Need For Speed: Once Wanted

Chapters

Escape of A Street Racer
On The Lam
New Profession
From Street Racer to Bus Driver

Escape of A Street Racer

Lap 1

The revs from my car’s engine was blaring as my foot remained planted on the the gas pedal. All three of my rear view mirrors were flashing blue and red as cop cars seemed to be everywhere and all around me. I didn’t stop, nor did I plan to. If they wanted me, they were gonna have to make me crash to do so. I stomped on the breaks and made a sharp turn while skidding to the right and dodging any pedestrian traffic. Some of my pursuers also managed to evade some of the traffic but others weren’t so lucky as they either bashed into them or spun out due to breaking too much. It was a fleeting victory since I still had so many of these persistent bastards on my tail.

RING RING RING

My phone rang and looked to see a name that made me narrow my eyes and grit my teeth. I pressed the answer button on my wheel so the Bluetooth could pick up the call.

“Cross…” I growled as I dodged more oncoming traffic.

“Hey hotshot! Hey thanks for helping us out!” Cross mocked. “We’ve been able to pick up every Blacklist Racer thanks to you. Now I’ll take that into consideration, if you give yourself up. So what’s it gonna be?”

“You should know me by now, Cross, it’s not in my nature to just give up. So you can take your pinstripes and go fuck yourself,” I spat, avoiding a few cops trying to ram into me.

“You’re gonna regret those words, you shitty little punk! I’ll enjoy throwing you behind bars before making you watch me turn that ride of yours into scrap!” Cross barked before hanging up.

I scoffed as I kept driving like life depended on it. I glanced at my speedometer and saw I was going over 130mph at least, but didn’t care. I got what I wanted from that asshole, Razor, and his crew. I could also give less of a shit that he and his posey were all busted. I clawed my way through all 15 members of the Blacklist Racers. This is just who I was, a street racer who knew how to put the petal to the metal without the restrictions of law enforcement. I’ve got my old man to thank for that, he brought me with him here, to Rockport City, from my home town when I was only 10. He homeschooled me and put me behind the wheel when I was 14 and I won my first race when I turned 16. 14 years later, I wish he could see me now. All these cops on my tail and being able to trounce the Blacklist all on my own. If only Cross didn’t bust him 5 years ago.

In the distance, I saw two SUV police rams speeding towards me. I took a deep breath and focused my mind as I drowned out all sounds and focused in front of me. Time slowed down as the SUV’s drew closer. I then grabbed the wheel and jerked it to the left, making my car turn along with it. The force of the turn made my body jerk with my car as the opening I saw between the SUV’s shrank. I pressed more on the gas pedal and managed to thread the needle right between the two large vehicles and past them. As time sped up again, I glanced in my rear view mirror to see the SUV’s break so they wouldn’t crash into my other pursuers. Smirking to myself, I kept on driving through the chaotic streets of Rockport.

RING RING RING

I looked down once more to expect to see Cross’ name on my phone again, only to my surprise it was Mia of all people. I was about to answer when I spied a road block up ahead. The ringing of my phone, combined with the sirens all around me, almost made me crash into the roadblock had I not reacted at the last second. The worst thing to come of it is when I grazed the back of the cop car with side of my car. Once I was clear, I hit the answer button.

“Now’s not a good time, Mia!” I snapped. “You got a lot of nerve calling me!”

“Look, don’t hang up!” She pleaded. “You can’t go back to any of the safe houses, Cross knows about them.”

“Oh, I fucking wonder why?!” I spat. “Would’ve been nice to know my ex was a narc the whole time!”

“Ex…?”

“Well what did you think would happen?! I’d forgive you for lying to me?! Fat fucking chance!”

“I know I screwed up, but I wanna help you get out of Rockport!”

“And why would you do that? I thought it’s your job to catch criminals like me?”

“It doesn’t matter! Head over to the old bridge, the one that’s been out for years on the edge of town!”

“That bridge? Why?”

“Your car is fast enough to make the jump, it’s the only way! I’ll call you later.”

Before I could question her, she hung up. I weighed my options as I sped through the streets. Mia did have a point in this, that old bridge led to the outskirts of the city and the cops would have to go the long way around to catch up to me. Only as soon as they would rejoin that road, I’d be long gone. I checked my gas tank and saw that it had just passed the halfway point. I couldn’t keep driving like this forever. If the chopper I barely managed to shake off was any indication, Cross had every available unit after me. Including his personal band of elite Corvette Anti Street Racer Squad. With no other alternatives, I made another sharp turn and drove towards the edge of town.

I glanced back up in my rear view mirror to see a cop car I recognized out of the lot of them. It was Cross, and he was leading the pack and trying his best to gain up to me.

“Okay, Cross, one last race.” I said.

We sped through the streets and I evaded and slipped past any obstacle in my path. The scenery changed from city buildings to Rockport’s scenic neighborhood streets. I saw the turn coming up and knew I was almost to the finish line. Suddenly, as soon as I made the turn, something bashed into my car almost making me spin out. Once I regained control, I looked over to see Cross’ car right next to me. If it weren’t for my tinted windows, he’d be able to see my face but I could definitely see him. He was staring right at me, and his eyes looked like he wanted nothing more than to do what he promised me over the phone. Too bad for him, this was one race I had no intention of losing.

I floored it and drove past him until he was behind me, along with any other pursuers. My car’s engine made the whole frame seem to rumble and shake as I passed 140mph. I wanted to go faster, I wanted to escape, I wanted to beat Cross, I…wanted to win! That’s when I saw it, the old bridge, the finish line. It was now a straight shot and I had one chance. I then reached down and flipped open a switch that activated my car’s nitrous. I had to time it just right, this was my last tank of nitro and my only chance at freedom. Then, as soon as Cross was just about to catch up to me again, I flipped the switch and the force of speeding up made me jerk back into my seat.

My engine roared with power as the nitro burned through my car. My speedometer read that I was now going over 150mph, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200mph! The bridge was drawing nearer and nearer, Cross was now far behind me, I kept my arms locked in place, and my car shot into the air and over the bridge. My eyes were wide open, my car flew through the air, this bridge was wider than I expected, I held my breath for as long as I could. With a loud thud and the high pitch screeching of my tiers, my car landed back on the ground and I stomped on the break with both my feet and snapped the wheel to the right. My arms and legs strained as I tried to keep my car from flipping over. Soon, my car had come to a stop and finally sat idle in the middle of the road.

I slowly opened my eyes and looked around to see I was still alive. My car was a little knicked up but nothing too serious. I looked over to the other side of the bridge to see Cross had managed to stop just at the edge of the bridge as a few others had fallen into the water below. I watched as he angrily got out of his car and glared at me.

“YOU CRAZY SON OF A BITCH!!” He screamed at my car. “THIS ISN’T OVER!! NOT BY A LONG SHOT!! I WILL PERSONALLY MAKE SURE YOU ARE HUNTED DOWN BY EVERYONE WEARING A BADGE THIS SIDE OF THE COUNTRY!! THERE WILL BE NOWHERE TO HIDE AND YOU AND THAT RIDE OF YOURS WILL BE HISTORY!!”

I let out the breath I was holding in as I stared at Cross. He continued his little rant but I smiled, knowing that I finally beat him in a race as I would hope I would one day do. With nothing else to do or say, I pressed on the gas pedal and sped down the road and away from Rockport City.

3 Hours Later

I had been driving nonstop down the road as fast as I could for some time now. Before my gas tank completely dried out, I managed to park my car behind a few trees on the side of the road. For the past 15 minutes I’ve been sitting here in my car and tensing up whenever I heard a car pass by. It was still about an hour or two until the next town over but I didn’t think that was a good idea since Cross would’ve already put some kind of a B.O.L.O. by now on my car. I glanced outside and saw that the sun had already set and the moon was becoming more visible. It made me think of all the times my old man used to take me out for a midnight drive which made me smile a little. He probably would still be here and not in the box if Cross hadn’t got the drop on him.

