With the new day ahead of me I got up from the floor, cleaned myself up and got dressed once more. Getting up was an effort, as I’d been really exhausted by the previous day’s experiences. The day felt fresher, though my mind felt clouded and confused. I spent a good hour figuring how I should spend the morning, before deciding to go on a walk to clear my head. I liked staying in the dark but after last night the dark only felt more antagonistic. I exited my apartment into the sunny day, everyone else was out on the town as per the weekend, streets were more crowded and there wasn't any shortage of traffic on the road. As happy as everyone was, I kept to myself, I walked a good few miles before stopping to dine at the same cafe as last time. Only a few greeted me as if everyone had forgotten the funeral. I sat for a bit, just looking out the window though it was then I saw something on the other side of the road, a pony wearing all dark looking directly at me, dressed just like some did at the funeral.
I got up from my seat slowly, if they were looking at me, I didn't want to seem like I saw them. I immediately walked to the door, passing through the crowded sidewalks and to the road cross. But as I looked over the figure I saw was not there anymore. They could've had left as I left the cafe, which means they could have saw me, or they weren't there at all. I didn't envy either, I felt more uneased as I pondered about it. But that didn't stop my curiosity, the intersections lights turned red as everyone began crossing both directions. I kept my head low, accidentally bumping into a mother and their child, the kid cried but I kept walked on as the mother tried to stop me, but I didn't care enough. I reached the other side of the street, a soft bell ringed out and the lights turned green, the sounds of rumbling engines turned into tire screeches and cars zooming past. I looked around the sidewalk for a sign of the individual but saw nothing.
I did notice however a gate to the alleyway near where he stood, the gate swaying as if it was recently opened. I took my time walking there, still not wanting to look inconspicuous. I stepped past the gate before someone could shut it, though all I saw were two dumpsters and the spine of a book poking out from under one. The concrete ground was moist as the alleyway felt cool, the whole area shaded. I approached the dumpster, looking around to make sure no one necessarily followed me, or if the individual I saw was still around. I picked up the book, it had a thick leathery case with a small string dangling from the bottom, the book was covered in grime, but the leather case protected the book from the elements. I heard footsteps coming from the other way, causing me to quickly put the book into my coat and leave the alleyway the same way I came. Though as I peered around the corner, I only saw an individual carrying a trash bag, they lifted the hood up and threw it in following a slam.
I was semi hoping it was the person coming back, but now that I come to think of it, it was probably nothing. I left the gateway, heading down the road. I met with some coworkers of mine, two young male ponies one dressed in overalls and a tweed cap the other wearing a coat and the usual trousers. They nodded to me as I walked up, offering a cigarette. I agreed to the offer, taking it and letting them light it for me. We both exchanged some glances before one finally spoke. "Rough week eh Picardy? We didn't see you at work." One of the ponies spoke, puffing out some smoke before sticking the cigar back into his mouth. He used to be a factory worker of some kind, did a lot of heavy lifting which made him bulkier than the rest of us, but he always had a knack for writing, we never knew his last name, only calling him "Flemmingway" after the business he used to work for. Before I could respond the other pony elbowed Flemmingway with a snicker. "Of course he had a rough week dumbass his mam died." He had a thick accent, forever a city boy who grew up delivering papers and working for the press, so it'd make sense why he would be up there now making the papers themselves, it just pays well, I guess. He was much slimmer than Flemmingway, going by the name of Ernest, I don't know his last name, but everyone else certainly does.
"Yeah, I'm sure boss was upset." I responded, puffing out some smoke. "He was tilted the whole day you were gone, I guess he wanted that four-day vacation too." Flemmingway and Ernest chuckled, I rolled the cigar a bit, nodding with a slight grin though it didn't last long. "Sorry for your loss, by the way." Ernest responded, "I didn't wanna seem too rude or anythin'." I shrugged, pulling the cigar out. "Couldn't be helped, not like it's your problem anyhow." We all nodded at each other before going back to the smoking. I couldn't stand the smell of burning tobacco, but it was very easing to me, we all continued to stare off into space, glancing around the busy street as we simply enjoyed each other's company. Flemmingway pointed out into the crowd across the street with his cigar hoof, causing us all to look up. "See that broad across the street yea? Long hair?" Ernest looked up, shaking his head, "Yea what about er', you better not be getting pervy on us again boy." Flemmingway chuckled, shaking his head. "Nah, we bumped into each other last night after I was heading home, I think she likes me." Ernest bapped his head, "What? No way some pretty gal is interested in your ugly bum." I watched the lady walk past on the other side as the two talked, not paying attention to their banter.
