Emerald Chronicles

by Dandereshy

Chapter 6(Revised)

Chapter 6

"Then she told me I wasn't good enough to use the Alicorn Amulet. Can you believe that?" Trixie and Black Flame were walking to his gang hideout on the less populated side of town. Black Flame had convinced her to be his partner as they seek and reap revenge on the two that they believed wronged them. Trixie had actually consented to a relationship with him if he promised to tell her the truth the whole time they were taking over Ponyville. Now he was taking her to his hideout to grab a few of his boys to go to Ponyville with.

"That's horrible. I think you're plenty capable of being powerful. You're my Great and Powerful Trixie." He said sweetly. She smiled at him.

"Why, thank you. Who are these minions of yours?"

They rounded a corner, and a poorly built, abandoned office building stood before them on the end of the street. The white paint was peeling and fading to a nasty gray, and it had graffiti on almost every side. Only one entrance was available, always guarded from within.

"They are my faithful and obedient agents of darkness. They do as I say and do it well. Trust me, they'll never let us down, or the consequences for them will be lethal." Black Flame assured her as they got to the entrance and went in. "Grudge! Blade! Dark Storm! Get over here, now!" He hollered, his voice echoing through the whole building.

Within a few moments, three battle scarred stallions approached them from the darkness. Grudge was a smaller, lankier, but sinister-looking unicorn. He had a dark blue mane and grey coat. A large scar ran vertically across his face, from ear to lower jaw. Grudges cutie mark was a black stone.

The Pegasus was Blade. He was large, muscular, and faithful to the death. He was red-maned and white-coated, with many scars on his face and body. A tattoo of a double-edged sword ran from his neck to his flank, blade facing forward. Blade's cutie mark was a double-edged axe.

Dark Storm was a Pegasus as well, and looked very similar to Black Flame, since they were cousins. Dark Storm was a dark gray with a deep red mane. Only a few small scars covered his face, but he had an eye patch on his left eye, signaling a battle loss. His cutie mark was a cloud with red lightening.

The three of them bowed before Black Flame and Trixie.

"Black Flame? What is it you need, boss?" Blade asked, looking at Trixie with curiosity.

"I have a job for you, and I need your complete cooperation, loyalty, and participation," Black Flame said ominously. "The pay will be – astoundingly high." He motioned for Trixie to come forward. "This is my girlfriend and second in command. You will answer to her if not to me, understand?"

"Wait – what job are we talking about?" Blade asked, tapping at the concrete floor with his hoof.

"I've got Emerald on radar, and Ponyville isn't far behind on my schedule for domination. Plus, this one here has unfinished business and knows about the Alicorn Amulet. We must retrieve that for success to be an option. This is my biggest mission for you yet. I must eliminate Emerald. He mustn't discover his ability. Obviously, under those circumstances, he cannot be allowed to get his cutie mark. Anything and everything must be done to prevent that."

"What's his ability? Why can't he be allowed to get his cutie mark?" Grudge demanded.

Black Flame turned to him, a dirty look on his face. "Don't you remember Sapphire Shield?"

The three of them shuddered.

"Of course, boss. That's the guy's dead old man." Blade answered.

"Yes, because we killed him before he could tell Emerald his ability. Under no circumstances can he be allowed to discover this. We must get rid of him." Black Flame walked up to Blade casually and pointed out his scars. "You'll get more of those if we cannot destroy Emerald before he gets his cutie mark - or worse. I want an eye kept on him until I'm ready to confront him, understand?

"Where is he, exactly?" Dark Storm spoke up. He didn't look too happy.

"I don't know yet. But that is what I will pay you guys for, understand?"

"We aren't Sly Spy, Black Flame, we don't do surveillance for any price," Blade said defiantly. "We are warriors, not spies."

"Are you sure?" Black Flame asked, throwing a sack of 1000 bits on the floor in front of them. "There's 10,000 more where that came from if you decide to join me on this wonderful campaign. Your choice."

The three of them looked at each other.

"Alright, we'll do it. For 10,000 each."

Black Flame grinned emotionlessly. "Fair enough."

"When is this job effective?" Asked Grudge.

Black Flame turned to leave with Trixie. "Immediately."

