Blazing a Trail to the Past.

by Daylight_Dreamer

60- Back to business.

I woke up groggy and sore. I felt like I had run a triathlon before going to bed.

I rolled on my side and snuggled with Gilda to try and catch a few more minutes sleep. Next thing I knew somepony put a mint green hoof around me.

Suddenly I remembered why I was so sore, and that it wasn't all the flying I did.

I decided it was time to get up after all and started easing my way out from between the two. Somehow I managed not to wake them up.

I noticed Bon Bon wasn't in the bed as I got dressed. I was hoping she wasn't in the bathroom, I had to piss like a racehorse. I tried to check the time on my phone but the battery was dead. I facepalmed, that's what happens when I forget to plug it in while driving. That was my only chance.

Come to think of it I was going to have to go back to the stage area to get my jeep. Pinkie had insisted it be parked at the party. I hadn't argued since Rarity's boutique was nearby and that's where I had to go that morning. The rest of the day saw the streets so full of ponies I didn't dare drive anyway.

I tiptoed out of the room and closed the door behind me. I found myself in a short but spacious hallway that opened into a living room. Two doors were across from me and one more was at the end. All were closed.

I didn't feel like trying doors when Bon Bon could be using the restroom, and knocking could wake the other two. So I wasn't sure what to do until I heard a crash coming from the direction of the living room.

I made my way toward the sound and noticed another opening on the opposite corner of the living room. I walked over and looked in to find a kitchen with Bon Bon in it. She was sweeping up a broken plate.

"I didn't wake you up did I?" She asked.

"No," I said, "I was already up. Do you have the time?"

"Oh, it's only eight," she pointed at a clock on the wall that confirmed this, "You can lay back down if you want, I was just making everyone breakfast."

"Thanks, but there's actually something really important I have to get to," my mind had drifted back to the phone call I got the night before. I had to check in on Sweet Harvest. I had a bad feeling about the whole thing and it was going to bother me until I at least talked to her.

I also didn't intend on skipping out on that lesson I promised Scootaloo. So I thought I better take off right away in case I get caught up talking to the 'bolts.

"At least stay long enough for some eggs," Bon Bon suggested, "I already heated the stove."

"Fair enough," I said, "I still need to use your restroom and wake Gilda up anyway."

"She doesn't have to leave. Does she?" Bon Bon asked, "We'll be good until you're back." She was pouting, I was getting the impression Bon Bon was into griffins.

Remembering the night before confirmed this.

"I'll leave that up to her," I laughed, "but I can't just take off on her. So, where can I find your restroom?"

"It's the first door on the left," Bon Bon giggled, "If you find the guest bedroom you went too far."

"Thanks," I said and made my way to the restroom.

Once I had relieved myself I took a deep breath and tiptoed back into the bedroom hoping I could wake just Gilda up. Much to my dismay, Lyra had cuddled up to her in my absence.

I crept around the bed and tapped Gilda on the shoulder. That didn't work so I shook her a little. Still nothing, so I tried harder. This time I succeeded but as feared, Lyra woke up too.

"What's up Dweeb?" Gilda asked.

"Yea," Lyra said, "Come back to bed. It's my turn to be the little spoon. I want your hands on me!" she pouted and crossed her front hooves like she was upset.

"I actually woke you up to let you know I have to get going," I said.

"Why?" Gilda asked, "what's up?"

"Whoever managed to connect with my phone said that Sweet Harvest was in trouble," I said, "I have to go check it out, but I also have to make sure I'm home when Scootaloo gets there. So I want to head out early."

"Do you need me to come along?" Gilda asked, "I'm still tired."

"You can sleep," I said, "I can do it on my own."

"Good," Gilda said, "If you two don't mind I'd like to hang out."

"That's fine," Lyra smiled, "We were just gonna go check out this traveling shop before it leaves town."

"Sounds like fun," Gilda said, "after more sleep. I'll see you at home. I love you." She leaned in toward me.

I leaned over and kissed her beak, "love you too, babe."

I stopped back at the kitchen where I was presented with a burrito.

"It's just scrambled eggs and cheese," Bon Bon said, "but we had some tortillas so I thought I'd wrap it up to go."

"Thanks, I owe you one," I said, "especially since you're gonna have to put up with Gilda for a while."

Bon Bon's eyes lit up, "It's no trouble at all. You go do what you gotta do. We'll make sure she gets home safe, but I do hope last night wasn't a one-time thing."

My sore muscles throbbed at the thought, "We'll see. I guess I'll see you around," I said, "Thanks again."

