Braeburn Apple and the Treasure of Red River Canyon

Chapters

1 - Salt Lick Saloon
2 - Dodge Junction Express
3 - Roseluck

1 - Salt Lick Saloon

The sun beat down over Appleoosa and caused shimmering waves of heat to form above the desert surface. Few residents were out and about among the wooden buildings of the main street and the smaller residential areas nearby, preferring to remain indoors and in the shade where the temperature didn’t rise above eighty degrees. The farms were desolate save the remains of the recently harvested crops, from trees to old wheat stalks to dried-up lettuce leaves left out in the sun for too long, and the farmers stayed at home resting as they waited for the winter rains to come around and flood the lands for crops, bringing nutrients back into the soil.

Only one farmer did not stay at home. This farmer was a light gold earth pony stallion with an amber and gold mane and friendly green eyes. He wore a Stetson even as he sat at the bar inside of the Salt Lick Saloon along with a small leather duster around his front, and his cutie mark was a single red apple with tinges of gold. He waved to the bartender, a mustached pony with a sandy coat currently cleaning out a glass mug similar to that on his flank, and brought his attention over.

“If it isn’t Braeburn Apple,” the bartender said pleased. “I’m guessing you’re done with the harvest season by now.”

“What other reason do I have to come down here?” Braeburn said. “Now that the harvest season’s up, I got to wait at least two months before anythin’ needs to be done.”

The bartender nodded. “So, what’ll it be? The usual?”

Braeburn nodded. “One small salt lick. I probably could spoil myself ev’ry once in a while, but I choose not to today.”

The bartender laughed as he went over to an ice chest and pulled out a small block of a white crystal. “You always choose not to spoil yourself.”

“I suppose so,” Braeburn said. “Clean livin’ is what got me to have some of the highest apple sales in all of Equestria, though.”

The bartender set the salt lick in front of Braeburn. “Ain’t you got family you could visit?”

“I could, but the train’s already done passed through. I got to wait another two weeks before I could, and I couldn’t last time since I was doin’ some last minute things managin’ the farm.”

Braeburn took a lick of the salt lick and sighed happily at the fresh, cool taste. The bartender, meanwhile, pulled himself away and continued wiping out the glass before serving a customer at the other end of the bar a light gold liquid.

That stallion was in the same predicament as Braeburn. He owned the wheat farm not far from where Braeburn’s orchard was. He’d already been in there with a drink in his hand when Braeburn entered and the stallion realized he was about to suffer the same fate. Even so, he drank the gold liquid as though it was fine nectar. Braeburn would have stopped him, but rethought it. It wasn’t his fault he got drunk; what else was there to do?

The closest source of entertainment was Dodge Junction, with rodeos and gambling halls and music and plays, but that was already half a day’s train ride away and often was rather expensive to go to for a small-town farmer. Appleoosa had the hoedowns every couple of weeks, but you can’t have a hoedown every day otherwise even the most hardened fans that show up to every one start to get sick of it. Almost every farmer had a small savings that was spent on a trip to Dodge Junction for a week, and eventually the gambling and the drinking and the rodeos and the games would wear out their supplies and they’d come back home defeated and waited out the time until the next season came around and they could go back to work.

Despite his successes, Braeburn never did find much enjoyment in Dodge Junction. The gambling and drinking halls brought with them a considerable amount of things that Braeburn never exactly found appetizing. The games themselves were fun but could suck you dry in minutes if you weren’t smart about them. The drinks were good but would put you under the table so fast you wouldn’t even realize it until the next morning. And there were the appearances of the mares, dainty, pretty little things that promised cheap rewards for a small fee. There was a reason Dodge Junction was prosperous and Appleoosa was not, though; Appleoosa may have enjoyed the peace and relative prosperity of a desert town, but it did not have the lure of the bright lights of Dodge Junction, which could be seen from Appleoosa’s main street late at night.

Braeburn might have been halfway through his salt lick, pondering what to do in his spare time and why Dodge Junction wouldn’t work, when a rugged stallion came up and sat down beside him. Braeburn turned to look over the newcomer. He was an earth pony like Braeburn was, covered in a greyish-brown coat. He had a roughly brushed mane and tail of a deep charcoal grey and his eyes were a brilliant chartreuse green like Braeburn’s were. He had patches of stubble at the end of his muzzle around his mouth and boasted a cutie mark of a brilliant gold skull with gems for eyes. Braeburn didn’t recognize a stallion of this sort around Appleoosa before and wondered if he was passing through; judging from his rather unkempt appearance and the wrinkles present in his tan collared shirt, he might have been travelling long.

“Bartender,” the stallion called in a gruff voice. “Can I get a pint of whatever that guy at the end is having?”

The bartender nodded but didn’t say anything. This wasn’t unusual; Braeburn had known the bartender ever since the latter moved to Appleoosa and by now they were on friendly terms. But this stallion was a newcomer and everyone knew it; in a small town like Appleoosa, new faces are noticed quickly. Braeburn thought nothing of him and returned to his salt lick.

“Hey,” the gruff voice came back. “I’m talking to you, apple butt.”

Braeburn turned around to face the stallion. Braeburn noticed his mouth seemed to be in a perpetual frown and his eyebrows were tilted inwards at a slight angle as though he was mad at something, though the tone of his voice didn’t match it. “What do you do around here?”

Braeburn turned around and leaned on the counter with a single hoof. “I’m the owner of a nearby apple orchard. There somethin’ you need? I could show you around town.”

“Nah,” the stallion said. “That’d take too long. I thought you were someone who wasted his time drinking in a bar all day.”

“You could talk to the stallion at the other end there,” Braeburn motioned. The stallion followed his hoof to the pony with a now nearly empty pint. “He’s a farmer like myself, but now that the harvest season’s over, he’ll be drinkin’ himself to the floor all day until the plantin’ season begins.”

The stallion turned back to Braeburn as the bartender finally brought over a pint of golden liquid, which the stallion drank a fair amount in one gulp and loudly exhaled. “Much obliged, but I’d rather not have somepony who’s killed off one too many brain cells.” He nodded towards the salt lick. “That all you had today?”

“All I plan on havin’,” Braeburn responded. “So who are you, anyway? I ain’t ever seen you in Appleoosa before.”

“And if all works out well enough, you’ll never see me here again,” the stallion said somewhat dismissively. But he turned and bowed rather gracefully to Braeburn. “The name’s Dr. Caballeron. I’m an archaeologist by trade, earning my Ph.D. in archaeology and a Master’s in equinology at Canterlot University.”

“Headed there myself,” Braeburn said. “I’ve got Master’s degrees in Biology and Agriculture and a Bachelor’s in Business from there.”

Caballeron smirked. “So you’re actually a smart one, huh? Never expected so many degrees out of a simple farm pony.”

