Team Two guided us to where the caravan had set up for the night. One of the group unicorns was setting up a fire for us to huddle around. An earth pony rolled out a keg of something, to great cheering from the traders.

Ah, alcohol, it appears.

"Hey, Security, we're still on duty." Dashie and Platinum glanced to me, and I elaborated. "No drinking." Dashie gave me a frown.

Dashie likes to drink? Who knew.

Next to Dashie was the unicorn mare, levitating two cups beside her as she waited for them to get filled; she was a light orange with a pale blue and green mane and yellow eyes. If I were into mares I might say she was 'pretty', but like everyone out here, she could definitely benefit from a shower. I set the rotary cannon down by the Stable team's equipment.

I glanced around the crowd, noticing that Nimble wasn't among the group of caravaners. "Where'd Nimble get to?" Dashie shrugged. I switched to the squad frequency. "Nimble, where are you?"

...

"Okay. Dashie and I will go find her. Plat," I pointed to her, "will stay here in case Nimble returns to the caravan." I glanced to Dashie. "Dashie, on me."

Plat glanced around nervously. "Yes ma'am." Dashie grunted as I plugged Nimble's Pipbuck tag in and we set off.

"I wonder what's going on."

I shrugged. "Perhaps you should be Captain Obvious, Dashie." He tossed me an obnoxious smirk. "I have no idea, but I'm going to find out and give her a stern talking to."

"I almost feel sorry for the poor mare, considering the tongue lashing you're going to give her."

I ignored the subtle dig at my preference for the opposite sex and sighed quietly. "Assuming one of the locals didn't attack her and is currently raping her slowly cooling corpse."

Dashie paused mid-step in shock. "Wow, boss, you're actually kind of evil sometimes." He gave me a strange look.

"Keep moving." I smirked at him. "I don't believe that's what's going on. If she was dead we'd have gotten an alert on our Pipbucks."

Dashie rolled his eyes. "Yeah... you always find the most comforting of reasons."

I stuck my tongue out at him. "And that's why I'm the boss."

"The fact I don't want to be probably helps."

"There might be something to that." I shrugged as Nimble finally responded on the comms.

"I, I, uh, I'm here..." She's blathering on. I wonder.

"What happened?" I inquired coolly.

"Uh, nothing happened. I just... went off to, y'know, be on my own for a little while." She chuckled nervously.

I frowned. "Stay where you are. We're coming to you."

"No, no, that's not needed-."

"That is an order. Stop talking."

"Yes ma'am, shutting up, ma'am..." I cleared my throat loudly and she stopped speaking mid word.

After a moment, Dashie and I made it to her location, a darkened corner underneath a tarp and some crates. Some snide part of my mind wondered how she'd managed to crawl inside, because Nimble was not exactly a little filly.

"Explain yourself."

"I, I... uh..." I continued to look at her, letting her blather on. "Hold on." She growled and I realized she was chewing on something; she hurriedly swallowed. "I was eating, okay!? When I get stressed out, I eat. It's what I do, and it's why I'm so fuckin' fat! Is that what you wanted to know?"

I frowned. "You forgot to tell us." She winced, nodding slowly. "Don't do that." I glanced back towards the camp, speaking softly to her. "Remember when we were foals and we went on field trips and had a buddy system?" She nodded again. "That applies doubly out here. Your partner is supposed to know where you are at all times." My voice hardened again. "Do not disappear like that again, ever. Is that clear?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes ma'am." Judging her suitably disciplined, I turned, leading the group back to the campsite.

After I gave Nimble and Platinum a few minutes to calm each other, I called the group together for a debriefing. "Kay, debriefing time." Debriefings basically consist of the group talking about the skirmish we'd just gone through, logging what happened for later review should the need ever arise and generally decompressing. A few wastelanders had looked interested in that, including the unicorn mare who had done her level best to spend every minute with Dashie after we made it to Haven. I spent a moment before considering, "I don't see why you couldn't watch."

All in all, about a dozen wastelanders joined us, most holding or levitating cups or mugs of alcohol, for our debriefing session as we settled down in a relatively dry place under a couple of tarps, a small lantern in the middle of the group.

I turned on my Pipbuck's recording device. "Stable Thirty, reconnaissance log, Day One and after-action report for skirmish at Haven. Captain Firefly leading, Security officers Rapid Dash, Nimble Shine and Platinum Starlight participating. Members of Haven, Broken Enamel's Trading and other trade caravans observing." After a short pause, I continued. "Begin." I turned to Team Two. "Tell me what you saw when you first saw Haven."

The two shared a look before Platinum spoke up, speaking in her clear, quiet voice. "Haven was... being attacked by a bunch of zombies."

"Zombies?" I was aware of what she meant, but later reviewers might not. "Ghouls?"

She nodded, then realized that nodding wasn't visible on audio recordings. "Yes. A bunch of feral ghouls, perhaps a dozen."

Nimble poked in quietly. "Twelve moving around, another twelve or so incapacitated."

"Right. What happened next?"

Platinum smirked a little. "Well, we shot one."

"You opened fire? Without permission?" I pointed out gently.

Nimble and Platinum shared a look. "Uh, oops."

"And it won't happen again?"

"Yes ma'am." The two of them said together.

"Good mares. What happened next?"

"Well.. we shot the ghoul again and it stopped moving. You two came over the hill."

"You two?" Dashie and I, of course, but later reviewers. "Dashie and Firefly?"

"Yeah. Then the ghouls turned and came at us."

"I suspect you shootin' at 'em had somethin' to do with it." Dashie dryly drawled with a smirk. "Haven's defenders opened fire as they turned to face us, killed a few of em. Then I noticed the feral Rangers." I noticed the unicorn mare from earlier was laying down next to Dashie.

"Rangers?"

"Steel Rangers, Brotherhoof of Steel, whatever. Zombies in power armor." He shrugged. "You know. The ones you thought that were out of ammo, that actually weren't?"

"Riiiight..." Platinum chipped in with a sly look. "Yeah, you know, the ones that shot a rocket at us?" Some of the wastelanders around us chuckled, and I flushed slightly. The unicorn next to Dashie nuzzled him, grinning.

"Can it, you two." I let a hint of snap into my voice, before I closed my eyes for a moment, taking a slow breath, before opening my eyes, calm now. "Okay... I told Team Two to deal with them, and... one of them exploded?"

Nimble nodded. "Yes." After a moment of silence, she elaborated. "I believe a rocket malfunctioned in the launcher."

Platinum pouted. "I didn't even get to shoot it. Then I shot the other one through a gap in his helmet..." She trailed off, her eyes focusing on the wall behind me and her ears folding back. I suspected she just realized she was talking about shooting somepony.

"Platinum?" Nimble leaned over to nuzzle her.

"I shot somepony in the face! And here I am, just casually chatting about it like, 'oh, hey, I just drank a Sparkle-cola'! The fuck is wrong with me?" She buried her face in her hooves and groaned loudly.

