Hey everypony out there.. t-this is Traveling Miles at Diamond City Radio with the news, and there's a lot of it today. Um... lemme find it again... r-right Ok, we've gotten more reports about that rumored settlement up north and it is there, so here's hoping our trader friends found it safe. We got the story along with a lot more news that gets harder to believe s-so.. bear with me here.. I'm just the messenger right? I got it from a c-certain reporter pony who had been doing some digging around D.C. in the local bars and she-they! said they got it from a first hoof source so... a-anyway...

F-first thing that we can verify, the new place called Sanctuary seems to be responsible for rescuing a lot of ponies from the Thundega Raiders. That would be enough, but it keeps going, not only were these prisoners rescued, but the Thundega crew is gone... wiped out... t-totally. Many don't believe it, but I saw myself, the old Thundega plant is dark and empty, the raiders gone and whispers about it being cursed... N-now here's where it starts getting really weird... the seedier sources for our reporter say it wasn't an army that destroyed the place, but one pony... if they are a pony... See... c-can't believe I'm saying this, but it's not the first report we've gotten... some of those bad ponies out there in the wastes are scared folks... there are rumors floating around about...umm... The Shrouded Stallion...

N-not the one on the old radio shows out of Goodneighbor or ancient comics, no... a real Shroud... real enough to lay waste to a lot of raiders anyway. What little information to be had matches though... dark pony, black cloak... punishment from Luna... the whole bit... I don't know what to think, I'm just saying what we've heard. If there really is a Shroud, maybe that's good? They saved a lot of ponies from a pretty horrible fate from what I hear, many of whom were taken to this new Sanctuary place to recover.

If these stories about a real Shroud weren't enough there's also lots about... well, about a... p-princess in this Sanctuary place. We don't know if she rules it or just lives there but... yeah... an alicorn. There have been other sightings of alicorns before of course, and stories from the rest of Equestria, but every source from the freed prisoners don't say just an alicorn, no... alicorn Princess, they call her that folks not me. Taking the two together, a Princess and a Shrouded Stallion bringing down her wrath... well it's getting to be a popular story...

Hopefully when the caravan that went up that way to investigate comes back, we'll have some real info for all of you, and us... That may be awhile though with the western bridge to Hex still out though. Until then er... take all this with a grain of salt. For now here's Sapphire Shores for you think on it over...

"Boss there's a clump of the little buggers up there, c'mon do it again, do it again!" Valkyrie was dancing in the air above me, pointing out another swarm of bloatsprites and waiting with glee. She really liked this too much, it was draining.

We were traveling down cracked and broken roads through skeletal woods, at the moment I was sitting in the back of Rusty Clank's mostly empty cart as we made our way towards this place called Hexington. I didn't know the name, so it must be something that had grown up after the world ended.

I got to ride in the cart under doctor's orders to rest frequently, plus Rusty was willing to keep me happy, the old ghoul and I had reached an agreement we were on our way to look into among other things. The blue alicorn physician in question fluttered along one side of the cart, watching with an annoyed huff at the griffon still begging to see the trick again.

"Fast should not do that often, he is unable to control it and it takes a lot of magic out of him. Have you not seen it enough Valkyrie?" Jade glared to the griffon flapping along beside her.

Val waved her away, looping lazily around desiccated tree trunks, "Bah! How else is he 'posed to get better at it? Practice makes perfect, I wanna see it again! Pay me boss!"

I was preparing to argue the point with her when Platinum Glitter hopped up in the cart with me, bouncing on her hooves, a faded red jacket had been added to her pink dress for the chill fall air, "Yeah do it please! C'mon daddy, it's neat!"

Being called that was going to take some getting used to, it was disturbing, but I also couldn't really refuse both of them now. The rest of the caravan we were traveling with seemed to know exactly where this was heading as soon as the foal asked, the guards and other carts started backing away to the side away from the group of Bloatsprites down the hill.

Rusty called back over his shoulder pulling the cart, "Aw come on, not again. Let me brace myself this time, and don't tear anything up back there!" The ghoul pony grumbled and leaned to the side facing the nasty little creatures just noticing our presence.

There were four of them on my Eyes Forward Sparkle, little red dashes in a clump starting to move away from the scummy, rainbow sheen covered puddle they congregated around. I sat up and shifted my new cloak out of the way, revealing my Stable barding under the new leather armor Val had got me and leaned over the cart towards them. I made sure Glitter was well backed away before turning back and focusing on the center of the group. I really wanted to get a handle on this, but just one try drained me for awhile, Val and Glitter had been amusing themselves asking me to do it at every opportunity over the last day on the road. Alright, focus... control it, don't just open up full blast, I looked at the lead bloatsprite and focused on making lightning.

KRACKA-THOOM!

Even with my legs hooked on the side and my hind legs braced in the cart for everything I was worth, I was still thrown backwards from the force of the blast. I managed not to just fly across the cart and slam into the side behind me, so that was better at least. Instead, the entire ramshackle cart leaned for a moment while I clung to the edge with my hindlegs scrambling. This was like having the party cannon go off out of my horn every time.

Val and Glitter both cheered and whooped watching the cluster of bloatsprites just get evaporated by a crackling bolt of lightning, Jade was less pleased however, "You are trying to reduce the intensity Fast?"

I groaned feeling a good chunk of magic drained away, once every several hours was the best I could manage with this. There was no range on it, I could never use this to charge spark batteries or make repairs, there was just off or full blast, no in between. "Yes... I'm trying Jade, it ain't happening though," Grumbling, I hopped back off the cart, when I got to rest I got pestered into giving it another go, a few hours walking helped get the last kinks out of my legs and let me recover.

The danger of electric death now passed, the caravan moved back together, guard ponies taking up their positions again. It was an interesting crew of folks and they had told stories about the Commonwealth I listened to with rapt attention the previous night. Most made the runs from Diamond City to the north, stopping at Bunker Hill and Hexington, along with a handful of smaller settlements. I had it explained to me that for the most part, trading routes to the north were underdeveloped but safer, they called the area Sanctuary was located in 'the edge' which took some back filling for me.

Apparently, whatever kept the Commonwealth separated from the rest of Equestria and the world at large was a large circle, centered on the huge white spire I could make out in the distance, beyond the broken towers of Trotson. Places at the edge of the circle were the least dangerous, but also least profitable, so I had been lucky Stable 111 and Sanctuary were located where they were. Now that we were going south towards the city, things got progressively more dangerous, though I hadn't noticed a significant difference yet.

We were climbing to the top of a medium hill where the dead forest was starting to thin. I was basically back to full health again, at least according to my pip-buck and Jade, so walking was no longer torture, climbing the slow grade still made me ache though. Glitter had bounded down from the cart and was shadowing me like normal, "That is so cool! um.. pop?" she kept trying out different terms for dad, tasting how they felt on her tongue.

I thought she mainly just liked the concept of a dad, she didn't have any real idea what one was. Still, it made her happy and gave her a term to use for the pony that cared enough to take care of her, hearing myself called each new name still made me twitch though. "What other magic can you do? I bet if you can make lighting like that you're as good as that purple mare from all the posters dad!"

I rolled my eyes at that, "No Glitter, I am no Twilight Sparkle. That is pretty much all I can do and it shouldn't be like that to begin with." Really, the Ministry Mare of the Ministry of Arcane Sciences was a magical genius, she could use practically any spell and even make new ones.

