Chapter 1: Lost and Found

“Do you ever get the feeling you've done this before, even though your mind tells you otherwise?”

*   *   *

I gasped for air as I awoke alone in darkness, my lungs burning inside and feeling like they would collapse at any moment.  I opened my eyes, trying to make out anything in the dark, damp room I was in.  Or at least it seemed like a room.  My head was spinning, and I could barely tell what was up or down.  The cold air bit at my coat, making me shiver.  I could have sworn I used to be wearing something, but I couldn't remember.  I lifted myself to my haunches, and immediately regretted doing so as I violently wretched whatever had been in my stomach onto the floor beside me.

“Ugh... Really, Lucky?  What is with this crazy morning sickness?  You ain't pregnant are ya?” A grey earth stallion with a black mane and tail said as he stepped up beside me. The room swam into focus and I started to remember where I was. I shivered and wiped any leftover bile from my face with my left fetlock before looking up at him.

“Huh?  Oh Luna I hope not Ash, or Cookie will have my ass... literally,” I sighed. I stood, pulling myself to four unbelievably shaky hooves before finally gaining some semblance of balance. Ash held out a glass of water. I smiled softly, taking it in my magic and gulping it down instantly.

“I wonder why you keep having this problem.  You didn't even have company last night, Lucky,” He said.

“I don't know.  It just makes me feel like this is not who I'm supposed to be or something.  Like... my soul is rejecting what I've been doing all my life here,” I replied.  Ash looked down at the floor before he tried speaking again.

“Have you ever --” He started to say as the door opened. The pony that entered was a slick, greasy looking white earth pony I knew as Coleman, one of my bosses. His cutie mark, a shot glass and martini glass, indicated his position as the club's bartender.

“Ash!  There is a delivery of rum and coconuts I need you to take care of right this minute!” He snapped.

“Yes sir...” The grey pony said before heading off.  “See you tonight, Lucky.”

“Bye,” I said.  I looked at Mr. Coleman anxiously.  Has it been a week already? I thought.  I didn't have his money yet.  It usually took me four nights on stage, sometimes five.  The last night was pocket change, for me at least.  This had to be too soon.  I know I only worked three nights so far, I thought.

“Good morning, Lucky.  I've come to collect my rent,” He said with a suspicious grin.  I looked over into my rent box and my silence confirmed...

“Don't have it yet?  That's okay.  I'm not here for that rent,” He said.  His grin was wider than before as he shut and locked the door behind him.

* * *

Hours later, I awoke again with a massive headache and a distinct throbbing from in between my legs, cluing me in real fast as to what had just happened.  I felt used and dirty, which matched the theme of this place.  Maybe that's why I wake up every morning wishing I were somepony else, I thought.  I got up off my makeshift bed and hobbled over to the corner where the bathroom and shower were.  The ice cold water made my fur stand on end, but at least I was getting clean.  A knock on my door startled me as I was drying off.

“Who is it?” I asked, breathing a sigh of relief. My bosses, the infamous "Three C's", would just barge in, meaning that it had to be somepony else.

“It's Toodles.” There was an edge to the cream colored unicorn mare's voice that made me think she had a visitor recently too.

“Come in, it's okay,” I said as cheerfully as I could trying to hide my nervousness and unease at the life I now lived here in Hoof Creek, a town that had become a nightmare for the ponies who worked for the various business but paradise to the customers and owners.

“You too?” She had been in this joint long before me, and knew when a mare was distressed.

“Yea... first time that has happened though.  I hope it doesn't happen often.”  I sighed.

“Usually not until you're a regular like me.  The idea is to keep the new stock as virgin-like as possible.  Keeps the boys coming as long as they can drool over your 'innocence'.”  Toodles assured me.  Her wispy brown mane and tail were already in curlers for tonight's show.  “At least the prick knows to be gentle with the curlers – you might want to start curling that pretty purple mane and tail you got there.”  She smiled.

“Maybe... though those aren't cheap in the Wasteland anymore.  But what's a few caps when it comes to softer intrusions?” I gave a small chuckle.

“Do you want help with your make-up for tonight?” She asked.

