He dons his iconic yellow and blue eye mask and blue cape to mask his true identity. He clears his throat, and speaks in a raspy voice to mask his true high-pitched voice. He displays a brooding, stoic and determined demeanor to mask his true bubbly, sunny and delightful personality. The transformation was complete. He was no longer Sheriff Hitch Trailblazer. For now, he was The Masked Colt, Maretime Bay’s one and only superhero.
Hitch never liked that name as it doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, albeit, it had been an impromptu choice made by him. He was put on the spot by large crowds of fellow Maretime Bay citizens demanding to know what name he went by. Under heavy scrutiny, uttered in a deep voice, "The Masked Colt.", a decision he would soon come to regret.
"Oh, why didn’t I just say Thundercolt or something?" — a thought that reverberated around his mind constantly.
While the name posed a minor inconvenience to him, Hitch's true remorse stemmed from the weight of being Maretime Bay's lone superhero. Juggling his responsibilities as sheriff during the day and donning the persona of The Masked Colt from evening till night proved to be a formidable challenge.
The identity only came about when his emotions were overwhelmed after learning about Sparky’s disappearance. Upon hearing the news, he was destined to find his son’s kidnapper. With his fatherly instincts intertwined with immense worry, he retrieved a worn, yellow and blue eye mask, a relic from his foalhood, with larger eye holes poked out to fit his now grown-up face, from his desk drawers, ripped off a blue curtain and tied it around his back, and climbed the stairs to the rooftop of the sheriff’s station, captured the curiosity and intrigue of many, including his four close friends, baffled by the appearance of the unknown hero.
In a panic, all five of them scurried, searching for clues and evidence, ignoring potential contamination of evidence. The time crunch got into the heads of the royal sisters, Zipp and Pipp, when they suddenly collided with each other during flight. Zipp, with all her years of experience in flying and parkour, ensured she landed herself on the ground safely. Pipp, with all her years of experience in social media and not flying, couldn’t compose herself and was dropping to the ground at breakneck speed. Hitch’s fatherly prowess to protect kicked in, and used his Earth Pony powers to grow a giant stalk from the concrete sidewalk that wrapped around her, cushioning her fall.
The crowd, witnessing the feat pulled off by the now ‘sung’ hero, applauded and hailed him as the new protector of Maretime Bay in the heat of the moment, recognition he had never felt in his many months as the town’s sheriff. The Masked Colt was born not just from the need for a hero but from the depths of a father's love and an unwavering commitment to protect.
“He saved the princesses! He is our savior!” — praises that resonated in the town square. The Masked Colt waved them off just to find Sparky, who was later revealed to be lurking around in the lighthouse’s basement. The news was revealed to him off-disguise.
He only realized the popularity of his superhero alter ego within the public a few days later. Word of mouth spread around the town, and now he had to live the double life of Sheriff Hitch Trailblazer and The Masked Colt.
But what made up the daily duties of The Masked Colt? Saving a filly from a burning building? Thwarting a bank robbery, or intervening in a dictatorship that enslaved hundreds of brainwashed ponies plotting to end different pony races? Well, not really. The most thrilling feat he’d accomplished so far was saving the falling princess pegasus from impacting the ground.
However, beyond these rare moments, his responsibilities mirrored those of the sheriff he once was — saving critters from trees, stopping bullies and giving directions to citizens. Maybe the seemingly mundane vibe in Maretime Bay was to blame for that. But as requests for assistance from the public surged, he found himself torn. He felt that was better off working overtime as Sheriff, but the public already christened him as the new hero of Maretime Bay after losing all their trust in the wildcard alicorn, Sunny Starscout.
"Some dumb superhero was gonna appear sooner or later, I was the only sheriff in Maretime Bay, for Celestia’s sake. But why did it have to be me?" — a thought that echoed persistently in his mind.".
