SOMEHWERE IN THE ALLEYS OF CANTERLOT
To describe the back alleys of Canterlot as a maze from Hell could honestly be considered an understatement. Now, something to note about Canterlot is that most would not consider this fair city as a dangerous place. In fact, it’s quite often referred to as one of the best places to live in the state of Washington. Canterlot High even has quite a high reputation, regardless of what Crystal Prep says. I mean let’s be honest with ourselves here, if your main competition is Crystal Prep Academy, then that must be a good sign of high quality, right? However, when referring to the glamours of high prestige that Canterlot has to offer, and the driving force behind people’s desire to settle down in this fair city, it’s always in reference to the suburban neighborhoods. It’s no secret that the comfort and safety, and especially the quietness, is always looked highly upon in Canterlots suburbs. There is a strong sense of community, especially now with the students of Canterlot High bonding together after I tried ever so hard to tear them down. However, unlike the Canterlot back at Equestria, the one here hides a sinister side. A side that no one ever talks about. You see, no one ever praises the city’s urban downtown area. Far below the high rises of wealth represented by high society clubs and penthouses, lays a foundation of slums and alleyways that make up a criminal element, poisoning the city like dying roots to a tree.
I know to someone coming from Equestria, it’s a hard concept to believe. Afterall, this world could be seen as a mirrored version of the world back in Equestria. But unfortunately, a similar meritless of society does exist there too. Though, you won’t find it in places like Ponyville or even Canterlot. But go down any alley after midnight in Fillydelphia and Manehattan, and you’ll see a far darker side of Pony life. Of course, it’s nowhere near as awful as here since the main threats of magical entities and near demigods make the aspect of organized crime an almost laughable concept. But unfortunately, there are no magical threats here to distract the human mind. Such things are viewed as mere fallacies. Well, they were until my dumbass came and screwed everything up. I can only hope that my idiocy in acting out what could be best described as nothing more than a tantrum will be the only signs of magic this world will ever have to suffer through. Besides, when it comes to places like the one I find myself in tonight, one can understand that this world has enough of its own problems.
As my……friends are at home studying or getting ready to go to bed on this quiet Monday night, I’m here slowly walking down one of the many alleys that reside under the mountainous skyscrapers. The dark cloak that conceals my body allows me to move smoothly within the shadows. Down each trash ridden alley is a human zoo of druggies doped out of their mind, homelessness trying to sleep next to roach infested dumpsters, and hookers so drunk and high that they’re in corners mumbling to themselves. Despite walking past them looking like a jackass from the circus, they don’t acknowledge my presence. Their minds are so far gone that I must be nothing more than a fading shadow to them. Just a mere ghost passing through the jumbles of the knotted memories of a life that they had abandoned or had been forgotten by. I remember earlier today, right as the last bell rang, Applejack came up to me and said that we were all going to go to the cake’s bakery for some shakes. It’s a popular hangout spot for students, no matter what day it is. I had told her that I couldn’t, as I had something planned for the evening. Some school related excuse, I don’t remember. I just remember her disappointed look. I swear, she was about to reach out her hand and tell me something, but I quickly just walked away from her. I’m such a selfish bitch. But I shouldn’t be thinking about this right now. AJ and the rest of the girls deserve a break from the awful Sunset Shimmer. They deserve to be with people they love and cherish, in the comforts of safety and home. I don’t deserve any of that. This is where I belong. In a cold dark alley at midnight with societies’ rejects, forever damned and abandoned.
After navigating the endless cesspool of a maze, I arrive at my destination. Down a corner of one of the many alleys is a bar. The broken sign that reads “Destination Dead End” hangs loosely above a pair of saloon styled swinging doors. The window to the right of the doors is already broken, while the left is yellow and faded. I look down the alleyway behind me. There’s nothing but rats emerging from a wall of pitch blackness the covers the hell hole. Looking up, my eyes are met with the towering skyscrapers. A thick layer of smog covers the sky, and buildings tower past the polluted clouds. Taking a deep breath, I prepare myself and enter through the swinging doors.
The bar itself was in a decent sized room. It was a standard saloon styled bar, though it was much more decrepit and run down. Four single flickering lightbulbs were all that illuminated the horrors within. Trash, bottles and passed out drinkers lay all over the floor. I couldn’t see well, but it seemed like blood, vomit and what I’m assuming is fecal matter in the corners, were all over walls and floors. The area had a sort of dark green tint to it, and the buzzing of the lights and squeaks of hidden rats were the only sounds infesting the area. It appeared that any time a debacle occurred within this facility, it would never be cleaned up, as evidence of prior fights were littered everywhere. It would always just remain as a sign of the establishment’s violent history.
To the right of me, the bar was almost empty. The small lightbulbs were flickering so bad that the right side was almost pitch black. Though I could see two people squatted in shit muttering to themselves in the corner. I’m still not quite sure what higher being these people look up to, as it’s certainly not Celestia, but whomever it is, I don’t think they’re down here with me.
