***Saturday, Day 28, Morning***
I wake up to a slight tickle in my nose, soon identified by my slowly opening eyes as Specter curled up against me, tail in my face. A small snort of air on the offending furry appendage is enough to start stirring my little friend from his snooze and getting myself started as well. I yawn widely, start getting up, and mentally brace myself for what will definitely be a… different morning.
I can still barely believe this is happening, it’s just so out there.
As I get to the bottom of the stairs I see Hydro already awake in the kitchen with a thoughtful look on his face. I nod to him and receive one in return as we simply sit in silence for a moment thinking about our… situation. Deciding it’s best to go ahead and get this started, we head down the hall to the guest bedroom.
The same room whose door is currently locked and chained closed due to its occupant.
I tense up as Hydro removes the chains and unlocks the door, readying myself for anything. The door opens to reveal a black pegasus with two tone green mane and tail, green combat jacket, green eyes, and a silver infinity symbol with a sword through it cutie mark. The mane is the classic mohawk-like style, while the tail is also the classic short style like Volt has.
Atomic Vortex
**Flashback, the night before, train station**
The one on the right speaks up, “Dr. Rhino and Mr. Hydro Pump?”
Hydro and I look at each other and back at the guards, “Yes?”
Wonder what this could be about…
The guard continues, “Your assistance is requested with a matter of a… sensitive nature.”
I adopt a slightly contemplative but still confused look as I ask, “What do you need help with?”
“Given your involvement in resolving the dangerous weather anomaly recently, you two were seen as the best candidates for this given the circumstances.”
“Not to be rude sirs, but you still haven’t actually told us what you need.”
The one on the left took up speaking, “We need you to house Mr. Vortex here,” here nudges the black pegasus next to him who continues just looking at the ground, “for a few days.”
Hydro raises an eyebrow, “Is that it? Why would you need us to watch him?”
“Because he’s a criminal.”
My eye’s narrow slightly, “So why us, why not simply put him in jail?”
“Because of the nature of his crimes, grand theft from the Royal Treasury and assault on the royal guards who were protecting it. He has yet to be tried in court, and as such, many would try to get to him in Canterlot to pursue their own justice, despite the evidence already against him, Ponyville was deemed far enough to keep away those who might want to get to him, but close enough to retrieve him from when the time comes. You two were thought of simply because of the fact that both of you live here and were proved trustworthy, after all,” he seemed to almost sneer with the last part, “surely two stallions such as yourselves, should be able to handle one disarmed former royal guard, such as Atomic Vortex here?”
Convenience and circumstance… something’s off about this but I’m not sure what yet…
Hydro and I take positions on either side of the black pegasus as the two guards start flying back to Canterlot before we can get another word in. Our minds still reeling from this sudden turn of events.
Hydro looks at me while motioning towards the rapidly disappearing guards. “Can they really just dump this guy on us?”
I look back at our newly acquired charge before responding, “To be honest I don’t know, they’re the royal guard, I’m not exactly sure what’s in their authority and what’s not, I guess we just deal with it for now.”
Hydro grumbles, “Fine, but I’m chaining his door.”
**End Flashback**
Atomic Vortex, who we learned prefers to be called Atom, looks up as we open his door, but shows no signs of attacking. From when I talked with him on the way home, he seems alright, but one can never be too sure I suppose, and it never hurts to be cautious.
Atom eats a bowl of cereal I fixed up for him as Hydro lays down the ground rules.
He looks the pegasus in the eye as he speaks, “Alright Atom, here’s the deal: Rhino and I have errands to do this morning, but there’s no way we’re leaving you alone in the house, so you’re coming with us. While we’re out, you either behave, or you get hurt. Simple as that.” Atom nods in response and we head out.
Our errands go fairly smoothly, Hydro and I would take shifts, one of us standing next to Atom while the other would go do what needed to be done around town, coincidentally this leads to all of the townsfolk thinking that Atom is simply a friend that we’re showing around town. Strangely enough none of our friends find us either, though that is probably a good thing seeing as they would be the only ones who might actually call us out on the unintentional bluff we had been running.
As we head back to the house I start to get an uneasy feeling in my stomach that things went perhaps too smoothly…
We open the door the house and-
SURPRISE!!!