After the night I’d had, and the two hours I spent sick on the floor of my bathroom, I don’t think anypony could have blamed me for removing my legs and crawling into bed. I’d tried to go to sleep, but even for as exhausted as I was, I couldn’t. My mind had been both racing and empty of thought at the same time, too much so to have slept. Instead, I laid there staring at the wall lost in the depths of my mind.

Caltrop was there for me every single minute after Spectre had unceremoniously dropped my convulsing flank on the floor. He offered more than a fair share of colorful remarks, but what helped the most was that he was there at all. I don’t know what I would’ve done without him.

My time these last few months hadn’t been easy. Just when I’d thought things had been going my way, everything flipped. Then they flipped again, and once more after that just for good measure. The only reason I’d been able to keep going, was because no matter what happened, he was there for me.

Caltrop had been the center of everything from the start. He’d anchored me down, helped to weather me through this stormy time. He’d been there for me, and I for him. Shown me friendship, shown me love. It’s been more than I’d deserved, and while I don’t understand what drew him to me in the first place, I couldn’t stand losing him.

So why couldn’t I just turn over and tell him that?

“PC, please.” He sighed from his half of the bed. “Talk ta me. Tell me what’s goin’ on.”

Of course, I didn’t. I simply kept going over what happened down there. What happened in Steel Junction. This business isn’t what I’d thought it was. It was supposed to be clean work. Work where I was just the middle mare in some pony’s dispute. I was an artist with my work, and I respected the job.

“Come on, I just want to help yah.” He sighed out with a whine. With a gentle touch, he ran his hoof through my mane.

This? It felt all wrong. It felt like somepony taking a sledgehammer to stone instead of using a chisel. Messy, brutish, and cringe inducing. It wasn’t how I worked, and it wasn’t what I’d signed on for. As much as Storm thought I did, I didn’t kill randomly. Sure, some ponies I’d been contracted to kill were innocent, but the contract marked them for death. If not by my hoof, somepony else would have ended them. But, I refused to believe that collateral damage was acceptable.

“Well,” He huffed and carefully laid down behind me. “When yah do wanna talk, I’m right here for yah.” With a careful wiggle, he slid up against me. He pressed his warm body up against me, and with a light touch, laid his forehoof over my side. “We can talk about it tomorrow if yah want.”

Tomorrow. The mythical land where everything will always be better. No, when I wake up, I’ll still be in this bed, I’ll still be missing my legs, and I’ll still have gotten those I care about into a situation they didn’t deserve to be in. Things don’t get better from here, not unless I make them better. While my decisions in the past haven’t been the best, I still owed it to them to try.

As I shut my eyes to give another attempt at sleep, eager to forget the day I’d had, Caltrop nuzzled against my neck and whispered softly into my ear.

“Never forget, I love yah.”

The warm, daytime air fluttered in through the open balcony. The stirring of pacing hoofsteps just a few from the bed met my ears. With a furiously long yawn, I stretched myself across my side of the bed, and brought my forehooves up to rub my tired eyes. Slowly, I strained to open them, fighting against the stinging daylight. Mercifully, a dark shadow moved between the bright balcony and me.

A pair of bright pink eyes hovered in the shadow, panting softly as I squinted in confusion.

“Sandy?” I barely managed to croak out horsely. My throat burned from all of the throwing up I’d done last night, and my body felt even more sore than it had yesterday.

“Hi, friend!” She squeaked. Abruptly, she jumped forward and wrapped her arms around my neck in a hug. “The pony in the white coat made me all better!”

“I can see that.” I wearily reached a forehoof up and gave her a soft pat on the back. Beyond Sandy and I, Caltrop paced nervously between the living room couch and the dining table. “Caltrop, what’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?” He glanced over in panic. “How bout dat the little stallion who fixed yah legs just challenged me ta a duel?”

“Oh, well don’t worry about that. It’ll be fine.” I grumbled and flopped myself back down in bed.

“Fine?” If Caltrop complained any louder, I’d have thought it was his time of the month. “I’ve just been challenged ta a fight, and yah think I’ll be fine?” He snorted and held his head in his forehooves. “I’m gonna fuckin’ die...”

With a sigh, a focused myself on working my magic. My levitation spell grabbed ahold of my cybernetic legs and dragged them up onto the bed with me. Sandy simply sat there in awe as I prepared myself to put them on.

