Thief

by conTROLLER234

Chapter 18 Guests

Thief

Chapter 18

Guests

Jackpot. If I was still on my own, had the truck, and a place that I was going to be staying for a long time, all of this food could last me months. If we had more space in the truck, we could’ve taken a large majority of it. We’ll probably make a second trip back to this place, but it’s likely that some other survivors will come through and do the same.

We grabbed just enough to put in the trunk, and some in the backseat, but everyone can still fit in. The two captured in the back might be a bit waterlogged with supplies, but honestly that’s not that bad. And I could care less about those two anyways, these ponies don’t know what they’re doing…

We strolled out of the market with the supplies we needed in some shopping carts. With the load that we hit, and the daylight that we were losing, we decided to leave the other stores and houses around town for another trip. I heard talking the the trunk, like full on conversations. And I moved faster when I heard two other male voices talking.

When I had made it to the trunk, I opened the hatch and widened my eyes when I saw what was before me. AppleJack and Lyra, first of all, were playing a game of cards with each other. Where they got the cards was beyond me. And second of all, the two strangers were untied and PLAYING THE GAME WITH THEM.

“AppleJack!” I quickly yelled, catching the four’s attention.

“Whut?” She asked lazily, not pulling her eyes from her card game. Though the two guys seemed to completely give me their attention.

“Did you untie them?!” I confronted furiously, jumping into the trunk and standing over the two hostages.

“Hey, calm down big guy, they aren’t hurting us.” Lyra frowned, pointing to the two, who were sitting idly by the game, with cards in their hand.

I glared at the four of them, tired, and wanting to go back to the farm already. “Get out, we’re loading the truck.”

AJ grumbled, placing her cards down on the floor and got up. The others did the same, and all went to jump out of the trunk. I held up a hand to the two strangers.

“Not you two, you’re staying in this trunk until I tell you to get out. You’re lucky I’m not tying you back down to the truck.” I ordered, jumping to the ground and beginning to load the boxes of food and water into the trunk. We had grabbed some packaging boxes from the back of the store, so we didn’t have flying cans of beans and other items flying out of the truck.

We piled multiple boxes of supplies into the truck, only stacking two layers since we didn’t have anything to hold them down. Though some of them were decently heavy, I didn’t trust stacking any higher.

When we were done, the sun was just starting to fall below the horizon. I told the others to get into the truck, and as they piled in I walked over to the two in the trunk.

“Now listen to me closely.” I spoke deeply and sternly. “If any of you try anything, I don’t care if it’s for a good reason. If I didn’t tell you to do it, you’re both dead. Got it?”

The shorter one nodded in agreement, though the other just stared straight ahead. I stared at him until I turned the corner and climbed into the driver seat.

“It’s going to be really dark by the time we get back. How are we going to see?” Dash questioned, pointing out the window.

“This truck can do a lot of things, don’t worry.” I answered, pulling the keys out of my pocket and starting up the truck. I clicked a button behind the steering wheel, and two, large and bright beams of light shot out of the front of the truck. The light beams grabbed everyone’s attention, earning impressed and entertained noises from their mouths. I didn’t react to their reaction, and simply carried on to put the truck into reverse, then forward as I took off down the road.

- - - - -

“Do any of you know how to start a fire?” Rarity questioned. Her, the Cutiemark Crusaders, Winona, and Big Mac sat by an empty firepit.

“Eeyup.” Big Mac spoke deeply, getting up and walking into the barn. It was getting dark, which meant it was also getting colder. The others weren’t back yet, and they didn’t speak of being gone over night. There was nothing wrong with apples, but they were becoming a bit old. They just hoped that the others would be back soon with some more food.

“Here, I can try!” Scootaloo jumped up, looking around. She smiled when she spotted two sticks, and ran over to grab them. She hopped over the log seats and stopped at the firepit. She stared between the two sticks and the fire pit for a moment, thinking of how to tackle this.

“Let me help.” Sweetie Belle trotted over to Scootaloo, and held one of the sticks, while Scootaloo began rubbing the other against it.

“Girls, ah think ya need somethin’ tuh light?” AppleBloom pointed out, tired.

Scoots and Sweetie Belle both stopped, realizing it was getting them nowhere. They both looked at each other in defeat. “Oh…” They said in unison.

“My goodness..” Rarity whimpered. She could only hope Big Mac was capable. Though she didn’t have much of a doubt, if AJ was able to make a fire, so would Big Mac.

Big mac returned with a large box on his back. He placed it down by the fire, and took off the lid. Inside were various fire making materials, ranging from starters, kindling, fuel, and firewood.

