From the lack of whimpering, I guessed that Sandy's condition had improved in the last few minutes. I’m glad she was finally able to get some sleep after everything that happened today. This whole trip wasn’t going anywhere near as well as planned, but that fit with my whole week. Scratch that, my whole fucking life.

Caltrop and I took a minute to look over the wounds we’d received from the balefire phoenix. For me, my leather trenchcoat stopped most of the searing heat. My back was tender to the touch, but no worse for wear. Caltrop on the other hoof, had it pretty bad. Two cracked and blistered lines ran along his back, the flesh around them looked crimson and knotted.

Even though it looked bad, he should be fine for a few days. Any longer than that and he risked infection. In leaving, I was relying on them to continue to the safehouse. If they do, I’m sure Storm has it stocked with enough to keep Sandy and him alive until she get’s there. It’s a leap of faith on my part, one that I’m not happy to make. I know they’ll be safer without me, but I can’t help but feel like leaving is a bad idea.

“Ey, PC?” Caltrop spoke up and ripped me from my thoughts. “There's something we need ta talk about.” He didn’t sound too happy to talk about whatever, but he first twisted around and hoofed at his saddlebag. Slowly, he folded the flap of it back and bit down on something. Within a few moments, he’d pulled out the note I’d found in the prison. It hung from his muzzle as a very solemn look fell across his face.

“Is that what you’ve been all gloomy about?” I huffed and laid down. Credit where it’s due, he wanted me to know about his past. Problem is that knowing it was just going to make it harder to leave. “You didn’t do a very good job at hiding it. I found that a while back.”

“And yah never said anything?” He snorted, sending the note fluttering through the air and to the floor. “Yah never once wondered about anythin I'd written onta it? Did yah even care at all?”

“I figured that your past was in the past.” I grumbled and flopped onto my side, doing my best to curl up into my own coat. He just needed to drop this conversation, because I didn’t want to have to yell. “I never asked because I assumed that you didn’t feel that way anymore. You seem perfectly fine now to me.”

“Oh, and how did yah figure dat!” He groaned back in annoyance. Obviously, I’d hit some sort of nerve with this topic. I didn’t need this, not when it would be that last thing he’d say to me. There was no reason to end this any way but swiftly.

“Because you love me.” I snapped at him. “You’ve been too busy with that to care about your issues, or did I miss something with that kiss?” His muzzle scrunched and his muscles locked up as soon as he’d processed that. He knew I was right, and I knew it would shut him up. “Now, shut up and let’s get some rest. I want to get to that safe house before midday and before somepony else finds us.” I used my magic to pull my hat down over my eyes.

That was just another reason to leave, and another way I’d be protecting Caltrop in particular. These feelings he had for me served no purpose but to complicate everything. Even if you feel the same? The last thing I need tonight is for my mind to fight against what I had to do.

I’d already gotten Caltrop mixed up in the mess with Brightshine. If there’s a contract out on me, then it won’t be two-bit bounty hunters looking for me. No, they’ll all be just as good as Brightshine or better. There was no need for both he and Sandy to live through another one of my mistakes. This way would be better for everypony. I just needed to wait until He fell asleep.

Fortunately, I didn’t have to wait long for that. Within a few minutes, Caltrop was fast asleep. Both he and Sandy laid peacefully next to each other, and for some reason, I felt good about seeing them together like that. They should be able to watch out for each other just fine. I spent a few minutes waiting, just to make sure they were actually asleep. I found my thoughts drifting in that time, and after a while, I realized I was just staring at Caltrop. With that, I knew it was time.

Under the cover of darkness, I’d slipped out of the warehouse. The softly pulsating light of the Balefire egg in the distance helped me reorient myself, and I got moving. Instead of following the road north, I’d pointed myself east and continued at a canter. If we were where I thought this place was, there should be an old Hotel and Resort only a few hours trot away. A change in direction to put some distance between us would do a lot to keep them safe till morning.

