“A journey of a thousand miles may start with a single step, but it helps if you know where you’re going”

The town was rough. We'd broken into prairie from the woods, and Razzle suggested we enter on hoof rather than by wing. As we neared the ramshackle collection of haphazard shelters, I saw sentries watching us through rifle sights. My wings were tucked beneath my barding and Razzle walked below and just behind me, announcing her intent to utilize me as a meat shield in the case of trouble. At the gates, I announced my intentions of trading, staying at the inn overnight and seeking employment on the morrow. They informed us of the town's rules, and we were allowed to enter.

Thanks to Razzle's immaculate bargaining skills, we made a fair profit from the extra munitions and supplies. Despite earlier jests about staying in one of the brothels, we set up at a humble inn to better preserve our resources. It had been a long day and we were eager to rest as the next day would likely be tougher, looking for any open contracts or failing that; planning our travel to another settlement with better odds for employment.

I woke up in the middle of the night, my bladder insistent. I regretted the decision to give myself a nightcap of the delicious whiskey and hurried to the little fillies' room with great haste, yet attempting stealth so as not to wake the actual little filly in my room.

Relieved, I stepped out of the outhouse, and was quite startled to find myself staring down the barrel of a gun.

"Don't scream." A rough voice ordered.

I did the only thing I could think of doing.

I screamed.

The gunshot was very loud.

***

I woke up on a bed in a strange room. Usually, when people tell you not to scream it's because they're afraid of notifying the authorities of their shenanigans and they don't want to risk any extra sounds or attention. They generally don't shoot. It was a miscalculation on my part, and I was very fortunate it was a gamble that I could afford to take.

"What th' hell?" A voice said from entirely too close behind me. I sharply pulled my legs up to my body and looked back at the voice. He was a roan unicorn stallion and it looked to me that he didn't mind if a mare was lifeless and missing a chunk of her skull. His readiness was all too evident so I kicked at it in response before drawing myself up, and flaring my wings. He recovered quicker than I was expecting and I turned my body just in time to watch his telepathy raise his pistol to my head and fire again.

***

I was very surprised when I woke up again to find myself looking down at my own body. My dead, naked body. I looked down further to see that I was no longer myself. I smirked, it'd been theorized but never tested. The bandit had no doubt recognized after the second time that my armor had flashed in an attempt to stop the accelerating bullet and must have pieced together its link to my regeneration. He'd been clever.

Luckily, not clever enough to realize that I was the armor, rather than just a pony with really neat armor. I was relieved to see his interest in my harness had been greater than his interest in my body, and started considering my plans as I tucked my lifeless corpse into a sheet, tying it up to be easier to carry. I was a little dubious how I was to extricate myself from this situation. I was pretty sure I could think my way through dragging my body out back to dispose of, but how was I supposed to get the harness off of this stallion and then, how would it get back on my body if I would be inert as soon as I unfastened the harness? Worse, he would regain control of his body then, and I doubt his first course of action would be getting me dressed back up. I was jolted out of my reverie by yet another gunshot to my head, as his consciousness faded, I caught a glimpse of Razzle, wide eyed, terrified, crying, with the comically oversized pistol in her small mouth.

***

"Boss why's all the gunshots? Ain't the bitch already dead." A colt asked, poking his head through the door. I did my best to keep the ruins of the stallion's head turned away and thanked my lucky stars his coat was already blood red. I hoped his mane covered the entry wound. Razzle was frozen in terror, pistol at her hooves, still hiding under a dresser.

"Ish fine." I slurred.

The guard laughed. "Yeah, guess you had a few more out of excitement. I'll leave you to your... business." He said with a smirk at the tied up form of my dead body and turned around closing the door.

I waited for his footsteps to fade out of earshot before I turned back to Razzle, she was backing away starting to lift the pistol back up.

"Razzle, please, don't shoot, it's me, Indigo." She fired again, and it was blackness for another while.

***

She was curled up against my corpse crying, stroking my fur quietly. "This is my fault, I should have been more alert, I should have known that we'd be at risk for robbery."

I glanced around the room and was glad to see that the pistol still lay on the floor. There was going to be no easy way of doing this. I covered her mouth with one hoof and did my best to hold her to my new body while she struggled. "And you said that other ponies would respect another pony's property." I said quietly, hoping she might recognize the reference. "Do you remember how I said I didn't trust you enough to tell you how my armor worked, well, now is as good a time as ever to tell you. This guy figured it out, sort of. You did too, probably a little better. He didn't think to question why it didn't have a visible powersource or independent talismans. That's because it doesn't run on standard power."

She'd grown very still and was staring up at me with a mixture of fear and disbelief. I took a chance and released her. She dropped out of my grasp slowly, and backed away, eyes flicking from me, to my body then to the pistol on the floor.

I tapped the emerald on my chest. "This is where I, Indigo Breeze, really live, this is where my soul is housed. That's just my body, and while I'd really like to get back into it, if I take off my harness now, the guy who this body belongs to is going to wake up and have control again." In truth he'd been awake the whole time, well, except the parts where his brains had been blown out.

The door opened again, fortunately my body shielded Razzle from view. "Boss you really need to stop shooting, the guards are getting suspicious and if they catch wise they'll want their cut of the profit. We still need to get back to that bitch's room at the inn, and take all her shit."

"Okay fine."

"You're acting really strange all the sudden boss, are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, I'll stop shooting, just get out and leave me to getting my kicks the way I like 'em."

"Whatever you say boss." He left the room again, but I could hear he didn't go far and I heard low voices coming from adjoining rooms.

"Shit, they know something's wrong." I went back to fussing with the sheet that contained my body. "Razzle, how'd you get in here anyway? How did you find me?"

"I woke up when you went out to piss, and I watched you, then I saw those guys surround the outhouse, and then...." She stopped, and looked back at me suspiciously, tears welling up in her eyes. "Then they shot you.... and, I followed them when they dragged you back here."

"Okay... but... how did you get in."

"I'm little, I can climb real well and I know how to pick locks."

"Do you now? I may have a plan..."

"I hope it's a good plan."

"It's not. For now, we're going to get out of here with my body, take it some place safe. Then we're going to figure out how to get my stuff back and how to make these fuckers pay."

"That sounds like a very stupid plan."

"I am not a clever pony." I smiled grimly, finished bundling my own corpse. "Hop up, it's time to make our escape." As Razzle gripped my shoulders I ducked my head and grabbed the knot of the sheet.

