Coco Pommel and the Supernatural: New Beginningsby Taranasauruso_oChaptersPreludeChapter 2Chapter 1Prelude Prelude In which we meet our heroine. - In all honesty, thinking about death probably wasn’t the best course of action during a robbery. Coco reflected on this even as she stared up from her position on the floor, where she had been instructed to 'sit tight, little missy,' by a rather large stallion. A bank wasn’t really on her ‘top ten places you must die before you die’ list, and the bank of Canterlot definitely would not be on her ‘top ten banks you must die in before you die’ list. The bindings around her hooves dug into her flesh, sending a dull, consistent throb of pain up her spine, and she shifted uncomfortably, trying to roll her neck around so she could make out what the stallions were doing. The bank had been mostly empty when Coco had arrived, however a few other patrons had been loitering around by the tellers. When the group of masked ponies had busted in, everypony seemed to freeze with shock. Robbery was not an odd occurrence, even out here in the city, but to try something in broad daylight in Canterlot would be sheer madness. Of course that thought never seemed to have appeared to these ponies, even as they huddled behind the counters and glanced out towards the entrance every few seconds. Coco and the other innocents who were inside the bank when it started had been quickly huddled into a corner and tied together, presumably to stop escape, but possibly for need of hostages, should things go ‘south’, as one of the larger ponies had said. “Oi Scarface!” shouted the one in a large clown mask, his eyes poking out from two sickeningly black dots in the centre of the mask. He rested a large automatic rifle on his back, and his tone and stance were almost casual, as if this were a daily thing for him. He had been, up until recently, chewing on the butt of a cigar. Now, as he pushed it into the bench and hoisted himself up from his position, Coco began to realise just who her captors were. “How much time we got?” He seemed to radiate terror, as if his very skin was frightening to the touch, and his huge, bulky build did wonders to compliment that. As he passed by the ponies on the ground, they flinched back, cowering away from the hulking stallion before them. He seemed to snarl as he stopped beside his companion, laying a hoof against his back with an audible thump. A large, masked pony - presumably ‘Scarface’ - glanced up from his position at the till, where he was shovelling large hoof fulls of money into a black garbage bag. He paused, lifting his hoof up to gaze at the watch there. “Ah, we’ve got about... - oi!” he stopped mid sentence and swung the barrel of a large shotgun towards a unicorn mare, who had been attempting to slide herself along the floor. She froze at the sight of the gun pointed at her muzzle, and her hooves began to flail. “No, wait, please!” “What’re you movin’ around for?” he spat, accenting his words with a shake of the weapon. “I thought we were clear: no. Moving.” “Please. Please! My husband!” she screamed, motioning with her eyes to the stallion on the ground. He lay sprawled in a pool of red, his body limp and his chest unmoving. Scareface laughed at her tears, his gun dropping to the floor. Coco shuddered, her mind flashing back to only minutes before. The stallion had stood up, in an attempt to stop the men, and was met with a blast to the torso, dropping him instantly. The mare whimpered softly as Scarface returned to her previous thought. “Now, where was I?” He glanced around, before staring back at his watch. “The alarms were about, what, fifteen minutes ago?” He shrugged. “Then we got another five before them coppers show up.” The original speaker nodded, before turning back to the assembled hostages. “Alright everypony, listen up!” he shouted, his voice echoing through the large hall. “As long as you all stay down, we’ll be out of here in no time, and you’ll be free to return to your families.” He glanced down at the unicorn below him and stifled a giggle. “At least, most of you will. But there is one more thing we need from you. We need a-” He was cut off by the intruding sound of a siren, accompanied by a sudden flashing of lights and screeching of tires as, presumably, the police arrived outside. Coco breathed a sigh of relief as the masked stallions began to panic, raising their weapons and dropping behind the various counters. “Shit! Scarface, I thought you said we had five!” the leader hissed as he stared down his sights. “Sorry baws.” Scarface hung his head. The leader glanced around quickly from his position, before he slid around the corner and crouched down low near Coco. “Hey there little missy,” he whispered as he leaned down to tap the side of Coco’s head with a hoof. “I guess today’s just not your lucky day, eh?” He asked as he pulled her to her hooves, his semi-automatic placed against her temple. “W-wait,” Coco started as she began to struggle, moving her limbs in an effort to push him off of her. But he held strong, and pressed his gun harder against her temple, eliciting a shock of pain to shoot through her skull. “Please, I don’t want to d-die.” She sniffled slightly, and he chuckled, before he stood up from behind the counter, pulling her with him. Coco gasped as she stood, her vision suddenly filled with the sight of dozens of guards and officers alike huddled by the doors, their weapons all pointed towards her and the leader of the masked robbers. The sound of dozens of guns clicking at once filled her ears, and Coco shivered, the corners of her eyes stinging with the beginning of tears. “Alright boys,” he started, his magical grip on the gun tightening as he faced the crowd of assembled ponies. “There are two ways out of this that I see. One: you let me and my boys walk out of here, and this pretty dame gets tah keep her pretty head. Or, two: you open fire, and I take ‘er with me. It’s your choice.” He kept his gaze glued on the ponies ahead, though his grip around Coco’s middle tightened in anticipation. She grimaced in pain, and began to work her hooves around, the rope around them slowly loosening. Ahead of her, one of the Guards lifted a megaphone out and pointed it towards the pair, a crackling filling the otherwise silent hall. “Sir, please put the mare and gun down, and back away from the counter. Nopony has to die today.” He lowered the megaphone and raised his weapon again, his gaze steeled and his eyes hard. The stallion chuckled. “Bit late for that one I’m afraid.” He glanced down behind the counter, before back up at the police. They stared back, their stances unchanged. “I guess we’re going for option two here then.” He muttered, his grip on Coco loosening slightly. “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one in this case.” He spoke this time into Coco’s ear, and she shivered, her body growing hard as she realised what this meant. “No please, wait-” “Sorry Toots,” he started, pushing her away from him and bringing the weapon up to her head. “Nothing personal.” And Coco's world went out with a bang. Night Shift never really enjoyed his early hours at work, despite what his name would apply. He would dredge himself out of bed at Celestia-knows what hour, pour himself some horribly bitter coffee and begin his mind-numbing night at the Canterlot Morgue. It wasn’t so much that he was swamped with work or anything like that. In reality, he had nearly nothing to do whilst there. Nopony visited a morgue at this time of night, and the inhabitants weren’t going anywhere. Mostly, his job consisted of checking the motion camera’s for movement every few minutes, and watching reruns of black and white classics. The cold never really got to him either. In fact, he mostly relished in it. It was a change from the usual heat of the south, where he’d grown up. But there was always an unsettling atmosphere at the morgue. Always something… off, about some rooms or corridors, as if something was never quite right. This of course, all impacted on his reluctance to respond to the sudden beeping from his monitors. Something had set off a motion tracker in one of the holding rooms for the recently deceased. These were usually used for the overnighters, or bodies headed for the coroner. There could be many explanations for the movement, an open window, a sudden spark of electricity or ‘phantom-reading’, as it was called in the industry. However, as the pony mind tends to, Night’s thoughts shifted to the less likely, the paranormal. What if it was a ghost of the recently dead, coming back to seek vengeance on any of those around it? “I swear, if it’s a damn rat again, I’m going to shoot somebody,” he whispered as he stepped out of his small office and into the dimly lit corridor. The cool washed over him as he began to walk, and he sighed in anticipation, his light shaking between his chattering teeth. The lights above flickered every few moments, plunging the area into momentary darkness before revealing light once again. He passed other darkened rooms and empty corridors, his hoof falls speeding as the atmosphere began to creep into his mind. An echo ran down the hall, and he shivered, his eyes straining ahead for any sign of movement. As he approached the door, he felt his heart rate quicken, and Night Shift paused, his hoof inches from the door. He sucked in a breath before he pushed forward into the darkened room. With a quick flick of his tail, the lights flickered on, revealing the mostly empty rows of tables. Two recently dead had been brought in that day, and, as he gazed across the room, he felt his blood run cool. The bags always scared him. As if they were used not as a way to conceal the bodies, but a way to keep them in. He glanced left, towards the motion detector, before back towards the bodies. He turned, then, towards the light switch. But, before he flicked it off, something caught his eye, and he turned back. It was, if only for a moment, as if one of the bags had moved. He squinted, and stared toward the suspected culprit. It seemed still, as if the sudden movement was just a trick of the light. Then, it shifted again, as if the pony within suddenly bucked its legs. “Hello?” He called, his voice breaking as he took a step forward. The bag stopped its movements at the sound of his voice. He took another step, his teeth chattering. “I-if this is a joke, this isn’t funny!” He began to move quicker, and within a few strides he was next to the table. He dropped his light against the metal and reached a hoof up to poke the bag. His hoof met resistance, but nothing moved, and he felt himself begin to shake. “H-hello?” He asked, as he slowly reached out a hoof toward the zipper. “R-really, it’s time to stop kidding around.” He pulled down, and leaned over cautiously to look into the darkness of the bag. Emptiness filled his vision, and the flickering of lights did not help him to see beyond the folds of darkness encased within. slowly, however, the darkness pulled back, and his eyes adjuste to the dim of the room. He could make out the figure of mare, laying still inside the bag. He gazed past her body, up towards her mane, and then finally, he rested upon her face. He studied her empty features, her slightly curved mouth and soft cheeks. The recesses of her makeup still scarred her face, as if mocking her once vibrant life. Night Shift leaned back and studied the tag by the bag, his eyes scanning quickly over the small scribbles. “She was shot to the… head, nearly five hours ago.” He squinted, before turning back to the mare. “So… where’s the bullet wound?” He stared once more into the void. Two dull, lifeless eyes stared back, glazed with the effects of death. Then, they blinked. Night Shift jumped backwards, letting loose a scream that echoed around the hall. Coco shot up from the bag, a scream of her own jumping from her stiff lips. Her eyes stayed locked to his, and she felt panic begin to rise from within her. She reached out a hoof for him, but her scream did not stop. Night Shift fainted. Author's Note Next time: Our heroine finds her hooves, a bloodthirsty pony sinks his teeth into something juicy, and we meet a mysterious stranger! Will she be friend or foe? Hello everybody and welcome to my latest work of fiction! This will most likely be a much shorter story than my others, but hopefully, the quality won't drop! This really is just a prologue for the real story, setting up Coco as the protagonist. Yes, I do realise that this is technically a crossover fic. No I am not going to add that to the tags, because I will be using a lot of my own monsters, and it will in no way contain characters from the actual TV show. Anyway, comments and criticism are always welcome! Also, if you see any spelling errors/grammar issues, let me know! Hope you like it~! (✿´‿`) Chapter 2 Chapter 2 In which our heroine explains her situation, we learn of Canterlot's predicament, and explore our new companion's personality. The emptiness of one’s mind is quite enticing. The void almost calls out to a lonely passerby, as if persuading them to come to the edge and see what lies beyond. The darkness of thought is the only vision, and yet it hypnotizes all. A pony could get lost in