The idea of retiring the alter ego as a whole teased at the edges of his thoughts, but Hitch grappled with the prospect of vanishing from the public eye, concerned by the uncertainty of reactions and the potential void left in Maretime Bay without its proclaimed hero.
He also enjoyed the perks that came along with being the town’s superhero. Citizens, eager for a piece of their hero, sought pictures and autographs, often offering their services on the house in gratitude. Sunny would offer him free smoothies. Izzy begged him to let her craft him his own gadgets and gears, but he always refused, insisting he worked alone. Pipp offered to write a song about him to show her appreciation for getting Cloudpuff down a tree. Thus, amidst his superhero status, Hitch found himself tethered to the daily duties of The Masked Colt.
While considering the option of unveiling his identity as a whole, Hitch grappled with the dilemma of transparency, or lack thereof. He felt that the lack of transparency was beneficial. Whenever he was out in public as Hitch, he could get from point A to B without being swarmed by large crowds begging for his autograph, and also didn’t want to be viewed with suspicion and fear from others.
He cherished the sanctuary of his private life within the of his home, shielded from the invasive lens of paparazzi and their incessant flashing cameras.
And if by any slim chance that there were somehow supervillains, like an evil alicorn of some sort, who wished to attack him, they wouldn’t target his close friends and family to gain leverage over him.
He also made the tough decision to not tell his closest friends, including Sunny. The decision aimed to shield the risk that could arise from Izzy who speaks without a filter and Pipp who broadcasts everything online.
Even with the rising demand for The Masked Colt, Hitch couldn't help but feel a mix of surprise and gratitude as he glanced at the overflowing request box in the sheriff's office. Until he started reading them all. Perhaps by coincidence, all of the papers in the box conveyed the same desperate message:
“Where the hell is The Masked Colt?”
Citizens of Maretime Bay, a town hungry for heroes, had decided that the sheriff position, the position Hitch strived to achieve since he was a foal when he got his Cutie Mark, the position that Hitch worked all his life for, the position Hitch took on with pride and honor, promising he would do whatever it takes to protect the citizens of his hometown, had become surplus to requirements.
In the eyes of the public, Sheriff Hitch Trailblazer was now old news — replaced with The Masked Colt, the new superhero of Maretime Bay. They embraced The Masked Colt with open hooves. News outlets spun tales of daring rescues, and citizens eagerly awaited the next release. The sheriff faded into a distant memory and was replaced with mystery and heroism. The once proud sheriff's office now only echoed with the cheers for Maretime Bay's newfound savior.
Everypony says to be yourself, but why do that when everypony adores the other you?
That’s when he made the decision to take some time off.
Reluctant to prematurely retire, he contemplated a different approach. A few weeks' off, citing the need to care for Grandma Figgy, could offer a plausible excuse for his absence. After all, she was already looking after Sparky.
In the collective eyes of Maretime Bay, it seemed everypony was better off with The Masked Colt.
Hitch tried to put on a sad face when he lied to his friends.
The four friends stood in stunned silence, processing the abrupt news. Yet, comfort enveloped them. Sunny, demonstrating her unwavering support, put a hoof over his shoulder and assured everything would eventually be alright. However, the reassurance was short-lived as Izzy, with her characteristic enthusiasm, chimed in,
“At least The Masked Colt is here to protect us!”
It wasn’t just what Izzy said; It was the mere fact that Izzy said it with so much enthusiasm and gusto that made Hitch feel unappreciated. Isn’t anypony going to be worried if I’m gone for weeks? Why was The Masked Colt the first thing in their minds?
It was the enthusiasm and gusto in Izzy's words that left Hitch feeling underappreciated. In the face of his abrupt departure, an unsettling question loomed in his mind: “Would anypony in Maretime Bay worry about his absence, or had The Masked Colt replaced him in their hearts?”
Everypony loves The Masked Colt. What does he have anyway? Sure, he has that deep voice, that mysterious serious character, that determination and drive of his.
At that moment, Hitch couldn't shake the nagging question: Was he, without the superhero facade, just a nobody?
