Chapter 14 Where Are We Now?

Stroking my back softly, Capper managed to keep good pace as I shuffled along. "You wanna talk about it?"

"We gotta look out for traps." I bit my lip. Then lifted my head and focused solely on the road ahead.

"Okay, it's no problemo because I'm okay waiting until you're ready." he smiled, good ol' flashy Capper not a care in the world. But something in his words felt off. Like he was struggling too.

"I…understand that you're feeling mixed feelings about the way I'm treating what's supposed to be good news." I said then just stopped talking. I couldn't bring myself to even think about what came after that sentence.

"I am just not visualizing "good" from your very off-putting demeanor." he did a twirl in front of a shop with a faded sign hinting at "a kid's delight," hopefully a candy shop, to give me a straightforward look. Then he just faced front again, paws in the pockets of his coat.

"Can I just have time to think it through before I say the wrong things and cause an argument?" I flicked my eyes to check the street for hostiles and saw a still spinning barber's pole. Probably the wind, but I saw the past flowing neatly upward into a spiraling void. It was anxiety, telling me there was nothing good waiting in the future because of everything wrong with my past. But then there was Cappy strolling along beside me whistling a happy tune from one of the feel good songs DJ Pon3 liked to play after some big speil.

Okay, I thought to myself as I sidestepped a jagged rim that had rolled onto the sidewalk, get it together. Why do you feel so rough about Orange Juice? Because you left him alone in Bittsberg? Your coltfriend? You said he'd help you find Nexy and you left! I left because I'll never find Nexus and even if I do he'll just kill me on sight. I can't have Orange Juice seeing—

"You're gonna wanna step aside!" Capper had leapt into me, narrowly saving me from stepping on a landmine.

We were in an area that looked like it consisted mostly of apartment buildings and small burnt out coffee shops. "How long have we been walking?"

"Right, that is the pressing issue here." he put his hands on his hips. "Regardless, about 20 to 30 minutes. The factory is just over that crest." he pointed to a big warehouse with smoke stacks that was up a steep hilled road.

"Sorry. I'm usually more observant than this."

"You're gonna wanna observe harder bigshot, because the traps are well laid out for any fleet of foot wannabe." he grinned at himself for that one but then grew serious again.

"I get it. I'm a liability right now."

"Not if you're up for some chit-chat." he bent at the knees and used his elbows for support to get eye level.

"Orange Juice obviously." I huffed. There I finally said it.

"Like you want some orange juice?" I gave him a harrowing look at the comment. "Okay okay," he held up his paws in surrender. "Just talk to me."

"I was dating him before I left him in the dust like I do everywhere I go. I hurt everypony I get too close to."

"I'm not everypony so I'd say that's untrue."

"Will you just let me talk?" he nodded. "I told him he'd get to help me find my so called long lost friend but it just wasn't reality. Now he's here, somewhere in Broncston, and knowing him he'll probably hop right back aboard that long burned bandwagon." I paused, looking him deep in the eyes to signal I was ready for him to talk.

"Ah, I see what's happening here. You're having regrets. Well you have me, and I can sweet talk a mugger." he pointed thumbs at himself.

"That's not reassuring."

"Are you scared he'll hate you? Because from the memories I know I should not have seen, he's the forgiving type."

"That's why I feel so bad about it! He has a right to be mad."

"Then explain it to him baby, let him know he should be mad, and even if he's not, let him help you understand why he isn't." Capper put his paws on my shoulders and made me make eye contact with him. "Whatever happens, it'll work out fine."

"I'm just guilty."

"Guilt is a strange bedfellow, don't let it take over, babe." he stopped to kiss me and I let myself melt into it. I wanted him to be right, to feel like I didn't need to be guilty. I decided to forget about it.

A ping rang through the air as a bullet barely missed us and we broke our kiss far too early. "Aww they scuffed my coat! Perkin will not be thrilled for this." he threw up his arms.

"And they interrupted my make out session." I winked at him then snarled toward the warehouse. They must have a sniper.

Capper snapped his fingers, but nothing happened. "What the?" he looked at his paw.

"Are you trying to make the magic happen?"

"Don't you know it." he smirked at me. "But it's not coming now. Guess I'll just have to resort to the old fashioned way."

"What's that? Kitty claws?" I smiled.

He pulled out a zebrickan sword, "No! I'm gonna show no mercy!"

"Where in tartarus do you get all these things?" I said in exasperation, but he was already not paying attention and instead running full on for the warehouse. I followed fast.

You have discovered

LOWER BRONCSTON SPARKLE-COLA PLANT

There must've been only one sniper defending this side of the building because the bullets that rang out were unable to hit a couple of zig zagging moving targets. We burst through the doors, instantly met by raiders who'd been playing inside. Their use of suppressors gave them a disadvantage this time as their cocky sniper hadn't warned them and there hadn't been the sound of bullets either. They dropped their card game in anger and picked up some nearby weapons but Capper beat them to the punch. He sliced one with his sword and they went jeering away. One pointed a gun at him and got his hoof sliced off.

I took out the last two. Then the two of us lowered our weapons. "We're going to need to take out the leader if we want the rest to scatter."