I spent a long moment pondering, before replying quietly. "They weren't a pony any longer. They died ages ago. You simply ended their suffering."

"Think of it as a mercy kill," a brown buck with a big ten gallon hat chipped in. "It's what keeps me sane," he mumbled, looking to the ground.

"Okay..." Platinum considered for a long moment, before shaking her head. "So.. what about raiders? Or other ponies?"

An awkward silence followed her question.

A younger buck behind me coughed into his drink.

Nimble answered her question. "Raiders are not... ponies, either. They've forgotten what it means to be a pony, if they ever knew at all. It's you or them, and I'd hope you'd pick yourself over them?" She looked over to Platinum, and I thought I saw a bit of pleading in Nimble's eyes.

Can I trust her? I hope so.

"Moving on..." I turned to Nimble. "I heard a gunshot while Dashie and I went to check out the ghouls. What happened?"

Nimble gave me a confused look, before remembering we were logging. "I found a ghoul that wasn't... incapacitated, and I... changed that."

I nodded and looked around. Dashie spoke up. "Hey boss, while you were convincing the guards to let us in, I got a look at the ghouls."

"While you were robbing their bodies."

He stared at me, as if wondering why I'd brought that up, before nodding disinterestedly. "Yes. They were wearing tattered military uniforms, so I'm guessing they were from before the Last Day." He paused for a moment, letting everyone think about that before continuing. "So I suspect they were from Deathcon... which brings us to... why did they leave?"

"It would take a lot of radiation to turn somepony in power armor into a ghoul." I shrugged. "That's a good question." I glanced around to the wastelanders. "Anypony know anythin' about Deathcon?"

The unicorn mare laying against Dashie perked up. "I've heard rumors Deathcon use to be some big prewar facility, a command center headquarters, or somethin'." I ignored the redundancies of that. "Before it got blown up."

"Interesting." I felt a smirk cross my muzzle and I turned to her. "Do you know anything else about Deathcon?"

She shook her head. "'Fraid not." I looked around, extending the question to the rest of the traders, who all gave various negatory signs. Dang.

One of them, a dark brown earth pony colt with ice blue eyes, spoke up with a smirk. "It's pretty badly irradiated. If that wasn't obvious."

"Didn't Enamel tell you to stop making fun of ponies better armed than you, Caramel?" He shut up and scowled at me through his drink while the rest of the gathering snickered.

A moment of silence ensued, and I looked around the gathering. "Okay... any questions?"

The mare next to Dashie spoke up. "Y'all said no drinking, blah blah blah, no fun. Does that mean they can't have sex neither?" She flashed Dashie a very obvious look and brushed his armor with her tail. "Cause I have not been rutted in way too long..." The wastelanders surrounding us chuckled.

I sighed, eyes closed for a moment. "Security, you're free to do whatever you want, as long as you're sober and awake in the morning. Bedtime in..." I glanced down to my Pipbuck's clock. "One hour. Debriefing adjourned!" I shut the Pipbuck's recorder off and rose to my hooves with a groan, stretching. Around me, the crowd rose to their hooves and went back to being busy. Several colts and a couple mares dragged Team Two along back to towards the camp. The mare nibbled on Dashie's ear and tugged him away.

Unsurprisingly, nopony showed much interest in rutting me, which I was not that bothered about.

I have a military to run, after all.

I yawned and rolled my head before turning off and trotting on my own to familiarize myself with this small town, having a feeling I'll be coming back here again frequently.

Half an hour later, I ran into several merchants, drunk off their flanks.

I casually kept my distance as I passed them, but apparently they decided now was the best time to go where ever I was going.

What are they doing?

I glanced over and they attempted to play super casual and pretending they weren't at all interested in me, which meant... they were following me.

Why were they following me?

I continued my casual patrol with them obviously but casually following me, before turning and greeting them. "Hello gentleponies, what can I do for you this fine night?"

"You think you're all high and better than us, don't you?" one of them slurred. I started to deny it as he continued. "All you Stable folks, living in your nice, shiny, fancy underground shelters, free from all the shit that the wasteland is!" While the drunken trader continued his tirade, I did a mental armory check if things got physical.

Lethal force? Excessive firepower. Paperwork, lots of hard feelings. No.

Baton? I eyed an angry looking unicorn in the back.

Not particularly effective against a mob like this.

Disinterest spell? Not likely to work against a dozen drunk and angry ponies.

Stunning? ... Might work if I can scare them.

"Well? What do you have to say?" The mob stared at me. A few of them looked angry.

Oh. This is where I respond.

"The Stable is full already. What do you want us to do, leave our home so you can live in it?"

Unsurprisingly, this did not appease them and one in the background called for them to attack me.

...

I drew my IF-21s, racking the slides while keeping them from ejecting a round, and took a step back. "Keep your distance and nopony gets hurt, folks." Several of them suddenly looked much more interested in being anywhere but here as I panned the two pistols across the crowd.

"She's only one pony! Attack her!" That's why the voice sounded familiar - it was Caramel, the earth pony from earlier.

"Shut up, Caramel." Identifying him infuriated the colt and he screamed something profane and rushed at me, the crowed clearing out around him.

I hit him with a stunning spell.

Twice.

Just to be sure.

"I told you to shut up." He collapsed, sliding in the mud and landing at my hooves. I panned my weapons across the mob to convince them not to join in that pointless attack.

"Did you just kill him?" One of the merchants, a purple earth pony, yelled in shock.

I opened my mouth to respond, but a brown unicorn mare got there first. "No, she just stunned him. He's fine." She turned and stepped away from him. "Stupid colt."

I nodded. "Let's... just... move on, shall we, folks?" I tucked my pistols back into their holsters and watched as the crowd of ponies dispersed quickly, one of them carrying Caramel away.

Stupid colt, indeed. I continued my trot around the town and a unicorn colt approached me.

"Heeeey pretty mare..." He was also drunk. I wondered how he could even walk at this point.

Oh Celestia, he's hitting on me.

"You're drunk."

Is there anypony in this bloody town that's not drunk?

Hopefully not my ponies.

"Yeah, so I am, and you're hot. But in the mornin', I'll be sober and you'll still be hot."

... This colt is smooth.

I felt my cheeks heating up and facehooved to hide my blush and grin, but even that wasn't enough to hide my giggle. "You're wayyy too young for me, kiddo..." He leaned up against me, bumping against my side, though he was too short so he bumped against my legs.

"Maybe I am, or maybe you're just too ooold for me." He snickered and stuck his tongue up at me.

... why you lit-.

I blinked and realized I was getting furious at a foal, before grinning at him.

"Cute. You are one silver tongued little bastard, y'know that?" He'd passed out against my legs and was drooling a little on my armor. I sighed, still grinning, and levitated him up onto my back.

