Winter in Canterlot is always brutal. That was an absolute. Due to being so high up, the air was much colder and thinner to begin with, but during the winter, the temperature may very well stay at a high of below zero, causing many ponies to stay inside their warm homes, spending times with their family, and filling their bellies with a multitude of warm foods.
However, not everypony has this form of luxury. Some live alone, reminiscing on how their lives went wrong. Some ponies and their families need to brave out the winter alone in the streets, dealing with the cold bite of the winter to come. Most of these types live in the lower levels of Canterlot, often dubbed, ‘the Cesso.’ There is one particular pony in the Cesso that has a unique destiny, one that will not only affect Canterlot’s social standings, but will also shake the very foundation of Equestria itself.
Air Siren sat alone, lying against the cold concrete wall on a near deserted Canterlot street, desperately calling for a hand out, be it a handful of bits or otherwise. He was coated with green fur that was a shade darker than it normally would be due to a heavy layer of grime, his brown mane and tail were tangled and full of knots, and the feathers on his wings were bents and somewhat torn. Around his muzzle the fur was a much lighter green. Frozen liquid was encrusted around the edges of his mouth, a mixture of melted puddle water and drool from when he slept. His cutie mark was an air horn, signifying his penchant for projecting his voice, which was really the only thing he had going for him.
One of his most valuable abilities was that he could mimic voices and noises, often imitating those who pass by to draw their attention, and then wowing them by doing one act plays, where all characters are done by him. Occasionally, he’d impress by flying through the air, doing random tricks. He was an agile flier, so other ponies always found him amusing when he showed off.
Usually, he would make just enough money to get by on the streets by doing this, but winter always made Siren’s 'job' hard. Fewer ponies were out on the streets, and those who were are the ones likely spending all their bits on gifts and food for the upcoming holidays, not the kind who would feel sorry enough for the homeless to shell out a few bits. During this time, ponies like Siren often resorted to stealing from the shops in the Cesso to survive. Siren, however, decided to try a different tactic that year. He figured, ‘Hey! Everyone outside the Cesso in Canterlot are pretty much rich, especially those in the Castle District! I bet I could get tons of bits from them.’
In theory, this was not that bad of an idea, but as Siren learned, the higher class had very little thought for his kind. He had spent two days, wandering the city to get to the Castle District, but found everypony within ignoring him, like he didn’t exist. Sure, he’s had ponies ignore him before, but usually they had the courtesy to glance at him. These ponies just walk away from him, throwing their heads up high as they pass, considering Siren to be little more than an insect beneath their hooves. It honestly made Siren feel emasculated.
“Sir!” Siren called out to a grey unicorn stallion. For once, the unicorn looked over to him. “Just a few bits are all I ask! Perhaps enough for a loaf of bread? I guarantee an act you will enjoy!” Siren thumped his chest with pride, only for the unicorn to scoff.
“Oh, please,” the unicorn rolled his eyes. “Me? Watch some… one trick side show? I know of your kind. If I give you a single bit and you’ll never leave me alone. Besides, why would I even waste any of my money on a… street rat like you?” With a ‘humph,’ the unicorn turned his head up and trotted off briskly.
Siren fell back against the wall, rage building in his chest. He sighed before clearing his throat imitating the unicorn’s voice angrily. “Oh, please. Look at me. I’m just a frilly little unicorn! Mehmehmehmeh!” Siren hit the icy sidewalk with his hoof angrily. His stomach rumbled and the cold was creeping upon him.
“Urgh…” Siren forced himself to all fours as he tried to remember where the closest bakery was. “Let’s see… down 157th…” Siren trotted down the streets in a slow walk, not wanting to waste any of his precious energy he needed for surviving the cold outdoors.
As he turned the corner, Air Siren spotted the large bakery, entitled ‘Wheat’s Lumber' judging from the decorated sign that hung above the door. An interesting name for sure, but Siren was aware of the fact that bread is the easiest food to obtain on the streets, by one way or another.
Siren crossed the frosty street and pushed his way inside, the door opening with a jingle to signify his entrance. The shop was mostly deserted, all except a large brown earth pony who stood behind the counter, decked in traditional baker clothing for professionalism. The counter hd glass displays filled with muffins, cupcakes, and other baked goods. Behind the baker on the wall was a large rack that held a multitude of bread loaves, and judging by what Siren smelled, they were fresh. The baker watched Siren carefully as soon as he entered, watching his every move closely.
