//------------------------------// // Recruitment Drive // Story: Tainted Silver // by Bluecatcinema //------------------------------// The morning after the camping trip, Sterling made his way into the tavern, deciding to get a quick drink before going to work. 'As fun as it is going camping, there's nothing like a nice, cold drink in an air-conditioned bar.' Sterling thought. 'Especially since there's no bugs or wild animals to worry about...' As he entered, Sterling noted that several of the patrons were looking at him with either respect or fear; his defense of the sick Changeling a couple of days ago had clearly left an impression. "The usual, thanks." Sterling told Suds as he sat by the bar. "Comin' right up." Suds nodded. "And if I might say so, I thought it was right admirable, the way you stood up to Hard Head for that Changeling." "Eh, I couldn't just stand there and let the poor little guy get squished." Sterling said humbly. "Besides, all that noise was keeping me from finishing my drink." "Either way, it was a noble act." Suds handed him his drink. "And as thanks for that and for dealing with that scumbag from the other day, this one's on the house." "Thanks." Sterling smiled. He threw back his head to enjoy his free drink. "Hey there, hero." A familiar voice purred. As Sterling lowered his head, he saw the face of Shooting Star come into view. "Hi, Shooting." Sterling smiled. "You heard about my ‘good deed’?" "Sure did." Shooting Star nodded. "It sure was brave of you, standing up for that poor Changeling." "Well, somepony had to." Sterling said humbly. "I haven't seen you around lately." Shooting Star noted. "Been hiding from your adoring public?" "Not exactly." Sterling admitted. "I went camping with Red and the boys." "So Red finally dragged ya along on one of his famous camping trips, huh?" Shooting Star chuckled. "I remember he once got me and Marshall to join him, back when we were kids. Weren't my favorite experience, though. Never was one for all that nature stuff." "That's too bad." Sterling declared. "It's not exactly my favorite thing, but I can think of worst ways to spend a night. Of course, I can think of better ways, too." He smiled suggestively. "I'll bet you can..." Shooting Star chuckled. "But me, I prefer civilization. That's actually one of the perks of going on tour. Inbetween gigs, I can relax in the swankiest hotels around." "You must get paid a pretty penny for those concerts of yours." Sterling noted. "Eh, I get by." Shooting Star shrugged. "How did this career of yours get started, anyway?" Sterling asked. "Well, I was vacationing in Manhattan a few years back, and while I was there, I stumbled on this little singing contest." Shooting Star recalled. "I've always loved singing, so I figured I'd give it a shot." "Let me guess, you won?" Sterling asked. "Actually, I came in second." Shooting Star confessed. "But I did catch the eye of a music producer. He thought I had potential, so he offered to represent me. I accepted, and he started me out with a few small venues, then some mid-level venues, and finally, the big performances. And the rest is history." "I knew somepony once who liked to say 'second place is for losers'." Sterling declared, referring to his mother. "Too bad they never met you. Then they'd know otherwise." "Whoever that pony was, they sound like a pretty rotten sort." Shooting Star frowned. "Oh, they were." Sterling nodded. "Trust me." "So would I be right in thinking that you and this pony are no longer speaking?" Shooting Star asked. "Yep." Sterling nodded. "We haven't spoken in years, actually. No sad loss, if you ask me." He scowled. "Definitely not one of the ponies you wanted to avoid hurting, huh?" Shooting Star mused. "Not a chance." Sterling agreed. "But we're getting off-topic. Is that really the best part of your job? The swanky hotels?" "No way." Shooting Star shook her head. "I mean, it's a definite perk, but the best part of my job, by far, has to be all the traveling. I've played gigs in Vanhoover, Applewood, Canterlot... all over Equestria. All the sights I've seen, I wouldn't trade for the fanciest hotel in the world." "I know a little about travel myself." Sterling admitted. "Oh, really?" Shooting Star asked. "Oh, yeah." Sterling nodded. "I've been around a few places. And not just Equestria. I've been all over." "You don't say." Shooting Star smiled. "Maybe we can compare vacation photos sometime." "Sorry, I'm not a big photo-taker." Sterling shrugged. "That was a joke, Sterling." Shooting Star chuckled. "Oh, right." Sterling said awkwardly. "Sorry." "That's okay." Shooting Star smiled. "Though I bet you were really cute when you were younger." "Well, I wasn't exactly a male model, but I had my charm." Sterling boasted. The two shared a good laugh. "I'd love to stay and chat more, but I've got to go talk with my agent." Shooting Star declared. "He's already working on the schedule for my next tour." "Good luck with that." Sterling said earnestly. "I don't believe in luck, but thanks anyway." Shooting Star gave him a particularly sweet smile before departing from the bar. 'There goes one special mare.' Sterling smiled. A few minutes later, after Sterling had finished his drink, he decided to head back to the homestead. He made his way into an alley, which served as a shortcut to the edge of town. All the while, his thoughts remained focused on Shooting Star. 'Sometimes, I wish I could tell that mare the truth.' He thought. 