The grip of isolation tightened took hold as he said his goodbyes to the group, immediately retreating to the sheriff's office. Opening his desk drawer, he prepared for the inevitable transformation.
He donned his iconic yellow and blue eye mask and blue cape to mask his true identity. He cleared his throat, and spoke in a raspy voice to mask his true high-pitched voice. He displayed a brooding, stoic and determined demeanor to mask his true bubbly, sunny and delightful personality. The transformation was complete. He was no longer Sheriff Hitch Trailblazer. For now, he was The Masked Colt, Maretime Bay’s one and only superhero.
“Can I get a picture?”
“I’m busy,” The Masked Colt grunted.
“Mr. Colt! Have a smoothie!”
Mr. Colt yanked the strawberry shake off of Sunny’s hoof, attempting to maintain the air of stoic determination.
“Please please please let me make your gadgets, Coltie! I swear it’ll be the bes-”
“I work alone, Isabelle,” Coltie asserted with a huff.
“About the new song, Col-”
“That’s great, Pipp,” Colt groaned with a puff.
It was only a few weeks after Sheriff Hitch’s hiatus from his actual sheriff duties. However, the town's dependence on him bore down, a heavy burden on his shoulders, coupled with the overwhelming scrutiny by the public and the press. Even though the residents genuinely needed The Masked Colt, it became too much for him to bear.
As he neared the office, The Masked Colt yearned to escape the crowd, distance himself from the adoring fans, away from his friends and everypony. Just a few steps away from the sanctuary of the office, he craved separation.
Punching in the keycode of the door, he swung it open in a flash and slammed it shut, locking it to prevent anypony from tailgating into the station behind him. It was a daily routine that symbolized not just shutting out the world but also confronting the internal turmoil that awaited within the confines of the sheriff's office.
As he shut the blinds, enveloping the entire office in darkness, he released a heavy sigh, reverting to his normal Hitch voice.
“I don’t think I can handle this for another day…”
His words hung in the air, when a subtle movement within the office caught his attention. Startled, he cleared his throat and, in a hoarse voice, echoed, "Who's there?!"
A flick of the lightswitch revealed a white pegasus with hot pink and aqua blue hair—undeniably, Zipp Storm. Unlike the others, Zipp had never treated The Masked Colt as a hero or leader; she saw him as an equal.
“What are you doing in here, Zephyrina?” The Masked Colt interrogated.
“It’s Zipp, and I’m filli-“
“I prefer formality, Zephyrina”.
“Right… well, I’m filling in for Sheriff Hitch. Aren’t you supposed to be outside and I don’t know, saving pets from trees or whatever it is you do, Coltie?”
The Masked Colt raised an eyebrow beneath his eye mask quizzically. Zipp rarely used nicknames. Brushing it aside, he responded,
“I do very important things for society. These ponies rely on me. Who knows where they’ll be without me? Besides, how did you get in? And it’s not like Sheriff Hitch asked you to fill in for him.”
“How could you possibly know that?” Zipp questioned, this time with great curiosity, adopting a detective-like demeanor instead of her usual sarcasm. Her ability to deflect the question he asked also made her akin to a true detective.
She was onto The Masked Colt. Even with a serious demeanor, deceit was never his strongest suit.
“Uh… because he told me to himself.”
Or maybe it was?
“You of all people? The rudest, nonchalant, stuck-up hero who lucked a save?”
“The luck that saved your sister.”
“Right, sorry… You know you don’t gotta act like you’re better than us just because you act all serious behind a mask right?”
The Masked Colt’s ears drooped and his mouth drooped into a light frown. In a more serious tone, he stated,
“You have no idea what it’s like, you’re a pampered princess.”
Zipp Storm was never one to lose her temper. This time, however, a sudden shift seized her. Despite her usual laid-back demeanor, The Masked Colt’s seemingly dismissive response intensified her anger.
