Fallout Equestria: Brotherhood

CHAPTER 4: MANETON LIFE

The sun was setting, or that is what Neo and Adam thought as the color of the world turned from it normal dull bluish grey, to a rather sickly looking brownish green.

They were about thirty minutes into their trip, and to their surprise nopony had said a word since Neo and Adam rescued the three. Even the Foal with her squeaking and laughter was totally silent, all that was heard was the sounds of the groups hooves tapping at the ground. Adam could no longer hold it in him, he needed to know why everypony was being so quiet.

“Um, why are we so quiet?” Adam whispered to Kat.

She looked back to him sternly and put a hoof to her mouth, signaling to stay quiet. All that did was add to the confusion.

After fifteen more minutes of silence, Kat, Newt, and Allie all let out a huge sigh in unison.

Adam saw this as a sign that they could speak again.

“Why were we so quiet?” He asked anxious to quench his thirst for an answer.

“Well, that was raider territory, and I’m just glad you kept quiet so long.” Kat said to Adam.

Neo looked surprised, “That was raider territory?”

“Mhm, hundreds of them, all looking for ponies like us to take away and fuck us up.” She said rather calmly like she was being funny.

“Why did we go through raider territory again?” Adam asked.

“It's faster that way, it would be a whole nights walk and I sure you don’t want to be sleeping out in the middle of nowhere.” Allie commented.

“Fine that makes sense, but what about Newt? Why did you bring her out here with you?” Adam asked again, still not satisfied.

“Oh, she had to come or we would have to leave her home alone again. And we don’t want that again.” Kat rolled her eyes in remembrance of something terrible.

Up ahead only a hundred feet was a large roughly configured metal gate, with two large lamps on the very top.
“We’re here!” Allie exclaimed.

“Yeah its about time, I’m beat.” Kat announced to the group.

Neo looked down to Adam, “This is it, this is where we can really get started looking for mom.” He told Adam.

Adam lit up with joy, “I just can’t wait brother! We’re really gonna find-”

That joy was short lived as he heard a gunshot hit a rock right next to Neo.

Kat looked up to the big metal gate that was about twenty feet from them, “Benny...” She muttered in low tone.

Kat raised her left hoof up to her mouth and called out to the gate which now stood right in front of them. “Beny! I know you're in there!” Kat yelled at the gate.

There was silence, but then a rough voice came out from above the gate.

“Kat? Is that you?” The old voice called out.

“Yeah you old dust bag! What's with the shooting?” She replied angry that he had shot at them.

“Oh well, I’m sorry I just got a little taken away there...” He said poking his head out from behind the wall.

The buck who poked his head over the wall looked like he had been born a hundred years ago, and his mane matched his looks. He was a unicorn with a old farmer hat on top his old small head.

“Are you gonna let us in?” Kat yelled up the wall to him.

“Eh? Oh yeah, I’ll let yeh in. Just give me a secon’d.” He called back.

The old buck went back behind the wall, and after a few seconds a loud clanking noise followed. It turned from a clanking noise, to a drilling screeching noise, like when you scratch a blackboard. Then, the metal doors creaked and rattled open slowly.

Once the gate was open, Beny poked his head around the corner.

“Heh, heh. Welcome back missies.” He said tilting his hat at them.

“Hey!” He shouted before they took another step forward.

They stopped. He walked up to the group and moved over to Neo and Adam.

“Who are these two yungins?” He questioned looking at them with his old tired eyes.

“They’re with us Beny, don’t worry they're not raiders.” Allie told him in a soft almost giggle like manner.

Neo and Adam just smiled at the creepy old buck.

“Meh, if you say so miss Tales.” He said as he turned away from the colts.

“Have a good’n in Maneton.” He said walking to the big lever to shut the gate.

The group entered the town.

Foot Note: You have discovered the town of Maneton.

The town itself was a large square shaped town. Up the main street was a list of roughly built prewar buildings, and metal shacks. The town was lit up with lanterns hung from wired connected from building to building, and the occasional lamppost. In fact one building was a huge tower built out of four massive billboards towering high above the town. All around ponyfolk were talking, playing, and living their daily lives in their only little way.

“Wow this place is amazing!” Adam said amazed at the lighting system.

“Yeah, it is something if anything, but it's not nearly as nice as Ironhoof city.” Said Allie.

