//------------------------------// // MOVING THE CHAINS // Story: Ten More Yards // by 5aszs //------------------------------// “Atomic, come down here now!” Atomic finished the last sentence of his English homework and dropped his quill onto his desk as he got up, and he closed his bedroom door behind him and quickly came down the stairs. In the living room, two guests were waiting for him. “Atomic, is that you?! You’ve grown so much since the last time we saw you!” Atomic embraced both of his grandparents and sat next to them on the sofa. Both Sapphire and Swift were in their mid-fifties and they lived in an apartment two hours away from their daughter Tea Rose. The couple’s eldest daughter entered the living room and placed a china try (holding two cups of coffee) down in front of her parents. “Oh, that reminds me! Atomic, we’ve got a little present for you!” Sapphire pulled out her handbag and looked through it for a few seconds before taking a small blue box. “Consider this an early Hearth’s Warming gift.” Atomic thanked his grandmother and eventually found the metal lock at the front of the box. He pressed the small button underneath the lock and watched the box slowly open to reveal what was inside. “Woah, that’s so cool!” Inside the box, there was a small rectangular white platform, and top of it, a miniature Nick Foals was in a stationary position, his body thrown backwards and his right hoof outstretched and holding a hoofball. In front of him, there was another small button and Sapphire encouraged her grandson to press it. “Fly Dragons fly! Fly Dragons fly!” “This is so cool! Thanks!” Atomic hugged his grandmother and slowly closed the box. “Mom, Dad, I’m gonna go and wake up Butterscotch. I’ll be back in a bit.” Two minutes later, Tea Rose came into the living room holding her infant daughter. “Oh my goodness, you’ve grown so much, my dear!” Tea Rose handed Butterscotch to her father and sat down next to him. “So, when’s Syracuse coming home?” Sapphire asked her daughter. “He should be back before seven o’clock.” The five were quiet for a few moments before there was a knock at the door. “I’ll open it,” said Tea Rose, leaving the room. “Atomic, Thunderhoof’s here!” Atomic left the living and saw his best friend standing on his doorstep. “Hey Atomic, d’you wanna come round to my house?” Atomic nodded. “Lemme show you what I just got though.” Atomic showed his present to Thunderhoof, and he was a fan of it. “I wish my parents got me something like that,” Thunderhoof said. “Hearth’s Warming is in three weeks, you’ll get loads of presents and you know it.” “Oh yeah! That’s why I love being an only child!” Atomic quickly went upstairs to his room to his present away, and he shouted goodbye to his mom, sister and grandparents before slamming the door shut. In the living room, Tea Rose sat awkwardly next to her parents, knowing the real reason her parents had shown up unannounced. Swift gave Butterscotch back to her and Tea Rose held her daughter, absentmindedly playing with the infant’s mane. “How is your sister?” Sapphire suddenly asked, cutting through the silence that had hung over the room, and Tea Rose sighed loudly. “She’s….doing okay, Pumpkin’s keeping her head down and serving her time.” “Because we want to know how you could allow your sister to get into such trouble,” Swift retorted. “Me?! Pumpkin’s an adult and she knows what’s right and wrong!” “It's your responsibility as her older sister to be looking out for her! Isn't that why you let her move in with you in the first place?!” Tea Rose sighed. “I know, I know.” “If somepony had told me ten years ago that Pumpkin would be arrested for using drugs, I would have laughed at them,” Sapphire said. “I just thought that….after the first time she would’ve learnt her lesson.” “First time?!” the elderly couple exclaimed simultaneously. Tea Rose realised her error and quickly retracted her statement. “Not that she’s done this before, I just meant that, you know-” “Tea Rose, don’t lie to us now.” Under her mother’s intimidating expression, Tea Rose eventually crumbled. “Alright, this may…...have happened before.” “When?” “.....Whilst Atomic went missing. She had to spend a night in jail.” “And why in Equestria didn’t you tell us?!” Tea Rose had held her patience, but she finally erupted. “You were on the other side of the country whilst I was trying to cope with Atomic missing and Pumpkin taking drugs! You never once sent a message or even tried to come and see me!” Sapphire jumped out of her seat. “Don't you dare speak to us like that! Is that how you speak to your parents?!” Sensing the mood shift, Butterscotch burst