Spinning Gears, Painted Letters and Onyx Gems

by Ebony Runwick

Chapter 7, An Old Rival

Hello everyone! We're not dead!!!!! Also, warning on this chapter, violence, slight blood and a lot, and I mean A LOT of feels. Don't worry! Everyone's okay, just chill and if you're not okay with that kinda thing you're being warned now. Anyway, enjoy the chapter my lovelies!!!

It had been a few months since the trial, Crescent had been officially welcomed into the family, birthdays had come and gone, well, for Rainbow that is! Everypony was doing just fine, yep, nothing at all to worry about-

“Ebony!! Where in the blazes did you put my favorite wrench?! I need that one!”

“I don’t know! I didn’t take it! You probably did something with it, for all we know it’s in your fat head!” -Alright then, nevermind. Can I for once get through an intro without someone interrupting me? Please? No? Alright then fine. Looks like these guys need a break… Circuit just snorted and rolled his eyes, resuming his tossing about of the room.

“I know I left it on the counter, one of you touched it!” His husband stormed out of the study, reading glasses still on his face. The stallion sighed and reached a hoof up and grabbed a stray metal object behind Circuit’s ear. He shoved the wrench into the pegasi’s hooves and trudged back into the study, kicking the door closed behind him. Circuit let out a little huff, slowly looking over the wrench before chucking it to the side.

“This isn’t the wrench I was talking about! I specifically need my favorite one-!” Before he could go on a further rant Crescent slipped into the room, levitating Rainbow with his magic. The little foal was giggling a little bit, the specific wrench Circuit had been looking for in his mouth.

“I um...Is this one it? I caught Rainbow playing with it…” The gray stallion let out a little sigh, nodding as he reached over to take it.

“Yes, thank you, that’s what I needed-” He was interrupted yet again, though this time it was by Rainbow’s wailing as his newfound toy was taken from him, flailing his hooves about. The mare next to Circuit instantly buzzed over towards the baby, her disheveled mane sticking out at all ends.

“Shhhh shhhh baby it’s okay, it’s okay… Wanna play with Auntie’s mane? You love that!” A soft but weary smile was on her features and her long ears were splayed back with exhaustion. The brown coated foal quieted for all of two seconds before he just started to wail again, Circuit letting out a frustrated grunt before shoving the wrench back into the foal’s hooves.

“Ugh, just forget it, I can’t work like this anyways. I just...I can’t deal with this right now.” He grunted, waving them off as he went over to sink down on the couch. Ebony sighed and flopped down in front of the fire, sticking a hoof directly into it and playing with the flames.

“Luna we need a break… or a holiday, a very long holiday…” She turned to glance at the study door down the hall and let out a heavy sigh. “He’s been in there for days… why is that marketing degree so important to him?”

“Don’t ask me. Everytime I try and ask him he just snaps and says to leave him be and let him work.” He snorted, running a hoof through his mane. “He won’t even let anyone help with his work.”

“He hardly comes out, only to grab some food and go take a piss. He needs a break, to get out, have a drink, tartarus, anything!” She threw her arms into the air and let out a small growl of frustration before rubbing her temples in anger.

“Well um...Why don’t you two..?” Crescent quietly piped up from the chair he’d settled himself in, lightly bouncing Rainbow in his hooves. “I um..I mean I could watch Rainbow for a bit while you like..I don’t know..See a movie? Get dinner or something?” Ebony nodded, her ears perking up.

“That could work, this could work! You’d both be able to relax, take a load off, enjoy some time out of the house. We could pull a double date! I-I could call Nimbus! Fix my hair, we could dress up, go dancing!” The hybrid had perked up considerably, and was now bouncing considerably, eyes that were once dull from lack of sleep now alight with possibility.

“Look that just….That sounds nice and all, but who’s to say Adhesive would even agree to go? Plus, you haven’t been alone with Rainbow before, are you sure you’d be okay? He can be a handful…”

“Oh relax, I’ll be fine. And I’m sure you two can managed to convince him. And..Well if not, you can always just drag him out of the house.”

“I can do that, no problem! Oh please Circuit! Can’t we do a double date for once?” The stallion let out a dramatic sounding sigh, slumping back against the couch with a defeated sounding huff.