Being by myself, I thought I’d made good time under the cover of darkness, but there was always the threat of wildlife. Though, I don’t know how long it took, seeing as I spent most of the trip out this far lost in thought. The open plane near the road eventually gave way to rolling hills that were just big enough to hide something dangerous. The resort area in particular was known for hosting a few manticores and even the occasional bear. I didn’t want to run into either of them unarmed, so I’d slowed myself down. At somewhere between a trot and a walk, I had weaved my way towards the ruined resort grounds.

I was crossing what used to be a golf course when I made out an old shack with a dim light inside. It sat at a slightly canted angle in a cluster of dead trees, the whole area looking like a miniature forest among the dusty golf grounds. The thought that there might be somepony inside ran through my mind and I turned to avoid it.

I stopped when I looked up to the Hotel. Through more than a few of the window’s, I saw a sort of shimmering light. It was dim enough that had I not stopped moving, I might not have seen it. This place was a bust. Now I needed to backtrack for an hour just to get around here. Fucking waste of my time.

There was the creaking of a door behind me, and instinctively I flattened myself to the dirt. Slow hoofsteps drew closer to me. It wasn’t until I tried to slow my breathing that I realized something. Flattening in the middle of a dusty, grassless golf course was a really shitty place to hide. The hoofsteps grew closer and closer, walking at an almost casual pace. They walked right up beside me, turning and stopping just at the brim of my flattened hat.

“Hey there friend!” The pony standing above me spoke with a raspy whisper. “It’s not safe out here. Come with me.” The voice was familiar, though I couldn’t place it.

I was at this ponies mercy. They hadn’t killed me yet though, so I guess I could allot that much to this not being some sort of trick. Slowly, I glanced up. A set of softly glowing hooves of a ghoul greeted my eyes. The rotting and fetid flesh brightened and dimmed in time with his slow breaths. I couldn’t tell the color of his coat in the dark, but the two puncture wounds on his chest ran lines of dark ichor down along it. As my sight rose to meet his eyes, I realized that this was the same pony I’d met in Sandy’s caves. He smiled to me in an eerily friendly way and waved his forehoof.

“Come quickly, or she’ll notice.” He spoke again quickly. Not even waiting for a response, he trotted back past me toward the small shack among the trees. I didn’t know who ‘she’ was, or if he was even safe to trust. Every part of the old me knew I should just cut and run, but I was out of options. This was a chance I’d have to take.

With the knowledge that we weren’t alone out here, I quickly picked myself up. I trotted after him and ducked between the old trees around the rustic shack. Once inside, he shut the door behind me. The inside of the shack was quite small. A large collection of rusting cans and cracked cleaner bottles took up half of the place. This must have been where they kept the ground maintenance supplies. It was barely big enough for the two of us to stand without touching each other.

“There, now that we’re in here, she won’t hurt us.” He said with a sigh. As he did, he dimmed all at once, brightening as he drew another breath. His glow is what I had seen lighting the shack before, and I couldn’t look away from it now. The effect was oddly entrancing, like watching somepony stoke a fire. There was something primal to the look of fire. Storm spent a lot of time looking into it as if she could see something in it, even if I never did. Oddly, for some reason it helped to calm me. “... night, don’t you think?”

“What?” I stammered. Damnit, this one reason why I hated company. “Sorry, you were saying something about a Mare?”

“I was telling you that it wasn’t smart to move around the wastes at night.” He looked me over as if to study me. After a moment, he huffed and crossed his hooves on his chest. “And it’s not really a mare. Those abominations are nothing like the princesses I knew.”

Princesses?

“One of those alicorn monsters are around here?” I asked at a whisper. He gave me a simple nod back. Shit, this was bad. From the stories I’d heard, they had a lust for unicorns. I’d been lucky to have never run into one outside of home, but they were all over bad news. We needed to leave.

“Three of them are in the hotel.” He said as he raised his hooves toward me. “I know what you’re thinking, but we can’t go yet. They can see in the dark, and it’s a miracle you made it here unseen. When the sun comes up they’ll be more hesitant to give chase. Until then you have to trust me and sit tight.”

