The One and Only Chaaaapteeer!
Gravel Patch, a gray stallion of average proportions and basic motives. His coat, gray and dirty, just like his namesake. Gravel's eyes, deep with knowledge, were tinged with a maroon-ish red. His tail and mane, a darker shade of gray, allowing for Gravel to sneak around in the dark if needed. The picture that adorned his flank was a pile of gravel, unsurprisingly.
The stallion was standing on top of a large building, one hoof extended and resting atop a box, and his body leaned over the edge to keep him a view of the city. It was magnificent. Large skyscrapers, like the one he was on, circled a large circular park, which in turn, was decorated with trees, a lake, and a cave.
"It is quite the view, isn't it?" Gravel jerked slightly at the sudden voice that popped up beside him. His violent move made his front hoof shoot forwards and over the edge. With a gasp, he tumbled over the side of the building but was ultimately saved by the mysterious voice.
After being pulled up, Gravel looked up to see his savior. It was a cute petite pegasus mare wearing a cheeky grin. That alone would've made his cheeks flare up red, but there, pinned against the mare's flak vest, was a butterfly pin, which made him even more embarrassed. This was the pony he was looking for, which meant she was his new partner. With that new revelation, his head slumped downwards and groaned. What a great way to start, by humiliating himself.
"Aren't you suppose to say thank you?" The mare tilted her head and giggled. She had a light blue coat with a yellow and orange two-toned mane. Her eyes had a soft red to them, which made Gravel want to sink in them more, but he shook his head violently from those thoughts. Then his traitorous eyes roamed to her flank and saw her cutie mark. It was a picture of the sun rotating around Equus. He glanced away quickly before he saw any more.
"Than…thank you." Gravel Patch mumbled, a bit embarrassed. He got back to his hooves, brushing himself off as he did. "Is there anypony else coming?"
"Nope, just me!" The mare smiled brightly before giggling. "So, we going?"
"Yes, let's."
***
An hour later
Gravel Patch and the mare were running and flying, respectively, at top speed away from the bank they just heisted. On their backs, in their mouths, and gripped around their hooves were bags upon bags of money. And the reason they were escaping in this manner was all Gravel's fault.
The entire time he couldn't help but admire the deftness and skill of the mystery mare. They had just clambered through the vents with ease, barely making a noise, before dropping into the vault room itself. Before they entered the building, Gravel had to disable the alarm system, which he did without breaking a sweat. All it took was to pop open a circuit breaker, rewire the wires, add a few sparks, and then voila. He grinned at his companion and in response, he got a small smile. They quickly went inside and soon Gravel found nothing for him to do, this wasn't his forte.
"Aw, shoot. I forgot about the lasers." Gravel slumped down to the floor and stared at the erratic laser field before them. He studied them for a bit but couldn't discern an obvious pattern in the way it moved and almost threw in the towel then and there, but before he could, the mare moved.
And move she did. With a quick flap, she cleared the first few lasers and then immediately rolled while arching her back to dodge the next few. Sidestepping here, ducking under there, twisting over that one, and then ending with a flourish to clear these ones. It was all over within just a few blinks and before Gravel knew it, the mare was in position to turn off the laser field. He quietly whistled appreciatively, and hit his side's button. This type of security, a Two-Press, requires a button on both sides of the laser field to be pressed at the same time. It was one of the reasons why Gravel asked for more members, instead of just going solo like usual.
The mare just smirked at him as he made his way across the previously dangerous floor. The duo soon made their way to the actual vault door. This was once again, not his skillset, so he hung back and watched the professional at work. Once again, it didn't take long for the mystery mare to quickly figure out the code through listening for the thuds that is the locking mechanism and then opened the giant door. Gravel showed his admiration of her varied skills through another whistle. He never said he was creative, sue him.
"Alright, you got bags?" Gravel grinned and beheld the massive pile of bits in front of him. It towered above him and he couldn't think of a more beautiful sight.
"As if!" The mare stepped beside him and shuffled her wings in excitement. She too, couldn't hide the glee in her voice.
The two pounced on the gold pile like hounds to the slaughter and stuffed their bags with as much bits as possible, leaving no coin unturned, so to speak. The duo quickly exited with bags full and attempted to leave back the way they came from. However, the laser grid was up again. Gravel sighed and hung his head. He truly hated this system. He pondered on this, maybe that's why it keeps on getting implemented.
So, the mare dropped off the bags by Gravel and did her acrobatics once again. And just like the previous times, Gravel whistled his awe. This time, however, was a bit too loud. The sound sensor triggered and alarms started wailing. The mare froze, glared at him, quickly grabbed her bags, and together, they bolted.
Back to the present, the duo were running through alleyways, trying to shake the coppers who were just behind them. Gravel, through his incredible wisdom, turned right when he should've turned left. The duo had nearly crashed against a large group of coppers. They had quickly turned around and galloped for all they were worth.
Several alleyways later where they dodged and jumped over obstacles like the professionals they were. They took a hard left and then immediately ran into another police group. Before they could register how much trouble they were in, they were thrown against the walls and their hooves were cuffed and the mare's wings were restrained.
"You have the right to remain silent and yada yada." This bulky unicorn started listing off everything they were required to say but Gravel wasn't particularly interested. He instead turned to look at the mare and smiled slightly. She could've flown away, far from the police and from him, but she didn't.
"Hey, if I could get us out of here, would you like to go out for dinner?" Gravel whispered and then attempted to wiggle his eyebrows in a hopefully seductive way. From the expression on her face, it didn't work out too well.
"Ooh, a date, already? We don't even know each other's names!" The mare giggled slightly.
"We can change that. Hi, my name is Gravel Patch." The copper who was holding him grunted and then whacked him over the head, saying for him to shut up. Gravel took it like a stallion and then grinned back up at the mare.
"Hiya Gravel, I'm Daylight! Nice to meet you." The stallion holding her also attempted to do what his partner did but Daylight quickly twisted her head so the blow glanced off her head, barely doing any damage, and then she snapped her head back, hitting the stallion in the muzzle. "So, date?"
"Date!"
***
"And that's how I met your grandmother!" A much older Gravel Patch sat on his rocking chair, munching on a fried hay stick. He absolutely loved them and he didn't care how unhealthy they were.
"What!?" A young colt shrieked, his face drawn with dismay and betrayal.
"You can't do that to us!" His sister had tears in her lovely lavender eyes.
"What happens next? We need to know!" Suncatcher and Rose Quartz, Gravel Patch's grandfoals were sitting down in front of him with puppy eyes, begging for the next part. He chuckled, then immediately regretted it when a piece of hay got caught in his throat forcing him to violently hack it out.
"Kids, what did you do to poor Granpa?" Daylight, his ever sweet wife, trotted in holding a tray of cookies. Gray streaked her hair and wrinkles adorned her face, but she looked just as beautiful as they day they had met. Gravel smiled softly.
"He wouldn't tell us what happens after you two met!" Rose shouted, her face was a picture of pure cute indignation.
"Now now, kids. That can be another story for another day, let Granpa Gravel take a rest, mmkay?" Daylight grinned before holding up her cookies with a wing. "Now, who wants cookies?"
"ME!"
Gravel Patch watched the two scamper away with Daylight trotting behind them. He smiled happily, he wouldn't have chosen any other life. He moved his chair closer to the window so the sunlight could bask on his face, then he closed his eyes and took it all in.
Author's Note
Weee, this was my first somewhat of a romance story. Anyhoo, hoped you enjoyed.