into tears, and this seemed to calm the three adults. Tea Rose quickly attended to her daughter and took a deep breath to calm down. “I’m just telling you the truth, that’s all.” “We told you months ago that the post service in our area isn't very good. We sent you several letters and we were already on our way to you when we heard that Atomic had been found,” Swift explained, and Tea Rose felt guilty. In the house next door, Atomic and Thunderhoof were in the latter’s bedroom talking when they heard shouting through the wall. “That’s probably Mom,” Atomic said. “Are they..talking about you aunt?” Atomic nodded. Thunderhoof had been the only pony he had told about his aunt’s arrest; his other friends at school had no idea what had happened but the page seven article printed in the Fillydelphia Daily was making pupils talk, and Atomic knew that it was only a matter of time before everypony at Sycamore knew what happened to Pumpkin Spice. “Yeah.” “...Do you know how long’s she gonna be gone?” Thunderhoof awkwardly asked. “A month, that's what Mom and Dad told me.” “Alright, let’s get back to revision.” The fifth-grade pre-public exams had been scheduled for January after the winter holidays, and Thunderhoof was determined to get the highest grades possible. Atomic was less inclined to revise for these exams and Thunderhoof knew this, which was why they were in his room preparing to revise History. Atomic opened his History textbook and sighed loudly. “You know we have all of the holidays to revise. Why do we need to start now?” “Because the sooner we start, the more content we can cover, and then we’re more likely to get good grades in January.” Thunderhoof instructed Atomic to turn to the end of Chapter 1 (titled ‘Equestria like 1000 years ago?’), where there was a quiz for the chapter. “Question 1: How many tribes were there in Equestria and what was each tribe in charge of?” “There were three pony tribes; unicorns, pegasi and earth ponies. Unicorns ruled the land, pegasi controlled the weather and earth ponies were in charge of the crops.” “That’s right. Question 2….” Atomic and Thunderhoof went through the rest of the quiz and when Thunderhoof had answered all of the questions, the two switched over and Atomic did the quiz in Chapter 2, writing down his answers on a piece of paper for Thunderhoof to mark. “...you got 17 of 30,” Thunderhoof said, writing the score at the top of the paper. “That’s a B, right?” “Er….no, I think that would be a C.” “Boys, can I come in?” Thunderhoof’s mother came into the room and gave Atomic and Thunderhoof a slice of chocolate cake, and the colts thanked her. “You guys should take a break,” Thunderhoof’s mother suggested, but her son shook his head. “We’ve gotta finish History first Mom.” “Alright, but don’t burn yourselves out, otherwise you’ll end up forgetting everything you’ve revised.” As soon the door was shut, Atomic got up and went over to Thunderhoof’s window, looking out onto their road. On the other side of the road, some of the colt’s neighbours were playing hoofball and Atomic was sorely tempted to join them. “Look, let’s join the others outside Thunder.” Thunderhoof went to the window and saw the colts playing. “We shouldn’t, there’s still-” “We have loads of time, and besides, it's not like we didn’t do anything today.” “Um….” Atomic widened his eyes and pursed his lips, waiting for Thunderhoof’s reply. “Alright, fine.” “Why don’t you teleport us there? It would be quicker than going downstairs and leaving through the front door?” Atomic suggested. Thunderhoof nodded and closed his eyes. Atomic stood next to his friend and watched the green unicorn’s horn be surrounded by a magical aura. Atomic shut his eyes and suddenly felt a rush of air blow over him, before he felt something hit the back of his head. “Ow!” “Woah, where did you guys come from?” The colt that had thrown the ball apologised and asked Atomic if he was okay, who quickly reassured him that he was fine. The other foals made the circle bigger so that Atomic and Thunderhoof could fit in, and the game was resumed. “Atomic, inside now!” Tea Rose stood on her doorstep and instructed Atomic to come inside again. The light blue colt tossed the ball to the colt opposite him and quickly went to his mother. “Mom, can I have five more minutes? Please, me and Thunder only just started playing, we were revising History the whole time. You can ask his mom if you don’t believe me.” In her cot, Butterscotch began to wail and Tea Rose realised she was holding the milk bottle. “Alright, ten minutes and then you’re coming back in.” “Thanks, Mom!” Atomic rejoined his friends and ten minutes