Blades in the Crowdby walk-in closet bronyChaptersPrologue Chapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Prologue Prologue Dearest Twilight, He comes for me, just as he came for the others. I can feel the watchful sting of his gaze everywhere I go. First Applejack and Rainbow Dash, then the others. It's just us now. Sometimes I wonder if what we've been doing is right, good for our little ponies, but then I remind myself that you've never led us astray and that you'll always be there for me. You're a better leader than any crackpot princess that tries to govern in that goddess-forsaken castle, no matter how many times we've bowed to their forelegs and kissed their hooves in fake earnest. I know in my heart that you will know what to do when the time comes. May the mare of understanding guide us, -R A distraught purple mare magically crumpled up the parchment in a foreboding sigh and threw it in the waste bin next to her desk, lowering her head in a melancholy fashion. With a reassuring smile, her right hoof slowly stroked a golden, hypnotizing sphere in her lap that began to speak calm, soothing words into her head. "Don't worry . . . I wont let him take you away from me . ." She whispered. ________________________________________________________________________________ Ten years earlier . . . "VIRTUE! Noble Virtue you wake up and get down here this instant! You're breakfast is getting cold and your father needs you at the stand in thirty minutes! It's a busy day today!" An aged mare stood at the foot of the old staircase, her eyes fixated to the top waiting for her son to appear. Noble Virtue stirred in his bed, his dream of saving the world interrupted by a loud call from below. He roused awake and shook his head vigorously, realizing his tardiness to the dining room and most importantly, his job. Wrestling his bed sheets away from him, Virtue slipped from his roost and collided with the hardwood floor, eliciting a pained grumble from the groggy Earth pony. "Ugh . . coming! Oh goddess, this cannot keep happening." Moaned Virtue as he clambered off the ground and towards the bathroom to freshen up. Noble Virtue had grown up in a middle class home in the town of Ponyville, which had just then started it's rise to becoming a metropolis. His father, but a simple food merchant, worked a stand in the same place that he had been selling his wares for almost twenty years. It was a simple life, but a livable one compared to others who had been hit by the industrial awakening brought on by the element of magic, princess Twilight Sparkle, who had risen to political and economical control alongside the other bearers of the elements of harmony, who also held firm stakes in the way things were being run in Equestria. The years grew on and Virtue completed school, only to join his father in the merchant guild to help raise funds for the rent. "Virtue!" "COMING!" Noble Virtue descended the stairs with a brisk air about him, trying to ignore the creaking of the stairs as he trotted over the rotting wood. The wallpaper, as crummy as it was to start with, was also withering away. "Virtue's gonna be late! Virtue's gonna be late!" Chanted Virtue's sister, Penumbra. "Eat your breakfast Pen, here's your flapjacks Virtue." Said their mother, jumping back and forth between stations. "Thanks mom, where's dad?" Asked Virtue as he scarfed down the morning meal. "Your father's already at the stand hon, he's waiting for you so you better hurry." The walk from Virtue's home to the town center wasn't a very long trek, only three blocks away from his house stood the town center and the marketplace where he and his father sold their food. A loud voice rung out, catching Virtue's attention. "You can't evict me! I payed my bills on time!" Two large armor-plated guards towered over a unicorn and levitated a piece of parchment towards the mare's face. Virtue shriveled a bit. These guards had princess Sparkle's insignia on their helms. They had always been overly-aggressive ever since her royal majesty Twilight Sparkle took up permanent office in Canterlot, carrying out orders they deemed, "given straight from the mouth of the princess." "Yes we can. You're being relocated to a temporary living quarters until further notice." One spoke. "What the hay! Why?" "By order of Princess Twilight Sparkle. Your home is now inside the building plot of her majesty's own personal palace to be. You have until the thirty-first to move. If you have a problem you can write a letter of formal complaint and send it to the address on this slip." The other guard explained. "Formal complaint!? You can tell the "princess" that she can take my formal complaint and shove it up her-" "Alright, that's enough outta you," Said the unicorn guard, interrupting the mare's outburst,"I could incarcerate you right now for treason if I wanted to. But since I'm feeling nice . . ." The guard blindsided the mare in her right temple with his baton, smirking as she fell to the ground. "AGH! Is-isn't anypony going to do anything?" The pained unicorn groaned, staring pleadingly into the crowd that had formed before her front lawn. The two guards chortled as they glanced around the street, looking for anyone with a vengeful face, but all they saw were frightened little ponies trying to continue on with their day. Noble Virtue felt like galloping over there right now and pounding each of those idiots in the face. "See? No one cares you whelp. Now get out of my sight before I arrest you for loitering on government property!" The defeated mare limped away, clutching the eviction notice in her jaw, her forehead now oozing blood in short gushes. The guards themselves laughed it off and shot a grim look at everypony that continued to stare, effectively clearing the area of all curious onlookers. Virtue felt ashamed to be among the cowards. Those who never acted, only complained about lack of action behind closed doors yet took the oppression and the punishments everyday, hoping for a new outcome. The buzzing of the merchants and the stock vendors in the city square could only be outmatched by the sound of metallic, military horseshoes clopping against the hard cobblestone as they patrolled the bustling area, on the watch for troublemakers and those who crossed over their business boundaries, selling in areas not permitted to them by Ponyville's captain of the guard. Noble Virtue jostled his way through the maelstrom of ponies, trying to find his father's stand in the middle of the organized chaos. A trio of enforcers crossed his path, and Virtue was nearly bowled over by the guard's shear size. "Watch it colt, lest you wish for me to lock you in the stockade!" He blared. The guard bore the purple crest of Princess Sparkle. "Sorry, I'll try to be more careful." Spoke Virtue in a sincere, apologizing voice, as much as he did not mean it. "Next time, you'll be imprisoned whelp! Now return to the crevice you crawled out from and don't let me see you again." Barked another guard, a Unicorn, also bearing the icon of Princess Sparkle. Noble Virtue broke into a gallop, getting as far away from the guards as he could. "Stupid . . jerks . . ." He panted. A large mass stopped Virtue in his tracks, and to his chagrin, it too was not pleased to see him in the late manner he had arrived in. "You're late son . . . again." Chided Virtue's father, Tailor Made. "Sorry dad, I ran into a couple of purple-snouts. They kept me waiting-" "Son, I don't need excuses right now. Just, please, put on your apron and earn some bits." He pleaded. "Yeah, alright . . ." Sighed Virtue. The day wore on, and the combined trade skills of Virtue and his father managed to earn them enough bits to pay for another months rent. With the waning sun leaving towards the west, the waxing moon rose in the east, signaling it was time for all the merchants to return home. "I think we did pretty good today, don't you?" Asked Tailor Made as he hung his apron onto the cart. "We've had better, remember that time when we sold the whole carts-worth? We ate good that week." Said Virtue. The two reminisced while they packed up their wares, unaware of the approaching duo of guards, both of them bearing the dreaded crest. "Uh-oh. Dad, purple snouts." Said Virtue, lowering his head. The two entrepreneurs held their breath, awaiting the insults and retorts that usually came from the guards in purple. Luckily for Virtue and his father, the guards passed their stand, one of them knocking over a stack of dried apricots to the ground. They continued over to another stand, owned by a blacksmith. "Hey! Your rent is past due, you owe the guild leader two-hundred and fifty bits plus thirty in interest!" They commanded, knocking over some of the stallion's hardware sending it crashing to the ground. "Watch it you jerks, you almost broke my product! And I ain't paying your crazy "protection" fee to that corrupt tyrant sitting in that mansion! The only thing I need "protection" from is thugs like you!" He scolded, leaning down to pick up a broken horseshoe. The guard waited for the artisan's attention to be affixed elsewhere, then reared back and bucked him hard in the side, sending him sprawling to the ground. "Listen you!" The Pegasus spoke. "I don't take lip from lowlifes like you, understand? You either pay up, or I take you on a one way trip to palooka-ville on the pain train." To Virtue's surprise, the old stallion looked up at the guard and spit in his face, smirking with defiance as he spoke. "You wear that armor like you possess the honor to bear it, but you and your goons are just a bunch of scoundrels, feeding off of the citizens like your mad princess does up in the capitol." He hissed. The guard grinned devilishly and wiped the mucus from his helm. "Barrel, Swifty, take this fool around back and beat him to an inch of death, then arrest him for treason to her royal majesty." He sneered. The old stallions defiance quickly melted away as he received an abrupt kick to the ribs by one of the guards. He was then picked up and dragged towards the back of Sugarcube emporium, the largest sweet-making superstore in the land. The guard who ordered the cruel punishment smirked and began to trot off before glancing at Virtue and his father, who looked on with fear and disgust. "Well? What are you two simpletons gawking at? Go back to your rubbish heap and forget what you saw." He commanded. Virtue and his father left with haste, careful not to anger the already ticked off guard any further. "Those sorry excuses for guards, it infuriates me that they have the authority to run amuck in our city and treat others like dirt!" Complained his father. "Dad?" Asked Virtue in an equally frustrated tone. "Why don't we ever try to do anything to stop them? Why not sign a petition, or peacefully protest?" "Because of what you just saw. We would be snatched up by the guard so quickly, we wouldn't even have time to drop our protest banners. It's that tyrant in Canterlot I tell ya, that princess Sparkle just up and went mad one day, and Celestia or Luna wont do a thing about it! The princess of the day is too soft to turn on her old student and lady Luna is too afraid to go against her sister's wishes. It's a sorry world you and your sister have to grow up in son, and I'm sorry that you-" Tailor Made was cut short, too stunned to speak as he gazed upon the street he and his family lived on. It was filled with angry ponies, all chanting and shouting angrily. The guards at the end of the street were trying to speak over the crowd, but to no avail. "Tailor! Over here!" Shouted Virtue's mother, waving them over into a small pocket within the protestors. "Goddess, what is going on Scarlet? And where's Penumbra?" Asked Tailor. "Penumbra's right here with me." Said Scarlet, revealing Noble Virtue's younger sibling. "Oh Tailor, the guards, we've all been evicted!" Cried Scarlet, pulling Tailor into a sad embrace. "Evicted? What for!?" He yelled. "The captain of the guard has seized our property to build some kind of palace for the princess! This is terrible, where will we go?" Whimpered Scarlet, Leaning over her children and caressing their manes in earnest. Penumbra began to cry, and all Virtue could do was sit and wait for something to happen. "This is outrageous! I'm going to march up there and have a word with that scoundrel!" Shouted his father. A pony next to them, a farmer by the look of him, chuckled and spoke snidely. "Good luck with that friend! They wont let anyone close to the podium." He chortled. "Yeah, we'll see about that." Hissed Tailor as he began to push his way through the crowd. "Scarlet, watch the kids." Virtue watched his father, a prominent figure in the neighborhood held in high regards by many who knew him, trot through the crowd and further toward the podium than anypony else had gone. He was practically in the muzzle of the forward guard's face when he began to speak. Shouts from the crowd who were familiar with the voice of Tailor Made began to hush the crowd, waiting for the wise words of the humble food vendor to find a resolution to the situation at hoof. "Everypony Hush! Tailor Made is going to speak!" "Quiet down!" "Shut up, that's Tailor Made about to speak up there!" When it was quiet enough, Tailor Made addressed the guards and requested they state their business. "Our business? You'd do well to get back in line with the rabble you old codger!" Shouted the captain. "Good sirs," Pleaded Tailor."Can we not make an appeal to her royal highness? These are good ponies you are forcing onto the street. Honest, hard-working souls that only live to see their families prosper." "I'll give you one last chance street urchin, one last chance to get back!" Yelled the Captain. Tailor Made gulped and opened his mouth to speak again when an enforcers baton struck him clean in the jaw-line, sending him flying into the open embrace of the crowd. All was momentarily silent until a brick flew from the masses, striking the captain in the head. "GAH! Who dares? That's it, guards! Arrest them all!" Commanded the captain, who held a hoof to his bleeding snout. The crowd heard this, and surged forward, pushing and shoving against the advancing enforcers. Noble Virtue and his sister were held tight by their mother as the chaos of the riot swirled around them. It wasn't until the