“Most don’t,” Braeburn said, taking a lick of his salt block. “But that’s what you need if you want to run your own farm. There’s biology and agriculture to understand how the land works, and business to know how to sell your product and make a profit, as well as allocatin’ when and where to buy supplies needed. Most of what I know from those is more in terms of practical experience.”

“Well, I need a practical pony for something.” Caballeron took another long drink of his pint and slammed it back down on the table. “And it looks like you’ve got the strength, too, like a few years of applebucking in those legs.”

“What are you needin’ somepony like me for, Mister Caballeron?”

“I’d prefer to be addressed as ‘Doctor’, if you don’t mind,” Dr. Caballeron replied. “I do have the degree. And I am on the trail of a particular item. However, I’m not from around here. I have some other stallions with me to help me out on my job, but I don’t have the local experience.”

“Where’s the rest of your little party, then?”

“Oh, they’re awaiting my return in Dodge Junction. That’s where we’d be setting out from. But I’m afraid I can’t go into any more detail on that, at the moment. Suffice it to say I’d need someone who knows the area. You’re smart, you’re a local, and you look like you have strength to match.”

Braeburn shrugged. “So, why me? Why come all the way out here to little Appleoosa and search for someone instead of findin’ someone else in Dodge Junction?”

“You’re forgetting one of the conditions. You’re smart. Your three degrees tell me that. Meanwhile, you can’t find anyone with half a brain in Dodge Junction. Either they’re obsessed with the gambling tables or they drink their stores dry or they’re too interested in the company of a lady. I like to relax, but you can’t find someone in Dodge that can tear themselves away.

Braeburn nodded. “Rather prefer to keep myself out of that place. Close as I want to get to Tartarus.”

Dr. Caballeron laughed so hard he spilt some of his drink on the bar counter; the bartender shot him an angry glance but he didn’t notice. “And you have a sense of wit! I like you and would like to have you along.”

Braeburn shook his head. “Much as I wouldn’t normally mind, I would like to keep myself out of other’s business.”

Dr. Caballeron put a hoof on the counter to match Braeburn’s position. “Look, you’ve got two months to wait until the next planting season and the winter rains. What are you going to do until then? Come back here and drink yourself into monotony?”

Braeburn didn’t respond. He simply took another lick of his salt block.

“Your work wouldn’t go unpaid, by the way. I can afford with my position and the mission at hand to pay you a small percentage out of pocket as a reward as well as a bit of credit. It won’t take too long, either; just a couple of weeks at most. Then you’ll be back as though nothing happened but a few bits richer.”

Braeburn took another lick of his salt block. “You make a convincing argument. But I’m afraid I can’t go into this without knowing what I’m doing.”

Dr. Caballeron took another long drink that emptied his glass. “You know what? You’re right. How about this: you come on down to Dodge Junction with me tomorrow. We go out on the town a little, discuss the arrangement of what would be going on, and if you’re not satisfied with it, you’ll have gained a few days in Dodge Junction for free.”

“You’d be willing to pay for a train ride, hotel stay, and whatever provisions for me even if I were to say ‘no’?” Braeburn asked dubiously.

“You’re smarter than most I’ve met,” Dr. Caballeron said jovially as he put a hoof around Braeburn’s shoulders. “Even if you weren’t going along with, your company would have at least taken away some of the mind-numbing idiocy that is Dodge Junction.”

Braeburn wasn’t sure about it. “What time does your train leave tomorrow?”

“About ten in the morning.”

Braeburn nodded. “I’ll meet you at nine forty-five if I decide to show up.”

Dr. Caballeron smiled. “Excellent! At least we’ve worked out something of a deal. Fair enough; if you don’t show by nine forty-five, I shall not expect you to join me. Now, I should see if I can’t buy a few supplies here in case they’re cheaper than Dodge Junction, so I must bid you farewell for the time being.” He got off the counter and started walking out the door before he turned around and faced Braeburn again. “I’m afraid I never got your name.”

Braeburn tipped his hat. “Braeburn. Braeburn Apple.”

Dr. Caballeron bowed gracefully again. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Master Braeburn. I hope you should take up my little offer. Oh, and before I go…” Dr. Caballeron reached into a small bag tied at his waist and pulled out four gold coins, tossing them at the counter and landing them into the glass. He made to leave again, but pulled out another bit and tossed it over his shoulder so that it landed on the counter behind him. “And here’s a tip for the drink.”

The bartender actually turned around and managed to vocalize an astounded “thank you”.

Dr. Caballeron smirked again and laughed to himself, finally turning around and leaving the quiet saloon.

Braeburn looked at the gold coins; four in the glass and one on the counter. “He actually paid you full price,” he said to the bartender.

“Why do you think I said ‘thank you’?” the bartender said, mildly amused. “He’s one of the first outsiders to actually pay full price. Still, I didn’t much like the look of him. He talks like a big wig, but he looks like someone who barely managed to crawl out from Dodge Junction.”

“So you think he’s a cheat?”

“I said nothing of the sort. He just seems unsavory. You were right to question why he needs to come out here.”

Braeburn shrugged and licked his salt lick a few more times before placing four bits down on the table. The bartender came and scooped them up before placing a small glass of water in front of Braeburn. The stallion came over and took the bits, placing them in his regular cash drawer.

“Will that be all for you today, Braeburn?” the bartender said.

Braeburn nodded and started walking out of the saloon. “I need to head home, check on the trees and make sure nothin’ is eatin’ at them. Have a good day.”

The bartender nodded. “Take care.”

2 - Dodge Junction Express

Initially, Braeburn decided to decline Dr. Caballeron’s offer. There was something about the way the stallion carried himself that to Braeburn he appeared two-faced. Initially he had agreed with Braeburn’s thoughts about Dodge Junction being a troublesome place, yet he seemed more than acquainted with the place than most and he seemed to be interested in the idea of taking Braeburn on the town, which depending on where he went was a questionable prospect in itself. And then there was the fact that he kept his business quite secretive and had traveled out to Appleoosa instead of staying around in Dodge Junction.

But the more Braeburn thought about it, the more he became enticed by the lure that Dr. Caballeron had given him. Firstly, there was the issue of finding out what business the archaeologist had that he wanted Braeburn. Then there was the fact that he was traveling in search of something that either was going to be archaeological history or was going to be at least something that might bring more ponies to the area. And of course there was the fact that Dr. Caballeron had offered him a fair sum, which Braeburn decided he would need to discuss. He decided, with that in mind, to sleep on it.

Early the next morning Braeburn awoke eagerly though he knew not why. It was still early, so Braeburn had himself some breakfast as he looked out over his orchard and thought. Dr. Caballeron would wait until quarter to ten for him to arrive, and currently he was very much inclined to go. He’d seen this orchard for years and it was his pride and joy, but he soon realized his pride came from his success with the orchard and his joy came from working on it. Two months of staring at it with nothing to do would drive him crazy.