My dad was also an infamous street racer of Rockport some years ago. I remember hearing about how he always gave the cops a run for their money each time he went out to race. Jonathan Cross was just a fresh detective out of the precinct but was always on my dad’s trail. One day, my dad took me for a race. There was this guy who challenged us to high stakes and it should’ve been a big payday. Only as we raced the guy, who we thought was another street racer, turned out to be a cop undercover. My dad shook the cops off me and boxed himself in so I could make my escape while he went down. Turns out it was Cross who led the bust and him taking my dad down led to his promotion as lead investigator for the traffic police. My car, the BMW M3 GTR, is my only memento to remember him by since he bought it for me for my birthday before he got busted.

RING RING RING

My phone rings once more and I look to see it Rog, my good friend, probably the only guy I could trust at the moment. I picked up my phone and hit the answer button.

“Hey man,” I said quietly.

“Well, well, well, guess my buddy down at the chop shop owes me $200,” Rog jokes over the phone. “You should hear the police chatter over the radio, Cross is pulling out all the stops just to find you. The whole city’s turned upside down after your big escape. Can’t go five minutes without hearing a fuckin’ siren pass by or in the distance.”

“Yeah well, that’s not gonna happen. Unless I can find a way to just disappear,” I retort, glancing out my window.

“You know, I might be able to help out with that,” Rog said. “But it depends how much you wanna disappear.”

“How does avoiding a possible national level warrant sound?” I challenged.

“Hmm, well since they don’t know what your face looks like, I guess it’s doable,” Rog hummed. “I might know the perfect area where you can lie low until the Statute of Limitations expire in your case.”

“Yeah? Where do you figure?” I wondered.

“Home.”

“Home? But I-”

“Kid, I meant your home.”

I flinched as I realized what he meant. Of all places, it had to be there, of all cities.

“…Canterlot City,” I mumbled.

“Yup, it’s the only place I can think of where Cross won’t find you.”

“But…I haven’t been there in 20 years.”

“Which is why it’s perfect. The first place anyone would think to look for you, is the last place anyone would expect. Even for Cross. I even have a new name for you and everything so you can stay out of Cross’ radar,” Rog explained.

I then herd a ping on my phone which meant I had gotten an email. I looked through my inbox and saw that it was from Rog and it had all sorts of things in it. Passport, new drivers license, social security number, the works. When I looked to see what my new name was, I arched a brow.

“Really? That’s the best name you could come up with?” I deadpanned.

“Hey, I had little time to get all this put together. If you got a problem with it, then you think of a good name,” Rog huffed.

“No, I guess it’s fine, thanks for this,” I chuckled.

“No problem. Also, your new credit card has been linked to your private account you use to transfer all your winnings to for the races you won. Can’t leave you high and dry once you head back.”

“How am I gonna even get to Canterlot City? It’s literally across the damn country and I can’t exactly drive in this car.”

“Don’t worry about that, I got a guy who’ll bring you an extra set of wheels from your collection of rides you pink slipped from some of the Blacklist. You just send me your location and I’ll send it to him.”

“Can you trust him?”

“If I didn’t, I’d come deliver the car myself.”

“Cool, so where can we meet so I can see you off?”

Rog was silent for a moment until I heard him sigh. “Sorry kid, but this’ll be the last we talk to each other for a while.”

“You’re not seeing me off?”

“More like I can’t even if I wanted to,” Rog said in a sympathetic tone. “You got a lot of heat on you, more than anyone ever thought possible. And you said it yourself, Cross might very well make your case national level. The only thing I can do for you is send you on your way with a new ID and ride. Once my guy drops off your new ride, he’ll switch with yours and hide it. It’s the only way to ensure you make it out with no strings attached.”

It made me a little bummed that I couldn’t see Rog before I left and disappeared, but he did have a point. I met Rog when my dad and I first came to Rockport looking for new opportunities. He was good friends with my dad and later me as I got older. In a way, Rog is sort of like the uncle I never had.

“I wish you could come with me,” I said solemnly.

“Same, kid, but I’ve already been inside once. I’d prefer to stay outside before they decide it’s time to come for me.”

“Come on Rog, I doubt they’d catch you with your skills. I should know, since I was able to beat you,” I joked.

“Laugh it up, you little shit, you’re lucky I wasn’t driving my main car I race with,” Rog chortled. “Anyway, it’s about time we end this conversation. Cross is bound to walk up my doorstep.”

“I guess I won’t be hearing from you for a while…”

“Look kid, don’t be too bummed out. We’ll meet again one day. And when we do, I owe you a race with my main ride.”

“You’re on,” I said playfully. “Thanks for everything, Rog, it means a lot for all you’ve done for my old man and I.”

“It’s been fun, kid, take care of yourself,” Rog bid farewell before hanging up. As soon as he did, I sent him my location so he could send it to his courier.

I sighed again and looked back out the window and waited for whoever it was that Rog sent. My mind then drifted to what I still remember back when I used to live in Canterlot City. I was only 10 years old when my old man took me with him to Rockport. A vaguely remember a few people I used to hang out with, one of them was my old friend Shining Armor. I remember how I’d always used to hassle him and never let him win any bike races we had with each other. He’d get so pissed that he once threatened to throw my bike under a car, not that he’d ever do it since we were such good buddies.

I also remember that I used to know this girl who I used to call Cherry. I think it was because of how her hair was pink like those cherry blossom flowers. I don’t remember what her actual name was, but I do recall that she was especially kind to me for some time. When I left Canterlot City, I was saddened to go since I never got the chance to say goodbye. Now it’s 20 years later and they’re both full grown adults by now. I wonder if they even remember me after all this time?

A pair of headlights later pulled up beside where I was parked and I noticed it was a tow truck. Behind it was indeed one of the cars I pink slipped from one of the Blacklist Racers. To my surprise and elated satisfaction, it was Ronnie’s Aston Martin DB9. The only reason why I recognized it was Ronnie’s is because it still had its body kit and I had taken it to the shop to get rid of those dumb decals and accessories Ronnie put all over it. I instead just gave it a new paint job and it now had a nice smooth purple shine to it. I decided to step out of my car and approach the tow truck, but was unprepared as to who would step out. Of all people to greet me, Mia closed the door behind her.

“Rog, you cleaver bastard,” I cursed as I turned right around.

“What? No thank you for dragging this thing all the way here?” Mia complained.

“You can go tell Rog that he’s a dumbass for trusting you,” I spat. “And you can tell Ronnie while he’s inside that I still think his car looks better with a simple paint job rather than it being loaded with decals.”

“I came alone,” Mia said.

“Did you now?”

“Do you see anyone else?”

“That remains to be seen, is Cross with you?”

“Would you just shut up and listen to me?” Mia snapped. “I don’t have a lot of time and you need to get going. Your friend came to me to deliver your new ride and give you this.” She reached behind her and pulled out an envelope.

“What’s that?” I wondered as I took the envelope.

“Your new ID info. He said he already emailed it to you but he had these made so I could pass them off.”

“Whatever, just lower the car and I’ll bring mine around,” I grumbled as I walked back to my car. Mia sighed behind me as I hopped back in my BMW. I turned the ignition, sparking the engine to life again, and pulled it up behind the truck as Mia lowered the Aston Martin. I watched as she got back out of the tow truck and climbed into the car and backed away. We both then got out of the cars and walked up to face each other.

“Here,” she said, tossing me the keys. “The tank is full so it should send you well on your way.” I nodded as I handed her my BMW’s keys and walked past her. “Hey, did you mean what you said on the phone? That…I was now your ex?”

