Nearly four weeks had passed since Swift had gotten all of Silver’s things back. Swift wasn’t surprised when Silver had told him that the amount of money that he’d brought back was somewhere very, VERY close to around 700,000 Bits, give or take 20,000. In addition, he’d given Silver his “vaping” items, which Silver seemed very happy to be getting back. He’d also been incredibly happy to see that the picture of his family and his personal journal had not been destroyed and were now back in his hooves.
It was rather early that morning when Swift awoke. He blinked a few times before he rose from his bed, grabbing his glasses and placing them in front of his eyes. He heard some movement downstairs, and he turned as he heard the strange clatter coming from the kitchen. He carefully exited his room and walked down the stairs, slowly heading towards the kitchen. He turned the corner and saw… Silver?
“Silv?” Swift asked to confirm. Silver turned around, a bit surprised.
“Swift?” Silver asked. “I didn’t expect you to be up this early…”
“What’re ya doin’ outta bed, ya crazy little colt?” Swift asked. “Ya shouldn’t be walkin’ on that leg of yurs…” He looked at Silver’s leg, which was still casted, but it did now have a small support placed on either side of it, as well as a large brace.
“Yeah, well, it’s not like getting up and around every once in a while is gonna kill me,” Silver replied, picking up the glass that he had put on the counter and filling it with water. “Honestly, I’ve been cooped up for five weeks now. I think it’s time I actually get out on the town and see what there is to see here in Ponyville. I mean, this is the first place I’ve lived that isn’t really a city…”
“Well… ya do have a point thar…,” Swift commented as Silver took a drink of his water. “It is ‘bout time I introduce ya to the folks ‘round ‘ere…”
“Ya think?” Silver replied, chuckling slightly. “Sweet Celestia, I haven’t done shit for like two months. I feel like I’ve been lazy as fuck!” Swift cringed a tiny bit at Silver’s vulgar language but didn’t comment on it.
“Well, ya finish up yur water thar and we’ll get a move on,” Swift said. “Unless ya want some breakfast first as well.”
“Meh, not really that hungry,” Silver replied, downing the rest of his water and placing the glass beside the sink to use it later as a thought entered his mind. “Is it too early to get out on the town or what?”
“Well…,” Swift started, taking a moment to think. “I think maybe just a couple o’ places might be open, so it might be best jus’ to wait for a tiny bit.” Silver nodded.
“So whatcha got to do around here?” Silver asked. “I saw the barn outside; you store your car in there or do you use it for other stuff?”
“A bit of both, really,” Swift said. “C’mon, if ya think yu’re up to it I’ll show ya. Plus, since ya know so much ‘bout them li’l riceburners and tuners, ya might be able to help me out with this car somepony brought in a few days ago…” Silver smirked.
“Ya don’t know much about the kind of cars I’ve built, huh?” Silver asked. Swift shook his head. “Lead the way then.” Swift began to lead the way but saw Silver limping heavily as he walked, even with the extra support.
“Ya sure yu’re good to be walkin’ ‘round?” Swift asked, looking at Silver’s leg.
“Hey, I’ve been in three car wrecks, been shot at, been in hoof fights, jumped off roofs and worked on cars with dangerous equipment all my life and I’m still alive,” Silver boasted, chuckling. “A little broken leg ain’t gonna stop me from doing anything.” He continued walking in the same gimping manner, and Swift sighed.
“If ya say so, ya hardheaded city colt,” Swift said, muttering the last bit under his breath. He then walked outside and into the fresh air of the morning, and he inhaled deeply before exhaling in contentment, walking towards the barn with Silver hot on his tail. The blue stallion went to the large doors and unlocked them, swinging them open and revealing what was inside to Silver.
Swift’s Mustang was the first thing he saw; it was impossible to miss, as it was sitting right in the middle of the entire structure. Several other stalls were present within, two of them having older muscle cars in them and one having what Silver almost immediately identified as an early 1990’s Honda Civic hatchback of the EF generation. Workbenches with assorted tools and boxes labeled with different words were organized in an orderly fashion, but not super orderly; just orderly enough to be able to know exactly where to find everything easily. Stairs in the back led to an evident loft section of the barn, and Silver wondered just where those steps led to before his thoughts were interrupted by Swift speaking to him once more.
“What?” Silver asked. “Sorry, kinda zoned out for a sec.”
“I said the car I needed help with is that little Honda over thar,” Swift said, pointing to the Civic. Silver smirked.
“So what do ya think is wrong with it?” he asked his new friend as they walked to the car.
“Well, the owner said that this thang called ‘VTEC’ wasn’t engaging or somethin’,” Swift said. “I don’t know much ‘bout this VTEC thang or these kind o’ cars at all, so can ya take a look at it real quick and see whatcha think is wrong?”
“Yeah, I gotcha,” Silver said, going to the driver’s side door and opening it, looking at the interior. Everything there looked to be in order; stock gauges, stock shifter, stock seats, everything was still original. But Silver knew that if the car had the VTEC system, the motor wasn’t stock. Many, if not all, Civics of this generation had non-VTEC motors due to the system being VERY new at the time of the car’s development; however, some DID have VTEC systems, but it was uncommon for them to have it. He popped open the hood and walked back to the hood, undoing the latch and opening up the hood. He propped it open as he looked at the motor inside, knowing his suspicions were right.
“Whatcha lookin’ at the motor for?” Swift asked.
“VTEC wasn’t really a thing in this generation of Honda Civics,” Silver replied. “Some had it, but most didn’t. The thing is though that tuners liked this generation of Civics a lot more than others because they were so lightweight and their suspensions were incredibly well put together, so ponies often put other motors into these cars instead of keeping the stock motor. In fact, almost all Honda or Acura tuners do that.”
“Well, what’s the big deal ‘bout that?” Swift inquired.
