Blueblood was much more comfortable being up in the air tonight. It helped that he wasn't worried about making a fool of himself because nopony would recognize him. The slick outfit he and Trudy had dreamed up was sure to conceal his identity. Also, he was probably the only male alicorn that anypony had ever seen.
I’m still not sure going out like this was a good idea, Trudy cautioned. If anything, I would suggest you keep your magic under wraps until you absolutely need it.
Blueblood laughed. “Screw that. If I’m going to make an impression, I’m not holding anything back!”
I was also suggesting that you not to scream like a madpony in the night sky when guards can be anywhere, Trudy reminded him, Blueblood practically feeling her roll her eyes in his mind. The disguised prince did shut up, however, or at least for as long as it took to get out of earshot of the castle.
“Hmm, where shall I go tonight?” Blueblood mused, mostly to himself as the city spread out below him. The possibilities were endless. The limits were broken by his new body and abilities. He was on top of the world, with all of Equestria as his adventure!
Whoa, cool it! We’re just going for a flight. Maybe we'll run into your marefriend Bright Defender again. Or coltfriend, such as the case may be.
“I told you, he–she isn’t my marefriend!” Blueblood yelled, barely avoiding crashing into a billboard in his path. “I’ve only known her for what, one day?”
One night, to be specific. And in that time she saved your neck from being killed by some thugs. I think that warrants a relationship of some type.
“Why do you even care? I thought you were jealous about her saving me?”
At first I was, but then I realized it was more your incompetence that almost doomed us than anything I did. So if we can get her to train you to be less of a dolt with fighting, then I’m all up for her helping us out.
“When Tartarus freezes over,” Blueblood muttered, soaring over several rooftops with ease. He was improving, that was for sure. Now flying felt like such a breeze, literally. “Wow, I would’ve been a Wonderbolt for sure if I had been born a pegasus,” Blueblood laughed, performing a barrel roll.
Cool your jets, hothead. I’m the one doing most of the work with the flying. If you were solo, you’d be a pancake on the ground by now.
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
You think you got so good at flying in one day? I’m pretty sure I’m helping you out with the instincts part of it.
Blueblood did not want to think about the implications of two-way thought transference and instead concentrated on flying. He needed to focus if he wanted to get through the city safely.
From where he was, Blueblood could tell he was flying into the downtown area of Canterlot. Not exactly the redlight district, but definitely a bit grimy around the edges. A couple of ponies bustled down below, avoiding alleyways and any other dark corners of the city that could be potential mugging spots. Blueblood kept his eyes peeled for trouble, however there was a familiar rush of eagerness running through his veins that he’d also felt the night before at the possibility of some action.
He kept up his vigil, searching for law breakers to apprehend or any good-looking dames in need of assistance. Having a purpose in life was actually refreshing for once, and Blueblood briefly pondered if that meant his life had previously been meaningless. That was not a line of thought that he really wanted to go into, particularly with somepony in his head to needle him about it.
Enjoying his relaxing flight, Blueblood cruised around the city for a short while. He stopped a couple of times on rooftops to rest, wings still unused to long periods of flight. There was no way he could stay in the air all night long, much as he hated to admit it. It would take some working out to improve the strength of his flight muscles, Blueblood reminded himself. He could do that. Improvement of his physical looks was always a motivator for him, since they made up for his less than stellar personality aspects. Of course he would never admit that, though.
Blueblood heard one of the downtown clocks chime, signaling how much time had passed. It was past midnight now, and yet nothing had happened. Not that Canterlot was exactly overrun with crime, but Blueblood had been expecting at least some action by this point. He felt oddly at ease yet disappointed that the crime rate in the city decided to be on the decline tonight.
He’d seen the silhouettes of a few pegasi out for nighttime flights, but none of them had come close enough to spot Blueblood, and he reluctantly admitted that it was probably for the best. Superheroes in costume were awkward and just plain strange when they were merely hanging around. No, Blueblood decided, it would be best if Canterlot was introduced to the hero known as Trueblood through a spectacular display of heroic crime-fighting action.
Besides, it was kind of fun to practice stealth, ensuring that he wouldn’t be seen. The dark indigo color scheme that Blueblood had picked out was perfectly suited to blending into the night sky.
As the night wore on, Blueblood got bored, even with practicing his ninja skills. Nothing was happening! Being a super crime fighter wasn’t supposed to be about skulking around and waiting! Usually there was a grandma being mugged around every corner, but here there was nothing! Waiting sucked.
That’s how the police do it, just waiting for something to happen.
“Shut up, Trudy.”
Much as he hated to admit it, even a conversation with the voice in his head would have been better to pass the time than just wandering aimlessly throughout the city. She hadn’t been very talkative, however, and Blueblood couldn’t bring himself to generate conversation topics. Who knew starting a conversation with the voice in your head could be so awkward.
There was one thing that had been on his mind, but the thought of what Trudy was, how she had been created, was not something Blueblood was eager to discuss. If he could, Blueblood would have resealed the memories she had unlocked about what had happened to him in that closet. He was now thoroughly disgusted with bugs–anything that had an ovipositor, really.
Blueblood was approaching the point of actual anger at the law-abiding citizens of Canterlot as the horizon began to glow faintly with the coming sunrise. Not a single pony had committed any crimes! He’d been out all night with absolutely nothing to show for it but his mounting frustration. Canterlot was supposed to be a bustling city as the capital of Equestria, so he’d expected at least some street robbery trickling down from the white-collar variety going on in parliament.
He glanced back towards the castle, thinking he would give up and go to bed. It was probably a good idea to get back before Auntie Celestia finished raising the sun, anyway. Blueblood was just banking through the air to fly back when he spotted a familiar-looking pony. Her yellow coat made her stand out against the dim predawn sky.