Dad once had me listen to a speech she gave on holotape talking about magic and the joy of learning it, trying to foster my education on the subject. She sounded nice, but had quickly gotten far too advanced for me to follow along, I was not a magically adept pony and that was that. Or it had been anyway... A panicky part of my mind kept whispering "taint mutation..." to me. I still clung to the belief that was not the case, but it was one of the reasons to head for Diamond City.

"Heads up folks, we're here! Settle in, gotta wait for them to clear the way!" Dusty Hooves called down from his position at the head of the caravan on top of the hill. I joined several ponies trotting forward to take a look, I had a vague description of this Hexington place, but wanted to see where we were going.

Cresting the hill, I looked down to a grim site, the ruins of the outskirts of Trotson on this side of the river were blasted and crumbling, a maze of shattered buildings and choked streets. In the distance the morning sky was lit with a greenish glow from a huge crater everything in the ruins bowed away from, a balefire bomb detonation. With the city in sight, my pip-buck gave a lazy warning click even at this distance, radiation drifted away from the devastation even 200 years later.

Midway between us and the crater, the destruction was a little more orderly, walls of rubble blocked streets mostly cleared on one side of the barrier and specks moved about, that must be Hexington. Beyond the settlement in the far distance, a bridge crossed the river, or it would if it were down, at the moment the two halves were pointed up to the sky. Originally that would be to allow a ship to pass by below on the river, but considering there wasn't any real water traffic I could see or expected, the only point right now was to take away the ability to use it to cross into the city. Yeah, I didn't like that at all...

I was somewhat confused why were were just sitting here looking down on it from our position on the hilltop, we were out in the open and easy to spot. I could see specks moving around leaving the protected settlement, they had seen us, so I hoped they were trustworthy.... A couple of sudden bursts down below wasn't helping my opinion of sitting here, flares? Yes, flares were drifting through the sky to either side of the settlement, floating away from it. I looked over to Dusty questioningly.

"Have to clear a path to Hex, they send ghouls out and draw em away, give us a fairly safe route in. They ain't got no robot guards for defense like you folks, but a wall of zombies does just as well, even if not as manageable," he explained and I had to consider for a moment. Zombies... they were ponies like Mr. Clank but... not, right? Jade said they were crazy, they'd attack anything at all.

Watching below, I did see a lot of erratic movement through the streets, a practical swarm of specks was following the flares and the dots that had set them off at the head of each group. If all those specks were bloodthirsty zombie ponies... yes, that would be a good defense... "H-how do they survive? The ones who set off the flares and lead them away?" At the rate the horde was moving I couldn't see one or two ponies escaping, but the two clumps were basically just following along.

The ghoul Rusty Clank had pulled his cart up to watch and called over, "Zombies won't attack ghouls, less you give 'em reason to. Makes salvaging down there a lot safer for me than you smooth coats. The guards are other ghouls, they go out, ride herd on the zombies, then head back. A pony here or there can make it through to Hex ok if they're careful, but big group like this here caravan would draw 'em all down on their head."

Several of the caravan guards were readying weapons and battle saddles, looking down with distaste, one added to the exchange. "Yeah, they get rid of most of them, make a safer path, not safe. There's always stragglers, keep your eyes open heading down there..."

Zombie ponies were everything old horror movies from before the war I snuck peeks at before being caught promised, and then some. Even with most of their numbers drawn away, even with a large number of well armed guards and a griffon bodyguard, the first time I saw a clump of them scrambling up from ruined buildings I nearly lost it.

My first impulse on seeing a writhing mass of half a dozen undead ponies scrambling out of the ruins with murder in their eyes was to simply unload the uncontrollable lightning spell, magic reserves be damned. Incinerate those poor, wretched creatures before they got too close. Watching them just lurch back up from what should be mortal wounds from the guard's weapons just added to the desire. Apparently horror movies were mostly right, only a headshot was guaranteed to work. They were incorrect about their speed however, what should be shambling, shuffling undead monsters were fast... way, way too fast.

We were attacked several times on the way to Hex, each time a gaggle of zombies surged at us, Jade snatched Glitter away to her side and brought up the blue bubble of her shield, making the two effectively invulnerable from their attacks, so they were safe at least. Val seemed to enjoy herself quite a bit, whatever the large belt fed gun under her wing was, she refrained from using it, but both her huge pistol and the tri-barrelled magic energy weapon nailed one zombie head after another, she had figured out S.A.T.S. it would seem. I was pretty thankful for it as well, every shot from my rebuilt 10mm pistol was either a headshot or a rare miss, being selective against the targets was easier with it guiding my aim.

Finally, we pulled up to the rough rubble walls of Hexington, as we passed through the heavy metal gates into the settlement, I noticed crude graffiti to one side of the path. On a large chunk of wall out in the middle of a no pony's land in front of the gates filled with rotting zombie corpses, crudely spray painted words waited for any passing by "Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here". Was that for those entering or leaving Hex?

Taking in the community, I couldn't be sure... It was a dark, grim place, my pip-buck gave an occasional click reminding me of the heightened radiation levels even if the ponies who lived here didn't. Many bore seeping sores and other marks of radiation sickness, desperation practically oozed from the ground like the slightly glowing puddles in the gutters. A great number of ghouls made up the population and were really setting me on edge after the trip into the city.

I had mostly gotten used to our escort Rusty Clank, a whole town full of undead ponies was something else. Not that they were the only residents, beyond them and the sickly ponies there were also zebras... That was surprising, a small band that kept to themselves down a side street I noticed decorated with their own style. From what I had been told, Hex was a place for the unwanted and damned, zebras were just as welcome as anyone else here.

Just beyond the gates was what must be the center of the town, an intersection of the main streets of the enclosed area with a statue of Ministry Mare Applejack that had seen better days. This area had once been an industrial center, hence all the good salvage, and the head of the Ministry of Wartime Technology was like a saint here. Ancient storefronts had been cleared and advertised current businesses located within, along with small stalls out in the town square and what looked like seedy ponies making more shadowy deals in alleys, guards patrolled regularly.

Our own group of caravan guards seemed to disperse now that we were here, off to collect their pay or use it up I guessed. A small group of ponies were listening to one wearing a hooded green cloak giving some kind of speech under the statue, they stood on a wooden crate above the stragglers they had manged to attract and... preached?

Yes, that's what it sounded like, some kind of religious pony? Whatever the sermon was, it didn't sound like singing the praises of Celestia and Luna to me, what I could see of the preacher pony was a radiation sick zealot, stridently praising whatever they believed. They were really getting worked up whatever it was about, but suddenly stopped at our approach, their hooded head swinging right at us.

Following their gaze I couldn't help but notice it wasn't necessarily at us, so much as at one of us, the blue alicorn trotting along with me. Well, Jade was unusual, I supposed she couldn't help but attract attention... still, I put myself between the stranger and Jade, glaring back. If it was a bad stare they'd have to go through me, if it was a good stare... well I didn't like that so much either, depending on the intent.

Dusty Hooves had turned back after directing the stallion pulling his cart now loaded with fresh water from Sanctuary to a large town hall looking building beyond the statue square. He ambled up to us and followed my stare, "Ah, those nuts... Children of the Balefire, religious cult, worship the bombs that ended the world one way or another. Lot's of ghouls on their way to becoming feral, ponies dying of radiation sickness looking for a way out, mutant ponies who actually thrive on the stuff too. Creepy, but harmless from everything I've seen."

"So Fast, was going to head to the mayor's office and sell this load of water, start talking up the deal we discussed working out with your town for regular shipments. Ought'a have some time to look around and find some lodging if you like, I'd suggest the Dreary Inn, mainly because it's the only place in town. See you there alright?"

