The echo of my hoofsteps carried across the dark empty hallway. I looked around, searching for something - or rather, somepony - as my tiny hooves carried me forward, step by step, until I reached it.

The door.

I stared at the switch to open it, hesitating. “I shouldn’t,” I said out loud, taking a step back. “No, I can’t. A good filly never interrupts grown-ups,” I recited in her mind, beginning to turn around...

“Nah, don’t be silly!” a voice exclaimed suddenly. I stopped in mid-turn and listened. “Aren’t you curious?”

“W-well, yes…” I replied, “but Daddy and Mommy say that it’s rude to-”

“Ugh, are you gonna listen to everything your parents tell you?” the voice replied, sounding annoyed. “You should loosen up, break a rule or two, have fun! And c’mon, out of everything grown-ups forbid us, why would opening a door be bad?”

I had to admit, he had a point. “Okay,” I said; my voice quivered a bit, revealing that I was still uncertain about breaking a rule, that there was still doubt in my heart. “No,” I thought, shaking my head. “I’m not going to disappoint him!”

Resolved, I breathed deeply, and pressed the switch to open the door.

From inside, something big and fast emerged, pushing me away. Barely a shriek escaped my mouth as I felt being grabbed and lifted up into the air. Something wrapped itself around my body, rendering me unable to move. Terrified and shocked, I looked up…

… right into red, reptilian eyes.

“When you open doors,” the Ouroboros said as the end of his tail brushed my cheek, “you must be prepared to walk through them.”

I wanted to reply to him, but words escaped me. I watched as the Ouroboros’ mouth opened and descended upon me…

I woke up with a startle.

“Nightmare?” Apple Core asked, raising her voice so that I could hear her over the noise the train was making.

I raised a forehoof to cover my mouth as I yawned, pondering how to reply to her question. “More like a reminder,” I finally replied; however, in my sleepiness, I forgot that I had to speak louder, and only murmured the answer. Before I could repeat it louder so that Apple Core would hear, I noticed - to my mild annoyance - that the earth pony mare had already lost interest and returned to her card game with Mousetrap and Nice Catch. Frowning, I rose and trotted closer to them.

Outside of the passenger car’s window the landscape rolled by. Though yesterday I spoke truthfully when I told Apple Core that I had no interest in such primitive technology, I had realized that the ability to travel between distant places relatively quickly would be quite useful to have. Especially to somepony whose activities could be put at odds with others.

My fellow stable dwellers had banished me, but how would the ponies of the Wasteland, where to kill one another isn’t uncommon, react? I wondered. Not to mention that my… hm, townmates? I hesitated briefly, pondering. I suppose that’s a good term. Not to mention that my townmates have a questionable morality. Meaning that if they’d learn of what I’m going to do to Cutter and some others, they’d either try to kill me or try to enslave me and sell me at Fillydelphia. Being able to get away quickly would be most useful indeed. I suppressed an urge to facehoof. If I knew I would end up in such a position, I would have learned that stupid teleportation spell…

“Want me to deal you in?” Catch, the oldest mare in our little group (but not much, she was only a few years older than Apple Core), asked me as I joined them.

Assuming that meant whether or not I wanted to play, I shook my head. “No, thank you swee-tiee,” I finished awkwardly, yawning again.

Trying to ignore the shaking caused by the train moving, I sat down, wondering if I should try napping again. Though I didn’t consider that dream from earlier to be a nightmare, I wasn’t exactly comfortable with seeing it again.

“Geez, what were you doing last night?” Mousetrap asked. “You slept for like an hour and you’re still yawning.”

“I had to stay up a bit last night to prepare some healing potions, in case Appleloosa would need them while we’re gone,” I replied truthfully.

As the other mares resumed their game, I looked through the window and thought about my dream again. It wasn’t the first time I had it, but it had been a while since the last time; the first occurrence of such a dream since I was banished, in fact. Why now? I wondered.

At some point during my studies I read about the subject of dreams. They mostly occurred during the rapid eye movement stage of sleep, when the brain activity of a person resembles that of being awake. Oneirologists had been trying to discover why we dream for centuries. Most have agreed that they were connected to our subconscious minds, that they projected our deepest desires and anxieties.

Of course, in my Stable, ponies had tried to research dreams with magic. Admittedly, they had some success in that field; they invented spells that granted dreamless sleep, and even some that to some extent could control what dream a pony would have when they’d go to sleep. However, no unicorn from my Stable had managed to reach their ultimate goal of this research - to discover how to walk freely in the dreams of others. Such power had belonged to only one pony in history.

One of the Goddesses, Princess Luna.

The power of the Goddess… it was no wonder that the ponies in my Stable had desired it; and it was no surprise that in the end they had to give up trying to discover how that kind of magic worked. It would take somepony very talented and brilliant, who could conduct a long research on the subject… I’d probably give it a shot at some point in the future.

However, for now, I was restricted to just deductive reasoning if I wanted to figure out what caused my dream.

When you open doors, you must be prepared to walk through them… every action we take has its consequences… what happened to me recently? I thought back to the previous day. The discovery of Hydra? Hm… does my subconscious mind worry what it might lead to? What is my unconscious mind trying to say?

Oh, you don’t want to go there, a tiny yellow pegasus in my head said.

I was about to retort, when I realized what just happened. Blinking in surprise, I turned to look at my saddlebags I had placed against the wall of the car. Inside was the statuette of Fluttershy. Since I had found it, I had taken to imagining the Ministry Mare replying to me when I’d talk to it, basing her character on what I saw. However… this time I hadn’t been trying that.

