Horse-Based Economy

by David Silver

2 - A Hard Day's Travel

Roads were nice. They were barely paved, time and use doing a good job of taking care of that, but it was still a step up from wild brushes and smooth enough to be fine for shoes or hooves. Animals usually avoided them for much the same reason. They were flatter and opener than the surrounding land, so the critters got nervous hanging out on them for too long.

It was a shame this information had never reached the attention of the car-sized beast on the road ahead of them. It was scuttling towards them with pincers clacking and stinger raised high, ready to strike.

The powerful crack of a firing revolver drew attention away from it for just a moment, but the bullet involved barely grazed its carapace. The thing was built more like a tank than any normal insect. "Get out of there!" hollared Applejack, trying to take a better shot at the monstrosity just behind Stan. "Run!"

"Workin'... On it." Running was the focus of his life, seeing as the alternative likely involved skipping on the whole living thing. "Dang thing..." Using his longarm was thoroughly ruled out with how close the thing was to him.

The hissing release of pressurized air filled the scene as they raced past their waiting ally. Buttercup bucked his hind legs out in a lashing of steel pneumatically powered sledgehammers that crashed against the scorpion, splintering chitin with the impact.

The blow knocked it off course, almost tipping it, but not ending it. The creature emitted a loud, angry screech as it wheeled around and prepared to face Giddyup as a rival. It lashed its stinger in a lightning-fast stroke, injecting Giddyup's head with venom. It was a shame there were no biological parts there. It did knock Giddyup's jaw free to land in the dust below him.

Giddyup let out an authentic equine whinny of distress as he lashed out with his metal hooves, facing the beast and trying to stomp it like the agitated horse he was.

Ichor sprayed from the already punctured armor in its side. "Good job," called out Applejack, taking shots at the created weak point. "Let's finish this thin'!"

Stan raced in a circle for a better angle, raising his rifle into view. "Jus' hold it a second..."

The scorpion lunged with a pincer, grabbing Giddyup's foreleg leg and yanking it, almost making him topple with the force of the motion. Giddyup stomped on the holding pincer with his other metal ball of a hoof, bashing it like a mace with equine shrieks of dismay. Why did they enter a horse sound of such displeasure? Those responsible were not available to ask.

With a loud supersonic pop of his bullet, Stan fired at the weakened armor, ripping a hole into the creature. It didn't get out the other end, which worked to his advantage, letting it bounce off and stab viciously through the scorpion's flesh on the rebound. It spasmed and squealed, its grip slackening on Giddyup.

Giddyup stomped and thrashed at the end, not stopping until its entire front was reduced to chips. "Status update: Damage, low. Child..." He looked around, spotting Stan and Applejack approaching. "Located. Emergency concluded."

Applejack scooped up the dropped jaw on the way with a wince. "Don't go forgettin' this, pardner. Ya know how to put it back?"

Stan grabbed the jaw from Applejack, metal bracket that it was. It had no teeth, there was no need for that. It was little more than a metal flap to look the part. "Assumin' the screws..." He began pawing around the dirt. "Is around... Help me look."

"Right-o." Applejack began pawing slowly, joining the search in methodical sweeps.

The little screw had rolled away, found under some rocks and twigs, but Stan stood up, holding it aloft in victory. "There we are. With the other one..." Still in the jaw. "--we should be good. Neither looks busted, just came loose. Sorry for not checkin' that more closely."

"You are not a certified technician." Giddyup inclined his head, allowing the small amount of venom to flow free of his head. "Damage: Minor. That cosmetic defect can be addressed."

Applejack snickered at the whole thing. "Reckon that means he ain't angry at ya." She went over to peer at the scorpion. "Ew... You... want this?" She turned her head towards Stan. "It's edible fer ya, right?"

"If you know how to cook it right, it's even not so bad." Stan wasn't going for it, instead advancing down the road that had led to the thing. "I ain't that great a cook. And eatin' what was tryin' to kill me always feels somehow off. Like a respect thin'? Nice try. Rest in peace. Get me?"

