//------------------------------// // 12-A Mane Event // Story: The Orphan // by Dramatic Stories //------------------------------// A Mane Event Manehatten I approached the apartment building that had the address from the letter. I walked up the staircase up to the second floor, and approached the door with three numbers written on the door. "204". "This is the place."I said. I knocked on the door, and awaited for an answer. No sounds came from the other side of the door. Only a silence that washed away the noises of the city around us. I knocked again, this time with more force, demanding for someone to answer. Again, no answer. "...Here."I approached the door on the opposite side, and knocked. Shortly after, a young mare answered the door. "Yes?"She said. "Sorry to bother you...but, do you by chance know what has happened to your neighbors. I've come answering a letter, and it seems there apartment is abandoned."I spoke. "A bunch of guards came by this morning and took them away."My heart dropped into my stomach. "Three fillies, and a mare."She said. "Do you know where they went?"I asked. "I saw them hauling them over towards the docks. You might want to check there."The mare said. "Thank you for your time."The mare closed the door, and I stood there. My father made his way for the stairs, but stopped, noticing I wasn't following. "Well, come along."He said. "Wait."I said, as I back up into the wall. I charged the locked door, and burst through it with no effort. "Good heavens, what in Celestia's name are you doing?"My father said as I begun to observe the damage done to Babs home. Furniture was turned over, and random objects were lying on the floor, some as a whole, others in pieces. I looked at a painting that had stayed in place on the wall. It had a picture of Babs on it. I quickly took the canvas, and cut around Babs' head. "Now, we'll have a face to search for."I said. "You keep a hold of this."I gave the torn canvas to my father. "I already know what she looks like, so that should help you."I made my way to the doorframe, and quickly walked down the stairs. My father was close behind as I looked in the sky. The sound of screeching gulls told me immediately where to find the nearest sea shore. "Follow me."I ran off toward the sound of screeching gulls. Much of the docks along the seaside were littered with ponies, fishing, trading, handling cargo from ships, and simply going about their usual day. "It's going to hours before we find even a possibility of your friends whereabouts."My father spoke. I looked up and down the cost, and noticed the docks became less and less crowded the further north they went. Nearby, part of the docks were sealed off by guards. "No it's not."I begun walking towards the guards in the distance. "Where are you going?"My father asked. "Those docks over there are sealed off. Must be for a reason don't you think?"I said. "Hm...I suppose we best check it out."I continued walking through the crowd of manehatten ponies, until we reached the guards, where they stood firm and assertive. "Hold strangers."One said as I approached them slowly. "State your business here." "Is there a reason why these part of the docks are closed off."I looked beyond the guards, and saw crates and barrels everywhere. "I must retrieve some important supplies, and they were dropped off here."I said. "Yes there is a reason. One you don't need to know. Be on your way."The guard spoke harshly. I turned to my father, who had taken a seat on a nearby bench. I sat next to him and spoke quietly. "I have something in mind to get past not just them, but all of them."I spoke quietly towards my father "Well, go on, let's here it."He replied. "We knock out these two guards here, nonlethal take downs only. Afterwards, you take one of their uniforms, and wear it over your robe. I'll keep myself in these, and you walk me in, as your prisoner."My dad's eyes slightly widened, immediately getting the idea. "Fake being captured, and have yourself taken straight to your friends, where we-" "Ambush the foalnappers and free our allies."I cut him off and finished his sentence. "Let's go."I stood on my hooves, and made my way towards the unsuspecting pair of guards. My father was close behind. "I said stay clear of this area. I don't want to have to get violent you little-"I cut him off, as I leaped forward. I tackled him, knocking him to ground. The other guard stuttered from the sudden confusion of the ambush, before being tackled my father. Both of the guards had been dealt with. My father placed the trifold hat neatly on his head, before he begun escorting me towards the guards who were patrolling around a few buildings. A few of them stopped, and stared at my father with a suspicious look. "Well done soldier."They expressions turned to joy as they spoke to my father, congratulating