“Even a bounty hunter knows that friendship can't be bought by a bonus, spare it like your ammo.”

Stirring awake as I felt a prick in my leg, the numbing sensation of Med-X filled me with a profound warmth, making the stiff boards I lay on seem like the most comfortable place in the wastes. Of course, now that I was awake, that fantasy had to be boxed back away into the back of my mind like so many other mornings filled with the rest of my disappointing life. My shoulder was still bound tightly, meaning that they had not patched me up while I was out. But I didn’t so much care as the painkiller worked magnificently to dull down the pain.

“She’s lucky tha bullet went through cleanly.” From Harmony’s voice, I could tell she was pissed. “It’s bad enough that Short Staff made tha call ta save that pegasus, but on top-a that, yah tell me that he knew Storm came from an Orchard and he still agree’d ta bring her along?” She groaned and sat down on the floor hard. Not going to lie, but having my oldest friend sound like I was some monster was not exactly what I was expecting to wake up to. “He never heard what ah did from dad, but those places? Full a nothing but trouble.”

“Glad to know…” I grumbled and tried to push myself up. “I’m so loved.” Even through the Med-X, my shoulder burned like hell to hold my weight. She made a move to speak, but I lifted my hoof to silence her, using it as a good excuse to get my weight off it anyway. “I don’t really care if you meant it or not, how are the others?” I went to get up, but stumbled slightly. Pallet stepped forward and let me lean on her as she spoke.

“Well, Short Staff should be fine, but Stim Pack says that he doesn’t know if our mystery pegasus will make it.” She gave me a small nuzzle. “I’m just glad you two are alright. You might just be my cousin, and that we aren’t really family, but it’d be a shame to lose you just the same.”

“Cut the shit, Pallet.” I pushed her away and got up. “Harmony said it herself, I’m trouble. Always have been, always will be. Probably more so now that I know I’m some fucked up pre-war abomination of science.”

“That ain’t what ah was sayin.” She crossed her hooves across her chest and looked away defiantly.

“Well that’s how it sounded from my end.” Wobbly, I made my way to her. “And since you claim to know that I’m trouble, maybe you can enlighten me by explaining just what the hell I am.” My shoulder burned as I reached out and prodded her chest, forcing her to pay attention to me. “Cause I’m all ears Harmony. All I have are broken memories, fragment’s of entries from the doctor claiming to be my father, and the knowledge that the one pony I trusted most back then abandoned her daughter before going on to blow up the whole goddess damned planet.” She took a step back from me as my words cut deep, her muzzle trembling as her watery eyes were locked on mine.

My verbal assault was relentless, and I didn’t feel like I had gotten my point across. “You’re right in that I’m not like you. You have a brother and a family you can call your own. I wasn’t born, I was built. Equestria wanted to make me a weapon, something that could win them their petty fucking war. And all I’ve ever wanted to do was help! Fuck, Harmony, even around you I try so fucking hard to be a good friend, but now you cast me aside just as quickly as they did when they learned I wasn’t what they wanted me to be. You can call me a monster all you want, but that news is reaching these ears a century and a half too fucking late to mean anything anymore.”

“Storm, there’s no need for harsh words.” Pallet’s voice was soft, and even though I didn’t want to, I needed to get this out. “She didn’t mean what she said.” I felt her hoof brush across my cheek, wiping the tears I hadn’t realized I had been crying.

In the silence that followed, Harmony simply got up, walked to the door, and left. I sat back and twisted my hoof around, staring at the old number three shaped scar I had on it. I closed my eyes shut, clenching them hard as I tried to remember when I got it, dredging my mind for a fleeting memory, the spark of a feeling, anything. There was nothing there to grab hold of, the ease in which I found them before was gone like the friend I had just blown up on.

“I didn’t ask for this, Pallet.” I shook my head slowly, wanting to just wind back the clocks to last week and to run as far from what my life is as possible.

“I know that there’s good in you, Storm. I’ve seen it since you were a just bright eyed filly.” She was doing her best to comfort me, but I didn’t need comfort, I needed answers.

