Duet in the Dust

by David Silver

25 - Back to Square One

They all gathered by the edge of town. No Name's saddlebags bulged with renewed supplies of food, water, and camping supplies. On his back rode a sleepy but hopeful looking Vinyl. "Which of them was a healer, anyway? I don't remember magic healing around there besides me, and my healing doesn't do it, I tried."

Octavia raised an ear. "I had thought you were too tired to be attempting it, but good to know you managed."

"The hurt is too deep," grunted out No Name. "Basic healing will put a cut right, set a bone that needs settin'" He started out away from the city, along the road that the town worked to keep clear from ash. "When the hurt goes that far, ya need somethin' stronger fer it."

Vinyl waved a hoof weakly. "Well, teach me that magic and I'll fix it myself."

Duck emitted quite the quack. "Don't think it works that way. Um, like good music can make the hurts less, um, hurty. We're not, you know, doctors or anything like that."

Bullette nudged Octavia on the side. "Danger Level: Yellow. I will not request a ride at this time." She looked to No Name. "Permission to unlock weapons?"

"We ain't in town no more, go ahead." He looked ahead as he walked, focused on the hike ahead. "Ain't never been to this town, not much reason to. They like them with two legs and less hair."

Octavia thought back to the town. "They were particular about that... I wasn't given much opportunity to excel there."

"Which is why when we're done," proudly spoke Duck. "--we'll go play a great piece on the radio, with you, and Vinyl, and me too! Quack!"

Dolan looked to the others from his perch on Duck's back. "I feel I should warn, he has taken a liking to explosive weaponry."

Octavia winced at the idea even as her eyes wandered over Duck. "I don't see--"

Duck drew free a pistol with a comically huge barrel, a grenade already stuffed into it, ready to fire. "Ta da! Fireworks make everyone happier, and it works everywhere! I've tried."

Vinyl choked out a wheezing laugh from atop No Name. "Let's see those stupid bugs try that again."

They made good progress through the day, though the road became a distant memory, the ash creeping in to cover it as they went, forcing them to start swerving around the great piles of it to continue towards the human town.

"(Stop,)" came an order. The one who spoke it was holding a pistol in either hand, an ammunition magazine of great size dangling from either in clear promise of many bullets. "(Put down yer valuables,)" demanded the near-human, if one discounted the little horns on his head and ignored the whipping devil's tail.

Duck waved excitedly. "(Oh, hello friend! I'm Duck, Quack!)"

Octavia frowned at the biped. "(If you remain in our way, we will end you.)"

Vinyl blinked at Octavia's words. "I don't know what you said, but you sounded badass while you said it."

No Name softly snorted. "(She isn't wrong. Ya picked the wrong group, bucko. Wanna just pretend we ain't met?)"

Duck looked sad at the talk. "(But we could be friends...)"

The would-be robber reconsidered his odds. Octavia already had her gun out and none of them looked particularly scared of him. He lifted the end of his guns away from them. "(What, just a joke. A little something to take the edge off a boring hike.)"

"(Yay!)" Duck rushed towards the quasi-human. "(Nice to meet you, Friend. What's your name? I'm Duck. Quack!)"

Octavia shook her head softly. "He says quack in other languages..."

Vinyl pointed at Octavia. "And you speak other languages. Since when?! I mean, not complaining..."

Dolan did his best to calm down his would-be owner/mount, but there was little to be done as Duck enthusiastically greeted the robber as if they had been friends for years. They bid farewell to the robber, sending him off with more than he feared. At least he had gotten a bread roll out of the exchange.

Vinyl was snickering as they continued on. "Why can't all the fights end like that?"

"If only," sighed out Octavia, holstering her gun. "Still, I shan't complain for this reprieve."

Duck skipped along with the others. "He seemed like a nice person. I hope we meet again."

Dolan let out a sigh, but did not try, again, to correct Duck.

As the sky began to darken, they pitched their tents. The ponies, the moderately sized ones, all settled in the tent, with three mares and one stallion. Duck did not notice any problems and was lightly bouncing in place with only joy. "Ooo, like a sleepover. This is, like, my third favorite part of adventuring." He waved a wing at the mares. "Let's play a game!"

Octavia drew the sleeping roll tight around Vinyl, tucking her in. "We should focus on sleeping, friend Duck. We have more hiking to do tomorrow, and hopefully we'll put Miss Scratch on the path to recovery."

Vinyl burst into a short-lived laugh that turned into a rough cough. "Oh, excuse me. Can you call me Miss Scratch one more time?"