“VTEC is a part of an electrical system attached with the ECU and speed sensors and shit,” Silver answered. “It’s a variable valve system, designed to get the most power possible out of a small displacement motor.” He looked back at Swift.
“Meanin’…?” Swift said, gesturing with his hoof for Silver to fill in the blanks.
“Meaning that if wiring is done improperly, a speed sensor isn’t working, or the ECU isn’t correctly mapped that VTEC won’t engage,” Silver responded, looking back at the motor. “Ah, good ol’ B series.” He looked at the engine code, seeing that it was a B18C1 motor. “B18C, huh? GSR motor in one of these puppies would do some damage…” He looked to where the VTEC solenoid was and checked it. “Looks like all the wires here are in order…” He looked at the other components of the solenoid and system, seeing that the gasket was good and everything looked alright. “Well, shit… Solenoid looks good, gasket and wiring look good… here, let me check wiring to the interior. Got a screwdriver and some shit for me?” Swift nodded and tossed him a few tools, and Silver immediately set about removing the instrument cluster and checking the wiring there.
“Hey, Silv?” Swift asked as Silver worked.
“Yeah?” Silver responded as he held the cluster in his hoof, inspecting the wiring closely for any signs of fraying or shorts in the wires.
“I’ve been meanin’ to ask ya this…,” Swift started, “but that picture that I brought ya back… I know that’s yur family. Why is it so important?” Silver, seeing no signs of frayed wires heading to the interior or cluster, began to put the instrument cluster back into place.
“Well, that’s the only picture I have of them,” Silver explained simply, placing the cluster and beginning to piece it all back into place. “That was the last time we took a family photo together, and I was about… eh, twelve. Blizzard, the colt I was giving noogies in that photo, is my little brother, and he was about nine at the time. He’s probably fourteen or fifteen now…” Silver finished placing the cluster and began to head to the car’s ECU mapping, checking that. “The other two ponies are my mom and my dad. Great ponies. Still love them to pieces. Just wish that I could be with them more oft-THERE’S YOUR FUCKING PROBLEM.” Swift busted out laughing as Silver fished out pieces of a part that was unidentifiable to Swift. “Fucking thing is fucking SMASHED! Good Celestia, what the hell happened to this ECU?!” Silver started fishing out more broken bits of parts, and eventually he heaved a heavy sigh. “If he wants VTEC to engage and actually have a lot of other shit working properly, he needs a completely new ECU. This one is completely fucking shot.”
“Well, I’ll call him back and tell him that,” Swift said. “Thanks fer doin’ that.”
“No problem,” Silver replied. “But anyway, like I was saying, I just wish I could be with my parents more often. And by more often, I mean more often than maybe… never.”
“Ya mean ya haven’t spent time with yur parents in a long time?” Swift asked.
“You were there when Redheart asked me all those questions, right?” Silver asked in response, turning to face Swift. Swift nodded. “Yeah. Haven’t seen them in three years.”
“But ya said to her that the last time ya talked to ‘em was two years ago…”
“That’s because I called them on the phone. And that phone call cost me my residence in Fillydelphia and my GSR. I haven’t physically seen my parents in three years.” Swift nodded in understanding as he felt a bit of sympathy for Silver, whose ears were now drooping.
“I’m sorry, pardner…,” Swift said.
“It’s alright,” Silver replied, heaving a long sigh. “It’s just a sore subject for me…”
“I understand that,” Swift said. “I ain’t had much time with either o’ my parents lately, and Applejack don’t even know her parents. She was raised by her Granny Smith and her big brother Big Mac. I ain’t seen my dad for a long time, and my mom don’t have a lot of time to see me, and me her.”
“See though… at least you guys have it a little bit easier in my eyes,” Silver replied. “I mean… Applejack never knew her parents, so she didn’t have to deal with the pain of losing them, but I know it hurts her to know that she never knew them. And I know it hurts for you not to have time with either of your parents very often… are they divorced?” Swift nodded. “Kinda figured, from what you said… But neither of you had to deal with having to leave your entire family behind due to something that you shouldn’t have ever had to do, nor did you technically do. I lost my brother, my mother, my father, my friends, and my old life that night. All at once, within the blink of an eye…” Silver smacked his hooves together in emphasis. “Gone. Just like that. It’s all a bunch of bullshit, Swift… If you would’ve been there, you would’ve helped me, just like all the street racers did that night… Nitro… Sherwood... Moon… and Rotor…”
“Who?” Swift asked, a bit confused.
“They were some of my friends back when I raced in Manehattan,” Silver answered. “Sherwood and Rotor were a couple of friends of mine before I even started racing. We lived on the same street for years until they moved. They introduced me to the racing scene in Manehattan when I got my 240SX, and I fell in love immediately. Not only did it help me make money for myself and my family, but all of the ponies there appreciated a good car and respected a good driver, and my car and I fit that bill perfectly. Moon I met through that racing scene, same with Nitro… Nitro had been emancipated from his family when he was fourteen, and Moon was an ex-cop gone rogue with two foals and a wife. All four of them were the greatest friends I ever had… And they helped me get away that night. Moon hid me, Nitro distracted the cops, and Sherwood and Rotor covered for me and found me that GSR…”
“Seems ya had quite the helpful group thar...,” Swift commented, looking thoughtful. “Sounds like the group ‘round ‘ere…”
“What group?” Silver asked.
“Well, thar’s this group ‘round ‘ere that kinda represent the Elements of Harmony,” Swift replied. “AJ’s one of ‘em, representin’ the element of honesty.”
“Oh, it’s them,” Silver said, nodding. “I get it now.”
“Wait, how do ya know ‘bout them?” Swift asked. Silver rolled his eyes.
“You left me with Applejack that day you went to go get all my shit out of the warehouse, remember?” Silver said. “I got bored as hell so I talked with her and she told me about these other five ponies… You mentioned one of ‘em once, Rarity I think. She told me about the others…”
“Well, I’ll make sure ya meet ‘em today for sure,” Swift said, smirking. “Everypony around ‘ere knows ‘em, and I think ya should know ‘em too. Always a good way to start off ‘ere in Ponyville; meet the Elements.” Silver nodded.
