Game of Circumstances

Chapter eleven: Happiness

‘’ Well, we are not so far from our destination, Callixus.’’ Dark Hawk said.

The day had passed much quicker than I thought it would, although it had been like traveling with a grave: silent and boring.

We hadn’t been attacked by nopony, even if I was wishing it just to get a little adrenalin and do something other than limping miserably through the ruins with a dead. And I wanted to see how the old blinded zombie kicked their ass with his magic.

He had led us on the dusty road for hours now, part because he seemed to know perfectly the way, and part because my crippled leg prevented me from walking at a normal speed. Oh, Celestia, I am so slow! It’s… horrible, you can’t know how it feels to be passed by everypony.

Of course, I’m quite used to this now, but before…

‘’ How can you be so sure of that, Hawk?’’ I asked, raising an eyebrow. ‘’ Without being mean… you’re blind.’’

‘’ I told you already. I know lots of things, and the road to Happiness is one of them.’’ He replied. I rolled my eyes.

‘’ Don’t make you a bigger head than you already have…’’ I muttered. ‘’… show off…’’

‘’ I heard you.’’ He said, snickering. I glared at him. Reminded me Hap’ in a way:  he laughs at everything, and both are real freaks.

‘’ So,’’ I dropped the subject. ‘’ You said that we were near of Happiness?’’

‘’ Affirmative.’’ The undead nodded. ‘’ I think we are approximately one kilometer far from our goal.’’

You know what always impressed me in this guy? I mean, apart the fact that he’s undead, he can make magic with every freakin’ cell of his body and he has big glowing purple eyes? The fact that he seems to know perfectly where he is and what others do around him.

Anyway, he was right, because maybe… five minutes later, Happiness appeared in front of our… my impressed face.

Nothing is to be said apart that it was big. Really big. Visibly, they hadn’t been lazy when they had rebuilt the town.

Oh, yeah, and, there was an enormous wall all around the town, preventing raiders attack and other problems like that. There were also enormous doors, obviously well defended. I guessed that it was the only entry and exit of the town.

As we approached them, I noticed a guard sitting on a rock. He was brown, with a blond mane. He was also wearing a tire armor that was red years ago, when it was in a good shape, the Happiness guard’s trademark. He had also a rifle in his hooves that he was aiming at us, ready to change us into Swiss cheese if we had bad intents.

‘’ State name and occupation.’’ He asked, still aiming at us.

‘’ Callixus.’’ I stated. ‘’ Wanderer in Canterlot.’’

‘’ Black Hawk.’’ The undead, which had closed his eyes and put on a cloak that I hadn’t seen him taking, stated.

‘’ Hm.’’ The guard replied, narrowing his eyes like he didn’t trust us.

‘’ We are friendly, Gold Idol.’’ Dark Hawk said. Of course…

‘’ H-how do y-you know my name?!’’ The guard stammered, surprised.

‘’ Gold Idol?’’ I asked.

‘’ Not everypony has a clean mother. ‘’ The guard replied. ‘’ Mine was addicted to this drug.’’

‘’ Oh, and for my… friend here knowing your name….’’ I said. ‘’ He… is darn good at guessing things.’’ I did my best fake smile.

‘’ Your… friend is odd, miss.’’ The guard said.

‘’ You don’t say.’’ I muttered, still smiling. I cleared my throat, reporting the guard’s attention on me. ‘’ Could you please get us entered?’’

Teary puppy eyes, lower lips quivering…

‘’ Okay, okay!’’ he gave up, looking away. ‘’ Tellion!’’ He yelled. ‘’ Open me this fuckin’ door!’’ A muffled ‘okay’ came to my ears. ‘’ I thought this kind of face was forbidden…’’ He muttered. ‘’ Celestia, I could use a drink right now…’’. ‘’ Hey, Tellion!’’ He yelled again, as the doors opened. ‘’ Say to Trig’ that it’s his turn to stay outside!’’ And he entered with us in the gigantic town.

As I stepped inside, my first sight of the inner town confirmed my thoughts. It was big, entirely built in scrap-metal, and overpopulated. There were ponies everywhere, ash rangers, foals playing, wanderer buying supplies, merchant selling supplies, guards, suspicious ponies…

‘’ Oh, by Luna…’’ I whispered. ‘’ How am I going to find Hap’ and Sirius in this maelstrom?’’ Good question, myself. I turned to face Dark Hawk. ‘’ Well, I’m gonna look for my friends. And you?’’