her own thoughtscape for what seemed like hours, exploring her subconscious to the full extent. And, while entering was completed with ease, leaving your own mind is taxing on even the strongest of ponies. Even as she stood, her back to the edge, she could feel its pull on her. Reality seemed to slip and slide out of focus, and she felt her thoughts shift wildly through her memories. She spun, the void tugging on her weakened mind, and began her walk towards the nothingness. The ending approached, and she could feel her will slip with each passing hoof fall. As she teetered on the edge, her eyes peered into the emptiness. Something peered back. A flash of light, and then darkness. The first part of Coco to wake was her head. A dull throb pushed its way through the veil of her dreams, and wrenched her silently screaming back to reality. A soft whirring resounded around her, and while she dared not open her eyes for fear of blinding light, she did allow her ears to wander. The pain in her head seemed to slowly dissipate as she left her mind, and slowly, she opened her eyes. From beside her she could hear the soft sounds of somepony's breathing, however, her memory was currently failing her as to the source. A wave of cool air washed over her, and she smiled in content, her eyelids drooping once more. She peered up at the dull ceiling above her, her eyes tracing the slow patterns of the fan. The whirring seemed to originate from there, as well as the cold air. Coco let her eyes follow the lazy swirling, her mind drifting back to her last memory. The empty streets; the cold moonlight; the strange pony- Instantly her eyes shot open, and she lifted herself from the bed, using her forelegs to prop herself into a sitting position. Her companion gave a start, her snores stopping abruptly as she lifted her head from the pillow with a snort. “Whazzah…?” The mare seemed momentarily dazed, her eyes blinking around the room. Eventually they rested on Coco, and she gave a sleepy smile, before her forehoof slipped out from underneath her, and she dropped to the floor with a thud. She groaned, lifting herself onto her hooves with a heavy sigh. “Mornin’.” She stated, irritation ringing clear in her voice. Coco said nothing, instead she gave the mare a quizzical look. After a few moments of silent staring, the other mare grumbled something before she made her way to the counter on the opposite side of the room. As the mare walked, Coco began to examine her surroundings more carefully. The pair seemed to have taken residence in a small suite, complete with a bathroom and kitchenette. The dull grey linoleum gave way to a small, beige section of carpeting. Dark stains spotted the floor, and the faded rug did nothing to hide the obvious unkemptness of the room. The walls were a slightly darker cream than the carpet, and while they were much cleaner, they still did not pass the ‘Coco quality test’. A small television sat atop the fridge opposite the beds, the picture running but the sound evidently muted. Finally, her eyes returned to the mare from the night before… ‘Red’. ‘Red’ turned to face her, the dopey smile from before having been replaced by an almost solemn expression. The bloodshot eyes seemed to convey a lack of sleep, while her messy mane indicated that she had slept too long. Overall, her exposition seemed to match her current mood, as she slowly stretched her mouth into a wide yawn. “... Ya hungry?” she asked, after a few moments of sleepy silence. Coco nodded, and Red returned the gesture, before she slowly made her way towards the dark oak door. She reached out and dragged open the door, using her free hoof to motion for Coco to follow. The two of them stepped out into the early dawn, the soft light easing Coco’s transition from darkness to the outside. After a few moments of blinking, she managed to clear the blurriness from her eyes. She turned to face Red, but found the mare had already began to make her way down the row of doors, rubbing at her eyes. Coco pushed herself to catch up, and after a few seconds of running she matched Red’s speed. The pair walked slowly, side by side, toward the mostly empty street. Aside from Coco and Red, the only other inhabitants of the road were a small filly, who was hurrying in the opposite direction, and a local street vendor, who was absent-mindedly flicking through a newspaper. No cars were, as yet, making their way toward the centre of town. After a few minutes of walking down this nameless, mostly empty street, Red stopped. Coco glanced up as the mare pushed her way through the door on her left. A large, heavy sign swung back and forth in the low wind. The Leaking Brain Coco shuddered at the imagery, before she followed her companion into the diner. The diner was slightly more busy than the street, as a few patrons had already seated themselves along the far wall, their tired faces glancing up as the pair entered. A quiet tinkle sounded from the bell above the door, and the mare behind the counter turned to face them. A soft smile lit across her face, and she motioned toward the stools in front. "Well, good mornin' darlin's," she started, her heavy southern drawl slow and measured. She placed down the rag she had been sweeping down the length of the table and gave them another radiant smile. "What can ah do for two young lasses this early in the morn?" Red waved her off with a hoof, her half-lidded eyes wearily scanning the menu. After a few seconds, she shrugged, before hoofing toward the lowest menu. "Jus'... Gimme the hayfries. Lot's of 'em." And then. "And coffee, strong. Really strong." She turned toward the closest booth and dropped down into the seat with a heavy thud. "Just coffee, thanks," Coco supplied, her eyes shifting uneasily between the menu and the waitress. After a few moments of silence, Coco turned away towards the table, daintily placing herself down on the vinyl chair. She fixed Red with a cold stare, her gaze passing over the mare's features. Red returned the look, albeit with less effort. "What?" Coco remained silent, and Red let out a sigh. "Look. Ah'm guessin' y'all're wonderin' 'bout last night, yeah?" Coco nodded. "Well, how much do ya remember?" "Not much, really," Coco started, scratching at her chin with a hoof. "I remember..." She paused, casting her mind back to the previous night. The empty streets; the darkness of the alley; the bright flash of teeth. Coco shuddered. "That- that stallion had... Teeth." She eyed Red nervously, her expression hesitant. After a few moments, she added, "Really sharp teeth." Red laughed at that, her golden mane framing her face. "Aye, that he did." Her smile slowly faded as she glanced around her, her eyes shifting between the waitress and the patrons. "Look, do ya really want ta know what that... Thing, was?" Her gaze fell on Coco, and her eyes seemed to harden under the soft glow of the morning sun. Coco nodded. "Ya sure?" She nodded again. "Ya reall-" "-Look Red," Coco said, cutting off her companion with a hoof. "Whatever you tell me, I'm more than willing to believe." She shrugged. "I just had a pony try to eat me, and then spent a night in a stranger's hotel room. At this point, I'm just hoping for any kind of explanation." Red slumped a little, her eyes dropping to the table. "Alright, but you asked for this." She raised her sight once again and fixed Coco with another cold look. "That pony last night... Wasn't a pony. Well, ain't a pony no more. He was a-" she gulped audibly and leaned forward, her next word coming out in a hoarse whisper. "Vampony." Red had been hoping for any kind of reaction at this point. She'd been working her way up to this moment in her mind, thinking through every possible scenario in her head and counting through endless possible outcomes. She'd been prepared for shock, or fear, or even disbeliefe. But she wasn't ready for this. Coco burst out laughing. In an instant, she let out a peal of giggles and squeezed her eyes shut. She could feel the eyes of the other patrons turn toward her, but she couldn't stop herself. She clutched at her belly with a hoof, the laughter making her sides ache. "Y-you-" She started, each word separated with another giggle. "You... can't... be... Serious!" She slowly came down from her high, her laughter slowly wearing off. "Wait... You actually are... Serious?" Red's serious expression was all the convincing Coco needed. "Of course Ah'm serious. Y'all think I would lie 'bout somethin' like this?" Her lips quivered slightly, but she leaned forward, her voice strong and commanding. "One thing ya need ta understand 'bout me Coco, is if Ah'm gonna lie, it better be for a damn good reason." She sat back, a proud look upon her face. "We Apples never have been good at lyin'." Coco made a mental note to ask Red about her heritage later, as she had more important things to focus on. For instance, the sanity of the pony across from her. "So, hold on-" She paused, shaking her head. "You're telling me that all those stories... Those TV shows, they've been telling the truth?" Coco gave her counterpart a question glare. "That... 'vamponies'-" She shuddered involuntarily at the name. "Are real?" "As real as anything." Red glanced between Coco and the table, a guilty look crossing her face. "Well, almost anything, Ah mean, angels ain't real." She laughed. "Can ya imagine what-" "What about ghosts?" Coco asked, cutting Red off mid sentence. "What about 'em?" Coco gave her a deadpan stare. "Are they real?" "'Course," Red said, her voice laced with apprehension. She was hesitant to begin to answer Coco's questions. The mare seemed to be taking the news well, despite her original fright. In fact, Coco seemed to be almost eager, her newfound curiosity overtaking her general cautiousness. "Ya seem awful interested in this..." Coco paused, the smile dying on her lips. She sat back, running a hoof through her mane. "Well... It's certainly, interesting, to say the least." She looked away from Red's glare of disbelief. "Well, okay," she started, her cheeks flushing. "I may have been rather interested in the... Occult, in my earlier years." She shied away from Red's accusing gaze. "University wasn't exactly the most engaging of places for a fashion major, okay?!" Red gave a light chuckled. "Relax, relax. Ah was jus' teasin'." She let out another giggle, before glancing up from the table. "Your orders," the waitress spoke as she neared the pair, a tray balanced upon her back. She leaned to the side, and the mugs slid onto the table. A small basket of Hayfries followed them, and Red's eyes lit up. "If'n there's anythin' you two need, you know where I am." She gave them another smile, before she turned back and made her way toward the counter. Red wasted no time as she reached and lifted a large hoof-full of fries to her mouth, crunching down with gusto. Coco reached down and lifted her coffee up, feeling the steam wash against her snout as she wafted the smell over her. The deep rich of coffee beans filled her nostrils, and, for a moment, she felt the tension in her shoulder's slip away. Warmth spread through her once again, and she let her mind wander, the sounds of Red's eating slowly washing away into inky nothingness. Darkness, and then, a flash. With a start, Coco's eyes shot open, and she inhaled sharply, her ears popping. Red glanced up from her food, her eyes filled with worry. "Coco, y'all okay?" She swallowed, before pushing her almost empty basket away. "Ya don't look too good." Coco waved at her with a hoof, her other holding the cup aloft. "I'm... Alright. Just a bad memory." Red, gave her a quizzical look, before her eyes lit up. "Hay, that reminds me." As she spoke she lifted herself up, placing a hoof under her chin and resting the crook against the table. "What were y'all doin' out there last night?" "Well, apparently I was being eaten by a 'Vampony." Red rolled her eyes in response. "No, Ah mean before that." She waved a hoof. "Why were ya out so late ta begin wit'?" Coco shifted uncomfortably. "Well, to be honest," she started, her cheeks flushing a light pink. "I was kind of... Lost." She glanced away from Red's gaze. "Lost? In Canterlot?" Red gave a small chuckle. "If Ah had a bit fo' every time Ah've heard that before..." She muttered to herself. "Anyway, how'd ya end up lost. Ah mean, ya gotta have started from somewhere ya knew, right?" Coco shook her head. "No, I woke up in Canterlot's morgue, and started to-" "Woah woah woah, back up there missy," Red started, accenting her words with waves of her hooves. "Ya woke up in the morgue? How'd ya end up there?" "I... I don't know," Coco answered honestly, her eyes slowly rising up to meet Red's. "Last thing I remember is..." She trailed off, her eyes glazing for a moment. "... Y'all remember is?" Coco slowly shifted her sight back into focus. "Dying." Red had, unfortunately, taken this moment to sip her coffee. In an instant, she sprayed the brown liquid out through her nose and all over the waiting table. "Ya what?!" "I think I died." Coco gave a worried look. "Is that normal?" She shook her head. "Look, it's really confusing, but I'm fairly certain that's what happened. I remember a bank, there were some masked stallions and-" Red stopped her with