Chapter 4: A Warm Reception

Chapter 4: A Warm Reception

“Well, well, well. It seems we have some ‘neigh-sayers’ in the audience.”

*****

“Mother!”

They gray colt could barely hear his own voice over the wind as he stumbled into the clearing. The sky was stormy and overcast, a steady gale rattling the piecemeal shutters against the windows of the ring of shanty-like hovels he called home. The dark shadow of Everfree loomed bitterly behind him, branches bared like talons toward their lost prize.

“Mother—ghack!”

The colt’s cry erupted into a wet cough, his body convulsing as he began to hack out thick strands of blood. He fell to the ground.

It hurt. Oh Celestia, it hurt. His lungs were on fire, the simple act of breathing only adding fuel to the flame.

A lantern suddenly flared to life inside the nearest shack, the sound of hooves clattering from within. With blurry eyes, the colt watched as the front door swung open on rusty hinges, flooding his twitching body in a rectangle of yellow light. The silhouette of a distressingly slender mare—her pale blue coat barely discernible in the dim light—cast a shadow from inside the frame.

“Happy!”

The mare’s weak voice cracked with emotion as she ran forward, hooves scrambling on the hard packed earth. Scooping the gray colt into her forelegs, she swung her head in the direction of the other shanties. Her darker, braided blue mane whipped over her shoulders as she cried out.

“Help! Doc. Doc! Help him! Help him!”

The mare ran a frantic hoof up and down the colt’s side as the lights inside the other shacks flared to life. Her voice wavered weakly as she tried to comfort him.

“It’s okay, Happy. You’re going to be okay. Mother’s here. Just breathe! Doc will fix you right up.”

She craned her neck a second time.

“Doc! Doc! Anypony! He needs help!”

A second door burst open a moment later, followed by a third and fourth in quick succession. Other dark, blurry figures began to fill the colt’s vision, quickly coalescing into a mass of panicky looking hooves and faces in front of his own.

Head swimming with pain and confusion, the colt buried his face into his mother’s neck. Her skin was flushed, warm, and he could feel the vibrations of her voice as she continued to call out for help. Finally, another voice—older and more masculine—broke the chatter that had risen up around him.

“Get him inside. Quickly! We haven’t much time.”

The colt was vaguely aware of being carried as his mother rushed him into one of the open hovels. Lights danced before his eyes, blinding him and gripping his stomach with nausea. He clutched his forelegs around his mother more tightly.

“Fleet Hoof! Clear the table. No! Not there! Here! Fetch the trauma kit. I’ll put him down.”

The colt let out a sharp gasp as he was torn from his mother’s embrace by a strong pair of hooves. Struggling against his captor’s grasp, he tried to cry out, but the effort only managed to increase the intensity of his coughing.

“Don’t struggle, lad!” the older stallion’s voice responded. Its source was still indiscernible amid the sea of swimming lights. “Stay still!”

His words rang in the colt’s ears, causing him to kick more forcefully. Vague whispers began to echo at the back of his mind as a single, quiet voice wormed its way into his consciousness.

Kill it.

A strange sensation began to flood over the colt as he writhed on the table. An unbearable heat had flared to life in his chest, fueling his rising panic and anger. Popping and snapping noises began to fill the air around him as his small form began to twist and bulge on its own accord.

“What in the name of Celestia—Fleet Hoof! 50cc's of Acepromazine. Now!”

The commotion was almost lost on the colt’s ears as he continued to thrash, the ends of his muzzle and hooves beginning to prickle uncomfortably.

Suddenly, another hoof brushed against his own, stroking it lightly. The colt stopped and rolled to his side, his eyes meeting the gaze of his mother standing beside him.

Cooing gently, she raised her hoof to his forehead.

“Don’t worry, little one. It’s alright. Mother’s here.”

Her eyes stared tenderly into his, their green irises glinting in the lantern light. Her face was weary, eyelids lined with tired creases of a mare beyond her years, but, despite it all, she smiled at him with undeniable, loving warmth.

The rising of the colt’s chest began to slow, the sudden heat receding back into his chest. His breathing had begun to steady. Lifting a hoof in her direction, he did his best to choke out a reply.

“M-m-mother.”

Her smile grew wider at the word, happy tears winding their way down her face from the corner of her eye. Raising her own hoof, she placed it gently back against his.

“That’s it, Happy. Just breathe. You’re safe now.”

The colt nodded and let out a breath, allowing his body to relax fully.

Without warning, a sharp pain erupted in his left shoulder. Whipping his head around, the colt glanced at the giant needle protruding from his flesh. Immediately, his muscles began to slacken and he slumped backwards onto the table.

He heard his mother begin to shout.

“Doc! What are you doing!?! Get that out of him!”

