It was an odd sensation being a different race I felt lighter and flying was so much easier. At around 8 am I saw the doors to Cloudsdale. The city in the clouds they called it when the Pegasi first devised plans of this place way back when even before the tribes of Equestria were formed and before my kin knew of such a place. It was one of the oldest still standing cities after the war and it’s architecture was incredible. Pillars of rich starlight and fountains or rainbows it was a sight to behold. I noticed that no one was paying me mind or staring for that matter I blended in rather well with the ponies here. It was off putting not being pointed out in a crowd. Strange to “fit in” to not be the black sheep.
“Is this how all ponies feel?” I murmured
I continued to walk around taking in the sights as I went towards the town square looking for my contact. Little Leaf wouldn't be too hard to find I thought. Most of the ponies up here though varying in color remained shades of the sky. Blues,pinks,yellows each corresponding to a time whether sunrise to sundown.
I reached the town square a large building with A large blind alicorn statue in the front was on my left Bookies Law Firm the sign said in stylish gold text. To my right was a few smaller buildings a tailor,a shoemaker, and a small general store. My contact was a small normal looking green pegasus. I walked up to the fountain where he was sitting.
“Little Leaf?” I whispered
“Who wants ta know?” Came the voice of a intercity stallion with an attitude that sounded as if he’d seen things he’d rather not speak of.
“A friend of Stronghearts. She told me you could help me with a -” I dropped my voice as a very unfriendly looking guard walked by.
“Problem.”
“I sees.” He got up and gestured to me “Follow me ya townie”
We soon made our way downtown through twists and turns we made it to the back of the General Store we walked to the side of the building the Mr.Leaf stole a look and knocked thrice on the wall.
After a moment and some shuffling from inside a slit opened and a gruff voice said “On a hot summers night would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses?”
Leaf looked at the eyes and in a calm tone replied “If thine love is true, lest chaos ensue.”
“Welcome brother.” spoke the voice letting us in to a small room the goon locking the disguised wooden door behind us. A single light bulb turned on and there was a chair with its back faced to us.
Leaf spoke “General a friend of Agent Black Hoof.”
A scratchy voice answered “Fantastic so she didn’t perish after we lost contact in Sweet Apple Acres?”
“Evidently she was able to meet up with this pegasus.” gesturing to me the last word sounding as if he threw up in his mouth a bit. “He arrived and asked if we could help him.”
The voice crawled towards me “ Pegasus... who are you and why are you here?”
Leaf nudged me and I spoke “Sir I am uh….” I thought of an alias deciding on one I choose “...I am Leather Wing”
“Leather Wing?” pondering the name he spoke again “How peculiar are you a tailor perhaps armorer?”
“Yes I make cloaks sir.”
“I see, what can I help you with Leather Wing.” chuckling a bit
“I am locating a murder whom I have reason to believe is here in town.” I stated flatly figuring with a stallion like this I ought to be honest he would most likely find out who I was one way or another. Probably knew who I was already with that tone of his.
“Why we all have secrets Leaaather Wing” stretching out the name “So what are you willing to give for such information? Hm? I mean all I have is a stallions word to keep me from taken you out right now.” The words hissing out as if I was talking to a venomous snake poised at the ready.
Scare tactics of course they would use that. My mind said telling me to be quiet but my mouth ignored it's wisdom. “Ah, but that stallions word is worth more than another's is it not?”
A screeching laughter that sounded like claws on a chalkboard erupted through the small room.
“You are driving my patience trying to be clever. I am not amused by such things."Pausing for a moment "So, I tell you what you do me a favor and I will tell you this supposed killers last base of operations.”
“Alright, what do you want.” I thought the request sounded easy enough.
More laughter “It is not that simple this is a favor that will be revealed in time. Now do we have a accord?”
I pondered whether or not I should make such a shady deal the Tri-gon did not always employ the most how should I say diplomatic tactics to preserve the peace but that's what they were peacekeepers. I may not of liked it scratch that I hated this idea but I had no other choice the body count was being raised as were the stakes I either called a bluff or folded. Wasn't any way to get around this from what I could see. I mean you can’t win big by risking a little or else we would put casinos outta business. Right?
“What you suddenly become mute? Do we have a deal or not Feather Ring? shouted the voice sounding like someone blew an airhorn in my ears.
“Okay I accept.” I stated sicking a hoof out a bit rattled at his sudden volume.
Then the large chair wheeled around and a hard nosed creature with eyes that burned like hot coals took my hoof it smelled like booze and felt as slimy an eel. The Breezie smiled showing a set of yellowed teeth.
“Fantastic. Comrade, I am General Bitis now let us (clapping his tiny hooves together two stallions began to pack up) take you to what we found.” Getting up I saw some faded fatigues and cap that the officers would wear in their increasingly active tribal wars.
We gather our items and left. We had to take the alleyways and backstreets. Bitis said something about this side of town being the fun side.
"Yeah,I bet." I said looking around on our way we descended through the clouds.