I nodded and watched the trader pony canter off toward the mayor's office, before turning to the inn he had mentioned. Just down the road leading north from the square was a battered hotel, whatever sign once hung out front had been replaced with a crude wooden board reading "Dreary Inn". Well, that was the first stop then, we'd need somewhere to stay while here, I turned to catch Rusty Clank as he clopped by leading his empty cart to the south.

The ghoul trader waved and pointed over to one of the dilapidated storefronts, this one with a metal sign composed of letters from a number of old signs reading "Rusty's Salvage Emporium", this must be Mr. Clank's storefront here in Hex. A ghoulish mare was manning the counter inside and waved happily to Rusty on spotting him through the window. "Well there's the missus folks, goin' to go drop off the cart and make up for bein' apart a bit... You drop by once you're settled and done with your dealin', we'll discuss our little venture, best to head out once it gets dark."

Glitter jumped forward, waving with a stern look, "Bye Mr. Clank, see you later. No tryin' to change the terms though, they're set!"

Rusty just gave a chuckle over his shoulder, "Right, right, I know little filly. Lucky yer a cute one, yer gettin' the better end of this deal by far... well, if yer daddy survives it."

Looking to the rest of my small band, I noticed Jade staring avidly at what appeared to be a doctors office, advertising rates for various healing services and drugs on a chalkboard out front. Val was flitting from one store to another, taking in the wares available before swooping over and landing next to me.

"Alright, why don't you guys look around a little? I'll go see about getting us somewhere to stay and head to see this mayor pony. We can meet back at the hotel place ok?" I asked the others, seeing immediate agreement from the griffon and alicorn, though Glitter didn't move.

Jade gave the clinic another glance, "Yes, that sounds excellent. I would like to speak with the resident physician about the level of care available here, perhaps sharing supplies and efforts, even joining the Followers!" she seemed quite happy at the prospect and sauntered that way.

"Sure thing boss, don't seem like much worthwhile to shop for here, but you never know what you'll find. Scavvers dig up all kinds of stuff, sometimes somethin' worthwhile shows up," with a grin the fiery griffon flapped over to the largest storefront and barged in.

That left me and my foal, who didn't seem to have any inclination towards looking around. She had said she was here before, I guessed she had seen it all already. With a shrug I started walking to the Dreary Inn, hearing her fall in behind me, we walked into the dusty building together and headed for the obvious counter in front of the door. It had been the check in counter for a moderately nice hotel before, moldy wood panels lined the walls and a fairly well kept stone floor made our hoofsteps resound through the room. The counter was more of a bar now, stools lined it and tables were strewn about the lobby nearby, a few ponies sat here and there drinking and eating whatever fare was served here. Bottles lined the desks behind the counter and stuck out of the little cubbyholes for mail labeled for each of the rooms.

A staircase off to the right led up to the open upper floors, most of the first floor looked to be taken up by the bar/restaurant, the kitchen presumably behind it that supplied it and rooms for the staff. The staff I could pick out was the strange looking ghoul in a brown suit behind the counter, an attractive unicorn mare in a very fetching if skimpy outfit floating a tray around to the customers at their tables, and a strong looking zebra stallion in a black suit jacket and tie watching everything warily behind a dark pair of sunglasses, including us.

We approached the counter together and I coughed for attention from the earth pony ghoul serving shots of whisky down the counter. Finishing up, he trotted over and looked us up and down before giving a curt, "What?"

That was friendly service... "Um, we need some rooms? There's four of us so... er..."

Thankfully, Glitter snorted and pushed me aside, she had been anticipating this I guessed. "We need two twin rooms, one night, maybe two. We'll probably eat here too if it's any good. Can't be more than 10 caps right?" She was a lot better than I was at dealing with ponies like this, bartering just wasn't one of my skills.

The ghoul scoffed, he had a weird, melty appearance somehow and a pinkish tint that covered what used to be a... grey hide? Hard to tell. "25 caps, plus meals and 10 cap deposit," he growled down at her with a raspy voice.

"Deposit! For what?! Afraid we'll tear up such a fancy place?" Glitter rolled her eyes, waving around to the dingy building, "C'mon Daddy, forget it, 25 caps is already ridiculous!" With that she simply turned on her heel and started trotting away toward the door. I was confused... Dusty said this was the only place to stay...

"Bah! Fine, 20 caps, no deposit. Meals are separate... take it or leave it." The ghoul called over the counter to her, I had been disregarded as the focus of this transaction I now realized. Ohhhh.... she had walked away as a tactic... clever, I believed it anyway.

The foal stopped short and turned back, eyeing the ghoul over her shoulder for a moment before turning back to slowly return with her nose in the air, "I guess that will do. If there were anywhere else around here, you'd have to do better than that." She huffed and sat down next to me, nose still in the air and eyes closed, her hoof stuck out waiting for something.

The ghoul got the message and turned back behind the counter, rooting around the drawers with a jingle before dropping a pair of keys on the counter and glaring at me. "Rooms 208 and 209, 20 caps..." he grumbled, oh yeah... I had the money... I floated the funds out to the counter to be quickly scooped up and grabbed the keys, making a hasty retreat toward the stairs.

As we walked upstairs I ruffled Glitter's silver mane, "Jeez, glad you're here. I would have just gave him what he wanted and gotten out of there. Good work Glitter, thanks!"

That got a snort but also a beaming smile, "I know you woulda, ain'tcha glad you let me come now poppa?!" She really had to find one she liked and settle on it, every new version of dad startled me.

We found the rooms overlooking the bar below and checked each, making sure the keys worked and they did in fact have two beds each, which was technically true. They were both musty, tattered wallpaper peeled off the walls and two dirty mattresses were in each room, one on each side of the small chambers, that was pretty much it. Well, it would be somewhere to sleep, that was what was needed, the comforts of home were back in Sanctuary. I'd leave figuring out who went where for later, locking each room back up and walking back out to head to the Mayor's office.

The old brick government building didn't seem a lot like a place for a mayor to me, it was dilapidated like everywhere else in Hex, but also seemed more of a hangout for the rough looking guards of the town. The minutiae of running a settlement just happened to be handled where those on top around here enjoyed themselves, at the expense of those they ruled. Guard ponies in old offices drank and a variety of drug containers were strewn about, a pool table in one larger meeting room kept the ponies within occupied, only one harried looking light green mare who greeted us at the front desk seemed to be doing any actual work.

"Yes? You are Mr. Hooves' associate? Mr. Times? Go ahead, up the stairs, can't miss him. Go on, far too much to deal with rather than hold your hoof!" she groused up from behind the desk distractedly, ponies around here were not all that friendly...

Making a quick retreat before the frazzled unicorn mare got any more annoyed, I headed to the stairs she indicated, the guards wandering about watched us from the corner of their eyes, but didn't interrupt their fun. The upstairs wasn't in much better shape, but bore the marks of a lot more partying, the really fun stuff was for the mayor it seemed. Fancy furniture decorated the room, a large, soft looking bed took up most of one corner, overstuffed couches littered with pillows and burn marks filled the center and empty bottles, Dash and Med-X containers littered every surface.

I also couldn't help but immediately focus on the ponies occupying all this comfortable furniture... a host of bedraggled mares lounged about, either wearing very suggestive clothing or nothing at all. Considering ponies walking about with nothing wasn't that big of a deal, the skimpy lingerie was more titillating actually, only a couple guards were in this room and they were... otherwise engaged. I reached a hoof back to cover Glitter's wide pink eyes peering around, as a very attractive pink earth pony mare sashayed her way over. Well, attractive so long as you overlooked the reddish marks from repeated Med-X injections on her forelegs, the sleepily seductive bloodshot eyes and the slight slur to her silky voice.

