Fallout Equestria: Las Pegasus

Steele woke to the quiet sound of wind and Hermes’s snoring. He left his tent and observed his surroundings. There weren't any Legion patrols yet, but they would be expecting a news report soon and would come running if they failed to get one. Steele glanced over to Hermes’s tent. He was still sound asleep and didn't show signs of waking soon. Last night’s promises hit Steele hard, and regret settled in. That radiation sure did a number on his brain. Steele sighed. He could just leave his new problem and responsibility behind. Leave and never return, but that wasn't who he was. He made a promise, and he intended to keep it.

“Wake up. Legion’s going to get here soon and I rather not risk our lives for nothing.” Steele commanded, kicking Hermes and instantly waking him up.

“Huh? What? Oh, sup boss. What do you need me to do?” Hermes asked, rubbing his eyes and leisurely stretching.

Hermes’s laid back attitude really got to Steele, but he took a deep breath and kept his cool.

“Can you cook? I’m the better shot and could keep watch, but I want to know our resources are being used properly.”

“Uhh, yea I can cook. My childhood was either learning to cook, or die of starvation.” Hermes answered. He was stretching now, and seemed too carefree for Steele’s liking.

“Good. You’re in charge of breakfast. I’ll keep watch, but you better keep your gun near you. Legion is smarter than they look when it comes to killing.” Steele commanded, magically tossing their saddlebags at Hermes’s feet.

“You got it boss man.” Hermes answered. He began to whistle as he unpacked the bags and retrieved cooking supplies.

Boss man? I like that. Steele thought as he positioned himself and Ratslayer on a nearby hill. It was definitely better than all the other things he got called. After a few minutes of sitting motionless, the smell of food caught the attention of Steele’s empty stomach and he asked Hermes on his progress.

“Breakfast’s ready. Any sign of Legion?"

“No. We’re in the clear for now, but we better eat fast.” Steele answered, sliding down from his hill and trotting over to the campfire. He took a seat across from Hermes.

“Credit’s due where credit’s due, and I have to say this looks pretty good.” Steele complimented, rubbing his hoofs together as he glanced over the warm squirrel stew and gecko steak.

“Wow an actual compliment. I feel like we are getting along already.” Hermes answered, magically raising his bowl and taking a sip.

“Hey, I call things how I see them. If you earn my praise, I’ll let you know.” Steele dug in, and quietly savored the rich flavor.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Now where do you think we should go after this?” Hermes asked, noting Steele's satisfaction.

“I was going to ask you the same thing. You’re the one who was supposed to be searching for this Lucky Star guy. You should know where he was headed.”

“Then that means we head to some town called Novac. Last I heard, he passed by it and someone there might know where he went. Do you know where that is?”

“Yea. It’s a small town. Used to be a place where carriages can stop and rest before heading to Las Pegasus. Before the Great War it served as a busy refueling station for the Pegasus army vehicles, but now it’s just a sad little town that has nothing more than a few farms and a giant fabricated manticore called Marty.” Steele answered, finishing his soup and moving onto his steak.

“Manticore statue? Why the hell would they have a manticore statue for an attraction, not to mention call it Marty? They do know there are stories of those things ripping ponies apart further east, right?” Hermes asked, his bowl paused in mid-air as he struggled to comprehend the reasoning behind the old world’s actions.

“Tourists. Legend has it the town was a huge manticore spot in the past, and the thing was built as a tourist attraction. No need to worry now though, any manticores that might have been there before are long gone. All that’s left is a pathetic little town and its distrusting population. I think it still has a few farms, and a store or two; nothing special. Hopefully the residents would be willing to tell us what we need and be done with us.”

“Hopefully. Say, you’ve ever been to Las Pegasus?” Hermes asked, catching Steele mid-bite.

“No. Place is too big and grand for me, the entire place is thieving shit-hole anyway. The NLR controls half of it while the other half is controlled by Mister House. There’s a large fee to get into it, and once you do you have to watch your back for cut-throats and pickpockets. The locals stationed there are usually intoxicated and easy to manipulate.”

“Sounds like a fun city. Either way, you don’t seem to like the NLR. Why not? They seem like a decent power, and do what they can to protect those under their control. It feels peaceful with them around.” Hermes asked, raising an eyebrow as Steele lowered his Steak

“Peaceful? The NLR? Ha, kid for your sake I hope you're joking! Those bastards only care about their interests and their interests alone. They say they will protect those under their control, but they always bite off more than they can chew and end up with poorly coordinated pockets of power. The damn bastards fake a military like control, but their soldiers look forward to nothing more than getting drunk and carefree at the end of their shifts. They’re a bunch of useless bastards that use their vast resources to bully their way to the top, and realize that the top brings too many responsibilities for them to handle. At Least Legion won’t try and be something they’re not, the New Lunar Republic will lie to you, steal from you, and effortlessly toss you away when you lose value! ” Steele was standing now. He had gotten worked up, and upon seeing Hermes’s worry, settling back down and continued to work on his steak.

“That’s quite a description.” Hermes started, breaking the awkward silence. “Call it a guess, but I think you have some personal issues with them as well.”

“You can say that.” Steele answered gruffly, finishing his steak and refusing to give away more information.

“You wanna tell me what it is?” Hermes pressed. Steele wasn’t the kind you wanted to push, but then again he didn't seem like the kind to accept having a companion.

Steele sighed. Revealing his past was not something he was comfortable doing, but he passed a lot of his comfort zones as it was.

“When I ran away from Legion I was on my own for a while. I ran a few bodyguard jobs here and there, but eventually I ended up working for the NLR. The military feel, honest pay, and a general feeling of authority and control felt good. It felt like my superiors knew what they were doing, and actually cared about us and the people we needed to protect. The fact that they overlooked my Legion background was more than enough to win my loyalty. Things were pretty sweet for a while, but nothing good ever lasts with those bastards." Steele snickered, sickened by the sheer thought of the good for nothing bullies.

"One night the patrol I was assigned to was tasked with regaining control over a town Legion took from us. Everything seemed normal at the time. Go in, kill some Legion bastards terrorizing the town, and regain the town’s support. Easy right? But when we got to the town there were no Legion soldiers. Sure there was a Legion flag, but the only ones there were the sad-faced and abused citizens that had enough problems of their own to deal with. Our orders were simple: take all their supplies and kill anyone who refused to hand them over. When questioned, the answer was that the supplies already belonged to the NLR, and they were just taking them back."

"What kind of supplies?" Hermes asked. He knew he was treading on fragile ground. Steele looked up and got edged closer to Hermes.

"They were looting innocent civilians! Stallions and mares alike were all gunned down if they refused to give away what little they had. The worst part is no one questioned it, no one cared. Orders were orders, and everything they did had a “higher” purpose; to serve the moon and her supporters. I just stood there, unable to understand how such a "powerful, honored, respectable army could so heartlessly raid the very citizens they swore to protect." Steele explained, spiting venom as he described the NLR with utter hatred.

