Double Trouble

by CometDweller

Rocky Arrivals

(Author's Note: Yeah, I actually liked how chapter one came out, so I'll stick with this for the time being. Like I said before, please comment and rate. But I'd like to also mention that I need cover art. I have NO idea how that whole business works, but whatever... throwing that out there. The first chapter didn't take me long, but it was a Saturday and at like eleven p.m. So i think i'll try to pop two chapters off every week maybe more. So yeah, here's chapter two.)

"Do you have the bail." asks the constable. "Yes I have it." says Twilight as she ruffles through her bag. "Here it is." She hands over the large stack of bits with her magic. The constable scans the bits counting frivolously to assure himself the amount is correct. "Seems to be in order. Come'on through, i'll take you to him."

Trade appears from behind Twilight and walks to her side. Trade has a light brown coat with a dull white mane and tail. Trade is just a tad bit taller than the mare to his side, without his horn. But what really stands out is his cutie mark. It's a hammer and screwdriver that make an X in front of a plain white shield. The two wait patiently for the constable to finish doing some paperwork before allowing them through.

"I have to thank you again Twilight, for the time being i'm pretty tapped out." says Trade in a reassuring voice. "It's fine, really. But it wouldn't hurt to know why your brother is in jail", asks Twilight. Trade shrugs and gives a loud sigh. The constable finishes placing the bits into his register and opens the bared doors, allowing the two ponies to come through.

The constable leads the two ponies down a long empty hall. "Well to start off, he's been charged with trespassing, numerous accounts of damage to property, disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and..." The officer lifts his cap with his magic. "biting my ear." Trade pulls his hoof to his face and slides it down with another sigh. "That sounds like him." Meanwhile Twilight starts to giggle, "Are you sure you two are twins?" Trade pouts, "Unfortunately."

The three ponies are now at least halfway down the jail-block. Trade notices the lack of noise, "Where are the other cellmates?" Without even glancing back the officer explains, "Well to be frank, we've haven't had any crime in Ponyville for the past few years. We'll get called down to incidents, but their always insignificant." Trade raises his brow in astonishment, "Seems to a paradise here." Twilight pulls a quick smirk, "You would be surprised. We get our fair share of catastrophe now and then."

The officer leads the two to the last cell, where Comet was lying on a cell bed. Comet notices the three ponies. "What is it with you and confined spaces," Trade says with a sarcastic tone. Comet gives Trade a look just before a quick stretch. He pushes himself of the bed and walks over to the ponies on the other side of the bars. The light peers through the window showing the pony's features.

Twilight looks puzzled as she glances at his wings. Comet's coat was the same color as Trade's. His mane and tail were fashioned the same too. However, Comet had light blue hair and mane apart from his brother's white. Comet had a fairly large cuite mark. It was a shooting star with shades of blue and white.

After Comet reach the bared door, the officer fiddled with his keys. He began to become more and more irritated as he couldn't find the key to Comet's cell. "Dang it. It must be on the other key ring. Wait right here please, i'll be right back." The officer trotted away taking his time. Comet took his attention off the pony official and to Trade, "So you came to bail me out, I knew you loved me," he said leaning his head through the bars. Trade gave a smirk, "You bit him in the ear..." he then proceeded to bop Comet on his head pushing him back through the bars. "Yeah well, he started it." rebutted Comet. Twilight just stood with a smile watching the two bicker at each other.

The officer returned with the correct ring of keys and opened the cell. Comet trotted out passing the officer, eager to leave. The officer gave him a look as did Trade, but before he could nudge him Comet turned around, "Sorry for the trouble officer, and um... the ear... thing." The officer pouted as his sour glare became a smug. A smile came to Trade's face, as a look of confusion enveloped Twilight's. "Comet might get into trouble a lot, but his heart's in the right place," Trade mentioned.

The group made their way down the long corridor while the officer fiddled with the key stuck in the lock. "You two surely are an interesting pair," comments Twilight. "You don't know the half of it," says Comet trotting ahead. Twilight looks at Trade, "Well maybe we can talk it over at my place. You can help me with the mess you made while you're at it." Comet snickers to himself, "Looks like you had just as much fun as I did. Which reminds me, we should probably go that farm mare's house." "You mean Applejack? Why?"
Trade sighs, "This can't be good."

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

*Bump* "Uhg... what, oh yeah." Comet shifts over in his fruit mattress, raising his hoof to rub his eye. Sunlight was beaming in. "Hey Trade, you awake?" The clattering noise from the boxes was now almost deafening, causing a blanket of noise. "Hey Trade! Wake up its morning!" Trade was happily dozing off. He was always a heavy sleeper. Comet used his wings to prop himself up in his scrunched up home, looking through the hole. He saw his brother's crate just as usual, listening to his obnoxious snoring.

