//------------------------------//
// Trust 
// Story: It's for the Best 
// by RunicTreetops 
//------------------------------//

Rain pours on the moonlit streets of Fiducia City. It's one of the largest cities on the planet, the place where dreamers go to seek out fame and fortune. It's so big, it isn't a part of any formal government, making the land not exactly lawless, but certainly dangerous. Apart from the sound of rain battering down on the concrete jungle, car horns and voices from frustrated, rushing pedestrians fill the streets. Above it all, a siren can be heard as red and blue lights reflect off several of the taller buildings. Two police cars barrel down the road as the street traffic struggles to let them through. Meanwhile, a hooded figure slinks into an alleyway, doing everything in his power to stay quiet and not draw attention to himself.

The figure slides across the wet, grimy pavement and ducks behind a dumpster. Unknown fluids leak from said dumpster on all sides, causing the thin, almost pitch-black alleyway to smell rancid. However, the figure does not move. He hunkers down and attempts to stay as small and quiet as possible, listening intently as the sirens make their way past.

This figure is a boy named Ryan, age fifteen.

When he was just a boy, both of his parents died in a car accident. As is typical of people living in Fiducia City, they were opportunists. They moved here seeking fame and fortune, and they used everything they had to do so. The result was them cutting ties with their family and losing almost every cent they had to their names. The courts didn't know what to do with Ryan, and with his few living relatives wanting nothing to do with him, he ended up at the Fiducia City orphanage. Said orphanage is a bit infamous for a multitude of reasons, most notably its size. Fiducia City isn't exactly a nice place to live, and the result is an orphanage that looks more like a prison. Hundreds upon hundreds of kids are stuck in those four walls. Sure, it's large enough to accommodate them, but its infamy comes from more than one source. The caretakers can't be bothered to do more than the bare minimum to feed those children, and without a public school to send them to in Fiducia City, the orphanage becomes all those children know.

It's no surprise, then, that a social hierarchy is formed among the children. They resort to stealing from each other, fighting to "establish dominance" in a world that otherwise has little structure. They all want to gain some semblance of control over their lives, even if doing so comes at the expense of others. Ryan was no exception, but unlike some of his peers, he was never that strong. 

So, he became slippery. He became quiet. He learned how to get around without others noticing him and how to avoid confrontation whenever possible. He didn't always get away, but he did enough to survive, especially with a good friend by his side.

And now, Ryan has escaped.

Escape from the orphanage shouldn't be that big of a deal, but Fiducia City is a strange place. The independent body that governs the city is almost militaristic in how it enforces the law. Escaping the police is not easy, and if caught, the consequences are much more severe than one would expect from most civilized places. However, as far as said government is concerned, it's a necessary evil, as they aren't the real people in power. No, that power belongs to the crime bosses leading their illegal syndicates around the city, who all compete with each other (and the government) for greater control. On top of that, they're always looking for new recruits, and children fresh out of the orphanage often have no one else to turn to.  As a result, escaped orphans are hunted down with brutal efficiency before they can make those syndicates even larger.

However, Ryan doesn't intend to do that.

From the other end of the alleyway, another hooded figure emerges. He's a bit larger than Ryan and moves with less stealth, but he is still quite good at getting around undetected. He sticks to the shadows and maneuvers over to the dumpster before taking a seat next to Ryan. Neither say a word, and they sit as still as possible for quite some time until the sound of sirens has disappeared completely. Eventually, the other figure pulls back his hood, revealing a rounded face covered in freckles and topped with a head of orange hair. 

The two finally lock eyes, and after a few moments they both begin to laugh. Their laughs are genuine and full of joy and relief.

"I didn't think I'd see you again after you took a wrong turn, Damien."

"First of all, I'm twice as sneaky as you'll ever be, Ryan. Second of all, you were the one that took a wrong turn."

"I was not! You said third left on Baker Street!"

Damien gives Ryan a playful punch on the shoulder.

"I told you second left, idiot."

"Then how did I make it here before you?"

"Look, I might be sneakier than you, but you're faster than me, wrong turn or not."

"Sounds like you need to consider that next time you make a plan!"

"If I did, would you follow it?"

"Shut up Damien, you know I always follow your orders. I just wish you gave me better ones!"

"Hardy har har. Heh, look at us. Arguing like children."

"Well, we sort of are-"

"Not anymore, we aren't!" Damien proudly stands up, balls his hands into fists, and rests them proudly on his waist as he looks down at Ryan. "As of today, we're free men! We can do whatever we want!"