another hoof wave. "Which bank?" she asked, her eyes darting toward the counter. "I... Don't remember." Red darted up from her chair, and then returned in an instant, a newspaper clutched in her mouth. "Ith it thithmm mmonth?" she mumbled through the paper. "Pardon?" Red spat out her mouthful, her hooves jumping to the table and pointing toward the front cover image. "Is it this one?" she asked again. Coco glanced down at the cover, and gasped. [centre]Robbery at Canterlot Bank, One Presumed Dead[/centre] Below was printed a huge and slightly familiar entrance. Huge, ivory pillars lifted from the ground, and they met at a large, almost ancient apex. Grooves ran down around each pole, and they met at an expanded base. At the top read, in large, cursive letters: Canterlot Central Bank. Coco gave a gasp, and she glanced up at Red, her eyes large. "Y-yes, that's the one." She paused, deciding on her next words carefully. "Red... If I died, then how am I here now?" "Ah have no idea," Red answered honestly, shaking her head in confusion. "Even after all Ah've seen, I ain't never heard o' nopony just gettin' up after dyin'." After a few moments, her look changed, and she gave Coco a hopeful smile. "But Ah think Ah know somepony who might be able ta help ya." Coco cocked her head. "You do?" "Aye, but Ah don't think I can take ya to him right now." Red smiled apologetically. "Ah'm in the middle of a case, after all." "A case?" Coco asked, taking another sip from her mug. Red nodded. "In fact," she started. "Ah'm huntin' down them fangs you got yerself in trouble wit' last night." She smiled proudly, nodding with each word. "Wait," Coco lifted a hoof, her eyes searching Red's features. "Hunting? You mean you go out looking for these... These- monsters?" Red nodded sagely, drinking deeply before slamming her coffee down on the table. "Aye, that Ah do." She gave Coco a sidelong glance. "That scare ya?" "A little. But it's more... Shocking." Coco rubbed at her neck with a hoof. "Knowing that there've been all of these creatures and... 'monsters', outside my window every night, and I've just slept through it all." She shook her head slowly. "I just can't believe I've never noticed before." Red rose from her seat, placing a hoof on Coco's shoulder. "If you've never seen them, then Ah know Ah've been doin' mah job right." She offered a small smile, before motioning for Coco to stand. "C'mon now, We've got places to be." Coco shot her a look as she stood. "We? Who ever said I wanted to follow you into this crazy world?" Red glanced over her shoulder as they approached the waitress. "Listen sister, like it or not, those fangs marked ya as a target. As soon as one wants ya, they all do." She placed a hoof-full of bits on the counter, shooting a wink toward the waitress as she turned out of the diner. "And, let's face it, they're ain't many mare's like me in this town. IF one finds ya, Ah'm not sure you could survive this time 'round. So, y'all need me, and Ah could certainly use tha help." She pushed open the door and stepped out onto the now busy street. "Now c'mon, we gotta get goin' 'fore it gets too busy round there." "Round where? Wait, where are we going?" Coco asked, hurrying behind Red as they made their way down the path. Red spun as she walked, flashing Coco with a wink. "We're goin' ta tha' morgue." Author's Note Next time: Coco visits the land of the dead, and learns of some unexpected skills along the way. Ta da! Man what a great chapter that totally wasn't filler and really explained a lot, huh? Man, I bet you enjoyed it, did't you? Man everyone loves filler. On a serious note, I really do hope you stick through this. It might take a bit to catch up to the more 'action' side of Supernatural, but pretty soon we'll be into the 'detective' side of the show. Comments and criticism are always welcome! See you next time! Chapter 1 Chapter 1 In which our heroine finds her hooves, a bloodthirsty pony sinks his teeth into something juicy, and we meet a mysterious stranger. - Canterlot at night feels like a completely different city in comparison to its counterpart during the day. The daylight brings warmth to every corner of the streets, and the bustle of merchants and travelers creates a steady undertone of noise that provides constant reassurance that you are not alone. The voices of many a paddler can be heard over the bustle of carts and the stomping of hooves, as each one attempts to outsell its predecessor. The cobblestones are hot to the touch, and as such, skipping from one section of shade to another becomes like a game to the foals, as the prance around their parents along the wide streets. However, at night, the light gives way to darkness, and what was previously seen becomes hidden under a veil of black. The nooks and crannies that seem to be innocent during the day could contain any number of nightmares at night. What limited light that is provided by the flickering street-lamps adds to the darkness, by creating what could be described as ‘safe-havens’. But, just outside the reach of this frail illumination is a ring of darkness, only paused by the next lamp, some fifty meters ahead. Coco stuck to the center of the road as she made her way along the cobblestone, her hooves clicking in the stillness around her. Silence surrounded her. The cold of the night air pressed against her mane as she made her way past closed stores and empty stalls. She stopped at a crossroads, sucking in a deep breath and glancing around her. Ahead lay a street very much like the last, and either side seemed to stretch on infinitely, as if the city itself was a constant loop of fear and loneliness. She sighed, hanging her head, and took a step out towards the center of the crossroads, her hooves sending echoes around her. A sudden crash caused her ears to perk up as she reached the middle, and she glanced up, searching for the source of the noise. A second crash sounded, followed by a stream of cussing, and she swiveled her head to the left, her eyes bright and hopeful. Slowly, she took a step forward, and began her walking once again. Coco wouldn’t like to admit it, but she was lost. She was only supposed to be in Canterlot very briefly, as it should have been a short stop on her trip to Ponyville. She knew not of any street but the main, and she couldn’t even point out her current location on a map. As such, her path from the morgue had been haphazard at best. She had started wandering, her head pounding, and her thoughts elsewhere. An hour had passed, in which the headache had slowly faded, but her questions had grown ever more pressing. The Guard there, ‘Night Shift’, as his badge had suggested, had passed out cold from the sight of her. For what reason she could not comprehend. It could be down to the fact that she had been lying in a body-bag when he had found her, which could be cause for some alarm. Which brought up her first question, why was she in a body-bag? The answer was simple, but didn’t seem to make much sense: she had died. the primary use for a body-bag is for the dead, and as such it would be simple for her to have been placed in there due to her untimely death. But that didn’t make sense, because she was very much alive now. She paused in the street, pondering herself as she inspected her hoof. “There’s no other explanation though, as to why I would be in there. I don’t remember climbing inside, but, I don’t remember dying either.” She glanced back up at the street, speaking to herself. “I would remember dying, right?” After a few moments of attempting to read her memories, her headache began to return, a dull throbbing inside her temples. She shook her head then, and returned to her walking, her mind in the present. Her surroundings began to change as she traveled, the empty stores slowly giving way to larger, more empty stores. Every few meters or so, a light would protrude from a close store, sending flooding wight out into the empty street. She neared a second intersection and studied her surroundings. Four large buildings stood on each corner, their signs swinging softly in the cold wind. The windows on three were dark, their blinds pulled and their lights off. However, the fourth seemed to emanate a dank, orange glow. Beyond the grimy windows Coco could make out at least two figures as the sat on chairs against the window. Coco pressed forward toward the building, her hoof reaching out for the handle. Another shout stopped her, and she dropped her hoof, glancing back up at the building. Behind her, the darkness seemed to beckon, as if reassuring her that inside was more dangerous than outside. Slowly, she turned away from the door, and peered out into the void. The lights here seemed to be even less effective at revealing the emptiness, and as such, she began to squint, forcing her eyes to adjust to the dark. Slowly, it came into focus, and she could make out the lumps of trash cans and garbage bags. Another shadow, far too big to be a trashcan, stood motionless in the alleyway. It was the size of a large stallion, but it did not have the shape of one. Slowly, it began to move forward. A glint seemed to shine from the darkness, as if a torch had been flashed for less than a second. Something grabbed Coco’s shoulder and spun her around. She screamed instinctively and tried to back away, but the grip held her fast. “Miss, calm down!” A voice shouted, shaking her shoulder and pulling her closer. Slowly Coco turned back to face the source of the voice, and met a large beige-coated stallion who stared down at her from the open doorway with a smile. “Don’t you know it’s dangerous to stay outside at night?” He flashed her a smile, before letting go of her shoulder and stepping out of the doorway. “Would you like to come inside? It’s awfully cold out here, and we have a nice pot of stew on the stove.” His smile grew slightly, and the warmth he seemed to radiate slowly calmed Coco’s nerves. She took one step up the large stairs, before turning around to glance in the alley from before. The shape was gone, and in its place was nothing but darkness. She shivered instinctively, before following the stallion the rest of the way up the steps. As she stepped over the threshold, Coco felt a sense of relief wash over her, as if the sudden introduction of light seemed to cleanse her of her previous fear. The pair stepped through into a long corridor, its walls lined with large portraits of what Coco assumed to be relatives of the stallion ahead of her. The red wallpaper peeled in the corners, and dark stains spotted the ancient rug beneath her hooves. The pony ahead glanced over his shoulder to smile at Coco, and she returned it, admittedly half-heartedly, before she dodged his gaze, ducking her head towards the floor. As they progressed down the corridor, Coco couldn’t help but begin to internalize herself, her mind beginning to run back into her memories. She couldn’t recall what had happened at the bank, the memories of that time seemed to blend together into one big ball of blurred colour. She staggered and paused, lifting a hoof up to her temples as they lanced with pain. “You alright liddle missy?” the stallion asked, his voice layered with concern. Coco waved him off with a hoof, using her spare one to cover her eyes. The lamps seemed to glow brighter with every passing second, as if her pupils were constantly dilating, letting more and more light into her mind. Then, with an audible ‘pop’, the influx of brightness ceased, and her pain faded. Slowly, she lifted herself to her hooves, rubbing at her eyes with vigor. She blinked suddenly, lowering her hoof to the floor and lifting her gaze to meet the eyes of the stallion. He smiled at her, before turning back towards the hall. A large door stood before them, its darkened hinges sagging slightly after the decades of weight that had been pressed against them. The stallion leaned out and pushed the into the fading wood, the muscles around his forehooves straining with the effort. Slowly, the door creaked open, the bottom scraping against the cold stone floor. Orange light flooded the dimly lit corridor, and the sound of hushed voices slowly seeped out from the room ahead. As Coco stepped forward, she could feel the atmosphere around her slowly change. Warmth spread through the air, and Coco’s shoulders seemed to sag with relief. The room around her was large, but most of the space had been filled with lounges and small coffee tables, as well as lanterns and candles to keep the mood. A large fire crackled brightly on the far end of the room, and beside that sat a large wooden bar, with a row of vividly coloured drinks accenting the large glass shelves behind. The room seemed to directly contrast the outside, its decor a vibrant and inviting change from Coco’s recent experiences. Whilst Coco had been gazing around the room, her guide had made his way up to the large bar and took his place behind it. He motioned for her to come forward, his eyes following her as she made her way up to the stool. She sat slowly, her eyes still scanning her surroundings. The room seemed mostly void of ponies however, and she smiled at that, knowing she could at least relax. “Thirsty miss?” Coco glanced back down towards the stallion, who