Author's Note
Cover Art is just the character I may ask for someone else to make a better picture but for now, just enjoy the story.
Old Life
Welcome to Equestria, a world of mythical creatures, supernatural beings and, most importantly, ponies of all shapes and sizes. Earth ponies have a special connection to the earth and nature with some families specializing in baking, farming, and general agriculture. Unicorns wield their magic to accomplish impossible feats that help control the world around them, adding a sense of simplicity to their lifestyles along with a desire to share their gifts and abilities with others to enjoy. Pegasi are masters of the sky with the ability to walk on clouds and to control the weather. As for me, I am an earth pony...Actually not really. Well, I'm half earth pony. I didn't know what I was and the name of what I was until I was twenty-two years old. I guess I should start from the beginning. When I realized I was different. It all started when I was eight years old. I learned I had this amazing power. However, I'm not an OP character like you see in other stories. It started that way but it all came crashing down. Let's start with my old life
*Fourteen Years Ago*
First, let me introduce myself my name is Swift. Like I said I'm an earth pony. I have a black mane, light grey coat, and blue eyes. My special talent is speed. My cutie mark is a wheel with a fire streak coming out of it. I was a fast earth pony. I could run a mile under five minutes. Pretty impressive for my age. My family is just me and my abusive father. My mother left when I turned eight on my birthday. That birthday I sat up the whole night crying. My father blamed it on me that she left. Now all my father does is come home when he feels like. Completely drunk. However, one day everything changed.
It all started like this after school I dropped my saddlebag and was reading a book I loved. I was reading when Dad got home. His voice echoed through the house and I cringed.
"Swift!"
I put the book down and sat up on the bed. “In here, Dad. I’m in my room.”
His steps on the hallway’s oak floor got louder and louder. I knew I screwed up something. What chore did I not do? That he should actually do since he's the parent.
Finally, he busted into my room. My father had a blue coat, black mane, and blue eyes. He was pretty buff. His cutie mark was a beer bottle. His special talent was making beer. However, I think his special talent is just drinking it. “I thought I told you to mow the lawn today while is was working at the bar!"
I put my book down. “I’m gonna do it, Dad. I was just finishing a book.”
"Fuck the book!" He said taking it from my hoof and ripping it in half.
"Dad! I was supposed to return that!"
"I’m sick and tired of you lying around this house doing nothing!” He leaned closer and the whiskey on his breath made my eyes water.
"I do nothing. I do everything! Ever since mom left I do the chores, I cook, I do everything you're supposed to do! All you do is get drunk, bring mares home, and do nothing but just being a dead beat! That's probably why mom left!"
He lifted me up from my neck pulling me off my bed and into the air. "Don't you fuckin talk that way to me! You don't want to make me angrier than I already am!"
He put me down and I rubbed my neck he grabbed me and I struggled to break free but he wouldn't let go. We went to his room. Once he dragged me there he went through his wardrobe and pulled out a belt.
"No dad no! Not again I'll be good I promise!" This wasn't the first time he would whip me with that belt.
"I know you won't. I just have to make sure." He said while smiling evilly.
He pushed me on the ground and all I could do was get ready for the belt. I closed my eyes and began to cry. I wish I was anywhere but here. Somewhere safe like the library. Then suddenly I heard a weird sound. I thought it was the noise of the belt coming. Then after ten seconds, I didn't feel any pain. I wondered if my dad missed. I opened my eyes. I was in the fiction section of the Canterlot Public Library.
"What? How?" I said to myself. That was the first time it happened.
Skip to Two weeks later I became a homeless colt. Living with only my wits. I wouldn't go back home if you can even call it home. I stowed away on a train that night after the strange thing happened and ended up in Manehatten. It was scary at night but I knew a few alleyways safe enough to sleep. I stole some bits from some ponies and used it for food. However, it was getting dark and I decided to call for a cab. A cab driver stopped when I whistled.
