Of Goddesses and Failures

Chapters

Shedding Some Light On the Situation
Whistle While You Work
Nice Guys Finish Last
A Night Alone to Think
Surprise! Your Sister's Trying to Kill You
Hit the Road
Why I Feel This Way
Alcohol Induced Homicide

Shedding Some Light On the Situation

Let's face it. We all have secrets. They seem to be an innate part of us that wants to keep things hidden. No one is exempt. The close friend you've had since second grade? There are things they haven't told you. Your parents, teachers, and even beloved mentors? You don't know everything about them. It's not your fault, nor is it theirs. Perhaps they are innocent secrets: a secret crush or childhood dream. Sometimes, they're less friendly: misguided pranks, or who really broke the neighbors' window. But, in rare cases, secrets can be truly horrifying. Not always horrifying to think of, but horrifying to think about. Princess Celestia had a secret.

It was not innocent. It was far from it. She held a mystery so volatile that, should it be exposed, would send Equestria into an uproar. And she would not let it go. Her sister was unaware to her doings, and many other figures of authority didn't notice it whatsoever. The latter couldn't notice it. They would if they had stayed in the business of managing Equestria, one that was tiring and stressful. But they weren't given the chance. This was the beauty of the secret, and only one other pony knew it.

Cobalt Blade was, to say the least, not fit for much. Born in Canterlot, he was born with high expectations. Much of his family were scientists, so naturally, they expected him to be like them. Blade, however, could've cared less about studies. His parents, Cobalt Sky, his father, and Cobalt Terra, his mother, were disappointed in him, but donned him Blade after his interest in weaponry. Pushing him to join the Royal Guard, Blade was driven insane with the immense workload put on his shoulders. Studying and training, he pushed his patience to the limit, ultimately failing the test. He was a mockery, and he found no comfort in his parents, only anger and furious displeasure. To the world, he was a failure, save his expertise in blades and using them. Leaving his home in search of work, he ran a few small jobs in Canterlot, all of which were menial and mind-wrenching. This is where Celestia stepped in. Word of Blade's weapon skills had traveled, and while they weren't of particular interest to many, the princess had plans for him.

She started something that had been festering in her mind for a long time. With the new arrival of Cadence, many of the nobles had been pushing for something Celestia hadn't expected. They had thought about democracy. While Celestia wasn't against it, it would mean putting aside her power. That wasn't something she was willing to do. So a plan went into effect: to wipe anypony that became too powerful off the face of Equestria.

It was a plan she was proud of, and it was a simple one. All she had to do was tell the families of the target that their husband/wife would need to be present at the castle at all times, and it would be unlikely that they would see their loved ones again. They could not reject it, and Celestia's supposed good heart meant that it would be for a good cause. They would be killed, the body disposed of, and in a few years, she'd come to the family with a "heart-felt apology" and the case would be settled.

Of course, this could only be done once in about three months, lest her subjects became suspicious. Sadly, she needed somepony that would work for her, and would be able to get the dirty work done. Telling the Royal Guard was insane, because they all had families, and it wouldn't be long until one of them snapped. No, Celestia needed a reject, somepony that looked out only for themselves. She found the perfect solution in Blade.

When Celestia had shown up at Blade's house, she was the last thing he'd expected. She offered him a job, one that usually would have gone far beyond his morals. But she had come to him at the time in his life where he had even considered suicide. The silver-coated, blue-maned unicorn agreed. To him, this wasn't about the lives he would be destroying. To Blade, the only thing that mattered was the status. Before, he was pushed to join the Royal Guard. Now, he was working for Celestia in private, something greater than any other position. It paid well and was easy enough for him. Blade had no reason as to why he shouldn't.

However, Blade did not admire Celestia. Quite the contrary, he despised her. When first told about Celestia's plan, he couldn't help but laugh a little, even in the face of royalty. It was leaders like her, he had thought, that made Equestria one of the most deceitful nations on the planet. Her greed was something that he hadn't expected from the goddess that was looked up to so highly. No, Blade did not admire Celestia. But he did admire Luna. Something about her, he had once written, was too great to be stated by words alone. She was intelligent, graceful, yet serious in the face of evil. But most of all, Luna had endured hardship. After coming back from her banishment, she was feared and hated. A holiday had even been set up to remind Luna of her mistakes. Yet Luna took on the responsibility and kept on. That was the trait Blade admired most.

So now, our story can begin. A story that would be regretted by many, but one that was inevitable to begin with. One that changed the way Equestria viewed its leaders. A story that would mar the nation's history.

Whistle While You Work

Blade stood before Celestia, yielding as ever to her will. His dark blue hair made even mats along his silver coat, his purple hood and cape flowing behind him. An expression of disinterest on his face, Blade stared at his employer. To many, this was insane. A job where you are paid by a corrupt monarch to take out high powers seemed impossible at the time. To Blade, it wasn't a job. The only thing it was to him was a status. He knew everything Celestia did, and may as well have been as powerful, save that he had no influence. Standing in the throne room, he couldn't feel more important. This was where things happened, but he felt strangely empty. Shaking the feeling from him, he watched Celestia pace around him.

"You've managed to do well," she said with an evil smirk. "I'm not sure what it is, but you're doing well." Blade shrugged. He didn't care what she thought.

