I desperately scrambled backwards, nearly knocking the table over, until my hooves hit the closing door. The knob glowed purple as she pulled it shut. Cornered. Not a good look. I swallowed nervously, leaning back as she leaned in. Not a good look at all.
She had only seen me again for a moment, across a rainy and crowded market, but that had been enough to chase me halfway across town. My aching joints reminded me: never run from someone who can teleport.
I was a tough Wasteland pony, so could take abuse, but I couldn’t take the staring. She stared and stared and stared.
“I’m sorry,” she stared.
“Um?” I replied.
“I just wanted,” she interrupted, staring, “to buy a new notepad. That was all. A new notepad. And I finally found what appears to be the only bucking shop in the entire bucking Wasteland that sells actual pre-war paper. And quills, instead of those ridiculous rolly-pen things that stop working half the time. And I had even paid for them, and was packing up my saddlebags, and...”
I swallowed again, and tried to fill the silence. “I, um, walked in and kind of interrupted, a little.”
She stared.
“Um, interrupted, by trying to... rob the store, a bit?”
Stared.
I exhaled, the words coming in a rush. “And I’m very very very sorry, and wanted to thank you for helping me understand how it was wrong to do that.”
The stare changed to a frown. “That’s why I was so eager to talk with you again,” she said. “I’m new to the Wasteland, and trying to hold on to my equinity.” The unicorn ran a hoof through her tousled mane, and let out a long, shuddering sigh.
I stayed perfectly still.
“I had a long talk with my friends,” she continued, her expression unreadable. “And I’ve come to the conclusion that it was definitely wrong to kick your teeth out.”
“Don’t, uh, mention it. I have a very good dentist.”
“Yes,” she said. “I see you’ve already repaired most of the damage. But I collected a little something to help out anyway.”
She levitated a bag onto the table, which landed with a soft clink.
“Maybe useful if you have a similar problem in the future. I hope you’ll accept it, with my apologies. And consider changing your line of work.”
Then she was gone, back into the pouring rain. I collapsed into a shaking pony-shaped heap, my head spinning. It could have gone worse, I guess. I was actually low on caps after the dentist visit, so if a crazy unicorn wanted to help out, so be it.
I poured the bag out onto the table, and froze.
It was full of teeth.