Now the train pulled up to the platform and let out a hiss of steam. We stepped off and began to head to our resting stop. The owner was a kind stallion who showed us where we would be bunking. I had to join Reg in his due to the amount of guest staying in the town for the fair that was there for a week. Our room had two twin beds a tableside lamp on a table between the beds. On the walls were a few painting of trees and flowers. The room didn’t really suite our taste. As the owner of the hotel left to show Blue his room I asked for a bottle of top shelf Grey Griffon vodka. He nodded and after he took Blue to his room he came back from the bar downstairs with the bottle and two shot glasses. As a token of my appreciation I gave him five bits for his work, which he gave a thank you and left to attend to the other guest.
“So tomorrow is the day huh?” Reg said just realizing that the battle was so close.
“Yeah.. I can’t believe it.” I replied with the same expression.
“So what do you expect to happen?”
“Bloodshed.”
“Ours?”
“Could be.”
“Is that why you have that?” He asked pointing to the bottle on the table.
“Yeah we can go with that.”
“Well, what is the real reason?”
“I have always wanted a high quality liquor.”
“Don’t you have that in your cellar.”
“No.. I have common middle shelf. This is the finest and most desired bottle to most ponies. It is… Well, lets put it this way. You usually drink this when one thing happens, and that would be death. Either you are going to die due to potency of it or by other means.”
“So you think were going to die?”
“No, but tell Luna that is my excuse to have a bottle.”
“Well open the top and fill the glasses.” I removed the metal cap and poured a slight amount into the glasses, and then we downed them as quickly as they filled.
“Damn this is strong.” Reggie said shocked by the strength he had just drank.
“What did you think I meant by potent enough to kill?”
“I was thinking the weak of liver. This would kill half of the guys I know.”
“”Yep.. This is why a few call it “Dragon Venom.”
“Wait.. Do dragons have venom?”
“I guess.. I mean don’t most reptiles have it? Plus you’re thinking too much. You need another shot.” Those words were said quite a bit that night. At one point I didn’t think Blue could have been sleeping though our loudness and constant drunken cheers. We had a great time drinking and playing cards with the occasional joke that raised each of our spirits even more. Till I thought about the blue pegasus that was next door. “Do you think Blue is up?” I asked. “I mean there is no way that he is asleep after our drunken sessions.”
“Who you calling drunk?” Reg replied
“Me and the wasted Griffon in front of me.”
“I sir am lightly buzzed.”
“Anyway I have an idea for a prank we could pull.”
“Lay it on me.”
“Well Blue hates Fluttershy. Right?”
“This is true. Go on.” He answered intrigued.
“When we entered town I saw a hardware store that had paint in the window sill.”
“Continue.” He said gaining interest.
“I suggest we get some paint and brushes to enhance his mane and coat colors.”
“You have any suggestions?”
“Well I was thinking pink and yellow.” I responded with a sly smile. “Now get me that bag and my lock pick set. He tossed both the items that I requested and we left our room. I closed the door before heading to see if the door was unlocked and it was. We quickly headed down to the bottom of the hotel to see the owner had a thick book opened on the counter with a quill that was moving across the paper. He looked up to see us leave though the door.
“Where are you gents going to this at this late hour?” He asked
“A nice night stroll to get the body relaxed. I have a stiff back and it is best that I limber up for tomorrow.” I explained.
“Well have a nice walk.” He said returning to his great book. Reg and me left the front lobby and continued into the night to the hardware store. When we arrived a simple tease of the tumblers and a quick turn to the right gained us access to the small shop. Inside were tools on racks, a cash register, and an aisle with the paint and brushes. He grabbed the cans and put the brushes on top. While he did that I took a piece of paper and a pen from the counter. I then began to write a letter that read “I would like to tell the one who runs this store that I and my companion have taking two buckets of paint one pink the other yellow along with two brushes. I have left here with this letter the payment for these items.”
“Alright we all set.. What are you doing?” He asked.
“I’ll explain it when you’re sober.” As we left we left I put the lock pick back in the lock and began to do the same process.”
“Now what the hell are you doing?”
“I will tell you when you’re sober.” After a minute at the door we returned to the to the hotel. On our reentering the manager looked up from his book to see that Reg was carrying the two cans and brushes.
“Uh.. Why do you have that?” He asked.
“Here this should be enough to forget this memory.” I said giving him the leather bag filled with bits.
“How.. How much is this?” He stuttered
“Seventy-six.”
“Thank you.. Thank you.
“Just remember this didn’t happen.”
