A Journey Unthought Of

by Hustlin Tom

Chapter 15 REVISED

The next morning passed by uneventfully. Breakfast came early on account of Lyra needing to be ready by 8 for practice with the orchestra. Bon Bon didn't seem to notice how we ended up nervously passing glances at each other. Living in the morning after my enormous mistake was gut-twisting: whatever was coming had yet to happen, and waiting for it was maddening. It felt like I could see the axe above me, but the executioner was letting me squirm before they finally carried out my sentence. What would be the consequences for what I'd done? I wasn't sure, and that brought me worry to no end.

"I've got to get going," Lyra said abruptly as she stood up from the coffee table.

"Aren't you going to take Adam with you," Bon Bon asked without looking up from her newspaper.

"Actually, I think it's best if I stayed here," I interjected, "We already did a lot yesterday. Besides, we can go out later."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," she replied as she went to grab lyre satchel.

"Huh," Bon Bon said with a small scoff, "Finally some sense seems to be catching on around here."

Things were quiet after that. I wish I could say it was the peaceful kind of quiet, but it was most definitely apprehension for me. I tried my best to brush it away by wondering how Lyra's practice was going. I hoped she was doing fine and not worrying about me; it was the last thing she needed on her mind. I couldn't believe how stupid I'd been, and my mind kept coming back to those events of last night, wishing there were some way I could go back and change them. At some point when I was lost in my thoughts Bon Bon had gone out, because I only realized she had gone when the door opened. I visibly flinched, which she noticed.

She took a long look at me before she finally asked, "What is going on with you?"

"Going on," I asked in a more quiet voice than I'd ever spoken in, "Nothing."

My earth pony friend's eyes narrowed suspiciously. She then trotted over to her chair; as she did I now saw why she had left: the afternoon paper was draped across her back. Settling herself on the edge of her seat she brought it around to in front of her, then opened it up fully. She skimmed the articles only a few seconds, turning each page with an agitated flick.

"Is there anything you want to tell me, Adam," she asked in a calm tone that veiled frustration very thinly beneath it.

"Ummm," I adjusted my posture in my floor pillow seat, "Nope."

"Really," she asked, before she cleared her throat and read aloud in a clear tone, " Exotic creature breaks up club scene; destroys property'". Her eyes angrily peered over the paper before she crumpled it into a ball and threw it directly at my head. "You stupid foal," she quietly exclaimed.

Admittedly I did deserve that after the mistake I'd made. The earth pony sighed and brought her hooves up to her eyes, rubbing them gently as she rested her head in them. "I knew this would never have worked," she murmured before she looked up at me, "Do you know what you've done?"

"Yes," I said hollowly, "I screwed up, but we can fix this, we just-"

"Don't you understand," Bon Bon said with a raised voice, "The world knows about you now! You had a chance at privacy before but now they'll all come looking for you, and once they find us, once they find you, you will never be able to be alone ever again."

I flinched again. Memories of sterile rooms, tests, and white blinding lights flashed before my eyes. The big earth pony; the one who had been staring at me. Was he one of them, whoever 'they' were? "What's going to happen," I asked quietly.

Bon Bon huffed a little after a pause, and started to slowly shake her head back and forth, "I don't know." She then got out of her seat and went to her belongings, calmly but hurriedly packing her things, "We can't stay here," she exclaimed, "They've already had a couple of hours to look for you, and we should have been gone long ago."

I stood up and stepped closer to her, "We can't leave Lyra here."

"You have to," she said firmly, "She's smart: she can find a way out. There's bound to be a lot of green colored unicorns in Canterlot the authorities could be looking for, but you are one of a kind. Ponyville's far away from here. I don't know if it's safe, but at least it's familiar ground."

"We were keeping up a masquerade because you guys thought everyone would spook," I said as I put my hands at my sides, before bringing them up again, "What's the point now? If I step up now maybe the cops will understand I'm not evil or something."

"Oh," Bon Bon said with a laugh as she shook her head and turned to look at me, "You're definitely not evil, just really stupid." She then turned back to her bags and murmured to herself, "Why I feel the need to help you out of this, I don't know. Maybe it's because you're not so bad after all."

"Ok, yes, I goofed," I said with growing agitation, "but maybe if I'm honest they'll just let me go."

"Adam, look at me," Bon Bon firmly said, and I did, "Now look at my world. I know you haven't been here long, but try to think from a pony's perspective. There's a lot of creatures in this world, and lots of them are violent and savage. Ponies will panic about you, but we should be worried about the ones who won't." Bon Bon closed up her bags, saddled them around her barrel, then tossed me my invisibility shroud, "We need to get out of town, then lie low and let this blow over. Lyra would want you safe if she were here, and Celestia help me I'll make sure that happens whether you like it or not!"

As much as I wanted to deny that things couldn't be fixed, she had a point. I'd made myself a danger for the both of them, and I was making it worse by staying there. To this day I still have a hard time comprehending the disparity between the coarse, frumpy image of Bon Bon I had had before, and the strong, caring mare I now know her to be. As we checked out, Bon Bon made sure to leave a message for Lyra, informing her that she had to take care of their pet, and was leaving for home. "Pass it to her hooves personally," she said with a forceful tone to the desk clerk, before she turned and walked out the front door.

"Where to now," I asked her softly.

