“A Gardener? Really? Out of anything you could be, you want to grow food?” Caltrop spat his beans out in shock. I raised my eyebrow to him. “I’m mean, there ain’t nothin wrong with dat. It’s just…” He drifted off.

“It’s just what?” I shot back to him before taking a bite of my spinach.

“Ya don’t exactly seem like the type suited ta growin stuff.” He shrugged and looked down at his plate. “Figured ya would want somethin with more excitement, ya know?” He pushed the beans on it around with his hoof. “Though, I guess ya get enough of dat already.”

He was right. I think I’d always wanted to garden because it was peaceful. It helped that I could do it on my own, and support myself. Just till up some land, plant some seeds, and care for them. No danger, no rent. Just me and the land. Maybe someday I still can...

“Well, what about you?” I broke off from my train of thought. “If you could do anything for a living, what would it be?”

“Oh, dat’s easy. I’d sing.” He smiled to himself and dove back into his plate of beans.

“I’d be an explorer!” Sandy shouted and bounced on the bed she’d claimed. “Maybe I’d go to the stars and get to meet Laika even.” She smiled and carefully squeezed the bunny plush she’d found down here.

“Sounds about right.” Smiling, I pushed myself up from the table, leaving the spinach for later. I stretched out before allowing myself to flop into my own bed. I knew that we should really be moving on to the hiding place that Storm Suggested, but even if she had carried on home overnight, she’d just be arriving in Baltimare now. Not only that, I was still not good enough to travel. Another night here, that should be enough.

“Really? Dat’s it?” Caltrop asked as he too got up. “Just… why is it so easy ta believe dat I’d sing?”

“Well,” I started. “Your voice is clear, so that much makes sense. You sang to me before...” I paused as a smile crept across my muzzle. “That and plenty of mares did it before the war, it’s only natural you’d want to do the same.”

“I’ll take dat as a compliment.” He snipped as he walked in between our beds. “And I don’t see how ya keep judgin me fer bein so mare like!” He clenched his bed’s pillow in his fetlock and swung it at me, pomfing me across the muzzle. “Ya should try it some time, maybe ya’d like it!”

“Oh, I’m not mare-like enough for you?” I giggled like a filly and wrestled against his blows to get my own pillow out from under me. Wrapping my magic around it, I fired it at him like a missile, smacking him in the head.

“No! I’ve been with stallions more mare-like then ya!” He hoofed the pillow into his muzzle and shook all about, flailing the old feather filled sack at me. I couldn’t defend against his flurry of blows, but it ended abruptly when one end caught my horn. One ear flattening rip later, we were all covered in two century old feathers.

Lifting the old pillow case from my head, I found Caltrop shiftily looking any direction but me. My eyes drifted to Sandy, who was staring wide eyed at the fluttering, off white feathers as they wafted down through the air.

“Is this… snow? They said it was white and fluffy, so...” She gasped, going cross eyed as one of them dropped right onto the end of her nose. It hung there for a moment before Sandy let out a sudden sneeze. She wiggled her nose and wiped it furiously. “Snow makes my nose itchy.” Caltrop and I turned and looked at each other as I could feel more giddy laughter bubble up from inside me.

I groaned in between laughs as my side started to hurt again. Calming ourselves slowly, Caltrop flopped down onto his bed as I rolled over onto my back. From everything that’s happened, laughter was the last thing in my mind I’d thought to have felt recently. I took another look around the shelter. Fully stocked, power that could run for a good long while, and enough room for all three of us.

Sorrow peaked it’s head in to whisper a grim truth amongst our enjoyment. This place had been meant to save ponies in the war. Somepony’s family made this their escape from the hell that became the world, and they never made it. The doll that Sandy had found, was it for a foal that would have been born in this shelter? Or did somepony so young leave it here so that at least it would never view the horror’s of the wasteland? So that above all else, it would be safe?