The Masked Colt seemed oblivious to the struggles she faced. The weight of her royal responsibilities, the expectations placed upon her, and the sacrifices she made to chase her own destiny. It wasn’t just about The Masked Colt's burdens; it was a mirror reflecting her own struggles. Fueled by this deeper understanding, genuine anger surfaced, leading to an outburst of the frustrations that had long boiled beneath the surface. Today, Coltie found out one of her biggest triggers.
“What it’s like to be somepony who everypony expects you to be a hero to them? For Celestia’s sake, Coltie, I’M THE FUTURE QUEEN OF ZEPHYR HEIGHTS!” Zipp yelled, her anger cutting through the air. “I’m running away from my own responsibilities as heir to the throne. I’m supposed to be in royal training months ago. Do YOU still think I don’t know what it’s like?”
The Masked Colt could only meet her gaze, jaw agape, He stayed silent through her emotional outburst, refusing to cry. After all, he was supposed to be the serious one.
“Listen to me, Coltie, I do know what it’s like to be you. I AM YOU! It’s time you accept that you’re not the main character in everypony’s life.”
After her passionate outburst, Zipp’s expression shifted from a furious frown to a regretful wince. Tears, an unexpected sight from The Masked Colt, rolled down his cheeks.
As the echoes of her words lingered, Zipp's expression, once full of fury, softened into a regretful wince. Tears, uncharacteristic for The Masked Colt, began to run down from under his mask, onto his cheeks.
She couldn’t bear to see anypony cry. Empathy was never her strongest suit.
What almost seemed like a knee jerk move, she closed the distance and enveloped Coltie in a comforting embrace. He reciprocated, and in that shared moment, the unspoken understanding between them deepened.
Maybe it was her strongest suit.
Zipp found herself witnessing a side of Coltie she had never seen – vulnerable, raw, and far from the brooding persona he usually put on. She continued to offer gentle pats on his back, attentively listening as The Masked Colt's sobs echoed through the room. Eventually, the sobs subsided, and he pulled away from her embrace. An embarrassed smile broke out on The Masked Colt’s face. Breaking the silence, Zipp shared,
"You know, Coltie, you remind me of somepony."
The Masked Colt raised an eyebrow, curious.
"A real hero, thoughtful, kind, and a true charmer. On top of all that, he was quite the handsome colt. A colt straight from my dreams."
The Masked Colt couldn't help but smile beneath the mask. "Maybe I'll have the chance to meet this colt someday."
Zipp chuckled, appreciating the break from The Masked Colt's serious demeanor.
"Who knows? He might be closer than you think."
In that tender moment, the lines between Hitch’s dual identities blurred, and the vulnerability that Hitch had long concealed beneath The Masked Colt's serious character faded. The Hitch inside of The Masked Colt longed for connection, and as he leaned into Zipp, their warm lips met.
Zipp's wings instinctively widened as she was caught off guard to the unexpected kiss, a silent acknowledgment of the passion that had ignited. Her eyelids were heavy with the weight of the moment, as it glued shut as their hearts raced, each pulse quickening with the manifestation of their feelings. In that shared kiss, they embraced the soft and comfortable connection, neither wanting to let go of the newfound warmth they had discovered in each other.
As their lips gently parted, a shared breathlessness lingered in the air. Their eyes met in a silent exchange, as hidden desires unfurled, an unspoken agreement that transcended words and bound them together in an unexpected connection. In that lingering gaze, an unexpected surge of passion ignited.
Unable to resist the magnetic pull, The Masked Colt's hoof gently wrapped around Zipp's neck as she laid on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath. Their bodies gravitated toward each other, bridging the gap between hero and princess.
