Two guards slowly wandered down a narrow tunnel deep under Canterlot. The sewers were dark and dank, chilling the ponies to the bone. The sound of dripping and running water was everywhere, echoing and disorienting them as they searched the subterranean labyrinth under the city. The ponies clutched their rifles tightly, lanterns hanging from around their necks to illuminate the path.
For the past two days, Shining Armor had almost every soldier in the city either out in the nearby countryside or down in the sewers. They still weren’t entirely sure who or what they were looking for. Some unnamed, unknown cult group hiding out or something. It all sounded very suspicious.
“This is stupid…” one of the guards muttered despondently. “We've been down here for hours now. The captain’s got us chasing shadows in the fucking dark.”
“You’re preaching to the choir, pal,” the other said, checking a small causeway briefly. “Why couldn’t we go check the towns? Why the fuck did we get stuck down in the sewers? Who drew that short straw?”
“I don’t even know. I swear, I think the captain’s losing it. He can’t handle being the Captain of the Guard after all this time without one… I think he’s expecting too much of himself…”
“Well, did you hear how he got those terrorists in Canterlot Castle?”
“No, I must’ve missed that. What happened?”
“This group supposedly snuck into the castle pretending to be in the Royal Guard and nearly killed the princesses. Only Captain Shining Armor stopped all three, with just a pistol and a few bullets.”
“Now that’s a real stallion if I ever heard of one,” the guard said. “But still, what are we even supposed to be looking for?”
The other pony shrugged. “The captain said keep your eyes open for anything suspicious.”
“Yeah, but what does that even mean?”
“I don’t fucking know. Just anything out of the ordinary.”
“Well, I suppose it’s nice he’s at least helping us search, and not just sitting around barking out orders. I like that in a leader.”
“Yeah, Captain Armor’s not afraid to get in the trenches with us…”
The two ponies were quiet for a while. They didn’t even know where they were anymore, or how far into the sewers they had gone. They turned down another dark tunnel. It had been a while since they saw anypony else, or even a manhole or service station. They were well and truly lost.
“Maybe we should turn back. I don’t think there’s anything—”
“Shh!”
Quiet fell between the ponies again.
“What? Did you hear someth—”
“Shhh!” the pony hissed sharply again.
This time, the sound of distant, echoing voices could be heard down the tunnel. Shifting and tumbling rock hitting rock was also audible now. The ponies exchanged looks, then slowly made their way further down the tunnel. The voices grew louder the closer they got. The tunnel turned abruptly. Rounding the corner, the ponies could see the end, opening up somewhere brightly lit with orange light. They slowly advanced towards the end, staring in awe at the sight that unfolded before them.
They were in a vast open expanse of cave. The sewers just let out into this open area, a small pool of water collected on the floor. Over a dozen ponies moved about the cave, chiseling out openings into the walls. Barrels sat stacked against the far wall, and a crate of something was being opened up. The whole place was lit with lanterns, providing just enough light to see comfortably.
“I don’t remember this being in the briefing…” a soldier murmured quietly.
“It wasn’t,” the other said. “These must be the ponies we’re looking for!”
“Right… Come on, let’s get back to Captain Armor and report thi—”
Bang!
A gunshot went off behind them. The soldier glanced to his side in time to see his friend fall face-first to the ground, blood spraying from his head.
“No!”
Bang! Bang!
Another two gunshots went off. Searing white pain ripped through the soldier's hind legs, and he collapsed with a loud scream of agony. His rifle fell just out of his reach. Beside him, he could see his friend’s eyes staring lifelessly back at him, already glazed over and distant.
He had to see his attacker. Fighting against the pain, the guard tried to lift himself up again. He was suddenly rolled over onto his back, and felt a hoof press against his chest. A dark blue unicorn held him down, a pistol clutched in his hoof, a thin trail of smoke still emitting from the barrel aimed at his head.
“Hello! Welcome to the party!”
The pony's words were warm and welcoming, but his grin and eyes were sinister and mad. He chuckled, and then looked over at the dead pony.
“So sorry about your friend—really, I am. But I couldn’t have you leaving before all the fun started,” he said, moving off the pony and inspecting his fallen comrade. “You know, he really should have been wearing his helmet. Then accidents like this wouldn’t happen.”
The guard was in too much shock to say anything in response. He just stared, breathing heavy against the mind-numbing pain, and watched the unicorn as he patted the corpse’s back, and then moved to stand at the mouth of the tunnel. He looked out over the cave.
“Marvelous, isn’t it! Do you know where you are, my friend?” When the guard didn’t reply, he continued. “We’re underneath the train station, my brother. Yep. Riiight underneath it, where the sewers aren't finished yet, and where it took even you a while to find us. This is where we’ll cleanse our sins in fire.”
