//------------------------------// // Amigos y Enemigos (Friends and Enemies.) // Story: Phantasm // by Debonair //------------------------------// (Ponyville.) A familiar face knocks on the door of Carousel Boutique. The door magically opens to a creme colored Unicorn. "Bonjour Mademoiselle Rarity." The tall man said as his Brazilian accent caught her attention. "It's been awhile hasn't it. Monsieur Allegro, what can I do for you today?" She asked as he removed his hat and coat, and placed them on the rack in the corner. "A refitting, a new ensemble, possibly something for your special somepony I see that spring in your step." "This is a major rush order." He quickly brushed the assumption aside after checking the room for witnesses. "Anything within reason, in reasonable time." She responded unphased by the change in subject. "I have a friend on the other side being fitted for pine pajamas as we speak," "So another one needs a suit," "When I knew him he was not much of a suit kind of man. Just a coat long tail, Nightmare Black, some emeralds stitched in the shoulders, a pair of pants, Nightmare Black, with an emerald flame pattern on the lower pant legs, and he will need a pair of shoes, emerald green, black laces." "When do you need these done?" She asked as she finished writing down the order. "I will return with him tomorrow before we head straight for Fillydelphia, in the evening." "Talk about a rushed order, I'll see what I can do." "You seem stressed." He spoke softly as he ran his hand through her matted mane. "Have you ever doubted yourself, bitten off more than you can chew, getting caught up in business." "That is exactly why I am here before you." "What do you do to cope how do you know you can keep those deals?" "I don't know what you would do, but I find it relaxing to stroll through the park, pressing flowers,Gambling with things less important, playing with animals." He leaned down and picked up the cat that was clawing at his leg. "How many times do you have to be told, scratching posts are there for a reason." He pet the cat and she began to purr. "Now go play somewhere else, I need to talk with Rarity." He put the cat down and to Rarity's amazement she walked off without any biting or scratching. "The point stands that I hold many secrets. Like the real meaning of the Marcelo family name. How to get through Tartarus unscathed, but my personal favorite the way to please a woman of any race or species." "Any species?" She asked a little interested in his ridiculous claim, but at the very least she would have a new piece of juicy gossip for her friends.. "I have been many places, met many women, made many friends, I've made more than my share of mistakes. I don't expect you to understand what I've gone through, I need to start fresh. Start making better choices, making the right deals." "Would you like gold laced or regular? "Gold for what I have in mind he is going to need it." "What do you have in mind?" "Do you remember Gelus?" "How could I forget, but how did you know?" "I came to you as an enemy of your friend, I knew of Gelus, though he left out the minor details such as I was guarding the weapon from Wraiths, or that a Marcelo was among them, though the latter I am sure he was somewhat unaware. My former Employer told me parts of the plan. That a more powerful enemy, summons a more powerful ally. Though at the time it sounded cryptic, now it all makes sense." He paused for a moment to look at Rarity who seemed fascinated by his ramblings, while she was hard at work on his order. "I am sorry if I'm distracting you." "You two are one in the same, kind, caring, and sweet, I can tell that she likes you quite a lot, but treat it as meaningless gossip, I wouldn't read too much into it, she's not the one to go very fast, in relationship or anything. It took her three months just to come by the shop, now you can't tell we didn't grow up together." "I think I will take my leave, I will be back tomorrow to pick it up, if it isn't too much trouble." "No trouble at all, I'll even have it gift-wrapped for you." "Just use my measurements." (Canterlot Guard Academy.) The food was a little dry, not near as good as what I would make for myself when I was young. One Pegasus kept looking at me. He seemed a little too suspicious of me. After a few moments he sat across from me. His silver fur sparkled in the light. it would be quite romantic if either of us were the opposite sex. "My name is Blackhawk," His voice sounded of Russian or German origin. "What is yours?" "Redgrave." I adopted my so called alter ego's name. "I get it, mess with you and the last thing they see is red. You come from warrior family no?" "No." "Then why are you here, you don't sign up for something you cannot finish. I am here because of family, I wish to protect those I care about, I can tell you feel that same way." "What makes you think that," "You are not here for the money, that pendant you wear it is family heirloom, you are here because if you do not you risk losing the ones you love." "Am I that transparent?" "You also dyed your mane recently." "You can tell?" "Even though I am night guard, I still have to be in top shape at all times. I heard you are prodigy, like you have eyes in back of your head. You would make good night guard, but I would try restyling mane, you look like pussycat." He stood and spread his wings. Which strangely were skin and bone bat wings under those feathers. "I will see you in morning?" "Aye." "Good I look forward to working with you Comrade." "Thank you for your time." "Is no problem." He walked off to his post leaving me alone to think. All this trying not to make friends is making me too many. I have to try to sleep I'll need it. Full training starts tomorrow and then I leave for this Fillydelphia place. My dreams had an absence of my father and I found myself talking with Redgrave."What are you doing? "What would you do?" "I would do the exact same thing! But I got caught. I'm not you, I never was. You could call me a guardian angel, but that would be a blatant lie. I could be a personal demon, but then I'd be you. I am Redgrave I'm an Assassin nothing more nothing less." "How are you even here?" "I'm here because the Hellspawn wanted you to stay in line he wanted them dead, he knew that you were gullible, anything for to see my papi again but that little light in the tunnel he couldn't bring back your father, in truth he was already back, those two had to be sent home in body bags because of one thing, a more powerful enemy, summons a more powerful ally. You had a contract, one that needed to be fulfilled. He didn't do it, I did. I killed them, it was all me, anyone and everyone is a target. She wants this gushy love shit. Meaning she won't kill anybody. She's not a cold blooded killer like me, not like that kid's family thinks you are." "You put me through that, you ruined my life, you caused my death," "Yes I did, but you had every part in it it was your idea to follow, your idea to listen. I'm your only shot at getting any shred of decency back. I know how he works, you want to kill him I'm all for it, but you can't do jack shit in your current condition." "He's right you know." Gregory stepped in to my thoughts. "It took me years to get strong enough just to get out from under his thumb, and I thank you for that, if you hadn't shot the seal, he would have killed us both." "How did you get here?" "I'm just a figment of your imagination, it's how I work. For years I would work around loopholes, manipulate people. anything that got me closer to finding out anything. One thing led to another and after I got my degree in sociology. I found whole new opportunities. But those were blackened by the one thing he held, my mother." "Just when you need a psychiatrist." "My point is even with my extensive knowledge of the inner workings of the human mind that he is almost impossible to crack." "What should I do, I have to learn how to be one of these Wraith things, get close to this Shining Armour guy, and find a way to get past all this guilt in a few days? Yo no creo que puedo hacer!" "You got me." "That's what I'm afraid of."