Game of Circumstances

Chapter Two: I need money

So, you see, I was in deep shit. I had to pay the doc for healing me, I had switched gender and I fuckin’ don’t know how, and, as for mock me one last time, I was moneyless. At least, somepony managed to kill the pillager and saved me and my bag. After I had woken up for the second time in the Clinic’s bed, the doc explained me that it was an ‘Ash Ranger’ that I had saved, called Raveus, and he was eager to meet me.

Of course, I asked where I could find him, and the answer was… guess what? Yes, you’re right, It was the ‘Wanderer’s Paradise’. So I headed to it. I looked at my watch. Eight PM. And I pushed the old fire door that was used as the front door of the dive.

The atmosphere in this pile of old steel and rusty iron welded together randomly was quite oppressive. There was smoke everywhere, muffling the lamp that hanged on the roof, I could barely see. And the ponies… yeah, there were drunk, drugged too, obviously, and, of course, the kind of suspicious ponies that you better don’t like to be stick with in a blind alley.

So, I made my way through the smoke, pushing some drunks bothering me, to the counter. The barman, some big, strong stallion Earth Pony, looked at me. He was red with a… a toffee-colored mane cut short. He stopped pouring liquid in glasses for a short time when he saw me. ‘’What it’ll it be for you, miss?’’

‘’ Uh… what do you serve?’’ I answered. Dunno why, but he seemed pretty handsome… aught… What was I thinking? I think he took me for some junkie first, considering that I was staying in front of him and blushed stupidly.

‘’ Y’ know,’’ He said. ‘’ The bed services are upstairs and I’m not paid for it. I’m just a barman.’’ I understood what he was thinking.

‘’ No, I was just thinking…’’

‘’ Naughty thoughts, uh?’’ A voice said behind me. Yeah, like that, somepony sneaked on me. And no, I wasn’t as good with my survival reflexes as I am now, so I just turned to face the pony that has just spoken. Another handsome stallion, who hoo. I swear that I was cursing my new female’s hormones.   He was tall, and had a sand-colored fur. He was also wearing an old duster. His mane? He had a short white one. And there was a big gold star on his chest. The town’s sheriff, I guessed.

‘’ Uh… No…’’ I managed to say, still cursing me.  ‘’ I… I guess that you’re the town’s sheriff?’’

‘’ Eeyup.’’ He answered, nodding eagerly. ‘’ And you, you must be the one that this Ash Ranger brought to doc Sirius claiming that you’d saved his life?’’ I nodded. ‘’ Well, in this case, I presume that you were looking for him?’’ I nodded again. It was the only one way I had to restrain my hormones, which were visibly partying hard in my brain. ‘’ Well, sorry, but he’s left with his squad yesterday in the evening.’’ Shit. I had figured that he was the one who saved me from the last of these sons of… What? Yeah, I was also looking for him because I hoped that he knew, or at least, had seen, how I had switched gender instead of dying. ‘’ The doc told me that you were hurt pretty bad when you were brought to him.’’

‘’ Yeah’’ I answered. ‘’ I think the last one had grenades, or something like that. And one of them was pretty good at boxing, until his neck protection decided to say ‘hi’ to his vertebras.’’ The sheriff grimaced at the thought. What? Oh, come on, this is nothing compared to the time somepony tried t… Oh, sheesh. I’ll say it, it doesn’t matter if you want or not. It’s my story, okay? Well.

‘’ By the way… I assume that you’re in need of money to pay the doc, aren’t you?’’ He asked. I grimaced. Was it this visible on my face?

‘’ Uh… yes and…’’ I began.

‘’ …and he told you that I might have a job for you, no?’’ He completed. I nodded. ‘’ Hmm… Cid’?’ The barman looked at him and said:

‘’ Yes, sheriff?’’ ‘Cid’ put the glass that he was cleaning on the counter.

‘’ Do you know if there’s somepony in there who’s looking for help or something?’’ The barman scratched his chin with a hoof.

‘’ Hmm… maybe…’’ He paused, tipping on the counter with his other hoof as he searched in memory. ‘’ Oh, I know!’’ He said. The only thing that missed to the picture was a lighted bulb above his head. ‘’There was this one, the guitarist… Uhhh… How did he call himself again? Ah, yes, Gibbs. I think it’s only a stage name, but nopony mind. He’s here, he play guitar, everypony’s happy, the boss pay him, story end.’’ That Cid has really a simple manner to consider things. ‘’ Go speak to him, he’ll explain you everything.’’

‘’ And where can he be found?’’ I asked.

‘’ He’s usually backstage before his little session. You see the door here?’’ He said, showing me an old, rusted iron door at the bottom of the bar. ‘’ It’s the door that lead to it.’’ I thanked him.

‘’ Well’’ the sheriff, who has been sitting next to us while the barman answered to my demand, and was quietly drinking some old alcohol, said. ‘’ Seems that you got you something to help paying the bills.’’ I smiled. Yes, I know what smiling is, because I used to smile a lot when I was just a little foal. Yes, I have been a foal! By Luna’s plot, what were you thinking? That because I was born in the middle of ruins, I had to scavenge to find old, disgusting food? Eehh… In this case you’re right. But I was a foal, and nopony attacked us, so I was happy! Until this day when my parents died…

But it’s neither the moment nor the place to speak about my parents. Let’s… let’s just speak about me, okay? Thank, I knew you’ll understand.  So, I was about to tell you how I met Gibbs. I thanked the sheriff for helping me, and headed right on the door to the backstage. I opened it slowly. It opened in an end-of-the-world-like squeaking. I grimaced. Wow, when that’s rusted, they’re not joking down there!