“It wouldn’t hurt to at least see what’s goin’ on,” Braeburn said to himself.

And so, at nine thirty, Braeburn set off for the Appleoosa train station. When he got there, he was greeted by a rather large, black steam engine loudly hissing steam and clanking as it trundled into the station, pulling four coaches that looked like they’d seen better days, the green and beige paint scheme fading in places and chipping off in others. A few other ponies were there on the station platform, some of them Braeburn recognized as Appleoosa residents that had likely saved enough money for a temporary escaped

The clanking stopped and the hissing settled down as the train came to a stop in front of Braeburn, who was by the door of the nearest coach. The door opened and a medium grey pony came out and started walking along the platform to the ticket booth. A few ponies stepped out of the train and most of the ponies on the station started filing into the back cars.

A few minutes after the train had stopped at the station, Dr. Caballeron arrived, stepping onto the platform from Appleoosa’s main street. He sauntered over to Braeburn with a smile on his face and a half-finished cigarette in his mouth. “Braeburn! I see you’ve decided to take up the offer.”

“You told me I could come on down and see what the deal was before decidin’,” Braeburn said. “And that’s what I aim to do.”

Dr. Caballeron nodded. “Fair enough. We spend a little time in Dodge Junction and tomorrow my group should be ready to go. I happen to be waiting on another response from someone back there who shall function as our driver, shall we say. He knows the area but confesses beyond Dodge Junction is a mystery to him. How much do you know about the area within, oh, say fifty miles of Dodge Junction?”

“Fifty miles?” Braeburn said. “Well, there’s the Joshua tree forest that goes into a large rocky area then descends into an area called Red River Canyon. I’ll need to look at a map for more to refresh my memory, though.”

Dr. Caballeron nodded and motioned Braeburn into the first coach. Braeburn boarded and found himself in a rather neat-looking compartment with wide seating and small tables, in addition to a small bar in the center. No other pony was in there and Braeburn went to a recently re-upholstered leather seat in front of a white table that contained an ash tray. Dr. Caballeron sat down in front of him and Braeburn noticed a small hatch at the front of the car towards the engine behind Dr. Caballeron’s seat, currently closed.

“It shall be a few hours before we reach Dodge Junction,” Dr. Caballeron noted, “so I’ve ordered some lunch for us. It will be here within an hour or so. Once the train starts moving, I shall give you some information as to our little venture.”

Braeburn nodded. A sharply-dressed unicorn came over to Braeburn and set down a small salt-block, while in front of Dr. Caballeron he placed a small glass with a dark brown liquid and two ice cubes, along with a clean cigarette, though Dr. Caballeron waved a hoof at him and he took back the cigarette.

“I know it’s early, but would you be opposed?” Dr. Caballeron said, taking the one in his mouth and extinguishing it in the ash tray.

“I could indulge myself for one day,” Braeburn said. He motioned to the amber liquid. “And that is…?”

“Cheap rum mixed with tonic water,” Dr. Caballeron responded. He took a small sip of it and set it back down. “Bit of a long day today, so I like the perk. I’ll have some business when I return to Dodge Junction, but I’ll make sure you get settled in at the hotel and perhaps take you out to dinner before attending to those matters.”

Braeburn took a few licks of the salt block before the train unleashed a loud whistle and jerked forward. The engine clanged loudly and Braeburn could see the engine hissing violently until the last coach pulled out of the station and the cavalcade was finally moving at speed. The racket of deafening noise finally settled itself down and the car quieted until all that could be heard was the pounding of the wheels along the rails and the tinkling of ice cubes on the edges of Dr. Caballeron’s glass of rum and tonic.

“So, we’ve started movin’,” Braeburn said when he was sure the train had quieted down. “Now, would you mind tellin’ me what exactly you have planned?”

“Well, as I told you before, I’m an archaeologist with a doctorate’s from Canterlot University,” Dr. Caballeron said. “What I didn’t tell you is that I currently work in the archaeological department as a specialist in their museum. What this museum does is find relics from the old world, back from thousands of years ago, and brings them back to the museum to preserve them and educate the ponies about the past.”

“It’s a noble cause,” Braeburn said, taking a lick of his salt block. “So, I’m guessin’ you are currently on a mission to find somethin’ in Red River Canyon to take back to the museum?”

“You’re right on the money.” Dr. Caballeron took another drink of his rum and tonic. “There used to be an old civilization in the canyons. They created steppes to bring water to their crops and built massive dwellings within the canyon walls. Among one of these is a temple that they worshipped the sun and moon.”

“I’m guessin’ this would be a magical artifact, often used by the elders or whoever was in charge as a symbol of power or to perform feats of magic.”

“You’re right on most of that. It was a symbol of power, but it was not magical. There was simply a lot of trickery involved.”

“But what would require gathering a large amount of ponies for only one symbolic artifact?”

“First of all, I need the driver to help in bringing back other things, as well. The rod is simply the most important artifact, but anything that might help increase our knowledge of Equestrian history could be labeled as of importance. There is a botanist who would help give us knowledge of the plants in the area, what they might have used for medicine, poisons, and food. There are stallions with us who are strong enough to help lift and defend. There is a medic we’d have to help us in case of damage. And there would be you, our guide. I hear you have good relations with the buffalo of the area, and in case we should come across them our group might seem a little threatening and I would need someone to help reason.”

“It is highly unlikely we will encounter buffalo at this time. They’ll be stayin’ in the lower deserts, beyond the Red River Canyon.”

“Yes, but they are known to sometimes be temperamental, and sometimes we are never able to fully understand their movements. I had encountered them once in a previous trip and we had to wait a full month for them to pass by before continuing travel. By the time we got to the place where the item was, it was gone, presumably from robbers of the site.”

“’Tis a terrible fate for a piece of Equestrian history,” Braeburn said. “Might have been sold on the black market I hear exists in some of the larger cities.”

“Yes,” Dr. Caballeron agreed. “We were never able to track it down. But it is merely a small loss. We have more victories than we do losses, and the discovery of this rod and a survey of the local environment shall provide more information than what we lost.”

Braeburn took another lick of his salt block. Dr. Caballeron remained silent and took a few sips of his rum and tonic. The train sped on past seemingly endless fields of sand and towering sculptures of precariously-balanced rocks. A small coyote trotted near the tracks only to bolt off and into the nearby scrub brush when the engine roared past it. A red-tailed hawk circled overhead, only to suddenly dive down into the brush but come back up with nothing.

“I’ve always been drawn to Equestria’s wilderness,” Dr. Caballeron said. “I never much fit in with high society. I’ve always preferred the life of an explorer and archaeologist in the field. No one can understand why I like to be covered in dust or smell like fire and smoke.”

