“Doing okay, Buff?”

“Just fine.” I called back.

Aside from that brief interlude, the Chief and I continued to tromp along in silence, as we had since leaving the compound, while the lively conversations of the Sprinkles guards ponies and my younger brothers played out behind us. We had been travelling for hours, and already the discussion had moved through such topics as caravaneer life, Stable life, caravan girls, Stable girls, and now it focused on certain girls.

“So she still moans about giving the wethead filly such a huge discount on her gear.” I frowned slightly at his casual insult of my sister’s sister.

“The girl's called Undertow, I think, and it's totally weird. Boss complains about the amount all the time, but she's always smiling when she does.”

“She seems really nice,” Lo piped up, “let us stay the night even though we didn't have any caps.”

“We had some spare bunks, and you helped out with the wagons. That'll cover it.”

“Still, it was nice of her.” Al replied. “And we got a free breakfast!”

They all chuckled at that, and I gave a smile. Lexi has been good to Snowflake, and now Undertow. I'll have to repay her somehow.

To my left, there was a grunt from Chief Rockhaunch as he shifted his massive, weapon-abundant battle saddle. “Glad you three are enjoying yourselves, but try to keep in mind that this is going to be dangerous. Especially since we've got ponies with us. Crush won't like that.”

Absorbing this, I nodded solemnly. “Why does Crush have so much anger towards ponies?”

Rockhaunch spat. “He's just a punk who blames all Grindstone's problems on an easy scapegoat.”

I hope we get to visit Grindstone at some point. Seeing how Wasteland buffalo live might help us to better understand the world outside of Stable 61. “What problems does Grindstone have?”

The Chief jostled his battle saddle again, low voice rumbling flatly. “Same as most places round these parts, at least before Lethbridle happened. Gotta keep the people fed, and clothed, and safe from attack. It's just a little tricky because of the location and, well, us.”

“Who are 'us'? And what do you mean by the location?”

“Neighlway's between Grindstone and Lethbridle. Steel Rangers really drive the property values down, and the caravan costs up. Nopony wants to tussle with those bastards if they can help it.” He tch'd. “As for 'us', I mean being buffalo. We get dirty looks sometimes, on account of being three times the size of your average pony, or 'puny' as Crush would call them. Ponies have been more wary of anything without a cutie mark ever since they and the zebras started killing each other two centuries ago. Ask a griffon in a bar sometime. He'll have some stories for you.”

Nonplussed, I slowed a step. “So it's ponies' fault?”

He shrugged in response. “Eh, it's everybody's fault, kid. I spent too much of my youth in Lethbridle to think all punies are bad people, or that all buffalo are saints.”

“And Crush?” If the Chief can be swayed, then we should be able to end this peacefully.

Rockhaunch spat again. “Crush is a punk who spends too much time with his head up his own buffalo backside. From what I hear, he's been pointing his guns at non-buffalo since he got big enough to hold 'em.”

The Chief raised his head, spotting something in the distance. “We're almost there.” He called back over his shoulder to the others. “There's Vanchoofer, people. We're on the job from this point on.”

“Aw,” one of the Sprinkles Supplies guards whined, “but Vanchoofer has really good food.”

He was promptly ignored.

Blinking, I looked in the direction the chief was facing. “Vanchoofer? Aren't we going to Grindstone?”

He nodded. “After this, Vanchoofer's where most of the Lethbridle evacuees were sent off to. So far, Crush has been attacking them en route, but I want to make sure the main group is safe. We'll head to Grindstone once I'm sure.”

“Hmm.” I fell back to pace my two twins. “Al, Lo, we should stay together. Remember, we're here to help, not to fight.”

Hefting his riot shield, Al shook his head. “Something tells me we aren't gonna be the ones making that choice, bro.” Lo matched his action.

As did I. “That doesn't mean we should go looking for trouble. Listen to Chief Rockhaunch. He'll get us back safely.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“This place is awesome!” Lo bounced around at the front of the group, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the town.

Even when packed with Lethbridlean refugees, or perhaps because of it, Vanchoofer's attractions worked hard to create a festive atmosphere. Street vendors enthusiastically peddled their wares, performers capered and pranced, and smiles were drawn out of even the most stoic of passersby.

Rockhaunch gathered us in tight. “Keep your eyes open, people. See a buffalo, or anything suspicious, point 'em out. Al, you've seen Crush and his gang, you're up front with me. Everybody else stay sharp. They might not even be here, but I wanna be absolutely sure before I leave these civilians alone again.”