Luna's left tit, he is heavy.

I headed back for the camp, glancing to my Pipbuck's clock. Almost time for us to head to bed. I switched to the squad comms, speaking quietly to not wake the colt. "Alright folks, time for night watch. I'm coming back to the camp site, ETA five minutes. Ready up by the fire." I received three comm clicks in response.

Excellent.

I left the foal by the fire and met up with my team. Dashie's mane was messier and stickier than usual and his Stable suit was unzipped, but he was alert with the grin of a colt who'd just had a great conquest. Nimble and Platinum had removed their gear and Platinum's battle saddle, but otherwise looked the same.

"So boss, I see you made a friend? I thought you didn't like foals." Dashie flashed me his annoyingly smug smirk, eyes sparkling in amusement. He was correct. I did not, but this one was a clever speaker.

"Shush Dashie. The silver tongued little bastard tried to make a pass at me and passed out on me."

Dashie laughed. "Oh, do you make a habit of taking all the colts that pass out on you home?"

"Yes. I was actually planning to eat the little bastard, but y'all caught me before I had a chance." I deflected the question with a snide comment; Dashie's horrified look showed I'd succeeded. "Okay, night watch. Team One will take first watch, Team Two second." I glanced to Nimble and Platinum. "Get some sleep, you two."

"Yes, ma'am," Platinum responded. Nimble simply nodded and the two of them went off to get ready for bed. I yawned and settled down on my haunches, front legs and spine straight, listening to the radio.

"As you may have noticed... it is still raining outside. I do suggest you stay indoors, or under cover, because it is frightfully cold and dreary out there." Yes, yes it was. Fortunately we had plenty of cover and a fire to keep warm. "And remember, gentleponies, don't forget to use yer loaf. That's all. Back to Lunar!"

Ohhh, this colt sounds hawt.

Lunar continued where her friend had left off. "Aaaand that is Moonstone Mustang. Yes, mares, he's just as hot as he sounds. And he's mine. ALL MINE." She let out an evil sounding cackle. "But I digress. Reported sightings of Enclave scouts have been surfacing from all around the area. Whatever they're doing, it's probably not the beginnings of enacting their plan to come down and 'save the wasteland' or whatever it is." Her voice dripped sarcasm.

I had to agree... not that I wouldn't mind. Mmm, pegasi colts. Yes, please.

"And here's 'Driven to Tears' by the Constables." Lunar sighed despondently. "My thoughts exactly, Thorn. My thoughts exactly... as always, folks, keep on your hooves and watch your fire."

A fast, steady drum beat came out of my ear blooms and I nodded along gently as I dug an apple and a healing potion to eat.

It looked nothing like those huge, juicy red apples from history texts I'd seen. It was a small, hard, shriveled green piece of food, and I use 'food' only in the basest sense that it's something grown intended to be consumed for nutritional value and little else. Taste was optional. I mentally groaned as I munched on the piece of fruit dully.

Dashie, meanwhile, had curled up beside the fire with a groan and glanced over to me. "Firefly, you look tired." I glanced to my Pipbuck's clock and did some math.

Woke up at 0800.

Spent two hours walking to Haven.

It's 2100 now.

I rolled my eyes. "Only spent thirteen hours on duty, including two trotting to Haven and a half hour of combat with a dozen ghouls. I have no clue why." I groaned as I laid down on the ground, cooling and pouring a shot of healing potion and pouring it down my throat.

That's the stuff...

I pushed myself back to a sitting position.

"Heeeey you're not gonna sleep in your armor, right?"

"I was planning to. Why?"

"Ohh you'll find out in the morning." Dashie smirked. "Soo... here I was, dick deep in this mare, when this stallion comes up and mounts me from behind."

Oh Princesses, Dashie. "I can't know this!"

One of the mares on watch with Enamel's caravan grinned lewdly. "I could stand to hear a little more..."

I groaned and curled up, hooves over my ears as Dashie launched into an all-too-detailed explanation.

The next few hours passed unsurprisingly uneventfully. It continued raining. I put a few more logs on the fire to keep it going, made some small chat with Dashie and Enamel's night watch, and I set up my bed roll and drifted off after Platinum woke to relieve me.

Oh. So this is why Dashie was laughing at me.

Buck me, never again. No more sleeping in my armor.

I groaned as I staggered to my hooves, doing some exercise to get blood flowing through my limbs.

There we go. Better.

I glanced to the clock on my Pipbuck.

0900.

Wonderful. I overslept.

The sun had risen while I slept, but it was still dark. My Pipbuck ticked, reminding me that A, everything was trying to kill me and B, that irradiated water was still falling from the sky.

Glorious.

It had lessened somewhat while I was sleeping, however, slackening to a light rain.

"Mornin' Firefly! Nice of you to join us finally." I groaned and trotted over to Enamel, who was sitting beside the fire, roasting something he'd spit on a steel rebar.

Is it meat? I bet it's meat.

My mouth tasted of dust, iron, cordite, meat and other substances I'd rather not put name to. I dig out my canteen, drank some water and swished it around in my mouth before swallowing, carefully not thinking of what I was putting in my stomach.

"Welcome to the Wasteland," Enamel snickered at me, turning the thing he was roasting on the fire over. "Hungry? Got some radroach here."

Once again, I was right. Once again, I regret my natural ability to know things.

"Good for ya, put a shine in your coat and a sparkle in your eye!" I decided not to debate that.

I shook my head. "I, ah, no thank you." I eyed the hunk of radroach. "If ponies were supposed to eat meat..."

Enamel rolled his eyes and pulled his food out of the fire. "Your loss."

I glanced around. "So I see you put my ponies to work." I glanced over to them, watching Dashie carry a crate over to the cart.

Enamel nodded, burying one end of the stick in the ground. "Couldn't let 'em lay about, could I? Gotta keep 'em busy, y'know? That they just pitched in didn't hurt. The things I could get done with a dozen of your ponies..." I groaned and curled up in a ball on the ground, hooves over my ears. "Sleep well, Firefly?" I could hear Enamel's smug smirk through his tone. "Learn anything?"

"Yes, yes. Don't sleep in your armor." I groaned again and pushed myself back to my hooves, shaking my mane out and went over to pack up my bedroll. Enamel snickered and began his breakfast. "By the way... do you know Caramel?"

He nodded with a suspicious look. "What of him?"

"Yeah, he tried to incite a bunch of drunk ponies into lynching me last night." Perhaps a mild exaggeration, but only a mild one. Enamel growled and rose to his hooves, looking for him.

I finished packing up my stuff and left the fire, pinging my crew. "Finish up you're doing and meet me at the fire in five minutes, time for morning briefing."

I received two comm clicks and a grunt in response. I didn't question who gave what.

While waiting, I dug out an apple and munched on it, downing another shot of healing potion to wash it down. Finally my team arrived, Dashie out of his barding. Platinum and Nimble were in various states of undress, Nimble wearing her hat. The three of them settled down facing me. "Good, good, you're here."