“Alright, but you’re going to have to be the one to drag him out of that office of his.” He slowly pushed himself to his hooves, dragging himself up from the couch. “I’m going to go get ready upstairs, I’d rather not be present to the hissy fit he’s bound to throw.” The mare let out a whoop of joy before bounding towards the study and zipping inside. There was some muffled shouting and a mild crash before Adhesive was dragged out of his little cave by his tail. Said appendage was promptly between the mare’s teeth as she pulled him across the floor with seemingly no effort. Circuit just let out a little snort, pulling himself up before slipping upstairs to get himself cleaned up. His mane was a mess at the moment, or at least more of a mess than usual, and he couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken a shower. Crescent smiled at them, carrying Rainbow to the kitchen to get him something to eat.

Ebony let her friend go before shoving him into his and his husband’s bedroom before skipping off towards her own bedroom.

“Take a shower, we’re going out!” The hybrid called out happily before picking up the mobile and dialing her boyfriend, while also disappearing into her own lair. Adhesive huffed in response, heaving himself up before trudging to their bathroom and grabbing a mane brush.

“Luna… When she gets it into her mind to do something…. Faust help us babe.”

“Oh hush you, this is going to be fun. And maybe a little awkward, but still fun.” The gray coated stallion snorted a little bit, lightly nudging his husband. “Faust knows we both need the break. Now c’mon, let’s hurry up and hop in the shower before she decides to bathe us herself.”

“Aw hell naw!” The mail stallion snorted before dragging his husband into the shower without a word. Circuit just laughed as he allowed himself to be dragged, already feeling slightly better, and they hadn’t even left the house yet!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

His good mood hadn’t lasted that long though, a irritated sigh leaving his mouth as he adjusted his tie for the millionth time that night. He leaned against the white coated stallion next to him, shooting Ebony a little glare.

“I understand why we’d want to go to a nicer restaurant, but did you have to pick the busiest one in town? We’ve been waiting forever.”

The mare next to him gave him a slight glare, in teasing only before walking up to the pony working the seating.

“Excuse me, we’ve been waiting for a half hour and haven’t been seated yet.” The tuxedo clad attendant didn’t even look up, too ‘busy’ with his work. The golden mare huffed before whipping around and slamming her hoof down on the wooden podium he was standing on, bringing all conversation in the lobby to a halt. “I do believe sir that I insinuated a question, it’s not nice to keep a lady waiting.” Her fangs flashed briefly before being hidden again, the unicorn in front of her gulped quite loudly in the otherwise silent room before grabbing four menus.

“R-right this way madame…” The pegasus turned to her compatriots and rested her hoof on the inside of her boyfriend’s elbow, smiling the whole time.

“See? That’s all it takes now a days, used to be that ponies had a backbone like you two.” Ebony smiled at her two stallion friends.

“We only have a backbone because we know you wouldn’t actually murder us.” Circuit snorted a little bit as he got up, continuing to lean against Adhesive as they made their way into the restaurant. It really had been too long since either of them had gotten out of the house, and even longer since him and Adhesive had gone out on a date of any kind, though that was mostly because they now had two children to take care of in the house.

“Well of course not! I wouldn’t murder my favorite ship now would I?” The mare snickered, her mane was up in curls and a simple black dress hugged her frame while not revealing too much. Nimbus beside her smiled, his golden orbs on his marefriend, his mane was as messy as always, but he wore a very nice pressed silver blazer and tie. A waiter lead them towards the back corner of the restaurant, a more secluded and intimate area that was surrounded by flowers and overlooked a terrace garden.

“Your table madame et monsieurs.” He bowed before leaving them to their devices. Ebony instantly sat down, slinging her purse off her shoulder and setting it down at the far end of the booth.

“Well this is nice!”

“Oh I suppose it’ll do.” Circuit grumbled just for the sake of grumbling and keeping up his grumpy image, looking around as he took his seat. “Aside from the other people here, this place doesn’t seem too bad. At least the table is a little more private, if I had to eat out there with all those prissy rich ponies giving us scandalized looks, I think I’d punch somepony.”

“Oh don’t worry man, I’d do it for you.” The batpony piped up, sitting down next to Ebony and placing his napkin in his lap. “I can’t stand snobby ponies, and I’m a soldier! We’re disciplined to combat anything.” He chuckled as the mare beside him opened her menu, him doing the same.

