Chapter 5: Leaving Home Ain't Easy
Today was the day that we would be leaving the Stable. I'm happy to report that we did not get in trouble for knocking out the Stable door security protocols (which Brandy claimed he reactivated the night after), knocking out the guards guarding the door, knocking out the guards guarding the guards guarding the door, going against a direct order to never leave the Stable (even though we were leaving in a week anyway), and breaking a load of other rules that we would have been severely punished for. Though really, I think all three of us were punished enough by exposing ourselves to the outside world.
And going back to that, every night I was kept awake. By many things. The post traumatic stress from the raiders, though that was mild, the want of listening to that radio station again, the curiosity of what else was out there. But one thing kept me up that stood out to me: that zebra. He lived in Ponyville, but said he was leaving soon. Why? Were the raiders new, and he wanted out? Some of the... parts... scattered around the library seemed really old. Maybe he wanted to reunite with some family for an anniversary? I wanted to know where he was going.
Maybe I'd meet him again someday in the Wasteland, I thought. But right now, in the Stable, things were busy. First off, I got my Trottin' Wheels! Not as fabulous as my chair-of-many-colours, but infinitely more convenient. I was actually on my hooves and walking like a normal pony! For the first time since I got them, I was actually using (half of) Buck's horseshoes!
Ponies were packing their personal belongings. Seeing as there hadn't been anything added to the Stable in 200 years, you can imagine how personal belongings usually amounted to inherited or traded possessions. Still, I doubted the panic ridden ponies of Ponyville way back when had as much trouble getting their stuff here as we now had getting it out.
There were five large wagons outside in Sweet Apple Acres, waiting to haul up to fifty of us each, plus four ponies each for pulling. That's roughly over half the population after the attack. The rest would have to leave after the wagons returned for a second trip. Ella and I were going to be on the first convoy, as I was classified as a 'vulnerable passenger' and was therefore a priority. Ellabelle was classified as my carer, being a doctor and spending so much time helping me over the past week or so, so she was instructed to chaperone me on our journey.
Brandy on the other hoof...
The Overmare saw fit that a small squad would be sent on a diplomatic mission to Junction R7 a few days before everyone else, in order to meet the ponies there and create preparations for the arriving ponies. It was important that ponies who were any good in a fight were to be sent on this mission, as they were also acting as a clearance, making sure our route there was as safe as could be.
My Dad was sent to be a part of that squad because he was higher ranking. Brandy, by sheer bad luck. He didn't seem to mind though, as he was given ammo for his precious 'Twinkle' as he named his gun. I begged him not to go, and to stay with us, where we could watch each other's backs, but he was insistent on following his orders. Evidently he felt guilty about sneaking out, particularly because he had to do it behind his manager's back by hacking her computer. Something Suki later chided me as being dishonest.
So there we were. It was about eight in the morning when we were standing in line to leave the place we had called home for our whole lives. This time, for good. I didn't have many personal belongings - none that I couldn't fit in my saddlebags, anyway. And Ella was similar, having only her few belongings in her bags along with a few medical supplies. Given our past experience with the surface, I think we were a little more nervous than most.
"AB," Ella whispered to me. I sent her a friendly 'yes?' expression.
She looked at the floor with a forlorn expression, then opened her mouth, but she couldn't speak. I knew what she wanted to say.
I placed my arm over her shoulder in consolation; it felt a little diminishing putting my weight on her due to the mechanics of my new wheels, but I knew she got the message. "I'm scared too."
All three of us looked after each other after the raiders. We were scared. Scared for each other, scared for ourselves, and now that he was out there - somewhere we didn't even really know where - we were particularly scared for Brandy.
The line inched forward as we comforted each other and pondered on our new lives. I was going to miss this place. I knew change was needed, though I rarely ever liked it, and that a new life above ground could be just the change I needed. But it didn't help the fear much. That job was left with my family. And right now, only one of them was with me.