“I think I'd like to try it myself this time, Toodles.  I'm going to have to do it on my own eventually,” I replied.

“Alright dear, fair enough.  You holler though if you're having trouble.  Can't have my best mare friend looking gnarly on stage now can I?”  Toodles gave me a hug and left me to my doings as it was approaching show time and by the sounds of it, a very busy one at that.

* * *

“Are you sure this is place we want to just waltz right into?” Iolaus, a light brown earth pony buck with a short blonde mane and tail asked.

“Hopefully the caravan merchant correctly told us that this place is our best bet to barter for some food, and if we're lucky some meds,” Hawkeye, the larger dark grey griffon to his right, replied.

“C3's it is.  Maybe they'll have a good drink available too,” Iolaus said.  Hawkeye laughed.

“Yea, maybe.”

The two trotted up to C3's, a club devoted to sex, money, and other frivolous ventures. The club was located on the outskirts of Hoof Creek, a onetime raider town turned upstanding business -- at least the kind of business that attracted the stallions, and even a few mares.  The ponies who ran it were a slight improvement over being raiders, but they could do better.  The buildings all were made out of old railroad cars, scavenged lumber and steel, and left over skywagons.

The two were seated at a table close to the stage as the hostess noticed how young and eligible they appeared to be.  The lights soon dimmed, and the show started.  Two mares dressed in feathery outfits that highlighted everything a stud would want to fantasize about came onstage.  One was a cream-colored unicorn and the other was a pink earth pony.  Their number got more elaborate as they danced on, seeming to indicate that something bigger was coming.  Sure enough, the two friend's jaws dropped when a beautiful lime green mare appeared on the center stage.  She floated along the stage not from her unicorn magic, but from her gorgeous wings.  She was a rare happenstance in the Wasteland, a unicorn pegasus.  She was a slight chance born of a magically strong unicorn mare and a strikingly proud pegasus stallion.  Although in appearance she looked like the Goddesses of times past, she had zero royal lineage to match.

“Lucky?!” Iolaus and Hawkeye exclaimed in unison, along with many other stallions that were hooting and hollering her name along with other various 'names'.  Amidst the chaos that had erupted in the bar, Iolaus and Hawkeye took the moment to analyze the current situation.  That mare on the stage was their friend: a friend who had been missing for quite sometime now.

“If she's seen us, she hasn't even recognized us.  And it's not hard to do that.  I don't understand, Hawkeye,” Iolaus stated.

“Her memory must have been messed with.  It's the only explanation as to why she's even on that stage in the first place,” The griffon replied, anger building in his ice blue eyes from all the expletives that were being called the mare's way.

“Then we either kidnap her, or try and meet with her and get her to remember us,” The earth pony offered.

“We need to be calm about this and not create any problems.  This town though still on the edge of the wasteland is slowly improving themselves for the better.  We can't stall that out,” Hawkeye said.

“Unless it's for a good cause.  I mean, they do have Lucky,” Iolaus replied looking around at the various ponies about wondering if it really was going in a better direction.

“Even so, we can't.  Even if it takes all my caps, maybe I can pay to see her privately,” The griffon said, flagging down the bartender.  “Excuse me.  May I ask you something?”

“Sure,” The grey stallion replied pouring a round of drinks on their table.

“I'd like to see the gorgeous unicorn pegasus mare privately, if you catch my drift.  I'm prepared to pay whatever amount necessary shes such a rare delicacy I’m told,” Hawkeye gave the waiter his best suave smile and a wink to boot.

“Umm... I'd have to ask the boss.  The other two, no problem.  But only very, very lucky stallions no pun intended get to see Lucky,” The bartender said, sensing some urge inside to help these two maybe they could help his mare friend.

“Tell him that I'm willing to pay ten thousand caps to see her,” The griffon said.  The grey stallion mulled over this a moment and nodded.

“Alright, let me go see what I can do,” He said as he walked back towards the back room where his boss Mr. Cash another almost gleaming white earth stallion with dollar signs for a cutie mark was sitting at a luxurious desk counting caps.