"Oooh... a new visitor? Aren't you a cutie hmm? The mayor must be expecting you, but after your meeting we could have a little fun hmm?" she cooed and flipped her purple mane up, fluttering her green eyes.

Vision blocked or not, Glitter immediately shook me off and bolted in between us angrily, "NO! Daddy already has a special somepony! An'... an' she's prettier than you! Even if they don't do that... stuff..." her eyes started drifting back over to the couches as she finished, where the guards and other mares were having the kind of fun this one was suggesting.

The mare didn't seem bothered in the slightest being put in her place by a foal however, as I grabbed Glitter and covered her eyes again she just came closer, wiggling her rump and whispering in my ear, "Oh? Everypony does that stuff... don't they? Why don't you send the foal away, if you're not being taken care of properly I can help with that... we can come to some arrangement can't we? A few caps, maybe a little Med-X... I could show you a very good time little pony..."

I gulped and shook my head, pulling away, no! bad thoughts! My traitorous body might respond, but I wanted nothing to do with her, ponies paid for that up here? The baser part of me marveled at the concept and had already volunteered my inventory of caps and drugs faster than my pip-buck could have managed. If it was Jade I would have just melted on the spot, but this sad drug addled mare would never come anywhere close to the alicorn I cared about. The unbidden thought of Jade's blue body stuffed into the mare's outfit though...

I smacked my head with my hoof to clear the mind melting image and managed to stammer out a reply, finally finding the door out of this pleasure pit to the mayor, "N-n-no... thanks... Um... J-just here to see the m-mayor..." I dragged Glitter with me and made a hasty escape, watching her smirk and lick her lips at me while we retreated.

In the small office, Dusty was engaged in combative conversation with the stallion siting behind the big desk that took up most of the center of the space. An even more opulent bed was in one corner, with two more mares lounging lazily watching the conversation, these even prettier than the others outside, the mayors private stock I guessed with distaste. Dusty turned at our entrance with a pensive expression and the mayor followed his gaze.

The pony in charge of Hexington was a grizzled and graying stallion, scars marked his orange coat and his brown mane was dirty and greased back. He wore a tattered blue suit reinforced with leather pads and straps and a wet cigar was clamped in his mouth, bobbing up and down as he took us in. "These are them Dusty? Look like a couple soft foals waiting for slaughter the both of them. Hooves here already explained your deal little pony, I may buy some of his water, but ain't in no position to set up regular shipments with your piddly little settlement up north. Caps are tight enough as it is with the bridge shut off, so just forget it! 'Sides, from the looks of you I could always just go take this water or yours when I want it..."

That dark Shroud pony in my head woke up, having remained quiet over the last several days of peace. He hadn't gone anywhere though, guard in the corner or no, my silenced pistol was out before the mayor blinked and I could feel my eyes blazing at him, "Try it..." I growled.

The beefy earth pony guard was just starting to react, but the Terrible Shotgun had followed the pistol and tracked his motion towards his own gun. I reached out with a hindleg slowly and pushed Glitter behind me, already plotting the positions of the guards in the previous room and preparing to go take care of them if this went poorly. I had honestly thought this would just be a simple, civilized negotiation with professional civil servants, otherwise I would have never allowed her in this awful place.

This mayor pony took having the pistol in his face well though, only a momentary widening of the eyes at the speed it had appeared betrayed any concern. He had held up a hoof for quiet to his guard behind him and the mares just figuring out something was happening, and a tense few moments passed. Dusty had frozen on the spot and was simply watching us carefully, relaxing only when the mayor finally started laughing heartily.

"Well, well, little bark on you after all eh? Easy there young buck, had to test you after all. We're all reasonable ponies here right? Mayor Lash at your service, now let's all just relax and discuss this proposal of yours eh?" His voice was even and unconcerned, staring down the barrel of a gun was obviously not something new for him. His suggestion at just taking what he wanted didn't strike me as a test either, except to test how likely that was to succeed. Hopefully he got the idea that 'not at all' was the answer.

Scowling, I floated my weapons back to my side and sat down in front of Glitter, watching the others for any twitch. The guard also relaxed visibly and went back to his now much more alert vigil, the mares simply looked slightly confused, while the Mayor Lash leaned back in his leather chair.

"There now, that's better right? Now, as I was saying to Mr. Hooves here, I'll take some of his water, but I can't even manage to buy the whole shipment. Setting up a deal for regular shipments with you folks is just out of the question for now. If the bridge were clear and we had reliable trade from Diamond City, that might be a different matter, as it is though you'll just have to go through the caravans based on what they want to run here." The mayor nodded curtly as if that settled the matter.

Looking around at all the comforts surrounding the mayor up here, I couldn't help but think there seemed to be plenty of caps for drink, drugs and mares. Meanwhile the poor ponies in the streets below had things a lot rougher, from all the radiation around here, fresh water seemed like a much more important use of this place's funds. The Shroud in my head volunteered a dark but succinct thought on the matter, this pony should not be mayor... and it wanted to do something about it.

Fighting back that impulse to just pass judgement on this entire place I hissed at him, "And if the bridge were clear, that would be different?"

Grinning back at me, Mayor Lash reached out to his desk and took a swig from a nearby bottle of whiskey, "Oh sure, we'd have something to talk about then, those fancy pants from the city love a lot of the salvage we come up with here, caps flow like the river in the way now. If the crossing were clear again..." he spread his hooves wide in a 'what can you do' gesture.

I frowned at him a moment before answering and turning to leave, "Then we'll see again if that happens. Mr. Hooves, thanks for your help, sorry it didn't work out better. C'mon Glitter, we're leaving, now."

My foal didn't say a word, just joined me as we exited the room and darted out of the party outside before attracting anymore unwanted attention. We slowed once we reached the ground floor again, she seemed a little disappointed she hadn't been able to put her bartering skills to use, hammering out a deal for water, making caps for Sanctuary and saving the day. I gave her a pat on the head, I didn't want to deal with that mayor anyway and certainly didn't want her to, caps or no. Once we reached the lobby again, I paused behind the only mare doing some actual work around here, watching her frantically shuffling papers about, writing figures on spreadsheets and counting out bags of caps from a nearby safe.

Finally noticing my attention, the mare looked up from her fairly clean curly blue mane and pushed her cracked glasses down her muzzle, "Yes? Did your meeting with the mayor go well? I hope so, we need that water..."

That dark idea in my head got another mark in its favor, this mare had her priorities straight at least. "No, sorry... the mayor said there's not enough caps to set up regular shipments, Dusty Hooves sold him some of what we brought though," I shrugged at her, watching for her reaction.

Blazing anger and frustration was exactly what I was hoping for, "What!? I told him I have set aside a minimum budget for just such an opportunity if one came!" she slammed a hoof down on her ledger to illustrate her point. "We need that water! Ponies get sicker here every day, mainly because they're forced to drink what we have available, which is slime! If our residents are too sick to salvage, where does he expect to get what little money we have coming in?!"

"He said if the bridge were clear it would be different, but didn't seem that bothered. If things change I may come back and see about it then, though I don't care for the idea of dealing with a mayor who has caps enough for the stuff up there, but not water for those he's in charge of," I lowered my voice and leaned casually against the mare's desk, "What's your name?"

She looked at me suspiciously for a moment with her amber eyes above her glasses, "Oblige Heart, you are..." a quick glance at her notes gave her the answer, "Mr. Times yes? I wouldn't count on the bridge situation changing anytime soon, so it's of no concern anyway. The mayor's proclivities are not my concern either, I just try to keep things running around here, he's in charge though."