“Are we wanting to share a bottle of wine? Or just do something different? I’m thinking of doing a Pinot Noir myself.” The pegasus exclaimed with a smile, looking at the wine list on the back of her menu.

“Wine sounds nice, but not too much. I don’t think Crescent would appreciate it if his family came home drunk.” The ‘pegasus’ snorted a bit as he picked up his one menu, hoofing Adhesive’s over to his before opening his own up. His green eyes scanned over it, his brow furrowing a bit as he tried to read the complicated names for the dishes.

“I’m thinking the hay ribeye with asparagus and a caesar salad, what do you think Circuit?” Adhesive asked, definitely more cheery than when they had left the house.

“Um…” He scanned over the menu a few more times before finally just pointing at a random one. “That one. I think. Maybe. I have no idea what I’m ordering please don’t tell me it’s like, liver or something.”

“No no, that’s just lobster with loaded mashed potatoes.” Ebony snickered, closing her own menu. “I’m gonna do the lobster as well, but with asparagus and sauteed mushrooms, what’re you doing hun?” Nimbus looked up from the menu suddenly, biting his lip.

“Uhhh… this one?” He mumbled, pointing at something random.

“Shrimp scampi? That sounds good, you’re gonna have to let me have a bite of that.” He smiled at her before setting down the menu quickly.

“Is there anything on here that doesn’t involve meat? I am a vegetarian after all…” Circuit muttered as he continued to scan over the menu, huffing a little bit. “What language is this even written in?”

“Yes there are vegetarian options, your husband is getting a hay steak silly! As for the language, you’re looking at the french side.” The mare snickered softly before grabbing her purse. “I’ll be right back, I’ve got to go powder my nose, that’s girl talk for use the bathroom.” Ebony sauntered off, humming softly to herself. As soon as she was out of sight Nimbus shot forward, looking at both of the stallions before him.

“Okay, I need to talk to you two about something super important and I need you to keep it from Ebony. Just for a little while, it’s going to be a surprise, but before I do anymore planning I need to talk to you two face to face. Mano y mano, you know what I mean…” The batpony was nervous, that was obvious, but he brought out a little felt box from his pocket and began fiddling with it.

“I suppose I can keep a secret, so long as it’s not illegal..” The gray stallion grumbled a little bit, slightly bitter over the fact that he’d been staring at the wrong side the entire time. He raised an eyebrow at Nimbus, sighing as he set the menu to the side. “Go on, spill.”

“Okay, well, Ebony and I have been dating for over a year now, and I really, really care about her. I love her, and you guys are the only ponies she has left for family so I thought that I’d ask your permission to-” He was cut off as said mare came into view, walking back to the table and Nimbus frantically shoved the small box into his pocket and tried to act casual. Which of course he failed, thankfully the golden mare either didn’t notice or wasn’t saying anything about it when she sat down.

“Sorry about that, ran into an old friend. Well, I say old friend, she’s more of my coworker… Actually, I’m pretty sure I’m her boss.” Ebony said, trying to remember before shrugging. “Eh, whatever, I didn’t interrupt your guy bonding now did I?”

“Oh yes, we were just having a very riveting conversation about...Power...Tools and..Football. Or something...Help me out here.” Circuit hissed the last part at Adhesive as he leaned over to nudge him, huffing a little bit. “I have no clue what guys talk about.”

“Oh, uh, right. Well Circuit was talking about that, you know how he’s not really familiar with guy stuff. Anyway… how do you think the kids are doing?” Adhesive exclaimed, trying to change the subject.

“I’m sure they’re doing fine, Crescent is wonderful with his brother. And don’t give me that look Circuit, they’ll be fine! You have nothing to worry about, Crescent is a big boy!” The hybrid chuckled, a smile on her face. The ‘pegasus’ just snorted a little bit, letting out a sigh as he picked up his menu again.

“I’m fully aware of his age Ebony, but I’m still worried anyways. This is the first time we’ve left him alone with Rainbow, and he can be a real terror when he wants to be. Plus I just...I don’t know something feels off…” He sighed a little bit, running a hoof down his face. “It’s probably just stress...Let’s just..Try and enjoy this. I need more wine…”

“It’s gonna be okay, let's just get through dinner and then you’ll be back home alright?”

