> From the Ashes of the Phoenix (Part 1)
>  by ChappyYoung
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue
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	The sky was unnaturally black for midnight, there was moon tonight for it was hidden but the clouds, the night air especially cold which was odd for the summer months, and there I was passed out drunk in the gutters of Detrott the city without hope, the city I was born and raised. I may look like your average drunk with my worn hat, and jacket, and the un-kept stubble, and permanent scars on my face, but I wasn’t always like this.

Let me start from the beginning, twenty eight years ago I was born a colt with endless potential with a light grey coat almost to the point of being blue, and a mane the color of coil, I don’t remember my birth name but ever since I was young I’ve always been known as just Ace. Both my parents abandoned me when I was just a baby so I don’t remember anything about them, I was later found in my parent house crying until some old lady called the cops about the noise, and they came and rescued me. From that moment on I lived in an orphanage, they never found any record of my birth in any hospital assuming I was born at home and my parent decided to keep it a secret. When I was taken to orphanage one of the first things I did was take a foam toy ball and threw it across the room hitting one of the caretakers right between the eyes, from that moment on I was known as Ace saying I was an “Ace Shot”.

As soon as I was old enough they sent me to school, the school wasn’t far from the orphanage so I would walk there with a group of other kids. School was always easy for me, but I was never really the social type I didn’t meet my true best friend until high school. He was Silver Dash, just as his name implied his coat was the color of silver, even shined like it too, and his mane was also like silver, he was the fastest Pegasus in the entire school, hell he was probably the fastest Pegasus in the entire city. He sort of forced himself into my life, on my first day of highschool I choose to eat alone because I didn’t have any friends and I didn’t care to meet anyone new. He just come up and sat across from and introduced himself, and then he asked for my name too. I just gave him a look, a look saying “leave me alone” and went back to staring at my lunch, but he kept insisting on learning my name. Eventually I cracked and told him, we then started talking and really got know each other, turns out he was a really nice guy. We started hanging out on weekends and after school if he didn’t have flight practice, he convinced me to join a club also so I had something to do while he was at practice, he recommend the archery club. He was one of the only people that noticed that everything I wanted to hit, I hit even if it was just me throwing something away from a far distance.

The archery club was a blast; within my first week I became the best in the club able to get a bull’s-eye almost every shot. After a couple of weeks of shooting I was able to earn my Cutie Mark, a red and black target on my flank. My high school years were the best years of my life, me and Silver having the time of our lives, but everything changed when high school was over.

At the age of eighteen I graduated high school, and the rules of the orphanage was as soon as you finished high school and were a least eighteen you had to leave. I packed my bags and never looked back; I found a cheap apartment and got a few odd jobs. I didn’t speak to Silver much anymore; I’ve heard he now flies for The Wonderbolts. Several months’ later money kept getting tighter and tighter, at first I was forced to skip meals just to pay the bills, but then I had to go whole days even weeks without eating. Eventually I lost my apartment and was forced to live out on the streets doing whatever I could for food and money. One night when I was almost to the point starvation a man approached me in a long, dark trench coat, his coat was black as night and concealed his face with the shade of the night, he offered me a job he claimed to have seen me in the paper for me archery and was impressed by my skills. He wanted me to kill a man, he was a low life drug dealer he would sell to anypony of any age and the man in front me wanted him dead. The man offered me 10,000 bits to do this job, and it took it, it was either kill this man or die of starvation myself. The man handed me an envelope with an address, a time, and a photo of the target.

I grabbed my bow a couple of arrows and went to the right location at the right time and there he was. He was one ugly pony, he was missing some teeth and there was a lot of red in his eyes implying he also used what he sold. This man needed to be put down he was truly the scum of the city. I readied my bow but I couldn’t keep my hooves from shaking I’ve never shot at a real pony before only circle targets. Killing somepony is very different; with my bow still readied I took a deep breath and kept telling myself he was scum. Finally I held my breath and took the shot. The arrow flew through the night air and went right through the man’s neck, I watched as the life quickly left his body and he finally fell dead. The job was finished. I quickly fled the scene with adrenalin and fear running through my entire body, I was gone before anypony even saw me and went back where I first meet the man in the dark coat.

He didn’t show up until morning I end up falling asleep waiting for him. He woke me up by tossing a case of bits on me, in the light of day I could finally see his face he was actually quite handsome with a large scar across his face meaning he must have had a long past, and his mane was even darker than his coat somehow, I opened the case and as expected all 10,000 bits were in there I could finally eat a decent meal. He praised me on a job well done saying I did better than most especially for my first time, he then offered me a second job this time paying double. He said I didn’t have to except it now, but to meet him at a specified location at midnight tonight and handed me a slip with the location. He left me to my decision.

I took my money and left. I took all the bits I needed and hid the rest along with my bow and went to the best restaurant I could think of and ordered the best meal they had, I ate almost to the point of throwing up but somehow it felt good. I wait around until about midnight grabbed my bow and left for the meeting place. As expected he was there holding another case. He handed me an envelope and the case he was holding, in the envelope was information on my next target he was a leader of gang; the gang had committed several robberies and had a huge drug ring. It also stated he was a pimp, the kind of pimp that age didn’t matter his “girls” would range from young fillies to full grown mares. And he would also “spent the night” with some of his “girls”, this man was the definition of pony trash and needed to be taking care of. Next I opened the case, inside was a brand new scoped crossbow, I’ve never used a crossbow before but how hard could it be. I took a couple practice shot to get the hang of it and left for the target.

I went to the location at the time the file on him listed. And there he was just as expected, he was a lot uglier in person then his photo, his face looked deformed like it had been all cut up and stitched back up many times, it also looked like he’s had a bad run of alcohol and drugs. I loaded a bolt in the bow and I was ready. It appeared he was going for a late night walk the perfect time to take him out. It raised my crossbow and looked through the scope and moved the crosshair to his forehead right between his misshapen eyes. This time I wasn’t as nervous, maybe what they say is true the second kill is much easier. I made sure the shot would hit and pulled the trigger, the bolt flew through the air hitting him between the eyes as planned. He didn’t have time to react he just fell dead, another job was finished it made me feel joy the kind of feeling I got by doing something good by ridding the world of people like him, the kind of feeling heroes must get when they save someone. Once again I fled the scene and went back to the location I received the job.