Dashie sprawled out in a manner suggesting he knew he was attractive and enjoyed showing it off. "Yeah, that we are. So whats up, boss?" I sighed and levitated my brush out of my saddlebag and started brushing the knots out.

"Operational briefing begins." Dashie rolled his eyes as I gestured to Team Two. "Team Two, you are to escort Enamel's caravan throughout their trade route." Nimble nodded. "Dashie and I will continue on to Deathcon and see what we can find out about the ghoul attacks." I turned back to Team Two. "Remember - we're gathering intelligence on the Wasteland. Pay attention, keep your eyes and ears open. If you get an opportunity to help other ponies, take it. I expect to see you mares in a week." I let that sink in for a moment. "... I don't need to specify that's an order, not a request, right?"

It made perfect sense. If they were truly loyal, they'd make it back here in one piece. If not, well... they weren't loyal troops anyways, right?

That's a joke. A bad one.

"Yes ma'am." Platinum responded. Nimble simply nodded her assent.

I glanced over at a couple of caravaners who were being very obvious trying to be subtle glaring at us. "Watch out for Caramel, I think he might be pissed at us." I pointed him out. "The brown buck with the short orange and purple mane."

They glanced to each other, before Nimble spoke up with a mildly confused tone. "Why is he angry at us, ma'am?"

I shrugged. "I guess I rubbed him the wrong way yesterday, and he tried to incite a bunch of drunken townsponies into lynching me last night. Sit down, Lieutenant." Dashie had growled and started to rise. At the snap in my voice, he returned to his position but still looked angry. I looked to Team Two. "If he attacks you, you've got permission to do whatever you feel is necessary, if you can prove he started it. Try not to kill him, but if it happens..." I shrugged disinterestedly. My mane brushed, I tossed my head back and shook my mane out, then pulling it back into my normal half ponytail. "Any questions?"

"Do you know where his caravan is going, or what we'll be facing?"

I shook my head. "Unfortunately I don't." I waved Enamel over. "Enamel is the one to talk to on that. With that said..." I slipped out of commander mode for a moment. "Come back in one piece. Protect the caravan. Watch each other's backs. Good luck and good shooting, mares." I saluted them. They seemed a bit bewildered at that, and I smiled. "Stay safe out there."

Enamel came over to us and I asked him to explain where the caravan went. He explained where they went to and about how long it took to get to there. I paid attention, noting the places they went on my map.

"Dashie, I'll be in the marketplace. Stay here and help load the caravan. If anything happens, ping me. When the caravan heads out, alert me and I'll meet them at the gate to see them off." Dashie nodded. Briefing finished, I headed into the marketplace. The town really may as well be nicknamed, "tent and tarp city". Half of the town was made of tents, and most of it had tarps stretched from one end to the other. The town itself was built around a prewar structure of some kind, while a northeast-southwest road crossed the center of it. There were entrances that could be sealed at both ends.

The Haven Marketplace was a large, open area that occupied the southwest half of the town center along the road. Metal plates had been put in the ground leaving a partially passable path across the square, and tarps and awnings ran along the edges of the center to give ponies looking to buy wares cover when it rained, like it was now. It had lessened to a light sprinkle, though, compared to the storm there had been last night. The Marketplace was full of ponies going every way, and I suspected that the days before and after the Stable's market day were the busiest days Haven had. It felt good to see the effects of our trade firsthoof. Note to self, mention that in the report tonight. I struggled through the hoof-deep mud to the other side of the square where I spotted a bounty board. Surprisingly, despite the dozens of ponies in the square, it was almost empty. Probably because the town isn't usually this busy.

I looked over the bounty board, finding little of interest other than a bounty that had recently been posted looking for somepony to check out Deathcon, by the town mayor. Isn't that convenient. We get to get paid for what we were planning to do anyways. Stepping back from the bounty board, I noticed an emaciated buck in barding that looked in need of a tailor's services, and approached him. He looked unsettled by my approach, and on second thought, I wasn't surprised. I did cut a rather intimidating figure in fancy, purpose-built armor and bristling with well maintained firearms.

"Hello." He shied back, glancing around nervously. "Is there anything I can help you with? Perhaps some food? Or barding?" I waited patiently. "Go on."

After another long, pregnant moment, he apparently finally decided I wasn't just messinging with him and made a noise like there was something in his throat, before speaking. "I would like some... food."

I glanced around. "Well, go pick something." He nodded and hurried off with a clear idea of where he was going. Meat vendor? Of course he was going to the meat vendor. I followed him there and he pointed a hoof at the biggest hunk of meat hanging in sight. The vendor looked to me curiously, and I sighed, pulling out my bag of caps and jingling it. The vendor looked considerably happier and unhooked the chunk of meat, handing it to the unfortunate stallion. The beggar promptly stuffed it in his mouth and hoofed it into the crowd. You're welcome, you twit.

The vendor glanced to me and smirked, holding his hoof out. "One hundred caps!" He was a smug looking purple unicorn with vibrant green eyes and a mane of thick orange and green strands.

"What? You can't be serious. A hundred caps for that?"

"What do you know, Stable pony? You're a security pony, you're probably not that bright."

I growled quietly at the dig, before closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. "I know for starters, insulting ponies better armed than you is not a sound business tactic." My holstered pistols glowed for a moment. "Another is that radroaches are ridiculously common and a fine unicorn stallion such as yourself should have no problems catching and roasting them." I paused for a moment, before primly declaring, "I won't pay a cap more than fifty." I suspected he was considering calling the town's security forces to have me ejected. I was also fairly sure they'd be unable to make me leave without shooting me, but again, toying with the locals like that is counterproductive to my assignment, so I continued. "I propose a trade."

He looked at me suspiciously, but nodded and gestured for me to continue. "What kiiind of trade?"

Looking behind him, I saw a Sparkle-cola machine in the back of his shop. "Ten caps for a Sparkle-cola?" He nodded. "A Sparkle-Cola, please." I levitated out ten caps and stacked them in front of him.

He passed his hoof over them and they 'disappeared' before he went to get the bottle, setting it down in front of me. "So are you going to pay for the meat or not?"

"Just watch..." I smirked to him; he eyed me skeptically, but said nothing. I closed my eyes, concentrating on the glass bottle in front of me. After a moment, I could feel the magic flowing from my horn, and I opened my eyes. "Try it now." He blinked, and I gestured towards the drink. "Try the cola."

"Pardon?" He looked at me blankly, before twisting the cap off with a soft hiss and a faint, deliciously carroty smell before he leaned the bottle back and sipped it. "It's... cold?"

I nodded. "I could teach you the spell." He sipped it again. Victory is mine. "Just imagine... how many stores in this town can sell ice cold Sparkle-Colas?" His expression told me I had won.

