//------------------------------// // Dreams and Premonitions // Story: Flying With the Dusty Bolts // by Pony Bones //------------------------------// Mirage’s nightmares had been getting worse and worse, when he was lucky he usually got six hours of sleep a night. Tonight though his dream wandered to a place that he missed more than anything else, it started with a voice, “You alright boss?” The next thing Mirage saw was Crazy Wing waving his hoof in front of his eyes. Mirage blinked forcing his eyes to focus, “Huh what?” Crazy Wing looked at him worried, “I was asking you if you still wanted to go to the Dropbuck Murphies, One Hoof Death Buck show in Baltimare tonight. You don’t look so good though I think you should get some rest after taking down that dust devil by yourself and weather watch.” It took Mirage a few seconds to process what Crazy Wing was saying to him and come up with a coherent answer, “No, this is a once in a lifetime show and I’m not going to miss it I’ll take a carriage if I have to and sleep on the way. Get the rest of the team together, I’ve already let Brayburn know we’ll be out and there’s no weather within a thousand mile radius.” “Alright if you say so, I’ll have Sand Blast get the town coach ready.” It half occurred to Mirage that Brayburn would flip road apples if they took the town coach, Brayburn already didn’t like the idea of the Dusty Bolts leaving town unprotected even with clear skies for three days at least when they were only going to be out for one night. Oh well he could always claim he was too tired to remember, his dream jumped the carriage ride most of which he slept, he sat up with a jolt as the carriage stopped. He could already hear the noise of the warm up from where they were parked just down the block, Mirage jumped up and down like a sprinter as the electricity of the moment rushed through him, “Let’s go let’s go!” Tumble Weed looked at him in disbelief, “Jeez boss I think this is the most excited I’ve ever seen you.” Crazy Wing grabbed Tumble Weed in a headlock and gave him a noogie, “Hey now don’t rain on his parade.” Tumble Weed shoved Crazy Wing off putting up his hooves in a fighting stance, “Mirage may be the boss but don’t forget who runs things around here.” Crazy Wing rolled his eyes, “Lighten up Tumble Weed, we’re off work and nowhere near Appaloosa, here watch this!” Looking around and finding two mares across the street he whistled and hollered at them, “Hey, you yeah you! Looking good tonight ladies, how’d you like to go to the rock show with some weather team pegasi!” Giggling the mares chattered excitedly about what they should do, finally one drug the other across the street. “Hey, you wouldn’t happen to have some spare tickets? We were on our way, but the show was sold out yesterday.” Crazy Wing nodded, “Oh yeah, you know Mike McCanterton with Dropbuck Murphies? We’re like this.” He bragged crossing his primaries, “We can get you backstage.” The mares did the fan filly crow hop, Silver Lining drilled Crazy Wing with an obvious jealous glare, “You better put your money where your mouth is partner, I know how you are Cool Hoof Luke winning the jackpot with a hooffull of nothing.” Crazy Wing threw his wing around Silver Lining giving her a look of mock hurt, “How can you say that Silver? You know I keep it honest, I can’t help it if you keep falling for my bluffs.” Silver clobbered Crazy Wing over the head, rubbing his mane sorely he walked back to the mares, “Nothing but abuse from my crew, my name’s Crazy Wing by the way.” The mares were falling over each other in laughter, “You guys are funny, my name’s Rivet, and this is Highlight.” Said the more outgoing of the two, Rivet was dressed in a denim jacket and had a red and white polka dot bandana tied around her mane, Highlight who was obviously a barber had died her mane neon green with bleached streaks for the show, she waved silently. Looking closer Crazy Wing noticed a set of worn goggles on Rivet’s forehead, “You’re not a weather pegasus are you?” Rivet’s hoof followed his gaze and she yanked her goggles off embarrassed, “Oh sorry, just got off work at the docks, I’m a ship builder.” Crazy Wing gaped with surprise, how could somepony that good looking be a ship builder? Then again you’d never be able to tell Silver was a weather pegasus from the frontier just by looking at her. “Oi, we got us some locals!” He said looking back at the Dusty Bolts, “You wouldn’t mind showing us the best place to eat after the show would you? See my friends there they wanted to invite you but they punked out.” Crazy Wing said indicating Sand Blast and Tumble Weed, Tumble Weed gave a face hoof and Sand Blast suddenly found something fascinating about the street lamp above them. “Hey no worries, we can take you guys around after the show.” Rivet said shoving Highlight over to Tumble Weed and grabbing Sand Blast’s hoof. Crazy Wing looked over at Silver who was still glaring at him, “What?” “What do you mean what? You’re treading on thin cumulus amigo.” Crazy Wing just smiled and threw his wing over Silver again, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, just