As they made their way through the town, it got darker, and darker until finally night had fully arrived. Once they made a few turns they approached a small two story metal shack.

“Welcome to our little piece of Maneton.” Allie said opening the door for Kat, and Newt.

Adam went through the door and thanked her. Neo stopped and moved to take over, “Here, you go, I got it.” He said lowering his eye lids.

“Oh, thank you.” Allie let go of the door and went through smiling.

Neo then followed her into her home shutting the metal plated door behind them.

When Neo entered the house he was instantly taken by surprise because the inside was nothing like you would have guessed judging it by the outside alone. The inside had a large center room with a variety of different carpets and rugs woven together to fill up the first floor. The walls were decorated with a roughly painted tapestry of small pony shaped figures of all shapes and sizes. One of the most notable features was that it was relatively clean. Neo and Adam liked the fact it was clean, more or less.

“I’m going to get something to eat.” Said Kat, as she moved over to the corner of the room looking through cabinets and pantries for some kind of food lying about.

Newt moved over to a small rusted blue chest next to the stairs heading to the second story of their home. She opened the chest which was stuffed with old toys, she ruffled through the chest and pulled out what looked like a pink filly doll. She started to play with the doll pretending it was alive and dancing.

Allie turned around to the two brothers, “We have one guest room just up the stairs.” She gestured towards the stairs on her right. “Its the only room upstairs so it shouldn’t be hard to find.”

Neo chuckled a bit, and Adam just smiled.

“Hey Allie! Do you guys want something to eat?” Kat asked from across the room.

After all that had happened that day food was the least of their concerns at this point.

“Nah I think we’re good.” Neo and Adam both said scratching their manes.

“Suit yourself.” Allie shrugged and went to join Kat in getting something to eat.

Adam started up the stairs, Neo paused and called over to Allie and Kat, “I think we’re just gonna try and get some sleep. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow and all you know how it is."

Allie looked at Neo and said, “Sure thing, just let me know if theres anything you need.”

For some reason, Neo blushed at her remark. Trying to hide it he quickly seized the moment, “Well, I’m really sleepy! I better get to sleep now, gotta get up bright and early... Yeah.” He moved up the stairs a little more faster than his brother did. Allie looked at Kat oddly, “What was that all about?” She asked Kat.

“Beats me. I don’t really care right now.” Kat shrugged before continuing to get her meal together.

Neo got upstairs and into the room. His brother had already sat down his saddle bag which had become heavy after carrying it all day, Adam was lying down on what was the only bed in the room. The room was small, with only a small space in between the bed that was against the wall, and the small wooden chest across the room from it.

“Brother a real bed!” Adam said as he bounced a bit on the bed.

The springs on the bed squeaked loudly with each movement he made.

“Yeah the only bed in the room.” Neo said in a bland tone.

“Oh, sorry brother. You can have the blanket if you want.” Adam said gathering the small brown sheet from the bed.

Neo smiled, “Thanks Adam.”

Neo took off his saddle bag, it was three times more heavier than his due to him carrying all the loot he had took from the dead raiders he had killed. Neo sorted out the blanket so he could get the most comfort out of it he could. He plotted himself soundly on the carpet ready to leave this day behind and start a brand new one.

“Brother, do you miss home?” Adam asked.

“We’ve only been gone a day?” Neo replied.

“I know but I miss my bed, and my room with all my tools and widgets.”

“I miss the ice cream that we would get at the dinner, and the sweet apple pie.” Neo said resting his head.

“Yeah, I miss that too. But you know what I miss the most?”

“What Adam?”

“I miss our family being together.” Adam said, laying his head down.

Neo yawned, “I do too *Yawn*” Neo finally drifted off into a deep calming sleep.

Adam smiled at his sleeping big brother, “Good night brother...”And soon, Adam too was grasped by a sleepy heavy sleep.

In the doorway, Allie was listen to them talk. All she could do was smile at the thought of what their life was like before they came out into the wastes, and what their mother was really like.

In the darkness, there is nothing. Only empty space, a lifeless oblivion made only for those who deserve it. That is what is outside the Stable. There is no world left to tread. It was all gone, all of it. Those who left the Stable would only meet a silent quick death as they were engulfed by the void. This was what we were told. We didn’t believe the stories, after all it was just an old ponies tale. Thats what we used to believe, now after being out here in the outside maybe those stories were true. All we can do is live, and hope we complete our goal before the void takes us into eternity.