“Mr. Cash?  I have somepony, well.... err griffon, who wants to pay 10,000 caps to see Lucky tonight,” The bartender said.  The stallion on the other end of the desk perked up, his eyes lighting up with glee.

“Really now?  That's an offer we cannot afford to turn down.  Ash, make sure that he and his guest are well taken care of.  On the house, of course,” Mr. Cash said.  The large stallion appeared to be almost giddy, with dollar signs in his eyes as he got up to go make preparations.  Ash returned to the table, bringing the accepted offer.

“And whatever you two would like, is on the house tonight,” He concluded.  The two friends nodded, and proceeded to watch the rest of the show.  

* * *

“It's that part of the show boys!  Here's what you all brought your caps for!” The announcer said over the PA system.  I took a deep breath.  This was it.  Time to make rent money.  Toodles gave me a grin and bumped my rump as a sort of a 'go get'em kid' gesture.  I smiled back and used my wings to launch into an acrobatic twirl off the stage, landing in front of two bucks in the front row.  Except one wasn't a buck.  A griffon?  That's a first, I thought.  Suddenly I was bumped from behind by some excited buck, pushing my muzzle right into the griffon's beak.  My cheeks went hot from the contact, I pulled away and he smiled.  I felt... I felt like I had done this before.  Like I felt something for this griffon.  We were interrupted by the bouncer, who had come over to put the unruly guest in line.  I smiled again at the griffon before moving on.

Hawkeye gave a smirk over at Iolaus.

“You know... I'll have to keep these moves in mind for when she gets her memory back,” He said, grinning.  He had to admit, his mare had moves.  

Iolaus chuckled, “I just wonder how she lost her memory in the first place.”

“Me too and we're going to find out.” He said getting up as the show had ended and he wasn’t wanting to draw much attention to him when he left to see Lucky. “If I don’t come out with her in two hours you know what to do.” Hawkeye whispered seeing the grey earth buck motion for him.

* * *

I took a deep breath, and shimmied off my costume full of caps dropped it to the floor.  I began to separate the caps from the clothing when Cookie busted through the door.

“Finish that later, mare, you have a client in half an hour.  You better be on your best behavior for this one and don't disappoint,” The blue unicorn mare said curtly.  

“Yes, Miss Cookie,” I replied.

“Good.  Now hurry up then.  We expect promptness from all our workers,” She said.  I nodded as she huffed and flipped her white mane streaked with a brilliant orange blaze that continued into her tail as she turned and left.  

A client?  I wonder who it could be... there wasn't anypony special out there tonight, I thought.  Wait.  The griffon!  A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts.  Before I could answer it, Mr. Cash burst in.  He was leading the griffon from earlier into my room.

“Here we are.  Now enjoy yourself, sir.  Your pleasure is our business,” He said, smiling.  Within a few moments, we were alone.  The griffon was silent as he looked me up and down before speaking.

“Hi,” He said.  “How are you?”  This was quite peculiar, a first actually.  Nopony else ever asked me anything other than to inform me I’d just be taking orders. This was strange to me Something about him felt familiar but nothing in my head could place him. I looked at the griffon, feeling quite confused.

“I'm... fine I guess.  You?” I said not knowing what to say.

“Doing much better now that I've found you!” He said.The griffon smiled wider moving closer to me.

“Excuse me?” I said.  “I don't even know you!” I moved back until I bumped into an old dresser inside my room.

“Lucky, it's me... Hawkeye?  Geez, something or someone has messed with your head,” He said.  “We had been traveling together for several months.  There was a big fight, and after the smoke cleared, you were gone.  That was over four weeks ago.”  He sounded confident in what he was saying, but I had no memories of any of the events he had mentioned.

“How... how did we meet?  I don't remember any of this,” I said. How could my memories just disappear and he know so much about me and I nothing of him. Maybe he was the one who took them in the first place. “What do you want with me, did you do this?”

“We met in Kimberwick, a now liberated raider town, thanks to us,” He said. “And I would never do anything to harm you. But maybe this really isn’t the place to discuss the fine details.” He said he semed worried that those here knew more than they were letting on.