Okay, either there is some magic in this statuette, or I have started to develop schizophrenia. I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. Could it be that somepony put a spell on it to contain some sort of... imprint? Or a recording… of the Ministry Mare Fluttershy’s mind, and cause it to speak to the mind of whoever possesses it?

Mmm, excuse me? the tiny pegasus asked, a bit meekly, interrupting my train of thoughts. Why do you not consider at all the second option? If you don’t mind me asking that is, she added as I was about to reply.

Because Mom had me tested. Which, I added, if you were really a figment of my mind, you should know; I have reviewed medical records of a unicorn who suffered from a personality disorder. So either you are not, or you are and you’re just trying to confuse me.

I waited for the little pegasus to pop up in my mind again, but as the seconds dragged on, I realized she wasn’t going to reply. Um, hello? I thought, and was again met with silence. I frowned. Oh, you’re going to be like that, huh? Well-

“Why are ya makin’ faces?”

Apple Core’s voice snapped me out of my reverie. I blushed from the embarrassment and turned to her. “Forgive me, sweetie” I said, hoping I looked more calm than I felt. “I was lost in thought. Were you saying something?”

“Ah was tellin’ them again what we’re ‘spposed t’ do in New Appleloosa,” Apple Core told me; to my relief, she wasn’t too interested in my behaviour. She almost immediately turned back to Mousetrap and Nice Catch. “As Ah was sayin’...”

I quickly shot another look at my bags. This isn’t over, I said in my thoughts to the statuette, I will figure out what you are. I only hoped it wouldn’t come to cutting the statuette to pieces to learn what sort of spells had been used on it. Those weird magical properties aside, it was also very beautiful, and I liked it.

“... and Black Widow said ‘at we’re not allowed t’ ‘dick ‘round’,” Apple Core finished briefing the other two. “However, Ah figure we’ll still ‘ave plenty of time to have fun. Most mercenaries will be hangin’ out in Turnpike Tavern anyways, so-”

“That brother of yours is a bartender there, right?” Catch interrupted her.

“Is he hot?” Mousetrap asked when Apple Core nodded.

“How the fuck would Ah know that? Still, if one of ya three wants to fuck ‘im, go ahead,” she said dismissively. “Might make ‘im feel better about slavers.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, surprised.

“Well, it ain’t exactly somethin’ most ponies would be proud for their kin t’ do,” Apple Core explained, rolling her eyes in annoyance. “Still, he’s a business pony, and has no problems tradin’ with us. Most of the ponies in New Appleloosa are cool with slavers in fact. Well, except that walkin’ carcass,” she added, snorting with discontent. Her comment took me by surprise, but before I could question what she meant by ‘walking carcass’ she turned to me. “So, we three will be spendin’ most of our time in the tavern; what will ya be doin’?” I shoot her a questioning look. “Ya don’t drink, and Ah hardly see ya doin’ anythin’ fun for that matter.”

“I guess I’ll walk around town then. We were also sent to buy mines, remember? Somepony has to do it.” It would actually only work in my favor for them to get busy looking for mercenaries. I could buy ingredients for drugs, ask about the Hydra, and examine the statuette… Wait, what did she say at the end? “And I can do fun things,” I said, pouting.

“Yeah, right,” Apple Core snorted with amusement. “If Ah weren’t takin’ ya out to the bar and stuff, ya’d be spendin’ all day in yar clinic.”

“Forgive me, sweetie,” I said, annoyed, “but are you implying that what you are doing - getting drunk and having intercourses with random bucks - is fun? Or” I quickly added as Apple Core was about to reply, “that those are the only fun things to do in Appleloosa?”

She paused to deadpan at me before she said: “Well, at least Ah’m gettin’ laid.”

I rolled my eyes, but I chose to not pursue the subject. I suspected that in a settlement like Appleloosa being a little… promiscuous was normal and maybe necessary. If I ever get back to Stable Eight, I might try to write a doctoral thesis for psychology on them. Regardless, I was looking forward to seeing how different New Appleloosa was.

“Anyway, I’d advise you to keep in mind what we’re supposed to do,” I said, returning to the subject. “I’d hate to disappoint Black Widow.”

Mousetrap snorted. “Yeah, because she might let loose that freakish zebra of hers on us.”

“I wouldn’t use the word ‘freakish’...” I started; inwardly I was happy that they’d taken the bait.

“I would,” Mousetrap interrupted me. “The fact that he’s a zebra is disgusting enough, but that thing is practically a monster.”

“He’s insanely strong and knows those old zebra fighting moves,” Catch explained. “Back when Black Widow was going on raids and patrols, she’d let him loose on all the idiots trying to fight. I’ve seen her pet single-hoofly kill six ponies with his bare hooves. Heck,” she added, lowering her voice to a whisper, “somepony swore to me that they’ve seen Khan once rip off some buck’s skull and then beat him to death with it.”

“He beat somepony to death with their own skull?” I repeated, raising an eyebrow. “I’m… pretty sure that’s not medically possible. Although,” I added, musing, “theoretically, it-

Catch interrupted me. “The point is, Black Widow’s pet is a monster, and it’s under her total control. It’s no wonder that she remained our leader even after her husband’s death.”

I was a bit annoyed that she stopped my train of thought, but I was more interested in Black Widow than Khan at the moment. “She had mentioned that to me yesterday. How did he die?”

“He got shot,” Catch said, cringing.

“You mean he was murdered?” I asked, pretending to be horrified; I had expected something along those lines.

Was this what Cutter had meant by ‘having too much shit’ on Black Widow?

“Gee, what could ‘got shot’ mean other ‘an ‘murder’?” Apple Core said sarcastically.

