Note closed her eyes as she tried to focus on something, anything, other than what awaited her. Before long she started gently humming.

“What's that? Sounds familiar,” Knight asked as he turned around in his seat, reaching for something behind it.

“Huh? O-oh... ummm... j-just a little nursery rhyme my mother used to sing to me when I was a foal,” Note whispered as she poked her hooves together. “I-I try singing them when I-I'm stressed or... terrified...” she whispered. “I-I'll stop.”

“No, no, feel free. Ah, found it,” the stallion's horn glowed as he tugged out a bottle of wine and glasses.

Note's eyes nearly bulged out of her head. “T-that's illegal! Where did you get that? Are you trying to get arrested? I... I'm actually lecturing my foalnapper about the law,” she mumbled as she face hoofed.

“Heh, relax. Here,” he popped the cork as it bubbled out and made a mess all over the floor. “... don't tell anypony I spilled that,” he muttered as he poured some into a glass and hovered it over to her. “Sorry, it's kinda cheap, but it should take the edge off. Make the next part easier too.”

She took it and sniffed the glass. “Next part?”

“Yeah. I uhhhh, I kinda need you to strip. Whoa, hold on!” he yelled as he put his hooves up defensively. After a few moments he lowered them. “Heh. Usually the ladies toss the drink in my face when I say that.”

“... I'm really trying to not get shot,” she mumbled. She downed the wine before holding the glass in her lap. “Are you all... do you plan to...”

“No! N-nothing like that!” the stallion said as he reached out to brush her mane back. “I assure you. I would never dream of doing anything to a pretty little mare that she didn't desire. I just need to check to make sure nothing on you has any tracking enchantments. We're about to hit a dump point and I need check by then. So, please strip.”

“Are you... do you have to watch?”

“If I didn't expect you to try jumping out of the moving carriage, no. Sadly, I'll ummm, try to keep it professional.”

Note nodded as she tossed the glass to him and closed her eyes. Her hooves reached up as she began to gently sing to herself. “Stop little foal and don't you sob, I'll keep you safe cause that's my job. None of the monsters will touch your hair, because that's something I wouldn't bear. I'll keep you safe throughout the night, because nothing can face your mommy's might. If... if you ever feel any fear, know m-mommy will be r-right here...” she trembled as she finally removed the last of her clothing and dropped it on the floor.

“It's fine...” the stallion mumbled as he picked them up and began going through her things. “I'm sorry, but it's just what we have to do.” He picked up her wallet and flipped through it. “You have a nice voice though. And... huh? Who's this?” he asked as he motioned inside the wallet.

“Me,” she said and, despite how stressed she felt, she couldn't help rolling her eyes.

“But-”

“Poison joke,” she said curtly.

“What? Why woul-”

“The cure is expensive and I don't have insurance.”

“Oh, I ummmm, I see...” he then blinked a few more times. “I don't get it.”

“My voice is still the same,” she said as she tried to not grind her teeth. “As well as my coat...”

“Oh! Heh, in that case it's kind of funny. Heh he... errrr... right. Moving on,” the stallion mumbled as he avoided looking at the glaring mare. After a few moments he put them back on the chair next to her. “Nothing, err, tracking your stuff. I uhhh, you look really good though, if that helps. Well, I mean aside from the mud and... errr... I think we have a coat in her somewhere. Better than that muddy uniform.” His horn glowed as the cabinet above her head opened.

A few bullets rolled out and landed in her lap, making her lock up. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she trembled. “I-I'm sorry, please don't kill me, I-I didn't mean to be rude, oh please, I'm sorry! I-I never wanted to, I was scared, they said they were going to-”

The stallion silenced her by putting a hoof against her lips. “Hush. We're not going to just shoot you, I promise. So long as you behave, and don't cause any trouble, you'll be fine. We don't have any intentions of selling you off to the diamond dogs, either. Just relax. Here,” he said as he dropped a small black cloak onto her lap.

She gulped and slowly wrapped the cloak around her, huddling in one of the corners of the carriage. “Why does... does King want to see m-me?”