Ryan smiles and stands up as well, looking at Damien with a sparkle in his eye.

"What are we going to do?"

"Whatever we want, I just said that!"

"But..."

"Oh, that's right. You owe me a lifetime of solids." Ryan just smiles at Damien, who smiles back. The two have been calling each other partners ever since the day Ryan was brought to the orphanage. Other children often said that Ryan was the brains and Damien was the brawn, as Damien is much larger and stronger than most boys his age. However, that was never really true. Damien was both. Although Damien would disagree, Ryan is sneakier and faster than him, but that's about it. However, Damien couldn't work alone in that orphanage, and with Ryan ready and willing to follow orders without question, they became a dynamic duo. The result is Ryan feeling that he owes Damien a debt he can never truly repay, a debt that he takes seriously. "Well then. You're coming with me."

"Where?"

"My old man's old man. He leads the biggest syndicate in the city."

"S-syndicate? Like, crime syndicate?"

"What, don't tell me you're getting cold feet now? We're already fugitives! If anything, we'll be more safe working with them!"

"But... I thought you said we would live peaceful lives."

"Sure, but to do that, we have to have money first! And trust me, there is no better way to make money in Fiducia City than this!"

"...W-well, okay. I trust you."

Damien smiles and nods before turning to one of the buildings the alleyway is sandwiched between. Slowly, he walks up to a brick wall that's sopping wet from the rain and feels around for a while before freezing. He takes a deep breath and knocks six times in a specific pattern.

"There we go."

"What are you doing?"

"Getting us inside. My dad taught me the code to the secret entrance before he passed. Why else would I have brought us to a random alleyway?" As if on cue, the brick wall opens inward, revealing a hidden door. The two boys look through the hidden door at the figure that opened it, a large, burly man with a bald head and sunglasses. He stares down at the two of them while showing no emotion, waiting for them to speak. Damien straightens his back and does just that. "Damien. Son of Trent. I'm here to work for my grandfather." He motions towards Ryan. "This is a fellow escapee interested in joining. My underling."

The man stares for a few moments before a cocky smirk makes its way to his face.

"You brats? What are you, twelve?"

"I'm seventeen, Ryan is fifteen."

"..." A look of recognition spreads across the man's face. He hesitates for a moment before moving slightly to the side. "Follow me. I'll inform the boss of your arrival."





About an hour later, the two are escorted to the top floor of the building and into a large office. The room is decadent, with fancy furniture and more shiny things than either of them have seen in their whole lives. The two of them look extremely out of place.

At the back of the room are several windows that overlook much of the city. The evening lights shining through the rain-covered windows look downright beautiful. And there, in front of those windows, is a large, glossy desk. An older man sits behind the desk, his hair thinning and gray. Deep wrinkles are spread across his scar-covered face, but despite his intimidating appearance, he greets the boys with a smile.

"Ah, there you are, Damien! It's been much too long." The man stands from his seat, but he does not emerge from behind the desk. "Please, take a seat." He motions to the two chairs on the other side of the desk, and the two boys awkwardly approach and sit down in them. "It has been quite some time since your father passed, hasn't it, Damien? Such a shame, too. He was an excellent son. Quite efficient. Very obedient." The man's eyes drift to the side for a moment before locking back onto Damien as a smile spreads across his face. "Can the same be said of you, my dear grandson?"

"I'm here to assist you in any way I can. Of course, I expect the benefits that come with it, family or otherwise."

"Hmhm. Make no mistake, despite the nature of our business, I care for my own. That includes you." The man's gaze slowly turns to Ryan. "And what of him?"

"This is Ryan. He's... he's my subordinate. He owes me a life debt for getting him out of the orphanage. He's real sneaky, he's fast, and he's good with a knife. Y-you can find work for him too, right?"

The man stares daggers into Ryan for a few silent moments before his smile returns.

"Of course I can! Why separate a team that was already functional enough to escape the orphanage?"

"Huh?"

"Escaping the orphanage was your first test, Damien. The mayor would like nothing more than for the city's orphans to just... disappear. It's better than them finding their way to me. Hmhm, unbeknownst to her, all she did was find a good replacement for the old orientation system. If you're competent enough to make it to me, you're competent enough to work for me. That goes for the two of you as well."

Damien smiles, while Ryan simply watches on emotionlessly. 

"Th-thank you!"

"Now, your new friend here," he says as he motions towards the guard that escorted them into the room, "will show you to your new quarters. You get your own room and everything!" The man grabs a nearby pen and begins to write, finally looking away from the pair. "I will have a job for you tomorrow. Get plenty of sleep."