“Well-” I began, her question causing me to recall ‘shots’ of vaccines, but the other mare covered my mouth with her hoof almost as soon as I opened it.

“Just… don’t,” she told me, frowning.

“Anyway,” Catch resumed as Apple Core draw her hoof back “we never caught who did that; the shot came from outside of Appleloosa.”

“Beg your pardon?” I said, blinking in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“It was a sniper. And a good one; when we checked the direction the shot came from, we couldn’t find any tracks.”

Apple Core snorted. “It was probably that darn pegasus.”

Catch shook her head. “That happened years before he first showed up.”

“Then maybe it was one of ‘is buddies. Who knows how many of those winged a-holes up there could be watchin’ down through a scope.”

It hadn’t taken me too long to realize after my banishment that the pegasi were generally despised by ponies of the Wasteland. I couldn’t fault them for that; though it might not be them who had decided to abandon Equestria two hundred years ago and save their own coats, it was them that continued to keep the cloud cover.

“I heard that it was the Hooded Figure,” Mousetrap spoke up, joining the discussion.

“Yeah, and I heard also about fifteen other stories as well,” Catch said, rolling her eyes. “Some idiot once even suggested that Black Widow could have been behind it.”

Apple Core frowned. “Wait, Ah think Ah ‘eard ‘bout that pony. Was that the one Khan had-”

“Yep.”

“Ugh!” Apple Core exclaimed, cringing.

“Black Widow doesn’t like ponies suggesting she might have had something to do with Eulogy’s death,” Catch explained to me. “Which is a mistake only newbies make; everypony who worked with her longer knows better. She had no reason to kill him; she was already making most of the decisions in Appleloosa anyway. But with Eulogy out of the picture, even with her pet her position amongst slavers could have been endangered. Not everypony liked how she got so high in the pecking order just as soon as she had joined.”

“Just as soon as she had joined?”

“Yeah; she had waltzed into town one day together with Eulogy’s group, about twelve years ago, as his girlfriend. Nopony had any idea where she came from…”

I nodded absentmindedly, deep in thoughts. Apparently, she already knew Eulogy rather well when she came to Appleloosa... could it be… A theory began to form in my mind, but I hadn’t had enough information to be certain whether it was true or not. I’ll need to have a talk with Cutter when I get back.

After several more hours, the train was finally about to stop.

About time, I thought when Apple Core said we were getting close to New Appleloosa. The train began to slow down. Not that conversing with three slavers hadn’t been entertaining and informative, but all those hours I could have spend studying…

Of course, not wanting to lose so much time, I had brought the TLC Squared: “Tender Loving Care for Totally Lost Causes" , but I had finished reading it a while ago and had to entertain myself by reviewing files stored in my PipBuck. And besides, while I hold all form of knowledge in high regard and I had found this book to be quite interesting, mechanics and robotics weren’t my top interests.

Maybe I’ll find some book about medicine in New Appleloosa? I wondered as I stopped reading notes in my PipBuck and began to rise and stretch my legs. Even though, realistically speaking, the chances of me stumbling upon a medical book containing something I don’t know already are rather low… but then again, just yesterday I had learned about this Hydra medicine, so who-

My train of thought was violently interrupted as the actual train suddenly stopped. At least, I assumed so; how else could the fact that I’d been sent flying across the car’s floor while surrounded by a cacophony of screeching sounds be explained?

I yelped in pain as I hit the train car’s wall, my head spinning from the confusion. Instinctively, I curled up into a fetal position, waiting for the world to stop spinning around.

My companions were even less enthusiastic about the sudden stop than me. “What the fuck?!” one of them exclaimed; I couldn’t tell which.

“Ugh, somepony must ‘ave pulled the emergency brakes…” groaned Apple Core as the train finally ceased moving and stood completely still.

Though my head stopped spinning, I chose to remain on the floor as I checked my PipBuck’s medical scan to make sure I hadn’t suffered any more serious injuries than bruises and possibly a mild concussion. “Is everypony alright?” I asked weakly as I let my healing spell wash over me, curing my wounds and making the pain go away.

As if in reply, somepony began to cough. I rose to my hooves, prepared to treat whoever was wounded, but then I had realized that the coughing sound wasn’t coming from any of them.

It was coming from my PipBuck.

Paralyzed, I could only stare at it. I knew what I was going to hear next.

“I… don’t look too good now, huh?”

Finally snapping, I tapped my PipBuck and canceled the playback. I glanced at my companions. They were still getting up from the floor, massaging their bruises and not paying me too much attention. However, they had heard the playback, and after a few seconds Catch asked: “What was that?”

“It… it was a recording of one of my former patients back in Stable Eight,” I said nervously. “When the train stopped I must have hit a button on my PipBuck and it started playing.”

Whether none of them pressed on this matter because they were still shaken by our abrupt stop or bought my explanation (and assumed my state had also been caused by the stop), I didn’t care.

“How the hell did this fucking train just stop?” Catch asked Apple Core, turning to her. “It’s pulled by those train ponies, right?”

“One of the guards in the caboose must ’av pulled the breaks,” Apple Core mumbled, grimacing as she massaged the back of her head. “Give me a second, Ah’mma gonna ask who t’ shoot in the knee for ‘at.”

After saying that, Apple Core checked the small firearm she had strapped to a holster on her foreleg and trotted towards the car’s door. The other two slavers followed her as she opened it and jumped outside, while I stayed behind.