We finally arrived at the door, where the two guards from last week were making sure that the evacuation was performed in an orderly fashion. Ella and I kept our heads down in shame. All we wanted to do was see the world that night, and we took advantage of these two ponies who were just doing their jobs. I would have apologised to them, but they might not even have known what happened, much less than there was any hoof pointing to be done. Best to stay out of trouble, I thought.
And there we were again. In line in the dimly illuminated tunnel, where on the other side, the sun supposedly shone.
When we stepped out, it was beautiful. Though we were quite mistaken. The sun didn't shine over Equestria. It didn't seem to shine at all by the looks of things. The clouds that seemed to be everywhere that night still drifted through the sky, not permitting a single ray of sunshine. Which I was almost glad for, as the sunlight, for as cloud-blocked as it was, seemed to nearly blind me.
Still the smell hung in the air, and the sound of Stable Two's generators was nowhere to be heard, just like before.
A new life. This time, above ground.
***
Of the five wagons the first batch would be sent on, Ella and I were stationed on the fifth one. And due to Ella's insistence of sitting at the back of the wagon, it would mean that we would be the ponies closest to our former home when we set off.
About 30 minutes of preparation later, we were headed for Junction R7. The wagon had a roof to defend against the so-called 'rain' that I'd heard so much about (I mean, water? That falls from the sky? How... quaint), and the rear had a large opening, allowing us to gaze at the journey behind us as we strolled.
"You know, I was kinda hoping we could see the stars," said Ella with a wistful smile, as we rode down Sweet Apple Acres towards the bridge. I hoped our armed security ponies would deal with any raiders we would be unable to avoid. "but if these clouds don't go away anytime soon, we won't even see the sun, much less the night sky."
The sky. It was one of my favourite parts about the Orchard. Yeah, it looked fake, but it was there. And I could have daydreamed for hours under a tree if it were allowed. Actually, come to think of it, I don't think my manager would have had a problem with that, so long as it was after hours, and I wasn't in anyone's way. Another thing I'd never get the chance to do, now that I'd be living somewhere many miles east of that subterranean orchard.
"I asked about the painted-on clouds back in the Orchard when I first started working there. My manager at the time, after I asked what the 'white roundy things' were, told me that pegasi would turn water into its gas form, where they would put them out into the sky to later turn into rain. I bring this up because, I don't think these clouds are gonna budge."
She gave me a quizzical look. "These clouds were put there by pegasi," I said. "Because if they weren't, then someone, somewhere would clear them."
"Maybe the weather is out of control?" she replied. "Or maybe the pegasi are extinct. Which would explain the lack of control."
"But that's not it. If the pegasi were extinct, then some group of unicorns would clear the sky so the crops can grow. Look around." I pointed out the back of the wagon to a patch of yellowed grass that should have been a rich green colour according to my experience in the Orchard. "Call it 'farmer instincts' but I don't think that's healthy grass. There's no crops - at least none that're worth eating - therefore no sunlight, and it could all be resolved with a team, maybe a corporation, of unicorns dedicated to controlling the weather. But the clouds are still up there, preventing ponies from growing the food they need to survive. The clouds have to have been put there. Because if not, someone would have come along years ago and come up with a solution. They haven't. Meaning every time the clouds get cleared, they regroup to block the sun again before even the grass has time to freshen up. It has to be the pegasi. And they have to be living on the clouds."
"But that begs the question..." Ella started.
"Why do the pegasi want to block out the sun?" we said in stereo. I wanted to ask a Surface Dweller. Maybe I was wrong? We hadn't seen any pegasi around Ponyville, but then, we only saw 4 people. One of which wasn't even a pony.
Unable to think of an answer to our question, we sat on it. The talk about Surface Dwellers reminded me that there was one pony who I yearned to hear again.
I switched to the radio option on my Pip-Buck. The lack of a Stable Two Radio felt like a thorn in my heart, but the option of DJ PON-3's station assuaged it plenty. As the gentle music played, I asked Ella where she thought that zebra was now. We had talked about him before with Brandy, and both ponies made themselves clear that they didn't like him, after what nearly happened because of him.