We made room as a gulping Al hustled up to the front. There was no more banter now, as everyone was focused on the task at hoof. The crowd was dense before us, but still found room for four armed buffalo and half a dozen earth stallions.

The further through the crowd we went, the more it seems like Chief Rockhaunch was on the money about the relationships between ponies and non-ponies. Mothers gathered their foals up when we got close, shepherding them out of the way. Stallions and colts did the same for the mares and fillies.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a ramshackle outdoor bar with only griffons at the counter. While I watched, one of them swiveled around to take a look at the excitement. It was a short look. Did she just not care, or simply prefer the company of other griffons? “Chief, we are starting to draw attention.”

Pausing to allow a cart full of junk to go by, the Chief took a moment to answer. “Nothing we can do about it now. Bear with it until we finish our sweep.”

Al searched back and forth. “I don't see anything, Chief.”

The others called out similar sentiments.

Nonplussed, Rockhaunch pushed us onwards. We travelled in a wide arc, circling the centre of Vanchoofer, where the throng was thickest. Reaching a point around halfway across from the main gate, we stopped in a moment of relative calm. The press of bodies had eased somewhat.

A sudden blaring clued us in as to why, as well as nearly scaring me out of my fur. In the very centre of the town, surrounded by ponies, was a vast stage. Great metal beams crossed over above it, filled with floodlights, and huge curving walls ran along the outer edge. There were gaps to watch through, and the audience crowded around them.

A musician had just started up a raucous number, with all eyes turning in her direction. One by one, more players joined her, the music and crowd growing louder as each walked on stage.

“Got a buffalo!” I jerked out of my reverie at Lo's cry. I followed his pointing hoof. At the edge of the stage, a burly bovine figure was passing instruments to the band members as they headed out.

He could just be a stagehoof helping out. “Al, do you recognise him?”

Straining his eyes, Al tried a variety of angles to get a better look at the target. Eventually, he shook his head. “I can't say for sure. Too far away.”

“Hey,” one of the Sprinkles Supplies guards called out, “he's on the move.”

“And we're going after him!” Rockhaunch hucked his battle saddle further up, so the chin strap was mere centimetres away. “Doublehorns, with me. If he can lead us to Crush, I want to try it with just buffalo. The rest of you, find some Lethbridle guards. Blue uniforms, grey caps. Tell them that Rockhaunch wants them to keep the peace, but be ready to move if necessary.”

“Got it.” The caravan ponies sped off into the crowd.

My brothers and I waited with Rockhaunch. The Chief finished his preparations, and tapped Al's riot shield with his horn. “Keep these up and ready, all three of you. Al, still see the buffalo?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, then lead the way.”

Gulping some more, Al began to push his way through the crowd, after the departing buffalo. We constantly had to apologise to disgruntled music-lovers, too wrapped up in the tune to notice us coming through, but were able to keep the stagehoof in sight.

The mystery bull, covered head to toe in massive overalls, headed straight for the edge of the crowd. and beyond His destination seemed to be in Vanchoofer's ring of outer buildings. Sticking to the crowd, we followed. He didn't turn around. When he turned a corner, we sped up after him, catching a glimpse before he disappeared into a dark and degraded warehouse behind the first row of structures.

“Damn, can't see anything.” Rockhaunch made to head for the warehouse, but Lo spoke up before he could move.

“We're not going in there, are we?”

The Chief nodded without looking. “Yep. Hurry, before he gets away.”

Lo didn't move. “But we don't know what's in there!”

Now, Rockhaunch did look at him. His brow was low and stiff. “That's what we're here for, Lo. I don't see another way in, do you? If we waste time searching for one, we might lose this chance.”

Shrinking back, Lo shakily raised his shield. “O-okay.”

I don't feel much better than you do, Lo. “Chief...”

Exhaling through his nose, Rockhaunch blinked a few times. “Yeah, okay. Sorry, keep forgetting you boys don’t deal with this back in your Stable.” He tapped Lo's shield. “I'll go in first, and you three follow after me. Keep those shields up, and if I tell you to run, you run, okay?” he eyeballed Al and I. “That goes for all of you, got it? You're being real brave here, but you're not fighters, not against Crush and his goons.”

“But if we find Crush, you can't take them all on by yourself, Chief.” Al was looking at the weapons on the Chief's battle saddle.

Suddenly there don't seem to be as many.

Grinding his teeth, the Chief looked back at the warehouse entrance and shook his head. “Crush won't gun us down. He's too tied up in his 'biggest and strongest' schtick. He'll want a one-on-one fight, no weapons.”