I sat down, sighing. Of all the audio logs recorded on my PipBuck, what were the odds of that one starting to play? I wondered as I looked at the device. I suppose I should be glad none of my experiments's records began to play… that could’ve made things awkward…

It was hard to believe how long it had been since I heard her voice. When was the last time I played it? I tried thinking back; it must have been months. And to think that there was a time when I’d spend hours listening to it over and over…

I sighed again. This wasn’t the place and time to start being reminiscent. Actually, there currently wasn’t any place for that, much less time, not in the Wasteland. My clinic wasn’t exactly private; my basement didn’t quite have a mood for looking back on the past. And my bedroom… it wasn’t home. It wasn’t filling me with the same sense of security I had back in Stable Eight, with the same… warmth.

Alright, time to pull it together, I finally thought, shaking my head and standing up. I should probably join the others before anything bad can happen.

I snorted at the thought, amused; Apple Core used to live with those ponies, and she and the other two were seasoned Wasteland ponies. I sincerely doubted that they would pick a fight over something like some bumps and bruises, not when we they had a job to do-

“Are ya shittin’ me?!”

… There’s always margin for error, I suppose, I concluded after a second before I rushed to join my companions.

When I jumped out of the car and into the unpleasantly dry and rough-on-the-hooves ground, it quickly became clear what had angered Apple Core so much. “Why the fuck were ya ponies takin’ a caravan across the train track?!” she asked a big group of ponies. I recognized some of the ponies around the group as train ponies, but most of them were unknown to me; I quickly trotted towards everypony.

“Why was the train coming back now instead of yesterday?” one of the ponies in the group, a weathered buck, asked in turn. Frowning, he added. “And what are you slavers doing here?”

“None of yar business, ya-” Apple Core began, but I stepped between her and the buck and cut her off.

“What my companion meant is that we hadn’t come to cause any problems, if that’s what you’re suggesting,” I told the buck, smiling friendlily. Everypony from the buck’s group looked at me, a familiar surprise at my appearance in their eyes. “Or at least, we hadn’t meant any,” I added in apologetic tone. “Based on what Apple Core here was saying, I assume your caravan had been going across the train track? You have my deepest apologies for causing you a fright.”

My gaze moved from the leader of the caravan to his ponies; there were easily ten of them in their group (it was hard to say with New Appleloosa’s train ponies standing next to them). Among them I could see several big piles of various items on carts, with odd shapes next to them. However, before I could make out what they were, the lead buck spoke, forcing me to focus my attention back on him.

“Ah, well, um, no problem, miss. I mean, no harm was done,” he said, blushing.

I smiled and glanced back at Apple Core and the other two. All three were glaring at me with annoyance; no doubt they weren’t happy with me apologizing. I rolled my eyes and gave them a stern look, hoping they would read this as “this has to be done this way,” and not interfere.

“I hope Apple Core hadn’t been too unpleasant to you all,” I said, turning back to the caravan leader (I assumed). “When the train stopped, we ended up getting a few bruises, so we were a bit… edgy.”

“Oh, don’t worry, it was nothing,” the buck quickly replied, waving his hoof nonchalantly. He then looked at me more closely. “Hm… I don’t mean to offend you, miss, but you don’t exactly look like a slaver.”

Giggling as if such notion amused me (when in fact I was a bit offended), I replied. “That’s because I’m not. Allow me to introduce myself; I’m Doctor Angel, Appleloosa’s medic. My three companions are here as my bodyguards; it would have been foolish to send the town’s only medic without protection, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I guess that makes sense.”

I gave the buck a smile and looked past him, at the walls of the city. Apple Core had been right that we were close; it was about a ten minute trot away. “It would seem that our premature stop left us awfully close to New Appleloosa,” I noted, turning back to the caravan leader. “It would seem pointless to travel the rest of the way by train. Would you mind if we trotted the rest of the way with you? It’s always more fun travelling with a big group, even if for such a short distance, sharing stories and gossip.”

“Sure, miss, I don’t see a problem,” the buck replied. He turned back to his ponies and barked orders: “Get the brahmin moving, boys!”

Likewise, I began to turn to Apple Core, Nice Catch and Mousetrap, intending to explain to them why I wanted to walk together with caravan the rest of the way, but as I did so I noticed something in the corner of my eye. One of the shapes I had spotted earlier had began to move, urged by ponies and it pulled one of the wagons. As I finally took a better look at it, I was left speechless.

For about a second.

“What are those?!” I shouted as I raced to stand closer to them.

Several ponies jumped away from me, but I didn’t care, the strange creatures had my full attention. They were massive, each much bigger than a pony. They stood on four legs that ended with cloven hooves. Under their bodies hung bloated organs, located between their stomach and hind legs. None of them had much coat growing on them, and the skin underneath it was reddish. However, those weren’t the characteristics that caused my reaction at their sight, not even those bloated organs.

Each of them had two heads.

There were three of them; six heads, some which turned to look at me. As I stared in turn at the closest one, one of the caravan ponies answered my question. “Um, those are our brahmin, miss.”

I recognized that name; their meat was the most expensive meal to buy in Salt Block, one I had attempted numerous times to try and eat. “Those are brahmin?” I asked, turning to Apple Core with a frown. “Apple Core, how come you hadn’t mentioned that they have two heads?”

Apple Core was standing with the other slavers and looking at me with a frown of her own. “Must ‘av slipped my mind,” she replied, shrugging.

“How do you forget to mention something like that?” the caravan pony that had answered me earlier spoke before I could. “That's like not remembering your first girlfriend turned out to have a dick. Right?” he added, glancing at the buck next to him with a sneer.

The slightly obese (How can you get obese in this Wasteland? This caravan must be quite successful,) buck sighed. “Sometimes I'm sorry I even told you that story.”