"He said he was leaving in a few days, right? That was a week ago. So wherever he was leaving for, he's left already," I said.
"Does it matter? I could live a happy life at R7, never having to meet anyone like him again."
Truth be told, we wouldn't actually be going to Junction R7 just yet. A so-called 'New Appleoosa' would be used as a pit stop, then we would shortly be arriving at R7. A census would then be taken, and after everyone is accounted for, we would be permitted to travel wherever in the world we pleased.
Ella had a point though. I didn't want to live in a world with ponies who kill each other, or leave one another to be eaten. Though I understood the civilised places like New Appleoosa and Junction R7 were safe spaces, meaning we wouldn't be affected by the outside world all that much. I could go back to a day-in-day-out job, and my life would be just like it was before. Only the sky would be real! Though different, I prayed that I may like working outside better than working inside. Assuming, of course, the Overmare's artificial sunlight would be enough to grow the Orchard outdoors.
It's a shame there's only so much an Orchard Worker can do off their hooves.
As the hours passed by, noon was upon us, so to give the ponies pulling the wagons a rest, we stopped for an hour lunch break. Ella decided to stretch her legs, then helped stretch mine, which was a weird experience, though relaxing.
Many ponies, including Ella and I, were sitting about on the ground near the wagons, eating our lunch. She decided to strike conversation with her trademark lack of care for sensitive questions.
"So your hat. What does she think of all this? Moving out and whatnot?"
I sighed. I doubted she actually cared about the answer, but was more curious as to how I would respond. I removed my hat and looked at her. "Well?"
"Honestly? I just wish Honey were here to see this. She would have loved to see the world with us."
Wow. Awkward much? I replaced Suki and replied to Ella. "She misses my Mom. She doesn't tell me much, but from what I can tell, she talked to all of my ancestors before they died."
Ella looked at the hat suspiciously. "Why does she only talk to you?"
I looked up at my hat, then repeated her words as she spoke. "I can only have one owner at a time. Switching owners isn't as simple as who wears me. It's complicated, darling." Yes, she did trick me into saying 'darling.'
"Can she only see what you see, or can she see everything around her? Or does she just sense stuff? Or does she just not see at all?"
The pain in the ass replied sarcastically, "Please insert one bit to continue this call. Thank you for using MOI. We hope to see you again soon!"
"She's not responding anymore. She does that sometimes. I don't know why."
Ella looked suspicious again, though this time at me rather than Suki. Unable to think of anything else to say, we ate. After the break, we positioned ourselves back in our place on the wagon, and resumed our journey.
Not much more was said for hours more. I wouldn't say I was motion sick, but all this rattling about was giving me an unpleasant feeling.
As twilight was upon us, we entered a particularly foggy forest, whose large branches and tree roots didn't help my unpleasantness with the bumping of the wagon. Though it was twilight, summer was still summer, and it was later than it looked. Ellabelle was asleep, snoring quietly, and leaning against the side of the wagon. I feared she may fall out the back.
I decided to sit next to her, in case she tumbled in her sleep. Then I asked Suki to sing me a lullaby, so I could join Ella in whatever realm one goes when they sleep.
Suki complied with my request, which I was grateful for. Her gentle voice was a beauty to fall asleep to. And as the night crept on, so too did the sandmare upon my eyes.
"Hush now quiet now
It's time to lay your sleepy head
Hush now quiet now
It's to go to bed"
***
*CRASH*
The front wheels of the wagon hit a particularly large obstacle in the road, causing Ella to lurch over the opening in the back of the wagon. She was still asleep somehow, hanging half over the edge. I tried to grab her to pull her back in, but all it did was wheel me closer to her. The rear wheels hit the obstacle, and we both went tumbling out of the wagon.
The last thing I saw before I crashed was the sight of Ella hitting her head hard on the rock our wagon had just trod over. The last thing I heard was the sound that accompanied it - which reminded me of two pool balls smacking into each other.