“You should know that. Especially after last night. It's not every day a little mare takes down... how many was it? Police report said ten.”

“That... sounds about right...” she mumbled as she pulled the cloak tighter. It was warm and the seat was starting to feel very comfortable, especially after all that running.

“Exactly,” he sighed. “I knew some of those guys. Dumb, not very good with magic, but they were tough. How did a little girl like you take them out with just a knife?”

Adrenaline began to pump through her again as she looked around for somewhere to flee, but the small area offered nothing. “I-I'm sorry, I-I didn't w-want to hurt any of your friends, I just, I was scared and, and they were going to... I-I got lucky. T-they were all... separated. Distracted... I got them by surprise.”

He snickered as he reached out and patted her head. “Easy girl, they weren't my friends. Ponies like that are well... King would have had us eliminate them eventually. Saved us a job. Didn't look like you got them all by surprise, though. Judging by the gun shots and the way some of them were cut into-”

“C-can we please not... not talk about it? Please?” she begged as she closed her eyes. “I don't... you weren't there. You have no idea what it was like.”

“Okay, okay, just relax,” he mumbled as he reached out to brush her mane back. “Listen, you've had a long day. We'll be there soon, but once we get there you can take a nice shower and get some rest, okay? King is probably dealing with some other business still.”

She nodded and, true to his words, the carriage stopped soon after. The door opened as the stallion slowly helped her out. She looked around and let out a sigh. They were in a small, empty garage. He led her to the back-right corner and tapped three times. After a few seconds the cement, despite appearing completely solid, began to shift as a large rectangle moved up to the side. It revealed a long stair case going underground.

“After you,” Knight said as he motioned down.

Note held the cloak closer as she began walking down, her hooves trembling. “Jackrabbit hopped along in his coat, on the way to see his new friends' boat,” she softly sung to herself as she began walking down into the darkness, the only light was the occasional torch. “On the way he met Froofroofox who asked him for help with a box. He leaned in close to help the canine, as he smelt something quite divine...”

“Easy girl,” the stallion said he he patted her cloaked form. “It's going to be fine.”

She heard a loud boom from above, she imagined the exit closing behind them. Trapping her in. Too frightened to sing out loud, she began to lightly hum as she touched the bottom step and walked out into the new room.

It was a large, underground open area. Round tables with chairs were set up all over, and a large bar, complete with stools, stood at the opposite end of the cavern. On the right wall a number of newspaper clippings were hung, and against the left wall a small stage, with a few musical instruments, were laying unwatched. There were only two ponies in the room, both earth ponies.

“That's Rook,” Knight said as he motioned to the massive black stallion behind the bar. “Don't worry about him, he's as nice as can be. Wouldn't hurt a fly.”

“KNIGHT!” the stallion bellowed as he slammed a hoof on the counter. Note gulped as she stared at his arms, she was quite certain she had seen thinner trees. “You're late!” His green mane was cut short, though it fell along his neck perfectly parted and combed, albeit thin.

“I ran into some complications,” Knight said as he moved to hide behind Note.

“They better be good,” the other earth pony said as she got up from the table. She wore a bit red cowpony hat and her coat was a bright yellow. As she turned to look at them, her poofy red mane had to be pushed out of her eyes. “Oh? That dah girl your King was goin' on about?”

“Indeed it is!” Knight said as he darted forward and quickly took the mare's hoof, placing a kiss on it. “My deepest apologies, lady Applebloom. Had I known you were here, I would have ensured we traveled with an ever greater haste. I hope negotiations went well?”

“Yeah they did... Spark,” the mare said flatly.

“Hey! I-it's Knight here. Ixnay on the name...they.”

“Ah don't give a darn about your lil fancy nicknames,” Applebloom said as she rolled her eyes. “The deal is simple. Eight barrels of fresh apple cider this weekend. Pick 'em up at the normal place.” She then shoved past him and move in front of Note, who tried to make herself as small as possible.

“H-hi,” the mare squeaked as she stared up at the earth pony.

“Who-eee girl, yah look like yah wrestled with a pig, an lost,” she leaned in and sniffed, cringing. “Smell like it too. Knight, why yah gabbin about out here when yah got this poor girl tah take care of?”

