P.O. Box Manehattanby HelloTharChaptersEvent 1: Party AnimalEvent 2: Sugar RushEvent 3: CatalystEvent 1: Party Animal21:15 April 24 I awoke from my nap feeling groggier and more tired than I was earlier. Wearily taking off the scarlet blanket that tangled me, I rose from my bed with my joints aching in protest and placed my hooves on the carpeted floor of my second story apartment room. I glanced out of the window to my left and noticed Luna’s moon casting its light along the streets of Manehattan aided by the lamp posts beneath. I took a look at the windup alarm clock on the nightstand next to my bed. It was 9:15 PM. I walked out the door to my bedroom and into to my kitchen where the carpet transitioned into black and white checker tiles. The dishes were piling up in the sink, I really needed to wash them soon. Next to it was a letter typewritten on a white sheet of paper with an elegant design in the background. Dear Quick Wit, We appreciate your contribution to our cause and hope that you will spread our message of love and tolerance for the betterment of Equestria. This land needs ponies like you to keep its harmony intact and its residents united. May it forever prosper and may peace reign throughout. - Balance of Harmony “Can’t believe I actually listened to Stride and joined this group…” I muttered. I noticed that there was an envelope with a golden seal beneath the letter. I tore it open and pulled out a pink sheet of paper with two silhouetted theater masks in the lower left corner. It was an invitation. Hello! We are hosting a costume party at 4281 Horseshoe Ave. from 8 PM to 12 PM and you’re invited! Food and entertainment will be provided. Please bring a costume to this event and remember to enjoy yourself! I sighed and lit my horn. The letter becomes engulfed in a red aura and I levitated it into my saddlebags near the front door, placing it in the right side. I checked the contents inside of the bags. Yep, it was still there; not a speck of blood on it. With that done, I lifted the saddlebags onto my back and made sure that it was secure enough to not fall down even if I moved strenuously. With my preparations ready, I twisted the door knob and opened my apartment room door. The wooden floor of the hallway greeted my sight as well as the locked doors of the other rooms, most of them were vacant. I walked towards the stairs across from me and went down to the first floor. I pushed open the entrance door leading to the streets outside. Let’s just get this over with. First Event: Party Animal A unicorn stallion wearing saddlebags trotted up to a dilapidated two-story brick building. His coat a dark shade of red, his short unkempt mane a light shade of brown, and his cutie mark a brain with motion trails behind it. His amber eyes examined the building. Some bricks weren't properly arranged and most of the second floor windows were cracked with grime covering their surfaces. From his saddlebags he took out a mask that resembled a roaring manticore, its face a hue of light brown and its artificial mane a dark shade of red. He donned the mask, his horn protruding out of a hole on top of it and his muzzle inside of its hollow mouth. Almost instantly, his coat and mane shifted to the color scheme of the mask while his cutie mark disappeared entirely. It looked as if a beast had replaced the pony that stood there. Inside of the building, another unicorn sat next to the front door. It wore a deep black cloak with its hood casting a shadow over its features, its horn protruding out of the hole on top of the hood. The stallion bucked the door open, surprising the pony sitting next to it, and discharged a stunning blast from his horn that collided with the pony’s face. With it incapacitated, he raised his hoof on top of its head and slammed it down with enough force to hear the sickening crack of its skull. Blood seeped through the broken cranium as its uncloaked face spilled out a mushy red and pink substance. From the room to the right, two cloaked ponies ran out of the door to see what looked like a manticore standing over their dead comrade. One held a knife in its muzzle and charged at him but was blasted by another stunning spell which released its grasp on the knife. The other cloaked pony gaped at its incapacitated ally and didn't realize that the stallion was charging straight for it. Swiftly turning on his forehooves and twisting his torso, the stallion bucked the surprised pony in the face to send it into the state of unconsciousness. He levitated the fallen knife and rammed it into the two ponies’ throats causing blood to flow out of their new orifices like a fountain. Not hearing or seeing any further activities, the stallion rushed up the run-down wooden stairs to the second floor to continue his spree while still levitating the knife in his magical grasp. Near the flight of stairs’ wooden railing, a cloaked unicorn was waiting for the intruder to show his face and give him a good whack over the head with a pipe held in its magical grasp. As the stallion came up to the second floor, the cloaked pony ran towards him, but was halted when the stallion shot the knife, edge-first, into its eye socket. It tumbled down the stairs leaving a trail of blood in its wake while the stallion sidestepped out of its way and continued on. Another cloaked pony waited for the intruder directly behind the door to the left of the stairs, brandishing a nail bat in its muzzle ready to drive it through the intruder’s skull. It heard hoofsteps and tensed, preparing to strike whoever murdered its allies. Unfortunately, it didn't get the chance as the door was bucked open and collided with its face, sending it sprawled across the floor. The stallion quickly straddled the incapacitated pony, grabbed its temples with its forehooves, and began bashing its head against the ground. Blood seeped out of the pony’s nose as its eyes rolled back with its mouth agape. The stallion stood up and listened for any signs of activity. He looked around the area for any signs of life, but only silence and death dominated his senses. Despite the bloodshed that was created, the stallion was surprisingly clean. Not a single speck of blood was found on him. He trotted down the stairs, each step creating a creak that broke the silence, and glanced at the mutilated corpses he made. Blood covered the wooden tiled floor as though a spillage had occurred. The ponies he murdered had their hoods removed during his attack, exposing their horrified faces, pale and drained of life. The pony who tumbled down the stairs wore a look of pure fear, blood pouring out of its perforated eye with the knife still jammed in it. The stallion took off his mask, changing his coat and mane to their original color scheme, inserted it in his left saddlebag, and exited the building. As I trotted along the sidewalk I spotted a wooden and metal bench, the usual spot. I climbed onto it