XAVIER POV
Rodney and I stood by his motorcycle, unable to move or interfere as Tempest Shadow bravely took a stand against a whole group of cops, Pinkie and Skystar behind her. I almost broke loose when a single shot was fired, but Rodney held me back. Incredibly, they lowered their guns shortly afterwards as Tempest continued to speak. And then she requested something unbelievable:
“Give me every reason not to be a savage and I never will be one again. Ever.”
My eyes threatened to pop out of my skull and I forcefully bit back a frightened gasp of shock. Tempest was actually asking the Toronto Police to leave her in peace – and on top that, advising them on unnecessary confrontational situations. However, my heart sank as I saw a handcuffed Zack being led away into one of the cop cars. He kept his head down, thus rendering him unable to see me from where he was. One cop shut the car door firmly and the others started to gather up and disperse.
Meanwhile, Pinkie and Skystar appeared to be having a long, heated talk with the aquarium staff. Once or twice Pinkie looked to be angrily calling out her friend, but for the most part things went well. Warming appearances played a huge factor, as the final words I heard confirmed that:
“I promise.”
“Please?”
“Awww, alright. But don’t’ ever let me catch you pulling something like that again.”
“We promise, with all our heart.”
Pinkie then noticed me standing by the road and ran over faster than I could smile. In a second or two I found myself slammed on the rock-hard pavement with an adorable ball of loving pink fluff on top of me in a big hug and facial nuzzling gesture.
“You’re okay!” she said tearfully.
“I should be the one asking that question!” I replied with a slight chuckle, easing back upright onto my haunches, 200-something pounds of Pinkie still in my lap. I gave her a big kiss on the cheek and Rodney nodded to me, then gestured behind me.
Across the street stood Twilight and Rainbow. I have no idea how long they’d been there, but likely they, like me, had opted to stay back and avoid disrupting the tense moment between Tempest and the cops. Pinkie then noticed and ran over to them, taking note of the road before racing across.
“Well, looks like all is okay here now,” Rodney sighed with a smile, hopping back onto his bike.
“B-Breezy?” came a soft voice. I whipped around to see Tempest walking towards me, her solemn yet somewhat sorrowful face a far cry from the loud, aggressive, commanding posture and tone she’d used just minutes ago.
“I… I’m sorry, I had to…”
I threw my arms around my special somepony and hugged her close, feeling little tingles from her broken horn base and the warm rub of her blood, still fiery and rushing from the standoff. I knelt down and affectionately gripped her neck, fighting back tears.
“You know you’ve wanted somepony like. Love may not be really your thing, but your heart wants it. Know that there’ll always be something new every day, and whatever it is, we’ll get through it together. I know you’re so mighty and strong, but try and follow my lead, alright? I’ll always love you, Fizzy.”
“I… I love you too, Breezy,” Tempest replied, nuzzling my torso. Which caused me to jolt back in surprise.
“Hey, not so deep like that out here,” I reprimanded. “Leave that for the bed tonight, alright?”
With a sly smile, Tempest gave a slight smile, then looked back as a couple cops approached her.
“I’m off to the police station. Skystar and I have an interrogation session which will determine a court case to settle the fiasco.”
“What fiasco?”
“When we first met!” Tempest snapped, before holding back and relaxing as cuffs were slapped onto her. “When you first found us.”
“Ah, yes. Speaking of which…” I pulled out my phone, loaded the photos app, and handed it to the “commander” cop. I showed him the photos of the crime scene - bullets, Skystar lying helplessly on the road, and most important of all, the crooked cop’s body. His mouth formed a little O of shock, but kept his cool and turned to me.
“Well, this makes it official. Let’s settle this the right way. It shouldn’t be too hard.”
I sighed and mounted onto Rodney’s motorcycle. If all went well, this would allow all of us to be together again – my childhood friend, my mom, Tempest, Skystar, Spike, and Twilight and her friends.
XAVIER POV
POLICE STATION
I was led with three officers into an interrogation room. It was nothing new to me, as I’d been here before after I was caught in the crossfire of a drug deal gone violent back at the age of 15. However, this time I made sure my behavior was more civilized. With every ounce of patience and cunning wit, a hand and foot-cuffed Tempest trudged along, trying her best to calm Skystar, who was crying like a toddler after a spanking. I was set down in a chair with three officers and a detective, complete with a notepad, pen, and numerous documents.
“First a couple questions, who are these with you?”
“They are my friends. I kindly request to tell you all of it, sir.”
“Go ahead. Lie detector is on standby. You do understand that it is a criminal offense to…”
He trailed off about a few laws and justice codes, before returning to the main topic.
“It is known that you have had a previous offense of being an accomplice to the illegal distribution and selling of heroin approximately three and a half years prior. Given the limited information and evidence to support your involvement in the crime and your truthful, heartfelt confession, the charge was kept at a minimum of three years with an $8,000 fine and 200 hours of community service. You must understand and comply with the fact that you may have to stand at a trial as a witness to the crime shown in the video and photo evidence you provided.”
After the detective had given me the green light, I slowly rolled out the whole story – driving late at night, discovering the situation, and fleeing the scene. I deliberately left out the details of the cop chase and the car I owned to avoid any complications.
“What are these, exactly? And how many?”
“One alicorn – meaning, a pegasus with a unicorn horn… or a unicorn with pegasus wings whichever, two ‘regular’ ponies, two pegasi, two unicorns, a little dragon – who, according to his own words, is eleven years of age, and a hippogriff of royalty.”
“So the alleged victim is a princess?”
“Yes, sir. She is the daughter of Queen Novo.”
