Another pony pulled carriage passed by through the constant fog of rain. It kicked up the droplets that had lain across the moonlit road. On one side of the street laid an old and run down warehouse, it having not seen any dwellers for many years, the wood old and rotting from years of erosion. Across from it rests a new modern Inn, some new architect’s style of construction, giving the street much more class than it was worth. The Inn easily lit up most of the street with the light emanating from the windows and lamps that surrounded it. The roof using ceramic tiles and plates adding to the imposingness it provided to the surrounding building, the Inn was very out of place. Another carriage, this one lacking a puller, wheeled up to the front of the Inn, the side door swinging open with a crack as it hit the side of the carriage. Some metal steps lowered with the familiar clicking that came with all clockwork creations. Heavy metal clad hooves resonated off the iron steps as the passenger emerged from the carriage, echoing through the shield of rain. A chocolate coated stallion, encased in metal plates and a large cloak covering his mane and facial features. He stepped through a puddle, the rain pelting his armor and cloak and not fazing him in the slightest. He had no need to care for the weather. He finally moved up to the Inn door, pressing a hoof against it and stepping inside. The Inn gave off a warm and pleasant aura, the masonry walls being supported by the fresh smelling wood, a fire roared across from the bar and four tables in the centre of the room. The steady ambience of chatter coming from the patrons slowed to a hush, some turning their attention to the Stallion as he made his way through the door. The armor clad stallion stepped down from the doorway, standing in the centre of the room and gazing over the various patrons that litter it. He dropped his hood, revealing a long scar painted across his neck and right eye, the eye itself gone pale. His mane a dark gold, kept short in a military fashion. His scanning of the room began to make the customers and staff uneasy, it finally being halted by the approach of the barmare. She began to ask if he wanted a drink, he simply looked to her with his good eye, it being a vibrant green. She stopped mid sentence and began to stammer. It took her a moment before she could recompose herself, finally saying “I’m sorry Captain… Please don’t let us bother you, search away.” He gave the mare a nod, then proceeded to stress the wooden boards below him as he made his way to the stairs opposite the front door, he began climbing them, leaving my sight. I turned back to the window, looking out into the rainy night. I knew this night would be a long one.
A long moment had passed before the sound of a scuffle broke out above the lounge area, drawing my attention to the ceiling. A loud clang and what sounded like the splintering of a wooden post was heard. The familiar hoof-steps of the guard captain resounded and trailed toward the stairs again, it being followed by the sound of something, or someone, being dragged across the floor. The metallic thumping stopped at the head of the stairs, then the captain grunted, followed by a string thuds and a crack as a blue Buck, an earth pony, was sent hurtling down the stairs, smashing against the wall at the base. A painting that had been hanging upon the very same wall fell from it and onto him. He had what remained of wooden splinters across his face as well as blood pouring from all over his body, he was covered in fresh bruises and gashes. Canterlot’s Legal system at its finest, no trial or defense, just punishment and incarceration. The captain followed the mess of blue limbs down the steps, leaning over and putting the unconscious kid in a head lock. He began dragging him through the centre of the tables, toward the door, leaving a blood trail in his path. It was hard not to watch, it isn’t every day you see head of the Canterlot guard kicking the skull in of some dumb kid. But, it wasn’t my problem, I had many of those and I didn’t need, nor want, anymore. I turned back to my table, looking over the mug that sat in front of me, it full of the hard cider I still haven’t touched, it gone room temperature. I let out a sigh, and then brought my right hoof to the front me. I pulled my sleeve back, revealing the watch, the watch that didn’t tell time of day, just when I was needed. Time was almost up, I had ten minutes to get into position. I stood to my hooves from the table and chair, stretching slightly and cracking my neck as I cocked it to the left. I took a minute to adjust the straps on the leather armor that bound my body, hiding my physique from all others, my hood covering any expression I may have had at the time. It was time to get to work, and I knew exactly where my target was, he was escorting some poor kid to jail.