I stopped paying attention to everypony and focused on the closest brahmin. I tapped my PipBuck as I trotted to stand before it. “Audio recording of Doctor Angel, number 2.04. I have encountered three specimens of a ‘brahmin’ species, which seem to suffer from polycephaly. Based on the description of the Wasteland ponies, the brahmin are a natural bicephalic species. They are quadrupedal animals with cloven hooves, which coupled with their bloated organs under their bodies - which if I am not mistaken are a set of udders - leads me to forming a theory of them being descendants of bovinae animals... probably cattle,” I added, thinking back to foalish books with pictures of the different animals that used to live in pre-war Equestria. Cows bore strong resemblance to these brahmins. “Due to the obvious differences between cattle and brahmin, it may be possible that the species has mutated over the years, probably due to radiation.”

Focusing on my examination, I gently grabbed the brahmin’s muzzle (the one looking at me; the other appeared to be disinterested in me) and looked into its eyes. “Initial observation leads me to speculate that the each of the brahmin’s head can show different level of interest in its surroundings and/or intelligence levels-”

The head I was holding shook briefly. “Well, that there’s puttin’ it mildly it is,” it said, chuckling.

I blinked, bewildered. “Beg your pardon?” I asked, tilting my head.

The head I’ve been touching nodded at the other one. “Ah mean that he ain’t too smart-”

“You can talk?!” I interrupted her, overjoyed. “This is wonderful! I have so many questions for you! Do you consider yourself separate entities? Does each one of you control half of your body, or do you control it together, which would indicate that you possess some basic form of telepathy? Would you mind if I conducted exploratory surgery on yo-ough!” I exclaimed as I felt something pulling me back.

I lost my balance, falling on my chest. Whatever it was that had pulled me, it now began to drag me away from the brahmin. Startled, I looked back… and I realized that it wasn’t anything dangerous. “Apple Core!” I shouted in annoyance and surprise. “What exactly are you doing?!”

As she held the end of my lab coat in her teeth, she didn’t answer. Apple Core just rolled her eyes and continued to drag me back to Mousetrap and Nice Catch.

Both of them, along with other ponies, were now snorting in amusement or outright laughing. I huffed angrily, feeling heat on my cheeks. I turned my recorder off and waited for Apple Core to let go of me.

Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait too long. The earth pony mare released my lab coat as soon as we reached the other two slavers. “Well, sweetie,” I began as I rose from the ground and started to dust myself off, “I hope you have some explanation for interrupting me in such a rude and - might I add - immature way?”

She looked at me in a bemused way. “Ain’t ya the one who said ‘at work comes first?”

“But that was work for me too!” I countered, then I frowned. “No, come back; that was science! That’s much more important!”

“Yeah, Ah don’t care much ‘bout that,” Apple Core said dismissively. “C’mon, let’s go.”

I hadn’t even realized that everypony had began moving. The pulling ponies were strapping themselves to the engine in front of the train, and the guards jumped back into cars. The caravan ponies and their brahmin hurried to leave the railroad tracks and head towards the city.

I should have probably explained to my companions why I had decided to walk the rest of the way - that I had hoped some of the caravan ponies had heard something about this tribe that had apparently settled near Appleloosa, and we could gain information by simply befriending them and asking how their journey went - but I was too dismayed with Apple Core to think about that.

“You could have pointed out to me that everypony’s leaving in some other manner, sweetie,” I told her as I joined her. Mousetrap and Nice Catch followed as well.

“Ah did,” answered Apple Core, to my confusion. “Ah called yar name like three times ‘fore Ah pulled ya back.”

“Oh… you did?” I asked, honestly surprised.

“Eeyup,” she said, and the other two (along with several other ponies) nodded.

I frowned and played back the recording from earlier on my PipBuck. My latest audio log ran normally, without anypony calling my name during it. I was about to give Apple Core a look, but just then…

“I have so many questions for you!”

“Angel…” came Apple Core’s voice in between my excited exclamations.

I blushed in embarrassment as I continued to listen. “I have so many questions for you! Do you consider yourself separate entities?”

“Angel.”

“Does each one of you control half of your body, or do you control it together-”

“Angel!”

“-which would indicate that you possess some basic form of telepathy? Would you mind-”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake…”

“-if I conducted exploratory surgery on yo-ough!”

I turned the audio log off when it reached the point when Apple Core began to pull me back. “It... would appear that I owe you an apology, Apple Core,” I told the other mare, wishing I hadn’t accused her earlier of not first trying to gain my attention. “I… have been told before that I sometimes stop paying attention to my surroundings when I get like that,” I said, smiling awkwardly.

Apple Core, however, waved my apologies aside. “Nevermind ‘at. We ‘av more important things. We might ‘av problems,” she added in a hushed voice, so that only I would hear her. I straightened my ears and listened. “There was one less of ‘em train ponies.”

Recalling what Apple Core had told me, that her special talent was “rounding up ponies”, I didn’t doubt her. Instead I merely asked: “What could this mean?”

“They must ‘av send ‘im to the town, probably to inform ol’ Railright about us. He’s pretty much in charge ‘ere. And given how long we’ve talked, Ah reckon he’s probably right now talkin’ with that pony.”

“Would that be something bad?” I asked her. “I’ve been under the assumption that ponies here have peaceful relations with slavers?”

“Yeah, but that’s ‘cause we usually don’t come t’ their town,” Apple Core explained. “They probably want ‘im t’ keep that trigger happy pegasus away. But Ah thought ya might wanna start sweet-talkin’ ‘im like a the minute we see ‘im.”

I raised an eyebrow. “‘Sweet-talking’?”

“Ya know, like ya do with everypony.”