Al's queasy look lightened a little. “Yeah, like when I fought Cept. Crush really wanted to make a point.”

The Chief's hoof bopped his shoulder. “Exactly. He wants to put on a show. He's not a killer, he's just a punk doing playground games. If I think he's gonna go the fight route, I'll get you boys out of there.”

With an air of finality, the Chief bit down on his saddle's mouthpiece, testing the empty chambers of his guns. “Now come on. We're going in.”

“Right.” I was hardly enthused, but would make good on our pledge to help.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Visibility dropped off to almost nothing the moment we entered the warehouse. All I could see in the black was a faint outline of the my two brothers and Rockhaunch, little more like a different shade of dark rather than a true shape.

“I don't like this.” Lo whispered from somewhere to my right. “It didn't seem this big from outside.”

“It might extend through some other buildings?” The shake in Al's voice wasn't very comforting.

“Quiet, boys.” I discovered that Rockhaunch had stopped when I headbutted his backside. He didn't move an inch, except to hush us again. “Buff, your Pipbuck, does it say anything?”

Oh... dear. “I, um, I don't have it anymore, Chief.”

Rustling in the gloom, then Rockhaunch's horn clak'd into mine, twisting my head to the side. “What do you mean you don't have it? You didn't sell it, did you? It's worth far more than caps!”

If only, Chief. I grimaced. “That slaver leader, Peanut, he attacked me back in the city, just before Snow and I got out. He took it.”

“FUCK!”

Panicking, I moved to quiet Al with my hoof, but accidentally slugged the Chief in the face. He grunted angrily.

Aah! “Sorry, Chief, I was trying to shush him, keep him quiet. I didn't mean to hit you!”

I heard the Chief spit. Something wet and rich hit the floor with a splat. “No harm done, Buff. Just watch that jab of yours.” He sighed. “So Peanut has a Pipbuck now? Just 'great'.”

“Chief!” Al hissed from behind us. “I still have mine. It's got some yellows ahead of us.”

Our horns contacted again as he turned in the direction of Al's voice. “How many?”

Al took a second to respond. “They're bunched up pretty close together, but doesn't look like that many. Four, maybe five?”

“Okay. Nice and quiet now, boys.”

We continued through the dark warehouse, Al keeping up on the right path. Around one hundred metres in, something slashed across my shoulder, causing me to cry out.

“WHO'S THERE?!”

Instantly, light flooded the warehouse, forcing us to throw hooves over our eyes.

A deep booming laugh sounded out from beyond the glare. “Well, well, well, if it ain't 'da Chief'. Come all the way out here for little ol' me? What an honour.”

Blinking away the stars in my eyes, I squinted until I saw the speaker. Almost as big as Rockhaunch, Crush looked like he was very familiar with his namesake activity. Two more grinning buffalo flanked him. All three bore battle saddles bristling with heavy ordinance.

“Crush, why are you here?” Rockhaunch's growl was heavy, sharp.

The Chief was still rubbing at his eyes. Crush spotted this, and boomed out another laugh. “Oh, don't get all weepy on me, Chief. Me and my guys here are just out for a fun time. This is the place for it, you know. All that nice music, and the happy crowds, and the food cooked in all that hot, flammable, oil.”

Rockhaunch hadn't stopped sneering at the younger bull. “What are you planning, Crush?”

Crush sneered right back. “I'm here to put on a show.”

He looked to the side, where the stagehoof buffalo entered. The new arrival had no battle saddle, instead had massive shotguns strapped to his wrists.

The Stagehoof nodded at Crush, turning the latter's sneer into a lopsided grin. “See, I don't much like that 'puny' music they're playing. I need something with more boom.” The burly buffalo slammed his hoof down on a button on the floor in front of him.

Four, five, six, dull thuds sounded from outside, followed by high-pitched, manic screaming.

The four of us were frozen, looking out into the Vanchoofer air as the screams intensified.

Al recovered first. Anguished, he turned back to the gang leader. “Why are you doing this, Crush?”

Canting his head to the side, Crush looked genuinely surprised to see my brother. “That you, Al? Boy, I never thought I'd see you again after the big rumble back then. Thought you were dead.”

Shaking, Al looked at all four of the bombers. “Did you even look for me? Look after your 'brother buffalo', like you claimed we all were?” Al slashed the air with his Pipbuck-laden limb. “How did you put it? 'Buffalo gotta look out for each other. If we don't then nobody will.' How does that line up with leaving me behind?”

