> The Journalist
>  by redspark
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> You´re Fired!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 1
You´re Fired!


The bustling morning in the streets of Canterlot was something not everypony could tolerate. It was almost impossible to walk in, tripping into somepony´s legs was an easy thing. The ponies that did walk in the mornings though, were used to that; they walked pretty easily through the massive crowds of ponies going to work, or for their morning coffee.
Such was the case of a cobalt blue earth pony named Nimble Hoof. She had a cloak with an aquamarine tone, her mane being in between blue and purple with a line of pretty intense blue. Had she not wore a cloak, she would be showing her cutie mark, which consisted of two blue pens crossed.

She had a neutral face as she passed with an almost professionalism between the ponies of the main street of Canterlot. Her hooves moved swiftly, avoiding tripping over anypony. She managed to evade a pony that was running against the current of ponies, sighing, she wondered why a pony would ever run against “current”.

She finally saw her destination: A tall, old-looking building with a huge sign painted in a bronze color. It read “THE DAILY HOOF”. Nimble Hoof got out of the street and towards the building, wondering what might await her inside.

She had some papers tucked gently inside her cloak, which she had looked a lot of times, making sure they were still there. If they were as good as she thought, her writing career was going to go up instead of keeping on the edge of a cliff in which she almost fell upon. If they weren´t as good as she thought, she would wave a good-bye to her job.

She pushed open the entrance door, taking her inside the now-familiar interior of The Daily Hoof´s building. She didn´t really paid much attention to it now, but when she had first entered trying to apply for a job, she had stared in amazement at the giant chandelier that hung by the ceiling, or at the front desk that shone because it was made out of crystal. Now, it was a familiar sight (and a sight she never wanted to stop seeing).

She smiled at a brown and red security guard. She didn´t remembered his name, but the guard did and for some reason he had taken a special liking on her, because every time she entered, the guard smiled and greeted her.

“Hello there again, Miss Hoof.” He said, the normal smile on his face.
“Oh, Hello!” Nimble said, smiling back. The guard then stopped smiling and made a slight gesture. Nimble was pretty good at catching little details, and that gesture had meant for her to get closer. She was sure a normal pony would have immediately ignored that. She got close to the guard pony. “What is it?” She asked lowly.

The guard pony looked around, making sure nopony was watching them. “I needed to tell you, miss Hoof, that your boss is pretty tired of your… err… How should I say it?” He scratched his chin. “...Well, he said he was going to fire you today if you don't bring a good story for him.”
Nimble nodded. “Thanks for the notice. Don´t worry…” She patted her side where the papers could be seen. “I brought something good this time.”

The guard smiled again. “I hope it is Miss Hoof.” He turned again to the door.
Nimble walked away towards the elevator, but when the doors closed she abandoned the smile she had on her face, replacing it with a worried expression. It was that bad?! She looked at the papers and read some of the words throughout them. Now they didn't seemed so good… Was it enough to please her boss?

She didn't had much time to think as the doors of the elevator opened, revealing a large hallway full of doors to each side. Nimble stepped outside as the door of the elevator began to close. After a couple of seconds just standing there, she finally managed to walk forward, right to a door on the other side of the hallway.

She reached it in some seconds, but to her those seconds seemed like entire minutes, even hours. She rose her hoof and knocked.

“Come in!” said a strong and demanding voice. Nimble gulped and opened the door, entering the office.
It was a pretty lit up place, and had one of the best views of Canterlot, which was the only reason Nimble never fainted when entering. She guessed that, should her boss´s office be in another, less lighted room, she should have passed out that very instant.

Her boss, an old, grey Pegasus, stood up and smiled warmly at Nimble. Nimble knew better than to trust his faces, she knew that underneath that smile was a raging storm, waiting to come out. She also noticed that her boss was biting bubblegum. She now remembered: her boss had this strange… ehm, how to say it? Addiction to bubblegum. He always had to have one on his mouth, and he always carried at least three boxes of them with him. Surprisingly, that day Nimble only saw small pack in the desk. She wasn´t sure if that was good or bad for her.

“Nimble, I was expecting you. Please, sit down.” He sat down. Nimble walked silently to the seat in front of her boss´s table and sat down too. 

“Now, I do believe you have a story for me?” Nimble nodded, passing him the papers. Her boss took them and began to read them. Nimble expected a reaction on that old Pegasus´s face, but he remained expressionless throughout the reading. Nimble had begun to sweat. He boss finally lifted his gaze off the papers and placed them in the table, looking straight into Nimble´s eyes. Nimble felt something horrible was about to happen.

“Miss Hoof, when had I ever asked this piece of…” He seemed to try to find the right word. “This, Miss Hoof, is the perfect example of what I DON´T WANT!!!” he said, raising his voice. Nimble began to sink deeper into her seat.  Her boss seemed realize that he had shouted, he closed his eyes and calmed down.

“I´m afraid this cannot get published.” He said, pushing the papers into a trash can beside the table. He walked to the window. Nimble remained seated. “Miss Hoof, as much as this pains me, you have not got me any good stories for a long time now. I´m afraid you are now no longer working for me, nor for anypony inside The Daily Hoof.” He turned to look at her. Nimble was staring in horror at her boss. “You´re fired.”

Nimble couldn't believe what she had just heard. It was impossible! How could she ever get fired? She felt tears trying to escape her eyes.  She was almost in a mental breakdown… No, she couldn't give up, not after so much she had fought to get that job.

“Sir, please, give me one last chance.” She said, trying to sound pleading but at the same time professional. She had learned that the way she used her voice was something important in getting jobs. “I promise I can get you a great story, one that you'll love.”

The grey Pegasus shook his head. “Sorry Miss Hoof, but it´s too late. I have already given you too many chances.”
Nimble tried again, this time desperate. “Please sir! I swear I can get you one. This time it is true!” She had forgotten to use her professional voice this time. She realized that too late as she felt her voice coming out in an almost cry. The old Pegasus stared at her for some time, then he turned to the window. “Please approach here, Miss Hoof.” He said.

Nimble looked confusedly at the Pegasus before standing up and walking towards the window.
“You say you want another chance?” he said, not waiting for an answer. “Tell me, Miss Hoof, what do you see here?” he asked. Nimble looked outside.

“Can… Canterlot, sir?” She said, more in a question than in an answer.

“Yes, Canterlot. And what do they want us to give them?” he asked.

“Stories.” Nimble said, this time more confident.

“Yes, stories, exactly!” he said, looking at Nimble. “You have one week, Miss Hoof, to bring me the best story I´ve ever got. I want something new! I want something never heard before!” He lowered his voice, because excitement had made him raise it. “You have one week to surprise me, Miss Hoof. If you are able to do that, You´re back in. If you fail…” He left the next word hang in the air. Nimble nodded and shook her boss´s hoof happily.

“Thanks! You will not regret this!” Nimble said. Her boss seemed slightly surprised by her reaction, but he returned to his serious face.

“I believe your time is already ticking.” He said. Nimble nodded and ran to the door.
“You won´t regret this sir!” She said, opening and closing the door behind her…

*  *  *  *

Nimble opened slowly her flat´s door, her ears flat on her head and her gaze at the floor. She had a very un-optimistic look around her. After closing the door, she went up the stair to her flat, not bothering to open the curtains when she finally made it upstairs. She went directly to her sofa and laid down. How was she supposed to get a story like the one she had promised? She had no idea how she was supposed to do that…

She was going to walk to her room when she heard a voice from behind her. She had not heard that voice in a long time, not since the graduation. She gasped when she recognized who had made it.

“Hello Nimble. Nice to see you again.” Said a light brown unicorn stallion with a green cloak. Nimble jumped up and turned at the newcomer.

“Day!” she said happily, embracing him in a warm hug. The stallion, Day, smiled and hugged her back.

“It´s been some time, eh Nimble?” he said, letting go of her. Nimble walked back one step.
“Yes! I thought you were gone off for good.” She said. The stallion smiled slightly.

“I thought I was, but now I´m back on a visit to my parents. They are in a… eh, rather weak condition.” He looked around. “So this is your place.” He said. “I remember you always wanted to live close to The Daily Hoof´s building, I can see you did it.” He smiled at her. “And I presume you also got the job?”

Nimble felt her ears drop again. Day noticed it also. “What is it Nimble?” He asked, getting closer to her. Nimble sighed.

“It´s just that they… they will fire me if I don´t get a good story in a week.” She looked at day. “I´m sorry your visit came in such times. Sorry, don´t mind me.” Day looked at her concerned.
“Don´t mind? Nimble, You are my best friend, how could I not mind?!” He said. After some seconds he walked over to the curtains. “I think we need some light in here.” And he opened them. “Now, tell me, what exactly do your boss wants?” He asked.

Nimble cleared her throat. “Err… he wants a story never heard of. He wants something new…” She looked down. “But I don´t know about anything like that.” She said.
Day looked outside. Suddenly his stare was not concerned, but troubled. He saw the streets of Canterlot and then he smiled.

“I have a great idea!” He said. “I know of a place you could find something good!” Nimble´s ears rose, as also her spirits.

“What?! Where?!” She asked. Day walked to her.

He smile “You see, Canterlot is known for being the capital of Equestria, but it is also known by its safety. That is wrong. There is a place in Canterlot where there is no rule. Not even the princesses’ rule gets there. It´s a dark place, where only the lowest of thieves and outlaws go. No one knows much about it, except for the outlaws and thieves, naturally.”

“And that will help me because…?” she asked impatiently.

“Well, isn´t it obvious? You get your stories from down below. From the one and only silent place in Canterlot. From the one and only place where no newspaper has gotten stories before: Lower Canterlot…”






As a last thing, thanks a lot to Joel Leclerc for checking out this first chapter, pointing out my mistakes and recommendations. I don´t know if he has a fimfiction account, so I´ll place a link to his YouTube Channel. 
https://www.youtube.com/user/lkjoeldev/about]Joel Leclerc


> The Lower Canterlot
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 2
The Lower Canterlot


The cold night wind caused Nimble Hoof to shiver. Day walked beside her as they went through the city of Canterlot. The silent buildings stood dark on the light moonlight. Nimble Hoof had her notebook on a small pocket in her cloak, along with a pen with which to write. She thought excited about how the stories would go in lower Canterlot. Maybe she would get more than one story! She smiled at the thought. Her boss would never bother her again with her horrible stories, at least not after what she expected to get. 

They passed a tall building which Nimble recognized as a Royal Guard base. On these parts of the city there was (which was something that intrigued Nimble Hoof) a lot of security. She had never actually walked on these parts. They were a bit unsettling, at least to her. As for Day, he barely managed to remain in control of his fears. He was shivering, not at the cold, but at the thought of going to lower Canterlot. He had tried to talk Nimble Hoof out of his idea. He now regretted having told her that. It made him feel responsible for whatever happened, so he had decided to accompany her. Great, now he was also going to the most dangerous parts in Canterlot. He was concerned to the point that he had tried to make Nimble Hoof go the wrong way, but somehow she had managed to get back to the right way. He sighed. Terrible idea he had come up with.

Slowly as they walked, the buildings stopped being magnificent as Nimble Hoof thought of Canterlot and began to turn to dustier and less cared for houses. They made Nimble Hoof shiver slightly. After they had passed the last Canterlot police office they had begun to see that the city changed faster. Soon there were no more beautiful white marble buildings decorated with vivid colors nor buildings with purple roofs, but instead, there were dark building covered with dust and decay. She gulped and continued walking forward. Even when Canterlot was under the night, there where ponies doing things, but these parts where empty. She looked around.

“Welcome Nimble Hoof, to lower Canterlot, where the most dangerous of outlaws live and work.” Day said. He then approached his mouth to her ear. “Are you still sure about this?” he said with concern. Nimble Hoof stared at the black buildings and nodded.

“I need to do this, or else I will lose my job. It´s worth trying.” And she began walking towards a house that didn´t looked so pretty. “How do I begin?” she asked herself. She stopped and looked around again. The black houses sent chills down her back. She stared at a dark alley. Maybe that was a good place to begin. If trouble didn´t came for her, she needed to go to the trouble. She began walking towards it. Day took a step back and looked to where they had come from.

“Nimble, we should get back.” He looked at where she was heading. “What are you doing?! Do you want to get yourself killed?” and he walked towards her. She only ignored him and kept walking. It was a really dark alley, and she began to question herself. Was it worth her risking her own safety to get a simple newspaper story?

Too late to turn back now, she was already there, and if she didn´t did it this time, her chance would be lost. She advanced slowly but decidedly at the alley. Soon, she was out of sight. Day stopped in the entrance to the alley. He gulped at the shadows and the darkness. He couldn’t go in there. He had never before gotten himself into such a situation before… Oh, he was with Nimble Hoof; that explained much. In school the only times he had ever got in trouble was with that mare. He smiled slightly but it faded away quickly. He couldn´t let anything happen to her. He walked inside too.

*  *  *  *  *

The alley went on for quite some time. Nimble Hoof walked soundlessly, which made her feel good. She had a kind of gift on which she could walk without making any sort of sound. Nimble Hoof, that was her. She looked around. There were trash bins and bags and cardboard boxes… What a normal alley would have. There was nothing else, no story to write about. She sighed and sat down on the floor. She looked around and then at the sky. Was she really supposed to make stories, to be a journalist? She looked at her notebook and smiled sadly. She had dreamed of becoming one since she was a little filly, but now, in the middle of her most important task, she doubted herself. How could she ever be a journalist if none of her past stories had been good, at least to her boss´s eyes. It was something that made her feel bad.

She heard the sound of hoof beats approaching her slowly. She looked at where the sound had come and stood up. “Day, is that you?” No response. “Day, this isn´t funny, stop it.” She said, now not sure.

From the darkness a pony approached her slowly. She gasped and prepared to run. The pony was covered in a black cloak that covered all his body, and his mane was a metal color. The pony was blue, though. Obviously he dressed that way to scare ponies, Nimble didn´t knew how to react, scared or surprised. Either way, she didn´t thought this was something good.

“What do we have here?” the pony asked, walking around her and smiling mischievously. “A young mare, obviously from the high society, I guess. We don´t get to see much of your type around here much, you know, I´m actually kind of surprised.” He laughed slightly. Nimble Hoof gulped and turned to the stallion, who was now behind her. 

“My name is Nimble Hoof, and I come from the newspaper “The Daily Hoof”.” She said. The pony stopped and stared at her. Nimble Hoof couldn´t read the expression on his face. It was not blank, but somehow it still hid his feelings.

The stallion smiled. “A journalist then. You know, we don´t usually get journalists around here either. Well then, what do you think of our neighborhood?” He said in a mocking tone. Nimble Hoof shifted her weight to one hoof to make herself more comfortable. She smiled a little.

“Mmm… it´s actually kind of, dark, I guess.” She shook her head. “Why do you talk as if there were more around? Why do you say we?” The stallion laughed, this time making a smile of enjoyment. Did he liked seeing her confused?

“I talk using we because this is a place that belongs our ponyhood. We are more than one, but I´m the strongest and the leader.” Nimble Hoof took her notebook and began writing in it. “What are you doing?” He asked, estranged at her writing when he was talking. “Why do you write?”

Nimble Hoof finished and closed her notebook. “I am writing about the ponyhoods. You know, that would be for a good story, if you could tell me more, please.” The stallion shook his head. “Enough chatting. I didn´t came here to talk, but to make business. You see, I have a lot of work to do. I will request that beautiful cloak you are wearing, along with your notebook… Is that all you carry?” he asked surprised. No pony walked with so little, not in Canterlot at least.

Nimble Hoof took one step back. “Why do you need them? They are mine.” Now her voice was shaking. The stallion smiled. “Back off!” she shouted. The stallion kept getting closer. “Get off me! Help!” she shouted. The stallion was about to take her when suddenly he went rolling to one side along with other pony. “Day?” but she immediately shook her head. This pony was a lighter brown, almost cinnamon colored. The two ponies rolled for some more feet. The new pony stood up fast and ran at Nimble Hoof.

“Quick, follow me!” he said and ran off. Nimble Hoof looked for one second at the stallion that had just tried to steal from her and ran after the strange pony. They ran for some minutes until they arrived at an abandoned house. The pony broke the hinges of the door and entered. Nimble Hoof followed him inside, panting. The pony looked at her as he turned a candle on. He had blue eyes, a brown mane with a single white stripe and a key as Cuty mark. He didn’t look older than Nimble Hoof, maybe even the same age. He looked at her for some seconds and then said: 

“What are you doing in a dark alley in the middle of the night?” His voice was soft, but still sounded accusing. “You know what could have happened? You´re lucky I found you, ´cause if not, Metal Mane would have…”

“So that´s the stallion´s name.” Nimble Hoof interrupted. She took her notebook and wrote the name. The pony looked at her incredulous. “You were saying?”

The pony shook his head and said. “What do you want in a dark alley?”

She dropped her ears. “I work for the newspaper ´The Daily Hoof´, and I need a good story, so I came here to find one.” The pony stared at her blankly. Then he smiled, although she could see some anger on his eyes.

“A story, you say. Well, lucky you. You just became an enemy of the most dangerous of ponies in Canterlot.” He sat down and calmed himself. “My name´s…” he shook his head. “My name is Silent Mane.”

Nimble Hoof looked confused at him. There was something strange on that name. “Why does the pony who tried to steal from me also had “Mane” on his name? I mean, not that I don´t like that, but it´s a curious coincidence.”

The pony nodded. “It´s not my real name, nor Metal Mane is his either. That is the way the ponyhoods name the ones in them. When you are especially good at something, they name you like... What are you doing?” He asked as he saw Nimble Hoof writing down.

“Well, don´t look at me, keep talking.” She said innocently. Silent Mane groaned.

“You know, you are such a careless pony. Walking to a dangerous place by yourself to write a story for a newspaper? Whoever does that?!” Nimble Hoof stopped writing.

“Oh no, where is Day?” she said loudly to herself as she looked out of a window. Silent Mane stared at her. “I need to go and find him.” She said. Silent Mane shook his head.

“You didn´t came alone, did you?” Nimble Hoof shook her head. “Well, I guess we should find him and then get you out of here. This is no place for a journalist.” He stood up. Nimble Hoof looked down and placed his notebook on the cloak´s pockets. We should find him before light´s up. It won´t take us long, finding a pony from the high society of Canterlot is easy.” And he walked outside. Nimble Hoof followed him without saying a word. The two walked slowly, scanning the road for ponies. Suddenly, Silent Mane ran at a building and climbed it. He stopped when he was up. “Aren´t you coming up?” He asked with a smirk on his face. Plainly he didn´t believed she could climb that. Nimble Hoof sighed and walked to the base of the building. She placed a hoof on the cold stone of the building and started climbing. It was really difficult and she almost fell twice, but she finally managed to get to the top, to Silent Mane´s surprise. “Okay, let´s go.” He said, and he began running in the roofs of the buildings.

Nimble Hoof tried to follow Silent Mane on his pace, but as much as she tried, he was winning distance. He was obviously used to running in buildings. She stopped when he jumped from one building to another. She gulped and looked at Silent Mane, who was slowly going farther away from her. She walked a few steps and then ran. She jumped and fell a few inches from falling off the building. She sighed in relief and ran again after Silent Mane. Was she going to need to run like that all the way until finding Day?

“Found him!” came from Silent Mane´s voice. Nimble Hoof ran and soon caught up with Silent Mane. “He´s probably worse than you, look at him. How many things do you think they stole him?” Nimble Hoof looked to the street below. Day was there. He seemed tired and no longer had a cloak she had given him after leaving the house. He had not been as lucky as she. “Let´s go for him now.” Silent Mane said, and he began descending the building through the side. Nimble Hoof looked below and felt a sense of vertigo. She didn´t hated high places, unless she was supposed to go down off a building with nothing of a safety gear around. She saw stairs and used them. It took her longer than Silent Mane, but she finally reached him. Together they approached Day.

“Go thieves! I´ve got nothing else!” he shouted. He looked at them and saw Nimble Hoof. “Hoof! I thought something terrible had happened to you! I went searching for you, but…” He didn´t finished the sentence. That was when he saw Silent Mane. “Who is he?”

“Day, this is Silent Mane. He helped me and rescued me from an assailant. He has offered to guide us out of lower Canterlot.” Day looked at Silent Mane suspiciously. “He´s not bad. Come on, let´s go.” She said. Day nodded still looking at Silent Mane.

“Alright, just keep my pace and we should be at a safe place in no time.” And he was off again. Nimble Hoof smiled faintly. She could get used to that. She ran after him, with Day a few steps behind. This time they climbed the buildings through an easier part and soon they were in the Canterlot Nimble Hoof knew. She turned to face Silent Mane.

“Thanks so much. I don´t know what would have happened if you would not have appeared.” Silent Mane smiled and nodded. Day said nothing.

“Just don´t come back again, less at night. It´s not safe for you.” He said. He was about to run again when Nimble Hoof touched his back. He turned around.

“I was wondering if you could teach me more of those moves you do in the air, and if you can help me get the story. It´s something very important in which my career depends on. Please.” She said. Silent Mane stared at her, surprise on his face.

“No, you must not return. Metal Mane will never forget that you escaped.”

Nimble Hoof shook her head. “You are in as much danger as I. I need that story, and even if you don´t help me, I will go back there again.”

Silent Mane closed his eyes in thought. He then looked at her. In the back, Day was staring alarmed at the two of them. He was shaking his head, obviously against that. Silent Mane smiled. “Very well, I´ll help you if you don’t change your mind. First, before you can do anything in there, you will need a ponyhood. I will present you to mine and they will decide if you can join us or… or if you must leave. That is what I can do, and if they accept you, I will teach you to move in the buildings as I do. You can get stories from you own personal experiences, but think it deeply.” He turned around and walked slowly away. He then turned around again. “If you accept, I will meet you here tomorrow morning. If by midday you have not come, I´ll leave.” He was starting to turn around again but he stopped.

“I suggest you to reconsider about this, because the second you enter my world there is no turning back.” and he was off again, running.

Nimble Hoof smiled and turned to Day, who was looking in shock at her. “Come on, it won´t be that bad. I have an idea, and I believe it is a great idea.” The stallion shook his head.

“I hope you know what you´re doing, Nimble Hoof, because if you don´t I´m afraid I won´t be able to help you.” Nimble Hoof smiled and began walking to her apartment. 

“Believe me Day. This will be the best story ever written, and I will be the one that writes it…”











Nimble assaulted by Metal Mane



> Training
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 3
Training


In the day lower Canterlot wasn´t as scary as it had seemed to Nimble Hoof. She slowly walked beside Silent Mane as he guided her through the streets and alleys. It was curious how she thought of being scared. Yes, there were some nasty-looking ponies around and there were many who stared at her curiously, but she felt confident for some strange reason. She looked at Silent Mane and sighed. He had been walking for a long time now, and she felt he was making unnecessary turns and going the wrong way. But still she kept quiet. She didn´t wanted to anger him. After all, he was her last hope to get a story.

She had begun writing about lower Canterlot in the last night. She had organized all the details she had gotten and now had a list of prepared questions, which she intended to ask at the right time, so as not to bother Silent Mane. Silent Mane had not said a word after meeting her in the morning. He seemed a little stressed, but Nimble Hoof didn´t cared. She was going to get a great story!

Silent Mane stopped and pointed at a brown, decayed wooden door of a small building that had most of its windows covered with wood. He walked and knocked the door.

“Here we are.” He said, he then turned to Nimble. “Remember, these are not ponies you know anything about. Be careful with every single word you say and don´t speak unless you are asked to. Do please refrain from asking questions unless He lets you.” She nodded. The door opened. Silent Mane stepped forward with Nimble Hoof right behind. Nimble noticed that the room in which they entered there was no light from the outside. Instead, it was lighted by many candles. The darkness inside didn´t let her make out anything of the room, except that it was as uncared as the outside of the building. The door closed and the light became dimmer, now that the door´s light was shut. She now looked at the ponies standing with them. There were four: Two earth ponies, a pegasus and a unicorn. The four of them looked at her with a blank face. She gulped.

“So she´s the one, Silent Mane. Why? I thought she would look a little less… well, you know, canterlotian.” Said the unicorn. He was a little bit old, perhaps twice the age of Nimble. He was completely blue, coat and mane, except for his eyes, which were red, and he had a golden laurel as a Cutie mark. “Really, that is what you brought us?”

Silent Mane shrugged. “What did you expected? She´s a journalist who wants to write a good story. I offered her my help, after all.” The unicorn shook his head. One of the earth ponies, a grey stallion with a grey and black mane, maroon eyes, and a rock as Cutie mark, approached her. All the ponies stared at her.

The stallion walked around her for some time. Finally she stopped and looked her in the eyes. He smiled. “I am Grey Stone, although I am called around here as Invisible Mane.” Nimble Hoof smiled at him. The stallion turned then to the unicorn. “She is in good physical state, although she obviously has never made any real exercise.  I think she looks promising, though.” The unicorn nodded. Nimble Hoof stared at Grey Stone as he walked to his position beside the unicorn. The other earth pony, a brown stallion with a light brown mane, green eyes, and a map as Cutie mark only stared at her. The Pegasus seemed to not want to say anything, so the unicorn spoke again.

“Well, if you so want to join us and get your ´stories´, then so be it. I have nothing against it, as long as you are helpful in some way. Silent Mane will teach you all he knows about going around here, and soon you will be renamed.” He saw Nimble Hoof´s confused face. “We rename the new ones, so that they are not recognized by our enemies. It is a simple thing, we only see what you´re good at and from there we find a good name. If you end up being famous, your nickname can change, though, like Silent Mane. He used to be Roof Jumper.” At that the ponies smiled faintly and Silent Mane seemed to be slightly uncomfortable. “But well, that is of no concern at all.” He smiled at her. “May your practice begin, young lady, and remember, you are no longer in the Canterlot you know. You are in a battlefield, where you can be taken down without knowing what hit you. You need to be alert, or else you won´t last long in here.” He looked at the Pegasus. “Sun Seeker, you will see that no one disturbs them while they work, and also go check the vault. I didn´t had any time this morning to check it myself.” The pegasus mare nodded and went to another room fast. The other ponies simply went on their own ways around the house, leaving Silent Mane, the unicorn and Nimble Hoof alone. Nimble Hoof relaxed a little.

“I´ll be off to some important business, you make sure there is no trouble, Silent Mane.” He instructed. “And also, don´t let Metal Mane get close to her. She probably is a target to him.” And then he was out of the building. Silent Mane looked at Nimble Hoof. She smiled faintly, but it was clear she was nervous. Silent Mane sighed and gestured Nimble Hoof to follow him.

“Come on, we better get started.” He said as he walked outside. Nimble Hoof followed him close behind. The stallion walked to the back of the building and into a small courtyard. He looked up. “Here is your first task.” He pointed at the top of the roof. “You must get there, to the roof, in less than one minute.” He climbed on a box. “Your time is already running.”

Nimble Hoof stared at him for a second until she moved out of the initial shock of the task. She looked up and scanned the courtyard for a place to climb. He saw some boxes and cracks along the walls. She walked there and thought for a moment. She looked at Silent Mane, who was staring at her. He smiled amusedly. Nimble Hoof looked up and gulped. It was a long way to the roof. She climbed the boxes and began using the cracks for support. The fear she had on her head was for the cracks to break more, and that would mean to fall a long way down.

“Don´t look down” she thought. The bad thing was that she looked down. She was already halfway up, and it was pretty high. She quickly closed her eyes and hung dearly to the wall.

“Your minute´s almost up!” she heard Silent Mane say. Nimble Hoof opened her eyes and began ascending again. She placed hoof after hoof, carefully so as not to risk falling. Finally she arrived at the roof. She struggled one last time and finally laid down gasping for air. She opened her eyes and screamed in surprise, seeing Silent Mane over her.
“How did you got here so fast?! I didn´t heard you going up or anything!” She exclaimed, touching her chest with a hoof, feeling her heart hammering because of the surprise. Silent Mane smiled.

“They don´t call me Silent Mane for anything, Nimble Hoof.” He looked down and then back at her. “You took three minutes. If you were escaping another pony more experienced you would have been caught. Even a police pony would have caught you.” he said. Nimble Hoof lowered her ears. “But for being the first time, not bad. I remember my first time climbing a wall. I was but a tiny filly. It took me two whole minutes.” He smiled at her playfully. Nimble Hoof shrugged. “But well, let´s get going to the next thing.” He walked to the edge of the building.

Nimble Hoof followed him and looked down. Silent Mane smiled and jumped to the other building. He turned and looked at her. “Your turn.”
She looked down and felt the same feeling of vertigo as last night. She gulped again and prepared to jump. She went back a few steps and ran. She jumped automatically and landed softly without any sound. She smiled at how she had done, differently than last night when she had barely crossed. She looked at Silent Mane. He was smiling a little and then he nodded. “Good jump.” She lifted her head proudly. “But still, obviously you are not used to being chased on rooftops. You need to know to run in rooftops, because when you are chased, you need to found your ground. Mine is in the roofs. If you know how to move here, no one will ever catch you and you will have the advantage, even if a fight starts.” He looked at the sun, which was already going down. “You will hold the advantage on the most difficult ground.” He looked at her. “Keep that in mind.”

Nimble Hoof nodded. Silent Mane then walked to another side of the building. “Now go down.”

Nimble Hoof this time felt dizzy. Go down… Not something she wanted to do. Silent Mane looked at her. “Look at me and try to copy my moves. Maybe that way it´ll be easier.” He technically jumped down. Nimble Hoof looked down and saw Silent Mane clinging to a metal bar that protruded from the building. He then jumped back and did a cartwheel in the air before landing softly on the ground.

Nimble Hoof squeaked after seeing that. She was definitely not going down that way. She looked around. The other building had levels on each floor with could work as supports. She looked then at the building she was in. There were also metal supports. She only needed to be really good at balancing herself… and jumping. She jumped to the first level of the other building, barely managing to catch it. She then rested some seconds after jumping to the other building, clinging to the metal bar Silent Hoof had used and the she jumped to the next level of the other building. She then landed softly in the floor. Silent Mane nodded smiling.

“Now that was something. Not many ponies can do that on their first time. I´m sure even experienced ones cannot do it that way. Very good method by the way.” Nimble Hoof smiled shyly. “And now we should be getting back. It will be night soon, and the others will want to do something. Maybe take something from other ponyhood.” He walked to the building he had leaded her in to meet his ponyhood. She followed.

“What do you mean by take?” she asked. Silent Mane looked at her.

“I mean to literally take it.”

She lowered her head a little. “You mean, like… like stealing?”

He opened the door. “If you want to see it in that way, yes.” He walked in. Nimble Hoof entered behind him…









Nimble presented to the Ponyhood








Nimble learning to run in rooftops



> Ponyhood mission
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 4


Dark Streets and Dark Alleys


"Alright" said the unicorn. "I was reported by Sun Seeker that the Dark Ponyhood has begun to expand towards us. I fear that since we are not numerous we cannot keep our territory safe.”

They had all gathered in the same room where they had met Nimble Hoof. The unicorn now stood in front of all of them, while all the ponies listened. Silent Mane was right beside Nimble Hoof. The others stood watching the unicorn attentively. 

“So I´ve decided that we need to show them not to mess with us, not by protecting our territory, but by taking something from them.” He gestured for Sun Seeker to step forward. She had a paper on her mouth. “Sun Seeker will explain the plan.”

The Pegasus walked beside the unicorn and placed the paper on the floor. She cleared her throat and began. “First we will infiltrate on their main complex. You know how big Dark Ponyhood´s complex is. They are five times our number, so we will need to be silent and fast.” She looked at the paper lying beside her hoofs. “Our target is a small golden statue of a Pegasus. It´s worth at least ten thousandth bits.” The ponies gathered smiled at the mention of such a quantity of bits. “It will be a hard blow on them if we are able to take it from them.  The plan is simple, but needs to be done without any mistakes.” She looked at the unicorn, who nodded at her. “We will enter through a small window that lies on the eastern wall of their building. It leads to a small storage room. From there we will go fast but silently through the room to their safety vault. The lock is one-seven-seven-three-one-nine. Silent Mane, you will stay in the door of the vaults to make sure nopony else enters.  The rest will enter the vaults and help me taking down the guards without a noise…”she stopped when she noticed Nimble Hoof. “You, ehh… Nimble Hoof, was it? You will stay with Silent Mane. Any sign of guards or anypony you come to tell warn us. Silent Mane will take care of them if possible, if not we will need to hide well.”

The unicorn nodded. “So it´s settled. We go in ten minutes. Get ready.” He looked at Silent Mane and then at Nimble Hoof. “You better not cause any trouble.” And he went to other room. The other ponies began to take out accessories. 

One of the earth ponies, Grey Stone, took a small knife that could be fit on his hoof. Sun Seeker took a rope and a small, curious-looking pen. She then went to other room. The other earth pony put on a hat and sat down, humming. Silent Mane looked at Nimble Hoof.

“You don´t have to do this, you know. It´s gonna be really dangerous. Someone could get hurt.” Nimble Hoof looked down. “I will not blame you if you back down.”

Nimble Hoof shook her head. “No, I am going. I am tired of being thought of as a useless pony. I am not, so I am going. Also, I´ll need to be where the story happens, no? So I can get a better perspective.” She looked at her cloak which was hung on a chair where she had left it right after arriving in the morning. She made sure her Notebook and pen where there. She looked at Silent Mane. “Let´s do this.”

Silent Mane shrugged. “Then it´s settle.” He walked to a corner and retrieved a rope he placed around his belly. He then took a hook and fastened it to the rope. He made sure it would make a sound as he moved. He then looked around. The unicorn soon arrived and nodded at Silent Mane. 

“Alright lads, listen up!” he said in a high voice. “This is going to be more dangerous than our usual stuff, so be ready for anything. We need to make this in under one hour, or if not we are risking in being discovered. Each one of you will fulfill your part according to Sun Seeker´s plan. Any questions with her.” He looked at each pony´s faces. “Let´s move out.” He walked outside followed by the rest of the ponies. Silent Mane looked at Nimble Hoof before going outside. Nimble Hoof shrugged and walked outside slowly, her heart hammering. She could almost swear her heart was trying to escape her.

They followed the unicorn to a large building. It did looked quite impressive, without counting it looked uncared, like the other buildings around it. They walked silently until Sun Seeker pointed with her hoof at one of the lower windows. The unicorn nodded and all followed him towards it. Sun Seeker pushed a box to help all get in and she entered. Nimble Hoof entered next. She stepped inside the building and felt a shiver through her whole body. It was really dark, the only lights coming from the windows. T was a long hallway that extended from one side of the building to the other. She looked at Sun seeker, who was now looking around. She looked at Nimble Hoof.

The rest of the ponies entered, with Silent Mane in the back. Sun Seeker nodded at the two earth ponies. They walked towards one side if the hallway. She looked at the rest and gestured them to follow her. Nimble Hoof looked at the earth ponies go the other way for some seconds until she walked with the rest. Where were they going?
Sun Seeker guided them through the building with no hesitations, save for the occasional sound of a pony approaching. So far, they had not have had any troubles. They moved through many rooms, trying not to go through big or highly used places of the building. The unicorn was second, looking around for any sign of trouble. Finally, Sun Seeker stopped at a door. She looked at the keyhole and took a small metal thing from a bag she had. After some seconds, the door clicked and opened. They followed her inside.

The room they were in now took Nimble Hoof by surprise. It was a complete change from everything she had seen so far in Lower Canterlot. She was now used to seeing old, broken down buildings covered in dust from the inside and dark. This room was highly illuminated. Not only was it illuminated, but was also well cared. It was made of a white stone with a huge vault-box in the middle. There where pillars made from the same whit stone as the walls supporting the roof, and two golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling, balancing slightly from side to side.

Nimble Hoof opened her mouth, surprised. All the other ponies also looked around, obviously not expecting that. 

“Welcome to the Dark Ponyhood Vaults.” Sun Seeker said in an amazed voice. She shook her head and looked at Silent Mane. “Go out and check for ponies we don´t want to get surprised. Nimble Hoof, go with him.” Silent Mane nodded and took Nimble Hoof with him out of the room. Nimble Hoof looked around one last time. Silent Mane closed the door behind them.