Again he didn’t appear until morning, but he arrived with another case. He handed me the case as he said before all 20,000 bits were in there, I’ve honestly never seen that much money before in my life. He then said he had one final job for me and would pay 5,000 bits but said it was a fairly easy one. He wanted me to eliminate man, a homeless man. The man never did anything wrong in his life he was the type of man that couldn’t hold a job and was bad with money, they saw him as a stain on the shirt of Detrott and needed to be wiped out, he was just like me. I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t kill somepony who’s never harmed anypony in their life, just a couple of days ago that was me, no job and no money living on the street. I told the man in front of me I couldn’t take the job. He nodded his head and hand handed me a slip of paper with a number and a location he then said to me “If you change your mind or are looking for more work call me at that number or find me at this location, by the way the names Stormy Skies.”

And like that he left and from then on out I made a promise to never harm an innocent pony. It didn’t take long for word to get around of my jobs and skill and soon was contacted by other ponies that needed jobs done. From there on out I became a mercenary for hire. I would take on any job as long as it didn’t break my code. And I keep doing this for about eleven years taking out all kinds of targets; thieves, drug dealer, murders, rapist, and many other types of criminals. I’d also do other odd jobs like dig up information on somepony or steal something back that was taken from somepony. With all the money I was making I was able to move into a good studio apartment, I also bumped up my arsenal from my crossbow to a sniper rifle and I also add a couple pistols and hid a knife in my jacket just in case things just heated, but I also held onto my crossbow. Life was going well for me I was also bringing in a lot of money, enough to live comfortably the rest of my life, I could have quit but I loved the feeling that I got from ridding the world of filth. But one day everything changed.

One day about a year ago I was giving a new assignment; it seemed easy enough I was to take out another drug dealer. He was new to game he only started about a month ago, thought it would be good to get rid of him before he got too big. I went to the location he would be at and got ready and assembled my sniper rifle. He arrived a few minutes after, he didn’t seem like the other drug dealers I hit, and he just seemed like a normal pony Joe. I just shrugged it off took aim and took the shot like I’ve done several times before. And he was gone, I packed up my rifle and left and got my pay. The next morning I turned on the news as I normally do, they were covering a report on a single father that turned up dead, the man I just killed. His face was shown on the top corner of the broadcast I knew it was him, it turned out he was a single father who held a full time job and two part time jobs on the weekend to keep him and his five year old son feed and have a decent place to live. They must have not known about the drug dealing, he must have done that at night to earn a little extra money for his son. They then went on the mention that they would be moving him to an orphanage, the same orphanage I stayed at. I had single hoofedly ruined this child’s life with one kill. I know that orphanage it’s not a good place to grow up and he wouldn’t get adapted, nopony did. I did it, I broke my code, I herm the life of an innocent pony.
I then fell into a deep depression and I turned to alcohol and painkillers for the answer. I often found myself in bars most nights and in bed most days. I stopped my mercenary work and then spent most my days drinking in bars not known what it was like to be sober anymore. Which lead me to the sad excuses of a pony I am today passed out in the gutter of Celestia knows where. And this is where my story truly begins.    
     
 
 
  
 
        
             
                           
  
   
             
 
                              
             
   
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> Bar Brawl
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It was a normal summer evening for me I was thrown out of nearly every bar I could think of and I was out on the streets stumbling around with no destination, my mind is so much in a fog from the alcohol and painkillers I had taken I don’t even remember getting on the train. I must have bought a ticket or snuck on, but that didn’t matter I was taking the midnight train going anywhere. I wasn’t sure how long I was on the train before it stopped; minutes, hours, it could have even been a full day, but in the state I was in I was unable to tell the passage of time I just sat in my seat drinking from my one of many hidden flasks. The train finally took its last stop for the evening; it arrived in the town of Ponyville. It was a small town, a town that probably doesn’t even show up on any major maps. But if it had a bar of any sort I would be happy.

I got off the train carrying with me my guitar case that was filled with my weapons just in case, the sky was getting dark so it must have been in the evening hours. I wandered the streets looking for anyplace I could get a drink; it appeared that most ponies were either at home or in bed. Eventually after looking for what felt like a long time I found one “The Depot” not that the name really mattered, but it appeared to be built on an old railroad track and  part of it was made from old train cars. I went inside, it was warm inside but that didn’t matter I needed a drink, I went and took a seat up at the bar and sat down my guitar case, then ordered my usual a shot of whisky and told the bartender to leave the bottle, I threw down more than enough bits to cover the bottle. I took my first shot and looked around the bar. The bar wasn’t as full as I’m used to and the jukebox was playing the type of music I can’t stand, the kind like nails on a chalkboard. There was a group of what appeared to be a biker gang playing pool; there were a couple of drunken ponies at the bar with me, and a group of girls having a party in the back. There were six of them and they seemed like an odd group of friends each of them different in their own way. There was an earth pony that appeared to be a cowgirl with the hat and everything, another pink earth pony having way too much fun, a Pegasus with a rainbow colored mane, another Pegasus that seemed to be avoiding eye contact with any other pony in the bar, a white unicorn that looks like a fashionista, and a purple unicorn that I believe I’ve seen on the news with the princess before.

Shot by shot, minute by minute, I watched the girls in secret it seemed like a normal enough party to me, they were talking, laughing, dancing, and just having an all around good time. I finished my bottle of whisky and about to order a second when I noticed the purple unicorn leave her group and head towards the bar, she must have been getting more drinks for her friends, but she was quickly stopped by one of the bikers. I know it was none of my business but I still listened in.

“So where are you headed little lady?” he said to her.