Leaning closer to her, I spoke softly, still trying to be casual, "And if he wasn't? Hypothetically speaking, if somepony else was instead, maybe somepony like you? Would a new mayor like that be more interested in getting regular, clean, fresh water for the ponies here than drugs and mares?"

Oblige looked a bit flustered, darting her eyes around the room at the distracted guards. "Well... hypothetically... I'd have to say yes. Though personally I appreciate a mare here or there... or a stallion... not that I ever have time for such things. Not that it matters either, as I said, Mayor Lash is in charge, I merely do the best I can with what I have."

I nodded at her and grabbed a hoof before she set it back to work, giving it a light kiss and a bow, "Thank you Miss Oblige, you've been very helpful. I can tell you work hard and care about the ponies of Hexington, you're underappreciated and should hear that from somepony. Who knows, maybe things will change for both of us."

I caught just a slight blush before turning to leave with Glitter huffing beside me, ok I pushed a little. I didn't understand much about dealing with ponies, but maybe I really was spending too much time with Val, a little harmless flirting greased the wheels. Plus it made anything I said seem more innocuous, I was just saying she'd make a better mayor to get in her bed, not because some dark part of myself was already making plans to have it happen... Acknowledging that line of thought my pip-buck flashed;

Mission Updated- Troubled Waters
-Objective
--Broker deal for water shipments with Hexington
Optional Objectives--
--Reopen the bridge to Diamond City
--Replace Mayor Lash
------Make Oblige Heart Mayor
------Find other candidates for Mayor

Once we were outside again Glitter cocked an eyebrow at me, "You are having bad thoughts daddy... Miss Jade..."

"No I'm not! Er... not the ones you think anyway. You were right, Miss Jade's my special somepony, whether we do things like... that stuff... or not! Just... don't let her know about that place for now, huh? I don't think she'd like it," I stammered down to the filly eyeing me carefully.

"You liked it. Or what they were wearing anyway, you should buy Miss Jade some of..." she started before I shoved a hoof in her mouth, blushing furiously.

"No! Bad! It's not like that! J-just come on! Let's go find the others, no more talking about that place and especially about those mares!" She smirked at me, but at least stayed quiet, letting me retreat from the town hall with my eyes cast down in silence. I was trying very hard not to listen to the voice in my head wondering whether they made clothes like that in alicorn sizes and where they could be purchased...

The image of a lot of blue princess crammed into very little lace was at least replaced at the sight of the real thing, Jade was scowling at an older grey unicorn stallion in a blood spattered apron in her face at the door to the Hex's doctors clinic. Her attempt at spreading the message of the Followers of the Apocalypse was not going well from the looks of things.

"I merely wish to help! There are many sick ponies and zebras here that need assistance, I am able to render aid, how could you refuse!?" Jade was drawing dangerously close to her goddess voice in her confrontation with the local doctor.

"Yer kinda help is anythin' but ya big filly! Say you come in here all sweetness and heal all the poor souls o' Hex, where's that leave me? I don't make caps, I don't stay in business, me and mine starve and hafta move on! That leaves Hex without a doctor pony o' any kind don't it?! Less'n yer plannin' on takin' up my practice after forcin' me out! Considerin' yer so clueless ta how things actually work, I'm guessin' that ain't the case is it? Nah, you'll just go on yer merry way spreadin' happiness an' healin' out yer big blue rump! Nary a thought ta what ya leave in yer wake!" Whatever point the doctor had was completely lost on me, he punctuated each point with a hoof to her chest and nobody thought of that big blue rump but me...

I pushed my way between the two medical ponies with some difficulty, "Hey! Easy! Everypony just calm down, and you! Back! Off!" Once I squeezed in the middle of them, I rounded on the Hex doctor, pushing him back with a hoof to the chest of my own.

Jade visibly calmed at least, though she still glared at the other medic while addressing me. "Fast! Tell this... this... charlatan I am correct! The Followers help everypony without expecting payment. We certainly do not sell drugs to ponies like this pusher does either!" she jabbed a hoof over to the sandwich board sign near the door that did in fact list a number of different drugs for sale and prices. For just a moment my eyes lingered on "Dash- 20 caps" before turning back to the continuing argument.

"Course I do! Customers want 'em! If you still ain't figured out the whole 'need caps to give treatment' bit yet honey, you can chew on whether you want em buyin' clean stuff from me, or any ol' trash in the street! I also treat the addiction they're gonna end up with, and fer a lot less than I should!" The old stallion's wispy white mane and beard shook as he shouted up to my alicorn filly, who looked aghast.

"So you can sell them more drugs again! Treat them for addiction again! I am sure it is QUITE PROFITABLE!" She was really getting worked up now, her goddess voice boomed at last, standing up to her full height instead of her more meek normal posture, wings flared out and practically radiating disdain down at the old medic. For his part, he at least had the sense to look somewhat cowed and backed away. She was attracting quite a bit of attention now, including the religious ponies still in the square.

This was not going to go anywhere productive, the old unicorn had sensibly calmed, but still glared back at her, "Aye there it is, heard bout yer kind before, don't get yer way you get the idea you can just force it! Don't need yer help and don't want it! You take yer filly friend outta here young buck!" He grunted and turned back to his clinic, slamming the door in our faces.

Jade continued trying to burn a hole through the door with her blue eyes, panting in frustration. Looking around at all the stares we attracted, I decided he was probably right, I wrapped my forelegs around her neck and started trying to push her from the scene. Completely ineffective as she was an alicorn shaped rock, but it did catch her attention and she seemed to come back to herself, eyes darting around and shrinking down to her normal bearing. "Oh.. oh dear. Perhaps he is right... I...oh no... I lost my temper...H-he..he is not right... I w-was not..."

All that anger was quickly turning to worried looks at me and Glitter, like we had seen something she didn't want us to. I went to soothe her while Glitter just looked up with awe, unfortunately Val had been among those watching and landed on the awning of the doctors office, grinning. "Woooo! Now I like that side of ya blue! Go on in there and stomp the old fool flat! I gotta see this!"

Watching her wince those blue pools and shrink away, I wheeled on the griffon watching us, "Val! NOT HELPING!" she waved a claw at me and turned away whistling innocently, as I looked back to see Jade practically curling in on herself, trying to make herself as small as possible and hiding behind her wings. I reached a tentative hoof up to her cheek trying to slip below her blue feathers, "Hey, it's ok. He's wrong, whatever point he was trying to make he. is. wrong. You are not like that, you just want to help right? We'll figure out some way to help the ponies here that will work, that's what Followers do right? Help everyone no matter what? Even if they don't like it. Or deserve it..." I glowered back at the door on the last, the dark Shroud in my head wanted a talk with that doctor....

Well, that got her to peek out a little and sniffle, "Y-yes... that is what we are supposed to do... y-you are not bothered? A-at my behavior?" She was glancing nervously at both Glitter and myself, as if she expected us to bolt at the display.

"There's basically nothing you could do that would bother me like that Jade, so just don't worry about it. I am on your side, period. Ok? And Glitter..." I looked back to the foal who leapt to my side.

"No way Miss Jade! That doctor is a mean ol' pony anyway! When me an... m-mom and Twinkle were here, he wouldn't help when mom got sick till we scrounged together enough caps for it. W-we had to take care of her and keep looking for something worth enough for two whole days 'cause of him. You're a much better doctor Miss Jade, I like you, I don't like him at all." I ruffled her bouncy silver mane, she said just the right thing to the worried alicorn, getting her to stand and shake herself of the worry she was wearing.

