Orphanage was as far removed from the wasteland as I could imagine. Children were being productive, with adults supervising, and the children seemed to enjoy it. It seemed very chaotic, and yet somehow orderly. I had started to think that nopony cared to help another, that what Penny said about me saving her and Golden made me an oddity. It brought a smile to my lips, it appears that there's some good hidden in the wasteland.

Golden led us to a built in home attached to the open area with the pond, what she called the work room. The small building attached to the work room had several desks with a pony working behind each, most of the ponies here were early adult, just slightly younger then myself.

“We're at the office,” Golden whispered to Penny, who was still downcast about her condition. I felt a pain in my chest as Penny put on a strong face and addressed the room.

“We have a message from the Rustic quarry, the rad-scorpions have shifted their nest and it's believed that its moving towards Orphanage, it's projected to become a problem sometime within two weeks.”

Okay, that was definitely an important message. I could now understand why these two would have been willing to cross the wasteland on their own.

The young ponies looked from their work with concern, one of them went to a closed room to get somepony. Taking a glance at what they were working on, I saw a collection of official, tedious looking forms on the desks that each of the ponies were either filling in or organizing. After a moment an old mare with a faded pink mane and tan coat came out of the small room to us, her cutie-mark was a cut-out of a filly imposed on a piece of paper.

“Oh dear, what happened Penny?” She asked with concern. My ears fell at the question. The mare looked over the three of us, and after telling the pony that got her out to spread the word about the rad-scorpions, returned to Penny.

“Come dear, lets take you to medical, see if Band-Aid can help.” The mare said, then turned to me, “Care to explain?” her voice had an edge to it, I don't think she was accusing me, but I thought it a good idea not to hold back on the details. So I recalled the events to her while she directed us to medical.

I told her more then I really should have, but I felt I could trust this mare. I told her about the circumstances behind me intending to travel alone to Sandstone, and my reluctance of taking the girls. I told her about the bounty and how much trouble it's caused. I told her about the trapped safe house and what I did to save Golden and Penny, I even told her about burying the colt.

By the time my recounting had been finished we had arrived at Orphanage's medical room. It was smaller then the aid center in Rustic. A middle aged buck dressed in a long white coat took the girls off our hooves, and after a small check-up, he complimented my work. Not really feeling better from the compliment, I went to follow up on Penny's condition.

“Do you have any equipment that could augment a healing talisman?” I asked the buck, who I assumed was Band-Aid. He shook his head.

“Though it wouldn't be too difficult for us to get an auto-doc, healing talismans are exp-” he replied before I cut him off by bringing out my talisman. The old mare was giving me an appraising look.

“And if I gave you this?” I asked. He was taken aback.

“You'd just give it to us?” his gaze focused, “In exchange for what?”

“I want it used to give Penny back her eyes as soon as possible, and I'd also like help finding two colleagues of mine who are in Sandstone, both unicorns, Tabben and Mek.” I replied, was there something about the way I was looking at him when I said that? He took a step back.

“I think that can be arranged,” the old mare interjected, “I'm May Weather, matron of Orphanage. We'll see if we can find your companions, shouldn't take too long, and we'll put your donation to good use.” I was glad to here that. She considered me for a moment.

I considered the option of asking for a guide, but I recalled that my pipbuck had a mapping feature. I'm certain I'll be able to navigate the city with it. I could wait for May Weather to find my companions, but there's a whole city full of ponies and who knows what else above me. I wasn't a pony that stood around waiting when there was something to do. I needed to find information on Destiny Labs and my father.

“Is there a passage to the city in here, I'd like to take a look around,” I asked, politely, “And I'd like to buy something to cover my barding, if that's all right.”

“We'll set you right up, its the least we can do for what you've given us,” May said, she levitated the talisman to Band-Aid and lead me out of the aid center.

She turned to Golden and asked her to get to her runner coordinator, Golden gave me a hearty 'see you later' and bolted off. Penny stayed at the aid center and also said goodbye, and thanks. I hoped that the next time I saw her, she'd be able to see me back.

I was a little disheartened to say goodbye to the fillies, but this was their home, they were safe here. Thinking on that, I started to wonder about Orphanage itself.

“Sooo, you take in orphans and help them find families?” I asked. This place was the first sign of something good in the wasteland, I wanted to know more about it.

“No,” she said, shaking her head, “Nopony adopts, anypony that claims they are, they're likely slavers trying to steal one of our own. No, here we take in any child that's lost their guardians and give them a place to be. When they're old enough to contribute they do their part, there are a lot of mouths to feed and food costs caps.” I was sad to hear about the slavers, but happy that Orphanage provided regardless of adoption.

We walked back into the work center, she was leading me around the circle, indicating tasks the colts and fillies were doing, I didn't notice last time, but there were also zebra children helping as well.

“We have the unicorns help with making, and the earth ponies help with repairing. When a child gets their cutie-mark they're expected to play their talents to the benefit of Orphanage. When one of our own chooses to leave, we see them off. Sandstone is a city of change, and many children lose their parents and homes to that. The least I can do is offer them the chance to live long enough to choose their own paths.”

I noticed that everypony had stopped working to make things and were instead packing things away. I was led into another side cave attached to the work center, it seems that this was where everything was stored. It was guarded by several young adults.

“And now that the likelihood of a rad-scorpion infestation is certain, we need to relocate, probably to the other side of town, we'll let the Sandstone Armed Forces take care of the pest problem,” she sighed. She asked one of the ponies to get a robe for me, and we waited.

“So is the Orphanage self sufficient, or do you get aid from SAF, or one of the other factions?” I asked, she shook her head.

“We're self sufficient, although we do sometimes get aid from the IFA, lot of good ponies on those ships.” IFA, the Ironclad Flotsam Alliance, where Mek, and I assume Tabben, hail from.

There were raiders in the wasteland, and slavers, ponies that sell ponies. There were also pirates. All bad ponies, but the wasteland wasn't composed of just them. Orphanage stood as a beacon against the wasteland, I looked at May Weather in awe, she did her part to tip the scales, I could only hope to accomplish half of what she has.

Thinking on it, Tabben is, in his own way, tipping the scales. He frees slaves and brings them to Rustic, so what does he contribute to Orphanage?

“What does Tabben do with the Orphanage, Golden and Penny seem familiar with him.” Oh, looks like I asked a bothersome question. She put a hoof to her forehead and let out an old tired sigh.

“Tabben does what he wants, works with who he wants, and causes trouble for everypony involved. He's done the Orphanage a lot of good, but he's caused no end of headaches. Ask any child here who he is and most of them will say he's an honorary member. Tabben is trouble, trust him to do right, just don't trust him to do right... properly.” She answered.

Getting a brown robe that covered most of myself, May Weather led me to what I presumed was the exit to Sandstone. They're going to relocate, maybe...

“Do you need help relocating? I'd like to help any way I can.” I said, she was taken aback and appraised me again, then shook her head.

“Thanks for the offer, but I can't trust an outsider to our business, even if you did save two of our own. If you still want to help out, I can think of something, but it can wait till later. It shouldn't take to long to find Tabben, when we do we'll send one of our runners to you. Till then enjoy the sights of Sandstone, and try not to get caught by bounty hunters.” And with that warning, she opened a hidden wall which opened to an empty room.