There was nothing I despised more than having to taste my own blood.

As the gang members rushed into their leader's room, guns drawn they were greeted by the image of him perched in the window sill, dressed in a mare's lingerie, with a filly on his back and a dead mare poking out of a sheet hanging from his teeth. The sight stunned them just long enough for me to grin and leap from the ledge, high tailing it out of town as fast as one could expect of such an encumbered stallion. It took awhile before they gathered up the nerve to start shooting and by then I had enough of a head start to disappear into the woods.

* * *

"Allright, Razzle, pay close attention to the way my harness fits, while everything depends on the clasp above my shoulders, if it doesn't fit right or gets twisted it won't work right and I can't very easily take it off and adjust it myself. You might want to look away as I shoot this guy so he'll stay down after you take my armor off, but you're going to have to learn to deal with the sight one way or another. Do you understand?"

She nodded, and while she'd taken control of her sniffles, her eyes were still watery and I could tell that this was an entirely different sort of trauma than she'd had to cope with in the past.

I turned the gun around, placing it in my mouth and considered how it measured up to all the fantasies I'd had of doing so during earlier depressive points of my life. I'd never attempted suicide, but the ideations had sometimes been pretty vivid. I closed my eyes and squeezed the trigger.

***

"Oh Razzle, I'm so sorry." I swept her into an embrace, she was covered in blood and shaking, but I was back in my own body and my harness was fitting correctly. "Now then, do you feel ready to do some aerial recon or would you rather stay here and wait for me?" In all honesty, I shouldn't have asked, I should have just left her there in the clearing and taken care of the messy business myself, but somehow I felt it would only be delaying the inevitable.

She sniffled, nodded and stated. "Let's go."

We'd talked about it before the transfer of my harness what the best approach would be, after we had finally agreed that leaving our gear behind wasn't an option. Not just for our wealth of caps, but we wouldn't have made it to the next town without provisions, much less without barding or weapons as was so brutally proven to us this night. I was lucky that it was a dark night out, I would cast no shadow as I circled above, and given that the sentries hardly glanced around, much less up, I felt fairly confident they would not be watching for my silhouette against the cloudy sky.

"I wish I had a paper and pencil, I hate drawing from memory." I grumbled.

I discussed with Razzle what the layout of the buildings were as well as the best routes of entrance, escape and infiltration. The sentries didn't seem to have structured routes. While a few late night drug deals and prostitutions were transpiring, as well as some expected night owls, everyone going about their businesses quietly. It was nighttime, and the town was fairly settled down. Apparently stray gunshots were not terribly uncommon, as shooting cans was one of the few forms of entertainment available outside of whores, drugs and drinks. I wondered at the waste of ammo but wasn't going to question it.

After I felt we had a solid understanding of the layout I asked. "So, should we fly back out to lay out our plan or should we just stick to a snatch and grab?"

"We should move quickly, before they disorder our stuff too much."

"They might still be counting it out and divvying out. We don't want to charge in and get in the middle of a firefight. As you've seen, my harness doesn't do shit point blank." I chewed my lip.

"Drop me off on the roof and let me go in first. Wait for me up here, I'll be back in five to tell you what it looks like inside."

"What if you aren't back in five?"

"Charge in and get in the middle of a firefight. You'll be able to handle it better than I will, point blank or no."

"This really is a terrible plan."

"Better than your original one."

"Well, in hindsight of course a single mare and a filly can't fight an entire town and loot everything that's not bolted down."

"Give it time, maybe when I'm a full grown mare we can do it."

"I bet we will." I touched down gently on the roof, and then flattened myself down in case the sentries were looking for rooftop travelers. "Good luck." I whispered.

She nuzzled me and muttered a reassurance, then slipped over the edge of the rain gutter into a dark, open window.

It was only after she was gone that I remembered that I had a terrible sense of time, and spent what felt almost like eternity alternately fidgeting and attempting to remain completely still. I settled on preening my feathers. I was startled out of my grooming by a small "Oof." and a thump. I looked up and saw a bag thrown over the edge of the roof from another angle. Carefully, I crept over as another joined it. Razzle threw up a third bag and then emerged carrying a fourth in her teeth. Spitting it out with a grin she scolded me. "That was more like ten minutes you know."

"Sorry."

"Don't be, I've been petrified the last few minutes that you were going to blow the whole thing by storming in after me. That's why I picked the room farthest from the one I came in to start hauling stuff out. They're all passed out, I'm afraid that they've drunk all your whiskey."

"Those fiends! I ought to slit all their throats while they're sleeping."

"You really ought to." She said with a thin smile that made me a little uneasy.

"Well, let's get back what we can first." I noticed that she'd grabbed the provisions and caps first. "We need the barding and guns, if they aren't too scattered out."

"Your barding and guns." she snorted. I hadn't noticed until now that she was wearing her lightweight protection. We'd bought it earlier and it'd been the only thing near her size, I'd worried about the relative lack of protection but she assured me it was perfect. I could tell now that it was better suited for her stealth operations. I wondered how long it might be before she'd decide to take matters into her own hands when it came to slitting throats and shuddered. A cold tendril of guilt welled up as I reminded myself what I was encouraging a child towards. As she slipped down again I wondered how old she really was. In some ways she still seemed so young, but I already knew she was older than she looked, and older still than her years by way of experience.

As I refitted myself with barding and our equipment, I was a little underwhelmed. Sure it'd been tense, but everything had gone so smoothly. Too smoothly, I felt. I fidgeted, wondering how long she'd been down for the last sweep of the house. I rather suspected that at this point she was looting, if she had not already begun to do so in previous runs. She told me what was sorted into where, but I was feeling weighed down a bit more than I remembered checking into my room with.

I sighed with relief as she reappeared, beaming, wearing saddlebags herself with her mouth full of a bag that jingled faintly. I took a few steps towards rejoining her, and that was when the roof gave way below me.

Although most of the bandits were indeed passed out from drinking, it was far from all of them, and I'd just fallen into a rather heated poker match.

"Er, greetings fellas, deal me in?" I grinned brokenly, trying to count my assailants and recover my balance from the fall, and whether or not I could leap back through the hole I'd fallen through. I flexed my wings, relieved that they were undamaged.