"I stood up to the others as they asked a poor farmer to hand over his crop. They called me a lousy Legion mongrel and the patrol leader, a large earth stallion, punched me hard enough to send me into the arms of the farmer I was trying to protect. Not even those I had called friends stood up for me. I was mad, and Legion instinct kicked in. I was stupid enough to strike back. Broke his nose, but the bastard took out his knife. Missed my eye and caught my chin; hell I screamed, but pain wasn't going to stop me this time either. I drew my guns and put them against his stupid fat head. Only then did he know I meant business. NLR training had improved my marksmanship, and I was one of the best shots in our squad. If I took out my guns, especially after my melee training, then I meant business, we all knew that. To top it off my so called friends aimed at my head as my former “superior” and I glared at each other."

"Was he scared?" Hermes asked. "Those NLR guys can get pretty big, and I've never seen one of em give up a fight before."

Steele laughed, unnerving Hermes slightly. "Yeah if they know they've got the adventage they'll hunt you down, but soon as their precious little lives are in danger their duty and heroism gets tucked in between their legs, just like their tail as they run away."

"So he was scared, right?"

"Don't know, he had the numbers, if he wanted to, he knew that if shit hit the fan I wouldn't be walking out of there alive; problem was, he knew I didn't care. Eventually he dropped his knife and called me an ungrateful piece of shit. I had done enough favors for the NLR to earn my freedom, and they all left. They swore that if they ever saw me again, then they’d kill me. From then on I had this scar to remind me to not risk my neck for others, and to never trust the NLR. They do things for themselves and themselves alone. I didn’t need to be any different.” Steele finished. He touched his scar and sighed.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Hermes said. He was at a loss for words. He had never heard of this side of the NLR before, and in this light they seemed just as bad as Legion.

“I can’t say they’re all bad though. There are some pretty tough and level headed soldiers out there. They do a pretty good job of keeping their word, but if command has their heads in their asses, it doesn't matter. Either way it’s best to leave them alone all together. They are well trained, and usually well equipped. Messing with them isn’t the smartest idea.”

“I can agree with that much.” Hermes replied.

The duo packed their gear and under Steele’s direction began to travel toward Novac.

***

“So this is Novac?” Hermes asked, obviously disappointed by the small and boring town.

The manticore statue had begun to wear away, and its colors were long since faded. The town seemed quiet and judging; its citizens eyed the two new travelers with suspicion. A small tent made up a food store, while another served as the medical tent. A small hotel nearby the manticore shop completed the town. Depression and sadness came to mind.

“It’s a quiet town. Try and keep your head down, and we won’t have any problems with the citizens." Steele explained. He stopped and faced Hermes. "How good are you with bargaining? Can I trust you won’t get ripped off?”

“Hey. I’m a courier, managing the price and value of things is something I had a lot of practice doing.” Hermes bragged, taking offence at the lack of Steele’s trust.

“Alright. Get us as much ammo as you reasonably can, enough medical supplies to last us both a week, and food for three days. Most importantly do it without spending 300 caps. You have our Legion salvage, that’s good gear so use it well.” Steele instructed. He reinforced his instructions with a cold stare. This was the first time he was letting someone manage his money, and the courier didn't exactly look like a cutthroat merchant.

“Yea, yea. I got it boss man. Just remember the guy’s name is Lucky Star.” Hermes answered, rolling his eyes and setting off toward the manticore shop.

Steele was certain Hermes only heard “buy some souvenirs from the shop” and regretted his decision already, but if he was going to travel with this guy, then he better learn to trust him. He looked around and found that most of the residents were eyeing him. Under the cover of his hat he began to look for answers at the medical tent. There he met the local town’s doctor; Straus, a perky earth pony that seemed to be a few tools short of a set. She was in her tent, taking notes as her two bodyguards hesitantly let Steele in to see her.

“Excuse me.” Steele began.

“Oh Hey! A new face in town. Say you wouldn't have any sterile medical supplies would ya?” She interrupted. Steele shook off the immediate shock, and continued more hesitantly. This pony looked like she might be the one needing medical attention, not giving it.

“I can’t say I do. Anyway I’m looking for a pony in a fancy suit by the name of Lucky Star. He passed by here not too long ago, and I was wondering if you know where he went.”

Straus's mood immediate dropped and she ignored Steele to return to her notes. “Look I’m really busy and if you don’t have any medical supplies you are willing to sell, then please leave.” Straus answered, scribbling something down and mumbling to herself.

She was beginning to unnerve Steele. He didn’t like being courteous only to get cast aside by some ragtag doctor. He approached her desk, magically moved away her notes, and plopped his hoofs on her desk aggressively.

“Maybe I wasn’t clear the first time. I’m looking for a unicorn stallion named Lucky Star. Have you seen him?” Steele demanded, a rising authority in his voice. He noticed the guards were beginning to get antsy and marked their position in case he needed to strike back.

“Look I have no idea who the hell you are looking for, and even if I did I certainly wouldn’t tell a random crazy stranger like you. Now if you don’t need my services, then I’d like to ask you to leave.” Strause answered nervously. There was a strain in her voice, and Steele knew he had frightened her.

He considered pressing her further, but decided against it. Her guards might cause trouble, and if he was hurt, then getting on the doctors good side was a better idea. Steele let out a low growl that resembled a thanks, and to the relief of the guards, stormed out without saying another word. It was no use. This town hated strangers, and his appearance and encounter with the doctor only made things worse. He was about to give up and find Hermes, but was stopped when he heard the crazy ramblings of a homeless earth pony.

“Ha ha, new guy’s looking for the fancy man. Old No-bark knows where he went. Yes he does, ha ha.” He rambled, laughing and snickering to himself.

“You know where Lucky Star went?” Steele asked, scaring No-bark. Apparently the crazy pony thought no one could hear him and Steele just read his mind.

“How did you know? You some kind of mind reader or something? Ol No-bark is on to you mind reader, yes he his.” He demanded, leaning uncomfortably close to Steele.

“Look. Can you please tell me where he went?” Steele asked. This guy reeked, and the sooner Steele could leave, the sooner he could find some place to hurl.

“No-bark doesn’t negotiate with crazies and strangers.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Steele said.

“Oh no. No-bark ain’t no joker. Ponies call me No-bark cause my barks got some bite to em. I’m no joker.”

Steele sighed. This stupid quest was already beginning to give him a headache. He looked over No-bark who just stood there, watching him silently, judging him. This guy was absolutely crazy, but he was the only one willing to give up any information.

“Okay. What do you want me to do to prove myself?”