and lay there, absorbing my surroundings. Yellow taxis would be pulled next to the sidewalk to drop passengers off and pick new ones up, buildings towered over one another as though they were competing to see which one was the tallest, a bird chirped on a tree branch in vain as the noise of the city drowned out its song. I noticed a tan earth pony trotting towards me to my left. His yellow crew cut mane barely reached his forehead, his dull green eyes were focused on me, and his cutie mark was an iron horseshoe lying face down with a tuft of dust at the apex of the arc. It was Charging Stride, the one who persuaded me to join the Balance of Harmony in the first place. “Mornin' Wit, how’re ya doin’?” He asked as he took the empty spot left of me on the bench. “Fine” I replied. “So, are ya enjoying the group so far?” At his question, I glared at him. “Oh, still not comfortable with it then…” He trailed off and began glancing around, seeming to want to take his mind off of something. After a moment, I decided to ask him, “Stride, why did you drag me into this?” He chuckled and replied, “Because I think it’s fun.” Event 2: Sugar Rush22:30 April 16 "Mmrgh..." I groaned. As I regained consciousness, I noticed that I was still sitting at my wooden desk and a bit of drool was dripping from the corner of my mouth onto it. I really needed more sleep, but this case can't solve itself. I raised my head, wiping the drool away from my mouth, and glanced at the various documents cluttering my desk. Two in particular stood out from the rest: a letter with a rather elegant design on the paper it was typed on and an envelope with a gold seal on it. I opened it and read the letter that was inside. Apparently, it's an invitation. Do you like sweets? Want some fun and good food? Well then head on down to our our bakery at 4251 Mane Lane! We are hosting a party for the grand opening of our shop and the first 10 ponies to arrive get a surprise! We can guarantee you won't be disappointed by our selection of goods! There wasn't a name for the bakery, it was one of those invitations. Fine, guess I'll continue playing along. At least until I end this Celestia damned case. With that, I got up from my seat and searched my office for my gear. Though the room was moderately organized, papers were strewn on the carpeted floor around my desk, dust covered the spines of the books on the shelf to my right, and my potted fern plant in the left corner across the room seemed to be wilting a little. I really haven't had much time to spruce this place up, even for a small while. Eventually my eyes rested on the saddlebags lying right beside my desk. As usual, I double checked the contents inside my bags. Gauntlet? Check. Mask? Check. Extra ammo? Three arrowheads, need to make more of these. I secured the bags on my back and opened the metal door that led to the streets outside. It was pretty late, and barely anypony roamed these streets anymore. These murders were taking its toll on the night population, but it did allow me to work in secrecy more efficiently. I trotted to the location mentioned on the letter. Second Event: Sugar Rush A purple earth pony mare wearing saddlebags approached a one-story building in an area where most would consider to be run down, the building was no different. Its white color was deteriorating to a slight yellow while the windows were intact but spots of dirt prevented them from being entirely transparent. There was a white chimney at the top but no smoke came out of it and the front wooden door seemed sturdy but old. The mare stood in front of the building, her silver mane barely reaching her neck, her eyes a deep black, and her cutie mark a shield with a crescent moon in the center of it. She reached into her saddlebags and pulled out a metallic gauntlet with three arrows circling it, the heads jutting out slightly, securing it onto her left foreleg. She then pulled out a mask resembling a screeching cockatrice, its color a feathery white and its artificial comb a red hue. She donned the mask, transforming her purple coat into a scaly green and making her cutie mark cease to exist. Her muzzle protruded out of the hole of the mask's open beak, allowing her to hold items with her mouth. Inside the building, a cloaked unicorn was standing behind a glass counter on guard duty. Two cloaked earth ponies were playing poker on a table to the right, their weapons, a pipe and a knife, lying near them for easy access against possible intruders. A fourth cloaked pony was sleeping on a chair to the left of the counter, his head resting on top of another table. The front door burst open, revealing the scaly green mare with her gauntlet aimed straight at the unicorn behind the counter. Before the unicorn could fire off a shot from its horn, an arrow suddenly perforated its head spilling blood and grey matter out the back of its skull. The two ponies playing poker immediately grabbed their weapons and charged while the sleeping pony woke up with a jerk. As the two armed ponies closed in on the mare, she twisted her body and bucked both of them in their faces, one with each hind leg. The two were knocked unconscious and dropped their weapons while the now awake pony looked on in fear. In a desperate attempt for survival, it made a beeline for the dropped knife but was stopped when the mare swung her left foreleg and cut open its throat using one of the jutting arrow tips in her gauntlet. The cloaked pony gurgled on its own blood while the mare walked towards the fallen knife, grabbed the handle in her mouth, and sliced open the other ponies' throats before they could wake up. With the checker tiled floor seemingly clear of living cloaked figures and painted a new shade of red, the mare walked towards the back door behind the counter, apparently leading down into a basement room. A cloaked earth pony trotted up the stairs leading to first floor to investigate the commotion. Just as it was reaching for the handle, the door slammed in its face causing it to tumble back down. As its head impacted with the smooth stone floor, its neck twisted violently and the pony seemingly stopped breathing. The mare entered the basement floor and jabbed the knife in its throat for good measure. In the basement, two door-less rooms were located to the left and right creating a hallway. Burners and bottles containing chemicals were arranged on tables propped up in the rooms. Bags filled with white powder were stacked on top of one another against the walls. A cloaked unicorn was busy mixing the chemicals in the room to the left with two brawny earth ponies guarding the entrance. In the room to the right, two other earth ponies were sitting at a table and chatting. The sound of something falling was heard near the stairs to the basement. The two ponies standing guard decided to investigate the noise. As they were walking out to the hallway, one was suddenly shot in its