Feeling a little dejected as I walked in, the door behind me closed. Checking my map I saw a beacon placed where I was standing, Orphanage's Hidden Entrance. Leaving the small room, I followed a hallway that lead out into a lobby similar to Rustic's bar. I passed the bar and the buck at the bar gave me a curt nod before continuing his business. The were a few fillies eating in the corner, they didn't seem to notice me.

Outside through the windows I could see a street bustling with activity. Still having a few hours till nightfall, I collected myself, walked out into the street and got swept away by the experience.

Water flows downstream, so as I moved I noticed I was getting closer and closer to the harbor. My EFS was starting to disorient me, so I stopped paying attention to it. There were bars of every color all around, it was a solid line of color in every direction, trying to fish out threats from non-threats would be impossible. Instead I focused on the city itself.

The city had smells of interesting food. The streets were alive with promise, the alleys cast shadows of dishonest trade. The air was radiant with energy. Every building I saw was used for something. There was activity everywhere! Comparing Sandstone to Rustic, I now understood the difference between an city and a town. As I moved I noted several particular things that caught my eye.

I passed by merchants more than eager to tell me how much I needed their wares. They wore fancy garments and held a wide variety of objects of interest, there was even a merchant that traded only in memory orbs. I also saw zebra vendors selling strange alchemical potions and exotic weapons. Refusing to spend any caps on frivolous things, I moved on.

I saw a group of armored griffins get in a scuff with a group of pirates who owed them money. What surprised me was how the crowd reacted to the fight. Ponies were betting caps on who would win!

The pirates were worst off for it, but nopony seemed fatally injured. It seemed the fight was intentionally non-lethal. The griffins fought with a ferocity that was beyond impressive. I was able to not lose track of their movements, but I doubted I could avoid their claws if I ended up in a bout with them.

I saw a troupe of performers taking up a section of the road. A tall bipedal figure was with them, it sported horns slanted up. He, at least I think it was a he, did incredible displays of strength, bending a metal girder as thick as my hoof!

The troupe also had an earth pony mare with its skin exposed, her coat lost to thermal sickness. I watched as she took a deep breath and saw her skin shimmer with light as she exhaled a plume of fire that spiraled up into the sky. The onlookers cheered and some of them even threw caps to the troupe.

At one point a small group of earth ponies, completely decked out in concealing metal armor, stopped me to ask about my pipbuck. They offered to buy it from me at a large sum, but I couldn't part with my fathers gift, and I told them such. There was also the fact that SATS and EFS were life savers, but I decided to value sentimentality over practicality. They wanted to press the issue but chose not too, saying that if I changed my mind I should go to the harbor and ask about the HMS Applejack.

And then I wandered into the slave market. Quicker then a griffins swipe, my mood change, I dropped the wonderment and curiosity for appalling anger. Ponies were lined up in cages on a stage, several ponies placing a price on them. There were even children!

I noticed that not many ponies came through here. Out of sight, out of mind, I bitterly thought. I didn't see Tabben, which was a terrible shame, if he had been there I would have harassed him into helping me free the slaves.

I hated this. Those ponies were being treated as things, and there was nothing I could do. No, that's not right. I could do something, I could go up there, take the keys, and free them. But I doubt I'd be able to get all the cages open, and considering how tired and weak the slaves look, I doubted they would get far. The only thing I could do was try to rescue them and end up being one of them for my trouble. I hated this.

Wait, Tabben would buy slaves and free them! Checking my pipbuck, I was dismayed to see all my caps gone! Had somepony swiped my caps when I wasn't looking? By Celestia's damned radiance this city is out to ruin me and everything I hope to accomplish! Not only could I now not buy the slaves freedom, but now I had no chance of buying info on my father or Destiny Labs.

I forced myself away from the slave market, drowning in regret and anger, whispering out a desperate apology nopony but myself could hear.

I couldn't even buy a sparkle cola if I wanted too. The offer by those armored ponies was just a little more tantalizing-

My head shot up on realization.

I could buy all those slaves for the caps my pipbuck would get me. I'd be giving up my fathers memento, among other things, but it would be well worth it! I found my way to the docks and ended up becoming a little overwhelmed.

The docks stretched in both directions, the docks being as long as the entire city, having two directions to choose from, I quickly proceeded to the south docks.

The southern side of the cities docks seemed to house the smaller vessels, most being smaller than Peg Legs ship. I also noticed that some spots in the dock had reserved places for ships. I quickly walked past little plaques that informed me of the ships information. Small boats like 'The Clementine, It Goes Places', 'The Seahorse, Do Not Touch!' and 'So-and-So's Personal Yacht, Best Navigator In The Sea!', were arranged in the docks. Wait.

I took another look at the previous plaque, 'Sunrise Flare's Personal Yacht, Best Navigator In The Sea!'. Did this yacht belong to Solar's father?

It looked like any other rusty tub bucket, it was half the size of Peg Legs ship, but was just as wide. It had a large central chamber at the front of the ship, almost making the ship closer to a two floor building than a boat. The ship was almost shaped like the end of my harpoon, sharp, to piece the water. I was under the impression that the ship was fast. Maybe I should ask about Sunrise, see if I can find out if Solar returned to Sandstone or not.

Right, not the boat I'm looking for. Shaking my head, I brought myself back on the search. Continuing south I saw rust bucket after rust bucket, but no HMS Applejack. The ship must be on the northern-eastern half of the dock. Its been three hours since I left Orphanage, by the time I found the ship, it would be sundown, my mood saddened as I realized that all the slaves may have already been sold by now.

Then again, I bitterly added, my caps would probably be stolen away by the time I made it back to the market with them anyways. This city sucks.

What was I suppose to do? I wanted to save them, but I couldn't! It's just, so frustrating! I felt tears start to well up, oh great, I'm outside where ponies I don't know can see me, and I'm starting to lose it. I ran, looking for someplace I could go to be alone.

Finding an alley, I let it wash over me.

The wasteland takes, and it takes, and it takes. It gives nothing but poison, and steals everything. What was I compared to that? May Weather fought the taking by giving to the young, she gave them shelter and purpose. If I was going to fight the wasteland, I couldn't do it with giving. I've already given the talisman, somepony already helped themselves to my wealth. Count the good.

I gave two fillies life today, and more in the future thanks to that talisman. It's a small step, but its better than nothing. But now, I have nothing left to give, nothing but myself. And if I offered myself, the wasteland would greedily take me, and leave me a broken husk of a pony before I perished.

There is something I can give, I did so earlier, a skill not many ponies have. I know how to heal ponies, I can save ponies with my medical knowledge.

That's good and all, but it won't save those slaves, dammit.

How dare they, how dare those damn slavers do this. Do they even need to sell ponies? No, of coarse they don't, the slavers take and take, but they don't give, or if they do, they give on the backs of their 'merchandise'.

If the wasteland only takes, then why hasn't it taken from the slavers?

...Because the slavers take from the wasteland! They take ponies, break them and sell them, and gain happiness for it. Slavers take, they do not give.

Maybe somepony needs to take from the slavers, needs to steal from them.

Tabben isn't going about it right, he buys the slaves and then frees them, the slavers still get their damn caps, they still gain.

As I sat there thinking about it all, my face still wet with tears, I came to an epiphany.

Take from the takers, and the wasteland loses.