“Of course. I will never speak of this.” And with that we climbed the stairs to Blue room and opened the door to see he was passed out. We then drew our brushes that we soaked in paint and began creating our masterpiece. After about twenty minutes we probably could have awoken him with our laugher, but we contained it and left the newly coated one to his slumber. I eventually collapsed on my bed and feel into a deep dream.
I awoke on a cold black ground. “Ugh.. Where the hell am I?”
“Hello Spectrum.” A familiar voice spoke. “How are you doing?”
“Fucking fantastic considering I don’t know what is going on.” I replied.
“Come here I will explain all.” She said signaling with her hoof. I walked up to my mentor to see a table and chairs seem to appear from thin air. The closer I got the more solid they appeared until I reached the wooden objects that were just conjured up. “Please take a seat.” She said and I did as instructed. “Now I am going to tell you everything that should need to know.”
“Go ahead and start.” I replied relaxing in the chair.
“Ok lets began. You are not a normal stallion, you are what is called a corrupted born and that is the cause of your great abilities and powers involving the void.”
“Ok.. How am I this corrupted born?”
“Your mother was a light born and you father a dark born. This created you a dark and light hybrid that is known as the corrupted born. This gives you the traits of being ruthless, fierce, and highly violent from your father, while your mother gave you protection, kindness, and trust. Your mane, tail, and wings show the appearance of what I am telling you to be true.”
“So.. Is that it?” I asked.
“No, I must ask if while in the void you saw anything that didn’t look like it belonged there.”
“There was something that was like a jagged hologram that looked like it was a playing a memory I had..”
“It was quite the opposite. What you saw was the to be, it is called future-state. It is only visible to the corrupted when in the void.”
“Anything else that I should know?”
“No, that is all I have to say.”
“When then I will ask you why are you telling me this?”
“Closure.”
“I see.. You start looking for a new an apprentice then.. Now why is it that you don’t commonly enter my dreams?”
“Two of the others were… memorable.”
“Like what?”
“Well the first time there were a group of guards who you brutally murdered and brought back to only have them defeated again. The other was you were surrounded by six mares.”
“Hey.” I interrupted “They were all fully clothed and decent.”
“Yes, but how long was that going to last?”
“It depended.”
“On what?”
“How long it took for you to leave.”
A light smirk grew across her face and she spoke again “Spectrum.. You are too much. Now I must leave you have a mentor to impress tomorrow.”
“And you need to dig a grave for me.”
“I’ll get right on that.” She said while giving me a goodbye gesture. Then she fainted from my sight. I sat back in the chair thinking about all that was spoken, this didn’t last long as someone screaming “Ahhh! You sons of bitches! What the hell!?” I awoke to a yellow painted pegasus yelling at Reggie
I said, “Hey can you guys quit having your lovers quarrel and let me sleep?”
“Shut up Spectrum.” Blue replied before turning back to Reg to continue his complaining.
“Ok what is with you?”
“Do you see me?”
“Yes you look fabulous your point.”
“You painted me.”
“That we did. I don’t why you are so mad.”
“You painted me!” She said angrier then before.
“Yes and it is water-based so go take a shower and stop wasting our time.”
While he did I packed up my junk and Blue rejoined us before we left the nice town and headed back onto the train that would take us our destination. We all entered to see the sentries he left there still balled up. We all sat where we did last time. Blue, still sore about the joke, asked me “Why did you guys paint me?”
Reg replied, “To make you look like Fluttershy, which it did.”
“Ok where did you get the paint?”
“The hardware store in the town.” I spoke up.
“How did you get it?”
“Picked the lock, entered the store, got the paint.”
“Larceny, I see you are a diverse criminal.”
“I paid for it and what you mean criminal?” I asked.
“Well the three murders under your belt is a great example.”
“Ok, drop the killing. Yes I have murdered three stallions and yes they deserved it.”
“Did they really?”
“You tell me. All of them either tried or succeed in assaulting a mare. The first beat Dash for nearly two months, the second killed both my mother and father, then later was attacking a mare, and finally one who I didn’t give a chance to even try. Are you noticing a pattern?” Now I respect that you want no violence, but you joined us on this mission meaning from what you know about Fracture you want him dead. With that you don’t have to be one who does it, sees it, hear it, or not even think about it, but it will happen and you all ready know this.”
“I understand what they did, but did they have to die?”
“I don’t know, but why risk the unknown? What if the stallion at the party had grabbed Dash, well I don’t know. What if the one who beat her for two months had continued, well I don’t know. Now what if the murder of my parents had done what he intended to do, well I don’t know. But there is one thing I am damn sure of… I don’t have to find out what could have been and that is a blessing.” And with that we rode the train to the place where the battle would take place.