//------------------------------// // Return VI: Shooty Shooty Bang Bang // Story: Return: Tales of the Lost // by Dustchu //------------------------------// Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stared at the two young mares, the shock evident on the latter two's faces. The crusaders were not expecting to see their enemies near their clubhouse... let alone with flowers on their whiters as if they were here to offer them up. There was silence between the two groups for the longest time, neither breaking eye contact or making a move to speak... But it was broken finally... by Silver Spoon. "D-Diamond..." "Ye-yeah?" Diamond replied carefully. Gulping, Silver asked, "Is that who I think it is?" Diamond slowly nodded her head. "I-it has to be... they look just like them..." Sweetie Belle just kept her eyes on the two young mares, emerald green eyes peering into the very depths of both ponies' souls with such intensity that it caused them both to move back a few steps. Bloom just huffed, causing some of her red bangs to fly out of her face as Scootaloo just glared. Eventually, Sweetie spoke, "Its been a while... Diamond... Silver." She said slowly, switching her gaze from Diamond to Silver as she said their names before focusing entirely on Diamond. Her thoughts were a mess right now, she had gone walking with her friends in the hopes of seeing how their clubhouse fared, and perhaps to get their thoughts in order. And so far, she's now in front of two of the worst ponies she could think of, her bullies from school, and she wished they weren't here... in fact, why were they? "Y-yeah... it has..." Diamond replied to the white unicorn, who merely glared in response. Silver coughed into her hooves politely, clearing her throat. "I... I thought you guys were-" "Dead?" Scootaloo said bluntly, "Sorry to disappoint." She hissed out, causing both mares to recoil. Diamond's eyes went wide. "W-why would we be disappointed?!" Diamond nearly yelled out, looking aghast at what Scootaloo's implying. "We're not disappointed!" "Yeah!" Silver Spoon agreed, nodding her head rapidly. "We're glad you guys ar-" "There you three are!" A sudden voice called out, before a thud sounded and Twilight Snarkle Sparkle landed near them. "I've been look-oh... oh my." She stopped short once she spotted the two rich mares of the Spoon and Rich family respectively. "Uhm..." Bloom stepped forward, still glaring at the two smaller mares. Apple Bloom wasn't by any means a large mare, but she was significantly taller then both of her friends and was filled with plenty of muscle, as well as scars from her time in the wasteland. "Yer glad?" Bloom nearly snarled. "Glad we ain't what, dead in a ditch after bein' raped six ways from sunday an' ripped limb from limb?" Both the former bullies looked at Bloom in horror, even Twilight looked shocked. "Were you hopin' we were? Huh?" She asked, continuing her walk towards them as they both backed away. "Huh? Answer me! 'fore Ah beat th' answer outta ya!" "Ahhhh!" The bullies screamed before Twilight stepped in. "Apple Bloom!" Twilight bellowed, glaring at the apple family member with a hard stare. "Stop this!" Bloom just snorted, nostrils flaring before she huffed and turned away. "Floozies ain't worth it." She muttered, as Scootaloo and Sweetie looked completely uninterested in the entire debacle. The princess of friendship let out a heavy sigh, turning to look at the bullies, only to see they were gone... only the flowers remained... -ooo000=+=000ooo- "Apple Bloom, I can't believe you!" Twilight snapped at Bloom, who just looked down at Twilight Sparkle from where she was standing on the clubhouse balcony. "Believe what? That Ah was about ta give those two what they deserved?" Bloom asked rhetorically as Sweetie had grown bored, and was throwing her knives at a nearby Apple Tree, and Scootaloo was lounging under the clubhouse ramp in the shade. Twilight rubbed her temples, sitting down on the ground as she tried to stop her temper from rising. "Apple Bloom... I know they were bullies but that is no excuse to threaten them with physical violence!" Twilight yelled. "Why not?" Bloom asked, glaring down at Twilight. "Do you have any idea th' shit they put us all through over the years?" Bloom started, her voice rising. "They bullied us every day! Calling us blank flanks, making fun of Scootaloo cause she couldn't fly, or because Sweetie couldn't use magic, an' called me a dirty mud pony!" Bloom yelled, stomping her hoof into the balcony wood and causing it to crack from the sheer force. "Every day! Ah've had ta deal with their shit!" "Its true." Sweetie said mid throw of her large bowie knife, the knife itself hitting the tree with a loud ka-thunk. "Every day they would meet us at the entrance to the school, and tease us about every tiny detail." She pulled out another knife, this one black and sharp like every other one. "Scootaloo can't fly," She threw the knife, causing it to hit the tree before pulling out another. "She's just a flightless chicken," Another knife was thrown, harder then the others. "Sweetie's just as useless as an earth pony, can't even use magic." Another knife, and another, and another. "Apple Bloom's a nasty inbred hick! Nopony will ever love her!" She said, a bit louder and losing her composure as she threw a bigger looking blade at the tree with so much force it caused the tree to crack. Twilight winced from the two ponies' words. I... I didn't know it was that bad... She admitted to herself, she knew the fillies were bullies and after the CMC disappeared six years ago, the to had come forward a few months later explaining what they had done, purely out of guilt and regret. They were both punished of course, but for day afterwards... they had turned over a new leaf, and had visited the CMC Clubhouse and left flowers, along with apologies. "S-still... that's no excuse," She told them, getting a sharp glare from all