Blackwing: God of Humanity

by Eninco

Rating: teen
Tags: Sad, Dark, Alternate Universe, Human
Length: 30709

A darker Equestria, in the hands of the last member of the human race, screwed up beyond belief.

This story takes place in a much darker Equestria, where harmony failed to take root and things take a turn for the worst.
Celestia and Luna never really got the idea to get along and their bickering has reached a near melting point and civil war is rearing it's ugly head, all while the ponies of Equestria suffer from constant inflation and famine due to their leader's neglect.
Meanwhile, far in the frozen wastes of Starlight Concave, a secluded tribe known simply as the Legion ran by a brutal mare known as Cordis has been slowly overrunning villages, making it ever closer and closer to their ultimate goal: Canterlot.
The story is seen through the eyes of Mitchell Gherri, a human who wakes up in Equestria, skin smoking, stuck in a crater, and given a task by a strange ghost who claims to be the princesses' mother.
The only thing she asks of him is to accept an offer from 'Bloodline'.
At first he think he's going insane, but he's merely starting to learn the truth about himself.

Things to notice:
-There are naughty words from time to time, if somehow you are offended by swearing, this is probably not the best thing to read.
-The story won't get any better if you just rip on it, use constructive criticism please.
-The story takes place in an alternate universe, most canon FiM characters aren't involved in this, most of the characters are OC's made by me.
-Some parts involve graphic imagery, namely involving death.
-There may be typos, plot holes, or plain old bad word choice, this is merely my own oversight, please tell me about any anomalies in the story.
-I cherish feedback as it helps me out greatly, please comment, force yourself if you need to.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2013-08-03 17:13:57 UTC

Chapter 1

It was a hot, stormy spring night, rain poured onto the hospital parking lot, the only light visible in the dark black night was the occasional blinding flash of lightning or a car passing by with their headlights fogged by rain. Inside the hospital Mitchell was sitting on a chair in the ER lobby, twiddling his thumbs, head bowed down, and staring at the carpeting.

He had been sitting in the lobby for several hours, waiting... waiting... Mitchell lifted his head when the double doors into the intensive care unit creaked open. A doctor walked out, his face buried in the clipboard he was holding.

A nurse pushed a hospital bed out of the door, a white cloth covering a body. Mitchell took one look at the cloth and he lost it, he shot out of the chair and ran towards the exit.

A doctor hailed him to stop, but Mitchell ignored him and shoved the exit doors open, and into the rain he continued. Mitchell walked through the hard rain and stomped his way to his car. He opened the car door and sat in the driver’s seat. He rested his head on his hands and sat down hunched, he felt like he was going to puke. He broke out into a silent sob, tears ran down his face. For several minutes the only noise he made was the occasional gasp for air. A doctor walked over to his car and tapped on the window. Mitchell looked at him with a look of rage and sorrow. He took a set of keys out of his pocket and shoved them into the ignition. He dropped his foot on the gas and drove away, tires squealing and smoking as the vehicle shot down the parking lot.

Later that night, Mitchell came back to his apartment and sat on an old tattered recliner. He sat there, with a .45 that belonged to his father. With that thought, Mitchell reminisced the time when he was younger and his parents were still alive.

He was a carefree child, born to a cop for a father and a robotic technician for a mother, no siblings except a miscarried sister. Mitchell’s parents were good people, they raised him well and set him up with good schools and undying support. Yet throughout his life, Mitchell had an unlucky tendency to be severely punished for things he never did.

In sixth grade, he was expelled from private school because another student planted drugs in his locker as a sick prank and no matter how much he pleaded and told them that he didn’t do it, they still kicked him out. After that, he jumped from school to school up until his graduation. Graduation day, ironically, was the worst day of his life. After he got home from his party, the police department informed him and his mother that Mitchell’s father was shot and killed in a drug bust.

After that day, Mitchell’s mother spiraled into depression, she quit her job and eventually got stuck in a heavy drinking habit. Mitchell always thought to himself that his mother never deserved this, she was too good of a person, when she asked you what you wanted to be done, she wouldn’t take no for an answer. It wasn’t much better for Mitchell, he never went to college and isolated himself from others later and eventually lost all of his friends. So there he sat, staring at a photo frame of his mother and father on the small table next to him. Mitchell’s mother had a heart attack earlier today from overdosing on pills and was rushed to the ER. First his father, now his mother.

Mitchell sat alone in his apartment, now the only thing he had was his rundown apartment and the very few possessions he owned. After his long memory trip, Mitchell pulled back the .45’s hammer with his thumb and lifted the barrel up to his temple.

His whole body started to shake as he heard the click, click from the revolver as the cylinder rotated. Mitchell touched his finger to the trigger, his palms soaked in sweat. He held his breath as he slowly applied pressure to the trigger, slower and slower until... BANG Mitchell fell to the floor, red sticky blood poured from his head onto the carpet, staining the dirty white floor with dark crimson pools.

Mitchell was dead, but oddly, he felt conscious. He slowly creaked his eyes open, there was nothing around him, just a empty black space. His feet weren’t touching anything, he was floating. He slowly turned his head, still nothing. Nothing to see, nothing to feel, nothing to hear, nothing to taste, nothing to smell. Is this death? Mitchell thought. He could do nothing but float there, in the empty purgatory in which he was trapped in.

For what felt like forever, nothing happened, until Mitchell caught a sight of something in the nothing, a shimmer of a large eyeball. The eyeball got closer and closer to him, more features of the silhouette became visible. The spirit walked on four tall legs, it had an odd head, with a long narrow snout-like appendage. After inspecting the creature as it looked at him, he realized it was an animal. It was a horse, a large white horse. It looked like a normal horse, except he could make out large wings on it’s sides, and bright, long red hair, or mane Mitchell guessed. He looked at it’s face, large, shiny blue eyes stared deep into his. A large bone stuck out from it’s forehead, like a horn or something.

Mitchell was startled when the horse spoke the words “Hello.” to him, it had the voice of a woman. Mitchell couldn’t respond, this was all a little too much for him. “Hello.” It said again. Mitchell struggled to form words, he just made out nonsense. Finally Mitchell collected himself and said to the horse, “Who are you?” The phantom replied almost immediately, “Who I am is not important right now,” It paused, “In events soon to come, you’ll meet someone named ‘Bloodline’. Please, you must say yes to her offer.” Mitchell stammered and tried to ask a question but his train of thought was lost when he heard a loud crash, he looked for the horse but it disappeared. He closed his eyes, wanting for all of this to end and slowly slipped from consciousness.

Mitchell later got a hold of his train of thought and opened his eyes again, Still nothing to see, Nothing to feel, nothing to hear, nothing to taste, but, there was something to smell. He took in a big whiff and the air smelled like flowers and the perfume of honey. He slowly started to hear something, the sound of birds chirping, leaves rustling, and the sound of slow flowing water next to his ears. His mouth felt wet, he smacked his lips and tasted the water from the stream that he was lying in. Finally, blurry grey clouds formed in his sight. He tried to sit up, but his whole body ached as if he was thrown against a wall.

After several moments of struggling to lift himself up, he managed to sit against a hill behind him. His vision was getting clearer now, he could see his arms and torso smoking, as if he were recently on fire. He looked to his left and saw the broken remnants of what looked like a small stone bridge. He then looked ahead, above a hill, he saw a large tree, but there was some sort of house built into it. He saw the front door of the tree house creak open. A small yellow figure stumbled out, it looked like it was shaking.

Mitchell’s eyes started to burn, not to sting, but literally felt like they were melting. He shut his eyes but the burning sensation still overwhelmed him. The burning was too much, Mitchell let out a loud yell of pain, then he dropped to the ground and funneled the creek water into his eyes. The pain went away and he opened his eyes once more.

The yellow figure was standing in front of him, trembling and shaking like a leaf. It looked somewhat like the spirit, but it was much smaller. What was it? He thought, there was a word on the tip of his tongue. “Pony.” Mitchell said softly, the yellow pony backed up quickly as he spoke. Mitchell rubbed his eyes, his vision felt extremely clear, it felt like the best vision he had in his life. He had 20/20 vision but he could see everything in amazing sharpness, he felt like he could spot a bird perched on a rock a thousand miles away.

Mitchell looked around in amazement of his new eyesight, but the yellow animal spoke, “H-Hello?” Her voice sounded fragile. Mitchell looked at her and she backed up further, shaking violently. Mitchell stumbled onto his feet, “Uh, hello...” He replied. The pony yelped, as if she was surprised. “You can talk?” She asked. Mitchell was confused, “Of course I can talk,” he said. Mitchell inspected his limbs, his clothes were soaked, but nothing more than a few cuts. He placed his fingertips on his temples, no bullet holes.

The pony spoke again, “Since you can talk, do you have a name?” she asked. Mitchell directed his attention to her, “It’s uh... Mitchell., and you?” he replied.

She was no longer afraid, if anything, she looked happy, “I’m Fluttershy,” she said. Mitchell’s eyes rose open, he swore he remembered that name from somewhere.

Fluttershy led Mitchell into her cottage, she pointed him to a nearby couch to rest. Mitchell sat on the couch with a light poomf sound. Mitchell’s brain clicked, he was now aware of the situation and started to panic a little. “Where am I?” He gasped. “You mean you don’t know where you are?” Fluttershy replied with a concerned look. “Nope.” Mitchell simply replied. “How come you don’t know where you are? Did you hit your head?” She asked. “No... Well, I’m pretty sure I didn’t. I just know for a fact I’m definitely not from this planet...” he retorted.

Mitchell’s eyes started to vibrate, the pain was slowly returning. He put his hands on his eyes and rubbed them, “Do you have a bathroom?” He asked. “Uhm... Yeah, down the hall over there,” Fluttershy said pointing down a short hallway. Mitchell got off the chair and hurried to the bathroom. Once he was inside, he flipped the faucet handle, scooped water in his hands, and submerged his eyes in the small pool. After the pain receded once more, Mitchell looked at himself in the mirror above the sink. He looked normal, except with a few cuts and bruises and the tips of his dark maroon hair were singed off and replaced with short black stubble.

He payed attention to his eyes, they were completely different. Mitchell’s dark blue eyes were replaced with an odd brick color. He also noticed bright, gold specks on his iris shimmering with the light. A look of concern grew on Mitchell’s face. “I must be dreaming, there’s no way this is happening...” He mumbled to himself. Mitchell turned his head, looking at his temple, it was normal, as if he never shot himself.

After he was done gazing in the mirror, he looked outside the bathroom door and notice Fluttershy staring at him with a sense of awe. Mitchell felt awkward and looked away. “I’ve never seen an animal like you before,” She said, breaking the silence. Mitchell looked at her again, “I’m a human, there’s no other humans here?” he said. Fluttershy gasped, her large blue eyes widened. She ran back into her living room. Mitchell was once again confused and followed her into her living room.

Fluttershy was rummaging under a couch near the wall of the room, she pulled out various binders which looked like photo albums and eventually pulled out a yellow book called “Ancient Creatures of Legend” and placed it on the couch.

On the cover, there was an illustration of a large cat-like creature, Mitchell noticed it looked like an Anubis from Egyptian folklore. Fluttershy turned through page after page until she reached a page with a drawing of a man, a human man.

“My parents gave this to me when I was just a little filly, there’s all sorts of amazing creatures in here,” Fluttershy said.

“That looks like me alright,” Mitchell said, “humans lived here?” He asked. “The Princess said they did... And she’s very old,” she said. Mitchell looked at her, “Princess?” he asked. “Oh come on, you know who the Princess is,” Fluttershy giggled.

“Can’t say that I do, but you can spare me the details about her, I’m sure I’ll learn about this place eventually” Mitchell said.

He looked out of the window next to him, it looked like a cheery place, the grass was a lime green and the mountains ahead were a vibrant purplish color. The sky on the other hand looked bleak, dreary. “The sky used to be a beautiful blue color and the night was filled with stars,” Fluttershy spoke in a disappointed voice. “Used to be? What happened to it?” Mitchell asked. “The Princess and her sister share control of time, Celestria brings day, Luna brings night.” she said. “But now they don’t, they started fighting and they gave up on their responsibilities, there’s no day, no night.”

The sky was completely covered in dark grey storm clouds, blocking most of the sunlight, making the world look darker.

“How can two Princesses control day and night?” Mitchell asked as he studied the landscape. “They’re magical alicorns.” Fluttershy responded. Mitchell laughed, “Magic? You’re kidding right?” “What do you mean?” She asked.

“Day and night come from the Earth’s rotation, not two magical horses,” He mocked.

Fluttershy looked at him funny, Mitchell wasn’t looking back, “If you’re not from here, how come you know the name of our planet?”, “Earth’s the name of my planet,” Mitchell said. “No, it’s our planet’s name,” Fluttershy argued. Mitchell’s eyes widened, “Am I in the future or some shit?!” He yelled at the window. Mitchell stood up and started to breathe heavily. Fluttershy started to back away a little, Mitchell looked at her and she flinched and curled up in a ball.

Mitchell let out a deep sigh and slowly walked up to her. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to freak out like that.” Mitchell said to the yellow ball. “I get angry at times, but I’d never hurt anybody over it.” he said. Fluttershy poked out her head, looking at him, she slowly got out of the odd fetal position. “Listen, could you tell me where I could go to get help?” Mitchell asked. Fluttershy flopped back up and nodded.

Chapter 2

They were walking through a deep forest, ‘Everfree Forest’ Fluttershy called it. She ventured through the forest very cautiously as Mitchell closely followed in a casual manner. “So... Where we heading?” He asked. “Some ponies say there’s a group of witches living in an old abandoned estate deep in the forest.” She said with a shudder. “And please explain why you are sending me to a group of ‘witches’.” Mitchell commanded in a jackass’s tone. “No pony around here has met them, but they say they come from an odd, secluded tribe way up north. They must know how to get you back home.” Fluttershy explained.

After several more minutes of walking a wonky loose dirt path, they had reached the estate, it was abandoned alright. Fluttershy started to cringe and shake at the sight of the place and Mitchell couldn’t blame her, the house had an old design style and the most of the roofing and siding had been reduced to bare, rotten green wood. Fluttershy looked like she was on the verge of tears, “Here you go,” she said. “It was nice meeting you Mitchell.” Before Mitchell could say anything back, Fluttershy sprinted back the way they came.

Mitchell sighed and walked up the mossy stone staircase up to the doorstep. He raised his fist to open the door but the door had already creaked open, Mitchell backed up startled. Nothing had seemed to open the door. Maybe it was just the wind... He stood on the staircase staring at the door that was becoming more and more open. Mitchell backed up one more step, when he heard the sound of his shoes land on the stone step, a black blur tackled him down, throwing him off the steps and onto the soggy forest floor.

Mitchell lied on the ground in shock, there was someone standing on his chest, it was another pony. This one looked more hostile, it looked like a girl, her fur was an ashy black and her mane drooped over her head and covered the right side of her face. The color of her mane was a clean, cherry red with a jet black stripe along the middle of her bangs. Her eyes were also a bright red, seemingly piercing through his very soul. Her long eyelashes rested atop her scowling eyes and she gritted a snarl.

“Who do you think you are, trespassing on my property?!” She yelled. Mitchell tried to sit up, but the black pony bucked him in the chest; landing with a crack, with her steel capped hooves and he dropped yet again with the air knocked out of him. “ANSWER ME!” She screamed. “I’m lost,” He said “Yeah, lost... Someone said you and the other witches could help me.” The pony looked at him in anger for a second and hopped off him, she dropped to the floor laughing. “Ahahaha!” She tapped her hoof against a pile of mud as she kept on laughing.

Mitchell scuttled backwards in absolute confusion. The pony’s laugher finally died down and stood over him. “Oh, those morons that live in Ponyville make me lose it sometimes.” She said in a happy tone. “I apologize for kicking you, you obviously had no idea who you were dealing with.” Mitchell stood up, he looked down upon the girl, “Uhh... Who am I dealing with?” The pony responded in a sneer. “I assume that shaky yellow leaf that led you here told you we were from the north.”

Mitchell cringed, hugging his chest, “Yeah, you were in a tribe,” he said.

“I’m Bloodline, from Cordis’s Noble Legion.” Bloodline responded. Mitchell’s eyes opened, she was the person the spirit told him about. “The Legion is a mighty tribe ruled by a mare named Cordis,” Bloodline continued. “If the tribe is up north, why are you here?” Mitchell coughed out. “I’m kinda uhh... A castoff...” Bloodline tone dropped. “Me and my sisters ran away and we never returned,” she said. Mitchell kneeled down on the ground, grasping his sides, coughing up small amounts of blood. Bloodline looked worried, “Are you ok?” She asked. “O-Oh god... My ribs.” he responded with a rasp.

It was about a half hour when Bloodline guided Mitchell out of the forest and to the Ponyville clinic. He was greeted by a crowd of surprised clinic staff and visitors. Mitchell waddled over to the front desk, the nurse looked scared. “I need a doctor.” he said slumped over the counter. The nurse slowly made her way out of the room into the hallway ahead.

Bloodline sighed, “So much for a doctor...” She droned.

They stood there for several seconds, everyone was still silently staring, Mitchell heard a clopping sound down the hallway, it steadily came closer and closer. The nurse who left returned with another nurse, she was white with a pale pink mane and dull grey eyes. She was possibly the only soul who was smiling in the room, “Hello, my name is Nurse Redheart.” she said. “My friend is not from here and he thinks he has broken ribs,” Bloodline spoke up. “And I assure you; this was not my fault.” “Uh... Alrighty then,” Redheart commented, “Come this way, I’ll be glad to help you.” Mitchell was surprised at the only gesture of kindness he’s received in a long while.

He followed Nurse Redheart down the hall and into the nearest open examination room. It was a cramped room, Mitchell realized how tall he was compared to all these ponies, almost twice their size. He took a seat on the hospital bed over by the wall. Nurse Redheart closed the door and moved over some loose papers on her working desk. She sat on her stool and spun around a few times before she spoke, “So, how are doing? Is Ponyville treating you well?” Mitchell shrugged, “I’ve honestly been better, nothing right now is making any sense.” he said.

“Well, you’re friend said you’re not from here, where are you from?” “A place called Colorado, it’s far, far from here...” he joked. “Never heard of it.” she said, “I’m sure it’s lovely.” Mitchell’s chest tensed up again, he groaned in pain. “That doesn’t sound good, Lemme’ see what I can do about your chest, but first...” She paused. “First what?” Mitchell asked.

Redheart was studying his face, inspecting all of his features, “I need to take a look at you.” she said. “Take off your shirt.”

Mitchell suddenly felt uncomfortable, “Pardon?” He asked.

“You heard me.” Redheart retorted, “Take it off.” Mitchell could see where this was going, “Why do you want me to take my shirt off?” Redheart had a mischievous look on her face, “Because silly, I want to take your x-rays...” She said.

Mitchell went from confused to completely relieved. “For a second I thought you were going to ask me...” He stopped himself from saying the rest by mumbling silently. “Ask you what?” Redheart asked. “Nothing...” Mitchell replied.

Nurse Redheart took his x-rays and said if her interpretation of his bone structure was correct, he had fractured a few ribs. She told him that they would heal over time and to take it easy, but she gave him some strong pills for the time being.

