Author's Note

Hey, so this is a rewrite putting the first and second chapters together. Like it says in the description, I am rewriting the first couple chapters because I feel like the previous versions are not exactly what I expected from myself. This rewritten chapter itself is just painted over the previous first chapter, so ignore all the old comments. If I were you, which I obviously am not, pay attention to this chapter alone. The ones that come after are hot garbage and not really worth the time, but who am I to stop you. I will keep them up intsead of just taking them down because, screw it. Why not? Let people see how bad I used to be and compare it to now(not like there's much a difference). I am a lot more confident in my writing, which is what I needed. I feel like I have gotten a little better.

Just like with any other work of fanfiction, let me know if there are any mistakes. I will gladly go back and fix them.

Edit: 5/22/2020

Chapter 1: Black Alley (Rewrite)

The crisp air chilled the girl, sending shivers down her spine. Pulling her jacket even tighter, she sighed as she waited. Looking at her friends that sat around her also waiting, she noticed they looked just as impatient as she did. The wooden bench she sat on didn’t help the situation as it only added to her discomfort. The last place she wanted to be tonight was in front of the school, Canterlot High School.

“Ugh, when is Twilight gonna get here? We’ve been waiting on her for almost two hours now. If she doesn’t show up in the next five minutes I’m gonna go for a run until she’s here,” the girl said, already stretching for a run around the block.

“You gotta be a bit more patient with Princess Twilight, Dash. Remember she is royalty. Probably just got caught up in some work is all,” replied Dash’s friend, her southern accent gaining her attention.

Dash, or Rainbow Dash as she is more commonly known as, puffed her cheeks then sat back down. “You’re right, AJ. I just can’t stand being cooped up for too long. I need to move or else I get bored.”

Rainbow Dash glanced around the area to see how everyone was holding up in the cold weather. Applejack was standing solid, the only movement she could see was the steady rise and fall of her bosom from her breathing. The blonde farmgirl was only wearing a light, green jacket to protect herself from the biting wind, and dirty jeans from her work earlier that day.

Next to Applejack, Pinkie Pie was visibly buzzing from excitement. The energetic girl had on a light blue coat, but she had taken it off earlier because as she said, “I’m just so excited I feel like I’m gonna melt from all the excitement buzzing inside of me.” And buzzing with excitement she was, in fact she was the only one who did not seem to be visibly cold. Fluttershy and Rarity were a different story however.

They both shivered constantly from the chill in the air, despite the heavy coats they had on. Rarity had brought them, so they couldn’t have been intended for use of practicality, but rather style. Rainbow just thought they looked like glamoured marshmallows, even though Rarity was already one. Leaning against the statue in the middle of the walkway that lead to the doors of Canterlot High was Sunset Shimmer in tight fitting jeans and a black jacket under a leather overcoat. Her head was inclined to the ground, whether she was upset or just toughing out the cold Rainbow didn’t know.

A gust of chilled wind blew by causing them all to shiver. Through looks alone they all saw everyone wanted to leave and be somewhere warm, but they would be leaving their friend out in the cold if they did. Small clouds of warm, condensed air were exhaled periodically as one would let out a deep breath. The bite of cold wind was a small price to pay to see their dear friend.

A strange pulsing sensation within them brought their attention to the marble statue. Something was happening to it. At the base, a single side began to ripple as if a stone disturbed its water-like appearance. The rippling effect began to increase in intensity before a white light burst forth from the center, increasing in size until the entire rectangular face was nothing but white. The light shone on the girls' faces as they gathered in front of the portal exit. It warmed them as they bathed in its warm light, waiting for what would come out of the pool of white. The girls covered their eyes as the intensity of light increased tenfold, then ceased to a dim light in an instant. When they reopened their eyes and allowed them to readjust to the darkened evening they saw what they’ve been waiting for.

“I’m back! Again.”

Faster than they’ve ever moved before, the girls seized their friend in a heartwarming and bone crushing hug. In the midst of it all, Twilight Sparkle wheezed, gasping for air.

“You’re gonna kill me,” she managed to force out. Her lungs felt as if they were two balloons that were forcefully deflated. Everyone quickly realized the damage they were doing and disbanded to allow Twilight a moment to breath. She coughed and sputtered for half a minute, not sure if she’d breath right ever again.

“Sorry Twilight! We’re just so so so excited to see you again that we couldn’t contain ourselves,” Pinkie exclaimed while still literally buzzing with excitement.

Twilight still had a little trouble inhaling much needed oxygen, but after a rough cough that snapped her diaphragm back into place she inhaled deeply. “It’s no worry, really. I know the feeling.”

“Well, I’d be darned Twi. We started to think you wouldn’t actually show up. But ya did!” Applejack smiled widely at her friend who returned the gesture. “So, how’s Equestria been treatin’ ya?”

Twilight laughed slightly letting her breath fall. “Oh, it’s been exciting to say the least. All my duties as a princess have not been dull. Everyone back home are doing their own things, so this ties in nicely with my vacation time.” Twilight smiled, then it dropped. “I’m just a little worried about Spike being alone.”

“I’m sure he’s gonna be fine,” Rainbow assured. “He’s a tough pup- er, dragon.”