Octavia gently booped her on the nose. "After you're healed, perhaps. For now, we sleep."

"Sleep mode initiated," agreed Bullette, her head sagging forward and her eyes going dark, just turning off it seemed.

Duck pouted at the lack of games, but soon curled and began sleeping with little quacky snores. When all was still, Bullette's eyes dimly lit up and she peeked around. She rose quietly and crept from the tent to find No Name standing guard. "I will join you," she announced as she sat beside him. "We will protect them."

"Yeah? Better than last time, I hope."

She poked him with the edge of a hoof. "The parameters of this mission do not include as high a danger level. There should be no issues." She tilted her head a little. "Duck is the highest danger level detected so far."

He snorted out a half-laugh at that. "Got that right. A musical pony what thinks he's a duck when he ain't slingin' grenades around like it ain't nothin'? Good thin' he likes us."

"Danger level: yellow," agreed Bullette. "He is a good pony who desires friendship points." She set a metal hoof to her own chest. "I can understand him. Sometimes, I wish I could be more like him. I did not think to make friends with that bandit."

No Name shook his head slowly. "There's a limit to things, ya know? Treatin' random bandits like they're buds ain't a good habit t' make, jus' sayin'."

"Error," discordantly droned Bullette. "The power of friendship is vast. Octavia's friendship with a bandit secured her life." She waved a hoof softly. "There is nothing that is not improved by being a friend with it."

He settled a little before looking aside at her. "You know, she ain't up there right now."

"It's alright." Bullette tilted her head. "I was upset at first..."

"Now you ain't?"

"Now I am not." She stood up smoothly. "She needs it more than me. We will fix her, then I will take my place back." She reached up and gently tapped at the underside of his chin. "Do you miss me?"

"Yeah..." Another snake perked up. "Kinda strange, but I'm used to it."

"That is one of the foundations of friendship," spoke Bullette in an educational tone. "Accustomed practices with those you know. We have faced greater dangers. We will survive a few days like this." She bounced in place, metal jingling. "Our friendship will only become stronger!"

"Ain't sure it could be much stronger." He reached for her and pulled her close, cradling her between all four legs. "For now, we rest, and make sure they ain't bothered none."

"Affirmative," she agreed with a cheerful tone.

The night passed, broken with a sudden coughing fit. Octavia was awake in an instant, gently hugging Vinyl. Vinyl could not appreciate the affection, wracked with terrible coughs. "D-damn," she hissed out, raising a fetlock to wipe her mouth clean of spittle and small flecks of blood. "Actually the best sleep I had in a while."

Octavia sat up. "That was your best? It's still dark!"

"Affirmative," came Bullette's agreement from outside the tent. "Sunrise scheduled in: 2 hours, 13 minutes. Resume sleep."

Vinyl waved it off. "That's all the sleep I'm getting for now, so relax." She slowly began to pull herself free of her blanket. "Sleeping next to my Octie was great, don't get me wrong. Like I said, best sleep."

Duck yawned widely, an action imitated in perfect sync with his actual duck companion, Dolan. The two looked over blearily. Dolan was the first to speak, "Are we rising early?"

Duck hopped up to his hooves, almost shaking Dolan off. "Okay!" He got to preparing breakfast despite the question not even being answered. He took the rations as a starting point, not an end, and emerged from the tent to start a fire. "Gonna make somethin' tasty!"

Octavia emerged next, walking slowly with Vinyl leaning against her. "You sit near the fire, Vinyl. I'll get the tent put away."

"Yes, Mother." Her insult lacked even the play barb as she staggered over and flopped beside Duck. "What's cookin'?"

No Name had risen up, roused with the others. He lent a hoof to Octavia, helping to get everything packed away. "That fire'll draw attention this early in the day, but whateva'." He perked an ear towards Duck. "I agree with Vinyl's question though. What are you makin'?"

Duck hummed a cheerful tune to himself as he set a pan over the fire and began adding crumbled bits of the rations with some other ingredients he had in his own saddlebag. "Just making it more tasty and even betterer!"

Dolan rolled his eyes in the firelight. "You're adding breadcrumbs, aren't you?"

"No! I mean, not just that..." He shook the pan lightly, keeping things jostling around. "Besides, hot food is better, even with bread. Hot is better, yes, quack. Almost ready..." He turned back and pulled a bottle of something clenched in his teeth. He worked off the cork and shook some out onto the pan, creating a new burst of sizzles. "A little kick, just a little. Wake up, wake up, quack!"

