The Fast, Dangerous and the Furious

Chapter Twenty Five: Forgiveness

It had been a good ten minute jog from O’Conner’s place, taking most of the shortcuts, back to the house. At which point I created a larger version of my umbrella protection spell to avoid my glider getting wet from any rain. Thank Celestia it didn’t rain, but once I got home my eyes were practically glued to my wingspan.

Sure O’Conner and I did some good tweaking, but I needed to make sure that everything was in tip top shape. I double. No. Triple checked everything holding the wingspan together. “Try to fall apart now.” I cooed to my machine daring it to try something else before the race. With my eyes glued to the extended wingspan there was a moment where I lost track of how long I had been staring at it.

Going in and out of my transparency spell was now as simple as breathing to me, I loved this spell more than levitation, which truth be told is now my second favorite spell. With just the spark of my horn, now with hardly having to use all my focus, I can execute my spell with a large range. To be fair I only use really long range transparency for combat situations, there’s no need for that kind of range in a town the size this one is.

I crawled on top of the wings, curling up with my eyes locked dead on the wood blocking my view from the kitchen. The clock told me it was early in the morning. And with that, I let me eyes close shut for a little while.

Something crawled on my nose. My hoof gently swatted it away before covering my eyes from the small ray of light breaking through the clouds. The protection spell I had been using was no longer active, which was a surprise.

Candle Light trotted out the door with her saddle bags strapped to her. “Oh hey, look who’s finally up.” There was a brief pause in what she was going to say next, so much so, that she didn’t even bother saying anything about the Eclipse.

“How long was I out,” I asked with a slight stretch.

One sniff of the air told me it wasn’t time to eat yet, which was a bit of a downer since my stomach was empty. The others were notably gone including Diesel Fuel. From the way things had been going since I arrived I put together that he was lying low during the day, or at least up until the late afternoon hours. Candle Light looked at a rather nice watch wrapped around her fore hoof. “It’s almost noon, if you have time, can you run down to Sugar Cube Corner and pick up some groceries. I’ve got somewhere I need to be.”

“Yeah, no problem. Milk, eggs, six pack of Pegasus Breed the usual business?”

Candle Light shot me a brimming smile before trotting down to the sidewalk. I waved her off before heading down to the store.

In all honesty this was becoming routine. Part of me really hopes that some other place I’ve visited isn’t under attack. Truth be told I don’t know how much more of those fights I have left in me especially after that last one. Seriously ponies need a break every once in a while. You can’t just go in guns blazing every day or your life. That stuff will bear down on you.

“Is your friend doing okay?”

Wha … huh. I looked up at the mare spraying the counter down. It took me a minute to process what she had said. “Oh, yeah, yeah, he’s great.” I set down all the stuff my hooves had managed to pick up while my mind was off in its own little world. My hoof rubbed one of my eyes helping me shake off the rest of my grogginess.

The mare finished wiping down her counter then turned her full attention to me. She rang up all the items and I gave her the bits. “Sorry about that whole ordeal, crazy stuff was going down.” There was a light chuckle from her that said she believed it. The windows began to rattle while several loud engines were revved. So loud in fact, that I could have sworn one of the windows was about to crack. I levitated up my groceries before taking a peak out the window.

A smile found its way onto my face.

I galloped outside greeted by a large wagon sitting out in front of the store with what looked like several supply boxes. My gaze went to my groceries. Really. I came all the way down here and Glider comes back here with a wagon full of stuff. Lucky Clover peered around the wagon waving his hoof at me. “Come on, get in!” I did as I was told, taking a giant leap into a free space amongst the supplies.

Lucky galloped forward sending a box of something toppling down on me. My magic imploded letting all the groceries drop. I rolled, catching the two bags and six pack. Thankfully, nothing broke or spilled out. I put the fallen box back in its place while another bump sent what looked like an ammo box toppling down to the six pack.

Oh shit.

I rolled back over to the groceries protecting them with my life. Damn it, I bought these with what little bits I have left. I dare a box to come down and strike them down!

This charade continued for another few minutes, including the parts where I was thrown back and forth. Lucky pulled into the driveway, unhitching the wagon while Glider hitched her 240SX to it. While they were doing that, I climbed out as fast as I could, taking my groceries to the fridge before returning outside. Glider trotted up to the corner keeping her attention on the Eclipse. “We got you some parts for the Eclipse and Mustang. Did you fix this up?”