"Y-yes sir!"

And with that, the two are escorted out of the office and down several floors, where they are brought to a small, drab room with two beds. The guard closes the door behind them, leaving the pair alone once more. Aside from their hoods, they have no belongings, so they decide to simply make themselves comfortable. This is the first time in many years that either have slept in a room with less than twenty other children, after all.

"Ryan?"

"Yeah?"

"What did you think of him? Our new boss, I mean."

"I dunno. I'm just following your lead."

"...Hm. Like usual, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well." Damien rolls over to look at Ryan from across the room. "I want you to remember something. We can't trust him. It's not really his fault, but he'd throw us under the bus a million times over before he ever let something happen to himself."

"..."

"And those in power always lie. They'll always act like they have your best interests in mind, but they're never telling the truth. The only people you can trust are those that are honest about hating you. Got that?"

"Honest about hating me?"

"Why would they lie about that? Besides, if they're telling you they hate you, you're probably about to be on the receiving end of a weapon of some kind." Damien waves his hand in front of himself. "Look, it doesn't matter. The important part is that you need to remember something: We're trash. We're leftover garbage, and nobody cares about us. The only ones looking out for us is... well, us."

Ryan smiles. 

"I've got your back, Damien."

"And I've got yours, partner."





Their first mission was simple: Go to a nightclub on the far side of the city at 8:00 sharp, meet with their quarry, and confirm the status of a certain "agreement" he made with the syndicate. If he upholds his end of the deal, give him what he wants and return with the payment. If he doesn't, acquire the payment anyway, by any means necessary. Being the more charismatic one, Damien did all of the talking. Meanwhile, Ryan slunk about in the shadows. The man did not expect a seventeen-year-old kid to represent the syndicate, and he refused the deal with a smirk on his face. A nod from Damien was all Ryan needed, and one quick movement and the glint of a dagger later, the man was dealt with and the payment was secured. They made their escape without issue, and their first job was complete.

Their second job went just as well, as did the third, the fourth, and the fifth. The next thing they knew, years had passed. Now a pair of grown men, Ryan and Damien have plenty of money to their names, all thanks to Damien's grandfather and the rest of the syndicate they stick their necks out for.

The two rest in their now-luxurious beds, neither saying a word until Ryan sheepishly turns towards Damien.

"Hey, Damien?"

Damien does not turn away from the ceiling.

"Hm?"

"...We have a lot of money now, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I was just thinking... don't we have enough to get out of the city? Live the 'peaceful lives' we used to talk about?"

"..." Damien's expression hardens before he slowly turns his head to look at Ryan. "What are you talking about?"

"Th-that was the goal, wasn't it? To make enough money to live peacefully and not have to do all this anymore."

Damien sighs.

"Ryan, you're acting stupid again."

"How so?"

Damien stares daggers into Ryan.

"I'm the one that makes the plans here, remember?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Are you doubting me?"

"Of course not!"

"Then listen to me. We're right where we need to be."

"..."

Damien sighs.

"Look, we're just not ready yet. Besides, look at us! We have a roof over our heads, food in our bellies, and a purpose to work for!"

"I... I just thought our purpose was to get away."

"I thought your purpose was to listen to me."

"..."

"Ryan, look. No matter how much money we have now, we're still trash. We wouldn't be able to function in a normal society. This is the only place we can put our talents to good use. So just shut up and trust me, alright?"

"Well, I do trust you."

"Good. I'll need you to maintain that going forward. Tomorrow's the big day, after all."

"The day we finally go after the mayor, right?"

"The mayor's ledger, actually. Killing her would make grandpa's life a lot harder in the long run."

"What's in that ledger, anyway?"

"I don't know. We aren't hired to ask questions."

"Heh, true."

"...By the by, how much money do you have saved up?"

"Over two-hundred grand. Don't you?"

"...Yup."

"Heh, we'll be out of here before we know it!"

Damien smiles, though the smile doesn't quite reach his eyes.

"We sure will be, Ryan. Now get to sleep, I don't need you slacking tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Damien."

"Yeah."





"Three, sixteen, twenty-seven, four."

Damien reads out several numbers from a small slip of paper he had stuffed in his pocket. Meanwhile, on the other side of the large office (that's not unlike their boss's, but with brighter colors and a more "official" vibe), Ryan slowly turns the dial on a safe that had been inconspicuously tucked behind a painting. It would have been a genius place for it, if not for the fact that heist movies have been a thing for decades and it's the oldest trick in the book. On the floor between them, the mayor lies unconscious, a fresh bump now on the back of her head. 