“Wow! Did you see that?” Immediately Silent Mane placed his hoof on her mouth. He stared at her hardly. “Sorry” she muttered. Silent Mane nodded and looked around. There was nothing to see, but still he kept looking around. Nimble Hoof sat down and took out her notebook. Silent Mane looked at her.

“What do you think you´re doing?” he whispered.

She showed him the notebook. “What does it seem?” Silent Mane sighed.

“This is no place for that!”

Nimble Hoof finished writing down what she wanted and she looked at Silent Mane. “I need to have everything from the second it happens or else I´ll forget something important.” Silent Mane shrugged but said nothing more.

Nimble Hoof was writing the way they had got in when she felt a slight tremor in the floor. She though the structure of the building wasn´t very stable, but then she remembered they where on a first floor… There were no earthquakes in Canterlot, so why would it have… Hoofsteps! She wuickly stood up, placing her notebook inside her cloak fast. “Sompony´s coming.” She muttered. Silent Mane looked at her.

“I don´t think so, I do not hear…” He stopped as his ears twitched a little. He turned pale. 

“What, was is it?” She asked.

Silent Mane tapped lightly the door to the vaults, which was the sign of trouble. “We are going to have company, and many. How could they possibly know…” He looked around. “We need to get out of here fast.”

The vault´s door opened and the other ponies got out. “We have it” Sun Seeker said triumphantly, holding the golden Pegasus with one of her hoofs. The unicorn took it with his magic. 

“We need to leave fast” he said.

Sun Seeker nodded. “Follow me!” and she was off running. Amazingly, no sound came from her hooves as she ran through the rooms they had been before. The other ponies followed, not as silently as Sun Seeker, but still amazingly quiet. Silent Mane pushed Nimble Hoof, taking her out of the daze.

“Move!” and he ran. Nimble Hoof ran behind him. She ran as fast as she could without making noise. She was the most soundly of all, but still she ran faster without crashing against anything in the dark. She saw Sun Seeker running in front, guiding them. The unicorn followed right behind. He almost crashed against a wall because of the dark. Nimble Hoof wondered where the earth ponies where.

They arrived at the window. She couldn´t resist any more without asking. “Where are the two ponies that went the other way?” Sun Seeker looked at her. “Where are they?”

Sun Seeker looked around, obviously concerned. “They were supposed to meet us here…” She looked at Silent Mane. “Do you know if something happened to them?” Silent Mane shook his head. “then…”

Hoof beats where heard and six ponies entered the hallway. Nimble Hoof looked the other side and other six arrived. They stopped a few feet away from them. Nimble Hoof saw a pony covered by the shadows. 

“Nice try.” Said the pony in the shadows. “But you´ll need much more than that.” He pushed some ponies from behind him to the floor. Nimble Hoof recognized the two earth ponies. “You know, the next time you try to kill me, do not send your loudest ponies. They took no noticed that I was awake at my bed, you know.” Nimble Hoof stared at Sun Seeker. She was looking angrily at the shadowy pony. “And also, they didn´t saw my face either, so nothing was gotten from this.” He pulled out a knife and pointed it at the earth ponies. “Now, who shall be first…”

“Wait!” Sun Seeker cried out. “We… we can solve this problem talking, with a… with a nice cup of tea, yes…” the pony threw the knife at one of the earth ponies, who fell down soundlessly. Nimble Hoof squeaked. He had… He had killed him! Sun Seeker stopped talking. She now had a shocked and scared face. 

“That´s it, better shut up.” He took out another knife. “You need to know that I do not take lightly attempts against my life…”

Nimble Hoof saw the pony´s mouth moving, but she was no longer hearing. She was in a panic she had never felt before… They were executing, EXECUTING, ponies in front of her! She had never before heard of assassinations, least seen one! She looked at the pony. He was beginning to lift his hoof to throw it to the other earth pony. Nimble Hoof didn´t knew what she did, until she realized that she had thrown her pen at the pony. Normally the pen would have caused nothing, but somehow it hit him in the eye. The pony covered his eyes, crying in pain. Silent Mane jumped and attacked one of the sides, while Sun Seeker and the unicorn attacked the others. Nimble Hoof stood there, still in shock of what she had just done. She had actually thrown a pen at an evil pony! She contained her enthusiasm as she saw the two earth ponies.

Sun Seeker and the unicorn where (she needed to learn the unicorn´s name someday) fighting the six with the shadow pony, while Silent Mane was against the other six. Apparently, Silent Mane was a good fighter, holding against six others, and pushing an offensive. Nimble Hoof waited until the earth ponies where no longer beside the fight to get to them. 

“Wait…” she muttered as she cut the ropes with the knife the pony had thrown when hit by the pen. She then cut the gag on the pony´s mouth. He looked at the other earth pony, the one with a knife on his back. He was unconscious… or dead.

“He´s alive, take care of him, I´ll help the others.” Said the pony, and he was off. Even though she didn´t had time to think about it, she noticed that, instead of going to help Silent Mane against six, the pony went to help the unicorn and Sun Seeker. Still, she didn´t though much about it as she cut the ponies ropes tying him. She then cut the gag and looked at the wound. It was, miraculously, not deep. Somehow, the knife had not hit well. She sighed in relief as she took the knife from the pony´s back. She then used the gag to protect the wound. 

Around her was a battle with no decided winner. Curiously, Silent Mane was doing better against six… well, five, because he had already taken down one, than the three ponies against six and the shadow (Why she thought of the pony as the shadow, she did not know. Probably it did fitted that horrendous pony). Nimble Hoof finished with the pony and looked around. Silent Mane had only three adversaries left, and the others had only two and the shadow. The next time she looked at Silent Mane, only one pony remained and, in less than a second, the pony was down also. Silent Mane leaned against the wall, panting. He quickly turned around and went to help the others. 

They had pushed back the shadow pony and the two remaining ponies. The shadow pony pushed his own against Silent Mane and Sun Seeker, leaving the unicorn alone against him. Instead of attacking, the shadow pony left the two ponies and went to a room beside the hallway, closing the door. In no time the two ponies were down on the floor. Sun Seeker looked at the door where the shadow pony had went. 

“He escaped. We should leave before he returns with more.” Said the unicorn. Silent Mane and the earth pony nodded. Sun Seeker looked at the door intently before opening her eyes wide. 

“Alright then, let´s go!” and she pushed them all (how she did it alone, Nimble Hoof didn´t knew) out of the window. She was down off the window with them a second later. “And now…” a door inside was heard opening. “Run!” All the ponies ran to a building in front. Silent Mane climbed faster than the rest, and Sun Seeker, who was carrying the injured pony, flew up and landed on the roof seconds before Nimble Hoof. She had climbed faster than she had ever climbed before in all her life, and her heart was pounding like never before.  Silent Mane loked at them and said:

“Follow me now. I know the fastest way out of here.” And he ran with the whole ponyhood behind him. Nimble Hoof took some seconds to follow, because she had just realized that she no longer had a pen with which to write. 

She shook her head and ran after them. ..








Assault to the Shadow ponies and wrong results...



> Best Story Ever!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 5
Best Story Ever!


Nimble Hoof stared at "The Daily Hoof´s" main building with her heart beating fast and hard. She had her story written inside her cloak, but she wasn´t sure if the boss would accept it. It wasn´t something like news, but more like a story. Maybe he was not going to like it?

Nimble Hoof had safely returned to the safe house and headquarters of the ponyhood, and was congratulated by all, especially the unicorn (whom she had finally gotten his name, Hightip). They had all thanked her for distracting the shadow pony, and had agreed with Silent Mane that she had a future in Lower Canterlot. Still, she had needed to return to her house. Silent Mane had visited her every day and helped her with the story, using not only her perspective but also Silent Mane´s. Now, the week time lapse the old grey Pegasus of “The Daily Hoof” had given her was over. She needed to give him the story she had this day or she was done.

She sighed and gulped fast before walking towards the huge crystal entrance of the building. It made her feel small every time she walked inside. She pushed open the doors and walked inside the lobby. The lobby was full of ponies doing their day´s work, and some tourists on a tour around, and the security guards… She was going to miss seeing that if she got fired.

The elevator was on the right side of the lobby. She walked towards it and clicked the up button. She heard the sound of the elevator moving. The bell sounded as the doors opened, announcing the elevator had arrived. She stepped in and the doors closed. The elevator began going up to the button she had pressed.

She stared at the door with a blank expression. What was going to happen? Was she going to get fired or was her story good enough? She didn´t had the answers for that, but she prayed deep inside her that it was good, if not just good, AMAZING!

The elevator bell sounded and the door opened. She stepped into the top floor of the building, breathing slowly trying to calm her nerves and her beating heart. She saw the boss´s door half opened and walked towards it. She was shaking slightly… why was she so nervous and… and scared, at the prospect of getting fired when she had just been almost killed not less than a week ago? She knocked the door slightly.

“Come in!” said the grey Pegasus´s voice from inside. She walked in. The Pegasus was busy trying to open a box of bubblegum that seemed to be made to not letting ponies open it. He groaned and placed it back on the desk and looked up at Nimble Hoof. “Ah! Miss Hoof, I thought you were not going to come.” He said with a smile. “I hope you bring something good.” Hs voice had a little threat on it.

Nimble Hoof nodded. “Yes sir, I have this.” And she passed it to him. The Pegasus’s eyes the papers fast and then began to read. Slowly, his eyes lifted and surprise covered his face. He slowly left the papers down and looked at her. “Is there something wrong, sir?” she asked, her ears lowering a little. The Pegasus cleared his throat.

“I…” he began, but didn´t seemed to know what to say. “You know Miss Hoof, I really don´t know what to say… it´s great, yes, but not what I was expecting.” He looked at the papers again. “Very clever, getting a story like this, from someone else´s life. Also, Lower Canterlot? How did you managed to get someone from down there telling you something? We once tried to get news from there, but our ponies either got kidnapped or disappeared.” He smiled. “I guess we need someone with news from down there. Congratulations Miss Hoof, you´re back on business!” 

Nimble Hoof smiled and said “Thanks so much sir! I will get you more!” She was going away when the Pegasus said.

“Miss Hoof, who is this ‘Swift Mane’ that told you this?”

Nimble Hoof smiled at the mention of the name the ponyhood had given her. “It´s someone I cannot reveal, sir. For her safety, at least, and also for a promise.” She closed the door and smiled. She was in again! She ran at the elevator and quickly pressed the down button. She was going to tell Day!

She ran out of the building with a wide smile on her face. She then went at full gallop to the hotel Day had told her he was staying. She saw the huge golden-stone hotel and she entered. The Hotel was higly illuminated and immediately as she entered, a pony at the entrance asked: 

“Do you have a reservation Miss?”

Nimble Hoof shook her head. “No, I came to see a friend of mine who´s staying here. His name is…” she was interrupted by a pony touching her back.

“Hey Nimble Hoof, I wondered why you had not come here before to visit me.” Day said. Nimble Hoof turned around and smiled. “You can go, thanks.” He said to the pony beside them. The pony nodded slowly and walked away. “I thought you had problem s when you returned down there.” She said reffering to Lower Canterlot.

Nimble Hoof shook her head slightly. “No, in fact, my boss loved the story. He wants more!” she said in an enthusiastic voice. Day shook his head. “What?”

“You know Nimble; I should never had told you that idea. I don´t know what got into my mind, but it´s dangerous. You could get killed, or something worse. I don´t like you to go down there.” 

“But I don´t go alone” she replied. “I go with Silent Mane, he helps me and is teaching me all that he knows. In fact, I saved them all their lives.” She looked around, making sure no one was hearing. “You will see that in tomorrow´s newspaper.” Day shook his head again. “Come on, aren´t you happy for me?”

He looked at her. “Yes, I am, but it´s dangerous.”

She smiled. “Don´t worry, I´m well cared in there. I will go tonight, by the way, to learn something more from Silent Mane.” She smiled. “You tell me later what do you think about the sotry, when you read the newspaper.” 

Day smiled slightly. “I will.” Nimble Hoof began to turn around to leave. “And Nimble.” He said. Nimble Hoof turned to look at him. “Please, take care down there.” Nimble nodded and ran off...








"Congratulations Miss Hoof, you´re back on business!"



> A busy week
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 6
A busy week


“Hey, did you checked the new newspaper section on “The Daily Hoof?”” asked a yellow mare all dressed up in a fancy dress on a coffee in Canterlot. The mare beside her, a light purple unicorn nodded. 

“Yes! I t was an amazing story. I mean, I´ve never heard of Lower Canterlot before.” She took a small sip of her coffee. “I hope they keep on getting more stories like that one.” The yellow one nodded in agreement. 

“Your coffee Miss.” Said the waiter. She smiled and took it. The waiter walked away. She felt the cup to see how hot it was.

“I really think this new journalist that made this is either a very imaginative pony or risks her life going to those dirt holes. I mean, imagine walking there! How our shoes would get ruined!”

“Oh, and don´t think of the rest of the dress.” Said the purple one. “I don´t think they clean the streets in there. My beautiful dress would get ruined beyond repair.” The yellow agreed. “But, someone´s got to go there and bring us entertainment. I don´t think I will like for the newspaper to simply stop giving this exciting… How do you call these stories? These exciting adventures. How that journalist managed to get a word with such low-class ponies, I have no idea.”

The yellow pony smiled. “You really liked that story, didn´t you?”

The purple mare smiled slightly. “Let´s just say that it´s something you don´t get every day. I mean, it´s just something interesting to distract from all-day things.” The yellow smiled.

The purple one looked at the palace and then said. “I have to go. My dear husband is having a personal meeting with the princesses!” She smiled and ran quickly towards the palace. The yellow smiled wide until she realized something. She´d have to pay for both coffees…

* * *

Nimble Hoof walked slowly and silently in the dark house. Everypony inside was asleep, and she, being good at walking silently, was sure to not wake them up. Beside her Silent Mane looked to every door that was on the room, making sure no pony could get them by surprise. Meanwhile, Nimble Hoof searched for the prize they had come in looking for. Outside the house, Sun Seeker stood looking at the open window through which they had entered. She had planned the theft with perfection, choosing the most silent ponies they had. She looked at the roof, where Higtip the unicorn was making a small spell to make the inside of the house darker, so as to give the ones inside a chance of hiding if they were discovered. The earth ponies where not there. They were resting in their headquarters due to their last mission. Sun Seeker was a little angry, but still she was not thinking about that.

Silent Mane raised his left front hoof. Nimble Hoof stopped and listened. She could hear the sound of ponies breathing sleepily in the adjacent rooms. Silent Mane sighed and lowered his hoof. “Nothing, false alarm. Keep looking.” Nimble Hoof nodded and began to check on a small chest. Silent Mane walked to the door of the sleeping chambers of the owner of the house. It was the house of no one else than one of the leaders of another ponyhood: the Red Ponies. 

The red ponies where not as strong as silent Mane´s ponyhood, but they still had a very precious gem, which they intended to steal to get some control over them. Nimble Hoof had taken some time to finally accept. It was theft, after all. She had not agreed in helping until Sun Seeker had told her that it had been stolen by the red ponies before, and who knew who was the real owner. 

Nimble Hoof looked around rapidly, although talking her time to check on obvious places. Silent Mane, on the other way, was merely looking without second thought. Silent Mane was pretty surprised at how Nimble Hoof had been able to adapt so quickly to the society of Lower Canterlot. Somehow, she no longer looked like the weak pony she had been when she first had stepped in there. He looked at her and smiled. He had been teaching her how to survive in these dangerous places, and she had been fine. He shook his head, trying to shake off his distracting thoughts. He couldn´t get off the job at hand. He kept searching for any sign of ponies approaching.

Nimble Hoof was beginning to think the gem wasn´t there, but she noticed a curious looking metal case. She walked towards it and opened it. She almost shouted in excitement at what she had just seen; It was the gem alright, but it was far prettier than what she had imagined. She walked over to Silent Mane. “Found it” she said. Silent Mane looked at the gem, now on nimble Hoof´s hooves. He smiled at her and walked to the window. 

“We need to go fast now” he said, right before jumping through the window. Nimble Hoof stored the gem on her cloak and jumped behind him. She landed softly beside Sun Seeker, who was making a sign to let Hightip know that they were done. She saw the unicorn nod and stop the spell he had been holding. The unicorn jumped to the other buildings, quietly going towards theit headquarters. Sun Seeker looked at Nimble Hoof. 

“Do you have it?” she asked, obviously longing to see the gem. Nimble Hoof nodded and retrieved the gem from her cloak. The Pegasus pony made a wide smile. “You know how much this gem is worth?!” she asked more to the air than to the two ponies in front of her. “But now, I am never going to let Hightip sell it! We should…” she was interrupted by Silent Mane.

…get going.” He said. Sun Seeker shook her head fast, shaking her wandering mind to the real world. 

“Yes right. See you at the base.” She then took flight, leaving Silent Mane and Nimble Hoof alone in the night. Sun Seeker had taken the gem with her, making Nimble Hoof a little disappointed. She had actually wanted to take the gem all the way to the base. Silent Mane smiled. 

“You should know Nimble Hoof, that you made it perfect inside there.” He said. Nimble Hoof smiled. “But now, we really should get going.” He said, laughing. He then ran away. Nimble Hoof smiled and chuckled. She ran after him.

* * *

“Oh my!” exclaimed the purple pony again, at the same coffee with the same yellow mare with her a week after their last reunion. She was reading a newspaper, not looking anywhere but it. “You know, this is so good! You knew that the ponies down below there have a kind of ´code´ that makes the rules for their way of stealing and acting? I mean, they even hold reunions between ponyhood leaders to discuss how it should be done!”

The yellow mare smiled, taking a sip of her hot coffee. “Yes, I´ve also had been reading it. I mean, I don´t really get soooo into it like you, but still… It´s the best stories, you know.” She took some more coffee. “The Fourth story in a week, that is pretty good, considering that all the stories are probably written the second after the things happen.”

The purple mare looked at her rather confused. “What do you mean by ´are probably written the second things happen´?”

The yellow mare smiled knowingly. “You see with how much detail she writes them? Well, not even the best pony remembering could know all such tiny details, like the exact position of the gem, for instance in the story you´re reading, or the exact appearance of that one called Shadow Pony.” She took another sip. “I would not doubt that this Swift Mane was writing all she told the writer of this article the second it happened.”

The purple pony gave her a curious stare. “You know, that is quite right, actually. I never saw it in that way!” She took for the first time a sip of her own coffee. “I am so expecting the next article.” She left the newspaper beside her in an empty chair. “And well, I am asking my dear husband to get a personal meeting with that author of these articles… what was her name?” she rubbed her chin. “something like Tinkle Stoof or something like that.” The yellow mare smiled quizzical look. “Don´t think it that way!” she said, noticing her friend´s face. “You know how much I like those stories. It is just right that I get to meet that stupendous author!” She took some more coffee.

The yellow one smiled. She looked at the waiter and said. “You know, I really should be going, I have this personal meeting with an author of a certain articles, whose name is Nimble Hoof and work for “The Daily Hoof”.” She smiled and walked away, waving. “See you later!” and she turned tail and walked slowly to the busy streets of Canterlot. The purple pony had her mouth wide open, still trying to process what she had just heard. Only when the waiter brought her the check did she finally got off from her shock.

“She is going to meet her!” she thought. She then stared at the check “And she left me to pay both!”

Not far away, out in the streets, the yellow mare was laughing as she walked to the main building of “The Daily Hoof.”...








At the café









House assault



> Shadow Pony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 7
Shadow Pony


The Shadow Pony looked around the small alley he was standing. He was still getting used to the streets again. He had been gone from Canterlot for a long time now... Almost ten years. He needed to get his reputation back.

There was only one alight problem with that. The ponyhood that had stolen from him. They were quite a pain in the head, and pretty good too at evading him. He had almost captured the one called Silent Mane, but had managed to escape. Apart from the time they had tried to kill him in his sleep, he was mocked at by them at least a few times more. He was going to get rid of those ponies, no matter what it took.

Finally there was that curious pony that had thrown him the pen. He needed her captured, and provably the newspaper for which she worked for would pay a nice ransom. Yes, she was going to be captured. 

He looked at his two guards. They were two very angry-liking ponies that only looked uneasy while been beside Shadow Pony. At that he was very good, intimidating.

He smiled at all the faces that had looked at him surprised and lake when he returned to his ponyhood. He smiled when remembering that. They looked like if he was a ghost arrived to kill them all. The only one that had been actually angry at him returning was the leader of the ponyhood at the moment. Poor of him, he was no longer on his position, or he would never be in any position after all, except that one of an immobile dead pony.

Shadow Pony scanned his surroundings for any sign of trouble. Now everyone knew who he was again, and he had his old respect. Nopony dared challenge him or bother at all. He was the leader of all the ponyhoods... Except for that one he needed to get rid of. 

He was really tired also of all those newspaper articles about Lower Canterlot. They were attracting too much attention to Lower Canterlot, unnecessary attention. He was sure even the princesses now had Lower Canterlot in their heads. He couldn't think what would happen if the princesses decided to act and stop everything in Lower Canterlot. He couldn't let those newspaper articles to keep going to light. The faster he acted the better.

He made a gesture for his guards to move after him as he began walking into the dark streets of Lower Canterlot. He needed to think, and walking helped. He walked slowly, making no sound at all, like if he was simply floating like a ghost.

It was apparent even his guards were afraid of him as they stared at each other. Shadow Pony made like if he didn't noticed those scared, little filly faces his guards had when he was not looking at them.

What they didn't know was that he didn't needed to look at them at all. He saw it all.

He finally arrived by coincidence to the border between Lower Canterlot   and Higher Canterlot. He smiled as he saw the pretty buildings and the royal palace in the distance. If all his plans went as ye wanted, soon almost all Canterlot would be his. He smiled at the thought. 

Yes, he knew the dangers, especially the princesses and the elements if harmony, if by any chance the princesses used then against him, but his plan was perfect. There was no way he was going to lose, not this time.

He turned around and headed back to his hidden base. After the nasty surprise those two earth ponies had given him when they sneaked on him to murder him he bi linger slept in a known location. Only his most trusted ponies and guards knew about it. He walked around in case if any pursuers until ye arrived at the small building. Instead of going through the main door, he walked around the building and entered an alley. The guards remained behind him, now looking for any sign of trouble. Shadow Pony stopped beside a small hidden door and opened it with a key he took from his dark cloak. He made a sign for the guards to enter after him. 

He entered, closely followed by the guards. He then closed the door and locked it again. He placed the key again inside his cloak and told the guards to go away. The guards made a gesture of respect and left the room. He looked at a wooden door in front of him. He walked towards it and entered the room behind it.

It was a richly garmented room, with many books and a fireplace that lit it and warmed it. Shadow Pony sat on a desk and began to read some papers. He smiled at some and grinned at others.

Finally he stood up and walked to the fireplace. He had a protective shield that stopped anything going at him, even the heat if the fireplace. Even though he couldn't feel it, he imagined it. After so long time of not feeling his surroundings he had learned to imagine the feeling. He stared at the fire for some time.

Even at full light, the shadow enveloping him didn't left. His protective spells around him where many, and powerful. He liked not been recognizable without his cloak. It helped him move through his enemies unnoticed.

Shadow Pony stopped looking at the fireplace and walked back at his desk. He sat down and laid his head down. Finally tiredness won and he closed his eyes slowly, falling asleep eventually...








Shadow Pony



> A New Mission to the Shadows...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 8
A Mission to the Shadows…


Nimble Hoof had been publishing her stories for almost a month now. Her life had suddenly changed, being more active at night for her new "job". Her new ponyhood was very active now. Since they were technically famous in Canterlot, there where at least two stories expected per week, they needed to be active a lot.

Nimble Hoof had become famous in two personalities. Since she passed as Agile Mane on her stories so no one suspected she was actually the one in the stories, mainly for safety to herself, and also she was Nimble Hoof, writer and Journalist of "The Daily Hoof". Her two personalities had become really famous, so that there where lines of ponies out of The Daily Hoof's main building to get an autograph of her.

Since she lived mostly on the night, writing and "working" with the ponyhood, she didn't had any real problems with trying to hide much when going to Lower Canterlot, since all the ponies lived in day mostly.

She had at first tried to hide herself when moving through the streets, but now since she had learned to go through the rooftops she no longer cared for anyone following since she had become very good at running there.

Only once had she been followed. She had been going on the streets when she felt like if she was being followed. She turned around many times, but nothing happened. She was about to keep walking when a shadow passed in front of her. She didn't waited to see what was it but ran fast and climbed a building. She saw that a cloaked pony was following her. She ran through the rooftops swiftly, noticing that the cloaked pony had difficulty following her. Not after much time she had lost the pony. Since then she always looked around for trouble and never walked in the streets.

She had begun to prefer her life as Agile Mane more than Nimble Hoof in some ways, except the part that Agile Mane was enemy of many ponyhoods, and personal enemy of that one named Shadow Pony.

She had asked after the occurrence of their meeting with that mysterious pony about him. Who was him, and why had they tried to kill him? Hightip had told her that he was a legend in Lower Canterlot, and a threat to them. They had tried to get rid of him as soon as they heard he was back. She had then asked what did they mean by being back, and Silent Mane had told her that Shadow Pony had been gone for a long time. He said he was much younger when he disappeared suddenly. All ponies had been relieved about him gone, and after some time he had become only a legend.

"He's terrible news", one of the earth ponies, named Deepsqueak, said to her when they explained it all. "With him back, our allied ponyhoods will simply abandon us. We will be alone against him."

While they explained about alliances and things like that, she had already taken out her notebook. By now the other ponies had grown used to her taking her notebook. They didn't really cared at all. 

She had dedicated a whole article just to explain about how Lower Canterlot worked. Her boss had been really happy when she brought it to him. In fact, her boss had not gotten angry with her for a long time. Her stories where making the newspaper shine in a way it had never shone before. She was greeted to wherever she went in the building, and even some readers in the streets managed to recognize her. She had received some petitions to meet her from high class ponies which read her stories, which she had most of them not accepted. It was tiresome being famous.

*  * * *

"Please!" said the purple mare after several tries. Her friend, the yellow one, smiled mischievously as she shook her head once more. 

"But you know how much I'd like to! Who will you take instead?" she asked, her ears dropping. The yellow mare kept silent as she took a small sip of her coffee. 

They had been talking of a lot of things, but when they began to talk about the Lower Canterlot article, an unexpected thing had happened. The yellow mare had told her about a pair of passes she had gotten to go to a public interview with none other than Nimble Hoof the author of the stories. The purple had been so amazed that she had asked the yellow take her. The yellow had said she was taking other pony, and the purple had gotten pretty sad at such an opportunity missed.

"Please!" she begged again, but the yellow mare remained decided. The purple stood up angrily. "Then don't take me, I'll find my own way."

"Now it happens that I have to take you or else you get angry!? I can take whichever I desire, and your anger won't change my mind!" both mares stood up.

"Whatever!" the purple one said, turning around and walking away. The Yellow imitated her and both went away on their own. The waiter noticed then leaving.

"Wait! You need to pay!" he said as he hurried after them.

* * * *

"Are you sure sun Seeker? This is a very risky plan." Hightip said. She nodded.

"If what you want is to be respected above that Shadow Pony guy that is our way. I planned it carefully, nothing should go wrong." she said, decidedly.

Silent Mane intervened. "I agree with Hightip. We cannot risk ourselves that much..." Hightip smiled and nodded. "... But I also agree with Sunny" he added, using Sun Seeker's surname. "I mean, we need to stand above Shadow Pony, or else our allies will join him and abandon us. We alone cannot stand against then all." Hightip had stopped smiling and looked grim. Sun Seeker nodded.

"If I may intervene..." Deepsqueak said "...I think we need to prove the other ponyhoods what we are capable of. If we appear scared to that one pony as the rest of the ponyhoods are, they are surely going to abandon us."

The other earth pony, named Grey Stone, nodded in agreement. His knife wound caused by the Shadow Pony had cured and he was already going on missions with the rest of the ponyhood. 

Everyone looked at Nimble Hoof, who had remained silent throughout the explanations and seemed to shrink at being the main attention. She gulped and said "I believe we would he risking our lives, direly, but I also believe it is necessary. Sometime ponies need to take risks to get something important done, to achieve their goals." She looked at Hightip "believe me; I know what it is to take high risks for a goal."

Silent Mane smiled at her and nodded. Sun Seeker also smiled. Hightip nodded. "Alright. Then it’s decided. We will do it, Sun Seeker." he turned to the rest "and I hope we are not risking our lives as I believe we are."

After that, everyone began ti prepare. As the first time Nimble Hoof had gone with then, everyone took what they thought necessary; although this time she noticed that Deepsqueak was taking a knife with him. She felt a little strange seeing that. Even after all the supposedly "bad" things they had done, none had been really what you called badly. They only normally took from other ponyhoods, and never really hurt anypony, less kill one. The knife made her feel again strange, like the first time she had arrived. 

Only one time had the ponyhood attempted to actually kill a pony, and it had been the first time Nimble Hoof had gone out with them. She had never really mentioned it, except for Silent Mane. He was a really cute pony when you got to know him. He taught her everything he knew, and in exchange she took him to fancy parts of Canterlot to go to rich restaurants. He had begun to enjoy going to those, but he never admitted it to anyone. He wanted to look tough, and going to fancy restaurants was not a good thing for his image.

Nimble Hoof only prepared lightly, not carrying anything else apart from her notebook and pen. She had a newly invented system to write while on a mission. She tended to stay behind the rest if she there was a fight or a talk. She mainly wrote what was going on not with much detail, but keeping in mind who did what. If there was no fight, she normally helped to find the items they were looking for, due to her keen sight and her swift yet soundless steps. Normally sue was in with Silent Mane. Sun Seeker remained outside, relaying instructions through Hightip, who was or on top of the building or with the rest. Deepsqueak and Grey Stone normally helped as backup should something turn out wrong. They had not joined them in the last missions due to their recovery, but now they were going with them.

They all went on their own, but their destination was the same: Tue Shadow Headquarters. In the same building her first mission had happened...








"Only once had she been followed by a cloaked pony..."



> Unexpected Turns
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 9
Unexpected Turns


If it was dark, Hightip's dark sight spell didn't make it look like it. Apparently Shadow Pony was known a lot for a spell he made that turned everything dark. It made every light around him fade and he became invisible. Hightip's spell was meant to let them see if he ever made that spell. 

The plan was a simple but clever one. They were going to sneak in with big bags for all the bits that were stored in the building. Sun Seeker was going to remain outside and give instructions by Hightip, who would be reading her mind to get her instructions even though she was to remain outside. Silent Mane and Nimble Hoof where going to be on front of all, making sure nopony  was going to ambush them, while Deepsqueak  and Grey Stone walked with Hightip behind, carrying the bags.

They arrived at the rendezvous point. Silent Mane and Nimble Hoof waited for the rest. Sun Seeker arrived landing silently in front of them. They greeted each other by merely moving their heads slightly forward. Next arrived Hightip, disarming a cloaking spell he fancied when walking trying not to be followed. Finally the two earth ponies arrived. 

Sun Seeker nodded at them all and gestured for them to follow. Everyone followed her to a tunnel entrance. She stopped and looked at them. "This is the way in. No Shadow pony from the ponyhood knows about it, so you should be pretty safe until you get inside their building. Once inside, you all know the way to their vaults. Just be sure you get there unnoticed."

Hightip nodded "Then let's go." All ponies nodded and followed him inside. Nimble Hoof hesitated when all where in. She really felt a horrible feeling when thinking about that Shadow Pony.

"You can stay with me if you don't want to go in." Sun Seeker said after some moments. Nimble Hoof shook her head. She was about to talk when Sun Seeker continued "Hightip doesn't likes me to go to dangerous places, you know. He knows there's something's that I fear, and danger, even though attractive to me, it's also something I fear deeply. You don't need to be ashamed if something is too much for you, you know." 

Nimble Hoof looked down. "But I need the story..." she said, tapping her notebook inside her cloak. 

Sun Seeker smiled. "I can narrate it to you if you like. I can see everything that's going on."

Nimble Hoof smiled "Thanks." She muttered, smiling. "I've not gotten used to... You know, this life. Yes, the adventure is great, the stories I get, and don't mention the number if bits I get with both my jobs, journalist and part of the ponyhood, but still it's a lot to take in."

Sun Seeker nodded as she relayed some news to Hightip. "Change of plans. Nimble Hoof will remain behind with me and help me should something go wrong." she thought that to Hightip, who sent a comprehending feeling, through which she understood he had gotten the instructions. She had taken time to get used to the feeling technique of telling instructions. It was strange ti have only feelings of other as acknowledgements after her information. "It’s done." she told Nimble Hoof.

"Thanks." she said again.

"Don't mention it." she answered, smiling. After several seconds she giggled a bit. "How is the high society of Canterlot these days?"

Nimble Hoof was a little amused at that question, especially by the light giggle she had made. "The same as always I suppose." she looked at Sun Seeker. "If I may, why do you ask?"

Sun Seeker thought for a moment. "Mmm... Well, you see, I have not been on Lower Canterlot since I was born. I was kind of 'adapted', like you, to the ponyhood." Nimble Hoof looked at her surprised. "Yes, I was. You see, I was born to a wealthy family, a family belonging to the very Canterlot Elite."

"Then why did you come here?" Nimble Hoof asked.

Sun Seeker sighed "I was tired of them, the elite, and also the other Canterlot ponies I knew, and also, I wanted something new. My life wasn't a life at all."

Nimble Hoof thought for a moment. "I've never heard somepony in Canterlot or anywhere else in Equestria before saying they didn't wanted to belong in the Canterlot elite, less abandon it." she said, surprised.

Sun Seeker giggle again. "Well, speaking with somepony that probably is around high Canterlot ponies most of the time is probably different than actually being one." she looked at the tunnel's entrance, her smiled fading away. "It is tiresome. You have a difficult reputation to maintain, and all the other ponies... They try to win you over, or else you are a target for gossip and as soon as you know, you are no longer part of it..." she said the last in a soft and sad voice, like if she had experimented it herself.

"You... That happened to you, didn't it?" Nimble Hoof asked carefully.

Sun Seeker nodded slowly. "Not exactly to me, but to my parents. They had a small fight, one that wasn't too much or anything. The type of fights and discussions a pair normally has. The problem was that another pony heard the fight, and using that against my parents he created a huge gossip about them getting separated. They ended up having to move out of town..." at that point of the story, tears had begun to fall down her eyes. Nimble Hoof wrapped an arm around her consolably. "On the way off town, the chariot they were in made a sharp turn. It tumbled to the sides and..." She fought back her tears, but obviously this was terribly painful for her. "My parents didn't make it. They died instantly. I survived thanks to my mother, who wrapped herself around me. I was a very young filly, barely five years old. When she didn't answered to my calls after the crash... I mean, she seemed asleep. I thought she had fallen asleep... Until the doctors came. They took me away and one explained me everything slowly. I lasted some days in the hospital until an uncle of mine took me in. I ended up running off his house. I hated him, and hated all who were of that class. They were all the same, cold-hearted ponies."

Nimble Hoof nodded and hugged her tight. "I won't lie. I don't know what you feel, but I certainly can imagine."

Sun Seeker moved off Nimble Hoof gently. "thanks." she whispered. "I'd better check on the rest if the team." Nimble Hoof nodded in agreement. Sun Seeker closed her eyes and turned serious. "Where are they..." she muttered as she gasped at feeling Hightip... He was unconscious! She searched again and noticed Silent Mane; he was hurt! She then looked around but failed to see the earth ponies. No sign of Deepsqueak or Grey Stone.

"What?" Nimble Hoof asked after seeing Sun Seeker's expression turn to that of shock.

"They're... They're tied up..." she sounded surprised. "They caught them... And it's my entire fault!"

Nimble Hoof shook her head. "No, it isn't. In fact, we are still here because you were disconnected from Hightip. Should you have been there with him on his mind, probably you would have warned him but I'm sure Shadow Pony would have known about you after feeling the spell. If all they say about him is true, you are safer like this."

