The Toll of Clockwork Tower

by Faindragon

Chapter 2 - The Guard

Regret.

That was what we had called the Asphodelus blade. The ones who had been unlucky to have ever used one to kill, whether in self-defence or outrage, couldn’t feel anything else over what they had done than regret.

My eyes gazed upon the asphodelus flower that had been engraved on the master-crafted metal. It was the engraving that had given the blade its name.

Master-crafted by the Technician, I thought as I looked the metal over. Created as a weapon of last resort. I could feel how a few tears started to roll down my cheek as I looked at it.

The weapon was not created to incapacitate or maim. Far from. It was incredibly sharp, enough so to cut through nearly any armor as if it was butter. Not only that, but it was thin enough to slip between the ribs, and long enough to reach the heart for a finishing blow.

The Asphodelus blade was divided into three groups, depending on the way it was used. The hoof variants were favoured by the earth ponies. It was often a little thicker, more used to punch through armor with the sheer power from the hoof behind the blade rather than finding weaknesses.

The wing variant was used by the pegasi, more agile and graceful than the others, created for use in aerial combat. It was nearly the opposite from the hoof variant, used to slip through vulnerable spots rather than use pure strength.

The blade that hung in the air above me was of the third group. Created for unicorns. The hilt was there solely as decoration and for balancing purpose. Most often, it was designed to work as a throwing weapon, but it could also be used more forcefully, like the earth pony variant, or for agile attacks like the pegasus one. It depended on the preferences of the wielder; every blade was created by the Technician to match the wielder.

But all Asphodelus blades had one thing in common: a code among those wielding it. If used to kill, it was to be left in the body; a token to the goddess that the wielder regretted the kill.

Regret. That was all it came down to.

I had been hiding under the bridge for what felt like hours. First, I hadn’t been able to do anything but quietly cry. After a while, my tears had dried and I had silently been trying to wash my clothes and the blade clean from blood in the river, collecting my thoughts. Now, as I eyed the the beautiful craftsmanship that caught the light of the setting sun, I could feel the tears coming back again. The regret was not only for those who had committed the deed, but everyone that felt the loss it had caused.

But those left behind could also find a purpose in their sorrow, feelings hidden behind the first layer. Wrath. Anger. Hate. All of them strong feelings that could drive a pony forward. The same feelings burned inside me as I looked at the knife, hoping that it would give me the answers I so desperately seeked.

Who would kill Pendulum? Why?

The air around me turned cold, the coat on my neck standing on the edge. What if he got in the way? I just stared straight forward, past the blade into the open air. What if the ponies that tried to kill me five years ago followed Spot here to finish the job? My breathing came heavier as I trembled in the cold air. It must’ve been someone from the sewers, why would they otherwise use an—

I violently shook my head, trying to clear my mind of the fear that suddenly took a grasp around my heart. No. Whoever killed Pendulum wasn’t after me, I told myself, looking back at the knife. If they were, they would’ve waited for me to get back again.

What if they panicked? a part of my mind whispered softly. What if they didn’t know that Pendulum was there, but wanted to trap you in the workshop where no-one would see? What if this is all your fault?

“No,” I growled to myself, shaking my head again. Whoever did this was after something. Something in the workshop. I looked up at the bridge above me. Did they find what they searched for? Or did I scare them away before they could find it? I looked back at the blade again, slowly levitating it around it’s own axis. No. Had they been there when I arrived, they would simply have gotten rid of me as well.

I gritted my teeth as I rose and quietly walked over to take a quick look around the corner of the bridge. The road on passing the bridge was practically empty, not very surprising at this hour of the day, so close to curfew. Especially not when a murderer was on the loose.

Moving back into the shadows, I twisted the knife around so that the pommel faced me and wiped my tears away with a hoof. Two letters were engraved into the brass. Two simple letters, pointing me towards the first step for the answer to the question about who had done it. I smiled grimly to myself. PS. Pocket Slip.

Is he behind this? I growled to myself, ramming a hoof into the base of the stone bridge. Is he so desperate in getting my help that he thought that killing Pendulum would give it to him?! Or maybe he wanted to get the key to the clocktower? Was that what he had been after?

No. Pocket wouldn’t do something like that to get what he wants. I dropped down my hoof on the ground again. Take something with force like that had never been his way; he rather used cunning and tricks. I sighed and looked at the blade. The Asphodelus blades are only used by the gangs; the initials are only to distinguish between the gangs. Was it someone acting alone, then? Or someone wanting to blame it towards Pocket?

