Once Upon a Time in Applaloosa

by Pony Bones

Molting Excellence

Filly the Kid slammed the door behind her and did an air guitar powerslide into her living room to a face melting solo in her head and a goofy grin. “I’m home!” she shouted to the empty cabin, skipping over to her stereo system, she cranked it to 11, and put on her favorite song of all time Roan Jett and the Black Hearts, Bad Reputation, it was like the soundtrack to her life.

Tossing her goggles in a corner, she hurdled her cloud couch and flopped onto its cushions a perfect three point landing. She was off weather watch and weather patrol for a good three days.

She could always fly up to Canterlot and chase the breeze with Storm Surge, after their joint training Kid learned first hoof the Wonderbolts had more guts than she gave them credit for. That and it was nice to talk with pegasi that weren’t as abrasive as the Dusty Bolts, even if she was just as abrasive if not more so than any of the Dusties.

She could also fly up to Seapple or Sweet Apple Acres to see the old married stallions. She just needed out of Appaloosa to stretch her wings for a bit, but the only thing she felt like doing right now was passing the buck out on her couch.

The song changed and the opening chords for I Love Rock and Roll blasted through the speakers, and for whatever Celestia awful reason a picture of High Roller’s ugly mug fixed itself firmly in her mind. She sat up and scowled reaching over to turn off the stereo, the sooner she could get some sleep the sooner she could get out of Appaloosa.

Closing her eyes she saw… High Roller reroofing her cloud cabin… with a rose in his teeth, damn. She wasn’t going to get any sleep with her head still full, rolling over onto her barrel and sprawling she flung her head into the couch pillow sighing in annoyance. It was obvious that High Roller had a thing for her, so what, what was she supposed to do?

She didn’t trust herself to fall for him she’d probably trip over her tongue worse than Tumble Weed when he first started seeing Apple Bumpkin. Oh she’d never let him live that one down, the first time she had heard it from Apple Bumpkin she had spent a week and a half laughing at the worst possible times just thinking about it.

From what Tumble Weed had told Kid what he was trying to use a line he had learned from Crazy Wing, “Hey mare, how much for the diamonds in your eyes?” but what came out was, “Hey eyes how much for the mare in your, DAMNIT, diamonds how much for the diamonds? Uh, you have beautiful eyes.” It was so bad Apple Bumpkin thought he had Tourette’s at first, those two were made for each other.

So what was Kid going to do about High Roller? She didn’t want to do anything, her life was too complicated already, and she couldn’t understand how Tumble Weed and Apple Bumpkin could be so happy together. Their life was just as turbulent in Seapple as it was in Appaloosa, so what was it about Apple Bumpkin that brought out the best in Tumble Weed?

Filly the Kid didn’t know if she could do that for High Roller, she could hardly get her own life straight. Maybe one day just not now, and Kid was still awake, maybe she should just leave for Canterlot right now. But then she’d have to talk to High Roller, she might be able to let Silver Lining or Sand Blast know, but Silver was in a Flyers Life Saving class at Doc Hollineigh’s and Sand Blast was with his family.

Kid didn’t want to bother either of them, if she didn’t know any better she would say that the Dusty Bolts were conspiring to hook her up with High Roller but that would be jumping to conclusions.

A knock on the door brought Kid out of her contemplation.

Rubbing her eyes with frustration she trotted over to the door and opened it to see High Roller in a suit with his mane styled. He opened his mouth to say something but Kid shut the door in his face took a moment to nip her wing to make sure she was awake.

Yep that hurt, so she wasn’t dreaming, she opened up the door again too tired to be embarrassed. “Sorry about that boss, you can come in and have a seat if you want. You look hot in that tux.”

High Roller turned crimson and Kid immediately regretted her choice of words, “Actually I think I’ll stay out here, I was just stopping by to find out if you wanted to go to the Frontier Games. I know you just got off weather watch but would you like to go?”