right eye with an arrow while the other spotted the intruder and rushed towards her with a burst of adrenaline. It attempted to buck the intruder but as it did so, the mare swiftly side stepped and twisted her head. The knife became lodged in pony's neck, causing it to suffocate on its own blood as it feebly attempted to pull it out. The two ponies chatting in the room to the right saw what was happening in the hallway and grabbed nearby pipes to defend themselves. The mare appeared at the entrance, she pointed her gauntlet at one of them and shot out the last arrow into the head of her target. The other pony charged with a pipe firmly held in its mouth, but was knocked to the floor with a forehoof strike by the intruder. The mare walked towards the incapacitated pony and stomped on its head until its face was no longer recognizable. She grabbed one the pipes and headed towards the left room The unicorn working with the chemicals was now cowering behind a table. As the mare entered the room, she looked around and spotted the frightened pony. It began to back away, attempting to distance itself as far as possible from the beast in front of it, until it bumped into a wall. The mare closed in on the unicorn and swung her pipe, disorientating it and knocking it down. She straddled the unicorn, switching her grip on the pipe to her forelegs while doing so, and began beating its face in. the unicorn's face swelled with each blow, eventually becoming a pile of red mush. Everything became silent and the floor was caked with blood. Death surrounded the mare accompanied by the slaughtered ponies' looks of agony. The mare trotted up the stairs to the first floor. Bits of brain from the shot unicorn lay on the floor behind the counter while bucket loads of blood added to the theme of death. Bodies lay everywhere and silence permeated the room just as it did with the basement. The mare took off her mask, changing her coat back to its original form, and gauntlet. Despite the blood spilled, she was surprisingly clean from any traces of it except for her gauntlet. She placed them in her saddlebags and exited the building. I opened the door and entered the diner. A few ponies were eating their meals in the booths along the wall and some sat on the metal stools that lined the front counter. The smell of hay burgers and coffee wafted from the kitchen in the back. The stallion behind the counter glanced at me and smiled. "Morning Night Shield. What'll you be having?" "The usual," I replied. "Alright then, coming right up." I walked up to the counter and took a seat at one of the stools. After about five minutes, a cup of hot coffee and a dish with two stacked pancakes along with a small pitcher of syrup were placed in front of me. I thanked the stallion and began to dig into my meal. "Hey Shield, no offense but you don't look so good," the stallion said. "Yeah, I haven't gotten much rest ever since this whole thing about beasts in the city started popping up." He smirked, "Well try to take better care of yourself. Don't want to lose one my regulars." "Will do," I replied, returning his smile. After finishing my meal, I paid the bill and placed a tip of five bits on the counter. With my stomach full, I left the diner. Event 3: Catalyst18:26 April 16 I wearily walked back to my apartment building, my saddlebags feeling heavier than they should be due to my fatigue. Another day of work, another bag of bits. As I opened the front door leading into the building, I saw a white unicorn mare with a long silver mane inserting some things into one of the several wall mounted mailboxes. She wasn't the usual mail carrier and her cutie mark was covered by her brown coat so I didn't know what sort of business she was in. What I did see was that the mailbox she placed the things in happened to be mine. She closed the box and glanced at me. I glanced at her back and we continued on our separate ways. Though, as we were passing by each other, I could've sworn that a faint smirk appeared on her face. She opened the door I entered and left the building. What was that about? I decided to check the objects she inserted. Opening the box, I saw an envelope with a gold seal on it along with a letter typed on a fancy piece of paper. I placed the two items in my saddlebags, closed the box, and continued on my way upstairs. I eventually reached a door with the number 105 nailed onto it. Lying in front of the door was a small cardboard box taped shut, odd... Reaching into my saddlebags, I pulled out the key and unlocked the door. I dragged the box into the dark green carpeted room and placed it near the doorway along with my saddlebags, feeling a slight amount of relief at the weight no longer burdening my body. I took out the two letters and carried them over to to my living room, placing them on my wooden coffee table. I sat down on my red couch and read the the typed one first. Dear Charging Stride, We appreciate your contribution to our cause and hope that you will spread our message of love and tolerance for the betterment of Equestria. This land needs ponies like you to keep its harmony intact and its residents united. May it forever prosper and may peace reign throughout. - Balance of Harmony Huh, so that mare was part of this group. This seemed like an interesting organization to join, plus I might have some fun with this. I don't know how they're planning on bettering Equestria, but Celestia knows I need some form of entertainment in my monotonous life. I tore open the envelope and pulled out the two papers inside. One was an ad of sorts. Hey you! Come down to our store at 4112 Westhoof Ave. We'll be having a sale on furniture today and only a select few are chosen for it! Come between 8:30 PM and 12:00 AM to get great deals on our wares! Hurry while they last! Weird, the name of the shop wasn't written anywhere on the invitation...and what kind of sale only happens that late at night? Casting aside the unusual paper, I read the other one. Go to the address mentioned in the invitation and be sure to bring that mask in the box. Disobedience will not be tolerated. We know where you live and who you are. This message will be erased once you have read this sentence. As soon as my eye caught the last word, the letter became engulfed in a white flame. No ashes fell down as the letter simply vanished, purged by the bright fire. What kind of group did I join? Remembering the box I placed near the front, I trotted to kitchen and grabbed a knife to cut open the tape. After I had removed it, I hesitantly opened the box revealing a red dragon mask. There were slits cut in its pupils and the mouth was open with a hole in the center, making it look as though it was roaring. The mask's muzzle was shorter than that of a normal dragon, about the same size as my muzzle. I decided to wear the mask and get a feel for it. As soon as I placed it on my head, I felt a tingly sensation