had placed a small glass on the counter before her, and was busy pouring in a soft, slightly blue liquid. “Very,” Coco started, reaching forward to grasp the glass in her hooves. She paused, however, and slowly lowered her hooves. “I’m afraid… I can’t really pay for the drink.” She lifted her hooves up and flashed the stallion a small smile. “I don’t have any of my bits.” He shook his head, letting a small chuckle escape from his otherwise passive expression. “No no… This one is on the house!” He pushed the glass forward with a hoof. “Drink! I wouldn’t be a very good barman if I let someone go thirsty this early.” He leaned back, resting his body against the other end of the bar, and set Coco with a warm smile. Coco didn’t hesitate, and she downed the drink in less than a second, feeling her headache start to fade as the effects of the alcohol kicked in. Her throat burned, and she relished in the feeling, shivers running down her spine in glee. She placed the empty glass back on the counter and let out a soft sigh, her breath swirling in front of her with latent magic. The stallion smiled, his gaze weakening as he lifted himself back up to pour another shot into the glass. “Hits kinda hard, doesn’t it?” After her nod, he continued. “The kick from these new drinks comes from the magic them unicorns somehow stuff into the liquid. Call it ‘Elixir’, or somthin’ like that. Apparently, some unicorn from Ponyville managed how to stick… I don’t know, emotions?” He paused, as if racking his brains for the right words. “Feelings. Yeah, feelings, into the liquid. Makes em hit kinda hard, and the hangovers last forever.” Coco leaned out and lifted her drink again, her vision skewing as she the warmth of the alcohol slowly spread through to her hoof tips. Goosebumps seemed to pop out of her flesh, and she smiled in contempt, leaning back on her stool in delight. “So, missy.” The stallion leaned forward on his bar, until his snout was level with Coco’s. “What’s a preddy liddle thing like you doin’ out on the street? Especially this late at night.” He eyed Coco uncertainly, but his smile was genuine, and his posture was relaxed. Coco opened her mouth to reply, but paused, her mind getting the better of her. She couldn’t just outright tell him the little she remembered. Her memories were still a jumbled mess, and she wasn’t sure if she could piece together enough of her past to provide a correct answer. Finally, shen opened her mouth once more. “I don’t know,” she answered truthfully. Her shoulders slumped as she spoke, and her ears flattened against her head. Instantly, the stallion’s expression faded into one of sympathy. Confusion flashed in his eyes, but he didn’t voice it, instead he focused on Coco. “You don’t know?” She nodded slowly, before she lifted her glass again and finished her drink. The stallion shrugged his shoulders, lifting himself up from the bar and turning towards the stallion who had seated himself a few stools down. Coco glanced toward the pair, her eyes studying the new pony. His head seemed to be covered by the hood of a cloak, but the rest of his body was uncovered. His dark blue coat was contrasted by the deep velvet mark on his hindquarters. The strange symbol seemed to be ancient in origin, it wasn’t from any language Coco had seen before. After a few moments, Coco returned her stare to the glass in front of her, studying her skewed reflection in dusty glass. Her mind turned inwards, studying the jumble that was her memory. She could remember something at the Bank of Canterlot. A dull headache began to pound at her temples as Coco strained her mind, attempting to see what her body was apparently blocking. She could remember four masked stallions, and guns. A bright flash and then… nothing. It was as if the emptiness between that moment and her waking in the morgue was a black void. A voice pulled her out of her memories, the high-pitched buzzing from the headache began to fade as she glanced up from her glass toward the source of the noise. The hooded stallion from earlier had lowered his hood and sidled up toward her, sitting on the stool beside hers. He flashed her a toothy grin, his teeth seeming almost too white in the orange glow from the fire. “Pardon?” Coco asked, cocking her head slightly and leaning back instinctively. “I said,” his smile grew wider, but his forehead creased in annoyance, causing Coco to lean back even further. “What’s your name, luv?” He seemed to emanate sleaze, and Coco’s nose creased in dislike, and she returned to her glass. “I-it’s…” she stopped, before glancing up at him again. “It’s Coco.” She smiled weakly, her nose still crinkled. “Well miss Coco,” his grin spread as he spoke her name, and she shuddered in response. “You here wi’ anyone tonight?” He leaned closer to her, moving his muzzle to her ear. “Because… me and you could get out of here and go somewhere more… private.” After a few moments of the stallion not moving, Coco pushed against him, sending him backwards off his stool and onto the floor with an audible thud. Instantly, the bartender was there, his hulking frame towering over the stallion. “What did I say about harassing the patrons?” He leaned down and hefted the smaller pony onto his back, before turning and tossing him toward the open door to the hall. He crashed to the floor with a plethora of curses, his eyes darting back toward the bartender. He scrambled to his feet, before spitting on the ground and slamming the door. “And stay out!” The stallion turned back toward Coco, smiling apologetically. “Sorry about that miss. He can get a bit… ‘feisty’, after a few.” “N-no it’s okay.” Coco flashed him another weak smile, before she looked back to her glass. “Want another?” Coco nodded. The bar was now completely empty. Two small glasses had joined the original in front of Coco, and she could feel her mind buzzing with the thoughts of more. The bartender lifted himself from his position leaning on the bar and glanced up at the large clock. He turned back to her, a small smile on his face. “I’m real sorry miss, but it’s time to close this place up.” He accented his words with the flick of a switch, plunging most of the room into darkness. Only the light from the hall and the soft orange glow of the fire illuminated the room. “It don’t feel right sending you out there alone, so-” Coco waved him off as she dropped down from her stool. “No no, I’m alright. I’ll just head back to… to my hotel.” She turned toward the door, before she slowly spun back around. “You wouldn’t happen to have a small map I could borrow though, do you?” The stallion’s smile spread, and he nodded, before he lifted a folded book from behind the counter and hoofed it to her. “We’re on page seventeen,” he whispered with a wink, before he motioned for her to follow him to the door. The two stepped out into the hall, the large oak sliding shut behind them with a solid slam. Then they were out and down the large stone steps. As they stood at the bottom of the stairs, Coco leaned in to hug the larger pony, the alcohol playing with her mind. “Thank you, again, Brew, for your h-help.” Coco said as she broke the embrace. “Don’t worry ‘bout it,” the stallion, ‘Brew’, replied, his large shoulders rolling in bemusement. As Coco began to head toward the end of the street, the map clenched tightly in her teeth, he called out, “Now you come back, ya hear?” “Sure thing! I have to return the m-map somehow,” Coco laughed, before continuing on her way. As she walked further into the darkness, she found herself sink slowly back into her previous mood. The alcohol had done wonders for her confidence, but Coco wasn’t sure if she was ready to face the emptiness of the back alleys of Canterlot this early in the morning. Shadows began to dance around the streetlamps, and the cold clacking of her hooves against the cobbles below soon became the only sound in Equestria to Coco. Around her, silence reigned, slowly spreading the chill back into her bones. Her mind began to churn, and Coco’s heart rate slowly began to increase, sending shivers down her spine. The wind picked up,a nd while the slight reprieve from the silence was comforting, the wind provided no reassurance that she was alone. A sudden crash in the distance behind her made Coco jump, and she spun, her eyes searching frantically in the darkness behind. After a few moments, the crash sounded again, and Coco felt herself let out a small scream, before she spun again, and took off in a gallop, her hooves echoing in the darkness. Behind her, the ever approaching sound caused Coco’s speed to increase, and adrenaline began to pump through her veins. Another crash, this one much closer, came from behind, and Coco glanced around her shoulder, her pupils dilating as something came crashing toward her. She turned then, and slid toward the closest ally, her hooves pushing her against the wall as she attempted to silence her whimpers. The wind had dropped off, and the world again was silent, Coco’s heavy breathing breaking the stillness like a shard of glass against stone. Slowly, Coco leaned out from her cover to view the street. The darkness seemed just as empty as ever, however the streetlamps from before had begun to slowly flash on and off, as if something was interfering with the power. “Hello again miss ‘Coco’.” She froze. The words had been whispered directly into her ear, and the venom behind them set her teeth on edge. Slowly, she turned her head, and came face to face with the muzzle of the hooded stallion from the bar. Another toothy grin was plastered across his face, but his eyes were cold and menacing. She screamed then, and lashed out, her hindlegs colliding with his torso. He dropped back momentarily, his breath sliding out of him with the force. He let out a soft laugh, before he drew back his hoof and slammed it against Coco’s muzzle. She dropped to the floor, the pain swirling through her head. Red spots filled her vision as she attempted to clear the tears from her eyes. As she was reeling, the stallion leaned down and grabbed her by her shoulders, hauling her up against the wall and holding her there with his hooves. She screamed again, pleading with the darkness around them. Silence responded, and the stallion laughed again. “Please! I don’t have any money!” She struggled in his grasp, her hind legs kicking in an attempt to free herself. “I don’t want your money luv.” She paused, her pupils slowly shrinking to pinpricks. “Th-then you want…” Her hindlegs instinctively crossed, and her tail flicked out in fear. “N-no please!” He laughed again, his rough handling crushing Coco’s hooves against the brick of the walls. “I don’t want that either.” Coco’s mind searched for another reason for her capture. Did he plan to kill her? She screamed again, but was cut off as he spun her around to face him. As Coco’s head slammed against the wall, she let out another scream, her eyes staring toward his with fear. Slowly, his smile stretched across his muzzle, and he lowered his voice. “There’s only one thing I want.” His gaze locked firmly onto hers, he lifted his top lip and grimaced. Six long, sharp teeth slid out from the top of his jaw, joining the other six that had spread up from the lower half. They glinted in the moonlight, and Coco felt her blood run cold. Her screaming stopped as her body went into shock, and his mouth slowly opened, stretching impossibly wide. He leaned forward, and Coco realised that he was aiming for her neck. She felt her limbs grow weak, and she began to slump, as her eyes slowly closed. “Hey, fang.” Coco’s eyes shot open, and she glanced to her left, as her captor did too. His jaw shrunk back to its normal size, and he snarled toward the end of the alley. “How about some steel for an entree?” A soft ‘thwomp’ followed these words, and the stallion glanced down at his chest. A thin, metallic rod stuck out from the side, and a deep red stain was slowly forming against his coat. he let out a howl and dropped Coco, his hooves shooting to his side. He glanced between Coco and the alley mouth multiple times, before he shook his head and snarled again. He took off running toward the other mouth of the alley, slowly dripping blood against the cold cobbles. Coco felt herself slide down the wall, her eyes still drooping. As the cold tendrils of unconsciousness tugged at her mind, Coco looked up toward her savior. A large silhouette stood above her, a metallic crossbow draped against its shoulder. “W-who are you?” she managed to stammer out between shaking breaths. The pony leaned down into the light, revealing a deep red coat. A long, golden mane ran down the side of her face, and she smiled in the cold air. “Name’s Red." Her thick southern accent momentarily stumping Coco. "You?” “I-I’m…” she paused, her head dropping to one side. “Coco…” Coco fainted. Author's Note Next time: Our heroine explains her situation, we learn of Canterlot's predicament, and explore our new companion's personality. There we go, Chapter one done! I'm loving the freshness of this story, and I hope you're enjoying it so far as well! As always, comments and criticism are always welcome! Also point out mistakes, because I am not a smart man sometimes. Edit: sorry for getting your hopes up, no new chapter so far. Just minor mistake fixing!