I landed hard on my back, which winded me. Quickly, I began to panic. Did they know we weren't there? I couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe. I tried to scream. We're over here!
It was useless. I tried breathing. Tried screaming as soon as I could. But it was futile. They were leaving us behind, and it took seconds before the rear wagon disappeared into the thick fog. Once I got my breath back, I screamed as I struggled to right myself. I was like a turtle put on its back. I couldn't move. My panicking was severe now. I was certain Ella was dead.
I released the straps on my walker, then rolled over. I frantically crawled over to Ellabelle with tears in my eyes. I prayed to the Goddesses that she was alive. When I found her, she looked just as asleep as she was a moment ago. And it was true, for she was breathing slowly.
I sighed and thanked both Goddesses. I then inhaled greatly and screamed one last time for help. She was alive for now, but a blow like that was deadly.
I opened her saddlebags, searching for what she needed. It was full of bits and bobs, but I quickly found the purple healing potion that I prayed would keep her alive. I uncorked the bottle, and slowly poured it down her throat.
As I held her head up so she could drink, I noticed the blood running from her head. By the time the potion had stopped the bleeding, there was enough blood on the ground to fill the bottle.
I was alone in a forest with no backup. My medic was now dead weight. My only guide was a voice in my head that knew little more than I did. And my friend would certainly die without proper medical attention.
I placed Ellabelle on her side, then crawled back to my wheels, righted them, then harnessed myself. I marched over to Ellabelle and perched her on my back. If I ran for it, I might be able to catch up to the wagons before they made a turn.
My only problem now was the growling coming from around me.
As I peered around the forest for the source of the growling, I activated my E.F.S. compass. I quickly realised I didn't need a computer to show me a bunch of red lines. The many pairs of glowing yellow eyes told me where the danger was. I didn't want to find out if they were zebras or radioactive monsters. All I wanted was to save our skins. And that's what I was gonna do.
I bolted. Ella's weight was balanced on my back, and while my wheels were not the best of paralympic modes of transport, they were more than operational enough for me to gallop in the last known direction of the wagons till my heart ached. The heartache from my friend, and the fear of the monsters, pushed me through it.
I didn't dare look back, even to count my chasers. I could clearly hear that whatever was behind us was already on the hunt.
"Suki! Do you remember this forest? Is there anything nearby? Like a town, or a road, or something?"
"I've never been here before! It's just some forest! It had no significance before the bombs!"
One of the creatures jumped out in front of me from behind a tree, causing Ella to fall over my head as I halted. The creature was a type of wolf. Its pointy teeth followed a pattern of one red, then one black, all along its gums. It's fur was a deep murky green colour with purple stripes, and its yellow eyes glowed appropriately like fog lights, impairing my vision slightly.
The wolf was inches from my friend on the ground. I knew I had only a second to react. I swiftly leaned in to hoist Ella on my back. I only barely managed to succeed before the wolf sank its disgusting teeth deep into my shoulder.
I yelped. I had two lame rear legs and a limping front one now. Running was out of the question now. Though particularly because there was still a wolf attached to me. I recalled something Sheer Kick told me years ago, which I found stupid at the time, but was now glad I listened to. I leaned my face up to the wolf's and bit into the side of its face. Biting with all my force into its eyeball.
Never fight fair when you're fighting for your life, she told me.
The wolf roared. I took the opportunity to return for seconds as I bit a second time, this time even harder, on its wet, black nose, causing blood to spurt from it profusely, painting my maw red. It also made one hell of a noise as it broke.
The wolf fell to the ground and cowered. I ran again, hoping the others would see their fallen comrade and understand the danger. I wasn't so lucky. The searing pain in my bloody shoulder was unbearable. I was only able to push through due to the adrenaline of my plight. Inevitably, however, the wolves were catching up.