“Um... I’m just heading over to the bar to get me and my friends some more drinks.” the purple unicorn replied.

But he continued on “Why don’t you ditch your loser friends and come and hang with me and my boys?”

I could tell she was uncomfortable, but she still replied “Um… no thanks, you see it’s my birthday and they’re throwing me a party.’

But he still wouldn’t give up “Well then happy birthday, me and my boys will give you a party you’ll never forget.”

She still seemed sacred but in a term voice she replied “Sorry but the answer is still no, so I’ll just be leaving now so bye.”

She started to walk any but no one else in the bar noticed but the biker had pulled a tiny blade on her it’s hard to tell but he definitely had a knife. I looked over at her friend but none of them had noticed her being harassed and anypony else that did notice didn’t seem to care. The biker then said “Look you don’t have a choice you either come with us or you’re gonna get hurt, so let’s not cause a commotion and just follow me outside.”

Tears started flowing from her eyes. It looked as if no one was going to help her. It was none my business but I had to do something I couldn’t let her get hurt. I got up from my seat and stumbled over to the biker and said “You heard the lady, now leave her alone and get lost.”

“And who are you her boyfriend” he replied

“No I’m just some guy who’s going to show you how to treat a lady properly.”

I got between him and the lady, he then look at me and laughed “Oh I get it you’re just some drunken bum, who wants to play hero and win the girl over for yourself.”

He signaled over to the two bikers that were still at the pool table and they joined him by his side. “Now me and my boy are going to teach you a lesson, not to mess with The Blood Runners now come on lets kick his ass.”

I turned my head to her and whispered “Run!”

She took off towards her friend got them and left the bar. Now it was just me and three bikers, one of them was thin like a tree branch but looked as if he still knew how to fight, the other one he called over was huge his muscles looked over worked and that he had been using some sort of enhancement drug, it looks as if he could easily break any bone in my body with just one hit I’d have to be careful around him and finally there was their leader he appeared to be average size but I could tell he had strength behind him. The leader was the first one to throw a hit, I was able to block but the force from the punch still hurt severally. He then started throwing punches left and right, with all my will I was still able to block them but my forearms were starting to sting, I’m not sure how much more I could take. I was starting to get dizzy and the alcohol wasn’t helping, one of my forearms started to bleed from the non stop hits, I had to counterattack or I may pass out. I swung my body to his side and threw my first punch but I was drunk my aim was of, it caused me to miss, and the force of the swing caused me to fall upon the floor. I quickly got back to my feet, but when I raised my head up there was no time to react, the skinny one had throw a punch that hit me square in the nose, the force wasn’t enough to cause it to brake but it still caused my nose to bleed. I shortly blacked out all the alcohol I had taken over the years took it’s number on me and fell once again to the floor.

When I came to the leader and the skinny biker had pinned me to the floor with the big biker standing above me, the leader then went on to say “So you really thought you were hot shit didn’t you, well let’s see how tough you are when you’re unable to walk.”
The skinny biker held my back left leg still as the big biker prepared for the punishment I was about to receive. He got into a stance and with all his might he kicked out at my leg instantly breaking the bone. The last thing I remember before passing out from the pain was the noise my leg made when it broke. But at least I saved the girl.
> Where Am I?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	I awoke with the sunlight pouring into my eyes, it was almost unbearable and my head was pounding, was this what it was like to be sober? My body hurt, my eye finally adjusted enough so I could take a look around, and I found a pair of sunglasses on what appeared to be a nightstand by the bed I was now, when I put them on it made the sunlight bearable. I took a better look around; I appeared to be in some sort of library, was this a dream? No the pain was too real, then where was I? What happened last night? Then I remembered everything the bar the girl the bikers and my leg. I pulled of the sheet that was over my body and there it was my leg was in a cast and it hurt like hell, I doubt I’d be able to stand on it for awhile, I had no choice but to continue to lay where I was. I lay where I was for about a half an hour, I heard hoofsteps getting closer to where I was, was this my “caretaker”. Whoever it was they enter through the door, I was the girl from the bar, seeing her sober and in the daylight was a lot different than seeing in the bar, see was beautiful, it was like seeing her for the first time. Her coat was a light purple and her mane and tail was long and straight, it was a darker purple with a purple and pink streak running through it. She came to the bedside with a smile on her face; she turned to me and said “Oh it looks like you’re finally up”

“Yeah I’ve been up for about a half an hour… what do you mean finally up?” I replied

“Oh you don’t, you’ve asleep for a whole day you must have been tried” she giggled.

“Oh I see… but where am, I how did I get here?” I asked

“Yeah I didn’t think of that you must have several questions, but first of all, hello my name is Twilight, Twilight Sparkle.”

“And I’m Ace, it’s good to have a proper interdiction.” I laughed, it felt good to be having a normal conversion with somepony “So where am I, what is this place”

‘I was about to get to that, you’re at my house, I work and live in a library, I guess that would explain all the books.” She smiled “But the night you saved me, when you told me to run and I got my friends and left, well shortly after I left I went back to see what happened and saw you passed out on the sidewalk covered in blood and dirt and well I thought I’d return the favor and take you back to my house and clean you up, but when I went to get you up I noticed your leg was broken and called an ambulance and they rushed you to the hospital and confirmed it was broken. I stay in the waiting room all night, they put your leg in the cast they asked me if I had any information about you, but I didn’t know thing and didn’t found any identification on you and there was no medical recorded on you, so they couldn’t let you stay in the hospital after that night so I offered to take you in, it was the least I could do for what you did for me. And that leads us today.”

I was a bit shocked it was the nicest thing anypony was done for me. Something a lot worse could have happened to me if she didn’t show up. “Well thank you very much, if you could get my things and I’ll be on my way.” I couldn’t stay, if I ended up letting somepony into they would end up just getting hurt, both mentally and physically.

“Look I’m not going to let you leave, you’re in really bad shape and you got that way trying to protect me and if you didn’t come along I could have been raped or even worse, so you stay here until you better.” She said.