Prelude Prelude In which we meet our heroine. - In all honesty, thinking about death probably wasn’t the best course of action during a robbery. Coco reflected on this even as she stared up from her position on the floor, where she had been instructed to 'sit tight, little missy,' by a rather large stallion. A bank wasn’t really on her ‘top ten places you must die before you die’ list, and the bank of Canterlot definitely would not be on her ‘top ten banks you must die in before you die’ list. The bindings around her hooves dug into her flesh, sending a dull, consistent throb of pain up her spine, and she shifted uncomfortably, trying to roll her neck around so she could make out what the stallions were doing. The bank had been mostly empty when Coco had arrived, however a few other patrons had been loitering around by the tellers. When the group of masked ponies had busted in, everypony seemed to freeze with shock. Robbery was not an odd occurrence, even out here in the city, but to try something in broad daylight in Canterlot would be sheer madness. Of course that thought never seemed to have appeared to these ponies, even as they huddled behind the counters and glanced out towards the entrance every few seconds. Coco and the other innocents who were inside the bank when it started had been quickly huddled into a corner and tied together, presumably to stop escape, but possibly for need of hostages, should things go ‘south’, as one of the larger ponies had said. “Oi Scarface!” shouted the one in a large clown mask, his eyes poking out from two sickeningly black dots in the centre of the mask. He rested a large automatic rifle on his back, and his tone and stance were almost casual, as if this were a daily thing for him. He had been, up until recently, chewing on the butt of a cigar. Now, as he pushed it into the bench and hoisted himself up from his position, Coco began to realise just who her captors were. “How much time we got?” He seemed to radiate terror, as if his very skin was frightening to the touch, and his huge, bulky build did wonders to compliment that. As he passed by the ponies on the ground, they flinched back, cowering away from the hulking stallion before them. He seemed to snarl as he stopped beside his companion, laying a hoof against his back with an audible thump. A large, masked pony - presumably ‘Scarface’ - glanced up from his position at the till, where he was shovelling large hoof fulls of money into a black garbage bag. He paused, lifting his hoof up to gaze at the watch there. “Ah, we’ve got about... - oi!” he stopped mid sentence and swung the barrel of a large shotgun towards a unicorn mare, who had been attempting to slide herself along the floor. She froze at the sight of the gun pointed at her muzzle, and her hooves began to flail. “No, wait, please!” “What’re you movin’ around for?” he spat, accenting his words with a shake of the weapon. “I thought we were clear: no. Moving.” “Please. Please! My husband!” she screamed, motioning with her eyes to the stallion on the ground. He lay sprawled in a pool of red, his body limp and his chest unmoving. Scareface laughed at her tears, his gun dropping to the floor. Coco shuddered, her mind flashing back to only minutes before. The stallion had stood up, in an attempt to stop the men, and was met with a blast to the torso, dropping him instantly. The mare whimpered softly as Scarface returned to her previous thought. “Now, where was I?” He glanced around, before staring back at his watch. “The alarms were about, what, fifteen minutes ago?” He shrugged. “Then we got another five before them coppers show up.” The original speaker nodded, before turning back to the assembled hostages. “Alright everypony, listen up!” he shouted, his voice echoing through the large hall. “As long as you all stay down, we’ll be out of here in no time, and you’ll be free to return to your families.” He glanced down at the unicorn below him and stifled a giggle. “At least, most of you will. But there is one more thing we need from you. We need a-” He was cut off by the intruding sound of a siren, accompanied by a sudden flashing of lights and screeching of tires as, presumably, the police arrived outside. Coco breathed a sigh of relief as the masked stallions began to panic, raising their weapons and dropping behind the various counters. “Shit! Scarface, I thought you said we had five!” the leader hissed as he stared down his sights. “Sorry baws.” Scarface hung his head. The leader glanced around quickly from his position, before he slid around the corner and crouched down low near Coco. “Hey there little missy,” he whispered as he leaned down to tap the side of Coco’s head with a hoof. “I guess today’s just not your lucky day, eh?” He asked as he pulled her to her hooves, his semi-automatic placed against her temple. “W-wait,” Coco started as she began to struggle, moving her limbs in an effort to push him off of her. But he held strong, and pressed his gun harder against her temple, eliciting a shock of pain to shoot through her skull. “Please, I don’t want to d-die.” She sniffled slightly, and he chuckled, before he stood up from behind the counter, pulling her with him. Coco gasped as she stood, her vision suddenly filled with the sight of dozens of guards and officers alike huddled by the doors, their weapons all pointed towards her and the leader of the masked robbers. The sound of dozens of guns clicking at once filled her ears, and Coco shivered, the corners of her eyes stinging with the beginning of tears. “Alright boys,” he started, his magical grip on the gun tightening as he faced the crowd of assembled ponies. “There are two ways out of this that I see. One: you let me and my boys walk out of here, and this pretty dame gets tah keep her pretty head. Or, two: you open fire, and I take ‘er with me. It’s your choice.” He kept his gaze glued on the ponies ahead, though his grip around Coco’s middle tightened in anticipation. She grimaced in pain, and began to work her hooves around, the rope around them slowly loosening. Ahead of her, one of the Guards lifted a megaphone out and pointed it towards the pair, a crackling filling the otherwise silent hall. “Sir, please put the mare and gun down, and back away from the counter. Nopony has to die today.” He lowered the megaphone and raised his weapon again, his gaze steeled and his eyes hard. The stallion chuckled. “Bit late for that one I’m afraid.” He glanced down behind the counter, before back up at the police. They stared back, their stances unchanged. “I guess we’re going for option two here then.” He muttered, his grip on Coco loosening slightly. “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one in this case.” He spoke this time into Coco’s ear, and she shivered, her body growing hard as she realised what this meant. “No please, wait-” “Sorry Toots,” he started, pushing her away from him and bringing the weapon up to her head. “Nothing personal.” And Coco's world went out with a bang. Night Shift never really enjoyed his early hours at work, despite what his name would apply. He would dredge himself out of bed at Celestia-knows what hour, pour himself some horribly bitter coffee and begin his mind-numbing night at the Canterlot Morgue. It wasn’t so much that he was swamped with work or anything like that. In reality, he had nearly nothing to do whilst there. Nopony visited a morgue at this time of night, and the inhabitants weren’t going anywhere. Mostly, his job consisted of checking the motion camera’s for movement every few minutes, and watching reruns of black and white classics. The cold never really got to him either. In fact, he mostly relished in it. It was a change from the usual heat of the south, where he’d grown up. But there was always an unsettling atmosphere at the morgue. Always something… off, about some rooms or corridors, as if something was never quite right. This of course, all impacted on his reluctance to respond to the sudden beeping from his monitors. Something had set off a motion tracker in one of the holding rooms for the recently deceased. These were usually used for the overnighters, or bodies headed for the coroner. There could be many explanations for the movement, an open window, a sudden spark of electricity or ‘phantom-reading’, as it was called in the industry. However, as the pony mind tends to, Night’s thoughts shifted to the less likely, the paranormal. What if it was a ghost of the recently dead, coming back to seek vengeance on any of those around it? “I swear, if it’s a damn rat again, I’m going to shoot somebody,” he whispered as he stepped out of his small office and into the dimly lit corridor. The cool washed over him as he began to walk, and he sighed in anticipation, his light shaking between his chattering teeth. The lights above flickered every few moments, plunging the area into momentary darkness before revealing light once again. He passed other darkened rooms and empty corridors, his hoof falls speeding as the atmosphere began to creep into his mind. An echo ran down the hall, and he shivered, his eyes straining ahead for any sign of movement. As he approached the door, he felt his heart rate quicken, and Night Shift paused, his hoof inches from the door. He sucked in a breath before he pushed forward into the darkened room. With a quick flick of his tail, the lights flickered on, revealing the mostly empty rows of tables. Two recently dead had been brought in that day, and, as he gazed across the room, he felt his blood run cool. The bags always scared him. As if they were used not as a way to conceal the bodies, but a way to keep them in. He glanced left, towards the motion detector, before back towards the bodies. He turned, then, towards the light switch. But, before he flicked it off, something caught his eye, and he turned back. It was, if only for a moment, as if one of the bags had moved. He squinted, and stared toward the suspected culprit. It seemed still, as if the sudden movement was just a trick of the light. Then, it shifted again, as if the pony within suddenly bucked its legs. “Hello?” He called, his voice breaking as he took a step forward. The bag stopped its movements at the sound of his voice. He took another step, his teeth chattering. “I-if this is a joke, this isn’t funny!” He began to move quicker, and within a few strides he was next to the table. He dropped his light against the metal and reached a hoof up to poke the bag. His hoof met resistance, but nothing moved, and he felt himself begin to shake. “H-hello?” He asked, as he slowly reached out a hoof toward the zipper. “R-really, it’s time to stop kidding around.” He pulled down, and leaned over cautiously to look into the darkness of the bag. Emptiness filled his vision, and the flickering of lights did not help him to see beyond the folds of darkness encased within. slowly, however, the darkness pulled back, and his eyes adjuste to the dim of the room. He could make out the figure of mare, laying still inside the bag. He gazed past her body, up towards her mane, and then finally, he rested upon her face. He studied her empty features, her slightly curved mouth and soft cheeks. The recesses of her makeup still scarred her face, as if mocking her once vibrant life. Night Shift leaned back and studied the tag by the bag, his eyes scanning quickly over the small scribbles. “She was shot to the… head, nearly five hours ago.” He squinted, before turning back to the mare. “So… where’s the bullet wound?” He stared once more into the void. Two dull, lifeless eyes stared back, glazed with the effects of death. Then, they blinked. Night Shift jumped backwards, letting loose a scream that echoed around the hall. Coco shot up from the bag, a scream of her own jumping from her stiff lips. Her eyes stayed locked to his, and she felt panic begin to rise from within her. She reached out a hoof for him, but her scream did not stop. Night Shift fainted. Author's Note Next time: Our heroine finds her hooves, a bloodthirsty pony sinks his teeth into something juicy, and we meet a mysterious stranger! Will she be friend or foe? Hello everybody and welcome to my latest work of fiction! This will most likely be a much shorter story than my others, but hopefully, the quality won't drop! This really is just a prologue for the real story, setting up Coco as the protagonist. Yes, I do realise that this is technically a crossover fic. No I am not going to add that to the tags, because I will be using a lot of my own monsters, and it will in no way contain characters from the actual TV show. Anyway, comments and criticism are always welcome! Also, if you see any spelling errors/grammar issues, let me know! Hope you like it~! (✿´‿`)