It’s been five years. Who’s said he haven’t changed? my mind whispered softly. What if he sent Spot to... convince you to join his cause?

I froze at the thought. Could Pocket really have... I shook my head. No. I would’ve noticed something on Spot. He would never be able to look me into the eyes if he was up to something like that.

What if he didn’t know? The voice chuckled. What if Pocket only wanted to keep you occupied while others did the job?

No, I thought sharply and shook my head. That’s not how Pocket would deal with it.

For a moment, I stood completely still. What am I doing? I asked and shook my head. Arguing with myself? I sighed and looked towards the sun, still seemingly far from setting. Levitating up my pocket watch, I froze again. Already? I quickly glanced between the sun and the watch, before I turned around towards the water. Horsefeathers. Curfew is soon in effect. Who knows how many guards there’ll be on the streets then? I can’t stay here, it’ll be freezing as soon as the sun has set.

I quietly stepped down to the water. Making sure that nopony on the streets could see me, I took a last look at myself in the half-reflective surface. I had been unable to remove all of the blood from my coat, but luckily the now coagulated blood would blend in some with the color of the vest. Especially in the darkness.

The blood along my forelegs, however, would be harder to conceal; it stood out way too much. I shook my head and swept a hoof in the cold river, shivering slightly at the touch. There was a fast way to do something about it. It wouldn’t be pleasant, but it would cool me down as well as conceal the blood, at least partially.

I quickly placed my pocket watch in my money pouch and lay them down together with the Asphodelus blade on the ground . As an afterthought, I laid my flat cap over them. Taking a deep breath, I waded into the slow-moving river until it reached my vest. My eyes quickly darted from side to side, but the streets above seemed to be completely empty. The short time I was in the water was enough for me to start shivering; the ice cold water against seeping through my coat felt as if someone drove thousands of small needles into my skin.

As rapidly as my shivering hooves allowed me, I walked out of the water and started covering my legs with dirt, trying to conceal the blood. When I judged that I couldn’t hide anymore, I scanned myself quickly in the reflection of the water. It’s the best I can do, I thought as I added a little more on my right front leg. I’ve got to hurry and find someplace to stay before—

From the depths of the city, the slow tolling of the curfew clock sounded. I froze and quickly spun around, staring at the setting sun as it disappeared beyond the horizon, plunging Canterlot into the darkness of the night. Already? The change happened in the blink of an eye, as it had done every night since curfew had been put in effect for the first time nearly a years ago. I got to hurry. The night guards will soon be littering the streets.

I hastily levitated up the objects I had left in the dirt and, swearing to myself, crawled up so that I could see the road. A few shapes moved further down the road, luckily away from me. I couldn’t make out any details in the dim light, but a slight reflection from metal as they steered their steps onto another road convinced me that they were guards patrolling the streets and not somepony who was caught off guard by the curfew call like myself. Gritting my teeth, I jumped up on the road and quickly ran across it, diving into the shadows.

Sitting down in the darkness, I started to slowly rub my temples. Why hadn’t I remembered the curfew earlier? I asked myself. It’s been in effect for over a year, so how could I forget the time like that? I should know better, even at a time like this! I shook my head and looked around again. It won’t do any good to think like that. It’s not strange that I forgot after what’ve happened today. I sighed and shrank down slightly. What now? I can’t go home. There’ll be guards placed there. I can’t stay out here, who knows how many extra guards have been called in for duty tonight with a murderer on the loose?

I perked my ears at the sound of hooves against the pavement and quickly backed further into the shadows, praying that the guards wouldn’t notice me. Luckily for me, they didn’t, and I could release the breath I had been holding.

But they won’t be searching for a murderer, I thought bitterly. They will search for me. I was the one seen with the weapon, standing over his body with his blood on my hooves.

Fighting back the tears, I quickly rose. No, I can’t go home. They’ll be there. By now they must’ve realized that I, Pendulum’s apprentice, have gone missing. A pony that’ll fit perfectly with the description of the murderer. I shook my head. They’ll keep an eye on my house.

I quickly looked down the street before I started walking in the direction the guards had disappeared, my eyes scanning the area and my ears peaked. I must find somewhere else.

As I walked the quiet street, my body tense and ready to either run or hide within a second’s notice, I tried to come up with a solution for all of this. I can’t stay at the streets. I can’t go home. Should I search out Pocket? I shook my head. No, I can’t do that. Not now, I... I need to think. Maybe... Taking a deep breath, I steered my steps along the river. There was one place I could go to. Hopefully they would take me in.