later as his mother had instructed, Atomic said goodbye to his friends and went back into his house. “Wait, are Grandma and Grandpa still here?” Atomic asked his mother as he closed the front door. “No, they left nearly half an hour ago.” Atomic went up to his room and read a book in his bed for the next hour, and when it was eight-thirty, he brushed his teeth and went to bed. FILLYDELPHIA’S BIGGEST TRIAL EVER: PONY TRAFFICKERS SET TO GO TRIAL AT THE END OF JANUARY This morning, we received confirmation from the Department of Justice that Fillydelphia drug barons and several doctors, nurses and surgeons involved with the recent kidnapping of Atomic Tangerine are to go on trial at the end of next month in Fillydelphia’s Crown Court accused of drug production and distribution crimes as well as pony trafficking. Although we do not who will be in the prosecution team, we were able to speak to the defendants’ lawyer, Whistle. “I am confident that our clients are not guilt of the crimes that they have been accused of. The police are clearly looking for a scapegoat to blame the city’s growing drug problem on and they unfortunately decided to choose our clients. Rest assured that my team and I will be doing all we can to ensure that our clients walk free.” We also wrote to Sweeper- often regarded as the best prosecutor in the country and currently based in Canterlot - on what he thought of the trial. “The sentence is monumental for this- life imprisonment with a minimum of thirty years. We have never seen a trial of this magnitude, especially with the crimes that the defendants are being accused of committing. Both princesses are going to definitely be keeping a close eye on this as will the rest of the country. Do I believe the defendants are guilty? That’s not up for me to decide, but if I was on the prosecution team, with all the evidence against them, I would be more inclined to believe that they are guilty.” Syracuse finished reading the article and put the newspaper down. “When do I have to go to court, Mom?” Atomic asked. “I don’t know, but the police will tell us when they need you.” The trial of Atomic’s foalnappers had not been at the forefront of the colt’s mind for the majority of the few weeks since he had returned home- Atomic was eager to put his ordeal behind him and move on with his life as soon as possible. But the confirmation of the upcoming trial had l thrown the colt off, and he couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to see his foalnappers in court again. Suddenly there a knock at the door. “We’re not expecting anypony, who could that be?” Tea Rose pondered as she headed to the front door. “What the-” On the front porch, a piece of paper had been left behind. Tea Rose picked it up and closed the door, assuming that the foals her son played were playing some sort of prack on her. As she came into the living room, Tea Rose turned the paper over. “Oh my gosh.” On the other side of the paper, a picture of Atomic locked up had been drawn. The colt was held to the wall behind him via thick metal chains (eerily similar to how he had been locked up by Marble) and underneath the picture there was a caption. SNITCH AND YOU’LL BE SORRY! Tea Rose threw the paper onto the table for Syracuse and Atomic to see for themselves. “They sent it, the ponies that foalnapped me, it was them!” Atomic gabbled, and he began to panic. Syracuse took the paper off the table and gave it to his wife. “We’re showing this to the police. Atomic, you’re not going to school today.” Tea Rose took Atomic’s empty bowl to the kitchen to wash, and Syracuse left the house to go to the phone box at the end of their road and call the police. “Two officers are on their way,” Syracuse announced as he closed the front door behind him. Tea Rose woke up Butterscotch and brought her downstairs to wait for her breakfast in the living room. “Tomic, tomic!” the infant gargled as she bounced around in her high chair. “It won’t be long before she can say your name properly,” Syracuse remarked, and Atomic smiled fleetingly. Tea Rose came back into the living room with Butterscotch’s breakfast, and the family sat silently as they waited for the police. The second lesson of the day for all of fifth-grade was Maths, and as Thunderhoof watched Mr Topaz write out questions into the backboard at the front of the class, he began theorising why Atomic was absent today. Something bad didn’t happen to him again right? “You are to answer these questions in ten minutes. When you’re finished, I’ll choose one of you to come up to the board and show everypony your answers with an explanation.” Thunderhoof looked up