“C’mon lady,” one of the stallions whispered fiercely, his pushing hooves pressing the poor mare’s back harder against the brick wall of the alleyway. “Just give us your bits, an’ we won’t have any troubles. Otherwise…” His knife flashed in the light of sunset.
Trash and puddles of dirty water dotted the alley, but she couldn’t see the entrance well due to the other stallion standing near the entrance. The night was cold, the first taste of autumn biting the Canterlot air. River Lily’s favorite time of year. The reason she was even out here, getting mugged by the two brutes in front of here.
“Please,” she begged, looking around desperately. Ooh, she had known there was something in the air tonight, something telling her bad would go down. “I’ve told you already, I don’t have any bits on me. None!”
“Alrighty then, gimme that pretty purple gem in your pocket.”
“No, I need it for-”
She was cut off as the stallion shoved her, hitting her head against the wall as he began growling. Lily winced at the pain in the back of her head.
“I’ve tried bein’ nice, missy, but we need money, and we need it now,” the stallion growled. The Earth pony stepped back, his gray fur and black mane blowing in the near night wind, brandishing his knife. Lily shivered at the sight, and the stallion continued to growl, “If ya don’t gimme the gem, I just might let this little blighter… slip.”
Lily’s eyes widened at the insinuation. She looked away, tears streaking her face as she mumbled, “Okay, okay. No need to get so flashy.”
She pulled out the small purple gem, the gift she had for her sister. She slowly began handing it over, looking away when the stallion snatched it from her hooves. The stallion didn’t move though, and gave her a sardicious look, scanning her. There was a moment of confusion, then Lily knew exactly what he was doing.
“No no no no no,” she stuttered, pressing further back against the brick alleyway. She looked around for anypony to help, but knew there was nopony. The alleyway main entrance was a right and fifty paces away, and she couldn’t yell that loud without that knife being put to use. She shivered, sliding down the wall and tucking her lavender tail around her, huddling into a ball on the dirty floor.
The stallion gave a gruff chuckle. “Fight if ya think ya can, lady, but there’s one a’ you and two a’ us. I’d say-”
“You’re wrong,” another voice chimed in, questioningly. The stallion and his companion started, and Lily lifted her head tentatively towards the stallions. They were looking around in confusion as the voice once again called out. “I would leave the filly alone, if I were you. Tartarus is full enough already without you two louts crowding it more.”
“Why you little- Come out and face like a stallion, you scump!”
“As you wish,” the voice answered.
Suddenly, a shadow fell from above, landing on top of her assailant's companion. He went down with a loud *oof* splaying out on the ground, unconscious. Before the other stallion could react, the shadowy figure bucked his back legs into his chest, launching him to the ground. As the stallion attempted to stand, the shadow darted forward, a hoof quicker than lightning shooting out and striking her attacker's temple. He too fell to the ground, out cold. Lily shivered as she stared at the two unconscious bodies of her attackers.
“Wh-who are you,” she asked the figure. The figure turned back to her, the smile on his face lit dimly by the light of a nearby lantern. He stepped closer, letting her see who he was. At least, she figured he was a he, based on his build.
He wore a midnight blue suit, almost fancy, but well made for the physical activity he was enduring. A hat tipped his head, one with a wide brim and a low cup, enough that if he had a horn, it would be hidden. The same went with his suit; tight, but still layered correctly so that if he had wings, they would never be revealed unintentionally. His silk mask was the same color of his hat, covering even his eyes, though she had no doubt he could see through it somehow. It was the emblem on his hat, however, that made him recognizable to any Canterlot lowlife. An unorganized splatter of blue, roughly in the shape of a helmet, on the right side of his hat.
“Y-y-y-you-you’re the, the- the Blue Knight, a- aren’t you,” she asked, barely having the strength now to lift her head. The noblest hero in all of Canterlot, no, Equestria, had just saved her flank! She still lay on the ground, no longer huddling, but jaw agape nonetheless. The legendary Blue Knight, and here she was, lying pitifully on the ground in a pile of muck! Had she no respect?
She stood uneasily, clamping her mouth shut and ducking her head. “Th-thank you, sir,” she stammered, earning her another smile. “For what you did, I mean.”
“Of course,” he said softly, “though I think you’ve forgotten something.”
Oh no! Did she have to bow? Was she supposed to say it more noblely? Less?
The Blue Knight stooped down and picked up something from off of the ground. He held it up, catching the light of the lantern. The purple crystal glowed softly in the dying daylight and lantern. She gasped, and slowly took it from his hoof.
“Th-th-thank you,” she stammered once again, looking into where his eyes would be. “You’re- you’re really kind. I bet that ponies who actually know you are very proud of that fact.”
The Blue Knight chuckled lightly. “Yes, they may, but I doubt they think too highly of it. I’m just doing what’s good for everypony!”
“Even them,” Lily asked, pointing to the still unconscious bodies of the stallions.
“Them too. They’ll be handed over to the constables, and from there they’ll get a few years of lockup. Celestia knows, but perhaps one day they’ll end up fighting for a little filly like you!”
“With all due respect, I’m not a filly. I’m going on nineteen soon.”
The Blue Knight’s kind smile didn’t waver at her slight pout. “To time, we’re all still little colts and fillies. Even Princess Luna and Celestia.” The Blue Knight suddenly looked towards the now darkened sky, a frown crossing his face briefly, the first she’d seen. “And it seems that, right now I am late to time. I must bid you goodbye and a safe night, Miss Lily.”
“Wait,” she called out as he began racing off into the night. He paused, almost to another turn in the alleyway, looking back. “Will I meet you again?”
The Blue Knight gave her a wry smile, calling back, “If we do, it won’t be with me the way I am right now!”
With that, he was off, vanishing around the corner. Lily had a thought to chase him, but she felt that if she were to turn that corner, no matter how quick she was, she wouldn’t find him there. Nopony ever found the Blue Knight. He found those who needed him, and helped them in any way he could. There were legends and myths and heroes, like the Elements and the Princesses, and then there was the Blue Knight. A regular pony amongst other regular ponies but in the night, no, anytime really, became a symbol of righteousness and help to anypony.
He had appeared just after Mare Do Well had disappeared from Ponyville, but unlike Mare Do Well, he had stayed. Thieves, foalnappers, and thugs had all been caught thanks to the hero of Canterlot, but even stranger was that Celestia had given him the Purple Heart of Valor, and he hadn’t shown up for the ceremony!
Lily shook her head. She should get home before the night got too cold. Besides, Amber Breeze would be worrying for her. At least this time she had a legitimate reason.
As she exited the alleyway, four constables rushed past, a nurse with them. After some brief explanations and a check in on the bump on her head, she was free to go. As she wandered down the midtown Canterlot streets, she wondered where the Blue Knight was at the moment…