“I just don’t know what to think anymore.” I opened my eyes and looked to the door. “I think it’s best if we both just cool off for a while. She’s already got enough to deal with right now.” As I limped toward the door, she let out a disappointed sigh. With a sigh of my own, I asked the one thing that could help get my mind off this. “Do you know where Predious is?”

“He…” She hesitated. I knew Pallet wanted me to stay, but I couldn’t. I needed to work, and I think she knew that. “He’s at Cask’s.”

“Thank you, Pallet.” I gave her a weak smile. “It’s good to know you still stand by me, no matter what.” I pushed against the old wooden door and left Harmony’s shop, turning towards the markets to head towards Cask's Watering Hole. Of all the placed he could have gone, and with as smart as he is, I would have assumed he would have picked a better dump to crawl into. Then again, he does have a bounty on his head, so it might not have been a bad place to lay low.

My vision flickered to Pink for a moment as Pai popped into my vision. “Hey Sis, mind if we talk for a moment?”

“Not really in the mood.” I looked around to make sure that nopony was listening in. “You need to keep a low profile when I’m around others. I don’t want anypony freaking out because I have a computer pony living in my pipbuck.”

The color shifted to blue and Pai let out a sniffle. “Why would they hate me when I’m just trying to be friendly? Is it just that you are embarrassed by me?” She slumped down in the bottom of my vision.

“No, that’s not it.” I shook my head. “I told you it was different out here, and ponies in the wasteland fear new things.” I stopped as a pair of trench coated mares walked from up the street, stopping in front of Cask’s. I stopped and averted my gaze to a food cart I just happened to be strolling by and hoping that they couldn’t hear me seemingly talking to myself. The last thing I need in this town is a reputation for being crazy.

My vision flashed to pink. “Umm, sis…”

“Quiet, not now.” I spat out in a harsh whisper as I stared intently at the worn image of a smiling carrot nestled in a bun as mustard was poured onto it.

Pai’s muzzle disappeared from her face with the help of a digital arrow, and she quickly got to work flailing her hooves towards my EFS bar. I groaned as my eyes found two marks that were red amongst the sea of pink, and as I looked back towards the bar, the red bars moved into it as the mares did. One of them was a unicorn, and as she entered I saw the quick flash of her magic pulling a small square of paper from her coat.

“Shit.” I growled out as I pushed myself into a gallop. “Of course bounty hunters would never show up here, because my life is perfect and nothing ever goes wrong.” I am so tired of shit not going my way because I haven’t got a single damned lucky break in my life.

Even before I reached the door, I could hear the panicked gasps of patrons before they fled out the doorway. It was tough, but I pushed myself through the river of ponies, getting inside just as the flow tapered off. The bartender had his head peaked about the bartop, his eyes peering between the various half finished drinks to the corner at my left. Next to the fireplace stood two well worn looking mares, each of them standing at the other side of a table where a very unnerved looking Predious sat.

“Hey!” I shouted, making the earth pony turn to look at me. Her olive green coat turned a mottled brown as my eyes looked at half her head. The burn that covered that half of her head was punctuated by the sharp pink eyes that glared at me. I really wish that I had grabbed my coat, taking a step forward and pointing to Predious. “Back off, I've already claimed his bounty. Find your own.”

“Sorry sugar.” Despite half of her head looking like a rotten apple, her voice was as sweet as silk. “But he’s the property of the gumdrop sisters now.” She hoofed her coat open just enough to reveal the bit to a large, scoped revolver. “Now, I suggest that it’s you who find your own.” She leaned her head down towards the bit. “Or… if you think you’re faster on the draw than I am...”

As the other mare glanced over to me as well, I reached my neck down slowly, knowing exactly how these situations always ended up. I bit down for the bit to my .45 auto pistol I always used, instead only snapping my teeth around air. In that moment, I remember that when I woke up from falling in the facility, it was gone. Had it dropped somewhere? I don’t remember taking the holster off when I woke up, and I haven’t really thought about where it was until now.

