(2nd edition after revocation) In an alternate Equestria, the first firearms were created to aid the military... and crime unfortunately.
(Second edition after revocation, due to dialogue changes to English orthography.) UPDATE 28/11/16: Back into writing after months stopped, and realized for the level of violence in this fic, the tag should be mature.
In an alternate Equestria, with nowadays morals, the first firearms were created to aid the military... and crime unfortunately.
After the first flintlock pistols and muskets were created to advance the military technology, the mass production went out of hand and eventually, a majority of the weapons disappeared in a far away land called Crystal Empire.
Mane Shaker, bounty hunter wanted by the law, decided to accept the new contract and investigate what is happening on his homeland, in the company of his friend, the "cured" former psychopath Pinkamena Diane Pie.
Once there, things go from calm to intense in just a matter of days, where they get to make new friends who help them in their objective, and some help Mane discover more about himself, some things making him happy, and others to make him scared of himself.
The night was silent. It barely passed from two in the morning and the silence was broken by a small squad of four royal guards in a square formation, patrolling every street and hallway, just like their other comrades.
Its was days since the two fugitives did their crash in the Midnight Gala, and since then, all security in the perimeter around Canterlot was reinforced, considering the troublemakers in the scene. The towns of Ponyville, Cloudsdale and Dodge City. Along with the remote zones of Everfree Forest, Rambling Rock Ridge, Foal Moutains and part of the Unicorn Range. All of them in scouting missions, along with command posts in their building process.
But without any concern, the two most wanted wandered the streets in the shadows, taking joy and pride in mocking the law.
"Another patrol is coming." Said Pinkamena.
"We can wait, we are some streets away." Whispered Mane. "And try keep your voice down. Would be bad having a tenth of the army chasing us."
The said patrol stopped, looked around, and took a turn. And with their sound fading away, the mare sprinted in silence to another hiding spot, and the stallion ran to the same with loud steps. Getting there, Pinkamena stared him with an ironic look.
"What did you said about being silent?"
"I'm a heavy bastard, and you know that!" He answered.
"Whatever, where is the place?" Pinkamena asked while looking at the streets with patrols in their ends.
"There." And Mane pointed at an abandoned building.
Sneaking past some patrols, they headed into the back of the ruined house. Mane opened the trapdoor with his magic, and heading inside with a magic light from his horn, he lit up the dusty underground. Pinkamena looked around, It reminds her of the room where the secret entrance to their house was situated.
Mane stepped to a wall between a old table and a chair and knocked. The sound was hollow, when was supposed to sound kind of solid. A small gap opened with two yellow eyes staring at Mane. A surprised gasp sounded and a secret wall opened, revealing a well illuminated area full of tables and chairs, and in the end of the room, a bar.
A huge, dark yellow, male earth stallion with spiky green hair advanced at Mane and delivered him a huge tight hug, making him struggle a bit. Pinkamena just watched, hiding behind a wood pillar supporting the underground structure. It was weird seeing somepony greeting Mane so happily, showing he had friends after all.
"Mane Shaker! I thought I would never see you again! How are you, you reckless bastard?"
"I've been good thank you! And you?"
"Fine too! Everypony will be way better as soon they see you! Com-" The stallion noticed Diane hiding. "Friend of yours?"
Mane turned around and pointed the magic light beam at her. "Oh yeah! She's a friend, don't worry. She's also in the business, an initiate of mine."
"I see... well come in!"
The stallion stepped out of their way and Mane enters followed by Pinkamena. Everypony who was there looked at the visitors, and after a moment of silence, they all raised their cups and cheered to Mane, which answered with a smile.
Everypony had a dangerous look. With their hair in a mess, clothes that were questionable by society. Like leather jackets with patches on them, but inside, they were all nice. The music was heavy and fast, nothing like the music it was used to be heard in the streets, shops or events. The vocalist was like screaming but in a harmonic way, while the instruments were drums and electric guitars. It was somewhat pleasing to hear...
"Mane! It's been a while!"
"What story do you have to tell us?"
"Come here Shaker! The drink is on the house! We received a supply of your hometown favorite! The strongest of all! Crystal Vodka!" Said the happily the bartender from the other side of the room.
"Thanks, 'Mixer'" Mane walked all the way to the counter, grabbed the shot glass and drank it all in one turn.
Everypony again cheered: "That's our Mane!"
Leaving him to his glory, Pinkamena stood by the entrance next to the giant bouncer wearing a jacket similar to Mane's, but with a patch in It's back with some initials. He turns at her and their eyes met, and he delivers a nice smile.
"Mane is really famous here, I see..." She commented.
"Yeah..." He said in his low pitch voice. "He's one of our best members, also one of the youngest. He started very young with us, and proved to be a worth member of our association."
"What is this "association", by the way?"
"We are all bounty hunters here. We take contracts to escort somepony, search for something, or in other words, treasure hunters. There are many kinds... or the most extreme ones but rare to happen, killing contracts."
"K-killing contracts?" She said surprised.
"Don't worry miss... We never took innocent lives. It's all about killing the filth in this world..." The bouncer stopped for a moment, then turns to the public. "HEY MANE! Aren't you gonna introduce us your friend?"
All the eyes shoved to both of them by the entrance, and they all faced Pinkamena, who instantly got nervous with their happy looks, and some of them from stallions who looked at her from all sides.
"Sorry miss." Said the bouncer blushing . "It's rare seeing such beautiful mare in these parts, same goes for such color..."
"What is wrong in being pink!?" She shouted angrily.
"Wow! The kitty has claws!" A male voice sounded.
"Who said that! Come here if you dare!", she pulled out a knife, making the bouncer take a step back.
"Hey miss! No fights allowed here!", screamed "Mixer", the bartender.
Mane finished the Crystal Vodka bottle, and stepped forward in front of her. "I wouldn't do that if I was you..."
"I'm sorry..." Whispered Diane while sheathing the knife away.
"It's alright... now come, let's sit and have a drink. It's on the house, they said."
"Sounds good, I guess..."
The two walked to an empty table, and 'Mixer' served to Mane another bottle of Crystal Vodka, which he instantly started drinking. Pinkamena tried to take the bottle, but the stallion quickly shoved away, Saying how strong It was for her. She pouted and looked at 'Mixer'.
"Why do they call you 'Mixer', sir?"
"Give me a minute and I'll show you why!" He said eager to show his talent, and rushed behind the counter with a couple of bottles to their table. "Allow me to show."
He started juggling the bottles, and spilling the drinks inside a huge cup, each mix changing the color. In the end, the drink was dark pink like her, and to a finish touch, he added a straw.
"There you go, miss."
"T-thank you... that was amazing!" She took a sip and giggled at the flavor. "It's delicious! Now I see why."
"Enjoy your drink... So Mane, aren't you gonna introduce this lovely girl?"
Every stallion was staring at her, eager to know who she was. As if they had other thoughts.
"Well, I don't know if anypony here is ready, but..." He saved a breath and then answered. "She's Pinkamena Diane Pie."
"WHAAAAAAAT?!"
Everypony stumbled on their chairs, while some headed behind the counter and hided. The sight of fear swept through the bar. Dead silence.
"M-Mane... that's not funny, you know. You scared my clients..."
"I'm not joking, 'Mixer'. It's her, the only and unique former "Cupcake Killer"."
Finishing his sentence, Pinkamena delivered a punch in Mane's face, making him fall from his chair, while some ponies gasped in seeing Mane being punched and letting It happen.
"You know how much I hate that name!" She stared enraged at at him. "And yes! I'm Pinkamena! Want any more proves?!"
Standing up, she took out her knife and threw the weapon all the way to a dart board, hitting right in the center. Everypony looked at the deadly aim and looked back at Diane, which was staring at their eyes with a certain stare.
"So It's true... all the stories..." Said "Mixer" getting out of his cover. "The deadly aim from the distance, and throwing skill with knifes that are NOT supposed to be throwing ones."
Mane laughed at the show, while getting up and putting his chair in place again.
"Come on, everypony! Don't be afraid. She's a good girl, right?" He delivered her a small hug, making her blush.
"Um... yeah! Sorry all that."
The crowd started coming back to their tables, without taking their eyes out of the pink mare, which was still looking at them. Whispers started sounding, and some questions started rising.
"So that story in Canterlot, you were not there to kill her?"
"No." Answered Mane.
"Instead, you were working together?"
"Yes."
"And you prevent her from actually killing Fancy Pants?"
"Precisely."
"Then why did you did you help her getting there? She almost killed him! That makes you an accomplice!"
"That's why I went with her! Besides her hunger for money for her personal reasons, I couldn't let her kill another innocent and return to her former self. Don't you get It?"
"I see that, you changed her somehow..." Said a voice from another room.
"Thunder Fists! Is that you, old bastard?" Mane called at the door.
The door in the bar opened, and a huge elder dark green unicorn stallion holding a whiskey bottle in his hand showed up. His hair was white, just like his beard but with some light grey parts. His old look was deceptive at first glance, outside an old stallion, inside, young like and alive like Mane, and with a strength to match.
"You don't stop surprising me, Shaker..."
"Like you and your health of steel."
"And what did you call me seconds ago!?" Thunder Fists sprinted at Mane and delivered a friendly strong slap in his forehead. "Is that how you talk with elders?!"
Again falling on his back, Mane opened his eyes and laughed loudly at the elder. He calmed down and started laughing along, followed by the rest of the public, while Pinkamena just stared at the entire scene, confused by the chain of events.
"These two never change, do they?!" Laughs 'Mixer' at everypony present, which they answer with laughs as well.
Thunder Fists helped Mane getting up, and just like the bouncer, delivered a huge tight hug making Mane lift up from the floor. The elder looked at Pinkamena and smiled welcoming her to the club.
"Hey miss..." Whispered 'Mixer' at her ear. "Thunder as an eye to read ponies. He sees you are friendly now, and everypony here recognizes that. You are officially welcome here, plus, you were brought by Mane himself..."
"I see... Thank you then."
"Here! Have a drink! It's on the house!"
""Mixer"! If you keep serving for free, how do you expect us to buy more?" Screamed Thunder Fists angrily
"Sorry, boss..." Excused the bartender.
He served another cocktail to Pinkamena, while Mane was guided to the backroom by the strong elder, while talking about something. She looked around and the same looks were still present. She had a flashback from the gala, when the guests were staring at her, leaving her weak in reaction. A dark blue mare with black curly hair dressed in a black and blue jacket pushed a seat and slowly sat down in front of Pinkamena, afraid of her unsuspecting behavior.
"Erm... hi..." She greeted.
"Oh um... hi there..." Said Diane in a low voice.
"So... um... you are Pinkamena Diane Pie." She said nervous.
"Yeah..."
"The once infamous 'Cupcake Killer'..." Pinkamena growled fiercely at her while holding the cup almost smashing It between her hands. "I'm sorry! I don't mean any offense... you know... you were pretty infamous before, but seems you changed."
"I guess." Said the pink mare firmly, while scanning the blue mare up and down, leaving her even more unsettled.
"Sorry again, where are my manners? I'm Starring Star. I'm a Moon Worshiper. I guess you heard from us anywhere."
"Oh, yeah. Mane once talked about you guys. He admires your 'gospel' if I can call that."
"Pretty much. We prefer the night over the day. I'm kind of a rare case, cause most of the members are bat ponies. You know, the Moon Guard kind."
"That's interesting."
A stallion approached and taking a sit with him, he joined the conversation: "Hey Miss Diane, how does It feel to rip out the guts of a corpse you just killed?"
"Back when I was a mad one, It felt great regarding what the world done to me... but now feels so wrong, unless I have a reason." She answered without hesitating.
A group started forming around Pinkamena, asking questions and she answering. gratefully without holding back. The feeling was good for her, finally ponies were getting close of her without fear, as if... she was making friends... For many years, she was stuck in her own world, and Mane rescued her from the loneliness, with a new way of thinking.
"Of course." And Thunder pulled another bottle from behind his desk. Mane tried to grab It, but the elder put it out of his range. "But only if you hear me..."
"... Must be important to take me away from a Crystal Vodka..." Mane guessed after remaining in silent for a short time.
Thunder Fists pulled his pipe, and holding It on hand, he putted tobacco inside It with the other. Then compressed and lighted It up with a wooden match, taking the smoke inside and putting It out with a easy sigh. And he began to speak.
"I have another work for you, and you are the best one for It..."
"Why me and not somepony else?" Mane asked, lifting an eyebrow.
"Then don't interrupt me for the next moments, and I'll tell everything in one sitting. You may speak every time... uhm... I take a puff."
"I'm fine with that."
Taking another puff on his pipe, Thunder Fists breathed deeply and he started again: "One of our contacts informed that the Royal Militar Laboratory invented a new kind of weapon. A cutting edge weapon, something that nopony ever thought about." And he stopped for a puff in the pipe.
"What is It?"
"I was gonna say that next. Imagine... a wooden plank, with a tube made of iron or steel, and under the board somekind of button, that once you press It, the tube spits fire on It's end, and a projectile made out of lead or iron comes out at full speed..." Another puff...
"What is so "cutting edge" in that? Sounds interesting."
"Well... once the iron ball is shot, gravity barely affects It! It's a thousand times superior to a bow and arrow! While with one you need to grab an arrow, put in the bow, pull, point and take a guess or aim. With this weapon, the "bullet", what they call It, already goes inside the weapon. You just need to draw, point or aim, click the button and 'BUM'! The target is dead..."
"Woa..." Mane let out in amazement. "What is the name of such creation?"
"There are different versions. One for short range, called "pistol". The long range one is called a "musket". And guess what. They are easy to fabricate! The Royal Guard and the Moon Guard started getting training, but they barely get used! Must be fun to watch" The elder takes the pipe to his mouth again.
"Are there any more details about this weapon?"
"Yes, if you are thinking in using them, and if you manage to get your hands in one! Every time you shoot, the weapon has a recoil. The small one is no problem, but the big one, if you are not used to It, It can hurt yourself badly in the shoulder if you don't hold It right. And remember the comparison to the bow? There's a huge flaw. To reload It, It can take an eternity. It's really slow for what I was told. For final detail, if you confront one, you must be quicker than your own shadow. Cause It's a matter of tenths of seconds. If you are in really close range, you're done..."
"So you've never seen one of them?" Questioned Mane.
"No. But they sound tantalizing to try."
They remained in silence, and the young stallion looks at the bottle on the shelf behind Thunder Fists. Answering his plea, the green elder gave him the bottle with a smile, which Mane grabbed quickly and drank slowly. Three gulps, cleaned the mouth in his arm, just to ask more.
"So... where do I enter?"
"Because we received a report they are being smuggled in somewhere..."
"Where, precisely..?"
"I don't know if I should say this... Crystal Empire."
Mane Shaker spitted the Crystal Vodka in hearing the location. His hometown was being target of crime, and of a new kind of threat. Not from a group precisely but such lethal creations. The consequences were unknown.
"Who? Why?" He asked right away.
"Who, we don't know. Why, possibly just for money. The chances point for somepony inside the Royal Guard, you see, they are recent creations and you know how they are heavily guarded by the elites in a vault. Only elites, officials and obviously, scientists can enter."
"This was unpredictable..." Mane sighed.
"I can tell that. Sorry Mane, but you were the most suitable one." Thunder stopped to hear the others talking outside. "And now you have a precious ally! There's nopony like her. She seems to like you..."
"Yeah... I guess..." Said Mane, controlling himself from the flashbacks of being locked on the dark room, bleeding and broken everywhere.
"She's also beautiful. You know... what are the chances?" Mentioned Thunder with a strange smile and a funny look.
"Stay out of my case, Thunder... and be the last time I ask you!"
"Oh, the gentlecolt defends his lady! HAHA!"
"Save your breath." And with this, Mane stood up in his hooves, and took a sip from the bottle. "Well, It seems I have no choice, being my hometown. I accept! Where do I start?"
"Where else but the place where they were created? Canterlot." Suggested Thunder.
"Oh for Discord's sake! You must be fucking kidding me! That place is like walking unarmed, towards an Elite Royal Squad, in the company of a battle wizard!"
"Don't be a pussy! Just go there! Also, take your time to start this time. you better describe the brief to the lady."
"I suppose. Well... Is this all?"
"It's all." Concluded Thunder Fists.
Mane took another big gulp, adjusted his jacket and turned his back showing off the name "Sombra" stitched on the back, in red thread on black leather, combining with his hair and tail. And in the moment he opened the door showing a group around Pinkamena, who seemed happily to be talking to them.
"Good luck" Said Thunder Fists.
Mane looked at the dark pink mare, and turned his face back to the elder one. "I was born lucky..."
And with that, he left and closed the door behind him.
The sun rose again, illuminating all Equestria and the rest of the world. A new day for everypony to enjoy. Even though there were many that didn't agree according to their lives or moments. And that morning, Pinkamena was one of them.
The pink mare opened her eyes, to wake up to a feeling as if she got stricken in the head with a sledgehammer. And every sound around her being the loudest thing she would have heard, making Diane take her hands to her ears seeking protection. The last night was enjoyable, but the price in the morning was a lesson to be taken, not being her first time on the situation, but about getting free drinks.
"It's on the house, he said..." She grumbled. "Drink all you want, he said..."
Pinka dragged herself out of bed, barely walking straight, battling the hangover and her sore dry throat. She managed to get the door of her bedroom, to be greeted by Mane with a glass of water in one hand and a pill for her head in the other, which she took with hurry.
"Good morning..?" He said with a funny smile.
"Good morning my ass..." She answered in an angry tone. "And please, no loud sounds..."
"No shit, Diane... Last night was difficult to bring you back home without alerting the squads. But for payoff, was funny to hear you ramble and sing while drunk."
"Fuck you..."
And has soon she finished her curse, Mane grabbed the table in the living room by one side and let It's two legs fall on the floor, delivering a huge sound through the basement, and bang in Pinkamena's head. After flinching for moments, she was about to grab the stallion by the neck.
"AHH! Don't tempt me!" Saying this, she stopped her move and stepped back. "I'll do It again!"
"Please... stop..." She begged while battling her headache.
"Consider this the payback from that time you left me to die slowly in a dark room. I forgive but I didn't forget, silly girl..."
"Mane, please, this is not fu-"
A force in her stomach made her stop from talking, and she rushed to the bathroom covering her mouth, locking the door behind while breathing heavily and loud to be heard in the whole place. Moments later, she let go an obnoxious loud sound, with the company of something falling on the toilet's water.
"Hey!" Said Mane "I'll leave a new pill for your head, another one for your guts and a bottle of water. Once you are finished there, we must talk. I'll give you some hours to rest a bit more... don't worry, I'll make lunch for you."
"O-ok... Thank y-" Interrupted again by her urge to relieve her stomach.
Three hours later, after some sleep and her head more free from the disaster of the morning, Pinkamena left her bedroom in a wobbling walk in her hooves. Opening the door, the smell of fried eggs and salad filled her nose. The meal was on the table, with an empty glass and steel cutlery, waiting for her to be consumed. On the other side, Mane sitting and waiting patiently, with his arms on the table leaning over It.
"Is the morning good now?" He asked with his eyes fixed on her.
"Feeling a bit better..." She mumbled. "I guess I deserved those moments hours ago, didn't I?"
"Ask that yourself. Remember, you are the responsible of your actions, either they are good or bad..."
"Then I deserved, given the circumstances..." She headed to the chair and sat down, looking at the food, freshly made moments ago. The empty glass caught her attention and the missing drink. "Where are the drinks..?"
Mane pulled a bottle of mead, the considered drink of the Gods and the oldest alcoholic drink in the history. The golden yellow liquid reflected on the light was a beauty to be seen, but Pinkamena looked with disgust at It.
"It looks like piss... besides, please, no more alcohol..." She rambled.
"Just shut up, eat and drink this mead, It helps with hangover." And he poured the drink in the glass. "The eggs also help..."
She thanked for the tips and started eating, letting herself drool with the taste of the food, and a humming of appreciation from the honey based drink. She never had It before, was grateful of the new experience.
"So, you wanted to talk, right? About what?" She started.
"Last night, while you were drinking and chatting, my 'boss' Thunder Fists gave me a brief of a mission, which topics I couldn't deny." Mane drank a bit of mead too. "It seems the Royal geeks created a new weapon. According to Thunder, It's a revolution in military advancement."
"Ok..." She said with her mouth full. "And what is this weapon?"
"There are two, but they are pretty much the same. One is called "pistol" and the other "musket". The differences are, the pistol is for short range and is lighter, and the other is for looooonger distances and is a more heavy, obviously."
"So what is the task here? Steal some models, maybe?"
"No, that's the part that ringed a bell in my head." Mane relaxed and assumed a more serious tone in his voice, while resting now his bck on the chair. "Crystal Empire..."
"Crystal..." She whispered to herself. "I remember now, you're from there!"
"Exactly. Thunder told me they are being smuggled. His informant said there are already lots of copies from these weapons, they are easy to make, among other stuff. And like that, without control on the production, possibly there is no tracking of these weapons, so It's like they disappear once they come out of the vaults, and then, who knows what happens to them..."
Pinkamena finished her meal, and asked him if she could get her some more, complaining she barely could move and her head was still hurting a little. Without hesitation, he picked the plate and went to the kitchen. Meanwhile, the pink mare started to think, staring at the light bulb at the ceiling, reminding her of Celestia's sun outside in the sky, and how rare It was for her to enjoy It.
Mane returned with the plate full this time. "It's the last of what I made." He informed.
"Tell me! This means we are gonna travel?" She asked promptly.
"Oh... I have no choice. My place of birth seems to be in danger. I can't refuse this contract."
"Can I go with you?" She asked, in a way as if she was begging, leaving the grey stallion confused.
"Why are you asking? I'll need a extra pair of hands and brains!"
"I guess. It sounded like you were going alone..."
"I would, but I think I could use some company." "On top of that, a feminine company."
"I can go then?" She asked again more happily.
"Why would I deny? Of course you can! And you will have the chance to visit the my place of origin."
"YES!! Thank you, Mane!"
After ending her last meal, Pinkamena rested on the couch while Mane washed the dishes. While passing her eyes through the new furniture in the living room, she noticed something on a hanger. His leather jacket. The thing Pinkamena is NOT allowed to touch...
The mare stood up with some difficulty and slowly walked to the sleeveless coat, picked up in the air and spread It, taking a look into the different colored patches on the front with the names of bands, places, some skulls here and there, and all shorts of different patches. She turned the jacket and the big patch, red colored, in medium sized letters by the height of Mane's shoulders, the name "Sombra".
What could that mean? It was clearly a name, but of what? Could be something related to the Crystal Empire? It was her first time that she noticed It, because It has been always covered by Mane's big long hair, and if It was on purpose, It was because he was hiding something.
While thinking in the middle of what was left of her headache, the water tap on the kitchen stopped and was clear Mane was coming. Pinkamena quickly putted his jacket back in the hanger and jumped at the couch, covering herself with a blanket, and pretended to be sleeping, keeping an eye slightly open.
The grey stallion walked in and saw her "sleeping". He had a strange look in his eyes, as if he was being haunted. He looked at the jacket and noticed It has been moved, and looks at her again with a blank look. Expecting something, she got ready to say anything in her defense, but instead, Mane dressed back and his state changed in an instant. And walked away to the workshop...
"What the hell was that about?" She thought. "It's as if that jacket and him are connected. And "Sombra", what kind of name is that..?"
Canterlot, the capital of Equestria. Home of the Princesses of the sun and the moon.
Nighttime was getting near and per usual, the Royal Guard started their patrolling duties around the castle. But something was new in the schedule Before the complete darkness of the night, a burst of small explosions would be heard, two times per minute, during two or three hours.
"Present arms!" Screamed Shining Armor to his troops. And they follow, by stretching their arms posing the muskets in front of them.
"In... position!" The first line knelled down, allowing their comrades behind them to see the targets.
"Take aim!!" They all pointed the weapons at the targets, while Shining rise up his sword.
"FIRE!!!" And with the final order, a ruckus of small explosions forming a big one.
The smoke of the gunpowder filled the place in a dense grey cloud, while the troops were coughing and trying to shove the smoke screen from their eyes. When fading away, most of the bullets didn't hit their targets, and other did, rarely... Firing those new weapons was like flipping a coin in the dark.
The captain gave orders to reload the weapons while checking the hay targets, and feeling more disappointment with every training. He sheared his sword back in his belt, nagging about those creations. They had a lot of potential, but they didn't seem to come up with what the scientists promised.
"Troops! Dismissed! You can put the muskets back in the armory and go rest, we will continue tomorrow!"
All of them answered with a salute, a stomp in the ground and heading to the weapons depot. Shining headed to the scientists who were watching the practice, getting closer of Prof. Fumes, who greeted him with a hand shake. The classic "mad scientist", dark green colored, middle age, with a grey beard covering his cheeks and chin, not matching his messy greasy brown short hair. Wearing his glasses and his usual laboratory work smock, who always seems unwashed.
"It was a good session." He said.
"I guess... these new things don't seem to fit with what you told us, honestly." Said Shining.
"Well, they are not used to them... yet! It's all about practice. I'm telling you captain, once your troops get the hang of It, you won't regret."
"I really hope so. Anyway, how are things in the lab?" Asked Shining, will taking the hair out of his face, after hours of exercise.
"We are working on a prototype. We have been noticing how inaccurate they are, so we are working on a new thing. Something to substitute the crossbows." He said happily in his cranky voice.
"Continue..."
"This thing, we still don' have a name for It, but the barrel will be thicker, bigger, and a solid wood stock, AND even a biped for better precision. Needless to say, It will be heavier, sadly..."
"As long It's more accurate than the current ones, I'm happy with It."
"Well, there's something else... For such military luxury, they will be expensive, harder to make, so I would suggest reserve them to special units?"
"Hmm..." Took Shining Armor a moment to think about It. "A new kind of special units in our troops. I like the sound of that."
Taking a peek by his shoulder, all the troops were dismissed and somewhere in the barracks. The scientists were whispering among them, and their boss looking at the official expecting something else.
"I guess that's all then!" He said. "I need to rest and my men too. You keep working on that new weapon of yours, I can't wait to check It out."
"Will do, Captain Shining! Have a good sleep then! Say "hi" to the princesses for me."
Both high rank figures waved and departed to their destinations. On It's way to the laboratories, something wicked came to his mind, making him grin for a moment. And the evil feeling vanished in a blink when something else made him shiver.
"I don't like this..." Thought the scientist. "Maybe It's my back bones... I should get a better position when looking through the microscopes..."
Later that night
Dr. Fumes headed to his home in Canterlot. Nothing luxurious, nor poor looking. He could be the chief scientist of the Royal Laboratories, but he never wanted to live in luxury.
Not in expensive matters, but in his craziness for science. Most of the rooms were like a different laboratory. Biology room. Dissection table and materials, books of materials, jars conserving animal parts, and stuffed small animals. Chemistry room. Tubes, flasks and containers with different chemicals and solids. The workshop, where part of the new weapons were developed in his free time. And the list would go on.
He closed the entrance door behind him and took a deep breath from the chemistry lab, which was the closest room at the moment. The scent of acids and other weird smells made him more awake and happy.
Fumes left his meal on the oven and took the chance of the waiting time to wash himself with a hot bath, while concerned with the strange feeling he experienced on the castle, the reason because It repeated constantly on his way home.
He finished the bath, and still in his robe, the scientist headed to the kitchen to kill the hunger in a leftover of hay and apples from the other day.
Some hours later, he was too nervous to work in his science hobbies, to drink or eat.
"Something is not right... I think I've been working too hard..." He thought. And with that, he headed upstairs to his bedroom.
His bedroom was like a foal's bedroom with a passion for science. Close of the window, there was a telescope. The walls covered in books, reminding a small version of the castle's royal library. That night he would sleep with a dagger under his pillow, but even that didn't shove away the fear.
The silence was broken! Dr. Fumes woke up with a heavy breathing while sweating. Something downstairs went to the floor with a huge bang. Or maybe a door or a window being closed.
He turned on the light in his bedside table, and looked outside through the window. There was nopony outside, and the trees weren't moving, giving signals there was no wind either.
"I must be paranoid... that, or there's an intruder..." He grabbed his dagger under the pillow. "I better check if everything is in order..."
He opened the bedroom door in silence with one hand while holding the weapon in the other. The squeak of the old door made him stop, almost making him lose grasp of the dagger in a urge of panic. Now whoever was in his house knew he was coming.
The middle aged colt took a peek outside with his knife ready to stab whatever would come. Pure silence, besides his nervous breathing. Fumes walked slowly to the stairs and looked down to the dark hallway, expecting something to hit him on the head, but nothing happened. Reaching the ground floor, he checked every room, turning on the lights and search under the tables and inside cabinets, just to find nopony there.
"There's somepony here, I know It... what would they want from my house..?"
There was nopony there... what could It be? He headed to the living room and turned on the lights. It was nothing to do with the rest of the house. A cozy division with oak furniture and a fireplace full of ashes. He put the dagger in a small table next to the armchair, opened the mini-bar cabinet and filled the shot glass with whiskey. He sat down in the comfortable sofa and took a sip.
All the sudden, the room went dark in a blink.
In a rush of fear, Fumes threw the shot glass in the air and searched for the dagger, but It was nowhere to be found. He stopped trying to hear something. Nothing but his heavy breathing again.
"If you praise your life, don't move an inch..." Said a voice in the darkness.
"W-who are y-you!? What do you want f-from me!?" Fumes asked in fear for his life.
"I don't blame you... we haven't seen each other in years, so no wonder you don't know my voice..." Said the voice in a calm but menacing way. "Let me refresh your memory. What happened twelve years ago in the Royal Laboratory?"
Fumes stopped to think, but nothing seemed to come up.
"Allow me then..." And the mysterious presence revealed his specie by making It's horn glow red and with It's magic, turn on the light switch.
The scientist covered his eyes because of the light, and when uncovering the presence in front of him sitting on the other armchair, holding the dagger stolen from the scientist.
"You shut up, old geezer. I didn't forget what you did to me twelve years ago! And I still have a grudge against you..."
The doctor's pupils shrunk in despair, and he screamed on top of his lungs for help. He stood up and ran to the window, where he banged on the thick glass while screaming to the point of start coughing. He looked at Mane and he didn't move from the same spot, just looking at him as if he was calling Fumes an idiot.
"There is no use, doc... It's very late, the Royal Guard ended the patrolling hours ago, and your house is surrounded by a silence bubble."
"Please Mane! I never had bad intentions! I was just following orders! Don't kill me! PLEASE!"
"Will you shut the fuck up?!" Screamed Mane standing up and kicking a chair out of the way, making the elder flinch in fear. "I'm the one who makes the questions here, and you better answer them fast and clearly!"
Dr. Fumes nodded. Mane smiled and sat back on the armchair and invited his victim to do the same, which he fulfilled slowly. Then the unicorn with his magic served him a glass shot of whiskey, and for himself, he floated the bottle next to him in the air and started drinking.
"So Fumes... nice weapons you designed for what I heard..."
"Ho-how did you k-know of them..?"
"Questions, questions! I do them and you answer them! But to be fair, I have my ways to know."
"Oh, thanks..."
"I would consider how you answer me! I'm the one with magic powers and a dagger in my possession. Also, I've built quite a reputation out there..." Mane took a gulp of whiskey, cleaned to his arm and continued. "So, these muskets and pistols, how you call them. What can you tell me about them..?"
Fumes was shaking in fear, took a sip and a moment to start talking, thinking if It was good idea to share such secrets, but he had no choice.
"I'll believe you already know some parts about the new weapons, so I guess I should say the other details..?"
"I already know what they are, how good are they, some flaws, and a bit of how to use them, just by words..."
"Well okay then... the reload time is not perfect, they take a minimum of half minute to reload. The ammunition, there are 2 kinds... the first is simple iron balls that you shoot. The other is made of lead, because if It get's stuck on the target's body, It can cause lead poisoning, the rest is obvious. Recently we developed a new version. It's a short version of a musket, and the barrel's end is expanded, like a bell. When you shoot It, a hand full of iron pebbles sprays the area in front of the shooter. It has proved to be pretty efficient against groups of targets... Oh! And they already are being produced and exported too! We call them blunderbuss."
"Hmm... fair enough, Fumes... tell me, where are they being exported?"
"C-Cloudsdale... Um... Appleloosa's region, Cloudsdale and Crystal Empire, your town..."
"I knew It..." Mane muttered. "Crystal Empire! How are they being shipped?"
"B-By train of course! In military vault train carts!"
"I see... and are you aware some of these weapons have been stolen in there..?"
"What! No! There was not even a single report!" Fumes sounded surprised.
"Exactly! It seems you should have more control in the production and a better depot for them in my hometown."
Mane finished the bottle and pulled another from the mini-bar. This time was wine and he putted It back, he never liked wine, and searched for another whiskey or at least a vodka. And he smiled when a familiar looking bottle met his eyes, he pulled out with his magic and what could be for him but Crystal Vodka.
"HAHA! Fumes you crazy bastard! A colt from your age shouldn't drink this..."
"Um...Mane please, It's imported, very expensive and insanely strong! They are-..."
The scientist was interrupted by the sight of Mane opening the brand new bottle, open It like nothing and showering his mouth in the precious drink as if It was water.
"...rare.." Finished Fumes, frozen in shock from what he just saw. And the young unicorn not showing any signals of being drunk.
"There, I saved your life. No need to be grateful. This thing could kill you for somepony of your age and stature..." Said Mane with a mocking voice. "Also, just to let you know, I'm going to the Crystal Empire to stop whatever is happening there!"
"W-wait! Mane, this is something you can't stop!"
"I'm simply gonna hide myself with my partner Pinkamena Diane Pie herself in a box big enough, get inside one of the vault trains, and I once I arrive, we will get out and start investigating. Also, we are going to be disguised, mainly me because... you know... things from the past."
"Why did you just told me all that?! Don't you think I'm gonna tell this to Shining Armor?"
"Oh, don't worry, I got everything planned... besides, the alcohol just reached my head, and I remembered..." With that, Mane tied the old scientist with his magic to the sofa. "What you did to me... I still have memories of It..."
"Please..." Fumes started to cry for his life. "It was Celestia who ordered... I didn't mean It..."
"Your files say something completely different... And orders or not, you still did It..." Mane approached the dagger from his chest.
"P-Please..!"
"Three fucking months... needles, tests, rubber tubes, gas masks..."
By this point, Fumes was too scared to speak.
"Hey Fumes..." Mane called him. "...all I said to you..."
His horn started glowing more and more, capturing the scientist's attention as if he was seeing his death approaching. Mane Shaker closed his eyes and muttered with a evil grin:
In the kitchen somewhere in the huge complex, the Night Princess finished her coffee along with two aspirin pills for her head. She couldn't get any sleep during the day, being not the only time It happened since the new weapons got released along with the training schedules.
The pills didn't take long to make effect and she sighed in relief, but the relaxing moment didn't last long, when all the lights in the kitchen went off. She grabbed her dagger from under the dress and analyzed the place with her natural night vision and noticed a familiar silhouette by the door.
"Again, really? You think that surprises me?" She grumbled.
"I'm running out of tricks, for what I see..."
"Enough jokes Mane, turn the lights back on..."
The stallion obeyed and the light revealed him stading by the door in a relaxed way with a smile, and he noticed Luna was not in a good mood.
"Did I arrived in a bad time?" He asked innocently.
"Yes! Yes you did! I can't get enough sleep since those things were created!"
"Sounds like a problem..." He giggled.
"Mane... please, just... just go to my room, we can talk there."
Mane again, obeyed in silence and walked quietly to Luna's chamber and sat on her bed, and waited while enjoying the decorations of the place. Most of the color was dark blue from the walls, and the shiny touch of the sapphires, adorned with silver. The princess arrived with a cup of hot coffee in her hands, and still didn't look so happy.
"Get out of my bed..." She asked in a rude way.
"Easy there, Princess... I don't mean any offense." He stated while getting up as fast as he could. He once saw Luna upset, and one time was enough, while he could feel a certain energy coming from her.
"I know that Mane... don't take me seriously. I'm not a good shape in these last weeks. Since those geeks created those loud things to the army, and Shining decided to make the training schedules EVERY-fucking-DAY!"
"I understand. You should see Pinkamena when she goes berserk from time to time for no reason. I must barricade my room and I can't get out..."
Luna pulled a small table with her magic, and a chair for Mane, which he accepted and sat on It while crossing his legs. She positioned the table between the bed and him, where she rested the cup and slowly relaxed on her bed, making Mane sweat a bit for her alluring figure to die for.
"So, why are you here..?" Asked Luna in a tired voice.
"I want to ask you a favor."
"Hmm... You never asked a lot from me, so I think I can do It. What is It?"
"I want your help to sneak me and Pinkamena into the Crystal Empire. The faster, the better."
She remained silent for a moment trying to make sense of the request.
"Why..?" She dared to ask.
"There's something going on there, and I want to solve It."
"Uh... I never though YOU would want to go back there. Doesn't that trouble you?"
"Not at all, I'm over the memories. But can you please help?"
"Only if you tell me the reasons. I don't want anything to happen to you."
"Alright... so we both know of these new weapons. The thing is, inquiries from my associates say the production of these things got out of hand, and the are being exported around the perimeter of Canterlot and Ponyville. And according to more info, most of them got stolen specifically in the Crystal Empire."
"So..?" Asked Luna with a raised eyebrow.
"So, that gives away some crime group or worse are getting access in military equipment! Imagine what can happen!"
"Shh! Don't yell!" She censored with her hands on the head. "My poor head..."
"Sorry..." He whispered.
Taking a sip of coffee, the princess started to think and nodded to Mane, showing approval she would help them. The unicorn thanked, and noise outside caught his attention.
"Sister? How are you?" The voice sounded like the last character Mane would want to meet in that place.
"Quick! In the wardrobe." Luna ordered.
Mane rushed to the piece of furniture, hiding between the dresses and casual clothing, with Luna closing the door with a lock. "Come on in Celestia." She answered.
The ruler of Equestria entered and looked around, finding her sister by the wardrobe in a strange mood, while wearing what looked like a pair of black sport shorts and a black t-shirt. Scanning up and down, she knew something was wrong.
"Is everything okay?" Asked Celestia.
"Oh um... Not at all, in fact!"
"Why so?"
"Since Shining ordered the troops to train everyday, I barely get any sleep, and so, how am I supposed to rule the night in this state! I'm tired of taking pills for my head!"
"I see... I'll talk with him later today, at the rise of dawn."
"Thank you! Please do!"
Celestia noticed the key for the wardrobe in her hands, which she quickly hid behind her back.
"What were you doing..?"
"Wha-what do you mean?"
"Is there something I shouldn't know of..?" Asked Celestia in a parental tone.
"No! Haha... No! Nothing at all! I'm just being paranoid!"
The older sister didn't look like she bought the excuse, by Luna's obvious reaction.
"Is there what I think It is?"
"No no! You see! All those aspirins! They are doing a number on me!"
"Don't worry... I know how It feels, this royal life... I guess we could share some secrets on day..." Said Celestia in a low voice, with a wink.
"Um... yeah... I guess..." Answered Luna, with her face red from blushing.
"I'll leave you then. Just don't scream too loud. We don't want the guards to spread certain rumors, do we?"
"NO! Certainly not!"
The Sun Princess left the room with a giggle, and closed the doors behind her. The young sister sighed in relief and unlocked the wardrobe. And from inside, Mane fell stopping the fall with his hands, and covered in t-shirts, shorts, and the most noticeable, a pair of panties in his face.
"Oh for the love of..." She grumbled, while taking the piece of underwear from the stallions face, who was blushing in a lewd expression.
"I didn't know you were D si-" Is mouth was shut with a huge slap from Luna, leaving a hand mark in his cheek.
"Did you hear what I went through? Just get out of here!" She yelled at him.
Looking at her irritated face, Mane quickly stood up from the crystal floor and headed to the balcony. Before jumping into the trees of one of the gardens, he looked at Luna by the shoulder.
"Sexy and powerful. That's how I like!" He dropped.
With a jar flying at his direction at full speed, missing his head but making him lose balance, he fell on top of a cherry blossom tree with some tiny branches stabbing his back. The cracking sound of the jar in the garden made a patrol run into It's direction, making Mane hurry up and head to the nearest alternative exit from the Royal Palace.
While heading out, he stopped for a moment and took his right hand to his pockets. And from inside, he pulled a pair of dark blue knickers, which he contemplated with a smile.
The station was packed with guards, all deployed to the Crystal Empire. All of them saying goodbye to their dearest ones. Wives, sons and daughters, and some husbands too, along with friends. All with comforting hugs and words, and sometimes tears, even though It was not war times, It felt like It.
Between the troops, other ponies walked by. Alone or in couples or bigger groups, heading to the same destination in the north lands of the Crystal Empire, whatever was their business. Among them, a young blue mare dressed in casual clothing and a yellow unicorn with a hat and trench coat walked in hurry, constantly excusing the bumps on others passengers, and in the embarking zone, they took a turn to the back of the station.
Walking among the shipping crates, avoiding being spotted by the workers and some soldiers, they found a huge single crate saying "TOP Secret". Hiding among the other crates and quick check if there was nopony around, they took their clothes off while facing opposite sides, and a green magic aura went from the top of their heads to the hooves, revealing their true forms and normal clothes.
"You better answer me one day how do you know this magic..." Asked the mare with a serious tone.
"We have other important things to do. Grab that crowbar there."
Pinkamena obeyed and with Mane's help, they opened the crate, which was filled with nothing but bags full of mechanical trash.
"Yea, this is It... wait..." Said Mane, while reading a piece of paper:
Inside the crate, there will be bags full of trash. Don't worry, It doesn't smell bad besides like rust... Some of them contain food and a few drinks. Don't make confusion! Check every bag!
Avoid making any noise until departure. The wagons normally go without any guard inside, so once they start moving, you can leave the crate when you think it's safe.
DON'T take anything out of the other military crates! They have a strict control over the supplies! One piece missing and they can start a search!
Once you are arrive, don't forget to jump out and leave the area without being seen.
Happy travelings and good luck!
Ruler of the Moon and Night, Princess Luna
"Alright... let's start checking! And keep It down."
"Right away." She nodded with a determined smile.
Ten minutes later...
"I love how she made the sandwiches thinking of me..." Said Mane, checking the hay with pickles.
"Iced tea, Cola... I didn't know such royal figures would drink this."
"They have second lifes, Diane. Royal life can the boring."
"I think so." She said while putting the pillows inside the box. "I also like how she though about comfort."
"That too."
"The box is big enough. Did she made this by herself?"
"Knowing Luna well, yeah. I know, she's not a normal princess, unlike her sister."
"For how long do you know each other, may I ask?"
"Well... around thirteen years."
"Damn! How did you met her?"
Mane stopped dead on his tracks, as if something crossed his mind, and he simply answered: "No..."
"Why not?"
"Remember what I told you Pinka... one day, I'll say It all..."
She stood in silence, and kept working on the box, with questions storming her head about the stallion she was working with. What could be soo secret about him?
Moments later, the box was ready, and right on the time. The workers started to load the crates one by one in the train, and by a peek hole, Mane could see they were going into the military wagon, which they got shaken by the turbulence when the workers finally managed to put the crate inside the wagon.
"HEY!" Sounded a voice outside. "Easy with that crate! There's military equipment there!"
"Sorry officer! But the thing was too heavy..." Excused a worker.
"Hmm... I wonder what the Captain is planning this time..."
Inside, they dragged the box to a corner and strapped It fix to the floor. And, they closed the wagon... Minutes later, the train started to move...
The statement could be said by the other passengers. The wagons were shaking all over the place, but It could be expected from such fast trip to such far away place.
Mane stood outside of the crate the whole time, while Pinkamena usually stayed inside, being used to the feeling of being inside her basement for many years. He walked to the door and opened It with some difficulty, allowing a huge wind vortex to storm the place, leaving the place cold like winter.
"MANE! For fucks sake!!! Close the damn door!" Screamed Pinkamena after putting her head out of the box.
In a second, he closed the door pushing his muscles to the limit. "We can't leave evidence!"
"What the fuck are you talking about?!" She demanded in an angry voice.
"Bread crumbs. The wind washed them away. I don't wanna take any risks." He pointed at the floor.
"Well nice thing you look at details, but the place is now damn cold!"
"Get yourself the blanket! Why do I need to tell you this?"
"Fuck you!" And with that, she went inside the crate and curled in all the pillows and the only blanket.
Feeling tired from the door and staying up all those hours, he climbed inside and looked at her in a cute way.
"Can I have some space in there..?"
"Go to hell..."
"I've already been in there, no need to ask..."
"Tell me then and I'll allow you in."
"Your basement before I showed up in your life and in a dark room for a week left to starve and bleed to death in there... by you..."
"...fair enough..."
She changed position and allowed the stallion inside. The box was not big enough like they expected after all, and both inside was like canned food. It was cold now, and the box was like a fridge.
"How can you stand in this cold?" She asked shivering angrily.
"I come from the north, and... let's say natural cause."
"Urgh... are you that hot blooded?"
"I guess..."
"Good!"
Pinkamena rolled and rested her head in his chest, along with her body against his. Mane blushed and understood the action, adjusting his position for a better comfort.
"Can I get a pillow for my head?" He asked.
She grabbed one from under her and smacked It in his face. It was still warm, and he putted It behind his head. Diane rolled again and rested her back in his torso, while Mane kept controlling himself from certain thoughts: "Keep It for yourself Mane! Keep It for yourself!" He tough will he felt his blood pumping and heartbeat rise.
"Hmm... you are so warm..." She said in delight while snuggling the back of her head in his chest fur.
"You are NOT making it easy!" He screamed in his mind.
"Sorry about that moment ago..."
"Nah, It's ok... I'm used to."
"Oh... Is It because of me?" She looked up at his eyes.
"No, but some of It."
"Sorry again, I don't mean to."
"Again! It's nothing! Just rest if you want..."
"Tell me..." She said, while searching a better position for her legs. "Why do you hide stuff from me..?"
"And why are you so direct?"
"Because that's how I am."
"Well, simply put, you wouldn't be my friend then..."
"What? No... that can't be. You gave me a new life... how could I do that?"
"You see, there are things that are better be left in the past."
"Like what..? Something to do with that weird magic you performed to get us disguised?"
"Like that one, yes."
"Are you a changeling..?" She asked innocently. "I've never seen one."
"No! But I've met one, a really powerful one..."
"Face to face?"
"Nah, by distance. We talked over magic communication..."
"Ohh... How does It feel, being an unicorn anyway?"
"There's a lot about It. Most of the earth ones and the pegasus envy us for our magic, but they have things we don't have unless we train for It."
"Like what?"
"Well, earth ponies have a huge natural strength, but we can go to a gym OR make a spell to enhance our strength While the pegasus can fly, we can... again, make a spell for It, but It requires a lot of our magic and concentration. A bad move and It can blow my back up with a magic explosion..."
"Sounds dangerous, can you do it?"
"Yes but for a veeery short time..."
"I like pegasi. I find their wings cute and fluffy..."
"Oh..." He sighed in a sad tone.
"Something wrong?" She looked up again and their eyes met.
"Nothing. Just, erm... things in my head."
"If you say so. Now stand still, you are warm and comfy..."
He left a small giggle escape and looked up in to the wagon's steel ceiling, shoving away his sad thoughts. And for a moment, something made him look back and he caught Pinkamena passing her fingers in his leather jacket, which she looked at him and putted her hand away in a scared expression. She flinched expecting an angry time out, but he stood silent.
"Y-you're not gonna scream at me..?" She dared to ask.
"I got tired of It. From all the times I saw you touching It."
"Sorry..."
"Don't be. I know the word curiosity as well..."
"It's a nice jacket."
"Thank you."
"Why can't I touch It?"
"It has a meaning for me... a really deep one..."
"Can I know..?"
"Well. In that case, since we are here, bored without knowing what to do, I guess I can tell, but you must be aware of something."
"What is It?"
"Remember that time I told my story when you had me tied up? It was all fake..."
"You fucking liar..." She sighed in anger.
"But some parts were true."
"Whatever, just tell me..."
"You see... I never met my parents. I'm pretty much an orphan..."
"Oh my... I'm sorry..."
"It's alright... anyway. The few relatives I ever met was my grandfather, which I met in that bar I took you. Remember that chair you sat one? It was his chair..."
"Really?!" She was surprised.
"Yeah, that table is always reserved for me. Everypony there knows that, and he was also a veteran, but retired. He used to train the newcomers in Everfree Forest, mostly unicorns. I was one of his pupils, and the last one in his life..."
"That means, you saw him until his last second..?"
"Yes..." Mane washed his face when a tear dropped from his eye.
"Don't cry, please... but... what does the jacket have to do with this?"
"This jacket... was... *sniff* his most valuable treasure. And he gave It to me in his very last moments..."
With that, Mane started crying and sobbing, taking his hands to the face. Diane comforted him, hugging his body and starting to cry too.
"You know Mane... *sob* we share pretty much the same..."
"uh..?"
"I had a family at least. A good dad... a wonderful mom... and nice sisters... *sniff* even if our lives were hard, they gave me a good childhood... *sniff* and I decided to abandon them along with my paranoia..."
"It's not your fault, sweety..." He comforted, while petting her head. "You had a issue, and I helped you..."
"Mane... please tell me something..."
"What..?"
"Am I helping you with yours?" She looked at him in the eyes.
"You are since we met..." And he hugged her.
She accepted the act and hugged back, sneaking a small kiss in his cheek while crying along with him.
"We are soul brothers..." She whispered.
"If you wanna call that..."
He pulled a bottle of lemon iced-tea and drank from It, and offered to Diane which accepted. Moments later, they calmed down and stood in silence the whole time, while Pinkamena kept eating the sandwiches until she was happy, leaving bread crumbs in the blanket, and Mane killing his thirst for a strong drink by drinking the rest of the juices.
"We should arrive in some hours... we better get some sleep..." He commented.
The morning sun raised, showering It's rays through the crystalline buildings, reflecting them back at the sun, and some at the other houses. The palace would get anyponies attention by distance, mainly from the train, where everypony enjoyed the scenario, except two passengers...
The train barely stopped and they jumped out of It, running among boxes looking for the exit.
"Finally! My butt hurts from sitting in that box!" Pinkamena was relieved from going out after the long trip
"Keep It down, we are not done yet. Somepony might hear us."
"So what, we kick their asses."
"It's preferable to not start something yet too. I don't wanna be confounded by a bum, travelling illegally in a wagon even without ticket, fight an innocent worker or guard and end up in jail."
"Us? In jail? We are unstoppable."
"Don't get cocky, Pinkamena... that almost got me killed once..." He sighed.
They left the train-station's warehouse, who confused Mane by the lack of security since there was no guard on the gates. Both stopped running and walked normally, to give less suspicion from who might have saw. After walking a couple of meters away, they stopped and looked around. Nopony was looking at them, not even the police passing way.
Pinkamena behold the city's beauty, made out of minerals, reminding her childhood digging stones and gems with her dad and sisters. It was something to lose her breath to. Mane Shaker on his own way, observed how much It changed since his days. There was a huge difference indeed. The streets were shinier and cleaner, as if the whole city took It's whole week free just to clean and polish It.
"Mane! Is this where you lived? This is so beautiful!" She said vibrantly.
"Even more for me. It changed... There's new buildings. The old ones got renovated but they kept the old style. I need to take tour around..."
"W-Why did you left? You could have stayed here and get a wonderful life!"
" You see... someponies lives are not wonderful, because others want them to be... that's why I choose this life instead..."
"You are something."
"I know..." He sighed, looking at the sky, while keeping memories away.
The pink mare looked around, and her reality started to come back. She looked at Mane who was looking at the skies, and bumped his shoulder to get his attention.
"What now?" She asked.
"Now what?"
"You are in control, you know what is going on, you know what to do."
"Yeah, so?"
"We need a place to stay." She stated.
"True. I don't have any money, so staying in a hotel is out of question."
"Not if I didn't think of It!"
Pinkamena pullet out her wallet and opened, showing It full of money to Mane. Big part of It was from the payday of their night in the Midnight Gala.
"Clever girl..."
"Thank you. What would you do without me."
"Probably sleep in an abandoned building. Like I do in my contracts... Anyway, we can walk freely around. We are not wanted here, which is great. But we still need to keep a low profile."
They crossed the road to the nearest hotel, obviously set there to anypony on trip to somewhere, since It was near the station. But the prices were too cheap, giving way how It would be the conditions. Then to the next one, diving more into the center of the city. On their way and search, Mane had to call Pinkamena from time to time, from her childish behavior, which would go from staring at showcases of shops, to look at the city's beauty.
"Maaane... I'm hungry..."
"Me too, so what?"
"So what? We are both hungry! Doesn't that call you for something?"
"I get you. We didn't had any breakfast because SOMEPONY ate all the food!"
"And SOMEPONY drank all the drinks!"
"Let's not start a discussion here. Let's get some food then keep searching for a place to stay."
Both walked to the nearest restaurant, good smelling, tasty and unhealthy fast-food, by Pinkamena's demand. They ordered hay hamburgers and french fries, and sited by the tables outside, eating and observing the city and It's citizens. Diane kept munching her hamburger is a ludicrous speed in small bites, conserving the quantity to last enjoyment.
"You know, your choice was not that bad for the taste, but for our health, these fried foods are bad stuff..." Mane said.
"But It's tasty!"
"I'll give you that" He looked away from her face covered in ketchup, and for a moment, something caught his thinking. "Pinka..."
"Yeah? *munch*"
"Try avoid saying my name in public... or the name in my jacket..." He stated.
"Sombra..?"
"SHHH! And yes, that one..." He whispered.
"Why? *munch*"
"It's a long story... a really long one... like I said. One day you will know... or maybe soon enough..."
"How soon? I'm willing to know. I could hear a story while eating."
"I won't tell you shit. It's about getting our eyes open. Then I'll tell you..." Said Mane in a relaxed way.
"What a prick..." She grumbled with her mouth full of fries. "You sure look relaxed, for such hidden story and getting me willing to know."
"You look cute when you are mad." He giggled while giving a bite on his food.
"You too, but when tied up." She teased.
"Sounds kinky..."
"Sounds and looks, but there's no happy endings."
"I know that by experience, 'Cupcake Killer'"
She stopped her hand in midair from putting the last french fry in her mouth and her expression changed to wrath, staring at Mane in the eyes in a wish for death.
"I know how to tease too..."
"You shut your fucking mouth." And with that, she ate the last fry.
Mane and Pinkamena left the hotel after their breakfast in the cantina. The place was not luxurious neither poor, well placed in the center close of everything they needed for their stay. The morning's light made Mane cover his eyes, reminding him of every morning in his youth when he used to live in the Crystal Empire, where the buildings had the habit of reflecting the sun everyponies face.
"So, what do we do?" Asked Pinkamena while stretching her arms in the air.
"We should start looking for a clue. We are on our own pretty much, we have to look for them ourselves."
"Where should we start?"
"I don't know. Let's go to the tourist office, the city changed a LOT since my childhood..."
They walked side by side by the city, with a map in their hands. While Mane kept looking around for anything suspicious, Pinkamena kept distracting herself in food, stores and the city's beauty, with Mane calling her constantly.
"We are not here to make tourism. We have a contract..."
"No. YOU have a contract."
"No. WE."
"How so? You are the one who accepted this. I came with you because I wanted to."
"If you're gonna be like that, then go have your own trip! We meet at the hotel by four of the evening. O'clock!"
"Fine! Go have your own fun!" She putted her tongue out in his back, as he walked away.
But Mane on the other hand, turned back to her.
"By the way! Take this." And he throws the folded map at her, and she catches It. "I have another one. Don't get lost, the city is huge..."
Pinkamena groaned, opened the map and walked away in the opposite direction, taking an alternate route. In her walking, she kept spinning, looking everywhere amazed by the city. Everything caught her attention. The citizens, the stores, and most likely, the huge palace in the very center.
"I wish my sisters were here. Never though an entire city would be made out of pure chiseled and polished crystal... She thought. "I'm really grateful to Mane. Thanks to him, now my fear of being outside is mostly away, and I go on trips like this to these amazing lands!
Diane stopped by a small town square, and sat on a cold crystal bench, making the legs under her skirt shiver and letting a squeak out of her. A snack bar caught her attention, and she could use a little snack, since the hotel's breakfast was not that big. As soon she entered the store, the owner showed up from the backroom. He was a young adult colt, yellow and pegasus, dressed like the classic store owner.
"Good morning, m'lady! How can I help you?" He greeted, looking at Pinkamena with a smile.
"Hi. I'm a tourist in a visit for the first time."
"Ahh! Welcome to the Crystal Empire then! What do you want to know?"
"I'm feeling hungry. What is the Empire's traditional food?"
"We have something we call "Crystallized Fruit". It's bits of fruit conserved in sugar. Tasty and sweet, we eat them mostly in festivity days."
"Sounds good. One box please!"
"Yes, m'lady." The colt blushed at Pinka's beauty and headed on the backroom.
In the mean time, another colt entered the store with a brown jacket and a beret covering his face. His hands were inside the pockets, and his eyes kept looking around, scanning the store with a grumpy look.
"Good morning, sir." Pinkamena greeted.
The colt didn't answer, instead looked at her in the eyes, and the mare read something.
"Lady. Here they are. The best brand and they arrived today!"
"Oh thank you! How much?"
"Nothing. Special offer for a tourist... and a beautiful one..."