Pegasus battalions swooped in and began bludgeoning citizens in the skull did the crowd begin to break, and so began the arrests of at least forty eight Equestrians, four of them being Noble Virtue and his entire family. The crowd of condemned criminals were herded into an abandoned warehouse, seeing as though the current jailhouse was too small a fit for the mass of innocents that had been beaten and thrown in chains. Noble Virtue and his family huddled in a corner, licking their wounds and tending to a whimpering Penumbra. "Please sweetie, don't cry. Mammas here, mammas here to make it all better . . ." Hushed Scarlet, calmly rocking Penumbra back-and-forth in her lap. Noble Virtue and his father sat by the iron fence that had been used to contain the civilians inside the building, keeping the guards safe on the other side. There was a window on Virtue's side, but it led to a steep drop below, warranted by sharp rocks and surrounded by fierce, untamable waters that narrowed into a river that flowed straight through the city of Ponyville. "Dad, what do we do?" Asked Virtue, seeking guidance from the family patriarch. "I, I don't know son. We wait it out I suppose. Princess Celestia will surely hear about this and we'll be released in no time. You'll see." He reassured. "Oh, alright." The dismal atmosphere of the room only did aid to compliment the equally poor morale of the ponies held captive inside the large space. Whimpers were heard throughout, and multiple citizens who had received serious head injuries during the brawl were suffering from blood loss, yet there was no medical care to be given. Virtue could only stare in disbelief, until his attention was caught by two guards discussing a pressing matter quite close to his position. And if Virtue was good at anything, it was hearing things he wasn't supposed to hear. "Orders? Orders from who?" Asked one guard. "Straight from the princess herself." Spoke the other. Virtue continued to listen intently. "She can't be serious? The whole lot of 'em?" "Yep? These commands are to be carried out immediately or else it's the gallows for all of us." The other guard sighed in contempt. "Poor fools, they don't even know what's coming to 'em." He spoke before wandering between the other guards and relaying whatever was written on the parchment to their wanting ears. "Dad? The guards, they're leaving." Observed Virtue. Tailor looked on, and true to his son's words, the guards began leaving one by one. The crowd began to notice as well, and began to stand up and protest the absence of their captors. "Hey, what's going on?" "Where're you jerks going?" "You get back here and let us out this instant!" Unwavering to the retorts from the crowd, the guards emptied the warehouse, the last two Earth pony guards pulling the doors shut behind them. The cacophony of complaining continued, an equal distribution of confusion making it's way through the gathered mass of ponies. "Momma, what's going to happen to us?" Asked Penumbra, clinging to her mother. Scarlet didn't answer, unclear of the question herself. Virtue kept his attention fixed on the door, his interest piqued long enough to notice the black smoke billowing from underneath the cracks of the door. The smell of smoke filled the air, and the ponies trapped inside could smell it's brimstone scent tickle their nostrils as the horrible truth descended upon them one by one. "THEY'RE BURNING US ALIVE!" Yelled one stallion, igniting a wave of panic that swept through the crowd. "Goddess, what are they thinking? LET US OUT! THERE ARE CHILDREN IN HERE!" Yelled Tailor Made despite the fact that his voice had been lost in the ocean of others, all crying out to a goddess that wouldn't come to save them. Scarlet began humming a lullaby to a crying Penumbra, who openly sobbed into her mothers velvet fur. "Honey, take Penumbra and follow me!" Yelled Tailor, grabbing his son's hoof and guiding him to the window. The four huddled in the corner, gasping for fresh air and exchanging panicked looks. To everypony's surprise, Tailor Made picked up an old stool and threw it through the small window, shattering it violently. "Scarlet dear, give me Penumbra." Spoke Tailor as he grasped his daughter for the final time. "Dad? What're you doing?" Questioned Virtue in a panicked tone. Tailor Made, as big of a stallion that he was, pulled his family into a tight embrace and spoke with an unwavering voice. "Listen children, this window is big enough for the two of you to fit through," Penumbra had already begun to shake her head, unable to hold back the tears. "Virtue, you be as brave as you can for me and take your sister. It's a long drop down to the water, but you can make it. Your mother and I will manage, just take your sister and go!" He commanded, hoofing Penumbra to Noble Virtue and pulling his wife into a protective hug. "Momma, don't make me go!" Pleaded Penumbra, trying to squirm her way out of her older brothers forelegs. "You need to darling, please! Go!" She cried. The fire had begun to lick it's way among the crowd, the smell of burning flesh and the sound of pained screams raking the room. "Children, we love you so much . . ." Their father spoke as he nudged them out of the window and into the icy grasp of the cold mid-night air. The two screamed on their way down, watching the rocks below get closer and closer. SMACK! Virtue plunged into the cold waters below, and to his utmost horror, realized the noise he had heard moments before entering the bowels of the raging rapids was the sound of his sister's nimble body colliding into the sharp rocks that had dotted the coast. He wanted to scream, but was knocked out cold when his head struck a protruding rock underwater, the relentless rapids carrying his body downriver towards the city of Ponyville. Chapter 1The world swayed back and forth into darkness and light as Noble Virtue slowly returned to the world of the living. His head ached terribly, and his back was resting awkwardly on a hard slab. He tried lifting his head, but to no avail. "Hey . . you . . . okay? Saw you . . . from the river . . ." A voice sounded from the deep, but was quickly drowned out, blanketed by the raspy cough that had now filled Virtue's lungs. He slowly regained consciousness and with it, his memories. And once he did, he'd wished he died back in the fire that had taken his entire family. "PENUMBRA!" Spouted Virtue, shooting up from his position, writhing his limbs wildly in the air. A strong pair of hooves held him back down, and before he knew it, Virtue had sapped all of his strength once more and quickly faded back into the welcoming pillow of unconsciousness. Deep inside her majesty's palace, princess Twilight Sparkle sat in her private study, writing furiously with a worn down pen. Her gaze un faltering, her eyes hardly blinking, she documented her encounters with an object old as time, one that held all the secrets, and didn't even require a key. It was a marvelous thing, this little ball. It had been her everything. Her rise to power, her authority over her little ponies, the ladder she had given her friends to take their place among the hierarchy with her. It had been long since- "Your majesty?" Hailed a voice, interrupting Twilight's train of thought. "What? Can you not see I'm busy!" She called out frustratingly, shutting the drawer to her right and locking it with magic. "I-I'm sorry y-your highness, b-but you haven't l-left your room in days! Please, Princess Celestia and Lady Luna would ask that you join them for dinner this evening." The page stuttered. Twilight sighed in annoyance, the constant pestering of her "dear" mentor was becoming a nuisance, much so that it was starting to interfere with the allignment of her plans. With the actions undertaken at Ponyville today, she would have to postpone the first phase of her operation to next Wednesday, a whole week behind schedule. "Very well Tinker, I shall consider it. Now please, leave me be!" She said, attempting to retain as much self control as she could. "Of course your majesty, whenever you're ready to depart." Said the page as he humbly backed out of the study. "Impudent fool . . . " With an irritated sigh, Twilight Sparkle picked up her pen and ink well and began writing once more. Consciousness once more returned to the distraught orphan, only this time he had found himself wrapped in thick rope, strapped to a wooden dining table. "Oh goddess. Mom, dad . . . Penumbra . . " He silently cried to himself, the soft whimpering echoing within the small cottage. The clip-clop of hoof steps soon entered his ears, and with what room he had to move, Noble Virtue glanced over to find an old, grey-haired stallion grinning from afar. "Please let me go! I don't want to be burned alive!" Virtue shouted, fear lapsing through every vein in his body. "Easy child, easy . . . " Said the stallion in a soft, smooth voice. Virtue watched closely as the stallion used his aged, frail horn to pick up a small cutting knife and hover it near him. Virtue panicked, and squirmed away as far as he could, only tightening the ropes further. "No . . no . . . please . . . " He begged. "I'm not going to hurt you colt, just hold still or the knife will do all the hurting." The old pony said as he cut the ropes calmly, wielding the knife with such grace, caressing the thinning rope with the blade's edge. "You're not?" Sniffled Virtue, wiping the pained tears from his eyes with his now-free hoof. "Of course not. Hold on one . . more . . second . . . and there, finished." Spoke the stallion, pulling the remnants of the binding away. Licking his raw forelimb, Virtue stared at the aged pony, observing his weathered features. Now that he had gotten a good look, Virtue could see many scars adorning his head, some running down the length of his neck to underneath his apron, which had been presently covered in blood. The impressions in the pony's face grew very intricate as he spoke. "I picked you up from the river, luckily I was the first to find you. You know, princess Sparkle's guards are looking for you now, and that is never a good reason to be found out in the open like you were. What on earth were you doing lying face-down in the river like that anyway?" Virtue stared at the floor with a grim face, remembering the cold blooded murders of all those innocent ponies, including his family, all burned alive save one small flattened pile of flesh lying somewhere among the rocks. First it had been sadness, then anger that finally overtook the poor colt as Virtue steamed where he sat, wanting vengeance for all those poor souls who had suffered at the hands of the guard, under direct orders from the tyrant Twilight Sparkle. "Calm yourself young one, and tell me what has happened, you were quite bruised up when I brought you in. My name is Sterling Valor. Might I inquire yours?" "My . . my name is Noble Virtue, and a great evil has befallen me and my family." "Goddess, burned alive? All of them, even the little ones?" Asked Sterling in disbelief. "Yes . . . all of them. I could hear the screams as my father pushed my sister and I out the window." "Of course, your poor sister. I had no idea, where did this happen?" Asked Sterling. "In the industrial sector, near the abandoned textile warehouse. All of them, my entire family dead." The old stallion could hear the anger festering in the young colt, rising to boiling temperatures. "I . . . I'LL KILL THEM ALL! EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM! THE PRINCESS, AND ALL THOSE WHO SERVE HER!" Virtue shouted, much spite and hate dwelling within his voice. The two took a moment of calming silence, when Sterling raised his head and pleaded sincerely. "Look child, I know you are angered, and rightly so, but do not throw your life away so suddenly. My sympathies and condolences to all who perished at the hooves of those dogs, but you are a young stallion, barely out of your childhood. What do you think will happen when you try to face her majesty's guards? Hm? They are seasoned mercenaries, trained to kill. You would be slaughtered before you made it to the palaces front step." Sterling explained bluntly. In a flash, Virtue directed his rage towards the old pony, who sat only inches away from the destructive orphan. "You would call me incapable!? You of all ponies, you, who is just as feeble and weak as a newborn foal!" Shouted Virtue. Suddenly, Sterling Valor stood up from his stool and spoke in a deafening voice, one that made him seem much more powerful than before. "You insolent child! I was a captain in the solar guard! Where do you think I got these scars from? Playing bridge with other seniors!? I was once a proud warrior, standing guard amongst the elite in Canterlot, when that witch Twilight Sparkle spoke out against me one day, suspecting me of treason! TREASON!" Virtue had lost all of his gumption, shrinking in fear before the tall ex-guard as he continued to chastise him. "Her brother, a close friend of mine have you, had no choice but to discharge me from the royal guard and banish me from Canterlot, never to return again. I was to be executed! Hung from the very gallows I was expected to guard each day! Luckily, lady Luna was able to persuade her sister to lessen the punishment, so here I reside today, wallowing in my own self-pity. I have become a beggar, a shadow of my former self. But you, you who still has so much life to live for, would throw it all away in a second without even thinking. For shame." He explained, softly shaking his head as he sat back down on his stool. A long quiet spell cast itself over the room, engulfing the two conflicted souls within. Virtue, pondering his thoughts, realized the wisdom in the old stallions words, that he had no training pertaining to the art of combat. He could barely make it through the first guard before he would lay eyes on the tyrant princess. He would need special schooling. But from where? Virtue hung his head in disappointment and leaped off the table, limping towards the door. "Where are you going? Remember what I said, don't do this!" Pleaded Sterling. Virtue stopped in his tracks and glanced back at the old guard. "Listen, I'm very thankful for your help, but whether you like it or not, I'm going to take action. For too long I've watched those thugs terrorize this city. You might