Chapter 2 Chapter 2 In which our heroine explains her situation, we learn of Canterlot's predicament, and explore our new companion's personality. The emptiness of one’s mind is quite enticing. The void almost calls out to a lonely passerby, as if persuading them to come to the edge and see what lies beyond. The darkness of thought is the only vision, and yet it hypnotizes all. A pony could get lost in her own thoughtscape for what seemed like hours, exploring her subconscious to the full extent. And, while entering was completed with ease, leaving your own mind is taxing on even the strongest of ponies. Even as she stood, her back to the edge, she could feel its pull on her. Reality seemed to slip and slide out of focus, and she felt her thoughts shift wildly through her memories. She spun, the void tugging on her weakened mind, and began her walk towards the nothingness. The ending approached, and she could feel her will slip with each passing hoof fall. As she teetered on the edge, her eyes peered into the emptiness. Something peered back. A flash of light, and then darkness. The first part of Coco to wake was her head. A dull throb pushed its way through the veil of her dreams, and wrenched her silently screaming back to reality. A soft whirring resounded around her, and while she dared not open her eyes for fear of blinding light, she did allow her ears to wander. The pain in her head seemed to slowly dissipate as she left her mind, and slowly, she opened her eyes. From beside her she could hear the soft sounds of somepony's breathing, however, her memory was currently failing her as to the source. A wave of cool air washed over her, and she smiled in content, her eyelids drooping once more. She peered up at the dull ceiling above her, her eyes tracing the slow patterns of the fan. The whirring seemed to originate from there, as well as the cold air. Coco let her eyes follow the lazy swirling, her mind drifting back to her last memory. The empty streets; the cold moonlight; the strange pony- Instantly her eyes shot open, and she lifted herself from the bed, using her forelegs to prop herself into a sitting position. Her companion gave a start, her snores stopping abruptly as she lifted her head from the pillow with a snort. “Whazzah…?” The mare seemed momentarily dazed, her eyes blinking around the room. Eventually they rested on Coco, and she gave a sleepy smile, before her forehoof slipped out from underneath her, and she dropped to the floor with a thud. She groaned, lifting herself onto her hooves with a heavy sigh. “Mornin’.” She stated, irritation ringing clear in her voice. Coco said nothing, instead she gave the mare a quizzical look. After a few moments of silent staring, the other mare grumbled something before she made her way to the counter on the opposite side of the room. As the mare walked, Coco began to examine her surroundings more carefully. The pair seemed to have taken residence in a small suite, complete with a bathroom and kitchenette. The dull grey linoleum gave way to a small, beige section of carpeting. Dark stains spotted the floor, and the faded rug did nothing to hide the obvious unkemptness of the room. The walls were a slightly darker cream than the carpet, and while they were much cleaner, they still did not pass the ‘Coco quality test’. A small television sat atop the fridge opposite the beds, the picture running but the sound evidently muted. Finally, her eyes returned to the mare from the night before… ‘Red’. ‘Red’ turned to face her, the dopey smile from before having been replaced by an almost solemn expression. The bloodshot eyes seemed to convey a lack of sleep, while her messy mane indicated that she had slept too long. Overall, her exposition seemed to match her current mood, as she slowly stretched her mouth into a wide yawn. “... Ya hungry?” she asked, after a few moments of sleepy silence. Coco nodded, and Red returned the gesture, before she slowly made her way towards the dark oak door. She reached out and dragged open the door, using her free hoof to motion for Coco to follow. The two of them stepped out into the early dawn, the soft light easing Coco’s transition from darkness to the outside. After a few moments of blinking, she managed to clear the blurriness from her eyes. She turned to face Red, but found the mare had already began to make her way down the row of doors, rubbing at her eyes. Coco pushed herself to catch up, and after a few seconds of running she matched Red’s speed. The pair walked slowly, side by side, toward the mostly empty street. Aside from Coco and Red, the only other inhabitants of the road were a small filly, who was hurrying in the opposite direction, and a local street vendor, who was absent-mindedly flicking through a newspaper. No cars were, as yet, making their way toward the centre of town. After a few minutes of walking down this nameless, mostly empty street, Red stopped. Coco glanced up as the mare pushed her way through the door on her left. A large, heavy sign swung back and forth in the low wind. The Leaking Brain Coco shuddered at the imagery, before she followed her companion into the diner. The diner was slightly more busy than the street, as a few patrons had already seated themselves along the far wall, their tired faces glancing up as the pair entered. A quiet tinkle sounded from the bell above the door, and the mare behind the counter turned to face them. A soft smile lit across her face, and she motioned toward the stools in front. "Well, good mornin' darlin's," she started, her heavy southern drawl slow and measured. She placed down the rag she had been sweeping down the length of the table and gave them another radiant smile. "What can ah do for two young lasses this early in the morn?" Red waved her off with a hoof, her half-lidded eyes wearily scanning the menu. After a few seconds, she shrugged, before hoofing toward the lowest menu. "Jus'... Gimme the hayfries. Lot's of 'em." And then. "And coffee, strong. Really strong." She turned toward the closest booth and dropped down into the seat with a heavy thud. "Just coffee, thanks," Coco supplied, her eyes shifting uneasily between the menu and the waitress. After a few moments of silence, Coco turned away towards the table, daintily placing herself down on the vinyl chair. She fixed Red with a cold stare, her gaze passing over the mare's features. Red returned the look, albeit with less effort. "What?" Coco remained silent, and Red let out a sigh. "Look. Ah'm guessin' y'all're wonderin' 'bout last night, yeah?" Coco nodded. "Well, how much do ya remember?" "Not much, really," Coco started, scratching at her chin with a hoof. "I remember..." She paused, casting her mind back to the previous night. The empty streets; the darkness of the alley; the bright flash of teeth. Coco shuddered. "That- that stallion had... Teeth." She eyed Red nervously, her expression hesitant. After a few moments, she added, "Really sharp teeth." Red laughed at that, her golden mane framing her face. "Aye, that he did." Her smile slowly faded as she glanced around her, her eyes shifting between the waitress and the patrons. "Look, do ya really want ta know what that... Thing, was?" Her gaze fell on Coco, and her eyes seemed to harden under the soft glow of the morning sun. Coco nodded. "Ya sure?" She nodded again. "Ya reall-" "-Look Red," Coco said, cutting off her companion with a hoof. "Whatever you tell me, I'm more than willing to believe." She shrugged. "I just had a pony try to eat me, and then spent a night in a stranger's hotel room. At this point, I'm just hoping for any kind of explanation." Red slumped a little, her eyes dropping to the table. "Alright, but you asked for this." She raised her sight once again and fixed Coco with another cold look. "That pony last night... Wasn't a pony. Well, ain't a pony no more. He was a-" she gulped audibly and leaned forward, her next word coming out in a hoarse whisper. "Vampony." Red had been hoping for any kind of reaction at this point. She'd been working her way up to this moment in her mind, thinking through every possible scenario in her head and counting through endless possible outcomes. She'd been prepared for shock, or fear, or even disbeliefe. But she wasn't ready for this. Coco burst out laughing. In an instant, she let out a peal of giggles and squeezed her eyes shut. She could feel the eyes of the other patrons turn toward her, but she couldn't stop herself. She clutched at her belly with a hoof, the laughter making her sides ache. "Y-you-" She started, each word separated with another giggle. "You... can't... be... Serious!" She slowly came down from her high, her laughter slowly wearing off. "Wait... You actually are... Serious?" Red's serious expression was all the convincing Coco needed. "Of course Ah'm serious. Y'all think I would lie 'bout somethin' like this?" Her lips quivered slightly, but she leaned forward, her voice strong and commanding. "One thing ya need ta understand 'bout me Coco, is if Ah'm gonna lie, it better be for a damn good reason." She sat back, a proud look upon her face. "We Apples never have been good at lyin'." Coco made a mental note to ask Red about her heritage later, as she had more important things to focus on. For instance, the sanity of the pony across from her. "So, hold on-" She paused, shaking her head. "You're telling me that all those stories... Those TV shows, they've been telling the truth?" Coco gave her counterpart a question glare. "That... 'vamponies'-" She shuddered involuntarily at the name. "Are real?" "As real as anything." Red glanced between Coco and the table, a guilty look crossing her face. "Well, almost anything, Ah mean, angels ain't real." She laughed. "Can ya imagine what-" "What about ghosts?" Coco asked, cutting Red off mid sentence. "What about 'em?" Coco gave her a deadpan stare. "Are they real?" "'Course," Red said, her voice laced with apprehension. She was hesitant to begin to answer Coco's questions. The mare seemed to be taking the news well, despite her original fright. In fact, Coco seemed to be almost eager, her newfound curiosity overtaking her general cautiousness. "Ya seem awful interested in this..." Coco paused, the smile dying on her lips. She sat back, running a hoof through her mane. "Well... It's certainly, interesting, to say the least." She looked away from Red's glare of disbelief. "Well, okay," she started, her cheeks flushing. "I may have been rather interested in the... Occult, in my earlier years." She shied away from Red's accusing gaze. "University wasn't exactly the most engaging of places for a fashion major, okay?!" Red gave a light chuckled. "Relax, relax. Ah was jus' teasin'." She let out another giggle, before glancing up from the table. "Your orders," the waitress spoke as she neared the pair, a tray balanced upon her back. She leaned to the side, and the mugs slid onto the table. A small basket of Hayfries followed them, and Red's eyes lit up. "If'n there's anythin' you two need, you know where I am." She gave them another smile, before she turned back and made her way toward the counter. Red wasted no time as she reached and lifted a large hoof-full of fries to her mouth, crunching down with gusto. Coco reached down and lifted her coffee up, feeling the steam wash against her snout as she wafted the smell over her. The deep rich of coffee beans filled her nostrils, and, for a moment, she felt the tension in her shoulder's slip away. Warmth spread through her once again, and she let her mind wander, the sounds of Red's eating slowly washing away into inky nothingness. Darkness, and then, a flash. With a start, Coco's eyes shot open, and she inhaled sharply, her ears popping. Red glanced up from her food, her eyes filled with worry. "Coco, y'all okay?" She swallowed, before pushing her almost empty basket away. "Ya don't look too good." Coco waved at her with a hoof, her other holding the cup aloft. "I'm... Alright. Just a bad memory." Red, gave her a quizzical look, before her eyes lit up. "Hay, that reminds me." As she spoke she lifted herself up, placing a hoof under her chin and resting the crook against the table. "What were y'all doin' out there last night?" "Well, apparently I was being eaten by a 'Vampony." Red rolled her eyes in response. "No, Ah mean before that." She waved a hoof. "Why were ya out so late ta begin wit'?" Coco shifted uncomfortably. "Well, to be honest," she started, her cheeks flushing a light pink. "I was kind of... Lost." She glanced away from Red's gaze. "Lost? In Canterlot?" Red gave a small chuckle. "If Ah had a bit fo' every time Ah've heard that before..." She muttered to herself. "Anyway, how'd ya end up lost. Ah mean, ya gotta have started from somewhere ya knew, right?" Coco shook her head. "No, I woke up in Canterlot's morgue, and started to-" "Woah woah woah, back up there missy," Red started, accenting her words with waves of her hooves. "Ya woke up in the morgue? How'd ya end up there?" "I... I don't know," Coco answered honestly, her eyes slowly rising up to meet Red's. "Last thing I remember is..." She trailed off, her eyes glazing for a moment. "... Y'all remember is?" Coco slowly shifted her sight back into focus. "Dying." Red had, unfortunately, taken this moment to sip her coffee. In an instant, she sprayed the brown liquid out through her nose and all over the waiting table. "Ya what?!" "I think I died." Coco gave a worried look. "Is that normal?" She shook her head. "Look, it's really confusing, but I'm fairly certain that's what happened. I remember a bank, there were some masked stallions and-" Red stopped her with another hoof wave. "Which bank?" she asked, her