Canterlot
0817 Hours
On Mane Street, the Aristocat Luxury Apartment Building is currently ablaze. Most of the ponies have been evacuated, the only ones left are on the uppermost floors of the building. Up on the top floor, the fire still burns. But that doesn’t stop these two firefighters, these two in particular happen to be father and son duo. Fire Hazard and Pyro Hellfire Tech respectively, have been working together for seven long years allowing both ponies to be more than used to and ready for this situation.
“Pyro, I’ll take the left side you get the right” ordered father to son.
“Roger!” was the quick response Pyro gave as he followed orders.
A door, that at one point have been of luxury quality was now mere tinder for this inferno. Pyro called out to any potential survivors in the area. Fortunately or unfortunately, no response could be heard in response. He then opened his senses to the environment.
Opening said sense also made him lay communications within his mind ‘Okay boys… time to get to work.’
‘Technically, we’ve been working.’ responded Fire Spark.
‘Shut up nerd!.’ was the quick retaliation that Fire Spark got from Nitro Glycerin.
‘Everyone shut up! Now I sense two sources ahead, at least three rooms further to the left.’ stated Hell N. Fire having enough of the chaos.
Pyro nodded after his sensed picked up what Hell Fire had also felt, ‘Okay, I sense it too. Good work guys!’
‘No problem!’ sounded Fire Spark as Pyro used his fire axe to chop down the door, allowing him to get inside where he found a colt huddled in the corner with an infant in his hands and surrounded by fire. Pyro moved in to inspect the two young ponies, ‘The colt isn’t moving and the baby isn’t crying. This is bad.’
“FIRE HAZARD! I need evac immediately” shouted Pyro into his earpiece before giving Fire the location within the building. The senior quickly met up with his son which then took command. “Take these kids out of here! There is still someponies in the area which I’ll go after!” stated Pyro.
“Got it, I’ll be back ASAP, but you be careful!” Fire then took the two younglings and rushed them to safety.
Pyro then made his way to where the three life signs were detected, but was deeper into the inferno. All the while Pyro was muttering to himself, “Please be okay.” Then he heard some loud coughs. Those simple coughs were more than enough to be a guiding beacon for Pyro. He quickly found a door in the way of where he needed to be and as such broke it down, finding a teenage pegasus and an earth pony mare in front of a fallen wood pillar. Underneath it however, was the unmoving body of a earth pony colt. Dreading the worst, Pyro rushed to the trio.
“Are you alright? What happened.” asked Pyro as he already was assessing how to get the pillar off the injured colt.
“Th-the pillar…. It just fell…” the pegasus tried to speak but was unable to complete his sentence due to the fire, smoke and fear.
Fire Hazard then came on scene, having been asked by Pyro over the radio just in time to hear the mare answering the same asked question. “The pillar fell on my son! Please help him!” pleaded the earth pony.
“Don’t worry, I’ll get him out, I promise!” said Pyro.
“Let me get you two to safety.” answered Fire, before silently telling Pyro that both younglings he found earlier were out of the building and should be in intensive care.
“No, not without my son!” cried the mare in protest taking a grip on Pyro in fear of losing a family member.
“Madam, Listen to me! I know it’s hard, but you need to do this! PLEASE! WE promise you that we will save your child. But you have to trust us!” said Pyro trying to calm down the distressed mare and to get her to cooperate and let him do his job.
“Listen, this here is my son. We both go through things like this every day. You can trust him. He will get your son out of here.” stated Fire Hazard.
The mare looked at the two unicorns in front of her. Finally, she came to a decision, “Okay. But please! He’s my baby!”
“I understand fully, Ma’am!” said Pyro.
As Fire Hazard escorted the two out of the building. Pyro then shifted his attention to the colt once more. Said colt is starting to wake up. As he observes his surroundings, he clearly understands the danger he is in. He then does what any other child would do in this situation: cry. He cries out for his mother and older brother.
It was then he saw Pyro in full firefighter gear. What the colt sees though is a monster. A face that is disguised by the intimidating oxygen mask and demonic looking helm that Pyro is wearing. The colt reacts by screaming out in fear.