It looks as she really wasn’t going to let me leave, so guess I was going to have to play along and it was probably for the best to keep my past from her. I turned to her and said “you’re really not going to take no for an answer are you?”

“Yep that’s right.” She replied

I sighed. “Well if that’s the case, I guess they say home sweet home”

“That’s the spirit” she laughed “So since you’re stuck in bed is there anything I can get you, maybe something to drink?”

Come to think of it my mouth was extremely dry; I really could have something to drink “Yeah that sounds good I’ll take a beer.”

“Um… sorry, I don’t have any alcohol, but I could get you some water, milk, coffee, or soda.”

No alcohol, I guess soda was the next best thing and maybe it would be for the best if I gave up alcohol for a while. “Actually some soda would be great; I’ll take cola if you got it.”

“Okay so I’ll get you your cola” she looked at me and smiled “and by the way I like your glasses” she laughed and left the room.

I hadn’t noticed but I was still wearing the sunglasses I found on the nightstand, I took them off I didn’t really get a good look at them but they were pink with rhinestones on them. No wonder she laughed I must have looked ridiculous, I laid the glasses back onto the nightstand. She arrived shortly after with my drink, she had it in a glass full of ice and came up and set it on a coaster next to me and said “Here you go, now do you need anything else?”

“No thanks I think I’m good, but if you don’t mind I’m still pretty tried and like to get some more rest.” I replied

“Okay but could I at least get you a TV to watch so you’re not just laying there in silence, I think I have a spare one around here somewhere.” she asked

“That would be nice, if you could please.” I replied

“Okay I’ll go look for it and you just stay there and rest” she said then left the room.
I reached for my drink, the glass was cold to the touch, lifted the glass to my mouth the carbonation tickled my nose, I took a sip it was sweeter than what I’m used to, but still drank the whole glass. It didn’t take long for me to fall back asleep
> Lies, Truth, and Grace
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	I was in a dark room with no sign of light; I couldn’t even see a foot in front of me. “Twilight” I yelled, there was no reply. The room seemed to be different than before, I yelled again “Twilight” still no answer. I was getting scared, had something happened to her? Had something happened to me? Suddenly a fire broke out in the center of the dark room; the room was still pitch black, I couldn’t see anything but the fire. Then from the fire came the figure of a young colt, but not just any colt, the colt whose father I had taken away from him. He was crying, crying for his father. I tried running towards him but my body seem to be paralyzed and couldn’t move. The flame soon fully engulfed the colt and like that the fire was gone, leaving nothing but a small skeleton.

I awoke in a cold sweet; it was all just a dream. But the face of that boy still greatly bothered me, he still haunted me in my dreams even after almost a year had passed, I guess the alcohol and painkillers really didn’t help, maybe I should really quit. The sun didn’t quite hurt my eyes like it did yesterday; I was feeling much better now that the alcohol was out of my system. I took a look around and she had already brought the TV into my room, it was a small flat screen, she had also brought a gaming system and a movie player with a few games and movies. It was all on an AV type of stand, the kind you would see in schools, and all the remotes and game controller were on the nightstand. I could smell eggs and bacon in the air; Twilight must have been making breakfast. I reached over and grabbed the TV remote and switched it on, “Phoenix Corp. providing Equestria with all sorts of goods and services, from household appliances to foods and goods, Phoenix Corp. putting the U in Us!” said a female announcer.

“What a load of garbage!” I say as I turned the channel

As I channel flipped there was nothing on but infomercials, crappy reality show and cheap sitcoms, finally I found a news channel, with a male reporter saying “Today the skeletal remains of two pony were found buried out in a small lake outside of Detrott the date of death is still unknown but records show they could be over 20 years old…” I switch the channel; news like that always depresses me.

I found a channel that was playing old cartoons, the type I watched when I was young, it was something about cartoon that always made me feel better. I lay in bed for some time watching cartoons, my leg still hurt badly but at least not as bad as yesterday. It didn’t take long before I heard hoofsteps headed towards the room, not one but two sets of hoofsteps. As suspected there was Twilight, but with her wasn’t another pony but a dragon. The dragon was small and a light purple with green spikes, judging by its size I would say it was still young, I’ve never seen a real dragon before. I switched off the TV and  Twilight came in carrying a tray with food on it, it was bacon and eggs just as I had smelled also on the tray was a glass of orange juice, I can’t remember the last time I’ve had a glass of orange juice without a shot of vodka in it.

“Good morning!” she said with a smile “And I don’t think you’ve met but this is my assistant Spike, he’s a baby dragon. I’ve also made you some breakfast; I wasn’t sure how you take your eggs so I just scrambled them”

She laid the tray on my lap, the food in front of me smelled great, and come to think of it I haven’t eaten in days I was starved. I took my eyes off the food and looked back up at her saying “Wow! It looks wonderful and scrambled is just fine, but next time if you don’t mind sunny side up would be nice, and it’s also nice to meet you Spike, I’m Ace by the way.”

“Nice to meet you too, if you even need anything let me know okay.” Spike said.

“And I’m going to leave you with this bell, if you ever need anything just ring it and either me or Spike will help you.” Twilight added “Now come on Spike let’s leave him to eat, I hope you enjoy your breakfast.”

I started at my breakfast, first the eggs, they were pretty good but could have used more seasoning or something, and then the bacon, and it was a bit crisp for my liking but it was still good. I pretty much licked the plate clean, all that was left was the glass of orange juice, I took a sip of it, it wasn’t real orange juice but the drink made to taste like it. Either way I still drank the whole glass and set the tray aside. I switched back on the TV and left it on the cartoon channel. I was able to sit up in bed and started to stretch. I then leaned over to the movie player and took a look at the stack of movies she had left for me. There was whole mixes of blockbusters, a few were actions, a few were scifi, and a few were comedies and romances; I’ve seen trailers for all of these films on TV. I thought I’d try one of the comedies; I put in the disc, lay back, and started the film.

