"When all the truth does..."
"...is make your heart ache..."
"...sometimes a lie is easier to take."

“And how are you feeling, sweetie?”

“Fuck you!” the chained mare spat angrily.

Sighing, I raised my PipBuck to my mouth. “Test subject 2-3 continues to exhibit hostile behaviour. It is unlikely her aggression is a sign of pain due to the transplanted kidney being rejected by her body, but I cannot rule it out at this stage. I’ll attempt to conduct an examination-”

“Touch me again you fucking bitch and I’ll cut you open!” Thorny Locust shouted, her voice accompanied by the clinking of the hoofcuffs that held her forelegs locked to the pipes as she tried to lunge at me.

Glancing upwards in exasperation, I cast my Diagnosis Spell, ignoring the following threats. Normally when dealing with such an uncooperative test subject I would have cast an Anesthetic Spell first, as the first check-up after surgery didn’t require verbal confirmation of the test subject regarding their state. However, there were a few things that I wanted to talk about with the raider mare. I had hoped that in the few days she had spent in her cell she would learn to become more cooperative, but alas, it hardly seemed so.

Still, a mare can always try, I summarized, finishing up my magical examination.

“Diagnosis Spell revealed that there is no sign of rejection of transplanted organ,” I recorded, ignoring Thorny Locust’s threats, “as expected within just eight hours after surgery. Following check-ups will be required to confirm if the seventh variation of the experimental Organ Compatibility Augmentor Spell had worked as intended. The probability of that is, as with the previous variations, around 8.5 percent,” I said, ending the recording.

“Great, got all your kicks now?” the mare snorted angrily, apparently fed up with my lack of reaction to her threats. She also had finally given up on trying to attack me, as she leaned back against the wall. “Then get the fuck out. Unless you wanna take me up on my offer to suck my clit bitch,” she added mockingly, spreading her hind legs before me

“I think I’m still going to pass on that charming offer, sweetie,” I replied, sitting down before her and keeping my eyes on her face; during her previous ‘proposition’ I had already determined that she was free of any venereal diseases. “But I’ve been hoping I could talk with you for a bit.”

“Oh for fuck sake!” the raider mare groaned, banging her head against the pipe behind her. “You chain me up, cut me open, play with my organs, switch my organs, then heal me up, rinse and repeat, and yet the worst part of it is you talking! Celestia’s flaming tits, just give me a gun, I’ll fucking kill myself already!”

“I’m afraid I’m not going to allow that,” I told her, somehow managing to not cringe at her curse; I had a feeling that if she knew how much it bothered me she would constantly spew such swears. I also decided against pointing out that she’d rather shoot me than herself if she were given a gun; I just figured we both assumed it was obvious. “Now, I wanted to ask you: why did you become a raider?”

This was something I’d become mildly curious about after observing Thorny Locust and the other raiders that were kept in slaves cages. They were ponies who didn’t just kill and torture other ponies, but had basically devoted themselves to such lifestyle. A part of me couldn’t help but wonder, how can a pony end up like that?

Thorny Locust blinked, then tilted her head and frowned at me. “Beeecause I like to kill ponies? Well, people in general,” she amended with an eyeroll, “doesn’t matter to me none what the fucker I’m carving up looks like, I get my fun out of it anyway. Oh, and having my way with cute little mares like you,” the raider added, grinning. “I love hearing them scream and moan and cry. But just mares; I mean, if some buck would be getting train run on him I would watch, but that’s just meh for me. Speaking of, you mind capturing that asshole who fucked me next and get that robot of yours do that anal probe thing to him somewhere where I can see it?”

“But why?” I asked, frowning. I ignored her request; I mean, I suppose I could arrange something like that after what Pillory had tried to do to me, but acquiring new test subjects would have to wait until after I’d gain control of Appleloosa. “Why do you enjoy it? Wouldn’t you rather know the joy of being intimate with somepony who cares for you rather than force yourself on mares? And if you like to kill, why become a raider? There are plenty of mercenaries and bounty hunters in the Wasteland. Why pillage and murder? And why would you enjoy killing in the first place?”

The raider mare opened her mouth with a scorn plastered on her muzzle, but she paused, hesitating. “Well,” she began somberly after a few seconds passed; I leaned closer hopefully, intrigued by the change in her demeanor, “I suppose it’s because of my father. See, we lived in Friendship City, and daddy was a bit of a drinker. One night he got home more hammered than usual, and when mommy had started to bitch about it he beat her senseless, then, well… then he turned to me, with that look in his eyes… you can guess the rest.”

“Merciful Goddesses,” I said, more to myself, taken aback by Thorny Locust’s unexpected confession. “That really happened?”

“NO!” the raider exclaimed, looking at me with bewilderment. “I. LIKE. TO. KILL. TORTURE. AND. RAPE!” she recited, punctuating each word with the shake of the hoofcuffs that bound her. “How are you not getting that?!”

Disappointed and annoyed, I backed away and sat down again, a reproachful remark ready, but before I could say it, a sudden voice resounded through my laboratory. “Hey Crazy, you’re done? Jack’s in the clinic and wants to have a word with you.”

Jack? Didn’t he say that we shouldn’t meet and only pass messages through Aite? I thought, surprised. Even being as early in the morning as it was, somepony could notice... I wondered what caused him to change his mind… could it be that he finally found the tribe?

“I’ll be up in a moment!” I called back, ignoring Thorny Locust as she groaned and bashed the back of her head against the wall, pulling on her hoofcuffs again-

CLANK!

I stared in shock at the broken hoofcuffs, their chains dangling underneath the raider’s hooves. How in the Goddess name did they break?! I examined them before putting them on her, and while I wasn’t an expert I would have been able to notice if there was any rust on them. And those were the same hoofcuffs the slavers used, one would think they would be able to hold a mare…

… a mare that only mere moments ago threatened me and had spent several days being experimented on by me, as it dawned on me. My attention shifted at once to Thorny Locust’s face; she had been staring at her forehooves. Apparently, she was as surprised as I was, which I suspected was the only reason why she hadn’t attacked me yet.

Something she was about to rectify, if the menacing glare she now shot me was of any indication.

I scrambled to my hooves and jumped back in fright as the mare launched at me. Screaming in fear, I activated S.A.T.S.

Well, that’s unfortunate, I summarized, calming down as my perception of time was altered. Now it appeared as if time had been stopped… right as the raider mare, now suspended in the air, was about half a second away from pouncing on top of me. I can line up a shot of Anesthetic Spell thanks to S.A.T.S., I thought, noticing the ninety-nine percent chance of hitting her (why I didn’t have a one hundred percent chance of hitting somepony right before me was beyond my comprehension), but she’ll still collide with me…

My train of thoughts trailed off as when observing the suspended mare, I noticed something that should not be possible: something appearing underneath her. However, my shock quickly turned to bemusement as I realized it was just the apparition of Pinkie Pie, holding a whiteboard that had “RAIDERUS AGRESSIVUS” written on it for whatever reason. As soon as I noticed her, Pinkie smiled somewhat bashfully, waved, and both her and her whiteboard disappeared.

I don’t get it, I thought. More importantly though, I was certain that those two wouldn’t be able to interact with me if I’d leave their statuettes upstairs. I had taken to doing that as of late, as I grew increasingly distracted by their interruptions and abhorring of my experiments. Then again, back at the Rock Farms Pinkie Pie was able to reach me from an even greater distance… oh well, something to think about after this ordeal is over, I suppose...

Resigned to the unpleasant experience, I readied my spell, and released S.A.T.S. Time resumed and everything happened so quickly that before I knew it I was cast backwards as the now immobile raider collided with me, and then we both fell on the floor, with her on top of me.

“Oh shit, are you alright?” I heard Aite ask from nearby.

Grunting in discomfort that bordered on slight pain, and wrinkling my nose from the smell of the raider’s bad teeth, I lifted Thorny Locust’s head a little away from my face to look up. The bat pony had just landed on top of my desk, right beside my earth pony skeletal model, staring at me and the raider in confusion.

“Yes darling, I’m fine, thank you for your concern…” I began, but trailed off as my ears caught the sound of another person rushing down the stairs.

“What the- the hell are you doing?” Jack asked as he entered my laboratory.

“Why, good morning, Jack sweetie, is so nice that you’ve decided to visit me,” I replied, not very eager to admit that I had just been attacked by my own test subject. “Would somebody please help me get her off me? She’s quite heavy,” I added, turning my attention back to Thorny Locust… or more specifically, at her teeth.

I had taken a look at her teeth after she had been brought into my clinic, of course, so I was not surprised now to see her dental cavities. Given what her fate was supposed to be I had refrained from treating her, but now I had an idea…

“Yeah, I’d rather not help you with this,” Jack snorted, “you reap what you sow.”

Rolling my eyes, I called out: “Janitor?”

I heard the sound of the door to the cell of Cutter and Manacles opening. “Yes Doctor Ang- oh goodness, what has happened?” the Mr. Handy robot exclaimed as he left the cell where he had been feeding the test subjects.

“The patient attacked me, can you carry her back to her cell?” I asked sweetly.

“Certainly Doctor!” Janitor replied happily, and soon he hovered over to me, two of his long metallic arms lowering and to grab the raider mare and lifted her off me effortlessly. “Is she sedated?”

“Yes, please place her in her cell sweetie, I’ll secure her in a moment,” I replied, getting up from the floor and shaking myself off. As the robot hurried to obey my command, I turned over at the bat pony and griffin, who were looking at me, one with amusement, the other with annoyance. “Can you believe that the hoofcuffs just broke? Both of them? I mean, honestly, I understand that in the Wasteland you can’t expect items to be as durable as they’d be in civilized places, but I took those hoofcuffs from the slavers, I’d have thought that they’d know their craft.”

“Right, because those slavers strike me as ponies who take care of their equipment,” Aite snorted and rolled her eyes. “Especially considering they put all their slaves in those cages anyway.”

She had a point there; the reason why I was able to get all those hoofcuffs and chains so easily is because the slavers didn’t really use them, and didn’t care when a pair or two or three went missing.

The bat pony spread her wings and flew over the desk before I could admit that she was right. “I’ll keep an eye on the clinic, let you guys know if somepony comes in early,” Aite said as she turned in the air and flew away, pulling her cloak’s hood on her head and disappearing.

Jack glanced after her as she left, then turned his attention back to me. “I don’t particularly care what exactly you do to your test subjects, especially that raider mare, but could you try and not get killed by any of them before our business is concluded?”

“Sweetie, that’s just hurtful,” I retorted, pouting. Turning away and walking towards the last cell, I asked: “Aite mentioned that you wanted to talk about something?”

Before he replied, I opened the cell’s door. Behind them lay the bound radscorpion, unable to move, the half eaten meal I left for it smeared on and around its chelicerae. “Hello Pinchy, I see you enjoyed your meal,” I said cheerfully as I used my magic to clean it. At once Pinchy began to shake aggressively, trying to break through its binds, and its chelicerae clickered. “Oh come now sweetie, there’s no need to be afraid of me,” I tried, speaking softly as Fluttershy had shown me to, trotting closer to him and placing my hoof gently on its head, near its eyes.