“I’ve always heard ponies dream of the sort of life you lead,” Braeburn replied. “Any pony you speak to will wish somewhere along the line that they had enough to fit in with the high society of Canterlot. I’ve seen families save for years just to have a week of being pampered and eatin’ high cuisine.”

“Why do you think that is?”

“They believe money brings with it freedom. They are fine with workin’ their farms so long as they’d have the money to spend for themselves when they’re not workin’.”

“Does farming not yield a decent profit?”

“I usually end up with around five hundred bits of profit after a farmin’ season, which some of that goes into expandin’ and fixin’ the farm dependin’ on what mood strikes me. By the time all is said and done, I’m down to a hundred bits more in the bank than I had before the season.” Braeburn took a lick of his salt block. “I’m guessin’ you earn more than that a year. What would draw you to the wilderness?”

Braeburn suddenly saw a manic glint in Dr. Caballeron’s eye that he didn’t like. “Freedom,” the stallion said, calm and measured. “No one telling you what to do. No one telling you to stick to certain schedules. One needs money to survive, but being in the wilderness, one can earn his wage in a way he deems fit for himself.”

“And you don’t deem your job fit enough?”

“Nearly. There is the thrill of finding something, the excitement of coming across a new discovery, but it is still all controlled and every movement is dictated by the ones at the top with an iron hoof. I can’t go somewhere in my spare time and find something and get paid for it. There are so many processes that must be gone through.”

Dr. Caballeron took a sip of his rum and tonic, then slammed the glass so hard on the table some of it spilled out. “I hate it! I hate the slow amount of time between these excursions! It’s been two years since I last went out on something because of processes that have been in the works for even longer than that! Why can’t I just go out and find the items myself, come back with it, have it be declared culturally significant and be paid for it!? They would get their damn artifact, I would get paid and have a job that isn’t so restricted, and everypony would be happy!”

Braeburn slightly leaned back in his chair.

Dr. Caballeron closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. When he opened his eyes, the manic glint was gone and he seemed a fair amount calmer. “Forgive me,” he said. “There is a similar element to my job to that of your two months between harvest and planting.”

“Did it warrant such a rant that I just heard?”

“Probably not. I just have so much pent-up energy. I’ve been waiting for this for a while and, to be frank, I am impatient when assigned to something.”

“I understand your impatience, Doctor,” Braeburn said, “but I don’t believe that it was quite necessary. There are better ways to release one’s impatience or pent-up energy.”

“Mister Braeburn,” Dr. Caballeron replied, “there was either the rant or I would have punched you, and I don’t think you would have taken the latter as genially as you have.”

Braeburn said nothing.

Lunch arrived soon after from a door leading into the second car. A few plates came out with triple-decker sandwiches cut in fourths, smaller salad plates garnished with a sweet yellow dressing, and bowls of steaming vegetable soups.

“I do apologize for the rant,” Dr. Caballeron said. “I promise I shall try and contain myself the rest of the trip.”

Braeburn took a bite of the vegetable soup. “Have you ever tried boxing or something similar, Doctor?” he asked. “I’d wager the gyms in the larger cities often allow for that sort of thing to take place.”

“Why? Were you interested in boxing?”

“I buck trees around six months of the year. It does wonders for calmin’ me. It takes out the energy and puts it towards somethin’ productive. Perhaps a punchin’ bag or controlled fightin’ would work for you a bit.” Braeburn waited for a response, but Dr. Caballeron said nothing. “Wouldn’t keep you so aggressive.”

“Actually, a bit of aggressiveness is good in this profession.” Dr. Caballeron said. “I need to keep the others with me in line so nothing gets destroyed or lost. Or there’s also the possibi—”

“Hold that thought, would you?” Braeburn cut the stallion off. “We have company.”

The farmer was right; at that moment, the hatch at the end of the car had opened up and two darker stallions with rugged faces and disheveled clothes dropped inside the train car. One, a sandy-colored earth pony stallion with a shovel cutie mark, was already standing upright and surveying the two stallions. The other, a light blue unicorn stallion with an ornate vase as a cutie mark, had just dropped in and was trying to get himself upright.

Dr. Caballeron turned around, took up his empty rum glass and threw it at the one that just dropped in the car and managed to hit him squarely on the head.

“You’re the one, all right,” the sandy stallion said in a clear voice as his companion rubbed his head and stood upright. “Been looking for you, Doctor. It’s about time the score was settled from back near Vanhoover.”

“Look sharp, Mister Braeburn,” Dr. Caballeron said as the other pony snorted. “They won’t care if you’re not officially with me.”

“Who are they?” Braeburn asked.

“I’ll explain later. Just be on your guard.”

Dr. Caballeron charged at the sandy stallion, but he dodged out of the way. Dr. Caballeron was ready for the counter and quickly kicked him in Braeburn’s direction with a solid kick to his side. The stallion nearly flew into Braeburn, who only avoided getting hit himself by quickly stepping back. Dr. Caballeron started picking a fight with the other stallion as Braeburn readied himself with the blue unicorn closer to him.

The stallion swung out twice, but Braeburn saw his motions and dodged, first avoiding a left hook than a right. The stallion reared, but Braeburn leapt under him and scooped him up, throwing him into the bar in the center of the train car. Braeburn stood his ground as the stallion got up shakily to his feet though still focused on Braeburn; he wasn’t going down without a fight.

The stallion was clearly affected by getting knocked into the bar. He swerved and leaned as he moved, but nonetheless attempted to charge at Braeburn again. This time he was far enough off that Braeburn was able to spin around and bucked him hard in the face. The attack connected and soon the stallion was thrown head first across the car, slamming into his partner trying to avoid an attack from Dr. Caballeron.

“Good show!” Dr. Caballeron called. “That was a fine buck if I’ve ever seen one!”

Both stallions were now dazed and confused. Even though they tried getting up, they were so filled with cuts and bruises and had likely both hit their heads in the impact that they couldn’t stay upright. Braeburn walked over to where Dr. Caballeron was standing.

“What do we do with them?” Braeburn asked.

“Well, we got two options,” Dr. Caballeron said. “We could take them, find someone who has a rope, and tie them up until we hit Dodge Junction, but they’ll have recovered by then and won’t go quietly. Personally, I say we throw them off the train.”

“And leave them to die in the desert?”

“We’re not far away from a spring; the train passes it on the way to Dodge Junction. From there it’s an hour to the city proper. We drop them off and they’ll be close enough to the spring and water. After that, it’s not much longer to Dodge if they follow the railroad tracks.”

“But they’ll obviously require medical attention,” Braeburn said. “An hour to Dodge Junction by railroad might mean three hours away or more walkin’ from the spring. They might not die from water loss or exhaustion but from bein’ unable to get themselves to the city.”

Dr. Caballeron raised an eyebrow. “Alright. I’ll go with your idea. As soon as we get to the station, I’ll notify the authorities. Keep an eye on them while I go see if the conductor knows where to find some rope.” He kept an eye on the two crumpled stallions as he left via the back coach door.

