Horse-Based Economy

by David Silver

1 - The Mail Must Move

"Yer messin' with me." Applejack cocked a dubious brow at the wastelander. "Ah know where they're all at."

"You'd think." The human male shrugged. "You'd think. But I know what I saw. I know who I traded with, and I know where I want something sent. Now, you gonna courier or not?"

Stan put an arm out in front of Applejack. "Go easy on her, she's just curious, and surprised. We're couriers first, before anythin' else. Still, a whole town?"

"A whole town," repeated the man. "And I want this to get to them." He hefted a box that was about as large as a basketball, square, and heavy from the effort involved. "They did me a solid, and they paid for this, but I'm not up for the return trip. You get it to them, I pay you. You know the deal."

Giddyup's side popped open with a light click of thin metal. "Ready to accept."

"I know the deal. You got a map?" Stan turned to Giddyup. "Map mode."

"Map mode," agreed Giddyup. "Ready."

Applejack chuckled softly. "Awful useful. You tell 'em where we gotta go an' he won't be forgettin' 'till it's done."

So, instead of telling either of the couriers, the man told their friendly bot about it instead. Little clicks and ticks sounded as internals worked to notate the instructions. "Once you get in sight, it'll be obvious. They don't have any big walls, and they aren't a vault. They don't shoot on sight, so, one less worry."

"Ah'd charge extra for that," noted Stan, patting his gun lightly. "But I'd still get it done."

"Huh." He got the box into Giddyup's side and backed from the robotic horse. "Well, ain't paying that today. Just get that over there."

Stan put up a thumb. "You got it. End map mode."

"Ending map mode." Giddyup closed his sides while he was at it. "Are we going now, or are we having lunch? A proper diet is essential for a grow--"

Stan put a hand over Giddyup's mouth. This did nothing. His speaker could play at the same volume, hand there or not. But it did communicate he didn't want Giddyup to continue, and that was enough. "Ain't hungry. AJ?"

Applejack inclined her head. "Ain't starvin', but may as well grab somethin' to eat afore we're in the middle of nowhere. Lot easier than the other way 'round." She nodded to their newest customer. "We'll get that over there, nothin' ta worry 'bout."

Having settled the issue, the two of them made their way to a local bar. We may be jumping the gun by calling it a bar. The sun was shining brightly and while there were a variety of spirits, beer, and other drinks available, many people were simply enjoying the food and talking with one another. There was no commotion or outcry caused by the group's arrival, however a few eyes curiously looked upon them.

Applejack jumped up onto a chair at a small table she claimed by merit of being there. "Just somethin' to get us goin'," she assured, looking to the chalk-drawn menu they had on a board. "Mmm, let's try somethin' local. Always a treat, small town places like these."

Stan pulled himself into a seat across from her. "What do you have your eye on?" He took a moment to consider the menu. Without a salad to easy guess, he went for the next best bet. "Roasted tubers?"

"Temptin'." She folded her arms on the table with a smirk. "Was thinkin' ah that and askin' fer some greens if they have any. Ya never--"

"What's this?" cut in a new male voice, slapping his hand down a bit close to Applejack. "We got a real variety show going on over here."

Giddyup swiveled his head towards the newcomer, a wastelander, likely of the town, wearing dirty leathers. He had a pistol at his hip, and a knife on the other. "You are intruding on Applejack's perimeter of comfort. Please relocate yourself."

Applejack snorted at Giddyup's polite request. "What he means is buzz off. Ah'm eatin', not answerin' stupid questions."

Stan pulled his hat down a few inches, other hand straying closer towards his rifle. "Jus' so ya know, yer dealin' with two couriers, and we're on a job. You sure ya wanna mess with that?"

"Don't mean anything! But, c'mon." His eyes went to Stan, one hand waving at him. "A ghoul, pint-sized." Onwards he went to Applejack. "Pony, don't need to say much there." And onwards to Giddyup. "And a full sized toy. Never saw one bigger than a few inches long, and they weren't moving."

Giddyup spoke without moving, emitting a neigh of a noise beforehand, "I am assembled within 99.999% of standard operating size for my model. If you wish to submit a complaint, the postal address can be provided." He took a step around the table. "Stan is standard. Making light of his medical conditions will not be accepted."

A sharp whistle cut into the rising tension. The female owner of the eatery scowled at the lot of them. "You all cut that right out! Eat or get a move on."

Applejack raised a hoof. "Ah'll take some of them spuds and if ya could get a salad together, would right 'ppreciate it."

"Spuds an' grass," called out the matron, her glare turning to the one that didn't belong to Applejack's group. "You ordering something, or getting the hell out, Paul?"

Paul raised his hands defensively. "Alright, alright. Not meaning anything..." He went off, grumbling, rather than being kicked out of what was likely the only place like it in their small town.

Stan relaxed in his chair. "Thanks for keepin' it peaceful."

The woman nodded. "Hey, you're not putting out rads. How much hair you do, or do not, have ain't my business if you aren't causing any trouble. Want some water? Rad free."

Stan sat up at that. "Actually, that's tempting. I'll take one."

"Ditto." Applejack clopped a hoof down on the table with a smile. "Toldja. Places like this? The best."

Giddyup turned to the table. He leaned in and touched his snout to a glass of water, the sound of a horse drinking issuing from him, but no water was touched. He didn't need water. Still, the illusion was made, and nobody was arguing, so he was pleased enough.

Applejack casually grabbed the same glass and actually drank it. It wasn't like the water had been touched. "Can't wait! On the road again, and what a target!"

"You've been out here." Stan sipped his water, taking his time with it. "You never heard of this?"

