//------------------------------// // Delivering Hope // Story: Escape to Paradise // by NeutralZ1 //------------------------------// As Neutral flew to the outskirts of Ponyville, he decided to walk to conserve energy in his wings. As he was walking he spotted a pair of colts wearing vests with many pockets, trying to fix a broken wheel; they argued about who forgot to bring the extra wheel. “Excuse me,” Neutral interrupted them as the colts glared at him. “I think I can help you two out.” A colt who stared at him had blue fur, his eyes were green, and had black medium length mane; the mark on his flank was a wrench. The other colt who was too preoccupied with the wheel, his fur was light tan, his eyes were purple, and his mane was short dark yellow; the mark on his flank is a bunch of gears. The colt who stared him in doubt finally spoke in a lazy tone, “How?” “Got a rope?” Neutral said in confidence. They tied the rope to Neutral and tied it on the front of the missing wheel, “It’s just a small theory but if it’s not too heavy I can lift it enough to move properly,” Neutral explained to the lost colts. “Get to the front and I’ll help you,” he continued. They both got to the front and started pulling; at the same time Neutral lifted the front cart and in his amazement it was working. They traveled many miles and to what looks like a city, every light was on since it was getting dark out. They stopped by an open lot and Neutral landed; he was exhausted from traveling. One colt was chatting with a client while the other unloading some furniture. Neutral decided to help the other colt who was unloading. “Whoa hey you’ve done enough. You lifted this thing from Ponyville to Canterlot! Listen you proved yourself you want to work, but I don’t want to attend to your funeral. Also what’s your name?” He asked. “It’s Neutral Dash. Plus I was hoping to follow you to find a job for myself,” he said still trying to catch his breath. “The names Fore Word and that’s Lock Mace,” the tan colt said. “Listen I need to get this stuff out and we’ll talk,” Fore Word continued and looked as though he was rushing. Neutral waited on a bench where he saw passing ponies of all kinds pass him by taking a glimpse of him and giving odd looks. Both the colts walked up to him; Lock Mace held up a hoof, “You’re free to work with us if you don’t mind?” He said giving out a smile. Neutral was surprised about the offer and since he hadn’t eaten since this afternoon he might as well take the offer. He shook his hoof, “Thank you Lock,” he said smiling uncontrollably. They celebrated their new recruit with dinner and a place to stay. Neutral of course didn’t want be in the way but they didn’t want to hear it. They threaten him if he doesn’t do it he gets fired; so the best thing he did was to except their generosity. They offered him a room to a hotel but he said no and rather sleep on the clouds like he always dreamed of doing. The next day Neutral woke up by the rising sun and decided to wake up and meet them by the wagon. He decided to sleep in the wagon until they arrived. Before he did he found an extra black vest with pockets in it; he figured since he was working for them he might as well dress properly until they get there. Two hours later he heard yelling and immediately awoke by Fore Word who was laughing at him, “That wasn’t funny,” Neutral said tired and annoyed. Fore Word stopped laughing, “Hey listen we’re going for breakfast before we work. He said we need to eat before we go and deliver anything else. He doesn’t want to be reliable for any of us,” he explained. They soon went to an outside café; they sat around a circular table and looked at the menu. Neutral however had to make the same excuse from last night on what he wanted. A waiter soon approached them, of course a unicorn levitating a notepad and pen. “What can I get for you gentlecolt’s?” The waiter asked. Fore Word said, “Radish cheese and onion sandwich.” A rather minty sandwich Neutral thought . Lock Mace said, “I’ll have a salad. No onions,” he directed the last words to Fore Word. “I’ll have what he’s having,” Neutral directed to Lock Mace. The waiter wrote everything down and left. Lock Mace directed his view at Neutral, “You’ve done this last night and won’t tell where you come from? Can you at least tell us why you don’t have a cutie mark?” He asked. Neutral froze and though for a moment and realized a cutie mark was the mark everypony has and that made him stand out even more. “I umm... don’t know?” that’s all he could say from that question. Fore Word began to ask, “You never found your talent? Is this why you’re not telling us anything?” Then it hit him, he’s been walking around with no cutie mark. He mentioned a talent of some sort meaning what your good at. In order to blend in more he needed to find what he’s good at and quick. He gave a believable smile to them, “Alright you caught me I have no cutie mark.” Lock Mace chuckled at his answer, “Now we’re getting somewhere. Once we’re done eating we need to deliver something over by Ponyville.” Neutral knew the ponies who met him will be there and wanted to talk to him. “We’re lucky to bump into you because we need somepony to fly up to Cloudsdale.” Neutral nodded in agreement not daring to question him. Cloudsdale, could it be a flying city filled with steam punk technology? Perhaps it may be in a mountain? Whatever it is he's getting paid and for the sake of his identity he'll need to lay low if he's ever going to pass Ponyville unnoticed, but flying over or around leaving them to catch up may leave a bad impression on him and suspicious raised.