A Series of Short Stories About Ponyville

Panting, he threw himself over the gutter and onto the roof, clutching his side as he tried to work through the stitch. His eyes darted from shadow to shadow and after a moment, he sighed with nervous ease. A swift punch greeted the side of his face and he grunted, staggering back. “Who are you?” He demanded, his horn glowing white as he lifted a gloss handled blade from pocket. He swiped at the air without purpose, unsure of whether he was connecting to anything beyond the murk. His assailant reappeared to his right, landing another blow to his chest before bringing both hooves down on his forehead. His knees buckled and the blade dropped as his legs curled in on themselves, with some effort he screamed, “What do you want?”

“I want you to talk,” She said, lifting him by the collar and dragging him over to the edge. “Or I'm going to drop you.” He looked over and shoulder with a laugh.

“From one professional to another, if you're trying to scare somebody, pick a better spot. From this height, the fall wouldn't kill me."

"I'm counting on it."

With a scream, he fell in haphazard fashion. In his panic, his leg had found itself twisted and pulled over a dumpster, exposing bone. She jumped to meet him, landing with a curt 'umph' as her hooves hit the earth. “W-what do you want?” He screamed, his eyes bubbling over as he clutched at his leg.

“The location,” She said, pressing a hoof to his chest. “Where are they?”

“W-who?” She pressed harder.

“That looks bad, you're losing a lot of blood.”

“You're the D-Devil aren't you?”

“I suggest you talk,” She said, bringing her nose to meet his. He hesitated, trying to break away from her grip.

“I can't.” He gave a half-choked whimper as She moved her hoof to his throat. “Oh, god. It's i-in the Everfree Forest. The E-Everfree Forest, okay?”

“How do I find it?”

“W-White rocks. Just follow the white rocks.” She released him. She tore a strip of material from her coat and spent a moment lashing a tourniquet.

“That'll stop the bleeding. The hospitals not too far away. I suggest you start crawling.” He cursed her as She turned away, but his voice rang hollow and ignored amongst the deserted buildings and unsympathetic owls. In a second She was gone and he lay there, breathing hard.

She passed into the Everfree forest at a trot, meeting the first signal rock after a few metres. The second was deeper in and the third led further still, through the densest growth and towards the farthermost reaches. Mist began to billow from her lips as the air grew colder and her gait became strained after losing her step on one too many buttress roots. Panting, She stopped for rest. “He called me the Devil,” She breathed, smirking to herself. She had heard it before, though more so now. The Devil of Ponyville might be a little unflattering, but, truth be told, She enjoyed it: it meant She was getting to them. It also meant, however, that She was not going unnoticed, and that She may well be expected. Additional caution on their part was not a concern, but She would be foolish to disregard the possibility of a trap. She needed backup.

After a moment, She pressed on. The taste of moss and brick dust caught her as She came to cross a dilapidated drawbridge, She paused to bow her head at the Castle of the Two Sisters. She had been led to understand that the spirits of the dead could be fickle and that it was best to be cautious. Though she doubted the scum that worked out of the forest would show the same courtesy.

Once passed three more stones, She came to a gradual incline before levelling off to a clearing. The edge of which sloped down to a shall ravine, and there at its bedrock stood a wooden structure. It looked similar, in size and shape, to the barns at Sweet Apple Acres though altogether less polished. Even in the low light of the moon, She could sense its odd dimensions and jutting edges. She closed her eyes and took a moment to mark its location in her mind, breathing in her surroundings before doubling back on herself. A detour wouldn't take long, and She was glad to know that crime was far from the only thing hidden in the Everfree Forest.

With a gentle rap at the door, she stood and admired her friend's home. It had grown a little since She had last visited, there were a few new branches and some burgeoning roots along the floor. It still smelled, but that wasn't too surprising. She knocked again and before long, a striped black and white face met her. “Mare in the Black Mask, why do you disturb my slumber this night?” She asked, “What is so important you could not wait for light?”

“I need your help, Sti-Zecora,” She said. “May I come in?”

“Of course you may, but please do not stay. I am weary from a long nights work and your presence would surely irk.”
.,
“Thank you, I promise I won't be long.” Zecora waved her in, offering her a cup of warm tea before sitting herself.

“How can I be of service, Mare in the Black Mask? What is it you have to ask?” She scowled.

“Can you cut that out?”

“But the foals love it when I rhyme,” Zecora said, with a smirk. “I hear them say it all the time.”

“This is serious. Ponies have been going missing all over Equestria.”

“I'm aware.” She was a little taken aback, but she continued.

“Foals were taken from Ponyville. Four of them, I was close.”

“All at once? Who'd they take?”

“I don't know,” She said.

“Do you know where they are?”

“I've found a warehouse here in the forest, about four miles away. But I can't go in without a plan, or equipment.”

“You were always too reckless before, what's changed?” Zecora asked, standing to examine her shelf of vials.

“This is too big. Too many lives...I can't afford to mess this up.”

“Glad to see you've matured,” the zebra said, though she looked over to her with soft eyes. “I'm sorry. Look, I haven't got much but there's some old smoke and flash bombs...these might work for you.” She opened a drawer by her hooves and offered over a pair of worn clubs.

“You kept them?” She asked.

“Of course. You never replaced them?”

“I never needed to. Things got...quiet, after.” They shared an uncomfortable moment, before She broke the silence with a cough and a thank you. Zecora responded with a thin smile, passing them over without a word. “Will you come with me?” She asked.

“Once more I will come with you to play. But then you must promise to stay away.”