There are many things a pony can lose, but as long as you have food and shelter, you can keep standing. Tabben takes lives, and I'm still against that. A life taken cannot be given back, it's a waste. A dead slaver can't learn, can't change.

But a slaver that's lost their wealth can still get it back by selling slaves. There is a chain, an order of events that leads from a pony being slaved, to being sold by a slaver. Take the slavers means, and the slaver loses their slaves.

I don't have enough information, I need to find Tabben, he could fill me in on how slavers operate, I'm certain he would know how to pull this off. In the meantime, there is something else I can do to help the slaves for now...

I returned to the market, I had shifted my robe to cover my head, and had my mane secured so as not to reveal my features. To pull this off, I needed to be fast, no, faster then I've ever been. I eyed one of the drugs I had been holding onto in my bags, Dash.

Mom's medical notes had briefly covered certain drugs, Dash being one of them. Knowing what they do isn't the same as experiencing what they do. I needed to pull this off, or else I would get caught, and Dash would increase my odds of success.

I needed to get in there, do what I needed, and get out before anypony could sound the alarm, before any guard could get in my way, before I could be caught. Dash increases the users speed. I was already a fast pony, so I wondered, just how fast was I about to be? Before taking the dash, I monetarily wondered if there were any psychological side affects to it.

I took the Dash inhaler, took a deep breath, spat it out and quickly got Trust in my mouth.

Whoa. Has everything always been this slow? Of course it has, I'm just now getting on the level, the level I've always been on, my own level. And it is incredible.

I jumped out of my cover, I went from an alley to the stage in a single bound, because, I'm on the level, my level. SATS made my level compound on itself, everything slowed to and even slower pace. Look at all these ponies, they're so slow I could run circles around them, because I'm on the level!

One shot, two shot, you're shot, I'm not!

One slaver gets two new leg accessories, bullets, my bullets, with love, from Rain.

Hop, skip, and a jump! I was behind a guard that was ever so slowly pulling his battlesaddle to where I just was, silly buck, get on my level!

Three shot, four shot, you're shot, I'm not! You want to take from others? Take these bullets, I insist!

I do hope these slavers are enjoying my bullets, it's not to often you get shot by sompony on my level.

Hum dee doo, two slavers, whats one more? My level is big enough for three!

Hop, skip, and a jump!

Five shot, six shot, you're shot, you're all shot! Hope you didn't mind me taking your composure, or your ability to stand!

Truly, being on my level, was awesome. You know what else is awesome?

Hop, skip, and a JUMP.

I took my level, and brought it out of there.

Yea, that was all of seven seconds of me, being on the level, a brown blur gave those slavers a bad night. I hopped, and hopped, and hopped until I knew that my hopping was done.

Sitting on a lower building, several blocks away, my level came crashing down.

Whoa. Dash was ridiculous. To note, it increases speed and reaction by quite a bit, it also induces extreme arrogance, I'd better use that sparingly, it may be addictive. Oh, my body is also aching and shaking a little. Actually, my body felt all kinds of terrible. I drank a potion, hoping it would dissuade the aftereffects, it did, but by only a margin.

Seriously though, on my level? That's what I thought when my arrogance was ramped up? My stomach dropped at the thought of the foolish things it might make me do.  It definitely was not something I wanted to rely on. At least I didn't actually say anything out loud while doing that. Imagining that actually happening, I blushed at nopony in particular.

After I got myself composed and my shaking stopped, I smiled to myself. I doubted any more slaves would be sold tonight, and maybe tomorrow, after that stunt I pulled.

No doubt somepony would be looking for anypony wearing brown, so I scurried to the nearest store and switched it out with a white robe, making sure nopony caught my features from the switch. Not having any caps, I offered the clerk a potion as payment, which worked well enough.

Leaving the store with my new 'disguise', I noticed that the commotion I cause could be heard from here. Many passing ponies were whispering rumors of someponies being shot at the slave market. Even though it happened five blocks away, I was surprised. Word travels fast in the city! I saw SAF guards run by, but none even gave me a second glance.

I had made a clean getaway. I wasn't sure if it was me or the aftereffects of the dash, but I felt good! I bought the slaves time, time I could use to find Tabben and Mek and get something worked out to help them.

I had helped, even in a small way, and it felt good, it felt like I had beaten my best time on my race course, I felt like I had won for once. I'm certain potions would fix those slavers right up, but would they be so willing to reopen shop after being attacked tonight?

I'm not somepony destined to kill Equestria, I'm somepony who's going to fight the wasteland. Take from the takers, I think I can manage that. Now, back to looking for my companions and answers.

Wandering back towards the taller buildings, I noticed an strange voice coming from a nearby store and wandered in. The store sold weapons and ammo, but it wasn't what drew my attention. A small box on the store clerks counter was letting out music.

Besides lullaby's and my humming, I've never heard music before. It was a song about weathering the storm, and not to let the calm that comes before fool you. I was enchanted, and found myself humming with the tune. I stood there humming for a time before the clerk addressed me.

“Uh, you are aware that your little buckpip can play this too, right?” The well rounded buck said. Wait, my pipbuck can do that?

Going through my pipbucks different tabs, I found something new under the data tab, 'Radio'. Selecting it, I found three options on it. Trt-StR-0032, which was grayed out, DL-Fr-001, which was also grayed out, and Bounty Broadcast, which I selected. When I did my pipbuck started playing the music that the small box on the counter was!

Thanking the clerk, I left him some bullets on the counter as a tip. I left the store and went back to the harbor to listen to the radio. The harbor was less noisy, and the warm ocean breeze fit well with the music I was listening to. After a hoof-ful of songs a female's voice commented about the previous song. Her voice was somewhere between regal and haughty.

“That was Crimson Rhythm's 'Nights Forbearance', and now for the part everypony has been waiting for, the bounty report! Thousand-Smiles is dead, a band of ponies slew the great beast off the Zerrist coast, at the expense of their own ship. To all the ponies that have lost somepony to the megalodon, know that his end was messy, and flashy! For our next story, IFA council member Rancid Metal is in hot water after the mess that happened at Rust-Hallow, officials say if he doesn't step down soon, ships will be sunk! And now for something a lot more local. It appears somepony has gone and stirred things up at the slave market not half an hour ago. Witness reports say a brown blur flew onto the stage, shot three of the merchants, and flew away before anypony could apprehend the gunner. There were no casualties, and the slavers are pestering the SAF for recompense, right, good luck with that fellows. Now for the bounties! Sky Blue mare with blue zebra stripes is still at large, with 2000 caps, alive. Casa-"

The rest of the bounties droned out as what I heard played through my head. Not only was the radio playing music, but also news. I had mixed feelings about the news I took part in, downcast at remembering Thousand-Smiles, and pride over the attack on the slavers. I eyed my pipbuck with a smile, it really is a fountain of information!

Shortly after the broadcast went back to playing music, and I felt content to stare out into the Boiling Bay as it played. The breeze blew from the city to the bay, making it nice and cool, but since I was on the harbor, I could feel heat radiating from the nearby water. The water here must be hot, but it isn't boiling, I wondered what it would be like to take a hot bath.

“Hey Rain!” I jumped and almost pulled my gun out when I noticed it was Golden. Letting my heart calm down, I addressed her.

“Hey Golden, did Orphanage find Mek or Tabben?” I asked, hoping for good news. She shook her head.