The movie was pretty dumb filled with unfunny jokes, I’m sure younger ponies would have found the jokes funny, but it wasn’t the movie for me. After a long hour and a half of stupid humor the movie was finally over. It was still only 10 o’clock; I decided to put in a second movie this time an action film. It was okay, the writing was pretty good but the actions scenes and stunts were unrealistic since I’ve been in similar scenarios and it was nothing like that, and there were also way too many explosions.

The movie end and it was now around 12 o’clock now and I was getting hungry again, I thought of ringing the bell and ask for lunch but I really didn’t want to be a bother since I am only a guest. I laid in silence staring at the ceiling because I didn’t feel like watching anything else. I didn’t lay there for long before she came back up; she opened the door carrying not one plate with a sandwich on it but two. She walked over to me and laid the plate on my lap and sat a glass of water at the nightstand and pulled up a chair and took a seat.

“I hope you don’t mind if I join you for lunch.” she said.

“No not at all, I enjoy the company.” I replied.

I looked down the sandwich; it was a turkey sandwich with tomato, lettuce and mayo on white bread, I wasn’t much of a fan of tomato but I wasn’t going to complain since I was hunger and it was a kind jester. I took a bite of the sandwich, it was pretty good, well other then the slice of tomato on it. It didn’t take long for me to finish my two halves of sandwich and drink my glass of water. When I looked over at Twilight she only had only taken a few bites of her sandwich. She put her sandwich back on her plate and set it off to the side; she then looked for to me and asked. “I never seen you around Ponyville before, you’re not from around here are you?”

I thought for a while maybe it would be okay to let her know some detail of my life while keeping most of it a secret, for some reason I wanted tell her the truth I really liked her, she was kind and caring, she also always gave me a smile when she saw me. I decided to let her know my past, well at least the stuff that didn’t have to do with my mercenary work, and lie about the rest. I replied “No I’m not, I’m from Detrott.”

“Detrott!?” she said in shock “That really far away, what are you doing all the way here?”

Crap, I didn’t think this though, I can’t let her know I came all the way here when I was drunk do to depression, it’s a good thing I could think on the spot, I replied with a lie “I came here for inspiration for my line of work.” It was the first think of.

“Oh you must be a musician.” She said

A musician where was she getting that from, then I remembered I had my guitar case full of my weapons, she must have seen it and thinks I can play guitar. “Yes and no, you see I help compose for an indie band up in Detrott. I help write some of their music, I had a bit of writers block and come here for inspiration.” With every reply I feel like I’m digging myself in deeper and deeper.

“Wow! That’s amazing; you’ll have to play for me when you get better.” She said.

I think I’ve gotten too deep this time; I had to think of an excuse or find a way to change the subject. “I would but I fell and broke it shortly after I got here, it was a real shame I know, I’ve been looking for a guitar shop to fix but have been no luck.”

“Oh that is a real shame, I was hoping to hear you play, and I’m sure if there is a place to get it fixed around here. We should keep in touch so that when you get it fixed I can finally hear you play. What about your band they’re not worried about you are they?” she said.

We were finally off that topic, if worse came to worse I could always buy a guitar and learn to play it “No it’s fine I told them that I needed a while to find myself, so I still have awhile before they start to worry.” I replied.

“Well since you can’t play me a song, keep you at least hum me a few notes or something?” she asked.

Without much thought I started to whistle the first song I could think of, it wasn’t a song I made up on the spot but one that’s been with me since I was a young colt. Back when I went to the orphanage the head caretaker was the kindest pony in all of Equestria, her name was Grace, every night she would tuck in all the children and she would always tuck me in last. She seemed to really care for me, she once told me I reminded her of her own son that she had lost when he was very young and liked having me around. But when she finally came over to tuck me in she would sing me this song.
	
Come little child shut eyes

When you wake you’ll see bright blue skies

If you are not tired then count some sheep

And some you’ll fall to this land of sleep

Come little child no more tears

For I will show you there is nothing to fear

Do not fear the rising tide

And know I’ll always be at your side

Together always me and you

Know this child that I love you

That’s all I could remember of the song, I know it was silly but I still loved it and I loved her, she was the mother I never had. Things were good with her around and I was happy, but when I was ten she fell very ill and most days wouldn’t come in. not long after she passed on, when I heard the news it was the worst day of my life, I think it hit me the worst then anypony else, no one could get me out bed and I spent most days crying. Not long after she passed they replaced her with one of the cruelest ponies I’ve ever met, her name was Fate. She seemed to be the opposite of Grace, she never cared about us children only the money, many days we didn’t get the food we needed. I hated her, I wish Grace never had to go. I finished whistling the rest the song, my eyes had started to water just from thinking of her.

“Wow! That was really beautiful, what’s it called?” she asked.

The song never really had a name but I thought of something that was fitting “It’s called To Remember Grace” I said.

“That’s a wonderful name; I’d love to hear it when it’s done.” she smiled.

“Yeah of course I’ll play it when it’s finished.” I replied.

“So what were you doing in that bar the other night?”

“I went there thinking a drink or two would help clear my mind and help me think better, what were you doing there?” I asked.

“That night was my twenty first birthday and my friends wanted to celebrate by getting a few drinks in me, but I ended up only having a couple, but we still had a good time… well for the most part, until you know happened.” She seemed a little upset answering the question; I shouldn’t have brought it up.

“So you really seem to be close to your friends, yes? You really care about them and they care about you don’t they?”

“Yeah I do, they’re the best friends a pony could have, and what about you are you close to your friends?  They’re probability worried about you.”

I’ve really thought about it until now but I haven’t had a friend until Sliver Dash. I’ve always been on my own, not even a pet to keep me company. I answered truthfully “No I don’t really have friends I’m close with just a few acquaintances like the ponies I write songs for, we’ve never really hung out, but I did have a close friend high school, his name was Silver Dash, but I haven’t seen him in a few years.”