“That’s called ‘being pleasant to others’, sweetie,” I said, shaking my head. “But nevermind that. Would you be so kind to get to help me get to know those caravan ponies?”

“Why?”

“So that we could engage in friendly conversation with them, possibly learning if they heard anything about the tribe that killed our ponies,” I told her. “Or if they heard of any mercenaries that are free to hire,” I added as the idea came to me.

Apple Core agreed that it was worth trying, and all four of us engaged in conversations with several ponies from their group, traders and guards alike. As per my advice, my companions hadn’t outright asked about the tribals or mercenaries, but instead tried talking with them like they would normally in a bar or tavern. Subjects such as weapons, their maintenance, raiders and the Hooded Figure were touched upon. I myself asked about the Wasteland in general, as I was certain that there was much, much more to learn about it. (Especially since I know that Apple Core forgot to mention brahmin have two heads; who knows what else she could have omitted?) However, I hadn’t learned anything new by the time we reached New Appleloosa's limits; the caravan ponies mostly complained about raiders from Shattered Hoof. Apparently they’d often come under attack from them during their routes.

I broke my concentration away from discussions and looked around New Appleloosa. It was… a touch different from the slavers’ Appleloosa, that was for certain. Inside its walls, it became clear to me that before the Last Day this used to be major rail hub of sorts. Derailed train cars made almost all of New Appleloosa’s buildings. Even the walls, on closer examinations, turned out to be boxcars. I could see between buildings many railroad tracks, practically confirming my guess. There was also a very tall metal spire-like structure in town, with a long outstretched arm and a hook attached to it.

The ponies guarding a big metal gate opened it without a word. Not surprising, since they’ve been probably told about both our groups by that train pony Apple Core noticed was missing. However, we passed the gate without anypony making any problems for us. There were also ponies to greet us, too. Most were focused on the caravan ponies, though several said hello to Apple Core when they recognized her. As the slaver mare replied to them, I noticed a black and grey buck trotting towards us, seemingly with a purpose.

“Been awhile since we’ve seen ya ‘round these parts, Apple Core,” he said as he reached us.

Apple Core turned to him. “Black Widow doesn’t give us too much a free time,” she joked. “Good to see ya too, Railright.”

I immediately interjected myself into their conversation. “Oh, so you’re the Railright I’ve been hearing about,” I told the buck, smiling. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, sweetie. I’m Doctor Angel, Appleloosa’s medic.”

“S-so Ah’ve heard,” he replied, slightly taken aback. Nevertheless, he took my outstretched hoof and shook it. Which in turn took me aback, as I expected him to kiss it. Are there no gentlecolts in Equestrian Wasteland? “Now, not that we ain’t pleased t’ have y’all, but would ya kindly explain why y’all here? It’s a rather unusual situation.”

“Oh, most certainly,” I replied. “But we've had a long trip; would it be a problem if we talked in some more comfortable location?”

About ten minutes later, we were sitting next to a table in the mayor’s “office” (I was pretty sure it was actually Railright’s living room), drinking Sparkle-Cola. Apple Core had no doubt wanted a stronger drink, but I had intervened before she could have asked for it.

“There are two reasons why we’ve been sent here, mayor,” I began when he repeated his question from earlier. “One is to buy several goods that we need. Primarily medical supplies, which is why I have been sent, but also some others.”

Railright frowned. “Ah thought Candi sent y’all some medical supplies on the train.”

“Oh, yes, we’ve received them. However, those supplies actually went first to a trader in Appleloosa, and then I had to buy them from him, an arrangement the previous medic had established. I had hoped to have my own trading agreement with Candi, was it?” I asked to be certain.

“Hm, seems logical,” Railright mused as he nodded at my question. “Speakin’ of, what happened to the previous medic pony of Appleloosa? Um… Cutter, right?”

My ears dropped, but Mousetrap answered before I could. “One of the slaves killed him.”

“It was most unfortunate,” I added; I would have felt much more comfortable if she had refrained from using the word ‘slave’. Ponies here might accept it, but it seemed unwise to remind them that they were owning ponies in the next town. “It must have been Goddesses’ providence that had led me to Appleloosa; without me they’d have been without a medic for good two weeks now.”

“Indeed,” Railright agreed, then changed the subject. “Ya’ve mentioned that there was ‘nother reason for y’all bein’ ‘ere?”

“The other reason is a bit more important. Several of our ponies had recently been killed by unknown assailants.” As I said it, Railright’s expression grew serious. “We were asked to see if there are some mercenaries in New Appleloosa or anywhere nearby, eager to earn some bottle caps by helping us deal with this problem.”

“Y’all ‘av no idea who did that?” Railright asked.

“There were several assumptions made in Appleloosa; Black Widow’s guess that some tribe had come to live in our area seems the most logical to me. Have you heard something about it, sweetie? Some travelers mentioning a large group of ponies, anything like that?”

Railright shook his head. “Sorry, lass, heard nothin’ of ‘at sorts. But ya’re in luck; some mercenaries came t’ town earlier today.” I blinked it surprise; that was lucky! “They should be in Turnpike Tavern. Ah believe ya remember the way?” he added, turning to Apple Core, who chuckled. “‘Av to warn ya though,” Railright continued, “they mentioned that they ‘av somethin’ to do in the area, so it might not be easy t’ hire ‘em. Also, Ah didn’t like the look one of ‘em gave me. Be careful ‘round ‘em.”

“Of course, sweetie,” I replied, smiling. “Thank you so much for your help. And hospitality, of course, of you and your town. I admit, I was a little bit worried… I’ve heard that there is a ‘trigger happy’ - as my companions had described him - pony living in New Appleloosa, a pegasus of all things.”