Nothing else went out of the ordinary after that, but when Mitchell had returned to the lobby, Bloodline was nowhere to be found. Mitchell sighed in annoyance and walked out the front door. He looked around and saw Bloodline sitting against the outside wall.

“So, how’d it go?” Bloodline asked him, she stared the mountain range on the horizon, staring at a far away city built upon a cliff face. “Thanks to you, I have a few broken ribs.” he said. “I told you I’m sorry.” Bloodline groaned. “By the way,” he added, “Why’d you wait for me?” Bloodline stood up and whipped her hair back into shape, “Because, I assumed you had nowhere to go.” she said. “Aaaand?” Mitchell replied. “I think I could make it up the whole ‘breaking your ribs’ thing by letting you stay at my home for a while.” she continued.

Mitchell said nothing, “Do you want to stay with me?” Bloodline repeated. The words the spirit told him floated in his head. You must accept her offer.“Well?” Bloodline broke his train of thought, “Uhm... Of course!” He stammered, “Thanks...”

It felt like it was almost night time but Mitchell couldn’t tell, there was no more night. They two had arrived back at the old estate, Bloodline leading him up the steps. “You’ll like my sisters, they’re quite... Different.” She spoke. “I’m sure I will.” Mitchell replied. “So human, do you have any kin?” Mitchell stopped walking, “How’d you know what I was?” Bloodline looked at him, “Pfft... The legend of humankind was a Legion bedtime story, I knew exactly what you were when I first caught eye of you.” Mitchell was surprised, Bloodline was more clever than he thought.

“No, I don’t have any ‘kin’.” he said. “Well, what brings a member of an extinct race to our home?” Bloodline asked. “I have no idea, I just woke up in a stream of water and I my skin was smoking, I had broken someone’s bridge, so I must’ve fallen from the sky or something...” Mitchell guessed, he didn’t want to tell her what happened before that. “Hmm... I hope you’ll find out soon...” Bloodline said.

“Enough chat for now, it’s late.” she said walking into the estate’s foyer. The foyer was dimly lit and very openly spaced, the only things in the room was a large door in front of him, two hallways oppositely placed from each other on the west and east sides of the room, and a mostly broken crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

Bloodline walked up to the door ahead and it inexplicably opened with a loud sound and a pony in a black nylon bodysuit rushed and panted through the foyer pushing Bloodline back a little and straight out the front door.

Bloodline sighed, “That was Stormcloud Rush, she’s the middle child.” Mitchell kept on walking, “What’s her deal?”

Bloodline groaned, “She’s in a professional racing league, one of the fastest ponies in the world, she sometimes gets over her head and forgets to go to practice on time...” She explained.

They both walked down the hallway until they reached what looked like their living room, a fireplace illuminating the entire room. On one of the few loveseats in the room, there lied a small filly curled up in a blanket, sleeping. “That’s Quicksilver, she’s our baby sister.” Bloodline whispered. Mitchell attempted to approach her, but Bloodline tapped her hoof against his leg, “She’s extremely shy. Wake her up and it’ll take forever to get her out of hiding...” She said.

Bloodline led Mitchell to a bedroom, it only had a bed, a window, and a small nightstand. Mitchell lied down on the bed, the bed was a bit too small, his feet hung over the edge of the bedpost. “The bed’s a little small,” he said.

Bloodline giggled, “If you don’t like it you can sleep out in the forest with the Minotaurs and the Bears...” Mitchell cringed a little, “No thanks, the bed’s fine actually...” He joked.

Bloodline chuckled again, “You’ll fit right in... Uhh...” she stuttered. “Yes?” Mitchell asked. “I never got your name, did I?” Bloodline said in a somewhat embarrassed tone. “Mitchell.” he said. “Mitchell, huh?” She repeated, “That’s a goofy ass name.”

Mitchell fell into a deep sleep that night, even though he was literally in shock for that entire day, he was beat. Morning had come and patches of light peered through the window and into his face. He turned over in the bed to avoid having the light wake him up. After a few minutes stuck in semi-consciousness, he was disturbed by the sound of his door opening and the feeling of hooves tap on his back.

He turned over again and saw yet another new face; coated in bright yellow, the only dull colors on her figure was her black hair and the dusty red streak of hair coloring worn down by high speed winds, shooting down her scalp. “Hey, wake up.” She said. Mitchell creaked his eyes open further and sat up. “Bloodline made me go buy you breakfast, you owe me a good amount of bits. With the famine nowadays, food costs a fortune...” Mitchell rubbed his eyes, getting out of sleep mode.

“I’m Stormcloud by the way,” the pony said as she walked out of his room.

Mitchell had noticed his wet clothes were gone, his boots remained but his favorite old t-shirt and jeans were nowhere to be seen. Looking at where had last placed them, there was only some black garments of some kind. He got out of bed and walked over to them. He picked them up, they were baggy pants make of a soft black fur. When he picked them up, a scroll had dropped out one of the leg holes. He had set the pants on his bed and returned to the scroll. Mitchell pulled off the string that had held the paper shut. The scroll was read in oddly written cursive.

He couldn’t make out who wrote it or why, but he had pieced together that the pants were for him and there was one more gift left for him, waiting in the forest. Mitchell had tucked the scroll in the nightstand next to his bed, put on his new pants (Which were very comfortable and fit perfectly), and walked out of his room into the kitchen. The house felt very spacious, it felt like a journey in itself making it to breakfast.

Mitchell had opened the door into the kitchen, nobody was in there except for Quicksilver, who was sitting on chair facing the window, staring out into the forest. Mitchell walked over to the table near the window, Quicksilver turned around and looked at him. “Hi, I’m Mitchell. You were asleep when I first came here last night.” he said. Quicksilver was creeped out by the fact that he was watching her sleep.

Quicksilver had turned back around and sat frozen solid, “Hi...” she squeaked. Mitchell disregarded her fear and sat down on the wooden kitchen table. On the table, Stormcloud had left a small sack containing a small loaf of bread and an apple. Mitchell hadn’t realized how hungry he was, not only did he finish his food quickly, his stomach was still achy, hungering for more.

Bloodline had walked into the kitchen, “It’s time to get to school,” she hollered to Quicksilver. Quicksilver groaned and slumped her way into the foyer. Bloodline walked over to Mitchell, “New pants?” she asked.

Mitchell nodded, “Woke up and just saw them in the corner, no idea who put them there.” “Huh, that’s odd.” Bloodline responded, “Nopony has the guts to step anywhere near our house.” she looked somewhat awed with the break-in but she snapped out of her trance within seconds.

“I need to go bring Quicksilver to school, do you have any plans as of now?” She asked. Mitchell thought back to the note, “Yeah, I need to go see someone today.” he responded. Bloodline acknowledged him with a nod and walked out the door. Mitchell sat there at the table, his face and bare chest covered in crumbs and drops of apple juice, alone yet again.

Mitchell had left the manor after cleaning himself up and packing the scroll in his surprisingly roomy pants pockets. He started wandering aimlessly in the dense foliage of the forest, admiring the environment. This had to be the same earth he lived on, everything was so similar, the trees, the smells, the animals, and of course, the war and argument that these ponies shared hadn't changed either.

For hours (It was only 15 minutes in his perspective) he just walked and walked in the forest, lit only by dull overcast. Mitchell saw little to no life, the birds didn’t hum and the deer were hiding from him from a large distance. Out from the darkness ahead, a voice called out, “You.” Mitchell was alert and looked down the dark rows of pine trees ahead of him,

“A dear friend of mine told me you were coming here. Don’t worry, I am not one for you to fear.” Mitchell thought it was another actual human being, the figure talked in a slight african accent.

But Mitchell was disappointed to see the disembodied voice emerge from the branches, it wasn’t a pony, it was, “A goddamn zebra.” Mitchell mumbled to himself in slight annoyance. “I had something special made for you, and some words of advice too.” Mitchell noticed her rhyming, he took it as coincidence and ignored it.

Mitchell had followed the zebra woman to a makeshift camp consisting of a large, empty iron cauldron and a patchwork tent with numerous holes and rips in it. The zebra stopped and looked at him, “Welcome friend to my little camp, be careful not to trip on that lamp.” she said, proceeding to her tent. Mitchell groaned, the rhyming wasn’t a coincidence, people who talked in rhyme has annoyed him since he was a little kid. The woman hurled open a tent flap and starting searching, Mitchell remained outside, cleaning his mud caked boots.

“So, you never told me your name.” he said. The zebra came out of the tent, dragging out a large chest. “My name is Zecora and I am hereby a friend, I shall be loyal to you until the end.” she said. Mitchell rolled his eyes, “What’s in the chest?” Zecora opened the chest up and pulled out a harness of some sort, connected to a steel chest plate and large black wings, wings Mitchell thought would belong to an angel.

“A device with the gift of flight, a sword imbued with the power of light, and a gauntlet powered by a magical jewel, power only to be abused by a fool.” Zecora explained. Mitchell nudged her aside and lifted the large blade out of the chest, it was as light as a feather, it felt comfortable and natural in his hands, like an extra appendage he’s had all his life.He felt the blood of a master swordsman flow through him.

The blade was made of what seemed like onyx, the beautifully carved black stone sharpened to a deadly tool. The hilt was made of a polished golden brass, it was dressed up in small red gems. He felt giddy as he pulled the gauntlet out.

He slipped on the gauntlet, it covered most of his hand and made it look like a puffed up balloon, his fingers felt stubby.

The gauntlet was made of a ornately detailed grey iron, sporting a large red gem with a glowing multicolored core deep within it. He waved his hand and the jewel dissipated a trail of red hexagonal shapes that floated lightly in the air, shortly fading into the air afterwards.

“Do you like your gifts? A friend of mine made these with utmost thrift.” Zecora said to Mitchell, he only nodded as he stared at the jewel in the gauntlet. “Who was your friend?” Mitchell asked. “A spirit you may already know, she wanted you to put on a show.” Zecora replied. Mitchell wanted to ask what kind of show she meant, but he couldn’t stand another rhyme.

“Thanks for everything, what do I do now? Did the spirit have instructions?” Mitchell requested. Zecora shook her head and slammed the chest shut.

Mitchell lifted the harness and strapped it to his back, he felt a sharp prick in his back, the wings dug roots of some sort in his back. Rectangular holes on the harness's small metal supports slowly pushed out thick sections of flexible metal that wrapped around his sides and concealed under his chest plate, lightweight yet sturdy armor. The wings were as easy to operate he thought it would be, he stood outside Zecora's encampment to try them out, it took him forever to get some sort of lift.

Mitchell left the forest and made his way to the hilly plains outside of Ponyville, his stomach growling, he hadn’t realized he was still starving. Everypony stared at him as he tried ordering food at a nearby cafe, it wasn’t that awkward stare of seeing an extinct race walk among the living, but it was a somewhat hostile stare, as if they thought he didn’t belong. The waitress screamed at him when he ordered fish, yelling something about eating animals was wrong. Mitchell left town hungry, angry, and humiliated.

Mitchell made it home that night, actually managing to fly over the treetops on his way back. He slammed open the door, Bloodline come out from the kitchen to greet him, “New toys huh?” she asked. Mitchell didn’t answer her and walked past her and into the kitchen. Bloodline followed him back in, “What’s wrong with you?” she asked again. Mitchell sat at the kitchen table next to Stormcloud and Quicksilver, who were eating their dinner.

“I tried ordering food and I got ran out of town.” he groaned. Bloodline giggled, “What’d you order?” Mitchell sighed, “Fish...” Stormcloud bursted out laughing, Quicksilver managed to crack a smile. “You moron...” Bloodline laughed, “Ponies would never stomach eating another animal.” Mitchell looked at Stormcloud’s food, it was a slab of steak. “Then what’s that you’re eating?” Mitchell asked.

“What do you think it is genius?” Stormcloud responded with a grin. “We eat meat, it’s what legionnaires are raised on.” Bloodline explained. “I don’t understand.” Mitchell said, “How come legionnaires eat meat and others don’t,” Bloodline chuckled a little, “We eat meat because it was our only source of food, the land we lived on was frozen ice. There was only ash, smolders, and snow, but we had plenty of livestock.” Mitchell asked no more questions and stood silent. “If you’re hungry, I made another plate for you.” Bloodline said.

Later that night, Bloodline lied in her bed, half-asleep and full. She shot up when she heard her door creak open slightly. Mitchell peeked past the door to see her staring at him. “Got a minute?” Mitchell asked. Bloodline nodded and tapped the edge her bed, Mitchell sat next to her. “You talk about the Legion a lot, but you said you and the others are outcasts. What happened that made you leave?” He asked.

Bloodline drooped in her blanket a little, “It’s a long story.” she said. “Every so often, the Legion expands their territory and pillages several villages, killing the adults and older children, while sparing and abducting the infants. The infants grow up to be the next generation of Legion soldiers.” Bloodline explained. “Wait, you and your sisters aren’t even related?” Mitchell felt a tad shocked, they looked so similar.

“Nope, we all belonged to different parents,” she responded. “The Legion is sick, taking babies from their parents, growing up to never know them?” Mitchell said, “Don’t ever think about your parents?” Bloodline sighed, “Nope, the only person I thought as a parent was Cordis. She basically was every legionnaires’ mother.” "Huh..." Was all he could say.The Legion sounds brutal...

“Legionnaires are grouped with each other, ponies to call brothers and sisters, all baring unique crests or symbols to distinguish who lived with who. For example, we bear stripes in our hair.” Bloodline continued as she pointed to her mane, “It was many years ago, we had just received a tiny filly, not even a few years old, Quicksilver. She looked so sweet and innocent at that age, I thought that this wasn’t the life for someone like her, I don’t know what I was thinking at the time. I told my two other sisters that we were escaping, leaving and not returning.”

Mitchell noticed that Bloodline sniffled a little, holding back tears. “We escaped with not much problem, except-” she stopped there, obviously something was traumatizing her. “Hold the phone, you had two sisters before Quicksilver? What happened to the fourth one?” Mitchell asked. Bloodline looked at him, beads of tears trickled out her eyes. “The guards hurled arrows at us... Me, Stormcloud, and Quicksilver managed to hide in the forest, but our other sister; Sharp Shade, got separated from us and the guards continued to chase her...” Bloodline said, “We never saw her again, we just kept running and running until we ended up here.”

Mitchell scratched his head, feeling somewhat guilty of the story, “Uhm... I’m sorry.” Bloodline stopped crying and wiped the stream of tears off her cheeks, “Don’t be, I’m fine. I just really miss her.” Mitchell allowed her to be alone and left her room, returning to bed.

Mitchell went to bed uneasy that night, he lied slumped in his bed, struggling to find a chance to sleep, but his thoughts wouldn’t leave him be. He sat up on the bed in the pitch black, rubbing his face with a groan. He heard a rustling sound come from outside his window, it was no mere wind, the trees were shaking violently. The rustling sound went on for several seconds and then it just stopped. Mitchell was intrigued and stared at his window, it opened.

A white figure phased through the sheets covering the outside world, it was the spirit. Mitchell scooted back in his bed a little, he didn't know what to think of the spirit’s arrival. The tall, slender ghost stood in a noble stance, looking down at him. “Good evening Mitchell.” the spirit spoke in it’s spine chilling echo. “It’s about time you showed up...” Mitchell said, “I was beginning to think I’d be running blind around this place.” The spirit just laughed, “I’d never think of such a thing, I need you.” the spirit replied.

“Now that you’ve gotten cozy, I’ll give you your mission, a journey if you may.” Mitchell nodded, “Let’s hear it.” he said.

“My daughters, the princesses you may have heard of before; Celestia and Luna, they’re ruining my kingdom, the sky has gone dark, and ponies continue to starve, but for some reason, they don't care. You’re going to remove them.” the spirit said. “Because of their arguing?” Mitchell asked. “Yes, they’re gearing for civil war. That cannot happen.” the spirit said boldly.

“So, how do I stop them?” Mitchell asked. “Simple, do what your race does when it demands change; murder.” the spirit replied. Mitchell felt somewhat insulted, “I guess that sounds simple enough, but where do I start? I can’t just run in guns blazing.” he said. “You won’t, you’ll operate from a distance, finding the perfect opportunity for a kill. Once they’ve let their guard down on you, stab them in the back, end them.” She said. “I don’t think the citizens will like that I killed their princesses...” Mitchell argued. “Become their hero, their messiah.” The spirit said, “Show them that their leaders are going to drive this kingdom to the ground.”

“So, how should I start out now?” Mitchell asked. “You’ll know when it happens, you’ll know when to start... Blackwing.” The spirit said. The spirit floated back into the cold, grey sky. Mitchell rubbed his chin, Blackwing? What the hell did she call me?

Night was only a distant memory during the hours ahead, Mitchell’s eyes were red and itchy, he couldn't go back to sleep after the spirit left. He sat at the kitchen table, head lying on the rough wood. “You look like a ghost broke into your room.” Stormcloud commented. Mitchell grinned. Bloodline had left with Quicksilver for their daily walk to school in Ponyville.

“You haven’t touched your food, my racing money pays for that y’know, it's not easy to get meat around here.” Stormcloud continued. Mitchell ignored her. The bacon lied on the plate, still lightly sizzling. “Hey!” Stormcloud shouted in a displeased tone, “Listen to me when I’m talking to you!” Mitchell laughed.

Stormcloud was full blown annoyed, “What’s so funny?” She asked. Mitchell just laughed and laughed.

Stormcloud tapped his head, no reaction. “You need me...” Mitchell said.

Stormcloud raised an eyebrow. “Everyone needs me...” He continued, disconnected from reality. “For the first time, someone needs me...” Stormcloud took it as a sick joke and chuckled along, “Yeah... We sure do...”

“My entire life there was someone to kick me while I was down and now I’m in the position to do the kicking...” He laughed maniacally. “I could run this whole damn world to the ground, that’ll make everything even...” “All I am to that spirit is a deus ex machina, a puppet whose ass is plugged by her hoof...” “WHY SHOULD I DO ANYTHING FOR ANYONE?” He yelled at the top of his lungs, transitioning to a light pant.

Mitchell ceased his ranting. Stormcloud sat there speechless. This man was beyond screwed up, and he was the future of the whole world. Stormcloud slapped him upside the head and Mitchell flinched and sat back up on the chair, still panting.

They looked at each other’s eyes in awkward silence. “I’m sorry about that...” Mitchell said. Stormcloud chuckled, trying to lighten up the uncomfortable conversation. “Be sorry that you didn’t eat your food because I’m taking it.” She replied. Mitchell rubbed his eyes in a tiresome manner and dumped his strips of bacon onto her plate.

Noon came and Bloodline had asked Mitchell to take Quicksilver back home from school. Mitchell couldn’t stand that damn town anymore but he couldn’t say no to her. He expected everyone to yell at him again when he entered town but that wasn’t the case. No one batted an eyelash, they just went along with their usual business of grocery runs or sunday conversations. He reached the school house and saw the filly curled up next to a tree, crying.

His heart sank, he couldn’t help comparing her to himself when he was younger. He couldn’t let another innocent soul be pushed around for nothing. Mitchell stood above her, she looked at the looming figure next to her. “Who did this to you?” He asked in the tone of evil. Quicksilver said nothing, she only pointed to an older grey filly trotting away. Mitchell started walking the filly’s way with eyes of flame.