An hour later, I had taught him the basics of the spell and he could cast it himself. Dashie had found me and bought himself a hunk of meat from that same vendor. Nimble and Platinum were on the road with Enamel's caravan. I wondered if I'd ever see them again. I hoped so. The sun had come up about as much as it would, the rain had settled to a minor sprinkle and the town square had mostly emptied out. The meat vendor had pointed us in the direction of the mayor's office.

"I have no clue how you can eat that stuff." I shook my head.

Dashie rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, 'if ponies were supposed to eat meat', blah blah. You're a picky eater. So tell me what you were doing with that unicorn in his stall? You weren't, by any chance, giving him a horn job, were you?" He tossed me a sly smirk as he bit into his hunk of meat.

For a moment, I was unsure whether to be insulted and disgusted or insulted and amused before I settled on insulted, deadpan laughter. "Ha. Ha ha. No. I taught him a spell."

"Why? Which one? For what purpose?" So many questions, so many potential answers.

"I bought a beggar some meat." Dashie looked ready to interrupt but I shut him up with a look. "Instead of paying a ridiculous amount of caps - he screwed you good, by the way, and not in the fun way - I agreed to teach him my cooling spell."

Dashie considered for a moment, before nodding slowly. "Ooo... kay... then." He munched on some roasted radroach, before speaking. "Did I ever tell you how weird you are sometimes, boss?"

"Your comments have been noted, Lieutenant." I glanced over. "Here we are." The mayor's office was adjacent to the street, across from the main square and the prewar structure the whole town was centered around. It appeared to be a rest stop built identically to the one Stable 30 was built underneath. I lead the way into the building and a unicorn colt sat at a desk in front of a door to the back, playing with a deck of cards. After he noticed us, he hurriedly hid the cards and did his best to look busy. "Is this the mayor's office?" He nodded slowly. "We'd like to see him, please."

"Do you have an appointment?" He spoke in a condescending voice. "The mayor is a very busy stallion, after all." He was a small unicorn with a green coat that reminded me of some of the trees I'd seen, and a spikey, pale green and blue mane. The door behind him opened and a large stallion emerged. "Oh, hello sir..."

Seizing the opportunity, I stepped into his path. "Are you the mayor, sir?" He was a tall, well built earth pony with a purple coat and a brownish orange mane streaked with grey.

He nodded cheerfully. "That I am, ma'am. And who might you be?" He spent a moment looking at us, before his expression shifted. "... Would you be, by any chance, Stable ponies that helped fight off the ghouls attacking us last night?" He had a loud, confident voice that, if I had to use a phrase to describe it, I would probably, hesitantly (and not to his face) use "pompous windbag".

I nodded. "Yes sir, we are. I'm Captain Firefly and this is my partner, Lieutenant Rapid Dash." I glanced to Dashie. "If you're not busy, I'd like to ask you some question-".

"Of course! Come in, come in!" He interrupted me as he turned and trotted back into his office. That's... annoying... I glanced to Dashie and followed him, taking a deep, calming breath. "Sit! Please! I'd offer you a cigar, but, y'know. No cigars to be found anywhere, right?" He laughed loudly as he sprawled out on the pillows behind his desk. "I can't thank you enough for saving my city!"

His office was more than I expected from a wasteland town. Actually, it was about what I expected, considering it was the back room of a prewar rest stop. A single, light crystal hung from a cable in the middle of the room, throwing his desk into sharp but dim white light. Atop his desk, off to one side, sat a terminal. I wondered if he could use it, if even it still functioned, or if it was just a prop. A pair of pillows sat in front of his desk, slightly dingier than the ones he had, which Dashie and I settled on. They sighed softly in response and released a foul odor I suspected was mold. My Pipbuck ticked gently in response.

I removed my helmet and settled the rotary cannon down beside me. "We simply happened to be passing by, and we did what we needed to do." I shifted, leaning forward towards his desk. "What brings us here, is twofold. I'm here on a reconnaissance mission for the Stable. Specifically, we're going to Deathcon Crater to see if that could potentially be of use for the Stable. So we're here to claim the Deathcon bounty."

He waved one hoof distractedly. "Yes, yes, of course. Talk to my secretary when you get back and we'll pay you the bounty."

"We also need information on Deathcon. Is there anypony we could talk to?"

The Mayor leaned back with a grunt, rubbing his jaw with one hoof. "Y'know, I think I know someone." He heaved himself forward to his hooves with a low groan. "Come! Sky Chaser should be up by now. Not sure where she is at the moment. Ivy ought to know."

I remained sitting. "Well, actually, Mayor... Lets put that aside for just a moment. My other purpose for coming here, is to suggest an alliance."

"An alliance, hrm?" He gave me an annoyed look and settle back down on his pillows. "What kind of alliance? What would you give us, and what would you take from us?"

I considered for a moment. "Well, Haven's defenders - and I hope you realize I mean no insult by this - are... not exactly trained soldiers. Stable 30 could set up a security outpost there, give some of your defenders proper training." He shrugged. "Medical care, we could set up a healing station, somewhere to trade healing potions." I considered for another moment, thinking back. "Haven is trying to grow crops, aren't they? We could offer fresh, untainted water supplies." In the background I heard the secretary inquiring if somepony had an appointment. "Of course, we'd need some space to house our ponies. This could also bring Haven some unwanted attention, because some factions may inevitably attack the Stable and Haven, as a much more easily attacked target..."

He considered, rubbing his jaw. "Y'know what? I'm interested. Talk to me when you claim the bounty n Deathcon."

"Of course." I rose to my hooves. "Now, about that mare you mentioned... Sky Chaser, was it?"

"Right, right..." He groaned and heaved himself to his hooves again, striding past us out of his office. I levitated the rotary cannon as we followed him out. "Tumbler! I'll be back later!" Tumbler shot us an annoyed glare.

I tossed him a polite smile back in response, before turning to see who else was in the waiting room, only to backpedal quickly as I see the blue unicorn mare from the gate last night, who started shrieking as she saw me.

"You! What are you doing here?!" I suddenly found myself looking down the muzzle of a lever action rifle sheathed in a lavender aura.

"Frost! What in blazes are you doing?!" The Mayor apparently did not appreciate her stuffing a rifle in his guest's face.

Speaking as somepony having a rifle pointed at their face, I had to agree.

"This mare was let into the town without my permission!" At a closer look, she almost felt like one of my ponies, just the way she moved. She wore barding in a well faded but familiar blue color. On her back rested a holster for her rifle and a belt of 10mm rounds hung across her chest. A Pipbuck rested on her left fetlock and a pair of flight goggles sat on her forehead below her horn.

"Let's just... everypony... calm down, yes?" I glanced to the unicorn, moving sideways slightly. The rifle followed my movement.

She's good.