"Nope." Applejack slapped down the mostly emptied glass. "Which is why ah wanna see it. It's from further out west than ah usually roamed. When ah was wit' the vault, ah didn't have no reason to go wanderin' that far. Wit' you, as a courier, well, the sky's the limit!"

Stan mulled over the idea. "Best an' worst part of the job. We may run into other thin's that need doin' on the way, or thin's worth taking a peek at."

"Yer sayin' that like it's a bad thing." Applejack patted her gun lightly, hoof tapping the metal. "But that sounds like the best part of our career, if yer askin' me. Let's go see what there is to see. 'Sides! Ponies!" A few eyes turned towards her. "What? If you were the only human around, y'id find out 'bout others too! Shoot. Pretty sure that's kinda universal an' whatnot."

"Sure, sure..." Stan steepled his fingers. "I get that. I won't lie and say ah ain't curious about it. Figured we'd found all the ponies there were tah find, really." He extended a finger. "We got our tribals, and our vaulters. What's left?"

"Ain't sure. But only one way to find out." Applejack lit up as a plate arrived. "But first, gonna eat like it's mah last. It may be." With great chomping horse teeth, she made the food regret being placed on her plate, making short work of it with noises of approval.

Stan gave a few caps to the waiting proprietress. "She likes it."

"That ain't a mystery." She collected the cleaned plate from Applejack. "I just made a right mean pie, wanna slice?"

Applejack worked her hooves together. "Powerful temptin'! But ah already know ah'm holdin' things up 'nough already. Let's get a move on. Ya have a nice day now, ya hear?" She hopped to her hooves. "We got a lot of ground to cover!"

Giddyup moved aside Applejack. "Physical exertion after a meal can lead to complications. Would you like a ride?"

Applejack cocked an ear at the robotic horse. "Ain't never heard you offer that t' Stan before. Why ya givin' me a chance?"

"Because he knows better." Stan set off, knowing the others would be soon behind him. His boots dug into the soft ground of the ground, letting him begin the journey.

Giddyup was patiently waiting. "Would you like a ride?" they repeated.

"Ain't tryin' to... be strange or nothin'... but we're both horses, kinda... " She rubbed behind her head, trying really hard not to make eye-contact with the others that were watching them.

"It will not exceed my weight capacity," reasoned Giddyup with no fear in his voice, not that emoting was one of his strongest suits. "If you would like a ride, I will provide one. Giddyup Buttercup units are designed to provide authentic and enjoyable rides to all assigned children."

Applejack started forward to head in the same direction Stan had gone. "Right, sure... But ah ain't an assigned child, last ah knew?"

"You are a friend of my assigned child, and have authorization of my assigned Responsible Adult. My assigned child is not currently in need of a ride. I am available to provide a ride. Would you like a ride?" The words issued from his depths, not his mouth. His speaker was far closer to his torso than there, not that this seemed to cause him any real issues.

"If yer... sure." She glanced over her shoulder, some distance between herself and the eatery they had been in. "Ah'll give it a try. Yer a fine friend, Giddyup."

"Your positive review has been stored for later report." Giddyup lowered smoothly. "Please proceed with mounting."

"Phrasin'," laughed out Applejack as she hopped aboard. Ponies were not horses, really. She could slide her hindlegs down on either side of Giddyup and rest her forehooves just behind his neck, sitting upright. "Ready!"

"Begin ride." Giddyup rose with a hiss of released air and launched into a proper trot, in both gait and playing audio file to emit authentic horse noises. "If my pace is too slow or fast, please request an adjustment." He gave off a reasonably authentic whinny, playing the part of an eager horse under Applejack and also an obedient robot.

Applejack was unsure at first, but the further they went, the more her smile grew. "Ain't got no idea why Stan don't take up on this more often... This is kinda great." She kicked at him lightly, flexing in an almost bounce against Giddyup. "Ya can go a bit faster. Let's catch up wit' 'em afore he thinks we let 'em go."

"We did let him go," reasoned Giddyup as he sped up, carrying Applejack smoothly in that bouncing gait along the dirt road. "Child detected." There was Stan, ahead, along the same road. Giddyup adjusted his velocity smoothly to come alongside him at an even pace. "Interception complete."

Applejack waved down at Stan from atop Giddyup. "Howdy! Ya gotta tell me. This here's tons of fun! Why don't you ever do it any? Ah'd be doin' it all the time."

"Want me to count?" Out came a finger. "It's harder to protect him when I'm on top of him." Out went a second. "I'm a lot easier to see, and shoot, when I'm on top of him." Out went a third. "Third, most important, I'm too old for that."

Author's Note:

What, a new story? Well, a new sequel to an existing story. Welcome to it! Fallout got three chapters, why not us?

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Comments

[jurrel]

Pffft, too old for that??? Who can ever be too old to ride a horse?

[David Silver]

11614718
Right?

[Booster Spice]

Stans excuse. Its tricky to shoot back from standing on top of a running horse when youre an excelent target sillouetted against the sky as youre running away.

[Lunar-Flare]

Stan is “pint sized”? We have a Brad Williams ghoul? Now he has to ride giddyup everywhere. I want to see this with my mind’s eye.

Yep, there it is. Just as amusing as expected.

[Numinos]

Fallout got three chapters, why not us?

Well, that was thinly veiled : ) not a fan of forth one I dare think?

Still, glad to be back to this crossover series!

[No one is home]

11614750
It's been hinted for a while now that he was a actually a ghoul child.

[No one is home]

11614718
Stan clings to his adult status.

[tsaukpaetra]

Well that's why you lean downward. Just like you don't wave your arms akimbo while walking.
Heavy box to deliver eh? Potential MacGuffin marked!