“Afraid not, but I'm done with my rounds, so I wanted to hang out with you. Took me a while to find you though, I thought you'd be wearing brown, not white!” She exclaimed, she then cast her gaze past me to the bay. “Any chance we can move away from here? The thermals here are pretty strong, and I don't want to be caught up by them.”

I was curious, I'm pretty sure thermals were pockets of raising warm air, I guess something like that could affect a pegasai's flying. Nodding my head in understanding, we moved away from the dock to the side of a nearby building.

“So,” I started, wanting to learn more about the filly, “You're a runner? Does that have anything to do with picking pockets?” I asked, a hint of chiding in my voice.

“Noo~, Its about moving around the city really fast to gather information from our hubs. A lot of things happen in the city and we have to keep an eye out to stay safe!” She said, I can easily see the truth in that. Since she was so fast, I assumed she was probably the best runner in Orphanage.

“Do you enjoy it? I assume you try to do it as fast as possible?” I asked to confirm the notion. She nodded, giving a proud grin.

I noticed a buck and mare wearing protective helms and matching barding walking towards us. They both had metal sticks holstered, as well as pistols. I caught 'SAF 05' on one and '25' written on the barding of the other. I didn't like the look they were giving Golden and moved in front of her, she was just now noticing the SAF ponies.

“Excuse me miss, we have business with that filly, she's suspect in a shooting that happened earlier.” I balked, they thought she shot the slavers?

“Ridiculous, she was with me all night, and I don't recall any shooting taking place while she was in my company.” I quickly lied, putting on a forced smile. The two shared a look before I added, “And besides, she's a filly with Orphanage, she wouldn't have a reason to shoot anypony.” I had almost said slavers there, and that would have been terrible.

They pulled out their sticks and I noticed that their guns were gone, that was odd, it looked as though they hadn't noticed yet. Right, they puled out their weapons, horseapples!

“You're both going to have to come with us-” he started, but looked around and couldn't spot Golden, she had gotten out of there rather fast, to my relief.

“What, where'd the filly go?” The mare asked, I could only shrug, “Well, guess we'll take this to Orphanage than, thanks for the information citizen.” They both put there sticks away.

“Where'd my gun go?” The buck asked, I slipped away during the pairs confusion, not wanting to be the target of any further questions.

A couple blocks later Golden reunited with me.

“Well, that is going to be all kinds of trouble, good thing they'll never catch me.” She said proudly, I wondered if she even knew what they wanted her for.

She pulled out two pistols from her bags and gave them to me, she was quite the thief!

“Its amazing what ponies will lose when they're distracted,” she said smiling. I was surprised she didn't have a cutie-mark yet, considering how skilled she was. Seeing that it was starting to get late, I suggested we return to Orphanage, she reluctantly agreed.

During the walk back towards the secret entrance I had used, Golden recounted all of her best swipes. She made stealing from ponies sound like an art form, and I found myself taking a liking to her stories. I saw nothing wrong with her stealing from other ponies, as long as it was from ponies that wouldn't be harmed from that theft.

“Hey Golden, I was wondering if you'd do me a favor?” I asked her with a sugary tone, she stopped and looked to me eagerly. “From now on, can you only swipe from bad ponies, or ponies that have more than they need?” She laughed at me.

“That's how I've always done it, weren't you listening to my stories?” she sounded a little hurt, but to my credit, she never indicated that she was stealing from bad ponies.

“Oh, so what about me then?” I asked, she did steal my caps the other day after all. Oh, that put her on the spot, she bashfully kicked the ground before she replied.

“I did that because you looked like an easy target, your caps were just screaming 'take me, take me'. You're still an easy target by the way.” The truth stung me.

“Well, from now on, just bad ponies, okay?” I pressed, and she nodded her head, giving me an open smile.

When we reached the building with the hidden door, the buck at the bar addressed me.

“You're Winter Rain?” I nodded in reply, “Right this way then.”

He led me back to the small room, I was ahead of him, before the wall opened I felt something small hit the side of my neck. Pulling it out, it looked a needle about seven centimeters long. Before I could comprehend how it got the ground rushed up to meet me. I couldn't move, and I slowly felt myself lose consciousness.

“May Weather apologizes for this, but Orphanage has need of you.” The buck said, his apology sounding almost genuine. I see, May Weather betrayed my trust. Darkness swallowed me before I could reply.

I woke up with a headache. I lay there for several minutes, clutching my head. It felt like sompony took my brain and threw it around for a couple hours. As time passed the headache weakened to less distracting degrees of awful.

I slowly got up and the first thing that came to my attention was that I was naked. Even though I don't normally wear cloths anyways, I still felt naked. My pipbuck was gone, along with everything else.

Shocked, I took in my surroundings. I was in a small stone cell, a tiny window letting in the glow of a sunrise, a solid metal door keeping me locked inside. Not being comfortable with being trapped, I tried to kick and take down the door. My efforts were in vain, but it did help ease the growing tension that was starting to overcome me.

Since I was alone, and had nothing to occupy myself with, my mind conjured up how I ended up in here.

Orphanage turned me in. I told them about the bounty, and they turned me in for the caps. I was hurt that they did that to me, I gave them the healing talisman and they still turned me in. I was hurt, but I wasn't mad, the caps would help children. At least, I certainly hoped so, that hope was keeping me from completely breaking down.

I gave to them, and they still felt the need to take more from me. I was a bag of caps, 2000 caps to be precise, how could anypony in the wasteland resist taking that? Well, on the good side of things, now that I've been turned in, I wouldn't have a bounty anymore.

So, was there any trust in the wasteland? Beside a rusty old gun that is. Mek seemed to trust Tabben, did she trust me? I was giving trust too readily to anypony that talked to me, and it was biting me in the flank. I wonder if Golden is okay, I doubted she had a part in this, she seemed too honest for that, and I doubted she would sell out the pony that saved her life.

Maybe it would be best if I chose to only trust a hoof-ful of ponies, like Mek or Golden. Don't trust my back to anypony but the ones that have earned it. Resigning myself to that outlook, I let the doubts and worries wash away as I looked at my right leg.

It felt strange, not having EFS, always being able to tell where I was. I rubbed my right hoof, the spot the pipbuck was on had a noticeable mark left behind. Looking closer at myself, I was surprised to see that somepony had washed me! I was clean, cleaner than I've been in weeks. I was both happy and alarmed, and I tried not too think too much about it. My mane was even brushed and was still tied into a ponytail.

Eyeing the window again, I saw that it was actually getting darker. It wasn't sunrise, it was sunset, I had been out for almost a whole day!? I missed an entire day, I found that terribly jarring.

Hearing the sound of somepony coming close, I calmed myself down and waited to see if my cell would open. I heard the lock in the door click and it opened to reveal an unarmed but armored buck starting down at me.

“Come, boss wants to talk to you.” he said and he moved aside and into the hallway.

I didn't like the situation I was in, I was tempted to attack the guard and try to flee as best I could. I also wanted answers, and if the 'boss' was the one who put the bounty on me, maybe I'd get some answers. So I came along quietly.

After being led along several winding corridors, I started to wonder why it was just one guard. There was plenty of opportunities for me to bolt, and I doubted this buck would be able to catch me. Was my curiosity getting the better of me here?

I tried to pry some questions from the buck, but all I got from him was silence.