and saw his classmates had already begun. He quickly copied down the first question and answered it, eventually finishing all of the questions on the blackboard just as Mr Topaz announced that time was up. “Banoffee Pie, come up to the board, please.” Banoffee took his exercise book with him and took the chalk Mr Topaz gave him. Banoffee set his book down onto the last page he had written in and he began explaining his answer for the first question. “Does anypony know why that answer is wrong?” There were quite a few hooves raised across the classroom, and Mr Topaz ended up choosing a filly at the back to answer. “Sir, he forgot to make the equation equal on both sides.” “Banoffee, answer the question again please.” Banoffee nodded and used the blackboard eraser to rub out his answer. He corrected his calculations as instructed and wrote the correct answer at the bottom of the blackboard. “Thunderhoof, can you answer question 2 please?” Thunderhoof and Banoffee swapped places and Thunderhoof rubbed out the previous calculations on the blackboard. “For this question, this is how I did it….” Thunderhoof proceeded to answer the second question, and Mr Topaz nodded when Thunderhoof wrote his answer, confirming that he had got it right. Thunderhoof rubbed out his work and began answering the third question. When he had finished explaining his calculations for the fourth question, Mr Topaz thanked Thunderhoof and told him he could go back to his seat. “Here is your homework for the holidays.” Mr Topaz reached under his desk and took out a large stack of papers held together by a thick elastic band. “Each of you will have a booklet for pre-public exam revision. I have specifically tailored each of the booklets for your strengths and weaknesses, so this should be your main source of revision over the winter holidays.” Mr Topaz went around the class and have each pupil their booklet. Thunderhoof opened his and realised that it would take him a while to complete what he guessed was the 200-page long booklet. When the bell rang at eleven-fifteen, Mr Topaz dismissed his class and Thunderhoof, Banoffee Pie and Pacific Sail left the first-floor classroom together. “What are you guys hoping to get for Maths?” Pacific Sail asked. “I’m aiming for an A at least, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I came out with a B,” Thunderhoof replies, and Banoffee agreed with him. The three colts met up with their other friends (Amber had chosen to spent break time with Pablo and his group) and rather than hanging out on the buckball courts at the back of the school, the group opted to stay inside, sitting at the round table at the end of the corridor that led to the outside courts. “Atomic’s alright, isn’t he?” Chestnut asked, articulating what everypony was worrying about. “They already arrested the ponies who took him, he’s probably at home with a cold or something,” Thunderhoof eventually said, and this seemed to calm everypony. “Does anypony know when our next match is?” Moondust suddenly asked. “No idea, but Sir should tell us tomorrow in training,” said Maverick. Stormcaller, Blaze, Mustang and Pacific Sail took out their EHL trading cards and began to play with them, with the others watching on quietly. “Yeah, can you believe she did that?!” “Wow, your mom is somepony you shouldn’t mess with!” Amber, Pablo and his other friends walked past the others, and Amber smiled and said hello to the colts. “I still don’t get what he said to make her his friend,” Blaze retorted. Stormcaller, Blaze, Mustang and Pacific Sail continued playing with their cards, and at the end of break, the colts said goodbye to each other and headed their separate ways to their respective lessons. “Do you think I’m gonna get in trouble if I tell Miss that I forgot my homework?” Chestnut asked Thunderhoof, a worried expression etched across the smaller colt’s face. “This is the first time you’re giving in homework late, don’t worry about it. She’ll probably just tell you to bring it in tomorrow.” The two reached their classroom and went inside, sitting together in their assigned seats on the large table at the back of the classroom. The English teacher (a unicorn hailing from the Crystal Empire named Mrs Clementine) entered her classroom and instructed the pupils to take out their reading books as she put her belongings down onto her desk. Thunderhoof reached into his saddlebag and took out his reading book. For the last month or so, the top-set fifth-grade English class had been studying ‘Voyage to the End of the World’, a Foals’ adventure novel that the class would be tested on in both the January mock exams and the