“Brother! Wake up brother!”

Neo raised his head off the ground to see what Adam wanted.

“Brother we got to get up, it's time to start the day.” Adam said excitement racing through him.

Neo dropped his head again back on the carpet he was resting on. He was still half asleep, and Adam seemed wide awake.

“Not now, I’m still tired.” Neo grumbled as he turned over to continue sleeping.

“Brother we need to start looking for mom.” Adam said disappointed.

“We will when I’m done sleeping.” Neo mumbled under sheet.

“Fine. I’ll go see the town and start looking for mom.” Adam left the room leaving his lazy brother to sleep.

Neo picked up his head again, “Wait, I’m not in my room.” He mumbled trying to wake up. It had been ten minutes since Adam tried to wake him up.

His eyes opened wide as realization hit him straight in the face. He leaped up, still wobbly from the rough night's sleep he had. Neo sighed, “I’m still tired, but Adams right.” He shook his head shaking off some of the sleepiness from his mind.

Downstairs everpony was making food, except for Allie, Newt, and Adam. So that just left Kat.

Neo came slowly down the stairs into the main room. Kat was at a roughly repaired old stove cooking some kind of stew, and Adam was sitting at the table looking over one a old toy Newt had from her toy chest.

“There all fixed.” Adam said to Newt putting his screwdriver away in his bag.

Newt picked up the old toy which was some kind of orange train from the old days.

“Yay! Train train!” Newt hopped around happy her toy was working again.

Adam gave her the train, and smiled at her. She then took the train and started to play with it, pretending it was taking ponies from place to place.

Allie walked out of a door just under the stairs. She looked tired and slow, but her mane was still as beautiful as it was the day before.

“Good morning everypony.” Allie said sitting at the small table in the corner of the room.

Neo joined in and sat at the table filling in the last chair.

“Celestia, I’m starving. What are you making Kat?” Neo asked scratching his mane.

“Stew.”

“What kind of stew?”

“Stew.”

“Can you please be a little more clear?”

“No.”

Neo’s eyes widened, he turned to Allie, “Whats with her?” He whispered.

“Shes not a morning pony.” Allie whispered back.

“Oh, I see.” Neo nodded as Kat brought a big iron pot to the table.

“Newt get the bowls.” Kat said sternly.

“I can get them Kat.” Adam said. For some reason Adam had been in a surprisingly better mood than he was yesterday.

Adam went over to one of the top cabinets and pulled out three bowls.

“There.” He said putting the bowls on the table. “One for brother, one for me, and one for Newt."

“I’ll get Allies and mine.” Kat mumbled her ears folded back.

Kat went to fetch the other bowls for her and Allie. While Kat was getting her bowl Allie started filling up each bowl with a small ladle inside the pot.

“Soups up, Take a bowl and eat up!” Allie said with a smile on her face.

Neo and Adam each took a bowl. Looking at the stew there was what looked like carrot bits, a few bits of old celery, and meat.

“Meat?” Adam questioned.

“Yeah its Brahmin stew.” Allie said.

“We don’t have meat in the Stable, we only eat fruits and vegetables.” Adam said looking at the meat float around in the stew like old mud chunks in a pool of water.

“Its okay, try it.” Allie nudged the stew towards him with he horn glowing.

Adam looked over to his brother to ask him what he thought, “Brother are you eating the-” Adam paused shocked that his older brother was scarfing down the whole bowl.

“Brother?” Adam asked looking awed.

Neo stopped for only a moment to reply, “This is really good Adam! I never knew meat tasted this nice!” He then continued to inhale what was left of his stew.

After about five or so bowls Neo was finally full. Nearly half the pot was gone and everyone was still on their first bow still amazed on how much he consumed.

Once breakfast was done Kat decided stay and clean up after the rather, filling meal. Allie agreed to take Neo and Adam around town to get supplies, and look for their mom.

The morning was very cool, with a sweet dampness was surrounding the air, townsfolk walked around opening shops, and preparing to start off their day. The clouds were still thick and gloomy, not once had they even broken up or lightened up. It was just like it was the day before, a gloomy dark grayish blanket that never seemed to end.