“I didn't need you, punk. You couldn't even beat one zebra. What good were you to me against ponies if you were that soft? You'd never do what was necessary.” Mud-brown form shaking with psychotic glee, Crush threw back his head and roared. “TAKE THAT, YOU PUNIES!”

“HOW DOES THIS HELP BUFFALO, CRUSH?” Al roared back. “These people were innocent!”

“They're not buffalo, who cares what they are?” Crush stopped laughing, and waved Al off. “Gotta do what it takes to put buffalo on top, Al. That means tearing down the ponies. The griffons and zebra too, if I have to.”

Suddenly clicking his hoof against his horn, Crush snickered. “I got an idea! Since they didn't kill you back then, why don't we go get that zebra bastard who kept knockin' you down? Or how about that Red Ice unicorn who thought she could beat me! Let's go get her, Al!”

Another, louder, boom sounded out, followed by intensified cries. Crush squeed in delight. “And that's the stage! No more lousy racket played by punies.” He pointed past us, out of the warehouse doors. “Come on, boys. Let's go have some more fun. They'll all be running scared now! Can't wait for the rest of the bombs to go off.”

Stamping the concrete so hard that it cracked, Rockhaunch put himself between Crush's gang and the door. “You're not going anywhere, Crush!”

Snorting in derision, Crush rolled his eyes. “Oh give me a break, Rockhaunch. This ain't Lethbridle. You can't arrest me. You can't do SHIT to me!”

Rockhaunch turned and blasted every weapon in his battle saddle at the stagehoof. The buffalo was blown upright and over, crashing down on the cold floor. “You three, stop the other bombs.” His speech was barely audible over the burst of his guns, tearing into the second of Crush's goons as they stood dumbfounded.

“We can't leave you here!” Al made to move up, raising his shield.

“GO!” Rockhaunch bellowed, scrambling out of the way as the last of Crush's posse charged straight for him. He barely made it upright before Crush barreled into him. The two behemoths went down in a thunderous heap.

“What do we do?” Lo was gripping his shield as hard as he could.

“Give me your shield, Lo!” I commanded. With Rockhaunch tied up in fighting Crush, the last of his crew was pulling himself back to his hooves. “I'll back up Rockhaunch. You two find the others, tell the guards about the bombs. Tell everyone!”

“Are you sure, Buff?”

Lo hadn't let go of his shield, and the last enemy was turning back to the titanic combat between the Chief and the terrorist. Heart pounding, I wrenched the shield from Lo's grasp and secured it across from mine. “I'm sure. You two go now.”

Without another word, I charged forwards, slamming into the unnamed buffalo before he could bite down on his mouthpiece. I felt metal rend and fold, but didn't stop until I pushed him into the wall.

Twin shields up, I put everything I had into keeping him pinned. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Al dragging Lo back outside. Good job, Al. Keep going.

I might have been stronger than any pony or griffon, but my opponent was a full grown bull, while I was a teenager. Bovine muscles surged beneath the shields as he barged me backwards.

Hooking his horn, he tore one shield away, sending it spinning across the empty storehouse. I struck out at his face with the remaining shield, catching him on the chin.

He stumbled back, but shook it off and lowered his head. I braced the shield for his charge, but it wasn't enough. The force lifted my front hooves high, and the momentum left my back hooves scrambling for purchase as I went in reverse.

Pain exploded across my back as I hit the wall behind me. Twin spikes of pain stung my chest as his horns pierced the shield. Is this how Wastelanders fight? It's horrible.

“You're out of your league, pup.” He sneered, raking the points of his horns down my front. When he pulled away, blood came with him, as did the shield stuck to his horns.

Winded and bruised, I felt the blood from the gashes matting my fur. Before I could even raise my head, the shield slammed into my forehead. He... he didn't even take it off his horns. My assailant rammed it down onto my crown. My legs gave out, and I sank back down, only to meet another charge. I felt something pop in my side as I fell landing heavily on my shoulder.

Shield-first, he battered me around in a circle, moving my unmoving bulk through sheer power alone. “You're as weak as Al was. Even look like him too. You two brothers? Maybe you can at least manage to die right.”

Smirking, he chomped on his trigger. I froze. I... am I going to die? Someone help! Snow! Undertow! Anyone!

Raggedly clicking, his impacted weapons refused to fire. “Oh for fuck's sake.” Grumbling, he shucked off the entire battle saddle, and ripped the shield from his head. “Guess I'll do this oldschool.”

I tried to rise as he stalked towards me, but fear made my legs weak, and I only managed to get one knee under me before he smashed a hoof into my face. I tasted blood, and turned my head away to shield my face.