To my left, two guys are seated at the bar, conversing with the bar tender. They’re all laughing and gossiping as if this environment is a completely normal state of reality. I believe the bar tenders name is rusty cup. He’s a skinny orange fellow with thinning hair, missing teeth, and whiskers all over his face. I know he’s owned this establishment for years. How he’s been able to operate it is beyond me. I’m not sure who one of the individuals is sitting at the bar. He’s also a skinny little thing with grey skin, shaggy hair, and yellowish eyes. He’s wearing a green button up shirt and has a red tie. He almost looked like…. a goat. I assumed he was the brother of the guy I was looking for, since they looked identical. Speaking of which. Seated right next to the grey individual was the same man who slugged me with a baseball bat last Friday. As I said, he looked identical to the man next to him, though his skin and hair where a dirty white, and he was wearing a brown button up shirt with a blue tie. Still, it didn’t matter if his own mother was sitting next to him, the dirtbag had some questions to answer.
“Nah, so get this, I tell this bitch, listen, I’ll sell you this entire canister of enhanced protein. Take it, and you’ll feel unstoppable,” the white man said.
“No way, and she actually fell for it?” The bartender asked, cleaning out a shot glass with a towel.
“Hell, yeah, she did. I scammed that stupid ass broad into buying a whole canister of sugar. She actually thought it was some enhanced protein powder. I’m telling you man, go to anyone with low self-esteem, and you can trick their dumbass into believing a fucking jar of lemonade is God’s piss”, responded the white male. Rusty and the grey man both howled in laughter, but quickly stopped when they saw my shadow engulf them.
“What? What are y’all staring at?” The white man turned around, and the look of horror on his face upon seeing me was priceless. Before He could get a word out, I smacked my hand on the side of his face and slammed it onto the bar, causing his drink to fly off of the wood. Rusty and the grey man both stood up, clearly not knowing what to do.
“If you try anything, I’ll make sure you eat through a straw for the next two months,” I warned, trying my best to sound intimidating. I’ve been trying to make my voice raspy and whispery whenever I’m out as the Mare-Do-Well. Whatever can convey the image of a ghost put on this earth to reap the deeds of evil that these scum have sown. But I’m still trying to find confidence in it. Regardless it seemed to work. Rusty jumped over the bar and ran out the door, disappearing into the black hole that consumed the alley. Meanwhile, the grey man ran to the bathroom. I grin to myself at successfully scaring them off.
“Alright Gary, you didn’t think I forgot about the bat you hit me with,” I snarled while slamming my fist into the bar. Thankfully he was skinny as a twig, and easy to manhandle. I could feel his body shaking in fear beneath my palm. “Where were drugs from that warehouse coming from?” I demanded, trying my best to sound cold and evil. Not evil like a she-demon or a spoiled brat who bullied her fellow students into submission, but rather like a hellspawn that has risen from the dead. I wanted to sound like something that wasn't even alive.
“I don’t know, I swear to God I don’t know. We were just there to pick it up before you arrived. I have no idea where it was from or who the buyer was,” He pleaded. I slammed my fist harder, this time slamming it closer to his face.
“LIE TO ME AGAIN,” I yelled. I could feel his body trembling harder, and his breathing quickening. “WHERE DID BLUEBLOOD GET THE DRUGS, WHO ARE HIS BUYERS. ANSWER ME DAMNIT.” Amidst my harsh questioning, I felt the clutches of large, almost iron-like hands wrap themselves around my arm. Without any warning, I was being thrown across the room, right onto a table in the dark side of the bar. My body crashed right through it, and I could feel the metal pole that held the wooden table up jab through my side as I broke through the wood. The sound of heavy footsteps started coming towards me. Slowly, I propped myself up, wincing in pain. Although you couldn’t tell behind the mask, my face was in utter fear upon staring up at my assailant.
Standing above me was a hulking brute. He must’ve stood at least seven feet tall. His chest was wide and muscular, I could see his pecs flexing underneath his white button up shirt. The buttons on his shirt seemed to be holding together for dear life, as his abs and shoulders pulsated through the clothing. His bulging biceps were as big as my entire torso, and his neck was thicker than a fire hydrant. He made Bulk Biceps at school look like nothing more than a kid. His skin was a dark navy blue, and his blue hair was in the style of a long mohawk. A large septum piercing dangled from his nostrils, and the clads of his boots echoed across the bar. With one hand he removes his sunglasses, revealing crazed, yellow eyes, and with his other hand he slowly loosens the black tie around his neck. He smiled at me with a wicked grin, flexing his monstrous muscles, no doubt for intimidation.
Well, it’s working.
I could see the two guys poke their heads out from behind the monster, now snickering to themselves as they stare at me with hate. The giant then speaks, in a low, deep voice full of hostility and rage.
“Looks like Iron Will has just found a new punching bag”.