The voice of the old stallion spoke up once more, this time matched with a face as the colt watched him activate the injector with the golden aura of his magic. He recognized the brown unicorn now, Doc Fleet, his thick black rimmed glasses peeking out from beneath his bushy gray eyebrows and moustache. He adjusted his faded, off-white lab coat as his gaze met the colt’s mother’s.

“Lily, we need to sedate him! Did you see what he started to do?”

The shouting voices continued to fire back and forth, but were soon lost to the colt’s ears as the room began to spin around him. The sedatives worked their magic quickly, coursing through his veins like liquid sleep. Closing his eyes, the colt gave into the sensation, falling away into a dark and dreamless slumber.

*****

Happy's eyes remained fixed on the yellow hoof hovering in front of his face. Lifting his own hoof with scientific intensity, he prodded at it a few times, testing for resistance.

The mare simply stared back at him, a confused look once again working its way into her features.

Settling back onto his haunches, Happy scratched his head in thought.

Ding!

Flashing a wide smile in the unicorn’s direction, Happy leaned forward, booping his nose against her outstretched hoof. He giggled at the sensation.

The confidence in the mare’s face quickly returned as she pulled her hoof away, returning Happy’s smile.

“You’re a little strange, aren’t you?”

Happy replied with an eager nod. The beautiful yellow she-pony was talking to him!

Her grin rose up another notch.

“I thought so.”

Taking a few steps forward, the mare shifted herself to better meet Happy’s gaze. She spoke slowly, keeping eye contact with him as she stressed the syllables of each word.

“What...is...your...name?”

Happy arched an eyebrow. There was no air of superiority in her voice. No condescending or mocking undertones like the ones Happy was used to hearing when his clanmates spoke to him. It was…puzzling.

The buck tilted his head, casting a perplexed look at the unicorn as he tried to understand.

She held his gaze, crouching down on her front hooves to meet him at his level. Her braided mane fell over her shoulder as she leaned in close.

“Name. What is your name?”

Happy’s eyes began to shift back and forth uncomfortably as she neared.

The words…they just…he couldn’t—

The buck let out an unexpected sigh of relief as the mare’s hoof tapped against his chest, melting away the sudden rush of anxiety. Gently, her voice like silk to his ears, she pressed against his torso.

“Name.”

Happy watched as she brought her hoof back, resting it against herself.

“Serenity.”

Stretching forward, she tapped Happy’s chest again. This time she said nothing, simply holding her hoof there for a moment before motioning to herself a once more.

“Serenity."

Happy stared at her intently, his eyes locked on her movements. Rusty, unused gears in his mind slowly crawled into motion as they began to exert themselves for the first time in years.

He sat in silence for a time, brow furrowed in concentration. After a few moments, he lifted a hoof of his own, placing it against hers.

“Ser—Serenity.”

He pulled his hoof back, and tapped it against his chest.

“Happy.”

Serenity gave a small nod in his direction, another smile breaking over her face.

“Pleased to meet you, Happy.”

Happy returned her look with a triumphant grin. He was such a smart pony.

Chuckling, Serenity pushed herself up onto her hooves and turned toward the broken wall. She paused in thought for a moment, glancing back and forth between Happy and some point in the distance. Her hooves tapped the ground as she mulled the idea over.

Seeming to come to a decision, she nodded her horn in Happy’s direction.

“Happy...would you like to come with me?”

Her voice was gentle—motherly almost.

Happy nodded eagerly, surprised at his own ability to understand Serenity’s words. There was just something about her presence that made him feel…clear.

He waved away the thought.

Eh, too much thinking. He’d figure it out later.

Rising to his hooves, Happy giggled and trotted to her side.

***

“Let’s stop for a lunch break, Happy. We’ve still got a few miles until we hit the settlement.”

Halting mid-bounce, Happy swiveled toward the sound of Serenity’s voice. Stop. Lunch. He knew what those words meant.

Happy bobbed his head up and down in approval. He was still pretty hungry. They had been hiking their way across the desert wastes for most of the morning as it was, Happy himself scrabbling to explore every rock and tumbleweed as they moved along. It was all just so new and exciting! He’d never been this far away from home home before!

Well, not that he could remember at least.

Turning on hoof, Happy trotted over and plopped down at Serenity’s side with an expectant grin. The unicorn had already begun to root through her vest pockets with her magic, its red aura shifting things around as she bit her tongue in concentration.

Happy simply watched, amazed. Granted, he’d seen magic used before—Rowdy liked to stack small rocks when she was bored—but the ease with which Serenity rummaged through her inventory was mesmerizing.

“Aha!”

Serenity flashed the buck a grin as she drew a couple of small items into the open—two blue, plasticy-looking rectangles with strange yellow markings printed along their sides.