The mad unicorn turned and crouched down beside the wounded pony, grinning widely at him as he brought his face in close.
“I’m Night Shade, by the way. What’s your name, friend?”
No response. The guard narrowed his eyes a little bit. Was this pony really trying to have a conversation with him after he had just shot and crippled him, and killed his best friend? He could see something change in Night Shade’s eyes.
“I’m sorry, do you have any idea how rude you’re being right now? I let you into my little hideaway, and you don’t even have the decency to introduce yourself. No, just fuck you! That is just rude! Your mother would be so ashamed of you right now.”
The pony huffed and turned away, back towards the cavern. The guard glanced over at his rifle. It was a few feet away. If he could get to it, he might at least be able to kill this madpony and fight his way back. It was a long shot, but he had to try it. Anything was better than lying here bleeding out.
“It’s okay. It’s okay. I’m cool now,” said Night Shade with a deep breath. “I’m sorry, I lost it there for a moment. Do you ever lose it, my friend? Do you ever just get so angry you need to let it out somehow? That’s kinda what I’m doing here. I’m letting my anger out, and I’m going to free Equestria with it.”
The guard slowly crawled across the ground, closer towards his rifle. Just inching, but inching ever closer. He could feel the pool of blood from his dead friend dampening his fur now. It made him feel sick.
Night Shade continued to talk, glancing back at the guard on the ground. “Did you know ponies have called me insane before? But not my friends—no, not the ponies here. They understand me. They see the truth. I’m not insane.”
“Yes… Yes you are,” the guard spat out angrily, glaring daggers into Night Shade.
“Do you know the definition of insanity?”
There was a moment of tense silence between the ponies as a real, dark fear settled over the heart of the guard. He began to slowly realize he probably wasn’t going to get out of this alive.
“Insanity is doing the same fucking thing over and over, and expecting things to change. Which is true, because I trusted guards before in the past, and they tried to kill me, which is why I killed your friend. So you see, I’m not insane, because this time I changed my plan. No more of the subtle crap.”
The guard grunted as he lunged for his rifle. A magical aura surrounded the gun, tearing it away from his hoof at the last second and slinging it through the air. He watched it disappear from sight before looking back to his captor.
“Ah ah! Can’t have you getting your hooves on that. You’ll take somepony’s eye out! And then you’ll never see the truth. You must see that the princesses are heartless tyrants, my friend. You see, they sent you die, like your friend over there. What kind of benevolent goddesses would do that to their subjects?”
Night Shade’s grin was almost sickening. His eyes twinkled wildly, and a crazy look burned in his red irises.
“You know, you soldiers always used to get under my skin. It wasn’t because you serve Equestria. No no no. I admire that. I used to be like you. I was in the Guard once. So that doesn’t tick me off. No, what ticks me off is how you can blindly do whatever anypony tells you to do. You’re like sheep, or little toys in a foal’s nursery. You just do. There is no why—only do. It’s like you don’t even want to fucking think for yourselves anymore! Why? What’s up with that? Because that is what I just cannot fucking understand.”
The guard drew in a deep breath and lifted himself up as best he could. Their faces were inches apart.
“Fuck you, traitor.”
For a moment, Night Shade’s grin faltered. He stood up again, scratching the back of his head with the barrel of the gun. He seemed to be debating something in his mind.
“You’re angry. I get that. I killed your friend, and after all, without friendship, what are we? So I’m gonna relax. But I’m not going to let Celestia do this to me again,” he murmured, then stomped his hooves and yelled, “Not a-fucking-gain!”
“You see, you see she’s already hurt me twice. I could have been done by now. But she corrupted Fleethoof, and he can’t see the truth either. You see, he’s the insane one, doing things over and over again and thinking he's going to change something. I’m not insane! I am the harbinger for Equestria’s freedom! I am the apostle for truth and justice! I am the liberator of everypony!”
“You’re completely mad.”
“No!” Night Shade shouted, his voice echoing through the cave as he turned sharply, waving the gun at the guard. “Were you not fucking listening?! I’m not crazy! I’m the only pony not crazy in this entire city! And I don’t like the way you are talking to me, or looking at me, or what you’re thinking about me.”
Night Shade paused his tirade, taking a few deep breaths. He leaned down over the downed pony again, gently stroking his mane.
“Shhh… It’s okay. I understand you don’t want to be a part of this. I get that. I’ve just been stressed over a few hiccups in my plans, but it’s all water under the bridge,” he spoke softly. “But I can’t leave you here in the tunnel, and I can’t let you go in your condition. That’d be inconsiderate. And you don’t really like me, and frankly, I don’t like you either.”
And then that grin spread slowly across Night Shade’s face.
“Thank you for the guns. It was really very kind of you. Night night, motherfucker.”
The pony stood up, and pointed the pistol at the guard’s face.
Bang!