The carriage departed mere seconds before I stepped into the shower that the night sky had held for me. It was moving quickly, most likely to get the current affair over with immediately, so as to get back to work. I watched as it went careening around the warehouse, I needed to move now, time was almost up. I burst into a gallop, heading directly to the warehouse, then lowering my head and triggering the clockwork that lined my suit. What had previously looked like saddlebags had now unfolded into a pair of wings, for the use of gliding and low level Pegasus flight. At full speed I charged at an over turned trash can and vaulted off of it to the side of the warehouse, pressing my hooves against it and running up the wall to the roof. Upon the roof I continued to gallop, the wood groaning as I passed over some less than stable sections. I leapt to the air as soon as I hit the crumbling far end of the forlorn structure, kicking the wings into action and sailing through the night sky, the wings slicing the rain and creating a small shield of dry cold night under me as I passed. I was bearing down on the carriage, it approaching the bridge that connected this shanty town to the rest of Canterlot. The river rushing underneath, ready to thrash whatever hapless entity that falls into it across the rocks that lay scattered throughout. In a quick moment I had been over and now past the Carriage, its speed not matching the wind at my back, it thrusting me onward. I imagine the Pony driver had seen a giant bat sail through the night rain, brushing it off as exhaustion. I approached the left most arch of the bridge, readying to land and perch onto it. My moment arrived and I placed my hooves down onto it, feeling the wet surface slide under me and try to toss me off the end. Bringing my head back up, the mechanism that lined my body clicked to life once more, tilting the wings and catching the wind, thinly balancing me on the perch. Contracts can get complicated, they entail such odd scenarios that I had to reconstruct, all of which I could do of course, therefore I never complained. But, they were very specific and were always well informed of when these Accidents would happen. The pattering echo of wood on wood broke me from my thought process, the carriage was now on the bridge and I was to strike. I folded my wings back into their saddlebag format, and then leapt from podium atop the arch, falling down into the darkness of the poorly lit bridge. Once close enough my eyes had adjusted enough to see I was right on target, the Stallion sitting in the cab of the carriage. I crashed through the top of it, splintering the wood of the driver’s seat and crushing the earth pony sitting inside, his head smashed down upon the dashboard, his brain and blood webbing across. The wall behind me thumped and a very gruff voice called out “What in the Seasons was that noise?” I ignored this, and then slid the remains of the driver’s corpse out of the way, looking for the steering mechanism. I found a crank and lever, most likely steering and throttle, both of which had been stained a deep red, glistening in the light of the lamp set up to the side of the cab. I turned the crank clockwise and thrusted the lever forward, the carriage picked up in speed and began to charge into the safety rails of the bridge. I sat and waited for the impending impact, the target passenger now thrashing at the cabs wall, I turned to face the slide meant for communication. I slid it open with one hoof, and then peered into it. The light from behind me silhouetted my appearance and let me keep an air of mystery, I always liked that. “Who in the name of the four seasons are you…?” he called out to me.
I took a deep breath, and then began reciting the words from my contract “You have known your sins for a long time, Captain BearHoof.”
He stepped back a bit, looking intimidated by my mention of sins “Who are you to judge me?” he barked in a panic “Fight me like a true pony of honor!”
I took this as the queue for the next line from my contract, it was really well planned out. “Honor is for those who deserve it, you know this and Anchor knows this.”
He looked to me as if I was the dark season itself, holding him down and ripping him to shreds. Fear didn’t suit his look, he was far to decorated and cold, yet there it was, fear in his one good eye. He stuttered through his next defense, all of which I knew how to respond to “Anchor is a great bunch of cowards!” he turned to the door and tried to ram it open and escape “They won’t get me!”
“Enough, the time has com-“ I was cut short by the sudden burst of wood and old metal rivets skittering past me and through the driver’s cab. The carriage had collided with the rails and smashed through them, I was impaled by a flurry of rubble and wasted resources. I closed my eyes as blood began pouring from my mouth. I felt the world around tilt and fall upward, leaving me in space, ready to collide with what would hit me. I could hear the shouting and panic of the captain in the passenger car, water had already overtaken me and was now working on him. His door finally flew open and he leapt into the running rapids outside, no pony could swim in that, his armor wouldn’t help his case. The sound of a metal can, being crushed and its contents being squeezed out over a rock quickly emitted from outside what remained of the cab. Screams continued to sound through the carriage, the blue buck from earlier, being chained in the rear cab, now slowly drowning, but he wasn’t my problem, I had enough of those.
I opened my eyes, blood clouding my vision through the water, bringing my right hoof toward my face. I looked to my watch with soar eyes.
Five seconds left…
Contract complete…
Author's Note
First Fan Fiction I am posting, be kind with your comments and rating please.
