Canadian Pacific 5-5

I focused on the bombs and used my powers to check the wiring, “Pressure sensitive. Poorly done though, only goes off if there’s an increase in pressure. I can just pull them off but I want you two to stay alert.”

I carefully reached out with my power and unscrewed every bolt they had put in. Then I levitated the bombs out and away making sure there was always a minimum clearance of 100 metres between me and them. I then sent them flying in a high, nearly orbital arc toward the Barrier, knowing that they’d be turned into flowers or pudding when they hit it.

“We’ll probably be attacked by the HLF tomorrow,” John said, “And they’ll likely try to force us to the truck. What’s say we let them?”

“Grand idea,” I said as we walked back inside.

John and Brody continued on to our room while I stayed back and explained my plan to move the Mane 6 to Sudbury’s main Bureau to the receptionist and he agreed to let them know. I then thanked him and headed off.

I knocked on the Mane 6’s door, “Mind if I come in?”

Applejack said I could and as I stepped in I began to explain what would be happening the next day.

“For the most part I’d like you all to stay in this room until Andrew comes to get you. We’re expecting and HLF attack on this Bureau tomorrow. I’ll need you, Twilight, to use your magic to make a shield while you’re on the way to the truck, I can protect you after that. Then, depending on the situation I may be able to tell you a few chapters while we’re on the road. We’ll be staying in Sudbury for a while after that. See you tomorrow!”

I closed the door behind me and walked into my team’s room. I sat down on my bunk and started changing for bed.

“We’ll be stopping in Sudbury and staying there for a while,” I said, “We’re moving the Mane 6 there once the HLF start their attack.”

“Alright then,” John said, “Andrew, I want you to escort the Mane 6 to Ol’ Blue Eyes and get her warmed up. Brody, Brent and Conner, you’ll be coming with me to lead an assault out the front door at the HLF. They’ll try and force us to the truck in order to get rid of us with the bombs they planted. And, of course, we’ll let them. By the way, Conner, do you think you could replicate those bombs to make it look like we didn’t mess with them?”

“I’ll get right on that,” I said.

I closed my eyes and reached out with my power. I borrowed some steel from some of the abandoned construction projects nearby and reshaped it into two empty boxes. Once I was sure they were the right size and shape I set them into place and bolted them to the truck.

As I opened my eyes I said, “Done.”

“Good,” John said, “Everything’s ready to go for tomorrow. Now let’s get some sleep so we’ll all be bright and alert for when the HLF finally show up.”

With that we all settled into our beds and wrapped ourselves in blankets. Andrew then turned out the light as he fell asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Breakfast time!” I called into the ponies’ room, “They’re serving pancakes and hay-bacon strips today.”

I was bowled over as Pinkie bolted out of the room and rocketed down the hall.

“Sorry!” she called as she skidded to a halt just before the cafeteria doors.

“That’s OK,” I said as she started to turn back toward me, “I’ll be fine. Now, grab yourself some breakfast before it’s gone.”

“OK!” was all I heard her say before she disappeared into the cafeteria. As I got back to my feet the others wandered out of their room at a more leisurely pace.

“Thank you ever so much for the wake-up call,” Rarity said.

“My pleasure,” I said, “Besides, breakfast doesn’t officially start for another 10 minutes. Of course the Equestrian Ambassadors and their escorts do get SOME special privilege.”

We then walked to the cafeteria and got breakfast. I have to admit though that hay-bacon strips taste pretty good, and I was a serious fan of real bacon. Eventually the newfoals and ponies-to-be filed in and started eating. At around 8:00 I suddenly got a feeling, “It’s time.”

“Ok then,” John said, “You all know what to do.”

I dashed back to my team’s room and gathered all the weapons we had pulled from the truck along with their ammunition. I handed each their weapon of choice and Andrew lead the Mane 6 out the side door as the rest of us charged out the front. Just as we had expected the HLF had grouped up to our right and directly in front of us.