"Take me to Banker Road."
"Okay, kiddo."
The pony giving me a ride kept looking at me. Probably wondering what I was doing alone. He decided to have a little chat with me.
“Been on the road long, kiddo?" His voice was pretty high for a stallion
“What do you mean?” I said hoping he wouldn't know I was-"
He laughed. "I know a homeless pony when I see one."
Oh great, he knows. I may have to tell him to stop here.
I'll take you where you wanna go. Don't worry I won't take you to an orphanage if you don't want to."
I gave a sigh of relief when he said that.
"Your life has been rough, hasn't it? Join the club I was there. Homeless about your age as well."
I was shocked at what he said but smiled. He was a nice pony. Not many ponies like that in Manehatten "Yeah. I've been homeless for two weeks."
He nodded. “Rough. You running from your parents?"
"Just my dad. My mom cut out on my birthday."
"Ouch. That must have stung kiddo."
The tears started to come and I blinked hard, got them back under control.
"Whatcha been doin to stay alive?"
"Umm. Stealing. However, I only steal what I need. I don't take much. I have some bits in this saddlebag. I have two apples guess that's supper for me."
"You look like you could use some real food. Why don’t you let me buy you a meal?"
The tears came again then. I was ready for cruelty but not kindness. I blinked hard and said, “Okay. I’d appreciate the meal. But why?"
"Like I said I was just like you once. Least I could do is help you out since no one helped me back then."
An hour later we were at Banker Street in one of the café. I was eating a hay burger. Completely devouring it.
"You sure were hungry kiddo. Names Wheel Drifter. You."
"Swift."
"Well, the café is about to close. Let's take you to your alleyway before it gets even later."
I nodded.
Two minutes later we were almost at the alleyway. I was happy I meet Wheel Drifter. Seems like my life was starting to get good. However, I spoke too soon. Wheel Drifter stop when two ponies got in our way holding daggers.
"Swift! Run!" Wheel Drifter shouted.
He didn't have to tell me twice. I ran a face as I could. Glad that it was my special talent. I turned around and saw Wheel Drifter getting stabbed and hitting the ground.
"Come here, kid! Give us your bag." They yelled at me.
I kept on running but then they both appeared in front of me. Once I got a good look at them I realized they were unicorns. Oh, crud.
"I wish we got a filly, they cost more." One of them said.
"He'll give us about one hundred bits grab him." The other one said.
I closed my eyes and then I heard the weird noise.
"What the fu-"
I heard one of them say before I teleported. I was back in the fiction section of the Canterlot Public Library and I was sure I’d gone mad. That was the second time.
"What's happening to me," I said.
The last time I was here it was open and luckily no pony saw me. Now it was dark and closed. I thought I’d pulled a blank. I thought that whatever my father did to me was so terrible that I’d simply chosen not to remember it. That I’d only come back to myself after reaching the safety of the library. The thought of pulling a blank was scary, but it wasn’t strange to me. I’ve read enough fiction to be familiar with trauma-induced amnesia.
I checked the wall clock. It read two o’clock. I left the library stowed away on another train now I was in Las Pegasus. Since I've left home I've traveled about nine hundred miles. I put my head in my hooves. Right now I was in a cheap hotel. I rented a room with some bits I stole from some ponies. Thank Celestia many ponies in Las Pegasus carry a lot. What had I done to deserve this? There was something I wasn’t dealing with. I knew it. Something...I was so tired. All I wanted to do was rest. I thought of all the snatches of sleep I’d had over the last couple of weeks. Not much.
I tried to sleep but I couldn't. This bed was not comfortable. I then began to think about my mom. I hardly ate today so I thought about her cooking in the kitchen. How she would hum a simple song. It loved hearing her hum it. She would always teach me how to cook and even if a messed up or burnt something she would smile and congratulate me. Sometimes I would feel sad when I messed up but she would always lift my spirits up.
"I wish I was there again," I whispered.