I didn’t like that. The thought to just push past him and make a break for it weighed heavily on my mind. No, it was the old me that was pushing to go. I have to go under the assumption that all of my instincts are wrong. This pony was a ghoul, and he probably has far more years of experience under him than even I do. If he says to wait, it’s probably the best idea.

“Did you find your friend?” He asked casually with a smile. The tone he used had switched completely. The seriousness of the situation now seemed lost on him. He turned and peered between the edge of the door and it’s frame. “I didn’t see him out there with you.”

“I… I left him behind.” I found it hard to say. “I mean, I found him, but it’s better this way.”

“Really?” He rasped before he started to chuckle. “You think you’re protecting him, don’t you?” Without warning, he broke out into full on laughter. If they heard his laughter, we were done for. I wanted to beat the unliving hell out of this asshole to shut him up. Instead, I stuffed my hoof in his rotting mouth. It was disgusting, but if muffling him meant I was alive tomorrow it would be worth it.

“Hey, asshole. I know it’s funny to you, but I’ve fucked up enough in his life.” I snapped at him. That seemed to catch his attention quite quickly. “Worse off, I know he loves me. Leaving is the best way to protect him.”

Slowly, I pulled my hoof from his muzzle. Running my hoof along my coat, I sneered at the filth that coated my hoof. Likewise, he seemed to take a moment to get the taste from his mouth.

“Is that what you told yourself before you left?” He asked, still working his tongue around in his muzzle. “Living in the wasteland as long as I have, you end up learning how it treats ponies. No matter how hard you try to protect them, everypony out here will suffer. It's who you have next to you that makes the difference.”

“And if that get’s him killed?” I asked. He has more experience, that’s why I was staying here. I know that acting on instinct is bad, and that he knows more than me. Even so, why is it so damn hard for me to accept that I should have stayed? Now that I’ve taken even a few minutes to think about it, It all feels so wrong to have run. I know I messed up again in leaving. I trusted my faulty instincts and now I’m here.

“In leaving, did you not hurt him? You may not think of it that way, but loneliness is far more painful to friends than anything else in the wasteland.” He shook his head as he spoke.

That was why Caltrop had been out in on the rock that day in the first place, wasn’t it? He was alone out there. He told me he’d stayed because I saw him as a pony. My friendship was his cure, and I’d just stripped him of it to keep him from getting hurt? Why is it that it didn’t sound so fucking ridiculous until somepony else said it?

“On the other hoof…” The ghoul spoke up again. “I’m fairly certain that it’s not him you were trying to protect.” Holding his hoof out, he put it on my chest. “You said he loves you, do you not care for him the same?”

“I…” I couldn’t answer that. He was a stallion I barely knew, and literally my only friend in the world. I couldn’t argue that I didn’t have my issues with his poor decision making skills. He’s only acted in your best interest. Then again, my own have been worse. The fact that he’d proven himself capable of protecting me had to count for something as well. He doesn’t want to see you hurt. For some reason, I can’t get him out of my life or my head. Because you never want him to leave you. My cheeks felt warm, and I paused to wonder if I’d actully been blushing at the thought. “I do.” It felt like the words slipped past my lips, as if somepony else had spoken. It was unreal.

“Tell me, if you are willing to protect him, are you also not to trust in his own decisions?” He shrugged and put his hoof on my shoulder. “Sometimes, we must risk losing who we care for in order to best protect them.” He gave me a pat as I sat there not sure of what to say. “So, by first light, you’ll go back to him.” The ghoul spoke up as a smile pulled across his muzzle. “Until then, why not rest and share a few stories with me?” He sat down and scratched at his neck. “What’s your name young lady?”

“My name’s Percussion Cap.” I replied slowly. My mind felt sluggish, and even though I was still focused enough to converse I was stuck. I was in love with Caltrop. The stupid, clingy, annoying, feminine dolt of a stallion. Of everypony in the wasteland, I had to like him. At least you didn’t fall for ash. Compared to Ash, Caltrop actually wasn’t so bad.

“Well miss Cap. As much fun as adventuring with friend’s is, it’s getting harder to find ponies willing to do it.” He continued to scratch at his neck until the dry skin started to peel back. I averted my eyes and stared at the rusting cans next to me instead. “Most adventurer’s have nothing left. Don't you have family wherever you call home?”

