Chapter 1

Claws of darkness spread through the air from the south, from Canterlot. It wrapped itself across the sky and strangled the midday sun and replaced it with a low dim moon. At first there was a murmur of concern, then the news hit. Canterlot had fallen. The princesses were gone and those that did it were coming.

They panicked. Many ponies sought refuge in the castle or their homes. Others sought to fortify the walls. It didn’t matter. I watched as the evil rolled in like a rough sea over a sandbar. Nothing would stand in its path. Those who fought fell or were frozen where they stood. My family fought. I fought. I watched as whatever it was in the shadows blew them apart. They were ash before they knew what hit them. I fled.

Those who surrendered were spared. There was no joy in it, but better a slave than the grave or to suffer some unknown fate. Better to have your family close even if in bondage.

They once called me Flash Sentry. Before the unending night fell I was a guard in the Crystal Empire. It wasn’t an exciting job; still I’d made friends and could boast to my family about the interesting ponies I’d met. I would talk about the band I was a part of in my off hours, the lousy food in the cafeteria, the royal family, everything really. Most of it was just silly but, when I thought back on those stories I knew that it was a time that would never be again. The days of sun and real smiles were gone, a new normal was here.

Eventually I had to find some other form of work. Being a guard for this new regime was out of the question. I couldn’t stomach disappearing ponies to an unknown fate. Instead, I decided I would provide them with something entirely different. It wouldn’t be much, but it would be the kindest thing I could give them in this new dim world. Something that would remind them that somepony out there cared enough to ease their pain, if only for a little while.

Payment was mostly up front. Usually it was where they wanted to do it. Sometimes it would be in a secondary location that I would find after the fact. Rarely was it ever sent to me in advance. This most recent time was the rarest of occasions. This time I received a package that contained a large sum of bits, a party invitation and instructions as to when and where it was to take place. Ponyville in two weeks. I decided to hide the bits in my luggage and boarded a train for my destination immediately.

Ponyville was a medium sized town with a large farming sector and a large crystal castle that rose near its boarder. Well, at least it used to be. I’d only ever been there once or twice on official business and never once since what had happened. I once knew a filly that lived there. She was the sister of my former boss. On the train ride over to Ponyville I wondered if she were still alive. If she were still alive what had she been up to. I wondered if she’d had to compromise her principles as much as I had, whether it was kind or not. I even wondered why it was I’d never asked her out.

I sighed quietly and watched as the skeletal branches of the trees passed by my window. It was silly to think about such things. Chances are she was gone, just like every other pony I’d known. Thinking about the past never helped and I quickly asked for a few hard ciders in the bar car to take the edge off. Soon even cider would be sold at a premium. I would miss it and reminded myself that the past was something none of us could live in or go back to. It was just the errant dream of a fool. That’s what I was.

The train pulled into the station with a loud whine and hiss. After about a half days’ worth of travel I was tired and I staggered off of the train, luggage in tow. The moon still hung in the sky and the cider made me smile a little broader than it should have. I wound my way out of the station toward the cheapest inn I could find and got a discounted rate for my extended stay. I paid up front and headed to my room where I immediately flopped onto the bed, shut my eyes and fell into a satisfyingly dreamless sleep.

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The next day I wandered about Pineville. It was mostly boarded up. The few shops that were still open kept irregular business hours and only opened when a new shipment came. Fresh food was sold at a premium. Fresh anything, for that matter, was sold at a premium and the shopkeepers would eye anypony that wasn’t local. I made it a point to avoid the stores and houses as wandered toward the lake near the forest. That’s where I first saw her.

She was as tall as any alicorn, yet her wings and crooked horn showed she was something else. When she stood I could see through the holes in her legs. Yet, her eyes were sad. It was bizarre to say the least. As if she knew that she was being watched her gaze snapped, over in my general direction and I pretended not to take any notice of her. For a moment I thought for sure that she would say something to me but, instead she flew off listlessly in the opposite direction. She was the one who sent me the letter. Chrysalis.

I’d once heard that she was the Changeling Queen. They weren’t particularly difficult to point out most of the time. They usually didn’t know enough about what was going on to fit in completely. Yet, as I watched her for those two weeks she was always alone. Occasionally she would head to one of the shops and purchase fresh fruit. Sometimes she would “dress up” as another pony and eat at a restaurant but, other than order her meal she never spoke and often seemed keen to gaze at the horizon waiting for something that wasn’t coming.

On the last night she headed to the party. For Ponyville’s elite it was the social event of the year. That night she “wore pink,” and made herself look like my former boss’ wife, Cadence. She buzzed around the party and observed the guests for a while occasionally speaking to them before she walked out the double doors to the balcony and gazed up at the moon.

The cold breeze sent whipped across the balcony. She shivered quietly as I walked up behind her noisily, letting her know I was there. “They don’t say what they really mean do they,” she said to me without looking, “Those guests I mean.”

“I don’t think it’s in their nature. Most folks talk a lot but, don’t really say anything. Well, nothing that matters.”

“Yes,” nodded Chrysalis finally looking at me, “Well, it’s an utterly dreadful party.”

“I didn’t come here for them.”

“Then why are you here?”

“You,” I said, “It’s always been you and what I see in you.”

She smiled and dropped the disguise, “And what, pray tell do you see in me?”

“I see somepony that is beautiful, yet tired. I see a pony that is utterly alone and was deceived into doing something she wishes she hadn’t done. I see a pony that, if she could take it all back she would.”

She looked down, ashamed, “Is that all you see?”

“No,” I said, “I also see a pony that’s ready for whatever comes next.”

“Is that so,” she said quietly.

I move closer to her, “You don’t have to be alone anymore.”

She stepped toward me and we embraced. She smelled like the early spring flowers. She was warm and wonderful and made me forget about this world and its problems. Her kiss was a soft reminder of peace and better days.

I tell her that everything will be alright. She doesn’t have to worry about being alone anymore. I tell her that I love her and will take care of everything.

The knife I hid under my wing slowly slides out and finds its home in her chest. She winces but, doesn’t cry out. Her tears gently fell against my shoulder but she smiled just the same. She was ready. I held her until she stopped breathing and her heart stopped beating.

What sort of life is there if there is no love? I don’t know. All I know is that that was the only act of kindness I can provide anypony anymore. The rest are just words.

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