In my panicked state, I failed to notice a stone in my path, and I tripped, falling flat on my stomach, sending Elle over my head once again. Being roughhoused like this couldn't have been doing her brain any good. I knew there wasn't any time to replace her before the wolves caught up.
I should have been scared. Scared for my life, and my friend's. This was it. We were going to be killed by wolves. But I wasn't scared. I was angry.
I was so incredibly angry.
I got back up and faced the pack of wolves now seconds from making contact - I now counted nine of them - and ran towards them. I couldn't even feel the pain in my shoulder anymore. Or at least, my brain ceased to realise it. As the closest wolf lept at me, I strained my vocal cords as I vented my rage through a deafening scream.
A small flash appeared between myself and the wolf, then a large, circular, light blue shield formed. The wolf made contact, and the momentom horribly destroyed its muzzle and teeth. If ever it survived and healed, it would forever be a poor imitation of any creature's muzzle.
The wolf fell, and the others came to a stop in front of it. As I stepped forward, searing pain returned from my bleeding wound, and my anger returned anew. I wanted these monsters dead for the pain they caused me. I didn't deserve this. Any of this. All the pain over the past month and a half. After all this, I didn't deserve this!
The shield divided into eight like a pizza, then the pieces narrowed like daggers. In the blink of an eye, the daggers were driven into the body's of the remaining wolves.
I couldn't even hear their howling as the daggers made contact. My eyelids felt weighted. A terrible drowsiness overtook me as the daggers disappeared. And before I could register that my passing out could kill Ella, I was ready gone.
***
Groggy eyes and, this time, a mild, numbing from my shoulder. Again, I awoke in a makeshift bed of sorts, with a bandage around my shoulder. Wait, this was a medical bed. I was in a darkly lit room with bleak wooden walls. There seemed to be basic medical equipment on various shelves, as well as what appeared to be robot parts strewn about the place. I noticed a window showing a forest with identical looking trees and thick fog. I was still in the forest.
By my side, I noticed Suki was on a bedside drawer; I equipped her. Next to that was another medical bed, housing a pony with a bandage wrapped all around their head as though they were a mummy from the neck up, and a feeding tube in their nose.
Ella!
"Your friend is very lucky to be alive. And so, may I say, are you, Stable Dweller."
The voice came from a corner of the room, where a figure sat on a chair. I couldn't tell if it was male or female.
"Who are you?" Are you friendly?"
They chuckled. "You ask the right questions, Stable Dweller! I can assure you, right now, I am a friend. Though my friendship is easily lost. I expect to be rewarded for my generosity in helping you and your friend."
"I haven't got any money, but my Stable is on its way to Junction R7. They might be able to pay you."
Again, they chuckled. "Moving a Stable? Sounds like more effort than it's worth to me. Unless your name is Red Eye, I suppose"
"Hah hah. No, I mean the ponies inside. We decided now is the time to leave. Ellabelle and I fell off the wagon, but no one noticed."
A scoff. "Evidently they didn't like you. Was that how she got that head injury?" they pointed to Ella.
I looked to my friend. I desperately prayed that I wouldn't lose another friend.
"Your friend Ellabelle has a severe concussion. If left untreated, she would have had a stroke and died. Lucky I found you when I did." The pony started for the light switch by the door. They looked kind of weird in the darkness. When the light came on, I found the pony wasn't a pony! They were a... a... what were they called? Wings, beaks, paws and claws? No not claws… talons… Gryphons! the person was a gryphon! Except this gryphon evidently didn't like showing their paws. They seemed to be wearing some kind of battle armour from the waist down - something similar to the Steel Rangers. I noted that they were wearing a necklace identical to the one I saw that zebra wearing back at the schoolhouse.
I thanked the gryphon for helping us, then asked their name. "Just call me Maamsir. I'm a cyberneticist. I saved your friend's life using a mix of technology and magic. Once her body has properly healed, the cybernetics can be removed, and it'll be like she never even hit her head. Save for a small scar on the back of her head."