The memory from a few days ago came back to me, clear as day. Even though she had seen us tie Pinchy up, Fluttershy’s apparition had still gasped and covered her mouth as she saw through tearing up eyes the radscorpion again, though perhaps the sight of its trashing on the floor trying to free itself was what caused it.

Oh, the poor little thing, the tiny apparition in my head had said, almost sobbing.

Come on, Fluttershy, you know that this is… necessary, Pinkie Pie had tried to cheer her up, even though she also had given Pinchy an unhappy look.

Do you have any idea how best to calm it down? I’d asked, frowning. I don’t feel comfortable getting close to it, let alone trying to befriend it.

Um, I might have an idea or two… Fluttershy had replied slowly. Just.. repeat after me, Angel.

I’d cast her a confused look, but before I could have asked she was already taking a slow step forward. Mindful of what she had asked, I had immediately imitated her, taking a step forward, slowly and carefully, within Pinchy’s field of vision. Step by step, I drew closer to it, despite it continuing to thrash against its bindings. But Fluttershy had ignored that, and so had I, sitting beside the radscorpion and looking down into its multiple eyes affectionately.

“There there,” she had said and I repeated those words, both then and now as my hoof followed her motions, “it’s alright, I’m not going to hurt you.”

CLAP!

Hearing the noise from behind, I glanced back, returning with my thoughts to the present. Jack had pressed his talons against his face and was drawing them slowly down his beak, appearing exasperated.

“Yes, I do,” he said after a few moments, “unless you’re too busy?”

“Don’t be silly, of course I have time for you sweetie,” I replied, but almost immediately my attention shifted back to Pinchy; he was struggling against his restraints with even greater fervor than before; its entire body was practically vibrating. Could it be that since I didn’t have Fluttershy helping me this time I was doing something wrong? “Did you know the radscorpions have a very interesting muscle structure?” I mused out loud, feeling the vibrations through my leg. “And their brain-”

“Focus!” Jack’s sharp yell broke me out of reverie. As I turned back to him - a little annoyed at the interruption - he took a deep breath before continuing, “I wanted to ask how work on that talisman is coming along?”

Of course he had to ask about that. A little upset about him broaching this somewhat touchy subject, I replied a bit more sharply than I intended.

“About as well as your search for the tribe.”

I immediately regretted saying those words, even before Jack’s brow furrowed in irritation. Even though we hadn’t talked with each other, I knew from Aite that despite how easy he expected it would be to find the tribe he still hadn’t been able to locate them. All Jack managed to find of them were their tracks, but apparently they would always end before leading him anywhere close to where they could be hiding. It was, as Aite had told me, a great source of irritation for Jack.

Sighing, I stopped petting the radscorpion and turned my attention completely to him. “Sorry, sweetie, that was uncalled for,” I quickly apologized, then got up and walked out of the cell. “It turns out that overwriting a talisman so that it produces a different gas isn’t as easy as I expected it to be.”

“I thought you said they teach how to do that in your Stable?” Jack replied, letting me pass.

“Yes, but it’s only about basic maintenance and modification of talismans,” I confessed.

“Ah, that explains it.”

Ignoring the comment, I continued, “I did manage to increase the output of breathable oxygen it will produce once activated, but I’ll admit that I am unsure how to proceed further with the talisman… I don’t want to try and modify it blindly out of fear of permanently damaging it. I’m thinking about compensating by using chemicals to just create a poisonous gas and then set the talisman to rather than produce breathable oxygen spread the gas it would be surrounded by instead, but that would create further problems-”

“In other words,” Jack interrupted me, “it can’t be done.”

“Not at the present moment, no,” I nickered, irritated. I sat behind my desk, glancing at the talisman in question, before looking at Jack again. “Why, sweetie, do you need it now?”

Jack frowned, but instead of getting irritated himself he merely shrugged. “No, not really,” he said, relaxing; “after all, it’s your plan that depends on you being able to modify the talisman. If you won’t have it done, we’ll definitely go with my plan.”

Ah yes, his plan, to just get what we want from Black Widow in the confusion of the tribe attack and then leave. How could I forget such a waste of an opportunity to seize control of the town and deliver a permanent blow to the slave trade? Then again, this would go on par with how everybody is so averse towards the institution of slavery and yet apparently nobody tried to do anything about it, with the closest town even trading with them, so maybe I shouldn’t be surprised...

“Given that you’d prefer if we’d go with your plan, I would have thought you’d be more focused on modifying the talisman,” Jack continued, raising an eyebrow. “But I see you continuing doing your experiments, giving a radscorpion obedience training, and constructing an earth pony skeleton on your desk.” The griffin paused to look at said skeleton, before turning to me with a deadpan. “Why the hell is there an earth pony skeleton on your desk?”

“Oh, it’s a pet project of mine,” I replied, turning my head to admire the remains I recovered from the Stable below.

I was about to elaborate on the subject, but an annoyed groan made me pause. “Ugh, with you that could be literal…” Jack said, pressing his talons on top of his beak. “Forget I asked. Why are you doing all this shit instead of focusing on the talisman?” he asked, returning to the original topic of discussion.

Pouting a little, I replied “Well, sweetie, in case you haven’t realized, as the medical doctor of Appleloosa, I have quite a lot of duties, and I’ve been rather busy these past few days. First a chair broke under one of the slavers in the saloon, so I had to pull splinters from his flank. Then another twisted his hoof, another got hit by a door and suffered a concussion, another suffered a drug overdose, three developed anemia, and one more had somehow shot himself by accident; ponies are still trying to figure out how that happened. Later a cabinet fell on Frank Fellow when he was doing supplies inventory, forcing me to operate to mend his broken bones and heal the organs said bones had ruptured through. Lastly, just yesterday, the floor collapsed in one of the buildings, crushing the two slavers you saw sleeping in my clinic when you came in. So, between all of those unexpected accidents I had to treat, my usual duties of monitoring the slaves’ health - who are all extremely aggressive patients - preparing chems for my little side business and working on the talisman, I felt a little overworked, so excuse me for needing to do something relaxing,” I added, pointing at the cells with my test subjects inside.

Jack, who’s eyebrows had been steadily rising as I gave him a rundown of recent accidents, resumed his deadpan. “Your definition of relaxing activities is baffling,” he said, then shook his head. “A floor collapsing is not surprising, considering how old and unmaintained these pre-war buildings are, but I gotta admit that it’s a bit weird how many accidents have happened around here lately.”

“Black Widow believes that everypony is a bit jumpy because of the tribe that even a griffin mercenary cannot find, and I’m inclined to agree,” I said, shrugging. “Stress can cause ponies to be less careful and have a cabinet fall on them or get struck by opening doors.”

“True,” Jack agreed, then uttered a low growl. “I don’t get how they hide themselves. The tracks I found recently were definitely fresh, so they have to leave their settlement, even if they mask their tracks when they get close to home. I should have spotted them by now. Or their settlement; I flew all around the radius it should be in, and yet I couldn’t spot anything where tens of ponies could live in.”

“I’m afraid I won’t be of much help, sweetie, I know next to nothing when it comes to tracking.”

“Yeah, I figured, I’m just thinking out loud,” Jack replied, rolling his eyes. “I’m about to suggest to Black Widow that it might be necessary to draw them out, send a small patrol of slavers and hope they’d try to attack again, then I’d follow them to their settlement. Of course, I’m going to tell her that we’ll do either that or try and capture some of them to torture the intel out of them, but seeing how we plan to ally with this tribe I somehow doubt we’ll go with that option,” he added with a little smirk.

“I’m not entirely sure that Black Widow would agree to such a plan that requires her to basically send a few of her ponies to death,” I said, musing Jack’s idea over. “Although she has been growing increasingly upset about this tribe looming over her town.”

Jack snorted. “She’s a businessmare, not a leader. Taking care of this tribe would eliminate problems for her and provide a new source of income, she’ll definitely not mind losing three or four slavers in return. Besides, I’m sure there are some idiots around here she’d rather be rid of.”

“Hm, fair point,” I agreed, not having looked at this from that angle. I rubbed my muzzle in deep pondering and looked up at Jack. “Should I assume that you’re telling me this because you expect this would mean you’ll find the tribe today and we’ll soon have to advance my plans? I can’t think of any other reason why you’d risk exposing our alliance by coming to talk with me openly.”

But Jack waved his paw. “Don’t worry about it, I had my healing potions stolen the other night, anypony asks I came to get new ones from you.”

“Somepony stole your healing potions?!” I repeated, stunned. “Who would do such a thing?”

“Aite,” Jack replied nonchalantly. As I felt my mouth hanging open very unlady-like due to my confusion, the griffin shrugged and explained, “I needed a believable reason to come to your clinic, so it was either that or getting myself wounded. I asked Aite to steal them while everypony was sleeping, and made sure some of the slavers had seen that I had healing potions in my bags so they can confirm that I had indeed been robbed.”

“I see… I must say, sweetie, that’s very clever,” I said, impressed.

“Funny, Aite said it was paranoid,” Jack countered, a hint of amusement in his tone. “But back to your earlier question, that’s indeed why I wanted to talk with you, although I don’t think I will find them today, even if Black Widow agrees to it, as such a plan would require a few days to prepare. However, that’s… that’s not the only reason why I wanted to talk with you,” he said, after a brief moment of hesitation. “I also wanted to discuss a… personal matter with you.”

Surprised by that sudden change, I blinked; it wasn’t like Jack to be so bashful. Or talk about personal matters out of the blue. “By all means, sweetie, go on,” I said after a moment.

Jack sighed. “Aite told me you’re going to learn whether or not Apple Core is pregnant today.”

Oh…

Closing my eyes to remain calm, I laid my forelegs on the desk and prepped my head on my hooves. “I see.”

“Look, before you start, let me say something, okay?” Jack asked. Opening my eyes I saw that he raised his open paw, both in - I assumed - peaceful gesture but also to forestall my arguments. I gave him a tiny nod and let him continue: “I… get that I was out of line back then. I do. I know that this isn’t any of my business. But… Blast was my friend, he and his brother. They were very good friends. I know that if Apple Core is pregnant with Blast’s foal, it wouldn’t bring my friends back, and wouldn’t bring their parents their children. But it would bring them something. You spoke about how death creates a wound in a person’s heart; there are two giant wounds in each of their hearts right now. This foal, if she is pregnant, could help mend those wounds. Apple Core doesn’t want a kid, fine, probably for the best, but it's grandparents would gladly take it in, and it would grow up in Tenpony Tower, literally the best place to live in on this side of the Wasteland. Can you honestly tell me that you’d murder an unborn foal and deprive two grieving parents from a chance to fill the void left in them after their sons died?”