She had a bit of a surprised look on her face and said. “Silver Dash, he wouldn’t be related to somepony named Rainbow Dash would he?”

I’ve never thought that Silver had a sister or anything like that, but now that I think of it there was a pony with a rainbow colored mane at the bar with her and to think of it they seemed very similar I a way “I don’t think he had any sisters, but I guess she could be a cousin or something.”

“Oh, well I’ll just ask her sometime.” She said.

We ended up talking about ourselves until about dinner time; she told me more about herself, about how she used to live in Canterlot until the princess sent her to Ponyville to learn about friendship and that how she met all her friends, she also stated that the princess once wanted her to return to Canterlot but she refused so she could stay with her friends in Ponyville. She told me that her brother was the head of the Royal Guard and married to the princess niece who I guess is also a princess. She then went on to saying that she and her friends defeated the legendary Nightmare Night, along with a god of chaos, a group of changelings, an evil king, and many other odd things like that. It was a bit hard to believe but I just felt like I could believe her it was just a thing about her. I continued telling her about my made up past, but I did still her some truth. I felt good talking to her, it’s the closest I been to a woman since Grace and certain details reminded me of her. Of anypony that could have taking care of me I’m glad it was her. She seemed like a pony that would stick her neck out for anypony, just like Grace.

It was dinner time and by using her magic she helped me in to a wheelchair and wheeled me out of my room, there were even more books and it seemed the house was built into a tree. She wheeled me up to the table which had already had plates with food set up with drinks and everything; it was pasta with a white sauce and chicken, it’s been too long since I’ve had food that looked this good. The dragon must have made it while we were talking, but it didn’t matter because I was hungry and it smelled delicious. It tasted as good as it looked and smelled. Twilight gave me some painkillers and something to help me sleep and wheeled me back to my room and put back in bed. I turned on the TV and fell asleep.

I was in a dark room with no one around, suddenly somepony appeared from nowhere… it was Twilight, she was tied up, then I started to make out three other ponies, they were all faceless and they all had gun pointing at her, I tried to run towards her but the more I ran the farther away she got, then the three ponies with guns looked at me with crooked smiles and fired.

I again woke up in a cold sweat, another nightmare. I looked over at the clock located in the room it was only 7:30 and I didn’t feel tired enough to go back to sleep so I just laid there for an hour until I heard a voice coming from outside my room, it was Twilight I think she was on the phone with somepony. I know it was rude but I listened in,

“Oh, hi Rainbow.” She said “No I’m free to talk…. No he’s still asleep I think…. What do you mean what I think of…. Oh,” She giggled. “Well he’s kind, he’s really nice to me, he also seems different then other guys I’m met and hung out with, and well he’s kinda cute in a rugged kind of way.”

I stopped listening in, she thinks I’m cute, but in a rugged way what does she mean by that, I noticed a mirror over on the nightstand and knew what she meant I did look “rugged” my face was dirty, my mane was long, messy and has started to gray from all the years of stress even though I was still fairly young, and my facial hair was unkempt, I could really use a bath. Maybe if I asked she would run me one. I put the mirror back and switched on the TV, not long after I heard her say “Oh… I think he’s awake now, I have to go, Bye.”

She hung up the phone, and came over to my room and opened the door.

“Oh you’re up.” She said acting like she didn’t know I was already up.

“I’ve been up for awhile now, I couldn’t go back to sleep once I woke up, so I’m been lying in bed until I decided to turn on the TV and you came in.” I replied.

“Oh, well did you sleep alright last night?” She asked.

I didn’t want to tell her about the terrible nightmare I had about her last night. “Yeah, I slept great last best sleep I had in awhile.” I still felt bad lying to her.

“That’s good” she said with a smile. “You ready for breakfast, I made it special.”

“Yeah I’m pretty hungry, I could eat.” I said with a smile.

She helped me out of bed and into a wheelchair and over to the table, breakfast had already been set up, it was eggs again but this time instead of bacon it was sausage. It all looked good she wheeled me up to the table and asked. “Can I get you anything to drink?

I thought about the question for a bit and answered “I’ll just take black coffee.”

“Okay I get it for you” she went over to the coffee pot and poured me a cup and brought it to me “Here you go, nice and hot.”

I slowly sipped on my coffee it was hot enough to burn my tongue, it was extremely bitter but that’s the way I liked it. I put down the cup and started at my eggs, they tasted the same as they did yesterday, but still good though. I completely finished my meal and drank my coffee and set my dishes aside. Twilight saw I was finished and asked. “Did everything taste okay?”

“Yeah everything tasted great, just like everything else you’ve made for me.” I replied

She smiled and seemed happy with my answer and said “Well I’m glad you like everything, because I’ve never been the best cook...” she paused. “so would you mind if I asked you something a little personal?”

I thought for a moment, whatever the question was i’d probably have to lie about it. “Sure what do you want to know?” I answered.

She look nervus when asking “I was just wondering how old are you?”

I could see why she would be nervus and why she would ask that. even that I was only twenty eight I looked a lot older from so many years of stress. My hair had already started to gray, there were bags under my eyes and my eyes just look like the eyes of a man that has many things. “Believe it or not I’m only Twenty Seven.”

She looked a little surprised by my answer and replied “Oh... I’m sorry I asked that.”

“It’s okay I’m not mad or anything, I realize I look old.” I laughed. “And if you don’t mind can I ask you something?”

She blushed and said “ no I don’t mind either”

“Could run me a bath so I can get cleaned up a bit?” I asked.

She continued to blush, smiled and said “sure no problem, I’ll run you one right away.”

I waited in my wheelchair for about ten minutes until she came and got me. I Stripped off my coat and undershirt and she helped me into the tub full of hot, soapy water. The hot water immediately soothed my pain, Twilight left me in peace. All the the shampoos and soaps surrounding  me were all female scented, but I didn’t care I wanted to get clean. I lathered some soap on my hoof and used it to wash my body, then used the shampoo to clean my mane. I saw a pair of scissors over on a stand, I was able to reach them with no hassle. With the scissors I cut the gray out of my hair making sure not to get any in the tub and all in a trash bin, too bad there wasn’t a razor too or I would also shave. When I was done she helped me out of the tube and dry off.