Octavia finished stuffing the last bit of things into No Name's saddlebag before drawing out her instrument from its case. "A little accompaniment, to offset our unusual method of awakening." She played a soft peace, a gentle hello to the day as Duck began serving up food to each present, Belle included.

"Little fillies need food to grow," he said in a mildly admonishing way. "Eat up!"

"Thank you." Belle pulled the plate closer, which became empty when Duck was busy feeding others.

No Name chomped into his food with many small mouths working together to get it into his belly. "Not bad..." Whatever he had added lent a new flavor to the usually salty but bland taste of rations. "And you made more of it."

"Well, yeah." Duck served himself last and buried his face in his little makeshift plate, pecking at it like a very messy bird. "Mmm. Add stuff, mmm... Makes more of it, mmm... Quack."

Dolan shook his head. "You know, ducks don't eat that messily."

"This duck does," argued Duck with a messy grin. "Everyone happy?"

Octavia set her instrument aside carefully back into its case before sampling her plate. "My compliments. Vinyl, how are you holding up?"

"Can we keep him, as a chef?" She licked over her lips lightly. "I don't feel like projectile hurling when he makes stuff. Besides, he's funny."

"Aw, I like you too." Duck resumed his eager devouring of his food, soon polishing it entirely and looking ready to continue. "It's kinda dark, but it's, uh, that way right?" He pointed a wing into the darkness.

No Name looked to Belle, who pointed with authority in another direction. "You heard her." He reached with his mouth and plucked up Vinyl like she was a lost kitten. Soon she was up on his back, sprawled and fed like a primed grenade. "Let's get goin'."

They began a new day's treading, pressing on through the dark ashes. "<Stop>," came a bark in the distance ahead of them. "<Stop or be shot.>"

No Name shrugged softly. "Don't know that language. You?"

Octavia shook her head. "Perhaps common? (Hello?)"

"(Is that you, Octavia?)" There was a pause. "(It is! And you have... friends?)"

Duck hopped forward. "(Yes, friends! Quack! What is your name, new friend? I'm Duck, quack.)"

Lights suddenly came on, blinding them a moment in the harsh glare. Standing just ahead of the lights, Sandy was looking at them oddly. "Is that Vinyl up there?"

Octavia waved back and up at the collapsed Vinyl. "The one and only, and she is why we're here."

Duck trotted forward with a big grin. "I'm Duck, quack, and this is Dolan." He pointed with a wing at the duck on his back. "What's your name?"

Sandy's attention was on Vinyl. "She looks awful."

"Nice to see you too," half-laughed Vinyl, though she didn't move from where she was.

No Name nodded at that, approaching at a casual pace. "We were told there were healers here. Sheriff Longshot agreed to trade supplies for some help."

Sandy drew in breath with a hiss only to be interrupted with a soft hoof-tapping at her leg. She looked down to see Duck beside her, his tail wagging eagerly. "Hello, Duck," she finally greeted, patting him on the head like the lost dog he seemed to be imitating. This only pleased him. "I'm Sandy, and I'm the guard on duty at the moment. You're lucky it was me. Most of the others wouldn't have been so nice to people just marching up out of the dark like that."

Vinyl wobbled a hoof. "You can blame that one on me. I woke everyone up. Hey, miss me, you ditcher?"

"Ditcher?" Sandy hissed softly. "Look, I was told to leave you two in Turves. You're happier there, aren't you?"

Octavia waved a hoof. "Look, let's focus, please. Vinyl needs medical attention, the magic kind. We all breathed in some kind of toxin that's harmed our lungs, and it's hurt Vinyl the most."

Sandy didn't come much closer to No Name, eyeing him oddly. "The shaman isn't used to dealing with ponies, or much of anyone outside the village."

No Name hiked a brow. "But they'll do it if you ask them to?"

Sandy lifted her shoulders as she turned back towards the darkened town. "That'll be up to Randy. You came willing to trade, that'll help. Look... for now, why don't you head up to the inhuman house? You remember where it is, right? Don't surprise them too badly."

Duck tilted his head a little. "I'm not a human. I'm a duck. Quack."

"That is why she is telling us to go to the not-human house," noted Dolan with a little nod.

"Exactly." She nodded. "You'll lead the way, Octavia?"

Octavia started forward. "You can turn off those lights. I imagine there's only so much power, and we all know each other now. Duck, No Name, after me."