My attempt at gaining information on the pegasus caused Railight to erupt in laughter. “‘Trigger happy’...” he repeated covering his mouth. “Oh, can’t wait to tell ‘im that… Y’all can relax, Calamity’s not ‘ere. He left this mornin’, guardin’ a caravan.”

I frowned inwardly. Of course; mercenary team comes in, a pegasus specimen goes out. You can’t have everything.

“Should be a couple of days ‘fore he comes back,” Railright continued, ignorant to the fact that he wasn’t putting me at ease but further upsetting me. “And besides, he doesn’t live ‘ere. Ah keep tellin’ ‘im to move in - we could always use such a good shot, ya know - almost ever since he came down. Must be three years now… But he always refuses the offer!”

“Some ponies are loners by nature,” I tried to comfort the buck. “Though I agree, it seems such a pity to not have such valuable pony living here.”

“Ya said it,” Railright nodded, then rose. “Ah think Ah took enough of yar time. No point in keepin’ ya from doin’ yar job ‘cause of some pointless conversations.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t call any part of our conversation pointless, sweetie,” I told him. “However, you are correct in reminding us of our duties. Perhaps we could talk some more on a later date?”

Railright seemed pleased at that prospect, and he wished us good luck as we left his house. “What a charming buck,” I commented as we trotted onto the street.

Apple Core glanced at me with a raised eyebrow. “Do ya have a thing for older bucks? ‘Cause that would explain some things…”

I sighed, not interested in that kind of talk at the moment. Not even to point out that he wasn’t that much older than her. “Railright told us there are mercenaries in Turnpike Tavern. Your brother works there, right?” I asked Apple Core, who nodded. “Then it shouldn’t be much of a problem for the three of you to gain information on them and get to know them?”

“Probably not. But where are ya goin’?”

“I want to talk with their medic pony, Candi, and have all this trading agreement business sorted out quickly. I might also look into buying those mines before I come and join you.”

“Wait, so you weren’t kidding about this medicines thing?” Nice Catch asked, raising eyebrows. “I thought we were buying just mines.”

“As friendly as this town is to the slavers, I just couldn’t imagine the good mayor not frowning if I’d told him ‘we came to buy explosives to kill ponies who’d try to escape the life of a slave’,” I replied. “The trading agreement is something I had planned to arrange anyway, so I mentioned that in greater detail to drawn his attention. As for that not being a part of our mission here, I honestly can’t think of Black Widow being mad at me for ensuring I have medicine for everypony.”

“Even if she was, Ah doubt she’d do somethin’ to Appleloosa’s only medic,” Apple Core said, shrugging. She then pointed to the right. “Clinic is that way. We’re goin’ there,” she added, pointing a a big train car-turned-bar. “Don’t take too long.”

“Of course. If you meet those mercenaries, don’t talk to them about business, wait for me with that. Just-”

“Ah’m pretty sure Ah know better about befriendin’ ponies in a bar than ya,” Apple Core interrupted me, sticking her tongue.

I had to give her a point there. Laughing, I parted with my slaver companions.

“Ya won’t find too much of Hydra on this side of the Wasteland,” Candi told me, much to my disappointment.

The medic pony of New Appleloosa was - in huge contrast to the only other medic I had met in the Equestrian Wasteland - a kind earth pony mare. She had greeted me friendlily when I entered her clinic, and when I told her that I hoped she could start sending more medicines to Appleloosa, directly to me, she had agreed.

“Ah ‘av lots of spare healin’ potions, not t’ mention other chems,” the mare - who like me had a white coat but had a pink mane; she also wore one of the pink and yellow nurse’s dresses I had seen on some MoP posters - had said, waving her hoof dismissively. “Ah usually sell ‘em anyway, so Ah might as well send ‘em to ya.”

After a brief discussion regarding the exact amount of medicines and how much would it would cost, we had an agreement ready. The speed with which we had concluded this business might have been partly due to Candi needing to check on some patients in their house; we left the clinic right after we finished, in fact. I had offered to go with her, but she had told me it was just a routine check.

As I had nothing too pressing to take care of, I walked with her part of the way. It was a pleasant change to be able to talk with a fellow medic pony. So pleasant, in fact, that I lingered with asking about Hydra and asked her about unusual cases, secret healing methods… Candi had told me that she sometimes mixed healing potion with apple schnapps to make the medicine “go down better”, as she had phrased it. Though I would obviously never try such a method, I had to admit that it was intriguing.

I finally brought up the subject of Hydra when Candi told me we were almost there. I had already known she had used up all her supply during our business discussion earlier (in fact, the pony she was going to see now was the one she had used it on), but now I questioned as to where one could find more.

“Hydra is only made in Hoofington,” she continued. “Well, at least, as far as Ah know; Ah wouldn’t be surprised if there were other places.”

“Hoofington?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. “That’s quite a distance from here, isn’t it sweetie? I don’t mean to pry, but I’ve been led to believe that you keep a somewhat steady supply of it. Do you send your train all the way there as well?” I questioned.

Candi giggled. “Nah, New Appleloosa - Appleloosa is the only line. Tracks in other directions are all destroyed ‘ere and there. Anyways, Ah buy Hydra from ol’ Ditzy.”

“Ditzy? I’m afraid I hadn’t had yet the pleasure.”

“Yeah, Ah didn’t expect ya to. She runs the general supplies store, Absolutely Everythin’, right over there,” she said as she pointed at three train cars that were melded together into a single building with a smokestack, a little further down the street.

“Well then, I guess that’s my next destination,” I thought, gazing at it.