“You look much better now that you're clean.” She said and smiled

“Thank you.” I blushed and replied.

As the weeks went by my leg continued to heal, and also as time went by I continued to get to know Twilight better. I learned that her brother and his wife are expecting a child. I also got to meet all of Twilight’s friends there was Pinkie Pie who said she was going throw a party when I got better, Rarity who offered to find me a better outfit then and I quote “the rags you are wearing”, there was Applejack who brought me in some of her homemade apple pie, there was Fluttershy who didn’t say much of anything and finally there was Rainbow Dash who was in fact related to Silver Dash. I felt really welcome in Ponyville and considered staying when I got better, and Twilight, I think I’ve fallen In love with her, she’s more than you can ask for in a mare, Smart, Pretty, and kind hearted. But I could never let her know my feelings for her, if she ever found out about my past it could hurt her in many ways, so when I get better it would be best just to stay away from her. And I could tell she was falling for me too, I could see it in her behavior when she was around me, how she smiled, how she laugh at things I said even though they weren't that funny. We even started to become physically closer too, we would sometimes share a couch, she’d hug me once and awhile, and once we even shared my bed and watched T.V.. 
> Phoenix Crops. Rising 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	On a bright and sunny day, it was finally the day I’d get my cast removed and I felt really good about myself ever since I’ve been off of alcohol and painkillers, and  my mood greatly improved too. I’ve been able to walk on my leg for a while now and I felt little to no pain and being able to walk on my leg I’ve been helping Twilight a lot around her house it was the least I could do for since she’s been taking such good care of me, it was all simple stuff like cleaning up after myself but it felt good helping out whenever I could. And I’ve been letting go of my past maybe I could finally start a new life here in Ponyville and make a decent living.

The clock had recently hit noon and I had made my own lunch, Just a simple sandwich, I didn’t feel like anything too big, because we would be having a dinner party to celebrate my recovery. Spike was out getting the things needed for the party while Twilight stayed and cleaned the house, I offered to help but she told me just to relax while she handled everything. I sat down in the recliner in the living room and switched on the T.V. and started on my sandwich, Twilight was in another room vacuuming. There was new report about the rise and fall of stocks, I knew there was nothing else on so I just left it on. I ate my sandwich and relaxed back into the chair, I was about to fall asleep when I heard the vacuum switch off. Twilight came into the room I was in, went up the the TV and turned it off. She then came up to me blushing and a grin on her face. She crawled up on my lap rubbing her face against mine and stopped at my ear and whispered.

“nopony will be over for awhile let’s have some fun.” She then started kissing me on the cheek down to my neck.

I should have stopped her but I was under her spell now. I almost didn’t notice the silver cylinder come crashing  through the window, there was only one thing it could be. I grabbed Twilight and threw her off me and onto the floor, then used my body to shield her. Everything went white and my ears had started to ring and I couldn’t hear anything but the ringing. slowly my vision returned to me just in time to see the second grenade, It started spitting out a cloud of thick heavy smoke. as my hearing return I could hear the rattle of gunfire

“STAY LOW AND FIND A PLACE TO HIDE!” I yelled.

“What the hells going on!” She cried

“I don’t know! Just go hide!” I yelled.

That was a lie I had some idea what was going on, whoever was firing at me wanted me dead. Twilight did as I said and hid, If we had any chance of living I had to find my gun case. It was hard finding my way with all this smoke everywhere and even more difficult crawling with a cast on. I found the closet where it had been kept I opened the door and managed to find the guitar shaped box with my hoof. I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out the key and unlocked the box, just as suspected was my two pistols, crossbow, a hunting knife, and my disassembled sniper rifle. I grabbed my knife and with no other choice I started cutting off my cast, a few time I ended up cutting myself by accident, after a few minutes the cast came off revealing my leg it was a lighter color than the rest of my body at this point and it was bleeding at the point I had cut myself. I shut the case and headed to higher ground.

Upstairs there was a lot less smoke and I could see our assailants, they were all wearing black uniforms with black helmets and mask covering their faces and all wielded assault rifles, whoever hired these guys had money and lots of it. I went over to the balcony and continued to stay low, they were still unaware of presents on the second floor balcony. I assembled my sniper rifle, I decided to put on the silencer, I wanted to keep this vantage point as long as possible. I looked though the scope I aligned the crosshairs to the furthermost solder there wasn’t any sort of badge or anything telling me who they worked for. I moved the crosshairs up to his forehead, none of his face visible. I took a deep breath, and took the shot, the shot exploded the black glasses on the helmet and went straight through his head with an explosion of blood followed behind. the other ponies were still unaware of my presents, the feeling returned, the feeling I got when killing the wicked. “POP POP” I quickly took out two more, but there were still four more. I took out one more this time they were aware of where I was, the gunfire quickly moved up to the balcony and I had to keep low. When I heard a break in fire I took two more shots missing both times I went for a third shot “CLICK” I was out of ammo and I didn’t have a spare clip on me.

I grabbed my two pistols and stuffed them into my pockets, and grabbed my crossbow. I slung my bolt pouch over my shoulder, I had about 30 bolts and 18 rounds in each pistol. I hurried back down the stairs took aim out of one of the broken windows, I sent a bolt flying though the closest soldier neck. I switched windows and took out two more. I aimed of the last guy this time in one of his back ankles, He fell over in pain and grabbed his ankle and pulled out the bolt, I meant to hit him in the leg, I was pissed and I wanted answers. I galloped over to him as he tried to crawl away. I went up to him and ripped of his helmet revealing his face, he was a young stallion no older than twenty, he had started to cry.

“TALK” I yelled. “WHO DO YOU WORK FOR!”

“I can’t tell you they’ll kill me if I do” he cried out.