“How long’s it been since we came out here?” Silver asked. Swift looked at a nearby clock for a brief moment.
“Ten minutes,” he replied as he looked back over.
“This is gonna be a long morning…,” Silver muttered, sighing heavily. Swift just chuckled.
“That’s whatcha get for wakin’ up early.”
-
After about three hours of waiting, talking, and doing other assorted things around the homestead, the two stallions finally figured that it was a good time to head out. Swift packed a small satchel with some Bits in it, as well as a small bottle of painkillers for Silver in case he needed them, though Silver had taken a couple of them before he’d put them in the satchel. Walking was a bit easier now for Silver, as his pain had slowly gone away as the days had gone by while his leg was healing, and the added painkiller helped with what remained of the pain. His leg was still stiff, however, and he used it as little as possible as the two walked towards Ponyville. Swift’s home was slightly outside of the main town, but it wasn’t a far walk.
“So where are we going first?” Silver asked, still limping a bit as the two walked.
“Well, thar’s a lotta places we can go,” Swift replied. “Honestly, ya look very ominous without yur hoodie on, with yur scars and that tattoo…” Silver looked at Swift.
“How did you know I wore a hoodie?” he inquired.
“I saw the torn up bits of it ya had tyin’ that makeshift splint together,” the blue stallion answered. “Ya need a new one? Rarity, that seamstress, she might be the one to go to first. She’d prob’ly have ya a new hoodie in five seconds.”
“Well, I guess that’d be a good place to start,” Silver said. “Can’t really do much about the scar on my muzzle though… eh, whatever. Lead the way.” Swift nodded and turned right onto a smaller road heading towards a different part of town, and as they walked Swift decided to ask another question.
“Y’know, I gotta ask,” Swift started, “but what’s that tattoo on your foreleg even mean? I seen it a couple times and I don’t understand it.” Silver looked at his own foreleg for a moment, seeing the familiar “GC” tattoo.
“This is the logo of my favorite band,” Silver explained. “Good Charlotte. Their music’s helped me through a lot of bad shit and has always brought me back up when I’m down, especially their album ‘The Young and The Hopeless’. Their music has practically saved my life, and I actually managed to get to a concert where they were playing; I met the twins who created the band and I talked with them, threw back a couple of beers, vaped and just had a good time.”
“Wait, yu’re 18 and you drank with those guys?” Swift asked, a little taken back by this comment.
“Ah hell, dude, it’s a rock concert,” Silver asked. “Besides, it’s not like I was gonna go anywhere that night. I slept in my car in the parking lot with the keys of the car on the floor.”
“Eh… still,” Swift replied. “Ah. ‘Ere we are.” The two stallions came upon a large, carousel-esque building, and Silver looked at it for a brief moment before looking back at Swift, his eyebrow raised.
“This is the place?” Silver asked. Swift simply nodded as he walked forward and knocked on the door, and Silver just stood behind him. A moment later, a brilliantly white coated unicorn with a fancily styled mane answered the door.
“Ah! What a pleasure to see you again, Swift,” the unicorn said. “What brings you here today, darling? Perhaps another dress for your dearest Applejack?” Swift just chuckled.
“Naw, that ain’t it, Miss Rarity,” Swift said. “Do ya mind if my friend and I come in? He has somethin’ he’d like to ask of you, if it’s not too much.”
“Oh, not at all! Please come in,” the mare replied, opening the door all the way and moving out of the way to allow the two stallions inside. “So who is your new friend, dear?”
“I’m Silver,” Silver introduced himself, nodding to the unicorn before him in a gentlecolt like gesture.
“I am pleased to make your acquaintance,” she replied, smiling. “I am Rarity. Now, what can I do for you today, Silver?”
“I’m just looking to see if you have or can make something for me,” Silver responded. “Just a generic black hooded sweatshirt, no zipper, just a slip on.”
“Oh, but that’s so simple, darling!” Rarity said, looking at Silver and taking a walk around of him. “I’d say another color would fit you better… maybe a nice shade of maroon, or possibly graphite or something of the sort. And not just a plain sweatshirt either, it would have to have some sort of design on it. Something to fit your character, if you will.” Silver looked over at Swift, and Swift just shrugged, smirking slightly.
“Heh, well… I appreciate the thought you’re putting into this, Miss Rarity,” Silver said, “but I’d prefer something simple. Personally, I prefer comfort to style.”
“Oh,” Rarity said, a bit disheartened. “Well, I suppose I can find what you’re looking for, Silver. Give me just a moment.” Rarity then left the main area and disappeared behind a curtain. Silver looked over at Swift again, and both of them chuckled quietly.
“I told ya she was a diva,” Swift told him.
“Well, when you said that, I wasn’t quite expecting that,” Silver responded, smirking a little. “I mean, I really do appreciate the thought she was putting into that. I guess if I ever need a tux or something a little fancier that this is the place to come.”
“I have it!” both stallions heard from the backroom. Both of them looked to the curtains as Rarity came out from the room with a black hoodie in her magical grip. “Why don’t you try it on, darling? I may need to make a few adjustments on it but I think I’ve done a perfect job on fitment.” Silver smiled as he took the hoodie and slipped it on over his head, finding that it did indeed fit perfectly. It was extremely comfortable, much more comfortable than his previous one which had been starting to wear out.
“It’s perfect,” Silver said, looking at himself in a nearby mirror; he looked like his old self again, minus the walking cast.
“Oh, wonderful!” Rarity remarked, smiling. “You look dashing in that, Silver. If I would’ve known you’d look so extraordinary in something so simple, I might not have recommended the other designs.” Silver just smirked and laughed a bit.
“Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the thought you put into it,” Silver replied. “I definitely know where to come now if I need more outfits.”