Meeting Happy’s eyes, Serenity levitated one of the rectangles in his direction.

“Eat up. Looks like you could use a little more meat on those bones.”

Eyebrow raised, Happy reached out with a hoof and grabbed ahold of the rectangle. He studied it for a moment.

Lunch?

He looked back up at Serenity. She smiled cheerfully in his direction, watching him with those eyes of hers.

Happy glanced back down at the strange object in his hoof. It was a present. From her. He couldn’t just not eat it.

He looked back at Serenity.

She was still watching him, a shade of curiosity creeping in over her features.

Happy sighed. Returning her smile with an awkward one of his own, he closed his eyes and promptly shoved the blue rectangle in his mouth.

Yuck…plastic. He did his best to hide his grimace as he began to chew.

The sound of Serenity's laughter prompted him to open his eyes. The mare was doubled over onto her side, tapping a hoof on the rocky patch of earth beneath her.

Happy’s ears perked up, his slackjawed mouth hanging open in confusion.

Was it…was it something he'd said?

Slowly, Serenity’s laughter started to peter out. She looked in Happy’s direction, wiping away tears from the corner of her eye as she stifled the last few chuckles.

“Happy, no. Not like that.”

An odd tingling sensation settled over Happy’s tongue as Serenity’s horn began to shimmer. With a faint hum, the chewed up plastic bar was lifted from his open mouth and sent hovering in her direction.

“You have to open it first.”

She gripped the plastic rectangle with both hooves, ignoring the fact she’d just pulled it from his mouth.

“Like this.”

With a swift tug she split the plastic apart, revealing a green-brown bar inside.

The scent reached the buck's nostrils in a flash.

Now that smelled more like food.

Shuffling over on his hindquarters, Happy gingerly grabbed the bar from the wrapper with his teeth, glancing up at Serenity with an uncertain smile as he did so.

The mare chuckled and gave him another nod. She looked beautiful when she was laughing, her red hair loops bouncing lightly with her braided mane.

“You’re welcome.”

Letting out a satisfied sigh—at last, food!—Happy threw his head back and let the bar slide into his waiting mouth.

“BLECHH! Eyuch…ptooie, ptooie!”

Frantically, Happy stuck out his tongue and began to paw at it with both hooves, trying to wash the taste from his mouth. Holding back the urge to gag, he instead began to cough, hacking uncontrollably into the air.

Serenity was on him in a heartbeat, resting her hoof on the small of his back as the convulsions eventually began to die down. She looked at him with worried eyes.

“Are you alright?”

Eyes still watering, Happy looked up at her with drooping ears and offered her a sullen smile. He felt bad for spitting out her nasty tasting lunch rectangle.

Tilting her head at the look, she patted his back in reassurance.

“It’s okay, Happy. We’ll just take Oat-E-O Bars off the snack list for now.”

The mare took a half-step back, allowing Happy to rise to his hooves.

“So…what do you like to eat?”

Happy stared at her, tilting his head to one side.

Serenity met it with an inquisitive stare of her own. After a few awkward moments, she tried again.

“Like to eat? Eat? What does Happy like to eat?”

She lifted a hoof to her mouth, miming a chewing motion before pointing back to Happy.

Ohhhh, Happy food!

Happy offered an excited nod in the mare’s direction. Turning a few quick circles, he scanned the immediate area.

Desert. Desert. Desert. Boulders and rocks. Desert. More boulders and rocks. Desert.

Hmmm. The terrain here was familiar.

Slumping onto his hindquarters, Happy tapped a hoof against his chin, deep in thought. After a minute of intense reflection, a flashbulb went off in his head.

Not even sparing a moment to tell Serenity where he was going, Happy bounded off the trail, disappearing behind the nearest collection of boulders and rocks. A few moments later a cacophony of insect-like buzzing noises erupted from the same direction, followed by a few pony-sounding giggles, and the unmistakable clatter of struggle between the two.

The sounds eventually came a sudden halt and Happy trotted happily from behind the boulder, carrying a squashed looking…something...by its wing.

Serenity’s face scrunched up in a slightly sickened expression as Happy plopped the flattened figure at her hooves. She did her best to look approving.

“Oh. Bloatsprite. Yum.”

Happy giggled in agreement. Dropping down on his front legs he dragged the taint twisted parasprite larva to his hooves, digging in with gusto.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Serenity glance at the unopened Oat-E-O Bar in her hoof. She stared at it for a few moments before slipping it back into her vest pocket.

Happy tilted his head at her, munching happily on a leathery, translucent wing.

Catching his curious look, Serenity shook her hoof reassuringly.

“Oh, no. It’s alright. I just realized I wasn’t…” she flinched as a green spurt of juice erupted from the carcass at Happy's hooves, “…hungry.”

