Thanks to ProtheanBrony for proofreading.
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The room was quiet when Celestia told what Cadbury possibly was doing. Applejack and Braeburn looked horrified while Scarlet’s face was normal as ever. “Your Highness, why have I never heard of Cadbury’s attack before?” Applejack asked after she recovered from her shock.
“From what I can tell once I got back from Earth, the court decided to keep it quiet, including my disappearance for almost a month. We weren’t on good terms with the griffons at the time and the court thought it would be ill will if the griffons found out.”
“A month, I thought you were in Scarlet’s world for only a week?”
“Apparently, time in my world moves a lot slower than time here,” Scarlet stated. “What did you mean that each strike from Cadbury made you weaker? You got weaker in what?”
“I got weaker in my magic. I don’t know how exactly, but Cadbury’s corrupt magic emits an energy signature that acts like radiation. Not only is it deadly to life, but it somehow stops the flow of natural magic.”
“So it’s twice as deadly to you than to normal pony, like Applejack.” Celestia nodded her head.
“But if Cadbury has unicorns, doesn’t that mean they’re probably slowly being poison to death?” Applejack asked.
Celestia nodded her head and sorrowfully replied, “Yes.”
“We need to go and save them!”
“And how exactly are we going to do that?” Everypony looked over at Scarlet. “We have no idea where Cadbury’s is located, and we don’t know the number of his forces. Any plan we come up with is pointless.”
“Oh but walking down the river trying to find a source of radiation is!”
“I can take care of myself dearie. And unless you've walked the same road that I've walked, don’t talk to me like that.” Scarlet let out a long sigh. “I didn’t know the full story behind the griffon attack. I thought I was dealing with paranoid talking animals at the time. Now that I know, I won’t make foolish decisions like before.” Scarlet bent her neck out and started rubbing the back of it, trying to remove a strain from her muscles. “I need a drink.”
Braeburn spoke up for the first time. “I’ll get you some water, unless you want something else?”
“Do you have any whiskey?”
“Um, no, but I think the Salt Block has some.”
Scarlet smiled. Finally, something good for once. “Where can I find this Salt Block?”
“It’s just down the road to your left, across from the clock tower. Just look for the big salt shaker sign”
Scarlet made her way to the door. “Then I’ll be back, and I promise I won’t set the town on fire.”
The door swung and closed in a rapid motion as Scarlet walked out of Braeburn’s house. Celestia let out a sigh and got up. “I’ll make sure she doesn’t stir up any trouble. We’ll be back.”
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Scarlet walked down the dirt road with Celestia walking not far behind. “You don’t have to follow me.”
“Actually, I’m wanted to try some of the local beverage myself, if you won’t mind that is.”
Scarlet rolled her eyes at the obvious lie. “Sure, as long as you're buying.”
The two of them walked into the Salt Block. Any activity that was going on suddenly stopped and all heads turned at them. Some were looking at Scarlet, but the rest were looking at Celestia.
“Actually, my counsel might not like it if I give money to a non-citizen of Equestria. So I can’t loan you any bits.” Celestia whispered in Scarlet’s ear.
“Awe, but I thought we were good friends.” Scarlet said in fake sad tone. She then spotted a group of ponies sitting around a table, playing a familiar game. “Well, I guess I’ll go get some by other means then.” She walked over to group and her suspicion was correct. The ponies were gambling with their money with a good game of poker.
A male earth pony with top hat spoke. “Is there something you want, hairless monkey?” The group all laughed softly together, except for one.
Scarlet just glare at the pony for a while then smiled. “Yeah, I want your bits.” The group stopped laughing and looked at her, a bit worry shown in their eyes. “In a good game of poker of course, I’m not that kind of thief. Also,” she pointed at the earth pony, “I have no idea what a monkey is so, trying to insult me like that is pointless and dangerous.”
The one who didn’t laugh from last time, let out a small chuckle of amusement. “Here, you can take the spot next to me.” Scarlet sat down next to the male yellow pegasus. The pegasus had a cowboy hat on top of his black mane, and he smiled at Scarlet while looking at her with his orange eyes. “I hope you have bits, don’t think we can spend any of your alien money.”
“Well, I can trade one of my items for some bits.”
“I might be willing to do that,” he replied. “That is, if you have anything worth value to trade with.”
Scarlet thought for a while, and smiled gleefully. “As a matter of fact I think I do.” Scarlet reached behind her and pulled out Maria. The rest of the ponies at the table (and Celestia) became a bit uneasy, but in a quick series of motion ejected both the magazine and the loaded round out of the gun. She then put the gun in front of the pegasus.
The pegasus pupils grew large and his mouth open in awe. “Is this some sort of gun?”
Surprised the pegasus knew what a gun is, smiled and answered. “That’s Maria, a custom 9mm pistol that comes real handy in close corners with multiple enemies coming at you. I got it from a man who had great taste when it came to fashion and business." Too bad it got him killed at the end.
The pegasus picked up Maria and set her down next to a small pile of clothes and some sort of metal contraption. He then pushed over a stack of 15 bits to Scarlet. “That should cover for it. Now do you know how to play?”
“If ya’ll are playing what I think you’re playing, then yes, and don’t start thinking that you will be able keep Maria. I am going to get her back.” The pegasus smiled at the challenge and began to deal the cards.
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“Just how many bits did you win?” Celestia asked after Scarlet ordered three bottles of whiskey.
“I got 136 bits and my gun. Is that a lot?”
“A lot? That’s about what a pony can make in about a month. And you did it in a matter of hours, how did you do that?”
“Well when you’re leader of a city with three casinos, you pick up a few tricks in how to play. Plus most of those ponies had horrible poker faces. It was as if I could see what they were holding. Only that yellow pegasus gave me some trouble.” The bartender brought Scarlet three bottles of Equestria Rough Sea Whiskey and laid them in front of her. Scarlet uncorked one and started drinking it right out of the bottle. Celestia watched in awe as Scarlet chugged down the whole bottle down, in a few quick gulps. Scarlet put the empty bottle on the counter and let out a satisfying sigh. “Oh, I needed that.” She reached for another bottle to start the whole process over again.
“Careful, last thing I need is a drunk human. Don’t want to let you embarrass yourself.”
“You won’t have to worry about that Celestia. It takes more than three bottles of whiskey before I start slurring my words.” Scarlet began to drink her second bottle.
“I hope so.” Celestia placed an order for some wine. By then the clock tower started to ring, telling the time of the day. The loud rings of the bell echoed throughout the room. Scarlet shifted on the stool and slightly shiver uneasily. “Is something wrong?”
“Nothing you would understand.” Scarlet finish her second bottle and reached for the final one.
“Are you sure? I have been to your world, so…”
“Yeah, but you only been there for a week. That doesn’t make you an expert on human psychology.”
“Come on. You must’ve faced many dangers out in the Wasteland. Why does the ringing of a single bell make you uneasy?”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
Celestia closed her eyes. Her horn softly glowed and Scarlet’s necklace glowed along with it. Scarlet moved her eyes as she watched the necklace being removed around her neck and settled down on the bar counter. Celestia open her eyes and spoke in English. “Then make me understand.”
Scarlet raised an eyebrow. “Fine, I’ll tell you, but I won’t go light on the details you know.” Celestia nod her head and waited for Scarlet to begin her tale. “It all started when I heard a radio broadcast saying I could begin again with my life.”
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Fallout New Vegas is copyrighted Obsidian Entertainment and Bethesda Softworks.
MLP: Friendship is Magic is copyright to Hasbro.
All characters that belong to their companies are rightfully theirs. This writing is for fun and nothing else.