Break watched the ensuring uprising. The guards responded in shock and horror at the sudden announcement and seemed to very quickly realize just how screwed they were.The slaves were surprised initially, but quickly took advantage of their new freedom. The guards tried to stop them, but most were only equipped with stun rods and were overrun by sheer numbers. Some just dropped their weapon and ran.
Break had to look away at the ferocity of the freed slaves’ wrath. They were not showing any mercy and many of the slavers were being beaten to death with either hooves or whatever the slaves could get their hooves on. It didn’t matter if they were fighting or running for their lives. With the help of the other escapees, Bentgrass was able to escape his predicament. It only took about 20 minutes for the slaves to completely take over the prison. Rivet took Lemon to the medical bay, and the gun wound was treated with no complications. The doctor had no problem removing the bullet and healing the leg. She was currently sleeping to get her strength back. It seemed it didn’t take much for the doctor to abandon his slaver bosses and he rather overeagerly switched allegiances.
When Break wandered into the lunchroom, she was greeted with cheers and applause. Break blushed at the attention. Finding Comet. wasn't difficult. The unicorn immediately grabbed and hugged Break. She was crying. They appeared to be tears of joy.
“You’re something else.” Comet said and was smiling. It was nice on her normally expressionless face.
Break just rubbed the back of her neck. “It’s sorta just happened.”
Comet laughed. It was genuine. She seemed just overwhelmed with emotion right now. Break was happy for her. She finally had her freedom after Celestia knows how long. “Tell me about it. I want to know.”
“There you are.” A familiar voice said. Break turned to find Bendgrass grinning like a fool.
“What were you thinking?!” Break suddenly cried out catching the stallion off guard. “Were you trying to get yourself killed?!”
“Well, somepony had to save you.” Bentgrass said hesitantly. He suddenly gave a triumphant grinned. “Hey, it worked out. So no big deal right?”
Break facehoofed and groaned. Bentgrass just shrugged. She looked him over, and was surprised at the lack of injuries. Somehow the foal got out this mostly unscathed. Comet seemed amused at their antics.
“Hey, stop fighting! It’s time to celebrate!” A pony that walked up next to Bentgrass said. She had a beer in her hooves. Many of other ponies around them were drinking, dancing, and generally having a good time.
“Can I get one of those?” Break asked. She felt like a drink would be fantastic right now. A pony threw her a bottle of beer. Bentgrass and Comet were given one too. Break lifted her drink to her mouth but stopped when she noticed that Comet still had her magic suppressor on.
“You still have that? I would think that would be the first thing you’d want off.” Break pointed at the ring as she said this. None of the other unicorns were wearing one now.
Comet shrugged. “It doesn’t matter to me.”
Break and Bentgrass gapped. “What? But you’re a unicorn! Isn’t magic your thing?” Bentgrass said perplexed.
“I don’t have magic.” Comet explained. The ponies around her did a double take.
“Wh-what? But you’re a unicorn!” Break blurted out.
“Is that even possible?” Bentgrass scratched his head.
“As I said no magic. Been that way my whole life.” Comet pointed at her horn. “Never been able to get anything out of this.”
Break started in wide eyed fascination. She’d never heard of anything like this before. “It must make things difficult.” She said finally.
“Not much different from you.” Comet said blandly. She had Break there. Still, it sounded unthinkable.
Break wasn’t sure what to say next. Not having magic didn’t seem to bother Comet at all. Well, it didn’t bother her too, but she was an earth pony.
“Who cares right!” Bentgrass blurted out. “Not like a pony needs magic anyway.!” Comet nodded. “Anyway, let’s get to the party! There’s one in the courtyard now apparently. The guest of honor hasn’t arrived yet.”
Break wasn’t sure why she would be the guest of honor since everypony pitched in to free them all, but decided not to say anything. The three left for the cafeteria.
The newly freed slaves spent the rest of the night like this. Even though it unclear what their future might entail, right now it didn’t matter. They deserved the right to actually enjoy themselves and they milked every minute of it. Break felt she hadn’t enjoyed herself like this in years.
---
Break awoke with a headache. She didn’t realize she drank that much. She rolled off the bed onto the ground and fell with a thud. Her head ached even more and it took a moment for her to compose herself. When she finally looked around she suddenly felt a twinge of panic. She was back in her cell. The panic subsided when she realized the door was wide open, and she sighed in relief. For a second there she thought the whole adventure had been a dream.
Break looked around the cell and noticed Comet on the top bunk snoring peacefully. Break got up to relieve herself. After a few minutes, Break was feeling a little better and her head didn’t ache as much. Usually hangovers didn’t bother her too much and she quickly got over them. Right now it was just a slight ache. Break felt like she was starving and left Comet to sleep it off.