My eyes drifted over to both Sandy and Caltrop. Three beds, to save three from the wastes. If it weren’t for the fact that Storm had told us to go north, maybe we could have stayed here. It’s no farm, and the food wouldn’t last more than a few months, but it’s peaceful. Down here, there’s no hate, no danger from raiders or slavers.

“Ya alright there, Boss?” Caltrop asked, staring at me as I realized that the room had fallen silent amid my wandering thoughts.

I wanted to tell him that for once, everything was perfect. That I hadn't felt this good in years. The only thing that kept it from coming out, was Sandy’s ears twitching before she spun around toward the exit ladder.

She turned and looked at me with fear in her eyes. “Someone’s outside.”

My instincts took over and in one fluid motion, I’d rolled out of bed and was nearly halfway across the bunker. When I got to the concrete tube that rose to the surface, I tilted my head up to listen. The mattress that Caltrop had dragged out of the house blocked most of the sound coming from the outside, which was probably a good thing. We hadn’t exactly been quiet down here.

“You’re sure?” I dropped my voice to a low whisper and shot a glance back to Sandy. She nodded her head and pulled her bunny doll close.

Hooking my hooves around the old, rusted ladder rungs, I climbed upwards. The musty mattress that lay flush against where the hatch used to sit, did little to muffle the sound of the wind. Pressing my ear against it, I realized it wasn’t the wind at all.

“Come on Flak, we've still got a job to do.” A voice spoke up, accompanying the steady beat of wings. Ever so slightly, I lifted the mattress just enough to peek out from. A small gust pushed some dust through before the sharp yellow talons of a gryphon landed just feet away from our sanctuary.

“No, I saw a zombie heading this way, and I want to at least have some fun today.” Another voice spoke up. The voice circled around, seeming to change directions a few times before another griffon dropped onto the dirt. This one was far enough away that I could see him. A tawny yellow griffon crouched imposingly in the dirt, his silver eyes scanned the surroundings before he looked over to the old cabin. His sleek black combat armor looked brand new, as did the simple combat rifle slung against his side. “I bet it’s hiding inside over there. Cornered like a rat in a trap!”

“Leave it. I promise I'll let you shoot any prison slaves that escaped, but we're not going to waste our time with this.” The voice next to me sighed in agitation. “We’re heading back. Now.”

There was something about the voice of this one that made me sure that he was the one in charge between them. Strict, logical, and dedicated was just how all Talon mercs were. Well, if the other one is any example, then it’s not as well taught as I thought.

“Any of your previous wingmates ever tell you you're as annoying as Captain Gavii?” The other griffon shook his head and unslung his rifle. “Besides, it will only take a minute.”

“Oh, people tell me I sound like Captain Gavii all the time! You know why? Cause we've got fucking work to do. The only reason I haven't beaten your ass is because you're from Vanhoover, and you know my Mother.” The talon close to me ground his talons into the dirt. “Now, holster that fucking weapon, and fall in line.” He growled. “Initiate.”

“Fine.” The other one sighed, slinging his gun back across his chest.

“Fine, what?” The closer talon snapped.

I felt a tickle at my side and I bit my lip to keep from making any noise. Caltrop pushed his way up the rungs, shoving me over to one side of the small tube. In the limited light, I made sure he saw my agitated glare. What if they’d heard him? He could be such a moron sometimes.

“Fine, sergeant Surnia.” The far talon rolled his eyes and spread his wings. With a kick from his hind legs, he jumped into the air and took off. The talons in the dirt next to us spun to follow the noise of his beating wings. Slowly, they walked a few feet from us before stopping. What stood there was a fairly plump looking Griffon. His plumage fluffed out of every opening in his outfit, and the tan accents to it almost looked like stripes that ringed his body. A short, hooked beak and piercing yellow eyes kept their gaze along the horizon.

“I know you are there. You can come out and I won't hurt you. Talon's keep their word.” The griffon in charge spoke in our direction before looking down to the slit we viewed from. Slowly, I turned to look to Caltrop, who had the look of utter confusion on his face. I didn’t know how he’d figured it out, but we were unarmed and unprepared for a fight. “I just want to ask you some questions. Mainly if you've seen any escaped slaves.”