“Well at night Ol’ No-bark sees glowing green ghosts running around the at the old Ministry of Awesome building. Sometimes they catch a pony or two, and other times they eat our brahmin. I say it’s old zebras that don’t know they’re dead and want to steal our rockets so they can fly to the moon and paint their king’s face on it.” He explained rapidly, a wicked smile on his lips that bled insanity.

Steele backed up cautiously. “Okay. So let me get this straight. You want me to go and kill these,uh, zebra ghosts, and then you’ll tell me where Lucky Star went?”

“Ol’ No-bark would sure appreciate it.”

Steele face-hoofed and reconsidered his intelligence. “Fine. I’ll go take care of these “ghosts” and when I get back you better be ready to tell me where Lucky Star went.” Steele answered. He turned to leave, unable to believe he was going to go risk his life and supplies on some task that may not even reward him. If this was what being a good pony was, it sure sucked. He thought, nodding his head in disapproval.

Hermes came back with two full saddlebags, and levitated Steele’s bag to him.

“What’s up boss man? You look angry.” He asked.

“Getting information has just been going swimmingly, and now we have to go kill some zebra ghosts or else some crazy hobo won’t tell us where Lucky Star went.”

“Zebra ghosts?! Do those really exist?”

Steele gave Hermes a questioning look, but shrugged it off. Seems like I'm going to be dealing with two idiots today. He concluded. “Fuck if I know. I doubt it, but the Mojave likes to throw surprises at you every so often." He answered sarcastically. "Anyway, we need to head out to the old Ministry of Awesome building up west. That’s where No-bark says the ghosts are coming from.”

“All...alright.” Hermes said. There was a noticeable hesitance in his voice.

“Don't be stupid." Steele snickered. Ghosts aren't real, but the dangers in an abandoned ministry building are, so stay on guard and for the love of Celestia don’t do anything stupid.” Hermes might have looked smart, but sometimes he acted like a complete idiot.

“What do you know of all these Ministry buildings?” Hermes questioned, hoping to change the subject.

“Not much. All I know is that the Ministry of Awesome was working with the Ministry of Wartime technology to develop weapons that could be effectively used in altitudes higher than that of any pegasus’s reach. Maybe even something that could be used in space. Either way, if that place has any pre-war security from the Ministry of Awesome, then we are going to be in a heap of trouble. So keep you head down, your eyes wide, and your ears clear for my instructions.”

“Good old Steele. No matter what, he is never supportive, over-confident, and always criticizing.” Hermes mumbled, looking down as he walked.

“Good old Steele kept you and himself alive. I think good old Steele deserves some respect.” Steele replied, sharing a light laugh with Hermes. Contrary to Steele’s previous beliefs, Hermes wasn’t absolutely terrible.

Once the tip of the square building came into view the duo stopped simultaneously and drew their weapons.

“Get low. Do you hear that?” Steel asked.

“Four hostiles. Two down the road, one to the left, and the last one is moving around on the right.” Hermes responded. His seriousness both surprised and impressed Steele.

“Get out of the road and follow me.” Steele commanded, trotting up to a hill overlooking the center road.

Once on top the duo surveyed their surroundings. Their path was a winding road that curved sharply right and led to the main entrance of the testing facility. On either side of the road were steep hills, creating a valley like passage. Below them moved around four pony-like figures.

“Fuck.” Steele cursed, looking through the sight of Ratslayer.

“What? I can see the ponies, but it’s too dark to see who they belong to.”

“Ghouls. Looks like we are going to have to be fighting a bunch of fucking zombies.”

“Zombies?!” Hermes exclaimed. He had never had to deal with anything like that before, and the idea of the dead still trying to kill him was terrifying.

“Yea. Don’t worry though. They’re fast and have good hearing, but are stupid and weak. Aim for the head and you’ll be fine." He instructed, re-aiming Ratslayer and observing the ghoul's position. "I’ll take out the two standing side by side. Can you take out the one further left? Once I’m done I’ll help you take out the roamer down right.”

“Yea... yea I can do that.” Hermes reassured himself. He brought up his varmint rifle, and there was a faint glow in his eyes as his pipbuck’s targeting computer picked up critical points on the ghouls.

Steele sighed and lowered his rifle. “Hermes, take a deep breath. I know first ghoul encounters are a pretty off putting but I need you to focus with me. Can you do that for me?” Steele asked, scanning Hermes for a confirmation.

“Hell, getting reassuring words from you means it must be my lucky day. Yea, I can focus... thanks.” Hermes responded, smiling as he restarted his targeting computer.

“I better not have a ghoul eat me from behind cause you ran away.” Steele added, using his magic to slowly squeeze the trigger.

A pegasus ghoul was idly standing in the middle of the road. A shot rang out and bounced off the sidewalk next to her, causing her to turn and open her decaying mouth and wings in an attempt to scream. Her deflated lungs squeezed out a raspy shriek that was cut short as a bullet tore its way through her skull. Another boom, and her fellow ghoul’s body fell next to hers, lifeless once more to embrace the sweet finality of death.

“Wasted a fucking bullet.” Steele cursed.

Wasting no time, the courier easily popped the heads of the remaining ghouls with the help of his pipbuck; he rose and looked around.

“I’m not detecting any more nearby, but it looks like there might be a few more up ahead.”

“We got a few armored ones and possibly a glowing one up ahead. Stay on high ground. We can use our magic to get us down since taking them head on is too risky.” Steele answered, looking through his night sights.

“Glowing ones?” Hermes asked, reloading his rifle.

“Ghouls that are so irradiated they glow. The radiation heals them, and makes them harder to kill. It also lets them emit a blinding radioactive pulse, so if you see one of them begin to glow; cover your eyes.”

“Will do.” Hermes answered nervously.

The duo got to work and using the higher elevation and ranged weapons, they made quick work of the few wandering ghouls and were soon standing outside the ominous facility.

“Some of these things are already dead and wearing cloaks.” Hermes observed.

“Yea. I noticed that too, and it seems they are packing good gear too.” Steele said, levitating a worn out plasma rifle to Hermes. “I don’t use these fancy things, but you might. It’s faster than your gun, and more effective too.”

Hermes accepted the gift hesitantly. “I only had a bit of practice, but thanks. These things go for quite a bit." He informed, looking over the rifle. "You sure you don’t want me to sell it later?” Hermes asked, eyeing his new prized possession.

“I rather have effective backup than a few more bits weighing me down. Besides, I got all I need right here.” Steele said, drawing his prized pistols. “It’s going to be crowded in there, so check your ammo and scavenge quickly. That thing might be effective, but it’s worn and might jam.”

“I’ll keep an eye on it.” Hermes confirmed. “But right about now I rather get this over with.”

“You and me both.” Steele added, magically opening the door and swinging his pistols left to right. “Clear.”

Hermes followed suit and gulped loudly as the door behind them creaked to a close.

“What the hell is that?!” Hermes jumped.

“Sh!” Steele silenced him. “Just a nightkin.”