around my body and looked at my forehooves. They were now a fiery red, similar to the dragon's color. I trotted to the bathroom to examine my new form. As soon as my reflection in the mirror greeted my my sight, I was caught speechless. It looked as though I had become a dragon myself, albeit a pony sized one. I turned around and noticed that in my reflection, my cutie mark was missing. Was that another effect of the mask? I took it off and as soon as I did, my original color along with my cutie mark returned. If the implications of what I'm about to do weren't so suspicious, I'd say this'd make a great costume for Nightmare Night. Huh. So I guess I just became one of the B.o.H.'s lapdogs. I could disobey them to see what would happen...but I guess I could also check out what they're doing with their members. "Well, I wanted some fun. Guess this is how I'm gonna get it," I muttered. With that, I emptied the contents of my saddlebags, most of them were tools used for construction anyway so I shouldn't need them weighing me down. I placed the mask inside as well as the invitation to remember the address. Wonder how this'll turn out. Third Event: Catalyst A decrepit two story building laid between two other buildings that were in a similar state of disrepair. The bricks were cracked and the windows were covered in the grime, obscuring the inside of the building. The night covered most of the area in darkness, but a single lamp nailed on top of the front door prevented it from entirely covering the entrance, though not by much. A tan stallion wearing saddlebags approached the building. He took out a red roaring dragon mask and donned it which enchanted his coat to match the mask's color. The stallion hesitantly opened the door and peeked into the interior. Under the slightly dim ceiling lights, a cloaked pony holding a wooden club in its mouth stood near a door across from the stallion. The stairs leading to the second floor were located to the right of it and another door stood a small distance away from the base. As the stallion entered the building, the cloaked figure noticed the intruder and rushed towards him with vigor. Its club was raised, ready to be brought down and crack the intruder's skull, but the intruder quickly rolled to his right making the club miss its target. Recovering from his roll, the stallion bucked the cloaked pony as hard as he could, sending it flying backwards a few feet as well as making it drop the club. He grabbed the club and and began to swing it repeatedly against the pony's head. Blood spurted out from the gashes with each strike along with bits of brain. Another obscured pony appeared from the creaky door where the now dead pony was stationed next to. Upon hearing the door open, the intruder glanced at the source of the noise and saw another cloaked pony with widened fearful eyes. The masked intruder swiftly tossed the club into the pony's face and knocked it down. He rushed over, straddled the pony, grabbed its head with his forehooves, and began slamming it against the hard wooden floor. He stopped once he heard a resounding crack from the pony beneath him. The intruder grabbed the club with his mouth and looked around the area for any more cloaked figures. The door near the stairs caught his attention along with the hoofsteps coming from behind it. He quickly ran towards it and bucked it open. The pony behind flew back from the impact, dazed and barely conscious. the stallion straddled the pony and began pummeling away. Blow after blow caused blood to gush out from the multiple gashes appearing on its face. After the beat down was finished, the pony's face was pile of red and pink mush. Not seeing nor hearing any more activity, the stallion trotted up the stairs to the second floor. A cloaked unicorn was waiting on the other side of the stairs' railing with a spell charged in its horn. As soon the masked intruder appeared on the floor, it discharged the spell. The intruder heard the energy being released and quickly rolled to the side, narrowly escaping the blast which collided with the wall behind him. As the pony prepared to charge another spell, a club collided with its face, dispelling the magical energy being prepared. The stallion trotted over and stomped on its head, cracking its skull and horn with each blow until it was no longer breathing. From the door to the right of the dead unicorn, two cloaked ponies rushed out with a hammer and a pipe. The one with the hammer closed the distance faster than its peer, but the stallion's hoof collided with its face and knocked it down. As the other pony began to close in, the stallion swung his club and heard the sickening crack of his target's skull along with something wet landing on the floor. He then traded his club for the fallen hammer and brought it down repeatedly on the unconscious pony's face, causing it to swell into a bloody pulp with each strike. The stallion looked around, everything was seemingly quiet. Only the dull buzzing of an antiquated ceiling lamp could be heard which added to the atmosphere of death. Dead ponies surrounded the masked intruder, blood seeping out of their wounds, faces bruised and bloodied. The floor was soaked with their blood. In contrast, the stallion himself was clean from the red sticky liquid. As he trotted down the stairs, he looked around the floor. Like the top one, dead cloaked ponies lay around with their ruined faces seemingly accentuating the dilapidated condition of the building. Pools of blood covered some parts of the floor with bits of teeth and brain laced here and there near the bodies. The intruder took off his mask and placed it in his saddlebags. As he opened the front door, a smirk adorned his face. He walked out onto the empty darkened streets. Last night was awesome. I need to get Wit to join this group, he seems like he could use some fun as well. Plus, maybe he and I could work together on one of those invitations. I waited on the bench near a small park, the flyer advertising the B.o.H. in my hooves. The city was bustling with activity: business ponies trotting to their meetings, taxis pulling along sidewalks, small shops selling merchandise such as flowers and what not. A few minutes later, Wit came up and sat in the empty spot to my right. I spent no time beating around the bush, "Wit, ya got to join this group." I showed him the flyer. He looked at me with an expression of confusion and worry, "Uh, why?" "This group has some pretty fun things planned out. I went to one of their events last night and it was amazing!" "...So what do they even do?" he asked. "Supposedly, they help make Equestria a better place. I don't know how, but whatever they're doing, it's awesome. Look, just join it and see for yourself. I'm sure you're gonna be thinking the same thing," I said with a smirk. "Alright, alright. I guess I'll check it out sometime then. The way you're raving about it makes it seem as though you practically worship it."