Happy shrugged and continued to chew away, wolfing down the remainder of the bloatsprite. Flecks of greenish ooze spattered in all directions, but Happy didn't mind. Messy food was good food.

Serenity motioned to him as he worked the last few bits of wing from his teeth with his tongue.

“Let’s get going. We don’t want to get stuck out here after dark. It gets pretty cold at night without a fire.”

Happy nodded. He got the general idea. Time to move again.

Belly full for the first time in...days?—Happy wasn’t sure—the buck fell in line beside Serenity, humming happily to himself.

The two resumed their earlier trek, continuing across the wastes with the mare at the lead. Every so often she’d point out a mountain or hill off in the distance, tying it to some strange name that Happy quickly forgot, but mostly the two walked in silence, simply enjoying each other’s company. The scenery slowly began to transform as they walked, the desert sands and scrub giving way to rockier, less even terrain.

After an hour, Happy’s attention began to waver and he found himself trotting around as he had before, exploring the little nooks and crannies in the rocks around them as they moved along. Serenity didn’t seem to mind, simply offering him a glance every so often to make sure that he wasn't wandering too far.

A faint clicking noise met Happy’s ears. He turned, swiveling his head toward its source.

There. Trotting over to a hoof sized rock, Happy flipped it over, revealing a small brown scorpion underneath. The creature hissed as the dim light of the wastes washed over it, holding its claws and tail at the ready.

Happy stomped his hooves excitedly. A mini-poky-sting-snap! What fun!

Giggling, he lifted a hoof toward the creature. It recoiled as he drew nearer, its hissing growing more pronounced.

Movement. Happy pulled his hoof back with lightning speed, narrowly avoiding the scorpion’s barbed tail. He let out another giggle as he pushed his hoof in a second time.

Swing. Miss!

Swing. Miss!

Happy shot a smug look at the little brown creature. It should just give up now. Happy never lost this game.

Pretending to yawn, Happy stuck his hoof out a fourth time, nonchalantly swinging it in front of the scorpion’s eyes. However, this time the creature was ready, lashing out with its tail before Happy could react.

“YIPE!”

Crying out more in shock than pain, Happy somersaulted backward, landing on the dusty earth in a heap. The scorpion gave one last mocking hiss before scuttling off, disappearing into a pile of rocks off the side of the path.

The buck snorted, batting a hoof in the creature’s direction.

Who needed to win a stupid game like that anyways?

Flopping onto his side, he glanced ahead, looking for Serenity. It only took him a second to pick her out. Even a couple hundred hooves away, her yellow coat stood out brightly against the droll gray and brown of the wasteland.

Happy pushed up to his hooves and trotted after her. He made the ground up easily—the mare was keeping up the same even clip from earlier—but slowed as he reached her.

For the first time, Happy noticed the cutie mark resting on her side. It was simple enough. A gray, silhouetted unicorn bust with three small lines emanating from its horn to signify…magic? Thoughts? Happy couldn’t tell.

Studying it for a moment longer, he nodded to himself. Whatever it stood for, it seemed to fit.

Glancing up from her side, Happy caught Serenity’s gaze. She offered him a small smile and motioned toward the mark.

“It’s a healing mark. I work with ponies who…”

She paused mid-sentence, staring at Happy as she searched for the right words.

“...I help ponies feel better when they’re hurting.”

Happy nodded. He understood.

Serenity’s smile grew a little wider. Gesturing with a hoof, she pointed at his side.

“What do you have for a cutie mark beneath that barding of yours, Happy?”

Happy’s ears drooped and swished his tail up over his flank. Though his sides were hidden away beneath his barding as they always were, the motion was reflexive. The buck turned his head away, avoiding Serenity’s gaze.

The yellow mare spoke up again a moment later. Her voice was gentle.

“It’s alright. You don’t have to show me right now if you don’t want to.”

Eyes still averted, Happy nodded silently.

The two trotted a little farther without talking. Serenity seemed to pick up on Happy’s residual discomfort, flashing a couple concerned glances in his direction as they moved along. Eventually she spoke up again, attempting to break the uncomfortable silence.

“You know, it’s kind of funny that I ended up with something like this as my cutie mark. I didn't really see it coming.”

Her voice couldn’t help but betray a sense of nostalgia as she spoke, prompting Happy to look up from his slouch.

Serenity met his eyes and continued.

“After my mother died, my father raised me on his own to be a fighter like him. We never went out looking for trouble—nothing like that—but he wanted to make sure I could…defend myself out there in the wastes. I always thought I’d get my special talent in Ponkido or Fallen Caesar.”

She shifted her gaze to the ground at her hooves.

