Quarter Miles

by L_Wolf

Getting To Know Each Other

~{Chapter Two}~

As Dom drove the car down the highway, Sweetie was starting to recover from the shock of everything that had happen. Sitting up on the back seat slowly looking around. "S.. Starbloom.... what happen? Where are we?" She said softly looking at Starbloom who was sitting on the back seat next to her watching Dom quietly, she still didn't really trust him.

"I don't know Sweetie, I been going over what happen in my mind.... from what I remember the portal collapsed... as to where we are, I'm not to sure." She said looking at Sweetie then back up at Dom quietly. "Hey you said you would answer my questions.... can you answer them now?" She asked. She saw Dom glance at her through the rear view mirror.

"Alright, half-pint what do you wanna know?" He asked returning his focus to the road.

Starbloom blinked and mouthed the word half-pint tilting her head. "My name is Starbloom this is my friend Sweetie Belle." She said, deciding to introduce them, "My first question is, where are we?" She asked moving to look out the window seeing the landscape drift by.

Dom tilted his head at the names. "Starbloom.... and Sweetie Belle..." he said both name slowly, trying to get use them as names. "Well this is Nevada, I'm heading to Florida though." he said glancing in the rear view mirror again. "Unless either of you have a stop along the way."

Both of them looked at each other, Sweetie shrugging slightly and Starbloom sighed sitting back on the seat thinking quietly for a moment. "Is there a library or something that might sell us a book on teleportation magic?" She asked.

"Magic?" He asked looking in the rear view mirror at Starbloom again, seeing she was serious. "Look, I don't know who or what you two are, but there aint no such thing as magic."

Starbloom blinked at him, and tilted her head. "We're unicorns, and there is to magic." She said sighing softly, she moved and jumped over into the passenger seat. She sat down in the passenger seat looking up at him.

"Hey careful, I don't want to have another accident." He said when she jumped into the front, "If your, a unicorn, why don't you gotta horn?" He asked looking over at her seeing her she lacked a horn.

She frowned at the question, but she figured it would come. "I lost it, as punishment for a stupid mistake that got someone dear to me killed...." she said looking down sighing. She squeaked looking up feeling his hand on her head rubbing it softly.

"I understand, trust me I do." his said, his voice telling her he did understand. "I've lost friends myself, they were like family to me." Starbloom nodded slowly up at him as she settled herself to lay on the front passenger seat.

"So, no magic books in this world?" She asked softly looking up at him, he shook his head slowly and she sighed. "How am I gonna get myself and Sweetie home?" she asked herself quietly then looked at Dom. "Is.. .there any place me and Sweetie can stay so I can think?"

Dom glanced down at Starbloom then in the mirror at Sweetie who was settled into the back seat. "If you two stay out of trouble. You can stay with me, for the time being." He said smirking a bit. "Though I don't know what unicorn eat or anything."

Starbloom looked up at him tilting her head. "We'll umm, we'll do our best to stay out of trouble...." She said biting her bottom lip, nodding at him tilting her head. "We eat normal pony food... mmm what does your species eat?" She asked looking at him. "What is your species... if I may ask...."

Dom smiled down at her checking the fuel gauge after seeing a sign for a gas station he pulled into the station. "I'm a human, we eat all kinds of food really. If your like the horses and ponies here, your probably vegetarian." He said pulling up to one of the pumps opening the door. "Stay here, I'll be back." he said moving around he started to refuel the car.

Starbloom poked her head up and watched him refuel the car sniffing the air abit and made a face. She climbed over and back into the back seat to check on Sweetie, she had been really quiet. She seemed to be hot and was panting softly. "Sweetie... what's wrong are you okay?"

"Starbloom, I'm hot.... and thirsty." Sweetie said softly looking up at her panting softly shifting on the back seat alittle. Starbloom nodded and removed her saddle bags setting them on the floor board.

Starbloom moved to the window of the passenger side and tapped at the glass unsure how to open the window, or the door itself. Doing her best to get Dom's attention, after a moment Dom put the nozzle up and closed the flap opening the door.

"What's the matter Starbloom?" He asked crouching down to look her more in the eye, he looked over at Sweetie, "Is she sick or something?"

Starbloom shook her head abit. "No, I don't think so, I think she's just to hot and dehydrated. Is there a place nearby to get some ice, and water?" She asked looking up at him.