'She should know the real me, as bad as it is, instead of just the mask I wear. Keeping the truth from her is getting harder and harder...' "Well, well, well." A chilling voice interrupted his thoughts. "Fancy runnin' into you here." Sterling stopped dead in his tracks. To this day, only one voice could send a shiver down his spine. He turned, and to his horror, standing before him was none other than… Scalphunter Insidious, leaning up against the wall, wearing those Faust-awful yellow-tinted glasses, those braces, the word ‘Scalp’ tattooed on his hoof… and a grin that could give the Equestrian devil a run for his money. "You." Sterling gaped. "What are you doing here?!" "Just catchin' up with an old friend." Scalphunter smirked. "And I've noticed you've been doing pretty well for yourself. Especially in regards to the company you keep." "What's that supposed to mean?" Sterling growled. "Why, that pretty li'l mare from the bar." Scalphunter declared. "Shooting Star, right?" "That's none of your business." Sterling spat. "Looks like she's a friendly sort." Scalphunter grinned. "Maybe I should go an' give her the pleasure of my company... if you catch my drift." "Why don't you catch this?!" Sterling swung his "strong" hoof at Scalphunter. To Sterling's surprise, his hoof failed to make contact with its target, and struck the wall behind him, leaving a sizeable dent. “...Yeah.” Sterling turned around in shock, as Scalphunter stood there, unscathed, “I’m technically not here. The real me is somewhere else… probably bucking some hooker. Or killing her.” He gave another chuckle, “Perhaps both.” “So you’re in my head…” Sterling growled. “Great, just what I need, more ponies tormenting me.” “Well, not to point hooves, but you’re the one calling us here.” Scalphunter shrugged. “Really? And why the hell would I ‘call’ you?” Sterling snarled. “You’re practically a boogeypony that actually exists.” “Hey, I’m just a figment of your bucked-up little imagination.” Scalphunter held up his hooves, “...Though I don’t seem to get this disdain you hold for me. I mean, I wasn’t all that bad, was I?” "You had your uses." Sterling scowled. "But you were still a violent sociopath. I wouldn't have spent so much as a second more with you than I had to." "Oh, now that's just mean." Scalphunter pouted. "Have you forgotten our second time working together so soon? We had a lot of fun back then." "'Fun' isn't the word I'd use." Sterling snarled. "My brain wouldn't be trudging up your memory if I had anything positive to think about you." "Well, isn't that the long and short of it?" Scalphunter sneered. "Your head keeps bringin' up old unresolved demons... but we both know there's worse than me in your head." "Of course there is." Sterling retorted. "I've made lots of mistakes, met plenty of messed-up ponies... what makes you think you'd be at the top of the list?" "I don't." Scalphunter smirked. "We both know what the worst of it is." "Do we, now?" Sterling growled. "Yeah." Scalphunter nodded. "The oldest demons of them all. Your brothers, Gold and Crystal." "What?!" Sterling snarled. "That's not even close to the worse I have in my head." "Sure, keep tellin' yourself that." Scalphunter jeered as he vanished into thin air. Sterling shook his head in frustration. 'Of all the ponies my head could have reminded me of.' He thought irritably. 'I've already had enough of him to last a lifetime...' Years ago... After finally getting the go-ahead from Father, Sterling went to work in finding Nightcrawlers for his project. It was his belief that finding a Nightcrawler, let alone the ‘right’ one, would be far more difficult than finding a magically-inclined pony. His hope was to find a suitable Nightcrawler, and then find a equally suitable mate for him or her. So, he began by contacting several agents out in the field, trying to get as many ‘feelers’ out there as he could, hoping to round up potential Nightcrawlers. But, as he had expected, this proved to be the toughest part of the project. This was due to a number of factors; Not only were Nightcrawlers relatively scarce (at least ones who had their genes activated already), most of them preferred to keep to themselves. So, aside from unconfirmed sightings in newspapers, there was little in the way of solid leads. "In hindsight, finding a group of rare, secretive ponies wasn't going to be easy." He admitted to Ward one evening. "But I'm not giving up. I just need a little help..." At the next meeting of the Ouroboros, Sterling waited patiently for Father to ask him how the project was coming along. "Thank you for the update, Ricochet." Father declared. "I'm sure that despite those... setbacks, project ‘Party Over Here’ will get back on track." "Sure will." Ricochet nodded. "After all, how often does a bunch of party-crazed yaks stampede through your supply warehouse?" "Indeed." Father nodded. "Please, return to your seat." The other Ouroboros looked relived that Ricochet's report was finally finished. "...So, Sterling, how is Project: Maelstrom coming along?" Father finally asked. "Well, there is a certain... snag." Sterling admitted. "What kind of snag?" Loveless asked. "Well, I've sent out some agents to gather intel on possible candidates." Sterling declared. "But so far, they've turned up nothing." "So you haven't even been able to get your project off the ground yet?" Nalik sneered. His snout was still bandaged from when Loveless broke it, giving his sneers an annoying nasal tone to it, "Why am I not surprised?" "Knock it off, Nalik." Gridlock snarled. "Seriously, dude, not cool." Ricochet glared. "That is... unfortunate, Sterling." Father declared. "Tell me about it." Sterling nodded. "In fact, I was hoping you could rustle up a little help. Help that actually knows a little about Nightcrawlers. Don't suppose you know anypony who fits that description?" "As a matter of fact, I do." Father nodded. "I should be able to have the candidate here by tomorrow." "That would be great, sir." Sterling smiled. "Thank you." "Thank you for having the humility to admit when you need help." Father declared. "Not everypony has the strength of character to do so." "So he's being praised for failing?" Nalik gaped. "Unbelievable..." "Zip it, Nalik." Gridlock growled. "We reconvene tomorrow morning." Father