“I wasn’t very old when raiders attacked our home. Thirteen? Fourteen? My father managed to get me out safe but he…”

The mare closed her eyes, a pained look etched in her face. Happy felt his own expression follow suit and gave the mare a comforting nudge. She opened her eyes at the touch and nodded before continuing.

“…Anyways, I wound up running into this traveling caravan led by a married couple, Red and Valentine. I never would have found them if I hadn’t heard Gilly—their daughter—crying from inside the wagon.”

Happy watched as she smirked at the memory. He smiled too. He liked it when she wasn’t sad.

“They thought I was a raider at first. Red almost shot me! But once they saw I wasn’t a threat they brought me in while they dealt with the foal. Gilly was in pretty bad shape—she'd had a fever for almost a week and wouldn’t sleep for anything. Valentine was at her wits end trying to quiet her and Red wasn’t doing much better, either.”

Again she broke Happy’s gaze, this time staring ahead fascinated, as if reliving the memory for the first time.

“Then…it was the strangest thing. I walked over to Gilly’s cradle and, somehow, I just…knew what to do. I picked her up in my hooves and she settled down without a word. Five minutes later, she was asleep.”

Another chuckle escaped her lips.

“Red and Valentine wouldn’t stop fawning over me after that. They made me the foalsitter for the whole caravan. I settled down with them and the rest of the caravan at Creek Bend a week later. I’ve been with them ever since.”

She glanced at Happy expectantly as they continued to trot, waiting for a response.

Happy felt his face freeze up, his mind racing.

Quick! Say something. Compliment her. Let her know you liked her story. Just say something.

The buck fumbled for words, the sounds spilling from his mouth like loose marbles.

“Uhhh, Serenity talk-talk Happy wide ear smiles?”

Serenity laughed at the garbled mess, nudging Happy’s shoulder playfully with her own.

Nailed it.

The yellow mare let out a sigh before meeting his gaze again.

“I hope we can talk about your story sometime, too, Happy. I’d really like to know where such a sweet buck has his roots. But for now…”

Serenity glanced around, her face showing signs of anticipation. Happy glanced around, too. He had been so absorbed in her story that he hadn’t notice the changing landscape around them. The dusty flats had given way to somewhat less dusty hills, some of which even had faint tufts of brown-green grass anchored beneath the dirt.

Happy sniffed. The air even smelled different. Wetter, if that made any sense.

Serenity tapped her hoof against Happy’s. He turned to face her.

“…it looks like we're just about back. Come on, let’s go meet the family.”

Gesturing with her shoulder to drive the point home, Serenity took off at a canter. Happy laughed and followed suit, swept up in her excitement. He was going to see Serenity’s home home!

He grinned lazily at the thought.

Maybe he’d get lucky and Serenity would let it be his new home home too.

Happy’s giggles came to a sudden stop as they rounded the base of the last hill. Eyes widening in surprise, he stopped in mid-trot, gazing at the scene before him with delight.

Serenity trotted up to his side and stopped as well, chuckling at his expression. She lifted a hoof to his shoulder.

“Welcome to Creek Bend, Happy.”

Happy just continued to stare, lost in the moment.

The small village lay nestled in a bowl-like valley between two round topped hills, essentially hidden away from the rest of the wasteland. Four canvas topped, wheel-less carriages and a small red train car on bricks formed a tight circle in the center of the clearing, all centered around a flat central square. Each little home boasted its own unique set of additions—small attachments cobbled together from wood and metal panels—that branched off into extra rooms and awnings.

Despite the mismatched state of their materials, the little buildings seemed rather well constructed—no holes or cracks to speak of. One even sported a small watchtower that rose some twenty hooves from the ground, perched atop the rusty remnants of an iron girder.

Even more exciting was the sight of water—actual running water! On the far end of the village circle, running just behind the red train car, a small burbling brook could be seen snaking its way into the clearing. The slow moving stream ran about two pony lengths across at its widest before disappearing back into the hillside and out of sight. Some makeshift gardens had been dug out on either side of it, spindly looking plant stems rising intermittently from the patches of darker soil.

However, what really grabbed Happy’s attention were the ponies themselves. He’d never seen so many in one place! The biggest caravan he’d ever come across had had seven, maybe eight at most. Creek Bend had to have well over twenty different bodies milling about.

A familiar prickling sensation began to set in at the edge of Happy’s muzzle and hooves as he stared at the moving figures. He could feel his focus begin to sharpen, a stern expression settling over his face as he looked around for any signs of guards or weapons. He could already feel his heart rate beginning to rise.

“Um…Happy?”

Serenity’s voice cut in, waking him from his stupor. Happy shook his head, immediately dispelling the odd feeling. He nodded reassuringly to the mare, her face lighting up with relief.

“Sorry. It looked like you zoned out for a second there. Just wanted to make sure you were alright.”

She pointed a hoof toward the village center.