“Oh, but of course, darling!” Rarity said with a beaming smile. “Of course, there is a small matter of payment…”
“Heh, I knew that was about to come around,” Silver said. He motioned to Swift, and Swift took off his hat and hoofed Silver a small pouch of Bits. Silver opened the pouch and peered inside for a moment to see how many were inside before he closed it up again and offered it to Rarity. “There’s about 150 Bits in here; I feel that should be just about right for a jacket of this quality. Thank you, Miss Rarity.” She beamed.
“You’re quite welcome,” Rarity said. Silver and Swift then exited the boutique. “Come back anytime, you two!” Rarity called after them.
“We will, thank you!” Silver yelled in reply. The pair of stallions then walked away and towards the center of town. “She’s nice. And she makes one hell of a comfortable jacket.” Swift chuckled.
“Yeah, she’s great at all that stuff,” Swift said. “Thar’s four others of those six that you haven’t met yet though.”
“WHOA!!! HEADS UUUUUUPPPPPPPP!!!” a female voice screamed from behind Silver and Swift. Silver looked back for just a moment before he immediately dove to the side to avoid the light blue pegasus turned missile crashed down into the ground, nearly hitting Swift, who hadn’t moved to the side nor gone to the ground. A large cloud of dust erupted and left a trail down the road, and Silver jumped up, half-running and half-limping to where the dust had begun to settle with Swift right behind.
“Hey, you alright?!” Silver asked frantically as he helped the mare up.
“Jeez, yeah, I’m fine!” the mare said; she had a fully rainbow colored mane and tail that went along with her sky blue body. “Takes WAY more than that to knock Rainbow Dash down a few pegs!” She then took a good look at Silver. “Hey, haven’t seen you around here before! You new around here?”
“Yeah,” Silver replied, chuckling at the mare’s cocky attitude and manner of speaking. “I’m staying with Swift.”
“Oh!” Dash said as she looked at Swift. “I didn’t even see you there! How’re you doin’, Blue? Been winnin’ lately?” Swift smirked.
“Yeah,” Swift said. “Been winnin’ lots.”
“Still not as much as me though!” Rainbow said, laughing. “Hey, who’s your friend?”
“I’m Silver,” Silver introduced himself, sticking out his hoof.
“Good to meet ya,” Rainbow said, knocking her hoof against Silver’s with a smirk. “The name’s Rainbow Dash, fastest pegasus in all of Equestria!” Silver just smirked.
“I’ll bet,” Silver said. “You were crashing down pretty quick right there.”
“Ah, that wasn’t nothin’!” proclaimed Dash, looking down at herself. “Not a scratch on me anyway. Just gotta get that last part of the routine worked out and I’ll be all ready!”
“Got another show soon, Dash?” Swift asked the pegasus. She looked at him and smirked.
“Oh, you bet your life on it!” Dash confirmed. “And I’m gonna dominate that competition!” Silver smirked as he heard Dash’s cocky confidence.
“I’ll bet you if you would’ve raced me back in the day, you would’ve lost,” Silver boasted, smirking as Dash looked at him for a moment. Dash tried to stifle her laughter but failed, bursting out into a fit of laughter as she nearly keeled over from it.
“Y-You think you could b-beat me?” Dash asked. “In a race? HA! That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all day!”
“Well, you haven’t seen any of my cars,” Silver said, smirking.
“Oh! You race cars like Big Blue here!” Dash said. “So how’s that been working out for you? Been winning a lot?”
“I’ve won more races in more cities than I can even count,” Silver replied, his smirk growing wider. “Had four cars, all of ‘em pushing at least, emphasis on at LEAST, eight or nine hundred horsepower and all of them were impossible to beat on the streets.”
“You even STREET RACED!” Dash exclaimed, becoming ecstatic. “Wow, the thrill of that must be amazing! How’d it feel, living life on the edge, doing crazy stunts and stuff out on the streets where anypony could see you? Was it AWESOME?!”
“Dash, calm down,” Swift said, his voice slightly distorted by laughter. “It’s not all that exciting from what I’ve heard.”
“Yeah, but you stay within the laws and you’ve never actually done it,” Dash pointed out. “Silver here’s the one who’s lived on that side of the street, if you know what I mean.” She turned back to Silver, a large smirk on her face.
“It was pretty cool,” Silver started, “but there’s a lot more risks with racing out on the streets than in an organization or something of the like. I mean, all of the cars there are tuned however they were tuned and there are absolutely no regulations. Plus, there’s no emergency services around to help if somepony gets hurt because it’s illegal to begin with and we don’t want anyone to find out that we’re there doing it.”
“Makes sense,” Dash said. “Well, I gotta get back to practicing this routine. Catch you two later!” She then took a moment to whisper in Silver’s direction so that only he could hear it; “Look me up later, cutie.” She then winked and blasted off, leaving nothing but a rainbow trail and a cloud of dust behind. Silver looked over at Swift, and Swift just shrugged.
“She’s like that,” Swift replied. “Ever since I met her she’s always been crazy and fast paced.”
“I can tell,” Silver replied, though that wasn’t what he was really thinking about; he was thinking mainly about what Dash had said to him right before she’d taken off. “I think she was hitting on me, man.”
“Dash? Hittin’ on ya?” Swift asked, chuckling. “She hits on me for sure, but her hittin’ on you sounds kinda odd. I mean, that crazy gal just met ya and she’s hittin’ on ya?”
“Hey, she’s an adrenaline junkie, and so am I,” Silver replied. “Junkies for anything just kinda meet and click, trust me. I’ve seen it happen plenty of times.” His stomach then growled audibly, and the two stallions looked at one another before Swift started laughing.
“Need a little somethin’ to eat thar?” Swift asked.
“Yeah,” Silver replied, his face warming up with embarrassment. “Honestly, I know we had breakfast, but I mean… I’m kinda in the mood for something sweet.”
