The short ring of the old fire alarm bell outside of my room was the signal to wake up. With a groan, I tossed the covers off of my bed and wiped at my tired eyes. Today was the start of week four of my rehabilitation, or, ‘a big milestone’ as Flint put it.

I didn’t look forward to it.

I started out by doing my stretches. The two metal caps that sat where the upper parts of my legs used to be ached heavily after the workout I gave them yesterday. The pair of matching stumps were less trouble than I thought, but I’d still rather have my flesh legs back. Thinking of it, I regretted letting that tiny asshole take the rest of my right leg. Synchro argued, saying that supposedly it would make my recovery faster if the cybernetics were ‘mentally balanced’. I had half a thought that he was just being an asshole after what I did to his ‘Lily’. Who names a monstrous death machine, Lily?

Groggily, I looked over to the nightstand next to my bed and reached out with my magic. I levitated over the small cleaning rag I’d been given, and started to wipe down the ports and hookups. This had been quick to become routine. Every morning we woke up at dawn. Those of us who didn’t have missions to prep for normally did a bit of exercising or training. Me, I got to head over to Synchro’s workshop so he could do a calibration check on my legs.

Then it was onto the daily challenge. Apparently, Flint wanted us flexible on the job. Each day he gave us a different skill to practice. Today, was going to be lockpicking. It was something I’d wanted to try, but instead I get to try to master the same skill as everyday these last weeks. For as much as I’d done it, walking was something I’d taken for granted. Learning again was a chore I couldn’t take lightly.

With a sigh, I used my forehooves to spin myself in my bed until my stumps dangled over the edge. From there, I used my magic and grabbed my legs. The skeletal cybernetics were apparently no where near as advanced as Synchro made other models sound, but he told me that these models were both easy to maintain. Not only that, but he said that they were also easy to upgrade. In a move I should have seen coming, he tried to pawn off sexual favors in return for said upgrades. That’s when I learned that at least these mechanical legs can still buck fairly hard.

There was a slight pinch along the edge of my stumps, and a sharp shock as the contacts of the legs linked with the ports on my stumps. It always sent a shiver down my spine, but I assumed I’d get use to that as well over time. Next came the harness. Out of everything, it was surprisingly the heaviest. I used my magic to weave it’s straps down under me and through the slots in the legs, yanking them down as tightly as I could. I hated the feeling of the large battery weighing me down on my left. Synchro said it should last a week without a charge, but I can’t imagine wearing this thing for a week straight.

I grabbed the power cord with my magic and uncurled it out of the battery bag. I looped one end over my flank, and hovered it over the port to my right rear leg. I got the left jack in the correct position and hesitated. I always hated this part. If either jack hit the metal leg, I’d get a nice shock for my inaccuracy. Needless to say, I got good at this part fast. I pushed both cords in, each one clicking into it’s correct place flawlessly. I twisted them to make sure they latched in, and when I was satisfied, I gave them a small tug. They stayed put, and I was once again ready to walk another day. With a grunt, I pushed myself off my bed and tried to turn around.

Only to fall flat on my face.

With a pained sigh, I used my magic to toggle the ‘On’ switch along the top of the battery. The cybernetics whirred to life, and I slowly pushed myself off the floor. I knew I’d been forgetting something.

“Well well.” Null spoke from across the room. He was invisible again of course, but I hated when the sneaky bastard came in unannounced. “Looks like somepony is getting better at this.” He paused and pulled the stealth buck from his pipbuck. “Though, you are not quite there yet.”

“What did I tell you about breaking into my room?” I grumbled and shook the drowsiness from my head.

“Ah, but I did not break in. Your door was unlocked.” He gave me his stupid smug grin and a small giggle. “I am simply…”

“An asshole?” I cut him off with a smirk of my own. Slowly, I stretched out each of my cyberlegs, testing the range of motion in them as Synchro had told me to.

“Trespassing.” Null shook his head and squinted at my flank. “I can see an energy drain in your right leg. You might want to inform Synchro of that.”

“Is that all you came in to tell me, or is there something of actual importance on your mind?” I said as I set my rear hoof on the floor again. I waited for an answer from null, but he only stared at me with his stupid smirk. It wasn’t until he held his leg out and rolled his hoof expectantly that I remembered what he was doing. “Wait… you have news for me?”

