“This place is bigger than I thought it would be.” Derpibra was surprised at how clean the alleyways were. “And the alleys are sparkling, and spacious! I imagine that even living back here wouldn’t be so bad.”
“You wouldn’t understand.” Gaffold said. “I lived on the streets of Manehattan. They were slightly less clean, but still unenjoyable. All those rats…”
“Really? Dang, I didn’t know…”
“Don’t worry about it.” Gaffold kicked a rare out-of-place can to the side. “My past is naught. We’re making our real past right now, so let’s just focus on that.”
“Aye-aye captain.”
The alleyways were only slightly darker than the city itself, and featured small shops ranging from liquor stores and snack shops decorated with neon signs. The setup reminded Derpibra of Los Pegasus.
“Optix? Can we stop for a pack of gummy worms?” His stomach growled furiously. “I haven’t eaten since I woke up…”
“Is now really the time to be trying to snack up?”
“Please…!?”
The soldier grunted. “Fine. Just don’t take forever.”
Not a minute later, the gray stallion came back with two packs of his favorite snacks. He tore a pack open and began munching them down happily.
“You’re gonna tear up yer stomach with those those being yer first meal ya’ know.” Applejack cackled.
“That’s okay. I got plenty of applesauce to get rid of my impending stomach ache.”
The farmer blushed, feeling as if that was a sort of innuendo. Derpibra was always the one to make questionable statements...
Why is he lookin’ at me like that?
“Happy mister gummy?” Optix teased.
“Uh huh. Okay, let’s keep moving.”
Walking at a steady, observative pace, the group came to the end of the alleyway that lead onto a sidewalk. Taxi carriages roared down the street as the light for them to walk was readying itself to turn green. Across the street was the very bar the party was searching for.
Derpibra placed a hoof into the street, and a carriage rolled by, almost running him over. “Wow, busy street.”
“That’s dangerous! What did you hope to accomplish with that?” Rarity questioned.
“Relax, I’m a pegasus.” He flared his wings apart into a cascade of gray feathers, and leaped across the busy traffic. “See? Easy!”
Rainbow Dash leaped across with him, and Optix teleported with them. Twilight grunted and repeated their action, taking all but Rarity with her.
“Rarity? You rejected my magic.” Twilight said, annoyed.
“We mustn’t do things to attract attention.” Rarity replied as the light turned green and the carriages screeched to a stop. “We must cross, like regular civilians.” She maintained a certain poise as she crossed the road with a slight sway of her hips. “We must cross- like ladies. Well, except for Derpibra and Gaffold, obviously not mares.” She giggled.
“Whatever you say, miss elegance.” Rainbow snorted.
“Anyways,” Derpibra interrupted. “Is that the bar up ahead?”
“Yup.” Optix replied. “Let’s see if this idea of yours holds the water.”
As they approached the bar, it more-and-more began to look like something reminiscent of a building in Appleloosa. Western windows, an old wooden construction, and a giant frothy wood and metal mug next to the establishment’s name “Trotty’s Beer Keg”.
“Looks like my kinda place.” Applejack said.
“Want me to buy you a drink?” Derpibra offered.
“Only if they got apple cider.”
“Heh, I’ll check for ya.”
“Are you two done stroking each other?” Optix asked.
“Hehe, yeah, sorry.”
Upon entering the bar, the group took notice in the walls lined with shot glasses and the room itself furnished with wooden stools and pool tables. Dart boards were about the walls, and grizzly stallions were apparently playing some form of poker around the place.
Derpibra was the first to approach the mare working as the bartender. She had a brown coat, a blonde mane, and gray eyes. Her mane was done into a ponytail and so was her actual pony tail. She donned an apron that partially covered her beer mug cutie mark.
“Hey.” The bartender greeted. “Welcome to Trotty’s. We got a Cherry Jubilee special today. Wanna try it?”
“Nah, I don’t drink.” Derpibra sat on a sturdy wooden stool in front of his attendant. “Me and my pals came here to get some info on somepony.”
“Number one gossip space in town. What’cha need?”
Optix stepped up to the counter. “Lookin’ for a lil’ filly, nay tall and nay wide. Seen her?”
“Optix? Is that you?”
“Hell yeah, Stella Artois.”
“You used to come around so often! What happened to you for the past couple of years?”
“It’s a long story that I can’t discuss right now. We can play catchup later, but I’m looking for my sister. You seen her?”
