Ponywatching

by ThunderTempest

Prompt #359-A Retrospective

It’s not entirely well known, but each city in Equestria has their own little defences against criminals and calamity. Canterlot, of course, has the Royal Guards and the Princesses, while Ponyville has the Elements of Harmony. Fillydelphia has the League of Associated Combat Musicians, and Manehatten? Manehatten has Equestria’s finest police force, and me.

While my legend began in Ponyville, as a friendship lesson of all things, It is here in Manehatten that my skills are put to best use. And unlike the grandiose beginnings that the Elements of Harmony cooked up, my own were far lower. I am not an alicorn, but rather just a single unicorn of some skill. And yet, I have done more for this city, my city, than any Elements of Harmony ever could.

That first year was both terrifying and exhilarating for me. Like any good hero, I started small. Busting drug rings, stopping petty crime and mostly building a reputation. I wanted ponies to feel safe in this city at night, knowing that Mare Do Well was on the prowl, taking care of crime. To do that, I had to inspire fear into the scum that fed off this city. And sure enough, after a few months, the criminals began to fear the night. Or perhaps more accurately, they began to fear what hid in the dark corners of the alleyways while they went about their dirty lives. Ponies began to walk the streets at night again, sensing the change in the air, that the city was getting safer. But, of course, that first year was not without its trials.

The major crime bosses of Manehatten were unhappy, to say the least. They were losing business, and losing it quicker than they could get it back. Crafty Hooves was the first to truly take action against me, by setting up a false deal that would attract my attention, and tried to take me out when I came to interfere. He very nearly succeeded that night. That was also when the Manehatten police, as much as I respected them and tried to avoid confronting them, were forced to consider me a problem, as I delivered a bruised and beaten Crafty Hooves to their front doorstep. In retrospect, that was the major turning point of my career, such as it was.

My face, masked and cloaked, became a source of terror to the criminals of this city. The police called me ‘vigilante’ and were ordered to arrest me on sight, but behind closed doors, were deeply appreciative of the things I was doing. The average ponies were...divided. Some agreed with those who called me a danger, while others wanted to give me a medal. Yet there is one thing, one single thing that all who have heard of me will tell you, one single thing that everypony agrees with.

I’m cleaning up this wonderful, rotten city.

It has been an eventful first year, and it’s only going to get more interesting from here. So I say bring it on, Manehatten. Let’s see who wins.

Author's Note:

Written for Prompt #359-'Mare Do Well Begins'
The prompt: Mare Do Well, Year One

Comments

[Malandy]

Hmmm... so Mare-Do-Well is an independent entity in this universe... Anyone we know?

[reader238]

this is a very good prologue to a story, sent shivers down my spine. now we just need to put a pony behind the mask