Prologue : Better times and good beer

Darkfire woke up, the taste of the morning air stale and dry and dirty. He looked around, yawning as he got out of bed. After going through his morning routine in a near autonomous manner. He walked out the door and went about his day. He did so much as he always had. Go to work, pick the crops, water the crops, feed the brahmin, if it was an especially exciting day something would break and he would have to fix it. Then he would go home, or to the bar. His life had been Fairly safe, he grew up alone in a small town just up the base of a mountain. The area was for the most part raider free, and the town was small enough that the few that were there didn't really care to bother them, most of the time.

There weren't any Hellhounds, the river that ran across the path that led to the town meant they were, for the most part, cut off. Life was dull, everypony fell into their routine of work, go home, sleep and repeat. The most exciting thing that ever happened was one of the brahmin getting louse, or a filly breaking up with her colt friend. The only big building in the town was the bar, and only trade post in the town was very small and barely used. Their isolated location meant they rarely saw outsiders, to the point that some new pony walking through town was gossiped and talked about for a week, imaginations about the strangers intent running wild, and fantasy turning what was just a random pony looking for water or food into a great adventure on a quest to save the world.

Less often than a pony wandering into this isolated little slice of the wasteland was somepony staying. Once or twice every couple of years a new shack would pop up, and a new pony move in. All that was starting to change. Recently a new family had come to stay. They were a small family that used to run a caravan, and after some time had started it up again.

Some in the town didn't like the idea of ponies going and going all the time, but a few thought that the business that they brought was the best possible thing ever. It had seemed that something exciting was finally happening in this tiny forgotten town. Darkfire had gotten home from work and lied down to go to bed like he always had when a thought struck him. Ever since he got here as a colt he had never left. From the day he could work he did the same thing day in and day out, that was how it had been going his whole life. Thoughts like this came and went every now and then the past few years but all he ever did about it was walkabout the town until his body was tired enough to drag his mind into a restless sleep.

So, almost as if he were a robot, turning onto clank over to maintenance for its monthly repair he went on his walk. Past the home of the old couple, around the farm where he spent his days working, over by his best friends home, to the general store then by the trading post. Snapping out of the stupor caused by a mix of knowing that he had seen all that he would in his town and the lack of sleep caused by his recently uneasy mind by the new neon sign that adorned the trading post. He stared at it for a minute or two before realizing that his friend was standing right beside him doing the same thing.

Darkfire looked at him and said “It's….new” His friend Winter-wheat, a mid-sized light brown earth pony slightly taller than he was with wheat for a cutie mark and buzzed mane just a bit darker than his body continued to stare blankly at the sign. “Yea, new” Said Winter-wheat. They both stood there for a moment staring on in confusion before the sound of giggling broke their trance. They both looked over to their right trying to find the source. The source it appeared was a Dark blue mare with a Sparkle cola for a cutie mark.

She smiled at them when their attention shifted from the sign and continued to giggle as they just stood there confused. She was one of the ponies, part of the new family that had moved in, and they had not yet met her. She smiled widely before saying “Yall never seen a neon sign before?” Darkfire and Winter-wheat looked at each other then back at her.

“No” Said Darkfire

“Can't say that we have” Added Winter-wheat.

The mare smiled even wider and fell to the ground laughing, Darkfire and Winter wheat once again looked at each other, both with their eyebrows raised. They had known each other long enough that they didn't even need to say it out loud, this mare is crazy and they both knew it. Still, the question had to be asked Darkfire looked at the mare

“What's so funny?” He asked

The mare smiled yet again and looked at him “Yall are looking at that sign like its gonna make the sun shine.” She said, still laughing “Yall are funny” She continued “Names Sparkle, like the drink yea find in the machines ” She said, still smiling “ What's yours?”

Darkfire pointed to his friend who had now gone back to staring at the sign “That's Winter-wheat” Darkfire paused for a moment to allow his friend to introduce himself, but he just kept staring at the sign. Darkfire let out a chuckle then pointed to himself “And I'm Darkfire” She looked at him for a moment and then walked around him and looked at his flank. “What are you doing” Asked Darkfire

“Lookin at your cutie mark,” Said sparkle

“Why” Asked Darkfire “Cause” Replied Sparkle. Darkfire's cutie mark was what-what appeared to be a campfire in a forest.
“What's it mean” asked Sparkle.

Darkfire paused for a moment, he had never really thought about it. “Don't know, I guess I just got it one day”

Sparkle giggled some more and walked back in front of Darkfire and smiled at him and Winter-wheat, who was still staring at the sign. “Yall wanna stop by the bar, get a few drinks?” Asked Sparkle looking at Winter-wheat.

