The Nightwatch

by Gabriel LaVedier

The Smiling Dark

Drupe Cluster crashed into the clearing with the others, stumbling on his hooves. He looked much the worse for wear: his cloak was stained and torn, his hooves looked chipped and his body bore the welts of whipping foliage. “I came as fast as I could! What’s going on?”

“Something attacked Emerald. Now we’re trying to clean up the mess,” Slivovitz let the beacon drop and used her new magical liberty to restrain Emerald’s limbs. “How could this have happened?”

With the thrashing down to the barest hint, and some measure of calm back in him, Clear was able to apply the disinfectant more properly to the wounds, and to actually clean them out, rather than fumble with premature bandaging. “Emerald… I know this hurts. But we need to get them clean. Otherwise they’ll… Just, hold still…” The hunter green stallion dabbed at the wounds, wincing sharply as the Diamond Dog under his ministrations quivered in pain.

“Nnnngh! N-no, ponies! Don’t touch! Hate all of you. And no pony likes me. Know it. Ponies hate Diamond Dogs.”

“That’s simply not true. I’ve undertaken many ethnographic studies of Diamond Dogs. They’re fascinating. I don’t know where you get this from,” Clear whimpered.

“Not the same. No pony see me like pony. Not the same as ponies. Not look right, not act right. Don’t follow all rules. And don’t get respect,” Emerald thrashed in Slivovitz’s magical grip, shuddering her body in the mystic force. “Never cared! Never!”

- - -

Clear Facet sighed softly, and brushed nervously at his newly-made cloak. The uniform was still somewhat stiff from being tailored. At least that meant the crescent moon at his throat was still shiny and new, the silver bright as the moon. He stared into the forest with some trepidation, but still trotted forward. He had a good idea where to go, and orders freshly stamped that marked him as a new member of the Ponyville adjacent Nightwatch of Everfree.

After a very short trip he could smell a small fire, and some food being cooked over it. A modest hunger sent him cantering forward a little faster and into a clearing. There were a few tents around the edges of the clearing, together with a few other constables. He saw a brown-and-brown mare guarding a small, devoted clutch of cockatrices wearing dark goggles, and a hydra with two heads that seemed, simultaneously, disinterested and eager for play. Away from her was a gray stallion with a back mane, cooking an oat-and-honey griddle cake over the fire while he was spoken to in low tones by a puce unicorn with a black mane. She stopped her conversation and turned to look at the arrival. “Well, well, that was fast. But I expected as much. Old members rotate out, new blood comes flowing in. Papers, constable..?”

“Facet. Clear Facet. Out of the academy at Canterlot. Well, from the university to the academy. I’ve got all my certifications for active constable duty. Here you are,” Clear took papers out of his saddlebag and passed them over to the puce mare.

“Standard. Stamped and pressed and all in order. Alright, then. You’re official. My name’s Section Chief Brandy Punch, but nopony calls me that and keeps all their teeth. Slivovitz will do fine. This fellow beside me, making a little food, is my assistant and lieutenant constable Pocket Change. He used to be an accountant, but now he’s here doing a good job. And over there is our resident creature handler, constable Tree Tender. We’ve had a few transfers out, so the numbers are a bit reduced. We’ve still got one other constable coming tonight, and there’s a request in for one more, but we’re at a reasonable level, so we can last without it. Might take a few months to get a new one in. So, take a load off and have some tuck. We’ve got a bit of time before patrol,” Slivovitz said with an upward look.

Clear settled down around the fire, at the furthest point away from Tree, settling into a meal of the cold, pressed rations, pre-made and ready for consumption. He wanted to get into the swing of the hardscrabble Everfree constable life, and away from the plush life of a university stallion. “This place seems… nice. Even the monsters are agreeable.”

“Call them critters, new pony. They’re not monsters to me,” Tree mumbled, slowly reaching out to stroke one of the cockatrices, who leaned in for the stroke with a contended look on its beak. “That fellow back there is a little ornery, but the other half is fine.”

“Err… No offense intended, of course,” Clear said with a bright smile, with some nervous twitching and a pull at the collar of his cloak. “No need to get the official processes involved.”

Tree snorted and looked down at the cockatrices. “Whatever. We’ll get on if you remember that.”

