A Reflection of sorts

by thetaleweaver

The Final Obstacles

Edgar was shocked by the words that came from the pony's mouth. He couldn't think of anything he had done recently that would cause, in the figure's words, 'pain'. He looked the figure in what he assumed was its eyes under the hood.
"What have I done, or will do, that warrants I stay here and face my death? Surely, it must be terrible" he questioned. The figure merely stood there, shaking its head.
"I can't tell you that, Edgar Brickmason. If I told you what were to happen, it could change the future in a way that would cause more pain for the world" stated the figure in a slightly annoyed manner.
"Really? And whose to say that doing it your way won't cause the same problem? Did you even think things through before you started acting out this plan? Also, is this supposed 'future' really so bad that you can't fix it yourse-"
"Enough! You don't understand! One life to save what could be all of Equestria an infinite number of times over! This is the path with the least bloodshed, and I'm giving you one more chance to turn around and face the music, or, so help me Celestia, I will drag you back there by force!" roared the figure. its voice becoming slightly more guttural as it continued shouting.
"Then I guess I have no choice. Out of the way!" Edgar fired a magic bolt from his horn at the figure, kicking up a cloud of dust as it hit something. As the dust cleared, Edgar saw that the figure was flying on a pair of wings it had hidden beneath its cloak. The figure landed on the ground, folding its wings to its side in the process.
"You couldn't just accept it, could you? One simple task: Stop living. But, since you couldn't do the job, I will!" announced the figure. The figure flipped up its hood to reveal a horn, now glowing with a light-gray aura. Its face was obscured by a cowl, leaving only its two brown eyes visible. Judging from its facial structure, Edgar guessed it was a stallion. Edgar recoiled slightly from fear upon realizing that an Alicorn stallion wanted him eradicated. Before he could retreat too far back, though, he felt a deep pressure on his neck, and he could feel his ability to breath being slowly stripped from him as the ground below him seemed to vanish.
"Edgar? Is everything alright?" called out Nimba, coming out from behind the wagon. She looked over and saw Edgar levitating in the air, his hooves pawing at his throat as if frantically trying to breathe. She screamed, and soon the rest of the group jumped around to the front of the wagon. Seeing all of these ponies having come around to Edgar's aid, the stallion released Edgar from his grip.
"Is he really so important to all of you that he must live, despite him having already been condemned?" asked the stallion.
"Mr. Brickmason has been my boss for the last three years. Those three years have been a joy, despite the hardships we've faced. He's done so much for me, and I feel I have yet to return the favor" declared Colin.
"Edgar saved me at a rally four years ago from the same stallion who captured me and my wife. Though he wasn't able to get us out of the situation ourselves, he put our lives before his. I feel that warrants me calling him my friend" announced Gerald.
"He made sure that me and the other candidates stayed safe at the rally. Ever since then, he's been a wonderful husband, and he'll make an excellent father in a few weeks. I love this stallion" stated Nimba. Hearing these words, the stallion seemed to contemplate something. He looked at Jack next.
"And what of you, Gladstone?" he asked, his voice seemingly a bit shaky.
"I'm just in it to help a friend of a friend. How do you know my name, exactly?" questioned Jack.
"That's not important. What is important is that I've forgotten something important. I can't very well let any lives come to an end, even if it means saving more" stated the figure, remorsefully. Confused glances were shot in his direction at this statement.
"If killing me would have saved the future, then why have are you suddenly deciding not to?" asked Edgar.
"Yes. Preventing your escape would have saved the future, but pain would be caused no matter what. But I think there's a third path to take. Maybe that path will entail even less suffering than this one. I know what it means to lose loved ones, and I don't intend to let it happen so long as I can prevent it!" As the stallion announced this, electricity began crackling around him. "I guess my time's up now. Good bye, all of you. I wish I could have stayed longer, especially to get to know my-" said the stallion before disappearing behind a pillar of light.
"Well, that happened. We can try to comprehend this all later, for now we need to leave. There's no telling when the guards will catch up" stated Gerald. Jack moved back to the reins of the wagon as the others loaded up into the back. The wagon began moving once again, and within mere minutes, the slight bumps of the cobblestone road were replaced with the relative smoothness of a dirt road. Edgar moved to the front of the wagon to talk to Jack,
"Did you already have a place in mind, Sir?" asked Edgar.