Pinkamena thanked and blushed, and as soon she turned around to leave, the shady colt tackled Pinkamena, making her drop the box. He tackled again and turned her around, putting an arm around her neck, and pointing something at the shop owner.
"Wha-what is this?!"
"This is a robbery! Show me the money and I don't blast this bitch's brains out!" And he pointed the gun at Pinkamena's head, who was struggling to break free from the robber's grip.
With that, he pointed the weapon at the colt's head and pulled some kind of small lever by his finger, and a big fiery blast followed by smoke exploded the shop keeper's head, splatting blood in the walls. Pinkamena screamed in horror, and the robber dropped her on the floor. He opened the cash register and grabbed every coin he could in his bag. Before leaving, Pinkamena's purse caught his attention.
"Extra change? I'll take that! You stay here!"
He grabbed the mare's purse, and she couldn't fight back due to the shock of what she witnessed. Seconds after the situation, curious citizens started to enter the store, and one of them screamed in horror after checking behind the counter. Diane slowly stood up trembling in fear, and checking behind the counter as well, she lost her breath.
The colt's body was laying on the floor, the face was ragged with a part missing. Surrounded by a pool of blood soaking his clothes, and bits of skull and brain scattered around and some glued to the walls.
The scenario stuck in her head, she left the store walking as if her legs were crippled, with a bit of the victim's blood in her face. Moments later, a patrol of four guards arrived, and soon they left the store, going to an alley to throw up. After relieving themselves from the crime scene's intensity, one of them instructed one of their mates to go alert the headquarters, while the other two questioned the civilians, and one of them told them to ask the only witness, pointing at the pink mare who was sitting in a bench trembling in shock.
"Hello? Lady, are you alright?" One of them asked, but she didn't answer.
"You have blood in your face. Are you hurt?" The guard tried again.
"I don't see any wounds..." Said the other guard. "She's in shock, give her a moment. Guard her, I'm gonna question the other citizens."
The guard stood next to Pinkamena while his mate went to the group hoarding the crime scene, shouting to nopony touch the evidences. Diane was looking at the walls, with eyes frozen and ears down, clearly in fear for her life. Reality started to come back and she realized the guard next to her. She slowly started to back away without his notice, and started to walk away. The sentinel soon noticed and started walking in her direction.
"Hey, miss! Where are you going?"
She hurried her walking.
"HEY! I'm talking with you! You were the only one in that place! We need to ask you some questions!"
Soon, she started running down the street.
"HEY! STOP!"
Everypony looked at his direction, and his fellow mate walked out of the crowd.
"Where is the girl?!"
"She ran away! I didn't notice..."
"Dammit Daniel! I hope the sergeant doesn't know of this!"
Not so far away, in another street, Mane kept walking trying to avoid distractions from his objective. Nothing so far helped him in his task of finding any evidence, besides looking around and checking how much things add changed around town.
He decided to stop by a shop in a corner. He entered and a old grey bearded colt greeted him. The place was like a cellar, built in old red bricks, cozy looking. And in shelves and crates, drinks from around Equestria, and some exported ones from Griffinstone.
"Welcome, young colt..." Said the shop keeper in a raspy voice.
"Thank you." Mane answered politely. "I would like to buy a bottle."
"Do you have an ID?"
"Why..?"
"I need to check your age."
"I didn't know of that..."
"Our policies changed years ago, since the death of King Som- *gasp*" - He stopped talking, shutting his mouth with his wrinkled hand.
"Something wrong?"
"It's a tradition we created in the Crystal Empire... we can't say 'his' name..."
"Who..?" Mane dared to ask, even thought he already knew the name very well.
"Visit the tourist post or the city library! You're bugging me! Now show me your ID."
"Listen, do I look like a stupid teenager trying to be a wannabe badass?" Said Mane in a intimidating way.
"My apologies, you don't look like one, kind sir... What is the drink?"
"Do you have...Crystal Vodka?"
"Ohhh... that... many don't buy It because of It's strength. May I ask why?"
"It's... for a friend! It's his bachelor party next night."
"Oh oh! Party hard, I see..." Giggled the old colt.
He pulled a key in his necklace from inside his suit, and opened a safe under the counter.
"Why is It inside a safe?"
A small explosion was heard in the distance, making Mane move his ears trying to get the source of the sound.
"What was that..?"
"What? My hearing is not the same like before..."
"I heard an explosion from far away."
"Ah. There's a construction site nearby. Maybe something fell. A board, a hammer..."
The owner rested the bottle in the counter, as if It was made out of the most fragile material in existence. Mane's eyes glimmered when the bottle's label met with them.
"Five thousand bits." The old colt stated.
"No wonder It was in a damn safe!" Mane thought. "I don't have that much!" He said in shock.
"No money, no bottle." Said the owner while caressing his beard.
"Oh come on! You can't... er... ruin the party!"
"Not my problem."
Mane was about to leave... when an idea came to his mind and he showed a nasty grin.
"I have a proposal then."
"What is It..?" Asked the shop keeper, raising an eyebrow.
"Do you have one of these open?"
"Yes, in my personal bar..."
"Let's drink a glass of this. The one who resists, stays with the bottle!"
"AH! You dare to challenge me, the drink expert? When I was your age, I used to do these drinking challenges. I CAN resist to a glass of Crystal Vodka!"
"Just serve It..." Mane said with an impatient look.
The old colt headed to the back of the shop is his office, and moments later, returned with with two glasses of Crystal Vodka in ice. Both grabbed the glasses and swallowed in one shot the entire drink. And then... they stared at each other... The shop keeper's eyes were fixed on Mane's eyes, with a smile, while Mane kept a cold emotionless expression.
Soon, the old colt started to sweat, pulling the bow in his neck. Then taking his hands and letting out gasps of the drink burning his mouth and throat. Mane on the other hand, stood still with one hand in the cup and the other in the counter.
His opponent collapsed in the floor behind the counter, with his hands around the neck, blowing the alcoholic taste out of his mouth.
"T-t-take It! You won! I-I'm impressed y-you resisted..." He said in some difficulty. "My-my throat... I n-need water!"
"Not my problem..." Mane mimicked.
He grabbed the bottle and started walking away to the exit.
"H-hey!" Shouted the old colt while standing up trembling and heading to his office. "T-tell your friends, a-about the "Club Clover"! H-hot chick-ks in there..!"
"Er... no worries... I will!" - Said Mane hiding a blush. - "Pervert old geezer... - He thought.
He left the store, opened the bottle and started drinking, enjoying the taste that was not made for the weak.
"I once went to one of these clubs... just to kill the fucking owner and storm the place. The pig was a narcotic dealer and a pimp... making girls work for him."
While walking down the street and drinking, thinking what to do next, running steps could be heard behind him, and turning around, he almost got trampled by a squad of guards, which passing by him, all of them apologized. Something ringed a bell in his head and he chased the patrol, leading him to a town square where guards were containing groups of citizens, while others were near a store.
"What happened?" He asked to a guard.
"Crime scene. Keep walking." The guard ordered.
"Not so different from the rest of Equestria... sad to know..."
While leaving the crowd, another guard approached him, taking him away from the rest of the public.
"Sir, can I ask you a few questions?" He asked.
"Yes."
"Have you seen a pink mare, with pink razor straight hair, young looking?"
The description made Mane Shaker almost made him feel totally weak.
"Er- no." He replied trying to keep a fake look, pretending he didn't know anything.
"She was dressing a medium short black skirt with pink stripes. With matching upper body clothes, also black and pink."´
"Sorry sir, I don't know her or seen her... I'm not from here."
"Alright, thank you. Sorry this disturbed your visit to our wonderful city."
The guard walked away, and Mane noticed a shady character hiding It's face with a hat and a trench coat, staring and studying Mane up and down in the distance. The grey unicorn started walking away, and the mysterious character followed him in the distance. Mane looked by his shoulder and noticed. He hurried his walking, and the follower did the same.
Shaker started running through the streets avoiding bumping into other ponies. The chaser did the same, trying to catch up with Mane, always keeping It's eyes in the target. Taking turns and curves trying to lose the character. Mane dived in a crowd, shoving ponies with difficulty.
The mysterious character did the same, trying to keep up the pace. In a second, Mane was out out of sight. Walking out the crowd, It stopped and scanned the street from an end to another. No sight of It's target. And It headed to an alleyway between buildings.
In the distance, Mane stood up from a bench and took the blue cap out, letting his messy mohawk like red hair pop out in the air.´
"Thanks kid." He said while retrieving the hat to the young foal eating an ice-cream next to him, and giving him three coins. "Get yourself another ice-cream."
"You're welcome sir!" Said the kid in his young squeaky voice.
Walking down the road, Mane's mind was taken by storm. Hurrying in his way to the hotel.
Mane Shaker ran up the stairs leaving everypony on his way looking at him. He was angry and nervous at his partner with suspicions of what she could have made.
Reaching at the door of her room, he took a deep breath and calmed down, looking at the ceiling and checking the corridors to make sure nopony would hear. He knocked but there was no answer. He tried again and the same answer... nothing.
"Pinka, It's me... Mane..."
Silence from the other side.
"I'm back from my tour around town."
...
"Pinkamena Diane Pie, open the door please..."
Moments after the demand, the door was unlocked and she peeked, seeing Mane waiting for her.
"Y-yes..?" - Diane asked is a low voice.
"Is something wrong..?" Mane asked noticing her different strange behavior. "Can I enter?"
"Um... yes..."
She opened the door completely and invited him in. Mane walked inside and checked the room. A window, a bed, a table, a chair and a small bathroom with a shower. Just like every room in that motel. He sat on the bed and Pinkamena sat next to him.
"Do you have something to tell me..?" Mane asked in a tone trying to contain his nerves.
"No."
"Pinka, according to my "report" of the day, I went to a crime scene in a store hoarded with guards, and one asked me about a pink mare with straight pink mane, and a pink and black dress... you know, like you."
"It wasn't me!"
"Oh yeah?!" Mane went to the bathroom and grabbed the said dress from behind the door and showed It to her. "I see small blood stains in the pink stripes!"
"Please, believe me! I had nothing to do with this! I've seen enough today!"
"You robbed a store and murdered an innocent store keeper!"
The discussion was ended by a knock on the door. Mane looked at It and then at Pinkamena with angry eyes.
"Go answer..." He whispered.
Pinkamena cleaned her tears and walked slowly to the door, while Mane hid in the bathroom next to the room's entrance, with his head against the door listening. She opened the door and two guards greeted her.
"Hello miss... sorry the disturbance." Greeted one of the guards.
"Um... yes?"
"We got reported you were the only witness in a crime scene and you ran away from the protection from one of us."
"Yes. That's true... and I'm sorry." She apologized in a fragile and innocent voice.
"It's alright, we were told you were in shock, just don't do It ever again. We would like to ask you a few questions."
"Okay..."
"First. Were you the only one in the place?"
"Yes."
"Have you seen the face of the delinquent?"
"No. I didn't pay much attention, so much happened in an entire minute..."
"What was he wearing?"
"He was dressing a brown jacket and a black beret, I couldn't check his face, the shadow of the hat was well positioned, must say..."
"According to non visual witnesses, everypony in the zone heard a big explosion from inside the store. What was It?"
"The guy was holding something. It was made out of iron and wood. He pressed some kind of lever under his finger and... an explosion happened."
"I see... Does anything else happened after that?"
"Not much, he took all the money he could and took my purse..."
"Did you had any documents with you?"
"No..."
"Alright, that's all. Sorry the disturbance and what happened to you. Anything else, visit our post in the center."
"Um... thank you..."
The two guards turned their back talking to each other and she closed the door. Mane left the bathroom full of guilt and looked at Pinkamena who was clearly in fear.
"I guess I own you an apology..." He said in a low voice.
"No, no... It's ok..."
"But tell me this. The bandit, he was holding a weapon similar to the ones I told you?"
"Yes. It was clearly what you told me! Those things, they kill in an instant!"
"By Discord's sake..." He whispered for himself. "We arrived too late before something would happen!" He said raising his voice.
"Mane! Nothing is lost, we can still stop this. Now I really see why are you here in your homeland. I really wanna help you!"
"Pinka, calm down. I didn't gave up yet. We are gonna stop this and your help is welcome. Get some rest, you went through a lot today."
"Mane, don't leave me please!" She hugged his arm tightly.
"Girl, my room is next to yours, you are safe. I'll keep my ears open... Besides, what the hell? What happened to the badass killer I knew? Get yourself a warm shower and rest."
"Okay..."
She let his arm go slowly, and Mane opened the door and left to his room.
Pinkamena looked around and checked the window, seeing the two guards walking towards a street among citizens. Headed to the bathroom and undressed from her "lazy" clothes, and took a shower giving the chance to wash her other clothes from the innocent blood. Seeing the water getting red stained gave her a flashback from the store situation and later a memory from her old days in mangling bodies, and she could feel her raging energy coming to her. The mare looked at the mirror and saw for a fraction of a second her reflection stained in blood and a evil grin. She gasped scared and calmed down, and leaned over the sink breathing heavily.
"Not now! Control yourself... save It for another time. Contain It like Mane taught you..."
She turned around and turned off the water, then wrapping a white towel around her naked body. Walking out of the bathroom, she noticed an envelop on the floor by the entrance door. She picked and opened...
"Tell them anything else and your head gets blow to pieces just like you saw! You were warned, bitch!"
Pinkamena trembled in fear, letting the letter fall from her hands, and ran to her bag, checking if her signature "chef" knife was there, along with a sneaky butterfly knife. Tonight was for sure, she was going to sleep with a weapon under her pillow.
In the next room. Mane finished sharpening his knife with a small whetstone and cleaning them, as per usual his care with his own stuff. He couldn't know when he would need to storm out his rooms door to go fight somepony in Pinkamena's room.
In that day, the first crime in Equestria with a pistol was committed and he felt guilty he arrived too late to stop It. But now It was time to put an end to It. That was the first one, and should be the last. He went to the window checking if anything suspicious was going on in the streets. But nothing besides citizens walking among each other and crossing the road, enter and leaving stores and their homes.
*knock knock*
The sound at his door made him grab the switchblade and hid in his belt, under the jacket in his back. He walked slowly to the door and a letter folded in two was laying on the floor. Opened the door and nopony was there. Plain silence... Closed the door and picked the letter, unfolded and he saw something that made him shiver.
The sentence that describes both of them that night. Pinkamena even being an elite assassin, couldn't sleep due to the infamous letter she received last day, being out of herself for the last week and half, without her controlled thirst for bloodshed and screams of tortured ones.
Mane on his own way, couldn't sleep either, waiting for the time to run to his partner's room in her aid. Or pretty much, paralyzed by his fear of the dark, nightmares that haunt him and the mysterious letter he received last day, sending goosebumps all around his body.
Somepony knocked at his door and his bloodshot tired eyes looked at It's direction, while his hand was searching for his folding knife in the bed.
"Room service!" Said a voice outside.
"No need. I'm fine, thank you!" Answered Mane.
Steps outside went to Pinkamena's door, and she answered the same thing. And again, the room service went to other occupied rooms away from theirs. Mane opened the door slowly and peeked. The hall was empty aside from the maid going from door to door in the end of the hall. He stepped outside, and moments later Pinkamena opened the door and gave a tired step outside. They both looked at each other, and hiding they had a rough night from each other was inevitable.
"Bad night..?" Diane asked in a dragged voice.
"So do you..." Answered Mane in the same tone.
At his hooves in the floor, there was a newspaper curled. Mane picked and a title caught his attention.
"Royal Canterlot Scientist found in his home mysteriously amnesiac, now hospitalized in Canterlot's Hospital"
"The Leader Scientist of the Royal Laboratories Dr. Fumes was found in a morning in his home, on the floor, and when woke up, he couldn't remember anything from the last month. Medics say It was a magic induced amnesia, and investigators say for such forgotten time, somepony was looking for something. More details on page 14."
"At least that geek survived... I thought I killed him at he time... I hope they don't get a cure or a fraction of the army is coming for us..."
"Anything interesting there..?" Pinkamena asked while scratching her eyes, trying to stay awake.
"Nah... nothing much..."
"Let's get a coffee... we could use one."
"Agreed..."
Both walked inside their rooms and minutes later, both walked out in their clothes. Mane is his ragged classic jeans, black T-Shirt with one of his bands and their logo and of course, his signature black leather vest covered with patches of bands, symbols and the "forbidden name" stitched in the back. Pinkamena in her elegant black and pink dress, showing her beautiful but hidden dangerous personality, and a secret small leg belt under her skirt holding her butterfly knife.
They looked at each other and smirked, and they agreed It was a bad idea take the stairs in their current state, so they called the elevator and headed to the cantina, where they almost ended with the whole coffee, leaving the other costumers wishing their worst thoughts on their back.
While walking the streets without knowing what to do, and an eye over their shoulders, fearing that their cover has been broken, especially Mane since the time he received the creepy message, of what could be an icon of a group of a horseshoe with three crystals in the middle, and the words "We Know". He had suspicions about the mysterious pursuer from the other day.
"So... what now?" She asked.
"Argh... I dunno... My head is spinning like a tornado from not sleeping..." Mane complained.
"Oh, so you didn't too?"
"Neither you, you say?"
They stopped and stared at each other, trying to make sense of they what they said and heard.
"What was the reason..?" Mane asked while rubbing one eye from the sunlight hurting It.
"Check It yourself..." And Pinkamena handed the letter to him.
He opened curious and read in a volume only them could hear.
""Tell them anything else and your head gets blow to pieces just like you saw! You were warned, bitch!"" - He read, and he looked at her who was looking to the side in a crying a bit. Mane gently petted her head and she flopped down her hears, allowing him to scratch behind them, which she showed enjoyment and her frown turned into a tiny smile.
"You know... you are cute when you are not opening scums in half..." He commented, and she let out a small giggle. "Are you feeling better..?"
"Yes. Thank you." She turned to him. "So... what was your reason?" She asked.
"Oh, just the fact you were... under pressure. I don't wanted anything to happen to you."
"But, I can defend myself, you know."
"Sorry saying this Pinka, but you seem out of character lately."
"I know, and I apologize. I'm just being a weight in your back."
"No no no! It's fine..."
"It was just that?"
"Um...yeah, It was all." He lied, hiding his letter inside the pocket in his jacket.
They kept walking down the road, and stopped in the town square where the unfortunate event happened. With three guards in lookout by the entrance and an investigation team going inside and outside. Nopony else was permitted in that place. The store was a literally being searched from on corner to another.
"Better not talk with them..." Stated Mane. "The responsible for this could be on watch. I know. We could beat him together but we better keep a low profile around. The Empire's law is very rigorous and they answer to threats in a way an Elite from Canterlot would in combat... with order... to KILL if necessary..."
"They are nice..." She commented.
"Yes. The Crystal Empire and It's citizens are pretty welcoming and sympathetic. But I don't suggest anger one..." He looked at her, as if he was giving a clue.
Pinkamena looked him in the eyes, and she surely got the message from Mane: "DON'T you dare fuck with me."
"Let's keep going." The pink mare suggested.
"Yeah..."
Two hours later, strolling around town and visiting the zone and It's sites of interest in a way of trying to calm down Pinkamena a bit more, they stopped by a small park near the Crystal Palace. The gigantic height of the building showered on Mane with flashbacks which he putted away with control.
The place was relaxing, just like the gentle wind blowing on the trees. Spring arrived sooner to the Empire, and the gardens and parks were colorful with their random mixture of specimen of flowers in all shapes, colors and sizes. And even more with the polished marble pavement reflecting the gardens and the blue sky.
They were the only ones in there and they sat on a green crystal bench. Pinkamena couldn't stop looking around her, blaming all those years she was stuck in her hole they call basement, afraid of the world and It's inhabitants. Hidden from the beauty of the world and what she missed in all those years.
"Hey" Mane bumped her elbow. "Do you have fives bucks?"
"Yeah." Pinkamena opened her new wallet filled with some money she had in reserve, and handed the exact quantity.
"Stay here, I'll be back." And Mane walked away.
She stayed there like instructed, looking at the flowers and bees around them. The trees with birds, and the sky with It's clouds passing by. In an instant, her vision was covered by a wall of pink. At first she thought It was her hair blown by the wind in her face, but a sweet smell came to her nostrils, and there was Mane, holding a stick with cotton candy and a weird smile for the kind of character he is.
"For me?" She asked with a blush and her eyes wide open.
"No, for the birds there. Of course It's for you, silly."
She held the stick, and Mane sat back on his place and started eating a hayburger, full of ketchup.
"I thought you didn't like fast food, Mane."
"Eh... *munch*... sometimes you stop and think, "ah what the hell, why not?""
"Haha! I know right?"
"Enjoy the sugar, candy girl..."
"Flattering. In retribution, you are a real gentleman when you aren't serious like eighty percent of the time..."
"You know. I never had many in my life I could do this with."
"I see... me neither..." - She said, giving a bite in the sweet.
"So, back to the topics... when did you received that letter?"
"After taking a bath. It was laying in the floor by the door. I suppose the guy or someone else shoved It under the door."
"Sorry recalling this, but when you were hold hostage, could you see how the pistol was exactly?"
"Well. I'll give my best." Pinka took a deep breath. "The weapon was shaped like a 'J'. The handle was made out of wood along with a part holding the iron tube."
"...only that..?"
Pinkamena made a gesture as if she was holding a pistol too. " The guy pulled a trigger under his finger like this..." She pressed with her indicator finger, mimicking a shot. "And for what I could see before a smoke screen happened, a mechanism holding a tiny rock got released, shocked against a iron plate, and in a fraction of a second, a huge explosion happened inside the tube... and then... the poor guy was dead on the floor with part of his head missing..."
"Geez..."
"I know right? Such an easy way to kill..."
"We better get a clue soon enough, but where to begin from?"
"I have a suggestion..."
"What is It?"
"HOW about you give me back the fucking change? I know the total wasn't five bits! I saw the prices too! The hamburguer was two and the cotton candy one and half! " Said Diane in an angry way, reaching her hand towards him.
"You have eyes..." Mane commented while handing back the coins.
Pinkamena started counting the coins, and she stopped dead on her tracks, focused on a half bit copper coin. She picked up and raised It on the air, so the sunlight would hit It, for more visibility. One of the sides showed the image of a horseshoe, crossed by a horn and coming our of the horseshoe, there was a wing.
"What is It this time..?" He asked after the last bite in his food, looking at her by the corner of the eye.
"Mane, explain me this. Why the hell... is there a Ponyville cents coin... that was designed and minted in the last month, doing here that soon and so far away from It's place of origin..?"
Time stopped for a second in their heads, as if both were synchronized. They looked at each other and then at the coin. Pinkamena just discovered a clue.
"Go ask the vendor! Quick!" Diane shouted.
The unicorn stood up and sprinted to the vendor in the middle of the square in front of the palace's entrance, standing in his trailer selling fast food, drinks and sweets.
"Hey you! I need to ask you something!" Said Mane in a haste.
"Calm down. You want another hayburguer? I know they are deli-"
"No! Look!" Mane showed him the coin. "WHO gave you this coin?"
"A client..."
"Who exactly! Can you describe him?!"
"It was today. He was an earth one, light brown. Wearing grey pants, a blue shirt and a black beret." Said the vendor trying to make sense of the question and what was the hurry.
"Where did he went and when?!"
"Um... he headed that way." The vendor pointed towards the far away zone of the city. "In Jade District's direction."
"Sir! That doesn't help! I'm in a hurry! Where exactly! I need to find this individual!"
"Listen, whoever you are! I don't know you and I don't care! If you want to find somepony around town, visit the police post! Now GO AWAY! You are ruining my business!!!" The vendor grabbed a heavy metal spoon from behind the counter, and waved in the air.
"Do you know how urgent I need to find this guy?!" Screamed Mane on top of his lungs in rage.
"DOES IT LOOK LIKE MY PROBLEM?! You go away now or I'll call the guards!"
"You won't because I won't allow! You are my only hope in finding this individual!!"
"Well, there's no need idiot... look behind you."
Mane Shaker turned around and right by his his arms, two strong guards grabbed him and carried him away from the vendor. Right in time, Pinkamena emerged from the small crowd watching the scene and ran to him, who was getting scolded by the authorities.
"Sorry miss, but this is between us!" Said one of the guards stopping her from running to Mane.
"No sir. I'm with him..." She replied innocently.
"Hey, dumbass! This girl, friend of yours?" Asked the guard.
"Yea." Mane answered with a groan.
"Next time we see you in this, three nights behind bars! Understood?!"
"Yes, Mister Sir Our Highness Officer..." Mane mocked.
"Miss, you better control your boyfriend next time!" Said the other guard to Pinkamena.
"WHAT?! We are not a couple! I would never..!" Screamed Diane.
"Bah, leave them,we have our duties elsewhere..." And the guards walked away.
Mane and Pinkamena stayed there with everypony looking at them. Both just walked away embarrassed by the scene, and headed back to the hotel with their heads low in silence. They headed up the stairs without a word. Before entering their respective rooms, Mane turned to Diane.
"Hey..." He called.
She just looked at him completely silent and with a emotionless expression.
"Am I that bad..?" He dared to ask.
"You told me countless times about keeping a low profile, but seems you don't know how to put in practice your own lessons, do you..?"
"What do you say then..?"
"You fucked It up..." She said those words in such cold way that made Mane shiver a bit in the back of his head.
She slammed the door of her room in his face, and they didn't speak for the rest of the day...
This time he was on the dark, and if there was somepony who never liked the darkness was him.
It felt like something touched him in his back, and he couldn't see what was. A light spell would work, only if his hooves weren't chained to the floor, hands tied up and a anti-magic ring in his horn.
Sounds and quiet steps could be heard around him, in the attempt of driving him crazy. And It was working.
Mane looked up, dark. To the sides. Pitch black. Behind, over his shoulder. Darkness.
Something touched him this time in the chest, and his heartbeat raised in panic. All he wished was It to be fast and painless, but whatever was in the dark with him wouldn't want that.
The creature growled, and sounded closer and closer. Then the sound of a mouth opening, which sounded like flesh without skin, and lots of saliva. Mane's head started to grow insane in his fear, with every second being played with his emotions.
Suddenly, a huge metallic hit on the floor was heard and the sound of flesh being cut. Silence...
Moments later, a white light was made in his spot like spotlight. He looked around, he was dressed in prisoner ragged shorts and part of his body bleeding from minor torture. Chains on his hooves attached to the white marble floor without room to move, surrounded with small dark blood spatters, from his body. Hands tied by a rope in a position he barely could move.
In front of Mane, a pool of bright blood started forming. The light became bigger in diameter and there was no body to be found, but a presence could be felt. Wings flying were heard, and in the lit zone, flied a tall blue alicorn in black and dark blue armor adorned with silver, holding a silver war scythe decorated with sapphires.
The character landed in front of Mane, and took out the helmet, revealing a beautiful face to him with a smile.
"Another bad dream, Mane?" Asked Luna in a serene voice.
"Princess Luna herself coming to rescue me in one of my nightmares..? What did I do to deserve this..?" Said Mane in a sad voice. "I don't deserve this..."
"Mane, you do... let me help."
Luna putted her scythe in front of him, and he rubbed the ropes against the blade, cutting them in an instant. She cut the chains without hesitation and removed the anti-magic ring from his head, and Mane fell on his knees in front of her. The princess knelled down to help him stand up but It was hard with her armor on.
"Why are you here..?" Asked Mane while trying to keep his strength.
"To see you. And ask apologies for that night when I tried to hit you with a vase."
"A princess saying sorry to a nobody? Since when?"
"Since me. My sister is also like that, but between us, It's personal, and you know me very well. Just like I know you... I think."
Mane lost his focus, trying to recover from the ring's effect and the panic after being played with by his own emotions. He looked around trying to find something, while trying to get his head out of Luna's shoulder armor.
"It's a nice armor... I wish I had one like this..." He said sobbing, passing his fingers in the cold black armor.
"Thank you, you will one day, I believe... I designed It myself, and guess where It was made." She asked with a smile.
"Where..?"
"In your hometown..." She whispered on his hear. "The Crystal Empire is known by It's master artisans... I ordered in purpose from here, you were still a lil foal running around the palace..."
Mane gave a weak giggle, hugging Luna with what was left from his strength. They ended the hug and looked at each other.
"Mane... tell me. Why do you think you don't deserve this?"
"I deserve to suffer in my sleep, and to not rest at all from all my sins..."
"Shaker, you didn't do anything bad... you're doing It for the good of Equestria..."
"If It's for the good, why the army wants me dead?"
"Because me and sister don't have the same vision in justice. You choose this life."
"I don't have anything left in this life... no family, no objectives."
"You have somepony... Somepony sleeping next to your room." - Luna smiled.
"I don't think she likes me."
"That's not true... I peeked at her sleep, and guess what. She's loyal to you. She was dreaming when you rescued her from her sick mentality."
"Good to know I guess... but I arrived too late! An innocent got killed by one of those guns! I wasn't there to stop!"
"Mane. I'm a powerful princess, and even I can't stop everything. You must stop blaming yourself for anything that happens."
"As if It was possible. I have my own demons and I can't deal with them myself."
Luna leaned towards and hugged the wounded unicorn and a tear dropped from her eye, landing in his shoulder.
"I know how It feels, my child..." She whispered. "And unlike me, you don't have salvation from them, but you can control them even better than me. I believe in you."
"You were always the mother I didn't had, literally..." Cried Mane.
They stayed there knelling in the spotlight, hugging and crying. Luna petting his back while sobbing against his neck and soaking her tears in his shoulder's fur. While Mane trying to keep his weak arms hugging his savior from his nightmares.
"Now sleep, my child..." She calmly kissed Mane, moving her lips slowly against his cheek. "You still have a lot of work to do tomorrow. You defend the real world, but I must defend the other's dreams..."
The unicorn barely believed he received such kiss from the Night Princess herself, in a platonic way, of course. She released the grip from the hug, stood up and walked backwards slowly.
"But, but what if I can't stop this?!" He pleaded.
"Mane, remember... don't lose hope!"
With that, Princess Luna started to fly away, crying what was still left from the encounter with her close friend in her realm. Before she disappeared, she turned around in midair, and from behind her, she showed a white flower and dropped in Mane's direction, letting It land in his hands.
"There's always a light in the dark..." She said.
And Princess Luna disappeared, leaving Mane on his own released from his fears.
The sun rises for another day, sending It's rays through the window's yellow curtains against the bed, heating the bed sheets and waking Mane up. He blinked covering the sun against his face.
He went to the bathroom and took a cold shower to cool down his head. During It, he stopped while the water ran by his body, and thought of his last dream. Having Princess Luna herself in armor and weapons ready, to rescue him from one of his nightmares, was something he didn't have for years, being the last time when he was a little foal under her protection.
Mane headed to the sink and stopped by the mirror naked with the towel around his waist, and observed his body and face,looking if there was anything wrong. Nothing, all the same.
"There's always a light in the dark." He meditated in the last words the Night Princess told him before she left his bad dream.
He dressed up and observed the "Sombra" stitched on his jacket's back before wearing It.
"Mane! Are you there?" Asked Pinkamena from the other side of the room's door.
"Yea! I'm getting ready!"
He checked his pockets and hid his folding knife in the back of his pants. Mane walked out there was Pinkamena waiting for him alone with a smile.
"You're holding up, girl?" - He asked.
"Yeah, even better then the other days!" She answered with a smile.
"Why?"
Pinkamena pulled her butterfly knife and started to play with It, juggling It in one hand, opening and closing It at full speed, leaving mane silent and eyes wide open.
"I'm back..." She concluded.
"Into character I see. Good, I missed your originality."
"Hihi... thank you." She giggled.
They left the hotel and headed to downtown. Checking the map and asking directions, leaving whoever they asked baffled. Half hour later, they found themselves in their destination: "Jade District". That place was well known in the Crystal Empire for being problematic. Thieves were the kings there, and what would be the best place to find the responsible for the murder Pinkamena witnessed.
The streets were like exploring a city in ruins, with the difference there was always somepony looking at them, planning something. Mane kept an eye on the windows and hallways, while Diane kept the lookout on their back. The buildings were degraded and It's crystal dirty and unpolished. The sidewalk, if they could call It that, It was non-existent, just a road between streets made out of dirt and dust.
"Keep our eyes open..." Whispered Mane.
"On It... where can we find him here?"
"I don't know, and ask the locals of this place might be dangerous, but we have to risk It."
They approached a middle aged colt sitting on the floor against a building, smoking a pipe, and he looked at them without emotion, giving away he was missing an eye.
"Excuse me, old one..." Mane said politely "We are looking for somepony in these streets..."
"Haha... this crazy old fool doesn't know a thing..." He laughed in a dragged voice. "You may want to ask somepony else..."
"Excuse me sir, but..." Pinkamena handed him a coin. "This might help you, just like we need some."
"Ahh... It's still new..." He contemplated the golden bit, taking it to his mouth and bit It checking how real It was. "Alright, I'll answer the best I can..."
"We are looking for an individual. We think he might be here." Said Mane.
"Describe him."
"He's light brown, earth race, young perhaps, and he was a but strong. Wears a black beret, covering his face." Diane told.
"Hmm... there are so many around here, and they are faster than my old eye and head. Always hiding and running..."
"How is that supposed to help?" Asked Mane.
"Calm down, young one. Your generation is always on a hurry... Let me finish..." The elder coughed and kept talking. "The guy you are looking for, he usually frequents the saloon I go to... he might be there."
"Where is that saloon?"
"It's not easy to find, you see. Thieves are the rulers here, so they need their place to hide... Take the left route from here and go 'til It's end. Then you will see a ruined house without door, not hard to miss, It's the only one. Go to the right and go to the second hallway. There will be a... *cough* sorry... there will be a stairway leading under a big building. You knock the door and say these words, pay attention..."
Mane and Pinkamena leaned towards the old colt, listening carefully.
"Where the riches are guarded, It's where we head to..." He whispered to them.
"Thank you very much, elder..." Thanked Mane with education.
"Here." Pinkamena gave him another golden bit from her purse. "For the info."
"Ahh... generous. Thank you, pretty lady..." He putted the coin in his rags. "For that, an advice. Thieves here can be friendly if you don't show any way of threat for them or their guild... stay relaxed... and avoid showing your purse."
"Thank you again. Have a good day."
The duo followed the given instructions, walking the dusty streets with eyes from the dark inside the buildings observing them. They passed by the building with no door and went to the said hallway, and found the stairway down among dumpsters. By the door, a sign with the place's name: "Fox Hole".
"Fitting..." Pinka commented without difference.
"I know right? Let's get this done..."
Mane knocked the door and a voice from another side asked who was.
"Where the riches are guarded, It's where we head to." Said Mane.
The metal door opened and a colt in a hood looked at them.
"Who sent you?" He asked.
"An old colt from the zone told us. He was smoking a pipe." Said Diane.
"Hmm... did you pay him?"
"We didn't pay. We rather say, donated from our hearts. Two coins."
"...you can enter... no fights." The colt stepped out of their away allowing them in.
They entered the saloon filled with degenerates drinking and laughing, and some playing games. The place was kind of a mess but clean in a strange way. The wheel of a wagon was the chandelier hanging in the ceiling with candles. Tables were old and every one had marks of knifes on the top, and some drink stains. The drink was beer and spirits, like whiskey and vodka. The most played game was by two, with one holding a hand open in the table, and the other stabbing the knife in the table between the other's fingers, speeding up with time. Explaining the state of the tables.
"Dangerous..." Mane commented.
Pinkamena approached a group, where the players had their hands bleeding and both taking turns. They stopped and looked at her, asking themselves what was that girl dressed in such way doing there.
"Please continue..." She said.
They resumed in silence, and in a moment, the other stabbed the other's hand by accident, and was answered with a slap in his head and losing his coins.
"Eh... I could do better." She mocked.
They looked at her with anger, and started laughing at her. The others did the same, everypony laughing at her, but she didn't mind, keeping her eyes on the thieves.
"AH! You? A city girl? Why don't you join then?!"
"Alright..."
One of the thieves stood up from the bench and she sat on his place.
"I'll risk my best hand...I don't wanna ruin your girly hands..." The thief putted his hand on the table. "Need a knife? See if you can lift It!" - He mocked on her face, offering a huge knife to her.
Pinkamena pulled her butterfly knife and showed her skills with It to everypony looking, juggling It in one hand and opening It.
"Ohh... the girl has skills! Look everypony! We got a joker here!" Everypony laughed at her again, but she didn't care. "How much you wanna bet?"
"Fifty..." She said calmly.
"Fifty?! HAHAHA!!! Get ready to lose your money!"
Pinkamena placed the end of the knife between his index and thumb fingers, and started to stab the table between his fingers in a slow speed.
"Scared?" He asked with a mocking smile.
Diane started to speed up, eventually reaching the speed the thieves were before, leaving the spectators with their mouths open. She stopped and the colt looked at her and giggled. With no warning, she took a deep breath and resumed with even more speed.
"WOA! Calm down!" He begged but she didn't listen.
Comments started to come about her skill in the knife game. She speed up even more and the thief started to sweat, fearing he would end without a finger.
"Miss! Less speed, please!" He screamed in panic, eventually starting to grab his wrist
But again, she didn't listen, and eventually she started to sing with the rhythm of the game.
"Oh, you have all your fingers, the knife goes chop chop chop, If I miss the spaces in between, your fingers will come off, And if I hit your fingers, the blood will soon come out, But all the same, I play this game, cause that's what its all about, Oh, CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP! I'm picking up the speed! And If I hit your fingers then your hand will start to bleed!"
She repeated It two times in an insane speed, ending with a loud stab on the table, and the thief took his hand out of the table in a hurry, looking at her scared.
"Where is my money..?" She asked seriously.
"H-here! P-please! Just take It and don't do this again please!" - He threw the satchel to the table, with fifty golden coins inside.
She grabbed and putted on a pouch in her belt, before heading back to Mane, she grabbed the guy's knife and threw at a darts target, landing It right in the center. Everypony watching stayed in silence and made way to let her pass showing respect.
"That was amazing." Said Mane letting out a small laugh.
"I told you, I'm back to my old self."
"And we made some coin!"
"No. I did, not you." She answered in an irritated way.
"Alright... I get It. I need a job... So, what are you gonna ask for?"
"What do they have?"
"Beer, whiskey and vodka."
"A whiskey."
"Yeah, me too..."
They went to the counter and asked their drinks, then taking them to an empty table. They pretended to be talking while looking around, scanning the environment for their target.
"Saw him yet?" Mane whispered.
"No... maybe he changed clothes."
"Maybe, but his light brown color, race and hat are our clues."
"Got It..."
Mane noticed a mare looking at him from the distance. She was sky blue with long dark orange hair, wearing a black vest like him and jean shorts, with a spiked bracelet decorating her left arm. He ignored and kept looking at Pinkamena and behind her. Minutes later in the lookout and drinking, he felt a certain pressure in his body. He excused Diane and lift up from his seat.
"Where are you going?" She asked.
"To the bathroom."
"What about me?"
"You stay unless you need too..."
"Alone?"
"Um... yeah..."
"Be fast then! I don't like everypony looking at me, specially old ones looking at my legs and back."
"Get over It, will you?"
He headed to the male's restroom, leaving his friend alone. She was like a pink stain in that dark place. She looked behind her for a moment, and when turned around, there was somepony in Mane's place, drinking his drink.
"Do I know you..?" She asked in a serious tone.
"Yes... we have met before..." The colt revealed his face under his hat. Light brown, wearing a dark green cameo shirt, revealing his muscles.
"You..." Her face got twisted in anger, turning her ears down in signal of rage.
"You changed last time we saw each other..." He finished Mane's whiskey, while one hand was still under the table. "Tell me... who was your friend?"
"My associate."
"Associate? Eh... your boyfriend?" He giggled in an evil way.
"Erm... no..."
"Can't wait to my friends there to kill him in that bathroom, with a knife to the kidneys." He looked at his group heading towards where Mane was. "And then, I'll take you to my place, and you will know what a true stallion is..."
"You. Fucking. Pervert!"
"Ohh, the kitty is a tiger..." His arm under the table started moving. "Tell me, why don't we make a deal, and you and your boyfriend live..."
"What is It?" She showed her anger.
"You know... we go upstairs in a room..." He looked at her cleavage under her top tank. "You let me do you, and then-"
The bandit got interrupted with a kick in his legs, he didn't flinch and a sound came from under the table.
"You are not making things easy for you and your guy..." He pointed to an inside balcony, where three more guys were, looking at their table. "You see them? Friend of mine, in case you decided to fight back my suggestions..."
Mane finished his business and closed the zip in his pants. He faced the sink and broken mirror and washed his hands. He looked at the mirror and saw three broken reflections behind him. Mane turned around and three strong looking colts were facing him with suspicious grins.
"Can I help you..?" Mane dared.
They didn't answer, only looking at each other as if they were planning something.
"If you don't mind, step aside, I have a whiskey waiting for me, and It's heating there." He commented.
The colt in the middle without waiting pushed him brutally against the wall, and the others grabbed his arms, lifting him up in front of the starter, and he revealed a knife pointing at Mane's stomach. He kept his chill and only said a phrase.
"You don't wanna do this..."
They laughed hard at his words and the knife started going at his body, and suddenly Mane shoved the guy on the left in front of him, making him the stabbed one. The colt screamed in agony, while the right one tried to punch Mane in the muzzle, but he ducked, making the agressor punch the mirror instead, and he stepped back holding his hand covered in blood and mirror shrapnel.
In time, Mane formed a silence bubble in the bathrooms perimeter, while looking at the remaining colt in fury. The stabbed one was squealing in pain on the floor, and Mane pointed his finger at him and his horn glowing red, a magic shot came out of the index and shot him right in between his eyes, silencing his grunts.
Then he pointed his other hand on the guy against the wall trying to take the shrapnel out of his fist, and he finished him the same way.
"Now us..." Said Mane, stopping the magic flow in his body.
The remaining bandit stepped back putting his hands in midair in signal of surrender. But Mane was already pissed and there was no going back. The grey stallion grabbed the scum by his neck and pushed him inside a partition with a toilet. Mane kicked him on a knee, forcing the colt down, and without difficulty, he dived the bandit's head on the toilet's dirty water, while he kept forcing his way up, but Mane kept a fixed position of his head inside the water.
Seconds later, he started waving his arms in the air. Some moments later, he stopped without pulse, drowning in the purging water. Mane Shaker stood up and ended the silence bubble in the bathroom, and left calmly while cleaning the dust in his jacket.
He reached his table and noticed somepony else occupying his seat. He leaned between Pinkamena and her captor.
"Excuse me, but you are in my seat."
"First come first served..." Said the colt, with his two hands under the table.
"Mane..." She called.
"Wait, Pinka. I guess this guy must be taught some manners." Interrupted Mane
"Mane!"
"What?"
"It's him..."
He looked more carefully into the colt and saw his color and hat. No wings or horn.
"Need a help?" Mane asked.
"No. We were just... talking..." Pinkamena kept moving her eyes up and down, giving the status of her situation.
"Ah... mind if I join?" Shaker pulled a bench and sat between them
The captor looked at him without difference. Scanning him up and down.
"I thought you were dead..." He commented.
"You need more to take me down. Now they are sleeping..."
"You motherfucker..!" He insulted, while moving his other hand under the table.
"Tell me... what is going here? Can I know what you were talking about?" Mane played along.
"Nothing." Said the bandit.
"No, we were. You see, this guy owns one of those new things called pistol." Pinka started. "We would LOVE to know where we could get one of those."
"Pff... you? Only us can get."
"Us, who?" Asked Mane while putting one hand under the table.
"The Tough Ones gang..."
"Original..." Pinkamena commented. "Do you know who you are facing here..?"
"Nobodies..."
"Right next to me, you are facing Mane Shaker, one of the most resilient bounty hunters in Equestria..." Mane smirked with such eulogy. "And me, Pinkamena Diane Pie, also known as... Cupcake Killer." She finished with a snarl for calling herself the name she hates so much.
"I believe in you, and oh boy! I'll get to kill two legends in one day..."
"Oh you think so?" Asked Mane with a smile.
"Or maybe I'll kill you first, and then I'll take this bitch to my room, and show her some stuff the sluts in these streets have showed me..."
"That's not gonna happen..." She said.
"What do you know? Just let me tell you something. Since I sat here, I had all this time a pistol pointed at you under the table. And another one at your friend here since he showed up..."
"Oh yeah? What a coincidence." Pinkamena counter attacked his argument. "I had all this time a ballistic knife pointed at your balls under the table too. Just press the button and the blade while fly at you full speed."
"That makes three of us!" Mane's horn lit up in red and pointed his index finger at him, with a charged shot ready.
The trio looked at each other, expecting who would shot first. They stayed there one whole minute in silence, without giving away to the others what was going on. Constantly crossing looks and expressions, the pressure could be felt between them and all readyto pull their triggers.
"Seems we have a tie here..." Said the bandit.
"Yeah..." Answered Mane.
"What about we save our bravery and do this another time?"
"What was that?" Diane started to press the ballistic knife's button. "You killed an innocent life in front of me, and you think you can walk away?"
"I agree with her." Mane commented. "You are gonna... stand up and walk out of this place with us."
"No thanks, I prefer to stay here. You can only kill one, but I can kill two in one, or at least one of you..."
"You don't seem to know your chances, right?" Asked Mane raising an eyebrow at him.
"I know what is best..."
Shaker looked Pinkamena's glass, which was still had some drink in there.
"Are you gonna finish It?" He asked.
"Nah, you can have It."
Mane grabbed the glass slowly with his free hand, and on his way back, he and Pinka crossed looks without the target's notice. He took the glass to his mouth, and drank all of It. With some drops left, he made a sipping sound. As soon It was sounded, Pinkamena pushed the button and the blade flew at the bandits legs, and he shot one of the guns under the table, and Mane shot his magic at his stomach.
The confusion echoed in the whole place, with everypony looking at their direction. The guy was still alive but screaming in pain, and his three partners jumped the balcony, landing down behind Mane and Pinkamena. One of them grabbed a bottle and headed to Mane's head and smashed It into his head, shattering It.
Pinkamena grabbed two chef knifes and swigged them in one of the guys, making him stand back from her. Not so far, a drunk thief stood up and threw a punch in Mane's attacker.
"THAT WAS MY DRINK, YOU FUCKER!" He screamed.
The other gang member threw a punch on the thief's chest, and all the sudden, every drunk one stood up and started fighting each other. Bottles were flying, and soon chairs too. A bar fight had just started.
Pinkamena kept ducking down avoiding getting hit by any flying object, and one the gangsters grabbed from behind, locking her arms. In a second, she barely stabbed him in one of his legs, making the captor release her.
Mane slowly recovered from the hit on his head and realized what was going on. The same attacker, now with a bleeding muzzle, picked a chair and swung It at him. Before he could It him, somepony else smashed another chair on his back into pieces. Mane looked who was, and the same blue sky mare wearing a jacket like him, which was observing him from far away before all hell broke loose, smiled at him.
He didn't know what was her business with him, but Mane thanked her and ran way from that spot.
"Wait!" She screamed, but he didn't listen.
He walked fast between fighting groups, and found Pinkamena finishing one of the gang members, on top of him, punching the shit out of him, leaving her hands full of blood, even though the guy was already unconscious.
" 'Mena! Let's get out of here!" He called.
"What about that bitch?!" She screamed in an furious way.
"Leave him! He got what he deserved!" Mane grabbed her by an arm. "Come!"
She stood up leaving the colt bleeding his face on the floor. They walked out the place avoinding groups, and took a break outside, while the sounds of fighting and bottles breaking could still be heard.
"Ha... are you alright..?" Mane asked. taking a deep breath.
"HAHAHA! Never felt better!" Pinkamena jumped, throwing punches in the air.
"I... I don't know about myself..." He stumbled almost falling. "I don't feel that good..."
He took his hands to the stomach, and there was dark blood. The guy ended up shooting him in the stomach, and the blood loss was actually big.
"Mane! My goddess!" She screamed.
"It's nothing..." Mane sat on the dirt. "It's nothing... really..."
"Mane! We need help! Can you walk?!"
"I... I d-don't think so..."
"Dude! Don't you dare go on me!"
Mane stopped speaking and eventually fainted. Pinkamena stood up and started looking around, but the streets were empty.
"SOMEPONY! HELP HERE!!!" She screamed, waving herhands in theair. "WE GOT A WOUNDED HERE!" But nopony answered
Somepony left the bar they were before. She approached them running and fell on her knees at Mane's immobile body.
"Please! We need help! A-a fight started! And..." Pinka begged.
"I know, I saw everything. I'll get some help..."
From the alley, four more ponies walked out. They were dressing leather vests like Mane, which disturbed Pinkamena. Each one of them grabbed each of Mane's limbs, lifting him up from the pool of dark red blood on the dust.
"Take him to the hideout..." Ordered the cyan mare.
They started walking to the end of the street, and she turned to Pinkamena.
"You may want to follow us. We know who you are..."
"How can I trust you?" Diane asked while grabbing one of her knifes.
"Listen. Pinkamena..." Saying her name frightened the pink mare. "You can come with us, have a place to stay and heal him. Or stay here... and be alone in this city you don't know..."
The cyan mare started walking away behind her goons. Pinkamena thought about her chances. After some moments, she sheathed her knife on her belt.
The place was underground again, a huge complex made of grey stones. Gates and wooden doors dividing the rooms, which were very clean. It's occupants were normal ponies, mostly unicorns, all wearing black leather vests with patches sewed on. They were from younger to older, and seemed to be ranks among them, but all treating each other equal and with respect.
In a room not far from the main complex, Mane was laying on a table, surrounded by more small tables with surgery equipment. Pinkamena finished the last parts and took off the rubber gloves and the medical mask. The helpers wrapped Mane's stomach with bandages.
She left the room and the cyan mare was there, in the company of two other high rank colts, an elder and a young one but slightly older than Mane. The elder was grey like Mane and also an unicorn, wearing a black robe tied with a rope, and a hood on the back of his head. He had some dark grey hair in his back, missing some on top of his head, giving away how old he was, telling also by the wrinkles covering his grumpy face. The younger one was more cheerful. Yellow and a strong pegasus, with medium brown hair. Wearing a leather armor, with two swords in each side.
"How is he?" - Asked the mare.
"He will live. The bullet didn't hit any internal organs, was only muscle. Mane suffered a minor lead poisoning, but he lucked out! His body managed to battle It..."Said Pinkamena, taking her hair out of her face after a hour and half of surgery on her friend.
"Those things are a danger." Said the colt behind the mare.
"They were created to purge this world!" Screamed the elder.
"Quill, calm down, look out for your heart."
"Who are you all, can I know now?" Pinkamena asked.
"I think It's safe to say. We are the "Worshipers of the Dark Crystal"."
"OR, just "The Worshipers", for short." Commented the colt. "I'm Copper Spear, captain of this place and a former soldier from the old army."
"I'm Inked Quill." Said the elder. "I'm the cult's scribe and magic instructor, also from other times."
"And I'm Dark Sigil." Said the mare. "I'm the leader of this place. You and Mane are most welcome here. We can help you in taking your stuff from the hotel to here. We have a room for both of you. Or if you prefer, separated rooms..."
"Um... I'll go with separated." Answered Diane.
"Alright. Copper and his troops will help you."
"Wait? Now?!"
"Yeah, the sooner the better!" Said Quill. "Now chop chop! Hurry! Such figures don't deserve to be sleeping in such place!"
"O-okay..." Pinkamena followed Captain Copper, and headed outside to the dusty deserted streets of Jade District.
Sigil and Quill headed to the room, and ordered the medical helpers to leave, leaving the duo with Mane sleeping and bandaged on the head and stomach.
"Are you sure, Sigil?"
"Yeah, It's him indeed..." She walked to a chair with his clothes and picked his leather jacket, and showed to Quill the name "Sombra" on It's back.
"By the power of the ancient kings... It's true!"
"See? Copper is never wrong in his scouts."
"I can't wait too see this young buck to wake up."
"Me neither! One of our idols is finally here!"
They sat next to the bed, and for a hour Mane slept. They waited, and waited. Slowly, he started opening his eyes and faced two ponies looking at him.
"Mane, are you alright?" Asked Sigil.
"Urgh... where am I?"
"You are in our hideout, with The Worshipers!"
"Whatever... where is Pinkamena?"
"She went to the hotel with Copper Spear to pick your stuff and bring it here."
"Who the hell is Copper Spear? Who the hell are you?" He asked in a frustrated way.
"I'm Dark Sigil, the leader of this place."
"And I'm Inked Quill, the scribe and magic instructor. Respect with the older ones!"
"Whatever! Help me getting up, I have a job to do..." Mane groaned trying to get up, but quickly went down again in pain.
"You were shot by a pistol." Said Sigil. "You might remember me in the saloon, I helped you."
"Yes... I remember clearly. I'm grateful."
"Can you walk?" Asked Quill.
"If you help me... give me that crutch there."
Sigil grabbed It and handed to Mane, and he slowly stood up from the bed battling the pain in his stomach. Quill gave one of his pills for the pains, and they did effect quickly. He stood on his hooves with the help of the crutch and walked to the door in their company. Outside, a large group welcomed him with cheers. Young and old ones screaming in happiness and whistling on him.
"What is this? Some kind of fan club?" Mane questioned.
"Short of... of somepony you know VERY well..." Sigil said.
"It's not me, right?"
"There, you dingus!" Quill pointed at a statue.
It was made out of polished iron. It was a figure of a huge stallion in heavy armor, holding a huge battleaxe. A unicorn with a curved horn and intimidating look on his face. Mane stared at the statue and things started to come to his mind. He limped towards It, while the members of the cult opened way for him. He landed on his knees at the statue's altar, contemplating the figure and read the name and title "King Sombra" engraved in a gold slab.
"That jacket you're wearing, It belonged to him..." Said Quill.
"I know... he has been always by my side..." Mane felt weak, and rested his hands holding the altar, from seeing his uncle's figure once again, even though It was just a statue.
"MANE!" Screamed Pinkamena. "You're awake!"
She dropped the bags and ran down the stairs and jumped at him with a hug. He flinched at his pains and stood up. She woke up from her happiness and looked around at the cult member staring at them.
"Erm... who are these, precisely?" She whispered confused.
"Well... they are a cult that worship this guy here."
Mane pointed at the statue and she stepped back when she looked at It's face. She read the name on the gold slab, and she quickly shoved Mane's hair from the back on his vest and read the same name. Pinkamena's mind got twisted in confusion and she stepped back way far from him.
"What's wrong?" Mane asked.
"Why didn't you tell me?!" Diane screamed.
"I was afraid you would leave me..."
"No! I would never! But... HOW? WHEN? WHAT?"
"Easy Miss Diane..." Copper Spear, the captain touched her shoulder. "We are not evil here..."
"Wait wait wait! YOU ALL! Worship this infamous character, for what then?!" Mane asked while pointing at everypony in the room.
"We don't have any intentions in recover the dark ages of his kingdom... we are just scholars with interest in his huge power, magic and himself." Sigil answered, walking towards Mane and helping him getting up. "I believe you have something to tell us about him... right?"
Everypony looked at him expecting a story or fact. Quill prepared a pen and an empty paper to take notes of anything that Mane would spit out of his mouth.
"Um... well... what can I say..?" He was filled in doubt. There was nothing good to say about King Sombra as his uncle, maybe some, but It was rare.
"Anything out of your mind, silly!" Screamed Quill from the other side of the big room.
"Well... in that case. Yes, he was an evil king that enslaved the whole kingdom to work on the mines, and battle as mind controlled soldiers. But he had some sort of good side..." Everypony whispered impressed with the detail.
"King Sombra... had a good side... despite his personality..." Quill wrote down. "Please, continue."
"He had a warm heart when I was around, I was still a little foal, maybe six years old. He used to carry me around on bed time."
"Awwww..." Everypony sounded.
"Yeah yeah! Adorable! Just keep going!" -Ordered Quill.
"I once went downstairs in the palace, and the dark priests grabbed me for a sacrifice." -Everypony opened their ears for the next part. "And Sombra himself rushed in and killed all of them before they stabbed me! He cut them into pieces with his battleaxe!"
"So King Sombra had a good side... towards his family?" Asked Quill finishing his writing.
"Well no... I eventually met my grandfather... and he told me some stuff. Like when my parents left me by the palace gates, and Sombra didn't do nothing to support them. He instead only supported me, because... well... I was left by the gates when I was one year old. And maybe he saw me as a future successor."
"Alright, that's enough! Thank you, Mane." Quill closed his notebook and headed to his office.
"Okay, worshipers!" Shouted Sigil. "Let's get things ready, we have a celebration this night! The come of Mane Shaker! King Sombra's nephew!"
Everypony cheered and headed back to their tasks.
"Mane, you may want to follow me..."
Sigil took him to a room, and inside, was a bed fit for a royalty member, with fitting furniture. It was made of obsidian, decorated with rubies and emeralds, with a tall headboard ending with menacing spiky obsidian formations. The furniture was made of dark wood, decorated with steel endings and the same gems as the bed.
"Is that..?" Mane baffled.
"King Sombra's bed and bedroom furniture." She finished.
"Where did you get all this?!"
"We and our best members pulled out one of the biggest heists of the ages in Equestria." She said It in a persuasive way with a smile.
"The Royal Crystal Safe heist? I saw the articles! You guys are... crazy! But awesome!"
"Hahaha... calm down, Mr Bounty Hunter... You are not the only one around with the wish of a treasure hunter too..."
