The Ghost of Cozy Glow the Second Story

by SapphireRose87

9) Finishing the Job

“You go back out to capture William in a couple of days, right?” Sunset asked.

“Yeah…” I said.

“I was thinking,” said Sunset, “why don’t you, Robert and I take a picture together?”

“Why?” I asked.

“I just think,” said Sunset, “that it would be a good idea to remind you of who to come home to.”

Honestly, I don’t like taking pictures at all, I never have. However, they’re pictures of my sister and I along with Fluttershy, Discord, Cozy Glow and me all throughout the house. But I had to admit, this time it was a good idea.

“Sure,” I said, “let’s do it.”

“Oh and Norman?” Sunset asked.

Sunset paused and I tilted my head, “What?”

“Try not to look so annoyed in it,” said Sunset, “like you do in the other pictures okay?”

I laughed and smiled, “Sure thing…”

To my surprise we were able to take the picture that very day. Unfortunately, Sunset wanted me to wear a suit and tie. That was the last thing I wanted to wear. This time for the picture, was the first time I didn’t feel annoyed not one little bit. I actually smiled this time.

“Hum,” gushed Sunset, “you actually smiled this time! These pictures look absolutely beautiful!”

“Great,” I said, “can I get out of this suit and tie now?”

Sunset couldn’t help but laugh.

“What’s so funny?” I said.

“You just don’t like looking handsome do you?” Sunset joked.

* * *

“You’re getting better,” said Sunset, “you don’t even need the watch now. You can summon your powers at will now, nice.”

It was the last training session with Sunset before I went back out to capture William. The one attack that I really hated was the fire and earth attack. Which now I call it the Grenade attack. This attack combined fire and earth and out of mouth would come something that looked like a grenade.

“Seems you have a certain set of attacks too!” Sunset exclaimed.

“The one that I really hate the most,” I confessed, “is the fire and earth attack. That one makes me sick.”

“You’ll get used to it,” suggested Sunset, “one more thing Norman, just use your death walker abilities this time okay?”

“I’ll do my best!” I responded.

After our time off, Olivia, Jasper and I set out to capture William.

I’m definitely going to use my death walker abilities this time, I thought, I wonder if Jasper is going to do any of the fighting this time, I doubt it.

Just like the first time when we arrived at enemy territory, Olivia and I took out the guard’s out front. To my surprise Jasper actually helped this time.

Well, I thought, that’s an improvement, but I won’t accept anything else from him.

We came across the laser security system and Jasper actually helped us get through it this time! My jaw almost dropped at the sight!

“Are you Jasper?” I said. “Or do you have a twin brother?”

“It’s me you idiot!” Jasper growled. “I’m not going to be dead weight this time!”

We then got to the point where I took a bullet to the shoulder and I rolled my eyes at it.

I hope Jasper doesn’t hide this time, I thought, although I wouldn’t put it past him.

I then climbed ten feet up just like before, and Olivia climbed five and Jasper stayed right where he was. Like last time, we came under enemy fire. But this time I was determined to use my death walker abilities to my advantage. I used my darkness powers to put up a smoke screen around Olivia, Jasper and I. I made the smoke screen clear enough just for the three of us to see the thugs.

“What the-“ Jasper said.

“Norman,” said Olivia, “what did you do?”

“It’s a smoke screen,” I explained, “it’s a death walker ability. Feel free to start taking down the thugs now!”

“We’re on it!” Jasper and Olivia exclaimed.

Did I just hear that correctly? I thought. Jasper is actually going to fight this time? Let’s hope so!

Jasper actually surprised me again. He took out his bow and arrow so quick I couldn’t even blink. He started rapid firing his arrows and took out at least ten of the thugs by my count. Olivia of course, took out her weapon which was a sword that was like mine but shorter and smaller. She ran through the crowd of thugs slicing as many as them in the chest that she could.

“Norman,” questioned Olivia, “how long can you keep this up?”

“Not much longer,” I said, “you guys have about 30 seconds left!”

After the last 30 seconds, my smoke screen disappeared. I felt another one of my attacks about to come through my mouth and it was the fire and earth attack.

Great, I thought, not that attack! Anything but that attack!