“I know just the place then,” Swift replied, smirking. “C’mon, I’ll take ya thar. It ain’t too far.” The two friends then started walking again, Silver dusting himself off before following his friend.
“So what exactly do you do for a living?” Silver asked Swift. “Besides racing and fixing cars, I mean; pretty obvious you do that already, what with what Dash said and the way your car is tuned up and the big ass garage of a barn that you have.”
“I work the rails,” Swift replied. “Trains have always been a big thang in my life, ‘fore I even got my cutie mark. Always liked ‘em since I was a li’l colt. So much power and such a good way to get ‘round all of Equestria for the ponies that ne’er learned how to drive and aren’t pegasi. Obviously somepony like yurself don’t need it, but it sure is useful.”
“Well, that’s cool and all, but don’t you get homesick if you’re gone for long periods of time?” Silver asked. “I mean, I know the train goes all over Equestria and runs at night as well, but at some point your shift has to be over, and wherever you are you probably get off and just take the night to rest.”
“I’ve done that before, yeah,” Swift said. “But yu’re wrong when ya think I just hop off and get homesick. Sure, I miss it ‘ere when I’m away, and I ‘specially miss AJ, but I just get up the next mornin’ and hop on the first train back.”
“…So is that a yes or a no?” Silver asked, having been completely thrown for a loop by Swift’s answer. Swift chuckled.
“I’ll explain it to ya later, pardner,” Swift said as they walked towards a building that literally looked like a gingerbread house to Silver. “’Ere we are. Best place to get anythin’ sweet ya get a hankerin’ for around Ponyville; Sugarcube Corner.” The two walked up to the door and opened it, a small bell ringing at the top to let the owners know that somepony had entered. A light blue mare with a swirly pink mane peeked out from the kitchen behind the front counter.
“Oh! Hello, Swift!” the mare greeted him. “Give me just a moment and I’ll have somepony to help you and your friend.” She went back into the kitchen, and Swift’s eyebrow rose a bit.
“I just hope that she doesn’t send out-“ Swift was interrupted as a blur of pink rushed to the front counter and stopped, a huge smile plastered across the mare’s muzzle. Her mane was frizzled in all directions, but it was obvious that it was supposed to be like that.
“Hi Swift!” the mare said, her voice high and shrill. “How are you today? Did you need something? What did you come down for? Something to grab for Applejack?” Swift waved his hooves in a “slow down” gesture.
“That’s too many questions, Pinkie Pie,” Swift replied, laughing lightly. “I’m just ‘ere with a friend o’ mine who’s new to town.”
“New to town?!” the mare repeated Swift, looking at Silver, whom she had apparently missed. “And I didn’t hear?! WHAAAAAATTT?!?!” The shrillness of the mare’s voice caused Silver to flatten his ears slightly. “But I don’t have any time to plan for a party! Why didn’t you tell me earlier, Swift?! This is so exciting! I’ve gotta get started on making everything for this party now!!!” She was about to dash to the kitchen again when Swift cleared his throat, causing the mare to calm down momentarily. “Oh! Sorry, I got REAAALLLY excited! What’ll you two have?”
“If ya got any apple pie, I’ll take a small piece of that,” Swift said. “Nothin’ special done to it either, Pinkie; remember what happened last time.”
“Okie dokie!” the mare replied as she looked at Silver. “And how about you, Swift’s friend that I don’t know the name of but I’m gonna throw a party for anyway because you’re new to town and it’s SO EXCITING!!!” Silver nearly burst out laughing at the run-on sentence.
“Well, first off, my name’s Silver Flare,” Silver introduced himself, “and secondly, if you could grab me whatever you’ve got that just came out of the oven that’d be great.”
“Ooookaaaaaaaaay!” the mare said, her voice becoming singsong-like. “By the way, did I forget to introduce myself? Of course I did! I’m Pinkie Pie! Be right back!” She zipped into the kitchen, and Silver immediately started laughing.
“She’s a little hyper, isn’t she?” Silver asked, still laughing.
“Yeah…,” Swift replied, watching the kitchen and not laughing one bit. “I’ll tell ya, that sugared-up filly gets on my last nerve sometimes…”
“I can tell,” Silver said, smirking. “So let’s see here… I’ve met the country mare, the confectionary-sugar addicted one, the adrenaline-junkie pegasus, and the fashion oriented pony… Any others I should know about?”
“Well, thar’s two more, but I think I’ll let ya meet ‘em fer yurself,” Swift answered. Pinkie rushed back into the main area in a blur of pink, having Swift’s piece of pie on one plate and a few freshly baked muffins on another, both of them perfectly balanced with one on her nose and the other on the very top of her head, which had matted her mane down.
“Heeeeeeeeeere you go!” Pinkie said in her high, shrill voice. Silver chuckled and used his magic to take the plates from her, her mane springing back up as soon as the plate had been moved.
“Thanks,” Silver said, leaving a few Bits on the counter. “I hope that’s enough.” Pinkie took the Bits and dropped them into a nearby register, smiling widely the whole time.
“It was just the right amount, don’t worry!” Pinkie called to them as they sat down at a table near the window. “Now I’ve just gotta find out what’s the right amount of decorations for your ‘new pony in town’ party!” She inhaled loudly. “TO THE PARTY PLANNING!!!” She dashed off into the back again, and Silver just laughed again as he picked up one of the muffins on his plate and bit into it, and immediately his eyes widened with a look of delight as the flavor flooded his taste buds; the muffin was by far the best one he’d ever had, and the fact that it was fresh out of the oven only added to its goodness. He smirked as he savored the bite, but after he swallowed he immediately attacked the muffin mercilessly, causing it to disappear in a matter of moments. Swift had barely even taken his first bite of his pie by the time that Silver had eaten two of the four muffins on his plate, and he was starting in on his third when Swift started laughing, causing Silver to look over at him.