They were paused for only a moment to take in the situation and then they reached for their weapons. Razzle startled me by dropping onto my back and I bolted for the door. Not pausing to open it, I reared back and went right through it into the hallway. Razzle was gripping my neck for dear life, then started guiding me with her hooves, tugging my mane and kicking my sides in the right direction. Shouting and gunshots quickly followed us, so again, I didn't pause as I barreled straight through a room and subsequently, a plate glass window. I gritted my teeth against the broken shards and flapped for all I was worth. I barely managed to make the rooftops and I continued half running half flying, leaping from one building to the next, praying that Razzle was okay.

* * *

"This map is shit." I muttered as we reviewed the plans for our journey by the light of a small campfire later that night. Razzle said nothing, munching some trail rations, and leaning up against me. Somehow, we had gotten through it all without serious injury. Well, at least, she did. It'd been an exciting couple of days for sure. I was optimistic and content that the filly had grown to trust me, certain now that mine was not misplaced in her. So far, she had guided me fairly straightforwardly.

"You're weird." She muttered disinterestedly.

"Yeah, map snobbery is a bit of a strange one. At least I didn't end up doing anything really strange, I almost went to taxidermy school." I laughed, wondering what kind of weird life I'd be living if every time I'd visited a Griffin hunting lodge I'd be critiquing their trophies. "Then again, I'm an animated corpse, in a post apocalyptic future." I shrugged. "Strange is subjective I guess, but then, so's everything."

"So you talked about earlier on the morals vs ethics discussion."

"Yes, yes, good talk." It was nice to talk to someone. Razzle was easy to talk to, quick to snap me out of digressions and tangents that weren't relevant, interesting, or productive. Eventually, I was going to have to break down and find someone to talk to about other things, but for now, it was good to run my internal monologues against someone. I'd spent entirely too much of my life alone inside my own head. Sure it let me write more and work on projects and things, but just as often it left me crying and depressed for days. It was surprising I ever got myself in control enough to pass through basic training. I yawned, stretched and then stood up. "I'm off to have business in the bushes, I'll try not to get my head blown off again."

"You do that, I'll make sure no one steals all our stuff again."

"You're a terrific little miser."

After I walked far enough away and answered the call of nature, I thought I heard a mechanical whirring in the near distance. I knew I should have gone back to camp and alerted Razzle, but I just suddenly felt restless, deciding to go for a little bit more of a stroll to give myself a proper cool down after the exertions of the day. The sound was familiar, but didn't trigger any feelings of real danger, perhaps a touch of unease. Mostly, I was just curious.

"Of course, it's a Sprite-bot!" I remembered, upon seeing the hovering spherical robot. It was quiet, which made me wonder if it was broken, I wondered if Razzle knew anything about electronics. I'd always been interested in them and always intended to start learning more about them. Maybe one day to be able to build and repair them myself, but, there seemed to be awfully little working technology about. Little things here and there still functioned, often cobbled together with extensive jury rigging, but not a lot seemed intact. But then what would after surviving multiple balefire and megaspell bombs dropping?

"Indigo?!" The voice was flat and mechanical, but somehow seemed familiar.

"A talking sprite-bot that knows my name. Not that I'm surprised, I'm sure Pinkie had a file on me."

"Indigo Breeze?" It repeated. "Is it really you?"

"In the flesh. A lot's happened in the last two days. Oh, and the last two hundred years apparently. I'm surprised to see one of these things running. Who's talking through this thing?" It was still moving around looking at me. I wasn't holding very still, turning to keep my eyes on it.

"You can call me The Watcher."

"Kinky, but seriously, you know my name, you know me, tell me yours, because as far as I'm aware everyone I knew two hundred years ago is as dead as m- as everything else in Equestria." I'd almost slipped. I'd already gotten so used to joking with Razzle about my mortality that I'd forgotten that people weren't really supposed to know.

"Tell me how you survived then, you don't look like a ghoul. Did you get into a stasis pod somewhere?"

"Something like that."

"You look different."

"Well, I bet you do too. You a ghoul maybe? Just somepony that I used to know?" I tried to recall who I knew that worked with technology enough to have this kind of system, but couldn't think of anypony in specific and two hundred years had been more than enough for anypony to learn.

"Not exactly."

"Well, I don't see why I should be so forthcoming if you won't be."

"W-well, I didn't really know you very well, we barely met in passing, in Ponyville."

"Well, we both know that I was pretty out of my head in Ponyville. You'll forgive me if I might not remember you so well either."

"Oh, I think you'll remember me."

"A lot of people think that, nothing more awkward than sitting at a party or just out and about and staring at someone's face, nodding blankly before awkwardly asking if you know them."

"It's been awhile since I've had that experience."

"Please, stop being so vague, just give me a name or a general description."

"Well, I suppose it's worth warning you that I'm not a pony."

I tried to think back what kinds of nonponies lived in Ponyville when I dropped in. Well, Watcher wasn't speaking in rhymes so it certainly wasn't Zecora, who I hadn't met formally I now realized, and felt a little twinge of discomfort remembering what had happened to her. There were a couple of Donkeys, or were they living there yet? There was a herd of cows... But there wasn't really any of that accent that cows tended to have.

"I'll give you a hint." Watcher sounded as if it/she/he were bored now. "I'm a dragon."

"Spike?!" I jumped in surprise.

"Not so loud."

"Right right, losing a friend's trust yadda yadda FOR EVER!" I had only barely met the baby dragon at my own get well party my first night in Ponyville. I'd been surprised that an impromptu party for a stranger had been so packed, but then that was what Pinkie had done best. I smiled bitterly, times hadn't been kind. "You must be pretty big now huh?"

"Yeah, most ponies freak out when they meet me for the first time." The voice was scrambled, electronically monotoned, but it still felt like he seemed sad.

"So where do you dwell these days?"

"Pretty far north of where you're at, and a bit further west."

"Well, I guess I'll have to make a trip out your way then. I'm heading north-ish. Just looking for work for now, I've got enough caps to live on for a bit, but I need something to do, and I want to learn more about this world I woke up in."

"Was anypony else with you when you woke up?"

"No, it was deserted."

"Oh." The electronic modulation be dammned, that was a sad voice.

"So what do you do these days? Aside from spy on ponies pissing?" I continued, changing the subject.

"Oh, I... Hey, I wasn't watching you pee! I waited for you to finish before I tried to get a better look at you." He defended indignantly. Then remembering the question he continued. "It's kind of a secret, but you might be qualified to know... I'm looking for the elements of harmony!"