A second later I had to let that attack out. Just like when I practiced with Sunset, what came out of my mouth looked like a grenade. Just like before, I almost threw up where I was. But I kept it down and kept going.

“Wow, looks like Norman can use his mouth for a weapon!” Jasper joked.

“Shut it!” Olivia snapped.

By this time, I really wanted to throw up but I didn’t. I looked around me to see that all of the thugs were dead.

“Well,” I thought, “that’s teamwork I guess…”

Suddenly, my sword came out of its sheath on its own and somehow I was able to sense that someone with a lot of magic was on the roof.

“What’s going on?” Jasper said, confused.

“Judging by the way my sword is acting,” I said, “William is on the roof.”

“Okay,” said Olivia, “so we get to him and the assignments over!”

“I don’t think it’s going to be that easy,” I argued, “but no time like the present!”

As soon as we entered the building, we got the stairs as quickly as possible. The strange thing was there wasn’t a single person on site. It reminded me of the time I fought Theodore.

Great, I thought, I hope I don’t hear any nursery rhymes again!

“Okay,” exclaimed Jasper, “this is way too easy.”

“You’re telling me,” I agreed, “I’ve got a really bad feeling about this!”

“You and me both!” Jasper said.

“Huh,” objected Olivia, “you two are actually having a conversation?”

“And you’re worried about this right now because?” I snickered.

“Nothing,” said Olivia, “just surprised that’s all.”

“Okay never mind that, let’s keep going, we’ve got a couple more flights of stairs to go,” I said.

We didn’t run into any more enemy fire. When we finally made it to the rooftop was when I saw him. Sitting on a chair as if he were a king was William.

“Bravo guys!” William cheered. “So you finally got to the king! Do you really think it’s going to be that easy to take me down?”

“Actually no,” I growled, “I took a bullet to the shoulder the last time I was here.”

“Oh I know who you are,” sneered William, “you’re that new death walker Norman Jewel! Related to the Legendary Death Walker Betty!”

I rolled my eyes, “I’m supposed to react to that how?”

“Honestly,” said William, “you’ll have to get through them, to get to me!”

This is not going to end well! I thought.

William snapped his fingers and two of the biggest people that I had ever seen came from behind where William was sitting. These two people were bigger than me and Jasper combined!

Oh boy, I thought, this just keeps getting better and better!

“So what do we do?” Olivia asked.

“I have an idea,” I suggested, “if we can separate them we can take them on together!”

“I think,” smirked William, “I’d like to see how things turn out.”

The thugs smiled and made their way towards us.

“Uh... Norman,” said Jasper, “you might want to put that idea into action right about now!”

I then turned my hand into a fist and punched the ground with it. The punch wasn’t enough to demolish the building, but just enough to crack it so that I could put my next attack into play. Thankfully it wasn’t the fire and earth attack that came out, it was just fire this time. I released the fire as if I were a dragon. I used that attack to make a wall of fire that shot up and separated the two thugs.

Jasper whistled at it, “Nice job Norman!”

“Yeah,” Olivia said, uncomfortable with what was happening, “this must be an alternate universe or I’m dreaming!”

“Olivia,” I snapped, “we don’t have time for this right now!”

“So how long does that attack last?” Jasper said.

“Two hours,” I explained, “that all the time we can get. Although I think we can take down the thugs in one hour if you ask me!”

“That’s a little too over confident,” said Jasper, “but okay, whatever you say.”

“Okay,” said Olivia, “you guys are acting way too weird! That is so creepy!”

“Olivia shut up,” I snapped, “and let’s complete the job!”

“Norman reprimanding you,” laughed Jasper, “that’s new!”

So we were able to take down the first thug with our hand to hand combat skills no problem. That was another big surprise to me because Jasper actually did one third of the fighting that matched Olivia and I. Olivia then managed to take her sword and drove it through the thug's chest. He fell over backwards in pain.

We went after the next thug and he came at us like a rampaging bull. I didn’t have much time to react when the thug punched Jasper in the chest sending him flying over the railing. Thankfully, Jasper was able to catch himself before he fell.

“Olivia,” I shouted, “hold him off as much as possible, while I go get Jasper!”