He didn't care, and punched me in the side of the head. The back. The top. Anywhere where his hooves could reach, he struck.

I couldn't see. I couldn't hear. I could only feel the pain, and my heart thudding in my chest. The remaining bombs meant nothing to me, nor Rockhaunch, or Crush, or the screams outside. I just wanted it to stop.

It did. With an ear-splitting volley, Rockhaunch launched everything he had into my assailant. “I told you to run. Get outta here, Doublehorn!”

I could barely comprehend what was happening, through the pain and blood. All I knew was that I wasn't being hit anymore, and the buffalo wasn't getting back up again.

I raised my head. Rockhaunch was already turning back to Crush, but he was moving so slowly. The Chief was bloody too, and panting. He shuffled an inch at a time, turning like driftwood in a weak current.

What did Crush do to him?

As if summoned by my thoughts, Crush surged in from Rockhaunch's right. The Chief kept turning to meet him head on, but he was too slow. Crush had no battle saddle and, unburdened, his horns stabbed deep into the flesh of the older buffalo's side. Howling, Crush kept pushing, until his forehead rested against the oaken fur of Lethbridle's champion.

Then, Crush twisted.

The unholy sounds drawn from Chief Rockhaunch as the wicked barbs rips chunks from his body blasted me back to full consciousness. Eyes wide, I could only watch as blood arced out of the wound, spraying the drab grey in a crimson burst.

Pupils unfocusing, the Chief fell. He fell, and did not rise.

“Heh... heh...” Crush tried to wipe some blood from his cheek. All it did was smear it across more of his ragged face. “Told ya you couldn't... do anything to me, old... bastard.”

“Ch-chief?” Using the discarded, punctured shield for a crutch, I managed to get upright.

Chest rising and falling, in ever decreasing frequency, Rockhaunch couldn't even raise his head. “Buff,” he croaked through bubbles of blood, “...go.”

“Still not dead?” Crush stomped manically across the floor. “I'll fix that.”

In one swift, terrible motion, he opened the Chief's throat from end to end.

I held Rockhaunch's gaze as it happened. My body didn't know how to respond. A thousand internal sensations began and ended before I could even determine what they were. Is is always this way, Snowflake? How many times have you gone through this, big sister?

Who did you see die first?

“One left.” Crush growled. “Just you and me, kid.” He took a shaking step towards me, then dropped to his knees, unable to take his own weight. “Argh, damn. Fucking Rockhaunch.”

He's gonna kill me! I hobbled towards the exit, as fast as my broken body could take me.

“Yeah, go ahead and try to run. More fun for me.” Shuffling around, Crush began tugging at the Chief's battle saddle. “Gotta be something on here to kill your punk ass. You, Al, and... the other one.”

Lo! Al! I have to get to them. We have to get away!

I cried out as a bullet sparked off a steel beam two metres to my right. Putting everything I had into moving, I wasted no more time looking back.

Crush's voice followed me out of the warehouse. “Urgh, damn thing's heavier than it looks. Whatever. Run all you want, Doublehorn. You won't leave Vanchoofer alive!”

Back out in the open air, the devastation was readily apparent. Bodies lay either bleeding or unmoving all around. Those on the ground moaned softly, or reached out for me as I passed. Others, crying or screaming or shouting, were pulling their loved ones from craters and collapses. More than once I saw somebody with a bloody stump where a limb should have been.

Smoke from over a dozen blazes burned around the outskirts of Vanchoofer, darkening the cloudy sky further, with more fire at the centre of the settlement. The misshapen, blackened remains of the stage were still standing, but the creaking of the fire-warped wood was audible even from this distance.

Staggering towards the stage, passed tangled and twisted bodies, I desperately hunted for my brothers, or the Sprinkles Supplies guards, or any Lethbridle uniform. There was a lot of people around, soot-covered and bloodstained, but nobody I recognised.

The best and worst of Wastelanders were on display as I limped through the town. Griffons fought to keep their meager possessions safe from pony looters taking advantage of the situation, even while hens stripped dead bodies of any valuables. Stallions and tiercels joined forces to lift rubble away from a doorframe, freeing those trapped within. Near the main gate, the Vanchoofer gate guards looked on, indifferent, as a pair of buffalo struggled to hold up a wall while others pulled foals to safety.

“Al. Lo.” Stumbling and dragging myself with hoof and shield, I reached them just as the wall they were supporting cracked down the middle.

“GET CLEAR!” Both dove aside as the wall dropped, throwing up choking dust.