end-of-year exams. “Before we continue reading, could everypony take out their homework so I can take it in now, please?” The class took out their homework and Thunderhoof nudged Chestnut, whispering that now was the only chance he had to tell Mrs Clementine he had forgotten his homework. “Mrs Clementine, I accidentally left my homework at home. Could I bring it in tomorrow for you?” “Alright, but that’s the last time you can give homework in late, understood?” “Yes, Mrs,” Chestnut replied with a nod, relieved that he wasn’t in trouble. The lesson returned to normal once Mrs Clementine had collected the homework, and Thunderhoof had been called upon to read aloud. “Flash Spark awoke in a panic, desperately rooting underneath his bed to look for the watch…..” “This is where you’re going to be until the trial’s over.” When the two police officers had arrived at the Tangerine household, they were quick to escort the family to the police station. At Fillydelphia Police Station, the family were informed that the police were going to house in a safe home with security. A team of officers went back to 27 Mayfield Avenue to collect the family’s belongings, and they were due to arrive later that day. Outside the safe house, the male officer took out a small key and inserted it into the lock, opening the front door and stepping aside to let the family through. “It smells really weird,” Atomic pointed out, and Tea Rose sniffed the air before agreeing with her son. “This is the closest place we could find, and you’ll be safe here,” the officer said. “We'll, as long as we’re safe in here, then it’ll be fine,” Syracuse said. “There’s food in the fridge and cupboards and there are two toilets here. Let me show you how to turn the gas on.” The officer led Tea Rose and Syracuse into the kitchen whilst Atomic pushed Butterscotch (who was asleep in her pushchair) into the living room. “So will Atomic be allowed to go to school whilst we’re here?” Tea Rose asked. “Yes, a police carriage will take him to and from school everyday.” The police officer pointed to the four guards standing at the front of the house and told the parents that they should consult them if they had any worries. He also pointed out the walkie-talkie in the hallway that could be used to contact the police station. Once the police officer said goodbye and left the house, the family gathered together in the living room. “There’s barely any vegetables in the kitchen, what am I supposed to cook?” Tea Rose complained. “We could always get hayburgers and fries, Mom,” Atomic suggested, but his mother shook her head. “There’s no way you’re eating unhealthy food. You’re a growing colt and you need your nutrients.” “Come on Mom, When was the last time we had takeaway? It’s just while we’re in here!” “There’s nothing wrong with unhealthy food every once in a while,” Syracuse added. “.....Alright, fine! But this is only because we’re in here and not at home!” Tea Rose got up and left the house to tell the security guards. “This is exactly what happened last time!” The time had just passed four o’clock and school had ended for Sycamore students forty-five minutes ago. Since his mother and siblings were out shopping and were coming home late, Chestnut had opted to go home with Thunderhoof and stay in his house until his mother came to collect him. Thunderhoof’s concern about his best friend had grown bigger and bigger on the way home, and as they approached his house, he spotted the poster staplers onto Atomic's front door. Using his magic, Thunderhoof peeled the paper off the door and levitated it over to him to see what was on it. “They took him again, we have to go to the police!” On the paper was a drawing identical to the one Tea Rose he seen that morning, but this time there was a different caption: WE WARNED YOU. Thunderhoof sprinted to the end of their road, with Chestnut following behind. Thunderhoof reaches the phone box and immediately called the police. “Fillydelphia Police, what is your emergency?” “My friend, Atomic, I think he was kidnapped again!” “Again?!” “Yeah, the house is empty and on the front door, I found a paper!” “Saying what?” “It's a picture of Atomic, and underneath it there’s a threat!” “Bloom, could you check in with the guards at the safe house, please?” The mare on the other end told Thunderhoof to wait for a few moments. “Atomic is fine, we’ve just got him and his family staying somewhere else for a while, to keep them safe.” “Oh. Could you tell us the address?” “Sorry, I don’t think I’m allowed to. Safety guidelines.” “We won’t tell anypony, I swear!” Thunderhoof pleaded. The mare on the other end put her