true!” I laughed along with the crowd, pulling the first shot to me and tossing it back savoring the rich, spicy flavor before finishing the other four in rapid succession.

Torque slid his pile of chips in front of me as he stared in disbelief.

I leaned in close again and whispered, “We both come out on top this way.” Winking at him, I made an exaggerated sweeping hoofwave to the crowd and shouted in a sing-song manner, “Drink until y’can’t drink no more!”

One set of shots came shortly after the next. The roar of cheers from the throng behind me increased as I downed the second set. Torque tried his best to keep up but sloshed over in the middle of the third round and heaved up something nasty.

I looked down at the unconscious pony splayed across bar counter after making a mess of himself and leaned back in my seat, wobbling as the alcohol robbed me of my balance. Bush Whacker gave me a look of dissatisfaction before walking off to fetch a mop.

In hindsight, perhaps drinking a fourth of a bottle of Black Pony by myself wasn’t the best idea. My eyes wandered over to the large pile of chips in front of me.

No, it was the greatest idea. I hummed along to the familiar tune playing overhead and smiled, wobbling my way carefully down the steps to the gambling pit.

Time to indulge in my habits a little.

Ow. Sweet Luna, just how much did I drink last night? I lay there with my eyes closed, trying to shut out the piercing light, my head dangling in the early afternoon air.

“Hey! Princess Whiskey!” A familiar voice called out to me.

I worked open my eyes, and it dawned on me that I was hanging upside down. I jolted up, a metal bar pinging off something on my forehead.

“What are you doing? Get that bottle off your head and come down here. Copper Shard wants to talk to you. Now.” The splotchy caramel and tan unicorn was nearly shouting at me from the balcony.

I tilted my head to look at Pay Day. “Oh, hey there, Pay. Be right—” I struggled with my underbarding and tried to roll over. The metal chandelier caught on the cloth; it had somehow gotten twisted during the night. “—Gah!”

I hung there suspended in mid-air from my barding and grinned sheepishly, my legs curled up under me. “Little help here?”

“Yer so helpless sometimes, Bit.” Pay Day sighed, wrapping her yellow magic field around my body and set me down near her, but not before roughly twisting the bottle off my head.

“Ow! Hey!” I yelped, rubbing my forehead with a hoof, the world wobbled slightly and I felt my stomach do a little flip. “Urgh…Definitely shouldn’t have done so many shots last night.”

I straightened out my underbarding and slid my wings back under it. “Okay, ready to go.”

We picked our way out across the scrap lined streets heading towards the outskirts near the gates. The caravan guards greeted us as we neared the first trailer.

I smiled and waved a hoof at Applesauce. The old stallion was preparing the day’s rations. A sad sort of smile crossed his lips as he waved back.

We passed by the bunks on our way towards the lead trailer. I may not be the most perceptive pony in the Wasteland, but even I could tell something was off. Far fewer traders than normal were scurrying about securing deals; the ones that made eye contact as I walked by quickly broke off and disappeared.

Near the front of Copper’s trailer, I saw two heavily armed Carmine Convoy guards waiting outside the door in official CCC barding, their polished armor and quality armaments clearly signaling an important Company representative was at the caravan.

“Pay, what’s going on here?” I nudged her side. “Why is there a rep from the main company here?”

She looked at me and shook her head, motioning me into the trailer.

I stepped inside, and another guard inside closed the door behind me.

Copper Shard and Lance were standing off to the side, uncomfortably stoic. A stiff looking unicorn stallion I did not recognize in glasses and a tattered business suit was sitting in Copper’s chair. He got to his hooves as I entered.

“Bit Flip, ah—” He stopped and floated papers in front of his eyes, “—Rather, Route Walker, I presume?”

I recalled signing into Old Fort Celestia’s visitor log using the caravan’s courier name. Oh hell, this is about that night.

My body tensed up and I felt my breath catch as my heart skipped a beat. I wanted to run away, to hide. Anything. Even diving head first into the nearest sand dune would suffice.

No. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before exhaling, steeling myself as I pushed those thoughts aside. This is not how you were taught. I nodded.

The unicorn looked me over and began, “Oh good, it’s always nice working with a professional. I’ll cut straight to the chase then and not bother with the runaround.” He flipped a page and looked at it. “We’ve received reports about two pieces of stolen property from the Wing Haven Medical Corps, specifically from the branch based out of Old Fort Celestia.”

I nodded again as he flipped a page and continued, “The items in question are an undelivered parcel and—” he looked at the page again, “—A unicorn they…acquired. Luckily, they only want the parcel back.”