“I got tired of waiting, had a friend help me fix the engine.” Glider paid close attention to how I uttered the word ‘friend’. That seemed to sit okay with her. I held out a Pegasus Breed for her.

She declined with a shake of her head. “I’ve got a place I need to be.” Her hoof waved up at Luck and Vin while they took off down the street. Another delivery perhaps? “You wanna come with?” Her hoof waved me over to the wagon. We pulled down the back panel, taking one of the boxes in our hooves.

“Sure, but I want to ask you something first.” We pulled the box out, fully engulfed in my magic, and set it down near the picnic table. Actually, it wasn’t a picnic table. It was a plank of wood set on top of old oil barrels. Out of sight from anypony just passing by.

Glider sat down at the table yawning a bit. There was a look of curiosity on her face. I sat down across from her trying to figure out how I wanted to phrase this. After all phrasing questions is important. “When Silver Shoe and I were looking for you, we stopped by a place called Lake Water.” There was a slow nod from Glider. “The sheriff there said that the only pegasus and griffon that had been there stole supplies,” Glider put her hoof up cutting me off. Her hoof scratched the back of her mane, giving her time to figure out what she wanted to say. “Why?”

Sadly, the pegasus that stole from Lake Water was sitting right in front of me. But I asked my question. Fully aware that I might not like the answer, but I’ll accept it either way. No pony in this world is perfect, not even my family is perfect. Glider looked at my eyes. “Yeah, it was me and Vin,” she said rather somberly. “Look, we needed the supplies and sometimes you have to do things you’re not proud of. I’m not fond of stealing from ponies that are kind towards me, but we didn’t have much of a choice.”

It took me a good moment of mulling this over to process it. She was honest about this though. In fact I can’t ever recall a time she has ever lied to me. Glider pointed at the wagon. “That’s what those supplies are for. I figured it was time I set things right.” I got up.

“Well then we better get moving.”

*** ***

A good several hours went by in the air, jokes were told, and I can say I felt closer with Glider. I told her everything about mine and O’Conner’s escapade in the carnival. Somehow she got a kick out of the two of us sliding down the air duct, unknowingly to Glider or O’Conner I really wanted to go down the chute again.

Lake Water.

It still looked the same as I had left it. Glider insisted that I fly us here while she took refuge in the wagon. Several stallions took a look at me, some even remembering that I had helped out with the infectious problem in the basement. Those stallions waved at me.

By the time I reached the sheriff’s office the sun had started to set, which meant we needed to be in and out. I unlatched myself from the 240SX, with which I was falling in love with now, before giving a sharp rap against the wagon. Glider jumped out from cover, landing on all four hooves right next to me. A mare sitting a few paces down from the office stared at her. There was a look of disgust on her face.

“You can do this,” I said with a positive nudge. Glider looked at me like a dog with its tail between its legs.

“What if they arrest me?”

“That’s not going to happen,” I showed her the pistol in my holster, “I promise.”

I know full well what I was implying to her. I also knew they weren’t going to arrest her. Not while I was here. Glider put her hoof against the door, taking in a deep breath. The door swung open.

We entered into the office, a familiar setting to me. Nothing had changed. The poker table was where it had always been. The jail cells looked like crap, but strangely homie. Wanted posters still hung on the wall, one was noticeably missing, much to my delight. I caught sight of another familiar piece, Deputy sitting in his chair reading his eyes out. Deputy looked up from his comic with a smile on his face. That smile faded. He fumbled for his pistol before gripping it in his teeth. “Put your hoofs behind your head.” Blue magic engulfed my horn simultaneously knocking Deputy’s pistol into my old jail cell.

Needless to say, Deputy was shocked, not by seeing Glider, but what I had just done. He turned to me not knowing what to do. His hooves went under the desk, then returned with a fully loaded double barrel shot gun. With my horn still aglow I forced the weapon open letting the two shells pop out. Glider moved a few steps closer to the desk trying to calm him down. “That’s enough the lot of ya,” Sheriff shouted out making my magic subside. His stone expression hadn’t changed since the last time I saw him, he looked more battle hardened now though, probably all of that intense gunfire we went through.