"Please, call me Jack. And to answer your question, not entirely. While we could easily go to another city, there's no guarantee Valorous won't find us if we do. And if he finds us, he can get reinforcements from that town's guards. We need to go somewhere where we can settle down and not have to worry too much about the law. Any ideas?"
"Well, I did have a place in mind. I've not told anyone about this, not even Nimba, but I bought a second house a few months back. I was going to give it to the little one when they were older, but I guess they'll be living there a bit earlier than planned..."
"Does this have anything to do with your 'Embezzlement'?"
"I assure you, it doesn't. I used a few bits to fund a group of ponies to travel Equestria to promote peace between the three races. I paid for the house with bits I had saved up for a while".
"I see. I used to go to stay with my twin brother back at home every now and then while traveling. I hope he's alright, wherever he went..." Edgar was about to ask more about it, but Colin popped up from the back of the wagon.
"Jack? I've got one quick question for you" he asked in a manner that seemed to reflect concern.
"Shoot".
"What was in your last shipment?"
"Fabrics and textiles".
"Nothing like fresh fish, or something that would need the use of ice as a means of cooling?"
"What would make you think that, Colin?" Before he could answer, a voice rang out from further back in the wagon.
"Oh god! Stop the wagon!" exclaimed Nimba.
"Sweet Celestia!" exclaimed Jack. He pulled the wagon to the side of the road, and all of the ponies save for Edgar and Nimba vacated the wagon.They waited outside, keeping their eyes to the road to keep watch for incoming trouble. After 20 minutes of constant shouting, between Nimba screaming in agony and Edgar frantically shouting commands to her, the wagon fell silent. Edgar poked his head out of the wagon for a brief moment,
"We're going to need some sort of cloth. Immediately" stated Edgar, unbuttoning his own shirt in a hurried fashion. His voice seemed to reflect a waning sense of nervousness. Colin removed his as well, and passed it to Edgar.
"Wasn't Nimba supposed to be due in a few weeks?" asked Colin. Edgar merely nodded in response.
"Is it a Colt or a Filly? Unicorn or Pegasus?" asked Gerald. A smile formed on Edgar's face upon hearing this question.
"Both" he replied.
"Was that the first question or second?"
"Both". The other ponies gasped upon hearing this. Edgar ducked back into the wagon, bringing the shirts with him. The other ponies poked their heads in and saw Nimba curled up a front corner of the wagon, nuzzling two foals. They were lifted into the air and wrapped with the shirts. Edgar turned back to the rest of the group. "When we prepare to move out again, those of us in the back should watch their step. Jack, please try to avoid bumps as much as possible. Let's continue, our destination isn't too far off". The wagon was back on the road within a few minutes, and soon a clearing leading into a forest came into view. The wagon turned into the clearing, much to the confusion of the rest of the group. Nimba groggily rose her head, having fallen to sleep shortly after giving birth.
"Edgar, dear, where are we going?" she asked, weakly.
"Yes, I agree. I thought we were going to another town for a new start" added Gerald.
"As Jack pointed out, that wasn't a good idea. There's many ways that Valorous could find us, wherever we go. I had an idea, though. I bought a second house to give to my future children a few months ago, using some bits I had been saving for a while. We can hide out there for at least a while, there's enough room for all of us" said Edgar, mattor of factly.
"Wouldn't someone know that you own that house? I mean, you had to sign for it I imagine, so they'd know you own it" asked Gerald.
"All of you are the first to know. The bank I bought the property from only knows that a pony that bore a great resemblance to 'Edgar Brickmason' bought that house. I used an alias to sign for it, just to keep it a surprise. Unless any of you have a place we can readily go to, I think this idea beats going into the city". The wagon stopped moving suddenly, and Jack trotted to the back of the wagon.
"I think we've arrived at the house. Is this the place, Brickmason?" he asked. A few meters away stood a two-story cottage surrounded by a crude fence. The house, while not dilapidated in appearance, looked to be in need of some maintenance. The property was under an opening in the canopy of trees, which allowed in the sunlight, what little was present at this point in time.