Copper Shard spoke up, “I brought Lance into this meeting because you left yer barding and packs with him, Bit Flip. However, we were unable to find the package you left with.” He lowered his voice and looked straight at me, “He has no recollection of any items of worth on you when you received medical treatment, which leaves me to ask: Where is the package?”

I stole a quick look at Lance. He stared back, his posture relaxed and a small grin graced his lips for the briefest of moments.

“My barding was damaged when the guards opened fire during our escape, if you look on the right side one of the packs is torn. The parcel dropped somewhere over Devil’s Canyon, I figure.”

“I see,” the representative began. “Well, Company law requires that we give you your options so here’s how this is going to play out.” He sighed. “Option one: you somehow procure the package before midnight. The package shall be handed over to the nearest WHMC facility and we shall do our best to shield you from them should they decide to seek retribution.”

“An’ the second option?” I asked, staring at the unicorn.

“We cut you loose after midnight. You are afforded no immunities from them, and no protections against any bounties placed against you in our centers.” He pushed his glasses back up on his muzzle with a hoof, “Essentially, you become fair game should they choose to exercise that right.”

“I…see. Well in that case, I’ll need a bit of time to think things over.”

“Atta-girl.” The suited pony made for the door. “Oh, one more thing before I take my leave. Regardless of whichever option you decide to pursue, your contract with your caravan, and by extension, the Company is now void. However, out of respect for your hard work and everything you’ve done with Copper Shard’s caravan we will not revoke your Token until midnight.”

Revoked!? I wanted to buck his head clean off his thin little neck. It took every ounce of willpower I could muster to not scream in frustration at the unicorn. To somehow explain the situation. To get him to change his mind.

Rules are rules, and business is business. It’s nothing personal, the little pony in my head reminded me. I wanted to drop a building on her.

“Well, I appreciate the gesture all th’ same.”

“Mhm. In any case, you understand though that after that our hooves are tied. You have effectively become parvum equum non grata as the old Equestrian legal saying used to go.” The business unicorn left with the guards trailing closely behind.

My knees gave out and Copper Shard bucked the side of a drawer, scattering its contents across the floor.

“Well, it looks like I’m done here.” Lance walked to the door and sighed. “I’ll be in the medical coach. Come get your gear when you’re ready, Bit.”

“Damn it, Bit!” Copper yelled in frustration. “What have you gone and gotten yourself into?”

“I—I couldn’t just leave her there.” I looked at the ceiling, “I owed her a favor and they were treating her so poorly. I ended up using the package as leverage so they wouldn’t shoot us,” I explained, recounting the past couple days to Copper.

Copper sighed, saying his little prayer, “It’s fine. We’re fine. Everything is just fine.” He walked over and set the drawer upright.

“I’ll fix this somehow.” I pushed myself to my hooves.

“No, for now I need you to make yourself scarce, okay, Bit? We’ll figure something out, but I need to talk to Pay Day. Let her know I need to see her.”

I walked out of Copper’s trailer, where Pay was waiting at the steps. “Hey, Pay.”

She walked over and threw her arms around me, “I’m sorry, Bit.”

“Yeah, me too, Pay.” I hugged her back. “Copper wants to see you. I’m headed to the church; he wants me to lay low for a while.”

I turned off the path and walked towards Lance’s medical coach. I should go apologize to him.

Lance was outside his sky-wagon-turned-medical-coach sitting on a chair with my barding and guns. More importantly, he also had the package set next to him.

I waved as I approached. “Hey, Doc. Look, I’m sorr—”

“Don’t. I’m just repaying a favor from a long time ago.” He stood up and slid the package into the repaired pack. “I’d tell you the story of how your pop saved my skin and let me in the caravan, but we don’t really have a whole lot of time for that. Shame, too, ’cause it’s pretty damn funny.”

“Well, thank you Lance. I appreciate it.” I smiled at the frowning doctor.

“The day ain’t over yet, dear.” He helped me strap into my barding. “I had Felt repair your gear.”

“And he agreed? Just like that?” I looked at him skeptically.

“Well, let’s just say he was none too pleased about it and leave it at that.”

“I guess I should go then. Thanks again, Doc. For everything.” I turned to walk off with a wave.

“Yup.”

I slowly picked my way away from the outskirts of the Crags towards Laitis’ Church. Various traders looked out at me from the side lanes, with scornful glares that would once have been beaming smiles.

I know what I did, alright? It was the right thing to do.

Doesn’t make it any less wrong, the little pony in my head said back.