Sun Seeker thought for a moment. "Maybe what you say is true, but what should we do?"

Nimble Hoof shrugged. "Not sure, you are the professional at this."

Sun Seeker blushed slightly she closed her eyes and began to think. There had to be a way to rescue the rest. She only needed a plan, and an amazingly good one...







Sunny´s tale



> A Light in the Dark
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 10
A Light in the Dark


Nimble Hoof trotted soundlessly beside Sun Seeker, who was flying low, barely inches from the ground. She said that under pressure she made a lot of sound when walking. Nimble Hoof was in front, trying to hear for any sign of trouble in front, while Sun Seeker used her mind connection with Hightip to find them.

They walked in the tunnel that led to the Shadow base. Both mares tried to shake off the feeling of fear both shared. 

Both advanced into the dark building. If they didn't had the night vision spell from Hightip, they would be as blind as they could be. Still, even with their vision spell they needed to force their eyes. Nimble Hoof didn't like at all the darkness enveloping them.

"Sun, I believe maybe we should reconsider our strategy. We are on his ground, shadows. We cannot possibly escape through shadows."

Sun Seeker shook her head. "This is our only chance of rescuing them, and changing everything won't help. No, we need ti keep moving." Nimble Hoof sighed and nodded.

If there had been any light in the room, both would have seen all the riches it contained. But even though Nimble Hoof caught a glimpse or two of the precious golden artifacts, she kept walking. After all, she wants really a thief of any sort, at least not as she saw herself, never getting really involved in the thefts. So both moved on.

They passed a series of room, all surprisingly full of treasure. Apparently the bags they had brought would not have been able to take it all.

Finally Sun Seeker stopped. 

"Stop Nimble... I think we are here."

Nimble stopped and checked around. There was nothing on that room, except for... Cells! She was about to check the cells when a laughing began and a faint light covered the room. The spell of night vision had worked, to an extent, but apparently it was pretty limited to distance. They were surrounded by Shadow ponyhood ponies. All of them wore cloaks, but they were no the Shadow Pony himself, because their faces could be seen. Sun Seeker gasped in surprise, but Nimble Hoof made a neutral expression. She didn't wanted to satisfy them with her scared face.

That is when Shadow Pony arrived. All the ponies kneeled at him, like if he was some kind of important ruler of monarch... Nimble Hoof's eyebrow twitched lightly. Was he beginning to think he was some kind of god or something?

"Well, I believe it was clever if you to hide outside and wait as backup, but I had that already expected. I have been following you for a long time now. Why else would there have been such a lack of light..." the second he said light, the ponies around began to laugh and the faint light faded, leaving them all in the darkness. Hightip's spell allowed them again to see slightly. Nimble Hoof felt her heart stop when all around her dozens of tiny eyes began to shine. What?!

"As you probably noticed, my own have a special ability, granted by me. I gave it to all the faithful, not just fearful but to those who really believe..." Shadow Pony said from nowhere. He had disappeared. "As you probably guessed, my coming wasn't easy. Many thought me weak, and others were simply to in love with the power they had gotten that my arrival meant they would lose their power. I had to... Make some arrangements and now I have no problems with that, which meant I could go forward and take care of other external problems." he suddenly whispered from behind them "you..." Both mares jumped in surprise and turned around. They didn't saw him.

"Your ponyhood has been my greatest concern since my arrival. You appeared unafraid, challenging even, and when you dared try to murder me and stole that gem... I knew you were the real problem." he left himself be seen in front of them. Both mares retreated slightly.

"And then there was you..." he turned to Nimble Hoof. “ You wanting a story... Why I recommended you to come here I don't know, but apparently it was a bad idea..."

Nimble Hoof raised her head. "You recommended...?" but Shadow Pony continued without letting her speak.

"Apparently it resulted well for you, but bad for me. I am now known in Canterlot. My return is something known by all, high Canterlot and Lower Canterlot. I'm afraid that was quite a blow to my plans. In fact, such a blow that I ended up reaching a curious conclusion." he advance towards Nimble Hoof. "Show you..." immediately she was enveloped in a bubble of something dark that stopped her from seeing outside, but inside it was covered in light. Shadow Pony was there before her. He no longer looked that threatening on the light.

"A conclusion that I was going to show you the real face of Shadow Pony..." he slowly took off his hood. Nimble Hoof gasped, because in front of her none other than his friend, Day, stood.

"D... Day?" she asked, dumbstruck. 

"Hello Nimble Hoof. It is good to finally meet you as me in reality." his voice was no longer the threatening voice of Shadow Pony, but rather the warm, soft voice of his friend Day... His best friend Day.

"W...Why Day? Is it really you?" she asked, approaching him slowly with a concerned face. "Why?"

He also walked towards her until they were standing inches apart. "Because I can't stand a second with those high Canterlotians. If there is something I despise, Nimble, is those selfish ponies who think the world is theirs just because they have the bits to stand over others." he looked angry now. "I do this for them. For those who need to fight to get what they deserve! Who is more worthy, if not the ones that have to fight for their food of each day?!" he was now shouting. Nimble Hoof shook her head. 

"You can get killed..." she whispered, loud enough for Day to hear her.

He stopped and smiled. "Yes, those are the risks of the job and..."

"And also you kill." Nimble Hoof had tears in her eyes. "You have killed! How could you do such a thing? No pony ever does that!?" she was shaking as she slowly lay down in the floor, sobbing. "This isn't a world for us, for ponies like us. We aren't meant to see this, and that is why no newspaper writes of this. This is a dark and corrupt world. A world that shall remain hidden!"

Day had stopped smiling. He looked... Confused. He shook his head. "I do it all because it's necessary... no. Don't cry Nimble, Please. Stop." he kneeled beside Nimble and touched her forehead with his.

"Stop!" she said, pushing herself up. She looked angry, and her voice was strong and hard. She had never before spoken like that before. Day looked at her surprised. "I won't hear anything from you ever again, and from now on, unless you stop your ways of... Of killing! I thought I knew you Day, but now I know I didn't." her last statement crashed against Day like a dagger through the heart. He stopped breathing for some seconds, until his face turned dark and the light began to fade. 

"How funny that my real name is day... My parents told me that because my eyes looked like the sun. I'm afraid that is not who I am. I like darkness, I like cold..." the hood slowly placed itself on top of his head. Soon, he was no more Day her friend, but instead Shadow Pony. "I care for you, Nimble, but I am afraid that caring for you will be my doom." A knife slowly rose from his cloak enveloped in a dark glow. "So I am afraid this must be done."

Just as he was about to throw her the knife, Sun Seeker threw herself through the bubble of darkness and tackled Shadow Pony. Nimble Hoof took some time to react as Sun Seeker joined her side. Shadow Pony stood up fast and glared angrily at them.

"You dare challenge me, Pegasus?!" he said threatening. "I can defeat you on the blink of an eye."

Sun Seeker seemed taken aback but soon she got better. "Yes? You... You and which army?!" she asked, sounding clever.

Shadow Pony laughed as the bubble around them faded and the room outside was revealed. The darkness in the room also faded, revealing the whole room... full with the assistants of Shadow Pony. 

"This army..." shadow Pony said as Sun Seeker gulped and looked smaller suddenly. Nimble Hoof noticed the cells... They were empty, and one had its door open. She caught a glimpse of some movement behind the shadow ponies. She smiled slightly, trying not to be seen as she saw Silent Mane wink an eye at her. She nodded.

"We are not scared, Shadow." she said, with a very convincing voice.

"We... We aren't?" Sun Seeker said, surprised.

"No, we aren't" Nimble Hoof said, looking straight at the shadow enveloping Shadow Pony's face. She still felt strange when looming at nothing, but she now knew what lay behind that mask: a pony she used to know.

Just when Shadow Pony was about to say something, a huge explosion sounded and the whole building shook. Nimble Hoof saw Hightip throwing magic blasts at the building through a window. Shadow Pony was suddenly tackled from behind by Silent Mane, who quickly punched him in the head. The hood acted as a shield, making Silent Mane go flying back against a wall. 

Nimble Hoof then noticed Deepsqueak fighting with some of the shadow ponies, along with Grey Stone. Shadow Pony was still trying to stand up.

Soon the group was together as Hightip ran into the room. The five ponies prepared to escape, as the five of them ran out of the room and away from Day, the Shadow Pony...









Nimble and Day









Nimble and Sunny against Day and shadow ponies



> Escape
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 11
Escape


Shadow Pony watched as the five most annoying ponies he had ever met escaped the room. He shouted angrily, as he threw a magic blast against a stone pillar, making it collapse immediately. He felt... Mainly frustrated. He had hoped Nimble Hoof would join her, help him instead of them! But apparently his calculations had been wrong. She had opted for the other. Day was sad adv frustrated, but mostly sad, while Shadow was angry and also frustrated. He had been bested, and that wasn't good if he was to rule Equestria someday. He needed to be more clever than his enemies. Much more clever.

"Get them." he growled as the immobile cloaked ponies slowly rose from the ground and snapped out of the shock of what had happened. "Now!" he shouted. All the ponies ran fast after them.

* * * *

Nimble Hoof felt her initial adrenaline fade away as she began to feel fear and be scared again. They where running away from Day, her best friend, and now her worst enemy. She was still trying to assess all the new information as she ran at the head if the ponies. After her was Silent Mane and then Sun Seeker. After her where the other tree, with Hightip throwing blasts of energy to brake down the doors and stop their pursuers.

It was dark, but surprisingly Hightip's spell was still working so they had no trouble running. Sun Seeker stopped "Wait!" she shouted.  All stopped. "We need to jump off this window." she said pointing at a window on her right. Silent Mane nodded as he broke the window and looked down. 

"It's a long way down..." he muttered. Sun Seeker shrugged. 

"You know, we could always go through the front door." she said, half teasing Silent Mane. The stallion groaned as he jumped down. He landed atop a pile of hay, softening his fall. When he got out of the hay he looked up ate the window.

"Its safe!" he shouted. The ponies exchanged worried glances between each other before each one jumped. First Hightip, then Grey Stone, then Deepsqueak, leaving Sun Seeker and Nimble Hoof alone. 

"Jump, I can fly after you." Sun Seeker said to Nimble Hoof. Nimble Hoof nodded and looked down. It was a long fall. She gulped and Sun Seeker noticed her scared face. "Come on, it's not that long a fall. I'm certain nothing will go wrong." Nimble Hoof nodded again and slowly climbed out of the window. When her whole body was outside she jumped. She shouted as she fell, but stopped after falling on top of the hay stack. She got out trying to shake off all the pieces of hay that were still on her. Silent Mane helped her get out and then all looked as Sun Seeker jumped and unfurled her wings. Seconds after that, a sound of hoofsteps was heard inside.

"They escaped." a voice said. "we've got to tall him..." said a second. 

The four ponies stayed no longer in there. They broke into full gallop before the shadow ponies inside noticed anything. It took them not more than a few minutes to finally return to their base, but they were tired after the sprint they had done. Nimble Hoof laid down in the floor exhausted as the other ponies also struggled to stay on their feet. A minute later, Sun Seeker arrived. 

“Great… job… back there, miss Hoof.” Hightip said. Nimble Hoof blushed slightly. Silent Mane nodded.

“Yes Nimble, that was really brave.” He said. Nimble Hoof blushed even more. Sun Seeker smiled. Deepsqueak and Grey Stone nodded together, making Nimble Hoof blush even more. 

“Well, Nimble, I believe you look redder than a tomato!” Sun Seeker said laughing slightly. Soon, all the rest were laughing, including Nimble. Nimble Hoof finished laughing first because she was still short of air after the sprint. Silent Mane was next, but just because he couldn´t laugh more. Finally all stopped. 

Hightip shook his head slightly, still smiling. “Well, I guess we all need a good night´s rest. Great job everypony; and Miss Nimble…” Nimble Hoof looked at him. “…make sure this story hits records.” All the ponies around clapped. Nimble Hoof nodded. 

“I better get back to my house, I believe I have a lot of writing to do.” Hightip nodded. 

“Of course, of course… Silent, would you mind escorting Miss Nimble Hoof to her home, I don´t want to risk her after tonight.” Hightip said. Silent Mane nodded.

“I thought you thought I was already prepared for everything after what just happened.” Nimble Hoof said, trying to sound hurt by the proposal Hightip made, but her smile made it just pointless. 

“That may be, but Shadow Pony… He isn´t one you want to meet on your own, in the dark alleys of Lower Canterlot.” He said, turning serious. “This might have proven that you are ready to belong to Lower Canterlot, but it does not make it any safer. Silent Mane will escort you.” Nimble Hoof nodded.

Silent Mane smiled at her. “We better get going then. I think we both want to get some rest.” Nimble Hoof nodded, yawning. Everypony left the room slowly, going to sleep. Hightip nodded at them as he walked away too, leaving Sun Seeker, Nimble Hoof and Silent Mane alone. 

“I´d like to go with you.” Sun Seeker said suddenly. Both ponies looked at her surprised.

“But I thought you wanted some rest?” Silent Mane said.

“Yes, I do, but I really want to see Canterlot… er, I mean, the High Canterlot.” She looked down. “I´ve not seen it in a very long time.”

Silent Mane was about to say no when Nimble Hoof interrupted. “Of course you can come with us Sunny.” Silent Mane eyes her quickly, but soon nodded, defeated. 

“Argh, alright, you can come, but don´t slow us down and no flying.”

Sun Seeker smiled. “Thanks!” she said excitedly. She then realized she had shouted. She blushed. “Sorry.”

Silent Mane shook his head and walked outside, opening the door. “If you two, would like to move one I believe we will all be on our beds faster.” Both mares walked outside and followed Silent Mane…








Escape



> Upper Canterlot
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 12
Upper Canterot


Nimble Hoof, Silent Mane and Sun Seeker walked silently through the dark streets of Lower Canterlot. In comparison to the whole city, Lower Canterlot was really small, but when you were inside it felt really big. Only when Nimble Hoof was on The Daily Hoof´s tower did she appreciated the size of Lower Canterlot. It was like one eight of the whole Canterlot, which really was pretty big, but still it wasn´t to most. 

Sun Seeker smiled as the dark streets began to illuminate with golden lamps on the sidewalks; the first sign that they had left Lower Canterlot behind. Nimble Hoof relaxed, as she also noticed Silent Mane did. Sun Seeker was too distracted eying everything around that she obviously didn´t cared they had left Lower Canterlot in safety precautions. She looked pretty happy, which made Nimble Hoof smile and wonder how long had she been in Lower Canterlot…

The three ponies walked alongside each other. Sun Seeker finally stopped looking around like if it was a parade or something and she settled beside them. Nimble Hoof saw the Daily Hoof´s tower getting closer, and she could see the palace now. In Lower Canterlot the palace was hidden by the tall decaying buildings, unless you walked in the rooftops.

Nimble Hoof turned from the main street into the small street her house was in. It was a flat on a second floor with a door to the street that turned into a staircase once inside. She unlocked the house and entered, followed by the other two. Sun Seeker walked uneasily, for some strange reason, while Silent Mane only moved casually, him having been there many time before now. 

Finally they finished the stairs and entered a small room with a window to the street, a sofa and a table with many papers. There was an old typing machine and many books in bookshelves, not really ordered neatly. 

“You sure you want to go back to sleep at Lower Canterlot? I mean, you could sleep here tonight so you don´t need to walk more.” Nimble Hoof offered to both. Silent Mane was the only one that answered; Sun Seeker was too busy checking the little flat. 

“I don´t think it will be a good idea, I mean… I only go into your Canterlot at night. I don´t feel safe in the day.” He answered.

Nimble Hoof sighed. “You know, not everything is danger and problems around. You should stop worrying for a second!” She pushed him gently. Silent Mane closed his eyes and sighed. 

“Alright, but just this once, and you´ll need to wake me before daylight.” Nimble Hoof nodded, though Silent Mane knew something was going to happen in the morning.

Sun Seeker seemed to snap off her curious trance. “I´d love to! Why don´t you show me Canterlot tomorrow!?” She asked excitedly. Nimble Hoof smiled at Silent Mane, who seemed to dislike Sun Seeker´s enthusiasm to visit High Canterlot.

“Sure Sunny!” I´ll take you around, and maybe even to The Daily Hoof´s tower.” Sun Seeker smiled even more, but then she seemed to remember that, all of them, where tired. She yawned.

“Where do I sleep Nimble?” She asked.

Nimble Hoof looked around. The only room with a bed was her own… “Well, I´ve only got the sofa…”

She nodded. “The sofa will be just fine but… Where will Silent Mane sleep?”

Silent Mane answered the question himself. “I know where she had all her pillows and blankets. I´ll sleep on the floor with them and I´ll even feel like sleeping on a cloud.” Sun Seeker laughed at that. “What´s so funny?”

“Someday I´ll take you to sleep on a cloud, and you´ll know it isn´t at all like that.” Nimble laughed.

Silent Mane groaned and went for the blankets. Nimble Hoof walked to her room, but before entering, she stopped and walked towards Sun Seeker. “Do not wake him up before the sun is up…” she whispered in her ear. “I want to show him Canterlot along with you.” Sun Seeker nodded mischievously. 

“Alright, I won´t.” Both mares exchanged playful glances as each went to sleep. Nimble walked to her room and closed the door behind her. She heard Silent Mane say “wake me up before the sun´s up.” Nimble smiled again as she laid down in her soft bed, her mind filling with all the events of that day…

* * * *

Silent Mane woke slowly. He opened his eyes as the first rays of sunlight entered through the window at Nimble´s House. He yawned slightly and rose slowly. Sun Seeker was still asleep, which made Silent Mane yawn again. That´s when realization struck him. It was morning, the sun was up, he was in Nimble´s House… He had taken more sleep than what he intended to!

Just then he heard Nimble´s room door open.

“Hey Silent…” Nimble said still sounding sleepy. “How was your night?”

Silent looked at her friend. “You said you were going to wake me before the sun was up.” Nimble Hoof opened her eyes wide and moved her hoof to her mouth. 

“Did I? I might have forgotten.” Silent Noticed a little laughter on her voice. “I know you made it on purpose. Why?”

Sun Seeker had just risen from the sofa. “Because she wants to show you the city in day. You´ll be coming with us!” She said happily.

Silent Mane groaned. “Yes, I know she wants to.” He eyed Nimble a little angrily. Nimble smiled.

“Come on Silent! It´ll be fun! We three, in the streets of Canterlot, you know.” Silent still shook his head. “Oh, come on! You´re already here, what do you got to lose?”

Silent sighed defeated. “Alright, I´ll go with you. But if I don´t like it, I´ll return to your house immediately.” Both Sun Seeker and Nimble smiled. 

“Yes! You´re coming!” Sun said. Silent sighed.

“I guess you all want to have breakfast, yes? I have a perfect place for that.” Sun nodded enthusiastically. Silent groaned. 

“Fine…” he muttered.

“Then follow me everypony, it´s just around the block.” She walked to the stairs leading to the door. Sun walked happily behind her. Silent Mane groaned again as he followed the two happy mares outside. 

Sun Seeker followed Nimble through the busy morning in the capital of Equestria. Silent Mane followed close nehind, keeping his head low at all the ponies of the big city. He really felt uncomfortable within so many ponies, as he had never walked in a busy street before. He almost crashed into some pony with a curious –looking hat, which got really angry but kept walking without stopping. Silent Mane was beginning to regret having come out.

“Here we are.” Nimble Hoof said finally. “It´s a cafe, and it is run by a mare I met once making an article of… Well, I don´t quite remember what it was about, but she was more than happy to help me for whatever it was about.” Sun nodded, but Silent Mane kept looking down.

Nimble guided them inside. A dark orange unicorn with light blue and white mane and a tree as a cutie mark was inside, attending a table. When she turned around to the newcomers she smile warmly and walked over to them. 

“Welcome! A table or three I…” She looked at Nimble Hoof. “Oh! But by sweet Celestia! It´s you, Nimble Hoof! I never expected you to return to my humble cafe after you became famous and all that. You still remember when I helped you, right?”

Nimble smiled. “Of course Serena. I remember it perfectly. Sorry for not coming lately, I´ve been rather busy you know, writing.” The orange mare smiled and nodded. 

“Of course, of course my dear. Now, Should I guide you to your seats?” she said as she led them inside the cafe. They sat on a table beside the window, and as soon as they were all seated Serena gave them the menus. Sun eyes the menu rapidly and she had selected what she wanted in less than a minute. Nimble Hoof took longer. Meanwhile, Serena went for some drinks. When she arrived, she took their order.

“Mmm… I´d like the butter pancakes, please.” Sun Seeker said. Serena wrote it down holding the little notebook she had with her magic. She turned to Nimble.

“To me your carrot sandwich.” She said. “And the strawberries also please.” She nodded and wrote it down. She then looked at Silent Mane.

“What can I get for you sir?” She asked.

Silent Mane looked at the menu and then at Serena. Still, something about that unicorn unsettled her. He looked back at the menu. He finally spoke.

“Please give me the apple pie.” He looked fast at Serena.

“Apple pie…” Serena whispered as she wrote it. “Alright! I´ll get your plates in a sec.” She walked away into the kitchen.

Silent Mane eyes her suspiciously.

“What is it Silent? Is something wrong?” Nimble asked when she noticed her friend acting strangely. Silent didn´t answered immediately. He moved closer to Nimble Hoof and whispered.

“I don´t know, but there is something with that unicorn that unsettles me. You know, like when I feel something´s not right. That unicorn… I don´t know, she feels strange.” Nimble laughed slightly.

“Really Silent, you should stop being so paranoid. Look at Sunny for example. She´s really enjoying herself.” Sun Seeker was looking out the window watching every pony that passed beside the cafe. Silent groaned again. “But whatever you want; I know there´s nothing wrong with Serena Skye.” Silent Mane looked at her confused.

“You know her full name?” he asked.

“Of course!” She said. Right then their food arrived.

“Alright my dear, here´s your food. I tell you one of the best in Canterlot!” Serena said proudly as she laid their plates in front of them. Sun Seeker immediately began to eat hers. Nimble waited a little as she saw Silent Mane eye his plate suspiciously.

“Come on Silent! It is not going to bite you!” she laughed. She then began eating hers.

Silent Mane looked at her plate and slowly ate a small piece of his pie. He ate it slowly. It was delicious! He slowly took another piece, and then another, and another… Before he knew it he had already ate it completely and finished before even Sun Seeker. Bothe mares stared at him smiling as he slowly looked at them. He then realized he had eaten it really fast. He blushed slightly. 

Sun Seeker finished hers a minute later and they needed to wait for Nimble to finish hers. Finally Nimble ordered the check. Serena quickly arrived with it and Nimble payed her. 

“Remember to come back!” Serena Skye said happily as the three left the cafe. Silent seemed in a better mood.

“Where now?” Sun Seeker asked. Nimble thought for a moment.

“What would you say visit the main street and go watch a movie later?” Sun Seeker smiled and nodded.

“Yes!”

Silent Mane nodded, smiling slightly. “Alright, let´s do it.” Nimble Hoof smiled as they walked together down main road looking at all the stores.

Many hours passed with them looking from store to store, not buying anything at all but only looking around. Sun Seeker did bought a small cloak like Nimble´s.

“I saw yours and well… I think it´ll be really handful!” she said when she told them she was going to buy it. The cloak was a dark blue that shone slightly. It had been made by a designer that wasn’t from Canterlot, but from a small town called Ponyville, named Rarity or something like that. Apparently she had become rather famous in Canterlot and her design of that cloak had been sold to the owner of the store Sun had bought it.

The thanked the owner of the store for the information and left. Sun really loved her cloak and was wearing it. Nimble looked around and she saw the theater.

“I guess we could go watch a movie now. I´m not sure which are right now but I´m sure we´ll find a good one.” Nimble said as she led them inside the theater. There were a couple of interesting looking movies. They ended up going to one about suspense.

While Silent Mane really enjoyed the movie, the two mares happened to be all the movie covering their eyes and shouting when something happened. The movie ended and they left the Theater. It was turning dark, yet the three were really enjoying their visit in Canterlot. Silent Mane was laughing at Nimble and Sun´s face at the movie while the two mares laughed with him. The three decided to end the day going to the palace and watch the moonrise.

The went to a small empty tower and saw as the princess of the day lowered the sun and the princess of the night brought the moon. SO farm it had been a great day. 

Silent Mane smiled and laughed slightly.

“What?” Nimble asked, also laughind slightly.

“Nothing.” Silent said, but still he began to laugh harder. Sun Seeker soon joined in and the three were now laughing together. Silent Mane was the first to stop for lack of breath, and Nimble and Sun soon also ran out of breath too.

“We better get going Sunny. Hightip will want to know about use by now.” Silent said. Sun Seeker nodded, her ears dropping. “Nimble thanks for the awesome day. I have never enjoyed myself so much in a long time.” He said, smiling.

“No problem Silent, whenever you want.” Nimble said.

“Thanks Nimble.” Sun said.

Nimble walked down into the dark sand empty street. “You´re coming down when?” Silent asked.

“I guess when I finish my new story and… When I deal with something important.” Silent obviously wanted to ask her what important thing, but he saw that Nimble’s face had suddenly stopped smiling.

“Okay Nimble. We´ll be waiting for you. Be safe.” He reminded her as the two ponies left Nimble Alone in the street. She saw Sun Seeker take flight and Silent mane run to the nearest building and climb it, rapidly disappearing in the rooftops…








Walking in Canterlot










At Serena´s Café



> A lot to take in...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 13
A lot to take in...


Nimble Hoof walked around her room restlessly. Her new story laid in her desk already finished, but something else troubled her. She couldn´t think straight at the moment, especially after just writing it. Maybe she should change the story so as not to reveal that Day was Shadow Pony?

She groaned as she stopped and sat in front of the papers. She had made this one a longer story compared the other ones, but still it was much more interesting from the point of view of the reader. She knew her boss would be really pleased with her, but she wasn´t sure she should publish that story. Why? It was just publicly say that Day, her best friend, was also now her worst enemy. Nobody knew that she and Day where friends, not even the ponyhood, but still a revelation about Day being Shadow Pony… She shook her head as she took the last page of the writing and ripped it. She then threw it into the trashcan.

Maybe she was a writer, supposed to give the readers something worth reading, and the truth, but sometimes truth must be hidden, right? She moved the typewriter closer and began writing the last page again, omitting all her experience speaking with Day, and also the revelation. It was something unnecessary, or so she believed. It could be taken out, and it would keep all her own feelings and troubles a secret. She didn´t wanted to reveal any of that.

After a couple of minutes of writing, she stopped and looked at her work. The new last page fitted the story nicely, looking the story from the point of view of a pony out of the Shadow shield Day had conjured around himself and Nimble. She then changed the motives, making it sound like if he wanted to kill whoever was inside it, and after that she wrote about Sun Seeker jumping inside. She said nothing about what happened inside, still making the story look really good. This time she smiled at her work. It was perfect. It hid her experience, and above all her feelings.

She took it and walked out of her apartment. She locked the door and walked into the busy streets of Canterlot. She walked towards The Daily Hoof´s building. She walked into the building and to her boss´s office. She stopped and knocked. 

“Come in!” said that rough and kind of weird-sounding voice of the Pegasus. She walked in. “Oh but it isn´t my favorite writer!” He said, obviously with a bubblegum on his mouth. “Come in, come in. What do you have for me today?” He asked. Nimble Hoof approached him and passed him the papers. The Pegasus read it slowly and carefully. Nimble Hoof sat down and looked around the office. It was now full of newspapers, most of them with her story in the cover. She sighed. Her boss was pretty strange, now that she thought of it. Just like three months ago he had been ready to fire her!”

“Nimble Hoof, so far your best.” The Pegasus congratulated. “I mean, all the action! It will keep the readers hooked up ´till the end! Wait until we launch the next newspaper and you´ll see. In fact, there are many ponies wanting to meet you personally. Of course I told them that you were a busy pony and that you didn´t had time for them.” Nimble Hoof stared at him blankly.

“Meet me, sir?” She asked slowly.

“Yes, you´ve got a lot of fans, you know. It´s amazing, really.” He placed the papers beside him and looked at Nimble Hoof. “But this is nothing important at the moment. What we should discuss is who your contact is in Lower Canterlot. It´s been intriguing our readers, but above all, it makes me curious all the secrecy, even to me, your boss.”

Nimble Hoof paled. He really wanted to know. Terrible consequences could happen if they knew she was Agile Mane, which was the name she used for herself in the stories so as not reveal herself in them. She thought of it as a precaution, and a very important one. If everypony knew she was Agile Mane, they´d be storming her house to meet her, but above all, her enemies would know where to find her. That made her shake slightly.

“Sir?” She said, her voice shaking slightly. “I am afraid I can´t tell you that.” The Pegasus shook his head disapprovingly. He stood up and looked to the window.

“What am I seeing, Miss. Hoof?” He asked after several seconds.

Nimble Hoof looked out of the window. “Canterlot, sir?” She said more in a question than answering his question. She remembered their first talk before she became the author of her stories of Lower Canterlot and when he was about to fire her.

“Indeed, Canterlot. A beautiful city, isn´t it? Well, you see, we are The Daily Hoof, which means we give this city their daily news. If they want it, we give it, right?” He said in a calmed voice.

“I suppose, sir.” Nimble said.

“Then, if you agree with me on that, why you refuse to tell me what all of Canterlot is asking right now?” He turned around. “Who is this Agile Mane?”

Nimble looked at her boss. He suddenly looked no longer like the old, bubblegum addict Pegasus, but like a threatening big Pegasus. “Sir, I said I won´t tell no matter how much you ask.”

He approached her slowly. “I can fire you.”

That struck Nimble Hoof hard. She looked surprised at her boss. “What!?”

The Pegasus laughed and sat down again, his friendly smile returning to his face, well, if it could be called friendly. “I am just kidding Miss. Hoof. You are free to go, but when you feel ready to tell me that information, please do.”

Nimble nodded and hurried out of the room, and as she closed the door she sighed and walked shakily to the elevator. She pressed the button and the elevator began taking her down.

She was shaking a little less as the elevator opened the doors, allowing her to go to the main lobby. There she walked out of the building and straight to her house. She stopped as she suddenly felt herself weak. Really, that question had made such an impression her? She couldn´t believe it, even her breath was short. She looked around and saw the cafe where she had taken Silent and Sunny. She walked towards it and entered.

Slowly, the sky had begun to turn dark with clouds and as she entered the restaurant heavy rain was falling, complete with thunder and all. 

She looked around the building. It was almost completely empty, except for two earth ponies talking low on the other side. She then saw Serena walking towards her.

“My dear Nimble! What a surprise seeing you here on this weather.” She smiled widely and stopped in front of her.

“Oh, hello Serena, Yeah, mild weather, isn´t it?” She smiled also, but still she was still trying to get off the feeling of danger after the question her boss had asked her. “I was going to my house and in the way I thought it would be good to pass by and have a nice cup of warm coffee.” She thought of the coffee and felt warm inside. Yes, a cup of coffee was what she needed.

“Well, of course my dear.” Serena said. “Seat where you please and I´ll have one prepared for you in a sec.” She ran to the kitchen, getting out of her sight. Nimble walked to a table with two chairs and sat down. Outside a window, the rain fell very soundly making her gloomy thoughts turn darker. She needed something to cheer herself up. She thought again in the cup of Coffee and smiled. Yes, that would really do.

Serena approached her with two cups. She smiled and sat down in the table with her.  “Here, drink it.” She said smiling as she passed her the cup. Nimble Hoof smiled and drank some little. “How have you been Nimble? You seem terrible!” She exclaimed.

Nimble nodded. “Yes, my boss asked me something I really couldn´t answer, and I don´t know why I suddenly felt so pressured by that question. I say, my heart´s beating like if I had run a mareathon!” Serena nodded as she drank from her own coffee.

Serena nodded. Her smiled had faded slowly, but still she had the same nice expression in her face. “I see. Does it happen to you a lot?”

Nimble laughed slightly. “No, never before.”

Serena nodded as she drank some of her own coffee. “Well, maybe if you didn´t put so much pressure on yourself it won´t happen again.” She reassured. Lighting fell, lighting the café with a mysterious light. Nimble jumped and yelped in surprise. 

She looked at Serena and saw her laugh slightly. “Sorry, as I said, I´m a little shaken up.”

Serena nodded. “Don´t be. I know what it is to be scared for something as silly as a question. I´m sure that is something very dear to you, isn´t it, the answer to the question he asked?” She took some of her coffee. “Was it about your stories?”

Nimble Nodded. “Yes, he wanted to know something about my contact in Lower Canterlot. I told him I couldn´t tell him that.”

Serena nodded, looking away. “I see…” She took some more coffee. “Well my dear, I need to attend to my other clients. Don´t worry about paying for that coffee, consider it a gift, from a friend to another.” She smiled warmly and walked away. Nimble smiled.

“Thanks!” She said as she drank some more coffee.  Suddenly she no longer felt scared or shaken anymore. She smiled and walked out of the café. The rain was still falling, but she didn´t minded. After that talk with Serena Skye she no longer felt what she had felt with her boss. 

She slowly walked to her house, but what she didn´t noticed was a dark shadow walking behind her, following her footsteps. She stopped at her door and opened it, locking it right after her. As she walked up the stairs and into her living room, a faint dark magic aura surrounded the door´s lock, clicking open.

Nimble Hoof sat at her sofa and closed her eyes. She smiled and laughed slightly. How had she been so scared about that silly question? Really, it had just been a simple question and by her boss, who couldn´t force it out of her. She relaxed and breathed slowly.

Suddenly, the room turned cold. She shivered and opened her eyes. Everything was dark. She jumped off the sofa and retreated to a side of the room, looking around. Only one pony could do such a darkness cloaking spell, none other than…

“Hello Nimble.” Shadow said. Nimble shivered as her ears dropped down and she began to shake in fear.

“D… Day?” she said shakily.

“Day… Well, could be Day, yes, but I am not him at the moment. You see, when someone has two personalities he really takes it serious on which he is acting at the moment. I thought you knew, being Nimble and Agile at the same time.” Nimble opened her eyes wide. Why had that question followed her all the day!? She was really tired of that.

“I am Nimble, Agile is only to make the readers more interested. Using my real name, Nimble, would not be as interesting.” She said, trying to sound sure of herself.

“Has anyone ever told you that you are a terrible liar?” Shadow said, dispersing the shadows revealing himself. He was standing a few feet from her, her dark and expressionless face staring right at her. He pulled back his hood, showing his face.

“Day.” She repeated.

“Yes, now I am day. It´s very interesting to switch personalities, you know. I take a lot of pleasure in it.” He advanced slowly at her. “I give you another chance, Nimble. See your friends and then see me. I ave the power, they don´t. Imagine what stories you would get by joining me! I told you about Lower Canterlot, now think: What else I can tell you? I have the secrets of Canterlot with me. I know them all, some not even the princesses know it. Imagine that!” 

Nimble stared at his eyes. She didn´t fell scared anymore, but his friend Day was really different. His old friend Day, who couldn’t defend himself at Lower Canterlot when he had showed her the way… She could not look at him the same way.

“Day… I´m sorry, but you are not the Day I knew about. You are… different.” She stopped and looked at his dark eyes; If one thing revealed his Shadow Pony where his eyes. Dark as a shadow indeed they were.

Day stopped advancing and looked at himself. “Really, am I that different?” He asked. “You know, I was Shadow since the moment I was born. My parents… they were from Lower Canterlot, you know. Only that they didn´t liked it there.” He looked at her eyes. “I didn´t knew who I was until I met the shadow Ponyhood. I learned who I was there. My powers are unique. Nobody except a mystical Alicorn of the times of old can do that. That is why I am the leader now. No one except me had this gift. Immediately shadow enveloped them, only letting Nimble see Shadow, and nothing else.

Nimble looked at his friend. “I can´t Day. I…” She stopped. She was seeing her old friend, but she no longer felt the anger she had felt at the mission they had made when she had rescued her friends and first found that Day was Shadow. She stared at his eyes. It was confusing, to know that his best friend was her worst enemy at the same time.