Event 1: Party Animal21:15 April 24 I awoke from my nap feeling groggier and more tired than I was earlier. Wearily taking off the scarlet blanket that tangled me, I rose from my bed with my joints aching in protest and placed my hooves on the carpeted floor of my second story apartment room. I glanced out of the window to my left and noticed Luna’s moon casting its light along the streets of Manehattan aided by the lamp posts beneath. I took a look at the windup alarm clock on the nightstand next to my bed. It was 9:15 PM. I walked out the door to my bedroom and into to my kitchen where the carpet transitioned into black and white checker tiles. The dishes were piling up in the sink, I really needed to wash them soon. Next to it was a letter typewritten on a white sheet of paper with an elegant design in the background. Dear Quick Wit, We appreciate your contribution to our cause and hope that you will spread our message of love and tolerance for the betterment of Equestria. This land needs ponies like you to keep its harmony intact and its residents united. May it forever prosper and may peace reign throughout. - Balance of Harmony “Can’t believe I actually listened to Stride and joined this group…” I muttered. I noticed that there was an envelope with a golden seal beneath the letter. I tore it open and pulled out a pink sheet of paper with two silhouetted theater masks in the lower left corner. It was an invitation. Hello! We are hosting a costume party at 4281 Horseshoe Ave. from 8 PM to 12 PM and you’re invited! Food and entertainment will be provided. Please bring a costume to this event and remember to enjoy yourself! I sighed and lit my horn. The letter becomes engulfed in a red aura and I levitated it into my saddlebags near the front door, placing it in the right side. I checked the contents inside of the bags. Yep, it was still there; not a speck of blood on it. With that done, I lifted the saddlebags onto my back and made sure that it was secure enough to not fall down even if I moved strenuously. With my preparations ready, I twisted the door knob and opened my apartment room door. The wooden floor of the hallway greeted my sight as well as the locked doors of the other rooms, most of them were vacant. I walked towards the stairs across from me and went down to the first floor. I pushed open the entrance door leading to the streets outside. Let’s just get this over with. First Event: Party Animal A unicorn stallion wearing saddlebags trotted up to a dilapidated two-story brick building. His coat a dark shade of red, his short unkempt mane a light shade of brown, and his cutie mark a brain with motion trails behind it. His amber eyes examined the building. Some bricks weren't properly arranged and most of the second floor windows were cracked with grime covering their surfaces. From his saddlebags he took out a mask that resembled a roaring manticore, its face a hue of light brown and its artificial mane a dark shade of red. He donned the mask, his horn protruding out of a hole on top of it and his muzzle inside of its hollow mouth. Almost instantly, his coat and mane shifted to the color scheme of the mask while his cutie mark disappeared entirely. It looked as if a beast had replaced the pony that stood there. Inside of the building, another unicorn sat next to the front door. It wore a deep black cloak with its hood casting a shadow over its features, its horn protruding out of the hole on top of the hood. The stallion bucked the door open, surprising the pony sitting next to it, and discharged a stunning blast from his horn that collided with the pony’s face. With it incapacitated, he raised his hoof on top of its head and slammed it down with enough force to hear the sickening crack of its skull. Blood seeped through the broken cranium as its uncloaked face spilled out a mushy red and pink substance. From the room to the right, two cloaked ponies ran out of the door to see what looked like a manticore standing over their dead comrade. One held a knife in its muzzle and charged at him but was blasted by another stunning spell which released its grasp on the knife. The other cloaked pony gaped at its incapacitated ally and didn't realize that the stallion was charging straight for it. Swiftly turning on his forehooves and twisting his torso, the stallion bucked the surprised pony in the face to send it into the state of unconsciousness. He levitated the fallen knife and rammed it into the two ponies’ throats causing blood to flow out of their new orifices like a fountain. Not hearing or seeing any further activities, the stallion rushed up the run-down wooden stairs to the second floor to continue his spree while still levitating the knife in his magical grasp. Near the flight of stairs’ wooden railing, a cloaked unicorn was waiting for the intruder to show his face and give him a good whack over the head with a pipe held in its magical grasp. As the stallion came up to the second floor, the cloaked pony ran towards him, but was halted when the stallion shot the knife, edge-first, into its eye socket. It tumbled down the stairs leaving a trail of blood in its wake while the stallion sidestepped out of its way and continued on. Another cloaked pony waited for the intruder directly behind the door to the left of the stairs, brandishing a nail bat in its muzzle ready to drive it through the intruder’s skull. It heard hoofsteps and tensed, preparing to strike whoever murdered its allies. Unfortunately, it didn't get the chance as the door was bucked open and collided with its face, sending it sprawled across the floor. The stallion quickly straddled the incapacitated pony, grabbed its temples with its forehooves, and began bashing its head against the ground. Blood seeped out of the pony’s nose as its eyes rolled back with its mouth agape. The stallion stood up and listened for any signs of activity. He looked around the area for any signs of life, but only silence and death dominated his senses. Despite the bloodshed that was created, the stallion was surprisingly clean. Not a single speck of blood was found on him. He trotted down the stairs, each step creating a creak that broke the silence, and glanced at the mutilated corpses he made. Blood covered the wooden tiled floor as though a spillage had occurred. The ponies he murdered had their hoods removed during his attack, exposing their horrified faces, pale and drained of life. The pony who tumbled down the stairs wore a look of pure fear, blood pouring out of its perforated eye with the knife still jammed in it. The stallion took off his mask, changing his coat and mane to their original color scheme, inserted it in his left saddlebag, and exited the building. As I trotted along the sidewalk I spotted a wooden and metal bench, the usual spot. I climbed onto it and lay there, absorbing my surroundings. Yellow