“I'm sorry, but I've never been anywhere but here,” I said.  A voice from behind us caught me by surprise.

“That's not true, Lucky,” The voice I said.  I looked back, seeing Ash standing there.  I hadn't even noticed the grey stallion enter my room.

“What?!  Ash... do you know something you're not telling me?” I asked the sorrowful look on his face confirmed what I had asked..

“You’ve really only been here for about a week now. Two ponies in indistinguishable power armor dropped you here. Gave Mr. Cash so many caps he didn’t care who or what it was he was helping. All they told him was that you had been a prisoner from the Day of Sunshine and Rainbows and needed disposed of but that the two of them hadn’t wanted to kill you. I don’t know much about out there beyond our borders” Ash paced nervously. “We need to get you out of here Lucky before the three C’s ruin you for good.”

“None of this makes any sense except I can’t argue against it either.”  I said,  “It would explain why I know what this is on my leg and how to use it but its not a device used or from this town.” I said poking at my pipbuck. I had technical knowledge of some stuff and places but everything else was mostly just a fog in my head.

“Look we need to get out of here is there a way to get outside?” Hawkeye stated peeking his head outside the door.

“Yea! I can show you come on follow me” Ash exclaimed as he trotted out the door to the right. We both followed behind him as we made our way through the musty, dank corridors of the C’3 buildings.

“And where do you think You’re heading off to?” Cookie said taking us by surprise popping out from behind some boxes.  

“The Griffon said he uh...well uh... wanted to you know ...under the stars, he’s kinda a romantic that way, and well Ma'am he did pay quite a bit so I only wanted to please our clients Ma’am!” Ash quickly replied acting like he only intended to please the Griffon.

“Oh then why didn’t you say so we have the perfect spot for those kind of interactions.” she laughed giddily. “Follow me to the perfect spot.” She led us back the way we came turning left through a doorway leading out into an enclosed Courtyard. It was small made up of the surrounding buildings’ exteriors and full of junk. “I must apologize for the mess, if we had known earlier that you liked this atmosphere instead, we would have had it spruced up for you.” she said turning to Ash. “Lets leave them to their business shall we. And as always if you need anything Sir and I do mean anything do feel free to call for us!” The grey stallion and the Boss Mare took their leave of us.

Looking up I noticed the thin wired screen above us, picking up a twig with my hoof I tossed it up at it. As it hit the wires lit up sparking electricity i snorted softly feeling even more hopeless about getting out.

“Well that’s just great” Hawkeye gruffed.” I don’t suppose you could teleport us outside?”

“I...well...I don't know, haven’t exactly thought of that till now.” Was I really that stupid? Hello I’m a unicorn why didn't I just teleport outta here the moment I was left? Or after my first “lesson” from Cookie for that matter. The griffon must have sensed my troubled thinking as he came over and put his wing over me.

“I mean I know it’s not your strongest ability in the respects of teleporting yourself and others, your magic works differently than most unicorns. I just thought maybe we could try it thats all.” He said looking around also assessing the situation trying to figure a way to get out.

“Huh...? Oh well of course I’d like to try I don't want to be stuck here after everything Ash has risked to help  you help me.” I said closing my eyes and concentrating. My horn flared to life with magic as I pictured the griffon and myself beyond the rooftops above to freedom. A second layer enveloped the first and started to glow around us as I pushed harder into the magic as we were about to make the jump.

*CRACK* Searing pain across my back and haunches broke the magic between us and dropped me to the ground. As I stood back up Hawkeye wheeled around to face the new threat.

“Thought you were strange in wanting all this. Figured you might try and pull something funny.” Cookie snorted, a long thick whip raised above her held by her magic ready to strike. “Now I could forgive this little infraction if you tell me it wasn't your idea that this little cunt of a mare used you to try and escape from us.”

“This Mare is MY Mare get my drift. She doesn't belong to you.” Hawkeye said stepping up proudly between us, clicking his sharp talons on the ground adding to his point narrowing his gaze at the other mare. "Suffice to say, she will be leaving with me."

