Spinning around, Twilight found herself facing a towering grey skinned creature as tall as her. The creature weilded a banged up minigun, and wore a patchwork of bent street signs, as well as primitive clothing draped over its body. Though intimidating, the towering entity seemed to be on the verge of tears even as they pointed the gun at the brahmin.
“Get out of my head!” it cried before squeezing the trigger.
Janey dove for cover behind a nearby boulder while Twilight simply stood there, temporarily confused by the entire debacle. The towering humanoid fired wildly in the direction of the brahmin pen, causing the animals to run around in a blind panic. Barely any bullets seemed to hit their targets, and if they did they merely grazed the creatures, with none of the beasts going down.
Twilight acted quickly, charging at the humanoid she recognized from Janey’s descriptions as a super mutant. Though her first impulse was to swipe at the minigun-wielding mutant, something made Twilight go for a tackle rather than something more lethal. Slamming into the side of the creature, Twilight wrestled it to the ground, using the shock of her attack to her advantage.
The mutant didn't even seem to know what was going on before all of a sudden its minigun was torn from its grip. Twilight wrapped her arms around the mutant’s body, silently marveling at how enormous the creature truly was. The disappearance of its weapon seemed to snap the thing out of its surprise though and with a heave it freed itself from Twilight's grip.
“Must kill screaming cow beast!” bellowed the mutant.
It shoved Twilight away, shocking the deathclaw by how easily it overpowered her reptilian form. The former pony barely managed to avoid being knocked down, her tail bracing her enough to gather her bearings. She was about to charge a second time, when several shots ran out in quick succession.
The first went wide, the second hit the mutant in the gut and caused it to stumble as it tried to grab its minigun. The third one hit it in the head, dropping the mutant like a puppet with its strings cut. Twilight wanted to admonish Janey for her quickness to kill her foes, but chose to rush over to the mutant in a vain hope of helping it.
Though the chances of it being alive were slim, in Twilight's mind, she was pleasantly surprised to find that it still drew breathe. Inspecting the head wound, Twilight found that the bullet hadn't managed to peirce the creature’s skull and had instead bounced off of it. There was a lot of blood, and a chunk of the mutant’s head was just hanging there but considering the possibilities it wasn't the worst result.
“Huh would you look at that. Give me a sec and I’ll put it out of its misery,” Janey remarked, hefting her revolver.
Twilight turned and shot the courier a glare that made even the hardened killer stop in her tracks. Janey stared back, and for a long moment the pair were locked in a contest of wills that ended with the courier sighing. The girl dropped her gun back into its holster and threw up her hands in exasperation.
“Fine, whatever! Its a schizophrenic super mutant that will kill anyone and everyone but what do I know?” Janey exclaimed. “Its not like dozens of these things have tried to kill me over the years or anything.”
Twilight snorted diresively before turning her attention back to the mutant just in time to see its eyes flicker open. Gazing into her foe’s beedy eyes, Twilight searched for any sign of rage, or anger and found nothing. In fact, they seemed… calm, and looked around in wonder.
“The voices,” it muttered. “There gone.”
Twilight grunted.
“Death claw help Jimmy?” asked the creature in confusion.
Twilight nodded.
That seemed to amuse the mutant, who laughed and rolled on the ground. “Oh this is funny. Jimmy can't wait until others hear about this. They will laugh and say…” the mutant stopped, and laid there on his back, a frown coming to his face. “They wont say anything cus they don't want Jimmy back. Jimmy too crazy they said.”
Twilight shook her head vigorously.
“Well Jimmy isn't crazy no more. The voices are gone, and its all thanks to scary deathclaw lady!” proclaimed the mutant.
Before Twilight knew what was happening she found herself being picked up off the ground and given a bone shattering hug. For the first time since her arrival in the mojave wasteland Twilight had been completely out muscled. She was also experiencing the most uncomfortably tight embrace since the time Applejack had a bit too much cider.
Twilight tried to roar, in a vain hope of saving her ribs, but it came out more like a pained wheeze.
“Oh, Jimmy is sorry,” apologized the mutant.
Dropped to the ground, Twilight crumpled into a heap, breathing heavily. She was then hoisted back to her feet by the powerful hands of her newest friend. There she stood somewhat shakily until she was able to get her balance and stop herself from falling back over again.
“Is deathclaw lady okay?” Jimmy asked, a frown coming to his face. “Jimmy didn't hurt you, did he?”
Twilight shook her head and waved off the mutant’s concern.
“How?” Asked the familiar voice of Janey.
Twilight turned to find that the courier had returned and was angrily puffing on a cigarette.
“I could tell that he was hurting and didn't want to injure the brahmin so I tackled him in hopes of-” Twilight began, her tapping being brought to a halt when Janey interrupted her.
“No. I mean, how did he go from crazy to sane?” Janey demanded, pointing to Jimmy.
