//------------------------------// // Visibility Unlimited // Story: Flying With the Dusty Bolts // by Pony Bones //------------------------------// “Welcome to Appaloosa General Hospital.” Mr. Trench said as the Dusty Bolts filed in, “What is Tumble Weed doing in here?” Mirage asked harshly, “Now I know what you’re thinking but he’s doing fine, Fluttershy just needed the table space in here. In fact you can go on in and see him right now.” Without further invitation the Dusty Bolts pressed into the room, Tumble Weed was already trying to sit up with Sand Blast stiff hoofing him as Fluttershy attempted to work on him, “Let me go Sand Blast, you of all ponies should know better than to abandon the team!” Sand Blast gently but firmly held Tumble Weed down, “Tumble Weed shut up, you’re in no condition to lecture me much less go back to the team. Do you have a death wish, what were you thinking?” Tumble Weed and Sand Blast looked up as the Dusty Bolts came in, Fluttershy took the opportunity of Tumble Weed’s distraction to stick him, quickly but carefully, with an IV of salt water. “Ow, what was that for?” Tumble Weed complained, “Don’t be such a little filly.” Sand Blast scolded, “You lost a lot of blood so I’m using this saline solution to keep you blood pressure up, if your heart overworks itself from lack of pressure you’ll go into shock.” Fluttershy said putting a pillow behind his head and a blanket over his involuntarily trembling body. “Why am I so cold all of a sudden?” Tumble Weed chattered as his shivering increased, Fluttershy put a thicker blanket and a comforter over Tumble Weed and explained, “It’s a cold day outside, and after losing so much blood in combination with this room temperature IV, your body can no longer maintain its core temperature, you need to stay calm and get your rest, you’ll feel better after a few days. Now hold still.” She said wiping his face with a wet rag washing the blood off, Watching Fluttershy work was like watching an allicorn of healing, it was obvious she was not used to the pressure of this kind of trauma but she handled it with the grace of ten unicorns a look of determined focus on her face. “You look good Tumble Weed, you look real good, you’re going to have a sexy eye patch when this is over.” Mirage joked trying to lighten the mood, “Yeah you’re Appaloosa’s resident Cyclops now.” Kid added, “I guess that makes your eye twice as valuable now.” There was a commotion from the store behind them and Apple Bumpkin shoved her way past them and to Tumble Weed’s side, “Tumble Weed ya Pinkie Pah swar ya wouldn’t do anythin’ stupid! Nobody breaks a Pinkie Pah Prahmiss.” Tumble Weed gave a humiliated smile, “Yeah well now I guess I have to stick a cupcake in my eye.” He said indicating his missing eye that Fluttershy was attempting to patch up, Apple Bumpkin gave a glare of incredulity before she hit him hard in the shoulder, “Yer a damn foal Tumble Weed, Ah don’t know if Ah should finish that mahnotar’s job er kiss yer dumb face.” “Just so you know I’d prefer the kiss.” Tumble Weed laughed as his eye teared up from the hit, “If you all wouldn’t mind it’s getting too crowded for me to work in here.” Fluttershy hinted quietly but sternly, without hesitation Sand Blast enforced his marefriend’s suggestion, “Alright you heard the mare, clear out.” The Dusty Bolts and Apple Bumpkin complained boisterously as they left, but Apple Bumpkin didn’t leave until she had kissed Tumble Weed… Passionately, to the whistles and hollers of the Dusty Bolts. “Don’t ya dah on me ya knuckle head er Ah’ll kill ya.” Turning to leave the Dusty Bolts knew what they had to do next, as they left Mirage turned to Mr. Trench, “Thank you for providing space for my team, again.” Mr. Trench just tipped his top hat, nothing else to be said, Mirage knew they would always be welcome at the undertaker’s, but not in a morbid way. Before they headed to the Sheriff’s Mirage had to clear the air with Sand Blast, “Sand Blast can I have a word with you?” Silver and Kid knew that tone of voice, Silver shuffled her hooves awkwardly watching the ants crawl past while Kid rolled her eyes back and whistled uncomfortably to herself as Mirage took Sand Blast out back. Sand Blast knew better than to take on Mirage, the last time he had tried to throw his weight around with his short Captain he had found himself tied up into a pegasus pretzel with an ocotillo tree in his flank he folded his wings politely and stared straight ahead while Mirage paced growing more and more furious with each turn. Mirage was so mad it made him sick to the point of vomiting he couldn’t look Sand Blast in the eyes without feeling the urge to jump down his throat and he couldn’t do that, Sand Blast had saved Tumble Weed but there was still a problem that had to be dealt with and that’s what made his blood boil, still pacing he calmly asked Sand Blast, “Why did you abandon your Dusties Sand Blast?” Mirage saw the shadow of a glare pass across Sand Blasts face before he resumed his thousand yard stare and politely answered, “I don’t understand why you’re doing this boss I saved Tumble Weed, you know we would have lost him if I hadn’t brought him