“Sniper Bullet? Heard she’s been up to no good lately. She’s known as ‘The Vigilante’ on the streets. She usually hangs around town at this time.”
So that means she hasn’t been captured by them. Sweet! So there’s still time. “Awesome. Hey, maybe when I’m not so busy, we can grab a drink together and actually play catchup the right way, eh?”
“Yup. Well, can’t hold you here. I know you got things to do. Catch you later?”
“Yeah.”
Right before the group left the door, Derpibra trotted back in and asked Stella, “Hey, got any Apple Cider?”
“Yes. But I thought you said you don’t drink.”
“Yes, but the lady does.” He pointed to Applejack, cocking a brow with a small smile.
“Ah, I see. One cup comin’ up. That’ll be ten bits.”
“Hardly a dent in the bank. Here ya go.”
Stella retreated to the back room to prepare his order.
“You didn’t have to do that.” Applejack blushed.
“You only deserve the best.” He leaned in to kiss her on the cheek, but a mug shattered into the back of his head.
“Disgusting! Take that nonsense somewhere else! Filth…” A voice sounded from just down the counter.
“Ow ow ow ow! Hey pal, what was that for…!?”
At the end of the table was a turquoise earth-pony stallion with the most ridiculous sky-blue mane style. It was spiky on one side, smooth on the other. The rest of it on the backside seemed like Mane-iac’s hairstyle, just not as long. He had ice gray eyes and a shattered ice heart as a cutie mark.
“You’re a fool…”
Derpibra got up and galloped to him. “Why’d you throw that at me?”
“No one wants to see that despicable behavior here. Can’t a stallion go out of his house without seeing such things?”
“What? Me treating my mare nicely?”
The crowd of ponies began gathering around the two stallions.
“Mares don’t deserve kindness! She will shatter you like the rest of them!”
“Don’t say that about AJ!” Derpibra went for a punch, but the mysteriously aggressive stallion caught it.
“W-what…?”
“Don’t you dare think you can harm the great Ice Breaker!”
“What’s going on out here!?” Stella came rushing out with Derpibra’s order.
“Stop this, right now!” Twilight demanded.
Ice Breaker launched a gust of chilling wind into Derpibra, sending him flying into another table. Mugs and hard liquor flew about the room and shattered. “Gah! Gr… you’re a tough cookie. Alright, let’s have some fun.” The lazy-eyed stallion transformed into a Super Saiyan and stood tall.
“So, you turned into a purple maned stallion.” Ice Breaker laughed. “Hahaha! I don’t know what this change is supposed to bring.
“Don’t underestimate a Super Saiyan!” He dashed forward and grabbed his opponent, and smashed him into a nearby stool.
“Hmph, maybe you aren’t as useless as I thought.” On his forehooves, he thrusted upwards with his haunches and launched Derpibra into a ceiling fan.
The gray stallion crashed onto the floor and the fan crashed onto his head. Tiny shards of light bulbs scattered about the floor. Hey got up, giggling silently. “You aren’t bad. But I’m only just getting started!” He bulked up his muscles, transforming into his favorite form, Super Derpibra.
Then, he began to charge charge straight for Ice Breaker, but before he could, Applejack dashed in front of him.
“Stop! Both of ya!”
He came to an abrupt stop and relaxed himself. “Applejack, he said you didn’t need respect.”
“That’s his opinion. Now, can we not tear up the joint? We’re on a mission here.”
He grunted. “Okay, okay.” He sized down and his mane faded from purple back to red. He looked at Stella sheepishly. “Hehe… sorry about the mess.”
Twilight casted Levitation and fixed whatever was repairable.
“It’s fine. Honestly, a lot of fights like that happen. And, at least someone bothered to clean it up. But hey, that was some crazy moves you both had there. I swear, ponies get weirder everyday…”
“It’ll probably get worse honestly. I’ve been experiencing the same thing lately.” He turned his attention to Ice Breaker. “Hey… sorry for the, erm, little skirmish we had there.”
“Hmph.”
“You’re a lot stronger than you look.”
“If not stronger.” Twilight added. “Where did you get that strength from? You are just an earth pony, right?”
“Don’t inquire about my powers. They are of none of your concern.”
The alicorn gasped.
“Hmph. What does it matter to you anyway?”
“I was just interested in that peculiar strength you have.”
“Sure. You’re likely just feigning interest. I’m not accepting it, not one bit.”