"Ack! Hey! It's true! She gave me her address and everything, said her name was Louise Vuil or somethin'." Another one of the names, again. I paused for a bit; my eyes more focused on her as she walked on as I perked up a bit. "Louise you said?" Flemmingway looked up. "Yea, that's right, what about it Picardy you looking to steal her?" He laughed a bit along with Ernest though I gave no chuckle back. "No... Just... That name seems familiar..." Flemming shrugged and Ernest gave a head tilt. "Familiar, eh? You've met?" I shook my head, explaining the check in list though I only got halfway through before the lady disappeared, I barely got a good look. "Definitely met em' then, can't think of any other reason, you barely get out anyhow." They chuckled again, I rested my body back down, scoffing at them as I puffed out some smoke at the two, giving a light chuckle.
We all laughed and hanged out until our cigars were all burnt out and smushed on the ground. Ernest spoke up, "We're dining at the tavern just down yonder tonight if you wanna join us, maybe you'll see that gal again!" He chuckled out. I agreed, though not out of the desire to get drunk but just to have a chance to maybe see that lady again. "Anyhow we're going to take a stroll to the harbor, might go swimming even, wanna come along?" Ernest stood up from the post as Flemmingway did so as well. I hesitated but I agreed anyhow. I followed behind them as we walked on, catching a trolley down to the Manehatten harbor, almost forgetting about the book.
Nearing the harbor, I was already blasted with the stench of sea water. Seagulls squawking overhead following some distance ship horns. We hopped off the trolley, near the harbor was a large swimming area, almost like a beach though one wouldn't call it a tropical paradise. We trotted down to the beach itself past the flood wall, the beach wasn't as crowded as the sidewalks were, though there still was a bunch of folks out and about. The sand was warm, and the morning sun was light, with some of the sand speckles glimmering. Ernest grabbed a piece of plywood and jammed it into a sand within a small clearing. "Cmon, put your shit here before someone thinks we're crazy." Ernest removes his coat, tying it around the stake as I did the same, putting my satchel around it as well. Flemmingway just left his cap on the very tip of the stake.
We both headed out into the water, soaked our hoofs up and just stood around a bit, Ernest and Flemmingway just scouted out some ladies on the beach while I looked out into the horizon. It was still morning, and the sun was still settling itself in the sky. As much as I hated the bright light of day, it felt relaxing to say the least. The sounds of waves crashing and seagulls squawking made for a nice relaxing atmosphere. After some time, we all sat on the shore, chucking rocks and seashells into the water as apart of some dumb game Flemmingway came up with though only to flaunt his strength, to see who can make the farthest throw, he won every round. We went out a little deeper for a bit, getting our coats soaked up by the salt water as we all chatted about certain things.
"What did I miss last week?" I mentioned, I knew I missed two days' worth, but anything can happen within that short time span. Ernest raised his head after splashing Flemmingway a bit. "Well, uh, we got done with those articles about the missing folk, not much other than that." I was a part of that writing assignment, a few years before the funeral some people apparently went missing, some were found but weren't the same though they easily get reacquainted with life, can't say the same about the others though. I wasn't much concerned about the information, we just got the information from the police or journalists and put it into newspaper form, then we sell it to the public for a few cents. Flemmingway spoke up, "Oh yea, Zoe got fired, she got caught using some sort of drug in the bathroom." He snickered out, "Oh yea I forgot about that." Ernest laughed with.
Zoe, I didn't know her last name, was supposedly one of the missing ponies but she kept insisting she never was despite the records saying she couldn't be found for almost a month. Kept telling us that she was away too New Mareland to visit family, making random excuses for specific times when she would've been home. As weird as it seemed we all eventually stopped asking questions. The police didn't seem to care anyhow, only that since she's back and obviously not missing anymore it isn't much of a concern, at least not to them. "What was she taking anyhow?"