I was about to speak up when Caltrop beat me to the punch.

“We don't want any trouble.” He raised a hoof and pushed the mattress up, sliding it back so he could climb out. “My wife was sick from a rad scorpion sting... we were only restin here until the fever passed.”

I’d have to smack him for that. I needed to have a bit of a talk about how we’ll deal with shit like this in the future. Whether or not that lie gets us out of that jam, and even if it worked on Novocain, it won’t always fool somepony. My eyes turned to the griffon, who studied Caltrop for a moment before raising an eyebrow to me.

He pointed a talon to me. “Step out into the open and I'll let you go on your merry way.” His other talon slipped down along his side towards a holstered pistol, watching as I slowly did as he asked. As I pulled myself all the way out, he froze and stared at me. “Ah, not a slave, but a prisoner. I've seen your face on a bounty, and I will report you.”

I wasn’t expecting that. After only a moment, he ID’d me from a crude sketch? No, this was now too dangerous. I had to act. I focused lightly around the pistol on his side, about to unsnap the holster to draw it when he held his talons out towards us.

“But…” He paused, wagging a talon as he made sure to glance at his gun. Even now he’d known what I was doing. “It's not my job to bring you in. My Contract says I'm just here for slaves. Rest assured though it is not your lucky day, as somepony else will be along shortly to claim you. I suggest you save the trouble by turning yourself in.”

“Sorry, but I can’t do that.” I kept my eyes locked on his, slowly releasing my grip from his gun. In doing so, he visibly relaxed, slowly unfurling his wings.

“That is your choice to make.” He replied, standing up on his hind legs to an impressive height, spreading his wings wide as he pointed down to me. “Know any who shelter you are in danger.” He shifted his talon to Caltrop. “And for their sake, hope they don’t give a talon the contract.”

With a great heave, he lifted off into the air, his judgemental eyes glaring down upon us as he turned away. When he finally rose high enough we couldn’t see them, Caltrop gave out a sigh and collapsed. Slowly he looked up to me with a small smile.

“I think I liked it better when we weren’t on the run.” He shook his head and wiped at his forehead. I didn’t like that. He spoke of ‘we’ as if this were a problem we shared. That couldn’t be farther from the truth.

“Yeah…” I sighed and looked out towards the northern mountains. “Gather what you can. We can’t stay here any longer.”

He nodded and pulled himself up. Carefully, he lowered himself back down into the shelter. This feeling inside was one that I knew intimately even though I’d never experienced it. It was something I’d inflicted upon countless others through the years. Ultimately, it was that which got us into this situation. It was the fear that came from being hunted. The urge to constantly look over your shoulder, and knowing that if you ever stopped, you were dead.

“Aww, do we really have to leave?” Sandy’s voice echoed up to me, sending a chill down my spine.

Neither of them needed to know this sort of suffering. They had been drawn into my life through my mistakes. They didn’t need to be put in danger by me. Much like this bunker, I’d used them for protection. They had both filled a void when I had become hopeless and needed help. I have grown fond of the interactions I’ve had with them, and for the sake of what I now understand friendship to be, I need to leave them. Caltrop can take care of Sandy, or the reverse most likely if necessary.

“Make sure ta grab as much of the food as ya can.” Caltrop spoke in a slow and disappointed tone. “Shame we couldn’t have stayed longer.” He sighed and knocked a hoof against the bars below me. “Heya, PC. Ya might want ta put these back on.” With a grunt, I found my coat and hat tossed up and out of the hole. The cloth landed at my hooves and I could do nothing other than smile sadly.

Tonight then will be when I go.

Spending time in the bunker had thrown our perceptions off, and it was late afternoon when we had finally gotten our supplies squared away. Leaving the comfort and security of the bunker was hard. Storm always told me how the Stable dwellers she’d seen had been hesitant to leave, and I never got that. I guess that point of view is one of the things I’ve changed my mind on.