Day approached Nimble until they were but a few inches apart. He nodded. “I know you can’t´ Nimble but…” He closed his eyes and opened them again. “Nimble, I…” He stopped. Nimble was confused. What did he wanted to tell her? She was going to speak when Day kissed her. She opened her eyes wide, but she didn´t stopped him. After several seconds, Day stopped and took a step back, breaking their contact. 

“I love you Nimble. I have looked at you since we first met, and I don´t want a simple thing like this separating us.” He looked at Nimble, who looked shocked by what had just happened.

“Day, I…” She didn´t knew what to say. What was going on! First, he had tried to kill her, then now he had kissed her? She was going to say something when Day placed his hoof on her mouth, stopping her. 

“I know Nimble. I just… Maybe we haven´t seen each other a lot, but…”

“I´m sorry Day.” Nimble said, cutting him off. Day looked at her, surprised. “I mean, thanks for that, but… I don´t know you anymore you know. You are not Day anymore.” Day looked at her, pained. His face turned then expressionless. “Day, I´m really sorry.”

Day placed the hood back on, his face disappearing in the shadow once more. “Well Nimble, I had to try. He walked to the door but stopped. “You have chosen your fate, Nimble. I have given you a chance, now you have wasted it another time. The next time we meet again it will be different…” His voice turned back to Day´s. “I´ll miss you Nimble, be sure of that.” He turned around to face Nimble. Shadow enveloped him and he disappeared as the shadow dispersed. Nimble Stood there, shocked at what had just happened. 

She fell to the sofa again, this time she was not feeling calm, but the contrary, even more troubled. She looked at where Day had stood for the last time before disappearing. Had that really happened?

She looked at her typewriter, then around her house. She was a writer, but now she was even more. She was part of a Ponyhood. She was Nimble Hoof, Agile Mane, who wrote stories for the Daily Hoof, but also worked to help his friends. She thought of Silent Mane and Sunny. They were his real friends. Day had chosen the wrong way, and was now a threat. He was endangering everypony, but above all he was endangering his friends. She looked at her cloak that was hanging beside her stairs leading to the street. She stood up, grabbed a pen and a notebook and went for the cloak. She put it on, placing both items inside. She then ran down the stairs and went outside. The moon was now shining high above the night sky. 

She breathed the sweet, cold night air ad she raced to the nearest building, climbing it and running to Lower Canterlot, to her real friends. She was going to stay with them now, only going to Upper Canterlot to write her stories and give them to The Daily Hoof. Her life was never going to be the same, not anymore. She was Nimble Hoof, and she was going to be what she loved to do: Help her friends in their fight against Shadow Pony, and she was going to do everything in her power to help them stop him.

She smiled as she saw Lower Canterlot. She then located her Ponyhood´s building and ran towards it. After s minute of constant running she arrived, stopping as she dropped from the rooftops into the streets, landing softly with a somersault and stopping in front. She walked to the door and knocked. She waited for several seconds, then minutes, yet no one opened. She knocked again, and still nothing stirred inside. She then opened the door and walked in. It was dark and there was no sign of the ponies. 

She then heard a soft cry. She then ran to where she heard the cry and saw Sun Seeker on the floor of a room, curled up into a ball.

“Sunny, what is it?” She asked. Sun Seeker cried when she heard her voice.

“Get off me!” She exclaimed.

“Sunny, it´s me, Nimble.” She said. Sun Seeker opened her eyes.

“Nimble, it´s you…” She closed her eyes. That´s when Nimble noticed the deep cut that ran from her belly to almost reaching her neck.

“Sunny! What happened?!” Nimble Exclaimed, seeing her hooves suddenly covered in dark blood.

“He… attacked.” She said. Nimble Pressed her hooves against the wound, trying to find anything to cover it with. She saw nothing, so she took off her cloak and ripped it, using it as a bandage. She made sure all the wound was aovered when she looked at Sun Seeker´s eyes. 

“Who?” She asked to Sun Seeker.

Sun looked at her. “Shadow… pony. He tried to capture us, but I resisted. He… he threw me a knife…” Nimble looked around and sure enough, there was a knife resting not far from where they were seated. “They are… captured… need our help…” Sun Seeker said weakly.

“Yes, they do. Now, stop speaking. I need to take you to somewhere safe. Please, stay calm. You´re going to be alright.” Nimble took her gently up as she raced as fast as she dared with Sun Seeker in her arms, wondering what had happened as she was gone…







"Who is Agile Mane?"










Talking with Serena










Day and Nimble










"Sunny! What happened?"



> Answers, guesses and more questions
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 14


Answers and guesses and more questions


Nimble Hoof ran fast with Sun Seeker in her back groaning in pain. She needed to take her somewhere, but where? She stopped and looked around. They were no longer in Lower Canterlot, yet Nimble didn´t felt safe. She ran fast, trying to find a place where she could leave Sun Seeker. She could hear her breath slowing and her heart beating less. It was only matter of time before… No, she couldn´t think of that. 

She noticed she was almost at her house. The hospital was too far away, she would never make it there, and there was no one… Wait. She looked to the café of Serena. She was the only pony she knew of around. She ran to the café.

It was closed and there no light, except one coming from a window on the second floor. She ran to the door and knocked. She heard hoofsteps in the room up and saw Serena look down from her window. She saw her expression surprise and as she quickly went away from the window. Lights in the kitchen turned on and Serena, who was wearing a night gown walked to the restaurant´s door. She took a key and opened the door.

“Nimble! What are you doing so late into the…” She saw Sun Seeker on her back. “What happened?” She exclaimed, looking at her friend. She saw her and opened her eyes wide. “Come inside, quick!” She led Nimble inside and up the stairs into her house over the café. She helped Nimble lay Sun in a bed.

“What happened to her, Nimble?” She asked. Nimble was looking out the window, trying to make sure no one had followed them. She didn´t hear Serena. “Nimble?” Nimble looked at her.

“I found her like that. I need to help them!” She ran to the stairs that led into the café. 

“Wait!” Serena said harshly. Nimble stopped surprised at Serena´s reaction. “Why did you brought her here?”

Nimble looked at Sun. “She´s hurt, and I couldn´t take her to the hospital. Can you take care of her while I go and search for…” She stopped. Serena waited.

“For whom, my dear?” Serena asked calmly. Nimble looked down.

“You remember the stories I write for the newspaper?” Serena nodded. “Well, there was a problem and I need to help them. They are kind of… in trouble.” Serena sighed. 
“So you brought me your friend, who probably was hurt in Lower Canterlot businesses… It´s a very high request to ask me to take care of somepony that, maybe, is being hunted down this very second.” Nimble shook her head.

“They probably thought they had left her dead. I´m almost certain they won´t be looking for her, and they won´t risk themselves into this part of Canterlot.” She said reassuringly.

Serena nodded. “Alright, I´ll take care of her. I ask fro just one thing in return, though.” Nimble nodded.

“Whatever you need Serena.”

The orange unicorn smiled slightly. “I´d like to know who you are in your stories.” At seeing Nimble´s face, she stopped smiling. “Sorry! I didn´t meant to pressure you, I retriev my question. It was just my curiosity getting the best of me.”

Nimble had begun to shake again st that question, but when Serena said th second thing she smiled and stopped shaking. “It´s okay Serena. I´m sorry I can´t say anything of that. Will you still take care of Sunny, though?”

Serena nodded smiling warmly. “Of course, anything for my friends.” She said. Nimble smiled and ran down the stairs. The café´s door sounded as it opened and closed again. Serena´s smile faded as she looked at Sun Seeker, now lying on her bed. She had a pretty nasty wound. She needed to fix that before asking anything…

* * * *

Wait! That was the word Sun Seeker had heard when a terrible pain had made her fall down to the floor. Silent Mane ran and knocked some shadow ponies down before being stopped by magic. He had his eyes flaring in anger and a tear had begun to fall down his face as he looked at Sun Seeker lying in the floor, clutching its chest. Hightip had shouted with a lot of strength, throwing with his magic all the shadows ponies surrounding him. Grey Stone and Deepsqueak were fighting also, trying to fend the innumerable enemies off themselves. It was a fight they couldn´t wind, but the knife hitting Sun Seeker had made all of them fight with renewed vigor. Hightip advanced towards Sun Seeker. He was going to say something when a shadow appeared. Shadow Pony had arrived. Sun Seeker had not been able to hear anything that he had said, but it was obvious he was speaking as all the ponies stopped fighting around. 

The pain was so much! Sun Seeker couldn´t bear it, yet she didn´t moaned as the shadow ponies captured her friends and left. The last one to leave was Shadow Pony. The horrible stallion looked around and spotted Sunny. Apparently he had not expected that, because immediately he took off his hood and walked towards her. Sun Seeker squeaked a little at seeing him approach her, but when she saw that he was doing nothing to her, she looked up, trying to ignore the pain. 

Shadow Pony had begun to speak, but she could only hear a small echo, and she was beginning to feel tired. Shadow then made a spell that took off all her pain and walked away. Sun Seeker had tried to move, but she couldn´t. Slowly she had begun to fall asleep. She knew it was not goo to fall asleep, especially after being cut like she was. Even though she couldn´t see her wound, she knew it was bad. She then saw the door open after several minutes, and she had shouted “No! leave me!” She had felt reassured when it had been Nimble, her friend. Sun Seeker had tried ot tell her everything, but she couldn´t mutter many words. Nimble had then tied her wound and carried her away, just as she fell asleep…

Sun Seeker woke up suddenly, shouting. She looked around and saw that she was in a room, lying down on a bed. It was a little dark, obviously it was night and the little light came from some candles on the side of the room. Sun Seeker looked around, trying to see if anypony was around.

“Hello dear, how are you feeling?” Asked a warm voice behind her.

Sun Seeker recognized the voice. “Se… Serena Skye, from the café?”

Slowly a unicorn walked into her line of sight. Orange with blue and white mane… Yes, Serena. “Yes my dear. How nice you remembered.”

“Why?” Sun Seeker asked. “Why am I here?” The unicorn sat beside her on the bed.

“Nimble brought you here not an hour ago. You are pretty wounded. What happened?” Serena asked, concern in her voice. “Nimble didn´t said much before she went to help her ´friends´.”

Sun Seeker smiled slightly. She was going for them. The still had hope. “I was attacked in… my house with some friends. They threw me…” She stopped as she remembered the air whistling as the knife pierced her. She squealed and closed her eyes, feeling a slight pain in her stomach. “A knife…” she finally managed.

“Yes, I supposed so. It was a pretty big wound.” Seeing Sun´s face turn worried she added “Don´t fret, I have it cared now. Just don´t move much. I have my magic tricks, you know. I used to work once in a small infirmary, before having my café. I learned some basic things about knife wounds in there.” Sun sighed in relief. “But now, please tell me about your friends who were with you? You were not alone when you were attacked. I guess you are from the… ponyhood?”

Sun Seeker nodded. “Yes.”

Serena continued. “And what is your name? I didn´t knew you were from Nimble´s stories.” She made a surprised face.

Sun smiled. “I´m sun Seeker.” Serena smiled wider, but there was something apart from her warm smile… something dark and cold that Sun could not see.

“Well! If it´s not you who saved Agile Mane in the last story?! You are famous, you know?” She said to Sun. Sun blushed slightly.

“I… I guess.” She said, turning away, trying to hide her smile.

“And I presume the other gentlecolt with you last time was also of the ponyhood?” Sun nodded. “Agile Mane?” Sun shook her head.

“No, Silent Mane. He´s a very dear friend of mine, and a very strong and clever stallion.” Sun said smiling. Serena nodded.

“And then, please tell, who is Agile Mane? I´ve had that question on my mind for quite a long time now. I don´t suppose you know that?” She asked, putting her most innocent face. Sun nodded.

“Of course I do!” She said enthusiastically. “Well, it´s Nimble of course!” Serena looked in shock at Sun Seeker.

“Ni… Nimble Hoof, the writer and Journalist?” Sun nodded. “Really? That is…” she thought for a moment. “Unexpected…” her smiled had faded away slowly. Sun looked at her blankly.

“Is something wrong?” She asked. Serena smiled again after several seconds. 

“No, it´s just a very interesting… revelation. I didn´t really expected that to be the case.” She walked to the door of the room and stopped, turning to Sun Seeker. “Thanks for the little chat. I´ll check on something with a friend of mine then I´ll bring you something to eat.” 

“Thanks!” Sun Seeker said. Serena nodded smiling again and then left the room…

* * * *

Nimble Hoof ran through the rooftops, wondering where they had taken his friends. She thought for a moment. The shadow headquarters were too obvious, and the probably weren´t there. Still, she needed to find that out. She kept running, not knowing exactly where.

She had passed quickly to her house to leave her pen and notebook. She was doing something serious now, and she didn´t thought she would need those. She had taken a new cloak, which was fluttering as she ran. She didn’t had much time. If they had tried to kill Sunny, who knew what else could happen to them captured. She needed to find them, and fast.

She ran without thinking where and ended up in front of the shadow ponyhood headquarters. Well, at least she now had a start. Inside she could find where her friends were.

She slowly walked to the main door and opened it. It was a dark room inside. There was a chandelier, but it had no light. Apart from that, the big room was empty. She kept walking when she spotted a light coming from an adjacent room. She walked to it and peeked through a small opened space of the room´s door. 

Two earth ponies and a Pegasus, all wearing dark cloaks, were talking animatedly. 

“Finally, we captured them.” The Pegasus said with a rough voice. One of the earth ponies nodded.

“Yes, It´s been a long time, but finally we did it.” That pony was a mare. The other kept silent.

“But we didn´t has the mare… the blue one. The one that has escaped our boss a couple of times.” The Pegasus said. Still, the other earth pony remained silent.

“Well, she´s alone. I don´t think she´ll be a problem anymore. What do you say Wood?” She asked, turning to the silent pony.

The pony stirred. Her cloak covered her face, and Nimble couldn´t yet recognize her features, but she guessed that when she spoke she´d know if it was a mare or a stallion. The pony looked at the door. Nimble felt a shiver pass her whole body. Had she been discovered?

“She will be.” Said a mare´s voice finally. Immediately, a horn shone inside her hood and the door opened, revealing Nimble to the three ponies inside. Nimble then felt herself been picked up and thrown inside the room against cardboard boxes.

She now saw the room. It was white and had a couple of tables and… bits? There were bits in the tables. Thousandths of them. She couldn´t think of that for long, though, because the three ponies approached her.

“Well, well, well. If it isn´t that mare herself.” Said the Pegasus. Nimble stood up and prepared ot defend herself.

“Ha!” laughed the earth pony. “Really, this will be easy.” The unicorn said nothing, but Nimble could guess she had the same thoughts in mind as the other two ponies.

“Stand back!” she exclaimed. “I.. or I´ll…”

“Or you what? Will throw us a quill?” the earth pony said, laughing along with the Pegasus. Nimble gulped. She looked around for a good escape route. She saw none except the entrance of the room, which was blocked by the three shadow ponies. She needed to brake a space for her to pass.

The Pegasus attacked unexpectedly launching to the air and then towards Nimble. Nimble dodged and kicked instinctively, hitting the Pegasus and sending him against the wall. The earth pony attacked then. Nimble blocked her first kicks but soon felt a hard hit in her back. She struggled back, trying to keep her balance. The Pegasus laid unconscious in the floor.

“What great help you were!” the earth mare shouted to the Pegasus before attacking again. Meanwhile, the unicorn remained just staring. That unsettled Nimble. Something was going to happen, and she didn´t liked it.

The mare kept attacking her, and she dodged all her kicks, but eventually one would hit her, making her to fall back until she was against the wall. Instinct kicked in again and she stopped a hit directed at her belly. She then attacked at the mare´s back hitting her hard. As the mare tried to keep her balance, Nimble kicked her with her hind legs sanding her flying against the wall beside her friend. The mare hit hard the wall and then the floor. She struggled one time trying to stand up until she finally stopped moving, also knocked out.

Nimble looked at her last remaining opponent. A unicorn. She was sure she would not make it our of there alive. 

“Very impressive. Maybe you do have chances to defeat Shadow.” She took her hood off, revealing a green mare with blue mane, her horn shining slightly. “I am impressed, really. We had our thoughts that you were untrained and amateur. I would never had underestimate you like those two fools did. Bu then, I am a unicorn. I know how to fight without really touching you…” Nimble gulped. “You should see the expression on your face!” She said, laughing. What was up with that mare? Laughing before a fight?

“But well. I have no reason to fight you.” She moved aside from the door. “You´re free to go, and make sure Shadow regrets returning.” Nimble stared at her blankly.

“Why are you letting me… go?” She asked.

“Because that Shadow pony killed my father, who was the leader after he disappeared and left us all. My father dared him to a combat, and he killed him. He deserves to suffer the same fate as my father, and you are the best candidate for that.”

Nimble shook her head. “I don´t want to kill him.”

“You don´t need to. As long as he looks weak, especially if he is defeated by an earth pony considered and amateur in the business, well, his career and image will be ruined. I just need you to make him look weak, which I see is something pretty easy for you. The rest will go with the ponyhood, because a weak leader cannot lead.” Nimble nodded.

“Thanks.”

The unicorn nodded. “Just never mention it.” Nimble nodded and walked out of the room. As she was closing the door of the building, slready outside, she heard the unicorn.

“He´s on his private house, about three kilometers from here. It´s a building like the size of your own headquarters with a shadowy aura. You´ll know which one. Go to the road in the right, it’ll lead you to it.”

Nimble nodded and ran as swiftly and as fast as her legs could run. She climbed a building and ran even faster, jumping obstacles and thinking about how was she supposed to save her friends, but she had gained an important weapon: confidence, after defeating two ponies by herself.

Such where the thoughts on her mind as she raced against the clock to what was going to probably be her last mission ever, and that scared her, a lot…








Nimble and Serena with Sunny












Nimble and the Unicorn



> The Journalist
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 15
The Journalist


Nimble´s legs were tired by the time she reached the private house of Shadow. It was easy to spot, which Nimble had not believed after hearing it from the unicorn. Apparently she had been right about the house being easy to spot. It did emanated an aura of darkness around it. The thought of that made her shiver as she looked around for any guards or anypony that could see her. After several seconds, she advanced through the rooftops towards it, looking at it from a building on the other side of the street. She saw no movement inside. 

There was a window opened, but to get in she needed to go the ground before climb the other building again. She didn´t wanted to get spotted and doing that was the perfect way to ruin her plan. After some time she decided not to do that. Still, she needed to find a way to enter. That´s when a crazy idea formed in her mind.

No way! She would never do that, not while she was a sane pony. The window was too far away, and it would probably hurt a lot. Still, there was no other way. She could land slowly, even if she landed the wrong way. She was good at making no sound when falling. She tried to not dwell to much in the thought that she would probably not make it all the way as she walked back to get enough speed. She then ran and jumped.

The whole jump was but a second, yet to Nimble it was like minutes. She felt her coat being touched by the wind as she jumped, probably to a certain fall to the street below. Still, she saw the window get closer and in the blink of an eye she was landing inside soundlessly. She would have shouted happily in relief if her situation was not the same. She looked around the dark room.

There were two doors, on leading to different sides of the building. She needed to try one. After some time deciding she decided to go through the right one. She walked slowly and opened it. It led into a large hallway, also dark, with many doors around. She got into the hallway and walked looking around. A feeling of alertness made her keep her ears fully up and her reflexes prepared for anything. Still, nothing happened.

She walked slowly… The shadows around her made her shiver even more than what she was already. After several feet of walking, she stopped. How was she supposed to find the place where they had trapped her friends?

She had an idea, her only way of finding out, which was very risky: capture a shadow pony.

Even she knew that was pretty difficult, but after fighting against a Pegasus and another pony she had a little more confidence upon herself. She scanned around, trying to see more but she didn´t had Hightip´s darkness spell, which meant she could no longer see in the shadows of that building. After some seconds of indecision, she walked to one of the doors and peeked inside. Nothing. She began to peer inside the doors, trying to find somepony that she could question.

After more doors, she began to get nervous. She needed to actually attack a pony and capture him. That was something she really didn´t thought about before. She never really attacked anypony, if not for her own self-defense. Really, maybe her decision of living always with the ponyhood wasn´t such a great idea after all…

She looked inside another door and finally she saw a pony, or four, actually. They all wore dark cloaks and where guarding something. It was some sort of box. They weren´t looking at the door she was looking in, so she relaxed a little, trying to see which kind of pony those were. She saw a horn in one of them. A unicorn, great.

The other didn´t showed anything, but that didn´t meant they were not unicorns Pegasus. She slowly walked inside, trying not to make a sound, which was easy for her. The ponies inside made no notion of her being with them. Nimble walked slowly towards one corner of the room, trying to see well her surroundings.

The room was pretty small, which if there was a Pegasus he wouldn´t be able to use his or her wings, which gave Nimble an advantage. There was nothing in the room except some cardboard boxes and some two long tables, which stood one facing the other in the sides if the room. That, including the box in the center guarded by the four ponies. There was a small window which looked to the street, but it was too small for a pony to fit in. On the other side if the room there was another door, which was the one the four ponies where facing. Why the weren´t facing the door in which she had come in?

She looked at the unicorn. He was going to be a problem, but if she used the tables for cover she might have a chance if he used magic against her. An earth pony was going to be difficult due to its strength, that she was sure. She prepared to attack.

She waited dome seconds as she leaped out of the shadows she was in and knocking down the unicorn. The other three ponies jumped away, obviously surprised. The unicorn fell hard to the ground, while Nimble jumped back just as a magic blast flew towards her. She took cover behind a table. She felt the blast hit the table, but she was okay. After some seconds she stood up; what she saw was just too shocking: There, in front of her, four very angry looking unicorns stood facing her. She gulped. After all, she had taken more than what she could chew.

The unicorn that she had landed upon looked even angrier. He shot another blast, throwing Nimble against the wall. Nimble quickly recovered and covered with the other table just as two more blasts missed her by inches. She then jumped and made a zigzag through, missing two blasts. She then jumped and landed again on the same unicorn. He grunted as he fell again. 

The other three unicorns shoot at her simultaneously. They regretted it immediately as the blasts crashed at their fellow shadow pony instead of Nimble, who had jumped just in time to avoid the direct hit, but still the blast of the hit sent her against the wall. The unicorns looked at their friend, who was now on the other side of the room motionless. Nimble saw he was still breathing, which made her sigh in relief. Still, she didn´t had much time to think about it, for immediately the unicorns attacked her again. This time, they tried to hold her in the air with their magic. Nimble was able to throw them a large piece of wood from a broken part of a table, hitting hard the pony trying to hold her. The unicorn grasped his head in the place the wood had hit groaning in pain. One of the other unicorns tried to attack her physically, but Nimble managed to kick him in the stomach and then in the head, making him fall to the ground disoriented. The other two, one of them with a red part on his face were the wood had hit him, prepared to pounce at her.

Nimble moved aside as the two landed on the spot where she had been standing. Both began to try to hit her with their legs, at the same time trying to hold her with their magic. Nimble managed to evade their magic, but she did receive a couple of hits in her back before she managed to hit one herself. Curiously, she hit him in the horn, making the unicorn grasp it in pain and fall to the floor. Wow, that was unexpected.

The remaining unicorn tried to get a few steps away so he could target her with his magic. Nimble kept approaching him, trying to hit him in the horn as the other. The unicorn moved his head back as Nimble tried to hit him. That made the unicorn step on an uneven part of the floor, making him fall. Nimble placed her front legs on top of him, stopping the unicorn from standing up.

“Get of me!” The unicorn shouted. Nimble shook her head.

Nimble kept the pony in the floor. It took her a lot of effort, but finally the unicorn stopped. “What do you want?”

Nimble cleared her throat. “Where are they keeping my friends?” she asked. The unicorn shook his head. Nimble lifted her hoof, as if preparing to strike him. The unicorn twitched. “Tell me. I can see that your horns are pretty sensible. I wonder, will it hurt you as much as it hurt him?” Nimble said, pointing at the unicorn still clutching his horn in the floor. The unicorn under her gulped. “Tell me, now.”

“They… they are in the dungeons. Those are below the building.” The unicorn said in a quivering voice.

“How do I get there?” Nimble asked.

“You just go down some stairs at the end of the corridor of that door…” said the unicorn pointing at the door they had been overlooking when she had first entered. 

Nimble nodded. “Okay. Thanks for your help.” Then she saw the problem. The second she let go of the unicorn was the second the unicorn was going to attack her. She needed to do something about that. She thought of the prospect of hitting the unicorn in the horn, ot knocking him out, but she couldn´t bear herself to do that… In fact, she had just attacked them from their backs. That made her feel… guilty. “I´m sorry for what just happened.” She muttered, letting the unicorn go slowly. “You will not attack me when I let you go, and instead you´ll see to your partners, is that understood?” The unicorn nodded fast. Nimble took one step back, letting the unicorn stand up. 

“Why do you let me go?” The unicorn asked, confused.

Nimble was surprised by that question. “Well, I… I don´t see why I should do something differently. Why?”

The unicorn looked around. “Well, I could attack you, or sound the alarm.” He said.

“And how could I stop you without doing something I don´t want to do, like hurting you while you are defenseless under my hooves?” Nimble asked, answering. “I´m not like you, nor the other ponyhoods. I´m… I´m a Journalist. I am Nimble Hoof, the Journalist.” She said. “And you will not attack me, because I know that even the shadow ponyhood has honor.” The unicorn smiled.

“Honor…” he said, looking to the small window. “It´s been a long time since I´ve heard that word in Lower Canterlot.” He looked at Nimble. “I understand your point. I won´t attack you, because you seem like a nice mare to me. You have something in you… I don´t know how to describe it, but you are different than anypony I´ve ever met in Lower Canterlot. Honor…” he stopped. “That is a very good word, Nimble the Journalist, and I hope you can make it known within Lower Canterlot.” The unicorn turned around an walked to the other unicorns. “Go Nimble, Shadow is down there, and he is going to make some pretty bad things to your friends if you don´t hurry up.” Nimble nodded.

“Thanks.” The unicorn nodded and Nimble turned around going through the door, looking behind one last time at the unicorn, who was now helping his fellow unicorns. Nimble smiled lightly and continued on…








Nimble and the Unicorn



> Rescue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 16
The Rescue



Nimble looked at the side of the dungeons. That place made her shiver even more than the rest of the shadow pony´s secret house (and that is saying a lot). She looked around, trying to decide which way to go, for the main corridor ended up dividing into three new ones. She groaned and walked to the right one. 

After some feet of walking the cells began. They were very grim, and Nimble wanted to be out of there soon. She looked from cell to cell, not seeing anything. How did the shadow ponies ever managed to build such an extensive dungeon below Canterlot?

She was going to turn around and try the other tunnels when a voice caught up in her ears. It was faint, but she recognized it: Hightip´s. She smiled and moved as fast as she dared without making noise to the sound. She arrived at the cell the voices were coming from.

“… so you see.” Hightip said. She heard the others move uncomfortably inside the cell. “We are doomed in here. If we don´t find a way out, soon they will also come for us.”

Wait! Also come for them? Whom had the shadow ponies taken? She wondered that se she listened.

“But Hightip, we are stuck here. There is no way out, and they never open our cell…” she heard Grey Stone say. Nimble smiled to herself.

“If only Nimble would come…” Deepsqueak said. “And if Sunny…” she noticed that he stopped at saying Sun´s name. “Sorry, but I don´t see how we could get out.”

Hightip sighed. “We need to have hope lads. I think we don´t need Nimble to keep taking us out all the time, or…” he stopped also while the name Sun Seeker hung in the air. “Why did they threw that damned knife!” Shouted Hightip. Nimble was surprised by that reaction of the unicorn. She decided it was her turn to step in.

“Hello guys.” She said smiling as she stepped in front of the cell. The three ponies stood up. Nimble chuckled at the faces. “What? Still amazed at me coming to the rescue?”

Deepsqueak was the first to speak. “Nimble! How glad we are to see you. We were beginning to think that you would not come.” Grey Stone nodded.

Hightip smiled for a second, but he quickly returned to his normal serious-looking face. “Miss, Hoof, the guard has the keys, you must find him and take them from him.” Nimble nodded. “He is on a room not far from here in that direction.” Hightip pointed to a side of the tunnel. “Take it and come right here.”

Nimble nodded when she noticed somepony was missing. “Wait, and Silent?”

The three ponies inside the cell remained silent. Grey Stone sighed. “They took him like an hour ago, not sure where.” Nimble nodded. 

“Okay, I´ll get the key.” Inside her mind, a plan was forming. She needed to free them all before she could find Silent, and that was more important right now.

She walked to where Hightip had said, and she saw a wooden door half open. She looked inside and saw a pony asleep in a chair. She smiled and entered, careful not to make any sound. She noticed the key on the pony´s hoof. Maybe it was going to be a little harder than what she originally expected. After some seconds of thinking, she slowly retrieved the key from the pony, careful not to wake him. The pony made a curious sound, and then moved a little, scaring Nimble, who thought that her plan had been discovered. She relaxed when she saw that the pony was still asleep. She took the key completely and walked slowly out of the room, closing the door. She then walked back to the cell.

“Here” Nimble said, opening the door. The ponies went out, thanking Nimble.

“Nimble, I would kiss you.” Grey Stone said. “But you know I won´t.” Nimble smiled slightly and nodded.

“Yes, better not.” She agreed.

Deepsqueak looked around. “How fool are those ponies? They left us alone with that lazy jailer, really?” He looked at Hightip. “The exit is that way.” He said, pointing to their backs from where Nimble had come.

“Wait.” Nimble said. All the ponies looked at her. “We need to rescue Silent.” The ponies then looked at Hightip. The unicorn closed his eyes. Nimble could see he was thinking deeply. Really, he was considering leaving him there? Nimble didn´t waited for an answer.

“I will not leave him, no matter if you all go. If I need to rescue him alone, I will.” Nimble said. Deepsqueak nodded and walked to her.

“As will I. Hightip, I know you feel bad for Sunny, we all loved her but we cannot leave Silent. I know you think that keeping us alive is worth his sacrifice but…” Hightip groaned and technically SNARLED at Deepsqueak.

“Do you not think that I am with that thought on my mind also? Who do you think I am, to leave on of my own in here!” Deepsqueak´s ears fell flat on his head. “But I cannot loose anyone. Sorry, we cannot.”

Nimble spoke up. “Sunny? She’s fine.” Now all the ponies looked at her with astounded faces.

“She´s… She´s alright? But we saw the knife…” He stopped.

Hightip was the one that seemed more surprised and after some seconds more relaxed. “Are you sure? I mean, she was dying when they took us.”

Nimble nodded. “I arrived at the base and found her in the floor. Yes, she had a pretty nasty wound but a little superficial, only that it was long. I took her to a friend of mine and left her knowing she´s alright.”

Hightip smiled. Nimble had never seen that old unicorn smile like that. He always seemed serious, and never really smiled, but when he did it was different. This smile was… of relief. Why did he acted so caring to Sunny, and not so much at Silent?

“Alright then everypony. Get ready to kick shadow´s buts, because tonight we will not run away like scared little fillies!” The three ponies nodded smiling. “We have something in our advantage and something in our disadvantage. We are less than them, at least five to one, but the good one is that they won´t be expecting us to simply appear when we were supposed to be on our cell.” He then began to tell them a plan. Nimble was surprised at how fast that old pony had made out that in seconds, but well… He was the leader for something.


* * * *


Nimble trotted beside Deepsqueak to the main entrance of what seemed to be a huge room like for speeches or something, only that it was empty except for a small cage in the middle. Nimble distinguished Silent Mane inside it. She grinned angrily. Day had passed this time, trying to hurt and KILL her friends, than try to capture them. He would pay dearly for that.

Deepsqueak saw the cage. “Those ponies are just a terrible problem. I am tired of Shadows and stuff like that.” Nimble nodded.

“Yes, and maybe tonight we could change all this problems in our favor for once.” Deepsqueak looked at her puzzled. “You see, if we make Shadow look weak, the rest of the ponies will not see him fit for a leader and he will be taken from the control of the ponyhood.” 

“Nimble, that´s…” Deepsqueak stopped. He had begun to shout. “Sorry.” He apologized. “That is a great idea!” He whispered. “But we need to secure Silent first. Obviously this is a trap. Maybe this won´t be a surprise after all…” He looked to the huge room, barely lit up by a small chandelier. The whole room was surrounded by shadows, which made Nimble shiver.

Just then, the sound of a fight began to be heard on the other side of the room. It was the sign. Deepsqueak jumped from their hiding spot and ran towards the cage. He then began to try to open it. He looked around concerned for anypony that could ambush him while he opened it. Nimble walked beside him.

“I´ll cover you, keep trying.” She said to him. Deepsqueak looked at her surprised for a second, and then he returned to work. Nimble looked around, searching for problems.

Then, from the shadows, six ponies emerged. Nimble gulped as she saw their mouths rise in a creepy smile. She shuddered and prepared to fight them off. One was a unicorn, the other where earth ponies. Just then, two opened their wings and took flight. Well, and two Pegasus.

Nimble positioned herself between the ponies and Deepsqueak. They would need to pass through her to get to him. The three earth ponies ran at her as the unicorn shot a magic bolt. Nimble jumped, evading the bolt then landed on top of one of the ponies. The Pegasus circled over her, waiting for a chance to attack her.

Nimble kicked one of them as she jumped out of the way of another magic bolt. She then felt a hard pain in her back as she struggled to keep her balance. She turned and kicked one of the Pegasus who had just kicked her in the back, sending him to the ground and crashing hard. She heard a snapping sound and felt her stomach shake. She tried to ignore the shout of pain from the pony as the other Pegasus dived after her. Nimble took cover in one of the earth ponies. The Pegasus didn´t had time to turn and the two went sprawling in the ground. Nimble began to exchange kicks with the pony as the unicorn advanced at her. She only needed to get close enough to him to hit his horn…

The Pegasus and the earth pony where back again on their legs and were running at her. Nimble turned and tried to kick them, but as she did so, one of the unicorn´s magic blasts hit her, sending her slmost upon the cage. She tried to stand up, but here legs didn´t responded. She saw as the Pegasus prepared to strike her. 

Just then, a brown blur crashed against the pegasus, sanding him away on the ground. Nimble took some time to see who had been.

“Silent!” She exclaimed. Silent smiled at her and helped her rise. “You´re alright.” She said happy.

“Yes, I am.” He looked at the five angry-looking ponies walking towards them. “I saw how you fought them, care to show me a little more, please?” Nimble smiled.

“With pleasure.” She said. Both ponies along with Deepsqueak threw themselves at the five incoming ponies. Nimble fought directly against the unicorn. She needed to disable him fast. After some exchange of kicks she managed to hit him in the horn. The unicorn fell to the floor, crying like a baby and clutching his horn. Nimble would have laughed at that but she was immediately attacked by the Pegasus. Seconds later, the Pegasus was on the floor with Silent on top of him. Deepsqueak smiled as he looked at Silent.

“We should go to help Hightip.” Silent reminded. The two nodded and went running at the sound of fighting on the other side.


* * * *


Hightip and Grey Stone weren´t so lucky against their enemies. After their first attack, more and more had begun to arrive. Hightip alone was fighting seven, while Grey Stone was against Five. Hightip saw other four shadow ponies arrive, which made him begin to lose hope. Then, he heard the sound of more ponies joining the battle. He recognized Silent in them. They had made it.

Nimble ran and tacked a pony that was about to hit Hightip in the back. Silent walked to him, fighting enemies like if it was normal. 

“Hightip, thanks for coming.” He said.

“Don´t thank me yet, boy. We need to get out of here first.” Silent nodded and attacked the ponies with even more strength than before. Nimble joined him and together they fought pony after pony after pony… I some minutes they were all the way on the middle of the room. Soon, the others joined them. 

“They are regrouping.” Grey Stone said. “It is our chance to escape.” Hightip nodded and he ran, leading them all out of the room, and soon out of the dungeons. They entered the room where Nimble had fought the unicorns. Nimble saw that the three unicorns she had taken out were lying sleepily on the side while the other unicorn looked to the door, surprised.

“You… you made it?” he said, sounding surprised. Hightip was about to throw him a blast of magic when Nimble interrupted.

