Bring the Thunder

by Ze Guest

25: On the Downtown Train

The night went by all too quick. I was awake the whole time, sharpening the knife. Why? Maybe because they didn't trust me. They might turn against me. I was preparing. I was ready. I was scraping the knife against a stone I found when Twilight came up behind me. "Volt...?"

I turned around and shoved the knife in the ground. Right in that guard's chest. "May I do something for you? Or are you just going to scold at me. Hell heath no fury like a mare scorned." I said.

"That's not it.' Twilight said. "This is important."

"Then what?" I asked.

Twilight looked around a little before she said something. "I'm aware about your past. The past is behind us and now is now. The question is have you really changed. Like Rainbow Dash said?"

In looked out in the distance for a little while. "Have I?" I asked.

"I don't know. That's why I'm asking you."

"You know. Anyone could just say yes in a position like this. I'm not anyone. And the truth is- I don't know. I have no evidence I've changed, no evidence I haven't."

Twilight rubbed her hoof along the ground. "I can't argue with that. Can we at least trust you?"

I pulled the knife out of the ground and brushed the dirt off. "I have no reason not to. Why would I even want to kill you anyway? You hospitalized me, supported me, showed me something I thought I would never see again... the list goes on for miles. In the list of ponies I care for, you were the first out of all your friends to make it on there. Hell, I'm not even on it. Consider yourself lucky." I said.

Twilight smiled and brushed her hair back. "Really?' she asked.

I smiled too. "Yeah. Let it be told."

"Look, Volt? When this is over and you go off and do whatever you do, just make sure no pony- I mean- no one gets killed. Promise?"

I looked up at Twilight. Looks like she was finally warming up to me. And in more ways than one. To be frank, I actually blushed a little. "I cross my filth engulfed heart and hope to die the most painful, horrible death conceivable. Whatever it may be."

The smile on Twilight's face grew brighter and she held out a hoof to help me off the ground. "That sounds good enough to me." She said.

Twilight pulled me up when Rock Well snuck up behind us. "Have you two made up?" he asked. I nodded. Rock Well rubbed his hoofs together. Alright then, Let's get going to Canterlot."

Canterlot was exactly where we were going. There was a town nearby. We didn't have much time for sight seeing, we just ran right for the train. It wasn't even within our concern to buy tickets because chances are, they weren't going where we were. I ran up to the front of the locomotive saying I had a plan. Which I did. "May I help you, sir? The conductor asked. He was young, around his late-twenties. He was waif and, as usual, taller than me. His yellow fur complemented his construct.

"Listen to me," I said. "I need to get to Canterlot Station as quickly as possible. Can you do that?"

The conductor gave one of those are-you-insane faces. "Canterlot? That place is long gone. Look, if we don't get out of here, so will us." he said.

"And nothing will change your mind?" I asked. The conductor shook his head. "Well then, let's see to that." I pulled out my knife and put it to his neck. "Now?" I asked.

"Uh- uh- of course! I-I'll just get all the passengers off and we'll get going!" he stuttered out. He quickly picked up the radio and said in the calmest voice he could do. "Hello every-pony. This is the conductor speaking. I advise that all passengers to Fort Trotterdale to exit the train immediately. We are having some- uh- problems." And he put the radio down.

I smirked and said. "That just goes to show you how an inanimate object could do all the thinking for you."

I went to make sure that everyone had gotten off and when they did, we started moving. Of course we did our best to ignore the hundreds of ponies screaming and yelling at us to stop but it soon faded in the distance. I wondered if this would get them killed somehow. I guess it doesn't really matter, though. Not to me at least. "How long will it be?" Twilight asked nervously.

"Not long enough." I said.

The train rolled through steadily to our death. I turned my head and saw that someone was still on the train. His broad appearance made me sure it was a male. He had gray fur and was standing in between the cars. He glanced at me for a second before turning and entering the car opposite of me. "Hold on one second." I said and left the car.

Once I got into the other car, no one was there. Maybe he moved on to the next one. I reached to open the next door. "You little prick." someone said next to me.

I held my position for a few seconds. I took in what he said. "Well, I don't appreciate you calling me little. I certainly don't appreciate you calling me a prick, either." I said.

It must have been the guy. Funny, I could have sworn no one was in here a second ago. He was looking at a newspaper so his face was covered. "I don't really appreciate what you did either." His eyes looked up at me. The paper still covered his face, though, "But I guess now is more important."

"Who are you?" I asked. I looked at the newspaper he was reading. Strange, it's six months old. Wait. I looked at the headline.

Canterlot Attacked!
One guard dead, another MIA!

I asked again. "Who are you?"

He was silent for a little while and finally said. "I think Rock Well is a fool." he said.

This guy must know something. I can guess you already know what. But if you don't for some reason- screw you. Use context clues, dumb ass. Anyway I was getting pissed that he wouldn't answer my question. I moved forward. As I got towards him, he said. "No bull on that."

I slapped the paper and it the ground. And that was it. The seat was completely empty. No evidence that anyone was sitting in there. I stared at it trying to look for answers, fruitlessly. I looked at the paper on the ground. There were pictures of Bull and Rock Well.

Sgt. "Bull" Ray Shine: Dead, Commander Rock Well: Missing

I stared at the pictures for a good long while. I looked at Rock Well's picture. He was with his family, everyone smiling and having a good time. Bull's picture on the other hoof, was just a straight face. It was one of those pictures where the eyes are always following you and no matter what you do, It keeps staring at you. That same expression for the rest of your life.

I couldn't look at it anymore. It would surly drive me to insanity. I walked outside and tossed the paper off the side of the train. A page got stuck on one of the windows so I went back in the car to get it off. It was the same page. Rock Well was with his family. And Bull... He looked different. His face, more stern, his eyes. His eyes... They looked- evil, furious, hateful, spiteful. And they watched me. Why the hell were they watching me?! Dear Celestia, they watch with hate and pleasure as you suffer, slowly, slowly, Slowly Damn it!

"Volt? Volt! Volt! What are you doing?" My face stung and Rainbow Dash stepped back.

"What the hell, Dash!?" I shouted.

"What the hell me? What the hell you!"

It was when I looked around when I noticed something was wrong. The windows were broken, the seats were torn and burnt. I glanced at the newspaper. It was burning and Bull's picture was gone. "Alright, let's get back to the other car," Twilight said. "We should be close."

Rarity put a hoof on my shoulder and led me to the door. "I'll take him." Rock Well said behind us.

I turned around and there he was. "You tend to do that a lot. Why?" I asked.

Rock Well just smiled. "I'll take him. You go on now." he said. He waived Rarity out the door and it was just me and him. "What was that about?" Rock Well asked.

I don't know. I don't even know what happened nor do I remember it. All I said was, "Why are you helping me?"

Rock Well chuckled to himself. "Because you need it. You all do." He walked past me and opened the door, but before he left, he said something I don't think I'll ever forget. "He's just jealous because he doesn't know how to forgive. Wouldn't you be, too?" Rock Well walked out the door and disappeared.

Uh... Hello? the conductor said over the loudspeaker. Of course, the one thing I didn't break. Uh, well, every-pony? Welcome to- to Canterlot Station...

The train screeched to a stop and the doors swung open. When I saw the city, I realized that this was going to be an adventure of it's own.

Author's Note:

LEEDEL LEEDEL LEEDEL LEE!