Everyone leaned in, curiously to watch as BM set up a Tipi like structure. A large dry grass bundle in the center, and a smaller bundle outside of the fire. He grabbed a Bow Drill starter from the box, and two flat pieces of wood, one thicker than the other. The thinner one, on top, had a small triangular notch taken out of it. He set everything up so quickly, it was obvious that he had done this many times before.

Before they knew it, the Tipi was raging with hot flames. He watched closely and tended to the fire, slowly increasing the size of the wood to put on the fire. Once he had it going, he closed the box, and sat down.

“Very impressive.” Rarity charmed, sitting closer to the fire to warm up. Big Mac smiled, puffing out his chest a little bit.

“When do you think everypony is gonna be back?” Scootaloo asked out loud, because it was to no one in particular, no one replied. She waited an answer, though it was silent besides the sound of crackling wood. “Hello?”

“We’re not sure darling, we just have to wait. They’ll be back soon.” Rarity said, knowing no one else was going to reply.

“Are you sure?” Sweetie Belle entered, then turned to BM as he suddenly raised his hoof to his eyes. As if to look into the distance of the forest.

“Eeyup.” They all turned to where Mac was looking, and noticed the truck. Easier to spot, with the long beams of light that it was emitting.

“Thank goodness..” Rarity sighed in relief.

- - - - -

I pulled the truck up to a halt in front of the barn. Everyone quickly climbed out and greeted the others with warming hugs. I opened my door and climbed out, kicking the door shut as I held a sleeping Fluttershy in my arms.

AppleJack ran to her big brother and little sister, and they gave each other a relieved hug.

“Are ya okay sis?” AppleBloom smiled bright, holding her sibling close.

“Yeah, how was it back here?” She pulled away, and they did the same.

“Boring,” AB grinned.

I walked over to the fire, and gently lay Fluttershy by the fire to warm her up. When I stood back up straight, I glanced over the fire. I examined it before talking out loud.

“Who made this?”

Mac turned to me, when he realized I was talking about the fire. “Ah did.”

“I’m impressed,” I nodded my head, also noticing the materials for starting it. “classic bow drill, looks like you did pretty well.”

He smiled again. “Eeyup.”

“While you two pyro’s talk ‘bout caveman stuff, could y’all help us unload the truck?” AppleJack snickered, grabbing my and Mac’s attention. As we walked over, there was a sudden loud gasp from the back of the trunk. A terrified Sweetie belle ran away from the truck, and hugged Rarity.

“W-Why are there two other things in the trunk?!”

“Ask the people who actually wanted to bring them back here.” I emphasized, saying it so it clearly wasn’t me that wanted them here.

“Sis..?” Apple Bloom looked up at AJ, concerned.

AppleJack sighed heavily. “Ah’ll explain it to ya later, Apple Bloom. Let’s unload everythin’.”

“Y’all brought back quite th’ load.” Mac scanned over everything, and began unloading. The two who were still sitting in the back, didn’t move a muscle at the new ponies. That, and in addition to what I threatened to them.

“We definitely hit the jackpot where we ended up. We could’ve brought more if we didn’t have two stowaways.” I mocked.

“Alright, alright, ah get it! Quit it!” AJ growled, irritated.

Once everyone was helping and had a box of supplies, they wandered around to look for a place to put it all.

“Let’s put it all in the barn. It’s best if we keep everything dry.” I said, obviously.

“No kidding?” Dash asked sarcastically, earning a sneer from me.

“Yes, Skittles.” I smirked, and she rolled her eyes.

Rarity looked between the two of us. “...Did I, miss something?”

“Had to be there.” Twilight giggled.

Eventually, everything was unloaded into the barn except for the two humans. We all sat by the fire, warming up and waiting for someone to speak.

“So..” Twilight started. “What do we do with the two in the trunk?”

No one said anything. I was staring at the fire with a stick in my hand, that I was skinning and sharpening for the sake of wasting time. In my peripheral, I could see and sense them all look to me. I didn’t look up to speak.

“Don’t look at me, I didn’t bring them along.”

“Well, we have to put them somewhere.” Dash shrugged.

I looked up at her with a fake, interested look. “No kidding?”

She growled, and stuck her tongue out at me.

“Couldn’t we just leave ‘em inside the car for the night?” AppleJack suggested.

“Who’s to keep them from stealing the car while we’re asleep?” I spoke not a second after she finished.

“We can hear you from here!” One of them yelled from the trunk of the car.

“That’s because you have ears, smart ass!” I yelled back.

