Chapter 14 A Long Walk Home, Are You Following Me?
Once outside the palace, Boomer began to rethink the whole, walking home, idea. It was a good ways to Ponyville, and then even further to his shop/home. However, he needed both the time and the activity. His mind was so jumbled, he needed them to straighten out his thoughts and feelings. It was all too much, too fast. And that last bit of manipulation by his sister, had been the last straw.
He knew she meant well; had his best interests at heart. But that particular raw nerve was not the one to pluck. And that last had been a full on two hoofed yank on it. He could see by the look in her eyes right after, that Giggles had realized her mistake even before he'd opened his mouth. But that didn't lessen the pain she'd caused.
He turned off the main road onto a footpath that was much more direct, but too rough for a carriage or cart. He had been on it only about a half hour when he heard a very distinct flapping; one that included a faint "whir, click". He froze, once again praying desperately that he was hearing wrong, but knew he wasn't. He dared not move. In the dark like this, he would be all but invisible. If there was one thing he knew how to do, it was hide from Pepper in the shadows.
She flew over him. Now he just had to wait a bit more and he could be on his way again. But then she suddenly swooped back around and landed in front of him.
"Ah, there you are." She said, as she reached back and nuzzled at the base of her prosthetic wing. Then she gave it a few small flaps, and with a "tick, tick, tick, click" it collapsed and stowed itself.
She looked back at him bright eyed as she caught her breath. She could fly with her replacement wing, but it was a lot more work. A fresh wave of guilt washed over him.
She smiled at him, "You are one hard pony to catch up to. If you didn't suck so much at hiding in the dark, I never would have found you."
He looked back at her baffled, "What do you mean? I'm all but invisible in the shadows." He huffed, a little indignant.
She cocked an eyebrow at him, "Really. I can imagine how with your coloring, you would think that, but that pink glow from your horn is always a dead give away. You do know I could see you, or at least your horn, all those times you were watching me from the shadows, don't you?"
His horrified look got a giggle out of her. Then she thought about it for a second, "No, all your time in the military, you would have known about something like that. So, this must be new. In fact, I didn't even see it till I'd passed you, and just happened to glance back. What were you thinking just before I turned?"
Boomer flushed. He dared not open up about it. He just desperately wanted her to go away. Being this close to her was just confusing him all the more. He couldn't believe what he'd said to her in the throne chamber.
Her eyes sparkled, "Oh, it just got brighter! What are you thinking about?"
Boomer's look got even more panicked, and he started backing away from her. She looked at his strained expression then gasped, "Oh my stars. Were you thinking about, ME?"
He stammered, "I, I, um, I..." then hung his head, clearly defeated. "Yes." He breathed softly, closing his eyes and waiting for the laughter he was sure was coming.
He was instead surprised when he felt a soft kiss on his cheek, "You're really cute with this shy flustered act. Do you even know what that pink glow is? Never mind, we can talk about it later. I don't hate you. I don't blame you for what happened either. I flew in there totally caught up in looking at that crystal formation, and didn't pay any attention to the visual warnings you had everywhere. It was my mistake, not yours. And, if not for you, I would have been killed. Then, everything you did to help get me healed, I've always wanted to just tell you thank you for it all. You made a lot of things happen that might not have. I'm here today because of you, not in spite of you."
He looked over at her, "How did you find out?"
She laughed, touching his shoulder, "You threatened to blow up the hospital for me. You think I wouldn't find out about that? You were all anypony there could talk about for months. You threaten the life of the chief doctor, and then have a major breakdown while trying to pay for everything, and you think I wouldn't hear about it? They even started..." but then she stopped and looked at him again. She smiled a bit secretively. Then, she turned and glanced down the path, a pleasant, noncommittal look on her face now, "So, you're going through Ponyville on your way home?"
He mentally stumbled as she verbally changed directions on him again. He looked her over, trying to figure out which way she was heading now, "Yeah. Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking very clearly when I stormed out, and it's a long walk home. But yes, I do have to go through Ponyville."
She smiled and lined up beside him on the path, "Great. Would you care to walk me home then? I don't have a lot of flying left in me after chasing you down, and I don't really see well in the dark."
He sighed, and almost laughed. It seemed he was doomed to be constantly manipulated by the fillies around him. "Okay. Let's go. But you'll have to give me directions when we get into town. I'm not sure where you live." And they started down the path again.
She laughed, "All those times watching me, and you never once followed me home? You're not a very good stalker, are you?"
Boomer took a half step away from her, a disgusted look on his face, "I wasn't stalking you!"
She stepped over, re-closing the distance between them, and bumped his shoulder with a giggle, "Your sister's right, teasing you Is fun." Her face then got a little sad and serious, "She's very sorry by the way. She begged me to tell you that as I was getting ready to leave."
They walked a few paces in silence. Then, he hung his head a bit, whispering, "I know. It's just, I'm a little over sensitive when it comes to you. And she pulled on my guilt and protectiveness when those were already under way too much strain."
Pepper nodded, "I saw her whisper something as she was looking over at you, right before you stiffened. Then, she got the most horrified look on her face; as if she realized she'd done something terrible. Then the ice shattered. What did she tell you?"
He walked a few more steps, trying to decide how much to tell her. He decided on complete honesty. "Giggles ghost is linked to me somehow. She hears everything in my head. As well, she can send thoughts back to me. She told me to pretend it was you, along with a mental image of you trapped in each of the ice blocks."
Pepper nodded, "It seemed to work pretty well."
Boomer stiffened in rage, "It worked almost too well! Remember her warning about not pulling on Princess Luna's power? My DEAR sister underestimated my, feelings, about you. I wouldn't have needed to touch Luna's power to wipe out the palace at that moment. I, barely, managed to restrain myself enough to not. That, is one reason why I was so mad. I'm dangerous. And I won't hurt you again!"
They walked further in silence before she replied, "That's crap. And you know it. You're right about one thing you said earlier; you do have scars. But you're not dangerous. Quite the opposite in fact. You have a huge heart, and you'll willingly take damage to it, rather than let anyone else get hurt."
He glanced over at her. Even in the dimness of the starlight, he could see her smugness. He was about to respond hotly when she stumbled over what he had thought was an obviously visible root sticking out in the path. Apparently, she wasn't kidding about not seeing well in the dark. He quickly helped her back up to her hooves, checking her over. "Are you okay?" He asked tenderly.
She smiled at him as she dusted her knees off. "See, you can't even stay mad at me for five seconds. You big softy."
He tried to look away , injured, but turned right back to her, "How do you know so much about me?" He asked, deciding to let curiosity win this round.
She smiled even wider as they started walking again. However, before they could go even a full pace, Boomer grimaced a bit, and his horn glowed red. Not a lot, but enough to light the path in front of them. Her smile turning into a knowing smirk. But she let it pass as she said, "You're not the only one who has been watching somepony else for some time. The difference being, I asked questions of everypony I could. By the way, that little thing you've been doing where you sell blast crystals and supplies to my quarry at half the price of everypony else, stop it." She glowered at him, continuing with, "If I can't make my business run without charity, I don't need to be running it." The fierce pride evident in her voice.
He almost stumbled himself, having been caught at that. But she continued, "I have an account with the difference between what you charged me, and what others paid. You'll take it, and I better not ever have to speak with you about this again."
He looked over at her with her chin thrust out in proud defiance and simply said, "Yes mam."
And then he laughed saying, "Busted. Can you ever forgive me?"
She laughed as well, "We'll see. You may have to grovel quite a bit. If you prove suitably humble, MAYBE I'll relent."