//------------------------------// // Day Two in Ponyland // Story: Smooth Criminal // by dudenotactive //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash eyes snaps open, she looks around and found herself in a room filled with clocks ranging from ordinary ones to really strange looking and she was in a tidy bed. Then her eyes landed on a brown stallion who was holding a coffee mug, they both stared at each with the stallion taking a few sips. “I see you’re awake miss Dash!” The stallion chipperly spoke. “In case you are wondering, my name is Time Turner, and I found you near the tracks sleeping.” He was slightly familliar to Dash but she couldn’t tell what. But something needs to be checked first. “You must be very glad that I was passing by and took you in to safety” Rainbow Dash quickly turns her head to her right side and found her wing, which was wrapped in bandages. “My wing...” Tears started to form at the corner of her eyes, her encounter with Torchwick had given her a broken wing as a result. “Yes, it was a bit of problem, bones shattered really badly. Though you might be stuck on the ground for a few months and it would have taken a miracle to recover quickly, but I manage to fix it all!” Time Turner said proudly before sipping his coffee. Dash’s head snaps at him. “Y-you fixed it, how?” “It wasn’t that hard really, I had a special training in first aid. I also used some company issued pain pills to keep the pain away, and even though I wouldn’t be getting some fresh batch this month, but I cannot just leave you in so much pain when you wake up, so I used it on you right on the spot.” He explained as he raised an empty bottle in front of her, it was only the size of his hoof. “Very convenient isn’t it?” Time Turner drops the bottle making a thud on the floor when she suddenly wraps her legs around his neck before she breaks down crying. “T-thank you! This really me-means so much for me!” Dash felt a hoof patting her lightly on her back, Time Turner tried to calm her down. “Now, now, miss Dash. Everything is going to be alright.” She pulls her head away to face him with a smile. “Just call me Dash.” She said as she wipe her tears away “Alright Dash,” Her hooves were still hanging onto him. “your friends are outside in the hallway waiting for you and they must be excited and happy to see that you are fine.” He pointed and Dash’s eyes followed, there at the doorway was her friends watching her and Time Turner, Dash’s face turned red. She lets go of Turner quickly and sits properly on the bed. “Hey everypony, weird weather we’re havin’.” The mares rushes in and brought her into a group hug. “I am so happy that you are fine Rainbow Dash!” Twilight said in the bundle. Pinkie was crying her eyes out saying things that sounded like gibberish. “We thought Roman did something, but thanks to the Doctor, you are fine!” Fluttershy spoke, though it was not very audible, but everyone still heard it. “I’m fine Fluttershy, nothing can bring me down!” She boasted to her friends. “But you were crying like a little filly Dash, I think you aint fine at all.” Applejack spoke as she leaves the hug bundle. “But Applejack dear, thanks to the Doctor, Rainbow Dash must feel like a real mare now.” Rarity teases her friend. They all let got of the hug sans Pinkie and laughed at their friend, Time Turner just took a sip from his coffee, while Dash threw the covers over herself to cover her face. “Well since Dash is awake, why not have some coffee?” Time Turner suggested. “Ah should actually go before Big Mac is worried thinkin’ where Ah am.” Applejack said before looking at one of the clocks in the room. “It is pass midnight.” Fluttershy nodded in agreement. “Angel might be also. So...” “I also need to go! I need to wake up early so I can bake enough pastries to make up for the stolen bits!” Pinkie claims before blurring away leaving the rest. “And I also need to catch up with my beauty sleep, I am far too behind my schedule.” Rarity flicks her mane before leaving with Fluttershy and Applejack saying their seperate good byes. As for Twilight, “Before I go,” she still needed some answers. “can you tell me what happened Dash?” “I would also like to hear your story.” Turner agreed with the unicorn. Looking at both of them, she sighed as the memories were so recent. “He and I fought on top of the train. He was... too fast.” Twilight took out a note pad and started writing down a few details. “He maybe slow when its about flying, but he is something else with that cane of his. I didn’t even land a hit on him!” Twilight scribles down what she thinks