I paused and looked over my shoulder. Mia looked at me with a frown but I just stared back with a blank expression. “All this time I thought there was some kind of connection between us. I thought you actually admired me and I let you in.” Mia didn’t say anything as I continued. “They blamed me for getting busted by the cops. It hurt my pride a little when they pointed their fingers at me. How do you think I should feel after finding out it was you all along?”

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Mia said.

“You didn’t really hurt me, but you did use me,” I said as I turned back to walk to my car. “Just make sure my ride is well hidden. I’ll be back for it once I’m in the clear.”

“That might take years,” Mia said.

“Yeah, it might, which is why I have no choice but to trust you to take care of it and keep it hidden. And to answer your question, yes, I did mean it.”

I opened the car door and looked back to Mia once more who rubbed her arm guiltily.

“Where will you go?” She asked.

“I think it’s best I don’t tell you that. For all I know, you could go straight to Cross,” I dismissed. “Goodbye Mia, take care of yourself.”

I climbed into the car and shut the door. I put the key in the ignition and turned the engine on. The car hummed to life as I checked to see if everything was in order. Once it was all set, I tossed the envelope on the passenger seat and pulled away. The last thing I saw in my rear view mirror was Mia wiping her eye and climbing into my BMW so she could position it to be towed away. I shook my head since I had other priorities in my head. I picked up my phone and punched in the directions to Canterlot City. As expected, the city was at least a few days drive. I glanced up at my rear view mirror to see a little bit of Rockport before it disappeared from view. I reached over to the envelope and opened it to pull out my passport.

“Well, guess I should get used to being called this,” I said. “So long, Rockport, it was a wild ride while it lasted.” I pressed more on the gas pedal and my Aston Martin sped up quickly. I opened my window and stuck my head out to feel the wind blowing against my face and hair. “I’m on my way home, Canterlot, John Doe is making a comeback!”

Author's Note

The life a street racer is a double edged sword. Will our unknown hero, who now dons the name John Doe, be able to avoid Cross for as long as it is required?

Side note: This game was the first racing game I’ve played seriously when I was young and I still remember having a blast playing it. Now it’s a story I hope to keep writing!

Hope you enjoyed!

~WurkyWilk has left the building…

On The Lam

Lap 2

5 Days Later

I rubbed my eyes as I exited the motel room I was staying at for the night, as the late afternoon sun shined down on me. It had been a long and mildly uncomfortable trip across the country, but I somehow managed to make it just a few hours away from Canterlot City without being pulled over or questioned by the cops. During my trip, it was as if every radio station was talking about the incident back in Rockport like it was the hottest news of the century. Not that I could blame them, since I left the city in a very chaotic state and Cross was probably losing his shit since I was able to get away. I yawned as I slung my new duffle bag full of clothes and essentials I bought along the way and trudged back to my car. I then saw that there were some young high school looking girls ogling my car.

One girl had rainbow hair with light blue skin and she looked like she was some kind of athlete. Another looked like a farm girl and wore a stetson with tan colored skin. Lastly, a girl with butter cream colored skin and light pink hair stood close to the others and she looked a little shy. As I walked up to my car, I could hear what they were saying.

“Holy crap! This thing must cost a ton!” The rainbow head said.

“It’s a pretty damn fine lookin’ car. That’s for damn sure,” The cowgirl agreed.

“It has such a nice color, I wonder who owns it?” The pink haired girl wondered in a shy tone.

“That’d be me,” I said, making her yelp and the others turn to me.

“This is your car?” The rainbow head asked.

“Yep,” I nodded, pulling out my keys and unlocking the door.

“Well shoot, mister, ya must do pretty well for yerself if you can score a snazzy lookin’ ride like this,” the farm girl commented.

“In a manner of speaking, I guess you can say that,” I shrugged as I tossed my duffle bag in the back seat.

“We’re sorry for staring too much,” the pink shy girl apologised.

“Oh please, I don’t mind it,” I waved it off. “She tends to draw a crowd all the time.”

“She?” They all said in unison.

“Well sure, all nice rides like this one are she’s,” I said.

“And why’s that?” The rainbow haired girl wondered.

“Because like all pretty ladies, a gentleman must always be sure to treat them right,” I said playfully.

“Oh god, that had to be the cheesiest line I’ve ever heard,” the rainbow haired girl groaned.

“If our other friend heard that, she’d definitely go ga-ga over you,” the cowgirl jokes.

“Is that right? Well to be fair, it’s just something my old man used to say all the time. He always had a knack for being, as you say, cheesy as hell,” I said, walking around to the driver’s seat. “By the way, mid if I ask you three a question?”

“Shoot,” The cowgirl said.

“I’m sorta new around these parts. I’m trying to get to Canterlot City, mind telling me how much farther I have?”

“Canterlot City? That’s where we live!” The rainbow haired girl said. “We’re about to head back ourselves from summer vacation.”

“Really? Huh, small world,” I chuckled.

“Yup, and you ain’t got that long to go, partner. Just keep going down that highway and you’ll get there in no time,” the farm girl said, pointing down the street towards the freeway entrance.

“Much obliged,” I nodded and climbed in my car. I put the key in the ignition and turned the key, making my car hum to life. The slight rev of the engine made the pink haired girl yelp and jump back a bit and the other two look at my car with great admiration. I rolled down my window and smiled at the girls. “You three have a nice day, and thanks again.”

They all waved goodbye as I drove away. I did as they instructed and followed the road towards the city. As I drove, memories of my brief time in Canterlot City came back to me. I wondered where Shining Armor ended up after I left? I think I remember him saying that his parents were thinking about doing something special soon but I never got the chance to find out what it was. And then there was that girl, Cherry. I still couldn’t place her name during my trip across the country. All I remember was her pretty pink hair and that warm smile of hers. Other than that, the years I spent with my dad and in Rockport City as a street racer mostly filled my mind. I decided to turn on the radio to listen to some tunes as I drove.

“We return with the latest news of the high speed chase that transpired in Rockport City,” the radio said, making me flinch. “The eastern city seemed to have an infamous streak of street racers that terrorized its citizens. Including the notorious Blacklist Racers who were said to be the most dangerous drivers in the city. However recently, a lone street racer, whose face and name remain unidentified, single handedly dismantled their entire operation while also tearing his way through the streets and causing major property damage. The Lead traffic police officer, Jonathan Cross, tracked down and arrested the Blacklist Racers and then called in every available unit to chase down the lone racer. Unfortunately, the street racer was able to evade the police pursuers by jumping the abandoned Creek Bridge on the edge of the city where he made his escape. Authorities have yet to locate this dangerous street racer and are asking anyone to be on the lookout for a white BMW sports car with blue racing stripes. If anyone sees anything matching the description of the criminal’s vehicle, please call your local authorities as soon as possible, thank you.”

I turned the radio off and sighed as I continued to drive along the highway. Cross was quick on his word and actually made my case national level. Now the whole country is looking for me, but more specifically my car. I hope Mia was good on her word and hid the BMW well enough as to not get discovered. Knowing Cross, he would no doubt try and use it to find me and send it to the scrap heap. I still recall how I left her that night, by herself after I called things off with her. I shook my head so I wouldn’t dwell on such things. Mia was behind me and as was Rockport. I needed to focus on the now and keep my mind focussed on laying low until the heat dies down so I can head back to Rockport for my BMW.

A few more hours went by and it was now a little after noon. My destination was now in sight and I felt myself smile a little. Canterlot City looked so much different than before, much bigger and a lot more people than when I was a kid. First thing’s first, I needed to find a place to stay. Nothing too fancy and nothing too run down, I just need someplace simple enough to settle down for the time being. I drove through the city streets in search of a place that had vacant apartment rooms. They all seemed nice and I almost went for a nice loft but I needed to remind myself what I was really looking for. I had finally come across a five story building that looked pretty average from the others.