“So, every day here, when you’re not out on a job, Flint has us train in a skill.” I worked at pushing myself up to a sitting position, inspecting the hooves for any damage after yesterdays travels. “Sometimes it’s fighting, sometimes it’s survival training. The fighting also helps two hunters resolve frustrations that may crop up between them. It goes until one challenger submits or has no hope of winning.”

“So… he ain’t gonna kill me?” Caltrop spoke up with a spark of hope in his voice.

“Really?” I’d eyed over at him as I used my magic to align the right leg up with the socket on my stump. “Why would Flint ever risk the life of one of his hunters?” With a quick thrust, I shoved it in. The quick shock that I’d expected made me stop for a moment. With another quick glance at Caltrop, I realized that there were always two parts to the fightdome challenge. “Caltrop? What did you wager?” A ‘friendly’ wager was always made, and the participants could ask for literally anything as a reward. Flint would provide, and the loser would pay the equivalent amount of favors.

“I didn’t know what he meant by it. I told him I’d have ta think bout what I’d get.” He shrugged and gave me a puzzled look. “Yah said dat favors were good for anythin’, so I just said I’d give anythin’ he wanted.”

With a meaty smack, I facehooved myself. “Damnit. You know what he wants!”

“What?” Caltrop, the dolt he was, still didn’t see it.

“Well,” I grunted as I forced my other leg into it’s socket. “I’m going to nip this in the bud before it goes any further.” Carefully, I scooted myself to the edge of the bed and twisted myself to get my cyberlegs on the floor. Sandy just watched in ecstatic fascination from on the bed. “Unfortunately, I can’t retract your offer.” I sighed as I planted them on the ground and levitated their battery pack over. “So instead, I’m going to decide what you want in return.”

“What? Why?” He sounded so offended, even though he just auctioned me off for a night to another stallion. “Ain’t I the one fightin? Shouldn’t I get ta choose the reward?”

“Nope, not this time.” I jabbed the cables into my legs and was happy to hear the motors in them whirr to life. “Let’s just say that you forfeit your right to that sort of thing when you wanted to spend the rest of your life with a mare like me.”

“Oh, so now we’re talkin’ about gettin married?” He smirked. “Yah’ve really come around ta lovin’ me, haven’t yah?”

“As if the time we spent last night wasn’t proof enough?” I chuckled and looked over to Sandy. “Come on, pup. I’ve got somepony I want you to meet.”

She gasped loudly. “Is it another friend?” She bounced across the bed before hopping up onto my back. Though I wasn’t sure how she did it, but her claws never seemed to rend into anything she didn’t want to cut. It was something I was to no end thankful for.

“Sort of.” I muttered while I magicked my mane into a bun and tied it off. “As for you,” With a waggle, I walked over to Caltrop with a smirk. “I’d much rather spend another night with you then have to deal with a runt like him for hours on end.” I planted a soft kiss on the end of his muzzle that made him turn a brighter red than even my mane. Walking towards the door, I looked over my shoulder and shot him a serious look. “You’d better buck up and win that fight.”

I walked out the door and shut it behind me, not certain of exactly how I’d convince Synchro not to ask for a night with me. Maybe I’d just make Caltrop’s reward too costly for him to chance losing, so he’ll reconsider his request. Thinking about it, Synchro did say that my legs had a lot of upgrades that could be done.

“Wait…” Caltrop’s annoyed voice came through the walls. “Dat’s what he meant?”

“Such a dolt.” I simply rolled my eyes and walked down the hallway toward outside. “Alright, Sandy. Ready to meet somepony new?” She bounced on my back, and even though I couldn’t see it, I knew she was nodding furiously. “Good, because he really loves it when somepony climbs all over his stuff.”

“Hey! Get down from there!” Synchro snapped at Sandy, who for all intents and purposes thought this was all part of an elaborate game. “Can’t you make her stop? Tell her to sit or something?” Almost in response, she let out a giggle as she continued to rifle through his stuff.

“She’s a hellhound, not some dog.” I couldn’t deny that I was enjoying Sandy’s special brand of mayhem immensely. “Besides,” I was interrupted by the loud crash of something on the other side of one of Synchro’s junk piles. “It’s not like she’s doing any permanent damage.”