“What?” Silver asked as brought the third muffin to his mouth. Swift just shook his head, still laughing.
“Ya eat any quicker, I’m gonna mark ya down as a vacuum cleaner and not a unicorn,” Swift answered, taking another bite of his pie.
“Hey, they’re good,” Silver stated, smirking. “Sue me.” He bit into the third one, almost eating the whole thing in one bite.
“Just remember to chew,” Swift joked. “Don’t wanna hafta deal with ya chokin’.”
“Whatever, man,” Silver replied, his voice muffled by the food in his mouth. “Doesn’t matter, I’m not gonna choke. Besides, I’ve survived WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY worse.” He swallowed and then swung his bad leg slightly in emphasis.
“What all have ya survived, anyway?” Swift asked him after he took another bite of his pie.
“Three car wrecks that should’ve been fatal, gunshot wounds, stabbing attempts, and so much more that I can’t even begin to remember nor do I want to remember it,” Silver responded as he finished the third muffin, looking at the fourth for a moment before that, too, disappeared within the blink of an eye. Swift’s pie was only halfway gone, and Silver sat back, a content smile across his muzzle. “Man, those were delicious.”
“I can tell ya thought that,” Swift said as he continued to eat his own treat slowly. “Yu’re like a dang blackhole, buddy.”
“I get that a lot, honestly,” Silver responded, chuckling a bit. “But I’m 18, so naturally I’m gonna eat everything in sight while I still can, y’know? It just makes sense to take advantage of the metabolism while I’ve got it.”
“Well, I can’t deny ya that,” Swift replied, smirking. “Now let me finish this up and we’ll decide what else to do from ‘ere.” Silver nodded, and within a few minutes the two were headed for the door when Pinkie suddenly rocketed out of the back of the store again, zipping in front of the pair.
“Wait wait wait!!!” the pink mare shrieked. “Silver, you like surprises right? How about this being a SURPRISE party?!” She smiled widely, and Silver laughed.
“How’s it gonna be a surprise when I already know that you’re planning it?” Silver asked her.
“Oh, but that’s the surprise of it!” Pinkie replied, bounding around him. “It’s a SURPRISE surprise party! That’s what’s gonna be so fun! Hehehe!!!” She then bounced her way into the back of the shop, giggling the whole way, and Silver nearly collapsed from laughter over the sugared-up filly.
“Jeez, get her some friggin’ chill pills or somethin’,” Silver managed between his laughs. Swift just smirked as the two exited the bakery and walked down the main street in Ponyville. “She’s got a point though; if it really is a surprise, she’d better get me when I’m least expecting it; that’s a reaction you won’t ever forget and you’ll probably rub in my face every day for the rest of my life if you see it.” Swift grinned slyly.
“Well then, we’ll just see ‘bout that,” Swift said, playfully bumping his friend softly. Silver just smirked and bumped Swift in return. “Hey, come to think of it, I kinda need to get another car sometime. There any car auctions that go on around this area?”
“Nah, not really ‘round Ponyville,” Swift responded as the two came to the town square, which was bustling with activity; at least, for a small town it was. “Nearest places to go for that kind o’ thang would be Canterlot, which ya probably don’t wanna go back to anytime soon, and maybe Los Pegasus. Just ask ‘round to see when the next one is, somepony oughta tell ya.”
“Right, gotcha,” Silver replied.
“Actually, there’s a mare who might be able to help you out with finding out a little quicker than most,” Swift said, becoming thoughtful. “Let’s head over to the Golden Oak Library; she might know what’s going on.”
“Wait, who?” Silver asked, having lost what Swift was talking about.
“Ah, don’t worry ‘bout it right now,” Swift said as the two began walking again. “I’ve actually gotta run somewhere real quick; yu’re welcome to come along if ya want.”
“Well, that depends on where you’re going,” Silver replied, following alongside the larger stallion.
“I’m goin’ to talk with somepony about possibly getting a pet,” Swift said. “She’s the best one I know to talk to about it.” Silver nodded.
“What kind of a pet?” Silver asked him.
“Hopefully a li’l dog or somethin’,” Swift answered as the two walked to the outskirts of town. “I’ve been thinkin’ about maybe getting’ one so that I’d have someone around to keep me company, and so that I’d have one so that it could play with AJ’s dog Winona.”
“Ah, yeah, that makes sense,” Silver said as the two kept walking. As he looked, he could see a small cottage in the distance, sitting on a quaint, quiet hill beside a creek. There were plenty of animals that he could see that were outside, as well as a yellow mare with a long, flowing pink mane and tail. He couldn’t make her out clearly from here who the mare was, but he knew that it had to be the friend that Swift had been talking about. The two walked across the bridge over the creek and towards the cottage, and as they got closer and closer Silver could make out the forms of dogs, squirrels, bunnies and even a bear. He could faintly hear the mare talking; her voice was very quiet and easy on the ears, a complete switch from what he’d dealt with earlier from Pinkie.
“Fluttershy?” Swift called out to the mare, and she made a small “eep” sound as she turned, hovering off the ground slightly with her wings flapping.
“O-Oh! Hello, Swift,” she said, her voice still quiet. “It’s good to see you.”
“Good to see you too,” Swift said, smiling. “I just came by to talk about maybe getting that pet I’d mentioned.”
“Oh, of course,” she whispered, smiling at him. However, as soon as she saw Silver, she cowered behind her mane a little bit. “O-Oh, um… I-I didn’t know you had company…”
“It’s okay, Fluttershy, this is a friend of mine from out of town,” Swift explained. “This is Silver Flare. Silver, this is Fluttershy.”
“Hi,” Silver said, making his voice soft so as not to possibly frighten the skittish mare.
“U-Um… hi…,” Fluttershy whispered in response.
“It’s okay,” Silver said. “I might look kinda rough, but I assure you, I’m a gentle soul, haha. Seems you’re one too, Miss Fluttershy.” Fluttershy’s ears perked a little bit, and a tiny smile crossed her muzzle.