lack the will to make a stand but for once in my life, I've got nothing to lose and I'm going to use every ounce of my strength to taking down this "princess". You can try to stop me, but I'll just keep trying until I can't any longer." Virtue turned toward the door once more, possessing no intent to face Sterling again. "Wait child- " "Stop calling me that!" Virtue yelled, maintaining his course. "You are not ready! You possess neither wing nor horn! What will you do without combat training? You aren't thinking this through!" Begged Sterling. To his own surprise, Virtue reluctantly stopped again, yet refused to face the stallion behind him. "Where do you suppose I get this training from? Hm? Everyone is too scared to do anything about the monstrosity staring them right in the face and I'm tired of it! I'm leaving, with or without help." Virtue trotted towards the door and prepared to nudge it open, not surprised that Sterling had nothing to say to his open retort. "I will." What? Noble Virtue's right hoof was on the door, which was already slightly ajar. The sudden outburst however, had restrained him from pushing it open all the way. Slowly, the wronged colt turned his head and stared at Sterling who was off the stool and by his fireplace mantle, eyeing the badges and merits he received from his glory days. "I will give you the training necessary to defeat the tyrant princess Sparkle and all those who follow her." "Again, thank you Sterling. I honestly don't know what I was thinking. I'm not gonna lie either, I was literally about to march out of here and buck the first guard I saw right in the face." Admitted Virtue as he followed Sterling to an armoire in the corner of the cottage. "That's exactly why I was trying to stop you, now come closer, there's something I want you to see." Spoke Sterling as he telekinetically grasped the handles of the armoire and pulled them open. The dust that settled as the doors swung open confirmed that this piece of furniture had not been touched in a long time. What was revealed as the dust settled however made Noble Virtue's jaw drop. "As you can see, I haven't used these in a long time, but they'll still hold their own in a fight." Said Sterling. In front of the two, showcased on a mahogany rack sat age-old guard armor that had long lost it's luster. The effect however, still held tantamount meaning. The set came complete with greaves and a full breastplate that would envelope the entirety of the wearer's body. It was the helm however, that caught Virtue's attention. It was an old model, one that still shined with the bright crest of the old guard. With glazed-over eyes filled to the brim with boyish wonder, Virtue reached for the set of grand armor, already imagining how he'd look standing over the dead bodies of his conquered enemies. SLAM The armoire doors slammed shut, denying Virtue access to the royal armor. "Hey, what gives Sterling?" Asked Virtue. "What, you think just because you retain the will to fight you can don the robes of a guard? You must earn these through months of hard training." "Months!? I can't wait months!" Cried Virtue in disbelief. Sterling laughed hard, locking the cabinet and turning to face his new apprentice. "When I said I would train you, I meant it. I am going to give you every bit of knowledge I possess about combat and cunning so that you may be prepared to strike hard and fast in the coming months. Come the end of this year, you shall be ready to begin the long road to smiting our foes, and do a great service to the ponies of this land and those beyond." Explained Sterling. With an accepting sigh, Virtue stood still, staring at the closed doors of the armoire. Sterling had already trotted away into the kitchen, preparing the evening meal. "I shall prepare a sleeping space for you in the attic. It is no longer safe for you to wander outside. Word of your survival will surely prompt a mad search from the guard." Called Sterling from afar. "Very well." Virtue spoke quietly to himself, moving his gaze to the mantle where Sterling's medals sat. He had countless merits, even a solar cross, all depicting his bravery in the face of unrelenting danger. On the centerpiece sat a photo of him in his captains armor standing at attention alongside another, one Virtue could recognize all too well. Captain of the guard, Shining Armor. Sterling entered the room, interrupting Virtue's train of thought. As the young colt stared at the aging stallion, he could hardly believe that the guard in the picture was the old pile of bones he was looking at today. Sterling set a tray on the table with a pitcher and two glasses and began pouring an orange liquid into each cup. "Fruit nectar," He spoke. "Invigorates the body so I'm told." "Thanks Sterling." Said Virtue as he joined his mentor at the table and sipped his beverage. It tasted delicious, but the entire time he drank, a single question insisted on lingering in the back of his head. "Hey Sterling, I've got a question." "Yes?" "Why? Why would you help even though I insulted you like I did back there. Despite the fact that what we're proposing, open rebellion to a princess of Equestria which is considered the highest of treason, you would still help me. Why?" Sterling smiled and closed his eyes as he slowly sipped his fruit nectar in what seemed like the calmest tranquility. "Virtue, fifty years ago I took an oath. An oath that entitled me a protector of the free ponies of this land, and if anything should threaten that freedom, I am to take immediate action, risking life and limb to preserve such freedoms. Ah, but these old hooves, they're too old to stand against an evil as strong as this. So I take action by way of training you, and I fulfill that oath through your actions against out foes. Do me this last kindness and help me keep my word to the princess that I am still a guard, and shall be to the day I take my final breath." Chapter 2Two Months Later . . . "Now that we've covered the basics of combat, you'll need to learn more advanced techniques to free the ponies of Equestria from this new evil." Spoke Sterling as he led Virtue around the back of the cottage to an artificial fight-ring they had constructed. It wasn't much to look at. A simple fence which surrounded a confined space with an equine dummy in the center. The target held numerous dents spread all around it's exterior while a plethora of adhesive kept it from falling apart. However, the small backyard had it's advantages. Located deep in Ponyville's industrial sector, the minuscule plot of land was well hidden among the buildings that towered above it. "Great! Does that mean I can try on the suit?" Virtue asked eagerly. "No. You haven't earned it yet." Said Sterling as he nudged open the gate to the little arena. "What? It's been two months! Hours of endurance training! How am I not ready yet?" Sterling stopped in his tracks and turned to look at the young stallion. Noble Virtue had come a long way from the pony he was two months ago, his readiness and ambitions confirmed it. "If you are to defeat the tyrant princess and her cohort of guards, you must master the ability to adapt to every changing situation. You are a simple Earth pony. Tell me, have you ever battled a Pegasus in mid-flight before? Have you even once dueled a Unicorn in open combat? I must teach you how to fight these fights and beat the odds, even if they're stacked against you." "Fine, where do we begin?" Deadpanned Virtue. "Where we've been for the last two months." Spoke Sterling as he motioned his hoof toward the target dummy. Six months later . . . "Huff . . . huff . . . YAH!" Noble Virtue thrusted his practice lance into the side of the dummy once more, sloppily yanking it out of the frail target. "Tsk tsk, your entry was sloppy as was your recovery. Again." Scolded Sterling Valor. Noble Virtue inhaled deeply and readied his lance once more, striking the center mass of the target dummy. "Sigh . . . better. We'll touch down more on the intricacies of lance recovery after a short break, all this yelling-at-your-useless-flank has worked up an appetite." "No, no! I can keep going! I'm not that tired!" Panted Virtue, faltering as his legs quivered from over exhaustion. Sterling ignored him and continued his matter-of-fact trot inside the cottage. A defeated Virtue followed shortly after. "Go get the paper while I prepare our meal." Said Sterling as he set a pot of water on the stove. Noble Virtue nodded with a smile and crept out the door. It was morning in Ponyville, yet that didn't stop the average hustle and bustle of ordinary civilian life that occurred every day on the dot. As Noble Virtue trotted down the pathway he observed a variety of posters pasted on the wall of Sterling's home. The one that stuck out the most depicted the regality of Princess Twilight Sparkle as she stood among factories and refineries, food and light pouring from her open hooves. The caption below read, "The Fruits of our Labor" Virtue scoffed as he knelt down and spread the newspaper with his hoof. He grimaced as he read the front page. Another factory worker executed. With a deep sigh Virtue- "LOOK OUT BELOW!" Despite his reflexes that had been fixedly honed for months, Virtue still couldn't avoid the tumbling grey pegasus as she careened into the earth pony. The two ponies fumbled on the ground for a moment before standing up and stammering out their humble apologies. "Oh my goodness Virtue, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there!" Said Derpy Whooves, the local mailmare. "Oh that's alright, I'm sorry I was in your way!" Spoke Virtue as he leaned over and picked up a bundle of letters that had fallen out. "Well, that's a silly thing to apologize for," Derpy spoke with a grin. "How's the old curmudgeon doing these days?" Virtue zipped up Derpy's mailbag and hoofed it to her, brushing his now-frazzled mane to the side. "Oh he's alright. Stubborn as usual." He said. Derpy Whooves ran the last hoof-delivered mail route that ran through Ponyville and even with all the advanced transportation that her rival companies had mustered, Derpy's was still the most reliable, albeit a little more hazardous on account of the chance that the poor mare could come flying through your window at any given moment. "How's little Dinky?" Asked Virtue. "Oh you know her, always-" "HEY! H-HEY LET GO!" Virtue turned on his hooves and located the source of the disturbance, a stallion being carried away by two guards adorned in a distinctive purple armor, a violet crest boasted upon their helms. "WHAT THE HAY ARE YOU DOING!?" Shouted the stallion. "Arresting you, what does it look like?" Answered one of the guards. "WHAT FOR? FOR REMOVING A POSTER FROM MY SHOP?" The stallion received a sharp buck to the stomach from one of the guards, who quickly retorted the poor Unicorn's question. "I DON'T LIKE YOUR TONE WHELP! You are under arrest for defacing her majesty's property and vandalizing the city!" Yelled the Sergeant. "What! I removed one of those stupid posters because it was blocking the open sign on my store!" The stallion cried. "QUIET!" The Sergeant pinned the stallion against the wall and gave him a hard punch in the gut and ordered his lackey to continue carrying him Celestia-knows-where. Most likely to the Jailhouse to be tried and sentenced. The sentences were almost always harsher than the punishment demanded. "Another one. They're grabbing ponies for breaking the most menial rules now." Derpy spoke in a sad tone. Virtue seethed with rage. He had some training. With a little foreleg-grease he could probably beat those two thugs to a pulp if he wanted to, but that wouldn't be wise given his current situation. "I remember Twilight before her coronation." Derpy piped up, eliciting Virtue's surprised attention. "She was always so happy, a little bit of a pencil pusher and worrywart at times, but still happy. She cared for her friends and everything around her, but now . . . Y'know, she wrote that book, "The Study of Friendship" right? Can you believe that?" "I still cant believe you used to know Princess Twilight." Virtue spoke. "Me neither, that was all before the propaganda, the fake smiles, the veiled threats . . . I just worry so much now." Derpy had begun to tear up. "Not for me, but for my little Dinky. My husband barely pulls a decent wage from the textile mills and I'm losing customer after customer to those big-whig jerks who try to run a decent post service." Virtue gave her an understanding look and a pat on the shoulder, reassuring her all the while. "You'll pull through. You're too tough not to!" He said with a goofy grin. "Sniffle, thanks Virtue, I do enjoy our little conversations. It's just, one day, someone's going to finally stand up to that witch, and when they do, the whole country will follow. Hay, I'll be the first one in line!" Derpy spoke triumphantly. With a final exchange of niceties, Derpy Whooves took off, heading for her next destination. For Noble Virtue, his conscience set him back on his original path with a newfound determination seen only in fairytales and poems. He had a tyrant to take down. Chapter 3One Year Later . . . "You are ready." Noble Virtue stood by the armoire that sat collecting dust in the corner of the cottage as Sterling looking on. Sterling trotted around Virtue and gave him a proud smile as he opened the doors to the large closet. Inside the armoire sat the sole object Virtue had been striving towards for the last year-and-a-half. "Before we begin, you'll have to forgive me. I've made a small adjustment to the uniform but it shall protect you nonetheless if not more than it previously did." Stated the old veteran. Virtue tilted his head in wonder as Sterling removed the suit from it's case and draped it over the young trainee. Virtue felt an overwhelming sense of pride as the rugged leather caressed his fur, contouring to his form as it enveloped him. All that was missing was the helmet. "Where's the- "Helmet?" Sterling cut in, "I took the initiative and had an old friend who works as a tailor fashion you a hood. It's not as flashy but you'll blend in with the crowd better." "But, but the helmet was the best part!" Whined Virtue. "Sure, but it's best you appear as inconspicuous as possible when you go after your targets. You'll be harder to spot therefore it'll