“Woah, woah calm down kid. I’m not going to hurt you. I’m here to get you out of here.” said Pyro in a calm voice. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work. The child before Pyro cannot interpret things properly as he is: he is afraid, in pain, and most importantly confused. This combination of emotions and thoughts turn the situation for the worst.
Pyro then kneeled down next to the trapped colt, “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you….” Pyro took off his oxygen mask in the middle of the burning building, full of smoke to show his face with a comforting smile while keeping back any coughing he wanted to do. “...See? I’m not a monster. I’m here to get you out of here”. Pyro had red fur with red and yellow mane like the flames of the building.
The colt then stopped crying, instead he starts screaming in fear. It wasn’t at Pyro though, but because another pillar that couldn’t take the damages of the flames was falling down on Pyro and the child
Pyro then covers the colt with his body to protect the young boy from the falling debris. But instead of pinning Pyro to the ground, when the large wooden object does hits the unicorn, it breaks into pieces! The child is in awe of the stallion in front of him as he continues to protect the child from the remaining shards of burning wood.
“What's your name kid?” asks Pyro after making sure nothing else starts falling down on the pair.
“I-its Straight Edge” answered the colt still in awe of this pony before him.
“Well Straight Edge, my name is Pyro Tech and I am going to get you out of here” stated Pyro talking to the child in as a way to calm him. He then goes to the pillar the colt is trapped under and after a moment of examining it and finding the correct point, before effortlessly lifting it off the Straight Edge and casts it gently aside.“Do you think you can you move?” asks Pyro while taking in the external damage of Straight’s lower half which was under the pillar.
“Ye-yeah I can….Ow, my leg!” the child grasped at the leg which the pain originates from.
“Okay, hold still. I’ll get you out of here” said Pyro, cursing his lacking medical knowledge.
At this point, the ceiling above them is starting to fall apart even faster. Pyro scoops Straight Edge from the floor and quickly but softly to not hurt the damaged any leg more, the two of them moves into the hallway. As he makes for the stairwell, the ceiling comes down partially but the floor held on constructing a blockage.
‘Well shit, our exit is gone.’ deadpanned Hell Fire.
‘We’re going to have to find another way out!’ announced Fire Spark.
‘It looks like we’re going to have to use the window, again’ complained Nitro Glycerin.
‘Looks like it, and we have to hurry!’ He glances around him and see’s that the ceiling and floor is on the verge of collapsing at any moment. Pyro then looks at the kid he had in his arms and asks, “Hey, Straight Edge. Do you trust me?” Straight Edge nods. “Well then, hang on!”
Pyro took a few steps back to the wall opposing a window before charging out said window, as he exits, a backdraft fire causes the window behind him to explode. Pyro then hits the pavement, leaving a crater behind. But Pyro and the colt remain unharmed.
“I need a paramedic over here!” shouted Pyro as he staggers to his hooves and brings down Straight Edge to lie down on the ground.
“Right here,” said a white mare with a pink mane wearing a nurse’s uniform, bulky first aid kit in hand.
“Okay thank you. Don’t worry Straight Edge she’s going to take… care... of… you….” Pyro started to say and then he recognized the pony in front of him. The mare’s name was Redheart. Nurse Redheart if you want to be accurate. The mare has an… interesting history with Pyro’s family.
“Nothing too serious,” said Redheart as she treated the colt’s wounds, “It’s been a long time Pyro, is your father around?”
“Ye-yeah… he is… hey uhhh how- how’s work? Is the hospital still in one piece after his last… check up?” asked Pyro nervously.
Redheart shot him a look, “What do you think?”
Pyro visibly flinched and responded, “Well, you are here INSTEAD of Ponyville. At this point, I should expect the worst.”
“Actually I’m here on business,” said Redheart as she finished up, “Tell me, you ever been to Manehatten?”
“Yes actually. Wait… why?” asked Pyro.
Redheart smiled, “Let’s just say someone big has an opportunity for you.”
Great Silver Stone Mine.