“Yes!” He smiled and nodded. “But first, I require my payment.” He reached his hoof back to his saddlebag and pulled out a box of 9mm rounds. I took it in my magic and opened it up, sliding the tray of old rounds out. They were corroded to hell and back, but that was nothing for me. I pulled out each one and basically lathered it in my magic. I made sure to saturate them well enough that they’d be guaranteed to go off for at least another twenty four hours.

Funny how I’d never thought to use my spell like this before. I’d already made back four favors by doing this. Six if you count the information Null has yet to give, and the one I owed to Spectre for getting tire marks on her dress. With each round saturated, I placed them back in the box and returned them to him.

“He has gotten a job at the platinum lounge in Filly. Story is that he is using the caps to fund his drinking habit.” Null leaned in and cocked an eyebrow. “Supposedly, he is pining over the death of somepony he loved.” Null spoke, eyeing over the box before he placed it back into his saddlebags. “Funny. I never thought him the type you would go for.”

“Neither did I.” I remarked and tried to keep from blushing. Four weeks is a lifetime in the wasteland. I’m hardly surprised to see that he’s moved on, but the alcohol was going to be an annoying habit to kick. “Any news about Sandy?”

“Sadly, only rumors.” He shrugged and looked out the window. “Some say a hellhound is traveling the wastes with a mare, but no names are given.” He scratched at his neck and pulled his stealth buck out of his bags again. “I am sorry I do not have anymore, but it has been a pleasure, as always.” Null smiled and clicked his stealth buck back in. He shimmered away, and like that, he was out of my room.

I hoped…

No more time to worry about the pervert, I thought. I’d already spent too much time dawdling about. Synchro was probably tapping his hoof impatiently as he waited, and if I kept him too long, he’s just take it out on me. With both a sigh and stiff steps, I walked my way to the door.

Walking was easy, albeit awkward. I thought about each and every step when I did, and the legs reacted slower than I’d like. Synchro told me that I’m supposed to just act natural, and let the nerves give the commands. Well, he’s obviously never worn a set of weights under him as he walked. It get’s real damn hard to ignore.

Even though walking was a problem, trotting was something that seemed to come naturally to me. I don’t know if it was the pace, or the sound of it. All I knew was that once I got going, I could just keep going. The only time I’d misstep, is when the rubber hoof pads slipped on loose dirt or gravel. Which of course, happened to be all over the wasteland. It wasn’t going to be easy, but it was a challenge I could overcome.

I pushed myself up to a trot and left the old brick building behind. The sky was dark with rain this morning, and I cringed instinctively because of it. I hurried over to Synchro’s workshop, picking my pace up to almost a canter. The last time it rained, the water got into the contact points for the battery and shorted it out. If something like that were to happen in the field, I’d be a dead mare.

“Geez, you took your freakin’ time, didn’t you?” Synchro snorted as he dug through one of his piles of scrap. “You know the drill, on the bench.” He said dismissively without giving me a second thought.

I walked over to one of his workbenches and hoisted myself up onto it. I hated sitting up here. The grease and oil from his tinkering always got into my coat, and it was a pain to scrub out at night. But, I guess it’s a small price to pay for being able to walk again. Well, one of many small prices I paid.

“Any pain or discomfort around the connection areas?” He asked, still not even seeming to pay attention to me. “Or stiffness in the joints?”

“No.” I wanted to do this as quickly as possible. “Null said there was a power drain in my right leg.”

“What!” Synchro shouted abruptly. He growled and threw down a piece of scrap like I’d just insulted him. “Impossible.” He snorted as he angrily stomped his way across the shop to me. As he passed another of his junk piles, he quickly hoofed a screwdriver out of it and straight into his muzzle. “muh whurk ish perfecht.” His slurred words were nothing but annoying, and I could already feel the headache coming on. He made quick work of the plate that covered the spell gizmos and wiring on my right leg.

I missed having Caltrop and Sandy around. I could stand to hear a question about something curious that Sandy pondered. Even one of Caltrop’s annoyingly obvious observations would be welcomed. The ponies here, while skilled at what they do, were all less than personable. Well, all besides Null, but he’s been a little too interested in my flank since I signed on.

“Thots shodd?” Synchro muttered before he spat out the screwdriver. He looked up to me with an accusing look and poked a hoof into my leg. “What did you do to my work?” He rooted around the outer edge of the leg’s interior. “I swear, if you…” He was cut off by a loud zap of electricity arcing into his hoof. He yelped and pulled his hoof back.