“SIS, LOOK OUT!” The second mare shouted as she swung at Predious, knocking the very pistol I had misplaced from his magic.

That fucking dick had stolen it!

Using the chaos to my advantage, I lunged at the mare with the revolver, slamming into her with my shoulder, getting more of a pained yelp from my muzzle than hers. She was quick to react though, rolling way from my hit and onto her side before she used all four of her hooves to kick me away. I slammed into a table loaded with half finished drinks, sending them to the floor in a spectacular display of broken glass and strong fumes. She reached for her revolver, as I tried to get up, the two of us locked in a vicious glare.

The report of the bartender’s shotgun made the four of us fighting, freeze in place.

“All four of ya, OUT.” He shouted as he levitated the shotgun over me and towards the others. I broke my gaze from the burned mare to look over to Predious, who had the other mare pressed back just above the fire in the fireplace, and my glowing orange .45 in his magic. “Consider yourselves banned from my bar, seein as you know the rules about no scuffles inside the town.”

“This isn’t over, bitch.” The burned mare scowled and shrugged her trenchcoat back up, covering her gun as she stepped by slowly. Her sister only growled as Predious stepped back from her, her horn glowing as it picked up a large sniper rifle that had been set against the doorframe.

Predious looked to my gun, watching as the plastic parts of the bit melted away from the heat of the fire. He tossed it onto the floor and stepped over to me, holding his hoof out. I took it and grunted as he pulled me up, looking to the very unhappy Cask as he followed us with his gun. I didn’t so much care about being banned from his shitty bar, as I was concerned that the actually good places wouldn’t let me in anymore. We both make our way out of the bar and back into the street, catching the angry gazes of the displaced bar goers as they hung around outside. I steered the two of us back towards Harmony’s shop, whining as each step was agony, even through the Med-X.

“I’m no doctor, but I don’t think a shoulder is supposed to look that lumpy.” Predious pointed out as he strode effortlessly beside me.

I felt my eye twitch in annoyance. “Next you’re going to tell me it’s not supposed to hurt this much.” I shot back with a roll of my eyes. He caught my glance and nudged his head towards Stim Pack’s place. I let out a deep sigh and thought that maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to go get myself patched up a bit. At the very least, deal with this shoulder before it gets infected. “Alright, I’ll go. But you need to stay in Harmony’s shop, and keep to the back room, where no more bounty hunters will look.”

“Sure thing, Storm.” He replied cheerfully and pranced off past me without a care in the world. That stallion was a few screws shy in the head, of that I was damn sure, but as long as he’s alive, I can finish this contract. I turned myself to cross the street, heading for Stim Pack’s clinic and cringing at a thought. What is worse? Having the injury and the risk of dying by infection, or being charged extra for over medication because Doc Stim was going to pamper his earth pony patient?

I hung my head. “I hate my life.”

I took a deep drag from my cigarette as I sat outside of Harmony’s shop, letting the two hundred year old carcinogens run through my body. Stim Pack used one of his last healing potions in stock to treat my shoulder, also relocating it from the fight in the bar. Iron Will had showed up a few minutes ago, Short Staff was weak, but awake, and our Pegasus mystery stallion was still in stable, but unconscious condition. Overall, things were finally going well.

My ears perked as the door to Harmony’s shop opened, and my oldest friend walked over and sat down beside me. I hoofed my half empty cigarette pack up as I spat out the ashen butt of the one I just finished, biting on a new one before offering Harmony her own. She shook her head and pushed it away with her hoof.

“Ah’m sorry, Storm.” She spoke as I reached around in my satchel, pulling my lighter back out for the fifth time in as many minutes. The tip glowed as the fire burned it, my hoof flicking to snap the lighter shut as I inhaled deeply, holding it as I thought about our fight earlier.

“No, you were right.” I blew the smoke out slowly, leaning back and laying on the dirt as I relaxed. “Trouble likes to follow me. Always has, always will I suppose.”