"Yeah, that's great. Who would be next, exactly? I'm kinda bored just standing here listening to you talk." Celestia frowned.

"Cheeky little bastard, you are. You realize who you're talking to right?" Blade smiled.

"I'd ask the same of you. You know you can't find another pony like me, and you wouldn't dare let me talk about this job here. So don't mind my talk."

"Fine," she growled, "but don't push your luck." Smiling again, she straightened herself. "Luckily, I have what you've come for. Using her magic to pull a list from behind her throne, she scrolled through it, the pages flapping before she found her target. "Fancypants. You know who that is, no?" Blade really wanted to laugh.

"Seriously? I mean, yeah, but him? Really?"

"He holds a lot more power than you'd imagine. He's LITERALLY everywhere. Can't go a day without running into him, and I'm sick of it. Tonight, you do your thing, and bring the body here. The usual, you're probably used to this by now." Blade nodded.

"Fine. See ya soon," he said as he left, being careful to avoid any guards as he left. If they saw him, then the show was over. Too many questions, too little answers. Easily enough, he slipped out of the castle. Blade trotted along the path leading up to the castle, hoping he could make it into Canterlot easily enough. Traffic was always a pain between the castle and the city, and today was no exception, if not worse. Blade walked down to the monorail station. Paying the fare before slipping into a bench by the side of the tracks, he looked around. Happy families stood on each side of him, each with smiling fillies and lots of cargo, probably for a vacation. Blade closed his eyes, imagining killing each one of them, one by one and watching the remaining cry in despair, before slitting their neck. Blood, blood, crimson red on grey concrete. Red and grey, mix the colors. Smile, smile, whistle while you work. Blade snapped up to the toot of the monorail, looking around at the families again, almost with alert, his jaw hanging slightly open. What in the hell is wrong with me, he thought. Have I really become as horrifying as this? No, you're doing what you have to. Remember your past. You are NOTHING. This is payback, to all the fools in this city, with personalities so competitive they'd split the trophy in half before they'd let you win. You're taking back what you lost. Keep your edge as sharp as your blade. Blade shook it off, boarding the train into Canterlot. He had work to do. Make a friend, keep him close. While he's happy, slit his throat. Blade kept the rhyme in his head while the colorful train chugged along its silver rail. Red and grey, silver of the blade. Spill his blood, the debt is paid.

Target acquired. In his mind, Blade was a hunter, tracking down the prey that had sprung his trap: waiting, searching, looking around. Found you. On the outside, he was nothing. A normal citizen, taking a stroll through the busy streets of Canterlot. In a way, he was. In another way, he was one of two ponies in the city. Him, and Fancypants. In a giant city like this, Blade thought, it's almost impossible to find him. This is gonna be a giant pain in the-Oof! Blade hit the ground hard. Ok, one of two options. Get your ass up, apologize, and move on. Option two, run like hell.

"My apologies, didn't see you there fellow!" The voice was definitely a he. Ok, good. He apologized, stand up, apologize, move on and-

"Fancy, can we get a move on? We need to head to the theater if we're gonna catch the show." Ok, that's a she. So now what do-Fancypants?! Gotcha. Springing up, Blade turned to face the fabulously decorated pony, a mare on either side of him, each decorated as well.

"Jeez, man. Really sorry about that. Ya know, I'll make it up to you." Fancy laughed it off.

"Oh no, good fellow, you don't need to. My mistake!" Oh, this was good.

"I insist!" Blade responded, putting on the best voice he could muster up. It was pathetic to behold, but he hoped Fancy could take some humor. "Meet me at The Canterlot Pub tonight, I'll buy you a drink or two. Fancy looked as though he was considering it, the two girls still excited to see whatever it was they were going to see.

"Alright, it's a deal!" he said, a big grin on his face, shaking hooves with Blade. Blade swooped off as the trio continued toward the theater. Oh ho ho, the hunter was happy. Extraordinarily so. And now we wait, Blade thought, looking down at the blade under the sleeves of his outfit. A giant smile appeared on his face, his dagger shining in the sunlight. Marriage is bullshit, he thought. I've found my love right here.

I immediately regret this. That's the only thought Blade could think. He hated bars, and alcohol in general. He looked around, his eyes narrowing as he glared at all the idiots that came here. All he saw was happy faces, full of joy, laughter, and relaxation. That was the thing he hated most about these places. This wasn't a place to relax, nor a place to really help yourself. The only thing that came out of bars was drunken assholes wandering the streets of Canterlot, creating problems and bad hangovers. But he did have to admire the work that was put into this place. After all, can't get much fancier than Canterlot. Blade found the pony he was looking for: Fancypants, who came in strolling casually through the front doors like it was a walk in the park. Blade smiled; he couldn't help but imagine this guy drunk as all hell, stumbling out the back and asking for cheap sex. Keep your cool.

"Man of the hour! Come on, we'll have a drink or two!" Fancy nodded, trotting over to where Blade sat at the counter. Sitting down, he then proceeded to order a long string of beverages, presumably for the two of them, before they finally got to talk.

"I can't thank you enough, good sir! We'd have to split the bill, surely?" Blade smiled. Doesn't matter who pays, I'll have your money by the end of this anyway.