"Neat... but... two hundred years? Are you sure they still exist?" It sounded less than optimistic to me, but then, Twilight had found them after they'd been gone for 1000 years, but they hadn't even really been lost then, just hidden.

"Well, that I'm less sure about. I know where the old necklaces and the tiara are... I just... I need to find the right ponies to bear the elements."

"Yeah, hasn't been an abundance of friendship magic so far, but then I've only been out here for two days."

"Two days?"

"Yeah, I said that already right? I had a run in with the Enclave, inadvertently destroyed an encampment of Red Eye Slavers, and got robbed in the first town I found, and then pulled off a heist to get my stuff back. I'm going back on the road tomorrow, better equipped and a bit more alert. Then like I said, hopefully get a job or a few contracts or something that catches my fancy and explore what's left in the world."

"Most ponies that come out of the Stables don't last a day. I've tried to help out a few of them, like I said I'm looking for good ponies to be element bearers, but it's hard to find anypony that's not already steeped in wasteland cruelty and apathy. The Stables are my best bet as the ponies there are usually given at least a modicum of education and order."

"Bah order's overrated, and I don't see how that's an advantage when plunged into chaos such as this. I mean, I was a soldier, and pretty good one at that so I can get by." This made me think for a second. "So, how do you help them out?"

"I tell them to get weapons, armor, and to make friends, and give them suggestions on what to do and where to go and wait and see how they handle themselves." He sounded almost proud of himself.

"So, you don't actually provide them with anything, or information on tactics... do you even explain to them how to make friends?" I was a little less than impressed.

"Everyone knows how to make friends Indigo." He insisted matter of factually.

I laughed at that, bitterly. "Spike, do you even remember what the letter was about regarding my stay in Ponyville? And I seem to remember that Twilight and Company didn't all start off on the right hoof. Even Pinkie was overbearing and drove a lot of ponies off by being so forward. Dash was kind of a cad, Rarity came off as snooty, Applejack was xenophobic, Fluttershy couldn't talk-"

"Enough, Indigo."

Oh, I'd hurt his feelings. Case in point. "Maybe you should try to teach ponies about the elements? A gospel of sorts, .... I've always wanted to start a cult, I bet I can proselytize a good news packet about embracing the Magic of Friendship."

"Indigo, you're crazy." He groaned.

"Of course." I grinned madly.

"But it might work." He admitted thoughtfully.

"And even if it doesn't, it sounds like fun." I speculated. "I wonder if I should have some form of uniform or something, I know there's a few priests who teach about Luna and Celestia as goddesses they wear these collars and stuff. Maybe a cloak...."

"I'm going to go now."

"Okay, maybe I'll go draw up some designs before I go to sleep..." I muttered as I started to turn away.

"When did you start designing clothes and stuff?"

"I started reading superhero comics and I occasionally bumped into Rarity." I shrugged. "Anyway, I should get to sleep, Razzle will start worrying that I," I paused, it seemed like I would have to learn all over again to watch what I was saying. "Got into trouble."

"So you already made a friend then did you?" He sounded smug.

"Sort of. She's kind of my slave." I responded nonchalantly.

"WHAT!?"

"Yeah, she insisted so whatever. I convinced her to take the collar off though." I toyed with the idea of egging him on more by telling him I'd sold two other children, but decided he was worked up enough. "Well, you said you were going, and I need to get to sleep, so, ta ta for now." I was probably going to regret it later, but that was ever the way of life, and I'd gotten a few clever one liners out of it so it wasn't all bad.

"And to think that I'd been considering showing you to my hideout to see if you could be an element bearer." I think that maybe it'd been an attempt to hurt my feelings or shame me, but I'd known for a long time that I wasn't element bearer material.

"Even in the good old days there were only six ponies out of thousands who were worthy of the elements of Harmony. I like you Spike, but I don't think you're quite as crafty as old Celestia was... and even she couldn't handle this mess...." I added the last as an afterthought, feeling my wings droop. I knew that I had only just started to learn what the world had become, but I remembered just how quickly things had fallen apart even back then. Nopony could fix everything alone, nor dragon for that matter. And how was one to inspire anypony else to action? I sighed. "But, I'll do what I can to help, see if I can find anypony else who could possibly be a paradigm of goodness." When I'm not shooting the rest in the head in self defense...

***

The first thing I saw after coming through the gate was stripes. It took everything I had not to draw my rifle and start shooting. Most of the stripes I spotted were incomplete, and more interesting, their equine features were more exaggerated in a different direction. It took a moment for me to finish processing the information. "Look at all these Zonkies!" I whispered to Razzle, but given the shooty glares sent my way, not as quietly as I'd imagined.

"Nice going Indigo," the foal chided drolly. "I had no idea you were a racist."

"I'm not a racist!" I protested a little too quickly and defensively. "I've had friends of all species and..." I had the clear image of digging myself into a hole and decided to shut up before I made it my grave. Razzle was quietly laughing hysterically, rolling around on my back. I was amazed she didn't fall off, as several of the townsfolk were giving me dirty looks.

The bulletin board was full of potential job postings, recruitment posters for steel rangers, food for scrap with the Enclave’s Volunteer Corps, caravan guard positions, a law enforcement agency which roused painful memories just by proxy, and finally, a fairly nearby location with a job exterminating bloat sprites.

There were also several postings that could have been written in donkey or zebra, I knew very little of either language.

I was very curious about this exotic little town in the middle of the wastelands, surprised that there had been no mention of the differing demographic. I wondered how and to whom I could broach the subject, as I'd a sneaking suspicion such subjects weren't considered polite conversation amidst strangers. Fortunately, I found the tavern. Although it was a little early for drinking, I knew from experience that the most interesting characters never left.

It was, as I predicted, fairly empty, but I knew I had only to wait. I could feel Razzle giving me the stink eye as I ordered a drink and a meal for what she no doubt considered an exorbitant fee, but I'd given her a fair share of her own allowance of caps, so she didn't complain about what I did with mine.

Sure enough, after I'd just started to consider refilling my second beer a stocky, hostile looking Zonkey walked into the bar, glowering with a rifle slung over his shoulder. "Watch and learn," I muttered to Razzle as I slipped up to sit on a stool next to the colt. "Hi there," I greeted him cheerfully, the right touch of cordial and flirty to catch attention. "Mind if I buy you a drink?"

"I 'ehn't innerested in workin’ gels, ‘if ya gotta ask, yeh kent afford me’ n all." He didn't so much as glance at me. I heard Razzle giggling.