1218 Hours
Another day of work and another day down in the mines for the miners, quality stone for the stone farmers and building of all sizes around Equestria…
Is what Granite would like to say, but as a Diamond Dog all he can worry about is the tunnel that being dug out underneath the tunnels of the ponies, structural problems because the close proximity could cause collapses with either tunnel resulting in either ponies or dogs harmed.
“Oi digger, keep digging.” Granite could only sigh as his Overseer vocally forced him forward to stand side by side his digging brothers once more, “Come on dogs, we need to bring in some silver, can’t let those dastardly ponies take over what is ours.”
Suddenly earth started to shift, unlike any earthquake or the like. This caused our tunnels partially got damaged, but from the sounds of it the pony tunnels got hit harder and started to collapse.
The Overseer heard the commotion a bit above aswell and was now grinning like a mad dog, “Now this sounds like a chance.” he turned to all of us diggers who had stopped digging to listen or hold up the dirt before barking orders, “Dig upwards dogs, gather everything those ponies hold and return to the den!” the shouts of war sounded from every dog.
Fire, debris and ground was everywhere in this tunnel that Granite surfaced into, this didn’t irritate any of the other dogs who were surfacing alongside him. They just went where their noses told them where something valuable was and grabbed all the minerals that they could find in the tunnels they were in.
Granite nearly followed them but then he heard them; fearful heartbeats, crying wails and yells of desperation to save a loved one. Images of other events screamed in his mind, memories of sadness and loss of his own. This drove him forward towards the large mound of earth that was between him and whomever was in peril and started to dig as fast he could, not for the dogs that raised him but for those that had died in front of him and for himself so he could forgive himself.
A paw grasped Granite’s shoulder, “Oi leave them alone and digger, grab the goods.”
“No” This stopped the Overseer who looked at the usually very lazy digger that had to be forced into action actually doing something else then sleeping and fighting.
“Ju-” his voice stopped as cold look forced him back, “Fine I’ll inform the den that you deserted then, traitor.”
That was fine for Granite and he forced forward despite the fact that part of the dirt he was digging out was covered in burning oil as such burning some of his fur, “I’ll save you, just hang on.”
-
Why, why was it today that his little filly had to come in and join him digging for silver. “Damn it all, just go already!”
“No! I won’t let you die here dad. I can’t lose you, I can’t!” The young foal by me tried to push the large beam of wood that had crushed the legs of her father, me, the exit was already partially blocked by fire, then things got worse when another large shake happened. The shaking freed a support beam that was above the pair, I wanted to push away my daughter but I couldn’t get enough power to actually push her back the first time so I had only enough time to look in absolute terror as she noticed and looked up and stared in horror at the falling beam.
Then a miracle happened, a large body pushed the beam out of it’s course and onto the tunnel floor where it tumbled for a moment. This weary miner could only breath out in relief before I finally noticed the figure who had pushed away the beam: a Diamond Dog.
It’s brown fur glowed a bit in the flames, while eyes that had a kindness that my daughter and I couldn’t didn’t see often in ponies, a sad kindness that shone in his soft grey eyes. It quickly got to one side of the beam that was holding down this sad stallion and raised it, this allowed my filly to drag me out of the situation.
“Are you two okay?” the voice coming from it sounded not all that old, teenager years. My daughter nodded and took hold… of its large claws, which unlike it’s fur was pure black and reminded this old miner more of large clawed gloves more than hands. “Can you show me the way out?”
“That way.” along with with pointing to the flame covered passageway was my little fillies answer.
It just nodded before placing a claw on a wall and then digging with speeds which were beyond me and any other miner away at the wall creating a quick passage way, before appearing before us both and helped me go through with my foal walking after us. I didn’t understand this dog, but for now I’ll trust him, he saved my daughter and that’s all that matters at the moment.
-
Granite could only scratch his cheek as he watched as 25 ponies thanking for his actions. He saved their lives or the lives of a being they knew so he understood where they came from and the praise really was enjoyable, they probably noticed his wagging tail.
“What can we ever do to repay you?” Granite blinked when asked this by a woman that was holding the young girl that was among the first that he had saved.