The detective nodded, and I continued to wisely release information as required. A court date was set in three weeks’ time, to determine what position I held in relation to my pony friends, and whether Tempest was worthy of any criminal prosecution. I willingly gave a copy of all the photos and videos of the incident to the detective – and, thankfully, Tempest wasn’t put into temporary custody. Little did I know she had plans of her own to win a large lump sum of trust back.
MAVERICK AND RODNEY’S MOD SHOP
As soon as Rodney and I got back to the shop, Maverick, Applejack, Fluttershy, and the others were waiting right at the open garage door to greet us in the fading light of the late afternoon. Rainbow Dash and Twilight soon arrived, having picked up Pinkie and her cupcake items. Yet one thing still irked me a little.
“Where’s Zack?” I asked, suddenly looking like a kid waiting to receive his Christmas present.
“He’ll be here soon. Had to fetch his board and some other items,” Twilight explained. “I offered to teleport him here, but he kindly declined and hopped on the streetcar.”
“I… actually feel better with you around,” Tempest confided, as we sat on a bench outside the shop drinking juice and watching the sun set. “Really. By the way, what’s got you all antsy?”
“I haven’t seen Zack in almost five years. Coincidentally his family moved away less than a year before I got into that heroin fiasco. We were best buddies since first grade, always getting caught up in typical kid trouble and sharing stuff together. One of our passions was what many prefer to call ‘extreme sports’. I took up skateboarding and he took up BMX, as he’d loved bikes since he was a toddler. We’d hang out together after school and find the best street spots to try out all sorts of cool tricks. I missed him a lot when I was serving in jail, and I’m not even sure if he knew I even was behind bars at all. I feel quite bad for not contacting him after my release, but I was so focused on bringing my reputation back up and supporting my mom and everything else.”
“It’s never too late to mend a friendship.” Twilight walked over, having finished work. Many of the employees were already heading home. I just sat with Tempest close to my side, waiting and waiting for my best friend to show up. And sure enough, he did – just about beating the setting sun.
“Well, I never thought you’d hook up again, let alone with a pony,” Zack joked, fighting the bubbly childish excitement in his voice as he hopped off the streetcar and bounded up the sidewalk towards the shop.
“You distant barspinner,” I muttered under a spillage of tears, brushing Tempest’s hooves aside and pushing myself off the bench. “How’s it been?”
Zack pulled me into a hug so affectionately warm I felt like I was wearing two sweaters, but it was a great feeling. “It’s great to see you again, bro.”
“You’re still here in Parkdale?”
“Yup.”
“How’s life been with a pink furball on crack 24/7?”
“Oh shut it,” I blurted, giving him a friendly shove. “She’s just hyperactive, is all. Have you forgotten the pigtailed blonde from third grade who wouldn’t stop super-rapidly asking questions about kittens in biology class until the teacher stuffed cake in her mouth?”
“Ha ha ha! Real good memory there.”
“Okey doki loki, down to the serious stuff,” I continued, gesturing to the bench. “I think I finally found legit love. This is my newest and probably the best girlfriend, Fizzlepop BerryTwist. Or Tempest Shadow as she prefers to be called.”
“Um, ah… heh”
I jammed my fingers into Zack’s mouth to abort his impending laughter, not even caring they might get bitten off. “She’s not the type you should mock. Respect please.”
“Ha, okay. Ahem. Nice to meet you, Tempest.”
Tempest slid off the bench and slowly walked up in mock curiosity, before smiling at him. Not a solemn smile or a sexy smile, just a plain old friendly smile.
“It’s good to meet you, Zack.”
“Can we head home now?” Twilight asked, barely visible in the almost-gone sunlight afterglow. “Your mom must be really worried, Xavier.”
Muttering an angry curse under my breath, I pulled out my phone and hit speed dial. As I went through the call, Twilight introduced herself and her friends to Zack.
“I’m Twilight Sparkle, and this is Spike the dragon, my number one assistant.”
For a moment, Zack’s face fell, and Fluttershy was right by his side in a second.
“Aw, are you okay?”
“Yeah it’s just that…” Zack trailed off as he took in the adorable sight of her flowing pink mane, kind, soft eyes, and overly genial, tender voice. The next thing Fluttershy knew, his arms were around her tightly.
“Oh, um… okay, I guess you like me?” Fluttershy said slowly.
“Hi there! You obviously remember me, riiiiiiiight?” Pinkie said eagerly, jumping up to Zack’s face.
“Yeah, I certainly do.” He noticed Skystar in the back. “And you, too, sweetie. Come here.”
Skystar stepped forward, a look of doubt across her face. “Did you just call me ‘sweetie’?”
“Well,” Zack declared proudly, “Admit it! It’s what you are.” And he gripped her torso and pulled her close to his chest in the same warm embracing hug he’d given Xavier.
“I didn’t really know you loved me that much!” Skystar admitted, nuzzling his cheek.
“Well, I only wished I could’ve gotten to know you better when we were at the Rogers Centre,” Zack replied, stroking her super-soft fur.
Applejack and Rarity then gave their introductions, just as I finished the call.
“Mom says she’ll be here in a couple minutes to pick us up. She’s borrowed a colleague’s car, and says we’ll have to take turns since there are so many of us. And Zack?”
“Yes?”
“You can stay over if you wish.”
“Yes!”
Twilight giggled a little at his excitement and we all waited outside the closed shop for my mom in rows. I sat back on the bench, my special somepony by my side and surrounded by all my close friends. Closing my eyes, I smiled inside. There’d been challenges that had threatened me and many more to come, but I now felt better about having to face them.