walker-talkie down and Thunderhoof could hear her speaking to somepony. “What’s going on? Is she gonna tell us?” Chestnut asked, but Thunderhoof shrugged his shoulders. “Alright, where are you guys right now?” Thunderhoof told the mare he was on Mayfield Avenue, and the mare explained that a police carriage would come and pick up the colts, to ensure that they weren’t followed. Twenty minutes later, Thunderhoof and Chestnut were in the back of a police carriage, well on their way to the safe house Atomic and his family were staying in. The passenger windows were black on the outside to prevent passer-bys from looking in, and the officer driving opted not to use the sirens so that less attention was drawn to the police carriage. The carriage turned off the main road and into a short side road. At the end of the street, the carriage turned right and draw a couple hundred yards before suddenly stopping. “We’re here, guys.” The colts unfastened their seat belts and took their saddlebags with them as they got out of the carriage. The officer that had been in the front passenger seat took them towards the guards in front of the lone house. “They’re friends of Atomic, they’ll be in the house for a bit.” One of the guards led the colts the the house and knocked on the door. “Thunder! Chestnut!” Atomic opened the door wider and greeted his friends eagerly. “The police said we could stay with you for a bit.” “Cool! Come in!” Thunderhoof and Chestnut entered the house and Atomic closed the front door. On the sofa in the living room, Syracuse, Tea Rose and Butterscotch were having dinner. “It’s nice to see you guys. Have some food, they bought way too much for us.” Tea Rose reached into the carrier bag and took two hayburgers and two boxes of chips,”. Thunderhoof and Chestnut took the food and sat on either side of Atomic. The ponies chatted casually as they sat, the conversation topics focusing on school and the upcoming pre-public exams. When they finished their food, Atomic, Chestnut and Thunderhoof threw away their wrappings. “Yes!” Atomic had randomly opened a cupboard and to his surprise, a hoofball was inside it. He took t out and showed his friends. “We can’t play outside, though.” The three colts debated playing inside but Tea Rose entered the kitchen and saw the hoofball. “Don’t even think about playing with that in here.” Atomic sighed and left the kitchen with Thunderhoof and Chestnut. Suddenly he remembered that there was one part of the house he still hadn’t visited. “We can play out back!” The light blue colt led his friends through the hallway and towards the slightly-open door. He pushed it and saw the small patch of grass closed off by a wooden fence. Thunderhoof and Chestnut formed a triangle with Atomic and the three colts began playing catch, until Thunderhoof had a better idea. “We could practise a few throws, and Chestnut you could mark Atomic.” “Oh, I don’t think-” “Come on Chestnut, I’ve barely seen you play hoofball with us. Besides it’s s just us, there’s nopony else here.” With some additional persuasion from Thunderhoof, Chestnut eventually agreed to mark Atomic. The two lined up to the far right of Thunderhoof. “Hut!” Thunderhoof took a five-step drop back with the ball. Atomic had opted to run a post route and when he cut into the middle, he pushed off off Chestnut to give himself extra space. The move worked and Atomic was open to catch the pass. On the next play, Atomic wanted to test his speed against Chestnut and he told Thunderhoof he was going to run a go route. Thunderhoof took a seven-step drop back and Atomic burst from his starting spot. Surprisingly, Chestnut wasn’t too far behind him and Atomic turned back to see that Thunderhoof had already let go of the ball. The receiver kept track of the ball’s progress with his eyes and prepared to catch it. When the ball was within Atomic’s radius, he prepared to jump for the ball. But as he took off, Chestnut had turned around and also reached up for the ball, making it a lot harder for Atomic to catch the ball. The hoofball ended up deflecting off Chestnut’s hooves and it tumbled towards the grass. “I caught it! I caught it!” Just before the ball had landed, Atomic had been able to reach backwards and pull the hoofball in. When he hit the grass and didn’t drop the ball, he jumped up and celebrated ecstatically. “I can’t believe you caught it!” Chestnut exclaimed as he got up, and he high-fived Atomic. As they continued playing hoofball, Atomic’s worries about the trial and his foalnappers disappeared entirely from the back of his mind. For now, he was happy to playing hoofball with two of his closest friends.