Clear sighed softly and slumped a little bit, munching on his rations again. The sound of movement through the forest drew his attention again, letting him see a new arrival. A parting of foliage revealed a Diamond Dog. A female by the cast of her body. She was of the taller breed of Diamond Dog, but not the largest, a grayish female without jowls, and very well cleaned-up and lightly made-up. She was even wearing trousers and had a pack on her back.

“Oh… A Diamond Dog,” Clear said with a catch in his throat.

“Right. Just what I was waiting for. Hey, over here. Got your paperwork?” Slivovitz asked, motioning with her head over to herself, Clear and Pocket.

“Yes! Have all papers and am ready to work hard,” She said, reaching into the pack to pull out a slightly-crumpled pile of papers, which she handed off to Slivovitz.

“What’s your name there, rookie?” Slivovitz asked.

“Emerald! Was named after my eyes and favorite treat,” She happily replied. Her tail wagged as she made the statement, and fluttered her thin eyelashes.

Slivovitz looked over the papers, nodding her head a bit. “It’s all in order. You’re fresh out of basic training, though. Pretty bold of you to come out to Everfree without any experience.”

“Bah! Am Diamond Dog! Not afraid of anything. And all teachers say training is enough to do any service with constables,” Emerald boldly stated.

“It’s true. But you need a handler to bring you through the training period. That’ll be about a year or so. And it’s kind of an advanced course around here. Thankfully, we’ve got a gentlecolt here straight out of the academy in Canterlot. He’s got a training cert in his papers. So, constable Clear Facet, you’ve got your first long-term assignment. Emerald, this is Clear Facet, listen to him, he’ll be your partner,” Slivovitz said.

“Oh, partner! Did not know ponies had arranged marriages,” Emerald let out a rasping laugh, which was joined by Slivovitz.

“Ah... I… I mean…” Clear goggled, suddenly realizing that for the next year, things were going to be… interesting.

- - -

“I’m your handler. Of course I care. Just calm down. We’ll get this taken care of…” Clear whispered, finally applying a bandage over one of the wounds. But as soon as the pad was down, a sickly black stain appeared on it, leading to its swift removal and the revelation of nothing except the wound itself. “What is this..?”

“Hate… all can feel. All want to feel. Because Clear hates me too!” Emerald snapped harshly in Clear’s direction, drool glistening on her lipstick-smeared lips.

“N-no! I don’t! Emerald, I don’t hate you… I… I don’t… I can’t. I have…” Clear stammered.

“What? Reputation? Precious reputation for college pony. Cannot be seen with monster like Diamond Dog!” Emerald cried.

“That’s not it! Luna curse it, Emerald! That’s not it! You want the truth? I’m afraid of being brought up on charges! I can’t be cited and charged with harassment! Doing that means dismissal from all active service! And no Nightwatch assignments! I can’t do it because they’d take me away from you!” The last statement was screamed at the top of his lungs. Clear sucked in breaths like a thirsty man drew in water at a spring. His eyes were wide and his body shuddering. “I can’t ever mess up. Because I’d lose you. One mistake and I’d never see you again. And I’d rather look like a silly fool than make a mistake.”

“You mean..?” Emerald asked, her fury abating some.

“If this is the last thing I do before I face Internal Affairs… I love you, Emerald. I never said anything because I thought you were just kidding. Diamond Dog humor is blunt, and relies on… ah… enough…” Clear whispered, before he leaned in to lay a kiss on Emerald. Their lips met, and her body went still. No more fighting the bonds, no more fury burning in her eyes. They returned to a sallow sclera, with brilliant green inside.

The wounds steamed, issuing a greasy black smoke as they slowly closed. From the horrible open wounds made by the claws of a predatory monster, they became little more that feeble scratches, the bad fortune of an ordinary, active day.

Slivovitz released Emerald from her grip, the Diamond Dog taking the opportunity to wrap her arms around the stallion that continued to kiss her. The contact broke after a moment longer, her canine tongue following the kiss with a lap on the lips. “Never joked. Mm, joked at first. Liked making pony feel silly and uncomfortable. Diamond Dogs do this. But were so kind. Treated like pony. Always made feel good. Not hard to love,” Emerald sighed, squeezing Clear tightly to her chest, avoiding the tiny scratches left behind.