declared. "Until then..." "I look forward to it." Sterling declared. As the Ouroboros filed out of the room, Loveless followed after Ricochet. "Ricochet, may I speak to you, please?" Loveless asked. “Um, okay...” Ricochet frowned, a bit surprised by the request. He and Loveless hadn’t spoken since Loveless went off on him last month. Ricochet made no further attempts since to talk to him, “What’s up?” “I… I wanted to apologize for the things I’ve said a while back.” Loveless sighed. “Oh, Loveless, you don’t have to apologize-” Ricochet declared. “Yes, I do.” Loveless insisted, “Ever since Neigh Orleans, I have been stressed and upset over Sterling and what was going to happen to him, that I lashed out at anypony. You, Nalik, Slate-” “Oh, Slate?” Ricochet asked. “Yes. I know there’s no excuse for what I said. But I also know you didn’t deserve it.” Loveless frowned, “And that you would had never let Sterling get hurt like that if you had known beforehand what would happen.” “Come on, man, don’t be like that.” Ricochet gave a sad smile. “It’s not like you were wrong. I should had gone in there after Sterling the moment something was off. I mean, who’d leave a fully operational chainsaw in a dump like that?” “Nevertheless, I am sorry.” Loveless declared. “Hey, don’t worry about it, Wheels.” Ricochet smirked, “I bet if Ignite or somepony else I cared deeply about got his hoof chopped off by a crazy beyotch cuz a' you, I’d call you all sorts of things, like 'rollin' idiot', 'wheeled weenie', 'sawn-off stupid', 'darn idiot', buckin'-” “I get the idea.” Loveless cut him off, before smiling. “But I am glad that we can put this behind us.” “You know, me too.” Ricochet chuckled. “Besides, even if Sterling almost died, he at least got a kick-ass superhoof out of it… perhaps I could consider getting some of that superjuice those two are making and get a super-” “No way.” Loveless suddenly cut him off, glancing intensely at him, “I ain’t having any more friends of mine taking part in any experiments, okay?” “...Okay.” Ricochet cringed. “Good.” Loveless smirked, “Y’know, all this talk's got me hankering for some of Ignite’s ‘special’ nachos. Care to join me?” “Hell yeah, I would!” Ricochet smirked, “Lead the way, dude!” The two made their way down the corridors, both glad that their friendship had been restored. A short distance away, Nalik and Solomon had observed the scene. "Unbelievable." Nalik scowled. "That half mud-pony has the gall to apologize to that party-crazed fool, but not me? It's an outrage!" "Maybe he hasn't apologized to you because you called Sterling a 'piece of trash' that needed to be 'thrown away'." Solomon pointed out. "He broke my nose!" Nalik yelled. "That's far worse than insulting some teacher's pet!" "Clearly, Loveless doesn't see it that way." Solomon pointed out. "Maybe you're the one who should apologize to him." "Never." Nalik growled. "Do you hear me? Never!" Nalik marched away in a huff. "Suit yourself, you stuck-up bucker..." Solomon said under his breath. The next morning, the Ouroboros once again gathered in the Coils. "Sterling, I believe I have located just the right pony to assist in your endeavors." Father announced. "Thank you again, sir." Sterling smiled. "I know you'll have chosen the best candidate for the job." "Indeed I have." Father nodded, “...Although ‘best’ is a term best used loosely…” “...Um, what?” Sterling’s smile slightly faded. One of the chamber doors suddenly opened, and a familiar face appeared: Scalphunter. Sterling hadn’t seen him since the ambush on Black Knight, but he could see that the pony was thinner than he remembered, and with a few more scars… but Sterling could never forget that ghastly brace-clad grin he had. "You?" Sterling gaped. "Hey, kid." Scalphunter smirked. "Long time, no see." The rest of the Ouroboros were no less pleased to see Scalphunter than Sterling. "Oh, jeez, not this guy again." Solomon groaned. “Ugh, why is ‘it’ here?” Nalik grimaced, as if something rotten walked into the room. “Wow, really feeling the love here, folks.” Scalphunter’s smirk remained unchanged, though his brows furrowed. He glanced at Gridlock and Harlhooves, who both had looks of disdain upon them, mostly Gridlock, whose hooves were clenched tightly, “Hey, you two. How goes that project of yours? I heard it tanked again.” “Grrr….” Gridlock’s jaw joined his hooves in the clenching. "The project wasn't working out to our liking." Harlhooves answered, keeping a cool, yet very irritated head. "So we moved on," "Sure ya did." Scalphunter smirked. he turned to look at Ricochet. "Hey there, party boy. Miss me?" Ricochet didn't reply, for he was silently crying in terror. "That's what I thought." Scalphunter turned to Doc. "How about you, buckethead?" Doc was silent, also. "As talkative as ever, I see." Scalphunter sneered. "With all due respect, sir, do you really think Scalphunter is qualified for this position?" Loveless asked, giving a tense glare Scalphunter’s way. "Yeah, this dude is psycho!" Ricochet added, regaining his courage due to Scalphunter not staring right at him. “Like the lovechild of Normane Bates and Patrick Breton psycho!” “They’re right, sir.” Sterling growled, “Why is this maniac even an option?” “Well, you said you were looking for somepony who knows his stuff about dark magic.” Scalphunter declared, as he points to himself, “That somepony is me.” “You?” Nalik scoffed, “Oh joy, this is going to be a bigger train wreck than I thought.” "Keep up that negative attitude." Scalphunter responded, keeping his grin. "I'll make it so that nose of yours is the least busted-up part of your body." “Eep.” Nalik clammed up. “While I do not enjoy your threats, Scalphunter does speak the truth.” Father declared. “He has performed many researches and experiments regarding dark magic before and after his employment with the Forefathers. After Flatfoot, Scalphunter