“Well, that’s not the only thing worrying me. Recently, Celestia informed me about a strange magical energy similar to the demons of Tartarus that she’s been keeping a watch on for the last hundred years. The princesses told me not to worry about it and I’ve been doing my best, but it won't leave my mind.”

The looks she got from her friends made her uncomfortable, the atmosphere quickly changed, causing everyone to look down as they awkwardly stood around. Way to kill the mood, Twilight.

Rainbow startled her royal friend by throwing an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t worry about it, Princess. If the other princesses said not to worry about, don’t worry about it. You’re here to have fun, not worry, y'know?”

“Rainbow Dash is right, Twilight.” Sunset Shimmer said as she propped herself onto her feet from leaning against the statue. She hadn’t said anything all evening until now. Whether she was tired or just saving her voice was unknown, but the sight of her friend from across the mirror had opted her to finally speak. “If it was a real problem, I’m sure Celestia and Luna would trust you to help with it.” Sunset brought her head up, a welcoming smile plastered on her face. “Besides, you know those two. Not like a few demons would be able to bring them down.” The two stared at each other for several long moments. An awkward tension hung in the air. Breaking the awkward, the two rushed into each other’s arms sharing a warm and friendly hug.

"It's good to see you again, Twilight."

"You too, Sunset."

“Anyway, are we gonna sit here and mope or are we gonna have a good time?”

Everyone cheered as Sunset broke the gloomy cloud that unexpectedly fell upon the area. Pinkie Pie still buzzed excitedly, looking as if she was going to rocket off into the sky at a moment's notice. A soft sneeze caught everyone’s attention towards Twilight. She visibly shivered as a cold breeze blew by. She smiled nonetheless.

The thin alley was a tight squeeze. A fully grown man could touch both sides at once with his chest and back. On the other side, in a square created by the rundown buildings that surrounded it was where he needed to be. He had reached the exit, drawing in a breath before sliding back into the dark space between the buildings. There was no moon nor stars out; a cloudy night that gave him the advantage. He let out a long dragged out breath, slowing his heart to an almost near stop. Now all he needed to do was wait.

Barely half an hour went by. Two groups of men entered the square, each consisting of six men. One group stood straight and tall, dressed sharply in expensive suits tailored to their exact fit. Their straight faces showed signs of disciplined men. The suited men took long, prideful steps as they approached the center of the square.

The other group shuffled to the center, garbed in dark robes with large hoods and baggy sleeves, their backs hunched from spending long hours bent over books and scrolls. They shifted constantly, barely able to stand still for two minutes. Paranoid scholars; they knew something was wrong. They knew their end was sitting silently nearby, waiting for the moment to strike. A haunter of the dark.

The leading cloaked figure in front bowed to the suited man in front of him and the gesture was returned. Words were exchanged, but they were of no interest to him. What was of interest to him, was the contents of the silver briefcase the suited leader was holding. He did not know exactly what was in it, but he knew he needed to get his hands on it. Get his hands on whatever was in that briefcase and prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.

The cloaked leader gazed into the case's open contents, nodded, then the briefcase exchanged holders. Without another word, the two groups turned away from each other and started back to wherever they came from. There it is. The moment he’s been waiting for; the perfect moment to strike, fast and hard. He dashed out from his hiding spot and didn’t stop as he launched himself into a bloody fight.

With a gust of wind, the air pressure in the store had changed, causing the door to swing wildly open. Applejack and Pinkie Pie stepped out with bags in hand with enough junk food to kill a horse and they walked back over to Applejack’s parked truck. Everyone had piled in to make a stop for some late night groceries before heading to Pinkie’s house. The rusted, baby blue single cab truck was beat up and sometimes had engine trouble, but it was Applejack's father’s, and it meant a lot to her just to drive it. Twilight and Fluttershy had cab privileges while everyone had to sit in the bed. Rarity had fussed over it a bit, saying the wind was going to mess up her hair, but eventually gave up when she remembered that Twilight did not have a coat. Having a frazzled head of hair was alright with her as long as her friend was warm.

Pinkie hopped in the bed and Applejack got in the driver’s seat, handing Fluttershy the bags to hold. As she turned the key, a loud boom from the exhaust made her jump and the engine struggled to start.

“Alright now, boy. Come on and start," she urged, patting the dashboard as she did so.

She turned the key again, the engine struggled, then came alive. Applejack let out a “Whoop!” then it died. Her face deadpanned and she slammed her forehead into the steering wheel. Fluttershy lowered her head down to Applejack’s eye level.

“Is everything alright?” she asked.

Applejack sighed. “No, Flutters, nothin’s alright. I can tell y’all right now Ol’ Blue’s not gonna start.”

Fluttershy cast her head down at the announcement. “Oh.”

“It's alright. We can walk. Pinkie's house ain't too far,” Applejack said before hopping out of the driver’s seat. “Alright y’all, Blue’s busted so we gotta walk.”

“Dammit, AJ! You gotta get a new truck.”

Applejack scowled slightly at Rainbow’s comment. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed the bags of food from Fluttershy and waited for everyone else to get out of the truck. When the truck was emptied, Applejack locked the doors and the group of friends began their walk to Pinkie’s house, only four blocks away.