“Just... my mother and grandmother.” I sighed out. That is, I’ll still have them if Grandma got back in time to save mom.

“No brothers or sisters then? A shame. It's nice to have siblings.” He replied and put his hoof back down with a soft clop.

“Did you?” I asked, feeling safe enough to look up at him. That was another mistake I’d made tonight. He was still smiling, but the skin he had rubbed on his neck had torn and folded forward. The glow he gave off was brighter on his bare muscle and tendons. “That is, before you were… this.” I pointed my hoof at him, holding it where I couldn’t see the open section of his neck.

“One brother and one sister. My brother lived out in Vanhoover when everything ended, I went and found him after the war ended.” He nodded slowly. His smile started to droop, as did the look in his eyes. “He and I both became monsters, but he wasn’t like me at all. He took to using drugs to form a gang there. He kept the supply up by stealing them from the innocent survivors he’d murder. I… killed my own brother because he beat some stallion to death in front of his filly.”

“Oh, I see.” That was kind of depressing. Then again, I don’t know what I expected. Nopony made it out of the war intact, even the ghouls. “ And your sister? That is... if you don't mind.” If I was stuck in here, the least I could do was pass the time with stories.

“Fluorescence…” He shook his head and shut his eyes. “I was four when my parents took her in. She was a unicorn orphan from neighpon, and as such got a lot of looks living with a family of crystal empire earth ponies. Even if she stood out, she was my sister and I loved her as such.”

“You’ll have excuse me. I have no idea where neighpon or the crystal empire are.” I blurted out. Social intricacies aren’t my strong suit. “But please, continue?” He seemed to understand my interruption and resumed his story.

“My parents always knew she would be the one in the family who’d do the best. They gave her everything, all their love and support. When the war started, she wanted to enlist and do her part.” He paused for a moment and let a shiver run down his body. “My parents, they did what they could to stop her. When a slot opened up, they forced her to apply at Luna's school at Littlehorn…” He trailed off his words, staring blankly at the floor.

“I... I'm sorry.” I said softly. Of all the stories Grandma told me about the war, what happened at Littlehorn always stuck in my mind. I grew up with the thought that was where all unicorn fillies and colts went if they disobeyed their mother. To know what happened there was a nightmare is the understatement of the century.

“I am as well.” He sniffled as a few glowing tears ran down his cheeks. He smiled and looked back up to me. “It’s been so long since anypony has made me remember my family. It’s hard sometimes, to keep the memories straight in my head.”

He stood up and stepped towards me unexpectedly. I tried to lean back, but in the limited space of the shack, I didn’t have anywhere to go. He held his hooves out and wrapped them around my sides. He leaned in and sniffled, giving me a very uncomfortable hug. His skin felt like he had been baking in the summer sun, mixed with the squishy consistency of a Fancy Buck snack cake. Not to mention, who know’s how many rad’s I’m taking. Thankfully, he let go of me and took a step back after a few moments.

“I believe we have both lost enough ponies we care for in our lifetime.” He raised a hoof and wiped away a glowing tear that ran down his cheek. “Your friend’s, where did you leave them at? I hope it was a safe place.”

“Some warehouse to the west, though I'm not sure it's exactly safe.” I shrugged and looked myself over. There was a large flake of skin that stuck to my chest, and I quickly hoofed it off. “It looked like it really could collapse at any moment. Not like we had a choice, Sandy had Rad sickness from that egg and there was medicin inside.”

“Oh dear, that changes things.” He spoke in a stern voice. “If it’s the ministry warehouse, I’m afraid they are less than safe.”

“What?” I snapped. If that place is what get’s them killed, so help me…

“The reason that place is falling apart is a damaged radiation cleansing talisman.” He stated rather matter-o-factly. “The facility is solar powered, and when the sun comes up, the talisman will turn on. We must leave, right now.” He pushed himself up and hoofed at the door to open it.