“Come on, goof. I’ll show you around.”

Happy bobbed his head up and down eagerly, bounding up to Serenity’s side. It was time to explore!

Next time.

Happy hesitated. The voice was more of a whisper than anything. He wasn’t even sure he’d heard it. After a moment, he shrugged and resumed his cheery skip, trotting alongside Serenity as they made their way down the hillside.

Heads began to turn as the pair neared the circle of homes. Happy tensed up for a moment, suddenly self-conscious, but managed to breathe a sigh of relief as he saw many of the waiting faces break into smiles.

“Heya, Serenity!” a tan earth stallion called out, waving a hoof in their direction. He was dressed in a faded prewar collar and tie, a couple of tattered hoofcuffs wrapped around his forelegs. A pretty green mare in a flowery blue bonnet stood at his side, waving as well, two little foals romping around playfully at their hooves.

“Warehouse! Daffodil! Good to see you!”

The green mare spoke up, her voice softer with a bit of a drawl to it.

“Nice to see you too, Miss Serenity. Didn’t expect to see you back for another day or so.”

The mare offered a small nod in Happy’s direction.

“Who’s your new friend?”

Serenity and Happy exchanged a look. The yellow unicorn smiled, turning back to the couple.

“This is Happy. I found him out West of the Plates. He…he doesn’t really say all that much, but he seemed like he could use a leg up. I thought I’d see if Red might have a place for him.”

Happy giggled and smiled widely, waving a hoof at the two.

A long silence hung in the air.

The grins on the couple’s faces seemed to falter a bit as he continued to meet their gaze. The two exchanged a quick glance out of the corners of their eyes.

After a moment, the brown stallion coughed into his hoof.

“Well…um…pleased to meet you, Happy. Hope you like Creek Bend. We’d love to chat a little longer but we have to, uhhh…”

He trailed off, looking nervously at his wife. She spoke out suddenly.

“…um…the foals!”

Warehouse quickly nodded his head in agreement.

“Ah, yes! Foals! The foals. Have to deal with the foals!”

He scooped the two squirming figures at his wife's hooves with his forelegs.

“Foals will be foals. Darn rascals. Gotta get going though. See you round!”

Daffodil nodded as well.

“Um, yes! Foals!—er, I mean, goodbye!”

The two turned and trotted off toward one of the closer wagon-homes, scurrying inside. Happy felt his ears droop a little, unable to shake the sensation that the exchange hadn't gone well. He glanced glumly in Serenity’s direction.

Her blue-green eyes softened behind her hair loops.

“Hey. Don’t worry. They’ll warm up to you.”

She nodded toward the town center.

“Let’s go meet Red. He’s always up to welcome a new face.”

Picking up on the hope in her voice, Happy nodded and followed suit. Just as they set hooves inside the small circle of buildings, a small red blur shot in front of them like a fuzzy rocket.

Happy’s eyes settled on the figure—a giddy, red, little earth filly with an untidy purple mane and tail brushed out in all directions.

“Serenity! Serenity! Serenity!”

The little filly shrieked, bouncing up and down so fast that Happy felt himself getting excited too.

“You’re back! You’re back! You’re back!”

Serenity smiled, leaning in close to tussle the filly’s mane with her hoof.

“Well hey there Gilly-Filly! Were you a good girl for your mommy while I was gone?”

Gilly jumped into the air, practically exploding with pride.

“YES! I helped her bake hayyyycakes, and then we did all the laundry in the river, and then we got to draw pictures and I drew the greatest picture of a cute bunny and itwassofluffyiwasjustgonnadie and…”

The little filly gasped for air, spitting the whole sentence out in one drawn out breath. Her blue eyes suddenly shot over toward Happy, widening with curiosity. The buck glanced awkwardly in Serenity’s direction, unsure of how to respond.

“*Gasp!* Whoooooo is heeeeee?”

Before Happy could react, Gilly was on top of him, bouncing excitedly on his back and pulling on his ears and mane. Happy winced, giggling awkwardly at the sensation. She had a strong grip.

The little red pony began firing of questions faster than Happy could understand them.

“Is he your new coltfriend? Why is his mane so messy? Why are his eyes yellow? Are these real scars? Oh! Oh! What’s your favorite color, Mr. Stallion? Mine’s red. And blue. And pink. Are you pink? You don’t look pink.”

The little filly suddenly went quiet as a magical red aura lifted her off of Happy.

Serenity chuckled, shaking her head.

“That’s enough for now, Gilly-Filly. This here is Happy. He’s a…”

Serenity glanced over at Happy, looking the buck up and down. He smiled sheepishly, bowing his head in thanks. Looking back to the filly, Serenity continued.

“…he’s a very special pony friend of mine and he’s had a long day. You can play with him more tomorrow after he’s gotten some rest.”