Neo, Adam, and Allie all walked down the dusty dirt road that divided the two halves of the town.

“Where are we off to now?” Adam asked Allie.

“We’re off to go get your stuff checked out at the general store.”

“Oh, how far is the store from your place?”

“Not to far, it just up the road here, the town itself isn’t very big.” She replied.

Allie then decided it was the right time to start giving the tour of the town as they made their way to the Maneton general store.

“This is the Main Square of Maneton, and over there is the town hall, and thats the sheriffs office.” Allie said finding excitement showing the town off to the Stable dwellers.

Allie found it mandatory that every little detail about the town was explained as the moved farther up the road. As the time passed more ponyfolk came out to perform daily duties and chores. Adam who didn’t really care about the tour was just amazed on how they had their lighting and pipeline set up. Thinking about how each pipe went into each home, and how much power it must take to get the water flowing at a productive rate was fascinating to him.

Neo on the other hand enjoyed the tour, listening to every word Allie had to say.

About five buildings from the general store there was a unicorn in a balcony of a building working on what seemed to be a large fuse box. She was swearing at the large metal box connecting to a large wire that stretched across the street.

“Piece of junk!” The unicorn swore hitting the box.

Adam stopped and move to the balcony to see what was wrong.

“Hey! What's going on up there?” Adam called too the unicorn.

She stopped for a moment to wipe some grime off her face, she turned her head to Adam.

“Its nothing kid, run along.” She said gesturing him to go away.

“No really I can help! Thats if you need it anyway.” He persisted.

She paused and thought for a moment, and then went back to Adam, “If you say you think help me. Than what the hay.” She said shrugging at her decision.

A huge smile found its way across Adam's face.“How do I get up there?”

“Just come on up through the house, up the stairs, and right out the only door to the balcony.” She shouted to him from her position.

Neo and Allie noticed Adam was no longer with them, and for a moment Neo felt paniced, but that panic was short lived when he turn around to see Adam talking to a green unicorn on balcony.

Allie and Neo stopped Adam before he started to make his way into the house.

“Adam where are you going?” Neo asked him.

Adam turned around to his brother. “She needs help fixing that big fuse box up there.” Adam pointed to where the unicorn was at.

“Don’t worry Neo, thats Nova. She's our local mechanic and magic technician.” Allie said answering Neo’s question as to who she was.

Adam looked at Neo and started to beg, “Please brother! I want to at least try and fix it! I’ll be careful I swear!” He said with a big sad puppy dog face trying to convince him.

“Well...” Neo said thinking rubbing his neck with his metal arm.

“I guess you can help her.” Neo said to Adam.

Adam’s grin grew double, but then his smile died down when Neo continued “But come strait to the general store when your done.” He said seriously to Adam, his great smile returned shortly after his statement.

Adam tried to dismiss the smile, and get serious, “Don’t worry brother I’ll be careful. You don’t have to worry about that.” He said giving Neo a serious trustworthy expression.

“Well? Go on help her, she isn’t going to wait all day.” Neo said dismissing his brother from the discussion.

Adam walked off into the house to help Nova fix the fuse box. Neo and Allie looked at each other and continued on their way to the general store.

The general store was a large wooden two story building. An old wagon wheel with several lights strung about it was used as a chandelier. An old zig zag black and white patterned rug was used lying in the center of the room. Shelves of assorted goods filled the shelves of the store, and on the front counter which was where the shopkeeper was. He was a young earth pony colt who looked no younger than Neo did, he had a red bandana neckerchief wrapped around his yellow-orange neck. He looked bored out of his wits, like when a young filly had to take a test in school or listen to a lecture.

As the two entered, a small metal bell rang softly as they opened the door to the store.
Immediately the shopkeeper perked up, he sat up straight and looked more alive than he previously did.

He looked to the two customers, “Welcome to the Maneton general store, I’m Isaac how can I help you two today?” He said in a cheerful friendly tone a big smile shining off his face.

Allie moved over to the counter where Isaac was, “Oh hi Isaac, we just wanted to bring by some stuff to sell, and maybe buy some stuff for my friend.”

“Alright let's take a look at what you’ve got then.” Isaac said rubbing his hooves together anxiously.

Neo swung his saddle bags on the counter spilling most of the bags contents. Neo started to separate the stuff he wanted to sell and the stuff he didn’t into different piles. The stuff he wasn’t going to sell was put back into his saddle bags, and put back on his back.