Break arrived at the mess hall and ponies were chatting, milling about, or eating. Everypony greeted her with a friendly wave. Break found the line and waited to be served. Unfortunately, she was given the same tasteless slop as before and still looked just as appealing. There wasn’t enough food right now to feed the former slaves anything decent, so she was forced to eat the horrible stuff again. The server enthusiastically gave her two portions, and Break was not sure if she was grateful for this. He also gave her a bottle of pure water and she nodded in thanks.
Break sat down at a nearby table and tried to eat her lunch. While eating a familiar orange stallion trotted up to her. “Good morning!” He said in a cheery voice.
Break looked up from her food. “How is she?” Break asked. Despite being assured earlier that she would recover without any difficulty, Break still needed to ask. She also didn’t trust that slimy doctor one bit.
“Lemon Heart?” The stallion asked. “She’s fine. The doc says she’ll be on her hooves tomorrow.”
Break sighed in relief and let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “That’s good.”
The stallion sat down and grinned. “Some party last night.”
Break smiled. “Yeah, what I can remember of it at least.” She took a drink of her water.
“You can actually remember something? The whole night is a blank for me!” He laughed and Break laughed back.
Break started diving back into her food. She was starving. Well, tried to anyway. She was only partly successful. “So, have they decided what everypony is going to do?” It would be difficult and dangerous for all these former slaves to try and get to the next town, and they couldn’t just start a town right here, or at least not without help.
“Yeah, they did actually. The older slaves had a meeting this morning and most of the other slaves agree.” Rivet grinned. “They decided to ask for help from the Cosas. They already sent a runner to them informing them of the situation.” Break nearly choked on her food.
“Th-the Cosas, but aren’t they, like, gangsters.” Break reasoned.
“True, but they are our best chance. Some slaves are thinking about travelling to Primrose after they get here. Others are actually thinking about making this fort into a town believe it or not.”
“Under the hoof of the Cosas.” Break said evenly with a bit of unexpected steel.
“Ok, fine. It’s isn’t the best option, but they will prove protection and weapons. We’ll be a lot safer with them helping us.” Rivet explained. “Believe it or not, but some slaves actually look up to them.”
Break raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Sure, they have always been good to former slaves. I know some are already interested in joining them.”
Break just shrugged. It made sense she guessed, but if they were coming, she needed to get out of here quickly.
“You don’t seem to like them very much.” Rivet asked curiously.
“Let’s just say, I’ve had a bad run in with them before.” Break vaguely explained not really wanting to get into her past.
“It shows.” Rivet observed and shrugged. Luckily, he let the issue lie.
“What are you going to do?” Break asked. “Are you going to join the Cosas?” Break made a face when she said this.
“Nah, I was thinking about living here and help turn this into a proper town.” He replied.
“After everything?” Break said confused.
He just shrugged. “Good enough place as any. I know someponies want to jump ship as soon as possible, but living here won’t bother me. Besides, they need a skilled technician. The idea of building a town from scratch really appeals to me.”
Break smiled. She admired his determination. “Good luck.” She meant this from the bottom of her heart.
“How about you?” Rivet asked in return.
“You should join the Cosas.” A voice next to Break said. It was Bentgrass. Break gapped.
“Wha-why would I ever want to do that?” Break asked stunned.
“Come on, you led a bunch a rag tag slaves into a den of slavers and beat them thoroughly!” Bentgrass explained.
“That’s not what happened.” Break protested. She started to think that maybe the speech was a mistake. Now ponies were starting to think of her as some sort of hero.
“You have skills. They could use a pony that can kick as much flank as you can.” Bentgrass argued back. He seemed to think she was just being modest.
Break opened her mouth, but Bentgrass just spoke over her. ”And the Cosas are far better than what you give them credit for.”
“Really.” Break said dryly.
“They’re what this world needs!” Bentgrass proclaimed. “They stand up against the evil in this world and protect the weak!” Break looked at him like he was crazy. He continued on.
“You just have to give them a chance. Then you will see how cool they are.” Bentgrass boasted.
“I’m not joining the Cosas.” Break said evenly and with finality.
“Just a week. Give them a chance.” Bentgrass refused to back down.
“I am not joining them!” Break almost yelled. “Not now, or ever!”
“You could do such good with them though.” Bentgrass proclaimed. Break put a hoof on her face and groaned.
Bentgrass looked at Break with a tilted head. “You’re an odd one.”