Val at least tried to make up for her teasing, hanging upside down from the awning and tearing it with her claws, wearing a satisfied smirk. "Just makin' fun blue, your little conversation and what the little filly just said though is enough for me. I'll go in there an' rough him up if ya want, just for fun. Seen good folks end up dead cause docs like him wouldn't lift a hoof till they had their money. Not that I entirely disagree... but dead folks can't pay, it's a waste."

Jade looked up with a dubious smile at the griffon swinging from the awning flicking her tail, they didn't get along very well, but they were on the same side, basically... "T-thank you... all of you, I am sorry for my outburst. Perhaps we should get off the street for a bit? Did you find lodging Fast?" She asked while nervously glancing around at the activity starting to resume around us. She didn't like being the center of attention, made sense she could turn herself invisible, it looked like she wanted to now.

Considering I liked her visible, I jumped at the suggestion, "Sure did, they even have food. I bet everyone's hungry? Why don't we get some lunch and we can talk about what all we've found out."

I got a bright smile and quick hug as my reward and led everyone towards the Dreary Inn, tossing Val one of the two room keys she caught flying down from the now tattered awning. Business in the inn's lobby restaurant hadn't picked up, so finding a table was easy and the waitress trotted over soon enough, her revealing uniform swishing around her in a cloud of perfume. Now that the idea had wormed its way into my head, I couldn't help applying what she was wearing to the beautiful blue alicorn next to me, the mental image almost as appealing as what the mayor's mares had on.

I blanked out and missed the waitress asking for my order, having to stammer and hit my head to focus and ask for a plate of fried cram and some apple chips, and a beer... just one... despite the disapproving nicker I got from Jade. Val was having one, she considered it an insult to drink alone, I didn't plan on any more than just nursing this one along and I trusted it much further than the water here.

Jade watched carefully as the waitress brought our order and my eyes lingered on that pastel blue skirt, "What are you looking at Fast?"

"N-nothing! Just... um...." come on brain, get rid of that image and think of something... quick!

"He likes her clothes Miss Jade, though he liked the other ones more. I told him he should buy you some since he liked 'em so much, I don't get it though, her dress over there is pretty, but there really wasn't much at all to those other..." My traitorous foal was happily blabbering around a mouthful of Fancy Buck cakes, only pausing as I spewed beer across the table and lunged for her, cramming another cake in her mouth.

Seeing those blue eyes narrow in suspicion, I started panicking, not helped by Val smirking and leaning back in her chair to watch the show. "Ahahahhaah, f-funny! Very funny Glitter! W-we were talking about... b-buying you a present! That's all! I..." dammit why couldn't I learn to lie to her... better to just stuff my face too so I couldn't talk any more.

Thankfully, she simply gave a little sniff and returned to her food, her outburst in the street seemed to make her a little more forgiving towards my own dalliances. Though she continued giving me a suspicious cocked eye brow, "I see... well, I enjoy presents... So, did the two of you have more luck than I did with the mayor? Perhaps there is some good news anyway?"

Gulping down the mouthful of food, I groaned leaning back in my chair, "No, the mayor is a..." hmm foal at the table... "is not a very nice pony... He has lots of caps for his own entertainment, but none for water to go to the ponies and zebras actually living here. If the bridge gets cleared he may come around, or... well, I might think of something."

I didn't want to just start announcing my idea of regime change here, who knew who was listening or what they may say. Plus I seriously doubted Jade would appreciate the easiest course of action the Shroud in my head had immediately volunteered, I could almost feel the kind little outsider voice engaged in desperate battle with it, trying to find an alternative.

"Hmmf, he seems as bad as that so called doctor then. I do not like this place."

I didn't care for a lot of what I had seen so far either really, but there were some good ponies to be found. The current mayor's assistant for example, the ghoul Rusty Clank and I imagined his wife for another. Where there were some, there were bound to be others, this could be a better place, certain things just needed to change. To be fixed...

"Glitter, you were here before when your mom was hurt and couldn't pay, you'd probably know where others are who might be in a similar situation right? If they can't pay anyway, then it's not hurting the only doctor here, it's not much, but it's something. At least until we can come up with a better solution, you can help ponies Jade." I hoped giving her a way to help a little would get rid of that hurt tone to her voice.

"Oh, yeah! I know places ponies like that would hide in, an' the zebras always get treated bad, but they was nice, they helped us. They don't have magic like Miss Jade's an' that doctor don't like 'em, charges more than normal. You could help there!"

"Really? Without causing harm unintentionally as that... doctor suggested? Could you show me?" Jade did brighten quite a bit at that.

"Sure!" Glitter hopped up, putting her hooves on the table, "Lots of em won't be around till later, need the light to scavenge mostly, so they're gonna be out working. But when they come back there'll be some who got hurt and some who were already. If they don't go to the mean doctor, they can't pay."

Finishing her Sparkle Cola, Jade stood and nodded happily, having a course of action now. "Yes, we will do that then! Thank you Glitter, if you could show me those in need of my assistance I would be very grateful. I suggest we all get some rest if we are to be active at night, I assume you and Valkyrie still insist on going with Mr. Clank to this robot place Fast?"

"Umm, yeah, parts..." I replied weakly, it sounded a lot less noble than helping the injured.

Val had no moral issues however, "Hells yes we are, caps! With what the boss can do with that stuff, we'll be rich! Have an army of killer robots! Rule with an iron claw!" ok, little too far there Val...

Jade huffed and turned towards the stairs, the rest of us following along in her wake to the two rooms we had rented for the night. Standing together in a clump on the landing above the lobby, we all looked at the two doors and four of us.

"Well, me and Val are going out together, and so are you and Glitter, we can split up now so we don't disturb each other if one group leaves early?" I ventured, that seemed like the best plan.

"No." Alright, apparently the rule about me not being allowed in the same room as the griffon held out here too.

"Glitter and I can take one room and you two can take..."

"No!" overlapped with "Hell nah!"

Val accepted the inevitable quickly, grabbing Glitter by her scruff and taking her to room 209 with her, using the given key with distaste. Keys were for those unable to pick locks with their claws, using one was an insult to her prodigious skills she explained. The foal and the griffon got along well together anyway, that left me and Jade with room 208. Using the key with no problems personally, I opened the door to the dingy room and trotted over to kick at the mattress on the left, allowing Jade the one on the right, which looked maaaaybe somewhat better.

The single window in the room faced a brick wall so there was no view to be had outside, and a flickering bare bulb shed little light on nothing worth viewing inside at the flick of the switch. With a sigh, I started shrugging out of my cloak, saddlebags and armor, pausing briefly at the blue Stable barding beneath. We were going out at night to sneak through the ruins, I wouldn't be wearing it when we left anyway, no reason to keep it on either.

I gave myself a quick once over, my black coat had a variety of scars now that were mostly healed, thanks to all the top notch medical care. One of the things I had most worried about while recovering, had been whether my cutie mark survived the explosion that crippled me for awhile, but the weird winged clock over a sword and shield was still intact on both flanks, that was a comfort. I turned on my pip-buck radio down low to have something to listen to, grabbed my heavy cloak in my mouth as a blanket and flopped down to the mattress, catching sight of Jade staring from across the room. I had assumed she was going through the same motions, not watching me shed all my layers.

Caught, she shook her head and turned in place on the small mattress a few times, curling up and looking over at me with a blush, "I... was admiring your cutie mark Fast, I did not mean to stare."