I pulled in the parking lot, parked my car, and headed to the office to see if they had any spare rooms. There was a woman behind the counter wearing glasses and a simple sweater vest. Her hair was dark brown and styled in a ponytail tied with a hair tie. She was watching something on a small TV but I froze for a moment. She was watching the news, and they were showing pre recordings of some of the high speed chases of me and Cross.

“Oh, hello,” the lady said, muting the TV. “Can I help you?”

“Uh…yeah,” I mumbled, tearing my gaze from the TV. “I’m new in town and I’m looking for an apartment to rent.”

“I see, well you’re in luck,” the lady said as she pulled out a binder. “We have 3 rooms available for rent. There’s one on the second floor, third floor, and fifth floor of the building.”

“Are any of them not near the elevator?” I wondered.

“The one on the fifth floor is on the other side of the building, if that’s what you’re looking for?”

“Sounds great, I’ll take it.”

“Perfect, now I am required to tell you that the room comes with the essential furniture such as a bed, a couch, charis, etc. Any other additions to your room, you must clear with me so I can see if it is allowed or not. The rent is due by the end of every month and the cost is about $700-$1,000, is that acceptable?”

“Yep, no argument here,” I nodded. “I can pay it automatically.”

“Good, do you perhaps have any form of employment?”

“Not exactly, as I said, I’m new in town.”

The lady scratched her chin for a moment then smirked at me. “You know, I have a friend at the local high school who told me that they are looking for a bus driver. The old one quit and the staff has had to settle with using their own teachers as substitute drivers until they can find a new one.”

“No offence, but what makes you think I wanna be a bus driver?” I asked.

“You like to drive, don’t you? That fancy car that’s parked out there says it all,” the lady commented, pointing at my Aston Martin.

“Heh, I guess you got me,” I chuckled. “But a bus seems like a bit of a downgrade from my actual ride.”

“Hey, it’s better than flipping burgers over a greasy grill right?”

“God forbid…” I shuddered. “Fine, I’ll look into it.”

“Great, and it’s perfect timing too. The new school year is about to start next week and I think they would be very appreciative for a fresh face like yourself to fill the position in.”

“Here’s hoping, thanks for the opportunity Ms…”

“Harley, Harley Silver,” she said, extending her hand.

“John Doe,” I said my fake name back, shaking her hand.

“John Doe?”

“Yeah, I know, that’s the name people use when they don’t know the name of someone else. But trust me, it’s my actual name my dumbass of an old man gave me.”

“Heh, no fooling?” Harley giggled. “Well John, I think this might be the start of a great friendship.”

She opened the binder and pulled out the paperwork for me to sign. After I finished filling out the paperwork, Harley gave me my room key and I headed up to my new room. I rode the elevator up and walked down the hall to reach the door with the numbers 512 on the door and unlocked it. The apartment was a simple studio apartment, nothing fancy, an average sized bed with a sofa on the other side of the room and a couple of chairs. The kitchen was a bit small but nothing too fancy and it was all split off by a wall that led to the bedroom. I tossed my duffle bag on the bed and approached the sofa and slumped down with a heavy sigh.

“Finally made it,” I said contently. “I wonder what’s on?”

I reached over to pick up the remote on the little nightstand beside the sofa and turned on the TV. Only as soon as I did, the news was on and they were still going over everything about me and my car chases. The mere sight of me in one of my old cars, driving away at high speeds away from the cops made me turn the TV off immediately and put me in a sour mood.

“Ugh, I’ll just take a damn nap instead,” I grumbled as I grabbed a pillow on the sofa as I picked my feet up and laid down. I waited until my eyes slowly shut and I drifted off to sleep.

2 hours later

I sluggishly woke up and yawned loudly and smacked my lips. As I picked myself up from the sofa, I glanced out the window to see that it was now night time. I rubbed my eyes and stretched my arms out but was still groggy from my nap. I was about to just throw off my clothes and call it a night but my stomach said otherwise as it growled loudly. My dad always told me that it was never good to sleep on an empty stomach. I grabbed my apartment key and trudged towards the door and locked it and headed down to go and find a place to grab a quick bite. Harley was still at the desk, but she looked half asleep so I decided not to bother her. I pulled out my smartphone and checked to see if there were any fast food joints open nearby and saw there was a burger joint just around the corner. I would drive there, but I felt as though I could use the exercise.

I then exited the building and walked down the street towards the restaurant. It was a quiet night here in Canterlot City and I could hear some cars passing by in the distance. I sometimes heard what sounded like cars speeding by but I figured it wasn’t likely in a city like this. I eventually made it to my destination and saw it was an outdoor seating restaurant. I could see through the windows a bald fat guy at a grill flipping burgers and was actually smiling at his work. As I walked up to the window, I noticed there was a woman sitting at one of the open tabes. I had to do a bit of a double take on her as I walked past her since she was probably the hottest woman I’ve ever seen.

She wore a light purple shirt that exposed her flat stomach and dark blue short shorts that hugged her ass and thighs nicely. Her hair was a midnight blue color, her eyes were a pretty light blue, and her skin was a light midnight blue. She seemed to not notice me since she was reading a book and munching on some fries and had a drink next to her. I shook my head and waited for the guy to come and take my order. The man looked up from the grill and smiled as he walked over and leaned his head down to talk through the open window.

“Welcome to Big Billy Bob’s Burgers,” he greeted in a kind tone. “Name’s Big Billy Bob, what can I get you son?”

“Just a burger and fries please,” I said as I pulled out my wallet.

“Coming right up, $6.50, cash only,” Billy Bob said as he walked back to the grill.

I fished a $10 bill out of my wallet and placed it on the window and he swiped it and stuffed it in his pocket. I turned around to see the woman was looking at me curiously and I just gave her a mock wave and was left to my thoughts.

“You seem to be new to this city,” the woman said, making me turn back to her.

“What makes you say that?” I asked.

“I usually come here to Mr. Billy Bob’s every now and then and see a variety of people pass by. Yet I have not seen your face before. I can only assume you are either new to the city or this is your first time at this establishment.”

“Well that’s certainly an impressive deduction, miss,” I chuckled. “But to answer your question, you’re half right.”

“Half right? How so?”

“I’m an old resident of Canterlot City,” I explained. “I moved away here at a young age with my old man and just got here earlier today.”

“Is that right? Then tell me, where is it you are returning from?”

“Rockport City.”

“Rockport City?!” Billy Bob snorted as he peeked through the window. “That place has gone crazy with all those street racer thugs driving around! Especially that one guy who gave the cops the slip and is now being hunted down by every cop on the Eastern Seaboard! I heard he’s also got a huge ass bounty on his head, which is impressive, for a street racer.”

“It must have been difficult to live in such a dangerous city with individuals like those street racers,” the woman said. “You were wise to leave when you did.”

“I agree with little Luna here, you dodged a bullet leaving that shit hole!” Billy Bob chortled as he went back to grilling.

“It…wasn’t all bad,” I shrugged. “It was tough, but my old man and I managed.”

“I see, and where is your father?”

“He’s, uh…not around anymore,” I said sadly.

“Oh…I’m so sorry, I did not intend-”

“Don’t worry about it,” I waved my hand dismissively. “You didn’t know so it’s fine. He said your name is Luna, right?”

“Indeed, my name is Luna, and you are?”

“John Doe, a pleasure to meet you,” I nodded.

“John Doe? That cannot be your real name, can it” Luna asked, unconvinced.

Is it gonna be like this with everyone I tell my fake name to?

“Yep, I’m afraid it is,” I chuckled. “I know what you’re thinking, why do I have a name that sounds like it’s used for those who can’t be ID’d? Well I’ve got my old man to thank for that. But I promise you that it’s my real name.”