I had mixed blessings about wearing my coat and hat again. On one hoof, it had felt so damn good to wear again. Even though it never offered me much protection, anything is better than nothing. It just felt… odd to wear it without my harness underneath. I missed my guns, but in truth, I’m just glad I still had my life.

We followed north along the cracked and uneven old pavement of a prewar road. It didn’t offer us much cover, but then again, these plains were just empty. Flat and open made for quick travel though, so it didn’t bother me. Unless somepony came from above, we’d see them coming from a mile away.

“We’re off on an adventure, Mr. squeakers!” Sandy had been speaking playfully to her newfound toy of course. She’s been so ignorant to just how dangerous things in the wasteland can be, but I can’t take her happiness away from her. That wasn’t my job, the only thing I needed to do was to protect them. “Do you want to sing a song?” She asked the stone silent doll. Singing wasn’t the best idea when we were on the run. It was too dangerous, so I was going to have to say no.

“I’ve got an idea.” Caltrop spoke up from beside me before I could. “Sandy, do ya want ta play a game?” He waited until she nodded, which she did furiously. “It’s called ‘I spy’. I tell yah somethin I see, and yah look for it until yah find it. Sound fun?”

“Yes, Mr. Caltrop!” She smiled brightly and bounced on her hind legs.

“Alright…” His words drifted off as he looked around the horizon. A smile stretched across his muzzle as he looked to me. “I spy, a pony in the distance.”

“Alright, Mr. squeakers! Keep your eyes open!” She giggled and kept her head on a swivel. Of course from how he looked at me, I knew that there wasn’t any pony out there. He knew as well as I did we needed to keep a low profile. Putting her to work as a lookout however, was something I wouldn’t have ever thought of.

“Smart thinking.” I lowered my voice down a bit. I knew Sandy would be able to hear me, but so long as we’re being careful, it’s best to take every precaution. “We should also be on the lookout for another place to stay. It will be dark in a few hours, and I have no idea if we’re even close.”

“We can look for that too!” Sandy joyfully squeaked out. “Isn’t that right?” She looked down to her doll again and pulled it into a hug. Farbeit for me to understand how she can ‘accidentaly’ rend a pony’s leg from their body, but she doesn’t pierce two century old fabric.

“It may be a bit out of our way, but I think there’s a warehouse around here somewhere.” Caltrop shrugged and kept his eyes to the road ahead.

“What makes you say that?” I scanned the horizon myself, not sure how he figured he knew. To be honest, it didn’t matter where we stayed the night, I wouldn’t be sleeping anyway. They knew the path north, and they knew what to look for to be safe. My direction would be home. I know Storm doesn’t want to risk it, but with this much heat on my own head, we’re going to need to work together.

Caltrop stopped walking and pointed a hoof back to the dirt. Laying flat and fairly rusted, was a dusty old sign. The faded words were half obscured and partially missing, but what it did say was M. Distribution Wareh.

“Listen, PC…” He said softly, walking forward again with his head held low. “There’s somethin I was hopin ta talk ta yah about tonight.” Kicking a rock as he caught up along side of me, I’d hoped that it wouldn’t be about that kiss. Even though you enjoyed it. My mind really didn’t know when to quit, did it? As if to read my thoughts, he cleared me of that worry. “Don’t worry, it ain’t about anything between us. Just… got some things dat I think yah should know.”

“Look, just focus on finding us somewhere to stay.” I shook my head and watched as Sandy scampered around on the road ahead of us. For some reason, she stopped fifty feet ahead or so, keeping her eyes locked on a mass of dried up shrubbery. No more than a few feet into the ditch alongside the road, it wasn’t big enough for anything dangerous to be in. “Sandy, what is it?” I called out to her.

“I… dunno!” She looked back at me hesitantly. “It’s pretty…”

“Well, don’t touch it then.” Caltrop said before trotting ahead of me. I didn’t believe him when he told me it wasn’t about that kiss. He damn well know’s what my rules are, and if he wants to dance this dance again, I’m just going to have to keep smacking sense into him. “Shit, Sandy!”

