//------------------------------// // Ch.2-The usual problem // Story: Blast Bolt- Canterlot Smuggler // by Spellbounder //------------------------------// The only safe place to hide was two trashcans in the back. There was no chance of escaping from the front. The royal guard was everywhere, passing out wanted posters to every pony that passed by. Blast was tired of this. He was a smuggler, not a coward, and he was willing to prove it. “Hiding in filth won’t get us any more bits! We gotta get outta here.” “Exactly how? The guard knows who we are, and they don’t look like they’re the forgiving type, especially with your record.” Blast rolls his eyes and hops out of the can, shaking the grime and filth off his mane and tail. He quickly peaks from the corner of the Hill Grain, gazing upon a fancy carriage belonging to the guard. This gave the colt a very clever, or very stupid idea. “Bunker, you still have any of that guard armor you stole?” “Uhhhh…..yeah….a helmet.” “Good……hey…you trust me right?” “Yes, but I have a feeling that I’m gonna regret it….like I always do.” Blast whispers his plan to Bunker, who simply sighs and leans against the brick wall of the Grain, groaning in anger. “It won’t work, Blast.” “Will you just trust me!” “Fine, but if we get caught, I’m gonna smack you silly!” “Shut up and get in the bag!” The guards started interrogating customers walking out the bar, as Blast, wearing the helmet, drags the bag of powder and their payment, which also contained Bunker. As they made their way to the carriage, Blast caught the eye of three guards. “Hey! There he is!” “Hey! Hey! No, I’m one of you! See? I caught Bolt’s partner in this sack and also snatched the stuff they were gonna smuggle!” Flash Sentry appeared next to him, shaking his head, feeling sorry for him. “A helmet…..you think that was enough to fool us? I can see your cutie mark!” Blast remained silent, eyes shrinking in fear as more guards appeared around him. “Uhhhh……well…….you see……..FRY EM BUNKER!” Bunker quickly leaps out of the bag upon hearing the signal, firing a blaze of light green fire at the colts, setting their tails on fire. “FIRE! FIIIIRE! STOP! DROP! ROLL!” Nearly every pony in the guard began rolling on the ground, even Flash, who was screaming like a little girl. “TELL TWILIGHT I LOVE HER!!!! AGGGHHHHH!!!!” Blast and Bunker stared at them for nearly a minute, confused that a simple attack helped them in the clear. The colt quickly regains control of the situation at hand, grabbing Bunker by his tail as they run into the carriage and lock the door. “MOVE OR I’LL FRY YOU!” The stallion guard controlling the carriage simply laughed, remaining still with his head held high. “You can’t threaten me! The royal guard can’t be threatened!” Blast gives Bunker the ok, as the blue dragon blows a small shot of fire on the stallion’s tail, causing him to charge off, screaming in terror. “AGGGHHHHHH!!!! PUT IT OUT! PUT IT OUT! PUT IT OUT!” The so called royal guard even began to break into tears, forming a smirk on the confident smuggler’s face, relaxing in the fancy carriage. “There…..told you to trust me.” Bunker smacks Blast on the head, as he promised, forming an angry frown, showing some of his razor sharp teeth. “Ow…..ok what’s shaking your scales now, Bunker?” “THAT WAS YOUR PLAN!?! WE’RE IN MORE TROUBLE THAN WE STARTED!” “Cool it blue…..we still got the powder…..five thousand bits…..I really think this is going better than expected.” Bunker couldn’t believe what he just heard from his friend, slapping his hand against his own scaly face. “Then tell me, how are we gonna get to Ponyville in a stolen carriage!?! Go on….try and explain that!” “You really need to worry less…it ain’t good for your flaming heart. Now chill…..you recognize this street? We’re heading for the safe house. All we gotta do is slip out of here and run there with our heads held high.” Blast remained confident, but Bunker wasn’t so sure. Sometimes he wonders how Blast keeps convincing him to do this, but every time he saw those glowing bits, he realized why they do this. Sure it seemed rough, but its good to know that it will be all worth it. “Ok Blast, lead the way boss.” He smiles, smacking his hoof against his