//------------------------------// // The Stranger in Black // Story: The Elements of Unity // by Gremlin Grenade //------------------------------// [Courage is the key that releases us from the prison of fear. When hope fails, bravery must prevail, lest one fall into the quiet annals of history. The strength to remain driven in the face of failure is one that few master, but it is necessary to persist through the struggles of life. Though one may be kind, though he may be great, if one is not brave, he shall slowly vanish, with the passing of time.] A quiet scraping was the only sound among the vast landscape of rocks, snow, and dirt, a lone maroon stallion working in the fields. The earth pony was a burly figure, larger than the royal guards of Canterlot and almost twice the size of most ponies. His apparent strength was only amplified by his cutie mark, a mighty sledgehammer, and his stern, tireless, demeanor. The gray clouds above choked out the sky and reflected the dim Stalliongrad landscape, blanketed with a sheet of dirty snow. The cold of the air choked out any scents, leaving nothing but the bitter tint of dirt to enter the nostrils. This far outside the city, all was silent and unmoving, more dead than calm. Even the great city of Stalliongrad behind him, it’s cold gray structures towering over the fields that lie among the outskirts, seemed deathly silent. Steel Hoof was working the rock farm fields, dragging a large pile of rocks by plow as the cold bit at his skin beneath his coat. He was used to the weather, being a pony of labor, and was not as warmly dressed as others in the area, wearing thick coats and wrapping their heads in wool scarves. He looked to the mountains outside town, thinking about the ursa and the relatively new danger it presented. Winter was always harsh in Stalliongrad, but this past year had been especially rough. Not only did the Hoofs have to deal with the usual cold this year, but the nearby ursa had become increasingly hungry, and therefore violent. “Is this where I can purchase some quality rocks?” Steel Hoof’s ears perked up at the sound of another’s voice breaking the silence. As he turned his eyes towards the source of the sound, a grey pony, his eyes covered by a wide-brimmed fedora and cutie mark nearly covered by his long, dusty trench coat, stood at the edge of the fields. The shady pony’s voice was deep and scratchy, and clearly lacked the thick accent of the locals. Steel Hoof scoffed at the obvious nature of his question, feeling taunted by this stranger. It had been a long time since he had any real business, other than a few sympathetic neighbors. “You not find gems here, comrade. Diamond dogs, and little dragon young, they steal the good rocks when the farmers aren’t looking.” “But this is a rock farm?” “I don’t have time for pointless questions. If you want rocks you should head west.” “Well then, could this be where I acquire the services of a strong workpony?” Turning silent, Steel Hoof stopped his work and turned to the pony. The pony’s hat hid his eyes and his coat covered the most of his body. His fur was a darker shade of gray, and his cutie mark displayed a black chess piece, a king. “And what would an outsider like you want with a simple rock farmer?” “Let’s just say I have a large establishment that needs crumbling.” “I wouldn’t know anypony who could do that sort of work.” “Oh but I think you do. I’ve got an intriguing proposition, and I know a grizzled veteran would be just the pony for the job.” “Then you are mistaken, I know of no such pony. Even if I did, I am needed here, with family. You will be going on your way now.” “Oh don’t worry; little Silver will be taken good care of while you’re gone. I’m not heartless, after all.” Steel Hoof stiffened at the implied threat, slowly trotting over toward the stranger until he could see his eyes. The grey pony had dark orange hair jutting out the front and sides of his hat, and glistening, crimson eyes- not unheard of, but certainly uncommon. “You will be going on your way now,” he asserted again, this time with a much more threatening tone. The gray pony ignored his implied threats as he began to strut around the farm, looking at the various rocks as though inspecting the status of the place. “Do you know why your land is plagued with harsh weather, roaming thieves, and now dreaded ursa?” Steel Hoof continued to stare, the fire in his eyes growing with each word. The stranger continued his speech, undaunted by Steel Hoof’s apparent fury. “Celestia, your beloved princess and omnipotent goddess, has forgotten you. The lands to the south remain clear and pleasant, unmolested by the beasts that plague your lands.” “Perhaps she know that Stalliongrad ponies are strong, comrade. We not high maintenance like those southern weaklings.” Steel Hoof’s response was harsh and curt; he was losing his patience with this presumptuous stranger. “I have no doubt that your kin are strong, but you’re not invincible,” he gave Steel Hoof a glance before chuckling, “well, not all of you. That’s where my proposition comes in. I wish to remove our…’selective’ tyrant from office and replace her with a more suited pony.” “And you think you are such pony?” “I make no presumptions about my ability to rule an empire; that bridge will be crossed when we come to it. I simply wish to be a catalyst for change, and you’re going to help me.” Steel Hoof’s anger was reaching a boiling point now. Who was this pony that he would assume Steel’s involvement in something as extreme as a complete takeover of the Equestrian government? “You’re going to help me,” the stranger continued, “because I am going to alleviate you of your ursa problem.” Steel Hoof’s anger was replaced instantly with shock. “With the ursas gone, your beloved sister will be relatively safe; she won’t need you to protect her.” “What of the rock farm?” “Oh, please. We both know you only tend this farm to occupy yourself, your sales aren’t even enough to support the family. I’m sure you have some friends here who would be more than happy to take care of the town savior’s family.” It was true; the Hammers were good friends of the Hoofs, if he were to go away, they would look after Steel’s grandfather and sister without hesitation. “Really, the ursa’s just a bonus. Removing Celestia from her throne will bring pegasus ponies back to Stalliongrad, you will finally have some control over this morbid weather, and your people can feed their children without worry once more.” Steel Hoof’s stare was not broken, but the stranger could already see that he was considering his offer. “I know nothing about that, but if it means little Silver Hoof will be safe, I will