“I see, well then I suppose it is also a pleasure to meet you as well,” Luna said with a curt nod.

“So what brings you to this fine establishment in the middle of the night?” I asked sarcastically.

“Oh I always like to sneak over to Mr. Billy Bob’s for a little snack,” Luna giggled. “My older sister would disagree, but I always found these fast food restaurants to be quite tasty.”

“You have a sister?” I asked and she nodded. “Huh, wouldn’t have pegged you to have a sibling, considering how easy on the eyes you are.”

“Why thank you, Mr. Doe,” Luna said with a small blush. “You do not look so bad yourself.”

“Thanks, I guess I would be thankful that I didn’t end up looking like my old man,” I joked, earning another giggle from Luna.

“Order up, kid!” Billy Bob called out as he plopped a small brown bag with a few grease stains. I saw him reach into his pocket to fish out the change he owed me but I waved my hand at him.

“Keep the change, big guy,” I insisted as I grabbed my meal.

“Really?”

“Yeah, and consider it a tip,” I added.

“Ha! Well thanks a lot, kid! I like you already!” Billy Bob laughed as he went back to clean his grill.

“Well it was nice talking with you, Luna, I gotta get home now to rest for my job interview,” I said.

“You as well, Mr. Doe, and I wish you luckon your job interview,” Luna said as we both waved and I walked away.

I reached into the bag and pulled out a couple fries and ate them. I guess I see why Luna likes going to that place so much, Billy Bob knows how to make his fires and I can only imagine what the burger tastes like. Though as I walked back to my apartment, I heard more tire screeching and even some sirens in the distance. I knew those sounds all too well, I guess even this city has its fair share of street racers. But I wouldn’t dwell on that anymore. I’m now a retired street racer on the lam. I can only hope I can stay out of trouble and out of Cross’ radar until I’m in the clear.

Author's Note

John’s arrival was easy, but will his stay be the same?

Hope you enjoyed!

~WurkyWilk has left the building…

New Profession

Lap 3

BEEP BEEP BEEP

“What the hell…?”

I groaned as I reached over to my phone to turn off the alarm. I tapped the screen to put it on snooze mode but couldn’t find the damn bottom which agitated me to the point where I was just slapping it. Eventually, I managed to stop the alarm and sighed as my eyes opened, but just barely. It was still kinda dark in my apartment and I had to remind myself why I set my alarm so damn early. It’s been a few days since I arrived in Canterlot and today was Sunday. I had to stop by the local high school so I could apply to be the new bus driver. It wasn’t exactly the job I saw myself doing here as a cover up job, but hey, it was better than nothing. I sluggishly picked myself up from my bed and stood in the middle of my room for a moment. My body then leaned forward and I fell to the floor but caught myself with my hands and began doing rapid fire push ups.

Another little piece of advice my old man taught me is to always stay in shape. A healthy mind helps keep your perception sharp and to keep your wits about you. Dad always had me exercising, working on cars, or studying homeschool work whenever I wasn’t racing. I sometimes wish he was still here with me instead of rotting in a cell, but I guess beggars can’t be choosers. I soon finished my last set of push ups and slipped over on my back to do sit ups. My body started to strain from the workout but it was a good kind of strain. About another 15 minutes later, I finished my sit ups and stood back up. I checked the clock to see that it was about 7:30 in the morning. I soon hopped in the shower, washed the sweat off my body, and got dressed for the day. My outfit consisted of blue jeans, black shoes, white t-shirt, and a brown leather jacket. I combed my short light brown hair up to style it and grabbed my keys and wallet. With everything set, I left my apartment and made my way down to my car. Harley didn’t seem to be awake yet since she wasn’t at her desk. It was unfortunate that she couldn’t see me off but I guess not everyone was a morning person.

“Hey John!”

I turned around to the front door to see the woman in question walk in. The sight of her was sure easy on the eyes since she looked like she came back from a run. She wore black skin tight yoga pants, a white sports bra, white tennis shoes, and she had one of those arm straps you can strap your phone in. She looked a little out of breath as she walked up to me with a welcoming smile.

“Morning Harley,” I greeted her.

“You headed to apply to be the new bus driver?” She asked.

“Sure am, I didn’t know you did morning runs.”

“It’s just a hobby I do to stay in shape,” Harley shrugged. “Do you run, John?”

“Sometimes, I’m more of a physical exerciser rather than cardio,” I said.

“Maybe we can go for a run together?” Harley offered.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but that sounded like you were asking me on a date,” I said playfully, making her laugh and slug my arm.

“Ha ha, very funny,” she said sarcastically, making me chuckle. “It’s just a normal outing between friends.”

“I know, I was just messing with you. Sure, we can go running sometime,” I nodded. “I’ll let you know when I’m free.”

“Great! I won’t hold up any more of your time so you should get going to the school,” Harley said.

“I’ll do that, see you later,” I said as I waved her goodbye.

I left the building and walked straight to my car. The sun was just starting to rise in the sky and the cool air was a nice and comforting feeling on my skin. Once I got in my car, I reached in my glove box and pulled out a pair of sunglasses to put on for the morning sun and began my drive to the high school. As I drove, I wondered what it would’ve been like if I stayed in Canterlot. Canterlot High School would’ve been my old stomping grounds and I’d be one of those people who would give the students some helpful advice. Then again, high school wasn’t really my thing anyway and homeschool taught me more than enough.

I finally made it to the high school and was impressed by its size and impressive structure. If I was a man from the medieval times, I’d mistaken this place as some kind of castle. As I pulled into the parking lot, there were a few teens here and there walking up to the building, most likely freshmen enrolling for the new year. It was amusing to see the looks on each of their faces when they saw my car pull up, all slack jawed and in awe which made me chuckle. I parked my car and tucked my phone and wallet in my pocket after shutting the car off and looked in the mirror.

“Well, here goes everything,” I said to myself.

I stepped out of my car and closed the door and locked it. As soon as I stepped away from the car, all eyes that were on the car were now directed towards me. The young teen boys looked at me like I was some kind of famous celebrity and the girls all had that dreamy look like I was some kind of magazine model. I ignored their stares, but couldn’t help but hear what they said as I approached the main entrance of the school.

“Holy crap, that car is so wicked!”

“Who is that guy? How is he rich enough to afford a car like that?”

“Oh my god, he’s so hot~!”

“I know right?! Those sunglasses make him look so cool.”

“Is he a new teacher? Oh please tell me we get to have him as a new teacher!”

“Maybe I can ask him to let me take that car out for a spin?”

“Dude, are you crazy? He’d never let you anywhere near that sweet ride.”

“He’s so dreamy~, should I ask him for his number?”

“Pfft, kids these days,” I chuckled to myself.

I opened the main doors of the school and walked through the halls and took off my sunglasses. There seemed to be more students walking around and stole a few glances my way, to which I just ignored them all the same. Harley told me that I needed to speak with the Principle of the school in order to be interviewed for the bus driver job so I decided to make my way there. Thankfully, the office wasn’t that hard to find after a few turns here and there. I approached the door and gave it a few knocks and waited. The door soon opened to reveal the one person I didn’t expect to meet so soon.

“Mr. Doe?”

“Luna?”

Lo and behold, Luna stood right in front of me wearing more formal attire than when I first met her. She wore a nice light purple button up, dark blue slacks, and white heels. On the collar of her shirt was a small pin that looked like a crescent moon.

“Fancy meeting you here, Mr. Doe,” Luna smiled at me.

“Likewise, and more surprising as well,” I added. “I assume you work at this school?”

“Indeed I do, I am the Vice-Principle of Canterlot High School,” Luna said proudly.

“Well I’ll be damned, Vice-Principal? Never expected that to be your profession,” I said.