"To the train station," she replied, before she began a quick trot towards the direction of Canterlot's lower terrace.

"But I thought you said that was risky."

"It's less so now for different reasons," she replied, "Carriages can more easily be stopped and searched, and on hooves would take too long. Just stay out of everypony's way and we'll be back in Ponyville by midnight."

"If I didn't know better I'd have thought you were some kind of secret agent or something with all this planning and dodging around stuff."

"No, I just think ideas through," she said with a bite in her tone, "unlike some people!"

"Look, can you stop that," I hissed angrily, "I get it, just come on! Uncle!"

" 'I told you so' is the only satisfaction I'm going to be getting out of anything for a long time," she replied in frustration, "I'm going to enjoy what I can!"

---

Vinyl Scratch was in a very good mood, considering the previous few days. Without being able to open up her club until she could get a contractor in to replace the broken window in her ceiling, she had spent many long hours working on her special project, tweaking each track to get just the right emotional response out of each. For now though she was taking a well deserved break: she had a concert to get to, and for once not one she had to worry about beyond getting there on time! Swiping up her ticket for the symphony, which she placed just behind her ear, she exited her studio and began her merry trot down the hallway towards the front entrance. She was just beginning to hum a jaunty tune that she'd heard a few years back when she noticed that the lights in the club area were already on. She readily saw movement from underneath the door. With the bouncers taking a few days off until things got sorted out, she grumbled to herself anew, "Wha' now?"

Slamming the jockey's exit door open, she was startled to find that her entire business had become overrun by ponies in uniform. A few were examining the covered window from inside the club, while she could readily see others going over the outside as well. Others were marking the area out where her alien guest had landed, while still more were combing the entire area with strange devices. Overseeing the operation were two earth ponies and a pegasus. One of them, the stockier, bald earth pony, she recognized as a regular of hers, though she couldn't quite place a name on him. The pegasus was chestnut colored, his body clad in what looked like some kind of rubberized armor, leaving only his tail, wings, and head exposed. The last earth pony seemed to be the one in charge. Sporting a set of half moon spectacles along with a trimmed beard, black cardigan, and lab coat, the tan colored earth pony surveyed the progress of his team, quietly gesturing to the pegasus and the ceiling, who quickly flew up to offer assistance to the analysts above.

"OI," Vinyl yelled loudly, which attracted the attention of most everypony there, "In case you lot weren't aware, this business is CLOOOOOSED for renovations, so kindly shove off and leave a mare in peace, wouldja?"

Everypony's attention turned to the earth pony scientist, who gestured for them all to stand down. Almost as one the group obeyed. He then approached Vinyl, declaring as he did, "My sincerest apologies, Ms. Scratch. We meant to have vacated here several minutes ago. We will only intrude as long as necessary, but you may go about your business as you wish so long as it does not interfere with our investigation."

"Well I'm pleased ta hear that I can walk about my own home without anypony else mindin'," she exclaimed sarcastically, " 'Thing is I don't remember inviting you in."

"In times of emergency our ability to act supersedes the need for permission or warrants," the scientist said matter-of-factly, "If you wish to give us that permission though, we'd feel obliged I suppose."

Vinyl's eyes grew wide behind her shades, "Yer not cops, but you're not E.U.P. either. Who in Tartarus are you shadies?"

"Ah, of course," he said calmly, "My manners have left me. Director Bunsen Burner of the Royal Science Division. We are on a hunt for the entity that fell through your club roof two nights ago. If you would be willing, we would like for you to make a statement about what occurred then, and any potential interaction you had with the entity."

"Certainly," she said with a nod, "I'd like ta give a statement." She leaned forward a little before saying a brief two words, "Bugger. Off."

"Charming," he declared before breaking into a prepared speech, "In accordance with the RSD Charter I hereby conscript you into the crowns' service until this matter is adjourned. You are hereby extended the benefits and restrictions of a government researcher-"

" 'Conscripted'," Vinyl yelled, "What are these horse apples?"

"It's quite simple Ms. Scratch," he replied coolly, "You work for the government now, whether you like it or not. For the duration of this hunt you will be perfectly open with us about everything you know. If you resist you will be brought into compliance. Your business is now ours, your work is now ours."

"Sod off," Vinyl said with a growl as she turned to buck the scientist in the face. Her hooves sprang back but made contact with nothing but air. Suddenly she felt something nudge her off balance. Startled, the unicorn fell to the floor, all the wind knocked out of her.

The earth pony stood above her for a moment before leaning down and picking up the ticket that had come loose from her ear. He then turned and walked out of her sight, and two forelegs began to pick her up, "Take her away."

Comments

[Hustlin Tom]

Alright wonderful readers, I'm afraid I'm out of completed chapters, so for now I have to go dark again. While quite a few classes demand my attention, I'm going to make an effort to write as much as I can. I hope you enjoyed this batch of chapters, and I hope to see you with new uploads ready in a few weeks.

[ArceusFan493]

Welp, the batch was fun while it lasted. Until next time!

[Truthseeker]

So ponies have their own (more polite) version of the D.H.S. lovely.

[JazzyWaffles]

"If I didn't know better I'd have thought you were some kind of secret agent or something with all this planning and dodging around stuff."

Secret Agent Sweetie Drops~!

[Hustlin Tom]

8257424
:3

[Luckyfanisaac]

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," she replied as she went to grab her lyre satchel.