“Awwwwwhhhhh….”

The little filly sighed, hooves dropping to her sides.

Serenity chuckled again.

“Hey now. That’s enough of that. Let’s go find your mommy.”

“You won't need to go too far, dear.”

The kindly voice of an older mare prompted Happy and Serenity to turn their heads. Emerging from the wagon-home with the watchtower, a lavender coated mare with a coiffed red mane trotted into the open. She wore a warm, loving smile as she nodded in their direction—a fitting expression considering the lacey heart-shaped cutie mark painted on her side.

“Mommy!”

Happy's eyes widened as Gilly squirmed free of Serenity’s magic—could you even do that?—and into the mare’s waiting hooves.

“Valentine! Happy to see you up and about.”

The older mare nodded in Serenity’s direction, holding up a bandaged hoof.

“Doctor says the bone’s healing right up. Should be right as rain in a week or two. It’s nice to see you back this early though, dear. How did negotiations in Red Star go?”

Serenity rolled her eyes, batting a hoof in the air.

“You know how Stripes is. Won’t sign any contracts unless he’s got a shoe in for the better bargain. Looks like we’re gonna have to find a new lookout crew for the caravans if we’re going to keep trading out East.”

She sighed, scuffing a hoof into the earth.

“If Red would just let me go along, I’m sure I’d be able to—”

“You know that isn’t going to happen, little missy.”

Happy’s ears swiveled once again as a gruff, male voice boomed from behind him. A towering red earth buck stepped out from the same building as Valentine, his well-groomed blonde beard and mane flecked with specks of gray. Barrel-chested and well-muscled despite his age, he lumbered forward, a cross expression etched into his features.

Happy watched Serenity’s face fall into the same expression. A hint of irritation, the first Happy had heard from her, entered into her voice as she replied.

“Well maybe if you didn’t treat me like I was still a foal and let me take on some of the farther routes, we wouldn’t have to worry about finding new contracts.”

The two stared daggers at each other in silence, the tension slowly building the air. Happy could feel his own body tense up as well, readying itself to spring in front of the yellow mare. Keeping his eyes locked on the red stallion, he let out a quiet growl.

A few moments passed. Serenity held the pony's gaze for few seconds more before—

"Pfft!"

Without warning, Serenity's expression broke, the mare bursting out in laughter. The stallion’s hearty chuckle followed a moment later, blending in pleasantly with Serenity’s lighthearted laugh.

Happy blinked.

What was going on?

Happy fell back onto his haunches, suddenly very confused. He watched as the big red stallion picked Serenity up off the ground and pulled her into a tight embrace.

“You know I can’t let you go out there getting yourself hurt. You’re too smart for that. Besides…”

The big stallion swept his hoof around, gesturing to the cluster of homes.

“We need ya here, protecting us.”

Serenity straightened her mane as the giant set her down. A big smile was plastered across her face.

“I know, Red. I know. I just wish I could do more to help.”

The stallion chuckled again, tapping a hoof to her shoulder.

“You do more than ya know, missy. That’s why we love you.”

Red suddenly turned in Happy’s direction, giving him a slow once-over.

“Who’s your buck friend?”

Happy meekly waved a hoof at the stallion. He wasn’t particularly afraid, just mesmerized by his colossal size and gait. Serenity smiled and walked over to the gray buck’s side, patting him on the back.

“Red, this is Happy. I found him outside the Plates and figured he might be able to do some work for us.”

Red smiled and lifted a massive hoof in Happy’s direction.

“Happy, ya say? Ha, well, here's hopin' you live up to the name there. Name’s Red. Pleased to meet ya.”

Oh! He knew how to do this!

Forgetting his bashfulness, Happy stuck his muzzle forward, booping his nose against’ the stallion’s hoof. Immediately, he let out a giggle and looked back to Serenity for her approval.

Serenity facehoofed beside him, smirking into her hoof.

Red’s eyes narrowed in confusion as he glanced in her direction.

“Ah…Serenity?”

She returned his gaze with a grin.

“It’s alright, Red. Happy’s a little…different. But I’ve got a good feeling about him. Honest. He’ll be a good worker.”

Red shifted his eyes back to Happy, who met his stare with a lazy grin. His tongue lolled out the corner of his mouth as he gave a little nod.

The stallion’s face brightened as he let out another hearty chuckle.

“Alright, alright. If you’ve got a good feeling about him then I’ll trust him. You do seem to have a way of finding some of our best foalk.”

He pointed to Happy. The gray buck smiled at the acknowledgement.

“Son, feel free to help yourself to one of the spare bunks in the far house over there.”

He motioned to his wife.

“Val here makes a mighty mean oat and hay stew for breakfast, so make sure you get up bright and early if you want to get in on some.”

