My head throbbed as I sat up on the bed and groaned. Rubbing my face, I slipped out and worked my way over to the bathroom. After relieving myself, I washed my hooves at the sink and looked at the mirror, ignoring the faint click-click of radiation from my PipBuck.

Goddess was I a mess. Taking a cloth, I washed it under the sink and wiped away the grime and dirt. Perfect! Now I was more my cute self than a rugged scavenger. Peeking at my PipBuck, I noticed a small little pegasus icon with a letter in her mouth at the corner.

Couriers are assigned a special kind of PipBuck. One that can send messages and requests. We needed it to keep track of ourselves as well as other couriers and deliveries. Speaking of which…

“Courier three?” I asked myself with an arched brow. The message definitely was from courier three. I brought up the message.

Courier sixteen. I’ve heard details about your so called “accident”. Are you sure you are okay? Why don’t we meet at Market Street. I’m here for a pick up anyway and it’ll be great to catch up on old times. – Courier Three

Oh boy, more talk about blowing up a gang base. Just my luck! I sighed and trotted out the room. The club was still pumping music and some ponies were still here from last night. Somepony must have fornicated all night. I wrinkled my nose at the smell that came from the corner where they must have done it. There was a different bartender behind the counter. I returned the keys with a smile.

“Good night?” said the green mare. I had to admit, she was rather cute with her black and white striped mane. She was scrubbing a shot glass and humming a little tune as she waited for a response. I rubbed the back of my head and grinned.

“Err… I guess. I mean, it could have gone better.” I said. The mare looked me over and smiled.

“Well then, hun, if you need a place to stay, you are always welcome to Emporium. You couriers always bring excitement into this bland place.” She said with a wink. I smiled and waved good-bye and trotted out the door.

I pushed my way through the crowd as Market Street became even livelier than it was last night. I felt claustrophobic as I made my way down Market Street. Looking left and right as soon as I came into a clearing, I spotted a familiar duster flapping in the cold winter air. The gray mare with the same mane color as me was scanning through the booth, admiring the trinkets that were displayed. I smirked, crouched and crawled my way towards her. Now I can get the jump on her this time! Payback from all those times at my cutie mark party. I felt a sense of victory as I crept closer and she didn’t seem to notice. I prepared myself to pounce.

“It’s good to see you too, Courier.” The mare said. I was halfway in the air of a pounce, but stopped and blinked. I landed flat on my face, leaving an imprint in the snow as I shook away the dizziness.

“You’re no fun!” I whined and crossed my hooves across my chest. I looked up at the mare who wore a black muffler over her muzzle. I saw it moved slightly upwards, so I guessed she was smiling.

“Tut tut, sister. Whining is a form of vulgarity to a lady.” The mare said. I scoffed.

“Yeah right, you are the only one who has that policy.” I said with a smug grin. She returned my grin with a kind twinkle in her orchid eyes. I couldn’t help but give a small smile. After all, how can I be mad at my older sister? I stood back up on my hooves and dusted myself off. “So how have you’ve been sis?” I asked.

“Oh you know, delivering this and that. The usual.” She said as she lowered her muffler revealing a smile. “I also heard about what happened on your way here. I must say I am impressed, Courier.” She said. I flushed and rubbed the back of my head
.

“Ehehe… I learned from the best.” I said as my eyes met her kind twinkle. “But… how did you know I was…?” I tried finding the words. I didn’t want to say captured. I needed to find some way to explain my previous predicament without sounding like a total fuck up. Compromised? No… what was I compromising? Lured? Well, I really wasn’t lured into a cage. Okay, maybe I was, but that was because they had a Buck Cake that smelled sooooo good! I couldn’t resist the smell of Fancy Buck Cakes. Also, I was starving at the point. I gave a sheepish smile as my sister shook her head.

“Honestly, you cause the Crystal Express more trouble than what most couriers get into.” She said. I looked at her with a hurt pride.

“Not my fault! I had no control!” I said defensively. My sister arched her brow.

“So you allowed yourself to be captured by the Bullhorn Boys?” she nickered. “Mischief and a dare devil. What happened to the shy little unicorn I know?” I flushed as I narrowed my eyes at her.