“B-but I was,” the stallion objected. “I-I just got distracted by your beautiful face and Rook's troll-like mug.”

“Hey!” Rook snapped angrily.

“Mmmm hmm, sure yah were. Come on, hon,” Applebloom said as she turned back towards the bar. “Ah been here a few times, ah'll show yah where the showers are. Spark, ah swear if yah try to peep ah'll tan your hide.”

“I-It's Knight! And I'd never, ever do such a despicable thing!”

“Whateva. Go talk tah King. Come along, ummm... what's your name?”

“Note...” the unicorn mumbled as she followed after the mare. Within a few minutes she sighed happily as nice, almost scolding hot water moved down her body. “It feels like forever since I've had a real shower,” she called out.

“Well, dun worry about Knight. Ah'll make sure he behaves,” the earth pony said as she stood outside in the hall.

“Thanks,” she mumbled as she started lathering up. “My last place didn't really... have a working shower. I had to use buckets and well, it was just a pain. Drain barely even worked and had to heat the water up myself sometimes. So uhhhh... do you work for King?”

“Nah,” the mare said with a snicker. “I'm one'a the Apples.”

Note shrieked as she slipped on the tub, crashing to the ground. After a few moments she tried to pick herself up. “Y-you're one of the Apples?! Oh Luna, p-please don't shoot me, I-”

“Oh, knock it off,” the mare said with a roll of her eyes. “Ah don't know what paper yah been readin', but next tah none of what they say about us is true.”

“B-but the Daily Equine says-”

“Dah Daily Equine is run by a buncha silver tongued snakes that wouldn't know the truth if it came up and kicked them in their over paid flanks,” Applebloom snapped.

“I-I'm sorry, I just... sorry...”

“It's okay, ah'm getting' used to it. Ah'll admit a lot of us aren't on the right side of the law anymore, but it's not like we had much choice,” she grumbled. “We'da lost the farm if we kept lettin' them make the rules. Even now it gits harder each day.”

“I-I see... so I... errr, nevermind. I ummm... I'm almost done, is there a towel out there?”

“Yeah, hold on.”

A moment later a white puffy towel was hung on the shower door. Note shut off the water and began drying herself off, letting out a content sigh as she stepped out. “You know, I feel good enough right now I could almost forget I've almost died... I don't even know how many times in the last day.” She tossed the towel on the counter and smiled. “How do I look?”

“Like yah haven't slept in days,” Applebloom chuckled. “Ah haven't seen bags under the eyes like that since mah sister tried to buck the whole orchard on her lonesome.”

“... Fine,” Note grumbled as she yawned and moved a hoof to her mouth. “You don't think they'll let me sleep before they... shoot me, do you?”

The earth pony rolled her eyes. “Ah'll show yah where they have some cots. But then ah really gotta go. Mah sis is still waitin' tah hear about the negotiations.” She led the unicorn through the tunnels, soon taking her to a small room with three suspended cots. “Have a nice sleep.”

Note dropped on one of the cots, barely able to toss the towel off before she lost consciousness. Before long her mind was flooded with visions of fire and shattering glass, surrounding her on all sides. She tried to run, but the heat enveloped her on all sides, blocking off every exit as it came closer and closer. A sudden gunshot tore through her mind as she sat up, her eyes wide and heart pounding. She looked around frantically, and to her horror Knight was sitting on the cot besides hers.

“Sleep well?” he asked.

Note looked down, a blanket was now covering her. “K-kinda... I uhhh... I was just... how long was I out?” She ran a hoof through her mane, it came away drenched in sweat. She felt a little nauseous, her stomach doing little flips.

“Well, it'll be dawn in a few hours. So I'd say-”

“DAWN?!” the unicorn shrieked. “You let me sleep that long?! I'm going to be late for... for... nothing... really... right. No job. Mafia trying to kill me. Debt and... oh Luna,” everything came back to her at once as the room began to spin.

She started to fall backwards, as Knight jumped to his hooves and quickly caught her. “Easy girl. You okay? When's the last time you had something to eat?”