Serenity coughed into her hoof at the word "oat." Red didn’t seem to notice.

“Other than that, we’ll start work sometime in the morning. I’ve got a few shipments that need to be moved and catalogued….”

He gave Happy an unexpected pat on the back, eliciting a surprised yelp from the buck.

“…and you look like you’re a pretty strong one, so you should fit right in with the moving crew. Glad to have ya aboard."

Happy nodded, opening his mouth to speak—

“What is he doing here?”

The small group turned as one, taking in the sight of a grouchy looking brown stallion—older than Red from the looks of it—with a yellowing lab coat tossed over his shoulders. He walked forward with a slight limp, his neat white mane slicked back over his ears. Frowning, he pointed an accusatory hoof at Happy.

“Red. What is he doing here?”

Red’s eyes narrowed in irritation.

“Fleet Hoof. What’s the problem now?”

The brown stallion’s eye twitched visibly. He flailed his hoof in exasperation.

“He’s obviously some sort of raider or bandit. What is he doing—”

Serenity’s voice shot out before the stallion could finish.

“He is not a raider.”

Raider.

Happy knew that word. The ponies that he and Rowdy, and Deuce, and Scalper would hunt down would shout it all the time, pointing back at them and screaming it as they tried to run away.

He raised his eyebrow in confusion.

But he was a raider...wasn't he? Why was Serenity saying he wasn’t?

Happy raised a hoof, but was cut off as Serenity continued, venom snaking into her voice as she tried to keep her language civil in front of Gilly.

“Raiders are...bad ponies who do nothing but lie, and cheat, and hurt others for their own enjoyment. Happy is anything but that. I don’t know where he came from, or why he is the way he is, but I do know that he needs somepony to help him.”

Raiders are bad ponies…

Happy felt the blood rush from his face.

Serenity thought raiders were bad ponies? But...he was a raider.

The buck blinked.

Was he a bad pony?

He knew he was scary, but…bad?

Happy’s ears drooped to his sides.

Groaning at Serenity's response, Fleet Hoof slapped a hoof to his forehead, narrowly missing his horn.

“Are you blind? You can’t just pick up strange ponies and bring them here. Look at him. Look at him. His scars. His eyes. His barding, for Celestia’s sake! If anypony should know to watch out for raiders, I would think it would be you, Serenity.”

Red spoke up, the irritation in his voice escalating.

“Fleet Hoof, that’s en—”

Serenity cut the red stallion off, her voice like ice. A darkness had settled in over her features, an expression Happy had never seen on her before.

“I know exactly what raiders are capable of, Fleet Hoof. Raiders deserve to die. They took my parents—both of them—and if I could, I would see each and every one of them to the gates of Tartarus myself.”

Happy shrunk further into himself, but Serenity paid no notice. Her attention was fixed solely on the brown buck.

“...So if you think I would ever pass up an opportunity to right that wrong, Fleet Hoof, you're wrong. Dead wrong.”

An uncomfortable silence lingered in the air after her last word. A few heads had turned from outside the circle, watching the events unfold in the village square.

Nodding, Red spoke up as well.

“He’s staying, Fleet. The decision’s final.”

Casting one last, venomous glare at Happy, the brown stallion turned and walked into one of the wagon-homes, muttering as he slammed the door shut behind him.

Immediately, things seemed to shift back to normal, silence giving way to the low hum of village life.

Red glanced down at Happy, rubbing the back of his neck with a hoof.

“Sorry about that, newcomer. I'll talk to him. Doc shouldn't trouble ya anymore.”

Happy kept his eyes trained on the ground but nodded slowly.

Raiders are bad ponies….

A hoof fell on his shoulder, making him glance up in surprise. Serenity stared back at him, face still flushed red with emotion. Despite that, though, she gave the buck a warm smile.

"Don't worry, Happy. That wasn't your fault."

Happy offered a weak smile in return, fighting hard not to vomit on the spot. His stomach was flipping in all directions, making the battle a difficult one.

Raiders are bad ponies.

Serenity patted him on the back.

“Come on, Happy. Let’s get you to your new home.”

Happy nodded slowly and rose to his hooves. The yellow mare turned and motioned for him to follow. Falling in line behind her, he started forward, hooves heavy, her words echoing through his mind.

Raiders are bad ponies.

Raiders deserve to die.

*****

Level Up!

Perk Achieved!

Social Stigma - Most ponies seem to be a little thrown off by your appearance and tend to avoid you when they can. When push comes to shove, they’d rather just look the other way than address you outright.

You gain 5 points to your STEALTH skill and are now 25% more likely to deter potential enemies from engaging you in combat.

Author's Note

Made a couple quick edits (mostly grammatical) just after posting. Apologies to those of you who might have read the unrefined version.