Finally, Ryan hears a click, and the safe swings open.

"I've got it."

"What's in there?"

Damien doesn't turn around. Instead, he carefully watches the entrance to the room, ensuring that their job is not interrupted. Meanwhile, Ryan ruffles through the safe for a few moments before gasping.

"W-well, I found it."

"What's with that tone?"

"Er, there's more than just a ledger here."

"What else do you got?"

Ryan turns around with a briefcase in his hands. Damien turns his head to look at the item just as Ryan pops it open, revealing stacks upon stacks of money.

"I think the mayor has a few skeletons in her closet."

Damien beams with excitement as he steps away from the door and closes the gap between himself and Ryan, looking joyously at the money.

"Well no duh. Everyone in Fiducia City does. Still, I didn't expect the score to be this good!"

"Damien, this has to be more than a million! Not only can we get out of the city, we can straight up retire with this kind of money!"

Suddenly, Damien's expression hardens again.

"What about the ledger?"

"Oh, it's right here."

Ryan shuts the briefcase, retrieves the ledger from his jacket with his free hand, and gives said ledger to Damien. He doesn't bother to look in it before stuffing it into his own coat pocket.

"Good find, Ryan. Thanks for this. Thanks for everything, in fact."

"Heh, why the sudden sentimentality? Finally acknowledging how much you love having me around to help..." Ryan trails off as Damien reaches for his belt beneath his jacket, producing a small, perfectly clean pistol and pointing it directly at Ryan's face. "...you?" Damien doesn't respond. Ryan slowly places the briefcase down and raises his hands above his head. When Ryan speaks, his voice is shaky and quiet. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Sorry, Ryan. The old man wouldn't be happy if he learned we ran off with that money, and it's not like we could escape the syndicate anyway."

"What does threatening me have anything to do with that?! If it's that big of a deal, we can just leave it behind!"

"You misunderstand. Finding money on the job isn't a valid reason for me to leave the syndicate. Grieving over my partner who died to help me get this ledger, though? He'll buy that. Besides, this is enough money to start my own syndicate. Even better if I take your two-hundred thousand along with it. Heh, I'll be ruling this city before you know it!"

"...Damien, you can't do this. W-we're friends! Partners!"

"Actually, you owe me a life debt. I have every right to do this."

Ryan's eyes begin to lose focus as he stares down the barrel of Damien's gun. Over the years, he has learned how to do his job with brutal efficiency, feeling no compassion whatsoever for his victims or comrades alike. The only person he ever cared for was Damien, the man who was there for him every step of the way ever since they were children. To Ryan, Damien was a beacon of hope in a city of pain. He knew Damien.

"W-why? I trusted you!"

"I told you, Ryan. The only people you can trust are those that are honest about hating you. And believe me, having to put up with your idiotic dreams of leaving the city for all these years has made the idea of making my hatred known more and more enticing."

"..."

"Goodbye, Ryan."

Bang.





Ryan's vision is dark. And yet, he still lives. In fact, he doesn't even feel any pain.

Slowly, Ryan opens his eyes. Somehow, he ended up on the ground. Surrounding him is a dark forest, lit only by the moon hanging above him. He carefully rises to his feet as he looks around himself, angry and confused. Where is he? How did he get here? He should be dead, shouldn't he?

And what in the world was Damien thinking?!

Ryan pats himself down. He's still clothed, but everything else he had on his person is gone. He doesn't know what to do, but anything is better than standing around in the middle of a forest. 

After wandering for many hours, he realizes that the sun never rises in this land. However, that realization is cut short as he bumps into a group of ponies wearing dark armor and carrying large spears. They quickly apprehend him before they begin to silently escort him to a large castle in the middle of the forest. Ryan can barely believe his eyes, but it's hard to deny what's right in front of him. Ridiculous though it may be, he has ended up in some kind of alien world, and he is about to be brought before someone important.

Just before the doors to the castle open, he loses himself to his thoughts. Between his confusion and anxiety at the situation around him, he is seething with anger and regret over the events that transpired not long ago. He shakes his head. If he wants to survive, he's going to have to bury the past. He can't keep thinking about Damien. He doesn't want to keep thinking about Damien. So, he makes up his mind.

Ryan is gone, dead at the hands of Damien in that office. The person standing here now is little more than trash. An alien who will do whatever he has to do to survive. A person who will trust only those that are honest about their hatred of him. A nobody.

He is Anon, and he is ready for whatever might be on the other side of those doors.