The Frontier Games Kid had been so busy with the Dusty Bolts she had completely forgotten. Every year the Townships of Appaloosa and Dodge Junction held a day of competitions the most prestigious of which was the Dodge Junction 500 mile race in which Filly the Kid was a religious participant. It was a three day race through vicious canyon lands in the blistering heat of summer; the winner took home the coveted Golden Pie trophy courtesy of Cherry Jubilee.

Looking High Roller over again she raised an eyebrow and asked, “So are you competing for the best dressed award?”

High Roller shuffled his wings nervously took a deep breath and said, “No I actually wanted to find out if you wanted to go to the games with me. Filly the Kid will you go to the Frontier Games with me?”

So here it was the choice she had been putting off for so long, High Roller made the first move like he should have but was Kid ready? Too late now or never, “Before I say yes did anypony else put you up to this?”

High Roller rubbed the back of his neck with his hoof, “Yeah, it was Hawk Hoof.”

Kid rolled her eyes same story different ponies; it was like watching Mirage and Crazy Wing when they cruised Mane Street every weekend. “Isn’t he running weather for the games?”

High Roller’s head and ears dropped, “Yeah.”

Kid frowned, that conniving mule, knowing him he’d probably do a quick patrol to look busy and then spend the rest of the time flirting with Cherry Jubilee. “I’ll go with you but you do realize I’ll be competing in the Dodge 500?”

“Speaking of which did you get the chance to train for it?” High Roller asked.

Kid gave an exaggerated laugh, “Pfff train? I live the Dodge 500 every day, I’m like Miss Dodge 500, no other pegasi on the frontier is as fast as me.”

High Roller gave her a worried look, “You heard they opened the games up to Equestrians this year right? From what I hear there are some experienced competitors.”

Kid wasn’t going to back down on her words, “Experienced in what, losing? They’ve never raced out here before, they don’t know the Frontier and they don’t know me.”

“Kid, Spitfire is racing.” High Roller said flatly.

Kid felt a slight stab of doubt, when it came to performance she was miles ahead of everypony, but as far as skill went Spitfire had her beat. It had been a long time since her last challenge. She knew she could beat Spitfire, but not without a run for her money, this race was going to be interesting.

“There’s also supposed to be a mystery flyer that blew your record out of the water at qualifications.”

Kid was unconcerned, “Now I know you’re just making stuff up, nopony is as fast as me, if there were I would have met them by now.”

“Were you able to make it to quals anyways?”

High Roller was starting to sound more like the Father Kid never had than a colt asking her on a date, “Of course, I went to the pre-quals with the Course Clearing Crew otherwise I would have met the ‘mystery flyer.’ I’m calling road apples on somepony breaking my record.”

High Roller still didn’t share her confidence, “I don’t know, they can’t come up with a qual time out of thin air, otherwise they would put down whatever time they wanted and nopony would be able to beat it.”

Kid was tired of talking shop with her boss, his time as the Dusty Bolts Captain had all but sucked the personality out of him. Mirage was the same way before he met Applejack, too busy worrying about his Dusties, time to find out if High Roller was serious, “You worry too much, anyways you ready to go boss? Or can I call you High Roller now, how about stud?”

High Roller chuckled awkwardly, “Stud, I like the sound of that, just not around the rest of the Dusties.”

Kid allowed her heart to skip a beat as she smiled, High Roller had finally put down money and rolled, honestly it wasn’t as bad as she though it would be. “Let me grab my goggles and we’ll head out, stud, I hope you’re hungry… For Golden Pie.”

Author's Note:

The wait is over! I'm sorry I really am, I knew it would happen if I let the story sit for too long but I lost the manic inspiration. Either that or I'm trying to write too many chapters at once and can't focus on one long enough to finish it. Actually this chapter was supposed to be after Chapter 3 but it just happened to be finished first. I hate it when that happens, but I digress, let me know what you think. I can't improve my stories unless I hear from my readers, although bear with me on the grammar I know it's atrocious.

Comments

[Flutterstrucked]

Ah, I liked this chapter, a returning story, now that brings interest to me. I believe many have a clue on who the "Mystery Flyer" is.