The two stallions were so dazed they couldn’t move, so Braeburn went and shut the hatch to prevent the traces of smoke and heat from coming in the car. The two stallions moaned and groaned for a while, trying to reorient themselves, while Braeburn took a seat nearby and watched them.

Eventually, the light blue unicorn with the ornate vase cutie mark seemed to have regained himself enough to look over at Braeburn. His purple eyes looked around the car and eventually turned back to the farmer. “What happened to the Doctor?” he asked weakly.

“Lookin’ for some rope to tie you up with,” Braeburn said.

The unicorn looked confused. “You’re not going to throw us off the train?”

“Would you prefer that? ‘Cause I could change my mind.”

“No,” the stallion said. “I prefer you keep us onboard.” He laughed. “You’re not with him, are you?”

“In a matter of speakin’,” Braeburn said. “I am considerin’ an offer he gave me about goin’ with him on a little jaunt. I was promised money and he needed a guide. It was a fair trade.”

The unicorn nodded. “Listen and listen well. If you were to stay with him, nothing but trouble will come to you. Don’t ask me how I know.”

“How can I trust you?” Braeburn asked. “You attacked me without findin’ out if I was with him or not. If I didn’t react how I did, I would have been where you are right now.”

“Couldn’t take any chances,” the sandy earth pony with the shovel cutie mark replied, only opening a single deep red eye. “You don’t look like the normal sort he hangs out with, but we couldn’t risk you not being with him. Looks like we got our flanks handed to us all the same.”

“Don’t question us any further for now,” the light blue unicorn replied. “If you’re going to be in Dodge Junction for a bit, we’ll find you later and fill you in on the details. For now, I don’t want to get thrown off the train.”

Braeburn looked at them curiously, but true to the unicorn’s word, neither of them spoke again. They sat up and against the wall when Braeburn ordered them to, but they didn’t respond to any more of Braeburn’s questions. Braeburn took a seat across from them and waited.

Dr. Caballeron came back with two long lengths of rope. “Well, I managed to find two decent lengths to tie them up with. I see you got them standing up. Manage to get any information out of them?”

Braeburn shook his head. “I simply put them against the wall so as not to make any more trouble.”

Dr. Caballeron nodded. “Help me put the rope around them. Start with the unicorn; he’s a fighter.”

The light blue unicorn came quietly from the wall and let Braeburn and Dr. Caballeron tie him up tight with his hooves against his sides before being placed against the wall where he had been. The sandy unicorn started to complain, but Dr. Caballeron lashed out with a hoof against his cheek and he quieted immediately. It wasn’t long before he was also tied up and placed against the wall.

Braeburn and Dr. Caballeron returned to their table where the remainder of their food was, surprisingly, undisturbed. Braeburn sat himself down and had a long drink of water and finished his sandwich in silence. Dr. Caballeron did the same thing and eventually called for assistance; a stallion from the dining car obliged him and gave him a cigarette. Dr. Caballeron put the cigarette in his mouth; the stallion from the dining car lit it for him before leaving their car. The Doctor gave a long puff from the cigarette before opening a window momentarily to let the smoke out. Once the car was clear, he closed the window again and tapped the cigarette over the ash tray a few times before putting it back in his mouth.

“You were saying something about needing aggressiveness?” Braeburn said.

Dr. Caballeron looked at him, seemingly tired, but he soon perked back up. “Oh, yes. Aggressiveness is good for keeping the ponies in my group in line, but there is always the possibility of… delinquents.”

Dr. Caballeron pointed a hoof to where the two stallions were tied up behind him. “They are from a frequent raiding party I’ve encountered on my travels. I damaged their leader badly last time after a stint where she almost stole something from me in Vanhoover, but I recovered it in time. Strength is necessary to keep the likes of them from stealing potentially important pieces of Equestrian history.”

The sandy stallion growled, but the light blue unicorn kicked him and he shut up. The unicorn didn’t say anything himself, but did glare at Dr. Caballeron.

“Are there others where they came from?” Braeburn asked.

“Yes,” Dr. Caballeron said. “I didn’t expect them to be so bold as to attack me on the train. Despite this, we’ll lose them in Dodge Juncton. It’s big enough that it will be harder to find us there, so we shouldn’t have any more trouble.”

Dr. Caballeron opened the window and released a bit more smoke from his cigarette. Braeburn noticed they were passing a small pond surrounded by greenery no more than a few meters away from the train tracks.

“There’s the spring,” Braeburn said. “We’re only an hour away now.”

Dr. Caballeron nodded. “Probably would have been a lot longer for me if you hadn’t been here.” He looked over to Braeburn and, for the first time the former could remember, his look softened as he smiled. “Thank you, Braeburn. Even if you don’t tag along.”

Braeburn said nothing. He merely stared out the window and watched as the sun started to set and the lights started to turn on in Dodge Junction.

3 - Roseluck

An hour later, they came into Dodge Junction’s main station. It was a large wooden building with glass panes in the roof to let the sun come in for natural light, but the sun was fading and numerous lamps had been lit around the edges of the platform. Braeburn stepped onto the platform and into the lights of the platform, watching the various ponies bustling in and out of the station.

Dr. Caballeron stepped out shortly after Braeburn. “The conductor said he would take care of the two ponies that attacked us,” he said. “He’ll be contacting the local sheriff. We’re good to go.”

Braeburn nodded and followed Dr. Caballeron out into the busy streets of Dodge Junction’s main city center. The wooden buildings never reached more than three stories high, but there were so many of them crammed so close together that Braeburn almost felt claustrophobic. The buildings here were grouped in a sort of small circle with a single street heading out into another wider avenue that Braeburn could not see much of. Despite the darkening sky, the street was brightly lit with multi-colored lights from every single building advertising what lay inside; one appeared to be a dance hall, another appeared to be a restaurant, another appeared to be a bar, still another a hotel, and another one had a rather unsavory appearance to it that Braeburn didn’t like.

Dr. Caballeron stepped across the square and over to the hotel, carving a way through the multitudes of ponies that crammed into just this one section. Braeburn followed closely behind as though afraid he was going to get swallowed up and lose him among the crowds. Some had the appearance of simpler farmer folk, others were rather fancy ranch owners, others might have been in business, still others were normal ponies that came from across Equestria. Another type wore flashy dresses with glitter towards the flanks and large fake feathers around their neck and on their elaborate headdresses, offering a wink or a pout and half-shut eyes and promising things that would rival Celestia in beauty or reverence.