I slumped down in a bar stool, the late afternoon sun streaming in through the windows. In the background, I could hear Willow trotting about the work area prepping for the evening’s upcoming work.

I felt a pair of arms wrap around me from behind.

Willow placed her head against mine. “What’s the matter, sweetie? You look like ya lost something. Best friend? No, that can’t be it, I’m right here.” She gave me a little squeeze. “Fillyfriend then, perhaps? Maybe a colt-toy?”

“I…am, now. Lost, that is.” I frowned and kicked the bar in frustration. “They’re voiding my contracts tonight and I’m losing my Token. I’ll probably even have t’ end up leaving the caravan. All because I tried t’ help somepony.”

“I’m guessing this has to do with Vitia? Sometimes the wrong thing to do is very much the right thing, Bit. I know you better than most, hell, probably even better than Ol’ Copper.” Willow took a seat next to me, and touched her hoof gently to mine. “You care. Less than some, but definitely more than most. You care and that’s what matters.”

“I know, Willow. Thanks.” I smiled at the pink unicorn. “Speaking of Vitia, where is she? I figured she’d be hanging around here. She seems t’ have taken a liking t’ you, y’know.”

Willow grinned and giggled, “Oh, I know, Bit. She still owes me two—” she paused a moment and looked off in space, “—No, wait, three again. I haven’t seen her either though.” Her tone became slightly dour, “She went off to explore and gotten herself disappeared somewhere, and she’s late.”

“Owes you? Wait, already?” I grinned, nudging her. “That’s a new record, I think.”

Willow smirked back at me, “I think so. Well, certainly faster than you and I at least.”

A few early patrons walked in from the hall. They were chattering loudly, having a lively conversation about some guards trotting a unicorn in chains and collar off.

A sinking feeling in my gut hit me as I heard them. I jumped off my stool and trotted over to the group. “Hey, what was that about a unicorn in chains?”

“Oh, yeah. Couple-a fancy lookin’ guards and some unicorn in an ugly suit were leading a pretty little thing in chains towards the outskirts.”

I felt my skin crawl. “The one in chains, did she have a ring-looking thing on her horn?”

“And big ears,” he laughed. "How’d you know?”

Ah, ponyfeathers. I shouted back at Willow, “I gotta run! Need to take care of something!”

Willow shot me a funny look as I galloped from the church.

I dashed down the scrap littered streets, kicking up bits of rock and dirt. I hope I’m not too late! I rounded the corner to the outskirts moments later and galloped past the guard. Pleasantries could wait.

There she was.

Vitia looked at me with a tear-stained face as I rounded the trailer. She was chained and had an explosive collar fitted around her neck. The hoof-chains looked like they were entirely too small and bit into her legs.

Shit. This is my fault. I turned around and heard her sob. I’m sorry, Vitia. I don’t have time to explain. I galloped away,bee lining for Copper’s trailer.

I shoved opened the door to Copper’s trailer and clambered in. Pay and Copper looked at me in shock.

“Copper! What’s going on? Why is Vitia back here and in those?”

Copper shook his head, “Well, it seems the Company is wanting to sell her off to recoup lost fees. And probably to pay off the WHMC to smooth things over to keep their business.”

I nearly screamed, “What!? And you’re letting them?”

“I don’t really have a say in the matter, Bit.”

I could feel my face burning up. “Fine! What’s the going rate for a pony’s life by Company standard?”

“Actually, we were just talking about that.” Pay sighed, “Currently, the going rate on personal, non-labor slaves is about fifteen thousand caps per head for a healthy, working adult.”

Shit. I only had three thousand caps in liquid assets from gambling. Not even remotely enough. Fuck, fuck…Think, Bit.

Pay looked at me and guessed, “You’ve also got your caravan seat fee. You’re still technically a member of the Company for today and can sell it back to Copper for half the going rate.” She looked at the ceiling for a moment in thought. “Which would be about four thousand caps.”

Copper looked at me. “It’s still not enough, and hardly worth you losing your caravan seat fee over some filly you just met. Not to mention they plan on selling her for twice that just to recoup costs.”

I glared at him. “They won’t have a need to if I give them the package back.”

“You’d lose any leverage you had for getting your contract back. Is that what you truly want?” He stared back at me, a hard edge to his eyes and clenched jaw.

“I’ll be damned if I let her, or Willow, suffer from my stupid choice. This is my all fault and I have to fix it.” I sighed. “I’ll owe you a favor of your choice if you make up the difference, Copper.”

He snorted. “Hardly worth its weight in ca—”

“You’re right,” I snapped. Then, with a calmer tone, "It’s worth its weight in clean water and you know it.”