“What do you mean…?”
“Nice fight.” Derpibra butted in. “You had me going there. Hey, um… I gotta ask…”
“What is it?”
“Why do you hate mares so much?”
“I don’t have to explain myself to you.”
Derpibra sighed. “Fine, fine. So, do you hang around here often?”
“No. I spend most of my time in my home.”
“Doing what?”
“None of your business. Stop asking me mundane questions.”
“Hold up- got one more for you.”
Ice Breaker gave a disgruntled sigh. “What?”
“Do you know anything about ‘The Vigilante’?”
“She frequents this district on Sundays. Usually spray-painting walls or doing other idiotic activities. No one knows her by her real name.”
“Maybe you would like to help us search for her? She’s believed to be related to Optix here.”
“And why in blazes would I waste my time assisting any of you?”
“Because you’re a nice stallion that would help somepony find their sister, I hope?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” He scoffed. “I am considerate to no one.”
“I’m sure you wouldn’t mind helping the Princess of Friendship?” Twilight inquired.
“Yes, I do mind. I do not care for whether or not you are a princess. Give me one reason why I should even lift a hoof in your favor.”
“Well, you are an earth pony that can cast magic. Derpibra is just like you, except he’s a pegasus. In Ponyville, we live in a palace that has an extensive library for research notes and other documents that me and other ponies have been constructing on this topic. Maybe you’d find that interesting? At least, if you decide to come with us to Ponyville.”
Ice Breaker meditated on the idea for a brief moment, weighing the cons and pros. “...Fine. I will assist you, but if you all prove to be useless to me, I will be quite upset- more than usual. And, I’m not helping you because I’m nice, it’s because I’m getting something out of this.”
“You won’t be disappointed. I’m glad you accepted us.”
“Tsk.”
Derpibra retrieved his order for Applejack’s Apple Cider and ran his hoof through her mane. He had to show some level of restraint around Ice Breaker, or else another fight might occur.
Such an unorthodox fashion to earn a new (perhaps temporary) ally. Rarity thought. Who knows what mystical energy this earth pony holds for us. Not to mention I’m also slightly scared of him too, considering he hates mares. And of course, he’s been invited into a group full of them except for two. I hope he doesn’t do anything crazy. Derpibra, you find the strangest ways to befriend individuals, do you not?
Down the street sounded an increasingly audible ambience of what would be considered an engine roaring, followed by the clopping of hooves and wooden wheels with sirens.
“Wait a second…” Optix burst through the door of the bar to momentarily witness a beater pickup zoom by in a afterimage flash, followed by carriages with sirens filling the otherwise soft atmosphere with obnoxious noises. “That truck looks familiar!” She sprinted down the street and took off around the corner.
“Optix! Wait up!” Derpibra surged his magic and dashed in pursuit. Everyone followed, with Ice Breaker being the last to catch up.
Optix being the farthest ahead, she engulfed herself in a magical aura and soared even faster towards the truck that was speeding at an alarming rate.
The filly looked back and pulled out what seemed to be a type of submachine gun, but hesitated to fire as she recognized who she was. Lowering her weapon, she pushed the truck to full throttle. The chase was approaching an intersection, but three of the four roads were under maintenance- the only road open being the one on the right.
She used the E-brake after slowing down to drift around the corner. The tires screeched wildly as the rear of her pickup slid out into a wider turn. When she dominated the corner, she straightened out her vehicle and went full throttle once more.
Woah, when did she learn to drive like that? Optix thought, smiling. Heh, she was always a hard prey to catch. Man, playing tag with her was hell.
Continuing her pursuit, she noticed the vehicle slowing down until it took a left on a two-way street. Then, in a matter of seconds, it pulled into a run-down garage.
Optix landed in front of a security door guarding a dark wooden door in its wake. She opened the entrance and walked inside, and shortly after everyone managed to catch up and follow her inside.
The door locked behind them, and a short shadowy figure came to light. The only flickering light bulb in the garage beaming into the center of the space, giving the entire circumstance a more dramatic feel.
“Is that you?” The figure sounded, with a comforting light voice. “Sister?” She removed her tattered hood from her head to reveal a filly that was almost a carbon copy of Optix, except she had a large scar across the bottom of her left eye, and a much, much longer mane. Her cutie mark seemed similar in context to Optix’ mark as well, but it was a cog instead of a wrench.