“What the hell are you here for?” He snapped at me this time, turning back to his workbench to work on what looked like a bent tube of some sort. “Your legs don’t need any work done, and I’m certainly not going to call off my duel.” He snorted before sitting back slowly from his work. “Unless…”

“Not going to happen.” I grunted and cringed as Sandy knocked over another loud piece of metal. “Seeing as I know what you’re going to ask for, and that it was wrong for him to accept your terms at all, I came to negotiate for Caltrop’s winnings.”

“Fine, what do you want?” He didn’t seem to take the much of an interest, simply getting back to his work.

“The upgrades for my legs.” Though watching Sandy tear up the place was fun, I wanted this over. “All of them.” He dropped his tools and gave out a heavy sigh. “On top of that, if he wins, you’ll never make a lude request of me again.”

He looked back at me at me with a smile. “Oh, is that all?” A elated giggle built up from him that made me uneasy. “Wow, I was expecting you to ask for so much more! But, sure, whatever.” He turned back to his work and laughed as he continued working. “I accept.”

“Do… do you not understand how much I just asked for?” The less he’d seemed to care, the more it made me worry. Something was amiss here, and I didn’t like it one bit. “You said it would be…”

“A couple hundred favors worth, yeah.” He shook his head and turned himself around. “How much do you think you’re worth to me? I mean, it’s not like there are any other mares around here for me to marry.”

“Excuse me?” I had to take a step back at that.

“Well, yeah!” He wore the biggest grin across his smug muzzle, and I just wanted to hold him down and tear it off his face. “What the hell did you think I’d ask for? Just one night?” Oh goddesses… “I know, I was just as surprised when he offered anything I wanted.”

“Well then you better hope that Caltrop beats you to the ground.” I growled and took one step forward. His eyes went wide and he shrank down in fear. “Because if you win, you won’t make it through your first night with me as a wife.”

After hearing that, he seemed to regain his composure quite quickly. “Don’t you remember the rules of the fightdome? The winner get’s his reward, guaranteed. So you can’t say no.” He sneered at me and prodded my chest with his hoof. “On top of that, what’s Flint’s number one rule? You can’t harm another hunter.”

“You aren’t a hunter.” I spat on the floor next to him. “You’re a cowardly colt who hides behind his machines.”

“Ahem.” A stallion cleared his throat behind me. I closed my eyes, and with a sight, turned to face Flint. “Miss Cap, may I have a word with you?”

“Yeah, sure.” I grumbled. From the back of my mind, I whipped myself and forced myself to correct what I’d said. “Of course, Master Flint.”

“Splendid.” He smiled when I looked at him. He looked as spotless as ever, and the light breeze that ran through his blond mane made it shimmer like gold. “Shall we take a walk?” He outstretched his hoof and nodded outside.

“Sandy?” I waited to see her bright eyes and smile pop up over one of the trash piles. I wasn’t disappointed when she literally dug her way through one to see me. “Stay here while I go, alright?” I looked back to Synchro with a smirk. “Watch after Sandy for me, will you?” We were far from finished with our conversation, but I had a sinking feeling in my gut that I couldn’t do anything about it. Instead, I’d pushed it from my mind and trotted over to Flint.

With a pleasant smile we walked along the gravel road that lead back up to his villa. I couldn’t help but wonder why he’d come down. The only other time he’d left his villa the whole time I was here, was the night I was first brought in. Then, it had at least made sense to come down. Our walk had to mean that something else was on his mind.

Even so, he didn’t speak at all. We simply walked at a relaxed pace along the road. He didn’t seem agitated today, nor did he seem to truly be happy. He seemed content, and that made me uneasy. I opened my muzzle to ask about it, but he chose that time to speak up.

“Do you enjoy it here, Miss Cap?” He didn’t shift his gaze when he’d spoken, simply staring along the road ahead.

“Yes, Master Flint.” I responded, uncertain why he’d ask something like that.

“And what about this place do you like?” Though I’m sure this had a point, I was lost as to what it was.

“It’s safe here.” To be honest, that was the only thing I liked about here other than it was a steady job. With so many guards and the resources that Flint has, this place could withstand anything the wastes could throw at it.