"Yea, I'll bring some back." He said smiling at her closing the door before going to pay for the gas. While inside he got a bag of ice, some bottled water and foam ice chest. He didn't see a big selection of vegetarian options for snacks, other then potato chips. But he did find some pre-made salads so he grabbed two of those as well.

Once he had everything paid for he went back to the car and opened the passenger door again putting the ice chest in the floor board behind the passenger seat emptied the bag of ice into it. Starbloom used her magic to take part of the plastic and make a small ice pack using some of the ice and put it on Sweetie's forehead to help cool her off.

"Thanks Starbloom, that feels better." She said smiling using her own magic to get a one of the bottles of water and opened it taking a drink. "Mmmm," the water had a funny taste to her but right now she was just glad to have it. "Thank you... as well Dom" she said looking at Dom smiling at him.

"No problem Sweetie Belle." He said putting the bag with the salads in the back as well. "If you two get hungry I got some salads for you, wasn't to much of a selection for ponies." He said smirking as he closed the door and moved around getting into driver's side again starting the engine and pulling out of the gas station.

"Thank you Dom, that was kind of you." Starbloom said staying in the back to keep an eye on Sweetie. Dom didn't have an air conditioner in his car, since it drew power out of the engine. But the ice helped to cool Sweetie down and along with the water. "Feeling better Sweetie?" Starbloom asked and she smiled at her nodding.

Starbloom floated the bag with the salads in it over and took them out looking at them, tapping the top of the plastic container with a hoof looking it over before finding the edge and used her magic to pop it open. "Looks good, want to try one Sweetie?" She asked looking at Sweetie.

Sweetie nodded using her magic to float the other over and opening it. She floated out the plastic packet with the spork in it, using her magic to free the spork looking at it. "Some kind of spoon fork thing?" Sweetie asked looking at Starbloom who shrugged and got her own free.

Starbloom tried to eat with the spork and, after a few stabs managed to get one piece of lettuce to stick to it. "Not very effective...." She said looking at the spork tilting her head. "Hmm..." She snapped the head off the spork and just used the single straight handle which seemed to work a bit better as she ate. "It's good though."

Dom laughed and opened the glove box fishing around he found two normal plastic forks from a road side diner and offered them back. "Try these, might work better." He said and Starbloom smiled using her magic to take them.

"Thank you Dom," Sweetie said, she said been just trying to use the spoon part, with mixed results. She unwrapped the normal plastic fork and smiled using it. "Much better." Starbloom nodded as she did the same smiling.

After finishing the salads Starbloom put the containers away in the bag along with the other pieces of trash from them setting the bag carefully down so not to spill it. She got herself back into the front to sit in the passenger seat. Sweetie was still not feeling well so she laid back down with the make shift ice pack on her head.

"She going to be alright?" Dom asked looking over at Starbloom. "I'm not sure if she is suppose to look like that or not, but she looks sick."

Starbloom looked back at Sweetie who was laying on the back seat before looking at Dom shaking her head softly sighing. "I don't know, I think a lot of is the heat, and the stress of what is going on. She's not use to being away from her family like this."

"You seem to be handling things well enough, you look younger then she is." Dom said looking over at Starbloom for a moment before returning his focus back to driving. "Just a guess though."

She looked at herself then sighed shaking her head smirking. "I'm a lot older then I look, trust me. I'm guessing, cause I'm not sure on your species, but I'm probably the same age as you." She said leaning back against the back of the passenger seat.

Dom raised an eye brow looking over at her. "You kidding me?" he said finding it hard to believe. The one in the back seemed to be a kid, then the one next to her. She might not look it but she seemed to have the maturity of a grown up, or at least an late teen.

She shook her head lightly looking out the window quietly watching the landscape drift by again. "No, I'm not... remember when I told you I made a stupid mistake? I lost my horn?" she asked, and when he replied with a simple "Yea," she continued. "I was sent to prison... but one of the rulers of my land managed to send me to a world similar to my own, at the cost of my physical age. I got turned into a young filly again. I'm roughly twenty-seven years old in my world. Sweetie Belle, is twelve in our world. Physically I'm about two years younger then she."

Dom was quietly for a minute before nodding slowly looking over at her. "How long ago did all of that happen?" He asked curious about how long she had been in her current body. "And your pretty close, if our years are similar... I'm twenty nine years old." He said smiling at her before focusing on the road again. It was starting to get dark so he was looking for a place to stop for the night.