friend’s shoulder in a chuckle. “There’s the tough guy I know. Ok, we’re coming up on the stop. On three, jump off into that old hay stack by the fruit stand.” “Alright…….oh this is gonna hurt.” “Tough dragon…not wimpy dragon….keep remembering that, Bunker.” The dragon opens the door, peaking out to see the roof of their home in the distance. It wouldn’t be long now. Both began stretching, preparing to jump as Blast began to count. “Here goes….this is it…..one…..” “I change my mind.” “Two….” “Let’s not do this.” “THREE!” It seemed like time slowed down when the two finally leaped out of the moving carriage. In a split second, Bunker looked over at Blast, who was smiling as they move closer to the hay. However, Blast made a small mistake when deciding which side to jump. Bunker landed on a soft pile of hay, as his friend crashes into the trash can next to it. “AGGHHHH! COME ON!” “AGH!?! Huh? Blast! Blast, are you ok!?!” “Yeah…..oh gross! I think I found that spoiled milk we threw out last week!” “Ewwww….” As Bunker helped Blast get the smell of old milk out of his mane, Flash Sentry and the other royal guards made their way to the castle, not happy with trying to explain to their captain how they got outsmarted by a pair of smugglers…..twice! But no one felt more unpleasant than Flash himself, being tagged out by the other guards to tell Shining Armor the news himself. As he made his way to the main hall of the castle, there he was, writing a letter to his wife, the lovely Princess Cadence, of the Crystal Empire. Flash swallowed what little pride he still had left and walks up to the captain, sweating slightly. “Sir, its uhhh….pleasure to see you back in Canterlot.” Shining Armor stops writing and turns to Flash, forming a smile. “It’s great to see you again too, Flash. I heard there was a lead on the whereabouts of the smuggler, Blast Bolt. Is that correct?” “Uhhhh…..yes, there was, sir. But I hate to inform you that we lost him….again….I’m sorry.” The captain remained quiet, unsure how to reply to something that he expected so many times. Flash was waiting patiently for his response, sweating more, hoping that he doesn’t get demoted for his failures. “I..I…I’ll try again next time, sir. He won’t get away with this.” “He has….and he probably will again unless we take serious action.” “Ummm….sir?” “There’s something different about this colt. I can’t put my hoof on it, but for some reason, no matter what situation he’s in, Bolt always finds a way to push things in his favor. After all, he’s smuggled out more times in Canterlot than most of the criminals in Equestria.” “Must be his talent.” “A cutie mark in stealing? That’s ridiculous, I don’t see a reason for such a thing.” “What do you propose what we do about it then, sir?” “Carriage checks, twenty-four seven. Triple the search, and hang more posters. The things he’s transferred for others is gonna get that colt killed one day. He needs to be put in his place. Do you understand, Flash?” “Yes sir, alright, it will be done.” As the hours went by, more preparations were made in an attempt to cut off all lines in Canterlot to a smuggler’s trail. Shining Armor was prepared to finally arrest Blast and bring him to Celestia, in hopes that he’ll confess why he would endanger so many ponies lives by bringing in and out such dangerous, illegal materials, from the dark crystal gems containing horrible curses, to the blood of the evil changelings. No pony would do this for money alone. There had to be a bigger reason. But soon nightfall came, and still no sign of Blast or his partner, Bunker. They were still at their hideout, planning each route carefully using a map of Canterlot. “My little birdy was right…..the captain plans to corner us for good.” “Ok, that’s it…we gotta move again! This is like the third time that we’ve been made the huge target in town! We’re running outta places, boss.” “Quit your whining, fire breath! I got an idea, but it’s a long shot.” “Long shot? Oh no.” “Just hear me out on this one. If you really wanna bail on the pad, then fine. But if its really come down to that, then I gotta go meet with one of our friends on Crimson Hoof drive.” “Wait….oh……do you really wanna make him madder?” “You just