Fallout Equestria: Blood and Pancakes (IC)

[Pokonic]

The visitor at the door opened it slowly, and ducked to enter the room.

There was a lot of the visitor, actually.

It was easily twice as tall as any of the stallions in the room and wore a huge black robe of sorts that probably had more in common with a tarp than anything else. The robe touched the floor and was soaked to the bone, but, more ominously, hide the visitors face. From what little light the tiny lamp in the middle of the room gave out, it was plane to see that the visitor's body bulged in odd ways under the robe. It's huge back was obscured from sight by a large bundle of bags tied together with rope, ranging from several small bags and up to and including what looked like a pony-sized wooden barrel.

"Ah, thank you, little ones!" the figure creaked out as it moved in wide steps towards the fire.

[DigoDragon]

"So, what do we call you, stranger?" Doc asked friendly-like.

[Forum Explorer]

And what's your story? Supply Route says, smiling.

[Mechanix]

"And what's in those bags of yours? Do you trade? Oh I hope you trade! I was just thinking of a new design for... oh but wait, I don't have any money left." From atop her tower of futons, Jinx proceeds to pout.

[Colonel Fedora]

Joyous Noise couldn't help but stare a little at the strange... pony? It was hard to judge though, considering that she was an undead abomination kept 'alive' by necromantic backwash.

"Hopefully the room should be bit warmer now that we've plugged up the drafts."

[Pokonic]

The big figure got as close to the fire as it could without bumping into any of the ponies and folded it's legs under its body as it laid down.

"Oh, little ponies, no need to apologize for the draft. I cannot feel it myself." the big figure said, sounding joyful. "My name is Addawsa, and I cannot say I have a story to tell. I am a merchant, and one who has tried to keep away from the sort of things that make good stories."

Addawsa let out a wheezy laugh at his own words, and shifted it's cloaked head over to Jinx's general direction. His head was still hard to see.

"Oh, I wouldn't be a trader if I didn't do a bit a bit of trading. I do see you have a saddle there, as well as a Pip Buck. As you do not seem to have any currency on you, I would be happy to give you anything you would wish from my own supplies for the latter."

[Forum Explorer]

A merchant? Do you work the caravans or a city? My parents were caravan folk and they saw some very strange things on their routes.

[Pokonic]

"Oh, I stay in the city, going from town to town, trading when I see fit. Tauronto is a very safe place if one wishes to be, and I have taken full advantage of it. There are few monsters here then most parts of this land, or so I have been told. While I have seen the claws of a hellhound and the head of a bear, I am quite happy to say that I have never seen them alive."

Addawsa paused.

"Oh, would it rude of me to ask your name, little pony?"

[Forum Explorer]

Oh, my apologies for not introducing myself. My name is Supply Route.

[Colonel Fedora]

"And I'm Joyous Noise, formerly of the Tauranto Public Theatre." her voice lost a bit of its brightness on 'formerly'.

[DigoDragon]

"Names Doc," he said as he sat back down on his futon.

[Pokonic]

Addawsa seemed to bob his head slightly after each pony finished what they were saying, but after the good doctor finished speaking his hidden head suddenly wavered over to Joyous Noise.

"Oh!" he said, sounding surprised, "I did not see that you were ghoulish. I could only wonder what you must have looked like when you were alive."

[Colonel Fedora]

"Uh... thanks, I guess." she said, trying to sound thankful for the compliment.

She thought for a moment.

"Actually, I think I have a picture of myself before... this."

She knew very well that she had an old picture of both herself and many of her friends. She often spent nights looking at it and reminiscing. Sleep had not come easy since she had been ghoulified.

[Forum Explorer]

Supply Route glances at Noise, recognizing that tone of voice all too well. So tell us about Tauranto Addawsa. We've got business there but personally I've never been here before. What are the sights and where should we absolutely avoid? she says trying to distract Joyous Noise with needed information.

[Ravian]

Chiseled regarded the stranger with a tilt of the head. He did not seem like a pony, most ponies he had met since leaving had been strange, but this one was particularly odd. His tribe had warned him that there were many strange creatures in the cities of bones. Some of his guardian instincts were kicking in with a not-pony obscuring themselves before his hosts. While his tribe had demanded that hospitality be respected for travelers and guests, time and raiders had proven that it was a privilege often abused. Still the lone not-pony was probably not an immediate threat, so Chiseled contented himself to stay silent and watch outside in case of an attack.

[Pokonic]

Addawsa looked at Chiseled Jaw for a few moments, perhaps wondering if he would speak, before looking to Supply Route.