three. "I mean... they're not bullies anymore! They've stopped that after you three went missing!" A scoff from Scootaloo as she got out from under the ramp, standing up and stretching her black wings. "Pfft, really? I find that hard to believe." "Its true!" Twilight insisted. "They really have changed, you just gotta give them a chance." She told them, trying to make them see. "Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara have really changed for the better, they've helped your old classmates do better in class, they've helped out various charities and even helped out Ponyville plenty of times!" The three just stared at the princess, before Apple Bloom went into the clubhouse, followed by Scootaloo who slammed the door shut. Sweetie however, stayed outside to retrieve her knives before putting them all into her sheathes effortlessly. Twilight let out a huge sigh of disappointment and sadness, eyes half lidded as she looked at the ground with a look of defeat on her face. "What do I do?" Hearing the soft hooffalls, Twilight glanced up and saw Sweetie looking at her. Her emerald eyes shone, but there was little emotion in them... almost none. "You honestly believe they've changed?" Sweetie asked, raising an eyebrow. Twilight gave the unicorn a sad look. "Sweetie... I know it may not seem like it but... they really have changed for the better..." Her voice grew quieter as she said, "You just have to give them a chance..." The unicorn mare looked over Twilight, staring into her eyes deeply as if searching for something. Twilight didn't look away... instead returning the look before Sweetie stepped back. "If you say so..." She said as she turned and started to walk away from the clubhouse. "Where are you going?" Twilight asked, getting up and holding out a hoof as if to stop her. "To talk with Diamond and Tiara." Sweetie replied, and before Twilight could ask anything further, she vanished in a flash of sickly green magic. Twilight's hoof fell back to the ground, another sigh escaping her before she looked up at the clubhouse. Pursing her lips, she trotted over to the ramp and walked up it, before knocking on the door, "Uhm... can I come in?" "Sure." She heard Scootaloo say, and with no more waiting, she went inside. The clubhouse was as cramped as she remembered it, but still cozy and was able to fit the three of them along with Sweetie and a few others. Apple Bloom stood behind her podium, looking over something that was on top of it as Scootaloo sat in their trademark thinking spot in the clubhouse, where they got all of their ideas for Cutie Marks. A faint smile made its way onto her face as she recalled how many times they went out in search of them, now they had them... Odd marks of course but... marks nonetheless. "Need somethin'?" Bloom asked, looking down at Twilight from atop her podium and stand. "Uhm... Sweetie went off to... speak with Diamond and..." Twilight said, getting a look from Scootaloo who lingered in the dark corner of the clubhouse before continuing. "I was wondering... seeing how you've told us so much, I figured... maybe I could bring you up to speed on what's happening in Equestria?" To her delight, both mares looked interested. Not, Oh boy! Interested, but interested nonetheless in what she may have to tell them both. "Like what's up with those factories?" Apple Bloom questioned. "Ah have a lot of questions, if you don't mind." "Not at all! Now where to begin..." Twilight smiled, ready to explain. -ooo000=+=000ooo- Sweetie Belle walked through the streets of Ponyville, having left Sweet Apple Acres and her friends behind in search of the schoolyard bullies they had called enemies. Her gait was practiced, and given her appearance it drew more than a few looks to her from several stallions who, back in her filly days were mere colts. Of course, they were probably also looking at the many dozens of knives on her person, in the homemade knife bandoleer she donned. She paid little attention to the parents who gave her wary looks whenever she passed by their foals, who also gave her looks of wonder as she walked on by. She tried to spot Diamond and Silver out of the crowd filling Ponyville, and as she did she noticed just how bigger... the once quaint and small town used to be. Small buildings had grown larger, tiny businesses seemed to draw in more customers and were selling far more items then they usually did, a curious glance at a far away shop caused her legs to bring her towards it. The building was somewhat new, the windows were shiny and crystal clear, showing various items inside that drew her attention, upon moving towards the entrance and going inside she noted the doors didn't squeak like most did. A look inside, and she knew why it had drawn her attention... The shop was small on the inside, and smelled of a very distinct powder that she knew of by heart. The room smelled of it, sharp and burned her nostrils slightly as she caught sight of the very powder in question being used by two ponies near what looked like a forge. But beyond the forge, in the shelves and tables with various bodyguards standing around... were none other then firearms, but older models. She walked into the shop, feeling plenty of eyes on her as she looked down at one of the tables. Equestria is manufacturing firearms? A curious glance at the firearms reminded her of the old flintlocks from Earth's history books, used in the golden ages of piracy and further on into history before the six shooters came into production. There were many flintlocks in this store, some were built in a way that allowed the user to shoot them using some sort of bite trigger near the handle. There were many in the shop, some were just pistols, others were rifles and blunderbuss' odd single shot weapons she found herself interested in. After a bit more perusing, a stocky looking stallion trotted over to her. "'Ello love, lookin' to buy somethin'?" He asked her in