“Well praise-” this got a laugh from the pair of ponies, “-but beyond that I need to have a new place to go to as my old den won’t be all that possible with my clan thinking me as a traitor.” Granite tugged a bit on his gray jacket, softly though as he didn’t want it to rip anymore than it already had.
This made the woman hum for a moment before snapping a finger, “I know just the place.”
“You do?” this couldn’t be that easy, could it?
“Do you know about a little organization called, SPD?”
Vanhover, The old port
1604 hours
“Man, today was another bust.” Abyssal Shield, a light grey coated unicorn wearing a black jacket and shades with a Sword on his back mumbled as he walked the boardwalk to a inn. As he continued to walk he heard a distant screaming “What the.” He said as he rushed to find out who was screaming.
He stop in front of a Warehouse that was on fire with many workers standing outside scrambling around trying to do something or panicking. “Help!” the same voice from before came out from within the warehouse. Without thinking Abyssal rushed in.
“Hel-” a cough fit interrupted the cry, “Help!” The voice had sounded from the upper floors. Abyssal got to the first stairs he could find within the burning building, but just as he was about to walk up it, all of it crumbled and fell into the floor
He looked around for another quick way but couldn’t locate anything nearby and the fires weren’t getting any better. “Now how can I... Right of course.” He said as he unsheathed his sword, holding it out before him and concentrated magic into it which caused the blade softly glow light blue.
“Hope this holds.” he muttered between his concentration as made a ice ramp where the stairs used to be. Once he steadied himself after the usage of his magic, he carefully traversed up the ramp, before repeating the process.
Once Abyssal finally gotten himself to the top floor he quickly searched around before hearing coughing from a room that was down the hall he was in. Breaking down a partially burning door, Abyssal came face to face with a earth pony stallion that was stuck under some debris. “Oh thank Celestia..” was first thing that the distressed pony said relieved for finally having a rescuer.
“Hold on.” Abyssal said as he started to move the debris off of the trapped stallion, carefully and safely with his magic making sure to not cause the floor to collapse much like the stairs did.
“Thank you.” The stallion said once the last pieces of debris was lifted off of him and set aside. Abyssal made simple checks and found the stallion without many injuries, likely because of his Earth Pony heritage.
“Don't thank me yet...oh no.” Abyssal said as he noticed that he room they were in was quickly losing strength, the pair agreed to get as fast as possible, the two headed towards the stairwell which was lacking a frozen ramp that Abyssal had placed not that long ago.
“What was that?” mentioned the earth pony as the pair heard all the cracks of the floor beneath them and the ceiling above them.
“We got to jump. Like now.” Abyssal said as the flames started to fan up and take more of the building, smoke partially blocking sight, but because of his nature Abyssal still could see a certain spot which they could land safely.
“Wait what. Why wou-.” The stallion yelped before descending into screams as Abyssal picked him up and jumped down to the floor below, just getting onto some safe ground.
“See wasn’t that so scary.” Abyssal said as he put the shaking stallion down quite near the entrance as most of the rest of the building started to descend into fire, smoke and debris.
“Y-Ya” the stallion said still shaking as two firemen came bursting through the door, surprised about the two being so close to the entrance yet being covered in ash and soot.
“Is everypony alright” One of them asked as the room that the stallion was in came crashing down in the distances. Causing said stallion to look quite appreciating at Abyssal.
“Ya We’re-” Abyssal started to cough uncontrollably due to him breathing in too much smoke.
“We got to get them out of here. Stat.” The other fireman said as one of them rushed both stallion to the paramedics so they could be thoroughly checked.
“Abyssal Shield.” said Stallion looked up from the aid he was given, a mare dressed in a black suit and tie, “We’re in need of someone of your talents.”
“I see, for what exactly?” He asked as the aid finished taking his blood pressure, while a breathing mask was still on his face.
“We’re preparing a special team, a team needing many talents but also a great will that wants to save others.” Stated the mare as she looked Abyssal right in the eyes, “You possess both, abilities which like many, aren’t known to the world and a someone who has a true soul who wants to rescue whoever is in trouble.”