The lights were turned off with a heavy sound of metal against metal, returning things to darkness. It wasn't pitch, and as eyes re-adjusted, things came into faint view under the slowly brightening sky. Daylight was coming at a sedate rate. They went around the town rather than through it, approaching the house that sat on its edge that two of them knew well.

Vinyl snorted softly. "Wonder how they're doing..."

"We will find out. These were our friends while we were here." She raised a hoof and knocked twice before reaching with her mouth for the knob. The door swung open just before she could get a hold on it. Shiela stood there, curiosity turning to shock.

"My friends," she greeted with a growing smile. "And you have brought others? Are you... returning? Vinyl, what has happened to you." She stepped out of the house, approaching Vinyl directly with no concern for the others. "What cruel fate have you found?"

Bullette Belle tilted her head at the elf. "She is in need of medical assistance. Are you capable of administering?"

Shiela shook her head without actually looking at Bullette. "I don't have that talent." She gently ran a few fingers over Vinyl's cheek. "Is that why you're here?"

"Precisely." Octavia stepped up into the door. "We were told to wait here while Randal considers our offer and approaches the town shaman about a cure."

Duck went past everyone, stepping into the dimly-lit house. "Oh, hello," he said to someone only he could see. "I'm Duck, nice to meet you, quack!"

"They got another pony!" came the excited cry of a familiar female. "Hello, friend Duck. Do you have experience in being a mount?"

Vinyl weakly chuckled from atop No Name. "Quarter Inch hasn't changed..."

Shiela shook her head. "She has not... Not much changes around here." She backed away and gestured inside. "We should retire within, where we will bother the rest of the town less."

As they went inside, Quarter Inch, the gnome, came into view, already deeply surveying Duck and Dolan. "You say you don't, but the evidence speaks otherwise." She hiked a thumb at Dolan. "You're giving him a mighty fine ride."

Dolan shook his head quickly. "There is a terrible price to be paid for this ride. You do not wish it."

Quarter hiked a brow. "And you're used to giving rides to people that can talk, perfect! Come on, we can share." She thrust a hand forward towards Dolan. "Don't be mean."

"Yeah," agreed Duck. "Don't be mean." He stomped a hoof as he said that. "I don't like it when people are mean."

Dolan hiked a feathery brow. "So you do want to give her rides?"

"If she wants one?" He looked up at her inquisitively.

"You heard Duck." Quarter Inch threw a leg right over Duck, swinging up just behind Dolan. "See, sharing is alright. Onwards, mighty steed!" She nudged at Duck with her heels. "To adventure!"

Shiela casually ignored them as they started meandering the room. "Why did you leave?"

Octavia perked an ear. "Not by choice. Sandy left us in Turves without warning."

Shiela mouthed a silent 'oh'. "I see... A compliment."

Octavia blinked at that. "How is being abandoned a compliment?"

"She would not have done it if she thought you could not survive it." She reached out and put a hand on Octavia's shoulder. "It means they thought you two could thrive on your own. It will be with some bitterness that you return in pursuit of aid."

Vinyl huffed softly, the action turning into a lone cough. "We were doing just fine until we had a little incident."

"Little incident," barked No Name. "Not what I'd call it. It hit me too. Vinyl gets first in line, but I'd love a turn getting this fixed."

Octavia nodded firmly. "I can agree with that. Vinyl first."

Vinyl blushed faintly, waving their words away. "I ain't that important."

No Name turned an ear back at her. "You're closest to death. Octavia and me could just be uncomfortable forever. We ain't dead."

"And we don't want you to be either," continued Octavia with a soft nod. "I'm glad this house is large enough to fit you." She nodded towards No Name. Though he had to squeeze in, he fit inside without too much difficulty. "I had wondered why this place was so large... Have they housed larger inhumans before?"

Quarter Inch pat the side of her new and magical mount. "Now that I have a proper steed, I can set out too! Shiela, they'll let me go, right?"

Shiela raised a fine brow, considering the gnome and her pony mount. "I don't believe this is the case, dear friend. You'll have to let your 'proper steed' return to his own responsibilities. You do have things you need to do, don't you?"

"Oh, yes, many things." Duck bobbed his head. "I have to bake bread, and play on the radio, and help Vinyl not die." He quacked softly before raising a wing to point at Dolan on his back. "I have to take care of Dolan too." Dolan rolled his eyes at the claim. "Duck does a lot of things, but making friends is one of the best parts. Are we friends, Quarter Inch?"