Siren slowly approached the counter, aware of the baker’s hard stare. “Slow business?” Siren asked meekly.
“It could be slower,” The baker grumbled with a deep unimpressed voice. The baker’s hard glare made Siren gulp. The baker was far larger than him, and he was sure that the baker could buck him all the way back to the Cesso if he wanted to.
“Well then, here’s a business opportunity for you, sir!” Siren smiled clopping his hooves together in anticipation. “If you give me a free loaf-“
The baker rose a brown hoof before interrupting, “Listen… If you are here just to beg, get out. You ain’t gonna scam me out of my merchandise. Unlike a dirty street rat like you, I work for a living.”
“Hey, hey,hey…” Siren’s ears flopped down sadly. “Look man, I haven’t eaten in days! A single loaf of bread could save my life…”
“Do you have any money?” The baker asked. Siren slowly shook his head. “Then no bread!” He snapped, pointing a hoof at the door. “Get out!” Air Siren sighed as he slowly turned away from the baker, bringing a hoof to his mouth as he began to leave.
“Wait~” A snobbish voice called out from a booth in the store’s corner. Both Siren and the baker looked over towards the booth in confusion. The owner of the voice was hidden in the booth from where they were standing. “Come here and I’ll pay for the poor guy!”
The baker blinked for a moment before chuckling. “Looks like your lucky day, street rat. Stay here.” The baker cheerfully walked towards the booth. “Sir, a single loaf costs-“ The baker stopped in his tracks. The booth was empty. It was in this moment that the baker realized that nopony had come in all day, let alone sit in a booth seat. “What in the-“ The baker turned around to see Siren climbing over from behind the stores counter, a loaf of bread tucked under his wing. “Y-you… I… WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?” The backer yelled furiously.
Siren smirked and, in the voice of the stallion they heard from the booth, said, “Thanks for the bread, friend!” The baker roared angrily, charging at Siren.
Siren felt a familiar feeling he knew some ponies occasionally got at an important time. It was a warm, fantastical feeling. A very,very magical feeling. Siren heard the music in his ears and burst out singing happily.
“Gotta Keep,
One bit, ahead of the poor one~”
Siren flew into the air, taking the bread with his hoof as his wings began to flap. The baker crashed into the counter as he missed Siren.
“One play ahead of the game!
I will always shift the blame!”
“Thanks for the bread!” Siren called as the baker recovered. Siren flew out of the bakery, the baker scampering after him as fast as he could.
“One jump, ahead of the baker!
One plan shows I’m no joke!
I can outsmart this stupid oaf!”
Siren flew just in front of the baker, cutting off his vision of things ahead of them. Siren led him around a corner before suddenly flying straight up, causing him to crash into a group of four city guards, two white pegusus who wore golden armor, and two darker unicorns who wore black bat-themed armor. The baker pointed at Siren.
“Hey Guards!
Get him!”
The two Pegasus guards flew after Siren yelling,
“Scoundrel!”
Siren let out an exasperated sigh,
“Oh, screw this!”
Siren held up his hooves as the two hovered around him.
“Just a little snack guys…”
The guards dramatically pointed at the pegasus with their hooves.
“Don’t you feed us you’re lies!”
The two guards flew at him, only for Siren to duck down, causing them to collide. Siren zoomed away towards a large wall in the distance.
“I can take a hint, I can face the facts!
Luckily I know where to go!”
Siren zoomed over the wall, entering the Cesso, particularly over a shanty town crafted in the lower levels of Canterlot. Siren landed down between two ponies gathered around a fire who laughed at his sudden appearance.
“Oh, it seems Air Siren’s hit rock bottom~
He became a colt who lives through crime!”
The other pony laughed, before giving his own input.
“I’d blame his mother, except he doesn’t got one!”
Air Siren, annoyed by their insults, angrily thumped his chest, defending himself from their accusations.
"Gotta cheat to live, gotta lie to eat!”
Siren swore the two looked familiar, but before he could place a name, the two unicorn guards suddenly teleported around them, their horns aglow, causing Siren to lose his train of thought. Siren turned to the others without missing a beat.
“I’ll tell you all about it when I’ve got the time!”
Siren took to the air as the two mages shot out an electrical binding spell meant to disable criminals, hitting the other two ponies instead.