“Wait!” Hightip stopped. “He let me pass after some… things happened.” The Pegasus stopped covering his head, which he had covered when he noticed Hightip beginning to throw him a blast.

“What exactly happened here?” Deepsqueak asked, looking at all the mess and then at the unicorns on the floor.

Nimble felt her cheeks turn slightly red. “Well, I needed to pass through this room first to go for you.” The ponies looked at her (again) surprised.

“You, alone, fought three unicorns?” Silent asked.

The unicorn nodded. “Four, actually…” He took a step back when Silent looked at him menacingly.

“You took four…” Hightip asked. He looked around. “Well Miss Hoof, I´d say you have a greta story to tell us when we get back, because it seems we lost a lot of things while in our absence.” He walked at the door. “But we must go now.”

Everypony nodded and walked to the door.

“Wait…” The unicorn said. Nimble stopped, followed by the rest. All looked at him. The unicorn gulped. “I´d like to go with you.” He said. Hightip looked at him. The unicorn looked uncomfortable at the way Hightip stared at him. Nimble understood that feeling. The same stare had been used with her on her first day.

“Come along, but I´ll need to see some things first before I can accept it.” The unicorn smield and nodded. 

“Thank you!” He began walking towards them

“Wait!” Silent said. “Wait, all of you, wait!” He looked and pointed at the unicorn. “He´s a shadows pony. How don´t we know he´s playing a trick on us?” Everypony looked at Hightip. Hightip nodded. 

“He maybe, but that would mean we will not get more ponies if we keep thinking like that.” He looked at Nimble. “Tell me Miss Hoof, what do you say?”

Nimble looed surprised. Where they actually asking her? “Mmm… well, he did let me pass, and spoke about how honor was poor on Lower Canterlot…” She looked at the unicorn in the eyes. “In truth, I trust him he is not cheating on us.” Hightip nodded.

“Then it´s decided.” He said to Silent. “He´s coming.” He turned but stoppe. He looked slowly back at the unicorn. “But be warned, a single reason you give us to believe you will beatray us, and you´ll regret ever coming to life, understood?” The unicorn nodded. “Alreigth, now that that is clear, we need to get our of here.

“I know the way out.” Nimble said. “Though it´s a long fall.” Silent laughed.

“Nimble, long falls are nothing to me…”









Nimble at the ponyhood´s Cell











Rescuing Silent



> All is well... Almost
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 17
All is well... Almost


“…and that´s when I arrived at the cells, and you know the rest.” Nimble Hoof finished explaining what had happened while they were at the cell. The ponies where pretty amazed by how she had been able to defeat so many foes when she had never really learned fighting or anything. Silent was the first to brake the awkward silence.

“I am glad we are all alright, and when you said that Sunny was alright I really felt glad.” He looked at Hightip. “But now, what do we do? Shadow Pony will not let us escape like this.”

Hightip nodded. “I know. He has more agents around, and the second he can get us again, he will. We need to get a new hiding place. This one is no longer safe.” He looked at each pony once before continuing. “Any ideas?”

Deepsqueak spoke first. “I know of a place near the border of Lower Canterlot that is not known except by me. It´s small, but I think it will work.”

Hightip nodded. He looked at the unicorn that had just joined them, whose name was High Mane. Apparently, he had been once a known pony in the shadows, but after something he made that made him look disgraceful they stopped thinking of him and was reduced to a simple guard. He then joined Shadow Pony, but now he had joined them because Shadow lacked Honor, or so he said. Honor, to him, was the most important thing in Lower Canterlot.

“Highmane, does Shadow knows of such location?” Hightip asked. 

The grey unicorn looked up, thinking, then nodded.  “Yes, he does.” He stared at Hightip with his black eyes, which made Hightip feel a little uneasy, but still he knew that pony would cause no harm.

“How does he know about it?” Deepsqueak asked angrily. High Mane shook his head.

“I don´t know, he just does.” He then saw the angry expression on his face. “I mean, he knows pretty much everything about Lower Canterlot, you´d need to go to…” He stopped.

Hightip smiled. “I like that idea.” Silent shook his head. 

“Really Hightip, really? He just came, and now your trusting him so much!?” He said. High Mane looked back, trying to evade Silent´s stare.

Hightip looked at Silent Mane silently. He cleared his throat. “Silent, you´ll learn to trust my judgment, or else you know what happens when you get too rebellious.” Deepsqueak and Grey Stone looked troubled at that. Silent simply looked shocked a little, then returned to a neutral stare.

“Sorry.” He said between teeth as he walked to a corner of the room, watching them withing the shadows.

Nimble saw the whole scene surprised. What had Hightip meant with… She shook her head. She was going to ask him later, but this was not the moment to do it. After all, relocation was serious. They needed to think of a good place, a place none of them would expect…

“Mmm…” she muttered. “I think I have a place where we can go.”

Everypony looked at her. She felt slightly pressured, but she had begun to get used to be seen by them all. “There are some buildings in Canterlot on sale. I know the owner of one that is perfect for a base, only that it is…” She stopped. They would never agree to that. They had been living in Lower Canterlot forever!

“Only that it is what, Miss Hoof?” Hightip asked. Nimble looked at him.

“It´s in Upper Canterlot, Hightip.” Silent shook his head. Grey Stone and Deepsqueak looked at each other, expressionless. Hightip kept staring at her. He then looked down for a couple of minutes, in which none of them spoke or said anything. They were some pretty tense minutes. Silent stared at them with angry eyes, and Nimble could swear he was looking only at Hightip.

The blue unicorn cleared his throat. He looked around, once at each pony. “I´ve reached a decision on the matter.” Everypony raised their ears. Hightip waited still for some more seconds. “We will do what Nimble said.” 

Silent groaned again and the turned to look away. Hightip ignored him.

“So tell me Miss Hoof, where is that place you say?” He asked her.

Nimble smiled. “It is close to my flat. It is a small building, but big enough to hold everypony in, and safe also. Day… emmm, Shadow Pony will never guess you are staying there.” She said, correcting herself fast. Nopony seemed to notice. Hightip nodded.

“Alright everypony, pack up, we will be leaving right now.” Nimble was about to say they needed to actually buy the building first when Hightip stopped her. “Yes Miss Hoof, I know we need to buy it but we cannot stay here anymore. It is not safe, and I am sure even our dear Silent will agree on that.” A groan from the corner was heard. “Told you.” He said smiling as he walked to a room where Nimble supposed he slept.

Yes, even then she had not been in all the headquarters of the ponyhood. There were forbidden areas, and Hightip´s room was one of them. Nopony was allowed inside, except Sun Seeker. A faint thought went into her mind. Sun Seeker spoke of Hightip with respect, but there was something else when she spoke of him. Something she had not really thought of before. Then she remembered how worried Hightip had been when he had thought she had died. Maybe there was something else between them… But what?

Silent finally moved. Nimble looked around and saw that everypony was gone, wither packing everything or checking around the building one last time. Silent walked to her.

“I think it´s not a good idea.” Nimble opened her mouth to speak. “But...” He said, stopping her. “It is the best idea nevertheless.” Nimble closed her mouth. It was the second time in a row somepony had stopped her from talking. She smiled. 

“Well… thanks, I guess.”

Silent smiled. “I better go check on my stuff and see if Deepsqueak isn´t trying to hide something from me.” He turned and walked to one of the doors, opening it. “He just loves me getting mad at him for that.” Nimble chuckled. He began closing the door. “You should help packing Sunny´s things, now that she´s not here right now.” He said rapidly closing the door, leaving her alone.

Nimble looked at the door that led into where Sun Seeker slept. She walked slowly and opened the door.

She had never entered into her room. It was something she had never really thought of doing, and she also felt it could be disrupting her privacy. She had entered the rest of the group´s rooms (also, excluding Hightip´s). She expected to see the same, but what she saw really wasn´t was she expected.

First, it was slightly smaller, but that didn´t really surprised Nimble. What she didn´t expected to see where pictures on a small table. The table was pretty small, but even for its size ti could have a lot of pictures over it. She walked slowly towards the pictures and looked at them.

There had to be at least twenty pictures. Almost all of them had Sun Seeker on them, except for some pictures where a pair of ponies, a yellow Pegasus and a white mare, appeared mostly laughing. Nimble picked up a picture where she saw Sun Seeker as a very young filly laughing as the Pegasus scratched playfully her mane and the mare laughed at the two of them. That picture brought a smile to Nimble´s mind. Then her smile dropped.

She remembered the story Sun Seeker had told her about her parent´s death. She looked again at the laughing pair. Those probably where her parents. She placed the picture back into its place and was about to turn around when she noticed at the back a small newspaper cut. She looked at it and then took it. It was covered in dust, which meant it had not been moved in a long time.  She looked at the title letters.

“Chariot falls off a cliff on the way out of Canterlot, killing two if its three passengers and the driver. Only a little filly survives”

Nimble kept reading.

“Last Tuesday a chariot transporting the illustrious pair of famous designer Ballantine Rose and her mate, Light Ray, fell off a small cliff after making a sudden turn trying to evade a turn in the road after it went out of control. What has been known is that the two were leaving Canterlot after, supposedly, their reputations where ruined and a gossip had begun about them separating. The pair, along with their young five year old Filly named Sun Seeker, left Canterlot early in the morning with an unknown destination. Right after getting out of Canterlot the drivers ran out of control for some strange reason and, trying to make a turn to evade a long fall from a cliff, tumbled off the road. Only the young filly survived surprisingly, with no harm at all. It is said that the mother wrapped herself over the filly and absorbed the crash, protecting the filly but costing her her own life. Light Ray also died, but not instantly. When the rescuers arrived it was too late, but apparently the Pegasus had managed to take the young filly out of the chariot before passing out. The filly is right now being given into custody of her uncle, the owner of Watcher co. and brother of Ballantine Rose, Time Keeper.”

Nimble finished reading and placed the newspaper back in the table, shock in her face. She remembered that crash. It had been all over the news for days, but… It had just been barely eleven years ago…  That meant Sun Seeker was sixteen years old.

Nimble stared blankly as she digested that information. That meant Nimble was still very young, very, very young, but… Why hadn´t it appeared in the news when she had disappeared (or ran away) from her uncle, which happened to be Time Keeper, who Nimble knew was the owner of the most important company of Canterlot, Watcher co. Surely that should have been very important news…
She was still looking at the pictures when she heard Hightip speak from behind.

“Surprising, isn´t it.” He said. Nimble turned around surprised. She looked at the pictures, then back at him.

“Hightip… I…”

Hightip rose his hoof, stopping Nimble. ´Ugh, third time´ Nimble thought. 

“I know what you were supposed to be doing. Don´t worry, I won´t get mad at you for checking her pictures…” He walked to Nimble and looked at the pictures also. “You see, I told her if she wanted to get rid of this pictures, but she didn´t wanted to. They were her last memories from her parents. I´m sure that seeing them pains her deeply, but also that it gives her courage.” He looked at Nimble.

“She´s… Sun Seeker is sixteen years old.” Nimble said, awe in her voice. “How? She looks older…”

Nimble smiled slightly. “One´s life decides how fast you grow up. I´m afraid that Sunny…” He stopped for several seconds. “Sun Seeker´s life had been very hard. She has needed to grow up faster than most.”

Nimble nodded. She then remembered another question. “But… Why did she ran away from her uncle? I mean, she told me she hated living with him, but why that, instead of staying with probably one of the most powerful ponies in Canterlot?”

The old unicorn nodded. “Yes, why would she?” He picked up a picture, although Nimble couldn´t see what was on it. “She had it all except… except love. She didn´t wanted anything but someone that could care for her. She ran away, and what did that uncle of hers did? Nothing. I found her lost and scared, not knowing what to do. A Filly, seven years old…” He looked with a curious face at the picture. “I´d never before considered having a family, and I hadn´t even made my ponyhood. I thought I would never need to worry about a filly of my own. Then she came. He placed the picture back into the table. “It´s something difficult to explain, Miss Hoof, and surprisingly, you’re the first one that has ever figured this out, and the only one I´ve ever spoke about this.” He turned around and wlaked out of the room. “Make sure you pack all the pictures and…” He looked back at her again. “Get rid of that newspaper.” He walked out of the room.

Nimble looked for some seconds at the door, then she slowly looked at the picture Hightip had taken. 

In the picture Nimble saw Sun Seeker smiling, and a younger-looking Hightip also smiling, but on a way Nimble had never seen the old blue Pegasus smile before. Nimble smiled at that as she took out a bag from below the bed and began packing all the pictures, making sure the newspaper was left behind…










Nimble Looking at Sun Seeker´s Pictures











Hightip and Sun Seeker´s picture



> Back in Upper Canterlot
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 18
Back In Upper Canterlot


Nimble Hoof opened her flat´s door as she entered, closing it behind her. She sighed tired and walked up the stairs, thinking about a nice night´s sleep. 

She had just returned from helping her friends establish in the recently purchased building. Hightip had been slightly surprised by the prize and was going to say no, but Silent, who surprisingly suddenly seemed comfortable to go living in Upper Canterlot, convinced him it was a necessary purchase. Nimble smiled at the surprise Hightip had had when Silent told him that, but still it had been enough to convince him. 

Nimble had been telling everything she could to her friends about Upper Canterlot, how to behave in the streets so as not to attract unwanted attention. Silent had made himself clear that he was not going out in the day, while Deepsqueak and Grey Stone had decided that they would just go around sometime to see Canterlot. Hightip had gone to retrieve Sun Seeker along with Silent and Nimble from Serena. Nimble had noticed that Hightip was pretty relieved when he saw her, and Sun Seeker was too, but they were clearly masking their expressions. Serena told them that she was fine now, and that they could take her. Hightip then had asked her if she had told anyone about Sun Seeker and Serena had said that no, nopony knew she had been there. Hightip thanked the mare and the four left the café. 

Sun Seeker then had gone to eat something with Hightip while Nimble and Silent returned each other to their flats. Silent had been, well… silent all the way to the new ponyhood´s headquarters. They had been walking silently all the way and spoke only to say bye when they reached the ponyhood´s building. Nimble had then walked to her flat and was now going up the stairs. 

She went to the kitchen and took some water and poured it into a glass. She drank it slowly and then walked to the window. She saw as Celestia lowered the sun, giving way for night. She kept staring outside for a couple of minutes, wandering what her life had become.

She remembered before she had gone to Lower Canterlot. It had been a very slow time on her life. Nothing happened, except when she had been hired by The Daily Hoof. That had been the best day of her life, or so she remembered. 

She had applied for the job a week before, trying her luck. She had not really expected to actually get hired by the most illustrious newspaper in Canterlot, but she had been. She smiled when she remembered when she told her parents she had been hired. They had been so happy for her… She then realized something.

She had not spoken to them since she began to write about Lower Canterlot. She felt guilty all of a sudden. She really had not spoken to them. She looked around her flat. It was dark now and Luna had already raised the moon. After some seconds of indecision, she walked to the stairs leading to the street, not without taking her usual light blue cloak. She looked around her flat rapidly and then went outside.

It had become suddenly cold, which surprised Nimble slightly; when she had entered her flat before outside had been pretty warm. She shivered and walked to the left, going towards Canterlot´s main street. The streets where still full of ponies, even at night, but still it was emptier than in the day. She walked towards the familiar street where she had grown up. Those thoughts brought her memories about when she was a young filly. She had not really thought about her past much, only thinking about the future. She smiled as she saw the usual slightly fallen lamp in the corner of her parent´s house street. She remembered how it had nearly fallen when a friend of her had tried to change its color… She stopped thinking about that, because she remembered the friend that had done that. Day.

Her smile slowly faded away, but still she kept walking, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. For all she knew, Day could be watching her that very instant. She quickened her pace until she finally arrived at the house she was going. It´s yellow color and the memories that came from watching it made Nimble smile again. She walked slowly up the front steps and knocked the door. She waited patiently.

Some seconds later she heard sound inside and hooves walking towards the door. She heard as the door´s lock clicked and a tired looking light blue stallion with a red mane opened the door.

“What is…” He stopped when he saw Nimble.

“Hello dad.” She said sheepishly. 

The stallion opened the door fully and hugged her with a big smile on his face, his tiredness suddenly fading away.

“Nimble, I´m so glad you came.” He slowly let her go and looked into her eyes. “How is my little flower, eh?” He asked smiling, using the way he used to call her when she was a young filly.

“I am alright dad. I just…” She sighed. “I wanted to visit you.” The stallion nodded and gestured her to come inside.

“I´ll tell your mother, she´s upstairs, wait a sec.” He said and he was off up the stairs. Nimble smiled and looked around the entrance. It was small, as she remembered it. There were pictures of her and her parents, along with a diploma. She peeked curiously at the diploma that hunged in the wall.

It was from when she had graduated from College! She thought she had lost that diploma, yet it was there, with her parents, hanging right in front of the door where everypony that entered could see it. She felt a sense of pride at that.

She heard hoofsteps going down the stairs as she walked to see the two ponies going down. She saw her mother, a darker blue coat with her same hair. The mare smiled and walked to her daughter. 

“Oh dearie! I missed you.” She kept hugging Nimble. Nimble smiled and also kept hugging her back.

“I missed you too.” She said.

Finally after some seconds the both let go of each other.

“I heard all about you suddenly becoming very famous with your Lower Canterlot stories.” She said smiling. “We were so proud of you, Nimble. I had your father buy all the newspaper editions where your stories appeared.” She smiled as her father slowly opened a drawer full of newspapers. “But still… Why you didn´t came to visit us?”

Nimble´s ears lowered slightly. “I… I meant to, but I just… didn´t seem to think much about anything else apart from the stories.” She looked at her mother and father. “I really sorry.”

Her father smiled affectionately. “Don´t be my little flower, we know you didn´t meant it.” He closed the drawer again. Nimble smiled. She then looked down, remembering day.

Her mother seemed to notice her sudden change of mood. “What is it dearie, is something wrong?” Nimble looked at her.

“No, it´s just…” She sat on a chair and kept staring at the floor. She didn´t knew how to say her parents that her best friend was her worst enemy now… “I… just don´t know how to tell you this.”

Her father sat on the floor in front of her. “Just tell it flower, I´ll hear it all.” Nimble smiled slightly.

“Well, I…” she began to tell them everything, since the beginning when she was getting fired until the moment she helped the ponyhood change headquarters. She didn´t bothered to hide anything. They were her parents after all, and she knew she could trust them with her life. She told them everything, without letting a single detail out. All the while, both her parents heard without any interruptions. Nimble finished and she looked at her father, who seemed to be in deep thought. She looked at her mother. She seemed worried. ´Great job Nimble´ she thought ´Now you worried them more that you should have´.

Her father looked at her. “I don´t know what to make out of this. I just didn´t expected that your stories were so… true.” He kept staring directly to her eyes. “But you should always keep in mind, you´re never alone. Even if Day wasn´t who you thought he was. We are here, and from what I heard, those friends of yours, the ponyhood, would do anything to keep you safe.” He grabbed one of Nimble´s hoofs. “And we are also here, anytime you want to talk about anything, you always remember we are here.” Nimble smiled, tears threatening to come out from her eyes. She had not felt so weak or exposed in a long time, not since becoming one of the ponyhood. She had needed to toughen up in order to survive in Lower Canterlot, but that was not fully her… That was Agile Mane, she was Nimble Hoof. She then realized how much she had changed due to the fact of going to Lower Canterlot. 

She couldn´t resist more and she broke into a slight sobbing. “Dad, I…” She clasped her head with her hooves, sobbing. Her dad pulled her against his chest, hugging her.

“Shh, it´s alright my little flower, it´s alright.” Her mother also went and hugged her.

Nimble was the first to let go, then her parents also let her go. Nimble cleaned some tears off her face with her hoof, smiling slightly.

“Thanks dad.” She said. “Thanks mom.” Bothe her parents smiled. “But… What Am I to do? My best friend turned out to be my worst enemy, but also that he…” She stopped, remembering when he had kissed her back in her flat. She saw comprehension in her father´s eyes, who had heard that back when Nimble told them everything. 

“I don´t know what you´re going through.” He said honestly. “But I know that you will be able to go through this fine. You are a very clever mare.” He stood up, as well as Nimble.

“Thanks dad.” She said. “I think I´ll be going now. I need to do some things tomorrow morning about the newspaper.” Her father smiled.

“Remember to come whenever you want, sweetheart.” Her mother said. 

“Thanks mom.” Nimble said hugging her. She opened the door and walked outside, stopping to wave at her parents, who waved back at her. She smiled and turned around, hearing the sound of the door closing behind her. She walked smiling towards her flat, feeling much better than when she had entered her parent´s house…










Nimble and her Parents



> Trust and Betrayal
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 19
Trust and Betrayal


Serena walked cautiously through the streets of Canterlot, trying in vain not to be squashed by the swarming mass of ponies that walked through the city in the middle of the day. She saw Nimble´s flat finally after some minutes of trying to find her home. She walked to the door and rang the bell. She waited for a minute and still nothing happened. She rang again and a second later Nimble opened the door.

“Serena!” She said smiling apologetically. “I´m sorry! I was a little distracted writing. What brings you here?”

Serena smiled. “Oh, it´s no problem, don´t worry.” She looked around. “But for what I´m here, it better be spoken privately.” Nimble nodded and moved aside to let the orange unicorn pass. Serena entered and Nimble closed the door.

“Just go upstairs, I´m right behind you.” Nimble said. Serena nodded and walked up. She arrived at a rather disorganized room.

“Sorry for the disaster, but I am writing a long story this time, and I kind of forgot to take care of cleaning. Care for a small sup of tea?”

Serena smiled. “Don´t worry about it. Yes, please.” She looked around. The only clear space was the table with the writing machine, end even that one was covered in papers. She chuckled at the thought of Nimble writing with the typical hat writers in newspapers used to wear…

“And here´s your tea.” Nimble said, passing her a little cup.

“Thanks.” She said, seating on the only cleared part of the sofa. Nimble sat on top of some papers, obviously didn´t caring much about them.

“So, why did you come?” Nimble asked casually.

Serena took some tea. “I, mmm… well.” She shifted uncomfortably. “I wanted to talk to you about the recent, err, events.” Nimble nodded slowly, her smile remaining but Serena could see she began getting a little uncomfortable. “I mean, I know you must not feel comfortable talking about it, but, well… I already know who those ponies are, and that you obviously had a problem.” She peeked to the writing machine. “Which I presume is what you´re writing right now.”

Nimble nodded. “Yes, you´re right.” She felt slightly more comfortable now, knowing she could trust Serena. In fact, only Serena and her parents knew about the ponyhood living in Upper Canterlot. “What do you want to know?”

Serena seemed surprised by the sudden trust. “You are really trusting me that much?”

Nimble nodded. “Yes, why shouldn´t I? I trust you Serena, you are my friend after all.”

Serena nodded slowly as a thought passed through her mind. ´If only she knew…´ Serena thought. 

“Well, first, why did suddenly you arrive with a very injured Pegasus and go without any explanation?”

Nimble sighed. “The headquarters of my ponyhood got attacked and she ended up hurt. I found her in there half awake.” She tried to shake of the memory of Sun Seeker in the floor, clutching her stomach.

“Oh… alright.” Serena said. “And also, why did all the, err… What was it? O, right, why did all the ponyhood came to my café to retrieve the injured Pegasus? I thought they never left Canterlot.”

´Alright…´ Nimble thought. ´This is it. If I tell her this, she will know everything but… Do I really trust her? I mean, she could let her words slip giving wrong information to the wrong pony.´ 

But also, Nimble knew that Serena had many contacts throughout Canterlot, and she would be very useful too… Now she sounded like Hightip, thinking about useful and expendable… She shook her head slightly.

“Look Serena, what I´m about to tell you, you mustn’t tell anypony, understood?” The orange mare nodded. 

“Alright, you see…”

* * * * 

Serena walked slowly beside Nimble to one of the buildings she knew had just been bought not long time ago. She hadn´t really thought about that, but now that she knew that the ponyhood where Nimble belonged had bought it. That made her curious.

She saw Nimble open the door and gesturing her to go inside. Serena entered.

The entrance of the building was pretty dark, but it was obvious that since the purchase of the building the ponyhood had begun to fix everything inside. There was a chandelier on the floor, obviously about to get pulled up into the ceiling to give light. She was too distracted seeing her surrounding that she didn´t noticed the ponies watching her. She finally saw them.

Hightip walked to Nimble and the newcomer.

“Nimble, who is she?” he asked.

“She´s Serena. She´s the one that took care of Sun Seeker when she got hurt last time.”

Hightip suddenly seemed to recognize her. “Oh, right. Nice to see you again Miss.” Serena nodded a little sheepishly. “Now, why did you brought her?”

“Well, she helped Sun Seeker and she came to my flat to have some questions answered. She had offered herself as a contact in Upper Canterlot.” Nimble said.

Hightip nodded. “And in what would she be of service?”

Serena entered the conversation. “Mmm, well, sir… If I may, I know some pretty powerful ponies in Upper Canterlot that could help you sometimes I contact them.  I can help you a lot while you settle yourselves here.” Hightip nodded again.

“Well… I see.” He walked to Silent Mane slowly. “I´d like to speak privately with Silent, and then I´ll tell if we accept your help.” Everypony left the room, leaving Hightip and Silent alone.

Serena waited along with Nimble impatiently. She needed to know if she was going to be accepted to help, because if she wasn´t, her job was just going to become even more difficult…

Finally they heard Hightip say to come back into the room.

The ponyhood assembled back in the room. Nimble noticed that Highmane, the new unicorn, wasn´t with them. ´Now, where might he be?´ She thought.

Hightip cleared his throat. “Serena, right?” the orange mare nodded. “Okay, perfect. We decided to accept your help. If it is how you say, you sill prove very useful to us. Thanks for your service. Now Miss Hoof, you can take her back to her house.

Nimble was slightly disturbed by the speed and the way in which Hightip had decided in Serena´s help. She shook her head as she helped Serena outside…

* * * *

Serena looked out of the window to see Nimble leaving her café in the direction of her house. She kept looking until she was sure Nimble was gone. She then walked to her mirror and stared at it for a couple of seconds. She saw that her hair was fine then she nodded to herself.

She stopped looking at the mirror and went to another room with her bed. She laid down for some minutes, lost in thought. What was she supposed to do now? The plan had worked, so she was supposed to report?

After some more minutes she stood up and walked to the café, which she had placed in closed. She took a cloak and walked outside. It was becoming night, which made her feel slightly uncomfortable. Walking at night was something she strongly disliked.

She walked slowly, not looking at anything but her hooves. After some minutes she accidentally bumped against a stallion.

“O Celestia! Sorry sir, my fault.” She gasped when she saw who had been the pony she had crashed against.

“Sir!” She said to her boss, a white unicorn with a red, yellow striped mane, glasses and a pocket watch cutie mark. The stallion kept a cold and neutral expression.

The stallion gestured Serena to follow him. Serena did so. Still, she felt this was kind of awkward… He boss never did something unexpected, like, for example, happen to run into Serena and then without a word make her follow him.

Still, who was she to question the famous Time Keeper, owner of Watcher co., the biggest company in Canterlot and almost Equestria?

Time Keeper opened a door to a small building and led her inside. Serena walked slowly and carefully, trying not to show any expression just like Time Keeper. So far she had been able to, except right after the initial shock of seeing Time Keeper run into her.

“Sir, if I may ask, what is this about?” The white unicorn kept walking ignoring Serena.

“Sir?”

“Serena, if you know what´s best fo you, you´ll keep silent for the moment, I´m thinking.” Serena almost grinned at the sudden snap from her boss. She stopped talking; only following.

Finally, after walking through a very long and dark hallway, Time Keeper went inside a door and turned towards Serena.

“Now, here we can talk.” He finally said.

Serena gulped. Why on such a horrid place.

“I´ll ask some questions about what happened while in that… ponyhood, right? Then you´ll tell me if they accepted your help, yes? And finally I´ll tell you what you´ll do next after you tell me everything. You have five minutes to tell me everything.”

Serena gulped again. If there was one thing he hated of his boss, it was his always tight schedule and time counting. He seemed to take even a second as precious as the princess jewel´s. It was something she disliked about him, but still, he was her boss.

She told him all that Nimble had told her and finally the reaction of the ponyhood at her coming. Then she finished telling him that they now trusted her completely. The unicorn kept all the time staring at his watch. He nodded. 

“Alright. Now, you´ll keep on bringing me information about them, yes? And you will work with them in truth, which means that you will help them if they need your assistance. You need to get trusted more by them.” He closed his watch and looked at Serena. “Now, for our last thing of this briefing, I´ll need you to also investigate about this… Shadow character, he seems interesting. Make sure you also get reports about him. The more I know about both of those, the better I can see…” he kept talking, only that his voice had become barely a whisper. Serena knew he was now thinking to himself.

“Then I´ll be off, sir.” She said.

The white unicorn didn´t said or did anything at that. He just kept moving his mouth slightly, once or twice looking at his watch. Serena knew that he was going to remain like that for some time, so she left the room, leaving he boss alone…








Serena and Nimble talking











Serena´s Betrayal and Time Keeper



> Silence´s Waltz pt. 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 20 
Silence´s Waltz


pt. 1


Silent Mane walked around his room in the new Ponyhood´s headquarters. He had to admit it: They were much better than the other one. He saw around the room which he had chosen in the big building. There had been a lot of free and spare rooms once they had finally moved in entirely, so Silent had decided that he wanted to farthest room from the rest. Not because he didn´t wanted to be around them, but more because he wanted to have time for himself and think.

His room was pretty big, giving him enough space to walk around comfortably. His bed was fancier than the other one he had back in Lower Canterlot. It was, in fact, the fanciest of the whole ponyhood. Nimble had brought it (How, Silent didn´t knew. He had been wondering about that for quite some time) and gave it to him as a present. She said that she had wanted to get rid of that ´old thing´ for some time now, and she saw that they needed beds, so she brought it. After some struggle he and Nimble had finally managed to move it to his room (which was on the fourth and last floor of the building, and also on the other side). Now Silent saw the bed and wondered why he had accepted such a gift; He wasn´t of those that accepted gifts, especially such expensive ones.

He walked towards a small balcony that overlooked the street. They had gotten a pretty fancy building for a very low prize, that Silent was pretty convinced. Yes, it needed some repairs, but by the prize they had gotten it… Totally worth it. He opened the doors outside and kneeled on the railing. He felt the sweet, night air brushing slightly his mane. He closed his eyes and sighed tiredly. The last few days had been pretty tiring.

First the move, then the repair if the building (which was still in process) and finally that mare… Serena Skye.

Silent opened his eyes slowly, remembering that orange mare. He remembered that sweet and welcoming smile, but he was not easily fooled, no, he was an expert with spies, and she didn´t looked at all truthful. Surprised, yes… but truthful… He shuddered slightly. That mare brought him bad memories. He remembered the last time a spy had infiltrated the ponyhood in which his parents belonged. Silent was a young foal at the time, but since then he had taught himself to know when a pony was saying the truth in a serious matter. 

His thoughts wandered back to that night when the ponyhood where he had been born fell… It was not a strong one, but still it was hanging pretty well in Lower Canterlot. His parents were one of the most important ponies of it. For some reason, another ponyhood had sent a spy to check on their ponyhood. his father was found dead on his bed, along with a note saying that the ponyhood was over, obviously written by the spy. Silent had avenged his father, which in some ways was something he was not proud of, but still he didn´t thought much of those dark times of his life. 

Not many days later, the ponyhood collapsed because of fear of any other spies, or of a lack of leadership. Her mother had taken Silent around Lower Canterlot, until they were finally installed in a house, hidden most of the time because if you don´t have a ponyhood in Lower Canterlot you are better dead. Silent had grown up hiding until her mother met Hightip. She sent Silent with him to the newly formed ponyhood, and after that her mother had disappeared. Silent had searched for her for many years, but she had just simply banished. He now had stopped searching, but still those memories made him feel weak for some seconds until he controlled himself again.

He shook his head, trying to throw those thoughts off his head. He stared at the moon for some minutes, finally getting rid of those memories. He then looked around the balcony. It had a farily easy jump into the next building, and a thought came to his mind. 

He knew he didn´t liked much Upper Canterlot, but a run in the night was just what he needed; After all, it was night and he would be running in the rooftops.

He walked inside the room to get enough space to get the speed needed to make the jump. He turned to look at the balcony. After some seconds he broke into a gallop and jumped off the balcony. He really liked doing that, feeling the air around his body… He could think he was a Pegasus and was flying, but only for some seconds. He landed softly in the other side of the buildings he looked around and looked at the balcony. He smiled and turned the other way, braking into a run again. He ran through the rooftops with speed and swiftness unmatched in all of Equestria. He thought of himself as the best in what he did: Running

He passed beside a chimney, his coat brushing the stone that protruded the building, almost hitting it, but still he ran. 

He reached a turn of the buildings, the edge of the buildings closing fast. He ran even faster, gaining speed…

He jumped forward into the air into what was probably the longest and highest jump he had ever done in his life as he jumped from one side of a pretty big street. He closed his eyes as the floor was left behind. It was something he still felt strange, to know that below him there was a free fall, high enough to injure him badly or even kill him.

Still, not even a slight sense of fear passed through his mind. He knew his job. He knew what he did, and what he did he loved it.

He landed in the other side after some seconds, don´t even stopping. He kept running, not thinking of a special place to go. He was running randomly, not thinking where he was going. He was going to try to jump another street when he noticed another pony nearby in the rooftops. He quickly stopped and hid behind a chimney. He peeked towards the unknown pony. 

The little light of the night didn´t helped to see him better, which made him force his eyes. Still, he didn´t saw any feature that would tell him anything about that pony, except that he was wearing a cloak and was an earth pony, no Pegasus or unicorn. The pony looked around, probably noticing he was being followed. Silent took cover again completely behind the chimney. He waited several seconds until he looked again. The pony was already moving the other direction, not noticing Silent. Silent decided to follow the mysterious pony.

He followed him for some minutes, Silent´s curiosity about that pony growing with each second that passed. He even considered walking over to him and touch him, but Silent was just to cautious and thoughtful to ever do that, so he continued following.

He was beginning to grow impatient when the pony broke into a run, moving pretty swiftly through the rooftops, leaving Silent slightly surprised. He broke from the shock of seeing the pony run like that and he followed, running also.

The pony ran surprisingly well, its cloak fluttering with the wind as he ran. Silent kept up easily, but still he was slightly taken back by the swiftness of that pony. Silent was about to try to tackle the pony when they reached the edge of the rooftops, with a street blocking the path. Silent expected the pony to stop and run the other way, but still the pony instead of stopping ran even faster, moving its legs in a particular manner that Silent had devised himself to have a better control when making the jump, which was a technique only he and Nimble Hoof knew…

He now knew who that pony was.

He watched as the pony jumped, cloak fluttering on her back, and landed softly, stopping. Yes, on that Silent was the only one able to keep running easily after such a jump. Silent now didn´t cared anymore about his secrecy. He ran and jumped, surprising Nimble as he landed beside her.

“Nimble, what a surprise finding you here.” Silent said casually.

Nimble stared surprised at Silent. “How…?” She eyed him suspiciously. “Where you the one following me?” Silent laughed slightly.

“Yes, I didn’t know it was you and, well, somepony running like that is something difficult to see. Not many ponies are capable of doing it with that elegance…” Nimble blushed slightly.

“You could have just come to talk instead of running after me.” Nimble said.

Silent smiled. “You knew I was following you?”

Nimble rolled her eyes, trying to look bothered but the smile on her face betrayed her. “Yes, of course, do you think I like to run in the rooftops? I prefer to just walk. It is less tiring.”

Silent chuckled. “If you want to walk, the road is below us. Use the rooftops for action!” He said, jumping on top of a chimney. “You don´t come up here just to relax, but to get your mind distracted into something challenging!” He jumped to the edge of the building, walking without even looked where he was stepping. Nimble felt a little worried, but Silent kept looking at her challenging. “I taught you to move in here so that you could do what you did when I pursued you. Run!” He ran around, making Nimble laugh.