He stopped in front of her, she bumped into his leg. “Hey!” The girl yelled. Mitchell looked down at her with seething hate. He grabbed the filly by her neck and lifted her up to eye level. “Are you the one harassing Quicksilver?” Mitchell asked.

The girl scoffed, “The witch? She’s such a baby... She cries all the time.” Mitchell dropped her. The filly fell straight on her ass, knocking off her glasses.

“If you make fun of her one more time...” Mitchell growled. The filly backed up in fear but Mitchell got in her face. “I will be the last thing you see.” He threatened. Mitchell backed off, his wings flashing themselves as another threat. The filly screamed and ran away. His heart pounded, chest clenched. He just assaulted a kid. It felt good in a sick and twisted way. But it was justified.

He looked behind him, Quicksilver stood inches from his legs, staring up at him, jaw dropped. Neither of them said anything for several seconds. Quicksilver wrapped her arms around his legs, hugging him. “Let’s go home, before people start throwing shit at me.” Mitchell joked. He picked her up in his arms and thrusted his wings down and left behind a cloud of dust and rock as they flew away.

Bloodline awaited them at the door, she was surprised to see her little sister with a smile on her face, she usually left school angry or sad. “Good day at school Quicksilver?” Bloodline asked. Quicksilver nodded as she walked into the house. Bloodline was a little confused, “What’s up with her, she never comes home like this...” Mitchell shrugged his shoulders, he wasn’t about to tell her he almost made a little kid piss herself. He decided to skip dinner and to just head straight to bed.

West, far west, lied Luna’s palace, perched on top the highest mountain in the region. The princess sat on her throne with an impatient look on her face. A colt had walked in the room, dressed in sleek black armour bearing Luna’s crest. “The scouts reported back, the rumors are true...” The soldier said. Luna sighed, “So... A human walks the earth once more.” “What shall we do with him princess?” The colt asked. “I will deal with him myself, lure him here.” Luna said as she hopped off her throne. The guard nodded and marched out of the throne room like a puppet with strings tied on his back.

The night was still young as Mitchell slept soundly in his bed, a luxury rarely enjoyed lately. Nothing made a sound, the forest was at peace, as was he, but then... CRASH A window had shattered, but not his room, far off somewhere else in the house, a scream emitted. Stormcloud. Mitchell threw his blanket off and jumped out of bed, grabbing his sword. He hurried down the hallway, past the lobby, into another hallway.

Stormcloud’s door gaped open. He entered her room. Glass, glass everywhere lied shattered on the shag carpeting.

Stormcloud’s blankets were ripped and her window demolished. She was gone, kidnapped. He looked out the window, he saw nothing in the dark cover of the forest. Bloodline and Quicksilver ran into the room. “What happened?!” Bloodline panicked. Mitchell ran his hands over his hair.

“She’s gone.” Mitchell replied. “Who took big sister?” Quicksilver asked in a sad tone. Mitchell kneeled down and looked at her, “I don’t know, but I will find them...” He stood up and stepped out the window, into the grey night. “Hey.” Bloodline said, Mitchell looked at her. “We’re coming with...”

Chapter 3

They followed a trail of blood, whose it was couldn’t be said but it led them towards the right direction.

They had walked the field for several minutes, Mitchell occasionally made circles in the sky to see the captors whereabouts but descended back onto the ground with no bearings.

“Where are we even going?” Mitchell asked.

“This field goes on and on for a long time, if we go west enough we’ll reach a wall of mountains.” Bloodline replied.

Quicksilver struggled to keep up with them, only able to scuttle on her short legs.

The field was hilly, grassy, and had no end on the horizon.

“Big sister, can’t we fly there?” Quicksilver asked her.

“I can’t, I’m still getting used to this flying thing...” Mitchell replied.

Quicksilver sighed.

“When I find whoever took Storm, I’ll pound them senseless...” Bloodline mumbled.

“If we can find where they even are.” Mitchell argued.

Countless hours passed, even with many breaks, the three were frayed and barely awake.

But then, a beacon of hope appeared over the edge of the earth.

“Mountains!” Mitchell cheered.

Quicksilver rode slumped on Bloodline’s back.

“Oh, thank the fates...” Bloodline groaned.

They had reached the first incline, their legs struggling to hold them up.

“Whoever took Storm, you got to admit, they have stamina...” Mitchell panted.

They rested for a few minutes, under the tall stone peaks.

Bloodline nudged Quicksilver to awake.

“Get your shoes on...” Bloodline said.

Mitchell hadn’t even noticed she brought a large satchel, she pulled out a set of shiny iron boots and gave them to Quicksilver.

Bloodline pulled out two round metal disks; no larger than a frisbee, bearing the same symbol of the one on her rump.

“I haven’t put these on in forever...” Bloodline reminisced.

She placed one disk on her left flank and then her right, they attached to her with a hydraulic whine.

Mitchell noticed she cringed a little.

Bloodline passed him a small battery-like apparatus.

“Mitchell, place that on my back please, on the spine.”

Mitchell acknowledged and placed the battery on her back, she yelped a little as the battery dug a rod into her back.

“What is that thing?” Mitchell said with a disgusted look.

The battery had shot out two rubber tubes that connected to the discs with a pressurized hiss.

It looked like weird technology from a sci-fi movie.

“It’s a device that amplifies the strength of my hind legs.” Bloodline explained.

“Where did you get this? It looks pretty sophisticated...” Mitchell asked.

“Every legionnaire gets a gift when they’re initiated, Cordis calls them ‘cybernetics’, it was an old human practice, they made machines that strengthened themselves.” She replied.

Mitchell noticed Quicksilver had put the boots on and walked over to her sister.

“Then what’d she get?” Mitchell asked Bloodline.

“Watch.” She replied.

“Quicksilver, make it up to that cliff up there and drop this rope.” Bloodline handed her a long curled rope.

Quicksilver nodded and Mitchell blinked.

She was gone, instantly vanishing from sight.

Mitchell flinched in confusion. “Jesus!”

Bloodline smirked.

A roped dropped from the sky.

Mitchell looked up, there Quicksilver stood waving.

Bloodline started climbing the rope, “Those boots make her run really, really...”

“Fast... Yeah.” Mitchell interrupted and followed her up the rope.

The jagged path of rock ahead was hard to traverse, I didn’t help that there was almost no light.

Yet even though they were in the middle of nowhere, Mitchell saw the glow of fire up ahead.

Not a single fire, many scattered in the distance.

“A village up ahead...” Mitchell said in disbelief.

They traveled towards the community nestled in the base of the mountain, in a quarry of stone and dead trees.

The three walked under the village’s gate, nobody to be found in the market, none by the farming land.

But further down the dirt road, a stone staircase leading up the mountain, up to a castle.

Mitchell squinted, making out three figures climbing up the treacherous staircase.

Two black, one yellow.

Stormcloud.

Mitchell sprinted with all of his ability, shooting past the two girls behind him.

Up the staircase he went.

Step after step after step after step.

The staircase went up into forever, never ending in his mind.

And before he knew it he reached the top.

Facing a tall wooden gate, he panted uncontrollably.

He approached the door, he was surprised as it slowly creaked open as he walked forward.

There stood the blue alicorn, posed fearless and noble.

“Luna...” Mitchell whispered to himself as he raised his sword, yearning to slash her throat into ribbons.

The sword started to glow, he noticed the princess nudged her head and the blade flew right out of his hands.

Huh, so that’s magic...

Several guards flooded out of the castle, moving to surround Mitchell.

They encircled him, he was trapped.

His raised his arm, the gauntlet glowed with a vibrant red tinge.

A guard was running towards him, spear stuck out.

Mitchell aimed his hand towards the colt’s weapon.

He felt a disembodied grasp for the weapon, he could feel the wooden pole.

So he lifted it up, out of the guards hooves.

He threw it towards the princess, it only stuck itself in the dirt inches away from her.

“Stand...” Luna growled.

The guards stopped, staring at the human.

“Let me make you a deal.” Luna proposed.

Mitchell did and said nothing.

“I’ll release the disgusting Legionnaire if you turn yourself in. If you won’t, I’ll just kill her.” She continued.

Mitchell looked behind him and saw Bloodline and Quicksilver walking the final steps up.

Bloodline gasped at what she saw.

Mitchell sighed.

“Alright...” Mitchell said.

Luna told the guard to let the prisoner go.

He saw a guard at the gateway kick Stormcloud to the ground to leave.

She sprinted to her sisters.

“What’s happening?” Mitchell could hear Quicksilver say.

Bloodline mumbled an incoherent response to her.

And his view of them was obstructed as guards moved towards them, warning them to leave.

Bloodline shoved one of them away and ran towards Mitchell.

“Mitchell!” She yelled.

The guard she pushed tackled her down.

A guard poked him with a spear to move into the castle.

He obliged and slaved his way to a dungeon.

A dark, decrepit dungeon aged with the horrific deeds of torture performed here.

Mitchell; the savior of Equestria was just another victim in the eyes of the shackles.

The sisters left for home home worried sick, they had no choice but to leave the town as the guards put them on the ‘kill on sight’ list.

Stormcloud was the most affected of all, he had possibly saved her life and all she could do in return was stare and leave.

She couldn’t even mutter a ‘thank you’.

As they passed through the empty village, a wrinkly, old mare peeked her head out of her cottage door.

“He’s dead you know... Luna never lets anypony leave her castle, ever...” her voice lingered in the air with a dreaded tone.

The three didn’t stop walking, only Quicksilver acknowledged her with a sad glance.

And she slammed the door shut, making the sisters even more uneasy as they walked off...

Several days passed after that, as Bloodline walked her little sister to the schoolhouse like normal, she overheard conversations that disgusted her.

“Y’know that monster that almost killed that filly last week? Princess Luna threw him in jail...”

“Good.”

Bloodline clenched her teeth, she wanted to buck them in the jaw, but she just marched past them.

When they arrived to the school, Bloodline kissed Quicksilver on the head.

“Big sister... Where’s big brother?”

Bloodline couldn’t tell her that he probably wasn’t coming home.

“He just got into a little trouble, he’ll be home, don’t worry.”

“Ok...”

Quicksilver trotted her way into the schoolhouse and Bloodline walked back the way she came.

Oh Mitchell... Please come back safe.

The last few days gone on unnoticeably, Mitchell sat in blinded lonesome for hours on end with the only interaction with a living thing was a guard giving him scraps of food and water.

But when he woke up, he felt different, as if he was levitating.

The guards were moving him to somewhere, he could feel himself moving, but they blinded him with a cloth.

They stopped.

They dropped him.

Mitchell grunted as he landed on the navy blue marble floor with a thud.

Someone took his blindfold off.

His wrists and ankles were still chained together.

He sat on his knees, Luna scowling at him on her throne.

Mitchell struggled to free himself of the shackles but a nearby guard struck him in the stomach..

He fell over on his back but still tried to wriggle out with no progress being made.

Luna laughed at him.

She stood up and a guard walked over to her with a ornate sword.

She somehow grasped it with her hooves, Mitchell raised an eyebrow.

How the hell is that possible?

But he realized he had worse things to worry about, she slowly walked forward, raising the sword.

“I thought you would put up more of a fight Human, your kind struggles to snake their way out of things...” Luna mocked.

Mitchell panicked, his heart pounded in his chest.

What do I do?! WHAT DO I DO?!

He whipped his head in every direction he could rotate and it hit him.

He couldn’t escape, he was in it deep.

But he thought of something drastic just in time.

Luna swung the sword down and cut her way through the air.

Mitchell lifted and spreaded his legs outward.

The sword struck the iron chains of his cuffs, the sword flew back and the chain links broke off with a clunk.

Mitchell jumped off the floor onto his feet.

He could smell the adrenaline pouring out of him in a mixture of sweat and pheromones.

Luna stood frozen in shock as did her guards.

Before they could react, Mitchell jumped over the guards’ heads.

Luna screamed in frustration.

Mitchell ran as fast as could out of the throne room.

Behind him, he heard the Princess screech.

“GET HIM!”

He could see the exit in his sights.

His gear was also near the door, lying next to a pillar.

What a moron, putting my stuff here...

He stopped at the pillar and grabbed his sword with a cramped hand, cutting the chains between his arms with ease and they too fell off.

He sheathed his sword and grabbed the gauntlet, continuing his escape.

As Mitchell forced the wooden door open by running into it, he left he saw the guards sprinting towards him with a deafening clopping sound.

He had strapped the harness on the back of his armor, the familiar feeling of his wings gave him confidence back.

Mitchell was back outside, looking for the staircase back down the hill.

As he ran towards the stairs, more guards stomped up the steps, blocking his path.

Surrounded yet again.

Oh man, oh man, oh man...

His only way out at this point was the drop of a perilous cliff.

He avoided the guards and stopped at the edge of the rock.

The guards stampered nearer and nearer.

They were only a jab of the spear away to get him but...

Mitchell looked back at them, smiled at them and leaped off the cliff.

None of the guards reacted openly, but he could feel their surprise.

The wind pounded his face as he fell, struggling to get his wings moving.

Thankfully the mountain was tall, he had the height to take his time.

He felt the nerves in the wings click click click.

He was able the thrust them down and he did.

He stopped falling and now he was soaring.

Mitchell had flight.

He didn’t look back but he could hear the sound of a certain princess screaming her ass off.

And he laughed, he laughed and couldn’t stop laughing until he reached home.

Luna stomped her hooves on the dusty peak several times in an absolute rage before calming herself down.

She turned around, staring down her troops.

“Where did you find him previously?” She yelled.

Not a single colt out of the company of soldiers had spoke.

Several of them shoved their commander forward, forcing him to speak.

He stuttered uncontrollably in front of their leader in raw fear.

He couldn’t remember what the scouts told him, so he decided to guess.

“U-uh... T-the scouts said... P-Ponyville madam, t-that’s where he should be...” He stammered as he shook in his armor.

Bloodline and Quicksilver were sound asleep but Stormcloud couldn’t fall asleep.

She couldn’t stop thinking about Mitchell.

She was covered up in her blankets, struggling to get her mind to shut off.

She heard someone stepping on the glass outside.

She shot up and looked out the window, who she saw lifted a heavy weight off her shoulders.

“Hey... I'm back.” Mitchell said in a joking tone.

He stepped inside Stormcloud’s room.

She thought she was seeing things.

“Mitchell! How’d you escape?!” She yelled.

“Get me some damn food and I’ll explain...” He replied.

They sat in the dark kitchen alone, Mitchell explained his time captive as he gorged himself.

“Why did Luna want to kill you?” Stormcloud asked.

“Dunno, but that’s not going to be the last time I see her, I just know it.” Mitchell replied.

Stormcloud hugged him, he continued to eat.

“Thanks for doing what you did...” Stormcloud said.

Mitchell wrapped his arms around her, “It’s what I had to do, she wanted me, not you...”

they finished their hug and they both went back to bed.

Mitchell would have been mistaken to be in a coma if Quicksilver hadn’t woken him up.

She hopped on the bed in excitement.

“Big brother! Big brother!” She repeated over and over with a large grin on her face.

“That’s enough Quicksilver, get off of him.” He heard a disembodied Bloodline say.

He opened his eyes, the three of them were standing next to the edge of the bed.

“Glad to see you back to being a lazy bum...” Bloodline chuckled.

“Oh well... You know me...” Mitchell said sarcastically as he stood up.

“Sit back down, I have a surprise for you...” Stormcloud said.

Mitchell shrugged and sat down on his bed.

“Close your eyes!” Quicksilver said.

Mitchell closed his eyes.

He heard some sort of liquid sloshing nearby.

He felt bony hooves run across his head, messing up his hair.

He could hear Quicksilver giggling quietly.

“Alright... What are you doing?” Mitchell asked.

“Open your eyes...” Stormcloud said.

And he did, looking at a mirror she had placed near him.

He chuckled.

They painted a black stripe along his scalp, like all of theirs.

“So, why’d you do this?” Mitchell asked with a smirk.

“We just wanted to say ‘Welcome to the family’...” Bloodline said.

They all hugged him.

But something in Mitchell’s head clicked.

It’s been the first time in a very long time since he felt like he belonged to a family.

It felt good.

“Thanks guys...” He said.

The reunion was interrupted by the violent shaking of the earth.

everything rattled uncontrollably, glass objects smashing themselves from a distance.

Everyone was knocked to the floor, unable to get a foot or hoof on the carpet.

The shaking slowly died down, Mitchell’s room turned into an absolute mess.

Everything was silent, not a sound was made.

But then Mitchell’s ears were assaulted by hundreds of screams.

It was coming from inside town.

Mitchell hoisted himself up and ran for his gear.

His newly founded sisters groaned.

Bloodline flipped herself back onto her stomach, “What’s happening?”

Mitchell fitted the gauntlet on his hands and adjusted several black leather straps.

“I think our pal Luna is back.”

He got the hang of flying so he lifted himself over the treetops and made his way towards the screaming.

Over the horizon of the pine trees he saw the mob of black clad soldiers pillaging Ponyville.

He honestly thought everyone in town deserved what was coming to them, but he couldn’t let anybody die because of him.

He really didn’t need it.

The soldiers were shoving and attacking anypony that crossed their path, but they were more occupied by searching the town very, very thoroughly, obviously for Mitchell.

He saw the furious Princess Luna in the middle of town, grabbing random citizens and yelling questions about Mitchell.

When they failed to answer, she just threw them aside.

He landed on the roof of a store, presenting himself to the detestable princess.

“Looking for me?” Mitchell yelled.

Luna looked up at him, he grinded her teeth and threw the pony she was interrogating at him.

The mare screamed as she was flung at him.

He jumped at her in midair and braced himself as he held out his arms in attempt to catch her.

She landed right on his chest as he fell back down, his boots dropping to a loud skid on the cobblestone road.

He dropped the girl.

She yelped in fear when she realized who saved her.

“Get out of here...” Mitchell said.

The mare didn’t answer, she only got as far away from him as possible.

He stood combat ready with his sword out as Luna approached him.

“Before I smite you human, tell me your name.” Luna demanded.

Mitchell’s mind fiddled for several seconds.

Then it snapped, he was no longer Mitchell Alan Gherri, he had to adapt to his new name.

The name given to him by the Spirit.

“I am Blackwing.” He responded.

The responsed lingered in an endless echo among the town.

They heard his name and it embedded itself in every head in town.

Luna only scoffed and pointed to him.

“Wipe him off the face of the earth.” She ordered her soldiers.

The soldiers; all masked and cloaked in armor with none of the skin or flesh from their bodies exposed, formed a circle around Blackwing.

Blackwing firmed his grip on his blade, ready to strike.

He scanned the encirclement to see who was about to attack.

They all were about to.

Blackwing powered up the gauntlet with it’s eerie red glow and raised it in the air.

The soldiers were confused but they didn’t stop moving.

Blackwing slammed the gauntlet on the ground to clear up some breathing room.

As he smashed the rocky ground, the clang of his gauntlet caused the earth to rattle.

The soldiers covered their ears to protect them from the deafening screech of the vibrating iron tool.

As the sound died down the soldiers snapped out of it with a suddenly moving Blackwing hacking and slashing through their numbers.