eyes darting toward the counter. "I... Don't remember." Red darted up from her chair, and then returned in an instant, a newspaper clutched in her mouth. "Ith it thithmm mmonth?" she mumbled through the paper. "Pardon?" Red spat out her mouthful, her hooves jumping to the table and pointing toward the front cover image. "Is it this one?" she asked again. Coco glanced down at the cover, and gasped. [centre]Robbery at Canterlot Bank, One Presumed Dead[/centre] Below was printed a huge and slightly familiar entrance. Huge, ivory pillars lifted from the ground, and they met at a large, almost ancient apex. Grooves ran down around each pole, and they met at an expanded base. At the top read, in large, cursive letters: Canterlot Central Bank. Coco gave a gasp, and she glanced up at Red, her eyes large. "Y-yes, that's the one." She paused, deciding on her next words carefully. "Red... If I died, then how am I here now?" "Ah have no idea," Red answered honestly, shaking her head in confusion. "Even after all Ah've seen, I ain't never heard o' nopony just gettin' up after dyin'." After a few moments, her look changed, and she gave Coco a hopeful smile. "But Ah think Ah know somepony who might be able ta help ya." Coco cocked her head. "You do?" "Aye, but Ah don't think I can take ya to him right now." Red smiled apologetically. "Ah'm in the middle of a case, after all." "A case?" Coco asked, taking another sip from her mug. Red nodded. "In fact," she started. "Ah'm huntin' down them fangs you got yerself in trouble wit' last night." She smiled proudly, nodding with each word. "Wait," Coco lifted a hoof, her eyes searching Red's features. "Hunting? You mean you go out looking for these... These- monsters?" Red nodded sagely, drinking deeply before slamming her coffee down on the table. "Aye, that Ah do." She gave Coco a sidelong glance. "That scare ya?" "A little. But it's more... Shocking." Coco rubbed at her neck with a hoof. "Knowing that there've been all of these creatures and... 'monsters', outside my window every night, and I've just slept through it all." She shook her head slowly. "I just can't believe I've never noticed before." Red rose from her seat, placing a hoof on Coco's shoulder. "If you've never seen them, then Ah know Ah've been doin' mah job right." She offered a small smile, before motioning for Coco to stand. "C'mon now, We've got places to be." Coco shot her a look as she stood. "We? Who ever said I wanted to follow you into this crazy world?" Red glanced over her shoulder as they approached the waitress. "Listen sister, like it or not, those fangs marked ya as a target. As soon as one wants ya, they all do." She placed a hoof-full of bits on the counter, shooting a wink toward the waitress as she turned out of the diner. "And, let's face it, they're ain't many mare's like me in this town. IF one finds ya, Ah'm not sure you could survive this time 'round. So, y'all need me, and Ah could certainly use tha help." She pushed open the door and stepped out onto the now busy street. "Now c'mon, we gotta get goin' 'fore it gets too busy round there." "Round where? Wait, where are we going?" Coco asked, hurrying behind Red as they made their way down the path. Red spun as she walked, flashing Coco with a wink. "We're goin' ta tha' morgue." Author's Note Next time: Coco visits the land of the dead, and learns of some unexpected skills along the way. Ta da! Man what a great chapter that totally wasn't filler and really explained a lot, huh? Man, I bet you enjoyed it, did't you? Man everyone loves filler. On a serious note, I really do hope you stick through this. It might take a bit to catch up to the more 'action' side of Supernatural, but pretty soon we'll be into the 'detective' side of the show. Comments and criticism are always welcome! See you next time!
Chapter 1 Chapter 1 In which our heroine finds her hooves, a bloodthirsty pony sinks his teeth into something juicy, and we meet a mysterious stranger. - Canterlot at night feels like a completely different city in comparison to its counterpart during the day. The daylight brings warmth to every corner of the streets, and the bustle of merchants and travelers creates a steady undertone of noise that provides constant reassurance that you are not alone. The voices of many a paddler can be heard over the bustle of carts and the stomping of hooves, as each one attempts to outsell its predecessor. The cobblestones are hot to the touch, and as such, skipping from one section of shade to another becomes like a game to the foals, as the prance around their parents along the wide streets. However, at night, the light gives way to darkness, and what was previously seen becomes hidden under a veil of black. The nooks and crannies that seem to be innocent during the day could contain any number of nightmares at night. What limited light that is provided by the flickering street-lamps adds to the darkness, by creating what could be described as ‘safe-havens’. But, just outside the reach of this frail illumination is a ring of darkness, only paused by the next lamp, some fifty meters ahead. Coco stuck to the center of the road as she made her way along the cobblestone, her hooves clicking in the stillness around her. Silence surrounded her. The cold of the night air pressed against her mane as she made her way past closed stores and empty stalls. She stopped at a crossroads, sucking in a deep breath and glancing around her. Ahead lay a street very much like the last, and either side seemed to stretch on infinitely, as if the city itself was a constant loop of fear and loneliness. She sighed, hanging her head, and took a step out towards the center of the crossroads, her hooves sending echoes around her. A sudden crash caused her ears to perk up as she reached the middle, and she glanced up, searching for the source of the noise. A second crash sounded, followed by a stream of cussing, and she swiveled her head to the left, her eyes bright and hopeful. Slowly, she took a step forward, and began her walking once again. Coco wouldn’t like to admit it, but she was lost. She was only supposed to be in Canterlot very briefly, as it should have been a short stop on her trip to Ponyville. She knew not of any street but the main, and she couldn’t even point out her current location on a map. As such, her path from the morgue had been haphazard at best. She had started wandering, her head pounding, and her thoughts elsewhere. An hour had passed, in which the headache had slowly faded, but her questions had grown ever more pressing. The Guard there, ‘Night Shift’, as his badge had suggested, had passed out cold from the sight of her. For what reason she could not comprehend. It could be down to the fact that she had been lying in a body-bag when he had found her, which could be cause for some alarm. Which brought up her first question, why was she in a body-bag? The answer was simple, but didn’t seem to make much sense: she had died. the primary use for a body-bag is for the dead, and as such it would be simple for her to have been placed in there due to her untimely death. But that didn’t make sense, because she was very much alive now. She paused in the street, pondering herself as she inspected her hoof. “There’s no other explanation though, as to why I would be in there. I don’t remember climbing inside, but, I don’t remember dying either.” She glanced back up at the street, speaking to herself. “I would remember dying, right?” After a few moments of attempting to read her memories, her headache began to return, a dull throbbing inside her temples. She shook her head then, and returned to her walking, her mind in the present. Her surroundings began to change as she traveled, the empty stores slowly giving way to larger, more empty stores. Every few meters or so, a light would protrude from a close store, sending flooding wight out into the empty street. She neared a second intersection and studied her surroundings. Four large buildings stood on each corner, their signs swinging softly in the cold wind. The windows on three were dark, their blinds pulled and their lights off. However, the fourth seemed to emanate a dank, orange glow. Beyond the grimy windows Coco could make out at least two figures as the sat on chairs against the window. Coco pressed forward toward the building, her hoof reaching out for the handle. Another shout stopped her, and she dropped her hoof, glancing back up at the building. Behind her, the darkness seemed to beckon, as if reassuring her that inside was more dangerous than outside. Slowly, she turned away from the door, and peered out into the void. The lights here seemed to be even less effective at revealing the emptiness, and as such, she began to squint, forcing her eyes to adjust to the dark. Slowly, it came into focus, and she could make out the lumps of trash cans and garbage bags. Another shadow, far too big to be a trashcan, stood motionless in the alleyway. It was the size of a large stallion, but it did not have the shape of one. Slowly, it began to move forward. A glint seemed to shine from the darkness, as if a torch had been flashed for less than a second. Something grabbed Coco’s shoulder and spun her around. She screamed instinctively and tried to back away, but the grip held her fast. “Miss, calm down!” A voice shouted, shaking her shoulder and pulling her closer. Slowly Coco turned back to face the source of the voice, and met a large beige-coated stallion who stared down at her from the open doorway with a smile. “Don’t you know it’s dangerous to stay outside at night?” He flashed her a smile, before letting go of her shoulder and stepping out of the doorway. “Would you like to come inside? It’s awfully cold out here, and we have a nice pot of stew on the stove.” His smile grew slightly, and the warmth he seemed to radiate slowly calmed Coco’s nerves. She took one step up the large stairs, before turning around to glance in the alley from before. The shape was gone, and in its place was nothing but darkness. She shivered instinctively, before following the stallion the rest of the way up the steps. As she stepped over the threshold, Coco felt a sense of relief wash over her, as if the sudden introduction of light seemed to cleanse her of her previous fear. The pair stepped through into a long corridor, its walls lined with large portraits of what Coco assumed to be relatives of the stallion ahead of her. The red wallpaper peeled in the corners, and dark stains spotted the ancient rug beneath her hooves. The pony ahead glanced over his shoulder to smile at Coco, and she returned it, admittedly half-heartedly, before she dodged his gaze, ducking her head towards the floor. As they progressed down the corridor, Coco couldn’t help but begin to internalize herself, her mind beginning to run back into her memories. She couldn’t recall what had happened at the bank, the memories of that time seemed to blend together into one big ball of blurred colour. She staggered and paused, lifting a hoof up to her temples as they lanced with pain. “You alright liddle missy?” the stallion asked, his voice layered with concern. Coco waved him off with a hoof, using her spare one to cover her eyes. The lamps seemed to glow brighter with every passing second, as if her pupils were constantly dilating, letting more and more light into her mind. Then, with an audible ‘pop’, the influx of brightness ceased, and her pain faded. Slowly, she lifted herself to her hooves, rubbing at her eyes with vigor. She blinked suddenly, lowering her hoof to the floor and lifting her gaze to meet the eyes of the stallion. He smiled at her, before turning back towards the hall. A large door stood before them, its darkened hinges sagging slightly after the decades of weight that had been pressed against them. The stallion leaned out and pushed the into the fading wood, the muscles around his forehooves straining with the effort. Slowly, the door creaked open, the bottom scraping against the cold stone floor. Orange light flooded the dimly lit corridor, and the sound of hushed voices slowly seeped out from the room ahead. As Coco stepped forward, she could feel the atmosphere around her slowly change. Warmth spread through the air, and Coco’s shoulders seemed to sag with relief. The room around her was large, but most of the space had been filled with lounges and small coffee tables, as well as lanterns and candles to keep the mood. A large fire crackled brightly on the far end of the room, and beside that sat a large wooden bar, with a row of vividly coloured drinks accenting the large glass shelves behind. The room seemed to directly contrast the outside, its decor a vibrant and inviting change from Coco’s recent experiences. Whilst Coco had been gazing around the room, her guide had made his way up to the large bar and took his place behind it. He motioned for her to come forward, his eyes following her as she made her way up to the stool. She sat slowly, her eyes still scanning her surroundings. The room seemed mostly void of ponies however, and she smiled at that, knowing she could at least relax. “Thirsty miss?” Coco glanced back down towards the stallion, who had placed a small glass on the counter before