Author's Notes:
Thanks to Deadinlight for beta-reading and helping me edit
Prologue: A Story Told
It wasn’t always like this, living on the run, I used to be a pony anypony would want to know, now I live on the run, I used to be a top student at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, a mare whom any pony would want to tutor them. I used to be a shoo in for the position of Celestia’s personal student before that filly pulled off that magical flare. Only thing that hasn’t changed is—
“HEY WATCH IT! Are you blind?!” said a mare who I walked into on accident, I really should watch where I am going.
“Yes I am actually, sorry” I reply as I removed my sunglasses with my magic, revealing my clouded eyes to the mare, who stammered an apology before trotting off quickly. Right now I am safe, nopony knows I am in Manehatten, and no pony knows that I am going to finally set some roots down. Celestia help me… I have to keep my my talent a secret, it isn’t unheard of for two ponies to have the same cutie mark… So I could possibly get away with it. Right? No, better not to risk it. So I decide to hide myself with a little dark magic, this magic doesn’t leave an imprint of itself. I darkened my fur, mane, and tail, no longer was I a light blue, with bright pink mane and tail mare, not that I could see it, but now I was a dark blue unicorn with a red and tail. My cutie mark, which was a yin-yang symbol inside of a purple star, was now a yellow and orange sun. Now I just need a new name, Shadow Eyes is a wanted mare, and with this disguise I am not Shadow Eyes… That’s it! My new name will be…
- - -
I’m set when it comes to bits, but I have to find a small place out of the way, where ponies won’t question a mare who avoids the guard, even if she lives in a seedy neighborhood in Manehatten… I made my way to the landlord of the property. I figured that he would be my best bet to get some privacy. I could handle my own security after all, and if asked I could always lie and say I was a defensive spell major in school. Yeah that’ll work, and make me out to be a liar. Even though you don’t have to see to be great at defense… Whatever…
- - -
This is it, this is my new home, an apartment on the fifth story of a thirty story building. For how low it was it was beautiful view of… The crime ridden streets below... Though I will admit I am lucky for how little he asked for to rent this place out. I guess he figures I will be out of it before too long and he isn’t looking for me to stay. he told me that nopony stays long…
- - -
I met my neighbors today, some jerk who was beating on his wife, I told him if I heard her get beat once more I would kill him, he laughed in my face, not having my old identity really hurts me in this case, if he knew me as Shadow Eyes he would have left her alone real quick, but no I he only knows me as…
- - -
I met this cute mare today. She was very attractive, and I did invite her to dinner. However she had other plans, too bad. I would have liked a sense of normality…
- - -
“Excuse me, miss, have you seen the mare in this photo? She’s wanted for practicing dark magic” said a Manehatten guard and I roll my eyes, I may be able to ‘see’ with my magic, but I can’t see two dimensional pictures.
“I’m sorry, but I’m blind” I manage to say in an apologetic voice and the guard apologized for not realizing it before rushing off to ask one of my neighbors.
- - -
A new pony moved in to the apartment across from me. He’s attractive in that, ‘I’ve been hit one too many times’ kinda way, but the way he leers at me, thinking I can’t see him… Yeah kinda puts me off…
- - -
That bucking imbecile! I had to kill him! All because he just tried to rape me! All he ever had to do was ask! SERIOUSLY! I would have slept with him if he had asked! Now I have to deal with the guard, though for once the fact I am blind is playing in my favor. If they don’t believe it was completely self-defense, and they think I just accidentally killed him then that means I will get away with murder… DAMN IT ALL! I wanted to have a nice peaceful life! Celestia as my witness I am tired of living my life as though I have to play by someone else’s tune. Time I played by my own rules again, but I am not losing what roots I have… I guess it’s time Shadow Eyes makes her reappearance. I’ll be like that pony from the TV show! The Batmare! or the Ironpony! Well maybe not the Ironpony, I won’t have enough bits for that, but I can do some good around Manehatten…
- - -
I have decided I am going to clean up these streets. I might not be a model citizen, being wanted myself. However that doesn’t mean I can’t do some serious good. ESIS doesn’t know I’m here, Celestia’s goons don’t know I’m here, and Luna’s assassins don’t know I’m here either. I’m going to make the best of it, I am going to bring them here, I am going to make them see that I am still a good pony, I am going to make them see that I am Shadow Eyes, can live the life of Blinding Sunrise while keeping the streets clean at night...