The soldiers retaliated and thrusted up their spears and their swords.

He sprinted through the barricade of bodies in hopes of reaching Luna, blocking off swipes with his weapon.

He broke through, past the soldiers and stumbled and fell in front of Luna.

“Pathetic...” Luna insulted.

On the ground, Blackwing grabbed ahold of her neck, crushing her windpipe with a vice-like grip.

Luna stood and choked as Blackwing got back up on his feet.

Unbeknownst to him, a group of soldiers jumped on Blackwing’s back to protect their princess.

He was forced to let go of Luna and fall to the floor once again.

He struggled to throw off the three colts that had tackled him down, but they kept on beating him senseless with their steel hooves.

Blackwing felt extremely dizzy as he felt an unending and intense pain, on the brink of passing out, the soldiers stopped punching him and backed off.

He felt the bruises and the headaches forming.

And after several seconds, he saw the blurry figure of Luna loom over him.

She stood triumphantly over her fallen enemy, laughing in strife.

Somepony, out of Blackwing’s view, had thrown a stone at Luna’s face.

It smacked her in the head with a thud and she had yelled in pain.

Whoever threw that, they were a lifesaver, Blackwing had his opportunity to react.

He reached for his fallen sword and grabbed ahold of it.

He crouched back up, cocked his arm back, and swung at the tall alicorn.

The sword stuck itself deep in the side of her neck with a gory squish.

Luna stopped screaming.

Luna stopped moving.

She fell to the ground with a loud thump.

A pool of warm blood flowed out onto the cold stone.

It was over.

Blackwing stood back up and looked at the soldiers of the late princess.

They had somehow disappeared with a smokey black poof, leaving behind hollow shells of armor and dust as if they never existed.

Crowds of mares and colts came out of hiding, huddling together from outside their homes.

The masses stared at the human who had killed Princess Luna, who they thought was an all-powerful and immortal being.

Nobody knew why they were happy with Luna’s death, but everypony cheered for Blackwing.

Blackwing sat on the ground panting, wiping the fresh blood from the black sword.

Every resident of Ponyville personally thanked the man who saved them from the traitorous princess who almost destroyed their lives.

Mitchell was weary and voxed at the constant praise but he was willing to talk to the woman who approached and said she was the mayor.

“We can’t thank you enough... Blackwing was it?” The mayor said.

Blackwing nodded.

“You saved our town from Luna, without you this place would be up in ashes.” The mayor flattered.

“She was looking for me, I couldn’t let her kill anyone because of me.” Blackwing replied.

“Well that was very noble of you.” The mayor said. “I believe a reward is up for discussion, is there anything we can do for you?”

Blackwing laughed, “I couldn’t ask anything from you, this was all my fault to begin with.”

The mayor nodded, “Have it your way, but if you ever need anything, we owe you.”

Blackwing stood up and stumbled on his various bodily injuries. “I’ll keep it in mind, thanks...” He said.

Everypony had left Blackwing and returned to their homes, he decided to hobble out of Ponyville and back into the Everfree Forest.

The fires were doused, but the extremity had not come yet, he had the strange feeling that it wasn’t over yet.

He had nodded off and stared into space as he walked out onto the flat pastures.

He was in a deep stasis until a familiar voice broke his train of thought.

“Mitchell? Are you okay?”

He looked, it was Fluttershy who caught up with him.

Blackwing rubbed his eyes.

“Hey...” He said tiredly

“That was you who saved the town?” She asked.

Blackwing nodded.

Fluttershy gasped, “Are you hurt? Do you need help?”

“No I’m fine.” He replied.

“Alright, sorry...” She said in a disappointed tone.

“By the way... Where are you living?” She asked again.

“If I tell you, will you not run away or scream or whatever?”

She nodded, “I promise.”

“Those ‘witches’ you brought me to visit, I’m living with them...” Blackwing.

“Oh...” Fluttershy said in a concerned tone.

“They’re not witches, they perfectly normal... We’re like family.” He defended.

“If you want to, you can come meet them.” Blackwing proposed.

Blackwing could see the fear residing in her eyes.

“Uhm...” She stuttered.

“Come on, let’s go. Time to put your fears to rest.” Blackwing commanded.

It started downpouring around noon, they had dodged the weather just in time.

“Ow!” Blackwing yelped as Bloodline wrapped gauze around his bare, raw legs.

Sweat soaked by his pants had trickled its way into the fresh wounds, Blackwing had no wishes of travelling anywhere for a while.

“All done, I’ll replace them before you go to bed.” Bloodline said with a smile.

Fluttershy sat on the torn couch with Blackwing, shaking uncontrollably.

Bloodline walked past her, chuckling to herself, never had she had someone from Ponyville visit, now she knew why.

Blackwing sighed in relief and lied down on the couch in long awaited comfort.

Quicksilver jumped on Blackwing’s lap, curling up in a ball like a dog.

“Hi big brother!” She said.

Fluttershy stopped shaking, “Who’s this?”

“Quicksilver...” Blackwing said with his eyes closed as he tried to fall asleep.

“Hello Quicksilver.” Said Fluttershy with a sincere grin.

“Who are you?” Quicksilver turned around and asked.

“Yeah Mitchell, who’s your girlfriend?” Stormcloud mocked as she walked into the living room.

“Shut up Storm, I’m not in the mood...” Blackwing replied.

“Isn’t this the same pony who brought you here in the first place?” Bloodline asked.

Blackwing nodded, tired of questions.

Fluttershy nodded too.

“So, why’d you bring her here?” Bloodline continued.

“Because she’s my friend and I just wanted her to get over her fear of you guys...” Blackwing answered.

Fluttershy couldn’t help but blush a little, “We’re friends?”

Blackwing cracked an eye, “Of course, why the hell would I bring you here otherwise?”

“Fear? Why is she so afraid of us?” Stormcloud interrupted.

“A better question is why does she know where we live? Nopony has ever found this manor...” Bloodline interrogated Fluttershy.

“I just spend a lot of time in the forest, I just came across this place and saw you guys living here, I didn’t mean to intrude, I’m so sorry...” Fluttershy defended.

“So wait... You started the rumor that we’re witches?” Bloodline said angrily.

“No, no, no, I would never do that...” Fluttershy replied.

“Come on guys, leave her alone. Fighting isn’t going to fix anything...” Blackwing said in the background of the argument.

“I just said that they were ponies living in the forest, somepony must’ve taken the story too far...” Fluttershy explained.

Bloodline didn’t look amused, she just stared at her.

“Listen, since it’s raining outside, why don’t we kill some time with lunch?” Blackwing proposed.

Bloodline shrugged, “Alright, I’ll get it started soon, what do we want?”

“Anything but meat...” Blackwing whispered to her.

Bloodline scoffed and walked her way to the kitchen.

Chapter 5

“A daughter... She has a daughter now...” Bloodline said in disbelief as the walked up some stairs to the private booth overlooking the race course.

“Why is that so surprising to you?” Blackwing asked as he sat down.

“It’s just weird to me, Legionnaires weren’t allowed to have children, or have intimate relationships for that matter.”

Quicksilver jumped onto Blackwing’s lap and lied down.

“She’s always happy to see you, she always talked about how she wanted a brother.” Bloodline said.

Blackwing grunted, “I think she stepped on my junk.” He wheezed.

Bloodline giggled.

He was thankful he didn’t have to sit in the public seats, the patrons might go nuts seeing a man who died twice among them, he sat with only his sisters in a reserved booth high along the arena.

The arena was massive, almost half a mile wide and about a mile long, the center was mostly empty only with a stone wall dividing up the track.

He sat in anticipation to watch his sister perform.

When all of a sudden, the announcer came on; a gruff voice excited for the race.

“Alright mares and gentlecolts, if you would, please direct your attention towards the west side of the arena!”

Everyone looked, including Blackwing.

“We have a special guest in the house today!”

Blackwing’s teeth gritted, he growled silently to himself.

Everyone cheered for their beloved guest.

“Princess Celestia!”

She sat in a similar booth, among several guards as she waved down to the others.

Oh how he hated her, violent fantasies of tearing her flesh and breaking her bones flashed in his mind.

Bloodline stared at him all worried.

“Are you ok Mitchell?” She asked.

Blackwing’s hand forcibly lifted off of Quicksilver’s head and lied itself on the sheathe of his sword as his anger tried to claw its way out.

Bloodline place her hoof on his hand.

“Don’t do it, it’s too risky. There are little kids here too, think.” She said.

Blackwing tightened his grip on her hoof and let go of his blade.

He sighed, “You’re right.”

“Just enjoy yourself, pay no mind to her.” She said smiling.

He cracked a half smile back and spoke, “You’re right, I’ll get her later...” In a disturbing tone.

It was only a few minutes later that the racers lines up at the starting point.

Blackwing was uninterested in the other racers, he only devoted his attention to his sister in the jet black suit, staring down another racer wearing a blue suit and a mane of fire.

The deafening cheers suppressed the boom of the announcer, “On your mark!”

The crowd grew louder and louder.

“Get set!”

The air felt tense and thin.

“GO!”

In it’s entirety, the track exploded into a blur full of every color Blackwing’s eyes could process, the racers were so fast, it made his head hurt.

He kept trying to focus on Stormcloud, but he couldn’t see anything that resembled her, only bright suits and flapping wings melting into the scenery.

He decided he wouldn’t be able to tell who was winning, so he gave up and sat there, staring at the cluster of flashing colors.

Quicksilver was paying no attention as she was asleep on him.

Bloodline sat there, invested in the spectacle, yelling out a brief ‘woo’ every once in awhile.

Strange, not as fun to watch as I thought it would be...

He peered almost a mile away with his eagle-like eyes, inspecting the princess.

Celestia looked odd to him, he felt as if a dark aura envelope the booth in which she sat in, as if that wasn’t the real princess.

Or she was and she was that much of a total bitch.

He stared at her for almost ten minutes before he got sick of it and decided to leave.

He nudged Quicksilver to get up, she did and lost her balance and dropped to the floor.

“Where are you going?” Bloodline asked as Quicksilver migrated near her.

“Something isn’t right here...” Blackwing said as he made his way out of the booth.

Bloodline sighed, “You better not get in trouble.” She mumbled to him, but he didn’t hear her.

Almost ten minutes later, the announcer declared that the race was on it’s last few laps.

Bloodline was cheering louder than usual, she probably see that Storm’s winning.

Blackwing didn’t pay any attention to the race as he walked through the lobby, out in the open, passing through stray groups of shocked ponies, only keeping an eye on any suspicious things.

He peered out a nearby doorway, looking out into the arena.

As a ref’s arm shot up and held a checkered flag to signal the last lap, he saw the princess stand up next to the ledge of the balcony.

And...

The race stopped.

The arena erupted into celebration.

Blackwing looked at the finish line.

On the grassy ground of the race track, there sat Stormcloud, panting uncontrollably.

The crowd was left to cheer for a few more minutes as the last of the racers finished.

Blackwing wore a smile on his face the entire time as he continued his way to the booth.

Celestia was handed a small microphone.

“Congratulations on winning the South Division Racing Tournament Stormcloud Rush...” Her voice bounced off the walls of the arena, booming over everyone else.

Everyone cheered for Stormcloud.

She stood back up and stared at the princess.

“If you would, come up to me and you may claim your well earned reward.”

A small band made it’s way out to the track and played a tune consisting of various instruments, distracting everypony in the audience.

Stormcloud trotted with pride past her adversaries, losers either groaned or congratulated her.

Blackwing picked up the pace and jogged his way along, he finally stopped at the entrance into Celestia’s quarters..

Back in the booth, Bloodline and Quicksilver were celebrating their sister’s victory.

“Storm makes me so proud...” Bloodline praised. “I mean, she even gave the Wonderbolts a hard time to compete, and they’re the best of the best.”

Quicksilver jumped around in excitement.

“I guess Storm is busy getting her prize, we’ll just go and both of them can come back home later.” She said and led Quicksilver out of the booth.

He was the only one left in the hallways, as everyone was too busy either at the stands or at the bars and restaurants.

He stood in front a wooden door, he noticed the lack of guards posted at the door.

It didn’t matter to him, he was too eager to confront Celestia to think of anything else.

He creaked open the door slightly and peeked into the small recreation room.

Empty, but he saw Celestia and two guards out by the balcony.

But he heard a knocking sound coming from a separate room in the booth.

He snuck into the room and crouched along the walls and reached to room of concern.

He slowly twisted the doorknob and pulled the door back.

It was Stormcloud.

Blackwing was shocked to see her, his eyes widened.

“Why were you locked in here?!” He whispered.

“Duh... She was trying to kidnap me!” She responded in a weird broken tone.

He stood up, his look of shock went straight to fury.

“Go, Bloodline is probably leaving already.”

She nodded and walked out of the room in an odd limping movement that concerned him.

She’s probably just tired...

He turned around and proceeded closer to his revenge, he gripped his sword and walked inside the doorway, mere feet from Celestia.

He readied his sword and dug his blade into the back of one unsuspecting guard, lifted it out, and charged and threw the other over the balcony, sending him down into the crowd several feet below.

Ponies nearby gasped out loud.

Celestia didn’t even turn around.

“Trying to kidnap my sister huh? You just made a big mistake making me angry.” He threatened.

Celestia laughed a devious laugh, “You?” Under her laugh she felt surprised to see him again, “Did the desert drive you insane? I don’t have your sister...”

He pointed his sword at her, “Don’t play dumb with me! Turn around, look at me before I kill you...” He demanded.

She did and looked deep into his eyes a menacing look dominating her face.

“You should’ve stayed in Raider’s Flats and became buzzard food, but no... You just had to come back.”

Blackwing lost his patience and threw a punch at her and it landed on her face with a pop

Celestia stood unharmed, yet her jaw was tilted, dislocated.

Holy shit...

A magical glow surrounded her jaw line and it popped back in it’s socket with a fleshy squish.

Blackwing stepped back in fear.

He felt himself captured in a magical grip.

He was locked up, unable to move. he started to levitate off the floor.

Celestia turned him around and launched him off the balcony.

He yelled as he flew across the arena, falling twenty feet down onto the grass of the race track.

He landed with a violent thud, bounced off the ground, and more spectators yelled and cried in disbelief.

Celestia lifted a hoof onto the balcony ledge and stretched her wings.

She balanced herself on the ledge and jumped off, landing like a feather near her enemy.

Blackwing struggled to get on his hands and knees, but Celestia looked away from him and presented themselves to the crowd.

“Look my subjects, my citizens! Look down upon this monster!” Celestia yelled.

Every pony in the stadium went dead silent, all staring at the two.

“This monster wants to kill me! This monster already killed my beloved sister Luna! He wants to control your lives for his benefit! Look at this remnant of the past, of a time before our mighty species. These disgusting creatures ruled the Earth before they killed each other, their wildlife, and their planet! If we allow this ‘hero’ to rule this beautiful land, who’s to say that Equestria won’t end up the same way that Mankind’s empire ended!”

As she droned on, Blackwing got on his feet and took advantage of her unawareness.

He swung his sword back and followed through like he was swinging at a baseball, aiming right at her torso.

Celestia’s scream pierced through the ears of everypony, who struggled to cover their ears.

A gaping gash scarred down, down, down the left side of her body, starting from her flank to the bottom of her neck.

Crimson stained her clean, groomed white coat of fur.

Celestia blindy swung her head sporadically, hoping to slice Blackwing with her horn.

She charged forward at him, and her luck turned, Blackwing wasn’t fast enough to react

The vision in Blackwing’s right eye went white, a burning pain swelled in his face.

He screamed along with her as he cupped his hands onto his eyes as he felt blood vessels pouring and seeping through the cracks between his fingers.

His right eye was cut open along the middle, like a melon being sliced in half.

The patrons were horrified at the situation forced upon them, parents covering the eyes and ears of their precious children with scared looks frozen on their faces.

Celestia and Blackwing stumbled backwards away from each other, the symphony of their yells of agonizing pain filling the ears of every poor soul who only came here for fun, but instead became a bloodbath between two powers.

Celestia screamed not in pain, but in anger, “Mark my words you heathen! I WILL KILL YOU!” Her shriek echoed throughout the stadium.

Blackwing didn’t reply, only his grunts of pain filled the silence as ran his way out of the arena.

Covering his face with his hands, he ran out of the race track and left the presence of thousands.

He sprinted through the racer’s entrance and up the stairs leading back to the front lobby.

He bursted through the door and fell on the tile floor, a splat of blood trickled its way from his arm and to the floor, pooling in the cracks of the slates.

Bloodline trotted up to him, “Mitchell?! Are you okay?!” She asked in shock.

“No, no, no, no. We gotta go!” Blackwing replied loudly as he kneeled on the floor.

Stormcloud handed him a small pile of tissue napkins. He wadded all of the napkins and placed them on his severed eyeball with light pressure.

Quicksilver was whining for her brother, “What’s wrong big brother?” She asked in a very sad tone.

“My eye... S-She cut it open!” He answered with a deep cringe.

He lifted his hands from his eyes, revealing his wound.

His eye was cut inches deep with either master or lucky precision, the fleshy, veiny insides were exposed and ravaged, the lens turned a pale white as the rest of the eyeball became fogged in red.

Bloodline almost vomited at what she saw, “We need to get you to a doctor right now...” She said after she swallowed a load of hot bile back down her throat.

Blackwing had passed out of blood loss minutes after they left the stadium, he rode unconsciously on the backs Bloodline and Stormcloud for almost an hour before the reached the Ponyville clinic.

The nurse at the front desk had gasped at the injured hometown hero’s arrival.

“This town owes my brother a favor, it’s about time he gets that favor!” Bloodline demanded.

The nurse alerted a surgeon to prepare a room for Blackwing.

They had rushed him down the hallway for emergency surgery.

The surgeon notioned Bloodline to get in the room and place Blackwing down on an operating table as he cleaned medical tools in a nearby sink.

Bloodline thrusted her back up and Blackwing flopped onto the table.

The surgeon covered his face with a bacteria mask, slapped on latex gloves, and went to work.

Time stood still in the clinic, mere minutes felt like antagonizing hours as Blackwing was being operated on.

The sisters sat in the lobby, Quicksilver crying lightly on Bloodline’s leg, Bloodline biting her cheeks in intense stress, and Stormcloud standing like a statue with her suit still on, her face motionless.

The surgeon came out into the lobby only after a couple hours of surgery.

“Is he fine?” Bloodline asked.

“Is big brother dead?!” Quicksilver cried.

Stormcloud asked nothing, very unlike herself.

“Don’t worry, Blackwing is fine... Well, mostly.” He said.

“What do you mean ‘mostly’?” Bloodline asked in a skeptical tone.

“I got his eye back in one piece, but he will remain blind in that eye, the cut severed the cornea, the lens, basically all the eye’s essential parts, I couldn’t fix his vision.” The doctor explained.

Bloodline sighed, “Well at least he’s ok...”

“The cut will also leave a large scar on his face. The wound’s still fresh, so make him rest and let it heal.” The doctor continued.

Awkward silence filled the waiting room, everyone looked at their hooves in concern.

Blackwing stumbled his way to everybody else.

He wobbled back and forth, his head wrapped in bandages.