I listened to him in silence. I remained in silence now that he finished, too. I needed a moment to compose myself after his short little speech that had used my own views and hit so close to my heart. The last thing either of us needed was for me to get teary eyed right now.

“Murder is an act of taking one’s life,” I began slowly; since we’ve gotten to this, I could at least correct him. Ignoring Jack’s furrowed brow, I continued: “Life is the sum of experiences and relationships we acquire. This fetus doesn’t have any. I wouldn’t murder it.”

Already I could see anger sparking in Jack’s gray eyes. Something suddenly bothered me about them, but I quickly brushed this sensation off, too occupied at the moment.

“I would be denying it its life.” The anger disappeared, replaced by mild confusion. “You could say that it’s worse. Naturally, somebody could argue that it’s better, considering how full of pain and misery life can be, and that no matter what, it ultimately will always end.” I fought myself to not grind my teeth at those words. “And of course, once one realized that ‘denying life’ can be also applied to the simple act of using anti-conception methods, then we have to consider that abortion is no different from preventing pregnancy in the first place. But I digress. What exactly do you expect me to do? I already plan to talk with her,” I added before Jack could answer that question; it was rhetorical. “If she is indeed pregnant and would ask me for an abortion, I would discuss with her other options. Naturally, I would tell her about Blast’s parents, that they could take it in and raise it. If the issue would be with having to carry a foal through an entire pregnancy, I would ask her about female relatives so I could perform the Surrogacy Spell and transfer the fetus. If she doesn’t have any or they wouldn’t agree, I’m sure I would be able to find somepony compatible enough that would agree to carry the foal… or wouldn’t have a choice in the matter,” I added, glancing at Thorny Locust’s cell. “Though I would really prefer to avoid such options. Test subject or not, there are some things I’d rather not do… But assuming I wouldn’t be able to find anypony compatible,” I continued, shifting my attention back to Jack, “or that Apple Core wouldn’t agree to wait, what do you expect me to do? Disregard my duty as a doctor and deny her my services? Do you seriously think she wouldn’t find some other means to have the foal aborted, that some other doctor wouldn’t do it if she paid them to? Or that she wouldn’t try some way to induce miscarriage, I’m sure she must have heard of some ways or would learn quickly by asking around. Ways that would pose threat to her own health, too. By denying her my services, I would be posing her life in danger.”

I could hear Jack’s talons scratching the floor as he stared back. “You could-”

“-lie to her?” I finished for him, raising an eyebrow. “Say that I performed an abortion on her but actually do nothing? Honestly… medical ethic and morals aside, Apple Core would realize at some point that she’s still pregnant. Are you hoping that she would change her mind because she could feel the foal kicking?” Jack grit his beak and didn’t answer, so I pressed further, “Would you want her to abort the baby when it would already have developed organs and neural system, be capable of feeling pain? Would you like me to draw you how a late-term abortion looks like, or will my words suffice?”

Immediately, I regretted not having the statuettes of Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie with me. If I had, maybe they would have stopped me from saying that last part.

Jack’s eyes hardened and a growl escaped his beak. Clearly, my last question was the last straw as far as his patience, that had remained throughout this entire unpleasant conversation, was concerned. He stepped forward and raised his forepaw-

The door to the cellar opened, followed by Aite’s voice: “Hey guys-”

At the same moment, Jack slammed his paw against the desk. “I get-”

Cchhhkk cchhhkk cchhhkk!

I looked away from Jack, forgetting about the small fright he just gave me, in the wake of annoyance that followed as the earth pony skeleton collapsed, the bones falling down around my laboratory.

Just how strongly did he hit my desk? I thought, upset. The skeleton was held together thanks to a simple spell that I’d cast on each joint, connecting the bones so that it could be displayed standing on my desk. The spell was weak, but a simple tremor from hitting the desk shouldn’t have caused it to break apart.

Taking a deep breath, I fought to remain calm. After all, I was partially to blame for this, as I had gone too far with my arguments.

Once I regained some of my composure, I turned my attention back to the griffin. Jack had looked at the still clattering bones in dismay as they rolled around the floor, but he quickly turned away to look at Aite, who was hovering in the air beside him, looking down on him in exasperation that bordered on annoyance.

“You promised you’d behave,” she said, with a little pretence in her voice.

Jack snorted. “Forget that; you wanted something?”

Aite raised an eyebrow, but otherwise didn’t waste a second to reply, “There’s some slaver banging at the clinic’s door and calling your name. Sounds a little nervous!” she added, calling after Jack as he rushed up the stairs.

Worried, I quickly followed, forgetting about our argument - and the mess - for the time being. Aite flew over me as I climbed up the stairs, already disappearing. What could be the reason for somepony to look for Jack so urgently? I hadn’t had much chance to observe much interactions between him and slavers, but I did know that most treated him with borderline fear. It didn’t seem to me like anypony here would dare bang at my door to get him.

Also, I didn’t like the thought of ponies speculating why exactly were we talking behind closed doors.

Oh wow, sure seems like another busy day, right from the get-go, Pinkie Pie commented as she and Fluttershy appeared beside me when I passed through the door, which I made sure to close.

Indeed, darling, I replied, smartening myself up as I trotted after Jack, who was already beside the door and about to open it; indeed, there was a pony on the other side banging at it rather loudly, calling for Jack. If you’d excuse me for a few moments...

The slaver, Cuff, who had been banging on it, almost fell into my clinic beside Jack when he opened the door for him. Towering over him, the griffin kept his face almost neutral, with only berest hint for threat in the furrow of his brow. “Yes?”

Whatever he was here for, Cuff hesitated, no doubt because he found the griffin mercenary more intimidating than usual. I decided that now it was the perfect time to interject myself into this moment, reminding them who’s clinic this was and providing an excuse for why the door was closed. As Cuff gulped loudly, I cleared my throat.

“Good morning, sweetie,” I began nicely, in a hushed voice; the slaver glanced at me absentmindedly. Less pleasantly, I added: “Would you care to explain why you are disturbing my patients?” Cuff’s eyes followed my pointing hoof, directed at the two sleeping slavers; of course, he couldn’t know that thanks to my spells and drugs they would be sleeping for two more hours at least. Nickering, I turned to Jack, “This is exactly why I didn’t want to let you in, sweetie, I knew they’d want to see you about something and make a, a-”

Ruckus! Pinkie Pie suggested when I couldn’t come up with the best word.

Thank you, darling.

“- a ruckus,” I finished, pointing tellingly at Cuffs.

“Oh, bite me,” Jack snorted. “You shouldn’t have locked the door then.”

“And have them just gallop in here?” I exclaimed, outwardly mortified at the suggestion, and inwardly smirking that Jack caught on immediately.

“Nevermind that!” Cuff shouted, finally finding his voice. Ignoring the glare I shot him, he turned to Jack. “You’ve gotta come to Black Widow, she sent me to get you.”

“Why?” Jack replied calmly, raising an eyebrow.

“Because there are griffins from Fillydelphia flying towards us!”

What?! I barely stopped myself from uttering that word out loud.

He said: “because there are griffins from Fillydelphia flying towards us”.

Um, I don’t think she was really asking, Pinkie Pie…

Ignoring the two apparitions, I let my mind race through this sudden development. Why were there griffins from Fillydelphia here now? Cuff was clearly alarmed by this, was Black Widow too? Was there a reason to suspect that they were about to attack? It didn’t look outside as if the slavers were preparing for battle, there was hardly anypony outside…

I could see in the corner of my eye that Jack was also taken by surprise, but he recovered much quicker than I. “Guess I better go then,” he simply said, already walking past Cuff.

Both cautious of and curious about this new development, I was about to go after him. However, to my surprise, Cuff extended his hoof to block my way. “Um, sorry doc, Black Widow specifically said that you have to stay in your clinic until they leave.”

“And why is that, sweetie?” I asked, now confused and surprised.

The slaver’s face became a deadpan. “Because you talk too much and Stern has little patience. If she’s with those griffins you’ll probably end up getting shot.”

I opened my mouth in silent indignation, and before I could respond in any way I saw Jack shrug as he looked back over his withers. “Sounds legit,” he said before he hurried away.

Closing my mouth and nickering in annoyance, I turned to Cuff. “Very well, sweetie, Black Widow can rest assured that I’ll remain here. Please pass along to her my gratitude for being so concerned with my safety.”

Cuff, who was already turning away, rolled his eyes and muttered “Sure,” before chasing after Jack.

I looked around outside of my door, trying to spot the griffins, but they must have already landed somewhere in Appleloosa as the sky underneath the cloud barrier were clear. “So the infamous Stern, the griffin in charge of Red Eye’s forces, has graced this little slaver town,” I mused, recalling what I had heard about her in my time in Appleloosa, as I backed away and closed the door. At once Aite reappeared beside me. “What do you think this could be about, darling?”

Aite frowned a little as she looked through the window. “I had a few run-ins with slavers around the Hoof, but Red Eye’s operations are on a completely different scale. It’s hard to say what they could be doing… this whole thing with the disappearing tribe seems the only reason why they would make such an obviously unexpected visit. Maybe they've attacked them too?” the bat pony suggested. “Still a little weird they would come to talk it out with Black Widow, they should have more than enough forces to take care of this by themselves.”

From all I heard about Red Eye’s slave empire, I had to agree with Aite’s assessment. Why then were they here? What did they want from Black Widow?

“Aren’t you going to listen in on them darling?” I asked Aite.

The bat pony glanced at me. “In a moment,” she said after a second, then turned her head to look at me with both eyes. “Was Jack being an asshole again?”

A little surprised, I hesitated before answering, embarrassment and regret flaring in me at the recollection of our argument. “No, well, not really,” I said uncomfortably. “I believe I pressed my stance on this matter too harshly, using rather unsavory arguments.”

Aite raised an eyebrow, but didn’t ask further, and instead sighed. “Seriously… I told him to let this go. I get that it could be his friend’s kid and he feels indebted to him and his parents, but he shouldn’t meddle into matters he has no possible way of understanding. For crying out loud, not only he’s a male, but his species lays eggs!” she snorted angrily, turning away and rubbing her temple.

A ghost of a smile graced my muzzle at the remark, but I quickly grew serious again. “What about you then? Don’t you have any opinion on this matter?”

AIte once again gave a sidelong glance and remained silent for a few moments. I frowned a little when the silence prolonged up to almost ten seconds, wondering what she was pondering so deeply about in regard to my question. However, the bat pony finally came to some decision; her muzzle twisted into an odd smile.

“Heh, I’m gonna regret it…” she sighed, and much to my bafflement she trotted towards the door.

For a briefest of moments I thought she was going to leave without answering my question, which, considering her behaviour, was at least odd, to say the least, bordering on unsettling and worrisome. But as she reached for the doorknob, she spoke again.

“I just said that Jack shouldn’t meddle into matters he has no possible way of understanding.”

She looked back over her withers, her wing extended so that she could put her hood over her head with her claw as she opened the door.