“I’m not a baby anymore, Heart. I can take care of myself.” I said puffing my cheek. Heart bit her lower lip.

“Mhmm. So let me guess, it wasn’t your fault that the Bullhorn base blew up?” she asked. I flushed.

“How was I supposed to know it was a bomb? I’m a courier! We aren’t really supposed to question our deliveries.” I said with a stomp of my hoof in protest. Heart sighed.

“Courier, I know you take your job seriously and I’m proud of that. I really am. But there are times where you must use your wits and instinct about the package you are delivering. A courier puts her life on the line every day because we have shady characters coming in and sending us to goddess knows where.” She said as she levitated a trinket in front of her with a calculative look. I fell back on my rump and slumped.

“I know sis. But honestly, the last few deliveries I made seemed to just come back and bite me in the ass. I haven’t been paid in full for two days already. I swear Karma is after me because I did Goddess knows what to the world.” I said. She gently put a hoof under my chin and lifted my face up to meet her's. She was smiling.

“At least put it aside, Courier. I’m worried about you.” She said. I rubbed my left foreleg in embarrassment. Was Heart really worried about me? I mean, I can understand since she’s my sister and all, but I didn’t want her to keep constant worry about me because I go on deliveries that involve explosions or getting captured. After all, I wanted to prove to her I can be better. Show her that I could bring him back home. She looked me in the eye and sighed.

“You’re thinking about him again.” She said.

“Huh? Don’t you?” I asked a little shocked. She went back to looking over the trinkets. Her twinkle in her eyes were replaced with a certain sadness in them.

“There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t…” she said softly. “But there’s really nothing we can do now. He’s made his mind up a long time ago.” I shook my head. No, I know he could change his mind. I would do whatever it takes to make sure he’s come back to us safe and sound.

We left the stand and trotted side by side. I threw my hood over my head and she covered her muzzle back up with her muffler. I know it sounds strange, but since we are couriers, we tend to get caught up in things that could make us wanted criminals to not only society, but to gangs as well. It’s not like we are just doing it for show. Me and my sister have made our faces known to a few of the region's most wanted criminals and gang leaders that have either been betrayed or sabotaged by one of their own with the package or letter we deliver and end up being questioned or tortured for answers.

However, we weren’t just any normal couriers. No, normal couriers wear their dusters out in the open and just want to get paid. Our family have been couriers for as long as my great great grandmother could remember. Our family has a surprising history of being infamous amongst the Empire as either criminals or heroes. What can I say? Trouble runs in the family. I am the oldest middle child of my family. Heart is my older sister. I have a younger middle brother, a baby sister and of course an older brother. All of us are in the courier business.

We figured one day that we just didn’t want to sit around and do nothing, so we decided to be couriers because our family history involved getting into a lot of trouble, which I won’t lie, is pretty fun. We would get into typical sibling arguments and tease each other constantly. But one fateful day, was when we all decided to take our job seriously.

Our older brother disappeared during a certain delivery that was all hush-hush. We demanded from the Express as to what has happened, they just shook us off and claimed that he may have been killed or taken. But we all knew better.

Our older brother, in fact, taught us lockpicking, terminals, weapons, the works. And when he disappeared, we just fell apart. We continued on as couriers until one day Stall, the younger middle brother, overheard a gang talking about a strange courier that ruthlessly took down an entire encampment of raiders. Even killing a Reaper that was supposedly working with the raiders. After hearing about this, we agreed that with every delivery, we would keep an eye out for this courier. A month later, the news about the courier’s activities reached news towers all over the region. New Pegus, the radio DJ for the Crystal Network News, spoke highly of the courier and mentioned him belonging to a family with a history of trouble.

“That’s right, folks. This courier’s deeds have certainly reopened the trade route that is now under the control of the RCE or more commonly known, Republic of the Crystal Empire and merchants from Hoofington to Tenpony Tower were able to trade with the Crystal Empire once more.”

I could remember those words he said. Then, New Pegus called him “The Wasteland Demon” to strike fear into any would be gangers or raiders. That night, we woke up to hear Bell, the baby sister, scream. I remember running in to the room and seeing Heart cradle the scared filly and Stall looking concerned. I asked what had happen and between sobs, Bell said those words that would haunt us forever.