is one of the best experts when it comes to Nightcrawlers and dark magic in general.” “Really?” Sterling murmured, glancing at Scalphunter with uncertainty. “Really, really.” Scalphunter smiled, “It’s been awhile since I've done anything with Nightcrawlers involved. Imagine my surprise when the big pony himself came knocking on my door, telling me about you wanting to make Maelstroms… really got my motor running…” He gave a unsettling chuckle. “Sir… not to question your judgment, but is there really no pony else? Anypony at all?” Harlhooves grimaced. “Well, there is Tropics.” Father admitted, “She is not as knowledgeable as Flatfoot or Scalphunter, but if you wish, I could summon her here.” "...Yeah, I don't think that will work out." Sterling frowned. "You know, with Brayzil, and what happened with Jetstream..." "Then it's settled." Father said firmly. "Scalphunter shall get to work on locating suitable candidates for your project." "I look forward to it." Scalphunter nodded. Soon after, the meeting was adjourned. Scalphunter followed Sterling as he left the Coils. "How 'bout that, kid?" Scalphunter grinned. "You and me, workin' together on the same team again." "Considering how our last mission together went, I'm not exactly thrilled." Sterling scowled. "You keep that up, and you'll hurt my poor widdle feelings." Scalphunter jeered. "I can only hope." Sterling muttered. "So, shall we get started?" Scalphunter asked. "I've already been filled in on the gist of your little project. Y’know, I never thought you would be the guy to get involved in this stuff. The big lummox or sparky, maybe, but you? You got bigger stones than I thought… much ‘bigger’." He licked his lips. “Okay!” Sterling declared loudly, hoping to break his train of thought, “If you’re going to be working with me, I’m going to need you to promise me a few things.” "Alright. Fire away." Scalphunter urged. "For starters, no killing." Sterling said firmly. "Under any circumstances." "What?! Seriously?!" Scalphunter scoffed. "Seriously." Sterling nodded. "This project is about creating new life, and I rather not have to step over countless bodies to get there." "Ugh, fine." Scalphunter groaned. "Anything else?" "No wounding or maiming without good reason." Sterling continued. “Oh, you’re breaking my balls, man.” Scalphunter frowned. "Do you agree, or not?" Sterling demanded. "Yeah. It's annoying, but doable." Scalphunter said through gritted teeth. "And finally, you keep me up to date." Sterling declared. "I want daily updates on your progress. That way, there's less chance of any nasty surprises. Can you do that?” "You got a deal, kid." Scalphunter nodded. "You know, in spite of these ‘rules’, I've got a feeling this project is going to be one wild ride." "That's one way of looking at it." Sterling frowned. "So... How soon do you think you can gather up some candidates for the project?" "Gimme a week." Scalphunter declared simply. "One week?" Sterling frowned. "Seriously?" "As I told you before, I'm in the know when it comes to Nightcrawlers." Scalphunter smirked. "I know a few places where they've been reported to hang out, and I have my own means of tracking them. So it shouldn't take for me to find some." "Good." Sterling nodded. "The sooner we can get started, the better." "Speaking of, what should I tell them, sales pitch-wise?" Scalphunter asked. "'Cause I'm pretty sure 'Hey, wanna be part of a selective breeding program' won't exactly have 'em lining up." "Maybe not." Sterling admitted. "Just tell them what you think will get them motivated to join up… as long as they come willingly." "Will do, skipper." Scalphunter nodded. "I'll be headin' out first thing in the morning." "Just remember the conditions." Sterling reminded him. "Yeah, yeah." Scalphunter grumbled. "Don't nag..." "I'd prefer not to take any chances." Sterling retorted. "You'd better be as good as this as Father said you are." "Kid, soon you're going to see that I'm better." Scalphunter boasted. True to his word, Scalphunter departed the next morning. And, as Sterling had instructed, he sent regular updates. Some were helpful, others not so much... "Sterling, today, I stopped off at a cafe for lunch." Sterling read the latest note out to Loveless and Ricochet, as they sat the bar in the Pit, enjoying some drinks. "Got myself a Bitalian omelette. Oh, and he included a picture!" He showed an attached photo of Scalphunter holding a plate with the omelette. "Yeesh, I hate when ponies do that." Ricochet snorted. "I don't know what Father was thinking when he called this nut in." Sterling growled. "It's like he isn't even taking this seriously." "Well, his previous letter mentions him finding a suitable candidate." Loveless noted. " Since you told him to keep you informed daily, he may not have seen enough activity to professionally accommodate you." "... Okay, I'd be willing to give you that one." Sterling shrugged. "But we all know what a loose cannon the guy is. I had to set some boundaries." "A wise move." Loveless nodded. "But Father always knows what's best. If he recommended Scalphunter for this project, he must have faith that Scalphunter can serve your cause." "Yeah, the big guy always knows what's what." Ricochet agreed. "Guess so." Sterling sighed. "But only time will tell..." By the end of the week, Sterling had received word from Scalphunter that he was returning with the prospective candidates. 'Hopefully, he'll have gotten at least one or two Nightcrawlers.' Sterling mused as the airship landed. As the door opened, Sterling was surprised to see at least a dozen ponies disembark alongside Scalphunter. 