Linkin Pony Recharge: Chasing the Sun

by Kaciekk

Chapter XXVI

The dazed crowd searched for the source of the bullet. The gunpony was behind crates on the path left of the stage. The yellow stallion stood up and placed the rifle down. GearClank was murdered by his own gun.

HyperBlitz gaited up the stage stairs. The audience watched him. GearClank’s allies did not attack, for they knew there was nothing to fight for anymore.

“Everypony,” Hyper started loud and clear. “You don't have to fear anymore. The source of your problems is gone.” He paused as the crowd mumbled. “I know it seems oblivious not having any guidance, but I assure you, I know, I’ve seen you work together. You are all capable of turning this place around.You just need somepony who can work alongside you. You don’t have to be like the Resistance. We aren’t here to oppress you. You’ve had enough oppression. Live with your methods, but be kind to you neighbors.”

HyperBlitz idle, eyes wandering. I thought he was going to speak more, but he headed off the stage. The stallion halted and bolted back up. “Could EveningGaze and Gale meet us in the path.”

He truly left the stage this time. The sound of the crowd arose again, but it was not afraid or angry.

“Let’s go,” Hyper said while trotting passed us.

At the start of the path, we waited for the Haythornians.

“Have you guys seen JumpingJolt?” Hyper asked. That made me concerned, hoping he was okay.

The two Haythornians found us. We started to our room.

“Um, I don’t think we should go this way,” Dad advised, pointing at the path with piles of blood and bodies. I immediately looked away.

We snuck through the clearing to another path. We went to the room, where JumpingJolt sat on the bed.

“Thank goodness you’re okay.” HyperBlitz hugged his son.

“Yeah, when things started getting crazy, I decided to stay here away from it,” Jolt explained. I wish I could have gotten away from it and had not seen all I had.

“That’s a good boy.” Hyper ruffled Jolt’s mane.

All of our bags and blankets were strapped to our backs and we were ready to go.

“I can’t believe you did that,” Dad addressed to Hyper as we exited out the door.

“It had to be done.”

“How… do you know use a gun?” I asked, but regretted it immediately.

“I… use to go to a shooting range. Like a long time ago. I never had intent of using a gun ,it was just target practice.”

JumpingJolt joined, “Wait, Dad, you shot somepony?”

“GearClank.”

“Did... you kill him?”

Hyper nodded. “Like I said, it had to be done. He was so corrupt.”

We were almost out of the camp when we heard somepony. “Where are you going?” It was WaterGrey. She gave a confused look.

“We’re leaving,” Dad retorted. “Out of this camp. And these two,” Referring to the Haythornians, “Are going back to Haythorn.”

“You can come with!” Jolt offered.

“No…” WaterGrey said, forlorn. “It’s not like anypony would remember me there.”

Dad hesitated. “Um… okay? Well, you can stay here and fix this place up. You don’t have to worry about GearClank anymore.”

“Why? He’s-”

“Dead,” Hyper confirmed.

WaterGrey was wide eyed and speechless.

At that very moment, a shout came from above. “Wait!” Crow landed. “Before ya’ll leave, I just wanna say thank ya’ll. For doing that. For gettin’ rid o’ GearClank. For encouragin’ us camp ponies.”

“That was mostly HyperBlitz,” Dad credited.

“Well, you were the one to incite it all,” Hyper notified.

“Hopefully those things get put into action,” Dad said. “As much as I believe a group of ponies can work together without a leader, I think this specific group of ponies need one. They need someone to pull them out of the dump.”

Crow shrugged. “We’ll I ain’t sure who be qualified for that job.”

“Why not you?” Dad suggested.

“M-me?” Crow placed a hoof to his chest. “I- I don’t know ‘bout that.”

“Why not?” Dad chucked. “I think you’d be great. You definitely are capable of caring about ponies. You have integrity and I know you’re equipped for work.”

Crow glanced down. “I… maybe…”

Dad tapped his shoulder. “Hey, don’t sweat it. Anyway… we better get going.”

“Thank ya again,” Crow reassured. “Good luck on yer trip home.” The dark Pegasus gazed at me. “Get better soon.” I wondered if he was referring to me starving or the whole in my arm. Maybe both. Crow waved and lifted off back into the camp.