By the time I'd spat out the foul powder that got into my mouth, Al and Lo were up and crowding me. “Buff! What happened to you?”

“Where's Rockhaunch?”

“Did you stop Crush?”

Snorting, I hocked out a mess of green, red, and grey. “Al, Lo, I'm sorry but Rockhaunch... he's dead.”

Colour drained from their faces. “D-dead?” Al crossed his hooves in front of him.

“But... what about Crush?” Lo wasn't blinking now. He was looking all everywhere at once.

“He's still alive.” Another twinge of pain ran through me. “We have to get help, stop him. Where are the Sprinkles guards?”

“They left, said the money wasn't worth their life.” Mournfully, Al looked to the openly-eavesdropping Vanchoofer guards, who turned away. “We should get out of here too, Buff. We can’t stop him without Rockhaunch.”

I would love to leave, but... “We can't. Crush won't stop. He might have more bombs, and he still has a gun. Everyone here is in danger. Don't you remember? He said he was going after Snowflake after this.”

Both jerking at the mention of our sister, they stalled. We all looked at each other, Al to Lo, Lo to me, me to Al. “What do we do?”

I honestly don't know which one of us said that.

“We could leave?”

“Come back with help, yeah!”

“I'm sure the guards will handle Crush.”

“Nope,” An anonymous guard called in from outside our stand-off. “busy now with all this shit going on.”

“Well, now what?”

“If Rockhaunch couldn't stop him, why should we even bother trying?”

“Because,” I was sure, at least for this one moment, that I was speaking, “our big sister raised us to be good.”

Silence descended, broken only by our sniffles. I was certain that Al and Lo were thinking the same thought that I was. A girl a quarter of our size, a tenth as strong... and a hundred times as bold as the three of us put together.

“Snow won't get mad at us for fighting, right?” Lo wiped at his tears. “She's scary when she's ticked.”

“So long as we make sure we come home, like we promised.” Al forced a smile. “She'd never forgive us for leaving her alone.”

“She's not alone,” I corrected. “she's with our other sister.”

“About time you came around.” Al's quip earned him a real smile from me.

“Yeah, sorry I took so long.”

“And not just Undertow!” Lo started excitedly, before stopping himself. “Nah, y'know what, I'll let Undertow tell you when we get back.”

I looked at Al. He looked back. We both shrugged. “Okay?”

A loud banging echoed around the town. Looking back, I spotted a burly form by the stage, striking a massive gun against the compromised structure. Bloodied but standing tall, Crush roared. “Doublehorns, come out to play-ay. Doublehorns, come out to play-ay. Doublehorns, COME OUT TO PLAY!”

The three of us stood, side by side by side.

“This is how we help.” I reminded them. “This is how we protect our sisters.”

Al hefted his shield. Lo procured another to replace the one I'd appropriated back in the warehouse.

“'ey,” A Vanchoofer gate guard strolled up and, without warning, jabbed a needle into my shoulder. “this'll help.”

“OW! What was that?!” I swung my horn-drilled shield around, but he ducked under my attack.

“Easy there, big guy. Just some Med-X. It'll take the edge off. I saw you movin' a little slow there.” He jerked his head to the other guards, who were tossing caps into a pile. “We're takin' bets. At least this way you can give us a good show, yeah?”

I do not like you. “Well, we wouldn't want to bore you and your gambling buddies now, would we?”

Lo didn't miss with his follow up swing, and sent the stallion sprawling. “Get away from my brother, ya leach!”

Worryingly, the stallion came up smiling. He turned to the other guards. “Ten caps says that one gets the last hit in.”

Al tch'd in disgust. “Friggin' ponies, bro.”

He's not wrong. “Let's just get this over with.” Despite my words, the sick feelings from the warehouse were resurfacing, multiplied to the power of three now that I had my two brothers to imagine dead.

“Oh, come on, guys.” Lo's fear-born optimism was relentless. If he stopped, he would probably break down. “They're just trying to make some caps off of a bad situation. Remember that this is Crush's fault.”

Al mulled that over for a second, before altering his statement. “Friggin' buffalo, bro.”

Okay, so he was wrong. “Yeah, friggin' buffalo.”

And then there was left to do but go face Crush, who was still ranting by the stage. Even from here, his movements were erratic and irregular.

Has he been using Med-X too?

As we neared the stage, he caught sight of us. “There you are, Doublehorns. Time to die.”

In a flash, his shotgun was up and firing, shot bouncing off of our shields.