Comet huffed as he made one more valiant effort to wake him. "Hey Trade. Wake up! Wake up! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!". He paused, bringing his ear to the hole. "Hmmm...*mumble* hey beautiful, did you get a piece of carrot in your eye *mumble* cause all I see are diamonds," garbles Trade. Comet smacks his face against the wall of his confines and sighs. "Even in his dreams his pick-up lines are bad." Comet picks up one of the bananas lying around aiming it through the hole. Comet snickers to himself, "Ohh Trade take me now, Trade!" He pushes the banana through, launching it into Trade's crate landing right on his face. Comet immediately knows where this is going. "Hmmm, babe *mumble* whacha got for me," Trade slurs. "Hmm. hey wha---muffle muffle." Comet tries to prevent himself from laughing, but little bursts start to slip out. "Bab---muffle, OH MY CELESTIA!" yells Trade. Immediately the orange box starts to jump around and shake violently, meanwhile Comet is laughing hysterically. "Hey lover-boy how was your dream?" teases Comet. Trade lets out a loud and irritable sigh, "You can't let me have anything nice can you."

Trade sits back down and stretches in place, trying to make himself more comfortable, "So anyway, where are we?". Comet brings his eye to the hole and tries to see the world beyond the edges of Trade's crate. "I don't know, but I think I see a town in the distance... wait let me see if I can get a better view." The yellow crate begins to turn as Comet jumps from inside. "Yeah, its a town alright. Lets get out of these crates now." Comet bring his hind legs to the ceiling, almost doing a handstand. With a hard push Comet strains to pop the lid off the crate... no good. "Oh great my lid's not coming off. Trade, try to get your's off and help me." Trade brings his back to the floor aiming his rear legs up. He begins to buck at the lid. *BANG* * BANG* *BANG* "Comet, its not coming off!"

The geezer pulls the wagon into town, slowly making his way to the market square. He's greeted by practically everyone, but the old pony remains in his own little world ignoring them. The noises of the town start to mix with the clattering of the wagon. Trade slouches back down in his crate letting out a big sigh, "What else do you see?". Comet takes another look through his hole, "I don't know but there's ponies everywhere." The old pony finally stopped the cart, silencing the awful boxes. "MARKET DELIVERY!" the old pony shouts. Comet and Trade both say in unison, "Oh crap...".

"Trade, we need to get out of these crates NOW." Comet says nervously. "I know, I know, but we cant. Not now. Hold on I'm trying to think." replies Trade. A crowd of ponies make their way to the wagon, watching the geezer slowly make his way to the back... really, really slowly. All eyes were on the old pony, watching his every move one hoof at a time. Irritated faces are drawn across the crowd as they eagerly wait for their package. Suddenly a pony comes from behind him and pushes him to the back. "Why t'ank ya sunny. Lemme get you somtin' for bein' so nice." The old pony makes a one-hundred-eighty degree turn, about to walk the other way. The crowd immediately yells, "NO!". In shock the geezer fell to his rump, "Alright, alright! Keep y'ur britches on."

The old pony jumped up onto his wagon and whipped out his reading spectacles, taking the other glasses off. From behind a crate, he pulls out a list of all the supplies and began to read them out loud. "If y'ur package his 'ere, take'm." Using the commotion to block out the sound Comet whispered, "Trade when your package is called just wait until you're taken out of sight. Then break out and meet me at the town entrance. Alright?". "That's fine, but what if something goes wrong?" reluctantly asks Trade. "Well, then don't get in trouble." explains Comet. Trade facehoofs, "That's the best advise, you have ever come up with."

As the old pony reads off his list, more and more crates are being taken off. "TWELVE SETS OF GLASS CHINA!" Finally the orchestra has been given a name. Comet looks out of his hole to see what the town looks like. "YOU'RE TELLING ME THIS IS MY CHINA! I WANT MY REFUND!" Comet and Trade both snicker.

"ONE CRATE OF ZEBRAND BANANAS!" the old pony shouts. "Well, that's me. I'll see you later, good luck." whispers Comet. A pair of ponies begin to move through the crowd. A burly red stallion and a stout orange mare with a cowmare hat approach the wagon. "Dat'il be us partner." announces the orange mare. "Well, alrighty then, tak'it. Those 'nanas wouldn't shad up the whole ride." A dumbfounded look falls on Comet's face. The orange mare just looks at the old pony with a concerned look. She turns to the red colt, "Alright Mac, you got this?" The stallion trots over to the wagon as the geezer slides it onto his back. "Huff! Eeyup." "Alrighty then, lets take these lil' guys home so we can start the new recipe." The two ponies start back into the crowd, unaware of the contents inside.

On their way out a voice was calling out to the ponies. "Big Macintosh! Applejack! Hey!" It was a purple unicorn accompanied with a small baby dragon. "Hey Twi, whatcha up to?" The unicorn levitates a long list out from her satchel. "Well, I organized my fiction novella's alphabetically, had breakfast, reorganized ,my history texts in periodical importance..." Big Macintosh obnoxiously cleared his throat trying to grab Applejack's attention. She returned with a glare. "Twilight, I mean what are you doing here." She extends the list, rolling it out to her hooves. "I was getting to that, mmm... here! I'm here to pick up a package of carrots." Applejack had a smile on her face, "What are you doing with a bunch'a carrots?" The little dragon poped out from behind the purple pony, "We're trying to see if we can make a carrot ten feet high!" he said excitedly. "Well, that and whole bunch of other experiments," assured the unicorn. Macintosh grunts again, this time almost dropping the crate. "Mac watch it, we cant have one bruised banana." Meanwhile, Comet expanded his wings to better hold himself up. Sweat was beating off his face.