“Interesting. What will I be doing?” He asked as he was given the all clear.
Baltimare
1505 Hours
The Baltimare Third District School was Stern Lecture’s pride and joy. Sure, it was nothing as grand as Celestia’s School for gifted Unicorns all the way up in Canterlot or just like the First District School but not everypony could be such a brown nosing bastard like Silver Tongue, always sucking up to the superintendents and cashing in all aid funds she could get her grabby mitts on before her colleagues could.
Stern Lecture prided himself with being a fair principal, one who was willing to give second chances if an individual seemed honest, repenting and willing to give their absolute best. He was also not afraid of bringing the whole might of the educational system down on hopeless ne´er-do-well´s, which the Earth Pony stallion had to do quite a bit too often for his tastes but given that his school was a melting pot for the children from the lower middle and the whole lower walks of life in the district, he was still convinced to do rather well overall.
And then there were the ‘special’ cases.
Just like Whisp.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Stern fixated the young Thestral with a stare that was rumored to be unwavering enough to withstand a Cockatrices cursed glare.
The youth replied with a huff and a defiant stare of her yellow eyes, one halfway hidden under her peculiar manecut. The very picture of a rebel, albeit a very queer one, Stern Lecture thought to himself. Despite wearing an armless and frayed denim jacket over a blueish black Nightmare Moon shirt, a short plaid skirt and those infuriating, thigh high ringed socks in black and dark purple, Whisp was a decent student in most classes, normally not disruptive in her overall behavior. She could do a little better in PE and home economics but most mares her age these days seemed to have that problem.
Unless something like this happened.
With a weary sigh, Stern addressed the student sulking on a deliberately uncomfortable chair. “I take you know very well why you are here today Whisp?”
More sulking silence was the answer to his question.
“Physical assault is a serious matter young mare,” Stern continued ”Something that can and will end your days in this learning facility, given who your victim is.”
That however got a reaction out of Whisp.
“But Roller totally deserved it! He would go on and on and on about what a poor joke my family is, even when I told him to stop five times!” She almost yelled, pointing an accusing finger at High Roller, the young Unicorn stallion on the chair next to her, who was still nursing a heavily bleeding nose with a cloth.
“That is no argument and you know it Whisp. Instead of giving him a bloody nose, you should have come to a teacher or even me. This is a school where you learn how to conduct yourself like a proper member of society, not a dank backyard where your only arguments are your fists.” Stern Lecture countered. “You are a bright, young mare Whisp and I honestly do not wish to expel you from my school but with the Sisters as my witnesses’, I will do so if you don´t show as much as bit of humility and apologize to High Roller and I want for you to mean it.”
Whisp was about to jump from her chair as a voice from behind her made her stop mid motion.
“Whisp, honey, please,” Ink Tempest pleaded with her child “you know principal Lecture is right. Violence is not the answer or the right way. You worked so hard until now, to get good grades, to have a foundation for your future, please do not throw it away over something silly like this.”
Whisp´s mouth opened and closed wordlessly as she stared back at her mother, the older mare slightly averting her face, her eyes obscured by her long bangs just as always.
Deflating, Whisp sunk back into her chair and grumbled something incomprehensible.
Folding his hands in front of his face, principal Stern Lecture leaned forwards on his desk. “What was that young lady? I am afraid I could not hear you. Would you kindly repeat yourself?”
“`msorry.” Whisp grumbled louder this time.
“Again, please.” Stern Lectures voice was professional, void of anything but authority.
Gritting her teeth and balling her fits in her lap, Whisp´s head slumped visibly obscuring her face behind her mane. “I am very sorry that I gave you a bloody nose High Roller. That was absolutely undue for my part and I deeply regret it. Please forgive me.” She pressed out, each word sounding forced, her voice nearly cracking.