Capper stroked his chin, "If I were the leader of a ragtag team of raiders, where would I be?"

"Probably in the manager's office." I rose a brow at him.

We took the first staircase we found and came to a rusted balcony looking over the production yard. There were vats filled with nasty looking liquid that must've once been Sparkle-Cola. But it wasn't even that. We heard chatter from down below and outta sight through the grated floor and Sparkle-Cola was reduced to nothing but waste. I put my hooves on the chipped yellow painted railing, listening.

"Yeah the brews are going great. This place was the perfect place to set up shop. If only we could get rolling on that Malice."

"Never heard of that one before." said Capper in hushed tones.

Another voice, "We will once we take out those stupid Minute Hooves." the voice was gruff and had an air of power.

"You don't think the boss is right down there instead?" I gave Capper a sideways look.

He grabbed the rail and swung over it, shouting, "Let's find out." I peered over the edge to see him running beneath the balcony with his sword swinging.

I ran to the stairway leading to the factory floor and chased after him. With one hoof against the pistol I had raised, I sent shots off toward the raiders shooting at Capper. I was covering him and his foolhardy approach seemed to keep him out of harm's way. I mean I'd be missing too if the shock of a crazy cat guy running at me without a care was hitting too.

A raider wearing heavier armor than the rest was backing into the doorway with a homemade sign on it reading "Top Notch Only." I let Capper take care of business here. I had a date in there.

I slammed the door shut behind me and went into a dark hallway. Somewhere I heard laughter. I felt a bit creeped out, not knowing what his plan was to defend himself. He seemed confident and I was going in blind. I squinted in the dark, picking out stacks of boxes leaning precariously in every direction. They looked full of items, and on closer look I got the feeling that the raiders had put them here and that they weren't old.

"Come on in little pony!" I heard a shout from a room that had a flickering light. When I entered I saw the place was lit by candles and that the raider boss was standing on a table waiting for me.

"Okay, this is crazy." I rolled my eyes.

"No, you're crazy." was the response. Just then two explosions went off near me and an industrial light flicked on right in my face. I was thrown back and knocked against the wall and my Pip Buck warned me of low HP. Two raiders were coming toward me and I saw the raider boss turning around to focus on a large contraption. It looked like a workbench. I had to find out what was going on.

I took a swig of a health potion and jumped up, bucking one raider and firing at the other. The first was down but I missed with my bullets and the gun was knocked from my hoof. He smirked at me and lifted his hooves in challenge. I stood back on my hind legs and threw a bunch, but only hit his oncoming hoof. We both drew back, shaking off the pain. I snarled and leapt for my gun and he leapt for me. I grabbed the hilt and turned the barrel on him just in time to get a headshot.

"Shit, this ain't gonna work either! Why couldn't those dumbasses just have gotten into that store?" Just as he was making his final complaints I cocked the gun with the barrel pressed against his head. "Looks like they can't get anything right." he was grumbling. I pulled the trigger but he had already begun a twist and ducked. I shot the big workbench machine thing instead and he was on his back, bucking and I yet again lost my revolver. That pissed me off.

I leaned in on him in the cramped space, making it impossible for him to get up. I put my hooves down hard on his collarbone and he choked but he was still lashing out. I gripped his neck and he kicked me but I did not let go. "This is over," I snapped and pressed down hard. I heard a sickening crack and he looked at me with wide eyes. Then he went limp, eyes dead.

I shoved him aside, picked up my gun then turned my attention to the big modded out workbench. It was a chemistry station but tricked out with Sparkle-Cola gadgets. They were using the soda ingredients in whatever drug they were making, plus a bunch more chems. This looked crazy but as I got closer I saw lists of ingredients with instructions and notes. They had been trying to create a drug that gave earth ponies arcane abilities for a brief instance.

There were notes on experiments where some earth ponies saw auras and started to draw on that but then a high kicked in making them freak out and tweak. There were some anti-psychotics in the pharmacy at the convenience store the raiders here thought would take the high down to a safe level before they could tweak and they'd feel great while still taking advantage of the drug. There was another note about a stock of Sparkle-Cola that had been shipped to that store, and only that store, that could cause the earth ponies to be able to completely steal a unicorn's magic and leave him lifeless when mixed with everything else they had here. Sounded like some Tirek level bullshit.

Then I saw a satchel and I opened it up. A few syringes spilled out along with boxes of ingredients listed on these notes. I had found the latest prototype. It was labelled "incomplete" and "not ready for experiments" and a sticky-note attached said it was the closest they'd gotten and adding the Sparkle-Cola X would most definitely work based on experiments with the last prototype. I took all the notes they had and stuffed it into the stachel then slid the strap around my neck just as I heard somepony else coming into the room. I stuffed the bag into my vest and used a grenade buckle to keep it hidden when I recognized it was Capper's paw shuffling.

"Trying to be sneaky?" He asked. I turned around and hid my guilt.

I kissed him, breathing, "Not particularly. I know we've locked this little routine in."

"Let's go give the Minute Hooves the good news so we can head on to Sanctuary."

"Where we will be seeing more of said Minute Hooves." he winked.