her, and was busy pouring in a soft, slightly blue liquid. “Very,” Coco started, reaching forward to grasp the glass in her hooves. She paused, however, and slowly lowered her hooves. “I’m afraid… I can’t really pay for the drink.” She lifted her hooves up and flashed the stallion a small smile. “I don’t have any of my bits.” He shook his head, letting a small chuckle escape from his otherwise passive expression. “No no… This one is on the house!” He pushed the glass forward with a hoof. “Drink! I wouldn’t be a very good barman if I let someone go thirsty this early.” He leaned back, resting his body against the other end of the bar, and set Coco with a warm smile. Coco didn’t hesitate, and she downed the drink in less than a second, feeling her headache start to fade as the effects of the alcohol kicked in. Her throat burned, and she relished in the feeling, shivers running down her spine in glee. She placed the empty glass back on the counter and let out a soft sigh, her breath swirling in front of her with latent magic. The stallion smiled, his gaze weakening as he lifted himself back up to pour another shot into the glass. “Hits kinda hard, doesn’t it?” After her nod, he continued. “The kick from these new drinks comes from the magic them unicorns somehow stuff into the liquid. Call it ‘Elixir’, or somthin’ like that. Apparently, some unicorn from Ponyville managed how to stick… I don’t know, emotions?” He paused, as if racking his brains for the right words. “Feelings. Yeah, feelings, into the liquid. Makes em hit kinda hard, and the hangovers last forever.” Coco leaned out and lifted her drink again, her vision skewing as she the warmth of the alcohol slowly spread through to her hoof tips. Goosebumps seemed to pop out of her flesh, and she smiled in contempt, leaning back on her stool in delight. “So, missy.” The stallion leaned forward on his bar, until his snout was level with Coco’s. “What’s a preddy liddle thing like you doin’ out on the street? Especially this late at night.” He eyed Coco uncertainly, but his smile was genuine, and his posture was relaxed. Coco opened her mouth to reply, but paused, her mind getting the better of her. She couldn’t just outright tell him the little she remembered. Her memories were still a jumbled mess, and she wasn’t sure if she could piece together enough of her past to provide a correct answer. Finally, shen opened her mouth once more. “I don’t know,” she answered truthfully. Her shoulders slumped as she spoke, and her ears flattened against her head. Instantly, the stallion’s expression faded into one of sympathy. Confusion flashed in his eyes, but he didn’t voice it, instead he focused on Coco. “You don’t know?” She nodded slowly, before she lifted her glass again and finished her drink. The stallion shrugged his shoulders, lifting himself up from the bar and turning towards the stallion who had seated himself a few stools down. Coco glanced toward the pair, her eyes studying the new pony. His head seemed to be covered by the hood of a cloak, but the rest of his body was uncovered. His dark blue coat was contrasted by the deep velvet mark on his hindquarters. The strange symbol seemed to be ancient in origin, it wasn’t from any language Coco had seen before. After a few moments, Coco returned her stare to the glass in front of her, studying her skewed reflection in dusty glass. Her mind turned inwards, studying the jumble that was her memory. She could remember something at the Bank of Canterlot. A dull headache began to pound at her temples as Coco strained her mind, attempting to see what her body was apparently blocking. She could remember four masked stallions, and guns. A bright flash and then… nothing. It was as if the emptiness between that moment and her waking in the morgue was a black void. A voice pulled her out of her memories, the high-pitched buzzing from the headache began to fade as she glanced up from her glass toward the source of the noise. The hooded stallion from earlier had lowered his hood and sidled up toward her, sitting on the stool beside hers. He flashed her a toothy grin, his teeth seeming almost too white in the orange glow from the fire. “Pardon?” Coco asked, cocking her head slightly and leaning back instinctively. “I said,” his smile grew wider, but his forehead creased in annoyance, causing Coco to lean back even further. “What’s your name, luv?” He seemed to emanate sleaze, and Coco’s nose creased in dislike, and she returned to her glass. “I-it’s…” she stopped, before glancing up at him again. “It’s Coco.” She smiled weakly, her nose still crinkled. “Well miss Coco,” his grin spread as he spoke her name, and she shuddered in response. “You here wi’ anyone tonight?” He leaned closer to her, moving his muzzle to her ear. “Because… me and you could get out of here and go somewhere more… private.” After a few moments of the stallion not moving, Coco pushed against him, sending him backwards off his stool and onto the floor with an audible thud. Instantly, the bartender was there, his hulking frame towering over the stallion. “What did I say about harassing the patrons?” He leaned down and hefted the smaller pony onto his back, before turning and tossing him toward the open door to the hall. He crashed to the floor with a plethora of curses, his eyes darting back toward the bartender. He scrambled to his feet, before spitting on the ground and slamming the door. “And stay out!” The stallion turned back toward Coco, smiling apologetically. “Sorry about that miss. He can get a bit… ‘feisty’, after a few.” “N-no it’s okay.” Coco flashed him another weak smile, before she looked back to her glass. “Want another?” Coco nodded. The bar was now completely empty. Two small glasses had joined the original in front of Coco, and she could feel her mind buzzing with the thoughts of more. The bartender lifted himself from his position leaning on the bar and glanced up at the large clock. He turned back to her, a small smile on his face. “I’m real sorry miss, but it’s time to close this place up.” He accented his words with the flick of a switch, plunging most of the room into darkness. Only the light from the hall and the soft orange glow of the fire illuminated the room. “It don’t feel right sending you out there alone, so-” Coco waved him off as she dropped down from her stool. “No no, I’m alright. I’ll just head back to… to my hotel.” She turned toward the door, before she slowly spun back around. “You wouldn’t happen to have a small map I could borrow though, do you?” The stallion’s smile spread, and he nodded, before he lifted a folded book from behind the counter and hoofed it to her. “We’re on page seventeen,” he whispered with a wink, before he motioned for her to follow him to the door. The two stepped out into the hall, the large oak sliding shut behind them with a solid slam. Then they were out and down the large stone steps. As they stood at the bottom of the stairs, Coco leaned in to hug the larger pony, the alcohol playing with her mind. “Thank you, again, Brew, for your h-help.” Coco said as she broke the embrace. “Don’t worry ‘bout it,” the stallion, ‘Brew’, replied, his large shoulders rolling in bemusement. As Coco began to head toward the end of the street, the map clenched tightly in her teeth, he called out, “Now you come back, ya hear?” “Sure thing! I have to return the m-map somehow,” Coco laughed, before continuing on her way. As she walked further into the darkness, she found herself sink slowly back into her previous mood. The alcohol had done wonders for her confidence, but Coco wasn’t sure if she was ready to face the emptiness of the back alleys of Canterlot this early in the morning. Shadows began to dance around the streetlamps, and the cold clacking of her hooves against the cobbles below soon became the only sound in Equestria to Coco. Around her, silence reigned, slowly spreading the chill back into her bones. Her mind began to churn, and Coco’s heart rate slowly began to increase, sending shivers down her spine. The wind picked up,a nd while the slight reprieve from the silence was comforting, the wind provided no reassurance that she was alone. A sudden crash in the distance behind her made Coco jump, and she spun, her eyes searching frantically in the darkness behind. After a few moments, the crash sounded again, and Coco felt herself let out a small scream, before she spun again, and took off in a gallop, her hooves echoing in the darkness. Behind her, the ever approaching sound caused Coco’s speed to increase, and adrenaline began to pump through her veins. Another crash, this one much closer, came from behind, and Coco glanced around her shoulder, her pupils dilating as something came crashing toward her. She turned then, and slid toward the closest ally, her hooves pushing her against the wall as she attempted to silence her whimpers. The wind had dropped off, and the world again was silent, Coco’s heavy breathing breaking the stillness like a shard of glass against stone. Slowly, Coco leaned out from her cover to view the street. The darkness seemed just as empty as ever, however the streetlamps from before had begun to slowly flash on and off, as if something was interfering with the power. “Hello again miss ‘Coco’.” She froze. The words had been whispered directly into her ear, and the venom behind them set her teeth on edge. Slowly, she turned her head, and came face to face with the muzzle of the hooded stallion from the bar. Another toothy grin was plastered across his face, but his eyes were cold and menacing. She screamed then, and lashed out, her hindlegs colliding with his torso. He dropped back momentarily, his breath sliding out of him with the force. He let out a soft laugh, before he drew back his hoof and slammed it against Coco’s muzzle. She dropped to the floor, the pain swirling through her head. Red spots filled her vision as she attempted to clear the tears from her eyes. As she was reeling, the stallion leaned down and grabbed her by her shoulders, hauling her up against the wall and holding her there with his hooves. She screamed again, pleading with the darkness around them. Silence responded, and the stallion laughed again. “Please! I don’t have any money!” She struggled in his grasp, her hind legs kicking in an attempt to free herself. “I don’t want your money luv.” She paused, her pupils slowly shrinking to pinpricks. “Th-then you want…” Her hindlegs instinctively crossed, and her tail flicked out in fear. “N-no please!” He laughed again, his rough handling crushing Coco’s hooves against the brick of the walls. “I don’t want that either.” Coco’s mind searched for another reason for her capture. Did he plan to kill her? She screamed again, but was cut off as he spun her around to face him. As Coco’s head slammed against the wall, she let out another scream, her eyes staring toward his with fear. Slowly, his smile stretched across his muzzle, and he lowered his voice. “There’s only one thing I want.” His gaze locked firmly onto hers, he lifted his top lip and grimaced. Six long, sharp teeth slid out from the top of his jaw, joining the other six that had spread up from the lower half. They glinted in the moonlight, and Coco felt her blood run cold. Her screaming stopped as her body went into shock, and his mouth slowly opened, stretching impossibly wide. He leaned forward, and Coco realised that he was aiming for her neck. She felt her limbs grow weak, and she began to slump, as her eyes slowly closed. “Hey, fang.” Coco’s eyes shot open, and she glanced to her left, as her captor did too. His jaw shrunk back to its normal size, and he snarled toward the end of the alley. “How about some steel for an entree?” A soft ‘thwomp’ followed these words, and the stallion glanced down at his chest. A thin, metallic rod stuck out from the side, and a deep red stain was slowly forming against his coat. he let out a howl and dropped Coco, his hooves shooting to his side. He glanced between Coco and the alley mouth multiple times, before he shook his head and snarled again. He took off running toward the other mouth of the alley, slowly dripping blood against the cold cobbles. Coco felt herself slide down the wall, her eyes still drooping. As the cold tendrils of unconsciousness tugged at her mind, Coco looked up toward her savior. A large silhouette stood above her, a metallic crossbow draped against its shoulder. “W-who are you?” she managed to stammer out between shaking breaths. The pony leaned down into the light, revealing a deep red coat. A long, golden mane ran down the side of her face, and she smiled in the cold air. “Name’s Red." Her thick southern accent momentarily stumping Coco. "You?” “I-I’m…” she paused, her head dropping to one side. “Coco…” Coco fainted. Author's Note Next time: Our heroine explains her situation, we learn of Canterlot's predicament, and explore our new companion's personality. There we go, Chapter one done! I'm loving the freshness of this story, and I hope you're enjoying it so far as well! As always, comments and criticism are always welcome! Also point out mistakes, because I am not a smart man sometimes. Edit: sorry for getting your hopes up, no new chapter so far. Just minor mistake fixing!