"Of course not! All on me, after our little run-in today!" Fancy smiled. This was his kinda guy: kind, and one who was willing to pay for booze.

"Haven't seen you around at all. What exactly do you do?" Blade froze. Of course. The asshole's not even drunk, and he wants to know THAT.

"Well," he stuttered, "it's sorta confidential. I work privately for Princess Celestia," he finished, only ending after he'd made sure no one else was around to hear them. Fancy laughed.

"Oh yeah, she's got private workers for EVERYTHING, doesn't she? If you know what I mean," Fancy winked, then laughed uproariously once he saw the look on Blade's face. "What, I wouldn't think she's the type to pleasure herself!" Oh good. Blade relaxed, glad that his head was off the line, then joining in laughter at the thought of the Royal Guard gangbanging her. Jeez, I've hit the gutter.

The night wore on and on. Lots of ale and talk. Now was a perfect time. Too drunk to notice, and too happy to care. Blade took out the little bottle of sleeping pills he'd brought, waiting till Fancy used the bathroom to "enhance" his drink. He sat back down, having emptied his bladder. 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes. 10 minutes, and Fancy's noble head was planted firmly on the counter, snoring so loud that the bartender actually brought out a set of earplugs for himself. He turned his attention to Blade.

"You here with him?" Blade nodded.

"Yeah, I'll take him home, don't worry about it." Picking up his limp body and lifting Fancy onto his back, Blade strolled out the door just as casually as he had come in. Damn, he thought, these are some strong sleeping pills. Gotta try 'em some time. For now though, he smiled, you're coming home. He began his trek to the castle, the moon hanging in the sky and the stars gleaming beside it. He cut through a path on the left of the castle, using the shrubbery as a hiding place, in case any prying eyes were about. Blade was too delighted at his work. He couldn't help but whistle a happy tune.

Any day now, princess. Usually, all he had to do during the night was go to the window directly to the right of Celestia's private quarters, Celestia would clear the room, open the window, and the body would be brought in. Blade was nervous, because he didn't want to risk being seen, but she was giving him no choice. The hell is she doing? Blade thought back to his conversation with Fancy. Heh, perhaps she is the type to pleasure herself. He allowed himself a brief smile before the princess finally opened the window.

"Took you long enough!" Blade whispered as Celestia helped him into her room. He flung the body down, assuming Fancy wouldn't wake up. Luckily enough, he didn't. Celestia nodded and opened the hidden door behind her bed. It's amazing that no one knew about this, he thought. Because these was her private quarters, not even the Royal Guard were allowed in. The duo walked along the single metal corridor as light bulbs on strings dangled overhead until the hallway opened up into a large room, full of black garbage bags and spots of dried blood. You didn't have to open the garbage bags to know what was in them; the room stank of decaying corpses.

"This room is never getting any better. How many bags you think we're up to?" Celestia smiled.

"Not sure, we can count later. Either way, you know what you need to do." Blade walked to the corner, where a fresh supply of duct tape and garbage bags were ready for use. When it comes down to it, he thought, this is all you ever need to get rid of something. Alright, let's get this done before-

"Huh? W-where, uh...Oh, my head..." Fancypants was up, but luckily too handicapped to do much than try and sit up weakly. Blade trotted over to him.

"You're home now," Blade smirked.

"The hell is this?" he sputtered. Celestia loomed over him.

"Blade, you doing this or not?"

"Yeah, yeah, chill out." Fancy sat up.

"Princess? Where am I? Why are you here?"

"Blade! Now, please!"

"Alright, alright. Fancy, check out these bags! Cool, right?" Fancy was really, really confused.

"I guess so, where the hell am I though? And why does it smell like-" Blade jumped behind him, sealing his mouth with a strip of duct tape, and then bindings his legs and arms together.

"I can't stand to hear your voice another second longer. So here's the problem. You do too much, talk too much, and have too much influence." Fancy grew angry, mostly because he didn't like the feeling of his mouth being sealed and lying on a cold metal floor.

"Mffle! Ermmahamffle!" Blade laughed.

"That will never get old. Alrighty then, time to finish this up." Blade walked over to Fancy, blade under his right sleeve. He swung his arm down, slitting Fancy's neck right down the middle. Blood began to spurt, and Blade grabbed the plastic garbage bag and enveloped the now bloody body in it. He sealed the top and middle of the bag with duct tape, and threw it into the pile. If he didn't bleed out, he'd run out of air. Blade turned around, and Celestia sighed.

"How long does it take to kill a pony? Jeez, hurry it up next time." Blade grinned.

"Pfft. You'd get it if you tried it yourself." The two left the room, their hoofsteps echoing off the metal floor. Those were the last sounds Fancy heard.

Nice Guys Finish Last

"So now we're getting personal, huh?" That's all Blade had to say, and it was really funny to think of hiring someone to kill a family member. He stood before Celestia, once again in the throne room. The princess had pulled out her list once more after telling him it was a cousin of hers that needed some "help". Apparently, she had a section of her list for only family members. Despite how much he'd already done, Blade couldn't help but feel a little bit disturbed that Celestia had thought this out so well.

"Well, yes. But you know they have power, and I think you'll have a little bit of fun with this one," Celestia smiled. "Very few like him, but for some reason he's a celebrity. I could never understand how-" Blade sighed.