I was about to ask Candi next just how exactly this Ditzy acquired Hydra, but my fellow medic spoke first. “Ya might ‘av problems talkin’ with her…” she trailed off and then facehoofed. “Ugh, that was in horrible taste…”

“Why, what do you mean?” I asked, puzzled by her behaviour.

Candi sighed. “Some slavers cut off poor Ditzy’s tongue a few decades ago, ‘fore Ah was even born.”

My eyes widened. “Oh…” was all I could say. This is indeed going to complicate talking to her… oh, now I get it! “You’re right, that was in horrible taste.”

Candi blushed in embarrassment, even though I could tell she hadn’t meant to joke about this Ditzy. She cleared her throat and resumed: “As ya can figure, she doesn’t trade with slavers. And since the word about slavers bein’ in town with an albino medic pony had no doubt reached ‘er by now…”

“She might refuse to conduct any business with me?” I finished. To be honest, I found the thought of somepony outright disliking slavers in this town to be refreshing. “Hm… if there was an available, compatible donor, I could offer to transplant it and…” I mused out loud.

“Ya could do that?” Candi asked with wide eyes.

“Assuming I would have a donor, most certainly,” I replied. “Of course, since most ponies wouldn’t want to part with their tongues, the donor would have to be recently deceased…”

Come to think of it, I wondered, would Hydra make the tongue grow back? Maybe it’s too complicated an organ… and it certainly wouldn’t work on Ditzy, as in decades the wound must have closed up, but on a donor- wait, decades?!

“You said that it was decades ago?” I asked Candi, who nodded. “Forgive my surprise, sweetie; I was under the impression that living for so long must be quite a feat in the Equestrian Wasteland on its own, let alone with a disadvantage like the one Ditzy has. She must be quite a survivor… exactly how old is she?”

To my surprise, Candi giggled, as if something I said amused her. “Ya know,” she said after a few seconds, “Ah think my patient can wait a few more minutes. Ah’ll go and introduce ya to her.”

“Really?” I asked, pleasantly surprised… and suspicious. I had a feeling that I was about to become a subject of a joke for a second time today. “That’s very kind of you, sweetie,” I replied, resigned.

I can suffer a few more laughs.

“Great, c’mon!” Candi said enthusiastically, giggling.

“There’s one thing that’s confusing to me, though,” I said as I trotted alongside her. “How does she get Hydra all the way from Hoofington?”

Instead of answering my question, Candi pointed at the signs below block letters forming the shop’s name. When we were close enough, I read them, intrigued:

“‘Yes, I do deliveries’?” I read outloud, frowning. “Sweetie, that doesn’t explain my question… wait, Wasteland Survival Guide? What’s that?”

Candi looked at me, surprised. “Ya don’t have any in Appleloosa? That’s a book with survival tips and such, written and published by Ditzy. It’s really useful.”

My jaw dropped in a such an unladylike manner that my Granny would have chastised me.

“Y-you mean…” I stammered, “that in these remains of a civilization, there’s a pony who managed to write and publish a book, and she’s right behind these doors?!”

When Candi realized that I was excited, she laughed. “Well, the counter is a bit further in the shop,” she joked as she opened the door.

I could scarcely believe it. To be able to write a book and publish it, making enough copies to give them away free… And on such a subject no less! If she had written it in Stable Eight as a thesis for Social Sciences she would have definitely gained a PhD!

This pony is amazing! I thought as I began to follow Candi. Oh, what a pity that she hates slavers! I must convince her to give me a chance; after all, I am not a slaver, even if I work for them. Still, this could be difficult… I must do my best. I’m sure if I treat her friendlily and professionally, Ditzy and I will become best of friends.

“Hello, Ditzy Doo,” Candi called over the noise several ponies were making in the store. “Ah’ve dropped by to introduce somepony to ya.”

I looked from behind Candi to see Ditzy… and at first I was confused. Was this the joke I feared Candi was preparing for me? I wondered as I gazed at the corpse behind the shop’s counter.

A decaying corpse, at that. It had already lost all its coat, and the skin was flaking away. Its dry eyes stared in different directions. A few strands of mane were yellow in color. Hm, female, earth pony, I began noticing automatically as I trotted closer, age… a bit difficult to say without examination…

Before the thought of how weird it was for a corpse to be put behind a counter in a shop hit me, I was forced to stop my thinking process altogether. The corpse’s head moved towards me, and its face formed a frown. It then reached to a small sign on the counter and raised it; the words ‘NO SLAVERS’ were written on it. As if to make sure I read it, it tapped it.

“YOU’RE A GHOUL?!” I finally realized.

I could hear Candi snorting with laughter beside me, but I stopped paying her attention. I had heard about ghouls; in Apple Core’s words, “corpses that continued to live”. I’ve tried asking ponies about them, naturally curious what could cause such a condition, but nopony could offer much information in that regard.

And now I was seeing one before my eyes.

I raced towards it (Her, I corrected myself,) around the counter, much to the surprise of Ditzy and probably anypony else present. “You’re a ghoul?!” I repeated more quietly, but still as excited. I then did a double-take at her. The counter hid another unique feature of her - two appendages growing from her back. “You’re a pegasus ghoul?!?” I exclaimed, my eyes round. Ditzy Doo, whose face had by then lost its earlier stern demeanor, was looking at me with a mixture of confusion and fear. Which I ignored, too absorbed in the moment. “You’re a pegasus ghoul who wrote and published an actual book in this largely uncivilized world?!? This. Is. Amazing!” I squeed as I threw my forelegs around Ditzy and hugged her tightly. “Oh, I love this town!”

Footnote: 50% to next level!