“That's some kind of monstrosity!” Hermes whispered loudly.

“No, it’s a mutated earth pony that is junked up on stealth bucks.”

“I know what the hell a super mutant is! But this... thing is bigger and blue.”

“Like I said, nightkin. Elite super mutants junked up on stealth bucks. The poor bastards have all developed a dependence on them and are all insane now. Problem is, if they are around here we have much bigger problems than ghouls.” Steele explained, inspecting the barren room.

It looked like a battle zone. A few ghouls lay strewn about, their corpses pulverized and deformed. Some were cloaked and armed with guns, but all were dead. Oddly enough next to some lay either a pile of glowing dust, or an oversized blue earth pony known as a nightkin. Steele didn’t know much about them other than the fact that they were extremely aggressive, dangerous, and worst of all invisible due to the stealth bucks. They stood twice as tall as any earth pony like a super mutant, but were more easily killed thanks to the side effects of prolonged stealth buck use.

“Loot the dead ones for more ammo. I’ll keep-”

“You there. Come to the upper level.” Interrupted an intercom voice.

“What the?” Steele asked, returning Hermes’s confusion.

A ghoul shrieked, and the duo immediately raised their weapons.

“Should we trust them?” Hermes asked, quickly gathering microfusion cells from the dead ghouls.

“We don’t have much of a choice right about now. Heads up!” Steele answered.

Mustang and Sally roared, sending the attacking ghoul’s brains all over the wall.

“We got a lot of them incoming!” Hermes panicked, his eyes lighting up with a bunch of little moving arrows.

“Follow me!” Steele commanded. He sprinted down the hallway the ghoul came from and Hermes followed closely, shooting the ghouls following them.

They navigated the twisting hallways with Steele taking lead and clearing the way with lead. A few dead ends, collapsed floors, locked doors, and curses later; and Steele knocked open a door leading to the room that contained the stairs ascending to the second level.

“This way!” Steele yelled, taking off.

“Comi- ahh, shit!” Hermes yelled, having tripped over one of the glowing piles of dust.

He began to scramble for his rifle, having forgotten about his magic in his panic, but his advance was cut short as a hungry ghoul towered over him. Hermes stared straight into those dark, lifeless eyes; he fearfully watched the creature salivate with excitement over its prey. He was paralyzed with fear, and helpless to stop the decaying excuse for a pony open its mouth and dive for his face. A scream escaped his lungs as he only had enough time to bring up his hooves in defense before feeling a crimson liquid stain his white coat. The ghoul collapsed on him, lifeless once more, and Hermes scrambled backwards.

“Get up. I got you covered.” Steele commanded, aiming down the doorway and firing at anything that came through.

“Thanks.” Hermes mustered, still shell shocked.

Steele followed, and the duo were stopped by a metal door and an intercom.

“It’s open.” Informed the mysterious voice.

Hermes glanced at Steele, who only shrugged and pointed forward in response. Hermes cleared the door and Steele followed closely.

“Ew. Smoothskin...disgusting.” Greeted a unicorn dressed in a lab coat. He turned his muzzle away from the duo, seemingly disgusted by their mere presence.

“Excuse me?” Answered Steele.

“Hex, stop pestering our guests.” Commanded a soft and knowing voice.”

Steele and Hermes directed their attention to the source of the voice and raised their weapons immediately.

“Hex, stay back.” Hermes commanded. He put himself between Hex and the glowing ghoul who approached them.

“Relax friend. We are the Bright brotherhood, there is no danger within these walls." The ghoul said, ignoring the weapons and knowingly looking over his guests. "I am Glowing Blight, and I asked Tech Hex here to summon you all.” He finished.

"I think you forgot to inform your friends downstairs of your no danger policy." Steele smirked, keeping his weapons aimed at the ghoul. "While you're at it you might want to teach them how to talk too."

A talking ghoul! Maybe I am going insane. Steele contemplated, eyeing the freak before him with caution.

“What are you?” Hermes began before being pulled into a secluded corner out of earshot of Blight and Hex.

“What the hell do you make of this?” Steele asked, hoping he wasn't on the verge of losing it.

“Me? Hell this is the first time I’m killing ghouls, not to mention the first time one of them talks like a normal pony.” Hermes protested. He stole a glance at his hosts and caught them staring at the duo curiously.

“I don’t trust these flesh eaters. I say we take care of our problem and leave. We’ll get what we need and Novac won’t have to deal with ghouls.” Steele suggested, nodding toward his guns.

“Steele! These guys are asking for our help. It would do good to ask what they want first. Maybe they’ll leave.” Hermes answered, pushing Steele away in disgust before being pulled back.

“Look. Do I need to remind you that one of those things just tried to eat you?" Steele asked. Hermes looked away, toward the floor. "I’m just saying we have one too many things to deal with as it is. I’ll leave the talking to you this time, but I sure as hell am tired of wasting ammo and endangering us for nothing.” Steele finished, taking a step back and eyeing Hermes as he mulled over what Steele had said.

“It’s not always easy being a good pony.” Hermes said, walking away from Steele and confronting Blight once more. “Hello. My name is Hermes and this is Steele.” He started, motioning toward Steele who was now leaning against a wall and eyeing them from under his hat. “We came here because the town was having problems with ghouls. I’m sorry to say we have taken out your other followers, but we had no choice.”

“I understand child. But worry not for those were not our brethren." Blight explained. He paused for a moment, and Hermes guessed it was a respectful gesture. "Poor children were lost and went mad; there was nothing we could do to help them, so we let them be." Steele snickered and Blight stopped to face him." I apologize, we understand they might have caused the neighboring town some trouble, but please understand that we simply couldn't leave without endangering ourselves." He pleaded, looking to Hermes for sympathy. "We have been using this facility to try and escape the harsh treatment of the Mojave and flee to the promised land, but a group of demons invaded us and chased us up here. We lost many of our flock, and the ones left behind have gone insane, but that is why we need your help. The demons have retreated to the basement, where our escape lies, and threaten to kill us if we ever come out.”

“The sacred land?” Hermes asked, still mulling over the idea of a talking society of ghouls, not to mention one capable of scientific research.

“The land in my visions." Blight stated obviously, almost as if Hermes was a fool for not knowing something so trivial. "The brotherhood and I have been working toward finding a way to get there. It is a land where my ghouls and I can escape the hatred and danger of the Mojave and live in peace. Of course without Hex’s help we would never have been able to make as much progress as we did.” Blight added.

“Uh, huh. And Hex here is...?”

“None of your business smooth skin.” Hex answered.

“Hex, please help the others upstairs.” Blight commanded. Hex growled, but obediently went upstairs to do as he was told. “As I was saying. Hex here is a blessing bestowed onto us by the creator. He came to us one day, convinced he was a ghoul and wouldn’t believe us when we told him otherwise. Rather than sending him off, we accepted his help and he has been a vital key in our ascension to the sacred land.”