"Once again, hurry this up. Who is it, already?" Celestia frowned at him, but changed her mind. He did have a point.

"You know my cousin, Blueblood, right?" Oh, he wish he didn't have to know that little douchebag. Blueblood was notorious, not for anything he'd done in particular, but rather for being the most stuck-up member of the royal family.

"Yes, and I'll be glad to take him out. Seriously, how is he still alive?" Celestia shrugged.

"Beats me, but because he's royalty, we can't do it the traditional way. You'll have to kill him in secret."

"That's, not hard to do, but not being seen? Nearly impossible!" The princess shook her head.

"No, no. I'm holding a miniature gala for Twilight's recent coronation. Everyone will be there; after all I am running it. I'll have him go to the garden, tell him that I left him a gift there. No matter how old you get, everyone loves gifts. As he wanders around, you kill him, and then get out of there. I'll tell the crowd that the garden is closing for renovation. And, done!" Blade smiled.

"You're first good idea in a long time. Good job." Celestia smirked.

"Glad you think so. Can you actually get this done?" Blade raised an eyebrow.

"Of course. The hell are you talking about?" Celestia shrugged.

"Any normal pony probably would have snapped by now. Everything they have to do, piled on with all the guilt and secret-keeping. So I'm expecting you will soon enough." Blade shook his head, but he knew she was right. He didn't feel tense about revealing his secret; he was smart enough to keep his trap shut when the word "jobs" rolled around. But something about what she said was right. Blade couldn't help but feel a little bit guilty. Sure, that was his only option, but it didn't change the impact of what he was doing. Instead of feeling like a hunter, Blade felt like the hunted, being preyed upon and used to take the innocent lives of-No. You know you have to do this. You don't have a choice. Take back what they took. Repeat the rhyme. Red and grey, silver of the blade. Spill his- The conflicting thoughts in his head battled on and on, long after he had left the castle, a new task at hand. He had dismissed the idea that something like that could break his mind, but it already had. However, Blade still relished the idea of slitting Blueblood's neck. Something was so much fun about giving the scumbags of the world what they deserved. The old anticipation he had was brought back. It wasn't a job he wished to have any longer. But for one night, a final act of revenge, he would be the hunter. This, he thought, was a kill to savor.

This would be an easy job, if every little bug didn't bite me. The Canterlot Gardens are amazing to behold, full of life and wonder each step of the way. Sure, you'll get bitten sometimes, but you'll hardly notice it. Unless, of course, you're hiding in a bush. Then you can expect annoyance on a scale you weren't remotely ready for. That's all Blade could think about at this point. This is why I need a new job, he thought. Forget the innocent lives; there was only so much his back was gonna take of this. Lying in the outermost bush of a circle around a giant tree, the center of the garden, he waited, praying that something would happen. His prayer of relief was answered, as he heard hoofsteps, ones so carefully taken as to not spoil his suit that it could only be one. Blueblood, the royal asshole. Blade saw him nearby, as he looked around carefully for his "present". Ya know, Blade thought, I think for once, I'm going to have fun. Whenever the prince turned his back, Blade darted in around the bushes in the circle, making sure to rustle each one as he did. Blueblood pranced around nervously; he had a terrible fear of wild animals, especially anything that crawled.

"Alright, I think I've had enough of this. Get out of here, whatever you are crawling around in there!" he said frantically. Oh, this was too much fun. Make the asshole look like a little bitch. Nice guys finish last, Blade thought, but douchebags are the first to die in my book. Alright, I think I'm done playing games.

Blade leaped out of the bush he was in. He underestimated his jump, landing a few inches from the prince, who ran in terror. Blade chased after him, but got lost easily. The garden was huge, he'd never find him in this- THUD! Oh, that was easy. He followed the sound, finding the prince trying to get up after he fell on some roots. He turned over, only to find Blade at his neck, dagger out and ready.

"Surprise."

A Night Alone to Think

Blade sat alone in his little cottage, the moon shining through his one window as he tried to sleep. Of course he couldn't. Celestia was right. It was far too easy to kill somepony in Equestria. There's not much to worry about. All you have to do is actually kill them, and unless you do it in plain sight, there's very little chance anypony will know about it for a long time. That's because they have no means of finding you. Most hoofprints look the same, so there's no chance they can track you based off of that. Getting a list of possible suspects is even harder because the list would go on and on. But there was a deeper problem. Murder wasn't taken seriously. Equestria, in the eyes of many, was the shining example of purity and honor. If you told another that you had seen somepony murdered, they'd probably send you to a rehab center or ask that you have your eyes checked. It was something that was almost laughed at in Equestria. That was the sad part. As Celestia had said, you could get away with so much because society simply thought that it would never happen. Every nation had a seedy underbelly, and Equestria was no exception. It was almost sad; Equestria didn't live up to the expectations the world had set for it. But Blade wondered something. Did the police not try? Ponies had long before advanced their technology, albeit through magic, but nonetheless, you would think some of that aid would go into the local authority. What hadn't they been helped? Was Celestia holding out on funds she kept either for herself or some other cause? That wasn't it though, Blade thought. It dawned on him. It was because no one understood murder. It wasn't a matter of not caring, but rather a matter of not knowing. None of them could possibly understand the motive behind murder. The worst that had probably happened in the past years was Discord being turned to stone, and even then it didn't last forever. They were all, blind, ignorant fools. To them, Equestria is a utopia of happiness and freedom. To Blade, that's not what it was. Just a marred interpretation of a horrible nation. It wasn't the nation, he thought. The nation is pure. Law enforcement simply has nothing to do. They can't make advances because....It wasn't the nation. It wasn't the citizens. It wasn't even Celestia. It was him.