"How much for information?" I saw an eye slide over to regard me and knew I was getting somewhere.

"Ah'll accept the drink, then an' only then ah'll listen to yer question, and if ah'm so inclined there affer, ah'll quote yeh a price."

I waited anxiously as he ordered and slowly started to sip the beer. Finally, he gave me a look I interpreted to mean I could begin, and carefully phrased my requests.

"I'm interested in this town's history, and general political affiliations."

"Yer a stranger here." It was a statement, and his eyes were shrewd.

"Yeah, new to these parts." I admitted.

"What do you want here?"

"I'm just passing through, looking for a job and trying not to step on anyone's hooves."

He snorted thoughtfully. "50 caps."

I dug out the requested amount while I felt him watching me. I knew the price was steep, especially for general knowledge I probably could have wheedled out of anypony, but I had tried this Zonkey's patience already and knew better than to push my luck, just as I'd kept back any witty retorts I might have uttered. I also had the feeling that the information I'd receive from a disgruntled individual would be more colorful and more likely to include interesting information beyond the basic facts. It would also help me piece together general prevailing attitudes across the wastelands and what my best approach to spread the message of harmony and friendship would be.

"Somma the firs' stables to open were the ones populated by nonponies, no doubt an attempt to test the waters with less valuable beings than you precious ponies."

He paused to gauge my reaction, but anti-pony sentiment was no new subject to me, we'd earned it, and it was never an oppressor's place to speak over the oppressed, regardless of personal feelings on the matter.

"There are conflicting opinions of what happened then. Some say when we first came out of the stables, everyone got along and worked together to build this town. Realists think the zebra and donkeys started fighting as soon as we spotted each other. Afterall, the best way to ingratiate oneself amongst ponies is to put down zebras and distance themselves from their 'uncivilized' ways. Doesn't matter anyway, everyone's a piece of shit underneath." He rubbed ruefully at the stripes on his fetlock.

"Zebras are private, our family ties are close, our tribal practices rigidly observed. Although our tribes vary considerably, we retain solidarity with our basic customs of courtesy." He paused, clearly feeling a great deal of internal conflict on the subject.

I didn't dare question him about it, though I was acutely curious as to his personal history.

"Donkeys are quite different, focused more on their extended families and by proxy their community at large. I suppose this makes them seem friendlier, and more tolerant to outsiders, because, as you'll see, outsiders will forever remain outsiders. Within their circles, the rivalries still exist, and are brought about with greater vengeance. They don't really care about collateral damage."

His glass was nearly empty, he looked at it contemplatively and then to me. "So the two groups have been in conflict for decades, the zebra stay out in the wastes, living off the land and attempting to resuscitate the wilderness. The donkeys built walls to keep zebras out. Outside the walls confrontations occur." He paused, scowling. "That's why there's so many like me." He downed the last of his mug, then stood. "As for the rest of the wastes, we don't allow caravans inside the walls, though we allow free trade of goods and services. We aren't affiliated with any but ourselves, but at the same time we haven't made ourselves anyone's enemies yet either. Roving gangs notwithstanding. Now, unless you've anything more to offer," He looked meaningfully at my pipbuck. "It's time for my guard shift to begin."

"I think I got what I paid for, sir. Have a good one." He snorted and walked off, but I got the feeling he appreciated the courtesy despite himself. I probably would have considered selling the device, as it wasn't presently functioning, but I wanted some way of recovering the data on it first.

"Well that was a neat job there Missy, 'Ol Zeke ehn't what yeh'd call partial to company." The old bartender confided as he gathered Zeke's mug.

"That so?" I asked, flipping a generous tip onto the bar. "If you're so inclined, I wouldn't mind hearing more over another round."

"You're a real sweetheart you are." He chuckled, as I smiled agreeably.

"I'm generous when I have it to give."

"Which won't be long at this rate." I heard Razzle mutter.

The bartender had heard, flicking one long ear her way before addressing her. "You're a real smart one ehn't yeh? Come sit next ta yer mam here and I'll give you a drink on the house."

Neither of us bothered to correct the assumption, but it had definitely startled us. I was, likely erroneously, prone to treating the child as an equal, and had generally stopped considering just how young she was in the view of others.

She smiled brighter than I'd ever seen and noted she was missing a tooth. "I'd like a Nuka Cola please." Her tone was also strange to me, generally she spoke in that low condescending way, modulating to harsher drive while haggling. She sounded for real like an actual child this time.

"You are a clever one." He chuckled, Nuka-colas being one of the pricier items available. "It's even cold." He winked. I knew the enchanting effect she had over us had to be an act. For one, I knew her tooth had to be missing due to an altercation, as the rest of her mouth was set with adult teeth. I doubted most would know the difference at a glance, but this coupled with the way I'd seen her change her manner to suit the situation improved my considerable estimation of her skills.

We settled in and sipped at our drinks as the bartender filled us in. "You may already have noticed that although this is a primarily Donkey settlement we've got an awful lot of Zedonks, but no Zebra allowed. Zeke's an unusual case, because while most of our hybrid children are rape-babies from Zebra attacks, Zeke was born the other way around. His dam was the tribal chief's daughter, and she insisted on keeping him. She made sure he was brought up right with proper Zebra customs. He considered himself an important member of the tribe, and mommy made sure he never thought otherwise, although even she couldn't fool him into thinking he'd be next in line for tribal leadership. Her father was insistent that she would marry a chieftain's son from a different village and produce a proper heir. Trouble was, none of the other Cheiftans, or their sons, for that matter, had any interest in a mare that's been sullied by an ass. Especially not when she let her bastard wander around in plain sight like he was a real zebra. Eventually the Cheiftain had some luck, his wife managed to birth a son. Zeke and his mother were exiled from the tribe. It was very difficult for them to adjust, Zeke's dam was one of very few Zebras to have ever lived in this town, and her time here was not as kind as it should have been. Eventually, she took her own life. Zeke was old enough at this time to be considered an adult, so when he was unable to pay his rent, the landlords evicted him. Zeke returned to the wastelands, and no one knew what happened to him in those lost years, but when he resurfaced, he'd become an excellent sniper and although he's a mercenary, the mayor decided to pay him to join the guard force. No one quite knows why he stays here, other than that he just has no place left to go."

"How much does he get paid?" I asked casually.

The bartender gave me a long speculative look before responding simply. "More than we pay the other guards."