The street was unusually dark tonight. The sky was black with no moon and the stars were blocked out by dark clouds that hung overhead. Few street lamps actually worked, and those that did held dim lights that flashed sporadically, giving the feel of a cliche horror movie. Pinkie would have laughed the situation off if it was a movie, but this was real. She had walked this road many times before, but tonight hung a bad feeling above her head; a weight held by a flimsy rope that was going to snap at any second. The darkened sidewalk gave her an uneasy feeling as she and her friends passed by alleys that held an inky, void-like blackness hiding the unknown.

Most of the walk was made in silence, adding to the already tense atmosphere. Everybody was uneasy, jumping slightly at unexpected noises made louder from the echoes of alleys, and glancing around making sure everyone was okay. The one thing they didn’t account for was the silent footsteps approaching them from behind.

Fluttershy, who had fallen to the rear of the group, had peered into the darkness of an alley as she passed by. A pair of fierce, glowing yellow eyes appeared, causing her to gasp and scream internally. A racoon hopped out of the darkness curiously tipping its head as it gazed at her and gave a quiet chirp before scuttling off to find another dumpster to hide in. Fluttershy let her breath fall as she sighed, relief washed over her as she realized it was just an animal looking for food.

Fluttershy let out a muffled scream. She felt the cold grip of steel as it pressed tightly to her neck, and the warmth of blood as a small trickle made its way down her neck. The man, dressed in a black trenchcoat, held his hand to her mouth and gestured with his head and the two men on either side advanced forward, swiftly cutting off the group and boxing them in. Rarity had turned around to start her way away from the two men, but froze when she caught sight of Fluttershy with a knife to her throat. The man put a finger to Fluttershy’s lips, the universal gesture for staying quiet.

Sunset let out a surprised gasp. She stared at the man for what seemed like hours. The man took his finger from Fluttershy’s lips, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close. The timid girl squeezed her eyes shut as tight as she could, her pleading whines of fear falling on deaf ears. The man inhaled deeply as he draped a lock of Fluttershy's hair across his finger.

“Ah… Don’t you just love that? The smell of sweet, beautiful, young flowers,” he moaned. He took his hand away from the girl’s waist, running his fingers through her long, silky pink hair. “We got ourselves a nice catch here boys!”

The two men in front cackled like madmen. The two men had thin, sunken faces, and their skin was pale as if they hadn’t seen the sun in months. The deep pits of their eyes housed a darkness behind them, devoid of any human sympathy and filled with a beastly lust. One was tall with lanky limbs and high shoulders, white hair hung just above his eyebrows, and his face was long. The other was of average height with grey hair that almost looked silver. He stood straight with toned arms and a squared chin. The tall one turned his head to his partner.

“You think this big of a group is too much for us to handle, Swift? Not like it matters.”

The toned man answered back, “With this many we might just have a bonus for when we’re done. Which one do you want, Ghost?”

“Whichever one is left alive.”

Swift and Ghost smiled as they cracked their necks and lunged at the two nearest to them. Swift wrapped his arms around Rainbow Dash without giving her a chance, picking her up and throwing her into the dark alley next to them. Applejack tried to get the jump on him from behind, but she was grappled into a full nelson from behind by Ghost. Ghost bashed his knee against her back and shoved her next to Rainbow. Applejack groaned, rubbing her hand on the injury, and trying to stand back up but failing. Swift then grabbed the other girls one by one and shoved them in the alley while Ghost made sure no one tried to escape. Then, the man holding the knife to Fluttershy’s throat - who seemed to be the leader - let up and shoved the poor girl in the alley with her friends.

“Here’s the deal,” he said, handing the knife to Ghost and pulling a pistol out from his coat. The gleam of the sleek black metal drowned out any chance of escaping the girls’ had. “You are going to give us all the money you have, and then you’re going to strip your clothes. I suggest you comply with us or somebody is going to get hurt.” He wiggled the gun in the air with a manic look in his eyes.

“Haha! Golden Bullet’s the boss, so you better listen,” Ghost cackled.

“Shut up!” Bullet barked and slapped Ghost with the butt of the pistol. Ghost stumbled back holding his cheek. Bullet pointed the barrel towards the girls and flicked the gun. With venom in his voice he spoke one single word that shook the girls to their cores. “Strip.”

The walk home was long, but he enjoyed the cold night brought with it. The air always felt fresher to him at night when there were fewer active pollutants. He inhaled deeply, holding the icy air in his lungs before breathing it out in a cloud of moisture. He stopped as a strong gust of wind blew by that threatened his balance, the wind causing the tails of his leather coat that split at the vertex of his legs to flap violently and throw the hood of his mottled gray jacket off.

He stumbled forward, holding his stomach with a grimace. One of the suited men had managed to get in close and stab him with a pocket knife while he was distracted. The other injuries he had received were a bit of an annoyance, the bullets especially. He wiped the blood off on his jacket, and trudged on. He smiled, just glad it wasn’t anything too serious. But, something stopped him from continuing his trek home.

The previous smile he had was replaced with a dark, phlegmatic expression. He heard the screams; there were about three, all of them female. Their screams were quick, cut abrupt as something prevented them from continuing their cry of despair. Whatever was behind those screams didn’t want to attract any more attention than wanted. It got his. He started in the direction of the screams, moving faster with every step until he was in a dead sprint. Blowing by broken street lamps and darkened alleys, he was there in an instant. He slowed to a walk as the divide of buildings making the alley where the screams came from became filled with voices. Voices that weren’t all too friendly, filled with a demanding eagerness.