"The creator, you mean the goddesses?" Hermes pressed.

"Oh no your gods have forsaken us long ago, but the creator came to our aid and promised us safety and refuge in the sacred land." Blight explained. He seemed to take offence at being associated with the goddesses and Hermes didn't press further; he began to see the ghoul as the religious nut-job he was.

“And the demons?” Steele asked.

“Absolute monsters. They came in one day demanding stealth bucks, but when we told them that we had none to offer they went mad. They began to attack us, and forced us up here. My flock fought bravely, but even with our rifles we were no match. They made the basement their home, and now we cannot complete our journey after working so tirelessly and nearly finishing preparations.” Blight answered, his normally calm and knowing voice now seething with hatred.

“So let me get this straight. We clear out your... “demons”, and you leave to complete your journey?” Steele asked, still skeptical as to how a band of ghouls would suddenly disappear. He concluded it was better to not know the details to this madness.

“Simply put, we would appreciate it. I believe the creator has sent you two...ponies to make up for the sins your kind have brought onto ours.”

“Ok then. We deal with the demons, and you leave.” Steele concluded. He opened the door and left without another word.

“Wait for me!” Hermes shouted, rushing after him.

“Thank you strangers!” Blight called after them.

"You're really going to help these guys, huh Steele?" Hermes beamed.

“I sure as hell ain’t going against any nightkin for those brainwashed religious zealots.” Steele replied gravely.

Hermes stopped walking an stared at Steele, unable to understand his cold heartlessness.

“But they said they’d leave." He claimed in protest. "They don’t look mean, and helping them out will solve everyone’s problems.” Hermes pleaded. “I can’t do this alone.”

“Do you even know what a nightkin is?!” Steele screamed; he brought a hoof to his temple to restrain himself. He soon lowered it and glared at Hermes like he was mad.

“No, but-"

“No buts!" Steele interrupted, making Hermes wince and fold his ears. "I didn’t come here to die, and if you still want me to be in charge of you, then I’m not letting you get killed with our supplies. These crazy bastards can find another pair of lackeys to do their dirty work.” He turned to leave, unwilling to waste his time on the matter any longer.

“Think of the salvage. A place from the Ministry of Awesome must have valuable salvage, and if the basement has all the equipment, then that’s where we must go.” Hermes bargained.

“I rather live a poorer stallion than die a rich bastard for someone like me to come along and take it.” Steele answered solemnly.

He had had enough of this bullshit. Risking their lives and ammo on this stupid journey was crazy, and going against nightkin was a deathwish. Maybe joining the courier was a mistake. He thought bitterly.

“Look, you said you wanted to be a good pony. Then why start now!” Hermes yelled. He was angry now, and dealing with Steele’s shitty attitude was getting to him. “Being good means sacrificing. It doesn’t always work out in your favor, but that’s why you try again! Good things don’t come on their own, you earn them. That’s what we did before the war, and that’s what we need to do now. No one said this was going to be easy, but I’m no quitter Steele. If you are... then go ahead, leave; I thought you were better than that Steele. I thought someone who had seen what living through cruelty and misery would know that it is no way to live. If Equestria is to ever better itself, then it needs to start somewhere. If that means it must start with us then so be it. I’m going to do the right thing. I might die, but I’m going to die anyway, so I'd rather die knowing I did good and influenced others, than die the stallion you want to be.”

Steele stopped and looked back. "I never said I wanted to be anything kid."

Hermes shot him a disgusted glare and pushed his way past him; he slammed the door to the basement. Steele stood there for a moment, considering whether or not to feel guilty; he decided against it and moved on. He wasn’t going to be a hero. No, that wasn't who he was. He was going to survive like he always did. Once outside Steele took a deep breath. He knew the courier was most likely dead now. Whatever. The Mojave took many wannabe heroes every day. Steele looked up toward the sky and thought of Hermes’s words once more; he groaned. Maybe, just maybe the Mojave might not take one today.

The courier closed the door behind him and levitated his rifle. He had no idea what he was up against, but his computer told him there were a few enemies moving about. The words “KEEP OUT” painted messily in a dried crimson liquid didn’t really help either. He began to slowly walk toward one of the dots, keeping his rifle trained in its general direction. Once close, he hid behind a corner and checked his gun. One enemy... one demon just around this corner. Peek out, target him, and shoot. Easy right? He asked himself. He took a deep breath and quickly stepped out, his eyes glowing from the targeting system. To his surprise the hall was empty, and he nervously scanned his surroundings. His pipbuck told him it had locked onto the head of some attacker, but his eyes told him nothing was there. He blinked a few times, but to no avail. What the hell was going on here?! The hallway was empty, but the dot was now moving toward Hermes at an alarming rate. Loud hoofsteps reverberated, and the vibrations ran all the way up Hermes’s spine.

“I HAVE YOU NOW!” Screamed the invisible demon, raising his cement club over his head as he rose to tower over Hermes on his hind legs.

In a panic Hermes fired under the instructions of his pipbuck. He had missed the first shot, but once the nightkin had gotten close enough to uncloak, the second plasma shot had hit him in the face, liquefying him and leaving him yet another glowing pile of ash. Hermes shook slightly as the giant tower of a pony screamed and turned to a pile of glowing dust, his club hitting the metal floor of the basement loudly and alerting the other nightkin of their new guest. Hermes didn’t have time to react as another nightkin, alerted by the noise, was now sprinting at him at full speed. Each step he took shook the walls, and the loud clanking of his hooves echoed through the twisting hallways.

Hermes took a few shots, but the nightkin had shrugged them off and forced Hermes to run. Scared out of his mind, and out of ideas Hermes fled, blindly following the twisting hallways to wherever they lead. The targeting computer had missed its shots, and now needed to cool down. He was helpless, terrified, and had a blue hulking mass of destruction charging after him. Why the hay did the Ministry of Arcane Sciences think it was a good idea to try and make magically enhanced super soldiers?! He asked cursed. Unfortunately for him, his running attracted more nightkin, and he was now at a dead end. He turned around and aimed his gun in a last attempt to resist imminent death. His fear bled into his magic as his gun trembled in its beige aura.

"For fucks sake!" Hermes screamed as he shut his eyes.

He began to fire blindly, killing his first pursuer and scoring a lucky critical hit on another, but now he had three angry nightkin cornering him, and an empty gun. He opened his eyes to stare accusingly at his rifle, but knowing it was all over he closed his eyes hard and braced for the pain.

“DIE!” A nightkin commanded as he ran toward the courier.

The familiar bang from a chrome revolver sent his brain matter all over the walls. The courier opened his eyes as the massive corpse landed with a heavy thud; the other nightkin turned in time to see smoke rise from the barrel of one of two chrome .44 magnums surrounded in a light blue aura, behind them stood a lone unicorn wearing a cold stare.