"Oh! That's fine Jade, I don't mind whatever the reason. I guess I am the only one out of us with one huh?" Glitter's still had not shown up and Val being a griffon didn't have one, though she did have that strange remnant of a series of numbers and letters on her flank that had been crossed out with scars. I hadn't really asked her about that and idly wondered about it.

"How... how did you get it? I-If you do not mind my asking?"

I guessed I hadn't told Jade about it, telling your story was just one of those things you forgot about until a new friend asked. New friends didn't really happen to me in the Stable, so I just didn't think about it. "It's boring..."

Jade raised her head from the mattress across from me and shook it, making her mane wave around her, "No! No I am sure it is not. I wish to know, please?"

"Sure if you want, but you've been warned. I got it because I was late..." Everypony I knew had a decent story for their mark, this was essentially all mine came down to.

"Late?"

"I wasn't supposed to be there. I was running late for school, until we got our cutie mark, the foals in 111 attended classes, different ponies would come in and teach about their jobs and talents, hoping something would stick. I was one of the last and it just didn't seem worth going when I was the oldest there out of three of us left." Admitting you were one of the last of your peers to get your mark was always embarrassing.

"So it took a long time for you as well?" she asked with a hint of longing.

"Yeah, so I wouldn't worry so much Jade, I'm sure yours will show up eventually. Anyway, I was late, so I was running in the halls. When I got to the atrium I just happened to see a colt who had just gotten their mark a few months ago on his job, he was up on the second level near the Overmare's office and tripped trying to carry too much. He fell... basically right on top of me. I'd like to say I dashed across the room and saved him intentionally, I mean I was sorta trying for it once I realized what was going on... but honestly, I just happened to be there because I was late. When they pulled him off and were checking me, there it was. No fancy magic sparkles or big fanfare, just there like it always was. Because I was late... Pretty boring huh?"

Another shake of the head, "I do not think so. You were in the right place at the right time, yes?"

"I guess?"

"Like being in the wrong stasis pod thing?"

"Nnnn" that was an unpleasant thought, right place and time was debatable.

"Like you were when you saved me?" her blue eyes were wide and sparkly at the memory.

"Sorta? I saw you flying... I was just looking out the door of my garage, all alone, and there you were."

"Like when you saved Glitter?"

"I wasn't in time to save her sister... or her mom..." again, right time was debatable here.

"Like meeting that griffon... knowing what to say?"

Ugh, I never put nearly so much thought into my cutie mark in all the years since I got it, as Jade had in just a few minutes. It was always just a boring story to me, everypony else always had a great story about how when they got theirs it spoke to them, showed them what made them special. Mine was just being late and landed on. The alicorn's interpretation was nice though. "Ok, I see your point. I just never thought about it, umm... thanks Jade."

I got a sweet smile and nod before she returned her head to the lumpy mattress and we listened to the radio together for awhile. She was right, I should get some rest from the travel here to Hex for the expedition tonight. Every time I started to nod off though, I kept waking back up hearing her grumble and shift on the bed across the small room. She rolled on her back and wiggled, flopped on one side then another, flipped positions of her head and feet. Whatever was wrong, she wasn't getting any rest and neither was I. Hearing her huff and sit up, I barely opened one red eye lazily and looked over to her, watching her shuffle and shift on her hooves looking over at me.

"Fast? A-are you awake?" she whispered.

"Hmmm?"

Looking around the empty room, she finally stood and trotted over, sitting in front of me and tapping her forehooves together in front of her face. "M-may I... sleep here? I am still bothered by that foul doctor and what he said, I have grown to enjoy having you nearby... it is soothing... if not it is..."

I cut her off shifting over and holding the black cloak/blanket up, really, she didn't need more than just to ask. I had kept an eye on her sleeping on the road with Glitter and Val nearby. Her bad dreams came back sure enough, being near enough to lay a hoof on her hind leg had been enough to quiet them, though she had reached out several times. Giving a little whiny, she quickly curled up under the cloak and I got to fall asleep smelling her mane in front of me, she wasn't the only one who found the company soothing.

Once the light outside the window started to dim, Val crept in the room. As usual the lock on the door didn't stand in her way. She had a sleeping Glitter in her claws and gently placed her on the vacant mattress while I slipped free of Jade's embrace, only getting a few soft moans of negation. Let them get as much rest as they could, they'd stay safe here behind the walls of Hex and with Jade's shield I didn't think anything could harm either of them here. My griffon mercenary and I slipped out and headed for Rusty's Salvage Emporium, meeting the old ghoul outside his well it shop.

Peering through the dusty windows, I wanted to go in and look around, the stock inside wasn't quite as good as what I had bought from his cart in Sanctuary, but there was a loooot of it. Rusty's wife Copper Coil had come out to see us off, getting over her ghoul status was made easier by her pleasant demeanor and the obvious love the married couple shared. The risks were a lot lower for Rusty, but she still fretted over him and expressed concern for our safety as well. Before being turned into a ghoul I could tell her mane was indeed a brilliant coppery color, a great deal of which remained atop her mottled, lighter colored coat.

We talked awhile while Rusty went over his wagon and gear, my vague thoughts on the mayor still needed fleshing out and I wanted a ghoul's opinion, since they seemed to make up so much of the population here. Copper was very nice, but she darkened on the subject of Mayor Lash.

"Damn slaver is what he is. Worked his way up and took over the job couple years ago, things been downhill since. Not surprised your dealings went so poorly Mr. Times, us ghouls don't need non-radiated water, but can't see him parting with any caps he can keep just for those that do," she grumbled, staring up at the mayor's office across the way.

"How does he treat the ghoul population?" I was secretly glad to hear her speak with such venom, the less who liked Lash, the less who would be bothered if he had an... accident.

"Like indentured servants! This place wouldn't function without us, need us to lead the ferals away, show smooth hides the way through to Hex or take them clear through the horde. We can go the most irradiated hell holes and salvage where livin' ponies never could. Could treat us a damn sight better for all that, but doesn't, we're basically even with the stripes in his view."

Interesting... "Who would you want to be in charge around here? If you had a choice Miss Copper?"

"Oh well that's easy! My Rusty heart of course, he's a fine stallion, uses his profits to help the other ghouls where he can. Helps arrange what work we can take, he's a good pony, much better than that bastard."

Rusty looked over and blew her a kiss, "Like I'd want the job honey, big hassle, you've seen that poor assistant of his. She keeps things running, barely... thanks to her boss, but she's gonna turn grey quick at the rate she's burnin' the candle at both ends like that. I always love the vote of confidence though dear."

Copper trotted over and nuzzled her husband, their rotting flesh flaking during the affection, sort of ruining it for me. Still, they had a point, there were a lot of ghouls here and Mayor Lash didn't care about them any more than the rest of his subjects, probably less. For all they did to make this place work for what it was worth, didn't the ghouls deserve a lot more? Shouldn't they have a say in how things were run? Mulling it over caused my pip-buck to update;

Mission Updated- Troubled Waters
-Objective
--Broker deal for water shipments with Hexington
Optional Objectives--
--Reopen the bridge to Diamond City
--Replace Mayor Lash
------Make Oblige Heart Mayor
------Make Rusty Clank Mayor
------Find other candidates for Mayor

There was a thought, if Copper jumped immediately to him for more reasons than simply being her husband, that was a ringing endorsement. Thinking on it, I had to agree, I hadn't spent a lot of time with him, but he was a good pony. I liked him, he helped me get over the shock of the concept of ghouls with his kind and patient bearing. Following the line of thought, I realized there was a third group I hadn't interacted with yet, the zebras. If they were a part of the community, they deserved equal consideration, I'd have to talk to them when I got back. Hopefully Jade and Glitter's charity work would help out there while we were gone.