Neo started to list the items in the pile that he was selling, pointing to each item as he called them, “There's this box shaped pistol, a shotgun, a glass cup, and some bits from the Stable.”

Isaac eyed each item inspecting them closely making sure he wasn’t being ripped off.

Holding the combat shotgun he said, “Well this shotguns in pretty good condition considering it used to be a raider weapon.” He took out the barrel clip from the gun looking it over for ammo. “Its got two shots... I can give it to you for, twenty caps.”

Neo pondered if that was either a very good deal, or a bad deal. In his mind the amount of caps he offered sounded like a lot, but at the same time it didn’t. To him it was just confusing and strange.

“I think I’ll keep it, just for protection.” Neo told Isaac.

Isaac shrugged, “Suit yourself, if you wanna sell to me later than you can. I’ll be here all day if you need me.” Isaac set the shotgun back down on the counter.

He started to look at the pile again. Isaac spotted the the box shaped pistol and instantly his eyes widened and he got a surprised look on his face.

“Where did you get a laser pistol?”

Neo looked puzzled by the remark, “A what?”

Allie leaned forward to get a closer look at the weapon, “Whoa! I can’t believe my eyes, one of those raiders actually had a laser pistol on them!” She exclaimed in astonishment.

“What's so special about this gun?” Neo asked still unsure on whether or not he was going to sell it.

Isaac looked at Neo, “Why this little thing you got here is a state-of-the-art laser pistol, and damn, its in good shape too.” Isaac had a big greedy grin on his face.

Neo paused to think about it for a second. On one hoof he had no ammo for it, on another hoof it seemed rare and giving it away might be a bad idea.

“How much are you willing to take it for?” Neo asked hesitantly.

“For the quality, 55 caps.” He replied leaning against the counter.

Neo looked down for a moment, and he said with a sigh, “60 caps.” He said looking deeply at Isaac.

“Whoa there buddy.” Isaac said gesturing his hooves for him to back off.

“60 take it or leave it.” Neo said with sly smirk on his face.

Isaac bit his lip and folded his ears down, it was clear he was debating with himself on the matter.

Finally he looked at Neo and sighed with frustration, “Fine 60 caps, but don’t you think I’m soft on you. Cause I’m not.”

“Deal then.” Neo said with a rather victorious expression.

“Deal.” Isaac muttered disappointed that he had just lost 60 caps.

Adam was looking at his Pipbuck for fuse box symbols, he was sitting next to Nova directing her actions. He had fixed fuse boxes before back in the Stable, like when the resident chambers had lights that went out, rather than send for the repair pony he was called instead.

Adam pointed to a green fuse with his right forehoof, “Right here, put the wire 637 here.”

She levitated the wire into the appropriate place with a click.

“There, should be working now.” Nova said wiping grease from her hoof.

“It should work, I mean I double checked all the wires.” Adam commented checking through the tragic mess of wires and fuses.

“Okay hold your breath kid.” Nova said closing one eye and turning away slowly pulling the power lever down.

The leaver sounded rusted, and old as it squeaked loudly as she pulled it farther down. The lever was now fully down, and nothing happened.

Both their them were not surprised by the fact it didn’t work, or the fact that it didn’t explode on them when they turned it on.

“Piece of crap!” Nova swore as she hit the side of the fuse box, and then suddenly a loud humming noise sparked up out of nowhere.

The lights on the street light up faintly, and soon were lit up, bright, and beautiful.

“Well Celestia be praised you did it kid!” Nova exclaimed jumping up and hugging Adam tightly.

Adam was happy that he had succeeded in fixing the lights, but since he also couldn't breath it made it hard for him to be overjoyed. “Let me go please.” He whimpered as he gasped for air.

The green unicorn stopped her celebration to let Adam go, “Oh, sorry kid.” She said slightly embarrassed by her actions.

Adam took a deep breath of fresh air relieved that he was breathing freely once again.

Adam started to rub his sides trying to massage the pain away, “No it fine, I’ve had worse.” Adam gave her a smile.

She smirked and helped him up, “You ain’t to bad around technology, for an earth pony.”