I used my magic to flick the power switch on the battery to the ‘off’’ position. This whole power thing was going to bite me in the flank one of these days. Still, I couldn’t help but give him a small smirk for his trouble.

“Yeah, very funny, bitch.” He snapped at me. “As I was saying, I don’t know how you managed to rip one of the grounding wires off it’s mount.” He shook his singed hoof out for a moment before he picked the screwdriver up with it. “But if this comes undone on a job, you’ll be the one getting zapped when you try to fix it.”

“Huh.” I put a forehoof to my muzzle and dramatically pondered something. “It’s almost as if you’re forgetting something.” I rubbed at my chin before moved my hoof to my horn. “Gee, it’s almost like I don’t need my hooves for things like that.”

“We’ll, if you don’t need them, maybe I’ll just have Lily take your front two off as well.” He grumbled as he continued to fix the issue. “You know, I can fix half of these annoying issues for you.” He eyed up along my side slowly as he spoke. “My offer’s always open.”

“Unless you can give me back my old legs, the answer is still no.” I growled. In some ways, he was worse than Null. At least I only had the feeling Null was looking when I was alone. Synchro didn’t even try to hide what he wanted.

“For a few good nights with you, I’ll do anything.” He gave me a smirk that made me shudder in disgust.

“Now now, Synchro.” Flint called out as he trotted into the workshop. Today, as like everyday, he was positively radiant both in attitude and cleanliness. “She needs to be ready for her job, so I expect her to have those legs in good enough condition for the journey next week.”

“Yes, master Flint.” Synchro grumbled and got back to tinkering in my legs.

“So, PC.” Flint turned his attentions to me with a bright smile. “I expect that progress has been steady?”

“I still can’t Gallop yet, but I’m no longer tripping over myself when I try to get around.” I said with a little bit of disappointment. “With your permission, I’d like to get working on my first job tomorrow. No offence, but this sitting around isn’t helping either of us.” In truth, I’d expected to be much further along by now, maybe back in the field even. Sitting around and working on walking was more of a chore than anything. I didn’t need to gallop to kill anypony when nopony out there can outrun a bullet. Don’t lie, you know why you’re impatient.

I wanted to get back to my friends.

“Splendid!” Flint said as he clopped his hooves on the floor in excitement. “How I do admire your work ethic!” He shook his head as his grin grew even wider. “I don’t know how you do it.” That was funny, coming from a stallion who looked like he’d never worked a day in his life. “So long as Synchro makes sure your legs will make the journey, you may go.” He paused for a moment. “Of course, there is still the matter of who to send with you.”

“What?” I didn’t understand, he owns me. He chose to take me, and I voluntarily agreed. If I were any normal slave, I’d understand the trust issue, but he sought me out. Flint merely closed his eyes and chuckled.

“You’ll have to excuse my laugh, but all first time missions are supervised.” He opened his eyes and looked at me with a glare. “It’s only a precaution to protect my investment. Not that you will need any help, of course.” The way he said that chilled my blood. I’d been so close to forgetting that I was ‘his’ property that I’d actually felt good. It didn’t annoy me that much, but I hated the idea of not having control over my own life. “I can guarantee,” He continued, “My daughter will...”

I at least needed the illusion that I was my own mare.

“May I request that Null goes?” I spoke up. Synchro tensed up as I again cut off Flint, but he didn’t stop working. Flint himself on the other hoof, looked annoyed at the interruption. “Null was the one to bring me in. If anypony know’s how I work, it’s him.” As I continued, Flint cocked an eyebrow and canted his head in thought. “With all due respect, I trust Null.”

Truthfully, I trusted all the hunters about as far as I could throw them. Specter however, was the one I trusted the least. Maybe it was the no sleep thing that just unnerved me, but every time she was around I felt I needed to keep one eye over my shoulder. I’d rather go with a pervert who wouldn’t dare touch me without permission from Flint, over that psycho bitch.

“So long as he has no previous contract.” Flint said as he continued to mull it over in his head. He looked back to the doorway of the Workshop and nodded. “What do you say, Null?”

“If that is what you ask.” Null replied from the blank air he hid inside. Of course he was here. One of these days, I’d have to learn just how everypony else seems to know when he’s around.

“Excellent!” Flint nodded and looked back to me. For a moment as he did, his expression cracked. Behind his eyes, I could see his anger. For as much as I hated losing control of things, Flint had proven to be much less forgiving than I ever was. In my talks with Dykem Blue, Ash had only been the latest example of his instability. “Then I won’t take up any of your time.” He turned away, but stood for a moment before he looked back.