was important. “Anything else?” “Yes, he told me he was going to Cloudsdale.” The unicorn nodded accepting the new information from her friend. “Doctor, can you watch Rainbow Dash for now? She still needs to rest.” She recieves a nod from Time Turner, she then turns to her friend. “Will you be ok Dash?” Dash stammered a bit from the idea before just nodding with a blush. “Alright then, see you two later, I’m gonna send a letter to Celestia when I get home.” And with that, she left the two alone in the room. The only sound coming was the ticks and tocks. Rainbow Dash watches the stallion closely, face still red. “So...” He started. “Would you like some coffee or would you like me to leave so you can catch some sleep? You do need a rest.” She clears her throat before nodding. “Sleeping sounds nice, but-” “Well sleep tight Dash and I’ll be down stairs working if you need me.” He cuts her off before turning off the lights and leaving her alone. Dash didn’t noticed that the clocks had stopped ticking and she sat on the bed staring at the door. “But I... Ugh.” Deciding to just forget what had just happened, she drifted back to sleep. Torchwick’s eyes snaps open, he looks around and found himself surrounded by whisky. Rolling off the mattress and onto his hooves, he leaves the secret room. Walking up the stairs into the nightclub, he finds Scarlet holding a mop with her magic cleaning up a green splotch off the floor. For the first time since they met last night, Roman saw her cutie mark. It was a bottle of whisky being spilled. The mare looks up from her chore and noticed the now awake pegasus. “Mornin’ to you sunshine.” Torchwick tips his hat at her. “Now how about that rent?” “You’ll get it later tonight, I promise that.” Roman checks the pockets of his jacket and found that he still has enough dust bullets to spare, but that is still a problem. “Say, is there someone-” “‘Somepony’.” She corrected. “Someone that can help me get more of this?” Roman holds up a single bullet infront of the mare. Using her magic, Scarlet held the bullet and inspected it carefully. “If you want more of this thing-a-ma-bob. I guess you should talk to a friend of mine.” She returns the object to it’s owner. “Tell me, what is it?” “This my dear,” He waves it around in his hoof. “is a bullet. It can be used in a long distance and reduce any unlucky person to hit by it into a lifeless piles of meat, that is if they were hit somewhere vital.” “Like a magic bolt?” “But it can be used by anyone that isn’t a unicorn and best of all, some bullets are like tiny exposives that can maim them completely!” Roman voice echoes in the room. Scarlet was astounded, back then, ponies that were not unicorns relied with crossbows for range attacks. But this ‘boo-let’ was destructive. She thought about cutting the deal now with the risk of casualties, but he had the power to kill her if she tried anything. “Maybe I should... no. You reap what you sow, and when this mad pony start his crime spree, there is no going back.” Scarlet thought to herself. “Now what’s the name of your friend?” His voice snaps her out. Scarlet rubs a hoof on her head before speaking. “Just head south from here until you find a sign that says ‘Jolly Hammer’, tell him I sent you.” “Will do.” And with the new information, he heads right out. The sun was just rising in the sky, though Roman couldn’t see it rise on the count of being surrounded by buildings, he could only tell by the changing colors of the sky. The walk wasn’t long, and he has already arrive at the front of the store, the open aign hangs on the door. He pushes the front door open and inside was a blacksmith forge, with swords, hammers, and spears decorating the wall. Then at the right side was a grey unicorn stallion with no mane and only a raven black beard was using a wet stone to sharpen a sword. “Excuse me!” The unicorn stops and looks at Roman, then he walks up to Roman to reveal that he was a head taller that him, and Roman had to look up just to make eye contact. “Welcome!” The stallion spoke and Torchwick swore that the shop shook. “The name is Jolly Hammer and this is my shop. What can I do for ya’?” Regaining himself, he took out a single dust bullet. “I asked Scarlet for someone to help me get more of these, and I hoping that you could make a substitute?” Jolly looks closer at the bullet. “Why do ya’ want a substitute?” “You see sir, this is what we call a dust bullet, and I am afraid that you lack dust crystal.” Roman explains to the stallion. “Dust crystals? What in blazes is that?” Roman coughs into a hoof. “Dust is a magical