“I... ummm... Yesterday before... no, wait. Day before yesterday now? I had a sandwich... from work,” she squeaked.

“Heh, yeah, that'll do it. Come on, we have time until King and the others get back. I'll see what I can scrounge up,” he said as he pulled her to her hooves and led her through the halls. A few torches were lit up, but the tunnels were empty.

“Where is everypony?” Note asked as she looked around. The only rooms they passed, as few as there were, seemed to be store rooms, filled with barrels, bottles or crates.

“Left. What, you didn't think we stayed here all the time, did ya? The others need their sleep too.”

“Aren't there dozens of you though?” she asked as they entered the bar section. “I-I've seen the papers. They say King has an entire army...”

“Heh, don't believe everything you read in the papers,” he said as he walked behind the bar and rummaged under the counter. “How do sandwiches sound?”

“Fine,” she mumbled as she walked over to the newspaper clippings on the wall. Unsurprisingly, almost every one mentioned King and his attacks. Dozens dead, valuables stolen and property destroyed. She was so busy reading that she shrieked when she felt a tap on her back. “P-please don't do that.”

Knight snickered as he held out a large sandwich, filled with daisies, tomatoes, lettuce, a few olives and even a rose. Just the sight of it made her drool. “Sorry. Enjoying a little light reading?”

“Yeah,” she mumbled as she took the sandwich in her magic and admired it. “Wow... ummm... so how many of these are true?”

“All of them, to an extent,” he said as he motioned to one. “See that? Dozens dead in a hijacked medical shipment for Plot Co, police chase through the city?” He rolled his eyes. “No security, the only two on it were a couple of over-worked ponies working unpaid over time. We knocked the two poor saps out and took the truck. Wasn't filled with medical equipment either, just illegal booze. By the time they realized what happened the truck was already torn to bits and sold for spare parts.”

“A-alchohol? But that's illegal, why would Plot Co ship that?” she asked before taking a bite of her sandwich. She trembled as the amazing taste filled her mouth, making her knees tremble as the deliciousness soared through her.

“You'd be surprised how many illegal 'shipments' come through this city on a day to day basis,” the red-coated unicorn said with a chuckle as he motioned to another one. “See? 'Fire in Tailswisher Labs'? We weren't anywhere near it, probably burned down for insurance money or some other stupid reason. We stole a pretty sizable... well, let's just say there weren't too happy with us at the time, so the blame fell on us. A lot of the bigger companies aren't too happy with us right now. King likes to target them.”

“Why?” Note asked as she took another bite of the sandwich, her tail happily swishing behind her. She couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten something so filling.

“They have all the best stuff,” Knight said with a chuckle. “Besides, they can afford to give some of it up.”

“If you're doing stuff like that, there must be a lot of you,” Note mumbled as she popped the last bit of the sandwich into her mouth, letting out a content sigh, before gazing sadly at the empty air where her meal once hovered.

“Nah. We're still pretty small. We just have a lot of... allies. Like Lady Applebloom. Few other groups. We do some favors for them, they do favors for us. Give us a little extra muscle for those special jobs.”

“Why are you telling me all this?” Note asked softly as her voice quivered. “D-does it not matter? A-are you all going to kill me anyway to keep me quiet? S-so it doesn't matter what I know?” She tried making herself as small as possible.

He smiled and patted her head. “I've told you a dozen times, Relax. Nopony cares about this. We're not the ones going out of our way to hide these things. You don't have to instantly think we're going to start shooting you, just because we tell you a few things. Do you really think I'd have gone to all the trouble of saving you, if we just intended to kill you?”

“W-well, no, but I mean... sorry,” she whispered as she hung her head.

“Just relax,” he mumbled as he leaned in and kissed the top of her head. “You're safe, I promise. We have no intentions of hurting you in any way...”

She nodded and bit her lower lip “O-okay... how long until King gets here?”

“He's been here the whole time,” a gruff voice said from the entrance. Both ponies jumped and whipped around.

