Shot in the Dark

by PhoenixDisciple

Rating: teen
Tags: Slice of Life, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 1643

The life and times of a pony that can't die

Mortar Shot, a pony that can't die, what goes on in his daily life. Is it different than yours or mine? Only he can tell, but so far he hasn't found anyone he can trust.

Published 2017-09-19 02:40:06 UTC
Last updated 2017-09-19 02:40:06 UTC

Just a normal morning

It was a lovely day, Celestia's sun was shining brightly on Ponyville. The morning was quiet, and it would have stayed that way too but I had to intervene of course. I started the day like any everypony else: Wake up, get some breakfast, and check the experiments I had left running the night before. Okay so not everypony experimented with volatile substances, but everypony's got a hobby right? I finished with breakfast (a couple pieces of toast and some zap apple jam) and cleaned up. When I left the kitchen I caught sight of myself in the mirror in the hallway. Staring back at me was a young stallion with a goldenrod coat with a two-tone red and orange mane done up in a mohawk. A cutie mark of a firework mortar in mid fire on my flank. Light blue eyes shining back at me "Yup, still got it." I said to myself pointing a hoof at the mirror and winking. I turned and continued down the hall and entered my lab.

I need to clean up. Was the first thing that ran through my mind as I eyed the state my lab had become. The few tables I had were covered in paper, glass jars filled with who knows what, as well as a few bunsen burners scattered about for good measure. One of the burners was lit and demanded my attention. Sitting in the low flame was a test tube with a small amount of light brown powder. I stepped over and turned off the burner with a small button on the side. Mindful of the heat I put on some heatproof hoof covers and lifted the tube out of its holder. "Hmm... no change." I said holding it near my face "Now, how do i make you react." I looked around at the other substances in the jars on the table idly swirling the brown powder in the test tube. My eye fell on a jar with a light purple liquid and a few leaves in it when i noticed a light coming from in between my hooves. looking down I discovered the brown powder glowing "Oh that's how..." I said my brow lifting as the light grew brighter and brighter.

Out on the street some ponies milled about getting the paper, wishing their neighbors good morning, and drinking the heavenly brew that is coffee. A muffled Wumph drew the attention of a few ponies, but all of them on the street looked up a half second later when I flew through the wall of my house across the street and into the wall on the other side cracking the stone. I slumped to the ground and immediately a few ponies ran over, but at the angle my spine was in there wasn't anything they could do. One of them ran off to find help and after a few minutes a loud cracking sound filled the street. It took the few ponies left just a few seconds to determine that it was coming from me. My spine was straightening, not fast by any means, but eventually I stopped looking like someone folded a book the wrong way. After the cracking ceased and the onlookers eyes stopped widening, my eyes fluttered open and I lifted my head.

Recognizing my neighbors I said "Hey, whats up? You both look like you've seen a ghost." The light green earth pony and maroon unicorn in front of me looked first at each other then back at me.

The green one on the left, Budding Seed, got his voice back first "H-how are you alive?" he said. I looked at him like I was asked a stupid question, but then my face went slack as I realized I wasn't in my house anymore.

"Oh no, not here I just moved here of all the-" I said to myself as I stomped a hoof and rose off the ground and made my way between the two of them and towards the hole in the wall.

"Now hold on just a moment there Mortar Shot, you turn around right now and tell us what the hay just happened!", the maroon one, Solar Comet, said.

I winced but stopped. Sighing, I turned my head and looked at them both, her then him, and said "you wouldn't believe me if I told you." I looked back to my house and kept walking, leaving them both confused and possibly worried. Entering through the hole in my wall I was greeted with a bigger mess then when I entered the first time. Great now I have to get new ingredients too. I thought as I stepped gingerly through the wreck that used to be my lab and into the hallway. I was greeted by my mirror once again, but a totally different pony looked back at me. My muzzle was covered in black soot and most of the fur on my chest was blackened and burned, but the skin underneath was as if nothing had ever happened. I knew the blackened hairs would fall out and be replaced within the hour, but that's not what was on my mind at the moment.

As I looked on, I was getting more and more angry then I turned and bucked the mirror with all my might. The mirror shattered and my hooves made contact with the wall, but all that did was knock me flat on my face, I definitely can't claim to be a very strong earth pony. I laid there for a moment and thought about my predicament, Last time this happened I had to spend a century in the Everfree forest, that may be easy for some, a certain zebra coming to mind but I do not want to go through that again. "shoot I don't want to have to disappear again." I whispered to nopony as I pulled my hooves over my eyes and felt on the verge of tears.

With my eyes covered I never saw Solar Comet enter the hallway but heard her as she laid down next to me and put a hoof on my shoulder. I flinched away but she kept it there. "Mortar.... hun, if you don't want to talk then don't but please just listen, I'm not sure what happened out there but if you need help you can ask us alright? Bud and I are your neighbors and are always willing to lend a hoof."

I looked up at her, a few tears running down my face, sniffing and rubbing my nose I said "No, I'm fine really, but thank you for caring." I stood up letting her hoof drop from my shoulder.

"Hey Comet you there? There is glass EVERYWHERE in here and you know how I feel about sharp things." Came the gruff voice of Bud from my lab, he probably isn't even inside, just yelling from the hole in the wall. Comet trotted back to my lab saying something about clearing the mess, but I paid it no mind and made my way upstairs.

With my head low I pushed open the door to my room. Unlike my lab I kept my bedroom spotless. I walked over to the closet set in the wall and opened the door eyeing the suitcase that sat to one side. I grabbed the handle with my mouth and brought it over to my bed, popping it open I said to myself, "maybe I can go to Baltimare, I don't think they have any official records of me yet, or maybe I should just leave Equestria" as I talked, I started filling the suitcase with some formal clothing and a few knickknacks. "I sure haven't been to the Crystal Empire for a long time maybe it's still as I remember it." I finished loading up the suitcase, as well as some saddle bags. As I settled the saddle bags on my back I heard a gasp. I turned and saw Solar Comet in the doorway

"You're not leaving are you? You just moved here a bit ago." She said looking at me with worry.

"Yes." I said with a neutral look on my face. "Now that I've been exposed I must leave." My facade cracked as I looked at the ground, a sad look appearing on my face "I-I cant tell you anything more, please just let me leave." I pleaded. I would have left already at a full gallop but Comet was standing in the doorway and a little splash of green told me that Bud was right behind her. She looked at me for a moment then sat down right in the doorway.

"No" she said "you just moved here a few days ago and I haven't gotten to know you yet, but I can tell you are in trouble and we want to help."

I stared wide eyed at Comet. "Come on, what reason could you have to leave Ponyville, its awesome!" Bud said looking over Comet's shoulder.

Maybe they can help. I thought to myself Its been so long since I've spoken about it maybe I just need to trust somepony.

"Fine, but lets talk in the kitchen, I need a drink."

Comet immediately said "Now hold on! Hard cider never solved anything."

I looked at her blankly, "No, I mean I want a drink of water. That explosion dried out my throat." I coughed out a smoke ring for emphasis.

Comet looked at me sheepishly, "oh" then she backed out of the doorway to let me pass.

Author's Note

Well that wasn't so bad. At least I don't think it was. I'm actually very nervous posting this I'm a long time lurker on any site. If you ponies want to critique and give feedback I'd much appreciate it

Thank you

Phoenixdisciple