crystal that has amazing properties, such as the elements they make. For example, that dust bullet in your hands has a fire dust, it can cause a large explosion where ever it lands leaving a small sized crater.” “A-a-amazing!” Jolly stutters. “Its like a magic bolt but non-unicorns could make use of it!” Then he shook his head clear. “I’m sorry lad, but this dust you been askin’? Never heard of it.” “That is what I’m afraid about. But can you make a substitute?” He once again asked. Jolly gave out a ‘jolly’ filled laughter. “Boy, I have been in Princess Celestia’s school for gifted unicorns!” He shuffles to show off his cutie mark, which was a silver silhouette of a sword with three golden rings around it. “In that school, I found out I can enchant things so they could do much more things! Give me a few hours so I can learn to make it.” Roman gave him a smile of delight. “Great! When can I come back?” “How much ye’ want?” Roman thought to himself before deciding. “At least a hundred.” Jolly started to calculate until he remembers something. “You know Scarlet, right? I’ll just leave it with her and she can find you later.” Then his expression hardened. “Now for the price, this work might cost ya’ a limb lad.” Torchwick laughs in that serious moment. “Like I promised Scarlet Arrow, you and her, will be a very rich ponies.” Jolly’s expression didn’t change, until it did. Laughing louder than Torchwick, he held out a hoof. “You are alright lad. And by the sound of it, you are going to make a lot of trouble.” Roman smirks and shook the hoof Jolly had offered. With their business comes to a close, Roman walks out the door to get some breakfast. Time turner looks up at the sun with a hoof over his head, it was already highnoon and he still haven’t done anything productive. All morning he was doing errands for the mare in his house, and now she wanted colt-a-cola, sadly he doesn’t have any. She wouldn’t stop whining for him to buy some, so here he was, just coming back from the nearest store carrying a plastic bag in his mouth. “Hello Doctor.” A voice had greeted him, turning his head he discover that it belongs to one of his close friends, Octavia, the cellist. “That is a lot of snacks you have there. You should watch what you eat Doctor, or you would gain wieght. And we don’t want that now do we?” Time Turner sets down the bag. “It’s not for me Octavia, it’s for Rainbow Dash. She got injured yesterday and now she wouldn’t leave even though she is in perfect shape!” He explained to her. “She is still recovering from her broken wing..” The grey mare raises a brow and smirks. “My, my, Doctor. I never thought you would be interested for the tomboyish type.” “That is not how it is.” She giggles before walking up to him, she looks up and down with a stern expression, before her hooves straightened his tie with a smile. Satisfied, she turns to leave. “Good bye Doctor. Don’t let your fillyfriend wait too long.” She teases him, and just like that, she ran off leaving the stallion. Time Turner gave a sigh and picks up his bag of goodies before going back home. He had just reached his house in two minutes. As Time Turner enters, Rainbow Dash was holding one of the wall clocks in her hooves shaking it. The clock started ticking with the other ones on the wall and she looks up seeing him by the doorway. She furrowed her brows. “Why do these clocks stop when you leave the room?” He only shrugs at her question, then places the bag onto the coffee table. “Aw sweet!” Wasting no time, she digs through the bag and takes out a single can. With a satisfying ‘psst’ she drinks the soda. “So Dash, how is your wing anyways?” Time Turner watches her pop open a bag of chips that he wanted to eat later. “Same thing since this morning, duh!” She doesn’t even look back at him as she spoke. He facehoof not daring to witness her eat the chips that belongs to him. “What about work? You cannot exactly fly right now.” Rainbow Dash took another sip from her soda. “Thunderlane came by earlier, apparently Pinkie told everyone of how I bravely tried to stop a villain but got injured in the process, and he told me I got a free week! Hah!” “But do you really have to spend it here, in my home? Fluttershy did offer you to stay with her earlier, until you could get back into the air.” The Doctor questioned the mare. She was about to say something, but her mouth just hanged open then close then open again, she blushes slightly. “I uh... Umm...” She clears her throat before taking another sip. “Whats wrong with spending time with a new friend? It’s to really get to know each other Tame