I was led into a small room with a desk and a blue unicorn. My pipbuck was on the desk and when I entered I was commanded to hold my hoof out. I reluctantly did so, and to my surprise the buck put my pipbuck back on. It was definitely my pipbuck, it had all the old scratches that I'd grown to take note of.

Checking the features, everything still seemed to be here, although I did notice my map had more data in it than before. While I was checking my pipbuck, I failed to notice the two ponies leave. I became aware of the fact when I heard the door lock behind me.

The small room had two doors, one on opposite sides. Before I could move to the other one, it opened, and an elderly mare walked in. She had an orange mane and a beige coat, her cutie-mark was a pair of blank cards. Two guards followed her in, both unicorns that were well armed. They stayed near the door as the mare sat in front of the table.

“Hello, I'm Wildcard, and you're probably wondering why you're here.” she stated the obvious. Keeping my fear and anger out of my voice, I replied.

“Yes, I certainly am. Is it because I was at Destiny Labs, or that I have a certain color of eyes and cutie-mark?” I asked.

“Yes,” she smiled at me, her stature was... professional, she didn't seem to care to much about this conversation and was going through the motions. At least that's what it appeared to me.

“My employer wanted to know what you knew, especially in regards to Ruby, and what we found digging in your head sure made him happy.” They went digging around in my head!? I found the idea appalling and invasive, they had no right! Seeing my expression she added, “If it makes you feel any better, we're going to let you go, under our supervision of course.”

Yea, sure, supervision I was going to separate myself from as soon as I could.

“So you captured me just to let me go?” after fiddling with my head I failed to add. An annoying prospect came to mind, “Did you ever consider the idea of inviting me here, pay me in caps for information instead of sending bounty hunters on me?”

She was amused by that idea. Had she gone about it that way, I wouldn't have been separated from Mek, and we could have left for Sandstone together, and maybe Penny and Golden wouldn't have stepped on that mine. I was getting myself sidetracked, I had questions that needed answers.

“What is Destiny Labs? What did they accomplish? What am I? Who are you working for? Why are you letting me go?” They flew out as fast as I could deliver them, an answer to any would do me wonders, but the look on her face told me I wasn't going to get any.

“My employer didn't want me to give you anything more than several locations, they've been added to your pipbuck. You may find answers, or it may be a wild pony chase. Either way after you leave we'll have our operatives accompany you to wherever you go, to ensure that you don't wander to Hoofington.” Wait, Hoofington? That's a city on the east coast of Equestria, my island wasn't too far from it.

“Why Hoofington?” I asked, not quite sure if she'd answer.

“That one I am allowed to answer, sifting through your head, we found out that you've accessed what you call the 'lobby'.” Her smile was persistent, I feel like I've seen that smile before. “Well, suffice to say that we know that the lobby has no occupancy limitations, it can hold a very, very large amount of souls. Because of this, you are forbidden to go to Hoofington, if you did, that whole 'be the doom of Equestria' bit would become fact.” She said, looking at me matter of factly.

The whole 'end of the world' thing with me involved Hoofington? The lobby had no limit? What was happening in Hoofington that involved a large amount of souls? Either way, I should avoid Hoofington. Zerkash's words about the souls having influence over me were echoing in my head.

The door behind me opened, and everything came to a stand still. Tabben was in the doorway, a smoldering corpse lay on the other side.

“Tabben,” Wildcard coldly stated, a hint of surprise in her voice.

“Mother,” he replied. Wait, she was his mother? I finally noticed the resemblance. Surprise was quickly shifting to confusion, why would Tabben hate his mother?

A wall of fire engulfed the table, separating me from Wildcard and her guards. Tabben took cover around the doorway to avoid the gunfire the guards tried to catch him in. I hung low to the ground and tossed out my curiosities, I needed to act, Tabben was rescuing me, lets not get us killed by being distracted!

I rushed out into the hallway, feeling a bullet sink into my flank. I winced at the pain and almost fell over.

“Come on, this way!” He ordered as he went down the hallway. I doubted he was helping me for good intentions, as I followed him I asked.

“Where's Mek!?”

“Waiting for us, now move!”

Even with my limp, I was able to keep up with Tabben, he led us to a small room with a large open window, when I followed him he closed the door and propped a heavy shelf against it.

“Don't know what you did to get on Mek's good side, but when she heard you were captured, she wanted to spring you out.” He said as he was appraising the outside of the window. Had Golden told them about May Weather turning me in? I followed his gaze and saw that we were high up, I could barely see the street in the dark below. That's a fall we wouldn't make unscathed.

“Tell her I'll catch up soon.” He had something in mind, and it worried me. His horn flared and a small ring of fire appeared in the air a few feet below us. The ring was orange and it started to turn green, like a countdown. “And for the record, this part was my idea.” Wait, what?

He replied to my confused look by levitating me out over the ring of fire! His magic felt different from when Ruby lifted me, Tabben's magic was hot and uncomfortable. Before the ring completely turned green, he dropped me! I screamed as I fell, I went through the ring of fire right as it finished completely turning green, and I was surprised when my falling stopped, somepony had caught me and was flying us to the harbor. No, not somepony, some pegasus.

Turning my neck around, I was surprised to see a yellow buck with a dark green mane.

“Solar?”

“Glad to see your still alive”, he sheepishly replied. If he wasn't carrying me right now, I'd have given him a hug,

“But how?”

“Uh... After what happened to the ship I returned to Sandstone to look for another ship to work with. It didn't pan out, naturally. Mek found me yesterday and got me wrapped up in saving you, she can be very persuasive,” he looked a little downcast for a minute before adding, “Has anypony ever told you that you're terribly light?” I chuckled in response.

Looking back the way we came, I wondered how Tabben was going to get out of that mess. That buck, he could have just held me out with his magic and have Solar grab me in mid-air, he dropped me on purpose! I cleared my head of the thought and looked ahead. It didn't take long for Solar to carry me to a warehouse near the docks. The joy of being free of Wildcard and reuniting with Solar dying down, I asked the question he didn't want to hear.

“So, you flew off and didn't consider helping us?” he winced at my question.

“I, didn't think anypony survived the explosion. I saw that you and Ruby were caught in it, and the ship was starting to go to sink, so I abandoned ship. I suspected Mek was alive, but I wasn't going to venture into a sinking ship to find out. Um, sorry.” The shame on his face almost made me feel bad for asking.

“Look, you saved me now, and you didn't know I survived, so I won't hold it against you. I can't speak for Mek though, you should have tried something other than running away, Solar.”

He nodded in resignation, but still smiled at me. We walked into the warehouse and I was assaulted by a big orange mare with a red mane. She tackled me into a hug, I winced at the pain in my flank, there was still a bullet lodged in there.

“Oh thank Celestia you're all right! I've been worried sick since you disappeared back at Rustic!” I was surprised, I didn't know she cared that much about me.

“What, why?” I asked, I thought I had been nothing but a bother to her, pulling her away from her ship, and getting caught up in the trouble the bounty caused.

“Because you talked me out of dying, idiot. Sometimes when you save someponies life, they appreciate you for it,” She punctuated that by bopping me on the head. I winced from the pain, I still had a slight headache from Wildcard going through my memories.

Not that I wasn't grateful, but wasn't Mek a little too caring, we still knew very little about each other. Didn't she say that we would split ways after Sandstone?