be easier to escape once the job is done." Virtue draped the colorless hood over his head, flicking it on and off to get a feel of the sewn material brushing past his mane. "It's nice . . . I guess." He sighed in disappointment, yet straightened up when Sterling approached him with a sword enveloped in his magic. With a voice as firm as steel, he began reciting the oath of the royal guard. "Noble Virtue, do you pledge your life unto the ever-lasting duties of the royal guard?" "I do." "Do you swear to uphold the rights of all living things and defend them valiantly when necessary?" "I do." "Do you swear to pledge your life to your princesses and the citizens of Equestria, even to put it at risk when need be with complete, unhesitant action?" "I do." "Noble Virtue, with the authority vested in me, I dub thee a Royal Guard of Equestria. May you defend her and her ponies bravely and with honor for all eternity." Three Weeks Later . . . Merchant King awoke from his slumber in a grandiose king sized bed he'd bought from Quills, Sofas and Beds, the largest Quill, Sofa and Bed department store in Equestria, and slipped into his finest morning gown. His house, nothing less than a mansion, had been paid off by the innumerable amount of money he had procured from ponies in debt to him. Heck, just about everypony in the Ponyville slums owed Merchant King. He owned all the houses in that district. "Another profitable day." Spoke Merchant King after a long yawn. He headed downstairs and sat in his dining room, awaiting the meal that was already on it's way from the kitchen. "Your breakfast, Mr. King." Spoke the chef. "Ah, of course. You poached the omelet wonderfully again Mr. Chives. I might just consider giving you a raise." "Really sir?" "No. Now, please leave me be and go back to scraping a living off of whatever you do when you're not cooking for me." Said Merchant King, dismissing his cook as he flicked the newspaper in front of his snout. The newspaper was a window into the outside world for Merchant King, who often found himself watching leisurely on the sideline as events unfolded right outside his manor. Living a comfortable life in a tumultuous era like now was no small pleasure, and Merchant King enjoyed milking every second of it. The headlines today were nothing worthy of a glance, aside from the dwindling number of columnists who bitched and moaned about "unfair treatment", it was still yesterdays news. "Pfft, Bucking Plebs think they own the town. A quick demonstration should straighten them up just fine. Mr. Biceps?" Called out Merchant. A buff, surly Pegasus emerged from the doorway wearing a vest with the initials "M.K." draped over his white fur. "What do you think of rousing the boys and collecting from some of our debtors?" He asked smugly. Bulk Biceps cracked a toothy grin and grunted distinctively, yelling in reply. "YEAH!" Merchant King chortled and downed his coffee in one clean gulp, slamming the mug with finality down on the table. "Good, it's about time we paid a visit to the Ponyville Slums anyway." "His name is Merchant King. You probably know him." Said Sterling. "He enjoys frequenting the brothels around here and extorting the local population out of their hides. He's known for his cruelty, physically and financially, and he pays off the guards to turn a blind eye towards his operations. He's also your first target." Noble Virtue and Sterling sat over a small coffee table in the dimly lit cottage. The plan for today was simple. Graduate from practice and begin learning on the job. "What's the point?" Noble Virtue asked blatantly. "I've completed all your training, mastered the art of combat, perfected my skills of stealth and incognito; I should move on to the princess and her cronies. They're more important than some sleazy extortionist." Sterling shook his head in disappointment. "Your training is hardly complete. Think of this as your final exam, a test to truly determine if you're ready. The death of Merchant King will not only prove your worth, but it will lift the spirits of the ponies in this district. If we rid Ponyville of him, we will gain the support of the population and show you are more than a rebellious vagrant." Virtue Huffed in defeat, sighing in acceptance. "Fine. How do you suppose I get to him anyway? He's always locked away in that mansion of his!" Sterling smirked and brandished a small map of the Ponyville Slums, spreading it lengthwise over the table. "Easy. Word has it that our friend Merchant King is up for a stroll this afternoon to collect his "dues". You will strike here. Ensure his death is made public. Let the good ponies of Ponyville know that an enforcer has arrived to dole out some long-awaited punishment." "Easier said than done. How should I make my escape? There's bound to be at least a hundred guards breathing down my neck by the time I get out." Asked Virtue. "Ah. A mutual friend of ours, Mrs. Whooves, has agreed to park her mail cart in the alleyway behind the grocery store here. She'll come by shortly after you deal with Merchant King and roll you away, as long as you are hidden within the cart of course." "Oh, so she knows it's happening then?" "To an extent. She has been given a menial understanding of the situation." Said Sterling, dismissing the young assassin with a hoof. "Right then," Confirmed Virtue, "Kill Merchant King, escape out the side through the alley, and hide in the mail cart." "Good, it's settled. There shall be a reckoning today child, and you will be our sword of justice. Now go forth, and light the spark that will kindle the flame of revolution." He had been tailing them for twenty minutes now. Merchant King and his cronies paraded up and down the streets roughing up anyone that had owned even a cent to Merchant's operation. The anger welled up inside Virtue, boiling to dangerous levels. He had seen at least thirty store owners, families and pedestrians abused in some way by Merchant King's goons that it was making him sick. But he was forced to think rationally. Too soon, and his window of escape would shut. He needed to be patient. "Ho-ho, what do we have here?" Four of Merchant King's goons had surrounded the local flower pony, Roseluck, and began circling her flower stand. Encompassed by a protective ring of his thugs, Merchant King approached the distraught florist and grinned smugly, leaning lazily on her wagon as he plucked a carnation and pinned it to his suave vest. "Well well well, we're certainly having a fine morning today, aren't we Rosy?" He chided. "We are Mr. Merch-" "Yeah, great. Tell me, how's the little ones? They in school yet?" "Tulip just entered grade school, my youngest is still-" "Mhm, right. Hey uh, you got my money Rosy? This wagon sure did cost a lot, y'know? Not to mention all this product. It sure was generous of me to kickstart your little business here, wasn't it?" Roseluck squirmed in place, stammering a gibbered reply. Merchant King didn't seem to hear any of it. "Tsk tsk tsk, gets a little difficult for guys like me around here when they start losing money Rosy. Makes me quite the angry stallion, and lately, I've been really angry. Stuff that you, or I, wouldn't like happens when I get angry. Wouldn't you say so, Mr. Biceps?" Merchant King stepped back off the wagon as the large white pegasus on his left surged forward, delivering a powerful kick to the flower cart, tumbling flower and wagon aside onto the hard cobblestone. Roseluck flew to the ground and gawked over her destroyed livelihood, scooping up whatever flowers she could with her forelimbs, on the verge of tears. Merchant King waved a hoof and beckoned his posse onward. "End of the month Rosy. You got till the end of the month." Noble Virtue had already turned away. Any longer, and he probably would've galloped down to street level and socked the Bucker right in the snout. Now that his target had moved on, Virtue needed to relocate to a more advantageous position. The intersection where he planned to murder Merchant King was coming up, and he was losing his nerve. Up until now, he had never killed anypony. "Alright Sterling, help me out here." Virtue spoke to himself. The sweat began to bead down his forehead as he faced the gap in the two buildings he'd perched himself on. He may not have been able to fly, but Sterling did supply him with some vicious fighting claws called "Griffon Talons" used mainly for melee purposes. However, they found it surprisingly useful for scaling walls and woodwork. A mere gesture of the hoof and the talons would protrude, just like the lance blade hidden in the folds of his armor. "Okay, legs apart, shoulders level, and . . . JUMP!" The young Stallion cascaded across the roof and extended his talons, clutching onto the shingles of the small warehouse he had landed on. It loosened some, but his grip held firm and he pulled himself up. "Not too shabby Noble, not too shabby." He said, patting himself on the back. Another crash and a hysterical scream caught the assassins attention, drawing his gaze toward the center of town where Merchant King was likely to be. "Well Merchant King, one of us isn't walking away from this today and the way I see it, it's not going to be me." Noble Virtue extended his claws and jumped. When he reached the rooftop overlooking the target area, Noble Virtue was already audience to about a hundred citizens, all gathered around Merchant King who had his hooves wrapped around a stallion's mane. His goons formed another protective ring around their employer, squaring off the crowd from Merchant King while he worked. It was Thunderlane, a down-on-his-luck Pegasus, and his face was contorted into a terrible grimace of pain, wincing as Merchant King's grip tightened even further. "See this? THIS is what happens when you ingrates don't pay up!" Roared Merchant, bringing his hoof down hard on Thunderlane's cheek. The crowd gasped and murmured, desperately looking for someone to build up the courage to do something. Luckily for them, Noble Virtue was perched on a small ledge, directly above the crooked guild leader. He took a deep breath, remembering Sterling's words as they rang through his mind. Remember, timing is everything. The lance takes approximately two seconds to fully deploy and you want to make sure you have your target on the tip of the blade after one second has passed. Finally, aim for the neck, always angling the blade so that it punctures the center. "Alright, here goes nothing." Noble Virtue deeply inhaled and leapt from the ledge. Two hours earlier . . . Silently biding his time in the corner, Noble pondered his thoughts in the corner of Sterling's cottage as he readied himself mentally for the task at hoof. A normal pony would've either backed out by now or given into emotion. But Noble Virtue had all but given up. He instead allowed himself to seethe in his anger and wallow in his sorrow, channeling the energy to use it against his faltering nerves. A long sigh escaped the young assassins mouth as the time for action grew nearer and nearer. While all his feelings whirled around in his head, in his heart, he remembered. "Mom, Dad? Penumbra? I . . . I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't do anything for you dad. I'm sorry I couldn't save you or mom. I let you all down, you especially Penny. I wish . . . I wish it'd been me. Goddess I wish it had been me back there instead of you. Now, now I'm going to make it all up. I'm going to make it all up to you and Equestria. I'm gonna do something about all of this and make sure it never happens again. I'm not terribly proud of all the ponies I'm going to murder but everything I do, I do for you and everyone that has been wronged under Twilight Sparkle." The fall from start to finish lasted only five seconds, but to Virtue it was an eternity. The air flowing through his mane almost came to a dead halt as he dropped gracefully from the ledge. The world slowed to a stop as Virtue caught himself in mid-air, getting an interesting view of his surroundings from an odd perspective. The crowd below him ranged from mares and stallions all different in height, age, and build. Merchant King's creased, disgruntled face as he pounded Thunderlane's bruised and bloody face to a pulp. And in the corner of his eye, near the back of the crowd stood Sterling, paused in time with his young recruit. Noble Virtue released the mechanism on the lance and aimed true, measuring the short distance to his target's throat. Three meters. Two meters. One meter. Shunk! All in an instant the crowd reacted, guards whirled around in shock, and Merchant King fell pinned to the ground by Noble's lance. He retracted the blade and Merchant King stared up into the Colt's eyes, both shocked and surprised. And for a moment, the world seemed to dematerialize around the two as time slowed to a halt. Just the two of them. Predator and Prey. "Wh-why? Why have you done this?" Stuttered Merchant King. Noble Virtue looked at the dying stallion in pitiful contempt, seeing toward answering the poor soul before he passed. "You sought to rob these ponies of their livelihoods. Extorting them whenever the chance arose and roughing them up when they can't pay your insane "dues". Merchant King chuckled, sputtering blood on the floor before him. "Ha! Extortion? I'm merely collecting the debts owed to me by these ingrates. *Cough* *Cough* You killed me, because I was being unfair? I wasn't playing nicely? *Cough* "Your methods are unnecessary and cruel. The ponies here can rest easy now with you gone." Said Noble. "Wake up kid. Without me, none of those lowlifes would've been able to afford to stay in business. Now without me, where the hell do you think they'll get their funding? Their debts will just move on to the next loan distributor in town. You . . . you've solved nothing kid. You spry little shit . . . go play hero . . . see how far . . . you get . . ." With that, Merchant King, leader of the merchant guild in Ponyville, breathed his last breath as the light left his eyes forever. Reality snapped back to Noble Virtue as the world around him erupted into chaos. The crowd turned and ran, running in fear before the guards turned up asking for suspects. Merchant King's thugs looked at their boss's limp body and stared back at Noble. A moment of realization pinged among the goons, and in a fit of burning rage, they charged Noble Virtue.