“One plan ahead of the brain dead!
One scheme to beat the rich!
This chase just needs to finish!”
The unicorn guards gave chase, teleporting onto the roof tops to keep up with him. From his peripherals, Siren observed the pegasus guards flying into view.
“One flight ahead of the winged mare!”
Siren barrel rolled out of the way as one of the Pegasus suddenly launch forward, trying to knock him down. The guard now in front of him, Siren bit the guards tail and pulled back, causing the guard to jerk in pain, allowing Siren to get ahead once more.
“One blast ahead of the mage.”
Siren used his agility to his best ability to swerve between the magical blasts, causing the mages blasts to consistently miss him.
“I hope that I don’t just get vaped!”
Suddenly, the pegasus guard charged at him again. Siren flew higher avoiding one of them at the perfect moment, causing the guard to crash into a stone wall. However, the other Pegasus guard intercepted Siren and got above him. Siren winced as the guard suddenly bit into his flapping wing, causing both of his wings to recede as he cringed. The guard then dived down, tackling Siren as they suddenly tumbled through the window of a warehouse. Siren kicked the guard off of him, discovering the guard had knocked himself out from the crash. Siren glanced up as he stood, realizing he was surrounded by cows and milking ponies.
“Hey, you!”
“Get out!”
The milkers yelled.
“Now fellas...”
Siren slowly backed up as they closed in.
“JUST LEAVE!”
Siren chuckled weakly.
“Let’s not be too hasty...”
Siren was suddenly scooped up by one of the cows who looked at him with passionate eyes.
“Still I think he’s rather tasty~”
Immediately uncomfortable, Siren flew into the air shoving the sharp pain he felt in his bitten wing to the side to focus on staying afloat.
“Better call it quits, gotta get away! At least I escaped the guards!”
“WRONG!”
In two quick poofs of smoke, the two remaining guards, the black unicorns, teleported into the warehouse. Air Siren’s ears flopped down as his eyes widened in horror, before he suddenly blasted through the hole he had made when he crashed into the warehouse.
“One jump ahead of the hoof beats!”
The unicorns did not let up, they continuously teleported to different vantage points, blasting all forms of binding spells.
“One plan to take them out!”
A unicorn suddenly teleported onto a building in front of Siren, firing a large blast of magic. Siren flew to the side narrowly avoiding the blast as it charred his fur, before making a bee line straight at the unicorn, smacking the guards neck with his wing, causing the pony to double back wheezing, taking him out of the fight.
“One trick to avoid disaster!”
Siren continued to fly, until eventually the blasts ceases. Siren looked behind him, not seeing any sign of the last guard. Siren smirked triumphantly, as he began to slow down.
“They’re tough, but I’m much faster~”
Siren pulled out the stolen bread, licking his lips when a beam of magic zapped the bread turning it to ashes. Siren swung around, spotting a unicorn standing below. His horn was buzzing with his magic. Siren turned to continue running but just as he thought he made some distance, the unicorn teleported in front of him in midair, blasting him with a spell that hit him dead on. Siren felt his wings suddenly force themselves together, unable to recede or flap them.
“Oh no, better throw my hoof in,
Wish me happy landing,
I really hope I liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive!”
Siren tumbled downward, narrowly avoiding hitting his head on the edge of a horribly constructed house, landing in an open dumpster. Siren groaned in pain as lifted his head up. The guard teleported next to the dumpster smirking as if Siren’s entire chase was little more than a joke to him.
“Look at that...” He said cockily as he approached the dumpster. Now this close, Siren noticed the stallion had glowing red eyes, almost demonic like. “The trash from the Cesso is in the dumpster... fitting... Here’s some advice, you sad sack! Stay where you belong!” The stallion’s horn glowed with a purple aura as the garbage lid swung down, knocking Siren out on impact with his cranium.
Siren awoke some time later, groaning in misery as he quickly gathered his thoughts. He remembered the unicorn mocking him before knocking him out, and had no doubt that the unicorn was no doubt the leader of that squad, considering his skill, but just why did he continue to chase Siren into the Cesso, and over a loaf of bread at that? Most guards would have given up the second Siren went over the wall; the way colts and fillies do when somepony enters the safe zone in hide and seek. After all, no pony would want to come to the Cesso if they didn't have to. Could it be they wanted to send a message that they’ll no longer tolerate thieves in the city? Whatever the reason, Siren had a sour taste in his mouth. Not only was he in agonizing pain, but his stomach was still empty, his stolen bread little more than ashes scattered to the winds. “Damn...” Siren whispered as he laid his head on a semi-moist garbage bag.