I guess she knew enough of me to matter to her, and I had to admit, it felt nice when she hugged me. Thinking on it, had our positions been reversed, I would have worked to break her out of whoever took her prisoner, so I guess there was something between us.

“So what happens next?” I asked.

“We'll see what happens when Tabben returns, depending on what he says, we may have to flee Sandstone.” Mek replied, she then gave Solar a look that he squirmed away from. She hopped up to him and bopped him into the ground.

“That was for leaving Rain for dead after our ship sunk,” she proclaimed, then helped him back on his hooves, “but thanks for helping us this time around, you don't have to stay if you don't want to, we're even.”

“...I'd like to see how this plays out, so I'll wait and see what the obnoxious buck says when he returns,” Solar replied.

While we waited for Tabben, I recounted yesterdays events to Mek, she was surprised when she learned that I was the one that shot the slavers, Solar looked impressed.

“The mare who refused a gun from me four days ago is now shooting slavers in the middle of a city, I'm a little envious that you could pull that off,” he complimented me.

“I was hoping to go back and free them, with some help.” I said, hope sprinkled in my voice as I looked at Mek pleadingly. She shook her head.

“Its nice and good to free slaves, and I'm happy that you want to do something about it, but we got ourselves to worry about first sweetie,” she pointed out, crushing my hope. We didn't say anything else and some time passed before the buck we were waiting for arrived.

“No what's all this about, I come back and everyone looks like somepony rained on their carrot crunch!” Tabben boomed, making me and solar jump while Mek appraised him.

Tabben was carrying my things with him, which he levitated over to me, most everything I didn't care for, but I was glad to have Trust and Zerkash's harpoon back.

“Thanks Tabben,” I said.

“You're welcome,” he replied sarcastically.

“Oh, right, Tabben, I'm sorry,” I then surprised him with an apology. Taking a deep breath, I swallowed my pride and continued.

“You were right to be mad at me when we first met, I'm sorry that I criticized your way of life. I don't like how eager you are to kill, but I understand why you do it. For what I said, I'm sorry. If you could do me the favor and not be so quick to kill around me, I'll tolerate your ego.” It sounded like a fair trade, I could only hope he'd take my up on it.

He considered me for a moment, he looked to Mek and she nodded.

“That seems like a fair trade, You'd do well to remember that I am the best and that you'd still be locked away with Wildcard's goons, and without your toys, if it hadn't been for me.” He proudly stated, “Unfortunately, we can't stay in Sandstone anymore. Said goons are going to be looking for us soon, and she intends to put out another bounty for you and me. Also, I'm pretty sure Wildcard intends to sick the SAF on us,” well, that was troubling.

“So, where do we go then?” I asked, I wasn't fond of Sandstone, but there were some ponies here I'd miss, like Penny and Golden.

Tabben looked to Mek.

“I recon we can travel to Tide-Hop,” she started, “its a small town on the southern part of the island, from there we can secure a ferry to Broken Rocks, its far enough away to not attract bounty hunters, and we can get somepony there to get you to Friendship city, that's where ya want to go right?” She asked me, at this point I wasn't so sure.

Traveling on hoof already proved to be risky when it was just me with the bounty, I didn't want to have to deal with bounty hunters all the way to Broken Rocks. As I thought about it, a very wastelandish idea started to form in my head. Take from the Takers, and I knew somepony in this room who's life is full of hardship because of somepony who had more than they needed.

“Why not steal a ship?” I asked, everypony looked at me in surprised.

“What?” I was confused by their expressions. Tabben started laughing.

“Well, we thought that idea was off the table because you wouldn't be for it,” Mek admitted, “I guess that isn't the case. So, we pickin at random or did ya actually have somethin in mind?”

I did have something in mind, and I hoped the pony we needed would be willing to help. I turned to Solar, if he wasn't for it, then we'd have to either pick out a pirate ship, or flee on hoof.

“You father wouldn't happen to be Sunrise Flare, would he?” he nodded, not too sure about the sudden change in topic. I walked up to Solar, resolve in my eyes.

“Your father has his own personal ship, and he won't let his son, who cannot join a crew because he can fly, use it? He would rather have his son work with pirates rather than trust his own boat to him. Sound about right Solar?” I asked, and he now saw where I was going with this, and he nodded.

“Well, if he would rather you work with pirates, then I think it shouldn't come as a surprise when pirates steal his boat.” I said, giving him a sharp look. Solar thought about it for a minute, his consideration making me waver, maybe his father was a good pony who needed that yacht.

“Just thought I should point out, the SAF will be here shortly, I can see some of the officers checking out the nearby warehouses.” Tabben pointed out.

Solar and I gave Tabben an alarmed look, and Solar shook his head, coming to a decision. The look of fear he had, slipped into determination, and a hint of defiance.

“It would be a shame if his boat was stolen by pirates, I guess I need to make sure said pirates don't end up sailing it into oblivion,” he said with an awkward grin. My grin mirrored his, looks like we have an escape.

Satisfied with that reply, I turned back to the others, who were still looking at me with expressions of surprise.

“Did I rescue the right mare, she seems more like wastelander than a stable dweller,” Tabben said, “Not that I'm complaining, lets go steal ourselves a ship and get out of here before the SAF arrives!”

As Tabben walked past me, Mek walked up to me, concern on her face.

“Did something happen Rain, was it the slavers?” She asked, I nodded.

“I can see now that being nice and giving everything you have isn't going to work in the wasteland,” I had been taking from ponies since I was stolen from my island.

In a round about way, I took Peg Legs ship, Ruby wouldn't have taken it if it wasn't for me. Don't take ponies lives, just take what they don't need. I lived alone on an island with little more than a rope and my wits, the takers of the wasteland will still have more than I did when I'm done with them, and they'll make do just fine. Take from them, and give what's taken to ponies that need it. I gave to Orphanage, and I wasn't too upset that May Weather sold me out, since it would help Orphanage, but I was disappointed. I needed to tip the scales, and I think taking from the takers might work out.

“So I'm going to take from ponies that have what they don't need, and give to those that do. Solar's father doesn't need his own personal ship, he isn't even using it right now. His son needs it, as so do we.” A part of me admitted it was greed and convenience that compelled me, another part of me admitted that it was to help Solar and ourselves. I was after all, a selfish pony, I wanted answers, I wanted to tip the scales, and I wanted to be strong enough to be a pony to be relied on in the wasteland.

Mek looked me in the eyes for a moment, whatever she was looking for, she must have seen it, because she nodded her head. We moved out into the harbor to where the ship was docked. I wondered, just how easy was it to steal a ship?

We slipped past the SAF guards searching the warehouses, and went to the southern docks. When we made it to the yacht I saw that Solar was talking to two ponies that were on it. Guards from the look of it. Solar was feeding them some story of him being here at his fathers request to give the ship a spin, the guards were not falling for it.

I saw Tabben roll his eyes and gave Mek a look, she nodded and charged the guards, surprising them and bucking them into the water.

Solar apologized to the guards, and I did the same as they swam to a pier with a rope hanging down for them to get out of the sea.

When I got on the ship I saw that Mek had already gone below deck. Turning around I felt something whip past me, catching a small glimpse of brown. Looking back around I couldn't make out what it was. My EFS didn't show anything so I dropped my attention from it.