“Come on, hurry it up!” One voice screamed into the night, but it wasn’t directed towards the girls in the alley.

“We don’t have all night!”

I see. He had a guess of what was happening before he got there and those words just proved it. The demanding words were not directed towards the girls, but rather towards someone else they were waiting for. Taking a deep breath and exhaling it with a low groan he began to whistle as he approached the alley.

Twisted Nerve Whistle

The high pitch and fast rhythm along with the sense of fear it brought with it in the dark of night was perfect for the situation. The very air around him even seemed to be twisting with unease. In a slow stride, he allowed the tune to play out for its full effect.

This was not how Twilight had imagined her vacation to go. She thought everyone was just going to have another sleepover at Pinkie’s, talking, playing video games, and eating junk food. Being trapped in an alley and being forced to take her clothes off was way worse than what she initially thought could go wrong. She may be a pony at heart and not wear clothes often, but after spending time as a human, Twilight had learned that clothing was extremely important to the denizens of this world, and being forced to expose themselves for the sick enjoyment of others was a serious crime. However, she knew if she didn’t comply her friends would get hurt. Filled with embarrassment and self-hate for not being able to do anything, Twilight began to slowly unbutton her shirt. As she looked up at her friends, all doing the same thing, she noticed that Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie glanced at each other from the corners of their eyes. With a curt nod, the three of them let out the loudest screams they could. The man with the gun, Golden Bullet, clutched an ear and barked an order to his lackeys. The two men hurried and did the only thing they could to stop them by slapping the girls with the backsides of their hands. Their screams were stopped instantly as they dropped to their knees.

“You try that shit again and surely one of you will die,” Bullet barked. He strengthened his statement by pulling back the hammer of the pistol and pointing in Rarity’s direction.

“Bastards.” Applejack muttered under her breath, but it seemed to not go unnoticed.

“What was that?” Ghost asked as he brandished the knife in front of her, running the back end of the blade across her cheek, he cackled. “I thought I heard something.” Applejack did nothing but look down.

“Come on, come on, come on! Come on, hurry it up,” demanded Swift, his arms shaking with an excited angst.

Twilight cast her head down as her thoughts started to fill themselves with confusion. ‘How could humans be so cruel? Everyone I’ve met has been warm and welcoming. How could this happen?’ She clenched her fists, trembling with fear and anger, but then she heard something, a whistle.

A whistle that was heading towards the alley she and her friends were in. It made her feel uneasy, giving her a feeling she couldn’t shake, like someone was twisting a nerve in her body. The creepy high-pitched tune began to die down as it got closer. Somebody else was coming this way. Twilight shot her head up and spotted him. A partially working street lamp provided some convenient backlight and prevented anyone from actually seeing him as he loomed at the end of the alley, although with how dark it was Twilight didn’t think that would have changed anything. All she could see - what anyone could see - was a tall, ominous figure shrouded in darkness; his minacious figure a brooding shadow that stood darker than the night, a creature of the abyss blacker than the Void.

The men visibly jumped, casting quick looks to each other as if saying, “What do we do?” Bullet aimed the pistol at the figure and yelled out, “Get out of here, this doesn’t involve you!” The figure at the alley entrance continued to stand there, unmoving except for the ends of his coat waving in a gentle breeze. “Get out of here!” Bullet barked, his voice laced with disbelief.

“He’s not one of you?” asked Twilight, her disbelief clear in her voice.

Swift glared back at her, and with a flash of fear in his eyes he replied, “No.”

Golden Bullet lowered the gun and laughed, a deep, manic cackle. Then he suddenly stopped and fired the gun at the figure. The figure didn’t move and the bullet blew by him. Ghost and Swift shared a glance as they came to a revelation together. They glared at the figure with an evil look in their eyes.

“So here you are, the Blackstone Outcast in the flesh. I had my doubts about this plan, using bait to lure you out. But here you are, right where we want you,” Golden Bullet said as he let his hood fall. He brushed his hand through his golden blonde hair that almost glimmered from a street light. He finally revealed himself as he came face to face with the thing he had been looking for. The man had a grizzled look with stress wrinkles pulling at his eyes and forehead and a prominent crescent shaped scar that curved around his eye. He looked relatively young in spite of his mature appearance. He still had the face of someone in their late 20’s or early 30’s. Bullet narrowed his sunken eyes as he brought out a second pistol from his trenchcoat and aimed the two firearms at the figure. “Right where you will die!”

The figure tilted its head forward, snapping it back up as a single fierce crimson eye glowered from the veil of shadow that concealed his face. The eye of a monster; the otherworldly gaze of a tenebrous monster. In his direful gaze, one could see the fate they would suffer at the hands of this demon. Twilight had only caught a glimpse into it and felt herself wanting to curl up. The hairs on the back of everyone’s necks stood up, their bodies encumbered with shock. The men took a step back. Ghost tripped over himself bumping into Bullet, and the boom of a gun exploded in the alley. The bullet tore through the air and planted itself into the figure before them. The heavy drip-drop sound of blood was heard as the figure lifted his arm and dug out the bullet with his fingers. The bullet tip Clinked as it hit the ground. A deep, inhuman voice echoed throughout the alley.