“He’s going to act oddly for the rest of the night, I’ve sedated him with painkillers.” The doctor finished.

“Thank you so much doc’.” Bloodline said.

She walked over to Blackwing and tightly gripped his hand.

“Come on Mitchell, let’s go home.” She said as she led him out the door.

Quicksilver followed behind but Stormcloud still remained still.

Bloodline looked back, “Storm, are you feeling okay?” She asked.

Stormcloud finally moved, she shook her head, “Oh, I-I’m sorry...” She stuttered.

Stormcloud limped her way to the rest of the group.

Blackwing didn’t have to have to see knowing that Celestia was looking down at him from the mountainside city of Canterlot hundreds of miles away.

He broke out of his loopy behavior for a second and bared his teeth in anger.

He would dream of fulfilling his sweet, bloody revenge that night.

And down the hills of town did the sisters and their brother walk down as they made their way back home, afraid of the long and hostile days ahead that awaited every single one of them.

Blackwing lied in his bed in an intoxicated stupor, he babbled random sounds, words, and short sentences out loud in his room, yet his mindset was all too clear in his head.

The black swan was getting to him.

He had somewhat regretted the decision he made that fateful night in his apartment.

But what if he hadn’t?

He wouldn’t have met his sisters.

He would still be his old broke, loser self back on his Earth.

Then he started thinking about his mother again.

She must be so disappointed in me for what I’ve done and who I am now: A disgusting, hated killer...

“Your mother is closer to you than you think...” A voice floated in the plane of thought, it was the spirit, standing nearby his bed.

He gathered his wits and found himself able to communicate.

“Oh, it’s you... Look where your campaign of murder has gotten me.” Blackwing said still blinded by his bandages.

The spirit said nothing, but he could sense that she was still there.

“Aren’t you going to answer me?” He said in an annoyed tone.

Still nothing.

He grabbed a cup from his nearby nightstand and chucked it at the spirit, it passed through the spirit’s form, smashing against the wall with a loud shatter.

“You have singlehandedly ruined my life!” He yelled in accusation.

The spirit only laughed at his insult.

“Ruined it? I saved it you ungrateful bastard! I didn’t raise y-” She suddenly cut her sentence short.

Silence filled the room for several seconds.

The spirit sighed and calmed herself down.

“I can tell you that Celestia is cocky about her victory over you, but she is deathly afraid.” She explained.

“I could’ve just killed her there, but I hesitated...” He reflected on his various mistakes.

“Yes, but you fell from a great height, were under equipped, and frankly, Celestia just got lucky with her swing. Just think of how easily you can finish her off when you’re healthy and have your wings and the magic gauntlet on your side.” She motivated.

“I guess so, but how am I supposed to get to her now that she’s back in Canterlot?” He asked.

“You caught a break this time, Celestia is preparing a speech for tomorrow addressing the concern about you and what happened today.” The spirit plotted.

“I will not confront her in public again, when I did, she tried turning the public against me, trying to make me look evil.” He denied.

“Alright, I understand... Look, if you can manage to sneak into the Canterlot Palace and hide in her throne room, you can ambush her when she returns from her speech.” The spirit reproposed.

“I like that idea better.” Blackwing replied.

“I thought you would...” She said happily.

“One last question... Why did Celestia kidnap Stormcloud if she thought I was still exiled? How did she know we both knew each other?” He asked.

The spirit delayed her response, he anticipated it through more silence.

“I don’t know.” She said sternly.

Before he could say anything else, the spirit disappeared from his bedroom, from the sensual world altogether.

Blackwing was more confused than anything.

‘I don’t know’? You’re supposed to know everything...

He was allowed to stew in his thoughts for a few seconds longer until he heard his door open.

“Did you just break something?” Bloodline asked.

Chapter 6

Blackwing awoke late in the morning, but now he was sober and felt much better than he did yesterday.

He slowly unraveled his bandages, the gauze stuck to his healing wound as he slowly ripped them off.

He threw the bandages to the side of the room, vision in his left eye readjusting to the changing light, he could see again.

He got up off the bed and threw on his pants and grabbed the brass gauntlet.

Now let’s see how badass I’m going to look.

He couldn’t help but make a joke out of his misfortune as he walked to the bathroom in the hallway.

Blackwing closed the door behind him and looked in the mirror.

The strange new, older, sadder man looked back with him with somewhat of a smile.

His eye was stitched together with thin, white thread and the colors of the pupil disappeared, only leaving a pale slate color behind.

The scar that he received was still fresh and red as a beetroot.

He fitted on the magic gauntlet, strapping it to his wrist.

He focused the energy in the gem on his scar, hoping that it would make it heal instantaneously.

The magical glow had covered the wound and dissolved it and replaced it with white scar tissue.

Blackwing sighed in relief, he wouldn’t have to risk infection or further injury with his battle today.

With that done, he inspected the rest of his body, as his back and chest were sore.

After a closer look, he only found some painful bruising.

Another relief, Blackwing was starting to feel confident again.

He opened the bathroom door, he felt invincible, he felt like he could bring down Celestia with a wag of the finger.

But he snapped out of his narcissistic trance and headed to breakfast.

The gang was all sitting at the kitchen table.

But Blackwing noticed that Stormcloud was still in her racing suit.

He walked over to the table and took his seat.

“Don’t you ever take that damn thing off?” He teased.

No response, she sat like a sculpture.

‘Alright then...”

Bloodline cringed at the sight of his face, “How are you feeling?” She asked.

He turned his head and looked at her with a smile, “I’m feeling great, besides my eye, I only suffered bruising. I can finish this thing with Celestia today.” He said in spite.

“I’m glad you’re seeing the light of things...” She returned a smile.

“I need to go see Zecora, see if she can help me out any...” Blackwing said as he stood up.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Bloodline asked.

But he was already gone... Again.

Bloodline sighed in irritation.

All geared up and full of energy, Blackwing walked through the forest, hoping to run into Zecora’s camp.

And that he did.

The camp remained in the same area as last time, but Zecora must’ve been in her tent, the flaps were closed.

“Zecora? It’s Mitchell, you there?” He said to the tent.

Her snout stuck out between the flaps, “Ah, Mitchell, it’s been a while. From what I’ve heard, you’ve made many riled.”

“Today’s the day Zecora, I’m going to take out Celestia. But I’m going to need help getting into her palace.” He explained.

“If it’s stealth the strategy you need, only a piece of advice I heed: To avoid a battle with the guards, one tough and bloody. Hide where no guard treads; Celestia’s study.”

Blackwing tried to paint the picture of the layout of the palace, he remembered where the study was located.

“Thank you Zecora...” He finally said.

Zecora wore a smile, “Go on hero, strike. Bring back Celestia’s head on a pike.” She encouraged.

Blackwing nodded, “I promise.”

Zecora returned to the privacy of her tent and Blackwing looked up at the treeline

He crouched down and jumped up, lifting him up in the air, he flapped his large wings and shot straight out of the forest floor out into the open grey sky.

No wind rushed past his face and his ears, he was only met with silence on his flight to Canterlot, the city that looked less bright and innocent from his one, experienced eye.

It was only mere months he had arrived in this twisted land, and it hadn’t taken long before it twisted him.

It made him stronger, more resilient.

He kept his sight glued to the city as he flew ever faster and closer to his goal.

His wings sliced through the thin air like metaphorical butter with neckbreak speed.

He was almost to the front gates to the stiff mannered city.

The air pounded the ground and shook as he dive bombed towards the upward moving trail of loose tan rocks.

Blackwing smashed himself on the ground with destructive grace and blew a small hole into the earth.

And there he stood on the other side of the moat, facing the pearly gates of Canterlot.

He slowly started walking further towards the inside.

But he stopped and looked to his left, a steep cliff overlooking a massive field full of flowers and wildlife.

The wind ominously picked up quickly, blowing through his oily red hair.

As he stares across the grassy plains, looking at the meadows, he wondered to himself if they'll ever grow again.

With the desperation of the situation getting graver he calms and empties his mind, his conscious.

And he picked up his pace and walked forward yet again.

Bloodline and Quicksilver were gone, they went into town.

Leaving Stormcloud all alone.

She stood in the foyer, looking out the cracked window, her stare piercing through the trees.

She had been doing this for almost half an hour straight and she hadn’t moved a single muscle.

If she had any.

Stormcloud’s insides whistled and whirred ceaselessly with a high pitched whine.

And then several gears clicked in her sternum.

She opened her mouth of plastic teeth and rubber flesh but no sound came out.

She vomited out a loud voice out her throat.

“Alright 6-B, where are they?” A female voice asked.

The cyborg that was Stormcloud kept its jaw dropped.

“The human has left and the two targets are not at home” It said with a harsh, staticy growl.

“Perfect...” The female cheered.

The robot stood frozen, awaiting further orders.

“I have scouts in Ponyville to retrieve Quicksilver and you shall stay here and wait for Bloodline, I shall speak to her through you.” She continued.

“Understood.” The robot acknowledged.

Twenty minutes passed and Bloodline walked her way up the stone steps of the manor.

She opened the front door and her sister stood maliciously close to the doorway.

“Alright Stormcloud, we need to talk...” She said seriously.

She walked around her statue of a sister and looked at her.

“You have been acting so strange ever since that race, what is your deal?!” She yelled.

Stormcloud slowly turned around and stared into her eyes with hollow cameras and pupils made of small LEDs.

The robot let out it’s ear splitting growl, startling Bloodline.

“What the hell?” Bloodline exclaimed.

Then the voice of the woman broadcasted itself again.

“Bloodline, I was afraid I’d never find you or your sisters again...” She said.

Bloodline shook her head in disbelief as she stumbled backwards.

“I assume you’re surprised to hear from me again.” She continued.

Bloodline teeth gritted slightly.

“I have your sisters. Return to Starlight Concave or they will die.” The woman commanded.

Bloodline whimpered with tears forming in her eyes.

“Come, follow the android.” The voice said and ceased to be.

Bloodline forcibly obliged and followed the robot as its limbs squeaked and limped back out the door.

Meanwhile, Blackwing snaked his way through Canterlot’s alleyways and rooftops, further uphill was Celestia’s palace.

He stood on a rooftop and looked at the city’s main square.

In the middle lied a large stone fountain, on top of it perched a large smooth stone statue of Celestia herself.

To the upper class snobs that lived here, that towering sculpture meant hope and prosperity to them.

To Blackwing, it was merely an effigy meant to be brought crumbling down.

He scanned the gates of the palace, several guards at front, and even more patrolling the walkways.

He found a blind spot that led to the inside of the palace on the east wing, and it was all covered by the protection of the buildings and a wall of hedges.

Simple enough...

He hopped off the roof and back on the concrete ground.

He rushed down the alleyway, stomping past scattered trash and puddles of rainwater.

After a left turn, he found his cover behind a series of bushes lining up parallel to the walls of the palace.

The tall window was left wide open, it was too tall a climb for a pony to make their way in, but Blackwing managed to squirm his way inside.

It was perfect, all the pieces of his plan were coming together flawlessly.

Blackwing gathered his bearings, he realized that he was not far away from Celestia’s throne room.

Celestia stood behind a stage set up near the central square, she stood nervous yet she didn’t show it to her personal workers as they touched up on her makeup.

“Good luck on your speech madam, I hope they find that Blackwing man.” Her makeup artist said to her as she patted her face with powder.

“Worry not, I shall end him personally. First him, then those pagans of the Legion.” She said sternly as she placed a hoof on a section of her narrow scar.

“Oh, let me cover that up miss.” The makeup artist insisted as she reached for another pad covered in cosmetics.

Blackwing managed to sneak his way into the throne room, the large, empty space amplified the sound of his boot’s heavy footsteps.

He carefully footed his way to the door of the study.

The doorknob creaked as he twisted it, he cautiously pushed the door open.

He walked into the study, they small, cozy room lined wall to wall with bookshelves and scrolls.

Scrolls somehow magically appeared into the room, continuously entering the room and piling themselves on the carpeted floor.

Blackwing decided to make himself at home and took a seat on Celestia’s tall cushy chair.

He looked at the seat across from his, the one he sat in when Celestia exiled him, it felt slightly poignant.

Ah... Where have the times gone?

He only had to wait, wait for the princess to return.

A crowd of townsfolk and journalists flooded the concourse, awaiting a detailed explanation of the race track incident.

Only the sound slight murmuring and the heavy wind sailed in the air.

The princess sucked in her emotions and locked them away into her cold heart.

She graced her way to the podium, eyes closed as she marched with an awe striking majesty.

She stood over the crowd, she opened her eyes and everypony went dead silent.

Celestia cleared her throat, about to start her speech.

“Citizens of Equestria. Yesterday, a mishap took place at the racing tournament in Willow’s Pass, one involving me and the outlaw human known as Blackwing.”

Journalists took their notes as she continued.

“At the end of the event, Blackwing attempted to assassinate me inside of my viewing stand. The attempt was careless at best and I only suffered lacerations and the assailant suffered corneal destruction in one of his eyes along with various bruises and injuries. Rest assured everypony; I am safe. Blackwing has either succumbed to infection, blood loss, or he has cowardly fled his way back from whence he came.”

Few ponies let out quiet cheers.

“While this event was uncontrollable, I apologize for any trauma or loss of peace of mind. I promise all of you this: Blackwing will no longer be a problem around these parts, I will make sure of it.”

A colt stood up tall and waved his arm, “Princess, a question?”

Celestia nodded.

“Witnesses say Blackwing saved a town from an invasion by Luna, that he was only protecting them. Others say that you only pronounced him dead to cover it up as his fault and he’s only after you for revenge. Ponies also say that they saw him being brought to the Ponyville clinic yesterday after the incident. Are you in fact, covering something up for your own personal gain?” The reported boldly asked.

Celestia was speechless, she wanted to break out into a fit of disgust, but she was taught not to do such things.

“Allow me to explain. Blackwing is merely a terrorist, he only saved Ponyville from Luna to pass himself off as a ‘hero’ and to gain favors and adoration. I assure you all, he is far from one. I have discovered that he has close ties with the Legion and that he only wants anarchy to overcome our land.” She said in a stern, monotonous boom.

The reporter backed down, whether it was in fear, understanding, or annoyance of her stubbornness, he backed down nonetheless.

“If anyone has other misleading questions in attempt to inflate the reputation of that animal, stand and speak...” She ordered.

Nopony stood, nopony spoke.

“Very well... I will continue my hunt for this human and bring him to justice for terrorizing the ponies of Equestria, he will be a problem no longer. Thank you for joining me today.” She finished.

Murmurs died to the sounds of crickets.

Celestia stepped off the stage, away from the eyes of the public.

The crowd dissolved and diverted back into the hustle of everyday life.

Celestia sighed in relief as she sat backstage with her entourage.

Back into her palace she went.

Blackwing didn’t listen to her speech, he could only hear mumbling through the walls.

But it stopped, he knew that she was done speaking.

He got off the chair and hid behind it, he could stand and the chair would still protect him from sight.

He unsheathed his sword, the moment of truth was nearing.

He heard the princess’s hoofsteps echo throughout the palace.

Each step throbbed in his head, growing ever so unstable.

A smile, with teeth as pale grey as his blank eyeball, froze disturbingly on his face.

Revenge. Sweet, sweet revenge drew closer and closer by the moment.

He could taste her bitter rose colored blood in his mouth, feel the beating of her dead heart in his throat, and picked at chunks of salty flesh stuck between his teeth.

He felt like a true monster.

He felt like a true human.

And then he heard the door click and creak.

“I’ll resume my studies, leave me be.” Celestia said to a nonvisible guard.

She closed the door and ignorantly proceeded further into the room.

Blackwing dawdled out, jokingly pretending to sharpen his sword as he stepped towards her with an intentional awkward walk.

“You know, taking my eye made me realize something. I’m not the person I was months ago, I’ve grown into what you’ve called me; A savage, a monster. I embrace what I am, I feel like stripping your corpse clean and eating you on your precious palace floor.” Blackwing explained.

Celestia grunted in frustration at his sight.

“And that’s what I’m going to do!” Blackwing yelled as he swiped his sword at her.

Celestia dodged the attack and countered with a headbutt, her horn making contact with his chestplate with a sharp ching.

Blackwing jumped back and aimed the gauntlet at the bookshelf behind her, causing it to tumble down.

Celestia saw the shelf fall and dash her way aside the room, avoiding being crushed.

She used her magic to fling one of the chairs at Blackwing, it hurled at him with speed.

He stuck his sword out point up and the chair landed on the sword, splitting in two clean pieces, harmless to him.

He charged at Celestia as fast as he could run, he braced himself for the tackle.

He made hard contact, considering the fact that Celestia was a half a ton of meat, muscle, and bone.

Celestia’s inertia was overthrown and she flew back, breaking through the door to the throne room in a splintery explosion.

Celestia and Blackwing both fell over on each other, but quickly recovered themselves and separated.

Celestia phaselocked Blackwing and forced him to levitate in the air.

“Any last words you ancient plague?” Celestia asked.

“Yeah, I do...” Blackwing replied.

Silence filled the cathedral like space.

“Go to hell.” He said and spat on Celestia’s hooves.

Celestia yelled in fury and tossed him across the room.

Blackwing landed on his back and slid further down the smooth marble floor and hit his head on Celestia’s gilded stone throne.

Blackwing rubbed his head as he stood back up.

He reopened his eyes and saw the furious princess charging at him.

A glimmer of light shone on her sharp horn.

And it was pointed at him.

In what seemed like a split second, Blackwing dove to the floor, away from her attack.

Celestia missed her target and kept on running until she hit her throne.

Her horn dug straight into the thick, solid stone, the thud knocked the tiara right off her head.

She was stuck, unable to move as she struggled to pull her horn out to no avail.

Blackwing took advantage of her once again.

“You know princess, you are as careless as you are annoying.” He insulted as he took his time walking to her.

He raised his sword and swung it down with massive force.

A sharp crunch and the blood curdling scream of Celestia’s pain resonated in the room.

Celestia backed off and fell over on the floor, her head bleeding from the severed appendage.

Blackwing strolled his way to the throne and grabbed ahold of the once was horn of Celestia and pulled it out, taking out chunks of marble with it.

He stuck in his mouth, and mockingly smoked it like a cigar as he chuckled.

He spat it out onto his hand, raised the sword, and stuck the opening of the horn onto the tip of the blade, drilling out the gunky brown bone marrow and spilling it on the floor.

He threw the mangled horn at her face.

Celestia watched as he tortured her ceaselessly.

She lied on her side, writhing in pain.

Blackwing walked towards her and sat on her, right on the scar.

“You know, I haven’t felt this good in quite a long, long while. It feels good to have fun with closure.” He said to himself.

Celestia started to sob softly, hoping he wouldn’t see.

But he did.

He patted her side with care.

“I’m sorry it had to come to this, if you weren’t such a power hungry bitch, we probably wouldn’t be here.” He explained.

Celestia tried to gather words and spit them out, but she couldn’t, she felt dizzy and sick to her stomach.

“It’s a shame, all of those promises you made to everyone. To fix the hunger, to fix the war, to fix me. All hollow and broken, like what your bones will be soon...” He said, trying to warp her mind.

Nobody, not even himself, saw this side of Blackwing.