He nodded with a giggle. “And do you know why it’s so safe?” He stopped as he said that. In turn, I stopped and stood there as he turned to look at me. “It’s because ponies like you keep it that way.” He ever so gently put his hoof on his chest. “And I am so thankful that you do what you must to keep it that way.”

“If I may ask,” I spoke with as much reverence as I could force into my words. “Why do you ask?”

He turned back around and started walking again before he responded. “Do you know why it is, I asked for you to be brought here?”

I followed after him a few steps behind. “No, Master, I do not.” I’d just thought it was because I was a decent bounty hunter. I mean, technically I wasn’t the only one he’d tried to recruit, but Bluejay said no and had quite the price put on her head. If Flint couldn’t have her, than nopony would. Which was something that made me glad I’d said yes.

“Because I have an eye for talent, Miss Cap.” He stopped yet again and gave me a quizzical look from over his shoulder. “Tell me, your special talent, is it only good for making corroded ammunition work again?”

“Well, yeah.” I thought it an odd question, but it did get me to think. “What else could it even do?”

“Perhaps, it could be that your magic be used for making any sort of corroded object work.” He gave a short laugh. “Or it could mean that you are meant to help clear this corroded society of it’s filth to make it work again. Cutie mark magic can sometimes encompass more than just one aspect, my dear.”

“Huh, I never thought of it that way.” As eccentric as Flint was, he’s had some really interesting things to say during my time here.

“My dearest daughter told me of how you reacted to the death of that poor nurse. I know it can be quite distressing to see an innocent pony die,” His mannerisms changed as he spoke those words without a single note of sincerity to them. “but you’ll have to then trust in me that it is the right course of action, even if you cannot see it at that time.”

“Yes, Master Flint.” No, he was wrong. She wasn’t part of his job, and her death could have been avoided. There was no unseen benefit from taking her out. Still, I nodded my head like his good little slave, because that’s all I was to him.

“Good. I am glad that you are enjoying your stay here in my humble home.” He smiled as the charm practically oozed from his lips. “However, am I correct to have heard about the reward for today’s challenge?”

“Yes, Master.” I sighed. “Is there no way to change Synchro’s request?”

“I’m afraid that the rules are there for a reason, Miss Cap.” He turned and walked up to me with a look of pity. “While I am truly sorry it is not what you wish, I’m afraid that I must comply with his wishes should Synchro win the fight.” Well, that was that. My only hope was in Caltrop somehow coming out on top. “Though, as Synchro has no real combat experience, I should like to think that your friend would finish it quickly.”

“Caltrop?” I snorted. The mere thought of him in combat was laughable. Sure, give him a gun and he might hit the broadside of a barn, but non-lethal weapons only were allowed into the dome. “Yeah, he’s about as harmless as a bloatsprite.”

“Then it seems we shall have an interesting match on our hooves, wouldn’t you say?” He grinned and looked to the sky in thought. “You know, I think watching it could provide me with some valuable insight on my new acquisition.” He glanced down to me while keeping his muzzle height. “An offer for you and your hellhound companion.” He wafted his mane out of the way with a flick of his head and held his hoof out to me. “I shall have the fightdome brought up to the courtyard if you two agree to join me in observing it from the veranda of my villa.”

It was an odd request. He’d never observed the fights that had taken place before, not even the one that I’d failed to win. Though, I guess it would give me something to hold over the others here, especially when Caltrop kicked that annoying prick’s flank. He might be useless, but at least he’s survived the wasteland. That’s more than could be said about Synchro.

“Yes.” I nodded and watched as he nearly split his head off with the grin he adopted. “Thank you, Master Flint.”

“Splendid!” He giggled and nearly vibrated with excitement so much that I actually took a step back from him. “Then I will release you from my company. I must go prepare myself for the noontime affair.” He gave me a small bow and nod. “Until then, Miss Cap.”

As he turned and trotted off, he hummed a light tune as he went. I’d never seen him in this high of spirits before, and as I’d remarked before, it worried me. When he got to be far enough away, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d held.

“Hi, friend!” Sandy squeaked from behind me so suddenly that my cyberlegs didn’t know what to do. So, they instead just gave out and plopped me right onto the gravel. “Oops, sorry.” She giggled. “I know you said to stay there, but mr. friend back there said I had to go. I hope that was okay.”