I̷̙̾ ̸̜͋w̸̱̔ị̶͛l̵̤̒l̵̿͜ ̵̙͘b̵̳́r̶̟̀e̵̼̽a̶͚̓k̷̲̔ ̶̠̀y̷̬͠ō̵̤ư̵̳

The moment those words left his mouth Twilight felt her soul vanish. Her blood froze in her veins as a dark, ominous presence flooded the alley. The air felt heavy, denser than anything she had ever experienced, like swimming around in a pool of molasses. Twilight was for sure her soul had left her body. Her senses had become dull, the overwhelming presence of despair embraced her body throughout, and her wide, tear filled eyes were glued to him. She was sure that he wasn’t here to save anyone, but to kill everybody.

The figure wasn’t even able to take a single step before Golden Bullet emptied his two pistols, screaming furiously. Fortunately, the bullets never met their target as they stopped just before him. A black disk appeared obscuring him and a water-like ripple filled the space before him. The bullets dropped to the ground as the black disk disappeared and he lowered his arm. Bullet seethed in anger and flung the pistols downward, reloading them from a multitude of clips on his belt. He aimed for the figure again, but was prevented from firing as the man appeared in front of Bullet and grabbed hold of his forearm, snapping Bullet’s arm with a flick of his wrist. The sick sound of bone fracturing and Bullet’s scream of pain echoed. Bullet dropped to the ground holding his arm awkwardly in an unnatural angle as he screamed at his men.

“Kill that son of a bitch!”

Ghost and Swift were quick to react, unsheathing tactical knives hidden in their sleeves and lunging at the man. The blades were too fast to be seen, but he dodged back as the blades slashed at him with fury. Ghost and Swift swung wildly at him with no discernable target. He simply dodged, ducked, and sidestepped out of the way of the blades with ease; a dance of agility. Nonetheless, the two blade-wielding men continued their endless stream of attacks.

The man of shadow seemed to have enough of playing their game. He went on the offensive, dodging around the blades and getting in their faces. Ghost and Swift jumped back, putting some distance between them before dashing at him once again. The shadow leaped into the air as Swift dashed by intent on slashing open his stomach. The man kicked off the alley wall, allowing him to fly over Swift and land a solid kick to the back of Swift’s head. Swift went down hard, his head resounding a solid crack off the asphalt as he fell.

Ghost followed up with his own attacks as his comrade fell, now with an extra dagger in his other hand. Ghost got in close, lashing out with both daggers, all the while holding an insane smile that threatened to rip his cheeks apart. The shadow had no choice but to keep his ground and defend against Ghost’s attacks. He noticed Ghost’s attacks were faster and more erratic, and Ghost also began incorporating feints into his wild swings. He defended against every attack almost perfectly by shifting the direction of the dagger with even faster hands that grabbed at Ghost’s wrists, but a few slashes managed to get through. Ghost attempted a feint from the right, but the shadow saw through it and dodged back grabbing Ghost’s wrist then redirecting the attack. The dagger plunged into Ghost’s ribs and he stopped in his tracks. Ghost looked down to see his own hand on the dagger, a look of disbelief on his face as he looked back up.

“H-how?” Ghost’s eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fell to the ground. Blood started to puddle under Ghost as his consciousness faded.

Twilight could barely comprehend what happened. One second the two men, Ghost and Swift, attacked the unknown man and then the next they were on the ground. ‘What is going on?’ She asked herself. “Why was this happening? Who is that man? For Celestia's sake, what is going on?”

Bullet stumbled forward as he fumbled to grab a pistol with his good arm. With barely a second to react, the man slammed his boot into Bullet’s chest. Bullet flew back, his sternum had shattered on impact and most of his ribs were fractured. Bullet grasped his sides and shouted in pain as he landed on the asphalt, writhing on the ground like a worm. A hand shot to his face and lifted him off the ground. He flailed wildly with the gun in hand, firing three more shots into the man before him. The fierce red eye glowed brighter with intensity as a darker, more ominous feeling washed over the alley that filled everyone with dread. With his free hand, the shadow rammed his fist into Bullet’s stomach over and over again. A combination of blood, bile, and saliva forced its way up Bullet’s throat and was spit out, but with his mouth contorted and squished in, it came out in spurts. Bullet screamed in pain as the man tightened his grip, the sound of bones cracking was heard as Bullet’s face was slowly being crushed by a vise.

“STOP!”

A normally soft-spoken voice that was often used to soothe small animals quickly became ferocious enough to stop a monster in its tracks. All eyes turned to Fluttershy, who had tearful eyes and an expression of pure, prey-like fear similar to a rabbit running from a predator, but also a look of extreme sternness in her eyes. She stood up covering her exposed chest, knees shaking.

“Please! Stop this! I don’t want to see anyone else get hurt anymore. I don’t care if they’re bad people, just... Please. Stop,” Fluttershy's soft voice pleaded.

“But Flutters, they…” Rainbow started, her gravelly voice struggled to maintain a sense of bravery.