Tuner.” “Time Turner.” He corrected. “That’s what I said!” Rainbow Dash cheerfully claimed. “Besides, you should be extremely happy, cus’ you get to hang out with the most awesome pony in history!” “Starswirl the Bearded?” He jokingly cuts her off. Rainbow Dash glares at him, “No, me!” she then held her head high with a single hoof on her chest. “Yay.” Time Turner said with no interested at the slightest. She hops onto the coffee table pointing a hoof at Time Turner. “That’s the spirit! So why don’t we ditch this place and go to the movies!” “But what was the point of buying you these!” The Doctor gestured towards the plastic bag. Dash jumps and lands infront of him staring into his eyes. For a full minute, she stared, and Time Turner became uncomfortable. “Doc’.” Dash used the nickname everyone uses. “Like I said, I wanted to hang out with you because you know... you helped me, and I really appreciated that. If you say no, then I say no.” “Alright,” He walks to the door and opens it. “let’s go watch a movie. And why don’t we-” Time Turner was cut off as a newspaper flops in front of him, a filly was tossing newspapers door to door on a wagon while a mare pulls it. The headlines written in bold letters were ‘Roman Torchwick Resist Arrest!’. He pulls it closer to him and began reading it loudly. “Roman Torchwick.” Time Turner could feel Rainbow Dash tense up at the mentioning of the thief’s name. “A pegasus stallion who had stolen money from a pastry shop in the town of Ponyville was spotted in the city of Canterlot!” Dash groans loudly as she noticed the information she was given was just a stupid lie, never trust criminal. Time Turner just rubs the temples of his head. “This is really going to be a problem.” The Doctor said before leaving with Rainbow Dash. Earlier this Morning in Canterlot “You can take away meat from my diet but I would never ever eat hay!” Roman promises to himself as he eats a slice of cheese pizza, satisfied, he looks back at the empty plate then at the pegasus pony with a yellow coat and blue mane that was tied up in the corner. Roman bops him on the head knocking him out and undid the restraints. He left the pony after, with the bits Torchwick stole from the cash register. He began his stroll in the city to find a good place to start his career, he scans the buildings looking for potential work, many looked good, but he wanted to make his first job in Canterlot to be a good one. Then his eyes spotted something, it was another nightclub which was bigger and better looking than Scarlet’s. He could tell with the few ponies in suits that they have something valuable inside. Finally deciding to come back later to begin his work, he took out his scroll to snap a picture, then Roman returns to walking. Minutes pass with his scouting and he was about to go back to Scarlet’s, but three pony guards, a single unicorn among earth ponies, were sitting idly talking amongst themselves had caught his interest. “So where is Feather Storm?” The unicorn asked. The grey earth pony looks up from what ever he was doing. “Didn’t you hear? A pegasus going by the name Roman Torchwick had stolen bits from one of the local business in Ponyville and assaulted two of the Elements of Harmony.” “They got a tip that he was going to Cloudsdale, so princess Celestia sent most of the pegasus guards as well as a few unicorns to the city to catch him.” The other earth pony spoke. “You know who would really be useful?” They shook their heads not knowing the answer. “Fire Starter! That pony could really help in taking down this crinimal.” The other two guards gave out an ‘oh’. “Excuse me sirs!” Roman catched their attention and the guards turn to him. “Did you say that a pegasus criminal is on the loose?” They nodded. “If so, what does he look like?” The grey guard thinks to himself before listing. “He has a white coat and an orange mane.” “Like this?” Roman presented himself. “Yes. He also wears a grey scarf, a white suit, and a bowler hat with a feather.” “Like this?” The guard nodded. “Does he also have a cane like this?” Waving said cane around. “Yes he does! Wow, you must be psychic.” “Please, your too kind. Welp! If I ever see him, I would find a guard imediately. So long!” Torchwick got onto his hind hooves and walked away, twirling his cane in his fore hoof. The guards smiled at the stallion. “What a helpful pony. Sure wish nothing bad happens to him.” Then something dawned on the unicorn, something he would hit himself for. “WAIT! THAT’S THE PEGASUS!!!” The other guards came to a realization facehoofing before they all went after him.