go along with your offer. But know if you fail-“ “If I fail I will either be dead or long gone, so you have nothing to lose. Oh, and one more thing, please call me Mr. Midnight” ============================================================================= Steel Hoof had realized they were just outside the ursa’s cave while he was still trying to figure out how this Mr. Midnight had got him into coming along. It was one thing to let a complete stranger get eaten alive, but Steel had never anticipated his life would end following a foreigner to the lair of one of the most feared creatures in all of Equestria. Though he still didn’t trust Midnight, there was something about his voice that felt reassuring and charismatic, as though he knew exactly what was going to happen before it did, and so Steel found himself here, in a predicament truly desired by nopony. With the two of them were two of the town guards, as well as the sheriff, whom the locals called the commissar. The commissar, Gray Spear, came at the behest of Steel Hoof, to ensure the foreigner didn’t stir up trouble, though it appeared his shivering lackeys were less than eager to inspect Midnight’s behaviors at such a close proximity to the ursa lair. They approached the cave from the side, Midnight going first, and peering into the depths of the cave to get a better look. “Ah, just a minor; this should be even simpler than I thought.”Steel Hoof could sense the commissar’s anger at this stranger’s dismissive nature; any sane pony would not call the death of even an ursa minor simple. After surveying the area, Midnight turned to Steel Hoof, “I need you to go over by that dense group of trees. Commissar, you-“ “Oh no, you won’t be ordering me around. I’m just going to follow you.” Before Midnight had a chance to even look at the other guards, Gray Spear continued, “And they are going to stick with me.” “Commissar, you want this ursa nonsense to end, don’t you?” “Well, yes, but-“ “Then how do you expect me to get this done with only one pony?” The commissar ruminated over this for a bit, before turning to one of the frightened guards. “Perchevski, you remain here.” “Actually I need him on the other side of the cave.” The commissar rolled his eyes before nodding to the now very confused soldier. “Once you get there,” Mr. Midnight continued, “I need you to shout into the cave.” “But that will wake him up!” the soldier clearly had no intention of deliberately endangering himself on this mission. Midnight glared at him, annoyed, “we have a much better chance of slaying an ursa minor out here, in the open, than we do in his own cave! Just do what I tell you and you’ll be fine!” The guard was clearly hesitant but complied anyway. “Now, I will head up this hill a ways, where I can charge the beast from behind. Commissar, if you care to join me than head this way.” The three remaining ponies moved some ways up the incline to the side of the cave, so that they would not be exposed to the mouth, but would gain momentum charging the beast from behind. Once every pony was in position, Mr. Midnight waved to the soldier standing at the mouth of the cave. Timidly he looked inward towards the dark depths. He whispered feebly inside multiple times, before wincing away and trying again. Fed up with Perchevski’s meek behavior, Midnight leaned over the mouth of the cave and shouted below, “BOO!” His bellow did nothing to stir the beast inside, but it easily roused the guard into a panicked frenzy. Perchevski’s terrified screams echoed through the acoustic walls of the cave, and were soon met with a roar that truly was to be feared. Looking to the ponies beside him, Commissar Gray Spear readied his saber. “Alright men, today’s the day we rid ourselves of this disgusting monstrosity!” He looked to the cave to see the gigantic bear charging through the entrance, “Charge! For Stalliongrad!” He was so caught up in his fury that he didn’t even notice Mr. Midnight sneaking up, away from the charge, towards the top of the cave. Gray Spear drove his saber into the ursa’s back calf, but this ended up doing little more than irritating the massive beast, which proceeded to crush the commissar and his companion without effort. From atop the cave’s entrance, Mr. Midnight drew a serrated dagger from one of his coat pockets before leaping onto the ursa’s back. Galloping up the creature’s spine, Midnight thrusted his dagger into the base of the ursa’s neck. The ursa roared in anguish, now wounded in a much more sensitive area, and with a potent poison now coursing through his nervous system. Midnight was forced to shout to be heard over the creature’s frenzied roars, “NOW! STEEL, KICK OUT HIS LEGS! BUCK OUT HIS LE-“ his shouts were cut short as the beast managed to slash him across the face, tearing his hat in half and causing him to bleed profusely. With his one clean eye, he managed to see Steel Hoof charge forward and deliver a tremendous buck to the leg with commissar Spear’s saber still lodged in it. With a wail, the ursa buckled, falling forward, positioned so it’s open mouth came crashing down upon a large pine tree, which quickly burst out the backside of the ursa’s head. Content, Steel Hoof walked over to his new partner, who was tending to the fresh wound to his eye. “So, Mr. Midnight, you have killed the great ursa minor. I suppose we are now partners, yes?” “Please stop with this Mr. Midnight nonsense. I’ve been misleading you, Steel, my real name’s Master Plan.” “And it was your ‘master plan’ to have three of my comrades killed, then?” Master Plan grimaced at the large pony’s implied sarcasm. “It was. This was a matter between you and me, and I’d rather not lead any others on to my intentions if it is not necessary. Do not get me wrong, I do not make mistakes.” “Then that scar across your eye, it was also intentional?” “I do not make many mistakes.” It was then that Steel Hoof noticed another scar, one across the pony’s forehead. This one was x-shaped and stitched across its length; in the center was a fairly deep crevice. He then realized the true reason for the gray pony’s eccentric clothing; it was clear that his new companion had some secrets. “And that one, was that scar deliberate?” he asked, gesturing to the x across Plan’s forehead. “No, it originally housed this,” Master Plan drew a small grey cone from one of his coat pockets; a unicorn horn. “Our first order of business is getting it back in its rightful place.” “And how do you suppose we do that, comrade? We can’t simply shove it back in, no?” “We cannot, though our resolution is rather simple,” Plan stated as he picked the late commissar’s hat and placed it on his head. “Zebra Magic.” End Chapter 1