Cookie immediately took action teleporting behind me then lashing out with her whip the end closing around my neck and closing tighter, as she pulled me back towards her. “Well now you see I have her, so if you plan to get to me hope you don't mind hurting her to do it.”

Hawkey stretched out his talons, reared up spreading his large grey wings lifting him as high as he could as he charged at Cookie. He went into a spiral dive aiming to claw his way through when she nabbed him.

“Uh uh uh not so fast dearie” she said outstretching her magic encasing him in a telekinetic bubble slowing him down and lifting him up. With a slight strain to her she forced him into the electrified wire sending sharp jolts of electricity through his body. Hawkeye screeched loudly and jerked with every shock. Taking the moment while she was focused on Hawkeye I gave a strong buck knocking her off backwards to cause her to lose focus and drop both the whip around my neck and the griffon. I raced towards him grabbing him with my own magic bubble as best I could to slow him down. *Crack* I winced but kept my hold long enough for Hawkeye to twist around and right himself to strike again. He grabbed her whip mid air strike and glared at the nasty unicorn mare trying to pull against him.

“I said she’s coming with me. If you want to keep running this establishment then I suggest you let us pass all civilized and such.” He said landing next to me.

“We don’t think so Pal.” Coleman sneered as he stepped up beside Cookie cocking his small pistol in his mouth grip. “If ye’r wanting to kep’er head on’er body then ye’s best be getting along outta here.”

Think Lucky think why is my memory of magic so faded... I know I know spells that could help us. If only I could have that gun....  Suddenly the gun in Colemans mouth disappeared in a flash of greenish silver light and reappeared on the ground in front of me. I blinked trying to figure out what I had done. It didn’t matter Hawkeye swooped down and picked it up as if we had planned the maneuver and aimed it back at Coleman.

“You were saying?” the griffin said as he landed.

Coleman sneered then grinned as magic encased a metal collar attached to the wall behind us closed around Hawkeye’s neck by force of Cookies will. I raced over trying to help get it off when she encased me inside another telekinetic bubble pulling me closer to them. I tried to dig into the ground with my hooves but i was no match for her unyielding magic. Hawkeye screamed in an outraged cry pulling as hard as he could against the collar and chain. While Cookie held me down across an upright piece of rebar Coleman tied my front hooves down around it as tight as he possibly could seeming like he wanted the rope to dig into my legs. No matter how hard I pulled I could not wriggle out. I tried flapping my wings hard trying to create wind to keep them away from me. It worked until Coleman was able to lasso my left wing and tied it down and out almost to the point of breaking my wing bone if i were to move too forcefully.

“Hmm now that we have to two love birds in our grasp what shall we do with them my dear sister?”  Coleman “Make this one suffer while he watches? Thats gotta be worth ten thousand caps” He sneered placing a crude blade under my chin as if to slice right through my neck.

“Leave her alone, I’ll pay you twice as much if you just let us go.” Hawkeye said trying to maybe reason with them.

“My brother would jump on that in an instant the pushover he is. But my sister and I prefer the colors of red to boring old caps. Catch my drift,” he said gently turning and slicing my cheek just enough to be painful but not deeply. “For every answer you fail to tell she will pay. Thats the game and now we play.”

“What is a griffin like yourself doing all the way out here in Hoof Creek anyways?”

“Just stopping for food and supplies while looking for Lucky”

“What is so special about this mare then?”

“She’s my friend and my Marefriend. She’s been helping clean up this wasteland to make things better.”

“Oh is that so?! Well why didn’t you say so? Let’s let the deary free shall we” He said going towards the ropes on my legs. The look in his eye though showed malice and not good intentions.

Gasp! “Oowwww!” I yelped as instead of cutting the ropes he sliced into my leg instead.

“Oops, my bad! I don't buy it. she can’t even use her magic how can she possibly help save anypony when she can’t even save herself.”

“Because somebodys messed with her head that’s why.” The griffin balked jerking against the chain. Suddenly a large explosion rung through the courtyard blowing smoke and debris all over the place. In the chaos of the explosion two more ponies had entered the room one a light brown earth stallion with a golden mane and tail leaped up hitting the chains binding Hawkeye with his sword. The other rushed to my side was no other than.