"Is this my place?"
"Of course! Enjoy your recovery from that wound... and..." Sigil looked at him by the shoulder and wiggled her butt slowly. "If you need something else... come see me..."
She winked at him and leaved. Mane turned around and sat on the bed, putting the crutch away and relaxed on the comfortable mattress. Something touched his back, he turned around and Pinkamena was facing him, she didn't seem happy.
"Where were you?!" Mane questioned in confusion by the sudden surprise of finding her there.
Darkness again, but there was no chains or imaginary monsters this time. And Mane had his clothes this time. And he thought he was gonna have a good night sleep after he filled his stomach with a delicious banquet in his honor, but no...
Two eyes showed clearly in front of him, red and green. Those were way too familiar to be mistaken.
"Hey Mane!" Greeted Sombra's ghosts in his deep voice. "So you found them! My fan club."
"Eh, don't be mistaken, they are not here to bring back you or your reign of terror."
"I know, I know... I learned my lesson after I died by Celestia's blade, and suffer in Tirek's kingdom underground."
"Just like the rest pretty much."
"I guess... I don't know about Discord. He's still a prankster of the worst kind."
"I've heard the rumors in Canterlot. Every time Celestia gives him a chance, he fuck's up."
Sombra's smoky ghost looked around and It was just a huge imaginary room in almost complete darkness.
"I thought you were afraid of the dark..." Sombra noticed.
"This is apparently every dream I have..."
"Let me help." Sombra casted a fireball in the air, illuminating their spot in an orange and yellow bright light.
"Thanks, even though your presence was enough... So, why are you here?"
"To give you some suggestions that may be helpful."
"If It's about my partner Pinkamena and come to terms with her, please help."
"Uh... It was not about that, but what happened?"
"Now she kind of hates me because I'm related to an evil warlord and I didn't told her before. And... apparently, she heard what Sigil, their leader, said to me and now she thinks him up to something with her."
"Oh oh! She's jealous!" Laughed Sombra.
"Yeah, I know. Best I can think is stay away from Sigil most of times."
"Yes. And about being related to me... to start with, you are NOT my son!" Sombra stated. "And you are not related to my actions. Try to tell her that."
"I would, if she wasn't so fretful when she's angry!"
"Then... stop her and make her listen!"
"That seems too forceful."
"Do you have another idea?"
"Okay, you won that part. Anyway, you had other things to tell me, right?" Mane asked.
"Yes. Inked Quill, the cult's scribe. He was part of the old scribe team during my reign. But don't talk about It near him, he doesn't enjoy..."
"Ironic. But what does he has in special?"
"There's some stuff you may want to learn with him. It includes... some of my most powerful magic spells." Sombra said, looking at him in the eyes with a smile.
"No! I don't wanna be like you!" Mane screamed.
"It's nothing like that! Just, tricks that may let you survive in battle."
Shaker took his hands to the head and scrubbed his hair in stress, while walking in circles inside the lit spot they were. The dead king just looked at him with a convinced look. It was not the first time Mane was asked to learn Sombra's magic, and he always refused to not fall in his uncle's evil road.
"Remember that scene on the saloon?" Sombra asked, raising an eyebrow at Mane.
"Which one?!" - His voice was indeed stressed.
"You know... *sip* BOOM!" He mimicked when Mane drank Pinkamena's drink and the confusion started.
"How can I forget? I still have pains every time I stand up!"
"That could have been avoided with a inoffensive defense trick..." Sombra said with a giggle.
"Good. Why you didn't told me before, then?"
"Because... ONE! I can't teach you any of my tricks and magics by orders of Tirek! And TWO! Hopefully this reminder changes your mind in learning what I'm telling you!"
"Can you at least leave me a clue or two?" Mane begged.
"Alright, calm down... for one, remember this, you are originated from the Crystal Empire... and for the other one, since I made that pact with Tirek when I was your age to take over the throne, all the blood in the family changed, they just didn't know what they could do... including you..."
"Oh thanks! I was a newborn foal!"
"Did I changed your mind?"
"Hmm... I'll think about It..."
Sombra's face changed from normal to an enraged one, but Mane didn't let that intimidate him, he knew Sombra pretty well to let him affect.
"BAH!" King Sombra snarled showing his pointy teeth. "When you get in trouble and you can't get out, don't come ask me help or any of my comrades down there! I thought you were smarter than that!"
And Sombra vanished with an evil laugh to the underworld, leaving Mane alone again.
Her blue eyes opened, and the candles in her room were lit. Somepony was there that morning. She rose up and yawned while spreading her arms in the air.
Pinkamena got up from the bed and walked to her luggage, filled in clothes and knifes. She washed her face in the washbasin filled with warm water in one of the corners of the room, next to It a bar of soap and a white clean towel.
"They sure are kind..." She said to herself. "I judged them the wrong way at first glance."
She walked to one of the chairs next to the bed, and her door got knocked.
"Hang on! I'm getting dressed!"
Took her a moment to notice It was not her clothes. It was a pair of black jean shorts and their height stood by her hips. A comfortable grey top tank showing her cleavage and limited to her belly, and a black leather vest just like Mane's, but with a major difference, It had sleeves that she rolled up to her elbows. She putted the black fingerless gloves and she was set. Pinkamena stood by the mirror and observed her new outfit. Clearly left by the cult for her. She was now officially welcome in It.
"Come in." She ordered.
Mane peeked and walked in. His presence didn't amuse her after last night. He walked slowly with his head down and they stood in front of each other. Pinka with her arms crossed awaiting his words, and he rubbing his hands slowly in a "poor guy" pose.
"What the fuck do you want?" She asked annoyed.
"I... I'm here to say sorry..."
"You don't ask for apologies... you avoid them..." Phrase used by many, saying to avoid stupid actions so they don't have to say "sorry".
"Listen.I want to make things clear... My uncle..."
"King Sombra, The Tyrant?" Pinka interrupted.
"Yes... he... Well... I know I'm related to what they call a devil, and I'm ashamed of what he did, but I couldn't do anything, I was only six."
Pinkamena raised an eyebrow and sat in the bed, listening carefully. She ordered him to continue.
"Now let's be honest here! I helped you with your own devils... but aren't you ashamed of your past, in killing innocents for fun and giggles?"
"Um... yes... you taught me regret."
"But you couldn't do anything too! you were being controlled by your inner demon! That's my place in the whole story! All I could do was watch! And I'm NOT! I'm not responsible for any of Sombra's actions!" Mane knelled at her hooves, grunting about his wound from the bullet. "I know and I said It myself, he didn't support the rest of my family and they abandoned me at the gates before they reached the limits of hunger, and... I just lucked out! There's nothing else I can say in my defense!"
He grabbed both Pinkamena's hands and she got surprised by the quick action.
"Please forgive me..." Mane begged.
Pinkamena's expression changed to confusion and doubt. Could she trust him or not? He saved her before and she was in debt of gratitude with him. Took her a while to think, and looking in Mane's green eyes, she apologized.
"No more secrets from now on..." She dealt in a serious voice.
"Is that a deal?"
"Yes."
"Seal the deal then."
Mane stood up grunting, just like her and they shook hands with a smile. He observed her new clothes, and they somehow fitted her. He passed his fingers on the jacket to check It's quality but Diane quickly shoved his hand out.
"What?" He asked confused.
"Don't touch the jacket!" She roared in a rough voice.
"What was that?" Mane laughed. "What that supposed to be me?"
"Who else could be?" Pinkamena mocked.
They both laughed hard, and walked out, and Dark Sigil along with Copper Spear were there waiting for them.
"Ah. Good morning. Mane and Miss Diane, I hope you like the uniform." Greeted Sigil.
"Please, don't call me "Miss", and yes, I love It. Versatile, comfortable and... too revealing..?" Pinkamena tried to close her jacket, but no success.
"Even if the Crystal Empire is on the very north of Equestria, don't judge the Spring here. It's when It starts to become hot and hotter. Princess Celestia has been generous with the Empire to make us forget the colder times." Said Copper.
"That's why the female uniforms are "revealing", too keep us fresh." Sigil continued. "While the male uniforms are not that relevant, because they are the soldiers, unless... you want to wear a hot and heavier thing, like a leather armor."
"I'm fine with this, thank you." Pinkamena concluded.
"So, what do you want? We have things to take care of..." Said Mane.
"We know why you are here." Sigil interrupted and pointed at Mane's bandages. "And you experienced It. And we want to help."
"Our spies never managed to get our hands in one of those pistols... until... yesterday..." Copper continued.
"What do you mean?" - Mane asked confused.
"We have a surprise for you." Sigil started walking. "Follow me."
They walked down together the hideout, with some members complementing Mane on the way, and in the deeps way down that underground complex. Two guards opened an iron door, and inside, chained to the ceiling, was a light brown colt, with a bandage around his left hip and a bandage on his stomach, and his mouth shut with a piece of cloth.
He opened one of his eyes and looked at the party of four, and muffled in rage towards them.
"It's the guy from the saloon." Mane noticed.
"Exactly. We found him later in an alley later after the place turned into a giant fighting ring."
"Why is he here?"
"Isn't It obvious?" Sigil approached the captive. "He's our only clue to tail the source of these weapons."
Pinkamena's eyes shined and her face twisted with an evil smile showing all her teeth. Mane noticed and poked Copper's back, which got frightened when he saw her nasty smile.
"Hey, Sigil..." Mane called.
"Yes, Mane?"
"I think we have the right pony for the service..."
Pinkamena stepped from behind Copper and stared at her future victim. Sigil stepped back with precaution, and pushed them outside kindly and silent, leaving the pink executioner alone with the victim. She took the piece of cloth out of his mouth and he gasped, catching his breath.
"Sooooo... we met once again. Funny, uh?" Pinkamena started.
"Fuck you..."
"I would go easy... You don't have lots of chances now, do you?"
"Just get me out of here."
"Oh no, I won't..." She poked his bandages on the stomach, making him grunt. "FInally, I'll see an opportunity to make you pay for your actions."
"My friends will come for you, bitch!"
"You have friends?" Diane closed her right hand. "THAT'S ADORABLE!"
Pinkamena landed a direct punch on the captive's muzzle, making him bleed from his nostrils. He recovered and started screaming profanities at her, but she didn't listen. Instead, she was focused on his blood on her hand, the gleaming red river going along her hand seemed hypnotizing. Her eye's pupils started to shrink, showing more of the color around them.
The colt started to shake himself, making the chains crackle, and their noise echoed on Pinkamena's mind, bringing her back to the old days of having chained victims against her old torture table.. She licked the blood on her hands and with quick moves, she started punching the wound made by Mane's magic in his stomach, every second speeding up. She stopped for a moment to catch her breath.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" He screamed in pain.
"WHERE ARE THE WEAPONS!?" She landed an uppercut on his chin. "Who is your boss?!"
"I'll never tell!"
Pinkamena's eye twitched while showing her signature wicked smile. She grabbed a nearby chair and smashed It on his back in pieces, making him swing back and forth. She grabbed one of the broken chair's legs and used It has a baseball bat on his legs, until the were painfully purple looking, as if they were big blood blisters.
"You're gonna speak or not?!" She screamed.
"FUCK YOU!"
She smiled again, and pulled from her vest the butterfly knife and opened It slowly, with It's blade's glare intimidating the gangster.
"W-woa... let's think about this..." He said, fearing for what would come next.
"Let's have... a party..." She whispered.
Pinkamena stabbed his leg while giggling maniacally. She forced the knife down, cutting his skin, drawing a circle, the ripping the skin off slowly. She continued laughing while he kept screeching in agony.
"Got your cutie mark!" She laughed while showing It to him.
"Y-YOU ARE INSANE!"
"WHO is your boss?" Diane tried again.
"WE- We are "The Tough Ones" gang! We don't have any idea how they got them!" He babbled, battling the pain.
""They" who..?"
The colt remained silent, with tears coming to his eyes. Pinkamena didn't wait and speared between his muscles, moving the knife back and forth, slicing his nerves. In the end, she pulled a chunk of his muscles and posed It in his face. He was terrified by the experience, starting to cry even more and mucus coming out of his nostrils along with blood.
She stood there looking at him with a crazy smile, awaiting for his words.
"It's... It's a-all I know! I-I swear!"
Outside, Mane along with Sigil and Copper stood by the corridor. Hearing the screams and laughs coming from the dungeon, half muffled by the metal door. All staring at the door scared of what they would find once Pinkamena was done with him.
"Will she get any information..?" Asked Sigil in doubt.
"Believe me. She knows what she's doing." Mane answered trying to eat an apple, which seemed impossible with the confusion coming from the room.
"I hope so!" Said Copper, cleaning the sweat in his forehead. "Otherwise, she will kill the guy before he can tell anything."
The bandit kept screaming in hope fora miracle to happen. But It was hopeless in the current state of Pinkamena. She was in such lunatic mood, that her insanity had no breaks by that point. The blood in her hands and face... The screams of her victim... The noise of the chains... The ferrous smell of the blood coming to her nose and going up her head. It was something to be enjoyed by any sadistic like her.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! YES! SING! SING FOR ME!" She laughed, referring to his screams.
"STOP! P-P-PLEASE!" He cried.
It was useless, and in a storm of movements, she cut his chest region and belly with numerous slashes, half minute later, Pinkamena stopped to catch her breath, while enjoying the "work of art" of her job.
"OK! OK! I'LL SPEAK! N-NO MORE PAIN!"
"TELL ME!" She shrieked with an insane laugh.
"It is not my gang who has the weapons!" - He took a deep breath, trying to say everything at once. - "It's... argh.. It's was "The Crystalers"! They are the local mafia! They are drug-lords and weapon dealers! Their name It's from anypony who faces them, they impale them in a long crystal pole! And leave them to die! Their "Godfather", Don Topaz, how they call him, he has contacts with every mafia around Equestria, ANY! And right now... he's... he's selling these new weapons to the many affiliates he has!" - He babbled, struggling to not give up to the pain.
"T-thank you..." She looked and contemplated her butterfly knife covered in blood all over It.
"C-can I go now..?"
Pinkamena raised her head slowly, and her mouth revealed again her signature evil smile. She approached and very closely to his face and whispered.
"What happens in a party... stays in the party. Silly..."
"Y-YOU CALL THIS A PARTY?!" He screamed in fury.
"Aren't you having fun?" She chanted while dancing like a ballet performer in the blood splattering in front of him.
"FUN?! THE LAST FUN I CAN HAVE IS YOU SUCK MY DICK WHILE I'M STILL ALIVE!!!"
Diane stopped dead on her tracks, and had a flashback, of her sitting on the saloon facing him alone, and remember the two times he invited her for such dirty deal. What was a happy torturer, turned into a berserk slasher without limits. She screamed in immeasurable wrath in a rough voice, while her face got twisted in anger and her eyes bloodshot insane.
She rammed at him, stabbing the knife deep in his crotch, and he screamed on top of his lungs. She forced her hands on his stomach, eventually tearing his flesh with her own fingers and opening It with a rough hole. She launched her and arms at his insides, grabbing and pulling them out to the end of the room. Pinkamena ran at him again without concerns and tore his liver out of his body, along with the rest of his intestines.
He started to lose strength to keep screaming, slowly turning his color lighter due to blood loose, with his guts tore apart by the furious pink mare. She grabbed the knife from the floor and they crossed eyes one last time. With lightning speed, she struck the final blow in his throat, letting out the pressured blood spray in his neck bath her. His blood covered Pinkamena, and her fury slowly went down, while enjoying the blood in her mouth and face, rubbing her face in delight of the red scene she created.
Outside the dungeon the screaming stopped. The trio looked at each other and opened the door. They took the turn and saw the things of their nightmares. Copper ran outside to throw up, Mane almost had te same reaction but he looked away, and Sigil froze in place.
In one corner, a mangled body with It's guts hanging and chest open, in the middle, the biggest pool of blood they ever saw in their entire lives being crossed by a long intestine. And in the middle... a pink mare painted all red, with her arms trembling of adrenaline holding a knife and a heart in each hand.
She slowly turned her head to them, with eyes twitching and a small grin, making them take a step back.
"Hiiii-iiii..." Pinkamena whispered in a long sentence.
"Pinkamena... are you... um... okay..?" Sigil asked in fear.
"Ha... haha... I'm fine, thank you,,," She cackled in a low voice.
"Don't get close..." Mane advised in a whisper to Sigil. "She's unstable in this state. Let me approach..."
Mane slowly walked in her direction taking precaution for sudden movements. It was like approaching a legendary monster asleep and steal It's treasures. He contained his stomach, trying to not look at the hanging corpse. They stood one meter away from each other. Pinkamena's smile slowly faded away with his presence, taking a curious expression in place. He extended his arm slowly and cleaned the blood out of her eyes without startling her.
"Pinka... can you hear me..?" Mane whispered.
"Y-yes..." - She answered in a whisper as well, holding her knife against her chest with two hands as if It was her most precious possession.
"Give me the knife... everything is alright..."
Took her a moment to start moving her arm slowly, and she gave her weapon totally covered in blood just like her. She looked down to the floor just when her "toy" was taken away in peace. Mane turned to Sigil and nodded It was safe. She walked outside where Copper was cleaning his mouth with a gulp of water.
"Copper. I have orders..."
"Yes..?"
"Mane seems to have control. Bring your soldiers to take the body to the furnace. And anypony to clean this mess, along with some water buckets and towels for Pinkamena. Tell them to prepare a bath for her and a bed to let her rest."
"A-alright!"
"Before you go, one detail. Bring the ponies with the stronger stomachs..."
"What a... friend you have made..." Said Copper containing the pressure in his guts.
"Yeah, and I thought our interrogators were sadistic, but... she..." Dark Sigil felt a chill running down her spine, with the image of the dungeon stuck in her head.
"I know by experience." Mane commented without concerns, which disturbed the cult's leaders. "I actually got captured by her when I found her. You think that scene was bad? You didn't want to see her place back then. It was weeks of cleaning with pauses only to eat and sleep!"
They all looked at Pinkamena sleeping on a bed with her limbs strapped to It to avoid nasty surprises. The "Cupcake Killer" quieted down moments before the servants arrived, and she had fainted on the floor. Allowing them to carry her quietly to a bathtub where the female servants cleaned her and her new clothes, and Copper suggested to chain her to the bed until she would wake up.
"What do we do now?" Sigil asked.
"We wait..." Mane answered with a sigh.
"She's the only one with the info." Copper pointed at her. "Is she able to remember everything after she went crazy mood?"
"Yeah. That's why I had faith on her."
"W-what do you mean?" Copper was confused.
"What do you see here." Mane pointed at Pinkamena as well. "Is the fruit of a magic induced mentality change. Before I changed her. She was being controlled by her own demon. How did I know, you may ask. Well, before she had chance of killing me, her other self acted some times, showing guilt and regret of her actions. And most surprising, even during a fight, she had a inner battle with herself until... I paralyzed her."
"But if you changed her, what the hell happened in the dungeon?" Sigil questioned, trying to make sense of all that.
"Well... I dived in her mind, and I finished her demon for sure. But I saw her as a potential recruit to help me because of her skills and planning methods. So I gave her good self part of her evil self's powers."
"It did not create any instability?"
"Look at her." Mane stepped out of their way to let them see the pink mare sleeping. "Do you see her trying to escape and kill us? It's the evidence she has full control of herself now."
"That's amazing..." Said Copper surprised. "Where did you learn that, and why didn't do It with other criminals."
"I memorized part of the Royal Library in Canterlot's Palace, from the forbidden section. Until... I got caught and I was kicked out forever." Mane whispered in contention, rolling his eyes. "The reason I didn't do anypony else, was because I could see in their eyes and words they had no regrets of their actions."
Sigil and Copper looked at Pinkamena again, this time more relieved after hearing Mane's words and explanations.
"You could tell Inked Quill about these spells!" Sigil sounded enthusiastic. "Imagine what our unicorns could do!"
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I can't. Besides, I'm just a normal guy, not a teacher."
"But..."
"Dark Sigil. Like I said..." Mane putted his hands on her shoulders. "I memorized this from the forbidden section in the Royal Library, and I only tried this once... on her.So teaching It is out of question and things could go wrong. And I know... the world would be a better place, but there must be balance between good and bad... "Good" wouldn't make sense without "bad". That's what makes us what we are... our choices between these two completely different routes. Take me for example, I'm a relative to an evil character in a global scale, but I decided to take the different road... because I'm not like him..."
The cyan mare listened carefully what Sombra's nephew had to say, and she tookIt directly to her heart. Copper as well, hearing all of It and taking pride he choosed to keep being a soldier after his torments as a soldier in Sombra's army, but this time with his own choices for the good of his friends.
"You really are something..." Sigil said happy with the lesson.
"I know..."
"Also, about Pinkamena."
"What is It?"
"She had a nickname, right?"
"Yea, Cupcake Killer."
As soon Mane said the name, a jar full of water flew at his head, shattering It in thousands of pieces and leaving a bump in his head. Sigil screamed and Copper grabbed his swords in high alert. They looked back and Pinkamena was completely free from her chains, kneeling on the bed posing the way she threw the jug.
"Argh!" Mane complained, holding the back of his head. "HOW!? How did you escape?!"
"I had a bobby pin all this time hidden in my hands, retard." She said furiously. "While you were telling all that story, none of you payed attention to me lock picking the lockers."
"Where did you get It?" Shouted Sigil, taking cover behind Copper.
"I grabbed from one of the servants when they carried me..."
"So It was all a fake?!" Mane asked angrily.
"Yea..." She showed her tongue at him in a childish way.
"I must admit, girl! You keep impressing me..." His answer impressed Pinkamena, and she couldn't decide if she should be proud or confused.
After a while, she stood up, already on her new clothes and walked of the corridor.
"Come on! I guess I have things to tell you! You wanna hear It or not?" She invited them with a gesture.
"She would be one hell of an assassin or spy..." Sigil whispered to Copper behind him.
"I guess that's her job, Sigil..." He whispered back.
They walked out, and a group of cult nurses got surprised in seeing Pinkamena on her hoofs walking out like nothing, followed by Mane, Sigil and Copper. After leaving the division, they all headed to the strategy room with a ma of the city, eventually something else came to Mane's mind. He stopped, excused and walked in a complete different direction.
"Where are you going?" Sigil asked him. "My office is that way."
"I have a thing I wanna talk with Quill."
"But what about the plan?"
"Pinka will tell me everything, don't worry." Mane looked at herat the distance. "Won't you?"
"No problem, Shaker..!" She waved while going down a corridor, without looking at him.
Sigil shrugged to Copper and they catch up Pinkamena. Mane continued his path to the scribe's office, where Inked Quill along with two apprentices were organizing files. The grumpy old colt looked at him.
"What are you doing here?" He asked in a despicable way.
"I wanna talk with you about something."
"I'm busy, can't you see?"
"It's important."
"Nope..."
Quill walked away to another part in the room, and one of the apprentices bumped Mane.
"We all know he can be ungrateful most of times." Said the younger colt. "But he would go to the other corner of the world to help you. Try to approach him more... politely... You know, he's from another generation."
"Thanks man..." Mane said to the apprentice and walked away to chase Quill.
He found him looking at files and old maps with a magnifying glass, in his office at the lights of old candles. The place was full of dust and cobwebs, with books and more files organized, and some maps filling empty spaces on the walls, and window to the big room. Mane faked a cough to get his attention, but he didn't take his eyes out of the map.
"Mr Quill?" He called.
"What?"
"So... um... what are looking at?"
"A map! Are you blind?"
"I see that, but what are you looking for?"
"Ohhh... a huge treasure..." He chanted in his raspy voice.
"What kind of treasure?"
"King Sombra's armor..." He looked at Mane with a smile in his wrinkled face. "An armor made of the toughest steel ever crafted by the Empire's smiths, decorated with obsidian and rubies in the chest, and his symbol of a black crystal made of smoked quartz and silver..."
"Sounds tempting."
"It is... even though none of us could use It... It was made only for him and his strength. Any soldier of this place would be crushed by the armor's weight..."
"If nopony can use, why do you want It?"
"GAH! You ignorant youngster!" Quill threw the magnifying glass at him, but failed completely. "Have you ever been in a museum?!"
"Yes, only two times. I know what you mean. But where is It?"
"That's the catch! We searched anywhere It could be..." Quill leaned over the map, inviting Mane to take a look too. "We searched the graveyard... the statues... the public museums, even under houses we had suspicions, but we came back empty handed. Hell! We even pillaged the Royal Crystal saf-"
"One of the biggest heists in Equestria." Mane interrupted. "Dark Sigil told me. I slept in Sombra's own bed last nig-" His mouth was shut by a slap in the back of his head, right on the bump created by Pinkamena and the jug of water. Making Mane grab the back of his head in pain.
"Eh... so tough looking, and can't stand a slap of an old colt..." Quill pointed at him with a trembling finger. "And don't you dare interrupt me again! When the elder ones speak, the young ones stay shut!"
"I'm sorry... please continue."
"Anyway... we have no idea where It could be. Now, you came here for a reason, so don't waste my time anymore!"
"I want to ask you if you could teach me any of Sombra's magic skills."
Inked Quill looked at him with serious expression. He slowly walked to the door in his office and closed It shut, making sure nopony else was listening, and Mane stood in the same spot looking at him. Quill went back to his desk and sat on the chair, and joined his hands, resting his head against them.
"No." He replied.
"Wha-what?"
"Are you deaf again? I said no."
"Come on! Why?"
"Because like you said! It's forbidden!" The grumpy elder unicorn looked at him with disgust.
"I never said that!" Mane complained.
"Oh yes you did!" Quill pointed at him again. "Just like the forbidden magic you know is completely prohibited!"
Shaker looked at him with suspicion. He was not in the infirmary with them at the time, how could he know?
"I know what you're thinking." Quill attacked. "I have ears all over this place! I'm also the tutor of our spies, surprise!"
"Okay, listen..." Mane tried again. "I'm just trying to help things around here. Including ending the gun smuggling in the Crystal Empire!"
"I repeat, and I'll repeat the times I'll need!" Quill stood up with his hands on the desk, leaning towards Mane. "That magic is forbidden! You got lucky in knowing that... personality change spell. But you can't try your luck here! Even less with me! GET THIS IN YOUR HEAD! NO! IS! NO!"
His breath made Mane nauseous for a moment, making him step back from the Quill. He walked out with his head down in defeat, and he opened the door, but Quill had something to say.
"Hey, Mane."
"What is It?" He asked annoyed.
"Even if I could... we don't have any register of Sombra's magic capabilities! Hahahaha!"
Quill laughed and coughed at the same time, taking pride in mocking Mane even more.
"Hey, old geezer!"
"Haha... what?" He finished laughing.
"I don't even wanted to learn anyway! I just did this to piss of your sack!"
"WHY YOU..!!!"
Quill turned slightly red of rage, grabbed an heavy book with his magic and threw It with all the strength he had in his magic capabilities, and Mane closed the door before he It could It him, echoing a huge bang in the place. He walked down the five steps and left the scribe's room, taking more stairs down to the complex and headed to Sigil's office.
"I know It's bad lying, but I couldn't leave the last laugh for him..."
There is usually a catchphrase between thieves: "If you want something dirty done, then you wait for lights out."
Mane and Pinkamena ran across the fields between the grass, and this time they were ready for the cold, giving they were on the north of Equestria in the middle of the night, running against they own limits in stamina and body temperature. In the distance, a villa could be seen, outside the vicinity of the city, with lights on by most of the windows, surrounded by walls, and by the wood and brass binoculars Mane could also see guards armed with muskets and pistols, surrounding the walls.
"It's there, no doubt." He whispered.
"Can I see?"
"Sure." Ha passed the binoculars.
"I can't see shit!" Said Diane annoyed.
Mane whispered and performed his night vision spell on her eyes that he previously used, giving Pinkamena a clear vision of the field around her. She took her time to analyze the situation.
"The gate is out of question..." She stated putting the binoculars inside her winter coat. "There are twelve thugs guarding It, and we don't know how to avoid the projectiles, even more, we can't raise the alarm."
"Any ideas?"
"We could climb the wall..."
"It's also well guarded. What about a backdoor?"
"Why do you think there's one?"
"It's simple." Mane pointed at one of the extremes of the wall. "If that guy they call Topaz is the smuggler king of these weapons, he wouldn't bring them in plain sight. He can't be that stupid to pull something out like this."
"I see... then that gives there must be also a hidden basement or warehouse."
"No shit... we are not dealing with a guy alone. He has his own army, so avoiding the alarm is necessary."
"I said that first!" She screamed annoyed.
"SHHHH!" Mane hissed with his finger in front of the mouth. "If you said It first, then make It happen."
They ran a bit more, and before they were two hundred meters away, they sneaked by the tall grass and the few tress present. Reaching the wall, they walked silently until the corner leading to the back of the big villa. Pinkamena leading the way, being her the furtive of them. She peeked by a wall and there was a thug dressed in a suit, armed and finishing a cigarette.
He threw It on the dirt and stepped on It to extinguish the tobacco ember. When he started to walk away, Pinkamena silently run at him and with two hands, she putted the garrote made of a piano wire around his neck and pulled him with all her might. He struggled trying to get free and know what was going on, and eventually suffocated after some seconds.
She dragged the body to the tall grass to avoid detection, and going back to Mane, she gave the thug's pistol to him.
"Why do I need this?" He asked with the weapon in his open hand.
"You never know."
They sneaked further and found a big metal door, obviously the backdoor Mane talked about before. They putted their ears against It and two voices could be heard. Looking at each other, they knew what to to. Mane knocked at the door and one of the gangsters opened, and Pinkamena quickly stabbed both of them in the neck with her chef knifes. The duo carried the bodies outside and dumped the bodies in a container, and Mane gave her two pistols.
"Why two?" She looked at him annoyed. "I don't even know how to use them."
"But you have better dexterity than me, so two fits you, silly..."
"I guess..."
They walked further and expecting guns, they found barrels. Barrels here and there,covering the walls. They waited for the guards to walk away, and started checking the barrels. Mane knocked them, but all of them had the same sound filled with drink. Maybe they were on a cellar instead. He went for another wall near Pinkamena on guard, and this time the sounded empty.
"Sound of success." He commented with a smile.
"Check them."
Mane searched a way of opening them but where was no way. He grabbed withhis fingers and tried to open as if It was box. Pinkamena grabbed a nearby axe and swiveled It at the barrel, and cracked It open, spreading wooden splints at Mane.
"You need to look more around you..." She whispered going back to the door.
Mane putted his hands inside and pulled out a pistol, showing It to Pinkamena. He walked to another bigger barrel and struck the axe, this time It was muskets. He experimented by pointing It with both hands at a wall. They were indeed accurate and a bit heavy for him, but that was no problem.
"Seems you found the big ones." She congratulated at him with a grin.
"Yeah, they are amazing must say. But the pistols are smaller and better in sneaking them, but sadly they all make a lot of noise..."
The next barrel spilled a black dust outside on the stone floor. They both looked at the black thing spilling out like a hourglass dropping It's sand.
"What is that?" Pinkamena stepped closer for a better look. "This is neither a weapon or a drink!"
"I think I remember what Thunder Fists told me of this." He touched the thick dust with his fingers. "This is what make those explosions happen and projecting the ammo. Gunpowder, if my memory doesn't fail."
"Gun, powder..." She rolled her eyes in a puzzling expression. "Makes sense..."
From their behind, an unexpected hard hit on their heads knocked them both unconscious. They both woke up with sacks on their heads and arms tied on their backs, while being dragged by their arms along a corridor in the big house.
"DIANE?" Screamed Mane.
"Yea?!"
"What happened!?"
"Isn't It obvious, stupid?! We got caught!"
"I TOLD YOU TO WATCH THE DOOR!"
"Silence!" Screamed somepony, probably one of the thugs.
The sound of a door was heard and both forced on their knees. The thugs took the sacks out of their heads, Pinkamena looked at Mane with a anti-magic ring on his horn, the chances of getting away were zero. Looking around, the room was a office well decorated with polished wood furniture decorated in gold handles and metal pieces. A huge stuffed polar bear resting on a corner caught Pinkamena's attention, while Mane kept looking at the windows with red curtains showing the night sky.
A slick figure stood up from a chair behind the luxurious desk and approached the two duo. He was smoking a cigar, a pegasus stallion dressed in a more luxurious suit, with slick grey hair combed backwards, and a tiny mustache between his nostrils and mouth. His age was around the forty's, with some wrinkles in his eyes.
"Welcome..." He said calmly, holding his cigar between two fingers. "What brings you here?"
"For such welcome, we could have been received with in a better way." Mane dropped.
The figure stood silent and ordered a hit on Mane's back, and one of the gangsters struck him with a musket's stock.
"I'm Don Topaz. Godfather of "The Crystalers". I ask you, what were you doing in my mansion?"
"Tourism." Mane dropped again.
"We got a smartass here." Laughed the body guard on the back of the room. "Don Topaz, allow me to make him more tamed?"
"Sure, Beryl..." He walked to his chair and sat down with crossed arms. "It's been a while since I had some entertainment..."
Beryl, the Don's body guards stepped forward cracking his knuckles. He was a earth stallion white like snow and blonde short hair, and the giant muscles under the suit were hard to hide. The thugs behind Mane rose him and held him still while laughing. Beryl started to throw mighty punches on Mane's stomach in a slow rhythm . Pinkamena face expressed fear, and stood silent looking at Mane being tortured in front of her.
After the fifth punch, Mane started to have trouble breathing, but he couldn't catch up with the stallions strength.
"Stop!" Screamed Pinkamena.
But Beryl didn't listen and instead threw a slap on her knocking her down, sobbing and face red from the hit. He continued to punish Mane more, and eventually he started to cough a bit of blood.
"Please! Don Topaz! Order him to stop!" Pinkamena begged again, starting to cry a bit. "He's gonna kill him!"
"Beryl!" Shouted the godfather.
"Yes, boss?" He stopped, and looked at Don Topaz by the shoulder in his punching pose.
"Stop... I can't stand to a mare's tears by their loved ones..."
"Alright..." He rolled his sleeves back to his wrists and stepped back.
They dropped Mane on the floor, and he fell flat on his face exhausted from the torture session. Pinkamena leaned over him and whispered if he was alright, but to be expected, Mane nodded a no while trying to breath.
"You didn't answer to my question before..." Don Topaz took a puff of his cigar. "What are you doing here?"
"We... we were just passing through." Said Diane.
"And stealing what is mine." Topaz corrected.
"More like... *cough* taking back what is not yours..." Said Mane with difficulties.
"Giving away It's neither yours..." Don grabbed an old newspaper from Canterlot and opened It on a marked page, with a 'wanted' of bothof them with different rewards. "Mane Shaker and Pinkamena Diane Pie... You both have a reputation around Equestria... wanted and hunted by the Royal Army of Princess Celestia herself..."
"What can you tell about yourself then?" Mane dared to ask.
"Me..? Just the godfather of the Crystal Empire's mafia. Drug lord and now weapon smuggler."
"What else such slick figured sucker like you would be..?"
Don Topaz bit the cigar until It snapped apart, and crushed the newspaper on both hands. His face twisted in fury showed his veins on his middle aged face. He stood up and punched the desk.
"Throw them in the prison! And hurt him a little on the way! And don't you dare lay a finger on the girl, any of you!"
They putted the sacks back in their heads, and knocked Mane on the cheek with the stock of a musket again. They took Pinkamena ahead, screaming for Mane. They lift Mane and while walking down to a basement apart, they turned the stallion into a portable punching bag. Kicks on the stomach, punches on the face, gun stocks along in his body.
Arriving to their cell, they took the sacks out again and threw them on the floor together, still tied with ropes. Pinkamena was untouched, besides her knees from the fall with scraped red wounds. Mane was all bruised in the face, with a black eye and a bump in one of the cheeks, and nose bleeding just like his mouth.
"You fucked It up again!" She snarled, trying to roll and sit down.
"Stable for now, Captain..." The doctor passed by the files. "He's on a coma again. It was indeed magic induced amnesia."
"Any progress?" Shining rearranged his guarded sword by the waist.
"Being magic, the effect should wear off sooner. It's taking a long time than expected..."
"The sooner the better. Princess Celestia's magic would be too much for his head."
"Exactly, we can't overdo a cure for It. The magic used is too strong, but we can't take risks. It's been almost half month."
A magic aura could be felt in the hospital's hall. And by the door, Princess Celestia showed up along with her sister Princess Luna. The doctor and nurses bowed down in signal of respect in the presence of the royalty and Shining Armor a salute. They stood up and kept working on their tasks.
"Anything new?" Asked Celestia concerned.
"Not much, princess... Dr. Fumes fell on a coma again this morning. But the effect should wear off sooner."
"Who could have done this?" Her sister asked.
"I might have a clue who..." Shining Armor scratched his chin thinking. "Somepony with the interest in the weapons."
"But who and for what?"
"I'm not sure. Information?"
"Then why put Fumes with an amnesia?" Celestia asked.
"It's simple." The Captain pointed at the room where the patient was. "The suspect took the information, and made him forget so he couldn't tell us. And I think... he didn't kill him because he would need him in the future."
"MANE SHAKER!!!" Fumes screamed from his room in his old voice.
They all froze and looked at room. Everypony rushed in the room to see Dr. Fumes sitting on the bed, breathing heavily and eyes wide open, with tubes in his body connected to his veins and machinery to keep track of his health status.
"What did you say?!" Asked Shining Armor without believe.
"Captain!" Fumes pointed at him with a trembling finger. "It was Mane Shaker himself! He sneaked in my house by the middle of the night, after that day!"
"Why Mane?" Demanded Princess Celestia.
Princess Luna stepped outside without their notice, leaving her older sister and Shining Armor with Dr. Fumes who just came back to reality.
"So that's how Mane got the info... Smart move, but now everything may go to the bottom of the pit. Luna walked back and forth on the corridor. "I can't interfere directly or Celestia may suspect, giving away she's not stupid. I hope Mane didn't refer me in his plan to Fumes... she knows of my mutual relation with him even more after that crisis on the Midnight Gala..."
She stayed on the hall looking outside at the hospital's garden, thinking how she could help in the situation. And her sister Celestia showed up next to her, and leered at her by the corner of the eye.
"Do you have anything to do with this..?" She asked seriously.
"What do you mean, sister?" Luna faked a tone that she had nothing related to the case.
"Luna, spare my patience. Since I caught you with Mane on bed during the Midnight Gala, I'm sure you are his "inside agent" in the palace."
"Celestia! We didn't reached to the point!" Luna turned for her with a shocked expression. "I'm the second princess of the Equestria!"
"Then WHY?"
"You know... you had Twilight Sparkle, and I had him." The Night Princess kept thinking in her words. " He was my protected one during those years... I couldn't resist in seeing him after all those years without knowing of him!"
"Why in bed then?"
"It was... you know..."
"Foreplay?" Celestia teased with a provocative smile.
"NO! It was... to remember the times I used to play with him, when he was a little foal! He never had a mother... can't you see that in your heart, 'Tia?!"
Celestia looked outside and saw the mother of a foal bandaged on a leg, walking with him by the garden while pushing his wheelchair. Laughing and talking together, and his father showed up, dressing a white smock like the doctors. The Sun Princess closed her eyes and meditated on her sisters words.
"I understand..." Celestia putted her hand on Luna's face with a caressing touch. "I'm sorry..."
"Glad you understand..." Luna smiled.
"But don't let that cover your vision... Mane became rogue with the years, interfering on the Royal Army's business in the worst ways he could think of."
"But... he's doing It for the good of Equestria!"
"Luna, sister... everypony deserves a chance and a judgement."
"How many escaped from prison to live another day and keep doing their actions?"
"You're right, but Shining Armor as been improving the security even more with the help of the Royal Laboratories."
"I want to see that in the future..."
Right after Princess Luna finished her sentence, Captain Shining Armor walked out the room, allowing the nurses to take care of Fumes. He went straight forward to the princesses and stopped with a salute.
"Our Highnesses, I have the full report." He said in his command voice.
"What is going on then?" Asked Celestia. "Tell us everything you know."
"Mane Shaker got the info of the weapons and some of the new ones. Apparently for unknown reasons he told Dr. Fumes of his plan..."
Luna gave a dry gulp, hoping in no hearing her name, reminding herself she helped Mane and Pinkamena in getting inside the train undetected.
"...he said that the weapon production got out of control as well the export for our allies in Equestria. And somehow, Mane himself knew most of them got robbed and are being smuggled across Equestrian territory for unknown buyers."
"That's chaotic!" Celestia gasped in fear in what could happen in the crime rates. "What else?"
"Mane and his unusual partner Pinkamena Diane Pie, nicknamed "Cupcake Killer", they traveled to the Crystal Empire to try stop the source of this incident."
"Pinkamena... that assassin is the complete opposite of Pinkie Pie, the element of Laughter Itself... I wonder if they are related. She tried to commit homicide during the Midnight Gala." Celestia stopped to think.
"Exactly. The same mare is with him, and we don't know the factors. Nopony knows!"
"Partners in crime?" Asked Luna surprised.
"It's the best option." Shining Armor agreed. "But let's not sidetrack the topic. Some days ago, we got a report from our ambassador in the Crystal Empire of some disturbance. Apparently, seems those weapons already caused one death. It's the first one in Equestria, and according to the files, the victim was a mess!"
"Spare the details, please..." Celestia begged with a nauseous face. "This is clearly a high alert crisis. Get your troops ready, you must depart in two days by the morning! And in the mean time, inform them of Mane, he slipped from our grasp enough times!"
"Yes, our Highness!" Shining saluted. "My troops have been training with the muskets all these days, they should be fit for this case!"
"Good. Don't loose anytime. Get the supplies ready and give the speech to them. Don't lose any time! Dismissed!"
Shining Armor saluted again and ran off to the Royal Army Headquarters in the palace. Luna stood in silence the whole time, relieved for not hearing her name in the report.
"We should go back." Said Celestia in a tired voice. "I must write a message to our ambassador."
"Okay" Whispered the sister.
"I must tell them about this..."
22 Embrace the Darkness... Be One with the Darkness!
"Stop being a pussy! And stand still, So I can cut these ropes!"
Pinkamena found Mane's ropes tying his hands in the back, and with the a blade of the size of her pinky finger she slowly cut the them. She always had It hidden between her belt and her back, just in case she would ever be captured. She struggled to reached It with when she had her hands tied in her back, then cutting them with a strong grip on the little handle, then releasing Mane. And for her surprise, Mane hugged her in fear, just to receive a gentle slap and a push.
"Why are you afraid, anyway?"
"I never liked the dark! Never!"
"Childhood issues..?"
"No. It's just... I don't like It..."
"Just being a sissy?"
"No! I already have my nightmares!" He groaned.
The cell was just a cube made of stone with no windows. No lights or even a match to provide a little of It. It was stinky and moist, and the moss could be felt in the dark by their hooves and hands.
"Mane, come here."
"Where are you?"
"Here, follow my voice."
"I'm trying, but the dark confuses me!"
"Well, forget about It! How do you even sleep at night then?!"
"It's a different situation!"
They kept touching the air until the bumped at each other on their heads. Pinkamena had no problems, but Mane's wounded face made him flinch and take his hands to the aching forehead. Moments later, Pinkamena found him covering his face, and groping his face finding his horn and removing the magic ring on It.
"Thank you... I need some time."
"For what?"
"To recover. The effects of these don't wear off that soon."
"Okay, take your time..." She walked by the tiny cell trying to not shock against the walls. "If there was a way to tell them we were in this situation, they could have come and rescue us."
"Well, you are full of surprises, can you pick a lock?"
"I can but I don't have the tools. They took away my weapons except my hidden blade..."
"Would that work?"
"Of course not!"
Mane found one of the corners of the cell and sat down on the mossy floor, and Pinkamena almost tripped on him while walking around. His head was a mess, feeling to weak to perform magic and the darkness was driving him mad slowly. He started to shiver with the uncomfortable place, even if he had Pinkamena's presence.
"What is that sound?" She asked.
"It's me... I'm afraid..."
"Oh for Celestia's white butt! Stop being a baby!"
"I can't! Ok?!"
"Then... do like me!"
"How so?"
"If you are in danger, be one with the danger! Be part of It!"
Those words echoed in Mane's mind. Reminding him of his last dream, something that his uncle told him:
"...since I made that pact with Tirek when I was your age to take over the throne, all the blood in the family changed, they just didn't know what they could do... including you..."
"What does he mean..?" He whispered.
"What?" She asked confused.
"Sorry, I was talking to myself."
"Just don't go insane!"
Mane stopped all the other thoughts in his head, he leaned forward and rested his arms on his legs, and he started puzzling something in his memories.
"What we could do, he said... but what did he knew?... The pact gave him powers that nopony in Equestria would knew... Strength, power, wisdom, magic... magic... He made It the before I was born, my grandpa said... so maybe It's hereditary? If I have the same blood how he calls then maybe I can do It too! But what could he do?"
"Pinka, I need your help."
"How can I help in the dark?" - She asked in a sassy way.
"I need you to touch the walls, every inch there is."
"Did you finally become crazy with the dark?"
"Just do what I ask."
Pinkamena groaned on the strange order and started groping the rock walls, trying to think what has gone on his mind, while Mane kept thinking and thinking in what he could do with such hidden potential. She passed by the door, and putting her ear against It, she confirmed there was no guards.
"Mane. I have good news, and bad news. Choose..."
"Uh? The good ones."
"There are no guards by the door, but the bad ones are... I don't why you ordered me to go around touching walls in the dark..."
"See if you can find a gap."
"How is a gap gonna help?!" She stomped the floor in anger. "Just recover your magic and blast this door open!"
"No! That would alert them, and we have the minor advantage. No weapons and they have those guns, and my magic wouldn't be enough."
"Argh! Fine! You better come up with something or I'm gonna beat you even more than what they did!"
Mane returned to his meditation, with Pinkamena walking around touching the walls again under frustration. She started to look higher almost by the ceiling, and her hands met a hole with rusty surface.
"Shaker! I think I found something!"
"What is It?"
"It's very small but feels like an air conduct. Circular, rusted, moist and... maybe fifteen centimeter diameter?"
"Ok, you can stop and rest..."
"Are you shitting me?! I swear I'll..." She closed her fist and threw a punch, and backed away holding her hand in pain, figuring out she punched the rock wall.
"Seems somepony forgot we were on the dark and we barely know where each other are." Mane said with his eyes closed trying to focus.
"Fuck you!"
"Pinkamena! Will you stop being childish and let me think?!"
The pink mare pouted and sat on the dirt holding her hand trying to relieve It from the hit. While Mane kept silence and started to massage his head trying to come up with something.
"Diane. What did you said about danger?"
"Be one with the danger, fucktard!"
"Be one..." He whispered gaining focus on his mind. "Be one with the dark..."
"What..?"
"Embrace the darkness..." He continued.
"Embrace the darkness... be one with the darkness... you are the fear... you are the danger... Embrace the darkness! Be one with It!
More he thought about It, more he stopped feeling his body, but he didn't notice until he couldn't feel his legs completely, but a strange feeling instead. The feeling that the dark was consuming him even more, as if It was finally driving him crazy. He kept focusing and meditating even more, until a quiet swooping noise was heard.
"Mane?" ...
"Hey, are you there?" ...
"Answer me dammit!" ...
"That's not funny! I'll swear I won't miss your face next time! Even if It's dark!"
Seconds later, a small light showed up in front of her. Diane tried to touch It but It passed by her fingers. The light became a bit more alive and started turning red. In some seconds, It became even more brighter and Mane's face showed up surrounded by what could be a mist, frighting Pinkamena making her heart race with the scare.
"Hey Diane!" He said happily.
"I got you now, smartass!"
But her fist went right through the fog, making her confused, and she tried to punch and kick his nonexistent body, and he just saw her struggling to land a hit on him.
"What the actual fuck?! Where is your body!?" She asked startled by his appearance.
"I figured out, Pinka!" He smiled.
"What?! How to die and become a ghost?!"
"No! This was one of my uncle's powers! Only those with the "Sombra blood" can do It! This is what he meant!"
"Get away from me, you creep!" Pinkamena begged disturbed.
"Allow me, but It's the creep who is gonna allow us to get out!"
And his face turned in a black fog and went thought the pipe Pinkamena found previously.
"Hey! Don't leave me here, you dumbass!" She screamed afraid. "What the fuck was that..?" She whispered trying to wrap her mind on what just happened.
The pipe was a mess, but he felt luckily for being now a cloud of smoke allowing him to not get dirty. Besides that, Mane was utterly happy with his new power and thinking of the possibilities in the future, also what could be the next power he didn't knew about. His body was now a cloud of black smoke, and he could show his face only, to keep his new form working, or else It would go out completely. For rare occasion, he was happy for being of the Sombra bloodline and having the privilege of such power and other hidden ones waiting to be found.
He traveled down the pipe and reached to a crossing.
"Pff... easy!" He said and tried to ram the pipe's walls, but his face met It completely. He backed from the pipe's walls flinching n pain and trying to keep his form active or else he would meet a painful death in being squashed inside a pipe.
"Seems I'm not a true ghost how she said. Alright... let's take the left."
He took the turn and It ended on a air duct. He traveled down and met the hatch leading to the kitchen, making him go back in his route and meeting the other divisions of the big house, crowded with gangsters armed to their teeth with muskets and pistols. Mane went back and forth in the air duct trying to find an exit to the cell where he left Pinkamena, and by passage he heard a conversation.
"Boys. Don Topaz told me to check on the hostages."
"I'll go with you. Let me just finish this game." Said one of the thugs with five cards in his hand. "I'm on a stream of luck!"
"I'll pass. The air in that place make me sick. I'd rather smoke three cigarettes than go down there!"
"Gotta be quick!"
He rushed back to the pipes and turned on the ones that only went down to the huge basement section, eventually found the exit and left the pipes, now being a cloud of dark smoke in a room with a small corridor. With effort, Mane ended his new form and we could feel his body again, touching his face in pleasure of his discovery.
"Can't wait to surprise Sigil and the others with this!"
The door in the small hall opened and Mane rushed between a shelf an a corner, and two thugs with muskets passed by without noticing. They walked side by side until the iron cell door and opened It, and Pinkamena was standing on her hooves and hands free. They pointed the muskets and her and she rose her hands in the air scared.
"Where is the other guy?!" One of them shouted.
"I... I don't know!" She replied.
"Don't play fool on us! Where is he?! How did he escaped?"
"I swear! He became a ghost and vanished!"
The thug gave a step forward putting the musket's barrel on her head.
"Go warn the others. We have a fugitive."
...
"Hey! Did you hear me?"
The thug turned around, he faced Mane finishing his companion by cracking his neck clean and silent from behind, before he could scream, Pinkamena cut his neck with her hidden blade, but before perishing he shot the musket in the air.
"Took you long enough!" She groaned.
"Let's not waste time!" Mane grabbed his victims pistol and passed to Pinkamena. "The others heard the shot, they are coming, I'm sure of that!"
"Take the muskets! I can't work with them due to their weight!"
"You take the pistols then!"
"It was from here! Check your weapons!" Sounded a faded voice in the distance.
"Here they come!" Pinkamena smiled with an evil expression.
"This new power may come handy for the battle..." Mane said with an evil grin too, contemplating a black smoke cloud in his hand.
Sigil and Copper were agitated and with reason. Hours ago a scout told them that Mane and Pinkamena didn't return yet or gave any signals of their presence, It was three in the morning already, and Sigil had started to fear the worst and Copper joined her minutes ago.
"I don't know Copper..." She whispered trying to keep herself calm. "Maybe they are dead?"
"Come on, Sigil! We are talking about Mane Shaker, The Last Sombra and Pinkamena Diane Pie, the Cupcake Killer! I don't think they would be defeated that easily."
"It was my fault! I shouldn't have let them go without at least a group of three just to make sure!" She banged her fist on table.
"It's not your fault. Calm down!" - The yellow pegasus comforted his friend with a pat in her back. - "It was their decision. You gotta understand, they know each other way better than we know them... they are used to work alone."
"That's not what the Midnight Gala article said from a month ago..." Sigil groaned.
"Maybe... they were still knowing each other... who knows?"
"I don't neither you or any pony here!"
"Sigil, screaming is not gonna help. Want to get some mint tea?"
"No thanks, I'm good! I'm fucking good!" She groaned louder.
Outside Sigil's office, somepony running in despair could be heard, and getting closer, a scout pegasus is leather armor barged in breathing fast and heavily, sweating as if he was a shower.
"Swift!" Copper called. "What is wrong with you? You want some water?" He offered from his army flask.
"Captain! I have news! It's Mane Shaker and Pinkamena!"
Dark Sigil's senses got alert, she jumped by her desk spilling her papers and grabbed the scout by his armor collars and started shaking him violently.
"What is It?! Tell me soldier!" She demanded in a hurry of knowing how they were doing.
"P-Please! S-S-Stop waglin-in-ing me!!" The scout begged trying to breath.
"Sigil! Stop!" Copper separated them. "He's a mere scout, not a fan!"
"I'm sorry... I... I can't stand the pressure..." Sigil sobbed and calmed down. "Soldier, what is your report?"
"It's... erm... Mane and his partner, Pinkamena. They- oh thanks..." The scout accepted Coppers flask and he drank the water on It. "*gasp*... like I was saying. We don't know about them, but we heard gunshots in Don Topaz's villa!"
Sigil and Copper looked at each other fearing the worst.
"Swift, go call Inked Quill, we need his help!" The captain ordered.
"Right away, sir!" He saluted and ran out of the office.
"Gunshots..." Sigil mentioned. "Maybe Don Topaz executed them!"
"I don't think so. That's not from his character... unless they really pissed him off."
"Or maybe they escaped."
Inked Quill entered without knocking, grumbling and cursing everypony around him, just like his usual character. He looked at Sigil and Copper discussing and they didn't notice his coming.
"Hey! You two called me! You better have a good reason!"
"Quill!" Sigil approached him with a desperate look. "We need your clairvoyance spell, like... urgent!"
"Calm down! This old colt is not the same like before... what is the reason?"
"One of our scouts told that they heard gunshots on Don Topaz's villa, where Mane and Pinkamena headed to investigate. And we could use your spell to see how they are." Copper informed calmly.
"Hmm... can do, but I need some time, my head is old just like the rest of me."
Quill closed his eyes and his horn lit up, focusing on the all-watching spell. While Sigil and Copper kept discussing in what they should do. A minute later, the old unicorn invoked the orb between them, and searching the huge villa with gangsters running around carrying muskets and pistols.
Quill finally found Pinkamena with some small wounds, behind a table turned on It's side, shooting without skill all the loaded pistols she could get and getting aimed at, also slashing the necks of those who dared to approach her. In another room next to hers, Mane Shaker all bruised in his body making enemies flying around with constant magic shock waves, levitating goons by their neck and snapping them and trying to use the muskets but without success, while trying to run away from the bullets.
Sigil and Copper's eyes gleamed with their bravery even if outnumbered, but time was running out, and they had to act fast.
"They sure are in danger! They are outnumbered and also in power, speed is key! Copper!" Sigil grabbed him by the shoulders. "Get your troops ready! Both melee and ranged! We are going for a rescue mission!"
"Alright! You're coming with us?"
"Yes! I'll get my armor! Tell your men to wear the iron armors!"
Copper Spear didn't wait longer and ran away to the cult's barracks and training grounds, screaming orders around the complex. Sigil headed to her bedroom and started to get ready. While Quill stood there watching the action, and for his surprise, Mane turned into smoke and dodged a bullet rush from a group just in time, but he quickly went back to normal.
"Sooo... that crazy bastard learned..." Inked Quill smiled. "I had my doubts on you, boy... you are truly from his bloodline..."
The elder ended the spell and massage his head to relieve himself from the spell, being It too much for his age. He walked out the office and looked around. Colts running around, pegasi troops flying, gearing up and helping each other with their armors, while Copper in the middle of them screaming orders in a commando voice.
That was the order in the moment. They seemed to never end, and some started to carry three or four pistols so they could shoot more without loosing time reloading, and the strategy seemed efficient.
Behind a medium sized marble pilar with a bust of some character, Pinkamena took cover trying to keep up with the battle and figuring out how to properly shoot the pistols and not fail her targets. She didn't knew how to reload them either, so It all depended in she could melee kill a thug and hope that his pistols were loaded. It was that feeling of learning under panic and despair.
Mane in the next room kept avoiding the bullets in the last second. His head was spinning in adrenaline while punching and kicking thugs, snapping necks with his magic and throwing magic shock waves in any attempt a goon would jump at him to grab his arms, making the majority of the floor shake every time It happened.
On Pinka's side, she ran out of loaded pistols, and a melee charge at a musket armed group was bad idea. The confusion stop except on Mane's room, and she rolled to a table filled with holes. She took a peek and there was only one thug remaining taking cover behind a wall. She ran silently and as soon the thug peeked, she lodged her knife in his forehead, right between his eyes killing him instantly. The pink mare sighed in relieve that her part was done there, and Mane's side was silent too, too silent. Without warning, a huge fuss formed in his room. She turned around to go in his aid, and she got surprised by a battalion of gangsters pointing their muskets and pistols at her.
She froze in her spot, raising her hands in surrender, and after some noise in the next room, Mane flew through the two doors destroying them in pieces, falling flat on the floor some meters away from Pinkamena. By the passage, Beryl, the Don's bodyguard showed up in a menacing pose. Mane raised his head from the floor recovering from Beryl's throw and saw the scenario of Pinkamena about to get rifled.