“Constable Clear Facet…” Slivovitz said significantly. With the situation handled, she was back in command mode. “Fraternizing with a fellow constable…”

“I know,” Clear spoke breathlessly, but never moved to get out of the squeeze. He only leaned in to get closer still.

“Is the kind of rule I ignore. Who’s gonna know out here in the forest? It’s Everfree, we have more to worry about. Like what it was that attacked you," Slivovitz mused.

“Don’t know. Was following Clear to see behind move. Has handsome flank,” Emerald barked. The other constables chuckled, if in a somewhat strained manner, while Clear blushed. “Heard something in dark. Soft little voice and movement to him. Had to get in way. Then big, dark thing hit, knock to ground and start scratching on chest and belly. Kept telling, 'pain, cruelty, agony.' Tore and tore, so screamed. Clear came and thing left. All saw was shadow. And smile when screamed.”

“I’m liking this less and less. It’s not enough that the thing can speak, whatever the hay it may be. But it attacked one of my Constables. I’m not going to stand for that kind of nonsense out of any magical misfit,” Slivovitz snorted, stamping her hoof.

“It did more than that…” Badam mused, looking over at Emerald’s body, noting the tiny wounds on her front. “It attacked her with magic. Magic edged in emotion.”

“What do you mean, Badam?” Drupe asked, trotting forward slowly, to look in at the wounds as well from a better vantage point.

“Yes, it tore her flesh, and liked it. But, the bandage soaked itself in black stuff. And the injuries vanished when Clear told her he loved her. Well, more or less. What we’re seeing must be the real effect of the attack. But she was filled with hate. And it just made the injuries bigger and more painful,” Badam explained.

“Of course…” Slivovitz muttered, starting to consider the idea, hoof against her chin. “It must be something that feeds on hate and pain. It probably just wanted to attack something. It was going after Clear, Emerald got in the way, and so it just went with it. Hacked her up but ran when somepony came to get it. As long as she let the hate ride her she was suffering. I’ll bet it was watching the whole time. Enjoying her in pain.”

“This is a serious matter, Chief. This is the kind of thing that needs professional intervention,” Pocket said, sidling up beside Slivovitz.

“Of course. This is what we’re here for. Guard and deflect what we can, and recognize big threats that need a big response. Prepare a message for the Princesses. We need professional guards here. Send pegasi for whatever aerial recon they can gather and plenty of the elite unicorns for a search and subdue. Badam, you were doing Guard work before, how quickly do you think they can get here?” Slivovitz asked.

“It’s hard to say. Generally, they respond quickly to orders but deploying takes time because they have to prepare first. But with an emergency like this I’m sure they’ll rush,” Badam said, tapping at his chin.

“Then get that message ready fast, Pocket. I want it burning and on its way as soon as possible,” Slivovitz commanded.

“Regrettably, all my enchanted parchment is at the campsite,” Pocken said.

“Then go to it! And burn it as soon as the last letter is written down. While he’s doing that, we’ll all spread out. Tree, with me. Badam, Drupe, the usual. Clear, Emerald, if you think you can, you join this too. Spread out, three directions, big a sweep as you can get. And no solos. Stick together close as possible. Whatever the thing is, it’s cowardly. Only hits lone critters. Let’s move. The night is young and this thing seems to like it that way.” Slivovitz directed. With a heavy clop of her hoof she moved beside Tree and proceeded into the forest in the direction opposite the direction of the camp.

“Let’s hit the way we went the other night. That’s where I first heard it. If it got out somehow, maybe we can find what imprisoned it,” Badam said, motioning his neck in the required direction, then looking to Clear and Emerald. “You coming this way? Or are you heading back for camp?”

“We’ll go in the other direction. We need to search too. I’ll protect her this time,” Clear said, standing up proudly, attempting to look heroic.

“Strong pony! Now can be alone together and enjoy,” Emerald yapped, letting out a raspy laugh that seemed to take some of the swagger out of Clear’s sails. Though, it did not knock the smile off his face.

“Don’t get too cozy. This is still dangerous,” Drupe noted, nodding to the other constables before setting off with Badam in tow.