“Ash!” I said surprised as he rushed to free me never letting go of his grip on his small colt pistol, cutting the bindings just in time for me to leap out of the way from Coleman’s strike. I jumped down upon him shoving him to the ground before leaping back as Ash came forth holding the pistol point blank at his head.

“I think you’ll be letting the lady go if I were you.” Ash demanded. I looked around to see both Hawkeye and his friend had Cookie cornered and looking fairly remorsive for being apart of Coleman’s little plan seeing as more than her figure was at stake now.

“Fine fine take the little cunt of a mare. Not like she was putting out or anything.” Coleman said as snidely as ever. Bang! The gun in Ash’s mouth went off but he hadn’t pulled the trigger as the trigger was wrapped in a green hue of magic. The shot had gone through his groin area as Coleman screamed out in pain. “wha..what you do tha...that for you fucking crazy?” he hollered.

“The next shot won’t be so kind now I suggest that maybe you look into offering a different kind of service If I were you or you wont have much to offer anyone if you don’t do better” I said harshly as I turned from him and smiled at Ash. “Thanks Ash lets get outta here. Come on Hawkeye, I think we’re free to go now.” I yelled up at the Griffin who dropped his hold on Cookie and motioned for his friend to follow us out.

“Is she...??” The brown colt asked Hawkeye as they released their hold on their previous captors never taking their eyes off of them.

“Maybe just an aggravated reflex, but its a start Iolaus.” The griffin smiled as he and the younger buck followed Ash and I out of C3. I was free of that dreadful place but now what. All I knew was that these two were friends of mine at least its what they claimed and having gone through the trouble they just did to get me out of that hell hole the least i could do is trust them. For now.

“Ash, thanks for everything, If you’d like you can come with us. I mean I don’t really know what's going to happen but I...” I started as he raised his hoof to stop me.

“You’re welcome my friend, but you look like you’ll be in good hands. Besides someone’s gotta keep these ponies in check” He said as he smiled and turned to head back to his home. “See ya around Lucky”

“So where to first Mr. Hawkeye sir?” I asked walking up to him my right leg stinging a bit with each step and my back was starting to bother me more since the adrenaline from the fight was starting to edge off.

“Well first is making camp and getting us all back together in one piece.” He said as the brown buck who was also wearing a weathered purple vest. “This is Iolaus he’s been traveling with us... well me since...anyways hes a good friend and great with a sword.”

“Aww now you’re just exaggerating. It’s good to have finally found you!” He said jumping around a bit as he went about setting up camp unveiling the hidden supply wagon in the brush. He rolled out two thick bed rolls and started piling up some wood to start a fire.

“Lucky over here, lets take care of you alright.” Hawkeye said gently guiding me with his left wing over to one of the beds. “Lie down here easy and we’ll get you all fixed up.” He went over and grabbed some medical supplies and gave me a shot of Med-X for the pain as he carefully wrapped my wounds with some healing bandages. “That should do ya till morning now lets get some rest ok?” Hawkeye said getting ready to take a spot down next to me.

“What no food in that wagon?” I asked my stomach growling a bit which made me chuckle softly.  

“Oh right, how could I forget.” He chuckled going over to the wagon to start digging through their food supplies. I saw the Sugar Apple Bombs before I could encase them in my magic they disappeared, “What the...” I started to complain until the box reappeared in front of my nose. I must of had a very confused look on my face as Hawkeye broke out into a heavy laugh.

“Told you you’re magic doesn’t work like most unicorns does Lucky. You have a freaky way of bringing things to you through teleportation versus levitation.” He said coming back over to where I was finally lying down beside me. It felt comforting to be near him, his warm body and feathers were soft against my fur and the familiar essence of protectiveness about him that I couldn’t help but smile at. I wish I could just remember. A fair wind had started blowing through the trees, making me let out a cold shiver. Hawkeye felt it too and extended his wing over me to shelter me.

“Thanks, well see you on the flip side I guess.” As I let out a small yawn and closed my eyes falling asleep.