Luna giggled and stepped to the side. “Please come in, Mr. Doe, let us discuss this inside the office.”

“Sure, and you can call me just John,” I said as I walked past her. The office was pretty average sized as Luna led me to a room that had her name on the door, presumably her office. She opened the door for me again, to which I thanked her, and she shut the door behind her and sat at her desk as I took my seat.

“So tell me, John, to what do I owe your sudden visit to Canterlot High?” Luna asked as she folded her hands on her desk.

“Well I had heard that the school was in search of a new bus driver and the staff has had to settle with taking turns driving the students to school. I thought I’d fill that position and save you all the trouble of dealing with whiny teenage kids in the morning,” I explained.

“You wish to be our new bus driver?” Luna asked, a little surprised. “How unexpected, I assumed you would have liked to join the staff as a new teacher.”

“As interesting as that might have been, I was home schooled by my old man so I wouldn’t know the first thing about teaching in a classroom,” I said.

“It is like peeling an onion with you, John, I would not have guessed you were homeschooled.”

“Well, if you get to know me more as time goes on, you’re bound to peel more layers,” I joked.

“I agree,” Luna giggled. “However, you do realize that being a bus driver is not something I can just give to you. When you are driving, the lives of the students are quite literally your responsibility. It is in your best interest to ensure that they arrive to and from our school safe and sound. Not to mention that you must also be sure to not make any of the students late to class.”

“Safe driving is what I’m all about, Luna,” I said, hiding my belligerent lie. “If you give me a chance, I can prove I’m the right man for the job.”

“So you say,” Luna said.

“So I know,” I countered confidently.

“Do you even know how to drive a large vehicle such as a bus?”

“My old man also made it a bit of a hobby for me to learn how to drive many forms of motorized vehicles in my spare time. I drove a bus on weekends for a few years.”

“Very well John, I am one to believe in people with good intentions such as yours so I shall offer you a deal,” Luna reached into a drawer in her desk and pulled out some paperwork. “This is the job application for the bus driver position. You will fill this out now and I shall present it to the Principal in two weeks. During these two weeks, if you can prove that you are a careful and mindful driver to safely transport our students, then we shall make your employment here at Canterlot High School official. Do you agree?”

“Sounds easy enough, you got yourself a deal,” I nodded and shook her hand.

“Terrific, here are the keys to the bus that is parked in the back of the school,” Luna said as she reached in the drawer again and pulled out a set of keys. “The school starts its classes around 8:00am on weekdays. The bus route is in the bus so I recommend you memorize it for future reference.”

“Got it,” I said as I reached for the keys but Luna pulled it away.

“I hope I am making the right decision with you, John, I was not kidding when I said the lives of the students are in your hands.”

“I promise not to let you down, Luna, coming back to Canterlot is a bit of a fresh start for me than what I was doing back in Rockport. Even if it’s just a simple bus driver job, I plan to do my best.”

“I am happy to hear that John, and there is something else I feel as though I should share with you,” Luna said as she handed me the keys. “Recently, Canterlot City has had a few strings of street racer cases popping up.”

“What? Street racers? Here?” I was surprised and she nodded.

“For about a month now, the authorities have always tried and pursued them but their vehicles seem to be too fast before they can even begin the chase. They usually operate mostly during the night when there are less people driving about, but there have been times when some of them dare to race in broad daylight. I am telling you this because you should always be aware of your surroundings when operating a bus full of students,” Luna explains.

Guess that confirms what I’ve been hearing for the past few nights now. I thought to myself. Damn, and here I thought I’d be able to get away from street racing for good.

“I appreciate the concern, Luna, and I promise you that I won’t let anything happen to anyone as long as I’m behind the wheel,” I said, reassuringly.

“Then that is all I need to hear,” Luna stood up and I followed and we shook hands. “I welcome you to Canterlot High School and as our new bus driver, John Doe.”

“Happy to be part of the staff, Vice-Principal Luna,” I said with a smile.

Elsewhere In The City
3rd POV

In one of the abandoned buildings, in the outskirts of town to the south, the sounds of engines revving could be heard from outside and made the very gravel shiver and shake. Within the building sat dozens of cars, all of which were custom made and painted. In the back of the building were a gang of young adults, all wearing street clothing and looking like they hadn’t a care in the world as they revved some of the car’s engines just for fun. One of the gang members got a notification on his phone and pulled it out to see it. Only once he saw what was sent to him, his eyes widened as he scrambled from his spot to see the leader.

“Bro! Bro check this out!”

On an open couch sat a large man wearing torn jeans, black jacket, and brown boots. His hair was styled in a green mohawk and there were a couple of girls sitting next to him. He lazily opened his eye to see one of his underlings standing next to him with a shocked expression.

“This better be good,” the leader growled. “I’m trying to listen to some tunes.”

“Sorry, bro, but my little shit of a brother took this photo of a sweet ride!” The underling said as he showed the photo. Said photo showed a picture of an expensive looking purple tinted Aston Martin sports car. Any nearby gang members crowded in to look at the photo.

“Holy shit, look at that thing!”

“Is that a real Aston Martin? Those things are a bit rare around these parts.”

“Look at that tint! And the body on that thing!”

“How fast do you think it can go?”

“SHUT IT, THE LOT OF YOU!” The leader barked as he quickly stood up. He glared at the underling who still held his phone up to him. “Where was this taken?”

“Uh…I think my brother took this in front of that high school across town,” the underling said nervously.

“That place? Why would it be parked all the way over there?”

“Did some student’s parents buy it for them?”

“Doubt it, I mean there are plenty of rich big wigs in Canterlot, but I doubt even they would go out of their way to buy a freaking Aston Martin.”

“I SAID SHUT IT! OR I’LL PINSTRIPE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR RIDES!” The leader threatened, shutting everyone up. “This asshole thinks he can just waltz up in my town and flaunt his shiny car like it’s nothing? Ha! He’s lucky I like shiny cars like this one.” The leader then turned to his gang. “Stripes! Screech! Ramps!” Three gang members walked up to the leader. “Head over to that part of the city and find out who owns this ride and how he got it! If he’s some kind of new racer, I wanna know about it! Got it?!”

“Yes bro!” They all said and ran off to get in their rides.

“There’s only one street race gang around these parts, and that’s us,” the leader chuckled to himself with an evil looking smirk. “It certainly doesn’t need anymore upstarts to take all the fun out!”

From Street Racer to Bus Driver

Lap 4

The days since my meeting with Luna dragged on with nothing interesting happening whatsoever. To be honest I was bored out of my mind with nothing to do, all I could do was wait until my first day as a bus driver came. However, as I minded to myself, I decided to do a little digging in these street racers Luna told me about. I had heard that they’re actually a small time gang on the south side of town where cops don’t usually patrol. It started out small with just a handful of people and over time they had grown. Those who don’t affiliate with the gang tend to stay mostly indoors since it’s too dangerous to roam outside. Which is understandable since you never know when a car will come speeding down a pedestrian area going 80mph.

I had just got done from a morning run and breathed a sigh of relief as I entered the parking lot. I wore a pair of athletic shorts, runners, and a skin tight tank top. I held my arms over my head and took deep breaths to collect my oxygen as I walked through the doors of my apartment. Harley was listening to music and didn’t notice me walk in until I neared her desk and she looked up.

“You know, this usually is the time that most people stay sleeping,” I joked.

“Yeah, then why are you up so early?” Harley asked.

“I’m the school bus driver, that’s why.”

“Fair enough, so today’s your first day?”

“Yep, I mapped out the route during my runs so it should be pretty easy to follow.”

“That’s why you’ve been running these past few days? Wow, you seem to be pretty committed to this bus driver gig.”

“And I’ve got you to thank for it,” I said as I walked past her.

“You still owe me for that run we’re supposed to do together!” Harley called out.