- - -

“This kind of thing never happened in Fillydelphia,” Drupe said, looking around at the forest with a new eye, trembling a bit if the shadows moved too much. “We had criminals, of course. That’s why I was there. I mean, some of them could even get violent. Stealing things or sometimes… hurting ponies. But they did it for a reason. They needed bits or they were crazy on gemstones or salt or booze. Something drove them to it. I never had to deal with some monster that did it because it wanted somepony in pain.”

“Believe that such things are out there. And believe that sometimes, those monsters are ponies like you and me,” Badam said darkly. He followed close behind, his lantern hung on the right side of his saddlebags, giving some brightness to the gloom. “I’ve been all over. And seen plenty. Something goes wrong in a pony’s head sometimes. Too rich, too powerful, too smart, too anything. And they get it into their heads that they’re better than every other pony. And it makes them smile to see others hurt. After all, if they were better, they wouldn’t be there in the first place.”

Drupe shuddered and shook his head. “No offense, but you are something else. I’m glad I never had the opportunity to work all over. Not if it means having to see that.”

“It’s not common. It’s very well handled. And they don’t advertise. Sometimes I think that makes it worse. You can get away with secrets for quite a long time. Sometimes I wish they were just a little more stupidly overconfident. The more games you play, the more chances you have to lose,” Badam stated. He nodded his head sagely to his own remark and twisted his head about, ears twitching in an attempt to catch any stray sounds. “So, who do you think did it?”

“Huh? Did what?” Drupe asked.

“Who do you think let it out? It’s all but impossible it got out on its own, or it would have attacked me first chance it had. Plus, I heard from Steven the river dragon. There was a growling, whispering voice accompanied by hoofbeats out by the river in the area where we patrolled. Somepony was there with the thing. Intentional or not, it got released on purpose,” Badam stated.

“I can’t… I know you’re new but you can’t honestly suspect somepony in this patrol! That’s absurd! We’re professionals. And we’d never unleash some monster onto Equestria,” Drupe asserted.

“Somepony did. There’s no way to deny it. Now the only question is, which one?” Badam asked, giving a thoughtful look.

“I’m gonna ask you to stop this right…” Drupe started to say.

“I know it wasn’t you. Sure, I’ll bet the bits it promised would be nice. But you’re too honest for that. Plus, I would have heard you get up and leave. I’m a light sleeper,” Badam said, off-hoofedly.

“How about you? How do we know it wasn’t you? Like you said, it would have attacked you first,” Drupe huffed, turning on Badam suddenly, glaring at him with an accusatory eye.

“Because if it had been me, I’d be the biggest idiot in the Principality. Even if I was trying to rely on dodging suspicion by being the most suspicious, I would never have told anypony about it. No need. I could have released it and been in an even better position, since we’d be here without any clues at all. Plus, the other day, before I dropped off, I only heard four zippers. So unless Clear and Emerald were sharing a tent, which Clear would never do, I suspect, somepony didn’t go to sleep when the others did. One pony unaccounted for,” Badam coolly noted.

Drupe stood, continuing to stare, letting his petulance carry him for a time before he looked down and sighed. “I never thought this would be an option. Suspecting a fellow constable of releasing a monster.”

“Hard things need to happen sometimes. So… We need to think of which one it might be,” Badam insisted.

“I guess… I can’t do this! Even if it had to be one of them, I can’t suspect them! I just… can’t…” Drupe whimpered.

“Family is important to you, I know. And these ponies, they’re family to you too. But that won’t help us at all. Because think of this: One of them out there is guilty, and knows it. Which means one pair is compromised,” Badam said significantly.

The very thought made Drupe’s blood run cold. He shivered, and sat down hard. “This is big stuff.”

Badam extracted a small piece of parchment from his saddlebags, and a stick of graphite with a bite guard. “Let’s make a list of possibilities. It wasn’t you or me. What else do we know?” He set to work, writing something down after he had spoken.

“It probably wasn’t Emerald. Getting herself attacked would be too over the top. I mean, it’s possible but it feels wrong,” Drupe said.

“I agree. She’s out. Clear is too. He’s too afraid of breaking regulations. He’s an orderly fellow in the college mold. Not the kind to go making deals. Besides, if anything, he wants knowledge. Not power or bits or such things,” Badam said. More scratching followed as he recorded more thoughts.