So, yeah, it was too late for the discrete entrance. With a noise like that, I had been heard in half the Canterlot’s waste. At least, I had caught the guitarist attention directly. He looked at me, so did the others musicians who were packing their affairs and instrument, but they focused again on packing. I faced the only one who wasn’t packing, a quite tall earth pony. He was marshmallow-white with a brown mane, and was wearing an old hat. I think it was a fedora. He has a guitar in his hooves, and has a note as Cutie Mark.  I figured that he was this Gibbs. He looked at me with his big green eyes.

‘’ Hi…?’’ I said. He said nothing. ‘’ I heard that you needed some help…’’ I approached. It worked. He opened his mouth and said:

‘’ I thought that the prostitutes weren’t allowed in the artist’s room?’’ Owww, it hurt. I had made him speak, but it was not what I wanted to hear.

‘’ I’m not a bitch!’’ I answered. Yeah, even in these times, I was quite direct. ‘’ I’m here because the barman said that you needed help for something!’’ His face lighted up.

‘’ Ah, finally somepony to help me!’’ He said, putting his guitar against the nearest wall. ‘’ You see…’’ He said, lowering his voice. ‘’I need help for something very, very important for me…’’ He paused, and I nodded, allowing him to continue. ‘’ As you surely know, I am a musician.’’ I nodded. ‘’ And all musicians need a functioning instrument. Mine’s a guitar.’’ He said, showing me his guitar. ‘’ And I need something for it, that’s not sell in this town or anywhere else in the Canterlot’s waste.’’

‘’ What do you need?’’ I asked, raising an eyebrow.

‘’ I need strings.’’ He said simply.

‘’ And where can they be found?’’ I asked again.

‘’ I heard that there was an old instrument shop down there in the wastes. The ‘Pony play music’.’’ He paused. Yes, they didn’t know how to call their shops before the Breath. ‘’ Ask the people to know where it is, because I don’t know myself. But, if you bring me what I want, you’ll be well paid.’’ I smiled. Yes, again. Because all my problems might be solved. I had just one last question.

‘’ May I have an advance?’’ I asked.

‘’ To run out of this town with my cash and never come back? Who are you trying to kid, miss?’’ He said, staring at me like I was a foal who just had said some big stupidity.

‘’ It’s just that I need some ammo to travel through the Ash Desert, boss.’’ I said ironically.

‘’ Ah!’’ He said. ‘’ If you need ammo, do see the guy who run the supplies in this pile of rusted metal that they dare call a town. He owes me a lot of money. Just say him that all you’ll buy is on my tab and it’ll be perfect.’’  I nodded, saluted and got out quickly. This guy was strange, for sure. A little… pretentious, I think. But he was willing to pay me after I have done the job, so I didn’t give a shit. I passed right through the bar and finally exited the dive.

Outside was still the outside I used to know. Dark and cold.  Somepony was quietly walking through the biggest –and only- street of New Hope. ‘’ Hey!’’ I shouted. The pony, which was a blue unicorn with a silver mane, faced me with a scared and shocked expression. ‘’ Hey!’’ I repeated, less loud this time. ‘’ Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. Just… could you please indicate me where’s the supply shop?’’ He nodded.

‘’ You see the clinic? Just next to it, the big thing with a head of missile on it.’’ I looked at him, deadpan. ‘’ Disarmed, of course.’’ I thanked him… Yes, I am polite, fuck! So, I thanked him and took off to the ‘thing’. You know what, this fancy-magic-user wasn’t lying when he said thing. It was neither more nor less than a scrap metal pile with a door and a nuclear missile’s head on it. On the aforesaid missile was written ‘Scrap supplies, for all your supplies needs!’ in red painting (or was it blood?). I can only say that the name was perfectly chosen.

And I pushed the door, which, surprisingly, opened on to a well-built room, perfectly rectangular. With a big counter cutting it in two. All the stuff was behind it and the seller, who was looking at me with a strange smile. ‘’ Hi!’’ He said happiness in his voice. ‘’ What do you want, humble adventurer?’’ I don’t know why, but this remembered me something. ‘’ ammunition, weapons, outfit… I’ve got everything here as long as you got the cash for it!’’ That was interesting! I love when they make you an offer.

‘’ Actually, I was there to buy ammo, but I could use some protection.’’ I said.

‘’ How wonderful!’’ He said, still smiling from one ear to the other. ‘’ What kind of ammo? What kind of a fighter are you? Sneaker, brutal, sniper… I’ve got everything for you! And, of course, how will you pay?’’ What? Yes, you bet he didn’t like how the thing turned.

‘’ Actually, I’m looking for 44. Ammunitions, I don’t know anything about fighting, and all my purchases are on Gibbs’s tab.’’ Here, his smile disappeared mysteriously to let place to a mid-sad, mid-horrified face.’’  What? If I know how much he owed to Gibbs? Uh…. oh, yeah! Something like thirteen thousand bits or something like that. They used to play poker together, I think.

‘’ Ok… ‘’he said. He looked like he was going to cry. ‘’ How much bullets do you want?’’

‘’ Give me six loads.’’ I said. I knew that it was called like that because my father called it a load. He was at the verge of tears as he put the boxes plenty of ammo on the counter. I took it and put it in my bag.  ‘’ And… What kind of light armor do you sell?’’

‘’ I…I sell… leather armors…’’ He said. It was a pitiful show.

‘’ Give me one of them, please.’’ He left for the back of the shop, and came back with a light leather outfit with metallic shoulders and chest protection, with knees and elbow plates too. It wasn’t the ‘top fashion’, but it was pretty cool. I took it and put it in my bag too. ‘’Good bye!’’ I said, before exiting the shop. I think I heard him crying. Poor thing.

I came back at the ‘Wanderer’s paradise’, that happened to owe bits to Gibbs too. Yeah, I heard that he played fuckin’ well at Poker. Bah, at least, I used it to sleep.

The next day would be really funny…