"Oh, to be honest, most of the city's perfectly nice to visit. Some towns are nicer than others, such as the lovely one we are currently a brisk walk away from, of course, but..."

He seemed to lean back slightly without getting up, and his big neck almost touched his back for a few moments.

"I would advise you to both see the Celestia National Tower and stay away from it. It is quite the sight, but it is a very dangerous area. I would also advise you to not go near the Stable north of here, as it still has inhabitants who do not like outsiders much.

Oh, and how could I forget to mention my own home? To the west of here lies several neighborhoods of reputable quality, where a varied group like yourselves could easily find employ. Speaking of which, what led you to this city?"

[Forum Explorer]

Well I came because my friend wanted to and I can find work pretty much anywhere. Travelling alone in the Wasteland is often just asking for trouble.

Speaking of, is anypony travelling with you?

[Pokonic]

"Oh, just 'friend'?" Addawsa asked, sounding slightly confused, "I assumed that all of you were traveling together."

[Forum Explorer]

We all met up at the same caravan and stuck together when we realized we all had the same destination in mind. Supply Route explained.

[Colonel Fedora]

"We haven't known the others for very long." Noise added "I'm sure we'll get along swimmingly once we've traveled together more."

Her voice had a subtle confidence to it. She'd never had trouble making friends.

[RCgothic]

Joyous Noise was surprised by this gesture. She smiled at the other pegasus and clambered onto a cloud.

"I'm glad that courtesy, at least, isn't dead."

Stellar Blaze smiles back. "There's plenty of courtesy still to go around up here in Tauronto. There are still those who'd cause trouble, but most civilised ponies still know how to be nice. Especially for those that need it."

"Reavers? But that's terrible! Wait, I have no idea what Reavers are. Well, no matter! I'm sure I'll be able to explain things properly to them, and they will let me do my work. It is important work, after all!" Jinx throws quick glances around, then looks, amazed, at one of the clouds being pulled by the pegasus into the room; before Stellar could take place on her own cloud, the young earth pony jumped in the air to take her place, yelling enthusiastically.

And crashing to the ground, having passed right through the cloud. "Ouch! ...that's not fair. I want a cloud bed too! Hmmm... Perhaps now..." Grabbing the two futons that the pegasi had no need for by the teeth, she piled them together into a triple-size mattress. "Tada! Now I'm going to sleep better."

"Reavers are pretty xenophobic. Trust me, if the ponies in Tenpony wouldn't even talk to me, the Reavers would answer your polite enquiry with bullets. They hate anyone who's not one of them! At this stage I figure I'm just going to have to scour the wasteland for the things I need for my research."

Doc sat down on a futon and leaned back. "Well, think you two can squeeze some water out of those in the morning?" he asked the pegasi.

"Sure, I don't think that will be a problem." From her perch on her cloud, Stellar begins to undo the straps of her wingblades with her teeth, placing them one by one on the floor by her saddlebags. It's all very well to be prepared, but sleeping in wingblades just isn't safe! Her pistol holster does remain strapped to her upper foreleg however.

She stretches out the tension in her wings before settling into a more comfortable position on the cloud.

Addawsa looked at Chiseled Jaw for a few moments, perhaps wondering if he would speak, before looking to Supply Route.

"Oh, to be honest, most of the city's perfectly nice to visit. Some towns are nicer than others, such as the lovely one we are currently a brisk walk away from, of course, but..."

He seemed to lean back slightly without getting up, and his big neck almost touched his back for a few moments.

"I would advise you to both see the Celestia National Tower and stay away from it. It is quite the sight, but it is a very dangerous area. I would also advise you to not go near the Stable north of here, as it still has inhabitants who do not like outsiders much.

Oh, and how could I forget to mention my own home? To the west of here lies several neighborhoods of reputable quality, where a varied group like yourselves could easily find employ. Speaking of which, what led you to this city?"

Stellar nods along, this being common local knowledge. "I'm a local myself actually. Stellar Blaze. From Bolton, to the northwest. Nice to meet you!"

"We haven't known the others for very long." Noise added "I'm sure we'll get along swimmingly once we've traveled together more."

Her voice had a subtle confidence to it. She'd never had trouble making friends.

"I think I'd like that," Stellar says with a hopeful smile. She may not have been with these ponies long, but already she's warming to Jinx, Joyous and Doc Wagon. The other two don't seem like they'll be bad either once she gets to know them.

[DigoDragon]

Doc had dozed off for a bit. He yawned upon hearing some question about what brought them out here? "Yeah... just here for the practice," he said half-heartedly.