“Lyon is dead!”

Lyon is the name of our eldest brother and the courier that vanished. It sounds too farfetched, but we soon realized that Bell can able herself to cast astral projections to those she is tied with from the soul. We, being unicorns, have a special talent for magic. However, we were only able to master one of the many. I, mastering illusion spells. Stall mastering telekinesis, Bell using astral magic and Heart mastered shadow magic. What did Lyon master in? Arcane magic.

I noticed Heart looking at me with concern. I must have shown what I was thinking from my expression. As we walked to the gate, we heard shouting from the market.

“Oh dear.” Heart said as she looked back. I followed her gaze and my jaw dropped. The case where that oh-so orgasmic looking shotgun stood empty and the clerk was shouting to the guards. We trotted up as a crowd started to form.

“...care if you were sleeping on the job or off the clock! Some bastard stole my prized possession!” the clerk shouted to a young nervous looking colt.

“What seems to be the problem?” Heart asked. The clerk looked at us with a glare and rubbed his temples.

“The problem? The problem is that I’m pissed off! I had just received an offer for the gun and some pony stole it right from under my nose!” the white scruffy stallion growled.

“How can something that big as a weapon be stolen?” I asked cocking my head. The crowd began to form into an audience.

“I don’t know, you tell me! For all I know, it was you who stole it!” he barked. Then he glared and pulled out a shotgun of his own and pointed it straight into my face, making me go cross eyed. “Hell, it probably was!”

“And what makes you think my sister stole this “possession” of yours.” Heart asked as she used her magic to gently push the shotgun up. The clerk tensed but let her. “First off, you should really be asking as to why it was stolen in the first place.” The clerk rubbed the back of his head and sighed.

“Look, lady, are you some kind of detective?” he asked. I couldn’t help but nicker a bit as I saw that mischievous look in her eyes. But she maintained the best poker face I have ever seen.

“I am. So please, explain what you were doing in the first place before it was stolen?” she said pulling down her muffler. The clerk narrowed his eyes and sighed.

“I was on my terminal the one moment, reading the offer I was given on the gun. Then when I looked up it was gone. Simple as that.” He said. Heart glanced at the scene with a speculative look.

“Courier, mind if you could help me with a certain piece of evidence?” she asked as she looked at me. I gave her a blank look
.

“Wait, you found out already?” I balked. She motioned for me to stand by the monitor. As I did, she cleared her throat and trotted around to the other end of the table.

“Now tell me, what do you see?” she asked. I gave her a confused look. She just smiled at me.

“Uhh… I see nothing other than the display case.” I said. She nodded. She looked at the clerk and told him to sit exactly as he was while looking at the monitor. He did and I could see how his line of sight could see the entire table. She took out her 10mm sub-machine gun and placed it in the case where the once oh so glorious gun laid. I noticed that the case came with a compact lock as well, which meant you would probably have gone through a few bobby pins to pick it. But as she studied the lock, she seemed to give a nod of approval.

“Well then, it seems that lock was apparently forced open.” She said. I rubbed the back of my head.

“But sis, doesn’t that mean you have a big chance of breaking the lock as well?” I said. She nodded
.

“Yes, anyone with skills of lockpicking knows that when forcing a lock to open, you have a chance of breaking the lock and jamming the entire thing. However, if you look really carefully, it was forced by magic.” She said.

“Great, so the culprit is a unicorn. That’s good to know.” The clerk snorted sarcastically.

“Not only that, but it was stolen only 4 minutes ago.” She said matter-of-factly. I arched a brow and the clerk balked.

“O-only 4 minutes ago!? How? How can someone force a lock in 4 minutes and make a break for it?”

“Well that’s the thing.” I said starting to catch on. “If the lock was forced, you would have heard it.” The clerk stared baffled and began to sweat a little.

“A-ah, y-yes, I would have… probably.” He said with a nervous stammer. Heart looked him in the eye as the clerk adverted his own.

“Is there anything you are leaving out, sir?” she asked. A cold breeze blew through making any duster, cloth or cloaks flap. That’s when I noticed a speck that seemed out of place under the table. I smirked and looked at my sister. So that’s why she has me over here. Now that I noticed, I’m standing in front of an alley. A perfect escape place.