“Remember,” He spoke softly. “I don’t like to be disappointed.”

The rest of the day went by just like the twenty or so before it. Just like every other day, I ended it on the patio. In the failing light, I looked across the peaceful valley that shielded this place from the horrors of the wasteland. My thoughts drifted as they normally did. I’d remembered my early bounty hunting days. The good years when mom looked happy for me, and wore less stress across her face.

Then my head turned to recent times. Sandy, Brightshine, and Caltrop played in my head over and over. I ripped one from her home, put another one in the grave through my actions, and saved one’s life with friendship, just to destroy it. Before me sat the fruits of my labor. A safe heaven for the demented, deranged, and psychotic notions of a few.

“Thinking about him?” Null startled me.

I nearly jumped out of my legs. My instincts took over and I grabbed the nearest heavy object in my magic. As I swung the brass candlestick holder, Nulls magic kicked in and suppressed the attack. It allowed me the moment I’d needed to remember he wasn’t a threat.

“Don’t fucking sneak up on me!” I nearly screamed at him. He still wouldn’t show himself to me. Smart move, seeing as I’d probably beat him for trespassing again.

“Ah, I see.” His voice came through the air clearly, but I couldn’t make out quite where he was. “If I were to knock, you would have willingly let me in then.”

“Yes.” I snapped. “Well… no.” This was the pony I trusted out of everypony here, and that’s saying something. “In fact, get out of my house.” I raised my hoof to point to the door, but it caught on what I think was his snout.

“Okay, okay, no need to be hasty.” He said as he backed away from my hoof. “I just came to ask you a question, then I will go.”

“Fine. Ask.” I grunted and lowered my hoof. If he does this the whole journey, it’s going to take all of my strength to not have an ‘accidental discharge’ of my gun pointed in his direction.

“Why did you chose me?” He asked simply.

“Because…” I paused to think of a better way to put it other than ‘I trust you more than the others’. Unfortunately, an easier way to explain it wasn’t coming to mind. With a click, he unhooked his stealth buck and shimmered into view. He looked at me solemnly, and it sent an odd feeling through me. Not disgust or fear, but more like I felt sorry for him. “I guess, because you were the one who brought me in.” I sighed and turned back toward the railing of my patio. “You were kind enough to me then, even if you did leave me to the mercy of that fucking robot.”

“So, it is because you like me?” He sounded hopefull through his sad expression.

“No.” I replied sharply. “I just happen to like Specter a whole lot less.”

“I…” He sounded so wounded at that. “I see.” If Caltrop were here, I’d point out that this was exactly the shit he pulled on me. Null sighed softly and walked up beside me. He put his fore hooves on the railing and leaned onto it, staring out into the darkening hills. “I was hoping… you know, because I like you.”

Tough luck.

“Why even ask when you know I’m not interested in anypony else.” I rolled my eyes and looked at him. “Caltrop… he’s a special kind of idiot. I don’t know why, or how, but he’s the one I care about.” I looked over to Null to find him with a frown across his muzzle. “There are plenty of other mare’s out there. Why me?”

“Because you remind me of my wife.” He sighed sadly and kept his gaze off into the darkening skies. “Do you know why it is that I ran from that machine?” It was an odd question that I wasn’t sure how to even respond to. It was a giant rolling death machine, why wouldn’t anypony run from it? “Robots were always a problem in my life before Master Flint.”

“I hate machines.” I snorted.

“The settlement in which I lived was built near an old Robronco factory by the coast.” He closed his eyes and lifted his muzzle up. A soft breeze blew up the hills and washed over us. “We would scavenge it for scraps to sell in the Fillydelphia markets. One day, we found that somepony had restarted it. The automations started to run on their own, and soon, even started to build more of themselves.”

“That’s pretty horrifying.” I nodded and shrugged.

“Yes. When it started, every night, one would walk over from the factory and enter the settlement. It would choose one of the shacks on the outskirts and start to tear it down. The first night, we resisted. When it returned the second night, it fought back. When our shack was finally the one selected, my mother fought back.” He opened his eyes and just stared out into the distance. After a long moment, he asked me something I knew all too well. “Do you know what happens to a pony who’s been hit too many times with a magical energy weapon?”

‘They turn to dust.” I almost choked on the words to get them out. Immediately, my mind shot back to Brightshine. What she did saved us all at the prison, but I still feel that she shouldn’t have died there.