"I bet they aren't happy about that." I was hoping I would find out something more but the bartender merely shrugged.

"Of course not, but they aren't going to try anything again. He fought off most of them while he was still a child. They wouldn't dare now that he's grown. Zebra hoof to hoof combat can be deadly. I figure he'll stay here for as long as he keeps getting paid." He blinked mildly. "Speaking of, if you wanna keep jawing..."

I laughed. "The little one'll probably shoot me if I keep drinking, but I'll settle us out and would appreciate advice on where to shelter overnight. Planning to go bug-hunting on the Morrow."

The bartender looked stricken, then leaned in conspiratorially, "I don't tell many strangers this, but I like you, don't take the bug job, between you and me, everyone who's been there has come back a little funny. And frankly, I find it awfully strange that they're still hiring folks on the regular when they've been advertising that opening for years, all across Equestria." Some new customers walked in and he loudly instructed, "I recommend the Cantering Jenny, soft beds, good food and a fair value. Can't ask for much more than that." I nodded. "Find yourself a good stable caravan job, for the sake of you and your delightful little filly. Pretty much anything else will end in tragedy."

I mulled this over until we were ready for bed. "Razzle," I started cautiously. "I know you've only known me a few days, and... I am not a clever pony. As you may have noticed, I'm not really very good at heeding danger, if anything, I have a really stupid tendency of bolting into it headfirst. It's been suggested I have a death wish, despite its inability to stick. I can only say it's a bad habit I picked up from the best, or worst, depending on who you ask." I was a bit ruffled and nibbled a wing thoughtfully, I knew it to be a habitual self-soothing ritual, but it helped me think. "What I'm trying to say is, hanging around me might get you killed, or worse." I didn't bother to elaborate, she knew what worse meant probably better than I did. She'd lived it. "So, I want to offer you, again, your freedom, a chance for a better life, I'll make any arrangements I can but..."

"But what? What do you expect to happen to me? Do you think that this town will keep me? Do you think I would have a place in a caravan? Do you really think that would be safe? Do you think that caravan guards really stop all the raiders? Do you think the average caravan can even afford to hire competent guards? Shit, best I can hope for is to be a good prostitute, least I've got experience."

"W-well the bartender..."

"Probably a fillyfiddler."

"I-I could always do as he suggested, I could take on a more stable profession..."

Razzle laughed. "I like to see you try. Indigo, let's be honest here, you're an adventurer. And you know what, so am I. At least, I'd like to be. Let's keep on as we are, don't let acts like I pulled at the bar fool you, I'm not a child, I'm certainly not your child, though I suppose you could always assert your authority over me as I am still your slave by right."

I looked at her sadly, then nodded. "Alright, but on one condition."

"What's that?" She asked warily.

"I don't want you to be my slave any more." I extended a hoof as she flinched. "I want you to be my partner." She gave me a look of shock, hurt and utter disgust. "BUSINESS! Business partners only. Please. Besides, I've told you already I'm not interested in little fillies."

She looked thoughtful, and turned away. Then she turned back around with a grin, bumping my hoof with hers. "Equal partners, 50/50, or the deal's off."

"Agreed, but only on future acquisitions. Can't split what I've already spent."

"That's fair." She agreed, bumping hooves a little less enthusiastically. "Oh, and I may as well tell you, near as I can estimate I'm about fifteen." I stared in some shock, she looked about eight, I'd guessed her to be twelve tops.

We ran into the bartender again on our way out of the town. "I was afraid you were the adventuring sort. So let me offer a more interesting alternative, some way from here, there's an old military base, bombed to ruins during the war and radiation kept any from scavenging through it. It ain't common knowledge, but I suspect it isn't quite so potent anymore. I wouldn't suggest camping there, but you oughta find quite a bit of interest before you're at any serious risk of damage."

I was surprised, and he was right, it did sound like a more promising expedition. "Well, I am still curious what it is about a bug infested hole in the ground that sends people back altered, but I can't ignore the promise of some good booty." I shrugged. “I'll be back after I get a good haul, but once I'm done with it, I'm going to investigate that mystery hole, who knows, maybe I'll solve it."

"Well, I suppose that's as good as anything." He said sadly. "But I'll try again to talk some sense into you when you get back. Who knows, maybe the third time will be the charm and it'll stick." We both knew it wouldn't, but I agreed to think about it, and headed towards the new directive.

***

I was perplexed as I walked up to the ruined gate. There was a strange recognition of the warped landscape. "This is where he died." I stated aloud.

"Who?"

"The love of my life."

"You never really talk about your past, even when you do." She noted.

Our conversation tone was flat. We both understood. Reciting the basic facts of history, repeating the same rotes of experience were safe. It was emotional scar tissue, it hurt, but it wasn't the agony that came of forcing the injury. It wasn't the pain of wounds reopening. She waited with me at the gate, knowing that to rush would only leave me vulnerable. Judging by the presence of radroaches alone, this was going to require all our focus.

I felt myself slipping into my training, a shift in my demeanor as I ordered. "Let's go."

Despite what the bartender had assured me, these ruins had definitely been picked over. I knew I was avoiding my final destination, I could see his penmanship on all the letters he'd sent, clearly marking his barrack and bunk. I'd always loved the way his writing looked. Smooth, sturdy letters, with just a bit of flair and quirkiness, much as he was.

Underneath the rigid discipline of training, I could feel the unease in my gut. Little whispers guessing at what I might find, down to clear little visuals of the goriest details. Pulverized bug eaten remains of once familiar features were the worst, but I had the grim reassurance of logic that the blast had likely reduced him to dust. I might be breathing him in now. I choked out what could have been a laugh or a sob.

"There it is again." Razzle grumbled.

"Where's what?"

"I keep hearing a clicking noise." She complained, every so often... There, there it was again!" She insisted.

I listened in now, straining my ears. I nodded as I heard it too. After another couple of rounds, I finally realized with a start that the sound was coming from my pipbuck. "Hey, it is working." I noted brightly. "Guess it's just the screen that's broken." I wondered if I would have noticed it on my own, as absorbed as I was in my own thoughts. I forgot sometimes just how important it was to have someone else around to pull me back into reality. I made a mental note to include that as a theme in a sermon when I got around to writing about harmony and friendship. I was going to need a name for my organization, even if it was just me. I would be a one mare army if that was what the world required of me, but I had a feeling that not only was that sentiment unnecessary, it'd actually be counterproductive. Not only would I require help to complete this quest, the whole thing would be pointless without having friends of my own to support me.
I was at least that far ahead of where Twilight Sparkle was at the beginning of her journey. In all, we found only a few ammo boxes and med kits, with a few knickknacks left behind in torn apart hooflockers.