“Here’s the place we’re staying,” Dr. Caballeron soon said; Braeburn had to stop himself almost violently to prevent from running into him. When he had righted himself, Braeburn noticed they were in a wide, two-story building proclaiming “Dodge Junction Inn and Casino”. Braeburn uneasily followed Dr. Caballeron in as the archaeologist continued talking. “I should have more of my men staying here getting ready. Let me make sure there’s a room ready for you and I’ll be back in a minute. Feel free to head into the casino if you wish; I can recoup any losses you might incur.”

Braeburn nodded but sat down on a nearby bench as Dr. Caballeron walked off. The hotel was quieter and calmer than the streets outside and he felt he could actually breathe. From the entry lobby in which Braeburn was sitting were four exits, each labelled with a different sign. Heading off towards the south was the exit back into Dodge Junction. To the east was a sign with “Hotel” in clean gold letters and lead into a nicely carpeted hall that was free of filth. To the north was a sign proclaiming “Restaurant and Bar”, but there was so much smoke coming from inside that Braeburn couldn’t see much more than a few feet. Over to the west was the sign saying “Casino”, boasting a few tables for card and dice games.

The Casino looked clean enough, so Braeburn decided to take a look inside. The Casino was rather neat and orderly, each section containing a specific game type. Nearest to where Braeburn entered were various kinds of poker and blackjack tables, while further down stood roulette tables. A few tables in the back corner intrigued Braeburn, who didn’t recognize the name on the sign above them, and he walked over to where a younger stallion with a dirty blonde mane was dealing cards with a strange palate.

Braeburn watched patiently as the game played out. The dirty-blonde stallion sitting at the table had a small white chip next to him, while the other two ponies sitting down had nothing. The stallion with the dirty blonde mane dealt out three pairs of two cards and slipped them to each pony with the wooden palate, including himself. Each one quietly lifted their cards and looked at them before returning them to their face-down position.

“Bank will start at fifty bits,” the dirty blonde stallion said. “Player to the right of the dealer goes first. That would be you, madam.”

Braeburn turned and saw a pale yellow pony with a red and pink mane and light green eyes – the color scheme reminded him of a rose – stare down at her cards. She seemed to have a constant half-lidded stare and even glanced over to Braeburn with it before returning to the cards. Her back was thrown out so that her flank was on display for all to see, on it containing a cutie mark of a rose. The cutie mark was framed by her dress, a deep red piece with large black stripes on either side.

“Bank,” she said confidently and slightly sultry, and threw a blue chip in the center of the table.

The blonde stallion nodded and turned to the other pony, who shook his head and threw his cards back in.

“Reveal your cards, madam,” the blonde stallion said.

The young mare flipped over her cards without changing the expression on her face. She had two cards, one with a large five, the other a two.

“Red player has five and two, totalling seven,” the blonde stallion said. “Banker shall reveal their cards.” He flipped over a card with a large six, followed by a card with a large K. “Banker has a six and a face card, totaling six. Red player wins.” The banker pulled out another blue tile, placed it on top of the one in the center of the table, and pushed them to the mare.

The blonde stallion turned to face Braeburn. “Would you like to play, sir?”

“I am unaware of how to play,” Braeburn said.

“You add your cards up and find the total,” the stallion said. “The last number of the total is your point value. The player with the highest point value wins.”

Braeburn nodded. “Two hundred and fifty bits worth of tiles, please.”

The stallion counted the money before shoving five blue tiles over to Braeburn, who sat down at the table almost completely opposite the mare, who looked at him with shades of indifference. The other pony at the table realized he had nothing before him and got up and walked away, leaving Braeburn, the rose-maned mare, and the banker as the only ones at the table. Braeburn pulled his tiles closer as the banker started dealing out cards and giving them to the mare, Braeburn, and himself.

Braeburn turned up his cards, not letting the mare or the banker see them. He had a three and a one, or a four. A quick thought went through his head that his was a fairly low total and he didn’t have a chance of winning.

“Bank,” the mare said, tossing in a blue tile.

The banker nodded and turned to Braeburn. “The bank is fifty bits. Would you like to bet the bank or draw another card?”

Braeburn nodded. “The card.”

The stallion nodded and sent another card over to him, this time face up. This one was a four, making Braeburn’s total an eight, which he realized was much better. “Bank,” he said, and pushed a tile of his own towards the center.

The banker looked at his own cards. “Bank stands. Please reveal your cards.”

The rose-maned mare had a seven and a king.

“Red player has a one and a six, totaling seven. Blue player, please reveal your cards.”

Braeburn turned his two cards face-up along with the other card at the table.

“Blue player has a three, a one, and a four, totaling eight. Bank shall now play.”

The banker turned over his cards. “Banker has a four and a three, totaling seven. Bank shall now draw another card.” The banker drew a nine. “Banker has a four, a three, and a nine, totaling sixteen. Point value is of six. Blue player wins.” He pushed the two tiles back over to Braeburn.

The banker dealt another round of cards. This time Braeburn had an ace and a queen.

“Checking,” the rose-maned mare said.

The banker turned to Braeburn.

“Another card,” Braeburn said.

The banker nodded and drew a five and placed it face up. Braeburn knew he at least had a six and couldn’t draw any further. He decided to risk it. “Bank,” he said, and placed a tile in the center.

The rose-maned mare smirked as the banker came back to her. “Bank,” she said, placing her own tile in the center.

“Red player, please reveal your cards.”

The mare flipped over her cards and revealed a nine and a jack.

“Red player has a nine and a face, totaling nine. Blue player, please reveal your cards.”

Braeburn flipped his ace and queen over.

“Blue player has an ace, a face, and a five, totaling six. Bank shall now reveal their cards.” The banker lifted up a king and a five and set them on the table. “Bank has a face and a five, totaling five. Banker must stand. Red player wins with a natural nine.”

The rose-maned mare reached over and pulled the tiles over to her own small stack, still with a smug grin on her face as she looked over towards Braeburn, who was almost glaring at her.

The banker drew another three sets of cards. This time was even worse for Braeburn, being two queens. That totaled zero if he was correct in his observations, which meant he had to draw an extra card. All that was left was to hope he could make another round.

“One hundred bits,” the rose-maned mare said, putting two tiles in.

The banker turned to Braeburn, who was now sweating from the sudden bout of confidence by the mare, who had returned to a stoic gaze, though she occasionally stole a glance down at her cards. “Bank has been raised to one hundred bits,” the banker said. “Would you like to bet the bank or draw another card?”

Braeburn gulped nervously. “Another card.”

The banker pulled out another card and placed it face up on the table. Braeburn almost let out a sigh of relief as he saw the nine of hearts land on the table. He threw in two tiles. “Bank.”

The banker nodded. “Red player, please reveal your cards.”

The rose-maned mare turned over a pair of threes.

“Red player has a pair of threes, totaling six. Blue player, please reveal your cards.”

Braeburn flipped his two queens over and placed them next to his nine.