“As true as that may be, yah not a monster.” She clenched her eyes and put her forehoof against her temple. “Ah just… panicked is all.” Putting her hoof down, she looked down at me as I took another draw from my cigarette. “Mah father gave his life ta stop a mare who came from one of those places. And even though Ah’ve known yah all mah life, for a split second ah forgot that.”

“Look, everything is in the past. That facility ceased to be important when the war ended. I’m Storm Rider. Whatever came before her is long dead.” I nudged her as I spoke. “Besides, I’m just glad we ran into Pallet and your brother. Project Harmony or not, there was no way I was going to make it past all those raiders alive.”

“Really? That’s what y’all were called?” Harmony let out a chuckle and laid back next to me. “Guess they couldn’t have known yah’d be friends with an actual real Harmony.”

“You aren’t really a Harmony though. You’re name is Harmonic Drive, so in a sense I’M the real Harmony.” I smiled before taking another draw from my cigarette, flicking it away as I saw Pallet dip down into view through the metal framework over the roadway. I blew out the smoke as she touched down, getting back to my hooves as I looked her over. “Hey, you good enough to do me a favor?”

“Depends on the favor.” She smiled and winked at me.

I couldn’t help but blush from that, trying to recover my composure quickly. “Uh, there are a couple of bounty hunters who want me dead. Fought them earlier in the bar and I know they’ll just be waiting to ambush Pred and I outside of town.”

“Yeah, I spotted them on my flight earlier. Their set up in the craggy hills about twenty minutes to the southeast.” She rubbed her fetlock over her other forehoof and looked away. “And I’m pretty sure they saw me as well, so I don’t think I’ll be able to help. One of their rounds zipped through the cloud I was skimming under, so one of them is a pretty decent shot.”

“Well, Ah’ll come with ya then.” Harmony shrugged and turned towards the store’s entrance. “An don’t yah think about arguing. Ah’m the best markspony yah know, and Ah’m pretty sure you want ta hit ‘em before the sun sets. Just give me a few ta gather what Ah need and we can head on out.”

“No offence Harmony, but you aren’t exactly…” I put my hoof to my chin as I searched for the right words. “Combat proficient?”

“Are yah sayin Ah can’t handle mahself in a fight?” That seemed to have hit a nerve. “Did yah forget about how Ah saved yah flank a week ago?”

“Alright, alright!” I flailed my hooves. “Just… be carefull. Those two looked like they’ve seen the worst the wastes have to offer. I just don’t want you getting yourself killed over this.”

“Don’t worry, Ah got a special somethin Ah’ve been savin just for a time like this!” Harmony looked back with a wide grin. “They ain’t gonna see it comin, Ah promise that.” She opened the door and had to step aside as Predious strode out.

Pallet cleared her throat. “I’m going to go see if Short Staff needs anything. You going to be alright Storm?”

I nodded, hoofing my cigarette box back to my muzzle and biting down on another of the amazing stress relieving sticks. I may have not realized the need to smoke in the last week, but damn does it feel good now. As I put the pack back into my satchel and hoofed around for my lighter, Predious merely leaned forward and touched his horn to the end of my cigarette, lighting it with a fire spell.

I puffed a few times to get it going and sighed happily. “Thanks, Pred.” I watched as Pallet jumped up into the air and glided her way to the entrance of Stim Pack’s clinic.

“If we are going after those hunters, may I make a suggestion?” He sounded more direct than ever as he spoke. “Seeing as the contract out for me specifies that they need me alive, I suggest you stay behind me as we approach. They will be less likely to fire if there is a risk of hitting me.”

“That was already the plan.” I may not have good luck, but I certainly wasn’t stupid. The fact that he of all ponies brought it up intrigued me though. “But why do you care if I get shot? My goal is the same as theirs, and I didn’t think you’d care who turned you in so long as you got there in one piece.”

He let out a quick laugh. “You forget Miss Storm, I find you interesting to be around.” He walked around me and held his hoof out to me. “You are an enigma, a prewar puzzle just waiting to be solved. If I were to go with the sisters, then it would be a most boring trek that would most likely result in my untimely death.” He stopped as he came around the front of me again. “If it came down to it, who would one of them protect more? An injured sister, or just one of a dozen potential money making contracts?”