Then. I guess you already know. The weird noise happened again and I was back home in the kitchen.
"Okay, now I know I'm not imagining this." I heard snoring and saw my dad sleeping on the couch.
"He's here and didn't even call for help when I disappeared," I whispered. "Dead beat."
I saw the refrigerator. My stomach growled. I quietly went to it and opened it. all it had was three six-packs of Schlitz, a carton of cigarettes, half a pizza in the cardboard delivery box. I closed it but then I saw. My dad's wallet on the table. I grabbed it and saw it had his credit card and a few bits. "Mine!" I shouted but then covered my mouth.
"Huh." My dad woke up.
"I wish I was back at the cheap hotel!," I shouted.
Then I finally teleported back. I decided to buy some stuff with my dad's credit card before he canceled it. I went to a grocery store and bought some food. It was enough to last me about three days I also had enough bits to stay in the hotel for about five days.
Two weeks later. I was in Manehatten again. I teleported there. I think I was getting the hang of this new ability. I bought some more groceries and decided to live in a hotel and in a way better one then in Las Pegasus. I still had some bits left. Thank you dad's wallet. I entered a hotel that looked pretty nice. I saw a pony behind a desk. He must be the clerk. The clerk was an older stallion, maybe my dad’s age, reading a novel called Burnferno. I remember reading about to dragon who sleighs evildoers. I got closer to the desk. Once I got closer he lowered the book and tilted his head forward to look at me.
“Too young,” he said. “You’re a runaway, I’ll bet.”
I took out my dad's credit card. He checked it and thank god it wasn't canceled and told him I would be staying for a week. I would need to find some other type of way of getting money somehow.
“Forty-eight a night, five bits key deposit, the bathroom’s down the hall.
"Now listen I don’t care what you do away from the hotel, but if I see anything that looks like a deal, I’ll turn you in myself.”
"I got it, I won't do anything." Hope my teleporting ability isn't one the list.
He gave me the key to my room. I picked up my groceries and went up the stairs.
Two years later I was ten years old. I was still in the hotel. Stole some bits from some ponies. Just enough to live there and eat. However, today I got a lot of bits.
Right now I was gasping for air. "I did it. I can't believe I did it."
I was in the middle of my hotel room with bags of bits around me. I had a huge smile on my face. The reason why was because I just robbed a bank. I learned how my powers worked somewhat. I learned that all I need to do is know how the place looks like and picture myself being there.
I had a plan to rob the bank. Step one see how the safe looks like inside. I walked inside the bank and asked a guard if there was a bathroom in the bank.
He shook his head "Up the street at that store. They have a restroom."
I looked distressed. "Look, I really don't mean to be a problem but my dad's meeting me here in just a few moments, and if I'm not here he'll kill me, but I really got to pee. Isn’t there an employees’ restroom somewhere?” I didn’t think he’d buy it, but the lie, plus any mention of my father, was making my distress real. He looked doubtful and I winced, knowing he was going to send me away.
“Ah, what the hay? See that door there?” He pointed to a door past the long line of teller’s windows. “Go through there and straight back. The bathroom is on the right at the end of the hall. If anyone gives you a problem, tell them, Lock Hard sent you."
I let out a lungful of air. “Thanks, Mr. Lock Hard. You’ve saved my life.”
I went through the door as if I knew what I was doing. and I thought for sure that everypony who passed me could read my intentions and knew I was a criminal. The vault was two doors before the bathroom. Its was huge made of steel and it had metal bars inside to protect it even more. It also had a magic detector that would detect any unicorn magic. A guard sat before it, at a small table. He was counting bits and putting it in bags with the vault open. I gulped. I paused before the guard looking past him to the interior of the vault. He looked up at me.
“Can I help you?” His voice was cold and he stared at me as a principal would look at a student without a hall pass.
I stammered, “I’m looking for the bathroom.”
The guard said, “There are no public restrooms in this bank.”