As the last echoes of their shared breath hung in the air, Zipp couldn't help but feel a sense of affection. The dim office lights cast a warm ambience, creating an intimate setting for the unexpected lovers. The Masked Colt, still caught in the ethereal aftermath, found himself captivated by the delicate strands of Zipp's mane brushing against his cheek. The warmth of their embrace lingered after their first kiss, creating an intimacy that seemed to defy masks and titles, forging a connection that felt timeless and profound. In that quiet moment, The Masked Colt discovered that vulnerability could be a bridge, not a barrier, as their hearts beat in harmony, echoing the unspoken agreement that bound them together. It was as if time stood still, until Zipp shattered the silence.
“Can I ask you something?”
The Masked Colt, still caught in the aftermath of their shared gaze, replied, 'What?'
“Could you take off your mask, Hitch? I wanna see the face of my handsome colt.”
The Masked Colt wondered how she could see him through his fool-proof disguise. His mind raced, questioning the effectiveness of the superhero he had so meticulously envisioned.
She didn't rely on guesswork. The sharp-minded observer's request to see Hitch's face was not based on assumptions; it was the basis of a detective-like observation. Her sharp eyes had dissected cues, the cadence of his voice, the determined spark in his eyes, and shifts of personality. Yet, the one clue that gave it all away was his skeleton in the closet: his vulnerability. Zipp, having navigated royal intricacies herself, and recognized the layers of masks ponies wore. She approached The Masked Colt, not as a hero, but as a pony who understood the art of concealment.
“Okay,” The Masked Colt affirmed with a nod, a silent acknowledgment of the profound connection that had formed between them.
The unmasking revealed more than just The Masked Colt's face; it uncovered the duality he grappled with. He removed his iconic yellow and blue eye mask and blue cape to reveal his true identity. He cleared his throat, and revealed his true high-pitched voice. He let go of his brooding, stoic and determined demeanor to reveal his true bubbly, sunny and delightful personality. The transformation was complete. He was no longer The Masked Colt. He was Sheriff Hitch Trailblazer, himself.
As the morning sun cast its warm glow over Maretime Bay, Hitch and Zipp found themselves perched on the edge of the lighthouse, overlooking the town. The sea breeze carried a sense of tranquility that enveloped them, a contrast to the stress that had defined their lives.
Hitch, unmasked, glanced at Zipp, and a tender smile formed on his lips. The air between them was comfortable, and the weight that had burdened Hitch's shoulders seemed to have lifted. Zipp was lost in thought, her gaze fixed on the horizon.
"You know, Zipp, I never expected this," Hitch began, breaking the peaceful silence.
"Being The Masked Colt, it started as a way to cope with Sparky's disappearance, but it became something more. It became a way to escape the expectations, the responsibilities. But I realized that I can't keep hiding behind that mask."
Zipp turned to look at him, her eyes searching his. Hitch continued,
"Being The Masked Colt brought me fame, but it also blurred the lines between who I am and who I thought I needed to be. The real hero was always in the background, not the one wearing the yellow and blue mask."
Zipp listened intently, her expression of empathy intertwined with curiosity.
"As the sheriff, I may not have the charm, the mystery, but I have something more profound. I have a duty to this town, to my friends, and to myself. I can't let Maretime Bay believe that The Masked Colt is the only hero they have."
Zipp nodded, a silent acknowledgment of Hitch's revelation. Together, they sat in companionable silence, the waves providing a soothing soundtrack to their thoughts.
"In the end," Hitch mused, "maybe everypony loves The Masked Colt. But it's Hitch Trailblazer that this town needs."
In a surge of emotion, Zipp closed the gap of air between them, pressing her lips against Hitch's. The kiss, a silent affirmation of shared understanding, spoke volumes. In that moment, beneath the lighthouse's gentle glow, they discovered that heroes could be more than just personas — they could be the vulnerable souls beneath the masks.
As they descended from the lighthouse, the echoes of their conversation lingered in the salty breeze. The town awaited, and Hitch, now grounded in his true identity, was ready to face it all. There was still The Masked Colt, the hero Maretime Bay adored, who would continue to protect the city, but beneath the superhero was Hitch Trailblazer — the hero Maretime Bay truly needed.