“Tree wants bits… I mean, her family needs bits. But I don’t think she’d ever do that. She’s been loyal and good as long as I’ve been here. All she seems to care about is taking care of the critters and doing a good job,” Drupe noted.

“Maybe she thought she could handle this monster like her others. We can’t rule it out,” Badam noted.

“She’s with the chief. We have to go get her!” Drupe cried.

“Not so fast. What about the chief? She never talked much about herself,” Badam said.

“The chief is… The chief. I heard she’s been here for years. From constable to section chief. Takes pride in her job, loves what her constables do,” Drupe stated.

“And maybe she didn’t want the slow way anymore. That’s another possibility,” Badam said. The graphite scratched away rapidly on the sheet.

“The chief being… and they’re back there together. They’re the most likely. We have to go back and help. Just to protect one from the other,” Drupe said, dashing away when he saw Badam put away the graphite and heard his hoof beats behind him. “I know she said to keep searching, and this was the best place to look, but maybe the one that released it can call for it. At least we’ll be there to…” Drupe looked back and finally noticed that no light was bobbing behind him. He was alone on the path. Badam was nowhere to be found.

- - -

The stench of smoke from his right side made Badam snort and sniffle, while he walked on through the lantern-lit forest with a careful eye. He was getting closer to the area he had heard the voice. It wasn’t going to be long until he found whatever prison had held the thing. That would tell him something about the beast. And maybe how to trap it again.

He had to be alone. He now had a better idea of who had released the monster. And why. This was the only way to keep the others out of danger. He’d find the prison, then double back to confront the guilty party. There’d be no possibility of denial. He’d have proof, in the face of recognition that would come when he revealed the monster’s prison. The plan was foolproof. There was no time available for the one in question to build a better fool.

As Badam approached the spot from the previous night, he saw a shadow pass just inside the reach of his bobbing lantern. His progress halted as he dodged quickly to the left, avoiding a blow from a massive shape made of moving darkness. “That’s one way to do it. Next time don’t make shadows move where there aren’t shadows,” Badam teased.

“So… Think you’re a clever little pony? Feh, just lucky…” A voice rumbled. The shadowy shape resolved itself into a hulking figure of black, with slitted cat pupils and a feline cast, a predatory monster with an innocent shape. “You’d never be able to do that again.”

“Don’t count me out. After all, I’m a constable in Everfree. Better than that, I know who let you out, and why,” Badam stated smugly.

“Oh, I doubt it. You couldn’t possibly have sifted through all the suspects and decided which one. They could all be the one. There’s no way to say they couldn’t be the one. Don’t try to bluff me, little constable. You’re not half so smart as you think you are,” the monster insisted.

“Oh, you think so? I take it you don’t think much of constables. That’s to your detriment, to say the least,” Badam said, slowly circling the creature, watching the thing as it glared at him, looking for a way past into the deeper part of the forest where the prison waited.

“Why would I think anything of you sorts? You’ve been wandering this forest for a long time. I could tell. I could feel and hear you. And you all wandered around here but never found me. Didn’t even get close enough to hear me. Well, not at the start. I got stronger as I called out. I called you. I offered you everything you wanted. Anything you could desire. But what did you do? You laughed at me and just trotted away. But one of you had at least two brain cells to rub together and came to get me. Why would you not take this offer?” The creature asked, with some hate in its voice.

“I’m a wag, not a villain,” Badam noted. He took his chance, galloping towards the space he could see between two trees. He dodged, but barely, a strike by the shadow, which sent him back to where he had been. “But I know your liberator was not a villain either. Just a small, petty pony. The easiest mark...”

“Don’t lie. That’s hardly becoming of a constable. You don’t really know it. So quit saying it,” the creature rumbled.

“It’s not Chief Slivovitz," Badam stated. "She doesn’t need to do anything to advance. I’ve seen her smile when she’s leading the others. And the happiness in her voice, you can’t fake it that long or with that much passion. And it wasn’t Drupe. I was intentionally sleeping by the exit from the tent, and there were no other ways out. He would have had to have stepped over me, and there would have been no way to do it without waking me. I’m a light sleeper, to say the least.

