The Jaded Files: The Neighpon Adventure

"FALLY! Ya still owe me those 25 caps!" The minotaur chuckled as he leaned down to give the gray mare a hug.

"It's been five years, Torrent Rider! Give it up!" The mare chuckled and started trotting away, along the pier, towards a bunch of wooden houses. "And what did I tell you about calling me that? It's Fallacious."

"Whatever you say Fally, say, is the bartender from before still here? My crew really liked her last time..." Torrent's voice drifted off as he walked away with Fallacious. I grumbled something about hosts and turned to my friends.

"So what now?" Strawberry asked.

"I don't know. Torrent did say something about herbal tea." I mused, a hoof stroking my chin.

"Herbal's Tea." Lichen corrected. The three of us stood there, confused and lost, while the crew slowly dispersed, leaving us to ourselves. "Probably for the best we head to town?"

"Sounds like a plan." And with that, we headed off towards to someplace where we could hopefully get some information.

Nagatrotki, a beautiful but ominous place. Buildings were mostly comprised out of wooden planks and rusty nails, sullen sakura trees littered the roads, and creatures of all variety were bustling about in the two center. My companions and I took it all in, mouths agape. It took me a second to realize the mysterious wisps that coated most of the town, it made everything discolor a bit. I took notice at the blue crystal totems that seemed to be evenly spread out everywhere, I took such notice because when the wisps got close, it dispersed.

"Come on, we got to find Herbal's Tea." Lichen nudged me, snapping me out of my analytical viewings of the place. I grinned back at him and started trotting. A shop, labeled as 'The Board' seemed like a good place to start.

"Helloooo! Do you happen to know where Herbal's Tea is?" I put my best smile on. The figure behind the bar turned around and surprised me by being a hunk of a stallion. A shade of blue that looked mysterious and beautiful at the same time, his murky green eyes looked entrancing, but the spell was broken by his gruff demeanour.

"'ey filly, I don't give out information like that fer free." The bartender thrust his face into mine, making my heart flutter a bit then die down at his next words. "The only free thing I give, is a good wallop! Now, do you have the heart to spare a few caps fer your information or go elsewhere."

Strawberry whimpered next to me while Lichen just growled, "bucking scammer, come on, we can find what we want somewhere else."

I sighed and followed his lead, taking a single glance back. That was all it took for me to sour up to him immediately. With my glance back, I made out his cutie mark. A fish being filleted gruesomely. My head snapped back, wondering what I saw in him.

"Hey...he..." A raspy cough, "you three! Yeah, you three. Come over here, you look lost."

The three of us wandered curiously to the old mare who called us over. Her coat was a wrinkly patchwork of greys and white, her mane a tattered black mess. The only redeeming quality was her eyes, bright and a vibrant shade of green.

"What a lovely family you've got!" The mare smiled briefly, "makes me wish for mine."

"Oh no, what happened to them?" Strawberry put a hoof to her heart, as if trying to feel for them.

"The Island took them, I'm afraid." The mare coughed again, one that sounds like it needed to be checked up upon. I stated my observation but she just waved a hoof. "There's no need to fret, little filly. I've been waiting for my end for a while now. The only reason I've stayed is that hopefully...one day, I could make the Island pay."

"Make it pay?" Lichen shared a bewildered look with me. "How do you get revenge on an island?"

"Trust me, I know how." The old mare smiled at me, her bright eyes seeming to burrow deep in my soul. "I propose Quid Pro Quo. You help me get revenge, and then I'll help you. How does that sound?"

"Yes." I blurted out, surprising Lichen and Strawberry. I turned to them, desperation shown in my eyes. "We should help this old mare, it's the right thing to do!"

"I don't know...why do you want to help her so bad?" Red Lichen turned to me, confusion written all over his face.

"Because I understand how she feels." I turned back to the old mare, "we'll do it."

Author's Note

Weeeeeeee, another chapter.