Trudy sensed the gears turning in Blueblood’s head. What are you going to do?
“She wasn’t falling all over me last night like mares usually do,” he muttered. “I wonder how she’ll like me now.”
Are you sure this is a good idea?
“Of course!” Blueblood flew a little faster, catching up to the mare he had spotted.
Bright Defender looked around, doing a double take at the costumed stallion approaching her. Her eyes took in the slick outfit he wore before drifting upwards. Realization slowly dawned and her mouth dropped open. Blueblood hid a smirk, thinking, That’s right, never seen an alicorn up close, have you?
“Who are you?” Bright stammered.
“The name’s Trueblood. I’m new in town.”
She looked at him again, tilting her head to the side. “Um, welcome.”
Blueblood chuckled, pleased that he was showing off the proper introductions of allure and mysteriousness. Any mare would be putty in his hooves if he just kept the show moving. “You helped me yesterday to stop the liquor store robbery. Sorry that you had to do most of the work. I wasn’t yet comfortable showing you that I’m an alicorn.”
“Why haven’t I ever heard of you before?” Bright demanded, her tone of voice gaining confidence. “There are only so many alicorns out there.”
“Well, it’s called a disguise for a reason.” Blueblood shrugged. “Anyway, I should probably get back to defending the city or something. Crime fighting and being a hero is a demanding job.”
“Wait, I’ll come with you!” Bright swooped down to the street and ducked into a telephone booth. There was a flurry of activity inside and she burst out clad in a costume of her own. Blueblood wondered how exactly she managed to get changed so quickly while encased in such a tight confines.
Flying back up to Blueblood’s level, Bright paused so he could see the outfit that she had somehow procured from thin air. She wore a red domino mask that covered her eyes and left the rest of her face free. The mask was complemented by a red, wide-brimmed hat and a long red cape that fastened at her neck and trailed over her back, waving in the breeze generated by her wings.
Oh, and she was an alicorn, too.
Blueblood stared, left eye twitching. “What.”
Jeeze, you’re even forgetting your question marks, she’s got you so rattled!
Bright looked bashful. “Sorry. I guess I know how you feel. I don’t like going out in public as an alicorn, either. I’m so nervous that everypony will think I’m a goddess or something. I just don’t like that much attention. I’m sure you understand.”
“Uh…” Blueblood thought quickly, trying to make sense of this. His brain just come to the stunning conclusion of nothing. He eventually decided to just agree and hope for the best. “Yes.”
Bright smiled. “I can’t believe this! You’re somepony who understands what I’m going through. The demands of having incredible power and so much responsibility along with it! Knowing that you can make a difference in this world by fighting the scum of society and making Equestria a better place. You also like fighting crime! This is so cool, I can’t even believe it! Can… can we be friends?”
Wow… and here you were showing off with your powers, while she’s got the moral high grounds for her powers and everything. What now?
“Um… sure, why not?” Blueblood said with a shrug. It could just work out into one of those partner type of deals. But as everypony knows, you can only work with someone of the opposite gender for so long until feelings for the other develop. Feelings Blueblood hoped could lead to his bed. He recovered and managed to smile. “I’m always up to making a new friend or two.”
Jeez, can you ever be more despicable? Heck, are you even capable of making a female friend without trying to get her into your bedroom?
“I would count you as an example, but you’ve already been in my bedroom,” Blueblood whispered under his breath.
“What was that?” Bright inquired.
“Er, nothing,” Blueblood replied. “So, friends?” And maybe something more, he didn’t say.
Bright smiled. “Sure.”
Aren’t you still concerned that she is actually a he?
Trudy’s comment was a major buzzkill, but Blueblood managed to keep a straight face. Bright didn’t seem to notice, and she grinned at him happily, as if delighted to make a new friend. And just then came the perfect bonding moment, a cry of help breaking the silence of the early morning.
“Looks like duty calls,” Blueblood said, somewhat relieved for the disturbance. Plus, now he could show off a bit for Bright. This time, he promised himself, he would stay focused, knock some heads together, and be a total badass. And hopefully sway a crime fighting maiden his way.
“Ooh, how exciting!” Bright said, staring into the streets on the ground level hundreds of feet down. “Looks like a bank heist is in progress!”
“Oh, whoopy,” Blueblood said with fake glee. A liquor store robbery was small fries compared to the big, granddaddy of robberies like a bank. Which also meant this would be much more dangerous, serious, and potentially life risking for himself.
Hey, isn’t this what you wanted? Stop complaining, go down there, and kick some flank already!
The nagging voice in his head was right! Blueblood raced Bright towards the ground, both of them heading for the nearby bank.
In the predawn morning the bank wasn’t yet open, but apparently a crew of robbers had taken advantage of the lack of customers and held up the early bank tellers that were opening up for the day. Landing on the sidewalk near the corner of the building, Blueblood could hear their shouts about getting the money out of the vault.
Bright was right beside him. Blueblood nodded to her. “Okay, I’ll go around the corner and in through the front door. You watch the back to make sure none of them escape.”
“Okay!” Bright smiled eagerly and took off for the back of the bank.
As she disappeared, Blueblood took a deep breath to calm his nerves and then squared his shoulders. “Let’s do this.”
He came out from hiding and shot through the front door of the bank. “Freeze, evildoers!”
As he burst into the room all by himself, more than a dozen heavily-armed robbers stared at him. None of these guys were pushovers like the robbers at the liquor store. Most were armed with clubs embedded with nails, others with swords, while one rather large unicorn was toting around a huge, double sided axe.
“Oh, buck me,” Blueblood whispered.