“Oh, well that’s a relief.” I sighed out as I relaxed. “Clearing the radiation is a good thing then, seeing as they both got pretty close to that balefire egg.”

“No no no no! it's terrible!” He waved a hoof at me frantically. “The talisman is broken. When it fires, the spell will remove anything around the radioactive particles, but not the particles themselves.” He was talking faster than I think he was thinking. What he was saying made no sense. He pushed the door open with his hoof, practically throwing it against the outside of the shed. “Don’t you see? Organic, inorganic, it won't matter at all! Unless we get them out of there, it won't clear the radiation from them, it will clear them from the radiation!”

“Oh…” Was all I gave him. Yeah that was definitely bad. We still had hours before sunup, but we needed to get back to them.

“Come on, come on!” He dropped his voice to a whisper as he still spoke frantically. “No time to waste!” He turned and trotted off into the trees around the shack, not even waiting for me to scramble to my hooves. As I stepped out of the door, I looked over to the hotel. The shimmering lights still waivered inside, and I prayed that the Alicorns inside wouldn’t see us trot across the open terrain.

It wasn’t much consolation, but I realized something now. If I hadn’t left, I’d never have known that place was dangerous. At first light, if we hadn’t all somehow magically known to leave, I’m sure none of us would have left that deathtrap at all. I could still fix this mistake. There was still time!

I was getting tired. We’d been moving at a trot, but I already felt like something was wrong. We were taking far too long to get back. Time felt like it was whiplashing back and forth. The more I worried about them, the slower it felt we walked. Every time I looked over my shoulder however, it felt like the sun would race right up over the ever brightening horizon.

“Are you sure you took us the right way?” I asked, following just behind him. He’s old, and who know’s how sane he is. What if he’s lost? A yawn slipped out my muzzle, and I had to consider the fact that maybe I was just too tired. Caltrop had said I still wasn’t completely better from the infection, and my body felt completely worn down. Either way, we needed to pick up the pace.

“My dear, I’ll never forget how to find that warehouse, or anything about what happened inside it.” He sighed as he strolled along. “There was a time after the bombs, when the first glowing snow’s fell. Those who weren’t ghouls fled to the cover of any building they could take shelter in. This warehouse served as a fairly popular spot, once housing a small community. So long as they didn’t open the boxes, the protectapony robots there served as protection.”

“But if one trait amongst ponykind shined brighter than ever in those days, it was greed.” He shook his head, and kept his eyes locked on the darkness that stretched out before us. “Nopony knows when, or how many were there when it happened. The story goes that somepony opened a box. When the protectaponies opened fire, the talisman was damaged, and wham! The inhabitants, parts of the protectaponies, even panels of the warehouse disintegrated in a flash.”

“Well, ponies always are and forever shall be, a big bunch of assholes.” I grumbled. It wasn’t even the wasteland trying to kill them now. “So my friends might die because one fucktard two centuries ago wanted to open a box.”

“To put it into simple terms, yes.” He nodded. “Don’t worry though, we are only a few minutes away. I can already see the warehouse.” He looked back at me with his glowing green eyes and flashed a smile. His happy look faded when he looked past me.

Our timing hadn’t been a moment too soon. I turned to take another look, and the horizon had just started to show the faintest hint at brightening. We were going to cut it close, but we could still make it!

“Feel up for galloping?” I asked as I sped my stride up to a canter. His response was to bolt, and I followed hot on his hooves. “How much sunlight will it need?” I gasped out while I still had the breath to do so.

“It works on… charged batteries.” He replied, wheezing heavier than normal. His body worked as a strobe light in the darkness. His quick breaths flaired the light he gave off bright enough that I could see the rocks and dips before I hit them. If anypony had missed the sight of him before, then they knew he was out here now.

“What does… that mean?” I pushed myself, hoping to stay just a bit ahead. There was no way I’d lose them now, not after everything.

“As soon as… the light hits… the charge from yesterday...” He shouted. I guess it no longer mattered if we were stealthy, the Hotel was hours behind us anyway. “Will activate… we have minutes… from now at most!”