“If I had an opinion on this matter,” she said with a smirk, “then it would be hypocritical of me, considering that I’m infertile.”

She disappeared.

The door closed, leaving me and two apparitions alone with our shock.

*** *** ***

Hearing the door open, I looked up from the sleeping slaver I had been examining. Upon seeing that there was seemingly nopony behind it, various emotions washed over me. Relief that I was finally about to learn what was happening. Anxiousness about what Red Eye’s griffins were doing here.

Sorrow, regret and shame about what Aite had told me.

“There’s still over an hour left before those two wake up,” I informed her quietly once the door closed again. “We don’t have to worry about them.”

Aite appeared in the middle of the clinic, her eyes on the other slaver as she trotted over to me. “Good. Those griffins are gone now,” she began, turning to me. “Turns out this was indeed about the tribe. They had somehow learned about it; they didn’t want to tell Black Widow how. Stern sent those guys to check if one of their sources of ‘workers’ will be able to deal with this problem on their own.”

I nodded as I listened, flicking my tail in irritation. This was far earlier than I had anticipated to be worrying about Red Eye. If they were to attack this tribe together with Appleloosa’s slavers…

“Fortunately, Black Widow declined their offer,” Aite’s words put a stop to my pessimistic train of thoughts. Sighing with relief, I continued to listen: “She, Jack and Apple Core discussed this with the griffins, but in the end she didn’t want to miss out capturing those tribe ponies herself and selling them to Red Eye; if his forces would help they would just take them. So yay for greed,” she added with a smirk.

“We are indeed fortunate,” I agreed, smiling, then more seriously asked, “What else did they discuss?”

“Nothing really important. Those Talons were surprised to see Jack, a lone griffin; he did that lame ‘non-union Talon’ joke again. Ugh, I hope it won’t become a thing,” Aite added with an eyeroll. “Anyway, they were even more surprised when they learned that he was a Bloodtalon, and openly doubted it until Jack knocked out the one who was most vocal about it before the others could blink. Then they tried to talk him into visiting Fillydelphia once he was done with this job, saying Red Eye would definitely hire him, so Jack told them that he’d think about it and they dropped it.”

I was a little disappointed that I wasn’t there to witness this exchange, especially since by the sound of it Stern hadn’t been among them. I would have liked to see other griffins up close, and Jack displaying his physical prowess was always very interesting to watch. I would have also wanted to see for myself the other griffins’ reaction to meeting a Bloodtalon, see just in what regard do they hold this mercenary company.

“Other than that they just talked about some slave trade stuff briefly,” Aite finished, shrugging. “After they left though Black Widow really hammered Jack down for not finding the tribe yet and told him to find it quickly. Guess she didn’t like that Red Eye started thinking about capturing ponies in her territory. Jack ran by her the idea he had of using a few slavers as bait; she told him she’d start considering who she can do without, and in the meantime he’ll continue searching as he was. And that’s about it,” the bat pony finished, but then added: “Well, other than Jack glaring daggers at Apple Core a few times, but he didn’t do or say anything to her, I’m not even sure she had noticed how he was looking at her.”

All things considered, I supposed I should be happy that he didn’t talk to her about her possible pregnancy, I thought, then immediately felt an unpleasant twinge as I looked at Aite. Even if she had made peace with her infertility - and based on everything I had learned about her in the short time we knew each other I had reasons to believe that was the case - I still felt bad that I had discussed both in front of her and with her the matter of another’s mare pregnancy. Though I doubt she’ll want to talk about it…

“Anyway, Jack’s gone too, went out again to try and find the tribe,” Aite added, shrugging. “Flew after him for a bit so that we could talk away from prying eyes. He told me it doesn’t look like we have to change our plans, provided he finds the tribe soon. Oh, and in regards to Apple Core, Jack told me to tell you to do whatever you think is right.”

My ear twitched. “Whatever I think is right…” I repeated, looking away from Aite. The two apparition looked at me sadly, especially Fluttershy; her ears dropped down, and she quickly shifted her gaze down to her hooves. “Does Jack know about you being infertile?” I asked Aite, not wanting to think about what would be right thing to do in that situation.

The bat pony raised an eyebrow. “It’s not something I share with people. Especially those I meet in a bar and bang within an hour afterwards.”

I frowned a little, hearing such a description. “That was how you met, but now you’re friends, aren’t you?”

“Well, apparently I’m his best friend,” Aite replied, with a faint amusement in her voice. “But even if we are, I see no reason why I’d tell him that.”

“Then why tell me?” I asked, trying to understand what was going through her head. “You’ve known me for a far shorter time than Jack, and yet you told me something deeply personal that you haven’t told him?”

“Damn, you’re annoyingly persistent,” the bat pony said, deadpanning. “I figured I owed you to be honest with this fucking drama since I was the one who babbled to Jack about your slaver friend thinking she’s pregnant. So when you asked me what I think about it, I told you that I can’t have any say on this matter because I cannot understand what she’d be going through. It’s as simple as that.”

“Oh, I see,” I said slowly, glad to have her thought process cleared up for me. However, this was far from the last thing she wanted to talk about with Aite. “Now… if you don’t mind me asking, about you being-”

“I fucking knew you’d make me regret telling you,” Aite interrupted me, still with the same expression. Sighing, she sat down before me. “Look, I appreciate that you are doing… whatever this is,” she said, waving her forehooves back and forth between the two of us. “But I’ve known about this for almost twenty years now. However I felt about it when I found out I have long since gotten over it, okay?”

“I thought as much,” I quickly replied, “though I admit I’m relieved to hear you say that. I… haven’t properly studied psychology, so while I do have some knowledge in this field I’m glad that you don’t need my help. That being said,” I added, “if you ever need to talk I’d be more than happy to.”

“Noted,” Aite said, rolling her eyes.

“Also,” I said and hesitated briefly. “if this whole matter with Apple Core hurt you in any way-”

“Hurt me?” Aite repeated, raising an eyebrow. “Why, just because I can’t get pregnant and she might have and would likely abort it?” The bat pony pressed her forehoof to her chest, right above her heart, and left her mouth open in a mocked expression of hurt, before resuming an normal expression. “Crazy, I’ve seen enough misfortunes in the Wasteland to not get hurt over stupid random-ass accidents like those.”

“I- I see,” I replied, a little unsettled by her words… which, considering everything I’ve heard about the Wasteland, were probably an understatement anyway. “But it doesn’t change the fact that this was something that I shouldn’t have discussed with Jack before you so carelessly… and actually,” I added, frowning at her, “this isn’t something I should be discussing at all, with any of you. This should have remained a private matter between a doctor and her patient.”

“Exactly, my fault. Let it go?”

“In a moment,” I assured her; despite that, the bat pony groaned unhappily. “What I really wanted to ask you is what exactly is the cause of your infertility?”

“Do I look like somepony who would remember all those medical terms?” Aite replied with a question, raising an eyebrow and pointing at herself. “Been years since I got that checked out.”

Although I was a bit disappointed, I wasn’t deterred. “Well, I suppose that’s understandable, but do you think it would be possible for you to contact the medical facility where you got examined to get your medical records? I would examine you myself but I’m afraid my laboratory doesn't have the necessary equipment.”

Aite paused for a moment - during which she looked at me with an expression of both annoyance and bemusement - before replying: “Okay, for starters, there are no medical records, I paid my doctor over at Hoofington triple so she wouldn’t keep notes of anything about my body other than wounds, then I went through her office to make sure she kept her word.”

“Why would you do that?” I interjected, feeling confused.

“Because I didn’t want ponies to know that there’s a bat pony flying around the Hoof,” Aite said slowly, with a slight exasperation in her voice; I had an unpleasant feeling that she was replying to me as if she were to a foal. “The less people knew about me, the better off I was. When I finally needed medical attention after a job - nopony saw me,” she added with a suddenly hardened glare, “one idiot just started to fire randomly after his boss dropped dead, I got hit by few stray bullets by accident - I approached a doctor that I felt most certain wouldn’t gossip or give a fuck about me being a bat pony, and got treated. Later when I grew to trust her more I asked her to check why exactly I can’t have foals. I already knew that I couldn’t a few years by then but let's just say that medical knowledge wasn’t as advanced around where I grew up at… as it was there, so I didn’t have the details you are asking for. Anyway, more importantly, why the hell are you asking?” she changed the subject, staring at me impassively.

Since she has been examined in a proper medical facility, if it was within their possibilities to treat her they would have undoubtedly informed her, I mused, processing all I could from Aite’s short tale. Still, they could only offer her treatment that would be within the level of their medical knowledge… which most likely would mean “within the level of wartime Equestria’s medical knowledge”.

Taking solace in the medical advancements my Stable had made in the last two hundred years, I cleared my throat and replied: “Well, darling, I’m asking because depending on the exact reason for your infertility, it could be possible for me to treat you, as my Stable had researched many methods of assisted reproductive arcane technology over the past two centuries-”

“And why would I want to be treated?”

Aite’s interjection caused me to stop in mid-sentence. No, that wasn’t entirely correct. Rather, it was the calm with which she had said that. The bat pony didn’t show any emotion at the mention of a possible cure to her condition, nor was she showing any sign of annoyance I would have expected from discussing such a delicate topic. Quite honestly, the way she said those words pointed out less to her dismissal of my offer, but that it was an actual question.

“I’m not quite sure how you view those matters, Crazy, but not every mare wants to have a foal,” Aite continued after I didn’t answer her question. “I’ve told you before that I have seen enough misfortune in the Wasteland. I’ve also experienced enough of them in life myself that I would rather not worry about the possibility of bringing another life into this world. If I’d actually want to have a foal I’d have just picked up some random orphan, trust me, there are plenty of those roaming the Wasteland.”

“Of course, I understand,” I quickly retorted as soon as I found my voice, raising my forehooves placatingly. “It was not my intention to imply you’d want to have a foal, darling. However,” I added, dropping my hooves, “it is one thing to not want something, and another to be unable to have it due to… a whim of biology,” I said after a brief hesitation; despite my best attempt, I couldn’t quite mask my contempt for those words. Calmly, I added “Wouldn’t you agree, darling?”

Aite raised an eyebrow. “I suppose,” she said after a second, uttering a brief chuckle. “Didn’t really look at it that way. Still, I don’t have any plans of starting a family, and the closest I had to a normal relationship is with a guy from a different species, so I’d still say that this is redundant. Buuut if it’s going to bother you,” Aite added just as I opened my mouth, “then after this mess if over, if you ever find yourself in Tenpony Tower, I’ll consider getting examined again. If you really know more about helping infertile mares get pregnant than Wasteland medics, then at the very least you’ll be able to show off before the doctors there,” she added, smirking.

“I’d be happy for a chance to help you, even if you don’t think this is something you’ll need,” I said, happy at this prospect. “And as for the medical doctors of Tenpony Tower, I’d be less concerned about ‘showing off’ to them, and more about teaching them about methods unfamiliar to them.”