“O-Oh… thank you,” she said, her voice a tiny bit louder. “I-I’m sorry… um… Swift, could you come inside while we talk? I-If it’s not too much trouble.”
“It’s not a problem,” Swift replied, smiling. “Would you mind if Silver came in as well?”
“O-Oh, no, I don’t mind,” she responded.
“No, it’s cool,” Silver commented. “I can stay out here.”
“Naw, Silv, c’mon,” Swift said as he and Fluttershy began to walk towards the door of the cottage.
“It’s okay, really it is,” Silver replied. “Besides, it probably won’t take that long, am I right?” Swift chuckled.
“True ‘nough,” he responded. “Alright, but yu’re welcome to come inside if ya feel like it. Right, Fluttershy?”
“Y-Yes, of course,” the mare said, giving Silver a small, nervous smile. “Any friend of Swift’s is welcome.” Silver chuckled.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said. “Thanks. I’ll be out here.” Swift nodded as Fluttershy and he walked into the cottage, shutting the door behind himself. Silver then sat down underneath a nearby tree near the cottage, closing his eyes and relaxing a bit as he contemplated his new situation.
My first impression of Ponyville? Quiet, quaint, slower paced and simple. And that wasn’t a bad thing at all. If I were to be perfectly honest, I liked it here. It was a big change from the city and it was going to take some getting used to, but I liked it a lot already. Everyone was friendly, and everything here seemed so much better than back in the city.
Another thing that I’d noticed was that since I’d dropped into Swift’s life was that my stress had been relieved a bit. I could still feel it, like I always could, but at least it was a lot less noticeable than usual. Part of that I owe to him for helping to make my life a little easier, part of it I owe to not having the cops after me at this point since I was off the grid, and part of it I owe to the straight up tranquility of the area. It was so calming, easy on the heart, mind and soul. Things here may have been slower, but at least they were simpler, and that’s what I cared about.
The thought that I needed a car crossed my mind again, and I began thinking about what I might be able to get. Around here, there weren’t any car auctions from what Swift had said. All I knew was that when I got the chance to hit one that I was gonna go for something different from what I’d had in the past. Maybe something with a V6, maybe even a BMW or something of the like. I’d always had an admiration for any foreign cars, though Japanese cars were my specialty and I knew them inside and out no matter what make or model. Whatever I was going to end up getting, I knew I at least had a good place to store it and work on it, as well as the money to fix it when I blew it up.
Oh, how I wish my family could’ve been out here with me right now. We could all leave the stress behind; we could all be together again, just like old times. I felt a small tear trickle down my face and I wiped it away, sighing a little bit. I knew that it would never happen… I could dream all I wanted, but it would never happen for real. That’s what really sucked about my situation. As much as I wanted to go back and see my family, call them on the phone and talk to them, ANYTHING just to have some solace and be able to have communication with them in some form, I couldn’t unless I wanted to risk everything.
Then again… sometimes risking everything was necessary. Maybe that’s why I called them back in Fillydelphia, because it was necessary. I mean, they had no idea if I was dead or alive, they just knew that I’d had to skip town. Maybe risking everything out here at some point was going to be worth it; after all, cops hadn’t found me yet and I’d been here two months. I hadn’t even seen a single law officer of any kind near Swift’s house or around the town, or rather, what I’d seen of it so far.
Silver’s train of thought was interrupted as he heard the door to the cottage open up again, and he heard Swift say something to Fluttershy before bidding her farewell; he hadn’t been paying attention so he wasn’t sure what Swift had said to the shy mare. The blue stallion walked to Silver, and Silver stood back up, grunting a bit from his bad leg giving him a bit of a hard time with standing once more.
“Ya looked like ya were thinkin’ ‘bout somethin’,” Swift said as the two began to walk away from the quiet home.
“Eh, just kinda thinking about the area,” Silver replied. “I’ve never been out in the country like this, honestly; lived in cities all my life. It’s a nice change, y’know.” Swift chuckled a bit.
“Yeah, I’ll bet it is,” Swift said to him, looking on as the two walked back towards town. “But ya looked like ya had somethin’ else on yur mind. Mind sharin’?”
“I was honestly just kinda wishing that my family could come out here,” Silver said. “Like I’ve said quite a few times now, I miss them a lot and I haven’t seen them in a long time either. It’s just quiet out here, and there’s not very much law enforcement to absolutely fuck me over from what I’ve seen.”
“That’s ‘cause there ain’t a lot o’ crime ‘round ‘ere,” Swift told him. “I think the last real criminal thang that happened ‘ere was when somepony tried to steal one of the cars I was workin’ on. He don’t remember what he was even tryin’ to do in the first place anymore.” Swift chuckled again. “Wrenches work for more than just turnin’ bolts, mind ya.”
“Oh, don’t I know that one…,” Silver replied, smirking a little. “I could tell you some good stories about that kind of thing… meh, another time.” The two came upon the town square again, which surprised Silver; he didn’t think they’d already walked that far away from Fluttershy’s cottage. “So where was the place you said might have some info on car auctions and stuff?”
“Oh, that’s the Golden Oak Library,” Swift responded. “C’mon, follow me.” He turned down the path that headed north, and Silver followed him eagerly. “It’s just right up ahead ‘ere.” The two continued walking for barely a minute before they came upon a large tree, but this one had obviously been turned into a living space; there was a door cut into front of it and windows fit elsewhere on the trunk, and a balcony built about halfway up the tree. There was an emblem of some sort on the door, which Silver identified as a candlestick as they got closer to the door. “I dunno what Twi might be doin’, could be some science or somethin’, so let me knock and you come in after, ‘right?”
“Wait, what?” Silver asked. Swift sighed a bit.
“Just let me knock and make sure she’s not ‘bout to blow the leaves off this place,” he responded. Silver nodded as the two came up to the door of the library, and Swift raised his hoof and knocked on the door. Almost immediately the door swung open, revealing a young purple unicorn mare.