⌚

As it turned out, they didn’t.

“Rose, get the guards,” Gust yelled into the tavern, his head halfway turned around while his mechanical eye kept a close watch on me. “We got ourselves a murderer trying to sneak in!”

He stood on his hind legs, keeping the balance with his wings as he pressed a hoof against my throat, nailing me against the wall. He was even stronger than he looked, and my punches that hadn’t even phased him when I had started weakened with each passing second. I could feel how every muscle in my body did the same and my head started spinning as I desperately tried to get air.

“Keep your voice down, Gust! Octavia just— Gust, let him go this instance!” I could barely hear Rose over the ringing in my ears, but the next thing I knew I laid in a heap on the floor, wheezing and coughing for air. “Let the poor thing breathe!”

The pegasus, while having removed his hoof from my throat, still loomed over me with his hooves against the wall, glaring down at me. “With all due respect, ma'am, didn’t you hear the words yourself?” He spat on the floor next to me. “Pendulum was murdered by his own apprentice, in his own shop.” Lowering his head towards me, he bared his teeth. “I thought the friend he had with him was scum. Seems like I was wrong.”

“I didn’t kill him,” I wheezed with what little air I could get.

“Gust Calm Wind, step away from him, now,” Rose said firmly. “Look at him, Gust!” Gust stuttered something, trying to get a word in, but the plump mare didn’t let him. “No, no protests. Take a step back, take a breath and look at him!”

I coughed weakly and tried to sit up, my head spinning but my lungs finally getting the air they needed. The pegasus followed my moments with his mechanical eye as he mutteringly took a step back. “Ma’am, what if he decides to try and attack you? He’s armed.”

“Look at him, Gust,” she said softly. “Look at him and tell me that he’s a danger to anyone.” I could hear how she sighed, and looking up I could see how she placed a hoof on the pegasus’ chin. “Go and get him some water, sweetie. Take a couple of deep breaths and calm down.”

“What if he attacks you?” he pressed on, his mechanical eye moving to glare at me. “You heard the guar—”

“You—of all ponies—should know not to always listen to the guards. But if he would attack me—” she glanced at me “—which I doubt, then I expect you to get to my side in a wingbeat, ready to defend me.” She smiled lightly and gave him a kiss on the forehead. “Now, go get that water. I’m sure he won’t do anything stupid.”

He sighed and shook his head. “Right away, ma’am.” Muttering to himself, he turned away and started to walk, moving his head slightly to keep his mechanical eye on me.

Rose looked after the pegasus as he walked away, her tail going back and forth like a cats just before it pounced on the mouse and a slight smile on her lips, before she turned around to me. “I’m so sorry, dear. He means well, he really does. But he can be a bit... overprotective at times.”

“A bit?” I muttered, massaging my throat.

Terrified, she looked me over. “Oh my, how did you get that dirty?” She moved a hoof to her mouth, shaking her head. “No, no, don’t answer that, it’s not important. Not now. How do you feel? I heard what happened from the guards. They say you killed him, but I don’t believe them. I’ve been listening to you talk about Pendulum, and I don’t believe you would be able to do anything like that.”

“No, I...” I trailed off and looked down in the floor. I took a wavering breath, a few tears running down my cheek. “I was with him. When he died. Whoever did this left him to die slowly, Rose! They couldn’t even give him a quick death!” I didn’t care about the tears running down my cheek as I rammed a hoof into the floor. “He didn’t deserve to die. Especially not like that!”

I could feel the gentle aroma of roses as she sat down next to me. “Nopony deserves to die, Clockwork,” she mumbled, patting me gently over my back. “Especially not by another pony’s hoof.”

I don’t know how long I sat there before Gust came back with the water. When he did, I still sat on the floor, even if my tears had stopped. The sorrow in my heart pressed down like a stone, but it felt as if I didn’t have any tears left.

Rose gently swept away the last few tears from my cheeks and took the water from Gust, offering it to me. I took it with a weak “thanks”, and as I started to slowly drink, the only thing that could be heard in the tavern was the ticking of the clock above the bar. Occasionally, the sound of the pegasus’ mechanical eye could be heard as he looked between me and the mare.

“Feeling better?” the earth pony asked when I had finished the water, waiting for my nod before she continued. “Now dear, I know that it might be hard to speak about it, but you must tell me what happened before you found him.” She sighed and took a step away from me. “I want to trust you, Clockwork, but I need to hear what you say before I can do that.”