'Whoa.' Sterling gaped. “Oh, my Faust, that was absolute hell.” Scalphunter groaned, “Seriously, we’re a secret organization, yet we still had to change in Atlantrot.” “Scalphunter. Are all these…” Sterling gestured to the ponies. "Nightcrawlers? Damn straight." Scalphunter smiled. "Told you I'd deliver the goods. You're welcome, by the way." "You found that many in a week?" Sterling asked. "Yeah, I must be getting rusty." Scalphunter said flippantly. "Back in my heyday, I could had track down twice as many… and even that was on a bad week." “Well, you did your part well. Now, it’s my turn.” Sterling nodded. He turned to the gathered Nightcrawlers. "Ladies and gentlestallions, thank you for coming! If you'll just come this way, we can start the... selection process." The candidates followed Sterling and Scalphunter down to one of the larger chambers in the Infinity. Then Sterling began talking to each one in turn. "Okay, who might you be?" He asked the first candidate, a pale brown Earth Pony stallion with a black mane, orange eyes, and a Cutie Mark of a cloud of dust with an evil-looking face on it. "The name's Dust Devil." The stallion declared. "Catchy." Sterling mused. "And what's your Nightcrawler ability?" "I have the power to control dust!" Dust Devil announced. "...Right..." Sterling said, nonplussed. "Allow me to demonstrate." Dust Devil urged. Sterling watched as Dust Devil's eyes grew wispy. All around him, specks of dust rose up from across the room. As Dust Devil waved his hooves, they gathered together into a small tornado, which then exploded, giving Sterling a cloud of dust in his face. "Yuck! Pah!" Sterling gagged. "Is that it?" "Well... yeah." Dust Devil shrugged. "It works better when there's a lot of dust around." "Please." Scalphunter snorted. "You could get whupped by a dustbuster." “Not how I would put it, but I’m sorry.” Sterling said gently, “You’re not quite what I’m looking for.” "Seriously?" Dust Devil protested. "I was promised a solid job!" "Well, I'm afraid whoever promised that lied." Sterling declared, giving a quick glance at Scalphunter. "Sorry for the inconvenience." "Whatever." Dust Devil scowled. "Welp, guess it's time for his exit interview-" Scalphunter said as he pulled out a crossbow and aimed it at Dust Devil. "Hey!" Sterling grabbed and lowered the crossbow. "No killing, remember?!" "But Sterling!" Scalphunter protested. “No!” Sterling glared, as he turned to Dust Devil. “Please head out the door. An agent will come and take you back to wherever you came from. Don’t ever speak of what you saw here, and things will be hunky-dory. Okay?” “...Okay.” Dust Devil murmured, having been terrified by the crossbow being pointed at him. Dust Devil left the room, everypony’s eyes following the scared stallion out the room. "Killjoy." Scalphunter pouted. "We had an agreement." Sterling scowled. "And you're going to keep that agreement, or I'll talk with Father. He'll have your maniacal hide thrown out of here… or killed. I don’t really care.” “Geez, what happened to that sweet kid who was going to join us in killing a stallion all those years ago?” Scalphunter frowned. “He grew up. And he’s now a Ouroboros. So don’t take my threats lightly. Because I will make good on them. You got that?” Sterling growled. “...Fine.” Scalphunter rolled his eyes. “Now, what exactly did you promise the others to get them to come here?” Sterling glanced at the other candidates, who all seem to be second-guessing coming here. “Heh, I really had to haggle to get some of them here.” Scalphunter grimaced. He pointed to several applicants in turn. “I had to promise that one a pension, that one a full three months vacation time, a nice little time-share cabin for the chubby guy..." He pointed to a mare. "And her... let's just say I promised her a... private, personal interview with both of us. Very private, and very personal.” “Ugh, really?” Sterling snorted in disgust. "Hey, you said I had to get them to come on their own free will, and that's what I did." Scalphunter defended his actions. "Okay, whatever." Sterling sighed. "Next, please." The next candidate was a dull orange Pegasus stallion with a wild yellow mane, cold grey eyes, and a Cutie Mark of three claw marks. "And you are?" Sterling asked. "The name's... Sabrehoof." The stallion answered. As he said this, his eyes grew wispy, and a set of claws emerged from each of his front hooves. "Very apt." Sterling declared. "I'm guessing those things are pretty sharp?" "Well, whattaya think?" Sabrehoof swung a hoof at the wall, tearing large claw marks into it. “...Okay, you got my attention.” Scalphunter leaned in intently. "So... Why do you want to be a part of my project?" Sterling asked. “Well, aside the fact this guy here promised me free booze…” Sabrehoof pointed to Scalphunter, before smiled wickedly, “I just want a job where I can kill stuff.” "...Uh-huh..." Sterling frowned. “...Go on.” Scalphunter insisted. “I mean, these claws of mine were given to me to be used.” Sabrehoof growled, “Meant to tear my victims apart, rip 'em open..." "Yeah..." Sterling was growing more disturbed with each word. “Yeah, baby, tell me more.” Scalphunter leaned in closer, his eyes lit with perverse delight. "Make sure to look 'em in the eye as I end 'em." Sabrehoof smirked. "That's the best part. Well, other than using my claws to-" "I'm sorry, Mr Sabrehoof, but I don't think it's going to work out." Sterling cut him off. "Thank you for your time." “What?! No!” Scalphunter moaned. “Your loss.” Sabrehoof scoffed, “...Do I still get free beer?” “We’ll send you a gift basket.” Sterling deadpanned. The clawed pony gave a huff as he stormed off. “Really, Sterling?” Scalphunter glared, “That guy was perfect! He could had been a killing machine!” “I’m not looking for a killing machine.” Sterling explained tersely, “Let alone a guy that thinks a lot like you.” "Yeah, because making a powerful Maelstrom requires a bunch of wimps to provide the genetic material." Scalphunter scoffed. "I'm after power, not insanity." Sterling retorted. "Talk about dull..." Scalphunter scowled. "Well, it's my project, and I get to make the final