“RAAAH!” A nighkin protested, screaming madly as he charged Steele.

The nightkin absorbed three shots, but had the fourth stopped his charge; the fifth shot had ended him. The last two nightkin charged, but were met with a wave of lead that dropped them both. Steele reloaded his revolvers and nonchalantly scavenged a few stealthbucks off the dead nightkin.

“Someone had to knock you off your pedestal.” Steele explained without directly acknowledging Hermes.

“Glad that someone was you boss man. I was in deep shit man, thanks.”

“Not a-”

“ANTLER TOLD ME YOU KILLED MY FLOCK!” Screamed a nightkin. He was cloaked, and now had charged into Steele, pinning him to the wall by the throat.

Steele choked and kicked as his body struggled with the pain from a lack of oxygen and force from the impact, which had knocked the air out of his lungs, and disrupted his magic, causing his guns to clank uselessly against the floor. He tried using the wall behind him to kick his attacker, but the mountain of a pony didn’t budge.

“I’LL KILL YOU!” The mutant screamed.

Steele’s vision was fading, and the pain in his chest indicated a broken bone or two. So this is how I die? He asked himself, his hoofs stopping to his sides as his body became limp. Before it went all black he heard a faint:

“No!” as Hermes changed his mag, raised his gun, and spammed his pipbuck’s targeting system with the command of locking onto the mutants head. He fired his gun and liquefied the nightkin; his huge bumper sword clanked against the metal floor as Steele's body plopped down onto the ground and began to cough blood.

“Are you ok?” Hermes asked. He dropped his gun and ran to Steele’s side. He just watched helplessly as Steele coughed and struggled to respond.

“Here, I got a few of these for the Legion armor.” Hermes said, levitating a hydra potion.

Steele leaned away from the offer and waved a hoof in protest. “A hydra?" He chocked. "Are you...*cough* kidding me? Tha...*cough* that’s too expensive.” Steele protested, leaning further away from the courier.

“It’s obvious you have some broken bones, and we have two more. We can’t get to a doctor right now. Just drink it!” Hermes commanded, taking the magical seal off the bottle and shoving it in Steele’s face.

“Do you know how rare that thing is?”

“Do you know how rare replacement bones are?” Hermes pressed.

Steele considering it, and grudgingly downed the potion. The pain began to melt away and he could feel movement in his chest.

“Better?” Hermes asked, relieved to have the ordeal behind him.

“Poorer.” Steele replied, earning an eye roll from Hermes. “Lets get down to business. I think it’s clear, but lets check for salvage. Grab the sword, and I think I saw a key in that ash pile.” He instructed. He rose and shook off the lingering pain.

“Alright boss man.” Hermes replied.

The duo salvaged some food, ammo, and a good number of stealth bucks before coming to a stop at the last unchecked door.

“Locked.” Hermes said upon the door refusing to open under his magic.

“Lets hope this key leads to something valuable.” Steele said.

He unlocked the door and stepped back to watch the door hiss and creak as its old hydraulic pumps struggled to move the heavy metal. Upon opening Steele hit the floor hard as something tackled him with astonishing speed and power. Whatever it was, the mass towered over him and after using his body as a sled to slid to a stop, rested on top of him. Unfortunately for Steele's assailant, he was used to being knocked onto his back --in a strictly platonic way--, and used the ground to roll backwards and regain the upper ground over his opponent; he drew his guns as his vision focused on his attacker.

The initial trauma gone, Steele was shocked to find himself on top of a female griffon. They were locked in eye contact, and Steele noticed a prominent scar running along one of her purple eyes as her sharpened pupils bore a hole into his. More importantly, Steele soon noticed a razor sharp claw at his throat, threatening to slice his veins at the slightest movement. The couple remained motionless, caught in their little staring contest, and soon Hermes had lowered his plasma rifle and interrupted their little game.

“You sure have a way with ladies Steele. Hell you practically sweep them off their feet.” He laughed.

“Can it.” Steele commanded, never breaking eye contact.

“Since you’re not a nightkin, mind helping a lady onto her feet?” The griffon asked sarcastically. She had a rough, deep voice, and although her body held a number of battle related scars, she still kept a distinct feminine beauty to her.

Steele got off her, and held out a hoof that was promptly ignored. She brushed herself off, and stared at the oddly paired duo as her eyes refocused to pose a less threatening demeanor.

“You treat all your guests this way?” Steele asked, holstering his gun.

“I do when a bunch of them try to kill me and force me into a room for days.” She answered venomously.

“Fair enough." Steele replied, using the same poisonous tone. "Mind telling us what a griffon is doing this close to Las pegasus? Not to mention in a religious ghoul infested facility. Last I heard griffons and pegasi don’t see eye to eye.” Steele pressed.

“You sure want an awful lot for free stranger.” She said.

“It’s a small favor considering we just rescued you from a locked room, and cleared out the nightkin that held you hostage.” Steele answered.

Hermes remained silent, choosing instead to watch the exchange of bravado; it was amazing. Steele had just met someone seemingly as tough and bitter as him, and the way the two of them were talking down to each other was a sight to see. For a moment Hermes wondered if Steele had met his match, but quickly decided against it. This was Steele he was talking about; no one could out tough him.

“Fair enough. The name’s Scratch. I’m actually working for the ghouls as a bodyguard. They accept me, treat me well, and pay me handsomely. Everyone’s happy, least they were until those blue freaks came in. I fought a lot of them off and ran to the basement to protect the others that ran this way, but the nightkin killed them and forced me to... tactically retreat into this room. I set up a nice kill zone and some traps, and then you came along.” Scratch finished.

"So you're a mercenary then, bit out of place if you're looking for work round these parts."

Scratch opened her beak to speak, but caught herself. "Not by choice." She informed coolly. “You on the other hand must be Legion." She started, choosing to change the subject quickly. "Only a Legion unicorn would be stupid, brave, or strong enough to roll a griffon no their back; I know.” She extended one of her white wings to show its mangled lower feathers. “I’ve dealt with them personally.” She tucked her wing back. “So what, Celestia sent you here to finish me off after I told her I wasn’t going to do her dirty work anymore, huh?” She asked, turning her neck to glare accusingly at the duo with one eye.

“I’m ex-Legion." Steele affirmed boldly. "I’ve hated those bastards for a very, very long time. You won’t find them being too friendly with me either, especially Celestia’s personal guards.” Steele answered. “You’re free to go. Your employers will be leaving now anyway, but any salvage left behind is ours.” He turned away from a curious Scratch and faced Hermes. “Stay down here. I’ll go get the religious nuts, and then we can get our shit and go; I’m tired of this place already.”

“Yes, sir boss man.” Hermes answered, taking a seat exactly where he stood.

“Boss man?” Scratch asked in a puzzled manner; her tone hinted her desire to laugh.

Steele left without another word and went to inform Blight that their task was complete.