“Everyone dies at some point, I did once... But rest easy, you’ll finally be at peace... I sure am.” He continued.

Celestia was bawling uncontrollably at this point.

Blackwing stood up and faced her.

She looked up at him with a single bloodshot eye.

And he thrusted down his sword.

The sword pierced straight through her chest, jabbing her heart, Blackwing was surprised he hit one.

Celestia’s eyes widened and closed, he could hear her gurgle on blood and release her life, as well as her bladder.

A puddle of stenchy yellow urine pooled on the marble floor.

The smell and sight disgusted Blackwing, but he didn’t care.

He stood there staring at her corpse, sword still crammed, his smile turned into a look of indifference, as deadpan as his morality.

The beautiful crimson pools of her shortcoming covered the sheet of icy cold stone.

Blackwing felt pleasure through her pain.

It was finally over.

His journey, his god given task had been completed.

Equestria was finally at peace.

He retrieved his black sword, it left her body with a squish, a spurt of blood following after it.

Everything went quiet.

He turned around, slumped onto the throne, and stared up at the large circular pane of green stained glass.

A depiction of a white and black alicorn circling each other, like ying and yang.

But he focused on what poked its way through the glass.

It was sunlight, pure sunlight.

It shone down upon the throne, onto Blackwing’s head.

He felt the warm radiance of the cosmos blanketing him in its warm comfort.

The sunlight had not kissed the earth in what felt like an eternity and he brought it back, him; a broken child who suffered for nothing, casted down by his people.

Blackwing looked into the star that presented itself from the vast heavens.

He feel as if it was looking at him back, as if it was his late mother looking down upon him.

Several guards entered the throne room with shock on their faces.

They yelled something at Blackwing as they walked towards him with weapons raised, but he didn’t hear them, he didn’t care.

And a single tear left his blinded eye.

Chapter 7

The morning after, Blackwing’s victory was a long forgotten blur, he awoke with a pounding headache and felt slightly sweaty.

Oh goddamn, what happened? I don’t remember going to bed last night. I don’t even remember what I did after I got chased out of Canterlot.

He rubbed his eyes to dislodge sleepers out of them.

The sunlight assaulted his sight when he opened his eyes, it burned and blinded him temporarily.

Blackwing growled softly as he leaned up.

He felt the bed he was on, it wasn’t his.

It wasn’t even a bed, it was a couch.

He regained his sight, he wasn’t even in his own home.

Looking down, he saw a small rabbit staring up at him, twitching its nose.

“Hey little guy...” Blackwing stretched his arm to pat the rabbit on its head.

It hopped back startled.

“Hmph, not a social one, are you?” He said to it.

It only tilted its head at him.

He looked at the edge of the table in front of him, there lied a tall, empty bottle.

What could this be?

He grasped the bottle and read the label, it was a bottle of red wine.

I drank last night? I don’t remember drinking... That must be why I have a splitting headache right now...

He rubbed his temples with his fingers in a circular motion, hoping to ease the pain.

He heard a creaking sound coming from the wooden ceiling, footsteps making their way to the staircase on the opposite side of the room.

A yellow appendage lied on the top step.

A face mostly covered by pink hair peeked down the staircase, looking at him.

“Oh Mitchell, you’re up.” Fluttershy said.

He sat up, “Fluttershy? What am I doing here?”

She walked down the stairs and entered the living room, “I’m sorry, you must not remember, you drank a little too much last night...”

Blackwing placed the bottle on the coffee table, “Why’d I come here? I would’ve gone home first.” He questioned himself.

“You did...” Fluttershy said, “You told me nobody was home and you wanted someone to celebrate with you, so you came here. I’m so sorry, I should’ve cut you off from drinking...”

Blackwing stroked his hair, “It’s not your fault, I rarely drink, I should’ve cut myself off.”

Fluttershy didn’t respond.

“By the way... I didn’t do anything embarrassing or offensive did I? I’ve done that a few times.” Blackwing asked.

Fluttershy giggled, “No, don’t worry. You were just really happy the entire night.”

“What did we even do?” He continued his series of questions.

“You came in and told me that you defeated Celestia, so I decided to make us some dinner to celebrate. You and I started drinking, I didn’t have that much by the way. After dinner you stumbled around everywhere, teased my animals for a while, and passed out on the couch.” She explained.

Blackwing chuckled, “That’s why he must not like me huh?” He looked at the rabbit.

The rabbit hopped its way behind Fluttershy and she brushed its back.

“Oh don’t worry, Angel really only likes me...” She said, “The other animals really liked your company, you really have a way with them...”

Blackwing twiddled his thumbs, “Yeah, I like animals. I spent more time with them than with actual people when I was a kid.”

Fluttershy had no idea how to respond to that, “I’m sorry about that...”

Blackwing laughed, “Don’t be, humans really suck...”

“I’m sure humans weren’t all that bad.” She protested.

“Not all... But most were.” He said.

“There must’ve been many of your kind who you loved.” She insisted.

“The only person I loved was my mother... She’s dead.” He explained.

Fluttershy gasped, “I’m so sorry, it must be hard losing your mother.”

Blackwing sighed, “It was. When she did, I-”

He stopped talking, avoiding the subject ahead.

“You what?” She asked.

Blackwing dropped his head, “Never mind... Forget I said that...”

She didn’t speak, but she joined him on the couch.

“But there must be more humans you loved, there must be!” She said.

“Nope, afraid not.” He said promptly.

She patted him on the shoulder, empathizing with him.

“It’s funny, ponies are just like humans, yet so different. You think like us, talk like us, you even speak the same goddamn language as us. Christ, I mean, castles and villages, humans had those for ages!” He rambled.

He raised his head back up, “Yet ponies treat me like I’m so different from your kind, like I’m completely alien.”

Fluttershy felt uncomfortable about his remark, she sat in silence.

“Listen, you, my sisters, Zecora... Those are the only living things on this planet I trust with my life.” He continued.

Fluttershy felt flattered, “Thank you for trusting me, but why exactly?”

“Because, when we first met, you didn’t judge me, you offered me help. Without you, I wouldn’t have met Bloodline. Besides, you are a way better friend than anyone I knew when I was younger. For example: you made me dinner last night because I did something, my own goddamn mother never did that...” He complimented.

Fluttershy smiled, “Oh come on, I’m not that great of a friend.”

Blackwing stood up, “Don’t be so humble.” He advised.

“Are you leaving? I left your things by the door...” She said.

“Yeah, Bloodline is probably wondering where I am.” He said as he walked towards the door.

“Tell her I said ‘Hi’...” She replied.

Blackwing nodded and gathered his things and left.

He closed the door behind him, taking in a deep breath of air, he saw children playing out in the sun, a forgotten but reclaimed practice.

As he walked down the winding path down the hill, he noticed the spirit stand by the creek, the same spot where he first woke up in Equestria.

He stopped at the renovated stone bridge and greeted the spirit.

“You finally did it Mitchell, you restored my world back into working order.” The spirit cheered.

“I did, who will run the place now?” Blackwing asked.

“You will find out soon. But graver matters are at hand right now.”

“Like what? The princesses are no longer a problem.”

“Bloodline and your sisters have been seized, they are in Starlight Concave.” The spirit explained.

“What?! Who took them?”

“Cordis, the leader of the Legion, she has reclaimed her soldiers.”

“How do I get to Starlight Concave? Bloodline told me it’s far, far from here.” He asked.

The spirit reached out her long, skinny arm to him.

“It is much too far from here to get there quickly, grab ahold of me, I will bring you there.”

Blackwing wrapped his fingers around the ghost’s somehow physically grabbable arm.

He closed his eyes, feeling a sense of weightlessness, he felt his stomach curdle and his face blasted with a rush of cold air.

The songs of the birds turned into the crying howl of the arctic winds.

He felt the snow crunch below his boots and flakes gather on his hair.

He opened his eyes, the hilly plains of Ponyville were replaced by the icy cliffs, peaks, and jagged spires of Starlight Hollow.

He looked up into the sky, the night sky, and saw stars dance and glow among the black macrocosm, then looked down, he saw a tall solid stone wall past the flurrying blizzard.

The spirit vanished without a trace, his instinct telling him to walk up to the wall.

He pressed his hand to the wall, it sent chills up his bones and up his spine.

Blackwing noticed that part of the bottom of the wall was crumbled and was traversable.

He crouched down and squeezed through the small hole.

Past the wall was a row of battlements and towers.

Killzones... Must be the Legion’s base...

The Legion’s base was a large village with what looked like a tall wooden castle in the middle, identical to Japanese styled ones he had seen before.

The village consisted of market concourses and short homes, or more appropriate; machiyas.

The whole place was perfectly nestled in a pit surrounded by the tall icebergs and mountains, completely secluded from the rest of the world.

It felt empty, the entire town was absent of it’s inhabitants.

Blackwing decided he would head to the castle, it would be the most likely place Cordis would be.

Within the castle, Bloodline sat in a dark, round chamber room, her head drooped on the slate floor.

Torches illuminated the room in an eerie glow.

“He’s here...” A voice echoed throughout the castle.

The voice came from the mare sitting on a tall throne at the head of the room.

“He’s going to make you regret taking us.” Bloodline said.

The mare hopped off the throne, the flames of the torches lit up her face.

Cordis looked strangely similar to Bloodline, soot black fur, cherry red hair (Despite it being tied ironically in a ponytail and had a large scarlet feather sticking out of it.), and deeply piercing eyes.

But her’s were different.

Her eyeballs glowed bright red in a fluorescent vibe, yellow LED’s bulbs made up her irises and thin wires came out of the corners of her eye socket and attached to a small box implanted below her right ear.

“I know him as well as you do my dear, I will smite him.” Cordis assured.

“As if, you don’t know the first thing about Mitchell...” Bloodline argued.

“The first thing about Mitchell is that he’s filled to the brim with angst, the smallest thing causes him to blow a gasket. Trust me Bloodline, I’ve known him far longer than you.” Cordis implied.

Bloodline didn’t reply.

“Now, if you want to see your sisters, you will do what I told you. Reveal me to him and I will kill them.” She threatened.

Bloodline hesitantly nodded.

Outside the castle door, Blackwing inspected the sliding door for any traps or triggers that may give him away.

Nothing, I guess I have the element of surprise.

He opened the sliding door and entered a narrow corridor, shutting the door behind him.

He lightly kicked the wall to shake off the snow on his boots.

And a scream emanated from deeper inside the castle.

Bloodline’s scream.

Blackwing’s eyes widened and he sprinted down the corridor, hurrying to aid his sister.

At the end of the hallway, he was stopped by a steel door, it opened automatically, but no one behind it.

Uh oh, someone may be expecting me...

He thought about turning back.

Gah, screw it, she needs my help.

He ran through the door and darkness blinded him.

He heard the door slam behind him.

Blackwing couldn’t see a thing, but he had an idea.

He bent his arm, his hand sticking out and the magical gauntlet started up.

The gem produced miniscule amounts of light, but the red glow was enough to see where he was walking.

Then a sputtering sound stopped him dead.

following the sputter was a whir, following that was an airy hiss.

A face emerged from the darkness and into the red light.

It was Bloodline, tears and wrinkles from exhaustion ravaged the youth from her face.

“Bloodline! Are you ok? Where are we?” Blackwing asked.

She dropped her head and closed her eyes.

“Bloodline...” He said.

She turned around.

“What’s wrong?” Blackwing raised his voice.

And as fast as it happened it was over.

He was sent skidding back with massive pressure crushing his chest.

Bloodline bucked him with painful force, force matched only by being run over by a train.

Blackwing couldn’t breathe, he hunched over on the stone floor coughing and gasping for precious air.

Bloodline turned around to see what she had done, but she couldn’t bear it.

She broke down and started bawling uncontrollably.

‘I-I’m sorry b-brother, I’m s-so sorry, s-she made me d-do it!” Bloodline sputtered.

The torches lit themselves back up, the walls and floors of the chamber became fully visible.

Cordis sat high upon a pedestal where her throne sat far, laughing with amusement.

Blackwing punched the floor, constructing words out from growls and ebbs and flows of unbearable agony.

“I’ll... I’ll... I’LL KILL YOU!” Blackwing shouted at the top of what was left of his lungs at both his sister and her captor.

His yell filled the mares’ ears.

Bloodline only lied on the floor, wailing and regretting her decision.

“She betrayed you Mitchell... Her; your beloved and ever loyal sister. She willingly harmed you to protect her own intentions... How does it feel, seeing all of that trust shatter like glass?” Cordis asked.

“It’s n-not true!” Bloodline spouted.

“From the moment you crashed onto the earth from the sky, nopony in the land trusted you, nopony loved you. You are and always will be a castoff.” Cordis insulted.

Blackwing choked on his own anger, he looked up at her, “How did you kno-”

“Know how you arrived here? Simple, I’ve had help.” Cordis interrupted.

“Help f-from who?” He asked.

In that moment, ghostly hooves appeared blocked his sight.

The spirit looked down upon him with a twisted smile on her face.

“Help from someone you know...” Both Cordis and the Spirit spoke simultaneously.

Blackwing was more shocked than angry at this point, utterly shocked.

His whole life here has been a big, cruel lie.

In instinct, he threw a pathetically desperate punch at the ghost.

The punch went straight through her as it did last time, only it caused the spirit’s image grow fuzzy and slowly faded away from sight.

“You up and trusted a strange spirit, wandered a strange land, lived with strange girls, completed a strange task with strange weaponry given to you by a strange benefactor, and now you will die by a stranger’s hoof...” Cordis said.

“W-why? Why bring me here? Why lie to me and do this?” Blackwing asked.

“I manipulated you to satisfy one goal, that goal is to seize Canterlot, doing that would ultimately put the Legion in charge of Equestria. As we speak, my soldiers are invading Canterlot and it’s surrounding areas. I needed a catalyst to do this, as my armies are small compared to Celestia’s and I’m too frail bodied. As I observed humans from the past to collect more data for my studies, I saw what you did, you were empty, a perfect puppet, and I brought it upon myself to bring you here to make you lament your ultimate atrocity while you did my dirty work. I gave you a family again and took it away to salt the wounds and make you feel like it was all your fault once more so you would see how you’ve lost everything... And I mean everything...”

“Why, what did I do?” Blackwing cried.

“You know what you did... You took your own life. A selfish deed... What do you think your mother would think? She may have not have been alive to see it, but you devastated her knowing her mark on the earth disappeared in moments.”

Bloodline and Blackwing spoke silence, Bloodline pushed back crying and turned it into disbelief.

“M-Mitchell... Y-you... K-k-killed yourself?” She said to him with her jaw hanging.

Blackwing’s pain was replaced by grim shame, he rested his head on the floor, trying not to break out crying with her.

“You helped me succeed in my endeavour Mitchell, now your sister will do the same...” Cordis continued.

Bloodline cocked her head, “W-what?”

Cordis’s smile bared sick intent, “As you may not have known, this is not my original body, parts were either roboticized or replaced with fresh odds and ends donated from my small line of children. My true body is long gone, I’m only patches of metal and flesh of noble souls who gave up themselves to allow me to elongate my lifespan. I was young when I began the Legion, countless years later I had a realization that I have failed to bring forth the power and might of my people, it would take several generations to live up to my goal. I was afraid that when I died, my empire would follow, so I birthed several children and scattered them across random families that would later be conquered in hopes that it would not raise suspicion or end up being accused of having children in the Legion, which would bring hypocrisy to my name. When they grew up, they would be my key to continual youth. What I’m trying to say is that Bloodline is among those children.”

Bloodline gasped in further disbelief, droning out her sniffling, “Y-you?! You’re my mother?”

“Yes... You’re my last daughter, I was going to wait to use your body, but living on borrowed time makes you impatient.” Cordis replied.

“You get the hell away from her...” Blackwing said.

Cordis hopped off her throne and onto the floor, chuckling.

“Why would you care about her anymore? Either way, there’s nothing you can do Mitchell, I will sacrifice Bloodline, eradicate Celestia’s familiy tree, and take my place as ruler of Equestria.”

She walked towards Blackwing as he lied encumbered on the floor, coughing uncontrollably.

She stood a foot away from his face, he looked up with his blind eye.

Cordis raised her augmented left hoof, it was a short steel cylinder with a small vent in the middle, he heard the sound of gas hissing its ways into the air, he saw a spark and a flaming ball of magical energy was born above her hoof, slowly growing in size.

He felt a heat wave come over his face and saw the air around the flames wave and rise in front of Cordis’s scowling face.

He closed his eyes as tight as he could close them, awaiting the bitter end.

All he could hear was the crackling of the fireball, his focus was stuck in a tight vice, he couldn’t wait another moment to get it over with.

He heard Bloodline scream, “NO!”

Blackwing opened his eyes, Bloodline galloped her way to the to but Cordis ignored her.

Cordis threw her arm back and tossed the ball of energy.

He flinched and closed his eyes again.

But it didn’t hit him, he heard the fire sizzle in front of him.

Bloodline cried in pain on the ground, she took the shot for him.

“B-Bloodline!” Blackwing shouted.

He could see trails of smoke rise from her left side as she cringed in pain.

Blackwing pushed against the floor, lifting himself up.

Cordis grunted in anger and tried to conjure up another projectile.

He lifted up the gauntlet and shot a weak bolt of magic at her, pushing her away slightly.

He focused all of his energy just to stand up.

Cordis shook her head, recovering from the attack.

“What... Have you done?” Cordis asked as if it was Blackwing’s fault.

“Mitchell...” Bloodline said as she gasped for air.

He looked at her with unending worry.

“Help... Kill... Her...” She said gasp by gasp.

Her head dropped and slipped from consciousness.

Blackwing grasped his chest and stumbled back and forth, slightly nodding in response.

He fumbled around with his belt until he took out his sword, barely able to hold it up.

He slowly raised his arm to gesture Cordis, provoking her to fight.

Meanwhile, the true Stormcloud lied in the cramped jail cell with her baby sister, both huddled inside a thin burlap blanket to stay warm in the below freezing temperatures of the dark, dank corridors of the unheated castle.

They both were trying as hard as they can to not fall asleep, aware of the penalty if they do.

“Quicksilver, I don’t mean to freak you out, but if we don’t figure out something, we’re going to die in here...” Stormcloud chattered.

Quicksilver’s eyes flared in worry.

“I have an idea, and I need you to do something important.” Storm said, her breath clouding the air around them..

Her sister nodded.

She pointed towards the iron bars of the cell, “I can file down the bars with my wings, but I won’t be able to squeeze out unless I can cut at least three of them and we don’t have time for that.”

Quicksilver hopped up, eager to escape.

“Alright...” Storm said as she inspected her razor-sharp wings and walked to the front of the cell.

She placed a curved steel feather segmented on her right wing onto the rusty iron rods and pushed it back and forth, slowly whittling their way through it.

Inch by inch, the blade hacksawed its way through the middle of the bar, she bended down and did the same to the bottom of the bar.

When the section of iron was severed from the cell, it fell with a hollow clang that echoed throughout the pitch black hallway of the detention center.

“Go Quicksilver, find a key, find a way out, find some blankets for all I care, just get something Hurry!” She said.

Quicksilver snaked her way between the tight squeeze and dropped to the cold cement floor after she popped out of the tight grip of the cell bars.