“Got it!” Olivia said.

I saw that Jasper’s hand was slipping off the railing and he was getting ready to fall.

“No!” I cried. ”Not again!”

I made it over to the railing just in time to grab Jasper’s arm to keep him from falling any further. Jasper looked up to see me with my eyes full of tears.

“Why?” Jasper asked, “Why not just let me fall? Then you’d be done with me forever!”

“No,” I cried, “you’re not going to fall! I’m not going to let one more person die on me. When I could’ve done something to help! It wouldn’t honor Betty’s memory and it wouldn’t honor George’s memory either!”

I realized that the arm I had grabbed Jasper with was the same arm that I had taken a bullet to the shoulder on. I just gritted my teeth and ignored the pain. I was determined not to let Jasper fall. I suddenly found it in myself able to have enough strength to pull Jasper to safety. Jasper was back on the rooftop and was stunned by what just happened.

Great, I thought, I hope saving Jasper doesn’t put me out of commission again!

It was as if on cue, there was a steering pain in my shoulder. As I grabbed my shoulder, my arm twitched in pain. Olivia somehow was able to take down the other thug all by herself. I still have no idea of how that happened.

“You okay Norman?” Jasper said with concern.

“I’m fine,” I lied, “we have to capture William and then we can talk about this later.”

“Sure…” Jasper said.

“Okay,” said Olivia, ”you two a being really creepy right now.”

“Bravo!” William said, clapping and rolling his eyes. “I guess I have to do some fighting now. Oh well, that’ll ruin my day!”

“Well you day is going to get a lot worse,” I growled, “because you’re going to be sitting in an Equestrian dungeon when we’re through with you!”

“Oh boy death walker,” said William, “overconfident much? Especially with your busted shoulder, you look like you’re in a lot of pain. Maybe I should capitalize on that! If any case, let’s get this over with!”

“Norman,” pleaded Olivia, “you stay back as much as possible. Jasper and I will take him on as much as we can okay?”

“No,” I protested, “I’m not going to stand aside, I’m going to fight with you!”

“You know,” William said with a grin, “I might not be named as a death walker. But I might as well be on without the title.”

“Oh yeah?” I growled.

“Yeah,” sneered William, “you want to see what my powers are? I think I’ll just show you.”

Before I could attack William he pointed his finger and what looked like a rope made of fire and light came towards me. The rope wrapped around me, holding me tightly in place.

“I’d like to see,” said William, “the other two take me on without their leader.”

William then used his rope to send me flying into a wall. I have no idea of what happened next because I was in so much pain. The pain in my arm was so intense that I passed out.

* * *

When I came to, I was in the back of the Jeep out of enemy territory. I looked over to see William in handcuffs and was tied up in an iron chain. William did not look happy at all. I heard someone let out a sigh of relief, to my surprise it was Jasper.

“Dude,” said Jasper, “you would have broken your arm saving me! Are you nuts?”

“No,” I grumbled, “I was just saving a friend. I guess I can’t call you coward anymore!”

Jasper didn’t say anything else, he just smiled and looked away.

* * *

The next time I opened my eyes, I was in a hospital room. I was very surprised to see Jasper sitting at my bedside. Robert and Sunset were here as well.

“I’m glad you didn’t break your arm idiot!” Jasper growled.

“Gee,” I said, “thank you?”

“You must’ve been in a lot of pain,” said John with concern, “they just sedated you so you could sleep for a bit.”

“Where did you come from?” I said.

“And look,” exclaimed Robert, “you’ve already gotten a bouquet of flowers! Awe, how cute!”

“That’s not funny Robert!” I said.

“It’s not from me,” argued Robert, “I’m not that kind of guy!”

“Yeah but,” I said, “you would do that for a prank!”

“Nope,” said Robert, “I don’t do that anymore.”

“Ah Sunset?” I said.

“Don’t look at me either!” Sunset objected. “I would’ve told you if I bought something for you.”

John was getting a real kick about what was happening, he couldn’t keep a straight face even if he wanted to!

“Does it say who it’s from?” I asked.

“It just says secret admirer on it!” John laughed.

John didn’t say anything else, he just walked away laughing.

Great, I thought, just perfect…