“Yeah, don’t worry about it, Sandy.” I sighed and picked myself up. “First, we need to go get cleaned up. Flint needs us looking presentable.” She gasped and gave the highest pitched squeak I’d ever heard. “Then, we’ll go see if we can teach Caltrop how to win a fight.” Something that I’m sure even he couldn’t screw up.

“What the hell is going on in here?” I’d snapped over the blaring music when I opened the door from the bathroom.

Using my magic, I twisted the radio knob so hard toward the off position, that I think I nearly cracked it off. I realized that I’d spent nearly an hour making myself presentable in there, and almost a half hour washing Sandy, but to come out and see this?

“Ooo, shesh mad.” Null slurred as he groggily looked over at Caltrop. The both of them giggled incessantly as they traded looks over the four and a half empty whiskey bottles on the table.

“Shhh, shhh.” Caltrop attempted a whisper. “Mabeshe wun see ush if we shtay shilent.”

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” I screamed and focused my magic. I’d flipped the whole damn table in my anger, spilling both the bottles, and the assholes who’d had them, to the floor. “You have to fight in less than ten minutes! Where the fuck did you even get these drinks anyway!”

“Ish shis my fault.” Null raised his hoof in the air.

“Why the hell would you give him alcohol?” This… this was bad. Out in the wastes, I could pull both our weight, but in that cage it’s up to him alone. “You knew he was an alcoholic!”

“Ish wash ta calm my nervsh.” Caltrop said, ending in a little giggle. “Nullsh a pretty cool guy!”

“Shanksh.” Null smiled and looked at him. “I… I love yoush too.”

“What the hell am I going to do with you?” I grabbed Caltrop in my magic and shoved hard, sliding him across the floor toward the balcony. I needed to purge his system, but I wouldn’t do it in here. “Do you understand what’s at stake if you lose?”

“Ish fine!” He whined and dismissively waved a hoof at me. “You shaid it aint to da death.”

“He want’s to marry me, you moron!” I shoved him again, sliding him out the door and against the railing. From the floor, he simply looked up at me with wide, confused eyes.

“Wha?” Seriously, I’d kill him right now if it would change anything at all. Sadly, it wouldn’t.

Hauling him up with my own hooves, I spun him around. He flopped hard against the railing with a grunt. Without giving him a heads up, I spun and bucked hard with one of my cyber hooves. A meaty slap met my ears, before he gave a grunting whine that ended with him gurgling up all that he’d drunk.

Another minute of him expelling all the poison he’d imbibed, and he’d started to come back around into coherent speech.

“Sheriously, he can’t ask you to…” He cut himself off when a short heave prompted him to spin back over the railing. With nothing left, he just whined heavily as he dry heaved.

“Look, the rules here are what they are, and they can’t be changed.” I sighed. I couldn’t understate what I’d said next nearly enough. “I really don’t want to belong to that douchebag like he wants. So I’m going to need you to buck up, get out there, and kick his flank in.”

“PC, yah know I ain’t a fighter.” Caltrop sighed as he dangled his front half over the railing.

“Yeah, well he’s just as inexperienced as you are, and he’s smaller than you.” I grunted and pushed myself up to my hooves. “Come on, we have to go.”

“But, what if I can’t win?” He whined and pouted.

I wrapped my forehoof under his chin and sharply pulled his head until he could see my angry glare. “Stomp him, kick him in the balls, fight him like a mare, whatever. I don’t care what you have to do to win, but you do not get to quit.” He swallowed hard and nodded with a scared whine.

“Good, now let’s go.” I released him.

With Sandy on my back, I’d approached Flint’s Villa and was promptly let inside. Sandy let out a symphony of ‘Ooo’s’ and ‘Ahhs’ as she looked at all of the pristine artwork and furniture. We were lead upstairs by the same mare whom Flint had threatened Sandy with. She looked more afraid than she had before, and didn’t glance back at me more than once.

We were lead upstairs, and walked along the velvety carpets of the halls until we reached a dark wooden door. With a click, she opened it and stepped back with a bow. Across what looked to be a very ornate and open bedroom, sat an open doorway. In it, Flint stood with a smile, gazing down at the rusted metal bars of the fightdome in the courtyard below.

“Do come in. Synchro is nearly ready, as is Mister Caltrop I presume.” Flint’s voice still carried the tone of the song he’d been humming when he left.