Sheriff took one good look at Glider then turned his attention to the mess Deputy had made with my aid. Guns had fallen out of the cabinet, not sure how I missed that, while shotgun shells rolled around the desk. “Deputy, clean this mess up an’ put that revolver away before I arrest you fer disturbin’ the peace.”

“But that’s her sheriff, the mare that stole our supplies,” Deputy spat pointing at Glider.

“I know exactly who this is you dunderhead, you think I’d forget this mare that easily?” Sheriff motioned for Deputy to get to work cleaning. Just as Deputy started getting to work, Sheriff stopped him. “Matter of fact, just go outside an’ wait. I’ll deal with this.” Reluctantly, Deputy trudged out the door leaving behind the mess we had made. As the door swung closed I telekinetically levitated everything back where it needed to go.

Sheriff took his time going around his desk never once looking at Glider or me. His chair squeaked in protest, it finally grew quiet when he leaned forward. Both his hooves folded together as he just stared at us. His gaze went to Glider. “You. You’ve got some nerve returning here.” Sheriff turned his gaze to me. “And you, you’ve got some balls to bring her here after what I told you.” I returned his statement with a calm polite nod.

In all honesty, I have no idea if they will even accept Glider’s peace offering. However, I am a stallion that tries to be prepared for anything. If they don’t, I’m ready to fight my way out of here. I’ll take the compliment Sheriff gave me though.

Glider took a seat attempting to gather her thoughts. Personally, I really didn’t need to say anything since this was her redemption. “I want to start off by apologizing for my actions. My friend, the griffon as you know him, well he’s busy at the moment, but please take this apology from the both of us.” The realization that Glider wasn’t the only one that had stolen from here washed over me. Seems a little bad on her part, but again it’s not my place to say anything.

The stone expression on Sheriff’s face never wavered. Its integrity remained solid like one of Princess Twilight’s protection spells. His gaze fell on the window, the one that Deputy had put his eyes against, Sheriff leaned over closing the shutters for some privacy. “Forgive me fer not being as kind as I was the last time we met, but what on this fine land of Equestria makes you believe that a simple apology will get you anywhere.” Glider took a defective scoot back. Her hoof started lightly tapping the ground out of worry.

I could see her eyes trying to look at me. Glider cleared her throat putting on that old school tough face, which I knew by now wasn’t an act. “I know a simple apology doesn’t earn back trust. That’s why I brought you guys that wagon of supplies.” Sheriff opened the window back up with his gaze locked on the wagon. “It’s more than what I stole, with some heavy sniper rifles. Better than the ones your boys have up there.” She nudged her head up at one of the sniper positions.

Oh. Didn’t know she knew where they were at. I can only imagine the shit storm we would have had to get through to make it out of here. Sheriff turned his gaze back to us. “Medical supplies to?” Glider nodded. Now I understand what those deliveries were all about. They were building up their supplies to give to these guys. Taking only a small amount to keep the family afloat. I need to be involved with that. “Let me see them.” We all got up and moved our conversation outside.

Deputy’s head popped out from inside the wagon, his hooves full of food. “They brought hey fires!” He fell back inside the wagon.

Sheriff looked at us. I shrugged claiming this was Glider’s redemption, not mine. Not that I needed any. Pretty sure I did my job blowing the hell out of Clickers the last time I was in town. Speaking of which, I haven’t seen one since I got here. Good for them. I escorted Sheriff to the back. His eyes grew wide with all the supplies that were packed in there. From the looks of it, I’d say Glider brought back well over whatever she stole and then some. That made me smile. Glider pulled one of the sniper rifles out, handing it over to Sheriff for him to examine. “We cool now.”

Deputy hummed loudly giving us his seal of approval. I chuckled watching him take a bottle of wine for himself. There wasn’t any harm in letting him take just one. Sheriff looked at me with a smile, a small one, but a smile none the less. “We’re fair an’ square now.” With the tip of his hat Sheriff let Glider go unhitch her 240SX from the wagon. He put the sniper rifle back inside the wagon, but called me over. “I trust that she’s everything you were hoping fer.”

“Yes,” she is exactly the kind of mare I needed in my life.

Glider introduced me to a lot of good ponies. Her and Candle Light. Sure, they aren’t what the law would classify as good, but you know what, I’ve grown to learn that I don’t care about that.

“Take care of yourself, Runner.” Sheriff tipped his hat to me.