Standing at the foot of the stairs was a large pony, his entire body hidden under a large black cloak. The only thing Note could make out was the unicorn's black horn, which was poking through a hole in the hood.

“S-sorry, I was just, we were just-” Knight started.

“I don't care,” King said as he walked towards, and then past, them. He headed down the hallway. “Girl, follow me. Knight, stay here.”

“Yes sir,” the stallion mumbled obediently.

Note gulped fearfully as she followed after the cloaked stallion. Every step made her hooves shiver and her gaze fall lower and lower. When the stallion finally stopped, she was gazing so intently at the floor that she slammed into him.

“Watch where you're going!” the stallion growled, his grating voice echoing through her head.

“S-sorry...” she squeaked as the stallion walked into a small room. All that was in the room was a cheap wooden table, a few chairs and a lamp. A small folder was tossed on the table as the cloaked pony took a seat.

“Sit down.”

Note quickly darted to the closer seat and plopped down, her entire body shaking. “P-please... I-I'm sor-”

“Okay,” King interrupted, “this is how this is going to work. You're going to tell me what I want to know, and then we'll decide what to do from there.”

She nodded slowly as the folder was opened.

“Note, stage name Majestic Note,” the stallion read off.

“Y-yes,” she squeaked softly. “Y-you see I'm a singer a-”

“I haven't asked any questions yet. Don't interrupt me.”

“Y-yes sir, sorry sir...”

“Born in Fillydelphia, only child. Went to Fillydelphia high, graduated with a B- average.”

“H-how do you kn-”

“I told you not to interrupt me,” King snapped. Note trembled as she swore she saw a green glow under the hood. “Now, as I was saying. Only magical talents is weak telekinesis, able to hold up to eight objects at once, but only a three pound limit per object. No known other magics, correct?”

“Y-yes sir...” Note whimpered as she crossed her legs. She struggled not to wet herself as she watched the stallion go through her history.

“Got a job working as a receptionist at Bitsmart headquarters. Spent an unusually high amount of bits per month on dresses from a... Carousel Boutique. Especially considering you were apparently a stallion before this poison joke incident.”

“H-how did you know that? M-my financial records are private, they weren't for me they were for a friend!” Note shrieked as her face turned bright red. They turned even redder when she felt a slap across the face, the other unicorns horn glowing.

“I told you not to interrupt me. Now, as I was saying. After the incident, you were fired from your job. Apparently you attempted to sue them, but were forced into arbitration. After which, you owed them a few thousand bits. Following that you got a job working at Plots. A week and a half later, we come to last night. You, for some reason, went to meet with members of the Goldenshot family. Where you, a tiny little mare with no combat training, no military history, tartarus, you don't even have a concealed weapon permit, managed to kill ponies. Nothing I've found even hints at how you could do such a thing. I want to know how.”

Note just shook in her seat, wishing she still had the cloak from before. At least she could pretend to hide in it.

“Well?”

“I... I don't... I don't know... I just got luc-”

“BULL SHIT!” the pony's voice boomed as he stood up in his chair, slamming both hooves down on the table. Note whimpered as she saw the steel horseshoes on them. The legs were dark purple and trembled with rage. “No pony is that lucky! Listen, Note, you may think you can try pulling a fast one on me and get away with it. But you're hiding something and you're going to tell me. I've managed to find all that information on you in just one day, and all I needed was your ID and equestria number. Don't think I won't find what I want to know.”

“I-I'm sorry! I-I'm so sorry, I just, I just don't know! I got lucky! I-I caught them by surprise, t-they didn't think I'd put up a fight! T-they were separated a-and I picked them off one by o-one!” Note screamed as she cowered in the chair.

The cloaked unicorn sat back down and let out a sigh. “Don't tug me around. You're going to tell me. Don't think you won't. All that is going to change is how long it takes.”

Note whimpered as she stared at the ground.

“You're afraid, I understand that,” King said as he closed the folder. “But you have no choice. The Goldenshot family will kill you, if they find you. If you try to run home, they'll follow you. Now, I can protect you... but only if I trust you. You can either try to earn that trust, or you can give it up. Either way, I'll find out what I want to know.”