I thanked Maamsir profusely and told them my name, then asked if there was anything I could do to repay them. They told me they weren't after money, and that they had a job for me. "But I can't walk. I was in a Trottin' Wheels when you found me, right? Please don't tell me you left it for some animals to destroy."
Yet again, the gryphon chuckled. "I don't think you realise just how much you owe me." I gave them a quizzical look. They nodded to my rear legs, leading me to remove the blanket covering them.
When I did, I saw that my legs were each encased in some type of medical brace. The braces were made of a thin metal, hardly armour, with many gaps that exposed my green-coated legs. Going up, I noticed the braces were a part of a sort of metal body armour that covered the entire bottom half of my body, the same as Maamsir. Interestingly, my cordate-apple cutie marks were made visible by a pane of thick glass on either side.
"If you look at your hooves, you'll find that there are three extendable supports on each. One on the front side, and two on the sides. For support in case you need to stand on your hind legs, like a zebra."
I gave them a clueless look. What the hell were they talking about?
"Of course, I could replace your whole lower half, like me, but I get the feeling that's not what you want. And trust me, it isn't."
My brain couldn't process this. They... weren't saying what I thought they were saying, right? I shot another look, pleading for confirmation.
"With these braces, Applebuck, you can walk again. Capisce?"
***
I had my life back. Almost. I was, quite literally, not out of the woods yet. Four things still stood in my path of having my old life back. One, I had to repay Maamsir for their 'generosity.' I think they needed to reevaluate their definition of generosity. Two, I had to wait for Ellabelle to recover, though I was told that would happen 'sooner than I thought.' Three, I had to find Junction R7 and get there alive; Ellabelle in tow. And four, I needed to get an upgrade for my new gear. While yes, my leg braces were designed so that I could walk again, Maamsir didn't have kicking solid trees in mind when they cobbled it together at a moment's notice.
But that didn't matter to me at the time. I had a victory to celebrate. For the first time in eleven days, I was walking on my own four hooves! And after an hour of running about, kicking the air, and doing all sorts of tricks I hadn't been able to do for nearly two weeks, I was all worn out.
Apparently, the power source for my braces was the same as my Pip-Buck's. They draw a small amount of magical energy from their host. Unnoticeable to the host, but just enough energy to suffice for a power source. I was told that stronger, heavier legs meant for apple bucking would require a stronger power source, but that I would cross that bridge when I got to it.
An hour of exercise had tuckered me out, so Maamsir suggested I use their shower, and invited me for lunch. Apparently I was fed breakfast through a tube while I was asleep. I was trying not to think about that.
So we had lunch at Maamsir's dining room. Their entire house seemed similar to the houses in Ponyville, so it was familiar (for the most part), despite the odd location. Just a little slice of normal in a not-so-normal place. That being said, it was a weird experience for me. Don't forget, I'm a Stable Dweller. I only knew what a dining room was based on its name. My 'dining room' back home was a massive atrium that fit nearly five hundred ponies in it last week. Can your dining room fit 500 people in it? And don't even get me started on operating another person's shower!
Maamsir's way of life was, by my standards, odd, though I was grateful they respected my herbivorous needs. As I ate my salad, - and they ate the cooked meat of one of the so-called brewster wolves that I'd killed last night - we talked.
We talked for a good while about all that had just happened. I explained my life up until now; they explained what had happened since last night. I noticed that Maamsir never revealed much about their past. Nothing worth mentioning that one couldn't figure out by talking to them, at least. They were about as secretive as Suki when it came to revealing stuff I wanted to know.
With no luck of a further inquiry, I asked them what their necklace was for. The one similar to the one I recognised that zebra wearing.
"Oh, this old thing? Basically turns me into a unicorn. Ya see, every creature has a magical signature. Every pony, every gryphon, every woodland insect. But they're all different. And unicorns have a really unique signature that, combined with the usage of their horns, allows them to tap into certain magic abilities. For example..." Maamsir closed their eyes in concentration as the horn glowed a bright yellow. From a bowl sitting in the centre of the dining table, a pear was levitated to my plate. I took a bite. Meh.