The mayor looked to me, then to Frost. "Frost, put the gun down!" She glared at me. "Firefly, this is my head of security, Frost Beat." After another moment, she lowered her rifle and smoothly returned to its holster on her back. "Captain Firefly here has offered to go looking around Deathcon to see if she can find out what caused the ghouls to go crazy."

She blinked, looking at me with a hard expression, which then softened, and she offered me her hoof with a strained smile. "I apologize. And for pointing a rifle at you last night... too few hours asleep over the past week." She rubbed the back of her head. "Can't trust any of my ponies."

"I understand." I took her hoof, smiling back. "All too well, I understand."

The Mayor glanced around to the two of us. "So, Frost, what were you here for?" He had an impatient edge to his voice...

...which Frost apparently picked up on. She shrugged casually. "You know. The usual. I need more ponies so we can keep sane shift lengths. More weapons, ammo, equipment. Armor. I'unno if we could withstand an attack from raiders or any sort of ponies with guns right now." I winced, having been in her position before. "I'll be going now, Mr. Mayor." She sighed and trotted off, pausing to glance back at me. "Nice to meet you, Captain."

"Likewise!" Dashie glanced at her with an inquisitive look, and I glanced to him. I wonder what he noticed.

"Right, sorry you had to see that..." The mayor glared in her direction.

"No, no, I've been in her position far more often than I'd like to admit." I glanced at the mayor with a sly smirk. "You know, Mr. Mayor... the Stable has an excess of guns... We've been hesitant to trade them in fear they'd end up in the wrong hooves and used against us, but I believe Haven would be a 'safe' location... if 'safe' and 'guns' can be used in the same sentence."

The Mayor narrowed his eyes with a thinking look. "I'll think on it." He nodded and lead us out of the building, heading out to the south half of the town. It appeared this is where most of the local townsponies lived. "I was on the wall when you folks showed up last night. That was some damn fine shootin', damn fine shootin'." He seems like a well intentioned pony, but he never shuts up. Ugh.

"It was nothing, sir. We were just happened to be passing through, and they were in our way."

He nodded in acknowledgement, though I was unsure if he was actually listening. He lead the way into the residential area, heading to a door and banging on it. "Hey Ivy, it's me! Open the door. Any idea where Sky is?"

After the sound of somepony rummaging around for a minute, the door opened and an earth pony emerged from it. A very large earth pony mare, with a lavender coat and a long olive green mane, the ends held together by a pair of elastics. Her right ear was missing the tip. Oh shit. I had a feeling she could have broken my horn with a single swipe if she desired. "Why?" She looked to us warily for a moment.

The mayor spoke up, "These Stable scouts are lookin' for her." Her gaze darkened in response, and I took a step back, readying my stunning spell. Just in case. "Oh, no! Not like that." He turned to us, and I elaborated. I skipped our introduction, just because she didn't look interested in that.

"We're planning an expedition to Deathcon," her expression changed to one of mild pity, which I ignored as I continued, "to see why the ghouls there went crazy and attacked the town. The Mayor says Sky is the one we should talk to about it." Her expression shifted to one of grudging respect.

"She's usually in the Eastern corner of the Marketplace." I nodded and turned away. "Hey, Stable Scout." I turned back to her. "Don't hurt her."

I nodded, glancing to Dashie. "Of course not, ma'am..." She gave us a hard look for a long moment, before turning and going back into her house.

The Mayor cleared his throat loudly. "Ivy, ah... cares about Sky Chaser."

Dashie snickered. "We hadn't noticed."

Hush, Dashie.The mayor either missed or ignored Dashie's sarcasm, and set off the way to the Marketplace.

By this point, the rain had stopped entirely and it was what I suspected the wasteland considered 'quite sunny' though by prewar standards it would be 'overcast'.

The Mayor stomped a forehoof against the plate he was standing on loudly. "Ahhh! I know where she'll be."

It turned out, he did.

A pair of foals were settled at a table I guessed was older than everypony present combined, under a tarp outside, chatting. I decided I didn't want to know what it was they were eating. "Hiii kids."

The two of them looked to be siblings, though on closer inspection I questioned that impression. "Hello, Mayor..." They looked to the mayor with a suspicious look for a moment, before turning their interest to the two of us. Dashie made a face at them and the colt lost it and burst out laughing, falling over on his side. I glanced to Dashie, who smirked at me, and I shook my head as I levitated out a pair of Sparkle-Colas, cooled and uncapped them and set them in front of the two foals. Colas delivered, I settled down facing the two foals, setting the rotary cannon down beside me. The Mayor found a good reason to suddenly be somewhere else.

"I'm Firefly, and this is Rapid Dash." The colt on the left seemed too distracted laughing at Dashie's expressions to notice. He was a pale yellow, sharp nosed unicorn with a messy, red and green striped mane that reminded me of Hearthswarming decorations. To his right was a unicorn filly with a similar coat that I suspected was actually a pure white desperately in need of a shower instead, with a dark red mane and sharp, dark blue eyes.

She stared at the drink with a skeptical look, then looked back to us. "It's not poisoned, you know."

She still looked skeptical, so I sighed and pushed myself to my hooves, pantomiming an old Equestrian oath. "Cross my heart and hope to fly," I crossed a hoof across my chest, "stick a cupcake in my eye," and pressed my opposite hoof against my right eye as I closed it. The filly shared a look with her coltfriend, then the two lost it again.

Unexpected.

I glanced to Dashie, who snickered. "Y'got a somethin'..." He gestured to his cheek. I rubbed my hoof where he'd pointed and looked to him. He shook his head, and I shrugged, glancing back to the foals, who were still laughing.

"Oh mare, that was hilarious! I've never seen an adult do that so seriously!" She rolled over onto her side, still laughing and pounding the ground with a hoof.

After another minute or two, she finally settled down and pulled herself back into a sitting position. "Kay..." She leaned over and bit the bottle like an earth pony, tilting it back. "That's kind of good, actually." Sky Chaser looked to us. "So why are you here, 'Firefly'?" By this time her colt friend had settled and, after seeing her sip the drink, decided to sip his as well, levitating it like a unicorn should, the bottle wreathed in a purple aura that matched his eyes.

"Basically... we're heading into Deathcon." I gestured off in the direction the Mayor had disappeared off. "He told me you were the pony to talk to."

Sky sipped her drink again before responding. "For all of his self-centered pretentiousness, he does have a point." I considered giggling, but decided it was, ah, unprofessional. Dashie apparently had no such reservations. I sighed quietly.

Smooth, Dashie. Very professional.

He made a face at me and shook my head. "Soo..." I turned back to Sky, who was snickering at or with Dashie.

"So like I was saying before your friend started laughing..." She rolled her eyes. What a drama queen. "Yes, I'm the mare to talk to. Nopony else goes there, they're all scared of stuff. And things."

Her coltfriend chipped in. "Y'know, Sky, if anything catches you there, you're totally dead, right?" He frowned worriedly.