"SHOOT!" Shouted Beryl to the firing squad.
"NOOOOO!" Mane in a rush of panic and adrenaline together, threw himself in front of Pinkamena, with his back turned to them.
They both expected certain death, Mane filled with holes and Pinkamena expecting his body to fall on her covered in blood. The gangsters shot at the same time, creating a wall of bullets without any chance of dodge. Pinkamena closed her eyes and started crying on Mane's sacrifice.
After the firing, a smoke screen born, covering the vision of anypony present in the room.
"Are they dead?" Asked one of them.
"They better be!" Said Beryl, waving the smoke out of his face.
One of the thugs opened a broken window and the smoke started to fade away, and slowly showed something that made them drop their jaws in surprise.
Pinkamena expecting the noise of a body falling on the floor, she opened her blue eyes and she saw Mane, standing on his hooves with arms open forming a meat shield in front of her. But It wasn't what could be called a meat shield...
Mane was staring at her wide eyes open and enraged look on them, and his appearance changed a lot again. All of his body was translucide, like smooth polished glass. His muscles turned into light grey quartz, his eyes were now like emeralds and hair was now hard black obsidian and red ruby. He had discovered the second hidden power, but this time It was natural from his origins.
"...you are originated from the Crystal Empire..."
Sombra's words crossed in his head, and he realized what happened. He stared at Pinkamena for some moments and a smile formed in his face. Pinkamena cleaned her tears and tried to understand the phenomenon she just witnessed.
"Mane..?" She whispered with a sob. "Is that you..?"
"I'm here, Pinka..." He whispered back with a raspy voice. "It's alright..."
The group was frozen trying to realize what they were watching. Beryl on the other hand called their attention and ordered them to reload the weapons. They snapped back and did what they were ordered, and pointed the weapons back at Mane.
"KILL HIM!" Beryl ordered loud and clear.
Part of them shot and the bullets bounced back in his body. Mane turned around with a fierce look in his shining green emerald eyes, and another part shot their muskets, again the bullets made ricochet, and this time some hit back the gangsters, some in the body and some the head killing them instantly.
Mane kept walking in their direction, and they kept shooting the remaining loaded weapons with the same effect of bullets going back at them. One of the thugs punched Mane's chest, and he screamed in pain holding his hand, his body was now rock hard, made of pure minerals and gems, a natural defensive power from any citizen of the Crystal Empire.
The crystal stallion grabbed the thug's wrist, and squeezed It, starting to crack his bones with more pressure applied. He managed to close his hand and completely crushing the bandit's wrist. He fell on the floor crying and screaming, and with a stomp, Mane burst his head open in one blink without any difficulties.
The remaining gangsters stepped back and ran away in fear through a perforated door, except Beryl who stared at Mane with his fearless eyes. Their eyes met and a battle atmosphere was forming in the air, as if a war was about to begin.
"Diane..." Mane called with a firm voice without looking.
""Y-yes..?"
"Get your knifes and go. See you on the front gate..."
The corridors and rooms were filled in bullet holes and blood splatters in the walls and floor, along with fallen bodies slashed by a pair of chef knifes. By that point, trying to use the pistols was a risk and time waster, now relying on her melee and throwing skills, trusting her blades to not disappoint her.
Pinkamena reached the ground floor finally between intense fights against the Don's thugs and their lethal weapons, leaving Mane behind on the third floor with his new found power fighting Beryl, Don Topaz's mighty body guard. Running around between rooms and avoiding getting surrounded, she noticed a grandfather clock telling It was almost six in the morning, and the Empire's Royal Guard could be alerted at any moment and they would come for sure, adding more to the confusion.
She passed by the kitchen avoiding a group of armed gangsters, and she took her time to choose her knifes in the luxurious kitchen. Stainless steel and silver were the materials, being silver the heaviest, good for a precise throw, and steel the lighter ones for quick throws and in good number, giving the fact there were more steel cutlery than silver.
The pink slasher finally found the front door being guarded by four goons, which quickly started firing their weapons at first sight. Pinkamena quickly took cover behind a wall, grabbing one silver knife and threw It in one of them with deadly aim, right in his head ending him instantly. The other three took cover, one behind a wall and the other two behind a wall too.
She rolled to a table and kicked It forming a barrier, and a bullet almost got her neck, passing through the wood and failing by a matter of centimeters.
"Come out with hands in the air!" Ordered one of them.
"You can kiss my ass!!" Pinkamena answered in anger, preparing another silver knife.
She peeked by the bullet hole and none of them were showing. In the moment, the ceiling slightly trembled, probably Mane using his magic shock wave again.
"I hope he's winning..."
She felt her brain going crazy with a strange feeling, as if time slowed down. Her natural instinct made her stand up from her cover, and with her perception going slow motion, the gangster behind the sofa showed up and her reaction seemed to against her speed of things, throwing the knife right at his neck, turning him into a blood fountain.
She ran to the front door, and before barging outside, she turned to the other two and threw four steel knifes while running, one failing, one to one of their heads, and the other two to the last bandit's neck and chest.
Diane kicked the door open and her head went back to normal. Her assassin instinct had kicked in back there, thanks to Mane's transfusion of her evil self powers to her sane self.
The outside plaza along with It's gardens were quiet. Too quiet... Did they finished all of them? The sun was still raising in the horizon with the moon still fading away at the morning's light. Far away in the gate, a big group showed up running to the villa's entrance, and taking positions. Something was not right, the action was in the house, not outside the whole place.
They started firing in a pattern, giving time to the others reload before their turn would come. In a moment, a huge flash blinded her for some seconds, followed by an explosion. The gate was now open and half destroyed with some thugs still alive, trying to get up and fight the invasor. And a medium sized group ran inside, jumping at the remaining bandits and hacking them with swords and axes, while the archers shoot their bows at a line of enemies on a roof. Pinkamena ran in their direction, and she recognized Sigil and Copper, coming to their rescue with weapons ready for the battle along with some troops.
"SIGIL! COPPER!" She called in the distance.
"Heeey!" Copper waved at her. "We are here tor rescue you!"
"You are a bit late! We managed to escape their prison and then the inevitable happened!" Pinkamena reached to their postion. "How did you know?"
"One of Copper's scouts heard the gun fight in the distance. We ordered one of them to follow you in the distance." Said Sigil glad to see her again.
"We know you both wanted to go alone, but It was for the best." Copper excused.
"Well, I'm glad you were smarter than us. What was that moments ago?!" Pinkamena asked, referring to the previous explosion.
"Oh, It was them." Sigil pointed at two unicorns under robes and light armor. "Inked Quill's battle mages. He presented them to us before we headed out."
"I must say, they were helpful in opening the door!" Copper admitted.
They stood there, catching their breath, and then they headed towards the house but didn't go outside, instead, they went to the backyard. It sure was huge there. The location was fit for a king, but in this case, a crime king. The first thing that caught their attention was the big pool next to the house, crystal clear water with a blue tile background. The trees were big too, and some bushes trimmed like sculptures.
The place was also empty, no bodies, no scattered weapons. With time, something came to Sigil's mind.
"Pinkamena?"
"What is It?" She replied ready to throw a knife at any sight of danger.
"Did you kill all of them?" She asked It with suspicion.
"Probably not. I saw their boss escaping with a group to somewhere. Also, his body guard is still around here somewhere, Mane stayed behind to face him."
"Yeah! Speaking of him... where is Mane?!" Copper shrugged.
Ironically, from the third floor, a cracking sound echoed in the place, and Mane came flying from a window screaming and waving his limbs in the air, falling right on the pool with a huge splash. They all looked up and Beryl showed up by the broken window with nothing but his suit torn in rags from the fight. The white stallion looked at them all with anger and headed back inside and screamed orders to the remaining bandits on the house.
They looked back to the pool and Mane wasn't showing up for some reason. Pinkamena approached and saw Mane struggling on the bottom trying to come up, and she realized the situation.
"Help him! Mane's made of rocks lately, he's too heavy to swim!"
Didn't take long to Copper and three of his soldiers to drop their swords and dive in the water, swimming down the pool and each one grabbing Mane's heavy gem limbs. They were having trouble in pulling him up, waving their legs the fastest they could, until the two battle mages helped raising Mane out of the water with their magic.
Once completely outside, Mane rolled on the floor on his back, spitting water and catching his breath. His new gem body amazed all of them except Pinkamena who saw It first. In seconds, his body returned to the normal smooth fur and flesh, and bones of course.
"There's no time to loose! There might be more coming!" Sigil shouted to the troops.
A pegasus soldier came by the corner of the house, flying at them in full speed, and stopped in time before he shocked with his comrades.
"Captain!" He called. "A part of the Crystal Army is coming towards the mansion! Somepony alerted them!"
"The backdoor!" Pinkamena referred. "We can escape through there!"
"You lead the way then! Boys, help Mane getting up or we are all gonna end in the Palace's catacombs!" Copper shouted giving back the weapons to the soldiers who dived.
They run all together inside the villa, and the pace speed up when Mane finally caught his breath from his previous fight and the throw through the window, back into his hooves running among them. Pinkamena led them downstairs into the big basement, where they faced a group which was took down pretty quick with knifes, magic and swords.
The mercenary group stormed out the backdoor leading to the high grass fields, where they kept running until they were far away. In the distance they saw the army coming but in a different itinerary to the villa, and they ducked to avoid being seen, until they were gone.
"Okay, we're clear..." Said Copper Spear.
"Stand up. Everypony." Ordered Sigil. "Directly to the hideout! Move!"
The last daybreak sure was a time to be remembered.
From sneaking into a mansion, to getting caught, escape a prison, fight a mob with numeral advantage and weaponry, discover two hidden powers, fight a brute bodyguard, being throw at a pool from the third floor and almost drown, and finally... escape without being seen by the local army.
Arriving to the cult's hideout, Mane went directly to his bedroom without caring for his wounds, dropped on the bed and wishing to fall asleep in an instant. He and Pinkamena went through a lot to attend any reunion with the cult's leaders, and they only wanted to rest and nothing else.
His wish was granted by his fatigue, allowing him to drop out in a good rest, after fifteen minutes laying on his dead uncle's bed. But even like that, It was not over...
His brain decided to have another bad dream, but instead, he was on Luna's office with It's walls surrounded in books on shelves and some weapons like axes and spears. She was the nicknamed "Battle Princess" for some reason. Behind the desk, Luna showed up in her big chair, dressed in her normal royalty dress, and looked at Mane with a concerned look.
"Welcome Mane." She greeted.
"Luna... I had a rough morning... please." He looked around the room tired. "Is there a reason why you put me here?"
"Yes. But first, wait here..." Luna disappeared with a magic flash, and returned with Pinkamena by her side, which expression in her face was from how unexpected It was to have the Night Princess herself, to take her to her own office in a dream.
"Somepony went to sleep too..." Mane said looking at his friend.
"No shit, Mane. After all we passed through, you expected me to keep up for the rest of the day?" Pinkamena looked around with suspicion. "Besides, where are we? Why are we having the same dream?"
"It was me, and you are in my office in a dream realm." Informed Luna with a smile. "It's so nice to finally meet you, Pinkamena. Mane has talked about you."
"Oh... um...hi, our Highness..." The pink mare didn't know what to do in the presence of Princess Luna herself right in front of her. She blushed at the fact Luna knew who she was and how happy she was to meet her.
"Seems Mane did a got job in you. You are no longer the serial murderer you were before. And please, don't call me 'princess' or 'highness'. Just Luna." She smiled at her.
"oh, okay. And yeah... I... I have a gratitude debt with him since then." Pinkamena scratched her head in suspense.
"Please, take a seat you both." Luna invited. "The reason I called you here is urgent, and to make sure you both hear the same thing, I joined you two in a dream with me."
Mane and Pinkamena sat down in the comfortable golden chairs by the other side of the desk, and they leaned forward to hear carefully what Princess Luna had to say.
"I got bad news..." She started with a sigh. "The amnesia you did on Dr.Fumes ended, Mane. And my sister got informed of what happened there, and Shining Armor was there too when It happened."
"It was to be expected..."The grey stallion took a hand to his face and sighed.
"Let me guess!" Pinkamena pointed at Luna. "The army is coming."
"You took my words." Luna putted her hands on the desk and stood up. "But It's not over yet. Fumes informed also that you both are on the Crystal Empire and trying to end the weapon smuggling there, and Mane, you know how Shining doesn't like how you interfere in the law's business."
"I know enough." Mane scratched behind his ear. "Tell me, how many are coming?"
"Many." Luna sighed. "And they are bringing muskets and pistols."
"Eh, for what I heard from Fumes, they are not that skilled." Mane laughed.
"If they weren't that skilled, they wouldn't be bringing them, Mane!" Pinkamena contradicted with her arms and legs crossed, disappointed with his argument.
"She's right. In the last week and half, the army's skill with these actually raised a lot." Luna pointed a finger at Mane. "I know you escaped a lot of times, but don't judge Shining's training skills."
"Okay, I was wrong." Mane opened his eyes widely and smiled. "Oh, Luna! Look what I can do!"
He stood up and turned into his crystal form, showing off his arms made of shinning smoked quartz and facial features like the emerald eyes and the obsidian and ruby hair but combed in a more arranged way, with the same flexibility of normal hair, breaking the laws of physics, but for Crystal Empire ponies It was normal.
"That's wonderful." Luna clapped. "You seem to have a better control of your natural crystal sense than the others."
"So... this is not that normal?" Asked Pinkamena.
"Not at all. Crystal ponies only show up this form during a local events IF the Crystal Hearth is showed to the public and It's power pulses in It's altar, the entire city made of crystal will shine more than ever for an amount of hours, and It's citizens while turn in their beautiful crystal form." Luna looked back at Mane. "But for Mane, he can turn whenever he wants, and many don't have the same control like him. It can be a mutation or other factor."
"I may have a guess..." Pinkamena commented.
"What is It then?"
"Hey, Shaker." She called picking his attention from admiring his new body. "I think you have other thing to show. You know..."
"Oh yeah! Luna, look at this!" He enthusiastically changed back to his normal form, and after a moment of focus with his eyes closed, his bottom body turned into black smoke, and next his arms.
Luna gasped and stumbled terrified in Mane's spectral form.
"Something wrong, princess?" Pinkamena asked.
"Yes. That was King Sombra's unique ability! It made our battle with him a huge trouble. You have what they call 'Devil Blood.', It gives a fraction of the powers if you are related to somepony with such powers. In this case, King Sombra." Luna stepped back. "But your ability seems less powerful, he could do in a blink of eyes. But still, It explains how you have such control in your crystal form..."
"Chill down, Luna..." Mane's face showed up in the smoke. "I don't have bad intentions."
"I know and I'm grateful for that. I just don't like to see It..." Luna shivered.
"I understand." Mane came back to normal again.
"Back into topic, we sidetracked a lot." Luna sat down in her silver chair, more rested from Mane's intentions. "The army is going for you and heavily armed. Besides going after the responsible smuggler, they are going after you both."
"When do they arrive?" Mane asked while sitting back in his place.
"Around tomorrow. They are going by train like you did, and bringing a huge arsenal along."
"That means..." Pinkamena stopped to think. "Means our cover will be broken as soon they arrive."
"Well seen." Luna notified.
"Seems going around freely in another city in Equestria is about to come to an end."
"Sorry Mane..." Luna sighed sadly. "Maybe I can talk something out with the local ones currently in charge of the Empire."
"Please do!" Mane begged. "I want to have the freedom of walking freely in my own hometown."
"Besides that, I have bad news about that too." Luna shrugged in doubt.
"Oh come on!" Mane vented.
"Two years ago, Shining Armor and Princess Candence got married!" Luna announced happily.
"Those two actually married?! HAHAHA! Shining Armor, you magnificent animal!" He laughed hard, admitting he somehow liked Shining Armor besides their differences. "...ahh... But... Haha! How is that bad?"
"Me and my sister are deciding if Candence would be crowned ruler of the Crystal Empire. Which means, Shining Armor will live with her there."
"Are you kidding me?!" Mane blurted out his nerves, losing his previous humor. "Now I won't be able to go around here!"
"Rest Mane... Candence has no grudges against you besides Shining for interfering in the army's business. And remember, she's the ruler, not him.. And he's only following orders from my sister, and you know how obedient he is to her."
"No shit Luna! Try come up with something. You are the inside mare in those parts."
"I won't make promises but I'll do my best."
"Thank you. And Pinkamena, come here..."
Pinkamena snapped from the long conversation between them, stood up from her chair and walked around the desk next to Luna. The princess stood up as well and hugged her like a mother, making the pink mare blush in surprise, asking herself what was going on in her head.
"You now have my protection, just like Mane. Don't disappoint me and protect him like he has been protecting you."
"I-I will..." Pinkamena cried in happiness. Receiving such honor from Princess Luna was a memory for a lifetime.
"You are now welcome to our tiny club." Luna giggled cutely.
"Thank you, Princess..." And she knelled down in one leg, like a soldier receiving a medal for her services.
"Stand up, girl. Save your honor to the service you are doing to Equestria and It's citizens, by punishing the filth that corrupts society."
Diane stood up as fast as she could and stood firm like a soldier in front of Luna, and Mane laughed at the scene, followed by Luna then Pinkamena. It was a relief for what they went through together to finally share a laugh with one of the royal sisters.
Luna conjured with her magic three glaces and a bottle of wine. Mane twisted his nose because of the drink, which was not of his appreciation but he accepted just to not be rude. The princess opened the bottle with her blue magic and spilled the violet liquid in the glasses and gave them to Mane and Pinkamena.
"A toast..!" Luna raised her glass along with them. "To the certain justice in Equestria and It's glory!"
They clinked the glasses and drank the wine all together.
"A good dream... I didn't had one in ages." Mane thought while still waking up.
He opened his eyes and found himself out of his bedroom without any clothes besides his underwear, side by side with Pinkamena in separate nursing beds. The cultists had carried them to the hospital area during their sleep. Both bandaged in arms and body from the bullets grazes, but mostly Mane from the fight he had with Beryl.
He was for some reason paranoid, but It turned in a small anger noticing he was without clothes, most of all without his signature leather vest around.
Pinkamena was still asleep turned to her side, and wearing an aqua marine colored patient smoke for some reason. The door opened and Copper Spear showed up with and smiled from seeing Mane awake and safe.
"Hey there, feeling better?" He asked.
"I'm good thanks." His mood got serious. "Where are our clothes, and on top of that, where's my jacket..?"
"Our members are patching them. They were in a pretty bad state after we rescued you."
"I appreciate that, but I ask if my vest can return to me as soon as possible." Mane looked at Pinkamena sleeping. "I don't like to be away from It, much less with others touching It."
"We know It means a lot for you, so we had the good spirit of fixing It." Copper excused.
"At least you could have given me a hospital smock like her!"
"Don't scream..." Copper whispered gesturing him to calm down. "She's a mare, you gotta understand..."
"Whatever." Mane left the bed and stretched. "Anything new?"
"Yeah, a lot."
Copper threw in the air a rolled newspaper in Mane's direction, which Mane caught and unfolded. He sat on the bed and started reading the article next to a picture of Don Topaz, the "Crystalers" godfather
War zone on city's outside fields.
The Crystal Empire's peace was shaken to It's core. Around six and half of the morning, a passer-by in the fields heard strange explosions in the distance, coming from the millionaire Don Topaz's mansion. Running back to the city to warn the authorities, the troops arrived to the place around seven past ten.
They stumbled on a scene that reminded them of a war zone. Don Topaz's bodyguards dead with severe cuts in the bodies by the destroyed gates, which according with forensic investigators, It was a magic blast. Authorities found even more corpses inside the house, and a vast majority had been killed with lethal cuts in specific body points, and in the superior floors, some bodies had their neck broken along with other bones. No witnesses or survivors were found after further search.
Don Topaz under investigation Something that perplexed the investigations, was the fact that Don Topaz's bodyguards were mostly found with pistols and muskets next to them. Days ago, a robbery to a store happened and with according to a witness, the weapon used on the act and described corresponds with the weapons found next to the bodies in the mansion. These were created three weeks ago in Canterlot by the Royal Laboratories with military purposes only. Investigators suspect from Don Topaz and a crime connection.
Currently, the Royal Army from Canterlot is on It's way do aid in the investigations and in the battle of a possible threat, under the command of Captain Shining Armor himself, by order of our Highness Princess Celestia.
With nowhere to be found, anypony with information of his location and exclusive clues delivered to the army or police post will be rewarded.
During the reading, Pinkamena woke up with a yawn and a stretch. She looked around and saw Copper looking at Mane, which she blushed and covered her eyes.
"Could you please wear any clothes?!" She demanded.
"Oh look who woke up. And yes! If I had them."
"What do you mean? Why am I wearing this? Where are my clothes too?" She looked around the room frenetically, noticing she was in the hospital dorm and she had been healed from her battle scars.
"Our armorers are fixing them for you." Copper informed.
"Oh... thank you..." She said.
"Anyway." Copper turned around to the door. "Our scouts have reported something that might interest you both. Feel free to join us in Sigil's office." And he left.
"Hey! Don't leave me here with him naked!" She begged.
"I'm not naked. I still have my underwear." Mane groaned.
"It's the same for me! Give me the newspaper, I need something to look away."
Mane passed the newspaper and she started reading, getting an impressed expression. Getting mentioned two times, one by her actions unknown to the public and other as a witness.
"Seems Don Topaz is getting another reputation status..." She commented.
"Looks like." Mane answered relaxed in the bed scratching his belly. "Nopony had suspicion of him, seen has a millionaire by a secret drug market without any suspicions. In the end... his new business confessed his other side."
"I wonder what Copper has to sa-" She turned her eyes away before she could look at him. "Erm... seriously, put the bed sheets over you."
"Nope. They are too hot..."
"Mane, please."
"What's wrong with being in underwear?"
"Are you that naive? I'm here, dummy!"
"I don't get society standards." Mane sighed. "If a mare is on her underwear and bra: 'You pervert! Get out!'. But If It's on a bikini or swimwear, there's no problem at all."
Pinkamena had something to say, but she stayed quiet. There was nothing in her mind that she could say about that.
"The least you could do would be pose on an altar in your underwear, and turn your body into crystal again forever." She teased with the lewdest expression she knew, while looking at him with bedroom eyes.
"What?!" Mane blushed, covering his body with the bed sheets.
Pinkamena laughed so hard that she almost fell from the bed. In the mean time, two nurses arrived with their clothes, all patched up as if they were new. Mane quickly took the vest out of their hands in a rude way, making them step back impressed by his temper, but after a quick analysis on It, Mane regretted his action and apologized. They did a good work indeed, his vest has seen better days before, and It's state was now like It just got out from the box in a clothing store.
"I'm sorry." He apologized again in a low voice in regret.
"It's okay. We know how you are about It." Said one of the nurses in her sweet voice, and they left.
Mane dressed back his vest first then his pants, and left the room, letting Pinkamena dress herself in peace. She returned back in her new clothes that they gave her days ago, her own uniform in the cult consisted by the mini black jean shorts showing her sexy curvy legs, and her leather jacket on top of the grey tank top showing her D sized cleavage , ending in the black fingerless gloves.
"Hey... um..." Mane whispered in suspense.
"What?"
"Have I said before how hot you look in these..?" Mane blushed expecting a slap.
"I know you know that." She winked at him with a giggle, taking the embarrassed stallion by surprise with a petting scratch in his chin.
Mane froze in place and let her do her It, enjoying her sweet fingers in is muzzle. But they quickly stopped the fondness when they stumbled with a majority of the place looking at them surprised. Everypony went back to their own business, but now giggling and whispering among each other while looking at them with smiles as if they were about to burst in laugh.
"Let's... let's go meet with Copper and the others..." Mane said, with his face red like a tomato from the embarrassing moment.
"Yeah..." She replied embarrassed as well.
They walked down the complex to Sigil's office, facing funny smiles from any passer-by. They walked in, and Sigil was behind her desk looking at a map, along with captain Copper and Quill, the master scribe. Both on the opposite side of the table discussing plans.
"Hey hey!" Greeted Copper with a wave." Look who's back."
"About time. We only lost time without you." Quill mumbled as usual.
"Enough, gentlecolts. You both, step forward and join us." Sigil invited, which Mane and Pinkamena walked to the big table, looking at the Crystal Empire's map.
"So, what's new?" Pinkamena asked,crossing her arms ready to listen.
"My scouts spotted a suspicious warehouse on the other side of the Empire's region." Copper informed. "It's hidden between mountains and heavily guarded for some reason."
"We think It may be one of Don Topaz's secret warehouses, where he keeps his products for black market." Sigil concluded.
"So what?" Mane asked.
"Are you dumb?" Quill slapped the back of his head. "We are planning to attack It!"
"Yeah!" Pinkamena slapped him too.
"Really?!" He stared at her with a angry but rather sad expression.
"So you learn to pay attention." She replied.
"Cut It off, your three stooges!" Sigil screamed with a punch in the table. "We are discussing an important matter here."
"What's so important about a warehouse full of drugs and weapons?" Mane asked upset. "We went to his house and look what we went through! Might as well just blow that place up and be done with It."
"You're not that smart, are you?" Quill looked at him disappointed.
"We are planning to go there, kill his thugs, destroy the drugs and..." Sigil stopped allowing Mane to finish her sentence.
"...destroy the weapons..?" Mane tried.
"No!" Screamed Quill, making him cough after his loud answer.
"We rather prefer to steal the weapons." Said Copper, just chilling there with his arms crossed observing them screaming at each other, as if all that confusion had nothing to do with him. "And we get a chance of upgrading our arsenal."
"I see..." Mane whispered. "If we succeed, can me and Pinka try too?"
"But of course, silly." Sigil replied.
"When do we start?" Pinkamena asked.
"In the next morning by dawn. Right now, we better rest and get ready for this assault. You can train a bit your dagger skills in our training grounds." Copper pointed at Pinkamena.
"And Mane. You can pay us a visit if you are interested in knowing a bit more of what you can do... this is, if you stop being a stubborn." Quill said, with a pat in hisback.
"You sure got a huge mouth for your age, don't you..?" Mane mocked, tired of Inked Quill pestering him constantly.
"Why you-!" Quill raised a skinny fist in the air.
"STOP BOTH OF YOU!" Pinkamena screamed annoyed by those two age differentiated unicorns constantly bickering at each other. "Or I'll cut a bitch!" She felt her raging energy coming to the top but with control.
"You three calm down, for fucks sake!" Sigil shouted again. "We all know the plan and we have tasks. We will discuss strategies some hours before we go for the raid." She pointed to the young captain and the old scribe. "Copper, inform your troops. Quill, talk with your battle mages, they were helpful before and may be handy this time too" Sigil pointed at the duo with one hand and two fingers. "Mane and Pinkamena, do whatever you want but stay awake until the time comes. Dismissed!"
They all left the Sigil's office, Copper went back to the barracks and Quill to the cult's library. Mane and Pinkamena stood there for a bit by the door, with everypony walking around and looking at them again giggling and whispering.
"Seems you created a rumor..." Mane commented blushing with frown.
"Me?" Pinkamena asked without believe.
"You're the one who winked at me and started scratching my chin."
"I'll give credit, It was indeed my fault..." She pouted in a cute way.
"But hey..." He bumped her arm, making Diane look at him. "What do they know..?" He giggled.
"Nothing." She giggled too.
"Well..." Mane stretched his arms and took the bandages and band aids out from his body. "I'm feeling way better, thanks to their health care. I'm gonna take a bath and maybe talk with that old fool..."
"I'm gonna go see Copper and what he can taught me... if I want to go far, my knifes won't be enough."
"Aright, see you later then."
"See you." She winked at him again, just to tease him even more from the previous moment, and walked away wagging her long straight tail at him. Leaving Mane alone blushing red with everypony looking at him, with expressions of surprise and laughter at the same time. He was now the rumor laughing stock, and Pinkamena was out now.
None of the troops were comfortable with the assault plans. They had to move outside the city by the fields for two hours and half straight, divided in teams, and they still had to go among the mountains during the night in a freezing temperature, wearing heavy leather armor. It was windy which wasn't helping against the temperatures, but they were trained to endure It and take pride of facing the conditions and carry on.
"Alright, let's rest here a bit." Said Copper.
They entered a small dead end cavern that they found on their way on the mountains. They dropped their gear carefully and sat down, leaning against the rocks. Copper Spear started a bonfire with his flint and steel survival equipment, and his group approached to the comforting flame.
"Stay here, I'm gonna get some wood." He said.
It would be weird for anypony to see an officer doing mundane tasks but their his soldiers, but for them was normal from Copper. He headed outside the cavern against the wind, and five minutes later returned with his arms full of branches from the few dead trees existent in that treacherous place. Some of his troops added some sticks and the fire gained strength and It's way warmer now. They started opening food cans, and some even brought marshmallows to share, which they didn't lose time to put them in sticks and cook them.
Half hour later, three characters arrived to the cavern, one freezing even if in warm clothes, and the other two with no problems at all.
"Hey!" Copper greeted with a smile.
"What's up?" Mane replied.
"Open the circle! I'm freezing!" Pinkamena ordered with her teeth shivering, shoving two soldiers to the sides and join them by the fire.
"How did you find us?" Copper asked.
"We saw the bonfire's light from outside." Said Sigil sitting next to him. "You should be careful next time."
"So you preferred to not find us?" Copper giggled.
"No. It's because somepony else but us would see you. Could be one of Don Topaz's thugs."
Mane sat next to Pinkamena and approached his hands to the fire, warming them too. He looked at her, still shivering from the cold even if she was close to a bonfire. He pulled from his pocket a candy bar and offered her, which she accepted with a smile, starting to eat It happily.
"Are those marshmallows?" Mane asked pointed at the soldier's sticks by the fire.
"Yeah." One of them replied.
"I only heard about them. Never tried..."
"You should." Said Copper. "They are edible balls of sugary foam. Very tasty when done right."
A soldier passed Mane a stick with a marshmallow on. He putted It by the flames, and he distracted himself while speaking with them, and they started to give him attention warnings, but when he looked, his marshmallow was now a block of burnt sugar.
"You really don't know how to do It, do you?" Pinkamena asked.
"I never tried these, It's my first time doing this." Mane complained with a sad tone.
"Let me teach you." She passed Mane a stick with another marshmallow, and held his hand with both her hands. "See? You can't put It right between the fire..." Pinkamena started rolling the stick in his hand, and he followed the movements of her fingers, rolling the stick too. "You must let It cook in every side, until It melts and turns slightly brown..."
"I see..." Mane replied to her lesson.
"Okay, take it out." She said, and the marshmallow was perfectly cook and bigger from the boiling sugar.
"Alright... thanks." He replied ready to taste a marshmallow for the first time in his life, but Pinkamena hold her grip to his hands and pushed the stick to her side, and with one bite, she ate the sweet.
The soldiers laughed with the adorable scene, and Mane kept his eyes on her without knowing what to do.
"If you want one, you must do It yourself." She giggled happily with her minor prank.
Mane sighed and stuck another marshmallow in the stick, but the result was again a burnt one. They laughed at him again but supporting his effort.
"Don't worry, you'll get there." Said one of the soldiers.
"Alright, fun times and laughs. But we have things to do..." Sigil stood up, looking at her clock. "It's almost four in the morning. We should keep going. Quill is waiting for us."
"Troops, grab your gear and get ready." Copper ordered standing up as well, looking at the tactical map he designed with his officials. "It should be one mile away. If we don't stop, should take us less than thirty minutes."
The soldiers did what they were ordered and extinguished the fire. They went outside and the wind was gone, making the temperature turn into a comfortable chill night. They kept walking and talking in many topics among themselves, sometimes something funny and share a laugh, and sometimes a story worth listening. Their moral was high now and the allowance of having free spirit instead of a rigid army control was something to be happy about, even if they would die in combat, and It was all thanks to their charismatic captain.
Copper Spear's story in the army was a whole dramatic history, surrounded by his old comrades in a tough army command with constant tiring training schedules and barely any food in their free time. Forced to join the army when he was still fourteen years old to the juvenile rookies by order of the cruel officers from King Sombra, and seeing his friends committing suicide, one after another every month, being the only way to escape the hellish conditions and officers.
In the end of his career, he managed to talk his way out of the war prisoner camp and prove his good heart. And now, he finds himself commanding his own army, even if ironically It was a cult of scholars about King Sombra, he knew when Sigil recruited him there was no bad intentions, besides being a guardian of their place. And from his days in the previous army, if there was something he never wanted would be command his troops like he was when he was younger.
In the distance, a strong white light by the rock passage started to show up, and It was clear they were all close.
"There, stay clear and close of each other..." Said Copper while crouching, and they all did the same. "No noise, stay down all the time, and use the environment in your advantage."
They kept walking slowly checking every corner they could, and they reached a dune of rocks where they sneaked.
"Mane." Sigil called with a whisper. "Give the signal."
His horn lit up with a tiny white light, and looking by the binoculars, Sigil saw a magic green light in the far away distance by a mountain slope. Inked Quill received the message and he was ready with his two battle disciples, next to two military pieces of amazing magic engineering. Two steel cones where they could fit their horns and with a well crafted magnifying glass to shoot great distances. With gears helping to turn by the help of clicking sounds, according to the orders of where they should fire.
"Alright, Mane and Pinkamena. Are you ready?" Sigil asked.
"I was born ready..." She replied.
"I can't wait to try what Quill taught me..." He replied too.
"Seems you are... go ahead then." The cyan mare ordered.
They stood up and walked to the gate being guarded by two armored thugs, and they pointed the muskets at them when they were closer.
"What are you doing here?" One of them asked.
"Hey goodnight. We would like to see your products." Mane replied in a relaxed way.
"There is nothing to see here, go away!"
"We are here under Don Topaz's notification. We want to buy some guns."
"We didn't receive any notice..."
"Dammit man. Listen, we know your boss and he told us where we could afford them, and this place is like... top secret, and the only way we could know was by him." Mane complained.
"Can we enter, please? it's freezing here..." Pinkamena complained too.
" Ah whatever... you two look like legit bandits... go on, my friends there will guide you."
The guards allowed them in, and in the way, Mane turned to one of their escorts for a cigarette, which he gave one from his pack and putted inside a pocket in his vest.
"Since when you smoke?" Pinkamena asked him shocked.
"Since we make business like this..." Mane replied without caring.
The answer seemed weird, but there was nothing she could say about It giving away she performed cannibalism before, which was way worse than start smoking.
They reached the warehouse door, and inside, a group of guards scattered by the building and patrolling looked at them without indifference.
"Your weapons please..." A guard ordered.
"Why should we give away our weapons, when we are going to buy more weapons?" Pinkamena asked with a chuckle.
"Listen, I don't know what is your problem, but if you don't deliver your weapons, we might have to shoot you..." The guard threatened.
"Why don't you go fu-"
"Diane!" Mane grabbed her by the shoulder. "Give the knifes..."
She took a moment, and groaned while giving up her blades, and Mane as well with his folding knife. The guard smiled nastily and they proceeded.
The warehouse was just a building of metal walls with some rust, a door and a carriage gate, with It's inside filled with huge shelves to the ceiling with boxes on, under the lights of spotlights in the ceiling. And besides boxes, there was also some transport carriages with barrels on. The cold outside could be felt inside coming from some holes on the walls, and the air was humid obviously, They crossed the door to the office, where a red unicorn colt greeted, wearing a sports shirt and a golden chain by the neck.
"Goodnight, sir and lady. What are you looking for?"
"Show us what you have..." said Mane with a stare of mischief.
"Right away." He pulled from under his desk some bags with questioning material. "We have cocaine, crystal, heroin which we can provide the syringes... if you want to relax and get into the so said nirvana... we have weed or-" He said those last words It as if he was stoned.
"Stop yapping, we are not here for that." Pinkamena snarled annoyed.
"We are here for the guns..." Mane finished.
"Ohh... alright then. Follow me." The black marketer took them to a different room along with two thugs posing their muskets.
The room was filled with more wooden boxes and some barrel, not so different from the rest of the warehouse. The marketer pulled a musket and showed them.
"Muskets directly from Canterlot, stolen from the army in the Empire's armory." He pulled a pistol. "Pistols for close range combat, finish your opponents with the move of your finger."
"Do you have something... more destructive?" Mane dared to ask nervous of what he would see.
"Going for a war, are we..?" The marketer looked at him in the eyes, and smiled. He turned around and pulled from a small box two iron spheres with the size of a fist and a harden rope popping out of It. "Bombs, or more technically, grenades... just lit the fuse with a match or pyro magic and throw them. Good to expel enemies out of their cover, and kill a large group if well used."
"Do you have something more... you know, with a trigger?" Pinkamena asked impatiently.
"We do." The colt opened a large box and took out a musket with a shorter barrel, but It's end was larger, as if the end of small bell was welded to It. "They call these blunderbuss, a recent creation of the dorks in Canterlot, and shows amazing efficiency in dealing with groups in close range. You pull the trigger, and It fires a handful of iron pellets. If you point at a group they will die for sure, as long you are close of them. The best thing is, you don't need to aim at all, the weapon itself does the service. Though, not suggested for long range combat..."
"That's all amazing... but what about the ammo?" Mane asked checking the weapon.
"We have the required things. Gunpowder there..." He pointed at some barrels in a corner. "And two kinds of bullets. Iron or lead. Iron for normal damage, and lead to leave a metal infection in the enemy's body, but It's not common to use them if you are in a direct confront."
"I see... Seems we have a deal here... right, Diane?" Mane chuckled and bumped her arm with his elbow, while pulling the cigarette out of his pocket.
She looked at him and he winked at her. Pinkamena got It and reached her arm on her back and scratched It as if there was an itch.
"Do you have a light?" Mane asked.
"Sure, dude..." The marketer gave him his lighter, and Mane light up the cigarette in his hand, making the guards chuckle. "You never smoked, did you?"
"Nah... and I never want to."
The marketer looked oddly at him, and by surprise, Mane shoved the lit cigarette in one of the guards eye and pushed him against the wall covering his mouth. And the moment the other guard pointed his gun at Mane, Pinkamena grabbed her hidden blade from her belt in the back and sliced his throat open. The grey stallion finished his target by cracking his neck to the side, and the marketer stumbled on his own hooves without knowing what to do and terrified by the surprise attack. Mane pointed a finger at his forehead while his horn lit up in red.
"You're gonna load these weapons, and be quick. Or I'll let my partner slice you open..."
"You can't do this!"
"I would keep the volume down..." Pinkamena groaned furiously, putting her knife's end in his neck. "And do what you were told, fucktard..."
Inked Quill was growing impatient by the time they were taking, and his scholars too. Standing in a cold windy slope of a mountain by the end of the night, wearing their winter scholar robes, looking at a building, next to the two magic cannons they brought, well placed with a good field of vision down, and eager to use them.
"What the hell are they doing?" Quill grumbled.
"Who knows?" One of the scholars replied.
"I must say, the plan better work or we are in for a trouble." Quill looked down to the warehouse surrounded by barbed wire fences. "We are attacking a damn armory with filthy thugs that know how to use them, and we don't even know what's inside besides those two morons..."
"Calm down, preceptor Quill... It should start any minute."
"How can I calm down when this wind is not helping my rheumatic problems?" Quill rubbed his hands to warm them up and flinching the pains in his back bones.
He looked back to the warehouse in the rocky valley, tempted to order the first shot of the assault but he had to stick to the strategy. They were there for support and not throw the first rock and start a massacre not planned.
"Grab your binoculars." Quill ordered. "And start pointing to the bastards in the gate, we must start without any risks..."
The scholars shoved their horns inside the magic amplifier's tube, and looking through a binocular well placed and a game of mirrors, they could see were they were aiming. The mechanisms started to make the clicking sounds as they moved the barrels to the gates.
"We're in position, sir. Six clicks horizontally and three vertically from original position."
"Good... now we wait. Hopefully those morons didn't get kil-" Interrupted by a echoing noise of an explosion from the warehouse, and followed by many more. It had started. "IT'S TIME!!! Shoot! Shoot!"
They followed the order and from the cannons, two magic rays, one yellow and the other blue, traveled at light speed to the gates, and the guards bodies exploded in a mess of flesh and guts, scattering them in different directions.
"Troops! ATTAAACK!!!" Copper screamed on top of his lungs.
"STRIKE THEM LIKE A WARHAMMER!!!" Sigil screamed along.
The small army rose from the dark behind the dune and ran to the gates with a bravery scream. Knights with their shields and swords on hands, and archers firing their bows and crossbows at the other bandits by the gate, giving a safe approach. They stormed the gates and run across the open zone of concrete towards the building, and was a long run until there, taking cover constantly behind crates and concrete slabs forming the wagon way to the warehouse.
They got stuck behind a barrier, with no ways of moving forward due to the massive firepower coming from the building and from It's outside behind cover too. In the right moment, Quill's group fired their magic cannons at the enemy, blasting blood and guts among themselves, spreading panic from the horrifying scene.
"Go! Go!" Ordered Copper.
The archers shot their crossbows in the dark, and most failed the shots, and the knights kept crossing the field under cover of their shield. And they retreated some steps back when one of them got shot by a bullet that went through the shield, cutting his leather armor and hit him in the shoulder. Two soldiers ran to the wounded comrade and pulled him out of the danger, taking him to cover with them, and the blood loss was somewhat medium.
"Captain!" One screamed. "We got a wounded!"
"Take him to the gate house, and one of you stay with him!" Copper screamed from the other side.
They obeyed the order and slowly carried him the wounded one to the very back of the place. Sigil was growing stressed by the situation, they were stuck against a fire frenzy battalion with superior weapons, and staying there would mean death. In the poor night light, a spark was seen flying in an arch in the direction of a cover with two soldier. The thing landed right behind them, and one looked and run away in time, but the other looked too late, and the grenade exploded on him, burning him and the shrapnel traversing his armor and body, he somehow survived but badly injured, laying on a pool of his own blood.
"Shit!" Sigil stared horrified at the horrible scene. "Somepony! Get him out of there!"
"It's too dangerous, ma'am!" Screamed a soldier, too scared to move.
"Fuck It!" Sigil got out of her cover and took the risk of running towards the wounded soldier. She pulled him to behind a concrete slab and she screamed in panic from seeing the soldier's face all burned, bleeding in living flesh, loosing part of his hair and the armor all ripped soaked in blood.
"S-Sigil..?" The soldier moaned in pain, coughing blood out of his mouth.
"Don't worry! I'll take you out of here!" She tried to put over her shoulder, but every movement made him scream in agony, and tried to stop her.
"Stop! ARGH!! It's no use!"
"Shut up! You're gonna make It!"
"STOP!!!" He screamed, hurting his chest, and Sigil putted him down again sobbing in panic for him. "Please... I'm not gonna make It..."
"You are! I won't allow you to go!" Sigil held his hand, starting to cry.
"Sigil... co-come closer..." He begged with his voice going lower.
"Yes..?" She sobbed.
"Tell... Flaming Arrow... I... *cough* always loved her..." He whispered at Sigil's hear.
"That's not gonna happen!" Sigil held his hand more tightly. "You won't go... You're gonna live, and say that to her!"
The soldier's expression didn't move, neither a blink, and the grip of his hand weakened.
"Blizzard..?" She called with a crying sob. "Soldier! Answer me!"
Took her a while to realize what happened, and she started crying over his body. She just witnessed death in the worst way until now, in the middle of a battle and hearing his last words to a loved one, that he never had the chance of saying It himself.
The situation was getting worse every moment, with grenades flying at them more constantly, and barely dodging in time, while the confusion and smoke didn't make It easy for the archers, neither to Quill and his battle mages in the mountain slope which were having trouble pointing their magic amplifiers at the enemy
Pinkamena made from the blunderbusses her favorite gun, not needing to aim at all to the groups of thugs. Mane preferred to use his magic, and turning his body into crystal making him a bullet proof annihilator, walking around in a fast pace, punching goons and breaking their bone in fury.
Eventually they started to use the grenades against him, and he was obligued to take cover from now on, in case one of those would fell by his side.
"Pinka! I think they are the last ones! Inside, at least."
"Good! I'm running out of loaded weapons here! Specially blunderbusses!"
Right before she was out of weapons, her side was clear, and Mane finished the last one by crushing his throat with a tight grip of his crystal fist. Behind a table, the marketer was trembling in fear from those two, too afraid to move from his spot or even grab a weapon. They were fierce in battle togheter, and they just wiped twenty superiorly armed thugs, one with just a bunch weapons that she barely knows how to use, and the other, a brute that could turn his crystal form on and off any moment.
"Diane! Get over here! They need our help outside!" Mane screamed from the main warehouse compartment.
"You there." Pinkamena grabbed the dealer by one arm and forced him to stand up. "Grab that barrel and come."
He obeyed without hesitation unless he wanted to experience a knife in his head, or even a shot at close range. He carried the small barrel out of the weapon deal room, and walking in front of her with a musket pointed at his head. Mane opened the garage door, and they came across a line of gangsters firing constantly their weapon at Copper's troops.
None of them seemed to notice the big door opening due to the noise, and the duo took the advantage.
"Throw that barrel at them!" Pinkamena screamed at the dealer furiously. "NOW!"
He didn't had other chance but to obey, and the barrel rolled in the direction of the firing line, and when It touched their cover and stopped, Pinkamena knelled and took aim at It, and with a precise shot, the barrel exploded, killing instantly five thugs outside by their back.
Panic spread among them trying to figure out what happened. And didn't took long for the remaining ones to point at Pinkamena, which she took cover behind a shelve full of crated and threw a grenade at a small group, killing two but one escaped, but he didn't go far when an archer fired her bow at the thug's head.
"NOOOOOW!!!" Screamed Copper from the other side to his troops, and they charged with the energy of an entire army for their wounded friends and their bravery.
The army reached the last thugs and slashed them with no mercy, shedding blood everywhere and let them die on their own blood. They ended the massacre and Sigil breathed in relieve that It was over, and Copper was well.
"Anypony is injured?" Sigil asked tothe surrounding troops.
"Four. And Blizzard didn't make It..." Said one of high rank soldiers in a sad tone.
"Fuck..." Copper whispered. "Help the wounded and check the warehouse for anything to help! There must be some extra first aid kits here."
"Hey!" Mane showed up from his cover. "How is the situation?"
"Four wounded and one death." Sigil approached him in a tired way, as if she was gonna drop on the floor. "This shit better pay off..."
"Yeah." Mane agreed, sharing the sadness for the loose of a soldier and the wounded ones.
"What was that back then?" Copper asked.
"Gunpowder." Pinkamena said, holding the musket she used previously. "The thing that caused the explosion and one of the ingredient to use these things."
"That sure was an explosion." Sigil commented, sitting on a chair. "What is on those boxes..?"
"Weapons... or maybe drugs..." Mane answered with a tired sigh.
*BANG*
A metallic loud noise was heard in a door. The group of five looked at It with suspicion, thinking they had them all killed. And for surprise, the door was kicked open by a huge figure, wearing a complete steel armor, from head to hooves and thick looking. With a blunderbuss in It's hands, and a chest holster holding four loaded pistols, fast of grabbing and ready to use, and a huge greatsword sheathed on It's waist.
The figure pointed a blunderbuss at them and shot, getting Sigil in an arm and Copper in his left leg.
"BULLDOZER!!!" Screamed Mane with all his might.
The tall figure threw the weapon away and pulled from his waist a huge greatsword with his hands and charged at Copper who was lying on the floor holding his leg, and he rolled in time before he was cut open with a single blow.
The brute grabbed a pistol from the holster and aimed at Sigil, but she escaped the lead bullet in time, which razzed her waist leaving a cut. She ran to Copper Spear and dragged him out of the scenario.
Mane turned his body back into crystal and threw a punch on him, but the gigantic knight didn't flinch and only left a dent in the armor. The stallion dodged a strike from the sword, and another one, constantly dodge rolling around what he called bulldozer, eventually losing the focus in his crystal powers, turning his body back to normal.
"Mane!" Pinkamena showed up from the other room. "Grab It!" She threw a pistol at him, and he got It, and without hesitation, he shot It at the bulldozer, but the bullet was fully stopped by the heavy armor, leaving just another dent.
"Well shit..." Mane commented while staring at him through his helmet with his ears down and a face of fear.
The gigantic knight threw a slap on him with the back of his gauntlet, getting Mane on the floor, and pointing a pistol at him, Mane rolled in time avoiding the hit.
"DIANE! I need a help here!" He screamed while avoiding more sword swings.
"A grenade?" She asked loudly.
"NO! It's too predictable!"
"Give me some time then!"
"Be fast, or you're gonna find me in pieces!"
Pinkamena run to the armory, and bullets were useless on that mastodon sized thug and It's armor. She ran upstairs and started checking boxes, and going faster with every time she heard the sword striking the floor and shelves in the main warehouse's complex.
A box with "Top Secret" written on called her attention. It was long in width and low in height, and made of iron with a lock on. She grabbed a nearby crowbar, broke the lock and opened the box in a hurry, and It showed a long musket, but with some particular extras and an instruction manual.
She opened the small booklet. It was called "Sniper", a prototype upgraded version of the musket, with more accuracy, range, damage, and a single shot capacity as expected. Made of wood and brass, with the same flintlock mechanism, a biped to help the stability and a scope made of shiny yellow brass with two magnifying glasses aligned with a cross-hair printed in the smaller one
She grabbed the weapon with difficulty due to It's weight, opening the biped following the instructions and loading It carefully, and the bullet was something out of what she saw previously. Instead of a iron ball, It was taller and made of brass, with a steel pointy end. According to the manual, It was made to long ranges with high aerodynamics and armor piercing.
Pinkamena lift the weapon from the floor and took It to a window with vision to the main complex, where Mane was still dodging the bulldozers greatsword. She positioned the biped on the window's apron and pointed at them.
"Mane!" Sha called from the superior floor. "Hold him!"
"How?!" Mane screamed, pissed at the bulldozers constant attacks.
"Somehow! I need a clear shot!"
Shaker's fury led him to turn into his shadow form, and the knight's blade crossed the smoke without hurting his target, leading to some confusion. Mane flied around him at full speed, and the bulldozer lost sight of him with the rapid movements of his opponent. He had disappeared somehow... he looked around making grunting noises, but he was nowhere to be found.
On top of a shelve, Mane showed up and looked at the mighty knight confused. He turned his crystal form on, and jumped at his back, which the knight quickly started to struggle with his weight and grab him, but the heavy armor was depriving him from reaching his back, while Mane kept his grip on his neck and legs on the sides of his chest. He lifted the bulldozer's head and clenched his legs more with all the strength he had, making the brute curve his spine to the back, and held him still.
"NOW! NOW!" Mane screamed while struggling to keep him still.
Pinkamena looked through the scope and aimed at his head, trying to keep the cross hair lined, and as soon she pulled the trigger, a huge explosion came from the sniper, and Pinkamena flew to the other side of the room she was in, screaming in pain for some reason.
The bullet flew at an insane full speed, cutting the helmet's tough steel and came out by the other side of It, killing the gigantic knight in a second, which he fell on his back with a huge noise and Mane under him, trying to crawl his way out.
Seconds later, Sigil and Copper, now with a rag around his leg and limping, peeked by the door, and they saw Mane struggling to get out from under the giant heavy body, which they limped to pull him out of his misery.
"Argh..." He groaned in some pain. "Where is Pinka..?"
"I'm here!" She screamed from the top floor. "I need some help here!"
"What happened?" Asked Copper.
"My shoulder... the recoil of this shit dislocated It!" She moaned in pain. "I can't move!"
"I'll go help her." Sigil headed upstairs, finding Pinkamena sitting against some boxes with a really long weapon by her side, moaning in pains and her shoulder showing a bone popping out under her skin and smooth pink fur. "Holy shit..." Sigil whispered.
"Help, please..." Pinkamena begged, fighting against the pains.
Sigil knelled next to her and put her hands on her, one in the back and the other or top the bone.
"Ready?" She asked.
"Just fucking do It..." Pinkamena moaned.
Sigil clenched her hands on her body, and with a clacking sound Pinkamena's shoulder went back into place, but without her letting out a huge scream that made Sigil cover her ears.
She looked at It and she could move her arm again, but It was still hurting and a lot. Diane smiled at Sigil and thanked.
"All this shit better pay off..." Said Sigil frustraded.
The security was tighten and new weapons were available this time, grenades and blunderbusses. New strategies, having holsters with at least four pistols fully loaded and ready to use. Light iron armor on chest and leg zone under the clothes. But most of all, bigger and stronger groups hired.
Don Topaz lit up a new cigar, while Beryl served his boss a glass of whiskey. Needless to say, the godfather wasn't happy since that day he decided to hold hostage two of the most wanted outcasts in Equestria, and he could somewhat tell he saw It coming. But besides that, he couldn't return to public view that soon, attending the army discovered his other side.
One day a "charismatic" millionaire, in the next day, a drug and weapon smuggler, and mafia supreme boss uncovered. It was almost nine in the morning, and he couldn't sleep for the last days, taking constantly medication to keep him calm.
"Beryl." He called, while looking outside a window of his safehouse. "Get me the journal..."
"Yes boss." The brute bodyguard walked out the room and returned with a rolled newspaper. "There you go, sir." He rested It on the table.
Topaz sat on his desk and putted the cigar on the crystal ashtray, opened the paper and he read the same article many read that morning and the previous day, with a picture of him next to the wall of text.
"So, they got notice of what was going on..." He took a puff of his cigar. "I could bribe them..."
"Honestly sir, I don't think the captain of the Royal Army wouldn't go well on It." Beryl commented.
"You have brains, Beryl..." He took a sip of whiskey. "I'll need some undercover in this. Maybe bribe the current minor rulers of this city, before a higher member of royalty comes to serve It's purpose."
The door of his safe house's office was knocked rapidly, as if someone was hammering a nail on It to put a picture on.
"Who is It?" Asked Don Topaz.
"Sir, we have something to show!" Sounded a voice from the other side, kind of in panic and eager to enter.
"Come in." He ordered with a firm voice.
The door opened, and dragged by two thugs dressed in suits and carrying muskets, a red unicorn colt wearing a sports shirt soaked in blood from his abdomen, and his mouth covered in blood and his horn with a anti-magic ring. Getting closer of the godfather, he noticed shocked that his mouth was sewed shut, and his face beaten and bruised.
"Who is this guy?!" Topaz stumbled in his words.
"He's our dealer in the warehouse on the Crystal Mountains." Said one of the guards, struggling to keep him one his hooves. "He showed up by the gate, limping and screaming with his mouth shut."
"Get his mouth open! I need to know!"
"We tried, sir. But somepony sewed his mouth with iron wire, knifes or scissors don't work."
Beryl the bodyguard, was staring at the tortured colt with a cold expression, and his eyes turned to his white shirt but now red was the dominant color. He called their attention, and the thug in the right lift his bloody shirt, to reveal stitches on his stomach, covered in dry blood, darker than the dealer's color.
"Take him to the dungeon. Open up and see what else they did!"
They all headed down to the basement, where a sick looking colt opened up is stomach again, and what they found, startled everypony in the room.
He pulled out a zip bag containing a piece of paper folded in four. The dealer was screaming but muffled in pain from having his guts open and trying to open his iron wire stitched mouth to let out his air in the mouth so he could scream louder. The surgeon washed the bag in some water and passed to a thug nearby, asking to give It to Don Topaz, which was waiting outside the room, intrigued by what happened, who did It and why send of of his goons tortured and alive to him.
"Sir." Called the thug, holding the bag with two fingers keeping It away from him. "We found this inside him."
"Beryl! Open that shit!"
The bodyguard obeyed with no restrains, he opened the bag and unfolded the card and handed It to his boss, which he opened fast expecting answer, but what he read made him close his fists in fury, with a death wish for the senders.
"It's a nice warehouse you got there, over those mountains..." - Dark Sigil
"Would be a shame if something would happen." - Copper Spear
"We found your toy store for adults! And you can guess what happened there, sucker!" -Mane Shaker
"'Hearth's Warming Eve Came Sooner'! Ho Ho Ho!" - Pinkamena Diane Pie
"PS: We simply decided to attack your products hideout, kill all your hired guns, burn all your narcotics and take with us all this amazing arsenal, now we have big weapons too. Your move, Don Topaz!"
His wrath in the moment had no limits, and he threw the cigar away and barged in inside the room, where he grabbed a scalpel and started to stab the dealer's guts without thinking twice.
"YOU MOTHER, FUCKER!" Don Topaz screamed furiously while stabbing the poor colt, who was screaming non stop with tears coming to the eyes of pure agony. "YOU HAD AN ARMY THERE! A FUCKING ARMY! AND YOU LET THEM TAKE OVER! I'M OUT OF BUSINESS BECAUSE OF YOUR INCOMPETENCE!"
The dealer was kicking the air, trying to get out of the operational table and It's leather straps, but Don Topaz grabbed the pistol of a thug frozen in place in horror, and he pointed at his head and pulled the trigger, killing the tortured colt instantly.
The surgeon was against a counter shocked with what he just witnessed, along with other thugs frozen in their places without any idea of running away afraid they would meet the same fate. Beryl, didn't move or flinch and just watched the horrifying scene without any difference.
The godfather breathed heavily and fast and cleaned the sweat in his forehead with a silk napkin from his suit's pocket, trying to calm down, and threw the pistol back at the thug, which he failed to grab by making an awkward juggling with It while trying to grab It in mid air.
"Get rid of him..." He whispered, and headed outside in a calm walk.