“While true, what do you even hope to gain from solving a puzzle like me?” I smirked and took another draw from my smoke, holding it in and savoring the slight hint of cherry it gave.

“Knowledge? Understanding? Wisdom?” He shrugged. “The books in the library did not give me the information inside of them with some ulterior motive, but instead did so with the intent that whoever reads, could use that knowledge to build something greater than themselves.”

I put my hooves up and chuckled, blowing out wispy clouds. “Okay there Play Dough, no need to philosophise so much.” I looked at his generally shocked expression lingered on his face. “Hey, I read books when I was young too you know. My parents had mostly boring ones on hoof, with the only other real fun option being Daring Do.” I sighed, remembering that I still didn’t get to finish the end of book three.

“I’m sorry, but I never expected to hear the name of one of the greatest Philosophers of all time to come from your muz...” He stopped himself, and shifted nervously as I raised my eyebrow at him. “What I meant, was that it’s good to see another fan of his work.”

“Speakin of work!” Harmony grumbled as a large pipe forced the door open. “Y’all care ta get the door for me?”

Predious’s horn glowed and pulled the door back, allowing Harmony to carefully guide herself through the entrance to her shop. What I had thought a pipe, turned out the be the hulking barrel to one of the biggest rifles I’d ever seen. It sat attached to a battle saddle that sagged heavily to the side, the other half of it not counterweighted nearly enough. As she stepped into the street and swung the enormous barrel towards us, I was fairly sure my face looked the same as Pred’s had a few moments ago.

“That… um.” I stammered, not really able to comprehend the awesomeness before me. “That sure is something!” I forced out, realizing after the fact that I sounded like a blathering idiot. I forced myself to deadpan as I looked at her. “You sure that’s going to be enough? Perhaps you want to bring something less subtle, a megaspell perhaps?”

Harmony rolled her eyes with a smirk and trot past me. “Come on ladies, we need to leave now if we plan on hitting them anytime before sunset.”

“Hey Pred, you ever read about a gun that big?” I asked, turning around and trotting beside him after Harmony.

“Yes, and I believe the correct term is ‘Cannon’.” He snickered and nudged me. Oh this was definitely going to be a fun trip out of town.

I hated knowingly walking into ambushes, but other than wasting an entire days trip to loop around west, I didn’t see another way around this. Not to mention, they might have just slipped back into town tonight and attempted to kill us while we were sleeping if we waited for tomorrow. But this is why Harmony is getting set up on one of the hills quite a ways back, and Predious was walking with a bounce to his step in front of me. If they want my life, they are going to have to try their best to take it, and pay for it dearly.

“Storm, up on the ridge to our left.” He spoke in a whisper.

Sure enough, up ahead was a rocky crag that jut out from the hills, and the small round lump sitting atop it stood plainly out from the jagged rocks around it. I bit down on my rifle and pulled it off myself, keeping it ready as I quickly looked about for cover to use when the shit hit the fan. I found a few candidates that would serve well, but the one rock I would have loved to use was a bit of a stretch to get to. As I contemplated if I could make it there or not, a figure walked out from behind it, making Pred and I come to a halt. The pistol mare flashed a wicked smile as she stopped in the middle of the path, slowly pulling her coat from herself to reveal the bit to her revolver again.

“Just give it up Sugar, there ain’t no way a mare like you can win against us.” She called out, giving herself away as if she is far too sure that I’d lose. “Besides, a real mare doesn’t use dirty tactics like hiding behind her charge.”

I spit my rifle into my hoof, propping myself on it so I could talk. “Oh! And I suppose bringing a sniper to the fight is fair game!” I laughed out at her, keeping myself pressed close to Pred. I really hope that Harmony was almost done setting up back there! This was an over one thousand meter shot, which she’s always said she could make, but I fucking hope she wasn’t exaggerating! “And adding scopes to pistols? I can’t decide if you’re crazy, or just downright stupid.”