“Oh hi, Swift!” she said brightly with a smile on her face. “Come in!” She moved out of the entryway, allowing Swift to come inside, and she looked at Silver with that same smile on her face.
My legs felt like they were glued to the ground. My mouth was dry, like I’d taken a piece of cotton and stuffed it in there. I don’t know why I was feeling this way, but it had happened the second I’d seen this mare. I thought it was stupid; I hadn’t even talked to her and I was already crushing on her.
“You can come in as well,” the mare said to Silver, still smiling.
“O-Oh, uh, right,” Silver stammered, and he immediately mentally slapped himself. “Thank you.” He stepped inside the library, looking about for a moment; it was your basic library really, with lots of shelves of countless books, all very well organized. Swift eyed Silver a bit strangely but passed it off as the mare closed the door and turned to them.
“So what did you need today, Swift?” she asked the blue stallion. “Another good read? I’ve always got plenty of those to recommend!”
“Nah, not today, Twilight,” Swift responded. “This is a new friend of mine; he’s new to town and I’m showin’ him about.”
“Oh! Well then, allow me to introduce myself,” she said, turning to Silver. “My name is Twilight Sparkle. What’s yours?” Silver stood silent for a few moments.
“Um… I-It’s Silver,” Silver told her. “Silver Flare.” She smiled and giggled a bit.
“Nice to meet you,” she said to him. She then turned to Swift again, and Silver tuned out as he looked the mare over.
Let me just clarify first off that I wasn’t being a pervert; she was just… really cute. Super attractive to me. Her mane was styled in a simple, straight down way, and her bangs stopped just barely below the tops of her eyes. And her eyes… man, probably the most beautiful shade of lavender I’d ever seen.
“Silv?” Swift said, snapping Silver out of his trance to look over at his friend. “Explain what we’re doin’ ‘ere, please?”
“Oh! Right,” Silver said, turning back to Twilight, who’d also turned to him. “Swift said this might be a good place to find out where there might be car auctions or things of the like going on. Do you happen to know of any?”
“Of course!” Twilight responded, smiling. “I’m always up to date on what is happening around Equestria; I pride myself on knowing, especially since sometimes racers and such come through here looking for the same thing as you.” She walked away and picked up a nearby journal of some sort with her magic and flipped it open, flipping the pages a few times before smiling widely. “Aha! Here we are! There’s a car auction that’s going on in Los Pegasus in three days.” She snapped the book shut again, turning around and walking back over to the two stallions. “Did you need anything else?”
“Um… not that I can think of at the moment,” Silver said.
“Alright,” Twilight said, still smiling. “If there’s anything you need-a bit of information, a good read, something science related, or even just someone to talk with-I’m always around, so you can call on me anytime.”
“I’ll remember that,” Silver said, smiling. “Thank you.”
“You’re quite welcome,” Twilight responded. “Is there anything you needed, Swift?” She turned to the blue stallion, and he shook his head.
“Thank ya for yur time, Twilight,” Swift said to the purple mare. “I might be back later to ask ‘bout those ‘good reads’ ya had in mind.” Twilight beamed.
“Of course!” she said to the two stallions as they walked towards the door. “Bye! See you later, you two!”
“Bye!” both stallions called out as they walked outside, and Silver shut the door behind them before letting out a sigh, and Swift burst out laughing.
“What?” Silver asked, slightly annoyed.
“Y-Y-Ya were c-crushin’ on Twilight s-s-s-so bad!!!” Swift said, falling onto the ground and rolling about laughing, causing a few ponies who were walking past to stop and watch the blue stallion roll in a fit of outright shrieking guffaws, giggling a bit themselves before walking off. “Yu’re eyes w-w-were t-the best part of i-it all! HAHAHA!!! T-T-They were all b-big and googly!!!”
“Shut the fuck up,” Silver said, rolling his eyes as he chuckled. “Sure, I liked how she looked, and her personality is great, and her voice is amazing, but that doesn’t mean I was crushing on her.” Swift slowly came to a rest, tears in his eyes from laughing so hard, and he was still laughing as he stood back up.
“W-Well, you sure can c-count on one thang,” Swift started, “and t-that’s ya f-fallin’ in love with somepony ya b-barely even know…”
“Oh, gimme a break, man,” Silver said, shaking his head with a smirk on his face. “It’s not like I haven’t heard the stories about you and Applejack.” Swift shot Silver a look.
“How’d ya hear ‘bout them stories?” Swift asked. Silver just smirked.
“That’s for me to know and you to figure out, my friend,” Silver simply stated, walking away towards the town square again. “Here’s a hint; somepony who’s come to the house quite often.” As he walked off, whistling nonchalantly, his friend developed a thoughtful look on his face before he chased after Silver.
“You tell me how ya got her to tell them stories, Silv!” Swift yelled, running towards Silver.
“Element of Honesty in her, remember?” Silver responded, still just walking as Swift caught up to him. The two then walked all the way back to the house, and everything was just as it had been left. Silver walked to the front door and opened it up to immediately get blasted in the face by confetti and streamers, and loud music began playing as countless ponies inside shouted all in unison:
“SURPRISE!!!” Silver was knocked backwards and caught by Swift, and both stallions immediately started laughing as they walked into the house, Pinkie Pie bounding up to them immediately.
“See? SEE? I TOLD you that it was a surprise surprise party!” Pinkie told Silver.
“Haha, yeah, you did,” Silver said, “and you got me good. How’d you get everyone here without us noticing though?”
“Oh, that was easy!” Pinkie said, waving her hoof in a dismissing manner. “But it’s a secret! I won’t tell you! Nope nope noooope!” She faked zipping her mouth closed and bounded off somewhere else, and Silver just laughed as he joined the rest of the ponies in the party, smirking and thinking to himself that this was a great place to be.