Prologue Prologue Dearest Twilight, He comes for me, just as he came for the others. I can feel the watchful sting of his gaze everywhere I go. First Applejack and Rainbow Dash, then the others. It's just us now. Sometimes I wonder if what we've been doing is right, good for our little ponies, but then I remind myself that you've never led us astray and that you'll always be there for me. You're a better leader than any crackpot princess that tries to govern in that goddess-forsaken castle, no matter how many times we've bowed to their forelegs and kissed their hooves in fake earnest. I know in my heart that you will know what to do when the time comes. May the mare of understanding guide us, -R A distraught purple mare magically crumpled up the parchment in a foreboding sigh and threw it in the waste bin next to her desk, lowering her head in a melancholy fashion. With a reassuring smile, her right hoof slowly stroked a golden, hypnotizing sphere in her lap that began to speak calm, soothing words into her head. "Don't worry . . . I wont let him take you away from me . ." She whispered. ________________________________________________________________________________ Ten years earlier . . . "VIRTUE! Noble Virtue you wake up and get down here this instant! You're breakfast is getting cold and your father needs you at the stand in thirty minutes! It's a busy day today!" An aged mare stood at the foot of the old staircase, her eyes fixated to the top waiting for her son to appear. Noble Virtue stirred in his bed, his dream of saving the world interrupted by a loud call from below. He roused awake and shook his head vigorously, realizing his tardiness to the dining room and most importantly, his job. Wrestling his bed sheets away from him, Virtue slipped from his roost and collided with the hardwood floor, eliciting a pained grumble from the groggy Earth pony. "Ugh . . coming! Oh goddess, this cannot keep happening." Moaned Virtue as he clambered off the ground and towards the bathroom to freshen up. Noble Virtue had grown up in a middle class home in the town of Ponyville, which had just then started it's rise to becoming a metropolis. His father, but a simple food merchant, worked a stand in the same place that he had been selling his wares for almost twenty years. It was a simple life, but a livable one compared to others who had been hit by the industrial awakening brought on by the element of magic, princess Twilight Sparkle, who had risen to political and economical control alongside the other bearers of the elements of harmony, who also held firm stakes in the way things were being run in Equestria. The years grew on and Virtue completed school, only to join his father in the merchant guild to help raise funds for the rent. "Virtue!" "COMING!" Noble Virtue descended the stairs with a brisk air about him, trying to ignore the creaking of the stairs as he trotted over the rotting wood. The wallpaper, as crummy as it was to start with, was also withering away. "Virtue's gonna be late! Virtue's gonna be late!" Chanted Virtue's sister, Penumbra. "Eat your breakfast Pen, here's your flapjacks Virtue." Said their mother, jumping back and forth between stations. "Thanks mom, where's dad?" Asked Virtue as he scarfed down the morning meal. "Your father's already at the stand hon, he's waiting for you so you better hurry." The walk from Virtue's home to the town center wasn't a very long trek, only three blocks away from his house stood the town center and the marketplace where he and his father sold their food. A loud voice rung out, catching Virtue's attention. "You can't evict me! I payed my bills on time!" Two large armor-plated guards towered over a unicorn and levitated a piece of parchment towards the mare's face. Virtue shriveled a bit. These guards had princess Sparkle's insignia on their helms. They had always been overly-aggressive ever since her royal majesty Twilight Sparkle took up permanent office in Canterlot, carrying out orders they deemed, "given straight from the mouth of the princess." "Yes we can. You're being relocated to a temporary living quarters until further notice." One spoke. "What the hay! Why?" "By order of Princess Twilight Sparkle. Your home is now inside the building plot of her majesty's own personal palace to be. You have until the thirty-first to move. If you have a problem you can write a letter of formal complaint and send it to the address on this slip." The other guard explained. "Formal complaint!? You can tell the "princess" that she can take my formal complaint and shove it up her-" "Alright, that's enough outta you," Said the unicorn guard, interrupting the mare's outburst,"I could incarcerate you right now for treason if I wanted to. But since I'm feeling nice . . ." The guard blindsided the mare in her right temple with his baton, smirking as she fell to the ground. "AGH! Is-isn't anypony going to do anything?" The pained unicorn groaned, staring pleadingly into the crowd that had formed before her front lawn. The two guards chortled as they glanced around the street, looking for anyone with a vengeful face, but all they saw were frightened little ponies trying to continue on with their day. Noble Virtue felt like galloping over there right now and pounding each of those idiots in the face. "See? No one cares you whelp. Now get out of my sight before I arrest you for loitering on government property!" The defeated mare limped away, clutching the eviction notice in her jaw, her forehead now oozing blood in short gushes. The guards themselves laughed it off and shot a grim look at everypony that continued to stare, effectively clearing the area of all curious onlookers. Virtue felt ashamed to be among the cowards. Those who never acted, only complained about lack of action behind closed doors yet took the oppression and the punishments everyday, hoping for a new outcome. The buzzing of the merchants and the stock vendors in the city square could only be outmatched by the sound of metallic, military horseshoes clopping against the hard cobblestone as they patrolled the bustling area, on the watch for troublemakers and those who crossed over their business boundaries, selling in areas not permitted to them by Ponyville's captain of the guard. Noble Virtue jostled his way through the maelstrom of ponies, trying to find his father's stand in the middle of the organized chaos. A trio of enforcers crossed his path, and Virtue was nearly bowled over by the guard's shear size. "Watch it colt, lest you wish for me to lock you in the stockade!" He blared. The guard bore the purple crest of Princess Sparkle. "Sorry, I'll try to be more careful." Spoke Virtue in a sincere, apologizing voice, as much as he did not mean it. "Next time, you'll be imprisoned whelp! Now return to the crevice you crawled out from and don't let me see you again." Barked another guard, a Unicorn, also bearing the icon of Princess Sparkle. Noble Virtue broke into a gallop, getting as far away from the guards as he could. "Stupid . . jerks . . ." He panted. A large mass stopped Virtue in his tracks, and to his chagrin, it too was not pleased to see him in the late manner he had arrived in. "You're late son . . . again." Chided Virtue's father, Tailor Made. "Sorry dad, I ran into a couple of purple-snouts. They kept me waiting-" "Son, I don't need excuses right now. Just, please, put on your apron and earn some bits." He pleaded. "Yeah, alright . . ." Sighed Virtue. The day wore on, and the combined trade skills of Virtue and his father managed to earn them enough bits to pay for another months rent. With the waning sun leaving towards the west, the waxing moon rose in the east, signaling it was time for all the merchants to return home. "I think we did pretty good today, don't you?" Asked Tailor Made as he hung his apron onto the cart. "We've had better, remember that time when we sold the whole carts-worth? We ate good that week." Said Virtue. The two reminisced while they packed up their wares, unaware of the approaching duo of guards, both of them bearing the dreaded crest. "Uh-oh. Dad, purple snouts." Said Virtue, lowering his head. The two entrepreneurs held their breath, awaiting the insults and retorts that usually came from the guards in purple. Luckily for Virtue and his father, the guards passed their stand, one of them knocking over a stack of dried apricots to the ground. They continued over to another stand, owned by a blacksmith. "Hey! Your rent is past due, you owe the guild leader two-hundred and fifty bits plus thirty in interest!" They commanded, knocking over some of the stallion's hardware sending it crashing to the ground. "Watch it you jerks, you almost broke my product! And I ain't paying your crazy "protection" fee to that corrupt tyrant sitting in that mansion! The only thing I need "protection" from is thugs like you!" He scolded, leaning down to pick up a broken horseshoe. The guard waited for the artisan's attention to be affixed elsewhere, then reared back and bucked him hard in the side, sending him sprawling to the ground. "Listen you!" The Pegasus spoke. "I don't take lip from lowlifes like you, understand? You either pay up, or I take you on a one way trip to palooka-ville on the pain train." To Virtue's surprise, the old stallion looked up at the guard and spit in his face, smirking with defiance as he spoke. "You wear that armor like you possess the honor to bear it, but you and your goons are just a bunch of scoundrels, feeding off of the citizens like your mad princess does up in the capitol." He hissed. The guard grinned devilishly and wiped the mucus from his helm. "Barrel, Swifty, take this fool around back and beat him to an inch of death, then arrest him for treason to her royal majesty." He sneered. The old stallions defiance quickly melted away as he received an abrupt kick to the ribs by one of the guards. He was then picked up and dragged towards the back of Sugarcube emporium, the largest sweet-making superstore in the land. The guard who ordered the cruel punishment smirked and began to trot off before glancing at Virtue and his father, who looked on with fear and disgust. "Well? What are you two simpletons gawking at? Go back to your rubbish heap and forget what you saw." He commanded. Virtue and his father left with haste, careful not to anger the already ticked off guard any further. "Those sorry excuses for guards, it infuriates me that they have the authority to run amuck in our city and treat others like dirt!" Complained his father. "Dad?" Asked Virtue in an equally frustrated tone. "Why don't we ever try to do anything to stop them? Why not sign a petition, or peacefully protest?" "Because of what you just saw. We would be snatched up by the guard so quickly, we wouldn't even have time to drop our protest banners. It's that tyrant in Canterlot I tell ya, that princess Sparkle just up and went mad one day, and Celestia or Luna wont do a thing about it! The princess of the day is too soft to turn on her old student and lady Luna is too afraid to go against her sister's wishes. It's a sorry world you and your sister have to grow up in son, and I'm sorry that you-" Tailor Made was cut short, too stunned to speak as he gazed upon the street he and his family lived on. It was filled with angry ponies, all chanting and shouting angrily. The guards at the end of the street were trying to speak over the crowd, but to no avail. "Tailor! Over here!" Shouted Virtue's mother, waving them over into a small pocket within the protestors. "Goddess, what is going on Scarlet? And where's Penumbra?" Asked Tailor. "Penumbra's right here with me." Said Scarlet, revealing Noble Virtue's younger sibling. "Oh Tailor, the guards, we've all been evicted!" Cried Scarlet, pulling Tailor into a sad embrace. "Evicted? What for!?" He yelled. "The captain of the guard has seized our property to build some kind of palace for the princess! This is terrible, where will we go?" Whimpered Scarlet, Leaning over her children and caressing their manes in earnest. Penumbra began to cry, and all Virtue could do was sit and wait for something to happen. "This is outrageous! I'm going to march up there and have a word with that scoundrel!" Shouted his father. A pony next to them, a farmer by the look of him, chuckled and spoke snidely. "Good luck with that friend! They wont let anyone close to the podium." He chortled. "Yeah, we'll see about that." Hissed Tailor as he began to push his way through the crowd. "Scarlet, watch the kids." Virtue watched his father, a prominent figure in the neighborhood held in high regards by many who knew him, trot through the crowd and further toward the podium than anypony else had gone. He was practically in the muzzle of the forward guard's face when he began to speak. Shouts from the crowd who were familiar with the voice of Tailor Made began to hush the crowd, waiting for the wise words of the humble food vendor to find a resolution to the situation at hoof. "Everypony Hush! Tailor Made is going to speak!" "Quiet down!" "Shut up, that's Tailor Made about to speak up there!" When it was quiet enough, Tailor Made addressed the guards and requested they state their business. "Our business? You'd do well to get back in line with the rabble you old codger!" Shouted the captain. "Good sirs," Pleaded Tailor."Can we not make an appeal to her royal highness? These are good ponies you are forcing onto the street. Honest, hard-working souls that only live to see their families prosper." "I'll give you one last chance street urchin, one last chance to get back!" Yelled the Captain. Tailor Made gulped and opened his mouth to speak again when an enforcers baton struck him clean in the jaw-line, sending him flying into the open embrace of the crowd. All was momentarily silent until a brick flew from the masses, striking the captain in the head. "GAH! Who dares? That's it, guards! Arrest them all!" Commanded the captain, who held a hoof to his bleeding snout. The crowd heard this, and surged forward, pushing and shoving against the advancing enforcers. Noble Virtue and his sister were held tight by their mother as the chaos of the riot swirled around them. It wasn't until the Pegasus battalions swooped in and began bludgeoning citizens