The coming of the Shade

by Salizar65

Plans and trust

He was sitting in the mayor’s office after handing him the deed to his home and telling him about the dead intruder. It had been three hours since the mayor had sent the coroner to go collect the body. He knew there would be questions and he had planned for the time it would take to answer them. That is as long as they didn’t detain him under suspicion of murder. Eventually the mayor walked back in with the town sheriff.

“Well I went to your home with the coroner but we didn’t find any dead griffon just a lot of blood and a hole in the wall from a crossbow bolt. It looked like something drug the body outside and then took off with it sometime late in the night. We did find evidence of the struggle and damage you described to us. And so far your story checks out, with the exclusion of the body. We did find some griffon feathers and fur threw out your home however. Even with that there isn’t enough evidence to fully prove your story. We would like to hold you until the search crew can come up with either a body or some other evidence to prove your story. Do you have anything to say?”

“Actually yes, I would like to be put up in the room I had last night at the in. And when you check me in tell the inn keeper vague conditions of what had happened loud enough so that other patrons in the room hear it. Soon the whole town will be talking about it and if the griffon had a partner he will hear the rumors and come looking for me as soon as he hears them, he will be wanting revenge. Then we can nab him and you can get the location of the body from him.”

“That would prove your story if that happened. There is only one problem, how will we be able to capture this accomplice? If we set up around the inn they will know. If we set up in the inn they will know. I don’t suppose you thought of a way to accomplish this as well?”

“Actually I have, all you need to do is drop me off and tell the inn-keeper that I am not to leave the Inn until you release me, and if I try to leave he is to detain me with force if necessary, and then go home for the night. I will take care of everything else. Once I have the accomplice in my custody I will send for you so you can come and deal with him. I don’t want any of your people to get hurt by accident and I want to get this taken care of right now. I am due in Equestria in two days time, they are expecting me. I have a non-lethal plan to catch whoever is behind this.”

“How do I know you won’t just flee? What insurance can you give me that you will keep your word? How do I know you can defeat this accomplice?”

“You don’t. You have my word and my word alone. I can’t give you anything more than that. You already own my home, what is left of it anyway, and once I leave this place I don’t intend to come back unless I am forced too. I killed the first one without so much as a single scratch so I think I can handle the second one. Now if you have no ideas to add and no objections I would like to get this plan under way as soon as possible. The sooner we get the rumor going the sooner we can get this whole thing solved. The sooner I can get my stuff back from you and leave this place.”

“Well you have thought this threw and so far as every pony can remember you have been a pony of your word so I guess I’ll trust you. Mark my words if you double cross me I will go to Equestria myself and ask to be allowed to arrest you. Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal Empire clear. Now can I have my things back? You can hold the weapons for now but as soon as this is all said and done I want them back. All of them.”

“Well you seem to have this all played out so I agree to your terms shall we proceed?”

“Yes let’s proceed.”

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It was only early afternoon, the town mayor had just told the Innkeeper the short story of why Camo was back at the Inn and what had happened. So he sat in the corner of the Inn drinking some cider and listening to a handsome mare singing some reformed version of ‘The last stand of the stone king’. She had a lovely voice and could sing quit well but his mind was focused on other things (and his heart was tugging him towards another). He sat there and enjoyed his cider as he idly listened to the singer perform this eras renditions of the songs of old.

Several hours passed as he drank. He had just started his dinner when a pony he hadn’t seen around town before strolled in. He looked as if he had hastily combed his mane and fur and did a very quick clean up before coming in. He had a gruff and rough look about him that most would call ‘ruffian‘. Glancing around the room his eyes lingered on the singer for a moment with a clear dark lust in his eyes before moving on to scanning the rest of the room. As his gaze passed over Camo his right eyelid twitched and he was visibly fighting a grin. Camo watched as he walked over to a table and sat down so he could look at the singer but at the same time watch Camo without it looking like he was actually watching him.

Camo waved the Inn keep over and asked him just soft enough for his voice not to travel “Don’t look but do you know the gruff looking pony that just walked in? I didn’t think so, I don’t know who he is either and I think this is the guy that was working with the griffon that ransacked my former home. Treat him like any other pony. I want to see what he does, maybe I can leave town tonight if my hunch is right.”
Without asking any questions the Innkeeper went about his usual rounds talking with the patrons, bringing drinks and chiding his waitresses to stop the chitter chatter and get back to work. Camo sat for several hours drinking and eating while he studied the strange pony from behind his wall of illusion. Everypony in the room saw him enjoying his drink and food when in reality he ate his food with a lack of interest and stared at the stranger for some sign of what he was up to. He signaled the Inn keep after several hours of getting nowhere with his observation.

“I will be heading up to my room shortly” in a soft tone that was for the Innkeeper only “I am not going up to my room just yet but I’m going to make it look like I am. Tell all the waitresses that they are to leave my plates and drinks sitting here. To everypony in the room it will look like I have left for my room but I am leaving my wall of illusion in place so I can continue to observe our visitor. I want to know if the outsider is going to try and figure out what room I am in in some way.”

“All right I understand, and based on what the mayor told me I can deal with this for one night. Though it is a little unnerving that you have been hiding this whole time behind an illusion.”

“Well if you have no questions I shale take my leave. I do not wish to be disturbed until the town mayor arrives in the morning. Enjoy the rest of your evening.” As the Innkeeper walked away Camo made it appear that he had gathered his things and headed up to the second floor. As the illusion played out he took note that the new pony suddenly became very serious looking and followed the image out of the corner of his eye. Five minutes after the imaginary Camo left the room the stranger talked to the Inn keep got a key and left for the second floor.