Stormcloud motioned her to run.

She flashed her sister acknowledgment before scuttling her way into the dark.

Blackwing felt himself falling apart, the only thing keeping him from dying of shock was the adrenaline rushing through his veins and the thoughts of what would happen if he would fail.

His skin grew morbidly pale as he unrelentlessly slash and struck Cordis with his sword, some hits blocked by limbs of steel and brass, some hits only knicking her skin.

the fluorescent bulbs that were Cordis’s eyes turned into a bright white color as she too was on an unending offensive, throwing powerful punches and bursts of magical energy at her foe.

Neither of them were about to let their dreams crumble, to die as failures.

Blackwing never went through such traumatizing displeasure, but he could handle injuries that he never thought would hurt so much.

Same could go for his fighting skills; he had never touched a weapon in his life, yet he moved and attacked with such power and grace, skill matched only by a master of combat.

But he felt like a tattered rag, about to give in from his extensive use and strain.

Cordis on the other hand, was having the time of her life, laughing non-stop as she outsmarted his every move and pounded on his vital weak spots.

A few more hits to the chest or face and Blackwing would be done for.

She couldn’t see anything, but Quicksilver felt herself nearing the end of the hallway.

She bumped into a door, a door barely cracked open with numerous rusted bolts.

She slipped into the other room, this one was lit by torches, it felt agonizingly bright, being as she hadn’t seen sunlight for quite a while.

It was a locker room of sorts, probably for the Legionnaire guards who surprisingly, were absent in this room and all of the detention center.

Quicksilver snooped around the room, looking for any supplies, any food, any stray keys.

Locker to locker, she found only scraps of food and a small rusty on a copper keyring.

Thinking it would be for their cell, Quicksilver bolted back out of the room and back to her sister.

Stormcloud sniffled uncontrollably, she sneezed constantly, and felt like a slab of meat that had been left in the freezer for weeks.

Quicksilver held the keyring in her mouth to present to her sister.

“G-Good! Open this door and we’ll get out of here...” Stormcloud said sickly.

Quicksilver stood on her hind legs and fitted the key into the lock.

She turned it and the tumblers squeaked...

Click...

Click...

Click...

And the lock was released.

Stormcloud stood back up and slid the cell door open.

Proud of her sister, Storm patted Quicksilver on the head and told her to follow her out.

The fight was nearly reaching a critical point.

Blackwing’s mind felt like a storm cloud.

His psyche would break before his body and with the intensity of his hatred for this creature, he knew if he did break down mentally, it wouldn’t be pretty.

As he mindlessly swung, Cordis took advantage of his unawareness.

Blackwing swung down at her, but she dashed out of the way and the blade struck the floor.

Before he could bring the sword back up, Cordis uppercutted him in the jaw, knocking him to the floor.

Blackwing’s muscles tightened and locked up, he couldn’t move.

He seethed and groaned and stared at the grains in the concrete with his bloodshot, glassy eye.

And with that, he gave up.

He accepted defeat.

But nothing happened.

Death still hesitated to take him, yet it stared him in the face.

Cordis stared at the chamber doors, they had opened.

She saw only a black and yellow blur before she was tackled to the floor.

Stormcloud trampled Cordis and grabbed ahold of her, attempting to pin her to the ground.

Grunting and yelling, both of them struggled to overcome the other.

“You know Stormcloud, I always hated you compared to your other sisters, at least they listened to authority. I only wish that you would’ve left earlier. Honestly, I feel good knowing your parents didn’t have to raise you before I burned them and their hovels down! Same goes for your pathetic brother. He was a useless, melancholic whiner, if his mother was alive, I don’t think she would’ve cared that he killed himself!”

That response did it.

Blackwing hit the roof.

He had hit the roof and cleared straight through it.

Before either of the mares could process it in their heads, Blackwing had already shot back up to his feet, sprinted towards the two, and dragged Cordis away from Stormcloud across the cold stone.

He stomped his foot down on her neck, immobilizing her.

She was still in shock of what had happened and Blackwing was already in the process of punching out every one of Cordis’s teeth.

Blackwing threw punch after punch after punch without stopping for almost 3 minutes.

Quicksilver had caught up with Stormcloud, they both watched their brother beating the tar out of the pony whom they knew as their mother.

When all was done, all of Blackwing’s knuckles were bleeding and his hands stung as if he had fought a brick wall. (Parts of Cordis’s jaw were made of metal, which didn’t help.)

As he panted nonstop, Cordis had her head stuck to the floor, she coughed our spats of blood mixed with chunks of white powder (Possibly ball bearing lubricant or the remnants of some of her teeth.) and six entire teeth were knocked out.

Her left ‘eyebulb’ was cracked and caused the white light to flicker while her right eye was almost completely covered by her swollen cheek.

Blackwing expected her to give up, pass out, ect., but that wasn’t the case.

Cordis attempted to bear a smile and laughed softly.

“Your mother hated you, she took those pills because of you, she gave up on love because she knew no man would want to raise you. You only distort reality to suit a life where you’re happy, despite the abuse. You think were such an innocent child and you suffered for nothing. You’re... Wrong...” Cordis said.

“I was my mother’s world! You’re a disgusting goddamn liar!” Blackwing shouted at her face, intentionally spitting on her bruised mug.

“Am I Mitchell? Am I? I know you as well as your mother.” She replied.

After she said that, she thrusted her hoof onto his forehead, not in attack, but for something else.

She focused images into his mind.

The cloud that was his thought dispersed and made room for the memories she implanted in him.

The first one was of his mother and his father sitting on a porch, his mom’s stomach stuck out, she was obviously pregnant.

In a distant tone, he heard them conversing.

It’s going to be alright honey, this is a good thing...

I don’t know Paul, I really don’t want this child.

Why not? We’re doing fine financially. Besides, it won’t end up like last time.

I don’t want it to happen again, you know what happened after Rosemary died.

Lisa... I know you’re sad about Rosemary, but we have to try again.

Something bad is going to happen, I know it.

Well, we won’t know about that until he or she comes out.

Silence befell the two.

...I want an abortion Paul.

His father didn’t reply and the memory went fuzzy.

It was replaced by another.

An infant version of himself was sitting on a plastic high chair with his father feeding him green mush.

He could see his mother leaning over the kitchen sink, vomiting off and on while she took heavy swigs of liquor.

His father looked at her, obviously annoyed.

The memory went black and another took its place.

Mitchell’s graduation day, that dreaded day where everything went downhill.

Both of them sat in the kitchen, his mother was yelling muted words that eventually became hearable.

-our fault! It’s all your fault!

Mom, it’s ok.

She threw an empty scotch bottle at him, it missed and smashed on the kitchen counter.

I wish that pussy you call your father had a pair and allow me to get an abortion while I was pregnant with you, I knew you’d be nothing but trouble!

M-Mom... I love you...

FUCK YOU!

It went white, the memories were over.

His mother had been an abusive bitch ever since his sister Rosemary died, she probably had quit her job and started drinking before he was even born, maybe after that day he just slowly started seeing the truth.

Cordis panted and sputtered as she dropped her hoof.

Blackwing stood there salivating, foaming at the mouth with absolute rage.

“You see? Your entire life has been a lie, all constructed by you. You lived in fake world made by your childish mind, you lived in ignorance; your mother hit and yelled at you, but you still see her as a saint, as a person. Who can you blame for that? A higher power? Another person? Wrong, you can only blame yourself.”

Whoever Cordis was talking to, it wasn’t Blackwing or Mitchell.

It was that blood-drinking, cold, butcher of a man who dreamed only of torture and revenge.

He let go of his footing on Cordis’s neck, but he dropped down onto his hands and knees, positioning his face inches from her.

Stormcloud hugged her sister tightly, blocking Quicksilver’s sight of what he was about to do.

In an animalistic sense of instinct, he slowly sunk his teeth, deep into the neck of Cordis, squeezing tighter and tighter.

Cordis didn’t scream, only laughing harder and harder, Stormcloud wasn’t sure who was the craziest of the two.

Blackwing pulled and pulled until...

SNAP

He raised his head back up, holding a thick chunk of bloody flesh in his mouth, spitting it onto the floor.

A gaping hole where the chunk of neck was formed.

Cordis could only giggle as she bled out on the chamber floor.

Blackwing snapped out of his psychotic episode and got off of Cordis.

She didn’t attempt to get up and retaliate, she didn’t even move.

She only twitched and laughed as her black fur turned into a mahogany shade of red.

‘I-I hated you... But y-you more special than the other kids...”

Blackwing looked at her confused.

Cordis stared into the infinite with foggy eyes.

“I-I know... B-Because I’m... I-I’m... L-Li...”

She failed to finish her sentence and exhaled her final breath.

She lied back and her eyebulbs flickered on and off and eventually powering down, leaving empty black spheres.

Dead.

Somehow, he had survived.

He stood triumphantly over his ultimate threat with bruises all over his body and blood dripping from the corner of his lip.

This time, he finally felt like it was over.

He looked over and saw his sisters standing around the unconscious Bloodline.

Stormcloud didn’t bother to look at him.

Quicksilver flashed him a look, but was too ashamed of herself to look any longer or to speak.

He dropped to the floor and picked up his sword and slowly crept back up.

With feelings mutual, he limped out of the chamber, not looking at them either.

As he walked towards the front door of the palace, the air felt much colder and felt his bones chill to their core.

He slid open the wooden door into the outside, numerous faces greeting them.

Legionnaires of all different size, age, color stood near the doorway.

Some bared tattoos, some wore identical articles of jewelry.

The cybernetic augmentations ranging from prosthetic legs, ears, and even steel fangs made up the war machine of the Legion.

They said nothing, they did nothing.

As he continued to walk forward, they moved out of the way for him.

Whether they did it in respect or fear, he didn’t care.

He stretched his wings out, ready to take flight.

Chapter 8

He sat on the throne, formerly belonging to Celestia.

His mind was surprisingly clear.

Yet he couldn’t focus on anything.

Maybe he was just trying to figure out everything that had happened.

He flew from Starlight Concave, he didn’t remember the trip at all.

He landed back into Canterlot’s market square.

Half limping, half marching his way to the palace, he disregarded any ponies yelling obscenities at him and easily fought off any resistance from the group of twenty or so Legionnaire assassin’s (Who successfully swept the palace and killed off the royal family and their bodyguards.) all within a period of a couple hours, despite the grave injuries of his battle with Cordis.

Limp corpses of fallen adversaries and discharged guards of Celestia’s troop littered the courts and the throne room.

He took his spot on the throne, realizing nobody was left to rule Equestria.

Except him.

He didn’t get up, he sat motionless with a blank expression for hours, remaining awake through the night and into the early morning.

He didn’t move an inch.

And now he was here, all alone.

He figured his sisters managed to leave Starlight Concave and back home.

But deep down, he didn’t really care if they didn’t, his conscious hated him for thinking that, but it was true.

Blackwing compiled all of his memories and made a final conclusion.

So this is it... This is my life now.

He wasn’t happy even though now he was king, there was nobody to share the spoils of his victory with him.

For the first time in eight hours, he got off the throne.

He walked over to the veranda doors and peered outside, down on the streets of Canterlot.

Hundreds of ponies along the streets crowded around, looking up at the balcony, waiting for him to come out and speak.

He opened the door and inched his way onto the stone balcony.

They didn’t look angry, only curious, desperate for answers.

He leaned over the balcony, staring back at all of them.

“I don’t care what any of you think about me. All I care about is fixing up this place and do what Celestia couldn’t.”

That’s all he said to them.

And he walked away.

“How informal.” and “What?” Were a merely part of hundreds of confused and disappointed phrases shared between tourists and aristocrats.

The clamoring continued until they all realized that he wasn’t coming back out, they all were forced to disperse and go on with the day.

Progressing back to his throne, he heard a sound come from the study.

He decided to investigate.

He opened the door to the study, there lied a scroll on the carpet.

Ever since the assassination, people had stop sending letters to the palace.

Must be for me then.

He picked it up and untied the tweed that wrapped the paper closed.

Crude black letters were scrawled on the scroll in somewhat still wet ink.

COME TO THE PONYVILLE CLINIC

BLOODLINE IS DYING

He crumpled it up and stared at the wadded ball.

He threw it into the study’s fireplace, the fire crackled and consumed it, reducing it to ash.

He debated whether to go there or not.

But he realized...

Was it truly their fault for all this?

Why was he even mad at all of them? Bloodline was the one who kicked him, not the other two.

What was I thinking... I need to go apologize, I may never get to see her again...

Without hesitation, he left the palace, hoping that he won’t make it there too late.

Thirty minutes is all it took to get to the clinic.

The nurses immediately pointed towards the hospital room.

He walked down the hallway while catching his breath.

Inside the room, a small group of friends lingered around the room, keeping the injured company.

Stormcloud and Quicksilver who sat very close to their sister.

Fluttershy sat with her head down, trying to avoid eye contact with the others.

Zecora who sat in the far corner of the room, looking displeased.

And of course; Bloodline, who was asleep, she was on a weird form of life support that involved releasing powerful amounts of magical energy that was packed into a gas into her lungs.

She also had tubes stuck up her nose, which looked funny in a weird ‘schadenfreude-esque’ way.

“We’re all glad that you could make it...” Stormcloud commented, not leaving her sister out her sight.

“How’d you get back so fast?” Blackwing asked.

“With my flying and Quicksilvers shoes, it wasn’t so hard getting here as it was getting here with Bloodline.” She replied.

“Are you still mad at us big brother?” Quicksilver asked in a worried tone.

That question had roundhouse kicked his heart, he couldn’t believe that he would make her think like that.

“No... I never was. I was just... Angry...” He said.

“Hmmpf... When aren’t you?” A raspy voice joked.

He pulled up a chair and sat next to her.

Grabbing one of Bloodline’s hooves tightly with both of his hands, he chuckled.

“A better question is: When aren’t you such a smartass?” Blackwing joked back.

She let out a small laugh, but her groans of pain cancelled it out, “It’s all over now... You did it...” She continued.

“Technically, we did it... I would’ve been dead without Storm’s help.” Blackwing assured.

“I did what I did for them... Don’t hate me...” Bloodline said.

“I know... I forgive you, I only wish I had realized that before I left, I would’ve brought you here myself.” Blackwing said.

Bloodline let out a smile, the first one in a long while.

“I’ve been thinking about what you said when you moved in, about thinking about my parents, the ones before Cordis...”

“Yeah?”

“I had a dream about them last night, it was so vivid, I could hear them talking.”

“What’d you hear?”

“About how happy they found an angel on their doorstep, that I was such a healthy and beautiful girl...”

“That’s nice... It’s good to know you had parents who loved you.”

Even if it’s all just in your head...

“I also overheard my name... My real name.”

“Oh yeah? What?”

“...Rosemary...”

Bloodline passed away later that night, finally submitting to her injuries, my sisters cried and cried even as they left to go home for the night.

Fluttershy obviously shared a similar level of sadness, but she bottled it inside.

She was good at that.

Zecora mourned the loss of great soul, a great mother figure, a friend.

She assured me that it was going to be ok, that it can only get better from here.

I didn’t go back to the manor in the Everfree Forest that night, I went back to Canterlot.

Someone had cleaned the bodies and fixed the cracks in my throne, courtier courtesy I guess.

I told the court officials to have a private ceremony later next week for Bloodline’s burial in Canterlot.

But in the meantime, I decided to have a drink that night in celebration for her, for one tough badass of a sister...

About a year and three hundred bottles of liquor later, Blackwing continued to reign over Equestria, he actively addressed the issues of the land and did his part to fix him.

Yet he secluded himself from others.

He had mostly fixed the ever growing problem that was the landwide famine, ponies rejoiced and praised him, calling him names, both flattering and others not so, many either prefered ‘The Infamous Butcher’, or his favorite: ‘The God of Humanity’.

He lived in an intoxicated state of bittersweet euphoria, he had never realized how much of an alcoholic he was, but that’s what happens when your mother binge drinks when she’s pregnant.

It felt just like old times.

He told himself that he drank to forget the past his mind covered up, but he also did it to distract himself from the fact that he can’t tell fantasy from reality and that the life he lived now is probably only a hallucination.

He told his sisters that they come live in Canterlot with him, to live like royalty.

But they enjoyed the lack of attention as much as he did and politely declined his offer.

With numerous tournament wins under her belt, Stormcloud fulfilled her childhood dream of getting recruited to the Wonderbolts and eventually became one of their best racers, not bad for an earth pony.

Without her at the house, Quicksilver was forced to move in with Fluttershy and they made quick friends, she resumed going to school like normal.

He sent Sharp Shade her long awaited reward in Raider’s Flats, and he was right; it was indeed more than she could pocket. She, her husband, and their child could buy out Raider’s Flats and then some if they wanted to.

Blackwing yearned for some sort of companionship, so he decided to mentor a young colt in magic and contacted one of Celestia’s old students who did studies for her to do trivial studies of his own, a purple haired mare who lived out in Ponyville like he did, she was friendly and all, but she constantly shot weird looks at him, she must’ve been close to Celestia.

He managed to reform the royal military and persuaded surviving members of the old guard to join, most of them did as they trusted him.

In some miraculous string of luck, ponies saw him as a good guy, the prejudiced threats and insults were no longer spouted out and they grew to adore him as much if not more than Celestia.

With no leadership, the Legion and Cordis’s lifelong dreams dissolved and scattered across the land, Legionnaires and their brothers and sisters eventually reformed into normal society.

As tortured and depressed as he was these days, Blackwing felt pleased, somewhat happy that he managed to fix an entire kingdom with only his hands. (And magic.)

In only a year and a half, he was able to fix a populace unknowing, one caught in a dangerous trance in which it was so focused on the meaningless habits of everyday life that they’ve failed to see what was happening to their home.

After his most crucial duties were fulfilled, he decided to visit the once again abandoned manor in the Everfree Forest.

The stone steps were covered in moss with the lack of use.

The old wooden front door was mostly rotted away.

Most of the house was in the process of being reclaimed by nature.

He entered every room in the house, reliving the numerous memories of what took place in them.

Last stop in the trip was his bedroom, the carpet was covered in dirt and twigs, the window had been broken from numerous heavy storms.

Yet something was different.

On his bed lied two items.

One was a gold pocket watch, he picked it up and opened it, revealing the tick, tick of the clock and the picture of him and his sisters sitting in the living room together.

He noticed that he doesn’t remember ever posing for this picture.

Maybe it did happen and I just imagined it didn’t, it would make sense.

He slipped the pocket watch into his pants pocket.

He picked up the second item, it felt so familiar, yet he had no clue what it was.

He pulled back the small hammer on the back of the device.

Click...

Click...

Click...

He shrugged, the name of this thing wasn’t even on the tip of his tongue.

Blackwing tossed the item out the window, leaving it to decompose with the rest of the house.

He didn’t know why, but he felt a presence standing near him, a friendly presence.

He swore it felt like it was smiling at him.

He walked out of his room and left the house one last time.

Before he closed the door, he could hear a faint whisper linger in the air.

Thank you for forgiving me...

It faded away with the click of the door shutting.

He didn’t know why...

But he smiled too.

Chapter 4

To the discontent of the Legionnaire's stomachs, everyone in the house shared the dinner of potatoes and bread.