Copper smiled at me, and his glare softened. “You’ve always brokered the strange deals, Bit. I could see it in your eyes when you were just a wee filly gettin’ her cutie mark and I can see it them now.”

He walked to the door and opened it. “Fine, I will pay off the difference in caps and in return you will keep to your promise when I come calling.”

“Stay alive out there until then, Bit,” he called out from behind as Pay and I walked towards the Company rep’s wagon. “Because I will come calling for it.”

Pay trotted ahead and turned to me, staring at me with those amber eyes. “You don’t have to do this, you know that, right, Bit? We can find another way around this.”

I looked back into her eyes. “For once, I’m not going to just stand here and watch as the consequences take over.”

Willow would never forgive me either and I couldn’t do that to her.

“It’s a bad deal no matter how you cut it,” she sighed. “But if this is what you want.”

“I know, Pay.” I nudged her as we walked. “I’m sorry.”

We finished walking to the wagon in silence.

I looked at Vitia sitting there, a right mess. Tears had mixed in with the dust and grime of the city, soaking into and matting her fur.

She looked up at me, “I—I thought you had left.” She said between sniffles. “I couldn’t call you back, not like last time.”

“I couldn’t leave you like this. Nopony deserves this, Vitia. I’m sorry.” I laughed nervously, “Besides, Willow would kill me. Apparently, you still owe her several somethings.”

Vitia squeaked and stammered out something unintelligible. She raised her head after a moment, her flushed and tear-wet face beaming with a wide grin.

The rest of the deal was brokered by Pay, acting as a neutral representative. The entire proceeding was kept very matter-of-fact, and the dullness of it kept me on edge. But by the end, as far as the Company was concerned, Vitia was now my property.

The guards unshackled Vitia and removed her collar as I slid the missing parcel and caps across the table to the Company unicorn. I thanked Pay for her help and said my goodbye with a gentle hug.

Vitia and I walked off towards the church, my Token sitting atop the rep’s table.

Willow greeted Vitia with a long, intimate embrace, then nearly galloped over to me, damn near bowling me over, smothering me in hugs and squeezes for bringing the grimy unicorn back safely.

“I just want to get some sleep tonight,” I said up to her from the ground. I pulled myself up, gave them a weak smile, and began walking off. “It’s been a pretty horrible day.”

Willow usually gave me a place to rest in her room when we were in town, but it hardly felt appropriate now. I continued on down the hallway towards one of the other spare rooms.

I undid the straps on my barding and set it aside, only now noticing the extra weight. I guess I was too busy with all the rush going on. I pulled out various farewell items from caravanners.

Lance had left a few extra healing potions and a small jar of his special brew.

Pay Day had given me a small sack of caps. That girl never parts with money.

Applesauce had packed his special lunch again.

Even Parcel Post left something. It was a pin she traded for a few years back.

I pulled out the final item. It was a note wrapped around a two-headed pre-war bit. On each side was stamped a stylized alicorn, one silhouetted against the sun, and another a crescent moon.

—

The caravan will probably be gone by the time you read through this. We’re setting off a bit earlier than usual this schedule. But I wanted to let you know in case we don’t properly get to say our goodbyes.

I’m sorry to have to see you off like this, but I’ve never been the most fatherly since your mother passed. She would have wanted you to keep this.

It’s not pleasant going separate ways. Especially when it’s family in both blood and bond.

Stay safe, my little Bit Flip.

Copper Shard

—

I looked at myself in the mirror. My steel-blue mane and evergreen coat were a mess, slick with sweat from the evening heat. The gravity of my situation finally settled in on me. It felt as if I were being crushed under the weight of the Crags itself.

I lost my home and my family.

For the first time since I lost my mother, I cried.

I crumbled to the rough floor and broke down.

——

Party Status:

Bit Flip: Generally healthy. Moderate blood alcohol level. Very minor contusions. Stress levels elevated. Emotionally unstable.

Level Up (12)

Perk: Long Haul

You have learned to pack mountains of gear for the long haul. Being over-encumbered no longer prevents you from traveling at an optimal pace.

Vitia: Generally healthy. Hormone levels highly elevated. Blood alcohol level low. Magic suppressed. Minor symptoms of Dash addiction.

Level Up (11)

Quest Perk: Kitchen-sink Surgery

You’ve learned how to use do medicine the earth pony way. You receive a medicine bonus of +5 when equipped with precision hoof-tools.

Notable Possessions:

750 Caps

Pre-war Keepsake Coin

Vitia