Pizza, Liquor & Lead

About an hour later…

They’d made it.

Somehow, they’d escaped Barrel Bay.

Ahead of them, the thin ribbon of sealed tarmac led to an uncertain future. Behind, the city which had once been a humble port lay in absolute ruin. The titanic fireball had seemingly engulfed all as when they were trying to navigate through what was left of the rubble-strewn streets, they never encountered others doing the same.

Once out of the city proper, the going got easier, and some of the first signs of life they’d seen in what felt like an eternity presented themselves. Confused residents of the suburbs were out in the streets, wondering just what in tartarus had happened to the city across the bay. Snapper hardly paid them mind, still too shocked to stop and try to answer questions he had no answer to.

Kure felt similarly, but for a host of other reasons. Things had always been hectic in the city, but lately they had gotten just plain crazy. Crazy enough to want to leave his daughter in the care of those further away. He thought he was just being paranoid, but paternal instincts won out in the end, and in doing so his progeny lived on. As far as he was concerned he was out of the life, and he would expend all his energy into being there for his little chick and making sure she had all things necessary for life.

“We’re here.”

The first words his partner had spoken since passing city limits rousted Kure from his stupor. The no vacancy sign shone like a beacon in the doom and gloom, and that wasn’t just the case for the duo as there were plenty of folks milling about the parking lot of the motel, and one of them was a griffon he’d grown up with, and a chick he’d give anything for.

“Kure!”

The aforementioned griffon was barely able to leave his seat before his sister greeted him with a slap to the face. “Damn it! I thought we lost you!”

After all the stress and fatigue, getting backhanded hardly registered to his frayed nerves. He was just glad to be alive.

“So, you’ve heard?”

She could barely sputter out her incredulity. “Heard? Heard?! We all felt it! The sky lit up like day and the ground shook for an entire minute! I thought for sure you’d been killed.”

Kure had to take a moment to process that one as it was very close to the truth, but for the sake of appearances, he merely shrugged. “Yeah, well, I’m just too damn stubborn to die like that.”

It was then that Kure acknowledged the little bundle of joy in his sister’s arm. Destiny’s giant golden eyes stared out past her blanket and she trilled in recognition of her father. The little chick appeared distressed, and in an act of paternal instinct he reached in and grasped the little one’s talons. Tiny claws grasped back, and with a contented, cooing sigh she shut her eyes and fell back to sleep.

He gave his daughter a final pat on the head, and then started to glance around the area. Aside from the motel, the only buildings around were mostly residential with the exception being a service station closed down for the night. That just wouldn’t do; not after what he’d been through.

“You know, after all the craziness, I’d like nothing more than to take a load off and down a stiff drink. Know of any good bars nearby?”

It was no secret that Kure liked to drink, but he still received a good natured eye roll from his sibling. “Yup. Still the same Kure.”

Even though griffons were never much for feelings, Kure knew his sister cared deeply about him, but he had an inkling of what she would ask next so he beat her to it with a reassurance.

“And if you’re wondering, no, I’m not working for a gang anymore. As far as I’m concerned, that bullshit is over. I’m gonna live the rest of my life with my daughter, my bits, and never get bossed around again.”

Before she could ask how he was planning to do that, he gestured to the bed of the truck. When she took a closer look, she stiffened for a moment, then relaxed and stepped away casually to rejoin her brother. She didn’t question him any further.

“I stopped at a good place when I got off the train. Only a few miles away.”

Kure was happy to hear that. “Alright. Let’s get your things packed and get to that bar.”

The nearby bar wasn’t too far away by modern standards, but with only one headlight the drive away from the coast was a painstaking affair of following a rather rough track which led to a small settlement out in the sticks. But the settlement was in fact a stopover for the Eastern Equestrian Line, and the railroad station built there was the focal point of the surrounding area.

They had just reached the outskirts when the engine started to surge from a lack of steam. It was able to carry on to an open lot with buildings on the far side where it thumped its last and could only coast in a little ways before coming to a final rest. With all the damage the vehicle had received there were no qualms about abandoning it, but Kure didn’t feel right about leaving it just yet.