“Blue player has a face, a face, and a nine, totaling nine. Bank shall now reveal their cards.” The banker lifted up a seven and a jack. “Bank has a seven and a face, totaling seven. Bank must draw another card.” The banker pulled out a four. “Bank has a seven, a face, and a four, totaling eleven. Point value is of one. Blue player wins.”

Braeburn finally let out his sigh, noticing the mare smiling at him with a look of almost respect. Braeburn took the four tiles and pushed them over to himself. “I would like to cash out, please.”

The banker nodded, counted seven tiles, and turned three hundred and fifty bits back over to Braeburn who carefully arranged them in his jacket. With a hundred bits extra and a few minutes wasted, Braeburn left the casino and returned to the lobby to see if Dr. Caballeron was there.

When it was revealed the Doctor wasn’t there, Braeburn went over to the bar; the smoke had cleared out and fewer patrons were inside. Braeburn walked up to the bartender and ordered a small salt lick; it came to him quickly and he paid the appropriate price for it. He noticed it was not much different than what he had been doing in Appleoosa a little over twenty four hours earlier.

It wasn’t long before the rose-maned mare came up and sat next to him at the bar. The bartender came over to her.

“Strawberry sunset,” she said. “Go light on the rum, though.”

The bartender nodded and the mare turned towards Braeburn. “Not bad for what I assume was your first time playing.”

Braeburn nodded and took a lick of his salt block. “I’ve never heard of that game before, but I like it. What was it called?”

“Baccarat,” she said, barely even pronouncing the ‘t’ at all. “It’s popular over in Prance where it originated but doesn’t have much steam here.” The bartender came over with a drink that was yellow at the bottom but progressed to red as it went to the top of the glass. The mare tipped the glass back and had a little sip. “You here from out of town?”

Braeburn nodded. “What about you?”

The mare turned towards her drink and took another sip. “Same. Arrived here about three days ago by train after being recruited for a job out here.” She took another sip. “I saw you walk in here with Dr. Caballeron.”

“You know him?” Braeburn asked incredulously.

“He’s my employer for the time being. He needed a botanist for his recent trip and I was readily available.” She turned back towards Braeburn. “You working with him, too?”

Braeburn nodded. “Said he needed a guide to the area. I arrived just tonight.”

The mare nodded.

“To be truthful, miss…”

“Roseluck.”

Braeburn titled his head. “What?”

“That’s my name. Roseluck. Ought to know each other since we’ll probably be working with each other for the next week or so.”

Braeburn nodded. “Name’s Braeburn. Anyway, to be truthful, I thought you were from here.”

“Oh, really?” Roseluck said with a hint of amusement. “And why is that?”

“Well, you were showin’ yourself off quite a bit at the table. I just thought you might be from around here or know some of the mares at—”

Braeburn didn’t even get a chance to finish his statement. Roseluck grabbed her glass and swiftly spilled it all over Braeburn, now covered in red and yellow liquid and finding himself shocked by sudden cold from being pelted with pieces of ice. His salt lick completely dissolved in the liquid as Roseluck glared at him.

“What in Equestria would make you think that?” she nearly shouted. “What do you think I am, some mare who sells herself out?”

“No, I didn’t mean it that way.”

“Oh, please,” Roseluck growled at him. “You were thinking that way and you know it.”

“Alright, so why were you standin’ like that at the table?”

“Because I was bored,” Roseluck said. “That table was getting stupid. The bankers here are a bore to talk to and the other pony at the table initially was playing strong until he had a drink and sobered up as to his money. We had three good runs when you showed up and I finally started perking up, but you weren’t noticing.”

She was right. She was rather plain now that Braeburn was looking at her more awake and into the conversation, not precisely one to blend into a crowd but not exactly a looker, either. She was of fairly average proportions for a mare and even had a slight bit of a belly though so much that had Braeburn not been paying attention she would have looked normal there, too.

“Please forgive me,” Braeburn said. “It’s not in my nature to assume. I just…” But he trailed off.

Roseluck nodded. “You think everyone here who comes to Dodge Junction is depraved. I bet you thought for a minute after I mentioned Dr. Caballeron that he just wanted me because I was pretty.”

Braeburn bit his lip. “It might have crossed my mind at some point…”

Roseluck scoffed and turned away from Braeburn. “You’re as bad as the rest of them.”

“That says worse about Dr. Caballeron than it does you.”

Roseluck turned his way, seemingly unconvinced. “Oh, really? How so?”

“If he were to indulge in those services when he told me he was against the supposed depravity of Dodge Junction, than he’s no better than anyone else.”

“You’re still counting me as a symbol of that depravity. I see no reason for my opinion of you to elevate any.” She got off the bar and started to walk away, though she turned back around a little while later and faced Braeburn. “Be honest,” she nearly spat out at him, “would you have had a night with me if I offered it?”

“If you were the one to have engaged that conversation,” Braeburn said calmly, “I might have taken it. As it stands…” Braeburn shrugged. “…I wouldn’t even have brought it up.”

For once in the last few minutes, Roseluck’s frown disappeared and was replaced with a neutral expression. “Hmph, perhaps you’re not that bad. At least you seem to recognize a sense of space.” Then she turned around and left, leaving Braeburn alone as he ordered another salt-lick to replace the one he barely touched.

* * *

Braeburn was still in the bar a few minutes later when Dr. Caballeron came by. He ordered a glass of a stiff drink and took a sip of it before even speaking to Braeburn. “So, how do you like your evening so far?”

Braeburn shrugged. “Won a little at one of the tables, came here for a salt lick. Not much else happened.”

Dr. Caballeron nodded as though satisfied, though it seemed clear to Braeburn . “Look, sorry about the dinner plans I was going to make; I need to do some extra convincing to see if the prospective driver wants to come along. In the meantime, the hotel has your room ready – number 214 on the second floor – and I’ve paid for room service to bring you whatever you want. Perhaps tomorrow we can head on the town.”

Braeburn kept still. “Perhaps tomorrow.”

Dr. Caballeron kicked a hoof absentmindedly. “Well, then. If you have any questions, I should be back in two hours, so around eight o’clock or so. I shall be seeing you later.” And he left before Braeburn could respond.

Braeburn headed to the hotel lobby and got the key to his room. An attendant led him up a flight of stairs and into a hallway that was much quieter than the first floor and was lined with a red carpet with yellow borders and covered in yellow diamonds. The attendant led him to a wooden door with a gold number “214” on the side facing the hallway and opened the door for him in addition to giving him a room service menu before leaving.

Braeburn took his time investigating the room. It was plain but comfortable, having a normal full-sized bed for two ponies with clean white sheets and a light, breathable deep-red blanket on a well-carved wooden base. There was a small desk with lamp and a radio in the main room, along with a simple television that showcased a few different channels from across Equestria. The room also contained a bathroom with a cleaned sink and a shower and bathtub. There was also a chain lock on the door, presumably for extra privacy.