A smirk playing over his lips, High Roller nodded as much as his wounded nose allowed him too, speaking for the first time since they entered the office. “Well then, I guess I´ll be the greater pony then and graciously forgive you. After all, you are just a Thestral brat and…”
“Mister Roller, I too advise you to choose your words carefully in my office. Your father might have some sway in the political scene of this city but I assure you, that amounts to nothing inside these walls.” Stern Lecture spoke in the same manner as he had before with Whisp.
“Yes, of course principal Lecture.” High Roller replied, his voice still sounding a bit distorted because of his wounded nose.
Leaning back in his chair, Stern Lecture gestured towards Whisp and her mother. “Allright, that would be everything then. It is getting quite late so I will dismiss everypony now. Mrs. Tempest, thank you for your time and I am sorry that you had to come here on such short notice.”
Before Ink Tempest could say anything, her daughter almost literally flew from her chair and out of the office, leaving her mother to mumble a quick apology before following her distraught child.
***
The early evening sun painted the streets of Baltimare with warm rays as mother and daughter made their way back to their little apartment. Plastic bags filled with a small assortment of groceries for dinner rustled to accompany their steps.
Deciding to break the uncomfortable silence that hung about their heads since they left the school, Ink put a hand on Whisp´s shoulder, squeezing it gently.
“Honey, do you want to talk about it?” She asked.
Silence.
“Honey? Are you… are you mad at me?”
Whisp flared her wings, her head abruptly panning around to face her mother. “Of course I am mad Mom!” the teen half yelled, anger and sadness showing in her eyes “That buckface Roller is making fun of you and your work ever since he found out you work as a freelance novelist, saying that it’s a meaningless job for ponies who are unable to deal with reality. For ponies who are not fit to earn their bits how they are supposed to be. He called you an escapist good for nothing hippie who flees into her little fantasy worlds so she not has to deal with her dirty Thestral daughter for crying out loud! Each and every day I have to listen to that shit, just because he is the son of some small fry politician he thinks he is so great. Seven hours a day, five days a week I have to listen to him brag about how important he is and how grateful I should be to be allowed to go to the same school as he does. How was I not supposed to deck him in the face Mom? Tell me!”
Tears glistened on Whisp´s face, tying her mother’s guts into knots. Following her instincts, Ink embraced Whisp, caressing her mane in a soothing manner. The groceries laid forgotten at their hooves.
“Oi, ain´t that a touchin´ scene boys?” A rough voice shattered the tender moment.
Looking up, Ink and Whisp found themselves surrounded by three Earth Pony stallions, each showing pronounced muscles and sporting the distinctive clothes of one of the cities many smaller street gangs consisting of muscle shirts, khaki trousers and bandanas tied around their wrists or biceps.
“Yeah, goes right to ma heart.” Another thug chimed in, chuckling darkly.
Swiveling her ears around nervously, Ink Tempest held Whisp close to her while trying to weave around the stallions. “Ah, I'm sorry sirs, just passing through. We want no trouble.” She says with a shaky smile, only to have their way blocked by a tattooed arm.
“Listen to that boys, we´re sirs now.” The first thug sounded amused “Right `n proper gentlestallions eh?”
“Totally!” another said pretending to twirl an imaginary moustache while the third did something akin to rightening an invisible monocle.
“Well then, what kinda sirs would we be if we would not take care of two mares shakin´ their asses around on our turf all by themselves eh?” the first thug continues, looming over the two mares.
“We just want to go home please,” Ink pleaded, nervousness flaring up in her stomach “Just… let us pass through and we´re out of your manes.”
“Nah, I don´t think so.” The first thug replied, now sporting an ominous grin that showcased a gold tooth as he took out two brass knuckles from his pockets and put them on.
“Oh just get it on with already! I have way more interesting places to be.” A new voice came from behind the thugs, causing both Ink Tempest and Whisp to turn their heads as one as High Roller stepped into view.
“Oi, don´t get cocky pretty boy or you´ll end up eatin´ sidewalk too!” One thug shouted angrily but High Roller was left unimpressed. Instead the Unicorn produced a large coin pouch from his jacket, making its contents jingle.
“Oh please. Just do as I told you already and you can spend the next week drowning yourself in booze and whatnot.”