“I don’t care!” Fluttershy cried out. “I can’t… I can’t stand watching someone getting hurt anymore.” Fluttershy fell back down on her knees, face in her hands as she cried. “No more…”

The man cast his gaze at Fluttershy, then back at the man in his hand. The glowing intensity of his eye unexpectedly died down. Her eyes held fear, but the sorrow and pain drowned it out… and mercy.

"Please…" she sobbed. "Please stop hurting them."

The screams of Bullet were no longer ringing out, just his grunts of pain and effort as he tried to escape. The man turned his head down as if he was thinking about what Fluttershy had said, his glowing eye disappeared along with the despair he radiated.

“You’re… a fucking… monster,” Bullet hissed between ragged breaths.

The shadow tightened his grip. He threw Bullet to the wall hard enough to crack the brick. He struck Golden Bullet with a closed fist that left Bullet’s jaw hanging loose, then shot his knee up across Bullet’s chin. Blood sprayed along the wall as Bullet slumped against the wall, sliding down as his eyes closed and he lost consciousness. He wasn’t dead, but he would be soon. The man crouched down in front of Bullet’s body, and began ruffling through his pockets. He pulled out a folded pile of dollar bills, he counted it, took one bill, then placed the rest on the ground in front of Sunset. Then, he grabbed the pistol Bullet had used, looked it over, then tucked it behind him. Why he grabbed it was a mystery. It wasn’t like he needed it.

Everyone shared embarrassed looks with each other as they regained their composure. Everybody seemed to be okay - mentally traumatized, but okay. Sunset eyed the cash on the ground, hesitantly grabbing it from in front of the man. He may have saved her and her friends, but he obviously was extremely dangerous and unpredictable. Her eyes widened slightly as she counted the money in her hands. There was twice as much as she had originally forked over to Bullet. She glanced back at the man who stood still, staring at something. Sunset followed his predicted gaze and found it burning into Fluttershy. She had a feeling something was wrong. He had saved them, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have ulterior motives.

The man moved to the back of the alley where Fluttershy sat, but was stopped halfway. Rainbow stood in the man’s way with her fists curled and her chest puffed out. “Not another step! You may have kicked those guys’ asses and saved our butts, but I’m not letting you any closer to my friends,” she firmly stated, a fiery determination in her eyes. The man brought an arm up and flicked Rainbow in the forehead, then stepped around her as her head shot back and she rubbed the spot. “Hey!” she shouted after him.

He kneeled down in front of Fluttershy. No longer did the dark presence of power exist. Instead a calm feeling washed over everyone as he tilted his head and held out his hand, but there was still fear held in their eyes. Fluttershy buried her head in her knees, eyes shut tight, with her arms covering her head. With the gentle strength of a giant, the man forced her arms down and raised her head by placing his hand under her chin. Her eyes at level with his, she opened her mouth as if to say something, but closed it and lifted her head to reveal her neck. A gash about the length of a pen made its way across the side of Fluttershy’s throat. Fishing around in his coat for a moment, he brought out a small glass vial filled with a liquid resembling blood. He lifted the vial to Fluttershy’s lips, the liquid flowed down like water. Fluttershy made a face it splashed on her tongue, but let it ease down her throat. The gash began to close, soon disappearing with no sign of it ever being there, not even a scar had formed. The timid girl that would normally flee or hide at the first sign of danger smiled at the man, her expression saying “Thank you”.

The man stood back to his full height, towering over the girls, and swiftly turned around to leave. Something tugged on his sleeve. When he looked back Fluttershy held onto him with all the strength she had left. A large hand slid out and gently took her hand off him. The man whipped his coat around and disappeared out of the alley.

“Hey!” Rainbow Dash called after him as she took chase. When she stepped out onto the street he was nowhere to be seen. Rainbow looked back to her friends. “He’s gone.”

The girls exchanged looks. They were all thinking the same thing, but no one wanted to say it. The alley fell deadly silent as everyone stood around not knowing what to do.

“I’ll say it,” Sunset said, breaking the quiet. “I’ll say what we’re all thinking. What the hell just happened?" She sighed fiddling with her nails. "We should go to the police with this and get those creeps locked up, but there’s something else.” Sunset glanced at Twilight who nodded in return. “That guy… or whatever it was, used magic. It’s been awhile since I’ve been here, but I can still sense magic when it’s used, if only slightly. Twilight, I’m sure you felt it too.”

Twilight gulped. That magic she sensed was similar to that of Sombra or Tirek; the one magic she hoped she would never have to face again. “Yes. That feeling of your body tensing up and your body receiving small electrical shocks, all of that was magic flowing in the air and coming into contact with your bodies. To be able to exert so much… But that feeling of your blood freezing, wanting to curl up and hide… That was not magic, but something else entirely.”

“Wait, magic? But… but how?” Rarity brushed her hair back as she began to think.

“I don’t know,” replied Twilight. “But I do know one thing. Whoever he is, that man is dangerous. I never thought I’d come across it again…” Twilight never finished her sentence as her voice trailed off, her preoccupied thoughts taking over.