‘’ I am going to meet an old friend, like I already said.’’ He answered. ‘’ If you search the tavern, it’s on the other side of town, at the other end of this street.’’ He said. ‘’ If your friends are there, they will be in this tavern. And I guess that somewhere to sleep is good for you.’’ I turned my head to look at the way that he had showed, and when I turned to him again, he had disappeared. Urgh… I really hate when people does that.

I decided to give the dive a try. After all, the old zombie was right: I was in need of somewhere to sleep tonight. And I could use a drink stronger than water right now.

I began to wal… limp through the crowd. Something hit me: I knew there was their ‘annual council’ thing, but that much of Ash Rangers… Wow, just… wow.

They were everywhere, nearly as numerous as the town guards were. These ones seemed pretty aware of that fact, and I could sense tension between the two powerful military forces that were populating Happiness. The Rangers and the guards were exchanging glares, suspecting looks… only a few of them had broken the ice, and talked quietly, joking and telling each other stories.

Something was odd about this town. Maybe it’s the fact that it was the biggest in the post-apocalyptic Canterlot, but it was rotten in the inner, as the first town was. Sirius had told me about these cults of degenerated ponies worshipping Discord, but I couldn’t believe my eyes. It wasn’t even a taboo in this town. Everywhere, ponies were freely carrying their cult’s icons. Even in the town guard. It was… disturbing.

I dodged a cloaked pony carrying a sculpture of Discord, and entered the foresaid dive, well named the ‘source of joy.’ How appropriate in a town named Happiness.

Outside, it looked awful, but inside… they had the freakin’ walls patted! It wasn’t like the dive back in New Hope, plenty of smoke, and seeming ready to crumble on your head. It seemed… nice. The air was proper, allowing me to see the well-built inner bar, with a counter –there’s counter everywhere.-, a big reserve of every kind of boozes, going from old apple cider –obviously two hundred years old-, not too much alcoholic- to actual apple cider – one glass to be tipsy, two the coma-, passing by whiskey and other ‘nice’ brews that could make sure that you’ll wake up with the biggest hangover of your life the next day.

For the anecdote, usually, actual apple cider is consommé for drinking duals, never just like that, apart if you have suicidal impulses.

Personally, I don’t.

I made my way to the counter. The barman, who was busy seducing a young mare, visibly a waitress, ignored me.

‘’ Hmmm… barman?’’ I asked. He kept seducing the mare. I rolled my eyes. Celestia, why do they have each time to make the Casanova applying for this job? I don’t know. But that was annoying me, I was crippled for life, I needed a drink, and I don’t give a shit about what he was doing, but I decided to stay polite, tipped softly his shoulder and cleared my throat. He turned to face me, clearly annoyed.

‘’ What? I’m busy.’’ He said, visibly annoyed. Hmmm. Not as annoyed as I was, thought.

‘’ I wanted to buy a drink.’’ I replied, trying to stay calm. He sighed, and let go the waitress.

‘’ What do you want?’’ He asked, lowering his tone, taking a glass and putting it in front of me.

‘’ I’m looking for two ponies…’’ I whispered. ‘’ The guards told me that I could find them here.’’

‘’ And they are…?’’ He whispered back, before saying: ‘’ Old apple cider, calvados…’’

‘’ Hmmm… ‘’ I paused a second to think. ‘’ Old apple Cider for me, please.’’ And I added, whispering: ‘’ A stallion with a black mane and a grey fur, green-eyed, wearing medic’s outfit, and a party pony with a creamy fur and a crimson red curly mane, blue-eyed. Doc Sirius and Happy Pie.’’

He patted his chin as he poured me my cider. ‘’ I think I saw them here. But my ears ain’t good: did you gave the price?’’ He whispered, before adding louder: ‘’ four bits, Miss.’’

I sighed, and put a dozen of bits on the counter. He smiled. ‘’ Ah, I think we’ll be getting along well, miss…’’ He whispered. ‘’ third room, second floor.’’

Excuse me: when I said that all barmen I’ve met are Casanovas, I forgot about their tendency to sell everything they have, counting information.

And he returned to his business with a chuckling waitress. I took a sip of my cider. Damn, it was good! Way better flavor than the actual apple cider, I think. Hmm, at least, it really tastes like apples, not like tennis balls filled with bleach.

Somepony sat up next to me and ordered a whiskey.

‘’ Hey, Callixus.’’ The pony – a stallion- said. I stopped drinking.

I know this voice!

I turned my head.

Next to me was my acquaintance in the ash ranger..