"If ya say so." Applejack hopped over the corpse and resumed their journey. "Thin' came outta nowhere! Woo-e, welcome to wasteland travel."

"The good and the bad." Stan slung his rifle on his back, entering a less ready state as things calmed down. "Jus' gonna hope we ain't gonna run into more of them big ones. Not that the smaller ones are any nicer from what ah hear."

"They come in other sizes?" Applejack looked sidelong at Stan. "Different colors too?"

"Yeah, actually." He hiked a thumb back at the one they were leaving behind. "The ones I heard about are kinda dirt colors, not grey. Smaller, faster, just as deadly if you let 'em have their way. Ain't an expert on 'em, anymore than not bein' eaten by one yet."

"I will not allow that." Giddyup walked alongside the two, missing his jaw, not that it really got in the way of walking. "Map query: Remaining time--"

Stan held up a hand. "Cancel that. Are we there? If we're not there, that's all ah need to know right now. Oh, or if we're headed the wron' damn way."

"Determining location." Giddyup did a slow pivot, still walking, but tossing his head in a slow circle, using his neck as much as actually turning. "Confidence, 86%. Direction: Correct."

Applejack thumped against Giddyup. "Good ta hear. Now, be honest wit' us. You alright? That thin' had a good grip on ya there, and that jab looked like it hurt."

"Error checking." He was quiet, save for the steps he made and the soft noises of his mechanics working to smoothly propel him. If one was really quiet and knew what to listen for, the low rumble of his atomic core could also be heard. "Operating status: Acceptable. 98% of original working condition. No major system damage."

Applejack reached up for her hat. "Not gunna lie. Wish I could 'error check' quite so thoroughly. Since ah asked, may as well say. Aside that fright, ah'm feelin' fine as a fiddle in a lap."

Stan smirked at that. "Easy fer you to say. You weren't bein' chased by the damn thing!"

"We rescued you, didn't we, Giddyup?"

"Rescue operation successfull." Giddyup leaned in with his head towards Stan. "Are you feeling well?"

Stan pushed Giddyup back. "Ah'll feel better when we get there. Now, I'm surprised. It's past noon. You usually insist on lunch about now."

"Eating while stressed can cause dietary issues," reasoned Giddyup, straightening himself. "Has your heartrate returned to a normal level?"

"Ain't hungry yet." But he did look to Applejack. "But you ain't me. You want a snack?"

Applejack popped open Giddyup's side, a thing she had permission to do. "Not a bad idea." She fetched a snackbar from within him, a trail ration wrapped up neatly. "Just a little somethin' to march on. Thanks kindly."

She chewed on it, one of the little sounds to join their steps as the day went by. The evening came and they sat around a small fire. "Shame it can't be bigger," sighed out Applejack, cooking as best she could over the little fire. "But ah understand it."

Stan poked the smoldering embers that barely qualified as a proper bonfire. "If we can see it, so can others, and they aren't all nice this far from town."

"So you remind me." Applejack leaned in with a smirk. "You know, ah survived out here afore ah ever met you."

"We're further out." Stan crossed his arms, leaving his poking stick on the ground. "The further you go, the less you know. The less you know, the more dangerous it gets."

"Are we returning?"

Stan peered at Giddyup. "Maybe after we make our delivery. You should know better."

"It would be better for your health." But he didn't argue it past that. "Hostiles not detected."

"Best thin' you said in a while." Stan settled in place, using an arm as a makeshift pillow.

Applejack drew what she was cooking free of the fire and kicked it cool. "Good thin' it ain't too cold 'round these parts." She nosed off the top of the pot and got to serving one of two plates, offering it to Stan. "Eat up. Even you need food at least once a day."

"Yeah, sure." He took the plate, sitting back up to get to the process of filling his face. "Not bad..."

"When yer a pony out here, ya gotta learn it." She tapped herself on the chest with a hoof. "Most anythin' you find or buy's gonna be made fer human appetites. Want some greens? Gonna be makin' that yerself. Just the way of it. Not like ah'm interested in mystery meat on a stick." She joined in the content chewing of a dinner well-deserved. "Mmm, but don't let that fool you. A pony that bites anythin' that looks green's gonna get themselves sick. Oh, and human safe, promise. Ah know who ah'm cookin' fer."