"Well, good luck with your giant carrots. See ya later Twi." Applejack trotted over to Big Macintosh giving him a nudge with her hoof. "You don't have to be rude." Big Macintosh looked away nervously, "AJ, this is heavy. I would be mighty happy if we get back to the farm." Applejack gives Big Mac a smug look, "I sure its not THAT heavy." She gives Macintosh another nudge this time causing him to loose his balance. "Applejack, THE CRATE!" He falls over, violently dropping the crate. "Dangit, hopefully the fruit isn't bruised badly. Sorry for that."

Comet on the other hand, lays unconscious in the crate laying on a bed of bananas. Twilight sees the mishap and trots over, "You guys need help with that?" Twilight's horn starts to glow as she levitates the crate onto the stallion. Big Macintosh catches his breath, "Appreciated Mam." "No problem, I'll see you guys later."

AJ and Big Macintosh leave Twilight, bickering in a low tone. Twilight smiles down to Spike, "Well, lets pick up our package." Spike nods and leads the way into the crowd. Most of the crates were gone already, except for a few. Twilight and Spike approach the wagon hearing a series of complaining. The old pony was stuttering with his next item, "A CRATE OF CRE....CHRE...credu, uh." "A crate of credulous carrots from Canterlot?" interrupts Twilight. The old pony couldn't have cared less, same went for Trade. "Yeah, whatever you said. It's yours."

"Uhg finally, at least I'm going somewhere." Trade whispered to himself. Twilight approached the wagon as Spike was ready to catch the crate. Just before the old pony let go, Twilight grasped the crate with her magic. Trade began floating inside, along with all the carrots. "I got it Spike, now whats next on the list?" Spike reaches into her pouch and pulls out the extensive list. "Well, now we need to go to Pinkie Pie's place for the cupcakes." Trade began to feel nauseous from the floating sensation. "Lets drop this off first and then well go to Pinkie's."

It had been over ten minutes of floating in his crate. His head began spinning and the overall feeling of floating was awkward. He propped himself up in each corner to stop twirling, but the nauseous feeling still stuck in his gut. "Oh hay, when is she going to put me down! Where am I going?" thinks Trade. Suddenly a series of locks and bolts sound from outside. Trade peers through his hole to see. "Hold on Spike, let me put this in the back room." announces the purple unicorn. "That fine i'm getting a snack for the road." The young dragon reaches into a refrigerator pulling out a sapphire the size of Trade's hoof. What the... dragons eat those?" Trade says to himself.

Twilight moves the crate to the back of the room, placing it abruptly on the ground. "O.K Spike, I'll be right with you in a sec." Twilight swings the heavy door open revealing a study cluttered with books, beakers, test tubes, pretty much a scientist paradise. She glances at the crate, lifting it yet again. Trade wasn't quite ready and almost gags. She places the rather large box atop some other crates, this time gently. Twilight swings the door shut calling out to Spike, "You ready Spike? Lets go." The two voice start to fad away as the barrage of locks sound once again.

Trade lays in his crate looking at the ceiling, "Well, I guess this is when I take my leave." He aims his back hooves at the lid yet again and starts to buck. *Wham* *Bang* Still, the crate did not open. Trade tries another few times with no avail. Suddenly the crate started to tip. "Oh no..." The crate was now teetering on the edge of the boxes below him. Trade tries to balance himself inside the crate, while still pushing on the lid. "Maybe if I just..." He scrunches just a bit over, when suddenly the crate gives way. From atop the boxes the crate falls flat on the floor. When the dust cleared, carrots were scattered everywhere and Trade was lying on the floor. "That's another way to do it," he said face down to the ground.

Trade eases himself up looking around. "From one prison to another," he sighs. Trade trots to the door trying the door knob. It turns but a series of bolts prevented the door from opening. An irritated look falls on Trade's face. "...really. Uhg." He looks around the room searching for an alternate route for escape. Suddenly the series of locks from the front door echo. Trade freezes in place, like a deer in headlights. The door swings open as Twilight quickly trots into the main room. "Sorry hold on, I left the list in the study." Trade starts to freak out. "Oh no, oh no, oh no, c'mon." He glances at the top of the bookcase, where he sees a window he can escape from. "Success!" The hoofsteps start to get louder as Twilight nears the study. Trade starts to climb the bookshelves, almost to his salvation. Just as he got to the window, the door swings open.

"Spike calm down, I..." The two ponies just stare at each other. Trade's face is like stone, "um hi..."