“L-leaving out? Why would you ever think that?” he said nervously. I leaned on the table and knocked twice. A signal that told my sister I noticed as well. She smiled and turned to face the crowd.

“Tell me, was there any particular pony you despised? Or were you just going to pick one at random?” she said. The crowd murmured.

“Are you accusing me of trying to place blame on some helpless pony just to get money!?” he retorted. I smirked.

“Who said anything about money?” I said with a cool look. The clerk realized what he had said. “Mind if I take a look under the table?” The clerk looked nervously at me and nodded. I knelt down and lifted up the cloth.

Nothing.

I frowned and narrowed my eyes. Then I noticed something shimmer near a bystander. I concentrated and split myself into two copies. The crowd murmured in surprise. “And just where do you think you are going?” I shouted as I looked over to a white unicorn mare. She blinked and looked around before pointing a hoof at herself. I motioned for my copies to flank her from the sides and I watched carefully as I saw the shimmer slowly creep out towards through the crowd. I shook my head. “Not you, the other one.” I saw the shimmer stop and vanished. Heart nodded and pulled out her sub machine gun from the case and pointed it into the crowd. They panicked and backed away.

“What is it that you see sister?” she asked.

“Well for one, something was way off in the start.” I said as my copies moved the mare away from the crowd and stand next to the table. “The second is that StealthBucks don’t last longer than five minutes.” As if on the cue, the shimmer I saw blinked out and there stood a unicorn mare giving me a shocked look. In her hoofs was the loin frothing shotgun. The mare panicked and backed away as my sister pointed her weapon at her. Then, to everyponys surprise, including mine, she changed the direction to the clerk. Her eyes suddenly blazing with fury.

“How dare you!?” she growled. “How dare you try to force somepony to frame some other pony just so you can give yourself a little more caps!?” I trotted over to the mare and smiled at her. Suddenly, there was a loud noise and I felt my chest tighten in pain. I fell to the floor gasping for air and looked up to see the startled mare looking down at me. My ears were ringing. Suddenly, she took off.

“Hey, wait!” I called out as I got up. I fell back down and gasped for breath. Heart was next to me and pulled out a health potion and I chugged it down. I felt my chest loosen a little as I sighed and looked down. There was a big blood spot where the shells landed. “Fuck, that hurt…” I muttered as I got up with Heart steadying me. I looked at my copies and motioned for them to chase her and they were off down the street.

“Are you alright?” Heart asked as she made me chug another health potion down.

“Well, other than the fact I just got shot point blank in the chest with a shotgun… yeah, I’m good.” I said as I finally steadied myself.

“Do you know where she went?” Heart asked. I closed my eyes and focused my magic to one of my copies. I saw both of them right on her flank. I asked for one to get their surroundings and watched as I saw nothing but allies. But when I saw a familiar building, I knew exactly where they were. I pulled out and opened my eyes and motioned for Heart to follow. She put up her muffler and we bolted down the street.

The mare backed herself into a corner and shivered in fear. When we arrived, my copies had successfully surrounded her. Heart trotted over to the mare and looked down at her. The mare panicked and pointed the shotgun at her, only to have Heart yank it away with her magic making the mare yelp and curl up shivering.

“You know, it’s not very nice to shoot someone, let alone my young sister, in the chest.” Heart said gently. The mare flinched as Heart stroked her mane. “Poor dear. Are you alright?” I rolled my eyes.

Typical Heart. Always being kind. She levitated the shotgun to me and I blinked at her.

“Well, don’t just stand there. Return the gun to her owner and meet me at the southern gate.” She said as she kept stroking the mare’s mane. I cocked my head, noticing the mare calm a little.

“Are you sure? I mean, the guy just tried to frame a mare so he could get caps.” I looked at the shotgun and gasped as I saw my own reflection on the muzzle. It shimmered brilliantly and I felt my nethers begin to moisten. I shook my head, getting rid of the fantasy. ‘No, gotta focus.’ I told myself. I took another look at the shotgun and nibbled my hoof. I looked back at Heart and then back at the shotgun. I trotted away and turned to corner. Making sure nopony was looking, I squeed as I stuffed the shotgun in my bag. My copies vanished and I turned, humming a cheerful tune when I ran into something and fell back on my rump.