“Emerald could have had herself attacked, to divert suspicion. But that kind of agony… I’m going to say she isn’t the sort. And she didn’t really want anything, except to be with Clear. Clear might have been having himself attacked with a mind to throw off suspicion. But, no. He’s a college colt. He wants knowledge, not money or power. He wants only to do good things and whatnot. He wanted it so bad he denied his feelings for Emerald. Now that must have been tough. Tells me all I need to know about his chances of being the guilty party.

“Tree Tender loves her critters. She seems to take very good care of all of them, and will probably have a good, long career after her constable career as a zookeeper or something like that. She needs money, yes. We all need bits now and then. But she hates lies. She’s been deceived and bled dry by liars and scoundrels. I doubt she’d ever let herself become the thing she hated most. By a calculated series of deductions and some use of probabilities, I think you see where my mind has gone…”

“Think you’re clever. Well, that’s just a guess. You admitted it. And now you still don’t know which one to go back and confront,” the creature snarled, with a desperation behind the anger.

“Pocket. Change,” Badam stated, standing firm and glaring hotly at the monster, whose shadowy features fell into a snarling anger. “And, a guess can get me the answer if I just watch your tells.”

“So… why didn’t you come back to free me? You seem bright enough…” the creature rumbled.

“Want me to tell you how I think it happened?” Badam queried.

“You’d get that wrong. I could tell you. After all… Why do you think I’d let you go, now?” The thing asked.

- - -

Pocket Change checked his notes as he rapidly cantered through the day lit forest. He had little time to dally, with the sun rising up through the sky. He needed some sleep; he couldn’t afford to look guilty when he saw the others.

At last he came to the path Badam had told him about, and picked one of the ones at random, just as Badam had said he had done. He could hear the river off in the distance, a scowl coming to his face. That river… that annoying river dragon was probably in there, moisturizing or grooming or something dainty like that. The scaly mincer was probably a serpentine Colt Cuddler. Disgusting.

Pocket checked on the stands of trees as he went along, seeking the most thickly-grown ones. He had been told the most shadowy area was where the voice had come from. His ears rose up, open for anything beyond the distant babble of the river.

A little further along he could hear it. A tiny voice. “I hear you. I know you’re there. I can feel you. Please, come here. Free me.”

“Do you, do you have a deal for me? Bits, control, power? I’ll do it. But I want… I want that power. I can’t take this anymore. I can’t plod around this miserable forest putting my life on the line all night long. I was told my career could take off doing this dreary grunt work. But if this is what it takes to advance faster… I want to go back to my statistics and forms. I want to pinch more bits. I don’t want to do this miserable job anymore. I just don’t care about the ponies outside these woods. I’m not built for it!” Pocked rambled, losing more and more composure as he went.

There was silence for a long time. Then the voice came back, seeming submissive and meek. “Yes. I can give this to you. I have the power. I can get it all for you if you want. You’d deserve it if you did free me. You’d be very kind indeed.”

“I mean I…I don’t really want to hurt anyone. And I mean… Helping you, that’s a good thing, right? Yea, that’s what good ponies do,” Pocket muttered, justifying himself to himself as he moved forward confidently, entering the shaded area with his eyes peeled for the prison holding this voice.

Within the shaded copse of trees Pocket found a large, black monolith, in a shape that seemed somehow familiar to him. “Please, just touch my prison and move the seals aside. Please let me escape. Please…”

Pocket looked on the monolith. There were some words etched into the base, shrouded in the shadows cast by the slanting sunlight. He shook off the foreboding sense that was brought about by the presence of the monolith and reached out for the chest of the stone figure, where there were several icons resembling certain sigils found in Canterlot’s historical districts. But he pushed aside that doubt and reached out, sliding aside the stone marks to reveal a small opening in the statue. Within was a small patch of darkness with slitted eyes that leaped out when it was revealed.

- - -

“The best worst intention. Simple greed. And laziness. Can’t be bothered to stick it out and do his time to get to the position of a section chief. Didn’t want to stay as an accountant because it was just too slow. And this work is too hard. I have to remember to give him a buck to the face,” Badam grumbled. He shook his head and then looked at the shadowy creature. “He’s back there right now, in the camp, not sending the message he was told. And all the rest will think that help is on the way.”

