The Outlander's Trial

“Still following me…”Bow-Ayn noted, “I’d have thought that they would’ve given up the assassination attempts by now.”

Bow was not what anypony would classify as ‘Noticeable’. Short in stature, lithe and lean, most of her muscles resided in her shoulders and back, betraying the thought of weakness. White flanked she stood out easily in the night, though the emerald green streaks through her mane and tail as well as the dapple on her flank broke her appearance. Unless somepony truly paid attention, they’d most likely pass off seeing her as a trick of the eyes.

“Head for those woods, we’ll lose them in there.” stated the disembodied voice of Breach, a less colourful stallion of black and grey hues with yellow eyes.

“Got it Breach.”

Bow continued trotting along normally until the path cut within two metres of the forest, then cut right and dashed in. With grace and agility that would turn anypony green with envy, she ducked, dodged, jumped, and practically danced through the trees and brush.

The silence behind her confirmed that the ponies from her homeland were still after her, nopony else could match her stealth, match it, but they still couldn’t best it. Eventually she noted a castle like tower in the distance. Whoever was there most likely wouldn’t accept her where she so obviously came from, all ponies knew dappled flank ponies came from the land across the sea, or had ancestors(hopefully none) hail from the terrible land. Alas, there was no way to pass off ancestry, her dapple was to contrasting, not faded in with the rest of her coat, no, she couldn’t pass for a native but she could lose her trackers.

“There’s a bridge, but our haven seems abandoned, Bow.”

“I know Breach, I’m so tired of this fighting, and I’m sorry I dragged you into this”

“As opposed to what I faced in Tartarus, I’m glad we met Bow, we thrive off of each other and you know it” Breach reassured,” now find a light source, and I will meet them with the immense joy I take from protecting my mare.”

Bow dashed through the monastery, as she now recognized it, and into the tower behind it. Assassins right on her hooves, she had to break into over drive just to get away long enough for Breach to get ready. At the peak of the tower, with the full moon laying her shadow out behind her, Bow turned about and faced the pursuers.

“Finally you’ve stopped running.” “You’re going to die now, traitor” “No one betrays our goddess and lives!”

“Really, you think you three pose a threat to me? Breach, help me out here.”

“With pleasure!”

The shadow of Bow suddenly moved of its own accord. Emerging from the shadow stepped Breach. Black coated, as well as a black mane and tail, steel grey streaked in his hair. A deadly glare emanated from his dark yellow eyes. Large by any standards, with thick corded muscle running throughout his body showed through his scarred flank.

“Oh look boys; she’s got a stallion we get to play with too.” One of the assassins cackled.

“Bow, I’ll leave the one in the middle for you.”

“Got it, Breach”

“You know ‘Breach’ once we’ve killed you, I think we might have some with your mare here! Hahahahaha”

That comment, that singular comment, broke what little rationale Breach had left. Bow may not be from Equestria, but he himself didn’t even hail from this plane of existence. It took a certain degree of concentration to maintain the appearance of a unicorn. But that was gone now.

Muscles shifted beneath flank, eyes glowed, Breach reared up on his hind legs as he shifted into a bipedal form. A daemon of Tartarus, he rejected the cruel beings he’d been brought up around, just as Bow had rejected the fanatical tyrant she’d lived under. Neither wanted war, just peace, and they’d been denied it for so long. It wasn’t fair, but he could even the odds by three foals.

Three hours earlier.

“Um, Rainbow, why are we going into Everfree Forest?”

“Fluttershy, how many time do I gotta say it, I need your help checking out the monastery where we recovered the Elements. Pinkie wants to throw an anniversary party for everypony, and it’s up to us to scout out the most radical place EVER.” Rainbow exclaimed, “Now let’s GO!”

“Okay give me a minute.” Fluttershy squeaked.

“Uh, I can’t believe it took you TWO HOURS to get ready!”

“Sorry Rainbow, I’m ready let’s go.”