I took a deep breath and looked up at the mare. Nodding again, I put down the glass and looked down in the floor for a moment. Slowly, I started talking. Told them about how I hurried away from the tavern to try and get the letter to the post office before it was too late. Told them how I got back to the shop, only to find the workshop practically turned upside down, as if it had been a break in. How I had heard the sound of Pendulum’s troubled breathing. How I had found him bleeding out in the floor, and how he died before my eyes with the blade sticking out of him.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Clockwork,” Rose said as I finished the story, her voice thick. “But why didn’t you go to the guards? Clearly they would’ve done something?”

“You took the blade,” Gust spoke up, his voice soft as he looked down at me. “You levitated the blade out of the body, not only erasing any possible magic trace from it, but also imprinting your own.”

I nodded. “I... I don’t know what I was thinking. But...” I buried my head in my hooves. “I’ve been an apprentice under Pendulum for five years. He... he found me dying in an alley, with a blade just like that left in my body. He saved my life that night in more than one way. And now it was the same kind of blade he himself was murdered with.” I took a deep breath. “One of the guards on the street saw me standing with the knife, blood all over my coat, and... I ran. They wouldn’t believe me if I said that it wasn’t me, I had already removed the tracks of the real assaulters.”

“Let me see that knife,” the pegasus suddenly growled, earning a surprised look from Rose.

I flinched as I looked up at the pegasus as he glared down at me, taking a step closer to me. Quickly I glanced towards my belt where I had hidden the blade in a piece of cloth, nothing but the hilt sticking up. With a nod, I hurried to do as he said and dropped it down on the floor.

The sound of the knife hitting the wooden planks echoed once before it died out. Gust took a step back, swearing to himself. His words earned him a hard glare from Rose, but he didn’t seem to even notice it.

“He was killed by an Asphodelus blade?” I looked up from my hooves, surprised that he knew about them. It was a weapon rarely used outside the shady parts of Canterlot, and even there it was rarely used because of it’s deadliness. Sure, nearly every pony there wore them, but it was a last resort weapon, used when no other way than death was available. His eyes darted up to me. “You removed an Asphodelus blade out of his body?” I nodded slowly and he sat down with a groan. “Of every possible... He was killed by a gang then?”

I shook my head dejectedly. “I—I don’t know, but I will find out,” I said between gritted teeth. “Somehow... Somehow I will.”

“How had you planned to do that?” Gust asked, carefully scooping up the knife in his wings, his mechanical eye slowly scanning the metal as he turned it around in his grip. “Pocket Slip isn’t the easiest pony to get close to.”

“W—What? How did you—” I stuttered and looked up at him, my eyes widening slightly.

He snorted. “Do you think that I’ve always been a bouncer at this tavern, apprentice? No, I was a guard once. Just started my career when Pocket took over that gang. Over what seemed like the course of a night, every gang member suddenly had one of these—” he mentioned towards the blade. “—regardless of what gang they were a part of.” He shook his head. “The number of deaths associated with the gangs activities rocketed for a few nights, and in every victim we found one of these blades. The fourth night, the gangs activities had ceased completely. The seventh they slowly started up again, but without any new deaths, and a letter was delivered to the guard. Pocket himself wrote how sorry he was about what had happened, that he didn’t know that the nature of the blade itself wouldn’t allow anything but to kill or some other story like that.” He shook his head again. “The captain at that time just shrugged it off. Said something about that we didn’t have men to go down in the sewers and root them out, so we had nearly twenty different murders we could never solve.”

I barely listened, my mouth working silently, until I finally stuttered, “I—I never mentioned Pocket Slip!” I started to breath faster. If he knew about Pocket, did he know about Spot? Did he know about me?

Rolling his non-mechanical eye, he turned the knife around, showing me the pommel and the two letters engraved on it. “PS. Pocket Slip. Or rather, his gang, right? The same gang that earth pony you were here with earlier was a part of.” I could feel my heart skip a beat, and he smiled slightly. “And you as well.”

“Gust Calm Wind,” Rose said, her voice sharp. “Don’t you jump to conclusions like that!”

“Oh, but I’m right, Ma’am. Aren’t I, Clockwork?”

I slowly shook my head, holding my breath for a moment before I slowly exhaled. “I left that life a long time ago. Pendulum gave me a new life, and I took the chance.”