“All you pitiful ponies hold out so much hope all the time. I used to love it so much. It was so delicious to watch that hope fade while they suffered without mercy and with an increasing realization that no help would come for them. I could have done so much more if I hadn’t been put inside that thing,” the creature seethed.

“Locked away and forgotten for ages, stuffed into the Everfree forest, where decent ponies never go. A miserable relic of a savage age. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was Princess Celestia herself that locked you in there, but maybe that gives you too much credit. Perhaps just the Royal College of Mages. We call them the Royal Mage Corps now. They’re part of the military," Badam noted.

“Insolent little pony…” The creature lashed out with a savage fury, swiping at air as the simple caramel stallion leaped aside. “I was so close to being the kind of monster other monsters aspire to be, like my brothers and sisters. I have a pestilent touch and a clever mind. But those royal fools put me away. Well, I live, and they don’t. Idiot Princess. So guilty still about sending her sister to the moon. She didn’t want her reign tainted with death. Even the death of a thing such as me. I think she was always too soft. But, that is to my benefit. For, I stalk again.”

“Yea, you do. Weak and helpless. Had to get Pocket Change to let you out, and barely had the strength to nick Emerald. Oh you talk a good game, I’ll give you that. And your fancy magic tricks look like the savage wounds of a predator. But at the end of the night, bah… your cat scratches are little more than grooming nicks. Strip away at that hateful bile you spit into those wounds and the pain vanishes. So terrible! So mighty! A monster that can be beaten by love and care,” Badam jeered, baring his teeth and even sticking out his tongue.

The dark shape hunched as if to strike, then slowly let a feline smile spread across its sharp, dark features. “No… no, little pony. You may be good enough to move your own weak kind, but I am made of far better stuff. You won’t get me out of the way that easily.”

“I reflect now… why bother guarding your prison? You’re out. No sense in trying to stuff you back in without a team of mages. So what does it serve you to stand here and block me? Unless… oh… oh my word…” Badam said, with growing realization.

“Stop thinking you’re cleverer than you are. I’m not falling for your tricks and tongue-twists and pitiful calculations of meaningless probability. Just because you got lucky once doesn’t mean you’ll do it again,” the thing hissed.

“Is it luck, or is it skill? Equestria may never know. I’ll never tell,” Badam said with a wink. He looked once more towards the path to the waiting monolith. “But it’s the truth. You don’t care about the big hunk of stone and all the runes which were keeping you in. You care about what else it was keeping in. I don’t know what it was. Your heart, if you have one; your brain, if it’s worth protecting; some piece of you that isn’t a stalking puff of smoke. Whatever it is… it must mean a lot to you. Worth quite a bit, I’d imagine.”

The thing was taken somewhat aback, its head angling back some. “So… Are you willing to deal now? Haven’t you got cheek?”

“'Cheek' is how I earn my bread and apple butter. Is it really such a surprise I’m willing to make a deal now? Drupe realizes I left. Now he probably thinks I was the one that let you out. He’s too smart and loyal to try and stop me by himself. He’ll go back to camp and wait for the backup that won’t arrive. He’ll tell them all that I was the one that did it, get them good and riled up. No way to go back now. And your genuine liberator can’t come back out here. His loss. I get all the reward he can’t have,” Badam said.

“How mercenary. How politic. How completely devoid of thought for any being but yourself. I was right to come for you first. Fine then, constable. Tell me your price, and I’ll pay it. I’ll send you off rich and potent and let you keep my secret,” the beast purred.

“What’s my price? A laugh,” Badam stated.

“A… laugh? What kind of a joke is this?” The thing asked with a confused frustration.

“That’s my line. You really think that any amount will buy silence in matters such as this? I had to see if you would actually go for it! I make deals with the dumb all the time but this is especially pathetic! A monster like you should know that two can keep a secret as long as one of them is dead. And no money is going to change that truth,” Badam said with a tone of smug superiority.

“That can be arranged!” The dark figure attacked again, but did not stop after a single swipe. It snarled and shrieked in its high-pitched voice. “You think to mock me?! I’ll make you regret your insolence! I’ll rip you to bloody ribbons!”

Comments

[Nanimonai]

Then big, dark thing hit me to ground and started scratching on chest abd belly.

chest and belly