“Maybe this weekend, depending on how my job goes!”

About a half hour later, I was dressed and on my way to the school to begin my new job. I pulled into the staff parking area and parked my car. I looked once more in the mirror and fixed my hair and smiled.

“Show time,” I said as I got out of my car and headed over to where the bus was parked.

The bus looked like your run of the mil bus and looked as slow as it did big. I opened the double doors and looked inside to see the rows of seats just waiting to be filled by the students I was gonna pick up. I sat in the driver’s seat and put the key in the ignition. Not only was this thing big, but it was loud too as I got a feel for the steering.

“Alright, old girl, let’s see if you can be nice to a former street racer like me,” I thought out loud.

I pulled out of the driveway and drove up to my first stop for the day. I made it to a small neighborhood where there was already a group of teens waiting for me. Most of them already looked dead tired from waking up early as I pulled up and opened the double doors. They climbed aboard the bus, said their good mornings, and took their seats.

Alright, so far so good.

“Hey mister,” I heard one of the teens call out. “You don’t look like any of the staff, are you new?”

“Yep, I was hired as your new bus driver last week, name’s John Doe,” I replied.

“John Doe? Sounds fake,” the teen said.

“Yeah, I get that a lot,” I chuckled.

I made it to my second stop which was closer to the downtown area. More kids were waiting for me, and among them were a few girls who I recognized while arriving in town. They were the same girls who were admiring my car and I saw that the rainbow head teen looked half asleep while her friends looked wide awake. I opened the double doors and watched as they piled in and saw the three girls walk up the small steps.

“Hey, I know you!” The rainbow head said. “You’re the guy we met a while back!”

“We meet again,” I smirked. “How was the rest of your summer?”

“Well shoot, partner, didn’t expect to see ya so soon,” the country girl said.

“Neither did I, funny how life works sometimes.”

“Um…hello again, sir,” the shy girl whispered.

“Morning, go on and take your seat.”

She nodded as she joined her friends as they sat right behind me as I pulled away.

“So how did a guy like you, who drives a sweet looking car like that, end up driving a school bus of all things?” the rainbow head wondered.

“Eh, it seemed like an easy gig so I took it,” I shrugged. “Didn’t really feel like flipping patties over a grill.”

“Makes sense, I guess, so what’s your name mister?”

“First of all, I’m only 30 years old so being called mister makes me feel old. Second, name’s John Doe.”

“John Doe? That can’t be your real name, isn’t that what people who don’t have names use?”

“I get that a lot, but rest assured it’s my true name,” I chuckled.

“But-”

“Leave the feller alone, Dash, if he says it’s his name then leave it be,” the farm girl said. “My name’s Applejack by the way, partner.”

“Whatever, I’m Rainbow Dash, remember it,” Rainbow said.

“I’ll certainly try.”

“Um…my name is Fluttershy,” the shy girl whispered.

“Come again? Can’t really hear you because of the bus,” I said as I stopped at a stop light.

“My name is Fluttershy,” she said a bit louder.

“Fluttershy?” I said and she nodded as she hid behind her hair. “Huh, well met then.”

I had made a few more stops and had only two more to go. The bus looked like it was a little over half full and the kids were all just conversing amongst themselves as I drove. My drive then led me to a street that was near the shopping district and there were more kids waiting at the stop. One of the teens looked like some kind of fancy and all posh as she held a tiny mirror and was doing her makeup. She had snow white skin, sapphire blue eyes, and her hair was all quaffed with purple curls. She wore a light blue top and a purple skirt with three diamonds sewn on it, and purple high heel boots.

Next to her was a girl who was hopping in place and had the brightest smile I’ve ever seen. She had light pink skin and her hair was a darker pink and looked aas poofy as cotton candy. She wore a blue and white top and a pink skirt and light blue tennis shoes. I pulled up to the curb and opened the double doors for them as they and the other kids stepped inside.

“Good morning darlings, it is good to see you all again after a delightful summer!” The white skinned girl said in a posh tone.

“Hey, Rares, good to see you again,” Rainbow waved. “What did you do over the summer?”

“Oh, I traveled to France with my family!” Rarity said cheerfully as she sat with the others. “It was such a wonderful experience! My mind has been bustling with new ideas for new clothes.”

“HIYA!” The pink girl chirped, seemingly appearing out of nowhere and in my face.

“Uh…hey?” I said.

“You’re new! I don’t remember you from last year, what’s your name? I’m Pinkie Pie! I like parties, cake, cookies, cake, my friends, cake, balloons, cake-”

“Pinkie! Let the man drive! We’re gonna be late for school!” Applejack snapped.

The pinkie girl, named Pinkie Pie, giggled and hopped to her seat and sat with the other girls. I shook my head and stifled a laugh at the energetic display of the kid as I drove away and continued my route.

“I don’t believe we have gotten acquainted, sir,” the posh girl said.

“He’s the new bus driver, apparently,” Rainbow answered.

“Yep, name’s John Doe, pleasure to meet you,” I said as I looked in the rear view mirror with a smile.

“Oh my, well he does seem like a gentleman,” the posh girl giggled. “I am Rarity Belle, darling, an equal pleasure to meet you as well.”

“It’s also nice to meet you, Pinkie Pie,” I said, glancing at the hyperactive pink girl.

“I still find it hard to believe that someone like you, who owns a sweet car like that, would stoop to being a bus driver of all things,” Rainbow chortled.

“Rainbow Dash! Don’t be so rude!” Rarity shrieked. “Whatever vehicle Mr. Doe drives has got nothing to do with why he has agreed to become our bus driver.”

“Oh yeah?” Rainbow smirked as she pulled out her phone and tapped it a few times. “You wouldn’t be saying that if you saw him driving this.”

Rainbow showed Rarity her phone, with Pinkie leaning in to also get a good look, and went slack jawed. No doubt she was showing her a picture of my Aston Martin and looked at me like I had an extra head or two.

“This is your car?” Rarity asked.

“Yep, bought it myself with almost all of my savings,” I lied, knowing full well I still had plenty of funds from street racing.

“Wowie! That’s an Aston Martin! The engine must be a 4.0L 3982CC V8 FI Turbo!” Pinkie said, making us do a double take at the girl.

“How the hell do you know about engines?” I asked.

“My sister is a bit of a grease monkey, she’s always trapping herself in the basement cause she’s working on a car she’s building. During meals, she always mutters to herself and never realizes that we can hear her. You’d be amazed at how much she talks to herself about cars, so it all kinda stuck!”

“Huh, go figure,” I hummed as I arrived at my next stop.

“Forgive me, Mr. Doe, but something grand such as an Aston Martin is, shall we say, uncommon to own here in Canterlot City. And, given your newfound profession, I am hesitant to believe you could own such a vehicle.”

“Wow, and you tell me not to be rude,” Rainbow scoffed.

As the next batch of kids climbed into the bus, I smirked as I reached into my pocket and pulled out my car keys. I tossed the keys behind me, making Rarity yelp as they fell into her lap, and her eyes went wide once she saw the Aston Martin logo on my car key.

“You believe me now? That key’s real, and the car is parked in the lot back at the school,” I said with a shit eating grin.

“We can actually vouch for him ownin’ the thing, Rarity,” Applejack said. “Rainbow, Fluttershy, and I met this feller on the way back from visiting mah relatives when we went to visit my little cousin. The thing is much prettier in person and the sound of the engine is somethin’ else, let me tell ya.”

“It’s a very nice car, or at least, that’s what I think,” Fluttershy said.

Rarity seemed to be at a loss for words as she gazed at my car key. As she handed it back to me, she had stars in her eyes and a wide smile.

“Oh my goodness! You must allow me to bear witness to this magnificent vehicle! I have always wondered what an Aston Martin looks like in person!”