“You´re such a foal” she said.

Nimble stopped in front of her. “Well then, if being a foal is this fun, Yes…” he ran behind Nimble. “Yes, I am.” Nimble laughed.

“You know, we´ve been going to your fancy restaurants, haven´t we?” Silent said. “My turn to show you something different, not those expensive, rich-ponies full things.”

Nimble chuckled. “You´re the one that likes going to those. You know, I wasted with those rich-full dinners a lot.”

Silent smiled. “Well then, let´s not waste anymore of your precious bits, Miss Hoof.” He ran forward, stopping to look at Nimble. “You coming?”

Nimble rolled her eyes and followed him. Silent smiled and began to run, making Nimble follow him with difficulty. Silent led her through the rooftops towards a place he had seen while running. He jumped a small alley, Nimble doing the same. Silent looked around, trying to see any other challenge for her. He saw a place where the building where uneven. He smiled and ran towards them. He easily ran through them, and when he looked back he saw Nimble doing pretty well, even though she was obviously trying very hard not to make anything wrong, which would result into a rather painful crash. Silent stopped and waited Nimble.

Nimble arrived a minute later.

“You led me through there on purpose.” She said accusingly, but Silent caught a hint of joke in her voice.

“Yes, I did.” He ruend towards the edged of the buildings “Now, look down.”

Nimble did as he told her, seeing a park full of really told trees. Silent smiled. “How fast can you get down?”

Nimble looked at him confused. “What do you mean?”

Silent didn´t answered. He simply laughed as he jumped into free air. Nimble squealed in terror as she saw her friend fall towards the floor. Strangely, when she peeked to the ground, Silent wasn´t there. She thought sofr a seconds what could have happened. He had just jumped into free air towards the ground from a farily high building… Yet, he wasn´t anywhere to be seen. She looked again and she managed to she Silent getting down from one of the trees. 

“Your turn!” Silent said.

Nimble squealed again. “No! I can´t do that!” She said.
“Yes, you can. You just need to let your instincts take over. Trust yourself.” He said. Nimble looked below and for the first time felt a strange thing… She was high up a building, about to jump into free air and catch a tree before crashing down into the ground… Yes, she was fairly upset. Still, she didn’t knew what took over her. Before she realized it, she was falling. She closed her eyes, but quickly opened them. She needed to get hold of the tree. Even though they were fairly a few seconds of fall, they seemed like hours to Nimble. She caught the tree and landed softly in the ground beside Silent, who appeared surprised.

“You did it…” He looked up at the building, then back at Nimble. “Amazing!”

Nimble blushed. “Well…” She pushed him “I could have died thanks to you.”

Silent laughed. “You know I would never have told you to do something that you couldn´t do.” He looked at the park. “So you want to take a proper walk?” He said, teaing her. Nimble looked at the park, the trees covering it completely.

“I you want.” She said. Silent nodded and gestured her to go beside him. Nimble followed him inside.

They walked for some minutes in the park. The huge trees now covered the sky, making them both feel like if they were no longer in the city, but rather in a forest far from Canterlot. Nimble looked at the trees, wondering how old they were.

Silent felt slightly tense. Being in a dark place, with not many light to see made him nervous. Still, he walked beside Nimble. His ears stood completely up, alert. His eyes scanned around, looking for trouble.

Nimble noticed him.

“You know Silent, you should learn to stop being so alert, so… worried that something bad might happen.” She told him. “Look around you. We are in a park in Upper Canterlot, and it doesn´t even feels like Canterlot. It feels like… like a forest in the east! Imagine that, going out of Canterlot, visiting places where nopony lives…” She smiled. Silent nodded and tried to calm down. 

It was difficult to try to stop a habit. He was used to being alert. His whole life was alert. He lived in Lower Canterlot, where his alertness had let him survive. He also ran thought the rooftops where his alertness had also saved him plenty of times from a fall or a painful crash. He closed his eyes and relaxed. Slowly his muscles relaxed and his ears stopped pointing up like arrows. He opened his eyes, feeling relaxed. 

“You see, it´s not difficult.” Nimble said.

Silent nodded. “Yes, it wasn´t” He admitted. For some seconds no one spoke, each one looking at each other. Both realized they were staring each other in the eyes. The both looked to someplace else, blushing. Again, each said nothing, only trying to avoid each other´s gaze.

Silent looked up and was able to see a patch of the night sky. He looked at Nimble Hoof. He had never felt anything towards anypony. He wasn´t of those that felt attached to another pony. Still, he now felt something he had never felt before. He looked at Nimble Hoof, a mare whom he had not known for more than half a year. He had taught her all he knew, and he knew they were pretty close to each other. Still, he also felt close to Sun Seeker, but this was different. With Sunny it was more like a sister, but to Nimble… He didn´t knew how to describe that feeling.

Nimble saw that Silent was looking him. Silent blushed slightly, turning away. Nimble chuckled. 

“I´m sure that if somepony looked at us this few minutes, he would have laughed a lot.” She said. Silent nodded, smiling.

“Yes, I would have.” He admitted. Both got closer to each other. Nimble closed her eyes as their lips touched. She had never felt such a feeling.

Nimble had once liked somepony… And that somepony resulted to be the most terrible criminal mind in Lower Canterlot. Even though she had felt something for that pony, she had not felt it as strong as she felt it now, with Silent Mane. She had not been as close to Day as she was with Silent. She stopped thinking about that pony but rather concentrated in the moment. She was for the first time with her special somepony. She had never thought she would have one ever, being just a simple journalist. Also, she was with a pony from Lower Canterlot… Still, she didn´t cared about that. She now knew it clearly.

After some seconds, seeming like minutes to each of the two, they separated. Silent looked at Nimble in the eyes, ad also Nimble did. The where no longer looking in the playful way, but neither where they serious. Each one was now staring at their special somepony. IN Nimble´s mind, it was something amazing, and in Silent´s something he never thought would happen. Still, none of them said anything, but kept staring at each other. 

That´s when they heard the cry for help.

“HELP!!!” came a shout not far away. Bothe ponies snapped out of their trance-like state.

“What was that?” Nimble asked, her heartbeat increasing.

Silent was back to his serious, Lower Canterlot self. “I don´t know, but I think somepony needs help.” He looked at Nimble. Nimble nodded and both ran towards where the cry for help had come from…








The Kiss



> Silence´s Waltz pt. 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 21

Silence´s Waltz 
pt. 2




Nimble and Silent ran silently towards where the shout had come from. They both stopped and took cover behind a tree as they reached the end of the park. They both had their ears up, alert. Silent eyes around, trying to see anypony or anything. He forced his eyes.

Then he saw the ponies.

They were five, all around a purple mare, obviously assaulting her. He looked at Nimble. Nimble had also seen the ponies, and was thinking of what to do. Silent nudged Nimble slightly, making her look at him.

“We need to get them by surprise. You go over that small roof and prepare to jump over them on my signal. I distract them while you go up.” Nimble was going to say something but Silent stopped her. “No time to talk, just do it.” Nimble nodded slowly after some second and then took off, climbing towards that rooftop. Silent saw her leave, and when he made sure she was climbing alright, he stepped out of the cover of the tree.

He walked straight towards the ponies, who didn´t noticed him until he was a few feet from them.

“Who are you?” One asked. Silent prepared his fighting stance.

“I am somepony that dislikes seeing something like what you are doing right now.” Silent said flatly. “And I am warning you that if you don´t go, I´ll have to make you go.”

A black pony laughed. Apparently he was the leader, because all the ponies seemed to look at him in attention.

“You have come to stop us?” He laughed again. “Who do you think you are? To challenge us alone. We are eight, how many are you, if not one?” He laughed again, moving a cloak he was wearing, revealing a knife. Silent smiled at the pony’s expression while laughing. He shook his head shaking the laughter off.

“I can defeat you all by myself if it is needed.” Silent said. He looked slightly up, towards the roof of the building beside them. Nimble was there, looking at him expectantly. “But I´m afraid there is no need in that. Now, you have ten seconds to answer me, or else…”

The pony stopped laughing and looked at him, his smile on his face replace by an angry grin. “You think you can threaten me without getting a lesson foal! I will teach you!” He lunged at Silent.

“Now!” Silent shouted, Nimble hearing him and jumping fast towards the nearest pony. She landed hard on its back. The pony fell hard to the floor, groaning in pain as Nimble stood up from the fall and joined Silent in the fight.

In the very beginning of the fight before Nimble landed over the pony Silent had taken teo ponies already. From the original seven only five remained. Nimble joined Silent tackling one of the attackers. She then looked around. 

The five ponies (four now, because apparently the one Nimble had just tackled was also on the floor, clutching his front leg in pain) were trying to attack Silent from four different sides. One of the ponies saw Nimble and walked to her menacingly. Nimble gulped. 

Even though she had been in many fights before, still she didn´t knew how she had bene able to fight. It had just been like a trance as she fought, but all of them she had been he one attacked, or had needed to defend herself. This time she was the one attacking. 

Well, that last changed as the pony approached Nimble slowly. Nimble retreated until she bumped against the wall of the building. She looked back fast, realizing she had nowhere else to retreat to. The pony ran at her, and Nimble expected to feel the crash, but something else happened. She saw a purple blur tackle the pony, both going down the floor rolling. Nimble snapped out of her shock of fear and ran at the pony, tackling him again as he tried to stand up. The pony was standing up when a brick landed on his head. He made a shocked expression as he fell to the floor, unconscious.

Nimble looked shocked at that. She turned towards where the brick had come from and saw the purple pony. 

“Take that errr…. Thing!” She exclaimed moving her hoof like if she had just punched him. Nimble smiled for a second, but she remembered Silent.

Nimble turned quickly towards the sound of a brawl, and was surprised to see that all the ponies except for the leader where on the floor. Silent and the black earth pony where exchanging blows incredibly fast, all of them resulting blocked by the other. Silent jumped at the wall, gaining impulse and her threw himself at the pony. 

The pony was not expecting that. Both went down the floor, Silent using the ponies body as a cushion for the hard fall. He stood up fast, turning at the pony who had just stood up also, but his leg was bent slightly, apparently broken. He seemed surprised.

“Who… who are you?” He asked, surprise and fear on his face. Nimble realized that Silent did looked mysterious, especially because he was standing right on a shadow, making his face features faint, giving him an eerie sight.

“I…” He said. “Am Silent Mane, and you just got a lesson which I hope you´ll never foget.” 

The pony looked at Silent, his face turning to one of anger. “You´ll pay for this, Silent Mane.” He said, turning around and walking away.

“I doubt that, bit guy.” Silent said smiling. He remained prepared to fight until the pony went out of their sight. Silent looked around, seeing that the pony had left without his companions, who were all in the floor, some had passed out while others simply couldn’t move. Silent looked at Nimble.

He smiled and walked to her. He saw the purple mare standing behind Nimble.

“Thanks a lot!” The mare suddenly said shouting. Nimble and Silent both covered their ears at the sudden shout. The mare realized that. “Ups… sorry.” She apologized.

Nimble shook her head. “No problem. What did they wanted?”

Silent looked around. “I think we should talk somewhere else…” He saw all the fallen ponies. Nimble noticed that also.

“Right…” She said. “Lead the way.”

Silent nodded and walked towards the park. The two mares followed, the purple one staying behind Nimble Hoof.

They entered the park, nopony saying a word. Finally, Silent stopped and looked around, making sure they had not been followed.

He then turned to the purple mare.

“Are you alright?” he asked at her. The mare nodded. “Why sis they attacked you?”

He realized the mare was looking at him with a shocked face. He was going to ask when she spoke up.

“I can´t believe it! You are Silent Mane and Nimble Hoof! I never thought this would happen ever to me!” She had a huge smile on her face. Both Nimble and Silent eyed each other and rolled their eyes.

“Really, you bring that up when you are asked about your state? You were almost robbed by murdering ponies for Celestia´s sake!” Nimble said, shocked.

The mare blushed. “Sorry… It´s just that you are like celebrities to me! I mean, I´m sure no other pony is so into your stories as I am.” She made an even bigger smile, if that was even possible. Nimble rolled her eyes again. 

“Alright…” she said. “What´s your name?” Nimble asked.

The purple mare smiled (wait, even more??) “I´m Purple Velvet. I know, obvious why the purple part, but velvet… Still not sure my parents gave me that name. You know, I…” She kept on talking. Silent looked at Nimble.

´Really, are all the Upper Canterlot sooo full of words in their mouths?´ Silent thought, making a bothered grin at Nimble. Nimble smiled sheepishly. 

“I´m sure we would love to hear more about how you met the princesses, but I think if we want a proper talk, maybe we should og to a restaurant?” Nimble said, interrupting Purple Velvet as she began to speak about her meeting with the princesses and something about a flying pie.

The purple mare blinked twice in confusion, then nodded. “Yes! I know a perfect place. I´ll pay, it´s the least I could do for you two, saving my life.”

Nimble nodded and looked at Silent. 

Silent seemed uncomfortable but simply followed beside Nimble as Purple Velvet walked to the front and towards the street. They walked in the park for some minutes until they reached the streets, then they followed the mare through some empty streets and finally into Canterlot´s main street, which even though night, was full of ponies. How all the streets they had been before where empty, and this one so full, they didn´t knew. But Purple Velvet kept walking, not caring or thinking about that. 

They finally reached a terribly expensive restaurant. The entrance was all golden, and the second Nimble saw the name of the restaurant her ears fell flat on her head. 

It said “THE GOLDEN PEGASUS”, and ther in the front was a golden statue of a heroic looking Pegasus. 

Nimble gulped at the sight of the restaurant, and Silent noticed.

“What is it Nimble, I thought you also liked coming to this restaurants.” He said. Nimble chuckled nervously.

“You see, I like, yes, but this one is… how do I put it?” She scratched her neck slightly. “This one is the most expensive in all of Equestria. I mean, coming to four dinners, only both of use, would be enough to pay the rent for my apartment for five full months.” Silent understood now perfectly the worried expression in her face. He looked at the restaurant. It now didn´t seemed to welcoming as he had first seen.

“Well, are you coming or not?” Purple Velvet asked. She saw the looks on their faces. “Oh, I´ll pay for everything, don´t you worry.” Silent wondered how she had known that they… never mind. It was obvious.

Silent walked slowly towards the entrance, Nimble following behind, her ears still flat on her head. As they approached the doors, Purple Velvet entered. Silent entered behind her. Two tall, dressed stallions opened him the doors, thought eying him in a strange manner. Silent was about to ask what problem they had when a white, also dressed golden unicorn mare, approached him. 

“Nonononono! You cannot dine like this! At least not here.” She turned to Purple Velvet. “You brought these two, Miss Velvet?” She asked the purple mare.

“Yes, Miss Gold, I did. Now, if you have anything for them to wear…?” She said.

The mare nodded pretty fast, and turned to Nimble and Silent. “Well, yes, I do. If you two please wait there while I bring you something?” She turned around and walked inside a door that had a sign of only employees.

Nimble looked at Silent, shock in her face. Silent had a confused face. Both turned towards Purple Velvet.

“What? You need to be properly dressed to enter here.” She said like if it was obvious. Both ponies shook their heads slightly.

After some more minutes of waiting, the white mare returned carrying a smoking and a dress with her magic. She walked first to Nimble. 

“Here, wear this.” She passed it to her. Nimble took it like if it was made out of crystal, looking at it. The white unicorn walked to Silent then.

“And you this.” She eyes him. “Just don´t stain it or anything.” She gave it to him.

Silent put on the smoking, walking towards a mirror. As he walked, the mare eyes him again. Silent looked at himself in the mirror. The smoking made him feel strange. He had never before worn such an expensive piece of clothing… He had never wore any clothing at all before. Strange that on a restaurant was his first time.

He felt a slight push on his back, so he turned.

The white unicorn, Miss Gold, was handing him a comb. “Use this also; you should try to fix that hair of yours.” Silent looked at the comb strangely. Really? A comb? The mare noticed his hesitation.

“Well then, let me do it.” She began to comb his hair with her magic. Silent felt as the brush passed his hari, and it hurt badly. Had he ever combed his hair before? No, really no. 

Finally the painfull process finished and he was done. For the first time, the white unicorn was not eying him in a despicable way, but rather in a… no, that mad ehim pretty uncomfortable.

“There you go, who would have known that deep inside that uncared carcass of a body such a handsome stallions laid, eh?” The mare said teasingly. “Now, if you please follow me, I´ll lead you to your table. Your friends are already seated.” She guided Silent inside the restaurant.

He saw that it was pretty dark. He liked that, but it made walking through the tables pretty strange. He was careful not to hit a chair. He saw that all the ponies inside looked like the typical rich fellows. He chuckled when he realized he now looked like one.

The mare finally led him into his table. He saw Purple Velvet seated along with Nimble… wait, that was Nimble???

He stared at her shocked. He had never seen her all dressed up, less with her hair arranged, but he had never expected she´d be like that. He had gotten used to seeing her using her cloak, but nothing else. Now, she was wearing a white dress, which made her looked different in every sense, but the hair struck him more.

It wasn´t like those fancy, strange looking ones like the ones many Upper Canterlot mares used, but neither was it her normal, simple-looking one. It was in some ways, pretty interesting how it looked in her. Not exaggerate, but neither was it simple.

Nimble blushed when she noticed he was looking at her. Silent shook his head slightly, realizing he was looking at her. “Sorry.” He sat down.

Purple Velvet looked at Silent. “Well! You look handsome in that!” She exclaimed. Silent blushed slightly. “But now, let´s eat dinner…”


*  *  *  *  *


If Silent thought he knew what boring was, he had just learned a new definition that night.

Purple Velvet didn´t stopped talking for anything, except when she asked questions to Nimble or him, which was almost never.

Finally they all finished their desserts. If in one thing Silent wasn´t repented of coming was the food. Even though he knew the prize was something that really was exaggerated, it was pretty good. So far he had to admit the best he had ever tried.

Nimble smiled when she finally finished a chocolate cake she had ordered, and with that everypony had finished.

“Alright everypony. I hope you enjoyed it.” She took her wallet out of a pocket. “Because my husband is going to kill me for this bill.” She said mockingly. She turned to looked at the other two. “Come on, just joking. He comes here with his friends a lot of time. Don´t worry.”

The waiter came and took the bill. Purple Velvet smiled and stood up.

“Well you two, this was something I enjoyed a lot. Thanks for saving me and for accompanying me for this dinner.” She smiled and waved as she slowly went away, into the massive crowd of ponies that swarmed the main street. Silent and Nimble sighed in relief, and when both realized they had done it at the same time, they laughed. Silent then noticed he still had the smoking on. He walked over to the stallion in the front door.

“Excuse me, but I think we need to give these back?” He asked, Nimble walking behind him.

The stallion looked at him. “Sir, the kind mare that just left paid them for you. It´s yours to keep.” He said in a pompous voice. Silent would normally have mocked the pony with such a voice, but he was slightly surprised byt the amount of things Purple Velvet had given them.

Nimble shrugged when Silent stared at her then at the dress.

“Then, it´s mine?” She asked. Silent nodded slowly. Nimble looked around herself, trying to see it better. “Oh sweet Celestia, this is such an expensive dress! I now have something to wear should I get invited to one of those fancy newspaper writer dinners my boss sometimes makes.” She said smiling. 

Silent smiled also. Even though he had no use for that expensive piece of clothing, it might prove useful when trying to blend in the general population of Upper Canterlot.

Both started towards Nimble´s flat. It was well into the night when they finally reached it. Not many words had been exchanged between them, but both now held a special bond with each other. Nimble opened slowly her door and waved at Silent, who was waved back right before turning into a run and climbing back to the rooftops, in direction to the Headquarters…








The dinner





*  *  *  *


Nimble sighed as she placed the dress inside her small wardrobe, carefully so as not to damage it in any way. Not that she cared about dresses and fine-mare stuff, but still, that dress was worth lots of bits, and was her only one. She smiled as she lay down on her bed, thinking about all the things that had happened that night. She remembered those seconds in the park, those had been, in all her life, the most precious seconds she could ever think of…

> Dark Plottings
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 22
Dark Plottings


Serena walked around her room uncomfortable, a worried look on her face. She stopped and looked out of the window, not sure what she was searching for. She saw the dark Canterlot streets in the night, wondering what her boss had thought of now. He surely didn´t… Serena wasn´t sure anymore. 

She returned to pacing her room. She had the lights very dim, which allowed her to concentrate, though concentrating for what? She had no idea. She just felt like concentrating. She sighed and sat down on her bed. After a couple of minutes of restless thoughts skimming her mind, she stood up again, then sat down. Why couldn´t she remain on the same place!? It wasn´t like if her boss was going to make her suddenly make a betrayal or something… would it?

Yes, she was her most loyal follower. He had said himself more than once, though not directly to her. She had done things… things she regretted, but still, if her boss asked her, she did it. In turn, she lived in peace when she wasn´t working for him. 

She stopped walking again and stared into her mirror. She used her magic to make the light stronger, seeing herself in the reflection. She saw her usual self, ready for anything, prepared to do anything… But why did she felt wrong now of all she had done. She had assured that her boss got everything he wanted, from good to bad things. Mostly bad things. Now that she thought of it, her boss was pretty bad, in some sense.

She was still staring at herself when the café´s bell sounded. She ran downstairs and into the café. She saw her boss outside, along with three ponies covered in a black cloak. What was her boss planning now?

She hurried to the door and opened it. Her boss stepped inside without a word. Serena didn´t cared, he was like that. Words were a waste of time to him, at least when spoken to her without any professional matter.

Right after her boss, the three ponies entered, leaded by a taller looking one. For some strange reason, their faces where covered in a shadow. She wondered why. One of the ponies looked at her, it´s featureless face scanning her. She felt a shiver go through her body, but she didn´t said anything. Finally, the pony walked forward, followed by the other two towards a table where Time Keeper had sat down. He stood in front of the table, not sitting down with the other two ponies standing at his sides.

Serena walked slowly beside her boss, the uncomfortable silence not breaking. Minutes passed, and still nopony said a word.

Finally, the leader of the newcomers spoke.

“Well, you told me to come, I came. You have my ears, but my patience is running thin!” He said, his shadow cloak disappearing revealing a young-looking, dark brown unicorn. Serena wondered who he was.

Her boss smiled slightly. “I like your attitude. Yes, wasting time is not worth it.” He breathed deeply. “I have heard a lot of you, Shadow. I have a proposition to you which I think you´ll like.”

“I´m all ears.” The one called shadow said.

“I know you´re an enemy of the ponyhood of a certain Hightip, am I not wrong?” Time Keeper said. Shadow twitched at the mention of that name.

“Do not!” He exclaimed “Do not use that name in front of me.” He finished. Anger showed on his face. Serena was beginning to get slightly worried about that pony.

Time Keeper smiled. “Good. If you don´t want, I won´t use it.” He stood up. “As I said, I have a proposition to you. I recently heard you were, eh… expelled from you ponyhood. I can give you something which I guess you desire, which is revenge and a new ponyhood, or… To put it in a better word, a group of ponies ready to do anything you tell them.”

Shadow looked at him suspiciously. “How do you know that?” He asked.

Time Keeper walked around him, Shadow not moving an inch, only following with his eyes. “Let´s say that I have my contacts down below.” He stopped in Shadow´s ear. “I know something about that Silent Mane and Nimble Hoof which I think you´d like to hear.”

Shadow stopped breathing. “What?” He said, more in a demanding tone than a question.

Time Keeper began to talk but Shadow stood up. “And how do you know all this?!” The two others seemed to suddenly turn menacing. Time remained normal.

“You shouldn´t do such a stupidity, Shadow.” Time said. The dark brown unicorn didn´t cared. He brightened his horn. 

“Tell me this instant!” He demanded. 

Time smiled. “I would, but you seem undisposed to help me. Why should I tell you now?”

Shadow shouted and threw a light with his horn at Time. Serena squealed, but she saw that Time easily stopped it. 

“Is that all you have?” Time asked mockingly.

Shadow nodded at his two companions. Both retrieved their hoods and attacked with magic. Blasts begun to fly around Serena´s café.  Serena took cover behind the counter and peeked outside.

Time seemed to be handling all the attacks pretty easily, stopping all the blasts directed to him. He then made is first attack. Instead of using magic, however, he didn´t needed his magic for that. He threw a small sphere out of nowhere, which caused a blinding light. Before the three attacker unicorns could recover, Time was over them, and with two swift hits he knocked out the two ponies helping Shadow.

Shadow stopped Time´s kick and quickly threw a strange spell that enveloped all in darkness. Serena had never seen anything like it before. She shivered at the lack of light, even though it was night outside. 

“You think I can be defeated by some cheap toys!” sounded Shadow´s voice.

Time ducked as a blast of light almost hit him. He then threw another orb. This one didn´t threw a light, but rather vibrated and then let out a buzzing sound. Immediately, the darkness faded away, leaving an uncovered and surprised Shadow in the back of the café.

“You think of these as toys…” He said, retrieving a strange looking tube from a cloak he was wearing. He used his magic to hold it towards Shadow. Serena wondered what it was. He boss always appeared with new things, but this one was different. It was a metal tube, with a part going down with what had like a trigger mechanism. Serena had gotten used to those after working so long with Time.

Time clicked the trigger mechanism and a sudden bang erupted. Shadow covered himself with a magic shield as immediately it shattered. A sound of a small piece of metal falling happened afterwards. 

Both Shadow and Serena stared at the tube in Time´s magical grasp.

“What is that?” Serena asked. Time smiled at their expressions.

“This, Shadow, is with which we will conquer Canterlot. I call it a gun. It is powered by something I call black powder. By pulling this small trigger mechanism I cause a small explosion causing that bullet beside your feet to go out at immense speeds. Fast enough to shatter your powerful magical shield easily, and if I was to shot you again, you´d be dead by now.” Time said, showing off the “gun” on his magical grasp.

“That is… What sort of technology is that?” He asked.

“I began designing it not long ago, but the princesses stopped me from keeping on my research for them. I´m afraid they won me as an enemy, because they closed down more than half my factories, and also took all my investigations, even if they were not related to the same thing. They won me as an enemy since then. That is why I want Canterlot. Imagine it, the capital of Equestria, on our hoofs; No one could stop us.” Shadow looked down, thinking.

“And if I accept, will you help me get revenge?”

Time smiled. “I will let you have your revenge, and I will let you use my own network of spies on Canterlot. I think you´d be glad of them.” He pulled the gun back to his cloak. “I heard some news that the one called Silent Mane is in a… love affair with Nimble.”

Shadow turned pale in rage. He seemed to suddenly lose all his shadow, which was strange. The pony realized he was like that and immediately recovered his expression and the paleness stopped. “I want him. Silent Mane is mine.” Time nodded.

“Sure. Now, we need to make plans for this plot of ours. I have much planned, but with you on our side it will be much better.” He gestured for Serena to come forward. She did.

“Right here my dear Serena had infiltrated that ponyhood, and is trusted by them. She is my main source of information, as also where they are hidden right now.” 

Shadow nodded. “And where is that?”

Time shook his head. “I will tell you, but you cannot attack them now. It must be according to our plan.”

Shadow also shook his head. “No, I will take revenge first, and then I´ll help you on this scheme of yours with everything I can. I will not take it any other way.”

Time sighed. “You can´t do it, that would change all the plans.”

Shadow seemed angered at that. “I am not told what to do, less by some rich Canterlotian.” He spat.

Time nodded expressionless. “Do whatever you desire then. As promised, I will help you with anything you require, just don´t forget your part of the deal.” Shadow nodded. 

“I´ll need more for those guns.” He said flatly. Time nodded.

“Of those I have tons. I´ve been building a small private army with it. I can even borrow you soldiers.”

“Then do”. He said. “I´ll end this small quarrel of ours once and for all. Lower Canterlot will be mine, and no pony will stop me!” He shouted, walking out of the café. “Tell those two when they wake up that I´m on our hideout.” He said. “Send your guns and you ponies there also. A dozen, if possible.” He closed the door and immediately seemed to banish as a shadow enveloped him. 

Time sat down. He seemed slightly distressed, but otherwise also pleased.

“We have him now. He will join the council, and after that it will all be ready…”

Just then, a knock sounded and a yellow Pegasus entered the café. 

“Serena, I came to ask you for…” Sun Seeker begun. She stopped as she realized who was with them. Time also seemed shocked. Both stood there, motionless for a minute. Time Keeper´s watch fell out of his pockets, crashing hard against the ground as the sound of shattering glass filled the café with an echo. 

“Sun… Seeker.” Time Keeper said flatly finally.

Sun Seeker opened her mouth a couple of times before finally managing a word. 

“Uncle…”






The fight and the gun











Sun Seeker and her Uncle... time



> Blind trust
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 23
Blind Trust


Nimble paced around a large room on the new headquarters. She stopped at a window and looked outside into the night, recalling last night´s events.

They had been on a normal meeting. It had been some time since they had done anything, and Hightip was planning for a mission when a very tired-looking Serena arrived. She was panting heavily and took some seconds to talk. The words had been: “She has been captured…”

Hightip and Silent immediately stood up, and asked who, though Nimble knew they already had the idea of whom. Serena told them about the way she had seen Sunny walking towards her café, and how she had gone to open the door. She had looked outside and she said she watched as three cloaked ponies jumped behind her and quickly snatched her. Serena had, according to her story, gone immediately in pursuit. The problem had been that they were long gone by the time she managed to unlock the café´s doors.

Hightip had quickly filled on Serena of questions, which she answered to almost all. The most curious thing were the questions being asked. Nimble was pretty sure that the kidnappers had been shadow ponies due to the cloaks, but as the questions went on, Hightip had arrived at another conclusion.

“Time Keeper.” He said. Nimble caught some anger on that name as Hightip said it. “He´s responsible. No Shadow pony’s work this time, but rather somepony even worse.”

He had then called on Silent privately, and sent the rest in dismiss. Nimble had been with Serena all night, telling her how it had not been her fault and that there was nothing she could have done even if she had caught up to the cloaked ponies. 

Serena had left the following morning as the first rays of light began to light up the sky. Still, Silent and Hightip were still on a locked room, since the last night´s dismiss. It took them yet another hour after Serena left for them to unlock the door. Both stallions walked out of the room slowly. The ponyhood was there, waiting to see what was going to happen.

“We will get Sunny back.” Silent said. All the assembled ponies smiled.

Hightip then spoke “But this will require a great deal of planning, and not less luck.” He began walking around the room, looking at each of the ponies present. “Time Keeper is perhaps the most dangerous and powerful pony after the vey princesses. He will be prepared for us, and so we need to approach a way he will not expect.”

Silent then continued. “We learned of a party he´ll have on his mansion tomorrow night. That´s when we´ll strike.” He nodded at Hightip, who lit up his horn and a map appeared in the middle of the room on the floor. “This is the house´s map. It has all its hallways, rooms… everything. As we have planned, Hightip, Grey Stone and Deepsqueak will enter as servants, while Nimble will get me and herself invitations for the party, due to her newly found importance in high class ponies.” Nimble blushed slightly.

“We will then search through the house. It will be almost empty except for the kitchen and some hallways which go to bathrooms and the entrance hall of the house. Those we must evade. We will use the other hallways that are not going to be used. Search every room, don´t let anything pass by…” Hightip said. 

Everypony nodded. “Perfect. We have a day, and then before the actual action I´ll repeat the whole plan again. This must work, because if not…” He didn´t finished the sentence. He quickly turned away. “Dismissed.” Everypony noticed there was something up with Hightip, and so they quickly left the room, Silent being the last one. Only Nimble stayed.

“Hightip, we will find her, I promise.” She said, approaching the old unicorn.

Hightip turned around and smiled at Nimble slightly. His eyes were slightly red. “Thanks Nimble. I know we will. It´s just that… well, you know how close we are to each other.” He said, turning again, looking out of a window. “I just can´t bear thinking of losing her; Even less to that pony.”

Nimble nodded and walked silently out of the room, leaving Hightip alone…

*  *  *  *

Those where the thoughts Nimble had. One more day for the grand plan, and Sunny would be back with them. That made Nimble smile, but also shiver at the thought of Sunny, alone in a dark place, surrounded by probably cloaked ponies and above all: scared.

She remembered when she first arrived at the ponyhood. She had been scared, and Sun Seeker had seemed brave. But now she knew it wasn´t the case. Sun Seeker was the most scared of all. She was only sixteen years old! How could they have let her go out alone. Maybe yes, she was on a safe part of the city, but anything could happen… Anything.

She sighed as she saw the lamps lit up, giving light to the streets of Canterlot. She smiled and walked towards the window. She pushed it open and looked down. It wasnpt a long fall, and there was a metal sticking out of the building through which she could… What was she thinking?! Actually jumping off the third floor of a building?!

She closed the window, silently chuckling. How much she had changed since joining the ponyhood. She smiled, remembering when she was exaggeratedly scared of heights. Now, she liked them… well, almost, at least not like Silent did.

She took her cloak and put it on. She then walked outside the room, going through the building and out into the night. It was chilly outside, still she enjoyed it. It relaxed her. 

“Thinking in going anywhere alone?” Silent´s voice said from behind. Nimble turned around and noticed him.

“Come on, I won´t get lost.” 

Silent nodded. “I know, but whoever that came for Sunny can surely com for you also if you are alone.” He walked until he was standing beside her. “Now, I´ll accompany you.” He saw Nimble´s face. “Come on, it isn´t that bad, is it?”

Nimble smiled and laughed slightly. “Nope.” And she began walking with Silent behind. “It´s even worse.” She muttered.

“Hey! I heard that!” Silent said. Nimble chuckled.

“Yes, that´s what I wanted.” 

Both walked together as the Canterlot streets changed slightly. From small, compact buildings it began to turn into big, extensive houses. Nimble looked aornd, searching for one in specific.

“What are you searching for exactly?” Silent asked.

Nimble didn´t answered right away. “Purple Velvet´s house. She´s married to a certain Counselor, which Hightip told me will attend that party. If somepony can get us entry tickets, it´s her.”

Silent nodded.

“There!” Nimble said finally. She started walking towards a house even bigger than the other around. There was a huge front garden with dragon statues and a couple of small fountains. The front door was also big, decorated with small leaf markings all over it.

Nimble knocked the door.

The sound of hoofsteps approaching reached both pony´s ears as the door opened. 

“Nimble! I didn´t expected you to come so soon to visit (and so late) but what brings you here this lovely night?” The purple unicorn asked, a broad smile on her face.

Nimble smiled also. “I need a favor from you.” 

Purple Velvet nodded. “Of course! Please come in and we can discuss it inside, with a nice cup of hot tea.” Nimble nodded and entered. Silent entered after her.

“Oh, you´ll finally meet my husband. He´s a great stallion, if a little silent sometimes…” She said as the door closed...








The notice by Serena...



> Crystal Glasses and Hollow Smiles
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 24
Crystal Glasses and Hollow Smiles


“…really, I must say it is a very beautiful Little town, if you want peace and quiet.” Purple Velvet finished saying as they approached the immense mansion of the multimillionaire Business pony Time Keeper. It was a magnificent sight to watch; a huge entryway arch that led into a big front garden that had a big walkway that guided towards the main entrance. There were pillars in the front of the house, decorating it and giving it a curious feeling. The front yard was full of tables and tents full of high-class ponies, all guests to the party.

Silent gulped as he say all of the last. He was terrible in big crowds, even though Nimble had helped him while in upper Canterlot, but high-class ponies was another matter. He was terrified deep inside. 

In contrast, even though Nimble was slightly worried she was more enthusiastic into meeting those ponies. She saw that as an opportunity to make herself noticed in the Canterlot elite. She managed to spot a couple of important ponies, the most recognizable of all of them being Time Keeper himself.

He was wearing a white suit, with a white, elegant cloak. He was greeting the guests as they arrived. She felt slightly worried that he would recognize her, or know she wasn´t really an invited guest, but she tried to calm down, trying to hear Purple Velvet keep on talking about a small town two hours away from Canterlot called Ponyville, were she had gone in a trip to relax. Nimble wondered what was relaxing for a pony that spent all her life in expensive restaurants and parties.