"Yes. This is the house. Wipe your hooves at the door, please" said Edgar, in relieved manner. He helped Nimba up, and walked her into the house. They reached a room on the second floor, and Edgar put her in a bed that had been set up in the room. He left and quickly received the sleeping foals from the wagon, bringing them up to the bedroom to find that the others had gathered there as well. Placing the foals in bed with Nimba, Edgar turned to them. "I do actually have something I need to discuss with all of you. This may or may not seem obvious, but we're likely not going to want to use our names anymore, what with a sizeable portion of us being wanted for some sort of crime. I will now start using the alias I used to buy this house. So, from this day forth, I am no longer 'Edgar Brickmason', but rather 'Roland Mason'". The others seemed to contemplate for a moment, and then turned back to the pony formerly known as Edgar Brickmason.
"Very well. We are now Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Black" announced the pony formerly known as Gerald Blackmoor.
"I shall now go by Lincoln Shire" declared the pony formerly known as Colin Linshire.
"Richard Stone is the name I have chosen" stated the pony formerly known as Jack Gladstone.
"Call me Cumula from now on, love. On the note of names, we need a pair of them for the little ones" said the pony formerly known as Nimba Stratos.
"Cumula. That was your Grandmother's name. Anywho, which of the two do you want me to name?" asked Roland.
"Why don't you name the filly, dear".
"The filly, 'eh?" He began to think, his brow furrowing heavily. After a few minutes, he spoke up again. "F-Filia?" he said, unsure of himself.
"Filia? That name is a bit, um..."
"Bad? What can I say, I take after my Father. Besides, I like it more than some of the names parents are giving to their foals nowadays. 'Twinkle Toes' I remember was a name that one of my former co-workers game to their foal. What happened to the days in which foals weren't given adjectives or insults as names?" said Edgar, chuckling slightly.
"I like that name, dear. And I guess to pair up with your name for the filly, I shall name the colt 'Colton'" declared Cumula.
"Really? Even though that one sounds awfully ridiculous?"
"I'm sure. Colton and Filia are fine names for our foals" said Cumula, yawning.
"Then that will be their names" declared Roland, also yawning. "You've presented a good point. We should probably get some sleep. A lot awaits us tomorrow, my friends. The first day of our new lives". The other ponies nodded their heads and went off in search of other bedrooms to use.
Meanwhile, back in Manehattan, Julius Blackmane is approaching Valorous' residence to discuss the events that have unfolded. He hears noises coming from the shed, and approaches it. He taps his hoof against the door, and the noise stops briefly.
"Come in" called out Valorous in a slightly pained voice. Julius opened the door to see Valorous laying on a table, another pony using an assortment of tools on the stump of a foreleg that remained after his prosthetic was destroyed earlier that day.
"Sir, we've not seen any sign of Brickmason or Linshire since they retreated from the town square" said Julius, calmly.
"Dammit! They must have left the city! Do you have any clues as to where they went, Blackmane?"
"I'm afraid not, sir".
"You best not be lying, Blackmane. I'm not afraid to pry information out of anyone, not even my own guards! Now tell me absolutely everything you know about where they went!" roared Valorous, now having to be restrained by the other pony.
"Sir, you do realize that threatening a guard, whether you be one or not, is frowned upon by the legal system, right? Again, I don't have a clue!"
"I don't give a flying feather who I have to interrogate, a murderer is on the loose, and it's the fault of all of you damn guards! How did we hire such incompetent fools?!"
"And what of you? We'd have to use our leader as a reference for our actions, wouldn't we?"
"One more remark like that, Blackmane, and you'll regret it. I mean it" growled Valorous, now laying on the table. Julius was shocked wish how his captain was acting. He had never before threatened to beat information out of a guard, and he only threatened to punish a guard before when they had done something questionable. He began to back off slightly.
"Very well, I have no further information for you, Captain. I'll see you at the station within the next few days". Julius raced off from the shed and continued on down the street. As he moved towards his home, he thought about the recent events that had transpired. Something about it all didn't seem right to him.