//------------------------------// // The Run // Story: Devil's Regret // by All American //------------------------------// “Yeah, you are.” Spike agreed with any angry expression on his face “Like the way you up and left.” “That is not what happened and you know it!” I fired back throwing a finger in his direction. Twilight stepped forward but I raised my rifle at her, locking on. I didn’t even want to talk but now I was having to explain myself? No. That isn’t how this game works. “Calm down.” Twilight pleaded “Put the weapon down.” Her tone was slow and methodical like she was trying to talk someone down from suicide. “You have no right to judge me.” I snarled as switched targets to Spike “When I was threatened, everyone backed down. Celestia and the Guard abandon me.” “They had no choice!” Twilight called out “We don’t blame you for what happened.” “Then don’t you dare judge me.” I said as I backed up a bit. The rain trickled off of my hat, obscuring my vision of the scope somewhat. This was turning out to be a rather pointless detour. “Please, I just want to sit down and talk with you.” Twilight said, her mane and coat almost completely soaked through. “For what?” I asked “I’m not staying.” “Then why did you come back?” Spike asked, trying to find a hole in my emotions to dig at. “This was on my route.” I answered, not lowering the rifle. “I thought you stuck to the desert.” Twilight said with confusion. “Things changed.” I answered as I slowly backed away, swapping my sights between them. “Ryan.” Twilight said as she stepped forward “Things have changed here.” I stopped in my tracks and lifted my eyes from the sights “Do tell.” “It is true that you are still wanted but we want to help you.” She pleaded as she walked forward a few paces “Celestia never forgave herself for what happened, but you running away didn’t solve anything.” “Alex is dead because of her.” I growled “She gets no forgiveness from me. I’d sooner kill her.” “You can’t solve all your problems with violence!” She said, calling me out “You can hide behind distance and your weapon all you want but you’ll be on the run forever.” “Thanks for pointing that out.” “What about Rainbow?” Spike asked, cutting in “She still waits for you. Has an entire wall of her house covered in news about you.” “Oh… oh that was low.” I said as my grip on the rifle slowly wavered and I lowered it. That hit me hard. Goddammit, I just wanted her to move on. I couldn’t stand to just let her rot away in that house. It was like an emotional prison. The walls between us were built out of distance and law. “She never moved her house back up. No pony else is able to climb up on the clouds either. It was just you.” Twilight said, seeing that it hurt me. It seemed like she wasn’t about to back down this fight either. She quickly closed the distance and stepped in front of me. She lowered my gun the rest of the way and looked up at me. “What did time do to you?” She asked as she looked me over, noting my torn up attire and ragged appearance “Listen, can you just come inside? You’re going to get sick out here.” I wanted nothing more but to leave but I couldn’t. I felt like I had chains holding me in place. I took a few breaths as Twilight and Spike looked at me. I felt almost worthless. I probably was too. I knew I was back in Youngstown. Only time I was worth anything in life was my short time in Ponyville. Twilight grabbed my hand with her magic and gave it a tug, looking up at me. I grimaced and jerked it away before slowly walking towards the tree house. I knew this wasn’t going to accomplish anything but it may at least be worth figuring out what is known about me. Twilight walked past me and over to the door as Spike followed along behind me, cutting off escape. I had a feeling this is going to end badly. Twilight opened the door and I knelt down, stepping in, out of the rain. I was totally soaked through from the feeling of it. I let go of my rifle with my right hand and rested it against the floor on the tip of the bayonet. Twilight and Spike stepped in and closed the door looked over to me. She walked over to the pressboard I saw earlier. “I’ve been keeping track of you.” She said before pointing towards the map “Every one of the places that you’ve reportedly been.” She moved up to a list “And this is everything that you’ve… done.” “No matter how many I shoot, they just keep coming after me.” I played off. “That is no excuse for murder!” She exclaimed as Spike crossed his arms and stared at me. “You call it ‘murder’, I call it ‘self-defense’.” I defended. “You tell yourself that.” Spike quipped “And now you pony-napped a foal?” “What?” I asked as I turned to him. “That farm to the north.” Twilight said “A filly named Field Runner went missing after you… after you killed two griffons and ran.” “Yeah, that is a long story.” I said with an awkward look “Don’t worry, she is getting shipped back. I don’t have time for things like that. I’m on an express schedule. Griffons are getting closer every day.” “I would come after you too.” Spike said like it was an insult. “What is that supposed to mean, ass-wipe?” I asked as I picked my rifle up and looked down at him menacingly. Twilight attempted to say something but immediately piped down. I was downright furious with that comment. How would he like living in a cramped metal box with two other people for five years? Living in constant fear of another attack? Having to kill and steal to survive. Not a day went by where that wasn’t clinging to my soul. Spike backed up a bit, seeing that I meant business. I looked between the two before slinging my rifle over my back. A puddle of water sat atop the hardwood floor where I was standing as the rain slowly dripped off of me. I backed up to the door, ready to go. “Where do you think you are going?” Twilight asked like she had plans on stopping me. I instinctually set a hand on one of the Sigs that sat on my hips before looking over my shoulder “I am going to leave. The only reason I am here is because my route made me come through here. I suggest you let me go or the griffons will reduce this town to ash in search of me.” “So you are just going to up and abandon everypony again?” Spike added as he crossed his claws. I turned back around and felt my eye twitch. That comment made something inside of my head snap like a rubber band. Twilight took on a horrified expression before backing up a few paces. I didn’t even remember charging. I now had Spike pinned against a wall with my elbow against his throat. I lifted him up as he gagged there. I was staring into his