“...Really?” Twilight accused, frowning. Earning a shrug from me.

“Why don’t we just invite them down here to the fire and talk to them?” Fluttershy offered, alerting that she was awake.

“Yeah, I mean. If they try anything there’s way more of us than there are them.” Dash added, and turned to me. I simply threw my arms up, physically saying it wasn’t in my saying.

Twilight shrugged. “I’ll go get them then.” She got up and headed over to the truck, And AppleJack quickly followed behind her.

“So,” Dash looked up at me. “you’re okay with this?”

“Nope,” I said flatly. “honestly, we’ll be lucky if we wake up tomorrow. Judging by the way we were almost killed, and they shot at our truck. Looks like I’ll be watching the entire night, again.”

“Or,” Rarity chimed in. “you could put some trust into someone else.”

“You weren’t there Rarity, you don’t get it.” I shot back.

She blew air out of her mouth, speaking through her exhale. ”Figures…”

Twilight and AJ returned with the newly found humans. They sat down on the ground, as there wasn’t much space left on the seats. That, and they didn’t want to be near the strange creatures. Fluttershy watched as they sat down, and almost immediately noticed the one with the injured shoulder.

“O-Oh my goodness, your shoulder!” She quickly stood up and made her way over to the human. He moved back for a moment, until he saw her physically ask for permission, then sat still. She smiled as began to examine his shoulder.

Oh man… Oh man, if I could shoot him in the face right now and make it look like an accident I would. I pulled my backpack around in front of me, and pulled out my sharpening stone to sharpen my knife.

Fluttershy gasped as she rolled up his shirt sleeve and revealed his swollen shoulder. It was practically the size of a softball.

“Damn AJ, you got him good!” Dash joked, and AJ blushed angrily.

“Ah feel bad, okay?!” She barked, only causing Dash to laugh.

As Fluttershy continued to look at his shoulder, he looked down at her soft coat and tail that was brushed up against him. He slowly reached down towards it, when the sudden sound of me aggressively pulling my knife out of it’s sheathe, made his hand snap back to his side. He winced in pain at his movements as he glanced up at me, noticing me sharpen my knife simply, as I glared death at him.

“Try not to make any sudden movements.” Fluttershy cared. She glanced up at me, holding his arm still. “Um, John. Could you please get the medical equipment for me?”

I stopped sharpening my knife and looked up at Fluttershy, an obviously fake mask of care appearing on my face. “Sure.” I slammed my knife into the wood of the seat right beside my leg, making her and some other ponies jump. The knife got stuck into the hardwood about an inch in, before I got up and walked inside the barn.

Dash leaned over and whispered to Twilight so only she could hear. “I think somepony is jealous!”

Twilight’s ear flicked at her words. She hadn’t realized, but it made sense now why John was suddenly so angry. She looked over at Fluttershy, close and caring for the stranger. “Uh oh…” She mumbled some words that barely escaped her lips. If John cared so much about Fluttershy, having her taken away from his by a stranger that he already hated was bound to lead to disaster. “I-I’ll be right back..” She got up swiftly and trotted to the barn.

When she walked in, she saw John sorting through what seemed to be the weapons that the two strangers had with them during the attack. She walked up to him, being sure she wouldn’t disturb him. “J-John..?”

He barely flinched, but he picked up the long, narrow, object with the magnifying scope on top and the knife on the smaller end. He was examining it, his back turned to Twilight.

“You know,” He began. “anyone can pick up a gun and shoot it. But it takes skill to actually hit what you’re aiming at.”

Twilight was completely confused on what he was talking about. “John, are you..okay?”

“And with flesh-eating monsters walking around, it’s essential that you actually hit your target.”

Twilight frowned, stomping her hoof. “What are you talking about?!”

“We’re keeping those two outside, and the night can be very dangerous. It would be a shame if something…” I cocked the bolt back and forth. “..happened to them.”

Twilight gulped and stepped forward. “John, I know what you’re feeling right now. It’s not what you think-”

“What are you talking about? There’s no problem here.” I placed the gun down and picked up the medical equipment. “Besides, let’s not waste time.”

“We have guests to tend to.”

Comments

[verypeeved]

well that was quick. 3 chapters in 2 days

[conTROLLER234]

7030995 I'm on vacation right now, and although that usually means that I wouldn't be writing, it's quite the opposite. I've had so much spare time without distractions it's really all I have been doing.

[verypeeved]

7031016 noice

[verypeeved]

7027542 tell me!

[Element of Power]

It would be a SHAME if something were to... happen to them...