Aite rolled her eyes, clearly amused by my words. “Right, sure,” she snorted. “Everypony likes to show off when they’re good with something. But whatever,” Aite added before I could respond to that. She rose to her hooves and stretched. “So what’s the plan for the rest of the day?”

I glanced at the sleeping slavers. “Well, once those two wake up I’ll give them their final examinations before discharging them, they can rest in their own beds. After that the day should go as usual, provided we won’t have another calamity. Apple Core will come in the late evening for the pregnancy test, and after that I should be free to work at my laboratory.”

As I drew to the end of that last sentence, Aite yawned. “Cool,” she said afterwards, ignoring the mildly annoyed look I was giving her. “Hey wait, did you cuff that mare that attacked you in the morning?”

“Yes, I went down to my laboratory shortly after you left and took care of her. I also tidied up the mess Jack made,” I added, still upset both with him and myself for that, “and made some other preparations.”

“Ominous,” Aite commented in a disinterested tone before pulling down her hood and disappearing.

*** *** ***

Half a day, two discharges, one slave's check up, one choking accident at the saloon, another twisted hoof and a nap later, I heard the door to the clinic opening. Looking up from the Wasteland Survival Guide I was not surprised to see Apple Core walking in, glancing left and right apprehensively.

Well, the moment of truth, I commented, closing the book. Now we’ll learn if this little conflict was warranted or not.

If she is pregnant, Fluttershy spoke up, appearing beside me and looking at the slaver mare in concern just as I was about to greet her, then if she’d ask for... y-you know, will you do it?

It wasn’t the first time she had brought this up; Jack wasn’t the only one who didn’t want me to perform an abortion on Apple Core, even if he was the far more vocal one.

Apple Core is a reasonable mare, I thought, not answering her question. Even if she asks me, I’m sure that after I’ll present to her all the other options she’ll realise that just because she doesn’t want a foal that doesn’t mean that would be her only option.

“Hello sweetie,” I finally said out loud, trotting around the counter next to the door. “How have you been this day?”

Apple Core uttered a long sigh. “Well, the day started with those griffins from Fillydelphia comin’ t’ talk, so not great. At least that bitch Stern weren’t with ‘em, but still, wasn’t fun bein’ in the same room with ‘em, Jack and Black Widow discussin’ this tribe.” She snorted. “Seein’ how our griffin can’t find ‘em Ah’m startin’ t’ think that they ‘ave already left this part of the Wasteland, but he insists he keeps findin’ fresh tracks.”

I nodded with feigned interest; I knew all that thanks to Jack and Aite.

“Anyway,” Apple Core added, giving herself a shake, “can we get this over with?”

“But of course, follow me,” I said, trotting towards my room.

I had no idea where exactly Aite was right now, but the door to my room had been closed for most of the day, so there was very little chance she was hiding there and therefore it was the only place where we could have some privacy… not that it mattered at this point, seeing how Aite knew very well what Apple Core was here for, but still, keeping the appearances was really helping me right now.

“Make yourself comfortable sweetie,” I told her as I reached with my magic for the prepared vial and an empty syringe, then started to explain: “Now, this is-”

“Keep it simple,” Apple Core interrupted me as she sat down.

Pouting at her for a second, I shook off my annoyance and started again: “Very well; the liquid inside of this vial will react to the hormones in your blood.” I floated the vial before her eyes, ignoring the suggestively raised eyebrow at the word ‘hormones’. Apple Core quickly though focused on the nearly translucent liquid. “I’m going to take a blood sample from you, sweetie, and add it to the vial. If you are pregnant, then the liquid inside will turn blue.”

“And if Ah ain’t?” Apple Core asked.

“Then nothing will happen; it will react only to the specific hormones,” I assured her. I trotted closer, syringe ready. “May I take a blood sample, sweetie? Alternatively, a urine sample would work just as fine.”

“Yeah, now way Ah’m pissin’ int’ this,” Apple Core snorted, nudging the vial away, extending her foreleg before me. “Let’s just get it done.”

Nodding, I made final preparations and plunged the syringe into the vein in Apple Core’s leg with practiced ease, drew a bit of blood, then pulled the needle out, healing the tiny wound immediately with my magic.

“There we go, and now…” I trailed off, opening the vial, inserting the needle into it and pouring Apple Core’s blood.

Guess we’ll finally know, I thought, feeling conflicted.

Normally, back in Stable Eight, this would be a very nervous but at the same time exciting moment. The thought of new life entering our Stable, our world, that in a few moments I would know if the two ponies had indeed created it or not… there were some cases where a foal wasn’t planned, despite everypony being taught the Contraceptive Spell at Sex Education class, but even then, in the paradise of Stable Eight, raising a foal wasn’t seen as something difficult, so cases of abortion were very rare. Of course, it would be another matter if it were to be a second or third foal of a citizen from the lower classes, but that was a different, “bureaucratic” issue. Usually, the parents were anxious to learn whether they were expecting or not, and news of pregnancy was met with happiness.

But here…

“Well?” Apple Core asked, sounding anxious. “Is it changin’ color?”

“It’s going to take a moment,” I replied, shaking the vial so that the liquids would better mix and the reaction would take place.

It’s not changing yet, I mused as seconds dragged on. I guess this means-

It changed color.

I froze, staring at the vial I held in my magic, my long years of practice preventing me from cancelling the spell out of shock, as the liquid inside turned from red to blue.

Silence had fallen upon us for several long seconds, until finally it was interrupted by Apple Core: “Fuck.”

Taking my eyes away from the vial - which, realizing that it had served its purpose, I put away on my desk - I turned to Apple Core as she groaned, pressed her forehoof against her head and slid back against the wall behind her.

Normally, I would have congratulated the pregnant mare. That’s how it has always been for me up to this point. Every expecting mare that I had examined in Stable Eight was happy to hear that she was pregnant. Nervous, yes of course, unsure, conflicted. Some were even shocked, couldn’t react immediately to the news, but eventually smiles would start appearing on their muzzles. But this… this aversion, this... annoyance, was new to me. I stayed silent, unsure what to say, and waited for Apple Core to process this information.

Eventually, though, after the silence prolonged, my medical nature compelled me to inquire about Apple Core’ state. Gently, I asked: “How do you-”

“Can ya take care of it?”

The simple question interrupted me, causing me to fall silent once again. A simple question, and it caused Fluttershy’s apparition to gasp and cover her mouth.

Almost immediately I fell upon my medical training. “Of course I can,” I replied calmly.

You can’t, Fluttershy’s feeble voice reached me, but I ignored it for now, focusing on my patient.

“Great!” Apple Core exclaimed; despite her words, she didn’t sound cheerful. More like… resigned. “So, what do ya do, give me some potion, pill, cast a spell on me? Or will ya have t’ cut me open, cause-”

I raised my hoof to stop her. “It’s a simple matter to abort a fetus at such early stage. However, before we do anything, there are a few things I want to tell you.”

As I expected, my words were met with a groan. “Ah fuckin’ knew it... “ Apple Core murmured as she rolled her eyes. “Look, Ah figure this isn’t somethin’ ya do in yar Stable and stuff, but-”

She froze in mid-sentence, no doubt surprised. I just couldn’t help it, when she had mentioned my Stable, despite the grim nature of our discussion, I had to utter a chuckle.

“Of course we conduct abortions in Stable Eight,” I informed her, not without a hint of sadness in my voice. “I’ll admit they are rare, and personally I haven’t performed any, but there are cases when they are necessary or when the ponies wish so for various reasons. But if I had been informed by my patient that she wishes to have an abortion, then, unless there were medical circumstances demanding such procedure - in which case I would had advised abortion myself anyway - I would have to tell her the same things that I’m going to tell you now.”

Once she recovered, Apple Core resumed her dismayed expression. “Well, this oughta be fun,” she snorted. “So this is the part when ya tell me that Ah can’t do it cause it’s a ‘sin in the eyes of Goddesses’ or some crap?”

Normally, such words would rouse a sliver of anger in me; this was not a normal situation, however. “I am not your mother,and you’re not a foal. I’m not going to tell you what you can’t do” I told her camly, the slight furrowing of my brow the only reaction I showed for her offending tone. “I’m going to tell you what you can do, because I’m your doctor and you’re my patient. Now, I’m assuming you don’t want to raise the foal?”

“Duh,” Apple Core muttered quietly to herself, then louder she added: “Yeah, what ‘bout it? Are ya gonna suggest Ah’d give it away? In case ya missed it, there ain’t any, whaddya called ‘em, orphanages Ah think, ‘round anymore, and none of mah kin would wanna take it either.”

“I would question how you know that without asking, but there is another option I think is more probable and better,” I said before Apple Core could do more than glare at me for for the first part of that sentence. “Am I correct to assume that the father of the foal was Blast?”

Apple Core sighed. “Yeah, probably,” she said, rubbing her temple. “What ‘bout it?”

“Burst had told me that their parents now live in Tenpony Tower. Seeing how this is the most civilized and one of the safest settlements in the Wasteland, I believe it would be the best place to raise a foal, and I’m sure they’d want to take in their grandfoal considering they’ve just lost their sons.”

“Yeah, well, assumin’ that’s actually true, there are several problems with this idea, ” Apple Core snorted. “Number one, slavers ain’t exactly allowed in that darn tower, meanin’ Ah wouldn’t be able t’ give it t’ ‘em. Number two, its far away, so Ah don’t see some two old ponies trottin’ all this way t’ take the little bastard once it’s born. Oh, and number three,” she added, frowning, “Ah don’t wanna carry the thing in me for a whole year!”

Not surprised to hear her say this, I merely corrected her: “Three hundred and thirty to forty five days, not a whole year. But you wouldn’t have to carry the foal through it all,” I continued as she groaned. “Are you familiar with Surrogacy Spell?” Apple Core deadpanned at me. Unfazed, I shrugged and explained: “It's a spell that allows one to transfer a fetus from one mare’s uterus to another’s. Now, the most suitable surrogate would be a close relative-”

“Oh for- Ah don’t ‘ave any mare kin!” Apple Core interrupted me, annoyed and bordering on angry. “No close one at least! And even if ya’d find somepony suitable, how would Ah convince her t’ carry somepony else’s foal in them for almost a year?!”

“I would help you convince her, I’m sure I’d be able to think of something,” I assured her, despite being troubled by her revelation. “Maybe Blast had some female relatives. His mother is probably too old to carry the foal through full pregnancy without any health hazards, but she’s still be an option.”

“Ah’m sure she’d be thrilled t’ give birth t’ her own grandfoal,” Apple Core snorted.

“Also,” I continued, undeterred, “the surrogate doesn’t have to be related, it just increases the chances of the spell working. I’m sure there are mares compatible enough-”

“Are ya volunteerin’?” Apple Core suddenly asked.

I shook my head. “I’m not compatible,” I said before the mare could snort. “I’ve taken a blood sample to check your blood type after we got back from New Appleloosa, remember? The Surrogacy Spell wouldn’t work with me.”