Suddenly, Siren was alerted to the sound of trotting. Siren backed away into a corner, shaking in fear that it may be the red eyed guard, aiming to finish the job. “H-hello?” A voice called out. Siren let out a sigh of relief upon not hearing the guard’s voice. Of course it could be another guard, so Siren had not shown himself.
Instead, Siren lifted the lid of the dumpster slightly to peek out, his eye widening at the sight of the pony he saw. It was like he was looking into a mirror. The pony looked just like him, only cleaner. He had Siren’s green coat, only lighter due to not being covered in grime, even having the lighter fur around his muzzle that Siren took as much pride in as he did his cutie mark. He had his mane, with a similar cut even, only much better groomed. He had his wings; only his seemed less used and had a more slender look to them. Even his eyes were a muddy brown like Siren’s, only more full of life. Another big difference was that this pony was wearing clothing, fancy ones at that. He wore a glorious silk cloak with a beautiful yellow and blue pattern. The cloak had a hood and the tail of it stretched all the way down to his tail so it covered his cutie mark perfectly. It was as though Siren was seeing an alternate version of himself, a what-if version of if he had been born into nobility.
The next thing Siren noticed was how nervous this mysterious pony looked. Each step he took was soft, as if expecting to set off a Daring Doo-esque booby trap. He jumped and looked around for the source of each little sound, similar to a mouse or a small bird. For a moment Siren considered showing himself to see if he could help the doppelganger out somehow.
“We’ve been waiting for you,” A new deeper, darker voice called out. Siren’s consideration was instantly gone as he froze like a gopher who’s seen it's shadow. The voice carried venom. It was stagnant and cold. Even his mysterious counterpart was afraid.
From each side of the alley way, five cloaked ponies appeared. They work pitch black cloaks which obscured their faces, each cloak having a phase of the moon crested on the forehead area. “We are pleased to see you accepted our invitation.” said the pony with a new moon on his cloak. His voice was cold. Cold enough to send a chill up Siren’s spine, his fur standing up on its end.
“Like I had much of a choice...” said Siren’s doppelganger. He spoke with a soft, careful tone, yet it still somehow held an air of confidence to it. “If I didn’t you’d have killed that colt in the picture.” The Not-Siren suddenly slammed his hoof on the snow, his voice now intense and commanding. “Where is he?”
“The colt?” New Moon asked. “That was a fake. Like we’d actually risk revealing ourselves by abducting a kid. It was just a random picture one of us took to lure you here.”
“What would you have done if I didn’t come?” Not- Siren probed, backing up slightly before glancing back towards the ponies behind him.
“You would come. We’ve been watching you, Mister Book Mark. We know about how, because you lost your family at a young age, cannot refuse to help those in need. That’s why you chose to become an adviser to the princesses, because you want to help. You destroyed your social life for the sake of this single goal. No real friends, no family, no lover, but look at you. Soon you’ll be standing on top of the world.”
“Yes...” Not Siren, or rather, Book Mark said slowly. “I was chosen to be an adviser by the princesses for my loyalty, intelligence, and sense of duty, but what does that have to do with anything!? What do you want!?”
“Allow me to cut straight to the point.” New Moon said, his voice staying monotone. “We want you to join us. An adviser to the princess would benefit our organization greatly.”
“Organization? Just who are you guys!?” Book Mark shouted.
New Moon was silent before he began to chuckle to himself. “Who are we? We are the truth...” New Moon rose onto his back legs and began to scream in pure bliss. “We are salvation! The ones who will bring our glorious leader back into her full helm of power!” New Moon got back on all fours and walked slowly towards Book Mark. “We are the New Lunar Republic! We aim to bring our true princess, Princess Luna of the Night, back into the position she belongs! We will return her to her full power as Nightmare Moon, and the night. Shall! RULE! FOREVER!”
Book Mark took a few steps back. “You... you guys are insane..." Siren gulped in disbelief.
“Sh...” The pony with the crescent moon on his robe suddenly put his hoof to Book Mark’s lips before draping his arm over him, Book Mark eyeing him nervously. “Do you hear that?” Siren slunk down in the trash, afraid he may have been found out. “It’s the soothing bell of a choice.”