Break just groaned again and focused back on her food. Break noticed something peculiar. “Rivet, why are there so many guards around?” Thinking back, Break noticed quite a few ponies with guns on patrol. “Are there still some slavers hiding and running around?”
“The leader of the Yellow Stars, well, Yellow Star has gone missing.” Rivet explained. “The same with that older pony that tried to buy us. Almost every other slaver has been accounted for.”
“”What, really? Are there like secret passageways?” Bentgrass asked.
“Most likely.” Revet said nodding.
Break thought about this. She supposed it made sense that Yellow Star would have an escape route if things got dicey.
“We should go find him Pinny!” Bentgrass exclaimed. “We should check the office first. The others might have overlooked something!”
“What, no.”
“W-why not?” Bentgrass seemed absolutely floored that she refused.
“It isn’t my job and the ponies looking for him are better qualified than me.” Break explained. “I plan leaving soon anyway.”
Bentgrass again was completely stunned. Rivet, on the other hoof, didn’t seemed surprised at all.
“I plan on leaving after spending a few hours with Comet.” Break liked the mare, and wanted to hang out a little before probably never seeming her again.
Bentgrass gave a contemplative look before brightening and smiling. “Oh, I get it! You’re the type that moves on to the next adventure! You never settle down because you have a never ending thirst for adventure!”
Break just stared at him for a few moments before sighing. “Yes, that’s exactly it.” She deadpanned.
“Ha, I knew it!” Bentgrass exclaimed proudly.
“I’ll get you some supplies." River said smiling. "We owe you that much. And a gun of course, with some gun lessons. You’ll need them.”
“Thanks.”
Bentgrass stared at Break wide eyed. “You don’t know how to fire a gun?” Break nodded and he looked at her with even more awe and wonder. Break just sighed again.
After finishing her lunch, Break returned to her cell and found Comet exactly where she left her. Break climbed the ladder up to her on the top bunk bed and shook her back and forth gently. “Hey, wake up! It’s almost one.”
With some prodding, Comet woke up and stared at Break blankly.”Hey.” She said simply.
“Hey.” She said back.
“Sorry to wake you, but I am leaving in a few hours and just wanted to chat with you a bit.” Break explained.
Comet nodded. “Sure, cool.” She moved into a sitting position. Break climbed to the top and sat next of her.
“Why go?” Comet asked tilting her head.
Break thought about it for a moment, but decided to be truthful. “The Cosas are coming and I want to be long gone by then.”
Comet nodded and didn’t ask for Break to elaborate thankfully and she was grateful for this. She didn’t want to answer some awkward questions. Break followed Comet as she left to get something to eat.
“Do you have any idea what you are going to do now that you are free?” Break asked. “They’re thinking about making a town here? Maybe you want to stay and help? They might want a pony of your skills.”
Comet thought about it. “Yes actually. Wanted to have my own shop for awhile now. Might go into that.”
“I actually know a pony that could help you.” Break said. Again, this was getting uncomfortably close into her past, but she wanted to do this. “His name is Scavenger. He lives in the ruins of a town named Cypress. You could strike a deal with him. His special talent is finding things. He has uncovered some pretty amazing things over the years.”
Comet nodded. “Don’t tell him about you though?” She guessed and Break nodded. “Thanks.”
Break smiled. Maybe things might work out for her and this new town that she accidentally help create. The two chatted over the next few hours.
Rivet was true to his word and was able to scrounge up some supplies for her in a saddlebag. It included a canteen with fresh water, some canned food, several healing potions, a map, a blanket, 100 caps, rope, and few other odds and ends. He also supplied her a .45 auto pistol and hunting rifle with some ammo for each. He spend the next two hours teaching her how to use them. She wasn’t that good at it, but she was able to hit a few tin cans with some success. He gave her a basic rundown on gun safely including the helpful tip of never pointing a gun at someone that isn’t a target, loaded or not. She wished a certain other pony was told about this.
Pretty much everypony came to send her off when she left at about 5 PM much to her embarrassment. Everypony reiterated how grateful they were to her and she accepted gracefully. Many hugs were given and she left in the direction of Forks. Luckily, it was only about 3 miles away.
The travel to Forks was remarkable uneventful. The landscape was nothing but bleak empty wilderness with only a few rocks and bushes for scenery. In about an hour, she finally saw signs of civilization. In the distance she saw broken buildings and on closer inspection saw a large bright shining building surrounded by a large wall made of scrap and wood. It was at least three times her size.