“Mr. Lock Hard said I could use the employees’ restroom. It’s kind of an emergency.” Please say it's okay
He relaxed a little. “End of the hall then. It’s certainly not here.”
I bobbed my head. “Right. Thank you.” I got a good look of the inside of the vault and went on my way. I went to the bathroom. Stayed there for two minutes and left the bank thanking Lock Hard when I passed him. I could have teleported but it would have been suspicious if a colt went to the bathroom in the bank and never came out. Okay, step two. Look up about banks and their security. I went inside an alleyway. Looked around and teleported to Canterlot Public Library I looked around making sure nopony saw me come out of nowhere and started reading the encyclopedia entries under Banks, Bank Robberies, Alarm Systems, Safes, Vaults, Time Locks, and Closed-Circuit Television, then skimming a book on industrial security systems that I found in Applied Technologies.
I looked around. I teleported back to Manehatten in my hotel room. Step three, buy what you need. I grabbed my dad's wallet filled with bits I stole and went to store using the last of my bits to buy gloves for my hooves, a scary pumpkin Halloween mask, some grey paint, and a flashlight. When I went to the register. The employee working the register looked at me weird. Probably wondering why I was buying this stuff and why a ten-year-old was out in Manehatten all alone. However, he just shrugged and I paid for the stuff I needed and now step four. Wait for night and just do it! Even though I could teleport without the use of magic and I planned a lot. It sounded easy I was still freaking out. I open the light grey paint and put it on both sides of my flank covering my cutie mark and waited for it to dry. It should be dry by tonight.
Once the clock in my room read eleven I decided it was time.
"Okay, Swift. You can do this." I put the gloves on and the mask. I grabbed the flashlight. Saw my cutie mark was covered and the paint was dry. Then I focused on remembering how the vault looked like from the inside. Closing my eyes picturing it. Then I teleported.
I wasn't sure I was in the vault, it was black. I didn’t hear any alarms, though, for all I knew, lights could be flashing on a dozen monitor consoles from the bank all the way to the police station. in. I flicked the flashlight switch and looked around. I was in the vault. I saw so much money. I looked for a light switch. By the vault door, there was a light switch. I turned it on and fluorescent lighting lit the room. There didn’t seem to be any TV cameras in the vault, and I couldn’t see any little boxes on the wall that looked like any of the heat sensors I’d read about that afternoon. No gas flooded from vents. No booby traps sprang into action. I turned off the flashlight and went to work. I starting grabbing bags of bits and teleporting to my hotel room and back leaving the bags in my hotel room. I wondered how much I stole. Count later, Swift. This was a pretty easy bank to steal. It was in the lower side of Manehatten. Guess that's why.
"I can't believe I'm doing this." I said to myself. I teleported about ten times and had a bunch of bags full of bits. I thought that was enough.
I looked at the clock and it read eleven twenty. I did it in twenty minutes.
The next morning I bought a huge saddlebag and carried all the bits I stole. It sure was heavy. I left my old hotel and luckily nopony questioned me what I was carrying. It was hard to carry but I pushed through the pain. I saw at a store a picture of a place called Rainbow Falls. It was a postcard saying wish you were here. It looked like the picture was taken in the outskirts of the village.
I went to an alleyway and whispered "Goodbye Manehatten. I closed my eyes and pictured the picture I saw of Rainbow Falls and before I knew it I was there. In the outskirts of the village.
Once I made it to the village I got myself a new identity. Went to a place to make myself an ID I was glad the place didn't ask for anything. The place was pretty shady. Guess this was the lower class of the village. I went to a bank in the higher class of the village. They really didn't care about how I got my money. I just said my dad owns a big company and once I said that they helped me out. I made an account. Moved into a nice apartment. Old me was dead. My new name was Relay. Now you're all caught up. Guess you think I'm lucky living a life like this. Well, you're wrong. Like I said. My life was about to all come crashing down.