“You did the right thing, taking that chance then.” He glanced quickly towards Rose, his thin smile widening some. “I had the same luck when I was thrown out of the guards.” He nodded for himself, before he rose. With a snort he pushed the knife towards me. “You haven’t shown any signs of lying, so either you’re skilled, or Rose is right.” He chuckled softly. “And I’m pretty sure that it’s Rose who’s right, seeing how you nearly jumped out of your skin when I mentioned your friend.”

Rose shook her head, sniveling slightly. “You’re free to stay here for as long as you need, Clockwork. At least until you have figured out what to do. But... keep away from the guests, will you? If one of them recognizes you, I won’t be able to do anything but stand by when the guards arrests you.”

“Thanks, Rose.” I smiled weakly at her. “I understand, I won’t stay for long. I don’t want to be a burden.”

“No need to thank me, dear. And don’t be afraid. You’re not going to be any burden as long as you stay away from the guests.” She looked me over from hoof to horn. “We share your pain, Clockwork. Even if we might not have known Pendulum as you did, he was a part of this district and our lives. It’s hard to believe that he’s gone.” She took a deep breath, tears glistening in the corner of her eyes.

Gust drapped a wing over the back of the mare, softly hugging her close to himself and, with the tip of his wings, gently wiping some of her tears away. At the touch of his wings, she looked up at him, smiling sadly through the tears. He shared her sad smile, before he turned his eyes towards me. “What Rose said is true. He helped a lot of ponies here, whether they could afford his help or not was irrelevant to him.” He slowly shook his head and looked back at Rose. “But I don’t think he would want us to dwell in sorrow, but rather remember him as the pony we got to know.”

She nodded with a sniffle. “You’re right, Gust,”— she gently wiped away the last tears on her cheeks with a hoof—“he would.” Looking over at me, her eyes widened slightly and she quickly pushed away the pegasus from her side. “Oh dear, you must be starving. After all you’ve gone through, and I can’t even make sure that you get some food!” She turned around and hurriedly made her way towards the kitchen. “I will fix something up for you. Gust, can you take the locks and help the poor dear run a bath? I will not have him sitting at the table with all that dirt! Oh, and could you be a dear and lend him some clothes until I’ve cleaned his?”

As she had disappeared into the kitchen, not even waiting for an answer, I shared a quick glance with Gust. He shook his head with a thin smile. “Best to do as she want. She won’t let either of us go to bed before you have eaten, trust me.”

“I heard that!” Rose said, peeking out of the door with the hint of a smile on her face. “And we don’t have any extra beds available, so he uses yours for the time being.”

“Where am I supposed to sleep then, the flo—” He whirled around, his mechanical eye barely keeping up. At the sight of her sly smile and raised eyebrow, he quickly turned silent. “Okay, okay,” he said and slowly turned back to the door. “He can take my bed.”

Confused, I looked between the doorway where she had disappeared and him, standing and fumbling with the locks to the door. What just... I shook my head with a sigh, before I started looking around in the room. After a few seconds, I looked at him again. “So... where is the bathtube? I’m certain I can run a bath by myself.”

“Down the stairs, third door to the left,” Gust said without looking back at me, muttering something under his breath about “Stupid locks that never wants to...” as he fiddled with his wingtips to try and turn the key around.

“Let me,” I said, walking up to the door and throwing a quick glance at the lock mechanics. With my magic, I gently tugged them out of his grips before I carefully placed them in their respective lock and turned around. “Wouldn’t it be easier for a lock designed for... an earth pony or pegasus instead of unicorns?” I lifted the keys with a raised eyebrow.

The pegasus rolled his eyes before he pointed at a hook next to the door. As I hung them up, he turned around. “It works, most of the times. Doesn’t take that much longer to lock. Unless you drop the keys, of course. Then you don’t wish anything but buck the lock across the street.”

I chuckled lightly as I followed the pegasus down the stairs. A few gas lamps illuminated the dim hallway below the few steps. When we got down, Gust picked up a narrow pole as we passed a small table standing along the wall just after the stairs. He carried it under his wing as he continued down the hallway, not stopping before he was almost at the end of it.

He opened a door and stepped inside. With the help of the pole, he carefully lit up the gaslamp hanging in the room’s ceiling.

Most of the space in the small room was taken by the copper tub that stood in the middle of it, gleaming slightly in the light of the steady flame. Two low benches, cloth hooks hanging over them, took up quite a bit as well, leaving barely enough room for both me and Gust to maneuver in.