call." Sterling said firmly. "Next, please!" The next candidate stepped forward. She was a Unicorn mare with a white coat, a long blue mane, green eyes, and a Cutie Mark of an open book. "And you are?" Sterling asked. "I am Scripture." The mare answered. "And what's your power?" Sterling inquired. "I can understand and translate any language the second I read it." Scripture said proudly. “Ugh, yawn!” Scalphunter sneered. “Shut it, Scalphunter.” Sterling snapped, before turning to Scripture, “Um, I’m afraid that isn’t really what I am looking for a dark magic power. It’s no use for me… but if you're interested, we do have an opening for translators on the third floor. They could use a mare with your talents." "I'll keep that in mind." Scripture said humbly. "Thank you for your time." "For once, I think you made the right call." Scalphunter admitted, as Scripture departed. "Like I said, I'm looking for power." Sterling shrugged. "Smarts are good, but not I need a Maelstrom who's actually good in a fight..." The rest of the candidates weren't much better. They either had ridiculous, next to useless powers, or an attitude that Sterling didn't like. By the end of the day, they had gone through all the candidates, and not found one suitable for the project. "Guess I should have known you'd waste my time." Sterling glared at Scalphunter. "You brought me a bunch of losers and psychopaths!" “Hey, I did my part just fine!” Scalphunter defended, “You’re the one who passed up gems like that Sabrehoof guy and the one guy in the helmet who could control metal. What the hell was wrong with any of them?!” “Scalphunter, I can’t just pick any Nightcrawler.” Sterling frowned. “This Nightcrawler is going to play a part in creating a Maelstrom for our organization.” “I don’t get why you’re so picky though.” Scalphunter snorted, “I mean, I heard that Easel Muse’s old man was a Nightcrawler that could ‘bend’ water, and Easel himself was pretty strong.” “He was also buckin’ insane.” Sterling added grimly. “I want to maximize my chances of creating a Maelstrom that will not turn on us because somepony told him or her to burn something. That’s why this Nightcrawler has to be one of great power and mostly if not completely free of any physical or mental faults.” “Well, that’s going to be tough… because I don’t think the Equestrian devil will be available.” Scalphunter sneered. "I'm not out to create a monster." Sterling retorted. "Pity. It's less fun that way." Scalphunter scoffed. "For you, maybe." Sterling growled. "But I'm out to make soldiers, not monsters. Not that we're getting anywhere with that..." "Don't you worry, boss." Scalphunter declared. "Hardly anypony gets it right the first time round. I'll cast a wider net for my next search, see if I can't find some real winners." "You'd better." Sterling declared. "Or I may start to wonder if I'd be better off if I were still doing this solo..." A couple of days later, Sterling was sleeping in his quarters, the day still young, when he was awoken by a loud knocking on his door. "Who's there?" He groaned, as Ward started barking at the intrusion. "It's me!" Scalphunter's voice replied. "Got some new intel I think you're gonna like." "I'd better." Sterling scowled. "Because I don't appreciate being woken up so early." Sterling threw open the door, finding an annoyingly smug Scalphunter behind it. As Scalphunter entered, Ward started growling at him. "Back off, mutt." Scalphunter spat. "You'll watch how you speak to him if you know what's good for you." Sterling snarled. "Know, what is this intel that's so important it couldn't wait until later?" “Oh, nothing much… I just thought of a pony who would be absolutely perfect for your project.” Scalphunter grinned. “Perfect? That’s a pretty bold claim.” Sterling crossed his hooves, “Who’s the guy?” “His name is Black Thorn… and he is one of the strongest Nightcrawlers you will ever see.” "Black Thorn... the name doesn't ring a bell." Sterling admitted. “...Really?” Scalphunter raised a brow, “I figure since you’re both Ouroboros, you would be familiar with him.” “Whoa, whoa, whoa… this guy’s an Ouroboros?” Sterling gaped, “How can this be? I never heard of this guy, let alone seen him at the meetings.” “That’s a long story. Let’s just say that there are circumstances that prevents him from getting out of Haygypt often.” Scalphunter shrugged. "Haygypt?" Sterling frowned. "This Black Thorn guy's in Haygypt?" "Oh, yeah." Scalphunter nodded. "And from what I've heard, this guy doesn't allow himself to be invited anywhere, so we'll have to come to him." "'We' is right." Sterling glared. "After what happened last week, I'm not trusting you to go alone on this one." "Think of it as a nice little homecoming." Scalphunter declared. "The airship's all ready to go. No time like the present, right?" "...Right." Sterling yawned. After grabbing some breakfast and supplies, the two made their way to the airship, then on to Haygypt. As they neared their destination, Sterling looked out the observation deck's window, lost in thought. 'I'm coming home.' He thought. 'It's been years since I last saw this place...' Soon after, the airship landed outside of Cairode. "Okay, so where is this Black Thorn character?" Sterling asked. "That's... gonna take some time." Scalphunter admitted. "I've got some contacts I need to talk with. Why don't you go take a trip down memory lane, and we'll meet at the town square later?" "Works for me." Sterling nodded, glad of an excuse to get away from Scalphunter for a while. "See ya then." Scalphunter nodded, as he walked into the city. Sterling quickly went in the opposite direction. 