"Duh, Ivory, that's what makes it fun." She rolled her eyes with a cocky smirk. "So, Stable, whatcha wanna know?" She turned her eyes to me with a sly look. "And, whatcha gonna gimme for it?"

I thought, eyes narrowed, before looking up to the tip of her horn poking out of her dark red, spiky mane. "I could teach you a spell. How's that?"

She considered, before shaking her head. "Nope!" ... I did not expect that. Something twitched in her cheek as she grinned and the tip of her horn glowed a deep, dark blue like her eyes, her mane parting slightly around it. "I want a gun." I glanced down to my sides and saw her trying to draw one of my IF-21s. "One of yours will do."

"Fraid not, kiddo." I narrowed my eyes slightly at her and retrieved my pistol from her magic, tucking it back into its holster. "Do you even know how to use one?"

"How hard could it be? Just point and shoot, yeah?" Dashie groaned softly and facehooved.

I sighed quietly. "No. It's not as easy as it sounds." I considered for a moment. "Okay. Here's my offer. Either I'll teach you a spell, or Dashie will show you how to use a gun."

She frowned, then considered, taking another large gulp of her drink and setting it down. "Alright. Deal. So. Whatcha wanna know, Stable." She leaned forward, staring at me intently.

"So." I settled down with my hooves folded under me, leaning forward in a similar pose. "Tell me about Deathcon. What's the terrain like?"

"It's an old military base, surrounded by concrete walls and a chain link fence. If you need help getting past those I don't think I can help you." She smirked rudely. "There's two balefire craters, one to the south of the center, then another in the northern half of the base. The northern crater is where the alicorns generally hang out."

Alicorns? I nodded, noting her comments. "Tell me about the alicorns." I used my interrogation spell as she spoke. She was either a very good liar, or she was telling the truth. I suspected she was being honest, because I could see no motive for lying.

"They're not normal alicorns. I don't think they're part of the Goddess." She glared at me. “You’re using a spell on me, aren’t you?”

“Standard Security procedure. Just seeing if you’re telling the truth. I could teach you later. Why don’t you think they’re part of the Goddess?"

Her confident, smug exterior faltered for just a moment. "They... talk." I raised an eyebrow. "These speak. Not like the normal alicorns that talk in your head. I haven't been able to get close enough to understand them, yet, but sometimes when the wind is blowing just right, I can hear them." ... Interesting.

Dashie groaned softly as he realized what Sky meant. "I feel... soo... violated." Ivory giggled a little nervously.

"What do they do?"

Sky shrugged. "Not a whole lot, honestly. Sometimes a couple of them teleport off somewhere. I think they're... lonely."

I nodded. "Alright. What else are there? Other groups, factions. Ghouls?"

"There are some ghouls, though I dunno if there are any more at this point. Y'all killed most of 'em, I think." She smirked, glancing to Dashie's battle saddle with an envious look that bordered on lust.

"Yeah..." I considered for a moment, before nodding one last time. "One last question. Would you be interested in accompanying us as a guide? I can pay you in cold Sparkle-Colas or caps. Or, surely we could work something out."

The dirty foal burst out in laughter again. ... Definitely not the expected response. "You're funny, Stable. I like you." I elaborated that I was actually being serious. "Yeah, no, not a chance in hell. Y'all are loud and clumsy. You'll get me killed!"

"Fair enough, I suppose. Gun or spell?"

"Gun!" She grinned brightly, eyeing my weapons.

I shrugged and drew one of my IF-21s, ejecting the magazine and racking the slide twice to eject the chambered round, tucking the magazine and unfired round away. "Is there anywhere we can show you how to use this?"

Her coltfriend looked up in alarm as she pushed herself to her hooves, grabbing the two empty Sparkle-cola bottles in her magic. Again, as she used her magic, something in her cheek definitely twitched. Interesting. "This way, ponies!" She lead the way to an outdoor target range behind the central building. It was surprisingly solid, with a large dirt backstop at the far end and a barrier keeping ponies from accidentally wandering into the firing line.

Interesting... I wonder.

I shrugged and offered her the gun. She trotted over and grabbed it in her mouth like an earth pony. Ick. I turned to Dashie. "Have fun teaching her how to shoot. I'll be in the Marketplace."

Dashie immediately yelled out, "First rule of guns - don't point it at ponies, unless you're planning to shoot them!" ...and heard her saying something, followed by the sharp click of the striker dropping. "Aye boss, see ya later." He turned back to the red maned foal. As I trotted off, I noticed her coltfriend was sitting alone, watching the two and I trotted over to him.

"Hiya. Ivory, was it?" He nodded. "Would you like to use my gun?" Surprisingly, he… blushed and turned away from me, raising his tail.

...

"I was asking if you wanted me to show you how to use my pistol." I levitated out my other IF-21 and unloaded it.

"Oh!" He turned back around, blushing brightly and staring at the pistol as I offered it to him, grip first, muzzle down. "I dunno... what if I shoot you? Or somepony else?"

I glanced to the gun. "It's unloaded." I racked the action, showing him how it operated. "This is where the magazine goes. Press this to remove the magazine. Got that?" He nodded. "Okay... first thing to remember with guns. Don't point it at anything you're not willing to shoot. EVER." He nodded again, looking to the gun. "Second, treat them as if they're loaded, always. Third..." I rotated it, still muzzle down, and pointed to the trigger. "This is the trigger." I pulled it back and the striker slammed forward with a loud click. "Keep your tongue or magic off it unless you're sure you want to fire it. Finally, when you're sure you do want to fire it, make sure you know what's on the other side of your target." I held it up. "Do you still want to try it?"

He considered for a long moment and glanced to Sky, whose giggling was muffled by the gun. "Yes, I do." He took it in his purple magic carefully, looking to it.

"Remember - it's just a tool. It can't hurt you if you respect it and handle it carefully." He nodded, staring at it. "Go over and watch Dashie, he'll get to you in a minute. Okay?"

"Okay..." I turned and trotted off. "Uh, Firefly?" I glanced back to him. "Thank you." He smiled to me.

I crossed the main road and headed into the Marketplace, browsing. Most of the traders cluttering up the square had left already so the mud was much less unpleasant to move through. I noticed a store with a prewar sign by the door, a hoof-drawn IF-22 with "Ironshod Guns and Ammo sold here" written above the pistol, and ducked inside. It was a genuine store with solid, wood and metal walls and stuff. I used my magic to brush most of the mud off of my hooves, then continued into the store, doing a walk around the messy, L-shaped room. Basic guns. Nothing particularly interesting. A surprisingly well taken care of Ironshod Ammo Emporium vending machine sat in a corner surrounded by several military grade ammunition boxes. A single rocket rested on top of the vending machine. An earth pony mare with a brown coat and a pink mane tamed by a lavender bandanna watched me inquisitively as I entered the store, standing behind a counter in the middle of the room.