him on his planned capture. My father walked up to him. "Where are the others being held?"He asked. "In that building there."The guard pointed towards a old wooden building on the docks that were built on the sea. "Thank you."My father said, before escorting me to the building we had been directed to. We reached the building, and knocked on the door. A soldier opened the door, and asked. "Who's there?"He said. "I've captured the one you've been looking for."My father spoke. The soldier immediately stepped aside, letting both of us pass. "Well done."He spoke as we walked past. He closed the door up again as we were met by the light of a few candles and lanterns. I looked towards the center of the room, where three fillies, and a mare were sat tied up to their chairs. Applebloom gasped at the sight of me having been "Captured". "They got you too."She said in a low voice. Another guard came over to tie me up. "Who's in charge here?"I asked. "That'd be me."The captain grabbed me, and picked up a rope. "Then it's your lucky day."I drove my head forward, head butting him in surprise. He released his grip as my father threw off the jacket and trifold hat. The guards were quick to react, as they unsheathed swords and knives. One lunged at me with a sword. I quickly jumped to the side so the blade would just pass me. I quickly knocked the sword out of the soldiers hoof, and took it up for myself. I quickly jumped past the soldier who I had disarmed, and drove the sword through his neck. The other soldier along side him took a swing but was stopped when I took the sword back from the now dead soldier, and blocked the attack. I kicked his hind legs knocking him to the ground before I stabbed him, killing him on impact. I turned to see my father had dealt with the rest of them. The captain, still alive, lied on the ground with trembling hooves. "Please...don't kill me."He said. I took my hoof, and buried it in his muzzle. "Ah, please stop!"He pleaded. "How DARE you!"I yelled, beating him to tears. I stopped after he took three more blows. "I don't care who you are, or what you do...but under any circumstances...you do NOT, I repeat, do NOT foalnap my friends."My hidden blade unsheathed, resting against his jugular vein in his neck. "No!"He pleaded. As he did, I noticed a gold necklace he wore. I took it with my free hoof, taking it into view. A red cross lied attached to the linked chains. I tore it off of his neck as sweat poured from his forehead. "Sorry...no mercy for Templars."I drove my blade into his neck. "You obviously had a reason to foalnap these innocent ponies."I said to the dying captain on the floor. "Was it to find me? Was it to lure me in, and capture me?" "We knew they had connections with you some how...We were ordered, by a cheapskate stallion who used to foresee Ponyville, before the rebels started fighting back."The stallion described was obviously Flam. "They're just fillies...you destroyed their property, leaving their home an absolute wreck. Was there any reason for that?"I said. "We were only searching for clues, to how they knew about your whereabouts. We found nothing, and left. Flam said he'd pay us, so we did what was asked." "It seems that money is the only thing people care about these days...and it seems that people like you, have become corrupt by it."I said. "You're to young to understand...money is everything now...money is power...and some of us need lots of it. You live in a world controlled by the economy...and because of that...more ponies will become what you call "Corrupt". Stop imagining your fantasy world child..."The templar begun breathing slower and slower, before giving one last hollow breath. "Rest In Peace."I brushed my hoof over his eyes, closing them gently. I felt a hoof grasp my shoulder. I turned, and looked at my father. "Come on, we best get going."I stood, and saw he had untied my friends. "I'm glad you all are safe."I said to them. "Who were these guys?"Babs asked. "Templars...my greatest threat...the worlds greatest threat."I replied. I noticed Sweetie Belle was wide eyed, and seemed to be in a state of hypnosis. "What's wrong with Sweetie?"I asked. "She's in shock...mostly because of what happened this morning."Applebloom said. I walked up to Sweetie Belle, and looked at her. She only stared with no emotion. I quickly took her into my hooves, grasping her tightly. I felt her pulse in a slow, periodic beat, as she slowly returned the hug. "We need to get going. I hear more guards coming."My father spoke. I released Sweetie as she became more aware of what was happening. "Come on, we need to get somewhere safe quickly."I spoke, as I made my way out of the building. "Manehatten has an underground tunnel system. I know all the paths and tricks to get around there. Follow me."Babs took the lead as we made our way to safety.