[Pokonic]

Addawsa sits silent for a bit, and when he speaks again, he sounds slightly relieved.

"Ah, well, you all seem like decent folk; it's just that the city doesn't get much traffic from the south. It's interesting to me that both of the winged ponies here are from the city as well."

The cloaked creature's voice started to sound slightly strained, like he was trying to carry on the conversation.

"Oh, if it's true that you are not simply caravan ponies, does that mean that none of you have any jobs here yet?"

[RCgothic]

"I suppose we'd be a rare grouping wherever we were, pegasi outside the enclave aren't exactly common. Us girls have got to stick together!" Stellar flashes a conspiratorial grin at Joyous, hoping she hasn't just overstepped the bounds of their nascent acquaintance.

"No, no job at the moment. I used to help on the caravan route between Bolton and Tauronto, but I'm a little more freelance these days. I'll take any job that will let me roam the wastes at the moment."

[Mechanix]

"Oh, I wouldn't be a trader if I didn't do a bit a bit of trading. I do see you have a saddle there, as well as a Pip Buck. As you do not seem to have any currency on you, I would be happy to give you anything you would wish from my own supplies for the latter."

"I'm afraid I can't part with the PipBuck - it's kind of a lucky trinket, you see? Also tremendously useful when I need to aim some tricky shots at a raider's face!" Mentioning gunfighting does not seem in any way to deter Jinx's bubbly behavior. "And I'm Jinx, by the way! Pleasedtomeetcha!"

"Reavers are pretty xenophobic. Trust me, if the ponies in Tenpony wouldn't even talk to me, the Reavers would answer your polite enquiry with bullets. They hate anyone who's not one of them! At this stage I figure I'm just going to have to scour the wasteland for the things I need for my research."

"Oh, well. Maybe I can tag along! We could be like science adventurers, wandering the wasteland to find lost technology and stuff! Fighting monsters and uncovering the secrets of the paaaast!" The last word is accentuated in an exaggerated dramatic voice.

"By which I mean, nossir Addawsa sir, I don't have a job. Except if by job you mean walking around finding stuff to repair! Which I guess would be a job, if I ever got paid. Food for thought."

[Pokonic]

"Oh, roam the wastes? I don't like to think of Tauronto as being a 'waste', really. From how I understand it, most places do not have easy ways to get clean water, which is just a shame. Is that true? Are things really so bad in the south that others will try and ransom something as basic as water for caps?"

Addawsa paused for a few moments to listen to Jinx speak, but started to lower his head about midway though her speech.

"Oh, there are no raiders here, little pony, I assure you, so there is little need for that box on you're leg. There are not many secrets in this city either, I must admit.

Truly, I am offering you a favor. Ponies with Pip-Bucks are often not seen in a kind light here, I am afraid. Most ponies who have them are taken as being from the Stable to the north, who tend to be seen as troublemakers. Oh, I remember when it was first opened, actually; they were all quite unfamiliar with the city and didn't know how to behave. I myself got in a nasty quarrel with a few of them, and for that I very nearly lost an eye. Oh, one of the younger horned ponies punched me in the face with a hoof covered in a brass sheath and tried to knock me over. They all had knifes and guns and such, and I was lucky that day in the markets. It was awful."

Addawsa said the following in the same slightly wheezy, hokey tone he had been using for the entire conversation.

[DigoDragon]

"Thanks for the tip about the northerners," Doc commented. "What wares do you sell? Anything specific, or just an eclectic mix of everything?"

[Pokonic]

"Oh, I try and carry everything I can that's worthwhile. I do not carry weapons, though; I don't like selling what I don't know how to use myself. Mostly food and drink, though I do try and find other sorts of goods that have decent value."

Addawsa chuckled lightly.

"I will admit that I do sell some things I wouldn't use myself, though. There was a fortunate incident that happened a week ago, when a good natured group of adventurers like yourselves decided to remove a drug producer from the streets of the city. I happened to be nearby, and, oh, there was a trove of the merchant's merchandise simply laying around! I am a little embarrassed that I have a surplus of medical supplies of dubious useage. Tell me, you are a doctor, yes? Would you have any use for Dash or Rage? Perhaps Dust?"

[DigoDragon]

"I may have a use, yes," Doc replied, "But allow me to sleep on the idea if you don't mind. I could use a few hours rest."

[Pokonic]

"Oh, of course." Addawsa replied, before leaning his presumably large neck closer to the small light in the center of the room.