His alarmed shout pulled me out of my thoughts just in time to see her double over and throw up. I galloped over as Caltrop hooked a hoof around her and dragged her off the road away from the bush.

“I don’t feel so good.” Sandy groaned and curled around his hoof, wrecking and dry heaving weakly.

“Fuckin radiation!” Caltrop shouted, pointing to a hollowed out section of the dried bramble. “Pc, I don’t know how bad she is, but she needs medicine.”

Even as I trotted closer, I could see the shimmering from the multicolored egg that sat inside. The crack that ran down one of the sides undulated with magic. The closer I got, the more I could feel it’s pulsing at the tip of my horn. Mom never kept these kind of things in the shop, something about them being dangerous and unstable. What I didn’t get, was that somepony just left it out here. A terrifying screech tore through the air above us, and I looked up with just enough time to see a balefire phoenix diving down at me.

“Run!” Was all I could shout as I flattened and rolled myself to avoid the angry creature. Caltrop didn’t need to be told twice, bursting into a hobbled gallop. He’d pulled Sandy as close as he could as he ran. Once I got back onto my hooves, I took off after him. I focused my magic to feel down his leg, slowly wrapping it around Sandy’s groaning form. With her now floating to his side, and me catching up quickly, he shot his gaze back and forth before peeling off from the road.

There was another piercing cry from the phoenix before it dove. I cried out as my back erupted into pain. It felt as if it was boiling, the smell of charred flesh rose through my coat to my nose. The bright green light of it zipped forward and dove at Caltrop. It raked him across the back, and he too let out a bloodcurdling scream.

“Over there!” He screamed out.

Just on the horizon was a low dark rectangle. It had to be shelter, but would it be enough protection from an angry phoenix? I told myself it would have to be as we kicked up dust from our beating hooves.

As fast as it had appeared, the phoenix seemed to lose interest. It gave a shrill call as it flew away, and I knew that we’d be alright. I dug my hooves into the dirt and skidded to a stop, curving Sandy back to me through the air so it wasn’t as abrupt for her. Looking back, I saw the green bird circle the bramble a few times before descending. The thought that it was protecting the egg cropped up in my mind. It was just a mother protecting what it thought was important.

Looking back ahead, I saw that Caltrop had slowed his pace considerably, but still continued toward the dark shape on the edge of the horizon. Without another thought, I lowered Sandy onto my back and trotted with him toward shelter. It had only taken another few minutes at a trot to get up to it, and it wasn’t as welcoming as I’d thought from a distance.

With the darkening skies, the looming concrete ribs attached to the crumbling metal of the warehouse walls made this place look more like it was decomposing than falling apart. The half worn mural painted on the large double doors on the other hoof, was a warning we needed to heed. Too many stories had made their way from ponies lips about the horrific things found inside a Ministry of Morale building. That if you ever see the face of the smiling pink mare who ran it, you should turn around and leave it be.

Problem was, I couldn’t do that. Granted I didn’t know how hellhounds reacted to radiation, and I knew they were tougher than us ponies. Sandy had it pretty bad, and I knew that as close as Caltrop got to get her out of there, he’s even feeling the effects. He’s been sweating and grumbling about his stomach for the last few minutes.

“Stay out here.” I broke the silence and used my magic to pass Sandy to him. Before he could even answer, I’d walked up to one of the large warehouse doors and pushed it open just enough to get through.

Along with the low light coming through the various holes in the roof, row after row of dimly lit bulbs still glowed above the warehouse floor. Row upon row of crates, chemical tanks, and large wrapped frames lined the long concrete corridor. At the far end, sat what looked to be a small office, or employee’s area.

“There has to be a first aid kit in there. if not…” I mumbled to myself, turning around to get the others. Instead, my nose smacked into the rusted muzzle of what looked to be a protectapony. “FUCK!” I shouted and fell back onto my haunches, pushing myself back away from the menacing machine as it lumbered to the side.

