//------------------------------// // Forgiveness // Story: Metal Wings // by Halfpaw //------------------------------// Where should I go now? Usually when you are separated from your parents you are told to stay where you are. Which generally is a good rule and tends to find the child with relative ease. But I wasn’t lost. I knew exactly how to get to our hotel room and it was much safer to stay there then in the middle of the street of a town of ponies I didn’t know, and we were on a tight schedule. I didn’t in particular want to come to see the Equestrian Games but mother did and the tickets had cost a fortune. And we may not even get the opportunity to do this again as the Equestrian Games could be hosted anywhere, and unfortunately Canterlot was the only city within a reasonably priced trip to get there from our farm. I pondered what to do as I walked to the side of the road making it easier for others to pass me. Maybe I’ll just look for her for a bit and if I don’t find her I could always just return to the hotel. Yeah at this point I think that is my best option. If I was my mother where would I go? I looked around the town area around me there were many neat looking buildings some of which were houses and some were stores. Defiantly to one of the many stores I thought with a frown. There were at least only 5 of them within the area I had lost her at. Could be worse I guess… so which one to first? Looking around the closets store was just across the street from me. I couldn’t tell what it sold but it was clear that it was a shop. I carefully weave my way through the crowd of tourists and nobles causing a muffled clopping noise as my leather boots hit the cobble road. After having made it past the dangerous crowd I was finally close enough to read its name, The Canterlot Book Store. Well that’s convenient I might as well try to find that one detailing the connection between time and space, and the time dilations it causes. I couldn’t find anything on it at the local libraries and I found time to be an intriguing topic. I walked into the store hoping to see my mother. Horesapples! Of course she wouldn’t be here the only other ponies in the surprisingly large store was a purple filly with a darker purple mane, and an old gray looking stallion who looked as though he was a couple decades past his expiration date. I walked up to the stallion who was sitting at a counter on the other side of the large store assuming he was the owner and asked him about the book on time dilation. “Ah, that’s a refreshing topic unfortunately not many ponies ever wanted that book since the fluctuation of time and how to manipulate it with magic is a hard concept to grasp”, he said with an understanding smile. “But I still purchased a few copies written by Starswirl himself! Should be near where that mare your age is standing.” With that he pointed his hoof at the purple filly I had seen earlier. “Thank you sir, I will be back as soon as I find one that is to my liking”, I returned the knowing smile he had given me as I headed to the back of the large store. I headed to where the purple filly was standing, I realized as I got closer that she was older than me, I would say based on her height she was about 13 years old. “Excuses me Miss but would a beautiful mare like yourself happen to know where the books on time dilation by Starswirl are?”, I gave a smile hoping that I might be able to score a new fillyfreind out of this encounter to. She looked up from a book she was muzzle deep into a moment ago, she gave me an evil glance after hearing my statement and nervously replied,” Um… I am sorry but there are no books on time dilation from Starswirl.” It was a painfully obvious lie. “I’m sorry but can I get that again, the kind stallion at the counter over there has made it very clear that there is a copy of it near here”, despite my best effort to hide it a small frown worked its way onto my lips. “Well yes but you see we have, um, we have… run out!” she said sweat starting to run down her nuzzle as she forced a smile. “Then what are you reading?” “Well, um, well you see I am reading a book!” “Keep your voice down nopony in Equestria wants to hear it.” As much I was enjoying playing with her I had a tight schedule that I was determined to keep and 4 other stores to check for my mother. “Unless you intend on buying that book please give it to me now, I am on a very tight schedule and I must hurry.” “No, please don’t take it, I need it for a research.” She started sobbing as she took the book and hugged it tightly. “I’m sure you will manage”, I said greedily eyeing the book. “Now please give me the book before I have to get the poor old stallion by the counters to do it for you. You don’t want to be the one the makes an old stallion walk over here because you are depriving him of the bits he has worked hard to earn.” I gave her a grin and said softly, “Or do you?” I reached down to take the book from her hooves when a purple aura surrounded me, preventing me from moving. To say I was shocked was an understatement. The act of trapping another sentient being with your own levitation spell without their previous consent had been illegal act for many years and you could be arrested for do it. The law was made since it was easy for many unicorns to cast a levitation spell and the techqiue to force a pony to do acts against their own will could be easly learned. Though we hadn’t talked very long with the young unicorn, the fact that she was nothing more then a common criminal disgusted me. And like many other ponies the thought of taking away ones free will was horrifying and despised. She stared at me for a few moments only to my shock to completely end the spell. I fell limp to the ground having not expected to be released prematurely. Owch… my head hurts like Tartarus. “Please don’t tell anyone! Please my mentor… she, she will kick me out of her school”, her voice sounded broken as she looked at me with pleading eyes. I looked behind me at the old stallion at the counter who had seemed to have fallen asleep. I then turned to the purple unicorn filly eyes filled with hate at the revolting act she had commented against me. “It would be a good riddance.” I walked right past her acting as though she didn’t exists as I picked up the book and headed to the counter. While passing her I said without looking down at her. “But promise me that you will always remember, no matter who the pony is, no matter what they have done. To give them a second chance. Everypony deserves a second chance.” “I will”, she said sniffling. I ignored her only to ring the bell at the counter waking up the old stallion sleeping there. “Who are, oh it’s you. Find what you were looking for?” “Yes the filly over there was a huge help, poor thing started crying about halfway through though when I mentioned my father had died in a serious accident on the farm.” “I’m sorry for your lost, you’re much too young to go through that.” A fake tear ran down my nuzzle as I stared at the ground, “It’s ok, you get used to it after a while.” “She really is a nice young filly, very sensitive, dedicated to her studies, but hearts in the right place.” “She is perhaps you should get her a copy of this one, she did want it.” “Perhaps, but enough of this chitchat. Is that all you want for today?” “Yes that will be all”, I responded with a grin. “23 bits.” “23 bits well spent”, I answered as I hoofed him the money. He hoofed me the book in return. I put it and a saddle bad I had attached to myself before my mother and I had left the train. I walked by the purple filly as I walked to the exit. I stopped and looked up at her. “I apologize for my harsh actions earlier please forgive me. It was unnecessarily cruel.” She just stared at me in shock. I never got your name by the way I said offering her my hoof. “It’s Twilightsparkles” “Everypony makes mistakes Twilight just don’t make them twice.” And with that I walked out of the book store with the book that had caused so much trouble. It better be worth every bucking bit I spent on it.