taxis would be pulled next to the sidewalk to drop passengers off and pick new ones up, buildings towered over one another as though they were competing to see which one was the tallest, a bird chirped on a tree branch in vain as the noise of the city drowned out its song. I noticed a tan earth pony trotting towards me to my left. His yellow crew cut mane barely reached his forehead, his dull green eyes were focused on me, and his cutie mark was an iron horseshoe lying face down with a tuft of dust at the apex of the arc. It was Charging Stride, the one who persuaded me to join the Balance of Harmony in the first place. “Mornin' Wit, how’re ya doin’?” He asked as he took the empty spot left of me on the bench. “Fine” I replied. “So, are ya enjoying the group so far?” At his question, I glared at him. “Oh, still not comfortable with it then…” He trailed off and began glancing around, seeming to want to take his mind off of something. After a moment, I decided to ask him, “Stride, why did you drag me into this?” He chuckled and replied, “Because I think it’s fun.”
Event 2: Sugar Rush22:30 April 16 "Mmrgh..." I groaned. As I regained consciousness, I noticed that I was still sitting at my wooden desk and a bit of drool was dripping from the corner of my mouth onto it. I really needed more sleep, but this case can't solve itself. I raised my head, wiping the drool away from my mouth, and glanced at the various documents cluttering my desk. Two in particular stood out from the rest: a letter with a rather elegant design on the paper it was typed on and an envelope with a gold seal on it. I opened it and read the letter that was inside. Apparently, it's an invitation. Do you like sweets? Want some fun and good food? Well then head on down to our our bakery at 4251 Mane Lane! We are hosting a party for the grand opening of our shop and the first 10 ponies to arrive get a surprise! We can guarantee you won't be disappointed by our selection of goods! There wasn't a name for the bakery, it was one of those invitations. Fine, guess I'll continue playing along. At least until I end this Celestia damned case. With that, I got up from my seat and searched my office for my gear. Though the room was moderately organized, papers were strewn on the carpeted floor around my desk, dust covered the spines of the books on the shelf to my right, and my potted fern plant in the left corner across the room seemed to be wilting a little. I really haven't had much time to spruce this place up, even for a small while. Eventually my eyes rested on the saddlebags lying right beside my desk. As usual, I double checked the contents inside my bags. Gauntlet? Check. Mask? Check. Extra ammo? Three arrowheads, need to make more of these. I secured the bags on my back and opened the metal door that led to the streets outside. It was pretty late, and barely anypony roamed these streets anymore. These murders were taking its toll on the night population, but it did allow me to work in secrecy more efficiently. I trotted to the location mentioned on the letter. Second Event: Sugar Rush A purple earth pony mare wearing saddlebags approached a one-story building in an area where most would consider to be run down, the building was no different. Its white color was deteriorating to a slight yellow while the windows were intact but spots of dirt prevented them from being entirely transparent. There was a white chimney at the top but no smoke came out of it and the front wooden door seemed sturdy but old. The mare stood in front of the building, her silver mane barely reaching her neck, her eyes a deep black, and her cutie mark a shield with a crescent moon in the center of it. She reached into her saddlebags and pulled out a metallic gauntlet with three arrows circling it, the heads jutting out slightly, securing it onto her left foreleg. She then pulled out a mask resembling a screeching cockatrice, its color a feathery white and its artificial comb a red hue. She donned the mask, transforming her purple coat into a scaly green and making her cutie mark cease to exist. Her muzzle protruded out of the hole of the mask's open beak, allowing her to hold items with her mouth. Inside the building, a cloaked unicorn was standing behind a glass counter on guard duty. Two cloaked earth ponies were playing poker on a table to the right, their weapons, a pipe and a knife, lying near them for easy access against possible intruders. A fourth cloaked pony was sleeping on a chair to the left of the counter, his head resting on top of another table. The front door burst open, revealing the scaly green mare with her gauntlet aimed straight at the unicorn behind the counter. Before the unicorn could fire off a shot from its horn, an arrow suddenly perforated its head spilling blood and grey matter out the back of its skull. The two ponies playing poker immediately grabbed their weapons and charged while the sleeping pony woke up with a jerk. As the two armed ponies closed in on the mare, she twisted her body and bucked both of them in their faces, one with each hind leg. The two were knocked unconscious and dropped their weapons while the now awake pony looked on in fear. In a desperate attempt for survival, it made a beeline for the dropped knife but was stopped when the mare swung her left foreleg and cut open its throat using one of the jutting arrow tips in her gauntlet. The cloaked pony gurgled on its own blood while the mare walked towards the fallen knife, grabbed the handle in her mouth, and sliced open the other ponies' throats before they could wake up. With the checker tiled floor seemingly clear of living cloaked figures and painted a new shade of red, the mare walked towards the back door behind the counter, apparently leading down into a basement room. A cloaked earth pony trotted up the stairs leading to first floor to investigate the commotion. Just as it was reaching for the handle, the door slammed in its face causing it to tumble back down. As its head impacted with the smooth stone floor, its neck twisted violently and the pony seemingly stopped breathing. The mare entered the basement floor and jabbed the knife in its throat for good measure. In the basement, two door-less rooms were located to the left and right creating a hallway. Burners and bottles containing chemicals were arranged on tables propped up in the rooms. Bags filled with white powder were stacked on top of one another against the walls. A cloaked unicorn was busy mixing the chemicals in the room to the left with two brawny earth ponies guarding the entrance. In the room to the right, two other earth ponies were sitting at a table and chatting. The sound of something falling was heard near the stairs to the basement. The two ponies standing guard decided to investigate the noise. As they were walking out to the hallway, one was suddenly shot in its right eye with an arrow while the other spotted