terrified eyes as I had the 226 in my off hand, pressed against the area just below his ear. Twilight let out a scream as I held him there. “Don’t you dare judge me you smug piece of shit.” I snarled at him as I twisted the gun against his head, pressing in with my elbow “You have no idea what I have been through, the things I have had to do just to stay alive.” Spike made a muffled gagging noise before I felt a large book slam against the back of my head. I dropped Spike to the floor as I clutched the back of my head in pain. My hat fell to the floor, scooting across it, out of my reach. I felt blood trickle down my neck as my instincts kicked back in. It was amazing how the human body can revert back to its fight or flight mode, completely knocking out the rational mind in only a few milliseconds. That is probably one of the reasons I am still alive. I braced my free hand against the wall, my right hand still clutching the handgun. Spike was on his knees, scooting away as he was regaining his breath. I turned around to see Twilight was preparing another book for me. I reacted and sent two rounds 9mms into the book. The book shot across the room and the reports of the rounds deafened everyone in the room. My senses were still dulled as Twilight jerked back, taking cover behind a table. I turned round to the window from earlier and lifted the handgun. My vision was still covered in a haze from the blow. I didn’t even look down the sights as I sent five rounds at it in quick succession. Three of the rounds hit the wall around the window and two hit the panes of glass. I charged at it, still a little staggered. I jumped and braced my arms in front of me. The frame and window shattered, sending splinters of glass and wood out of the window with me. I landed on the ground, mud clinging to me. My ears were ringing as I slowly looked up and saw that doors were starting to open, letting light out into the streets. I had woken up the entire town with those shots and surely Dallas and Atlanta had heard them. I climbed to my feet and bolted towards the woods where I had stashed the Hummer. “Somepony stop him!” I heard Twilight’s voice call out from behind me. I kept running and used my left arm to help me vault a small picket fence. I swapped the gun into my dominate left hand and sprinted as fast as I could. The rain was slamming against my face, chilling and stinging it. I heard rapid succession of hoofs behind me. I looked back and saw I was being chased by three ponies. I held my handgun back and watched as they all ducked for cover. I unleashed three rounds placed into the ground before them, purposely missing. The shots each lit up the night like cracks of man-made lightning. I turned back and ran into an alleyway before reaching the small buffer zone between town and the tree line. I moved one foot after the other, water starting to finally seep into my boots before reaching the Hummer. The engine was still running as I pulled the door open. Dallas and Atlanta were still asleep as was Field. Nice to see they were getting sloppy. I jerked the gear-shift into drive before slamming on the gas. The engine gave a roar like a prehistoric beast as it kicked up mud behind it and I cut the wheel out of the woods. Dallas’ head smacked off of the window, waking him up. I flipped on the headlights and floodlights, turning night into day. He looked over at me, obviously concerned before looking out towards the town that was starting to light up. “What the hay just happened?!” He asked in confusion as Atlanta woke up. “Tits went up and guns went off.” I answered as I drove over a small hill. The front wheels lost contact with the ground. The tires slammed back down, jolting everyone inside of the cab as the SUV rolled over a fence like it was made of wet cardboard. I pulled onto the road in the center of town as the lights landed on Twilight and Spike, blinding them. I cut the wheel right and let off of the gas for a second. The tires slid across the wet ground before I slammed back down on the gas and the tires caught traction again. I sped out of town, leaving tracks in the ground as I sped off towards Canterlot. I looked in the rearview as a few ponies attempted to chase after me but stopped, unable to keep up. “Where are the pegasi?!” Atlanta called out as he looked out the window behind me. He had a point. I rolled down my window and looked up at the sky. My eyes had adjusted to the flood lights and I couldn’t make anything out in the sky. “Shit.” I said before looking back at him “Wait, aren’t they above the clouds for the weather?” He nodded as Field hid under one of his wings from the confusion. I looked forward and saw we had mostly clear roads ahead. Let’s see if going dark would lose them. I flipped the lights off and slowed my getaway. I peered down at the speedo and saw I was doing a steady 50mph now. How fast was I going before? I watched as Atlanta rolled his window down and looked out of the window towards the sky. Dallas pulled his map back out and opened it up frantically. Atlanta kept his wing over Field as I turned back and focused on driving. It was almost impossible to see without the help of the lights. The windshield wipers worked frantically against the rain, trying to keep the tide back. I could only really make out faint outlines of the obstacles in front of the truck. We drove along for twenty miles before Atlanta pulled his head back in through the window. He rolled up the window as I looked over at my hand that still clutched the P226 like I was about to get into a fight. I took a deep breath and slid it back into its holster at my side. I flipped the lights back on and noticed my hand was shaking from adrenaline. It was rare that this even happened anymore. I was jaded against it. I closed my eyes and attempted to calm myself down. “I don’t think any are following us. No pony could possibly fly for that long.” Atlanta assured as he sat back down in his seat and sat back. Field reached over and hung onto him. He looked down at her awkwardly before shaking his head and chuckled lowly. I slowed up before pulled off of the road and stopped. I dropped the truck into park before leaning back to calm myself down for a moment. I felt completely empty inside. The only thing that was running through my mind was running and adrenaline. I almost felt like I was missing something. I was now known though. My hat was there, witnesses, gunshots reported, and shell casings. There was no downplaying it. I was going to have to move farther before the night was out. Griffons were soon to be on their way.