“Then we ‘ave nothin’ to discuss.”

“Apple Core-” I tried, but she cut me off.

“No! Just… Ah don’t wanna deal with this crap!” she exclaimed, then gave a tired sigh. “Ah don’t wanna bother tryin’ t’ find somepony who’d fit or whatever and convince ‘em, all for some folks of a guy I banged. All Ah want is to get this over with, so Ah can go and have a fuckin’ drink already. Can ya do it?” she asked, standing up and trotting closer.

So, this was it. She didn’t care in the slightest about the fetus, nor the parents of her lover. She didn’t care that she didn’t have to end it. She just… wanted to.

I sighed in defeat.

Don’t!

What would you suggest I’d do? I asked Fluttershy, reaching to my lab coat’s pocket. She’s my patient, I can’t deny her a procedure, and even if I would she’d just find some other way to abort the fetus and risk her health in the process.

L-lie to her then!

I blinked. Pinkie Pie stared at Fluttershy in surprise. Beg your pardon darling? I asked, activating S.A.T.S.

You could tell her that it would take time to prepare, um, a spell to… do that, and find a surrogate and transfer the baby to her instead of… killing it.

I knew Fluttershy didn’t like the thought of Apple Core aborting the fetus, she had brought it up several times over the last few days. However, I hadn’t expected her to think of such… borderline devious plan. Pinkie Pie seemed also surprised, but she was looking at Fluttershy more with concern than appallment.

You could tell Apple Core sometime later that the baby was alive, maybe she’d change her mind, Fluttershy continued hopefully. And Jack said that its grandparents would be glad to take care of it.

So just like Jack you want me to lie to my patient and friend? I spoke up slowly. Fluttershy winced, she opened her mouth to argue, but I forestalled her. I don’t like this anymore than you, but this isn’t right.

You… Fluttershy hesitated and looked away... only for her gaze to return to me with a hardness I hadn’t expected from the apparition. You hypocrite! she exclaimed. You do much worse to ponies, saying that they are bad and don’t deserve to be called ponies, but saving the life of a foal is ‘not right’ to you?!

Her words and tone upset me. I held back my anger from Apple Core as she was the one with the medical issue, but the apparition in my head was another matter. Not only would I be breaking medical ethics, but I would also be denying Apple Core a say in the matter, I hissed at Fluttershy. What sort of friend would do that?

Fluttershy’s eyes widened and her mouth opened in shock. With her jaw trembling, she moved it up and down, trying to speak, but as tears welled up in her eyes she turned away, then disappeared.

Guess I won the argument. Interesting how it didn't feel like it.

Pinkie Pie was still looking at where Fluttershy’s apparition was, concern reflected in her eyes. You didn’t have to be so tough on her, she said sadly, turning to me, then she too disappeared before I could respond.

Now that both apparitions were silent, I had no reason to keep S.A.T.S. active, even though after this conversation I didn’t really want to return to the one I was having with Apple Core right away. But it wasn’t like I had much choice in the matter. A few more seconds to steel myself, and I deactivated it.

As I once again began to perceive time at the normal pace, I finally reached with my magic to my pocket, picking up a small medicine bottle from it. “Take the pill inside,” I instructed Apple Core, levitating the bottle before her. “Within a few hours it will cause cramping and bleeding to your uterus to empty it, so I would advise you to take it when you won’t be expected to do much work. Preferably you should rest in bed for several hours after it starts, though the cramping might continue for a day or two. Additional side effects could include tiredness, dizziness, diarrhea, belly ache, vomiting, and mild fever, so you might want me to take a look at you when it starts. Afterwards I will have to confirm that the pregnancy has been terminated, as there is a very small chance that the fetus would survive.”

“Ugh, sounds like fun times,” Apple Core commented, reaching for the bottle. Her eyes widened as I pulled it away. “What, there’s more?”

I hesitated for a second, gathering my thoughts. “This method can work up to thirty-fifth day of pregnancy,” I said, glancing at the bottle. “So you have time to arrange whatever you’ll need for a… sick leave, I suppose. However, since you have so much time left, I want you to promise me something.” I turned back to Apple Core, staring her right in the eyes. “I want you to promise me that you’ll think this over before you use this pill.”

Apple Core snorted and was about to roll her eyes, but before she could I stepped forward, holding her gaze locked with mine.

“Please,” I added earnestly. “I do understand your reasons and reluctance, and the decision ultimately is yours. However, I do not want you to do something that you might regret later.”

The slaver mare frowned, clearly displeased with my request, and uncomfortable under my stare. She held it for a few more moments, when finally, with great reluctance, she looked away. “Fine, Ah promise, Ah’ll think it over.”

I released my breath. “Whatever decision you make, I’ll pray that it is the right one,” I said, levitating the medicine bottle to her.

This time Apple Core did roll her eyes. “Swell, ya do that,” she snorted, hiding the bottle within her barding. “‘Kay, thanks for everythin’, Ah gotta go check on the guards and do some other crap,” Apple Core said as she got up and walked over to the door.

Opening them up for her, I followed after her through my clinic. “Think nothing of it, darling. Perhaps we could meet tomorrow morning for breakfast at Salt Block?” I suggested as we got to the door, hoping it would brighten a mood a little.

Apple Core snorted. “Maybe. See ya,” she said, leaving the clinic and almost slamming the door behind her.

Wincing a little, I stared after her with concern; if it wasn’t that I understood how much she was going through right now, I would probably be offended. As it was, though, I was mostly sad. Apple Core was mad at me. Jack was mad at me. Even the two apparitions inside my own head were mad at me. Was the middle-aged retired bounty hunter assassin really the only one who would talk to me right now?

“Wasn’t there something about ‘doing no harm’ in the medic’s oath?” Aite asked, appearing beside me as if right on cue.

Before I knew it, all the negativity inside me started to boil, and I whirled at her. “Oh, don’t you start now too!” I hissed, venting my frustration. Snarling I repeated her words: “‘Do no harm’. Tell me, what’s the point of promising that? When another pregnant mare would require the foal to be aborted due to a health hazard, is it that much different from Apple Core’s case? I would still have to prioritize the patient’s health. But what if the patient doesn’t agree and ask to save the baby, should I disregard medical ethics and do it anyway, or should I let my patient die? Either way I would be responsible for somepony’s death.” My tail swished behind me angrily as I carried on. “If the zebras’ last Caesar would have required a life-saving surgery, would the doctors who performed it be to blame for the Balefire Armageddon? If a doctor is treating a filly and notices the signs of abuse, tries to report it to security but they cannot prove anything, then when treating her parent shouldn’t she do something about it?!”

I was breathing heavily. The realization made me pause; when have I gotten so worked up? I stopped, closed my eyes, and calmed my breathing. I was glad that the apparitions weren’t speaking to me; I didn’t want to discuss this outburst.

“Forgive me sweetie,” I said after a few seconds, still with closed eyes. “I didn’t mean to snap.”

The bat pony remained quiet, and since I wasn’t looking I couldn’t tell what her reaction to that rant was. When she finally spoke, she hadn’t commented on it, thankfully: “So, what are going to do for the rest of the evening? Seems kinda early to go down to your basement.”

“You’re right,” I said, nodding, and opening my eyes. Aite was calm, almost disinterested in me; if she took offense to my earlier tone, she didn’t show it. I turned to the closest window and looked at the gathering darkness; it would be at least another hour before I would be safe to go down to my laboratory after closing. “I guess I’ll reread the Wasteland Survival Guide again. I need to calm down some more before going down anyway, I’ll need to be precise and careful for what I plan to do.”

“Something to do with your radscorpion?” Aite asked politely.

I raised my eyebrow a little; she normally didn’t show that much interest in my experiments. “No, I think I learned all I can from examining Pinchy. Actually, between all the information I’ve gathered from him, Snuggles, Wigglebutt, the remains of another radroach and of a bloatsprite, I think I came up with the explanation as to their resistance to radiation and possibly even why they mutated into such giant size. I would have to examine some more vertebrates and compare the two subphyla to be sure, but basically, their cells only divide every time they molt, and a tissue-cell is most vulnerable to radiation when it divides, so…” I trailed off, realizing that Aite was yawning (and barely bothering to cover her mouth while doing so). I cleared my throat and smiled awkwardly. “Sorry, darling, got carried away. But no, to answer your question, I’m mostly now focusing on befriending Pinchy. What I’m going to do however-”

“Yeah, good luck with that,” Aite cut me off, yawning a little again. Before I could frown at her, she turned away, walking towards my bedroom. “Since you have time to kill, wouldn’t you rather do something more fun than reading the same book for about a hundredth time?”

“I’ve only read it sixteen times so far,” I corrected her. “But what exactly do you suggest I do?”

Aite glanced over her withers, smirking. “Oh, something we both know you’ve wanted since you first saw me,” she said in a seductive tone, her wing reaching to the brace of her cloak.

I watched in growing confusion as the Aite’s Stealth Cloak slid down from her and fell to the ground, where the bat pony left it, continuing to walk slowly towards my bedroom.

“Be a dear and pick it up,” she added, swishing her tail at me as she proceeded to remove more of her barding.

Finally, it clicked. “Oh!” I exclaimed.

*** *** ***

“Are you sure about this?”

“Wouldn’t have gotten naked and on your bed if I wasn’t.”

“Fair point. So, are you ready?”

“Yep. You don’t have cold hooves, now do you?”

“Of course not.”

“Just checking. Oh, and remember, prostitute rules.”

“Prostitute rules?” I repeated, confused. “What do you mean darling?”

“No kissing on the mouth,” Aite replied with a grin.

Groaning, I shook my head. “I’m starting,” I informed her, then raised my PipBuck to my mouth and pressed record. “Audio recording of Doctor Angel, number 2.26. I’m attempting to examine a subspecies of pony known as a ‘bat pony’ or a ‘thestral’. The patient had asked to remain anonymous, as such her name, age, residence, occupation, marital status and characteristic traits won’t be recorded. Let us begin…”

I quickly went through the checklist, recording only information about her species and gender, and got ready to start the examination.

I took in the sight of the bat pony, glad for the opportunity to see her without her barding and the trust she showed me. The only thing that remained on her as she sat comfortably on my bed was a strange talisman she wore like a pendant. It was clear that, despite having recently retired to the life of luxury in Tenpony Tower, her body remained in great shape. Slim, with no extra fat visible, slick coat… appearances didn’t matter much to me, but I could easily understand why males of even another species and much younger found her desirable.

And of course, there were her wings.

Now that I was finally able to take a good, proper look at them, without her hiding them under her cloak, I found them quite captivating. They were so much different from Ditzy’s wings, and yet-

“Done admiring my body?” Aite’s amused voice interrupted my train of thoughts.

I shook my head a little. “Forgive me, darling. Casting the Diagnosis Spell,” I added louder, casting the spell, enveloping her in red aura.

At first glance, not really surprising, her body wasn’t built much differently than any of the other pony subraces I was familiar with. Her bone structure was lighter, similar to Ditzy’s, and of course her wings were built differently, but that was about it.