Time Skip~!
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The four stepped out of the carriage, laughing and joking with each other. They’d finally been able to unwind and relax, wine had taken the edge off and all of them had enjoyed the good food. But as they turned towards home, something in the driveway caught everypony off guard. A beat up old carriage, a very, familiar, beat up old carriage. Circuit could feel Adhesive tensing up next to him as they spotted in, some very colorful swears leaving his mouth.

“I knew it, I freaking knew we shouldn’t have left him by himself...I swear if that bastard touched my babies…” Circuit was just barely able to keep himself from charging forward into the house, glancing towards Nimbus and Ebony for guidance. Those two were the ones with the most combat experience after all.

Both were already peeling off their formal attire, Ebony’s dress lay forgotten in the grass and Nimbus’s blazer wasn’t far behind. The two raced across the lawn, beating their wings furiously and stopping just in front of the door. Said door was already open, appearing to have been kicked in by force. The hybrid opened her purse and pulled out a 9mm before dropping the bag on the ground. Nimbus stood beside her and simply cracked his neck and his hooves, beckoning the two other stallions over towards him. Circuit quickly darted after them, a pained noise leaving his throat as he froze in the doorway. The living room had been trashed, the table overturned, all the pictures smashed in their frames, even the couch cushions had been ripped. Most concerning though was the sight of blood on the floor, along with Rainbow’s loud wails echoing through the house.

The four crept into the house, where even more horrors awaited them. There in the kitchen was Lit One, beer dripping off of his chin, Rainbow in one hoof and in the other, a bloody knife still dripping the thick liquid. On the ground behind him, Crescent Script lay motionless in a pool of his own blood. The gray stallion was unable to hold his cry of anguish, only being kept from darting forward and slamming his hooves in the earth stallion’s face because of Adhesive’s hooves holding him back. That and the fact that as soon as Lit One saw them he brandished the knife again, lightly pressing it against the cheek of the screaming infant.

“Come any closer and I’ll gut your precious little foal here…Don’t think I won’t, I already did it to your other little freak.” Adhesive’s eyes were wide as saucers and he was visibly shaking. Somehow he found his voice in all the terror he was feeling.

“What...do you want?” The mail stallion asked, his voice hard as he could make it, trying to keep the fear out of his tone. Ebony had ducked behind her boyfriend, making herself inconspicuous and trying not to draw attention to herself. She began slowly creeping over to the right, veering off and away from where Lit One was focusing on her two best friends.

“What do I want? What do I want!?” The white coated stallion let out a bitter sounding laugh, swaying slightly where he stood. “What I want is my son to stop being a little fag, but I’m not going to get that, am I?” He snorted, wiping at his mouth with a hoof. “Is it so wrong for me to just wanna stop in and see my family? I mean, I just wanted to meet my grandfoals, the ones you neglected to tell me I have.”

“...I-It’s not like you left a number or a-anything…” The green maned stallion muttered softly, his breathing coming in short, ragged puffs. To the side, Ebony had come around up behind the stallion, almost in position to take action. Nimbus had taken the job of holding Circuit back, who was a complete wreck and was silently sobbing as his eyes roamed from Crescent on the floor to his infant son in mortal danger.

“Oh what? Like you couldn’t take the time to try and track down your old man? Tch, here I thought you’d at least get some of my good genes. Looks like those awful dykes really did ruin you.” He let out a little snort, the knife glinting slightly in his hoof as he reached up to scratch at his face. “Such a shame.”

Ebony saw her chance, the knife was away from Rainbow enough that she could take the shot. The mare quickly pulled back the hammer and fired, aiming for the back of Lit One’s right knee. The bullet hit true and the stallion crumpled, losing his grip on both the infant and the knife. Nimbus sprang forward, catching Rainbow before he could hit the ground. While in the same moment Ebony jumped the earth pony and pinned him down, pressing the gun to his temple and pulling the hammer back with a loud click.