“Welp,” he drummed his talons on the dashboard. “Time to pass this rig off to whoever wants it next.”

He dug in the glovebox and found a notebook with a pencil stuck in like a bookmark. He opened it to that page and with the faint amber of the streetlamp shining through dust stained windows he could faintly make out the scribblings of maintenance intervals the vehicle had been through. Knowing that the owner was most likely dead and that the wagon had survived a massive explosion, he wasn’t too concerned with all that. He just wanted a fresh sheet of paper.

Kure scrawled out a free to take, need of repairs message, and then propped it up in the windshield for any future passers-by to see. There. Now it wouldn’t simply go to waste.

The short walk into the populated part of town was quick and uneventful, and Kure’s sister pointed them to an establishment just off the tracks. It was surprisingly well-kept for a tavern, and some kind of steam wagon dealership was in the same structure. The glassed-in showroom contained several upmarket examples, while more pedestrian models inhabited the open lot.

Snapper showed immediate interest, and jiggled one of his bags to emphasize. “Since I’m going out to that farm town I’m gonna need a new set of wheels to get there. I’ll meet you guys in the bar when I’m done.”

Kure threw him a curt nod and carried on to the bar with his sister. Even though he was heavily fatigued, he still carried his fast asleep newborn with strength into the establishment which would certainly quench thirst and hopefully offer a meal as well. Unlike the swinging speakeasies of the big city, the place had a much calmer and rustic vibe to it, and also unlike the city bars which entertained good patronage almost all the time, only two ponies were present at the time.

One stallion was passed out drunk in a corner booth and wouldn’t wake anytime soon, and another was tending bar from behind the counter. He was busy polishing up some glasses no doubt in preparation for a coming train which was probably the only thing that brought good business.

Kure didn’t pay him much mind though as he was already scanning through all the faded labels of liquor on tap, only for his addled brain to recollect that almost all brands displayed were almost all defunct. He also spied a kitchen behind the bar, which greatly lifted his spirits. Hunger pangs had been hitting hard ever since the motel, and he thought about what would go down best. Something hot, no doubt.

The griffon trudged the final distance to the bar and slid onto one of the stools. His sister did the same, and Destiny’s basket went onto the bartop just to the side.

“What would you folks like to have?”

Kure’s response was already on the tip of his tongue when the barkeep addressed him. “Give me a beer and a house special.”

His sister was next to order. “I’ll have a glass of wine along with a house special.”

The barkeep nodded and made to fulfill the order, but another voice chimed in. “I have what Kure here is having.”

Snapper took a seat two stools down, and within seconds both he and Kure got two bottles of beer. The pony used the offered bottle opener to pop the top while the griffon simply plucked the cap off with the hook of his beak. His sister scoffed at such barbarism and then took a sip of her wine. It would be around twenty minutes before the meals arrived, so that time passed by regalling Kure’s sister with all the details of that crazy night.

Her wine went mostly forgotten as she hung onto the tale her brother told about tainted booze and an unstoppable horde of undead revelers destroying everything in its path while his companion filled in any blanks. With furtive glances toward the kitchen they told of being ordered to destroy the source with explosives they never had the chance to detonate, and of their escape from Barrel Bay. Naturally, the conversation switched from facts to conjecture about the explosion which had leveled the city, but movement from the kitchen dissolved any further speculation.

The barkeep had returned with three plates of the house special; an eggplant burger as the main course and a plate full of mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy. As soon as the dishes touched the counter, the famished griffon and stallion started to wolf down the easy mashed potatoes just to stop the hunger. Once satiated, Kure slowed down with the burger and conversed with his sister about more placid family matters concerning her life and those of other distant relatives while eating.