I got to the jeep to find Pinkie Pie stuffing the back end with presents.

"Jerry!" She squeed and bolted up wrapping me in a hug. I groaned with pain as every aching muscle tensed up at once, "I'm sorry, you must be sore from all that 'flying' you did last night." She winked at me.

Pinkie always knows.

"Yea, the flying," I rubbed my neck nervously, "really takes a lot out of me. So, whatcha' doin'?"

"I was trying to fit all the gifts ponies gave you into the back of Jeep," Pinkie said, "but he's not big enough. So I'll have to deliver the rest later."

"How many gifts did I get?" I asked, admiring the way she had filled the back end of the jeep so perfectly that the only room left was the front two seats.

"Well..." She pointed to a pile next to the stage the size of a small one car garage, "ponies really like giving gifts."

"I can see that," I said, "I actually need 'Jeep's' help to get home in a hurry."

"Ok," Pinkie said, "I'll just close him up and I'll see you when I deliver the rest. I want to see you fly again so expect me when you're giving Scootaloo her lesson."

"Sound's good," I said, "later."

I plugged my phone in right away, but it was going to take a moment to even turn on. That didn't really matter, I wasn't exactly expecting another call. I just don't like leaving it in the jeep to charge, I decided to make an exception since it was the only way to get a full battery.

Once home I grabbed the canteen only to remember that I only had a couple hours worth of potion left. That wasn't a big deal, it just meant I would have to make more. I decided to leave it home, it didn't really take that long to ride in a balloon to HQ so I didn't really need to fly until Scootaloo's lesson.

The more I thought about the call I had gotten the worse I felt about the whole thing. You can't even fake the level of terror and uncertainty I heard in her voice. I just knew something bad was going to happen. I was tempted to bring my .357 but decided it was too much. Then I remembered the combat knife Granny Smith had given me. It had a case that fits nicely on my belt, I figured it would do.

I considered taking the gifts out of the jeep but decided not to take the time, nopony would mess with them while I was parked at the balloon station.
-
Once at the Wonderbolts HQ, I headed directly for the training grounds where Spitfire was drilling the recruits. I happened to notice the absence of any dark blue manes in the lineup.

I stopped a reasonable distance away and waited for Spitfire to notice me.

"You may all take the rest of the day to yourselves in observance of fallen 'bolts day!" Spitfire shouted, "Dismissed!"

She walked up to me and took her sunglasses off. "Commander Daylight, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

I wanted to correct her but I decided I didn't want to make a big deal about it. Jerry and Daylight are technically both my birth given name.

"Fallen 'bolts day?" I had to ask.

"Would you rather we went with the first choice?" She asked, "Commander Dreamer appreciation day? I assumed you would rather dedicate it to the ponies you didn't make it to in time. I know they weren't all 'bolts, but it has a nice ring to it."

"You're not wrong," I laughed, "I actually came here to ask how Sweet Harvest was doing. Some of the ponies at the party gave her a pretty hard time."

"I heard," Spitfire said, "that's why I told her she could spend the whole day with her dad rather than take part in the morning exercises. She won't be back until later tonight."

"Do you know where they are?" I asked.

"She didn't say," Spitfire said, "Why? Is something wrong?"

"I don't know yet," I said.

I got an all too familiar feeling, but something told me I wasn't about to remember anything.
---
I saw my jeep. No, another jeep. It's rusty and covered in years worth of dust.

I'm laying next to it, as a pony, in a pool of blood.

NO! That's not me... He has no wings and there's a straw hat lying next to him.

A sign on a wall in the background read 'Harvest Moon Ranch'.

The image zoomed out until I could see the countryside as a map. It was just twenty miles from Ponyville on the opposite side from Sweet Apple Acres.
---
"Oh good," Spitfire sighed, "for a moment I thought I would have to take you to the infirmary again."

"Is there anypony that can give me a lift?" I asked, "I don't have any potion with and I need to hurry."

"Well duh. This is an academy of amazing flyers that admire you so much they almost named today after you," Spitfire reminded, "I'm already one of the fastest here, but we need two to pull the cart. Who else do you want? Take your pick of the fastest flyers around."

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

There's a Scootaloo tag and an Apple Bloom tag... ...But not a Sweetie Belle tag. I don't get it.

[Daylight_Dreamer]

9422316
Name something Sweetie does that's tag worthy and I'll include it.

I left it out so as not to disappoint Sweetie Belle fans that expected to read more of her.

[Lord Legion]

Good lord, I got a bad feeling about this. His vision was really creepy. There’s only one other pony with a Jeep like vehicle.