“Hot or medium water?” the pegasus asked, placing his wingtips around the brass taps at the head of the tub.

“I don’t see why I couldn’t do this myself...” I said, before I shook my head. “But hot water.”

“I’m not one to question her words.” Gust turned the taps and water, steaming slightly as it hit the presumably cold copper, started to slowly fill up the tube. He leaned back slightly to keep the steam from his face and removed his wings from the taps. Flapping his wings twice, he cleared away some of the steam. “You keep an eye on the water while I go and find some clothes for you. I think I have some that won’t sit too badly on you.”

“Thank you.” I nearly had to step up on one of the benches to let him pass.

“Don’t mention it, kid. Even if Rose hadn’t asked me to... I owe Pendulum that much.” He motioned towards the mechanical eye with a wing. “He created this masterwork of an eye, without asking a bit for it. Helping you is a way to repay a part of that debt.” He continued walking past me as he dropped down the wing.

I blinked and looked after him as he left. Pendulum... did it for free? Shaking my head, I glanced towards the tub. With a sigh, I levitated out my money pouch and the Asphodelus blade, gently placing them on the bench, before I dipped a hoof in the water. With a yelp I quickly withdrew it again, cursed under my breath, and changed the taps to fill up with more cold water. I liked sinking down in a tube of hot water as much as the next pony, but there was a difference between scorching yourself and enjoying a hot bath. For a moment I just stood there, focusing on the taps to get the water right, just staring into the water and every now and then feeling on it with a hoof.

“I found a few old shirts I believe will fit you.” Gust’s voice caused me to jump slightly, my heart nearly skipping a beat. Blinking, I turned around. He had placed a few shirts on one of the benches next to my things, and now folded one of them up, holding it before him. Folding up the shirt, he showed me the two holes on the back. “Wing-holes,” he said, empathising his words with a flap of his wings. “I think you will survive it.”

“I think I will.” I nodded, eyeing the clothes as I absently turned off the water taps with my magic. “But... is it really needed? I mean, I can as well clean my clothes when I have taken the bath and—”

He pointed towards my blood-stained vest. “Have you tried to get blood out of clothes? Especially dried blood? Trust me, much better to allow her to do it.”

“Thank you,” I said softly and looked back to the bathtube. “Both of you. Thank you, for taking me in like this.”

“Welcome to the Prancing Pony, kid.” The pegasus smiled at me, waving my thanks aside with his wing. “Pick out a shirt for tomorrow, then place the rest of them on the chair in the second room to the right from here, first room at the stairs. Your bedroom for the night. You can put the dirty cloths on the chair just outside on your way up again, and Rose will make sure they are fixed before you wake up again.” Before I could say anything, he waved away the thank I was about to give him again. “If you want to thank anyone, thank Rose later. She took you in.” He shook his head slowly. “I just hope that won’t get her any troubles. She’s too caring for her own good at times.”

“I...” I trailed off. The guards will look for me. If they find me here, what’ll— I blinked.

Yes, Clockwork. What do you think will happen to the Prancing Pony if the guards find you here? the voice cooed softly in my head. If it came to the guards attention that Rose gave you a place of refuge, what do you think will happen? It chuckled. What kind of troubles do you think that will bring to her?

“I—I don’t want to be off any trouble,” I stuttered. “I didn’t mean to... I didn’t think—”

“Of course you didn’t,” he said and shook his head. “You were scared and only saw a few options out of the situation.” He sighed. “I’m going to leave you alone for that bath, Clockwork. Rose have given you a place to stay for now. I’ll just have to hope that it doesn’t turn out to be such a mistake as I believe it will be.” He turned around. “Don’t take too long, Clockwork. Rose and I will wait with dinner in the common room.”

Did I put them in danger just by coming here? I couldn’t do anything but look after him as he turned around and left without another word, the thought echoing in my head.

You did, Clockwork, the voice cooed softly.

What will happen if the guards find me here? I could feel a cold shiver run down my spine at the thought. I slowly shook my head. I... I need to come up with what to do quickly. I can’t stay here and put them in that danger.

What exactly will you do, Clockwork? the voice asked as I rose and slowly started undoing my vest. They killed Pendulum. The guards are after you. Exactly how had you thought getting out of this situation?

I took a deep breath as I took of the rest of my clothes. Carefully folding them up, I placed them in a pile on the bench next to my other things. Slowly. Rose gave me a place to stay for as long as I needed, as well as support. But even so... I shouldn’t stay here longer than sunrise.