the intruder and rushed towards her with a burst of adrenaline. It attempted to buck the intruder but as it did so, the mare swiftly side stepped and twisted her head. The knife became lodged in pony's neck, causing it to suffocate on its own blood as it feebly attempted to pull it out. The two ponies chatting in the room to the right saw what was happening in the hallway and grabbed nearby pipes to defend themselves. The mare appeared at the entrance, she pointed her gauntlet at one of them and shot out the last arrow into the head of her target. The other pony charged with a pipe firmly held in its mouth, but was knocked to the floor with a forehoof strike by the intruder. The mare walked towards the incapacitated pony and stomped on its head until its face was no longer recognizable. She grabbed one the pipes and headed towards the left room The unicorn working with the chemicals was now cowering behind a table. As the mare entered the room, she looked around and spotted the frightened pony. It began to back away, attempting to distance itself as far as possible from the beast in front of it, until it bumped into a wall. The mare closed in on the unicorn and swung her pipe, disorientating it and knocking it down. She straddled the unicorn, switching her grip on the pipe to her forelegs while doing so, and began beating its face in. the unicorn's face swelled with each blow, eventually becoming a pile of red mush. Everything became silent and the floor was caked with blood. Death surrounded the mare accompanied by the slaughtered ponies' looks of agony. The mare trotted up the stairs to the first floor. Bits of brain from the shot unicorn lay on the floor behind the counter while bucket loads of blood added to the theme of death. Bodies lay everywhere and silence permeated the room just as it did with the basement. The mare took off her mask, changing her coat back to its original form, and gauntlet. Despite the blood spilled, she was surprisingly clean from any traces of it except for her gauntlet. She placed them in her saddlebags and exited the building. I opened the door and entered the diner. A few ponies were eating their meals in the booths along the wall and some sat on the metal stools that lined the front counter. The smell of hay burgers and coffee wafted from the kitchen in the back. The stallion behind the counter glanced at me and smiled. "Morning Night Shield. What'll you be having?" "The usual," I replied. "Alright then, coming right up." I walked up to the counter and took a seat at one of the stools. After about five minutes, a cup of hot coffee and a dish with two stacked pancakes along with a small pitcher of syrup were placed in front of me. I thanked the stallion and began to dig into my meal. "Hey Shield, no offense but you don't look so good," the stallion said. "Yeah, I haven't gotten much rest ever since this whole thing about beasts in the city started popping up." He smirked, "Well try to take better care of yourself. Don't want to lose one my regulars." "Will do," I replied, returning his smile. After finishing my meal, I paid the bill and placed a tip of five bits on the counter. With my stomach full, I left the diner.
Event 3: Catalyst18:26 April 16 I wearily walked back to my apartment building, my saddlebags feeling heavier than they should be due to my fatigue. Another day of work, another bag of bits. As I opened the front door leading into the building, I saw a white unicorn mare with a long silver mane inserting some things into one of the several wall mounted mailboxes. She wasn't the usual mail carrier and her cutie mark was covered by her brown coat so I didn't know what sort of business she was in. What I did see was that the mailbox she placed the things in happened to be mine. She closed the box and glanced at me. I glanced at her back and we continued on our separate ways. Though, as we were passing by each other, I could've sworn that a faint smirk appeared on her face. She opened the door I entered and left the building. What was that about? I decided to check the objects she inserted. Opening the box, I saw an envelope with a gold seal on it along with a letter typed on a fancy piece of paper. I placed the two items in my saddlebags, closed the box, and continued on my way upstairs. I eventually reached a door with the number 105 nailed onto it. Lying in front of the door was a small cardboard box taped shut, odd... Reaching into my saddlebags, I pulled out the key and unlocked the door. I dragged the box into the dark green carpeted room and placed it near the doorway along with my saddlebags, feeling a slight amount of relief at the weight no longer burdening my body. I took out the two letters and carried them over to to my living room, placing them on my wooden coffee table. I sat down on my red couch and read the the typed one first. Dear Charging Stride, We appreciate your contribution to our cause and hope that you will spread our message of love and tolerance for the betterment of Equestria. This land needs ponies like you to keep its harmony intact and its residents united. May it forever prosper and may peace reign throughout. - Balance of Harmony Huh, so that mare was part of this group. This seemed like an interesting organization to join, plus I might have some fun with this. I don't know how they're planning on bettering Equestria, but Celestia knows I need some form of entertainment in my monotonous life. I tore open the envelope and pulled out the two papers inside. One was an ad of sorts. Hey you! Come down to our store at 4112 Westhoof Ave. We'll be having a sale on furniture today and only a select few are chosen for it! Come between 8:30 PM and 12:00 AM to get great deals on our wares! Hurry while they last! Weird, the name of the shop wasn't written anywhere on the invitation...and what kind of sale only happens that late at night? Casting aside the unusual paper, I read the other one. Go to the address mentioned in the invitation and be sure to bring that mask in the box. Disobedience will not be tolerated. We know where you live and who you are. This message will be erased once you have read this sentence. As soon as my eye caught the last word, the letter became engulfed in a white flame. No ashes fell down as the letter simply vanished, purged by the bright fire. What kind of group did I join? Remembering the box I placed near the front, I trotted to kitchen and grabbed a knife to cut open the tape. After I had removed it, I hesitantly opened the box revealing a red dragon mask. There were slits cut in its pupils and the mouth was open with a hole in the center, making it look as though it was roaring. The mask's muzzle was shorter than that of a normal dragon, about the same size as my muzzle. I decided to wear the mask and get a feel for it. As soon as I placed it on my head, I felt a tingly sensation around my body and looked at my forehooves. They