Fracture

by Mandroid

Night Life.

-[url=http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8LcZ8KEEHo]Music-

Hoofington was a step up from the Mild West. At least a small step. And at least on the outside.

On the inside it was the same as always. Big sights, loud noises, and enough action that you were always sated.

The year since that botched train job had been a blur. Red was asserting more control, pushing more and making more choices. That was part of the reason you came to Hoofington, there was always something going on here. Your days were spent in a dazed sleep as you prepared for the midnight hours, where you truly were able to come alive. The nights in Hoofington can only be described as "Blissful anarchy."

A man can walk from his bed and straight into the Grand Galloping Gala for low-lifes like himself. From party to backroom to dumpster and back again, the Hoofington life was one you could get behind each and every night.

And as for money...

You had graduated from theft to something a bit more...intense.

Your boots land on the pegasus underneath you and your fang shaped knives dig into his neck. A bit more satisfying. You drag the corpse off to the side and knock on the wall, drawing the attention of another down the hall. His face contorts to shock and agony as you grab his snout and drag your knife across his neck. The penthouse apartment stays quiet as you sneak through, dispatching sentries, servants, and anyone important until eventually you were the only living being in the blood soaked apartment.

Well! That was fun!

That it was.

You kneel down and rifle through the guards pockets.

Hmm...couple bits, a watch, slip of paper with some phone number on it.

Bunch of crap.

You rise back to your feet and start to rummage through the apartment proper, there had to be something worth stealing in here.

Bedrooms.

You kick in doors and delve into the dresser drawers of the ex-owner of this home. "Autopilot" kicks in and the others speak up.

Grab that jewelry.

The bits.

More corpses.

This is how it went when you did this now. It was like this frighteningly more often now, the others pushing you further and further back into your own brain.

Necklace.

You pocket the valuables and throw any that are bigger into a bag.

Floodlights from the buildings across the street snap on and fill the room with light that rivals the sun. You shield your eyes as you stand and ready yourself. Three knocks come from the front door before you hear it shatter, the sound of hooves not far behind it.

"Royal guard! Everyone freeze!" they call from the living room.

They tailed us.

Or they were here before we got here.

You twist your head around and watch as the guards start to surround you. You spy the window.

This is where the fun begins!

-[url=http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpavSXoAPC0]Music-

You grab a chair just as the guards catch sight of you and send it sailing through the window, you following after it.

"After him!" one of the guards calls.

You run across the roof and slide over dish antennas and run through hanging laundry as the guards chase after you.

Distance.

Agreed.

A thick wire connected this building to the one across the street, running for about two hundred feet. It'd do.

You unhook your knives and cross them over the top of the wire, jumping off and sliding down. Bolts of magic whiz past you as the guards reach the edge of the roof behind you. Pegusi are in the air in moments, circling you as you slide down.

They're expecting us to ride this out.

Drop.

You slide your knives off the wire and drop to the roof below, rolling in to the fall and breaking into a run. You run along a parallel angle from the wire towards the edge of the roof.

Alley.

Your lungs burn as you jump off the roof towards the opposing wall and kick off to catch the fire escape. You drop and grab your way down to the ground and land with a THUMP!

They'll be here in moments, head out the back.

You're about to turn and run when a commanding voice stops you. "Anon."

You growl and look back at him over your shoulder.

"Armor."

Shining Armor takes a few steps towards you. "You look...well."

You don't know the half of it...

"I feel...well."

Everyone knew that was a lie, you were covered in scrapes and cuts in that alley.

"It's been a while." he says.

You snort. "Couple of years."

"Where did you go? After that day in Ponyville?"

You snap your head around and glare at him. "Away."

Shining eyes you as if trying to dig out more information that you weren't planning to share before walking closer. "I'll assume you're curious about how we found you?"

You glance up at the pegusi taking position along the rooftops.

Shining approaches you from the side. "The drink you had at that club earlier was magically tagged. We tracked you."

You spit a bit of the possibly contaminated saliva out.

"Clever."

You glare down at your old friend. "So why go through all this trouble, were those guys up there friends of yours?"

Shining glances at the now surrounded penthouse. "Yes, I saw that. We'll talk about that later."

No you won't.

"But...I need your help, Anon."

Whoa.

Wait.

What?

"Excuse me?"

Armor beckons you down to his level and whispers into your ear. "Communications have ceased from Trottingham...It's been two weeks and all we've had are some frightened refugees in Dappleshore and Stalliongrad."

You lean back a bit. No communications? What could that mean?

"What do the refugees say?"

Shining glances both ways. "They spoke about walking corpses." he whispers.

Corpses?

Hmmm...

You pull away. "What do you want me to do about it?"

Shining sighs. "I need you to go and investigate, possibly attempt to fix whatever's wrong."

...He wants you to help him? After not helping with the dragons? You feel Red muscle through as you snort and walk down the alley.

"Not interested."

You walk the streets at late night back to your place. Okay, technically not "your" place, it belonged to some son of a city councilmen who you were helping with some "self discovery".

Kid had potential, at least in the sack.

You step through the door into the apartment and find it dark.

"Lace? You in?"

You drop your knives on the counter and make for the living room.

"You're not gonna believe who tracked me dow-"

The living room is empty.

"...Lace?"

You walk through the room and find a small note on the table.

...Huh?

You grab the note. "Anon, it's not working out. I know what you do at night and where you go. I know about the things you used to do. You were great to be around in doses, but you're just...not what I need right now. Have a nice life. -Royal Lace."

That...

You crunch the paper in your hand.

THAT LITTLE.

You flip the table over and the couch soon after, stampeding around the room.

THAT STUPID LITTL-

-E SHIT THINGKS HE CAN-

-REPLACE US SO EASY THAT LIKE THAT!? A-

FTER THE TIME WE PUT IN!?

You drop your ass onto the floor and run your hand through your hair.

"Might as well just DO Shining's stupid job now!"

Not like there was any other reason to stay here...

How far to Trottingham?

Three days by train

...Fuck it.

You jump to your feet and make for the door, grabbing your knives on the way out. You could hit up some stores, grab some gear, and be there in the week. You head back out into the cold night and head for the nearest train station. As you pass the alley by the apartment, you could have noticed the white mane of your now ex, Royal Lace. And once again, had you been paying attention, you could have noticed the flash of emerald fire from the alley followed by the sound of clopping hooves.

Comments

[wlam]

Weird as hell, but interesting just for how strange of a story that tells.

[Vitae]

7644171
Boo.