One wall consisted of improvised 'guns' I was genuinely concerned might just kaboom up if they were ever used. The main display wall, which I suspected was supposed to be impressive, had a half dozen pistols in various conditions, a couple of shotguns, a brush gun and a cut down IF-64 at the top. I questioned the practical use of a cut down assault rifle, and the sanity of the pony who had created the abomination, before I remembered where I was. Ah, yes, the Equestrian Wasteland. There is no sanity to be found here. A closer look revealed the IF-64 probably wasn't even functional. A modified IF-9 combat shotgun at the bottom caught my eye and I trotted over, levitating it from its slot.

"HEY MARE, YOU GONNA BUY THAT THING OR WHAT?" I yelped, backtrotting as I suddenly found myself way too close to a bratty little colt screeching in my face. An urge to draw all of my weapons in shock crossed my mind, though I curbed it quickly, simply stepping back a couple paces as I glared at him. I hope you get the cutie pox and die, you obnoxious little cuntrag.

"Steel! Leave the poor Stable mare alone!" The store owner yelled at him. He blew a raspberry at me, stuck his tongue at her and scampered off. I glared at him as he disappeared, before glancing around to see if there were any other colts about to ambush me, or... something. Finding none, I brought the shotgun over to the mare at the counter. Couldn't help but notice she didn't apologize for the little shit scaring me.

"What can you tell me about this?" I held the IF-9 up for her to see and set the rotary cannon down, muzzle up. She glanced over to it with clear curiosity, before returning her attentions to the shotgun.

"Ironshod Firearms Model 9, twelve gauge. Somepony replaced the magwell with an trio of rotating, underbarrel tube mags, though no clue why." She shrugged, rotating the magazine tubes. "Two hundred and twenty caps for it."

"Two hundred and twenty caps? For this? Can't use the drum mags, can't fit more than six seventy-six millimeters Magnums. Definitely can't be worth more than one hundred and seventy."

"That's why you use seventy millimeter shells. No need to keep track of mags - you got shells, you got a workin' gun." She slid a box of, how conveniently, seventy millimeter shells, over next to us. "Could even feed different kinds of rounds in each tube. Fits three per tube plus one in the chamber. I'll toss the box in for another twenty caps."

"Unless it falls apart when you shoot it, of course." I made a face at the shotgun, turning the box and opening it. "This box is only half full."

"Whatcha see is whatcha get, mare."

I thought, before smirking and levitating the rotary cannon slowly, setting it on the counter. "I know where there's an entire, functional suit of Steel Ranger power armor." I turned the box of shells towards her with a hoof. "Top this box off with some specialty rounds, toss in another full box of seventy-six millimeter Magnum shells and the whole suit is yours. I'll even toss in a hundred caps up front."

She looked to me with a skeptical look, then studied the rotary cannon closely, sniffing it. "You're one of the ponies from Stable 30, right?" She glanced to the big, black 30 on my flank. Obviously. "You happen to be one of those that showed up last night and fought the ghouls off?"

"Wow. News travels fast, huh?" I shouldn't be surprised, the Stable isn't that much larger and news travels just as quickly.

"Small town, Stable. So?" She leaned toward me with a gossip-y smirk.

"Yeah, that was us. I'm leading an expedition to learn more about the surrounding area, so it's likely that we'll be more visible in the area." I left out details about the possible alliance, because again, 'possible'.

The mare gave me a long, level look, before nodding slowly. "What the hay. Got some Dragon's Breath shells here..." She stuck her head under the counter, pulling out several more shells. "Green ones are Dragon's Breath." She pointed to a trio of green hulled, seventy-six millimeter shells. "Orange ones are twelve-point-seven millimeter slugs." She gestured to a group of five orange hulled, high brass shells.

I levitated them over, studying them. "These look good." I nodded. "The seventy-six millimeter Magnum shells?"

She shook her head. "Ain't got anymore seventy-six millimeter Magnum shells, but I've got some seventy millimeter slugs." She produced another box, which I opened and confirmed was full, then levitated out my hundred caps, stacking them in piles of ten. She counted them out, then put them away.

"The suit's off to the southwest of the town, not too far. You should be able to see it from the wall." I realized there was no sling for the IF-9, before noticing a shotsaddle and sling combo, pointing over at it. "How much for the shell saddle?"

She glanced to where I'd pointed. "That? Twenty caps." I doubted it was worth that much...

"Fifteen?" I was hopeful.

She shook her head. "Twenty."

But I did need a sling, and that looked just the right size for my new toy. "Deal." I levitated out another twenty caps and she tossed me the sling... which was perfectly adjusted to hang at my side. How... convenient. I got the feeling I'd just been screwed, but then again, I'd bought at least three hundred caps' worth of weapons and munitions for a hundred caps and a suit of armor I technically didn't even own. I tucked my spoils away, glancing to my suit and remembering something. "Heeeey, have you seen anypony from Stable 30 in the past few years?"

The mare leaned back, glancing up. "Y'know, I remember a bunch of 'em a couple decades, maybe sixteen, twenty years ago." Holy shit. "They showed up, asked some questions and left. Dressed a lot like you, shiny guns and fancy armor."

Oh...

"Do you any idea what happened to them? Or where they went?"

"Fraid I don't. They left, haven't seen 'em since." She paused and glanced up. "Actually... one of em came back a few years ago, as I recall."

"They did? Who was it? Where are they?" I grinned brightly. "Are they still alive?"

"Slow down, mare." She shook her head. "One of em, a mare, pregnant, pretty far along. She took up leading the town's defense. Had her foal, died a couple years back. S'all I know."

"Can I speak to her foal? Is she still here?"

The mare shook her head. "Don't know who it is, or if she still is. Sorry."

"Oh..." I sighed, then dug out ten caps, setting them on the counter in front of her. "Thanks anyways!" I exited the store, ignoring the shopkeeper's grumbling about what a cheapskate I was.

Dashie was still out by the central building, teaching the colt - whose name I learned was Ivory Spark - and Sky Chaser how to use our 10mm pistols. I glanced to my Pipbuck while watching the two trying with live ammo. Ivory was a much better and more careful shooter in spite of the lack of 'feeling' your gun you get by levitating it. Sky was using it like an earth pony, but firing much faster and with less care. I wonder why she doesn't like using her magic. I shrugged. "Alright kids, last mag."

Dashie collected the brass and reloaded the mags while I tested my new shotgun, loading a shell into each tube and firing it downrange to confirm it fired and cycled properly, which it did. Finally we headed off, telling the kids we'd be back, and lead the way to the town exit with Dashie. “To Deathcon!”

I sighed. “Doesn’t that just sound wonderful. Out of the frying pan...”

Author's Notes:

Chapter 03. Little to say, except this marks the beginning of Firefly's empire.

Revised on 04.11.17

<Credits>
The Police - Driven to Tears