“Hey you little squirt.” Optix pulled her younger sister into a warming embrace. “It’s been a couple years now. You nine yet?”
“Yep. Good to see you back big sis.”
Everyone cooed over the lovely reuniting sight, except for Ice Breaker, of course.
“You really need to cut that mane down. Its way too long.”
“You’re crazy. I love my hair. Yours isn’t exactly short either.”
“Its manageable though.”
“So is mines. So, are these ponies you friends?”
“Yup. That’s Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship.”
“Hey there.”
“And that’s Fluttershy.” Optix leaned into Sniper’s ear. “Be careful around her, she gets scared easily.”
“Um, hi.”
“And that’s Rarity.”
“Salutations darling.”
“That’s Rainbow Dash.”
“The awesomest out of the group by the way.”
Optix laughed. “Haha, yeah right. That’s Applejack.”
“Howdy.”
“Pinkie Pie.”
“Hi there!”
“That’s Gaffold. He doesn’t talk much compared to us.”
“Hey.”
“That’s our mascot, Derpibra.”
“Wait, Mascot?”
“He’s a little funny looking.” Sniper said.
“It’s his specialty.”
“Hey!”
“And that’s Ice Breaker. Uhm, be careful ‘round him, he’s the strong silent type, and he’s a bit grumpy today.”
Ice Breaker remained silent, choosing to respond with a slight frown.
“And yeah, that’s the group for ya.”
“Well, if you didn’t know already, I’m Sniper Bullet. And well, damn, I didn’t think you would get a Princess to look for me. How’d you meet these guys anyway?”
“It was a bit of a coincidence.” She winked at Derpibra. “It’s one hell of a story. I’ll tell you about it later. So, how’d you come about being a Vigilante?”
“To be honest with you, I just started doing stuff. When you left, I vented my anger by doing random stuff around town that started pissing everyone off, then I started realizing it was pretty fun. The cops don’t really like me though, especially since they got nothing on me. Ha!”
“Wow, you’re a little troublemaker aren’t ya?”
“You’re proud of that?” Derpibra asked. “Kinda weird ya know.”
“It runs in the family. My parents weren’t angels either.”
“I would say that’s not very believable, but…”
“It is believable, isn’t it?”
“Y-yeah, I guess. Hey, Bullet?”
The filly was digging into the hood of her pickup. “Yup?”
“What’s with the truck?”
“It’s Optix’ ride that she was forced to leave behind when she left Trottingham. At the time it wasn’t finished, so I fixed it up.”
“You kept it… for all these years?” Optix asked. “How did you manage to not get caught up with the EO agents driving that thing around?”
“They couldn’t catch me. Hehe, this thing is too much. You left it at our parents’ place, by the way.”
“Thanks for keeping it.”
“Anything for my big sis.”
“So,” Derpibra started. “What exactly is this pickup? It reminds me of a Ram.”
“It is. A 2008 Ram 1500, extended cab running a v6 3.7 liter displacement engine with a single turbo, 6 speed manual transmission with a Rear Wheel Drive drivetrain. Oh Celestia this thing is sexy, both in and out.”
“You said all of that off the top of your head?”
“Yep, pretty easy.”
“Does anyone have any idea what she just said?” Rainbow Dash whispered in Twilight’s ear.
“Among all the things I study, cars happen to be something I don’t look into very often, especially since they aren’t very mainstream in Equestria.”
“Dang. She’s speaking a whole ‘nother language. I was hoping you could translate?”
“Sorry Rainbow, I don’t know everything.”
“Alright,” Optix began. “Thank you all for helping me find my sis. Honestly, that was easier than I thought. But now we gotta find out where my parents are. Bullet, fire up the car.”
“Rodger.”
“Are we going to your parents’ place first?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Uh huh. They left some stuff back there that we can use. They told me not to try and find them until I needed to. Now’s the time.”
The truck roared as the engine kicked to life.
“And, there’s plenty of things there that I can use to tell a story about my ol’ self. I bet that’s what you all are interested in too, eh?”
Everyone nodded.
“Wait,” Twilight began, fitting herself into one of the seats. “Isn’t the police outside?”
“Nah. They probably called off the investigation by now. But, I guess we should stick around for a few hours ‘till they’re gone.”
“Agreed. It seems too risky going out right now.”
“Yeah. Alright everyone, we’re camping here for maybe two hours before we head out. Cops should be gone by then.”