"Wasn't even thinking it." He bit clean the old fork he was using, "I fall over from somethin' you fed me, Giddyup would never forgive you."

"I would not."

"And then you'd be all alone." Apparently satisfied, Stan put the plate and fork together on the ground. "Thanks fer the grub."

"If you ain't gonna eat it..." Applejack had enough appetite to finish his plate and get to cleaning it as best she could with the limited supplied they had. "Ah swear. How do you live on so little?"

"I eat when ah'm hungry." He settled down, watching Applejack clean. "Thanks."

"Fer?"

"Pitchin' in. Right nice, havin' someone around that just does that without askin'." Stan rolled onto his back, eyes closed but facing the stars above. "Had other companions over the years, rangin' from alright to the sort ah wanted to put a few bullets in."

"Jus' polite..." She looked over at his still form. "Night," she finished far more quietly.

"Good night," echoed Giddyup. "Scanning will proceed."

"Feel a bit safer." She curled in against her fellow horse-like object. It helped that he was warm, chasing off the chill of the evening. It wasn't cold, but it wasn't hot either.

They weren't attacked by bandits that night.

"Map update." Stan glared at Giddyup, but he proceeded. "We are within twenty minutes of arrival at our current speed."

Applejack sprang forward, almost a pronk. "Yeehaw! Can't even wait." She curled on Stan. "Permission to ride Giddyup?"

Stan chuckled. "What ah get, lettin' you even have a taste... Go on." He waved her off, even if she was already scrambling up into position. "Be good."

"Affirmative." With a spirited whinny, Giddyup accelerated to a proper trot, carrying the smiling Applejack along.

"Faster," she bade, flexing her body atop him. "C'mon, ah know you can do faster."

"I can." But he wasn't.

"Well... why not?"

"You are not properly secured for full galloping." A spirited trot, but no further. "Perhaps, in this town, we can secure a saddle to your liking."

Applejack crossed her arms, even less secure, which made Giddyup slow a little. "Shoot... Ya reckon they have a saddle?"

"The odds are better than many other towns." They emerged in sight of the town. They had built out into what might have been a parking lot or car dealership. There were other buildings, some fresh, others repurposed old structures given a new reason for life. But they weren't humans. It was a town of ponies, living their best pony lives.

Author's Note:

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Comments

[Booster Spice]

Fortunately a quiet trip on the encounter table on the way out, but an occupied town in the wasteland without decent visible defensive security? They have an Archchancelor Mustrum Ridcully in residence, or something else and other?

[Turquoise pony]

I see this is the third in a series. I will have to come back later when I finish the first two.

[David Silver]

11615752
We will eagerly await you for more Fallout shenanigans.

[Lunar-Flare]

11616163
I do not recall anyone other than giddyup mentioning that until now. I figured that was a shortcoming of giddyup having to designate “child” and “parent” roles rather than Stan actually looking young. It would make sense why they had so many “Stan, eating is necessary for growth”. “I ain’t growing giddyup! I am already fully grown.” conversations if that is the case though.

I can still see Stan just being a dwarf. All of giddyup’s strange comments just being due to programming. I hope that is the case. It would be a lot funnier and make his interactions with humans not questioning the idea of a child carrier make more sense. Ghoul or not I feel like he would get questions a lot, haha.

[David Silver]

11616339
I note, for the most part, they were dealing with not-humans. Ponies without much of a clue, who didn't know better.

[Lunar-Flare]

11616349
Darn, that is all but confirmation. My hopes for tiny and humorous Stan have been dashed against a sad childhood backstory.

[David Silver]

11616355
Stan is still small and arguably humorous. Don't laugh where he can hear though.

[tsaukpaetra]

Snrk Applejack is getting way too comfortable using Giddyup as a steed. 😈😅

[Reese]

"Directon: Correct."
"Direction: Correct."?

[David Silver]

11628179
Fixed!