I pulled out one of my pistols “I said talk! I’m pissed and I have an itchy trigger finger right now!”

“What the point if i tell you they kill me, if I don’t you kill me, I’m a dead man either way.” he said

“If you don’t tell me I’ll kill you alright.” I moved the pistol to his uninjured knee “but I’m gonna make hurt first.”

“Okay! Okay!” he cried with tears and snot running down his face “I’ll talk, I’ve been hired by Phoenix Corporation to take you out!”

Phoenix Corp should have known they wanted me dead. Back when I still did mercenary work I was hired a huge sum of bits to take out the president of Phoenix Corp, it may seem odd but they were more than the friendly corporation they seemed to be, but deep down they were full of crooks and drug dealers. That’s how they made their real money, with organised crime, they processed and sold drugs, they had several prostitution rings, even had an underground fight ring. The job was simple I went to Manehattan were the main offices were located, I took preach on an adjacent building, and took out the president when he was in a business meeting. It was meant to send them a message but within a few week they got a new president, the old president's son. They must have found out I was the killer and sent a squad to track me down and kill me.

I couldn’t stand seeing a young pony like this, I put away my pistol, reached into my pocket and pulled out a bag with 500 bits in it and tossed it at his lap.

“here.” I said “Just take this get out of here, start a new life and never let me see you again understand.”

“Thanks.” he said “Just one more thing we were just the first squad there are more coming they might want to get out of here.”

I galloped back to the library and Yelled “Twilight!”

“In here.” she said faintly

She was hidden In one of her storage closets.

“Thank Celestia you're okay!” I said

“W-w-What’s going on please tell me?” she said, I could tell she was in a bit of shock.

“I will, but first we need to get out of here.” I answered.

“W-why?” she said.

“Look I said I’ll tell you everything, but first we need to get tell hell out of here.” I said with a bit of temper in my voice.
> Train Shootout 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	She started to cry and nodded her head. We left the library built in that tree now covered in bullet holes. I knew are best option would be getting to the train station and taking a train. we went through town avoid large open areas, after a few minutes we made to the station and boarded an empty train, this train had made all it’s rounds for the day and was waiting to be cleaned. We made up to the front of the train and had her wait in the first car of the train. I forced open the door to the engine room and started up the train,I know I was wrong just to take the train, but as I could see it was our only choice right now, the train slowly built up to full speed. I saw the station slowly creep out of sight. I felt safe now as the train went to the full speed of 75mph, the train was on course for Manehattan, it seems like a good place to stay low for awhile.

Now came the hard part, letting Twilight know the truth. I left the engine room and entered into the first passenger car, there she was sitting in one of the seats she looked very shaken up. I approached her and took a seat next to her.

“Look, I haven’t been 100% honest with you and a lot of what I say is going to come as shock but I need to tell you everything now and know I never meant to hurt you, so please just hear me out and you have every reason to be upset.” I said calmly.

As I said I told her everything, my life as a mercenary, why I was in Ponyville in the first place, and who and why those ponies wanted me dead. as expected she took it hard, she burst into tears and couldn’t even look me in the eye. when I finished telling her everything she stood up and slapped me across the face, I deserved that, I deserved anything she would throw at me. What came next I didn’t expect, she threw her arms over me, she was hugging me me.

She then whispered into my ear “It’s okay I’m not too mad at you, I like you for who you are not who you were, just promise me you won’t lie to me from here on out, I care for you and don’t want to see you get hurt anymore.”

She continued to stay in my arms for a few more minutes as she continued to sob, I had a new goal in life keeping her safe. I almost missed it but I saw a few objects approaching the train at fast speeds, they were jeeps with more of those ponies in black uniforms. as soon as they got in range they opened fire on the train.

“DAMN IT!” I yelled “Get Down!”

Twilight got off of me and hid under one the car’s seats. I grabbed my crossbow, stayed low and headed to the roof of the train. It was hard to get my hoofing but since I’ve been in situations like this before I quickly found my balance. I laid onto the roof of the car, checked my bolt bag I still had about 25 left and two loaded pistols hopefully that would be enough to hold them off, I was really hard to hear with all this wind blowing in my ears but I could tell there bullet were flying over my head. I lined up a shot and fired, but the wind took my bolt and I completely missed, If I wanted to hit anything I would have to work with the wind. I aimed off to the side this time, the wind took the arrow and sent it flying through one of the drivers neck, and the jeep halted to a stop leaving the gunner behind. there were still three more jeeps left, I took four more shots missing every time. Then I noticed the perfect shot, two of the jeeps were driving awfully close to one another, I lined up another shot, this one took out one of the drivers, causing one of the jeeps to crash into the other one, fire broke out on both jeeps and both exploded into a big fire ball, now only one left.

I sat down my crossbow and pulled out one of my pistols so the wind wouldn’t take the bullets. I fired I fired few times taking out the gunner, the driver stopped knowing he had been beat and turned around. I Grabbed my stuff and headed back into the train. Just as I got inside the train entered a tunnel It got a lot harder to see inside, Twilight was still under the seat unscaved.

“Is it safe to come out now?” She asked

“Yeah it’s safe, I took care of them.” I repiled

She came out from under the seat and gasped “Your leg is bleeding were you hit?”

I hadn’t noticed but I had cut myself a lot deeper than what I thought when I took the cast off and it was still bleeding pretty badly.

“Oh that, that’s just from when I took my cast off, I’m fine.” I said

“God you had my worried” she said “here let me patch that up.”

She grabbed some white cloth and tied it over all the places I had cut myself, the cloth instantly turn blood red.

“Thanks!” I hugged her and said “I’m sorry.”

“I forgive you.” she said “Just don’t be getting yourself hurt okay.”

I started feeling better, we were in the clear for now. There was only way to put an end to this, take out the new President Of Phoenix Corp. Just as we stopped hugging I heard the crash of something dropping and I also saw the shadow of a pony. Somepony else was on the train.


	End of part one