in the skull did the crowd begin to break, and so began the arrests of at least forty eight Equestrians, four of them being Noble Virtue and his entire family. The crowd of condemned criminals were herded into an abandoned warehouse, seeing as though the current jailhouse was too small a fit for the mass of innocents that had been beaten and thrown in chains. Noble Virtue and his family huddled in a corner, licking their wounds and tending to a whimpering Penumbra. "Please sweetie, don't cry. Mammas here, mammas here to make it all better . . ." Hushed Scarlet, calmly rocking Penumbra back-and-forth in her lap. Noble Virtue and his father sat by the iron fence that had been used to contain the civilians inside the building, keeping the guards safe on the other side. There was a window on Virtue's side, but it led to a steep drop below, warranted by sharp rocks and surrounded by fierce, untamable waters that narrowed into a river that flowed straight through the city of Ponyville. "Dad, what do we do?" Asked Virtue, seeking guidance from the family patriarch. "I, I don't know son. We wait it out I suppose. Princess Celestia will surely hear about this and we'll be released in no time. You'll see." He reassured. "Oh, alright." The dismal atmosphere of the room only did aid to compliment the equally poor morale of the ponies held captive inside the large space. Whimpers were heard throughout, and multiple citizens who had received serious head injuries during the brawl were suffering from blood loss, yet there was no medical care to be given. Virtue could only stare in disbelief, until his attention was caught by two guards discussing a pressing matter quite close to his position. And if Virtue was good at anything, it was hearing things he wasn't supposed to hear. "Orders? Orders from who?" Asked one guard. "Straight from the princess herself." Spoke the other. Virtue continued to listen intently. "She can't be serious? The whole lot of 'em?" "Yep? These commands are to be carried out immediately or else it's the gallows for all of us." The other guard sighed in contempt. "Poor fools, they don't even know what's coming to 'em." He spoke before wandering between the other guards and relaying whatever was written on the parchment to their wanting ears. "Dad? The guards, they're leaving." Observed Virtue. Tailor looked on, and true to his son's words, the guards began leaving one by one. The crowd began to notice as well, and began to stand up and protest the absence of their captors. "Hey, what's going on?" "Where're you jerks going?" "You get back here and let us out this instant!" Unwavering to the retorts from the crowd, the guards emptied the warehouse, the last two Earth pony guards pulling the doors shut behind them. The cacophony of complaining continued, an equal distribution of confusion making it's way through the gathered mass of ponies. "Momma, what's going to happen to us?" Asked Penumbra, clinging to her mother. Scarlet didn't answer, unclear of the question herself. Virtue kept his attention fixed on the door, his interest piqued long enough to notice the black smoke billowing from underneath the cracks of the door. The smell of smoke filled the air, and the ponies trapped inside could smell it's brimstone scent tickle their nostrils as the horrible truth descended upon them one by one. "THEY'RE BURNING US ALIVE!" Yelled one stallion, igniting a wave of panic that swept through the crowd. "Goddess, what are they thinking? LET US OUT! THERE ARE CHILDREN IN HERE!" Yelled Tailor Made despite the fact that his voice had been lost in the ocean of others, all crying out to a goddess that wouldn't come to save them. Scarlet began humming a lullaby to a crying Penumbra, who openly sobbed into her mothers velvet fur. "Honey, take Penumbra and follow me!" Yelled Tailor, grabbing his son's hoof and guiding him to the window. The four huddled in the corner, gasping for fresh air and exchanging panicked looks. To everypony's surprise, Tailor Made picked up an old stool and threw it through the small window, shattering it violently. "Scarlet dear, give me Penumbra." Spoke Tailor as he grasped his daughter for the final time. "Dad? What're you doing?" Questioned Virtue in a panicked tone. Tailor Made, as big of a stallion that he was, pulled his family into a tight embrace and spoke with an unwavering voice. "Listen children, this window is big enough for the two of you to fit through," Penumbra had already begun to shake her head, unable to hold back the tears. "Virtue, you be as brave as you can for me and take your sister. It's a long drop down to the water, but you can make it. Your mother and I will manage, just take your sister and go!" He commanded, hoofing Penumbra to Noble Virtue and pulling his wife into a protective hug. "Momma, don't make me go!" Pleaded Penumbra, trying to squirm her way out of her older brothers forelegs. "You need to darling, please! Go!" She cried. The fire had begun to lick it's way among the crowd, the smell of burning flesh and the sound of pained screams raking the room. "Children, we love you so much . . ." Their father spoke as he nudged them out of the window and into the icy grasp of the cold mid-night air. The two screamed on their way down, watching the rocks below get closer and closer. SMACK! Virtue plunged into the cold waters below, and to his utmost horror, realized the noise he had heard moments before entering the bowels of the raging rapids was the sound of his sister's nimble body colliding into the sharp rocks that had dotted the coast. He wanted to scream, but was knocked out cold when his head struck a protruding rock underwater, the relentless rapids carrying his body downriver towards the city of Ponyville.
Chapter 1The world swayed back and forth into darkness and light as Noble Virtue slowly returned to the world of the living. His head ached terribly, and his back was resting awkwardly on a hard slab. He tried lifting his head, but to no avail. "Hey . . you . . . okay? Saw you . . . from the river . . ." A voice sounded from the deep, but was quickly drowned out, blanketed by the raspy cough that had now filled Virtue's lungs. He slowly regained consciousness and with it, his memories. And once he did, he'd wished he died back in the fire that had taken his entire family. "PENUMBRA!" Spouted Virtue, shooting up from his position, writhing his limbs wildly in the air. A strong pair of hooves held him back down, and before he knew it, Virtue had sapped all of his strength once more and quickly faded back into the welcoming pillow of unconsciousness. Deep inside her majesty's palace, princess Twilight Sparkle sat in her private study, writing furiously with a worn down pen. Her gaze un faltering, her eyes hardly blinking, she documented her encounters with an object old as time, one that held all the secrets, and didn't even require a key. It was a marvelous thing, this little ball. It had been her everything. Her rise to power, her authority over her little ponies, the ladder she had given her friends to take their place among the hierarchy with her. It had been long since- "Your majesty?" Hailed a voice, interrupting Twilight's train of thought. "What? Can you not see I'm busy!" She called out frustratingly, shutting the drawer to her right and locking it with magic. "I-I'm sorry y-your highness, b-but you haven't l-left your room in days! Please, Princess Celestia and Lady Luna would ask that you join them for dinner this evening." The page stuttered. Twilight sighed in annoyance, the constant pestering of her "dear" mentor was becoming a nuisance, much so that it was starting to interfere with the allignment of her plans. With the actions undertaken at Ponyville today, she would have to postpone the first phase of her operation to next Wednesday, a whole week behind schedule. "Very well Tinker, I shall consider it. Now please, leave me be!" She said, attempting to retain as much self control as she could. "Of course your majesty, whenever you're ready to depart." Said the page as he humbly backed out of the study. "Impudent fool . . . " With an irritated sigh, Twilight Sparkle picked up her pen and ink well and began writing once more. Consciousness once more returned to the distraught orphan, only this time he had found himself wrapped in thick rope, strapped to a wooden dining table. "Oh goddess. Mom, dad . . . Penumbra . . " He silently cried to himself, the soft whimpering echoing within the small cottage. The clip-clop of hoof steps soon entered his ears, and with what room he had to move, Noble Virtue glanced over to find an old, grey-haired stallion grinning from afar. "Please let me go! I don't want to be burned alive!" Virtue shouted, fear lapsing through every vein in his body. "Easy child, easy . . . " Said the stallion in a soft, smooth voice. Virtue watched closely as the stallion used his aged, frail horn to pick up a small cutting knife and hover it near him. Virtue panicked, and squirmed away as far as he could, only tightening the ropes further. "No . . no . . . please . . . " He begged. "I'm not going to hurt you colt, just hold still or the knife will do all the hurting." The old pony said as he cut the ropes calmly, wielding the knife with such grace, caressing the thinning rope with the blade's edge. "You're not?" Sniffled Virtue, wiping the pained tears from his eyes with his now-free hoof. "Of course not. Hold on one . . more . . second . . . and there, finished." Spoke the stallion, pulling the remnants of the binding away. Licking his raw forelimb, Virtue stared at the aged pony, observing his weathered features. Now that he had gotten a good look, Virtue could see many scars adorning his head, some running down the length of his neck to underneath his apron, which had been presently covered in blood. The impressions in the pony's face grew very intricate as he spoke. "I picked you up from the river, luckily I was the first to find you. You know, princess Sparkle's guards are looking for you now, and that is never a good reason to be found out in the open like you were. What on earth were you doing lying face-down in the river like that anyway?" Virtue stared at the floor with a grim face, remembering the cold blooded murders of all those innocent ponies, including his family, all burned alive save one small flattened pile of flesh lying somewhere among the rocks. First it had been sadness, then anger that finally overtook the poor colt as Virtue steamed where he sat, wanting vengeance for all those poor souls who had suffered at the hands of the guard, under direct orders from the tyrant Twilight Sparkle. "Calm yourself young one, and tell me what has happened, you were quite bruised up when I brought you in. My name is Sterling Valor. Might I inquire yours?" "My . . my name is Noble Virtue, and a great evil has befallen me and my family." "Goddess, burned alive? All of them, even the little ones?" Asked Sterling in disbelief. "Yes . . . all of them. I could hear the screams as my father pushed my sister and I out the window." "Of course, your poor sister. I had no idea, where did this happen?" Asked Sterling. "In the industrial sector, near the abandoned textile warehouse. All of them, my entire family dead." The old stallion could hear the anger festering in the young colt, rising to boiling temperatures. "I . . . I'LL KILL THEM ALL! EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM! THE PRINCESS, AND ALL THOSE WHO SERVE HER!" Virtue shouted, much spite and hate dwelling within his voice. The two took a moment of calming silence, when Sterling raised his head and pleaded sincerely. "Look child, I know you are angered, and rightly so, but do not throw your life away so suddenly. My sympathies and condolences to all who perished at the hooves of those dogs, but you are a young stallion, barely out of your childhood. What do you think will happen when you try to face her majesty's guards? Hm? They are seasoned mercenaries, trained to kill. You would be slaughtered before you made it to the palaces front step." Sterling explained bluntly. In a flash, Virtue directed his rage towards the old pony, who sat only inches away from the destructive orphan. "You would call me incapable!? You of all ponies, you, who is just as feeble and weak as a newborn foal!" Shouted Virtue. Suddenly, Sterling Valor stood up from his stool and spoke in a deafening voice, one that made him seem much more powerful than before. "You insolent child! I was a captain in the solar guard! Where do you think I got these scars from? Playing bridge with other seniors!? I was once a proud warrior, standing guard amongst the elite in Canterlot, when that witch Twilight Sparkle spoke out against me one day, suspecting me of treason! TREASON!" Virtue had lost all of his gumption, shrinking in fear before the tall ex-guard as he continued to chastise him. "Her brother, a close friend of mine have you, had no choice but to discharge me from the royal guard and banish me from Canterlot, never to return again. I was to be executed! Hung from the very gallows I was expected to guard each day! Luckily, lady Luna was able to persuade her sister to lessen the punishment, so here I reside today, wallowing in my own self-pity. I have become a beggar, a shadow of my former self. But you, you who still has so much life to live for, would throw it all away in a second without even thinking. For shame." He explained, softly shaking his head as he sat back down on his stool. A long quiet spell cast itself over the room, engulfing the two conflicted souls within. Virtue, pondering his thoughts, realized the wisdom in the old stallions words, that he had no training pertaining to the art of combat. He could barely make it through the first guard before he would lay eyes on the tyrant princess. He would need special schooling. But from where? Virtue hung his head in disappointment and leaped off the table, limping towards the door. "Where are you going? Remember what I said, don't do this!" Pleaded Sterling. Virtue stopped in his tracks and glanced back at the old guard. "Listen, I'm very thankful for your help, but whether you like it or not, I'm going to take action. For too long I've watched those thugs terrorize this city. You might lack the will to make a stand but for once in my life, I've