'I know just what house of memory lane I need to head to.' He thought. Though it had been years since he'd last walked the street of his hometown, Sterling still remembered the way perfectly. He quickly reached a familiar-looking house. Taking a moment to collect himself, he knocked on the door. Moments later, the door was answered by a chubby neon green Unicorn pony with a powder blue mane, square glasses over orange eyes, and a bronze medal Cutie Mark. His name was Brody Bronze, and he was an old friend of Sterling's. "Hey, Brody." Sterling grinned. "Long time, no see." "Sterling?" Brody gaped in surprise. "Is that you?" "In the flesh." Sterling nodded. "It's good to see ya again, buddy." "It's great to see you too." Brody smiled. The two performed a hoof bump. "Yeow!" Brody yelped, the impact actually hurting him. "Have you been working out?" "You could say that." Sterling shrugged, mentally reminding himself to be careful with his strong hoof. “Dude, where have you been all this time?” Brody asked, “Last I heard, you burned down your house and got sent to juvie, and rumor was, you were going to get sent to prison!” “Not a rumor, I’m afraid.” Sterling frowned, “My parents really didn’t like me burning the house down. Them nor my brother…” “...Why did you do that, anyways?” Brody asked, a bit concerned, “Your parents sucked, but-” “It’s complicated.” Sterling cut him off, his voice cold, “Let’s just leave it at that.” “Well, then could you tell me how you got out?” Brody frowned, “I asked around, and they said you just disappeared from juvie.” “Oh, that. Well, let’s just say that an organization noticed my plight.” Sterling revealed, “They offered me a position, and when I said yes, they ‘arranged’ an early release for me. I’ve been working for them ever since.” “Whoa… and who are these guys?” Brody asked. “Are they those Napoleons guy from Bitaly? I heard they're totally ruthless and tough!” “Um, no.” Sterling frowned, recalling the mafia ponies he'd heard a lot about in recent years, “Not those two-Bit bunch of crooks. These guys are the real deal. They call themselves the Forefathers, and they’re out to change the world, and make it a better place.” "And they picked you to help them do it?" Brody gasped. "That is so awesome!" "I guess it is." Sterling chuckled. "Don't suppose they're looking to hire anypony?" Brody asked. “Well, yeah, they’re usually are.” Sterling frowned, a bit surprised by the question. “Why do you ask?” “Heh, I’ve been looking for a better job, lately.” Brody cringed, “You remember our old plan? To enlist in the Vanguards?” “That’s right, we were going to do that…” Sterling realized. It was a deal they made back they were teenagers. A deal Sterling had forgotten about shortly after… Sterling mentally shook his head of the thought. “I’m going to assume that you didn’t get in?” “Yeah…” Brody sighed, “They went and put me on reserve. And we all know what that means.” “That sucks, Brody.” Sterling said with sympathy. “Well, it ain’t all bad. I joined the local militia… but I’m going nowhere fast.” Brody shook his head, “The pay is crap, and the hours are way too long.” “Yeah, I never got the appeal of the militia.” Sterling admitted, “Why do we need them when we have Vanguards?” “That’s why I’m asking if you could maybe get me into your little group. If you’re really making a huge difference over there, maybe I can too…” Brody smiled. “And maybe I can finally get out of my mom’s basement! Whaddaya say, Sterling?” "Well..." Sterling frowned, as he glanced at Brody. His old friend had always been a little on the chubby side, by no means an athlete. After five years as a Forefather, Sterling knew that ponies like Brody wouldn’t last a month in the organization, and that was if he didn’t get killed first. And he wasn’t sure if he wanted to bring Brody into the life of the Forefathers. He himself had felt plenty of doubts about his own worth in the organization, and faced many struggles. And while Brody was one of his most treasured friends, Sterling knew he wasn't nearly as tough as he was. But as he looked at Brody's hopeful face, he couldn't bear to disappoint him. After all, Brody always did look up to him, and it wouldn’t be fair to at least give him a ‘chance’. "I'll... put in a good word for you." Sterling declared. "Thanks, pal." Brody smiled gratefully. "I know I can always count on you." "Sure can." Sterling nodded awkwardly. "You wanna come inside?" Brody offered. "I was just about to have lunch." "Sure, why not?" Sterling nodded. Sterling followed Brody inside. The old place was much like Sterling remembered it, albeit a little more messy. They sat down in the living room, and enjoyed some olive pizza. "So I'm guessing your new job has kept you busy?" Brody asked between slices. "Too busy to check in on your home and old friends until now?" "I'm afraid so." Sterling nodded. "But things don't seem to have changed much around here." He looked around. "The neighborhood looks the same as ever." “Yeah. Things have been pretty quiet here for as long as I could remember.” Brody mused. “So… where’s your mom? Is she still around?” Sterling questioned. “Oh, yeah. She’s out on the river on the schooner with her lady friends.” Brody explained. “You mean you still have the old thing?” Sterling snorted. “Hey, we won that in a raffle. Besides, I didn’t see you complaining, what with all the times we went sailing in it.” Brody smirked. “Yeah…” Sterling said wistfully, “Those were good times. Drifting down the river, enjoying the views, going for swims... And your mom was always so much fun to be around.” “Only because you don’t have to live with her 24-7.” Brody rolled his eyes playfully, “You haven’t been here on Fridays, when she and her friends are doing yoga. Nothing but old mares for hours!” “I’m serious, Brody.” Sterling said firmly, “Your mom was everything that my mother wasn’t.” "I wouldn't say that exactly-" Brody started. "Well, I would." Sterling scowled. "She was cold, she was distant, she was abusive, and nothing I ever did was good enough for her. But your mom was kind, sweet, caring, never had a bad word to say about