here.” “THAT’S NOT WHAT I ASKED!” Mirage couldn’t hold it back now, shoving his face close to Sand Blasts and looking him square in the eye unleashing all the tension he had held with his prewar anxieties, his darker side was taking over. Rubbing his eyes with his hooves he took a deep breath but still felt the hate simmering, waiting for another chance to get out, calmly he again said, “Explain yourself.” Sand Blast closed his eyes as a single tear ran down his cheek the first that Mirage had ever seen from the big pegasus with the big heart and he immediately regretted his outburst, “I can’t explain myself boss, I did what I thought was right.” Mirage felt like a popped balloon he sighed and shook his head, “Let me explain where I am right now.” He said pacing again, “You did make the right decision and you saved Tumble Weed for that you have my eternal thanks, but you also abandoned your team, I don’t know if I can trust you anymore.” Sand Blast snorted through his nose breathing harshly, he opened his mouth several times as if he was about to say something but couldn’t bring himself to, “We’re going to have to leave you in Appaloosa the next time we go out.” Mirage turned to leave when he was stopped by a snarl from Sand Blast, “You want to talk about trust boss?” Looking back Mirage already knew what was coming, he couldn’t say that he blamed Sand Blast, “YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT TRUST!? WHAT ABOUT THE DRAGON HUH MIRAGE!? WHEN WERE YOU GOING TO LET US KNOW!? I STUCK MY NECK OUT FOR YOU WITH FLUTTERSHY!” Mirage hung his head and walked up to the gigantic pegasus putting a hoof on his shoulder, “I know, and honestly I can’t ask you or any of the team to follow my lead anymore.” Sand Blast stared at Mirage dumbfounded, “But boss who’s going to lead us if it’s not you?” “I’m going to talk to Spitfire and see if she’d be willing to let Soarin’ take over for me.” Sand Blast scowled at Mirage, “Buck no boss, I’m not following some candy flanked Wonderbolt, the only pegasus I trust to lead us is you.” Mirage gave Sand Blast a hoofshake hug, “Sand Blast you’re a good pegasus.” “I can still fly out with you all right? You still need a heavy lifter.” Sand Blast asked nervously, “As long as you don’t lose your mind again.” Mirage said searching Sand Blast’s eyes for any break in integrity, “It’s too late for me boss, I done lost my mind already.” Sand Blast said a half smirk across his face, “Same here partner, trash is about to get ridiculous around here.” Mirage chuckled as he and Sand Blast pumped their hooves in the air shouting, “Ridiculous!” Mirage could see Silver and Kid visibly sigh with relief when he and Sand Blast came back, they gathered around to hear what would happen next, “It’s past time for me to tell the Sheriff what we saw, I’m going to let him know right now you all should get some rest but be ready to leave at the drop of a hat. I know we’ll be going out again it’s just a matter of when.” Something behind Silver had distracted Mirage while he was addressing them and he chuckled to himself, as Mirage finished Silver Lining looked around to see what it was and came face to face with Brayburn who picked her up and spun her in a circle in his hooves, “Welcome back sugar cube! Ah’m powrful sahry Ah missed ya when ya left so Ah’m here ta make it up ta ya.” Silver knew she should be mad with Brayburn but how could she be? He was with her now and that was all that mattered, all she could do was laugh as he continued to twirl her around. “What exactly did you tell Applejack boss?” Kid asked a spark of interest in her eyes, “Just that Brayburn was infatuated with Silver and didn’t come out to see her off to war.” Mirage looked closer Brayburn’s vest was inside out, the collar was tucked under on one side, his hat had been folded up on one side, and his coat had a few scuffs that looked uncannily like Applejacks hoofwork. “Maybe I should have been more subtle.” “It’s about time he came around.” Sand Blast said smiling, “Yeahhhhh.” Kid said watching Brayburn dip Silver down for a kiss, “Well I got to get over to the Sheriff’s.” Mirage said abruptly winking at Sand Blast and Kid, tilting his head signaling them to give Silver her privacy. Sand Blast looked down at Kid, it was the first time it had just been the two of them, after losing Crazy Wing and now that Tumble Weed would most likely be grounded the Dusty Bolts would be on a pony bones crew. Meaning more work for all of them making them more vulnerable to accidents, time to enjoy their rest while they could. “What do you think Kid you want to get some ice cream before we head out again? It’ll be on me, you done good today.” Kid took her last glance at Brayburn and Silver before answering, “Yes please, and thank you.” The two stopped by The Ice Barrel Creamery and finished their ice cream in silence thinking about the rough days ahead, the sun set and they still hadn’t heard from Mirage they hadn’t even seen the militia assembling to depart, there would be no sleep tonight. “We should have been back sooner; the militia won’t be ready till o dark thirty tomorrow morning.” Kid observed tiredly, “Yep.” Was all Sand Blast had to say.