trying to get Sand Blast and Tumble Weed to loosen up a bit.” Silver Lining just shook her head, “You really know how to play the mares don’t you?” “You make it sound like it’s hard.” Silver Lining once more shoved Crazy Wing into an alley where he cackled and flew after the team. The show was everything they expected, the Dropbuck Murphies opened up with Cadence to Arms, down in the pit with the slamming bodies of ponies cutting loose, the noise of the bands drowning out everything else in the warehouse. Crazy Wing never lost sight of Sand Blast the entire show, he stood a head and shoulder above everypony else and he didn’t so much two step as he rolled with the bucks. It would be lights out for anypony that ticked him off. Tumble Weed came up to him with Highlight beside him and shouted above the noise, “WHOOOOO! THIS IS A GREAT SHOW!” His breath reeked of cider, “YOU’VE BEEN DRINKING HAVEN’T YOU?” Crazy Wing shouted back, “YEP, WELL SEE YOU AROUND!” Tumble Weed went back to Highlight and picked her up to stand on his wings so she could get a better view of the stage, the ponies around them saw this and carried her off in a wave of hooves. Highlight loved every minute of it, “YEAH DROPBUCK MURPHIES ROCK!” Crazy Wing saw Filly the Kid doing the windmill in her own little pit as older ponies stepped back from her flailing hooves, she had the biggest grin on her face and through the blood of a split lip and a black eye she shouted, “LET’S GO MURPHIES!” Crazy Wing was on Silver’s black list so he shrugged and jumped in with Kid shielding her from getting trampled, “OI, OI, OI!” One Hoof Death Buck came on and started playing No Pony Gets Left Behind, then Ivan Metalhoof shouted, “ALRIGHT ALL YOU PEGASI OUT THERE, LET’S SEE A TORNADO OF DEATH!” This was Crazy Wing’s favorite part of the show, all the pegasi in the crowd shot up and began circling wildly above the crowd, as the crowd split down the center and backed up against the walls unicorns and earth ponies scraping their hooves and rearing up waiting for the signal. Metalhoof held an old guitar over his head, standing on top of a pyramid of speakers looking out over the crowd he said, “YOU ALL ARE THE CRAZIEST PONIES WE’VE EVER SEEN, AND ON THE COUNT OF THREE I WANT YOU ALL TO BRING THIS PLACE DOWN, LET’S DO IT! ONE TWO THREE!” Smashing the guitar on the stage, the crowd rushed each other screaming above the noise of the band. Smashing together with all the force of a rabid heard of Bison Crazy Wing saw bodies flying in the brawl below him. He chuckled to himself, better them than him, foalish ground pounders. Crazy Wing saw Tumble Weed swerving wildly with Highlight clinging to his shoulders laughing at the mayhem below. Maybe Crazy Wing should have picked better for Tumble Weed, and unless he wasn’t completely blind he thought he saw the beginnings of a psycho stalker mare in Highlight’s eyes. If it wasn’t Tumble Weed then Crazy Wing would have listened to Silver’s advice, but the good thing was Tumble Weed was too sloshed to know what was happening anyways, “Heh, oh well Tumble Weed’s problem now.” After the concert Crazy Wing was true to his word and pulled a fast one on the security distracting them talking about his family in the area while the Dusty Bolts and their company snuck past. Then flying out back he met up with them as they waved off the band carriages, Rivet and Highlight were still dancing and singing, “Best night ever!” Sand Blast was cringing in Rivet’s grip like she had the pony pox, always one to play it cool he was on the verge of snapping on the oblivious mare. Crazy Wing spared Sand Blast by getting Rivet and Highlight’s attention, “Ok so I’ve held up my end of the bargain, I got you backstage, so what’s the most poppin’ after show place to eat around here?” “DIP’S!” Rivet and Highlight shouted in unison, “We should go there right now!” The scene faded from Mirage’s mind; just as well, he knew what happened next. The night had bombed after that, he fell asleep in Dip’s to Highlightzilla trying to get Tumble Weed to sober up enough to be romantic. His consciousness was kicking in, he felt himself roll over and he knew he had only been asleep for an hour and a half at the most. Clearing his mind he kept his eyes closed as another dream came to him, this one making him more melancholy than the last, every fiber of him begged to step through and become part of the dream. “Hey boss does it bug you when I do this? Hey boss, hey boss, hey boss!” Mirage shoved Crazy Wing aside, “Crazy Wing I swear to Celestia if you say one more thing about me asking Brayburn’s cousin for a dance I’ll clip your wings!” Crazy Wing just laughed and said, “Oh look you got her attention now, time to make your move.” Crazy Wing pushed Mirage stiff legged over to the orange mare with the blonde mane and green eyes, “You’re the one that told me you thought she was the prettiest mare here, I’d have to agree with you on that but you called dibs first. Besides I’ve got somepony else I want to dance with.” Crazy Wing pushed Mirage straight up to the mare who had watched the whole scene