Whisp was the first to find her voice again. “Roller, what the buck is this? If the principle hears this…”
“Then I´ll deal with him too. Bits rule the world you stupid bat bitch and now be quiet and take your punishment for ruining my face!” High Roller interrupted her aggressively and snapped his fingers audibly.
“Well, ya heard da ‘boss’ boys,” the first thug said to his fellows “Let´s get crackin´!”
Without much ceremony, he swung at Whisp, aiming straight for her face.
Whisp found herself pushed to the side and out of the way of the attack, leaving her to witness her mother taking on the attacker on her own.
Ink Tempest moved in a fluid motion, deflecting the massive blow by moving along and up the thugs arm before she separated and at the end of her movement, took a martial arts stance with her hands open and facing her opponent.
Seeing as his initial attack failed the thug gritted his teeth. He was not used to his victims avoiding his blows.
“So you have some moves eh? Took some o´ those housewife self-defense lessons ey? Well, these ain´t worth shit out here!” the thug sneered and went in for his next attack.
But Ink was not there anymore. She dove under the attack, moving along her opponent’s body with the same fluidity as before and drove her own hand right into his solar plexus with unexpected force, knocking the air out of him and leaving him to collapse with a whimper.
“Sirs, how about we forget this please?” We go our ways, you go yours, this does not need to end in more violence. Same goes for you High Roller. Just go home and forget about this yes? I am sure your father would be unhappy to hear you consort with gangers.” Ink offered, looking from the thugs to a fuming High Roller.
The thugs did not took kindly to that offer however. One brought out a switchblade while the other took out a short baton.
“Bitch, we gonna mess up your ass now!” the knife wielder proclaimed and both rushed the mare at the same time.
The knife flashed forward but again, Ink deflected the attack that meant to carve into her stomach and answered with a palm strike against the thugs elbow. A nasty crunch sounded through the street, followed by a pained cry as the thug lost his weapon and broke down too, clutching his now useless arm.
The last thug tried to use the distraction and knock his weapon into Inks head but the mare managed to step under and away from the attack just in time, the baton only grazing her mane.
In return, Ink Tempest crouched down and kicked the legs out from under the thug, leaving him to crash hard onto the street, dazed from the impact and letting go off his baton.
“You stupid mixed breed bitch, who do you think you are? Messing with me like this?” High Roller yelled, his voice nearly breaking with anger at seeing his hired goons defeated.
Ink was about to respond but was cut off when High Rollers horn began to glow in a bright light as the enraged Unicorn readied a spell. “I´ll make you a smear on the wall bitch. And then, your daughter! No one messes with High Roller!” Roller yelled. Then his world turned upside down.
His legs got kicked out underneath him and two strong hands took hold of his right arm, bending it behind his back and the other took hold of his horn strong enough to make him wince in pain and he found himself on the ground.
Pressing a knee into High Rollers back and pulling his head back by his horn, Ink Tempest looked down on him.
“Now I want you to listen and listen carefully young man.” Inks voice was calm, despite her breath being a bit hitched “You will stop this nonsense, you will stop antagonizing my daughter at school and most of all, you will not try anything like this in the future ever again. Am I understood?”
Squirming, High Roller ground his teeth. “Do you even know who my father is? I´ll gonna make your life a living Tartarus you bitch, I´ll...” He started but was cut off as the pressure on his horn intensified so much that he felt it start to crack.
“Am I understood?” Ink Tempest repeated, yellow eyes shining from behind the curtain of her bangs as she pulled the fuming teens head back more by his horn.
A pained howl escaped High Roller and he used his free hand to slap the street repeadeatly “Yes! Buck, yes, yes, yes, yes! You are understood ma’am! Argh, please stop it already! It hurts!”
After a few seconds more, Ink released her hold on High Roller and stood up.
“Good then,” she turned to her daughter, finding Whisp staring at her with an unreadable expression. “Come Whispy, let´s get home.”
***
The atmosphere in Ink Tempests kitchen was tense after mother and daughter arrived at the apartment complex they lived in.