It would have gone straight through mine if I hadn't already been in motion. Yep, he definitely gave himself something.

His weapon tracked me as I moved. Just as he fired, Lo barged into his shoulder, and the shot went wide.

Grinning and grunting, Crush twisted the gun up and over, slamming the butt into Lo's shield, which hammered both down onto Lo's face. Hooking his horns under the dazed buffalo's shield, he wrenched up and away. Lo went flying backwards, the wind blowing out of him as he crashed down.

Al rammed Crush from the other side, overbalancing him, but the drugged up giant caught him under the chin with a blind kick.

NOW! While Crush was down, I bounded in and leaped, bringing the shield down on the shotgun. There was a raucous CRACK, but it didn't break.

Rising, Crush yowled and rammed his forehead into mine. Thanks to the Med-X, I barely felt it. The two of us struggled against each other as our hooves gouged deep furrows in the ground for traction.

I struggled more, and the bigger buffalo surged forwards.

Digging my heels in did little, if anything, as I was steadily forced backwards. Crush and I blinked blood out of our eyes, mere inches from each other. His pupils were tiny, zeroed in on me.

Al rushed Crush from the left, battering his shoulder with a mighty impact. As he moved to push Al away, Lo caught him on the opposite thigh. He staggered, and we were apart for a moment.

I butted him back half a metre, and suddenly he was in the middle of a Doublehorn triangle. Any move he made to focus on one of us invited a dig by another. With horn, shoulder, hoof, teeth and elbow, we assaulted the reeling bomber.

Rockhaunch should have won, not you! As Lo twisted Crush around, I took a half-step back, for a bigger charge. I want you to feel this one, you lunatic!

That half-step was a mistake. Without me to carry on the cycle, Crush recovered enough to catch Al's thrust before it could connect. With a firm grip on my middle brother, Crush heaved.

Yelping in panic, Al's entire bulk was lifted off the ground. Crush suplexed him down right on top of me. Even through the Med-X, my popped rib sent white hot agony through my body.

I pushed Al off me with a snarl. The white hot agony was being devoured by a red haze as generations of buffalo battle instincts kicked in. It should have been you! I charged again, ignoring Crush's punch as it just missed taking my eye, I put my whole weight behind my horn.

The spur bit deep into his bicep. With a roar, Crush yanked backwards. My neck felt like it would snap, and his limb tore free.

Still unfeeling, Crush ignored the damage, swinging the perforated limb up and under Lo's chin. Continuing his motion, he clashed brows with Al, who was finally upright again.

“You can't do it, Doublehorns.” He growled. “You're just not strong enough.”

Like me, Al went backwards. Lo got a buck in at Crush's bruises hip. “Not alone, maybe, but we're not.”

My teeth sank into the hole in Crush's muscle. I grunted around the blood and sinew. “Cun beet ool fee ov uz, Clazj.”

For a second or two, it was Crush who was forced back again. Then his healthy, unhindered bicep flexed. The mind-numbing weight of another buffalo's bulk fell atop me, and my knees gave out. I hit the ground, chin first. I felt it burst open in the dirt.

“I'll... KILL YOU ALL!” Taken by the same bloodlust I was, Crush went shoulder to shoulder-and-shoulder with both Al AND Lo, and he was winning. “I'm the strongest around. The biggest and baddest. I don't lose...” Veins pulsed on his forehead. “I CRUSH!”

Forcing my way in between my brothers, stars exploded before my eyes as Crush and I clashed foreheads again. “You can't crush us all. You're alone. Even other buffalo don't like you. Buff, Al, and Lo definitely don't like you.”

“Like I care!” He roared back, spittle covering my face. “I'm still the strongest. I'll show everybody that buffalo should be on top, and I'm the top of the top.”

“Then why are you going backwards, Crush?” Al taunted.

“You bastards are ganging up on me!” He screamed with petulant, schoolyard bully logic. “None of you can take me one on one.”

“We don't need to, you moron!” Lo's cienna fur was caked in sweat, but he kept pushing. “We're not looking to be alone at the top. We want our family around us. The three of us, and our two sisters.”

“Two 'puny' pony sisters,” I interjected, just to see the shock spread across his face.

Yeah, ‘what the fuck?’ indeed. You can’t understand it, can you?

Crush's struggles became more and more disjointed as our wall of bodies pushed him up the ramp onto the stage itself.

I let a sneer run across my face. “You can't beat our family with strength, Crush. It's never going to be enough.”

“Says who!” Back literally against the wall, Crush dug deep. Planting his back hooves on the wall, and his forehooves against Al and Lo's chests, Crush extended as far and as fast as he body would allow.