Sure, he thought. Celestia is the evil one behind this all. She's having me do this. I don't have a choice. You idiot, his conscience told him. You have a choice. No, no. I don't. This is all I have. Take back what you lost. Take back everything they took from you! Kill them, kill every foolish, wastebasket of filth there is. Red and grey, silver of the blade. Spill his blood, the debt is paid. You're a failure, failure, reject, useless, foolish, idio- NO! Blade slammed against the wall, pounding his fist against it in anger, tears streaming down his face. Is this all I am, he thought. Is killing all I'm good for? He looked up staring at the wall, a grim look on his face. I can't be just this. He knew that's all he was, though. He hadn't done a thing in his life that was of any use. He wasn't a liberator. He didn't gain anything from this. All he did was kill one pony to keep his head up. He was a murderer. I'm the problem with Equestria. Celestia may order me, but I made the choice. I'm the one who said that this is what I was going to do. Slamming his fist against the wall again, he growled.

"I will make my choices now." And murder wasn't what he had in mind. He was going to run. Running, run this way and that way. Keep running. Run, because it's all you've got, and it's all you'll ever have. But how do you run from your responsibilities? You can't. You let it take over you.

Surprise! Your Sister's Trying to Kill You

It was a simple task. So simple a task was it, that a dying monkey with a quarter of its brain could do it. But Blade would not do it. He had made the decision long ago. No one in the grand ballroom before him had the slightest idea about what was ahoof. It was the night of the Gala. The night of Blade's mission.

Wearing his traditional purple hood and cloak, he made his way to the marble staircase at the other end of the ballroom, darting between dancing couples and merry laughter to meet the one who had called him. Celestia waited for him by the staircase, taking time away from shaking hooves to pull him aside.

"I have very little time to talk. Luna is on night duty. You'll find her at her post on the fifth floor in the left wing balcony. If it takes you awhile, I understand. My sister wields powerful magic. I trust you'll do fine, though. Now, go."

Blade nodded. There wasn't much he had to say. He climbed the stairs, reaching the fifth floor after a good 3 minutes, considering the stairs are incredibly long and each floor quite extensive. Lo and behold, he found her where Celestia had told him he would. And she was as beautiful as he had always known her to be. Her mane like the space of a cold night and her body smooth and shimmering. It took him awhile to pull himself away and remember his duty. Luna heard his hoofsteps before he had traveled long.

"Who approaches?" Her voice was soft and comforting, rather than the commanding tone he was used to hearing.

"A friend of Celestia." Luna turned to face the one meant to kill her, although she was clueless to the scheme. For now.

"You? I have not seen you around my sister, much less in Canterlot. Am I to think you are truly from Celestia?" Blade smiled.

"Pardon, your highness, but one can exist without the knowledge of others, even one as powerful as yourself." Luna was satisfied. Whoever this was, she said to herself, he seems to know his way with words.

"Fair enough. Who are you, and what has she sent you for?" Blade sighed.

"For starters, I am Cobalt Blade. Blade preferably, but being a princess, I assume you'll call me whatever you want. What I'm about to tell you, Princess, is something I would think insane if I were to hear it myself. If you can promise me an intelligent discussion about this and not instantly burst out with laughter, I can tell you." Luna frowned.

"I've heard many things over the years, a lot of which I frown upon, but nothing I was not able to handle. Tell me, I can promise you a worthy talk of it." Here it goes.

"If you insist. Your sister is trying to kill you."

Silence.

"You can't be..." Blade raised a hoof.

"An intelligent discussion. It's hard to talk about, but we need to. For your sake." Luna looked shocked, but shook it off.

"If you insist. I don't believe what you're telling me." Blade nodded.

"As I expected. Hear me out though," he started as Luna turned to listen. "Over the years, the population of Equestria has begun increasing, and quite a bit, wouldn't you say?" The princess nodded. "Celestia had very little to fear. Being an alicorn, she was immortal and nationally respected. She raised the sun, dealt with trouble, and was a shining example for all to see. While I've always appreciated your contributions more," to which Luna blushed, "Celestia was just considered more important. But there was one thing she could not deal with. Democracy." Luna nodded.

"I can understand that. Celestia loves her subjects, but without her power, she is nothing." Blade smiled warmly.

"You're more intelligent than I had imagined. How would you go about preserving your power?"

"Mutual respect for everypony with less power. By giving power away, you gain it." Blade laughed a little.

"You understand much about the world, don't you? However, your sister does not see things similarly. To preserve her power, she's taken a much darker route. She sees powerful associates as threats to her own crown, and rather than follow your course of action, she thought about something else. But she could not execute this herself. She could not kill these ponies herself, no. She needed somepony with nothing to lose and willing to kill what Celestia wouldn't. This is where I came in. I was willing to. I really had nothing to lose. Tonight, you are my target, but I have no intention of harming you." Luna became deeply concerned.