“Sure, you and everyone else can see it once we get back to the school,” I shrugged as I tucked my keys back in my pocket.

“You sure are a strange guy, Mr. Doe, what did you even do to afford a car like that?” Rainbow wondered.

“I was part of my old man’s family business,” I lied, hoping they’d buy it. “He gave me the job when I was only 14 or 15, about you girls’ age, and I’d been saving up ever since. I bought and customized that car with every penny I earned.”

“Wow, and where did ya say you came from?” Applejack asked.

“Rockport City.”

“What?!” They all gasped.

“Holy crap! You’re from Rockport?! That’s like, crazy far away!” Rainbow said.

“Gracious, darling, not to mention that the news has been reporting nonstop about the incident a few weeks ago,” Rarity added.

“Are you talking about that street racer guy?” Rainbow asked.

“I also heard about it on the news, it was super wild!” Pinkie chirped.

“And plum dangerous too,” Applejack said. “To think a guy could cause that much damage all by himself, it’s sorta unbelievable if ya think about it.”

“It must have been quite difficult to live in such a city with all those speed crazed brutes, Mr. Doe,” Rarity said.

“Eh, kinda,” I lied again. “But I mostly kept to myself.”

“What made you move all the way to Canterlot? If you don’t mind me asking,” Fluttershy asked.

“A fresh start,” I shrugged. “Got tired of all the damn noise and wanted to just do my own thing. I didn’t just wanna move to the next town over so I decided to go the extra mile and travel across the country. Things seem pretty chill here, and I already have a nice looking job to boot.”

“Are you sure ya can handle drivin’ a bus load of noisy kids for the rest of your life?” Applejack jokes.

“Might as well get used to it,” I chuckled. “Besides, you girls seem alright so I’m not complaining.”

“You may come to regret that,” Rainbow chortled.

“We’ll just have to see then, won’t we?”

The girls laughed as I neared the last stop of kids to pick up. One, among them, caught my eye and she looked like a bit of a punk girl. She had light tan skin and fiery hair and light teal eyes. She wore a black leather jacket with a shirt that looked like a two toned color sun on it. She also wore a light blue skirt and boots and she had an annoyed scowl on her face.

“Aw no, it’s her,” Rainbow sighed.

“Just don’t pay her none,” Applejack sighed.

I pulled up to the curbside and opened the doors for the kids. As they piled in, the punk girl climbed up the steps and glanced at me before scoffing and walking to the back of the bus.

“Well, she’s certainly a character,” I commented before shutting the doors and driving away.

“That’s Sunset Shimmer,” Pinkie said, not sounding as bubbly at the moment. “She’s also kinda new to town like you but…”

“She’s a total jerk,” Rainbow said bluntly.

“That seems a bit harsh,” I said.

“Well it’s true! I once offered her to come play soccer with me and she said she wouldn’t waste her time doing something pointless!”

“I’m kinda with Rainbow on this one,” Applejack said. “Girl seems more sour than a fresh picked granny smith apple on a daily basis.”

“Where’d she move from?” I asked.

“That’s the perplexing part about her, no one really knows,” Rarity said.

“I’ve tried to ask her where she’s from and if I could throw her a Welcome to Canterlot City party, but she said it’s a waste of time!” Pinkie huffed.

“And that’s also why she’s a jerk! Everyone always enjoys Pinkie’s parties,” Rainbow said.

“Well in my opinion, I think you kids should just leave her be. She obviously has her own reasons for keeping to herself and giving you all the cold shoulder. If she’s not comfortable talking about it or opening up, then that’s her deal.”

“But wouldn’t she be happier if she had a friend?” Flutterhsy asked.

“Sometimes people come from places where friendship is more of a liability than a necessity,” I sighed. “Take me for example, in Rockport those street racers made it hard for people to get by without worrying about if a car would come speeding down the street. Not to mention if their friend or neighbor was a street racer themselves and they didn’t want anyone to know about it. That Sunset girl may be bitter, but maybe she has her own reasons why.”

“You sure talk pretty wisly for a bus driver,” Rainbow said.

“I learned it from my old man,” I said with a smile.

The rest of the trip back to the school was uneventful as I just minded my own business as the kids talked amongst themselves. I soon came to a stoplight and waited for the light to turn green. As I waited my phone began to ring and I pulled it out to see it was an unknown number. I was hesitant to answer, but I figured it was just some telemarketer trying to sell me something.

“Hello?”

“Hey…it’s Mia.”

My heart stopped for a moment and had to take a moment to collect myself before speaking.

“How the fuck did you get this number?” I muttered so the kids wouldn’t hear.

“Relax, I did some personal digging and managed to find your new phone number. I’m using a burner to call you so you don’t have to worry about being tracked.”

“You shouldn’t have called me, Mia, did Cross put you up to this?”

“No, I’m actually calling you from home. Cross has no business what I do in my personal life.”

“Still doesn’t explain why you called me.”

“I just wanted to see how you’re doing, wherever you are.”

“Mia…don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t act like you care, not after you lied to me.”

“I didn’t mean to lie to you, I wanted to tell you but-”

“Save it, no lame excuse you come up with will justify how you used me to get to the Blacklist. Whatever sort of relationship we had is done, and you’d do well to remember it. I gotta go, and if you have any sort of respect for me and possibly also yourself, don’t call me again. I shouldn’t even be talking to a cop like you in the first place,” I said bitterly.

There was a brief silence over the phone until I heard her sigh.

“I’m just glad you’re out of Rockport and away from the life you were raised in, goodbye.”

The line cut off as she hung up and I tucked my phone back in my pocket. I didn’t expect to get a call from Mia, of all people. I half expected it to be Rog, but he insisted he wouldn’t contact me for a good long while. I still remember how Mia and I met, when I had just made a name for myself as a street racer and she approached my car to ask for a ride. Mia wanted to see what it was like up close to be in a fast moving vehicle like my BMW and I obliged by showing her what it could do. I guess that’s what made her have a thing for me, and me her, but that all doesn’t really matter anymore since I’m no longer a street racer. The light finally turned green and I pressed the gas pedal to go. Suddenly, three cars came zooming by, startling me and the students. The cars looked to be a bright blue Ford Mustang with tribal decals on the side, an orange Nissan 370Z with a flame design, and a white Lexus SC 430 with racing stripes going down the middle.

“Holy crap! What’s with those guys?!” Rainbow yelped.

“This is a pedestrian area! Why are those brutes driving so fast?!” Rarity shrieked.

“I’m gonna call the cops!” Applejack said.

“Don’t bother, they’re long gone by now,” I said, raising my hand as I continued to drive.

“Plus, I don’t think those guys were driving fast on accident.”

“What do you mean…?” Fluttershy mumbled, still startled by the sudden drivers.

“I have a hunch, I just hope I’m wrong.”

The drive was mostly silent as I turned the last corner towards the school. My mind kept going back to those tricked out cars that zoomed past us and the way the decals looked. I hoped they were just a group of dumb kids showing off thier rides, but as I neared the school my suspicions were unfortunately corect. The three sports cars were all parked on the side of the street and leaning on the hood each one was a young adult. One was a guy with long red hair and wore torn jeans and a black shirt, next was a guy with half his blue hair shaved off and wore black jeans and a blue shirt, lastly was a guy that had a green mohawk and looked like your typical wannabe tough guy punker. They all seemed to be staring at something in the parking lot as I pulled up to the curb to drop the kids off, only to see that they were eyeing my car and they were giving it dirty looks.

“Hey, it’s those cars!” Rainbow pointed out.

“Who are those guys?” Pinkie wondered.

“They look scary,” Fluttershy whimpered.

“Those aren’t just any normal people,” I said as I parked the bus.

“They’re street racers, and they’re only here to cause trouble.”