anypony. It always turned my stomach that my mother couldn't have been more like yours. The very idea that a mother that bad could live so close to a mother so good is just unbelievable! If only they were both here right now, so my joke of a mother could see what a real parent is like..." “...Dude, haven’t you heard?” Brody whispered. “Heard what?” Sterling frowned. “...Sterling, your mom’s dead.” Brody revealed. “...What?” Sterling murmured. “Yeah, it was all over the papers when it happened.” Brody frowned, “She apparently took too much medication one day. She’s gone.” Sterling froze in place as the news sunk in. His mind was suddenly awash with emotions. A large part of him was relieved that she was gone. Another, glad that he would never have to see her again. But there was a small part of him that was actually shaken by the news. A part that was actually... hurting. But he wasn't about to listen to it... "...So?" He said indifferently. "This doesn't... bother you?" Brody asked. "Should it?" Sterling scoffed. "That mare made my life a living Tartarus. Good riddance, I say." "If you say so, buddy." Brody shrugged. “How about my father? Is he...?” Sterling began. “No. He’s still living at the new place they bought after you burned the last one down.” Brody explained, “Though the poor guy hadn’t been the same since your mom passed away.” “Hmph, serves him right.” Sterling said coldly, “He’s probably confused now, having nopony to push him around… well, besides Crystal.” “Um, actually, Crystal moved out soon after your mom died.” Brody corrected. “...Did he now?” Sterling raised a brow. “Yeah… in fact, don’t know if you heard this either, but he’s actually running for senator.” “What?!” Sterling gaped, “That son of a draft horse?!” “Um, yeah.” Brody murmured, a bit taken aback by Sterling’s outburst. “In fact, his campaign’s already in motion. According to papers, he’s most likely to land office by the end of the year.” “...Motherbucker.” Sterling spat, “I should’ve known he’d get into politics. Just like mom…” “Dude, it’s not that big of a deal.” Brody cringed, “I mean, Cairode got by fine with your mom around, right?” "Ho can that slime be doing so well for himself?" Sterling snarled. "After all the sick, twisted stuff he did to me? He pushed me around, tortured me, made me do all kinds of vile things... He even ki-!" Sterling stopped himself mid-sentence, knowing he was saying too much. “He… what?” Brody murmured, a bit afraid to lean in. “...Forget it.” Sterling shook his head, recalling Loveless’s advice. “There’s nothing that can be done about it now.” “Hey, I know Crystal has been a big jerk to you and me in the past… but maybe you two could get together and talk?” Brody asked tentatively, “I mean with your mom gone, maybe you two could-” "Not a chance." Sterling spat. "I never want to see that piece of scum ever again!" "Okay, that's cool." Brody said in a soothing voice. "Easy, buddy. Forget all that. You're in a good place. You're with your best pal, remember?" Sterling took a deep breath, calming himself down. "Yeah." He nodded. "...I've really missed you, Brody." He smiled widely. "I've missed you too, buddy." Brody smiled back. "All these years, I thought you were gone for good. But here we are, together again. Just like old times." "Yeah." Sterling smiled, finishing another slice. "I really missed old times." He sighed. "But I should probably get going. My... associate will be waiting for me." "Don't be a stranger, okay?" Brody implored. "Come back and visit sometime, will ya?" "You know I will." Sterling shared another hoof bump with his old friend. "Still getting used to that." Brody waved his hoof, which stung from impact. "Remember to put in a good word for me, okay?" "...Sure, pal." Sterling nodded. "Anything for you." "Thanks, buddy." Brody beamed. As Sterling departed the house, he reflected on how good it was to see his old friend again. 'Good ol' Brody.' He thought. 'Hasn't changed a bit...' Soon after, Sterling arrived at the town square, Scalphunter waiting for him. "There you are." Scalphunter declared. "I was starting to think you got caught up in the nostalgia." "Something like that." Sterling shrugged. "So, where do we go to meet this Black Thorn?" "Well, from what my contacts were able to send and relay, Black Thorn will meet up on the outskirts after dark." Scalphunter declared. "That's pretty ominous, when you think about it." Sterling frowned. "From what I've heard, that's about his style." Scalphunter nodded. As night fell, Sterling and Scalphunter waited on the outskirts of Cairode. Sterling shivered slightly. He'd forgotten how cold the nights could get. "How long do we have to wait?" He shivered. "Not long." Scalphunter said through chattering teeth. "Not long at all, in fact." A voice declared. rom out of the shadows emerged a Unicorn stallion with a black coat, red mane, and pale blue eyes walked into the room. His Cutie Mark was of a nightshade plant, and he wore fancy golden robes, along with a curious ornate headdress of black and gold, with a curious blue gem set in the part above his horn, with a matching false beard. "Hello, gentlestallions." The stallion spoke, his voice almost a hiss. "I hear you wish to speak with me?" "Wait a second..." Sterling frowned. The face was familiar. Too familiar... "Prince Night Shade? Why is he here?!" "Well, technically, he isn't here." Scalphunter replied. “What do you mean? He’s right in front of us!” Sterling gestured to him, “I thought we were meeting Black Thorn, this so-called perfect Nightcrawler!” “Does this fool not know?” ‘Night Shade’ glared at Scalphunter. “Apparently not.” Scalphunter nodded. “Know what?!” Sterling demanded. “I am not Night Shade.” The stallion snarled, “This is only a body I share with that pitiful stallion. But I am another being entirely…” “Wha…” Sterling was confused. “I am… Black Thorn...”