Ink stood at the counter, ingredients for sandwiches strewn all about the counter top. Whisp stared at her from the door leading into the room.
“Are you alright honey?” Ink asked, looking up from a halfway finished PB and J sandwich.
“No I am not alright mom!” Whisp snarled, making her mother flinch “How comes you can pummel these goons AND Roller into the ground but when I do that, I get chewed out and nearly kicked out of my school?”
Putting down the butter knife she held, Ink sighed. “Honey, that was different. I was defending us but you took to being the aggressor with High Roller. You just went up to him and broke his nose. Violence only brings on more violence.”
“The buck that was different!” Whisp countered hotly “I saw what you did to those gangers Mom! Those were offensive moves, you could have used at least ten other ways to incapacitate them but you choose the few that required you to act instead of reacting!”
“Honey, that…”
“Don’t you ‘honey’ me,” Whisp interrupted her mother, making one step forward “I have it till here with all of this. Do you want to know why I really decked Roller in the face? Because he was right! He was right and I hated him for it! You are an good for nothing escapist, with all those crappy stories and novels you write! We barely manage to scrape by every month, just because you are unable to have a normal job, like a normal pony would! Why? Why can´t you just be a normal Mom? Somepony I don´t need to be ashamed off, like everypony else´ parents?”
Inks mouth opened wordlessly as her daughter’s words stabbed at her, unable to formulate a comeback.
Whisp slammed her fist against the doors frame, shaking her head, framing her tear streaked, snarling face with a halo of her mane “You know what, forget it! I´m going to my room and listen to Maretallica until I fall asleep! Don´t bother with letting any food outside my room!” With that, Whisp left, stomping off angrily and leaving her shaken mother behind.
***
“… and with that we conclude our report on the newest monster activities and the resulting actions taken by the special task force known as the SPD. I am Newsreel for Baltimare Nine-O-Five, your radio station of choice for all your news needs. Now, here is some Sapphire Shores with her newest hit single ‘Shine like the Sun, glow like the Moon’. Have a pleasant evening everypony.”
With another sigh, Ink popped another deep fried cricket into her mouth, barely savoring the taste of her soul food as the upbeat tunes from the small radio that hung from her wrist filled the air around her.
Sitting on the front stairs to the apartment like many other citizens of Baltimare often did, Ink Tempest stared at the beautiful evening sky, trying to find comfort in the gentle orange of the clouds.
The words from Whisp still pierced her heart like daggers.
“A Mom you can be proud of hm Whispy?” She said more to herself, helping herself to another cricket “I really, really want to make you proud honey but…” She looked at the travel radio as it continued to play upbeat music. “I´ll guess these SPD guys don´t have such problems. Everypony seems to absolutely love them. I mean, of course they do. They fight monsters and catastrophes and help everypony with their amazing powers. Of course they are loved and respected by all. If I could be one of them, my Whispy surely could finally be proud of me too.”
Inks tufted ears dropped as she slumped down. “Oh who am I kidding? All I have are those Thestral martial arts lessons from mother. Even if I went all the way to Ponyville and told those SPD guys I wanted to join them, what are the chances? They are already full of amazing ponies. What could a nopony like me, who´s only talent is to make her daughter upset, possibly contribute to them?”
“Well, your heart seems in the right place, for once.” A new voice said, causing Ink Tempest to look up and meet the gaze of a mare dressed in a black suit and a tie. “Also, is there not the saying that you are not born with greatness but that you achieve it?”
Furrowing her brows, Ink looked at the newcomer quizzically. “Excuse me Miss but… who are you again?”
At that, the mare smiled enigmatically. “Someone who was rather impressed with how you handled those thugs earlier. You have a rather distinctive style there. You don´t see the Thestral Gentle Breeze, Sundering Palm style outside Tramplevania that often.”
“How… did you know that?” Ink asked, taken by surprise.
At Inks reaction, the suited mare gave a good natured grin. “I like to do my homework Mrs. Tempest. As for who I am, let´s just say I am someone for works for the SPD.” She extended a hand to Ink Tempest “Care for a short walk and talk? I know a place that serves great coffee around here.”