Ten in the morning, and some hours of delay due to problems in the train tracks, where the entirety of the troops had to stop and help how they could so the train would be back fully operacional.
The sun reflection in the crystal buildings made all of them cover their eyes, since they never saw something like that, except one character among them, the highest rank of them all posing in a steel armor with gold and a huge sword and two pistols, Captain Shining Armor. And It was not his first time in those lands, neither to some veterans from the battle for liberation of the Crystal Empire.
The citizens looked at the huge army coming out of the train and the station, carrying those uncommon new weapons and their bags along with army equipment. Outside the station, the seargent of the local army greeted Shining Armor with a salute, which the white unicorn answered as well.
"Good morning, captain Shining." The official greeted.
"Likewise for you." Shining Armor looked at him with a mean expression. "I don't think I need to tell why we are here, do I?"
"No sir."
"And do I need to ask about the disappearance of a majority of the weapons we shipped here?"
"Sir, I can explain..."
"No you can't! Before I embarked in this operation, I got a journal in Canterlot's train station, and imagine my face when I saw that these things..." Shining grabbed one of his pistols and showed It to the official right in front of him. "...already caused a causality, and EVEN worse, a damn gang war!"
"But we didn't found any traces of burglary." The official started sweating.
"I want to see your superiors..."
Three hours later, Shining's army had a place to set up their camp, where they built their barracks and operation center, and a makeshift training ground a bit away from the camp, complete with the new novelty in military training, a target range. They were well installed and close enough to the city for a fast response just in case, and also close of the Empire's army headquarters, where word and talking topic were those new weapons and their power.
Entering the officials tent, Shining in the company of a higher rank official, the major of the crystal army walked in, discussing details of the previous events in the city, since the armed robbery to a store to the war zone in a millionaire villa outside the city.
"Well..." Shining sat down in a chair behind a table, and served two glasses of wine for both of them. "Nopony saw this coming, neither us."
"We didn't notice anything either, I'm sorry, captain..." The official took a sip. "We only took notice many days ago, less than a week... we suspected how a bandit gained possession from a pistol, since they were in our arsenal. We opened the boxes, and I shit you not, they were empty!"
"That doesn't matter by this point." Shining drank as well. "What matter is, we need to find the source and stop them. Besides, this reminds me... why didn't any of you started a training program with the muskets?"
"I'm ashamed of saying this but... we had no idea how to use them or any instructor."
"I guess our side takes the blame." Shining sighed sadly. "We didn't think of that part either, because they are pretty easy to use, but reloading them, you have yourself a problem."
"What do you mean?" The army official asked with a weird expression.
"Well, they are easy to fire, more range, damage, accuracy and sometimes armor piercing capabilities, but reloading time is like a ritual. Around one minute and half for a rookie, but for an experienced soldier, around thirty seconds."
"That's something, can't wait to use one."
"We will offer some training with them, after we are done with this." Shining Armor finished his glass.
"We'll be very grateful." The crystal official ended his drink as well.
Shining Armor served another glass, and he started thinking in the plans for tomorrow and the strategies to catch up with the events and further ones, when something came to his mind, and he grabbed the official's arm in the table and slightly touched it to call his attention.
"Yes, sir?"
"Tell me... have you seen some... suspicious looking outsiders?" Shining asked with a mysterious look in his face.
"What do you mean?" He asked with a weird look again.
"Look at these." Shining pulled from a desk with some paper work on, two paper with two ponies printed on each one of them.
The official looked over and read each one of them with a clear voice.
"Wanted. Mane Shaker, a.k.a., The Last Sombra." That nickname shivered his spine. "For tampering with the law, first degree murder, justice by own hands, trespassing royal property, attempt of murder, drinking, relative of war criminal and disturbing the peace. Reward: 500 000 bits."
He looked over the other poster.
"Wanted. Pinkamena DianePie, a.k.a., Cupcake Killer, Bloody Mare, The Cannibal of Ponyville." The last nickname made him feel sick. "For tampering with the law, first, second and involuntary degree murder, cannibalism, torture, kidnapping, attempted murder, black market activity (organ selling), and disturbing the peace. Reward: 90 000."
The official was terrified with the mare looking at him from the poster with a killing expression towards him. He looked back at Mane's poster and checked back the accusations and rewards.
"Captain Shining..?"
"Yes?"
"Isn't there a mistake..?" The colt dared to ask.
"What do you mean 'a mistake'?" Shining was intrigued.
"Why is her reward lower than his, justifying the list of accusations? Fuck, I mean..." The official sneered disturbed. "Look at her list!"
"Major... look back into his nickname, and a certain accusation."
"'The Last Sombra'." He read again and looked back into the list. "'Relative of war criminal...'"
He looked back to Shining, who was waiting for him to realize what was going on there, and his expression got serious.
"Are you telling me... that King Sombra had a son..?" He asked in a paused voice.
"No, but close... Mane is simply his nephew. We don't have or didn't find any information or lead to the rest of his family,besides this." Shining grabbed his glass and took a gulp of wine. "Rumors say he was supposed to be Sombra's sucessor."
"Captain, explain me this." He looked back to the accusation list. "'Justice by own hands.'" He read again clearly. "What? He tried to revenge his uncle?"
"No, but something way more off. He's a vigilante, a goddamn bounty hunter! He has killed the most wanted criminals around Canterlot's zone and Ponyville."
"That's something, but... I don't mean to go against your arguments, but I think he's doing something good. I mean, he killed the most wanted one by the law like you said."
"That his the army's business!" Shining punched the table. "We didn't give any permission for him to do It, and he keeps doing!"
"Tell me something then." He waved Pinkamena's poster in the air. "What is her part here?"
"They are working together for some freak reason."
"And why did you showed me this, after all?"
"They are in your city, plotting something." The answer made the major open his eyes in shock. "Now let me ask you again. Did any of your soldiers saw them?"
"We got a report that Pinkamena was the only witness in the first murder with a pistol."
"Was she the cause?" Shining leaned forward over the table, eager for the answer.
"Not at all. She gave a precise description of the murderer and the whole scene."
"Hmm..." Shining rested his back in the chair again. "Weird..."
"So... what do you have in mind about this?" The major asked while resting the posters on the table.
"Inform your troops about them, and scatter copies of these posters all around town, we must catch these two maniacs before something happens."
They finished the wine bottle, stood up from their seats and saluted. The major left Shining's tent, leaving him alone, and stared at the posters , looking at the well made drawings of their faces with big wish to catch them soon and be glorified by his work, catching two of the most wanted on Equestria would be written in his history and the books about law and Equestrian greatest deeds.
The more he stared at Mane's poster, more he clenched his fist in desperation to catch him. Shining Armor standards, besides Mane get in the law's business without permission or care, were no matter what, all relative to the once warlord called King Sombra had to die, and Mane was the very last one of his bloodline, reasons to avoid another catastrophe that once was called reign of terror and a second battle to liberate the Crystal Empire.
"You escaped me once in this city, you won't escape twice..."
The arriving that morning wasn't so happy. Carrying the dead soldier by the complex was the most depressing that happened in ages in the cult, and the state of the body wasn't the most pleasing to look at.
Mothers covering the eyes of their foals, while shocked with the scene, and behind the two soldiers carrying the hammock, four soldiers wounded by the bullets of the battle they fought, and two with their eyes wide open in shock and face pale as if some ghost stole their poor souls from their bodies. They were clearly shocked by the experience and they wouldn't go soon back into their militar activities.
A group of three nurses took them carefully to the small hospital zone, after Sigil tell them what was wrong with them. And without asking, some cultists started preparing the funeral of the fallen soldier, down near the dungeon, a burial place was situated with some tombs dedicated to It's death members.
During the funeral, Mane stood with his head down by the entrace of the underground burial site, and Pinkamena next to him by the other side of the door. They closed the coffin after the prays and something caught Mane's eye, Sigil talking with an orange mare which started crying and the leader comforted her with a hug while she kept crying and crying over her shoulder. It was probably the soldier's best friend or even girlfriend, and that made Mane even sadder, making him leave the place when they started to bury the coffin.
Pinkamena followed him with a fast pace, but as soon she putted her hand on his shoulder, Mane shoved her hand away and kept walking upstairs to his room, and closed the door with a loud banging.
He kicked a chair in anger, and threw himself on the bed crying and screaming against the sheets to muffle his noises, as if he was being tortured non stop, with a pain in his chest.
Outside the room, Pinkamena stood worried for him, hearing his muffled cries, and Copper Spear showed up worried as well for his friend.
"What happened..?" Copper whispered in a sad tone.
"He's too sensitive..." Pinkamena answered sad as well.
"I understand... should we speak to him?"
"I don't know... we should give him some time and space."
"Okay..." Took some time for him to answer. "I'm gonna head back there. Please, don't depress him even more."
"Why would I do that?" The pink mare sounded annoyed with the suggestion.
"Just be careful with what you say, nothing more..." Copper Spear turned around and walked slowly to the stairs again.
Pinkamena looked at the bedroom's door, and the noises of kicking stuff and punches on the bed's mattress stopped. She took a depp breath and knocked at the door.
"Mane?" She called but no answer. "I'm gonna enter, okay..?"
She slowly opened the door with a squeaking noise, and found Mane laying on the carpet with arms and legs open, without his vest on, breathing heavily and sobbing, looking at the rock ceiling with his eyes full of tears. He didn't move from his position and Pinkamena approached carefully.
"Mane?"
"Leave me alone." He ordered.
"I want to help."
"Leave. Please."
"I won't." She sat next to him on the carpet. "What happened, can you tell me?"
He moved his head slightly to the side and look at her on the eyes. She was in fact worried, and took him a time to think in his words.
"All of them got affected by me."
"Hum... not at all."
"What do you mean 'not at all'? Four got wounded not counting Sigil and Copper, two are in shock of battle and worse of all, one death!"
"It was not your fault, they agreed to help us on this, and we both accepted. They saw this coming."
"It should have been me inside that coffin." He said It with a cold voice.
"Mane! What the heck!" She leaned down, closer of him. "Don't. Say. That."
"You don't tell me what to say or not." He rose from the floor and sat on the carpet against the bed. "Look at me. Look... I'm the nephew of one of the most infamous characters in Equestria's history. I try to make the opposite of his actions by making justice in my own way, and what do I get? I'm the most wanted guy around the continent, I'm hunted by the law, my face in criminal posters. Tell me! You tell me! Do I have a reason to live?"
"You do." She answered with a patient sigh.
"No! I don't! Everyday I think if I should stab my chest or jump out a chasm, and join my uncle and all the sick fuckers I killed down in hell! And have nopony to cry for me."
"I would cry..." She held his hands, and he looked back at her with his eyes red from crying. "And Luna too... and your friends back in that bar, and the whole cult here..."
"I'm a nopony..." Mane sighed sadly.
"You are... don't get yourself down like this. Your uncle left a mark in history. A really nasty looking scar, but you are not like him. You're making this world a favor, and better be a unknown hero than a death villain..."
Mane kept his eyes fixed on hers. The silence was heavy in the room, and she changed her place and sat next to him against the bed as well, and they stayed there, looking at the wall of nothing thinking in the moment from before. The most silent five minutes they had together since they met each other.
Pinkamena noticed Mane's vest on the floor next to the bed, and grabbed It slowly and look at the "Sombra" stitched on the back in red gothic looking letters. He looked at her and did nothing, he simply looked while breathing quietly.
"Try It..."
"Wha-what??" Pinkamena turned for him fully surprised by the offer.
"Try It." He repeated in a dull voice.
Was he out of his mind? Knowing him well for some months, that would be the last thing he would say to her or anypony else. Every time she touched It, a time out or simply angry rumble towards her. Took her some time to dare, and the mare took off her leather jacket, and she slowly dressed the vest on top of her grey top tank. It was a bit too big for her, but It was warm and comfortable. Cozy was the word, and she looked at him and showed a little smile of gratitude.
"Looks good on you..." Mane commented, forming a small but somewhat sad smile.
"T-thank you." She said with a happy expression as if she was about to cry.
"Keep it on for a bit more."
"If you say so." She accepted the offer.
She rested against the bed frame again, and something was off. She started to had a strange feeling over her, as if she was being observed by an evil force. She started to feel cold as if she was with no clothes on top of Mount Everhoof in the middle of a blizzard in winter, and It slowly changed to the complete opposite, now if she was with winter clothes in San Palomino Desert in summer time. By this point, she was scared but her curiosity made her to keep the vest for some time longer, and a strange energy started flowing through her body, the essence of a lust for power and blood, what made King Sombra what he was...
Pinkamena quickly took the vest off as fast as she could, and gave back to Mane who dressed It back without problems. Her expression on fear and intrigue was clear, and he read the question she had in mind.
"It has no effect on me." Mane said with the same tone from before. "When he got 'cursed', all my family paid the price with the curse too and we had powers we didn't know of. His clothes got possessed too and he was some years older than me. This vest belonged to him and was the only surviving piece, that explains the 'Sombra' in the back, and whoever has the 'Devil Blood'... like me, doesn't suffer the curse's effects."
Pinkamena was frozen in place with the explanation, and now It was clear why she was forbidden to touch It.
"That's why I don't want nopony to touch It."He continued. "One guy once got me in a cage during one of my contracts, and to mock me he wore It in front me, and he didn't care for what It was doing, and some minutes later, the guy fell flat on the floor and went literally crazy. Needless to say, I escaped the cage and killed the poor bastard, besides being a foal kidnapper, I could have left him like that forever so he could suffer but I decided to put him out of his misery."
"Now I understand..." She whispered. "Can you explain this... 'Devil Blood', does It have good and bad sides?"
"It has a balance... which one you wanna know first?"
"The good ones." She answered reluctantly.
"The good perks are, like we saw some nights ago, I can use one of my uncle's powers..." Mane made his arm into black smoke. "I got turn into some kind of shadow form." Then he turned the same arm into grey crystal. "I have a uncommon control in my crystal form without the presence of the Crystal Heart." He turned his arm back to normal. "I can spawn wings but for a very limited time, but I never used them."Now, he swapped his fist into iron, involved in fire, then electricity. "Superior magic powers that Quill taught me, nearly close of Celetia's student, Twilight Sparkle."
"Yeah... she's runs the library in Ponyville. I've seen her before into action, she has skills."
"We had a bad relation in the past. We didn't like each other very much, but I was a jerk back then. She was Celestia's student, and me too."
"Wait wait wait! YOU were a student of Celestia?!"
"Well, kind of. Because after the war and witness my uncle's death by an execution of her blade, her sister, Luna saved me from Shining Armor, and they brought me to Canterlot and tried to be a student next to Twilight Sparkle. But do you think I wanted to be friends with the mare that killed the only relative I knew at the time? Of course not, and I was not aware of what my uncle did, I was five years old..."
He looked at her, and Pinka was sitting with her ears up listening carefully to his story, and she asked him to continue.
"Aren't you bored..?"
"No no. Please continue." She said.
"They thought It would be wise to try change my mind from my previous lifestyle, which they failed miserably. This is when Luna comes... I grew attached to her, like a mother, the mother I never knew or had. She used to play with me, talk, and sometimes taught me some magic. My best guess why her is... erm... have you heard about Nightmare Moon?"
"Who doesn't? It was an insane age between the two sisters."
"Exactly. Luna experienced a possession by her own inner demons and she was eventually defeated, captured and they performed an exorcism extremely painful on her, but she managed to go through the whole thing. In my case, I was also cursed but I didn't know, and my senses pointed to her. You can say, we had something in common."
"Sorry to ask but, what are the bad things in your curse?"
"Oh yeah. I almost forgot..." He resumed to his dull voice. "Well, there is a chance of ninety percent, every night I'll have a nightmare, and really... really bad one." He looked back at her. "Remember that time I blasted a hole in the basement wall in the middle of the night?"
"How can I forget that explosion? The newspaper analysed It has a small earthquake."
"That was me waking up from one."
"Geez..." Pinka whispered impressed.
"I have at least three different ones, and each one represents different things. Fear, guilt and wrath."
"What are they, if you don't mind." She asked with a low voice, as if she was gonna regret It.
Mane took a deep breath and close his eyes in an effort to start speaking.
"Fear." He said calmly containing his nerves. "I dream I'm on completely dark room, in nothing but my underwear and hands tied, hooves chained without any room to move and unable to use my magic. And there's a creature I never ever saw, constantly moving around in the dark and taunting me with It's sounds and tongue, or finger, whatever, over my body. And to end It, It strikes me and I wake up with a huge pain in my body, as if I got crunched." Mane took a deep breath. "It represents my fear of the dark, what the unknown hides, and be out of control of things. "
"Oh my..."
"Wrath. This one doesn't disturb me that much, but still freaks me the fuck out." He took another deep breath. "I dream I'm on top of a mountain, my eyes are not the same anymore but rather like the ones my uncle had when he was angry. They were green and the iris is red, with a evil looking purple aura coming out of them, and back then It didn't scare me, bu now that I think of, those were the same eyes that petrified the entire Crystal Empire in terror ..." "...My horn is like his, made of pure red crystal and curved. And in front of me, all of Equestria burning , the skies are orange and red from the intensity of the flames. It represents if I'm not careful in the use of my hidden powers, they might corrupt me and turn into a destructive force of nature, with a power matching Celetia herself, but the thing is, They help me."
"They who?"
"I... prefer to not speak of Them. For real..." Mane said It with a serious tone.
"I understand. What about the last one?"
"Guilt..." Mane sobbed strangely. "This one... It's the most fucked up of them all, and It explains why I react badly witnessing the death of the innocents. It's an heavy story, so please, if you don't wanna-"
"I'm fine with It." She interrupted, eager to know the last one from the list.
"If you say so..." Mane stopped and closed his eyes before start speaking. "It was another contract. Just like the others, another filthy pig faced pedophile to kill and get the job done. I caught him the middle of the act, in a shack in the middle of Everfree Forest, beating a little filly with a stick and she was naked on a bed with her body all red from the abuse, crying loudly for her mom... We had a huge fight with each other, constantly rolling on the floor punching each other constantly while the little girl kept crying in horror of all the events taking place in one single minute. And when I thought I had him, I pointed my finger and charged a magic shot... and... he used her... as a... shi...el...d..."
Mane stopped, and he got pale as if he lost a great portion of blood, and his eyes shrunken in fear. He started crying, sobbing constantly and eventually entering in a flow of panic, started to moan his cries louder and louder, taking his hand to his head and nodding to the sides, as if he was suffering of shock like the two soldiers after the battle now in the hospital.
Pinkamena quickly grabbed his arms, begging him to stop, and his panic affected her somehow, making her starting to cry too taking a guess of what happened next in the story.
"Mane! Calm down!" She begged while crying along. "Please! Look at me! Look at me!"
He looked at her in shock, crying , babbling and moaning his traumatizing memories without control, and she hugged him tight, making him stop of shaking, rubbing her crying face on his arm, while he hugged back with his arms trembling. And they stood there, hugging each other, sitting on the floor like they had all the time in the world.
Outside the room, they all stared at the door, speechless and guessing what was happening there. All those moans and cries echoing through the main complex were scary, making the few moms there to cover their sons and daughters ears if they were around. Sigil was frozen in her place, and next to her, Copper and Quill as well paralyzed. None of them dared to touch the door and see what was wrong, or even ask from outside.
Simply the cries of a traumatized stallion haunting the place, after one particular incident that affected him in all ways to the rest of his life.
Three days later after the funeral, the whole cult was in mourning, with everypony wearing black cloth bands around their arms, one for each other, representing their sorrow in the lose of a loved one by many.
Mane and Pinkamena didn't skip the ritual, and his nights were comforted by Pinkamena sleeping in a sofa next to his bed, just for the case he would start panicking on his frequent nightmares, she would awake him and serve him a glass of water, and comfort him with her warm words that everything was alright and was all a bad dream.
In the mean time, the barracks of the cult's small army were now as loud as a armor factory, with the muskets and pistols resembling the anvils constantly being struck by hammers. With time, they got better with a willpower of learning and avenge the death of their dead comrade. Sigil, Copper, Mane and Pinkamena used to attend to the training, also getting better on the use of firearms, to the point where they could carry two weapons and fire them rapidly one at a time, without failing their targets.
Dark Sigil had ordered to dig a long thin tunnel, around one hundred and fifty meters long and provided with lights and a target in the end of It, where Pinkamena could practice the use of the new found weapon, the one so powerful that even hurt It's user the first time It was used, the sniper.
In the previous days of constant use, It started to cause real damage on her arm, and requested the cult engineers to make a very special modification. The cut part of the stock and between the part and the rest of the long range weapon, they added a pair of flexible strings and two pistons to connect the parts back. Now, the sniper had a huge improvement. The recoil was totally absorbed by the springs, without hurting the pink mare every time she would shoot, making It a more enjoyable experience, and needless to say, she learned how to use the weapon with efficiency reading the manual constantly and training the reload and how to adjust the scoop. Eventually, the cult engineers learn how to make the various pieces of every weapon, including the required kind of ammo to Pinkamena's new "toy".
Inked Quill, the master scribe of the cult entered the canteen, where Mane was eating a slice of pie in the company of Pinkamena and some cultists, talking with them about many topics. All of them had the same sad expression due to the funeral and lose of a member.
The scribe knew how he was after that day, and had the empathy of now interrupt them or call him. He walked behind Mane and pat his back slightly, getting his attention.
"Hi." Quill said with a calm tone in his old voice.
"Hey..." Mane sounded melancholic.
"Are you feeling better?"
"I guess." He ate the last piece of pie and cleaned his mouth. "Want something?"
"Yes actually." Quill cleared his throat. "Me and my scholars, we would like to run some tests on you."
Mane froze and looked into the walls behind Inked Quill, as if he was hypnotized or traumatized by something, still holding the napkin he used to clean his mouth, and just like the rest of his body, paralyzed.
"Mane?" Pinkamena touched his shoulder. "Are you alright?"
But he didn't answer, starting to lower his head to the floor with the same shocked face.
"Mane." She called again, but now shaking him. "Wake up!"
"What? Who?!" He snapped.
"Quill made you a question."
"Oh yes, hum..." Mane looked at Quill again, but now worried. "As long there's no needles, tubes on my body or the need of a coma."
"What the heck are you thinking?" Quill asked a bit annoyed. "There's nothing of that."
"Then I'm up for it..." His answer was unsure if It was the right choice.
"Quill, can I have a minute with you?" Pinkamena asked.
"Yes." They walked to a corner, while Mane kept talking with the cultists. "What is It."
"I'm not sure if you should do this. I mean... you all heard him that day, right?"
"I was outside the room with everypony. And shit, his cries echoing were like a ghost haunting the place."
"Yes that. May I ask, what are you gonna do to him?"
"Don't worry. We just want to test his magic capabilities and the unusual control he has in his 'crystal sense'."
"Is there going to be some sort of machines on him?" She asked worried.
"Well, besides his magic, we thought about testing his physic when in crystal. So we need some inoffensive wires around his body, you know, cardio status, magic flow, etc..."
"That may disturb him a bit. Let me give him an ahead warning."
"Go for It, I'll be happy with his contribute."
"Oh, and Quill, on top of all... please don't be rude with him, he hasn't been sleeping well." Her voice was so innocent.
"I'll watch my mouth, darling, you can count on that." The elder said with a smile, as if It was a father talking with her daughter.
Pinkamena returned to Mane and put her hand over his shoulder and whispered. For a moment, he made a surprised reflex probably from the part with the machines, but soon he settled down. Mane calmly stood up and said the goodbyes to the cultists sitting with him and Diane, and followed Quill outside the cantina.
On their way, the elder explained the reasons of the tests to gather info and knowledge. Reason being from his powers out of normal and possess the "Devil Blood". By the middle of their way to the laboratory, Mane was more safe and more glad of helping them, I knew It was going to be a challenge to his capacities and being how he was, he wanted to show them what he was capable of.
They arrived to the archives and the two scribe scholars followed them to the back of the of the room, where a medium sized room filled with scientific machinery in every corner and shelve, along with some blackboards filled with numbers and equations in white chalk.
"Are you ready?" Quill asked nicely.
"Sure." Mane answered with a determined expression.
"First of all, we need you to get off those clothes, and get on these sport shorts. The dressing room is there." Quill pointed at a small cubicle with a purple curtain.
Mane accepted the yellow shorts offered by a scholar, he went and came back with nothing on his body but the shorts. He approached and the two assistants started putting the stickers with really long wires on specific parts of his torso, followed by neck, shoulders, arm, legs and back. The apparatus frightened him for a moment, but he relaxed and thought It was nothing but a test.
"Get on the treadmill and get ready to walk." Quill instructed.
Mane obeyed and the machine started working, and he walked normally. The machines connected to the wires in his body started giving results when they flipped the switch.
"All good?" Asked a scholar, which Mane nodded positively. "We are gonna speed up."
They turned the speed up and he slowly started running, and the machinery beeping in a rhythm.
"Ten miles per hour." Read one of them.
"Mane, do you smoke?" Asked Quill while taking notes, and Mane waved a 'no' with a finger. "Healthy lungs." Quill wrote down.
"Get ready for a sprint!" Shouted the scholar, and he turned the speed up even more.
The machine went to fourteen miles per hour, and half minute later, Mane started waving them to get the speed down being too tired to speak and not interrupt the breathing rhythm.
They stopped the treadmill and he stopped to, and drank some water they offered. The different tests went on and with some normal results for a stallion of his physic. And much later after a well deserved rest, they went on with the magic tests.
By Inked Quill, Master Scribe of the Worshipers of the Dark Crystal
Subject: Mane Shaker Age: 20 Race: Unicorn Origin: Crystal Empire Weight: 87 Kg Height:: 1,79 m
Smoker: No Drinker: Yes
Today we took some tests under Mane Shaker's acceptance, the nephew of the dead King Sombra himself! Ahead, It's listed the majority of the results with his body completely normal without any effect of drugs or magic.
Speed Running Speed: 10 miles per hour Max Speed: 14 miles per hour (only lasted 23 seconds)
Strenght
One hand: 25 Kg Both: 42Kg Max weight (arms): 50 Kg (Barely!) Max hand grip: 51 Kg (average)
Leg: 30 Kg Both: 37 Kg Max (legs): 45 Kg
Fight Normal Punch: 87 PSI Max punching strength: 102 PSI
Front Kick: 110 PSI Side Kick: 107 PSI Max (front): 127 PSI
Note: He seems to show great strength in his legs, but he doesn't seem to show good fight coordination what comes to normal fighting, but for his leg strength I have something highly relevant for him! The poor guy is an orphan and never ever met his parents, which according to rumors they died when he was not even one year old, and his legs indicate he has roots of an earth pony, also telling by his fetlocks on his hooves.
Reflexes Mane shows average reflexes if he's facing the direction, but if completely surrounded, he seems to lose control and enter in a frenetic "dodge ball" kind of mentality, which makes him go back, but he dodges in the last second which can be dangerous. When the scholars started to throw even more foam balls with their magic and making them fly around him, he lost completely track and ended up overwhelmed, but not without a fight (with the balls, of course.)
Resistance Max Temperature: 26 ºC Minimum Temperature: 5 ºC
Note: Just like a true crystal pony, he stands to the coldest temperatures, but... an average one stands to 10ºC, but he stood in 5ºC for one minute until he asked us to open the lab freezer! My best guess It's from his uncommon blood, strong against freezing temperatures but weak (!) against hot ones.
Final Notes
Mane Shaker is a unicorn stallion from the Crystal Empire. Average built, fit, average strength but his running skills could use some practice. His legs, they may be not made for running, but they show great strength for a fight! But disappointingly, his fight knowledge is almost a three out of ten. I wonder the results when in his "Crystal Sense". Normal reflexes but loses focus when many things around him happen towards him, but he still insists in still going. His resistance to temperatures are the total opposite. While he barely resisted hotter temperatures, he laughed on the cold and seemed to show potential to resist even longer, and probably even colder!
As a final note, we asked his friend Pinkamena Diane Pie about his drinking habits, and this guy can drink five bottles of "Crystal Vodka" without a flinch and stand on his hooves! We tried to run some tests on him, but the results are completely unknown!
Ahead to the magic tests, I can't wait to what this magnificent bastard as to show us...
Ahead Notes: As I expected, Mane's magic capabilities are great, but they went above the limits in some aspects almost burning the damn equipment! This guy in magic is more than meet the eye, thanks to the "Devil Blood" which was never his choice to accept. For this test, we decided to give him total freedom of the spells he wanted to perform.
We decided to start with something basic. Ahead, some of them and their results.
(All numbers are in average ME, standing for Magic Energy, with a limit of 1000, being above It almost the level of an alicorn, which is 1500.)
Normal Object Levitation: 519/1000 Object Levitation (moving object): 537/1000 Light: 601/1000 Note: Even for normal magic, his brain uses more than necessary but didn't show any signals of exhaustion.
Advanced (Fight) Fire Ball: 483/1000 Ice: 501/1000 Electricity: 847/1000 (Damn!) Note: If his brain wouldn't get tired so quickly with electricity, this guy could feed an entire street! He gets quickly exhausted with these spells, but there's still more to carry on.
Normal Body Magic Iron Fist: 441/1000 Haste (legs): 700/1000 (Max Speed: 43 miles per hour) Shockwave: 786/1000 Note: With this style, his body works like a magic battery. The "haste" spell made us turn the treadmill to max speed, while the shockwave coming from inside of his body to outside made stuff in the tables fall, including the scholars fly two meters in the air! Good thing I was next to a table to duck in time... but there's the other side of the coin. Using his body like a magic conduct slightly damages him, and extensive use can cause serious injury on himself, and if prolonged, permanent damage.
"Ghost" Form
This unique technique, only Mane has It and he discovered some days ago. This old power granted to King Sombra after his pact with Tirek, allowed him to turn somewhat in a ghost assembling a dense cloud of black smoke, now It's Mane's turn to inherit this power.
It allows him to fly but very limited heights, 5 meters according to the test. Really high speed and immune to any physical damage, except his head which can resize. The Magic Detector picked 939 ME on the room, but for some reason, his brain doesn't get exhausted that quick, neither his body. Analysis point that It causes a balance between mind and body, and requires some focus which Mane doesn't show most of times.
But as usual, there's the bad side. He can't pass through solid matter (defeats the "ghost" name), neither fight or use his magic. Only purpose then? Be sneaky and a quick get a getaway from danger if necessary. Personally, I would use It to scare somepony in some situations.
Crystal Sense
Finally, the one we have been waiting for! And I really don't know what to say, even my students... We decided to remake the body test while he was on this form, with some changes and we received expected and unexpected results. The first thing we addressed was the unusual control of this without the presence of the Crystal Heart or It's aura, which points to the "Devil Blood" factor.
As per usual of a crystal pony, the body tissue , fur, hair and tail turn into hard mineral matter, but the other properties are still the same as a normal body, with total flexibility and normal body nature.
Weight: 137 Kg Height:: 1,82 m
Minerals Hair and tail: Ruby and obsidian Body: Smoked Quartz Eyes: Emerald (iris) and obsidian (pupils.) Hooves: Obsidian
Speed Running Speed: 6 miles per hour Max Speed: 9 miles per hour (not even 12 seconds!)
Strenght One hand: 20 Kg Both:39 Kg Max weight (arms): 43 Kg Max hand grip: (He broke the device.)
Fight Normal Punch: 107 PSI Max punching strength: 130 PSI
Front Kick: 150 PSI Side Kick: 133 PSI Max (front): 181 PSI Stomp: 158 PSI
Resistance Max Temperature: 29 ºC Minimum Temperature: 0 ºC
Final Notes
His magic is above the limits and serves him well the lack of fighting skills. The detectors showed his brain uses two and/or three times more than necessary, which can lead to some problems in the future if he doesn't receive a therapy in brain power control.
His ghost form is like a lite version of King Sombra's. While he could use magic and "sometimes" go through solid objects, Mane doesn't have any of those, but has the speed at least.
The Crystal Sense is what made the show. The Magic Detector pointed 681 ME As expected, his weight was massive due to the density of different minerals, and needless to say, running on It, he didn't last one minute. We turned the max speed to test a sprint, he got tired then lost control and fell flat on the machine almost breaking It!
His strength for weight lifting, we analysed and saw what was going on. His body gets used to the extra weight and a small magic flow helps him with his massive weight, but lifting heavy objects begs more for the magic and we previously analysed what would happen if his body overdoes the magic flow, attending his body is already under a magic effect/aura.
But the fight, this is what made us put a limit. Mane's speed is very limited, but when he lands a hit It can be an instant knockout! The punching pressure machine survived with no damage (unlike the grip meter), and the kick machine (barely) made It! If the walls of this place weren't made of bricks of solid rock but red bricks, he could kick holes in every wall all day.
He also told us about something of being bullet proof. One of my scholars went to Captain Copper and asked for some loaded weapons, and upon firing on Mane, the bullets just go back in random directions, which we had to stop or one of us three would die or go to the hospital.
With this, I end the tests on Mane Shaker and we have official results of what we could perform and analyze.
Middle of the night, nopony on the streets except some patrols on duty. Luna's moon glimmering in the sky over the crystal city, along with the stars forming the different constellations worth admiring for their names and creativity of astronomers.
Around thirty guys, no loud weapons to avoid the risks and on the third floor, the group's boss office. It was the perfect strike for those two.
"Knowing Shining Armor a bit, his troops will end their patrolling around this hour." Said Mane checking the clock in a tower, on the end of the street, marking four in the morning.
"So, are we supposed to be fast?" Pinkamena asked, checking the sharpness of her knifes.
""Fast and furious."
"I love the sound of that." She smiled evilly.
"Also, we must keep in mind. Do this in less than ten minutes, or else the neighborhood can notice and call the army. Because sometimes you can't be that silent."
"What if we linger?" Pinka questioned in doubt.
"Then we speed up, grab what we need and get the fuck out."
"And if the army arrives?"
"We find a way, there's always a window to jump or a backdoor. Also, take this..." Mane gave her a white hockey mask.
"What is this for..?" She asked with a weird expression.
"If we get seen, we don't want nopony to see our face. Middle of the night, hard to see ,but they always go to check the face first."
"Makes sense." She dragged her hair to the back and putted the mask on. "What about yo-" She looked at Mane and he was wearing something more comic than terrifying. "Really..?"
"What?" Mane giggled.
"A rubber chicken mask, really?"
"Pinka, tell me this then. Wouldn't It be terrifying to be alone in the night, on an alley. And an anthropomorphic chicken with a baseball bat shows in front of you?" Mane asked pulling out the baseball he brought.
"I guess..." She answered the weird question.
"Now tell me, my pretty little psycho..." Those words made her blush. "Do you like hurting ponies?"
"Um... yes."
"Then let's do this."
Pinkamena pulled her machete provided by the cult and walked to the door with Mane. They stopped and stared at the building for some moments then looked at each other, and Mane kicked the door open and took a goon instantly with the baseball bat. A door in the corridor opened and Pinkamena charged at the two gangsters with her knifes to their necks, kill them slowly by suffocating in their own blood.
They walked silently and checked the rooms, were goons would go at them holding knives and lead pipes, but they were disposed quickly by the duo. They spotted the stairs to the second floor, being guarded by three. Mane walked in scene and they grabbed their baseball bats, but he ducked and from behind him, Pinkamena threw two knifes at their heads ending their attempts, then jumping on his back fora boost and taking the last mafioso on the ground floor with her machete, almost slicing him in half completely.
"Hardcore..." Mane commented.
"That's how I work." She answered back.
They headed upstairs, and Mane knocked two out with one swing. A door behind them opened, and a colt holding a blunderbuss was killed in time thanks to Pinkamena, which was guarding It. She took possession of the weapon with a smile behind her mask, but Mane silently told her not to, reminding her to keep the silence.
They took different paths, Mane to the left and Diane to the right. Each side was a different noise. In the left, brutal blows of wood in skulls splattering the walls and floor in blood, and littering the place with bodies and their heads smashed open. In the right, slicing noises on necks and limbs and sometimes gurgling noises of blood entering in the lungs, splattering even more blood everywhere and body parts all over the place and the most brutal, a severed head rolling on the floor.
The duo met at the stairs, and Mane noticed Pinkamena trying to control her "psychopath instinct" and It's thirst for blood. They headed to the last floor but this time surprised when four gangsters had the quick reflexes of shooting their muskets at them in the end of the corridor, making them take cover behind the walls.
"I thought that idiot said there was no firearms!" Pinkamena complained over the noise.
"Well shit! The silence was broken. You still have the blunderbuss?"
"Yeah."
"Use It. Time to speed things up, won't take long to Shining's troops to be here now!"
Pinkamena pulled the weapon strapped to her back with a leather band, with a quick peek she shot It, taking out two guards. Mane threw with his magic the baseball bat, right on one of the thugs head knocking his down. The remaining one still alive and panicking to reload his pistol, Mane charged at him full speed along the corridor and tackled him against the wall, making him sit on the floor against the wall staggered by the shock.
The unicorn turned his leg into crystal and with one kick smashed the bandit's head with a mess of skull bits and bloody jelly. While the previous thus was recovering from the throw, Pinkamena finished him by lodging her machete in his head.
They breath deeply in relieve, and Mane kicked the door open. Behind the table, a blue earth colt with some badly shaved beard was hiding, dressed in a black suit just like the rest of his dead thugs. Mane grabbed him by the suit's collar and dragged him to the top of the table brutally, making papers and other stuff fall, and Pinkamena putted her knife on his neck.
"Wh-who are you?!" The associate asked terrified, staring at their masks covered in blood.
"Shut up and answer us!" Mane punched him in the face. "Where is Don Topaz?"
"I-I don't k-know!"
"Pinka?"
She grabbed his hand and held It firmly against the table, and with one smash of her knife, she cut one of his fingers. The colt screamed in agony, but was shut when Mane punched him in the face again.
"WHERE is Don Topaz?" Mane tried again.
"How c-can I know?!" He begged with tears forming on his eyes.
"Do you want to lose the whole hand?" Pinkamena threatened showing the bloody knife on his eyes.
"I swear! I don't know!"
Mane turned his fist into crystal, and with one strike he broke the mafioso's nose and one teeth, and he started to sobbing in pain and crying.
"Listen pal, we may let you live if you tell us where the fuck your boss is. Now answer!"
"I-I SWEAR! I don't know! Some days ago his g-goons along with his bodyguard Beryl showed up, a-and they asked me to put some papers with specials orders on the safe!" He pointed to a corner with a picture of somepony. "They didn't allow m-me to look at I-It, t-they even changed the code!"
"You don't know the code?" Mane asked.
"What did I just say, you sick fuck!?" He screamed in rage and despair, but Mane punched him this time in the stomach. "P-please... go a-away..." He begged.
"Tell me something before we go." Mane released his grip on his neck. "What kind of things you and your group performed here?"
"W-why?"
"Just answer, because far as I know, knees only bend to one side..." Mane grabbed his leg the middle and started forcing his knee to the opposite side it would bend, generating some pain.
"Kidnappings, drug selling and assassinations! AH! STOP!" He begged crying.
"Hmm..." Mane muttered. "No forgiveness for the actions... Diane, your time to shine."
"No... please..." He cried.
"You had a life in front of you when you came to this world, and this path was your choice and you should have considered the actions and risks..." Pinkamena commented calmly. "Slowly or quick..?"
The colt sighed, thinking in her words and she was right. He had a whole life based of choices, and getting into the mafia lifestyle was his biggest mistake, causing pain and suffering to many and now was his time to experience what he did to all his victims, acknowledging there was no choice now but accept It.
"Quick, please..." He sobbed with tears of regret.
Pinkamena grabbed the machete and Mane turned his back to avoid seeing what was about to come out of the pink psycho and her victim. She raised the blade and the colt close his eyes in acceptance, and with one clean strike, his head came out of his body to the floor, being irrigated by a waterfall of blood coming out of the corpse's neck.
"Gross..." Mane said, avoiding to look.
"Be thankful he asked to be quick, or else the mess would be even worse."
"I bet. Now come here." Mane pulled the painting from the wall and the safe showed up. "You impressed me before with your lock pick skills, can you handle a safe?"
"It's not my first safe, but they take time. Not to mention, we are taking too much time."
"Our time ended since they shot the weapons. Now be quick or we are in trouble!"
*BANG*
The noise came out from downstairs. Pinkamena went to a window and a large group of the army with muskets was holding back some civilians in their pajamas, curious about the whole situation.
"We got company!" Pinkamena warned. "Speaking of the devil!"
"Open this shit! I'll hold the door!"
Pinkamena ran to the safe and started her task, while Mane kept dragging furniture to the door. He positioned a bookshelf vertically to the door, and he pushed the body out of the table and did the same, now with two things against the opposite wall, the door was locked in away impossible to open, but they couldn't get cocky and had to speed up.
Loud steps started to be heard on the stairs, and getting closer and closer. They stopped by the door and tried to open It without success, then to raw their way in, but It completely blocked.
"ROYAL ARMY! OPEN THE DOOR!" The voice sounded familiar to Mane.
"Fuck..." Mane whispered in disbelieve. "Diane be quick, Shining Armor himself is here."
"I'm trying. This piece of crap is tough!"
"Well, keep trying! We don't have much time!"
The door kept being banged by the soldiers and sometimes rammed. They eventually started to shot their weapons, and bullets going through the wood, but Mane and Pinkamena were in one of sides of the wall completely safe from the bursts.
"Bring the battering ram!" Shining Armor ordered on the other side of the door.
"Pinka! Speed up, they are taking harder measures!" Mane shouted.
"I heard them! I'm doing my best, I'm almost there!"
Moments later, the door was loudly banged and Mane could see the wood cracking in some spots. The last two characters he wanted to met with in the entire world was Princess Celestia and Shining Armor, and one of them was some meters away. He panicked and started to throw stuff in front of the door with his magic, in a desperate attempt to hold It a bit longer.
"I got It!" Pinkamena screamed.
"Grab It!" Mane ordered.
"Stand back!" Shining ordered from the other side.
In a blink, a huge magic explosion blew up the door and whatever was holding It, destroying the furniture in wooden splints, shattering the windows in the entire building and forming a cloud of concrete dust. The blast shook the entire building and part of the neighborhood, attracting even more curious ones, awake by the whole confusion. Mane and Pinkamena raised from the floor coughing out the dust under their masks, and running steps were heard coming for them from the corridor.
"T-the windows!" Pinkamena pointed to them.
"Jump!" Mane shouted.
"It's too high!" She answered looking down in the alley.
"JUMP! THEY ARE HERE!!!" He panicked noticing two soldiers holding muskets in the middle of the dense dust cloud, and between them, Shining Armor, Mane's ban of that world.
They had no choice, It was their legs or their entire life behind bars and their necks meeting an execution axe. On their way down in the dark alley, Pinkamena managed to grab a rope holding some clothes drying, but It snapped in one side and she went against the wall, but she managed to hold It. While Mane tried his levitation spell to slow down, but wasn't enough and ended up with him falling and twisting a leg, and he screamed in pain.
"Hold on!" Said Pinkamena climbing her way down, and once on the ground level she helped him getting up. "Are you okay?"
"I-I think I twisted something..." He babbled.
"Come on! We gotta move. Let's take this route." She suggested in a hurry.
"Alright..."
Mane stood in one leg and limped quickly by jumping behind her. They took out the masks and threw on a garbage bin, and they kept running, or limping in Mane's case, until they were far enough to take a quick break and catch their breath.
They hid in a different dark alley and sat on the concrete floor against the wall, and looked at each other in the eyes while breathing heavily.
"Say..." Pinkamena said.
"What..?" Mane asked, holding his twisted leg.
"That was fun, I must say..."
"Welcome to my world..." Mane commented.
They both smiled and started to laugh together, even though they were almost caught by the law. The duo stood there for a while Mane recovered from the fall and Pinkamena checking on her signature knifes if they were in good shape.
After some minutes, they stood up and kept walking (and limping) down the empty street towards Jade District, talking about random topics in a way to get the previous events out of their head.
Talking, laughing and listening, while on their way to the hideout.
"These papers don't tell where he could be." Sigil sighed. "Only one address leading somewhere in the city."
"What is It?" Mane asked, holding the ice on his twisted knee.
"I know this place." Said Copper. "It's a hotel downtown. Damn cheap, bad conditions, you get the picture... the place is an entire dump."
"What good this will do?" Sigil asked.
"I have an idea." Pinkamena announced arriving with another bag of ice for Mane's knee. "Tell me, why would he have papers with this place?"
"Erm... why?" Sigil answered.
"It's simple. He's a mafia millionaire, and besides the black market, that place must be his way to wash his money."
"I see where you're going with this." Copper smiled.
"What about we go there, us four, and cause a disarray just to piss him off. We even may get something leading to him." Pinkamena concluded.
"Sounds like a stupid plan." Mane commented. "Stupid, crazy... and I love It. Count me in!"
"Just like your last plan of going to that place and get us both almost killed?" Pinka raised an eyebrow.
"Pretty much...". Mane sighed looking at the ceiling in acceptance.
"What are we waiting for? Let's get things ready! I can't wait to use those weapons in combat. I suggest we go by the end of the day, take our time to rest, mainly Mane and his leg. Prepare our weapons, maybe practice a bit our accuracy?"
"Sounds good to me." Sigil agreed. "You all are free until..." She looked at the clock in the office, pointing six in the morning. "Nine of the evening. It's summer, so the sun will be up somewhat by that time. Now! Chop chop! Go do your things."
"Hey, are you gonna leave a drop for me at least?" The thug inquired in a mean voice.
"There's more bottles, you know that." Said the second thug, finishing the bottle.
"Bah..." The first one got up from his chair and walked to the cabinet, filled with alcoholic drinks.
The room door was knocked, a third thug entered an greeted his pals.
"Hey guys."
"Hey, guess what. Shock just finished his third bottle." Said the first.
"AH! That explains why the drinks are ending so fast." The third one laughed. "What about a game?" He pulled a deck of cards in a box out of his pocket.
"I could use some pocket change." The second thug appeared with a new bottle already open.
"I doubt you'll play straight after all you drank." The first one mocked.
"We will see when you lose all your bits. *hick*"
"You're already hammered, just quit..."
"Pff... fineee..." The drunk thug stumbled to the door, leaving his two comrades alone in that room.
They sat by the table sharing a whiskey bottle. one of them started shuffling the deck, then distributing the cards and starting to take out their coins. They were playing when all the sudden the door was repeatedly banged. The drunk one stumbled inside with a mix of panic and surprise.
"What's wrong, Shock?"
"T-theres four guys c-coming for the motel. I think they are from the army!"
"...are you sure..?" Asked the third thug while checking his cards.
"Are they wearing armors?" The first one asked taking a puff from his cigarette.
"Um... no. Maybe they are undercover." He babbled in his drunk words.
"You are just drunk, let us play here..."
Without a warning, a huge explosion was heard and the drunk thugs head burst into pieces, splashing blood everywhere and his body tumbled in the floor in front of them.
"By Celestia's ass! What was that?!" The second one screamed, stumbling out of his chair and looking for his pistol.
They went out of the motel room in the first floor, leading outside to the balcony corridor. In the medium distance, they saw three figures with muskets at hands and pistols in their holsters running towards their location, running under the end of the day orange sky. In the distance, a pink spot caught their attention behind a wall. A flash followed by a bang, and the head of the second thug exploded, just the same way of the third one.
"ALERT!!! WE GOT INTRUDERS!" The last thug screamed across the motel, and didn't take long for a big group coming out of the rooms with guns ready.
Mane and Copper took cover the on motel's walls while bullets flew across their location, Sigil on the other side holding two pistols, breathing heavily under the adrenaline.
"Diane!" Mane screamed to the other side of the street. "We could use a help!"
"On It!" Pinkamena looked by the scoop and pointed at the chest of a thug in the balcony, she pulled the trigger and the guy fell down with his white suit soaked in red. "You better go!" She screamed trying to put the gunpowder down the sniper's barrel. "Reloading this thing is a pain in the ass!"
"Go!" Mane shouted.
The trio ran across the parking lot, taking cover by the different carriages parked at the motel. Sigil shot one of her pistols and hit one thug pointing at her. Copper tried his musket and took out one head. Pinkamena in the distance shot again with deadly precision, now killing two at the same, with a bullet going straight trough a thug's chest and hitting one behind him. She laughed at the hit, It was an achievement to be proud of.
"Advance! We better not linger. The army may come." Copper shouted under the sounds of guns blazing.
"He's right. Let's go!" Mane agreed, running among the wagons. He tackled a room door and shot a thug in the chest, and he died falling on his back, letting the grip of his musket go.
He grabbed the musket and headed to the bathroom, broke the window with the gun's stock and jumped outside to the back of the motel. He ran silently and took the stairs near some vending machines, and started charging his magic flow on his body. Mane got into the first floor and pointed the musket the mafiosos shooting their guns down at Copper's position.
*Bang!*
One down, four left on that side. Their attention was taken towards Mane, which he turned his body into crystal. All the bullets they shot, were eaten by his body and spit back into random directions. The grey stallion grabbed one by the neck and threw him out of the balcony, the second one shot both pistols from his holster and one the bullets went back at him after hitting Mane's crystal body. The last thug on that side of the motel just dropped his musket and raised his hands in surrender, but suddenly was threw against the wall with a splash of blood coming out of his chest and the bullet hitting the wall before he stumbled against It. Mane looked at Pinkamena's position in the distance and shrugged his arms down, as if he was saying "oh come on" in frustration.
Copper headed to the rooms in the ground floor, on the opposite side of Mane. Shot the musket at a thug's arm. He dropped the used gun and grabbed one of his three pistols on his chest holster and ended the enemy in the head with a clear blank point shot.
"Guess the non-stop training paid of..." He whispered to himself.
He grabbed both his swords and slashed a thug that appeared by a corner, cutting clean his suit and torso and he fell in pain, eventually dying from bleeding later. He continued walking fast with one pistol in one hand and a sword in another, killing any mafia he would catch in the left side of the motel's ground level.
Sigil became a fan of the pistols and learned to carry six with her. Two in her waist holster and four on her chest in a well crafted multi holster. In the right side of the motel, ground floor, she kept shooting one after another and picking the loaded pistols of those all she killed. After some moments of shootout, the motel went quiet.
"Hey!" Mane called from the top level, waving at them.
"All clear!" Copper reported bellow Mane.
"Here too!" Sigil screamed from the other side.
Mane looked into the distance and waved. Pinkamena saw through the scope, she raised the sniper, folded the biped and crossed the street. In a moment, a bullet hit a carriage next to her. She looked behind and a group of mobs of Don Topaz's were coming. She pointed the sniper and shot without aim, making most of them all take cover behind the walls or whatever they could find.
"I need cover!" Pinkamena called in help.
Mane grabbed a musket and shot at their direction from the first floor. Sigil did the same with two pistols on her hands while walking back to one of the rooms, taking cover under a window. Pinka took the chance and ran with all haste to the room where Sigil was, and sitting next to the cyan mare reloading a pistol, she started reloading her sniper and checking her pistol too.
"Nice shooting back there." Said Sigil with a giggle.
"Do you think this is the time to be laughing? We are under attack!" Pinkamena complained.
"Pinkamena, you need to find a new kind of fun instead of cutting flesh and torture others. It's more healthy, you know?"
"Just shut up and shoot." Pinkamena looked out of cover and shot a pistol at a thug approaching with a sword, hitting him in the chest.
On the other side of the motel, Copper kept ambushing from the corners with his swords, slashing off hands and delivering deadly cuts with a sword in one hand and a grenade. Mane, on his normal form now, shooting randomly his magic at the groups in an attempt to keep them back.
"It's like they were expecting us!" Screamed Copper.
"I was hoping for, after what we did to them in the those nights!" Mane answered from the first floor on. "Copper!"
"What?" He looked at Mane at the balcony.
"Check the rooms for anything unusual. We came here for a reason, and keep your head down!"
"Affirmative!"
The pegasus opened his wings and flew to one of the rooms through a broken window, leaving some small cuts in his leather armor. He bit the grenade's pin and threw It outside. Seconds later, the explosion was sounded along with some screams, notifying It was a direct hit. He checked the furniture, even though there wasn't much to see. Under the bed, inside the bedside table, nothing...
It was about then, he looked up and a thug was about to shoot him when Mane showed up behind him and broke his neck, with a crystal arm to his nape.
"We better stick together." Said Mane jumping inside the room.
"Agreed..."
"Let's take the bathroom's window. Let's go meet with them."
They ran to the back of the room, and Copper broke the window with his swords, allowing them to jump out safely. The colts ran by the back of the motel until they reached the bathroom window where Pinkamena and Sigil were cornered, and they jumped in. They entered the bedroom and a bullet razed Mane's cheek.
"Dammit Pinka! It's us!" He screamed with his nerves steaming.
"Give us a warning next time!" She complained while reloading the pistol she just shot.
"We are screwed if we stay here! They are getting even closer!" Sigil shouted under the sound of guns blazing in their direction.
"Any ideas?" Copper asked taking cover next to her.
"If we had any, we would have shared!" Diane complained again, shooting her pistol blindly.
"Mane and Sigil! You are fucking unicorns, use your magic!" Copper suggested enraged by the situation.
"Battle magic isn't my strength. Ask Mane!"
"I could use, but there are problems. It's too hot in there to peek, and if I turn into crystal, I can't use my magic!" Mane Shaker informed.
"Then be just crystal and-" She was interrupted when an active grenade landed between them. "FUCK!!!" Pinkamena grabbed the grenade and threw It back outside, which exploded in midair too close of the window.
"See?!" Mane shouted in anger.
"What do we do then?!" Sigil screamed in despair, trying to reload her pistol with her last bullet.
After some seconds, everything went quiet. The sound of explosions and screams stopped slowly. The four fighters looked at each other puzzled and they took a peek by the broken window and the holes in the door. The mobs were running away, they all dropped their guns and hasted out of there in the streets of the other side of the motel, with some of them carrying their wounded comrades.
"What the hell..?" Pinkamena whispered. "Are they pussing out?"
"Looks like that. What happened? Did they ran out of ammo?" Mane suggested.
"Nah... they all have had a good supply for the looks of It." Copper answered.
"Then... what just happened?" Sigil questioned.
"Good fucking question." Pinka mumbled.
"Get in position! Take constant cover, we are not dealing with amateurs!" A voice sounded in the distance, by the corner of the motel.
"NOOO..." Mane gasped.
"Is that what I'm thinking?" Copper looked at him shocked.
"Yes. It's the army!" The grey unicorn panicked.
"Shall we engage?" Sigil asked, pulling the flint of her pistol, ready to shoot.
"NO! Out of question!" Mane answered taking the pistol out of her hands.
"Then what are we supposed to do?!" Sigil looked at him enraged.
"I have an idea. Leave It to me. You all, search the rooms for anything! A clue, evidence, anything!"
"What do you have in mind?" Copper looked at him in the eyes.
"Trust me... Everypony, take the back windows of the bathrooms to enter and leave, going by the front doors is a huge risk. I'll distract them."
The quartet crouched to the bathroom and jumped out by the window one at a time. Copper and Sigil went together to one zone of the motel, while Pinkamena took the side they were before. Mane took the stairs to the first floor and stood by the balcony, with a clear vision of the army advancing slowly in cover.
His horn started glowing red, more and more with every second. In the motel's plaza, the wagons started glowing red, and Mane levitated them, making their cover useless. They all retreated back to the walls of the entrance, to avoid any risks, giving they didn't know who they were dealing with. The three groups took a turn outside the motel to meet with their other mates.
"Sir." One soldier stopped in front of his sergeant. "Our cover was blown. We had to fall back to avoid risks."
"What do you mean? They got destroyed?" The superior asked.
"No... uhm... something completely different. Somepony levitated the wagons, but nopony shot in our direction or anything."
"Did you saw the responsible? He or she must had vision of the field to make such thing."
"I saw something!" A soldier from the second squad stepped forward. "I saw a unicorn on the first floor. His horn was glowing red, he was also grey, and his hair was red and black."
The sergeant opened his eyes even more and stood silent, staring at the two soldiers.
"Are you sure?!" The officer asked him with a gasp, holding him by the shoulders as if he was forcing an answer out.
"Clearly like Princess Celetia's summer days, sir!"
"You there!" The sergeant pointed at a pegasus soldier. "Go to Captain Shining Armor! I have urgent news! Mane Shaker is here, in Cobble Motel, Galena Neighborhood! I repeat! Mane Shaker IS HERE!"
The early morning was rough for Galena Neighborhood, and by the time being, part of the city was being awaken too by the sounds of heavy armored squads, running on the streets in the direction where the uproar started.
Captain Shining Armor, the face of the Royal Army running in front of his troops in his heavy steel armor upgraded with four chest holsters holding four pistols, leading the way with sword on his hand. Followed by five squads in regular iron armor, now the spears and swords were substituted by pistols and blunderbusses and equipped with short swords for just in case of close combat. And the archers turned into snipers with regular high range muskets.
But behind them, running at the maximum speed they could endure, and each step making the ground tremble with mini quakes, not one but three huge juggernauts, or how Mane Shaker calls them, "Bulldozers". The heaviest and strongest soldiers qualified to wear those thick armors were meant to be feared and respected, even among their own allies, being a branch from the Elite. All in full heavy-duty steel armor made specially for war, bullet proof (except snipers, like previously seen) and coated with a special polish making them almost magic proof. Holding a larger blunderbuss made to disseminate large groups, four pistols on their chest armor in a belt with four holsters and steel great-swords to close encounters. Anypony who would see them being deployed knew something really fucked up was going on...