got nothing to lose and I'm going to use every ounce of my strength to taking down this "princess". You can try to stop me, but I'll just keep trying until I can't any longer." Virtue turned toward the door once more, possessing no intent to face Sterling again. "Wait child- " "Stop calling me that!" Virtue yelled, maintaining his course. "You are not ready! You possess neither wing nor horn! What will you do without combat training? You aren't thinking this through!" Begged Sterling. To his own surprise, Virtue reluctantly stopped again, yet refused to face the stallion behind him. "Where do you suppose I get this training from? Hm? Everyone is too scared to do anything about the monstrosity staring them right in the face and I'm tired of it! I'm leaving, with or without help." Virtue trotted towards the door and prepared to nudge it open, not surprised that Sterling had nothing to say to his open retort. "I will." What? Noble Virtue's right hoof was on the door, which was already slightly ajar. The sudden outburst however, had restrained him from pushing it open all the way. Slowly, the wronged colt turned his head and stared at Sterling who was off the stool and by his fireplace mantle, eyeing the badges and merits he received from his glory days. "I will give you the training necessary to defeat the tyrant princess Sparkle and all those who follow her." "Again, thank you Sterling. I honestly don't know what I was thinking. I'm not gonna lie either, I was literally about to march out of here and buck the first guard I saw right in the face." Admitted Virtue as he followed Sterling to an armoire in the corner of the cottage. "That's exactly why I was trying to stop you, now come closer, there's something I want you to see." Spoke Sterling as he telekinetically grasped the handles of the armoire and pulled them open. The dust that settled as the doors swung open confirmed that this piece of furniture had not been touched in a long time. What was revealed as the dust settled however made Noble Virtue's jaw drop. "As you can see, I haven't used these in a long time, but they'll still hold their own in a fight." Said Sterling. In front of the two, showcased on a mahogany rack sat age-old guard armor that had long lost it's luster. The effect however, still held tantamount meaning. The set came complete with greaves and a full breastplate that would envelope the entirety of the wearer's body. It was the helm however, that caught Virtue's attention. It was an old model, one that still shined with the bright crest of the old guard. With glazed-over eyes filled to the brim with boyish wonder, Virtue reached for the set of grand armor, already imagining how he'd look standing over the dead bodies of his conquered enemies. SLAM The armoire doors slammed shut, denying Virtue access to the royal armor. "Hey, what gives Sterling?" Asked Virtue. "What, you think just because you retain the will to fight you can don the robes of a guard? You must earn these through months of hard training." "Months!? I can't wait months!" Cried Virtue in disbelief. Sterling laughed hard, locking the cabinet and turning to face his new apprentice. "When I said I would train you, I meant it. I am going to give you every bit of knowledge I possess about combat and cunning so that you may be prepared to strike hard and fast in the coming months. Come the end of this year, you shall be ready to begin the long road to smiting our foes, and do a great service to the ponies of this land and those beyond." Explained Sterling. With an accepting sigh, Virtue stood still, staring at the closed doors of the armoire. Sterling had already trotted away into the kitchen, preparing the evening meal. "I shall prepare a sleeping space for you in the attic. It is no longer safe for you to wander outside. Word of your survival will surely prompt a mad search from the guard." Called Sterling from afar. "Very well." Virtue spoke quietly to himself, moving his gaze to the mantle where Sterling's medals sat. He had countless merits, even a solar cross, all depicting his bravery in the face of unrelenting danger. On the centerpiece sat a photo of him in his captains armor standing at attention alongside another, one Virtue could recognize all too well. Captain of the guard, Shining Armor. Sterling entered the room, interrupting Virtue's train of thought. As the young colt stared at the aging stallion, he could hardly believe that the guard in the picture was the old pile of bones he was looking at today. Sterling set a tray on the table with a pitcher and two glasses and began pouring an orange liquid into each cup. "Fruit nectar," He spoke. "Invigorates the body so I'm told." "Thanks Sterling." Said Virtue as he joined his mentor at the table and sipped his beverage. It tasted delicious, but the entire time he drank, a single question insisted on lingering in the back of his head. "Hey Sterling, I've got a question." "Yes?" "Why? Why would you help even though I insulted you like I did back there. Despite the fact that what we're proposing, open rebellion to a princess of Equestria which is considered the highest of treason, you would still help me. Why?" Sterling smiled and closed his eyes as he slowly sipped his fruit nectar in what seemed like the calmest tranquility. "Virtue, fifty years ago I took an oath. An oath that entitled me a protector of the free ponies of this land, and if anything should threaten that freedom, I am to take immediate action, risking life and limb to preserve such freedoms. Ah, but these old hooves, they're too old to stand against an evil as strong as this. So I take action by way of training you, and I fulfill that oath through your actions against out foes. Do me this last kindness and help me keep my word to the princess that I am still a guard, and shall be to the day I take my final breath."
Chapter 2Two Months Later . . . "Now that we've covered the basics of combat, you'll need to learn more advanced techniques to free the ponies of Equestria from this new evil." Spoke Sterling as he led Virtue around the back of the cottage to an artificial fight-ring they had constructed. It wasn't much to look at. A simple fence which surrounded a confined space with an equine dummy in the center. The target held numerous dents spread all around it's exterior while a plethora of adhesive kept it from falling apart. However, the small backyard had it's advantages. Located deep in Ponyville's industrial sector, the minuscule plot of land was well hidden among the buildings that towered above it. "Great! Does that mean I can try on the suit?" Virtue asked eagerly. "No. You haven't earned it yet." Said Sterling as he nudged open the gate to the little arena. "What? It's been two months! Hours of endurance training! How am I not ready yet?" Sterling stopped in his tracks and turned to look at the young stallion. Noble Virtue had come a long way from the pony he was two months ago, his readiness and ambitions confirmed it. "If you are to defeat the tyrant princess and her cohort of guards, you must master the ability to adapt to every changing situation. You are a simple Earth pony. Tell me, have you ever battled a Pegasus in mid-flight before? Have you even once dueled a Unicorn in open combat? I must teach you how to fight these fights and beat the odds, even if they're stacked against you." "Fine, where do we begin?" Deadpanned Virtue. "Where we've been for the last two months." Spoke Sterling as he motioned his hoof toward the target dummy. Six months later . . . "Huff . . . huff . . . YAH!" Noble Virtue thrusted his practice lance into the side of the dummy once more, sloppily yanking it out of the frail target. "Tsk tsk, your entry was sloppy as was your recovery. Again." Scolded Sterling Valor. Noble Virtue inhaled deeply and readied his lance once more, striking the center mass of the target dummy. "Sigh . . . better. We'll touch down more on the intricacies of lance recovery after a short break, all this yelling-at-your-useless-flank has worked up an appetite." "No, no! I can keep going! I'm not that tired!" Panted Virtue, faltering as his legs quivered from over exhaustion. Sterling ignored him and continued his matter-of-fact trot inside the cottage. A defeated Virtue followed shortly after. "Go get the paper while I prepare our meal." Said Sterling as he set a pot of water on the stove. Noble Virtue nodded with a smile and crept out the door. It was morning in Ponyville, yet that didn't stop the average hustle and bustle of ordinary civilian life that occurred every day on the dot. As Noble Virtue trotted down the pathway he observed a variety of posters pasted on the wall of Sterling's home. The one that stuck out the most depicted the regality of Princess Twilight Sparkle as she stood among factories and refineries, food and light pouring from her open hooves. The caption below read, "The Fruits of our Labor" Virtue scoffed as he knelt down and spread the newspaper with his hoof. He grimaced as he read the front page. Another factory worker executed. With a deep sigh Virtue- "LOOK OUT BELOW!" Despite his reflexes that had been fixedly honed for months, Virtue still couldn't avoid the tumbling grey pegasus as she careened into the earth pony. The two ponies fumbled on the ground for a moment before standing up and stammering out their humble apologies. "Oh my goodness Virtue, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there!" Said Derpy Whooves, the local mailmare. "Oh that's alright, I'm sorry I was in your way!" Spoke Virtue as he leaned over and picked up a bundle of letters that had fallen out. "Well, that's a silly thing to apologize for," Derpy spoke with a grin. "How's the old curmudgeon doing these days?" Virtue zipped up Derpy's mailbag and hoofed it to her, brushing his now-frazzled mane to the side. "Oh he's alright. Stubborn as usual." He said. Derpy Whooves ran the last hoof-delivered mail route that ran through Ponyville and even with all the advanced transportation that her rival companies had mustered, Derpy's was still the most reliable, albeit a little more hazardous on account of the chance that the poor mare could come flying through your window at any given moment. "How's little Dinky?" Asked Virtue. "Oh you know her, always-" "HEY! H-HEY LET GO!" Virtue turned on his hooves and located the source of the disturbance, a stallion being carried away by two guards adorned in a distinctive purple armor, a violet crest boasted upon their helms. "WHAT THE HAY ARE YOU DOING!?" Shouted the stallion. "Arresting you, what does it look like?" Answered one of the guards. "WHAT FOR? FOR REMOVING A POSTER FROM MY SHOP?" The stallion received a sharp buck to the stomach from one of the guards, who quickly retorted the poor Unicorn's question. "I DON'T LIKE YOUR TONE WHELP! You are under arrest for defacing her majesty's property and vandalizing the city!" Yelled the Sergeant. "What! I removed one of those stupid posters because it was blocking the open sign on my store!" The stallion cried. "QUIET!" The Sergeant pinned the stallion against the wall and gave him a hard punch in the gut and ordered his lackey to continue carrying him Celestia-knows-where. Most likely to the Jailhouse to be tried and sentenced. The sentences were almost always harsher than the punishment demanded. "Another one. They're grabbing ponies for breaking the most menial rules now." Derpy spoke in a sad tone. Virtue seethed with rage. He had some training. With a little foreleg-grease he could probably beat those two thugs to a pulp if he wanted to, but that wouldn't be wise given his current situation. "I remember Twilight before her coronation." Derpy piped up, eliciting Virtue's surprised attention. "She was always so happy, a little bit of a pencil pusher and worrywart at times, but still happy. She cared for her friends and everything around her, but now . . . Y'know, she wrote that book, "The Study of Friendship" right? Can you believe that?" "I still cant believe you used to know Princess Twilight." Virtue spoke. "Me neither, that was all before the propaganda, the fake smiles, the veiled threats . . . I just worry so much now." Derpy had begun to tear up. "Not for me, but for my little Dinky. My husband barely pulls a decent wage from the textile mills and I'm losing customer after customer to those big-whig jerks who try to run a decent post service." Virtue gave her an understanding look and a pat on the shoulder, reassuring her all the while. "You'll pull through. You're too tough not to!" He said with a goofy grin. "Sniffle, thanks Virtue, I do enjoy our little conversations. It's just, one day, someone's going to finally stand up to that witch, and when they do, the whole country will follow. Hay, I'll be the first one in line!" Derpy spoke triumphantly. With a final exchange of niceties, Derpy Whooves took off, heading for her next destination. For Noble Virtue, his conscience set him back on his original path with a newfound determination seen only in fairytales and poems. He had a tyrant to take down.