“Alright, well look here guys,” squeaked Rainbow Dash. “I don’t think we should stick around here any longer. Let’s just get to Pinkie’s house a few blocks away and hit the hay. I think we all need it.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. What they needed most right now was rest, and lots of it. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Sunset, and Twilight stepped out of the dark alley and back onto the dimly lit sidewalk. Pinkie Pie and Rarity helped Fluttershy to her feet, who oddly enough, was smiling with tears in her eyes.

“Fluttershy, darling, why are you smiling?” asked Rarity.

Fluttershy looked deep into her friend's eyes, reflecting her own joy of being saved. “I’m just happy everyone is okay.”

He watched them from afar on a fire escape as they left the dark alley. That place forever marked itself in their memories. He followed them with his eyes as they quickly got as far away from the alley as they could. Making a last second decision, he darted back into the alley, then followed the girls from the rooftops until they entered the neighbourhood he was in previously. Dropping down from the rooftops, he kept his distance behind them. They soon entered a two-storey house of common design and locked the door.

He took to the side of the house and jumped the fence into the back yard, settling himself in the large oak tree centered in the yard like an owl. The leaves provided enough cover to completely submerge him in a sea of leaves. He still had a clear view of the yard, and the backside of the house, despite the amount of leaves covering him. A few of the windows of the house became illuminated as someone entered, then returned to darkness as they left. One room, however, had the light on constantly, most likely a bedroom. He did overhear the girls talking about the worst night for a slumber party. The curtains to the room began to shift then open as the girl with the poofy, pink hair slid the curtains apart and opened the window. She leaned over the windowsill, staring out into the night with icy blue eyes. Moments passed, the girl sighed and her eyes wandered over the tree in the yard. Smiling with a wide grin and eyes that literally dazzled, she gave a thumbs up then dipped back inside.

How? He stared back at the vacant window, surprised beyond belief that that girl had seen him. His thoughts raced to find a quick rational answer, but nothing came to mind. Had he not hid himself well enough? No, even creatures with amplified vision to help them see in the dark wouldn't be able to see him. He grumbled, leaving his current branch and climbing higher. There was less cover but the likelihood of someone looking up was low. However, he did not feel quite as sure as before, thinking the best place to keep watch was from the roof. In one movement, he left the tree and silently landed on the roof. Taking a spot with a satisfied sigh, he focused his hearing for anything that sounded like it shouldn’t be making noise.

The one thing he could possibly think of that could put these girls in danger was the two lackeys he only knocked out. He hadn't had the chance to eliminate them while he was purposely intimidating Bullet. Then there was that girl. It was a factor he hadn't considered, yet it was there and it stopped him; Mercy. Why she had pleaded for mercy for those men he couldn’t figure out. Thinking back that girl held those same eyes as someone…

Shaking his head clear of unnecessary thoughts he turned his attention back to his task, but one question had sneaked its way into his mind. “Why,” he asked himself. Why did he bother himself with the conflict? Why did he save those girls from a horrible experience? Why did he follow them back here to keep an eye on them? Why did that girl remind him of someone?

The click of a clamp opening then closing disturbed him of his thoughts. The fence gate of the house opened, then closed quietly. He frowned. He knew the two left alive would find the place.

“You sure this is the place, Swift?” Ghost whispered, his voice ragged from the pain he was enduring. A bloodied rag wrapped around his body.

“Yeah, I woke up just as they left and saw them head this way. They’ll pay for what happened to Bullet,” Swift declared in a hushed voice.

Ghost eyed his partner cautiously. “What about that… monster? He’s the one we should be going after!” Ghost’s voice began rising. “He killed Golden Bullet. Not those girls.”

Swift lunged at Ghost, cupping his hand over his friend’s rather forcefully. “Quiet,” he hissed. “Do you want people to hear us?” Swift darted his eyes back and forth as he listened to the silence of the night. “We’re not going after that monster anymore. Didn’t you feel it? The difference in skill. We’d have no chance against him. He’s a fucking monster. The contact never said anything about him being a fucking demon. You’re lucky enough that he didn’t kill you with your own knife. And those shadows...” Swift shivered as nightmarish images flooded his mind.

The deadbolt on the back door clicked, then the door creaked open as two of the girls stepped outside. One held a broomstick and the other a frying pan. Ghost and Swift ducked down on the grass, hoping the shadow of the house was enough to hide them. The girl with the strange, prismatic hair color wielded the broomstick like a baseball bat while she scanned the yard, her friend with the stetson doing the same with her frying pan. Eventually, they called out to each other giving the ‘all-clear’ before heading back inside, locking the door behind them.

Ghost and Swift let out the breaths they were holding, wiping their brows in relief. “Whew, that was close,” breathed Swift. He elbowed Ghost, who was currently staring at the sky, his mouth agape.

“Hey, Ghost. What’s up, dude?” Swift followed his gaze to the sky and nearly had a heart attack at what he saw.

Utop the house on the edge of the roof, stood the monster that beat Swift, made Ghost stab himself, and maimed Golden Bullet. With no sound at all, he fell to the grass landing softly. Fear struck their hearts, finding themselves unable to move. Ghost tried to scream curses at the man, but no sound made it out. The man lifted his hand to the black veil that shadowed his face, and put a finger where his mouth would be, hushing the men as they struggled. With every ounce of energy they had, they fought against their unwilling bodies, squirming against their malfunctioning instinctive fear response. The man quietly stood there with his hands in his pockets as he observed. The two men began to foam at the mouth as the strain on their bodies became too much. Soon enough, they stopped struggling altogether with one last jerk of their limbs.