Adam turned to his side to show off his flank, “My cutie mark is three copper gears with a wire, I’m made to be good at this stuff. Back home, I’m even better at repairing than anyone else I know.” That wasn’t saying a lot considering that he was the only one in his residence district who could repair anything back in the Stable.

Nova just smirked at him, “I guess you better head off now. Don’t want to keep you friends waiting.”

Adam turned back around facing her, “Oh yeah, thanks for letting me help you.”

“No, thank you for helping.” She said patting him on the head.

“Now get outta here.” She said nudging him out the door of the balcony gently a small smile on her face.

Adam walked into the room and started to go back down the stairs, Nova sighed in a content mood, “I just hope he doesn’t get into trouble, or worse. Get killed.”

Adam went back out the building into the dirt street. Adam remembered that Neo had told him to go to the general store right after he was done, and that he should help find information about mom afterwards with him. Adam considered it in is best interest to get to the general store which was only about a hundred feet away, but something interesting caught his eye in the window of the shop next to the general store. It was a book with a pair of goggles next to it. The goggles were made for training ponies, but he fell deeply in love with the fine leather and thickness of the goggles. He needed them, and the book next to them was a blackish book with yellow lettering on the cover saying "Wasteland Survival Guide".

“Its just two minutes, it can’t hurt if I look at them both for two minutes.” Adam thought to himself walking into the store next to the general store.

Inside the general store Neo and Allie had managed to barter 60 shotgun shells, and 30 shots for the other pistol Neo had looted from the raiders. What was the most surprising was that he did it all with 50 caps, and Isaac wasn’t too happy either.

Isaac sighed, “Is that all you need?” He said nervously hoping to Celestia that they didn’t ask for more.

“Actually I think we're good now.” Neo said with a victorious smirk on his face.

“Praise Celestia! I can’t keep being this nice to people.” Isaac thought to himself as he waved goodbye to them.

“Come again.” He said nervously, a fake smile on his face.

“Will do Isaac.” Neo said walking out of the general store with Allie.

Isaac sighed in relief that he didn’t have to trade with those two anymore, “I need to think about improving my bartering skills.” He said putting his head on the counter.

“That went better than I planned.” Neo said to Allie proud of himself that he managed to become quiet the trader.

Allie smiled at him, “But did you look at Isaac's face when you sold your glass cup for 20 caps.”

Neo started to laugh a bit, “Or when I bought repairs for the shotgun for under 18 caps.”
“Yeah, he looked like he was about to explode!” Allie added.

The two both started to laugh at their experience in the store.

“I haven’t laughed like that in months.” Allie said calming down, and wiping a tear from her cheek.

They both looked at each other, a feeling of happiness and joy filled them as the looked deeper into each others eyes.

The moment was short lived when Adam came dashing over to them from the store next to them.

“Brother!” Adam shouted jumping on Neo.

“Whaa!” He said as he was tackled by his little brother, “Hi brother.” Adam said getting off of Neo.

Allie chuckled a bit at the comical scene.

Neo got up and dusted himself off before asking Adam how the repairs went with Nova, “Did you help fix that fuse box?”

“Oh yeah we sure did, the lights are running now.” Adam said helping Neo get the dirt off his stable suit.

Allie looked at them both. “Now that we got supplies, and lightened your bags, we need to see if we can try and find some information on your mother’s whereabouts.”

“Yeah, but where should we start looking?” Neo commented.

“A lot of travelers go into the Maneton saloon, that's probably a good place to start.” Allie stated.

“Then lets head to the saloon and see what we can find.” Adam said.

Adam started to dig through his saddle bag to pull out his new goggles. Neo looked at him curiously wondering where he had got the goggles.

“Adam where did you get those goggles?” Neo asked him.

“I bought them with the caps we got from those raiders, why do ask?” He said tilting his head in puzzlement.

Neo looked surprised, “You had those caps!”

“Yeah I thought you knew.”

“No, I didn’t know! I need those to buy a... New...Thing!” He shouted.

Neo calmed down for a moment, “How much did you spend?” He asked calmly.

“All of it.” Adam said smiling.

Once again Neos face lit up with rage, “Why did you spend them all! What did you buy!”

Adam smiled nervously with his ears folded back, “I got this book, and these goggles.” Adam went through his bag to get the book he had bought from the store.

He held it in his mouth for Neo to see, on the cover it said, "Wasteland Survival Guide. By Ditzy Doo".