“He’ll be ready.” I grumbled and trotted over toward the veranda. The breeze flowed up to us as I stood next to Flint, while Sandy seemed to feel content to stay on my back. In the corner, sat a silver cart lined with all sorts of small meats, cheeses, and other assorted edibles. One in particular that caught my eye, was a piece of bright yellow cornbread.

“Go ahead,” Flint whispered into my ear. “It is the most delightful that my cooks have made in quite a while.”

I was about to take him up on that offer, when Both Caltrop and Synchro came trotting across the marbled courtyard. Caltrop I’m sure was lucky to be standing at all, while Synchro had taken to wearing some sort of old metal armor. More worrisome than the armor, was the fact that the odd tube he was working on, was a model of pipbuck that now encased his whole right foreleg.

“Looking to be quite the interesting fight!” Flint giddily tapped his hooves on the floor.

“It’s going to be something alright.” I muttered. Still, a pipbuck and some armor doesn’t help if you have no idea how to use them. I just had to believe in Caltrop.

The two of them approached the large metal dome. Ringed by Flint’s slaves, the honeycomb of rusted rebar stretched up nearly past the height of us up here on the second floor. Even though that made it seem big, I could say from experience, it felt a whole lot smaller on the inside.

“So, you ready to spend the rest of your life with me?” Synchro snorted as he trotted down below me. He stood at the hinged wall for only a moment before one of Flint’s slaves opened it and let him inside.

“Big talk from a stallion who hasn’t won anything yet.” I retorted, eyeing over to Caltrop. He still looked nervous as he walked around to the latch on his hatch, but his eyes, while more focused still gave away just how drunk he was. He was a resourceful stallion, and I had to believe in him. The hatch on Caltrop’s side closed with a clang, and the match was on. Synchro circled around the outside, prompting Caltrop to do the same.

“So, prepared to lose your mare to a stallion like me?” Synchro spoke through a smirk that felt like it was an impression of somepony tougher than he was. For a moment, Synchro stuttered in his walk, stopping with a stumble that stole his smile. “What the hell? Where’s the assisted combat function.” He hoisted his leg up and started to fiddle with it, which seemed like a dumb thing to do in a fight.

“Dat der, ish a model 2500.” Caltrop smirked and continued to talk. “There washn't an assisted combat funcshun on the 2500 sheries. Ish a civilian shearch and reshcue model.” His random knowledge and pension for distraction through speaking was still working for him as well as ever, even while drunk. He’d continued to circle around on him, getting only a few feet away.

“The fuck would you know?” Synchro snorted, oblivious to the fact that Caltrop was right next to him.

“Stable Tecsh hishtory of pipbuck development. I read a lotta books growin' up.” Caltrop grunted as he spun and reared up. The hearty clack that emited from Synchro’s armor, and subsequent whine that came from his muzzle, made me smile. “Yah should try it shumetime, yah might learn shumethin'.”

“Fascinating.” Flint said through a snicker. “This is the talent you spoke of?” I gave him a quick nod. “And it works through his intoxication? Yes, I do believe that he will prove quite useful.”

“You sneaky son of a bitch!” Synchro flailed in anger as he scrambled to get back up. Unfortunately, metal armor was heavy, and it took quite a bit of strength to pick yourself up off the ground while wearing it. Another thing Synchro obviously didn’t think about.

Caltrop had the chance to end this quickly. He burst into a gallop towards Synchro, looking to buck him in the side again. I didn’t know if it was the alcohol that had caused it or his general lack of coordination, but unfortunately he stumbled as he did. His misstep caused him to barrel head first into the bars of the cage to the side of Synchro. The thwack of his head against it prompted him dropping into the dirt with a meaty thump.

From which, he didn’t get back up.

We waited for nearly half a minute before one of the slaves looked up to us and spoke in a straight to the point tone. “He appears to be unconscious, master.” Then he said something truly horrific.

“I believe Mr. Synchro has won.” The words hit me like a ton of bricks.

“I won?” Synchro shouted.

“He won?” I gasped before my jaw hit the floor.

"Congratulations are in order Mr. and Mrs. Synchro.” Flint laughed as he turned to me. “Through the power vested in me, I pronounce you Mare and Colt."

“Celestia, fuck my life.” I sighed and buried my face in my forehooves.