Ernest shrugged, "They never gave us an official report, but boss said it looked like a vial of purple stuff and you know how anti 'fun' he is about all the pleasureful things in life." Ernest went on. "At that point he just wanted her out, didn't care about any formalities." After that neither of us mentioned anything about work, we simply stared on at the horizon as the sun got a little brighter. Eventually we returned back to shore, we figured we should let the sun dry us off, no point in searching for spare towels. We rested a further bit from the shore for a few hours, letting the sun do the work as we watched the beach, ponies tanning with some foals running around playing with a ball. The beach slowly got more crowded overtime, acting as a queue to head out. We grabbed our things and left though as I grabbed my coat and satchel, I notice the clip was up, as if it was tampered.
I figured it was nothing however, though after checking the contents everything was still in there, even my book. I joined my colleagues along the pier. We were out for almost the whole day, exploring and scouting out women. We smoked on a ledge facing the shipyards, we could see almost every ship in dry dock, massive lumbering pieces of metal with guns bolted down head and tail, they were neat to look at. I noticed some crew working on the decks, some carrying tools and equipment around while one operated a power drill. "I wonder if I'll be able to get aboard one of those, I always wanted a ship." Ernest spoke out, though Flemmingway snickered. "Oh, yea you plan on stealing one of em'?" Ernest teasingly elbowed his side. "Nah I'll be in command of one of them, then all of you lot will have to call me sir!"
I could see Ernest being in the military but not as someone as high up as a commander. He was slim, quick and handy but is terrible whenever he was temporarily in charge of the office whenever our boss was out. Frankly I've never been confident in myself in the same position. There has been talks of light drafts to fill up the ranks of the Equestrian military, but they've all seemed to just to have been attempts to scare people into joining the social services or get industrial jobs since those people are usually immune to draft. The sun soon began to set over the horizon as the sky slowly darkened with a orange glow descending over the city itself. Flemmingway stood up from his spot, "Let's go to the tavern before the factory workers take up the entire place, again." We all get up and head back further inland, taking a trolley back into the city.
I almost forgot about the tavern, but I didn't protest since I did agree to it after all. The trolley screeched to a halt; the city was always more alive on the weekend nights. Music echoing and cars still zooming through the roads, the sidewalks weren't as busy though. We all got off and head back down the road, though at the same place we were once at was now covered in some posters. I read some as we stopped to look. "More missing ponies, it seems." Ernest said with a more depressive demeanor. The posters bared the faces of happily smiling ponies with the word MISSING written at top in all bold, with contact information for the police department just below the portraits in small red text, and of course an award. The rest were simply work advertisements, and of course military recruitment posters. "More than one this time, I guess we'll be busier at the office next week." Flemmingway sighed, we continued to walk eventually reaching the tavern.
Music echoed from the interior along with the sounds of loud talking. Upon entering revealed a large crowding dining area, a long bar sitting at the end with a pianist playing music for a young pretty mare singing a song on the stage to the right. Flemmingway sighed, "So much for getting here on time." We all walked in, trying to find an empty table though only met with head shakes and angry scowls. "I guess we can wait, the billiards is open though." As we walked, a more brutish Unicorn enjoying their drink pushed out from the chair to stand, his chair slammed into me causing him to spill his whole drink onto himself, sending me to the ground in the process. Enraged the unicorn turned around, he wore thick dirty overalls with a white stained black wifebeater, smut covering his cheeks and arms as he immediately turned to grab me, sending a hoof against my face, striking my eye. "You stupid brat, that drink cost me a good one, you gonna pay for it?" He spoke in a deep voice, his eyes locked onto me as I recovered from the fall, Ernest and Flemingway backing off a bit as they watched me, waiting for my response. I thought of what to say, though an instinct kicked in I couldn't describe.
I stared at the Unicorn; my now black eye twitching. Then I saw all around me the eyes of everypony watching, then again, I saw that same symbol, the sun, everywhere, even tattoo'd onto the leg of the Unicorn before me. Deep inside I felt conflicting interests one wanting me to stay back and continue lying low another wanting me to kill the brute facing me down. I tried to hold myself back but something inside broke. Next thing I know it, my hoof is slamming into the snout of the unicorn at full force, causing them to stumble. The unicorn yelled out, his snout bleeding as he pushed against the table. I moved out of the way the moment he regained momentum, causing the raging unicorn to hit against the stage, causing the stage girl to fall back. I took the opportunity, lunging forth and tackling him like a rabid animal. I slammed my hoof repeatedly into his face. I felt I could go on for hours and hours, before Ernest pulled me back. The unicorn was beaten and bloodied, lying on the ground seemingly passed out, I probably gave him a concussion. His friends circled around, all eyeing me with angry looks as we quickly left without saying anything.