As I recorded my findings, I stopped and frowned. My spell showed me something about her throat… no, her vocal cords. And ears. I glanced at the pointy ears with tufts of fur on top, then at her throat… and lastly at the talisman. Taking a closer look, I looked at the pattern inscribed on the gemstone. I wasn’t familiar with it, but…

“Bat ponies seem to speak at a high frequency that other pony subraces aren't capable of hearing,” I said to my PipBuck, causing Aite’s eyes to widen in surprise. “The patient is wearing a talisman that lowers the frequency of her voice.” I paused the recording. “Am I right?”

“Damn you’re good,” Aite replied with a smirk, confirming my guess. “Yeah, normally people wouldn't be able to hear me. Sometimes I take it off in bed if I feel like screaming really loudly,” she added with a suggestive wink, pointing at the talisman around her neck.

“Interesting…” I mused, admiring it. “Wherever did you get such a talisman?”

“Oh come now, Cray-cray, a girl has to keep some secrets,” Aite replied with a giggle. “Isn’t it enough that I’m letting you examine my sensual body?”

I raised my forelegs in surrender. “Forgive me, it’s just sort of professional curiosity for me. This talisman isn’t much different from the Hearing Aid Talismans we once used in my Stable. I was merely curious where in the Wasteland ponies are capable of constructing such things, or where you can find them. But if you wish to keep that a secret, I’ll respect that.”

My thoughts went back to how she told me about a doctor who had explained to her parents that she’s a bat pony and how “genetics worked”; could she have gotten it from this doctor? Surely her foalhood would have been difficult if she couldn’t communicate… And speaking of, what an odd quirk of evolution, for bat ponies to speak in higher frequencies. I couldn’t help but wonder what could have caused it… especially since I knew next to nothing about bat ponies and where they came from. What could cause an entire subspecies of ponies to develop so? At present, the most plausible reason I could come up with was that as their ears became more acute and they grew more apart from other ponies (to the point that even with all my knowledge about pre-war Equestria I hadn’t been sure they actually existed) their vocal cords increased the frequency of the sounds they could create...

The Diagnosis Spell was still active, and it was now bringing my attention to her reproductive organs. Shaking off my musings, I cancelled the spell; Aite had told me she didn’t wish to discuss her infertility, and I was going to respect that (despite how it might bother me to not know). Besides, I would need a more precise spell to learn what exactly was the cause anyway.

I quickly resumed recording, taking notes of her fangs and narrow pupils and the way they dilated. Then finally I moved to her wings. At my request, she moved so I could sit behind her and spread her wings so I could measure them; the distance between each digit, the structure of the small ‘free’ finger, how smooth the skin spread between each finger was…

Brushing the said membrane delicately, admiring how fragile they seemed and yet allowed a pony to fly, I wondered what it would feel like to have a pair of such wings. I tried to imagine myself, basking in the moonlight and spreading two appendages that sprouted from my back-

Almost immediately, an unpleasant shiver went through my back, behind my left shoulder. Stretching my leg to shake the feeling off, I asked: “What does it feel like to have wings?” Clearly, to my imagination they felt awkward...

Aite snorted in amusement. “I dunno, what does it feel like to have a horn? Besides horny,” she added with a wink.

“‘Horny’? I don’t… oh. Amusing,” I admitted once I realized that joke. Uttering a short giggle, I paused the recording and reached to my horn. “I suppose things that seem obvious to us are hard to explain…” I said, brushing it. “It feels like an extension of your head, with which you can channel your thoughts, or will, or maybe imagination to affect the world around you with magic.”

“Hm, curious description,” Aite replied, then glanced at her wings as she flapped them slowly. I turned the recording back on. “I suppose wings feel like another pair of limbs, which sprout from your back. They’re really not that different from legs, except they are trickier to use.” She paused to stand up and with great grace she immediately raised up above the bed, her wings flapping silently as she hovered before me. “Flying is almost instinctual, I assume for pegasi too, but learning how to fly better takes practice, and you need to learn how to move your wings depending on a whole bunch of factors and such,” she said, suddenly turning around her axis in the air before descending back to the bed. “Does that answer your question?”

“I suppose it does, thank you darling,” I replied, finding her explanation interesting. My thoughts went back to my horn, making me recall theories I read in Stable Eight about bat ponies. “Oh, I almost forgot, do bat ponies have some kind of special abilities? Like a unicorn's ability to use magic, pegasi ability to manipulate the weather, or earth ponies' affinity for agriculture, building and engineering?”

To my utter disappointment, Aite shrugged even before I finished speaking. “Nah, not that I’m aware of.”

“Really?” I exclaimed. “So- forgive me, darling, if this comparison seems rude, but does that mean that… you’re just a sort of pegasus with no feathers?”

“Could be for all I know,” Aite replied casually. “Except I don’t think I can manipulate the weather. I can stand on cloud,” she continued as I stared at her, baffled, “but even Jack can do it, too. So I suppose bat ponies are about as useless as earth ponies with their agriculture knack in this Wasteland devoid of sunlight,” she added, sticking her tongue out playfully.

“Oh darling, you are absolutely not ‘useless’,” I quickly assured her. Aite rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless. “Forgive me for asking and being so surprised, I just… assumed. In Stable Eight we had preciously little information about bat ponies, most being theories and not actual facts, and there were three main theories regarding their magical abilities. That you don’t have any, that you possess the same abilities as pegasi, and that you possess some sort of ‘Nightmare power’. I myself was always inclined to this third option,” I explained as Aite looked at me with her eyebrows raised. “Hence my surprise.”

“Yeah, well, sorry to disappoint you Cray-cray,” Aite replied, then waved off my assurance that I wasn’t disappointed (even if, admittedly, I was disappointed a little). “Anyway, you’re done?”

“Just a few more notes, and I wanted to make a drawing of your wings,” I replied, grabbing with my magic a clipboard and a pencil.

Aite nodded and allowed me to resume my examination. I quickly recorded some last remarks, and began to make a sketch, including the wing’s skeletal structure.

“So do you want to have foals?”

Taken utterly by surprise, I released the magical hold on both the clipboard and the pencil. “That question came out of nowhere,” I said after a few seconds, grabbing them again.

Aite gave a good humored chuckle. “Right, all day we’ve talked about unwanted pregnancies, infertility, pregnancy tests and abortions, but you’re right, tooootally out of nowhere,” she said in a mocking tone.

Well, she had me there.

I uttered a soft giggle. “Yes, I see your point,” I admitted, then smiled and added: “You heard my speech to Jack, didn’t you? Do you really have to ask how I feel about creating life?”

Aite snorted with laughter. “Yeah, should have figured.”

Returning to my sketch, I elaborated: “I would like to have a foal or a few some day, feel them grow inside of me-” I froze mid-sentence, remembering that I was talking to a mare who-

“If you’re stopping because I can’t have foals, I’m gonna stab you in the thigh,” Aite said, almost singingly.

Understanding the message, I resumed: “Um, feel them grow inside of me, give birth, see them grow, raise them, teach them… I would like that,” I said, smiling dreamingly. Shaking my head a little, I added: “But that’s something for the future. For now, I have too many things to do to think about starting a family. I want to bring my foals to the Everlasting Paradise I’ll create, not this… temporary world we ultimately have to leave,” I snorted.

“You know, most people find living in the Wasteland depressing enough,” Aite pointed out to me in a flat voice; I could still detect the masked amusement. “So I take it you’d ideally have foals after you become the Princess of Equestria?”

“After I make everybody immortal,” I corrected her. “I have so many things to accomplish before that’s possible, I fear I wouldn’t have any time for my foals. I know firsthoof how difficult foalhood can be with parents who have a lot of duties,” I said, reminiscing. “I’ve always loved and admired my parents, and loved spending time with my grandmother as she watched over me for them, but I recall that I had wished I could spend more time with them. I would like to spend as much time with my foals as possible as they’d grow. Being the Princess of Equestria would be demanding for sure, but I wouldn’t have to spend so much time conducting my research anymore once I achieve my dream. And I need to if I don’t want to risk suffering the same fate my grandmother had,” I added in a somber tone. “To see almost all of my foals pass away before me.”

Aite glanced at me. “Oh right, you did mention that your grandmother was the oldest pony in your Stable when she passed,” she recalled after a while. Smiling sympathetically, she added: “Yeah, kinda understanding now why you came up with the whole plan to make everybody immortal.”

I replied with a sad smile, finishing up my drawing.

“But what if you’d get knocked up before you accomplish all of that?” Aite inquired after a while. “I mean, accidents happen.”

“I’m not sure how it would happen, seeing how many anti-conception methods I know. But if it were to happen, in all likelihood I would give birth to it,” I replied honestly, shrugging.

Aite glanced at me again. “So your slaver friend’s decision really must not sit well with you?”

I didn’t reply at first, putting the last finishing touches on the sketch first. “It’s her body and her decision,” I finally said, levitating the clipboard away. “A decision that she might not yet follow through with. As her doctor, I could only advise her.”

“But you didn’t like it,” Aite pointed out.

I sighed. “No, I didn’t. I can understand not wanting to carry the fetus to a full term, especially considering her lifestyle, but she could help me find a surrogate for it, there is still time for that.” I shook my head. “Admittedly, if there is no possible surrogate to find, then it is better to terminate the fetus when it's at an early stage. I can only hope that what she decides to do will be the right choice, but only time will tell.”

Aite nodded sympathetically, turning around to face me. “Don’t worry about Jack,” she said unexpectedly; I had almost forgotten about how he would react. “I’ll talk to him, explain that you did your best to convince her, and that you also don’t like this. And… sorry for him,” Aite added uncomfortably. “He's been through a lot, and after those two died… I think he fell back to the same dark place he was in when I first met him.”

“Dark place?” I repeated, frowning. “What do you mean?”

The bat pony sighed. “When I stumbled upon him in Tenpony, he looked almost exactly like when he was in Flank over a year ago. I told you I met him in a bar there, as he was ‘drowning his sorrows’, right? Well, what I didn’t mention was that he looked like he was a few drinks away from ending it all.” As I looked at her in shock at the realization of what she meant, she smiled sadly. “You’d be surprised how common such a look is around the Hoof. Or Wasteland in general, I suppose. I can only imagine what he had been through in the zebra lands to affect him so much. As much as he likes to call himself a professional mercenary, he is still a person, and a good one at that. So when after everything he got his two friends killed - doesn’t matter if that wasn’t his fault - he probably felt like he should have ended it back then. But later we came here and he found out that at least he could save some legacy of his friend, that something good could have come from their adventures. That’s probably the reason why he was so persistent about this baby.”

I listened to Aite attentively, impressed by her insight to Jack’s mind and agreeing with her guesses. They did seem probable to me. I wondered what exactly happened to him in the zebra lands, when he was still with the Bloodtalons, to affect him so; he said that the various “Legions” there were in constant war with each other. Was that what he had seen, the war?