“Must have been bullet,” Jimmy remarked, poking a sausage like finger into the crevase created by Janey’s shot.
“That doesn't make any sense!” Janey shouted.
“Like how you got shot in the brain and survived?” Twilight retorted.
Janey seemed ready to argue, and even raised a figner, only to stop before she did so. The courier then stomped away silently, throwing her hands in the air in frustration.
“She sure is angry,” Jimmy muttered.
Twilight chuckled.
“I guess Jimmy should go back to his rock before the sun comes up,” Jimmy remarked.
Twilight stopped him and shot the strange creature a questioning look.
“Rock is over there if you want to visit,” Jimmy explained, pointing to a distant boulder on the other side of the train tracks. “It not much but it home. Here, see.”
Twilight followed mutely after the mutant as he led her to the rather large stone that was apparently where he lived. Upon rounding the other side Twilight found that there were a small collection of random bits of junk sitting on the ground. A few bottle caps, some food, a toy fire truck that had clearly been chewed on a great deal, and had lost most of its paint. Other then that there was a surprising amount of minigun ammo hidden in a crack of the rock which was nearly invisible on first glance.
“Jimmy sits here during the day when angry sun is out. Sometimes he sleeps, most of time he just cries,” Jimmy declared.
Twilight looked around in confusion, noting that this was relatively close to town yet noone had noticed him out here before.
“Jimmy is real good hider. See?” Jimmy offered.
The mutant then knelt down, his body shimmering briefly before he became almost completely invisible. His limited personal items had also vanished, the nightkin somehow managing to blend in perfectly with his surroundings. Jimmy then stood back up, repearing after another flicker of light that passed over his form.
“Told you,” Jimmy proclaimed, rather proudly.
Twilight pointed back towards Novac, and where Janey had disaepared a minute earlier. The deathclaw then motioned for Jimmy to follow her, though the mutant didn't seem to eager to do so.
“Jimmy can't go to tiny people town. They will shoot at him,” murmured the creature.
Twilight smiled as best as she could and motioned a second time.
“Okay, but you go first,” Jimmy proclaimed.
Twilight nodded, walking back towards town and stopping briefly at the small ranch where the mutant had forgotten his weapon. While Jimmy paused to pick it up, Twilight survived the damage done to the McBride family herd. None of the brahmin lay dead, but there was a considerable amount of blood splatters, and spent shell casings covering the ground.
The two headed animals had gathered on the other side of the pasture and were huddled in a tight group. The reason for the odd behavior became apparent a moment later when a man wearing a cowboy hat stepped aside and raised a rifle in Twilight's direction.
“Whose there? Come out or I’ll shoot!” Shouted the man. “You ain't getting another of my brahmin without a fight, ya hear!”
“Jimmy knew this was a bad idea,” Jimmy murmured.
Twilight raised her large hands and walked slowly into view, silently offering a prayer that the man wouldn't be intimidated. Sure enough there was a moment of absolute panic on his face before recognition settled in and he stopped himself from firing at her. The pair immediately recognized one another from Twilight's stay at the doctors near the edge of town.
“Well I’ll be damned. You wouldn't happen to have caught the rustler, have ya?” asked the man, who paused and narrowed his eyes. “Or did I catch ya in the act?”
Twilight rolled her eyes, and pointed down to the spent shell casings littering the ground then raised her empty hands for the man to see.
“Spose its not like you got thumbs anyhow,” muttered the man.
Twilight raised a clawed finger, pointed to his gun and pointed to the ground. The rancher seemed to consider things before reluctantly lowering his rifle, a scowl coming to his face.
“You best be giving me some good news now,” stated the human in the cowboy hat.
Twilight turned around and gently urged Jimmy to join her in the low light given off by a nearby house. The mutant shook his head vigorously, but another careful smile, as well as a bit more coaxing, and he reluctantly stepped forward.
“What in the hell is going on here,” muttered the man. “First a deathclaw, now a mutant. What kinda game is being played on me.”
“Jimmy does not know what game this is called but it does not seem like a fun one,” remarked the mutant.
“Huh,” whispered the man. “If I didn't know better I’d think I had some bad brahmin and was laying loopy on the floor back inside.”
Twilight turned to Jimmy and pointed to the ground, she then wrote out the word sorry. That didn't seem to prompt any thought in the towering male’s head so she pointed from the word, to Jimmy, to the cowboy hatted man.
“Oh. Right,” Jimmy muttered somewhat mournfully.
“What was that?” asked the man.
“Um sorry,” Jimmy murmured.
“Fer what?” pressed the human.
“For shooting at your cow things. They were yelling in Jimmy’s head and driving him crazy,” Jimmy paused. “Crazier.”
“Uh… alright then,” muttered the rancher. “An apology doesn't exactly replace my herd but I guess if it stops then thats still good.”
“Oh yes Jimmy stopped. Bullet fixed Jimmy’s brain. See?” proclaimed the mutant, who pointed at his bloody scalp.