“Oh wonderful. Thank you so much!” Blight exclaimed before running off with the others in tow.

Steele followed shortly, but once he returned he was met with the unfortunate sight of Hermes giggling and conversing with Scratch.

“You’re still here?” Steele asked coldly.

“Relax boss man. Scratch teased. “Your pal here told me all about you.”

“Define everything.” Steele growled, giving an intensely cold stare at Hermes.

“Enough for someone like you to want to kill him.” Scratch chuckled. “But before you kill him he also gave me a pretty nice offer.”

“Oh, he did, did he?” Steele asked, edging closer to a cowering Hermes.

“Yea. Now that I don’t have any employers and will most likely not find anyone out there who would hire me, you two might hire me.”

“Hire, you? By that you mean spend caps and food on someone who would be doing what we are already capable of?” Steele answered bitterly. “Look, I’ll be honest, you seem like someone who is more than capable of surviving on her own. Steele returned his attention to Hermes. "And like someone who knows to keep your business to yourself." He said accusingly. He returned his attention to the griffon eyeing him judgmentally. “But honestly we really can’t afford that luxury and extra responsibility.”

“Steele, please." Hermes exclaimed, much like a child asking their parent to keep some mutt they found on the road. "I've talked to her and she’d be a huge asset to us. She knows about this part of the Mojave better than you do, and with someone as experienced as her in survival, she'd be able to take care of herself." He argued. Steele turned to leave, but Hermes blocked his path. "Like you she’s too proud to admit it, but she knows what it's like to travel alone and be hated by everyone." Steele looked up to meet Hermes's eyes and wondered what kind of nerve he had to bring up Steele's past like that. Hermes put a hoof on Steele's shoulder. "Common Steele, you of all ponies should know that traveling alone with a heavy past is no way to live. Think about it, she’d provide invaluable combat assistance and knowledge, and most importantly she’d help you take care of me, your biggest liability.” He reasoned.

“Oh, you’re my biggest liability alright.” Steele smirked, shaking off Hermes's hoof and pressing forward.

"He's starting to be my biggest liability too." Scratch commented, cracking her talons as she angrily stared at Hermes for blurting out all that information.

“See you two are getting along already!” Hermes remarked, laughing at his own stupid joke.

“Piece of shit.” Steele laughed, unable to withhold his laughter any longer. Scratch joined him shortly.

“Taking advice from this bastard nearly killed me, but to hell with it. I can’t lie, if I'm going to be trudging through the Mojave with this bastard in tow." Steele began, kicking Hermes. "Then I'd rather have someone as capable as you to cover my back. However if you want to join us there are going to have to be a few rules."

"Oh here we go." Hermes commented lightheartedly, earning him another kick from Steele.

"One, what I say is final. Two, all resources are controlled by me. And three, I can make up the rules as I go since I have this smart ass following me around.” Steele said, once more kicking Hermes lightly, who was still giggling to himself. He returned his attention to Scratch. “Deal?” He asked, offering a hoof.

“Huh, a softy leading me?”

“Don’t mistake me for him. I’m no saint.” Steele growled, leaning into Scratch.

“Take it easy there. You might just regret it.” Scratch answered, pointing one of her sharp claws at Steele.

“Whoa, take it easy you two. Don’t kiss on me now.” Hermes remarked, breaking into another uncontrollable fit of laughter as he rolled on the floor, unable to contain himself.

The two glared at him with stares as cold as ice, but eventually broke down and laughed as well.

“You know what. It takes someone with a lot of nerve to deal with that bastard, and no softy I know of dealt with, and came out of Legion and the NLR alive. Yea, I think can use a tough bastard to back me up, especially if we are going to Las Pegasus to earn some caps." Scratch considered, rubbing her chin as she looked over Steele's imposing presence. "Deal.” She concluded, offering her claw.

“You know we won’t be paying you, but rather sharing supplies right?” Steele asked, accepting the hoof to claw shake.

“Free food, protection, and a right to any supplies I earn seems like a good job to me.” Scratch said.

“By the way, can you still fly with-” Steele nodded at her mangled wing.

“Better than most Pegasi, so if you have any trouble with those leave em to me.” She answered confidently.

“Perfect.” Steele grinned.

Their moment was cut short as the intercom came on and asked for their presence.

“Not them again.” Steele sighed.

The trio reluctantly found their way to a launch room where they were met with quite the sight.

“Ah, our saviors." Blight welcomed, a large grin covering the majority of his green glowing, rotten skinned face. "Thank you again for your help, but if you want us to truly finish our journey, we must ask for your assistance once more.”

“Oh you’ve got to-”

“Let him finish.” Hermes interrupted. “What you need?”

“Talk to Hex. He will tell you the part what's missing.” Blight answered, opening a hatch and walking out onto the platform that contained the rest of the ghouls and three large rockets; the whole site was irradiated enough to fry an egg.

“The launch is almost complete smoothskin. Those rockets will get us to the sacred land, but we require a special compound known as atomic fuel to contain the gem used to power the thrusters. Without it, it will overheat and explode.” Hex explained, dumping yet another pointless mission on the trio.

“So where do we find this fuel? I mean, apparently it is pre-war tech so you don’t expect us to just walk out of here and find it do you?” Steele asked. These zombies and their confused enthusiast were taking up way too much of his precious time.

“I’m afraid that I actually have no idea. As you said, they are pre-war tech. All I know is that some employees had rocket models with the fluid in them, but when we checked the building there were none to be found. Maybe the headquarters Ministry building might still have a few lying around.”

“You want us to go all the way to-”

“Wait! A model rocket? You mean something like this?” Hermes asked, levitating a model rocket similar to that of the giant ones the ghouls were waiting for; a mysterious glowing green liquid swirled around inside.

“Yes! That’s it!” exclaimed Hex.

“Where did you? Wait. You got that at the manticore shop didn’t you? I thought I told you[/i-]”

“Quiet both of you!” Scratch yelled, silencing them both. “He got what we need. Let’s just get this over with, and the two of you can deal with your marital issues on the road.” Scratch grabbed the rocket and tossed it to Hex, who caught it with his magic.

Steele was boiling at this point, but decided to keep his cool. “Whatever. Grab the few medical potions lying around and the rad suits on the table. We’re leaving.” Steele growled. He began to leave, but was stopped once more by Hermes.

“He doesn’t know he’s not coming with them.” He whispered.

“The poor bastard thinks he’s one of them, so what of it?” Steele asked.

“Look. Can you let me stay behind and convince him otherwise? Please. I mean even you know it’s the right thing to do.” Hermes pleaded.

“Whatever. If you come out last you’re carrying most of the salvage.” He answered, shoving his way past him; Hermes had caused enough trouble for today. If Steele let him do what he wanted, then they might just get this over with faster.