The city walls closing in on us seeming to suck us deeper the daylight began to fade as we continued the journey down. A mist of smog began to appear to accompany to severe lack of anything left untainted. Soon some rather unsavory characters stared to pop up here and there. A bum on a street corner or a group of ladies waiting for I don't wanna know. It got to the point when the fumes of where we were at began to feel as if they were choking every ounce of goodness I had left in me.
Bitis just cackled and cackled carried by his goons who seemed unaware of the sorrows of the others around them.Perhaps he was enjoying it.That is when I heard a scream from the alley we had just past a young mare ran out past us fear had over came her eyes. a gang of stallions running after her brandishing makeshift weapons the bums hiding in there cans and boxes. My instincts said no but my heart told me that she wasn't going to make it out of there without our help.
Bitis spoke seeing my struggle "By all means help her it won't matter she will be dead next week."
"Your not co-"
He cut me off "Of course not boy! It is a waste of my resources and not part of the deal. You feel the need to save her you go in alone."
"Fine" turning I ran through the maze like corridors following the sounds of her distress. finally I spotted the gang.
"Hey you! they turned "Yea you in the stupid helmet leave that mare alone you mangy dog!"
"Well looks like Gramps over here fancies himself a knight here to save his skimpy princess eh boys?
"You better leave now before this grandpa whoops your ass."
"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH EMBER YOU GOT BU-" started up his buddies
"Can it!" he yelled at them turning to me he pulled out his flaming bat
"Kid last chance ok-" I didn't finish the fool charged I pulled out one of my swords and sliced his leg. His crew stood there stunned.
"Well do something! Ember screamed
"Yes do something boys and end up like your buddy here."
A moment passed and no one moved until the mare ran off the boys followed her example tail between their legs. Ember looked up to me begging for me no to kill him.
"I ain't gonna kill you son. Just straiten up your act."
Y-yes sir. he said getting up
"One more thing kid. Respect your elders."
"Of c-course sir!" he spat limping of in the darkness.
I walked back to find Bitis there "Impresssive." He hissed
"Lets just get to our destination please. I am tired of petty crooks and two-bit whores." I said cleaning and sheathing my blade
"But of course let me just run off and get some popcorn." he said bowing
"Can we just go please." I said in a harsher tone
He nodded keeping a closer eye on me as we walked.
After about an hour of being stared down and listening to the drunk yammering of the ponies we passed and the General shouted “HALT! We here boys!”
We had made our way to the warehouse district alright we were in front of a storage facility.
“So how are we gettin in?” spoke Little Leaf
“Through the front door of course.” the General replied yelling as his men charged the door.
In an explosion of splintered wood and testosterone we entered the dastardly place if hell was on earth this would be it. A thick ooze covered the walls and thick yellow barrels with unknown contents were everywhere. Then there were the meat hooks holding... well I’m pretty sure it was a pony at one point. Staring into the hollow eyes and villainous smile on the severed head of the nearly unrecognizable pony in front of me. Decay had a stench like no other it had been there a while.
What is this place said one of the goon dumbstruck by the newly uncovered horrors.
“It was a storage facility for the old Rainbow factory to hold the” Pausing for a minute “by-products.” said Little Leaf who had for he to was mesmerized by the head.
“Poor sap.” The General said “Alright Bulk take right and Block take left. Time to search this hell hole!
I started analyzing the space around me I walked around and immediately regretted it. Torture chambers with uses that would your stomach turn inside out and make even the strongest man quiver. Large spikes,Lighting chairs,illegal drugs and other various tools were it this arsenal of despair. Body parts littering the floor around the place. Farther down was another pony bound and gagged bleeding out slowly crying in a circle with odd markings.
I shouted “THIS ONES ALIVE!”
The rest ran to me as we ripped off her binds and what looked like a newly blind and broken mare started murmuring “
“nononononononnooonnononono” Trying desperately to fight us as we brought her around we set her down
“Who did this to you?” I said
“The th-” gasping for air she wasn’t going to last long
“Who did this?” I spoke again
“He calls hi-*cough* himself the King. He waants you to knooow that *spitting up blood* you are losing the game. I had to lean in close to hear the last word “....pawn…” Pissing herself she died moments later blood soaking my hooves.
I just stared. The shock over came for a moment. My mind was a compass pointing south I didn’t understand how a pony could have the capacity to create such atrocities. This King was evil no doubt about it. But how and why? A million thoughts returned to my head. Shaking it as my sanity (or what was left) returned. I looked around for anymore clues other than a strange circle filled with odd symbols I had nothing so I jotted it down.
We called the local police so they could give the mare a proper burial. I knew that now this had gone way off the edge he had personally called me out and was playing with the lives of others as if the were all apart of his own sick twisted game. I now knew this vile being had a name the King and this being capable of inconceivable horrors was gonna pay for every second of pain he caused. I was going to overthrow the monarchy and no one was gonna stop me.