“I... I can...” Note said weakly as she trembled. “I-if I tell you, d-do you... do you p-promise n-not to hurt me? A-and that you'll l-let me go?”

“No,” the stallion said as he sighed. “I can only promise I won't harm you. That is all.”

The mare trembled as she bit her lower lip. “I... I can... I can s-see the future.”

“... I told you not to tug me around. Don't insult my intelligence,” King growled, as she swore his eyes glowed green from under the hood.

“I-it's true! I-I can! J-just a little bit,” Note said weakly as she cowered, the chair rattling. “Just... just a little bit. A-at most a minute. B-but, sometimes I get visions. W-when danger comes I-I can just see it. I... I knew w-whenever they were going to jump at me. W-when they were going to c-come around each corner. W-where they were going to s-shoot... I-I saw it all before they e-even knew they would d-do it. I-I ambushed a-a lot of them, t-took them by surprise. It's... it's the only reason I-I'm alive. I-I swear I'm telling the truth.”

King hummed for a moment as he watched her from behind the hood. Every second she waited she felt the icy fear of punishment coiling around her heart. Finally he let out a chuckle. “You're telling the truth, aren't you?”

“Y-yes,” she squeaked.

“Interesting,” the stallion mumbled. “The official status on seeing the future is that it's impossible. Even the princesses can't do such magic. The only thing I've heard similar to such magic, is an unlikely rumor of time magic hidden in Canterlot. Yet, you claim that you can do this impossible feat?”

“Y-yes,” Note squeaked as she tried not to burst into tears.

“Only a minute though? That's not very useful,” the stallion muttered. He got up and began pacing across the room, back and forth. The pink unicorn gulped nervously, each step making her stomach do flips. Finally, he stopped. “Well then. You have three options. Assuming you can prove this little... talent of yours.”

“W-what a-are they?” she squeaked.

“The first is simple, I let you go,” he said offhoove. “I'll get you out of the city, you can go home. Then, in a few weeks they find you and kill you and whoever you're with. Well, or worse.”

Note whimpered. “T-they might not find me though, I-I mean-”

“Oh, they'll find you. You're not well hidden. It took me only a few hours to find all that I did, even with your poison joke problem. Sure, it might take a few weeks, but they'll find you. They are very good at that.”

“W-what are my second a-and third options?”

“Second is easy,” King said as he moved behind the table. “I keep you safe and you work for me. Maybe after a few jobs I'll even get you the antidote to poison joke, as a bonus. Assuming you do a good job.”

“And... and the third option?”

The stallion let out an exasperated sigh. “I tie you down in one of the back rooms. Keep you alive. See how much we can develop that little spell of yours. Three choices, little mare.”

She gulped softly. “I... I want to go. Go home,” she mumbled.

“Very well. I'll have Knight take you to the train station. You can-”

“Really?” she squeaked softly. “Y-you're just going to let me go? No extra threats, nothing?”

“I told you not to interrupt me,” King snapped. “Yes. That is what I told you, was it not? If you wish to march into death's maw so happily, I won't stop you.”

Note gulped as she looked at the ground. Finally after a few moments she spoke up again. “I... will they really find me? Are you certain?”

“They've already found you once. What makes you think it will be so hard a second time?”

She chewed her lower lip as she rubbed her hoof against her foreleg. “F-fine. I... I'll work with you. I mean, I-I'll help you. I won't... I won't have to k-kill anypony, w-will I?”

“No,” King said as he walked from the room. “Just leave that to Knight and Rook. Welcome to our little family, Note.”

As the mare slowly walked from the room, the door shut behind her. Even though it closed gently, she swore she could feel it slam, rattling through her bones. She watched the cloaked figure walk through the halls as she let out a soft sigh. “What am I doing?” she whispered to herself. “What am I going to do?”

Author's Note

For anyone curious as to why I did the stallion reveal, in the story he was supposed to be a very girly guy. Unfortunately, MLP doesn't really allow much for androgynous-ness, since it's pretty clear based on the face as to what gender they are. I decided to do it this way so it could mesh better with some future plans. I hope it works well.