Solar was at the controls, which consisted of a bunch of levers and a small wheel, and after messing with them for a bit gave up.

“The ship isn't starting, they must have removed the spark talismans to keep it from being stolen.” Solar said, well, that could be a hitch in the plan. Before I could go down below to inform Mek, the ship came to life! Several lights came on, illuminating the whole thing, and the engine gave a hearty roar. Did Mek have spark talismans?

By this point the guards had made it back to us and started firing. Tabben and I got behind cover, Solar cursed and got the ship moving away from the harbor. I heard a sharp yelp from Solar as a bullet whizzed into the control area. In quick time were we outside the range of their guns, and the boat chugged with a fierce roar. This boat was as fast as I had presumed!

Good thing too, because there were two smaller ships ahead of us that were working to intercept us.

“We have trouble ahead!” I pointed out.

As the ships got closer, I saw Tabben's horn flare and both ships were washed in fire. Their courses halted almost immediately as the ponies on the boats worked to put out the fire.

“They'll be fine,” Tabben assured me before I could round on him, “They only think their boats are on fire.” With that we sailed past them and followed the coast around the Boiling Bay.

Seeing that Tabben and myself were fine, I went over to Solar, a bullet had cleared through his wing, but it was nothing a healing potion couldn't fix.

“Well, that was definitely something, what's our course captain?” Solar asked me. Captain?

“I'm not the captain, but for now our course is 'away'.” I replied.

I noticed blood on the deck, Solar's wound didn't account for this-

My heart stopped, and everything slowed down, as if I had hit SATS, or breathed in Dash. Golden was curled in the corner under the control table, a hole in her chest seeping blood onto the deck.

No calm came over me this time, only fear and dread. I acted. I pushed Solar to the side and carefully, but quickly, pulled Golden out from the corner. In a rush I pulled out Med-x and injected it into her flank. Her breathing stilled as my heart raced. No, please no, Hold on for a little longer!

I got my medical tweezers and extracted the bullet, her eyes were closing. I heard Solar say something in alarm, but I had drowned out all the noise, all that mattered, at this moment, was her.

The tweezers and the bullet fell to the ground, out came a potion. Her heart beat was slowing, the blood trickling out becoming weaker and weaker. I pored the potion over the wound, it was closing up! Thank Celestia it was healing!

I sat her up and opened her mouth, easing the healing fluid down her throat, I messaged her throat, and she swallowed. And when the potion ran out, I brought out another, as I fed her the second potion, my heart started to beat again, and I finally noticed that my vision was blurry.

She was unconscious, but her breathing eased, her wound closed, she was safe again, I pulled her from the brink, and tears of fear and dread were washed away with tears of happiness as I held her close.

I became aware again of what was going on around me. Solar was watching us both with relief in his eyes. He patted me on the head, and I gave him a weak smile. He didn't know this filly, but he was glad I saved her. As Tabben joined us, Golden stirred awake.

“Golden? What are you doing here!?” Tabben finally noticed the filly, having kept his attention on the boats he 'set' on fire.

I hushed him and talked to Golden.

“Sweetie, what are you doing here, you almost got yourself killed.” I said, almost sobbing. She looked at me, at first confused, but slowly she became aware, and she replied with tears in her eyes.

“I, I can't stay with Orphanage, the SAF want me, so I had to leave, I saw Tabby moving to the docks and followed him. When I saw you all stealing the boat I decided to join. Didn't think I'd be shot though.” She saw the blood on the deck, her blood, and shook a little. “Please, please let me stay, I want to stay.” She wasn't just asking me, she was also addressing Tabben.

Her words hit me hard, dispelling the lingering fear and replacing it with guilt. Oh horseapples, this was my fault. Because of my stunt yesterday the SAF assumed she was the culprit! I didn't want her to stay, she had just been shot being near us! I didn't want to abandon her either, indecision washed over me and I didn't know how to answer.

“Yes, you can stay with us, just make sure you earn your keep, and don't die,” Tabben said, his tone wasn't hurtful, but considerate. I may not have known what to say, but Tabben seemed to know. I looked at him and almost let my surprise known, he had compassion worn on his face. He knew the filly wouldn't be safe in our company, but he gave her what she wanted regardless.

“Thank's Tabby, I promise I'll do my part,” she solemnly swore.

Golden didn't let out a cheer, his answer didn't make her happy, but it did make her appear more secure. We were fleeing Sandstone, and she had joined us in that endeavor. She had almost died twice this week, no, count the good. She had been saved twice this week, maybe traveling with the pony that saved her wouldn't be such a bad idea?

Looking back at Sandstone behind us, I let out a long sigh. For the last five days I had been heading there for answers, and all I got was more questions. I went there with the hope of heading to Tenpony, but I doubted if I even wanted to go there now.

With my gaze still on the city, I made a promise to myself. The next time I was there, I would destroy the slave market. I wasn't satisfied with leaving it unfinished, sooner or later, we would return, and taking care of that was at the top of my list when we did.

Then I winced in pain, bringing me back to the here and now. There was still a bullet lodged in my flank. I swallowed the pain and extracted the bullet, and one potion later felt a lot better, my headache even eased up. With what's happened over the last couple days, I was starting to run low on potions.

Turning back to Golden, I gave her rad-away and told her to clean herself, then go below decks and find someplace to sleep. Having blood on your coat was terribly unhygienic. She absently nodded and Tabben helped her get some water from the sea with his magic. I briefly wondered what the relationship was between those two. With Tabben and Golden distracted, I let Solar's previous question of our destination roll in my head.

Eyeing my pipbucks map, I saw several points had been added because of whatever Wildcard did with it. The points were in un-mapped space, so all I really knew was the general location of said points. She wanted me to go to these locations, and once again I couldn't deny my curiosity. She had intended for me to do so supervised, but my companions fixed that.

Looking into the closest point on my map, I saw that it was actually the lab Mek and I went to, it was labeled Joint Facility 3 on my pipbuck. The next closest was called PA Lab 1. Remembering that I was in the presence of a navigator, I showed Solar my pipbuck and asked him if he could locate this lab on a map of his.

It took him several minutes to work it out, apparently it was on SaddleSands isle, an isle to the west near something he called the storm line.

It was a destination, and I asked Solar to get us there, he told me that we would be there by mid afternoon tomorrow. Were the rest of the ponies on the boat fine with this? I'd need to talk to them about it. I suspect Mek would be fine with where ever I go, and Solar, well...?

“Solar, are you okay with sailing with me, I'm chasing after answers and I doubt there will be anything safe about it.” I asked the yellow buck.

“Well, that sort of thing doesn't matter for a navigator, follow the captains orders and lead the ship safely to its destination. Long as I'm on your ship, I'm mostly fine with where you send us. Just don't go out of the way to get us killed and I'm fine with where ever. I think sailing with you will be less tasteless then sailing with Peg Leg had been,” his brow furrowed as he continued, “And I would like to make sure nothing terrible happens to this boat, if my fathers ship sunk under my watch, I'm as good as dead, or worst.” Well, I don't want that to happen to Solar, guess I should endeavor to not disappoint my navigator.

My navigator? Oh Celestia, was I already seeing myself as the captain? I needed to talk to the others. I was wondering what to expect on SaddleSand, but I wanted to clear it with the other ponies before asking Solar details about the island.