Ernest and Flemmingway laughed as they carried me out. "Oh, you showed him! I think he pissed himself!" Flemingway joked, "You're quite the killer huh Picardy?" I didn't say anything, exhausted as the adrenaline vanished, I never felt such rage in a while, let alone emotion. Ernests chuckling smile quickly vanished as he saw me not responding. They hurried me to a bench once we gained distance from the tavern, Flemingway waving his hat in my face. "Hey? You still with us?" I reached to rub my head, slapping his hat out of the way. "My eye hurts..." I grunted out as I sat up, looking at both of them. "Well duh, he got you pretty good. I think the tavern plans can wait for now at least." We all looked at each other before laughing out, remarking on the fight and the Unicorns face once he saw me lunge. That was the first time I felt joy, hate and rage at the same time, and it felt good.
Ernest and Flemingway helped me get home that night, Flemingway had left the moment we got to my apartment, though Ernest stayed for a bit, helped me get to bed and tended to my eye with whatever he could find. "Not a doctor myself but I think you should be ok; I wouldn't go near the factories for a while though." He lightly chuckled. "Thanks Ernest..." I replied, resting my head against my pillow. "Hey, don't worry about it, I'll see you Monday." I nodded and smiled; Ernest then left. I sat in bed for a while, looking up at the ceiling as I grinned, chuckling to myself. It then hit me, the book I found. I had a small curiosity for it like a child awaiting to open a present at the end of the day. I slowly got out of bed, holding the icepack Ernest gave me against my eye. My body ached though I still got up, heading to my desk and turning on my oil lamp. I pulled out the book, brushing off the cover to read it.
Krivbeknih
I squinted at it, raising a brow as I flipped through it. The text was filled with stories, gibberish and recounts describing the "forgotten god" as it is described in the book. Then I saw instructions for rituals, even sacrifices. A name was constantly repeated throughout each page, "Ug-Qualtoth" as they're described to be some form of deity. I have heard of gods other than the two sisters and whatever it was the griffons believed in, but never one by this name. The more I read the more I began to feel a familiar sense of dread. Certain words were completely redacted out of the text, entire paragraphs missing with one page having an entire page of text missing, instead replaced with something hastily written.
Equestria is a wicked place, unwilling servants to a false god slowly being transformed into cogs of the great machine. For this crimes, Ug-Qualtoth shall send us the Angel to purify these lands, to berid of the false gods and preachers of the old ways. Harmony is a lie; it is not what it seems. Lunarists, Solarists, they all are the same, and shall be purified by the Angel, by will of our god, our true god. No one will stand in our way.
It felt as if I was reading a propaganda leaflet, but to me it seemed to make sense. I continued to flip through the pages, eventually reaching the end where I noticed was hollowed out, a small silk cover on top of something. It was then I felt absolute dread and fear. I suddenly heard whispers, almost intelligible though sounded like the same gibberish I just read. I slowly removed the cover, revealing a dull jagged knife with engravings marked all over it. I slowly gripped the handle; it being made out of a fine leather finish. Upon touching it my body froze up, I stared at its dull yet sharp blade as thoughts began racing through my mind again similar to those I saw at the funeral. I heard whispers and voices almost completely unintelligible but only few could make sense, "Malden", "Angel", "Blood". The blade fell from my hand, ending the short sensation. I gripped at my head, the voices going quiet, though out of the corner of my eye I saw a note resting in my bag. I reached to grab it, the paper was yellowed with a few hastily scribbled words on it, reading:
The Angel shalleth yield the tooth of Kremvh. And with the blade, will purify Equestria. The blood of Harmony shall empower you.
The message was clear, confusing but clear. It felt like a horrible joke, but the sense of dread felt too real to ignore. I slowly put the knife back into the book. I was tempted to destroy it or turn it in to the police. But something inside said otherwise, I placed the book back into my satchel and hanged it on the rack. I figured I should try to understand it further or find who left it under the dumpster, but that is for another time.