were now a fiery red, similar to the dragon's color. I trotted to the bathroom to examine my new form. As soon as my reflection in the mirror greeted my my sight, I was caught speechless. It looked as though I had become a dragon myself, albeit a pony sized one. I turned around and noticed that in my reflection, my cutie mark was missing. Was that another effect of the mask? I took it off and as soon as I did, my original color along with my cutie mark returned. If the implications of what I'm about to do weren't so suspicious, I'd say this'd make a great costume for Nightmare Night. Huh. So I guess I just became one of the B.o.H.'s lapdogs. I could disobey them to see what would happen...but I guess I could also check out what they're doing with their members. "Well, I wanted some fun. Guess this is how I'm gonna get it," I muttered. With that, I emptied the contents of my saddlebags, most of them were tools used for construction anyway so I shouldn't need them weighing me down. I placed the mask inside as well as the invitation to remember the address. Wonder how this'll turn out. Third Event: Catalyst A decrepit two story building laid between two other buildings that were in a similar state of disrepair. The bricks were cracked and the windows were covered in the grime, obscuring the inside of the building. The night covered most of the area in darkness, but a single lamp nailed on top of the front door prevented it from entirely covering the entrance, though not by much. A tan stallion wearing saddlebags approached the building. He took out a red roaring dragon mask and donned it which enchanted his coat to match the mask's color. The stallion hesitantly opened the door and peeked into the interior. Under the slightly dim ceiling lights, a cloaked pony holding a wooden club in its mouth stood near a door across from the stallion. The stairs leading to the second floor were located to the right of it and another door stood a small distance away from the base. As the stallion entered the building, the cloaked figure noticed the intruder and rushed towards him with vigor. Its club was raised, ready to be brought down and crack the intruder's skull, but the intruder quickly rolled to his right making the club miss its target. Recovering from his roll, the stallion bucked the cloaked pony as hard as he could, sending it flying backwards a few feet as well as making it drop the club. He grabbed the club and and began to swing it repeatedly against the pony's head. Blood spurted out from the gashes with each strike along with bits of brain. Another obscured pony appeared from the creaky door where the now dead pony was stationed next to. Upon hearing the door open, the intruder glanced at the source of the noise and saw another cloaked pony with widened fearful eyes. The masked intruder swiftly tossed the club into the pony's face and knocked it down. He rushed over, straddled the pony, grabbed its head with his forehooves, and began slamming it against the hard wooden floor. He stopped once he heard a resounding crack from the pony beneath him. The intruder grabbed the club with his mouth and looked around the area for any more cloaked figures. The door near the stairs caught his attention along with the hoofsteps coming from behind it. He quickly ran towards it and bucked it open. The pony behind flew back from the impact, dazed and barely conscious. the stallion straddled the pony and began pummeling away. Blow after blow caused blood to gush out from the multiple gashes appearing on its face. After the beat down was finished, the pony's face was pile of red and pink mush. Not seeing nor hearing any more activity, the stallion trotted up the stairs to the second floor. A cloaked unicorn was waiting on the other side of the stairs' railing with a spell charged in its horn. As soon the masked intruder appeared on the floor, it discharged the spell. The intruder heard the energy being released and quickly rolled to the side, narrowly escaping the blast which collided with the wall behind him. As the pony prepared to charge another spell, a club collided with its face, dispelling the magical energy being prepared. The stallion trotted over and stomped on its head, cracking its skull and horn with each blow until it was no longer breathing. From the door to the right of the dead unicorn, two cloaked ponies rushed out with a hammer and a pipe. The one with the hammer closed the distance faster than its peer, but the stallion's hoof collided with its face and knocked it down. As the other pony began to close in, the stallion swung his club and heard the sickening crack of his target's skull along with something wet landing on the floor. He then traded his club for the fallen hammer and brought it down repeatedly on the unconscious pony's face, causing it to swell into a bloody pulp with each strike. The stallion looked around, everything was seemingly quiet. Only the dull buzzing of an antiquated ceiling lamp could be heard which added to the atmosphere of death. Dead ponies surrounded the masked intruder, blood seeping out of their wounds, faces bruised and bloodied. The floor was soaked with their blood. In contrast, the stallion himself was clean from the red sticky liquid. As he trotted down the stairs, he looked around the floor. Like the top one, dead cloaked ponies lay around with their ruined faces seemingly accentuating the dilapidated condition of the building. Pools of blood covered some parts of the floor with bits of teeth and brain laced here and there near the bodies. The intruder took off his mask and placed it in his saddlebags. As he opened the front door, a smirk adorned his face. He walked out onto the empty darkened streets. Last night was awesome. I need to get Wit to join this group, he seems like he could use some fun as well. Plus, maybe he and I could work together on one of those invitations. I waited on the bench near a small park, the flyer advertising the B.o.H. in my hooves. The city was bustling with activity: business ponies trotting to their meetings, taxis pulling along sidewalks, small shops selling merchandise such as flowers and what not. A few minutes later, Wit came up and sat in the empty spot to my right. I spent no time beating around the bush, "Wit, ya got to join this group." I showed him the flyer. He looked at me with an expression of confusion and worry, "Uh, why?" "This group has some pretty fun things planned out. I went to one of their events last night and it was amazing!" "...So what do they even do?" he asked. "Supposedly, they help make Equestria a better place. I don't know how, but whatever they're doing, it's awesome. Look, just join it and see for yourself. I'm sure you're gonna be thinking the same thing," I said with a smirk. "Alright, alright. I guess I'll check it out sometime then. The way you're raving about it makes it seem as though you practically worship it."