“Don’t move asshole.” She snarled, eyes glinting red. Circuit was frozen for a few moments before he darted forward, double checking that Nimbus had Rainbow before making his way to Crescent’s side. The young colt was unconscious, but still alive and breathing, his brow slightly furrowed from the pain coming from the nasty looking stab wound in his side. The green maned stallion on the ground let out a howl of pain, but stayed still like Ebony had demanded. He may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he wasn’t dumb enough to try and press his luck and risk getting his brains blown out.

Nimbus quickly ran into the other room and dialed for an ambulance and the police. Adhesive quickly darted forward, pulling Crescent’s head into his lap and stroking his pink mane.

“You’re gonna be okay buddy, it’s gonna be okay… We’re gonna take care of you, the paramedics will be here any second, just focus on me okay? Don’t shut your eyes, don’t you dare. I don’t care how tired you are okay? Just stay awake, just a little while longer please… Look at me please!”

“He’s unconscious, but alive, it’s gonna be okay Adhesive, just breathe alright?” The mare explained calmly, not taking her eyes or her gun for that matter off of Lit One. “Circuit, do you have anything to tie him up with? Rope or chains preferably?”

“I…” The stallion found it rather difficult to speak for a few moments, distracted by the way Crescent’s head just went limp in Adhesive’s lap, almost as if the colt was dea-

No, no he wasn’t going to be thinking about that right now. Ebony said he was going to be fine and he had to trust her on that. He quickly shook his head, forcing himself to concentrate on the manner at hand (hoof?).

“I think I have some chains in the basement or something...I’ll..I’ll go check.”

“Good, it’s gonna be okay Circuit, I won’t let him die okay? Just go get the chains and I can see what I can do to stabilize him.” Lit One tried to struggle when the mare looked up but in response the mare dug the gun into his temple and painfully wrenched his arm. “You don’t wanna try that again punk, next time, I’ll break your bucking arm!”

“Yeah alright just...Keep him there…” The gray coated stallion muttered as he slowly shuffled from the room, taking a deep breath before forcing himself to move faster to the basement. Just like he’d thought, he had some spare rusty looking chains down there. He’d intended to try and melt them down to use for a project of his, but this was more important. Besides, he could probably get them back from the cops later or something. At least, that’s what he was going to think about for the moment, trying to keep his thoughts off of his children so the stress and fear wouldn’t overwhelm him again.

“Here, they’re kind of short but that’s all I got.” Circuit spoke as he made his way back to the kitchen, hoofing the chains over to Ebony before sliding over to Nimbus so he could take the still crying foal from him. The mare quickly tied the stallion up very tightly, pulling the ends up and connecting them to a large hook on the ceiling that used to hold a ceiling fan.

She beckoned Nimbus over and passed him the gun, the stallion quickly taking stance in front of the stallion and guarding him. The hybrid then ran over to her nephew and bent down, carefully laying a hoof on his forehead before checking the wound.

“We need to apply pressure, Adhesive, go get a towel or something, we need to stop the bleeding, now!” The mail stallion gently laid his son down before running off as Ebony began applying pressure to the oozing wound. Circuit just quietly sat back and watched, leaving them to bustle about while he attempted to quiet the crying foal. It wasn’t an easy task as Rainbow seemed quite determined to never be happy again, but after some soft cooing and shushing and gentle back rubs from the stallion holding him he began to quiet.

Soon the paramedics and the police arrived, they took Lit One into custody and whisked Crescent off to the hospital on a gurney taking the rest of the family with them. After all that had happened that night there was no way Circuit and Adhesive were going to let their children out of their sight. Years later, they’d look back and realize that this was the start of a whole new chapter in their lives. Whether it was going to be a good thing or a bad thing remained to be seen yet, but it’d certainly be interesting.

Comments

[donnieth65]

Damn. WHAT THE FFFFFFFFK. Such a happy scene in the restaurant, and Nimbus wants to marry her AUGH. I've seen the drawings of them together, BlackJewel is so awesome. I love Ebs!

But freaking Lit One! I hope he feels guilty when he freaking reflects on this shit. What kind of sadistic fuck? He stabbed a colt and threatened to stab an infant. Ima kill a bitch.

Sorry for the French.
They're never going out again. They can't even leave their foals home alone. Messed up.

This chapter really had my attention though. BlackJewel can vouch for that, I couldn't get my eyes off the screen. Great job!