Back at the monastery Breach did his best to manage two of the assassins, despite being 2 and a half times the height of the stallions, and 10x stronger, the two stallions were nimbler using hit and run tactics. Meanwhile Bow dueled with the assassin leader, the one who’d made the lewd comments. For one who preached peace and mercy, she had none in her heart or mind. While the assassin relied on force Bow danced along scoring numerous hits.

Breach was losing his battle, while he was not being hurt too terribly much, his weight was collapsing the tower and he knew it. Backhanding one stallion right out the window into the chasm below, he grabbed the second pony by the neck and leapt out the tower with him.

Bow saw it all, she was sure he had a plan, and while Breach was a daemon, it cut deep seeing him jump. Just then she took a hoof to the side of the face. She was tough, but the assassin was bigger, and hit 3x as hard as she could. Knocked on her flank right on the edge of the opening Breach put in the wall, she knew there was nothing she could do. This stallion would kick her out the hole and she’d fall to her death. She had only one regret.

“If only it could have….” Bow started.

Just then a rainbow flash smashed into the stallion assassin.

5 minutes earlier

“Rainbow, what’s happening at the monastery?”

“What do you mean Fluttershy…? Oh Celestia!” Rainbow Dash started, “I think someponies just fell out the tower!”

“Oh my oh my oh my oh my!”

“Shy, get back to Ponyville and get help, I’m gonna go see what I can do!”

Dash didn’t know what to expect, so she took a cautious route to the tower high up in the air. What she saw was an outlander, a dapple-flanked ‘monster’. She knew they were ponies too, but they were just so EVIL, it was disgusting and completely not cool. Then she noticed that the outlander was standing over what seemed to be a filly, probably in her teens. She had to do something.

“Hold on, this awesome ponies coming!”

Dash took off full speed and full on tackled the assassin with all her might. The two went sliding in opposite directions. Dash was immediately up “Come on you dapple-flanked creep!” The assassin didn’t expect this, pulling a vial from his cloak; he took a deep swig, became invisible and disappeared into the night.

“Yea! That’s right! You better run creep!” Dash yelled after the outlander, just suddenly remembering the other pony. As she turned to the strange pony she noticed it adjusting something on its back.

Bow, realizing this rainbow and cyan hued pony was helping her, if only until she found out that Bow herself was an outlander, quickly pulled out her artificial wings Breach constructed for her, and affixed them to herself. Hopefully they could aid in hiding her dapple flank.

“So what was that all about little filly?” queried Rainbow Dash.

Just then Bow faced her, causing Dash to realize that this was no filly, but a diminutive pony!

Ignoring the failure to place her age, Bow responded gratefully. “They were assassins chasing after me, by the way I’m Bow-Ayn, but call me Bow, and thank you for your help Ms.?”

“Just call me Rainbow Dash; I’m the coolest most awesome pegasi EVER! In fact I’ve made 3 Son…” Rainbow started gloating proudly when Bow cut her off. “Rainbow Dash, my friend could be hurt I gotta find him.”

“O-k” came a mildly annoyed reply.

Somewhere in the back of his head Breach managed to remember to re-enact the spell that disguised him as a pony before slipping into unconsciousness.

Bow took off out the hole after Breach, Dash following. In the distance Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rarity, and AJ could be heard, being followed by Zecora.

“So you can help him right” questioned Bow. Breach had been out for four whole days now.

“Fear not, little mare, to doubt my skills is a foolish dare.” replied the zebra. Zecora was in the process of taking a blood sample from Breach when she froze. “I refuse to aid him, this creature of fear,” Zecora started rounding on Bow, drawing attention of the Mane 6 “Because not is all that it appears.” She finished as she quickly unsnapped the fastenings on Bow’s ‘wings’.

“Dapple-flank!” came a couple of cries. “OUTLANDER!” yelled Dash. “*squeak*” as Fluttershy cowered.

To Be Continued