As the siblings caught up, the first light of morning started to come in the windows. Time had flown throughout the night, and Snapper was sure glad that he’d lived to see another day. For all intents and purposes he was free from Sea Moon’s shackle, but so was everyone else. Kure was of a select few who he thought of as a friend, but it sounded like he was fixing to leave Equestria behind. With the current political climate, he couldn’t blame the bird for any resentments he held, but that would also mean his departure from the stallion’s life. All he could do was simply live with the confidence that wherever his friend went next he would land on his feet.

As for himself, Snapper didn’t have any great ambitions beyond trying his hoof at a quiet and simple life. With the extra bits he’d accumulated, starting up a farm or small business was certainly in the cards sometime down the line, but for now a place to lay low for a bit and rest one’s head without worry would do fine.

With drink and meal having been completely finished, it was high time to pay up, but the barkeep waved them off. “Nah, it's all on the house.”

All three were confused by the sudden act of generosity, especially the griffons, but their host was quick to clarify.

“Y’all weren’t exactly quiet about what your night was like, even on the bits you kept hush. I’m good at knowing when folks are trying to pull a fast one and I know you’re honest about the madness you endured, and who would I be if I charged ya for a little food.”

Kure did not look that gift horse in the mouth. “Thanks, buddy. You have no idea the horror we faced down back there. They… just kept coming…”

There wasn’t anything more which could be said, and with few crack of dawn patrons to contend with, the barkeep gave him a reassuring smile before sauntering off. Kure wasn’t sure where to go from there, but a suggestion from his sister gave him and Snapper a small but important objective to fulfill. Next to the bar but in the same building was a small general store which had just opened up. They found all kinds of supplies for the modern traveler within, but of interest was some less conspicuous way to transport money. They found the perfect means in a couple of locking suitcases, so each purchased two and returned to the bar.

Snapper knew that this was likely the last time he and Kure would be in each other's company as the griffon wanted nothing more to do with Equestria, but a sad smile graced his lips nonetheless.

“I take it this is goodbye then?”

It was a question Kure didn’t want to have to answer, but the fires of change had been burning within him for some time and he’d already set his course, so he responded with a curt nod and a soft grin of his own.

“It sure is, Snapper. I wish i didn’t have to go, but given that an entire city has gone up on account of us, It’s best we go our separate ways. Wouldn’t want to get sent to the so-called ‘moon’ as your Nightmare Night story says.”

Feeling it was time to get a move on with their lives, the duo trod back to the bar to gather their effects, but the friendly barkeep intercepted them at the stools.

“I’m guessing you two are about to go your own ways, see it here all the time and it never gets easier. So I have a proposition. Got a camera on me, and I’d be more than happy to take a picture of you free of charge for memory’s sake.”

At first, skepticism clouded the minds of stallion and griffon. Leaving behind photographic evidence of their movements for the feds to potentially track felt like a bad idea. But, given the fact they were traveling and would be long gone before any kind of investigation could take off, they warmed up to the idea and smiled in approval.

“Sure thing,” Kure happily indulged. “How long ’till we get the pic?”

“Not too long; an hour or so tops. Should be more than enough time to catch the 9:10 to wherever you're headed.”

The camera in question was hanging from the barkeep’s neck by a lanyard. It most likely used the instant film that was all the rage, otherwise the spur of the moment photo shoot would have been impossible in the given timeframe. Either way, both Kure and Snapper moved out onto the open floor and held each other shoulder to shoulder. They smiled and tried not to blink as the bulb flashed twice, and when the barkeep was satisfied that his camera had functioned properly, he went into the back to develop the photos in a closet turned darkroom.

As they waited around, another round of drinks was enjoyed (on the house) as some of the greater exploits of mob life were reminisced upon by the duo. It wasn’t all bloody murder as the media liked to claim, but a palpable relief at finally being able to to leave that life hung upon every word. And in what felt like a much shorter interval, the developed pictures were returned and promptly examined.

Of course, one of the images was as good as it got while the other suffered from a cream tinge and some mild rateye. Since capturing memories in a still frame wasn’t as prevalent in his culture, Kure instantly offered to take the lower quality version before Snapper could attempt the same. And just as quickly as they came in, the quartet departed the bar for a new dawn.