All too soon, I stood where his bunk had been. None of the walls remained complete, what I could see of the cots were corroded into heaps of rust and rot. There were a few hooflockers here too. Each one I saw was forced open with what remained of its contents discarded. I checked the names on each one, passing them along with each unrecognized identity. I was certain I'd heard throwaway references to some of them, but I only had eyes for one.

I broke down and started sobbing as soon as I found it, gripping it like I could somehow find him vicariously, if only I found my way inside. Miraculously, this chest remained closed, though not for lack of trying. It was mangled almost beyond recognition. There were sharp edges where crowbars had attempted to force entry, some with pieces snapped off in the seams. The hinges were smashed nearly into solid lumps, and there were quite a few angry dents where the vandals had clearly lost their temper. I guessed that if not for rain's tendency to wash things clean, they'd probably defiled it in cruder ways as well. I was just composing myself as Razzle approached, having found anything of value in the rest.

"Cloud locked." I explained, having solved the question of how his hooflocker had resisted intrusion. "Give me a chance to compose myself and I'll give it a try." I wiped my tears and made a few halfhearted attempts with the vapor, but I couldn't make any headway. I'd never been great with cloud manipulation, even when using cloud interfaces I was accustomed to. Part of the trade off of growing up earthbound.

"Alright you're just pathetic, move aside and I'll show you how it's done." She was trying to sound gruff as usual, but I could hear the sympathy regardless. I sniffled and let her pass, not thinking very clearly. It was only after the lock disengaged did I realize what I'd seen. "Razzle, how'd you do that? Only pegasi can manipulate cloudstuff."

She smiled grimly, and tossed her mane. She turned her shoulders to me, and for the first time I noticed the small pink pucker of a scar. My stomach flipped as I noticed a small nub wiggling on the opposite side of her spine. "After I escaped the first time, they decided to curtail my options. Not that I ever learned to fly." She muttered quietly. "Anyway, it's open, I'll let you look and see what your dead boyfriend left you, and I won't even ask for a cut of it." She walked off to leave me to myself, and I was glad she gave me the space.

Most notably his hooflocker contained armored MP barding. I swear it smelled like him, and trembling, I tried it on. It needed a little maintenance, and Razzle would have to help me adjust it, but I could tell that it would fit. I could use the extra protection as well as the sentimental value of him protecting me, as best he could, long after he'd died. I could have skipped and jumped for joy when I found his rifle, it looked like it would even be in working condition. There was ammo for the rifle, and also for a pistol that was missing.

I wondered if I might have been the last to touch it, aside from him. He hadn't been amused by the joke, and not for the first time I had regrets over our last meeting. If only I'd been able to control myself a little better...

There, at the bottom, was a stack of lovingly wrapped and organized letters. My vision blurred with tears as I saw my own writing on the pages. He'd clearly treasured them, and I wondered what had been on his mind that night, if he still felt the same way after he'd seen what I'd become. And finally, there was a book. I opened the crisp, pages and saw his writing all over the pages. "The Journal of Lucky Streak." I couldn't help myself, the rest of the world melted away, and I got to see the world in his shoes.

I tried to read from the beginning, but the first few entries were somewhat tedious recollections of drills and patrols, he’d begun the journal on the suggestion of a senior officer to write better reports, so, feeling a touch guilty, I skimmed through until the focus involved me.

***

I turned the corner and found myself looking at... A mare’s flank. I don’t quite know what what was going through my mind, at the moment, although I know that it couldn’t have been much, besides her flank. My glance dropped down to her long legs, though her joints were stockier than most mares, her height lent her a look of leanness, nicely balancing the curves of her body. She was a pinto, strikingly marked with bold, dark bluish-purple spots over a pale lilac. Her mane was short cropped for a mare and was a contrasting red that couldn’t be natural. She too was a pegasus, her wings tucked neatly against her shoulders. I didn’t much mind her unshorn fetlocks and my eyes returned to her tail, short and sleek, which hid the view between her thighs.

I longed so much to smell her, inhale her essence, although I had no idea who she even was, but not even a light breeze was in the air. My imagination got the better of me, as I imagined what it might be like to take her as my own. The entire thing was becoming too awkward, and I had no idea what to do to break the tension. Without warning, her tail lifted to one side and her wings unfolded in an unmistakable invitation. While I had been distracted with other things, she had taken notice of me, and was toying with me.

I took a step forward, my brain screaming at me to take her, but I stopped myself, and dropped my hoof with a soft noise. She was looking at me coyly, eyes half-lidded and a small smirk on her lips.

“Why, hello Sergeant,” She breathed huskily. “It would seem I’m out after curfew.” She tossed her head and stood up straight. “Whatever are you going to do with me?”

She winked at me and I stammered an incoherent “I - bu- bwuh?” but before anything coherent could come out, I snapped to a salute, noticing the Captain rank on her lapel, hoping I wouldn’t get in trouble for not saluting earlier.

She impatiently returned the salute, and I relaxed. That was until she said, “I didn’t say ‘at ease,’” and muttered quietly to herself, probably without intending for me to hear, “I suppose I’ll just inspect you.” She walked around me thoughtfully, reaching out a wing to poke underneath mine and chuckled as she nearly made me lose my balance. She looked at me with renewed interest as she met my eyes and released me from attention with a quick flick of her hoof and wing. “Don’t tell me this is the first time you’ve laid eyes on a real live mare before.”

I cleared my throat and replied. “Then I won’t tell you, Ma’am.”

Her eyes glittered with amusement and she leaned closer. “I like smart asses.” I was sure she was going to kiss me, but instead she turned abruptly and stood shoulder to shoulder with me. I took in her ruffled feathers and looked up to her face in time to see her gaze travel to the swelling in my barding, her tongue passing only slightly over her lips. Then she looked at me again, smiled and said. “I hope I bump into you again sometime.” I opened my mouth to reply when suddenly her tail was in my face and my mind was overwhelmed with her scent, my brain incapable of processing any other thoughts. Then she turned the corner and disappeared.