In front of the buildings surrounding the giant wall were ponies. Many were just milling about. Some were in front of flaming barrels trying to stay warm. It was close to being dark and Break was already starting to feel the chill of the night approaching and the wind was picking up. The ponies around her made her nervous they looked at her with calculating eyes, but luckily none approached her. She guessed they might be ponies that couldn’t afford to live in Forks proper. She thought about maybe she could get a job here, but decided against it. From what she had heard, the Stones, the group running the town, weren’t much better than the Cosas and there were unpleasant rumors about them. Her plan was to spend a few hours here at the inn and possibly leave with a caravan to another town.
After ten minutes she was able to find the entrance of the wall. It was guarded by a tough unfriendly looking pony in heavy armor and a protectron.
“Um, could I enter Forks please.” Break said as in a nonthreatening voice as possible.
A guard looked her over. “On what business?” He said flatly in a bored tone.
“Just to stay a night sir.” Break tried to give her best smile.
“50 caps to enter.” The guard said.
“50 caps?!” Break said outraged.
“50 caps.” The guard said uncompromisingly.
Break thought about it and looked around. Some unsavory ponies were eyeing her unnerving her to no end. Break relented and gave the pony the caps.
The door slowly opened and Break went through a narrow passageway to the city proper. The thing that struck Break the most was how bright the city was. Lights were everywhere. Many buildings had tacky neon signs. Some, oddly enough, had Hearth’s Warming lights over them. It was almost blinding. It was like they were competing with each other for attention. The streets were covered in ponies. On the ends of some streets were mares and stallions dressed in rather provocative leather clothing that emphasized their flanks. Break couldn’t help but ogle some of the stallions working the streets. This one green earth pony stallion was the prettiest pony she had ever seen in her life. She blushed when he waved at her when he caught her staring.
Break left red in the face trying to remind herself of what she was here for. She left the dimmer parts of town. These parts still had a few ponies here and there working the streets but seemed more normal and less garish. Just your typical half ruined buildings. No pony bothered her as she went on her way.
Break decided to check the late night news. She sat on a nearby bench and took out her earbloom and tuned in to her radio. She was eager for news about her friends in Foulsom. This should be enough time for the DJ to have something about it. She had an uncanny ability to learn news very quickly. It didn’t take long for the current song to end and the Princess of the Wasteland to appear on air.
“That was Sweetie Belle singing to old classic of ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You’. And don’t it just fill your heart full of warmth and love?” The DJ said after the song ended. “Now for news and golly gee it's a doozy this time!”
“The Yellow Stars slavers are finished! My sources say they were toppled by the very slaves they captured!” The DJ continued. “What happened is still a little vague, but we should know more soon. But what I do know, and you are all gonna love this, remember the waitress from Primrose I told you about yesterday? Yah, her. Turns out she isn’t dead! She actually escaped! She was captured by slavers, but they didn’t realize what a tough little lady she was! She escaped, assembled a small group of resistance, and took the entire facility! Yeah I know! Crazy right?”
“Now Foulsom Prison is in the hooves of the now freed slaves and my sources say that they might turn it into a town! Golly gee I did not see this coming at all. Nice to see that there are some ponies in the world that won’t go down without a fight and do some good in this world don’t ya know. Good work waitress! It’s brave ponies like you that can make a difference in this world. I should have more news about this soon. For now here is Sapphire Shores’s ‘Get Your Pony On’. This here was Princess of the Wasteland signing off. Stay safe and stay smart.”
Break froze in shock. It took a few minutes for her to comprehend what she just heard. How the hay did they know it was her? Implications flew through her mind. “Ponyfeathers!” She cursed. She was suppose to be dead. She wanted to disappear, not to be thrust into this hero role. Break realized in horror that now the Cosas knew she was alive and they would come for her. Terror filled her heart. Green Mile was in danger. She didn’t know if the Cosas would do anything to her cousin. For her piece of mind she wanted to see her at least safe. She needed to get her out and to safety. How she had no clue.
Right now she was too tired to go back. She would have to spend a few hours here to get some sleep and go back. She realized Scavenger could help her. He could get in and out no problem. He didn't live too far from Primrose. She would go to him in the morning. Sleep first, plan later.
She found an inn called the Three Old Kegs. It was definitely an old apartment building made into an inn. The neon sign on the top brightly flashing its name was the only really interesting and colorful thing about the building. She was about make her way inside when two tough looking mares blocked her way. Horror and dread hit the bottom of Break’s stomach. This was emphasized when three also bad news looking ponies came up behind her.
“The Boss would like to see you.” One of the mares said. “You best not keep her waiting.” She was hoofing a revolver strapped to her side as she said this. Break nodded vigorously.
“Good.” The mare said. “Follow me.”
Break followed dreading each step. She knew in her bones that nothing good could some from this.