“She blew away, just dust in the wind.” Null spoke at a whisper. “No fear, no hate, no remorse.” A small smile perked from the corners of his muzzle. “Jala was just the opposite.”

“Jala?” I didn’t know if I’d ever heard a pony with that kind of name before.

“My wife. Unlike me, she was a full blooded zebra, and the most beautiful mare I’ve ever known.” Null nodded. “She was so full of life, both the good and the bad parts of it. We found each other the day my mother died, and shared the bond of lost family. So we promised each other we would stay together. We turned from our home and ran, never looking back. She was my greatest friend, and in time, she became the love of my life.”

“Where…” I started to ask. Null shifted his vision over in an angry glare. He knew what I was going to ask, and it had hit a nerve deep down. I already knew the answer, but I just wanted to know how it happened.

“She…” His glare softened up. “We had been away from home for so many years.” He shook his head and returned his gaze out to the wastes. “I had always been curious as to what became of our old home. She was against it, but I finally convinced her to travel with me to find out.” He sat down and dropped his gaze. “The settlement was gone, and the factory laid dormant. But all that time away, all the effort spent to get there. I felt cheated. It was all gone, as if it had never even existed in the first place.”

“Jala, she tried to convince me to go.” He growled as the waterworks started. “She kept begging me to leave, but I wouldn’t listen. I wanted to burn that factory to the ground. Maybe then, I told myself, it would know how it felt when my mother was taken from me.” He sniffed and rubbed his eyes as I couldn’t do anything but sit and listen. “The factory wasn’t dormant, it was just waiting for me!” He shouted. “Waiting to take away the only other thing I had in the world as I burned it down.”

He broke into deep sobs and threw himself at me. I couldn’t fight back as he wrapped his hooves around me and cried. I don’t know why, but even though this shit happens every day in the wasteland, I felt sorry for him. It had never been my ‘thing’ to care, but Caltrop changed that somehow. Slowly, I put my hooves around him and hugged back. It wasn’t as comforting as Caltrop’s hug had felt, but it did help me feel a little better about everything.

“I…” Null spoke up as he tried to get a handle on his emotions. “I am sorry about this. I have never told anyone about her, and it is still an open wound in my soul. I did not mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“It’s fine.” I sighed. I’ve had my share of fucked up things in my life recently, and I’ve cried over them more than once. And odd enough, this is the first time since the train where I didn’t feel afraid of another stallion getting so close. Null pushed himself off me slowly and wiped the tears from his cheeks.

“When Synchro’s toy showed up, all I could remember is what happened to Jala that night.” He sounded so ashamed of it. Honestly, knowing what I know now, I should have run. “I panicked. I couldn’t face the same thing happening again, and I ran.” He looked up at me again and smiled. “You were just like her in that moment. You were not afraid to face the machine, determined to survive.”

“I see.” I grumbled and shrugged. “Though I’m sorry about your wife, I’m not her.” I reached up and patted him on the shoulder. “I have my own life, with a stallion I’m already interested in.” I cringed at what I was about to say, but it just felt like it was the only thing I could say at the moment. “You seem like a good stallion, Null, and maybe one day I can call you my friend. But right now? I think we both just need to focus on the mission tomorrow. We could both do with a little sleep, don’t you think?”

His smile deflated, and his sad look returned. He simply nodded softly and pushed himself up to his hooves. He walked back inside and stopped. He waited for when I got up and looked over to him before he clicked in his Stealth buck and shimmered away. My front door opened and closed silently as he let himself out, and I couldn’t help but feel that I could have handled that better.

Unfortunately, the mission was tomorrow, and I really couldn’t be pressed to get caught up in all of his past issues. As I walked inside and over to my bed, I started to strip my clothes off. With a quick hop, I jumped up onto my bed and flopped over. I used my magic to unhook myself from my cyber legs and store them away as I had the last few weeks.

In the last three weeks, I had resolved everything that weighed on my own mind. So I laid there in my bed. I tried to clear my mind, to be ready for tomorrow. I’d come to terms well enough with my actions and consequences, and I looked forward to finally getting a fresh start. Tonight was the end of my recovery, and I could finally relax and just pass out for once. Soon, I’d be back with my friends, and everything would be perfect. I just needed to drift away to sleep like I had every other night. Easy as pie.

Problem is, if I was so ready for this, why couldn’t I stop thinking about Caltrop hating the mare I’ve become?