Blazing a Trail to the Past.

by Daylight_Dreamer

49- Kindness knows forgiveness.

"Sawdust is going to be waiting at the restaurant," Slag said as I collected my clothes and we all left the spa. I was still a pony for an hour or so. We were going to the nicest restaurant in town, I didn't want to stand out for not fitting at the table properly.

I placed my clothes in a saddle bag I borrowed from Sawdust and threw it on.

"How are you liking the breeze?" Gilda laughed.

"Red doesn't show through black fur and blue beard does it?" I asked.

"Not really," She laughed. "blushing are we?"

"It's amazing how embarrassed you get walking around naked after years of being legally required to wear clothes," I said.

"I don't mind," Gilda winked, "but I like your other body better. Who says you have to get dressed right after changing back?"

"I do," I reminded her, "modesty aside. I don't have fur as a human. It gets cold." I looked at a tree and noticed a few colored leaves. I was going to want a warmer jacket before the trip.

"Hey," Slag got my attention stopping by Sawdust's truck outside the sweet shop, "lets mess with Sawdust like you did to me."

"Good idea," I agreed, "he'll really get a kick out of it."

Sawdust was in the seating area waiting for us when we arrived. Slag and I walked up right away. The plan was for him to introduce me as his new friend 'Thermal Balance'. The name was supposed to match the Fire and Ice Yin Yang on my flank.

As soon as we walked up Sawdust greeted us, "Hey, Slag. What's up, Jerry? Your beard looks better in blue."

Slag dropped his jaw, "How did you know?"

"His eyes never changed," Sawdust said, "They're just a little bigger in this form. Still the same violent blue. Like a storm after a drought. Terrifying yet reassuring. I may be into mares but I pay attention to my best friend. It doesn't hurt my case that his Jeep has that same mark on it, and he told me about the potion. I was taking a small gamble because he never said his coloring, only that he was a pegasus. Kinda rounds out our trio, huh? One of each pony, just like the famous Cutie Mark Crusaders. We just gotta come up with our own hook. Are you good at building anything, Jerry?"

"I get it," Slag huffed, I got the impression he didn't listen to the end of his brother's speech, "you know him so well. It's not like I want to look away when he looks me in the eye." He was clenching his eyes shut, pointing his nose down, "I don't like that I think about what could be done in the back of that Jeep every time he talks."

"You ok, Bro?" Sawdust asked.

Slag just looked up. His own grey eyes were bloodshot, "I have to go." he bolted out the door.

"Uuum," Fluttershy said, just walking in at the back of the group, "What's going on? I thought he wanted to hang out." She was clearly upset.

I was ready to kick Slag so hard he could check in for me at my old job. He could fuck with me all he wanted, but nopony upsets Fluttershy.

"I better go talk to him," Sawdust said.

"No," I stopped him, "I think I should handle this."

"He always runs along the railroad tracks going toward Canterlot when he needs to think," Sawdust said, "Good luck catching up to him."

"Just hold this so it doesn't slow me down," I said, "Rainbow doesn't hold the monopoly on speed." I handed the saddle bag to Sawdust and flew right over everypony's head out the door.

If there is one thing I learned catching up with Slag, it's not to underestimate the galloping speed of a heartbroken unicorn.

I was only holding back enough to be sure I would see him, and he was a good three miles down the tracks by the time I did. I wasn't sure how to handle this best but I knew I was pissed he would accept Fluttershy's invitation and then dote over me like this. She deserved better.

I flew next to him and yelled, "You have two options? Stop and talk to me! Or I tackle you and force you to talk!"

"You wouldn't," he yelled, "you wouldn't even touch me. I'm a stallion!"

I rolled my eyes as I shifted my weight over ramming his side and knocking him off his hooves. I flew over him and landed in a position I could hold him down. "I'm a soldier, try me. Now! I know you are in love with me. I respect that me being straight and not liking you the same way is hard on you, but you have to go back to that restaurant and tell Fluttershy your sorry. She was looking forward to spending time with you and you've hardly spoken to her."

Slag curled into a ball and started bawling. I waited until he calmed down.

"You ready," I asked. I was doing my best to stay cold. The last thing I wanted to do was give him a straw to grasp. He needed to move on.

"I'm sorry," He said sitting up, "my emotions got the better of me."

"I'm not the one to apologize to," I said backing away, "as much as we all know you wanted to be, you weren't on a date with me when you ran out."

Slag's eyes went wide as he realized his mistake. He screamed, "SHIT!! I'm such an idiot! I really blew it! I really like her too. I thought I had finally found somepony that made me forget how I felt about you. I guess the way Sawdust described your eyes brought it all back. Then realizing he knew things about you that I had ignored because I couldn't put my feelings aside... I looked into your eyes once... I got lost. I couldn't find myself in the middle of my own shop. Fluttershy is never gonna want to hear all of this. I better just let her know I'm sorry and she never has to see me again. She deserves better than..." He started bawling again.