Al and Lo were blown backwards, off the stage. It left Crush with no leverage, and I slammed him into the back wall of the stage. Still riding the adrenaline, Crush repeated his tactic, but put both hooves on me.

Flying isn't pleasant for a big-bodied creatures like buffalo, especially when you land on your brothers. The three of us groaned in a heap, in front of the stage.

Wheezing, Crush couldn't quite stand up on the stage. Still, he held his head high. “You see that? Three on one, and you still lost. I'm the best. The strongest. The alpha buffalo. Not you, or Rockhaunch, or anyone else. Me! Crush is the strongest one there is!” Stomping heavily around the stage, he challenged the entire town. “This bull won't lose. This bull won't die.” Falling onto his back, he raised his hooves to the sky. “This bull will CRUSH!”

Something answered him, but it wasn't the town or sky.

Damaged by bombs, fire, and a burly buffalo's bulky body battered into its back brace, the stage collapsed.

It collapsed under him, around him, and on top of him.

It was over in seconds, but they stretched out for eternity in our adrenaline high. First the stage floor gave way, and Crush's expression shifted to confusion.

Then cracks ran up the walls, chunks breaking off and falling. His confusion became disbelief.

Finally, the walls and supports themselves came free, tumbling down into the sinkhole.

At its centre, a disbelieving-turned-furious buffalo wouldn't be silenced. One long, continuous, defiant shout echoed off every twisting, turning, tumbling surface, in a crescendo of unbridled vehemence. It was so loud, Crush died before the echoes did.

Al threw up. Lo threw up. I threw up. Our bodies understood what had just happened, even if my mind was still catching up.

Lo managed to recover first, somehow, and keyed his Pipbuck. “Um... mission control. Sorry, forgot your names. We found Crush. Stopped him. Um… we're in Vanchoofer.” He finished lamely.

“Very good, you four.” Responded the cultured voice of the businessmare... Amble? “Allow me to speak to Chief Rockhaunch.”

I choked on the dregs of my vomit. Lo was just as helpless. “Uhh...”

“Hello? Are you still there?”

This shouldn't have happened. I leaned over and spoke into the Pipbuck. “I'm sorry, but Chief Rockhaunch is... he died.”

“They killed each other?”

“Not… exactly.”

“You three killed Crush?”

“We… did some of the damage.”

The mare on the other end of the line, whose family name I at least remembered as Bernstein. was as much at a loss for words as we were. “My congratulations… and condolences. It cannot have been easy to do that.” A pregnant pause was heard. Finally, she spoke again. “This is truly unfortunate but, given that this is the case, I must simply relay the information I have to you remaining three.”

Three wet-behind-the-ears Stable buffalo are hardly a good alternative. “Go ahead. We're listening. Whatever you needed from Chief Rockhaunch, we'll do our best to finish.” We owe him that much.

A hint of humour crept into her voice. “I'm sure you will. Here is the message: Snowflake has called in. She wishes for your group to meet her at Crystal Point, near Sombra's Shadow Lake.”

I heard Al's Pipbuck ping twice, in reaction to the two locations. “Okay, but why are we meeting her there?”

Stiffness returned to the businessmare's tone. “She did not give a reason, only asking that you hurry. I would advise that you do not keep her waiting, both for her sake and yours. She can help you through this more than I am able.”

“That’s not really what I want to hear about my big sister.” Al climbed to his hooves. “We'll go right now.”

Lo looked back towards the warehouse. “Should we… uh… find the Chief’s body?” He whimpered, shuddering as he did.

I groaned as the pain from my battles overcame the waning effects of the painkiller. “We’ll ask the guards. We have to get to Snow now. We can’t help Rockhaunch anymore. We’ll leave, just as soon as I can find a health potion.” Sorry, Chief.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Level Up!

Perks gained: Top Toppling – When faced with more than one opponent, the strongest enemy takes more damage when attacked by different party members sequentially.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Author's Notes:

Author's note: Well, that one wasn't as long as I thought it would be, but it's the shortest of the remaining chapters. We'll see how the rest go. I only have three more planned, plus an epilogue.

As always, a big thank you to Kkat, Kyts, Y1,
Auramane, Cascadejackal (he did the original cover art, which is still on the Fallout Equestria wiki), and you, the readers. Please read and comment, and pass the word along if you like the story.

That’s all for now, folks. Please keep reading, commenting, and spreading the word on Old Souls. I really appreciate your feedback, and welcome back.