"It's been almost three years since the mistake..." She said looking out the window again watching the sun start to set. "I do love my new life, my new friends and family. I just wish it didn't gain all of them at the cost of my friends life." She continued with a sigh then blinked feeling his hand on her mane ruffling it softly for a moment before returning to the wheel.

"I'm sure your friend, whoever he or she was, would want you to be happy," he said turning on the headlights of the car as it got darker. "Shit happens, I know, we just have to learn how to deal with it. Even if we don't want to."

She blinked and tilted her head lightly, "Shit... happens?" She looked at him confused having never heard that word before she wasn't sure what it meant. "What does that mean?"

He blinked looking over at her before spotting a sign for a hotel and turned into the off ramp. "It means, sometimes things happen that we can't control." He said, guessing that unicorns didn't have words like that in there vocabulary.

"Oh... okay then." She said looking confused before shaking her head and watching as he parked in front of a hotel room. Watching as he got out of the car leaning down to speak to her.

"Wait here, I'll be out in a few minutes. I'm going to get us a room for the night." He said before closing the door and going to check them into the hotel. Starbloom nodding and looked back to check on Sweetie, she was sitting up quietly and getting her water taking a drink from it.

"I don't think he was telling the truth on that word Starbloom." Sweetie said looking at her the cooler night air making her feel better. "Remember when you said horse feathers in front of Ms. Cheerilee and she got mad?"

Starbloom blushed softly and nodded at Sweetie. "Yea, I remember. She made me write a 200 word report on why words like that should not be used by proper young fillies." She sighed softly tilting her head a bit. "You think that word is kind of like horse feathers?"

Sweetie nodded at her and smiled giggling a bit. "I think so, he looked uncomfortable when you asked him about it. Maybe a good idea to try to avoid using it, just in case" She said looking over seeing Dom come back to the car and opening the passenger side doors to let them out.

"Okay girls, I got use a room with two beds. So you two will have to double up." He said, Sweetie and Starbloom nodding, using magic to get their saddle bags. Starbloom also getting the trash from the salads and the water bottles.

"We can share a bed, we don't mind." Sweetie said smiling at Dom, the two following him to the room watching as he opened the door and lead them inside. Starbloom tossing the trash into a trash can. She looked around the room checking the bathroom looking at the shower wondering if it was big enough for a pony.

Dom closing the door when they got inside, making sure it locked. He turned on the air conditioner to help cool the room down. "Okay girls, you settle in I'm going to get some supplies. Anything special you two like to eat or drink?" he asked looking at them.

Sweetie spoke up first. "Ice cream!" She said her voice cracking a little at her sudden excited out burst. Dom chuckled softly and nodded looking at Starbloom who had face hoofed.

"I'll see what I can do Sweetie Belle, and you Starbloom?" he asked amused look on his face at the face hoof. "Anything for you?"

"Any good spice tea..." She said softly smiling at him. "I do enjoy a good cup of tea with breakfast, with toast or a muffin."

Dom smiled and nodded at the two. "Alright, I'll be back as soon as I can. Just hang tight and don't let anyone come in." He said leaving the room to get some food and drinks.

Sweetie got on the bed and moved around finding herself a comfortable spot. Starbloom went into the bathroom getting into the shower, finding it was big enough. She removed her head band and started to wash herself off. The human shower was a little tricky at first but use to it.

After Starbloom got done with her shower and dried herself off as best she could she put her headband on and got out of the bathroom looking over at Sweetie who was sitting on the bed relaxing quietly. "Your turn Sweetie," she said nodding her head to the bathroom.

Sweetie nodded and hopped down going into the bathroom and after having some trouble at first. She managed to get herself clean in the shower, the shower definitely helped her feel better. Once clean she dried herself off and climbed out coming out of the shower looking around. She found Starbloom on the bed and jumped up next to her smiling relaxing next to her.

"Starbloom, do you think we'll ever get back to Equestria?" She asked looking over at her tilting her head faintly to one side resting her head on her forehooves.

"We'll get home Sweetie, she looked around and found some paper and looked a pen. It took her a minute to figure out how the pen worked but she started to write out what she could remember of the spell. "We just need to recreate the spell that got us here."

Sweetie nodded as she watched, telling Starbloom what she remembered. Starbloom adding it to the spell trying to keep everything in order. While they worked Dom returned opening the door he saw the two working on something so he stayed quiet. Closing the door he put away what he could.