"Captain!" The sergeant greeted him in a hurry as soon his captain stopped in front of him, breathing heavily from running.
"I came running at the speed of a damn eagle." Shining caught his breath and peeked at the motel from a corner. "What is our situation, sergeant?"
"The troops have the entrance covered. The back of the motel is just a tall wall, means no way of escaping. We see three of them running back and forth in rooms, and there's a guy on a balcony constantly blowing our covers in all possible ways, sir."
"Any causalities from our side?" Shining asked with a guess of the answer and It's reason.
"None at all. That's what is puzzling us."
"I know what It is..." Shining patted the sergeant's armor on the shoulder, giving away a strange frustration. "It's Mane Shaker we are talking about... he NEVER killed a single one of my troops ever..."
"Sir?" A soldier called Shining Armor with a docile voice.
"What is It soldier?"
"With all due respect, if this Mane Shaker never killed any of us, why do you want him so badly?"
The captain stood silent for a moment, pondering about that question. The soldier was right with such statement, but accepting It from a low rank would be like a defeat in his authority. Shining Armor slowly turned around and looked at him in the eyes, making him flinch a bit.
"It's a personal grudge..." He answered with a calm voice. "Sergeant, get me the schemes of this place. We are going for a new assault in full force."
"Are we taking the juggernauts, sir?"
"Definitely."
"Have you found anything?" Sigil asked while emptying the furniture in one room.
"No! And you?" Copper replied while running from a room to another.
"I'll go check downstairs! None of us as checked those yet." Pinkamena informed. "Guard my sniper please! It's in the room next to yours, Sigil!"
"Go rested, I can carry It if It's necessary. Be careful."
Pinkamena came out of one of the rooms and went to Mane with a fast but silent pace, surprising him when he noticed she was right next to him.
"Found something?" Mane asked.
"No, I'm gonna check the rooms in the ground floor. We haven't seen those yet, came to my mind if they have a secret basement like us."
"Alright, be careful. And remember! Don't. Kill. Guards." he said in a cold tone
"Are you nuts?" Pinkamena replied poking her forehead in a taunt. "What if I get caught in the action?"
"Come outside and call me, I got you covered, silly! I have a full view from here. Or just knock them unconscious."
"I'm counting on you, dumbass..." She smiled and took the stairs behind Mane.
Arriving to the ground floor, Pinkamena started smashing the rest of the broken windows and jumped inside one of the rooms, starting to pull out the thin rugs on the floor and emptying the furniture. Nothing, she moved to another room and did the same, and in the distance she noticed metallic noises. She peeked by the broken window and saw three huge figures with blunderbusses in their hands, and surrounded by small squads, all advancing through the entrance.
"Mane!" She screamed. "There's three of those big guys!"
"Working on that!" Mane replied recharging his magic.
He ignited the previous carriages, creating four huge bonfires. With all his magic strength, he manage to levitate the burning transports and smashed them in front of the troops path, creating a flaming barricade. In the distance, from a corner, a blue haired figure in dark grey armor appeared to witness what was causing the whole scene. Mane focused his attention and their eyes met, giving him a cold chill down his spine.
Shining Armor's white color turned into a slight red in fury, and without a warning. He ordered the troops to retreat. Mane saw them going back taking a turn by the corner but there was something missing. His attention was cut when he saw the four carriages on fire being levitate with such ease, and all the sudden they flew in his direction.
Mane panicked and stopped them in time with a magic barrier, making a huge crashing noise. They fell on the ground in pieces of flaming wood and scorching metal. Sigil and Cooper showed up to see the confusion, and they stared at Mane with their mouths open in amazement.
"I got this..." Mane sighed while cleaning the sweat in his head. "Keep searching, come on!" He ordered to the Cult's duo of leaders, taking a while for them to snap back in reality. Mane looked back to the battlefield with carriage bit all over the place, and saw the juggernauts advancing slowly to the motel with blunderbusses ready.
"Shit!" He shouted. He recharged his magic and tried to freeze the giant soldiers but the spell's ray disappeared when It struck on of them.
"They are using magic proof coating!" He thought. Mane's head started rushing in thoughts, while his body started to tremble when he remembered Pinkamena was down stairs and probably no idea of what was going on. His mind rushed in thoughts and he jumped from the first floor while turning into crystal in midair, landing on the ground with a loud noise and the screeching of minerals rustling on each other when he got up.
One of the juggernauts shot a pistol but Mane's crystal body deflected the bullet, the other two shot their pistols with no effect. They grabbed the blunderbusses and pointed at Mane, which in a second transformed into a mist of black smoke. They shot at the same time and the iron pebbles passed right through the smoke, again without any effect. Mane flew at high speed while they started getting their great-swords out, while the unicorn flew around them. Their big swords were useless in the trail of smoke, and Mane kept taunting them until one of the swords sharp end passed by his face leaving a small but nasty cut, making Mane retreat for some meters close to a motel room and come back to his normal form. He passed his fingers on the cut in his right cheek, leaving a small drop of blood on It..
"His head is vulnerable!" One of the 'bulldozers' grunted. "Get him now!"
The three elites grabbed each one two pistols, pointing the six barrels at Mane and shot point blank at him. The cloud of the gunpowder cleaned up, and Mane was ducking with his back turned and made in crystal, but when he got up he felt a pain in the back of his chest as if a bug was eating him inside. One of the bullets had made It's way before he could turn his back into crystal, and now was inside him creating a nasty pain making some of his moves hurt.
"Charge!" Their steps were like a stampede of bulls making the ground shake with every large step they made in Mane's direction. He saw the three brutes running at him and he transformed into smoke and flew out of their path in time. He reappeared behind them some meters away and got back to normal. The bullet was out of his body thanks to the 'shadow form', but the wound was still there creating the inconvenient pain.
The three juggernauts putted their swords in front of them in a guarding way while looking at the tired unicorn, awaiting his next move. "What's with the big weapons?" Mane commented with a smile. "All those steroids made something else smaller?"
One of the knights let out a scream of fury and charged at Mane with his great-sword raised, ready to cut him in half. Seconds before he delivered the strike, the grey stallion transformed into smoke and vanished from his path like before, making the weapon hit the floor instead. He flew around him at high speed, eventually making him confused with the random patterns. Behind him, Mane made his torso come back to normal while his legs kept the smoke, levitating him in the air. He grabbed the juggernaut's helmet and took It out, leaving his head uncovered. The gigantic knight grunted while trying to catch Mane in the air, now this time he kept swinging his sword in hopes of hitting him. He stopped his frenetic attacks to the air, and he noticed Mane standing twenty meters away from him, with the helmet on his hand. The 'bulldozer' raised his blade again in guard, while his other two comrades stayed there separated seeing the battle going. Mane smirked and looked at him in the eyes, threw the helmet away and transformed into smoke. He flew at him full speed and the knight prepared to swing at Mane's face.
Right before he would reach the swords range, Mane flew up right in a ninety degrees line, and the juggernaut cut the air instead. In midair, Mane came back to normal and transformed his left hand into hard crystal, and before the knight could do anything, the crystal unicorn lashed his heavy fist like a morning star on the giant's face, knocking him out right there. With a loud metallic noise, he fell on his face unconscious with some teeth scattered around him.
"WOOHOO!!!" Sigil screamed from the first floor's balcony. while shaking her fist in the air and along with her, Copper clapping at Mane's performance with a smile of amazement. "What a fighter!" Sigil shouted.
"Thank you!" Mane looked back into the two remaining challengers. "Next!"
The second one approached with loud noises, ready to avenge his friends defeat. He started juggling his great-sword in one hand and swinging at full speed in the air, showing his training and that wouldn't be a easy fight this time. Mane sighed and with a smirk, he pulled the weapon out of his opponent's hands with his magic, leaving him disarmed and staring at him surprised without knowing what to do.
"I don't like showoffs." Mane threw the sword back at him on the ground in front of him. "Now grab It and fight like you must, this is not the circus!"
The juggernaut took possession of his weapon again and slowly walked towards Mane, which stood still. With a grunt, he attempted to decapitate Mane, but he ducked in time. Now a vertical swing to cut him in half but he dodged with a roll. He hardly stood up with a pain in his back from the previous bullet, and jumped back when another attempt tried to cut his stomach.
"This guy is fast for a 'bulldozer'. I need to change my tactics" Mane thought while jumping from every attack.
He transformed into crystal, making himself slower but with an advantage. The knight attacked with a vertical cut and Mane stepped aside making the blade land on the ground, and raising his right crystal hoof he smashed the great sword with a stomp, breaking it in two. Furiously, the juggernaut grabbed him by the head and threw a punch on Mane's stomach making him flinch, even if he was made of hard mineral now, he could feel the strength of the knight trembling in his crystal body.
The angry giant managed to throw Mane on the floor, and stomped his back, making Mane let out a short scream from the pressure on his hard body. After two more stomps, he rolled to the side and crawled out of his opponent's leg range. He transformed back to normal and stood up, quickly stepping away to catch his breath. His whole body was hurting from the stomping attacks, as if he was being smashed between two walls.
The knight charged at him with large steps, but Mane transformed into his shadow form and flew between his legs, disappearing from his path. And from behind him, Mane went back to normal and delivered a midair kick on his back, making the knight fall with the weight of his armor and the impulse. Before he could get up, he felt a huge weight on his back, as if he was being crippled with a boulders. It was Mane with his entire body in crystal, locking him in position with his legs. The huge knight turned his head to the side to see what was going on, and through his full helmet he saw Mane raising his crystal fist and delivering a punch in the thick steel helmet. Another punch was threw, one after another. but the steel helmet didn't dent It.
From the balcony, Sigil and Cooper watched the full scene. Mane throwing heavy punches one after another and the knight squirming on the floor in attempts to get up. His punches weren't even affecting the heavy armor, but the noise generated was like a metal smith's forge, with a hammer constantly pounding the anvil. After some seconds, the juggernaut stopped moving and fell unconscious on the floor.
"Did he killed him..?" Sigil said quietly.
"No." Copper answered. "He's unconscious."
"But... he didn't touch his body, and the helmet is not even smashed."
"It was the impact. The constant trembling and noise inside the headgear was like having your head inside a bell."
"Hey!" Pinkamena showed up next to them. "I found something downstairs, I need your help."
"Oh hi. Have you been seeing this?" Sigil asked with a smile. "I saw finishing the first guy. Seems Quill taught him a better control in his magic flow."
"Indeed." Sigil replied. "What did you found?"
"There was a hatch under a rug, It might contain something. I want your protection while I work on It."
"Copper, come on, we have a work to do."
"Aye." He answered, following the mares downstairs.
Meanwhile, the last juggernaut was slightly bigger than the previous ones, and he approached Mane with his sword down. They stood five meters away from each other in silence, the giant staring at Mane from behind his juggernaut helmet covering his entire head, and Mane with his hand covering the bullet hole in his back.
"You fight with skill." The knight grunted.
"Thank you."
"I think I recognize you... from Canterlot." He putted his great-sword's end on the floor and rested his hands on the weapon's cross-guard. "I've seen you before, in the Mignight Gala, running away from Our Highness."
"I wouldn't be surprised. Every guard in Canterlot wants my head on a silver board in their walls..."
"Our Captain Shining Armor told us about you. How many time we got deployed to arrive there and you were already gone, and did our job for us." His voice was deep like a cavern, fitting to his role on the guard. "Tell me... why you do this?"
"I'm trying to clean my family's name." Mane coughed from his fatigue. "Let me tell you something."
"What?"
"You're the first Royal Guard, and even more, an Elite! To stop and talk instead of trying to kill me."
"I wouldn't be surprised. But do you think killing the scum of this world would give you a better name?"
"Hey! Don't question my perspective!" Mane coughed again with his wrath coming to his head. "I came from a family where one of the members was the ban of this city. He killed hundreds, and thousands maybe! And how do you think I feel being a kid back then, having no idea of what he was doing and realize his acts many years later? How do you think I feel?"
"I don't blame you. And honestly, I feel bad for you."
"A 'bulldozer with feelings? Never seen that." Mane giggled. "But seriously, I'm trying to make this world better by my own hands."
"And that's a good thing I guess. Putting your life in the line for the innocents, It's quite a honorable thing to do. Sadly Princess Celestia and Captain Shining Armor don't have the same perspective." He moved his head to the sides, allowing his neck bones to crack a bit and relax.
"So... are you gonna fight me or not?" Mane dared to ask.
"Yes." The knight dropped the sword on the floor. "Like I said, I feel sorry for your story and I find you honorable. And for what I know, reports always said you never killed none of us." He took out the belt with the four pistols and dropped It next to the great-sword, the same he did with his blunderbuss. "I'm sorry, but I'm an Elite Knight with honor, and I have my orders..." He said It while raising his fists.
"I understand..." Mane turned his entire body in crystal and raised his fists too. "It's for the balance, if It's going to be with honor."
"Alright." The juggernaut hammered three times his breastplate with his fist.
*BONG! BONG! BONG!*
Mane threw the first punch in the breastplate, making the same noise from before. The knight took It and felt the impact, and countered with a punch on Mane's face, making a screeching noise of steel on mineral. The grey stallion retaliated with a punch on the helmet, but the enemy parried him and punched him in the side of his chest, making the wound in his back hurt even more. The knight released the grip, and Mane stood back with some breathing difficulties, and the huge knight punched him again in the face stunning Mane. This time It was is turn to parry, but the brute strength of the knight made him stagger instead and receive another punch to the face, followed by another in the chest. This time he fell on the floor, couching hard while holding his back wound.
"Get up!" The 'bulldozer´grunted. "You managed to beat my armed and armored friends, but you can't beat me?!"
"It's a clean fight, you ass... *cough* I'm not using my magic besides my crystal form!"
"You're nothing without your magic?!" The knight mocked. "How are you supposed to protect your friends then, if you get unable to use It?"
Mane looked around and saw his friends by a broken window of a room, watching the whole scene. "Mane! We got It!" Pinkamena called waving a file with papers inside. "Let's go!"
He got up, and threw a kick in the opponent's stomach with all his might, making him fly one meter and fall on his back. "I'm not done yet!" He took a deep breath hurting his back but made the anxiety go away.
"I'll tell you something." The knight muttered while standing up. "I'm the champion boxer among the Elite, and you're about to get a beating!!!" He charged at Mane, which he dodged to the side and threw a punch in the chest armor, barely affecting the rampaging juggernaut.
He attempted another punch, but the knight defended and answered back with a brutally strong fist to Mane's crystal stomach, making him lose his breath. The knight started delivering punches, one after another stunning Mane in place. The steel gauntlets against his crystal body were like a pickaxe in hard rock, not breaking It but leaving dents, and every punch was driving the crystal stallion exhausted, and got to the point where his crystal body was starting to vanish into fur and flesh. And with a uppercut, the knight knocked Mane on the floor, making him loose possession of his power.
By this time, the Royal Army was on the other side watching the match, cheering for the juggernaut, and Shining Armor himself with a smile of seeing Mane getting beaten up and a wish It was him doing It. Pinkamena, Sigil and Copper stepped out of the room and started cheering for Mane, which was now on the floor trying to breathe properly, bleeding from his nose, from his body with some cuts where the steel armor dented his crystal body, and even more from the back wound.
"MANE! Get up!" Copper shouted.
"We believe in you!" Said Sigil
"MANE LOOK OUT!!!" Copper screamed making Mane look at his opponent, which grabbed him and threw him on the floor with a huge *THUD!*. The colossal knight lifted him again and threw him at his friend's direction, making them duck while his body flew past them right inside the room through a completely broken window, and he landed with a huge noise.
"Shaker!" Pinkamena fell on her knees next to his body, where he coughed dark red blood on her pink belly and top tank. He tried to get grunting in pain but she stopped him. "Don't go. You can't win this fight. Let's escape while we can."
"Diane." He coughed again while trying to get up again. "Don't interfere. This is my fight... *cough*"
"Don't be stupid! Look! They are distracted by the spectacle, It's our chance!"
In the moment, Sigil and Copper entered and checked on Mane, and he was a mess of bruises all over his upper body.
"Damn..." Copper baffled. "He got you good."
"You're not helping!" Sigil snarled. "Mane! Speak to me!"
"Just help me get up. I'm not done yet!" He complained.
"No! We are getting the fuck out of here. Right now!" Pinkamena ordered.
"YOU are. I'm not!" Mane managed to get up, while tasting his own blood coming out of his nostrils. The metallic taste was somehow a relief for his thirst, and Copper offered his steel flask with water on It, which Mane accepted and drank It all. "This crystal hoof is gonna kick his ass back to Canterlot, directly to the hospital."
"Mane! DON'T! He's gonna kill you." Pinkamena grabbed his arm stopping him from going out of the door back to the street ring filled with Royal Guards.
"It's about honor, Diane. He challenged me indirectly, and he showed his respect about me, which I never expected from a Royal Guard, much less an Elite!" Mane snarled, while feeling an energy coming to him. "If It's a fight he wants, It's a fucking beating I am gonna give him, and I'm gonna win!"
"Alright..." Pinkamena released her grip. "But then, tell me this."
"What?"
"If your uncle Sombra and family were watching this, how would they feel, seeing the last member of their family alive letting himself getting pounded like this?"
Mane opened his eyes really wide and he didn't blink for some time. He started breathing really heavy and loud, ignoring the pain all over his body, making Pinkamena stand back against a wall. The said energy got stronger inside him, to the point he felt like his bones were about to explode, then his muscles started to feel energized, an energy he never felt before. It was an unspeakable wrath, the anger accumulated in his mind got transferred to his body in the form of strength and stamina. Sigil and Copper stepped back when a strange dark purple aura started forming around his body, getting more intense with every second making him start grunting with every breath he took. It was like he was about to destroy an entire country, and he kept staring at floor while none of those three dared to touch him. His horn started to glow with It's normal red, and It started sparkling until It was a strong bloody crimson red, illuminating the room as if It was covered in blood.
"Pinkamena, what have you done..?" Sigil whispered in fear.
"I have no idea..."
Outside, the Royal Army kept cheering at the juggernaut with cheers and whistles. Shining Armor kept his smile up from the spectacle and ordered a squad to the room where Mane was with instruction for use of brute force. When they started to gather their equipment, a loud roar was heard from the motel, making the troops shut up immediately. Shining Armor told them to hold back when he saw the room glowing in purple and red.
The juggernaut looked back, to see Mane covered on his own blood from his bruises, walking towards him slowly in a pace as if his hooves where too heavy to walk properly. The veins in his body could be seen, pumping his 'Devil Blood' through his body like a power pump alone delivering water to an entire city. But his eyes, that's what made the troops freeze, except the 'bulldozer' and Shining Armor, which he recognized that energy from somewhere. His eyes were the same ones, but letting out a purple aura out of them. An intense look of anger and death wish to those who would oppose him.
Shining Armor had a flashback, a really strong one from many years ago, when he liberated the Crystal Empire with his troops, fighting side by side with the Princesses themselves. Mane's demonic stare reminded him when he faced King Sombra before Celestia and Luna interfered. He feared the worst and told all his troops to gather their weapons and step back, all obeyed except one, their champion.
"Do you think that's supposed to scare me?" The juggernaut commented.
"Captain! I beat him one time, I can do It again. He's an unicorn, maybe It is just to intimidate!"
"MAJOR! Get back here! That's is an order!"
"You all! Watch this!" The juggernaut ran towards Mane raising his fist in the air, but he stood there in his place, staring at the charging colossus without blinking and the same furious expression.
As soon the giant knight threw his punch, Mane casually stepped aside and punched the helmet with his bare hands with such strength that the knight almost fell to the floor. He attempted another attack this time on his belly, and Mane grabbed his steel fist and transformed his hands into crystal. The juggernaut champion tried to pull back but Mane's strength was somewhat bigger, and he started to squeeze the gauntlet with, more and more until the thick steel started to dent eventually starting to hurt the opponent.
"OW! Stop! Argh!" The juggernaut grunted. "Sto-aaaAAHHHHH!!! AHHH! YOU'RE CRUSHING MY HAND!" Blood could be seen dropping out of the gauntlet. Mane remembered the results of his grip when he made Quill's test, and now It was the time to use It, but this time with a strength he didn't knew about.
He released his hand, making the champion step back in agony, holding the mangled gauntlet with his hand crushed inside. The muffled screams under his helmet were somewhat terrifying, making the troops guess the pain he was at the moment, even to Pinkamena herself who was staring at the scene speechless, along with Sigil and Copper.
Mane turned his fists back to normal and he punched the opponent in the helmet, making him step back stunned. He got closer and started delivering punches with all the strength he had in his armored stomach, with every landing hit making the knight grunt. The berserking stallion kept pushing him back with every hit, and once again, blood started to come out of the helmet's neck guard, dripping out on the floor creating a path of blood drops, and Mane's fists started to bleed too from punching heavy-duty steel so many times but ignoring the pain. He kicked the knight in the stomach so hard that he fell on the floor and dragged on the floor three meters, with the armor's steel making a loud screeching noise on the ground.
The suffering 'bulldozer' tried to get up quickly to retreat but Mane kicked him back down, and he started punching the helmet non-stop, and just like the gauntlet, It started to dent but more slowly while the juggernaut kept squirming and screaming for help, but none of his allies dared to approach, frozen in fear of they were watching.
"He's gonna kill him like that!" Copper baffled. "We must do something!"
Pinkamena didn't think twice and started running towards the fight. She attempted to grab one of Mane's arms, but the strength made It slip. She started screaming at Mane to stop, but he didn't listen and kept punching the juggernaut's helmet leaving even more dents and covered in his own blood from his fists of fury.
"MANE! STOP!!!" She grabbed him by the back but Mane shoved her away, eventually hurting her and fall on her back, going back to punishing his opponent. "THIS IS NOT YOU! STOP IT!" She screamed while starting to cry. "THIS IS NOT YOU!!! YOU ALREADY WON! You got what you wanted!"
Mane kept hitting the helmet now with a wide grin, almost crushing the knight's skull inside. "P-PLEASE make It sto-op... I don't wanna loose my only friend this way!" Pinkamena fell on knees crying from seeing her friend fall into the path he taught her not to follow. He heard her sobs and turned around, and saw the pink mare crying and covering her face with her hands with tears falling between her fingers.
The enraged stallion stopped, his expression changed to a emotionless one and he stood up. The juggernaut's helmet was all mangled and covered in Mane's own blood. His hands were also all bruised and bleeding from pounding steel so many times with all his strength. The defeated giant rolled on his stomach and crawled out from the finished fight towards his two comrades, still unconscious from the previous fight they had with Mane, and he collapsed next to them.
Mane stood next to Pinkamena and touched her head. She slowly raised her face and saw him staring at her with a blank expression, and he looked to the troops and stared at Shining Armor in the eyes, making the captain freeze in mortal fear.
"IS THIS ALL?!!!" Mane roared at them, making all of them flinch. "COME ON! COME ON, MOTHEFUCKERS!"
None of them moved an inch, they were all stunned afraid of moving. One of them attempted to step back, and Mane noticed his moves and stared at him with those eyes surrounded by a purple aura, and the soldier fainted in his spot.
Mane extend an arm to Pinkamena and she slowly held his blood soaked hand, helping her getting up. She hugged him and kept crying on his shoulder, whispering to him to calm down and that was not his true self. He kept staring at the army in front of him, all not daring to move, even Shining Armor himself.
"GO AWAY!!!" He roared again. "LEAVE ME ALONE! YOU HEARD THAT, SHINING ARMOR?! LEAVE ME ALONE!!"
"... T-Troops! Retreat! We have no business here!" Shining Armor ordered, and they didn't loose a single second to obey.
The Royal Army ran away from Mane's sight, that even Shining Armor didn't bother to order his troops to go in a formation, all he cared about was his troops and their lives along with his own life of course. He called a pegasus scout official and he heard carefully what Shining Armor had to say.
"Tell your squad and the other scouts we have a message to the entire Royal and Crystal Army stationed in the city, to NOT disturb Mane Shaker, The Last Sombra and his friends for now, we are on red alert here for the next days."
"Is It all, sir?"
"I have one exclusively for you, soldier. After informing the other scouts, go directly to our camp and write a message to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, reporting everything you just saw! I don't want a single detail missed! That means even if you must write a fucking book!"
"Yes sir!" The soldiers saluted and walked back to his squad.
Back in the hotel, It was dead silence except for what was left of the carriages on fire with their crackling noise of the heat in the wood. Sigil and Copper stepped outside to see the three juggernauts completely beaten up by a single stallion with unusual powers nopony else in Equestria had but Mane.
Pinkamena kept crying in Mane's shoulder, soaking his leather vest with her tears, and the wet touch called his attention again towards her. He petted her slightly and she raised her head covered in tears. Her ocean blued crying eyes met with those green evil ones surrounded by the purple aura, which eventually started to disappear slowly as he calmed down.
"Mane..?" She sobbed.
"I'm here..." He whispered back.
"Was that... your uncle's power?" She asked.
"...yes..." He sighed in a sad tone. "I experienced for the first that nightmare I have. And It's... almost uncontrollable."
"I could see that..." She passed her fingers on his chin, attempting to calm the beast. "Are you okay..?"
"My head... It's like It's gonna explode."
"Come on. We must go before something else happens."
She held his hand and guided him on the opposite direction where the troops went, with Sigil carrying Pinkamena's sniper and Copper going in the distance in the same direction. The sun's height in the sky suggested It was almost midday, and It's reflection in the juggernauts armor made Mane stopped to look at them, completely unconscious and probably in a coma. Seeing three Elite Juggernauts beaten by himself alone made him smile in pride, but It quickly vanished when he remembered he almost killed one of them.
In the distance behind them, Pinkamena saw a group of soldiers waiting for them to go away, probably to take care of the defeated soldiers. Mane looked at them and with a trembling bloody hand he grabbed a pouch full of golden coins, all of them with a value of one hundred each and he poured It on top of his last opponent's armor.
"I'm sorry..." He whispered, while Pinkamena kept guiding him out of the scene.
In the roof of the ruined motel, a character stood there, somepony that only Mane could see and talk to, but this time, he was not alone. The ghost of King Sombra stared at the squad running to aid the juggernauts, while the Other four spirits kept laughing and talking to each other.
"That's was something! Hahaha!" Laughed a character while eating popcorn, a character which body was formed by different parts of many animals. "Can't wait to see another show like this!"
"I know right? Reminds me when I was fighting my sister's army back in the years!" Laughed a dark blue alicorn mare in a spiky armor made of an unknown metal. She had a moon as a symbol in her breastplate, and her hair was like an dark blue aura coming out of her helmet, composed by stars forming various constellations.
"You saw how that pink mare calmed down the monster? I sense something between them... something... lusty..." Another mare commented. This one was made was the most twisted looking one, she was an completely black alicorn with bug wings and she didn't had fur, but her body full of strange holes in the arms and legs was like the smooth marble of a statue, dressed in tight leather clothes, showing off her curves and well defined breasts. The most disturbing feature was her long horn with a strange formation of gaps.
"I didn't like a lot." Sombra grumbled. "Tirek! I told you to give him a fraction, not all of It!"
"Not my fault, Sombra." The gigantic centaur commented. "That sure was a fraction of my Wrath." He was red and black with a long white beard, making him the oldest of them all. He had two huge horns in his head, and his muscles were big like his age, his eyes were two yellow dots in the middle of black, and his four bull hooves were as muscular like his arms.
"So, what now?" Asked the mare in armor.
"You go back to the moon, Nightmare MOON!" Mocked the one made of different parts.
"Shut the fuck up Discord, or I'll put you there myself!"
"Now now Nightmare... no need to get angry. You can come visit me, and I'll help you relax..." Commented the black mare while putting her hands in Nightmare's armor around her chest area.
"And Chrysalis, you stay away from me!" Nightmare Moon pointed at her face with a dagger made of the same metal as her armor.
"Can you guys stop? Mane almost killed a guard here! We have things to talk about!" Sombra snarled.
"You can come too, Sombra. No need to panic." Chrysalis winked at him while licking her lips with her long pointy tongue. "I can be whatever you want me to be."
"No thank you." Sombra replied.
"What about me!?" Discord complained.
"Ugh! You? With who?!" Nightmare Moon commented.
"Banished to the moon!" Discord mocked.
"WHY YOU..!"
"I don't mind, you can come darling..." Chrysalis replied.
"Slut..." Nightmare grumbled.
"ENOOOOOOOOOOOOUGH!!!!!" Tirek exploded in rage. "Listen up you imbeciles! Sombra said the correct thing! Mane Shaker himself almost killed an innocent due to my power I decided to borrow him. Since he discovered his inherited powers, we talked It would be the best time to start supporting him and we saw what happened here today! We need to have a meeting and discuss if this is a good idea! Got It?! Now let's move out, we have a lot to discuss!"
The Worshipers of the Dark Crystal hideout, Sigil's office
"How is he?" Sigil asked to the nurse.
"In bad shape..." The earth mare opened the medical report and searched the pages. "Several bruises on his upper body. A bullet wound in his back near the one of the lungs, but we didn't find any projectile. An artery torn in his left nostril. Some glass shards and wood splints we removed from superficial wounds. Full body muscular burnout. And to end the list, his fingers all bruised with open wounds and the bones almost broken."
"It was an ugly round... for that 'bulldozer'" Sigil whispered.
"What now?" Copper asked while standing against the wall with his arms crossed.
"He's sleeping on the infirmary connected to the machines. Two of my assistants are on his behalf by turns. Took us some hours to operate him and make the full diagnosis. Thanks to our master scribe Inked Quill, he helped us understand his muscle's condition."
"Yes!" The old unicorn appeared by the door. "Now that you mention It! I warned that idiot about the use of body magic over the limit. And you three!" Quill pointed at Sigil, Copper and Pinkamena. "I want you to tell me what happened there and what made him do It. That information can't be missed in our files."
"It wasn't his fault..." Pinkamena muttered. "He almost lost control of It."
"What was that?" Quill looked at her with attention, while grabbing a blank piece of paper and a pen.
"I'm going back to my office. I'll keep you posted if there's anything new about his recovery. And before I forget, we couldn't define a date for his recovery or awakening." The nurse closed the file, putted the hood of her cultist robe back in her head and left the room, leaving those four with their matters.
"Like she said, Mane lost his control for some minutes." Sigil repeated in a calm tone.
"Wait wait! Let's start from zero. How did this all began?" Quill's horn sparkled and prepared to start writing. "And spare the action, I want to know Mane's details."
"Well..." Pinkamena took a deep breath. "It started from nothing, his eyes were wide open and he started breathing really heavily and loud. the veins on his neck were clearly seen. I can tell his heart was racing as if he was about to have a heart attack."
"But things got... scary." Sigil's turn arrived.
"I think terrifying is the best word." Pinkamena interrupted.
"I agree. A dark purple aura started forming around him and getting bigger while time passed. He started grunting as if he couldn't contain that strange power inside him."
"Then his horn started glowing with his normal red aura around It." Copper continued. "But then It became like thunder raging out of him, this strong red literally illuminated the whole room. By this point, we were pissing ourselves for being in the same room with him in that state."
"Miss Diane." Said Quill after writing the last thing he heard. "You know Mane better than us, did this ever happened before?"
"No. It was the first time he experienced this, Mane himself said It."
"So that means he came back to his senses?" Quill asked.
"Yes, but let's not get side tracked here, there's still a lot to say."
"You're right, let's leave It to the end." Quill prepared to return to his writing task.
"After all this, he just... roared loudly like a forgotten beast of Equestrian mythology, and all that aura got absorbed inside him and started manifesting on his eyes."
"A purple aura coming out of his eyes?!" The old one baffled.
"Yes." Sigil concluded. "We saw It too."
"It was like witnessing King Sombra himself... but a lite version." Copper Spear waved shook his hands in an enthusiastic way.
"And what happened after that?" Quill insisted.
"After that... was chaotic." Pinkamena whispered but Quill managed to hear It. "Mane was walking as if he didn't feel any pain, and proceeded to start beating an Elite Juggernaut. He even stopped his fist by just hold It, and he managed to crush the gauntlet along with his hand inside while using his crystal hands."
"To be expected from the test results..." Quill whispered while writing.
"But It didn't there. Then he managed to kick that giant to the ground and he started punching his helmet without mercy..." Pinkamena started sobbing but without crying. "His hand's skin were open and bleeding but he didn't care, he wasn't feeling any pain at all, and he almost killing the guy by crushing his skull along with the helmet."
By this point, Pinkamena stopped talking and lowered her head. Copper served her a glass of water which she accepted, while Sigil petted her back to keep her calm.
"Sweetie..." Quill called, and she looked at him. "If you don't wanna talk It's okay, I understand if you are going through a trauma."
"It's not a trauma! It's about what he did then!" Pinkamena putted the glass back in the table with a loud bang in the wood. "I dared to stop him, but the his brute strength made my fingers slip! I was screaming on top of my lungs but nothing, and when I tried to pull him back, he tackled me and I fell on my back! He only stopped when I started crying frmo seeing him in that way, taking the way he taught me not to..."
She got silent while staring at the elder, which kept writing everything she said. Quill didn't want to press on her but he still had one more question, and took him a while to talk.
"I got one last question if you allow me, but after this, how did you all escaped the army?"
"It was Mane again." Copper answered. "He looked at all of them and none dared to move, even Shining Armor himself, the top captain of the Royal Guard. Then Mane screamed to leave him alone, and all of them just walked away in a fast pace... and that was It."
"Legit!" Sigil supported.
"I see... you know, that way of imposing power under those defying your authority. It was one of King Sombra's powers. The way of inducing fear and control were one of the things that made take control of the Crystal Empire back in the days his reign of terror started." Quill conducted an explanation as if he was giving a lesson to his scholars.
"Quill..." Pinkamena interrupted.
"What is It?"
"That power... Mane had no absolute control of himself during his rampage, and I can tell, that was NOT him! I've seen him angry before but not like that, he was completely out of character! He almost killed a Royal Guard and that was not of him!"
"So you think that enraging power came out from somewhere else?" Quill asked.
"I ain't no magic student or specialist even if I'm an earth mare, but I won't deny It... Also, the walk to here was not easy too. I kept guiding him all the time, he barely could walk properly as if his whole body was numb and It was like he was lost in time and space. He would go to the left and I had to pull him to the right! And then... we were almost arriving here and he fainted."
"There's a lot to analyse..." Saying this Quill finished his writing.
Not so far away, near the Crystal Palace.
What was a noisy camp was now like a graveyard. Dead silence. The soldiers were not talking after that morning, they didn't even feel like training or walk out of camp much less under their captain's order to not disturb their target or any of his associates. Shining Armor was on his tent finishing his second bottle of wine to forget what he witnessed, when two officers walked inside, one from his army and the other from the Crystal Army.
"Captain?" The royal sergeant saluted.
"What?" Shining didn't look at him, and his face was slightly red from the alcohol.
"We recovered them with the help of carts. They are recovering in the infirmary tent. One with a broken muzzle, another with an fractured skull and in coma. Our champion, we had to request our blacksmith's help to open the helmet, his head was stuck in It. Also, part of his skull is fractured."
"Urgh..." Shining groaned. "I bet none of the other men feel like going out to look for Mane Shaker. By this point the rest already knows of the story." He finished his glass of wine. "Anyway, why are you here?" He pointed at the crystal officer.
"I demand to know why your scouts ordered all of my soldiers to stop their stationing orders. You have no control on my men." The crystal officer pulled a chair and sat in front of Shining Armor, while the royal sergeant left them in private.
"Because I'm the high captain of the Royal Army!" Shining babbled.
The crystal officer took away from him the glass and the wine bottle and groaned. "You know It's not a good example for the high captain to be seen half drunk his ass. Now I want to know what happened out there and what this Mane did."
"Haha..." Shining giggled in his drunk voice. "It was like seeing King Sombra reincarnated! His eyes had the same aura when he was alive before Our Highness executed him herself with her holy Solar Blade!"
"What do you mean? His poster nickname 'The Last Sombra' was this literal?"
"Oh you bet. This city is on red fucking alert..." The captain hiccuped. "One of my scouts wrote to Princess Celestia and her sister and sent through our message dragon."
"What do you expect?"
"An answer!" Shining laughed while hiccuping.
Somewhere outside the city.
Don Topaz groaned while Beryl kept silent as always next to him. The atmosphere in the luxury living room was heavy while Topaz scanned his thugs up and down, while sitting on his couch, smoking a cigar with a whiskey and ice on the table next to him. Some with blood in their white suits and others unscratched.
"You all had to run away, didn't you..?" The godfather grabbed the glass and moved It allowing the ice to mix with the drink. "You all had an arsenal and numbers to defeat four damn guys!"
"T-there's nothing we could d-do, sir." Said one of the thugs with fear.
"AND WHY IS THAT?!" Don Topaz screamed, making them all stand back.
"T-the army got there. B-but some of us stayed behind to see what would happen..."
"And what do you have to say? At least give me good news! One is all is ask!"
"A grey guy managed to make them stand back for some minutes, until Canterlot's army arrived to give them support, even with their highest rank captain, I believe It was the guy who controls the whole Royal Army."
"Shining Armor?" Topaz asked raising an eyebrow. "I've heard things about him. He participated in the liberation of the Crystal Empire by fighting side by side with the Royal Sisters."
"Well... He arrived with some squads and three gigantic guys, strong like Beryl." The thug pointed at the bodyguard while he stared at him in the eyes. "But the grey guy managed to beat two of them alone in duel, one at a time, while the other three who were with him searched the rooms."
"What about the last one?" Topaz asked.
"He managed to beat the grey one really painfully, but then something happened and the grey one was... possessed."
"What do you mean by 'possessed'?!" The Don made the quotes with his fingers.
"Um... How can I explain... It wasn't me who stayed behind to see, but for what they told me, he had these eyes surrounded in purple, and he had an unmatched force. He almost killed the last guy who claimed to be the box champion in the Royal Elite." The thug looked at the bodyguard. "Beryl, I know you brawled with him before and won. And with all due respect I swear, but if he enters in that state next time, you won't survive."
Beryl grunted towards him, Don Topaz gestured him to get close and whispered on his hear. The huge heart stallion nodded and walked out of the room, leaving the boss alone with his goons.
"As for you all... I won't blame you for running away when the army arrived, It was the better thing to do. But next time we will be prepared, even if they can't find us here." Don Topaz seemed more calm while taking a sip of his whiskey.
"Uhm... sir?" One of the thugs raised a finger.
"What is It now?"
"The thing they were looking for. The pink mare that was with them found the safe and managed to open while the grey guy distracted the juggernauts..." The thug stopped talking.
"They know of our location..." The guy next to him completed. "It's just a matter of time before they launch the next attack."
Don Topaz went from calm to livid in a second. He smoked the rest of his cigar in almost on puff with his nerves on the edge, and smashed the glass on the floor in pieces, spilling the drink all over the floor and some drops on his pants, and he stood up.
"You are all lucky I'm short of men in the moment! FIRST they sneaked in my mansion and escaped my prison! THEN they completely ruined my house, and to had more insult to the pain, the army took recognition of my undercover activities! THEN was the worse so far! They robbed my entire arsenal hidden in the Crystal Mountains after starting a fucking war in there, while all of those idiots had enough to supply an army! NOW they did It! THREE! Three in a row in less than twenty four hours!" Don Topaz made the number with his hand in fury. "ONE! They attacked one of my best associates and killed him and his guys! TWO! They attacked one of hideouts when NOPONY in the entire world suspected of us there. AND THREE! From all the places they could strike, they had to go at Cobble Motel! The place where my info was! You all get the fuck out and start checking the weapons we have at the moment! Make improvements of your own if you must to! Those four guys must die!!!"
Canterlot's Palace
Things weren't so calm in the Equestrian capital for one character in particular. Half hour ago a servant had delivered the letter to Princess Celestia and she didn't loose time heading to her sister quarter's, but she wasn't there. Neither in the gardens nor anywhere in the palace.
Celestia walked out to the barracks close to the palace, facing the soldiers surprised by seeing their Highness walking alone without any soldiers on her behalf. But as soon they would follow her, she ordered in a panicky tone to leave her alone. She headed to where the sparring sounds of steel on steel were coming from, to find squads of soldiers practicing their swordsmanship.
"Hello." Celestia called one of the officers conducting the exercises.
"DAMMIT Water Boots! This is a sparring session! Not a tickling exercise!" The officer screamed at a soldier.
"Excuse me!" Celestia poked the officer in the shoulder.
"What is It n-" The officer nearly turned white like the princess as soon he noticed who it was. "M-my biggest excuses, Princess Celestia!" The drill officer bowed down in respect.
"It's alright. Please, where is my sister? It's urgent."
"She's probably around the gym area, Your Highness."
The Sun Princess walked out and headed to the gym, and when she entered, a crowd of soldiers were surrounding her sister Luna while blushing and funny expressions in their faces, which was practicing her personal boxing training, wearing her tight black shorts, black top tank and boxing tap around her hands throwing punch after punch and sometimes a kick against a punching bag.
The presence of the older sister made the soldiers open room and let her through until she was next to Luna, which stopped when she noticed Celestia in the scene.
"Oh hello, my dear sister." Said Luna cleaning her sweat on the towel.
"We need to talk." Celestia sounded serious.
"We can talk here." Luna consented, but Celestia showed her the huge letter and where It came from. Luna pondered for a bit and ordered the soldiers to leave them and wait outside the gym. "Something happened?"
"Yes, a lot..." The older sister looked for the page among the papers composing the letter. "But I'll get to the point."
"It it bad?" Luna asked worried.
"Very bad!" Celestia grabbed the page and handed over to her sister. "Read It by yourself and you tell me."
Luna started reading the page and the tiny letters. It sure was a big message for the messenger not letting out any space unfilled, and more she read the more worried she grew. Luna requested the next page and Celestia gave It to her, and this time she got startled while fear took over her expression. She stopped reading and gave the two pieces of paper back to her sister.
"Oh my..." Luna whispered.
"I know. This is really bad. Seems Mane achieved a new level of power. Full control of his crystal sense, turning into smoke like the dead King Sombra, and now... he managed to put his hands and mind in a fraction of his uncle's full power."
"What do we do?" Luna asked. "And I quote what I read, he beat Brass Knuckles while he was on a rampage. One of our champions and almost killed him." Luna's expression changed to disbelief. "I mean, that guy was known for ruining the punching bags with his bare fists!"
"We have a situation here, dear sister. We may have to go in battle if necessary someday. With a power like this, he can manage to crush an army if he needs to. And I don't care if he never killed none of our soldiers or not!"
"I agree, but I think we shouldn't risk our lives for now." Luna attempted to get her powerful sister out of that idea, knowing she could easily triumph over Mane.
"Wise words. With our scientists latest achievement in military technology, we could improve their budget and tell what we want." Celestia raised a hand with a finger up. "This reminds me, Dr. Fumes is back in his hooves."
"That's good. With him back, the next weapons could use many improves. I tried some of them along with our soldiers and those things are efficient some times but they lack a lot of things."
"Back to the topic." Celestia looked back into the letter. "This only raises Mane's prize on his head. 1 000 000."
"Only 500 000 more?" Luna scratched her head. "Only because of this?"
"Only?!" Celestia grabbed her sister by the shoulders. "We are dealing with a devil here! It's only a matter of time until Mane gets full access and control of those unspeakable powers! This will remain between us and the troops stationed on the Crystal Empire. I'll write down a letter myself so nopony else here knows of It, and telling Shining Armor to tell his troops to never mention what happened there to the others here, or the punishment is unbearable."
"Okay..." Luna looked around making sure none of the soldiers heard It, and they were the only ones in the gym.
"I'll leave you alone for now. I must consider some changes around the palace." Celestia turned her back and left the place, with the soldiers coming back to their 'training', or more likely to see the sensual Princess of the Night in her tight training clothes and sweating body, showing her powerful moves.
"I need to talk with him. I could use a rest also... hopefully he's asleep."
The sky was a mixture of red and orange, due to the strong flames engulfing the cities and forests creating thick clouds of grey and black smoke blocking the sun. He never liked the high temperatures but It was his fault even if he didn't remember doing It. Even in the top of the mountain was scorching, but the snow melted when the fire took possession of the air.
"Sooo..." A voice behind him. "How It was?"
"Amazing, but scary." Mane answered.
The hand under the steel gauntlet touched Mane's shoulder making him turn around and looked at his uncle with his green eyes surrounded in purple corrupted magic being washed along with the hot wind.
"You remind of me back in the years..." King Sombra commented while staring at him with the same effect on his red and green eyes.
"It was YOU!" Mane snarled with his finger pointed almost touching him. "You were the responsible for injecting that rage on me!"
"NO! It was Tirek!" Sombra argued. "Since you discovered your 'Crystal Sense' and the 'Shadow Body' power, we though It would be the best time to give you a help."
"You could have warned me! I almost killed a guy out there!" Mane gave a step in his direction.
"Hey, let's not get aggressive here. I can beat you right here and you know It!"
Mane turned his back to see Equestria in flames, and his expression changed slowly to fear.
"Tell me, uncle. Is this real..?"
"No! You're in one of your nightmares." Sombra answered with a laugh.
"Not that. I mean this!" Mane extended his arms in the direction of the fiery fields. "Can this actually happen by my own deeds?"
"Well, er..." The dead tyrant scratched his head. "No. Only Tirek could do this if nopony would stop him. And you aren't Tirek."
"Good. I can rest more relaxed then. Next time tell me what is about to happen before I almost punch somepony's brains out."
"All I can say is, you should make the ritual and have a talk with each one of them, and ask what they can help you with, and start training alone. My part is mostly made, you have the 'Crystal Sense' and part of the 'Shadow Body'. All I can do is give some advice." Sombra walked next to him to admire the landscape. "It's like being down there..."
"Hell is like this?" Mane asked.
"A bit like this, but way worse. Where the soul of the dead torment us from time to time but they are quickly dispatched. One thing is right though, all the scum you killed is awaiting for you there."
"Good!" Mane threw a punch at his other open hand. "If my place is reserved there, I get to kick their asses again."
"I hope It doesn't. The last thing I want It's you down there by my side." Sombra sighed a black cloud out of his mouth. "I deserve to be there, and those Four fools decided to help me in helping you and do a favor to this world of the living."
"Honestly uncle Sombra, I never understood how such evil characters can help somepony in doing the good."
"It's called learning the lesson, nephew..." Sombra patted Mane in the back, but something gave him a weird feeling, while he looked around as if he was being watched.
"Something wrong?" Mane asked.
"Yes. I... I gotta go! Chrysalis sent you a kiss!" Mane cringed while observing his uncle stepping to a cliff behind them. "See you! And remember what I told you!" Sombra turned on his 'Shadow Body' and flew down the bottomless chasm, leaving Mane speechless with his sudden leaving.
After some moments, a character in dark blue armor appeared in the sky and landed in front of Mane with It's wings spread, and It stood up from the landing pose and took off the helmet revealing her unmatched beauty.
"Mane!" Luna called while heading to him to give a hug, but she stopped when she noticed his eyes. "By all the stars..." She gasped when turned around to see her beloved reign in flames. The princess looked back at Mane which stood there without knowing what to say, while trying to chill down his body from the scorching wind. "You did this..?" Luna asked in shock.
"No..." Mane said calmly. "It always begins like this, and I'm always here on top of this mountain without an exit, to suffer the heat and see what my lack of control can do."
"It's the first time I see this nightmare of yours, but I didn't expect this!" Luna baffled in terror.
"Don't worry. I suffer in It too." Mane walked next to her, but she gave a step aside. "Besides cooking here without any way of leaving, I must see my place burn... and all those I love and care about, dead."
"Do you regret It..?" The princess asked with a glance of hope.
"A lot..." Mane sighed sadly. "From my three usual bad dreams, I think this is the most fucked up." He didn't mind to swear in front of a princess, knowing Luna was okay with It. "Because one mistake is one thing, and can lead to a new problem or a chain of events. But here, It's like I didn't gave time to make something else happen." Mane looked at the princess. "I have a guess why you're here."
"No need to take a guess. I almost fainted when my sister handed me the letter. I had to read a second time to check if It was true." Luna pointed her Moon Scythe at Mane to keep the distance. "Start explaining!" She demanded with a nervous look.
"Woa, calm down!" Mane lowered the weapon but the princess insisted in keeping It up in his direction. "I simply lost It! It came out of nowhere!"
"Why I don't believe in you?" She asked. "For what I read, It was like King Sombra, your dead uncle was coming back to life in a new body. Do you expect me to go easy on this? In fact, I felt an evil presence leaving this place before I arrived!"
Mane gulped with the pressure she was making. He didn't want to say the Five Devils started supporting him since he found his new powers, and that would mean a death sentence and losing Luna's friendship which both valuated since Mane was a foal.
"Well look around you!" Mane argued. "Look and tell me why are you surprised you feel an evil presence! I'm from the same bloodline of Sombra, and It wasn't my choice to be or have the 'Devil Blood'! You can choose your life, friends and other things, but you can't choose family or their own decisions!" He hoped she would buy It, even if It was true.
"Hmm..." Luna analyzed the scenario around them and he had a good point. She lowered the weapon and walked slowly towards him. "I like you and you know It. But if I must help my sister defend Equestria, I won't hesitate in going after you myself." Luna pointed a finger at him. "And remember! I know who are you... I know your fears... I know who you care about... I know of your actions... and I can enter in your sleep and make you suffer..." The slow tone made the colt shiver in pure terror of seeing the Night Princess like that.
"Okay..." Mane shivered. "Please don't hurt me more than what I already am..."
"Oh don't worry Mane Shaker, 'The Last Sombra'!" She mocked. "I wouldn't hurt you. I'll kill you if I must... fast and clean."
Luna turned around to fly away and leave Mane on his own, but she stopped dead in her tracks.
"You can choose your life, friends and other things, but you can't choose family"
Mane's saying echoed in her head. She turned around and Mane noticed tears forming in her blue eyes, and with a run she hugged him while he took It and stood still without knowing what to do.
"I'm so sorry." She cried in his shoulder. "I don't know what went through me."
"It's alright..." Mane patted her armored back. "If you think that's bad. Imagine having that fear and anger inside of you thousands of times multiplied, but you must contain It all."
"I think I get It now..." Luna looked at his green eyes still surrounded by the evil purple.
"Like I said. I lost It... There was so much going on in my head." Mane explained again.
"I won't blame you." She cleaned her tears. "You are just trying to do the right thing."
"I don't blame you either. It's your duty to rule Equestria along with your sister and defend It. I understand if one day we must fight each other, I just hope that day doesn't come..."
"Me neither." She was about to hug but noticed the coat of sweat covering his head, neck and arms. "Too hot in here don't you think?"
"Yes, I hate It here..."
Luna stepped back and with all her power, she summoned a cloud that grown in size in seconds, and what was a tiny cloud became a blizzard. She managed to cover the entire place in a cold wind, slowing cooling down the air. The freezing storm slowly killed the flaming landscape, and the clouds of smoke covering the sky became grey. It calmed down and started snowing, covering the scorched scenario in white.
"I know how much you like the cold." Luna smiled while sweeping what was left of her tears.
"Yes... Pinkamena never saw snow. It's hard to believe. Guess living in a basement all those years only coming out to hunt for victims, attending her kills used to stop during winter..."
"I think you both should relax one of these times."
"What do you mean? There's a nation to clean."
"I mean, more you act, more close Shining Armor will be from you. You two should stop for a month or two and take a rest." The new white landscape inspired her. "I know! Why don't you take her to the Foal Mountains behind Canterlot during winter?"
"Good idea... maybe after we leave the Crystal Empire... if we end our business here alive without getting caught."
"I don't think Shining Armor and his troops will get that close of you after this morning." Luna commented in a sassy tone.
"True."
"Well, I gotta go. I wanted to check on you. I'm sorry for my words back there."
"It's alright like I said. I'll stay here... thinking about my life." Mane sat on a cold stone with a dusting of snow.
"Get well soon, and remember. Keep your control, or what you saw here may become a reality..."
With that, Princess Luna left through a void she opened with her magic. Mane melted a puddle of snow with his magic, and he looked into the watery mirror. His eyes were still the same, with the evil purple aura coming out of them, and he sighed in acceptance.
The sparring session was refreshing for Pinkamena, and Copper could say the same. It's not everyday anypony would see somepony without any armor fighting so flawlessly high rank soldiers with nothing a pair of kitchen knifes, to the point where the cult's captain allowed the other cultists to enter in the barracks of the underground complex to watch the show.
She was swift with her technique and deadlier when she would manage to disarm the swords out of their hands and stop with her smaller weapons pointed at a gap between the pieces of their armors. For the final, Copper himself decided to challenge the pink mare to a sparring session, without his armor too and for weapon of choice, his two favorite duo of short swords.
She got out of the warm shower and wrapped the towel around her body, using another one to dry her hair. She putted back on her washed outfit previously provided by the cult, and wearing the dirty white top-tank made It feel like It had shrunken. Luckily the leather black jacket with short sleeves and the black mini jean shorts were a different material to the washing process.
Pinkamena stepped out of the room and calmly walked to the infirmary, with the medical chief coming out with her files.
"Hello there." She greeted.
"Hey... how is he?" Pinkamena asked worried.
"Recovering. There isn't much I can tell. We managed to heal his artery in the nose. Most of his wounds were superficial like I said previously, and we didn't even needed to worry about those very much. His mucles... well, It's according to him once he wakes up."
"Did he woke up while I wasn't there?"
"For what my assistants told me, no. He's in a coma." The nurse sighed sadly, but tried to cheer up the pink mare. "But he's quite something, your friend. His body was all numb, so we didn't need to use any anesthesia, which made the operation to his back much easier. And for superficial wounds, his recovery his astonishing. For glass cuts, the wounds closed in less than one night, now they are just small scars under his fur."
"Thank you." Pinkamena walked inside while the nurse gave her passage, and found Sigil sitting on a chair next to the bed where Mane was recovering. "Oh... didn't expect you here." She said It in a cold tone.
"What do you mean?" The blue mare didn't took her eyes out of Mane. "Implying I don't care about him?"
"No. I mean, I wanted some time alone with him."
"I see... I also want some time alone with you." Sigil glared at her.
"Wha-what?!" Pinkamena blushed red like a tomato. "I-I admit sometimes I'm into mares, but no need for sudden invi-"
"It's not that... murderer!" Sigil stood up and grabbed a paper from her pockets and unfolded. It was a 'wanted' poster with Diane's face on It. "What do you have to say in your defense?"
"Listen. Keep calm, and allow me to explain. It's like you didn't knew."
"I didn't, until I took a stroll around the city at the middle of the night and saw this. Besides, neither you or Mane were wanted by the law in the Crystal Empire, so imagine my surprise when he once told me the Royal Guard was a problem for him." She turned the poster and started reading. "Interesting, 'The Cannibal of Ponyville', ninety thousand bits in your head. Cannibalism, all degrees of murder. You built quite a reputation..."
"Slow down there." Pinkamena slowly grabbed her knifes. "Most of that is the past, and thanks to this wonderful bastard here, I regret my actions from back then. If you have any intention in delivering me to the Royal Guard, I won't hesitate."
"For your information, I have two loaded pistols with me." Sigil laughed. "And no. I have no intentions like those, I was just testing your temper. If you couldn't tell, we are friends already and I couldn't do such a thing." She ripped the poster in four and threw It on the garbage bin. "I just want an explanation how Mane could change you so much, because changing the personality of a serial killer isn't a magic that any unicorn can do."
Pinkamena calmed down and sheathed her blades back in her belt. "Take a seat then." She grabbed a nearby chair and took It next to Sigil's chair. "It's a long history..."
One hour and half later...
The pink mare had finished her story in how she met Mane and he made to her. Sigil kept silent hearing the whole thing, sometimes dropping a question or two, which Pinka gladly answered.
"That's one hell of a story..." Sigil commented in a low voice.
"I know right? It was like he knew my scream for help from deep inside my mind."
"Well... you wanted some time allow with him, didn't you?" Sigil stood up and walked towards the door. "I'll leave then. And I'm happy that he has such a nice company, not minding her past." She opened the door and quietly closed behind her.
The room and dead silent from inside and outside, with just those two now. Pinkamena approached the chair from the bed and stared at Mane sleeping. The stallion has been there for the last four days sleeping. That morning was something to be memorized, who he was and what could he do if somepony wasn't careful in playing with his temper.
Pinkamena held his hand and took It to her face, allowing his inanimate fingers to caress her. She remembered the day he petted her and scratched behind he ears, and smiled with the funny but cute memory. Diane putted his hand back next to him, but didn't release her grip.
"You know..." She whispered to him, even if he was sleeping. "I just remembered when you petted me. Nopony else caressed me besides my parents, and that was more than fifteen years ago. Now look at me, nineteen years old and no love, haha... how could this happen..?" She giggled quietly.
She though for a bit. "I know you're not listening at the moment... but I want to let you know how close to you I grew in these last months. How much have we gone through together in just four months?" She raised her hands and started counting. "From meeting each other with me almost killing. You changed my personality. We crashed a social event. Then I almost killed you again. Traveled together to the Crystal Empire. Infiltrate in a mansion and escape. Discover with you your new powers. We fought in a mini war in the middle of the mountains against an army of mafiosos. I mean... look at this, so many events we went by side by side!" She smiled at him. "Now that I think of It... I was stuck in an endless loop of killing just for killing. And since I met you, my life changed so much. Now I kill for justice, and this feels even greater than before."