"This is hard to take in, if not impossible. I have so many questions I could ask, but we'd never be able to-" Blade cut her off.

"I understand. If you would follow me, I can prove everything you doubt." Luna sighed.

"I wish to see your proof, yet I can already feel I know the answer. You are very world-wise yourself."

"Your wish is my command." For starters, Blade was actually pretty happy Luna had taken the information as lightly as she had. When you find out that a relative of yours is trying to have you murdered, it usually isn't fun. Luna had flown down the balcony onto the ground, landing gracefully, while Blade fancied a jump. She followed him to Celestia's private quarters, where Blade latched open the window.

"My sister's room? Why would we be here?"

"This is the only room that can't be accessed by anypony. The only pony who may even be allowed in is you. However, considering I was meant to be kept a secret, I have also been permitted. With such limited viewing, this is the best place to hide them."

"Hide what?"

"These." Blade opened the latch behind the bed and dropped into the dark hole as Luna followed. The metal was still the same, only a little rusty. The smell however, was much worse.

"Before you ask, that smells exactly like what it is."

"Rotten eggs?"

"Close enough. Decaying bodies." Luna just shook her head. The room was still piled high with the garbage bags. Blade split one open with his dagger and the skull of a noble rolled out of it.

"This," Blade started, "is everypony I've killed. If this isn't proof, then what is?" Luna fought back tears.

"You did not lie. Is this my sister's doing?"

"I'd say it's more of mine, but I only take orders from Celestia, so yeah, in a way. I wouldn't have murdered these guys if it wasn't for her. I don't like 'em, but not enough to kill 'em."

"So...so now what?"

"So now we run." He turned to face Luna. "I know a little city about 80 miles out of Canterlot. It isn't great, but it's good enough to lie low in. When your sister finds out that you're gone, she'll put out search warrants."

"Alright. Bear with me, this is just a lot to take in."

"I imagine. Now come, we have things to do." Hooves clacked on the metal floor as the duo left. Now, Blade thought. This is where I leave the past behind. He climbed out and helped Luna out afterwards. Blade shut the hatch for the final time, a farewell to the murderer inside.

Hit the Road

"Take everything you need. Money, clothes, personal items. Wrap 'em up and we're gone."

Luna hurried to shove everything she needed into her two suitcases. It was almost silly to her. This seemed more like a vacation rather than escaping a psycho. Needless to say, Luna was still incredibly tense. "Don't worry about money," Blade said as he paced around the room. "I have more than enough to cover that."

"Did she pay you well for your job?"

"Incredibly so," Blade smirked. "All packed?" The princess nodded. "Good. Come." Luna was dressed in a trench coat and long beige pants. With the sunglasses and fedora, it was nearly impossible to tell it was Luna. "Well, I'll give you one thing. You managed that out pretty well."

They made a beeline for the closest carriage they could find. Something, anything that could get them out of Canterlot. The train required personal info, and that of course jeopardized everything. Carriages were the best bet. The two climbed in an open one.

"Two for Alden." The driver nodded, and the little wooden vehicle was off. Luna had no idea what Alden was, much less the colt she was with. Thoughts raced through her head. Two hours ago she had been enjoying herself on a particularly warm evening, and now she was running from her own sister with the assassin hired to kill her. Speaking of which....

"This is probably the worst time I could ask you this, but what's your name? You never introduced yourself."

"Oh yeah, forgot about that. Cobalt Blade, at your service. Anyway, I'm sure you have a lot of questions. I can answer anything you need to know once we're at the house."

"House? What house?"

"I've already bought a house in Alden. We're going to stay there until this whole thing's blown over."

"Really? How much didshe pay you?"

"Way too much for something so easy."

The house was pretty big, considering the standard houses of Equestria. Two beds, two bathrooms, a kitchen, dining room, basement, and even a living room made for a pretty good living space.

"Sleep wherever you want. I can help unpack your things if you need me to." Luna was still a bit shocked at how big the house was. "Alright, I'm gonna get some shuteye, you do whatever you'd like. I'm looking for work in the morning. Food in the fridge, call me if you need something." Blade left to his room, closed the door, and shut the light.

Luna, however, could not sleep. She wanted to be able to herself she was over-complicating this, but it made such little sense. This colt, Cobalt as she called him, barely spoke to her unless he needed to. He was straight and to the point, and even acted like this was a completely normal scenario. He was hiding something or other. How many colts, in the face of one as beautiful as her could act so natural? She had a lot of questions, and she'd get some tomorrow.

Why I Feel This Way

Of all the work I could find, Blade thought. I get this. This stupid, filthy job. He'd been job hunting for the past five hours, and this was the best he could find.

Bartending.

To be clear, Blade did not hate bars, nor did he hate the job. He hated what was inside of them. His father was a heavy drunk, and would often come home aggravated for no good reason. Alcohol, Blade had said, corrodes the mind by convincing it that it had the key to solving all of your problems.

"Huh. I'd think you'd look rather good as a bartender." Blade chuckled. Luna was lying in her bed as Blade sat in a chair close to his own.

"Ya think so? Eh, it's not my favorite type of work, but it's all I've got, so I'll take it." Luna remembered something.