The Haythornians stepped up to us. EveningGaze said, “We thank you a lot too, for getting us out of here.

“It’s no problem,” Dad replied.

HyperBlitz cleared his throat in disagreement.

“Well, we don’t want to slow you down,” EveningGaze expressed. Him and Gale traveled south to their town.

Dad went west. I began to follow him. HyperBlitz stood still, glaring. “Eh, eh! Where do you think you’re going?”

“Um… Home?” Dad turned around.

“Not yet,” Hyper insisted. “We can’t go without any supplies. Haven’t you considered that we don’t have any food?”

“There’s food on the train.”

“But that’s almost a whole day’s walk away. I don’t think we can make it that far. Especially without getting cranky,” Hyper advised.

“The sooner we leave, the sooner we get home,” Dad argued.

“And I understand that. But were in no shape to leave. We need rest and food. I’m sure GentleSketch needs some food.” I looked away on that comment.

“Alright. Then GentleSketch, what do you think? Do you want to go to Haythorn, or go home?”

“I… I… um.” Of course I was under pressure. “I.. I do want to go home but… I want food.”

“Then that settles it, we’re going to Haythorn,” Hyper confirmed.

Before Dad could even say anything, the Pegasus lept into the air. I heard him call out to the ponies we saved “Wait! We’re coming with you!”

We met up with the two again. Dad explained, “Do you think we can come with you? It’s not like we have any food to bring with us.”

“Um alright,” EveningGaze responded. “I’m not sure any of our families can let you stay a night, we don’t have enough room for four ponies. But I’m certain they’ll reward you somehow for saving us.”

We hiked south down the hill toward the streets of Haythorn.

Dad leaned to me. “Are you okay? That was a lot that just happen.”

I bet he thought I was traumatized, which was completely true.

I concluded, “ I… I think I just need to process all of it… although I don’t want to. But…”

“‘But’ what?”

“It’s just that… a lot of ponies… died for our cause.”

“It was bound to happen,” Dad tried to reassure me. “At least it wasn’t any of us.”

I got a bit irate at that statement, scrunching my nose. “Even if they weren't any of us, they were still ponies. Even if you don’t care about them, somebody did.”

After a few moments of silent, Dad whispered, “I'm sorry.”

I let out another thought. “It just seems so surreal that we're finally leaving”

“Do you want to go back?”

“No!” I snapped without hesitation.

“I’m playing with you.” Dad rubbed the back of my neck. “Why does it seem surreal?”

“Because, we were there for so long. It’s strange finally being free, out of the cycle.”

“What’s that look for?” Dad directed at HyperBlitz.

“It’s just the way he uses words. He sounds like HeartFelt.”

“Heh, what do you expect, she has such an influence on him.”

“Is that I bad thing?” I mused.

“Of course not.” Dad wrapped his hoof around me, holding me tight.

“Ow!” I whinnied when he touched my bandaged arm.

“Woops. Sorry!” Dad took his hoof away.

The stallion looked off to Haythorn. He took in a deep breath and exhale. “We’ll, the good thing is that we’ll be home soon. If we leave today, we could be back by tomorrow night.”

“But,” HyperBlitz protested. “I think we deserve rest. We should set out tommorow.”

“Mmm, okay,” Dad mumbled, a little reluctant.

Gale spoke when we got to the streets. “My house is on another road, so I may as we go. Thank you again, guys.”

We stopped at EveningGaze’s house. An orange, middle aged mare answered, happy to see her son again. She praised us for bringing him back.

Dad inquired, “So, do you know anypony who could let us stay a night?”

The mare thought. “Um… well, yes! SugarPine. She is very nice and always takes ponies in.”

“That sounds great. Where would we find her?”

“Um,” She used her foreleg to describe directions. “Go straight down this road for a while. Then take a right on Canterlot Avenue. Keep going until you see basicly the largest house on the street. There are decorations in the year. She is almost always home.”

“Thank you so much.” Dad bobbed his head.

“No, thank you.”

We started down the street again. Dad said aloud “Alright, then our next stop is SugarPine’s house.”