She leaned close of him, and caressed his hair.
"You are really something... You may have a split personality like me. We are so alike..." She closed her eyes and kissed his forehead. "I want to thank you for all you've done for me..."
Pinkamena stood up and released his hand. "I gotta go for now. But I'll be back later. I have some stories I want to share with you."
"Are they good..?" He whispered when she was about to leave. Pinkamena raised her ears in alert and turned around, to see Mane slightly moving in bed, still with his eyes closed.
"You're awake!" The mare jumped next to the bed in excitement. "How do you feel?"
"I can't feel my legs... and my back fucking hurts." He moaned in pain. "I woke up and you were almost gone. How much I've been here?"
"Around four or five days."
"Five days?!" Mane gasped while flinching in some pain. "I've been stuck in my nightmare for five days! At least It was the less messed up."
"By Luna's mercy, I'm sorry for that!" She served him a glass of water.
"Luna's mercy... what a fucking coincidence, girl." He thought while drinking. "Have I missed something while I was gone?"
"Not much. Life here was pretty much the same for everypony." Pinkamena slightly blush. "But boring without you, as if dead..." She whispered.
"What was that?" Mane looked at her blushing cheeks.
"Nothing. Nothing... Can you stand up?"
"I don't think so. But I can move them, but without the touch of agony. Did I break something without noticing?"
"Nah. According to their medic, you had a muscular burnout."
"Hmm... I can relate after the magic outburst I had that day. It was just too much for me at the time." He uncovered the beds sheetson his body, seeing only a long bandage wrapping his torso. "I've been shot, I remember that. The bullet came out of my body when I went 'Shadow Body'."
"Yeah, they got confused because they couldn't find the bullet, oh well..."
"Are there new plans? We are almost done with our job in this city." He asked while trying to get up.
"No. We didn't plan anything without you, silly."
"Well, because I have something else to do before we head to the final part."
"What is It?" Diane looked at him with curiosity.
"I... I can't really tell." The stallion looked at her with a secretive expression.
"Why? You are worrying me." She looked on his suspiciously.
"Maybe I'll tell later, but I have a task for you. To gather some stuff."
"...okay..." Pinka said It slowly with an awkward face.
"But before that, call a nurse to give me a painkiller... my legs and back are killing me."
"Alright!" Said Mane happily. "Let's see... a crystal, three bird black feathers, a glass of an alcohol based drink, one piece of charcoal, one piece of sulfur. Only one thing missing, and lock the door, I can't be disturbed."
"What is It?" Pinkamena closed Mane's bedroom door and turned the key. "And can I stay?"
"Of course. Wouldn't be gentle to not let you stay after asking you a favor. And what is missing is..." Mane pulled out his small folding knife. "A drop of virgin blood..."
Pinkamena quickly extended her hand closed with a finger out with an expression of helping out, whatever he was about to do.
"Why are pointing at me?" He asked puzzled.
"You need a drop of virgin blood, so..."
"Er... alright..." Mane grabbed her hand gently but stopped. "Wanna do It yourself? I can't do It."
"I understand." Pinkamena grabbed one of her knifes and made a small cut in her thumb, allowing a tiny stream of blood to drop in a shot glass. "Wait..."
"What?"
"If you have done this before... where have you been getting the virgin blood?" She looked at him intrigued.
"Simple. From me." He answered surprise. "Where else I would get It?" The answer blew Pinka's mind.
"Anyway, what are you gonna do with this?" Pinkamena wrapped a piece of cloth around her thumb. "Some kind of potion?"
"Nah." Mane drew a pentagon in the floor with the charcoal. "A ritual..."
"From what I've seen from you I'm not surprised... But for what?"
"Remember when I said I had a help of some guys I wished to not talk about?" Mane started putting the materials in their order.
"You're frighting me." She felt uncomfortable indeed.
"Tell me, have you ever heard these names: Discord, Nightmare Moon, Tirek, Chrysalis and King Sombra."
Pinkamena gasped from the the first four names. She gave a step back and simply stared at Mane with her eyes wide open. So besides being related to King Sombra himself, he knew personally the Five Devils.
"Mane..?" She whispered.
"What is It now?"
"Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, you're dealing with a force bigger than you."
"I know that. And yes, It's good idea for me and they are obviously more powerful than me, but I have a something to attend to."
"Attend? What, one of them told you?" She laughed shortly.
"Yeah! My dear dead uncle." Mane smiled.
"WAIT! How?! He's dead!" She shouted agitated.
"One, we all have a soul, an after life. Two, I have dreams... bad ones. Three, It's not the first time Sombra visited me with those two things together."
"Soo... let me get this straight. If Luna puts me in your dream, and King Sombra visits... I can get to meet him?"
"Never saw that happen that way, but I don't think Luna would go along with Sombra."
"Oh... didn't think of that." Pinkamena sat on Mane's bed which belonged to a tyrant many years ago, making her feel uneasy. "I still have several questions, but I won't interrupt you for now."
"Thank you. You may want to seek protection in the first part. Don't let anypony interrupt me."
"Got It!" She stood up and entered the cabinet and looked through the back between the door and the huge of furniture. "Go for It, and good luck."
"I was born lucky." Mane winked at her with a smile, and she blushed.
Mane sat on the rock brick floor in front of the pentagram with the materials distributed around It in a certain order. He closed his eyes and meditated for some seconds. With his eyes closed, he grabbed the piece of charcoal, crumbled It on the drink and mixed with his finger and took It to his mouth. Then he ignited the piece of sulfur in the center with his magic, and burned the feathers in the tiny blue flames, filling the room with the smell of a volcano and burning feathers. The crystal in the center started glowing from the inside, as the blood inside the tiny glass started moving on It's own.
Pinkamena though the first part had ended, but as soon she opened the cabinet door a flow of dark purple magic engulfed Mane with a shock wave, making some of the furniture tremble.
*Knock knock!* "Hello?" A voice sounded from the door. "Is everything alright? The whole place shuddered near your room!"
The pink mare left the cabinet and went to the door. "Everything is alright!"
"Pinkamena?" It was Quill. "It smells like damn sulfur from Mane's room! What are you doing?"
"It's Mane, not me."
"What the actual fuck is he up to? We have an alchemy laboratory and he knows of It! And... why do I feel a huge magic flow going on from the room? And not the good kind!"
"Inked Quill! I'm telling you, everything is aaaaalright. No need to worry, he's under control." Pinkamena cheered her voice.
"What do you mean he IS under control?! I'm calling Copper Spear!" And the old unicorn walked away loudly.
"WAIT! NO! Oh shit oh shit..."
In another realm...
Red. Hot. Lava. Screams. Sulfur. Hell...
"Well... been a while since I was here..." Mane whispered to himself.
"Welcome." Said a voice from behind. "It's been a while, hasn't It?"
"Nightmare?" Mane guessed.
"Indeed!" The stallion turned around to face the dark blue alicorn in her black armor. "How are you?"
"With my legs hurting and a hole in my back." Mane joked while shaking hands with her.
"I see... you know. We were there that day."
"I knew I felt something weird in the air. So, let's go!"
Nightmare Moon guided Mane through the corridors of warm stone, with sometimes a hand of a lost soul trying to grab one of them, but the powerful alicorn would simply stab the live flesh arms with her dagger. Demons flew in the distance over the sea of fire and magma feed by the molten rock waterfalls. They headed to the chore and a boat with a live skeleton of a stallion waiting. He glared at them with his non-existent eyes under his tattered robe's hood.
"Hello... live one..." His voice was deep and raspy.
"He's not dead, Charon." Nightmare explained in a frustrated way. "He's on a visit."
"Bah! Who would want to visit this rotten place anyway... Just get on the boat."
Mane pulled a gold coin from his pocket and gave It to the skeleton. "Happier?" He asked.
"Ahh..." He dragged his voice. "Shinny... let's go then."
The boat traveled swiftly in the magma, with some disturbances coming from the deeps, but Charon would hit the souls back with his stick. Arriving to the other side, Nightmare kept walking with Mane following her, eager to meet with the others.
They entered a stronghold made of crimson bricks, and after walking a corridor full of demonic statues and torches, in a room with five thrones of obsidian, there they are...
Tirek, sitting in the center looking at the visitor. On his left, King Sombra in silence and an empty throne. On the right, Discord and Chrysalis laughing together for some reason. Those three stopped and looked and Nightmare Moon with Mane following her and they smiled.
"Mane!" Said Chrisalys.
"The Last Sombra!" Completed Discord.
"So you came after all..." Concluded Sombra with a laugh.
"Welcome, young one." Tirek stood up. "Please... take a seat." With a finger, he made an obsidian throne appear behind the grey unicorn from the earth, in the center of the giant throne room, which Mane gladly accepted. "Sooo... you followed your uncle's advice."
"Yes, and for starters from my part, I fucking hate your guts." Mane said It calmly.
"HOW DARE YOU!!!" Tirek roared and raised a fist, but Nightmare Moon made him stand back before sitting on her throne.
"Why did you gave me your power without any warning?!" He complained.
"It was an experiment." Nightmare explained.
"You don't know if you don't try, am I right?" Discord mocked.
"Shut your mouth Discord. He came here for a reason." Sombra stood up. "He's here to ask for something."
"And what It might be?" Tirek asked raising an eyebrow towards Mane.
"I want a fraction of your powers." Mane said.
They all stood silent, and started to laugh evilly with their voices echoing through the place. All except Sombra who looked at them with disgust. Tirek stopped and still laughing he looked at Mane.
"Haha... Mane... you must have gone insane!" Chrysalis laughed.
"Your body can't contain all that power, you know that." Discord consented.
"I'm aware... but like Discord said. 'You don't know if you don't try'"
"Oh... you're serious." Nightmare was surprised just like the rest of them, except Sombra.
"Hey, I didn't do that painful ritual for telling you jokes! It still hurts a bit in my head." Mane complained.
"Sombra, you don't seem moved by this." Tirek looked at him standing in front of his throne with his arms crossed. "Do you know something we don't?"
"Yes..." Sombra looked at all of them. "He has the blood of the Sombras running on his veins. I say he would survive just like I did back in the years."
"He actually has a point..." Discord looked up while thinking. "Sombra was also a simple unicorn, and he survived!"
"Are you sure about this, sweetie?" Chrysalis asked with a seducing voice.
"I'm here for this." Mane answered with a gesture.
"Alright..." Tirek stood up from his throne. "You must be aware of the use of these powers. First, we may provide you a fraction of our powers, and you can use them anytime and how you like. But different ones have different magic levels, and their use have different counter effects."
"There are small ones and big ones for what we can give to you." Nightmare Moon explained. "The small ones, sometimes you can feel a headache after their use. But the bigger ones may knock you out for a night or many."
"It's due to the overuse of magic." Discord's turn, while drinking a soda he just spawned. "You may be familiar to this, after that day at the motel. You felt how the use of Tirek's wrath did a number on you after It was over."
"And It seems..." Said Chrysalis. "That pink girl has an effect on you. You calmed down pretty quickly with her presence... after knocking her out of your back before you realize what you did to her."
"I... er..." Mane gagged. "She's my closest friend so far."
"Yeah right..." Chrysalis giggled. "I know what is going on in your mind." She winked at him.
"Get out of my case!" Mane snarled at her.
"Folks, let's not forget our task here." Sombra called the attention. "I'll start. You already know and I told you this before. You have the 'Crystal Sense' and the 'Shadow Body'. Being from the Crystal Empire and my power on you, you can turn on your crystal body whenever you want without the presence of the Crystal Heart. And turn your body in a cloud of black smoke... except your face, which you can change size but in a limited. For a bigger power, I give you the power of mixing those two in one, making you a fighting beast."
"My turn!" Discord stood up cheerfully. "I give the power of manipulating space and time. It might sound too powerful, because It is. I'm sorry I don't have a small thing to offer you, but when you do this, you can stop time for one minute! ONE minute!" Discord made the number with his finger of his eagle arm. "And the space part, you can do anything you want while It's stopped. You can't kill anypony like that... unless you think hard."
"I shall give you the power of persuasion." Said Chrysalis with her lusty tone. "You may talk in a way that almost nopony will negate whatever you say. And I've been seeing you and that girl together... so I shall give you a passive power of an everlasting bond with her. Her presence can calm you down faster than that time, giving your conscious a moment of peace and come back to reality before you inevitably pass out from the overuse of magic from a big power like Tirek's or Sombra's. For a bigger power, I shall give you the power of changing your body to whatever character you want, but males only, and to turn your bonded companion into any mare you want. This only works with her and I'm familiar you've done this before when you went to the Crystal Empire, but only lasted some minutes. With my help, you can stay like that for a hour."
"My turn...." Nightmare Moon stood up from her throne. "I grant the power of fear. What is more scary than the night itself, when something unknown lurks in the dark? You may lose your fear of the dark and become the fear Itself to your opponents..." The other four giggled at Mane's cowardice. "For a great power, I give you the power of the night. At nighttime, your senses get sharper and your energy slightly raises. Your ears will hear sounds from a mile away, you will run silently without notice, and your night vision gets better. Slay your enemies with such speed and stealth that they won't even know what hit them. But ONLY works at night."
"Let's end this." Tirek looked at Mane with a menacing pose. "I have a passive for you, better control in the powers we offer you. For a bigger thing, I have what made me almost destroy Equestria... my endless wrath. You experienced It before and the results were a bit more than I expected. But with my passive gift, you may have a better control over yourself. My power gives you an endless streak of energy and superior strength which you can use with your 'Crystal Sense'."
The Five Devils ended their list of offers, and Mane felt uneasy with all those offers. He started consider if he would survive the procedure. Sombra noticed his hands trembling and walked down to his nephew's throne.
"Are you sure you wanna do this?" He putted a hand over his shoulder. "You are free to leave."
"No. I won't leave." Mane stated. "I want to help Equestria. I want to save It from the scum polluting It. Not in any of your names, but for the sake of the world I live in. I want to make It better before my time comes, either by age or in battle. And your offerings are indeed good, and I understand they are just fractions of your full powers. All of one would make my body explode in a devastating magic boom."
"Glad you understand that part." Tirek stood up with the rest of them, while Sombra walked back to his spot. "This will hurt, you know?"
"I'm aware of that." Mane stood up as well with the throne behind him going back to underground. "Not the first time I've been in pain or close to death."
"Believe me, dear Mane..." Sombra shook his head slowly to the sides. "This will be way worse... and I know by experience."
"Before we begin, you may want to consider something." Said Chrysalis with an imposing voice. "This may be the last time you can perform the ritual using your own blood..."
"Why is that?" He asked confused.
"Think about It after this... if you survive." She giggled.
"Don't jinx It!" Discord grunted.
"Are you ready?" Nightmare Moon asked.
"Yes..." Mane answered calmly, closing his eyes in acceptance.
Back in Mane's room
Pinkamena kept holding the door while the soldiers kept ramming It. Mane has been there in the floor for almost a hour glowing dark purple without any reaction to what was happening around him.
"DIANE! OPEN THIS DOOR!" Screamed Sigil from the other side.
"I-I can't!" She answered. "Mane told me to!"
"We don't care! It's smells like a damn volcano is about to erupt!" Copper Spear yelled. "DESTROY THIS DOOR!"
"Fuck!" Pinkamena jumped away from the door, and It got destroyed into pieces when two soldiers burst they in, followed by Sigil, Copper and Quill, to find Pinkamena in a defensive pose in front of Mane, while he was sitting on the floor, eyes closed and meditating, with the same purple aura they saw that day at the motel. "Don't do anything..." She asked to.
"We won't if you tell us what the hell is going on!" Quill shook a fist in the air.
"He made... a ritual." Pinkamena answered not sure if It was a good idea to tell.
"For what?" Sigil asked puzzled by the scenario. "As far I remember, I told you both we are a cult with no intent of bringing King Sombra back! It's a golden rule in our place, and you are breaking It!"
"You better find a better excuse!" Copper pointed at her.
The pressure was real. The results of interrupting Mane were unpredictable, and those three were looking at them with faces not meant to joke around. He could enter in a coma and never come back, or worse.
"You see... uh..." She started sweating looking for an explanation. "He's King Sombra's nephew. He's maybe communicating with him, asking for advice... or... ask how is life going as a ghost." She showed a nervous smile.
"Why do I have a feeling you are lying?" Sigil muttered.
"I'm not!" Pinka cried.
"That's It! Tell him to wake up!" Quill ordered.
"I can't! I have his orders to not allow anypony get close of him!"
"You two, end this facade..." Copper looked at the two soldiers and pointed at Mane, but Pinkamena instantly tackled them, but they kept forcing their way.
"NO! If he told me to, you better not do It!" Pinkamena screamed while fighting against the soldier's advance.
"Out of the way, miss!" Grunted one of the guards while trying to shove her away.
"Make me!" Diane provoked.
"Argh! Is this what I train you for? COME ON!" Copper yelled at his fighters, making their push even stronger.
"NO! PLEASE!" Pinkamena screamed. "MANE! WAKE UP!"
"Hold her!" Sigil ordered, and the soldiers grabbed the startled mare by the arms. "I'll end this myself."
"DON'T!" Pinka screamed at her.
"Shut up!" Sigil yelled, while approaching Mane's immobile body. But as soon she extended her arm to his shoulder, a spark of magic gave her a electric shock along her arm, making her step back. "I see..." The cyan mare closed her fist and pointed towards Mane's head.
Suddenly, Mane's body came back to life and he shook violently on the floor. He screamed, but those were screams of pure agony. He squirmed like a gaint fish out of water, kicking the legs of the bed and scattering the leftovers of what he used in the ritual, breaking the glass with Pinkamena's blood and spilling It on his ragged jeans.
"What the hell?!" Quill screamed baffled by the current scenery.
"Pinkamena, what did he do to himself?!" Sigil asked in panic.
"I don't know!" She yelled while releasing herself from the guards grip. "Ma- AHHH!!!" She knelled down to assist her friend, but as soon she touched his body, It was hot, hot like a iron coming our of a furnace. She stood up with haste and stepped back from the agitated colt.
His body started forming a purple aura like before, and his screams pitch raised to a bigger level. Then It changed to a greenish one, moments later It changed for dark blue, grey and a crimson red for the final. The aura ended and in a blink of an eye, he stopped screaming just like his agitated moves. They all stood there without knowing what to do, and Mane's body steaming from the heat inside him, laying on the floor completely passed out.
"What the fuck just happened..?" Copper broke the silence.
"You're asking me?" Pinkamena looked at him upset. "I don't get this side of him! He just told me he needed this list of stuff and he was gonna do a ritual! I don't know anything else after that!"
"Hey, Mane Shaker! Wak- DAMMIT!" Sigil touched the body and she felt the heat herself. "It's like he came out of an oven!"
"See?" Pinkamena complained.
"Shall we take him to the infirmary?" Copper suggested.
"It's for the best..." Quill agreed with anger. "And he's gonna have a hard time after waking up... I'm gonna tell him some words about what I told him before about overdoing his magic limitations. His brain must be all fried after what we saw here."
"You asshole..." Pinkamena thought. "Why you do this to yourself?"
She caressed Mane's arm, who was back to the infirmary's bed back in a coma, again under control of the nurses and this time with a small squad of five keeping their eyes on him, just in case he would have another moment like they saw yesterday.
"I'm going for now." She informed the another ones present in the room. "Please take care of him."
Some of the guards nodded with a serious expression. Pinkamena left the infirmary and headed to her room and sat on the bed. The clock by the bedside table pointed midnight. A new day starting by the night. She didn't felt like practicing a few shots with the sniper, neither a sparring session with Copper Spear. Since she arrived, she only took one walk around the city for her enjoyment. And It became really boring around there in the cult's hideout, specially with Mane in constant comas and stuck in the infirmary recovering from his 'magic bondage', like some started calling around the cult.
"Fuck It." She said, while checking her duo of knives and her scabbards by her waist.
The pink assassin left the room and headed to the main complex, and she encountered Sigil walking around with some maps under her arm.
"If you say so..." Sigil though for a moment. "An advice. Stick to the shadows."
"I was thinking about that. Thanks girl." Pinkamena turned around and headed to the exit.
She opened the secret door and left the abandoned building. The starring night was a sight to be beholden, even more with the dark streets without any street lamp causing any light pollution, allowing the sky to show her the numerous stars and their formations. Pinka took the streets in her way to the city's center.
The streets were empty and silent, leaving her a bit uneasy but she was used to It somewhat. She knew she was leaving the falling apart streets of Jade District, when the buildings made of polished minerals reflecting the gleaming stars in the sky started to show up. And just like Jade District, they were empty as if the army imposed a curfew on the entire city, and It was easy to understand why.
"Thanks Mane... now the streets are empty for me. She smiled.
Sometimes a squad in the distance would show up in quiet paces, but they were easily avoided by just hiding behind a tree, dumpster or a dark hall. She walked by the street where she witnessed the robbery and murder by a pistol for the first time, where also the first crime with a firearm in Equestria. The shop where she witnessed It was now closed in the future months or years, and the dust in the showcase windows could be seen in the distance at the lights of the street lamps.
Pinka looked inside, and the shelves were empty just like everything else in the store. She shed a tear for the soul that died there in front of her eyes. The memory of the shopkeeper getting his head exploding in blood and brain bits rushed through her mind, and the robber taking the money from the cash register and her purse.
"You son of a bitch..." She whispered when she remembered the things he told her when he took her as a temporary hostage in the Fox Hole tavern back in Jade District. But the memory vanished when she remembered the torture session the mugger suffered under her fury. Remembering the bloodshed and ripping his intestines out while he was still alive made her smile, but a grin of pure evil.
She stopped for a moment and snapped back. Pinka checked the streets again and they were empty, with the buildings around her with most of the lights out except for some homes. The pink mare sat on the same rock bench she sat that day when the a guard questioned her before she ran away. She sat and thought deeply in her evil self that day.
We are not so different, Mane... You have your powers from evil identities, I have my serial-killer instincts. But It's so weird to put such bad thoughts to good use for the good of this world." She stayed for some moments, but she couldn't bring her enjoyment up, leaving her frustrated. "It's so boring without you..."
She returned to her stroll, observing the buildings illuminated by the moon, doing some sightseeing by the streets reading the slabs with the names of the routes, and rarely she would find a bigger slab in the middle of a crossroad surrounded by flowers and sometimes candles already worn out with time. Pinkamena took a closer look in one of them.
In this street, a group of unknown resistance fighters gave their lives fighting the cursed soldiers of King Sombra during the 'Crystal Empire Liberation', buying time for the citizens to seek shelter and the troops of Canterlot to arrive in their aid before the enemy could take the street. May their souls rest in peace.
The text was almost the same for every memorial slab around the city, but with a difference of the action and the groups. Sometimes was the name of a battalion or a violent battle that took place in there. It's like the Crystal Empire was a city that lived under the shadow of that war, with statues and memorials in every park and corner.
Heading to the park and avoiding the occasional troops in stationing orders, she went to the park near the Crystal Palace, previous home of the dead tyrant and the future home of the next rulers of the Crystal Empire. She sat again on the same bench she and Mane stopped by the day they acknowledged where to go next. The memory of him bringing her cotton candy made her smile, reminding he was not a bad guy even if he was related to an evil character.
"I could eat another one at the moment... Better go back, they might get worried."
A clock in a nearby tower showed It was almost two in the morning. It sure was time to go back to the hideout, hoping to see Mane awake and back on his hooves.
She reached Jade District safely. But the feeling disappeared when steps were eared. Pinkamena turned around and saw a group of five, and they weren't soldiers. The moonlight showed their white suits and the muskets at their hands, and they speed up their pace towards her.
"Fuck." She whispered and started running.
Her way got blocked when another group of five showed up from a dark hall and they pointed their pistols and muskets at her. It was useless to fight unless she wanted her body full of holes and covered in blood.
"Strip your weapons and no smart moves." Said one of them. "You are coming with us..."
The group from her behind approached with their weapons pointed at her too. She had no choice but to do It. Pinkamena grabbed her knifes and dropped them on the floor with tingling noises. They all surrounded her in a circle with the barrels around her body. Looking around, there was no escape. They were well coordinated by aiming their guns to different parts of her body, so no ducking moves would allow her to escape.
"Don Topaz, uh?" She muttered. "What are you gonna do to me? If you're gonna make me guide you to the hideout, they will kill you all leaving no survivors."
"Don't worry, we are walking yes... but in a different way."
"What if I don't?" She dared to say, despite her current situation.
"Then we take you by force, obviously." The thug giggled.
A strong hit behind her head made her fall on the floor, leaving her dizzy and whimpering in pain. The same thug putted a hoof on her back forcing her down on the floor, and he landed another hit in her head while she fought back to get up. A third strike knocked her unconscious, leaving a small wound in the back of her head.
"I hope you didn't kill her..." Said one of them.
"Nah..." Said the attacker, while cleaning the stock of his musket. "She's still breathing."
"Alright, let's go back. Don Topaz is waiting, this will make him happy."
A hammer striking an anvil was the best term to describe Mane's head. As soon he opened his eyes, he faced three muskets and two spears pointed at his face, making him awake even more when he noticed It was Copper's soldiers.
"Don't you dare move!" Yelled a soldier.
"Calm down! What is going on?!" Mane panicked for a second.
"Hands up where we can see them!" One of them ordered.
"Alright... don't attack please..." He obeyed, raising his hands in the air slowly from under the blanket. "Can I know what is the meaning of this?"
"I'll go call Sigil." One of the soldiers left the room in haste, and in the same speed he left, he came back with the three leaders all with nervous looks towards Mane.
"Sigil!" Mane called angry. "What the fuck is this?!"
"We have our reasons after what I saw yesterday. You broke our golden rule so we must have our precautions, given you are in Sombra's bloodline." Sigil pointed at him.
"And you performed a dark ritual, another rule broken." Quill continued.
"And when we tried to stop you, your friend blocked our way." Copper finished.
"Hey! You and Sigil saw that day on the motel! It was dark magic, why didn't you do anything to me when we came back?" Mane asked.
"Because you passed out." Sigil sighed without patience. "And during this time, we considered if we should allow you to stay here! Yes, you are King Sombra's nephew, but that doesn't mean you are free of breaking the rules."
"I didn't break anything!" Mane argued with her. "I thought we were friends!"
"Work is work, playtime is playtime." Quill mocked.
"I WASN'T PLAYING AROUND!" Mane roared at him, making the soldiers approach their weapons from his head even more. "You... take those fucking things... out of my face..."
"You better calm down or we may take you by force." Said Copper.
"You are forgetting something though..." Mane muttered.
"What is It?" Sigil asked nervous with his words.
"I'm Mane Shaker, The Last Sombra!"
Without a second warning, Mane transformed into hard crystal, and grabbing both the spears he broke their ends making the pointy ends fall on the floor. The other three shot their muskets, but the bullets bumped on the hard crystal body in different directions.
"MANE! Think of what you're doing!" Sigil screamed.
"Out of my way!" Mane ordered, but none of them moved.
"Consider yourself banned..." Sigil answered.
Mane stood silent for a moment, looking at those three facing him no matter his superior powers. He returned his body back to normal and walked away with all the eyes in the room following his moves. In the main complex, some cultists greeted Mane for his recovery, but he didn't answer neither looked at them, only walking away to the exit of the cult. He stopped by the stairs and looked behind, to see the majority of the cult standing there looking at him surprised for seeing him in that mood, with Sigil, Copper and Quill showing up by the corridor he came through.
"Where is Pinkamena?" Mane asked loudly.
"She went out last night and didn't return." Sigil answered. "But you're on your own now! Not our business anymore."
He stared at them for a second and turned his back to leave. Leaving the cult's hideout and leaving the ruined building, he encountered the bright sun in the sky burning his eyes from the days underground he passed. Jade District, the ruined zone of the Crystal Empire, with the wind blowing the dust in the empty streets forming small clouds of dirt. He started walking away from the building, away from the cult's territory. He wasn't welcome there anymore, so there was no point staying there, but most importantly was where Pinkamena could be.
He strolled around the streets looking for her, but who he saw instead was the old colt from that day they first entered that zone, smoking his pipe while sitting by a shadow in the same spot. Mane approached him and he raised his good eye on him.
"Hello." Mane greeted with a sad tone.
"Hey... I remember you I think." Laughed the elder while taking a puff. "How are you?"
"Not good..." Mane looked around. "Have you seen my friend around here?"
"The beautiful pink girl?"
"Yes."
"Hmm... Since she was so nice that day with the golden coin, I'll answer for free. No... I'm sorry."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. It's rare to see somepony passing by around here. But when I see one, It stays in my mind." The old one sounded serious in his raspy voice.
"Any leads where I can look around or ask?"
"Remember the tavern Fox Hole?"
"Yes, after a certain episode..." Mane whispered, with the memory of the bar fight going through his head.
"Well, go seek answers there. Ask the tavern keeper, maybe."
"Thank you, old one." Mane searched his pockets and pulled out a small bag of coins and gave one silver coin to the old colt. "Buy something nice."
"Ahh... gentle like your friend. Have a nice day." The elder smiled at him while he walked away.
Take the left route until It ends. Find the ruined house without a door. Go to the street on the right. Go through the second hallway. Descend the stairs in the big building.
Mane knocked at the metal door and a voice asked who It was.
"Where the riches are guarded. It's where we head to." Mane answered.
The metal door opened, allowing the music be heard more clearly and the sounds of a typical tavern full of drunks. The colt guarding the door looked at Mane and recognized him.
"You're the one who started that giant fight here!"
"It wasn't me!" Mane argued.
"As if I care..." The colt was about to close door on Mane's face, but he turned his leg into crystal under his ragged jeans and blocked the door. "Looking for trouble again..?" The colt under the hood looked at him nervous.
"Maybe you should know how to greet your guests..." The grey unicorn reached to his pockets inside his leather vest and gave a rolled paper to the colt by the door.
He took It and lost his breath when he read the name and the reward on Mane's head. After a moment looking at the 'wanted' poster, he opened the door completely allowing the dangerous guest to enter, while getting the poster back from the colt's hands. He entered the tavern and headed to the counter, where the fat keeper also recognized him and told him to get out immediately. Mane told him to get closer and showed him discretely the poster, making the keeper get his words back.
"I-I I'm really sorry... Ma-"
"Don't mention my name." He ordered. "Just serve me a whiskey, I have some questions..."
"O-of course!" The keeper turned his back with haste and served a whiskey on a wooden mug to him. "What do you wanna know?"
"Have you seen this girl?" Mane pulled out a second folded poster from his pockets and gave It to the keeper. He unfolded and saw Pinkamena's drawn picture with that ferocious look in her face, making the fat colt shiver.
"Erm.. no. Sorry."
"Are you sure..?" Mane looked at him with a menacing expression.
"I'm totally sure. Please don't do anything... that confusion from that day was already enough... I only run a business here. I'm a simple tavern keeper!" He whined hiding behind the piece of cloth on his hands.
"Argh... fine..." Mane took his drink and headed to an empty table on a corner under an inside balcony where the rented rooms above were.
Analyzing the place, It was where he saw Sigil for the first time, the cyan mare who helped them that day in the bar fight and when they got out of the place. It made him even sadder thinking in being banned from the cult where he met all those nice ponies, now because of a thing, they pointed the weapons at him and banned. But It was his fault for his bad temper at the time, going to the aggressive action instead of talking with them.
By this point, he started thinking if Pinkamena left him for sure.
"No more secrets from now on..." "Is that a deal?" "Yes." "Seal the deal then."
Who else was to blame but himself when he remembered that talk he had with her? He ended up guarding secrets from her, and at the time he made the ritual, he didn't explain a lot to her. He lied to her and the cult, when he should have warned them before going for It. A deja vu feeling struck inside his chest. He was alone again... The taste of the whiskey didn't cheer him up a bit, and slowly going hopeless, he shed a tear from those green emerald eyes while observing the place in hopes of seeing her, but not a single mark of her pink color was nowhere to be spotted.
Alone... in that world again, without a close friend by his side to talk, laugh or cry with.
"Aww... he's crying." A voice next to him broke the silence inside his mind. He looked and there were five stallions surrounding his table, all wearing similar jackets, and all of earth race. It was the 'Tough Ones' gang. "You miss your girlfriend?"
"Look at him!" A second one laughed. "He's so lonely and sad."
"Who are you?" Mane inquired in a calm tone.
"Don't you remember me?" The third one sat on a chair in front of him and pointed a table with two thieves talking to each other. "It was in that place where I smashed a bottle in your head..."
"You fucker..." Mane squeezed the mug in his hand, as if he was gonna break It. "Where is she?!"
"Who? Your girl? We have nothing to do with her." One of them answered. "But from the rumors we have heard, after ALL you did to piss off 'The Crystalers', maybe Don Topaz himself already impaled her in a tall and thin crystal stick."
"Unless he impaled her with something else before that!" The one sitting in front of him added.Mane looked at him with a death wish stare, but he didn't felt any fear. "You are in minority here, you know..?"
He changed his expression to deep sadness and forced his eyes to start crying, making the five gangsters start laughing.
"HAHA! Is that despair?" One of them laughed.
"I'm alone now... And without her, my life as no meaning. Fuck this world!" Mane cried.
"Pfff! What a wimp!"
"Please... take me somewhere else and do whatever you want... my life as no more meaning..."
"Loom at that, fellas. The tough guy suddenly wants to suicide with our help!" Two of them grabbed Mane by the arms and forced him up from his chair. "We will help you..." They all grinned evilly on Mane. "And as far I remember, our friend didn't show up anymore since that day. And we were planning to do unspeakable things to you and your girl if one day we would get our hands on you both. But don't worry... we can have our fun with you alone!" The one sitting stood up and grabbed Mane's neck. "We are going to kill you slowly and with so much pain, that you're gonna die from It..."
The group of five took the crying stallion outside without calling the attention of the others. Mane left them take him somewhere else away, and of course to an abandoned building. They threw him on the floor, and when he tried to stand back up, one kicked him in the chest, and other in the stomach.
"Lift him!" Ordered the one who sat down before.
They followed the order of their current leader, and squeezing his arms, they lift Mane up and held him still while the guy pulled out a knife from his pockets.
"No matter what you say, we are gonna do It slowly, like I said before..." He unfolded the knife revealing the tiny blade.
"Just do It..." Mane whispered.
The thug held the knife firmly and took It to Mane's belly. But something was wrong when the blade made a noise of steel in something hard. He looked down and saw his weapon not penetrating the unicorn's flesh. Instead, It was a solid translucide material stopping the point of the knife. He looked at Mane intrigued and he returned an evil smile. Without a warning, Mane went full crystal all over his body and released the grip from the two holding him.
"What the fuck..." Muttered one of them baffled by what he was seeing.
The crystal stallion punched with all his might the guy on the left, breaking his jaw and knocking him out instantly. The he kicked the one in the right in the stomach, making him fly against the wall, leaving him spitting blood all over himself and slowly dying in an extreme internal wound.
Mane looked at the remaining three terrified by what they just saw.
"Hey... let's... take It easy..." The leader gave a step back, stumbling on his own steps and eventually falling on his rear.
The other two didn't move due to the fear of the enraged crystal stallion. Mane walked to them with fast paces and grabbed them both by the neck and lift them in the air. Both started to squirm while holding his arms in an attempt to release the grip, but It was no use against his flexible crystal muscles. Mane squeezed their necks even more and more, turning their faces purple from not breathing and they stopped moving after a while. The thug on the floor was whimpering in terror against the wall, and Mane glanced at him making him cry.
Squeezing even more the bodies, he managed to snap with a loud noise their heads out of their bodies, and they fell down in the old wood floor with blood coming out of their fleshy red necks, staining the floor with a massive pool of blood. He threw the heads at the guy, making him scream out of despair. Mane approached him and grabbed his jacket's collars in the air like he did to the previous dead thugs.
"Where... is... Don Topaz..?" His voice was cold and deep, showing his fury towards anypony who would oppose him.
"Wha-what..?" The thug cried.
With a roar, Mane threw him against the wall without releasing his grip, making part of the building shake with the shock. "WHERE IS HE?!"
"O-o-on his hideout! Don't kill me please!"
"Where is It?!" Mane snarled, showing his white crystal teeth who could rip the skin out of a body easily.
"I-I don't! know! I swear!"
The crystal stallion threw him against the floor, then dropped him on the floor. The thug tried to crawl away but It was no use, when Mane grabbed him by the neck with a hard crystal fist and squeezed It lightly. He returned his body to the normal state except the hand holding the bandit against the floor.
"You know..." Mane whispered in anger.
"I don't!" He cried back.
Mane's horn glowed dark green while the bandit flinched wondering what was about to happen to him. The magic slowly entered the bandit's mouth and scaled to his brain. He trembled for a moment against the effect but then he calmed down, and looked back tired at Mane.
"Where is Don Topaz?" Mane asked again.
"I don't know for sure, but his safe house is located in the Crystal Mountains. It's a bit faraway from here, but It's easy to reach by walking."
"All I need to know." Mane released the grip around his neck and returned his hand back to normal. The thug breathed heavily from the spell he just went through with an expression as if he spoke against his own will. Before leaving, Mane delivered a huge kick on the bandit's head, knocking him unconscious for sure.
"Thanks, Chrysalis..." Mane muttered to himself while cleaning his vest from the dust of the old building.
He stepped outside, and It was about midday according to the sun centered in the sky and his own shadow right under him. Looking around, the streets were empty per usual in Jade District. The stallion closed his eyes, letting the sun bath is body and warm him for a moment. Ironically even if Celestia was not his friend at all, he allowed her star to comfort him for a moment.
The brown leather whip struck again in her pink back, leaving another red mark among others. One day incarcerated since the kidnapping, under sessions of torture with both hands chained to the ceiling and striped from her cloths with exception of the underwear. Topaz rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and prepared the whip for another strike on Pinkamena's legs.
*SPAAA!*
It echoed in the torture room, along with a louder scream of pain. Her cutie mark was stained red from the wounds in the sides of her torso.
"How does that feel, slut?!" Topaz yelled at her, but her only answer were moans of agony and tears. "I know who you are! Now you can feel what your victims went through!"
"Boss?" A thug interrupted.
"What did I say about interrupting my fun?" Topaz cleaned the sweat on his forehead and stretched his dark yellow wings, while finishing his cigar. "What do you want?" He asked harshly, grabbing his black suit from the chair.
"The group you sent to look for Mane Shaker returned from the city. Nothing to report besides they couldn't find him."
"Is that all? I wish to shove a crystal pole up is ass to decorate my garden..."
"Sorry, boss..."
"It's alright. You all behaved well, you brought me this pink bitch here from last night. Since then, It's been a good stress reliever." Topaz smiled while playing with the whip, winging It.
"Yeah..." The thug looked at Pinkamena's back and felt grossed by the red marks and wounds around her back and legs. "Want anything else, boss?"
"Yes. Prepare a bath for me and tell the cook to prepare my lunch. And let her stay there for a hour hanging, I want her arms and body to hurt before I execute her myself..."
"Yes, Don Topaz." The thug turned around and walked away with the list of orders.
The dark yellow pegasus walked calmly towards his victim, and stopped in front of her. Pinkamena had her head down in exhaustion and he could see her tears rolling down from her head to her chest. Topaz took the end of his lit cigar and took It to her belly, and she screamed on top of her lungs while the lit tobacco burned her stomach.
"Wakey wakey, whore..." Topaz mocked with an evil smile.
"Please... stop..." Pinkamena begged tired.
"Who told you that you have the power here." Topaz looked around the room with a gesture. "Look around you... this is your kind of place. You should be happy."
"Those days are... kind of gone..." She answered with a sad tone.
"You know... your friends seems to have forgotten you. None of my men couldn't find him or any of them anywhere."
"I would take those words back... they are coming." Pinkamena grunted.
"And we are ready for them. We have been training and creating something." Topaz showed a sassy smile.
"Create what..?"
"Have you seen the muskets? Imagine a bigger version of one, shooting a huge iron ball in full speed. Capable of destroying buildings and groups in one big impact. I call It... cannon..."
"You're no match for the cult... if we took your warehouse full of weapons, and only four of us stormed one of your bases, tell me... you think you can win this..? They are coming for you in this moment."
"Oh are they..?" Topaz firmly opened his hand and slapped Pinkamena with the back of his hand. "Let's see if they previewed my secret weapon and something else we prepared for them... And if they even get here. The mountains around the perimeter are being watched by my men. All with improved muskets."
Pinkamena took a deep breath and looked at Topaz in the eyes with a glare. "Mane is gonna fucking kill you once he sees this... you are misjudging who he is..."
"We'll see about that..."
Topaz didn't answer, only returned the same smile he did before. He grabbed a new cigar and lit It with his silver lighter, threw the whip to a corner and left the room. Pinkamena stood there with her arms chained to the ceiling, hanging around half meter away from the floor. She cried in despair and meditated on what Topaz said previously about feeling what her victims from those years went through, work of her insane self.
He walked and walked and walked. In the cold mountains that covered the south of the Crystal Empire from the rest of Equestria. Even in mid spring they were slightly cold, but that temperature was no match for Mane's natural cold resistance due to his origin of the 'Frozen Nurth', how they call It on Equestria's official map.
His backpack was filled with supplies to last for half week. From water to canned food, and of course a small sleeping bag along, and complete with a bottle of 'Crystal Vodka', his favorite. It was his first time in those mountains, but not the first time hiking by a ridge. The rocky landscape was something to be appreciated, with Its small plants growing in the middle of the boulders, and the tops in grey rock which usually get covered in dense snow on winter just like the rest of the landscape.
It has been six hours since he departed from the city, without even knowing the location of his target's safe house. By that point, he didn't care about eliminating Don Topaz. It was all about rescuing his friend in time before something would happen.
"Just keep going... It may be right after that bank..." He kept thinking, forcing his tired legs to keep going. But arriving to the place was always disappointment just to see the same panorama of rocky mountains with trails. *Fucking hell...*
He kept going, until something made him stop by a flat side of the mountain full of boulders. Something came to his mind and he looked around intrigued.
"I'm being watched..." He thought nervous.
Suddenly, the tiny rocks in front of his hooves on the ground flew in random direction, with a noise of something hitting the ground and leave a dent on the dirt. In close inspection, he saw a iron sphere. It was indeed a bullet, but he didn't hear any shot!
"What the fuck?" He whispered to himself.
Half minute later in analyzing the perimeter, a second bullet razzed his shoulder and It came from behind. Mane took his hand to the scratch and ran to a boulder, and ducked behind It. There was somepony out there making from him a target. He took a peek, but his red hair on the top was too tall and only served has a spotting sign, when another bullet went through his hair and kept going to the empty landscape.
"What the heck..? A silenced musket?! I can't even see where he is! Turning myself into crystal makes me bulletproof, but slows me down and I would get tired if I try to run..."
Another bullet hit the rock he was cover, making him duck even more behind It. Even without the 'Crystal Sense', he would get shot due to the fact he didn't know where It was coming from, making the 'Crystal Sense' useless in one spot of his body also making him even slower, making him an easy prey. Whoever It was, reminded him of Pinkamena using the sniper she adopted in the night they raided the warehouse along with the cult, but something was wrong, because It was a prototype, so there couldn't be any possible copies of that long range weapon. Whoever It was, he had skill with a musket, and he was playing with Mane, because otherwise he was already dead.
"This guy is like a crossbow elite... stealthy, quiet... but more dangerous. I can't see where the bullets are coming from unlike a bolt, not mentioning how he manages to be silent with a musket."
A scary concept. Suddenly, an idea came to him He searched his backpack for the tiny mirror he had brought with him. He used his magic and slowly levitated the mirror away, and moved with the same speed to the side, and he could see the reflection showing the various rocks a bit far away on the top of the hill. A spot formed by two big boulders and tiny ones called his attention.
"I would be there..."
But quickly, a bullet broke the mirror in shards with a loud noise of glass breaking, making Mane flinch on the impact and surprise attack. He had to hurry up or else something would happen to Pinkamena, and that was only being a delay to him. He crawled backwards along the bank on his stomach, always staying behind the rock he was. With his magic, he forced his big hair down or else the chances of being spotted again would ruin his plan. He kept crawling along the bank until he took cover in a new boulder. He grabbed his hair and made a ponytail from It, making his horn the only thing tall in his head, but It was hard to spot being his body color grey just like the rocky scenario.
The new spot was kind of close to where he was before, but It seemed the sniper was more focused on the previous one. He took a peek by the side of the big rock and checked the place he thought about before. Mane took cover again and used his clayvorance spell to analyze the place without any risks.
The image on his conscious was just like the rest... rocks everywhere, various tones of grey in the floor. Until from behind a rock, he saw a familiar wooden shape. The brown stock of the musket, being held by a grey male pegasus with a black tail, laying on his stomach in the rocks and low grass, with two black stripes painted on his cheeks. He was dressed to be confused with the environment. His pants had random patterns of grey tones, the same for the windbreaker he was wearing, complete with a hood so nopony could see his black hair as a stain in the grey landscape.
"Found you, motherfucker..."
On the top of the bank, the sniper kept his grip firm in the musket. He kept looking through the iron sight to the big rock, awaiting for his target to show his red mohawk like hair. Four minutes passed and there was no sight of him. He started slowly moving the musket to the side followed by his open eye, always aligned with the iron sight.
The sniper started feeling nervous with his targets absence. He must have moved from his hiding spot, but where could he be? He scanned the surroundings by only moving his eyes, but he was nowhere to be seen. He kept looking for him, until something caught his attention.
A strange pointy grey rock started glowing red in It's end. The light coming from It was tiny he almost missed It. He focused his stare into the glowing spot, and he saw his target's face looking at him in the distance, and It seemed he was pointing at him with a hand against the undergrowth grass. He aligned the musket in his direction and started to press the trigger. Suddenly, a red ray came in his direction, and with a loud noise his head got shot by a magic ray, taking a huge chunk out of his head.
Mane undone his ponytail and allowed his big red hairdo to pop out of cover and waited. No bullets flew into It's direction, so he crawled out of cover and ran uphill to the sniper nest. Getting there, It wasn't hard to find the body dressed in grey now surrounded by red bits of skull and brain.
His body remained in the same position, now It was just a corpse spilling blood in the rocks. Mane grabbed the musket and saw something new on It's end. A steel cylinder screwed to the end of the barrel, with a hole adjusted to the size of the bullets. The silencer seemed to have done his job during those moments, so Mane took possession of the modified weapon, along with the pouches holding the bullets and the gunpowder.
The grey stallion turned the body around and felt grossed after seeing what was left of the sniper's head with the rest of his brains lodged inside is cracked skull. He searched his pockets and found a note, where apparently the guy was a hired gun from Don Topaz to eliminate Mane, with a full description of him and his orders. Along with the note, was a scribbled map of the surroundings with different positions marked as sniper nests, complete with a drawn compass. On the map somewhere in the middle of those marked places, his destination, Don Topaz's safe house.
He checked the weapon again and It's new addition. His thugs weren't that dumb after all, to come up with something new and revolutionary, giving the fact those new weapons were created only one or two months ago. Mane rechecked the map and It was hard to tell where he was in that map made of scribbles and raw drawings. In close to a spot, a crevice was drawn as a reference point. Mane climbed one of the big rocks next to him and analyzed the surroundings. Looking back, he saw the crevice really far away. He pulled the compass out of his backpack and aligned with the map.
In close inspection, the crevice was facing north, meaning he was on the spot in extreme northwest and he had just entered in the map's area. The next sniper nest should be around half kilometer to the east, getting him closer to his destination, with the landmark of three raw rock columns holding a huge boulder, forming a dolmen.
Mane folded and saved the letter with the map in his pocket. He looked into the compass and turned to east. Before going, he dug with his magic a grave and buried the dead sniper, finishing the grave with a small pile of rocks arranged in a tower, starting from a large polished pebble and ending with a small one on the top.
He stood in silence for a minute while looking into the the grave he just did for his opponent, while the silence of the mountains made company along with the unheard wind blowing the plants around him. After that, he silently walked away.
Two hours of walking around and puzzle solving, there It was. A medium version of the mansion he and his friends ruined weeks ago. That was the closest sniper nest in the map. Some good two hundred meters from the safe house, measured by eye and instinct. This nest was conveniently well place in the high ground made of a pile of rocks of all shaped and sizes on top of a hill.
The sun in the sky marked almost the end of the evening, with the sky and Its clouds starting to get that mixture of deep blue, magenta and the orange in the clouds. Mane climbed the pile of rocks in silence and rested, laid down with his backpack by his side along with the silent musket. He took out the binoculars and scanned the area.
The safe house was similar to the mansion, but a bit smaller. The walls both of the house and surrounding It were made of raw rocks, pilled and glued together with cement. Windows were somewhat rare in there, chances were for a good safety measure. A small garden in the front with a roundabout decorated with mountain flowers and other plants. Behind the safe house, a big wooden shack, probably gardening equipment... or a weapon warehouse.
One of the three chimneys was letting out some light grey smoke, indicating the house was indeed occupied, and that was not a vacation retire with guards in white suits and weapons at hands guarding the perimeter, constantly moving around and with eyes open scanning the environment. Mane putted the binoculars in the backpack again, and pulled out the leather bags holding the bullets and gunpowder and opened them, ready for a quick reload. He grabbed the musket and got into position, but something made him stop.
He looked through the iron sight, and they were too far away. Besides, he actually never shot one of those things ever, being the only knowledge he had was by observation of the cult soldiers and Pinkamena managing her sniper. And the thing had no scope! Clearly the previous owner had practice but not much or else he had killed Mane those hours ago at the first shot.
Shaker rested the musket in the rocks and started thinking. Stealth was never his thing, but in the last weeks he had to accept It. He always loved to go loud and in chaos, but this time there was no choice. Be spotted could mean a bullet in Pinkamena's head.
"Think Mane, think dammit!" He muttered for himself while knocking his forehead, searching for an idea. "What would my grandpa would say..?"
His prayers were answered, when a memory of himself, when he was fourteen years old, wearing a grey t-shirt and dark green shorts, sparring with a tree branch as a weapon, against a tall darker grey old stallion, also a unicorn like him, yellow eyes, a white beard of medium size and balding on his head, wearing a grey robe with a hood tied by the waist with a black rope belt.
"Focus Mane!" The elder yelled in his old voice while blocking his attacks.
"I am trying, grandpa!" Young Mane lifted the stick in the air and charged. "Take this!"
His grandfather didn't move of the same position, blocked the attack and retaliated by tapping young Mane in the chest, but then pushing harder making him lose balance and fall on the ground.
"If this was a real battle, you would be already dead." Said the elder. "I know I'm old, but I wasn't a veteran of the Crystal Army for no reason, before your uncle took the power by force in that year." His grandpa rested the stick in the floor and served It has a cane. "You are too sloppy, Mane."
"But... fighting is not my thing!" Mane complained while getting up from the ground.
The elder looked at him, and his eyes slowly moved to his horn, who was smaller at the time. "How much do you know about magic?" His grandpa asked with a smirk.
"Some stuff, I guess..." Young Mane answered.
"Lift that rock over there." The old colt pointed at It with his cane.
Mane's horn lit up in light red and not only he lifted the rock he was told to, but also the other ones around him, followed by dead three branches and even plucking some plants out of the forest's ground. His grandpa looked around at the items glowing red, levitating in the air surprised by the strength his grandson's magic had but he didn't knew about It.
"I said only that rock..." The elder giggled. "You can stop now." Everything in the air fell down back to the ground. "I see now... You have potential has a battle wizard. Swords and other kind of physic weapon fight is not your thing. Maybe I need to change your fighting style and schedule."
"For what? Can we do It now? Please!" Mane jumped in excitement.
"Alright, settle down and focus. Grab your weapon...with your magic!" The elder ordered. "Focus ONLY in the branch."
Mane obeyed with his horn glowing and he raised the tree branch in front of him with success.
"Now attack!" His grandpa raised his cane like a warrior holding his sword ready for a battle.
The tree branch kept swinging in front of him, trying everything to touch Mane's grandpa, but everything was blocked by simple moves. The elder started to walk backwards with the attacks speed going up, but the successful hit was far from being achieved. Two minutes of sparring a moving stick in the air started to tire the elder, when suddenly a hard hit in his back made him go down on his knees, saved by his cane by making him not fall completely on the ground.
"Oh no!" Mane exclaimed in regret, ending the magic flow. "I'm so sorry!"
"What was th-" The elder cut his words when a rock fell next to him, at the same time Mane ended his magic. He stared at the rock in the ground and looked at Mane with those tired eyes. "Not bad, kid... You caught me by surprise. You won this round."
"Are you okay?" Young Mane helped his grandfather getting up. "I'm really sorry."
"I'm alright, thanks." The elder smiled at him. "Seems you started to learn how to strategy a battle with your surroundings. Because magic is not always the best weapon alone, neither a sword or a spear." He got up, taking a hand to his back in some pain. "Let's end for today. Everfree is dangerous at night... tomorrow we will start a new magic training."
"...magic is not always the best weapon alone, neither a sword or a spear...." Mane meditated for a bit in his grandpa words.
"I see." Mane whispered to himself with a smile
He grabbed the musket again and positioned It again, pointing at the safe house. Mane closed his eyes and used 'clayvorance'. Inside his conscious, he had a tunnel vision from inside the barrel, and with focus and control in the spell, he created a direct line towards a thug's head, standing still by a wall from one of the sides outside the mansion. He rechecked if the musket's barrel was really aligned with the target, and with the finger on the trigger, he pulled It.
*ZPIIUUU!*
The silencer did Its job, and in his conscious under the spell, he saw the target's head receive the projectile by the side of his skull, spilling blood in the wall while his body fell in the rocky ground.
"Who needs a scope when you have magic." Mane laughed.
He crawled back and reloaded the musket quickly as possible with his magic. He lifted a handful of gunpowder with his magic and shoved inside a barrel and compressed It with his magic too, the same with the iron bullet. Getting the musket back in position, he used the spell again and proceeded to the same tactic. Another shot with another body going down. The force of the musket against his shoulder could tell the power of that weapon and giving a clue of Pinkamena's sniper before the modification in the stock to absorb the shock.
Back to another shot, his spell allowed him to observe the scenario, and from one of the bodies, a thug running to the gate. One of them had seen a body and was about to sound the alert. Mane panicked for a second and pointed the musket under the spell on the path the bandit was taking, and shot. During the running, the thug walked right into where the bullet would pass, and It got him right in the chest, stopping him dead in the tracks with an iron pebble lodged in his heart making It an instant kill.
"That was close..."
Another reload and back to It. That side of the safe house was clean. Looking through the spell, a thug was alone by a group of trees with his back turned to Mane's position. Easy prey... He aligned the musket, and pulled the trigger.
*Cra-BAANG!*
The explosion in the barrel echoed through the mountains, while the bullet missed the target, hitting a tree instead. Every mafioso guarding the place went full alert, running to inside the gardens and taking position behind the walls and the house.
"What the fuck?!" Mane ended the spell and crawled out of sight from the top of the sniper nest in panic.
He checked the musket, and the silencer was all cracked in the sides and It's end completely destroyed. It has worn out, giving the information that thing was something new nopony else knew about those, besides being homemade. Mane unscrewed It and threw It away in frustration. He grabbed the binoculars again from the backpack and took a peek. They had no idea where It was coming from, only peeking their heads out in search for somepony in the distance.
"I got the echo of the mountains on my side, It's not like they know where I am."
Mane took a deep breath and crawled up the pile of rocks while pressure made his bode tense and nervous. Every shot had to count now. He aligned the musket and used 'clayvorance' again. All of them were searching for him, but not like that, It was like they were looking for something else. He pointed at a thug with his head out of cover.
*BANG!*
Got him. Crawl back. Reload. Get back up. The all seeing spell showed the remaining thugs outside looking at his direction. Weird... One of them turned to the others and said something. Three ran from their cover to the shed by the corner of the garden behind the house. Mane didn't shoot for the sake of his curiosity. They opened the door and pulled by a rope something, something huge and heavy.
A black iron cylinder on a wood support with wheels by the sides. The cylinder was about half meter long, with a hole in the center, in the other end by the support, a fuse leading to the inside. The thugs headed back inside the shed and brought with themselves heavy iron balls and some small barrels of gunpowder. The other mafiosos got out of cover and helped their mates pushing the big weapon forwards and carrying the equipment. They all stopped by a wall and pointed the thing towards Mane's spot, which didn't move from his position, baffled by that weird conception.
The group opened a barrel and poured the gunpowder inside the cylinder, followed by a iron ball. They made sure It was pointed straight, and one of them lit te fuse with his lighter. A flash of light and fire came out of the weapon, followed by a big cloud of smoke, covering the artillery and the group of goons. A second later, a huge explosion was heard, echoing all over the mountains and the vicinity.
With a loud shock and a crater showing up in the terrain, the cannonball landed five meters away from Mane's position in the dirt ramp, making the ground shake so much that was enough to make the pill of rocks where he was fall down the slope, along with him rolling down the dirt while he struggled to stop the fall and make sense of what just happened.
He managed to grab the roots of a tree popping out of the ground and he stopped his trip down the ramp. He looked in the distance and they were getting another projectile ready. By that point, they had seen him and they wouldn't miss next time for sure. That thing was the new generation from the catapults and balistas.
"I just hope she's fast at dying as she is in breaking her body so easily..." Don Topaz took a bite of the stew made of carrots and cabbage. "Waiter, bring me the water."