They relaxed. "So you see? Some poor unicorn carks it, some other asshole cuts off their horn, then a special talisman is attached to it. Whoever wields the horn can then use it the same as the unicorn used to. Not many people can make the talismans, though, so they're pretty rare. Not to mention, valuable."
"I met a zebra not too long ago who had one. He had red eyes, and a swirley cutie mark with thorns on it. You don't know him by any chance do you?"
Maamsir chuckled. "Zulu? That bastard. He's actually a part of that job I need you to do. He came here about a month ago to steal it. The bastard ran off with it just as I caught him. All I need you to do is take back that horn. Kill him, if you like, but that's optional."
"I don't wanna kill him. I just wanna see him. Where can I find him?"
Maamsir scoffed. "You met him, now you want to meet him again? Why? He's a thief. And a liar. The bastard used to live in Ponyville, clearing up all the mess the raiders left behind. As well as some of the few standing raiders left."
"Isn't that a good thing? I've seen what a raider's 'hideout' looks like, and it's not pretty."
"Don't be fooled, my friend. He was doing it for his own benefit. He saw that the raider count was lowering, so he decided to take the town for himself and clean the place up. But his effort was a waste of time. Now he's living in a town just west of here called Fetchway. So his sister tells me."
"That's great! I'll take back that horn, then can you point me in the direction of Junction R7?"
"Sounds like a plan. I'll mark it on your Pip-Buck when you're back."
I felt so relieved. Finally, things seemed to be going my way. All except for Ella. I prayed nothing was permanent for her.
"Now I get to ask you a question, Mister Applebuck."
I didn't like the sound of that.
"Remember what I said about magical signatures? How everyone has one, and how they're all different?" I nodded "Well as I was treating you, I noticed an odd signature coming from you."
Sigh. Here we go. "Yeah, that would probably be my hat." They gave me a quizzical look. "My hat is magical."
"Magical?"
"Yep. What would you say if I told you it was sentient, too?"
They stopped and thought for a moment. "I suppose I would ask how it became like that."
"Funny. I've asked her multiple times. She either avoids the question or ignores it entirely. And she won't tell me why."
Maamsir looked pensive, complete with a talon on their beak. They asked what her name was. I answered with her nickname, then remembered her real name was: "Tsuk... Tsuku... Tsu-Tsukumi...?"
"Tsukumogami?"
"That's the one! How did you know?"
"Tsukumogami is the ancient name given to an object that comes to life. Some neighponese crap."
Maamsir asked me to tell them everything I knew about Suki. Evidently they were just as curious as I was. I explained my whole history with her, something I excluded from my tale earlier on. Again, they were pensive. "Well, I don't think Suki has anything to do with your signature. Or, at the very least, it doesn't belong to her. I assure you, AB, that signature is undoubtedly yours"
Now it was my turn to look pensive. "My signiture; You said it was odd. How so?"
"It's the same as a unicorn's. I don't mean to pry, but you don't happen to be a unicorn who... well... used to be a unicorn, do you? If so, I think I may be able to heal you. Or at least direct you to someone who can."
Me? A unicorn? That's impossible. I told them as much.
"So explain the stab wounds on those wolves you killed last night. Those weren't any ordinary knife wounds. And there were no weapons on you or your friend. Those seemed to me like wounds from a magical object created by unicorn magic. And if your friend was already knocked out at that point, then the first explanation that comes to my mind is that you're a unicorn in disguise."
I wondered if Suki had an answer. Heedless of how crazy I looked, I asked her aloud. "I've been there since the day you were born, AB. I can tell you with honest certainty that you are, in fact, an earth pony."
I looked to Maamsir. "She says I'm an earth pony. No doubt. Maybe being with a magical hat for so long made me magical?"
"It's entirely possible, AB. Either way, I was only curious. You're a really unique case, Applebuck. Perhaps I could help you understand this magic when you get back? Assuming you have the horn, of course."