and was holding her sides with laughter, “Tootles!” Crazy Wing bolted for Silver Lining, Mirage shouted after him, “Crazy Wing I’m gonna’ kill you!” The orange mare spoke in gasps, “Heh heh What’s tha matter sugar cube? Too yella ta ask a mare ta dance?” Mirage’s head spun Brayburn’s cousin had the same laid back drawl, the words fell from her mouth like caramel syrup, “I’m not yellow.” The mare’s eyes shone like emeralds as she gave him a demure smile then moving in close she said, “Mmmmmhhhhmmmm, If’n ya ain’t yella then take tha lead.” Mirage’s heart decided to take the day off just then, and a grin he couldn’t stop spread across his face from ear to ear. “Don’t threaten me with a good time.” He said taking hold of the mare and kicking up his hooves in time with the shindig. The banjo and fiddle picked up the tempo and Mirage looked over to see Crazy Wing and Brayburn throwing down their hat and goggles in front of a slightly confused looking Silver Lining, “Gosh dern it! Just ignore mah cuzin.” Applejack said pulling Mirage in for a kiss, It occurred to Mirage that he should jump in and help Crazy Wing, then he decided not to and leaned into Applejack and lead their dance off to the more secluded side of the dance floor. With Crazy Wing shouting obscenities in the background, something about Mirage owing him, well that was unfortunate he had gotten himself in too deep this time. Mirage always knew Crazy Wing would get his lumps for running his mouth one day, School of Hard Knocks as they said. Applejack looked over Mirage’s shoulder and commented, “Wow, Brayburn is doin’ a number on yer friend’s face ther.” Mirage didn’t bother looking back he just kept gazing into Applejack’s eyes, “Nopony taught him how to fight so he did it to himself.” Applejack looked back at Mirage and in a sultry tone she said, “Yer one heartless mule.” Mirage lackadaisically asked, “Should we help him out?” “Naw.” Applejack said pulling him in for another kiss. That night had always seemed too short to Mirage, the dream had made it seem even shorter, he strained his wings as Applejack faded from his vision he could feel himself talking in his sleep begging her not to go, then forlornly clearing his mind to stay asleep he was glad for a brief period of the peaceful oblivion of deep sleep. Then he knew he was going to have a nightmare, he felt it before he saw or heard anything, it was coming for him. Grey everything was grey like ash, the horizon was murky with the grey dust obscuring the sun and painting everything a dull putrid grey. It was Appaloosa but nopony was there, Mirage already knew it would be pointless to call for somepony even though the fear almost brought him to gallop screaming for anypony. He was being watched, the hair of his coat stood on end as he circled scanning his vision, no matter which way he faced he knew whatever it was would inevitably be right behind him. Then he felt it, or rather a group of them and this made him freeze, after circling to look for them they were right behind him like he knew they would be. He couldn’t bring himself to look, he stood like a statue knowing the moment he turned around they would be on him like Timberwolves ready to rip him to shreds. Hardly daring to breathe and with a uncontrollable shiver he turned one hoof at a time, he was not at all prepared for what he saw and it made his heart stop as adrenaline filled his chest till it felt like it would pop. He opened up his mouth to scream but it was nothing more than a breath, anything louder and they would destroy him. Mirage stood face to face with his Dusty Bolts. They were grey like the dust around them, grey like the buildings, grey like the sky, grey like the sun, grey like dead ponies. Their mouths gaped unnaturally revealing grey teeth and grey tongues open to devour him, their black eyes shone in the dim light with a burning hatred. Crazy Wing stepped to the front of the Dusties and spoke in a snarling whisper that was repeated in chorus by the team. “Yooooouuuuuuuuu, Miraaaaaaaagggggggeeeeeee.” Finding his voice Mirage confronted the apparitions, “What do you want?” This enraged the phantoms and above a scream from the air around them Crazy Wing growled still speaking through the team, “Howwwww Darrrrrreeee yooooooouuuuuu!!! Yooooouuuuu abannnnnnnndonnnnnnned usssssssssssss!!!! Weeeeeeee demannnnnnnnnnd!!!!!!!” Mirage could see Crazy Wing straining to say something but he couldn’t, “What, you demand what?” Crazy Wing screamed at him louder than anything Mirage had heard in his dreams before opening his mouth to a gaping abyss and an empty casket pulling Mirage in like an irresistible vacuum, “WEEEEEE DEEEEEMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNDDD!!!!!!!!!” Mirage woke with a rush in a cold sweat, there was a knock at his door, for some reason no matter what he did he couldn’t slow his racing heart, something horrible was about to happen he knew it. Swallowing his fear he cantered downstairs and opened the door, Filly the Kid stood on his porch badly bruised and scraped but otherwise alright from what he could see, “Boss we have a problem.”