Allies face instantly lit up, “Wow! You got the only copy in town! How did you buy it?”

Adam put a hoof to his head remembering what had happened in the store, “Well, I walked in and bought the goggles for 15 caps, then I asked him for the book, and he said it was 100 caps. I thought that was terrible price for a book so I asked him why it was so expensive, and he said, ‘This is the only copy of this book in the whole Ironhoof Province.’ And I said that was stupid so I told him I would trade my book on bio magical technology for the book. He looked at it and said that it was worth a trade so we traded books, and here we are.”

“I see but how about the rest of the caps?” Neo asked upset that he had spent half of their money.

“Oh thats easy, I lost them.” He said with the same big embarrassed smile on his face.

“I give up.” Neo said hanging his head down.

“Lets... Just go look for mom at the salon.” Neo said trying to shake the negative feeling from his mind.

--

The saloon was a large brick building with three floors, and a large windmill on the top of the building. It looked like some kind of old hang out in the days before the war. There was no door in the front and it was silent. All the noise that could be heard was the sound of a cough every now and again.

They entered the old saloon slowly, the gaze of everypony was on them as they advanced further into the saloon. Everypony there was like a shadow with eyes, like a monster that a foal would find under their bed.

Neo, Allie, and Adam sat down at the bar. A large brown unicorn stallion was levitating a glass, washing it with a dirty old cloth.

He moved over to them and in a gruff hardened voice he asked, “What’ll it be?” He said looking at the trio.

“Nothing for the moment, I do need to ask you a question though.” Neo said leaning closer to the bartender.

“I won’t talk if yeh don’t buy somthin.” He said spitting in the glass he was cleaning using his saliva as a cleaner.

Neo looked at Adam and Allie, “What do I do?” He whispered to them.

“Buy something.” Allie replied shrugging.

Neo turned back to the mean looking colt, “I’ll just have...” Neo said looking at the many different bottles on the shelf behind him, “That, I’ll some of that.” Neo's said pointing to a brown bottle in the corner of the shelf.

With a mellow expression the unicorn's horn faintly lit up as he levitated the bottle to a glass. He poured a thick steaming brown liquid into the glass, “There, that’ll be ten caps.” He said blankly.

Neo went through his bag and pulled out ten caps, and gave it to the unicorn. He slid his left forehoof over the counter to collect his pay.

Neo just smirked slightly at the drink which looked strikingly similar to oil, only it was more disgusting.

He gestured his head forward telling him to drink it, and with a gulp and a little faith he put his head down to drink the oily beverage.

*SLURP* In one whole swing he inhaled the whole glass of gunk, an almost deathly look came shortly after he finished it. Neo coughed a bit trying to clean it out of his system, the taste of oil and rotten garbage still hung around his mouth.

Neos voice was still soggy from the drink, “So... Did you happen to..Ugh.” He gave up trying the beverage proved to be too strong for him, and he was left unable to talk for the moment.

Adam took over the conversation, “We need to find our mom, shes a unicorn for a Stable like us. Have you seen her?”

He looked at him bleakley, “Can’t say I have, I don’t remeb’r all the folks that come through my saloon.”

Adam and Neo's hearts sank at the sound of the news he had given them.

“I know where your mom went.” Went a filly's voice from across the room.

The trio turned their heads towards the direction of the stranger's voice, it was dark in the room and it was hard to tell what she looked like.

“Over here.” The voice called softly.

Over in the corner of the room was a round table, and there sat a grey Pegasus pony with a leather duster coat, and a brown fedora. A sniper rifle sat next to her.

The trio moved towards the table and sat down.

“What do you know about our mom?” Asked Adam.

She looked up at him, “More than you think kid.”

Foot Note: Level up

New Perk: Silver tongue: You have a way with words when it comes to trading, you gain a 25% discount every time you buy items from a trader.

Foot Note: Level up

Would you like to level up Adam?

Yes<

No

Foot Note: Level up

New Perk: Careful reader: You gain +2 points whenever a new book is read.

(AN: I did some basic editing with this, so hopefully it is slightly more readable now. However there is still things I need to fix. Originally I did editing with a few proofreaders but due to some technical difficulties on my part I lost the edited version of this chapter. I will continue to edit it and improve in the near future. Thank you - Noakwolf)