“Ow! Watch where you are going!” I said rubbing my rump. I looked up and shrinked a little as I saw three familiar ponies. Licky Lips glared down at me and licked his choppers making me shudder.

“Welly welly welly well.” Licky Lips said. “If it ain’t that hot piece of flank that took off with our wagon.”
Karma has really fucked me over.

“Oooh, hey guys!” I said putting on my best smile and backing up a bit. “Good day, huh? Listen, I’m kinda in a hurry if you don’t mind I’ll just be on my way.” As I turned, I heard the sounds of guns and looked back with a shaky smile. All three had them pointed at me and at my head.

“Don’t think about running again, missie.” Scary Eyes said. The third one chuckled. I groaned and found myself in the cage once again. I slumped as they herded the wagon to the south gate. I sighed and looked over as the crowd watched us go by. I spotted Heart with her muffler on. She tapped on her PipBuck to me and vanished into the crowd. I looked at mine and saw a little pegasus with a letter in her mouth.

You should really know when to avoid trouble, sister. Once you are free, return that gun or you’ll find yourself in more trouble than them. Happy Trails! – Heart

Yep, just another day in the life of a courier…

The sun had finally appeared over the clouds. The snow still laid on the ground as far as the eye could see. Up here in the north, you get nothing but snow weeks and one sunny day. I nearly fell asleep. I tried busting out again, but they made sure to take my screw driver and bobby pins this time. Sure the Wasteland has been brutal, but the works of Security and the Stable Dweller haven’t ever reached the north region. The Stable Dweller focused on the east while Security focused on the west. The south has been affected by another group of ponies, but then again, no pony ever went north. The Crystal Empire isn’t a really well known region and the place used to be crawling with ponies who were covered in crystals.

Of course, the war has reached the Empire, but instead of stripes, it was a whole new different kind of ponies that was rumored to aid the stripes in the attack on Equestria. No pony knows really what they were, but rumors says that they could copy the body of a pony and drain the very life out of you.

Go figure. My PipBuck blipped and I looked at it. Another message. I squinted my eyes. I couldn’t tell if my eyes were playing tricks on me or some other courier was pulling a trick on me. The sender read “Lyon.” I mouthed the name and quickly brought it up.

Sit tight. – Lyon

I arched my brow in confusion. Suddenly, the cart stopped and I heard guns being drawn.

“Hey, who the hell are you!?” Scary Eyes shouted. I looked out of the cage and tried to see ahead of them. There was definitely a figure standing there. I could see a long tattered duster flapping in the breeze and a tattered straw hat with the rim covering the pony’s face. He was slowly walking this way.

“Don’t take another step forward!” Licky Lips ordered. I squinted my eyes and I gasped. No way! How can it… how!? I recognized those eyes, that mane under the hat and the hide. They stared hollow and coldly at the three. “I said not another step!” said Licky Lips. But the pony still made his way towards the wagon. “Kill him!” he shouted.

The three let loose a hail of bullets. I gaped as the bullets bounced harmlessly off of a gold light. He had conjured a shield that even the Armor Piercing rounds of the ganger’s guns had no effect. The stallion’s horn glowed and a strike of lighting shot towards their guns in a rapid fire motion, completely obliterating them to dust.

“W-what the hell!?” Scary Eyes balked. The stallion stopped in front of them. He lifted his head a little from the turtle neck of his duster.

“You have someone who is very dear to me.” The stallion said. The three boys looked at each other and then at me. I looked back at them and smirked. That really sent them on edge.

“K-kill the fucker!” Licky Lips cried as he drew a ripper. Scary Eyes and the driver pulled out rippers of their own and charged the stallion. Unfortunately for them, the stallion was two steps ahead of them and had secretly placed down trap runes around him. Giant gold bubbles encased the three and slowly hovered them above the stallion. He looked coldly at the three as they stared with utter fear back at him
.

“Fools.” He muttered.