leave him to me. Get the stuff together and load it into the carriage. In twenty minutes after I leave, go ahead and ride out. I’ll meet you at the checkpoint…..ehhhhh….HERE!” He slams his hoof on a certain spot of Canterlot, which Bunker marked with a big red marker, confused on the location. “Any reason why there?” “I have my methods….just head there. It’s time to cash out!” Blast runs out of his hideout with a smile, as Bunker began getting their stuff together. They didn’t have much, but only because the last few weeks have been them losing money, not gaining money. Blast hoped that his idea works, cause if it doesn’t, he could be in serious trouble with the guard, and the so called “friend” that he was going to meet. After sneaking from alley to alley for about ten minutes, Blast found his way to Crimson Hoof drive, appearing before a large old warehouse. He slowly walks up to the main double doors and enters a secret knock. The next thing he realizes, the smuggler is grabbed by the collar of his vest and thrown against a wall inside, staring into the eyes of a very angry griffin. “You…are one dead pony!” “AGH! Heeeeey………Chuck right? Heehee…..its great to see you again.” “I’m gonna enjoy this!” Blast closes his eyes, waiting for the punch before the voice of an elderly turtle stopped the griffin. “Let him go Chuck, but don’t let him leave just yet.” He did so, causing Blast to smile in relief. He looks down to see the small old turtle, petting his beard as he struggled to stand with his walking cane. He slowly adjusts his top hat before looking with difficult into the pony’s eyes, going as far to poking his foot with the cane to make sure he was really there. “Ahhh! Blast, my boy. So you finally came out of hiding!” “Well Mr. Tortuga….heehee…..I didn’t really have a choice.” “Oh you know I enjoy your company. By the way, how’s that dragon you keep lurking around with….ehhh……Bungee?” “Ummm no, its Bunker….and he’s fine.” “ENOUGH! WHEN CAN I TEAR THIS CREEP A NEW ONE!?!” “Chuck, what did I tell you about your anger problem?” “Yeah….sorry, Mr. Tortuga…..I forgot.” “So Blast, do you have my money? It’s been quite awhile since we last met, you know?” “Well that’s what I came here to discuss….yes, I have….and don’t have your money.” “What do you mean by that, son?” “Well….I got a new job smuggling some mystic powders that’ll promise big pay. But the journey there is gonna cost quite a lot of bits….” “Your point?” “I’d like to take that advance that you offered me about five years ago.” “Oh hohohohoooo….that offer? Well Mr. Bolt….I’m quite surprised…..never thought I’d see the day.” “Boss, you ain’t seriously thinking of giving him that cash advance! He’ll just waste it on crystals again! I say we end this sucker once and for all!” “Patience chuck, remember that, ok? You are aware of the consequences if you don’t fulfill this offer to its full potential, correct Mr. Bolt?” “Yeah……I understand completely.” The old turtle thinks for several minutes, before finally shaking the colt’s hoof in agreement. “I still don’t know how you convince me otherwise, Blast. Guess the things Chuck tells me aren’t all true.” Chuck rolls his eyes, giving a relieved Blast the stink eye. “Alright, you know what to do. I expect feedback in the upcoming week.” “Awww thanks, Mr. Tortuga! You won’t regret this!” “I should hope not. I’m not always a nice little turtle, Mr. Bolt.” The old turtle signals Chuck to let Blast go, biting down on his tongue as he escorts the smiling colt out with his boss waving. When Mr. Tortuga returned to his previous work, Chuck grabs Blast again, shaking in frustration. “Get one thing straight, you lying sneak! One of these days, you’ll push the old man too far, and you….will…pay!” “Easy Chuck….ehhhh remember what he said about that anger of yours!” “SHUT UP! This isn’t a game, you stubborn colt! Mess with us again, and we’ll finish what those changelings started!” He pushes Blast away from the door and slams it shut, leaving the colt in the darkness of the night. Blast wipes the sweat off his head and slowly made his way to the objective point to meet Bunker, thinking about what Chuck said. “Changelings…..just the name makes my skin crawl.” TO BE CONTINUED…….