I wasn’t sure why at first, but instead of stepping, it fell over. The sharp tearing of rusted metal filled the air as the rusted and ruined internal components of it spilled out onto the floor around it. It probably hadn’t moved in years, but I just happened to miss the fucking thing coming through the door. The same door which whined as it was pushed open in a hurry.

“PC, are you hurt?” Caltrop exclaimed loud enough I was afraid his voice might tear the fragile metal and bring this place down for good. His abrupt appearance threw my brain for a loop, and it took my eye twitching to get it going again.

“The fuck are you doing?” I shouted. “What if I was hurt? Who would keep Sandy safe if you just burst in here and got killed too, huh?” Snorting, I got back to my hooves and kicked the rusted head straight off the protectapony’s body.

“I… I’m sorry.” He stammered, looking guilty as he glanced back toward the door. “It’s just, yah screamed, so…”

“So what? You rushed in here to save me?” I forced out a laugh at that. “I’m not going to always be around. You need to take better care of Sandy.” Yanking the door back with my magic, I trotted back out to get her. Carefully I floated her off the ground and closer to me. She whimpered and cried softly, curling up tighter as I set her down.

“I didn’t mean ta.” Caltrop spoke at barely a whisper, turning sadly towards the other end of the warehouse. Between how she spoke up before, and how I knew I should be treating him, he didn’t need me snapping at him like that.

“I know, I’m sorry.” I grumbled as I took my place beside him. “After we find some medicine, we can talk.” I’d hoped that would spur some more life into him, but he continued to look just as gloomy. “Alright?”

“Yeah.” He sighed out, looking up to the office as we approached it.

The door had folded underhoof at the slightest pressure, and my plan to lay sandy on the table ended when it collapsing under her weight. Caltrop made quick work of searching the few rooms attached to this one. He was quite thorough, finding a hooffull of caps, an old can of spaghetti that seemed in better condition than the rusting walls, a random memory orb wrapped in notepaper, and a cracked but intact sparkle cola. I sat with Sandy as we all prayed that the first aid kit wasn’t stored in the manager’s office upstairs. There would be no way the flooring up there would last.

“Found it!” He shouted from the bathroom. Turning the corner, the soft yellow ministry of peace box rattled in his muzzle, telling me it was still stocked. Setting it down, he flipped up the latch and pushed it open. Inside, was a healing potion full of black liquid, a syringe filled with black liquid, black spotted bandages, and a single packet of Rad-Away.

“What the fuck is wrong with this stuff?” I asked as I tried to grab my magic around the bottle. The moment my magic touched it, I felt a spark kick back through it and into my horn. My vision went white for a moment and I tasted an odd flavor in my mouth. Slowly, I shook it off. “Something isn’t right here. This place is falling apart while every other building in the wastelands refuses to fall down? Medical supplies that have a weird magic to them?”

“Like yah said, what choice do we have?” Caltrop said as he picked the Rad-Away packet in his fetlock. Bringing it up to his muzzle, he tore the edge of the packet off. Slowly, he took a small sip of it. Almost immediately, he choked and sputtered a few times.

“I assume that it’s bad too?” I sighed.

“No. I just fucking hate orange flavor.” He put his other hoof over his mouth and continued to choke on the drink. Holding the packet out for me to grasp. “For some reason, it’s still good.”

I found I could hold on to it with my magic, taking it from him. I brushed Sandy softly with my hoof and it got her to uncurl. Carefully, I helped her to drink the whole packet. Surprisingly, she guzzled it down without a single complaint. Hopefully it would be enough to get rid of the sickness.

“Alright, we should be safe, so we’ll bed down here for the night.” I looked over to Caltrop as he wiped at his muzzle, sitting completely still as a low groan came from the metal walls of the warehouse.

“Dat is…” Caltrop looked around nervously. “If this place stays standin dat long.”

Author's Notes:

Thanks to Kkat, Somber, Mimezinga, No_One, Stonershy, Hetnu, Xjuan, Relyet, and a TON of others who would take far too long to name. Without these author's stories to inspire me, there's no way I could bring you all my own.