He exhaled deeply as he tucked the empty syringe that contained a paralysis poison back into his coat. Standing back up he threw both men over his shoulders and vanished into the darkness. Moments later, he reappeared. Massaging the bridge of his nose, he sighed in relief. Hopefully nothing else would become a bother tonight.

‘Those guys won’t be bothering anyone ever again. But I still think it would be best if I stay here and keep an eye on the place,’ he told himself. It wasn’t like he was going to get any sleep anyway, so why not? Regaining his spot on the roof, he sat with his legs stretched out and his arms folded behind his head. He lay staring at the night sky; a blanket of pure black that covered the sky. It was a pity the clouds overhead blocked the light of the moon and stars. Those were his favorite.

“What do you think we should do,” Sunset asked her friends.

“OH, OH! Throw him a party!”

“That’s your answer for everything, Pinkie,” replied Rarity.

“It’s a good answer.” Pinkie Pie held a prideful smile as she looked at Rarity.

Rainbow Dash sat across from Rarity with a dark expression examining her own fist. “It’s not like you have an answer yourself, Marshmallow. I think we should find the guy. Shake him down for some answers.” Rainbow squeezed her fist tighter as a brief flare of anger rose up. What was she to do when she was so powerless? She wasn’t able to protect her friends when they needed her.

“Ah don’t think that’s the best idea,” Applejack said as she rested her arms on Rainbow’s shoulder, putting her hand over Rainbow’s fist she looked her friend in the eye. “If anythin’ we should stay away from alleys. Y’all saw it and felt it. That wasn’t no man.”

Distressed cries came from Twilight as she huddled herself into a ball, rocking back and forth. Her friends shared concerned glances. “No, no, no, no! This is not how I pictured my first night of my vacation,” she cried. “This is horrible! I came here to get away from the craziness, not get caught up in it! And what was with that one guy? What was with that eye and that presence? He was human wasn’t he? Well of course he was, not like monsters roam this world-”

Twilight was slapped out of her ball of worry. A very red hand mark was apparent on her face as Sunset grabbed her shoulders as she unfolded from her knee-locked position, shaking her with all her might. Twilight could only see blurred versions of her friends as her head rocked back and forth with speed that could rival Pinkie’s nodding when she’s excited. The comical display caught a few off guard making them laugh and lighten the mood.

Sunset ceased the shaking and stared into Twilight’s eyes. “Listen to me, Twilight. We got out of it alive. We’re here and we are supposed to be having fun with our friends. Focus on that for now.”

The words seemed to finally reach Twilight. Her limbs relaxed and she stopped babbling incoherently. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m going to get some sleep.”

With a heavy sigh Twilight fell back on the sleeping bag that was positioned under her. Without uttering “goodnight” she slipped into the sleeping bag and turned over on her side, closing her eyes to get some much needed rest.

“I think we should follow Twilight in those regards,” Sunset yawned. “We need sleep, and lots of it. When we wake up, I think we should go with AJ’s idea. If we’re lucky maybe we can find this guy. Thanking him is the least we could do.”

Sunset flipped the light switch, darkening the room save for the lamp that was still illuminated on Pinkie’s desk. She climbed into her own sleeping as her friends slipped into the sleeping bags they were given and plopped their heads on their pillows. Pinkie jumped into her own bed, laying her blankets over herself and falling asleep immediately. The low level of light the lamp gave off was rather comforting. It staved off any dark spots, comforting the girls and letting them know nothing was waiting for them in the dark. The darkness of the alley recreated a fear they thought had long been overcome; a fear of the dark. After tonight there were guarantees that a few would be sleeping with a light on for some time.

Their eyes quickly became heavy and they soon drifted off to sleep. However, Sunset lay awake staring at the ceiling. Sitting up she looked around the room, counting the sleeping bodies of her friends. Embarrassed, she laughed at her own anxiety. Nothing was going to happen to her or her friends and she knew it, but why did she feel so nervous? Playing it off as just those thoughts people get at night after watching a horror movie, Sunset stood up and walked downstairs.

Turning on the kitchen light, she walked to the faucet, turned it on and grabbed a glass from the cupboard, filling it with water and gulping it down. Wiping her mouth with a relieved sigh, Sunset placed the glass in the sink. The floor creaked next to her and she froze in place. Maybe it was Maud, Pinkie Pie’s sister, but that wouldn’t be right. Pinkie said they would have the house to themselves.

Sunset’s breathing became erratic as she slowly turned her head toward the source of the noise. In the dark stood a familiar figure in a long black coat. The light from the kitchen shed little light on him, but it was enough to highlight the outlines of his clothes. Sunset’s breathing became more and more harsh with each moment. He just stood there, the shadows wrapping around him in a cold embrace. Extending an arm with his palm facing her, faint whispers made themselves heard as they circled around her. Her eyes felt heavy and her legs didn’t seem to work right anymore. She grabbed a hold of the counter as she fell, her entire body shutting down with each passing moment. With her eyelids becoming heavier, she caught one last glimpse of the man approaching her before she fell under the waves of the sea of sleep.