The servant obeyed, leaving the room and coming back with a jug of water, which he poured in the empty glass of his boss. Topaz thanked and took a sip, taking a deep breath after relieving his thirst. He looked at the earth race white bodyguard, Beryl, standing still as always with his hands in the back scanning the room constantly, and he looked back when he noticed his boss staring at him.
"I must plan how I'm gonna rebuilt my empire after everything I had get ruined by those bastards. Maybe I could start my new place here in the mountains. It's hidden, quiet... plenty of space underground for a complex of machines pounding steel and iron for weapons of fucking war!" Topaz seemed ecstatic with the idea, with his Beryl just shrugging without moving his hands from his behind. "I see. I'm the boss, I make the decisions... maybe you will get your own room again, this time bigger than the last one. I like how you behaved fighting Mane for what I heard. He was made of crystal and you still managed to beat him."
The godfather took the silver fork to a veggie and got interrupted when a muffled explosion was heard outside the safe house, and the water in his cup trembled with a weak shock wave. Beryl slowly went in pose for anything that would come out of the door, while they kept silence for a while. Another explosion was heard one minute later, and a thug barged in the room, making Beryl almost run towards him ready to grab him by the neck.
"Are you practicing with the cannon without my orders?!" Topaz stood up abruptly making the chair fall, without giving a chance of the thug to speak first.
"It's not that, boss!" He seemed startled. "They are here!"
"They who? Mane and his friends, or the army?"
"Mane! Er... alone..."
"Alone?!" Topaz couldn't believe for a moment, and he smiled. "Order all of them to get ready! Beryl, prepare yourself... this time he won't live and that is an order!"
The huge bodyguard nodded and left the room in a hurry along with the thug. Topaz ran downstairs to the basement, where Pinkamena was tied down with chains in a cage, with her back carrying the marks of the whip. His presence made her fear the worse when he showed up with a loaded flintlock pistol and the keys to her cage.
"You're coming with me!" Topaz opened the cage and dragged her outside, forcing her up and to walk in front of him with the pistol against her head.
"Where are we going?" She asked terrified.
"None of your concern!" He bashed her in the back with the butt of the weapon. "Just fucking move!"
Outside, the side of the mountain turned into a war zone of many against one enraged guy. He ran towards the walls against the cannon fire, trying to predict where the next hit would be, barely escaping sometimes. He knew there was no way he would survive with his 'Crystal Sense'. A cannonball would shatter his crystal body in thousands of pieces with a direct hit. The thugs started getting into position by the walls wit their muskets ready.
Mane noticed them in the distance and took shelter behind a rock, escaping the first rain of bullets. But he was quickly uncovered when he saw a cannonball in the air, travelling in an arch towards his spot. He gasped in fear and surprise, making a run for It. He left the protection of the boulder, when a group from one of the sides shot in the distance, and a bullet razed Mane in the cheek before he turned into crystal, deflecting the other bullets that actually hit him.
"I cannot fucking live like this!"
He turned back to normal and took protection behind another rock. The walls were around one hundred meters away and their strategy got even better with that new big weapon. Every shot of It was to make him get out so they would get the chance of shooting him. Mane thought for a bit before the next cannonball would travel in his direction.
He had forgotten for a moment and It came back to him. He turned his 'Shadow Body' on and sprinted in the air through the field avoiding the at high speed the two rounds of bullets from the two groups in the walls. He got to the gate with thugs panicking with his arrival, turning his body back to normal, then into crystal, he kicked with all his might the steel gate open making a huge dent on It. He walked in while some loaded muskets tried to put him down without success.
Mane's rampage started by grabbing a nearby thug and smash his head with a crystal fist towards him, and used his pistol to shoot another one nearby. Taking cover behind a small wall in the garden, he turned to normal then into smoke, proceeding to fly in low height in time when a cannonball destroyed the wall where he was. Stopping by a thug, he quickly turned to normal again and punched the enemy in the stomach and took his musket away from him, then grabbing him by the shoulders, turned him around and locked the thug against him with a crystal arm, as a shield
"DON'T SHOOT!" Screamed the goon while looking at a group with their guns pointed towards those two.
With all the confusion going on, they didn't listen and delivered the bullets in hopes of getting Mane, but all were took by the meat shield and some deflected by Mane's crystal arm surrounding his neck.
"HURRY UP! He's winning!" Yelled a thug.
"The barrel won't open!" Answered another one fiddling to open the gunpowder container.
"Just smash It open!"
The thug raised the small barrel and threw It on the ground, spilling gunpowder and making them pour It in the cannon with their bare hands. A third thug rushed the ammo inside the artillery and they aligned a new shot to Mane. A new fuse was added during the process and they lit up a lighter.
"Now!"
They lit up and the cannonball missed Mane when he turned his body into smoke again, with the attack passing through his non-existent torso made of a dark cloud. They hurried the reload while Mane kept killing their comrades in various ways. From spells, to his crystal body smashing their bodies and using some of them as meat shields like before.
"We are getting outnumbered! Speed up!" Yelled the same one, in charge of the shooting.
"Getting there!" Said the second one putting the gunpowder in the cannon with his hands again. "Ammo!"
The ammo guy putted the cannonball and they aligned again. Another shot and this time was way worse than failing. Mane jumped away from the projectile's path, this time taking with It three thugs that were surrounding Mane with their knifes out in a desperate move to not loose time reloading.
"FUCKING HELL!!!" Screamed the first thug. "Wait..." He looked carefully to the garden, littered with bodies, unloaded guns and destruction provoked by the cannon. "We are the only ones left!"
The group of three looked at Mane, who was standing right in the cannon's path with a fierce expression and his body in his normal flesh and bones. They looked for their weapons, but the protocol of the cannon was no muskets, pistols or blunderbusses near the cannon to avoid risks near the gunpowder barrels, and the cannon wasn't even completely reloaded.
"Come at us! We dare you!" Yelled one of them while he pulled out his knife, followed by the others doing the same with some concern if It was a good idea.
"Spare me the stupidity..." Said Mane while pointing a finger at them with his horn starting to glow.
In a blink, he hurled a fireball towards the last barrel next to the cannon, and It exploded in a show of fire and smoke, obliterating the three thugs in pieces, with their limbs flying in random directions leaving an arch of blood behind them. The support of the cannon obviously got destroyed too and the huge iron piece fell on the rocky floor with a loud metallic noise.
Mane looked around... death and destruction were the main feature around the house. He ran to the door kicked It open, just to see the halls full of luxurious furniture empty. Something wasn't right, expecting another force of mafiosos with guns ready, or hear Pinkamena's cries in the distance somewhere in the safe house.
"TOPAZ!" He screamed in anger. "Come out and face me!" ...
Loud steps were heard coming from a door, making Mane get ready for anything that would come. The door was kicked down, and Beryl showed up, in a juggernaut heavy steel armor, covered from his head to the hooves. Holding a tower shield in the shape of a rectangle and a spiked mace.
"We meet again, steroid brains..." Mane commented. "Too easy!"
The grey unicorn lit his horn and launched an electric bolt towards the shield, but the spell was fully absorbed by the It. Mane stopped and his expression drowned in disappointment from not being able of electrocuting his opponent.
"Fucking anti-magic coating..."
Beryl charged at him like a bull with the shield in the front, not giving Mane a chance of dodging and taking him outside with the mighty charge. Mane took the shock and was back outside with Beryl, holding the shield with a tight grip. Beryl stopped the charge and shook the shield but his grey opponent refused to let It go, so he lifted It and took It to the floor sandwiching Mane between It and the ground.
The crushing made Mane grunt in pain and he let the shield go. Beryl raised the mace, and Mane rolled in time avoiding the deadly attack. That mace with all those spikes were made to crush bones and dent his crystal body in case he would use It, showing how Mane got studied in all aspects, making Beryl a magic proof 'bulldozer' and with all means to defeat him. Mane got back up with his back in pain, looking at the crater the mace left on the ground. He walked backwards thinking what to do, when he tripped in the corpse of a thug with his throat crushed open.
Beryl advanced to Mane and attempted to smash his head with a shield bash to the floor. Mane rolled to the side but the attack got him in the left forearm. Struck by panic, Mane got up with the help of his good arm and ran away to behind the house while Beryl chased him more slowly. The wounded stallion hid behind the wood shed where the cannon was before and checked his arm.
The shield was heavy just like the mace and seemed Beryl had some practice with both. His left forearm had a nasty bruise forming some blood in his grey fur, closer inspection showed live flesh. He took a peek, Beryl was looking for him and he was close by. His armor besides being magic proof, would had little weakness with a punch or kick of a crystal limb, making him slower and the spikes of the mace would make their task in mining his crystal body.
"Think... use your surroundings... what would be good against such armor?"
Mane looked around desperate for a way to defeat his mighty opponent, and he looked to the cannonballs scattered around the place. He got out of his hideout and lifted with his magic one of them and he could feel the weight in them. Beryl noticed Mane and charged again with the shield towards him. Mane launched the cannonball and the strong hit in the shield staggered him, making the charge stop.
The unicorn lifted another one and threw It, this time It hit Beryl in the chest, making him lose balance and almost falling on his back. The sturdiness of the armor set helped him to stay on his hooves, and he posed the shield in front of him, ready for another attack. A third projectile flew towards him, but the shield and the defensive pose made the impact be fully absorbed.
Mane grew frustrated with Beryl figuring out a new defense with to every attack. He started to grow even more angry. At times, he was a sore loser, and he lost once against him. His closest friend ever was one step away with her life by a string, Beryl was just an obstruction and he was letting him block his way.
Rage... his conscious was twitching in rage. He started feeling a pressure coming from his spine, as if his back was gonna explode with It. The feeling traveled down to the rest of his body, making his injured arm hurt even more. His eyes started forming the purple aura from before, and slowly around his body.
Beryl stood still in the defensive pose, gazing at Mane without any fear. The grey unicorn's body started twitching for a bit while It kept absorbing the aura inside him. It stopped, and Mane's horn sparkled red thunder and he let out a scream worth of an army. Focusing his eyes under the helmet, he saw Mane's eyes glowing with the purple aura around them.
The berserk stallion showed an evil grin and ran at all speed towards his opponent, and with his injured arm, he charged against the shield without caring for the injury. The impact felt like a cannonball but way stronger. Beryl struggled against It and attacked with the mace, but Mane turned into smoke in a flash and avoided It completely. Going back to normal at the same speed, he turned his fists into crystal and started punching the breastplate non-stop.
Under the helmet, Beryl kept grunting with every hit, feeling the impacts of every punch in the armor. Mane's maniac laugh started to freak him out, as if he lost all fear of him and didn't care for his injuries. The armored bodyguard regained his sense and bashed Mane with the shield, making him stop the rain of hits but making things worse somewhat. Mane was no longer laughing and looked at him in the eyes through the helmet with the expression of a psychopath.
In a stream of panic and unpredictability, Beryl shoved the tall shield in front of him. Mane grabbed the shield by the sides and started pulling It with all his strength while Beryl struggled to keep possession of It. The two brutes kept fighting over the shield, and a metallic noise started to form among their grunts. The bolts holding the holders started to become loose, with Beryl pulling them and Mane pulling the rest of the shield.
With a huge impact, the shield broke Mane falling on his back holding the big piece of steel, while Beryl almost lost his balance with the iron pieces on his arm and hand. The tower shield was now completely useless, leaving the mace alone. Mane threw to his side the broken thing and stood up, and now Beryl was holding the weapon with both hands. The unicorn charged and he swings the mace with all his might, but Mane stopped and the mace almost razzed his stomach. Shaker held the mace by the center and they started to fight over the weapon.
Each one pulling to his side, and Beryl took the chance of Mane's persistence and let It go making him pull the mace's spiky end towards his own stomach, with the spikes piercing his skin and deliver a huge wound. Mane fell down on his back with the mace on his stomach, and he started losing his strength with every breath he took. The pain started to come back to his left arm bruised by the previous shield bash, now with the addition of his belly in blood and agony, but he managed to get the mace out of him. Beryl was also tired from the whole battle but still on his hooves. He slowly advanced to Mane, while he tried to crawl away from there. He grabbed the mace from the ground and looked at the wounded opponent on the floor fighting through the pain.
He started raising the mace with both hands, and Mane with what was left of his inner strength, he turned his right leg into crystal and flailed Beryl's armored legs with all his might, making him fall on his side and loosing possession of the weapon. Mane stood up and there was still some force power left inside him, he turned his body into crystal and knelled over Beryl and took out the helmet while he squirmed to get Mane out of his top, but the armor plus his crystal body were like being held down by an entire building.
The grey unicorn closed his crystal fists and started punching his opponent rhythmically in the face, starting to make teeth fly along with blood coming out of his nostrils and mouth. Beryl started to loose all his strength and his arms began to go down in exhaustion. Mane turned his body back to normal... but he wasn't finished yet...
He took his thumbs to Beryl's eyes and started to force them down, with Beryl realizing It and grab Mane's wrists and try to get his hands out of his face, but Mane forced even more and with a roar of pain, his eyes had been pierced by Mane's fingers. Now his eye sockets were filled with blood starting to run down his head by the sides.
"Say hi to Terik for me!" Mane yelled, with his horn glowing red.
With a huge flow of magic running down his arms and hurting more the wounded one, an electric current turned Beryl into a flashing body still screaming in agony of having his eyes popped out and now a lethal electric spell running through them and all over his body. Mane kept the grip for half a minute while the electric magic kept frying his opponent. He stopped breathing heavily and with pain all over his body from the extensive use of magic through himself. Beryl's white color was now red from his own blood coming out of his eye sockets and burned from the electricity, with his blonde hair being all burned too.
Mane got up with difficulty and stumbled from behind the house to the front door, breathing rhythmically to keep what was left from his stamina active. He entered the house where he didn't go beyond the entrance hall. He stumbled to the kitchen and saw the cook hiding behind the counter with his hands covering his face in fear.
"P-Please don't kill me!" He begged while looking at Mane with holding his stomach with holes from the spiked mace.
"Get out..." Mane muttered in a tired voice, which the cook obeyed by running away from the house with no clear destiny after what he witnessed during that time.
The battle scarred unicorn stumbled to the counter and grabbed the jug of water and took It to his mouth, relieving his thirst from all the action he went through, and spilled some in a piece of cloth and took It to his stomach, starting to fear if the made had perforated any internal organ.
He slowly walked around the house looking for Pinkamena and Don Topaz, but no signals of any of them, neither a single noise besides his own steps in the wooden floor.
He hardly walked up the stairs with his hurt stomach, with a piece of cloth against his belly soaked in water and blood. The ground floor was empty, and he didn't expect to find nopony in the first floor. He entered in the godfather's office and found a note in the table next to a pair of binoculars.
If you are reading this letter, congratulations... you survived...
I took your friend with me and a pistol pointed at her head. I'm outside the house's perimeter. If you look through the window leading to behind the house and the zone, you might see us by some trees. Use the binoculars if you feel like.
She's tied up by chains, and I'm the only one with the key! Any moves towards me, including any of your magic, I'll pull the trigger without any hesitation!
Feel free to come by, with hands in the air. I have full view of the surroundings from here, so no tricks...
Don Topaz
Mane took a second reading, then he took the binoculars and looked through the window. In the said trees, he saw a pink character, Pinkamena, in her underwear, tied with a long chain around the legs, torso and arms. Behind her, pointing a pistol at her head, was the infamous dark yellow pegasus, Don Topaz with a fierce look, screaming something at Pinkamena which was struggling against her captor.
It was a stalemate... Anything he would do would result in a lose. Taking a deep breath, he walked out the house, and he felt his body weakening even more from the previous mega power he used against Beryl. Mane tried to speed up is pace but his legs were burning from inside, with all It's muscles sore just like the rest of his body. He walked behind the safe house close to the garden's walls while observing the landscape with a sad expression both in face and mind.
He kept walking and started to see Pinkamena and Topaz more clearly in the distance, and started raising his hands in the air. Mane walked closer and stopped 10 meters away from them.
"So you really survived." Don Topaz commented, looking at Mane's belly covered red and his left forearm with a nasty looking bruise. "But not without a fight."
"I guess the fight was necessary..." Mane answered in a tired voice. "Topaz... don't hurt her more... we can talk something out."
"Talk? You want to TALK?!" Topaz pressed the barrel of the pistol against Pinkamena's head even more, making her moan in pain. "After all the shit you did to me and my empire, you wanna TALK?!"
"MANE!" She called, even if Topaz kept telling her to shut up. "Where are the others?"
"It's only me..." Mane sighed sadly.
"Wha... what?" She asked baffled without knowing what to think.
"I got banned... It's a long story..." The grey unicorn sounded defeated giving all the circumstances.
"You came all this way alone... and fought alone... to rescue me?" Pinkamena shed a tear of amazement.
"You're my only true friend in this world." Mane stated with a smile.
"How cute..." Don Topaz took his free hand to inside his suit, pulled a second pistol and pointed at Mane, keeping his first pistol still pointed at Pinkamena. "NOW you will get to die together!"
"I should have known." Mane knelled down in defeat and frustration. "Pinka..."
"Yes?" The pink mare looked at him in the eyes.
"I just want to let you know... I loved these months I spent living with you."
"Me too, Mane..." She sobbed, awaiting the triggers to be pulled.
Mane and Pinkamena closed their eyes, awaiting for the big final of their lives. Topaz let out an evil laugh and aligned the second flintlock pistol with Mane's head, and started to close his fingers.
*BOOM!*
An explosion far away was hear, and they opened their eyes. Confusion took over those three, with Topaz still pointing the pistols at them but looking around for the source of the sound. Suddenly, Topaz's head exploded in gore. Blood and brain bits stained Pinkamena's face while Mane got up with difficulties trying to figure out what happened. The godfather's body fell on the grass without life. His face was beyond recognition, completely destroyed by something.
"The fuck?!" Pinkamena yelled in pure confusion.
They stared at the faceless corpse in the ground, some seconds later they snapped and Pinkamena called Mane to look for the keys in Topaz's pockets, which he obeyed and opened the lock from Pinkamena's chains. The moment her arms were completely free, she hugged Mane like she never did before, but he didn't hug back for some reason.
"Mane..!" She cried in happiness, with her head against his fluffy chest. "Thank you, thank you,thank you!"
"Don't sweat It... you would have done the same." He petted her back and felt something on his fingers. He looked and It was blood. "Did they hurt you?"
"Y-yeah... whipping and... that was all. They didn't "touch" me." She drawn the quotation marks with her hands.
Mane's horn glowed red and levitated Topaz's corpse in the air, casting a fireball on making the corpse now a bonfire. And with all his strength in his magic, he hurled the body two hundred meters away into the distance towards the chasm between the mountains, where the burning body without a face fell in the almost bottomless abyss.
The grey unicorn excused himself for the sudden aggressive behavior towards a dead body, but Pinkamena understood what went through his head. Slowly, Mane's body started to go numb with every breath he was taking, and his eyes starting look drowsy.
"Mane? Are you alright?" Pinkamenas asked, taking a hand to his forehead and feeling the heat coming from inside.
"Ju-just... give a mo-moment... Ponk..." Mane's body fell to the side without any life, even though It was clearly seen he was still breathing.
"Shaker, wake up! It's starting to freeze here!" Pinka called again, starting to shiver with the end of the day coming for an end and the sun almost completely set.
For a moment, she started to wonder who killed Don Topaz and saved them. She kept trying to wake up Mane, but nothing was making the stallion move. Only his chest going up and down with his slow sleeping breath. Steps were heard close by, and Pinkamena grabbed grabbed one of Topaz's pistols laying on the floor, turned around and pointed at who could be.
A cyan mare with dark orange hair, wearing clothes made for winter with a cloak over them, and holding a musket with a scope which seemed heavy. The mare smiled at Pinkamena pointing the pistol at her.
"Hello again, Pinka..." Dark Sigil giggled.
"Sigil... where are the others?" Pinkamena asked, lowering the weapon.
"They are cleaning the area around the house. Don't worry... you are safe now. Copper and Quill came along, sorry we took a bit longer but Quill's age doesn't forgive his bones much less cold places like the mountains."
"But... Mane said he got expelled! What is going on?!" The pink mare demanded answers, confused with every statement.
"First of, cover yourself." Sigil took out her cloak and threw It at Pinkamena, which was standing there in her underwear. "Second, stay here with him, I'll come back with some of Copper's soldiers to carry him inside the house. We are going to stay here for some days, and I have a lot to tell you..."
"There's one missing and we can't find It, sir." Said one cultist soldier to his captain, Copper and the others in the kitchen.
"You can blame Mane. He set It on fire and threw him in the distant chasm like an olimpic thrower." Pinkamena interrupted Copper before he could say a word. "It was Don Topaz's corpse. In this moment, It's burning the in the deeps on the earth."
"Oh..." The soldier scratched his head under the brown leather hood. "Well... I guess It's all then. Should we bury the bodies or burn them?"
"Burn them. We can't leave any signal of our presence here." Sigil answered.
"Ours? I guess more of Mane's, he completely wrecked those guys. Even more when we saw the giant body behind the house." Said Copper.
"Yes. I see he went full mad against that guy in the armor." Said Quill while drinking some water. "His eyes were missing and his body had third degree burns all over him but as if It came from the inside. My suspicion points that Mane scooped out his eyes with his bare hands and then electrocuted him through the guy's eye sockets."
"That's fucking hardcore..." Pinkamena commented with a smirk. "Seems living with me made him develop a better emotional resistance against bigger violent actions."
"Shall we check him?" Sigil suggested.
"Sure, go ahead." Quill answered with all of them agreeing.
The group of four left the kitchen and the dinning room complex, going up the wooden stairs in the entrance hall and the entered in the bedroom with Mane sleeping like a rock in the bed, surrounded by three field medics that the cult had brought with them.
"Hello." Greeted one of the medics holding a needle with a bit of thread on It. "He were just finishing patching his stomach. His organs were unaffected but his heartbeat sounds weak."
"Arg... should have known..." Quill shoved gently Pinkamena and Copper out of his way to let him pass. "He overused his magic again with his body, and I didn't had the chance to tell him that time because he got kicked out."
"Wait!" Pinkamena stepped forward. "Now that you speak of It, Sigil, I want an explanation of what happened. Mane said he got banned, but then you show up with my sniper and the cult and save the day. Am I missing something here?" The pink mare demanded her answers in some frustration. Being in a situation she didn't nothing about always made her nervous in the bad way.
Copper made a signal to the field medics to leave the room, which they obeyed and walked out closing the door behind them. Quill with his magic pulled three chairs for him, Dark Sigil and Copper Spear. Pinkamena sat on the end of the bed next to Mane who was still asleep. The leading trio looked at each other nervous, before getting in a serious expression and behavior. Sigil took a deep breath and looked at Pinkamena in the eyes.
"We were idiots..." Sigil sighed.
"What do you mean?" Pinkamena asked even more confused.
"Who are we to judge him, when we in our cult are scholars in learning about King Sombra..?" Said Copper. "After that day when you were stopping us from getting into Mane during that weird event, we started having our doubts on him, but It all began after our assault in to that hotel when he lost his mind during that rampage."
"Pretty much, our cult never risked their lives so much since you and him showed in the Crystal Empire." Inked Quill continued. "Very rarely our soldiers died in action in a fight, but that day in the mountains were total chaos."
"So you all judged us two in our backs since the very beginning." Pinkamena concluded.
"Yes... and we are very sorry." Sigil lowered her head in apologies, followed by Copper and Quill. "Sombra was a dark stain in the Crystal Empire's history, so when our one of our scouts saw Mane in the streets and came back to us with these news, we feared for the worse. Since then, we have been spying him until we found out you were his companion. You can imagine how I felt in when that day before you disappear you were Pinkamena Diane Pie, the Cupcake Killer."
"I hate that name..." Pinkamena snarled.
"I'm sorry again then. But anyway, Mane being related to Sombra was alarming for us because we really didn't know what he was planning all along, and finding out you were on his side made us even more scared of having you both with us." Sigil looked at Copper, giving him the the turn.
"When you were gone for a walk and eventually getting kidnapped, we took the chance to surround Mane and demand answers, but he's awakening wasn't how we planned. He got into his crystal form and threatened us, so we banned him from our place." Copper lowered his head like Sigil did. "I guess this part is my fault... for ordering my men to point their weapons on him as soon he would wake up. I can't blame him for feeling stuck."
"And our pressure wanting him to speak at the point of spears and muskets didn't help." Quill continued. "In my time, I used to see King Sombra doing dark rituals in his chamber, and Mane's ritual looked very similar, so afraid I launched the alert." Quill lowered his head too. "King Sombra planned taking the power and set his destiny to rule the Crystal Empire with an iron fist policy. But Mane... despiste his dark origins, we can't make justice against him."
"What do you mean by that?" Pinkamena asked intrigued.
"What I mean is..." Quill stood up from his chair and slowly approached Pinkamena. "Mane didn't set his destiny yet. His heart is not entirely black like we thought. He has a sense of harmony inside him but he feels lost in this world where harmony and peace is the majority."
"But this is where we saw his true nature." Sigil leaned forward in the chair. "Going against a gang of drug and weapon lords with you as his follower, peacefully going against the Royal Guard, and coming all this way by himself to rescue you against all odds."
"He's a good guy indeed..." Copper smiled. "While most of us in Equestria only see the tip of the iceberg, Mane has seen the other big side underwater, hidden in the depths. And despiste his kind of powers and origins, he fights against It with all his bravery and life. I personally respect that very much."
"But like I said." Quill putted his old skinny hand in Pinkamena's shoulder. "Even if he decided this as his life, his destiny is still unwritten, and It's up to him to choose his true path and story. And we trust you to stand by his side."
Pinkamena stood silent while they talked. She looked at Mane still sleeping with his stomach and left arm bandaged, and she knew most of those things all along since Mane accepted the contract of coming to the Crystal Empire to stop the smuggling of those new weapons. She remembered when she misjudged him too when they first got to the cult but he talked his way out of It. Now the pink mare understood his problem in the world. His origins from the Sombra family stained by his uncle forever would corrupt his fame among those who knew and with Princess Celestia and the Royal Army always chasing him down and bring justice to the world by eliminating anypony related to an Equestria villain.
Those who had no clue couldn't say anything, and the name Sombra sewed in the back of his leather vest would have to stay hidden under his long black hair similar to Sombra's.
"Sir?" A soldier entered the bedroom. "That weird black cylinder we found laying around. I think me and the boys figured out what It is!"
"Really?" Copper stood up from his seat. "What is It?"
"We don't know It's name, but we are rebuilding It how we think It might be and we might have a clue of how it works... those big iron balls we saw scattered around some meters away from the dead big guy, I think that's the ammo."
"What the heck?" Quill gasped. "That thing can shoot those?"
"We can only find out in one way." Sigil commented shrugging. "Rebuilt It then and take It outside the house's perimeter, we can't wait to see how It works!"
by Shining Armor, High Official Captain of the Royal Guard
Mid-Spring, 14 of April.
Around a week since the episode in Galena Motel, my men along with the Crystal Army have been ordered to settle down a patrolling schedule around the city, and strict orders to not disturb Mane Shaker or any of his associates, mainly Pinkamena Diane Pie, aka The Cupcake Killer. The other two that were there with them are completely unknown to me and the local army, and there is no clue of their identity in the archives of this city.
Today, I'm writing this in an office, in an "abandoned" house in the Crystal Mountains. Said house that one of my scouts patrolling outside the city saw a dense cloud of black smoke coming from the mountains, and he came back with the news. I suspected a forest fire, but here, there's barely any trees to burn for what the crystal officers told me. So I ordered six patrols to gather their equipment and provisions, and I told the Crystal Army officials to remain in the city in case something wicked would happen while I was out. I told the same scout to go ahead of us and come back as soon he would spot anything strange on our way.
With six patrols in my responsibility, the walking there took us a while since none of us knew the area and we lost some time reading the tactical map provided by the Crystal Army archives. We camped by a plateau between two mountains, and even at night, we could see the cloud of smoke in the moonlight.
In the next morning, we woke up with a noise coming echoing from the mountains, sounded like an explosion. Checking the perimeter and mountains around us, we saw nothing, so we quickly lifted camp and moved on.
Finally hiking the ridges, we found our scout sitting next to a colt, wearing what looked like a chef outfit. He seemed shaken by something, and during question time, he told us that he used to work for Don Topaz! The same guy which was owner of the wrecked mansion we checked many weeks ago, and under suspicion of contraband of drugs and our weapons. At first, I felt like arresting him, but he was nopony else but a simple cook for his boss... now presumably dead.
My suspicion got even bigger but me and my men dropped our jaws when he told the responsible for wrecking havoc in the place was Mane Shaker, The Last Sombra, according to his description! I dispatched one of the six patrols to escort the guy back to town, while me and the rest moved on faster than we could in hopes of getting there in time.
But speeding up was a bad idea. With our armors, backpacks, weapons and hiking a mountain, we got quickly tired and stopped to catch our breath and fill our flasks in a nearby water source pointed in the map. We stood there for a bit, getting the chance to have lunch, our scout came back with alarming news. He met face to face another scout of a different faction! They didn't fight or anything, but the way they met each other was really close while both crept around the rocks. According to our scout, the other guy didn't say anything and just raised his wings and flew away... (Note to self: Start creating pegasus scout parties!)
We felt obliged to raise camp again and march on. Finally, we arrived to the place and seemed like a war zone of some sorts.
The way to the "safe house" was marked by craters around the terrain, with strange iron balls in their center. The gate was open with a huge dent on It and some meters away in the middle of the grass, we saw a pile of bodies burning and spreading the repugnant smell of burned meat.
Whoever was here before us, they left really quickly but I'll admit they did a good job in not letting something stay behind. The office of this Don Topaz (where I am right now) is gorgeous... and I found a note next to a pair of binoculars. The note was threatening and didn't look like Mane Shaker's handwriting.
Back to the topic, there were pieces of cloth all covered in dried dark red blood, presumably from Mane since his is different from all of us, being a carrier of the "Devil Blood". The bedroom of Don Topaz was turned into some kind of makeshift hospital, where the blankets and sheets had spatters of blood all over, again the same color of Mane's.
Outside the house, we found behind It a huge guy without his eyes and all burned by electrocution! And for what looked like, he was wearing a juggernaut armor! The way he was killed resembled the way Mane Shaker fought our three juggernauts, but with a major difference, he didn't kill ours. This only gives away that our weapons were not the only ones which secrets were stolen, but also the armor of our high rank elite's! Even more outside, my men found a weird contraption none of us saw before, ever.
A black iron thick cylinder mounted in a wooden support with wheels on the sides. What..? I ordered two patrols to make a raid on the office, looking for anything that resembled this thing. And success! Plans of this artillery weapon cannot be shared and must by kept top-fucking-secret! This is next thing after our balistas and catapults.
It's called "Cannon". It shoots those iron balls at great range and requires a huge load of gunpowder. The thing was facing a chasm so we gave a try, and this thing is loud! The ammunition flew around half kilometer before landing with a loud noise in the distance. I'm taking these blueprints with me to Canterlot and show them to Dr. Fumes. I ordered the men to push this new devastating weapon to the chasm so It would be destroyed, nopony else can know of this...
With this, I end this report. It's the end of the day here and we are camping here with my men guarding the surroundings in shifts. Tomorrow we will head back to the Crystal Empire and return our normal activity in patrolling the city in search for Mane Shaker and Pinkamena Diane Pie.
Over and out, Shining Armor, High Official Captain of the Royal Guard.
"So... you all regret kicking me out? That didn't last long." Mane crossed his arms with a serious expression. "Maybe next time don't point the muskets at me, after I wake up from a coma."
"I already said we're sorry." Sigil sighed.
"I accept It, but I won't forget." Mane pointed at her and stretched his arms in the air after a moment. "Oh well... my job is done here."
"Your? What about me?!" Pinkamena bumped his torso with her elbow. "I saved your life before, dummy."
"Sorry for reminding you, but there was a day you said It was MY job and you only came with me just because." Mane provoked her with a smirk.
"But then I took It all back." Pinkamena pouted.
"I remember, and I'm happy with that." Mane shook her gently with a hand in her shoulder.
"Can you love birds stop It, I have some stuff to tell him." Quill grumped.
"LOVE BIRDS?! With HIM?!" Pinkamena pointed at him with a jolt.
"WIth HER?!" Mane mimicked.
Sigil and Copper laughed loudly while those two kept arguing. Inked Quill charged his old voice and shouted all of them to stop, freezing all of those four around him. He cleared his throat with a gag reflex and calmed down.
"Mane. Just like everypony in the world, each one of us have a destiny to fulfill and It's up to us to choose. I, I was the master scribe of your uncle's court and now I'm here today. Sigil here, leads this place in search for Sombra's secrets for the sake of history. Copper, he was a drafted soldier in Sombra's army and managed to survive the war and now he protects this place." Quill looked at Pinkamena. "You there... I don't know a thing about you, but something tells me you still haven't found yours." Quill looked at Mane now. "I tell the same to you. You carry the Devil Blood, but your heart isn't all darkness."
"I'm aware of that, thank you..." Mane rolled his eyes.
"Don't interrupt me, dammit! Anyway, It seems you know your place in this world. Rejected by many, hunted by others, shamed by all of those, but accepted by some. You are a rogue in some ways but a pure warrior in the rest. But It's not up to me or us to tell you what to do, It's up to you to choose your life and destiny."
"I know that already, but thanks whatsoever Quill." Mane nodded.
"Consider yourself welcome again." Sigil smiled. "Are you staying with us?"
"I don't know... I don't really have a home anywhere." Mane scratched his head ashamed of his statement.
"Then how did you lived all these years?" Copper asked confused.
"Camping in abandoned buildings mostly. There's a place I know sometimes they let me stay there... sometimes making makeshift huts in the forest when I was hunting down a wanted guy." The grey unicorn blushed even more for admitting It.
"He has a home!" Pinkamena held his forearm, still with bandages from the previous fights. "He lives with me." She smiled at him. "We are like roommates."
Mane looked at the pink mare surprised by her defense, and decided to not ruin the moment.
"Where is It, if I may ask?" Said Sigil.
"It's in Ponyville. Near Canterlot and Everfree Forest, in the center of Equestria."
"Ah... I've heard of the place." Said Copper with a smile. "Big events happened there before and in an abandoned place inside Everfree Forest, but I don't know the name or location."
"We may check that place someday." Said Mane. "But like I said, my... I mean, our job is done here. Time to return home."
"How are you planning to go?" Copper asked. "Both the royal and crystal army are guarding the roads and the train station. Even the fields out of the road, sneaking through is hard even at night."
"We use the same way we got here." Pinkamena looked at them with an ingenious expression. "We get ourselves inside a box with provisions and send It to Ponyville through train."
"A bigger box this time, by preference!" Mane added with Pinka agreeing.
"Can do." Sigil grabbed a paper and a pencil. "We have a few contacts outside the cult, they can send the box for us. Where are we sending to?"
"I use a secret address when I order stuff. Feel free to send stuff to us too." Pinkamena approached the table and started talking with her apart with Copper joining them.
"Hey Mane, come with me." Quill invited. "I have something for you."
"What is It?" Mane asked.
"It's a surprise." Quill smiled.
They left the office and walked by the main complex with the cultists greeting Mane around and sometimes a young filly or foal tapping Mane in the back and then running away giggling, with him returning a smile at them. They entered the archives room with some of scholars organizing It and writing down texts. In a table, something hiding under a piece of cloth next to a scholar taking notes of whatever It was.
"Greetings, master." He greeted. "I just finished analyzing It, and they are indeed."
"Good, because they won't stay here with us." Quill turned to Mane and smirked. "Mane, this is for you."
Inked Quill grabbed the piece of cloth and took It out, revealing what was hiding. Two pieces of a big armor, forged in shiny polished black steel, menacing with two spikes small spikes decorated with a ruby in the middle of them and silver drawings of curves looking like tree branches in each one of them. Mane Shaker stood there stunned by their beauty at the light of the candles and they seemed oddly familiar.
"Are these..." Mane baffled.
"King Sombra's gauntlets." Said Quill tapping his shoulder. "And they are yours."
"No no no... I can't have them. These are treasures worth too much to have in my possession." Mane denied.
"It's neither safe having them here. Listen here, young man. None os us can use them and they are heavy for us. Just like your vest for what I heard, It belonged to Sombra too..." Quill lifted his hair in the back hiding the tyrant's name stitched in the leather vest. "Just like these gauntlets, It's cursed and only those in his bloodline can use these items. You are the last one of them, so we thought in giving them to you."
"If you say so." Mane shrugged.
"Come on, try them." Quill invited.
Mane positioned them side by side and shoved his hands inside at the same time. They were too big, but after some moments they started to shrink slowly making metallic noises of the pieces of black steel rustling on each other. They stopped fitting Mane's hand size, and he tried to lift but they were too heavy. He tried again and this time he lifted them like they were feathers. Not precisely because he still could feel the weight of an armor but they got more adapted to him again.
"Interesting." Quill scratched his chin and looked at the scholar. "Take note of this. Anypony of Sombra's bloodline is allowed to use the armor denying the curse's effect. It tends to adapt Itself according to the user's body and physical capabilities."
"...capabilities... Done." Said the scholar finishing taking the note.
Mane took them out and putted them in the table, and moments after they returned to their original size and weight.
"I don't think I can take them with me like that." Said Mane raising an eyebrow.
"You could wear them all the way." Suggested Quill.
"I'm not a knight, much less an armor user. Besides, I have this!" Mane changed to his crystal form and then returned to normal.
"A fair point, I guess. So... what are you planning to do with them?" Quill asked.
"I'm not using them. They are too beautiful to be dented and scratched. I guess I'll talk with Pinkamena in making a new room in our place to display things." Said Mane.
"A museum in your house? That's something!" Quill laughed. "I'll ask Sigil to send them too in a different time then, in a box with a secret compartment."
"Thank you. And this begs a question. Where are the other parts?" Mane looked at Quill.
"We found these in a secret room in King Sombra's mausoleum in the royal graveyard." Said the scholar. "The rest wasn't there so It suggested the armor is scattered in different regions of the Crystal Empire. We are still decoding the maps, letters and all we have for any clues. As soon we find them, we study them, scrap some pictures, take notes."
"Then we send them to you." Quill finished the sentence.
"Thank you. This... really means a lot for me." Mane smiled at the dark gauntlets. "I wonder how big the armor is."
"Bigger than you, I can tell." Quill answered. "He was a big guy with a beastly strength so this armor was no problem for him."
"So... what now?" Mane shrugged.
"We go back to Sigil's office. I guess the plans are concluded."
They walked out the archives and headed back to Sigil's office, where those three remained talking and planning. They had finished most of the stuff and a list of things.
"Hey there. We are not done yet." Said Pinkamena. "We were waiting for you to say what do you want to take with you. I've done my part about the foods and other items."
"Same thing you will eat pretty much, just double the values for me too. For an extra, get there a supply of Crystal Vodka bottles, I could use a sip from time to time of the real stuff."
"Alright..." Sigil took the request to the list. "About items, Pinkamena is taking the sniper she adopted but in a different box going along the big one."
"Quill here is taking responsibility of a certain set of things of my interest." Said Mane. "And the Crystal Empire is known for It's masterful blacksmiths. I have a request but must be fulfilled by pieces."
"And what is It?" Copper asked.
"A small blacksmith forge. You know, anvil, hammers and other tools. But skip the furnace!"
"Why the fuck you want a forge for? There's no room in my basement for that!" Pinkamena complained.
"You live in a basement?" Sigil questioned in confusion.
"Don't ask me but It's underground. Means we can dig some rooms and I have my magic to help." Mane answered.
"I'm not cleaning the mess after the job is done!" Pinka stated. "But again, why you want a forge there?"
"If you're gonna start using these guns in the future, do you think you can walk freely to the army's barracks and ask them for ammo? No! You have to do yourself, or in this case, me." Said Mane with a thumb against his chest while facing the pink mare.
"Skip the furnace, you said. How are you gonna melt the metals?" Pinka retaliated.
"Magic." Mane laughed.
"Fuckin' unicorns..." She grumbled.
"Also, I've seen some interesting stuff I want to experiment and craft." Mane grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil and stood by the table. "On my way to Don Topaz's safe house, I found a guy trying to snipe me and his musket had something like this..." He draw a cylinder with a hole in the middle and additional ones by the sides. "This thing was screwed to the barrel's end and It completely muffled the noise of every shot, and I couldn't see where It was coming from so It also hides the flash."
"A silencer?" Pinkamena opened her eyes in surprise. "That's damn helpful."
"Amazing. I guess our blacksmith could try making one of these for our soldiers." Said Sigil.
"But you don't even fight for anything or any reason, you are all scholars like you said before." Mane pointed out.
"I think we have now." Said Copper. "Your actions inspired us to become the watchers of this city. Consider us now allies from the north to your cause."
"That's touching." Mane smiled. "Well, how much time this will take to prepare, our ticket back home?"
"Not much really." Sigil looked over the plans again. "But just to be sure, I'll say three days."
"Sounds good to me." Pinkamena agreed along with Mane.
"Oh wait! I have a final request!" Mane interrupted.
"What is It?" Asked Sigil.
"I'll tell in the day we go, just giving an ahead warning."
The whole cult gathered in the main complex, where their three leaders with Mane Shaker and Pinkamena were in the gigantic long dinning table waiting for everypony to arrive.
It was seven o'clock in the evening and the goodbye dinner was some minutes of being totally ready. The wooden tables connected to each other were decorated with metal plates made of different materials, from the usual copper to the gold ones reserved to the high ranks and platinum to the leaders and their guests . Jugs, glasses and cups made of crystal glass with more colors than a rainbow, all shining at the lights emitted by the amount of candles distributed around the complex and the tables.
Dark Sigil looked at all the followers sitting in their places and they stopped appearing from the doors and corridors.
"Is everypony here?" She asked loudly with a wide smile. "Seems so. Copper, wanna start?"
"After you, please." He answered back.
"If you say so." Sigil filled her lungs to start her speech and stood up from her chair. "Everypony! Today this feast is to honor once again the presence of Mane Shaker, The Last Sombra, nephew of King Sombra himself, which is sitting on my left. His visit to our cult and the service he has done for us and our town, we all wanna say thank you. Right next to him, his friend Pinkamena Diane Pie, a former psychopath and serial killer changed by Mane himself, also to honor her for her help in his tasks of saving our city. Without her, he couldn't do It for sure."
The public cheered on them while Copper Spear stood up.
"Thanks to him, a big chunk of the hidden crime has died. Our army grew stronger with the new weapons, and we shall use them for justice inspired by Mane's good will to fight for the good cause. Some of our soldiers died during the assault that night, and I also want to dedicate this feast to them and their bravery. And Pinkamena for teaching my soldiers her knife game, showing most of times the weapons don't make the warrior but also their skill and instincts."
The public cheered louder and Inked Quill stood up showing his rare smile.
"Our archives grew stronger thanks to Mane's contribute and studies conducted on him. Even if It was a personal thing, we got to understand even more about King Sombra's powers. In his free time, he taught some of his combat spells to my battle wizards making them stronger and sharing with us that we don't need to always cast spells with our horns but also through our body and It's dangers."
Some of the public started to whisper to each other, mainly the unicorns. But after some moments they cheered again.
"Mane, you have something to say?" Sigil asked.
"I... err..." Mane stood up from his chair and looked nervous all over the faces awaiting his speech of gratitude with big smiles. "I'm not a good public speaker, but I want to express my gratitude to all of you for allowing me to stay with you all. And having this cult in honor of my dead uncle Sombra, even if he was an evil character who tormented this city. I also want to say thank you so much to Dark Sigil, Copper Spear and Inked Quill for helping me out in a job I took here. Another thing I want to say is... don't let your past and origins judge you. I came from a family which name was not expected to be stained forever. Nowadays I'm chased because of that, and I try to clean my name by doing justice to this world by my own hands but the army doesn't tolerate that. But that doesn't stop me from doing the good, as a debt for the ones that died during my uncle's reign of terror. Again, thank you to all of you here, I couldn't do this alone."
Silence.
Suddenly broken by cheers and whistles. Without breaking the happiness, Sigil made the signal for the cooks to bring the food, which filled the main complex with the sweet scent of prepared food. Fried hay, apple pies, fruit salad and other delicious things. To kill the thirst, water and fruit juices for the young ones, leaving the hard ones to the grown ups. Beer mostly, with the occasional wine and for special occasions like those, whiskey, brandy, muscat and other brews. And specially reserved for Mane due to It's alcoholic strength, Crystal Vodka, his favorite.
The cooks and maids finished putting the meals in the tables, taking their places among the crowd. Silence again and Dark Sigil broke It again, by tingling her fork in her crystal glass cup like a bell.
"Everypony! Let's! Eat!" Sigil announced.
"You only have one life, enjoy It at the very best!" Mane added in excitement. "If you're gonna eat in a party, don't use cutlery! Make a mess!" He laughed followed by some others.
Mane went straight away to the Crystal Vodka bottle and poured in a good quantity in his cup. Pinkamena went to the fried hay. Sigil to the vegetable stew along with Copper, while Quill preferred the soup. Ponies feasting in joy, serving themselves and each other, talking and laughing. A sight to be enjoyed but not alone. Pinkamena asked Mane for a drop of his drink, with obvious hilarious results of her hyperventilating the burning alcohol in her throat. Sigil and Copper kept talking about something, sharing some laughs while Quill returned his grumpy face and kept eating hissoup.
A feast isn't a feast without entertainment. Later on, some performers started to show up in the middle of the room with torches and flasks. They drank whatever It was, and positioning the torches in front of their mouths, they spitted the liquid upwards creating a flamethrower in front of them. Neither Mane or Pinkamena saw something like that before, making they applaud at the show of the fire breathing performers. After their number, jugglers showed up with four wooden balls each.
"I can do better than that..." Pinkamena sighed out of boredom.
"Why don't you show us then?" Asked Copper.
Pinkamena stood up and casually went to the kitchen, returning not with three but seven big sharp knives. At first, the cultists started to whisper if it wasn't dangerous, but to had more intensity, she putted a chair in a table and climbed into It. Everypony in the complex could see her maintain the balance, and muffled squeaks of started to come when she threw the first blades in the air. Everything was going usually well, until she shook her legs as if she was losing control, and everypony in the room screamed in terror when she balanced to her back in one leg, all except Mane.
"Gotcha!" Pinkamena laughed while getting back in a stable position. It was all fake. "A bit of thrill is always cool, don't you think?"
Most of them didn't know if they should be terrified or amazed. Mane was the only one giggling though. Pinkamena returned the knives back and dismounted the apparatus and returned to her place with a provocative smile.
"Well played." Mane whispered to her still giggling.
"I know..." Pinkamena passed her fingers in her hair in a sassy way.
Sigil approached from Mane by leaning to his side, and she was showing a strange smile.
"Hum... yeah. Why wouldn't I? She's my friend." Mane answered in a low voice.
"Come on, Shaky..." She called him in a cute way . "You do more than admire her."
"What the heck?" Mane blushed. "Get your ideas somewhere else, girl."
"Hihi... alright." Sigil leaned back to her seat giggling even more. "Just tell me when the bachelor party is." She winked in a pervy way.
"S-shut up!" Mane demanded blushing even more.
"Something wrong?" Pinkamena asked puzzled.
"Nothing, I was just... talking to the voices in my head." Mane laughed in discomfort, with Sigil laughing behind him.
A group of kids in their cultist robes approached Mane with jumps and laughs only a young one could enjoy. They stopped by the other side of the table in front of him looking at him with funny looks.
"You want something?" Mane asked them, taking a sip of his drink.
"Can you play with us, Mr. Mane?"
"Alright... let me finish my meal first." Mane sighed with a smile.
The kids kept giggling while he finished, he got up and followed them to the center where he used his magic to lift them up in the air and make them fly all over. The youngsters kept laughing, this time even more when Mane turned his lower body into It's shadow form, grabbing a foal or filly by both arms and fly them around the complex.
"I'm next!" Said a filly.
"No! I'm next, I want to fly too!" Said a foal.
"But you're a pegasus, you can fly." The filly complained.
"I don't know how to yet." The foal answered.
"Enough flying for now." Said Mane, returning his body to normal. "Look at this!"
His horn glowed red while his magic drew a fire bird in the air, flapping It's wings slowly leaving a trail of embers and sparks.
"It's a phoenix!" Said a filly, pointing to the bird made of magic.
"You know what It is?" Mane smiled.
"Princess Celestia has one. She brought her pet phoenix during a visit to the Crystal Empire." Answered a foal.
Mane clearly knew what that beautiful creature was. He remembers It clearly when he was living in Celestia's castle during those years, Philomena was the name.
"Hey! Hey!" Called a foal.
"What is It, kid?" Mane answered.
"I've heard you have an unusual power for a crystal pony." Said the foal.
"HAVE YOU BEEN TAMPERING WITH MY THINGS AGAIN?!" Inked Quill hit the table with a fist, making Copper and Sigil laugh.
"Yes I do, look." Mane transformed his body into crystal in a blink.
The youngsters only answers were "woows".
"What mineral are you?" Asked a filly reluctantly.
"Smoked quartz, obsidian and ruby." Mane answered.
"Your eyes look like emeralds!" Said the same filly.
"You know a lot about minerals, don't you?" Pinkamena approached from them.
"I know some stuff, pretty lady." Said the little girl making Pinka blush a bit.
"I came from a family of miners. Minerals and rocks are their trade, and the Crystal Empire would be a heaven for them, but where they live is also rich in geology interest." Said Diane.
"I'm also interested in rocks and minerals." Said Mane. "I would love to visit your family's place someday."
"I... er... some time maybe..?" Pinkamena seemed worried with that request.
"Something wrong with that?" Mane asked.
"No! Not at all." Pinkamena answered but her expression seemed the opposite.
"Okay..." Mane accepted. "Let's go back to our places, there's still food and tomorrow our trip in a box begins." Mane looked at the group os kids with a smile. "You all behave."
"Yes." Pinkamena answered. "I'm still hungry otherwise."
"Careful with the fried foods, I don't wanna see that cute body of yours ruined." Mane commented.
"What?!" Pinkamena looked at him blushing in surprise.
"Nothing!" Mane answered. "The fuck did I just said?!"
The box was big indeed, enough space for them to sleep next to each other and some extra space for the supplies and other extras, and on top of a delivery cart. Next to It, was the long box containing Pinkamena's sniper. Sigil, Copper, Quill, Mane and Pinkamena gathered by the entrance accompanied by three cultists disguised as mail ponies.
"There has been a change of plans." Said Sigil. "It's better if you go at night in one of the last trains departing to Ponyville, and for the effect, our members will take you in the box for the train station in the mail room with fake identities and papers, saying It's an express delivery that must be carried on right away."
"Our undercover scouts said It's better because of the intense security by daytime. They literally want you two caught." Copper added.
"It's okay, I guess." Said Mane. "Sounds good to you, 'mena?"
"I have no complains." Pinkamena answered. "Can I keep your cult's uniform? It's really good for summer time."
"Of course!" Said Sigil with a smile and gave her a light package tied shut with a thin rope. "Here, It's your clothes from before. It's a nice dress. Pink and black. Haha, seems black always goes nice with any color, am I right?"
"Seems so." Pinkamena giggled while receiving the package.
"So... how much time we have?" Mane asked.
"Two hours and fifty minutes." Said Copper checking his pocket watch. "It's enough time but still, the train station i still far away from here. Get on the box, better sooner than later."
"I guess It's goodbye then..." Mane sighed sadly. "It was good while It lasted. Visiting my hometown, make new friends, fight a criminal mastermind."
"I enjoyed It." Said Pinka with an empty expression.
"You're both always welcome to drop by." Sigil extended her hand. "Just be sure to warn us somehow you are coming."
"We'll find a way." Mane shook hands with Sigil, with Pinkamena doing the same.
"Thanks again for what you did for our city." Said Copper shaking their hands.
"Remember Mane. Keep practicing your magic and don't overdo the use through your body." Said Quill shaking their hands as well. "The last thing your friend here wants is to take care of a disabled stallion, because he was too stubborn to follow my advice."
"I'll keep that in mind." Mane sighed.
"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him." Pinkamena pinched Mane's arm.
"HEY! That hurts!" Mane squealed taking her hand away.
"Mane, you said you had small request for this moment, didn't you?" Said Sigil.
"Oh yeah! Thanks for reminding me." Mane pulled out a piece of paper from his vest's pockets. "I want you to deliver this to Shining Armor, the Royal Guard captain. Just pretend to be a mail staff."
"Can do." Sigil accepted the letter.
"Come on!" Said Copper checking his clock again. "Two hours and half! You're gonna miss the train if you don't hurry up."
Mane and Pinka climbed into the cart and got inside the box, while the cultists grabbed the lid, along with some nails and hammers.
"Goodbye to you all!" Said Mane waving. "I'll never forget you!"
"Goodbye!" Waved Pinkamena.
"Bye bye!" Said the leading trio like a choir.
"Heads down, friends." Said one of the cultists while putting the wooden lid in the box, followed by the hammers striking the nails.
The cart started moving accompanied with the sound of the secret door to the hideout opening. In Jade District, the trip was rough due to the road's bad conditions. Half hour later, the road was smooth, meaning they were getting close to the center.
*tock tock*
One of the disguised cultists knocked on the box.
"We are in the center. We're almost there. Just more half hour and we are by the station, keep the silence." Said the same one who knocked.
"On It." Pinkamena answered.
"Halt!" Said a crystal soldier. "Present yourself."
"We are staff from the post office. We have this delivery to Ponyville."
"Can I see your papers?" Asked a royal soldier. "We are on a mission."
"Of course. Pals, show your papers." The disguised trio showed their fake identifications. "It's an express delivery, and they told us to dispatch It right now."
"Hmm... they seem in order." The crystal guard walked towards the box. "What is inside? Can I see the order?"
"Oh yes. Here's the paper." One of the cultists gave the note. "It's an order from a family here in the city for a close friend."
"Hmm..." The crystal soldier checked the counterfeit documents. "It's a big box... too big for such thing."
"It's not our duty to put our noses in others business. We are just doing our job, just like you."
"Well then, It's a very generous family then." The guard made signal to open the gate. "Go in, the mail zone is on the right. One hour before the train goes."
"Thank you." The cultists pushed the cart inside the train station. "Have a good night!"
"You too!" The guard answered back.
After some minutes, the cart stopped and they putted the box down in the ground with a loud noise. They couldn't be blamed, It was big, with food and two ponies inside.
*tock tock*
"Okay, you're in the station now. In half hour they should put you in the train." Said one of the cultists through the holes in the box. "We will be going. Have a nice trip back home."
"Thank you, you too." Mane answered.
Mane lay down in the thin mattress under them and opened a can of soda. Pinkamena kept sitting and opened a bag of chips and they started their snack. All they had to do was wait until the train started to move so they could came out to take a breath and stretch their bodies.
The Crystal Empire was once again safe from a danger that was about to burst in the streets, where nopony would be safe from those new weapons in the hands of criminals, but not without a conflict. One hour later, the train started to move, taking the fugitive duo back to their home for a good deserved rest.
"Sir?" The soldier entered the tent. "I have a letter for you."
"From who?" Shining Armor asked.
"Didn't see. A mail pony dropped by the entrance of our camp and said It was for you."
"Okay. Let me see It then." Shining Armor received the letter and opened It.
Hey there, Shining!
That day you almost REALLY got me with your juggernauts, or bulldozers how I call them...
But you know, we all have secrets we don't know about, maybe yes maybe not. Just to say no need to worry about Don Topaz, he's in hell in this moment. Remember that chasm where you probably found a strange weapon pointing towards It? Check the bottom if you can reach to It without falling to your death, you might find a burned corpse broken into pieces. His name starts with a T.
No need to thank me for saving Equestria again this time from a criminal mastermind. In fact, you and Celestia never did! So why am I even asking?! You both don't know gratitude for sure! All you two care about is just the blood that runs inside me and bring me down when the true evil is already dead, and fragments of It still roam around Equestria.
Anyway. Have a good day, you know I don't have anything against you...
A hug, Mane Shaker.
PS: You're wasting your time and energy while there. Guess who went back to Ponyville?
"MOTHERFUCKER!!!" Screamed Shining Armor in rage, making the soldiers close to his tent stop whatever they were doing and look in It's direction in surprise.
Somewhere in Galloping Gorge
The train kept running full speed, with the usual bumps from the tracks. It has been three hours since they departed and already eaten one third of their supplies.
"Don't eat so much. We are still one day away from Ponyville." Mane complained.
"I'm hungry dammit!" Pinkamena complained back with her mouth full.
"At least leave some for me!" Mane looked back by the small opening in the wagon, appreciating the small mountains in the distance and the clouds in the sky.
"Hey! *munch* Mane!" Pinkamena called.
"What?"
"What do we do after we arrive?"
"Get some rest. Maybe start planning in expanding the basement. And while Thunder Fists has no more contracts for us, we could plan something fun to do." Mane stretched his arms.
"Like what?" Pinkamena asked.
"Tell me..." Mane walked towards her back to the box. "You came from a family of miners, which is interesting."
"Yeah, so?"
"Do you like exploring places?" Mane asked with a smirk.
"I guess. After this trip to a place I was never before, I think I may like seeing new places."
"You see Equestria's map? There's a strange place called Undiscovered West."
"Near Las Pegasus? *munch* Now that you say It... what's with that place?"
"I don't know. But I think I found our summer adventure..."