Before Book Mark could retaliate, the pony with the half moon growled. “Join us or die! After all, you know of our existence.”
New Moon chuckled as he put a hoof in front of half moon to calm him down, “It’s a really simple choice. Joining us means our elite protection. You won’t even need to do anything illegal. Just keep us informed on the princesses and nothing bad will happen to you. No... accidents...” Book Mark glanced from each of his interrogators, taking a few steps back, thinking silently before taking a step forward to give his answer.
“Not interested.” Book Mark said, gulping hard. “I will not betray those whom I’ve sworn to serve.”
Half Moon suddenly smashed Book Mark into the ground with a large burst of magic. “Are you dumb!?" He cried. "We’re gonna kill you if you say no!”
“No… You won't” Book Mark stood up slowly and dusted himself off before looking at Half Moon square in the eyes, not bothered by the drop of blood running down his own muzzle. “You said it yourself. You don’t want to attract any attention to yourself. Killing me, a newly appointed adviser, certainly will.”
New Moon sighed, “You really are a fool... Look at where you are! Why do you think we asked to meet here in the Canterlot Cesso? Because of the atmosphere?”
Crescent Moon put a hoof on his forehead dramatically, “Oh, woe is me! The fly has become stuck on the trap.”
Half Moon spat before finally getting the point across, “If you die here, you’ll just be another victim to the Cesso, at least according to the public.”
“You are known for your sympathy of those born less fortunate than you. You were visiting the Cesso when suddenly one of the crazy ones stabbed you and ran off. Killed by those who you spent your life preparing to protect...” New Moon explained, before sending a crooked grin towards Book Mark. “We can kill you, and we will get away with it.”
Book Mark was silent for a moment, before he opened his eyes and walked towards the New Moon, determination alit in his eyes. “I… will never join you!” Book Mark growled. “You are a flimsy cause and you will fail. Princess Celestia spared Princess Luna, defeated Nightmare Moon! The two continue to live in harmony, even after the last nine hundred something years. Nightmare Moon is dead and your cause is just as empty as your minds if you truly believe you can succeed.”
New Moon smirk disappeared from his face as he sighed. “Very well.”
It was silent. Book Mark was staring down the New Moon, each not budging. Siren felt his heart beating, and was afraid it would grow so loud that he would be discovered in the dumpster.
“Heh.” New Moon laughed. He turned his head upwards. “Do it.”
Instantly, things went from bad to worse. From seemingly nowhere a beam of magic shot downwards at a diagonal angle, piercing Book Mark through his flank, tearing a small hole through his cloak as the beam pierced his body. Book Mark immediately doubled over wreathing in pain as blood began to spurt from his wound. Air Siren covered his mouth to stifle a horror-filled scream. Book Mark writhed in pain on the ground as New Moon nodded again, causing a second beam to fly down, this time, going straight through Book Mark’s head, ending his suffering. Air Siren shook in fear, afraid of what he just witnessed, as well as cowering in fear of what the ponies in cloaks may do to him if he was found.
New Moon stared downwards at the fallen pony, shaking his head, similar to how a disappointed parent would to his child. He bent over him, checking his pulse to make sure the deed is done. “… Somepony will find the body soon enough.” He said turning around, “Let us not be here when they do.” With that New Moon exited the alley way, his cloaked friends in tow.
Siren hid in the dumpster for around twenty more minutes to be sure they were gone. Climbing out of the trash filled box, Siren got a closer look at Book Mark. Indeed, he did look exactly like Siren, the two laser wounds aside. He felt sick to his stomach. He had seen other ponies dead before, but they were all killed by starvation or disease, victims of living in the harshness of the Cesso. Witnessing a murder was a different experience. Siren felt especially horrified that the pony looked so much like him. Siren felt his stomach tie itself into a knot as he suddenly fell to his knees and violently regurgitating beside the body. Panting heavily, Siren looked back at the recently deceased, shiking rapidly.
“This guy…” Siren shook his head, unable to comprehend his situation. Siren breathed in and out slowly to try to calm himself down. As he felt his stomach slowly calm itself, he took another look at the body. The once groomed fur was now lying in the snow; patches from the wound were coated in his crimson blood. His eyes were rolled back, and his tongue hung out of his mouth. If it was a play, Siren would be chuckling at how ridiculous it looked, but here it scared him to the core. His eyes then took notice of the cloak Book Mark wore. It was amazingly void of any most of the blood, other than the area with the hole from where Book Mark was shot, and was soiled mostly by the dirty snow.