Braeburn opened the room service menu and looked through. Once he had decided, he called down to the front desk and ordered a lighter three course meal with soup, salad, and a savory dish of soy chicken with scalloped potatoes. The waiter brought him a nice hot soup, a small salad, and a small dish of a light-brown substance covered in a sweet sauce and potatoes finally chopped and covered with simple spices and cheese. Braeburn ate his fill and decided to go ahead and fall asleep, leaving the plates outside the room for room service when he was done.

Braeburn was woken by the sound of someone running down the hall rather loudly by his door. The hoofsteps pounded quickly across the floor and by Braeburn’s door. He would have gone back to sleep, but the hoofsteps seemed to go back and forth across his door multiple times.

Braeburn looked over to the clock on the stand next to the bed. It was shortly past eight, when Dr. Caballeron said he would be returning. Deciding the Doctor would be able to explain what was going on or help stop it, Braeburn turned on the light as he got up and went to open the door.

Something weird started happening, though. As Braeburn came closer to the door he went from simply hearing trampling hoofsteps but also quick, panting breaths and a sort of feared gasping. When he opened the door he could originally see nothing, but soon someone shot by him only to stop in the middle of the hallway. It was then that Braeburn recognized the pony.

“Roseluck?” Braeburn called. “What are you doin’? Are you the one who’s been runnin’ back and forth?”

Roseluck whirled around and saw Braeburn’s door open. “Braeburn! Look, I’m sorry about earlier, but I really need your help.”

“What’s goin’ on? Are you lookin’ for someone?”

“No. Dr. Caballeron is looking for me. He came back from that meeting and was totally drunk and dehydrated. He came back and started hitting on me like I was… was… a…”

“I get it,” Braeburn said. “You don’t have to explain. Come on in. I’ll hide you.”

Roseluck almost looked astounded, but she ran in and Braeburn closed the door in addition to securing the chain lock on the door.

“He’ll be able to find me if I just stay in here!” Roseluck nearly screamed.

“Get in the shower and close the curtain,” Braeburn said. “It’ll look natural.”

Roseluck nodded and bolted for the inside, quickly throwing the curtain aside and stepping into the tub before throwing it back closed. It wasn’t much longer before there came a heavy knocking on the door.

“Braeburn!” shouted a slurring, gravelly voice from outside. “Braeburn! I wanna talk to you!”

Braeburn looked into the bathroom to make sure Roseluck was hidden. When he could hardly see the shadow quivering in a small ball behind the curtain, he went to the door and opened it slightly, though the chain lock prevented it from going any further.

Dr. Caballeron was outside. His single eye visible through the crack was bloodshot and his clothes were wrinkled even more than they had been before. His breath smelled heavily of alcohol and his eyes just seemed to roam everywhere despite trying to train themselves on Braeburn. “Hey. Did… did I wake you up?”

Braeburn shook his head. “No.”

Dr. Caballeron nodded. Or rather, his entire body just seemed to move up and down with his head moving slightly more so. “Hey. Braeburn. I wanted to ask you something. I wanted to ask you if you met a young mare around here. There’s this young mare around here… around here who is a botanist for the trip. This young mare goes by the name of Roseluck… Roseluck… Roseluck…”

It was almost as though he enjoyed the sound of the name. Braeburn agreed with him, but not to the extent that he would have matched the euphoric look on his face. He simply nodded. “The last I saw her was in the casino when I was playing cards.”

“So… you didn’t see her run by here?”

Braeburn shook his head. “May I ask why you need her?”

“Me and her need to discuss some… personal business.” Dr. Caballeron started displaying an unnaturally toothy smirk. “Heh heh heh… and I wanted her to treat me tonight.”

Braeburn glared at Dr. Caballeron. “You’re not in the mood for discussin’ or bein’ treated. But I’ll let you know if I see her. For now, just go to your room. Where is it?”

“My room? It’s 214.”

“This is room 214. The one you gave to me.”

“Right… I think it’s room 212. Or maybe 208. I don’t know…”

Braeburn nodded irritably. “Right. I’ll just ask the front desk.”

Dr. Caballeron sighed, sending a blast of alcohol breath into Braeburn’s face that made him want to cough violently. “Thank you kindly, Braeburn. If you turn her over, I’ll reward you later. I guess I’ll be seeing you around.”

He tried walking forward, but slammed himself into the door, forcing the door closed and hitting Braeburn in the head. Braeburn recoiled from the hit and collapsed onto the floor as he heard the slow, heavy footsteps of Dr. Caballeron recede into the distance. It wasn’t until the footsteps had gone away completely that Braeburn bothered to touch the spot on his head where the door hit at all.

There was a rustling from the bathroom. Braeburn looked up to see Roseluck stepping out from the shower, looking at him strangely. “Why did you help me?”

Braeburn sat on the floor and rubbed his head. “What?”

“Why did you help me?” Roseluck repeated. “Why did you help me when I tore into you and spat at you down at the bar?”

Braeburn laughed. “I deserved it. It wasn’t like me to give you a comment like that. And once I heard you were running from a drunk Dr. Caballeron, I wasn’t going to just leave you out there like that.”

Roseluck averted her eyes.

“Is your room nearby?”

Roseluck nodded. “Down the hall in room 219. But I don’t want to go out there again, not when Dr. Caballeron might come back sometime soon. I don’t want to be a hassle, but do you mind if I stay here tonight?”

Braeburn nodded. “We’ll have to sleep in the same bed.”

Roseluck looked over at the full bed. “It’ll be kind of snug with that bed.”

“It’s just one night. I can deal with it. We’ll sleep back-to-back, if that makes you more comfortable.”

Roseluck didn’t say anything, but slowly got into the bed and slept with her back to the middle. Braeburn went into his side and got in the same as her, his back to hers. He turned out the lights and settled himself in but found himself unable to sleep. He stared towards the darkness of the room and the small strip of light coming from underneath the room door.

“Braeburn?” Roseluck’s voice called out softly.

“Yeah?” Braeburn responded.

“You’re not as bad as I thought you were. I’m sorry for tearing into you.”

“It’s fine. Just get over it.”

Roseluck sighed. “I might just leave if I wake up before you in the morning.”

Braeburn nodded. “At least Dr. Caballeron will be dealing with a hangover and won’t be chasing after you.”

“True.” Roseluck shifted around a little behind him. “Good night, Braeburn.”

Braeburn didn’t respond. He simply sat there and thought about things, mostly about the offer and about Dr. Caballeron, but some thoughts went through his head about Roseluck. At one point Braeburn tried to ask Roseluck something. But before he could ask, he heard a soft snoring from behind him. Braeburn decided to leave the issue alone until morning and soon fell asleep himself.

Author's Note

The Baccarat game played here is mostly inspired by Chemin de Fer, the type played by James Bond in the novel Casino Royale.