He got up and followed the stranger up the stairs and just as he got to the top of the stairs he saw the stranger use a spell he assumed was to show him what room camo had gone to. As he passed Camo’s room he stopped, inspected the floor by his door, looked very pleased and released his spell before continuing on down the hall to his own room. After seeing this event Camo went back downstairs to talk with the innkeeper.

“My theory was correct, the strange pony that came in stopped to see what room I entered and after finding my room he went into the room you just gave him. Are any of the other rooms on the second floor currently occupied? No, good. Don’t rent them out, I will compensate you for the loss of revenue those rooms would have made you if anypony tries to rent them for tonight. Only on the second floor though, I don’t want any innocent ponies to get hurt if things get out of hand. Send a message to the mayor and tell him to send some pony to collect the accomplice. I will light two candles in my window when I have him secured. Under no circumstances are they to enter the inn until I light BOTH candles, make that very clear to them please.”

“I’m not your errand b…”

“Just do it, seeing as I can’t leave the inn you have to.”

“Ok fines sure thing, anything else? I’ll get right on it.”

“Remember two candles.”

“Got it.”

As the innkeeper left at a leisurely stroll Camo went upstairs hidden beneath an illusion in order to keep the trap set. As he got to the top of
the stairs he crept as quiet as he could to the door the strange pony had entered and placed his ear next to the door. He could hear some clicking and groaning noises of what he assumed was a crossbow being assembled. He crept back towards his room and entered dropping the illusion as soon as he closed the door. He placed several spells to alert him if somepony tried to enter his room from either the door or the window. He got comfortable and settled in to wait.

“… is there anything else I can help you with Fluttershy?

“No, I don’t have anything else at this time. Thank you Ironhoof for all your help.”

“Oh it was my pleasure to help out such a sweet and humble pony as yourself. I may not be as strong I was when I was younger but these old bones of mine still remember most of their youth-full strength. See you around Fluttershy.”

“See you around Ironhoof, have a safe journey home.”

“Don’t worry I will.”

A tinkling noise in his left ear brought him out of his daydream.

“I must have dosed off for a bit. Show time…” He said in a whisper that even a bat would have had a hard time hearing.

The tinkling continued in his left ear letting him know that somepony was trying to enter his door. He removed the spell he had on the door
so the warning noise would stop. He didn’t need any distractions. Camo got to his feet and stood ready and waiting for whatever the intruder had to throw at him. After what seemed like an eternity the intruder finally got the door unlocked and slowly opened the door. Once the door had reached about half way the pony slammed the door the rest of the way open launching himself into the room and coming to a sudden halt looking Camo dead in the eyes. He had a look of shock and disbelief on his face as he noticed his prey was waiting for him. It quickly vanished and was replaced by a look of rage.

“You killed my partner. Now it is your turn to die. Any last words?”

“Yah actually I do, do you feel lucky, punk?”

“Why you son of a!” with that he tossed his crossbow aside and lunged at Camo holding a wicked looking dagger in his right hoof. “You’re
a dead man!”

Camo and the intruder rolled around the room exchanging punches while struggling for control of the knife for several minutes. With an unexpected hoof to the chest winding the intruder Camo was able to knock the knife away. Several more minutes passed as the two struggled when Camo suddenly bucked the intruder into the wall. As he stood up he noticed that the intruder was slowly getting to his feet. Before he could react Camo landed one good solid buck to his head knocking him unconscious.

Camo searched him for any other hidden weapons then trussed him up tight enough that he probably would have bruises from the rope. Satisfied with his work he walked to the window and lite both candles. He watched out the window for a few minutes then suddenly he saw several figures running towards the inn. Within moments his little room was full of guards. The town mayor walked in with the marshal looking at Camo then at the trussed up pony lying on the floor.

“Well from the looks of you and him I’d say you decided to do things the hard way and have some fun.”

“When you have lived as long as I have you enjoy doing things the hard way for it has its own sort of thrill. His room is the last door on the
left at the end of the hall. I think you will find all the evidence you need connecting this stallion to the griffon that ransacked my former home.”

“Lightwing go check the room. Report back to me what you find.”

“Yes marshal.”

“Now what to do about this one…”

“Well I can wake him up so you can ask him a few questions right now if you would like.”

“Please do, seeing as things seem to have worked out a little too convenient for you I would like to ask him some questions.”

Camo performed a healing spell on the stallions’ head removing his concussion and causing him to wake up. As he glanced around the room his confusion grew into anger and hatred as he looked right at Camo.

Comments

[Tundric Spirit]

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSST

now that i got that out of my system
not bad, but like i said. this story needs to be updated faster, the best way to up date this would be about 2 chapters a week

[Maxes Altho]

I notice a lot of deleted comments from some of the more well-known users on this site. Just a tip, unless you WANT to make enemies, don't delete comments. It just shows you can't handle criticism.
Except Starla. Ignore that dead weight all you want.

[Salizar65]

5767599 the reason I deleted some of the comments was because they were over the top profane and just plane rude. If you'd like an example I can send you one in a message but not threw the comments.

[Salizar65]

5767507 I understand my updating frequency needs work but when your working 2 jobs and have about one hour a day to write things don't get done very fast.

[Tundric Spirit]

5916709 true but tif thats the case then put it on hiatus. then just write all the chapters before posting anymore

[Salizar65]

5917293 thanks for the tip.

[Frosty the Batty]

I'm liking this story so far. Keep up the good work!