"Sweetie, I got you some ice cream." he said holding up a half-pint ice cream. "I wasn't sure what you liked so I got chocolate." He said putting it on the counter with a package of plastic spoons.

"Oh chocolate, I love chocolate." Sweetie said moving to the edge of the bed she floated the ice cream over with a spoon from the package and pulled the top off starting to eat. "Mmm this is good stuff," she said wiggling her ears grinning.

Starbloom smiled at Sweetie before looking at her paper. She had most of the spell recreated on the paper, but some of the key elements of it was missing. Dom came over and sat on his bed watching her, "What are you working on?" He asked looking at her taking a drink from a bottle of Corona.

She looked up from the paper tilting her head looking at the bottle then at him. "I'm trying to remember the spell we used to get here, so we can get back home." She said sighing softly shaking her heading. "I have most of it, but I can't remember all of it."

Dom looked at the paper, and for the life of him had no idea what any of it was, or what langue it was written in. "Well, you seem like a smart unicorn, I'm sure you'll remember." He said sitting back taking another drink from the bottle. "I found some masala chai I hope that'll work," he said and noticing her confused look he smiled at her. "It's a spice tea."

"Ah I see," she smiles at him nodding. "I'm sure it'll do just fine." She said looking at Sweetie who had finished the ice cream and put the container in the trash. "Thank you for finding it for me." She smiled at him moving off her bed.

Sweetie moved to the head of the bed and got under the covers snuggling down drifting to sleep. "Sweetie never could stay up late." Starbloom said smiling moving to sit on the floor. She squeaked feeling him pick her up and setting her on his bed.

"I don't sleep that much myself," he said removing his shoes he laid back on the bed resting against the pillow sipping his drink. "You can turn the lights out if ya want."

Starbloom nodded using her magic she put the paper away in her saddle bag with the pen before turning out the lights in the room so Sweetie could sleep easier. Starbloom sat quietly on the edge of his bed for a few minutes before looking over at him. "What's in Florida...?" She asked quietly.

"Race Wars," he said simply taking another drink, Starbloom wondering if that was all he was going to say before he spoke again. "It's a racing competition, held in different states, at different times through out the year."

"Oh, I see... I thought it might of been something.... different." She said softly looking at the floor alittle relieved it wasn't what she thought it was.

He watched her for a minute before speaking. "Tell me, what did you think Race Wars was?" He asked watching her turn to look at him quickly. "You sounded relieved it wasn't what you thought it was."

"I thought it was a war between your different races of your species. Like the old pony wars.... between the unicorn, pegasi and earth ponies." She said giving a soft frown shaking her head.

Dom tilted his head faintly at her as he listen to her talk. "So there are other types of ponies? Do you still have wars between the species?" He asked watching her for a moment.

She blinked and shook her head. "No, that ended along time ago thankfully. Ponies live in peace and harmony now." She said smiling as she looked at him tilting her head. "Are, there other types of humans?"

Dom considered the question for a minute before smirking. "Depends on who you ask, but no. A human is a human, we all look pretty much the same other then skin color." He sighed leaning his head back taking a drink. "But we don't live together in peace or harmony."

Starbloom stared at him for a moment before looking down resting her head on her forehooves. "That's to bad. I couldn't imagine how Equestria would be if us ponies didn't live in peace and harmony...." She said then shivered at the idea of ponies fighting with each other.

He watched her for a moment before finishing his bottle. "You might want to get some rest, we have a long road a head of us tomorrow." He said and Starbloom nodded her gem lighting up so she could see. She moved off his bed and got into her own careful not to wake up Sweetie as she got under the covers and drifted to sleep.

Dom watched the two sleeping ponies quietly for a few before closing his eyes. This definitely what he expected to happen when he set off to Florida for join take part in Race Wars down there. He sighed softly then smirked, "Letty wont believe this one." He said to himself before drifting to sleep.

Comments

[APoeticHeart]

I can tell Dom is a good person, and he is doing his best to make Starbloom and Sweetie Belle for comfortable in his world. Great chapter.

[L_Wolf]

2889505 Well, Dom is a good person, if you look past his rough exterior and everything. He's devoted to his family, not just blood either, he considers his close friends family to. He just made some bad choices in his past.

[reader238]

Dom's comment in the previous chapter about having lost friends makes me think that he used to be a soldier