His eyes went wide as he went from light brown to blush pink and Darkfire started to laugh “Uhhhhh” was all Winter-wheat could manage to say.

Sparkle fell to the ground laughing once more. This went on until a few ponies started walking out of the homes to see what all the laughing was about Winter-wheat finally managed to stammer “I..I like beer”

Darkfire smiled and looked at Sparkle “I think he means yes”

Sparkle got up and smiled “Let's go then”

They all started to walk over to the bar. It was a Much larger shack than the others and functioned as the town hall. It was a lot nicer on the inside than it looked like it would be from the outside. The walls had all been painted black, and the dirt floor had been replaced with bricks from a building somewhere. All the bar furniture was actual bar furniture. All though old the booths bar stools and counter were still in fair condition. The counter had been refinished and the cash registers repaired. Any holes in the booth seats were seamlessly repaired, and barely noticeable. Prewar posters adorned the walls as well as an assortment of banners.

“Wow, this place is a heck of a lot nicer than ah thought it would be” Said Sparkle

Dark fire and Winter-wheat laughed. “Drinking and gossip are about all there is to do around here, so I guess it makes sense that we take care of the place.“ said before Darkfire walked up to the Bartender, she was an older mare with a spool and a sewing needle for a cutie mark.

“The usual?” She asked

Darkfire nodded and tossed a bag of caps labeled the usual on the counter and walked to a booth. After he sat down Winter-wheat sat the side opposite of him, from the looks of it this is how they had been doing it for a long time. Sparkle decided to sit right next to Winter wheat, which made him blush just as bright as before. The bartender started to pass drinks to every pony in the place. When they got theirs Sparkle looked at Darkfire

“Did you buy everypony a drink?” She asked Darkfire just nodded. “Aint that expensive?”Asked Sparkle.

Darkfire laughed “There isn't much else to spend caps on out here.” he said with a smile. After a few drinks, Darkfire started to stare off into space as he normally did. Yet again giggling broke Darkfire from his trance, only this time he was a little more familiar with who was making it, he looked over at Sparkle who was smiling Before he could speak she laughed and said

“That explains why you weren't all blushy earlier”

Darkfire turned his head to look at Sparkle .

“Huh?”
Sparkle smiled “when I asked yall two if yall wanted to go get drinks your friend went pinker than that mare on them ministry billboards, but you just laughed”

“So” Replied Darkfire before taking a drink

“Ah seen you looking at that stallion over yonder” Said Sparkle.

This made Darkfire turn that oh so familiar shade of pink and the drink he had just taken was immediately sprayed all over Winter-wheat who was now much like everypony else in the bar laughing to hard to care.

“I wasn't looking at him!” Said Darkfire

Sparkle smiled Deviously “There ain't nothin wrong with not liking mares” Darkfire looked nervous now “I don't not like mares”

Sparkle smiled even wider than the had before “Doesn't mean you don't like Stallions”

Darkfire buried his face in his hooves “N...no, it doesn't” he said stammering as he did. Winter-wheat stopped laughing

“Wait...that explains why my flank hurts the next day whenever I spend the night at your place.Well, at least when you get blackout drunk ” he said with a wink

Darkfire now covering his head with his hooves just mumbled something and shook his head
Sparkle stopped laughing and looked at him “What was that”
Darkfire mumbled just a bit louder
“We can’t hear you” said Winter-wheat. Darkfire mumbled just a bit louder

“Ah still can't hear you” Said Sparkle

Darkfire leaned over the table and grabbed Winter-wheat and kissed him, then buried his face in his hooves again. Winter-wheat seemed to be frozen for a moment, and every pony in the bar was now looking at him. “Uhhh, I don't swing that way,” He said after a few moments pause.

Darkfire sighed “I know”

Sparkle smiled ‘Soooooo, what do yall do when yall are outa town”

Winter-wheat looked at her “What do you mean outa town”

Sparkle stared at him with a confused look on her face “You know….when you're wanderin the wastes”

Winter-wheat laughed “We haven't been outta town”

Sparkle paused “Ever?” She said, the same confused look on her face

“Never” replied Winter-wheat. Sparkles now familiar laugh filled the bar once more she looked at the both of them

“Yall two wanna come on one of the trade routes?” She asked,

“What?” They both asked in unison staring at her like she had just told them that she had found a stone ring that let her travel through time.

“We've been looking round for a few ponies to guard the wagons and move crates, Ma paw just put me in charge of a run and Ah figured that means i get to choose who i take Don't yall wanna see the world, gon an adventure or sometin? Or ar least make a few extra caps ”

Winter-wheat laughed “Can't see why not” He looked at Darkfire “What do you think?” he asked?

“I think I need more beer” Said Darkfire. They all laughed and continued on like that far into the night before they stumbled home.