“Not that suicide thoughts can excuse somebody for trying to validate themselves through somebody else’s problems,” Aite continued, shrugging, “but, you know, wanted to give you some context.”

“I understand; thank you for telling me, darling,” I told her. “I’ll keep what you said in mind if I get into another such argument with Jack. And might I say, he’s lucky to have a friend like you,” I added with a smile.

“Meh, doubt it, but thanks,” she replied, chuckling oddly.

“Oh come now, darling, I think you’re a wonderful person. How many people would approach a stranger in a bar who looks like they are close to-”

“I was mostly curious what a griffin was doing in Hoofington,” Aite interrupted me, waving a hoof dismissively.

“Well, it doesn’t change a fact that you stayed and were able to help him,” I pointed out.

The older mare chuckled in response. “True I suppose… although all I did was get him to my bed. Though I guess this means you could say that sex with bat ponies is therapeutic, huh? You can go ahead and write that down as bat ponies’ ‘power’.”

I snorted in amusement at the ridiculousness of that statement. “Right, darling, of course.”

“No, I’m serious, do it,” Aite argued, although it was clear that she was barely holding back laughter.

Covering my mouth with a hoof, I managed to regain some form of calm composure. “Tell you what, darling,” I began, “if I ever hear of another case of a bat pony engaging in a coitus that could be described as having ‘therapeutic properties’, I will make a note of that in whatever official work I attempt to publish that would contain information about bat ponies.”

“I’ll hold you to your word,” the bat pony retorted to my joke, chuckling at the thought.

*** *** ***

“Hello sweetie,” I said sweetly about an hour later as Thorny Locust regained her consciousness. “I hope you are comfortable.”

Normally, the raider mare would probably growl at me obscenely and try to break free of the cuffs that bound her to the table. However, she was currently unable to move any muscle, nor speak. All she could manage was a gurgle, which was partially obscured by the dental dam that isolated one tooth from the rest of the mouth.

Walking around the table, I made sure that the appliances I was going to need were stacked neatly on my desk. I could do with better lighting, but it would have to do.

“I suppose you think this is a sort of punishment for your actions this morning. Far from it, sweetie. You see, when you attacked me - well, tried to attack me I suppose - I was rather rudely reminded of the very poor condition of your teeth,” I continued, picking up a tiny drill. “Honestly, it’s surprising that you hadn’t complained to me about pain, I’d assume you had earlier coped with it through the use of Med-X or some other painkillers. It’s really fascinating that you were able to eat ponies in Stable Eleven. In any case,” I added, trotting back to her head, “since I prefer my test subjects to be in best possible health, I decided to spare a few hours of my time and graciously provide you with the dental care you so desperately need. I took the liberty of taking a closer look at them while you were still unconscious, you have seventeen cavities. But don’t you worry sweetie, I’ll fix them all right up for you. Three require root canal treatment, but the rest just need fillings. Oh, you’re probably wondering what root canal treatment entails? Well, for starters, a sheet of latex isolates the tooth, prevent saliva from interfering with the dental work and to prevent instruments and materials from being inhaled or swallowed or damaging the mouth” I said, glancing down at the material to make sure it was fastened around the tooth. Satisfied, I showed her the drill. “Next I’ll drill an opening through the crown of your tooth and into the pulp chamber, pour fluid into the canals to kill bacteria, and finally remove the pulp. After that all that is left is to clean and shape the root canals, and then fill and seal them. Sounds simple, right?” Not waiting for a reply, I leaned over the mare. “Alright then, let us begin.”

I activated the drill and carefully placed it right above the tooth, then pressed it against it, starting to make an opening. Another gurgle, this time louder, escaped from Thorny Locust.

“Oh right,” I said, pausing the drill. “As you have no doubt realized, you are under a special kind of paralysis that disables your motor functions, but still leaves you perfectly capable of feeling everything. That part is the punishment for attacking me earlier,” I admitted with a shrug, and returned to my task.

*** *** ***

I barely managed to cover my mouth as I yawned loudly. You know, Pinkie’s apparition spoke up, appearing beside me, normally I’m all up for partying all night long, but…

I did get a few hours of sleep, I pointed out, but quickly sighed in defeat. But I see your point. I should get a few nights of proper rest before I stay up so late again.

Aaactually I was more concerned about what you were doing, but, whatever, Pinkie murmured, pouting.

Suppressing an eye roll, I continued to trot through the streets of barely awake slaver town. Is Fluttershy still mad at me? I asked to change the subject, noticing the other apparition’s absence.

Um… Pinkie Pie hesitated, looking to the side. It’s… I think she’s just upset and doesn’t want to talk to anypony right now.

One of these days I’ll have to figure out how exactly the magic of the statuettes worked. Maybe after Appleloosa would be under Apple Core’s control…

Apple Core.

The thought of her helped me shake off my tiredness. I was hoping to meet up with her for breakfast at Salt Block; I still felt bad about how we parted yesterday, regardless of her decision. With that in mind, I hastened my step.

On my way to the saloon, I passed Black Widow’s house as always. Normally I didn’t pay it much mind, but I noticed as I drew closer the door opening, and to my surprise I saw Jack leaving through them, right after the slavers leader, seemingly finishing up whatever conversation they’ve been having. They were quickly joined by Khan, who followed after them with his usual mindless stare.

“Good morning,” I greeted them as I trotted over.

“Hello,” Black Widow replied politely, stopping. “Did you have another patient that you’re up so early?”

Giggling, I waved my hoof dismissively. “Thankfully not, I merely woke up early and decided I might as well go for breakfast already. But what about you, sweetie?” I asked, turning to Jack. The griffin hadn’t even acknowledged my presence; was this part of the act, or was he too so mad that he decided to ignore me. “Aside from yesterday, I haven’t seen much of you. Have you finally found this bothersome tribe?”

Jack frowned at me, but before he could reply, Black Widow sighed loudly. “Hardly, but we’ve been discussing a new strategy. I believe that’s all you need to know. Now-” she began, turning to Jack, but she paused, looking at something behind me.

My ears twitched, noticing the beat of running hooves. I turned and stepped away as Pillory ran over to us, stopping before Black Widow.

“Boss-” he began, only to stop as he shook upon realizing that Khan was standing nearby. To his credit, he recovered quickly and focused on the slaver leader. “You better come over,” he added, a little short of breath. “We, um, we have a visitor by the entrance.”

A frown once again returned to Jack’s face as he turned to Black Widow. “Why is this place so popular?” he asked, sounding a bit annoyed.

“We do have customers coming here occasionally to buy some slaves, although it has been getting rarer since Red Eye came about,” she told the griffin; despite her words, though, it was clear that she was surprised. “But usually they come with a caravan. I’m sorry, did you say ‘a’ visitor?”

Pillory nodded. “Yeah, it’s one, um.. person,” he replied, strangely awkward all of a sudden.

“A ‘person’?” I spoke up, intrigued by his choice of words. Pillory almost jumped, only now noticing me. Apparently, he still remembered the side of me I allowed him to see in my clinic a few days ago. Narrowing my eyes and smiling, I added: “What a curious way to describe this visitor.”

The slaver shook his head, then turned back to Black Widow. “W-well, I’m not exactly sure what the hell… this visitor is. But this weirdo is unarmed, and wants to talk with you.”

Glancing at Black Widow, I saw that she was just as intrigued as myself. “Well, this day starts interestingly,” she exclaimed, then looked at Jack and I. “Will you two care to join me?”

Immediately she trotted away, leaving no illusion that this wasn’t as much as question as an order. As Pillory and Khan joined her - with the slaver keeping on the other side of his boss from the zebra - Jack and I shared a look; I could tell that he was just as confused as myself. The griffin shrugged, as if trying to say that we’ll just have to deal with this, and followed after Black Widow, with me quickly joining.

It was a short walk to the entrance to the town, and once we got to it and noticed what kind of creature was besides the two guards, I began to understand Pillory’s confusion.

This visitor was a zebra… with red stripes.

I stared in surprise. Somewhere in the back of my mind I recalled once encountering a term “red zebra” in memoirs I’ve read, but I haven’t thought it to be literal. Could it have been referring to a zebra such as this one? A quick glance at Jack didn’t tell me much, but to me he seemed more surprised than confused. Could he have seen such a zebra before?

Turning my attention back to the stranger, I took in the zebra’s other noteworthy features. Unlike Khan, this zebra was a mare, and she-

It’s a trap! Pinkie Pie spoke up, then frowned and giggled. Oh wait, you like stallions too, neeevermind.

Stallions? I repeated, taking a better look at her- him!

Pinkie was right. This zebra was a male. He was so feminine looking that even I hadn’t realized it at first. The long mane with bangs that partially covered his eyes, the slender body, his braided tail with strange colorful adornments that matched the ones on his barding…

This explains Pillory’s reaction, I told Pinkie. He had to speak to him, and realized that the voice didn’t quite sound like a mare’s.

“Well,” Black Widow spoke up; even she had needed a moment to take in his appearance. “Color me surprised. To what do we owe the pleasure, miss-”

Having anticipated her mistake, I was already leaning over to her ear and whispering: “He’s a stallion.”

“-ter…” she added without missing a second, then trailed off, indicating for the strange visitor to introduce himself.

The zebra smirked, while everybody around us looked at Black Widow in surprise, then with even greater at the feminine stallion. Ignoring them, he replied: “Deliverance.”

… I was pretty sure that wasn’t a common zebra name.

“And as for what do you owe this pleasure,” Deliverance continued, in perfect Ponish, and his voice, while melodic, was definitely that of a male, “I suppose you’d have your problems to thank for it, for I am the answer to them.”

“Oh?” Black Widow exclaimed, sounding skeptical and amused at the same time. “You don’t say? And what do you know about my problems?”

The red zebra chuckled shortly, his laugh quite pleasant to hear. “I know that you’ve been haunted by a tribe of ponies. And I know you cannot find where they hide, despite having eyes in the sky,” he added with a nod at Jack. “But with my help, you’ll find their home, the place they call Sanctuary.”

Footnote: Level Up!
New perk: Entomologist -- +50% damage every time you attack a mutated insect (or arachnid!), like the radroach, bloatsprite or radscorpion. Allows the perk Fluttershy’s Apostle to affect insects (and arachnids!).
Quest perk: Thestral Physiology -- You have learned about thestrals’ physiology, as well as how to to exploit their specific weaknesses, and gain a +5 healing when treating one and +5 damage bonus when attacking one (you can also use your knowledge regarding thestrals’ physiology for… other purposes).

Author's Note

Finally the chapter is out^^ Sorry it took a while, next chapter should come up much sooner.

Anyway, thanks to TimePrincess, Zaleros Sage Probo and guardianxela for their great work on proofreading/editing^^ And special thanks to Kkat for creating Fallout: Equestria of course, to Somber for Project Horizons and Homelands, and to Heartshine for Speak, which are as canon as the original story here^^