“If you say so,” exclaimed the man. “Now if you two don't mind moving along now I need to tend to my animals and your spooking them something fierce.”
Twilight gently took Jimmy by the shoulder and ushered him towards town, passing by a rather stowed Novac citizen who had stepped outside for a smoke. After a rather awkward pair of waves, Twilight continued onward until they found Janey sitting in the spot where they had met Victor. The courier was squatting on the ground, a small bottle of vodka clasped in one hand and a fresh cigarette in the other.
“You know,” Janey began. “I shouldn't be surprised. Yet, here I am.”
Twilight flashed the courier a wide, shit eating grin.
“Ya ya, laugh it up,” Janey muttered angrily. “Now lets go get this big doofus settled so we can be on our way.”
“We can leave him back at his erm, ‘house’ for now. I just wanted people to see that he wasn't a threat,” Twilight stated, pausing in order to figure out how to add air quotes around a morse code message.
“That is good,” Jimmy muttered.
“Well lets get going then,” Janey proclaimed.
Together the trio made their way out of town, pausing just on the other side of the train tracks. There they stopped, and turned to the super mutant, who now wore a deep frown, seemingly on the verge of tears again.
“Jimmy will see you soon. Right?” asked the mutant, expectantly.
Twilight nodded.
That seemed to make the mutant relax. “Good. Jimmy wants to go back to tiny people place but does not want to get shot… again.” Jimmy prodded the small hole in his midsection.
Twilight sighed, and extended a hand toward Janey.
“What?” Janey asked.
Twilight pointed from the courier, to the super mutant’s injury expectantly.
“Fine,” Janey spat.
With far more effort then required, Janey reached into her bag, plucked out a stimpack and slapped it into Twilight's open hand. The deathclaw then used it on the super mutant, who winced for a moment before releasing a shuddering sigh of relief. The bullet appeared in the wound and fell to the ground with a dull plink.
“That feels good,” he muttered.
“Stay out of trouble,” Twilight proclaimed.
Jimmy nodded. “Jimmy will do that.”
Twilight smiled and was about to leave when she paused.
“Does the name Fluttershy sound familiar to you?” Twilight asked.
“What is a flutter bye?” Jimmy asked, cocking his head to one side.
Twilight waved a hand. “Nevermind.”
Jimmy shrugged and left.
“I’d be real disappointed in you if that was one of your friends,” Janey remarked.
Twilight snorted, and pointed to the road ahead of them.
“I couldn't agree more. The sooner we get out of this town the sooner we get to New Vegas and some answers,” Janey replied.
“Music?” Twilight asked.
Janey reached down and with a few flicks, turned the radio back on.
“-and thats about all the news I have for you. Oh I almost forgot to remind you that this program was brought to you by the Thorn,” stated the smooth voice of Mister New Vegas. “New Vegas’ premier location for combat sports. See us this sunday to witness Hammer take on not one but two deathclaws at once!”
The charismatic voice over the radio paused for a moment. “Oh and they attached this audio log to accompany the advertisement, apparently its from the king of the ring himself, Hammer.”
There was another short pause before something clicked, and what sounded like a roaring crowd could be heard through the radio.
“Welcome puny ape things. It is I, the master of the pit, Hammer. Come see me fight this sunday, because if you don't you’ll be missing out on the most awesome fight ever!” shouted the a bellowing, masculine voice not unlike Jimmy’s.
Another click was preceded by Mister New Vegas returning.
“You heard it here first folks. Hammer himself will be gracing the ring, and if what I hear is correct there are some mighty big odds against him. I don't know about you though. But I sure wouldn't bet against the Hammer. Now, for something a bit more relaxed. Its Nat King Cole,” Mister New Vegas exclaimed.
“Huh. I thought Hammer retired after nearly losing to that drugged up yoigui they had him fight a few months back,” Janey thought aloud.
“Hammer? Thorn?” Twilight pressed.
“The Thorn is a gladiator pit in west vegas. A little brutal, but if your ever in the mood to see a couple of monsters kill each other in front of you then thats the palace,” Janey explained.
Twilight scowled.
“Heh. Figured as much,” Janey muttered, pausing to take a sip from her canteen. “As for Hammer. Hes some big super mutant that wandered in from the hills. Apparently hes one of those rare gen one muties from the master’s army. Not sure how he survived all these years but either way hes fighting in the thorn now.”
“How long ago did he arrive?” Twilight pressed.
“A year, maybe a year and a half?” Janey answered, raising an eyebrow. “Why?”
“Its nothing. I thought it may have been a friend but the time lines don't match up,” Twilight replied.
“If you were friends with a gen one super mutant then I’d say the possibility of you being one of the master’s experiments is very likely,” Janey retorted.
“Thats not-” Twilight paused and sighed. “Nevermind. Lets just keep going.”