Our hooves beat at the dirt as we raced across the flatlands. As soon as the warehouse was in view, I was going to scream out for Caltrop as loud as I could. I looked back as we ran, and in horror, I was forced to squint as the smallest sliver of the sun peeked above the horizon. Of all the mistakes I’d made, looking was the one I now regretted. My hoof caught on a rock and I was pulled hard to the ground. I cried out as I slammed into the dirt. The rough gravel tore and gouged at my chest as I skidded more than a few feet.

“They’re going to make it!” The ghoul shouted to me as he continued. I didn’t care as I got up. My mind was locked on the sight of the narrowing points of darkness on the ground. Even as I pushed myself to my hooves, I screamed out in fear. I used that fear to push me forward towards the warehouse that was becoming more and more clear. I’d fallen behind, but even he was more than a thousand feet away. It was then the unthinkable happened.

The light from the rising sun glinted off the rear of the warehouse like a prism. As if I knew what would come next, my legs locked and I ground to a halt. The line of sunlight shimmered for a moment along the solar panels. The most distant sound of archanotech hums met my ears across the morning air. Then, a sharp snap like a spark battery cracked through the morning silence. The air around building sparkled for a moment before dissipating into nothing.

“Sandy…” My hind legs collapsed out from under me. I’d failed. I’d wanted to protect them, and they were dead because of me. My stomach churned and I threw up the remains of yesterdays spinach. “Caltrop!” I screamed out. There wasn’t any point to anything anymore, so I did the only thing I could. I broke down and cried. “I’m sorry…”

A high pitched scream filled the air. I froze when I wasn’t sure if I’d actually heard it. I held my muzzle shut to quiet my whimpers as I listened.

“Monster!” Sandy screamed out.

“Sandy!” I shouted. She was still alive. Somehow, someway, she was okay. I pulled myself up and burst into a gallop. When I looked, I could see the Ghoul running erratically across the dirt. Right behind him was Sandy, who growled and swiped at him whenever she got close. “Sandy, no. He’s a friend!”

She skid to a stop and looked over at me. I’d never been happier to see those big pink eyes staring at me. As she had stopped, so did the ghoul.

“I told you… they’d be alright!” He shouted to me with a smile.

“Where the hell did yah go last night, Boss?” Caltrop spoke up from right next to me. I’d been so startled, I’d tripped over my own legs and fell down. “Whoa there, easy. Are yah alright, PC?”

“Yeah… fine.” I stammered. As I looked up at him, everything I’d talked about in that shack ran through my mind. “How did you know to leave?”

“Sandy told me she heard somepony yellin, and when we couldn’t find yah, we went outside ta look.” He scratched at his mane and looked back to the warehouse. “I still ain’t sure what all the noise from there was, but I’m guessin it wasn’t good.”

“More than you’ll ever know.” I smiled and flopped my head down to the dirt. My body cried out for rest, but we had to keep moving. Caltrop held his hoof out to me and I took it. He pulled me up to my hooves, and right up to his face. For a moment, I just looked at him. This was the stallion I cared for, and I never wanted to leave his side again.

“Yah sure yah alright?” He asked with a blush on his cheeks.

“No, I’m not alright.” I sighed out. Just tell him the truth. I had to, but it wasn’t going to be easy. “Why do you have to be so damn likable?”

“Oh, this again.” He frowned and looked disappointed. “Listen, Boss. I know I was the one ta agree to yah rule, but yah sendin me some mixed signals here.”

He trailed off his words when I cupped his chin with my hoof and pulled it up. If I couldn’t find the words, then maybe I could show him in a way he’d understand. I leaned in and kissed him softly. His cheeks flushed as brightly as I was sure mine had from the first kiss we’d had.

I took a step back from him. We both needed a moment to make sure that really happened. After this, I had no idea what he would do. I’ve never cared for somepony like I did for Caltrop. The old me screamed in my head that I’d just made a huge mistake. Going against my instincts though? It’s never felt so good in my life.

“I…” He struggled with his words. I’m fairly certain I’d broken some part of him just now.

“You love me.” I spoke for him. “And that’s alright. Because I think I love you as well.”

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.