They HLF were apparently smart enough to keep tabs on the different Railroad teams and devised plans of attack for each. They had learned over time that they couldn’t really hurt us directly with anything metal. That was why they had planted the bombs and the first volley of shots slammed into the wall to our right. John HAD read their minds; they were forcing us to Ol’ Blue Eyes.

We returned fire as we skittered sideways. We managed to hit several of them before getting to the truck. I then threw up a large concrete wall between us and the HLF. I then helped the ponies onto the trailer.

“John, Brody, think you can replicate an explosion similar to the one the bombs woulda made?” I called.

“Yep,” they chorused.

“Good. Then on my count,” I said, “And get ready to floor it. Three, two, one!”

Just as I said ‘one’ a gas explosion went off as I disintegrated the wall I had made. I heard a moment of cheering from the HLF before Ol’ Blue Eyes roared and surged through the flames. John and Brody kept the heat and flames off of us as we barrelled through the HLF barricade.

As we broke through the like of HLF Brody, Brent and I managed to take out several more gun-toting Americans. A few returned fire but I just deflected the shots and sank down behind the fence.

“Tell me,” I said with my head on my knees, “Are the rumours true? Do humans get the choice to move on or become ponies when they die?”

The mares before me looked at me with confused faces until one by one they understood the pained expression on my face.

“Princess Celestia told me herself,” Twilight said, “That they do get that choice. I hope that helps.”

“More than you know,” I said weakly, “Thank you. I feel a little better now knowing that I’m not the one that’s really ending it for them.”

“Not to sound rude,” Applejack said after a moment of silence, “But would ya mind tellin’ me when ya’ll are gonna continue that story? Ya’ll got me hooked an’ ahm dyin’ to hear what comes next.”

“Oh, that’s Ok,” I said, “Knock on wood, we’ll be outta the worst of it by the time we’re halfway to Toronto. I’ll continue the story then.”

Just then the trailer swayed and peering over the railing I saw that an HLF truck was trying to ram us off the road.

“Why didn’t you warn me?” I yelled at Brody and Brent.

“We were just as curious about that pony thing as you,” Brent shouted at me as he squeezed off a few shots.

“Figures!” I said as I jumped up and put a couple shots into each of the HLF’s right side tires; tearing them to shreds and reducing them to just rims.

The HLF truck veered sharply right and turned itself almost perpendicular to the road before its left side tires bit into the asphalt, throwing it into a rollover.

As the distance between us and the self flattening truck increased I felt my eyes begin to water and my nose start running.

“Don’t tell me I didn’t…” I said as I looked at my watch, “Bugger. I did.”

“What did you do?” Twilight asked.

“I forgot to take my allergy meds this morning,” I said as I rummaged through my locker, “Just my luck too; I have none left.”

I banged on the back of the cab and John rolled down his window.

“We need to pull into the nearest pharmacy,” I called, “I’ve run out of meds and you remember what happened the last time I ran out.”

“Alright,” John sighed.

I turned around to find the ponies staring at me.

“I’ve found over the years that I’m allergic to most animals with fur,” I explained, “And unfortunately, as much as I like you ponies, you set off my allergies. Which means my eyes water, my nose runs almost constantly and I lose my finesse with my powers.”

“What were you talking about when you reminded John about the last time this happened?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Well, we were about 20 kilometres from the Barrier when the truck broke down,” I recalled, “And the rest of them had to walk the ponies to the Barrier while my allergies cleared up enough for me to fix the truck. I did manage to get it running again in time to pick them up from the Barrier though.”

I then cleared my nose into a tissue and tossed it over the railing. A few minutes later we pulled into the parking lot of a pharmacy and I dashed inside. When I got back they all asked me why I hadn’t just stockpiled right there.

“I have a feeling I won’t be needing them for too much longer,” I told them.

Soon enough we were back on our way and I was feeling like myself again.