Counselor, Purple Velvet´s husband, was a greyish blue earth pony, taller tan normal and had a combed mane. His cutie mark was a piece of parchment.  He stood tall beside all of the three ponies. He was a pretty interesting pony, who was pretty different form her wife. He was pretty silent most of the time, except for making a small remark of the talk. Nimble had liked the pony´s way of handling things, especially when they told them the reason they needed their passes to the party.

It had taken some time for Nimble to finally convince Silent that telling Purple about the real reasons they needed to go to that party. Nimble trusted that mare, even though she could be a pretty bothersome pain in the head sometimes. She knew that Purple Velvet adored her, and convincing her to help them on a “Mission” would be pretty simple. Silent finally agreed, thinking himself that it would be good to have help if something went wrong, even though he wasn´t sure how they could help if something did went wrong.

The four ponies arrived at the gate of the house´s gardens. A tall, light blue earth pony stood there, looking intimidating at the ponies entering.

“Invitation?” He asked, raising his hoof to receive it. The four ponies gave their invitations and the pony waved his hoof, inviting them to enter. “Welcome.”

Counselor nodded and walked inside the gate. The rest followed. Immediately they were received by Time Keeper himself.

“Oh! Counselor, how good you managed to come. He said, giving a smile. Even though three of the four ponies saw it as a pretty real smile, Silent knew better. It was fake. He wasn´t really smiling, but forcing a smile, and a pretty convincing one. He was surprised he had even managed to notice it.

“Mr. Keeper, how could I refuse to such a great invitation.” Counselor responded. “I am honored.”

Keeper looked at Purple Velvet. “Oh, and Miss Velvet, you came also.” Velvet smiled. “And who might these two be? I remembered you asked for an extra pair of invitations, but you didn´t said for who?”

Purple smiled. “He´s my cousin from Manhattan, Oakbranch, and she´s his fiancé, Crystal Sea.” She said, using the cover story they had prepared. Knowing what was the cover story didn´t helped in stopping the two into blushing as she said the word fiancé. 

“Oh, fiancé then.” Time said, looking straight at Nimble, then at Silent. “Congratulations. You got yourself a fine mare there, Oakbranch, isn´t it? I wish you a happy life then. I suppose you know who I am already, but let me present formally. My name is Time Keeper, owner of Watcher co. and all its affiliated companies. I have a small branch in Manehattan, though I need some more time to get it to grow. There is a lot of other fellow companies making it difficult.” Both Silent and Nimble blushed again.

“Pleased to meet you Mr. Keeper.” Silent said, trying to sound like a high-class pony. He guessed he did it fine, because nopony seemed to notice anything strange on his voice.

“Pleasure is mine, now, please enjoy the party…” And he went to greet other newcomers. The four ponies walked towards the tables inside the party tents.

Purple Velvet then went around, greeting everypony the came across and that happened to have the misfortune into walking into Purple Velvet. Everypony seemed to try to evade the meeting with the extremely talking purple pony, but none managed. It took them a complete hour of introductions before they finally managed to sit down on a table. Silent and Nimble now knew every single Upper Canterlot elite pony that lived. It had been pretty tiring, but Nimble had enjoyed meeting them, it being a great opportunity to know the high society. She couldn´t talk about her being a writer, and even less the writer and journalist Nimble Hoof. 

She had at first been worried that a pony she had have an audience with would be there and could recognize her, but luckily there was none or had simply just forgotten about her. Almost…

“Hey Purple Velvet!” came a squeaky voice from behind. “I didn´t knew you were coming.”

The four ponies looked in the direction of the new voice. Walking at them was a yellow earth pony with a rather notorious (and pretty awkward) mane style. Nimble smiled as she had done to everypony they had met. Purple simply seemed to be out for the first at a loss of words.

“Tinkle, what are you doing here?!” She said more concerned than happy, in difference from the mare walking at them.

“Well, you know. My husband is pretty important.”

“But I thought he didn´t brought you to any of his parties.” Purple said. Nimble wondered why she was being suddenly so… mean with the newcomer.

“Oh, he decided that…”and she saw Nimble. “OMYGOSHOMYGOSHOMYGOSH!” She said, running out of breath. “Nimble…” Immediately Purple stopped her mouth with her hoof, looking around to make sure nopony had noticed. Luckily, none had.

“Alright, I´ll let your mouth speak if you promise you won´t shout that again.” The yellow mare nodded confusedly. Purple let her mouth free.

“Why?” was the first thing she asked. 

“Because they are on an undercover mission, and you almost blew it up!”  Purple Velvet said angrily.

The yellow mare nodded. “I see.” She looked at Nimble and Silent. “Well, nice meeting you, and if possible we might see each other later.” She said, and leaving as soon as she finished. Silent and Nimble noticed they were both holding their breaths and both let it out at the same time.

“Well, that was close.” Silent said finally.

Purple nodded. “Yes.”

Counselor nodded and smiled. “I´ll go to talk with some friends. Good luck you two.” And he was off also. Purple Velvet saw her husband go inside a group of ponies, who immediately received him with warm nods and smiles. 

“Alright; this is getting boring now.” Silent said after ten minutes. Nimble was now playing with her glass, not knowing what to do. Purple was out for some drinks and Silent was leaning on his chair. “When will something good happens on this parties?”

Nimble shrugged, not sure. She was also pretty bored now. She was staring at the glass when she saw a reflection on it of a pony standing behind her. She looked up and then back. A white unicorn mare with a purple mane and blue eyes with pretty elegant eyelashes. Her cutie mark was three blue diamonds. Nimble stared at the new mare.

“Sorry, can I sit here? It appears all the rest of the tables are full.” Nimble looked around and saw that was true. 

“Sure.” She said.

“Perfect!” The white unicorn said. She sat down. “Let me introduce myself. My name is Rarity, fashion designer from Ponyville.”

Nimble smiled. “My name is Crystal Sea, and this is Oakbranch.” Silent smiled. 

“What a sweet name darling.” Rarity said. “I´ve never heard of that name ever before. “You´re not from Canterlot, are you? Sorry for the rude question, I´m just slightly intrigued.”

Nimble chuckled. “Don´t worry. No, we are not. We came from Manehattan for a small trip.”

At the mention of Manehattan, the mare´s eyes shined for a split of second, then she shook her head. “Wow, the great city. I´ve gone there a couple of times, but I had a pretty horrendous experience while on a fashion competition, it is a hard place to live.” She said.

Silent nodded. “It sure is.”

Purpled Velvet returned. “Hello!” she said at Rarity. “I am Purple Velvet.” She sat down. “I´ve never seen you before… No, wait! I remember. Rarity, isn´t it, the fashionista form Ponyville!”

Rarity smiled and nodded. “Yes. I see you recognized me. Not many ponies do, at least not after a few months of being away from Canterlot anyway.”

Purple Velvet nodded. “I wanted to talk to you about a dress I would like for a special occasion, but I´ve never been able to reach you.” 

Rarity´s eyes lit up immediately. “Oh! You want one darling, wonderful! I can help, don´t worry…” She then began to talk with Purple Velvet about the new styles she was making, and some things about diamonds and glitter… Stuff Nimble nor Silent knew about. They decided they´ve had enough at the same time.

Silent stood up. “If you excuse us, we will go around and take a small stroll. My legs need some stretching.” Nimble smiled and stood up also. Rarity and Purple nodded, but kept on with their talk. The two ponies walked away.

After they were finally away from all the noise of talking, they stopped. 

“When do you think Hightip will call on us?” Nimble asked. Silent shrugged.

“When he needs backup I suppose.”

Nimble nodded and looked around. The garden was pretty beautiful, even if it was of a rather bad unicorn. She then looked at the party. 

“You know, I never thought that a party like this one would be so boring. I remember that not less than a year ago I would have loved so much to come to one, now I´m not sure I like it.” Nimble said.

Silent chuckled. “Yes, I don’t like it either. Too much talking, no fun, and also there´s a lot of tension between some ponies.”

“What do you mean?”

Silent shrugged again. “Well, you see; Time Keeper was the first one I noticed. His smiled was fake. He was not really enjoying at all greeting al those ponies, and his smiled told it. It was a pretty convincing one, I´m sure nopony noticed it except me.” Nimble nodded. “And, there were some others that while greeting us or other ponies around seemed hostile, even if their words seemed formal and educated.” He laughed. “I can even believe this ambient can be as dangerous as Lower Canterlot itself.”

Nimble laughed too. “I´m sure it can.”

Silent stopped laughing after some seconds. “I think we should get on back to the party. Here we won´t know if the rest need our help.”

Nimble nodded. “Yeah.”

Both ponies smiled at each other and walked slowly back at the party, only that this time they were walking closer than they normally did…







Greetings by Time








The Party



> Uncovered
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 25
Uncovered



Nimble and Silent had been having a pretty good night. So far, Hightip had not called for them, allowing them to have a relaxing time at the party. Rarity had remained speaking with Purple Velvet, and they were now trying to decide what color the perfect dress would be… lame conversation, at least to the two. Nimble and Silent had run out of something to talk about for some time now, content with eating some small treats and looking around. The party had gone on for hours, and both Silent and Nimble were slightly tired now. 

They had met a couple of other Canterlot elite ponies, some being nice, others simply neutral, and finally some even hostile. Apparently, the two being in such an important party and not being important or famous was something not welcomed by some. Still, the two didn´t really cared and enjoyed themselves around. 

Rarity soon began to talk to Nimble also, asking her if she liked something like the style of dresses. Nimble said she had never really thought of that. Rarity immediately seemed shocked.

“Really darling, I thought you would have known better! Well, you have good likings by the one that you´re wearing, but really you don´t find the different styles exciting or at least interesting?” she said with an exaggerate gesture. Nimble smiled shyly. 

“I… I´ve always just seen dresses as pretty or simply normal. I just never really thought about different styles or anything.” Nimble said. Rarity gasped, making both Silent and purple chuckle slightly at the white mare´s expressions and reactions at Nimble´s apparent ignorance of fashion.

“Well, I then beg you to come someday over to Ponyville and my boutique. There I can show you some good things, the best in Equestria!” She said the last standing proudly. “I am kind of famous for my dresses, even though someponies just don´t know how to appreciate my dresses.” She sat down again upon realizing she had stood up. “Sorry for my reaction, I believe I might have went carried away.” She blushed.

Nimble chuckled. “No worries. Of course I´ll someday go over to your boutique, at least as soon as I go to Ponyville. A very good town to visit, I´ve heard.” Rarity nodded. She was beginning to speak when Silent stood up abruptly. He seemed tense.

“What is it?” The white mare asked. Nimble also stood up slowly looking at Silent.

“What?” She asked. Silent´s ears were up, catching every sound. He then turned to Nimble.

“Somepony´s been sneaking on us all this time.” Nimble looked around. “And I believe however it is, he knows who we are.” Rarity looked at the two.

“Please, explain”. Nopony said a word. Purple Velvet stared at the two, her expression turning slightly worried.

“I´ll tell Counselor.” She said, standing up.

“No.” Silent said. “However is watching us now surely knows we know he´s there, but he has taken no action; He is either just a curious pony, or a spy. Both I dislike, but I´d prefer the first one.” Purple nodded and sat down again. Silent then looked at where Time Keeper had been seating which was a table not far from them. He was no longer there. Silent was about to tell them that Time Keeper was gone when he heard something move behind them. He turned around. Time Keeper stood there, smiling, only that this time the smile was not faked. He WAS smiling, though for what, Silent was not sure.

“If I had known who you were in the very beginning!” He exclaimed. That caught all the pony´s attention throughout the party. Soon, everypony was quiet. 

“What do you mean?” asked Purple. “I already presented them to you.” Time laughed.

“Yes, your family you told me. I´m afraid I know it´s no such thing.” He turned to all ponies present. “May I present you Nimble Hoof, writer of The Daily Hoof, and his partner Silent Mane, from no other place than Lower Canterlot!” there were a couple of gasps around the crowd as Nimble and Silent suddenly felt small. “I would have made you both my guests of honor!” He turned to Silent this time. “And would have a pretty nice talk to both throughout the dinner.”

“Wait!” Rarity said. “You mean, Nimble Hoof, the actual writer?” Time nodded. “Why you didn´t told me?” She asked.

Time laughed. “It´s obvious. Imagine, being so famous is tiring. They probably don´t like to be recognized and using other personalities is a very good idea, but not at my party. I like that here we trust each other.” He looked at Nimble. “Pleasure finally meeting you, Miss Hoof. I´m afraid I´ve not had the chance to speak to you before, but I hope we both have more contact from now on.”

Nimble felt uncomfortable at that. She felt her feet tremble over her own body´s weight. She had never been in such a large crowd, all looking at her. 

Silent was no different. He hated crowds, but them knowing who he was exactly… That surpassed his limit. He looked at Time Keeper, who had now looked upon him again. 

“If you wouldn´t mind, I´d like to have a talk to you both, privately, inside my study.” He said. Two ponies now stood at his sides. Some very tough looking ones, which made clear the answer. It was either yes or yes. Still, nopony seemed to realize that they were being forced. 

Only Rarity seemed to see that, her and Purple Velvet. 

“Can I accompany them?” both mares said at the same time. They looked at each other, surprised about the coincidence.

“No, I´m afraid I´d like to speak to them privately.” Time said. “Of course, if they want to.”

Silent nodded. “Lead the way.”

Time smiled and began walking towards the house…

*    *    *    *

Nimble and Silent sat down on two chairs in front of Time´s office desk. He sat down in front on a big business chair also. He then looked at the two guards and they went out of the office. 

The office was a very nice place, with bookshelves around the walls and maps and many different built things, like a small mill that seemed to move on its own. Time noticed the two´s interest in the things around.

“I am a creator and inventor.” He said, catching their attention. “I began as a watchmaker, when I inherited my father´s shop upon his death. Since then, I made it bigger and created Watcher co. Now not only do we make watches, but also we are trying to revolutionize the world.” He had stood up and was looking out of his window at the party. That´s when his words began to come out differently. The nice, passionate voice he had changed to one darker and even menacing.

“And I had a sweet sister, who died on an unfortunate accident thanks to those now standing on my very lawn.” He turned to the two. “I got my sister´s daughter, a nice and beautiful Pegasus filly. I didn´t had time for her, BUT I LOVED HER.” The last words where directed to them. They stroke the two with force, making them both gasp at the anger in them. “Now, she left me. A poor young one, alone in Canterlot. Somehow, a pony took her in and taught her to be like him. A burglar and a Thief!” He walked at them. “And I know very well you two know of whom I am speaking about. Now, don´t think I don´t know about your little distraction plan to get her, but know this: SHE WILL NOT GO WITH YOU. I am his only family.”

Silent stood up now. He seemed angry, and his stared would have made even made a griffon hesitate to attack him. “Listen to me, you soft but! We came for her, and you won´t stop us. You technically kidnapped her from us, now we´re getting her back. I don´t care how much power you hold, we know what the truth is. She wants to be with us, not you.”

Time nodded. “Might be true, but she´s under my responsibility, and I won´t let her get spoiled by lows like you.” He turned to Nimble. “Now, she asked me to talk to Nimble Hoof. That she´d make me reason about my decision. I accepted and so I will hear you, but you better know that I will nto let her go with you. I am legally her guardian.”

Silent was about to speak again, but Nimble stopped him. She stood up and walked over to Time. “She asked that?” Time nodded. “Oh… alright.” She looked down, trying to know why she´d say that. “Well, she and I have been speaking a lot. She has told me her feelings about everything, especially about her parent´s death, and from what I heard, she loves you, but she doesn´t want to be trapped in here, not doing anything. Tell me, how was her mother?”

Time suddenly seemed shocked. “Why do you ask me that?”

Nimble shook her head. “Just tell me.”

Time hesitated before speaking. “Well… she was a very pretty mare, always wanting to do something new, always ready to help. She married some pony which I never really met, but knew they loved each other.”

Nimble nodded. “now, what did she liked to do?”

Time smiled for some seconds. Silent noticed it was the first real caring smile he had ever given. Immediately he turned rigid again. He chuckled and looked menacingly at the two. “I know where you´re trying to go, but it won´t work. Words don´t work with me, but rather, I make words work on others. Yes, she was like Sunny, but I won´t let that “adventurous” side of her rule her, like my sister. In the end it brought her her own death. Now, I´m gonna make sure you never get to see her again. You lost this time, nopony can defy me and go on with it. You did it, and I won. Your friends won´t find her in my house. She´s somewhere else.” 

Time had barely finished when a pony dressed in a black cloak entered the room running and gasping. Immediately Nimble and Silent recognized him as a shadow pony. He didn´t really minded them, though. He looked at Time Keeper. 

“She´s gone! A cloaked mare arrived and somehow managed to get her from our guards. Shadow is searching all around Canterlot right now, but it appears they banished!” He then saw Nimble and Silent.

Time nodded. He turned to Nimble and Silent also. “Good luck I have hostages.” He retrieved with his magic a strange looking tube. Nimble was about to ask what was it when Silent jumped at Time. There was click and a bang that resonated across the room. Nimble gasped in terror as she saw Silent fall to the floor clutching a leg. Blood was dripping from a wound. Nimble stared at him, then looked at Time, still holding the object.

“Now, you´ll obey me or you´ll learn to fear me by pain…”

Nimble nodded as the shadow pony led her outside. Silent was taken with levitation behind her. Nimble prayed to Celestia that this would turn out alright. She couldn´t beat losing anypony she cared for… losing Silent…






The meeting with Time



> Mind War
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 26
Mind War


1 Hour Before…

The moon shone lightly above Lower Canterlot as cloaked pony advanced towards a dark building. Her whole body was covered by a dark cloak, leaving no side to see her color or even her mane style. Her hoofsteps echoed silently in the inhospitable Lower Canterlot roads. As she got closer to the door, she changed direction towards a window. She then jumped straight into it. The window had been open, so she entered without breaking it. As soon as she landed she adopted a battle stance. There was nopony there. She relaxed her muscles as her breathing, which had been pretty labored throughout the walk, began to slowly relax. She then took the cloak´s hood off, revealing who she was. Her light blue and white-striped hair reflected the small moon light that managed to get inside the dark room. 

Serena looked around the room once more, making sure there was nopony approaching. After listening for a couple of minutes, she walked towards a door. She had the whole maps of the building memorized inside her head, which made her missions always easier. She remembered how many times she´d needed to sneak inside a building. She had lost count by now.

As she opened one of the doors, which she knew led to her destination, she began to wonder why she was doing this.

And as she wondered about that, old memories flooded her mind. She remembered her very first assignment as Time Keeper´s agent. She had needed to get inside a Canterlot police department building and take some important papers. She had never thought before what she would need to do, and what she would dare to do, in order to get her prize on that mission. 

That night was alive in her mind, and she was sure it would never go and leave her alone. She had sneaked in as planned and was retrieving the papers when a guard entered the room she was in. He had immediately ordered her to surrender herself and tell what her business was in there. She had been given specific instructions to do what was necessary to get those papers, so she did exactly that: what was necessary.

She then fought against the guard, immediately knocking him out of action. She had just finished getting the papers when two more guards showed up. The almost defeated her, but that was when she saw the small shining blade in one of the guard´s uniforms. It was a knife, and she had never really thought of using one, but at that moment it was instinct that kicked in. She pushed the guards off her, managing to retrieve the blade. The guards then prepared to attack her once again. The one that still had a knife had retrieved his and was in a battle position. They ordered her to surrender immediately, but she remained silent. The two jumped at her. She managed to clock the guard´s attacks, because they were earth ponies and so they only attacked her with hoof. She had tried to attack them with magic, but they were to fast, so she took the knife with her magic and tried to fend them off.

When she felt the sharp pain of a knife piercing her legs, she didn´t thought twice, in fact, she didn´t even thought of it. As soon as she realized what had happened, the two guards where on the floor… dead. 

She would never forget it. She had always thought that the world was different, a world with no killings or anything, which was as most ponies thought it was, but that night she had realized the truth. The world wasn´t all sunshine and happy smiles everywhere, but cold-blooded ponies that hide inside those fake smiles, waiting to pounce on you one way or another. At least in Canterlot, that is.

She was now upon a corner of a long hallway. She stopped and peeked around. Two shadow ponies stood guard, though they seemed slightly distracted. She smiled. It would be easy. After making sure her cloak was well fastened, she jumped in front of the ponies and knocked them out with magic blasts. The two fell hard against the floor. She walked slowly, passing beside the two crumbled ponies and finally at a door. She placed her hear on one side and listened. She could hear three ponies on the other side talking. The door didn´t allowed her to know what they were talking about, but at least now she knew there where ponies inside. She prepared to enter when a pony walked from behind her. Serena turned around and stared at the now-confused-pony.

He then shouted intruder and the three voices on the other side of the door stopped talking. The door opened, revealing a two Pegasus and a unicorn. Serena smiled after making sure her cloak was not going to fall on the fight. She couldn´t let those ponies see who she was. She then stood facing the three foes, leaving the other to his flank. The four shadows attacked. She ducked as the one from her back and a Pegasus crashed against each other. The other Pegasus and the unicorn remained trying to hit her.

While the Pegasus tried to strike blows from the limited air space, the unicorn threw magic blasts at her. She easily stopped the blasts, but the Pegasus was a really bothering her. As soon as she stopped one of the blasts, she jumped as the Pegasus flew by trying to hit her. She moved her hoof so fast the Pegasus didn´t have time to react as he fell down against the wall and then the floor. Serena didn´t stopped to see what happened to the Pegasus because as soon as she landed another blast was going straight at her. She stopped it and then turned around to stop a hit from the other Pegasus and earth pony, which had finally managed to stand up after their crash. 

Serena stopped another magic blast as she moved one step back. They were slowly tiring her. She needed a change of strategy. Just as soon as that thought cossed her mind, she noticed that the unicorn had retrieved from a cloak he was wearing a metal tube… One if the things Time had invented. She didn´t stopped to stare at it, but rather, knowing what it could do, she prepared to act fast. 

As soon as she heard the click of the trigger, she moved behind the earth pony, pushing him as she did. A sharp cry was hten heard as the pony fell. Serena knew what had happened, but she didn´t looked. Instead, she concentrated in trying to distract the unicorn, not letting him load the tube. As she was sending a blast at him, the Pegasus jumped and knocked her over, stopping her spell. She made a backflip using the inertia from the push and as soon as she was right again, she faced her foes. That´s when she realized that the tube was loaded. She made a protective shield as the tube clicked and the thunder of the bullet coming out sounded. She felt a sudden drain of energies as the bullet shattered the shield into millions of tiny magical pieces like glass. She gasped at the sudden loss of energy and watched as the pieces of magic evaporated. She then looked at the two.

The Pegasus was already upon her. She managed to stop his first attacks, but finally a hit got its mark. She went against a wall, and she felt another hard punch at her stomach as the Pegasus hit again. She needed now a change of plans. As the Pegasus prepared to land her another blow,  she caught her secret weapon from inside her cloak with her magic. As the hoof approached her belly, she retrieved it and quickly sidestepped, cutting the hoof as it missed her by inches. The Pegasus groaned as a cut appeared on his arm. Serena then stood in defensive position, the small knife she had in front if her with her magic.

She noticed the unicorn loading the tube.

“Not this time.” She thought as she threw the knife. She felt as she let go of the magical grasp and heard the whistling sound of the knife cutting through the air. The unicorn had just finished loading when the knife pierced his stomach. He shouted as he fell down, the tube thing making a soft, metal-like sound as it landed. The Pegasus tried then to get the tube, but as soon as he got it, Serena had retrieved her own special “gun”. It was way smaller, and surely had less power than the one the unicorn had used, but still she knew it´d work. She magically pulled the trigger. It made a softer and less metal sound as the bullet left the tube. As soon as that happened, the fight was over.

She kneeled against a wall, trying to regain her breath. It didn´t took her long.

She finally moved on to the room she had wanted to get in before the fight. She looked around, trying to see if there were any hidden foes, but she saw nothing. Her hoofsteps echoed slightly as she made her way through other hallways, this time evading shadows at all costs. She wasn´t strong enough at the moment to make another encounter.

She finally arrived at her destination: a dark metal door.

That´s when she began to question what she was doing. Why would she do it? She couldn´t betray her boss like that, could she? It would be terrible, and she knew what he did to those who betray him… she´d even made some of the punishments herself, and she knew it wasn´t something she´d want to have ever. So then, why was she?

Serena was the most trusted by Time Keeper, and now she was betraying that trust and was actually going to help their enemies because she felt she needed to. What was she going to do? She was going to free Sun Seeker. After some more minutes of indecision, she opened the door. Inside it was well-lit, with bare walls and only a bed and a table with a chair. Serena ten noticed the yellow Pegasus laying on it. The Pegasus stood up and stared at her.

“What do you want?!” She snapped at her. Serena was taken aback by the anger in the Pegasus voice. She had never seemed to her like of those that could get angry. Then she remembered she probably looked like one of her captors due to the cloak. She pulled the hood off.

“I came to get you out of here.” Serena said. Sun Seeker stood motionless at Serena. She knew Sunny wasn´t going to take it easily when she arrived at her prison to rescue her… it was obvious, especially since she had been the one that had helped her capture… in some sense.

“Liar.” She managed. Serena shook her head.

“No. I am being truthful. This is something I know I must do, even though I don´t want to. You don´t want to be here, nor with your uncle, so I came to mend my wrong in spying you all for him.” She said. Somehow, deep inside, that apology made her feel happy, in a way she had not felt in a very long time. Sun Seeker shrugged and stared directly into her eyes. Serena waited.

“Why should I trust you.” She said flatly.

Serena smiled slightly. “Because you must. Else, you´re going to remain here.” Sunny looked down.

“Fine, but I will not let you out of my sight.”

Serena nodded agreeing to the terms. She walked outside, closely followed by Sun Seeker.

“What now?” She asked Serena.

“Now.” Serena said. “You follow me.”

The two walked slowly across the hallways, trying to go through a faster way out, but Serena wasn´t sure if it was the safest. She was in fact going to the main entrance.

As the two where going around a corner, they heard a shout.

“There she is!” said a male voice. Serena then looked back and saw seven ponies running at them. 

“RUN!” she shouted. The two ran as fast as their legs could carry them, until finally Sun Seeker decided to fly instead. She managed to gain some distance, but waited as she began to leave Serena behind. 

“Faster Serena!” She said. “Run faster!”

“I… can´t…” Serena said between grasps. She was heavily tired, and this run wasn´t helping. She knew that soon her legs would fail. She looked at Sunny. “I´ll stop them and give you time, you fly for the entrance.”

Sun Seeker shook her head. “No! I will not leave you behind, not after rescuing me!”

Wow, what a mind changer… Serena thought amused. Not many minutes ago she was angry at her, now she didn´t wanted to leave her. 

“Aright.” Serena said. The two kept going on as fast as they could. 

Finally they reached the entrance hall of the building. In there, seven ponies stood in front of the door, making guard. Serena´s spirits fell hard against the floor as she realized their way out was barred. Sunny, instead of allowing down, she gained speed and knocked two over. She was up and in the air as soon as the other five reacted. She was now flying at a window and breaking it. The night sky was outside, freedom from her uncle and this horrible ponies. As she prepared to jump outside, she saw Serena below. She was nodding at her, urging her to go. Sun Seeker shook her head. Serena smiled and closed her eyes as the air around her began to sparkle with energy. Sun Seeker stared in amazement as the air began to feel strange and heavy and a flash of light appeared where Serena was. As soon as the light faded, Serena was gone. She had used a teletransportation spell. Sun Seeker smiled and jumped into the air, laughing as she heard the ponies behind curse angrily. She then headed to the ponyhoods headquarters. The would be SOOOOO happy to see her…

*   *   *   *

Serena appeared in her own bedroom. As soon as the light was gone, she collapsed to the floor, her eyes closed tightly. She smiled when she realized she was safe once more, and had fulfilled the mission. She stopped as soon as she remembered what she had done. She had defied Time Keeper, her boss, and the most powerful stallion in all of Equestria. She shivered at the thought and tried to stand up only to find that her legs refused.

She sighed and breathed in and out slowly as her heartbeat subsided and her breathing became less labored. She finally managed to stand up, but as soon as she did, blackness covered his eyes and the sounds became distant echoes. She groaned as her sight returned, the blackness fading away in tiny dots. Her hearing took longer and she was left with a dizzy feeling. 

So much for considering herself a strong pony.

Finally she managed to get a cup of coffee loaded with lots of caffeine. She sat on her bed and drank it pretty fast, and still when she was done he eyes felt heavier than rocks. She yawned and pulled the bed sheets off, tucking herself in them. After some minutes her thoughts returned to her dilemma. She had defied Time Keeper and aided Sun Seeker´s escape. She smiled. 

A great peace felt on her insides. A peace she had not felt in a long time, and now, seeing Sun Seeker free once again with her own misdoings righted, had appeared in her heart. She didn´t regretted her decision. She knew it was for the best, and with such thoughts she went to sleep, closing her eyes and wondering what was going to be Time´s face the next day…

A smiled crossed her lips at the thought…






The battle


> Change of Plans
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 27
Change of plans


Hightip stood over the last shadow guard to fall. It had taken the ponyhood a lot of effort to reach the back door, especially after the sudden apparition of shadow ponies.  The ´guns´ were no help either. Grey Stone had a small wound were a bullet had hit him, thing that slowed them down a little. High Mane was looking at the door that led to their escape making a worried grin. Hightip approached him.

“What is it?” He asked the white unicorn. High Mane shrugged.

“It´s too easy. I don´t think we are safe, maybe we should try to use another exit.” Hightip shook his head.

“No, there is no other… well, apart from the main door which is full of guests. We can´t, at least not through there.” He then remembered when he saw as Time carried Nimble and Silent away. “Also Time will be on the lookout for us. We cannot go back, not anymore.” Deepsqueak sighed.

“We are in the worst disaster since the creation of the ponyhood, don´t you think Hightip? I feel we already lost.” His ears were falling down slowly, which made Hightip grin.

“We are ndot lost, just disorganized. If we make it back to the headquarters we can get new plans traced and rescue Nimble and Silent in no time.” He looked at the door. “But we need to get out through there.” High Mane shook his head again but said nothing. Hightip walked over to the door and listened. He couldn´t hear anything. 

Grey Stone picked up one of the guns and looked at it. “Maybe if we used one of these we might be able to get out easily.” Deepsqueak nodded, earning an angry look from Hightip.

“No. None of us will ever use one of those. They are not meant to be or exist, pure killing inventions those are, no honor in using them.” The blue unicorn said. High Mane nodded agreeing. Grey Stone sighed and threw the gun away, a metallic sound disturbed the silence as it landed hard on the floor. 

“Now, we need to get out one way or another. Deepsquek!” The earth pony walked over to Hightip. “Do you think you can check on that hallway for any windows big enough for us to get out?” Deepsqueak smiled confidently.

“Piece of cake.” He said, walking away. Hightip walked over to the door and pushed it slightly. The door creaked a little as it opened. He instantly ducked as a bullet flew inches away from his head. 

“Hide!” He ordered. All the ponyhood took cover behind anything on their reach as soon a shadow pony entered carrying a large metal tube. He picked it up with its magic and pulled the trigger. Instantly a shower of bullets fell in the ponies. Hightip groaned as a bullet managed to hit him in the flank. He lighted his horn and shot the pony a magic blast. The pony fell back only to be inetantly knocked out by Deepsqueak, who had just returned.

“Well boss, I think that didn´t went well, now did it.” He helped Hightip on his hooves. “And you won´t be able to seat down in some time.” He chuckled.

“Shut up.” The unicorn grunted. He looked at his flank only to see a small wound. He grunted again. He made small spell that stopped the bleeding and numbed the pain. He turned to the ponyhood. “I guess we can go now.” All the ponies nodded and soon they were out of the house. Hightip swore to himself that he would never return to that house unless he needed to. 

They soon reached their headquarters. Hightip was about to open the door when he noticed that it was already opened. He stopped and raised a hoof to tell everypony to shut up. He opened the door which made a loud creak as it opened. Hightip reminded himself to replace the hinges someday.

In the back of the entrance hall was a door that led to the planning room. The light in it was on, which meant there was a pony in there. Hightip walked slowly, trying not to make a noise. Once he reached the door he peeked inside. He opened his mouth and stared confused at the pony inside.

“S… Sunny?” He said. The yellow Pegasus turned around and looked at Hightip.

“Hightip!” She said, jumping happily. The two hugged each other warmly. The other ponies looked once and smiled, she was safe.

“Sunny…” Hightip said as soon as they stopped the hug. “What happened, how did you escaped?”

Sunny stopped smiling. “It was… Serena.” Hightip looked sonfusedly.

“Serena? But she surely couldn´t have…”

“No.” Sunny said interrupting him. “She works for Time Keeper; she was a spy among us.” Hightip rose his head with an angry smirk on his face. “But she said she felt bad for that and went to rescue me. Now, well, I´m here.”

Hightip smiled kindly. “Yes, you are.” He kissed her forehead and turned to the others. “Now, we need to rescue Nimble and Silent.”

Sunny gasped. “They were captured?!”

High Mane nodded. “Yes.” Sunny looked to the floor.

“What are we going to do then? We cannot leave them with Time! He´s gonna kill them, or… or… or torture them! Or…”

Hightip stopped Sunny from talking. “Yes, I know what´s at stake here. Which is why we need to rescue them.” He looked around. “Only I don´t know how.”

“We could always use their own tricks.” Deepsqueak said sheepishly. Hightip looked at him angrily.

“No.”

The earth pony sighed. “Alright.”

High Mane approached Hightip. “If I may say something, they probably took them to a dungeon or something of the kind. They are clever enough to escape from a house or a mansion even. Time Keeper probably has someplace to keep his worst enemies.”

Hightip nodded. “But we don´t know if he has one, or if he does, were it is.” Just then they heard the front door open and hoofsteps in the entrance room. Soon a pony opened the door of the room.

“I know where they are.” Serena said. She was trembling and looked dangerously pale. Her eyes looked watery, like if she had just cried. Still, she wore a resolved grin.

Deepsqueak pounced at her and tackled her to the floor, holding her there. Hightip approached.

“How you dare show your face, SPY!” Grey Stone said angrily. Hightip stopped in front of her and kneeled, looking at her eyes.

“I… came to help…” She said, her voice shaking. Hightip stopped inches away from her face.

“I can´t trust somepony that betrayed us.” He said flatly. Serena stopped fighting to be released and looked at him.

“But I am sorry, I really am!” she exclaimed. Hightip stood up and nodded at Deepsqueak. The earth pony helped her on her hooves but remained with a firm grip on her. “Please, you got to believe me! He has joined in with…”

“Stop!” Hightip exploded. His face was red with anger. “You better shut your mouth and consider yourself lucky that Silent is not here. He does NOT take kindly a spy, less one involved directly to him.” Serena gulped. “You showed nerve coming here, that I accept, but it may as well be but an act to trick us into something.” Serena shook her head slowly, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

“No…” she said. “I am not acting…”

“…and a spy is always punished the same way in every ponyhood, why should we not use the same rule. It´s a ponyhood code which I´m happy to say we have never needed to apply…” He stopped and looked at Serena directly in the eyes. “Spies are executed.” Serena gasped and threw herself to the ground sobbing.
“No! I am sorry, really. I… Yes, I started on a mission, but then I… I felt bad about this, especially after Sunny…” She looked at Sunny. “Sunny, please, make them reason, please…” Her voice was now low and tears covered her face.  Sunny stood paralyzed, looking from Hightip to Serena. Hightip had gone to retrieve a knife, which he now held in front of him, facing the wall giving his back to Serena. He slowly turned and looked at Serena. “No! Sunny, please…” She felt no strength left. She closed her eyes and sobbed. Hightip looked at Sunny once and walked towards Serena. Sunny took a step forward but hesitated. Hightip stopped and raised the knife.

“Stop!!!” came Sunny´s plea. Hightip stopped and looked at Sunny. “Don´t kill her!” She cried out, walking over and hugging Serena. “She may have done wrong, but she repented and I believe her.” Hightip looked once more at Serena and slowly a tension on his muscles relaxed. He smiled at Sunny as a tear rolled out of his eye. 