"I'd like to take you up, on that offer you made? I need to ask you a question." Blade raised an eyebrow.

"Huh. Alrighty then, fire away."

"Why did you save me?"

"Pardon?"

"Why did you save me? You could have dumped by body off in that metal room like all the others, undoubtedly. So why not?" He turned to face her.

"Well, for starters, it was Celestia condemning her own sister to death, which seems horrible on it's own. When you factor in the fact that you'd done nothing wrong, it only makes it worse." He sat back, satisfied with his answer. He was steering as far away from revealing his love for her as possible.

"True, but what about the others? Hadn't they been innocent as well?" Clincher.

"You're right about that, but you have to understand something. I didn't do this because I hated them. I did it because I didn't have a choice. At the time, that was the only option I had: hired assassin or a terrible life." He went through the motions, explaining his parents and his failures.

"Oh, I'd never seen it like that. I'm so sorry for-" He waved a hoof.

"Don't be."

"But then, if it's not the innocence, then what is it?" Blade froze.

"To be straightforward, I admire you greatly. When ponies think of the Celestial Duo, they think of Celestia over you, preferably. She's simply more of a figurehead. But I've always seen you as superior. You're intelligent. You're clever. You're comforting. You're empathetic. You're even beautiful. But a lot more has stood out to me than just that."

"I-uh...what?" She was confounded by everything being thrown at her.

"Not only are you all those things, but you're strong of heart. When you revolted against Celestia, the people despised you, and rejoiced all the more when you were banished. They didn't love you. They didn't see a duo. They saw Celestia. You'd been rejected." Luna was fighting back tears. "Then, when you had finally came back and returned to your normal state as Luna, the people feared you. They did not give you the love and affection you sought. They still saw you as the evil rebel that you had once been. At every turn, you were scorned and ponies ran from you." Luna started sobbing at this point. "And even now, Nightmare Night is a celebration held every year, where everypony sees it as a time of candy and games. That's not how you see it, is it? No, to you Nightmare Night is a constant reminder of your mistakes. Every year it hangs over you, scorning you. Is this not so?" Luna nodded through her tears. "And even now, your own sister has turned against you. "But that's why I admire you so!" Luna perked up a little bit. "You remain so strong and steadfast, despite this! No matter how bad things are, no matter how viciously you are accused and lashed out at, you keep your head held high! You act like the lightning rod! You keep us all together by accepting responsibility for something that had happened such a long time ago. And you never show your pain. That is why I admire you." Luna had quieted down, resorting to sniffles and quiet sobs. "I'm sorry I've done this to you." Luna smiled at him through her watery eyes.

"No," she said. "You've only helped me. As long as I've lived, no pony has made me feel like this, nor have any of them understood how I feel. T-thank you." Blade nodded.

"Any time. Good night, Princess." Luna shook her head.

"Luna. Call me Luna," she smiled.

"Good night, Luna." Each turned out their respective lights on each side of the room. Luna turned in her bed. She'd developed feelings she had hoped she wouldn't have. She loved him. And she embraced it.

Alcohol Induced Homicide

Blade's eyes darted back and forth between each customer, keeping each one of them in check. The thing about bar tending is not only do you take care of the bar, you protect it. You may not be the owner, but on your shift, you have to act like it. If something gets out of line, it's almost always your job to break it up. Luckily for Blade, he had an easy shift. He stayed from about 5:00 - 10:00, before any of the real alcoholics came in. That misfortune fell upon Cider, an honest earth pony with a great smile and a humble personality. Some days he'd stumble in with a black eye and a sore head. Blade almost felt bad for him, but work is work. His job was pretty simple, actually. As long as no pony got out of line, all he had to do was serve drinks. Being a simple little bar, they didn't have anything Blade couldn't make. Add that to his experience with his father's drunken rage, and you have a pony that knows his way with bars. His suit was alright too. He had to admit Luna was right; he did look pretty good in a dress shirt and tie.

Two particular stallions were obnoxiously loud, bellowing and laughing along with each other. One was a brown earth pony and the other a light green pegasus, and both were bulky. The conversation had started off as friendly banter and had turned into crude sex jokes. Now I know why mares dominate Equestria, Blade thought. They can keep their minds off of sex for longer than a minute. For once, he got to laugh.

"I'm tellin' ya, THIS big," the green one demonstrated with his hands.

"Bullshit. No fuckin' way you got any of that."

"Of course I did, ya fuckin' asshole! You wouldn't doubt me, would ya?" The brown one started to frown.

"Well ya still owe me 100 bits for that ladder accident, remember? Ya not very good at this stuff, man."

"Ah, fuck off with that. I'll get to ya when I can." The conversation only went down from there. It was almost shocking how such a friendly conversation turned into the spew of curses it did.

"You don't fucking understand! You're only pissed 'cuz you know I'm right."

"Bullshit!"

"Fuck off!"

"Gentlemen." The commanding tone brought the two to attention. Blade glared at the two. "Would it be asking too much for you to quiet down? You're startin' to piss people off." The brown one grunted at him and the green one leaned in.

"I'm havin' a conversation ova here, alright?"