I shrugged and held out a hoof to try consoling him when I felt a claw between my wings, "It's ok, Dweeb," Gilda said, "this lame wad is gonna need to get over you. You put him in his place. Now what he really needs, is kindness."

I was a little confused about her infliction on that last word until Fluttershy landed next to us. She gave a snort before approaching the sobbing unicorn.

"Slag Metalcrafter!" she said in her assertive voice, "I didn't invite you along so you could run out on me. What do you have to say for yourself?"

He sat up but continued to look at the ground. He was covering his face, "I'm sorry, you never have to see me again. In fact, I'd rather you not look now. I'm a mess."

"Here," Gilda pulled a black piece of fabric out of a saddle bag and held it out. Fluttershy took it in her mouth and dropped it in front of Slag. He immediately wiped his face off and blew his nose.

"Now will you look at me?" Fluttershy asked.

He glanced up at her and looked down at her hooves.

"My eyes are up here," she said flatly, pointing with one hoof, he followed with his eyes, "What makes you think I wouldn't want to see you again? I like you. I enjoy being around you. I'm just upset that you let your feelings for Jerry get in the way of the fun we were having. It's not like I didn't know you would take him if he felt the same. Ponies around town talk you know. You don't hide your googly eyes well." She giggled with that last sentence.

"So you're not dumping me?" he asked.

Fluttershy took a deep breath, "No, I'm not, but I do want you to ask yourself if you'll really be happy with me. I mean, I'm no Jerry Blade." She looked down herself.

I wanted to say something but Gilda stopped me, "This is between them," she said, "we won't be doing them any favors butting in. You're gonna change back in ten minutes. Lets race up to that cloud over there so we can get baked and you can put your pants on."

"I love you," was all I said before taking off.

She took off and actually managed to pass me right before the cloud. "I love you, too," she said as I landed. She reached into the saddlebag and pulled out a small wooden box with a couple of pre-rolled joints in it. She lit one and held it out. I made sure I had it before pulling away. I was still getting the hang of hooves that could grip.

She lit the other joint for herself. After a moment she turned to me with an odd smile, "So when were you going to tell me about your sister? You never mentioned Aura before."

"I never talked about my pony childhood," I said, "She ran away as soon as she was old enough. I think she saw our father for what he was better than I did."

"Did you ever see her again?" Gilda asked.

"A few times," I said, "She would drop in. Then run off. She thought I was going to make her join the fight or something. The last time I saw her was the first Summer Sun Celebration after the fighting had officially ended. I almost didn't recognize her. She had actually grown a rainbow-colored mustache."

"Your sister grew a mustache?" Gilda asked.

"Yep," I said, "I thought for sure it was fake. She had black fur, and a red mane, Yet this mustache was every color of the rainbow. I only saw her for a moment, but she walked up and hugged me. I could tell it was real. She didn't even say a word though. To this day I have no idea what she was doing or why she would never stay and talk. I felt kinda abandoned after practically raising her."

"Sounds like she had a lot going on and didn't want to trouble you with it," Gilda said, "She clearly cared if you were alive. Why else would she take the time to track you down just to see you and leave? The last time you saw her, was after you ended the danger."

"I guess you have a point," I said, "It's getting kinda fuzzy again. I must be about to change."

I felt a small pinch in my limbs as they stretched to their usual length and my hooves once again became hands and feet, "Feels good to stretch," I joked.

"Ya know," Gilda said, "I never thought I'd be so lucky."

"What do you mean?" I asked,

"You're smart and sarcastic, and really seem to get me," she said, "I fell in love with you on that alone. It helps that I find you attractive too. Then I found out you can turn into a pegasus. I always wanted to date a pegasus. They're so hot, but a certain part of their anatomy made an important part of a relationship sound terrifying." she pushed me on my back and swung a leg over me, "that's not a problem with you, is it? I told you-you wouldn't need to get dressed right away."

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

If the main OCs in this story were voiced, what would they sound like? If you're having problems with grammar, then why not get an editor? I'm sure, say, The Other Sans would be willing to help.

[Even Evil Has Standards]

9258504
Depends on his age and nationality. Say Kelsey Grammar as Sideshow Bob? Daniel Radcliffe? Bain from The Hobbit?

[Even Evil Has Standards]

9258504
Or David Hyde Pierce as Cecil Terwilliger?

[Daylight_Dreamer]

9258504
Would love a real editor. No money to pay them. No idea how to find them.

[Cosmic Flare]

You don't have to look far.
This link will take you to a group here that can help. And I don't think you need to pay. OwO