Turning around, I slowly dipped a hoof in the water, the warmth quickly spreading up my leg. First thing in the morning, I’ll find Pocket Slip. The guards won’t search for me in the sewers, and I won’t put Rose, or anyone else here, in danger.

The rest of my body followed my hoof into the water, and I sighed in comfort as the warmth spread in my body. It’s the least I can do. For the first time, I realized that they had been ready to do more for me than I had possibly hoped. Not only had they given me a bed for the night and the chance to think everything over in safety, but they had also given me support. They had given me clean clothes and a bath to wash out the blood from my coat. All that and more. I... I cannot stay here for long. I can’t put them in danger.

You’re already putting them in danger. The voice laughed softly. What if a guard followed you here and is now just waiting for backup?

No, I thought and pushed the thought away. It would be guards close to the tavern during curfew. They would’ve gotten in here by now. I nodded for myself as I spun over onto my back, dipping my mane in the water. Slowly, I tried to rub the coagulated blood from my body.

Pendulum’s blood.

I blinked, my eyes frozen on the crimson blood that slowly mixed with the water. He was gone. My heart sank at the thought, cold spreading through my body, pushing away the warmth of the water. I shivered in the sudden cold. He was gone.

I had him to thank for everything. Many years ago, he had saved my life in more than one way. He found me in the alley with an Asphodelus blade buried deep into my chest. Not only had he made sure that I had gotten treatment for it, but once I had recovered he also offered me apprenticeship.

My eyes moved down my chest, where my coat hid the scars the blade had permanently marked my flesh with, and then continued down my body.

I had been a blank flank then, as most infants and foals of the street were. The lucky ones. If you got your cutie mark out there, you would likely stay on the streets for the rest of your life. As long as you didn’t get your cutie mark, you could at least find solace in the fact that you weren’t destined for something on the streets.

Pendulum hadn’t cared much about me lacking mine. Rather, he had joked it away with “you don’t need a cutie mark to sweep the floor,” much to the dismay of the cleaning mare that had walked by in the corridor outside the room I had been placed in to recover.

I smiled sadly at the memory. That was how I had started working under him, cleaning the shop and run errands. It hadn’t been hard work, and soon enough he entrusted me with greeting customers. On slow days, even if he told me that I was allowed to leave for the day, I would stay in the workshop, sitting silently and watch him work with the small clockwork mechanisms. It never ceased to amaze me, seeing him manipulate the small cogs with precision, even if he couldn’t use anything but his hooves and the tools at his disposal.

A half year after I had started working as his apprentice he had asked me if I wanted to try my hooves at a clockwork that a customer had taken in for replacement. I had practically jumped on the chance, and the earth pony had placed me at one of the workbenches with the small mechanism in front of me. Even if I had been observing him doing it hundreds of times during my time there, he was more than happy to guide me through the process.

“The clock might show us the time, but we have to take care of it if we wish it to show the right time,” I whispered to myself, repeating the words he had said to me when I had wanted to give up and throw away the mechanism.

After his comment, it had taken me close to four days of nearly constant working before I had managed to get it running. I had been proud when I showed it to him, even more so when I explained to him that the reason it didn’t work at all was because of a small pebble that had somehow gotten into the inner mechanics.

The completion of the clockwork hadn’t been the only thing that had made me proud. That day, my cutie mark appeared; a picture of the clockwork I had been working with.

Not long after that, I had started helping him in the workshop during the slow days. Over the course of the following months I had learned to manipulate the tools with my magic or even work without the tools and only with my magic.

Looking away from my cutie mark, I begun scrubbing my body again. My hooves trembled as I tried to get the blood away. No matter how much I wanted to cry, I couldn’t.

⌚

“So, tell me, Clockwork. How exactly did you plan to find Pocket Slip?” Gust snorted, pointing at me with his jug. “I’ve been down to the sewers. It’s close to impossible to find anything down there. Guess why the guards rather keep an eye on the exits than go down there?”

We sat around one of the tables in the warm tavern. The only thing remaining after the food Rose had offered was empty plates and what little drink was left in our jugs. Now, we sat around the table, nothing but the light from a gas lamp illuminating the room.

I shook my head. “Finding Pocket will not be a problem,” I said, taking a sip from my own jug.

"So you’re just going to sneak in there?” He raised an eyebrow.

"No, I’m not.” I put down my jug and leaned forward. “Pocket Slip invited me.”