Chapter 3One Year Later . . . "You are ready." Noble Virtue stood by the armoire that sat collecting dust in the corner of the cottage as Sterling looking on. Sterling trotted around Virtue and gave him a proud smile as he opened the doors to the large closet. Inside the armoire sat the sole object Virtue had been striving towards for the last year-and-a-half. "Before we begin, you'll have to forgive me. I've made a small adjustment to the uniform but it shall protect you nonetheless if not more than it previously did." Stated the old veteran. Virtue tilted his head in wonder as Sterling removed the suit from it's case and draped it over the young trainee. Virtue felt an overwhelming sense of pride as the rugged leather caressed his fur, contouring to his form as it enveloped him. All that was missing was the helmet. "Where's the- "Helmet?" Sterling cut in, "I took the initiative and had an old friend who works as a tailor fashion you a hood. It's not as flashy but you'll blend in with the crowd better." "But, but the helmet was the best part!" Whined Virtue. "Sure, but it's best you appear as inconspicuous as possible when you go after your targets. You'll be harder to spot therefore it'll be easier to escape once the job is done." Virtue draped the colorless hood over his head, flicking it on and off to get a feel of the sewn material brushing past his mane. "It's nice . . . I guess." He sighed in disappointment, yet straightened up when Sterling approached him with a sword enveloped in his magic. With a voice as firm as steel, he began reciting the oath of the royal guard. "Noble Virtue, do you pledge your life unto the ever-lasting duties of the royal guard?" "I do." "Do you swear to uphold the rights of all living things and defend them valiantly when necessary?" "I do." "Do you swear to pledge your life to your princesses and the citizens of Equestria, even to put it at risk when need be with complete, unhesitant action?" "I do." "Noble Virtue, with the authority vested in me, I dub thee a Royal Guard of Equestria. May you defend her and her ponies bravely and with honor for all eternity." Three Weeks Later . . . Merchant King awoke from his slumber in a grandiose king sized bed he'd bought from Quills, Sofas and Beds, the largest Quill, Sofa and Bed department store in Equestria, and slipped into his finest morning gown. His house, nothing less than a mansion, had been paid off by the innumerable amount of money he had procured from ponies in debt to him. Heck, just about everypony in the Ponyville slums owed Merchant King. He owned all the houses in that district. "Another profitable day." Spoke Merchant King after a long yawn. He headed downstairs and sat in his dining room, awaiting the meal that was already on it's way from the kitchen. "Your breakfast, Mr. King." Spoke the chef. "Ah, of course. You poached the omelet wonderfully again Mr. Chives. I might just consider giving you a raise." "Really sir?" "No. Now, please leave me be and go back to scraping a living off of whatever you do when you're not cooking for me." Said Merchant King, dismissing his cook as he flicked the newspaper in front of his snout. The newspaper was a window into the outside world for Merchant King, who often found himself watching leisurely on the sideline as events unfolded right outside his manor. Living a comfortable life in a tumultuous era like now was no small pleasure, and Merchant King enjoyed milking every second of it. The headlines today were nothing worthy of a glance, aside from the dwindling number of columnists who bitched and moaned about "unfair treatment", it was still yesterdays news. "Pfft, Bucking Plebs think they own the town. A quick demonstration should straighten them up just fine. Mr. Biceps?" Called out Merchant. A buff, surly Pegasus emerged from the doorway wearing a vest with the initials "M.K." draped over his white fur. "What do you think of rousing the boys and collecting from some of our debtors?" He asked smugly. Bulk Biceps cracked a toothy grin and grunted distinctively, yelling in reply. "YEAH!" Merchant King chortled and downed his coffee in one clean gulp, slamming the mug with finality down on the table. "Good, it's about time we paid a visit to the Ponyville Slums anyway." "His name is Merchant King. You probably know him." Said Sterling. "He enjoys frequenting the brothels around here and extorting the local population out of their hides. He's known for his cruelty, physically and financially, and he pays off the guards to turn a blind eye towards his operations. He's also your first target." Noble Virtue and Sterling sat over a small coffee table in the dimly lit cottage. The plan for today was simple. Graduate from practice and begin learning on the job. "What's the point?" Noble Virtue asked blatantly. "I've completed all your training, mastered the art of combat, perfected my skills of stealth and incognito; I should move on to the princess and her cronies. They're more important than some sleazy extortionist." Sterling shook his head in disappointment. "Your training is hardly complete. Think of this as your final exam, a test to truly determine if you're ready. The death of Merchant King will not only prove your worth, but it will lift the spirits of the ponies in this district. If we rid Ponyville of him, we will gain the support of the population and show you are more than a rebellious vagrant." Virtue Huffed in defeat, sighing in acceptance. "Fine. How do you suppose I get to him anyway? He's always locked away in that mansion of his!" Sterling smirked and brandished a small map of the Ponyville Slums, spreading it lengthwise over the table. "Easy. Word has it that our friend Merchant King is up for a stroll this afternoon to collect his "dues". You will strike here. Ensure his death is made public. Let the good ponies of Ponyville know that an enforcer has arrived to dole out some long-awaited punishment." "Easier said than done. How should I make my escape? There's bound to be at least a hundred guards breathing down my neck by the time I get out." Asked Virtue. "Ah. A mutual friend of ours, Mrs. Whooves, has agreed to park her mail cart in the alleyway behind the grocery store here. She'll come by shortly after you deal with Merchant King and roll you away, as long as you are hidden within the cart of course." "Oh, so she knows it's happening then?" "To an extent. She has been given a menial understanding of the situation." Said Sterling, dismissing the young assassin with a hoof. "Right then," Confirmed Virtue, "Kill Merchant King, escape out the side through the alley, and hide in the mail cart." "Good, it's settled. There shall be a reckoning today child, and you will be our sword of justice. Now go forth, and light the spark that will kindle the flame of revolution." He had been tailing them for twenty minutes now. Merchant King and his cronies paraded up and down the streets roughing up anyone that had owned even a cent to Merchant's operation. The anger welled up inside Virtue, boiling to dangerous levels. He had seen at least thirty store owners, families and pedestrians abused in some way by Merchant King's goons that it was making him sick. But he was forced to think rationally. Too soon, and his window of escape would shut. He needed to be patient. "Ho-ho, what do we have here?" Four of Merchant King's goons had surrounded the local flower pony, Roseluck, and began circling her flower stand. Encompassed by a protective ring of his thugs, Merchant King approached the distraught florist and grinned smugly, leaning lazily on her wagon as he plucked a carnation and pinned it to his suave vest. "Well well well, we're certainly having a fine morning today, aren't we Rosy?" He chided. "We are Mr. Merch-" "Yeah, great. Tell me, how's the little ones? They in school yet?" "Tulip just entered grade school, my youngest is still-" "Mhm, right. Hey uh, you got my money Rosy? This wagon sure did cost a lot, y'know? Not to mention all this product. It sure was generous of me to kickstart your little business here, wasn't it?" Roseluck squirmed in place, stammering a gibbered reply. Merchant King didn't seem to hear any of it. "Tsk tsk tsk, gets a little difficult for guys like me around here when they start losing money Rosy. Makes me quite the angry stallion, and lately, I've been really angry. Stuff that you, or I, wouldn't like happens when I get angry. Wouldn't you say so, Mr. Biceps?" Merchant King stepped back off the wagon as the large white pegasus on his left surged forward, delivering a powerful kick to the flower cart, tumbling flower and wagon aside onto the hard cobblestone. Roseluck flew to the ground and gawked over her destroyed livelihood, scooping up whatever flowers she could with her forelimbs, on the verge of tears. Merchant King waved a hoof and beckoned his posse onward. "End of the month Rosy. You got till the end of the month." Noble Virtue had already turned away. Any longer, and he probably would've galloped down to street level and socked the Bucker right in the snout. Now that his target had moved on, Virtue needed to relocate to a more advantageous position. The intersection where he planned to murder Merchant King was coming up, and he was losing his nerve. Up until now, he had never killed anypony. "Alright Sterling, help me out here." Virtue spoke to himself. The sweat began to bead down his forehead as he faced the gap in the two buildings he'd perched himself on. He may not have been able to fly, but Sterling did supply him with some vicious fighting claws called "Griffon Talons" used mainly for melee purposes. However, they found it surprisingly useful for scaling walls and woodwork. A mere gesture of the hoof and the talons would protrude, just like the lance blade hidden in the folds of his armor. "Okay, legs apart, shoulders level, and . . . JUMP!" The young Stallion cascaded across the roof and extended his talons, clutching onto the shingles of the small warehouse he had landed on. It loosened some, but his grip held firm and he pulled himself up. "Not too shabby Noble, not too shabby." He said, patting himself on the back. Another crash and a hysterical scream caught the assassins attention, drawing his gaze toward the center of town where Merchant King was likely to be. "Well Merchant King, one of us isn't walking away from this today and the way I see it, it's not going to be me." Noble Virtue extended his claws and jumped. When he reached the rooftop overlooking the target area, Noble Virtue was already audience to about a hundred citizens, all gathered around Merchant King who had his hooves wrapped around a stallion's mane. His goons formed another protective ring around their employer, squaring off the crowd from Merchant King while he worked. It was Thunderlane, a down-on-his-luck Pegasus, and his face was contorted into a terrible grimace of pain, wincing as Merchant King's grip tightened even further. "See this? THIS is what happens when you ingrates don't pay up!" Roared Merchant, bringing his hoof down hard on Thunderlane's cheek. The crowd gasped and murmured, desperately looking for someone to build up the courage to do something. Luckily for them, Noble Virtue was perched on a small ledge, directly above the crooked guild leader. He took a deep breath, remembering Sterling's words as they rang through his mind. Remember, timing is everything. The lance takes approximately two seconds to fully deploy and you want to make sure you have your target on the tip of the blade after one second has passed. Finally, aim for the neck, always angling the blade so that it punctures the center. "Alright, here goes nothing." Noble Virtue deeply inhaled and leapt from the ledge. Two hours earlier . . . Silently biding his time in the corner, Noble pondered his thoughts in the corner of Sterling's cottage as he readied himself mentally for the task at hoof. A normal pony would've either backed out by now or given into emotion. But Noble Virtue had all but given up. He instead allowed himself to seethe in his anger and wallow in his sorrow, channeling the energy to use it against his faltering nerves. A long sigh escaped the young assassins mouth as the time for action grew nearer and nearer. While all his feelings whirled around in his head, in his heart, he remembered. "Mom, Dad? Penumbra? I . . . I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't do anything for you dad. I'm sorry I couldn't save you or mom. I let you all down, you especially Penny. I wish . . . I wish it'd been me. Goddess I wish it had been me back there instead of you. Now, now I'm going to make it all up. I'm going to make it all up to you and Equestria. I'm gonna do something about all of this and make sure it never happens again. I'm not terribly proud of all the ponies I'm going to murder but everything I do, I do for you and everyone that has been wronged under Twilight Sparkle." The fall from start to finish lasted only five seconds, but to Virtue it was an eternity. The air flowing through his mane almost came to a dead halt as he dropped gracefully from the ledge. The world slowed to a stop as Virtue caught himself in mid-air, getting an interesting view of his surroundings from an odd perspective. The crowd below him ranged from mares and stallions all different in height, age, and build. Merchant King's creased, disgruntled face as he pounded Thunderlane's bruised and bloody face to a pulp. And in the corner of his eye, near the back of the crowd stood Sterling, paused in time with his young recruit. Noble Virtue released the mechanism on the lance and aimed true, measuring the short distance to his target's throat. Three meters. Two meters. One meter. Shunk! All in an instant the crowd reacted, guards whirled around in shock, and Merchant King fell pinned to the ground by Noble's lance. He retracted the blade and Merchant King stared up into the Colt's eyes, both shocked and surprised. And for a moment, the world seemed to dematerialize around the two as time slowed to a halt. Just the two of them. Predator and Prey. "Wh-why? Why have you done this?" Stuttered Merchant King. Noble Virtue looked at the dying stallion in pitiful contempt, seeing toward answering the poor soul before he passed. "You sought to rob these ponies of their livelihoods. Extorting them whenever the chance arose and roughing them up when they can't pay your insane "dues". Merchant King chuckled, sputtering blood on the floor before him. "Ha! Extortion? I'm merely collecting the debts owed to me by these ingrates. *Cough* *Cough* You killed me, because I was being unfair? I wasn't playing nicely? *Cough* "Your methods are unnecessary and cruel. The ponies here can rest easy now with you gone." Said Noble. "Wake up kid. Without me, none of those lowlifes would've been able to afford to stay in business. Now without me, where the hell do you think they'll get their funding? Their debts will just move on to the next loan distributor in town. You . . . you've solved nothing kid. You spry little shit . . . go play hero . . . see how far . . . you get . . ." With that, Merchant King, leader of the merchant guild in Ponyville, breathed his last breath as the light left his eyes forever. Reality snapped back to Noble Virtue as the world around him erupted into chaos. The crowd turned and ran, running in fear before the guards turned up asking for suspects. Merchant King's thugs looked at their boss's limp body and stared back at Noble. A moment of realization pinged among the goons, and in a fit of burning rage, they charged Noble Virtue.