"No shit," Blade returned, "but quiet it down, alright?" The two returned to their conversation, seemingly unaware of what they were arguing about before. It wasn't long until that topic, whatever it was, returned. This time, it turned to swings. In drunken stupor, the two were swinging at each other, landing a few out of what they threw. Blade walked out from behind the bar, confronting them.

"Alright, that's it. Both of you. Out." Blade didn't want to do this, but he'd be pleasing more than he angered. The two were really drunk now, and they turned on him immediately.

"What in the hell now? Quit this shit, man!" The green one swung, and Blade ducked under it in time. He felt his blood boiling, and he started to sweat.

"Out. Now." He gave them a second chance. This time, the brown one swung and connected, knocking Blade back into the seats. His vision was fuzzy, and he felt a warm feeling in his mouth. For the first time in his life, Blade was bleeding. And he didn't like the feeling. The pegasus had taken advantage of his friend's situation and threw him to the floor. They wrestled on top of each other, cursing the whole time. Blade stood up, and knocked the pegasus in the back of the head with his hoof. Brown kicked him in the stomach, and Blade crumpled to the floor. The two stood up, and threw him into the glass case by the door. The glass shattered, flying everywhere, and customers began to flee. Blade sat against the wall, bleeding from the back of his head while the two fought each other. He couldn't see what was happening, but he took a moment to relax. Memories rushed back into his head. His father and his booze. And then his failures.

"You fucking disappointment! The hell are you even good for?!"

"You waste of fucking time!"

"Why did is my son such a failure?! Why?!"

Blade was done. He had taken a lot over the years. His life up to now had been the rising action. He'd taken hit after hit, scream after scream, and he took it all knowing it was his fault. I can't please you, can I? Blade fumed. You can't accept me, can you?! But the anger he took in, he turned it into poison. He flicked out his dagger. Blade dived onto his enemies, slashing through the two with grace and ease. For his father, for his mother. For all the ones he had murdered. For everything. When he was done, the two bled profusely on the floor, the distant screaming of customers falling deaf to Blade's ears. Blood on his shirt and blade on his arm, he stumbled home.

At some point, she had to confess how she felt. Luna had felt her emotions boiling inside of her, and she could only hope that the one she loved felt the same way about her. For somepony she'd met only a few days ago, it was shocking to see how fast she came to love him. But she understood why. Never had anypony understood her the way he had. Blade understood everything, from her loneliness to her rejection to her situation. He understood all of it, and what was even better was, he cared. If he didn't care, he wouldn't have helped her. He gave up his career, his safety, his entire way of life, and all just to save one forgotten princess. That's why she loved him. So lost in her emotions was Luna that she didn't even notice the door open. Blade rushed immediately to the sink, washing the blood off of his face while Luna came to greet him. His face was bruised and he had a gash on the side of his head. He groaned as the water ran over his cuts, bringing both pain and sweet relief.

"Oh my-what happened?" Blade didn't respond. He kept the water on until he'd had enough.

"I'm fine, don't worry about it." Luna wasn't taking this for an answer.

"Of course you aren't! My god, you're bleeding horribly!" Blade sat on his bed, holding his head and cursing to himself.

"Dammit, dammit all to hell!" The outburst shocked Luna as she backed away. "Sorry, didn't mean to frighten you. Just, dammit, I thought I was past this!"

"Past what?" Blade sighed.

"Tonight, some guys got into a fight. After I tried to break them up, they turned on me. Something, just, snapped inside of me. I...I killed them both. I didn't want to do that. I-just, dammit!" Luna sat down next to him, leaning against and almost hugging him.

"I'm sorry, I see why you're upset now. Is this hard for you?" Blade cast his head down.

"No need to be sorry. I've brought this upon myself." He smiled. "I'm glad you understand though." She nodded and smiled warmly.

"You're trying to put that behind you, aren't you? It's the one thing you've done your whole life, and it's hard trying to get over that." Blade turned to face her.

"I could talk to everypony I've ever known, and none of them would have understood it like you have. Thank you, Luna. I appreciate it." She blushed.

"I do what I can." Then she did what none of the two were prepared for. She put her front leg behind his head, pulled him in and kissed him. Blade's eyes widened as their lips locked in perfect unison. He closed his eyes like she had and savored it. They sat there, each basking in the other's love. When the two finally pulled apart, Blade stared at her, eyes completely open and jaw hanging.

"What in the..." Luna cursed.

"Oh, I knew I'd screw it up! I'm sorry about that, I just-" Blade cut her off.

"N-no. That..." he smiled, "that was amazing." Luna's eyes brightened.

"Wha-It was?" He laughed.

"Of course it was! I'm just shocked, that's all! I just, I didn't know that's how you felt about me, so right now I'm just-"

"I'm sorry if you don't feel the same way, I just couldn't hold that in much longer. Ah, dammit I really screwed this up!" Blade looked at her deeply, their eyes connecting in a way that said everything.

"Then you don't need to be sorry. Luna, I think you're the best thing that's happened in my life." She was about to speak, but he held up a hoof. "Until now, my life's been a gruesome one. I haven't had much to call my own, no pony to care for, and no pony to love me either. But, meeting you, I think that's changed. Luna, this is all or nothing, but, I think I love you." Fireworks went off in Luna's mind.

"Ah yes! I love you too!" Their lips met again, and although it was just a minute, it seemed like the world stopped, just for awhile, just for them.