“You’re not as bad as I thought smoothskin. Thank you for your help. All that we need now is for you to push the launch button on the observation deck.” Hex said, eyeing the rocket and it’s green glowing interior.

Having stripped the room of its valuables, Hermes stayed behind to talk to Hex while Steele and Scratch left the room to strip the rest of the facility of anything profitable. Once clear of the door the intercom came on and Blight began another one of his religious speeches.

“Rah! Scratch can you please go push that damn button? I’m tired of hearing this lunatic’s ramblings. I’ll gather as much salvage as I can, and Hermes and I will meet you outside.”

“With pleasure.” Scratch responded, spreading her wings and taking off through the halls.

Wow. To Steele’s surprise he was actually glad to have her on his side. At Least he could count on her to stay quiet and out of his way. Steele made quick work of raiding the building. He fit all he could into his saddlebags, but without the inventory management of a pipbuck he was forced to use his magic to carry the rest. Unfortunately Blight had enough time to finish his speech and thank the trio for their help before the whole building shook and rang with warning alarms. They're finally gone. Steele realized, sighing with relief. Thankful and eager to make a profit out of this stupid quest, he went outside and appreciated the warm midnight air.

“Got everything?” Scratch asked. She had landed in front of Steele and eyed their haul. “I mean, it doesn’t look like much.” She added, disappointed that only a few laser rifles and stealth bucks made up the most valuable pieces of their reward.

“Yea. It’s not too bad. Enough to give us all food, ammo, a place to sleep, and medical supplies to patch you up; some of those injuries look fresh.” He noticed, eyeing the wounds with concern.

“I didn’t know you cared.” Scratch replied sarcastically, a mocking grin on her face as she took her share of the load.

Steele gave her a stern look and answered:

“I care about my squad and my squad alone. I made a promise to protect and be responsible for you two. If I cannot keep my word, then how can I expect you to honor yours when you say you will watch over me? I’m no monster. The Mojave has hardened me, but it still left a tiny stone of a heart.” Steele said. He took his share of the load, and left the majority of it for Hermes.

“Hmph. I can respect that, but to be honest, I wasn’t expecting it. Ponies and griffons don’t exactly get along now, and since our relationship is strictly business, I didn’t expect my employer to provide healthcare in the apocalypse.” Scratch explained. She might not have shown it, but Steele had left quite an impression. She had enough experience braving the Mojave, and it felt like it couldn’t possibly surprise her anymore. Being attacked first, and neglected throughout the majority of her time at the Mojave she had begun to lose hope for making nice with ponies. To her surprise and confusion, she found kindness and acceptance from the least likely stallion in all the Mojave. Apparently the Mojave still had surprised to offer.

“Business? Ha. You think that I’m stupid enough to bring along a griffon into Las Pegasus, associate myself with her, and claim to be willing to protect her if necessary for business?!" Steele laughed. Scratch frowned and began to reconsider her positive opinions. "I’m honestly not that stupid. Hermes had once called me something that I never thought I’d hear in the Mojave. That sly bastard managed to convince me that maybe the old world’s morals were onto something, and I guess I’m stupid enough to actually pursue the colt’s tales I so often dreamed of. I’d never put up with Hermes if he was a business partner, no, I’m afraid the sly bastard fooled me into a friendship, and that’s what I assumed our relation would be too. Otherwise I would never have agreed to have you travel with us.” Steele finished. He knew couldn’t lie to himself for too long. Hermes had made him a little bit softer, and Steele hated him for that, but this softness had earned him some caps and some protection. Not bad for a softy. He thought smugly.

“Sheesh you two. I’m gone for two minutes and you two are at it again.” Hermes said, interrupting Scratch before she could respond, and enraging the both of them. “Uh, guys. I’m your friend remember? You don’t hurt friends.” He reminded, folding his ears and backing up slowly at the sight of Steele and Scratch looming over him.

“Normally I’d call you an ignorant fool, but if you managed to keep yourself alive by calling him a friend, then you might be onto something.” Scratch said, turning to leave. “It’s late. Lets sell this stuff and call it a night. If we’re going to track down this Lucky Star guy then I’d rather we do it in broad daylight.”

“Good idea.” Steele answered. He glared at Hermes. “As promised, you get the privilege of carrying this stuff for you two friends.” He smiled briefly as he dumped their salvage in front of Hermes.

“Oh, goody.” He replied sarcastically, but Steele had already left to catch up to Scratch.

“By the way. Before we sell any of this stuff you might want to pick out a gun.” Steele suggested.

“Nah. I don’t really like the small toys you ponies play around with. Nothing there is big enough for me to use comfortably. Besides, I got these babies to protect me.” Scratch said, opening a claw to show it was sharp to perfection. “I prefer to take on my prey head on anyway; nothing scares a pony like a griffon with razor sharp claws in their face.”

“Hey guys. Wait up!” Hermes yelled behind them. He was struggling to carry the heavy gear, and relied mostly on his magic to do the heavy lifting.

Ignoring him Scratch continued.

“The bumper sword might be pretty rad, though it would go for quite a bit. Not sure you want to let me have it.”

“I gave a plasma rifle, to Hermes.” Steele retorted. Scratch laughed.

“Good point.”

“Besides, I rather miss a few caps than waste them on medical supplies later.” Steele explained.

“Sounds fair. You know what Steele, you’re not as bad as I thought. If this is what sticking with you two is going to be like, then maybe this friendship thing isn’t a load of crap after all.”

“I try to convince myself that every time I deal with that.” Steele replied, nodding toward Hermes who was lagging behind and muttering insults to himself.

The trio made their back to Novac without any difficulty and decided that renting two motel rooms from the shocked town mayor would be a smart choice. They could sell their haul in the morning, and begin their quest first thing in the morning.

“I think I’ll get the other room. Besides, you two probably want me to get out of your way for the night anyway.” Hermes remarked, slyly edging toward a vacant room; his joke earned him a powerful smack on the back of the head from Steele. “Hey! Relax boss man.” He said, rubbing the back of his head. "Just a joke."

“Oh no. You two friends are going to give the lady her privacy and take the other room for yourselves.” Scratch argued, having entered an empty hotel room while the other two were distracted.

“Oh no I’m in charge and I have to deal with the both of-” Steele began, but his sentence was once more cut short when Scratch slammed and locked the door behind her.

"Night." She called through the door.

“Women.” Hermes said, cowering from Steele who had raised his hoof threateningly.

Steele couldn’t believe he had to share a room with this idiot, but whatever. As Hermes pointed out, friends required sacrifices. As much as he hated to admit it, the two were invaluable assets to his survival. Scratch’s knowledge of the wasteland and her wings were a huge benefit, and Hermes’s pipbuck and smooth talking made up for his annoying self. Friendship might not have been as magical as it was in his colt tales, but it was better than nothing. He just had to convince himself it was worth not strangling Hermes for his insufferable snoring.