---

Emerald left not long after noon to go to Twilight's and see what she was up to. Along the way, he ran into Fluttershy, who was getting some food for Angel.

"Oh, hey! Um, what are you doing? I mean, right now of course," she asked bashfully.

Emerald smirked and said, "Oh, I was just going to Twilight's to get that tour."

Fluttershy perked up. "I can give you a tour…um…if you're okay with that. If you want me to."

I see where this is going. "Uh, yeah, sure. I'd like that. If you're not busy."

She finished paying for what she had and told him to follow her home so she could drop her stuff off for Angel. They were walking back from the busiest part of downtown, with all the businesses. "Are you enjoying your time here so far?" she asked him, trying to initiate a conversation. it was noisier in town today than the previous night, so Fluttershy had to speak louder for Emerald to hear.

"I like it. You guys have been so helpful and kind; I'm not used to it. But I do appreciate it. I'll pay you guys back sometime."

"Oh, you don't have to…" Then she said under her breath, "If you want to you can."

"Huh?" Emerald asked, not hearing her.

"Oh, nothing," she replied coolly. They got out of the main part of town onto the path that led to her house and Emerald's.

"So, is Angel talkative?" Does he tell you what he wants or needs?" Emerald asked, walking closer to her so he could hear her since she talked so quietly.

She gave him a sideways look for a split second, but returned to her usual shy style. "Oh, yes. He's talkative all the time. And a bit feisty, too."

"Mmhm. That sounds about right." He noticed that they'd already passed his house. "How much further do you live down the street from me?"

She grew a bit shy again. "Oh, not far. I'm only a few minutes away from you. Which is good."

Emerald frowned. "Good? Like, that we live near each other?"

"Yes, sorry, I'm rambling again," she replied. They got close enough to see her house now.

"That's a nice cabin. You're lucky," Emerald said, shielding his eyes from the sun as he walked.

Fluttershy smiled meekly. "In a lot of ways," she replied.

They walked up to her front door. It was a pretty home, decorated well.

"Um, do you want me to wait outside?" Emerald asked hesitantly.

"Of course not. Come in and make yourself at home. If you want to," she answered.

He obliged and followed her in. She went off and left him at the front door. "Angel! I got that food for you! Where are you, honey?"

Emerald stood there and looked around at the inside of her house. She kept it neat and tidy, something he expected. He kept his the same, but sometimes let it fall into disarray when he was really lazy.

"Are you thirsty?" Fluttershy asked him nicely as she entered the room.

He nodded. "A little, yes."

She motioned for him to come into her kitchen area. "You can get something if you'd like."

He thanked her and got something out of her fridge. "It's really been nice for you to help me like this."

She walked up to him and stood there. "I like helping other ponies. I'm a really big help for all my friends."

"I see that. I wish I could help you as much as you've helped me," Emerald confided, taking a sip and smiling at her.

"Oh, I'm sure you will sometime."

They stood there in awkward silence for a few moments.

"Okay, well, uh, do you wanna go hit the town? I mean, walk around?" Emerald suggested.

She gave him a momentary look of attraction, something he was surprised to have noticed. He refrained from saying anything. "Sure."

He smiled a half-forced smile. "Great. We should uh, head out so we have enough time before dark."

'Yeah, that's a good idea. Have you eaten lunch?"

He opened the door for her. "No, that's what we're about to do."

"My, okay. I'll just get enough bits – "

"Don't worry about that, sweetheart. I've got it," he told her.

She reddened lightly. "Uh…okay. That's kind of you." She walked past him out the door and he trailed after her, shutting her door.

"Do you know a good place to eat?" he asked her as they began walking toward town.

She hesitated. "Well, there's this little restaurant – "

"No, Fluttershy. I mean good. Like, as in, nice," he cut her off, not trying to be rude, but sounding that way.

"Um, those are all in Canterlot. Up on the mountain," she responded, not understanding why he'd want such a place to spend money.

"Well, I guess after the tour, we're going to Canterlot." He looked over at her. "I'll take you out to eat."

She turned red again. "Like…like a…a date?"

He smiled amiably at her. "Yes, like a date."

Comments

[cobystones234]

wow this guy works fast. also I have a feeling that black fire is some how related to nightmare moon.

[Sparkle Flash]

that was.. fast.