I gaped as the bubbles suddenly changed colors from the glorious gold to a gory red. I held my hooves to my mouth in horror as I saw organs splattered against the bubbles and slowly slide down the sides. The bubbles popped and a mass of blood and gore fell to the ground with a sickening splat. The stallion calmly trotted through as the gore fell. His cold dead eyes locked onto mine. What once used to be luscious blue of my brother’s eyes were now white and glazed. He put a horn to the lock and with a flash the door opened. I stepped out and gaped at him.

“Sweet Celestia… Lyon… what happened to you?” I said weakly. My heart ached at the sight he was in. In those eyes, I could see pain. So much pain. He didn’t smile let alone give a nod as he looked at me.

“It’s good to see you too, Courier.” He said. I looked down at his tattered duster and back up to his tattered hat. He looked as if he had been through hell and back. I guessed that’s what he exactly did.

“Lyon… please...” I said lamely. He sighed and pulled his hat over his eyes. He trotted past me without so much as a glance. I turned and shouted “Lyon, please come home! We are all worried for you!” I pleaded. He continued to trot on. I couldn’t help but let my tears fall. The world slowed for me. I didn’t care about anything now. He was right here in front of me! I had to talk to him! I had to get him to his senses!

I had to bring him home.

I bit on his tail and yanked him. He turned his head slightly over his shoulder and studied me. I couldn’t help myself. I threw myself onto him and began bawling like a little filly. He put a forehoof around me and stroked my mane.

“Please… come back to us!” I sobbed. “You don’t know… how much… how much we miss you… how much I miss you…” I hiccupped and continued to sob. I buried my face into his duster and he continued to stroke my mane. I had to say something. Come on, Courier. Say something! Get him to come back with you! It would be like old times. We would travel together on our free time. Tell stories at night. Have a contest to see how many Buck Cakes we can eat without vomiting. Heart would be very happy and not worry so much about us. Stall would go back to his happy go lucky self and Bell won’t have to fear for Lyon’s safety anymore. I just want our brother back. I want our family back!

I must have said this out loud without realizing it as he gently rose my face to face his. Those cold dead glazed eyes stared back at me. His stoic expression stayed as he spoke.

“I can’t come back. You must understand.” He said. I swallowed and more tears came out.

“U-understand what? Tell me! Why can’t you come back? Why did you leave us?” I had so many questions on my mind but I couldn’t get them all out. He put a hoof to my mouth and looked me dead in the eyes.

“You are not ready yet. Heart, Stall, Bell and you are not ready for the gift I was given.” He stood up on his hooves and I dropped my head with my ears drooping. I rubbed my left foreleg. “However, I can give you something that will help you on your way to your destiny.” I sniffled and looked up at him.

“H-huh?” I didn’t get to ask anything else. Lyon lowered his horn to my right eye and the whole world around me fizzled out into blackness

I suddenly felt shorter than I normally do. And also, the place I was at seemed very familiar.

“Curry! Dinners ready!” a gentle voice called out. Wait, that voice… could it be…

“Coming, mom!” I called back. I jumped off the swing and trotted into the room. I adjusted my stable barding. Damn thing was too big. Well it did belong to Heart before. I walked into the atrium as other colts and fillies as well as stallions and mares. Stable 50, the biggest stable ever made. Or so it seemed to me. It had a playground as one whole room meant for the fillies and colts before they had to go to classes. There were at least fourteen families in this stable. We weren’t even close to becoming inbred either. But that’s beside the point. I remember the damn thing being big.

We heard the sound of an alarm and the screeching metal as a group of ponies stepped in from the stable entrance. I instantly recognized three ponies in clean armored stable barding walk over to our table. Stall was wiggling in the child seat and fussing with mom, a pretty tan hide mare with a brown mane in a ponytail. She just giggled as Stall flipped the spoon into his mane after attempting to throw it to floor. She took a rag and wiped him off before going over to a charcoal coated stallion and kissing him. A younger looking Lyon and Heart sat on my sides, the former ruffling my mane and making me laugh and the latter took a sip of purified water from flask. I perked up.

“So?” I asked looking up at Lyon.