Siren gulped as he lifted part of the cloth to examine it, trying to avoid contact with the body itself. Siren was correct in his original judgment. The fabric of the cloak was really high quality, soft to the touch. Siren expected it would fetch a high price. He glanced back towards the body. He felt his stomach knot up again. He had robbed from the dead before, yet Siren felt horrible doing it to a pony that had died in front of him not even an hour ago, but despite how sick it made him, Siren needed the cash to live.
Air Siren took one more look at Book Mark’s eyes, showing him respect by closing his eye lids with his hoof. Siren worked his hooves down to the cloak and found that it was fastened around his neck by a pop buckle. Siren pushed it in and the cloak released its grasp around the deceased. As Siren carefully removed the garment he couldn’t help but feel jealous about how well off this guy was. His fur was well groomed, even under the cloak. He smelled of roses and probably lived a life of happiness Siren never knew. Air Siren felt a wave of anger pass over him. “Damned upper class…” The guilt he had felt now dissolved into disdain. Siren glanced down at Book Mark’s cutie mark, a twinge of sadness washing over him once more as he found the cutie mark was illegible, the entire area coated in blood.
Siren began to ball up the cloak, stopping short when he felt a hard lump in the cloth. “Hm?” Siren took a better look at the cloak, noticing pockets on each side. “Jackpot!” Siren smirked sadly as he began to dig though the pockets. Siren glanced over at Book Mark, half expecting him to suddenly get up and start yelling at him. “Sorry.” Siren whispered. “I apologize for what happened to you, but if I didn’t do this, somepony else would.” With that, Siren turned away and pulled out a large coin purse from the left pocket, filled to the brim with bits. Siren squeaked in awe. With just a glance inside, and Siren could tell this was enough to get by on the streets for months in luxury.
Also from the left pocket was a small golden pendant with a sun and a moon embedded in the center of each side. Anypony who lived in Canterlot would know that it was the royal pendant which signified royalty and their most skilled servants. Now that Siren though about it, he did recall the cloaked figures mentioning Book Mark was to become an adviser or something. “So much for that…” Siren murmured.
From the right pocket, Siren pulled out an envelope, which contained a black and white photo of a small filly, crying her eyes out. Siren assumed this was the foal the cloaked men, ‘kidnapped’ to lure Book Mark to the seclusion of the Cesso. Siren flipped the envelope around, taking note of the missing return address and postage stamp. The last thing Siren found was a notepad with different scribbles of words on it, as if Book Mark were making a list:
New roofing
Needs food
Expand
Medical care
Donations
Clean the corpses
Siren was staring at the notepad, trying to make sense of the list, when suddenly he heard ponies coming his way, laughing. In a panic, Siren stuffed everything back into the pockets of the cloak and ran behind the dumpster, shielding it with his wings.
“-and did you see the way he ran when those two guards teleported!?” One voice laughed.
“I did,” said a more sour voice. “I’m just annoyed that WE got hit in the cross fire.”
They turned into the alleyway, now visible to Siren. Siren remembered them as the two homeless ponies he had ran into while fleeing the guards. He recognized the laughing unicorn from his ash colored mane and soot coat as Alley Stalker. Alley was notorious for lightning things on fi re, and more often than not the one to blame for any arson that happens in the Cesso.
The other earth pony was even more recognizable. Along with his uniquely missing mane and large scars across his face, he also had a tail that seemed to have been ripped apart with a coat as red as blood. The pony's name was Dirty Deal, a pony who was responsible for stealing from the poor, causing them to be even poorer than they already were. Rumor around the Cesso was that Dirty Deal was responsible for most of the starvation deaths in the city. The two disgusted Siren more than nobles did. They hurt others just to hurt them. Siren felt justified with his actions as he really did steal to survive, while they were just cruel.
“Dude…” Alley froze as he saw Book Mark’s corpse sitting in the middle of the alleyway. “I-is that…?”
Dirty Deal pushed Stalker to the side, trotting up to the corpse, squatting down to get a better look at it. After a moment he stood again nodding. “Oh, yeah. This is Air Siren, alight. How many other ponies do we know with that kind of faded muzzle?” Dirty Deal lightly Book Mark’s light green muzzle.