“You’re just sore that you ain’t got help of your own.” The pistol mare looked down and marveled over her own weapon, running her hoof down the holster. “Ain’t no problem with having an edge on the competition, is there?”

“My thoughts exactly.” I tightened my fetlock around the barrel, waiting for the right time.

The small lump on the rock face exploded into a dark cloud that coated the surrounding rock with a deep crimson, the loud crack of thunder that followed Harmony’s round made the pistol mare flinch and spin.

“SWEETY, NO!” She screamed out as I pulled up my rifle. I propped myself against Predious as she went for her gun, steadying my rifle. I got my crosshairs lined up just as she pulled her revolver out, doing so much faster than I had anticipated. I fired off my shot, watching as the round I had aimed for her head, punched into the scope of her pistol. She screamed in pain through her bit as her scope came apart in her face, the bitch taking off back around the rock she appeared from.

“Pred, get to cover.” I pushed myself up and pointed myself at the best rock I could use to fight from. I quickly cantered over to it, finding that it wasn’t nearly as big as I had hoped it was. The bitch popped out from her rock before I could get myself set up, firing as she ran and forcing me to hit the dirt. I counted the shots as my heart raced, waiting for her to pause and duck for cover to reload.

3… 4… then came the pause.

I pushed myself up and pulled up my rifle just in time to see her still barreling towards me. She fired again, the round sparking off the rock just missing me. I threw myself to the side as she fired again, missing with her sixth and last shot. I did my best to roll off my dive, but found myself too slow while holding my rifle.

The mare spit out her pistol and dove at me before I realized that I would be better off dumping the gun to stay quick on my hooves. The idea had come too slow, and I found an iron horseshoe planted against the side of my head. The mare attempted to climb onto me and pin me to the dirt, but I managed to keep one of my rear legs up and thrust her off of me. As we both got back to our hooves, I could see that the scope had torn up the eye on the good side of her face, and small shining cuts that were filled with bits of glass glistened across her once pristine coat.

“Honey, you got real ugly.” I coughed out, rubbing at my sore cheek with my hoof. If anything, now it was a real fight. Hoof to hoof, her against me.

“You’re FUCKING DEAD!” She screamed, charging at me again, moving her hooves faster than I had anticipated. This mare was all over quick as I scrambled to block her incoming blows, failing miserably and getting sent to the dirt. This time I didn’t have the lucky placement of my legs, and she jumped onto me with all her force. I felt the air rush out of my lungs and prayed for my ribs not to snap as I raised my hooves to defend myself. She screamed and relentlessly pounded at my chest, the anger of her dead sister keeping her eyes unfocused as I gave what felt like futile blows against her sides.

The sharp report of a gun filled the air, and the mare quit moving with a shudder, flopping forward onto my chest as I gasped for air. The clatter of my rifle falling to the dirt, and Predious helping to lift the mare from me was a sight that meant more to me in the world than anything. As I breathed with wheezy gasps, I wasn’t sure what I should do anymore. He’s saved my life more than once now, and while he’s not so useful in a fight, he’s at least somepony who everypony else will underestimate. Do I really want to turn him in after all he’s done? Is there even a way I could convince whoever wants him that he’s not worth their time or money?

“I know what you are thinking Miss Storm, and the answer is no.” He sat down next to me and stared intently into my eyes. “You must complete the contract.”

He sat and waited for me to slowly get my breath back. That mare had really worked me over with those heavy shoes, and I know that for the next few days, my sides were going to be sore as all hell. Maybe once we get to Chasm I could sneak us in and use the hot springs for a bit, really relax before continuing on our trip.

“Oh, and one other thing, Miss Storm.” He twisted his head as his horn glowed softly, the mare’s dusty revolver floating over in his grip. “I’m sorry I melted your pistol, but this one might be a bit better anyway.”

“Take off the scope… and you got a deal.” I smiled and patted at my chest, letting out a groan before I rolled back over.

“Wait, are you hurt? Did she break a rib?” Predious spoke up, putting his hoof on my shoulder.

“Worse.” I grunted and pulled the crumpled and torn white cardboard box from my satchel. “She broke my smokes.”