"Alright Fast, in you go, that black armor and cloak help plenty, but no reason to take chances. Hide in the back and let me take care of getting us there, long as they don't know you're there, the zombies out there should just let us by. Figure yer griffon won't have any trouble following along eh?" Rusty explained, pointing out the camouflage he had prepared for the trip, pulling back a heavy tarp over his cart and waving me to it.

Val chuckled and gave her wings an experimental flap, preparing to take off into the autumn night. No, she wouldn't have any problem going where she liked, unless there were ghoul pegasi. Come to think of it, I hadn't seen a single pegasus, living or dead, since coming to the surface... I hadn't thought a lot about it since mom had been the only one in the Stable, but I had expected to see others out here now that I thought about it.

"Now you take care of each other out there, my Rusty is too overconfident heading off to this place for so long. He's always had the good sense not to mess about with the back though. I don't like it at all, but know better than to try to change his fool mind. I'm counting on you two to keep him safe, and he knows to do the same don't you dear?" Copper nuzzled her husband, happily berating him for our trip.

That made me smile, life couldn't be easy for either of them, yet they found each other even in undeath and were obviously a couple of ponies deeply in love with each other for a long time. They had carved out a life together in this nasty place, if we succeeded tonight that place would get a little better for them. If I had anything to say about it this entire town would get better for not just them, but everyone else calling it home if I could manage, but one goal at a time. We waved our goodbyes and I hid in the cart, watching Val soar off and circle above, able to scout and safe from the dangers crawling the ground with me.

Once we left Hexington, staying hidden became a great deal more difficult. I kept my head down and under cover, but I could hear crowds of zombie ponies shambling around as the cart made its way through the rubble strewn streets. As if that wasn't bad enough, I also had to know exactly how many of the creatures were nearby at any given moment thanks to the sea of red on my Eyes Forward Sparkle. It didn't care about the tarp covering my eyes, just about the hordes of hostile zombies that would crash down on me if I so much as sneezed back here. Watching it nervously, I was starting to curse being able to tell exactly how many were close enough to rip my throat out, when they started moving and thinning out.

Rusty's gravelly voice drifted back from the front of the cart, "Nearly there, sounds like something's got their attention. Oughta be safe enough to take a peek, comin' up the drive now."

E.F.S. agreed with him, only a couple red marks were nearby and they were moving away. As I stuck my head out from under the tarp carefully, my pip-buck informed me what a huge, somehow still working electric sign before my eyes did as well, Discovered Location- Watt's Consumer Electronics. We were crossing the small lot in front of the huge edifice, the rusting hulks of carts and skycarriages were here and there, along with the Robronco Service Cart Cogsworth had waited more than 200 years for.

The store itself was a pool of light in the dark ruins, spotlights roved around and the neon sign flashed, pointing out the entrance. It was made of thick concrete and steel, cracks ran along the faded golden-orange surface of the storefront, which jutted out from the huge bulk of the rest of the building, the warehouse and service center. Taking a final glance around to be sure we were alone, I hopped out of the cart to look around and approach the entrance. Posters and advertisements for the products within were rotten and tattered, but I could make some out. I could spot the faded image of Ministry Mare Applejack here and there, recruitment posters for the Ministry of Wartime Technologies, they would want technically minded ponies.

Staring up greedily at the flashing red and blue neon, I heard Val land on one of the rusting streetlights in the lot and call down, "Hey boss... think we might have a problem..."

That was odd, Val sounded concerned... the griffon normally didn't sound too bothered by anything. Looking up to her perch and following her gaze into the ruins, I started noticing sounds of violence approaching, gunfire and the sizzling bolts of magical energy weapons. As I listened I also made out a low rumble that didn't sound good at all, the thunder of a lot of hooves coming this way...

"What?" I started as Val landed nearby and readied her weapons, interrupted on spotting the source rounding a choked intersection down the street. A wall of zombies was surging towards us... I noticed with an extra touch of horror that yes, there were such things as pegasi ghouls, and yes they could fly, even on shriveled, featherless wings... two dozen, three, four? A lot.. a lot of red on E.F.S. was coming, along with two green marks?

"Inside NOW!" Rusty had already climbed the stairs to the store and was holding the heavy steel double doors open, light spilling out on the landing. Yes that sounded like a great idea, I bolted up the steps, but turned back at the doors, there were two friendlies at the head of all that death...

Straining, I could just barely make them out, one big, one small, both staggering towards us in a terrified chase with the zombies nipping at their hooves. They were plainly trying to make it here and it wasn't going to happen... "Val! Help them!"

She cocked an eye at me, grumbling, "I can... gonna attract a lot more attention though boss."

"Do it! Please!" If we did nothing they were going down, we had to try anyway. Weapons floated out, but I was still out of range for the pistol and shotgun combo.

I finally got to see what the big belt fed gun Val wore was, she glided across the lot and opened up with it. A series of soft thumps was followed by an equal number of resounding explosions in the center of the screaming crowd of zombies, scattering them and giving the targets of the chase a second wind as they spotted us. I started waving frantically at them, gesturing to the open doors.

Now that they were closing in on the lot I could make them out a bit better, I could tell that one was in a heavy suit of power armor at least. The crowd had thinned behind them, but more were going to be coming, attracted by the explosions and noise. I ran inside the building, calling for Val and waiting at the door opposite Rusty, holding it open and urging them onward.

They were close enough now I could start laying down some fire and picking off the zombies that nearly caught the unarmored one. I wasn't fast enough to catch one that leapt and clung to the power armor, biting uselessly at the steel hide before being bucked off. A few more flashes of Val's red energy weapon lanced down, before she streaked through the doors just ahead of the two strangers, helping Rusty and I slam them shut and throw the bolts inside. The security doors shuddered in their frame, but held and the noise died down, if those creatures were smarter they could batter their way through, but with no target in sight anymore they seemed to lose interest, their red marks milling around outside.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I turned back to the two ponies gasping on the floor in front of the doors, the bulky suit of power armor was a mid range model, the emblem of the Steel Rangers on the flanks and trimmed with red. That seemed different from what I remembered off all the posters and news. The small mare next to the armored pony was wearing light blue engineer's barding and an armored reddish vest over her buttery yellow hide, a short, light brown mane spilled out from her red cap. Panting, she rolled one pale green eye over her shoulder at us. Over her shoulder and wing? Yes, it was heavily bandaged, but that was a wing covering a wrench and quill cutie mark, a pegasus! They were still out here, I was about to remark on it, when I noticed the distasteful expressions my companions wore staring at her.

Val glared at the pegasus alone, growling a single word loaded with scorn, "Enclave..."

New Perk Added!-----------------------------

Filly Killer----
---You've been hanging out with a flirty griffon too long. You're charming... and dangerous. Females suffer -10% damage in combat, and are easier to persuade in dialogue or intimidate, granting you new speech options with the fairer sex.

Companion Perk Added!---------------

Daddy's Little Girl----
--As bad as you are at haggling, you're lucky you have a certain little filly watching out for you. You enjoy 20% better prices from all vendors when Glitter is in your party. Additionally, her weaponized cuteness can convince vendors to sell that little bit they'd normally hold back. Increases available cap limit and stock of vendors, along with unlocking unique items at certain stores!

Reputation Change!----------------------------

Hexington--

--Mixed-
Your reputation as a goody-good pony precedes you, making you tolerated but viewed by the residents of Hex with suspicion or an eye towards taking advantage of you. There may be friends to be found to improve things, but for right now watch your step in this dark place.