I almost ran after her, but my hooves were shaking, my heart was pounding, and my barding was becoming painfully tight, and I didn’t want to risk moving, for fear of damaging something vital. It was some time before I relaxed enough to move comfortably, making myself appear to be doing sentry duty, but the smell and taste of her remained in my mind, and in my nose, for the rest of the night.

***

I was dragged out of my reverie by the sound of gunfire. Razzle darted behind me. "Zebras!" She explained, panting. I slipped the journal into my saddle bags, then my letters, and donned the barding as best as I could. I was double checking the condition of the rifle and making sure it was loaded as Razzle emptied the rest of the hooflocker into my packs. She clambered onto my back and gripped tightly. I remained hunkered down and waited, tracking the searching hoofbeats, rifle to bear. As a Zebra nosed around a corner I liquified his skill into pink mist with a burst of full auto. Some dark part of me rose up as usual, reveling in the killing.

Shadowbolt training had taught me not just to accept, but to embrace my killer instinct. The rest of the zebra began to converge upon my position, but I stayed put, merely reloading a fresh magazine, and then replenishing the one I used so I would have a smoother opportunity to reload next time. After that would be time to move. They didn't know my exact location yet, and while I wasn't about to give it all away just yet, there would be no more hiding once they closed in. Bunched together I would have better odds of decimating their numbers, and hopefully I would hit enough that the remainder wouldn't effectively launch a counter attack.

Naturally, things didn't go as planned. Halfway through my second burst round, the rifle jammed. Screaming I charged the ranks, flaring my wings to distract from my shape, and targeting a young, bewildered colt, I seized his rifle and pulled, I felt a searing pain followed by numbness from my left haunch, but I didn't have time to waste, I hit him in the face with the butt of his own rifle, then kicked off to the air using his head. Whooping wildly, I took flight, firing the zebra's rifle into the crowd at random.

I flew as far and as fast as I could, but as the giddiness of battle became lightheadedness, I turned to regard my injury, and more alarming than the chunk of meat missing from my thigh, more even than the regular spurt of blood from therein, was the missing gem in the harness over my hip. My leg wasn't just injured, it was dead. I collapsed onto a small natural cloud drifting below the level of the Enclave and slipped into unconsciousness.

***

"Well ain't this a rare sight." The voice sounded like it was gargling rocks.

I struggled to wake, groggy no doubt because my blood had not quite yet been replenished. I fumbled with the rifle straps around my shoulders but only managed to entangle my wings and legs.

"There will be no need for that, I'm a friendly, least as friendly as anyone can be in the wastes.” The voice chuckled.

Razzle was clinging in amongst my things, hiding and waiting for a cue from me. I blinked up at what appeared to be a pegasus in Enclave armor, flapping lazily a short distance away. Focusing through my pain, I was surprised I recognized the rank insignias.

This wasn't Enclave power armor, it was Equestrian. I noticed now the wings I'd assumed brown were actually a muddy jerky looking mass of sinew and tumors.
"You're a ghoul." I mumbled.

"I am."

My brain struggled to process. "That means... You were alive during the war?"

"Died in it too." He agreed cheerily.

I sighed, feeling relieved, a sense of feeling that I was no longer alone. I struggled to sit up, the helmet sliding down my face. "So... You found us, what now?"

"Us?"

I nudged Razzle with my wing. She rose up reluctantly.

"What a cute little filly you have there." He complimented. I set my head back on my hooves, still feeling weary. "In any case, I think someone in the caravan might be able to see to your wound. Can you fly on your own?"

"Fly? Not a chance, but I think I can land." I mumbled. "But I don't think my wound can be seen to in the traditional methods." I shifted my weight, flexing my wings in preparation for the gliding. "I need a very skilled arcane technology specialist, with experience in gemwork." I explained simply. "You wouldn't happen to know anypony like that would you?"

"Well, I'm not sure about that, but I have heard tell of a talented unicorn mare who specializes in magical prosthetics. Might be an option."

"Sounds promising to me." I rose slowly to my three good hooves, looking at my useless haunch with the strangest urge to bite it. "How far is that?"

"About a week's flight east usually, if you stick with the caravan, it'll take awhile longer, but between you and me, I'm not sure you'll make it alone."

I laughed. "I'd say that's an astute observation." Then, taking a deep breath, I stepped off the cloud.

Razzle shrieked at the sudden lurch as I dropped, then slowly evened out as I spread my wings. The ghoul stayed close on my flanks, but didn't intervene. "So where to?" I shouted as I adjusted to a smooth glide.

He moved up to my left, and led me to a small wagon train. My landing was a little rough, but no one was injured, so I considered it a success.

"I just realized," He noted as he presented us to the caravan leader, a Buffalo bull. "I haven't asked your names."

"Oh right." I murmured, feeling woozy again. I reached up to brush my forelock out of my eyes and knocked off my helmet in the process.

I couldn't see the ghoul's face, but his tone of voice said it all. "Well if it isn't the notorious Captain Indigo Breeze! I heard you died!" I thought he was about to hug me, and I swear he was prancing.

"If only." I sighed, looking at the helmet at my hooves. I don't think he heard me.

"Notorious?" The stoic Buffalo asked in an amused tone.

"I used to have quite the reputation." I shrugged. "I assure you it was highly exaggerated." The truth had been far stranger, but I wasn't about to divulge anything incriminating.

"Indigo was hoping to catch a ride to the Tinker."

"Also, I'm Razzle, nice to meet'cha." The young mare cropped up.

"I thought we talked about standing on my head."

"I'm called Oakleaf." The bull replied. "And I don't see much harm in letting a couple of pretty little fillies ride along for a ways, especially since old Rusty here is willing to vouch for you. Talk to my wife, Jolene, she'll help you get situated and take a look at your injury. We've just finished lunch, but if you don't mind leftovers, I'm certain we can scrape something together."

Author's Note

Indigo can't keep herself out of trouble, never in the past, defintely not in the present and probably no time in the future.

Well, at least I am finally uploading this. I had started the process and had a browser crash and between meds and stuff kept forgetting that I started posting this story. I have two more chapters fully written before I have to start filling in the gaps. I really need to catch up on the show for some more inspiration.

The shitty half-hearted and inconsistent attempts at accents in this chapter are precisely why I could use an editor or at least a beta reader.

If you want to be a beta reader or collaborate with me, pm me over Tumblr or Skype or Twitter or basically any platform under the username Kiyarasabel.

As always, please leave kudos, comments, bookmarks and subscriptions, and if you want to support me on Patreon I will be forever in your debt.

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