Harmony walked up the rock ledge as Predious and I finished pulling what we could from the sniper mare. It was hard to pick through her belongings when every second we had to search under a different pile of minced pony meat we were threatened with slipping on them and falling off the rock to our death.

“Find anything useful?” I called out to Predious, who had opted to search what was left of the rear of the mare.

“Not in particular.” He paused and held some unidentifiable piece of gore coated cloth in his hoof. “Unless you think that this lingerie is still salvageable.” He flashed a smile as I deadpanned.

“Well at least her sister had all good stuff. One out of two isn’t bad.” I carefully made my way back from the ledge, thankful to be away from it. Besides the pistol and it’s holster, her sister had a whole box of .44 ammo for her pistol, which I could split with my rifle as well. On top of that, she had a couple bottles of brown, but drinkable water, a healing potion, half a sparkle cola that was neatly taped shut, a broken toaster, nearly complete gun cleaning kit, a quart of oil, and thirty six caps to her name. The only thing we managed to salvage from miss stroganoff here was her sniper rifle and eight .308 rounds.

“Wowee! This thing really does work wonders!” Harmony stopped and marveled at the three meter wide red splotch that covered the rocks. “Ah've been meaning ta test this rifle on a live target. Got a steal on it when some merchant from Salt Cube City needed a pair of hydra injectors and some armor.” She looked back at the overkill death machine strapped to her side. “Guess he figured those would help him more than a box of rounds for this would.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask, but what the hell kind of round does that thing shoot?” I wiggled my nose as even as I walked up to it, her rifle smelled of unburnt powder. “You turned her into jerky with just one shot!”

“It’s a twenty mill, but mama would have kicked mah ass fer a shot that bad.” She shook her head and sighed as I couldn’t even begin to explain how backwards that sounded. “If the round hadn't airburst and ah hit her with it, she would have been a fine red mist instead of chunks.” She sighed deeper and looked to the ammo can on her side. “Got three more tries anyhow.”

“You didn’t even HIT!?” I flailed and sat as my jaw hung between the words. “Who the hell made that thing and where can I get one!”

“It was an early war project.” Predious spoke up as he daintily stepped over the bloody chunks on his way to us. “Meant for use against the first Talons the Zebra’s sent against us. When they were given the alchemical combat drugs from the Zebras, our bigger guns no longer had the punch to bring them down, so they built these.” He sat down beside me and scraped the gore from his hooves as he continued. “Though, they were phased out fairly early when dragons became more common, focusing more research on magical energy weapons that seemed to affect both enemies more anyway.”

“Harmony, I love you like a sister, and as your sister, I just wanted to ask…” I leaned in close and reached my hoof out to the beautiful weapon. “Can... can I have it? I'll pay you back for it, I swear!”

“Hell no yah can’t have it!” She took a step back and rolled her eyes. “Ah'm keeping it for shop defence! Besides, yah ALREADY owe meh for the pipbuck. Not ta mention the half dozen other things Ah’ve brought yah.” She reached her hoof back and pulled a small burlap sack from her saddlebags, holding it out as Predious’s magic snagged it. “Ah got ya a couple of rolls of bandage, a healin potion, anotha twenty rounds for yah rifle, and a couple cans of beans.”

“Thanks Harmony.” I smiled and got back to my hooves. I walked up and threw my hooves around her in a hug, wincing as she hugged me back and squeezed my bruised sides. With a whimper I let go and took a step back. “Guess we should head out then.” I looked back and gave a glance to Predious before looking to Harmony with a shrug. “I might be back in another couple of days, so if I am I’ll swing in and pay you what I can for all you’ve done.”

“Ah’m holding you ta that, missy.” She smiled and gave a small wave.

“Come on Pred, lets get a move on!” I slowly stepped forward, starting to make my way back down to the road. “We’ve still got an good half hour before we loose light, and I’d like to have made some progress today rather than none.”

“Whatever you say, Boss.” He called out, quickly making his way past me down the slope.

“Boss?” I chuckled. “You know, I kinda like that.”