“So what?” he replied with a cool look. Yes, those are the eyes. The eyes of the stallion that I miss for so long. Those luscious blue eyes captured his handsome features. His navy blue hide and dark blue mane glistened amongst the stable’s lighting.

“So tell me! How did it go?” I said with a puff of my cheeks. As if he didn’t know what I was asking from him. He gave a smile and ruffled my mane some more.

“Easy, Curry.” Lyon said. “Being a courier is not all that exciting.” I put a small hoof on his shoulder and gave him my most innocent puppy eyes.

“Puleeeeeeeeaaaassse?” I cried, making my infamous get-them-to-talk pout face. He laughed and took a swig of his water flask.

“Well okay. You want to know the most interesting thing that happened to me today?” he said, looking at me with a cool smile and an arched brow.

“Yes!” I said excitedly.

“I just delivered a package.” He said bluntly taking a swig of his flask again. Heart nickered as my face fell.

“T-that couldn’t be all you were doing!” I stood on top of the table and levitated my spoon and aimed it down. “I bet you were taking on the bad guys! You were like pew-pew! And all whoosh!” I spun on my hooves, acting as if dodging bullets. “And then Heart was like ‘look out!’ and you were like ‘I see ‘em!’ and you both stood back to back taking down the gangers one by one.” Lyon sighed.

“Curry.” He said. But I just ignored him and went on.

“And then a Reaper shows up and was like ‘your time ends here, couriers!’”

“Curry.”

“And you were like nope, your time ends here!’ and heart was like ‘yeah!’ and you booth swooshed in and were like pew-pew-pew and the Reaper reeled back and was like ‘oh, you got me!’ and then you two put on glasses and walked away from the fight like badasses and-“

“Curry!” Lyon and Heart said in unison. I blinked at them and gave a sheepish smile.

“Ehehe… sorry.” I squeaked and sat back down. Lyon and Heart just smiled.

“Well, she really wasn’t that exaggerative.” Heart said.

“Oh no, don’t start.” Lyon said with a nicker. “I’m fine with the whole sunglasses thing, but I doubt we could take on a Reaper yet.” I beamed at them. I was never wrong and of course they would never lie about their deliveries to me. They told so much action and suspense that one day I would be right beside them in all that action. Being a courier sounded awesome! Our parents gathered at the table. I couldn’t see father’s face. He always had his straw hat down over his face, but I could always see that sincere and caring smile he gave mom and us. Over the table we each told each other about the day they had and I smiled as Lyon explained his daring escape from a gang camp with Heart causing such a ruckus that he was able to sneak in and steal the packages from the leader himself and they both took off with them, chasing after them but eventually losing them in a town.

We were just having a good time when my dad glanced at his PipBuck and stood up, pulling his hat over his face. We all grew silent. Even though I couldn’t see his face, I could tell from his muzzle that it was a grim expression.

“I’m sorry everypony. I’ll be right back.” He said leaning in and giving all of us a kiss on the head before trotting out of the atrium and down a hall. Lyon rubbed his chin and narrowed his eyes. He then turned around and smiled.

“Whoa man, sorry all, but I gotta go take a leak if you don’t mind.” He said excusing himself.

“You promise to tell me about that one story?” I asked. He stopped at the door and gave a big grin.

“Of course. What kind of brother would I be if I didn’t tell my little sis all about my heroics.” He said.

“Are you talking about the one where I did all the work of fending off an entire platoon of gangers while you were knocked out from a trapped memory orb?” Heart said with a challenging grin. Lyon rubbed the back of his head with a laugh before trotting down the hall out of the atrium. I finally turned and saw mom with a concerned expression.

“Momma, what’s wrong with daddy?” I asked. She gave me a kind smile in return.

“Oh, I’m sure daddy is just fine.” She said. I gave her a concerned a look as I saw a tear run down her cheek. I knew nothing was alright. Because a couple of months later, dad vanished leaving his hat behind with my brother. Then a few more months later, Lyon vanished. Everything changed. Mom wound up in the medical wing after being caught trying to poison herself with radiation and everything around me and my siblings fell apart.

Footnote: Level Up!
Perk Added: Illusionist (Rank 1): Your illusion magic has been slightly mastered and are able to cast the most basic of illusions to aid you.