“Oh, man…” Alley Stalker shook his head as he approached behind him. “Think those guards killed him?”
“Obviously, ya dunderhead!” Dirty Deal growled. He stomped on top of the hole on Book Mark’s head, causing blood to spurt out. “Do you think any street unicorn could use magic THIS precise!? Bah! The bastard doesn’t even have any bits on him.” Dirty Deal began to stomp on Book Mark’s wings. “Siren, you jerk! Even in life you have to be a burden on all of us! You. Useless. Sack. Of. SHIT!” With each word, Dirty Deal kicked the corpse in the side, sickening the on looking Siren. It was one thing to steal from the dead to Siren, and it was a whole different thing to mutilate it.
Dirty Deal soon stopped his kicking and turned around towards Alley Stalker. “I don’t want to ever see this burden ever again. You know what to do.” Alley Stalker soon gained a large smirk and his horn started to glow, before he fired a beam of magic at the corpse. In an instant, the body was on fire, slowly turning into ash.
Dirty Deal nodded silently toward the madly grinning pony. “That’ll do. Let’s scat before anypony else comes.”
Alley Stalker nodded following Dirty Deal out of the alleyway, taking a moment to look back at the burning corpse. In a solemn, almost innocent tone, he said, “Goodbye, Air Siren. You were fun to burn.”
“Alley! Let’s go!” shouted Dirty Deal.
“Y-yes, sir!”
And as soon as they came, they were gone, their voices fading away as they grew further from the alley. Siren wanted to puke from what he just witnessed. To see the deceased abused that much was unbearable. The body had burnt quickly, already in smolders. It took Siren a moment to recompose himself from what he had witnessed, but when he did, he recalled their words.
“Wait…” Siren muttered. “They… they think I’m dead?” Air Siren lost himself in thought.
It was true that he and Book Mark looked identical, the cutie mark and grooming aside. Siren had heard enough of his voice to mimic it as well. He had his clothing, his identification as adviser, and on the envelope, he had his address. Book Mark was dead, and according to the New Moon, had no family and had little of a social life. Book Mark was virtually unacquainted with everypony with that logic. Considering that soon, everypony in the Cesso will believe Air Siren is dead as soon as Dirty Deal and Alley Stalker talk about it, Siren could very easily ‘disappear.’ The pieces seemed to just fall into place for Siren as he developed an idea.
The baker groaned as he moved some fresh bread from the oven to the display case, still injured from his chase with the pegasus in the snow. The baker’s ears perked when he heard the bakery’s bell ring, telling him someone just came in. “Hello, welcome to the Bake-“ He stopped in his tracks as he saw the green Pegasus stroll in, wearing an a beautiful cloak. “You…” The baker growled. “You have a lot of nerve waltzing in here, street rat.”
“I’m sorry,” Air Siren said with a soft voice, an innocent smirk across his face. “I think you may have me confused with somepony else. My name is Book Mark, and I’d like a loaf of bread, if you may.”
Author's Note
This was originally incomplete story I made, and I hated the original. So, I deleted the old version and completely remade it with more detail, an actual idea of direction and actual effort backing the story up.
In this universe a single thing is different from the main show. Instead of banishing Luna to the moon, Celestia managed to beat Nightmare Moon out of her. Now as for how this single act affects the world as a whole, you'll have to stick around and see.
The story itself takes place when the mane six are still fillies, but that's not to say they may not have a role in future chapters.
For people like me who like pointless stats, I made stats for characters, and I'll put them down as they are introduced. 5 is average and ten is superhuman, or rather super pony.
Air Siren
Strength/Magic: 3/10
Agility: 6/10
Durability: 5/10
Intelligence: 3/10
Charm: 7/10
Luck: 9/10
Book Mark
Strength/Magic: 2/10
Agility: 3/10
Durability: 4/10
Intelligence: 9/10
Charm: 6/10
Luck: 1/10
The song was a parody of Aladin's 'One Jump Ahead,' owned by Disney. The karaoke video was from the youtuber undertoaboveground. Credit to SteveHoltisCool for the amazing cover image, be sure to give a visit to his deviant art page. Also a thanks to flecdorbee for help creating characters and world building. You're practically my editor, buddy. Well, I hope I see you soon. This is Air Siren, signing off.