a thick trottingham accent. Sweetie turned to look at the stallion, noticing his sweaty appearence and disgusting smell, she gave him a shrug. "I'm just looking around, I was unaware that Equestria had working firearms." She told him, lifting up one of the flintlocks and giving it a look over. However, her magicl hold on it was ripped away as a yellow glow appeared and snatched it from her. "Oi, don't touch th' merch unless yer gonna buy." The stallion told her, sneering. "Ah don't need no stinkin' filly breakin' somethin' she don't know nuttin' about." Sweetie however, smiled darkly. "I know plenty about firearms, mister...?" "Surefire," He scoffed. "You know? Ah highly doubt that." Suddenly a new voice appeared, saying. "Care to put your words to the test then miss?" "She'll break em though!" Surefire complained to whoever the other voice was. "Pfft, if she can use em, she can have em." The voice said again, coming out and revealing himself to be a rather well built silver colored unicorn with bright blue eyes, wearing a bandoleer with tools on it. "You always complain about everyone picking one up, saying they're gonna break it... let her try them out old man." Surefire just glared at Sweetie Belle, pulling out another pistol that matched the one she had picked up prior and giving them to her. "Alright then, if you know so much about firearms, then follow me, let's put yer words to th' test so Ah can call out yer bullshit." He told her, turning and walking towards the back as Sweetie held up both flintlocks and followed him, along with the stallion who helped her out. "And put yer knives away, don't want any of me customers scared of some crazy filly." He told her, and she reluctantly did so with a flash of her magic. The three ventured towards the back, before going through an open door and heading downstairs. Sweetie Belle was unsure of why they were going downstairs, but quickly made a plan on how to kill both of these stallions should they try to do anything. Knives to the jugulars, snap their necks, take out their legs. And my personal favorite, knife to the family jewels. She smiled sweetly as they went down the stairs, eventually coming across a room that had a bunch of wooden targets set up with bags of sand lining the wall near the back. She recognized it as a firing range, with a couple of other ponies standing around, dressed in royal guard armor. They made the mistake of coming over. Three muscular looking guards trotted over, looking over at Surefire, the stallion who clearly wasn't a jerk, and Sweetie Belle. "What's she doing down here?" The guard asked, raising an eyebrow. "Lil lady wanted to show us how she 'knows'" He made air quotes with the pistols, making Sweetie frown at his lack of firearms safety. "About firearms," He scoffed, "Crazy she is." Sweetie mentally rolled her eyes as the guard eyed her up. "You want to shoot one of these things? What a laugh!" He and his buddies chuckled, as Sweetie frowned further. "Shouldn't you be at home helping your mother sew a blanket or something?" He laughed, and even Surefire laughed some. The only one not laughing was the stallion who was standing next to Sweetie, a look over at him and Sweetie saw he was just rolling his eyes at the laughter. Sweetie just smiled however, but behind that sweet smile of hers... was something dark. "Oh? You underestimate my skills gentlecolts... or should I say fillies? Cause frankly, you don't look all that tough to begin with." She said as her magic ripped the flintlocks from Surefire's own magical hold, he attempted to get them back but her magic was too strong to break, merely bouncing off with a crack. "I can sew, but the last time I sewed something... well, you probably wouldn't want to sleep under it~" She said, as she trotted over to the firing range shelf. Surefire followed, along with the now angry guards and a very amused gunsmith stallion. Surefire was about to tell her how to load it, maybe make tell her how to load it improperly so he could make her pay for the items. However he didn't a chance to as she started effortlessly loading the two flintlock pistols putting in the powder, the padding and the ball before she pulled back both the hammers, before anyone could stop her she aimed and fired at the targets down the range. Both of the metal balls impacted the wooden target, blasting the wood off into chips and splinters that clattered onto the ground. Sweetie grinned as she gave both guns a twirl and reloaded them again, swiftly loading in the ammunition and firing again, and again, and again. She reloaded and fired as fast as she could with the flintlocks, blasting off the wooden targets piece by piece with pinpoint accuracy before shooting the others in the range, startling some of the other shooters. All of the ponies below in the range watched as the young mare blasted away all of the targets, eventually grabbing other guns and using them with deadly efficiency. Sweetie relived moments from her earlier years in those few brief moments as she blasted away, fierce firefights, blood flying and the screams of the enemy dying before her blades and guns... Then she ran out of ammo. All of her guns, which number six flintlock pistols stopped firing after she stopped reloading. With a slightly shaky sigh, she held up her guns before blowing the smoke from the tips and looking at the ponies all gathered around her were staring. Wide eyes in fear, admiration, or wonder. The guards looked at her with scared gazes, while Surefire looked nervous, and the gunsmith who was nice to her looked impressed. "Damn filly." The gunsmith said. "You have some skill... you must have fired one of these before." Sweetie just smiled darkly. "You... could say that." She chuckled, before looking to Surefire. "So I can keep these right?" She got a fearful nod in reply. "Nice~" Sweetie grinned, looking at her new weapons with a smile. What a day this turned out to be...