I was curious about my own ability. I only barely remembered last night. I understood I was enraged, but it was a blind rage. I could recall very little. I was sure Suki could remind me later. For now, I had a question for Maamsir.
Changing the subject, I asked Maamsir what happened to their legs. It was clear they were metal, that much I could tell. But I was curious to know more.
When I asked, I was relieved to find it wasn't a touchy subject. They smirked. "Hah! Got into a fight. Got messed up something awful. Thankfully my soon-to-be teacher rescued me and patched me up. The bottom half of me was stolen by raiders - the only half they cared about anyway - and I spent many months in rehab, getting used to my new legs. The old fart carked it a couple years ago. I miss old the bastard, but he lived a long life. Cybernetics will do that to you. Now it's just me and the odd guests here and there."
"Is there anything else of yours that's robotic, if you don't mind me asking?" They smirked wider, then leaned into my ear. What I heard, I will not repeat.
***
A little later, I dropped most of my personal possessions off at Maamsir's, borrowed a few medical supplies from Ellabelle as well as some barding from Maamsir, and was out the door, on my way to Fetchway.
"You know," said Maamsir. "If you want, I can replace your heart and lungs with cybernetics. That way, cardio won't be an issue, and you can practically run forever. At least until your muscles get tired."
I thought about it. It would probably save my life if I were running for it. But I refused. Paralysed or not, I was still whole. And I wouldn't willingly trade that.
I thanked Maamsir again for their hospitality, then set off. "Oh, wait a minute!" Maamsir ran off into their house to get something. A moment later they returned with a cloak identical to Zulu's. "This is a type of zebra stealth cloak. You can guess who I snagged this off of as he was running out the door, heh heh. You press the buckle, and you go invisible for up to sixty seconds. You can become visible again at any time by pressing the buckle again, but for every second you remain invisible, it takes sixty seconds to recharge. Capisce?"
"Capisce. Thank you! I'll look after it, I promise."
I equipped the cloak, then gave a little swirl. Gotta say, I was lookin' pretty swag. I pressed the buckle, but nothing happened.
"You need the hood over your head for it to work. Just put your hat in the cloak or something."
I did just that, then pulled the hood over my head. I pressed the buckle, then found the only part of me visible was my hoof as it poked out the front of the cloak. It was weird looking straight down and not seeing my chest. Very slowly, I started stepping off to the side as I stared at Maamsir. Annoyingly, their gaze followed my movement.
"Though invisible, the cloak doesn't dampen sound. And it doesn't make you lighter, either. So be careful using it on grass or any ground that depresses when you walk on it." Maamsir pointed to my hooves. I looked to where they ought to be, and found that there were hoofprints where I was standing.
As I stared at the four depressions in the ground, my hooves reappeared!
"Yep. Sixty seconds, Stable Dweller. That's your lot. Heh heh."
I removed my hood and replaced my hat. Sixty seconds wasn't a lot, but it was still cool as hell! I gratefully thanked Maamsir for the cloak, even if it was on a loan.
"It's stylish and useful! Simply divine!"
"Heh. Suki definitely likes it. 'Divine,' she called it." I gave a nervous chuckle.
Maamsir smiled. "You're weird, Stable Dweller. I like you, kid. So I'll tell you what: You bring Zulu back here, dead or alive, and it's yours. It suits you better than him anyway."
I thanked them again, and went on my way. Things were finally going my way! New legs! New clothes! And I was one step closer to getting home! I hoped Brandy and Dad were safe at R7 by now.
Still, I wasn't happy about being a bounty hunter. No matter how cool the clothes were. But it didn't matter. Bounty hunting was optional - if I wanted to keep the cloak, at least. If I had to kill someone to get it, I didn't deserve it anyway.
I wouldn't kill Zulu. Regardless, though, I had to get that horn. So off I was to Fetchway. Where I would have to drag that sexy zebra back here if I had to!