They had wasted almost two hours eating and talking and the storm just got worse as the night progressed.

Fluttershy walked to the door as Blackwing and Bloodline accompanied her.

“I really need to get home, storm or no storm; I haven’t fed my animals, they’re probably starving.” Fluttershy insisted.

Blackwing sighed, “Alright, I’ll walk you home...”

“That’s fine, I know my way back.” She replied.

“Alright then, I hope you learned something today.” He continued.

“I did, you guys are so nice...” Fluttershy complemented.

For some odd reason Quicksilver waved to her from the hallway.

She waved back, Blackwing thought it was for him and waved too.

“Night...” Blackwing said to her as he walked towards his bedroom.

“Thanks for joining us, I guess not everypony from your town is bad...” Bloodline said.

Fluttershy smiled and opened the door and walked out into the rain.

Blackwing dreamt a vivid dream of being back home to his earth, the dream started with a white haze, but it cleared up to a picture of his lying on the carpet with two pairs of shoes standing in front of him.

Blackwing couldn’t move, his senses were shocked and his eyesight was hazy.

He rolled his eyes to see where he was, it was his apartment, but the people in front of him were paramedics.

He couldn’t listen to their garbled conversation but he did notice one of them holding something familiar.

Something too familiar.

The paramedic was inspecting Blackwing’s .45 revolver in his hands.

Another uniformed man walked over with a white cloth and a stretcher.

He rested the cloth over Blackwing’s face.

What? Why can’t I move? I’m alive goddamn it, look at me!

And he realized, without the Spirit, he would have joined his mother and the millions of billions of souls long gone under the white cloth.

Your story is one of few that makes me truly sad.

Blackwing could hear the disembodied spirit, as if she was standing next to him, commentating on the dream as he slept.

I brought you to my world because you were a talent wasted on a planet that was already doomed to fail. You were so special... Just like your-

She stopped herself from further rambling.

I understand.

I’m glad that you do, you could be lying in a ditch right now, I could’ve just left you dead, but I didn’t.

I know...

Do not worry Mitchell, you are making exceptional progress...

His brain clicked and the dream ended.

He lied in bed all morning, his injuries caught up to him and his stiff muscles and burning wounds prevented him from moving.

His bandages felt sticky and wet, he felt as if his skin was made of pins and needles.

All he could do was clench his teeth and seeth the pain away.

Bloodline entered his room still wearing her augmentations, worried for her stagnant brother.

“Are you okay?” She asked.

He could only shake his head.

She sat on his bedside, “I’ll go get some medicine, stay put...” she said.

“Thanks...” His words escaped through his teeth.

Bloodline kissed him on the forehead and left his room.

Blackwing enjoyed the rare occurrence of a cozy morning, despite the throbbing pain.

Bloodline had returned with painkillers, they were doing their job and Blackwing was able to get out of bed.

He continued his day in the living room, sharpening his sword and inspecting the jewel upon his gauntlet.

It was oddly quiet, too quiet for comfort.

Only a short while after his maintenance was finished he heard the fanfare of trumpets in the distance.

Oh god, what now?

The music drew nearer and nearer to the front door.

None of his sisters were home to inspect, they had all left to their plans.

He walked over to a window and peered out into the forest.

Colts, a small band of colts, all wearing uniformed pearly white armor.

They stopped in front of the home and before one of them could knock on the door, Blackwing opened it.

“Who are you?” Blackwing asked.

“Fear not beast, we are courtiers from Canterlot, from the royal throne of Princess Celestia.” The head colt answered.

Blackwing rolled his eyes, “Aaaaand?”

“She requests your presence at her royal kingdom at once.” He continued.

“What for? I got sisters to look after, I can’t just drop everything...” Blackwing demanded.

“To discuss terms, for what I cannot tell you...” The courtier finished.

Blackwing sighed in annoyance.

“Tell her I’ll be there soon...” Blackwing promised.

“Excellent, we shall make haste, good day beast.” The colt said and his lackeys followed him as he turned back into the forest.

It sounded promising but Blackwing couldn’t help but feel like something bad was going to happen.

Canterlot... Where is that?

He was about to turn around and go back inside, but he had an epiphany.

Wait, Fluttershy should know...

He quickly gathered his stuff from the living room and left home.

Blackwing looked down below and saw Fluttershy in her backyard, tending to her animals.

He landed with a thud that shocked her.

She jumped backwards and screamed.

Blackwing couldn’t contain his laughter, he stopped when the muscles in his neck started throbbing in pain.

“Oh, I’m sorry, but that was funny.” Blackwing said.

Fluttershy chuckled a little herself, “Hi Mitchell...”

“I had a question, Canterlot; where is it?” He asked.

“Oh, that city right upon the mountain way over there.” She pointed to the snow capped mountains, a city rested on it’s side.

“Why?” Fluttershy asked.

“Celestia wants to meet me and I don’t like the idea of that.” He replied, “By the way, if my sisters ask where I am, tell them I may be gone for a while.”

“Of course, I’ll do that.” She said.

“Thanks, I’ll get out of your hair now.” Blackwing said

She waved goodbye before he launched himself back up into the sky.

He soared in the air, the light wind grazing his face as he shot full speed ahead for the mountains under the cold, grey skies.

He had the city in his sights for about an hour, but it took forever to actually reach the place.

Canterlot had a very odd desgin to it, it lied on a small island near one of the mountains many waterfalls, the entire city didn’t even fit on the island, most of its numerous houses, spires, and towers just hung off the cliffside.

The palace rested beyond tall battlement walls surrounded by a deep stream of crystal blue water, it was connected to a large stone trail winding down the mountain by a large wooden drawbridge.

Along his trip several pegasi ran into and said their hellos to the new face in the game.

A game few knew of.

The city seemed somewhat majestic in his eyes, he never saw such a thing in his life.

He touched down near the Princess’s palace, guarded by countless watchmen.

No chance of getting a cheap shot, darn...

He walked to the front gate, two colts stood post.

“Name and business.” One of them demanded.

“Blackwing, the Princess wants to see me.”

They stood aside and allowed him to pass.

The doors opened as he walked forward, just like Luna’s place.

A mare walked up to him with a smile, “This way, the Princess has been eager to meet you.”

He obliged and followed her.

They walked through a tall and wide hallway, lit by the colored light of stained glass across walls of crystal and stone and seas of velvet carpeting.

The mare and Blackwing stopped in front of a tall, decorative door.

“She is through here.” The mare said.

“Thank you.” Blackwing said and opened the door.

It was some sort of study, bookshelves stacked against the wall, and papers everywhere.

There sat the Princess on a large cushy pillow, sorting through letters and scrolls, but setting them aside when she saw him.

“Blackwing is it? Sit...” She said.

He nodded and sat in a smaller pillow across from her.

“I heard of your heroic act yesterday, singlehandedly saving a town and putting an end to my sister.” She continued.

“Yes, that was me.” Blackwing replied.

“Listen, I brought you here to make you a deal.” Celestia said.

“Shoot.”

“Personally, I got sick of Luna myself, but thousands are outraged by letting this happen, I tried to explain the situation but they continue to demand your death.” She said.

“What do you mean, you’re going to kill me?” Blackwing asked.

“No, in an attempt to make them happy, I decided to only exile you.” She said.

Blackwing’s neutral look went to a scowl just like that.

“It’s nothing personal Blackwing, it’s for the best...” Celestia implied.

Blackwing stood up and looked away from her, “Over my goddamn dead body.”

“This is to keep from my reputation from being tarnished.” She said.

Blackwing stopped, he turned around and stared at her with disbelief.

“Your reputation?! That’s all you care about?!” Blackwing yelled.

“You must understand that without Luna, there’s no more possibility for civil war, but only if my subjects still entrust me with power. There is still problems with famine and the Legi-” She was interrupted.

Blackwing drew his sword and pointed the tip of the blade towards her head.

“That was a bad move...” Celestia threatened.

Her horn made a shimmering noise as it glowed with a opaque pink blob of energy.

Suddenly a zap shot out out from her forehead.

Blackwing dropped unconscious, his sword fell with a clang.

She walked over to the door and called for some guards.

The entered the room, standing over the lifeless creature.

“Take him somewhere far, far away.” Celestia ordered.

“Any ideas?” A guard asked.

“Hmm... Raider’s Flats should suffice.” She replied with a smirk.

The other colt grabbed ahold of Blackwing’s legs and started dragging him out of the study while the other confiscated his sword.

Quicksilver and Bloodline returned to the estate in the afternoon, noticing their injured brother was nowhere to be found.

“Hmph, he just can’t stay in one spot for long, must be doing something with that outlander.” Bloodline commented.

Quicksilver scurried to her room, leaving Bloodline behind.

Then a knock on the door stopped her dead, she turned around and opened the door.

“Fluttershy, what brings you back?” She asked in surprise.

“I just wanted to tell you that Mitchell said he was going somewhere and he wanted me to let you know.” She replied.

“Where exactly?”

“He didn’t say, he just asked me directions to Canterlot and then he left.”

“Hmm, thanks for telling me...” Bloodline sounded worried.

“Anytime Bloodline.” Fluttershy said with innocent smile.

She turned around and left and Bloodline leaned on the doorframe.

“One of these days he’s going to leave and he’s never going to come back...” She said in a sad tone.

She shut the door and continued her day.

A quiet wind howled in his ears, dry air flooded his nostrils.

He awoke god knows how long after the blast, he cracked an eye open and was greeted to the grey clouds crowning the sky, the desperate white sun tried to peek through the clouds to no avail.

He clenched his hands and sand leaked out of his fist.

Sand?

He opened his eyes and yawned as he sat up.

Sand, sand, and more sand was the landscape around him.

He was stuck in a perpetual sea with no sight of life.

He inspected himself, no cuts, no bruises, nor was he robbed of anything.

Celestia must’ve felt so very generous to let me keep my gear, pfft.

He stood and tried to shake out loose piles of sand from his boots.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, he was truly exiled from the rest of the world.

He walked his way to a tall sand dune ahead of him, trying to get any clue where he was.

Still nothing, only mirages of water and small dust devils covered the land.

But he saw a silhouette in the distance, not far from him.

Of course it was a pony shaped figure, but he was happy enough to see anyone.

He waved his arms in the air, the figure didn’t react but continued it’s way towards him.

The figure became more clear, it was wearing cloth robes and goggles, usual desert survival gear.

The mysterious pony stopped in front of him, staring up at him.

“Thanks for stopping, can you help?”

The samaritan removed a section of cloth and revealed a mare’s face.

She had an odd, teal colored haircut that reminded him of seaweed to his amusement.

Blackwing noticed a black stripe in the middle section of her above her horn, a coincidence more than likely.

He noticed long curved eyelashes, as she lifted the goggles from her eyes.

Her dark cobalt colored face was dirty and scarred, as was her horn.

He was so busy at learning her face that he hadn’t notice she held up a dagger at him.

“Your money, all of it.” She said.

Blackwing raised up his arms, “I have nothing for you, no money, no use.”

She scowled at him, “Don’t play games with me, I know who you are, word travels fast, even in the middle of nowhere. Being the hero you are, you must be loaded...”

“I haven’t made any money since I first arrived here, I don’t ask for anything either.” Blackwing explained.

The bandit lowered her guard, “Is that so, what a waste of publicity if you’re not going to milk it dry...”

“Why would I, what could I possibly buy that I want?”

“If you knew what I’ve been through, you would know financial security is key in this world, providing for your family... But being a monster like you, you couldn’t possibly know what a family is...” She said bitterly.

“You don’t know the half of it...” Blackwing said.

In the moment of silenced, Blackwing shot his legs back and kicked her in the hoof, punting the dagger out of her grasp, sending it flying into a casket of sand.

“Now... If you help me get back home, I promise you all the money you could want.” Blackwing offered.

The bandit rubbed her kicked hoof and fitter her goggles back onto her face, “How much?”

“Soon, Equestria will have a new leader, I guess that’ll mean I’ll get some sort of reward, more than you could pocket.”

The bandit laughed, “New leader? You may have killed Luna, but don’t get cocky, Celestia could turn you inside out with her magical powers if it meant defending her kingdom...”

“I don’t need you antagonizing me... My luck’s been good so far. Are we going or not?” Blackwing demanded.

“Yeah, yeah follow me, there’s an oil drilling settlement somewhere near here, Raider’s Flats they call it.”

“Do you hold up innocent people there too? Criminal...”

“Criminal is a dirty word, I would call myself somewhat of a minstrel or a courier, I travel town to town, go about in secluded towns and villages spreading around news, and I mug people to buy myself food. When you look at it from my perspective, it’s a noble calling.” The bandit explained.

“I guess, but you could make your money some other way...” Blackwing said.

“Around these parts, the only way to make money is oil drilling, stealing, or prostitution. Oil drilling is too tough and I would never whore myself out, I have standards to live by.” The bandit contradicted.

Blackwing laughed, “You remind me of my sister...”

“There are more creatures like you?”

“No, I live with some girls and I guess they consider me as family.”

“Huh... Lucky you, I lost my sisters several years ago.” The bandit said in a sad, reminiscent tone.

“Sorry to hear that... Uhm...” Blackwing unintentionally asked for her name.

“Sharp Shade, I’m Sharp Shade.” She finished his sentence.

Blackwing silently gasped and swallowed nervously.

“What’s wrong?” Sharp Shade asked.

“Funny coincidence, that’s all...” Blackwing denied.

“What coincidence?” She asked.

“My sister told me she lost someone named Sharp Shade a long time ago.” Blackwing laughed in denial.

Sharp Shade’s jaw dropped.

“You live with my sisters?! How are they? Where do they live?!” She bombarded him with questions.

She screamed in excitement and jumped around.

“Calm down, they’re doing fine, we live in a pretty big house in the Everfree Forest.” Blackwing said.

Sharp Shade sighed, “It’s such a relief knowing that they’re safe and happy...”

Blackwing patted her on the back, “If you want, that’s where I’m heading, you could come live with your sisters again.”

She sighed again, this time it was in disappointment.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“I can’t... I thought I’d never see them again, I had to make a new life here...” She answered.

“What do you mean?” He asked again.

“I met a colt a couple of years ago, we got married and now we have a little filly to call our own. I can’t leave because I’d be leaving them...”

“Could you visit at least, Bloodline tears up whenever she mentions you, you need to see your sisters again.” He insisted.

“Do you know how far Everfree is from here? Celestia dumped you in the farthest corner of the earth she could find. It’s at least three weeks travel from here.”

Wait... I WAS OUT FOR THREE WEEKS?!

“Anyways, thank you for the offer, but if you could tell them I’m doing fine, that would mean the world to me...” Sharp Shade said.

Blackwing was speechless, he felt the feeling similar to when he first arrived; shocked beyond what a normal human was capable of experiencing without suffering a breakdown.

Maybe he did break down, maybe he was absolutely insane, after all, he felt like a completely different man than he was months ago.

“I’ll take you to Raider’s Flats, somepony might take you on a stagecoach back, I’ll give you some money for the ride...” Sharp Shade said, not even looking him in the eye.

She looks sad, knowing that her sisters are alive, she probably feels terrible knowing she can never see them again, maybe if they died she wouldn’t have to worry about them...

“Alright... Sounds good.” Blackwing replied.

They walked down the sand dune, on their way to Raider’s Flats to go their separate ways.

They arrived at the desert town of Raider’s Flats and visited the local stagecoach service.

Sharp Shade stood near the door for the stagecoach ride’s office, kicking up dust, scarred with a disappointed look.

Blackwing walked out of the door and sighed, “Apparently I saved the owner’s mother when I saved Ponyville from Luna, he’s going to give me a free ride back.”

“Good deal... I guess this is goodbye then?” Sharp Shade asked.

“I guess so.”

“It was nice meeting you Blackwing, treat my sisters well, they mean the world to me... Or at least they did.”

“Don’t worry, they’ll be fine.” He assured.

Blackwing bent down to eye level with her and cracked a promising smile, “No harm will come to them, I promise you that.”

Sharp Shade nodded and hugged him tightly, “Thank you so much...”

Blackwing stood back up and waved as he headed towards the stagecoach that pulled up.

“Blackwing...” She called.

He looked back.

“Sorry for pulling a knife on you...” She laughed embarrassingly.

Blackwing chuckled and took his seat on the vehicle.

Endless hours of conversation, laughs, and stops for food later, Blackwing and the colt in charge of the stagecoach had arrived in Ponyville.

The trip only lasted a few days, Blackwing laughed to himself at Sharp Shade’s exaggeration.

He hopped off the stagecoach which stopped on the town’s edge.

“Thanks for the ride man...” He said to the driver as he walked off.

“No problem Blackwing, anytime.” The colt replied as he rode off.

He walked down a dirt road with Ponyville behind him, he could only focus on reaching home.

He walked through the familiar forest with a sense that he was being watched by someone.

Someone in the treetops.

He looked behind him and up in the treetops he saw a black figure.

The blob dropped down from the trees when he spotted it.

“Where the hell have you been big brother?” She said.

Blackwing sighed in relief, it was Stormcloud in her odd nylon suit.

“How long was I gone?” He asked.

“About a week and a half, Bloodline is worried sick about you, she ended up asking everywhere if they’ve seen you... How come you don’t know how long you were gone?” She replied.

“I’ll explain later, where are the others?”

“At a track in a town nearby, I’m racing there today.” She explained.

“Then... Why are you here if you’re supposed to be racing?” He contradicted.

“I forgot a few things back home, come on...” She walked off.

Blackwing followed her back home, as she collected her missing things, he took off all of his gear in his bedroom, he needed to air out and shake any loose sand away from his clothes.

He decided he’d leave without his gauntlet and wing harnesses, only bringing his sword.

“Ready to go Mitchell?” Stormcloud asked from another room.

He walked out of his room, “As ready as I’ll ever be...”

She nodded and they headed back out the door.

As they walked through the forest, Mitchell noticed a strange metal device on her back, similar to Bloodline’s cybernetic augmentation.

“So, this racing thing... How fast can you run?” He asked.

Stormcloud snickered and looked at him, “It’s not a running race, it’s a flying race...” She replied.

He raised an eyebrow, “But you don’t have wings...”

As he finished his sentence a pair of razor sharp blades shot out of the device, smaller blades followed and connected themselves to each other, forming metal wings flexing in different angles from large ball sockets.

“They look sharp. Don’t you get accused for cheating?” Blackwing said.

“It isn’t cheating when they’re bolted to your spinal cord... Ironic how an earth pony like me can be the best flyer in the land, don’t you think?” She asked.

“Sure.” He replied with little attention.

He cleared his mind of any thought lingering in his head and the next thing he knew, he was in some sort of locker room, sitting on a wooden bench.

He flickered his eyes, he noticed Bloodline standing in front of him, asking a question with a contempt look on her face.

“-I was worried sick Mitchell! Are you listening?!” She yelled.

Blackwing snapped out of his trance, “W-What?”

“Where did you go, you vanished without a trace, Celestia said you were dead!” She replied.

“She’s a lying sham, she dumped me in a desert to make it seem like a win-win situation for herself.” He explained.

“Desert? Where?” She asked.

“A place far out... Raider’s Flats.” He answered.

“By the way, that reminds me, I met someone along the way.”