//-------------------------------------------------------// My Mask -by Timeless Lord Slayer- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 1: Taking Prisoners //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 1: Taking Prisoners "We all wear a mask. A front. Many wear a mask of happiness. But others...others wear a mask of war–of conflict. And these individuals do not simply wear their masks, they become one with them. This is a story of one such individual." It was a cold and dreary night in the streets of Ponyville, one of the many places that I love to frequent. Of course, there is always the risk of being seen, but as long as it's not the Princesses, then I don't let it bother me. Anyway, it was a cold and dreary night. A thick layer of clouds hung high above like an ominous cloak, creating a dark and brooding atmosphere. Now, I will admit that it was a little strange at first, what with the controlled weather and the general idea of small, multi-colored talking horses. But eventually, I grew used to it and settled down. And Ponyville was the perfect place to do so. It had a few chaotic moments in the past, but other than that it was quiet and peaceful–and not to mention a perfect hiding place. I sighed in content and stopped at a nearby bench. Sitting down, I let myself relax. I chuckled. It was rare for me to relax, especially since I got here. My life has been one chaotic thing after another. And let me tell you, being hunted by the Princesses and almost every other monarch on the planet is not fun. Well, okay it was fun sometimes but that's besides the point. I shook my head and looked down at my feet. Looking closer, I noticed a piece of parchment flapping against the wind beneath my foot. So, being the curious person that I am, I lifted my foot and picked it up. It was another wanted poster with a picture of my masked face. I let out a low whistle at the amount of detail they put into the picture and the bounty they had put on my head. The picture was pretty exact, everything from the triangle eyes and maniacal smile on my mask to the folds and wrinlkes of my dark blue robe had been drawn to the last detail. The bounty though, was what really caught my eye. The little bastards put a bounty of seven million bits on my head! Seven million! I know I've manipulated a lot of people but still–seven million!? That's just overkill. Sure I indirectly caused a few wars, but still! I can't help it if I like watching wars and battles! I mean, have you seen these ponies fight? It's fucking hilarious! Just watching them go at it makes me laugh! Seriously, it's like watching a bunch of teddy bears trying to start a revolution or something! Or like butterflies trying to wrestle! It's a guaranteed chucklefest! I let out a deep, dark chuckle as I remembered the many wars I had observed over the centuries. Little did I know that I was not alone. For in that moment, a pony from a nearby corner jumped me. Or at least tried to. I continued to laugh as I jumped into the air, did a flip just for the hell of it, and landed right behind him. He paused, trying to figure out where I had gone. I smiled and leaned down towards his ear. "Hello~" I let out a cackle as he immediately tried to jump away, but I grabbed him by his tail and lifted him up towards my masked face. "Do you know who I am, little pony?" I asked, knowing full well he did. He nodded shakily. "What made you think you could even hope to best The Game Changer, then?" He squirmed, trying to escape my grasp. I tightened my grip in response. "P–p–please! Just let me go! I'm sorry!" He pleaded. I laughed and shook my head. "Too late~" He flinched as I reached for his muzzle and pried it open, yanking down on it and separating the jaw from the skull. He screamed bloody murder as I continued to yank, ripping his bottom jaw completely off and throwing it to the ground. He tried to scream again, but only managed to gurgle pathetically. I laughed maniacally before reaching for his head again and swiftly breaking his neck. I dropped his now lifeless body on the ground and started to make my way out of town before anyone else found me. As much as I love to kill, I love watching others kill more. And if I wanted to continue doing so, I had to leave before another guard found the body and alerted the higher ups. But tonight it seems the world was against me, for once I was five blocks away and had turned a corner I was greeted with the sight of another stallion. He was a pegasus with a midnight blue coat with a grey mane with light gray streaks and green eyes. His cutie mark was a full moon with a cello in it. He was sitting on the edge of a fountain tuning a cello. I smirked beneath my mask. Another victim. I looked around to make sure we were alone before approaching the stallion from behind and putting him in a choke hold. "What the!?" he yelled. I covered his mouth and whispered into his ear. "Sweet dreams~" I cooed, a wicked smile on my face as he fell into a deep sleep. I stifled another laugh. This was just too fucking easy. These ponies were such lightweights when it came to drugs and combat that it was almost sad. Almost. Pulling out a sack, I stuffed him inside and hauled ass towards the Everfree with my new hostage in tow. Another night, another game. And a new playmate to have some fun with.