"Yes!" she squeezed with her legs, which prompted him forward, almost crashing them into a wall. Two out of three of them were laughing about it. Dolan took flight, landing on one of the unused beds where it was safer.

"You give funny hugs," noted Duck with a grin, seemingly pleased with his new friend.

Octavia set her instrument case aside and had it popped open. "I was given a tremendous boon."

Shiela gasped loudly. "An instrument. Is that the one that you prefer?"

"It is indeed." Octavia pulled the cello free. "I would like to show it to you, if you would hear it."

Shiela was soon seated on her bed. "Please... You spoke so wantingly of your lost music. I would hear it now."

Vinyl pumped a hoof. "Time for a concert. Knock 'em dead, 'Tavi."

"I will do no such thing," she assured as she pulled up the bow of her instrument. "Let us begin." She started a gentle melody, soft and cheerful. She was happy to see her friends, Shiela and Quarter Inch, alive and well and she channeled that happiness into the song.

More music came in to join it. Duck had pulled out his guitar and joined her, playing in a lively accompaniment despite the song being made up as she went. The two instruments sang together, calling out joyfully to fill the room. Shiela nodded her head along with the beat, a little smile on her lips.

Vinyl stuck out her tongue softly, whispering to No Name, "Man, and here I am the only musician in here not in the piece. Sucks."

No Name considered what a sudden burst of electronic blare would do to the sound of the two wood instruments making their soft happy sounds. "You'll get your chance." He didn't sound that upset that she had missed that particular opportunity. "Let's get you fixed up first."

"The sooner the better."

A rough knock came from the door. "Breakfast," came an unseen voice. The playing had stopped, her bow falling from her hoof as soon as she wasn't focused on actually playing her cello. "Oh, do you eat the same things?"

Shiela sighed as she rolled her eyes. "That hasn't changed."

Duck bounced to his hooves. "Allow me!" He rushed for the door, opened it in a flash and grabbed the bundle of food.

Quarter Inch held on firmly as he moved in quick darts. "Noble steed, where are we going? We need to split that food fairly."

"Nuh uh." He dashed into the kitchen and got to work, coaxing the stove to life and whistling as he got things together.

Octavia started putting her instrument away. "Have no fear. He's a talented cook, and will only improve the quality of the offered food. Duck, refrain from eating more than a taste. There's only enough for them."

"Okay!" he called out from the kitchen. "I'll add a little to it, don't worry! You're gonna be so happy when I'm done." The soft sounds of cooking food began to filter from the kitchen. The smells that rose were familiar, still of the same dry food, but they had a texture they didn't before. It was nothing short of a miracle what proper cooking could do to make food more appealing.

"Quack," said Duck with a smile.

Author's Note:

Duck does his best as chief morale officer. Only smiles on this train! Is trusting him around fire a typo? Remember Quarter and Shiela? They didn't forget their pony friends.

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Comments

[Chrome Masquerade]

He snorted out a half-laugh at that. "Got that right. A musical pony what thinks he's a duck when he ain't slingin' grenades around like it ain't nothin'? Good thin' he likes us."

He's a Euclid, for sure.

[prism heart]

I love Duck, Bullette and No Name. Hope they stick with our Equestrian duo

[Crystal Treasure]

Heh, always nice to see old friends. Oh god, Duck with a grenade launcher. This can only end in tears (of laughter!).

On his back rose

rode

Besies

Besides

wel.

well.

the stove to live

life

[badninja]

I so want to see Duck, Bullette, and No Name visit Equestria. I think they would get a major kick out of it.

[David Silver]

9242916
Fix fix

[Snowkitsune]

9243022
The first time a short leg shows up Lasandra is going to flip followed up with Candance decending like a great pink storm, then Twilight will find out about the robofilly and even more panic will happen, and then the cmc will find adult ponies with no cutie mark

[FanOfMostEverything]

I have several concerns about Duck wielding that grenade pistol.

In any case, negotiating for that medical attention might prove trickier than anyone would like. Hopefully Randy will be reasonable, especially given who's responsible for the generator that may be powering those floodlights.

Also, gangs of typos wandering the wastes:

There is nothing that is not improve by being a friend with it.

Improved.

landing on one of the un-used beds where it was safer.

Unused. No hyphen necessary.

[David Silver]

9246143
Those typos are inviting Octavia to make good on her threat... If they know what's good for them, they'll bother some other story.

[howard035]

I feel like Quarter Inch and maybe the rest of the inhumans should accompany our protagonists back to Turles.

[FridayPie]

Chief Morale Officer? Voyager?