The sun had just started to crest a few of the lower-roofed buildings, and her rays shined bright through breaths into the crisp air. It still felt refreshing despite the morning cold and considering what two of them had been hacking on earlier there were no complaints. The first objective was to head over to their battered truck and transfer the bits into the briefcases, then Snapper led the way to his gleaming new sedan which had been rolled out into the lot and had already accumulated a thin sheet of frost on all its surfaces.

“Wow,” Kure crowed at Snapper’s ride. “Never seen one so fancy before.”

Snapper wasn’t one to be sheepish, but after spending his entire young life just trying to scrape by to suddenly and inexplicably find wealth, he couldn’t help rubbing his hooves together with mild trepidation. “Well, since I had the means I figured why not get the best, y’know? Salespony didn’t like me banging on his door so early, but once he saw my bits his tune changed, that's for damn sure,” he admitted with a chuckle.

Kure couldn’t help but do a casual walk around with Snapper tagging along to point out some of the more advanced features. The stallion opened a lengthy back door, and entered the cavernous rear seating area for just long enough to secure his dual briefcases into some handy dedicated holders and then jump back out to slam the door shut with a satisfying bass thud. They only talked about the steamer for a few minutes before the conversation lapsed into silence. The tom could see that his sister had retired to a nearby bench and was idly playing with his daughter, and he once again felt a mixture of feelings well up in his chest.

Things had gone terribly wrong for lots of folks the previous night, but by many factors he, his daughter, his sibling, and his best friend had been spared an insurmountable fate. He always knew to never take life for granted no matter how dreary, but now that notion had been cemented into his very soul. Guto be damned, he resolved to make the best life he could for himself and those around him when he got settled and nothing would get in the way of it.

“She’s a lively one, ain’t she?”

Kure couldn’t agree with Snapper any more. The griffon specialist he’d taken Destiny to had suggested that since she’d been birthed by a mare she was at higher risk of developmental defects or abnormalities. Based on parental experience the chick was not only in excellent health, but was also advancing cognitively at a greater than usual rate. That was another blessing to stave off the more depressing facets of life.

“Yeah. I’m so glad my sis was willing to come out here and watch her. If not, I would never have forgiven myself.”

They both watched for a few more seconds as a talon was held menacingly above the basket only for a tiny griffon to jump up and latch onto it, and then Kure asked…

“So what about you? Still going out to that small town?”

“Yup,” Snapper excitedly stated. Gonna try and settle down there, see what happens. There’s this mare there that’s like the boss of it all, real sexy-like. I want to tap that and I’ll make sure to do the old pull out, unlike you, hehe–OOF!”

Without warning, a griffon fist smashed into the stallion’s groin, the hit cutting off his laughter and replacing it with pained chuckles. “Okay, had that one coming for sure.”

With juvenile antics subsided for the time being, Snapper figured it was high time to fire up his Stallion Steamer and prepare for its maiden voyage. As he jumped into the driver’s cab and took in the cornucopia of gauges adorning the polished oak dashboard, Kure’s sister had come back over to join her brother at the driver's side window. There was hardly any noise coming out of such an expensive vehicle on startup, so he was easily able to hear Kure outside.

“Stay safe out there, you hear.”

Snapper was going to reciprocate, but the jokester side of his brain gave him a better idea and with a smug grin, he delivered a farewell jab to his buddy.

“I could say the same of you, ‘what’s a condom?’ boy.”

The stallion had a door between himself and Kure now, so his chuckles went unabated. This time, Kure was a much better sport this time around even though his own sister had joined in on the jokes at his expense, and he was quick with a retort.

“Yeah, well, I hope they break on you too.”

They all had to share a laugh at that one, then it was time for Snapper to hit the dusty trail. As he lightly touched the accelerator and smoothly pulled away, he watched the rearview mirror as a griffon family trod off towards the train station, eager to carry on with life.