“Sorry Sunny. I… I  was angry for what she did to us, I hardened my heart.” Sunny stood up and hugged Hightip.

“Don´t be sorry.” She said. Serena opened an eye. She looked at Sunny and smiled.

“Thank you.” She said. Sunny helped her to her hooves. 

“I´m glad you decided to help us.” Sunny said. “You are my friend after all.” Serena seemed to beam in light for a second when she heard the word friend.

“Well, thanks Sunny.” She said smiling. He body was still trembling, but she seemed more relaxed. Hightip looked at the knife and threw it hard against the wall, impaling it.

“Alright then…” Grey Stone said on his corner where he was seated. “Now what?”

Hightip looked at Sunny and both smiled confidently.

“Now we rescue Silent and Nimble.” Hightip sad.
> Trapped and Locked
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 28
Trapped and locked

The steady sound of dripping water made Silent's ears twitch. He gasped as he woke up, jumping up. He immediately regretted that action as a sharp pain flowed all through his front leg. He cried out in pain, falling back down to the floor. He closed tightly his eyes as the pain numbed all of his senses. He waited for the pain to subside.

He slowly opened his eyes as his leg calmed a little. He finally looked at his surroundings, careful not to move his leg. 

He was on a cell just like the one Shadow had locked the ponyhood in not long ago. The cell itself was made out of solid stone apparently carved into rock, probably a mountain. He guessed he was below Canterlot. The bars seemed solid steel, which was the most obvious case. The cell was square and had nothing at all, not even a bathroom. It was a completely barren.

Silent sighed as he lowered himself to the floor. He would have tried the door, but by the look of it it was well locked. No chance getting it opened, at least from the inside.

He felt his stomach hurt and plead for something to eat but, obviously, there was nothing. He groaned in pain as he accidentally moved his leg, feeling as the pain enveloped his body. He waited for the pain to subside again. He sighed and closed his eyes.


Seconds later he heard the rattle of keys opening the door. He jumped to his feet, careful not to use his bad leg. He moved beside the door and prepared to strike whoever was on the other side. The door sung open and Silent jumped, knocking a shadow pony down. Silent then immediately kicked another pony. He felt a punch on his back and then he felt his side against the cold stone wall. He looked at his attacker and moved away seconds after the pony threw him another punch. Silent pushed him backwards, sending him a kick of his own to the head.

The pony crumbled to the floor.

He looked around for any other attacker or foes nearby. When he saw nothing he relaxed. After a second he slowly moved towards where he believed there was an entrance. Just then he heard a click behind him. That could only mean one thing...

He turned and saw a shadow pony with a gun pointed at him.

"Alright, now; you will do as I say or you know what I'll do, filth!" Shadow looked around for any possible way of defending himself.

There was a metal plate laying on the floor. If he managed to be fast, he could escape the shot and, as the pony charge the gun, he could strike him with the metal plate.

He posed into a fighting stance.

"Alright, let's do it your way then." The shadow said. Silent managed to jump aside just as the bullet missed his head by inches. He took the metal plate and quickly moved to strike the pony.

Everything slow led down as the metal made contact with the pony. 

He fell down with a grunt, the weapon falling to the ground already charged. He stared for a couple of seconds at the weapon, deciding if he should take it.

With it he would feel dirty, it was no fair... But without it he would be inferior in armament. After some hesitating he took it carefully. It felt much heavier than he thought it would he. Looking in the shadow pony's cloak he found a small bag of bullets for the gun. He took it and slowly walked away.

After finding the door out if the dungeons he was in he saw were he was...

Shadow's secret hideaway!

He gulped and walked slowly.

He had searched for Nimble on the cells but she hadn't been anywhere. Silent had decided to search in whichever building he was. Apparently the situation had become more complicated.

After some time he began to feel that something was wrong. Why was no other pony around? That wasn't normal, and that made Silent even more cautious.

He heard hoofsteps behind and quickly spun around, ready to shoot.

He immediately stopped himself, because there, in front if him, was Nimble Hoof.

He felt a wave of relief immediately, until he noticed how pale she looked. He then also noticed the ponies behind.

"Great job Silent! I am definitely surprised about this. Even thrilled I must admit." Shadow said, strapping forward. "Though I am a little disappointed at how easily we found you and how shocked you looked. I mean, you should have seen your face!" He walked a step forward but Silent immediately rose the gun. He heard the click of a gun being loaded and saw a gun lifted magically pointed at Nimble's head.

"Now now, Silent. No need to be aggressive." Shadow said, apparently indistirbed by the gun pointing at him. "Now, put that gun down."

Shadow kept it up for some seconds before making a defeated groan and leaving it on the floor. Still, he remained readied for anything. For all he knew, his friends could be on their way.

"Now, that is better." Shadow said. The dark brown unicorn took Silent's gun with his magic and threw it away. Slowly, he approached Silent. Once both were close enough, shadow stopped smiling.

"Now you will come with me."

•~•   •~•   •~•

Silent fought against the cuffs that now had him lifted from the ground in an uncomfortable position. He was a little worried that the magic holding him up in te air finished, as the shackles he was in were floating on the air, apparently being hold in place by some magical force.

He struggled again as the door to where he was in opened. Two ponies stepped in, on holding a gun against the other.

"Alright, move." Said the shadow pony. The one in front moved until he was on a place beside Silent. The shadow pony took some cuffs just like the ones shadow had and placed them on the pony's hoof. "Now stand on your hind legs." The pony did as he was told. As soon as he did that, the shadow pony lit his horn and the pony rose a few feet above the ground as silent was. The pony turned and went to the door, closing it as he left. 

Shadow looked at the newcomer. Even though he was looking down, the pony seemed familiar. Shadow tried to get a better view.

"I know you." Shadow said.

The pony looked up, still not looking at Solent.

"And I know you." He responded.

Silent's hair stood up for some seconds. He knew that voice.

Metal Mane...

*   *   *   *   *   *

Nimble opened her eyes slowly. She felt her body heavy and her eyes felt about to close again. She forced herself to look around, noticing her surroundings. 

That's when she noticed she was in a bed.

"What...?" She said, opening her eyes wide. She was on a room with a large bed and a glass table with a glass of water and a lamp. There was a really fine wardrobe and the floor had a carpet with a zebrican style.

Nimble slowly stood up, getting off the bed. She stretched her legs and went to the glass of water. She didn't noticed she was thirsty until the liquid touched her lips. She drank it quickly, savoring it with thirst.

After leaving the glass back on the table, she waked to the door. She tried the doorknob only to find that it was locked. She tried it again and again until she groaned in frustration and went back to the bed. She fell asleep almost immediately.

She woke up only to find that the table now had a plate of good and another glass of water. She walked to it and began eating. The food tasted wonderful as did the water.

As she finished the food she heard the door open. She was facing the other way, so she needed to turn. 

"Hello Nimble." Day said. Nimble didn't spoke. She just stayed immobile, unsure if what to do. "I hope you are feeling better today." Nimble nodded slowly.

"What do you want Day?" She asked almost in a whisper. Days walked over to her.

"Well, you know why I'm here. The same reason I was at your place before. Please, think about this." He was now inches from her. "I believe that we know what is going to happen, but I just can't bring myself to the threats I told you. I cannot kill you, and I really won't. That leaves me with only one option..." He walked to the other side if the table. "Either you join me or I'll have to keep you locked. Your choice."

Nimble stared at Day's eyes. She wasn't sure why she didn't felt the normal hatred she normally had at him after knowing he was Shadow. Still, she knew what her answer was.

"Sorry Day, but you know my answer well enough."

The stallion nodded slowly. "Yes, I... Feared it was going to be that way. Still, you are a threat to me and my future plans." He walked to the door. "We might talk later." He was closing the door. Nimble reacted quickly jumping at the door.

She stopped the door and tried to tackle Day to the floor. Day was surely expecting that as he quickly pinned her to the ground.

"Good try." He said smiling. "Not good enough." He pushed her inside and closed and locked the door. Nimble started to try the lock and hit the door one time. 

"Let me out!" She shouted, despair starting to build on her self. "Day!"
> Plans and decisions
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 29
Plans and Desicions



The world was spinning. An eternal and never-ending nightmare; a dark reality.

Serena looked out of a window into the evening streets of Canterlot as ponies went to their houses for the night. 

Sleep...

That word seemed so distant now to her. She had not closed her eyes for two days now, if it was for his old boss or for the ponyhood, it didn't mattered. She wanted to sleep. 

She looked around the room she was in. It was lit by a single small chandelier and had a small bed. Nothing more, nothing less.

They had locked her in after she had arrived. She was laying down on the bed, wondering about her fate. She had never before doubted her actions or be unsure of herself. Until that day that is. 

She was calmed now, with her mind totally cleared. She wasn't sure of what was going to happen next. The ponyhood was going to make a plan to rescue Nimble and Shadow. If she was going to be involved in it she had no idea.

Time passed slowly, and as she had no way to measure it she wondered how long she had been there.

There was a sound outside of the door as somepony opened the door. Serena turned to see who it was.

"Alright Serena, come." said one of the ponies... a grey one named Grey Stone... or something like that.

She stood up and went with him. Grey Stone waited for her to move out of the room before closing the door again. He began to walk, leading Serena.

She cleared her throat. "So... You have a plan?" she asked. Grey Stone nodded.

"Yes." he said.

Serena felt slightly uncomfortable beside that pony... for some reason she could feel the tension. Not that she was surprised of it, she had betrayed them after all.

They reached a dor in which Grey Stone stopped and opened. He entered followed closely by Serena.

"...and then you know what to do next." Hightip was saying. He stopped and turned to the newcomers.

Serena looked around the room. It was round and had a square table in the middle. There were some empty bookshelves around it and some chairs as well. The ponyhood was there. She looked down.

"Thank you Grey Stone." The blue unicorn said. He turned to Serena. "Ready to repair your mistake?" he said, surprisingly calm and without any hint of anger on his voice. She could even swear he was encouraging...

She nodded slowly, looking at him.

"Alright." Hightip said. "Everypony knows their tasks. You have one main objective and then you'll be backup should something go wrong." He gestured her to approach. She walked slowly to the table. There was a sketch of a building. "This is the Shadow headquarters. We got this map last time we were in. Deepsqueak managed to get it. You see the main entrance?" He asked her. Serena nodded. "That's your main task. Distract the ones protecting the door. As they give you their attention, we will enter through a back door. You'll have to move fast once we are inside. You must find a way in and meet us here..." he said placing his hoof on a small room. "It's gonna be our randezvous point. From there you'll go with me and High Mane." He looked at Serena in the eyes. "Ther will be action. We won't leave the building unscathed, that we are sure. Also, we'll have limited time to complete this."

Serena looked at hm confused. "limited time?" Hightip nodded.

"Yes. We have a backup plan in case things go wrong, which if the don't is just the end of the main plan." He looked around to everypony. "We'll make sure the Royal Guard gets there and arrest the entire Shadow ponyhood."

Everypony looked a him confused, and High Mane was looking almost disgusted.

"The Guard? No! You know the rules of Lower Canterlot. The Royal Guard is just... we solve our problems alone. If the Roya Guard ever gets into Lower Canterlot..." High Mane began.

"Yes, I know the creed of the ponyhoods, but this are different circumstances." His body seemed to rise up as he said the next words. "It's time change falls in Lower Canterlot."

High Mane looked down, obviously in disagreement. "That's not of your choosing. You cannot decide for the entire Ponyhoods!" The white unicorn exclaimed. Hightip sighed.

"The ponyhoods are no longer what they were once, and you know that. I believe you would be the one to understand that there is no such as Ponyhood 'honor' anymore." High Mane looked at him. He still seemed a little uncomfortable, but he nodded.

"You... you might be right." he finally said after a couple of seconds.

Hightip smiled. "Also, I'm gonna announce this here, right now..." He breathed heavily for a couple of seconds before peaking again. "I'm rtiring from the ponyhood after this."

Everypony except for Serena took that with shock.

"But... you are our leader, you formed use into one." Deepsquak said slowly and with a shocked voice.

Hightip nodded. "Yes, but None willl be the same after tonight, and I... I want to feel what it is to live in a house on the countryside, on some small town. Have peace for the first time in my life. I don't know you, but I've had enough of this to last a lifetime."

The gathered ponies looked down, even Serena. Only Sunny remained looking at him. She walked over and hugged him. Hightip smiled and hugged her back. Deepsqueak looked up and saw them. He walked over as well and placed a hoof on Hightip's back. Grey Stone and High Mane followed his example and did the same. Only Serena remained where she was, but she was sure she shouldn't do anything.

Finally Sunny and Hightip separated and the ponies took the hooves down. 

"We're with you boss." Grey Stone said. Deepsqueak and High Mane nodded in agreement.

"Thank you." Hightip said. He looked at each and every one of them. "So, should we go and kick some shadow but?" He asked smiling. The gathered ponies cheered with Sunny laughing happily.

Only Serena remained quiet. She looked at Hightip. He seemed... tired. As much as his body and gestures said something entirely different, his eyes said it. 

She was an expert in knowing what ponies hid within their gestures. Her work with Time Keeper made her use it a lot... Sometimes more than she's like to. Now she knew what was happeneing to Hightip...

...he was tired.

* * * * * *

Night had already fallen.

The ponyhood was walking on the rooftops slilently to one place: the shadow headquarters.

The had left their building ten minutes ago and were preparing to get into action.

Deepsqueak was not with them though. He had gone to the Canterlot Guard building to get the guards for the last part of the plan. Hopefully, he'd take enough time to let the ponyhood fulfill their job in time.

Serena was going behind High Mane, who apparently wasn't as good as the others in the rooftops. Maybe it was because he had not needed to move much while in the shadow ponyhood? Serena wasn't sure. 

She moved suiwftly even though she had never been on rooftops before. She knew how to move on such an environment thanks that she had been practicing moving fast on obstacle-covered places.

Some minutes later they were looking at the dark building that was their destination. There were many ponies taking guard all around. In the street and in the adjacent buildings. Why that was so protected, nopony knew. 

Hightip turned to Serena and nodded... the signal for her to make her part. She nodded slowly as her heat began to race. She got off the building she was on and walked slowly in the cover of shadows until she was facing the main entrance. The building was pretty much like on of the government offices in Upper Canterlot, only darker and decayed. Serena noticed some of Time Keeper's own ponies that he had sent to help Shadow. She knew they'd recognize her. If they knew she was betraying them... she wasn't sure. Time Keeper was a very resourceful pony, and he probably already knew of her betrayal. She breathed slowly, trying to calm herself and she walked into the faint light of the moon on the street in front of the main entrance.

The ponies there saw her and turned still. She noticed that each one of them was carrying one small gun. She gulped and approached. One of the ponies walked in front of the others and looked at Serena.

"Serena Skye... We were not expecting you here." he said. Serena nodded.

"I don't you were. I come here under orders of Time Keeper. I need to enter." she said with authority. Those ponies were behind her technically. She had authority over them.

He shrugged. "I'm afraid I can't let you. We have strict orders not to let anypony..." he saw cut off short by Serena's rapid punch. He landed hard on his back.

"And I have strict orders myself." She said without any hint of emotion in her face. The ponies were lifting their guns towards Serena. The fallen guard stood up and turned to Serena again angily. 

"How dare you!" he said, spitting the words out.

"Actually, how dare YOU stop me." She pushed him back slightly with her hoof. "I have my orders, and my orders go over yours." she got close to his ear. "So let me in, or else..." she let the word hang in the air. They could think whatever they liked of what was the 'what else'. She was only trying to get as much attentin from the guards around.

She was being succesful.

The gards around had turned to look at the scene she was making. Many were approaching to see what the ruccus was about. The nack door was now cleared. She couldn't see if they entered, so she tried to make more time.

"So?" she asked at the pony. The pony picked up its gun. 

"You'll pay for that." he said angrily as he lifted his gun towards her. Serena didn't moved nor flinched.

"You know, I don't need your permission. I can just enter." she said, walking towards the door. The pony clicked the safety lock of the gun. 

"Don't you touch that door!"

Seren stopped in front of the door and looked at him. "Then answer on Time Keeper." she said, openening the door. Everypony looked nervous at that ponies name. She smiled and entered, leaving behind many confused and surprised ponies...
> Infiltration
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 30
Infiltration


Everything around seemed blurry. She couldn´t make out any features of her surroundings. Nimble blinked several times, trying hard to focus on something, but it didn´t changed. Everything remained blurry. She tried standing up, but her legs wouldn´t work. After a while of trying she gave up and focused on steading her breathing.

In, out, in, out…

She heard a loud bang as one of those guns was fired nearby. Then, a sound of a shout and the metallic sound of a metal door opening. He then heard a very familiar voice.

“Stand up, Nimble,” Shadow said with a hint of venom in his voice. “I don´t want you to miss these.” He took her and helped her to her feet. He didn´t allowed her to say anything before she felt herself being pushed out of wherever she was. When she was out of the room, her eyes suddenly cleared out. She immediately tried to turn to Shadow, but a firm hoof maintained her head in a specific direction. 

Right towards the ponyhood… Silent Mane, Sunny, Hightip, Deepsqueak and Grey Stone… all of them were there against a wall. She didn´t say High Mane, but she was too sonfused to think about it. 

“What… what is going on?” she asked, fear in her voice.

“What is happening? This is what happens when somepony tries to get in the way,” Shadow said. Nimble had still not seen Shadow, but she could still feel his strong grip and his breathing behind her. She then felt her head being lowered. She noticed a pony on the floor… she squealed the second she noticed that the pony seemed to be not breathing. She tried to look away, but Shadow forced her to keep looking. “Remember him? That traitor deserved it.”

It was High Mane. 

"No!" Nimble cried out. That's when she noticed something strange... Her surroundings seemed blurry. This was wrong... It was...

She gasped as she woke up. She was sweating cold.

She looked around and saw the same room she had been locked in. She was on the bed, covered by the bed sheets. She sighed and began to try to calm herself down. Her heart was beating at incredible speed.

She breathed in and out slowly, trying to not think about her current situation. She finally managed to breath normally and the sweat was all but gone. She looked around again at the darkness around. The room seemed exactly the same as before and it appears nopony had entered. She laid down again and looked at the ceiling, wondering how she had ended up like that and how she could have stop it...

*** *** ***

The main room seemed to stand still as Serena walked in. Everypony around looked at her as she walked on the cavernous front hall of the new shadow headquarters. Her hooves made a resonating sound as she walked forward, ignoring the glances around. She had a goal in mind, and she wasn't going to fail in it. She stopped in front if a pony that was seated on a table, checking some papers. 

The pony was a deep black, though obviously he had painted himself. He had a peculiar horn, all black as well and had been sharpened to the point that it was even more dangerous than a knife. The pony turned towards Serena.

"I need to see Shadow."

The pony stopped what he was doing and stood up, never leaving his gaze on Serena. "He is not available."

She shook her head "He needs to be for Time Keeper." At that name, some ponies looked at her, since most of the ones of the room had returned to their duties. The ones still looking and that had gotten attention by Keeper's name were obviously those sent there by the watch-maker himself.

The pony walked towards her and stopped dangerously close to Serena. "Your Time keeper has no poet here, so you better wait." That made Serena angry.

"You don't know what you are saying."

The pony shook his head. "On the contrary, I know..." He couldn't finish as a blast of magic sent him backwards against the wall, cracking it. The pony cried as he fell against the floor, but soon he was up again and was looking at Serena with murder intentions on his eyes.

"You'll repent of that."

Serena chuckled. "On the contrary, you will."

Serena knew she had the Ponyhood's attention for now, she just needed to give the others time to rescue their friends and then she'd simply need to leave.

Something she doubted was possible now...

*** *** ***

Hightip walked through the long and dark corridors, closely followed by the rest of the members of the ponyhood.

He had changed plans as soon as they had entered. The reason was because they had immediately encountered guards and had needed to shut them before they rose the alarm, which thankfully they didn't.

He had decided that they should all stay together and reach the cells as soon as possible. High Mane was beside him, guiding them since he knew part of the complex. Right after them was Grey Stone and Sunny. Hightip had wanted her to be in the middle, since it was the safest position.

He had argued with her right before the mission. He had wanted her to remain at the headquarters, but Sunny had been insistent that she needed to go. He had accepted but by her promise that she wouldn't enter into combat and that at any sign if danger she'd hide or take cover.

She was now technically protected by Grey Stone. 

They walked fast and quietly, every step leading them closer to their capture friends. Hightip was pretty sure Serena had managed to get the shadow ponies' attentin, since most if the halls where empty. 

They were turning. Corner when they finally let their first obstacle: three ponies armed with guns. They rose their weapons as soon as they saw them, firing. Hightip rose a shield just as High Mane shot a magic blast. The shield immediately fell down, but the magic blast got two of the ponies, knocking the out cold. The other attempted to reload, but Grey Stone was already on him. 

They kept on walking, making sure they were not followed. Apparently there had been no other ponies around, because those blasts would have warned them.

They finally reached the cell's doors. High Mane wondered out loud where were the guards, but they opened the doors nevertheless.

Expecting an ambush on the other side of the door, they entered cautiously. Apparently there was nothing waiting for them. They walked slowly this time, checking every cell individually. 

Hightip separated from the group, going though another dark tunnel with cells on the sides. That's when he saw some kind of crack in the wall, only that it wasn't a crack...

It was an opening.

*** *** ***

Silent Mane looked towards Metal Mane. The two looked at each other, unblinking. It seemed like a contest, though no pony wanted to loose. Finally Silent spoke.

"You know we are both prisoners here."

The earth pony Metal Mane looked the other way. He seemed angry at that mention Silent had done, but not at Silent, but at being trapped.

"We can escape, maybe not alone, but with my help you and I could get out."

Metal Mane looked at him. "I doubt that. You'd get trapped immediately or you would simply leave me."

Silent shook his head. "No, I never fail my word, you know a pony's word is the most important thing, to us ponies of Lower Canterlot, to us that follow a code."

"You above all other should know that nopony follows the code anymore."

Silent shook his head. "But there are atill some that do. The question is, do you?"

Metal Mane chuckled, but stopped as pain began on his neck. "I try to, but it's not the same since the shadow ponies. They broke the way of Lower Canterlot."

Both remained quiet for some seconds.

"Then help me restore it," Silent finally said. "Help me bring back Lower Canterlot's old times."

Metal Mane looked doubtfully at the brown pony. "I don't think you'd he able to."

"Alone no, but with help we may. We can try to take down this ponyhood. We just need to get Shadow, and the entire structure of this ponyhood collapses."

Metal Mane shook his head. "Shadow is not the one behind this all."

Silent nodded. "No, Time Keeper from Watcher co. is partnered with the rascal, but I don't think that Canterlot white butt could do his plans without his partner."

Metal Mane nodded. Hope could now be seen on his eyes. "Yes..."

Both smiled and looked at the door. They had the exact same idea of how to get out, they just needed their jailer...

There was a rattle on the door as the pony they were expecting entered. They immediately his their expressions a to one if despair and list hope. The pony jailer walked to them with a glass of water. He drank most if it and then passed it to Metal Mane. The pony was beginning to sip when he kicked hard, managing to brake the magic holding his hoofcufs for a second. The jailer jumped in surprise, just to he kicked in the back by Silent. The jailer screamed help just as the two prisoners did one last effort and knocked the jailer out. Silent looked at Metal Mane, who smiled and showed him the keys he was holding with one hand.

Soon the two where free and finally on their four legs. They were beginning to walk to te door when it opened and five ponies entered armed with knives and guns. Immediately the two ponies jumped at them and kicked the guns off their hooves. Silent knocked one out almost instantly and entered a fight with two others, each of them holding a knife. Metal Mane was dealing with the other two, only one of them with a weapon. The guns laid down on the floor.

Silent moved out of the way just in time as a knife whistled by, missing him by inches. He kicked and sent the pony back. The other pony attacked and managed to stab him on the back, though nothing painful nor dangerous. Silent attacked and brought down his front hooves on the pony's back. He heard the pony whimper as he fell down, still. The other picked up a gun an pointed at him.

Metal Mane was having more thouble, as his two foes managed to push him back. The big pony charged at the two and pushed them against a wall. They tried to stab him, but Metal Mane kicked the knife off the pony's hooves.  He punched one in the head and made the other one fall by hitting his legs. 

Silent sidestepped as he heard the click of the gun. He felt the air whistle as the bullet went off against the wall. He smiled and punched the pony, taking the gun from his hooves. He took him and used the gun's butt to hit his head. The pony fell down, still. He turned to help Metal Mane only to find the two ponies' on the floor as well. The two looked at each other as they heard several hoofsteps approaching. They nodded and turned to the door, ready to fight off the next wave if foes.

"Here..." He heard a familiar voice. Just as he prepared to attack, the door opened and revealed a dark blue unicorn. 

"Stop!" He told Metal Mane. The pony stopped and looked at Hightip, surprised.

"Hightip!"

The old unicorn looked at Silent. "Silent! You're alright!" As he said this, Sunny got out from behind and hugged Silent. Silent smiled.

"Wait..." Sunny finally said after ending the hug. "And Nimble?"

Silent turned serious. "I know where she is." He looked at Hightip. "We must rescue her before that pony Shadiw does something to her." Hightip nodded in agreement. The blue unicorn then turned to Metal Mane.

"Metal Mane, I didn't expected to see you here."

Metal Mane nodded. "Neither did I, old friend." Hightip nodded.

"He's going to help us take down the shadow Ponyhood." Silent said.

Hightip nodded. "We already have that covered, we only need to get Nimble as soon as possible before the royal guard arrives."

Both Silent and Metal Mane looked confused.

"The royal guard?" Silent asked.

"Or the Canterlot police. I'm not sure who'll come, but we must be gone by the time they arrive." Hightip answered. The two recently rescued ponies nodded.

"Okay. Follow me, let's go rescue Nimble and kick some shadow butt on the way." Silent said.

He thought of Shadow... That pony was going to pay... 

A lot...

> To take down a Ponyhood... (Part 1)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 31
To take down a Ponyhood... (Part 1)

Serena moved out of the way as a magic blast landed a few feet away from where she had been standing seconds ago. She turned and saw the ponies running after her. Her horn lighted up with magic as she began to cast a rather complex spell. She closed his eyes and imagined the floor cracking. He heard a satisfying cry as the floor began to eat his pursuers. She opened his eyes and noticed that they had stopped. She stopped the spell and the floor immediately closed. There had been six pursuers.

Now there were only two…

“You´ll pay for that!” one shouted.

Serena chuckled. “That´s what your friend down there said, and look where he´s now. I would recommend you to leave me now, before you get hurt.”

The pony growled angrily and charged at her. The pony was a unicorn with the usual dark cloak on him. Serena took out her knife and prepared. She charged as well. The moment they were about to crash, she made the teletransportation spell, appearing several feet away. She no longer had the knife on his hands. 

The pony fell down, making a thump causing Serena to look. She was looking back forward when she felt a hard impact and the air was knocked out of her body. She struggled to breathe as she flew against a wall. She cried out once she felt the strong impact and landed hard on the floor. She looked up and saw an angry unicorn walking steadily towards here. She tried to stand up, but here legs didn´t worked.

“You thought you would ever get away with…” he didn´t finished before Serena had blaste him. The pony was soon on the floor, stunned. Serena chuckled and growled slightly in pain. She had broken at least one rib.

“I did got away with that…” she said, standing up. She was going to keep walking when other five turned out and stopped in front of her.

“Come on guys, can´t you give a lady a brake?” she asked annoyed. All those ponies were entirely covered in a black robe. Serena saw that none of them moved or answered. She sighed. “The usual funny lads, are you?” Her horn lighted up. “So, what do you guys think of having a party, don´t you think?” She levitated her knife in front of her. She was about to throw it when the five levitated their guns. 

“Shoot…” she said, jumping to take cover behind a corner. She heard the heavy sound of guns shooting and she felt the air around her move. She closed her eyes as the bullets impacted close by. She rapidly jumped in front of them and threw her knife. The ponies were too busy reloading to even notice she was attacking. One of them fell down because of the knife.

“Show time…” Serena said, smiling. 

The ponies took out of their robes knifes and large, wooden clubs. She shot at them a magic blast and teleported beside one. She kicked him in the back and teleported again, this time behind another one. She managed to hit him in the head before being kicked herself in the back. She shouted as she teleported away and back to where she had been standing at the beginning.

“Tough guys… Hitting a lady like that…” She picked with her magic three knives that they had thrown trying to hit her and managed to hit another. The pony fell back. The other two knives were easily stopped. One of them had managed to load a gun and pointed it at Serena.

“Why do you make it so hard and unfair!” she shouted angrily before jumping to the floor. This time luck was not on her side and she felt the bullet brush her leg. She felt a sharp pain and then looked at her leg. 

The bullet had almost managed to hit her, little more and she would surely lose her leg.

“Ouch!” she said, before jumping back to her feet. The ponies were now running at her. She prepared and teleported on top of one just as they were about to hit her. She kicked his hard in the head, the pony falling down, passed out. Serena then stopped a couple of kicks and managed to land some herself. Soon, the ponies were all down on the floor.

She sighed and tried to catch her breath. It was much harder than what she had imagined.

She laid down a little, then went to take anything useful from the fallen ponies. She took a couple of knives and, after looking at one of the cloaks, thought if it would be useful to use one. She took one that she was certain to fit her and put it on. Surprisingly, she immediately turned black and she was certain that she now had a shadow protecting ponies from seeing who she was, except her horn, which stuck out of the cloak´s hoodie. She smiled and walked away.

She took a couple of twists and turns, making sure that she was far from the fight. After seeing a couple of doors, she found the cell door. She was going to help them now. Hopefully, they would not be angry anymore. She had almost given her life for them…

“Hey, you!” one shouted. She looked and saw three ponies approcahing her. She looked around.

“M-me?”

The pony gestured angrily. “Yes, YOU!”

Oh Celestia… they found me…

The pony stopped in front of her. “You need to join the search for the mare that infiltrated the base. Everypony is supposed to be on the lookout for her.” Serena felt the sweat in her face cool down. She was safe for now.

“O-oh… Right! I was, in fact, going to look down here.” She pointed at the door. The pony looked at the cell´s door.

He nodded. “Alright, but... “ he turned to the ponies with him. “Go with her. The mare is strong and can take one of us easily.” He turned back at her. “Make sure you catch her. No killing. I´ve heard many shots this night, and that means that ponies tried to kill her. I´d preffer to take her to Shadow alive, thank you very much.”

Serena nodded.

“Very good. Now on your way. We don´t have all night!” Serena opened the door and walked in closely followed by the other two that had been with the pony. She waited for them to close the door and proceeded to go down. The ponies, as she obviously expected, followed.

“Guys…” she said. The ponies looked at her. “Look, I think that we´ll find her more easily if we spread out, don´t you think?” One of them nodded, but the other shook his head.

“Come on idiots! She´ll easily take us alone. We need to be together.” that one said. Serena sighed.

“Why do you need to make this hard!” she said. The ponies looked in confusion as she took off her hoodie and looked at them. “Good night!” she said, hitting the both in the head. The two looked at each other in confusion before falling unconscious. Serena would have laughed at that, but she was too tired and her lungs ached. 

She began to walk again, trying to find were the ponyhood had gone…

***   ***   ***

Hoofsteps…

Silence…

Hoofsteps…

Silence…

That was what Nimble Hoof had been hearing all day. She was terribly bored, and she had not wanted to eat anything that Shadow had sent to her. 

Not barely an hour ago, a pony (obviously covered in a dark hood and all that) entered with a tray of food and gave it to her. She had refused, so the pony had left it on a table. She had seen the food and as time passed she began to feel more desire to eat it, but she refused. She was not going to accept anything from Shadow, even food. She hated him… Or did she really?

She remembered her dream and shook her head. He was bad. She needed to help her friends, but inside that room she couldn´t. She hated being locked, and she wanted to go out. She tried the door a couple of times, but of course it hadn´t worked. She was now laying on the bed, trying to come out with an escape plan. She was thinking all that when the sound of the door unlocking made her stand up. 

The cloaked pony entered again and looked at her food. He went for it and picked it. Nimble Hoof was not going to let her opportunity pass. She picked up a chair and, just as the pony was looking back, she brought it down. The pony seemed to be going to don´t notice, but surprisingly, magic aura stopped the chair and sent Nimble back. The earth pony looked scared as the pony turned. His hoodie went off his head and she now saw the evil smile on his face. She gulped and saw the pony approach her. She was going to shout when she saw that the chair was right beside her. She picked it and threw it at the pony. 

The pony stopped it, but before he could react Nimble was on top of her. He tried to take her off him, but Nimble began to kick him. The pony growled angrily and managed to get her off. She landed hard on the floor beside her bed. The pony looked at her angrily. Nimble stood up fast.

She moved to run but the door closed. The pony had closed it. Nimble knew there was only one way now…

She ran at the pony. Apparently, the pony had been too busy trying to see how he had won to notice her charge. When he noticed it was too late.

She crashed against him and didn´t stopped. She felt a flash of pain as she crashed with the pony on the wall. She let go of the pony as she rubbed her head, which had accidentally crashed as well. She looked up and saw the pony on the floor. She had knocked him out. She smiled and went to the pony. 

In his robes she found keys and took them. She then went to the door and unlocked it. She looked outside carefully and smiled once she saw that there was nopony around. She stepped outside and looked around. There was a long hallway. On each opposite end there were two doors. 

“Great…” she muttered. She began to try to choose through which door. It was going to be a long day…

***   ***   ***

“Alright… now what?” Deepsqueak asked. 

They were facing a locked door. Hopefully, after that door, they´d find Nimble Hoof. The problem was that it was locked for some reason. Now they needed to go through it, and they didn´t knew how. They had already tried to blast it, but the door seemed to be protected with some kind of anti-magic spell. There was no way of opening it without a key.

Metal Mane was pacing around. He seemed desperate to get out and find Shadow. 

“We should come for her later! We are wasting our time!” All the ponies glared at him angrily.

“We are not leaving her!” Silent said. Metal seemed to want to argue, but rather stayed silent. He at least knew when to shut up, or so Silent thought.

“No, but really... “ Grey Stone said. “Now what?”

Silent shrugged. “No idea. Maybe we can look for the key. Whoever has it surely isn´t that far away."

All the ponies present nodded and began to move. Hey were about to make a turn and lose sight if the door when a heavy banging made them stop. They looked at each other before walking cautiously towards the door. It wasn't long before the door clicked and opened rapidly and with force. They immediately saw the pony behind it.

"Nimble!" Silent exclaimed. He ran and embraced her. The tired Nimble was surprised and didn't realized at first what was going on. She seemed to process that in front of her were her friends, and slowly a smiled made its way to her face. She hugged Silent back. 

They finished the embrace and Nimbke looked in shock at them. 

"How did you found me?" She asked. Hightip smiled at her. 

"We are better than the shadow ponyhood thinks." He looked at Silent.

"Now let's get out of here..."

Metal Mane looked at him angrily. "No! We'll end this once and for all!"

Nimble saw him for the first time and felt her face drain slowly. Silent patted her in the back.

"Don't worry, he's with us..." he whispered into her ear. Nimble nodded slowly, but it was obvious she wasn't comfortable with that.

Hightip looked at Metal. The two looked at each other for a couple of seconds before Hightip sighed.

"You're right. We need to finish this ourselves." Deepsqueak was about to go against that, but Hightip rose his hoof to shut him. "We need to he sure..." He turned to Silent. "Take Nimble and get to her house. You are too weak to help." Silent looked shocked.

"What do you mean?!" he exclaimed. Hightip didn't answered. "I will not leave this mission just because you think I'm weak..." 

Hightip sighed. "Alright... But this is against my wishes." Silent noddd, and was quickly followed by Nimble. "We need to find Serena..."

"You're late, found you first," said Serena, walking towards them. She no longer had the cloak and looked slightly bruised. "Take down Shadow and Time Keeper at the same time..." She smiled. "Count me in!" Hightip acted like if he was not surprised.

"Alright..." His mouth smiled slightly. "Let's show the shadow guys what it is to mess with us..."