Going below deck, I found it was more cramped down here than on Peg legs ship, there were two floors, the first was floor I passed had the sleeping quarter and a small mess hall. The ship seemed to be designed to house eight ponies. The mess hall had room for food storage and water, though a quick look through showed its wares were empty, we'll need to fill it when we reach SaddleSands.

The bottom floor had the engine room and cargo hold. Mek stood before the engine, it was terribly similar to the one on Peg Legs ship, same size, different layout, a propeller engine. I now understood why the ship could go as fast as it did. I also saw the same blue talismans lined on the wall that had been on Peg Leg's ship.

Mek saw me looking at the engine and almost moved to kick me out, but she stopped herself, her hoof not to far from my face. She blushed in embarrassment.

“Sorry, old habit.” she turned back to the engine, waving a hoof at it, “This here is a beauty! Ya certainly picked the right ship to swipe dear.” I think she was happier now then when she hugged me some time ago.

“So, Mek, I'm not quite sure of my destination, do you actually want to stay-” she stopped me before I could finish.

“Sweetie, not only did ya get me out of my rut, ya also provided me with a new engine to get attached to.” she eyed the engine with... a mothers love? “It isn't the same, but it'll grow on me, I'll make sure she works in tip top shape, so don't ya worry your little head, I'll make sure it'll get us where ever you chose to go. I'll be happy here, so don't bother askin if I'm fine staying with ya.”

I guess I should have expected this from Mek, so, her and Solar would follow me as an accessory to the ship, time to move on to the real problem. It would be nice if Tabben insisted on being captain.

Arriving topside, I saw Golden still cleaning herself off at the back of the ship, I spotted Tabben sitting on the nose, and walked over to him.

“So...” I reluctantly started.

“Anything I can help you with, little miss wastelander?” Tabben snapped.

“You still don't care about my story I take it?” I asked.

“Nope, still don't. You saved Mek, and gave her happiness, that's better than what I've done, so let me ask you, where are we going?”

“We're heading to SaddleSands, there's a old world facility there I want to look into.”

“So, You're going to chase after some old world junk, why?”

“I thought you didn't care about my story?” I sarcastically replied.

“Well, you've gone and dragged Mek into your story, so, why the old world junk?” I could hear his temper rising, I should head this off before he blows up on me.

“I'm not a normal pony, I can talk to the dead and I can sing a song that heals ponies, Mek is quite fond of that song. Something made me this way, and the old world junk has answers,” I spilled out.

“And what if you end up getting us killed on your quest for answers? What if where we're going is a trap set by Wildcard to get you or somepony else caught in her net?”

“I don't know, but if it got everpony killed, I'd feel very bad about it, and probably go drown in some forgotten part of the sea,” I solemnly admitted.

Suddenly I was in the air, Tabben's hot magic was levitating me, and he held me over the water. I struggled and waved my hooves to no avail, the last time I was suspended over the water wasn't pleasant, I managed to keep myself from screaming.

“No Rain, wrong answer. You keep living to make up for the deaths you've caused, and hope that if I survived, I'll find you and put you out of your misery myself.” His words were a promise, he levitated me away from the water towards himself, looking me in the eyes. “Understand?” I nodded eagerly. My eyes screaming 'yes I understand please put me down'!

He put me down and I lay on the deck, catching my breath. After collecting myself I rounded on Tabben.

“Please, never do that again,” I demanded as my breathing finally steadied.

“I'll consider it. Don't think I'll be so lowly as to consider you our leader, our captain. You lead this boat, but that doesn't make you the boss of us. Being captain means being responsible for your crew, and you are certainly not ready for that. Can you honestly say that you'll be responsible for my actions?” I certainly couldn't, I shook my head, “Good, the only pony responsible for me, is myself, make sure you never forget that. Now, go comfort Golden, our youngest member is going to have trouble sleeping tonight if you don't see to her.”

I nodded in agreement and left Tabben alone. Wait, had he just ordered me? And I followed it without thought. That promise, and his words, I took what he said and followed. Mek and Solar followed me, but to my horror, I was following Tabben. That needed to change.

Still, he was right about Golden. I saw that she wasn't on the deck anymore and moved below, finding her in the sleeping quarters. She sat on the bed, not quite up for going to sleep. Our eyes met and she looked down in shame.

“Whats wrong?” I asked, concerned, it was clear that something was troubling her.

“It hurts, being saved all the time, you've saved me twice, and Tabben saved me from the slave market years ago. It hurts being saved and being unable to help.” She looked at me, her words echoed similar thoughts I had a few days ago. “Please, let me help. I can help you get things, I'm fast and I'm quiet, just give me a chance, okay Rain?”

I thought over it. Tabben, he would agree, I could tell he cared for her, so why would he agree?

Trust. He would agree because he trusted her to follow through. He trusted her to earn her keep. He trusted Golden, and he trusted Mek. He didn't trust me, and I doubted he'd trust Solar. Trust is one of the most important gifts a pony can give another in the wasteland, I understand that now. Mek gave me hers, I should start returning the favor.

I should trust in Golden, she is capable, I've seen that for myself, I should give her a chance. I was younger than she is now when I had to start fending for myself, with us at her side, she should be better off than I was. Of course, I won't let her help out in a fight, I've already seen how well she takes damage, but I could trust her to do what she can to earn her keep.

“Of course sweetie, just keep your head low if anything is shooting at us, and do your part to earn your keep.” She looked at me in surprise, she clearly hadn't been expecting that answer. Her smile returned, and I mirrored it.

“And you can start earning your keep by going to bed.” Ha, the look she gave me was precious, like she just ate something bitter. Not wanting to fall asleep, I told her the story about how I saved Mek from a group of sealurks, it was as awkward as when I told Penny about Thousand-Smiles, but she still enjoyed it. Before long she fell asleep and I went topside to talk to Solar.

He'd need to teach me how to drive the ship and keep it on course. I had been asleep most of the day, I think, so I figured I should be first watch.

Learning the bare minimum, he went to bed, Tabben was still at the nose of the ship, and we said nothing to each other.

I eyed Trust, it stopped me from killing that raider the other day, but it let me shoot the slavers when I was aiming to hurt, not kill. What significance had there been in the act of Ruby giving me the gun? Wildcard wanted to know more about Ruby, I should do him a favor and keep an eye out for clues concerning who he was. With any luck, I may find answers out here in the ocean.

Out here in the ocean...

We had stolen a ship, by my wishes. I thought I would feel more upset about this, but what I felt surprised me. I was happy. I had given Solar and Mek a purpose, and Golden a new home, all I had to do was steal some fortunate bucks boat to pull it off.

No wonder I felt happy. This is why takers take, I thought, putting a damper on my mood. I need to make sure to never take from the wrong ponies. And if it should ever happen, by design or accident, I should work to make up for it. I would steal from the takers, but I needed to ensure that I didn't become what I fought.

Halfway through the night, the moon rose, now half full. And after catching sight of it, I pushed aside my worries and concerns and I let my song fill the night, taking solace in its melody.

Footnote: Level up. Lvl 6.

New Perk: Captain (Apprentice) - You command a ship and crew, and have gained renown for it. New dialogue options are available for certain individuals, and you can now embark on sea quests. At apprentice rank, there is the risk of mutiny, so be careful! Next Chapter: 6. Melting Sands Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 46 Minutes