We returned to the store, where the mare who had first greeted us gave us a warm welcome. "I suppose there's no longer need to call backup here then." her smile made her eyes glittery. She had two younger stallions help us with re-upping our supplies. Then I saw towards the back of the store the drug counter. I felt the weight of the Malice plans near my chest and I bit my lip. I took a look around to make sure nopony was looking then trotted lightly over there. I undid the top part of my vest and withdrew the satchel, opening it and retrieving the notes. Chems and drugs with long name that hadn't been crossed out, things that hadn't been tried yet.

I breathed. Sometimes it was better just in case. I didn't need it nor did I intend to use it. But something told me we wouldn't have been drawn to this place, those raiders, if it wasn't important. Maybe I was taking a shot in the dark, but I was remembering odd things at odd times that made me stop to think. What was the point? There had to be one. I hoped I could find one. So instead of blindly following raider written instructions, I read the notes to get a better understanding.

Mintals Level: Key ingredient- Levellium. Gives the user a level head and higher perception.

Steadfast: a refined version of Steady found in select stores throughout Lower Broncston. Will reduce paranoia caused by earlier prototypes. Steady will not suffice.

Party Foul: a drug discovered and kept secret by the minister of image, there is only one known location, a convenience store near a Sparkle-Cola plant in Lower Broncston. It is a psychedelic plant that reports found in one of few intact government buildings in Canterlot state the minister found in the Everfree Forest when she apparently nearly caused a scandal that had to be covered up. I mean, can you believe it?! She apparently used this in secret as a way to curve her addiction to mintals.

Two weird things hit me at once, the fact that I did not know Pinkie Pie discovered some new drug on our trip to save Zecora, and that I knew she'd been to a convenience store in Lower Broncston but nopony would tell anypony else why. Just that a few newspapers had released it, Nexus had one of the only few copies of each one of said papers, and that he'd shown me them and I decided they were of no consequence. So many government cover ups that all made a little more sense. I shook my head realizing I had had a role in some without any knowledge.

Looking at ingredients the raiders had decided to keep I thought to myself I knew which ones I would get rid of from the product already in my possession and ones I would add just to make a better version of it against the raiders based on these notes. I thought, maybe if, big if, I ever thought it best to create this new chem, best to have an idea, a plan, in place for it. Faust only knew I loved my plans, the ones that got me Overseer position in the first place. All my big stunts with Nexus I went along with. It was shaky to think back on it and see how every little action got you where you were.

I thought best to steer clear of any mintals, remembering how I hated that Pinkie used them so excessively. I didn't know if I wanted to poke around with anything derived from Steady but it was a more refined version. Didn't mean better, but no harm in taking it. I slipped it into the satchel as I walked by, looking like somepony back in the day of video surveillance trying to trick the cctv camera. Then for this Party Foul. I imagined something like that would be hidden in the back room under some loose floorboard or something. Pinkie had been dragged out of this place like some superstar on a mental breakdown. At least, as far as I could remember the front page picture of her.

Strangely enough, when I looked for the Sparkle-Cola X in the freezer storage area first, I found a few empty bottles with a sealed wrap around them to make them look full with no second glances. Peeling back the wrap I saw inside were fuzzy purple leafy items and it smelled terrible when I popped the cap of one. I quickly found something to cork it and stuffed a few lighter bottles into the satchel and took a few of the drinks for my saddle bags. Those would look normal enough.

"What are you doing in here?" the leader of this small group of Minute Hooves had seen me.

I lifted a bottle, "Just checking out the drinks. It's labelled with an X, I've never heard of it."

"We've all taken a look at the strange version of Equestria's beloved soda and none of us think it'd be safe to try." she took the bottle from my hoof and rolled it around between in hers, looking at the backside of the label.

"They wouldn't have shipped it here if they didn't think it safe for consumption." I chuckled lightheartedly.

"Well…the delivery truck is actually still around the block, parked perfectly like it was meant for this place and not on its way out. And a clipboard showed they'd been to other stores as signed by some other ponies, but have big DENIED stamps over each one. This place was the only one with big green check marks."

"You know, I like to hunt for treasure, and that tells me the government had special plans for this brew that stores began to see through but bombs fell just in time." I smiled at her and took the bottle. "Besides, I've only taken a couple. I don't plan to chug em and die, I'll sip and savor and see if I get sick."

"You do you."

"I've survived this long." I laughed, lightening my own mood. I liked this mare. Too bad I'd never know her name because I didn't think I'd ever see her again, deciding then and there that I probably wouldn't.

Capper and I left, and I thought to myself, I don't regret anything.

But just like with the Incident of Stable 14, I was lying to myself.

(Footnote: That battle for the factory was intense! But hey, at least Blitz gained some good rep with the Minute Hooves. He's a good pony at heart and Capper can see that. But there are some relationship qualms that are going to need to be addressed, especially with the implication that they're gonna meet OJ soon. Looks like Blitz is starting to be more open about wartime chems now, we'll see more of that in the future, in a really interesting way. Okay, can't wait to get Chapter 15 done! Let's keep on reading x3)

Brohoof! /)