“So that was what the earth pony did here? Invited you?” I nodded, and the pegasus leaned forward as well. “Tell me again, Clockwork, why Pocket Slip?”

“If he was behind the murder, then I will make him answer for it.” I sighed and levitated up the Asphodelus blade from where it lay on the table. “Or, at least I’ll try.” The polished metal reflected the light from the gas lamps as I spun it around so that the initials PS faced me. “If not, I will find out who was.”

“You think he knows who it was?”

I rotated the knife until the engraved asphodelus bloom faced me. “What do you know about the Asphodelus blade?” [

"I’ve snapped up a few things about them.” The pegasus looked at the blade and then at me. “That they’re used solely by the gangs, and that it can be distinguished what gang you’re a part of from the initials. They come in a lot of different designs, not two I’ve seen are completely identical, and they’re always left in the body of the victim. Like some kind of token.”

I nodded. “Did you know that every blade are created by a smith, called the Technician, who’s part of Pocket Slip’s gang?” Or, technically a part of, I added to myself as I drove the knife into the table. “Pocket Slip gave them as gifts to the rest of the gangs as a way to end an ongoing war between the gangs several years ago, just when he had gotten to power. It’s a way to make sure that the gangs know when another gang is behind something.” I sighed. “A good idea, but... it was easy exploited. I don’t think that Pocket is behind this, but he might know something.”

The pegasus glanced at the blade again. “You think one of the other gangs planted the Asphodelus blade to frame Pocket Slip’s gang for the murder

I nodded. “That, or it was made outside of Pocket’s knowledge."

"Didn’t you say that he wanted you for a job? Couldn’t he have had Pendulum killed to make sure you worked for him? He would cut of the thing that hindered you

I snorted and shook my head. “Pocket might be the leader of one of the biggest gangs in Canterlot, but this... I can’t see him doing anything like this. He would, and did, try to buy me in rathen than making it the only option.” I leaned back again. Of course, Spot had said that I had until curfew to answer. Had he known something? I quickly pushed the thought away. “And if he did it to make me work for him, he gravely miscalculated how I would react over it all since I went here instead of crawling to him

Rose, who had been sitting silent between us and listening, rose from her chair with a yawn. “I think it would do you both good to sleep on this before deciding.” She raised an amused eyebrow towards Gust, who had opened his mouth to protest. “Gust, you’re as easy to read as a book. Former guard or not, you’re interested in all this.”

The pegasus grumbled at her words, before he glanced towards the mare and shrugged. “After my discharge... It’s hard to let it go."

I shared Rose’s yawn and sat down my jug. “I have already made my decision. Tomorrow morning, before curfew have been lifted, I will search out Pocket Slip.” I rose as well. “I can’t stay here for long and risk that the guards find out I’m here. Your help have been very generous, but I can’t put you in that kind of situation.”

The mare smiled understanding towards me. “I understand, dear.” She placed the plates and jugs on the tray and glanced disapprovingly towards the knife driven into the table. “Don’t keep him up too late,” she said with a smile towards Gust. “If he’s leaving tomorrow, he’ll need all sleep he can get.” She turned around, before she added, “And when you come to bed, try to walk quietly. I don’t want you to wake Octavia up if she managed to sleep through your yelling earlier.” Without waiting for an answer, she walked away towards the stairs

The pegasus followed her with his eyes, a slight smile on his muzzle, before he turned to me again. His mechanical eye went down to the knife and the smile turned into a frown. “I’m glad that you think about them, Clockwork.” He paused, before he averted the mechanical eye to me. He shook his head. “I will help you in anyway I can with this, as long as it won’t hurt them.” He rose, his eyes softening some.

I blinked at his sudden support. “...Why? I mean, thank you, but... why?”

He walked around the table until he stood in front of me. “The guards will be after you, not the real murderer.” He placed a hoof on my shoulder. “How can we blame them? They don’t have anything to go after more than the sighting of you at the crime scene. But you have. You say that you might know how to get information about who it was that murdered Pendulum.” He shook his head and let the hoof fall from my shoulder. “He was too kind to go like this, and I’ll do everything I can to help you make sure that the murderer get what’s coming for him.” His eyes looked away from me, and behind me could I hear how Rose walked up the stairs. “But keeping them safe is something that will go above that.” He looked back at me. “Understood?"

"I...” I nodded. “Thank you."

He nodded again, before he started to walk towards the stairs. “Then I wish you a good nights sleep, Clockwork."